The breeze fell before we had entirely lost sight of the Pearl Islands,
and, indeed, from aloft I could still make out the masts of the
brigantine as she lay at anchor. It crossed my mind that Captain Myers
might even now follow us; but I saw no indication of the vessel getting
under weigh; still, daring ruffian as he appeared to be, he might be
tempted to try and possess himself of the rich freight we carried. I
did not mention the idea which had occurred to me to Harry, as there
would be no use in doing so, for we were carrying all the sail we could
set on the schooner, but our progress was very slow, and there was a
possibility of our being becalmed again during the night. As we could
see the brigantine, we also must still be visible from her mast-head,
and Myers was probably keeping a watch on our movements. Should we be
becalmed before sundown, it was possible that he might make another
attempt in his boats to capture us, hoping to catch us off our guard.
"He shall not do that, at all events," I thought to myself. "I will not
say anything to Harry unless we are becalmed, and then I will tell him
the idea which has occurred to me." Our progress was so slow that I
fancied there must be a current setting against us, but of this I was
uncertain. The currents which set in various directions between the
islands of the Pacific are among the dangers which voyagers in those
seas have to encounter. I asked Tom what he thought about the matter.
"There may be a current," he said, "but if there is one it is not of
much strength. You see we are moving but slowly through the water.
We'll heave the log presently, and you'll find that we are not going
more than two knots, if as much as that."
Tom was right; with his practised eye he could always tell in smooth
water how fast the vessel was moving. We now went slower and slower,
till at length the canvas hung down from the yards emptied of wind, and
we had no longer steerage way on the vessel. Evening was drawing on,
and we might expect to remain becalmed all night. We had, however, we
supposed, plenty of sea room, and had no apprehension of being drifted
on any unseen coral reef; I thought, however, that it was time to tell
Harry of my apprehensions.
"The same thing occurred to me," he answered. "However, I do not really
suppose that the fellow Myers, ruffian as he is, will make the attempt
after having found us before so wide-awake. Had we been unarmed the
case would have been different, as he would have been glad enough to
possess himself of our cargo, if he could have done so without the
certainty of getting some hard blows. However, we will be on the watch
as before, and ready to give his boats a warm reception if they attempt
to molest us." We enjoyed our usual pleasant evening meal, and
afterwards had music, reading, and lively conversation till bed-time.
The mate, meanwhile, kept watch, while I occasionally slipped up on deck
to see if there was any prospect of a breeze springing up.
"Not an air in all the heavens," answered old Tom. "It is better than
having a westerly gale to drive us back towards the islands. Maybe we
shall get a breeze before the morning, and slip along merrily on our
course."
"I hope so," I said. "The captain wishes you to keep a bright look-out
to the eastward, in case our buccaneering friends may be coming to pay
us a visit."
"Trust me for that," said Tom. "I have not forgotten them, and the last
words the captain spoke to that fellow Myers will make him more than
ever eager to prevent our getting to Sydney. I don't mean to say that
he will take us, or that he has a chance of taking us, but he is very
likely to try it."
After the ladies had retired to their cabins, Harry came on deck.
"I have told them not to be alarmed if they hear us firing, for I am
determined should the pirates make their appearance to stand on no terms
with them, but, if I can, to send their boats to the bottom before they
get up alongside."
"A very right way, too, of treating them, sir," observed Tom. "If we
can sink their boats it might be the saving of the lives of many of the
poor islanders, for, depend on it, when they have got all the pearl
shells they can, they will be carrying off as many of the people as the
brigantine can hold. I have seen something of the way those sort of
fellows behave, and Sam Pest has been telling me more about it."
The watch on deck were all awake, and the men below had been warned that
they must be ready to spring up at a moment's notice; the guns were
loaded, and our other weapons were placed handy, ready for use.
As old Tom observed, "If they do not come, there's no harm done; and if
they do, why they'll pretty soon find out that they've had their pull
for nothing."
As Tom had been awake the whole of the first watch, Harry told him to go
below, observing that he and I would keep a look-out.
"No, thank you, sir," answered Tom; "I will get my sleep by-and-by; I'd
like to be ready in case the pirates should follow us."
"You, Ned, had better then go below, as you cannot do without sleep, and
you can be called if you are wanted."
