s. They still held on, however;
and a little later, when Forbes, having at my request gone the round of
the chain-plates, and subjected them to a careful examination, reported
that he could see no sign of any of the bolts drawing, I began to hope
that, after all, we might pull through without any very serious damage,
especially as Joe almost immediately afterwards sounded the pumps and
reported that everything was right below.

We had been scudding for about an hour when the sea began to rise, and
by five o'clock in the afternoon there was a very high, steep sea
following us, which I foresaw would soon become dangerous. I therefore
determined to watch for an opportunity, and, if possible, heave the ship
to before dark. As a preliminary to this manoeuvre. I ordered the
fore-topmast staysail to be hauled down; and this having been
accomplished without damage to the sail, two of the men--Barr and the
Swede--lay out upon the bowsprit to stow it, under the direction of the
mate. This, at the moment that the order was given, seemed a perfectly
simple affair, and entirely free from danger; it unfortunately happened,
however--just at the moment when the sail had been made secure and the
men were on the point of laying in again, as Forbes subsequently
informed me--that an unusually heavy sea overtook us and, catching the
barque under her counter, raised her stern high in the air, slightly
pooping us, while it buried her bows and bowsprit deep in the water.
Standing at the wheel, I saw what was about to happen, and was in the
very act of shouting a warning to the men to hold on, when the sea
curled in over the taffrail, completely burying me for the moment; and
when, a few seconds later, I was able to clear my eyes of water, both
men _had vanished_, and Forbes was running aft, crying out to me that
they were overboard. I looked astern, but could see nothing of either
of them; nor, in the increasingly perilous situation of the ship, dared
I leave the wheel even for the brief space of time requisite to cut
adrift and throw overboard a life-buoy. Forbes, however, dashed aft and
did this with most commendable promptitude; after which he, with the
assistance of Joe and San Domingo, lost not a moment in counter-bracing
the yards, when we successfully brought the ship to on the larboard
tack, with her fore-topsail aback. This done, and with Joe at the
wheel, Forbes and I clambered into the maintop and peered long into the
fast g