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'Here　also　Mr。　Meriton；　after　having　cut　several　wax…candles　in

pieces；　and　stuck　them　up　in　various　parts　of　the　round…house；　and

lighted　up　all　the　glass　lanthorns　he　could　find；　took　his　seat；

intending　to　wait　the　approach　of　dawn；　and　then　assist　the

partners　of　his　dangers　to　escape。　　But；　observing　that　the　poor

ladies　appeared　parched　and　exhausted；　he　brought　a　basket　of

oranges　and　prevailed　on　some　of　them　to　refresh　themselves　by

sucking　a　little　of　the　juice。　　At　this　time　they　were　all

tolerably　composed；　except　Miss　Mansel；　who　was　in　hysteric　fits　on

the　floor　of　the　deck　of　the　round…house。



'But　on　Mr。　Meriton's　return　to　the　company；　he　perceived　a

considerable　alteration　in　the　appearance　of　the　ship；　the　sides

were　visibly　giving　way；　the　deck　seemed　to　be　lifting；　and　he

discovered　other　strong　indications　that　she　could　not　hold　much

longer　together。　　On　this　account；　he　attempted　to　go　forward　to

look　out；　but　immediately　saw　that　the　ship　had　separated　in　the

middle；　and　that　the　forepart　having　changed　its　position；　lay

rather　further　out　towards　the　sea。　　In　such　an　emergency；　when　the

next　moment　might　plunge　him　into　eternity；　he　determined　to　seize

the　present　opportunity；　and　follow　the　example　of　the　crew　and　the

soldiers；　who　were　now　quitting　the　ship　in　numbers；　and　making

their　way　to　the　shore；　though　quite　ignorant　of　its　nature　and

description。



'Among　other　expedients；　the　ensign…staff　had　been　unshipped；　and

attempted　to　be　laid　between　the　ship's　side　and　some　of　the　rocks；

but　without　success；　for　it　snapped　asunder　before　it　reached　them。

However；　by　the　light　of　a　lanthorn；　which　a　seaman　handed　through

the　skylight　of　the　round…house　to　the　deck；　Mr。　Meriton　discovered

a　spar　which　appeared　to　be　laid　from　the　ship's　side　to　the　rocks；

and　on　this　spar　he　resolved　to　attempt　his　escape。



'Accordingly；　lying　down　upon　it；　he　thrust　himself　forward；

however；　he　soon　found　that　it　had　no　communication　with　the　rock；

he　reached　the　end　of　it；　and　then　slipped　off；　receiving　a　very

violent　bruise　in　his　fall；　and　before　he　could　recover　his　legs；

he　was　washed　off　by　the　surge。　　He　now　supported　himself　by

swimming；　until　a　returning　wave　dashed　him　against　the　back　part

of　the　cavern。　　Here　he　laid　hold　of　a　small　projection　in　the

rock；　but　was　so　much　benumbed　that　he　was　on　the　point　of　quitting

it；　when　a　seaman；　who　had　already　gained　a　footing；　extended　his

hand；　and　assisted　him　until　he　could　secure　himself　a　little　on

the　rock；　from　which　he　clambered　on　a　shelf　still　higher；　and　out

of　the　reach　of　the　surf。



'Mr。　Rogers；　the　third　mate；　remained　with　the　captain　and　the

unfortunate　ladies　and　their　companions　nearly　twenty　minutes　after

Mr。　Meriton　had　quitted　the　ship。　　Soon　after　the　latter　left　the

round…house；　the　captain　asked　what　was　become　of　him；　to　which　Mr。

Rogers　replied；　that　he　was　gone　on　deck　to　see　what　could　be　done。

After　this；　a　heavy　sea　breaking　over　the　ship；　the　ladies

exclaimed；　〃Oh；　poor　Meriton！　he　is　drowned；　had　he　stayed　with　us

he　would　have　been　safe！〃　and　they　all；　particularly　Miss　Mary

