German brigs belonging
to the firm, and then cruising in the North Pacific.

Two days later we bade farewell to the old king and his pretty young
wife, Se, and the _Leonora_ sailed out of Lele. We were first to call at
South Harbour, six miles to leeward, where we were to take in yams, pigs
and other provisions for the voyage to Providence Island, as we had now
over one hundred additional people on board.

We ran out of Lele at daylight, and at seven o'clock in the morning
dropped our anchor in fourteen fathoms in South Harbour, or Utwe,{*} as
the natives called it. As quickly as possible the ship's boats, aided
by those belonging to the traders, set to work to bring off the yams and
pigs, for which, as they were brought on deck by their native owners, I
weighed and paid. By dusk we had finished, and I was just dressing to go
to supper aboard one of the American whale-ships which were lying near
us, when the trade wind, which had been lusty enough all day, suddenly
fell--a very dangerous sign at that season of the year. In a few minutes
Hayes sent a boat over to the whalers, telling the captains that a blow
was coming on from the westward, and advising them to clear out to sea.
But the American captains decided not to risk towing out through the
narrow passage; and as they were in a much better position than the
_Leonora_, they did wisely, for in less than a quarter of an hour a
mountainous swell began rolling in, and it soon became evident that
even with our own four boats, and the seven belonging to the traders, we
could not tow out.

* The Port Lottin of Dupurrcy.

As quickly as possible Hayes had our royal and top-gallant yards sent
down, the boats slung in-board from the davits on the deck, the Pleasant
Islanders sent below, and every preparation made to ride out the blow,
which we were in hopes would not last more than six hours or so. So far
not a breath of wind had come, but the brig was rolling so badly that
we quite expected to see her go over on her beam ends and stay there.
At sunset the air was so close and oppressive that one could scarcely
breathe, and the natives in the hold became half suffocated, and
could only be kept down by the white traders and some of our officers
threatening to shoot the first man that tried to get on deck. Many of
them, however, besought to be allowed to swim ashore and remain till
morning, and Hayes told them they could go. Some ten men and six
women at once came up; a