her gale of wind had come on, every one of those poor fellows would
have been washed away."

"It is an ill wind that blows nobody good," remarked the purser, who was
a bit of a moralist in a small way. "Now we have been complaining of a
foul wind--and if we had had a fair one, we should have run past those
rocks without ever seeing the people on them."

"No higher," exclaimed the gruff voice of the quarter-master, who was
conning the ship. "Mind your helm, or you'll have her all aback."

"The wind is heading us," muttered the man at the wheel; "she's fallen
off two points."

"Hands about ship," cried Captain Fleetwood. "We'll show the poor
fellows we do not intend to give them the go-by. Helm's a-lee! Tacks
and sheets! Main-topsail haul. Of all, haul."

And round came the brig, with her head to the eastward, or towards the
island of Milo. She was at this time about two miles to the southward
of the rock, and that the people on it might not suppose that she was
about to pass them, Captain Fleetwood ordered a gun to be fired, to
attract their attention, and to show them that they were seen. This
appeared to have a great effect; for the officers observed them through
their telescopes waving their signal-staffs round and round, as if to
exhibit their delight.

"They seem as if they were all drunk on the rock there," said Linton.
"I never saw people make such strange antics."

"I fear it is more probable that they are mad," observed the captain.
"I have known many instances in which men have been thus afflicted, who
having nothing to satisfy their hunger or thirst, have been tempted to
drink salt water."

"It proves that they must have been a long time there. We must not keep
on long on this tack, master, I suspect."

The _Ione_ was soon about again on the starboard tack, and away she
flew, every instant nearing the rock. It soon became evident that
Captain Fleetwood was right in his suspicions; for, as they drew closer,
they could see that some of the unfortunate wretches had thrown off all
their clothing, and were dancing, and leaping, and gesticulating
furiously--now joining hands, and whirling round and round, as fast as
the inequalities of the ground would allow them, then they would rush
into the water, and then roll down and turn over and over, shrieking at
the top of their voices. Some, again, were sitting crouching by
themselves, moving and gibbering, and pointing with idiot glance at
their co