408 THE MISSING BOATS. 



every mind. However, the ship still made all sail to 

 windward, under a press of canvas which made every 

 mast reel and quiver ; and every twenty minutes she was 

 put about, in order that as wide an extent of ocean might 

 be surveyed as possible. Lights were burned ; and a 

 large vessel, flaming with oil and ravelled rope, was 

 lowered over the stern-rail as a beacon for the missing 

 boats. 



But though every eye was engaged in searching for 

 them, no vestige could be discovered ; and when half-past 

 nine o'clock came, all on board gave them up as lost. 

 Few there were among that anxious crew who did not 

 think of home that night ; few whose hearts did not turn 

 towards the bright fireside and genial roof-tree of their 

 youth, or who would not cheerfully have given up all 

 they possessed to see them once more. But in the dark- 

 est hour light often shines forth suddenly on the stricken 

 human soul. And even so, in the moment of their de- 

 spair, a man from the mast-head gave the welcome intelli- 

 gence that he could see a light ahead of the ship. All 

 eagerly gazed in that direction, and in a few minutes 

 could perceive it plainly. Before long they were close 

 up with it, and, to their exceeding joy, found their cap- 

 tain and all their comrades in the boats, lying to leeward 

 of the dead whale, whose bulk in some measure sheltered 

 them from the violence of the sea. 



After securing the whale alongside, all came on board, 

 a,nd were received, it is needless to say, as men who had 

 been rescued from the grave. 



The following narrative is also recorded as authentic; 

 its pathos cannot fail to move the reader : 



