A BOATING EXCURSION 141 



sky with fantastic outline, marble cliffs on either 

 hand fairly gleaming over the calm sea. Next day, 

 the wind still continuing, I proposed a boating 



excursion and decoyed A , L and S 



into accompanying me. We took the little gig, 

 and sailed away merrily enough round a point to 

 a beautiful white bay, flanked with two glistening 

 little churches, fronted by beautiful distant islands ; 

 when suddenly, to my horror, I discovered the Elba 

 steaming full speed out from the island. Of course 

 we steered after her ; but the wind that instant 

 ceased, and we were left in a dead calm. There 

 was nothing for it but to unship the mast, get out 

 the oars and pull. The ship was nearly certain to 

 stop at the buoy ; and I wanted to leam how to 

 take an oar, so here was a chance with a vengeance ! 



L steered, and we three pulled — a broiling 



pull it was about half way across to Palikandro — 

 still we did come in, pulling an uncommon good 



stroke, and I had learned to hang on my oar. L 



had pressed me to let him take my place ; but 

 though I was very tired at the end of the first 

 quarter of an hour, and then every successive half 

 hour, I would not give in. I nearly paid dear for 

 my obstinacy however ; for in the evening I had 

 alternate fits of shivering and burning.' 



