But I Will Not Occupy The Reader With All These Minor Details, Nor With The
Numberless Little Trifles That It
Devolves upon the leader of such an
expedition to remember, suffice it to say that by noon on the following
Day, all our preparations were completed, and we shoved off from the beach
in high spirits, the party consisting this time of nine, viz., Dunmore, the
pilot, two boatmen, Lizzie, three troopers, and myself, about as many as
the boat could carry comfortably. A rendezvous had been arranged on a
known portion of the river; the other expedition was to start in seven
days; and, according to our programme, if all went well, we should meet on
the tenth, or on the eleventh day at furthest.
The sea-breeze was blowing steadily, cresting the tiny waves which sparkled
in the hot sun as they broke into foam, and under its grateful coolness we
glided comfortably along, with a flowing sheet. The bar at the mouth of
the Macalister was eighteen miles distant, and we hoped to cross it about
sunset, when the breeze would have dropped, and the passage through the
surf would be readily distinguishable; but our plans were completely upset
by one of the troopers espying smoke issuing from the scrub on a small
creek, that entered the bay about half-way between the town and the
Macalister.
"We had better have a look in here," said Dunmore, "there is no knowing
where we may stumble on some information."
Accordingly, the helm was put up, and we ran into the mouth of the inlet,
with the wind right aft.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 81 of 115
Words from 22105 to 22375
of 31542
