IN PERILS BY SEA. 
147 
not, but having secured his passage, he congratu¬ 
lated himself upon a speedy deliverance from the 
terrors of these seas, and a happy reunion with 
his wife and friends in the more congenial and 
always hospitable colony of Mauritius. The first 
and second days passed in happiness and serenity, 
but soon the signs, at first obscure, but gathering 
in definiteness with fearful rapidity, of an ap¬ 
proaching storm began to manifest themselves to 
the wrath (at first unexpressed) of the captain, 
and the dismay of his unhappy passenger. So 
dark became the face of the worthy seaman, as 
the sky began to darken, and the first breathings, 
low but heavy, of the cyclone began to toss the 
waters, and disturb somewhat roughly the tackle 
of the vessel, that his trembling guest began to 
fear that the tragedy of Jonah would certainly 
be enacted afresh. The storm burst with more 
than usual vigour, the ship began to leak and fill, 
and our friend found himself at the pumps knee- 
deep in water, taking his turn at the by no means 
easy task of keeping the ship afloat. After many 
weary hours of suspense, land was made, and an 
anchorage found under the lee of one of the 
islands of the Comoro group. Here the crew, 
exhausted and scarcely alive, made a landing 
with alacrity, and were well received by the 
native chief and his family, who were in some 
way connected with the Malagasy, and under- 
