rock, so as to allow of Mark’s jumping ashore, passed on to a distant landing, where he was met by most of his party, including ‘Friend Martha,’ who rejoiced not a little in the safe return of Friend Robert Betts.  In half-an-hour Mark and Bridget came up to the marquees, when the former made the acquaintance of his brother-in-law, and had the happiness of embracing his sister.  It was a morning of the purest joy, and deepest gratitude.  On the one side, the solitary man found himself restored to the delights of social life, in the persons of those on earth whom he most loved and, on the other hand, the numberless apprehensions of those who looked for him, and his place of retirement, had all their anxiety rewarded by complete success.  Little was done that day but to ask and answer questions.  Mark had to recount all that had happened since Bob was taken from him, and not trifling was the trepidation created among his female listeners, when he related the history of the earthquake.  Their fears, however, were somewhat appeased by his assurances of security; the circumstance that a volcano was in activity near by, being almost a pledge that no very extensive convulsions could follow.

The colonists remained a week at Rancocus Island, being actually too happy to give themselves the disturbance of a removal.  At the end of that time, however, Anne was so far recovered that they began to talk of a voyage, Bridget, in particular, dying to see the place where Mark had passed so many solitary hours; and, as he had assured her more than once, where her image had scarcely ever been absent from his thoughts an hour at a time.  As it would be impossible to embark all the effects at once, in the Neshamony, some method was to be observed in the removal.  The transportation of the cows and horses was the most serious part of the undertaking, the pinnace not being constructed to receive such animals.  Room, nevertheless, could be made for one at a time, and still leave sufficient space in the stern-sheets for the accommodation of five or six persons.  It was very desirable to get the females away first, lest the rumour of the mountain, hitherto unknown, should spread among the islands, and bring them visitors who might prove to be troublesome, if not dangerous.  Parties existed in Betto’s group, as we believe they exist everywhere else; and Bob knew very well that nothing but the ascendancy of his friend, the chief, Ooroony, had been the means of his escaping as well as he did, in the land-fall among them that he had made.  The smallest reverse of fortune might put Betto down, and some bitter foe up, and then there was the certainty that war canoes might come off in quest of the mountain, at any time, without asking the leave of the friendly chief, even while he remained in power.  On the whole, therefore, it was determined to freight the pinnace with the most valuable of the effects, put all the females on board, and send her off under the care of Mark, Heaton, and Socrates, leaving Bob and Bigelow to look after the stock and the rest of the property.  It was supposed the boat might be absent a week.  This was done accordingly, Bob, on taking leave of Friend Martha, particularly recommending to her attention the Vulcan’s Peak reed-birds, throwing in a hint that he should be glad to find a string of them in the pinnace, on her return.