nchor not hold, would very soon send us on
shore.

I at last began to feel as if my anxiety would break me down, as all the
dangers with which we were surrounded were brought to my thoughts. We
had a dark night, a heavy gale of wind, a lee-shore, a strong current,
untried and probably not over-good ground tackle, and a great
uncertainty as to our position. Added to this, I had under my command a
vessel worth four hundred thousand pounds, and between thirty and forty
lives entrusted to my care. Our anchor held, but not without dragging
slightly. Anxiously I walked the deck and waited for break of day. I
thought it would never come. It did at last, however, and revealed a
sight sufficient to make the stoutest heart quake. Scarcely more than a
cable's length from the ship appeared a ledge of rocks over which the
waves were washing with sullen roars, while the log hove overboard
showed me that there was a strong current setting towards a high rocky
bluff land dead to leeward of us. Towards it the ship was surely though
slowly dragging her anchor. One thing only could save us. We must
without delay get sail on her. We tried to weigh the anchor, but soon
abandoned the attempt as hopeless. I called the officers round me, in a
few words explained our position, then sent every man to his station.
Nol Grampus stood, axe in hand, ready to cut the cable as I gave the
word. Two good hands were at the helm. The men were aloft, ready to
loose sails. I waited till the ship's head tended off the land, then at
a wave of my hand the sails were let fall and sheeted home, down came
old Nol's gleaming axe, the end of the cable disappeared through the
hawse-hole, the sails filled, and away glided the big ship from the
threatening rocks. Still she was not free from danger. I held my
breath, as did every seaman on board, as we gazed at the bluff land it
was necessary to weather. The current set strongly towards it, a shift
of wind might yet cast away the ship. Down she seemed settling towards
it. We were doing our utmost to avoid the danger; we could not carry
more sail, the ship was kept as close as possible to the wind. Still we
had already escaped so many dangers before that I hoped we might this.
Higher grew the land frowning above us, nearer appeared the breakers.
In ten minutes I saw that our fate would be decided. The wind remained
steady. None of our gear gave way. The surf broke under our lee as we
glided by; we