There is nothing whatever to be done, except to close every aperture." The fire continued to progress even more rapidly than we had hitherto suspected.

The heat gradually drove the passengers nearly all, on deck, and the two stern cabins, lighted, as I said, by their windows in the aft-board were the only quarters below that were inhabitable.

Of these Mrs.Kear occupied one, and Curtis reserved the other for Ruby, who, a raving maniac, had to be kept rigidly under restraint.

I went down occasionally to see him, but invariably found him in a state of abject terror, uttering horrible shrieks, as though possessed with the idea that he was being scorched by the most excruciating heat.
Once or twice, too, I looked in upon the ex-captain.

He was always calm and spoke quite rationally upon any subject except his own profession; but in connexion with that he prated away the merest nonsense.