CHRONICLE. 



185 



this time until four o'clock tlie 

 next nioriiing, all the wreck were 

 anxiously praying for the light of 

 day to break upon theui ; the 

 boat from the stern was lowered 

 down, when tlie first mute and 

 four seamen, at the risk of their 

 lives, pushed off to the shore : 

 they with difficulty effected a 

 landing upon the main land, be- 

 hind a high rock, nearest to 

 where the stern of the vessel 

 had been driven. They were 

 soon out of sight, and it was 

 feared they were lost ; but it was 

 so ordained by Providence, these 

 deserving men, in scrambling up 

 the rocks, made their appearance ! 

 they hailed us from the top, and 

 reported their situation, saying 

 to return was impossible, as the 

 boat was staved: the log- line 

 Avas thrrtwn from the wreck, with 

 a hope that they might lay hold 

 of it, but darkness, and the tre- 

 mendous surf that beat, rendered 

 it impracticable. During this 

 awful time of suspense, it oc- 

 curred to the master, the possi- 

 bility of sending a line to them 

 by a dog : the animal was brought 

 aft, and thrown into the sea with 

 a line tied round his middle, and 

 with it he swam towards the 

 rock, upon wliich the mate and 

 seiunen were standing. It is im- 

 possible to describe the sensa- 

 tions which were excited at see- 

 ing this faithful dog struggling 

 with the waves, and, reaching 

 the sunmiit of tlu» rock, dashed 

 back again by the surf into the 

 sea, until, at length, by his ex- 

 ertions, he arrived with the line ; 

 one end of which being on board, 

 a stronger rope was hauled and 

 fastened to the rock, and i)y this 

 roj>c tiic acamen were enabled to 



drag on shore fiom the wreck a 

 number of souls. At about si.< 

 o'clock in the morning of the 

 11th, the first person was landed 

 by tills means, and, afterwaids, 

 by an improvement in rigging 

 the rope and placing each indi- 

 vidual in slings, they were with 

 greater facility extricated from 

 the wreck ; but during the pas- 

 sage thither, it was with the ut- 

 most difficulty that the unfortu- 

 nate sufferers could maintain their 

 hold, as the sea beat over them ,- 

 some were dragged to the shore 

 in a state of insensibility. — Lieu- 

 tenant Wilson was lost, being 

 unable to hold on the rope with his 

 hands ; he was twice struck by 

 the sea, fell backwards out of the 

 slings, and after swimming for a 

 considerable time amongst the 

 floating wreck, by which he was 

 struck on the head, he perished. 

 Many who threw^ themselves over- 

 board, trusting to their safety by 

 swimming, were lost : they were 

 dashed to pieces by the surf on 

 the rocks, or by the floating of 

 the wreck. 



" About half-past one o'clock, 

 on the afternoon of the llth, 

 about 30 lives were saved by the 

 rope, several of whom were hurt 

 and maimed. At this period the 

 sea beat incessantly over the 

 wreck, and it being evident the 

 deck was separating, the only 

 means of saving the distressed 

 sufferers failed ; for the rope, by 

 constant work, and by swinging 

 across the sharp rock, was cut in 

 tw o. From that hour, there being 

 no means of replacing the rope, 

 the s])ectacle was more than ever 

 terrific; the sea beating over 

 the wreck with greater violence, 

 Avashed nuuibcrs overboard : their 



heart,- 



