ish man-of-war, or of making our way home on board a
merchant-man, when we suddenly felt a shock, but not of sufficient force
to throw us off our feet.

"The ship has struck!" exclaimed Boxall. "What are the fellows about?
They ought to clew up everything, and she might be got off."

In spite of the manner in which the officer of the watch had treated me,
I ran aft to him, and urged him to do as Boxall advised, "The reef, do
you say!" he exclaimed; "that was no reef, but a sunken vessel. See! we
are gliding on as smoothly as before."

Scarcely had he said this when the ship again struck, and with far
greater violence than before. The tall masts quivered, and seemed ready
to fall. The captain, and most of the officers and crew who were below,
came rushing on deck; the lead was hove, and shallow water found on
either side. The captain immediately ordered the sails to be clewed up,
and the boats to be lowered, that anchors might be carried astern, to
haul off the ship.

"If it's high-water her fate is sealed," observed Boxall; "but if low,
she might possibly be hauled off: and she has not, I hope, received much
damage."

I ran to the chains, and observed that the lead-line was up and down--
the ship was evidently not moving. By this time the civilians and other
passengers had come on deck, and great confusion prevailed. Everyone
wanted to know what had happened, and what was to be done. Several came
to me. "We must first try to heave the ship off," was my answer to all.

The capstan was manned, and the crew commenced heaving; but not an inch
did the ship move. The first anchor earned out, not holding, came home,
and had with great labour to be lifted; the second held, though the
strain on the cable was tremendous.

Boxall had carefully sounded the water alongside.

"She is moving!" he exclaimed at length. "Hurrah! work away, my fine
lads!" he could not help crying out, though the men could not understand
him. The water continued to rise, the ship moved faster and faster, and
there appeared every probability of our getting off.

While the crew were thus busily engaged, several soldiers and passengers
came rushing up the fore-hatchway shouting out, "Fire! fire! fire!"
Halliday and I, who were standing together, hurried forward, hoping that
it might be a false alarm, though I could not help recollecting what Ben
had told me the previous day. Though no flames were visible, I
discovered, even in the gloom