The Prau Was Heavy, And My Men Very Poor
Creatures For Work, So That It Took Us Six Hours To
Get to the
edge of the reef that fringed the shore; and as the wind might at
any moment blow
On to it, our situation was a very dangerous one.
Luckily, a short distance off there was a sandy bay, where a
small stream stopped the growth of the coral; and by evening we
reached this and anchored for the night. Here we found some
Galela men shooting deer and pigs; but they could not or would
not speak Malay, and we could get little information from them.
We found out that along shore the current changed with the tide,
while about a mile out it was always one way, and against us; and
this gave us some hopes of getting back to the point, from which
we were now distant twenty miles. Next morning we found that the
Galela men had left before daylight, having perhaps some vague
fear of our intentions, anal very likely taking me for a pirate.
During the morning a boat passed, and the people informed us
that, at a short distance further towards the point, there was a
much better harbour, where there were plenty of Galela men, from
whom we, might probably get some assistance.
At three in the afternoon, when the current turned, we started;
but having a head-wind, made slow progress. At dusk we reached
the entrance of the harbour, but an eddy and a gust of wind
carried us away and out to sea. After sunset there was a land
breeze, and we sailed a little to the south-east. It then became
calm, and eve hung down our anchor forty fathoms, to endeavour to
counteract the current; but it was of little avail, and in the
morning we found ourselves a good way from shore, and just
opposite our anchorage of the day before, which we again reached
by hard rowing. I gave the men this day to rest and sleep; and
the next day (Oct. 10th) we again started at two in the morning
with a land breeze. After I had set them to their oars, and given
instructions to keep close in-shore, and on no account to get out
to sea, I went below, being rather unwell. At daybreak I found,
to my great astonishment, that we were again far off-shore, and
was told that the wind had gradually turned more ahead, and had
carried us out - none of them having the sense to take down the
sail and row in-shore, or to call me. As soon as it was daylight,
we saw that we had drifted back, and were again opposite our
former anchorage, and, for the third time, had to row hard to get
to it. As we approached the shore, I saw that the current was
favourable to us, and we continued down the coast till we were
close to the entrance to the lower harbour. Just as we were
congratulating ourselves on having at last reached it, a strong
south-east squall carne on, blowing us back, and rendering it
impossible for us to enter. Not liking the idea of again
returning, I determined on trying to anchor, and succeeded in
doing so, in very deep water and close to the reefs; but the
prevailing winds were such that, should we not hold, we should
have no difficulty in getting out to sea. By the time the squall
had passed, the current had turned against us, and we expected to
have to wait till four in the afternoon, when we intended to
enter the harbour.
Now, however, came the climax of our troubles. The swell produced
by the squall made us jerk our cable a good deal, and it suddenly
snapped low down in the water. We drifted out to sea, and
immediately set our mainsail, but we were now without any anchor,
and in a vessel so poorly manned that it could not be rowed
against the most feeble current or the slightest wind, it word be
madness to approach these dangerous shores except in the most
perfect calm. We had also only three days' food left. It was
therefore out of the question making any further attempts to get
round the point without assistance, and I at once determined to
run to the village of Gani-diluar, about ten miles further north,
where we understood there was a good harbour, and where we might
get provisions and a few more rowers. Hitherto winds and currents
load invariably opposed our passage southward, and we might have
expected them to be favourable to us now we had turned our
bowsprit in an opposite direction. But it immediately fell calm,
and then after a time a westerly land breeze set in, which would
not serve us, and we had to row again for hours, and when night
came had not reached the village. We were so fortunate, however,
as to find a deep sheltered cove where the water was quite
smooth, and we constructed a temporary anchor by filling a sack
with stones from our ballast, which being well secured by a
network of rattans held us safely during the night. The next
morning my men went on shore to cut wood suitable for making
fresh anchors, and about noon, the current turning in our favour,
we proceeded to the village, where we found an excellent and
well-protected anchorage.
On inquiry, we found that the head men resided at the other Gani
on the western side of the peninsula, and it was necessary to
send messengers across (about half a day's journey) to inform
them of my arrival, and to beg them to assist me. I then
succeeded in buying a little sago, some dried deer-meat and
cocoa-nuts, which at once relieved our immediate want of
something to eat. At night we found our bag of atones still held
us very well, and we slept tranquilly.
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