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a line between the fire hole and the
main hatch. Two men were selected to work
with me, and the moveable sick ordered to their
[beds] quarters. Dr. Hayes with his maimed foot
Mr. Brooks with his contracted legs, and
poor Morton, were thus excluded.

On reaching the fire the entire
bulkhead was in flames and the
dry timbers and skin - of the brig - completely
enveloped. Our moss walls
with their own tinder like material and
their light casing of inflammable wood
were entirely concealed by blaze.

[After waking with wet (frozen)
fuel so as] Fortunately the [wet] furs of the recently returned party were at hand, and by them I was enabled
to smother the lamps. But I was
obliged to push through the
blaze of our burning sail cloth bulkhead in order to defend the wall, and
in my anxiety to save time I had left
the cabin without either cap or mittens
By wonderful good luck I got through
and tore down the cavass which hung
against that dangerous locality. Our
rifles were placed in this corner and
the chances of a bullet were among the
minor troubles. The water now began
to pass down, but with the first bucket
I fell overcome by the smoke. I'm
a kindly guarded man for when I
found myself going I walked towards
the hatchway knowing that the bucket
line would feel me - Sight was impossible.
In falling I struck Ohlsen's
legs and was passed up upon deck
- minus beard eye brows, and forelock
plus two burns, scar leavers, on the
forehead and one on each hand
palm.

[With] The damnable transition
from this fiery Shadrackian furnace