}
    }

    static {
      theUnsafe = getUnsafe();
      BYTE_ARRAY_BASE_OFFSET = theUnsafe.arrayBaseOffset(byte[].class);

      // sanity check - this should never fail
      if (theUnsafe.arrayIndexScale(byte[].class) != 1) {
        throw new AssertionError();
      }
    }
  }

  /** Fallback implementation for when Unsafe is not available in our current environment. */