1 694-] A FRAIL RAFT. 163 



the Country, ought to Transport us to Batavia, or the Caj;c, 

 whether Criminals or not ; but we were acquainted by our 

 Purveyors, that we must not expect to go with that Vessel, 

 This made my two Companions and I, who were not in the 

 case of the Accus'd, take a Eesolution to hazard all, rather 

 than not go a-shoar, while the Officers of the Ship newly 

 arriv'd were there, to the end that we might make our Com- 

 plaints in their Presence. But the execution of this Project 

 was highly difficult ; we wanted everything that Men could 

 want ; the Passage was two Leagues, and above all, we could 

 not judge whether the Current ran out to Sea or towards 

 the Shoar. Nevertheless, that there might be nothing to 

 Eeproach us with, we made a Float of Sea-Weeds, and 

 fastened to the two ends the two Hogsheads^ we Kept our 

 Water in, when the Sieurs Be — le and La Haye, those two 

 of my Companions that were Innocent, tho' treated like 

 Criminals, ventur'd to Sea upon this sort of Floating Bridge^; 



the Pass. When entering the channel keep the Lion's Head bearing 

 N.E. by N. ^ N. until the centre of the lie de la Passe bears E. by N.; 

 then steer for the rock of the Devil's Point, which will bear E.N.E., 

 and after running three-quarters of a mile, bring up in about thirteen 

 fathom, sand and gravel. It was doubtless by this channel and at this 

 point that the Perseverance came in and anchored. ( Vide Findlay, o/j. 

 cit., p. 511. Vide sujjra, p. 155.) 

 1 In orig. : "barriques." 



2 " At last, when care had banished sleep, 



He saw one morning — dreaming — doating — 

 An empty hogshead from the deep 

 Come shoreward floating. 



" He hid it in a cave, and wrought 



The livelong day laborious, lurking 

 Until he launched a tiny boat 

 By mighty working. 



" Heaven help us, 'twas a thing beyond 

 Description wretched ; such a wherry 

 Perhaps ne'er ventured on a pond 

 Or crossed a ferry. 



M 2 



