g before he
had dragged up the last of the number, many of those previously saved
had, without any other assistance than the heat of the sun, recovered
from their insensibility.

Francisco would have continued his task of humanity, but the parted
vessel had now been riven into fragments by the force of the waves, and
the whole beach was strewed with her timbers and her stores, which were
dashed on shore by the waters, and then swept back again by the return.
In a short time the severe blows he received from these fragments
disabled him from further exertion, and he sank exhausted on the sand;
indeed, all further attempts were useless. All on board the vessel had
been launched into the sea at the same moment, and those who were not
now on shore were past all succour. Francisco walked up to those who had
been saved: he found twelve of them were recovered and sitting on their
hams; the rest were still in a state of insensibility. He then went up
to the knoll where his chest and provisions had been placed, and,
throwing himself down by them, surveyed the scene.

[Illustration: _At last he snatched up the haulyards of his boat's sail,
and hastened down to the spot to afford such succour as might be
possible._]

The wind had lulled, the sun shone brightly, and the sea was much less
violent. The waves had subsided, and, no longer hurried on by the force
of the hurricane, broke majestically and solemnly, but not with the
wildness and force which, but a few hours before, they had displayed.
The whole of the beach was strewed with the fragments of the vessel,
with spars and water-casks; and at every moment was to be observed the
corpse of a negro turning round and round in the froth of the wave, and
then disappearing.

For an hour did he watch and reflect, and then he walked again to where
the men who had been rescued were sitting, not more than thirty yards
from him; they were sickly, emaciated forms, but belonging to a tribe
who inhabited the coast, and who, having been accustomed from their
infancy to be all the day in the water, had supported themselves better
than the other slaves, who had been procured from the interior, or the
European crew of the vessel, all of whom had perished.

The Africans appeared to recover fast by the heat of the sun, so
oppressive to Francisco, and were now exchanging a few words with each
other. The whole of them had revived, but those who were most in need of
aid were neglected by the othe