Page:Castaway on the Auckland Isles (IA castawayonauckla01musg).pdf/10

vi of 240 miles across a stormy ocean. Our admiration is compelled no less by the tinkering, tailoring, and cobbling ingenuity of the gallant French mate, than by the 'moral suasion' of the master, who employs himself in the evening in teaching his men how to read and write, and in compiling 'sailing directions' for a little-known part of the globe, to be 'sealed up in a bottle' for the benefit of future navigators of these seas. In his direst strait this modern 'Complete Seaman' finds comfort in some lines of, and finally makes his last cast for 'Death or Freedom' with a truly Nelsonic touch.

Regarded as simply a marvellous tale of the sea—as a practical lesson of self-reliance—the story is sufficiently interesting; but it is no less an important contribution to Hydrographical Science. The limits of this small volume will not allow of the publication of a mass of barometrical and other observations collected by Captain. These will be forwarded to the proper quarter, and will doubtless receive the credit which they deserve.

It only remains to add a brief résumé of the steps which have been taken by the Government of Victoria, in conjunction with New South Wales and Queensland, to examine and set at rest the question whether there are at present any other unfortunates dragging out a miserable existence on the Auckland Islands. It will be seen from the journal of Captain that when he returned to the islands to rescue the two seamen he had left behind, he and others on board the 'Flying Scud,' on the 23rd