rews, putting their shoulders under the gunwales, lifted
them by sheer strength into deeper water. Before a single man attempted
to get on board, the gallant commodore, who, though not afraid of the
hottest fire, had an especial dread of getting wet, was again carried
for some distance on Bashan's shoulders, till he was safely deposited in
the sternsheets of his boat, where the giant, with dripping clothes,
followed him.

Further delay would have been dangerous, as, the channel being unknown,
the boats might at any moment get aground, and be left there by the
rapidly-falling tide. It was, besides, important, for the sake of the
wounded men, to return as soon as possible to the ships. Although not a
man had been hit on shore, either when attacking the enemy in the open
or storming the fort, during the first part of the day several
casualties had occurred; two poor fellows had been killed, and six
others had been wounded, one very severely. Excepting, however, on
board the boat in which the dead bodies lay, the men were in as high
spirits as usual, exulting in the success of the expedition. Now and
then they restrained their mirth, as first one and then another of the
boats grounded, and there seemed a probability that the rest would share
their fate. They, however, were got off, and the flotilla continued its
course down the stream, one boat following the other in line.

They reached their anchorage inside Monkey Island soon after darkness
came on. Though the water was here of sufficient depth, even at low
tide, to allow the boats to keep afloat, and, the dhows having been
destroyed, they could not be assailed from above, still their dangers
and difficulties were not over; for, should their position be
discovered, a force might gather on the banks, and cause them
considerable annoyance. During the night, therefore, the men were
ordered to keep their arms by their sides, ready for instant use--it
being impossible to say at what moment they might be attacked.

The bar, also, had to be crossed. It was sufficiently smooth when they
came over it, but how it would be on their return was the question.
Those who had before been on the coast declared that they had frequently
seen a surf breaking over it in which even a lifeboat could scarcely
live.

"Faith, Archie, we've had a jolly day of it," remarked Desmond, whose
boat was lying alongside that of the commander of the _Opal_; "if this
is the sort of fun we're gene