es refusing any longer to hold us up. The day
was drawing on. I felt with Staunton that another day would settle the
question of life or death for most of us. One by one the men had come
down from aloft, giving up all hope of seeing a sail approaching to our
relief. Weak as they were, we could not insist on any of the poor
fellows remaining up there, except as volunteers.

I was thinking over all I had gone through at different parts of my
life, and how often I had been mercifully preserved. "I'll not give in
even now," I said to myself. "I'll go aloft, and have another
look-out." Suddenly I felt my strength returning. I got up, and,
slinging my glass over my shoulder, went up the fore rigging. It
appeared to me that I was as strong and active as ever. I gained the
foretop mast-head. I unslung my glass and looked out. There, right
away to the westward, was a long, dark line in the horizon, which could
be caused I knew alone by a fresh breeze, and even as I looked and
hailed the welcome sign of deliverance, several dots appeared above it,
the loftier sails, as I well knew, of approaching ships. I rubbed my
eyes. Again I looked to assure myself of the reality of what I fancied
I saw, and that I might not be deceived by some phantom of the brain.
No, I was certain that I was right; there were the approaching sails.
With a strong breeze they came on quickly towards us.

"Several sail in sight!" I shouted out, and my voice was scarcely
weaker than usual. I waved my hand and pointed in the direction I saw
them.

The effect was electrical. Men who seemed before almost at their last
gasp rose to their feet. The officers came hurrying on deck. Captain
Packenham himself appeared. Many mounted the rigging and joined me
aloft to assure themselves that I was not deceived. There could be no
doubt about the matter. All saw the approaching ships. Royals,
topgallant sails, topsails appeared one after the other above the
horizon. They might be the ships of the expected Jamaica fleet, or they
might be enemies. By that time the sea was swarming with them. In that
case we should have to fight for what we wanted.

"No matter," was the cry of all on board, "we are ready and able as ever
to meet a foe."

The prospect of relief roused everyone, and though our cheeks were thin
and our strength was feeble, our spirits rose and we felt that we could
fight as well as ever. Anxiously we watched the approaching strange