I was just about to do as he advised me, when old Tom, pointing to the
eastward, towards which our starboard broadside was turned, exclaimed,
"As sure as I'm an Englishman there come the boats, and I can make out
three of them pulling abreast; we shall see them more clearly
presently."
The watch below, which had lately turned in, were soon roused up, and I
called Charlie Tilston, as he had begged me to do.
"We will have the port guns over to the starboard side, and give the
fellows a salute which will show that we are not to be caught napping,"
said Harry. "All ready, there?"
He took charge of one gun, Tom of another, Lizard of the third, and I of
the last. We waited till the boats had got as far as we could judge
within range, and then fired together, aiming as carefully as we could.
We then immediately reloaded, to be ready for them should they make a
dash at us. Whether or not we had hit either of the boats we could not
be certain, they still appeared to be coming on. Just then Harry
exclaimed--
"Trim sails; here's the breeze."
The helm was put up, the fore-topsail blew out, the mainsail filled.
"Ease off the main-sheet," cried Harry, and the schooner began to glide
once more through the water. We watched the boats now right astern;
they still kept following us, hoping not to let their prey escape them.
We had two ports in the stern, through which our guns could be fired.
Harry had them dragged over for that purpose, and we at once began to
blaze away at our pursuers. For some time we could see them still
following us, showing that they had hitherto escaped our shot. The
breeze was freshening, the schooner ran faster and faster through the
water.
"Hurrah! They have given it up," I shouted, as I saw them pulling
round.
"One more parting shot," cried old Tom, and before Harry could stop him
he fired.
"That was not a miss, at all events," he cried out.
Almost immediately afterwards we could distinguish only two boats--
evidence that one of them had been sunk. In a short time we had
completely lost sight of them, and all fear of pursuit was over.
We had reason to be thankful that we had avoided a fight, for, desperate
as the fellows were, many of us might have been wounded, if not killed,
even though we had driven them back; the alternative of their succeeding
was too dreadful to contemplate. Harry at once hastened below to assure
Mary and Fanny that all danger was over. I now turned in, and though I
went to sleep in a moment I kept dreaming all the time that the pirates
were boarding us, that we were fighting desperately; sometimes Captain
Myers was on deck flourishing a cutlass, singing, "I'm afloat, I'm
afloat," and the "Rover is free," at others, with his cut-throat
companions, he was struggling in the water while old Tom was pelting
them with marline-spikes.
I was very thankful when I went on deck to find the schooner running on
with a fair breeze, and no land anywhere in sight. Mary and Fanny,
though they had been naturally very anxious, soon recovered their
spirits, and everything went on as pleasantly as could be desired,
Charles Tilston was well-informed, and made himself very agreeable, and
though he had no intention of becoming a sailor, he soon learned how to
take an observation, and could work it out as well as Harry himself. He
was always ready also to pull and haul and be as useful as he could. He
spent a portion of every day in giving Dick instruction in mathematics
and other subjects in which his brother was somewhat deficient, and he
also kindly offered to help me with my studies.
As Harry wished to obtain samples of such produce as the islands
afforded, he had settled to visit those which were at no great distance
from our course to the westward.
The first island we sighted after leaving the Pearl Islands was of
considerable size, with a lagoon in the centre. We observed at the
south-east end a broad entrance, through which it appeared we might pass
without difficulty into the lagoon. Near one side was a village, and
the whole island appeared thickly covered with cocoanut and other trees.
As from this it seemed probable that we might obtain some palm-oil, the
schooner was hove to, and Charlie Tilston and I, with Tom Tubb and three
other men, pulled for the shore. As we approached we saw a number of
natives rushing down to the beach, all fully armed; but they were not so
savage in appearance as those who had prevented us from landing on the
islands we had before visited. They shouted and gesticulated, however,
making signs that we must not attempt to set foot on shore.
We, however, still pulled on, and as we got closer, Tom Tubb hailed
them, and desired to know why they were so inhospitable. They
answered--
"We know why you have come. Not long ago a vessel appeared and carried
off a number of our people, and you will try to do the same; but we will
prevent you."
Our interpreter tried to explain that our object was simply to trade
honestly; that if they had any cocoanut oil, we would give them a fair
price for it.
"We will not trust you," was the answer. "Go away! Go away!"
