The simplicity of that statement must touch the strongest. Captain Withers, it may be worth mentioning, was returning from Australia, after having lost his ship in the Pacific. His exertions throughout the storm were very great, and it was under his advice that the masts were cut away.[C] There are those who say that if the ship had been earlier dismasted she would not have gone to pieces. I can speak with no authority upon this point. This, however, I know, Captain Taylor so loved his craft that when we ran short of provisions coming home, and might, with two or three hours' supply more of fuel have made the Island of St. Vincent, and taken in a stock both of firing and food, he preferred running all the hazard of 'keeping on,' rather than touch the 'beautiful spars' of his vessel. The loss to his owners in consequence was many thousand pounds. In compensation to second and third class passengers alone, they had to pay something like fifteen hundred pounds. I can, therefore, readily understand that the dismasting of the vessel may have been unfortunately delayed until it was too late to save her. At the same time it is but fair to the memory of the captain--than whom a braver sailor never trod a deck--to say that all such rumours should be accepted with caution. Colonial readers will well remember the many absurd and contradictory reports which were current when the 'Dunbar' went ashore.
[C] The following appears in the _Morning Herald_ of November 2nd:--'Captain Withers, the master of the wrecked vessel "Virginia" (lost in the South Pacific), with nine men, after being nineteen days at sea in an open boat, and enduring innumerable privations, all arrived safe at the Feejee islands, and thence they were conveyed to Sydney, New South Wales. On arriving at Sydney, Captain Withers after seeing that the crew were provided with clothes, went on to Melbourne, and took a passage home to England in the "Royal Charter." He is the "Captain Withers" mentioned by one of the persons saved from the wreck of the "Royal Charter," who behaved with such noble fortitude and unflinching bravery when all seemed lost, and when it was a mockery to hope against such a fearful tempest. But he was doomed to die a sailor's death, for the last seen of him was when he called out to Mr. Stevens and Captain Taylor, "God bless you, Stevens! God bless you, Taylor! Keep firm." The ship broke up immediately after: the rest already too well known.' Strange are the ways of Providence! Captain Withers was saved, after terrible privations, from perishing in the South Pacific to be dashed to pieces on the rocks of Wales!
