borne towards us on the wind again we lost her and again she rose two men were gone the agony on shore increased men groaned and clasped their hands women shrieked and turned away their faces some ran wildly up and down along the beach crying for help where no help could be i found myself one of these imploring a knot of sailors whom i knew not to let those two lost creatures perish before our eyes of david they were making out to me in an agitated way � i don t know how for the little t could hear i was scarcely composed enough to understand � that the life boat had been bravely an hour ago and could do nothing and that as no man would be so desperate as to attempt to oft with a rope and establish a communication with the shore there was nothing left to try when i noticed that some new sensation moved the people on the beach and saw them part and ham come breaking through them to the front i ran to him � as well as i know to repeat my appeal for help but distracted though i was by a sight so new to me and terrible the determination in his face and his look out to sea � exactly the same look as i remembered in with the morning after s flight � awoke me to a knowledge of his danger i held him back with both arms and implored the men with whom i had been speaking not to listen to him not to do murder not to let him stir from oft that sand another cry arose on shore and looking to the wreck we saw the cruel sail with blow on blow beat off the lower of the two men and fly up in triumph round the active figure left alone upon the mast against such a sight and against such determination as that of the calmly desperate man who was already accustomed to lead half the people present i might as have entreated the wind r he said cheerily grasping me by both hands if my time is come tis come if tan t bide it lord above bless you and bless all mates make me ready i m a going oft i was swept away but not to some distance where the people around me made me stay urging as i perceived that he was bent on going with help or without and that i should the precautions for his safety by troubling those with whom they rested i don t know what i answered or what they rejoined but i saw hurry on the beach and men running with ropes from a that was there and penetrating into a circle of figures that hid him from me then i saw him standing alone in a seaman s frock and a rope in his hand or to his wrist another round his body and several of the best men holding at a little distance to the latter which he laid out himself slack upon the shore at his feet the wreck even to my eye was breaking up i saw that she was parting in the middle and that the life of the solitary man upon the mast hung by a thread still he clung to it he had a singular red cap on � not like a sailor s cap but of a finer color and as the yielding between him and destruction rolled and and his death rung lie was seen by all of us to wave it i saw him do it now and thought i was going distracted when his action brought an old remembrance to my mind of a once dear friend ham watched the sea standing alone with the silence of suspended breath behind him and the storm before until there was a great retiring wave when with a backward glance at those who held the rope which was made fast round his body he dashed in after it and in a moment was with the water rising with the hills falling with the valleys lost beneath the foam then drawn again to land they hauled in hastily o o the personal history and experience he was hurt i saw blood on his face from where i stood but he took no thought of that he seemed hurriedly to give them some directions for leaving him more free � or so i judged from the motion of � and was gone as before and now he made for the wreck rising with the hills falling with the valleys lost beneath the rugged foam borne in towards the shore borne on towards the ship striving hard and the distance was nothing but the power of the sea and wind made the strife deadly at length he the wreck he was so near that with one more of strokes he would be clinging to it � when a high green vast side of water moving on from beyond the ship he seemed to leap up into it with a mighty bound and the ship was gone some fragments i saw in the sea as if a mere had been broken in running to the spot where they were in consternation was in every face they drew him to my very feet � insensible � dead he was carried to the nearest house and no one preventing me now i remained near him busy while every means of restoration were tried but he had been beaten to death by the great wave and his generous heart was for ever as i sat beside the bed when hope was abandoned and all was done a who had known me when and i were children and ever since whispered my name at the door sir said he with tears starting to his weather beaten face which with his trembling lips 