s of canvas; ay, and to travel like a yacht, too, notwithstanding
the heavy sea that was running. But the little beauty behaved superbly,
luffing to each comber as it approached, and taking it in a blinding
shower of diamond spray, it is true, but still with an easy, buoyant
movement such as I had never experienced before. It was the first
opportunity that had been afforded me of testing the barque's behaviour
in heavy weather, and I was more than pleased at the result, for she not
only proved to be a superb sea-boat, but she also travelled like a
racehorse.

By four bells in the afternoon watch the wind and sea had so far
moderated that the mate, whose watch it then was, gave orders to take a
small pull upon the topsail halliards, to set the jib, and to haul out
the mizzen. When the last of these operations were undertaken it was
found that something had jammed aloft, so that the head of the sail
would not haul out along the gaff; and a hand was sent up to see what
was foul, and to clear it. The man had accomplished his task, and was
just swinging himself off the gaff into the lower rigging, when he was
observed to pause and gaze intently to windward.

"Well, what is the matter, Bill? Do you see anything unusual away there
to wind'ard, to set you staring like an owl in an ivy bush?" demanded
the mate, somewhat impatiently.

"Yes, sir. There's something away over there," replied the man,
pointing with his hand, "that looks like a dismasted ship, or a craft on
her beam-ends. Whatever it is, it is very low in the water; and the sea
is breaking very heavily over it."

The mate said no more, but swung himself into the mizzen-rigging, and
made his way as far aloft as the cross-trees; when he turned and,
bracing himself against the masthead, directed his glances toward that
part of the horizon indicated by the seaman. Shading his eyes with his
hand, he looked steadily for a full minute; then he said something to
the man beside him, when the latter nimbly descended the ratlines to the
deck, and, explaining that "Mr Roberts wants the glass, sir," went to
the companion, where the instrument always hung in beckets, secured it,
and took it aloft to the mate. With its assistance a still more
prolonged examination was made; and when it was at length completed, the
two men returned to the deck together.

"Well, Mr Roberts, what do you make of it?" I inquired, as the mate,
having restored the telescope it its accustomed