HOW I FOUND THE ISLAND. Y 



Tims it was that we made the voyage together, 

 starting in the month of January, crossing the Gulf 

 Stream and the Sargasso Sea, touching at the island 

 of Barbados, and finally bringing in sight the object 

 of my quest one evening, just as the sun went down. 



The first officer pointed out to me a long black 

 cloud, which he said was Tobago, promising to be 

 close upon it in the morning, adding that he envied 

 me the fun I'd have when I got on shore. And that 

 night I could not sleep, tliinking of " the fun I'd 

 have " on the morrow. 



And it was as well I could not, for a little after 

 midnight a sudden and terrible shock threw me out of 

 my bunk and upon the fioor, where for a time I lay 

 bewildered. Another still heavier blow, which thrilled 

 the good schooner through from stem to stem, brought 

 back my scattered senses, and I groped my way out 

 of the cabin and scrambled to the deck. There I saw 

 my dear old captain clinging to the wheel, maintain- 

 ing his post nobly, though dashed from port to star- 

 board every time a wave came in. Looking over the 

 side, I saw that we were surrounded by breakers, with 

 great white-crested rollers hurrying upon us from 

 every direction. 



A great crash announced a new disaster ; a tre- 

 mendous wave rolled over the stern, unshipped the 

 rudder, and knocked the helmsman flat on deck, where 

 for a moment he lay groaning. I ran, raised him in 

 my arms, and supported him ; he was so dazed that 

 he reeled like a drunken man. But, notwithstanding 

 the severe shock he had received, as soon as he looked 



