pon the
horizon--in vain had they strained their blood-shot eyes to see some
vessel coming to their relief. The shades of night closed round them,
and sadly they awaited the dawn of another day, resolving that if they
lived to see it they would construct a raft and commit themselves to
the waves, rather than remain to die of hunger and thirst.
Accordingly, at daylight they began to put their plan into execution
by fastening some of the larger spars together, and in a few hours the
raft was completed. The eventful moment for launching it arrived, when
with bitter grief and disappointment they beheld the work of their
hands, which it had cost them so much labour to achieve, dashed to
pieces in a few seconds and scattered adrift upon the waves. Some of
the men, rendered desperate by seeing their last chance of escape thus
snatched from them, rushed into the sea, grasping at such parts of the
wreck as came within their reach; but they were all swept away by the
current, and their unhappy comrades saw them no more.

In the afternoon, the coxswain arrived in the whale-boat, but he came
without bringing them any food or means of escape--for all his
entreaties had been unavailing to persuade the Greek fishermen to put
to sea whilst the gale continued. They had, however, promised to come
to the relief of the sufferers the next day if the weather should be
more favourable.

This was the fifth day that these wretched men had passed without food
of any kind except the disgusting morsel they had attempted to
swallow. Many who were completely exhausted, stretched their weary
limbs on the hard rocks and expired, and before night the greater
part of the survivors were in a state of complete insensibility.

On the sixth morning they were scarcely able to raise themselves from
the rock to look once more upon the sea, when one less feeble than the
rest exclaimed, 'the boats are coming.' And most welcome was the sight
of four fishing vessels, and the whale-boat steering towards them.
Such joy was theirs as can only be understood by those who have
experienced a similar deliverance from the jaws of death. The boats
reached the rocks; they contained a supply of water and food, which
were distributed in moderation among the perishing seamen, who, when
they were a little renovated, were taken on board the boats, and in a
few hours landed on Cerigotto.

The poor but hospitable inhabitants of the island received the
strangers most kindly, an