As we saw several of the people clothed in shirts, and some even in
trousers, we had no doubt that a missionary was among them, though we
could not distinguish him from the rest. It was, however, evident that
they had been visited by a kidnapping vessel, and some of their people,
probably Christians, had been carried off into slavery. Finding,
notwithstanding all our protestations that we were honest traders, that
the natives would not allow us to land, Charlie and I agreed that it
would be folly to attempt doing so, and therefore returned to the
vessel.
Soon after this we came off another island totally different to any we
had before visited, being formed of corals that had been uplifted to the
height of upwards of two hundred feet, and surrounded by cliffs worn
into caverns. As no natives appeared, Harry did not wish to lose time
by landing.
The islands of the Pacific present a great variety of forms, although
the larger number are either partly or entirely surrounded by coral
reefs. These reefs, however, vary in construction; some are called
encircling reefs, when they appear at a distance from the shore, and a
lagoon intervenes; others are called fringing reefs, which are joined to
the land, and extend out from it without any lagoon. Others are
denominated lagoon islands, when the reef itself, raised above the
surface of the ocean, forms the land generally in a circular shape, and
surrounds a lake or lagoon, which has sometimes a passage to the sea,
and at others is completely closed. Then there are atoll islands; these
rise within a large encircling reef, which is seldom perfect, having
passages here and there through it. Sometimes there are elevations on
the reef itself, forming islands; but frequently the reef is a wash with
the sea. Besides these, there are the great barrier reefs which extend
along the larger part of the eastern coast of Australia, part of New
Guinea, and New Caledonia. Some of these are several hundred miles in
extent. These countless reefs are all formed by the coral insect. The
difference of their appearance is owing to various causes: some by the
subsidence of the land; others by its elevation through volcanic agency.
The encircling reefs have been produced by the subsidence of the land;
they were originally fringing reefs, having been attached to the
coastline of the country or islands. As the land sank, the insects went
on building one generation above another; but they can only work in a
certain depth of water--below which they die; thus a wall has been built
up on the foundations formed by the original workers, who constructed a
fringing reef. After a time, the last architects have died, storms have
thrown up pieces of coral shells and other debris on the top of the
wall, birds have brought seeds of plants, the ocean has washed cocoanuts
and other palm seeds on to the top: thus vegetation has been commenced,
and finally groves of trees and shrubs have grown up.
The barrier reefs have been formed in the same way. Where no vegetation
appears, the has probably sunk as rapidly as the creatures have built,
and the sea has continued to wash over it. Other groups have been
formed by the violent elevation of the land when the barrier reef has
been broken into and wide gaps have appeared.
The last island we visited, surrounded by high cliffs, must have been
formed by the sudden upheaval of the earth beneath it, so that the whole
mass of coral was lifted above water. Such has been the origin of a
considerable number of islands. The most beautiful and picturesque,
like Tahiti and others in that group, owe their present shape to the
subsidence to the earth, they being merely the summits of mountain
ranges, probably of some vast continent, of which the lower land has
been submerged. The gaps or openings in the encircling reefs are always
found opposite to a river or stream. The coral insect can only build in
pure salt water; the fresh water running out from the river has,
therefore, prevented its upward progress; thus a gap in the wall has
been formed serving as a safe entrance to the inner lagoon. Knowing
these facts, it was easy to decide to which class the islands and reefs
we passed belonged. There was always, therefore, matter of interest
before us.
Volcanic action has been the agent of many of the islands to the
westward, where several still active volcanoes exist. Many of those in
that direction are clothed with the richest vegetation. They are
inhabited by dark-skinned races; still the most savage among those of
the Pacific, such as the New Hebrides, Santa Cruz, Solomon Islands, and
New Ireland, to the eastward of New Guinea. They produce the finest
sandal-wood, and Harry determined to visit some of them, in order to
obtain a supply before returning home. He had, however, settled to call
first, as I have said, at the islands, where he hoped to be able to
purchase palm-oil.
The first we reached after this was very similar to those already
described. The natives, as we appeared, came off to the schooner in
their canoes, and invited us to enter a secure harbour into which they
offered to pilot her. Several of those who boarded us were dressed in
shirts, and one of them spoke a sufficient amount of English to make
himself understood. He said that two native missionaries were settled
on the island, and that all the inhabitants were Christians. They had
also, he added, a good quantity of palm-oil, of which they would be glad
to dispose. Harry, therefore, without hesitation, accepted their
invitation, and we brought up within the outer reef, at no great
distance from the shore.
