ey had to
cut up some of the standing rigging which had been out of reach of
the surf before they could find anything that would burn. With that
a fire was made in the galley, and the women and baby were put
inside. At sunrise it was found that the sea had washed up a ridge
of sand near the ship, and, not wishing to pass another tide on
board, all the crew and passengers went over the side, and waded
through the shallow water until they came to a dry sand-pit. They
were eleven in number, including the women and baby, and they waited
until the boat came over from Snake Island and took them to the port.
A little of the cargo was taken out of the 'Isabella', but in a few
days she went to pieces.

Captain Taylor went to Hobarton, and bought from the insurers the
schooner 'Sylvanus' which had belonged to him, and having been
wrecked was then lying ashore on the coast. He succeeded in floating
her off without much damage, and he ran her in the cattle trade for
some time. He then sold her to Boys & Hall, of Hobarton, went to
Sydney, bought the schooner 'Alert', and sailed her in the same trade
until the discovery of gold. All the white seamen went off to the
diggings, and he hired four Kanakas to man his craft.

On his last trip to Port Albert the pilot was on board, waiting for
the tide. The pilot boat had been sent back to Sunday Island, the
ship's boat was in the water, and was supposed to have been made fast
astern by the crew. At break of day the pilot came on deck, and on taking
a look round, he saw that the longboat had got away and was drifting
towards Rabbit Island. He roared down the companion to Captain
Taylor, "Your longboat's got adrift, and is off to Rabbit Island."

In another minute Captain Taylor was on deck. He gazed at his
distant longboat and swore terribly. Then he took a rope and went
for his four Kanakas; but they did not wait for him; they all plunged
into the sea and deserted. The captain and pilot stood on deck
watching them as they swam away, hand over hand, leaving foaming
wakes behind like vessels in full sail. They were making straight
for the longboat, and Davy said, "They will go away in her and leave
us here in the lurch." But the captain said, "I think not." He was
right. The Kanakas brought back the boat within hail of the
schooner, and after being assured by the captain that he would not
ropes-end them, they climbed aboard.

On returning to Hobarton Captain Taylor was se