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The Wreck of the “Macquarie”

           JohnManglesapprovedinsilence.Hehadceasedtoholdanyconversationwiththecoarseseaman;butneitherGlenarvannorheleftthepoop.Twohoursafterastiffbreezecameon.WillHalleytookinthelowerreefofhistopsails.ThemaneuverwouldhavebeenadifficultjobforfivemeniftheMacquariehadnotcarriedadoubleyard,ontheAmericanplan.Infact,theyhadonlytolowertheupperyardtobringthesailtoitssmallestsize.

           Twohourspassed;theseawasrising.TheMacquariewasstrucksoviolentlythatitseemedasifherkeelhadtouchedtherocks.Therewasnorealdanger,buttheheavyvesseldidnotriseeasilytothewaves.Byandbythereturningwaveswouldbreakoverthedeckingreatmasses.Theboatwaswashedoutofthedavitsbytheforceofthewater.

           JohnManglesneverreleasedhiswatch.Anyothershipwouldhavemadenoaccountofasealikethis;butwiththisheavycrafttherewasadangerofsinkingbythebow,forthedeckwasfilledateverylurch,andthesheetofwaternotbeingabletoescapequicklybythescuppers,mightsubmergetheship.Itwouldhavebeenthewisestplantoprepareforemergencybyknockingoutthebulwarkswithanaxtofacilitatetheirescape,butHalleyrefusedtotakethisprecaution.

           Butagreaterdangerwasathand,andonethatitwastoolatetoprevent.Abouthalf-pasteleven,JohnManglesandWilson,whostayedondeckthroughoutthegale,weresuddenlystruckbyanunusualnoise.Theirnauticalinstinctsawoke.Johnseizedthesailor’shand."Thereef!"saidhe.

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