Here was no immediate peril; but certain death menaced them, at an uncertain distance.
Their situation was briefly this.

Should it come on to blow a gale, these open boats, small and loaded, could not hope to live.

Therefore they had two chances for life, and no more.

They must either make land--or be picked up at sea--before the weather changed.
But how?
The nearest known land was the group of islands called Juan Fernandez, and they lay somewhere to leeward, but distant at least nine hundred miles; and, should they prefer the other chance, then they must beat three hundred miles and more to windward; for Hudson, underrating the leak, as is supposed, had run the _Proserpine_ fully that distance out of the track of trade.
Now the ocean is a highway--in law; but, in fact, it contains a few highways and millions of byways; and, once a cockleshell gets into those byways, small indeed is its chance of being seen and picked up by any sea-going vessel.
Wylie, who was leading, lowered his sail, and hesitated between the two courses we have indicated.

However, on the cutter coming up with him, he ordered Cooper to keep her head northeast, and so run all night.