lk, my limbs being perfectly numb
from the thighs downward, I managed to get out of the way of the water
for a while; but as it yet continued to rise, and I thought it might
possibly cover the whole sand-bank at high tide, I determined to attempt
to swim across the intervening channel that lay between the little islet
I was on and the main coast--although the latter in the evening gloom
seemed more than a mile away, and I felt utterly feeble and worn out.
But, I had to do it somehow or other, so I nerved myself up for the
task.

"Strange to say, however, the moment I rolled myself into the water
again, for I cannot say I walked in, I found I could use my arms and
legs again as freely as ever when swimming, albeit so cramped and
powerless when I tried to move them ashore; and so, striking out again
for the last time with all my remaining strength, I crossed the little
channel that separated me from the Madagascar coast in much less time
than I had calculated on, the haze having made it appear wider than it
really was.

"It was dark, however, when I grounded on the other side, where the land
fortunately shelved down into the water gradually--for if there had been
any steep bank or cliff to climb I could never have succeeded in
surmounting it, the last exertion of swimming the channel having
exhausted all my energies. Now, completely prostrated with all I had
gone through, as soon as I had crawled up far enough to be out of reach
of the tide, I laid down under the trunks of the two trees that had been
my beacon guides to safety, and which grew close together out of a clump
of sand on the shore, falling asleep at once. I was so utterly worn out
that I was not only powerless to proceed any further, but I had no dread
of the savage country I was in, or any fear of being attacked by wild
beasts!"

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER FIVE.

HUNGER AND THIRST.

"When day broke next morning," Ben went on to say, "there I found myself
under the shade of the two cocoa-nut palms, as I discovered my beacon
trees to be, lying on the warm sandy bed covered over with leaves which
I had accidentally selected for my night's couch--being the first
comfortable spot I came to on crawling up from the beach. I felt
thoroughly rested and restored to my old self, although still somewhat
stiff and sore all over, as if somebody had given me a good thrashing--
which of course was owing to my long exposure to the waves and the
beating about they gave