The ship delivered her freight in due course, but our father failed to obtain a return cargo to take back with him to England.

Now, as a cargo of some kind was necessary to clear the expenses of the voyage, father decided to make for Port Louis, in Mauritius, to see what he could do among the sugar-exporters there.
"On the way to Port Louis, we suddenly sighted a ship flying signals of distress.

We at once hove to and asked what assistance we could render.
A boat presently put off from the distressed vessel, and the captain, who came aboard, explained that he had run short of provisions and wanted a fresh supply--no matter how small--to tide him over his difficulty.

He further stated that his vessel was laden with guano, and was also _en route_ for Port Louis.

The two captains had a long conversation together, in the course of which an arrangement was arrived at between them.
"We said we were in ballast, searching for freight, whereupon our visitor said: 'Why don't you make for the Lacepede Islands, off the north-west Australian coast, and load guano, which you can get there for nothing ?' We said we did not possess the necessary requisites in the shape of shovels, sacks, punts, wheel-barrows, and the like.