CHAP. XXXV.] TO WAIGIOU. 337 



morning to look out for a secure and convenient harbour, 

 and rest on shore for a day. 



In the morning, finding it would be necessary for us to 

 get round a rocky point, I wanted my men to go on shore 

 and cut jungle-rope, by which to secure us from being 

 again drifted away, as the wind was directly off shore. 1 

 unfortunately, however, allowed . myself to be overruled by 

 the pilot and crew, who all declared that it was the easiest 

 thing possible, and that they would row the boat round the 

 point in a few minutes. They accordingly got up the 

 anchor, set the jib, and began rowing ; but, just as I had 

 feared, we drifted rapidly off shore, and had to drop anchor 

 again in deeper water, and much farther off. The two best 

 men, a Papuan and a Malay, now swam on shore, each 

 carrying a hatchet, and went into the jungle to seek 

 creepers for rope. After about an hour our anchor loosed 

 hold, and began to drag. This alarmed me greatly, and we 

 let go our spare anchor, and, by running out all our cable, 

 appeared tolerably secure again. We were now most 

 anxious for the return of the men, and were going to tire 

 our muskets to recall them, when we observed them on 

 the beach, some way off, and almost immediately our 

 anchors again slipped, and we drifted slowly away into 

 deep water. We instantly seized the oars, but found we 

 could not counteract the wind and current, and our frantic 

 cries to the men were not heard tUl we had got a 



VOL. n. z 



