st inevitably come sooner or
later; and if that change should chance to take the form of a gale from
the southward, I had scarcely a shadow of doubt that, unless it should
happen to be of the very briefest character, the wreck would go to
pieces under our feet. Therefore it seemed to me that the task which
now clamoured most loudly for our immediate attention was the
construction of a craft of some sort which would enable us to escape in
the last resort.

Now, there are very few tasks in connection with his craft which
mercantile Jack cannot perform in a more or less efficient manner. He
can unrig his ship, and rig her afresh. If any of her spars should be
sprung, he can fix them up in such a fashion that they will serve their
purpose very well until a new spar can be procured. He can knot and
splice rigging; he can patch or rope a sail; and there are a thousand
other things that he can do very deftly. But there is one thing which
he cannot do, unless he has served an apprenticeship, or at least part
of an apprenticeship to it, and that is--build a boat. He can repair a
damaged boat, I grant you, put in a new plank, or replace a damaged
timber. But to build a boat, as we understand the term, is altogether
beyond him. The best that he can do is to construct some sort of a
makeshift; and the problem that now confronted me was, what form was my
makeshift to take?

First, what were my requirements? If it came to our being obliged to
abandon the wreck, either through stress of weather or because of a
conviction that our appeals for help had gone astray and that we must
give up all hope of rescue and effect our own deliverance, it would mean
a boat voyage. This in its turn would mean that the craft must be a
good sea boat, capable of facing any weather, weatherly, a reasonably
good sailer, and big enough to accommodate six people--four of whom were
women, whose comfort and welfare must receive special consideration--
together with a stock of provisions and water sufficient to last us all
for, say, five weeks at least. I had already discussed this matter with
Mrs Vansittart, and she had expressed a determination to try for
Manila, in such a case, that being an American possession. Secondly,
had we the materials, and had I the skill and strength to build such a
boat, with such assistance as my companions could afford me? That was
the question which now demanded an answer, and, in consultation with
Mrs Vansittart,