ate. Soon after daylight
the ship's head was brought round, and she stood back towards Balaclava.
A melancholy spectacle was presented to those on board, as she neared
the harbour; the whole coast, as far as the eye could reach, was strewn
with masses of wreck, while the entrance was nearly blocked up with
shattered spars and pieces of timber; while numerous dead bodies floated
about, or had been thrown by the foaming surges on the rocks on either
hand. The _Tornado_, having not without difficulty made her way in,
brought up; and Jack immediately sent his despatches on shore. The
vessels in the harbour had not escaped. Brought up close together, they
had been driven in one mass towards the head of the harbour, directly
down upon the line-of-battle ship at anchor, carrying her upwards of a
hundred yards, when she grounded by the stern; while few had escaped
without more or less damage.

The gale considerably abated towards noon, when Jack received orders to
run down the coast, to try and bring off any of the crews which might
have escaped from the wrecked ships. Accordingly, he immediately got up
steam and put to sea. A number of boats were already engaged in the
humane object; but few of the people belonging to the vessels which had
been wrecked in the immediate neighbourhood of Balaclava had escaped.
Farther down the coast, however, two or three ships were seen on shore,
from which it was possible the crews might have landed in safety. Jack
kept in as close as he could venture, steering for the first wreck he
saw. She lay with her masts gone broadside to the sea, which was
sweeping fiercely over her. Not a human being was seen near the wreck.

"Not a man, I fear, could have escaped," said Jack, as he surveyed the
coast with his glass; "and yet, from the position of the vessel, I
cannot help thinking that they might have made their way to the shore--
see, near yonder wreck farther south, a good number of people appear to
be collected."

The _Tornado_ was accordingly steered in the direction Jack pointed.
Higson had been watching the group through his telescope.

"They appear to be expecting an attack," he observed; "there are fifty
or more of them, and they are standing to their arms. Their ship is
evidently a large transport, and from her position I should judge that
they managed to land without much difficulty, and would carry their
muskets and ammunition with them."

Directly afterwards a forest of lan