80 DANGEROUS SITUATION 



1824. to enter His presence as men resigned to their 

 Sept. fate. We then all sat down in groups, and, 

 shehered from the wash of the sea by what- 

 ever we could find, many of us endeavoured 

 to obtain a little sleep. Never, perhaps, wsls 

 witnessed a finer scene than on the deck of my 

 little ship, when all hope of life had left us. 

 Noble as the character of the British sailor is 

 always allowed to be in cases of danger, yet I 

 did not believe it to be possible, that amongst 

 forty-one persons not one repining word should 

 have been uttered. The officers sat about, 

 wherever they could find shelter from the sea, 

 and the men lay down conversing with each 

 other with the most perfect calmness. Each 

 was at peace with his neighbour and all the 

 w^orld, and I am firmly persuaded that the 

 resignation which was then shewn to the will 

 of the Almighty, was the means of obtaining 

 his mercy. At about six P.M. the rudder, 

 which had already received some very heavy 

 blows, rose, and broke up the after-lockers, 

 and this was the last severe shock which the 

 ship received. We found by the well that she 

 made no water, and by dark she struck no 

 more. God was merciful to us, and the tide, 

 almost miraculously, fell no lower. At dark, 

 heavy rain fell, but was borne with patience. 



