as afraid that they would hurt Nero, who was at
the cabin, if I was not there to prevent them; but with the exception of
examining the cabin, and forcing themselves in upon Mrs Reichardt, they
did nothing. When the breakers were full, which took at least half an
hour, they did indeed try to catch the birds, and would have wrung their
necks, but the males flew away, and the females I put into the bed-place
that was screened off in the cabin, and near which Mrs Reichardt was
sitting. They all appeared to have a great awe and respect for this
woman, and a look from her was more effectual than were any words of the
mate.

"We don't want you," said one of the men, as they went down to the
bathing-pool with the breakers on their shoulders. "Why don't you keep
up with the lady? You're quite a lady's man, now you've white trousers
on."

The others who followed him laughed at this latter remark.

"I'm of no use up there, at present," said I; "and I may be down below."

The men set down the breakers on the rocks by the pool, and then, under
the directions of the mate, prepared to launch the boat over the ledge.
The masts of the boat were placed athwartships, under her keel, for her
to run upon, and being now quite empty, she was very light. She was
what they call a whale-boat, fitted for the whale-fishery, pointed at
both ends, and steered by an oar; she was not very large, but held seven
people comfortably, and she was remarkably well fitted with sails and
masts, having two lugs and a mizen. As soon as they were all ready, the
men went to the side of the boat, and in a minute she was launched into
the sea without injury. The mate said to me, as they brought her
broadside to the ledge:

"Now, my lad, we don't want you any more; you may go up to the cabin
till we are ready, and then we will send for you and the lady."

"Oh! But I can be of use here," replied I; "and I am of none up there."

The mate did not reply, and the men then went to the rum-cask, and
rolled it towards the boat; and when they had it on the ledge, they
parbuckled it, as they term it, into the boat with a whale-line that
they happened to have, and which was of great length. After the cask of
rum was got in amidships (and it took up a great deal of space, reaching
from one gunwale to the other, and standing high above the thwarts),
they went for the breakers of water, which they put in, three before and
three behind the cask, upon the floor of th