Back Aa

For Treasure Bound

<h3>Chapter Thirteen.</h3> <h4>A Mirage.</h4> By the time that our fair guest had been on board a week or ten days, she had put me in possession of probably every circumstance of importance which had occurred in her past history, and had also touched lightly upon her future, which, notwithstanding the natural buoyancy of her temperament, she seemed to regard with considerable apprehension. It appeared that, in the first place, she had but a very imperfect idea as to the whereabouts of her relatives in England. She knew that her grandfather had a place somewhere down in Leicestershire, and she thought he also had a house in town; but, as her mother had never heard from him since her marriage, Ella had been utterly unable to find any clue to the old gentleman’s address, after a most thorough search through such papers belonging to her parents as had fallen into her hands after her father’s death. Then, bearing in mind many conversations between her parents which had occurred in her presence, she felt the gravest doubt as to whether any of her relatives, when found, would even condescend so far as to acknowledge her as a relative, much less assist her in any way. She inclined to the opinion that they would not, and there were many circumstances to justify this sentiment, notably one which had occurred a short time previous to the departure of her parents from England. Her father was at the time suffering from nervous debility and severe mental depression, the result of over-work and incessant anxiety; and to such a deplorable condition was he reduced that, for a considerable time, he was completely incapacitated for work of any kind. The family resources dwindled to a low ebb, the process being materially hastened by heavy doctors’ bills and other expenses connected with Mr Brand’s condition, and the wife and mother found herself almost at her wit’s-end to provide necessaries for her husband and child, utterly forgetful of herself all the time. At last, in sheer desperation, she wrote to her father describing her position, and entreating that assistance which he could so bountifully bestow—and her letter remained unanswered. She then wrote to her mother, and this time the letter was returned unopened. She then tried her two brothers in succession, and finally her sister, and all her attempts to communicate with these unnatural relatives were treated with the same cold-blooded silence. Matters would soon have gone hard indeed with the Brand family had not a former suitor of Mrs Brand’s (who had been rejected in favour of the man she afterwards took for her husband) chivalrously come forward at this juncture, not only relieving their immediate necessities, but also using all his influence, which was potent, to obtain for Mr Brand the appointment which the poor fellow held until his death. “And supposing,” said I, after listening to this disheartening recital—“supposing that your relatives will not help you, have you any plans laid to meet such a contingency? ‘Hope for the best and provide for the worst’ is a favourite motto of your friend Bob; and I really think it is singularly applicable in your case.” “No,” she replied rather despondently: “no very definite plan, that is. I am fairly well educated, I believe. Dear mamma was most accomplished, I have often heard papa say, and she taught me everything she knew. I speak French, German, and Italian, and seem to have a natural aptitude for music; and I sketch a little in water-colours. I have all my materials with me, and a few sketches which I may perhaps be able to sell when I reach home—I will let you see them some day—and I think I may perhaps be able to get a situation as governess, or maintain myself respectably by teaching music and drawing. And then, you know, I am not absolutely destitute. I have about twenty pounds with me, and I sent home three hundred, the proceeds of the sale of our furniture, to England; and some friends of poor papa’s in Canton say they are sure he must have some money invested somewhere, and they have promised to find out if it really is so, and to realise it for me; and I have given them the necessary powers to do so; so you see I shall not land in England actually a beggar.” “God forbid!” I earnestly ejaculated. “With regard to your landing in England, I ought perhaps to tell you that you must not hope to do so very soon. We are now in a part of the world quite out of the usual track of ships, and I fear it may be some time before we shall fall in with any, and when we do, it is questionable whether they will be quite the class of vessel you would like to make the voyage home in. My great hope is that we may soon fall in with a sandalwood trader, in which case you would have an opportunity of returning to China, and re-shipping from thence home.” “I hope we shall,” she