The Captain, first and second mate, Mr. Sargent and myself now alone remained on the bark.
We hurried into the boat. "We should not be far from one of the outlying islands of the Windward group," said the captain; "and if the boat can live in this sea until daylight we may reach one of the Virgin Islands."
The tackle was let go, and a great sea caught the boat. She was lifted up, and up, and up, and then sank, it seemed, into a fathomless abyss.
I saw the first and second mate bend to the oars. The Captain was in the stern. The boat careened and seemed to start suddenly upward on an inclined plane.
A rush of water enveloped her. I heard a roaring sound in my ears, and I knew no more.
CHAPTER IV.
Cast up by the Sea on a Tropical Island.
When I regained consciousness I was lying upon a sandy beach. I was uninjured, but rather stiff, while my body seemed to be bruised in places. I was, of course, wet to the skin, and I crawled up and lay upon the sand where my clothing was quickly dried by the hot sun, now well up.
Meanwhile I looked about me. I had been driven ashore between two points of land, upon a narrow beach. The vegetation, very thick and luxuriant, grew close to the line of sand, and all around me, beautiful trees were waving in the balmy breeze, their shining leaves glistening in the sunlight.
I stood up and looked behind me, but I saw nothing save lofty mountains heavily wooded.