broke, he could clearly
see the frigate; but after he had anxiously watched her, he observed her
standing to the southward. He had little hopes of surviving, yet he
resolved to persevere to the last. Still the spars afforded but a
slight support. He had to dread, too, the attack of sharks. About two
hours after daylight, however, he observed floating near him the stock
of a large ship's anchor. Leaving young Bramston secured to the spars,
towing them, he swam towards it. This afforded him and his companion a
far safer resting-place. He was now able to lash several spars to the
timber, while another formed a mast, and a second, which he and Bramston
cut through with their knives, supplied them with paddles and a yard.
On this they spread their shirts, which they split open.

As the sun rose, his beams fell on an island in the far distance. The
wind was fair, and towards it they directed their course. The current,
too, favoured them. Without this their progress would have been very
slow. They soon began to feel the want of water, but Oliver urged
Bramston on no account to drink the salt water. The midshipman, on
searching in his pockets, happily found a small quantity of biscuit,
which he had thoughtlessly put there, he supposed, after supper that
very night. This supplied them with food when their hunger became
ravenous. Thus they sailed on the whole day. Happily the night was not
very dark, and they were thus able to keep the island in sight. It was
almost daylight the next morning when at length they found themselves
driving in towards the rocks. With great difficulty they kept off, and
coasted round to the very bay where Mr Martin had landed. Finding,
however, that they could not get in their frail raft, they had after
all, having repossessed themselves of their shirts, to swim on shore,
Mr Oliver towing young Bramston, who was supported on a spar. They
were almost exhausted when they landed, but, finding a shady place under
a rock, they fell asleep, and awoke considerably refreshed. A few
handfuls of water, in a crevice of a rock, assisted to keep them alive,
while they, not without considerable danger, managed to collect some
shell-fish from the rocks. Still, they found their strength daily
decreasing, till the young midshipman was utterly unable to move. Every
day Mr Oliver had climbed to the top of the rock in the hopes of some
vessel passing. His joy at seeing his own frigate may be conceive