the opposite sea; the summit was reached;
but once more she disappeared beyond it. At times it seemed as if
scarcely any way was made, but still the bold seamen persevered; the
lives of some of their fellow-creatures depended on their exertions--how
many it was impossible to say, till they had ascertained where the ship
had gone on shore. They knew that in all probability in a few minutes,
even should the ship hold together, numbers must be swept off from the
decks.

Morton's object was to get sufficiently out to sea to ascertain the
position of the ship. The rapid diminution of the strength of the wind
enabled him to do this with greater ease than had at first appeared
possible; still the sea came rolling in as fiercely as before, and
rendered the greatest caution necessary to prevent the boat being
swamped. At last they got sufficiently to the westward to look along
the outer side of Ossa Skerry. No ship was to be seen. Had she
foundered, or was it possible that in so short a time she had so
completely gone to pieces that not a particle of the wreck was to be
seen? If so, not a soul on board could have escaped.

"Poor girl!" thought Morton; "it will break the heart of Bertha Eswick
to hear of it; and my wife, too--it will make her very sad."

"We will pull out a little further, Rolf," said Captain Maitland.
"There is a little bay, or bight, nearly at the south-east of the rock--
if the ship by chance drove in there we should not see her from hence."

"Give way, lads!" shouted Morton, with hope revived by his friend's
remark.

In a short time they opened the little bay of which Captain Maitland
spoke. There lay the ship almost broadside on with the shore, her stern
apparently under an overhanging cliff, while her bow, over which the sea
made a clean breach, seemed to hang on a rock, and was thus prevented
from being driven further in. Her masts and bowsprit were gone by the
board: and from the force with which the sea was breaking over her, it
seemed scarcely possible that she could herself keep much longer
together. An attempt to approach her from the seaside would have proved
the destruction of the boat. The only chance of rendering assistance
was to land on the east side of the island. Hitherto the boat's head
had been kept directly towards the seas as they came rolling in. It was
far more dangerous work crossing them as they had now to do, to reach
the inner side of the island. Often Morton and