THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 263 



and volunteered to go in a boat to ascertain. The 

 boat was lowered, and the two mates, with the boat's 

 crew, each armed with sword and pistol, rowed at 

 some distance round the ship. 



On the officer's return, they reported that they 

 could neither hear nor see any thing. Silence pre- 

 vailed while they reported this to the captain, every 

 one being desirous to know the issue of the search. 

 Instantly, the same " Ship ahoy !" was heard, 

 though much less audibly, and, apparently, at a 

 greater distance than before. The next moment 

 it was heard much louder and closer. A feeling of 

 intense excitement now prevailed in each of the 

 crowd of persons on board the transport. More than 

 an hour had passed since the ship was hove to ; every 

 one had repeatedly heard the stranger's hail, coming 

 through the darkness, but nothing had been seen 

 of him, and no further question or answer could be 

 elicited. The screams of the women and children, 

 and the muttering of the men, showed that super- 

 stitious dread of something supernatural and un- 

 earthly was creeping over every one. The captain 

 issued orders to shoulder arms and to make ready 

 the guns. 



Just at this crisis, one of the cabin-boys, who had 

 been standing near the mainmast, stepped aft to the 

 chief mate, and said, "It's a fowl in the hencoop, 

 sir, that's a-making that 'ere noise." That officer 

 indignantly bestowed on him a sound box on the 

 ear for his information, but immediately recollecting 

 that he was an intelligent lad, accompanied him to 



