now too dark to distinguish any more. We remained quiet for a quarter
of an hour, when I proposed that we should embark.

"Have you ever managed a canoe?" said the Portuguese captain to me.

"I have been in one in Africa very often," I said, "but they are
dug-outs, as we call them."

"So have I, and I do not think there is so much difference between
them and these canoes. Can you paddle?"

"Yes," I replied.

"So can I," he said. "Now observe, the best thing we can do is to take
possession of that canoe; and then we shall get on better, for our
boat will always attract notice, whereas a canoe will not; besides, it
will prevent these Indians, if they are come to look for us, which I
suspect they have, from following us."

"I think you are right," I said; "but how shall we manage?"

"In this way. You shall shove off our boat and walk by its side,
dragging it up to where the canoe lies; I will go to the canoe, launch
it, and then we will make off with both till we are too far out to be
taken; then, when we have got into the canoe, we will turn our boat
adrift."

I agreed to the proposals. We launched our boat very quietly, and I
walked in the water up to my knees, drawing it after me till I arrived
opposite to the canoe. The Portuguese crept on his hands and knees
till he had gained the canoe, pushed her off, and joined me. We made
her fast to the tow-rope of our own boat, then got into the boat, and
pulled away from the island.

We had not gained more than a hundred yards, when the whiz of an arrow
met our ears. The Indians had discovered us, it was evident. Two or
three more arrows came flying by us, but we had now got well out, and
they fell harmless. We continued to pull till we were half a mile from
the island, and then we laid on our oars. The stars shone bright;
there was a young moon, so as to enable us to see pretty well. We
found the paddles of the canoe lying on the cross-pieces. We had
nothing to take from the boat but our tow-rope and the two small oars;
these we put into the canoe, and then getting in ourselves, we let the
boat go adrift. We put her head to the northward, between the island
and the main, and paddled away as fast as we could.

The captain was a much better hand than I was, and he therefore took
the office of steersman. The water was as smooth as glass, and we made
rapid progress, and did not discontinue our exertions, except now and
then resting for a few moments, till the morning d