THE ISLANDS OF THE BAY OF BENGAL ! 87 



anxiously, we never expected to, and never did, see that second 

 fire. 



It was decided at once to send out the strongest expedi- 

 tion we could muster. Every one that could be spared, 

 though most of them were already dead-beat, volunteered ; 

 even Dr. Dougall, who never would be bothered landing any- 

 where with the true instinct of his profession, now that there 

 was real hard work to do, was one of the first in the boats. 

 I could not go, but I hope I was of some use ; I drew up a 

 little code of signals, which the Geologist took with him, I 

 saw that they had blue lights, rockets, lanterns, cutlasses, and 

 axes, plenty of food and brandy and soda water, and a definite 

 scheme of search to be worked out systematically by compass 

 from side to side of the island, in such wise as to render 

 it certain that if still on the island, dead or alive, he must be 

 found. It was past ten before the expedition got off, and 

 near eleven, before the first signal rang out signifying "all 

 landed safely/' welcome enough in its way, considering the 

 surf, through which no English boat could live a moment, and 

 the necessity of lauding two at a time in a frail canoe; 

 then came "bang, bang," "no tidings yet," and by 

 the lanterns and torches we saw that the wdiole party 

 was painfully crawling along the coral towards the middle of 

 the island where I had arranged that the first traverse should 

 be made. 



Then there was a halt, and ten or twelve guns were fired in 

 rapid succession in the hopes of eliciting a i*eply, and so learn- 

 ing how to steer. There was a pause of some moments, but no 

 other sound broke in upon the dull roar of the surf which, as the 

 night grew darker, seemed ever to wax louder and louder. Then 

 a lurid glare burst out lighting up the little dark group at the 

 edge of the jungle. They had lit blue lights, and were now in 

 for it. Then for a few minutes the lights glared in amongst the 

 dense foliage, further and further in, growing fainter as they 

 receded from the shore, and then they were lost to us altogether. 

 Time passed, every five minutes the report of a gun, faint but 

 yet unmistakeable floated to us on the rising breeze ; about 

 midnight the wind lulled, and after half past twelve we heard no 

 more guns. The angry roar of the surf grew fainter, the moon 

 came out brightly ; still no signs of anything or any one ! that 

 great black ugly lump of jungle hid it all. 



I need not say that amongst the few left behind there "was 

 no pretence now of going to bed, or indeed of doing anything 

 but watching that shore, with the intensity almost of despair. 



