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.