The Gradual Rising Of A Gale Of Wind, Rendered The
Astonished Fugitives Sensible Of Their Rashness; And, As The Tempest
Continued To Augment, The Thick Darkness Of Night Completed The Horrors
Of Their Situation.
In their confusion, the intended port was missed, or
could not be attained, and their vessel drove at the mercy of the winds
and waves.
In the morning they found themselves in the midst of an
unknown ocean, without skill to determine their situation, and destitute
of knowledge or experience to direct their course towards any known land.
At length, after twelve anxious mornings had dawned without sight of land,
with the earliest streaks of day an object dimly appeared to their eager
watchfulness in the distant horizon, and when the grey haze, which had
alternately filled them with hope and despondency was dissipated by the
rising sun, the certainty of having discovered land was welcomed by a
general burst of joy. A great luxuriancy of trees of unknown species,
was soon observed to overspread the land, whence unknown birds of
beautiful plumage came off in flocks to the vessel, and gave the
appearance of a pleasing dream to their unexpected deliverance.
[Illustration: Chart of North Western Africa]
The boat was hoisted out to examine the new found island, and returned
with a favourable account. Machin and his friends accompanied their
trembling charge on shore, leaving the mariners to secure the vessel at
an anchor. The wilderness and rich scenery of the adjacent country
possessed great charms to these thankful guests, just escaped from
apparently inevitable destruction. An opening in the extensive woods,
which was encircled with laurels and other flowering shrubs, presented a
delightful retreat to the tempest-worn voyagers; a venerable tree, of
ancient growth, offered its welcome shade on an adjoining eminence, and
the first moments of liberty were employed in forming a romantic
residence, with the abundant materials which nature supplied all around.
The novelty of every object they beheld, induced curiosity to explore
their new discovery, and they spent three days in wandering about the
woods, when the survey was interrupted by an alarming hurricane, which
came on during the night, and rendered them extremely anxious for the
safety of their companions, who had been left in charge of the vessel.
The ensuing morning destroyed all prospect of being ever enabled to get
away from the island; the vessel had broke from her moorings by the
violence of the storm, and was wrecked on the coast of Morocco, where all
on board were immediately seized as slaves.
The afflicted Machin found this last calamity too severe for his
terrified and afflicted companion to endure. Her susceptible mind and
tender frame, overcome by the severity of the scenes she had gone through,
and oppressed by consciousness of having deviated from her duty, sunk
under her afflictive situation. From the moment it was reported that the
vessel had disappeared, she became dumb with sorrow, and expired after a
few days of silent despair.
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