So matters haf not turned out
so vera bad. Get me some water.'
"I got him some, but in five minutes the poor old Dutchman was
dead. There was no one on deck. All were shouting and singing in
the captain's cabin, so I went and turned in forward. Morning was
just breaking when I suddenly woke. There was a great light, and
running on deck I saw the fire pouring out from the cabin aft. I
suppose they had all drunk themselves stupid and had upset a light,
and the fire had spread and suffocated them all. Anyhow, there were
none of them to be seen. I got hold of a water keg and placed it
in a boat which luckily hung out on its davits, as Jans had, the
day before, been calking a seam in her side just above the water's
edge. I made a shift to lower it, threw off the falls, and getting
out the oars, rowed off. I lay by for some little time, but did
not see a soul on deck. Then, as I had nowhere particular to go,
I lay down and slept. On getting up I found that I had drifted two
or three miles from the ship, which was now a mere smoking shell,
the greater part being burnt to the Water's edge. Two miles to the
north lay the land, and getting out an oar at the stern I sculled
her to shore.
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