women and children first. The men did
not seem to understand this, and we literally had to drive them back,
while we dragged in the poor women, mostly with infants or young
children in their arms. With these we could carry many more, and we got
on board upwards of twenty. Those who remained shrieked and cried,
wringing their hands and pointing to the flames as we shoved off.

We bent to our oars as well as we could, crowded as the boat was, and
made our way back to the brig. The crew stood ready to haul the poor
people upon deck.

"You might venture to send another boat, sir," cried Uncle Jack; "there
is no sign of wind, and many more might be saved."

He did not stop, however, for the captain's answer, but the moment the
women and children were out of the boat away we pulled again for the
land. We had not got far when, to my satisfaction, I saw that another
boat had been lowered, and before we reached the shore she overtook us,
under the charge of Mr Crowfoot.

Uncle Jack warned him not to overload his boat. We followed the same
plan as before, taking in this time several men, which brought the boat
down deep in the water, although we had fewer persons on board than on
the first trip. It was piteous to hear the cries of the poor wretches
we were compelled to leave behind. Their village had disappeared, and
the flames were seizing on every tree and bush up to the inner part of
the rocky point. At any moment a fiery shower might come falling down
and envelope them. The heat was greater than ever, and the dust and
ashes, which came showering down upon upon us, almost overpowering.
Uncle Jack, thinking only of saving life, scarcely heeded this. Again
we pulled back to the brig.

"You have done enough, Radburn. Your lives will be endangered if you
return," cried the captain.

"Only one more trip! Just let me take one more trip, sir," answered the
first mate.

The captain could not refuse. The boatswain followed us. We reached
the little bay in safety. As I looked up at the mountain I saw that the
eruption had become more violent than ever. The lurid flames, casting a
light over the whole bland, enabled us to see objects as clearly as in
the day-time. We were engaged in taking the people in, our boat was
almost full, when Uncle Jack cried out, hauling in another poor man as
he did so.

"Shove off, pull away for your lives, my lads!"

Looking up for an instant I saw that a fresh outbreak of the m