254 TEAVEL, ADYEXTUEE, AND SPOET. 



Mr Canning (now only thinking of the men's safety), 

 and for a moment its lightning speed was arrested 

 by the vigorous arms of the men at the rope-stop- 

 pers, thus preventing the destructive rebound, but 

 not for long : escaping from their grasp, it passed 

 swiftly over the wheels, and speeding like a shot from 

 the bow, it fell with a heavy swish into the greedy 

 waters. 



ALL WAS OVER. Every yard of material had now 

 been exhausted what human power and ingenuity 

 could do, had been tried the last hope of recover- 

 ing the Cable was for the present put an end to; 

 and reluctantly, the order being given, 'South-east 

 by east," the vessel was slowly put on her course 

 to England, the Terrible, after a speedy " good-bye," 

 proceeding alone to Newfoundland. 



For ten days, with little intermission, had this 

 battle been fought ; and at last, however unwillingly, 

 human power was forced to succumb : and it did so 

 with dignity ; for it is a glorious feature in the natures 

 of most practical men, that failure never prodiices de- 

 spair. "Whilst there is a thread of hope to cling to, 

 nothing is dreamt of but success ; and when the irre- 

 trievable disaster comes at last, they at length take 

 their sleep, and, wiping from the brain all of the past 

 that is unavailing, turn their attention solely to the 

 future. 



Intensely interesting had been the whole voyage, 

 and especially so to witness this last struggle, though 



