aft close alongside each other; and at Leslie's suggestion Miss
Trevor at once went below and hurriedly penned three letters--one to her
people at home, one to her father in India, and one to her friends in
Australia--briefly detailing the particulars of the loss of the _Golden
Fleece_ and what had subsequently befallen the writer, together with her
intention to proceed to Valparaiso, if necessary; after which she would
act according to circumstances. At the same time Leslie wrote to the
owners of the _Golden Fleece_ apprising them of the loss of the ship,
and the fact that, as far as his knowledge went, there were but three
survivors, namely, Miss Trevor, himself, and the seaman whom he had
taken off the wreckage.

By the time that these letters were ready, the whaler was close at hand,
upon which the brig's ensign was hoisted, and the signal made that she
wished to communicate. Thereupon both craft were brought to the wind,
and hove-to; the brig's quarter-boat was lowered, and the carpenter,
with three hands, pulled alongside the whaler, taking the letters with
him, with the request that the skipper would kindly post them at the
first port arrived at. This the man readily agreed to do--such little
courtesies among seamen being quite usual; and then, with mutual dips of
their ensigns, the two craft proceeded upon their respective ways.

The _Mermaid_ was singularly fortunate in the weather experienced by her
on this occasion of crossing the Line, as it often happens that ships in
these latitudes are detained--sometimes for weeks--by persistent calms,
during the prevalence of which, by constantly box-hauling the yards and
taking the utmost advantage of every little draught of air that comes
along, they may succeed in gaining a mile or two in the course of every
twenty-four hours; whereas she carried a breeze with her that ran her,
without a pause, from the north-east trades, across the calm belt, right
into the south-east trade winds, which happened just then to be blowing
fresh. She therefore made excellent progress to the southward after
parting from the friendly whaler.

It was about a week later that the brig, thrashing along to the
southward, close-hauled, and with her fore topgallantsail and main royal
stowed, experienced a thrillingly narrow escape from destruction.

It was just two bells in the first watch, that is to say nine o'clock
p.m. The night was fine, with bright starlight, and no moon, that
lumi