Channel, with the mysterious North Island on our starboard hand; and as
the boat buzzed merrily along I kept the telescope focused upon the
wide, flat plain that formed the southerly half of the island, upon the
off-chance of catching another glimpse of some of its weird inhabitants.
But we saw nothing. Then, rounding the southern extremity of North
Island, we entered the North-west Channel and, with West Island close
aboard on our port hand, hauled up to the northward, keeping a sharp
look-out for the trees of which I was in search.

It was about noon when I spotted a clump of those trees growing all
together at no great distance from the shore, and we at once headed for
them and grounded the boat upon the beach. Looking well to our weapons,
to ensure that they were in working order, Billy and I each shouldered a
rifle and made our way toward the clump of trees. The grass was waist-
high and very matted, rendering the going rather difficult, but the
distance was a mere trifle, and in about ten minutes we were at the
trees.

I looked well at them, and came to the conclusion that if they were not
actually yews they were of very similar character, sufficiently so at
least to justify me in testing their quality. I accordingly climbed
into one of them and, with some care, selected about a dozen suitable
branches, which I hacked off with my cutlass and threw to the ground,
where Billy retrieved them from the long grass. This done, we decided
that the next thing in order was to pipe to lunch, which meal we
discussed in comfort and at leisure aboard the boat.

Luncheon over, we agreed that a little fruit would be acceptable and,
leaving the boat, we set out to hunt for some. The vegetation on this
eastern side of the island was not nearly so dense and impenetrable as
we had found it on the west side, where we landed upon the occasion of
our first boat excursion, the undergrowth here being almost entirely
absent; consequently, apart from the trouble of forcing a passage
through the long matted grass, we experienced little difficulty in
penetrating the woods. But where the timber grew thickly it was,
comparatively speaking, very dark, and the sudden transition from
brilliant sunlight in the open spaces to the deep shadow of the thickly
wooded parts was distinctly trying to our eyes.

We went warily, halting at frequent intervals and listening for any
sounds that might warn us of approaching danger--for we were now upo