IV.] SIR PATRICK'S GOLD CHAIN. n 



The multitudinous chain, moreover, so lavishly displayed, 

 turned out to be an ornament of which Mr. Wyse might well 

 be proud ; and the following history of its acquisition recon- 

 ciled me more than anything else to my Master's unnautical 

 appearance. 



Some time ago there was a great demand in Australia for 

 small river steamers, which certain Scotch companies under- 

 took to supply. The difficulty, however, was to get such 

 fragile tea-kettles across the ocean ; five started one after 

 another in murderous succession, and each came to grief 

 before it got half-way to the equator j the sixth alone re- 

 mained with which to try a last experiment. Should she 

 arrive, her price would more than compensate the pecuniary 

 loss already sustained, though it could not bring to life the 

 hands sacrificed in the mad speculation ; by this time, how- 

 ever, even the proverbial recklessness of the seamen of the 

 port was daunted, and the hearts of two crews had already 

 failed them at the last moment of starting, when my friend 

 of the chain volunteered to take the command. At the 

 outset of his voyage everything went well ; a fair wind (her 

 machinery was stowed away, and she sailed under canvas) 

 carried the little craft in an incredibly short time a thousand 

 miles to the southward of the Cape, when one day, as she 

 was running before the gale, the man at the wheel — startled 

 at a sea which he thought was going to poop her — let go the 

 helm ; the vessel broached to, and tons of water tumbled in 

 on the top of the deck. As soon as the confusion of the 

 moment had subsided, it became evident that the shock had 

 broken some of the iron plates, and that the ship was in a 

 fair way of foundering. So frightened were the crew, that, 

 after consultation with each other, they determined to take 

 to the boats, and all hands came aft, to know whether there 

 was anything the skipper would wish to carry off with him. 

 Comprehending the madness of attempting to reach land in 

 open boats at the distance of a thousand miles from any 

 shore, Wyse pretended to go into the cabin to get his com- 

 pass, chronometer, etc., but returning immediately with a 



