ession from the language of metallurgic
art, they were men "at the highest degree of hardness."

At five o'clock one of our companions in misfortune was released from
her sufferings. Mrs. Kear, after a most distressing illness, through
which her young companion tended her with the most devoted care, has
breathed her last. A few deep sighs and all was over, and I doubt
whether the sufferer was ever conscious of the peril of, her situation.

The night passed on without further incident. Towards morning I touched
the dead woman's hand, and it was cold and stiff. The corpse could
not remain any longer on the main-top, and after Miss Herbey and I had
carefully wrapped the garments about it, with a few short prayers the
body of the first victim of our miseries was committed to the deep.

As the sea closed over the body I heard one of the men in the shrouds
say,--

"There goes a carcass that we shall be sorry we have thrown away!"

I looked round sharply. It was Owen who had spoken, But horrible as were
his words, the conviction was forced upon my mind that the day could not
be far distant when we must want for food.

CHAPTER XXIX.

DECEMBER 7th.--The ship was sinking rapidly; the water had risen to the
fore-top; the poop and forecastle were completely submerged; the top
of the bowsprit had disappeared, and only the three mast-tops projected
from the waves.

But all was ready on the raft; an erection had been made on the fore to
hold a mast, which was supported by shrouds fastened to the sides of the
platform; this mast carried a large royal.

Perhaps, after all, these few frail planks will carry us to the shore
which the "Chancellor" has failed to reach; at any rate, we cannot yet
resign all hope.

We were just on the point of embarking at 7 a.m. when the "Chancellor"
all at once began to sink so rapidly that the carpenter and men who were
on the raft were obliged with all speed to cut the ropes that secured
it to the vessel to prevent it from being swallowed up in the eddying
waters. Anxiety, the most intense, took possession of us all. At the
very moment when the ship was descending into the fathomless abyss, the
raft, our only hope of safety, was drifting off before our eyes. Two
of the sailors and an apprentice, beside themselves with terror, threw
themselves headlong into the sea; but it was evident from the very first
that they were quite powerless to combat the winds and waves. Escape was
impossible; th