MALTA AND SICILY.* 33 
tance astern. Notwithstanding our energetic- 
bailings to heave to for us, her people re¬ 
turned no answer, but a light was now visible 
for the first time since she had been seen. 
She continued her course as if nothing had 
happened, and we might have fancied from 
the dead silence on board her, that she had 
been a “ phantom ship,” if she had not 
given us a proof that she was composed of 
very substantial and unyielding materials. 
For some minutes after this fearful en¬ 
counter we continued in the greatest alarm, 
every person on board believing that his last 
hour was come; for we concluded that our 
vessel must be in a sinking state from the 
effects of the violent shock she had received, 
and there appeared very little chance of 
safetv in the boats, as there was a good deal 
of sea running, and we were at least twenty 
miles from the nearest land. We were fifty 
D 