responded; rather dolefully, I thought. “You have been very good to me, and,”—her eyes welling up with tears—“I shall never forget you; but I know my presence must be a great inconvenience and embarrassment to you.” “Pray stop!” I interrupted. “You are under the greatest misapprehension if you suppose your presence on board the Water Lily is any other than a source of the most unqualified gratification to her crew. You are evidently quite ignorant of the beneficent influences of your presence here, or you would never have spoken of it as an inconvenience. Your departure will occasion us the keenest regret whenever it takes place, and were it not that our cramped accommodations must occasion you very considerable discomfort, I should rejoice at almost any circumstance which would necessitate your remaining with us for the rest of the voyage.” “Do you really mean it?” she exclaimed, her sweet face brightening up at once. “Oh, I am so glad! Do you know I have thought your anxiety to meet with a ship arose from my being in your way, and troublesome. And you are really willing to let me remain, and go home with you? How very kind it is of you! I will be quite good, and do whatever you tell me; and, indeed, I will not cause you the least bit of trouble. And,”—her face clouding over again for a moment—“I so dread arriving in England an utter stranger, and having to search, quite unassisted, for grandpapa; and it would be so dreadful if he were to turn me away from his doors. And I should feel, oh! miserably friendless and lonely if I had really to go about from place to place seeking for a situation, or trying to get pupils. But if you will let me stay here and go home with you, I shall not feel it so much, for I am sure you will help me in my search for my friends; and it is so delightful,”—brightening up again—“to be dancing over this bright, sparkling sea day after day, in this dear little yacht, and to see the kind faces of that darling old original Bob and—and—and—the kitten.” “And the fowls,” I suggested demurely. “But, in electing to remain on board the Water Lily, you must bear in mind, my dear Miss Brand, that it is not always with us as it is at present. Just now we are fortunate in the enjoyment of a fair wind and smooth sea, but we have been exposed to many dangers since we left England, and it is only reasonable to suppose we shall have to encounter many more before we return; and if you went home in a larger vessel, if you did not escape them altogether, they would probably bring less discomfort in their train than they will here.” “What would you advise me to do?” she asked, looking ruefully up into my face. “Well,” I replied, “since you ask me, my advice is this. If we fall in with a comfortable ship, bound to England, or to any port whence you can trans-ship for England, go in her; if the ship is not comfortable, and it comes to a choice of inconveniences, you can be guided by your own judgment, but do not leave us until you are sure of gaining some advantage by the change.” So it was settled. That same afternoon, as I was lying down on the lockers in our little cabin aft, I overheard the following conversation on deck, between Bob and Ella. “Bob,” said Ella (she soon dropped the Mr in his case, but it was still “Mr Collingwood” to me)—“Bob, are we likely to meet any ships very soon, do you think?” “Ships!” echoed Bob, in consternation; “no, missie, I hopes not. You surely ain’t tired of the little Lily yet, are ye?” “No, indeed,” replied Ella; “and I hope you are not tired of me. Tell me, Bob, am I very much trouble here, or very much in the way?” “Trouble! in the way!!” repeated Bob; “Well, I’m—”—then a strong inspiration between the teeth, as though to draw back the forcible expression quivering on his lips—“but there, it’s because you don’t know what you’re sayin’ of, that you talks that a-way. What put that notion into your pretty little head?” “Harry—Mr Collingwood, I mean—seems anxious that I should go home in some other vessel,” Ella replied, dolefully. “Well, now, that’s news, that is,” answered Bob. “Since when has he taken that idee into his head?” “We were talking about it this morning,” said Ella; “and he said it would be more dangerous for me to go home in the Water Lily than in a large ship. Is the Water Lily dangerous, Bob?” “Dangerous!” exclaimed Bob, in a tone of angry scorn. “Was she dangerous in that blow off the Horn, when a big ship capsized and went down with all hands, close alongside of us? Was she dangerous when we had that bit of a brush with the pirates? If she hadn’t been the little beauty that she is, she’d ha’ gone down in the gale and a’terwards ha’ been made a prize of by the cut-throats.” (Bob, in his angry vindication of the cutter’s character, was wholly oblivious of the “bull” he had perpetrated, and Ella seemed too much interested