A GALLANT EXPLOIT. 309 



coast, and unable to discern it tlirougli the fog, 

 although so near. 



By God's good providence it happened that the 

 '' Cornwall" steam-packet was passing at the time, on 

 her way to Hayle. Captain Vivian, her commander, 

 heard what at first he took for the wailing cry of a 

 sea-bird. The sound w^as, however, repeated ; and, 

 straining his eyes in the gathering dusk of evening, 

 he saw a black speck. The experienced seaman ob- 

 served that no spray broke over it, whence he con- 

 cluded that the object was afloat, and that it was pro- 

 bably some ship's boat. 



It was five o'clock, a January evening ; the sky ob- 

 scured with fog, and a heavy gale blowing from the 

 westward : a narrow bay was before him, which he 

 knew to be bristling with sunken and exposed rocks, 

 among which the sea was breaking and foaming, like 

 a field covered with snow. But humanity called, and 

 the gallant commander, supported by his willing crew, 

 took no counsel with fear, but at once resolved on the 

 perilous adventure of steering his steamer into Kock- 

 ham Bay. With much labour and danger he suc- 

 ceeded in rescuing the nine ship-wrecked men, one of 

 the number having been drowned in leaving the ship ; 

 but so dangerous was his position, the rocks not al- 

 lowing him to turn his vessel, that he w^as obliged to 

 hack her out of the hay. 



I return along the cliff-path to Morte, an ancient 

 village, celebrated for having afforded refuge to Sir 

 William de Tracy, one of those who executed their 

 Monarch's vengeance on the haughty prelate Becket. 

 The remains of the knight lie interred in the village 



