(Peterkin said of this, with his usual pleasantry, that it would do for
a saw as well as a knife, which was a great advantage.) Second, an old
German-silver pencil-case without any lead in it. Third, a piece of
whipcord about six yards long. Fourth, a sailmaker's needle of a small
size. Fifth, a ship's telescope, which I happened to have in my hand at
the time the ship struck, and which I had clung to firmly all the time
I was in the water. Indeed it was with difficulty that Jack got it out
of my grasp when I was lying insensible on the shore. I cannot
understand why I kept such a firm hold of this telescope. They say that
a drowning man will clutch at a straw. Perhaps it may have been some
such feeling in me, for I did not know that it was in my hand at the
time we were wrecked. However, we felt some pleasure in having it with
us now, although we did not see that it could be of much use to us, as
the glass at the small end was broken to pieces. Our sixth article was
a brass ring which Jack always wore on his little finger. I never
understood why he wore it, for Jack was not vain of his appearance, and
did not seem to care for ornaments of any kind. Peterkin said "it was
in memory of the girl he left behind him!" But as he never spoke of
this girl to either of us, I am inclined to think that Peterkin was
either jesting or mistaken. In addition to these articles we had a
little bit of tinder, and the clothes on our back.
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