to notice it.) “Dangerous! why, what’s the boy thinking about, to take away the little barkie’s character that a-way?” “I wish, Bob, you would not keep calling Ha—, Mr Collingwood, a boy; he is quite as much a man as you are, though of course not so old. I don’t like—I don’t think it sounds respectful,” exclaimed Ella rather petulantly. “Not call him a boy?” echoed Bob; “why, what should I call him then, missie? In course, now you comes to mention it, I knows as he is a man, and an uncommon fine speciment too; but, Lord, when I knowed him fust he was quite a dapper young sprig; and it comes nat’ral-like to speak of him as a boy. Hows’ever,” continued he apologetically, “in course, since you don’t like it, I won’t call him a boy no more. What shall I call him, so please your ladyship?” “Now you are laughing at me, you horrid old creature,” said Ella, with a little stamp of passion upon the deck; “and I never said I did not like it; I merely said that it did not sound respectful. Why do you not call him captain?” “Why not, indeed?” answered Bob. “He’s got as good a right to be called ‘skipper’ as e’er a man as ever walked a deck; and dash my old wig if I ain’t a good mind to do it, too; my eyes! how he would stare. ’Twould be as good as a pantomime to see him;” and the worthy old fellow chuckled gleefully as his fancy conjured up the look of surprise which he knew such a title on his lips would evoke from me. “I declare,” exclaimed Ella, in a tone of great vexation, “you are the most provoking— But there, never mind, Bob dear, I do not mean it; you are very kind to me, and must not take any notice of my foolish speeches. And so you really think the Water Lily is not dangerous? Why then should Mr Collingwood wish me to leave her? He told me this morning that he should be sorry if I did so, and yet he seems unwilling to let me stay.” “Don’t you believe it, little one,” I heard Bob answer. “He don’t want ye to go; it’s some kind of conscientious scruple as he’s got into his head that makes him talk that a-way. Between you and me,”—here his voice sank to a kind of confidential growl, but I distinctly heard every word, nevertheless—“it’s my idee that he’s got some sort of a notion as we may yet fall in with that infarnal Albatross ag’in; but, if we do, we’ve got chances of getting away from the chap that large ships haven’t; and for my part, if I must be in their blackguard neighbourhood, I’d a deal rather be in the Lily than in a large ship. Their best chance of getting the weather-gauge of us is by surprise; but in a little barkie like this here we larns the knack of sleeping with one eye open, and they’ll have to be oncommon ’cute that surprises us.” “Oh!” exclaimed Ella, “I hope and pray that we may not see those wretches; it would be dreadful beyond description to fall into their hands. Do you think Mr Collingwood would send me away if I said I did not want to go?” “Not he, dearie,” answered Bob; “why, can’t ye see that he— But there, I mustn’t tell tales out of school. If we gets a good chance, perhaps it might be as well for ye to take advantage of it; but we ain’t going to get it, so I lives in hopes of having your sweet face to brighten us up for the rest of this here v’yage. But it’s eight bells, and time to rouse the ‘skipper,’ so just step down, dearie, will ye, and give him a call.” Why he should send Ella to call me when he had a voice capable of making the little craft’s whole interior ring again, I could not imagine; but as her light step touched the ladder I closed my eyes, feeling somehow that I would rather the sweet little thing should not know I had overheard the conversation just past. I had scarcely composed my features when she stood beside me. I had the feeling that she was stooping over me, and I certainly felt her warm breath upon my face for an instant; then she seemed to draw back again, and I heard a soft whisper of “Harry.” Then there came a light touch upon my arm, and she said, much louder, “Mr Collingwood, it is eight bells.” “Ay, ay,” I answered, rubbing my eyes. Then I started to my feet, but the little fairy had gone fluttering away forward, so I took my sextant and went on deck. In a minute or two she reappeared, and, seeing me with the sextant in my hand, opened the chronometer and got the slate, in readiness for taking the time. I obtained three most excellent sights, and from them worked up my longitude. I had obtained an accurate observation for my latitude at noon, and, on going below and laying off our position on the chart, I had the satisfaction of seeing that we were drawing well in with the islands, and that, if the breeze lasted, we should be fairly within the group by evening next day. When I announced this intelligence to my companions, they were both delighted, Ella especially, she having seen no land since leaving the Sandwich