ored God to have
mercy on them. Others took passionate farewell of each other, or sat
clinging to each other in the silence of despair. Many became frantic,
rushed about the decks and tore their hair, and a few of the braver
spirits moved calmly and silently about, doing anything that required to
be done, or coolly making preparation for the last struggle.

Among these last were several women, who, sustained by the Christian's
hope, went about comforting their companions and calming the poor
children. In some cases they became the centres of little groups of men
and women, who listened intently while they read the word of God, or
joined with them in prayer. Many cursing lips had become silent now, or
tremblingly attempted to call on our Saviour, for the first time, _in
earnest_.

Meanwhile the officers and crew were not idle. Preparation was made to
lower the boats. The lifebuoys and belts were got ready, and everything
was done to facilitate the abandoning of the vessel before she should be
utterly consumed.

The ordinary ship's boats were converted into lifeboats by the simple
contrivance of fastening small empty casks all round them under the
seats, and a large-sized cask in the stern and bow of each.

As the sea was still running high, the operation of lowering was a
matter of difficulty and danger. The women and children were put into
the first boat while it hung suspended at the davits. Two men stood by
to detach the hooks that held the boat by the bow and stern the instant
she should touch the water. This was the moment of danger; for, if one
man should succeed in this and the other fail, the inevitable
consequence would be that the stern or the bow of the boat would be
jerked into the air, and the people in her hurled into the sea.

Four boats were lowered and cast off in safety. The fifth, which
contained men chiefly, with only two or three women and no children, was
upset. The man in the bow could not detach his hook; it remained fast
while the stern hook was cast off; and when the ship rose it hung
suspended by the bow. Instantly the people in her were struggling in
the waves. The captain, knowing that this might occur, had ordered a
dozen of the strongest of his men to put on cork life-belts, and stand
in the main chains to be in readiness. These at once leaped into the
sea, and supported the people, until another boat was lowered for them.
But a misfortune here befell them. While one of