None of the people now cared for the trinkets and other trumpery which
they formerly so greatly sought for, but desired to have cotton goods,
axes, knives, carpenters tools, fish-hooks, cooking utensils, and other
things required by a civilised community. They also asked for paper,
pens and ink, and copybooks. We had, unfortunately, no Bibles or other
books in their language, or we might have disposed of a good number, so
eager were they to procure them. They all behaved, when on board, in a
quiet and sedate manner, though they were evidently merry fellows, for
we saw them laughing and joking among themselves. Their huts were
larger and better built than any we had lately seen, and those we
visited were remarkably clean and tidy; yet one of the missionaries
whose acquaintance we had made, and who could speak a little English,
told us that the people a few years ago were as savage as any of those
in that part of the Pacific. We bought a dozen casks of palm-oil at a
fair price, calculating the value of the goods we gave in return. The
people said if we would come back they would have a further quantity
with which to supply us.
We warned them about the _Wasp_, and gave them a minute description of
her, so that should she appear they might avoid being entrapped. They
replied that they had heard of such vessels cruising about to carry off
the natives, but that none had visited their island, and that they had
therefore doubted of their existence. They thanked us much for warning
them, and promised to be on their guard. We advised them to be cautious
how they went on board any vessels before being acquainted with their
character.
The next island off which we called was also inhabited by Christian
natives, who supplied us with six casks of oil.
I have not space more minutely to describe the islands we touched at.
Wherever missionaries were established, there the people were more or
less civilised, industrious, and happy. They had not ventured to lay
aside their weapons altogether, as they might be required to defend
themselves against the nefarious proceedings of lawless white men; but
as soon as they found that we came to trade honestly with them, they put
them by, and mixed among us without the slightest sign of fear, not even
attempting to keep their women out of our sight.
When Mary and Fanny landed, the latter gathered round them, expressing
their wonder at their dresses and fair complexions, we felt indeed that
we were among friends who could be thoroughly trusted.
Having obtained as much palm-oil as we required, we now steered to the
south-west for Vavau, one of the Friendly Islands, of which the
civilised King George is the ruler. We made it early in the morning,
and, the wind being fair and the harbour easy of access, without waiting
for a pilot we stood on, having two small islands on the eastern side,
and a larger one to the westward. Vavau appeared of uniform height. At
first we did not see many signs of fertility or cultivation; the cliffs
rose abruptly from the sea without a fringing reef; but the water had
worn the coral rocks, which stand out from the shore, into the shape of
huge mushrooms on their stalks. When once we were inside, however,
signs of the most industrious cultivation showed themselves. The
country was covered with woods, looking like one vast garden, while from
every village came the sound of the mallet, used by the women in beating
out the native cloth. At a wharf not far off were several large double
canoes taking in cargoes for another port; beyond could be seen a number
of comfortable-looking houses. Numerous huts of smaller dimensions
peeped out from among the trees, while at some distance apart were
buildings of considerable size, which we afterwards found to be
churches. Altogether we felt that we had come to a civilised country.
Soon after we had dropped anchor, an old native gentleman came off in a
large canoe, and introduced himself as the Viceroy of Vavau, and begged
to know the object of our visit. Harry replied that he had come to
refit the schooner, but should be happy to trade if we could procure any
of the articles we required. The old chief said that the people would
be ready to receive money as payment for any of their produce, that they
had cotton, and palm-oil, and Beche-de-Mer, cocoanuts, native cloth, and
various other articles, and that they could supply us with an abundance
of hogs and goats, and vegetables of all sorts at a cheap rate.
We were received, as we had been at Samoa, by the white inhabitants in a
very kind way, but as Harry was anxious to refit the schooner as soon as
possible, the two ladies, under the escort of Charlie Tilston, could
alone be much on shore. We, however, managed to see something of the
country--the roads in course of construction in all directions across
it, the cotton plantations and well-cultivated gardens, and many other
signs of the industry of the people. The greatest novelty was the
manufacture of the native cloth, or Tapa, formed out of the bark of the
paper-mulberry tree. The natives universally wear it for clothing, and
as it cannot stand any amount of wet and is easily spoiled, there is a
constant demand for it. It is manufactured entirely by the women. The
young tree is first cut down and the bark is stripped off; it is then
steeped in water for a couple of days, when the inner is separated from
the coarse outer rind. This is then beaten by a mallet, resembling a
square razor strop with small furrows on the under side, till it becomes
almost as thin as silver paper, and of course is greatly increased in
size. Even then it is scarcely a foot wide, but the edges are
overlapped and stuck together with arrowroot melted in water; it is then
again beaten till all the parts are completely joined. Pieces are thus
made of many yards in length. A mucilaginous dye is then used, both to
colour the cloth, and further to strengthen it, until large bales are
formed of a single piece, from which portions are cut off as required
for use. Some of those we saw were fifty yards long and four yards
wide. When thus formed, it is called Tapa or Taba, a name by which it
is generally known among all the islands of the Pacific. It is
afterwards beautifully coloured, sometimes by a stamp, at others by
painting it by hand, when it is known as Gnatu. A coarser kind, worn by
the common people, is made from the bark of the bread-fruit tree.
