On Monday, 12th May, it came. Williams records the
long-wished-for fact in his journal: 'Cloudy and threatening weather. M.
Maglian called; and after dinner, and while walking with him on the
terrace, we discovered a strange sail coming round the point of Porto
Venere, which proved at length to be Shelley's boat. She had left Genoa
on Thursday last, but had been driven back by the prevailing bad winds.
A Mr. Heslop and two English seamen brought her round, and they speak
most highly of her performances. She does indeed excite my surprise and
admiration. Shelley and I walked to Lerici, and made a stretch off the
land to try her: and I find she fetches whatever she looks at. In short,
we have now a perfect plaything for the summer.'--It was thus that
short-sighted mortals welcomed Death, he having disguised his grim form
in a pleasing mask! The time of the friends was now spent on the sea;
the weather became fine, and our whole party often passed the evenings
on the water when the wind promised pleasant sailing. Shelley and
Williams made longer excursions; they sailed several times to Massa.
They had engaged one of the seamen who brought her round, a boy, by name
Charles Vivian; and they had not the slightest apprehension of danger.
When the weather was unfavourable, they employed themselves with
alterations in the rigging, and by building a boat of canvas and reeds,
as light as possible, to have on board the other for the convenience of
landing in waters too shallow for the larger vessel.
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