all never forget that face.
Years and years have gone by since then, but that white face, so full
of horror, haunts me still. We tried to get her to go back home, but
we might as well have tried to move a mountain; she would not stir
from the beach, and all we could do was to try and infuse into her
hope which, alas! we did not ourselves possess.

"Meanwhile the boat was steadily approaching the doomed vessel, which
had struck, and over which the waves dashed; a flash of lightning for
an instant revealed one of the men standing in the bows of the boat in
the act of throwing a rope to those on board, and another showed that
some were being transported from the vessel into the boat; then the
rope was seen to be cast off and the men commenced rowing back to
shore. Would they ever reach it in safety? How long the time appeared.
At length the boat was discerned nearing the beach, and men had
already rushed breast high into the sea in readiness to seize it and
aid in drawing it safely to shore, when a huge wave was seen to
overwhelm and swamp it in an instant.

"A cry of horror rose high above the noise of the tempest; and men
and women ran frantically hither and thither, unable to lend a helping
hand to those drowning close to land. A rope was tied round the body
of one, who, rushing into the boiling surf, firmly clasped one poor
wretch in his arms, and both were drawn safely to shore. Again, and
yet again, did the noble fellow rush into the angry sea, each time
rescuing one from death. How eagerly we bent over each, as they were
brought to shore, to see if our Ned was the fortunate one, and how
heavy grew our hearts as each inspection proved fruitless. Seven had
been thus rescued from a watery grave--a woman among the number--ere
our Ned was brought to shore, and then the sea had beaten the brave
life out of him, and it was only the senseless body we received, while
in his arms, and held so tightly in his death grip, that she could not
be removed, was a little three-year-old girl. We afterwards learnt
that when the heavy sea struck the boat, Ned was seen to snatch up the
child and clasp it firmly in his arms. And now both were dead. Ours
was a sorrowful home that night; my mother's grief was something awful
to see, and such as I never wish to witness again, and over which I
will draw a veil of silence.

"Our Ned was buried in a little churchyard not far from the sea, and
all the fishermen along the coast turned out and f