"She's done for," growled my companion, who, I was not till then
aware, stood by my side. "No hopes this time, confound it!" Then he
continued for some time to curse and swear awfully, as I afterwards
discovered, for I did not then know what was cursing and swearing.

"There she is again," said I, as another flash of lightning revealed
the position of the vessel.

"Yes, and she won't be there long; in five minutes she'll be dashed
to atoms, and every soul perish."

"What are souls?" inquired I.

My companion gave me no reply.

"I will go down to the rocks," said I, "and see what goes on."

"Go," said he, "and share their fate."




Chapter III


I left him, and commenced a careful descent of the precipices by
which we were surrounded, but, before I had gone fifty paces, another
flash of lightning was followed up by a loud shriek, which arrested
my steps. Where the noise came from, I could not tell, but I heard my