our view.
Land was nowhere to be seen. The tide was now almost at its lowest ebb,
and the colour of the few peaks of rock that jutted up around us showed
that the reef on which we had stranded was of basaltic formation. There
were now only about six feet of water around the "Chancellor," though
with a full freight she draws about fifteen. It was remarkable how far
she had been carried on to the shelf of rock, but the number of times
that she had touched the bottom before she finally ran aground left us
no doubt that she had been lifted up and borne along on the top of an
enormous wave. She now lies with her stern considerably higher than her
bows, a position which renders walking upon the deck anything but an
easy matter; moreover as the tide-receded she heeled over so much to
larboard that at one time Curtis feared she would altogether capsize;
that fear, however, since the tide has reached its lowest mark, has
happily proved groundless.

At six o'clock some violent blows were felt against the ship's side, and
at the same time a voice was distinguished, shouting loudly, "Curtis!
Curtis!" Following the direction of the cries we saw that the broken
mizzen-mast was being washed against the vessel, and in the dusky morning
twilight we could make out the figure of a man clinging to the rigging.
Curtis, at the peril of his life, hastened to bring the man on board,
It proved to be none other than Silas Huntly, who, after being carried
overboard with the mast, had thus, almost by a miracle, escaped a
watery grave. Without a word of thanks to his deliverer, the ex-captain,
passive, like an automaton, passed on and took his seat in the most
secluded corner of the poop. The broken mizzen may, perhaps, be of
service to us at some future time, and with that idea it has been
rescued from the waves and lashed securely to the stern.

By this time it was light enough to see for a distance of three miles
round; but as yet nothing could be discerned to make us think that
we were near a coast. The line of breakers ran for about a mile from
south-west to north-east, and two hundred fathoms to the north of the
ship an irregular mass of rocks formed a small islet. This islet rose
about fifty feet above the sea, and was consequently above the level of
the highest tides; whilst a sort of causeway, available at low water,
would enable us to reach the island, if necessity required. But
there the reef ended; beyond it the sea again resumed its s