rd, as she was down by the
head, with a considerable list to port; and this seemed the safest point
at which to approach her.

Getting close up, the bowman at once threw a grapnel that caught in some
of the loose ropes hanging over the side; and, before we were well
alongside, Mr Jellaby had scrambled up on to the forecastle of the
ill-fated vessel.

Dr Nettleby and myself were not far behind him, Corporal Macan and
Bill Bates, the coxswain of the cutter, following to render any
assistance that might be necessary; the boat meanwhile being veered away
to the end of the grapnel rope so as to be out of harm's way and yet
within easy reach of us as soon as we might want to go on board her
again.

On gaining the deck, the scene presented to our gaze was piteous beyond
all description, the ship appearing to have been first run into by some
other craft and then left to drift about at the mercy of the elements.

Her starboard bow had been cut right through up to the head of the
foremast, which had been carried away completely, with all its spars and
rigging, as well as the bowsprit and maintopmast.

In addition to these, the mizzen and everything aft had gone; not a
stick being left standing in her save the stump of the mainmast, as our
lookout man had reported soon after just sighting her, as well as part
of the lower rigging amidships.

Besides this, a section of the mainyard that had snapped in two at the
slings was still held aloft by the truss, the other end of the spar
having brought up, against the chain-plates, the brace being twisted
round the shrouds and deadeyes in the most wonderful way!

Mr Jellaby, however, did not stop to notice these details, but made his
way as well as he could through the maze of tangled cordage and heaps of
wreckage that lay about in every direction towards the portion of the
main rigging yet remaining intact, where, lashed to a fragment of the
bulwarks that had not been washed away, was the figure of the man
Commander Nesbitt had noticed.

There was no doubt now of his being alive; for, he was gesticulating
violently and waving his arms about like those of a windmill.

The rolling of the ship and the clean breach which the sea made across
the open deck amidships rendered the task of reaching the poor fellow
all the harder; but, watching his chance between the lurches of the
water-logged barque and clambering over the wreckage that rilled the
waist from the forecastle up to the mai