drifting. On the morning of the 7th we were however, a good way up the coast,
and we now thought our only chance would be to got close in-shore, where there
might be a return current, and we could then row. The prau was heavy, and my
men very poor creatures for work, so that it took us six hours to get to the edge
of the reef that fringed the shore; and as the wind might at any moment blow on
to it, our situation was a very dangerous one. Luckily, a short distance off there
was a sandy bay, where a small stream stopped the growth of the coral; and by
evening we reached this and anchored for the night. Here we found some Galela
men shooting deer and pigs; but they could not or would not speak Malay, and
we could get little information from them. We found out that along shore the
current changed with the tide, while about a mile out it was always one way, and
against us; and this gave us some hopes of getting back to the point, from which
we were now distant twenty miles. Next morning we found that the Galela men
had left before daylight, having perhaps some vague fear of our intentions, anal
very likely taking me for a pirate. During the morning a boat passed, and the
people informed us that, at a short distance further towards the point, there was a
much better harbour, where there were plenty of Galela men, from whom we,
might probably get some assistance.
At three in the afternoon, when the current turned, we started; but having a
head-wind, made slow progress. At dusk we reached the entrance of the harbour,
but an eddy and a gust of wind carried us away and out to sea. After sunset there
was a land breeze, and we sailed a little to the south-east. It then became calm,
and we hung down our anchor forty fathoms, to endeavour to counteract the
current; but it was of little avail, and in the morning we found ourselves a good
way from shore, and just opposite our anchorage of the day before, which we
again reached by hard rowing. I gave the men this day to rest and sleep; and the
next day (Oct. 10th) we again started at two in the morning with a land breeze.
After I had set them to their oars, and given instructions to keep close in-shore,
and on no account to get out to sea, I went below, being rather unwell. At
daybreak I found, to my great astonishment, that we were again far off-shore,
and was told that the wind had gradually turned more ahead, and had carried us
out—none of them having the sense to take down the sail and row in-shore, or to
call me. As soon as it was daylight, we saw that we had drifted back, and were
again opposite our former anchorage, and, for the third time, had to row hard to
get to it. As we approached the shore, I saw that the current was favourable to
us, and we continued down the coast till we were close to the entrance to the
lower harbour. Just as we were congratulating ourselves on having at last
reached it, a strong south-east squall came on, blowing us back, and rendering it