In reality, we were condemned to perish when our provisions should be exhausted, but they could have waited indefinitely--and they did wait.
They had never entertained any doubt that Arthur Pym, Dirk Peters, and Allen had perished, and this was only too true in Allen's case.

How, indeed, could they ever have imagined that Pyro and the half-breed had got hold of a boat and made their escape from Tsalal Island?
So, then, as William Guy told us, not an incident occurred to break the monotony of that existence of eleven years--not even the reappearance of the islanders, who were kept away from Tsalal by superstitious terror.

No danger had threatened them during all that time; but, of course, as it became more and more prolonged, they lost the hope of ever being rescued.

At first, with the return of the fine season, when the sea was once more open, they had thought it possible that a ship would be sent in search of the _Jane_.

But after four or five years they relinquished all hope.
There is no need for dwelling on this period, which extends from the year 1828 to the year 1839.