be passed at a very short distance unobserved, unless we could raise a
spar of some sort to attract attention.

But, owing to our very limited amount of standing room, and the
aggravating way in which the water still washed over our structure, this
particular task of getting the topgallant-yard on end proved most
difficult; and we were still struggling ineffectually for success when a
loud groan of disappointment, instantly followed by a frantic hail, told
me that something was wrong; and, looking again toward the ship, now
distant only some two miles, we saw that she had altered her course a
couple of points, by which proceeding she would pass to the southward of
us without approaching any nearer.

For a minute or two something very like a panic took possession of all
hands, and everybody began to shout and gesticulate to the utmost of his
ability without reference to the efforts of the rest. At length,
however, Woodford and I managed between us to secure silence; upon which
we directed that, whilst as many as could do so should stand up and wave
jackets, shirts, or any other article most handy, the whole should at a
given signal unite in a simultaneous hail. This we did, waiting each
time until we rose to the crest of a sea; but it soon became evident
that our voices were not powerful enough to reach the ship--I never
expected that they would be--for she swept on unheeding, and was very
soon to the eastward of us, increasing her distance every minute.

This most disheartening state of affairs continued until she had run
about three miles to leeward of us, when we suddenly saw her round to
and back her main-yard. I ought to mention, by the bye, that we had ere
this discovered her to be a full-rigged ship--and not the _Dido_, as
some had at first declared her to be--with her mizzen-topmast and fore
and main-topgallant-masts gone, showing that she too must have
encountered the hurricane which had proved so disastrous to us. She was
evidently a foreigner; many of us pronounced her to be a Spaniard; and I
thought that, if so, it was more than probable she was the identical
vessel we had been sent out to look for.

"Hurrah!" shouted Tompion, as the stranger rounded to, "she sees us, my
hearties; and--look, if my eyes don't deceive me, there goes one of her
quarter-boats down into the water. Now, ain't that just like a lubberly
Spaniard, to lie there with his main-topsail to the mast and give his
boat's crew a three