from that quarter. Some
years ago upwards of sixty vessels--some of large size--had stood into
the bay during a strong westerly wind. During the night it suddenly
veered round to the east, and blew a tremendous gale, the rain pouring
in torrents. Having brought-up close to one another, they were unable
to beat out, and some breaking loose drove against others. One large
vessel drove against the pier with a tremendous crash, which awakened
the inhabitants from their slumbers. The brave fishermen--knowing what
had occurred--rushed out to render assistance, and were the means of
saving many of the crew. A little boy was thrown by a seaman from the
ship, and caught in the arms of a fisherman. Several vessels went down
at their anchors, others were cast on shore. When morning broke many
others were seen to founder with all hands, there being no possibility
of rendering their crews any assistance. The whole shore was strewn
with dead bodies thrown up by the foaming seas.

CHAPTER FOUR.

THE SOUTH COAST--CONTINUED.

At an early hour the next morning, the Dolphin and we got under weigh,
with a northerly breeze, and rounding Berry Head stood for Froward
Point, at the eastern side of Dartmouth Harbour. We had to keep at a
distance from it, to avoid a reef of rocks which runs off that part of
the coast. The entrance of Dartmouth Harbour is picturesque, with high
rocks on both sides. It is, or rather once was, guarded by a castle on
either hand. That on Dartmouth is still held as a military post. The
castle on the King's Wear side is now fitted up as a private residence.
In the days of Edward the Fourth the men of Dartmouth received thirty
pounds a year on condition of their building a mighty defensive tower,
and extending a long chain to reach across to King's Wear. Running up
the Dart, we came to an anchor opposite the town, which stands on a
level space. Few rivers in England have so picturesque an entrance as
the Dart, the scenery of which, though less bold as we proceeded higher
up, is very pretty.

From the Dart sailed the fleet of Coeur de Lion, when he led the
Crusaders to the Holy Land. In this neighbourhood also was born John
Davis, the Arctic explorer, whose name is given to the strait at the
entrance of Baffin's Bay, which he discovered when on his expedition in
his two small vessels, the Sunshine and the Moonshine,--the one of fifty
tons, and the other of thirty-five tons burden, carrying respe