PERILOUS POSITION OF “BUST-PROOF.” 79 
that two men with muskets killed several hundred as an 
evening’s wox'k. 
Two days sufficed to fill us with wood and water, and 
on the third day Ave were again at work. And now we 
experienced a terrible fright on account of old “bust- 
proof,” his master, and Lieutenant Eussell. They had 
left the ship, as usual, at an early hour: it had soon come 
on to blow hard, the sea had risen with singular rapidity, 
and twenty-four hours had passed without their return : 
we began to fear they might have swamped. With his 
usual readiness of action, Commander Rodgers got up 
the Hancock’s anchor and ran down to leeward in search 
of them. The next day he returned with their boat in 
tow. 
They had had a hard time; old “bust-proof’ was 
irreparably rusted by the rain, and the others were 
awfully hungry and distressingly seedy. They had 
been able to keep the boat afloat only by constant exer- 
tion, and were about to succumb Avhen the Hancock 
hove in sight. Old “bust-proof’ didn’t go out again for 
some time. 
After we had been working some two months, the 
schooner was ordered to proceed to Singapore, (distant 
some three hundred miles,) to communicate with the 
consul, and return as soon as possible. I Avas so fortunate 
as to remain by her during the trip, and on the 7th of 
March we found ourselves at anchor off that city. 
While Stevens and myself Avere stepping into a sampan 
to go on shore, a light row-boat pulled alongside, in the 
centre of which stood a very black Hindoo Avith a very 
white turban around his head. He introduced himself 
