262 THE OCEAN. 
homeward passage of the John Bull transport, from 
Rio Janeiro. 
One fine starlight evening, about half-past eight 
o'clock, the officer on deck came into the cabin, and 
announced that a ship was hailing. All hands im- 
mediately came on deck, and the captain asked the 
position of the stranger. At that moment, “Ship 
ahoy!” was heard, the voice apparently being to 
windward. A lantern was put over the gangway, 
the mainsail was hauled up, and the mainyard 
backed, to stop the vessel’s way. No ship was to be 
seen. “Silence, fore and aft!” ordered the captain, 
for the decks were now crowded, soldiers, sailors, 
women, children, all were up. ‘Ship ahoy !” again 
came over the waves, and “Hilloa!” answers the 
captain at the top of his voice. Every one now 
listened with breathless attention for the next ques- 
tion, expecting the name of the ship would be de- 
manded, as usual: “Ship ahoy!” again resounded, 
and several together answered “Hilloa!” louder than 
before: but no notice was taken of the reply, and 
no sail was in sight. “It is very strange!” ex- 
claimed the captain; “where can she be?” One 
thought she might have passed them; others sug- 
gested that it might be a-pirate-boat about to board. 
The captain took the hint, put the troops under arms, 
cleared away the guns ready for action, and double- 
shotted them. Silence being again obtained, “Ship 
ahoy!” was heard again, and the voice still seemed to 
come from the windward. The chief mate then sug- 
gested the possibility of some person being on a raft, 
