A rope ladder hung from the bulwarks amidships, and up it Ginnell went,
followed by the others, reaching a roofless passage that had once been
the part alley-way.
Here on the slanting deck one got a full picture of the ruin that had
come on the ship; the masts were gone, as well as the funnel; boats,
ventilators--with the exception of the twisted cowl looking
seaward--bridge, chart-house, all had vanished wholly or in part, a
picture made more impressive by the calm blue sky overhead and the
brilliancy of the sunlight.
The locking bars had been removed from the cover of the fore hatch and
the hatch opened, evidently by the Chinese in search of plunder.
Ginnell scarcely turned an eye on it before he made aft, followed by
the others, he reached the saloon companion-way and dived down it.
If the confusion on deck was bad, it was worse below. The cabin doors
on either side were either open or off their hinges, bunk bedding,
mattresses, an open and rifled valise, some women's clothes, an empty
cigar-box and a cage with a dead canary in it lay on the floor.
The place looked as if an army of pillagers had been at work for days,
and the sight struck a chill to the hearts of the beholders.
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