rom the adverse current as soon as it
went down; the breeze was always fresh in the morning, but it fell
calm in the evening. Thus did they continue for four days more, every
noon being not ten miles from the land but the next morning swept away
to a distance, and having their ground to retrace. Eight days had now
passed, and the men, worn out with exposure to the burning sun, became
discontented and mutinous. At one time they insisted that the raft
should be divided, that they might gain the land with the other half;
at another, that the provisions which they could no longer eat should
be thrown overboard to lighten the raft. The difficulty under which
they lay, was the having no anchor or grapnel to the raft, the boats
having carried away with them all that had been taken from the ship.
Philip then proposed to the men, that, as every one of them had such a
quantity of dollars, the money should be sewed up in canvas bags, each
man's property separate; and that with this weight to the ropes they
would probably be enabled to hold the raft against the current for one
night, when they would be able the next day to gain the shore; but
this was refused--they would not risk their money. No, no--fools!
they would sooner part with their lives by the most miserable of
all deaths. Again and again was this proposed to them by Philip and
Krantz, but without success.

In the meantime, Amine had kept up her courage and her spirits;
proving to Philip a valuable adviser and a comforter in his
misfortunes. "Cheer up, Philip," would she say; "we shall yet build
our cottage under the shade of those cocoa-nut trees, and pass a
portion, if not the remainder of our lives in peace; for who indeed
is there who would think to find us in these desolate and untrodden
regions?"

Schriften was quiet and well-behaved; talked much with Amine, but with
nobody else. Indeed he appeared to have a stronger feeling in favour
of Amine than he had ever shown before. He watched over her and
attended her; and Amine would often look up after being silent, and
perceived Schriften's face wear an air of pity and melancholy, which
she had believed it impossible that he could have exhibited.

Another day passed; again they neared the land, and again did the
breeze die away, and they were swept back by the current. The men now
rose, and in spite of the endeavours of Philip and Krantz, they rolled
into the sea all the provisions and stores, everything but one cask