They were stout, ashen blades, unusually large for the craft in which they had been stowed, yet workable.

The boat itself was a mere shell, scarcely capable of sustaining safely more than three persons, but with lines of speed, its sharp prow cutting the water like a knife blade.

I shipped the useless rudder inboard, and chose my course from the stars.

The north star was completely obscured by thick clouds, but the great dipper gave me my bearings with sufficient accuracy.

To attain again to the west coast not far from where the great point projected outward into the Bay, and behind which the bark swung at anchor, required, according to my understanding of our present position, that I head the boat toward the southwest.