ly, except that she had been
dismasted, doubtless in some sudden squall.

We saw but one boat at her davits, and that was the one at her starboard
quarter, which bad been smashed completely in two by the wreck of the
mizzen-topmast in its fall; we therefore concluded that the crew, seized
by an unaccountable panic, had left her.

We were within a quarter of a mile of the vessel, when a solitary
figure, that of a female, appeared upon her lofty poop. She no sooner
saw us approaching than she waved her handkerchief to us vehemently, to
which we responded by waving our hats; when, seeing that her signal had
been observed, she sank down upon the lid of the skylight, and seemed to
give way to a violent flood of tears.

"Why,--me if it don't look as if the mean cowardly crew have been and
desarted the poor thing," exclaimed Bob with unusual vehemence, as we
noticed that the figure never moved as though to direct the attention of
others to our approach.

"It looks very like it," I replied; "but we shall soon see. It will be
an awkward matter to board, however, with all that wreck dangling about
to leeward. Stand by to ease the jib-sheet up, as I put the helm down."

Another minute, and we were hove-to on the ship's lee quarter, as near
as we dared approach.

The young girl (for such we now saw her to be) had by this time so far
recovered her composure as to rise up once more and approach the lee-
side of the deck.

Taking off my hat, and making my best bow, I hailed:

"Are you all alone on board there?"

"Yes, oh yes," she replied, in the sweetest voice I had ever heard; "I
have been quite alone for more than a week. Pray, pray do not go away
and leave me again, sir. I have been nearly mad, and I shall die if I
remain alone here much longer."

"Make your mind quite easy, my dear young lady," I replied; "we
certainly will not leave you, come what may. But it will be very
difficult for us to get on board, with those spars swaying about; and
the attempt to do so may occupy much time. But do not suffer the
slightest apprehension; we will get you off the wreck somehow, never
fear. After all," I remarked, half to her and half to Bob, "I believe
the quickest way out of the difficulty will be for me to jump overboard
and swim alongside; there are plenty of ropes-ends hanging over the side
to help me on board."

"Oh no, sir!" she exclaimed eagerly; "indeed you must do nothing of the
kind. There is an immense shar