He had just made a noiseless escape from a swarm which had attacked his own end of the canoe.
It was now proposed to try the water; so a small fishing canoe, hauled up near by, was quickly launched; and paddling a good distance off, we dropped overboard the native contrivance for an anchor--a heavy stone, attached to a cable of braided bark.

At this part of the island the encircling reef was close to the shore, leaving the water within smooth, and extremely shallow.
It was a blessed thought! We knew nothing till sunrise, when the motion of our aquatic cot awakened us.

I looked up, and beheld Zeke wading toward the shore, and towing us after him by the bark cable.
Pointing to the reef, he told us we had had a narrow escape.
It was true enough; the water-sprites had rolled our stone out of its noose, and we had floated away..