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dragging away the burning débris, extinguishing it, or throwing it overboard through the huge holes in the ship's side. Finding an undamaged water main and a piece of a hose (without a nozzle), we worked quietly and in earnest. We extinguished some burning furniture, but alongside it, behind the thin, red-hot, steel partition separating us from the officers' quarters, another fire burst forth, whose roar could at times be heard even amidst the noise of the battle. Occasionally a man fell wounded, and either lay where he was, or got up and walked or crawled to the ladder leading below. No attention was paid to him — What mattered it? one more, one less!

How long we were thus employed — five, ten, or fifteen minutes — I do not