No land in sight--a gale coming on, and in
all probability, a heavy sea and dark night. The chance was indeed
desperate, and Philip was miserable--most miserable--when he reflected
that so many innocent beings might, before the next morning,
be consigned to a watery tomb,--and why?--yes, there was the
feeling--that although Philip could reason against, he never could
conquer; for his own life he cared nothing--even the idea of his
beloved Amine was nothing in the balance at these moments. The only
point which sustained him, was the knowledge that he had his duty to
perform, and, in the full exercise of his duty, he recovered himself.

"Land ahead!" was now cried out by Krantz, who was in the headmost
boat, and the news was received with a shout of joy from the raft and
the boats. The anticipation and the hope the news gave was like manna
in the wilderness; and the poor women on the raft, drenched sometimes
above the waist by the swell of the sea, clasped the children in their
arms still closer, and cried--"My darling, you shall be saved."

Philip stood upon the stern-sheets to survey the land, and he had the
satisfaction of finding that it was not five miles distant, and a ray
of hope warmed his heart. The breeze now had gradually increased, and
rippled the water. The quarter from which the wind came was neither
favourable nor adverse, being on the beam. Had they had sails for the
boats, it would have been otherwise, but they had been stowed away and
could not be procured. The sight of land naturally rejoiced them all,
and the seamen in the boats cheered, and double-banked the oars to
increase their way; but the towing of a large raft sunk under water
was no easy task; and they did not, with all their exertions, advance
more than half a mile an hour.

Until noon they continued their exertions, not without success;
they were not three miles from the land; but, as the sun passed the
meridian, a change took place; the breeze blew strong; the swell of
the sea rose rapidly; and the raft was often so deeply immersed in the
waves as to alarm them for the safety of those upon her. Their way
was proportionally retarded, and by three o'clock they had not gained
half-a-mile from where they had been at noon. The men not having had
refreshment of any kind during the labour and excitement of so many
hours, began to flag in their exertions. The wish for water was
expressed by all--from the child who appealed to its mother, to the
s