, pineapples and bread fruits. Abundance of this
fruit was found on all the islands they visited. On some of the islands
they could not enjoy their nights in the cool hammocks, owing to the
attacks of the malicious jigger spider and ferocious mosquitoes.

One day while at anchor over a coral reef at the southern part of
Vequin, Torn Scott agreed to give Paul his first lesson in diving. Tom
had been feeling sick and feverish for some days so it made him willing
to let Paul take his place for once. He gave Paul full instructions how
to act, especially warning him not to gasp in the compressed air, but to
breathe naturally and easily. When the helmet was screwed on, Paul felt
a smothering sensation but it soon passed. Encouraged, he stepped down n
the rope ladder over the side of the sloop and slowly slipped to bottom
about five fathoms below. The descent was easy, but bewildering. When
his heavily leaded feet struck on the coral, it seemed to him as if the
top of his head was being lifted off. For the moment he wished to regain
the surface, but Scott's advice to keep cool and steady came back to
him and he quickly regained control of his nerves. He peered through the
heavy plate glass visor curiously around at the strange sights under
the green water. The bottom was as white as snow drift and the powerful
sun lit lip the water so That he could distinctly see all objects
within twelve or fifteen feet of him. He signaled "all right" to Scott
with the line and started to walk around. The signal line and hose were
played out to him, so that he could take a wide scope around and under
the sloop. Notwithstanding the enormous weight of lead attached to the
diving dress, Paul found that he had to walk as easily and lightly as if
there were egg shells under his feet; the least little pressure on the
bottom had the tendency to send him up. After a half-hour below, during
which he thoroughly enjoyed his novel surroundings, he felt an
oppression on his chest and signaled "to haul up." The strong arms of
the crew helped him regain deck, the helmet was removed and his
flushed and eager face exposed. He remarked to Tom that "diving was
glorious." After a rest of two hours, the sloop having been shifted
to another anchorage, he again descended. This time the bottom had a
different aspect. It was full of dark rocks over which grow great masses
ofsea weeds. A few feet from where he descended, sprang up a reef of