Page:Wonderful and surprising narrative of Capt. John Inglefield.pdf/8

 down the stem-post was so loose that as the ship rolled the water rushed in on either side in great streams, which we could not stop. Night came on with the same dismal prospects as on the preceeding, and was passed in continual effort and labour. Morning came (the 22d) without seeing any things, or any change of weather, and the day was spent with the same struggles to keep the ship above water, pumping and bailing at the hatchways and scuttles. Towards night another of the chainpumps was rendered quite useless by one of the rollers being displaced at the bottom of the pump, and this was without remedy, there being too much water in the well to get to it. We also had but 6 leathers remaining, so that the fate of the ship was not far off. Still the labour went on without any apparent dispair, every officer taking his share of it, and the people were always chearful and obedient.

During the night the water encreased; about 7 in the morning (the 23d) I was told an unusual quantity of water appeared all at once in the fore-hold, which upon going forward to be convinced, I found it but too true; the stowage of the hold, ground tier, was all in motion, so that in a short time there was not a whole cask to be seen; we were then convinced the ship had sprung a fresh leak. Another sail had been thrumming all night, and I was giving directions to place it over the bow, when I perceived the ship setting by the head, the lower deck bow-ports being even with the water.

At this period the carpenter acquainted me the well was stnvestove [sic] in, destroyed by the wreck of the hold, and the chain-pumps displaced and totally useless; there was nothing left but to redouble our efforts in bailing, but it became difficult to fill the buck  from the quantity of staves, planks, anchor-stocks, and yard-arm-pieces which were now washed from the winge, and floating from side to side with the motion of the ship. The people, who till this period had laboured as determined to conquer their difficulties, without a murmur or without a tear, seeing their efforts useless, many of them burst into tears, and wept like children. I gave orders for the anchors, of which we had two remaining, to be thrown over-board one of which, the spare anchor, had been most surprisingly