Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/102

86 the enemy a furious blow it seemed doubtful if he would touch her at all. But just as the great arm was extented to clutch mast or smoke-stack again, a spar of great length was run out from the Roanoke's bowsprit, armed with a torpedo at the end, at such a level as to strike the monster's side just below the surface of the water. A loud explosion followed, and through the mountain of water and spray we saw the Roanoke speeding away, and the monster seemingly uninjured. Not so however in reality. A breach had been made in her side, and as we watched we saw that she was slowly but surely settling down. The sun was now on the point of setting, having remained above the horizon just long enough to light us to victory. Darkness fell rapidly, but still we could see the flash of the great guns of the sinking ship, and hear the shells hurtling over our heads. It was quite dark when these sights and sounds suddenly ceased.

The enemy had sunk in ninety fathoms of water.