They hear the gun. They see us. Soon, we are on the Portuguese ship. They speak Portuguese, Spanish and French. But I don’t understand the men. But one Scottish sailor is on the ship. He comes to me. I tell him our story. Then all the sailors are very nice. We can stay on the ship. We are very happy.

We offer our boat to the captain. But the captain doesn’t want to take the boat. He wants to pay for the boat. It is very nice. I tell him that he can buy our boat. I give him a good price. It is a half of usual price. The captain agrees. The captain also wants to train the boy as a sailor. I don’t like this idea. I think that the boy is very young for this job. I think that the boy also needs freedom. But the captain says that it is good for the boy.

The boy wants to work for the captain. So the boy starts to be a sailor. The ship is on the way to Brazil. We come to Brazil after twenty days. I say goodbye to the boy and the sailors. Brazil is a new state in South America. Many people start a new life here. It is the same for me. I know nobody here. I meet some people. They have sugar plantations. Soon, we are good friends.

I like Brazil very much. Soon, I learn the language. I have some money from the captain. I buy a small land in Brazil. I start to produce sugar. I don’t produce much at the beginning. But after two years, my plantation is big. I am single. But my life is good. My financial situation is better every month.

We have big plans for our family. We have big plans for our plantation. We need a bigger house. We need more money for a bigger house. I think about the business in Africa. I can make a lot of money in Africa fast. I speak about Africa with my friends very often. I tell my friends that we can make a lot of money in Africa.

One day, three friends come to our house. They tell me that they want to go to Africa. They ask me if I want to go with them. I say, “Yes, I want to go with you. ” We start to prepare for the journey. Soon, we are ready. I say goodbye to my wife. Then we go. We want to come back two months later. We leave Brazil in September. Our ship is very big. But we are only seventeen men. The ship is full of things for business.

The weather is good but very hot at the beginning. One week later, we see a hurricane. The hurricane is very strong. Our ship is in danger. The hurricane is finished after three days. But when the hurricane is away, we have a problem. The ship is broken. We can’t go to Africa. The captain wants to go back and repair the ship. But I don’t want to go back. We talk about it. We think about the best solution. Then in the evening, a second hurricane comes. The wind is strong. The waves are very big. Then one man shouts, “Land!”.

When the man shouts “Land!”, the ship stops. The sea is not deep enough. It is bad for our broken ship. The ship can break every second. We must go on a smaller boat. This is very dangerous because the boat is very small for 17 men. But we must do it if we want to survive. So we go on a small boat. The waves are very big. The wind is very strong. The wind pushes us to big rocks. We know that the crash is near. Then, a big wave comes. The wave turns the boat. I am under water. I can’t breathe. I don’t see the other men. I don’t see the boat.

Then, my head is above water. It is only a short moment. But I can breathe. I see a small beach between the rocks. A big wave pushes me to the beach. I am still in water. But I feel a land under my feet. I know that I must stand up. I must get out of the water. The next wave can take me back to sea. But my body is weak. I can’t stand up fast. The next wave comes. I am under water again.

I can’t breathe again. But then another wave takes me back on the beach. I am in water. But I can stand up. I can go ten metres. I am on the sand. I am safe. But my arms and legs are very weak. I collapse. And I lie on the beach. After some time, I stand up. I look for the other men. I can’t find the other men. I am the only man alive. All my friends are dead. I only find three hats and two shoes on the beach. It is horrible for me.