if restored to his former vigour.

At seven o'clock in the evening the boat was nearly high and dry.
Newton baled her out, and fixing the grapnel firmly in the sand, lay
down to sleep in the stern-sheets, covered over with the sail. His
sleep was so sound, that he did not wake until six o'clock the next
morning, when the boat was again aground. He refreshed himself with
some wine, and meditated upon his prospect. Thanking Heaven for a
renewed chance of escape, and lamenting over the fate of the unprepared
Jackson, who had evidently been upset, from the main-sheet having been
jammed, Newton resolved to make for one of the English isles, which he
knew to be about two hundred miles distant.

The oars had been lost, but the rudder of the boat was fortunately made
fast by a pennant. In the afternoon he drew up his grapnel, and made
sail in the direction, as well as he could judge from the position of
the sun, to the English isles. As the night closed in, he watched the
stars, and steered his course by them.

The next day came, and, although the boat sailed well, and went fast
before a free wind, no land was in sight. Newton had again recourse to
the cider and the wine.

The second night he could hardly keep his eyes open; yet, wearied as he
was, he still continued his course, and never quitted his helm. The day
again dawned, and Newton's strength was gone, from constant watching;
still he bore up against it, until the sun had set.

No land was yet to be seen, and sleep overpowered him. He took a hitch
of the main-sheet round his finger, that, should the breeze freshen he
might be roused, in case he should go to sleep; and having taken this
precaution, in a few minutes the boat _was steering herself_!

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER ONE.

But man, proud man,
Dress'd in a little brief authority,
Most ignorant of what he's most assured,
His glassy essence, like an angry ape,
Plays such fantastic tricks before high Heaven.
SHAKESPEARE.

The reef upon which the brig had been wrecked was one of those extending
along the southward of the Virgin Isles. Newton had intended to steer
well to the eastward, with the view of reaching one of the northernmost
English colonies; but not having a compass, he naturally was not very
equal in his course. The fact was, that he steered well to the
southward of it, and after he fell asleep, the boat ran away still
farther off her course, for she