dged from the
cut of her sails that she was certainly not an English ship.

"She is very like a French vessel," observed La Motte after watching her
earnestly for some time. "Still, she does not look like a ship of war,
that is one comfort." It was very certain, at all events, that she was
standing directly for us, and that there was no chance of our missing
her.

"Now, mates, just make up your minds what we shall do," said La Motte;
"shall we go on board her whatever she is, or wherever she is going, or
shall we remain in the boat and still endeavour to make the English
coast?"

"Let us get clear of the boat!" exclaimed all the men; "we may be
knocking about here for some days to come, till we are all starved."

"But we may obtain provisions from the ship sufficient to last us for a
week, or more, perhaps," observed La Motte; "she is evidently
outward-bound, and many a long day may pass before we get back to
England."

"Better that than being swamped or dying by inches," was the answer.

Finally, we discovered that all the men, including Andrews, had made up
their minds to be quit of the boat at all events. La Motte told me that
he knew how anxious I was to return home, and that he was ready, if I
wished it, to remain with me in the boat, and to endeavour to make the
shore.

Sincerely I thanked him for this mark of his friendship and kindness, I
debated in my mind whether I ought to accept his offer. In my anxiety
to reach home, I would have risked everything; still I thought that I
ought not to expose the life of another person for my sake. How I might
have decided, I scarcely know. I suspect that I should have accepted
his offer, but the matter was pretty well settled for us.

Clouds had been gathering for some time in the sky, and while we were
speaking, thin flakes of snow began to fall, and continued increasing in
density, so that we could scarcely see the approaching ship. We could
not ascertain whether we had been seen by those on board before the
snow-storm came on, and, if not, there was too great a probability that
she would pass us. At all events, she was now completely hidden from
our view.

We calculated that if she kept on the exact course she was on when last
seen, we should be rather to the southward of her. We therefore got out
our oars, and endeavoured to pull up to her. Every one, however, was so
weak, that it was with difficulty we could urge the boat through the
water. Our la