ut whenever I recall it to mind,
I tremble at the bare recollection of the dreadful fate that seemed
inevitable. My companion was not so expert a swimmer as I was, so that
I distanced him many feet, when I heard him utter a faint cry. I turned
round, convinced that the shark had seized him, but it was not so; my
having left him so far behind had increased his terror and induced him
to draw my attention. I returned to him, held him up, and encouraged
him. Without this he would certainly have sunk; he revived with my
help, and we reached the sandy beach in safety, having eluded our enemy;
who, when he neither saw or heard us, had, as I concluded he would,
quitted the spot.

Once more on terra firma, we lay gasping for some minutes before we
spoke. What my companion's thoughts were, I do not know; mine were
replete with gratitude to God, and renewed vows of amendment; and I have
every reason to think, that although Charles had not so much room for
reform as myself, that his feelings were perfectly in unison with my
own. We never afterwards repeated this amusement, though we frequently
talked of our escape, and laughed at our terrors; yet on these occasions
our conversation always took a serious turn: and, upon the whole, I am
convinced that this adventure did us both a vast deal of good.

I had now been six months in these islands, had perfectly recovered my
health, and became anxious for active employment. The brilliant
successes of our rear-admiral at Washington made me wish for a share of
the honour and glory which my brethren in arms were acquiring on the
coast of North America; but my wayward fate sent me in a very opposite
direction.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

_Miranda_.
How came we ashore!
_Prospero_.
By Providence divine.
...
Sit still, and hear the last of our sea-sorrow.
Here in this island we arrived.
SHAKESPEARE.

A frigate called at the island for turtle; and, having represented my
case to the captain, he offered to take me on board, telling me at the
same time that he was going much further to the southward, to relieve
another cruiser, who would then return to England, and the captain of
her would, no doubt, give me a passage home. I accordingly made hasty
preparations for my departure; took leave of all my kind friends at the
barracks, for kind indeed they were to _me_, although thoughtless and
foolish towards themselves. I bade adieu to the families on the island,
in whose h