was preserved in
a hole of the rock. The coxswain attempted to persuade Captain Palmer
to come into the boat, but the intrepid officer refused. 'Never mind
me,' was his noble reply; 'save your unfortunate shipmates.'

After some consultation, the Captain ordered the coxswain to take ten
of the people from the rock and make the best of his way to Cerigotto,
and return as soon as possible with assistance.

Soon after the departure of the boat, the wind increased to a gale,
the waves dashed over the rock and extinguished the fire, and some of
the men were compelled to cling to the highest part of the rock, and
others to hold on by a rope fastened round a projecting point, in
order to save themselves from being washed away by the surf; and thus
a second night was passed, even more wretched than the first. Many of
the people became delirious from the fatigue, hunger, thirst, and
cold, which they had suffered, and several died during the night;
some, apparently, from the effect of the intense cold upon their
exhausted frames. Terrible was the scene which daylight presented:
indiscriminately crowded together on a small spot, were the living,
the dying, and the dead; and the wretched survivors unable to give any
help to those whose sufferings might shortly be their own.

There was nothing to be done, but to wait in hope for the return of
the whale-boat, when, to the indescribable joy of all, a ship, with
all sail set, hove in sight: she was coming down before the wind, and
steering directly for the rock.

This cheering sight infused vigour into the weakest and most
desponding. Signals of distress were instantly made, and at last they
were perceived by the vessel, which brought to, and then hoisted out
her boat. Great was the joy of all the famishing creatures on the
rock, to see their deliverance at hand; the strongest began to fasten
spars and planks together to form rafts, on which they might get to
the ship; the boat came within pistol-shot. She was full of men, who
rested on their oars for a few minutes, as if to examine the persons
whom they were approaching: the man at the helm waved his hat, and
then the boat's head was put round and they pulled back again to the
ship, and left the crew of the Nautilus to their fate.

The transition from hope to despair was terrible,--all that day they
watched in vain for the return of their own boat from Cerigotto; but
hour after hour passed away, and they began, at length, to fea