~ : 7 
294 at sea. 
tained one half of our crew, nor could any boats 
have assisted us in such a tempestuous ocean; so 
that our joy was inconceivable and our astonish¬ 
ment scarcely less so, when, but a few minutes 
after the discovery of our misfortune, a distant 
sail was detected, which, improbable as it seemed 
to us, we knew could be no other than the Orion. 
It proved that, contrary to the orders expressly 
given for her to follow our track till we had cleared 
the rocks, Mr. Jorgensen had insisted upon the 
master’s taking that short course which we had 
considered too perilous, and steering between the 
Cape and the first of the Fugle Skiers, such being 
the only chance of his not being compelled entirely 
to quit our company. This he had effected in 
safety by his courage and superiority in seaman¬ 
ship, and having by this manoeuvre gained a 
sufficient length of way to compensate for the in¬ 
feriority of his sailing, he was enabled to save the 
lives of the whole ship’s crew, who must otherwise 
inevitably have perished. After having put about 
our vessel, and come sufficiently near, we hoisted 
signals of distress, upon which the Orion crowded 
all her sail, and in about two or three hours Mr. 
Jorgensen himself came on board. The fire had 
by this time so much increased, that it was found 
necessary to have all the boats in readiness to 
convey the people to the Orion. Every precau- 
