and Harry answered my hail.

We soon made our way to the bank, when we found that they had been
expecting us, and had prepared an ample supper of roast parrots and
doves, with a pot of tea, and some cakes cooked in the ashes. They had
also got ready our sleeping-places; so without loss of time we lay down
to rest, intending to start again an hour before dawn, that we might, if
possible, return before the close of the day.

I was so anxious to be off in time that I awoke even sooner than was
necessary. I found Pullingo sitting up--not keeping watch, but stowing
away in his capacious inside the remains of our supper, which I had
intended for breakfast. Several birds which had been killed the
previous day were hanging up, so I plucked and spitted them. I then
aroused those of my companions who were to form the crew. We hurried
over our breakfast; and making our way to the boat, began our downward
voyage. As before, we had to proceed cautiously till daylight returned;
we then made such good play that we reached the camp even before my
father expected us.

He had just returned from a last trip to the downs. "No vessel anywhere
in sight," he said. "I very much fear that Brown and his party are
lost; they must have encountered the gales we felt so severely here. I
warned them of the danger they would run, but they would not believe me.
Nevertheless, I am heartily sorry to think that they have probably been
lost."

I found that during our absence my father had done his utmost to secure
the property we were to leave behind from being plundered by the
natives. He had barricaded the doors and windows, both of the huts and
the store-house, with pieces of timber fixed firmly in the ground and
horizontal bars nailed across them, which we had hopes that the natives
would not venture to remove.

The remainder of the articles we intended to carry with us were neatly
done up in packages. We also took all our arms and ammunition, of which
we had not more than would last us, we calculated, till we could hope to
reach the settlements; indeed, it was the fear of this running short
which made my father determine to commence our journey to the southward
without further delay. While that lasted, we might amply supply
ourselves with food, and with due precaution set the natives at
defiance; but should that be exhausted, they, with their long spears and
formidable boomerangs, would be superior to us in weapons of defence,
while