few minutes I shut my eyes, but anxiety forced me to open them
again. As near as I could judge, we were not twenty yards from the
rocks, at the time that the ship passed abreast of them. We were in
the midst of the foam, which boiled around us; and as the ship was
driven nearer to them, and careened with the wave, I thought that our
main yard-arm would have touched the rock; and at this moment a gust of
wind came on, which laid the ship on her beam-ends, and checked her
progress through the water, while the accumulating noise was deafening.
A few moments more the ship dragged on, another wave dashed over her
and spent itself upon the rocks, while the spray was dashed back from
them, and returned upon the decks. The main rock was within ten yards
of the counter, when another gust of wind laid us on our beam-ends, the
foresail and mainsail split, and were blown clean out of the
bolt-ropes--the ship righted, trembling fore and aft. I looked
astern:--the rocks were to windward on our quarter, and we were safe.
I thought at the time that the ship, relieved of her courses, and again
lifting over the waves, was not a bad similitude of the relief felt by
us all at that moment; and, like her, we trembled as we panted with the
sudden reaction, and felt the removal of the intense anxiety which
oppressed our breasts.

The captain resigned the helm, and walked aft to look at the point,
which was now broad on the weather-quarter. In a minute or two, he
desired Mr. Falcon to get new sails up and bend them, and then went
below to his cabin. I am sure it was to thank God for our deliverance:
I did most fervently, not only then, but when I went to my hammock at
night. We were now comparatively safe--in a few hours completely so;
for, strange to say, immediately after we had weathered the rocks, the
gale abated, and before morning we had a reef out of the topsails.

THE CRUISE OF THE TORCH

From "Tom Cringle's Log," BY MICHAEL SCOTT

Heligoland light--north and by west--so many leagues--wind
baffling--weather hazy--Lady Passengers on deck for the first time.

Arrived in the Downs--ordered by signal from the guardship to proceed
to Portsmouth. Arrived at Spithead--ordered to fit to receive a
general officer, and six pieces of field artillery, and a Spanish
Ecclesiastic, the Canon of ------. Plenty of great guns, at any
rate--a regular park of artillery.

Received General ------ and his wife, and aide-de-camp, and two