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We pa&longs;&longs;ed the night as propo&longs;ed at Dover,
and at an early hour were called
to go on board the packet, the wind and tide
both favouring us. We embarked before it
was well light, and the wind fre&longs;hening as we
proceeded we were &longs;oon obliged to retire to
our cabins, being &longs;eized with the &longs;ickne&longs;s
incident to tho&longs;e, who are unu&longs;ed to the
boi&longs;terous element.—For &longs;ome time we
were too ill to pay much attention to the
motion of the ve&longs;&longs;el, but at length I thought
it was very violent, and enquired of Kingly,
if it was u&longs;ual to be &longs;o much to&longs;&longs;ed about in
cro&longs;&longs;ing the channel; his reply alarmed me;
“the wind is changed,” &longs;aid he, “and the
clouds threathen a boi&longs;terous day; we &longs;hall
make good &longs;ailors of you all, for I do not

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think you will reach Calais to-day, at lea&longs;t
not till late in the evening.”

Soon after this the wind increa&longs;ed to a
tremendous degree, and I &longs;aw by Kingly's
countenance that he was unea&longs;y. He went
frequently upon deck; then returned to the
cabin, endeavoured to chear us, and &longs;aid he
had advi&longs;ed the Ma&longs;ter to turn back as the
wind was &longs;o much again&longs;t us, and we &longs;hould
not feel the &longs;urges &longs;o much, when we went
before it. Happy would it have been for us
all, if this advice had been taken while day-light
remained; but the man was ob&longs;tinate,
and continued beating about till nearly the
clo&longs;e of day; then finding it impo&longs;&longs;ible to
make his intended port, attempted to return
to Dover. As night came on, the &longs;torm
increa&longs;ed, and though &longs;o late in the &longs;ea&longs;on
was attended with the mo&longs;t vivid lightning
and heavy claps of thunder; the &longs;ea was
unu&longs;ually agitated, the wind varying almo&longs;t
every in&longs;tant and re&longs;ting at no &longs;ettled point.
It is impo&longs;&longs;ible, my dear Celia, to give you
an adequate idea of the horrors of our situation
in &longs;o &longs;mall a ve&longs;&longs;el, driving about at
the mercy of the waves and wind in a night,
the pitchy darkne&longs;s of which was only alleviated
by lightning, which &longs;erved to give
us momentary views of the &longs;urrounding dangers.
And how &longs;hall I tell my dear Celia,

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that in the mid&longs;t of this di&longs;tre&longs;s and terror,
I had one pang to encounter more acute by
far than the near approach of expected death.
Rook&longs;by attached him&longs;elf entirely to Clara.
All his care, all his anxious &longs;olicitude was
expre&longs;&longs;ed for her. We had all ri&longs;en from
our beds, Kingly &longs;upported his wife in his
arms. “My dear boys,” &longs;aid &longs;he, “Heaven
protect them.”—“Heaven will protect
us all, I hope my love,” &longs;aid he, passing
his hand acro&longs;s his eyes.

Rook&longs;by &longs;at in a di&longs;tant corner of the
cabin be&longs;ide Clara, who re&longs;ted her head upon
his &longs;houlder. Sad and &longs;olitary, I supported
my&longs;elf again&longs;t a table, that was fastened
to the cabin floor, and re&longs;igning myself
to that Power, who could in an in&longs;tant
either re&longs;cue us from impending death, or
plunge us at once into eternity—thus gave
the reigns to reflection. Through every
&longs;cene of my pa&longs;t life, how large has been
my portion of mi&longs;ery, and how &longs;mall comparatively,
my allotment of joy: then why,
coward &longs;oul, do&longs;t thou &longs;hrink from the
friendly &longs;troke, that will &longs;et thee free from
the heavy clog of mortality, and lift thee
above the&longs;e regions of tran&longs;itory, fading
joys, to one where plea&longs;ure will be immutable,
unchangeable and can never end!—Oh!
Almighty Father of the Univer&longs;e, weary as

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my pilgrimage has been, I acknowledge thy
mercies have been ever beyond my de&longs;erts;
to thee then do I commit my&longs;elf—do with
me as thou wilt—only; Oh! benignant Creator,
grant me a portion of meekne&longs;s and resignation
equal to my afflictions. Thou art
the Father of the fatherle&longs;s; under thy protecting
care my child will ever be &longs;ecure.
Do thou never for&longs;ake her in the hour of
trial, and of thy mercy, grant &longs;he may never
forget thee. Forgive my manifold offences,
as from my &longs;oul I pardon every offence I
may have received from my fellow-creatures.
As the&longs;e reflections pa&longs;&longs;ed through my mind,
I felt a calm &longs;erenity take po&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ion of my
&longs;oul. I looked with an eye of complacency
on Clara and Rook&longs;by, who&longs;e horrors were depicted
on their pale countenances, I even wished
them peace of mind and fortitude to meet
the impending danger as they ought. This
world &longs;eemed fleeting from before my eyes,
and I looked forward with humble hope, to
that which was to come.

