land
looks like."

"Aren't those coffee trees?" said George, in great eagerness, as he
bounded forwardly.

There, not a hundred feet away, were the beautiful trees with white
clusters all over them. Thousands of these trees were in sight.

"I believe we have struck a coffee plantation," exclaimed Harry.

John did not answer, but went up to one of the trees and carefully
examined it. "No, these trees have grown wild, and no one has ever
gathered the berries."

"But what an opportunity there would be here for gathering coffee! Too
bad Blakely isn't here," said George.

"We never saw anything like it on Wonder Island," suggested Harry. "Now,
why is it that cocoa will grow in wonderful profusion on one island,
and none on the next, and the other island will have bananas and the
other not?"

"The explanation of that has been the means of bringing out a wonderful
study, that is explained by the nature of the soil itself. In every
country certain sections will spontaneously produce product alike, in
almost every essential quality. Thus, flax, for instance, is found,
identical in its character, in Kamscatska, and in Minnesota; in the
Siberian wilds and in Central America; on the heights of the Himalayas,
and in the lowest plains of South America."

"But how do you explain the similarity? They must have come from seed,
and how did the seeds get from place to place, when there were no ships
to carry them?"

"There can be only one explanation. The soil itself, if identical in its
character, will, eventually, produce the same vegetables and vegetation.
Thus, it has been found that the localities where this wild flax was
found, had soil which was the same in its nature, and calculated to
produce the same in kind."

For four hours the little band marched to the south, and came back along
a track nearer the sea, without discovering the slightest indication of
human habitations, except the frightened looks and actions of the
animals in their path.

[Illustration: "_He turned it over and examined every portion_"
[See p. 60]]

CHAPTER VI

DISCOVERY OF THE ISLAND AND EXPLORATIONS

Weary, they dragged themselves over the cliffs and down to the waiting
natives. Muro was surprised to learn that they had found no signs of
people, so they rowed back to the ship, and after a hearty meal, retired
for the night.

In the morning when they asked John for his opinion, h