We had talked of stowing the latter
in-board, but, having land in sight, it was not done. In two minutes
it was a-cock-bill, and, in two more, let go. None knew whether we
should find a bottom; but Kite soon sang out to "snub," the anchor
being down, with only six fathoms out. The lead corroborated this, and
we had the comfortable assurance of being not only among breakers, but
just near the coast. The holding-ground, however, was reported good,
and we went to work and rolled up all our rags. In half an hour the
ship was snug, riding by the stream, with a strong current, or tide,
setting exactly north-east, or directly opposite to the captain's
theory. As soon as Mr. Marble had ascertained this fact, I overheard
him grumbling about something, of which I could distinctly understand
nothing but the words "Bloody cape--bloody current."
CHAPTER V.
"They hurried us aboard a bark;
Bore us some leagues to sea; where they prepared
A rotten carcass of a boat, not rigg'd,
Nor tackle, sail, nor mast: the very rats
Instinctively had girt us--"
_Tempest._
The hour that succeeded in the calm of expectation, was one of the
most disquieting of my life. As soon as the ship was secured, and
there no longer remained anything to do, the stillness of death
reigned among us; the faculties of every man and boy appearing to be
absorbed in the single sense of hearing--the best, and indeed the
only, means we then possessed of judging of our situation.
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