176 
IN FORBIDDEN SEAS 
was getting quite dark, someone shouted out, 
“ Here they come !” and on looking up I saw some 
thirty armed natives coming towards us. A general 
stampede took place, most of my men running for 
the single boat lying farthest away. I ran down 
to my own boat, which was one of those which had 
been brought round, but, unfortunately, none of 
my boat’s crew followed me. Hundreds of seals 
were taking to the sea, which was dotted with 
rocks hereabouts, and I took to the water with 
them, and, when up to my thighs, squatted behind 
a rock, trusting not to be seen in the darkness. 
Someone, however, must have seen me, for a man 
came to the edge of the water and called out; but I 
kept quiet, and he went away again. By this time 
I could see nothing, and edged my way towards 
where the single boat had been left, but it was gone. 
After waiting awhile I cautiously returned to where 
the two boats had been left; they, too, had gone, 
but I found all the skins lying as we had placed 
them, with no trace of the natives. I came across 
skinning-knives and several coats belonging to the 
sailors, which they had taken off whilst working, 
and had left when they ran for the boat. These 
I made into a bundle and slung over my shoulders, 
as I knew the men had none too many clothes. 
Taking the direction in which the schooner lay, 
I started along the coast, falling many times over 
boulders and crevices in the rocks, the night being 
very dark. Foxes, which are plentiful on the 
island, were yapping close about me as I proceeded, 
and I picked up pieces of rock and hurled them in 
their direction whenever they annoyed me by coming 
too close. The shore provided such bad going that 
