RESCUE BY THE CABLE WARSHIP. 201 



discovering us. On the following morning the cry 

 was again raised "steamer in sight!" but the cry this 

 time only awakened feeble hope. Still the smoke came 

 nearer, and the already slumbering vital spirits awoke 

 anew. The ship now approached, now moved off 

 again; hope began to spring up that it was seeking us. 

 Then at last it seemed to perceive our signals, it steered 

 its course straight for the island. No more doubting! 

 Rescue was at hand, and its certainty made the almost 

 dead alive again. We recognised our companion ship 

 in the cable-laying and Newall, our saviour, on board. 

 The scenes, that were now enacted, are never to be 

 forgotten. On the ship all was astir for effecting the 

 landing. Nobody appeared to notice the many-hundred- 

 voiced jubilation that greeted the ship's crew. The 

 anchor rattled down, and the boats shot into the water. 

 They brought casks full of water, and flat wooden 

 vessels, which were then placed on land and filled 

 by stout sailors hands. Mr. Newall had informed 

 them that we were in want of water, and their 

 first thought was' to quench our thirst. Every 

 one made a rush for the large wooden vessels and 

 tried with hollow hand to scoop up the water. 

 But that was a slow affair, and others kept pres- 

 sing forward. Accordingly the head was simply lowered 

 and the delicious fluid swallowed in greedy draughts. 

 The beasts too had scented the water and pressed 

 forward with irresistible energy, although they had 

 been lying for whole days as dead under the tent- 

 covers. A huge wether pushed everybody aside, and 



