Fate of the Oxford

As taken from the Novel

The Life, Times & Adventures Of

Sir George Henry Nichols

or

The Legend of Captain Outrageous

by

George Henry Nichols

conclusion chapter five

Then, with all the suddenness of a single moment, and so well lit that I saw every detail, the entire ship exploded, and in that moment, I saw it in thousands of pieces, with me hanging there among them, indeed one them. I saw all the men across the table from me, impaled, a thousand times, with a thousand splitters, in an instant. Then we all began to fall, we must have been three stories above the water, but we all fell together, some of the burning pieces would catch the air and flutter back a bit, but mostly, we fell simultaneously. Then plunging deep into the water, I immediately started to swim for the surface, when the surface came, the ship was raining fire down upon me, so I caught a quick breath and dove under the water to avoid the falling debris. When I came up and there was still a good bit falling, but now it was dark, the flash had gone, and there were only a few fires on small pieces of floating debris. Again I dove to avoid the rain of embers, and swam around underwater as long as I could, and when I broke the surface this time, the commotion was about over. I caught my breath and looked around for something to cling to, I soon found a hatch cover and climbed up onto it.

I must have been growing quite delirious, for at that moment Vicky's face came to me and I could hear her singing;

There is a lane, which has no turning

just ahead of me a ways.

There is a lane, which has no turning,

I've looked for it for days and days.....

I laid there on that hatch cover and cried forever so long, I saw her sing me that song over and over. I saw her soft blue eyes and could smell her blazing hair and I touched her fair skin. I wept in a most disgraceful manner, I had no control at all, my sobbing continued until I thought I heard someone calling. Then I realized how loudly my ears were ringing, I did not even recall hearing the blast, but indeed I had heard someone calling, a far off hollow sound, perhaps it was boats from the other ships, rowing about looking for survivors. I called out to them, but I couldn't hear my own voice, weak and hollow feeling, every nerve in my being was all a hum. I laid there on that hatch cover, too weak to sit up, and just breathed through my voice, though I couldn't hear it, perhaps those in the boats could. Again I found myself among the living, God had yet, granted me a reprieve, and I found the time to give him thanks that night, as I was hauled aboard the Satisfaction.

When the count was done, they had found Harry, Collier, the Surgeon, old man Morris, a seaman, four cabin boys and myself, some 250 men were dead, blown to bits. The Oxford? Rubbish now cluttering the beaches of Cow Island, a spattering of firewood for little girls to gather. The dead, they were there too, hiding among the dross. The crabs and birds? They ate well. ©