infest the Indian seas, and
which occasionally made excursions to other regions. They were
generally commanded by ruffians, and manned with desperadoes of all
nations--the scourings of the French galleys. To fall into such hands
would be worse than death. I cannot tell you what fearful suggestions
were offered to my mind. To run the vessel in among the breakers, to
scuttle her, to set her on fire; anything seemed better than being
taken.

We stood on; the atmosphere was so clear that it seemed impossible to
escape the observation of the stranger. Just then a line of white foam
appeared almost ahead. It was, I judged, a reef extending from the
shore. Hauling round it, I observed an indentation in the coast, the
first we had seen in that long, unbroken line of sandy shore. I steered
towards it; an opening appeared; the lead was kept going; the wind
favoured us; we shortened sail, and in a few minutes brought up within a
high woody point, completely concealed from any vessel passing even
close outside. As soon as the canvas was made snug, Charley and the
boys hurried on shore to watch the strange ship. I followed them. She
was steering it seemed for the very end of the reef. It struck me that
perhaps she was looking for the very harbour in which we had brought up.
If so, after all our efforts to escape, we should fall into her power.
She drew closer and closer. Could the entrance of our harbour be seen
from her deck?

"She is a good way to the eastward of the reef," observed Charley. "Her
lead is going; she intends to bring up; she is looking for a harbour,
and probably this one."

"She has missed it, though," observed Peter, "see, she is standing on to
the eastward."

We remained on the height to which we had climbed, so hidden among the
trees, that even if glasses had been directed towards us we should not
have been seen. The stranger stood on for about three miles, and then,
furling sails, brought up at the entrance of what we thought was perhaps
a harbour, from the appearance of the land about it. Our hope was that
she would send her boats to examine the harbour, and that if she went in
we might put to sea late in the evening and escape her. We were,
however, pretty safe in our present position, and we determined to
profit by it.

We divided for this purpose into three parties: one to search for water,
another to land the sheep, and a third to cut wood.

Charley and I set off to look for water