The narrative recounts a young sailor's account of a long sea voyage that ends when the vessel strikes a reef and breaks apart, leaving children among the survivors stranded on a remote island. Most passengers and crew are killed by local islanders while two boys are spared and live for years under indigenous care, experiencing both cruelty and kindness. The survivor describes daily hardships, encounters with island customs, and attempts at rescue, told in a straightforward, largely chronological manner with occasional explanatory notes for young readers.