Caoutchouc by John Arthur Barry — Read

Towards midnight the wind freshened very considerably, and putting a reef in main and foresail, and stowing our gaff topsail, we raced along like a little steamer, passing Newcastle Nobbys at breakfast-time next morning. Then the wind drew more ahead, raising a choppy sea, and it was well on in the afternoon before we covered the next sixty miles, and, rounding the Cape, saw in a small cove the German brig, her nose jammed between two rocks, bowsprit snapped short off, her foretopmast lying in a heap of wreckage over the forecastle, the main one hanging and swinging up and down the lower mast, whilst from half-way up the gaff halliards the black, red, and white flag of Germany streamed forlornly. Evidently the Putzig was bumping to the swell; and although her stern had slewed end on, and rose apparently pretty dry, from amidships right for'ard the short seas broke clean over the vessel.

-"Umph!" said Mowbray, doubtfully, "if this breeze freshens much more my tenner'll go all to pieces before morning. Still, there's no sea to speak of. I think we'd better run close in, drop our anchor, and then out dinghy and see what's aboard that will return the quickest value for a very risky investment."