e'll come ashore broadside-on, and all on us knows what that means."

Fortunately, the catastrophe had happened immediately to windward of
that part of the beach on which we stood; a spot, as Grummet had
observed, where the shipwrecked crew would have a better chance of
reaching the shore alive than they would have had if stranded on any
other part of it for some miles on either side; but the loss of their
sails had rendered the prospect of their escape considerably less than
it would have been had they been able to watch their chance, _sail_ the
ship in on the crest of a wave, and so beach her.

The next half-minute or so was one of most intense and painful
excitement to us spectators on shore. Each man moved nearer to the
water, and cast off some article of clothing, or gave a last look to the
line, or a final adjustment to the life-buoy round his waist. For
myself, I had stripped off my jacket and waistcoat, and placed them,
together with my hat, in the hands of my friend Bob; and I now stood
with the end of a line, knotted into a bowline, in my hand, ready to do
anything which the emergency of the moment might require.

The master of the vessel appeared to be aware of our intention, and the
meaning of the signal which Grummet had shown; and as it was now
impossible to run the ship _stem_ on upon the beach, he did the next
best thing; and waving his hand to the men who, like true seamen, still
stuck to the wheel, they put the helm hard up, that she might come in
stern on.

The manoeuvre was partially successful; but unfortunately she came
ashore between two seas; and the undertow of the one taking her stern,
whilst the succeeding sea struck her bow, she fell broadside-to in an
instant, her three masts went by the board, and the sea made a clean
breach over her.

One poor fellow was seen to leap overboard at the moment that the ship
struck; and half-a-dozen of the men on the beach rushed down into the
water, making frantic efforts to get at him. But he could not swim; and
those who tried to reach him were flung back, bruised and senseless,
upon the beach, only to be dragged away again as the sea receded; and
had it not been for the ropes and life-buoys round their waists, by
which their comrades hauled them on shore, they must have lost their
lives. As it was, one of them, in some way or other, got out of the
life-buoy, and we saw him swept away almost from our very feet.

I was an expert swimmer; and as soo