counteract the wind and current, and our frantic cries to the men were not heard
till we had got a long way off; as they seemed to be hunting for shell-fish on the
beach. Very soon, however, they stared at us, and in a few minutes seemed to
comprehend their situation; for they rushed down into the water, as if to swim
off, but again returned on shore, as if afraid to make the attempt. We had drawn
up our anchors at first not to check our rowing; but now, finding we could do
nothing, we let them both hang down by the full length of the cables. This
stopped our way very much, and we drifted from shore very slowly, and hoped
the men would hastily form a raft, or cut down a soft-wood tree, and paddle out,
to us, as we were still not more than a third of a mile from shore. They seemed,
however, to have half lost their senses, gesticulating wildly to us, running along
the beach, then going unto the forest; and just when we thought they had
prepared some mode of making an attempt to reach us, we saw the smoke of a
fire they had made to cook their shell-fish! They had evidently given up all idea
of coming after us, and we were obliged to look to our own position.
We were now about a mile from shore, and midway between two of the
islands, but we were slowly drifting out, to sea to the westward, and our only
chance of yet saving the men was to reach the opposite shore. We therefore sot
our jib and rowed hard; but the wind failed, and we drifted out so rapidly that we
had some difficulty in reaching the extreme westerly point of the island. Our
only sailor left, then swam ashore with a rope, and helped to tow us round the
point into a tolerably safe and secure anchorage, well sheltered from the wind,
but exposed to a little swell which jerked our anchor and made us rather uneasy.
We were now in a sad plight, having lost our two best men, and being doubtful if
we had strength left to hoist our mainsail. We had only two days' water on board,
and the small, rocky, volcanic island did not promise us much chance of finding
any. The conduct of the men on shore was such as to render it doubtful if they
would make any serious attempt to reach us, though they might easily do so,
having two good choppers, with which in a day they could male a small
outrigger raft on which they could safely cross the two miles of smooth sea with
the wind right aft, if they started from the east end of the island, so as to allow
for the current. I could only hope they would be sensible enough to make the
attempt, and determined to stay as long as I could to give them the chance.
We passed an anxious night, fearful of again breaking our anchor or rattan
cable. In the morning (23d), finding all secure, I waded on shore with my two
men, leaving the old steersman and the cook on board, with a loaded musketto
recall us if needed. We first walked along the beach, till stopped by the vertical
cliffs at the east end of the island, finding a place where meat had been smoked,