he found himself on terra firma! His first act was to give thanks to
God, and then he threw his arms around Boxa, caressing him again and
again, and loading him with fond epithets, part in English, part in
Swedish. He was a young Swede, a fine, handsome youth, about twenty
years of age. Without loss of time he was conducted to the house, where
he shared the kind attentions of the mistress; but she had soon another
and a more difficult case in hand.

"The master of the wrecked vessel, who was one of the boat's crew, was
rescued from a watery grave by the further exertions of Moir and his
companions, and was carried in a perfectly insensible state to the
house. Some hours elapsed before he was conscious of anything that
was passing around him. He seemed, indeed, so completely gone, that
every one had given him over, when some faint symptoms of returning life
appeared.

"In the meantime the day wore on, and your grandfather, feeling that he
caused additional trouble to the family by his prolonged stay under
such circumstances, was very desirous to leave the island as soon as
possible. The state of the weather, however, continued such as to render
it impossible he should attempt to put to sea, and he passed another
night and a part of the following day with the friendly planter, whose
heroic exertions on behalf of the shipwrecked crew had greatly exalted
him in the opinion of his visitor.

"During the early part of the night the two sat up together, there being
a dearth of sleeping accommodation, for the beds were all given up to
the sailors; and for some hours they conversed together on topics of
mutual interest.