shortening sail as noiselessly
as possible, let down the anchor by hand to avoid the rattling of the
chain through the hawsehole, which, in the stillness of the night,
would have certainly reached the keen ears of the blacks, were there
any in the neighbourhood, and caused them to shift their quarters. The
little inlet or creek in which we now found ourselves, was entirely new
to us, and we were indebted to Lizzie for the discovery of such a quiet
retreat. With straining eyes, our novel pilotess stood at the heel of
the bowsprit, extending an arm in the direction she wished the vessel
to go, and, her task completed, she wrapped her blanket round her
active little body, scarcely shrouded in the striped twill shirt that
constituted her sole attire, and, sinking down in the waterways under
the lee of the gunwale, was soon sound asleep--a sensible proceeding,
which, as soon as everything was secured, we hastened to imitate.

We had arranged our plans for the morrow in the following manner.
Before dawn, the whale-boat was to land all the party, including
Lizzie, with the exception of the pilot and his two men. He was to
return to the 'Daylight' after having put us ashore, and, getting under
weigh as soon as the wind was strong enough, was to take her round to a
small inlet on the island, some distance down Rockingham Channel, and
there await either our arrival or further instructions. Our expedition
was to join him there in two or three days at the farthest, perhaps
sooner; but, whatever happened, he was to remain with the cutter at the
rendezvous, and on no account, nor under any inducement, was he to quit
until he either saw or heard from us, however long the time might be.
During the daytime the whale-boat was to be kept hauled up alongside
the cutter, with the carbines belonging to the crew loaded and triced
up under the thwarts, ready for immediate service, and a bright
look-out was to be kept on the channel, in both directions. If the
natives attempted the smallest communication with the mainland, the
whale-boat was to give chase immediately, and either intercept and
capture the canoes, or compel them to return to Hinchinbrook Island.

Such was the rough plan we sketched out for the guidance of the
'Daylight'. With regard to ourselves, we could make no standing rule,
for the country was comparatively unknown to us, and we must,
Micawber-like, trust to something turning up and, in the pursuit of
this happy event, m