I therefore became anxious to make the sea coast before nightfall, considering that we could easily walk along the shore after dark and fire a gun as a signal to the schooner to send a boat for us.

With this view therefore I moved on towards the sea, requesting Mr.Lushington, when I fired, to follow my course with the men.
As I walked ahead I found the country very rocky, with lofty bare pinnacles standing up every here and there in the forest, one or two of which I climbed, but could see nothing of the vessel.

I now fired a signal shot which, being answered by another from the party, I knew that they were on my traces, and again moved on towards the sea.

I presently fired again, as I thought that they might augur favourably from the report, and continued occasionally to do so until I had reached the shore.
The cliffs were so steep that I found some difficulty in descending, but directly I had gained the sea beach I pulled off my clothes and plunged into the water: the quantity of moisture taken into the system by absorption as I lay in the sea soon relieved my burning thirst, and by the time that the first of the party (Corporal Coles) came up I was quite recovered.

He followed my example and soon began to revive also.