"The power of God is everywhere,
Pervades all space and time:
The power of God can still the air,
And rules in every clime;--
Then bow the heart, and bend the knee,
And worship o'er both land and sea."
Duo.
I never knew precisely the point on the coast of Ireland where we
anchored. It was somewhere between Strangford and Dundrum Bay; though the
name of the head-land which gave us a sort of protection, I did not learn.
In this part of the island, the coast trends north and south, generally;
though at the place where we anchored, its direction was nearly from
north-north-east to south-south-west,--which, in the early part of the
gale, was as close as might be the course in which the wind blew. At the
moment we brought up, the wind had hauled a little further to the
northward, giving us a better lee; but, to my great regret, Michael had
scarcely left us, when it shifted to due north-east, making a fair rake of
the channel. This left us very little of a lee--the point ahead of us
being no great matter, and we barely within it. I consulted such maps as I
had, and came to the conclusion that we were off the county Down, a part
of the kingdom that was at least civilized, and where we should be apt to
receive good treatment, in the event of being wrecked. Our fishermen told
us that they belonged to a Bally-something; but what the something was I
have forgotten, if I ever understood them. "_Told_ us," I say out of
complaisance, but "_tould_" would be the better word, as all they uttered
savoured so much of the brogue, that it was not always easy to get at
their meaning.
It was past noon when the Dawn anchored; and the wind got more to the
eastward, about half an hour afterwards. It was out of the question to
think of getting under way again, with so strong a wind, and with our
feeble crew. Had it been perfectly smooth water, and had there been
neither tide, nor air, it would have taken us half a day, at least, to
get out two bowers. It was folly, therefore, to think of it, situated as
we were. It only remained, to ride out the gale in the best manner
we could.
Nothing occurred, for several hours, except that the gale increased
sensibly in violence. Like an active disease, it was fast coming to a
crisis. Towards sunset, however, a little incident took place, that gave
me great uneasiness of itself, though I had forebodings of evil from the
commencement of that tempest. Two sail appeared in sight, to windward,
being quite near us, close in with the Irish coast before either was
observed on board the Dawn. The leading vessel of the two was a
man-of-war cutter, running nearly before it, under a close-reefed
square-sail,--canvass so low that it might easily be confounded with the
foam of the sea, at a little distance. She rounded the head-land, and was
edging away from the coast, apparently for sea-room, when she took a
sudden sheer in our direction. As if curious to ascertain what could have
taken so large a square-rigged vessel as the Dawn, into her present berth,
this cutter actually ran athwart our hawse, passing inside of us, at a
distance of some fifty yards. We were examined; but no attempt was made to
speak us. I felt no uneasiness at the proximity of these two cruisers, for
I knew a boat could not live,--our ship fairly pitching her martingale
into the water at her anchors.
The frigate followed the cutter, though she passed us outside, even nearer
than her consort. I got my first accurate notion of the weight of the
gale, by seeing this large ship drive past us, under a reefed fore-sail,
and a close-reefed main-top-sail, running nearly dead before it. As she
came down, she took a sheer, like a vessel scudding in the open ocean;
and, at one moment, I feared she would plunge directly into us, though she
minded her helm in time to clear everything. A dozen officers on board her
were looking at us, from her gangway, her quarter-deck guns, and rigging.
All were compelled to hold on with firm grasps; and wonder seemed painted
in every countenance. I could see their features for half a minute only,
or even a less time; but I could discern this expression in each face.
Some looked up at our spars, as if to ascertain whether all were right;
while others looked back at the head-land they had just rounded, like
those who examined the roadstead. Most shook their heads, as remarks
passed from one to the other. The captain, as I took him to be, spoke us.
"What are you doing here?" came to me through a trumpet, plainly enough;
but answering was out of the question. Before I could even get a trumpet
to my mouth, the frigate had gone foaming by, and was already beyond the
reach of the voice. Heads appeared over her taffrail for some time, and we
fancied these man-of-war's men regarded us as the instructed are apt to
regard the ignorant, whom they fancy to be in danger. Marble sneered a
little at the curiosity betrayed by these two crafts; but, as for myself,
it caused great uneasiness. I fancied they acted like those who were
acquainted with the coast, manifesting surprise at seeing a stranger
anchored in the berth we occupied.
