314 THE SEA, 



many fruitless attempts this plan was relinquished. Slings, &c., were then tried, but 

 with the same result. 



Dr. Spolasco took off his cap, and repeatedly waved it, in order to attract the observa- 

 tion of those on shore. Having- succeeded, he raised his voice and extended his arms, 

 pointing- to either promontory, and indicating- that unless they had recourse to Mr. Hull's 

 plan, as it was subsequently ascertained to be, their fate would be decided. Fortunately 

 he was understood, and the plan was prosecuted to its completion, all working with a 

 will. They again extended the lines from headland to headland, with this variation only, 

 that they now attached two tripping-lines instead of one, hanging about a yard apart, 

 and a weight to the end of each, which had the desired effect of causing them to fall 

 immediately over the rock. They were immediately grasped; their hope of safety was 

 fully revived, and they again cheered with hopeful exultation. They retained a secure hold 

 of the centre of the line, while those upon the two cliffs proceeded to a centre point on the 

 mainland immediately opposite to them, and instantly attached the hawser to one end of 

 the line in question. Having accomplished this, they made signs to those on the rock to 

 draw towards them the hawser, to which they had fastened a small basket containing a 

 bottle of wine, a bottle of whisky, and some bread, the thoughtful gift of Lady Roberts. The 

 liquids proved invaluable, but as for the bread, excepting a few crumbs, they could not 

 swallow it. They had, from cold, exposure, and exhaustion, almost lost the power of mas- 

 tication and deglutition. 



The basket also contained a written paper, instructing those on the rock that, as the 

 hawser was sufficiently long, to make it fast round the rock, that it might be the more 

 secure, and that they would pass a cot along it with iron grummets. Having so fixed 

 the cot, the signals were made to draw it towards the rock by means of the small line. 

 The awful example afforded on Monday morning, when it was perceived that the rope 

 was broken, naturally made several of them nervous now, and there was some hesitation 

 as to who should enter it first to be drawn on shore, seeing that it had to be hauled a 

 distance of sixty to a hundred feet above the level of the sea in order to land upon 

 the lowest accessible part of the cliff, where Mr. Hull, the inventor of the plan, was 

 stationed to receive them. On landing, they had to be carried to the summit of the 

 nearly perpendicular cliff, about 300 feet, upon men's backs, supported on either side by 

 others of their deliverers, for the least false step would have hurried them headlong to the 

 depths below. 



After some deliberation, the first to be placed in the cot was a woman named Mary Leary, 

 who was assisted into it, and drawn through the air to what seemed a frightful height, amid 

 the cheers of all. On her being lauded, the cot was again lowered to the rock, and the narrator 

 of our story entered it, lying upon his back. Giving the signal that he was ready, those on 

 the mainland pulled, and in a few minutes he was safe on the cliff, where he received the warm 

 congratulations of the gentlemen there assembled. The ship's carpenter, who was evidently 

 very ill, was next placed in the cot, but the poor fellow breathed his last almost immediately 

 after landing. The others soon followed, the captain, as should be, being the last. Once 

 ashore, they were treated with warm-hearted hospitality, and a liberal subscription was raised, 

 for the sufferers of the crew and passengers, and the widows and orphans of those who were 



