LITERATURE.

Globe, Volume VI, Issue 642, 10 July 1876, Page 3

LITERATURE.

AN EVENTFUL VOYAGE. {Continued.) 1 1 hope,' said the colonel's wife, ' that nothing has gone wrong; it is so unusual for the captain to be called away.' The dinner begun so pleasantly, ended abruptly. The captain did not return, conversation stopped, and every one hastened to get on deck. 'The ship is on fire!' was the startling announcement whispered by the chief officer to the captain, adding, that the fire had only just been discovered in the forepeak among the boatswain's stores. The shrill pipes of the boatswain and his mtaes were then heard calling all hands on deck. And those on deck were busy dragging the hose along, fitting the pumps and manning them, and plugging the scupper holes. The startling news had already reached the passengers, and produced the greatest excitement among them. How the fire originated no one seemed to know. The facts, however, were simply that the boatswain, under the instructions of Mr Sparks, had ordered Vaughan to go down the peak, get some tar, and tar down the top-gallant and fore-topmast rigging. This was intended as a punishment for further disrespect to the second officer that morning. Vaughan took a lantei-n from the gunner's house, and being iii one of his vile tempers, disappeared, muttering curses on the second mate as he did so. The tar was kept in the boatswain's locker, and had to be drawn from a cask. It was the duty of the boatswain or his mate to have done this, but the boatswain was engaged settting up the main rigging; so Vaughan finding the locker open, helped himself. In about ten minutes he returned, bringing the tar pot and the lantern with him, and then went aloft to commence his task.

About twenty minutes after this incident the look-out man in the forecastle gave au alarm of fire, and as be did so, smoke was seen ascending from the fore part of the vessel, and on lifting up the cover of the boobvhatch the hold was discovered to be in flames. Captain Benbow, for the first time during the voyage, now appeared on the forecastle, followed directly afterwards by Uolonel Boylp, for the news had spread through the vessel faster than the tire itself. Captain Benbow looked very anxious, but he gave his orders promptly and with firmness : Tlr Blake, take in all studding-sails. Haul up the courses, and stow them, Keep her before the wind.—Now, colonel, let your men man the punrps, aud keep them going. —Mr Sparks, direct the hose.' While these orders were being executed, what with the sailors shouting, while hauling on the clewlines aud buntlings and reducing sail, and the confusion and consternation among passengers and troops, the greatest excitement prevailed. The poop was crowded with ladies and ofllceis, and the main-deck with troops, all equally terror stricken. When the fire was discovered, the vessel was going eight knots, but when the 6tuddingsails were taken in, and canvas reduced, she fell off to five knots. The clank of the pumps could be heard above all the din and noise of the people. Colonel Boyle ordered the bugler to sound ' Parade,' and the troops who were not pumping, formed line, lie then made a short stirring speech to his men, and told them that the only chance of saving their lives was in maintaining discipline, and obeying and carrying out the orders of the captain ; and he told them that under any circumstances he trusted they would behave as British troops bad behaved bafore on a

similar occasion, and much touching allusion to the loss of the Birkenhead.

The cargo of the Bangalore consisted of pitch and turpentine, wine, spirits, piecegoods, books, and a quantity of ammunition belonging to the troops. The captain ordered the first two named articles to be thrown overboard, but being at the bottom of the hold, they were difficult to be got at. All the pumps were double manned and in full play, and both soldiers and sailors were working as men only work when they are trying to save their lives. The main hatches were taken off, and the third officer with a large gang of men commenced breaking out the cargo, to get to the powder, for the purpose of throwing it overboard. This was a work of difficulty, although four sets of hose were playing down the fore-hatch. " The smoke was so dense and stifling that it was evident that the pitch and turpentine were on fire. I saw Vaughan for a minute on the forecastle ; he was as black as a sweep, and his clothes were singed and burnt. When the chief officer dropped senseless on deck, overpowered and choked with the smoke and fumes, it was Vaughan who took the hose and actually jumped down the hold and directed it. He was hauled up again, by order of the captain, but not before he had narrowly escaped being suffocated and burnt to death. Vaughan was no sooner pulled np on deck than there was a great explosion of a cask of turpentine; and after this catastrophe, it seemed as though the fire got the better of the water and labors of the crew. The smoke got denser and thicker, and it was almost impossible to stand or breathe on the forecastle; and though soldiers and sailors, officers and men, vied with each other in endeavoring to stifle the flames, it was evident that the forecastle must very soon be vacated. At this juncture, Captain Benbow ordered Clere and the quartermasters and midshipmen to get the covers off the boats, and in case they were wanted, have all ready for lowering. In spite of all efforts to subdue it, the fire seemed fast increasing and to have already reached the forehold. The second mate was to the fore everywhere; he had been down theihold with wet blankets, endeavouring to stifle the flames, which were issuing from the mass of burning pitch, tar, oil, &c. But wherever the second mate was, or whatever he did, Vaughan seemed to rival him.

