the
fact to those below, for it was evident she was bound for Ocean
Island.

The long dreary suspense was over; our relief was near, and I slid
down the Jacob's ladder, pale and speechless. The few moments of tense
watchfulness had seemed to me like hours of suspense, and it is slight
wonder that it took some time to recover my speech. When I did so I
acquainted the captain with all I had seen. By the time I had
completed my statement the steamer was in view from the ground, and
then I witnessed such a scene as will never be forgotten.

Rough-looking men--many of them having faced the shocks of storm and
battle--all of them having passed through our recent misfortunes
without a murmur of complaint--were embracing each other with tears
of joy running down their cheeks, while laughing, singing, and
dancing.

I was at once ordered to break into our supplies and issue the best
meal to all hands that I could concoct. This I certainly did with
haste, and after our supper of boiled salt pork, flour, and beans,
finished off with a cup of coffee, I felt as I might after a Delmonico
dinner. It was a much-interrupted meal, however, for some one or more
were continually rushing out of the tent and returning to report to
the rest the movements of the steamer. By the time we had finished
supper she was very near and was recognized as the Kilauea, a vessel
belonging to the King of the Sandwich Islands. She came within half a
mile of the reef where the Saginaw was wrecked and dipped her flag and
then slowly steamed away in a southerly direction. This manoeuvre we
understood, for, as it was getting late in the day, our rescuers were
evidently intending to return to-morrow and avoid the danger of a
night near the reef. Our captain has ordered a fire to be kept in good
blazing order throughout the night as a beacon.

_Thursday, January 5._ On board the Kilauea (pronounced Kilaway) at
sea. It was next to impossible yesterday to make any entries in my
journal, and even this evening I have been compelled to ask Captain
Long for the temporary use of his stateroom, owing to the tumult in
the cabin and on deck; because I wish to record events while they are
fresh in my memory. So much excitement and so many incidents were
crowded in during the time we were rapidly collecting our effects and
embarking on the Kilauea that it is difficult to note them in order.

[Illustration: CAPTAIN LONG
Commander of the Kilauea]

The Kilauea ap