Still the distracting sounds were heard, but no order was given concerning the ship, scarcely a word exchanged between the men.

They felt that they were drifting into some unknown sea, perhaps some place of enchantment, where death was certain, and from whence nothing more would ever be heard of them.
Could this be the mermaid's retreat of which the old captain had spoken, and of which the natives on Queen Charlotte's Island had such a strange superstition?
Tite thought to himself.

All the pleasant associations of home, all that he loved there, and all that he had hoped for, now rose up in his mind like a sweet and beautiful dream, only to be overshadowed by the terrible thoughts this strange and gloomy place had impressed upon him.

There was no hope for him now; he felt that he should never enjoy those scenes again.

But what was that to the anguish of his poor old parents, who would linger on week after week, month after month, and year after year, wondering and waiting in vain for some news of him, and dying of hope deferred.
While he was thus musing a pale, aurora-like light broke in the distance, directly ahead of the ship.