CH, Txxv.] VOYAGE FROM CBRAM TO WAIQIOU. 515 



rooimtaius distmctly, but it was clear we sliould not reach 

 Silinta, and should have some dilBculty in gettmg to the 

 extxeme westward point of the island. The sea was now 

 very boisterous, and our pruu was continually beaten to 

 leeward by the waves, and after another weary day we 

 found we could not get to Jlysol at all, but might perhaps 

 reach the island called Puio Kanary, about ten miles to 

 th'i north-west. Thence we might await a favom^able 

 wind to reach Waigamum, on the north side of the island, 

 and visit Allen by means of a small boat 



About nine o'clock at night, gi'eatly to my satisfaction, 

 we got under the lee of this island, into quite smooth 

 water — for I had been very sick and uncomfortable, and 

 had eaten scarcely anything since the preceding morning. 

 We were slowly nearing the shore, which the smooth dai-k 

 water told us we could salely approach, and were congtu- 

 tulating ourselves on soon being at anchor, with the pros- 

 pect of hot coffee, a good supper, and a sound sleep, when 

 the wind completely dropped, and we had to get out the 

 oai-s to row. We were not more than two hundred yards 

 from the shore, when I noticed that we seemed to get no 

 nearer although the men were rowing hard, but drifted to 

 the westward ; and the prau woidd not obey the helm, but 

 continually fell off, and gave us much trouble to briiig her 

 up again- Soon a loud ripple of water told us we were 

 seized by one of those treacherous cun^ents which so fre- 

 quently frustrate all the efforts of the voyager in these 

 seas ; the men threw down the oars in despair, and in a 

 few minutes we drifted to leeward of the island lairly out 

 to sea again, and lost our last chance of ever reaching 

 Mysol 1 Hoisting our jib, we lay to, and in the momiug 

 found ourselves only a few miles from the island, but with 

 such a steady wind blowing from its direction as to render 

 it impossible for us to get back to it. 



We now made sail to the northward, hoping soon to get 

 a more southerly wind. Towards noon the sea was much 

 smoother, and with a S.S,E. wind we were laying in the 

 direction of Salwatty^ which I hoped to reach, as I could 

 there easily get a boat to take provisions and stores to my 

 companion in Mysol, This wind did not, however, last 

 long, but died away into a calm; and a light west wind 



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