n to
persevere, and he gave orders to bring the ship to. In hauling out the
mizen, which had been greatly chafed, it split; a new staysail was
then bent to bring the ship to, which had the desired effect after a
considerable time, for a heavy sea striking on the starboard quarter,
excited an apprehension that it would be necessary to cut away the
mast. When the men in the yawl saw the ship lying to for them, they
got up their foremast, and ran on board, holding the sheets in their
hands on account of the wind; and as soon as they arrived some men
were sent to row to the assistance of the long-boat. They soon joined
her, got her foremast up, set the sail, as the cutter likewise did,
and to the great joy of all, reached the ship in safety.

Just as the boats came up, the people at the mast-head exclaimed, "A
sail! a sail!" and the captain thought it better to let the ship lie,
as by seeing the main-mast gone, it might be known that she was in
distress. The weather was hazy, and he could see to no great distance,
but the strange vessel was soon near enough to perceive and hear his
guns. She had scarce hoisted her colors, which were Danish, when her
main-topsail sheet gave way; on observing which, Captain Nicholls
conceiving her main-topsail was to be clewed up, and she would come to
his assistance, immediately imparted the good news to the priest and
the rest. Poor deluded people, they hugged him in their arms, calling
him their friend and preserver; but, alas! it was short lived joy,
for as soon as the Dane had knotted, or spliced her topsail sheet, she
stood away, and left them. "What pen is able," says Captain Nicholls,
"to describe the despair that reigned in the ship!" The poor unhappy
people wringing their hands, cried out, "that God had forsaken them."

It was now about three in the afternoon; Captain Nicholls wore the
ship, which she bore very well, and steered tolerably before the wind.

Towards half an hour afterwards, the old gentleman came to him in
tears, and taking him in his arms, said he came by desire of the whole
people to request that he and his men would endeavor to save their
lives in the boats, and as these were insufficient to carry more, they
would by no means be accessory to their destruction; they were well
convinced by their whole conduct that they had done every thing in
their power for their preservation; but that God Almighty had ordained
them to perish, though they trusted he and his men wo