Cavendish for careening his vessels, as the ground
sloped steeply but evenly, the sand was firm and hard, and the trunks of
the palm-trees would be very useful for securing the hawsers, by means
of which they would heave the vessels down on their beam-ends.

The sun mounted higher in the clear blue of the heavens as they looked,
and all about them rose the sounds of awakening nature. Away back in
the woods they could hear the chattering of monkeys; parrots and birds
of bright plumage screamed and sang and fluttered among the trees near
the beach; and several bright-plumaged flamingoes stalked gravely about
the shallows, seeking their morning meal in the limpid water.

Presently, too, life on board the vessels was stirring, and the shrill
whistle of the boatswain's pipe roused all hands to their duties. The
men came tumbling up from below, and the business of the day commenced.

The officers of the ship and the two lads went down presently to
breakfast, after which leave to go on shore was granted to several of
them, including Roger and Harry.

Those who were going ashore quickly determined to make up a party and
keep together, because as yet they knew nothing of the country, and
there was the chance that it might be inhabited; in which case, if
separated, and any savages were in the neighbourhood, the whites might
find themselves awkwardly situated.

As many of the crew as could be spared were also allowed to go on shore
for a few hours before the business of careening and refitting
commenced; and, needless to say, they were delighted at the prospect of
having a little more space wherein to walk about than the narrow decks
of their own ships, and also of being able to get some fresh fruit--of
which they stood in great need, scurvy having already appeared among
them.

After breakfast, therefore, they quickly got the boats over the side,
and soon there was a regular procession of them from the vessels to the
shore.

Once there, the seamen immediately began to gather the fresh fruit, and,
collecting a pile of what they most fancied, they lay down beside it,
and ate at their ease, their past perils forgotten for the moment, and
all of them supremely happy.

A few of the more adventurous spirits, however, went off into the woods
on a tour of investigation, taking their muskets and bows with them, in
the hope of procuring a little fresh meat.

Roger and Harry, who had, of course, gone ashore with the first
boat-