286 Voyage of the Novara. 



In less than three-quarters of an hour we had descended 

 from the upper margin of the crater to the settlement, and 

 at once proceeded on our return to the frigate. A pretty fresh 

 N.W. breeze had sprung up in the meantime, which rendered 

 our re-embarkation in our small short boats, totally unsuited to 

 the tremendous swell of the Indian Ocean, exceedingly uncom- 

 fortable. Arrived at the ship's side, the sea ran so high, and 

 had so increased the difficulty of laying the boats alongside, 

 that we at first endeavoured to reach the deck by the Jacob's 

 ladders suspended at the poop. When, however, one of the 

 sailors (who confessedly have much greater readiness in clam- 

 bering than ordinary mortals), while holding on to one of the 

 ladders, was reached by a tremendous wave, and half his body 

 being in the water, ran a risk of being carried off by a shark, 

 the scientific gentlemen in the boats preferred making for the 

 starboard side of the ship, whence they reached their haven of 

 refuge by the man-ropes. 



Although this accident sufficiently manifested the impracti- 

 cability of our original plan of returning every evening on 

 board, and of being able to remain beside the ship during the 

 carrying out of the objects of our visit, no man supposed as 

 yet that, at this season, the summer of St. Paul's, the weather 

 might suddenly become so stormy and generally unfavourable, 

 as thus early to necessitate our re-embarkation, and that the 

 ship would be compelled, with all speed, to leave her anchorage, 

 and put to sea for a week under most uncomfortable circum- 

 stances. 



