unds of the
hurt; but after this quarrel the four others came to their work, and
continued steady at it. We had now removed the upper portion of the
xebeque, and commenced fixing beams and carlines on the lower part, so
as to make a decked boat of it, and in another week we had decked her
over. But we had a great deal more to do: we had to reduce the mast
and yard to a proper size, to alter the sail and rigging, to make a
small rudder, and rollers to launch her upon. All this, with our
reduced force, occupied us another month; for the two wounded men,
although recovering, could but just crawl about. We turned many more
turtle at night, that we might have a sufficient supply. We now looked
out for a channel of deep water through the reef, to get our boat out,
and made one out to a certain extent, but could not survey further
without getting off the reef, and the sharks were so numerous that we
dared not venture. However, we took it for granted, as we had found
deep water in shore, that we should be sure to do so in the offing;
and we now got our boat upon the rollers which we had made, by digging
away the sand from beneath her, and a trench to the water's edge. We
had been two months on the island when all was ready for launching.

Anxious as I was to return to England, I cannot say that I was unhappy
when on this island: there was always a fine sea-breeze, which cooled
the air, and enabled us to work without exhaustion. With the exception
of the unfortunate quarrel I have referred to, every thing went on
quietly. After work was over, I resorted as usual to my Bible, and
read for hours; and this calmed and allayed any impatient feelings
which might at times arise. I felt that I had great cause to be
grateful to the Almighty for preserving me as he had done, and that it
would be folly and wickedness on my part to repine because I could not
obtain all that I wished. I waited, therefore, for His own good time,
without murmuring, and in full confidence that all was for the best.

At last we contrived to get our boat into the water, and she floated
much lighter than we thought she would have done, considering the
weight of wood that was in her. As soon as she was anchored about ten
feet from the beach, we made a gangway to her with planks, and
commenced getting all our salt provisions, water, and stores, which we
had selected as most necessary, on board of her. The stowage of these
occupied us two days; we then got the yard