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instead of our destruction； had so smashed and pounded the ship that
she got off in this same instant and righted。 I did not want the
carpenter to tell me she was filling and going down； I could see and
hear that。 I gave Rames the word to lower the Long…boat and the
Surf…boat； and I myself told off the men for each duty。 Not one
hung back； or came before the other。 I now whispered to John
Steadiman； 〃John； I stand at the gangway here； to see every soul on
board safe over the side。 You shall have the next post of honour；
and shall be the last but one to leave the ship。 Bring up the
passengers； and range them behind me； and put what provision and
water you can got at； in the boats。 Cast your eye for'ard； John；
and you'll see you have not a moment to lose。〃
My noble fellows got the boats over the side as orderly as I ever
saw boats lowered with any sea running； and； when they were
launched； two or three of the nearest men in them as they held on；
rising and falling with the swell； called out； looking up at me；
〃Captain Ravender； if anything goes wrong with us； and you are
saved； remember we stood by you！〃〃We'll all stand by one another
ashore； yet； please God； my lads！〃 says I。 〃Hold on bravely； and be
tender with the women。〃
The women were an example to us。 They trembled very much； but they
were quiet and perfectly collected。 〃Kiss me； Captain Ravender；〃
says Mrs。 Atherfield； 〃and God in heaven bless you； you good man！〃
〃My dear；〃 says I； 〃those words are better for me than a life…boat。〃
I held her child in my arms till she was in the boat； and then
kissed the child and handed her safe down。 I now said to the people
in her； 〃You have got your freight； my lads； all but me； and I am
not coming yet awhile。 Pull away from the ship； and keep off！〃
That was the Long…boat。 Old Mr。 Rarx was one of her complement； and
he was the only passenger who had greatly misbehaved since the ship
struck。 Others had been a little wild； which was not to be wondered
at； and not very blamable； but； he had made a lamentation and uproar
which it was dangerous for the people to hear； as there is always
contagion in weakness and selfishness。 His incessant cry had been
that he must not be separated from the child； that he couldn't see
the child； and that he and the child must go together。 He had even
tried to wrest the child out of my arms； that he might keep her in
his。 〃Mr。 Rarx；〃 said I to him when it came to that； 〃I have a
loaded pistol in my pocket； and if you don't stand out of the gang…
way； and keep perfectly quiet； I shall shoot you through the heart；
if you have got one。〃 Says he； 〃You won't do murder； Captain
Ravender！〃 〃No； sir；〃 says I； 〃I won't murder forty…four people to
humour you； but I'll shoot you to save them。〃 After that he was
quiet； and stood shivering a little way off； until I named him to go
over the side。
The Long…boat being cast off； the Surf…boat was soon filled。 There
only remained aboard the Golden Mary； John Mullion the man who had
kept on burning the blue…lights （and who had lighted every new one
at every old one before it went out； as quietly as if he had been at
an illumination）； John Steadiman； and myself。 I hurried those two
into the Surf…boat； called to them to keep off； and waited with a
grateful and relieved heart for the Long…boat to come and take me
in； if she could。 I looked at my watch； and it showed me； by the
blue…light； ten minutes past two。 They lost no time。 As soon as
she was near enough； I swung myself into her； and called to the men；
〃With a will； lads！ She's reeling！〃 We were not an inch too far
out of the inner vortex of her going down； when； by the blue…light
which John Mullion still burnt in the bow of the Surf…boat； we saw
her lurch； and plunge to the bottom head…foremost。 The child cried；
weeping wildly； 〃O the dear Golden Mary！ O look at her！ Save her！
Save the poor Golden Mary！〃 And then the light burnt out； and the
black dome seemed to come down upon us。
I suppose if we had all stood a…top of a mountain； and seen the
whole remainder of the world sink away from under us； we could
hardly have felt more shocked and solitary than we did when we knew
we were alone on the wide ocean； and that the beautiful ship in
which most of us had been securely asleep within half an hour was
gone for ever。 There was an awful silence in our boat； and such a
kind of palsy on the rowers and the man at the rudder； that I felt
they were scarcely keeping her before the sea。 I spoke out then；
and said； 〃Let every one here thank the Lord for our preservation！〃
All the voices answered （even the child's）； 〃We thank the Lord！〃 I
then said the Lord's Prayer； and all hands said it after me with a
solemn murmuring。 Then I gave the word 〃Cheerily； O men； Cheerily！〃
and I felt that they were handling the boat again as a boat ought to
be handled。
The Surf…boat now burnt another blue…light to show us where they
were； and we made for her； and laid ourselves as nearly alongside of
her as we dared。 I had always kept my boats with a coil or two of
good stout stuff in each of them； so both boats had a rope at hand。
We made a shift； with much labour and trouble； to got near enough to
one another to divide the blue…lights （they were no use after that
night； for the sea…water soon got at them）； and to get a tow…rope
out between us。 All night long we kept together； sometimes obliged
to cast off the rope； and sometimes getting it out again； and all of
us wearying for the morningwhich appeared so long in coming that
old Mr。 Rarx screamed out； in spite of his fears of me； 〃The world
is drawing to an end； and the sun will never rise any more！〃
When the day broke； I found that we were all huddled together in a
miserable manner。 We were deep in the water； being； as I found on
mustering； thirty…one in number； or at least six too many。 In the
Surf…boat they were fourteen in number； being at least four too
many。 The first thing I did； was to get myself passed to the
rudderwhich I took from that timeand to get Mrs。 Atherfield； her
child； and Miss Coleshaw； passed on to sit next me。 As to old Mr。
Rarx； I put him in the bow； as far from us as I could。 And I put
some of the best men near us in order that if I should drop there
might be a skilful hand ready to take the helm。
The sea moderating as the sun came up； though the sky was cloudy and
wild； we spoke the other boat； to know what stores they had； and to
overhaul what we had。 I had a compass in my pocket； a small
telescope； a double…barrelled pistol； a knife； and a fire…box and
matches。 Most of my men had knives； and some had a little tobacco：
some； a pipe as well。 We had a mug among us； and an iron spoon。 As
to provisions； there were in my boat two bags of biscuit； one piece
of raw beef； one piece of raw pork； a bag of coffee； roasted but not
ground （thrown in； I imagine； by mistake； for something else）； two
sm