I slept little that night. Marble kept me company most of the time, but
Neb and Diogenes were as tranquil as if sleeping on good French
mattresses--made of hair, not down--within the walls of a citadel. Little
disturbed these negroes, who followed our fortunes with the implicit
reliance that habit and education had bred in them, as it might be, in and
in. In this particular, they were literally dyed in the wool, to use one
of the shop expressions so common among us.
There was a little relaxation in the force of the gale in the middle of
the night; but, with the return of day, came the winds howling down upon
us, in a way that announced a more than common storm. All hands of us were
now up, and paying every attention to the vessel. My greatest concern had
been lest some of the sails should get adrift, for they had been furled by
few and fatigued men. This did not happen, however, our gaskets and
lashings doing all of their duty. We got our breakfasts, therefore, in the
ordinary way, and Marble and myself went and stood on the forecastle, to
watch the signs of the times, like faithful guardians, who were anxious to
get as near as possible to the danger.
It was wonderful how the ship pitched! Frequently her Aurora was
completely submerged, and tons of water would come in upon the forecastle,
washing entirely aft at the next send, so that our only means of keeping
above water was to stand on the windlass-bitts, or to get upon the heart
of the main-stay. Dry we were not, nor did we think of attempting to be
so, but such expedients were necessary to enable us to remain stationary;
often to enable us to breathe. I no longer wondered at the manner in which
the cutter and frigate had examined our position. It was quite clear the
fishermen knew very little about finding a proper berth for a ship, and
that we might pretty nearly as well have brought up in the middle of St.
George's channel, could our ground-tackle reach the bottom, as to have
brought up where we were.
Just about nine o'clock, Marble and I had got near each other on the
fife-rail, and held a consultation on the subject of our prospects.
Although we both clung to the same top-sail-sheet, we were obliged to
hallow to make ourselves heard, the howling of the wind through the
rigging converting the hamper into a sort of tremendous Eolian Harp, while
the roar of the water kept up a species of bass accompaniment to this
music of the ocean. Marble was the one who had brought about this
communication, and he was the first to speak.
"I say, Miles," he called out, his mouth within three feet of my ear--"she
jumps about like a whale with a harpoon in it! I've been afraid she'd jerk
the stem out of her."
"Not much fear of that, Moses--my great concern is that starboard
bower-cable; it has a good deal more strain on it than the larboard, and
you can see how the strands are stretched."
"Ay, ay--'t is generalizing its strength, as one may say. S'pose we clap
the helm a-port, and try the effects of a sheer?"
"I've thought of that; as there is a strong tide going, it may possibly
answer"--
These words were scarcely out of my mouth, when three seas of enormous
height came rolling down upon us, like three great roistering companions
in a crowd of sullen men, the first of which raised the Dawn's bows so
high in the air, as to cause us both to watch the result in breathless
silence. The plunge into the trough was in a just proportion to the toss
into the air; and I felt a surge, as if something gave way under the
violent strain that succeeded. The torrent of water that came on the
forecastle prevented any thing from being seen; but again the bows rose,
again they sunk, and then the ship seemed easier.
"We are all adrift, Miles!" Marble shouted, leaning forward to be heard.
"Both bowers have snapped like thread, and here we go, head-foremost, in
for the land!"
All this was true enough! The cables had parted, and the ship's head was
falling off fast from the gale, like the steed that has slipped his
bridle, before he commences his furious and headlong career. I looked
round for the negroes; but Neb was already at the wheel. That noble
fellow, true as steel, had perceived the accident as soon as any of us,
and he sprang to the very part of the vessel where he was most needed. He
had a seaman's faculties in perfection, though ratiocination was certainly
not his forte. A motion of my hand ordered him to put the helm hard up,
and the answering sign let me know that I was obeyed. We could do no more
just then, but the result was awaited in awful expectation.
The Dawn's bows fell off until the ship lay broadside to the gale, which
made her reel until her lee lower yard-arms nearly dipped. Then she
overcame the cauldron of water that was boiling around her, and began to
draw heavily ahead. Three seas swept athwart her decks, before she minded
her helm in the least, carrying with them every thing that was not most
firmly lashed, or which had not animal life to direct its movements, away
to leeward. They swept off the hen-coops, and ripped four or five
water-casks from their lashings, even, as if the latter had been
pack-thread. The camboose-house went also, at the last of these terrific
seas; and nothing saved the camboose itself, but its great weight, added
to the strength of its fastenings. In a word, little was left, that could
very well go, but the launch, the gripes of which fortunately held on.