At the request of Captain Benbow, Colonel Boyle had placed sentries over all the boats, with orders to use their bayonets upon the first man who attempted to get into them without orders. On the main deck, although flooded, the heat was almost unbearable. Still the clank of the double action main* pump was heard, aud troops and sailors vied in keeping this going. Through the_ exertions of Vaughan, who seemed to work with the euergy of three men, the powder had been found and reached, and he and a number of men were busy passing it on deck and throwing it overboard. There seemed to be some hope of saving the vessel, when, without any notice, and with a terrific crash, the foremast fell over the side ; and with a roar, accompanied with dense clouds of smoke, the forepart of the A r essel burst into a sea of flame, which, seizing the rigging, ran along the shrouds and stays. There were five men in the foretop when this occurred. The capital discipline which had up to this been maintained was now at an end. When the foremast fell, there was a general rush of troops and sailors to the poop ; the sentries were swept away, and there was a cry for the boats. Captain Benbow, who was on the poop, now gave the order to get the ladies and children into the boats, and with a ship's pistol in his hand, declared that he would shoot the first man who commenced rushing. The ladies were mostly huddled together on the poop, many of them in tears, and several of them were praying. Several of the soldiers' wives crowded round the captain and implored him to save them. Said Captain Benbow : ' All depends on my orders being obeyed. I trust that everybody will be saved, and I shall stay and see all in the boats myself.' But there was no time to be lost. AH canvas had now been taken in, and the vessel rolled heavily. Some of the men who had been passing up the powder, had broached some of the cases of liquor, and were almost mad with drink. ' Lower the starboard boats and pass them astern,' shouted the captain to Dodman, the third officer ; ' pass the ladies through the stern-ports.' The sentries did tlttir duty, and were gallantly supported by Colonel Boyle and others of the officers. The chief_ and second officers were still working with some of the crew to keep the flames forward, j so as to allow the passengers time to get into 1 the boats. As the breeze was moderate and the weather fine, the boats, with the exception of two, which were lying bottom up and on the skids, and were burnt, were lowered in safety; and under the supervision of Captain Benbow, and owing to discipline, coolness, and example, there was not one life unnecessarily or unpreventably lost. There was a beaker of water in each boat, and most of the soldiers had filled their I canteens with water. It was now about 7.30 p.in, when, having fought the fire for three hours, troops and passengers commenced embarking in the boats. A raft was also being constructed by the boatswain, carpenter, sailuiaker, and a number of the sailors, when all at once a panic seemed to seize both soldiers and-sailors; the flames had seized the main hold, where there was still powder, and one of the men that in five minutes they would all be blown up. Vaughan was still working in the main hold, when the men who were with liim, and whorweve sober, suddenly left him, and rushedon deck, and began to make for the boats which were towing astern. The instinct of selfpreservation seemed taking possession of officers as well as troops, especially when it was apparent that there were not sufficient boats ; and, among the males especially, everyone was afraid of being left behind ; and to this fact, and the fear of being blown up, must be attributed the absence of discipline which now unhappily prevailed. Dodman, moisted by two military officers, was calling out the names of those tfcat were to get into boats ; but m*ny of the troops and sailors, in spite of orders or threats, slid down the tackles and jumped into the already crowded The gig was a small "t'our-o?.red calculated to hold eight. This 9 ordered to be reserve 1, Talbot, himself, the the ship'a papers. From the observations taken that day, we were in lat. 33deg lOmin S., long. 17deg 20min E , or about the latitude of the Cape. Airs Boyle suddenly called to Miss Talbot, who was standing by the stern rail, that the colonel had reserved a seat for her in the lifeboat, and begged her to come atjjonce bofore it was too late. \Tobc continued,'