y place ashore.

I had repaired the slight damage its timbers had received, and had made
an awning to protect us when rowing, from the heat of the sun; I had
also raised a sail, which would relieve us of a good deal of labour.
When everything was prepared, I urged Mrs Reichardt to accompany me in
a voyage round the island; an excursion I hoped would turn out equally
pleasant and profitable.

I found her very averse to trusting herself farther from shore than was
absolutely necessary. She raised all kinds of objections--prominent
among which were my want of seamanship for managing a boat in the open
sea; the danger that might arise from a sudden squall coming on; her
fear of our getting amongst a shoal of sharks, and the risk we ran of
driving against a projecting rock; but I overruled them all.

I showed her, by taking little trips out to sea, that I could manage the
boat either with the sail or the oars, and assured her that by keeping
close to the island, we could run ashore before danger could reach us;
and that nothing could be easier than our keeping out of the reach of
both rocks and sharks.

I do not think I quite convinced her that her fears were groundless; but
my repeated entreaties, the fineness of the weather, and her dislike to
be again left on the island, whilst I was risking my life at sea,
prevailed, and she promised to join me in this second experiment.

Her forethought, however, was here as fully demonstrated as on other
occasions, for she did not suffer the boat to leave the shore till she
had provided for any accident that might prevent our return the
anticipated time.

A finer day for such a voyage we could not have selected. The sky was
without a cloud, and there was just wind enough for the purpose I
wanted, without any apprehensions of this being increased. I got up the
awning, and spread the sail, and handing Mrs Reichardt to her appointed
seat, we bid farewell to our four-footed and two-footed friends ashore,
that were gazing at us as if they knew they were parting from their only
protectors. I then pushed the boat off, the wind caught the sail, and
she glided rapidly through the deep water.

I let her proceed in this way about a quarter of mile from the island,
and then tacked; the boat, obedient to the position of the sail, altered
her course, and we proceeded at about the same rate, for a considerable
distance.

Mrs Reichardt, notwithstanding her previous fears, could not help