A NIGHT'S PERIL. 127 



suit of sails in case of accident. Those on deck were 

 all she had to show. However, this deficiency was 

 far from causing me any alarm ; nothing in the way 

 of sea accident seemed less probable than that we 

 should carry away any of her rags that day. We 

 were going, merely for easy locomotion, amidst a fry. 

 of small craft, some of whom would be sure to lend 

 us whatever by any accident we might want. My 

 present mate, moreover, had a special objection to 

 " carrying on." There was a convention between us, 

 by virtue of which it was understood that whenever 

 he came with me, we were to slope along on an even 

 keel. His apprehension of disaster comprehended 

 nothing but fear of a capsize from carrying too 

 much sail. I think he would have preferred going 

 unprovided as we were, to leaving it in my power to 

 make sail in case of accidents. All he realised was, 

 that without sail a craft would not " turn the turtle "; 

 and as to her fetching port, he had in this particular 

 a blind confidence in the skill of his skipper for the 

 time being. 



There was scarcely enough wind for us to work out 

 of the harbour, as the set of the sea carried us strongly 

 towards the bluff of rock that stretches nearly across 

 the entrance. But as I have said, there were few boats 

 could go to windward of the Wave, and perhaps none 

 that " went about " more readily, and with less loss. 

 So we managed to shave past, and came into full view 

 of the little squadron. We were signalised at once, 



