that it became necessary to shorten sail without delay.
As it was, the risk of carrying away the yards, if not the masts, was
very great. While the hands were hauling aft the sheets, a loud clap
was heard. The main-tack had given way, and the clew of the sail was
flapping furiously in the wind, threatening with death all within its
reach.

At the instant it gave way a sharp cry reached my ears. Immediately
afterwards a voice from the poop shouted, "Man overboard!" But, alas!
whoever he was, no assistance could be rendered him. Destruction
awaited the ship should she not weather the land ahead. One of my
messmates who was on the poop--Tommy Peck by name--acting upon the
impulse of the moment, cut the lanyard of the life-buoy, which fell into
the seething ocean; though he either forgot to pull that which would
have ignited the port-fire, or the port-fire itself was damaged, as no
light was seen as it fell into the water.

Some minutes of anxious suspense followed, during which the ship was
ploughing her way through the dark seas which, rolling onward, burst
into masses of foam on the rocky shore to leeward.

At length the open ocean could be seen beyond the point which gradually
appeared over our starboard quarter; but the commander dared not yet
keep the ship away, not knowing how far the reef extending from it might
reach. In the meantime the tack had been secured, and two reefs taken
in the topsail. Even as it was, however, the ship, slashing through the
foaming seas, could scarcely look up to the gale, and I every moment
expected to see her go right over. The water was rushing through her
ports, and rose half-way up the deck to the combings of the hatchway.
With infinite relief, therefore, I heard the order given to port the
helm and square the yards; and once more we flew on before the wind,
leaving the dark land astern. It seemed as if there had come a sudden
lull, so easily did she now speed on her way over the ocean.

All were eager to know who had been lost, and the muster-roll was
called. One after another the men answered to their names, till that of
Dicky Popo was shouted out. No Dicky answered, and it became certain
that he was the unfortunate individual lost. Tamaku expressed his grief
with a loud wail. "O Popo! Popo! why you go overboard?" he cried out.
"You not swim like Kanaka, or you get to shore. But now I know you at
de bottom of de sea."

It was sad, indeed, to think that the poor