when I saw her up-helm and run away from us as
she did," said a third, a Yankee, who was one of the oracles of the
crew.

Van Graoul laughed. "We shall soon get a sight of her again," he said;
"she will get becalmed among the trees, or will find the wind baffling,
when we, with our fore and aft sails shall have the advantage."

The breeze still held, and my heart beat quick at the thoughts of what
was going to occur. At last we approached the land, or rather the
islands. They stretched away for miles before us on either side, for we
appeared to be near the centre of the group. The highest were not more
than five or six feet out of the water; but the greater number were only
two or three feet, and some were scarcely as many inches above it, and
it seemed extraordinary that the waves should not wash completely over
them. That they did not do so, even in rough weather, was evident from
the thick groves of cocoa-nut, palm, and other tropical trees, which
grew on them, while a bright sand, on which were strewed numberless
beautiful shells, fringed their borders.

Van Graoul now showed some of his good qualities. Hands were stationed
at the bowsprit end, each fore-yard arm, and the mast-head, to keep a
bright look-out for the coral ridges, which had not yet shown themselves
above water, while he stood forward where he could be seen by the
helmsman, ready to direct him in the devious course we were about to
pursue. I had had too recent a lesson of the dangers of coral reefs not
to feel anxious as I found myself again among them. Coral islands have
always struck me as one of the most interesting curiosities of nature.
A minute marine insect builds up from the bottom of the sea the solid
foundation. The waves break the summit into sand. The birds of the air
come and rest there, and bring seeds, which in time spring up and decay,
till a soil is formed to give nourishment to more lofty trees, such as
we now saw before us. We shot in between a narrow opening with the
water of the deepest blue on either side. All hands were at their
stations. Fairburn acted as quarter-master, ready to repeat our pilot's
signals. It was a nervous time: now we seemed rushing on against a bank
of trees, and directly we turned to the right hand or to the left,
through another opening, the termination of which was completely hidden
from our sight; and had I not felt confidence in Van Graoul, I should
have fancied that we were running into