embered outlines of the two mountains. My first
impulse was to utter an exclamation of gratitude for being carried to my
former happy home in safety; my second, to jump up, clap my hands, shout,
and run up and down the deck, with no other object in view than that of
giving vent to my excited feelings. Then I went below for the telescope,
and spent nearly ten minutes of the utmost impatience in vainly trying to
get a focus, and in rubbing the skin nearly off my eyes, before I
discovered that having taken off the large glass to examine the
phosphoric water with I had omitted to put it on again.

After that I looked up impatiently at the sails, which I now regretted
having lowered so hastily, and for a moment thought of hoisting the main-
top sail again; but recollecting that it would take me full half a day to
accomplish, and that, at the present rate of sailing, two hours would
bring me to the island, I immediately dismissed the idea.

The remainder of the time I spent in making feverish preparations for
arriving and seeing my dear comrades. I remembered that they were not in
the habit of rising before six, and, as it was now only three, I hoped to
arrive before they were awake. Moreover, I set about making ready to let
go the anchor, resolving in my own mind that, as I knew the depth of
water in the passage of the reef and within the lagoon, I would run the
schooner in and bring up opposite the bower. Fortunately the anchor was
hanging at the cat-head, otherwise I should never have been able to use
it. Now, I had only to cut the tackling, and it would drop of its own
weight. After searching among the flags, I found the terrible black one,
which I ran up to the peak. While I was doing this, a thought struck me.
I went to the powder magazine, brought up a blank cartridge and loaded
the big brass gun, which, it will be remembered, was unhoused when we set
sail, and, as I had no means of housing it, there it had stood, bristling
alike at fair weather and foul all the voyage. I took care to grease its
mouth well, and, before leaving the fore part of the ship, thrust the
poker into the fire.

{A terrible surprise: p352.jpg}

All was now ready. A steady five-knot breeze was blowing, so that I was
now not more than quarter of a mile from the reef. I was soon at the
entrance, and, as the schooner glided quietly through, I glanced
affectionately at the huge breaker, as if it had been the same one I had
seen there wh