WRECKED ON THE SCILLIES. 



269 



later, when most of those who remained in their rigging were lost. Just before the fore- 

 mast had fallen, four boats from the shore arrived, and picked up several persons from the 

 water, but finding the sea too heavy to allow them to go alongside the ship, one of them 

 went to St. Mary's, to convey intelligence of the disaster and to procure the aid of the 

 steam-tug and lifeboat. As soon as possible the latter arrived in tow of the steamer, but 

 all, alas ! was then over, and they only picked up twenty-three bags of mail matter and 

 a few bodies. Out of 384 souls only 53 were saved. 



THE BISHOP ROCK LIGHTHOUSE. 



It was about ten o'clock in the evening when the ship struck. A little festive party had 

 been given in honour of the birthday of one of the officers, but there is no evidence to show 

 that the working of the ship was thereby neglected. The majority of the passengers were 

 on deck, on the look-out for land, which they knew was near. Nearly all the women and 

 children and a few men were in their berths ; others were sitting about, talking, smoking, 

 playing cards or dominoes, and thinking little of the fate which was so soon to befall them. 

 There was not the slightest premonition of the disaster, and the shock appears to have 

 been so slight that few were at first aware that the ship had struck on a rock. But in 

 a few minutes the sea which ran over her forced her on her broadside, where she lay constantly 



