n though it was floating land, that we had trodden for six
weeks. What a thrill I felt as I realized that Spidermonkey Island,
the little spot in the atlas which my pencil had touched, lay at last
beneath my feet!

When the light increased still further we noticed that the palms and
grasses of the island seemed withered and almost dead. The Doctor said
that it must be on account of the cold that the island was now suffering
from in its new climate. These trees and grasses, he told us, were the
kind that belonged to warm, tropical weather.

The porpoises asked if we wanted them any further. And the Doctor said
that he didn't think so, not for the present--nor the raft either, he
added; for it was already beginning to fall to pieces and could not
float much longer.

As we were preparing to go inland and explore the island, we suddenly
noticed a whole band of Red Indians watching us with great curiosity
from among the trees. The Doctor went forward to talk to them. But he
could not make them understand. He tried by signs to show them that
he had come on a friendly visit. The Indians didn't seem to like us
however. They had bows and arrows and long hunting spears, with stone
points, in their hands; and they made signs back to the Doctor to tell
him that if he came a step nearer they would kill us all. They evidently
wanted us to leave the island at once. It was a very uncomfortable
situation.

At last the Doctor made them understand that he only wanted to see the
island all over and that then he would go away--though how he meant to
do it, with no boat to sail in, was more than I could imagine.

While they were talking among themselves another Indian
arrived--apparently with a message that they were wanted in some
other part of the island. Because presently, shaking their spears
threateningly at us, they went off with the newcomer.

"What discourteous pagans!" said Bumpo. "Did you ever see such
inhospitability?--Never even asked us if we'd had breakfast, the
benighted bounders!"

"Sh! They're going off to their village," said Polynesia. "I'll bet
there's a village on the other side of those mountains. If you take my
advice, Doctor, you'll get away from this beach while their backs are
turned. Let us go up into the higher land for the present--some place
where they won't know where we are. They may grow friendlier when they
see we mean no harm. They have honest, open faces and look like a decent
crowd to me. They're