y could not make headway against
them. The powers of man are limited. When there is a will there is not
always a way! For two hours did these brave men strain at the tough
oars in vain; then they unwillingly put about and returned, utterly
exhausted, leaving it to the men with the life-lines on shore to do the
fighting. Thus, frequently, when one arm of the service is prevented
from acting; the other arm comes into play.

The work of the men engaged on the pier was perilous and difficult, for
the lines had to be fired against a head wind. The piers were covered
with ice, and the gale was so strong that the men could hardly stand,
while the crews of the wrecks were so benumbed that they could make
little effort to help themselves.

The men of the Mary Mac, however, made a vigorous effort to get their
longboat out. A boy jumped in to steady it. Before the men could
follow, the boat was stove in, the rope that held it broke, and it drove
away with the poor lad in it. He was quickly washed out, but held on to
the gunwale until it drifted into broken water, when he was swallowed by
the raging sea and the boat was dashed to pieces.

Meanwhile the crew of the Cora managed to swing themselves ashore, their
vessel being close to the pier. The crew of the Lucern, acting on the
advice of the brigade men, succeeded in scrambling on board the Cora and
were hauled ashore on the life-lines. They had not been ten minutes out
of their vessel when she turned over with her decks towards the terrible
sea, which literally tore her asunder, and pitched her up, stem on end,
as if she had been a toy. The crew of the Maghee were in like manner
hauled on to the pier, with the exception of one lad from Canterbury.
It was the poor boy's first voyage. Little did he think probably, while
dreaming of the adventures of a sailor's career, what a terrible fate
awaited him. He was apparently paralysed with fear, and could not
spring after his comrades to the pier, but took to the rigging. He had
scarcely done so when the vessel heeled over, and he was swung two or
three times backwards and forwards with the motion of the masts.

It is impossible to imagine the feelings of the brave men on the pier,
who would so gladly have risked their lives to save him--he was so near,
and yet so hopelessly beyond the reach of human aid!

In a very brief space of time the waves did their work--ship and boy
were swallowed up together.

While these eve