lthough the men were shivering with cold and hunger, not a murmur
escaped their lips, not a whisper of complaint; but they patiently
awaited the break of day. At length the morning dawned, and with it
hope dawned upon the hearts of those patient sufferers, for the wind
and the waves subsided, the clouds gradually dispersed, and the sun
shone forth with glorious and invigorating light and warmth.

All eyes were turned to the offing, but still no assistance appeared.
Captain Colville then resolved to hoist the white flag on the stump of
the mizen mast, in hopes that it might be seen from the shore, and
that he might preserve the lives of his crew by surrendering to the
enemy.

This step was necessary, as it was the only means of rescue that
remained to them. The barge had been swamped along side, soon after
the masts were cut away, and three of the crew had been drowned. The
launch, also, which was lying to leeward, had parted from her grapnel,
and had been obliged to bear up for the Texel.

At 11 o'clock A.M., Captain Colville asked the carpenter if he thought
they could remain another night upon the wreck: the carpenter assured
him that he considered it almost impossible to do so, and that the
attempt would be attended with the greatest risk to all on board. The
ship had already parted amidships, the main beam and several others
being broken.

Five rafts had been carefully instructed, each fitted with a mast and
sail; and at the earnest entreaty of the crew, Captain Colville, on
hearing the carpenter's report, allowed a part of the men to leave the
wreck on these rafts.

About noon, as the fifth and last raft was about to leave the ship,
seven boats (one bearing a flag of truce) were seen coming towards
them from the shore. The captain ordered the people to throw the
quarter-deck guns, and all the arms and warlike stores overboard,
which they did.

When the boats arrived alongside, an officer hailed the wreck, and
said that if Captain Colville was willing to secure the preservation
of his officers and crew, by surrendering as prisoners of war, the
whole company should be conducted in safety to the Helder. Captain
Colville felt himself obliged to submit to the imperious dictates of
necessity, and he accordingly accepted the proffered conditions, and
surrendered himself to the Dutch, with all the ship's company that
remained on the wreck.

Before nightfall they were all landed. Only those who have been placed
in