vered from stem to stern,
the tall masts rocked, and those on deck, unable to hold on to the
bulwarks, were thrown off their feet. It was a moment of intense
suspense. The head-sheets had been let fly. Would the ship answer her
helm? No. A tremendous sea met her bows, sweeping over her deck, and
carrying several men in its relentless grasp into the raging surf to
leeward. Again she struck, with greater violence than before; the next
sea hove her on her beam ends. The carpenter reported twelve feet of
water in the hold, and rapidly increasing--a rock had gone through her.
The captain ordered the masts to be cut away. He had abandoned all
hopes of saving the ship, and his only thought now was how to preserve
the lives of his people. A party of the crew, led by Ralph and other
officers, with gleaming axes quickly severed the weather rigging, and a
few strokes were sufficient to send the tall masts, with their spars,
crashing over to leeward. The furious seas in quick succession struck
the devoted ship, carrying away her bulwarks, and destroying several of
her boats. The officers and crew were collected on the quarter-deck,
for the stern of the ship having swung round it was least exposed to the
assaults of the waves. Ralph had sought out his two young friends,
Chandos and Dickenson, wishing to help them if he could. Looking over
the larboard quarter, he observed that the water in that direction was
less broken than elsewhere, and he felt sure that he saw the land rising
to a considerable height at no great distance. He told the captain that
he thought he might reach the shore, and, if it was inhabited, bring
assistance to the ship. A small boat hung at the after-davits capable
of carrying four or five people.

"You can try it," said the captain; "choose any two of the men on whom
you can rely to accompany you, and take these two youngsters," touching
Chandos and Dickenson on the shoulders, "there will be less risk for
them than by their remaining on board, I fear. Remember, Michelmore, if
you escape, that I was in chase of an enemy when the ship was lost, and
that there was an error in the chart. Heaven bless and preserve you!"
he wrung Ralph's hand as he spoke.

The two young midshipmen were placed in the boat, which was carefully
lowered, with Jacob Crane, and another man, Ned Hawkins, whom Ralph
selected, he himself following. He put Jacob at the helm, confident of
the old man's judgment, and got out