one has given information to the governor that the captain was to pick us up, and if so, when he does sail, his movements will be watched, and we shall be taken to a certainty if we remain longer here. What say you?"

"What Hall says is very likely to be true," observed some of the men to each other.

"Why, it is likely enough; but where shall we go?" they asked.

"I have already said that I, for one, would never return alive to St Helena: but I have to make a proposition, to which I hope all will agree. Some distance from this there is, to the northwest, an island called Ascension (he was afraid to say how many hundred miles). It is very small, but as it rises high out of the sea, it can be observed at a long distance off. The shores abound with fine turtle, which are very easy to catch, and we shall be able to procure all sorts of food to recover our strength, for we must live on short commons till we get there; and we shall there also be able to lay in a store of provisions to carry us over to America, if we cannot find a ship bound in that direction. Are all agreed?"

The men consulted for some time together, and at last came to the resolution of agreeing to what Hall proposed. It must be remarked that, from the first, both Hall and Hardy had taken that position which their superior education and intelligence claimed, and had been looked on by the rest in the light of officers, though no formal respect was paid to them as such. Before shaping their course for Ascension, they examined into the state of their provisions, when they found that, with the strictest economy, eating merely enough to sustain life, they should have sufficient to last them for a week or ten days, by which time Hall calculated they would reach Ascension.

"Now remember the risk we run should it come on to blow!" said Hall. "I don't want to conceal it from you, but for my part I prefer death to slavery."

"So do we all," exclaimed the rest. "Then on to Ascension!" The sail was hoisted, Hall took the helm, and shaping their course, the ill-fated boat stood away for Ascension. The weather proved uncommonly fine, and the wind shifted round more to the westward, so they made good way through the water. Besides Hall, Hardy and Jackson were the only ones who could steer by compass, so that they were obliged to relieve each other; and this giving them occupation, prevented them from dwelling so constantly on their condition. The other men passed most of their time asleep at the bottom of the boat; but it was dreary work, and soon they began sensibly to feel the want of their accustomed food and the scarcity of water; for Hall, who well knew that their only chance of living was by maintaining the strictest discipline, kept all the provisions in the after-part of the boat, serving out the daily rations with the greatest

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care. Day after day was the same: around them the heaving, sparkling sea; above, the deep blue sky and the hot sun, which, darting his fierce rays on their heads, seemed to scorch up their very life's blood.

The

Six long days had thus passed. The seventh came, and Hall asserted that on the morrow Ascension would be in sight. dawn of the eighth day arrived: every eye, bloodshot with the heat and glare of the sun, was strained to the utmost, as the light increased, to catch sight of the wished-for shore; but they looked in vain-no land was to be seen; and with cries of disappointment, they sunk down in their seats.

"We must have come along slower than I thought we had," said Hall, anxious to encourage the rest, though dreadful misgivings crossed his own mind.

"Can we have passed it?" said Hardy to him in a whisper.

He answered with a look which showed that in his own bosom he thought the suspicion correct. "To-morrow we must reach the island," he exclaimed aloud. "We will run on all day, and lay to at night."

They did as Hall proposed, but no appearance of land cheered their sight that day; and the scanty remainder of their provisions would only support their lives three or four days longer. That night passed as many others had done: some of the men lay groaning at the bottom of the boat with hunger; others blamed Hall for leading them into this dreadful predicament; while he, when he closed his weary eyes in slumber, appeared visited by the most appalling dreams. With a terrible shriek he awoke, and starting up in the boat, gazed around with looks of

the wildest horror.

"What has alarmed you, my friend?" asked Hardy, taking his hand.

"Nothing-nothing!" he answered unconsciously. "Did I say nothing? Was it a mere sleeping vision, or some dreadful reality? Oh, Hardy! tell me, my friend, did you see no one? Did you hear no words of terrific import? Oh no, you could not, or you would have felt, like me, inclined to leap beneath the dark waves, and so end my ill-fated life and all my woes together! But what am I talking about? I am wandering in my mind-speaking sheer nonsense;" and he broke forth into a wild hysterical laugh.

Hardy endeavoured to calm him, and as the dawn appeared, his spirits became more tranquil; but with the returning light, despondency took possession of the bosoms of the rest, for all around was the boundless sea and the blue vault of heaven. No signs of land appeared on either side. They sailed on till noon, in the faint hope of yet reaching the island, when Hall, after consulting with Hardy, announced to his comrades his conviction that they must have missed it altogether. This information was received with sullen apathy by some, and fierce anger by

others, each throwing the blame of what they had already suffered, and what they might have to undergo, on Hall. He bore their rebukes manfully.

"Of your own free will you came, and nothing have I done without consulting you," he answered. "If you suffer, so shall I; and in no way have I fared better than you; bearing, too, all the care and responsibility on my own shoulders. I will not conceal the perilous condition we are in, but we have still a chance of falling in with a ship from some part of America, or we must endeavour to reach the coast of the new world in the best way we can. I put it to the vote. If anybody can propose a better plan, let him say so."

"I agree with Hall; such is our only chance," said Hardy. "And I," said Jackson.

"And I-and I-and I," exclaimed the others; and their course was once more altered in the proposed direction.

VIII.

