tepping-stones to civilisation and my own kind. We lost no
time. One glorious morning we three--Yamba, her husband, and
myself--repaired to the fatal lagoon that hemmed in my precious boat, and
without more ado dragged it up the steep bank by means of rollers run on
planks across the sand-spit, and then finally, with a tremendous splash
and an excited hurrah from myself, it glided out into the water, a thing
of meaning, of escape, and of freedom. The boat, notwithstanding its
long period of uselessness, was perfectly water-tight and thoroughly
seaworthy, although still unpleasantly low at the stern. Gunda was
impatient to be off, but I pointed out to him that, as the wind
persistently blew in the wrong direction day after day, we should be
compelled perforce to delay our departure perhaps for some months. You
see, Gunda was not a man who required to make much preparation: he
thought all we should have to do was to tumble into the boat and set sail
across the sunlit sea. "I can paddle my catamaran against both wind and
tide; why cannot you do the same?" he would say. He did not understand
the advantage or uses of sails. He had lost his own paddles in the
storm, otherwise he would in all probability have left the island on his
own account. He was like a fish out of water when the novelty of his
situation wore off. On the other hand, I thought of water, provisions,
and other equally vital necessaries. So Gunda had to rest content for a
time, and he grew, if possible, more morose and sullen than ever.

During this period of impatient waiting, we made many experimental
voyages out to sea, and generally got the boat into capital trim for the
great and eventful journey. I saw to it that she was thoroughly well
provisioned with tinned stuffs--long put on one side for the purpose; and
I may say here that at the last moment before starting I placed on board
three large live turtles, which supplied us with meat until we reached
the Australian main. I also took a plentiful supply of water, in bags
made from the intestines of birds and fishes; also a small cask
containing about ten gallons of the precious fluid, which was placed near
the mast. In short, as far I was able, I provided everything that was
necessary for this most important journey. But consider for a moment the
horrible doubts and fears that racked me. I _fancied_ the mainland was
not very far away, but you must remember I was not at all certain how
long