The Home of tlie Wolverene and Beaver. 1 3 1 



hundred yards before they found the armourer 

 standing under the shelter of a rock, and half dead 

 from cold and misery. The poor fellow at once 

 reproached them bitterly, and instead of replying 

 to their inquiries concerning Mr. Aikens and his 

 other companions, he continued murmuring, ' You 

 did it purposely,' which undoubtedly was the truth 

 as far as the captain was concerned. When at last 

 he was induced to speak, he told them that after 

 the ship had so cruelly abandoned them, the boat 

 was drawn into the breakers, capsized, and the mate 

 and sailmaker never rose again. The armourer and 

 the islanders, being all expert swimmers, reached 

 the boat, which they managed to turn on her keel, 

 baling out some of the water, and recovering one 

 of the oars. The tide drew the pinnace out to 

 sea, and there they spent a miserable night from 

 cold, exposure, and fatigue, under the effects of 

 which the islanders lay down listlessly in the 

 bottom of the boat, and before morning one was 

 quite, and the other almost dead. The armourer 

 had strength of mind enough to resist the drowsy 

 feeling to which his companions had yielded, and 

 occupied himself during the night in sculling the 

 boat with their only oar. Daylight dawned, and 

 he found that they were once more close to the 

 breakers. Determined to effect a landing, or perish 



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