I came up to the orlop ladder, some one came and
helped me; when I reached the lower deck, I fell, but not, as many
did that day, lifeless.'

When Lieutenant Tailour recovered, he made strict inquiries, whether
any fire had been discovered in the cockpit or store-rooms, and being
assured that there had not, he ordered the lower deck to be scuttled.

So energetic was this officer, that eight or ten minutes only had
elapsed since the first alarm had been given, before the hammocks were
all got on deck, and the ports opened, to give light and room below,
until the place of fire could be discovered, and better means obtained
for drawing water. Mr. Tailour did not recover from the suffocation so
fast as he expected, and was obliged to go upon deck for air. There he
found Captain Le Gros in consultation with the master, who, being of
opinion that the fire was on the larboard side, gave orders to wear
the ship, so as to allow the water which had been hove in to flow over
her. Mr. Tailour differed from them, and said he was convinced that
the fire was on the orlop starboard side. In a few minutes he again
went below and assisted in working the engine, and giving directions
for scuttling on the larboard side, where the smoke appeared most
dense.

The engine, however, proved of little avail, for the smoke increased
to such a degree as to prevent the people working on the orlop deck;
the hatches were, therefore, laid over, the ports lowered, everything
covered up, and all means used to prevent the circulation of air.
Having taken these precautions, Lieutenant Tailour reported to Captain
Le Gros what had been done, and at the same time advised that the
boats should be got out without loss of time. The captain seems to
have objected to this, on the plea that if the boats were got out, the
people would all crowd into them, and abandon the ship without an
effort to save her. To this objection Mr. Tailour replied, that to
save human life must be their first consideration, and that every
moment's delay was fraught with peril and death. 'If we wait,' said
he, 'till the last moment, it may not be possible to save any; we can
get the marines under arms.' Captain Le Gros yielded the point; he
directed the sergeant of marines to get his men under arms, with
orders to load with ball, and to shoot without hesitation the first
man who should attempt to go into the boats without permission. All
hands were then turned up, and the command give