n such a
sea, and if the boat were lost with the crew there would not be hands
enow left on board to take the vessel home. As the youth was not a
hundred yards from the vessel, I stated the possibility of swimming to
him with the deep-sea line, which would be strong enough to haul both
him and the man who swam to him on board. Captain Clarke, in a great
rage, swore that it was impossible, and asked me who the devil would go.
Piqued at his answer, and anxious to preserve the life of the youth, I
offered to try it myself. I stripped, and, making the line fast round
my body, plunged from the ship's side into the sea. It was a new
deep-sea line, and stiff in the coil, so that, not drawing close round
me, it slipped, and I swam through it, but catching it as it slipped
over my feet, I made it secure by putting my head and one arm through
the noose. I swam direct for the boy, and found that I swam with ease,
owing to the strength and buoyant nature of the water in those
latitudes. I had not swum more than half-way before the line got foul
on the coil on board, and, checking me suddenly, it pulled me backwards
and under water. I recovered myself and struck out again. During this
time, to clear the line on board, they had cut some of the entangled
parts, and in the confusion and hurry severed the wrong part, so that
the end went overboard, and I had half the coil of line hanging to me,
and at the same time was adrift from the ship. They immediately hailed
me to return, but from the booming of the waves I could not hear what
they said, and thought that they were encouraging me to proceed. I
shouted in return to show the confidence which I had in myself. I
easily mounted the waves as they breasted me, but still I made my way
very slowly against such a swell, and saw the boy only at intervals when
I was on the top of the wave. He could swim very little, and did not
make for the ship, but, with his eyes fixed upon the sky, paddled like a
dog to keep himself above water. I now began to feel the weight of the
line upon me, and to fear that I should never hold out. I began to
repent of my rashness, and thought I had only sacrificed myself without
any chance of saving him. I persevered, nevertheless, and having, as I
guessed, come to the spot where the boy was, I looked round, and not
seeing him was afraid that he had gone down, but on mounting the next
wave I saw him in the hollow, struggling hard to keep above water, and