lamity, that so many of us should have been saved. But
for the fact of the accident having occurred in the afternoon, when the
majority of the hands were fortunately on deck aft, many more lives
would undoubtedly have been lost.

However, albeit temporarily preserved from the peril of a watery grave,
our outlook, clustered there together on the outside of the partly-
submerged vessel, was a very sorry one; for, the sea was still running
high, and the waves were breaking over us in sheets of foam, and,
although the sun was shining down and the air was comparatively warm,
this made us feel most uncomfortable. Besides, the continual onslaught
of the rolling billows necessitated our holding on to everything we
could get a grip of, to prevent ourselves from being washed away.

We had to lie along the side of the ship, grasping the mizzen rigging,
which attitude was a very wearying one; for, the sea would lift us up as
the swell surged by, and then, we had to take a fresh grip, our feet
sliding down the hull as the billow retired and the vessel sunk down in
the hollow.

"I say, Marline," called out the captain presently, "as you are nearest
the signal halliards, do you think you can manage to run them clear?"

"I'll try, sir," answered the other; and Moggridge, who had now crept
alongside the mate, helping him, the two contrived to haul out the rope
in question.

"Now, who's got a knife handy?" next inquired Captain Miles.

There was half a dozen replies to this question; but, ere the article
wanted could be passed along, the old boatswain had drawn out his from
his waistband by means of the lanyard slung round his neck, and was
busily employed in cutting up the signal halliards into short lengths of
about a fathom each.

"Ah, I see you guessed what I was after," said the captain noticing
this. "If we lash ourselves to the rigging here, it will save us a
world of exertion and trouble, besides leaving our hands free for other
purposes."

"Aye, aye, sir, I know'd what you want," responded Moggridge, and
passing down the pieces of rope as he cut them off, all of us were
pretty soon well secured from being washed away, each man helping to tie
up his neighbour in turn.

"Golly, massa, dis am a purdicafirment!" ejaculated Jake, grinning as
usual, and with his ebony face shining with the spray; "I'se 'gin feel
want grub--um precious hungry."

"I am afraid that'll not be our only want, my poor fellow," said Captain
Mi