SINDRAD. THE SAILOR. TAY

all perish in less than a quarter of an hour. Pray Heaven to
deliver us from this imminent danger.” He then gave orders
for setting the sails, but the ropes broke in the attempt, and the
ship, without a possibility of managing it, was dashed to pieces
by the current against the foot of a rock, where it split and went
to pieces: we had, however, time to take precautions for our
safety, and to disembark our provisions, as well as the most
valuable part of the lading. )

This being effected, the captain said, “ Here we may dig our
graves, and bid each other an eternal farewell ; for we are in
so desolate a place, that no one who ever was cast on this shore
returned to his own home.”

The mountain, at the foot of which we were, formed one side
of alarge and long island. This coast was covered with the
remains of vessels which had been wrecked on it.

In every other part it is common for a number of small rivers
to discharge themselves into the sea, instead of which, here a large
river of fresh water takes its course from the sea, and runs along
the coast through a dark cave, the opening of which is extremely
high and wide. What is most remarkable in this place is, that
the mountain is composed of rubies, crystals, and other precious
stones. Here, too, a kind of pitch, or bitumen, distils from the
rock into the sea, and the fishes eating it, return it again in the
form of ambergris, which the waves leave on the shore. The
preatest part of the trees are aloes, which are equal in beauty to
those of Comari.

To complete the description of this place, which may be termed
a whirlpool, as nothing ever returns from thence ; it is impos-
sible that a ship can avoid being dragged thither, if it comes
within a certain distance. Ifa sea-breeze blows, that assists the
current, there is no remedy ; and if the wind comes from land,
the high mountain impedes its effect, and causes a calm, which
allows the current full force, and then it whirls the ship against
the coast, and dashes it to pieces as ours was. In addition to
this, the mountain is so steep, that it is impossible to reach the
summit, or, in fact, to escape by any means.

We remained on the shore, quite distracted, expecting to die.
We had divided our provisions equally, so that each individual]
lived more or less time according to the consumption he made
of his portion.

L