which case we
should have to go on to Jamaica, which we could scarcely reach, under
the most favourable circumstances, in less than a fortnight. These
disquieting thoughts, however, I deemed it prudent to confine to my own
breast.

About midnight my worst apprehensions as to the course of the raft were
confirmed by the discovery of breakers ahead, which I knew, from the
position of the "Juanita" on the previous night, could indicate nothing
else than that we were running down upon the Square Handkerchief Shoal,
of which I had hoped to pass clear to the southward.

We gave the raft as much starboard helm as she would take, and after a
long and most anxious time succeeded in just scraping clear of the
breakers, which we found were occasioned by an extensive group of rocks
just awash. The sight of these rocks enabled me to identify our
position, as I recognised in them the rocks which occupy the north-east
corner of the shoal. We were therefore passing as nearly as possible
directly across the middle of the shoal, instead of going to the
southward of it, as I had hoped.

Meanwhile the pangs of hunger and thirst were steadily intensifying with
us. Our tongues grew dry and hard, and the doctor's lips began to
crack, while the men could talk of nothing but the clear, gurgling
brooks and sparkling cascades by the side of which they had stood in
other days.

The wind had freshened somewhat during the night, and toward sun-rise a
few clouds worked up to windward, the sight of which induced us for a
time to hope that we might be blessed with a shower. But they passed
over without dropping any of their longed-for moisture upon us, and the
sun once more rose up in unclouded splendour to torture us with his
scorching rays.

Our repugnance to raw fowl had by this time entirely passed away, and
although upon examination our poultry turned out to be rather high, one
of the defunct chickens was torn asunder, and, being divided among us
with the most scrupulous fairness, was devoured in an incredibly short
time.

"Ah!" exclaimed one of the men, as the last morsel of his allowance
disappeared down his throat. "That's the most tasty snack as I've ate
for many a long day. It's a pity there ain't more of it. But there, I
s'pose it won't do to eat up all our wittals to oncet; let's be thankful
as we've had even that small mossel. I say, mates, don't you find these
here fowl-bones very sweet picking?"

"Uncommon," answered