.
When that end was accomplished, the sail had been allowed to drop, and
the raft had drifted a good distance without it.

To-night, however, a mast was raised--or rather, a pair of them--
consisting of oars and handspikes spliced together--and between the two
the canvas was extended, without yard, gaff, or boom. There was no
design to manoeuvre the sail. It was just spread like a blanket,
transversely to the raft, and left for the breeze to blow upon it as it
listed. When this was done the raft was left to its own guidance, and,
of course, drifted to leeward as fast as it could make way--apparently
at the rate of three or four knots an hour.

The men once more resumed their recumbent positions, and all remained
silent. Some fell asleep, and snored as though they were happy! Others
slept, but their dream-talking told of troubled visions--recalling,
maybe, dark scenes of guilt. A few seemed to lie awake all the
live-long night--at intervals tossing about, as though kept on the alert
by thirst, hunger, or the apprehension of approaching death.

Brace and I sat close together. We still occupied the slight raft he
had made--as there was but little room upon the other--and this one, now
forming part of the whole structure, was as good a position as we could
have chosen--in fact the best, as the sequel proved.

There was a sail upon it--the jib or flying jib, I know not which--and a
piece of old tarpauling; and these, spread over the planks, kept them
together, and gave us a softer bed to recline upon.

We conversed together at times, though not often. Now and then the
brave sailor had endeavoured to cheer me by holding out hopes--but so
hopeless had our situation now become that he at length desisted. He
felt that it would be only mockery to hold out the slightest prospect of
our deliverance. He, too--the bravest of all that blind--was fast
surrendering himself to despair.

The breeze died away before daybreak, just as on the previous night--and
another morning came, but showed no sail on all that boundless sea.

Another hot sun rose and circled overhead through the same cloudless
heaven, and set red and fiery as ever.

There passed another night, and once more the wind carried us through
the water; and then several other days and nights--I ceased to count
them--came and went with almost the same monotonous routine, varied only
by bickerings among the men--sometimes most fiendish quarrels, in which
knives