8 



A DIARY OF THE 



amongst the breakers, which were now roaring 

 with fury around us, drenching to the skin every 

 individual on the deck as they broke w^ith vio- 

 lence into the ship. The brilHancy of the surf 

 and spray, added to the sad and gloomy character 

 of the night, made our frightful situation the more 

 apparent ; and, for a considerable interval of time, 

 so heavily did the ship continue to strike, that it 

 appeared impossible for any human power to 

 prevent her from going to pieces, or to conceal 

 from ourselves the appalUng prospect of a watery 

 grave for every soul on board. 



By the important decision of keeping fast the 

 anchors, and cutting away the mizzen-mast, the 

 ship appeared to be relieved abaft, and to be 

 thrown over rocks into what we fancied to be a 

 shoal ; whereas, if she had been at all checked 

 by an anchor, all must have perished on the spot 

 where she struck. A heavy surf continued to 

 roll in on us, the spray breaking high over us on 

 the decks : the hand-leads, however, satisfied us 

 that we were on sand, through which the weight 

 of the sea was forcing the ship ; and, as she pro- 

 videntially took up a position with her bow to 

 the surf, hope began to dawn amongst us of the 

 ship's holding together, and hence a chance for 



