"Without a moment's delay he plunged unto the surf, which three times carried him off his legs and sent him back on shore.  Again he tried, and this time the sea drove him right against the wreck.  The night was so dark that he had a hard matter to find out where the poor fellow was. At length he found a man clinging to the breastwork.  The poor fellow told him that just before three men who had clung on until then had been washed away, and if he had come a few minutes sooner they might have been saved.  As to swimming to shore, that he was certain was more than he could do.  On this Sharman, taking the rope off himself, made it fast round the seaman's waist, and shouted to Smith to haul in, while he himself trusted to his strong arms to hold onto the rope.  They thus mercifully got safe to shore."