Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the gulf, and then the wind was such as to prevent our going any further, and we might have
had to wait for days or weeks, when, much to my surprise and gratification, a boat arrived
from Muka with one of the head men, who had in some mysterious manner heard I was on
my way, and had come to my assistance, bringing a present of cocoa-nuts and vegetables.
Being thoroughly acquainted with the coast, and having several extra men to assist us, he
managed to get the prau along by rowing, poling, or sailing, and by night had brought us
safely into harbour, a great relief after our tedious and unhappy voyage. We had been
already eight days among the reefs and islands of Waigiou, coming a distance of about fifty
miles, and it was just forty days since we had sailed from Goram.
Immediately on our arrival at Muka, I engaged a small boat and three natives to go in
search of my lost men, and sent one of my own men with them to make sure of their going
to the right island. In ten days they returned, but to my great regret and disappointment,
without the men. The weather had been very bad, and though they had reached an island
within sight of that in which the men were, they could get no further. They had waited there
six days for better weather, and then, having no more provisions, and the man I had sent
with them being very ill and not expected to live, they returned. As they now knew the is-
land, I was determined they should make another trial, and (by a liberal payment of knives,
handkerchiefs, and tobacco, with plenty of provisions) persuaded them to start back imme-
diately, and make another attempt. They did not return again till the 29th of July, having
stayed a few days at their own village of Bessir on the way; but this time they had suc-
ceeded and brought with them my two lost men, in tolerable health, though thin and weak.
They had lived exactly a month on the island; had found water, and had subsisted on the
roots and tender flower-stalks of a species of Bromelia, on shell-fish, and on a few turtles'
eggs. Having swum to the island, they had only a pair of trousers and a shirt between them,
but had made a hut of palm-leaves, and had altogether got on very well. They saw that I
waited for them three days at the opposite island, but had been afraid to cross, lest the cur-
rent should have carried them out to sea, when they would have been inevitably lost. They
had felt sure I would send for them on the first opportunity, and appeared more grateful than
natives usually are for my having done so; while I felt much relieved that my voyage,
though sufficiently unfortunate, had not involved loss of life.
