The Loss of the Jane Vosper Read Online Free PDF

ships. He knew their ways as well as anyone – none better. And he knew that it was a hopeless task. Both bulkheads were going. They might go at any minute.
    For thirty seconds the captain stood in silence. Then with a quick sigh he turned again to the chief.
    ‘Very well,’ he said. ‘We’ll abandon. Get your fellows up.’
    He turned, and not allowing himself to hurry, left the stokehold, and went forward once more to No. 1 hold. There he called Arlow.
    ‘I’m going to abandon,’ he repeated quietly. ‘Get the men up.’ Then again without haste he went up to the wireless room.
    ‘Get the Barmore again,’ he directed. ‘Send SOS and say that I am forced to abandon ship. Repeat the position and ask them to look out for us. Don’t be in a hurry. There’s time enough and we won’t go without you.’
    As Hassell reached the bridge the men were already streaming up from below. He told Blair what was being done, and passed into the chart room and his cabin for the ship’s papers and the log and one or two private and cherished possessions. When he came out he moved to the rail of the bridge.
    The fore part of the ship was markedly lower in the water, in fact the front portion of the well-deck was now continuously awash. He had been considering putting out some oil to ease the embarkation, but he saw that would be unnecessary. The wind had dropped completely, and the swells – also greatly down – were smooth and glassy. They should have no trouble.
    He could see what was taking place on the deck behind him. Both lifeboats were being lowered. The men had donned lifebelts and were being counted. Everything was ready. He stepped over to the wireless room.
    ‘I’ve given the message and got it repeated, sir,’ Crabbe declared. ‘The Barmore expects to be here in between three and four hours.’
    ‘Good. Then get your belt and go.’
    He turned back to the wheel-house. ‘Lash that wheel, Simmonds,’ he said to the helmsman, ‘and get away to the boats. Blair, get away.’
    ‘Aren’t you coming, sir?’ Blair asked.
    ‘Yes, I’m coming. Get a move on with those boats. She won’t last much longer.’
    Blair and the helmsman ran down the ladder. The boats were lowered. First the port and then the starboard reached the water, the falls were unhooked, quickly, skilfully. The men began to climb down. In a couple of minutes the port boat had her complement and had pushed off from the swaying side. Then Hassell saw the starboard boat was also filled. With a last glance forward over the bows he had looked out over for so many years, Hassell walked, still slowly and with dignity, down the bridge ladder and climbed into the boat.
    The Jane Vosper was still forging slowly ahead, and the men, as soon as they had pulled far enough away from her to be safe from her suckage, turned with one consent and began rowing with her, determined to see the end. In silence they watched her, plunging a little deeper into each swell, recovering a little more slowly, the stern rising a little higher…Not a man but was heartily thankful to be out of her, and yet she was their home. All but a few of their possessions, such as they were, were aboard. In the case of the captain his hopes were aboard too.
    For ten minutes they watched, then a cry broke out. She was going! At a distance of perhaps quarter of a mile they saw her stern slowly rise. It went up and up and up, with the screw racing, while her bow up to her bridge disappeared beneath the water. The stern hung poised – for hours, it seemed. Then very slowly it began to go down, more and more quickly, till at last it disappeared behind a smooth rolling swell.
    Alone on the sea, the boats instinctively drew together.

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SEA RISK
    In a private room in a suite of offices on the fourth floor of a large building in Mincing Lane three men sat talking.
    The building was new. It was the last word in office design, with roomy landings and corridors, decorated with simple though