THE ARIEL AMONG THE SHOALS （Ⅲ）
1.THE voice of the pilot，however，was still heard，steady，and calm，and yet so clear and high as to reach every ear，and the obedient seamen whirled the yards at his bidding in despite of the tempest，as if they handled the toys of their childhood.The beautiful fabric，obedient to her government，threw her bows up gracefully to the wind again，and，as her sails were trimmed，moved out from among the dangerous shoals in which she had been embayed，as steadily and swiftly as she had approached them.
2.There was no time for the usual expressions of surprise.The stranger still held the trumpet，and continued to lift his voice amid the howlings of the blast，whenever prudence or skill directed any change in the management of the ship.For an hour longer there was a fearful struggle for their preservation，the channel at each step becoming more complicated，and the shoals thickening around the mariners on every side.The lead was cast rapidly，and the quick eye of the pilot seemed to pierce the darkness with a keenness of vision that exceeded human power.
3.It was apparent to all in the vessel，that they were under the guidance of one who understood the navigation thoroughly，and their exertions kept pace with their reviving confidence.Again and again the frigate appeared to be rushing blindly on shoals，where the sea was covered with foam，and where destruction would have been as sudden as it was certain，when the clear voice of the stranger washeard warning them of their danger，and inciting them to their duty.The vessel was implicitly yielded to his government，and during those anxious moments，when she was dashing the waters aside，throwing the spray over her enormous yards，each ear would listen eagerly for those sounds that had obtained a command over the crew，that can only be acquired，under such circumstances，by great steadiness and consummate skill.The ship was recovering from the inaction of changing her course，in one of those critical tacks she had made so often，when the pilot，for the first time，addressed the commander of the frigate.
4.“Now is the pinch，”he said；“and if the ship behaves well，we are safe，but，if otherwise，all we have yet done will be useless.”The veteran seaman whom he addressed left the chains at this portentous notice，and，calling to his first lieutenant，required of the stranger an explanation of his warning.“See yon light on the southern headland？”returned the pilot；“you may know it from the star near it by its sinking，at times，in the ocean.Now observe the hummock，a little north of it，looking like a shadow in the horizon；’tis a hill far inland.If we keep that light open from the hill，we shall do well，but if not，we surely go to pieces.”“Let us tack again ！”exclaimed the lieutenant.
5.The pilot shook his head，as he replied，“There is no more tacking or box-hauling to be done tonight.We have barely room to pass out of the shoals on this course，and if we can weather the ‘Devil’s Grip，‘we clear their outermost point，but if not，as I said before，there is but one alternative.”“If we had beaten out the way we entered，”exclaimed Griffith，“we should have done well.”“Say，also，if the tide would have let us do so，”returned the pilot，calmly.“Gentlemen，we must be prompt；we have but a mile to go，and the ship appears to fly.That topsail is not enough to keep her up to the wind；we want both jib and mainsail.”“Tis a perilous thing to loosen canvas in such a tempest！”observed the doubtful captain.“It must bedone！”returned the collected stranger；“we perish without.See！the light already touches the edge of the hummock；the sea casts us to leeward.”“It shall be done ！”cried Griffith，seizing the trumpet from the hand of the pilot.
6.The orders of the lieutenant were executed almost as soon as issued，and，every thing being ready，the enormous folds of the mainsail were trusted loose to the blast.There was an instant when the result was doubtful；the tremendous thrashing of the heavy sails seeming to bid defiance to all restraint，shaking the ship to her center；but art and strength prevailed，and gradually the canvas was distended，and bellying as it filled，was drawn down to its usual place by the power of a hundred men.The vessel yielded to this immense addition of force，and bowed before it like a reed bending to a breeze.The success of the measure was announced by a joyful cry from the stranger，that seemed to burst from his inmost soul.