means of the light line which he had carried ashore, Edgar hauled the
two ends of a stouter line or small rope from the wreck. These two ends
he quickly spliced together, thus making the rope an endless one, or, as
seamen have it, an endless fall. The other loop, or bight, of this
endless double-rope was retained on the wreck, having been previously
rove through a block or pulley which was attached to the broken
fore-mast about ten feet above the deck--in accordance with our "rocket
apparatus" directions. In fact, the whole contrivance, got up so
hastily at this time, was just an extemporised rocket apparatus without
the rocket--Edgar having already performed the duty of that projectile,
which is to effect communication between wreck and shore.

By means of the endless fall our hero now hauled a heavy rope or cable
from the wreck, the end of which he fastened round a large boulder.
This rope, being hauled taut, remained suspended between the wreck and
the cliffs some feet above the sea. Previous to fixing it a large block
had been run upon it, and to this block was suspended one of those
circular cork life-preservers which one usually sees attached to the
bulwarks of ships. It was made into a sort of bag by means of a piece
of canvas. The endless fall was then attached to this bag so that it
could travel with its block backwards and forwards on the thick cable.

The first who passed from the wreck to the shore by means of this
contrivance was a stout seaman with two very small children in charge.
The man was sent partly to give the passengers confidence in the safety
of the mode of transit, and partly that he might aid Edgar in the
working of the tackle. The next who passed was the mother of the
children. Then followed Aileen, and after her the sweet singer. Thus,
one by one, all the females and children on board were borne in safety
to land.

After these the male passengers commenced to go ashore. A few of the
older men were sent first. Among them was Mr Hazlit.

The unfortunate merchant was so weak as to be scarcely equal to the
exertion of getting over the side into the life-buoy or bag, and he was
so tall that, despite the efforts he made to double himself together,
there was so much of him above the machine that he had a tendency to
topple over. This would have mattered nothing if he had possessed even
a moderate degree of power to hold on, but his hands were as weak as
those of a child. However, t