The sailors brought down food and water, morning and evening, but paid no other attention to the captives.
Francis discussed, with some of the other prisoners, the chances of making a sudden rush on to the deck, and overpowering the crew; but all their arms had been taken from them, and the galley, they calculated, contained fully a hundred and fifty men.

They noticed, too, when the sailors brought down the food, a party armed and in readiness were assembled round the hatchway.
At all other times the hatchway was nearly closed, being only left sufficiently open to allow a certain amount of air to pass down into the hold, and by the steady tramp of steps, up and down, they knew that two sentries were also on guard above.

Most of the prisoners were so overcome with the misfortune which had befallen them, and the prospect of a life in hopeless slavery, that they had no spirit to attempt any enterprise whatever, and there was nothing to do but to wait the termination of the voyage.
At the end of six days there was a bustle on deck, and the chain of the anchor was heard to run out.

Two or three hours afterwards the hatchway was taken off.

When the rest had ascended, two men came below with hammers, and drew the staples which fastened Francis to the deck.
On going up, he was at first so blinded with the glare of the sunshine--after six days in almost total darkness--that he could scarce see where he was.