An hour later a green sea came
aboard of us, washing away the captain, so that we filled and settled
down to founder.
Then began a most horrid scene. For several days both the crew and
passengers had been drinking heavily to allay their terror, and now that
they saw their end at hand, they rushed to and fro screaming, praying,
and blaspheming. Such of them as remained sober began to get out the two
boats, into which I and another man, a worthy priest, strove to place
the women and children, of whom we had several on board. But this was no
easy task, for the drunken sailors pushed them aside and tried to spring
into the boats, the first of which overturned, so that all were lost.
Just then the carak gave a lurch before she sank, and, seeing that
everything was over, I called to the priest to follow me, and springing
into the sea I swam for the second boat, which, laden with some
shrieking women, had drifted loose in the confusion. As it chanced I
reached it safely, being a strong swimmer, and was able to rescue the
priest before he sank. Then the vessel reared herself up on her stern
and floated thus for a minute or more, which gave us time to get out the
oars and row some fathoms further away from her. Scarcely had we done
so, when, with one wild and fearful scream from those on board of her,
she rushed down into the depths below, nearly taking us with her.
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