his
fate--the fate of many a gallant seaman. Our own danger was great. The
mates sprung forward to clear the wreck, and to secure as well as could
be done the other masts. The fear was that the fore-topmast and
mizzen-topmast, if not the lower masts, deprived of their support, might
go likewise. The wreck was quickly cleared, and the masts got on board.
To stand on or to heave to were equally out of the question. It was
necessary to put the ship before the wind. The mizzentop-sail was
furled, the helm put up, and the ship was to be wore round. Now came
the danger. In wearing, if a sea strikes a ship abeam, there is a great
risk of her bulwarks being stove in, and of everything being washed from
her decks. Every one held on to whatever he thought most secure. The
ship wore steadily round. A huge sea came rolling on, but already the
fore-yard was squared; it struck her on the counter, and she flew
unharmed before it. Instead, however, of running to the eastward, she
was headed up towards the land. No one turned in that night. Sharp
eyes were on the look-out for land. Cape Horn, like some gigantic
spirit of the deep, was seen towering up amid the raging ocean. On we
kept. Once more we were under shelter of the land, the mizzen-top-sail
was set, and we ran up just outside those islands which cluster
thereabout so thickly, till at daylight we were off the mouth of a
channel, up which we ran, and dropped our anchor in a fine land-locked
harbour.

"We are far better off here than battering about outside, and knocking
the ship to pieces," observed Mr Pincott, the carpenter. "Now, if we
could but get a fresh spar for a topmast, we should soon be all
ataunto."

As, however, we were not likely to find spars large enough for the
purpose in this part of the world, it was necessary to make use of the
broken one. While this work was going on, it was resolved to hold some
communication with the natives. A boat was lowered, under charge of Mr
Brand--Gerard and I and Mr McRitchie going in her, and two hands, as no
more could be spared from attending to the repairs of the ship. We were
all armed, but the captain directed us to be very careful in our
intercourse with the wild people we might meet. We had with us some
trinkets, glass necklaces, bracelets, rings, gilt lockets, knives,
scissors, and other trifles, to barter with them, or to win their
good-will. After pulling some way, we reached a sandy cove surrounde