nish-blue light. The water was alive with fish, darting restlessly
hither and thither; and while some were evidently much alarmed at the
apparition of the four gleaming armour-clad figures, from whom they
retreated precipitately, others were as evidently consumed with
curiosity as to what they were, and came swimming about them with a
pertinacity that was highly amusing. It was also very interesting to
look upward and watch the waves ceaselessly chasing each other overhead,
the shape and formation of each wave being clearly indicated by the
lines of rippling light that crossed and intermingled with each other in
the production of an endless succession of most beautiful and novel
effects.

The wreck was clearly visible at a distance of some three hundred feet,
lying at the base of the reef, which shot steeply up out of the sand,
and reached to within about a dozen feet of the sea-level. As the four
men approached it was seen that the almost shapeless bulk before them
was, as had been anticipated, merely the after part of the ship, the
remainder doubtless lying on the other, or inshore, side of the reef.
That she had been a sailing-ship was evident, for the hollow steel main
and mizzen masts, with a portion of the yards and the standing and
running gear still attached to them, were to be seen lying upon the
steep slope of the reef, evidently where they had fallen when the ship
struck. And from the circumstance that all canvas, except the
close-reefed topsails, was furled, Mildmay expressed the opinion that
she had struck during heavy weather, and doubtless at night, for it was
difficult to understand how a ship could have come stem-on upon the reef
during the hours of daylight, on a coast where fog is practically
unknown. And, to the four curious observers standing down there
alongside the wreck, it was perfectly clear that she had struck with
tremendous force, for she had pushed half her length across the
obstructing reef, and had ultimately broken in two just forward of the
mainmast. The half of her at which they were now looking had slid down
the side of the reef with such force that her stern had buried itself in
the sand to an extent which rendered it impossible for them to read her
name and port of registry on her counter, as they had hoped to do. If,
therefore, they desired to ascertain any particulars concerning her, it
would be absolutely necessary for one or more of them to climb on board
and institute a