THE INDIAN OCEAN. 349 



tions were then issued to keep the boat away, and 

 a rope with a bowline-knot at one end, was thrown 

 to the junk, into which signs were made for each 

 man to place himself, and then plunge into the 

 water, whence he was dragged into the boat, and 

 eventually, in like manner, to the ship. Thus were 

 eighteen persons rescued from the very grasp of 

 death at a moment when every ray of hope ap- 

 peared to be utterly extinguished. Their gratitude 

 was boundless: they almost worshipped the officers, 

 the crew, and the vessel ; prostrated themselves, 

 kissed the feet of the former, and the very planks 

 of the latter. * * * * 



"After being on board five days, we made Pulo 

 Aor, where we took in water, and so desirous were 

 those simple-hearted people of testifying their gra- 

 titude, that they would not permit the men to carry 

 it, but filled the casks themselves ; and at parting, 

 knelt down and kissed each man's feet with the fer- 

 vour of devotion. Here we separated from seven- 

 teen men who had been nine days at sea upon a 

 miserable wreck, waterdogged, without water to 

 drink, and scarcely food to eat. One of them, an 

 old man, died on the preceding evening from the 

 effects of fatigue and exhaustion; the others, I doubt 

 not, have long ere this time reached their homes, 

 and taught their friends and children to bless the 

 Englishmen and the English ship, which, under 

 Providence, snatched them from a watery grave, 

 and returned them to their affections."* 



The principal object of commercial enterprise with 



*Unit Serv. Journ. 1837, iii. 512. 

 2 d 



