ery steadily to our plaiting, and so, with the previous
day's work, had near two hundred fathoms completed by the time that the
bo'sun called us to cease and come to supper. Thus it will be seen that
counting all, including the piece of hemp line from which the bridle had
been made, we may be said to have had at this time about four hundred
fathoms towards the length which we needed for our purpose, this having
been reckoned at five hundred fathoms.

After supper, having lit all the fires, we continued to work at the
plaiting, and so, until the bo'sun set the watches, after which we
settled down for the night, first, however, letting the bo'sun see to
our hurts. Now this night, like to the previous, brought us no trouble;
and when the day came, we had first our breakfast, and then set-to upon
our collecting of fuel, after which we spent the rest of the day at the
sennit, having manufactured a sufficiency by the evening, the which the
bo'sun celebrated by a very rousing tot of the rum. Then, having made
our supper, we lit the fires, and had a very comfortable evening, after
which, as on the preceding nights, having let the bo'sun attend our
wounds, we settled for the night, and on this occasion the bo'sun let
the man who had lost his fingers, and the one who had been bitten so
badly in the arm, take their first turn at the watching since the night
of the attack.

Now when the morning came we were all of us very eager to come to the
flying of the kite; for it seemed possible to us that we might effect
the rescue of the people in the hulk before the evening. And, at the
thought of this, we experienced a very pleasurable sense of excitement;
yet, before the bo'sun would let us touch the kite, he insisted that we
should gather our usual supply of fuel, the which order, though full of
wisdom, irked us exceedingly, because of our eagerness to set about the
rescue. But at last this was accomplished, and we made to get the line
ready, testing the knots, and seeing that it was all clear for running.
Yet, before setting the kite off, the bo'sun took us down to the further
beach to bring up the foot of the royal and t'gallant mast, which
remained fast to the topmast, and when we had this upon the hill-top, he
set its ends upon two rocks, after which he piled a heap of great pieces
around them, leaving the middle part clear. Round this he passed the
kite line a couple or three times, and then gave the end to Jessop to
bend on to th