ine, and paddling with measured sweeps of their paddles. As
yet, the sail of Juno's boat had escaped them. This was doubtless owing
to their lowness in the water, and the distance that still separated
them. The Dido was about five miles from the northern end of the island,
while the fleet was some five more to the southward of it. This placed
the two almost ten miles apart though each seemed so near, seen from the
elevation of the Peak, that one might have fancied that he could throw a
shot into either.

Unus was the great point of interest for the moment. He was just coming
out clear of the island, and might be seen with the naked eye, in that
pure atmosphere, a dark speck floating on the undulating surface of the
ocean. By the aid of the glass, there was no difficulty in watching his
smallest movement. With a steady and sinewy stroke of his arms, the
young savage pursued his way, keeping to windward, as instructed by his
sister, and making a progress in the midst of those rolling billows that
was really wonderful. The wind was not very fresh, nor were the seas
high; but the restless ocean, even in its slumbers, exhibits the repose
of a giant, whose gentlest heavings are formidable and to be looked to.
In one particular, our colonists were favoured. Owing to some accidental
circumstances of position, a current set round the northern end of the
island, and diffused itself on its western side by expanding towards the
south. This carried the canoes from the boat and the cove, and insomuch
increased Juno's chance of escape.

The meeting between Unus and the boat took place when the latter was
within a league of the land. As the sailing directions were for every
craft to fall in with the island rather to windward of the Peak, on
account of the very current just mentioned, it was questionable with
Mark and Betts whether any in the canoes could now perceive the boat, on
account of the intervening heights. It was pretty certain no one, as
yet, had made this important discovery, for the impetuosity of savages
would instantly have let the fact be known through their shouts and
their eagerness to-chase. On the contrary, all remained tranquil in the
fleet, which continued to approach the land with a steady but regulated
movement, that looked as if a secret awe pervaded the savages as they
drew nearer and nearer to that unknown and mysterious world. To them the
approaching revelations were doubtless of vast import; and the stoutest