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In Freekirk Head alone less than ten men would be left ashore. Of

these, one was Bill Boughton, the storekeeper, who was to arrange

for the disposal of the catch; but the others were either

incapacitated, sick, or old. The five aged fishermen, who

subsisted on the charity of the town, formed a delegation on one

stringpiece to wave the fleet farewell.

Altogether there were fifteen boats, ten schooners, and five

sloops, carrying in all more than a hundred and twenty-five men.

The whole resource of the island had been expended to provide

tubs of bait and barrels of salt enough for all these, let alone

the provisions.

The men either shipped on shares or, if they were fearful of

chance, at a fixed monthly wage "and all found," to be paid after

the proceeds of the voyage were realized.

There was not a cent of Grande Mignon credit left in the world,

and there was no child too small to realize that on the outcome

of this venture hung the fate and future of the island.