WRECKS ON THE PURBECK COAST. 155 



rigged to pump the water from the leaking compartmenta. At 

 each spring tide it was hoped that she would be capable of being 

 floated. On the morning of the 25th of February, at the height 

 of the tide, she was moved by the force of the waves alone, but 

 the sea was too violent for the tug steamers to get along side, 

 and she was rather worsened than bettered in position by the 

 movement, being brought some sixty yards nearer in shore. 



But at the next spring tide, being yet further lightened, and 

 the sea being calm, the Tjme, or her hull, was actually floated, 

 almost without the assistance of the tug. The weather was, most 

 fortunately, calm; and she reached Southampton on the 12th 

 of March, without additional mishap, whence she has since that 

 time, crossed and re-crossed the Atlantic. 



The official enquiry, always instituted on the occasion of such 

 wrecks, pronounced the Captain ^v^ong, in not having kept his 

 lead going. It is indeed yet a puzzle, making fiill allowance 

 for the slowness of the pace, and the violence of the current, 

 how she could have got on shore where she did. But it cannot 

 be denied that the omission to sound, was the omission of a 

 precaution, which might, indeed probably would, have saved 

 the ship; nor could the very high character for care and skill 

 borne by the Captain save him from a censure, which would, 

 under other circumstances, have been much more severe. 

 Happy indeed was it that the place of the misfortune was not 

 further Eastward or Westward. Even the iron frame of the 

 vessel might have been unable to stand in safety the dangers she 

 would there have encountered; and the story of the Tyne in 

 1857 might have been as sad as that of the Halsewell in 1786. 



We all heartily rejoice that no life in the ship was lost. We 

 rejoice, that inhospitable as have been, on the occasions men- 

 tioned, the rocks and shores of Pm-beck, the inhabitants have 

 shewn a different character; that at all times of danger, life 

 has been freely ventured to save life. We trust, that those who 

 have been cast on our shores, may, (not to speak profanely,) 

 say of Purbeck, as was said eighteen hundred years ago of the 

 Island of Melita, "The barbarous people shewed us no little 

 kindness." 



OLIVER W. FARRER. 



