206 ZJtfS ON THE MISSISSIPPI.
groans filled the air. A great many persons had been scalded, a
great many crippled; the explosion had driven an iron crowbar
through one man's body—I tfrink they said he was a priest. He did
not die at once, and his sufferings were very dreadfuL A young
French navel cadet, of fifteen, son of a French admiral, was fearfully
scalded, but bore his tortures manfully. Both mates were badly
scalded, but they stood to their posts, nevertheless. They drew the
wood-boat aft, and they and the captain fought back the frantic herd
of frightened immigrants till the wounded could be brought there
and placed in safety first.
When Mr. Wood and Henry fell in the water, they struck out for
shore, which was only a few hundred yards away; but Henry
presently said he believed he was not hurt (what an unaccountable
error!), and therefore would swim back to the boat and help save the
wounded. So they parted, and Henry returned.
By this time the fire was making fierce headway, and several
persons who were imprisoned under the ruins were begging piteously
for help. All efforts to conquer the fire proved fruitless; so the
buckets were presently thrown aside and the officers fell-to with axes
and tried to cut the prisoners out. A striker was one of the captives;
he said he was not injured, but could not free himself; and when he
saw that the fire was likely to drive away the workers, he begged
that some one would shoot him, and thus save him from the more
dreadful death. The fire did drive the axemen away, and they had
to listen, helpless, to this poor fellow's supplications till the flames
ended his "miseries.
The fire drove all into the wood-flat that could be accommodated
there; it was cut adrift, then, and it and the burning steamer floated
down the m&c toward Ship Island. They moored the flat at the
head of the island, and there, unsheltered from, the blazing sun, the
balf-naked occupants had to remain, without food or stimulants, or
help for their hurts, during the rest of the day. A steamer came
rtlong, finally, and carried the unfortunates to Memphis, and there
the most lavish assistance was at once forthcoming. By this time
Henry was insensible. The physicians examined his injuries and
saw that ifaey were fetal, and naturally turned their main attention
to patients who oemld be saved.