never taste enough of this delicious
draught.

"Now, men, draw the boat higher on shore, ere the tide go out and float
her away," said the master; but when the pinnace was drawn to the dry
sand she was found to be so battered and so full of holes, that they all
saw at once that it was useless to hope that they could ever put to sea
in her again. "We will make her serve for a shelter at least," said
Christoforo, and so, dividing her into two parts, they, with the help of
her sails, made two huts, in which the twenty-one sailors, who alone
were left, might find some slight shelter from the winter wind.

"Our thirst have we slaked," said Nicolo, "and said grace, I trust, for
the draught; now, by your leave, good master, must we seek for food,
though what food this barren island should afford, I know not."

All the party dispersed at once in search of provisions, some climbing
the rocks, some wandering along the beach, and some seeking to penetrate
farther inland. Returning towards evening slowly and sadly to the huts,
they examined the store that had been found--a few periwinkles and
barnacles and some other small shell-fish, but a poor feast for so many
famished men. Their search, continued far and wide over the island,
discovered no other food, save a kind of small herb which grew under the
snow. This they ate day after day, and so were able to keep a little
life in them though they were always faint and hungry.

Five out of the little colony were already dead from cold and hunger and
exhaustion, when one day a sailor wandering farther than he had yet
been, came upon a little hut, empty and deserted, but giving a better
and more comfortable shelter than their sail-covered huts.

Six of the company determined to live in this new home, thinking that
the chances of finding food for the whole would be increased when they
were more widely scattered on the island. And scarcely had they taken up
their abode in their new quarters, when they were overjoyed by finding
on the beach, close at hand, a large dead fish. They did not know
whether it was a whale or a porpoise, but they saw that it was quite
fresh and fit for food, and every one of them believed that God had sent
this great deliverance in answer to their prayers for help. All hands
turned out to drag the fish to their hut, and no sooner was it safely
housed than a terrible storm broke over the island, which lasted nine
days. So fierce was the wind, so pitiless the te