[15]
[Footnote 15: The following notice appeared in the _Hawaiian Gazette_
recently: 'TO BE REPAIRED.--That staunch little craft the "Pele,"
which Capt. Brown has for so long a time successfully commanded, is
now being hauled up for the purpose of repairs. She will probably be
laid up for six or eight weeks, and in the meantime the antique plan
of towing vessels in and out of the harbour with teams of oxen on the
reef will be resumed.']
About half-past eight Mabelle and I were just going overboard for a
swim, when I thought I saw the upper fin of an old familiar enemy, and
directly afterwards the cry was echoed all over the ship, 'A shark, a
shark!' It was a ground shark, and very nearly aground in the shallow
water. They say this is the worst kind of all, and on making inquiry I
was told that the safest way to enjoy a dip here is to bathe with a
number of other people. The splashing and noise made by a whole ship's
company frighten the sharks away. This discovery puts an end therefore
to our hopes of enjoying an occasional peaceful bath.
We went to eleven o'clock service at the cathedral. It is a pleasant
small building, beautifully cool, and well adapted to this climate.
The Bishop was unfortunately away, but the service was well performed.
Later, Tom read the evening service to the men, and we afterwards
landed and dined late at the hotel; so late, indeed, that we could
hardly get anything to eat, and they began to shut up the room and put
out the lights before we had half done.
Pages:
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390