It was while Mr. Field was on watch on August 2d that "a grating noise was audible as the cable flew over the coil," and "There is a piece of wire" was called to the lookout man. The fault was discovered, and the cable was transferred without difficulty to the bows, and the picking up was going on quietly when the strain became too great and it parted. To quote from _The Atlantic Telegraph_: "Mr. Canning appeared in the saloon, and, in a manner which caused all to start, said: 'It is all over--it is gone,' and hastened onward to his cabin. Mr. Field, ere the thrill of surprise and pain occasioned by those words had passed away, came from the companionway into the saloon, and said, with composure admirable under the circumstances, though his lip quivered and his cheek was blanched, 'The cable has parted and gone overboard.' "After this grappling was determined upon. At 11.30 on August 11th the _Great Eastern_ signalled to the _Terrible_, 'We are going to make a final effort.' The cable was caught and was brought up 765 fathoms, and was then lost." At Dundee, Scotland, in 1867, Sir William Thomson said: "I shall never forget the day when we last gave up hope of finishing the work in 1865. On that day Cyrus Field renewed a proposal for the adoption of the plan which has been adopted, and which has led to the successful completion of the enterprise. Cyrus Field's last prospectus was completed in the grand saloon of the _Great Eastern_ on the day when we gave up all hope for 1865." [Illustration: THE NIGHT-WATCH (From a lithograph drawn and printed on board the _Great Eastern_.)] On the morning of the 12th the _Terrible_, one of the vessels detailed and the one that had acted as pilot, was directed to resume her journey westward and to carry letters to America. As she steamed away she signalled "Farewell"; the _Great Eastern_ answered "Good-bye, thank you." The following message is without doubt the one sent by this conveyance to Mr. Field's family: "_Great Eastern_ left mouth of the Thames July 15th. Shore end landed in Ireland on 22d. Parted on August 2d in latitude 51° 25' north, longitude 39° 6' west, 1062.4 miles from Valentia Bay, 606.6 miles from Heart's Content. Spent nine days in grappling; used up all wire, rope; nothing left, so obliged to return to England. Three times cable was caught, and hauled up for more than three-quarters of a mile from bed of the ocean." The news of the failure of the cable expedition reached New York after the middle of August, and in a degree the country was prepared for it. The _Cuba_ early in August had brought word of the trouble that had occurred on the 29th of July.