The Boats of the Glen-Carrig | Page 5

removed the hatch which led down to the lazarette, and,
lighting two lamps which we had with us in the boats, went down to
make a search. And so, in a little while, we came upon two casks which
the bo'sun broke open with a hatchet. These casks were sound and tight,
and in them was ship's biscuit, very good and fit for food. At this, as
may be imagined, we felt eased in our minds, knowing that there was
no immediate fear of starvation. Following this, we found a barrel of
molasses; a cask of rum; some cases of dried fruit--these were mouldy
and scarce fit to be eaten; a cask of salt beef, another of pork; a small
barrel of vinegar; a case of brandy; two barrels of flour--one of which
proved to be damp-struck; and a bunch of tallow dips.
In a little while we had all these things up in the big cabin, so that we
might come at them the better to make choice of that which was fit for
our stomachs, and that which was otherwise. Meantime, whilst the

bo'sun overhauled these matters, Josh called a couple of the men, and
went on deck to bring up the gear from the boats, for it had been
decided that we should pass the night aboard the hulk.
When this was accomplished, Josh took a walk forward to the fo'cas'le;
but found nothing beyond two seamen's chests; a sea-bag, and some
odd gear. There were, indeed, no more than ten bunks in the place; for
she was but a small brig, and had no call for a great crowd. Yet Josh
was more than a little puzzled to know what had come to the odd chests;
for it was not to be supposed that there had been no more than two--and
a sea-bag--among ten men. But to this, at that time, he had no answer,
and so, being sharp for supper, made a return to the deck, and thence to
the main cabin.
Now while he had been gone, the bo'sun had set the men to clearing out
the main cabin; after which, he had served out two biscuits apiece all
round, and a tot of rum. To Josh, when he appeared, he gave the same,
and, in a little, we called a sort of council; being sufficiently stayed by
the food to talk.
Yet, before we came to speech, we made shift to light our pipes; for the
bo'sun had discovered a case of tobacco in the captain's cabin, and after
this we came to the consideration of our position.
We had provender, so the bo'sun calculated, to last us for the better part
of two months, and this without any great stint; but we had yet to prove
if the brig held water in her casks, for that in the creek was brackish,
even so far as we had penetrated from the sea; else we had not been in
need. To the charge of this, the bo'sun set Josh, along with two of the
men. Another, he told to take charge of the galley, so long as we were
in the hulk. But for that night, he said we had no need to do aught; for
we had sufficient of water in the boats' breakers to last us till the
morrow. And so, in a little, the dusk began to fill the cabin; but we
talked on, being greatly content with our present ease and the good
tobacco which we enjoyed.
In a little while, one of the men cried out suddenly to us to be silent,
and, in that minute, all heard it--a far, drawn-out wailing; the same
which had come to us in the evening of the first day. At that we looked
at one another through the smoke and the growing dark, and, even as
we looked, it became plainer heard, until, in a while, it was all about
us--aye! it seemed to come floating down through the broken

framework of the skylight as though some weariful, unseen thing stood
and cried upon the decks above our heads.
Now through all that crying, none moved; none, that is, save Josh and
the bo'sun, and they went up into the scuttle to see whether anything
was in sight; but they found nothing, and so came down to us; for there
was no wisdom in exposing ourselves, unarmed as we were, save for
our sheath-knives.
And so, in a little, the night crept down upon the world, and still we sat
within the dark cabin, none speaking, and knowing of the rest only by
the glows of their pipes.
All at once there came a low, muttered growl, stealing across the land;
and immediately the crying was quenched in its sullen thunder. It died
away,