o be off. They break their fast upon the remnants of
the dry morsels with which they last appeased their hunger. This
dispatched, they hasten to the beach, and speedily embark, seating
themselves with the utmost caution in the narrow hull, which good luck
and Sambo had placed at their disposal, and with less apprehension of
danger from winds and waves than from the angry billows of human
passion. A push from the shore and the voyage is fairly and auspiciously
begun, the good lady seated in the prow in charge of the tender object
of her unremitting care, and giving it the shelter of her parasol from
the advancing rays of the sun, and the skilful Palinurus himself
squatted in the stern, with a small paddle in his hand, giving alternate
strokes, first to the right and then to the left, and thus, with the aid
of the slow current propelling his diminutive barque at the rate of
about six knots an hour, and enjoying the simultaneous pleasure of
'paddling his own canoe.' Onward they glide, smoothly and pleasantly,
over the unruffled water, the steersman taking occasional rests from his
monotonous strokes, while having the satisfaction of noting some
progress by the flow of the current. Thus, hours passed away without the
occurrence of anything worth noting, except the happy reflection that
their memorable encampment was left several leagues in the distance. But
lo! here is the first interruption to their navigation! About the hour
of noon a mastless hull is seen in the distance. Their first impulse was
fear, but this was soon dispelled on discovering it to be a flat or
'pole boat,' without sail or rigging, used for the conveyance of
merchandise to the head of navigation, and propelled by long poles which
the hardy craftsmen handled with great dexterity. It was, in fact, the
steamer of the day, creating upon its arrival the same stir and bustle
that is now caused by its more agreeable and efficient substitute, the
'Flora Macdonald.' The sight of this advancing craft, however, suggested
the necessity of extreme caution, and of getting out of its way for a
time. The Highland royalist felt greatly tempted to wait and hail the
crew, whom he felt pretty sure to be his own friendly countrymen, and
who, like their sires, in the case of prince Charlie, thirty years
before, would scorn to betray their brother Celt, even for the gold of
Carolina. Still, like the royal outlaw in his wanderings, he also deemed
it more prudent to conceal his w