The "Judea" ships out to Bangkok, running at times 8 knots, but mostly averaging 3 miles per hour. Near the coast of Western Australia, the cargo spontaneously combusts. The crew attempts to smother the fire, but the hull cannot be made airtight. Then they attempt to flood the fire with water, but they cannot fill the hull. One hundred and ninety miles out from Java Head, the gases in the hull explode and blow up the deck; Marlow is hurled into the air and falls on the burning debris of the deck. The "Judea" hails a passing steamer, the "Sommerville", which agrees to tow the wounded ship to Anjer or Batavia. Captain Beard intends to scuttle the "Judea" there to put out the fire, and then resurface her and resume the voyage to Bangkok. However, the speed of the "Sommerville" fans the smoldering fire into flames. The crew of the "Judea" is forced to send the steamer on without them while they attempt to save possibly most of the ship's gear for the underwriters. The gear is loaded into three small boats, which head due north towards Java. Before the crew leaves the "Judea", they enjoy a last meal on deck. Marlow becomes skipper of the smallest of the ship's three boats. All the boats make it safely into a Java port, where they book passage on the steamer "Celestial", which is on her return trip to England.