wledge of the language.

Captain Rogers hoped that they would make themselves useful in
communicating with their countrymen. He would indeed gladly have had
them on board for some weeks, in order that they might express
themselves better than they now did. However, Pat understood them, and
so did Tom and Gerald, who were constantly talking to the men. The ship
continued her course under sail in order to spare the coals, but as the
wind was light she made but little way. At length, however, the coast
of New Guinea was sighted, ranges of lofty mountains appearing in the
distance, while the ground from their base was of a more level
character, and thickly covered with trees down to the water's edge. The
ship stood along the coast, sending her boats frequently on shore, but
nothing of the wreck was seen, nor could Nick or Pipes manage to
communicate with any of their countrymen, whom they described as "bad
mans," and made gestures significant of knocking on the head any
intruders. Captain Rogers began to fear that such had been the fate of
the crew of the _Fair Imogene_, the vessel of which they were in search.
The ship occasionally came to an anchor, but the two Papuans invariably
gave the same character to the inhabitants.

She was running along one afternoon before a light breeze under easy
sail, the lead going, and the fires banked ready to get up steam should
it be necessary, when the master, who was standing on the bridge, with
his glass turned towards the coast, exclaimed--

"I see a wreck close in shore, though her masts are gone; but that's a
ship's hull, or I'm a Dutchman."

Several glasses were pointed in the same direction, and all came to the
conclusion that the master was right. The ship was accordingly hove to
with her head off shore, and two boats were sent in, the second
lieutenant going in one to command the expedition, and having Billy
Blueblazes with him, Tom having charge of the other with Desmond, Pat
Casey, and Peter the black, with Nick and Pipes. The sea was perfectly
smooth, so that they were able to get alongside the wreck. A cursory
examination left no doubt that she was the vessel of which they were in
search. She was in a fearfully battered condition. Her after-cabin had
been knocked to pieces, and the whole of her cargo washed out of her;
still it was possible that her crew might have escaped to the shore, and
not have been destroyed by the natives. Pipes asserted that they were