The discipline of a ship (as all seafaring persons know) becomes relaxed
in a long calm. The discipline of my ship became relaxed. Certain
gentlemen among the passengers got some of the smaller boats lowered,
and amused themselves by rowing about, and swimming, when the sun at
evening time was cool enough to let them divert themselves in that way.
The boats when done with ought to have been slung up again in their
places. Instead of this they were left moored to the ship's side.
What with the heat, and what with the vexation of the weather, neither
officers nor men seemed to be in heart for their duty while the calm
lasted.
On the third night, nothing unusual was heard or seen by the watch on
deck. When the morning came, the smallest of the boats was missing--and
the three Hindoos were next reported to be missing, too.
If these men had stolen the boat shortly after dark (which I have no
doubt they did), we were near enough to the land to make it vain to send
in pursuit of them, when the discovery was made in the morning. I have
no doubt they got ashore, in that calm weather (making all due allowance
for fatigue and clumsy rowing), before day-break.
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