to
atoms and every soul perish."

"What are souls?" inquired I.

My companion gave me no reply.

"I will go down to the rocks," said I, "and see what goes on."

"What," said he, "and share their fate?"

CHAPTER THREE.

I left him, and commenced a careful descent of the precipices by which
we were surrounded, but, before I had gone fifty paces, another flash of
lightning was followed up by a loud shriek, which arrested my steps.
Where the noise came from I could not tell, but I heard my companion
calling to me to come back. I obeyed him, and found him standing where
I had left him.

"You called me, master?"

"Yes, I did; take my hand and lead me to the cabin."

I obeyed him, wondering why he asked me so to do. He gained his
bed-place, and threw himself down on it.

"Bring the kid full of water," said he--"quick!"

I brought it, and he bathed his head and face. After a time, he threw
himself back upon the bed-place, and groaned heavily.

"O God! It's all over with me," said he at last. "I shall live and die
in this cursed hole."

"What's the matter, master?" said I.

He gave me no answer, but lay groaning and occasionally cursing. After
a time, he was still, and then I went out again. The tornado was now
over, and the stars were to be seen here and there, but still the wind
was strong and the wild clouds flew fast. The shores of the island were
one mass of foam, which was dashed high in the air and fell upon the
black rocks. I looked for the vessel, and could see nothing--the day
was evidently dawning, and I sat down and waited its coming. My
companion was apparently asleep, for he lay without motion or noise.
That some misfortune had happened, I was convinced, but what I knew not,
and I passed a long time in conjecture, dividing my thoughts between him
and the vessel. At last the daylight appeared--the weather was
moderating fast, although the waves still beat furiously against the
rocky shore. I could see nothing of the vessel, and I descended the
path, now slippery and insecure from the heavy fall of rain, and went as
near to the edge of the rocks as the breaking billows would permit. I
walked along, occasionally drenched by the spray, until I arrived where
I had last seen the vessel. The waves were dashing and tossing about,
as if in sport, fragments of timber, casks, and spars; but that was all
I could see, except a mast and rigging, which lay alongside of the
rocks, sometimes ap