ingbolt, for
the purpose of keeping him in an upright position, and my so doing,
it appeared, had been ultimately the means of preserving his life. The
Ariel was slightly put together, and in going down her frame naturally
went to pieces; the deck of the cuddy, as might have been expected, was
lifted, by the force of the water rushing in, entirely from the
main timbers, and floated (with other fragments, no doubt) to the
surface--Augustus was buoyed up with it, and thus escaped a terrible
death.

It was more than an hour after being taken on board the Penguin before
he could give any account of himself, or be made to comprehend the
nature of the accident which had befallen our boat. At length he became
thoroughly aroused, and spoke much of his sensations while in the water.
Upon his first attaining any degree of consciousness, he found himself
beneath the surface, whirling round and round with inconceivable
rapidity, and with a rope wrapped in three or four folds tightly about
his neck. In an instant afterward he felt himself going rapidly upward,
when, his head striking violently against a hard substance, he again
relapsed into insensibility. Upon once more reviving he was in fuller
possession of his reason--this was still, however, in the greatest
degree clouded and confused. He now knew that some accident had
occurred, and that he was in the water, although his mouth was above
the surface, and he could breathe with some freedom. Possibly, at this
period the deck was drifting rapidly before the wind, and drawing him
after it, as he floated upon his back. Of course, as long as he could
have retained this position, it would have been nearly impossible that
he should be drowned. Presently a surge threw him directly athwart the
deck, and this post he endeavored to maintain, screaming at intervals
for help. Just before he was discovered by Mr. Henderson, he had been
obliged to relax his hold through exhaustion, and, falling into the sea,
had given himself up for lost. During the whole period of his struggles
he had not the faintest recollection of the Ariel, nor of the matters in
connexion with the source of his disaster. A vague feeling of terror
and despair had taken entire possession of his faculties. When he was
finally picked up, every power of his mind had failed him; and, as
before said, it was nearly an hour after getting on board the Penguin
before he became fully aware of his condition. In regard to myself--I
wa