The Owner Of Her Had Had A Good Deal
Of Difficulty With The Government About The Duties, Etc., And Her
Sailing had been delayed for several weeks; but everything having been
arranged, she got under weigh with a light breeze,
And was floating
out of the harbor, when two horsemen came dashing down to the beach,
at full speed, and tried to find a boat to put off after her; but there
being none on the beach, they offered a handful of silver to any Kanaka
who would swim off and take a letter on board. One of the Kanakas,
a fine, active, well-made young fellow, instantly threw off everything
but his duck trowsers, and putting the letter into his hat, swam off,
after the vessel. Fortunately, the wind was very light and the
vessel was going slowly, so that, although she was nearly a mile
off when he started, he gained on her rapidly. He went through the
water leaving a wake like a small steamboat. I certainly never saw
such swimming before. They saw him coming from the deck, but did
not heave-to, suspecting the nature of his errand; yet, the wind
continuing light, he swam alongside and got on board, and delivered
his letter. The captain read the letter, told the Kanaka there was no
answer, and giving him a glass of brandy, left him to jump overboard
and find the best of his way to the shore. The Kanaka swam in for
the nearest point of land, and, in about an hour, made his appearance
at the hide-house.
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