the
dreaded shore. We ran on for some time, when once more the wind shifted
to the eastward of south, and blew with greater fury than before.

"It's drawing more and more to the east," said Jim, looking at the
compass.

We hauled down the foresail, as it would only, we believed, drive us the
faster to destruction. The brig tumbled and rolled and pitched about in
a way that made it difficult for us to keep our feet, and every now and
then the seas, washing over the deck, would have swept us off had we not
again lashed ourselves to the stanchions near the pumps. These we
worked as vigorously as our failing strength would allow. We had
resolved not to give in while the brig remained afloat. How we longed
for daylight, that we might see where we were, and judge how we could
best try to save ourselves!

That we were again driving towards the terrible rocks we knew too well,
and several times Jim stopped pumping to listen for the sound of the
breakers. At length he exclaimed, "I hear them, Peter! In less than
ten minutes the brig will be in pieces! Good-bye, if the sea gets us;
but we'll have a fight for it; so the moment she strikes we'll cast
ourselves off from the stanchions."

We were shaking hands while he spoke. I was not quite certain that I
did hear the breakers, the noises on board the tumbling vessel making it
difficult to distinguish sounds. Shortly after this there came a lull,
but we thought it only the prelude to another squall.

The wind fell more and more.

"I see day breaking!" cried Jim, looking eastward.

Faint yellow and red streaks were visible in that direction under the
dark mass of clouds. The light increased, and to the westward, fringed
by a line of rugged black rocks, a green island gradually rose before
our sight. There were grassy slopes, and cliffs, and high, steep,
round-topped hills, with clear streams running between them, forming
lakelets near the beach, glittering in the rays of the rising sun, now
bursting through the dissolving clouds. Far as our eyes could reach not
a tree was visible, nor could we discover a single cottage or other
habitation of man. As the light increased we found that we were about
half a mile away from the entrance of a narrow gulf, which extended
apparently far inland. Not a boat floated on the surface of the gulf,
not a sail was to be seen along the coast.

"I'm greatly afeared that yonder is a dissolute island," (meaning a
desolate island),