Islands, which, she declared, was “ages ago.” The last land we had seen was Staten Island, though we caught the loom of land, or thought we did, when about abreast of the western end of Magellan Straits. We were all longing for a run ashore; and, as I had resolved to thoroughly search the group, from end to end if need be, for traces of my father, I decided that we would commence with the eastern end, examining every island which in the slightest degree answered to the description given us of the spot on which the Amazon had been cast away. Our little lady guest spent much of her time on deck—sitting in a deck-chair, within easy conversational range of whichever had the tiller; and she favoured me with her company during the whole of the first watch (it being my eight hours out that night); but she was unusually silent gazing in an absent, dreamy manner for the most of the time, far away over the tranquil starlit sea, and softly humming a bar or two of some of her favourite songs occasionally. I made one or two attempts to draw her into conversation, fearing she was in low spirits, but she answered at random and in monosyllables; and, seeing after a while that I had no chance, I gave it up. The next morning, when Bob came on deck to wash down, I said: “Bob, what is the matter with Miss Brand? have you any idea?” He looked curiously at me for a moment, and then said: “Matter? Nothing, as I knows on. What should be the matter with the little dearie?” “Nothing should be the matter with her,” I answered, rather tartly perhaps; “but she seemed unusually silent and unlike herself last night: and, as you seem pretty deep in her confidence, I thought you might know the cause.” “Ay, ay,” he returned; “she do speak pretty free to me, I’ll allow; which I accounts for by my being an old man—at least, she seems to think me so, if I may judge by what she said yesterday; and as to knowing the cause of her being out of sorts like, perhaps I do, and perhaps I don’t. I has my suspicions, and pretty strong ones they be, too; but it ain’t for the likes of me to say a word. Axe no questions, Harry, my lad, but just leave things to work theirselves out; she’ll be all right again shortly, you take my word for it.” “Is she ill, do you think, Bob?” I inquired in some anxiety. “Ill? do she look like it?” queried he with a loud laugh. “No, no, she’s well enough; but women’s most oncommon difficult to understand, boy; and the only way is to let ’em alone and take no notice when they seems queer. Now, don’t axe me no questions, for I don’t know anything about it, and what I guess I ain’t going to tell.” What the old fellow surmised it was quits impossible for me to imagine, and equally impossible to extract from him, for he was as stubborn as a mule, and if he made up his mind to a certain course, nothing earthly had the power of turning him from it; so, with the unpleasant sensation that there was a mystery somewhere, I was obliged to hold my tongue and console myself with the reflection that, at all events, it could be nothing which concerned me personally. Shortly after the conversation Ella made her appearance at the head of the companion-ladder, and, bidding us both a cheery “Good-morning,” summoned me to breakfast. As soon as the coffee was poured out, and we had fairly commenced the meal, she said: “If you ever have any secrets to discuss, Mr Collingwood, I would advise you to seek some other place than the deck of the Water Lily. You sailors appear to have the habit of talking loudly in the open air, and I was awakened by your voices this morning, and quite unintentionally heard much, if not all, of your conversation. I am sorry that my quiet mood of last night should have given you any uneasiness, but I hope you will be relieved when I assure you that there was nothing whatever the matter with me. I am singularly susceptible to surrounding influences; and the solemn beauty of the night excited within me a feeling of—not sadness altogether, but of gravity almost amounting to it, which has now entirely passed away. Your best plan will be to follow Bob’s advice, and take no notice of my varying moods, for they really have no significance. I have not the least idea what it is that the worthy fellow suspects as being the matter with me; but, whatever it is, he is quite mistaken, for I am happy to say I am perfectly well both in body and mind.” I felt greatly relieved at this explanation, and said so; and Ella, as though to make up for her silence of the previous night, was rattling away in a more lively strain than ever, when Bob shouted from the deck, “Land ho!” “Where away?” queried I, springing to my feet and leaving my breakfast unfinished. “Right ahead, and up among the clouds, by all that’s wonderful!” answered Bob. I put my head above the companion, and there, sure enough, directly ahead, and