A number of canoes came alongside, bringing turkeys, fowls, eggs, and a
variety of fruits and vegetables, among which were pine-apples, bananas,
yams, sweet potatoes, cabbages, and onions. Besides cotton, the natives
produce tobacco for their own use, and probably, before long, cotton
manufactures will supersede the Tapa. Although the former will be more
useful, it has not the elegance of the native cloth.
We visited a chapel built in the native style; it was upwards of a
hundred feet long by forty-five wide, and nearly thirty high. It had a
high-pitched roof, with curved ends, and two rows of columns, each three
of the lower column supported a short beam, from which sprang a second
series bearing the ridge-pole. These, as well as the horizontal beam,
were beautifully ornamented with cocoanut plait, so arranged as to give
the appearance of Grecian mouldings, of infinite variety and delicate
gradations of colour--black, with the different shades of red and
yellow, being those employed. Altogether the effect was very artistic
and pleasing.
The Tongans are said to be the best canoe builders and navigators in the
Pacific. One of the chiefs exhibited, with some pride, a large double
canoe, which consisted in the first place of a canoe a hundred feet in
length, and half a dozen or more in width; the second canoe was composed
of a tree hollowed out for the sake of buoyancy like the canoe, but was,
in reality, merely an outrigger. The large canoe was formed of planks
lashed together with cocoanut plait; beams were then laid between the
two, on which was erected a house for the stowage of provisions; above
this rose a platform surrounded by a railing, forming the deck of the
vessel. It had been built by Tongans in the Fijis, where suitable
timber could alone be procured. These vessels, frail and unwieldy as
they appear, are navigated in the face of the trade wind between two and
three hundred miles, the Tongans making voyages to Fiji and also to
Samoa. We were told that six years are required to build one. The
sail, formed of matting, is triangular, spread on a long yard. The
vessel is never tacked, but the sail is lowered, shifted over, and again
hoisted when beating to windward.
We made the acquaintance of a young chief--greatly resembling our Samoan
friend Toa--who offered to show us some interesting caverns which exist
along the coast. The distance was too great for the ladies to venture,
as we had to perform the voyage in a small canoe, and should be away the
whole day; but Harry told Charlie and Dick Tilston, Nat and me, that we
might go.
We started at daylight in two canoes, with an ample supply of provisions
on board, Nat and I accompanying the young chief Alea. He could speak a
little English, and gave us an interesting legend connected with one of
the caves.
Years ago, a chief had rebelled against the king of the country, when,
being defeated, he and his family were condemned to death. He had a
very beautiful daughter, who had a lover belonging to another family.
Having gained intelligence of the intention of the king to exterminate
the family of his beloved, he hastened to her, and managed, without
being discovered, to carry her on board a small canoe which he had in
waiting. She asked how he could possibly hope to escape by such means
from the vengeance of the king, who would destroy him as well as
herself. He told her not to fear--that he had a place of concealment,
where, notwithstanding the most vigilant search which could be made for
her, she would never be discovered. They paddled away till they reached
a cliff which rose out of the water.
"I see no cavern in which I can be concealed," she said.
"Fear not; I will conduct you to one, notwithstanding," he answered,
and, taking her hand, desired her to leap overboard.
Trusting him to the full, she obeyed; and, both diving, they swam for
some distance, till they rose in the centre of a large cavern with
rocks, free of water, on one side of which there was sufficient space to
rest. Here he told her that she might remain secure, and that he would
bring her food every night, till he could make arrangements for their
escape to Fiji. He had discovered the cavern, he said, not long before,
when diving for a turtle. He was unable to fulfil his promise till he
came, one night, and told her that a large double canoe, with friends of
his, was waiting outside. They were soon on board, and arrived safely
in Fiji, where they remained till the death of the king enabled them to
return to Vavau. From this legend Byron draws a romantic account of
Neuha's Cave in his poem of "The Island."
