THE AMERICAN WHALE -FISHEllY. 



J61 



on the shoalest part of the entrance, obliging both vessels to anchor — the tender 

 having previously joined us. Night came on, dark and misty ; and as the tedious 

 hours wore away, an increasing heavy swell rolled in, breaking fitfully around both 

 brig and schooner. Nothing could relieve us from our perilous situation but a 

 strong land-breeze, to take the vessels back to the first anchorage or to sea. Not 

 a soul on board slept during that night. A light puff of wind, at long intervals, 

 came through the mouth of the lagoon, each time giving us hope for the desired 

 land-breeze; but it only increased the dismal sound of the angry surf as it beat 

 upon the sandy shores. At daylight, a gentle air came in from seaward, when 

 signal was made for both vessels to get under way ; but before the anchors were 

 lifted, it fell calm again, and near noon the wind came from the northward, 

 when we were quickly under all sail, and soon passed through the turbulent 

 passage, and cast anchor behind a sheltered point of the lagoon. It was too early 

 to commence whaling ; and being short of wood to last through the season, the 

 time and opportunity were improved to obtain a supply from the wreck of a ship 

 which lay strewn about the contiguous ocean shore. To reach the "wooding" 

 place, it was necessary to land inside the passage and go some distance along tlie 

 beach, as no boat could approach from the outer coast. One day having been 

 spent in preparing the fuel, another was expected to be ample time to put it on 

 board. All the boats engaged in transporting it were moored near the shore in 

 the lagoon, and left in charge of a boat- keeper, it being impracticable to haul 

 them up at high tide on account of the broad, flat beach exposed at low water. 

 All the wooding party being out of sight wlien at tlie wreck, the boat- keeper con- 

 cluded to refresh himself by a bath, and conceived the idea of converting one of 

 the boats into a bath-tub, by pulling out the plug in the bottom. The boat soon 

 became water -logged, and the fellow, carelessly enjoying his ablutions, got too far 

 to one side of the craft, which instantly capsized, turning him into the lagoon. 

 The current running swiftly, dragged the anchor, and the man, in his fright, swam 

 to the shore, abandoning his boat, to which three others were fast, and all four 

 went drifting out of the passage. The alarm was given to the party on shore, and 

 it was a disheartening sight to behold the four boats drifting through the breakers, 

 for everyone knew that without them our voyage would bo fruitless. There were 

 several Kanakas among the crew, who immediately saw the necessity of saving the 

 boats; and selecting pieces of plank, to be used as "surf- boards," put off through 

 the rollers to rescue them. Our carpenter was an expert swimmer ; and as soon 

 as he saw the boats drifting along the shore into the breakers, he threw off his 

 clothes, plunged into the surf, and had nearly reached them, when the anchor, 



