less, he did not venture to say so. To quit this island
was necessary; and provided they gained one of those which were
inhabited, it was all that they could expect. As for Amine, he
considered that she was dead before this, either having been washed
off the raft, or that her body was lying on it exposed to the
decomposing heat of a torrid sun.

To cheer Philip, he expressed himself otherwise; and whenever they
talked about leaving the island, it was not to save their own lives,
but invariably to search after Philip's lost wife. The plan which they
proposed and acted upon was, to construct a light raft, the centre to
be composed of three water-casks, sawed in half, in a row behind each
other, firmly fixed by cross pieces to two long spars on each side.
This, under sail, would move quickly through the water, and be
manageable so as to enable them to steer a course. The outside spars
had been selected and hauled on shore, and the work was already in
progress; but they were left alone in their work, for the seamen
appeared to have no idea at present of quitting the island. Restored
by food and repose, they were not content with the money which they
had--they were anxious for more. A portion of each party's wealth had
been dug up, and they now gambled all day with pebbles, which they
had collected on the beach, and with which they had invented a game.
Another evil had crept among them: they had cut steps in the largest
cocoa-nut trees, and with the activity of seamen had mounted them,
and by tapping the top of the trees, and fixing empty cocoa-nuts
underneath, had obtained the liquor, which in its first fermentation
is termed toddy, and is afterwards distilled into arrack. But as
toddy, it is quite sufficient to intoxicate; and every day the scenes
of violence and intoxication, accompanied with oaths and execrations,
became more and more dreadful. The losers tore their hair, and rushed
like madmen upon those who had gained their dollars; but Krantz had
fortunately thrown their weapons into the sea, and those he had saved,
as well as the ammunition, he had secreted.

Blows and bloodshed, therefore, were continual, but loss of life there
was none, as the contending parties were separated by the others, who
were anxious that the play should not be interrupted. Such had been
the state of affairs for now nearly a fortnight, while the work of the
raft had slowly proceeded. Some of the men had lost their all, and
had, by the gen