was the danger of the ship’s bottom beating against the end of the mast, did the latter get overboard.  Under all these circumstances, however, we determined to cut as much of the gear as possible, and let the fallen spars work themselves clear of us, if they could.  Our job was by no means easy.  It was difficult to stand, even, on the deck of the Dawn, in a time like that; and this difficulty was greatly increased forward, by having so little to hold on by.  But work we did, and in a way that cleared most of the rigging from the ship, in the course of the next half hour.  We were encouraged by the appearances of the weather too, the gale having broken, and promising to abate.  The ship grew a little easier, I thought, and we moved about with more confidence of not being washed away by the seas that came on board us.  After a time, we took some refreshments, eating the remains of a former meal, and cheered our hearts a little with a glass or two of good Sherry.  Temperance may be very useful, but so is a glass of good wine, when properly used.  Then we went at it, again, working with a will and with spirit.  The wreck aft wanted very little to carry it over the side, and going aloft with an axe, I watched my opportunity, cut one or two of the shrouds and stays, just as the ship lurched heavily to leeward, and got rid of the whole in the sea handsomely, without further injury to the ship.  This was a good deliverance, the manner in which the spars had threshed about, having menaced our lives, before.  We now attacked the wreck forward, for the last time, feeling certain we should get it adrift, could we sever the connection formed by one or two of the larger ropes.  The lee-shrouds, in particular, gave us trouble, it being impossible to get at them, in-board, the fore channels being half the time under water and the bulwarks in their wake being all gone.  It was, in fact, impossible to stand there to work long enough to clear, or cut, all the lanyards.  Marble was an adventurous fellow aloft, on all occasions; and seeing good footing about the top, without saying a word to me, he seized an axe, and literally ran out on the mast, where he began to cut the collars of the rigging at the mast-head.  This was soon done; but the spars were no sooner clear, than, impelled by a wave that nearly drowned the mate, the end of the foremast slid off the forecastle into the sea, leaving the ship virtually clear of the wreck, but my mate adrift on the last; I say virtually clear, for the lee fore-top-sail-brace still remained fast to the ship, by some oversight in clearing away the smaller ropes.  The effect of this restraint was to cause the whole body of the wreck to swing slowly round, until it rode by this rope, alone.