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perceived,--the weather having been remarkably fine ever since we had
left home. Just before dawn, however, there were signs of it changing;
and as the sun rose from its ocean-bed it looked like a huge globe of
fire, diffusing a ruddy glow throughout the sky, and tingeing with a
lurid hue the edges of the rapidly gathering clouds. The wind came in
fitful gusts for some time from the westward; but soon after Uncle Paul
had put the boat's head to the north, it suddenly shifted, and began to
blow with considerable violence from that quarter. We had then, under
his directions, to close-reef the sail; but even thus it was more than
the boat could bear. In vain did we try to beat to windward.

"We shall make no way in the direction we wish to go," said Uncle Paul
at length. "We must either run before it, or stand back to the coast we
have left, and try to enter some river or harbour where we can find
shelter till the gale has passed."

My father was very unwilling to return to the island, fearing that we
should be suspected by the authorities of any place where we might land,
and be delivered into the hands of the government.

We were now steering to the southward, in a direction exactly opposite
to what we wished, but the sea had got up so much, and the wind blew so
violently, that it was the only one in which the boat could be steered
with safety. The more the sea got up, the more necessary it became to
carry sail, to avoid being swamped by the heavy waves which rolled up
astern.

Poor Uncle Paul had now been steering for some hours, but he could not
trust the helm to anyone else. The wind continuing to increase, a
stronger gust than we had before felt struck the sail. In an instant
both it and the mast, which had given way, were carried overboard; and
before we could secure them, they were lost. On this, Uncle Paul
ordered us to get out the oars, and to pull for our lives. We did as he
directed; but notwithstanding our efforts several seas which rolled up
broke into the boat, carrying away all our water-casks and the larger
portion of our provisions. While Arthur and Tim rowed, my father, Jose,
and I, aided by Marian, set to work to bail out the boat, and it was
with the greatest difficulty we could keep her clear.

Our position had now become extremely critical. Uncle Paul kept as calm
as at first, directing us what to do; but I knew by the tone of his
voice that he had great fears for our safety. Inde