3 A.M.
It was a calm night , but rainy , and the crew of the French gunboat noticed him fishing near the ship about 2.30 . A little while after , the officer of the watch saw a heavy rain squall coming down from the mountain gorges , and good-naturedly called out to the fisherman to either come alongside or paddle ashore , to avoid being swamped . The clever man replied in French , somewhat ungraciously , that he could quite well look after himself . A little after 3 A.M. the squall ceased , and as neither Marchmont nor the canoe was visible , the French sailors concluded that he had taken their officer 's advice and gone on shore . About seven o'clock in the morning , as I was bathing in the little river that runs into Apia Harbour , a native servant girl of the local resident medical missionary came to the bank and called to me , and told me a startling story . My obstinate friend had been picked up at sea , four miles from Apia Harbour , by a _ taumualua _ -LRB- native-built whaleboat -RRB- . He was in a state of exhaustion and collapse , and when brought into Apia was more dead than alive , and the doctor was quickly summoned I at once went to see him , but was not admitted to his room , and for three days he had to lie up , suffering from shock -- and , I trust , a feeling of humility for being such an obstinate blockhead .