The danger which we were about to incur was fully evident to the crowds which were assembled on the beach; not only the pilots, who stood there ready to assist us--some with ropes with iron hooks at the end of them--others all ready to dart into the surf to hold on the boat, or, if required, to link their arms together, so as to form a living chain which the undertow could not drag away with it; higher up, women and children, their clothes driven by the furious gale, with one hand holding on their caps, and with the other supporting themselves by the gunnels of the boats hauled up, the capstans, or perhaps an anchor with its fluke buried in the shingle, were looking on with dismay and with beating hearts, awaiting the result of the venturous attempt, and I soon discovered the form of Bessy, who was in advance of all the others. [Illustration: WRECK OF THE GALLEY.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 407.] After a careful watching for perhaps two minutes on the part of Bramble, he gave the word, and on dashed the galley toward the strand, keeping pace with the wild surges, and although buried in the foam, not shipping one drop of water. "Now, my men, give way--for your lives, give way," cried Bramble, as a cresting wave came towering on, as if in angry pursuit of us. The men obeyed, but, in their exertions, the stroke oar snapped in two, the man fell back, and prevented the one behind him from pulling. Our fate was sealed; the surge poured over, and throwing us broadside to the beach, we were rolled over and over in the boiling surf. A cry was heard--a cry of terror and despair--on the part of the women. I heard it as I was swept away by the undertow, and the next wave poured over me; but all was activity and energy on the part of the men who were on the beach: the next wave that run in, they recovered me and two more by linking their arms and allowing the surf to break over them. We were so much bruised that we could not stand; they dragged us up, and left us to the women. Bramble and four others were still struggling for life; again two were saved--but the men on the beach were exhausted by their strenuous exertions. [Illustration: WE FOUND BOTH BRAMBLE AND BESSY CLINGING TO THE ROPE.--Marryat, Vol. X., p. 409.]