wondered at the manner in which
the cutter and frigate had examined our position. It was quite clear the
fishermen knew very little about finding a proper berth for a ship, and
that we might pretty nearly as well have brought up in the middle of St.
George's channel, could our ground-tackle reach the bottom, as to have
brought up where we were.

Just about nine o'clock, Marble and I had got near each other on the
fife-rail, and held a consultation on the subject of our prospects.
Although we both clung to the same top-sail-sheet, we were obliged to
hallow to make ourselves heard, the howling of the wind through the
rigging converting the hamper into a sort of tremendous Eolian Harp, while
the roar of the water kept up a species of bass accompaniment to this
music of the ocean. Marble was the one who had brought about this
communication, and he was the first to speak.

"I say, Miles," he called out, his mouth within three feet of my ear--"she
jumps about like a whale with a harpoon in it! I've been afraid she'd jerk
the stem out of her."

"Not much fear of that, Moses--my great concern is that starboard
bower-cable; it has a good deal more strain on it than the larboard, and
you can see how the strands are stretched."

"Ay, ay--'t is generalizing its strength, as one may say. S'pose we clap
the helm a-port, and try the effects of a sheer?"

"I've thought of that; as there is a strong tide going, it may possibly
answer"--

These words were scarcely out of my mouth, when three seas of enormous
height came rolling down upon us, like three great roistering companions
in a crowd of sullen men, the first of which raised the Dawn's bows so
high in the air, as to cause us both to watch the result in breathless
silence. The plunge into the trough was in a just proportion to the toss
into the air; and I felt a surge, as if something gave way under the
violent strain that succeeded. The torrent of water that came on the
forecastle prevented any thing from being seen; but again the bows rose,
again they sunk, and then the ship seemed easier.

"We are all adrift, Miles!" Marble shouted, leaning forward to be heard.
"Both bowers have snapped like thread, and here we go, head-foremost, in
for the land!"

All this was true enough! The cables had parted, and the ship's head was
falling off fast from the gale, like the steed that has slipped his
bridle, before he commences his furious and headlong career. I looked
round for the