At any rate, the boat sank by the stern, quite gently,in three feet of water, leaving the captain and myself,facing each other, on our feet. The other three took complete headers, and came up again drenched and bubbling.
So far there was no great harm. No lives were lost,and we could wade ashore in safety. But there were all our stores at the bottom, and to make things worse,only two guns out of five remained in a state for service. Mine I had snatched from my knees and held over my head, by a sort of instinct. As for the captain,he had carried his over his shoulder by a bandoleer,and like a wise man, lock uppermost. The other three had gone down with the boat.