nly waiting our return to sail.
I was in the cabin when Captain Frankland first saw Gerard after hearing
of our escape. Tears stood in the old man's eyes as he took his son in
his arms; and I saw by the expression of his countenance how he loved
him. Mr Brand always stood high in his estimation; when he heard of
what Silas had done, he stood higher still. I must own it, Jerry and I
very soon forgot the awe-inspiring thoughts which had passed through our
minds while we expected so soon to be called into eternity. Our chief
concern was, having lost our guns and gamebags. We were, therefore,
highly delighted when Burkett and Kilby made their appearance on board,
each with a very good fowling-piece in his hand, with powder-flasks and
shot-belts, and all other requisites, and begged our acceptance of them,
in remembrance, as they said, of the adventures we had gone through
together.

"Thank you, thank you," we exclaimed; "we'll not forget you, at all
events, wherever we go."

We called our guns after the good-natured donors, and had their names
engraved on them. Many a wild-fowl did Burkett and Kilby knock over in
various parts of the world. Old Surley accompanied our visitors. Mr
Brand and he had become great friends after their long swim together;
and Kilby, to whom he belonged, in the warmth of his heart presented him
to Cousin Silas, who, very much to our satisfaction, did not refuse the
gift. Thus old Surley became our companion in many a subsequent
adventure. Just before we sailed, some very sad news reached the
colony. It was the death of Captain Allen Gardiner and his six
companions on the bleak coast of Terra del Fuego, where they had gone
for the purpose of forming a missionary establishment, with the hope of
spreading a knowledge of the Christian faith among the benighted
inhabitants of those wild regions.

Captain Gardiner had left England in the autumn of 1850, with Dr
Williams, a surgeon, who went forth as a catechist; Mr Maidment, who
held the same office; Erwin, a carpenter; and three Cornish fishermen,
named Badcock, Bryant, and Pearce. The _Ocean Queen_, the ship in which
they took their passage, proceeded on her passage to the Pacific, after
landing them at Banner Cove in Picton Island, which will be found near
the entrance of Beagle Channel, about half way between the Straits of Le
Maire and Cape Horn. They had with them two large boats, called the
_Pioneer_ and _Speedwell_, and two small