mpanions, and then at the vessel. Two or three figures were
seen stretched out by the side of the rock, apparently dead or dying.
In the centre and highest part of the rock, a tent was erected, and
before it were several persons in a far calmer condition. Some were
waving to the brig, others were on their knees, as if returning thanks
to Heaven for their approaching deliverance, and two were stretched out
on rude couches formed of sails, in front of the tent, too weak to stand
up. At last the _Ione_ got under the lee of the rock, and hove to.

"We must take great care how we allow those poor fellows to get into the
boats," said Captain Fleetwood. "I need not tell you how much I value
every moment; at the same time, in pity for those poor wretches, we must
endeavour to rescue them--I propose, therefore, to anchor the cutter at
two cables' length from the rock, and to veer in the dinghy till she
drops alongside them; we must then allow only two at a time to get into
her, and then again haul her off. How many are there--do you count, Mr
Linton."

"About forty, sir, including those who appear dead or dying," returned
the second lieutenant.

"Twenty trips will take about two hours, as the cutter must return once
to the ship with her first cargo. It will be time well spent, at all
events," said Fleetwood, calculating in his mind the delay which would
be thus occasioned in discovering where Ada had been conveyed, and
attempting her rescue. "Mr Saltwell, I will entrust the command of the
expedition to you," continued the captain. "Mr Viall," to the surgeon,
"we, I fear, shall want your services on board; but, Mr Farral," to the
assistant-surgeon, "you will proceed in the cutter, and render what aid
you consider immediately necessary. Take, at all events, a couple of
breakers of water, and a bottle or two of brandy. You will find some
stimulant necessary to revive the most exhausted--I should advise you,
Mr Viall, to have some soft food, such as arrow-root, or something of
that nature, boiled for them by the time they come off. They have
probably been suffering from hunger as well as thirst, and anything of a
coarse nature may prove injurious."

The cutter was hoisted out, and every preparation quickly made. Numbers
of volunteers presented themselves, but Linton's was the only offer
which was accepted, as he undertook to go on to the rock in the first
trip the dinghy made, and to render what aid he could to those