The most indifferent could not but feel the hazard of their position. Were they to the eastward of Ascension, they might still have some hopes of falling in with it; but if not, a run of many hundred miles was before them, with provisions barely sufficient to sustain life for the space of two days longer. Hall assured the rest that they were likely to fall in with some ship which would at all events supply them with provisions; but his tones contradicted his words. The severe privations to which they were subjected had begun to tell upon all the party except Hall, whose bold unflinching spirit seemed to defy their power; his mental energies and physical strength both remained unimpaired. He had provided himself with a small map of the world, by which he found that, steering due west, they should reach near some of the Portuguese settlements, either Pernambuco or Bahia, from whence he proposed that they should find their way to the United States. 'Only let us get somewhere," said one of the men, "and then we'll talk of what we will do afterwards."

The men had become fretful and sullen for want of food, and of water they had barely sufficient to wet their parched tongues, for not a drop of rain had fallen to replenish their store of that precious article. What a scene of misery did the boat with its forlorn crew now present! Placed in the midst of the wide Atlantic, a world of unbroken waters all around, provisions and water gone, no friendly hand to save, and perhaps, worst of all, each of the sufferers was less or more oppressed with remorseful feelings. The sophistry which led them to desert, was now seen in all its deformity. They felt that, having undertaken a duty by a solemn engagement, they were bound to have

fulfilled it at all hazards. In short, the greater number wished they had never quitted St Helena. But such wishes came too late.

Another day came, and as the provisions were served out, the men saw that, before many hours more had passed, there would be nothing wherewith to satisfy their gnawing hunger. But why dwell longer on what must have been long foreseen? At last the day arrived when they were without food. Slowly, and in silence, they ate their last mouthful; every man shared alike; and then they gazed vacantly into each others' eyes, and thought of the morrow. That dreadful morrow came. The sun rose red and hot, scorching up the remnant of moisture which existed in the emaciated frames of the wretched men. There they sat in their places more like spectres than living men, while the boat ran buoyantly and gaily over the dancing waves, conveying them whither they scarcely knew, except yet deeper into the vast expanse of the desert ocean, where food there was none. Yes; they felt that it was conveying them to death -death in its most appalling form-death by famine. What mockery it seemed as the boat bounded onward, as the glorious sun shone from out of the pure blue sky, and the clear sea sparkled brightly in his beams! Hope itself became faint within the breasts of all.

Towards the evening of that day one of the men, with his dim staring eyeballs, observed something dark floating ahead of the boat; they steered towards it. "A turtle-a turtle!" was the cry. Eagerly they hung over the side of the boat to grasp it in their arms, while one attempted to strike it on the head, for they had no other means of catching it; but, like the phantom of a dream, ere they reached the spot it sunk from their sight, and with a cry of bitter disappointment they fell back in the boat. Another and another appeared to tantalise their hopes; while now a troop of porpoises, with curved backs, would leap from the water, to remind them that abundance was on every side, but not for them. Then a flight of tropical birds would pass over their heads, but none approached within their reach. Their eyes were hollow and grim; their tongues were parched; their voices sounded faint; they glared at each other with a strange and terrific expression. What dreadful thoughts were now passing through their minds!

Each man looked at his fellow in silence ominous of ill. The day ended with groans, and in tears passed the sad night. Hall's strength seemed unabated; Hardy also bore up, sup ported by a courage he knew not that he before possessed. Some of the men had been whispering together during the night. It was scarcely day. The cold pale light of dawn threw into deeper shade the hollows of their sunken cheeks and eyes; these gave tokens of their sufferings. They sat upright. A sepulchral voice called Hall by name. He started up from the

slumber into which he had lately fallen while Hardy was steering: he looked wildly around.

"Who calls me?" he asked.

"Food-food!" was uttered by several of the men.

"There is none!" was the disheartening reply. Every one knew that this was the case. Again there was a prolonged silence.

"We must eat!" exclaimed one.

"There is no food!" again answered their leader.

"Then some one must die to feed us!" shrieked forth a soldier with accents almost supernatural. No one answered this dreadful proposal. Each man seemed to be conning it over in his thoughts. Their hearts sunk within them-their breath grew thick. Suddenly an unearthly cry arose of "Lots-lots!" They said no more; each man fully comprehended the resolve of his neighbour. Again they sat staring at each other.

"I protest against it," cried Hardy. "Heaven may yet send

us aid."

"And I too," said Jackson.

"The majority are for it," exclaimed the rest. "Be it so," said Hall in a solemn voice. exist another day, but I will not vote."

"We might yet

"Food-food!" cried the others, glaring at those who opposed them. "If we cannot have it by fair means, we will by foul;" and they seemed as if they were about to rush on Hardy. "You will not consent to wait?" said Hall. "Food-food!" was the dreadful response.

Without again speaking, Hall cut a piece of rope into eight uneven lengths, and throwing them into a hat together, the dreadful ceremoný began. Who could venture to paint the countenances of those wretched men?

"I suppose," said Hall, "he who draws the shortest piece of rope must suffer for the rest? Shall it be so?"

" Agreed-agreed!" cried the men.

The lots were accordingly drawn, each man looking away as he dipped his hand in the hat. A loud cry escaped from Hall's lips-he had drawn the shortest length. An awful silence ensued. Then starting up, and drawing a pistol from his belt, Hall broke into a hysterical laugh. The true, the haughty spirit of the man showed itself.

"Fools!" he exclaimed, "do you think I, who am the strongest, with more of life in me than all together possess, will die to save your worthless lives? He who moves, that instant dies!" Then he stood firm and strong in the stern-sheets of the boat, his weapons pointed towards the heads of his comrades. They cowered before him. Suddenly a new temper came over him. Hurling his pistols from him into the deep ocean, he sunk down into the bottom of the boat, and hiding his face in his hands, his bosom heaved convulsively. Oh with what bitter