Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 8Sylvester, Charles Herbert
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Journeys Through Bookland, Vol. 8
Sylvester, Charles Herbert
Children's literature; Literature -- Collections
Wet and cold as we were, however, we put forth to sea and rowed away,
passing several islands. In the open sea the smallness of our vessel put
us again in deadly peril, and it always required one man and sometimes
two to bail out the water that came over the sides of the boat. When we
had struggled for some time with these difficulties, and when we were
near one of the smaller islands, a huge wave overturned our boat and we
were all forced to swim for our lives, but did manage to get to shore,
where soon our canoe was thrown after us. All our bread and fresh water
were spoiled, but as our guns were lashed to the boat and were kept in
waxed cases, we lost none of them. Our first business was to take them
out and clean them.
Scarcely had this been done when we saw another boat suffering from the
same misfortune at a little distance from us. The persons thus cast
ashore proved to be six Spaniards from the garrison at Santa Maria who
had followed us to escape the Indians. Presently they joined us, and we
built a fire, broiled our meat on the coals, and all ate amicably
together. We were suffering terribly for water, as we had none to drink
and knew not where to get any. Fortunately our canoe was thrown on edge
and very little injured, but the one on which the Spaniards came split
itself against the rocks, being old and slender, and was broken into a
hundred pieces.
My company was now much discouraged and wished to return, but after much
persuasion I induced them to go forward at least one day longer, saying
I would then be willing to do whatever they saw fit. About the time they
concluded to follow me, our watchman espied an Indian, who as soon as he
knew he had been seen, ran hastily to the woods. Immediately I sent two
of my companions after him. Finding he was one of our friendly Indians,
they followed him along the shore to where seven more of his companions
with a great canoe were resting on the seashore. By means of signs I
asked him what had become of my companions, and the Indians assured us
that if we would take their boat instead of our own, we would overtake
our friends before morning.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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