lties
which surrounded them. The old man had hurt himself, I fancy, and by
degrees relaxed in his efforts--the poor little fellow was still putting
forth all his strength to urge their boat forward, but it was too
evidently likely to prove unavailing.

At last they slowly drifted past us, and though at so short a distance
that I could clearly see the expression of their countenances we could
render them no possible assistance. I shall not quickly forget the poor
old man's look of despair and grief--more perhaps for the coming fate of
his boy than for himself. The poor lad had not yet given up all hopes
of escape. Now he would sit down and wring his hands, and then he would
start up, and, seizing an oar, try once more to shove the boat ahead.
We had little time, however, for contemplating their fate, for there was
still a great probability that we might have to share it. We were yet
drifting seaward, and for hours together our utmost exertions only
enabled us to hold our own. I can easily fancy the interest we excited
on shore, yet nothing could be thought of to help us. We could hear the
cry of horror and commiseration which rose from the crowd as the boat
with our companions in misfortune drifted past the spot whence there was
any hope of escape, and the old man and lad sat down and gave themselves
up to despair. The intense cold would, I guessed, soon deprive them of
all sensation and further power of exertion. Night was coming on, and
we lost sight of them in the gloom. We had now been six hours in our
perilous position, without time even to take a particle of nourishment.
We were making for the Cerberus as the nearest point where we could
receive assistance.

"We shall reach her, sir!" exclaimed Grampus at length, with a cheerful
tone. "See, they are ready to heave us a line if we could but get a few
fathoms nearer." Encouraged by this, we exerted ourselves still more
than ever, and at length a man from the jibboom end of the Cerberus hove
a lead which happily reached our boat. We seized it eagerly, and making
the line fast, we were hauled alongside the wharf. As soon as we landed
and had received the congratulations of the spectators of our adventure,
we were carried off, half-starved and frozen, by the master-attendant,
Mr Prowse, to his house; where we were most hospitably entertained. I
found in him an old shipmate, as he had been master of the Torbay when I
belonged to her. I spent upwards of t