Untitled

14. THE GEEAT LONE LAND.
hour of his disaster! Who has not heard of that captain
who sailed away from Liverpool one day bound for America ?
He had been hard worked on shore,, and it was said that
when he sought the seclusion of his own cabin he was not
unmindful of that comfort which we are told the first navigator
of the ocean did not disdain to use. For a little time
things went well. The Isle of Man was passed; but unfortunately,
on the second day out, the good ship struck the
shore of the north-east coast of Ireland and became a total
wreck. As the weather was extremely fine, and there appeared
to be no reason for the disaster, the subject became
matter for investigation by the authorities connected with
the Board of Trade. During the inquiry it was deposed
that the Calf of Man had been passed at such an hour on
such a day, and the circumstance duly reported to the captain,
who, it was said, was below. It was also stated that
having received the report of the passage of the Calf of Man
the captain had ordered the ship to be kept in a north-west
course until further orders. About six hours later the vessel
went ashore on the coast of Ireland. Such was the evidence
of the first officer. The captain was shortly after called and
examined.
f{
It appears, sir," said the president of the court, " that
the passing of the Calf of Man was duly reported to you
by the first officer. May I ask, sir, what course you ordered
to he steered upon receipt of that information ? '*
a
North-west, sir/' answered the captain \ " I said, ' Keep
her north-west/ "
" North-west/' repeated the president " a very excellent
general course for making the coast of America, but not
until you had cleared the channel and were well into the
Atlantic. Why, sir, the whole of Ireland lay between you
and America on that course."