or fellow that had perchance reached the land, in
all probability to perish there without assistance. Here he was aided
by the crew of a whale-boat, who coasted along with him inside the line
of the sea-weed barrier. They came upon two men clinging to pieces of
wood amongst the slippery weeds, just in time to save them from the
jaws of death; and two others were discovered by Captain Wright, lying
in holes of the rock, where they had crawled, too faint to move any
farther. These four, owing to the kindness and attention of the
captain, were shortly and fully restored.

Again, one or two officers returned to renew the quest, but their
efforts were fruitless. Corpses they found washed ashore for burial,
but no more living men were seen. As soon as intelligence of the
catastrophe was received at Cape Town, a steamer, "Rhadamanthus," was
dispatched to take a survey of the spot. Captain Small was relieved by
this vessel of the unfortunate men who had been thus necessarily
quartered upon him; and they were conveyed to Simon's Bay, touching
there on Monday, March 1st. The "Rhadamanthus" having thoroughly
explored the coast where the wreck had occurred, was able to state with
certainty that not one person living had been left behind of those who
had formed the passengers and crew of the "Birkenhead."

Captain Wright, an officer of capacity and experience, accustomed to
the strictest forms of martial order and law, felt bound to say that
the power of discipline in the troops, and their quick obedience to
command, was greater than he had deemed possible, and excited the more
astonishment as the men were principally new to the service. Each one
acted promptly on the judgment, and at the order of his superior
officer, and not a sound of murmuring escaped a man until the waters
engulphed him. "All officers received their orders, and had them
carried out, as if the men were embarking instead of going to the
bottom; there was only this difference, that I never saw any
embarkation conducted with so little noise and confusion."

The "Birkenhead" started for Algoa Bay, bearing a freight of six
hundred and thirty persons, out of which number, one hundred and
ninety-two alone reached their destination. A court-martial was held
for inquiry, when it was admitted that the vessel should have been kept
farther out at sea, so as not to have incurred the dangers of that
rocky coast; but appended to the verdict was the following remark