"

"Then we'll start together, sir, and see how matters are."

I dropped into the sea, followed by Cross; and as the distance from us
was not forty yards, we soon gained the wreck of the fore part of the
frigate; the lee gunnel was just above the water; we clambered over it,
and found the deck still whole; the weather portion as white as snow,
and quite dry: we gained the weather bulwarks, and looked in the offing
in case there should be any vessel, but we could see nothing.

"Now, sir, we had better hail, and tell all those who can swim to come
to us."

We did so, and six men from the main-mast and nine from the fore-mast
soon joined us.

"Now, my lads," said I, "we must look after those who cannot get here,
and try to save them. Get all the ends of ropes from the belaying pins,
bend them on one to another, and then we will return and make the men
fast, and you shall haul them on board."

This was soon done; Cross and I took the end in our hands, and swam back
to the main-mast. One of the top-men, with a broken, arm was the first
that was made fast, and, when the signal was given, hauled through the
water to the wreck; six or seven more followed in succession. Two men
swam back every time with the rope and accompanied those who were hauled
on board, that they might not sink. There were many more hanging to
different parts of the main-mast, but on examination they were found to
be quite dead. We sent on board all that showed any symptoms of life,
and then we swam to the fore-mast, and assisted those who were hanging
to it. In about two hours our task was completed, and we mustered
twenty-six men on the wreck.

We were glad to shelter ourselves under the bulwark, where we all lay
huddled up together; before noon, most of the poor fellows had forgotten
their sufferings in a sound sleep. Cross, I, and the man with the
broken arm, were the only three awake; the latter was in too much pain
to find repose, and, moreover, suffered from extreme thirst.

A breeze now sprang up from the southward, which cheered our spirits, as
without wind there was little chance of receiving any assistance. Night
again came on, and the men still slept. Cross and I laid down, and were
glad to follow their example: the night was cold, and when we lay down
we did not yet feel much from hunger or thirst; but when the morning
dawned we woke in suffering, not from hunger, but from thirst.
Everybody cried out for water. I told the me