When at length the crew found us it was past midnight--though not very dark; and though we ought to have been making preparations for returning to the ship, it was blowing hard.

On account of this, the crew said they did not consider it advisable to launch the boat; and as we had our big cloaks with us, it was decided to remain on the island all night to see if the weather improved by the morning.

Our ship was anchored fully three miles away, outside the reefs, and it would have been impossible, in the sea that was running, to pull out to her.
There was only one white man among our protectors, and he was a Scotchman.

The men made a fire in a more or less sheltered spot, and round this we squatted, the men outside us, so as to afford us greater protection from the storm.
In this way the whole night passed, principally in telling stories of adventure by sea and land.

We all hoped that by morning at any rate the wind would have abated; but at daybreak, as we looked anxiously out over the tempestuous sea, it was blowing as hard as ever; and by ten o'clock the storm had increased to a terrific gale.