at the bottom of the
cask. I had reason to bless the persons who had placed it there. As I
thus sat, half asleep and half awake, it seemed to me that the wind blew
with less violence than it had done before. I got up to ascertain if
this was the case. On looking round I felt confident that it was so.
It appeared to me, also, that the seas were tumbling about with less
violence than they had done on the previous day. If so, they might not
again cover the rock. I was well accustomed to notice the tides on our
own shore, and I remembered that, after the highest of the spring tides,
they were said by the fishermen to "take off"--that is, to rise to a
less elevation every subsequent day. Thus, even should the storm
continue, the rock might not again be covered. This idea brought
considerable relief to me.

My hunger made me resolve to descend to search for clams. Perhaps I
should find a fish thrown on the rock. The thought of obtaining some
food made me get down at once. I opened the trap, and, grasping the
rope, slid down with perfect ease. Already the rocks over which I had
clambered from the boat were bare, for the tide had fallen rapidly. I
knew that it would fall in proportion as it had risen. I went as close
to the edge as I could venture without running the risk of being carried
off. The rocks, which were washed by the fierce seas, were slippery in
the extreme, and I feared that any clams clinging to them must have been
washed away. Still, hunger urged me on. I made my way along the top of
the coral reef. I observed several small pools ahead. There must be
creatures of some sort within, which would enable me to satisfy the
cravings of hunger. I had gone some little distance, when I slipped,
and came down on the rock. In my weak state I felt unable again to rise
for some minutes, though I was not seriously hurt.

The clouds, some time before this, began to break, and suddenly the sun
shone forth, his warm rays cheering me up. As I cast my eyes round,
something glittered brightly just for a moment in one of the pools.
Rising with renewed strength, I scrambled, faster than I had moved
before, towards it, and great was my delight to see a good-sized fish
floundering in the pool. It attempted to escape me, but I pounced down
upon it as a sea-bird would have done, and, giving it a blow on the
head, quickly despatched it. I was too hungry to wait even to partially
prepare it by hanging it up in the