A RESCUE. 241 



move swiftly, for the breeze has freshened; many islands we 

 pass in succession ; the wind increases to a gale. With reefed 

 sails we dash along, and now rapidly pass a heavily-laden sloop, 

 gallantly running across our course with undiminished sail, 

 when suddenly we see her upset. Staves and spars are floating 

 around, and presently we observe three men scrambling up her 

 sides, and seating themselves on the keel, where they make 

 signals of distress to us. By this time we have run to a great 

 distance; but Claredge, cool and prudent, as every seaman 

 ought to be, has already issued his orders to the helmsman and 

 crew, and, now near the wind, we gradually approach the 

 sufferers. A line is thrown to them, and next moment we are 

 alongside the vessel. A fisher's boat, too, has noticed the 

 disaster, and, with long strokes of her oars, advances, now rising 

 on the curling wave, and now sinking out of sight. By our 

 mutual efforts the men are brought on board, and the sloop is 

 slowly towed into a safe harbour. In an hour after my party 

 was safely landed at Eastport, where, on looking over the 

 waters, and observing the dense masses of vapours that veiled 

 the shore, we congratulated ourselves at having escaped from 

 the Bay of Fundy." 



