urse she had
come. She was a cutter-rigged vessel, painted a greyish-white, and of
about fifty tons burden. She was probably a Government vessel--possibly
the _Claud Hamilton_, a South Australian revenue boat stationed at Port
Darwin--as she flew the British ensign at the mast-head; whereas a
pearler would have flown it at the peak. The moment we caught sight of
that ship I am afraid we lost our heads. We screamed aloud with
excitement, and ran like mad people up and down the beach, waving
branches and yelling like maniacs. I even waved wildly my long,
luxuriant hair. Unfortunately, the wind was against us, blowing from the
WSW. We were assisted in our frantic demonstration by quite a crowd of
natives with branches; and I think it possible that, even if we had been
seen, the people on the ship would have mistaken our efforts for a more
hostile demonstration.

When it was too late, and the ship almost out of sight, I suddenly
realised that I had made another fatal mistake in having the blacks with
me. Had I and the two girls been alone on the beach I feel sure the
officers of the ship would have detected our white skins through their
glasses. But, indeed, we may well have escaped notice altogether.

There was a terrible scene when the supposed Government vessel turned
back on her course and passed swiftly out of sight. The girls threw
themselves face downwards on the beach, and wept wildly and hysterically
in the very depths of violent despair. I can never hope to tell you what
a bitter and agonising experience it was--the abrupt change from
delirious excitement at seeing a ship steering right into our bay, to the
despairing shock of beholding it turn away from us even quicker than it
came.

CHAPTER XII

The girls in sun-bonnets--I advise the blacks--Fatal excitement--Last
moments--The catastrophe--I cannot realise it--A fearful contrast--"Only
a withered flower"--Bruno's grief--Steering by the ant-hills--Avoiding
the forests--Myriads of rats--The flowing of the tide--Rats and the
native children--Clouds of locusts--Fish from the clouds.

The weeks gradually grew into months, and still we were apparently no
nearer civilisation than ever. Again and again we made expeditions to
see whether it were possible for the girls to reach Port Darwin overland;
but, unfortunately, I had painted for them in such vivid colours the
tortures of thirst which I had undergone on my journey towards Cape York,
that t