ound my
neck. Having done this without any one taking notice, and having
nothing else to do, I took some fine twine and worked it over, like the
mousing of a stay, in a way peculiar to sailors, so that, when finished,
it was very much in the shape of a miniature buoy to an anchor, and
reminded me of a _fend-off_ or fender, such as they use to prevent any
injury to the sides of a vessel when coming in contact with another.
Having finished my work, I put the leather lanyard round my neck, inside
of my shirt, so that my diamond was concealed from sight; I then put up
my remaining pieces-of-eight--which were nearly 500, the best of my
clothes, (for during my stay at Rio I had very much increased my stock,)
and I hardly need say that the old Bible was not left behind.

It was a beautiful calm morning when we embarked, and, lifting the
anchor, took to our oars, and pulled out through the deep channel, the
captain standing at the bow and conning us through, while I took the
helm. The boat pulled well and steered well; we had yet to see what she
could do under canvass. After a pull of two hours we were clear of the
reef, and out in the open sea. We then laid in the oars, and commenced
our preparations for hoisting the sail to a breeze, which then blew from
the southward. When all was ready, the men hoisted the sail, but in so
doing, a rope being foul, as I was attempting to clear it, I was tripped
up, and fell with my right knee on a spike, which entered deep, putting
me to excruciating pain, and laming me completely. I was obliged to sit
down abaft, for I nearly fainted away. In the mean time the sail was
set, and the boat stood well up to it. She proved to be very stiff
under canvass, which was a source of great congratulation. My knee
became so painful and stiff that I could not move it; I took one of my
shirts out of my bundle, tore it up into bandages, and put them on. We
had resolved to attempt to make New Providence, the largest of the
Bahama group, where we knew that there was a town called Nassau, and
from whence we hoped to obtain some conveyance to Europe; but we knew
nothing of the port, or the inhabitants, or what trade was carried on
with them.

For several hours our little bark went gaily over the water, but towards
nightfall the wind shifted, and the weather looked threatening. We
hardly knew how to steer, as we did not know the position of the island
which we had left, and now the wind heading us, w