■WEKOKS ON THE PURBECK COAST. 267 



investigate, that the loss had been caused by the omission to 

 get proper soundings, and that such soundings might have 

 been obtained by the use of the deep sea lead. How fallacious 

 the lead used proved to be, was shewn from the alleged fact 

 that immediately before the striking of the vessel a cast of 19 

 fathoms was obtained; which, (unless indeed the lead lighted 

 in some unknown hole), appears to be a sounding not to be 

 obtained within six miles of the coast. 



But if there is ground for imparting any want of care to 

 those who were navigating the ** Hardy," what should be 

 said of the blunderings of a coasting coal schooner, the 

 ** Dorothy," which subsequently to the writing of the former 

 part of this notice came on shore in the same parts on Feb- 

 ruary 1 4th. In broad day light, without fog, apparently without 

 any cause, except the desire to ** cheat the tide," this vessel 

 cshose to strike close into the spot where the relics of the 

 ** Hardy" were Ijdng. No official investigation having been 

 held into this piece of destruction, (we cannot call it ''misfor- 

 tune"), it is impossible to say where the blame deserves to 

 rest. She was able to get off the reef in the first instance, 

 but, becoming quite unmanageable, drifted eastward on to 

 the ledge where the "Tyne lay in 1857; at this time she 

 might perhaps have been, with proper assistance, got off and 

 saved; but the fear of ''salvage" prevailed over the fear of 

 loss, and she was trusted to the hope of fine weather and the 

 chapter of accidents. Those accidents were not propitious. 

 Heavy weather, clearly threatened, came on. The ship held 

 together longer than might have been expected, but in the 

 night of the 17th went into a thousand pieces, no attempt 

 having been made to save a particle of her spars or rigging. 



Thus at one time, intermingled, were to be seen the shivered 

 remnants of two vessels along the usually deserted shore. 



Writing as I do, after the dreadful visitation, that on 

 Saturday, the 9th of this month, spread such ruin and called 

 forth such heroism on the Eastern Coasts of England and 



