and station him below at the main hatchway, in such a position
that he can see you on deck here, with instructions to wind his call to
cut the cable the moment that he receives the signal which I will pass
on to you."

The critical moment was now close at hand; the point which we were
endeavouring to weather was less than a mile ahead, and still far enough
on the lee-bow to justify the hope that we might yet go clear. But the
scene, generally, was of so alarming a character, and our situation was
so critical, that even the bravest man there might well have been
excused if he failed to regard it altogether without apprehension. For
it was now blowing harder than ever, the sea was breaking with
absolutely appalling fury on the reef--speaking eloquently of the fate
that awaited us all in the event of failure--and the over-driven ship,
so heavily pressed down by her canvas that the lee-side of her
quarter-deck and waist was all afloat, groaned and complained in every
timber as she literally fought her way through the opposing seas,
smothering herself forward so completely at every mad plunge that those
who were standing by to let go the anchor had been compelled to lash
themselves firmly at their posts to avoid being washed overboard. Add
to all this the fierce shriek and howl of the wind through the rigging
aloft, the groaning of the masts in their partners, and of the main
tack, as the ship rolled to windward, the thunderous shocks of the seas
as they smote our bows and shattered into blinding sheets of spray that
flew as high as the foretop and drenched the lee clew of the topsail,
and the sight of the spars bending and whipping to the terrific strain
that they were called upon to bear,--remembering, too, that if anything
should carry away just then it would mean the utter destruction of the
ship and the loss of all hands,--and the reader may be able dimly to
picture the feelings that animated the ship's company of the _Europa_ on
that occasion.

Even the skipper looked a shade paler than usual as he slowly brought
the speaking-trumpet from behind him and prepared to raise it to his
lips. We were now so near the reef that we could hear the hollow
booming thunder and crash of the sea breaking upon it; its outer
extremity was within half-a-cable's length of our lee-bow, and it was
evident that, even if all went well, it was going to be "touch and go"
with us, when suddenly the ship came upright and the sails flapped