through a rent in the canvas men dancing around a
huge fire on the highest point of the island, and hear them cheering
and singing while feeding the fire with timbers that we have been
regarding as worth their weight in coin. To a looker-on the entire
camp would seem to have gone crazy. I will tell what I can now and the
rest some other time.

At half-past three this afternoon I was working on the schooner near
Mr. Mitchell, one of the carpenters of the contractor's party. I was
handing him a nail when I noticed his eyes steadily fixed on some
point seaward. He paid no attention to me, and his continued gaze
induced me to turn my eyes in the same direction to find what was so
attractive as to cause his ignoring me. I saw then, too, something
that held my gaze. Far off to the northeast and close to the horizon
there was something like a shadow that had not been there when I had
last visited the lookout. It appeared as a faintly outlined cloud, and
as we both watched with idle tools in our hands it seemed to grow in
size and density. Very soon he spoke in a low voice, as though not
wishing to give a false alarm: "Paymaster, I believe that is the smoke
of a steamer," and after another look, "I am sure of it"; and then
arose a shout that all could hear, "Sail ho!"

[Illustration: THE FLAGSTAFF FROM WHICH THE KILAUEA WAS SIGHTED]

[Illustration: CAMP SAGINAW ON THE DAY OF RESCUE]

The order concerning alarms was forgotten in his excitement, but as
the captain stood near and his face beamed with his own joy, no notice
was taken of the violation. He directed me at once to visit the
lookout, and I did so, rapidly securing my glasses. By the time I
reached the top of the mast I could see that the shadow we had watched
was developing into a long and well-marked line of smoke and that a
steamer was headed to the westward in front of it. I notified the
eager, inquiring crowd at the foot of the mast and still kept my
glasses trained on the steamer until her smokestack came into view.
She was not heading directly for us, and I cannot describe the anxiety
with which I watched to see if she was going to pass by,--my heart was
thumping so that one could hear it. I could not believe she would fail
to see our signal of distress that waved above me, and pass on to
leave us stricken with despair.

When she arrived at a point nearly to the north of us, I saw her
change her course until her masts were in line, and then I shouted