As I have before stated, the pearl-fishers had laid a warp from the shore to a buoy anchored well out, which they used to haul the sloop in and out by. I hastily cast off the shore end of this warp, which was fast to a tree, and taking it on board the pearl-fishers’ sloop hauled that vessel, my own, and the pearl-fishers’ yawl, all three, out to the buoy. I then made shift to haul up the anchor by aid of a winch on the pearl-fishers’ craft, and left it hanging at the bow, cutting loose the buoy. We now began to drift, and I took a line to my own boat preparatory to towing the entire flotilla. All this had occupied some time, and just as I was fairly under way I saw the Chinaman and the negro run down to the mouth of the creek. The black fairly danced with anger, and shouted out curses loud and deep after me, to all of which I made no reply, but getting the sails on my boat trimmed, jogged slowly along with my heavy tow safe behind. I felt now for the first time since our disagreeable neighbors had come on the island that the game was once more in our hands.
About one o’clock the boat of the Millwards hove in sight, and knowing he would have his glass bearing on me I stood up in the stern sheets that he might plainly see all was right. By three o’clock we were once more together, and all three boats at anchor, in plain sight of the Indians on the rock, who exhibited the utmost excitement when they saw me towing up their sloop. In a little while afterward the negro and the Chinaman came up to the beach and joined the rest of their party.
Having no fear now of firearms, we had brought all the boats to anchor much nearer the shore, so that we were now in easy hailing distance of the shore party. After a talk with his companions the negro came out alone to the nearest point on the rocks and called to us in “darky” English. When I had answered his hail, he said “Wharfor you done tek our boat, boss? How you reckon we kin git off dis hyar island with no boat?”
“Do you want to leave the island?” said I.
“Yes boss, de captain’s dead, eat up by shark. We don’t want to stay hyar no longer. Fore de Lawd, I speak true.”
“Tell the rest to come where you are,” said I.
When they had all gathered there and stood in a row, I asked them in Spanish if they wanted to go, and they all began to speak at once. Then I motioned for silence, and bade them each to speak in turn, the right-hand man first, who happened to be the Chinaman. He wanted to go, and one after another they said the same.
“If I let you have the boat will you sail straight away, and leave here for good and all?”
To this they all assented except the negro, who said they wanted to go to the cove to get the things left there. There could be no objection to that, if they did not stay longer than was necessary to embark the property, and I so told them. Moreover, they would need a supply of water. If they set about it at once they could do all this and be away by midnight, as there would be a moon to light them on the way.
Having settled this to our mutual satisfaction, I cut loose the yawl that it might drift in, and directed them to come on and get their vessel.