Thus passed a dreadful day and night, the men always keeping us ignorant of what had happened.

They resolved to make for Port Darwin, on the mainland of Australia, which was believed to be quite near; for we had no water, there being none on the guano island.

The interval was spent in collecting turtles' eggs and sea-fowl, which were intended as provisions for the journey.

Next morning the storm had quite abated, and gradually the stupefying news was communicated to us that our father and his ship had gone down with all hands in the night.

Indeed, these kind and gentle men told us the whole story of their hopes and doubts and fears, together with every detail of the terrible tragedy of the sea that had left us in such a fearful situation.