g on the wounded men, as she
rushed from the cabin, and cast herself upon her knees before me. I
raised my eyes to heaven, praying for support; and though the clouds
rolled, and the gale swept between, strength was surely sent me from
above; for what save heavenly help could have subdued that fierce
despair, which, at the first sight of the complicated agonies around,
had prompted me to abandon hope, blaspheme, and die? I raised her
gently but firmly in my arms; drew her, still struggling and screaming
wild entreaties, to my breast, and not daring to trust myself with a
single look at her imploring eyes, fixed my own upon the course we had
to run, and never swerved from my severe determination, till the
convulsive sobs had ceased to shake her breast upon mine, and I had
felt the warm gush of her relieving tears instead; then my stern
purpose melted, and, bending over the desolate girl, I murmured, "Weep
no more, my Madeline, for, by the blessing of God, I will be a father
and a brother to you yet!" Blessed be he who heard my holy vow!--when
I looked up again we were in the smooth water.

Drenched, numbed, and dripping all with the cold spray, one borne
senseless and bloody in his messmate's arms, we climbed the quay of
Strangford. The threatened tempest was bursting in rain and thunder;
but our miserable plight had attracted a sympathising crowd. No
question was asked of who? or whence? by a generous people, to wounded
and wearied men and helpless women; till there pressed through the
ring of bystanders a tall fellow, with a strong expression of
debasement and desperate impudence upon his face, that seemed to say,
"Infamy, you have done your worst." He demanded our names and
passports, and arrested us all in the king's name, almost in the same
breath. I struck him in the face with my fist, and kicked him into the
kennel. No one attempted to lift him; but he scrambled to his feet,
with denunciations of horrible revenge. He was hustled about by the
crowd till he lost temper, and struck one of them. He had now rather
too much work upon his hands to admit of a too close attention to us;
three or four persons stepped forward and offered us protection.

Ingram and the other wounded sailor were taken off, along with the
Frenchman, by some of their own associates; while a respectable and
benevolent looking man addressed me, "I am a Protestant, sir, and an
Orangeman; but put these ladies under my protection, and you will not
r