that he was lashed
to a piece of timber. At last he drifted on shore.

"I cannot see the poor wretch die without help, pirate though he may
be," exclaimed Cousin Silas, running down to the beach. I followed him.
The log of timber and its freight reached the shore at the moment we
got down to it. There was no look of recognition. We ran into the
water, and cast loose the body; but our undertaking had been useless. A
corpse lay before us; and though the features were distorted, we
recognised them as those of Captain Bruno. We had just time to hurry
back to our fort, when we saw a body of savages coming round a point at
a little distance off.

The schooner had, in the meantime, beaten over the reef, and was
drifting across the channel, when, as she got within a hundred yards of
the beach, she went down, leaving a dozen or more of her crew floating
on the surface. Most of them struck out boldly for the shore; but no
sooner did they reach it, believing themselves safe, than the clubs of
the savages put an end to their existence. In a short time not one
remained alive of the whole pirate crew. It seemed strange that the
savages had allowed so long a time to elapse without attacking us, nor
could we in any way account for their conduct, unless under the
supposition that they were afraid of our fire-arms. To show them that
our weapons were in good order, and that we were likely to use them
effectually, we every now and then, when we saw any of the natives near,
fired a volley in the air.

When we had gone down on the beach, on the occasion of the wreck of the
schooner, we observed a canoe thrown upon the shore. She was evidently
one of those deserted by the savages when the whaler blew up. We agreed
that, if we could get her repaired, she might prove the means of our
escape. The first thing was to cut some paddles. This we had no great
difficulty in doing, from the trees growing around us. Watching their
opportunity, when no savages were near, Mr Brand and Ben went down to
examine her. On their return they reported that she was perfectly
sound, and required little or nothing done to her. It was a question
with us, however, whether we should commit ourselves to the deep at
once, and endeavour to reach some more hospitable island, or wait for
the possibility of a ship passing that way, and going off to her.

We had scarcely consumed our provisions, when at daybreak one morning we
observed a basket under the v