She took
in spray alone, and no green water. The man-of-war's people
expected that she would go down, and it was wonderful to see
how well she did when the big man-of-war, only about 200 feet
off, plunged so as to show a large portion of copper oh her
bottom, then down behind so as to have the sea level with the
top of her bulwarks. A boat hung at that level was smashed.
If we had gone down we could not have been helped in the
least--pitch dark, and wind whistling above; the black folks,
'ane bocking here, another there,' and wanting us to go to
the 'bank.' On 18th the weather moderated, and, the captain
repeating his very kind offer, I went on board with a good
conscience, and even then the boat got damaged. I was hoisted
up in it, and got rested in what was quite a steady ship as
compared with the 'Lady Nyassa.' The 'Ariel' was three days
cutting off the hawser, though nine feet under water, the men
diving and cutting it with immensely long chisels.
Pages:
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666