638

THE DESTRUCTION OF THE “ALBEMARLE

mentioned, butwas not seen. Inow “struck out”down the stream,and was soonfar enough awayagain to attemptlanding. Thistime, as I strug-gled to reach thebank, I heard agroan in the riv-er behind me,and, althoughvery much ex-hausted, con-cluded to turnand give all theaid in my powerto the officer orseaman who hadbravely sharedthe danger withme.

Swimming inthe night, witheye at the level

of the water, one can have no idea of distance, and labors, as I did, underthe discouraging thought that no headway is made. But if I were to drownthat night, I had at least an opportunity of dying while struggling to aidanother. Nearing the swimmer, it proved to be Acting Master’s Mate Wood-man, who said that he could swim no longer. Knocking his cap from hishead, I used my right arm to sustain him, and ordered him to strike out.For ten minutes at least, I think, he managed to keep afloat, when, hisphysical force being completely gone, he sank like a stone.

Again alone upon the water, I directed my course toward the town side ofthe river, not making much headway, as my strokes were now very feeble,my clothes being soaked and heavy, and little chop-seas splashing withchoking persistence into my mouth every time I gasped for breath. Still,there was a determination not to sink, a will not to give up; and I kept up asort of mechanical motion long after my bodily force was in fact expended.At last, and not a moment too soon, I touched the soft mud, and in theexcitement of the first shock I half raised my body and made one step for-ward ; then fell, and remained half in the mud and half in the water until day-light, unable even to crawl on hands and knees, nearly frozen, with my brainin a whirl, but with one thing strong in me—the fixed determination to escape.

■sisil

L-w i

THE BLOWING-UP OF THE “ALBEMARLE.

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