vicissitudes of the last few days. We next began to look round in search of such means of refreshment as the spot might afford.

The cocoa-palms upon the islet, though far from having attained their full growth (few of them exceeding twelve feet in height), bore abundantly, and we easily procured as much of the fruit as we needed. Tearing off the outer husk, and punching a hole through the shell, which in the young nut is so soft that this can be done with the finger, we drank off the refreshing liquor with which it is filled; then breaking it open, the half-formed, jelly-like kernel furnished a species of food most nutritious and agreeable, and probably the best adapted to our half-famished condition.

Hunger and thirst being appeased, our next care was to make some arrangement for passing the night more comfortably than could be done in the boat. Selecting a clear space in the centre of the group of young cocoanuts, we proceeded to make a rude tent, by fixing two of the oars upright in the ground, tying the mast across their tops, and throwing the sail over it, the ends being then fastened to the ground at a convenient distance on each side.

Finding that the bare ground would make a rather hard couch, though far less so than we had lately been accustomed to, Morton proposed that we should bring a load of leaves from the neighbouring shore to spread upon it. He and I accordingly rowed over to the mainland, and collected in the grove near the beach a boat-load of the clean dry foliage of the pandanus and hibiscus, which made excellent elastic beds. Charlie watched our departure as though he considered this an exceedingly rash and adventurous enterprise, and he seemed greatly relieved at our safe return. It was now past midnight, and after hauling the boat well up on the shore, we lay down side by side, and were very soon asleep.

CHAPTER XIII.

THE EXPLORING EXPEDITION.

FIULO PEARL-SHELL BEACH-A WARLIKE COLONY-AN

INVASION REPELLED.

"They linger there while weeks and months go by,
And hold their hope, though weeks and months are past;
And still at morning round the farthest sky,

And still at eve, their eager glance is cast,

If there they may behold the far-off mast
Arise, for which they have not ceased to pray."

For a number of days we remained upon the islet where we had first landed, seldom visiting even the adjacent shore. During this time we subsisted upon cocoanuts and a small species of shell-fish resembling mussels, which we obtained in abundance from the ledges of the neighbouring reef, and which the little native told us were used as a common article of food among his own people. We had reason to feel grateful that while we were as feeble and incapable of exertion as we found ourselves for some days, food could be so readily procured. It was also fortunate that during this period the weather continued remarkably fine and mild, with no perceptible variations of temperature; for I have little doubt that in the reduced and exhausted condition in which we then were, and being without any effectual shelter, two or three days of bad weather would have cost some of us our lives. The nights were dry and mild, and no dew seemed to fall upon the islet: thanks to this genial weather, and to

abundance of nourishing food, we began rapidly to recover strength.

Some time passed before we thought of making any attempt to penetrate or explore the island. We were naturally very reluctant to admit even to ourselves the probability that our stay upon it was to be of any long duration, and we did not therefore feel as much interest in its character and resources as we should otherwise have done. All our thoughts and hopes ran in one channel. We looked for the coming of a ship to rescue us from our dreary position; and every morning and evening at least, and generally many times a day, some one of us climbed into the tuft of an inclining palm, to take a careful survey of that portion of the ocean which could be seen from our side of the island. The thought of acting in any respect as though the lonely spot where we now found ourselves was destined to be our permanent abode, was in fact too painful and repugnant to our feelings to be willingly entertained; we were content, therefore, to provide for our daily wants as they arose, without anticipating or preparing for the future.

A few days passed in this unvaried and monotonous routine seemed in reality a long period; recent occurrences began to assume the vagueness of things that had happened years ago. I remember particularly, that in looking back at the dreadful scenes of the mutiny, and our subsequent sufferings at sea, the whole seemed unreal, and more like a horrible dream than an actual part of our past experience.

We soon found that this inert and aimless mode of living, this state of passive expectation, while awaiting the occurrence of an event which we could do nothing to procure or hasten, was a most miserable one. Though our physical strength was in a great measure recruited, there was no increase of cheerfulness. Except when engaged in procuring food, or making our daily surveys of

the ocean (which was all our occupation), we were dispirited and listless.

Arthur perceived the evil of this state of things, and set himself to devising a remedy.

We had been at the island about two weeks, when he proposed one morning that we should go over to the mainland and commence a search for water, making an excursion a little way into the interior, if it should prove necessary.

Max objected to this, saying that we had no need of water, since we could, without doubt, obtain cocoanut milk as long as we should be obliged to remain upon the island, and that by going into the interior, out of sight of the ocean, we might lose an opportunity of being rescued.

To this Arthur replied, that the exclusive use of cocoanut milk was considered very unwholesome, and was supposed to be the cause of certain dropsical complaints common among the natives of many of the Pacific islands; that, besides, it was by no means certain that a supply of it could be obtained throughout the year. He finally suggested the possibility that our stay on the island might be longer than we anticipated, in which case its resources, and the means of subsistence which it afforded, would be matters of great interest to us. In regard to the danger which Max seemed chiefly to fear, he said that we should seldom altogether lose sight of the ocean, but might, on the contrary, obtain a wider view of it from other parts of the island. I warmly seconded Arthur's proposal, for I perceived the probable beneficial effects of effort or occupation of almost any kind. Morton also was decidedly in favour of it; and Charlie, who had recovered strength and spirits wonderfully within the last few days, was quite enthusiastic for the excursion. He calculated confidently upon our discovering a creek of fresh water, full of fishes and lobsters, and cited the history of the Swiss Family

Robinson in support of the reasonableness of these expcctations; declaring that for his part he could not see why we might not count upon equal good fortune with them. Browne seemed indifferent about the matter. The little native (whose name, upon Arthur's authority, I shall write "Eiulo," though "Iooloo" comes nearer to the sound, as he himself pronounced it) shared in Charlie's delight in prospect of the expedition: indeed the two had already become the best friends in the world, notwithstanding the difficulty of communicating with one another, and seemed to harmonize in everything. The excursion was accordingly determined upon, and this being so, there was nothing to prevent our setting out at

once.

Morton proposed that, instead of undertaking to penetrate into the interior, we should keep along the shore to the northward, as by that means some idea might be gained of the extent of the island; and since any considerable spring or stream must find its way to the sea, we should also be more likely to discover water than by pursuing the other course. Along the southern shore the land was lower and less uneven than in the opposite direction, and held forth a slighter prospect of springs or streams. The difficulty of holding a straight course through the forest, where we should be without any means of ascertaining the points of the compass, was a consideration of great weight, and Morton's plan was at last adopted, as being upon the whole the best.

The sun was not more than half an hour high, when we pushed off from the shore of the islet, and rowed over towards the mainland. The morning was fine and clear, and either the fresh, bracing sea-air, or the stir and excitement of setting out upon our expedition, had an exhilarating influence, for we gradually became quite cheerful, and even animated; and the faces of my companions began to brighten up with more of the old familiar expression than I had seen there for many a day.