long way off, as they seemed to be hunting for shell-fish on
the beach. Very soon, however, they stared at us, and in a
few minutes seemed to comprehend their situation; for
they rushed down into the water, as if to swim off, but
again returned on shore, as if afraid to make the attempt.
We had drawn up our anchors at first not to check our
rowing ; but now, finding we could do nothing, we let them
both hang down by the full length of the cables. This
stopped our way very much, and we drifted from shore
very slowly, and hoped the men would hastily form a raft,
or cut down a soft-wood tree, and paddle out to us, as we
were still not more than a third of a mile from shore.
They seemed, however, to have half lost their senses,
gesticulating wildly to us, running along the beach, then
going into the forest; and just when we thought they
had prepared some mode of making an attempt to reach
us, we saw the smoke of a fire they had made to cook
their shell-fish! They had evidently given up all idea
of coming after us, and we were obliged to look to our
own position.
We were now about a mile from shore, and midway between
two of the islands, but we were slowly drifting out
to sea to the westward, and our only chance of yet saving
the men was to reach the opposite shore. We therefore set
our jib and rowed hard; but the wind failed, and we drifted
out so rapidly that we had some difficulty in reaching the
extreme westerly point of the island. Our only sailor
left, then swam ashore with a rope, and helped to tow
us round the point into a tolerably safe and secure anchorage,
well sheltered from the wind, but exposed to a little
swell which jerked our anchor and made us rather uneasy.
We were now in a sad plight, having lost our two
best men, and being doubtful if we had strength left to
hoist our mainsail. We had only two days’ water on
board, and the small, rocky, volcanic island did not
promise us much chance of finding any. The conduct
of the men on shore was such as to render it doubtful
if they would make any serious attempt to reach us,
though they might easily do so, having two good choppers,
with which in a day they could make a small outrigger
raft on which they could safely cross the two miles of
smooth sea with the wind right aft, if they started from
the east end of the island, so as to allow for the current.
I could only hope they would be sensible enough to make
the attempt, and determined to stay as long as I could to
give them the chance.
We passed an anxious night, fearful of again breaking
our anchor or rattan cable. In the morning (23d), finding-
all secure, I waded on shore with my two men, leaving the
old steersman and the cook on board, with a loaded musket
to recall us if needed. We first walked along the beach,
till stopped by the vertical cliffs at the east end of the
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