Year: 1878

|
ed upon a barren island, and while
Leon was looking for eggs, Pedro
returned to the boat, pulled up the
grapnel and sailed away.


When Leon first saw Pedro leav.
ing, he thought it was a joke, and
cried out:


"Good. bye-call again."


But Pedro neither turned his
head, nor made any answer, and
the boat was kept on her way.


Then Leon began to feel uneasy,
and begged Pedro to return but nc
attentionwas paid to his entreaties.


The boat glided onward, and
Leon, after shouting himself hoarse
gazed at the lessening sail until i,
vanished in the distance.


Then abandoning himself to des-
pair, he ran wildly hither and thitl7-
er, tearing his hair and beating his
breast, until overcome by the vio-
lcnce of his emotion, he fell sense
less upon the sand.


Leon's situation was indeed hor-
rible the small island he was on
was destitute of vegetation and wa
ter, was far from the usual track of
vessels, and rarely ever visited by
any one.


1t was late in the night before
Leon regained his consciousness at
first his mind was confused, and he
could scarcely realize where he was,
but gradually his head became
clear.


He revolved his condition in his
mind, but, look at things as he
would, there was scarcely a CLEAN
of hope that he could escape that
most horrible of deaths, a death
from thirst.


When morning came he was 3es-
perate, but comparatively calm.
He determined TO use every ef-
fort to prolong his life, and meet
his fate, whatever it might be, like
a man.


He wore sheath knife, and in
his pockets were fishing tackle, a
pipe, tobacco, and matches Id a
waterproof box


: There was an abundance OF eggs
on the island, and oysters along
the shore. If he could only get
water, life might be supported for
an indefinite period.


He examined the island careful
ly, but found nothing, except some
drift wood, and an empty cask with
| one head out.


Thinking the cask might be use-
fulin some way, he rolled it up be-
yond the reach of the wages.
Making a paddle out of piece
of board, he selected low place
near the shore, and dug a hole, bu,
the water which collected in it was
as salt and bitter as that of the sea-


Then be went to the middle ol
the island, and commenced to dig
the sand was as dry as a bone, and
though he labored several hours
he did not 6ud a sign of moisture


He went down to the beach, col
lected some oysters and ate them
they satisfied his hunger, but excl
ted his thirst.


All the rest of the day he con
tinued to dig in the hole, but there
was no indication of water, and he
was kept awake most of the nigh
by thirst, which increased hourly


Next morning he resumed hi
apparently hopeless task.


Three days passed, spent il
frantic, unavailing efforts to dii
down to water.


Leon suffered intensely, hi
tongue was swollen, his throa
parched. and his lips shriselled AM
cracked.


At sunset on the fourth day. h
attempted to crawl out of the hol
which was now of considerable
depth, but the sand gave way be
meath his feet, and he slipped bac
to the bottom.


He lay on his back where he fe
without stirring +; he had abandon
ed all hope, and did not expect t
: live to see the sun rise.
I IN stay in the hole he said, i
a weak, husky voice, and when
, am dead. the wind will blow th
, sand back and bury me-
, Poor fellow, his mind had begn
to wander be breathed with diff
t Guilty, and sank into a death lik


swoon.


. When he regaiped consciousness


water was splashing and beatin
Y upon him it dashed into his ope
{ mouth, and saturated his clothiul
ri AT first he doubted the evident
: of his senses many times since |


was left on the island, he he


dreamed of such things.
: But it was no illusion; il was
" blessed reality. Rain was fallir
g in torrents, pouring down fast
y than the thirsty sand could swallc
it up. A little pool bad alreat
q collected in the hole where Lee
u Law bn scooued up the precio