aming
waters surging round us. The men declared that they could hear the
shrieks and cries of our shipmates. The captain swore at them as fools
for saying so, declaring that their voices must long since have been
silenced by the breakers. Every instant it seemed that the brig must go
to pieces, and that we should be carried away to share their fate.
Suddenly, however, I felt the brig move. The topsails were let fall and
sheeted home, and we once more glided forward. In another hour we were
safely at anchor in a sheltered bay within the mouth of the river.

The next morning several natives came off to us in their canoes. They
were red-skinned painted savages, but appeared inclined to be friendly.
By means of Mr Duncan, who understood something of their language, they
were told of the accident which had happened to the boat, and they
undertook to search along the shore, in the possibility of any of the
crew having escaped, and been washed on to the beach. On hearing of
this my hopes of seeing old Tom again somewhat revived, though I
scarcely believed it possible that any boat getting into those fearful
breakers could have survived. Mr Duncan and two of the other gentlemen
agreed to accompany the savages.

In the evening the boat which had taken them on shore was seen coming
off. I anxiously watched her. Besides those who had gone away, I
distinguished one other person, he turned his face towards the vessel as
the boat approached, and, to my delight, I saw that he was old Tom.
"And so you have escaped, have you?" said the captain, as he stepped on
board. "Yes, sir, but the others have gone where some others among us
will be before long," answered Tom, gloomily, "and those who sent them
there will have to render an account of their deeds."

"What do you mean?" exclaimed the captain. "I leave that to others to
answer," said Tom, walking forward.

He told me that the boat, on entering the surf, was immediately
capsized, and that all hands were washed out of her. That he had
managed to cling on with one man, and that when they got through the
surf they had righted the boat, and picking up two of the oars, after
bailing her out, had succeeded in paddling, aided by the current, some
distance to the northward. On attempting to land the boat was again
capsized. He had swam on shore, but the other poor fellow was drowned,
and he himself was almost exhausted when met by the party who brought
him back. "You see, T