we got a
stress of weather for over a week, in which several of our sails were
blown away and a number of our light spars were wrecked. All our
live-stock of pigs and chickens were drowned, owing to the flooding of
our decks, for we sat very low in the water.

On the day that we ran into pleasant weather again we started to take
off the hatches, when a gassy, choking smell poured out of the opening.
The cargo was on fire. There was only one thing to do--to replace the
hatches, bore holes through them, and pump streams of water into the
hold, endeavoring to drown the fire before it gained additional headway.
All hands were called to the task, and for twenty-four hours we worked
for our lives, the crew being divided into relief gangs so that the
deck-pumps might be kept constantly going.

Before another morning came, however, we knew that the ship was doomed,
for the decks grew hot under our feet, and through various crevices the
weakening, nauseating fumes of coal-gas poured, overpowering us at times
as we plied the pump-handles. The wind died away, leaving the ship
becalmed, and over and around her hung a sickly blue pall of vapor. Then
the order was given to provision the boats and desert the _Raleigh_. We
pulled a little way from the vessel and rested on our oars, watching the
noble ship. As long as she floated there we seemed to have something to
cling to on the wide desolate reach of waters.

Shortly afterward the mainmast swayed like a drunken man, then with an
awful crash it pitched over the side, dragging with it the
foretop-gallant mast and the mizzen-topmast. Through the broken deck a
column of winding sulphurous flame shot into the air. The pitch ran
wriggling out of the seams of the _Raleigh_'s planking, and fell hissing
in little showers into the water alongside as the vessel rolled
sluggishly on the swells. An hour later the bark was a mass of flames,
and we pulled away to escape from the heat.

There were two boats, the Captain commanding one and the chief mate the
other. Each had been provided with a chart and compass, and, in addition
to these instruments, the two officers had carried away their sextants
in order to navigate by the sun and stars. Into each boat had been
stowed food and water, which it was calculated would last about ten days
by putting all hands on short allowance; but it was hoped that before
the provisions were consumed we would either be picked up by a passing
vessel or successfu