By the time this desolation was completed, the ship began to fall off, and
her movement through the water became very perceptible. At first, she
dashed in toward the land, running, I make no doubt, quite half a mile
obliquely in that direction, ere she got fairly before the wind; a course
which carried her nearly in a line with the coast. Marble and myself now
got aft without much trouble, and put the helm a little to starboard,
with a view to edge off to the passage as far as possible. The wind blew
so nearly down channel, that there would have been no immediate danger,
had we an offing; but the ship had not driven before the gale more than
three or four hours, when we made land ahead; the coast trending in this
part of the island nearly north and south. Marble suggested the prudence
of taking time by the forelock, and of getting the main-top-sail on the
ship, to force her off the land, the coast in the neighbourhood of Dublin
lying under our lee-bow. We had taken the precaution to close-reef
everything before it was furled, and I went aloft myself to lower this
sail. If I had formed a very respectful opinion of the power of the gale,
while on deck, that opinion was materially heightened when I came to feel
its gusts, on the main-top-sail-yard. It was not an easy matter to hold on
at all; and to work, required great readiness and strength. Nevertheless,
I got the sail loose, and then I went down and aided Marble and the cook
to drag home the sheets. Home, they could not be dragged by us,
notwithstanding we got up a luff; but we made the sail stand
reasonably well.
The ship immediately felt the effect of even this rag of canvass. She
drove ahead at a prodigious rate, running, I make no question, some eleven
or twelve knots, under the united power collected by her hamper and this
one fragment of a sail. Her drift was unavoidably great, and I thought the
current sucked her in towards the land; but, on the whole, she kept at
about the same distance from the shore, foaming along it, much as we had
seen the frigate do, the day before. At the rate we were going, twelve or
fifteen hours would carry us down to the passage between Holy Head and
Ireland, when we should get more sea-room, on account of the land's
trending again to the westward.
Long, long hours did Marble and I watch the progress of our ship that day
and the succeeding night, each of us taking our tricks at the wheel, and
doing seaman's duty, as well as that of mate and master. All this time,
the vessel was dashing furiously out towards the Atlantic, which she
reached ere the morning of the succeeding day. Just before he light
returned we were whirled past a large ship that was lying-to, under a
single storm-stay-sail, and which I recognised as the frigate that had
taken a look at us at our anchorage. The cutter was close at hand, and the
fearful manner in which these two strong-handed vessels pitched and
lurched, gave me some idea of what must be our situation, should we be
compelled to luff to the wind. I supposed they had done so, in order to
keep as long as possible, on their cruising ground, near the chops of the
Irish channel.
A wild scene lay around us, at the return of light. The Atlantic resembled
a chaos of waters, the portions of the rolling sheet that were not white
with foam, looking green and angry. The clouds hid the sun, and the gale
seemed to be fast coming to its height. At ten, we drove past an American,
with nothing standing but his foremast. Like us, he was running off,
though we went three feet to his two. Half an hour later, we had the awful
sight before our eyes of witnessing the sudden disappearance of an English
brig. She was lying-to, directly on our course, and I was looking at her
from the windlass, trying to form some opinion as to the expediency of our
luffing-to, in order to hold our own. Of a sudden, this brig gave a
plunge, and she went down like a porpoise diving. What caused this
disaster I never knew; but, in five minutes we passed as near as possible
over the spot, and not a trace of her was to be seen. I could not discover
so much as a handspike floating, though I looked with intense anxiety, in
the hope of picking up some fellow-creature clinging to a spar. As for
stopping to examine, one who did not understand the language might as well
hope to read the German character on a mile-stone, while flying past it in
a rail-road car.
