5

boarded a brig lying in the harbor, sent the captain and crew ashore in their boat, and gone off to sea. We were informed of this, and loaded our arms and kept strict watch on board through the night, and were careful not to let the convicts get our knives from us when on shore. The worst part of the convicts, I found, were locked up under sentry in caves dug into the side of the mountain, nearly halfway up, with mule tracks leading to them, whence they were taken 10 by day and set to work under taskmasters upon building an aqueduct, a wharf, and other public works; while the rest lived in the houses which they put up for themselves, had their families with them, and seemed to be the laziest people on the face of the earth. 15 Having filled our casks, we returned on board. Soon after, the governor, dressed in a uniform like that of an American militia officer, the Padre, in the dress of the gray friars, with hood and all complete, and the Capitan, with big whiskers and dirty regi20 mentals, came on board to dine. While at dinner, a large ship appeared in the offing, and soon afterwards we saw a light whaleboat pulling into the harbor. The ship lay off and on, and a boat came alongside of us, and put on board the captain, a plain young 25 Quaker, dressed all in brown. The ship was the

Cortes, whaleman, of New Bedford, and had put in to see if there were any vessels from round the Horn,

and to hear the latest news from America. They remained aboard a short time and had a little talk with the crew, when they left us and pulled off to their ship, which, having filled away, was soon out of sight.

A small boat which came from the shore to take 5 away the governor and suite as they styled themselves brought, as a present to the crew, a large pail of milk, a few shells, and a block of sandalwood. The milk, which was the first we had tasted since leaving Boston, we soon dispatched; a piece of the 10 sandalwood I obtained, and learned that it grew on the hills in the center of the island. I have always regretted that I did not bring away other specimens of the products of the island, having afterwards lost all that I had with me, the piece of sandalwood, 15 and a small flower which I plucked and brought on board in the crown of my tarpaulin, and carefully pressed between the leaves of a book.

About an hour before sundown, having stowed our water casks, we commenced getting under way, and 20 were not a little while about it. We were in thirty fathoms of water, and, in one of the gusts which came. from off shore, had let go our other bow anchor; and as the southerly wind draws round the mountains and comes off in uncertain flaws, we were continually 25 swinging round, and had thus got a very foul hawse. We hove in upon our chain, and hoisting and hauling

down sail, we at length tipped our anchor and stood out to sea. It was bright starlight when we were clear of the bay, and the lofty island lay behind us in its still beauty; and I gave a parting look, and bid 5 farewell, to the most romantic spot of earth that my eyes had ever seen. I did then, and have ever since, felt an attachment for that island, altogether peculiar. It was partly, no doubt, from its having been the first island that I had seen since leaving home, and still 10 more from the associations which every one has connected with it in their childhood from reading Robinson Crusoe. To this I may add the height and romantic outline of its mountains, the beauty and freshness of its verdure, and the extreme fertility of its soil, and its 15 solitary position in the midst of the wide expanse of the South Pacific, as all concurring to give it its peculiar charm.

RICHARD HENRY DANA: Two Years before the Mast,

HELPS TO STUDY

1. Describe Juan Fernandez as Dana's vessel approaches it. 2. What made it difficult to bring the ship to anchor? 3. What experiences had Dana during his watch? 4. Describe the settlement as he saw it from the ship. 5. Tell the story of his attempt to go ashore; of his actual going ashore. 6. Tell all that you can about the inhabitants of the island. 7. Who visited the ship and what presents were taken aboard? 8. Describe the

departure of the vessel. 9. What were Dana's feelings as he left the island behind him?

10. Mention some reasons why Juan Fernandez, before it was settled, might have been a good island to be cast away upon. 11. What phrases show that a sailor wrote this selection? 12. What is meant by presidio? This word is still used in California and some other parts of the Southwest. 13. What other Spanish words are used in connection with Juan Fernandez? 14. What is meant by Botany Bay? 15. Where is Valparaiso? 16. Why is the island known as Robinson Crusoe's Island? Why does Dana speak of the houses as "Robinson Crusoe like "?

For Study with the Glossary: Juan Fernandez, Valparaiso, Chilian, anchorage, watches, sensation, romantic, classic, landlocked, breakwater, tiles, palisade, forecastle, tow-line, maneuver, convicts, taskmasters, aqueduct, regimentals, offing, suite, sandalwood, tarpaulin, concurring.

Spanish words: Alerta, Presidio, Padre, Capitan.

Nautical Phrases: man-of-war brig, bracing the yards, the quarter boat, foul hawse, hove in upon our chain, tipped our

anchor.

Other Phrases: sandalwood, ground apples, gray friars.

THE STORY OF THE FISHERMAN

This story is from the famous book The Thousand and One Nights, which we sometimes call The Arabian Nights. The tale ran that a king, being afraid of the power a wife might gain over him, was accustomed each day to marry a wife, and on the morrow to put her to death. But one woman, Shahrazad, was clever enough to outwit him. At night she fell to weeping, and the king said, "Why dost thou weep?" "O great king," answered she, "I have a young sister and I desire to see her, that I may take leave of her before I die." So the king sent for the sister, and when she came to the room of the king and his wife, the maiden said, "O my sister, if thou be not asleep, tell us one of thy pleasant stories, to pass the weary hours of the night, and I will take leave of thee in the morning."

"With all my heart," answered Shahrazad, "if the good king gives his permission." And the king, being wakeful, was pleased to hear a story, and said, "Tell on." And Shahrazad said: "Hear, then, O great king.

"There was a certain fisherman, advanced in age, who had a wife and three children; and though he was poor, it was his custom to cast his net, every day, no more than four times. One day he went forth 5 at the hour of noon to the shore of the sea, and put down his basket, and cast his net, and waited until it was motionless in the water, when he drew together