mong the forest giants that towered about us on every hand
there were fruit-trees in abundance, among which I identified the bread-
fruit, the mango, the custard-apple, the shaddock or grape-fruit, grape-
vines twining about many of the bigger trees and yielding large clusters
of richly flavoured fruit, while bananas and plantains were to be seen
wherever one turned one's eyes. Birds also seemed to regard this island
as a desirable dwelling-place, for they were everywhere, their beautiful
plumage adding a further charm to the little island paradise.

From the beach to the ridge of the hill, for which we were making, the
distance was about a mile, the ground rising gently all the way; but the
going was comparatively easy, for by making slight detours here and
there we were able to progress without the need to force our way through
dense undergrowth; a gentle saunter of about half an hour's duration
therefore took us to the point for which I was aiming. Arrived there,
we were afforded a clear view eastward, when we discovered, as I had
suspected, that we had practically reached the eastern extremity of the
group. Immediately before us the ground sloped down to the eastern
shore, its distance being about a mile. That shore was washed by the
waters of the lagoon, which was at this point some six or seven miles
wide, its outer margin being marked by a continuous wall of spray thrown
up by the long lines of Pacific swell that eternally hurled themselves
upon the barrier reef. And midway between that reef and the island on
which we stood there was a smaller island which, in all essentials,
appeared to be a replica of the one we were on, for it, too, was park-
like in the arrangement of the trees that grew upon it, while it also
boasted a central peak, rising to a height of some six or seven hundred
feet. This small island, it was evident, was the easternmost of the
whole group, and I at once determined to pay it a visit early on the
morrow; for if it should prove, upon inspection, to be as desirable as
it looked, it would certainly be the place on which we ought to take up
our abode, since from it we should best be able to signal any ship that
might heave in sight, and from which also--if an opening in the reef
happened to be anywhere handy--we could slip out to sea in our boat and,
if need be, intercept that ship. South of us, and on the opposite side
of a channel about three-quarters of a mile wide, lay the curious isla