looked around me. I found myself floating on the deep sea, far from the
shore, the outline of which was tinged with the golden hues of morn. The
rope and stick to which the boat had been made fast towed through the
water, as the land-breeze, driving me gently, increased my distance from
the land. For some moments I was rather scared; the oars were left on
shore, and I had no means of propelling my little skiff.

In vain did I paddle with my hands and the stick which I had taken on
board. I turned and turned again round to all the points of the compass,
but to no purpose. At last I began to reflect. The sea was smooth and
quiet; so I was in no immediate danger. The Padre, when he awoke in the
morning, would discover my accident, and perhaps see the boat; he would
hasten to town, but he would not arrive till the evening; for he was an
old man, and had to walk twenty-five miles. Boats would be despatched
after me; even the Mexican schooner which lay in the bay. The next
morning I was certain to be rescued, and the utmost of my misfortune
would amount to a day of fast and solitude. It was no great matter; so I
submitted to my fate, and made a virtue of necessity.

Happily for me, the boat belonged to an American exceedingly fond of
fishing; and consequently it contained many necessaries which I had
before overlooked. Between the foremost thwart and the bow there was
half a barrel filled with ashes, some pieces of charcoal, and some
dried wood; under the stern-sheets was a small locker, in which I
discovered a frying-pan, a box with salt in it, a tin cup, some herbs
used instead of tea by the Californians, a pot of honey, and another
full of bear's grease. Fortunately, the jar of water was also on board
as well as my lines, with baits of red flannel and white cotton. I threw
them into the water, and prepared to smoke my cigarito. In these
countries no one is without his flint, steel, tinder, and tobacco.