eft them with a hearty 'God bless you!' from all. After
swimming some time, I lost sight of the boatman, and was left to myself.
I swam back a little, shouting as loud as I could; but getting no
answer, and feeling for my own sake that I must push on, I turned my
head towards the mountain tops (my only guides), and struck out my best.
I must have been swimming for more than an hour when I landed. I found
myself a little tired, and very much benumbed, barefooted, _en chemise_,
and not able to see ten yards before me, it was so dark. My first
impulse was to fall on my knees and thank Providence; after which,
curious to say, my military schooling came to my aid in the 'extension
motions,' which brought some little feeling into my limbs, and enabled
me to continue my work. After feeling my way for about half an hour
along the shore, shouting all the time, I came to a cottage, where I was
hospitably received. They told me that they had heard my cries some
time, but fancied I was some drunken man returning home, or else they
would have come out to my assistance. The poor black gave me some dry
clothes, and made me a cup of tea, and then conducted me to the
proprietor of the estate, who lived close by, and had the nearest
pirogue (a small boat like a canoe, dug out of a solid trunk of a large
tree) in the neighbourhood. M. Chiron, the name of the proprietor, a man
of colour, as soon as I explained my situation and my want of a boat to
go and assist the others, immediately offered to go himself, and his son
also insisted on going with him. I jumped at the offer, of course, and
we immediately walked down to where his pirogue was moored, and started,
myself at the bottom to serve as guide. By the blessing of Providence,
after about an hour's search, we heard the cries from the wreck. I think
I never felt so happy or so light-hearted in my life as I did at this
moment; for there were so many chances against us finding it. We could
not see many yards from our own boat. It was then about eleven o'clock,
so that my companions had been exposed on the boat for upwards of five
hours. Luckily, with great care, we got them safely into the pirogue,
without capsizing her; and by twelve o'clock we were safely housed under
M. Chiron's hospitable roof, who fed, clothed, and lodged us for the
night. In the morning, the unfortunate Creole boatman was found dead,
from cold and cramp, about half a mile from the place he was supposed to
have landed a