There was opportunity now to learn their situation, and to discuss the chances of escape.  At the distance of only a few hundred yards, appeared the shore,—­a lonely waste of sand-hills, so far as could be seen through the spray and driving rain.  But men had been early observed, gazing at the wreck, and, later, a wagon had been drawn upon the beach.  There was no sign of a life-boat, however, or of any attempt at rescue; and, about nine o’clock, it was determined that some one should try to land by swimming, and, if possible, get help.  Though it seemed almost sure death to trust one’s self to the surf, a sailor, with a life-preserver, jumped overboard, and, notwithstanding a current drifting him to leeward, was seen to reach the shore.  A second, with the aid of a spar, followed in safety; and Sumner, encouraged by their success, sprang over also; but, either struck by some piece of the wreck, or unable to combat with the waves, he sank.  Another hour or more passed by; but though persons were busy gathering into carts whatever spoil was stranded, no life-boat yet appeared; and, after much deliberation, the plan was proposed,—­and, as it was then understood, agreed to,—­that the passengers should attempt to land, each seated upon a plank, and grasping handles of rope, while a sailor swam behind.  Here, too, Mrs. Hasty was the first to venture, under the guard of Davis.  Once and again, during their passage, the plank was rolled wholly over, and once and again was righted, with its bearer, by the dauntless steersman; and when, at length, tossed by the surf upon the sands, the half-drowned woman still holding, as in a death-struggle, to the ropes, was about to be swept back by the undertow, he caught her in his arms, and, with the assistance of a bystander, placed her high upon the beach.  Thus twice in one day had he perilled his own life to save that of the widow of his captain, and even over that dismal tragedy his devotedness casts one gleam of light.

Now came Margaret’s turn.  But she steadily refused to be separated from Ossoli and Angelo.  On a raft with them, she would have boldly encountered the surf, but alone she would not go.  Probably, she had appeared to assent to the plan for escaping upon planks, with the view of inducing Mrs. Hasty to trust herself to the care of the best man on board; very possibly, also, she had never learned the result of their attempt, as, seated within the forecastle, she could not see the beach.  She knew, too, that if a life-boat could be sent, Davis was one who would neglect no effort to expedite its coming.  While she was yet declining all persuasions, word was given from the deck, that the life-boat had finally appeared.  For a moment, the news lighted up again the flickering fire of hope.  They might yet be saved,—­be saved together!  Alas! to the experienced eyes of the sailors it too soon became evident that there was no attempt to launch or man her.  The last chance of aid from shore, then, was gone utterly.