ding it impossible to lay her to under the foresail, they had been
compelled to set the main-topsail, reefed; but even this was too much
for the weak mast, and it had gone by the board, carrying the second
mate and five men with it. The Sylvia was old, and the captain
acknowledged that she was hardly sea-worthy. She became unmanageable,
and the foremast had been cut away to ease off the strain upon her. Her
seams opened, and she was making more water than could be controlled
with the pumps. For eighteen hours, all hands, even including the two
women, had labored incessantly at the pumps and the buckets, to keep the
ship afloat. They were utterly worn out when they discovered the Young
America, were on the point of abandoning their efforts in despair, and
taking to the boats, in which most of them would probably have perished.

After the boats started from the Young America, Mr. Lowington had
ordered the cooks to prepare a meal for the people from the wreck; and
as soon as they came on board, coffee and tea, beefsteaks, fried
potatoes, and hot biscuit were in readiness for them. Tables were spread
in the main cabin and in the steerage, and the exhausted guests,
providentially sent to this bountiful board, were cordially invited to
partake. They had eaten nothing but hard bread since the gale came on,
and they were in condition to appreciate the substantial fare set before
them.

By the forethought of Captain Greely, the clothing of the women and
children had been thrown into one of the boats. The bundle was opened,
and its contents dried at the galley fire. The doctor and the chaplain
gave up their state room to the captain, his wife and children, while
Mr. Lowington extended a similar courtesy to the other woman, who was
Mrs. Greely's sister. Mr. Fluxion was the first to offer his berth to
the mate of the Sylvia, which was reluctantly accepted; and all the
professors were zealous to sacrifice their own comfort to the wants of
the wrecked visitors.

In the steerage, every boy, without an exception, wanted to give up his
berth to one of the seamen from the Sylvia; but the privilege was
claimed by the adult forward officers, the cooks, and stewards. The
principal was finally obliged to decide between them: and for obvious
reasons, he directed that the guests should occupy the quarters of the
men, rather than of the boys. The people from the Sylvia needed rest and
nourishment more than anything else. They were warmed, and