t, the wind was so strong that we could only carry close-reefed
maintop-sail and reefed fore-sail; and with a heavy sea, which had risen
up, we felt that we were in extreme danger.

Daylight once more made its appearance. Our first object was to
ascertain the position of the Dryad. For a long time we looked in vain;
at last, a partial clearing up of the horizon on the lee bow discovered
her, looming through the heavy atmosphere, more like a phantom ship than
the work of mortal hands. She was a deep grey mass upon a lighter grey
ground. Her top-masts were gone, and she was pitching and rising
without appearing to advance under her courses and storm staysails.

"There she is, sir," said Mr Wilson; "and if the gale lasts, good-bye
to her."

"If the gale lasts, Mr Wilson," said I in a low voice, "I suspect you
may sing our requiem as well; but we must trust to Heaven and our own
exertions. Pass along the lead-line, Mr Hawkins."

"Aye, aye, sir," replied the officer of the watch; "how much out sir?"

"Forty fathoms."

The men ranged themselves along the lee-bulwarks, chains, and gangway
and passed the deep sea-lines from aft to the anchor stock forward. The
deep sea lead was taken forward, and as soon as it was bent and ready,
the ship was thrown up to the wind so as to check her way. "Heave," and
the lead was thrown, and as it descended the line was dropped from the
hands of the men, one after another, as the line drew aft; but when it
came to the hands of the master, who was on the quarter, instead of
finding, as he expected, forty fathoms of water, he had to haul in the
slack line for such a length of time, that the lead was astern and no
proper soundings could be obtained.

One thing was, however, certain, which was, that we were in much
shallower water than we had any idea of; and the master, much alarmed,
desired the quarter-master to go into the chains and see if he could get
soundings with the hand-lead while the men were hauling in the deep
sea-line. The quarter-master was forestalled by Bob Cross who, dropping
into the chains, cleared the line, and swinging it but twice or thrice,
for there was little or no way in the vessel, let it go.

The anxiety with which the descent of the line was watched by me, the
master, and other of the officers who were hanging over the hammock
rails, it would be difficult to describe. When sixteen fathoms were out
the lead sounded. Cross gathered up the slack line, an