Pierce；　expressed　great　concern　at　the　apprehension　of　his　loss。



'The　sea　was　now　breaking　in　at　the　fore　part　of　the　ship；　and

reached　as　far　as　the　mainmast。　　Captain　Pierce　gave　Mr。　Rogers　a

nod；　and　they　took　a　lamp　and　went　together　into　the　stern…gallery；

where；　after　viewing　the　rocks　for　some　time；　Captain　Pierce　asked

Mr。　Rogers　if　he　thought　there　was　any　possibility　of　saving　the

girls；　to　which　he　replied；　he　feared　there　was　none；　for　they

could　only　discover　the　black　face　of　the　perpendicular　rock；　and

not　the　cavern　which　afforded　shelter　to　those　who　escaped。　　They

then　returned　to　the　round…house；　where　Mr。　Rogers　hung　up　the

lamp；　and　Captain　Pierce　sat　down　between　his　two　daughters。



'The　sea　continuing　to　break　in　very　fast；　Mr。　Macmanus；　a

midshipman；　and　Mr。　Schutz；　a　passenger；　asked　Mr。　Rogers　what　they

could　do　to　escape。　　〃Follow　me；〃　he　replied；　and　they　all　went

into　the　stern…gallery；　and　from　thence　to　the　upper…quarter…

gallery　on　the　poop。　　While　there；　a　very　heavy　sea　fell　on　board；

and　the　round…house　gave　way；　Mr。　Rogers　heard　the　ladies　shriek　at

intervals；　as　if　the　water　reached　them；　the　noise　of　the　sea　at

other　times　drowning　their　voices。



'Mr。　Brimer　had　followed　him　to　the　poop；　where　they　remained

together　about　five　minutes；　when　on　the　breaking　of　this　heavy

sea；　they　jointly　seized　a　hen…coop。　　The　same　wave　which　proved

fatal　to　some　of　those　below；　carried　him　and　his　companion　to　the

rock；　on　which　they　were　violently　dashed　and　miserably　bruised。



'Here　on　the　rock　were　twenty…seven　men；　but　it　now　being　low

water；　and　as　they　were　convinced　that　on　the　flowing　of　the　tide

all　must　be　washed　off；　many　attempted　to　get　to　the　back　or　the

sides　of　the　cavern；　beyond　the　reach　of　the　returning　sea。

Scarcely　more　than　six；　besides　Mr。　Rogers　and　Mr。　Brimer；

succeeded。



'Mr。　Rogers；　on　gaining　this　station；　was　so　nearly　exhausted；　that

had　his　exertions　been　protracted　only　a　few　minutes　longer；　he

must　have　sunk　under　them。　　He　was　now　prevented　from　joining　Mr。

Meriton；　by　at　least　twenty　men　between　them；　none　of　whom　could

move；　without　the　imminent　peril　of　his　life。



'They　found　that　a　very　considerable　number　of　the　crew；　seamen　and

soldiers；　and　some　petty　officers；　were　in　the　same　situation　as

themselves；　though　many　who　had　reached　the　rocks　below；　perished

in　attempting　to　ascend。　　They　could　yet　discern　some　part　of　the

ship；　and　in　their　dreary　station　solaced　themselves　with　the　hopes

of　its　remaining　entire　until　day…break；　for；　in　the　midst　of　their

own　distress；　the　sufferings　of　the　females　on　board　affected　them

with　the　most　poignant　anguish；　and　every　sea　that　broke　inspired

them　with　terror　for　their　safety。



'But；　alas；　their　apprehensions　were　too　soon　realised！　　Within　a

very　few　minutes　of　the　time　that　Mr。　Rogers　gained　the　rock；　an

universal　shriek；　which　long　vibrated　in　their　ears；　in　which　the

voice　of　female　distress　was　lamentably　distinguished；　announced

the　dreadful　catastrophe。　　In　a　few　moments　all　was　hushed；　except

the　roaring　of　the　winds　and　the　dashing　of　the　waves；　the　wreck

was　buried　in　the　deep；　and　not　an　atom　of　it　was　ever　afterwards

seen。'





