Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England The Life of a Ship from the Launch to the Wreck, by R.M. Ballantyne. ________________________________________________________________________ A story for pre-teens, in which a small boy, Davy, is taken to a shipyard to watch the building of a new sailing-vessel, the "Fair Nancy". Eventually Davy is allowed to sail on board of her as a boy-seaman. He is sea-sick at first, but soon recovers and learns how to climb the rigging to help with the sails. They encounter a hurricane, which knocks the ship over, and they lose the ship's boats. A raft is made, but only a few people can get away on it, including the captain's wife. The ship drifts helpless until she is wrecked on a hostile shore. There is only one chance for the men, and that would be if someone could swim ashore with a rope and fasten it, so that each member of the crew can be brought ashore with a travelling block and harness. This works, and no lives are lost. They walk out of the wilderness till they come to a village, from which they make their way to Quebec, and thence back to England. I find it rather a depressing story, but the intention of the book, presumably, is to interest young people in a life at sea. ________________________________________________________________________ THE LIFE OF A SHIP FROM THE LAUNCH TO THE WRECK, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. CHAPTER ONE. THE LIFE OF A SHIP FROM THE LAUNCH TO THE WRECK. SONG OF THE SAILOR BOY. Oh! I love the great blue ocean, I love the whistling breeze, When the gallant ship sweeps lightly Across the surging seas. I watched my first ship building; I saw her timbers rise, Until her masts were towering Up in the bright blue skies. I heard the cheers ascending, I saw her kiss the foam, When first her hull went plunging Into her ocean home. Her flags were gaily streaming, And her sails were full and round, When the shout from shore came ringing, "Hurrah! for the Outward-bound!" But, alas! ere long a tempest Came down with awful roar And dashed our ship in pieces Upon a foreign shore. But He who holds the waters In His almighty hand, Brought all the sailors safely Back to their native land.