sel, was the end of the top-sail-yard, to which the brace led, and this
was raised from the water by the strain (the other end of the brace
leading aloft), fathoms at a time, rendering it extremely difficult for
Marble to reach the rope, by means of which I could now see,
notwithstanding all the difficulties, he hoped to regain the vessel. The
voice could be heard by one directly to leeward, the howling of the winds
and the roar of the waters having materially lessened within the last few
hours. I shouted to Marble, therefore, my intentions--

"Stand by to get the brace as I ease it off, in-board," I cried; "then you
will be safe!"

The mate understood me, giving a gesture of assent with his arm. When both
were ready, I eased off the rope suddenly, and Marble, partly by crawling,
and partly by floating and dragging himself by the hands, actually got to
the yard-arm, which was immediately raised from the water, however, by the
drift made by the spars, while he was achieving his object. I trembled as
I saw this stout seaman, the water dripping from his clothes, thus
elevated in the air, with the angry billows rolling beneath him, like
lions leaping upward to catch the adventurer in their grasp. Marble's hand
was actually extended to reach the brace, when its block gave way with the
strain. The eye of the strap slipping from the yard, down went the spar
into the water. Next the trough of the sea hid everything from my sight,
and I was left in the most painful doubt of the result, when I perceived
the mate lashing himself to the top, as the portion of the wreck that
floated the most buoyantly. He had managed to get in again, and coolly
went to work to secure himself in the best berth he could find, the
instant he regained the main mass of the wreck. As he rose on the crest of
a sea, the poor fellow made a gesture of adieu to me; the leave-taking of
the mariner!

In this manner did it please Divine Providence to separate us four, who
had already gone through so much in company! With what moody melancholy
did I watch the wreck, as it slowly drifted from the ship. I no longer
thought of making further efforts to save the Dawn, and I can truly say,
that scarce a thought in connection with my own life, crossed my mind.
There I stood for quite an hour, leaning against the foot of the
mizen-mast, with folded arms and riveted eyes, regardless of the pitches,
and lurches, and rolling of the ship, with all my faculties and thoughts