I was quickly drenched to the skin. I looked
eagerly for a ship's light, but not one could I see, or I would have
borne down upon her and got the bearings of Jethou from her skipper. I
did what best I could under the circumstances, resolving never again to
be led away by any new fad, so as to be oblivious to everything else, as
I had been in getting my new boat into trim. It was a dreadful time for
me, as I knew Jethou to be surrounded by rocks on all sides, so that I
had to keep a very sharp look out, for fear of running on them and
getting stove in, which would probably have resulted in my death, if the
rocks were submerged at high water.

About what I should judge to be the middle of the night, as I sat
shaking with cold with my hand on the tiller, I suddenly became aware of
the presence of huge rocks right in front of me. I lowered the sail
instantly and got out the oars, pulling gently to the lee side of these
rocks, and with some difficulty landed and made fast my boat between two
lofty pillars of granite, which rose sheer from the sea. I was
dreadfully cold and could find no shelter from the rain, which had
completely saturated my paltry clothing. I therefore had a dip in the
sea, which appeared to me warmer than the cold rain and night air, and
less likely to have bad after effects upon my constitution. Oh, poor
Robinson Crusoe! here was a pretty kettle of fish at the very first
trip. How gladly would I have changed places with my donkey, who was
safely under shelter, listening to the rain beating down, and saying to
himself, "No work for me to-morrow!"

The longest night must have an end, although I began to fear this
particular one would not do so, till I was past caring whether the sun
ever rose again or not. But by-and-bye the dawn began to break, and
quickly spread itself over the sky, and with the light the fog dispersed
slowly, and showed me a barrel upon the top of a pole perched on the
highest rock of the group I was a prisoner upon, by which I knew I was
on the Ferriers, which lie about a short mile south-west of Jethou. I
climbed to the pole and took a survey, and could just make out Jethou's
back above the haze which still rolled silently above the still waters.

Down I scrambled to my boat, eager to push off and reach home, but alas,
my craft was high and dry four feet above the sea, on a ledge which
just held her comfortably cradled, in derision to my anxiety. "Begum"
lay calmly sleeping in the