When the slings came down to them for the last time, they put them on, and stood on the wreck watching till a great wave came.

When it had passed, they slipped down the side of the ship by a rope, and hurried over the rocks till immediately under the spar, whose position was indicated by a lantern held there.

Then, in answer to their shout, the rope tightened, and they again swung in the air.
The wind blew no more fiercely than before; indeed, it was scarce possible it could do so; but they were now both utterly exhausted.
During the hour and a half which they had stood upon the remains of the wreck, they had been, every minute or two, deluged with water.
Sometimes, indeed, the sea had swept clean over them, and had it not been that they had lashed themselves with ropes, they must have been swept away.
Every great wave had swept away some plank or beam of the wreck, and when they left it, scarce a fragment of the deck remained attached to the rudder-post.

Terrible was the buffeting they received as they ascended, and time after time they were dashed with immense force against the face of the cliff.
To Jack the noise and confusion seemed to increase.

A strange singing sounded in his ears, and as the slings reached the top, and a burst of cheering broke from the seamen there, all consciousness left him.
The officer in command of the party was himself at the spot; he and many others having made their way down, when the news spread that a rescue was being attempted.