many other things, as the salt, pepper, butter, &c., &c., which had been placed there for present use. She also discovered the harness cask, with the salt beef and pork in it, for the ship's company: it had been hid from me in the steerage passage by the ship's awning, that was thrown over it. I now took the tea-kettle, also a large tin cooking vessel with an arched handle, and, accompanied by my two faithful companions, not forgetting a musket, marched to the fountain and brought back a supply of water. We soon got a tea breakfast, so congenial to our former habits.

It had been determined that one of our first objects, should be to get some of the seeds of our fruits, and some of the roots, as our yams and coccos, into the ground, the late rains having rendered the soil favourable for their reception; but the spades, and shovels, and hoes were all among the cargo; and how to approach them I could not devise, with nothing but my own strength: to move the bulky casks, and other things, that filled the hold of the brig, were an herculean task: they had been shipped in England, and were therefore under what was taken in at Jamaica; but, being articles likely to suffer by pressure, on account of their shafts, I concluded they must be immediately below the lumber : however, there was nothing for it but to go to work with perseverance and a good will; so, after breakfast, I opened the main hatchway, and saw the boards and shingles stowed close up to the deck. I pulled out a great quantity of the shingles, throwing them on deck, and then got hold of some of the long planks, four of which I succeeded to hoist on

deck. I placed these planks over the starboard gunwale of the brig; one end of each resting there, the other on the sandy beach, which was close to her side along these planks I slid all the boards down upon the beach as fast as I could get them up; and at intervals amused myself by throwing the shingles (small pieces of wood used in the West Indies instead of slates) as far as I could, beyond the boards let down by the slope. I worked hard till twelve o'clock, and was heartily tired.

My wife had kept up the fire on the rocks on the other side, and had made free with a shingle or two to help it: she had put some coccos on to boil, and a couple of plantains to roast, and so far had endeavoured to provide a dinner for us. I was pleased with her care and industry; "but we will eat the iguana, dear," said I; "it is very good."—" I do not think I could taste it," she replied; "it looks so hideous; yet, if you eat of it, I will certainly try to do so." I soon prepared the animal, which was not much bigger than a rabbit, and, getting a saucepan out of the locker, cut the creature in pieces, and, mixing a little pepper, salt, butter, and flour into small balls, stewed it excellently. We sat down to our iguana and vegetables; and she, as well as myself, admired my unexpected talent at cookery, while we found the dish even exquisite. After our repast we retired below for a few hours; and, in talking over matters, I lamented not knowing where the water-casks had been deposited. My wife thought they must be in the hold, if there were any; and asked me if I did not recollect that a large one, filled with water, had stood on the deck, and which, no doubt,

had been washed overboard in the hurricane; but probably, though the voyage was expected to be short, and many might not have been brought, yet some must be discovered after a search. I hoped so; for the fact is, I was desirous of putting my hand on water on board for our culinary purposes, without going for it across the isthmus, having so much other labour before me. In the afternoon I went down into the hold; and, having cleared away a considerable quantity of the lumber, I was enabled to discover what I wanted, and got at the watercasks; which, as Eliza suggested, were few, only two in number. I forced the bung out of one of them, and contrived to get the hand-pump into it; a great point gained, under our present circumstances. I pumped a bucket full of the water, and, bringing it up, poured some out for the poultry. As they hurried to drink, I was glad to observe, on reconnoitring them attentively, that they were rightly assorted, one gallant cock, poor fellow, now but in shabby attire, with three hens, looking little better. There were also two or three drakes among the ducks; and I was pleased in having thus assured myself of a prospect of their multiplication when we could trust them on shore to enjoy their liberty. We regaled ourselves at even with the remainder of the water-melon; and, as we had not yet entered upon a rigid economy of our delicacies, we boiled our kettle, and finished the day with tea.

Our rest this night was sound and refreshing; the noises of the storm had died away upon our ears; we had purchased sleep by the laborious exertions 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.