This Meant "Sail Ho!"
Of Course, But As We Were Within The Point We Could See Nothing.
"Give Way, Boys!
Give way!
Lay out on your oars, and long stroke!"
said the captain; and stretching to the whole length of our arms,
bending back again, so that our backs touched the thwarts, we sent
her through the water like a rocket. A few minutes of such pulling
opened the islands, one after another, in range of the point, and gave
us a view of the Canal, where was a ship, under top-gallant sails,
standing in, with a light breeze, for the anchorage. Putting the
boat's head in the direction of the ship, the captain told us to lay
out again; and we needed no spurring, for the prospect of boarding a
new ship, perhaps from home, hearing the news and having something
to tell of when we got back, was excitement enough for us, and we
gave way with a will. Captain Nye, of the Loriotte, who had
been an old whaleman, was in the stern-sheets, and fell mightily
into the spirit of it. "Bend your backs and break your oars!"
said he. "Lay me on, Captain Bunker!" "There she flukes!" and
other exclamations, peculiar to whalemen. In the meantime, it
fell flat calm, and being within a couple of miles of the ship,
we expected to board her in a few moments, when a sudden breeze
sprung up, dead ahead for the ship, and she braced up and stood
off toward the islands, sharp on the larboard tack, making good
way through the water.
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