Turk was an English dog,
and Flora of a Danish breed.
We proceeded slowly, but safely. The nearer we approached the land, the
more dreary and unpromising it appeared. The rocky coast seemed to
announce to us nothing but famine and misery. The waves, gently rippling
against the shore, were scattered over with barrels, bales, and chests
from the wreck. Hoping to secure some good provisions, I called on Fritz
for assistance; he held a cord, hammer, and nails, and we managed to
seize two hogsheads in passing, and fastening them with cords to our
vessel, drew them after us to the shore.
As we approached, the coast seemed to improve. The chain of rock was not
entire, and Fritz's hawk eye made out some trees, which he declared were
the cocoa-nut tree; Ernest was delighted at the prospect of eating these
nuts, so much larger and better than any grown in Europe. I was
regretting not having brought the large telescope from the captain's
cabin, when Jack produced from his pocket a smaller one, which he
offered me with no little pride.
This was a valuable acquisition, as I was now enabled to make the
requisite observations, and direct my course. The coast before us had a
wild and desert appearance,--it looked better towards the left; but I
could not approach that part, for a current which drove us towards the
rocky and barren shore.
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