e bellows, and manufactured nails and pins, and all the work he
wanted."

"Oh yes, I have read of him," said Oliver. "He was Mr Williams, the
missionary. He built the vessel, I think, at Raratonga, when he was
left there by himself, without another European to help him. She was
called the _Messenger of Peace_, and he sailed many thousand miles
afterwards on board her in his missionary voyages. If Mr Williams--who
had no knowledge of ship-building except such as he obtained from
observation of the vessels he visited--could do so, we, at all events,
ought to be able to build a craft capable of carrying us to Singapore,
even though we may not secure much more from the wreck."

"There is one thing we want, and that is iron," observed Tarbox; "and
rope and blocks, and provisions, too. It would take us some time to put
such a craft together."

"All I know is," said Oliver, "that Mr Williams had but the iron part
of an anchor, a pick-axe, and a few garden tools, with some iron hoops.
His vessel was from about sixty to seventy tons, and from the time he
cut the keel until she was launched not more than four months had
passed. Besides the bellows and forge, he made a lathe, and indeed
manufactured everything that was required. His sails were composed of
fine mats, woven by the natives; and the rope was manufactured from the
hemp which grew on the island. In the same way he found substitutes for
oakum, pitch, and paint, and everything he required."

"He you speak of must have been a very wonderful man," observed Tarbox.
"I consider that a man who could do what he did is fit to be Prime
Minister. Why, he would have made the Thames Tunnel, if he had tried."

"Very likely he would," said Oliver; "but God wanted him for His work,
and that was to go out to those islands to the east of us in the
Pacific, and to convert the natives to Christianity."

By this time we had regained the wreck. Our first search was for the
clothing of the Frau and the young ladies. We managed to get up a trunk
which contained a portion of them, though the water had got in, and had
greatly spoiled the contents. We fished about for some time, and then
got up another box, which had suffered in the same way.

"It cannot be helped," observed Tarbox. "We will not be particular how
the old lady and little girls look; and the clothes will soon dry--
that's one good thing. The sun is not idle out in these parts."

Our next hunt was for the carpe