A Queer Race: The Story of a Strange People — page 155: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

152 A QUEER RACE. Sosoon as I fully recovered my senses, my first thought was of Queen Mab. She was still lashed to the foremast —like myself, drenched to the skin; her long black hair, which reached to her waist, hanging loose over her shoul- ders. ‘Let me release you,” I said. ‘‘ We are aground on dry land, or land that soon will be cry.” ‘©We are quite safe, then?” “Quite.” “hank Heaven!” she exclaimed, fervently. <‘‘ This has indeed been an ordeal. Beforetime I had persuaded myself that when my hour came I should not fear to die; but as that wave struck us and- the water came over me, and I felt as if we were going down, down, and should see the bright sun, my beautiful Fair Island, and those I love ”—here she Icoked at me strangeiy—‘‘ never more, I knew what was meant by the bitterness of death. Yes, J am glad the danger is past; and I bave to thank yon, and Ido. But where are we?” «That is more than I can tell—somewhere on the island, I suppose.” “We must be. But”’—putting her hand over her eyes and locking intently round—* | do beheve—yes—this is Swamp Island.” “Swamp Island? What is Swamp Island?” “An unwholesome swamp, at the southwestern corner of Fair Island, from which it is separated by a narrow channel, and inhabited only by snakes and alligators. Nobody ever comes here, and we are a long way from Fairhaven. We have almost made the circuit of the island; the Painted Rocks are no longer in sight. But let us go below and see how Marian and Buttercup have fared since we fastened them up.”’ J had already noticed that Mab looked pale and worn, and I now saw that she was weak. As we walked aft she had to lean on me for support.” ‘You are ill?” I asked, anxiously. ‘TI shall be better in a few minutes. For the first time in my life I feel faint.” ‘No wonder, after all you have gone through. Any other woman would be more dead than alive. Why, it must have been twenty-four hours since you tasted food!’ “You have fasted quite as long.” Eecom C JOO SS (E(0)