The Sea Lions; Or, The Lost SealersCooper, James Fenimore
General
The Sea Lions; Or, The Lost Sealers
Cooper, James Fenimore
Sea stories; Sealers (Persons) -- Fiction
The crew of Daggett's vessel carried their mattresses ashore, took
possession of the bunks, lighted a fire in the stove, and made their
preparations to get the camboose ashore next day, and do their cooking in
the house, as had been practised previously to quitting the island.
Roswell, and all his people, remained on board their own vessel.
The succeeding day the injured schooner was cleared of everything, even to
her spars, the lower masts and bowsprit excepted. Two large sealing crews
made quick work with so small a craft. Empty casks were got under her, and
at the top of the tide she was floated quite up to the small beach that
was composed of the _débris_ of rock, already mentioned. As the water left
her, she fell over a little, of course; and at half-tide her keel lay high
and dry.
The prying eyes of all hands were now busy looking out for the leaks. As
might have been expected, none were found near the garboard streak, a fact
that was clearly enough proved by a quantity of the water remaining in the
vessel after she lay, entirely bare, nearly on her bilge.
"Her seams have opened a few streaks below the bends," said Roswell, as he
and Daggett went under the vessel's bottom, looking out for injuries; "and
you had better set about getting off the copper at once. Has there been an
examination made inside?"
None had yet been made, and our two masters clambered up to the main
hatch, and got as good a look at the state of things in the hold as could
be thus obtained. So tremendous had been the pressure, that three of the
deck beams were broken. They would have been driven quite clear of their
fastenings, had not the wall of ice at each end prevented the possibility
of such a thing. As it was, the top-timbers had slightly given way, and
the seams must have opened just below the water-line. When the tide came
in again, the schooner righted of course; and the opportunity was taken to
pump her dry. There was then no leak; another proof that the defective
places must be sought above the present water-line.
With the knowledge thus obtained, the copper was removed, and several of
the seams examined. The condition of the pitch and oakum pointed out the
precise spots that needed attention, and the caulking-irons were
immediately set at work. In about a week the job was completed, as was
fancied, the copper re-placed, and the schooner was got afloat again.
Great was the anxiety to learn the effect of what had been done, and quite
as great the disappointment, when it was found that there was still a
serious leak that admitted too much water to think of going to sea until
it was stopped. A little head-work, however, and that on the part of
Roswell, speedily gave a direction to the search that was immediately set
on foot.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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