THE BOATS NEARLY READY.

March 2.

The men continued working hard at the boats, and it appeared that their task would be concluded this day.  I once more started to look for water and to examine the island; but our search was again unsuccessful.  On measuring the distance that the sea had risen I found that it had spread up in the direction of our boats fifty-three yards above high water mark; but what will give a better idea of the hurricane is the circumstance of my catching a cormorant on the beach, about seven o’clock on the morning of the 1st, and during the height of the storm, the bird not even attempting to fly, being in appearance completely appalled at the violence of the wind.  It was reported to me at night that another hour’s work in the morning would render the boats fit for sea.

Sunday March 3.

The men had slept but little during the night for they were oppressed with thirst; and when I rose in the morning I saw evident symptoms of the coming of another roasting day.  They were busy at the boats as soon as they could see to work, whilst Mr. Smith and myself ascended the cliffs to get a view towards the main.  When I looked down upon the calm and glassy sea I could scarcely believe it was the same element which within so short a period had worked us such serious damage.  To the north-east we could see the lofty white sandhills in Lyell’s Range; to the eastward nothing was visible; yet this was the point to which I had determined to steer, for several reasons.  In the first place, the land in that direction had never been visited; and secondly, I had found the shores of Dorre Island covered with great forest trees, which must have been washed across the bay, and which from their size could only have been brought out from the continent by some large and rapid stream, which we at this moment would gladly have seen as there was only about a pint and half of water per man left.

SAIL FOR THE MAIN.

When we returned to breakfast I found the boats nearly ready for sea, and about eleven o’clock they had been all hauled down, the stores stowed away, and everything made ready for launching, and off we went, not a little rejoiced at the prospect of soon having an abundant supply of that liquid on which our lives depended.  There was scarcely any wind but that little was right aft so that between sailing and pulling we made about five knots an hour.  The boats were however so heavily laden that the men found it very laborious work, for they were exposed to the rays of a burning sun and had nothing to drink but half a pint of water, which was all I could allow them.

We however persevered from soon after eleven A.M. until five P.M., when the men began to get disheartened from seeing no signs whatever of land, and I ordered my boat’s crew to knock off pulling for a little, and in Mr. Walker’s boat, which was about a mile astern, they did the same.  In twenty minutes time I made my crew again take to their oars, but the other boat did not in this instance follow our example, so that we kept dropping her rapidly astern.  This was very annoying; but as I was anxious at all events to get a glimpse of the land before sundown we still pulled away, trusting that the other boat would soon follow in our wake.