At noon, precisely, away went our fore-top-sail out of the gaskets. One
fastening snapped after another, until the whole sail was adrift. The tugs
that this large sheet of canvass gave upon the spars, as it shook in the
wind, threatened to jerk the foremast out of the ship. They lasted about
three minutes, when, after a report almost as loud as that of a small
piece of ordnance, the sail split in ribands. Ten minutes later, our
main-top-sail went. This sail left us as it might be bodily, and I
actually thought that a gun of distress was fired near us, by some vessel
that was unseen, The bolt-rope was left set; the sheets, earings, and reef
points all holding on, the cloth tearing at a single rent around the four
sides of the sail. The scene that followed I scarcely know how to
describe. The torn part of the main-top-sail flew forward, and caught in
the after-part of the fore-top, where it stood spread, as one might say,
held by the top, cat-harpins, rigging, and other obstacles. This was the
feather to break the camel's back. Bolt after bolt of the fore-rigging
drew or broke, each parting with a loud report, and away went everything
belonging to the foremast over the bows, from the deck up. The
main-top-mast was dragged down by this fearful pull, and that brought the
mizen-top-gallant-mast after it. The pitching of so much hamper under the
bows of the ship, while her after-masts stood, threw the stern round, in
spite of the manner in which Marble steered; and the ship broached-to. In
doing this, the sea made a fair breach over her, sweeping the deck of even
the launch and camboose, and carrying all the lee-bulwarks, in the waist,
with them. Neb was in the launch at the time, hunting for some article
kept there; and the last I saw of the poor fellow, he was standing erect
in the bows of the boat, as the latter drove over the vessel's side, on
the summit of a wave, like a bubble floating in a furious current.
Diogenes, it seems, had that moment gone to his camboose, to look after
the plain dinner he was trying to boil, when probably seizing the iron as
the most solid object near him, he was carried overboard with it, and
never reappeared. Marble was in a tolerably safe part of the vessel, at
the wheel, and he kept his feet, though the water rose above his waist; as
high, indeed, as his arms. As for myself, I was saved only by the
main-rigging, into which I was driven, and where I lodged.
I could not but admire the coolness and conduct of Marble even at that
terrific moment! In the first place, he put the helm hard down, and lashed
the wheel, the wisest thing that could be done by men in our situation.
This he did by means of that nautical instinct, which enables a seaman to
act, in the direst emergencies, almost without reflection, or, as one
closes his eyes to avoid danger to the pupils. Then he gave one glance at
the state of things in-board, running forward with the end of a rope to
throw to Diogenes, should the cook rise near the ship. By the time he was
satisfied the hope of doing anything in that way, was vain, I was on
deck, and we two stood facing each other, in the midst of the scene of
desolation and ruin that was around us. Marble caught my hand with a look
that spoke as plainly as words. It told me the joy he felt at seeing I was
spared, his determination to stick by me to the last; yet, how low were
his hopes of ultimate preservation! It was such a look as any man would be
glad to receive from a comrade in the heat of battle; nevertheless, it was
not a look that promised victory.
The situation of the ship would now have been much better than it had
been, in many respects, were it not for the wreck. All the masts forward
had gone over the lee bow, and would have lain in a sufficiently
favourable situation for a strong crew to get rid of them; but in our case
we were compelled to let things take their course. It is true, we could
cut away, and this we began to do pretty freely, but the lower-end of the
foremast lay on the forecastle, where it was grinding everything near it
to pieces, with the heaving and setting of the waves. All the bulwarks in.
that part of the ship threatened soon to be beaten down, and I felt afraid
the cat-head would be torn violently out of the ship, leaving a bad leak.
Leaks enough there were, as it was. The launch, camboose, water-casks, and
spare spars, in driving overboard, having forced out timber-heads, and
other supports, in a way to split the plank sheer, which let in the water
fast, every time the lee gunwale went under. I gave up my sugars and
coffees from the first, bringing my hopes down as low as the saving of the
ship, the instant I saw the state of the upper works.