about ten or twelve degrees above the horizon, appeared an island apparently floating in the air. It was low and, judging from a small grove of trees which distinctly appeared, of no great extent. I took the glass, but through it everything presented a wavering appearance, as though the island and all upon it consisted of an infinite number of separate and distinct particles, each revolving in a spiral direction upwards. I called Ella on deck to see the singular phenomenon, for it was a more perfect example of mirage than I had ever before witnessed or could have believed possible. As we continued to gaze upon the curious spectacle, a faint foamy appearance revealed itself between us and the island, but still in the sky; and about half an hour afterwards this distinctly took the form of flying spray from breakers beating upon a reef. The mirage lasted rather more than an hour, and then faded gradually away. “How far d’ye reckon that island is away, Harry, lad?” queried Bob, when we had finished breakfast and were all mustered on deck once more. “Really,” said I, “it is a very difficult matter to decide. By my reckoning we ought not to see it until about three this afternoon, with the wind as it is; and I hope we shall see it by that time, so as to get inside the reef to-night. If it looks very enticing, we will stay there a few days, and give the little craft an overhaul in hull, spars, and rigging; and Miss Brand will have an opportunity of getting a few runs on shore meanwhile, and perhaps a little fruit as a change of diet.” My reckoning proved correct, for about three o’clock that afternoon, as I was sitting aft with the tiller-ropes in my hand, I saw the tops of the cocoa-nut trees appearing above the horizon. As I did not wish to disturb Bob (not feeling sure of our being able to lie at anchor all night without a watch), I requested Ella—who, as usual, was assisting to keep the watch on deck—to take the tiller whilst I shortened sail. The spinnaker and gaff-topsail were got in and rolled up, the spinnaker-boom run in and topped up, and by the time that eight bells had struck, and Bob had come on deck, we were near enough to render it necessary to haul up and look out for a passage through the reef. At first sight it seemed as though we were not to be permitted to approach the island, for an unbroken line of heavy surf extended north and south to a distance of fully nine miles, completely barring our passing through the eastern side of the reef; and I began to believe that if a channel existed at all (and I felt sure there must be one somewhere), it must lie on the western side. However, I did not want to run to leeward if I could help it, for though the Lily, being fore-and-aft rigged, was better suited to turning to windward in a narrow passage than any other class of vessel, I did not wish to risk the boat by the performance of such a hazardous operation, for I had heard that the channels through these reefs were, some of them, so contracted that there was positively no room for even a small vessel to tack in many of the reaches. So I made a bowline in the end of the gaff-topsail halliards, and went aloft in it, with the intention of remaining there, if need be, to con the craft in. We had hauled to the wind on the starboard tack, with our head to the northward, and the Water Lily was now, with her fore-sheet to windward, jogging quietly along towards the northern extremity of the island. I kept a careful watch on the reef close to leeward, but we traversed its whole extent to the northward without any sign of a channel revealing itself, so I shouted to Bob to go round and stand to the southward again. From my elevated position I was enabled to make a tolerably complete examination of the island, which exhibited no traces whatever, as far as I could see, of being inhabited. It appeared to be about six miles in length by about three in width at the widest part, though its coast-line was very irregular, and, in some places, I estimated that it was not much more than half that width. It trended about north-north-east and south-south-west, and was very low, no part rising apparently much higher than forty or fifty feet above the level of the sea; whilst for the most part it did not appear to be higher than perhaps ten or twelve feet. Vegetation was extremely luxuriant, a small grove of cocoanuts occupying a very nearly central position, but on the western side of the island; whilst the remaining portion was pretty thickly covered with less lofty trees, the ground being clothed with deliciously fresh green turf, and an endless variety of shrubs. A narrow strip of clean white sand bordered the whole island, and outside of this again extended the placid waters of the lagoon, barely ruffled by the evening breeze. This lagoon was, as my readers will probably know, the belt of