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Chapter 1. A Runaway Reef

           Underthecombinedeffortsofthewindanditsfourhundredhorsepower, itwasgoingattherateofthirteenknots. HaditnotbeenforthesuperiorstrengthofthehulloftheMoravian, shewouldhavebeenbrokenbytheshockandgonedownwiththe237passengers shewasbringinghomefromCanada. 

           Theaccidenthappenedaboutfiveo’clockinthemorning,asthedaywasbreaking. Theofficersofthequarterdeckhurriedtotheafter-partofthevessel. Theyexaminedtheseawiththemostcarefulattention. Theysawnothingbutastrongeddyaboutthreecables’lengthdistant,asifthesurfacehadbeenviolentlyagitated. Thebearingsoftheplaceweretakenexactly,andtheMoraviancontinueditsroutewithoutapparentdamage. Haditstruckonasubmergedrock,oronanenormouswreck? Theycouldnottell; but,onexaminationoftheship’sbottomwhenundergoingrepairs, itwasfoundthatpartofherkeelwasbroken. 

           Thisfact,sograveinitself,mightperhapshavebeenforgottenlikemanyothers if,threeweeksafter,ithadnotbeenre-enactedundersimilarcircumstances. But,thankstothenationalityofthevictimoftheshock, thankstothereputationofthecompanytowhichthevesselbelonged, thecircumstancebecameextensivelycirculated. 

           The13thofApril,1867,theseabeingbeautiful,thebreezefavourable, theScotia,oftheCunardCompany’sline,foundherselfin15º12’long.and45º37’lat. Shewasgoingatthespeedofthirteenknotsandahalf. 

           Atseventeenminutespastfourintheafternoon, whilstthepassengerswereassembledatlunchinthegreatsaloon, aslightshockwasfeltonthehulloftheScotia,onherquarter, alittleaftoftheport-paddle. 

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