e to my heart. Presently I saw a light ripple on the water.
It disappeared; but again, at a little distance, another cat's-paw sped
over the surface. I hoped it might be the forerunner of a breeze. Soon
my sail began to bulge out. A gentle breeze blew me along. Now the
boat was running rapidly along through the smooth water. I felt sure,
should I keep to the south or south-west, that I should fall in at last
with land. To regain the island I knew was almost a vain hope, and I
might lose too much valuable time in making the attempt. Hour after
hour I sat at the helm, gliding over the water. Again I thought of poor
Macco. How much better off I was than he had been. I had a supply of
provisions and water, and was in a well-built boat, and knew that I must
in a short time, if I continued on my course, inevitably fall in with
land; whereas he had been on the wide Indian Ocean, and might have
sailed on for many hundred miles without meeting it. Thus I continued
all day long, till night again came down over the world of waters. For
many hours during the night I kept awake. At length I began to feel my
head drop on my breast. Each time I did so I raised myself with an
effort; but I found I could only keep awake for a short time, when again
that terrible drowsiness came over me. It arose, I knew, from weakness,
and the hot sun to which I had been exposed all day. Still I steered on
before the wind. I did my utmost to keep awake till daylight should
again appear. I thought my eyes were open, and that I was steering as
before. Suddenly I felt a violent shock; and starting up, I found the
seas washing round me, and tall trees rising up a short distance ahead.
The boat had run upon a sandy beach. Another sea came rolling in, and
sent the boat broadside on to the beach, throwing me out. With
difficulty I crawled up over the sand. The sheet had been made fast;
and what was my dismay to see the boat's head going round, and before I
could rush into the water to seize her, she had already receded from the
shore. I was on the point of rushing into the water to swim after her,
when, overcome by weakness, I sank on the sand; and I well knew that had
I made the attempt I should probably have lost my life. I endeavoured
to collect my scattered thoughts; but rudely roused from sleep, I had
difficulty in reflecting where I could be. At length, however, I began
to consider that I could not possibly have reached Java, or an