e and escape from my persecutors. I dared not lose time by
stopping even for a moment to listen for the sounds of a boat being
lowered. I heard several other voices hail, but the ship stood on and
gradually faded away in the gloom of night. I knew that being low in
the water I could not be seen.

Presently I saw the flash of a musket; then another and another; but no
shots came near me, and from this I was convinced that the third mate,
or some one else, was firing at random. Had the captain or the other
mates been in their right senses the ship would probably have been
hove-to and two boats, at least, have been sent in chase of me. The
third mate was, I suspect, afraid of heaving to on account of the reefs.
He kept the ship, therefore, before the wind. Whatever the cause, I
was thankful I was not pursued, and I trusted that the breeze would blow
stronger and carry the ship farther and farther away from me.

Although, through there being no moon, the night was dark, and there was
a mist which hung over the waters, yet I could observe overhead several
stars, and as the lights from the cabin receded, I marked their
position, and was thus able, with tolerable confidence, to continue my
way towards the land. I fancied that I should be able to reach it early
in the morning or during the next day. I at length began to grow weary,
but as long as I could move my arms I determined to row on. The wind
being off the land, the sea was perfectly calm. Scarcely a ripple
disturbed the surface. I was too anxious to feel hunger or thirst. At
the same time, the joy at having escaped kept up my spirits.

Under other circumstances I do not think I could have accomplished what
I did. I fancied that I was pulling at the rate of four miles an hour,
and that I was nearing the shore. At length, however, my fatigue
overcame me, and I felt that I could row no more. The moment I stopped
I felt very sleepy, but had sense sufficient to take in my oars and
place them by my side. I then lay down in the bottom of the boat,
intending to rest for a few minutes, after which, I expected again to be
able to pull on.

As may be supposed, I was soon again fast asleep. My slumbers were
peaceful and pleasant, rendered so, I presume, by the consciousness that
I had escaped from the fate intended for me. I was awakened by a bright
light flashing in my eyes. Opening them, I sprang up and found that the
sun had just risen above the horizon. I