Year: 1866

, while far away, still lightly fitted and spur
r about the golden fiaky snow, eddyine
amongst the smoke, and darting far ON high
in the most beautiful way imaginable.
, think | said before how the tremendou:
heat caused a regular draught to set to
wards the fire, so that as you were almost
scorched before, the wind came with quite
a cold rush behind but then, how it made
| the flames roar again, and burn more fierce
ly than ever 1t was sickening sight
for every now and then the cruel forky ton
cues seemed to keep tapping at and threat
ening us, and then dancing and licking
everything up, as if in devilish joy at the
prospect Of soon devouring us poor sim
ners.


1t was horrible sight, and though l did
MT show it, yet could feel my heart sink
every time | was idle for few moments,
when | went at it again like a savage.
did MT go down on my knees to pray !; but
i don't know think l prayed earnestly
III my heart then, and though | would glad
ly have been with the wife safe in the other
boat, yet | could MT feel as it was suited
with fellows duty to leave such man as
that captain had showed himself all in the
lurch so | says to myself " Be man, too,
Phil y; and did try to, anyhow


All at once the flames seemed to veer
round, and began blowing towards us,
while the position of the boats was chang
ed and | could n'tunderstand it, till saw
the captain run from helping to get the last
boat--the one as was on the deck close to
the mizzen-mast-over the side and then
found it was the man had left the steer
ing wheel, and had run up towards the
boat


Back !" Iheard the captain say "back,
or Pll fire I"


Fire away, cap" says the man, sulkily;
" one may just as well die by fire one way
as another, and | won't stand there and be
burnt" And then the captains hand--the
one as held the pistol-fell down by his
side and he looked regularly done.


What's up 2" | says. "Can | do 2"
and followed the captain to the wheel,
which he turned so as to put the head of
the ship right once more and as he did it,
she just changed round again but while
all this had been going on, the mizzen or
third mast took fire, and now was blazing
| away fercely.


Hold on here, my man." says the cap
tain, and keep the wheel just as it is
That's right hold the spokes firm and if
her head swings round, call to me to come
and help you"


"All right" says but mind, don't
understand it bit" And now my troubles
seemed to begin for though it was bad
enough to be bustling about fancying that
the ship would either go down or you'd be
burnt every moment, yet to stand stock
still holding to the spokes of that wheel
was awful, and do what | would to stop it,
a regular tremble came all over me, and
my knees kept on shake, shake, shake.
! They got the boat over the side, and then
the men rushed over one another to get in,
and it was only by stamping about and
hitting at them that the captain got the
poor chaps to take in the things they want
ed such as food, which he fetched out of
the cabin himself and water which they
did sling in, but dropped one little cask
overheard. But, one way or another, he
got them at last to take in good many
things such as they'd want, and compass;
and then, with three more men, he rushed
down to the cabin again for more food
biscuit-bags saying as the other boats
ply 'em. And then up they came stagger-
|
ter-keg, and the captain with a side O ba-
con- and two men with bags y biscuit and
they goes to the side, and | wished my job
was done as | saw 'em go.


All at once one of the men gives a yell,
throws down his bag, and leaps bang over
board, and the others, running after him,
did so too and then | could see that the
cowardly beggars had pushed of, for they
lay close under the side, where | could MT
see em before, and now they were rowing
hard to get away, and could see that the
boat was so full that the least thing must
make her fill and sink


1t was pitiful to hear the shrieks of those
poor fellows as was left behind, as they
SWAN with all their might to get up to the
boat and it was pitiful to see, for it was
as light as day, and the waves that gently
rose and fell seemed waves Of blood
glowing blood with golden crests as they
softly brokn But though one man swan
so fast that he got up to the boat, they
pushed him off with the oars and then |
saw him cling to them, and one man pulled
out knife to stab at him if he came nea T.
er while Just then | saw the boat-ho ok
rise up and fall with heavy thud on the
poor chaps head, and he went under, and
| said, God help him !" for he came up nc
more.


There were two more swimming after
them, and when the next saw all this, he
Just turned round, and looked back at the
ship, and padded with his hands bit, and
then stretching them straight up towards
the sky, he gave one wild bitter shrek, and
he went under and this time | tried to
say God help him |" but it was only my
lips that moved.


There was the other, though, a fine lusty
young fellow, and as soon as he saw what
| took place he turned off to the left and trieC
to reach the nearest boat of the other three
and manfully he swan for it, raising him
self well up in the water at every stroke
and gradually lessening the distance til
, he got up close to the stern, where | coulC
see quite plain some one holding out his
. hands to him, and he was took aboard the
boat


Now all this took place in a very few
minutes and, in spite of the danger, we
/ the two last on board, could not help stop
| ping to gaze at the terrible incident bu
' now the captain comes up and takes my
: hand and says


Brother, it was a cowardly, cruel, sci
fisb action and 7 don't know but what TC