As our friend had not described the first cave to which he took us, we
were surprised and delighted with it. The mouth was of considerable
width, sufficient to admit two or three boats abreast. Once inside, the
water was fully five fathoms deep. We here found ourselves amid columns
and stalactites hanging from the high-domed roof, resembling Gothic
arches. The bright sunlight streamed down through the wonderfully clear
water, and was reflected up from the sparkling stones and coral at the
bottom, with a beautiful series of light tints, and shades of delicate
blue and green, over every part of the walls and vaulted roof. We
agreed that it was the fit abode of the most charming of sea-nymphs and
mermaids; indeed, we almost expected to see some of the fair ladies
seated among the rocks, combing their hair. At the further end there
was an arched passage, sloping upwards till it reached an opening in the
roof above. Some of our companions landed, and made their way up it,
now appearing, now disappearing among the rocks, the effect in their
progress being singularly picturesque and scenic. On their return,
after visiting another smaller cave, we made sail for Neuha's cavern.
On arriving at the spot, we in vain looked for any sign of the entrance,
till the chief pointed out to us two poles placed crosswise, which, he
said, marked it.
"Now, which of you would like to accompany me into the cavern?" he
asked. "You must be prepared for a long dive."
Neither Charlie nor Dick Tilston were willing to venture, on hearing how
long they would have to hold their breath. At last I agreed to go, the
chief undertaking to keep hold of my hand, and to conduct me in safety.
On looking down, with our backs to the sun, we could see a darker patch
than usual among the coral-covered rocks, some eight feet below the
surface: this was the entrance. We had brought a long line, which was
secured to one of the canoes. A follower of the chief's, taking the
end, jumped overboard. By watching him carefully we saw him disappear
in the midst of the dark patch. He was absent for about ten minutes,
and he said that he had made the line secure in the inside of the
cavern. After he had rested a little while, the chief asked me if I was
ready, when, he and his follower taking me by the arm, we dived
downwards, the chief keeping the end of the line in his hand to guide
us. I held my breath and struck out with my feet, but my companions had
some difficulty in keeping me down sufficiently to avoid scraping my
back against the sharp points which project from the roof of the
passage. As the whole distance was thirty feet, I was so much exhausted
by the time I reached the surface inside the cavern that I could not at
first admire its wonders. My companions helped me to a ledge of a rock
just visible in the dusk, where we stopped to rest ourselves. The
subdued light within the cave was derived entirely from the reflection
through the mouth of the submerged passage, and I was at first afraid
that I should scarcely be repaid the exertion I had made and the risk
run. Suddenly, however, the chief leaped into the water, and began
swimming about, when the phosphorescent light produced by his movements
was more beautiful and brilliant than anything of the sort I had ever
seen. Wherever he went he was followed by a stream of liquid fire.
When both the natives were in the water, the light was sensibly
increased, so that I obtained some notion of the size of the cavern. It
was, however, at the best, a somewhat dreary place of captivity, and the
poor girl who inhabited it must have passed many an anxious hour,
uncertain whether her lover would be able to return and bring her her
daily allowance of food and water, and help her finally to escape. I
owned that, having once performed the feat, I did not feel that I should
be inclined to pay the cave a second visit. I therefore, as I sat on
the rock and pictured to myself how the lovely Neuha had passed her
time, took in every visible object; then, feeling rested, told the chief
that I was ready to return to the outer world. I own that I had some
slight apprehension of encountering a shark on the way; but I felt
tolerably satisfied that my companions would send it to the rightabout,
if they did not kill the monster.
"Now I'm ready," I said.
The natives then, seizing my arms as before, dived with me almost to the
bottom, and, while holding my breath, I felt myself carried along, this
time escaping the roof. With infinite satisfaction I saw the bright
sunlight overhead. We rose to the surface close to the canoe, and I was
hauled on board, pretty well done, however, to receive the
congratulations of my friends. The account I gave did not tempt them to
make the experiment. After landing on some rocks to discuss the viands
we had brought, we pulled back the way we had come, and late in the
evening got on board the schooner.