Marble and I had not been educated in a school that is apt to despair. As
for my mate, had he found himself on a plank in the middle of the
Atlantic, I do believe he would have set about rigging a jury-mast, by
splitting off a piece of the hull of his craft and spreading his shirt by
way of sail. I never knew a more in-and-in-bred seaman, who, when one
resource failed, invariably set about the next best visible expedient. We
were at a loss, however, whether to make an effort to get rid of the
foremast, or not. With the exception of the damages it did on the
forecastle, it was of use to us, keeping the ship's bow up to the wind,
and making better weather for us, on deck. The after-masts standing,
while those forward were gone, had the effect to press the stern of the
vessel to leeward, while this support in the water prevented her bows from
falling off, and we rode much nearer to the wind, than is usual with a
ship that is lying-to. It is true, the outer end of the fallen spars began
to drive to leeward; and, acting as a long lever, they were gradually
working the broken end of the foremast athwart the forecastle, ripping and
tearing away everything on the gunwale, and threatening the foot of the
main-stay. This made it desirable to be rid of the wreck, while on the
other hand, there was the danger of the ship's bottom beating against the
end of the mast, did the latter get overboard. Under all these
circumstances, however, we determined to cut as much of the gear as
possible, and let the fallen spars work themselves clear of us, if they
could. Our job was by no means easy. It was difficult to stand, even, on
the deck of the Dawn, in a time like that; and this difficulty was greatly
increased forward, by having so little to hold on by. But work we did, and
in a way that cleared most of the rigging from the ship, in the course of
the next half hour. We were encouraged by the appearances of the weather
too, the gale having broken, and promising to abate. The ship grew a
little easier, I thought, and we moved about with more confidence of not
being washed away by the seas that came on board us. After a time, we took
some refreshments, eating the remains of a former meal, and cheered our
hearts a little with a glass or two of good Sherry. Temperance may be very
useful, but so is a glass of good wine, when properly used. Then we went
at it, again, working with a will and with spirit. The wreck aft wanted
very little to carry it over the side, and going aloft with an axe, I
watched my opportunity, cut one or two of the shrouds and stays, just as
the ship lurched heavily to leeward, and got rid of the whole in the sea
handsomely, without further injury to the ship. This was a good
deliverance, the manner in which the spars had threshed about, having
menaced our lives, before. We now attacked the wreck forward, for the last
time, feeling certain we should get it adrift, could we sever the
connection formed by one or two of the larger ropes. The lee-shrouds, in
particular, gave us trouble, it being impossible to get at them, in-board,
the fore channels being half the time under water and the bulwarks in
their wake being all gone. It was, in fact, impossible to stand there to
work long enough to clear, or cut, all the lanyards. Marble was an
adventurous fellow aloft, on all occasions; and seeing good footing about
the top, without saying a word to me, he seized an axe, and literally ran
out on the mast, where he began to cut the collars of the rigging at the
mast-head. This was soon done; but the spars were no sooner clear, than,
impelled by a wave that nearly drowned the mate, the end of the foremast
slid off the forecastle into the sea, leaving the ship virtually clear of
the wreck, but my mate adrift on the last; I say virtually clear, for the
lee fore-top-sail-brace still remained fast to the ship, by some oversight
in clearing away the smaller ropes. The effect of this restraint was to
cause the whole body of the wreck to swing slowly round, until it rode by
this rope, alone.
Here was a new and a most serious state of things! I knew that my mate
would do all that man could perform, situated as he was, but what man
could swim against such a sea, even the short distance that interposed
between the, spars and the ship? The point of the wreck nearest the
vessel, was the end of the top-sail-yard, to which the brace led, and this
was raised from the water by the strain (the other end of the brace
leading aloft), fathoms at a time, rendering it extremely difficult for
Marble to reach the rope, by means of which I could now see,
notwithstanding all the difficulties, he hoped to regain the vessel. The
voice could be heard by one directly to leeward, the howling of the winds
and the roar of the waters having materially lessened within the last few
hours. I shouted to Marble, therefore, my intentions--
"Stand by to get the brace as I ease it off, in-board," I cried; "then you
will be safe!"
The mate understood me, giving a gesture of assent with his arm. When both
were ready, I eased off the rope suddenly, and Marble, partly by crawling,
and partly by floating and dragging himself by the hands, actually got to
the yard-arm, which was immediately raised from the water, however, by the
drift made by the spars, while he was achieving his object. I trembled as
I saw this stout seaman, the water dripping from his clothes, thus
elevated in the air, with the angry billows rolling beneath him, like
lions leaping upward to catch the adventurer in their grasp. Marble's hand
was actually extended to reach the brace, when its block gave way with the
strain. The eye of the strap slipping from the yard, down went the spar
into the water. Next the trough of the sea hid everything from my sight,
and I was left in the most painful doubt of the result, when I perceived
the mate lashing himself to the top, as the portion of the wreck that
floated the most buoyantly. He had managed to get in again, and coolly
went to work to secure himself in the best berth he could find, the
instant he regained the main mass of the wreck. As he rose on the crest of
a sea, the poor fellow made a gesture of adieu to me; the leave-taking of
the mariner!
