CONCLUSION OF SECOND VOYAGE 135 



half a dozen more men and the planter. A search 

 revealed two more dead women in an inner room, 

 while no trace of the two men who lived there 

 could be found. 



Next day, however, these returned with wood from 

 the bay, saying they had been away making coffins 

 for the last four days. The circumstances were so 

 suspicious, and one of the men bore such an ex- 

 ceedingly bad character on the coast having been 

 suspected of deeds as dark before that the two 

 neighbouring planters advised an inquiry, and sent 

 up their steam launch to Hopedale for Dr. Curwen 

 to come and make an examination. From the evi- 

 dence taken from the men, and the general appear- 

 ances of the case, he was convinced they had died 

 of poisoning. Eventually the head of the police 

 was sent down from St. Johns, and, confessing to 

 another crime, the worst of the two men was taken 

 away and placed in Harbour Grace Jail for the 

 winter. 



Whilst endeavouring one night to navigate a 

 narrow passage known as "the Rattle," the Prin- 

 cess May had been suddenly caught by the current, 

 and at full speed taken a rocky bottom. The 

 tide was falling at the time, and all hopes of 

 getting off before morning had to be abandoned. 

 Our ladder and some large blocks of wood lashed 

 together were therefore placed under her port bilge, 

 and she was listed over on to them by all the move- 

 able weights we had. After a very uneasy night, 



