perhaps they might not know how to manage it; or they might not be
numerous enough. No matter, it was there, and might be the means of our
recovering the beloved objects those barbarians had torn from us. How
gracious is God, to give us hope to sustain us in our afflictions!
Without hope, we could not live; it restores and revives us, and, even
if never realized below, accompanies us to the end of our life, and
beyond the grave!

I imparted to my eldest son the idea of his brother, that they might be
concealed in some part of the island; but I dared not rely on this sweet
hope. Finally, as we ought not to run the risk of abandoning them, if
they were still here, and perhaps in the power of the savages, I
consented that my two eldest sons should go to ascertain the fact.
Besides, however impatient I was, I felt that a voyage such as we were
undertaking into unknown seas might be of long duration, and it was
necessary to make some preparations--I must think on food, water, arms,
and many other things. There are situations in life which seize the
heart and soul, rendering us insensible to the wants of the body--this
we now experienced. We had just come from a painful journey, on foot, of
twenty-four hours, during which we had had little rest, and no sleep.
Since morning we had eaten nothing but some morsels of the bread-fruit;
it was natural that we should be overcome with fatigue and hunger. But
we none of us had even thought of our own state--we were supported, if I
may use the expression, by our despair. At the moment that my sons were
going to set out, the remembrance of their need of refreshment suddenly
occurred to me, and I besought them to rest a little, and take
something; but they were too much agitated to consent. I gave Fritz a
bottle of Canary, and some slices of roast mutton I met with, which he
put in his pocket. They had each a loaded musket, and they set out,
taking the road along the rocks, where the most hidden retreats and most
impenetrable woods lay; they promised me to fire off their pieces
frequently to let their mother know they were there, if she was hidden
among the rocks--they took also one of the dogs. Flora we could not
find, which made us conclude she had followed her mistress, to whom she
was much attached.

As soon as my eldest sons had left us, I made Jack conduct me to the
shore where he had seen the footmarks, that I might examine them, to
judge of their number and direction. I found man