ded to Tent House, where we
kindled a good fire, and dried ourselves a little. We then refreshed
ourselves with some wine which remained on the table where you had
entertained the captain, and proceeded to prepare a signal to inform the
vessel we were ready to receive them. We procured a thick bamboo cane
from the magazine; I fixed firmly to one end of it the large lantern of
the fish's bladder you gave us to take; I filled the lamp with oil, and
placed in it a thick cotton-wick, which, when lighted, was very
brilliant. Jack and I then placed it on the shore, at the entrance of
the bay. We fixed it before the rock, where the land-wind would not
reach it, sunk it three or four feet into the ground, steadied it with
stones, and then went to rest over our fire, after this long and
difficult labour. After drying ourselves a little, we set out on our
return, when, looking towards the sea, we were startled by the
appearance of the same light we had noticed before; we heard, at the
same time, the distant report of a gun, which was repeated three or four
times at irregular intervals. We were persuaded that it was the vessel
calling to us for aid, and, remembering the command of our Saviour, we
thought you would forgive our disobedience if we presented to you in the
morning the captain, the lieutenant, and as many as our canoe would
contain. We entered it then without any fear, for you know how light and
well-balanced it is; and, rowing into the bay, the sail was spread to
the wind, and we had no more trouble. I then took the helm; my own
signal-light shone clearly on the shore; and, _except_ for the rain
which fell in torrents, the waves which washed over our canoe, and
uneasiness about the ship and about you, and our fear that the wind
might carry us into the open sea, we should have had a delightful
little maritime excursion. When we got out of the bay, I perceived the
wind was driving us towards Shark's Island, which, being directly before
the bay, forms two entrances to it. I intended to go round it, and
disembark there, if possible, that I might look out for some trace of
the ship, but we found this impossible; the sea ran too high; besides,
we should have been unable to moor our canoe, the island not affording a
single tree or anything we could lash it to, and the waves would soon
have carried it away. We had now lost sight of the light, and hearing no
more signals, I began to think on your distress when we did not arrive