to do what was requisite. The wind had become much fresher
during the night, and the waves now dashed against the sides of the
water-logged vessel.

As I watched for daylight, I began to reflect how this could have
happened; and it occurred to me that the pirates had scuttled the bottom
of the vessel to sink her; and in this conjecture I was right.

At last a faint light appeared in the east, which soon broke into broad
day, and I lost no time in setting about my work.

Before I began, however, I thought it advisable to ascertain how much
more water there was in the vessel since I had quitted the cabin which
it appeared to me must have been about two hours. I therefore went down
in the cabin to measure it. I know how high it was when I waded through
it. I found, to my surprise, and, I may say, to my joy, that it was not
higher than it was before.

I thought that perhaps I might be mistaken, so I marked the height of
the water at the cabin ladder, and I sat down on deck to watch it; it
appeared to me not to rise any higher.

This made me reflect, and it then struck me that, as the vessel was
laden with timber, she would not probably sink any lower, so I deferred
my work till I had ascertained the fact.

Three hours did I watch, and found that the water did not rise higher,
and I was satisfied; but the wind increased, and the vessel's sails,
instead of flapping to the wind as she drove without any one at the
helm, were now bellied out, and the vessel careened to leeward.

I was afraid that she would turn over; and finding an axe on the deck, I
mounted the rigging with it, and commenced cutting away the lacing of
the sails from the mast. I then lowered the gaffs, and cleared away the
canvass in the same way, so that the sails fell on the deck. This was a
work of at least one hour; but when the canvass was off, the vessel was
steady.

It was well that I had taken this precaution; for very soon afterwards
the wind was much fresher, and the weather appeared very threatening;
the sea also rose considerably. I was very tired, and sat down for some
time on the deck abaft.

It then occurred to me that the weight of the planks upon the deck must
not only keep the vessel deeper in the water, but make her more
top-heavy, and I determined to throw them overboard; but first I looked
for something to eat, and found plenty of victuals in the iron pot in
which the men had cooked their supper the night before.

As soon