he nearest islands inhabited by civilised people.
We have casks sufficient to hold water for the voyage."

"I still hope she will come," said the doctor; "but we must not lose
heart whatever happens."

Taking another look round, we returned to the camp, where we found a
blazing fire and the fish cooked. We remained all that day and the
next, unable to get out and catch any more fish. By this time our stock
was completely exhausted--indeed, for the last day it had been scarcely
eatable. While two of the men remained on shore to collect salt from
the rocks, the rest of us went off, and with the crab-bait soon caught a
large quantity of fish. In two days we got as many as we could well
carry. Some of these were salted, others were smoked over the fire. We
didn't fail, as may be supposed, to pay frequent visits to our look-out
place on the rock. Day after day went by and no sail appeared.

"She's not coming back," said Mr Griffiths, at length; "something must
have happened to her; and I put it to you whether we remain here or try
to reach either Japan or the Ladrones. Though Guam, which is the chief
island of the Ladrones, is much farther off than Japan, we are likely to
receive better treatment from the Spaniards than we are from the
Japanese, who may either send us off again or put us to death. The
passage there is also likely to prove more boisterous than to Guam."

The mate, having concluded his remarks, put the matter to the vote. Two
of the men said they would rather remain on the island. No one proposed
going to Japan, and the doctor and Miles Soper wished to steer for Guam.
The rest of us voted with them. The mate considered that the sooner we
were off the better. He said that the island was not a bad residence,
but that when the winter came on we should have rains and storms, and
might be unable to catch any fish or find other means of supporting
life. We therefore at once set to work to prepare for the voyage. We
first put off and caught a supply of fish, which we cured as before. We
might have killed some birds, but we were unwilling to expend our small
stock of powder, which we might require to defend ourselves against any
natives who might prove hostile.

Led by the doctor, Brown, Jim, and I started to explore the
neighbourhood, to collect scurvy grass or roots of any sort which might
serve as vegetables. The natural productions of the country appeared to
be very limited, but we dug up some