814 DEPARTURE FROM ST. HELENA book iii
years in Europe.1
After burying the child the company returned on board sooner than they
would otherwise have done, and they were distressed that a day which
had been so joyful had so sad an ending.
On
the next two days we had numerous visits, and there was not a lady who
did not come to our vessel; I believe it was less on our own account
than to ascertain if we had still any Rhine wine, which they had found
to be excellent at our Vice-Admiral's feast.
After
our vessel had been twenty days at anchor—for the others which arrived
later had less time to refresh themselves —the Admiral fired three
cannon, and hoisted a large flag on the poop of his vessel, as a signal
to all the captains and pilots to come on board ; when they arrived,
they held council to settle what route should be taken for Holland. The
majority maintained that they should go to the west rather than to the
south, because the season for navigation was much advanced, and by
sailing towards the West Indies we should find the proper winds for
Holland. But it happened otherwise ; for as soon as we had passed the
line we found the winds contrary to what our pilots had expected; this
was the reason why we were afterwards obliged to go to the 64th degree
in the latitude of Iceland, and return to Holland from the north.
CHAPTER XXIX
The Dutch fleet leaves the Island of St. Helena, and the Author arrives safely with it in Holland.
On the
day after the council had been held, the Admiral ordered the three
signal shots for parting, to be fired, and at ten o'clock p.m. all the
fleet set sail. The English still remained there and we did not know
why, unless it was to try to catch one of their sailors, who was
ill-treated by his pilot, one day went on shore with him to get water,
and slew him with two stabs of his dagger, after which he escaped into
the mountain. If he remained there he must have
1 There is, it is to be feared, some applicability in these remarks to the case of children reared in India at the present time.
