y whipped the shore end round the
stem of a huge furze bush, which grew within ten feet of the brink of
the cliff, and to my joy found that the man had seized the end which I
had thrown towards him. He stood amidship, being afraid to venture too
close to the bows, as the next wave would doubtless ram the ship hard
against the rocks again, and if he jumped now, he would simply be
smashed to pieces between the rocks and the vessel.

He waited, holding on to the coamings of the hatchway, which had been
burst open, till the little ketch gave another tremendous leap upon the
cruel rocks, and then as she recoiled he sprang to his feet, threw over
his barrel life preserver, and without hesitation leaped overboard with
the rope round his chest just beneath his arms. He swam, and I hauled,
and as he mounted the next wave I slackened, or he might have been
dashed to pieces, then on the wave breaking and running back, I hauled
with all my might, and in a short time had him safe in my arms, and bore
him amid the dashing spray and foam safely beyond danger. He was just
able to stand, and that was all, for directly I had half dragged and
half carried him up the cliffs to a grassy spot, he fell backwards
insensible. He could not have been in the sea more than two minutes, yet
he was terribly cut about, his hands being covered with blood; some of
his fingers were cut to the bone. This was done when the first wave
threw him against the rocks, when all depended upon his being able to
hold on against the receding water. He did in his despair hold on, as he
afterwards described it, "like a limpet," and thus though terribly
battered he was saved, the sole survivor of his little crew.

When he came to, I assisted him up to the house, where I gave him some
hot grog and more solid refreshment, and then prepared him a warm bath.
Poor fellow! his legs made me shudder to look at them, so cruelly had
the rocks torn and lacerated them from the knee downward. Yet in his
terrible state the brave fellow was quite beside himself with joy at his
miraculous escape, while the next minute the hot tears would gush from
his eyes at the thought of his poor messmates, who had sailed their last
voyage, and were now floating about to be devoured by the huge congers,
crabs, and lobsters, which are so numerous in these deep seas.

A long night's rest greatly restored my guest, who had come to me _a la_
Friday in "Robinson Crusoe;" in fact, I felt an almost irresi