e general pile
of heterogeneous articles that had been heaped up in the centre of the
raft, whose buoyancy had been much increased, since it was first made
and launched overboard, by the accidental discovery in the steerage of
some empty puncheons, which were carefully bunged-up so that no water
could get into them and lashed underneath the floating platform; the
catalogue of stores being then completed by heaving on the heap all the
cordage that could be got at and cut away, in addition to some blocks
and a few odds and ends--the tarpaulin from off the broken cabin
skylight, which was certain to be of the greatest use, being, like other
equally serviceable articles, only thought of at the last moment.

By the time all these things were stowed on board, and the raft immersed
as deeply as it was considered advisable with safety--as few things as
possible being put in the jolly-boat, which was kept light in order that
she might be more usefully employed in towing the other--it was close on
twelve o'clock.

This was the hour Mr Meldrum had fixed for abandoning the ship, as then
the tide would be at the half flood, and they would be able to utilise
not only that but the current as well, which would about that time set
inshore--at least, judging by its influence on the previous day in
carrying the _Nancy Bell_ in that direction of the reef. By these
various means Mr Meldrum thought the raft might be floated onward
towards the curve in the coast-line which he had pointed out to the
first mate as a probable place where they might expect to discover some
small bay or harbour to land at.

Besides this, Mr Meldrum believed that by starting on the half tide, in
the event of the stream turning before they were able to reach an
available beach in some sheltered cave--for the current which he had
noticed took a southerly direction with the ebb--the retiring tide could
not possibly drift them out to sea. At the very worst, it would only
sweep the raft down the coast in the direction of the volcanic peak that
had been observed to cap the spur of the mountain chain which stretched
out right into the water at an angle with the land; and, here, there was
every probability of their finally finding an opening in the breastwork
of adamantine rocks that ranged along the coast-line as if to prevent
any intrusive strangers like themselves from getting on shore!

Before Mr Meldrum gave the order for embarkation, however, he had one
last du