bout in every direction, it was nowhere to be
found. At first we thought of continuing our search for our friends,
but we soon agreed that it would be wiser to stay where we were; that if
they had escaped they would certainly return to the boat, and that if we
went in search of them, the so doing would only delay our meeting.
Being somewhat tired, therefore, we got into the boat, and drawing the
sail over the after-part, we lay down in the stern-sheets and were soon
fast asleep. We were both awoke by old Surley's bark, and jumping up,
we saw Mr Brand with his other two companions running along the beach.
We jumped out of the boat and hurried to meet them. Mr Brand had
Jerry's cap in his hand, which old Surley had carried with him to show
that he had found us. We speedily narrated our adventures to each
other. They had been dreadfully alarmed on our account. It turned out
as we had supposed--Mr Kilby had reached the sea-shore by himself,
thinking that we were with the other party, while they supposed we were
with him. However, they had not been very anxious about us till they
saw the conflagration burst out, and guessed that we were by some means
the cause of it. They were on their way to look for us, but the flames,
like some mighty torrent, rushed towards them. They had with frantic
haste to dart through the clumps of tussac and penguin grass to reach
the beach. They hurried to the boat, and had barely time to leap into
her, and shove off, before the flames, fanned by the wind, came
crackling and hissing up after them, and would very probably have set
her on fire. Cousin Silas was almost in despair about us, and Mr Kilby
told me that he said he should never forgive himself if we came to harm.
They were much interested with the account we gave them of our
adventures; and as it was time for dinner, we agreed to cook and eat the
trophies we had brought with us--the beef-steaks--before putting to sea.
We were amused at finding that we had committed an illegal act in
killing the bulls; but, as it was in self-defence, it was agreed that
the act was justifiable.

It had been arranged that we were to rejoin the schooner on the evening
of this day, at a point of land running out from an island a little to
the west of where we now were, unless the weather should prove bad; in
which case she was to come in for us. The weather, however, was very
fine, so making sail we stood across the channel. The station to which
sh