150 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



farther disturb the equilibrium. We sat still and 

 motionless on the stern locker, measuring with our 

 eyes the decreasing distance between us and the brig, 

 and calculating the chances which each moment 

 increased in our favour. We feared that the brig 

 might run us down ; but we did wrong to her skilful 

 master. They ranged up nearly alongside of us, 

 with main- topsail aback, and threw us out a rope. 

 Hamilton was first, and easily drawn on board, at 

 the expense of little more than an ordinary ducking. 

 My turn came next ; and I might have escaped as 

 well as he did, but my worldly feelings had wonder- 

 fully revived, and I was no longer content to come 

 off with the mere saving of life ; I wanted also to 

 save the boat, which, be it remembered, I had sold, 

 but for which I had not received the purchase- 

 money. I thought that if I could manage to make 

 fast a rop'e to the step of her mast we might hoist 

 her in bodily, and save her after all. The rescue 

 would then be complete of the whole party. I sang 

 out to them to stand by to haul us in, and rope in 

 hand ran forward to make fast to the mast. But it 

 was not to be. The gallant little boat had done her 

 utmost, and now her time was come. She had 

 saved our lives, but was herself to go down to the 

 abyss of waters. She gave a heavy lurch, and I felt 

 that she was settling. With scarcely the warning of 

 a moment, she dipped her bows under, and sank at 

 once and suddenly like a stone. In that moment 



