Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/427

 THE 17TH OF OCTOBER. 397 SO hated the idea of askiug even that kind of aid, chap. that he refused to make the appeal ; and it was ^"^' only after breaking a cable, and failing to move f^fgn"for his ship by the sole power of the Spitefid, that he '"°'"° "■ at length brought himself to run up a signal for help. At once the appeal was answered ; for Lieutenant Luce, in command of the gunboat Lynx, quickly came in to give help. It was determined to endeavour to get the ship off by the united power of the two steamers, both act- ing from ahead of the Eodney. The Spiteful was to tow with the stream cable, and the Lynx with the towing hawser. It may be that the Spiteful moved somewhat too fast before she got a strain on the cable, for the result was that the stream cable snapped. The fire with which the Kussian batteries had been assailing the Spiteful then increased in power, cutting her masts and rigging, and hulling her several times. Captain Graham now resorted to another plan. The Spiteful was lashed alongside, and the anchor hove up to the bow ; whilst the Lynx exerted her power by steaming ahead ; and, some of the Eod- ney's guns having been run forward in order to and at lighten her abaft, she at length was dragged off success'-'"' the shoal. In the course of the endeavours thus crowned at length with success, a heavy fire had been directed, though directed in vain, upon those of the Kodney's boats which were employed in