170 
CHASE AND CAPTURE 
minutes. The good Sandwich islander struck out most 
bravely at first ; but in a short time, finding that he 
was some distance from the ship, and being unable to 
see Berry, on account of the agitated surface of the sea, 
actually turned back through fear— finding, as he said, 
that the “ sea caps went over his head. The men in 
the boat now plied their oars with all their strength, 
and were making rapidly towards the drowning young 
man, who now and then disappeared entirely from view 
under the heavy seas which 'were beginning to roll; 
a sickening anxiety pervaded me, as my thoughts 
appeared to press the boat onwards to the spot where 
the poor fellow still grappled, but convulsively, with 
the yielding waters. The boat, urged by man’s utmost 
strength, sprang over the boisterous waves with consi- 
derable speed ; but they arrived half a minute too late 
to save our poor shipmate from his watery grave. I 
saw him struggle with the waves until the last, when 
the foam of a broken sea roared over him, and caused 
him to disappear for ever! The boat was rowed round 
and round the fatal spot, again and again, until night 
fell, and then she was slowly and reluctantly pulled to 
the ship by her melancholy crew. As they returned, 
the turbulent waves tossed them about, as if in sport, 
dashing its spray at times completely over them, making 
the boat resound from the beating of the dashing waters 
which flew against her bow. 
The moment the unfortunate seaman disappeared, a 
large bird of the albatros kind came careering along, 
and alighted on the water at the very spot in which the 
