I shall
content myself with giving the cream of our discoveries
in a logical rather than a temporal order; though the
two indeed practically coincided, and we had finished
our exploration of the cabin before we could be certain
of the nature of the cargo.
Nares and I began operations by tossing up pell-mell
through the companion, and piling in a squalid heap
about the wheel, all clothes, personal effects, the
crockery, the carpet, stale victuals, tins of meat,
and, in a word, all movables from the main cabin.
Thence we transferred our attention to the captain's
quarters on the starboard side. Using the blankets for
a basket, we sent up the books, instruments, and
clothes to swell our growing midden on the deck; and
then Nares, going on hands and knees, began to forage
underneath the bed. Box after box of Manilla cigars
rewarded his search. I took occasion to smash some of
these boxes open, and even to guillotine the bundles of
cigars; but quite in vain--no secret CACHE of opium
encouraged me to continue.
"I guess I've got hold of the dicky now!" exclaimed
Nares, and turning round from my perquisitions, I found
he had drawn forth a heavy iron box, secured to the
bulkhead by chain and padlock.
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