ied back to the boat. The casks were filled. We got them in.
Should we remain in the harbour and try to conceal ourselves, or should
we boldly pull out with the certainty of being seen, but yet with the
possibility of getting back to the schooner and putting to sea before
the privateer's men could reach us. We decided on the latter course,
not a moment was to be lost. If we should succeed in getting out to sea
we should be safe; for with so large a number of her people on shore it
was not likely that the French ships would chase us.

"Now, my lads, pull for life and liberty!" I exclaimed, as I took the
helm. "Gently at first till we are clear of the harbour. The Frenchmen
won't see us till then."

The entrance was not very easy; as soon as we were outside the boys gave
way. I every now and then turned my head round to ascertain if we were
observed. The Frenchmen were most probably, as we had been, searching
for water and did not see us. At length they caught sight of us, I
concluded, as I saw them running along the shore as fast as their legs
would carry them. My boys exerted their arms in a like manner. The
Frenchmen, although they saw that we were beyond their reach, fired a
shot at us. Another and another followed. It was done in mere
wantonness, for they could not have known who we were. We were much too
distant from them, however, for the shot to reach us. Heavily laden as
was our boat, the boys urged her on fast, and in a short time we were
alongside the schooner. Charley White, who had remained in charge, had
heard the shots, and guessing who had fired them, had got the sheep on
board with the wood and grass, and made everything ready for weighing.
Happily, the breeze blew down the harbour. We speedily hoisted the
boats on board and got the anchors up, and while the Frenchmen were
climbing up a height which formed the eastern shore of the inlet, we ran
out and were speedily clear of the land. We could see them through the
glass stamping on the ground, apparently with rage at our having escaped
them. The northerly breeze carried us in a short time out of their
sight and indeed out of sight of the land itself. We were to the south
of the equator, and that northerly wind was the hottest I ever
experienced; from its very smell we could tell that it had blown over
many hundred miles of burnt earth or dry sand. We kept south; for I
purposed going round Van Diemen's Land instead of through Bass's