"But it was not until daybreak that we were able to do anything really useful; and then all hands of us got to work and built a raft of sorts, after which we got up a good supply of provisions and water, sails to serve as tents, light line, and, in short, everything likely to be useful, and managed to get ashore without very much difficulty.  But before I left the ship I had the cables hauled in through the hawse- pipes, and examined them most carefully.  They were both unmistakably cut through--a clean cut, sir, evidently done with a sharp knife--at about the level of the water's edge."