When she had shot a cable's length a--head of the Firebrand, we kept away
a point or two, so as to stand more in for the land, and, like most
maniacs, I was inwardly exulting at the success of my manoeuvre, when we
heard the corvette's bell struck rapidly. Her maintop--sail was suddenly
laid to the mast, whilst a loud voice echoed amongst the sails--"Any one
see hi--in in the waist--anybody see him forward there?"
"No, sir, no."
"After guard, fire, and let go the life--buoy--lower away the quarter
boats--jolly--boat also."
We saw the flash, and presently the small blue light of the buoy, blazing
and disappearing, as it rose and fell on the waves, in the corvette's
wake, sailed away astern, sparkling fitfully, like an ignis fatuus. The
cordage rattled through the davit blocks, as the boats dashed into the
water--the splash of the oars was heard, and presently the twinkle of the
life--buoy was lost in the lurid glare of the blue lights, held aloft in
each boat, where the crews were standing up, looking like spectres by the
ghastly blaze, and anxiously peering about for some sign of the drowning
man.
"A man overboard," was repeated from one to another of the prize crew.
"Sure enough," said I.
"Shall we stand back, sir?" said the midshipman.
"To what purpose?--there are enough there without us--no, no; crack on,
we can do no good--carry on, carry on!"
We did so, and I now found severe shooting pains, more racking than the
sharpest rheumatism I had ever suffered, pervading my whole body.
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