oned on deck as they were
nearing the land of Terra del Fuego: he was watching the man in the
chains heaving the head, when the officer of the watch reported to him
that the admiral's ship was ahead of them instead of astern. Philip
made inquiry as to when he passed, but could not discover; he went
forward, and saw the admiral's ship with her poop-light, which, when the
admiral was astern, was not visible. "What can be the admiral's reason
for this?" thought Philip; "has he run ahead for purpose to make a
charge against me of neglect of duty? It must be so. Well, let him do
as he pleases; he must wait now till we arrive in India, for I shall not
allow him to _desert_ me; and with the Company, I have as much, and I
rather think, as a large proprietor, more interest than he has. Well as
he has thought proper to go ahead, I have nothing to do but to follow.
`You may come out of the chains there.'"

Philip went forward: they were now, as he imagined, very near to the
land, but the night was dark and they could not distinguish it. For
half an hour they continued their course, much to Philip's surprise, for
he now thought he could make out the loom of the land, dark as it was.
His eyes were constantly fixed upon the ship ahead, expecting every
minute that she would go about; but no, she continued her course, and
Philip followed with his own vessel.

"We are very close to the land, sir," observed Vander Hagen, the
lieutenant, who was the officer of the watch.

"So it appears to me: but the admiral is closer and draws much more
water than we do," replied Philip.

"I think I see the rocks on the beam to leeward, sir."

"I believe you are right," replied Philip: "I cannot understand this.
Ready about, and get a gun ready--they must suppose us to be ahead of
them, depend up on it."

Hardly had Philip given the order, when the vessel struck heavily on the
rocks. Philip hastened aft; he found that the rudder had been
unshipped, and the vessel was immovably fixed. His thoughts then
reverted to the admiral. "Was he on shore?" He ran forward, and the
admiral was still sailing on with his poop-light about two cables'
length ahead of him.

"Fire the gun, there," cried Philip, perplexed beyond measure.

The gun was fired, and immediately followed up by the flash and report
of another gun close astern of them. Philip looked with astonishment
over the quarter, and perceived the admiral's ship close astern to him,
and ev