had made about two-thirds of her way, when one night a brisk gale
sprung up, which increased in violence so rapidly, that the officers
of the watch felt some anxiety on account of the unusual strain upon
the ship. Captain Edwards ordered the well to be sounded, and the
result confirming his apprehensions, the pumps were manned in an
incredibly short time, every one on board being aroused to a sense of
danger.

Lieutenant the Honourable Alexander Jones had been relieved from the
first watch, and had retired to his berth about an hour before without
any misgivings. He was suddenly awakened by the alarming cry that the
ship was sinking, and the call of 'all hands,' He sprang up, and in a
few moments joined the group of officers, naval and military,
assembled on the quarter-deck. Anxiety was depicted on every
countenance; for although the pumps were worked incessantly, the
soldiers taking their turn with the sailors, the water was still
gaining on them fast; and even whilst the men relieved each other, it
rose several inches. But when human efforts were unavailing, the hand
of Providence was stretched out to save. The wind fell as suddenly as
it had risen, and after many hours of hard labour, the water was got
under, and the vessel was considered comparatively safe.

Had the Sceptre gone down that night, hundreds and hundreds of
England's best and bravest defenders must have sunk into a watery
grave, and in all probability the enemy's ships, which were hovering
upon the track of the convoy, would have got possession of the
transports and merchantmen; and even the success of our arms in India
might have been seriously affected.

A few weeks after the gale we have mentioned, the Sceptre and her