things which I conceived it to contain.

Abruptly, the bo'sun clapped me upon the shoulder, and pointed to some
object that lay out in the weed at a distance of not much less than the
half of a mile from where we stood. Now, at first, I could not conceive
what manner of thing it was at which I stared, until the bo'sun,
remarking my bewilderment, informed me that it was a vessel all covered
in, no doubt as a protection against the devil-fish and other strange
creatures in the weed. And now I began to trace the hull of her amid all
that hideous growth; but of her masts, I could discern nothing; and I
doubted not but that they had been carried away by some storm ere she was
caught by the weed; and then the thought came to me of the end of those
who had built up that protection against the horrors which the weed-world
held hidden amid its slime.

Presently, I turned my gaze once more upon the island, which was very
plain to see from where we stood. I conceived, now that I could see so
much of it, that its length would be near to half a mile, though its
breadth was something under four hundred yards; thus it was very long in
proportion to its width. In the middle part it had less breadth than at
the ends, being perhaps three hundred yards at its narrowest, and a
hundred yards wider at its broadest.

Upon both sides of the island, as I have made already a mention, there
was a beach, though this extended no great distance along the shore, the
remainder being composed of the black rock of which the hills were
formed. And now, having a closer regard to the beach upon the weed-side
of the island, I discovered amid the wrack that had been cast ashore, a
portion of the lower mast and topmast of some great ship, with rigging
attached; but the yards were all gone. This find, I pointed out to the