252 



THE SEA. 



doned her, and the two boats' crews, consisting of nine men, afterwards boarded the 

 wreck, with the view of trying to get her off the bar; but when the tide rose the sea 

 broke heavily over the vessel, and the men hoisted a flag of distress. The steam-tug 

 Ely now hastened to the rescue, against a strong tide and wind. Before, however, she 

 could get near the wreck, the nine men were driven to seek refuge in the rigging. 

 The sea was breaking fearfully in all directions and the vessel rolling from side to 

 side, but Captain Jones and his crew bravely proceeded through the broken water, at 



' ''- V / S U, T- ri , 



Whitfield * 



Sou t ft Stud Httt 

 Sout* Goodwin 



'&'">*'. tJ" n ^ RAMSGATE AND GOODWIN SANDS 



AT LOW WATER. 



Scale of English Statute Miles 

 10123446 



MAP SHOWING COAST OF R/ MSGATE AND THE GOODWIN SANDS. 



the risk of their lives and vessel, and succeeded, at the first attempt, in saving three 

 of the men. This was all that they could then accomplish, for the sea was now 

 breaking so furiously over the wreck that the steamer was driven away ; and the same 

 want of success attended a second and third attempt to approach the wreck. The 

 captain then backed astern, and, with consummate skill and boldness, actually placed 

 the steamer alongside the vessel's rigging, with her bow over the deck of the wreck, 

 thus saving the six men in the rigging ; and within the short space of two minutes 

 the wreck had actually disappeared, and was not seen afterwards. But for this bold 

 and successful service, nine widows (for the nine rescued men were all married) and forty 

 fatherless children would to-day be lamenting the loss of husbands and fathers. The 



