THE WRECK. 13 
themselves with the prospect that daylight would 
soon appear, but a heavy ‘swell unexpectedly drove 
them in among the breakers. A tremendous sea 
breaking over them, upset the boat, washed the 
boy overboard, and obliged the four men to cling 
fast in order to avert a similar catastrophe. Mr 
S. complained that his strength was fast failing ; 
the seamen, however, encouraged him to hold on, 
assuring him that the surf would soon carry them 
on shore, but exhausted by fatigue, and benumbed 
with cold, he exclaimed, “I can hold on no longer.” 
At that moment a heavy sea broke over the boat, 
and drove it high upon the rocks, but this highly- 
respected and amiable young man, Mr. 8., was seen 
no.more. | 
The three mariners succeeded with difficulty in 
clinbing over the sharp and slippery rocks, and 
reached the shore, where they cast their bruised and 
weary bodies under some bushes, overwhelmed with 
feelings of the deepest gratitude at their escape from 
such imminent peril. Here they remained until the 
morning, when they rose and proceeded in search of 
some human habitation. ‘They soon reached the 
cottage of farmer Black, where they were most 
kindly received, and provided with such necessaries 
as their host could procure. 
About a quarter of an hour's ride brought us to 
the beach, when the scene which presented itself was 
of the most distressing character. ‘The boat in 
which the three sailors had escaped from the wreck 
