ipwreck for the first time turn to a visible
land, and how they burn within him for longing to walk upon turf or
highway once again in his jeopardised life.

Now, the rafts that we had constructed were by no means ill-fashioned.
That ship's carpenter, Abraham Janes, was a man of great parts in his
trade. I never in my life saw a handier man at his tools or a defter at
devices of all kinds. The poor old Royal Christopher had timber enough
and to spare for the planks that were to make our rafts, and we had a
great plenty of idle rope aboard in the rigging wherewith our fallen
mast was entangled. So there was no lack of material, and when our men
saw that there was really and truly a prospect of escape there was no
lack of willing hands to work. So by the end of the time I have already
specified we had two large and serviceable rafts ready to try their
fortunes upon the ocean that was now so tempting in its calm.

It was a matter of some little surprise to us who were on board the ship
that with the calm weather Captain Amber made no further attempt to come
out to us. But there was no sign of a sail upon the water, although we
watched it eagerly through the spy-glass; and we were sorely puzzled to
imagine what could have happened to our leader, for that he could be
forgetful of or indifferent to our danger it was impossible to believe.

The rafts being now ready and the weather so propitious, nothing was
left for us but to commit them, with ourselves and all our belongings,
to the water, in the hope of making the shore with them. They were each
of them capable of holding our whole number and a quantity of such
stores as were left on board. These latter, therefore, divided into two
equal parts, we proceeded to put upon the rafts as quickly as we could,
together with as many barrels of water as we had. Each of the rafts
carried a stout mast and sail, and in the absence of any wind could be
propelled slowly over such a smooth water as that which now lay around
us by means of oars. The stores and water barrels we adjusted in such a
way as to preserve as nicely as might be the balance of the rafts.

We effected the transfer of our stores and provisions with very little
difficulty, and embarked all our party, also without any difficulty
whatever. In obedience to Lancelot's resolution, which he had privately
communicated to me beforehand, we divided our forces into two parties.
That is to say, half of the sailors were set on ea