248 WHALING AND FISHING. 



off to the "Hercule " that was the French barquo'i 

 name in a native boat during the night. 



In the course of the afEernoon I engaged a na- 

 tive, who for three dollars, more than half my 

 fortune, which consisted at that time of five Mex- 

 can pesos, engaged to convey me on board at any 

 time during the night. Thinking that after sell- 

 ing himself to me, he might, in hopes of a better 

 price, betray me to the captain, I inserted a clause 

 in our agreement, by which he was to remain with 

 me until the time arrived to go on board, and to 

 provide me until then with a shelter. We accord- 

 ingly walked to the outskirts of the little town, 

 where my man had a rude hut under shade of 

 some banana bushes. Here we lay down to await 

 the time when the click of the windlass should 

 tell me that the barque was getting under way. 



The weary hours passed slowly by. I 'thought 

 the surf was never going to set, and when it be- 

 came dark, the suspense was yet more disagreea- 

 bly prolonged by the close watch necessary to be 

 kept upon the ship, lest she should be undei way 

 before we were aware of it. At last, about twelve 

 o'clock, we heard the windlass, and in a moment 

 after saw the foretopsail drop. Running hastily 

 down to the shore, we jumped into a canoe and 

 paddled off at full speed. 



" There's a pirogue from your ship, master,'' said 

 my boatman, when we were about midway be- 

 tween the shore and the barque. 



