once more able to hobble about with the aid of a soft felt
slipper. The dead were buried that same forenoon on the point
projecting into the river at the junction of the creek with the main
stream, the graves being dug in a small space of smooth, grassy lawn
beneath the shadow of a magnificent group of fine tall palms.

A hasty breakfast was snatched, as soon as it could be got ready; and
then every man available was set to work upon the task of lightening the
stranded brig, her guns and such other heavy weights as were most easily
accessible being transferred to the prizes, after which the second bower
was weighed and run away to windward in the long-boat by means of a
kedge; and such was the activity displayed, that at high-water that same
afternoon--the tides were fortunately making at the time--the
_Barracouta_ floated and was hove off to her anchor. Meanwhile, the
missing anchor had been swept for and found, and the severed end of the
cable buoyed; before nightfall, therefore, the cable was spliced, and
the bonny brig once more riding to her best bower. The men were kept at
work until it was too dark to see further; and by six bells in the
forenoon watch next day she was again all ataunto, her guns and
everything else once more on board her, and the ship herself all ready
for sea, it having been ascertained that she had sustained no damage
whatever. It may be mentioned that the schooner which had effected her
escape from us in the lagoon managed to slip out of the creek and get
clear away without being observed by anybody on board the _Barracouta_;
but that of course is easily accounted for by the pitchy darkness of the
night, and the fact that she must have passed out of the creek a very
short while after the brig had grounded upon the sand-bank, and when of
course our lads would be fully occupied in looking after their own
craft.

Proper prize-crews were now told off to the three prizes--Ryan being
placed in charge of the _Mercedes_; Gowland, the master's mate, in
charge of the _Dona Hermosa_; and Good, one of the midshipmen, in charge
of the _Felicidad_--and the order to weigh and proceed in company was
given. There was a slashing breeze from the eastward blowing; and this,
combined with a strong downward current, carried us along over the
ground so smartly that in less than two hours we were abreast of Shark
Point, although the _Dona Hermosa_ proved to be such an indifferent
sailer that the rest of us had