A WEECK. 207 



setting outwards, we reached terra firma, more dead than 

 alive, and cold enough. A boat now put off from shore, 

 the wind lulling a little, and after a good deal of trouble 

 she managed to get near enough to take off all the rest of 

 the party. 



"The tide was now making very fast, and we gave 

 up all idea of saving anything, but to my great astonish- 

 ment we have saved everything. The watches are damaged, 

 but all our tackle and bedding and everything were saved. 

 We had some idea at first that the ship might be brought 

 in and patched up, but the wind was very strong from the 

 westward for two days, and the vessel was literally so 

 rotten that she went bodily to pieces, and nothing now 

 remains of the poor Shannon but her keel, which remains 

 upon the sand bar of the river Matane. We have brought 

 up a part of one of her timbers, which is completely rotten. 

 It is very lucky for us that the accident happened when 

 and where it did, as we might have lost our lives had we 

 been caught in a heavy gale, as I am certain her timbers 

 would never have stood a pounding sea. Here ends our 

 adventures, except that we hired a boat and came up in 

 five days very comfortably. 



" I have thus given you a hurried sketch of our proceed- 

 ings, which you will find somewhat interesting, and trust 

 that next year we may be together, and in my next letter 

 will give you my ideas of how that is to be managed. We 



