eckon the best and only
thing we can do, is down boats, and then slip cable right-away. We might
get a show then to lay along the reef, and get clear."

"I'm not going to lose a new cable and anchor to please any one," was
the stupid reply. (He could very easily have recovered both anchor and
cable with the assistance of the natives on the following day, or indeed
months after.)

Then he sang out to the men to man the windlass.

The hands, realising the danger, turned to with a will, but within five
minutes the first breath of the squall caught us, and sent us ahead,
as was evident by the way the slackened cable came in through the
hawsepipe.

We had out fifty-five fathoms of chain, and before twenty-five were in,
the squall was upon us properly; the brigantine went gracefully ahead,
overran her anchor, plunged into the roaring breakers on the reef, and
struck bows on.

In another moment or two a heavy sea caught her on the starboard
quarter, canted her round, and dashed her broadside on to the reef with
terrific violence. Then, fortunately for our lives, two or three further
rollers sent her crashing along till she brought up against two or
three coral boulders, whose tops were revealed every now and then by the
backwash. In less than twenty minutes she was hopelessly bilged, and her
decks swept by every sea.

We carried three boats, and our native sailors showed their pluck and
skill by actually getting all three safely into the water, two on the
lee side, and one on the other.

The captain, now conscious of his folly, became very modest, and gave
his orders quietly. The crew, however, took no notice of him and looked
to the mate. He (the captain) ordered me into the first boat, in which
were the ship's papers, charts, chronometer, &c. I refused, and said I
preferred getting on shore in my own way.

I had seen that two native boys (passengers) had run out on to the
bowsprit, and, watching their chance, had dropped over into a curling
roller, and were carried safely ashore.

I had with me on board about nine hundred silver Mexican and Chili
dollars--some in a cash box, the rest in a bag. Calling my native
servant, Levi, I asked him if he thought all the boats would get ashore
safely. He shook his head, said that it was doubtful, and that it would
be better for me to throw the bag and the cash box over the lee side,
where they were pretty sure to be recovered in the morning at low tide.

"All the boats will