, their heavy boots impeding all their
efforts, they sank down, and were hid to view beneath the waters. Two
or three still remained alive, though at some little distance. One I
recognised as our old mate, the cause of our disaster. He had contrived
to kick off his shoes, and was swimming towards the rock. Poor old man,
he struggled hard for life. In a moment I forgot all the mischief he
had caused, and considered how I might help to save him. Undoing my
neck-handkerchief, I fastened it to another I had in my pocket, and
secured the two to the sleeve of my jacket. I watched him anxiously as
he drew near, crying out to encourage him. Then I lowered the
handkerchiefs, and as a sea washed him up towards the rock he caught
hold of them, and with great care, lest we should both fall in, I helped
him up the side of the rock. I had not time to say anything, for I saw
another person struggling in the water. I was afraid that he would
never reach the rock, for his strength seemed almost exhausted. I
shouted to him. He looked up. It was Charley Iffley. I own that I was
now doubly anxious for his safety. Just then an oar washed by him. He
was just able to grasp it. It enabled him to recover his strength, and
in a short time another sea drove him close up to the rock. I hove the
end of my handkerchief to him, he caught it; and the old mate and I
leaning over, hauled him, almost exhausted, out of the reach of the sea.
We looked round. We were the only survivors out of all the crew. The
strong men had lost their lives. The oldest and weakest, and the two
youngest, had alone been saved. Whether we should ultimately escape
with our lives seemed, however, very doubtful. There was barely space
enough for us to sit clear out of the wash of the sea; and should the
tide be rising we might be washed off. We found, however, that the tide
was falling, and this restored our hopes of being saved. As the tide
ebbed, the water got a good deal smoother, and the weather once more
clearing, we were able to consider our position and what was best to be
done. We judged that we were, three-quarters of a mile from the island
of Saint Mary's, but we could make out no habitations, and we thought it
very probable night might come on before anybody would see us, while we
felt if we remained on the rock that we could scarcely hope to survive.

We were already benumbed with the cold, and almost perishing with
hunger. "We must try and