enter came aft and
announced four feet water in the hold. To add to our dilemma, we found
the pumps choked and nearly useless.

All was now confusion and despair, but an effort was made to lighten the
ship by throwing overboard as much of her cargo as could be reached, and
by cutting away the two masts that remained. This we at last
accomplished, but we were still unable to do anything at the pumps; and,
in the meantime, the leak gained on us very fast.

At sundown the gale had sensibly diminished in violence, and, as the sea
went down with it, we still entertained faint hopes of saving ourselves
in the boats. At eight P.M., the clouds broke away to windward, and we
had the advantage of a full moon, a piece of good fortune which served
wonderfully to cheer our drooping spirits.

After incredible labour we succeeded, at length, in getting the
long-boat over the side without material accident, and into this we
crowded the whole of the crew and most of the passengers. This party
made off immediately, and, after undergoing much suffering, finally
arrived in safety at Ocracoke Inlet, on the third day after the wreck.

Fourteen passengers, with the Captain, remained on board, resolving to
trust their fortunes to the jolly-boat at the stern. We lowered it
without difficulty, although it was only by a miracle that we prevented
it from swamping as it touched the water. It contained, when afloat, the
Captain and his wife, Mr. Wyatt and party, a Mexican officer, wife, four
children, and myself, with a negro valet.

We had no room, of course, for anything except a few positively
necessary instruments, some provisions, and the clothes upon our backs.
No one had thought of even attempting to save anything more. What must
have been the astonishment of all, then, when, having proceeded a few
fathoms from the ship, Mr. Wyatt stood up in the stern-sheets and coolly
demanded of Captain Hardy that the boat should be put back for the
purpose of taking in his oblong box!

"Sit down, Mr. Wyatt," replied the Captain, somewhat sternly; "you will
capsize us if you do not sit quite still. Our gunwale is almost in the
water now."

"The box!" vociferated Mr. Wyatt, still standing, "the box, I say!
Captain Hardy, you cannot, you will not refuse me. Its weight will be
but a trifle, it is nothing, mere nothing. By the mother who bore
you--for the love of Heaven--by your hope of salvation, I implore you to
put back for the box!"

The Captain