Still, the most careful steering was necessary, and Jorrocks had to have out an oar astern, in order to aid the skipper's control of the tiller, when he put the helm up or down suddenly so as to get out of the wash of the breakers.
The jolly-boat, too, occasioned us much uneasiness; for when the tow- rope slackened at these moments of peril, she ran the chance of slewing round broadside on to the sea.

However, thanks to the interposing aid of Providence, we got through the dangers of the night, and day dawned at last.
It was a terribly anxious watch, though, for all hands--especially for the skipper and Jorrocks, and the men told off to hold the sheets of the sails; for these latter couldn't be belayed, having to be hauled taut or let go at a moment's notice.
With the advent of day came renewed hope, in spite of our not being able yet to see land--nothing being in sight ahead or astern, to the right or the left, but the same eternal sea and sky, sky and sea, which the rising sun, although it lent a ray of radiance to the scene, only made infinitely more dreary and illimitable.
Towards noon, however, away on the port bow, the peak of a snow-topped mountain was perceived just above the horizon.
"Hurrah!" cried Captain Billings.

"There's our old friend Cape Horn! Another couple of hours straight ahead, and we ought to rise those islands I was speaking of.

Do you see the Cape ?" he shouted out across the little intervening space of water to Mr Macdougall in the jolly- boat.
"Aye, aye--and it's a glad seeght!" replied the mate, to which statement all hands cheered.

Some provisions, which, through the thoughtful precaution of the skipper and the assistance of Pat Doolan, had been cooked before being placed on board, were now served out around--the long-boat the while steadily progressing on her course, now hauled a bit more to the westwards of north.
About three o'clock in the afternoon another cheery hail broke the stillness that reigned amongst us; for we were all too anxious to talk, and those of the crew who were not attending to the sheets of the sails had composed themselves to sleep, under the thwarts amidships and on the gratings aft.
"Land, ho!" The cry came from a man on the look-out in the bows; and the announcement was received with a ringing shout, for the heavens were beginning to get overcast, and the wind was rising, promising that, should we be compelled to remain afloat another night, we should not find it quite so pleasant as our experiences of the past one, in spite of what we then thought the dangerous character of the following waves; and, if it came on to blow in addition, the heavy running sea which we had then to contend with would be mere child's play in comparison with what we might expect would get up in an hour or two.
But, the nearness of the land led us to hope that we should not experience any further risk of being swamped.