The second attempt met with even worse success; for he remained
      so long under water without giving the signal, that, becoming
      alarmed for his safety, we drew him out without it, and found
      that he was almost at the last gasp, having, as he said,
      repeatedly jerked at the rope without our feeling it. This was
      probably owing to a portion of it having become entangled in the
      balustrade at the foot of the ladder. This balustrade was,
      indeed, so much in the way, that we determined to remove it, if
      possible, before proceeding with our design. As we had no means
      of getting it away except by main force, we all descended into
      the water as far as we could on the ladder, and giving a pull
      against it with our united strength, succeeded in breaking it
      down. The third attempt was equally unsuccessful with the two first,
      and it now became evident that nothing could be done in this
      manner without the aid of some weight with which the diver might
      steady himself, and keep to the floor of the cabin while making
      his search. For a long time we looked about in vain for something
      which might answer this purpose; but at length, to our great joy,
      we discovered one of the weather-forechains so loose that we had
      not the least difficulty in wrenching it off. Having fastened
      this securely to one of his ankles, Peters now made his fourth
      descent into the cabin, and this time succeeded in making his way
      to the door of the steward’s room. To his inexpressible grief,
      however, he found it locked, and was obliged to return without
      effecting an entrance, as, with the greatest exertion, he could
      remain under water not more, at the utmost extent, than a single
      minute. Our affairs now looked gloomy indeed, and neither
      Augustus nor myself could refrain from bursting into tears, as we
      thought of the host of difficulties which encompassed us, and the
      slight probability which existed of our finally making an escape. But this weakness was not of long duration. Throwing ourselves on
      our knees to God, we implored His aid in the many dangers which
      beset us; and arose with renewed hope and vigor to think what
      could yet be done by mortal means toward accomplishing our
      deliverance. CHAPTER 10


      Shortly afterward an incident occurred which I am induced to look
      upon as more intensely productive of emotion, as far more replete
      with the extremes first of delight and then of horror, than even
      any of the thousand chances which afterward befell me in nine
      long years, crowded with events of the most startling and, in
      many cases, of the most unconceived and unconceivable character. We were lying on the deck near the companion-way, and debating
      the possibility of yet making our way into the storeroom, when,
      looking toward Augustus, who lay fronting myself, I perceived
      that he had become all at once deadly pale, and that his lips
      were quivering in the most singular and unaccountable manner. Greatly alarmed, I spoke to him, but he made me no reply, and I
      was beginning to think that he was suddenly taken ill, when I
      took notice of his eyes, which were glaring apparently at some
      object behind me. I turned my head, and shall never forget the
      ecstatic joy which thrilled through every particle of my frame,
      when I perceived a large brig bearing down upon us, and not more
      than a couple of miles off. I sprung to my feet as if a musket
      bullet had suddenly struck me to the heart; and, stretching out
      my arms in the direction of the vessel, stood in this manner,
      motionless, and unable to articulate a syllable. Peters and
      Parker were equally affected, although in different ways. The
      former danced about the deck like a madman, uttering the most
      extravagant rhodomontades, intermingled with howls and
      imprecations, while the latter burst into tears, and continued
      for many minutes weeping like a child. The vessel in sight was a large hermaphrodite brig, of a Dutch
      build, and painted black, with a tawdry gilt figure-head. She had
      evidently seen a good deal of rough weather, and, we supposed,
      had suffered much in the gale which had proved so disastrous to
      ourselves; for her foretopmast was gone, and some of her
      starboard bulwarks. When we first saw her, she was, as I have
      already said, about two miles off and to windward, bearing down
      upon us. The breeze was very gentle, and what astonished us
      chiefly was, that she had no other sails set than her foremast
      and mainsail, with a flying jib—of course she came down but
      slowly, and our impatience amounted nearly to phrensy. The
      awkward manner in which she steered, too, was remarked by all of
      us, even excited as we were. She yawed about so considerably,
      that once or twice we thought it impossible she could see us, or
      imagined that, having seen us, and discovered no person on board,
      she was about to tack and make off in another direction. Upon
      each of these occasions we screamed and shouted at the top of our
      voices, when the stranger would appear to change for a moment her
      intention, and again hold on toward us—this singular conduct
      being repeated two or three times, so that at last we could think
      of no other manner of accounting for it than by supposing the
      helmsman to be in liquor. No person was seen upon her decks until she arrived within about
      a quarter of a mile of us. We then saw three seamen, whom by
      their dress we took to be Hollanders. Two of these were lying on
      some old sails near the forecastle, and the third, who appeared
      to be looking at us with great curiosity, was leaning over the
      starboard bow near the bowsprit. This last was a stout and tall
      man, with a very dark skin. He seemed by his manner to be
      encouraging us to have patience, nodding to us in a cheerful
      although rather odd way, and smiling constantly, so as to display
      a set of the most brilliantly white teeth. As his vessel drew
      nearer, we saw a red flannel cap which he had on fall from his
      head into the water; but of this he took little or no notice,
      continuing his odd smiles and gesticulations. I relate these
      things and circumstances minutely, and I relate them, it must be
      understood, precisely as they _appeared_to us. The brig came on slowly, and now more steadily than before, and—I
      cannot speak calmly of this event—our hearts leaped up wildly
      within us, and we poured out our whole souls in shouts and
      thanksgiving to God for the complete, unexpected, and glorious
      deliverance that was so palpably at hand.