ertions of the day, and were only awakened by the crowing of the cock.

This day was occupied much as the former - in pumping out the ship, and in getting the shingles and deals, and some small squared timber, out of the hold, upon the beach. My dear wife reminded me that the next day would be the Sabbath, and as such we must keep it. I blessed God for the consecration of that day, and thanked her for telling me of it, as I was not aware that the week had so nearly expired. We boiled a piece of salt beef and salt pork to serve us until Monday, and finished the day in thankfulness.

CHAP. IV.

SUNDAY, 30th December.-We arose with the dawn, and both expressed an earnest desire to bathe in the sea, for we felt that such a bath would be not only grateful, but highly useful to us, our laborious occupation during the last four days requiring for us complete ablution; but we were deterred from plunging into the transparent wave, that so powerfully invited us, by having seen the sharks; and therefore contented ourselves, for the present, with a good washing.

The sun arose in splendid majesty, and for a few minutes shone resplendently into the cabin windows; but he had not risen half a degree above the horizon, before he was veiled by the high rocky island, which lay astern of us, distant about half a mile. After prayer, we went upon deck to enjoy the calm coolness of the morning: all was beauty and freshness around: we blessed God for the profusion of his bounties, and felt the situation in which his providence had placed us as the place of our rest: we thought upon the storm we had survived with adoring gratitude, lamenting the fate of our rash companions, who, trusting to their own might alone, had distrusted the compassion of the Almighty.

Eliza had brought the prayer-book upon deck, and, opening it, she read,- "O come, let us give thanks unto the Lord, for he is gracious. The sea roared, and the stormy winds lifted up the waves thereof: we were carried up as it were to heaven, and then down again into the deep: our souls melted within us. Then cried we unto thee, O Lord, and thou didst deliver us out of our distress. Blessed be thy name who didst not despise the prayer of thy servants, but didst hear our cry and hast saved us. Thou didst send forth thy commandment, and the windy storm ceased and was turned into a calm. Thou, Lord, hast made us glad through the operation of thy hands, and we will triumph in thy praise. Blessed be the Lord God, even the Lord God, who only doeth wondrous things, and blessed be the name of his Majesty for ever!" Then we both said, in the fulness of our hearts, Amen! Amen!-and throwing ourselves on the neck of each other, wept tears of joy and gratitude.

About the time the ascending sun looked over the rock upon the vessel's deck, the sea-breeze set in, which blowing into the cabin windows rendered it more agreeable below than on deck. We therefore descended; and after breakfast determined to show our respect to the day by dressing ourselves in better attire. The trunks were opened, and my beloved wife dressed herself as she would have done at Awbury on a Sunday; and I followed her example: we then sat down quietly, and I went through the morning service, she reading the lessons for the day. After this proper and consolatory

exercise, we talked to each other about those dear friends we had left behind in England, and often with grateful tenderness reverted to the father of Eliza, to whom both of us were much indebted for the peace we now enjoyed; being separated from all the gaieties of life, but having for our portion God and ourselves.

It being the winter solstice, or a few days after, and the sea-breeze blowing fresh, we did not find it unpleasantly hot upon deck; for although it was now near to noon, the vessel was completely in shadow of the promontory. We therefore enjoyed ourselves sitting arm in arm on the quarter-deck, feeling an internal happiness that scarcely could have been anticipated in such a situation: it was that peace which the world cannot give nor take away, and with which the stranger intermeddleth not. At one o'clock we went below, and took a slight repast by way of dinner; and, as soon as the high rock which overtowered our vessel extended its protecting shadow to some distance over the isthmus, my dear wife put on her gipsy hat, and we prepared to go on shore to take a walk. Yet we were somewhat afraid, although we had not seen any traces of natives nor other inhabitants; neither had we heard the howlings of wild beasts: still we did not deem it prudent to venture without some defence. As it was Sunday, I did not choose to carry a gun; so I bethought me to go to one of my trunks and take out my pistols, which I did, and fastened them to a belt made of a silk pocket handkerchief; then taking a boarding-pike in my hand,

and giving Eliza another, to serve at once for a pilgrim's staff and a weapon,—thus accoutred, with our faithful little dog, we stepped on shore.

I had observed a grove of cocoa-nut trees towards the centre of the isthmus, bearing about north of us; or I should rather say I saw the tops of them, for the sand-banks appeared unusually high between them and the eastern beach. We now proposed to direct our steps to that place, and proceeded for some distance under shadow of the promontory, during which it was very pleasant; but after we emerged from that friendly shield, the heat became intense, which, adding to the disagreeableness of the deep loose sand getting into our shoes, disposed us to return. I, however, perceived we could avoid the latter inconvenience by edging down to the seaside, which we did, and, by keeping close to the water's edge, found the footing firm and the walking pleasant. Thus feeling ourselves quite at ease along the margin of the beach, we often stopped to contemplate the reef on which the brig had struck; and, observing now the surf break over it, we felt a renewed spirit of gratitude to God, who had delivered us from a watery grave.

After proceeding about half a mile, we picked up many beautiful shells, which were admirable for their high polish. I put them in my pocket, one by one, as they presented themselves to us; until finding myself rather heavily laden, I said, "Eliza, we will leave some for our next walk." My dear companion instantly comprehended the cause of my remark, and desired to share the burden; but it was not already one, although it would have soon be