The waves are rolling worse than ever." Colonel Talbot knew what he was saying.

Vainly the men in Sumter looked for relief by sea.

They, too, had seen the three ships off the harbor, and they knew whence they came and for what purpose.

But they had reached the end of their journey, and had fallen short with the object of it in sight.

They were compelled to swing back and forth, while they watched the circle of batteries pour a continuous fire upon the crumbling fort.
After the Southern officers had taken a long look at the Union ships, and had seen that they could do nothing, the fire on Sumter was renewed with increased volume.