nd dog-watch, that night, all doubt was put
an end to by a sudden, startling cry from the lookout on the
fore-topgallant yard of:

"Land ho; right ahead!"

I was on deck at the time, and far from expecting to hear such a cry;
indeed so incredulous was I still that I quite concluded the man had
allowed his imagination to run away with him, and was mistaking the
shoulder of some low-lying cloud for distant land. So I hailed him
with:

"Topgallant yard, there! are you quite sure that what you see is land,
and not a hummock of cloud?"

"Yes, sir," he shouted back; "I'm _quite_ sure of it. I've been
watchin' it growin' for the last quarter of a hour or more, and it
haven't changed its shape the least bit all that time; only growed the
leastest bit bigger and clearer."

Meanwhile, O'Gorman had sprung into the rigging and was by this time
clawing his way over the rim of the top. Another minute, and he was on
the topgallant yard, alongside the other man, peering ahead into the
fast gathering dusk, under the sharp of his hand. He stared at it for a
good five minutes; then, shouting down "It's all right, mates; it's
land, and no mistake!" he swung himself on to the backstay, and came
down on deck by way of it. He no sooner reached the deck than he
plunged into the forecastle, from which he presently emerged again,
bearing in his hand a packet that I presently recognised as his precious
document. He came straight aft to me with it, and said:

"Now, misther, I want ye to get a bit of paper and write down the
directions that Oi'll read out to ye. Oi'm all right in deep wather,
and wid plenty of say-room to come and go upon; but whin it comes to
navigatin' narrow channels, and kapin' clear of the rocks, and takin' a
vessel to her anchorage, bedad I'm nowhere. So I'll be obliged to ask
ye to write down the instructions that Oi've got here, and then ye'll
take command of the brig until she's safe at anchor."

"Very well," I said. "Are the instructions very long?"

"Two or three dozen words 'll cover the lot," answered the Irishman.

"All right," said I; "fire away." And drawing a pencil and paper from
my pocket, I prepared to copy down whatever he might read to me.

"`Approach island from nor'-west,'" began O'Gorman, "`and stand towards
it wid summit of hill bearin' south-east, half-south; which leads
through the passage in the barrier reef. Then haul up to south a
quarter west, for the mouth of the bight at the