Chapter I: Front Matter

AN OCEAN TRAGEDY

NOVELS, ETC., BY W. CLARK RUSSELL.

Crown 8vo. cloth extra, 3_s._ 6_d._ each; post 8vo. illustrated boards, 2_s._ each; cloth limp, 2_s._ 6_d._ each.

ROUND THE GALLEY-FIRE.
IN THE MIDDLE WATCH.
ON THE FO’K’SLE HEAD.
A VOYAGE TO THE CAPE.
A BOOK FOR THE HAMMOCK.
THE MYSTERY OF THE ‘OCEAN STAR.’
THE ROMANCE OF JENNY HARLOWE.
AN OCEAN TRAGEDY.
MY SHIPMATE LOUISE.
ALONE ON A WIDE WIDE SEA.
THE GOOD SHIP ‘MOHOCK.’
THE PHANTOM DEATH.
IS HE THE MAN?
HEART OF OAK.
THE CONVICT SHIP.
THE LAST ENTRY.
THE TALE OF THE TEN.

Crown 8vo. cloth, 3_s._ 6_d._ each.

A TALE OF TWO TUNNELS.
THE DEATH SHIP.
OVERDUE.
WRONG SIDE OUT. (Also an Edition at 1_s._ net.)
THE ‘PRETTY POLLY.’ With 12 Illustrations by G. E. ROBERTSON.

Popular Editions, medium 8vo. 6_d._ each.

THE CONVICT SHIP.
IS HE THE MAN?

LONDON: CHATTO & WINDUS, 111 ST. MARTIN’S LANE, W.C.

AN OCEAN TRAGEDY
BY
W. CLARK RUSSELL

AUTHOR OF ‘THE FROZEN PIRATE’ ‘THE WRECK OF THE GROSVENOR’
‘A BOOK FOR THE HAMMOCK’ ‘A VOYAGE TO THE CAPE,’ ETC.

[colophon]

A NEW IMPRESSION

LONDON
CHATTO & WINDUS
1911

_To HERMAN MELVILLE, Esq._

_MY DEAR HERMAN MELVILLE_,

_In words of beauty and of kindness you lately wished me health and content. Health, alas! you cannot give me; but content you have filled me with. My books have done more than ever I had dared dream, by winning for me the friendship and approval of the Author of ‘Typee,’ ‘Omoo,’ ‘Moby-Dick,’ ‘Redburn,’ and other productions which top the list of sea literature in the English tongue. I beg you to accept this dedication as a further public avowal of my hearty admiration of your genius._

_In all faithfulness yours,
W. CLARK RUSSELL._

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. MY COUSIN 1
II. THE ‘BRIDE’ 10
III. LAURA JENNINGS 17
IV. IN THE SOLENT 27
V. LONG TOM 39
VI. FINN TESTS THE CREW’S SIGHT 50
VII. SAIL HO! 58
VIII. WE SPEAK THE ‘WANDERER’ 67
IX. A SQUALL 76
X. I GO ALOFT 84
XI. THE PORTUGUESE BRIG 92
XII. A SECOND WARNING 105
XIII. I INTERPRET THE WARNING 116
XIV. MUFFIN GOES FORWARD 126
XV. I BOARD A WRECK 136
XVI. WE SIGHT A SCHOONER-YACHT 147
XVII. WE RAISE THE SCHOONER 156
XVIII. IS SHE THE ‘SHARK?’ 166
XIX. A MYSTERIOUS VOICE 178
XX. MUFFIN IS PUNISHED 188
XXI. HEAVY WEATHER 198
XXII. THE ‘LIZA ROBBINS’ 206
XXIII. THE COLONEL AND HER LADYSHIP 215
XXIV. THE DUEL 224
XXV. THE COLONEL’S FUNERAL 235
XXVI. WILFRID’S DELUSION 247
XXVII. A DEAD CALM 263
XXVIII. A TERRIBLE NIGHT 274
XXIX. A VOLCANIC ISLAND 286
XXX. WE BOARD THE GALLEON 297
XXXI. THE FIRST NIGHT 308
XXXII. THE GALLEON’S HOLD 321
XXXIII. THE SECOND NIGHT 334
XXXIV. CONCLUSION 348

AN OCEAN TRAGEDY.