2G2 3IABINE MAMMALS OF THE NORTH-WESTERN COAST. 



which had been dragging all tlie while, brought up, and the current swept both 

 the carpenter and Kanakas out of reach. They then made for the shore, v/hich all 

 of them regained in an exhausted condition, except the carpenter, who was never 

 seen again. The officers present, with a portion of the crew, were so much dis- 

 couraged that they gave up all hopes of regaining the boats, and openly avowed 

 that our anticipated successful voyage must be abandoned. Permission was asked 

 to go in search of the tender, which was engaged in sounding out the channel 

 of the lagoon, that those on board might be advised of the disaster and come to 

 our relief, as we could not return to the brig for the want of a boat' — the tender 

 having the only one left between the two vessels. Their request was granted, 

 while the rest of the crew remained with me at the site of the ill-fated wreck; 

 they were immediately directed to take stations along the beach, and watch for the 

 carpenter's remains and for the re -appearance of the boats. It was nearly low tide 

 when the catastrophe occurred, and we had a faint hope that the change of the 

 flood would bring some of the boats, even in a wrecked condition, back or near 

 to the passage of the lagoon. It was but a short time after the lookouts were 

 stationed, before a hawk-eyed youngster, who had climbed a sand-hill, reported 

 that a boat was in sight ; when the preconcerted signal was given, and in a 

 moment a dozen men, at the risk of their lives, grappled it in the surf, and 

 dragged it far beyond high -water mark. They had hardly accomplislied the feat, 

 before another appeared, which, in a few moments, drifted within reach, and was 

 soon placed beside the first one ; a third appeared, was seized, and quickly trans- 

 ported beyond the other two, with a spontaneous cheer from the men, for all now 

 knew that our means of rescue, and for pursuing the whales — which had already 

 appeared in large numbers — were restored to us. Toward evening, the party that 

 went in search of the tender returned ; but it was late in the night before all the 

 men were embarked, when we returned to the brig, tired and dejected over the 

 day's disasters, involving the loss of a favorite shipmate. 



At an early hour on the following day, all hands that could be spared from 

 the vessel were busily employed in transporting the boats along the beach to a 

 place where they could be launched into the lagoon ; but it required three days to 

 complete the transportation of boats and fuel. Meanwhile, a vigilant search was 

 made for the body of the carpenter ; but no traces of it could be found. As the 

 last of the wood came alongside, a norther broke upon us in all it.s fury, and both 

 vessels struck adrift, but were brought up by their anchors. On the third day 

 the gale abated, when the brig and her consort made the best of their way up to 

 the head of the hitherto unexplored waters. Here the whales were found in o-reat 



