apped
themselves up in whatever articles of clothing could be found; and I
think about two, or half-past two o'clock, a most mournful procession
advanced from the after cabins to the starboard cuddy port, outside of
which the cutter was suspended. Scarcely a word was uttered--not a
scream was heard--even the infants ceased to cry, as if conscious of the
unspoken and unspeakable anguish that was at that instant rending the
hearts of their parting parents; nor was the silence of voices in any
way broken, except in one or two cases, where the ladies plaintively
entreated permission to be left behind with their husbands. But on being
assured that every moment's delay might occasion the sacrifice of a
human life, they successively suffered themselves to be torn from the
tender embrace, and with that fortitude which never fails to
characterize and adorn their sex on occasions of overwhelming trial,
were placed, without a murmur, in the boat, which was immediately
lowered into a sea so tempestuous as to leave us only to hope against
hope that it should live in it for a single moment. Twice the cry was
heard from those on the chains that the boat was swamping. But He who
enabled the apostle Peter to walk on the face of the deep, and was
graciously attending to the earnest aspirations of those on board, had
decreed its safety.

Although Captain Cobb had used every precaution to diminish the danger
of the boat's descent, by stationing a man with an axe to cut away the
tackle from either extremity, should the slightest difficulty occur in
unhooking it; yet the peril attending the whole operation, which can
only be adequately estimated by nautical men, had very nearly proved
fatal to its numerous inmates.

After one or two unsuccessful attempts to place the little frail bark
fairly upon the surface of the water, the command was at length given to
unhook; the tackle at the stern was, in consequence, immediately
cleared; but the ropes at the bow having got foul, the sailor found it
impossible to obey the order. In vain was the axe applied to the
entangled tackle; the moment was inconceivably critical, as the boat,
which necessarily followed the motion of the ship, was gradually rising
out of the water, and must, in another instant, have been hanging
perpendicularly by the bow, and its helpless passengers launched into
the deep, had not a most providential wave suddenly struck and lifted up
the stern, so as to enable the seamen to d