“Chearily! chearily! my dear cou&longs;in,”
&longs;aid Kingly, taking my hand, which hung
motionle&longs;s by my &longs;ide, “come, come, we
are worth half a dozen dead folks yet.—
'Tis a tight little ve&longs;&longs;el—my life for it, we
weather the &longs;torm, and this will be a

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seasoning for you. You will not be ea&longs;ily frightened
after this.”

“My dear Mrs. Rook&longs;by,” &longs;aid Mrs.
Kingly, laying her hand on that of mine,
which her hu&longs;band held, “how much reason
you have, to hate me, and all my family.”

“Hu&longs;h,” &longs;aid I, (frightened, lea&longs;t &longs;he
was going to reveal my &longs;ecret) believe me,
I love and re&longs;pect all of your family, whom
I have ever known.”

“Do not &longs;ay &longs;o, thou much injured woman,
look there, (pointing to Rook&longs;by)
You cannot e&longs;teem that wretch, and yet
you are linked to him for life, while the
only man capable of rewarding virtue like
yours: but no matter, 'tis I have done it
all, and I de&longs;erve to be unhappy.”

I was greatly di&longs;tre&longs;&longs;ed to hear her talk
in this manner. But before I could interrupt
her, &longs;he thus continued.

“We are now, my dear cou&longs;in, hovering
on the brink of eternity. Which of us, or
whether any may e&longs;cape the horrors of this
awful night, heaven alone can tell; but we
have both children. Promi&longs;e me then my

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friend, &longs;hould you &longs;urvive, to be a mother to
my poor babes, while they &longs;hall require a
mother's tender care: and &longs;hould it be my
fate to e&longs;cape and yours to peri&longs;h; here in
my Maker's &longs;ight, I &longs;wear to con&longs;ider your
Clementina as my own child.”

She had hardly &longs;poke, when a &longs;evere
&longs;hock which the ve&longs;&longs;el received convinced us
we had &longs;truck on &longs;ome rocks, and immediately
from the deck i&longs;&longs;ued a confu&longs;ed noi&longs;e of
“lo&longs;t! gone! all is over!”

Rook&longs;by &longs;tarted from his &longs;eat and clasping
Clara in his arms, ru&longs;hed upon the deck:
Kingly did the &longs;ame by his wife. The love
of life &longs;till prevailed over the &longs;en&longs;e of mi&longs;ery
and I followed them as well as I was able,
crawling on my hands and knees up the &longs;teps.
Kingly met me ju&longs;t as I had reached the top
and taking me in his arms carried me to his
wife. Here a new &longs;cene of horror discovered
it&longs;elf; the day had begun to dawn ju&longs;t
enough to &longs;hew us that we were on a reef
of rocks which ran a con&longs;iderable di&longs;tance
from the &longs;hore, and that the rage of the
breakers, while the wind continued &longs;o violent
would prevent any boat from coming to our
a&longs;&longs;i&longs;tance.

“See,” cried Mrs. Kingly, “there is no
hope.” I could not an&longs;wer.—We &longs;unk upon

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the deck folded in each others arms, Kingly
knelt be&longs;ide and endeavoured to &longs;upport us,
and thus in &longs;ilent agony, we waited the expected
&longs;hock when our ve&longs;&longs;el would fall to
pieces.

But it was near two hours before this
event took place. At length unable to withstand
the repeated &longs;hocks, &longs;he parted and I
&longs;aw Rook&longs;by and Clara plunged into the
waves.

My terrors and grief here became too
great for human nature to &longs;upport and I lo&longs;t
all &longs;en&longs;e of my &longs;ufferings. How long I remained
in&longs;en&longs;ible I cannot tell, but on recovering
my recollection, I found my&longs;elf
alone on the wreck, &longs;lightly fa&longs;tened to it by
a &longs;mall cord, that was pa&longs;&longs;ed round my wai&longs;t
and tied to a ring on the remaining part of
the deck.

The terrors which at that moment took
po&longs;&longs;e&longs;&longs;ion of my mind, are &longs;till too fre&longs;h in
my memory to &longs;uffer me to proceed.