water which surrounded the island, intervening between it and the encircling coral reef, on which the heavy swell expended all its force, without being able to reach and disturb the still water inside. We were within a mile and a half of the southern extremity of the island, when I detected a thin line of unbroken water tortuously threading its way across the reef, and extending clear into the lagoon. Its mouth would never have been observed from our deck, or indeed from the deck of a ship, for the channel entered the reef at an acute angle; and the surf broke so heavily upon the outside and overlapping ledge that the foam and spray were carried quite across the narrow opening, and mingled with the broken water on the opposite side. But from my elevation I could see that there the channel was, and having satisfied myself, as we drew down towards it, that it was unbroken, I decided to run in through it. Had the Lily been a moderately large vessel or square-rigged, she could not have been taken through, for there was one point about midway across the reef where I believed the passage could not exceed thirty feet in width, and it was at a very awkward bend; and there were so many sharp turnings (to use a shore phrase) that a square-rigged vessel’s yards could not have been handled rapidly enough to meet her frequent and quickly succeeding changes of direction. But it was very different with us. I directed Bob to haul aft his weather-jib-sheet and lee-fore-sheet, thus providing for the keeping of one of the head-sails always full, and to trim his mainsail with a moderately flowing sheet; after which he might leave the canvas to take care of itself, whilst he gave his undivided attention to the helm. This was soon done, and we bore away in the direction I indicated. The look-out ahead from the deck must have been alarming enough, for great as was Bob’s confidence in my judgment, and steady as were his nerves, he could not forbear hailing me. “I hope, Harry,” shouted he, “that you’re quite sartain about that there passage. I sees nothing ahead, or anywheres else for that matter, on either bow but surf; and mind ye, lad, if we but touches once, the little barkie ’ll be knocked into match-wood. We may still claw off if there’s any doubt.” “Port, hard!” answered I, too intent on the channel to enter into any explanation just then. “Steady!” “Steady!” responded Bob. “You stay close to me, dearie, so’s to be within reach if anything happens, and mind you don’t get knocked overboard with the boom. Ah! all right; I sees the opening.” The Water Lily shot in past the overlapping ledge; and my companions on deck were treated to a copious shower-bath of spray for a few seconds, and then we began to feel the shelter of the reef. We shot along the first reach, and soon approached a sharp elbow. “Look out on deck!” I shouted; “we are about to jibe; and you, Bob, stand by to give her the helm smartly. Steady starboard! now starboard hard! ram the helm down! so, steady! Now port a little! steady again! luff you may, handsomely; not too close! And now stand by for a half-board! Luff! let her come up! luff and shake her! so! Now hard up!” And so on, and so on. Luff, and keep her away; then jibing; now on one tack, now on another; until, after about ten minutes of most ticklish navigation, the cutter shot clear of the reef, and glided rapidly over the smooth water of the lagoon. Bob let draw his jib-sheet, and we stood away towards the southern extremity of the island, which we soon rounded; I remaining still aloft to look out for any sunken rocks that might chance to be lying about. But the bottom was quite clear, the sand being distinctly visible from my post at the mast-head. We were now on the western side of the island, and I observed that the grove of cocoa-nut trees before referred to stood upon the border of a pretty little bay, or cove rather, for it was very small; and as this spot promised very snug anchorage close to the shore, I directed Bob to steer for it, and then descended to the deck and got the anchor over the bows in readiness for letting go. As we drew closer to the land, our sails became partially becalmed under the lee of the trees and shrubs which densely covered the southern end of the island, whilst the water was undisturbed by the faintest ripple save that which streamed away on each side of our sharp bow. As I stood forward, looking down into the clear transparency of the cool green depths, I could discern here and there a few large branches of splendid coral projecting through the sand, with multitudes of strangely-formed fishes darting round and about them; and in one spot I observed what appeared to be a small bed of oysters of which I instantly took the bearings, resolving to pay it a visit and try for a few. At length we slid gently into our little cove. Bob put his