THE INDIAN OCEAN, 331 



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 phice himself, and then plunge into the 

 water, whence he was dragged into the boat, and 

 eventually, in like maimer, to the ship. Thi\s were 

 eighteen persons rescued from the very grasp of 

 death at a moment when every ray of hope appeared 

 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, water-logged, 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 English- 

 men and the English ship, which, under Providence, 

 snatched them from a watery grave, and returned 

 them to the objects of their allections."* 



The principal object of commercial enterprise with 



♦ Unit. Serv. Journ. 1837, iii. 512. 

 Z 



