At the time of his departure, he had not a friend amongst the passengers of the "Ceres." There was not one on that occasion to speak a word in his favour. But now, as soon as he set foot on the island, he was hailed with three hearty cheers, and there was a struggle among the crowd who surrounded him: as to who should be the first to show their gratitude by a grasp of the hand! Volume Two, Chapter XIII. A HUNGRY PASSAGE. The ship thus brought to our rescue was a New England whaler, that had been cruising about in pursuit of the sperm whale. The captain asked six hundred dollars for taking our whole community to New Zealand. The demand was by no means extortionate. Indeed, it was a moderate sum--considering the trouble and expense he would have to incur: since he had already lost a good deal of time on his way to the island. The voyage to New Zealand might occupy several weeks--during which time we would be consuming no small quantity of his stores. But although this price was not too much for the Yankee skipper to ask, it was more than the Dutch skipper was able to pay: since the latter had not got the money. The passengers were called upon to subscribe the amount. Most of them objected. They had paid a passage once, they said, and would not pay it over again. To this the captain of the whaler made a very reasonable rejoinder. If there were just grounds for believing that the money could not be obtained, he would have to take us without it: for he could never leave so many men on so small an island, where they might perish for want of food and water. But as we did not claim to be out of funds, the fault would be our own if he departed without us, which he would certainly do, unless the passage-money was paid. He also gave us warning, that we might expect to put up with many inconveniences upon his ship. She was not a passenger-vessel, nor was he supplied with provisions for so many people. It was clear that the six hundred dollars must be raised some way or other; and a movement was immediately set on foot to collect it. Many of the passengers declared that they had no money. Some of them spoke the truth; but the difficulty was to learn who did, and who did not. Amongst others, who solemnly declared that they had no money, was a ruffian, who had been selling tobacco at the rate of forty dollars per pound. This fact was communicated by the individual, who had repurchased, and paid so dearly, for his own weed. The fellow was now emphatically informed, that unless he paid his share of the passage-money, he would be left behind upon the island. This threat had the desired effect. He succeeded in finding the required cash; and after much wrangling, the sum of six hundred dollars was at length made up. Next day we were taken aboard the whaler; and sailed away from the island in a direct course for the port of Auckland.