once more, in which
position she afforded an excellent lee under the shelter of which to
launch our boats, which, but for this contrivance, must have inevitably
been swamped.

By the time that all this was done the boats were ready for launching,
and the captain gave orders for this to be at once proceeded with,
beginning with the launch; this being the heaviest boat in the ship, and
the most difficult to get into the water. I felt exceedingly doubtful
as to the ability of our jury-spars to support the weight of so heavy a
craft, but, by staying them well, the delicate task was at length
successfully accomplished, when the worst cases among the wounded were
brought on deck and carefully lowered over the side into the boat
beneath, the doctor, with his instruments and medicine-chest, being
already there to receive them. And as soon as she had received her
complement, the launch was veered away to leeward at the end of a long
line--but still under the shelter of the ship's hull--to make room for
the first cutter. The rest of the boats followed in succession--the men
preserving to the very last moment the most admirable order and
discipline--until only the captain's gig, of which I was placed in
command, remained. The proper complement of this boat was six men, in
addition to the coxswain; but in order that the wounded--who were placed
in the launch and the first and second cutters--might be as little
crowded as possible, the remainder of the boats received rather more
than their full complement, in consequence of which my crew numbered
ten, all told, instead of seven. We were the last boat to leave the
ship, the skipper having gone below to his cabin for some purpose at the
last minute; and I assure you that, the bustle and excitement of getting
the men out of the ship being now all over, I found it rather nervous
and trying work to stand there in the gangway, waiting for the
reappearance of the captain on deck. For the ship was by this time in a
sinking condition and liable to go down under our feet at any moment,
having settled so low in the water that she rolled her closed main-deck
ports completely under with every sickly lurch of her upon the still
heavy sea that was now continuously breaking over her, while the water
could be distinctly heard washing about down below.

At length the skipper came out of his cabin, bearing in his hand a large
japanned tin box.

"Jump down, Mr Courtenay, and stand by to take t