board. Some other delays occurred, so that it was late before
the boat started to return to the frigate. A light wind was, however,
blowing; sometimes it came from the northward and at others from off the
land.

"If this wind holds we shall get down to the frigate in little more than
an hour," observed Captain Stanhope to Langton.

Darkness in those latitudes, as is well-known, comes on very rapidly.
The sun had set, the boat was carrying all sail, when the wind came off
the land, from which she was then about two miles distant. Whether the
coxswain had indulged in a glass of arrack on shore, or from some other
cause, neither he nor any one else was keeping an eye to windward, as
should have been done. Suddenly a squall struck the boat, and before
the helm could be put down, or a sheet let go, over she heeled, and
being already heavily laden with the fresh provisions, the water rushed
in on the lee side, and she capsized. Providentially most of the
provisions fell out of her, and her ballast consisting of water casks,
instead of sinking, she floated keel upwards. The officers had
previously taken off their swords, the marines let go their muskets, and
nearly all hands, disentangling themselves from the rigging, got hold of
the boat.

The captain, setting the example, climbed up on the keel, calling on his
men to follow. All who could, did so. Two unfortunate marines,
however, encumbered with their accoutrements, had remained under her.
Their cries for help were almost immediately stifled. Owen found
himself seated next to Langton.

"Help! help!" cried a voice close astern. "I cannot swim, and am
sinking."

"It is Ashurst," exclaimed Owen; "come and help him."

Owen and Langton immediately slipped into the water, and striking out
quickly got up to where Ashurst was struggling.

"Keep quiet, and trust to us," said Langton, seizing him by one arm.
Owen grasped the other, and thus preventing him from clutching them,
they towed him back to the boat; then telling him to hold fast while
they climbed again on the keel, they hauled him up.

He was too much exhausted to speak, but he certainly made no attempt to
express his thanks. A boat-hook and a couple of oars had been found
floating close to the boat, and the men had placed them on the bottom.
Langton proposed to Owen to swim round and pick up others. They
succeeded in finding three more, but the rest by that time had drifted
out of sight. They returne