a Scotchman,--to his mate, "it's
rum sailin' this is. I thocht we was a' gaun to the bottom; but nae
doot the cox'n kens best. It's a wonderfu' boat!"

Having so said, the sedate Scot dismissed his anxieties, and thereafter
appeared to regard the surrounding chaos of water with no other feelings
than philosophic interest and curiosity.

On nearing the wreck the second time, it was found that the tide had
fallen so low that they could scarcely get alongside. Three times they
struck on the shoal; on the third occasion the mizzen-mast and sail were
blown out of the boat. They managed to drop anchor, however, and to
veer down under the port bow of the Wellington, whence the anxious
survivors threw ropes to them, and, one after another, leaped or swung
themselves into the boat. But they were so long about it that before
all had been got out the coxswain was obliged to drop to leeward to
prevent being left aground. In spite of this, the boat got fast, and
now they could neither advance to the wreck for the nine men who still
remained in her, nor push off to rejoin the tug.

The space between the boat and vessel was crossed by such a continuous
rush of broken water that for a time it was impossible to attempt
anything, but as the tide fell the coxswain consulted with his bowman,
and both agreed to venture to wade to the wreck, those on board having
become so exhausted as to be unable or unwilling to make further effort
to save themselves.

Acting on this resolve they with one of their men sprang into the raging
surf and staggered to the wreck, where they induced two of the crew to
leap overboard and brought them safely to the boat. Others of the
lifeboat crew then joined them and four more were rescued. [See note
1.]

The tide had been at its lowest when this desperate work was begun,--
before it was finished it had turned. This, coupled with the fact that
they had all been nearly swept away during the last effort; and that
there was a fresh burst of violence in the gale, induced them to wait
until the tide should rise. When it did so sufficiently, they hauled
and shoved the boat alongside, and the captain, who was one of the three
remaining men, made a desperate spring, but missed the boat and was
whirled away. Pike made a grasp at him but missed. The coxswain seized
a life-buoy and hurled it towards him. It fell within his reach, and it
was supposed that he had caught it, but they could not be certain. The