156 LOSS OF THE CENTAUR. 
It will be necessary to mention, that the Centaur's afler- 
hold was enclosed by a bulk-head at the after part of the well ; 
here are all the dry provisions and the ship's rum were stowed 
upon twenty chaldrons of coal, which unfortunately had been 
started on this part of the ship, and by them the pumps were 
continually choked. The chain-pumps were so much worn 
as to be of little use ; and the leathers, which, had the well 
been clear, would have lasted twenty days or more, were all 
consumed in eight. At this time it was observed that the wa- 
ter had not a passage to the well, for there was so much that 
it washed against the orlop-deck. All the rum, twenty -six 
puncheons, and all the provisions, of which there was suffi- 
cient for two months, in casks, were staved, having floated 
with violence from side to side until there was not a whole 
cask remaining ; even the staves that were found upon clear- 
ing the hold, were most of them broken in two pieces. In the 
fore-hold we had a prospect of perishing: should the ship 
swim we had no water but what remained in the ground tiers ; 
and over this all the wet provisions, and butts filled with salt 
water, were floating, and with so much motion that no man 
could with safety go into the hold. There was nothing left 
for us to try but bailing with buckets at the fore hatchway 
and fish-room ; and twelve large canvass buckets were im- 
mediately employed at each. On opening the fish-room we 
were so fortunate as to discover that two puncheons of rum, 
which belonged to me, had escaped. They were immediately 
got up, and served out at times in drams ; and had it not been 
for this relief, and some lime juice, the people would have 
dropped. 
We soon found our account in bailing ; the spare pump 
had been put down the fore hatchway, and a pump shifted to 
the fish-room; but the motion of the ship had washed the 
coals so small, that they had reached every part of the ship, 
and the pumps were soon choked. However, the water by 
noon had considerably diminished by working the buckets ; 
but there appeared no prospect of saving the ship, if the gale 
oontinued. The labor was too great to hold out without wa- 
ter ; yet the people worked without a murmur, and indeed 
with cheerfulness. 
At this time the weather was more moderate, and a couple 
of spars were got ready fpr shears, to set up a jury foremast; 
but as the evening came on the gale again increased. We 
had seen nothing this day but the ship that had lost her main- 
mast, and she appeased to be as much in want of assistance as 
