Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/264

 r~ $4t T II E C R A T E R ; and Cape South was thirty miles wide, and it was twenty more to the crater. Thus the party at work on the vessel would be fully fifty miles from the main abodes of the colony, and thrown quite out of the affair should another invasion be attempted. As for bringing the Neshamony, the Did, the Bridget, and the lighter, into the combat, everybody was of opinion it would be risking too much. It is true, one of the swivels was mounted on the former, and might be of service, but the natives had got to be too familiar with fire-arms to render it prudent to rely on the potency of a single swivel, in a conflict against a force so numerous, and one led by a spirit as determined as that of Waally s was known to be. All idea of fighting at sea, therefore, until the schooner was launched, was out of the question, and every energy was turned to effect the latter most important object. A separation of the forces of the colony was inevitable, in the meanwhile ; and reliance must be placed on the protection of Providence, for keep ing the enemy aloof until the vessel was ready for active service. The labour requiring as much physical force as could be mustered, the arrangement was settled in council and approved by the governor, on the following plan, viz. : Mark was to proceed to the Reef with all the men that could be spared, and a portion of the females. It was not deemed safe, however, to leave the Peak with less than three defenders, Heaton, Peters and Unus being chosen for that important station ; the former commanding, of course. Mark, Belts, Bigelow, Socrates, and Jones, formed the party for the Reef, to which were attached Bridget, Martha, Teresa, and the blacks. Bigelow went across, indeed, a day or two before the main party sailed, in order to look after Dido, and to get his work forward AS fast as possible. When all was ready, and that was when ten days had gone by after the retreat of Waally, without bringing any further tidings from him, the gover nor sailed in the Neshamony, having the Bridget and the tighter in company, leaving the Dido for the convenience &amp;gt;f Heaton and his set. Signals were agreed on, though inless a boat were rnid-channel. A very simple and in-
 * he distance was so great as to render them of little use,
 * ^ J