Page:The Wreck of a World - Grove - 1890.djvu/99

Rh shot; the ship recovered equilibrium with a great lurch, and the enemy's ship slewed round on the sudden relaxation of the strain. I saw my chance, got my vessel's head round, and made for the enemy. Crash went my bows into her quarter, and at the same moment Gell who had seen our danger crashed into her from the other side, our bowsprits nearly meeting across her deck. She began to fill and sink, but so firmly were we wedged, that it was only by putting on full steam and reversing the engines that Gell and I succeeded in disengaging ourselves from being carried down with our sinking foe.

The last honours of this eventful day rested with Dana. We had now fairly broken through the enemy's line, and had proved ourselves more than a match for these soulless machines, with all their mechanical perfection and blind implacable fury. As we dropped down the river, leaving the discomfited host behind, we found ourselves in the reverse formation to that in which we had attacked, for I was now leading the way, Dana bringing up the rear. Our fighting we thought was at an end; but we proved to be mistaken. For suddenly there appeared from I know not where