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The Quartermaster of the “Britannia”

           Threeweeksafterward,hisvesselwasdisabledbyafearfulstorminwhichtheywerecaught,andobligedtocutawaythemasts.Aleakspranginthehold,andcouldnotbestopped.Thecrewweretooexhaustedtoworkthepumps,andforeightdaystheBritanniawastossedaboutinthehurricanelikeashuttlecock.Shehadsixfeetofwaterinherhold,andwasgraduallysinking.Theboatshadbeenallcarriedawaybythetempest;deathstaredthemintheface,when,onthenightofthe22dofJune,asPaganelhadrightlysupposed,theycameinsightoftheeasterncoastofAustralia.

           Theshipsoonnearedtheshore,andpresentlydashedviolentlyagainstit.Ayrtonwassweptoffbyawave,andthrownamongthebreakers,wherehelostconsciousness.Whenherecovered,hefoundhimselfinthehandsofnatives,whodraggedhimawayintotheinteriorofthecountry.SincethattimehehadneverheardtheBritannia’snamementioned,andreasonablyenoughcametotheconclusionthatshehadgonedownwithallhandsoffthedangerousreefsofTwofoldBay.

           ThisendedAyrton’srecital,andmorethanoncesorrowfulexclamationswereevokedbythestory.TheMajorcouldnot,incommonjustice,doubtitsauthenticity.Thesailorwasthenaskedtonarratehisownpersonalhistory,whichwasshortandsimpleenough.Hehadbeencarriedbyatribeofnativesfourhundredmilesnorthofthe37thparallel.Hespentamiserableexistencetherenotthathewasill-treated,butthenativesthemselveslivedmiserably.

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