d natives just
to satisfy the ambition of an unscrupulous negro. But, as I have before
noticed, from information received many years after I learned that he
had been successful in his efforts, though at what cost to life I do not
know.

So our dusky friends left us, with a good word from every one, and went
on board the ELIZA ADAMS, whose captain promised to land them at Futuna,
within six months. How he carried out his promise, I do not know; but,
for the poor fellows' sakes, I trust he kept his word.

CHAPTER XXVIII. TO THE BLUFF, AND HOME

And now the cruise of the good old whaling barque CACHALOT, as far as
whaling is concerned, comes to an end. For all practical purposes
she becomes a humdrum merchantman in haste to reach her final port of
discharge, and get rid of her cargo. No more will she loiter and pry
around anything and everything, from an island to a balk of drift-wood,
that comes in her way, knowing not the meaning of "waste of time." The
"crow's-nests" are dismantled, taut topgallant-masts sent up, and royal
yards crossed. As soon as we get to sea we shall turn-to and heave that
ancient fabric of bricks and mortar--always a queer-looking erection to
be cumbering a ship's deck--piecemeal over the side. It has long been
shaky and weather-beaten; it will soon obstruct our movements no more.
Our rigging has all been set up and tarred down; we have painted hull
and spars, and scraped wherever the wood-work is kept bright. All gear
belonging to whaling has been taken out of the boats, carefully cleaned,
oiled, and stowed away for a "full due." Two of the boats have been
taken inboard, and stowed bottom-up upon the gallows aft, as any
other merchantman carries them. At last, our multifarious preparations
completed, we ride ready for sea.

It was quite in accordance with the fitness of things that, when all
things were now ready for our departure, there should come a change of
wind that threatened to hold us prisoners for some days longer. But our
"old man" was hard to beat, and he reckoned that, if we could only get
out of the "pond," he would work her across to the Bluff somehow or
other. So we ran out a kedge with a couple of lines to it, and warped
her out of the weather side of the harbour, finding, when at last we
got her clear, that she would lay her course across the Straits to clear
Ruapuke--nearly; but the current had to be reckoned with. Before we
reached that obstructing island we were down