ver being set afloat again, about a quarter of a mile
from the beach. Two other vessels had been driven higher on shore, but
lay on their beam-ends. It was at once proposed to utilise the vessel,
by making her the home of the houseless inhabitants; and forthwith the
women and children, and men unable to labour, were collected on board
her. As I surveyed the effects of the hurricane, I naturally felt very
anxious about my ship, fearing that she might have been at sea, and been
lost. I afterwards learned that it was only the eastern wing of the
hurricane that had swept by the western end of Jamaica, but that its
influence in a less degree had been felt over the whole island. As soon
as the news reached Kingston, vessels were despatched with provisions,
and such relief as could be afforded, for the sufferers. As I was
anxious to get back, I took my passage with Larry on board the _Rose_
schooner. The captain promised to land us at Port Royal in a couple of
days; "always providing that we are not snapped up by the enemy, or that
another hurricane doesn't come on," he observed.

As we sailed out of the harbour, I could see at one glance, more clearly
than before, the destruction worked by the hurricane and earthquake.
The whole town appeared to be reduced to heaps of ruins, with here and
there a few shattered walls standing up in their midst. The skipper of
the _Rose_ could give me no information about the _Liffy_, There were a
considerable number of men-of-war in the harbour, and he had not taken
especial note of any of them.

"If she was at sea during the hurricane, it is a hundred to one that she
escaped," he observed.

We made all sail, and kept in shore as much as we could, lest the
enemy's privateers might spy us out, and carry us off to Saint Domingo,
or elsewhere. We, however, escaped all dangers; and, to my great joy,
on entering Port Royal I made out the _Liffy_ among the other men-of-war
at anchor. The _Rose's_ boat took me alongside. Mr Saunders was on
deck, so I went up to him.

"Come aboard, sir," I said, touching my hat.

"What, my lad! is it you?" he exclaimed. "I'm glad to see you. There
was a report that you had perished during the hurricane at Savannah.
How is your leg? Able to return to your duty, I hope?"

"As able and willing as ever, sir," I answered.

"That's all right; there'll be work for us all, ere long."

As I entered the berth there was a regular shout, "Hurrah, Paddy Finn!