helm down; the cutter luffed into the wind, and, as soon as her way was deadened sufficiently, I let run the anchor; after which, with one accord, Bob and I took off our hats and gave three joyous cheers. It was the first time we had brought up since leaving Madeira. We soon had our canvas furled, and, whilst Ella busied herself with the preparations for tea, Bob and I got our “boat” on deck, and set about putting her together. Whilst thus engaged, my companion remarked, “Well, Harry, I must say I didn’t like the looks of things, for a minute or two, whilst we was running down upon the reef outside; but you piloted us in in capital style. Did ye happen to think, however, how we’re going to get out ag’in, now that we’re here?” “Certainly I did,” replied I. “You surely do not imagine that I would run in here, without being satisfied beforehand that we could get out again all right. There was no time for explanation whilst I was aloft; but, just before I caught sight of the channel through which we entered, I distinctly saw one on this side of the island, through which we could have beaten the little craft without much difficulty. It appeared to have only two reaches, and I think we might have laid up one of them on the port tack, and the other on the starboard tack; and as to getting out, it will be a run with the wind free all the way. But what do you think of our berth?” “Snug and comfortable as heart could wish,” responded he, with an accent of keen enjoyment; “and I do hope as you’ll give us all, and the little craft, a holiday of a day or two, now we’re here. ’Twon’t do any of us any harm; and I really feels as though I could go ashore and lie down under the shade of them trees all day, and do nothing but just enj’y the rest and the coolness, and ease my old eyes by looking up at the beautiful green leaves, with the clear blue sky peeping between ’em here and there.” I had a very similar feeling; for, though the island had nothing very specially attractive about it, to us who had looked on nothing but sky and sea for so long, it appeared but little short of a paradise. So I very readily acquiesced in his proposal, the more so as I felt that our health would be very greatly benefited by the change. By the time that we had our boat put together and hanging astern by her painter, tea was ready; so, after a comfortable ablution, by way of bringing the day’s work to a close, we all seated ourselves at the small cabin-table, and discussed our meal with a luxurious enjoyment of the perfect steadiness of the cutter, and of the absence of all anxiety of every kind, which was quite a novelty. We finished the meal by lamplight, and then adjourned to the deck, where, as was our regular custom, Bob and I smoked our evening pipes. Those only who have endured the monotony of a long sea-voyage can understand the pleasure with which we regarded our surroundings, and compared them with those of many an evening past. The night had completely closed in, and the deep, unclouded purple vault above was thickly studded with stars, which, unlike those in the northern hemisphere, instead of glittering spark-like and cold, beamed with the deep, mellow lustre of the softest lamps, each being clearly reflected in the mirror-like surface of the unruffled lagoon. We were, as I believe I have said before, on the western or lee-side of the island, so completely sheltered from the wind by the thick-clustering trees and shrubs which covered its surface, that only the faintest zephyr could approach us, though it swept briskly through the topmost branches of the cocoa-nuts, gently agitating their leaves, and producing a soft rustling sound, above which the loud roar of the surf beating on the reef to windward could be distinctly heard. Mingling with this, there issued from the shore a continuous chirping and singing from innumerable multitudes of insects, which, swelling shrill and high, merged into one vast wave of sound, which completely filled the air. Tens of thousands of fire-flies flitted to and fro, their tiny sparks gleaming brilliantly against the dark background of dense foliage; and, if we looked over the side for a moment, we saw the deep obscurity of the tranquil ocean constantly flashing into sudden brightness, as a long trail of pale phosphorescent sparks, or a momentary halo, betrayed the movement of some finny denizen of the deep. We remained on deck until nearly midnight, when, having observed nothing whatever to excite the slightest apprehension as to our absolute safety, we resolved to dispense with the formality of a watch; and therefore all retired below, with an understanding that the morrow was to be observed as a strict holiday by all hands. <hr> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

1 of 2

2 of 2

Update Required To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.