He roared down the companion to Captain
Taylor, "Your longboat's got adrift, and is off to Rabbit Island."
In another minute Captain Taylor was on deck. He gazed at his
distant longboat and swore terribly. Then he took a rope and went
for his four Kanakas; but they did not wait for him; they all plunged
into the sea and deserted. The captain and pilot stood on deck
watching them as they swam away, hand over hand, leaving foaming
wakes behind like vessels in full sail. They were making straight
for the longboat, and Davy said, "They will go away in her and leave
us here in the lurch." But the captain said, "I think not." He was
right. The Kanakas brought back the boat within hail of the
schooner, and after being assured by the captain that he would not
ropes-end them, they climbed aboard.
On returning to Hobarton Captain Taylor was seized with the gold
fever. He laid up the 'Alert', went with his four men to Bendigo,
and was a lucky digger. Then he went to New Zealand, bought a farm,
and ploughed the waves no more.
In January, 1851, some buoys were sent to Port Albert and laid down
in the channel. The account for the work was duly sent to the chief
harbour master at Williamstown, but he took no notice of it, nor made
any reply to several letters requesting payment. There was something
wrong at headquarters, and Davy resolved to see for himself what it
was.
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