ood, were severely felt; and Lieutenant
McDonnell determined, under all these circumstances, to wait no
longer, and on the 4th of March everything was in readiness to quit
the wreck. A small barrel of bread was placed on the raft, but this
was immediately washed off into the sea. A beaker one-third full of
rum was then fastened more securely, and this was the only thing that
they could take with them.

All having embarked, they started with the intention of steering
towards a cay which was in sight, but the current proved too strong,
and the raft was swept into deep water. The sail was then set, and
they steered in the direction of what was supposed to be a wreck, or
vessel, in the same situation as themselves; but on nearing, it proved
to be a sand-bore, on which people were distinctly seen walking to and
fro. They immediately conjectured that these must be the crew of one
of the boats, a supposition which afterwards proved to be correct.
Every effort was made to gain the bank, but the current was too
strong, and they found it impossible to reach any part of the reef.

Lieutenant McDonnell, who had been suffering some days from ill
health, was now so exhausted that he was obliged to be supported upon
the raft. He was, therefore, unable to give any commands; and, after a
short consultation, it was considered best to stand out to sea, in the
hopes of falling in with some vessel. The night had set in, and they
steered a course westward. On the following morning a white bottom was
seen, but immediately afterwards the raft was again in deep water. All
this time they had nothing to eat; their sole subsistence being a
small quantity of rum, which was served out at stated intervals.

The following morning, about eight o'clock, land was observed right
ahead, and they endeavoured to steer in that direction; but their
progress, from the heavy construction of the raft, was necessarily
very slow, and it was not until sunset that they found themselves
about nine or ten miles from the shore. All the next night they stood
in the same direction; and about four or five o'clock in the morning,
as near as they could guess, they were cast by the surf upon the
beach. Utterly prostrate with the fatigues they had undergone, they
threw themselves upon the sand, and soon found in sleep a brief
forgetfulness of their past cares and troubles. They did not awake for
many horn's, when, upon looking around, they discovered that the
commander was