In this manner did it please Divine Providence to separate us four, who
had already gone through so much in company! With what moody melancholy
did I watch the wreck, as it slowly drifted from the ship. I no longer
thought of making further efforts to save the Dawn, and I can truly say,
that scarce a thought in connection with my own life, crossed my mind.
There I stood for quite an hour, leaning against the foot of the
mizen-mast, with folded arms and riveted eyes, regardless of the pitches,
and lurches, and rolling of the ship, with all my faculties and thoughts
fastened on the form of Marble, expecting each time that the top rose to
view to find it empty. He was too securely lashed, however, to strike
adrift, though he was nearly half the time under water. It was impossible
to do anything to save him. No boat was left; had there been one, it could
not have lived, nor could I have managed it alone. Spars he had already,
but what must become of him without food or water? I threw two breakers of
the last into the sea, and a box of bread, in a sort of idle hope they
might drift down near the wreck, and help to prolong the sufferer's life.
They were all tossed about in the cauldron of the ocean, and disappeared
to leeward, I knew not whither. When Marble was no longer visible from
deck, I went into the main-top and watched the mass of spars and rigging,
so long as any portion of it could be seen. Then I set it by compass, in
order to know its bearing, and an hour before the sun went down, or as
soon as the diminished power of the wind would permit, I showed an ensign
aloft, as a signal that I bore my mate in mind.
"He knows I will not desert him as long as there is hope--so long as I
have life!" I muttered to myself; and this thought was a relief to my
mind, in that bitter moment.
Bitter moment, truly! Time has scarcely lessened the keenness of the
sensations I endured, as memory traces the feelings and incidents of that
day. From the hour when I sailed from home, Lucy's image was seldom absent
from my imagination, ten minutes at a time; I thought of her, sleeping and
waking; in all my troubles; the interest of the sea-fight I had seen could
not prevent this recurrence of my ideas to their polar star, their
powerful magnet; but I do not remember to have thought of Lucy, even, once
after Marble was thus carried away from my side. Neb, too, with his
patient servitude, his virtues, his faults, his dauntless courage, his
unbounded devotion to myself, had taken a strong hold on my heart, and his
loss had greatly troubled me, since the time it occurred. But I remember
to have thought much of Lucy, even after Neb was swept away, though her
image became temporarily lost to my mind, during the first few hours I was
thus separated from Marble.
By the time the sun set, the wind had so far abated, and the sea had gone
down so much, as to remove all further apprehensions from the gale. The
ship lay-to easily, and I had no occasion to give myself any trouble on
her account. Had there been light, I should now have put the helm up, and
run to leeward, in the hope of finding the spars, and at least of keeping
near Marble; but, fearful of passing him in the darkness, I deferred that
duty until the morning. All I could do was to watch the weather, in order
to make this effort, before the wind should shift.
What a night I passed! As soon as it was dark, I sounded the pumps, and
found six feet water in the hold. It was idle for one man to attempt
clearing a vessel of the Dawn's size; and I gave myself no further thought
in the matter. So much injury had been done the upper works of the ship,
that I had a sort of conviction she must go down, unless fallen in with by
some other craft. I cannot say apprehension for my own fate troubled me
any, or that I thought of the rum to my fortunes that was involved in the
loss of the ship. My mind reverted constantly to my companions; could I
have recovered them, I should have been happy, for a time, at least.
I slept two or three hours, towards morning, overcome will fatigue. When I
awoke, it was in consequence of receiving the sun's rays in my face.
Springing to my feet, I cast a confused and hurried glance around me. The
wind was still at north-east, but it barely blew a good whole-sail breeze.
The sea had gone down, to the regular roll of the ocean; and a finer day
never shone upon the Atlantic. I hurried eagerly on deck, and gazed on the
ocean to leeward, with longing eyes, to ascertain if anything could be
seen of the wreck of our spars. Nothing was visible. From the main-top, I
could command a pretty wide horizon; but the ocean lay a bright,
glittering blank, the crests of its own waves excepted. I felt certain the
Dawn was so weatherly, that the spars were to leeward; but the ship must
have forged miles ahead, during the last twelve hours; and there was
almost the equal certainty of her being a long distance to the southward
of the floating hamper, her head having lain in that direction since the
time she broached-to. To get her off before the wind, then, was my first
concern, after which I could endeavour to force her to the northward,
running the chance of falling in with the spars. Could I find my mate, we
might still die together, which would hove been a melancholy consolation
just then.