On his next trip to the ship and back, Talbot reported to Hanna that, "The bowsprit was in the water now."
"What is the bowsprit?"
"It's the spar extending forward from a ship's bow, to which the forestays are fastened. The ship is definitely sinking. I will have to move quickly now to get as much out as I can."
"What is the spar?" Smiling like an impish child full of questions.
Talbot realized he was using terms that she would know nothing about. "Sorry, the spar is the thick piece of wood that the sail hangs from. In this case it is the piece of wood extending out from the bow."
"Oh, I see, thank you for the explanation."
"That is what is in the water now. The front of the boat called the bow is sinking when it was above water before."
"Can I help?"
"Not really, it is becoming treacherous now and much more difficult than before."
"Should you stop going there?" Worry grabbed her by the throat.
"Soon."
A veil of concern covered her face. He could see it and was touched by it.
"I will go tomorrow and see what else is left that is of importance to us. I think a storm is brewing."
She laughed at that comment because the sky was clear as a bell. "What do you mean? The sky was clear this evening at sunset."
"Red sky at night, sailor's delight, red sky morning, sailor's warning." That is all he said.
She repeated the rhyme in her head several times. 'The sky told him that a storm was coming. Hmm.' She pondered the thought for a moment and then went about washing the dishes from their dinner.
Hannah woke to the wind. A strong wind had come up. The sea was rough and the ship was moving. It was visible to the naked eye. She looked around for Talbot but he was gone already.
She wanted to bring up the subject of his trunk but with their in depth discussion about sextants and part of the ship she could not broach the subject or find a way to bring it up. She would this morning.
"Talbot!" Shouting for him through the wind. It was not easy. She couldn't find him anywhere. He must have gone to the ship.
Indeed he had. The wind made it very difficult for him. The ship creaked and screamed at him, as if to beg for a saviour. Begging Talbot to save her from drowning altogether.
The beloved Cospatrick was going down to join its crew and the other passengers and there was nothing that Talbot could do to stop that eventuality. It saddened him, as it would any sailor. There is always an emotional attachment to a ship from its crew.
The crew respects the ship for it was she that saved them many times at sea in great storms, when the power of God was seen by one and all. The ship hugged them and kept them, protected them from their demise. Now it was her time to go, and his time to say, "Adieu". Before that would happen Talbot wanted to make his way to the Captain's quarters to see if there was anything that would be useful to them. That was a difficult task for a sailor, the Captain and his possessions would always be respected. The Captain garnered cachet from the crew, although the First Mate had reason to admire and respect him most, as he was closest to him in position and friendship.
For Talbot, Captain Elmshurst was the epitome of a captain. They worked together for many years and became close companions over the years. He would be sorely missed.
"We had broached badly, side on to the wind and sea. The wind was on the quarter, it veered and pitched forward because of the sea hitting the stern, which caused it to present a side to the wind and sea, thus losing steerage and suffering serious damage." Captain Elmshurst informed him. The last words he heard from him.
These thoughts kept whirling around in his mind as he was going through the ship. The water was deeper than before due to the continuous and slow sinking of her. Now through the passageways the water was up above Talbot's waist. He was trying to move through the water quickly. The ship was telling him there was not much time to spare.
In the Captain's quarters crystal decanters with all the liquid gold still intact. He found the sextant and the ships compass. If for nothing else at least the Captain could be remembered by these things. There was a small box on the desk, Talbot decided to take as well. It had been a treasured piece of the Captain's. It was made of ivory. Very heavily carved with brass hinges in the lid and a brass latch. Talbot felt emotional about it now that he saw it and knew how the Captain felt about it. Talbot had admired it each time he would visit the Captain in the evenings for drinks.
