events, however, I should like to
have you near me."

I can scarcely find words to describe the fearful condition of the ship.
Gun after gun broke loose, crushing several of the men against whom
they were cast; shot, hove out of the lockers, were rolling about
between decks, injuring many others. The water from below rushed from
side to side, making a clean sweep of everything it encountered, doing
almost as much mischief as the seas which broke aboard on the upper
deck. The officers who had last come from below were unable to return,
and stood shivering in their scanty clothing, no one having even a coat
to spare. While some of the crew were clearing away the masts, which
were striking with every surge against the ship's side, tearing off the
copper, and, as the oakum washed out, increasing the leaks, others,
encouraged by their officers, were labouring at the pumps, while a third
party was endeavouring to bale out the water with buckets. I didn't
expect to see another dawn; but the morning came notwithstanding, and a
fearful sight it presented to us. Away to leeward we discovered the
_Canada_, with her main-topmast and mizzenmast gone. The flag-ship,
more to windward, seemed in no better condition. The _Glorieux_ had
lost her foremast, bowsprit, and main-topmast. The _Ville de Paris_
still proudly rode the waves, as far as we could judge, uninjured, yet
ere long she was to share the fate of many others, for after that day
she was never again seen, and must have foundered with all her crew. Of
the merchantmen several had already gone down, others had lost many of
their spars, and some their masts, while out of the whole fleet not
twenty remained in sight. Not far off from us lay a large ship on her
beam-ends. Nettleship pointed her out to me. "Poor fellows, they're
worse off than we are," he said. The crew were attempting to wear her.
First they cut away the mizzenmast, then shortly the mainmast went;
still she lay helpless.

"See, she's hoisting the ensign, Union downwards," said Nettleship.
"It's her last despairing signal for help."

No help could any one give her. We watched her for a few minutes, when
her stern rose, the sea rolled up and plunged into it; down she went,
the fly of her ensign the last object visible.

She was the _Dutton_ formerly an East Indiaman, and then a storeship.
Her fate might soon be ours.

"Some of her poor fellows have escaped," cried Nettleship.

He pointed out to m