416 A FORTUNATE RESCUE. 



dread for the issue of the struggle between life and 

 death ! The shadow of twilight at last began to creep 

 over the waters, and still the unfortunate mariners, worn, 

 weary, and almost spent, clung to the spar or plank 

 which was their only chance of safety. " Oh, how 

 fervently I prayed," said one of them afterwards, " that 

 God would interpose to save our lives ! I thought of 

 my wife, of my children, of my prayerless life, of the 

 awful account I had to render at the bar of God for 

 grieving the Spirit, neglecting the Saviour, and absenting 

 myself from his sacraments. All the horrors of the 

 dreadful death which threatened me were forgotten in 

 the thought that I was about to render up an account 

 before the bar of God for years of ingratitude and dis- 

 obedience." 



Now came still evening on. The last rays of the 

 sunset had disappeared below the horizon, and the dark- 

 ness of the coming night was already at hand. Just as 

 all hope seemed vanishing, they descried in the dim 

 distance one of the whaling boats returning to the ship. 

 It was so far off, however, that the chances of attracting 

 the attention of her crew were very meagre. In their 

 despair they raised a loud simultaneous shoufcj but it was 

 drowned by the many voices of the winds and waves. 

 The boat continued on her path. A second shout ; but 

 this too proved ineffectual. What could be done ? The 

 darkness was growing deeper ; the boat was rapidly pass- 

 ing into the gloom. They raised yet another shout or 

 rather shriek a cry of desperation and suffering, which 

 rose above the swell of the billows, and was borne to 

 the ears of their comrades ! They rested on their oars. 

 Another shout ! The boat turned towards them ; oars 



