the danger been a hundredfold greater, it had to be faced. John Mangles felt the necessity of leaving without delay a vessel doomed t

ships bound to New Zealand. They keep further north for Auckland, further south for New Plymouth, and the ship had struck just between

get away?" as

replied John Mangles. "The tide wi

which did very well for mooring the anchors, was quite inadequate to the transport of passengers and provisions. What was needed was a strong,

inmast, chopped away at the base, fell over the starboard rail, which

ecaution to place in the interstices half a dozen empty barrels, which would raise the structure above the level of the water. On this strong foundation, Wilson laid a kind of floor in open work, made of the gratings off the hatches.

il. A large broad-bladed oar was fixed behind to act as a rudder in case the wind was sufficient to require it. The greatest pains had been expended on strengthening the raft t

n quantity sufficient to last till they should reach Auckland, f

in the MACQUARIE. This was but a scanty resource. They had to fall back on the coarse viands of the s

n lowered on to the raft and strongly lashed to the foot of the mast. The arms and ammunition we

ase John should be unable to make the land

eze blew gently from the northwest, and

eady?" as

captain," an

ard!" cr

of the mast on the cases of provisions, their companions near them. Wilson took the helm.

oars would have accomplished in three hours. But with a raft allowance must be made. If the wind held, they might reach the land in one tide. But if the breeze died away, the e

g carried out to sea. They made a good start. Little by little the black line of the reefs and the yellow banks of sand disappeared under the swelling tide. Extreme

f the land. In the northeast rose a mountain about 2,300 feet high, whose sharply defined outline was exactly like the

marked that all the rocks had d

," answered

dam?" aske

e, pointing to a bl

ascertain its position, so as not to get too

slope of the mountain," said John Mangles

r, throwing his whole weight on th

a mile. But, strange to say, the bl

d in order to make it out,

moment; "it is something floating, w

ast of the MACQUARIE

"none of her timbers c

Mangles; "I know i

oat?" exclaim

. The ship's

res," cried Lady Helena

rished, for in the midst of these breakers in a heavy

l craft as they drew near it. It must evidently have capsized about

y be of use to us

ered John Mangles. "

the breeze fell gradually, and it was

fended off the blow, and t

asked Joh

"the boat is empty, and all its sea

all?" sai

l," said Jo

for nothing

el, "for the yawl might h

in such a stormy sea I prefer our raft to that crazy boat. A very slight shock would

think be

id John, "and bear st

two miles. But the wind soon fell almost entirely, and the raft became nearly mo

ot hesitat

he anchor

. The raft backed about two fathoms on the line, which was then at full stretch.

s did not care to go on in the dark, the anchorage was for the night, or at least till

ously toward the coast, and perceiving this, Glenarvan asked John w

dward, it does not really move at all. It is mere undulating molecular motion, nothing more. Throw a piece of wood overboard

er," said

e proffered the meager bill of fare. But it was received with a good grace, even

seas were as severe as if she had been striking on a submerged rock. Sometimes it was hard to believe that she was not aground. The cable strained violently, and

cable might break, or his anchor lose its hol

aves glittered in the west, and sparkled like sheets of liquid silver. Nothing was to be seen in that directi

ew minutes, and soon the coast outline, which bounded

izing situation on their narrow raft,

o evil dreams; others could not close an eye. When the

verything for resuming their voyage, and then he ordered the anchor to be weighed. But the anchor flukes had been so imbedded in the sand b

e possibility of anchoring again if this tide failed to carry them to land. But he decided that further delay was not t

of sky illumined by the rising sun. The reef was dexterously avoided and doubled, but with the fitful breez

It was a steeply-shelving shore, fringed with breake

nst the mast, and John had it furled. The tide alone carried the raft to the shore, but

ll, not three cables' lengths from the shore. Having lo

ed with anxiety, and cast frenzied g

felt. The raft stood still. It had landed on a

est rocks. The ladies were carried to land without wetting a fold of their dresses, and soon the whol