t 
other on our escape. My companions could not for- 
bear expressing their surprize to me at so unexpected 
a salvation, asking me how I knew the land was so 
near, notwithstanding the darkness of the night; and, 
by a spontaneous impulse of their gratitude, they 
stripped themselves of a part of their clothes, and pre- 
sented them to me; so that I soon found myself dressed 
in a most grotesque manner. I was, however, skreened 
from the cold wind that blew. 
But what land was it upon which we had disem- 
barked? I sent four men to explore it, and found, upon 
their return, that we were upon a desert island, which 
was a mere sandy plain, without water, rocks, or vege- 
tation. We perceived the main land at some leagues 
distance; but how to venture upon a still furious sea 
we knew not. And if the hurricane were to last some 
days, how could we remain without eating or drinking? 
The weather, which cleared up by degrees, enabled 
us to perceive our ship in the horizon, with another 
vessel at its side. What was our joy upon observing 
it, after thinking it was lost! But what could the other 
ship be? 
The weather became cloudy a second time. Tor- 
rents of rain fell upon us; and the cold wind nearly 
deprived us of feeling. We kept closely together, to 
keep ourselves warm if possible, and spread a large 
cloak that we had by accident with us over our heads, 
to serve us as a shelter, which kept off some of the rain 
and wind; and we began to be a little warmer. 
At noon the weather became more calm; and the 
boat of the other ship, which was looking for us, ap- 
proached near enough to discover the signals we made 
with a shirt tied to the end of an oar. T.he sailors as- 
sured us that our vessel was saved, without having 
