, sails, and cordage, and yet he threw all these
chances away, and attempted to do what was impossible."

"He was not one of those who were saved, I believe, sir?"

"No, he is one of those who have not been heard of;--but to proceed:--
The first day of their march from the site of the wreck ought to have
been a warning to them to turn back. The savages robbed them of
everything and threw stones at them. A Dutchman of the name of Trout,
who had fled to the Caffre country for some murder he had committed in
the colony, fell in with them and told them the attempt was
impracticable, from the number of savage nations, the width of the
rivers, the desert countries without water, and the number of wild
beasts which they would encounter; but still they were not persuaded,
and went on to their destruction. They were not five miles from the
wreck at that time, and might have returned to it before night."

"May it not fairly be supposed that after such a dreadful shipwreck
anything was considered preferable by the major portion of them,
especially the passengers, to re-embarking?"

"It may be so; but still it was a feeling that was to be surmounted, and
would have been, had they been counselled by a judicious leader; for he
might fairly have pointed out to them,--without re-embarkation, how are
you to arrive in England?"

"Very true, uncle. Pray continue."

"From the accounts given by the seamen who returned, before they had
travelled a week they were attacked by a large party of natives, to
whose blows and ill-treatment as they passed along they had hitherto
submitted; but as in this instance the natives appeared determined to
massacre them, they resisted as well as they could, and, being nearly
one hundred men in force, succeeded in driving them off, not without
receiving many severe wounds. After a few days' more travelling, their
provisions were all expended, and the seamen began to murmur, and
resolve to take care of themselves, and not to be encumbered with women
and children. The consequence was, that forty-three of the number
separated from the rest, leaving the captain and all the male and female
passengers and children (my dear Elizabeth among them), to get on as
they could."

"How cruel!"

"Yes! but self-preservation is the first law of nature, and I fear it is
in vain to expect that persons not under the influence of religious
principles will risk their lives, or submit to much self-denial, for the
sake