terrific violence upon the shore, the sea will carry
nothing whatever to the land. The surges seem to pass under, and so to
get beyond whatever objects lie floating upon the water, so that when a
cask is thrown over to them, they play beneath it, leaving it where it
was, or even drive it out to sea by not carrying it as far forward on
their advance, as they bring it back by their recession. Even the
lifeless body of the exhausted mariner, who when his strength was gone
and he could cling no longer to the rigging, fell into the sea, is not
drawn to the beach, but after surging to and fro for a short period
about the vessel, it slowly disappears from view among the foam and the
breakers toward the offing. In such cases it is useless to attempt to
get a line on shore from the ship by means of any aid from the sea. The
cask intrusted with the commission of bearing it, is beaten back against
the vessel, or is drifted uselessly along the shore, rolling in and out
upon the surges, but never approaching near enough to the beach to
enable even the most daring adventurer to reach it.

In case of these life-cars, therefore, arrangements are made for sending
the hawser out from the shore to the ship. The apparatus by which this
is accomplished consists, first, of a piece of ordnance called a mortar,
made large enough to throw a shot of about six inches in diameter;
secondly, the shot itself, which has a small iron staple set in it;
thirdly, a long line, one end of which is to be attached to the staple
in the shot, when the shot is thrown; and, fourthly, a _rack_ of a
peculiar construction to serve as a reel for winding the line upon. This
rack consists of a small square frame, having rows of pegs inserted
along the ends and sides of it. The line is wound upon these pegs in
such a manner, that as the shot is projected through the air, drawing
the line with it, the pegs deliver the line as fast as it is required by
the progress of the shot, and that with the least possible friction.
Thus the advance of the shot is unimpeded. The mortar from which the
shot is fired, is aimed in such a manner as to throw the missile over
and beyond the ship, and thus when it falls into the water, the line
attached to it comes down across the deck of the ship, and is seized by
the passengers and crew.

Sometimes, in consequence of the darkness of the night, the violence of
the wind, and perhaps of the agitations and confusion of the scene, the
first an