itting up!
After all, she _won't_ go to bed. Oh dear! what _is_ to be done?"
(Bang went the head again.) "You'd better turn in," said Mr Gowley.
Again I protested that I could not think of it; but my eyes would not
keep open to look him in the face. At last my scruples--I blush to say
it--were overcome, and I allowed myself to be half forced into the
berth; while Mr Rob, whose self-denial could endure no longer, took
advantage of the confusion thus occasioned, and vanished into the other
like a harlequin. Poor Mr and Mrs Gowley laid their innocent heads
side by side upon the table, and snored in concert.

How long I slept I know not, but long before day a tremendous thumping
awoke me, and after I had collected my faculties enough to understand
it, I found that the schooner was grounding as the tide receded. "Oh!"
thought I; and, being utterly incapable of thinking more, I fell back on
the pillow again, sound asleep, and did not awake till long after
daybreak.

Next morning was beautiful; but we were still aground, and, from what
the skipper said, there appeared to be no prospect of getting ashore
till the afternoon. Our patience, however, was not tried so long; for,
early in the day, a boat came off from the factory to take us ashore:
but the missionaries preferred remaining in the schooner. Mr Carles,
young Wiseacre, and I gladly availed ourselves of the opportunity, and
were soon sailing with a fair breeze up Hayes River. We approached to
within a few yards of the shore; and I formed, at first sight, a very
poor opinion of the country which, two years later, I was destined to
traverse full many a mile in search of the feathered inhabitants of the
marshes.

The Point of Marsh, which was the first land we made, was quite low--
only a few feet above the sea--and studded here and there with thick
willows, but not a single tree. Long lank grass covered it in every
place, affording ducks and geese shelter, in the autumn and spring. In
the centre of it stood the ship-beacon--a tall, ungainly-looking pile,
which rose upwards like a monster out of the water. Altogether, a more
desolate prospect could not well be imagined.

The banks of Hayes River are formed of clay, and they improved a little
in verdure as we ascended; but still, wherever the eye turned, the same
universal flatness met the gaze. The river was here about two miles
wide, and filled with shallows and sandbanks, which render the
navigation difficu