s moving, lest the dreadful sharks should be
tempted to lay hold of them. Palmes had fully as much moral courage as
his companion, but he was his inferior in physical strength; yet,
feeling that not only his own life and that of Smith, but that of their
nine fellow-creatures remaining on the wreck, depended on their reaching
the shore, nerved him to further exertions.

Those only who have swam for their lives, when the arms have begun to
ache, the knees refuse to bend, and the breath grows short, can tell the
feelings of the two gallant young men, but more especially those of the
brave Palmes. Spurred on by Smith, each time that he grew faint and
weary, he nerved himself for fresh exertions. At last, as they strained
their eyes ahead, the shore seemed to come nearer and nearer. They
could distinguish the sandy beach and the green herbage beyond. On a
sudden, before even he expected it, Smith felt his foot touch the shore.
With a joyful exclamation of thankfulness, he grasped Palmes by the
hand, and aided him to wade on to the dry land. No sooner had they
emerged from the water, than, overcome with fatigue, poor Palmes sank
down on the beach, where he lay for some time unable to move. We fain
would believe--nay, we are certain--that they both offered up in their
hearts a silent thanksgiving to the Great Being who had thus mercifully
preserved them from the perils of the deep. But the gallant Smith,
while rejoicing in his own preservation and that of his friend, did not
forget the shipmates he had left floating on the wreck. As soon as he
had recovered sufficient strength to move, he hurried off to the nearest
habitation, to give information of the accident, and to procure a boat
to go to their assistance. Already much time had been lost. It was
half-past four when the accident occurred, and they had been two hours
in reaching the shore, so that darkness was now rapidly approaching,
which, of course, would increase the difficulty of finding the wreck.
The instant Palmes was able to move, he also got up and went in search
of a boat. He procured one, with a crew to man it, while Smith took
charge of another; and they immediately started in search of their
shipmates. Meantime information of the sad accident had been conveyed
on board the _Seringapatam_. The kind heart of the captain was much
grieved when he heard of it, for he could not but fear that the
remainder of the party had perished. From him, downwards