4 
WE MAKE THE BEST OF A BAD BAROAIN. 409 
There were four of us in this party, — the doctor, Law 
ton, Ilartinan, and myself; and the other boats con- 
tained the captain and the rest of the mess, with the 
exception of a watch-officer and one of the assistant 
engineers, who were left to look out for the “ old John.” 
Our first leg was a long one; and, when we arrived at 
its end and put around on the other tack, the wind 
provokingly hauled and knocked us off so much that 
it was as much as we could do to return without losing 
ground. We soon saw that sailing under the then 
circumstances was any thing but the tomtit’s forte; 
and so, when we had sailed dead to leeward of the 
mouth of the river, the sail was doused,” and two of 
us took to the oars. 
We now looked with envious eye upon the cutters, 
which were well in with the river, wished that we had 
taken passage in them instead of trusting to our little 
cockle-shell, and leaned hack upon our oars W'ith the 
determination of making the best of a bad bargain. 
This we soon found to be tough work, and Hartman 
and myself, ’who had undertaken to pull for the first 
half-hour, were glad to accept the relief of Lawton and 
the doctor before half the time had expired. The sea, 
too, was much rougher than it seemed to be while we 
were under sail, and, instead of spray breaking over 
the weather side and wetting us partially^ Ave now took 
in Avhole bucketfuls, that soon soaked us to the skin. 
We began to wish with increased fervour that we had 
taken a seat in one of the cutters, and would, I doubt 
not, have returned to the ship had we not been afraid 
of being laughed at. 
