into
the water between them, and attempted to gain the floating wreck upon
which their husbands stood, and sank before they could be assisted. But
the horror increased--one lashing having given way, all the rest soon
followed; and, before the boats could turn and give assistance, the sea
was strewed with the spars which composed the raft, with men, women, and
children clinging to them. Loud were the yells of despair, and the
shrieks of the women, as they embraced their offspring, and in
attempting to save them were lost themselves. The spars of the raft
still close together, were hurled one upon the other by the swell, and
many found death by being jammed between them. Although all the boats
hastened to their assistance, there was so much difficulty and danger in
forcing them between the spars, that but few were saved, and even those
few were more than the boats could well take in. The seamen and a few
soldiers were picked up, but all the females and the children had sunk
beneath the waves.

The effect of this catastrophe may be imagined, but hardly described.
The seamen who had debated as to casting them adrift to perish, wept as
they pulled towards the shore. Philip was overcome, he covered his
face, and remained for some time without giving directions, and heedless
of what passed.

It was now five o'clock in the evening; the boats had cast off the
tow-lines and vied with each other in their exertions. Before the sun
had set, they all had arrived at the beach, and were safely landed in
the little sand bay into which they had steered; for the wind was off
the shore and there was no surf. The boats were hauled up, and the
exhausted men lay down on the sands, till warm with the heat of the sun,
and forgetting that they had neither eaten nor drunk for so long a time,
they were soon fast asleep. Captain Barentz, Philip, and Krantz; as
soon as they had seen the boats secured, held a short consultation, and
were then glad to follow the example of the seamen; harassed and worn
out with the fatigue of the last twenty-four hours, their senses were
soon drowned in oblivion.

For many hours they all slept soundly, dreamt of water, and awoke to the
sad reality that they were tormented with thirst, and were on a sandy
heath with the salt waves mocking them; but they reflected how many of
their late companions had been swallowed up, and felt thankful that they
had been spared. It was early dawn when they all rose from