lakelets in the hollows beyond, the waters of which seemed to
be the home of considerable numbers of wild-fowl,--but there was no sign
of the presence of man.

"Strange," said Mark, in a low voice, "that such a lovely scene should
have been created a solitude, with no one to profit by or enjoy it."

"Well now, sir," remarked the sailor, "d'ee know that same thought has
puzzled me now an' again; for although my purfession is the sea, I've
travelled a good bit on the land--specially in South America--and I've
seen miles on miles o' splendid country, that made me think of Adam an'
Eve in paradise, with never a soul, as you say, to make use of or enjoy
it. I've often wondered what it was all made for!"

"Don't you tink," said Ebony, with his head a little on one side, and
his earnest eyes betraying the sincerity of his nature, "don't you tink
dat p'r'aps de ducks an' geese, an' sitch-like, makes use ob an' enjoys
it? to say nuffin' oh de beasts, hinsects, an' fishes."

"You may be right, Ebony," returned Hockins, with an approving nod; "we
human being's is apt to think too much of ourselves. Moreover, it has
come into my mind that Great Britain was a solitood once--or much about
it--an' it's anything but that now; so mayhap them lands will be
swarmin' wi' towns an' villages some day or other. What d'ee think,
Doctor?"

But the young doctor said nothing, for while his companions were thus
indulging in speculations, he was anxiously considering what course they
should pursue.

"You see, comrades," he said, turning to them abruptly, "if we go to the
right and traverse this fine country we may very likely fall in with
villages, but the villagers may be savages, like those we met on the
coast. On the other hand, if we go to the left, we shall have to
traverse the somewhat dark and difficult forests, but then we shall be
making for the mountains and table-lands of the interior; and as the
capital, Ant--Ant--"

"Anty-all-alive-O!" suggested Hockins.

"No, 's not dat. It ends wid `arrive O!' w'ich is just what we wants."

"Well, whatever may be its name, I know that it is in the centre of the
island somewhere, and the centre of any land always means the mountains;
so I think we had better decide to go to the left, and--"

"Hallo! look yonder, sir," said Hockins, pointing towards a low cliff
which rose in front of them not a quarter of a mile from the spot where
they stood.

Turning in the direction indicated, they