vii WORK AT MANCHESTER 159 



standing on the bridge enjoying the scene, when we 

 noticed some Sicilian fishermen in their boats close in 

 front of our steamer gesticulating violently, and in a 

 few seconds the ship ran on a pointed submerged rock 

 near Cape Molino. We were thrown down by the 

 concussion, the vessel shivered from stem to stern, with 

 a grating noise like that of a bandbox being ripped 

 up. She came to a dead stop, and settled down at 

 the stern. 



It was soon found that the rock had penetrated the 

 ship, and fortunately she stuck fast ; otherwise she might 

 have slipped off into the deep water on either side, 

 and many of us would doubtless have been drowned ; 

 as it happened, the captain, rushing on deck, finding 

 that the ship was fast on the rock, at once assured 

 us that we and all our apparatus would be put safely 

 on shore, but he added, " I am a ruined man." The 

 behaviour of the officers and crew was admirable ; and 

 all our party were quickly landed upon the neighbouring 

 rocks, below the village of Aci Reale. I was asked by 

 the captain to take charge of the party on land, and of 

 our apparatus, which soon followed us, together with 

 the ship's books and plate. The inhabitants began to 

 arrive in shoals, and I ordered a guard of marines to 

 form a cordon above the rocks to keep the people from 

 pillaging our effects. When we were preparing to 

 leave the ship someone asked where was Mr. Vignolles. 

 He was not to be seen, and Dr. Thorpe went to look 

 for him in the cabin, and found the old gentleman 

 quietly seated writing his diary. It was only after 

 some expostulation that he could be induced to pack 

 up his writing materials and take his place in one of 

 the boats, when he immediately proceeded to light a 

 cigar. After all our gear was put ashore, the boats 

 were again manned, the cases containing the telescopes 



