t devious route for about another
mile and a half, came to a spot where this arm of the sea widened out to
a lake-like expanse of water, nearly circular in shape, and rather more
than a mile in diameter. Almost in the very centre of this lake stood a
small island of about eight or ten acres in extent and thickly wooded,
which the engineer at once fixed upon as a most suitable spot on which
to establish an encampment. He was very anxious to reach this island
and submit it to a closer examination, but he had no means of crossing
the intervening water except by swimming, and this, in consequence of
the distance to be traversed, would occupy more time than he felt
justified just then in devoting to it. But he promised himself that,
circumstances permitting, he would do so on his return journey.

So far he had met with no trace or sign of the existence of savages, or
indeed of inhabitants of any description, upon his territory; and he
therefore relaxed somewhat of the vigilant and anxious demeanour which
he had hitherto observed, and pushed forward, with as much rapidity as
circumstances would allow, upon his journey. Traversing the borders of
the lake, which lay embosomed in the midst of an amphitheatre of
steeply-sloping hills, he reached, after a walk of about a mile, a spot
where a genuine stream flowed into it. At the point of junction with
the lake this stream was about a hundred yards in width, having a
current which flowed seaward at the rate of half a knot per hour. Half
a mile further on, following the course of the stream, Gaunt found that
the channel narrowed very considerably, and, whilst still to all
appearance moderately deep, the current became much more rapid. It was
at about this spot that he discovered what he thought would serve as a
capital site for a mill, if, indeed, the little party should find it in
their power to undertake so important a work; and, making a mental note
of the locality, he passed on.

He now determined to follow the stream to its source, as his active mind
already began to see that it might prove a very useful ally to them in
many ways. The ravine-like character of the banks on either side of the
stream still prevailed, and this, in conjunction with its winding
course, continually opened up such vistas of sylvan beauty, that from
time to time the wanderer involuntarily paused in admiration, and once
or twice even caught himself asking the question whether, after all, a
man m