'All hands to the pumps!' I shouted; but it was too late, and it seemed the more we pumped the more came in.

'Ah,' said I, after four hours' work, 'since we are sinking, let us sink; we can die but once.' 'That's the example you set, Penelon,' cries the captain; 'very well, wait a minute.' He went into his cabin and came back with a brace of pistols.
'I will blow the brains out of the first man who leaves the pump,' said he." "Well done!" said the Englishman.
"There's nothing gives you so much courage as good reasons," continued the sailor; "and during that time the wind had abated, and the sea gone down, but the water kept rising; not much, only two inches an hour, but still it rose.

Two inches an hour does not seem much, but in twelve hours that makes two feet, and three we had before, that makes five.
'Come,' said the captain, 'we have done all in our power, and M.Morrel will have nothing to reproach us with, we have tried to save the ship, let us now save ourselves.

To the boats, my lads, as quick as you can.' Now," continued Penelon, "you see, M.Morrel, a sailor is attached to his ship, but still more to his life, so we did not wait to be told twice; the more so, that the ship was sinking under us, and seemed to say, 'Get along--save yourselves.' We soon launched the boat, and all eight of us got into it.

The captain descended last, or rather, he did not descend, he would not quit the vessel; so I took him round the waist, and threw him into the boat, and then I jumped after him.