A Small Boat Which Came From The Shore To Take Away The Governor
And Suite - As They Styled Themselves - Brought,
As a present to the
crew, a large pail of milk, a few shells, and a block of sandal wood.
The milk, which was the first we had tasted since leaving Boston,
we soon despatched; a piece of the sandal wood I obtained, and
learned that it grew on the hills in the centre of the island.
I have always regretted that I did not bring away other specimens
of the products of the island, having afterwards lost all that I
had with me - the piece of sandal wood, and a small flower which I
plucked and brought on board in the crown of my tarpaulin,
and carefully pressed between the leaves of a book.
About an hour before sun-down, having stowed our water casks, we
commenced getting under weigh, and were not a little while about it;
for we were in thirty fathoms water, and in one of the gusts which
came off shore had let go our other bow anchor; and as the southerly
wind draws round the mountains and comes off in uncertain flaws,
we were continually swinging round, and had thus got a very foul hawse.
We hove in upon our chain, and after stoppering and unshackling it
again and again, and hoisting and hauling down sail, we at length
tipped our anchor and stood out to sea. It was bright starlight
when we were clear of the bay, and the lofty island lay behind us,
in its still beauty, and I gave a parting look, and bid farewell,
to the most romantic spot of earth that my eyes had ever seen.
I did then, and have ever since, felt an attachment for that island,
altogether peculiar.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 71 of 618
Words from 19162 to 19463
of 170236
