, three parties being formed and sent out well armed, to see
whether the crew of the canoe had landed farther to the south, or round
on the western coast. The orders were that if the enemy was discovered,
the search parties were not to show themselves if they could avoid it,
but to fall back at once to the ship and report what they had seen.

Those who stayed behind had the duty of doing everything possible in the
way of putting the brig in a state of defence. The superintendence of
this task was undertaken by the mate, Oliver giving up the expedition,
which he would have liked to join, so as to stay and help Mr Rimmer.

They worked hard together. Wriggs and Smith, who both volunteered to
stay as soon as they knew that Oliver was not going, toiling away till
it was felt that nothing more could be done; and the conclusion was come
to that, unless an attacking party of savages came provided with some
form of ladder, they would be unable to mount to the deck. The bobstay
having been removed, the gangways fortified, all this, with the
commanding position the defenders would occupy, rendered the brig a
thoroughly strong little fort, almost impregnable so long as the enemy
did not think of enlisting fire in their service when they made their
attack.

"Plenty of guns, plenty of ammunition, water and provisions in
abundance, and enough British pluck to fight, I don't think we shall
hurt much, Mr Lane. But let's hope that they will not come."

As sunset neared, first one and then the other search parties came back
with the same report--that they had examined the offing from the highest
points they could reach, and also from the shore; but there was no sign
of any canoe or of the blacks having landed.

The next day the search was repeated, and again upon the following day,
from the end of the mist bank right round the coast; but they were alone
upon the strange land, and it was evident that the savages in the canoe
must have been journeying right away to some distant spot, and in all
probability they would never be seen again.

This being so, it was resolved to combine in one expedition the search
for the savages on the other side of the mist and the ascent of the
mountain, from up whose slope it was hoped that the glasses would sweep
the shore all round, proving whether there was a native village, and at
the same time setting at rest the question of their being upon island or
mainland.

The opportunity was favourable