1 4 6 Adoentures of Naufragus\ [A UG . 



' Stay, Moodoosooden,* I replied ; ' first, let us purcliase the vessel, then secure 

 the crew.' To the propriety of this Mocdoosooden assented, observing ' He was 

 sure I should be a very rich man, for my fingers were unusually long.' 

 " Having engaged an experienced surveyor to accompany me, we repaired to- 

 gether on board the brig, and Moodoosooden joined us at gun-fire* the following 

 morning. The vessel, on examination, being found well calculated, in every 

 respecO'or an eastern trader, an attorney was engaged to inspect the title-deeds, 

 and draw the deed of sale. Having paid the purchase-money, I engaged my 

 freight, and commenced receiving cargo the same week, with all the energy and 

 spirit which the novelty of the undertaking could inspire me with. Night and 

 day all on board was a scene of bustle and activity ; we were taking in ballast, 

 laying mats round the sides, and at the bottom of the hold ; receiving rice, wheat, 

 and bale goods, and stowing them away. Continually were we surrounded by 

 paunchways,t until the brig was laden up to the very beams, and could receive no 

 more. The freight paid at Calcutta cleared the cost and outfit of the vessel, as 

 well as four months' advance to the crew, which consisted of two Portuguese 

 secunnies, J one syrang, who was a mussulman, two tyndals (Mahommedans), and 

 sixteen lascars, of different castes. An European officer would, I considered, 

 entail on me an expense beyond what my means were likely to afford, and on 

 that account I declined receiving one : I was therefore the only European on 

 board. My next object was to get the vessel insured. I found that, as she had 

 only one deck, she could not be insured ' free of average,' but against risk' only ; 

 consequently, if she should t-s totally lost, I should recover, but not in the case of 

 damage. I tried to reverse this usage, and to get her insured 4 free of average,' but 

 in vain : it was impossible under any premium. Nothing discouraged, I supplied 

 myself with a good chronometer, (a quadrant I had), a chart of the Indian Ocean, 

 Horsburgh's Directory, with a compass or two ; and thus equipped, I obtained my 

 port-clearance, and received on board my pilot. All being now ready for sea, 

 Moodoosooden Chelarjee, whose exertions on this occasion merited my warmest 

 praise, received, with apparent satisfaction, a present of one hundred rupees, and 

 accompanied me to the ghaut (or landing-place), invoking the blessings of the 

 Prophet on my head, and prayicg that he would make me very rich." 



Notwithstanding the " weight of responsibility" attached to the com- 

 ftiand of a ship at sea, which he describes with some truth to be " so 

 oppressive to the mind as scarcely to be conceived by those who have 

 not felt it," our author arrives safely in the harbour of Madras. The pro- 

 cess of landing, however, at that part, is not always to be quite so safely 

 effected. 



*' The difficulty and, not unfrequently, the danger of landing at Madras are 

 great, from the tremendous surf, which, gathering strength as it approaches the 

 beach, breaks, at the distance of a mile, and in boisterous weather, even a mile and 

 a half, from the shore. Boats of a particular construction, called masoolah boats, 

 are made expressly for this service; the parts connecting the sides and bottom of 

 which are sewed together -with coir [| yarn, not a nail being used. They are thus 

 well adapted to their purpose, yielding to the violent shocks which they receive, 

 both at sea and on touching ground. They are each about fifteen feet long, and 

 seven wide, and manned by six Indians and a steersman. No sooner were we in 

 the midst of the surf, than on looking behind, I saw a tremendous sea advancing, 

 rising to a height which astonished me, and gaining strength every moment : before 

 us appearances were equally threatening. We were soon overtaken by the wave 

 behind, which lifted us up on its bosom to an immense height, roaring and send- 

 ing us onward with the swiftness of lightning ; the Indians jabbering all the 

 while, as if they were alarmed * Yeal-/iee, yeal-lice ! yeal-hee, ycal-hee /'^[ This 



* " i. e. At day-light." t Boats for the conveyance of cargo. 



I " Quarter-masters. Sailors.'' 



|| " Coir, so called, is the busk of the cocoa-nut, which being cleaned, leaves nothing 

 but fibres, that are made into rope, which is used as that of hemp, and in the dry season 

 is littlo inferior. 



Tf Words of encouragement, similar to our ' hurrah /" 



