o this the admiral would not
listen. He was an imperious, bold, and obstinate man, not to be
persuaded or convinced, and with little feeling for the sufferings of
others. Tenacious of being advised, he immediately rejected a
proposition which, had it originated with himself, would probably have
been immediately acted upon; and the commodore returned on board his
vessel, not only disappointed, but irritated by the language used
towards him.

"What are we do, Captain Vanderdecken? you know too well our situation--
it is impossible we can continue long at sea; if we do, the vessel will
be drifting at the mercy of the waves, while the crew die a wretched
death in their hammocks. At present we have forty men left; in ten days
more we shall probably have but twenty; for as the labour becomes more
severe, so do they drop down the faster. Is it not better to risk our
lives in combat with the Spaniards, than die here like rotten sheep?"

"I perfectly agree with you, commodore," replied Philip;--"but still we
must obey orders. The admiral is an inflexible man."

"And a cruel one. I have a great mind to part company in the night, and
if he finds fault, I will justify myself to the Directors on my return."

"Do nothing rashly--perhaps, when day by day he finds his own ship's
company more weakened, he will see the necessity, of following your
advice."

A week had passed away after this conversation, and the fleet had made
little progress. In each ship the ravages of the fatal disease became
more serious, and, as the commodore had predicted, he had but twenty men
really able to do duty. Nor had the admiral's ship and the other
vessels suffered less. The commodore again went on board to reiterate
his proposition.

Admiral Rymelandt was not only a stern, but a vindictive man. He was
aware of the propriety of the suggestion made by his second in command,
but having refused it, he would not acquiesce; and he felt revengeful
against the commodore, whose counsel he must now either adopt, or by
refusing it be prevented from taking the steps so necessary for the
preservation of his crew, and the success of his voyage. Too proud to
acknowledge himself in error, again did he decidedly refuse, and the
commodore went back to his own ship. The fleet was then within three
days of the coast, steering to the southward for the Straits of
Magellan, and that night, after Philip had returned to his cot, the
commodore went on deck and