Accordingly a boat
was lowered from the steamer, under command of the first officer, to
render the unfortunates such assistance as was in their power, believing
their own damages to be but slight; but the boat had not been long gone,
when word was passed to their captain that they were in a sinking
condition. Upon examination it was found that a large breakage had been
made, directly under their bows, and the sea was rushing in
terrifically.
All was now a scene of confusion; some applied themselves diligently to
the pumps, and others sought to diminish the leak by stretching a sail
across the gap, while the passengers hurried, some one way, and some
another, as if in a state of frenzy. To seek assistance from the
propeller, even if she might not be in as disastrous a condition as
themselves, was out of the question; for both vessels being under full
headway at the moment of the collision, she was now again enveloped in
fog. Oh, God! must it be thus? no escape for these three hundred beings?
What an awful moment of suspense! Still the steamer settles down; what
is done must be done speedily. The captain is without his first officer,
with whom he might consult, his absence necessarily detracting from the
number of boats; but had the boats been suffered to remain unmolested,
for the benefit of the passengers, it were doubtful if they could have
contained so large a number.
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