Series of Facts—Brutality to a Captain and his Wife—Fate of a Plunderer—Defence of a Ship against Hundreds of Wreckers—Another Example—Ship Boarded by Peasantry—Police Attacked by Thousands—Cavalry Charge the Wreckers—Hundreds of Drunken Plunderers—A Curious Tract of the Last Century—A Professional Wrecker’s Arguments—A Candid Bahama Pilot CHAPTER XIX. “HOVELLING” _v._ WRECKING. The Contrast—The “Hovellers” defended—Their Services—The Case of 245 the _Albion_—Anchors and Cables wanted by a disabled Vessel—Lugger wrecked on the Beach—Dangers of the Hoveller’s Life—Nearly swamped by the heavy Seas—Loss of a baling Bowl, and what it means—Saved on an American Ship—The Lost Found—A brilliant example of Life-saving at Bideford—The Small Rewards of the Hoveller’s Life—The case of _La Marguerite_—Nearly wrecked in Port—Hovellers _v._ Wreckers—“Let’s all start fair!”—Praying for Wrecks CHAPTER XX. SHIPS THAT “PASS BY ON THE OTHER SIDE.” Captains and Owners—Reasons for apparent Inhumanity—A Case in 261 Point—The Wreck of the _Northfleet_—Run down by the _Murillo_—A Noble Captain—The Vessel Lost, with a Hundred Ships near her—One within Three Hundred Yards—Official Inquiry—Loss of the _Schiller_—Two Hundred Drowned in one heavy Sea—Life-saving Apparatus of little use—Lessons of the Disaster—Wreck of the _Deutschland_—Harwich blamed unjustly—The good Tug-boat _Liverpool_ and her Work—Necessity of proper Communication with Light-houses and Light-ships—The new Signal Code and old Semaphores CHAPTER XXI. A CONTRAST—THE SHIP ON FIRE!—SWAMPED AT SEA. The Loss of the _Amazon_—A Noble Vessel—Description of her 278 Engine-rooms—Her Boats—Heating of the Machinery—The Ship on Fire—Communication cut off—The Ominous Fire-bell—The Vessel put before the Wind—A Headlong Course—Impossibility of Launching the Boats—“Every Man for Himself!”—The Boats on Fire—Horrible Cases of Roasting—Boats Stove in and Upset—The Remnant of Survivors—“Passing by on the Other Side”—Loss of a distinguished Author—A Clergyman’s Experiences—A Graphic Description—Without Food, Water, Oars, Helm, or Compass—Blowing-up of the _Amazon_—“A Sail!”—Saved on the Dutch Galliot—Back from the Dead—Review of the Catastrophe—A Contrast—Loss of the _London_—Anxiety to get Berths on her—The First Disaster—Terrible Weather—Swamped by the Seas—The Furnaces Drowned out—Efforts to replace a Hatchway—Fourteen Feet of Water in the Hold—“Boys, you may say your Prayers!”—Scene in the Saloon—The Last Prayer Meeting—Worthy Draper—Incidents—Loss of an Eminent Tragedian—His Last Efforts—The Bottle Washed Ashore—Nineteen Saved out of Two Hundred and Sixty-three Souls on Board—Noble Captain Martin—The _London’s_ Last Plunge—The Survivors picked up by an Italian Barque CHAPTER XXII. EARLY STEAMSHIP WRECKS AND THEIR LESSONS. The _Rothsay Castle_—An Old Vessel, unfit for Sea Service—A Gay 297 Starting—Drifting to the Fatal Sands—The Steamer Strikes—A Scene