In the deepest, darkest, dingiest place at the very bottom of Constitution is the hold: a gigantic wooden warehouse. Here, packed tight in barrels, is enough food, water and other provisions to supply the ship for six months. However, the crew won’t eat and drink all of this. They share it with hundreds of rats. Rats don’t just eat the tubs of bread, meat, cheese and beans. If the crew don’t control them, they can even gnaw holes right through the ship’s hull.
