, shut me in upon the
left. Its head or bottom--I could not say which--lay quite up against
the end of the water-butt; but for some reason it had been cleated
closer up to the side timbers of the ship, so that there was hardly any
vacant space behind it. For this reason, nearly one half of its
diameter overlapped the end of the water-butt--the other half completing
the enclosure of my cabin.

Through this last half I resolved to cut my way, and then, creeping
inside the cask, to make another hole that would let me through its
opposite side.

Perhaps, beyond the brandy-cask I might find food and safety? It was
only blind guessing on my part; but I again prayed for success.

Making an incision across the thick oak plank that formed the bottom
staves, was a very different affair from cutting through soft spruce
deal, and I progressed but slowly. A beginning had already been made,
however, where I had formerly tapped the cask; and entering my blade at
this same hole, I worked away until I had cut one of the pieces clear
across. I then put on my buskins, and, getting upon my back, kicked
upon the stave with all my might, using my heels as a trip-hammer. It
was a stiff job; for the piece, being jointed into the others on both
sides, refused for a long time to yield. But the constant hammering at
length loosened it, by breaking off one of the joinings, and I had the
satisfaction to find that it was giving way. A few more strong
finishing blows did the business, and the stave was at length forced
inward.

The immediate result was a gush of brandy that completely overwhelmed
me. It rushed over me, not in a jet but in a grand volume as thick as
my body; and before I could raise myself into an erect position, it was
all over and around me, so that I had a fear I was going to be drowned
in it! The whole space I occupied was filled up, and it was only by
holding my head close up to the ship's timbers that I could keep my
mouth clear of being filled. At the first gush, a quantity had got into
my throat, and eyes as well, and well-nigh choked and blinded me; and it
was some time before I got over the fit of coughing and sneezing which
it had suddenly brought on.

I was in no mood to be merry at the time; yet strange enough, I could
not help thinking of the Duke of Clarence and his odd fancy of being
drowned in the butt of malmsey.

The singular flood subsided almost as rapidly as it had risen. There
was plenty of s