Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-03-24
CHAPTER ".
I QUIT THE WRECK.

The east grew pale and gray at last. For a few moments I stood contemplating the scene of ruin. It was visible now to its most trifing detail The foremast was gone smooth off at the deck; it lay over the star board bow, and the topmast foated ahead of the hull, held by the gear. Many feet of bulwarks were crushed level; the pumps had vanished; the caboose was gone! A com. pleter nautical ruin had never viewed.
 One extraordinary stroke I quickly de- tected. The jolly boat had lain slowed in the long boat; it was thus we carried these boats, the little one lying snugly enough in the other. The sea that had flooded our decks had foated the jolly boat out of the long boat and swept it bottom up to the gangway, where it lay, as though Gods mercy designed it should be preserved for my use; for, not long after it had been foated out, the brig struck the berg, the masts fell, and there lay the long boat crushed into stavesl
 This signal and surprising intervention filled my heart with thankfulness, though my spirits sank again at the sight of my poor drowned shipmates. But, unless had a mind to join them, it was necessary I should speedily bestir myself. So, after minutes reflection, whipped out my knife, and cutting a couple of blocks away from the raf1e on deck, I rove line through them, and so made tackle, by the help of which I turned the jolly boat over; I then with a handspike pried her nose to the gangway, secured bunch of rope on either side of her to act as lenders or buffers when she should be launched and lying alongside, ran her midway out by the tackle, and, attaching a line to a ringbolt in her bow, showed her over the side, and she fell with splash, ship ping scarce hatful of water.
 1 found her mast and sail-the sail furled to the mast, as it was used to lie in her-close against the stump of the mainmast; and though I sought with all the diligence that hurry would permit for her rudder, no- where saw it; but met with an oar that had belonged to the other boat, and this with the mast and sail I dropped into her, the swell lifting her up to my hand when the blue fold swung past.
 My next business was to victual-her I ran to the cabin, but found the lazarette full of water, and none of the provisions in it to be come at. I thereupon ransacked the cabin, and I found whole Dutch cheese, piece of raw pork, half ham, eight or ten biscuits, some candles, a finder box, several lemons little bag of flour, and thirteen bottles of beer. These things I rolled up in cloth and placed them in the boat, then took from the captains locker four jars of spirits, two of which ]. emptied that might fill them with fresh water. also took with me from the captains cabin small boat compass.
 The heavy, sluggish, sodden movement of the hull advised me to make haste. She was now barely lifting to tine swell that came brimming in broad liquid blue brows to her stem. It seemed as though another ton of water would sink her; and if the swell fell over her bows and filled the decks, down she would go. I had a small parcel of guineas in my chest and was about to fetch thls money, when sort of staggering sensation in the upward slide of the hull gave me a fright, and watching my chance, jumped into the boat and cast the line that held her adrift.
 threw the oar over the stern of the boat to keep her near to the brig, not so much be. cause desired to see the last of her as be- cause of the shrinking of my soul within me from the thought of heading ill my Loneliness