The　most　beautiful　and　affecting　incident　I　know；　associated　with　a

shipwreck；　succeeds　this　dismal　story　for　a　winter　night。　　The

Grosvenor；　East　Indiaman；　homeward　bound；　goes　ashore　on　the　coast

of　Caffraria。　　It　is　resolved　that　the　officers；　passengers；　and

crew；　in　number　one　hundred　and　thirty…five　souls；　shall　endeavour

to　penetrate　on　foot；　across　trackless　deserts；　infested　by　wild

beasts　and　cruel　savages；　to　the　Dutch　settlements　at　the　Cape　of

Good　Hope。　　With　this　forlorn　object　before　them；　they　finally

separate　into　two　parties　…　never　more　to　meet　on　earth。



There　is　a　solitary　child　among　the　passengers　…　a　little　boy　of

seven　years　old　who　has　no　relation　there；　and　when　the　first　party

is　moving　away　he　cries　after　some　member　of　it　who　has　been　kind

to　him。　　The　crying　of　a　child　might　be　supposed　to　be　a　little

thing　to　men　in　such　great　extremity；　but　it　touches　them；　and　he

is　immediately　taken　into　that　detachment。



From　which　time　forth；　this　child　is　sublimely　made　a　sacred

charge。　　He　is　pushed；　on　a　little　raft；　across　broad　rivers　by　the

swimming　sailors；　they　carry　him　by　turns　through　the　deep　sand　and

long　grass　（he　patiently　walking　at　all　other　times）；　they　share

with　him　such　putrid　fish　as　they　find　to　eat；　they　lie　down　and

wait　for　him　when　the　rough　carpenter；　who　becomes　his　especial

friend；　lags　behind。　　Beset　by　lions　and　tigers；　by　savages；　by

thirst；　by　hunger；　by　death　in　a　crowd　of　ghastly　shapes；　they

never　…　O　Father　of　all　mankind；　thy　name　be　blessed　for　it！　…

forget　this　child。　　The　captain　stops　exhausted；　and　his　faithful

coxswain　goes　back　and　is　seen　to　sit　down　by　his　side；　and　neither

of　the　two　shall　be　any　more　beheld　until　the　great　last　day；　but；

as　the　rest　go　on　for　their　lives；　they　take　the　child　with　them。

The　carpenter　dies　of　poisonous　berries　eaten　in　starvation；　and

the　steward；　succeeding　to　the　command　of　the　party；　succeeds　to

the　sacred　guardianship　of　the　child。



God　knows　all　he　does　for　the　poor　baby；　how　he　cheerfully　carries

him　in　his　arms　when　he　himself　is　weak　and　ill；　how　he　feeds　him

when　he　himself　is　griped　with　want；　how　he　folds　his　ragged　jacket

round　him；　lays　his　little　worn　face　with　a　woman's　tenderness　upon

his　sunburnt　breast；　soothes　him　in　his　sufferings；　sings　to　him　as

he　limps　along；　unmindful　of　his　own　parched　and　bleeding　feet。

Divided　for　a　few　days　from　the　rest；　they　dig　a　grave　in　the　sand

and　bury　their　good　friend　the　cooper　…　these　two　companions　alone

in　the　wilderness　…　and　then　the　time　comes　when　they　both　are　ill；

and　beg　their　wretched　partners　in　despair；　reduced　and　few　in

number　now；　to　wait　by　them　one　day。　　They　wait　by　them　one　day；

they　wait　by　them　two　days。　　On　the　morning　of　the　third；　they　move

very　softly　about；　in　making　their　preparations　for　the　resumption

of　their　journey；　for；　the　child　is　sleeping　by　the　fire；　and　it　is

agreed　with　one　consent　that　he　shall　not　be　disturbed　until　the

last　moment。　　The　moment　comes；　the　fire　is　dying　…　and　the　child

is　dead。



His　faithful　friend；　the　steward；　lingers　but　a　little　while　behind

him。　　His　grief　is　great；　he　staggers　on　for　a　few　days；　lies　down

in　the　desert；　and　dies。　　But　he　shall　be　re…united　in　his　immortal

spirit　…　who　can　doubt　it！　…　with　the　child；　when　he　and　the　poor

carpenter　shall　be　raised　up　with　the　words；　'Inasmuch　as　ye　have

done　it　unto　the　least　of　these；　ye　have　done　it　unto　Me。'



As　I　recall　the　dispersal　and　disappeara