ger eyes did I look towards the ship then! So long as she
did not break up I was safe because there were water and provisions in
plenty on board. And how I thanked my God for the adamant bulwarks of
coral that protected my ark from the fury of the treacherous seas! As
the weather became calmer, and a brilliant moon had risen, I decided to
swim back to the ship, and bring some food and clothing ashore from her.

I reached the wreck without much trouble, and clambered on board, but
could do very little in the way of saving goods, as the decks were still
below water. However, I dived, or rather ducked, for the depth of water
was only four or five feet, into the cabin and secured some blankets, but
I could not lay my hands on any food.

After infinite trouble I managed to make some sort of a raft out of
pieces of wood I found lying loose and floating about, and upon this
platform I placed the blankets, an oak chest, and one or two other
articles I proposed taking ashore. In the oak chest were a number of
flags, some clothing and medicine together with my case of pearls and the
four medical books. But after I had launched it, I found that the tide
was still running out, and it was impossible for me to get anything
ashore that night. The weather was beautifully fine, however, and as the
forepart of the ship was well out of water, I decided to remain on board
and get an hour or two's sleep, which I needed badly. The night passed
without incident, and I was astir a little before dawn.

As the tide was now favourable, I loosed my raft and swam it ashore. When
I gained the island, I made another survey of it, to find the most
suitable spot for pitching my camp, and in the course of my wanderings I
made a discovery that filled me with horror and the anguish of blackest
despair. My curiosity was first attracted by a human skull that lay near
a large circular depression in the sand about two feet deep. I commenced
scratching with my fingers at one side, and had only gone a few inches
down, when I came upon a quantity of human remains.

The sight struck terror to my heart, and filled me with the most dismal
forebodings. "My own bones," I thought, "will soon be added to the
pile." So great was my agony of mind that I had to leave the spot, and
interest myself in other things; but some time afterwards, when I had got
over my nervousness, I renewed my digging operations, and in an hour or
so had unearthed no fewer than si