The difficulties of such shipbuilding can hardly be realized. There was
no wood but the wood of the old ship, no rigging but the old hemp, no tar
but such as could be melted out of the old hemp in earth pits; and very
few axes. The upper part was calked with tallow of the sea-cow, the
under with tar from the old hull. The men also constructed a second
small boat or canoe.
On the 10th of August, with such cheers as the island never heard before
or since, the single-master was launched from the skids and named the
_St. Peter_. Cannon balls and cartridges were thrown in bottom as
ballast. Luckily, eight hundred pounds of {59} meal had been reserved
for the return voyage, and Steller had salted down steaks of whale meat
and sea-cow. On the evening of August 16, after solemn prayer and
devotions, with one last look to the lonely crosses on the hillside where
lay the dead, the castaways went on board. A sharp breeze was blowing
from the north. Hoisting sail, they glided out to sea. The old
jolly-boat bobbled behind in tow. Late at night, when the wind fell, the
eager mariners bent to the oar.
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