, 1890-11-22

end and the captain ordered all bands on
the bridge-deck, the only place of compare
tive safety on the doomed vessel. Men
who, l don't believe, ever said Il prayer in
their lives, now prayed for divine prOtec-
ton. When day began to dawn a sad
sight met our anxiOnS gaze. The fore end
OF the ship was completely submerged and
the after end was very low in the water.
The captain now ordered the only boat
that was left to be got ready for towering
aud provisioned. a few tins of preserved
meat were got into her with SOME difficulty, E
and two small beakers of wafer, together
with SOme COmpaSSeS.
All hands were now standing by and
there was not the least sign of disOrderli-
ness or panic. The captain was very
unwilling to lower the boat, as he C.dng to
the idea that the ship would foe.t, as there
was 10 water in her after hold and the gale
was beginning to ease a little, although q
mountainous sea was still running. When
he began to realize the hopelessnesS of Ills
position, he gave the order for the boat to
be lowered. AS soon as she was in the
water the painter carried away and she
drifted away ahead of the ship, but the
men iii her succeeded in bringing her back.
We were now ordered to watch our chance
AAAA JOthP AAAIO AL 40 N AAhbNON I'm bhlS'
vas done i'll very good order. Whelr nine
teen of US were in the boar the painter car
ried away for the secOnu time and she was
nearly stove IN against The ships side. She
how dIifted away ahead Of the ship, in
consequence of which we got our oars out
and endeavOured to regain the ships side
to take off the remainder Of the crew, nine
in number, who were left on board but
this was not to be, and one could almost
fancy that it was SO Orda led by the powers
above. We now saw the : eSSel take a
heavy plunge which caused the men on
board to make tor the rigging The captalS
now began beckDning to us to come along
side, and we were doing our best under the
circumstances to do SO. Before we could
get alongside she gave another heavy
plunge and went down head first. Before
she disappeared altogether the after deck
blew up with a loud report and part of the
cargo was blown high into the air this
was the last we saw of her and those on
board. The sight was a horrible one and
not easily forgotten by those who witness
ed it.
There was a lot of %wreckage floating
about aud we were in hopes OF seeing ONE
one on it but nobody was to be seen, and
after pulling about All hour we abandoned
the idea of saving any one. We now had
TO study our own position, which was by
no means u safe Oue. We made n sea-an-
Choir of some spare oars and endeav0ured
to keep the boats head to sea, in which we
succeeded fairly we'll, although tile little
boat was nearly filled two or three times
and we had to keep bailing hncesSantly.
At noon of the same day the wind and'Sca
had moderated a great deal, aAl hawking
i'll our sea.aPchOr we shipped the mast and.
setting a reeted sail on it Steered to the
sSNth'ard in the hopes of making some of
the West Indi s, which we afterwards did.
The next day, Friday the ooh, we sighted
a brig a little after dag break, but not
being able to catch up to her or intercept
her, and also failing in our endeavOurs to
make ourselves seen, we gave up the idea
OF running after her and kept on our course
again, The weather was now fine, tor
which we were all very thankful.
On Sunday morning, our fourth day i'll
the boat, land was sighted right ahead.
The cry of Gland" sent a thrill of delight
through every one i'll the boat, as our
position was now beginning TO be painful.
We were all cramped up for the want of
room and chilled with the Spras S'that were
continually coming Oh board our little
craft. BY midday we fOulH ourselves
close to a low, sandy island, which | believe
is commonly called a quay, in the West
Indies, and high land behind it; but tind-
ing no entrance where we were we Steered~
tor the western end OF the island, where we