156 THE CRUISE OF THE BETSEY ; OB, 



distinct apparition of Will o' the Wisp, and so brought us 

 no assistance. Meanwhile we had carried out a kedge astern 

 of the Betsey, as the sea was flowing at the time, to keep her 

 from beating in over the rocks ; and then, taking our few 

 moveables ashore, we hung on till the tide rose, and, with our 

 boat alongside ready for escape, succeeded in warping her into 

 deep water, with the intention of letting her sink somewhere 

 beyond the influence of the surf, which, without fail, would 

 have broken her up on the skerry in a few hours, had we suf- 

 fered her to remain there. But though, when on the rock, 

 the tide had risen as freely over the cabin sole inside as over 

 the crags without, in the deep water the Betsey gave no sign 

 of sinking. I went down to the cabin ; the water was knee- 

 high on the floor, dashing against bed and locker, but it rose 

 no higher ; the enormous leak had stopped, we knew not 

 how ; and, setting ourselves to the pump, we had in an hour 

 or two a clear ship. The Betsey is clinker-built below. The 

 elastic oak planks had yielded inwards to the pressure of the 

 rock, tearing out the fastenings, and admitted the tide at 

 wide yawning seams ; but no sooner was the pressure re- 

 moved, than out they sprung again into their places, like bows 

 when the strings are slackened ; and when the carpenter came 

 to overhaul, he found he had little else to do than to remove 

 a split plank, and to supply a few dozens of drawn nails." 



