ween the wreck and the shore, and most of the
crew landed before the gale again came down with redoubled fury. By the
morning scarce a vestige of the ship remained. I had the pleasure of
seeing Mrs Mason completely recovered two days afterwards, and thankful
for her providential escape.

My brother William got leave of absence for three or four days, and he
was anxious to spend the time in a cruise along the coast, and to get me
to accompany him. I had wound up my mercantile business at the place,
but as the _Barbara_ would be detained a few days longer to complete her
repairs, in a weak moment I consented to his proposal, as if we had not
enough knocking about on salt water in the pursuit of our professional
duties. It is difficult to put old heads on young shoulders. We did
not remember that it was still the stormy season, and that the natives
might not be so inclined to be civil to us, their late conquerors,
coming in a half-decked boat with fowling-pieces, as they would had we
appeared under the protection of the frigate's guns.

We agreed that it would be as well to have companions. I asked
O'Carroll, who was very ready to come, and William brought a friend,
whom he introduced as "My messmate, Toby Trundle." His name was a
curious one--at first I did not suppose that it was anything but a
nickname--and he himself was one of the oddest little fellows I ever
met. From the first glance I had of him, I fancied that he was rather a
young companion for my brother, but a second look showed me that he was
fully his age. We had hired a craft, a schooner-rigged, half-decked
boat, about five-and-twenty feet long, with a well aft, in which we
could sit comfortably enough. She was not a bad boat for smooth water,
but if caught in a heavy sea, very likely to drown all on board.

Our crew consisted of a Frenchman, Paul Jacotot, the owner of the
_Dore_, as our craft was called, his son Auguste, a boy of thirteen, and
Jack Nobs, a boy I brought from the _Barbara_. The Frenchman was to act
as pilot and cook. The boys were to scrape the potatoes--or rather
prepare the yams, for we had none of the former root--and tend the
head-sheets. A boatswain's mate, Sam Kelson, who had been in hospital,
had been allowed to accompany the midshipmen before returning on board.
The two midshipmen were to act as officers. O'Carroll, whom they did
not know was a sailor, and I, were to be passengers, and the rest of the
party were rated