The sufferers recovered sufficiently by the morning to tell us of their hazardous adventures. When caught by the squall they were swept to leeward of the Neptune just as she disappeared, but were unable to save any of the mutineers. Every moment they expected to find themselves struggling in the water, for the boat was being carried right over the shoals, on which the breakers were falling heavily. But for the presence of mind of Tom Cherry, who ordered the mast and sail to be lashed to the grass rope and thrown overboard, so that the boat's head was kept to the crested waves, the long-boat would not have kept afloat. As it was, this floating anchor acted as a kind of breakwater, much of the force of the waves being expended ere they passed under the boat. Even then several seas broke over it, necessitating continuous bailing.
Ere the rain squall ceased they had been carried past the south-western extremity of the island, where, being more under the lee of the land, and the sea being deeper, the waves did not run so high. Nevertheless, in their exhausted condition, they could not make headway, and when two oars broke they were compelled to let themselves drift, riding in comparative safety to their sea anchor.
During the night the wind dropped and the sea subsided, but being without a compass and unable to see the island in the darkness, they had to drift about till nearly two hours after midnight. Then, the sky becoming clear, they were enabled to take a rough bearing by the stars. Dawn found them with the island nearly below the horizon, but after five hours' hard and laborious pulling they managed to land at a little cove at the south end.
Here they found a path leading northwards, and after several hours' walk, during which time they made a sorry meal of berries and water, they recognized their road as being the same as we had taken when we recovered the treasure. After great privations, and filled with fears that the Golden Hope had sailed, they managed to struggle through the forest by the path we had made during our first expedition into the interior, and arrived at the shore, having lost their way more than once in the intense darkness.
During the day one of our boats was dispatched to bring back the long-boat. As Cherry had reported, she was practically undamaged, and with a favourable breeze both craft were alongside the brig well before sunset.
At daybreak on the following morning the welcome order to weigh was given, and as the capstan revolved to the cheery song of the seamen the anchor came home, after an acquaintance of nearly two years with the bed of the bay.
The wind had again backed, and blew lightly from the north'ard, so that it was unwise to attempt to beat through the shorter and more recently discovered channel that passed inside the shoal on which I had had such a hazardous adventure.
Nevertheless, we negotiated the bends of the other passage in safety, thanks to the replacement of the navigation mark on shore, though everyone was anxious till the lead gave a depth of forty fathoms.
An hour later the highest peak of Treasure Island had vanished 'neath the horizon. We were homeward bound.