reefs on either hand; careless steering,
the parting of a rope, or a sudden change of wind would have hurled them
to destruction. The dangers were passed, and she rode safely in a
little bay, which had a sandy beach, and a fringe of rocks and trees
above. No huts or dwelling-places could be seen, yet it seemed scarcely
possible that so fine an island should be uninhabited. Still people
might exist on the other side of the island, or more inland.

They had been advised not to venture on shore on any island, unless the
inhabitants had become Christians, without arms. Owen and Elton
proposed on this occasion going without them, as they were heavy to
carry.

"No, no!" said Charley. "A rule is a rule, which, if a good one, should
never be broken through."

This was the first island where, by their calculations, they had the
slightest chance of finding Jack Askew, at least, it was about the
longitude that the _Truelove_ was supposed to have been lost.

Owen took charge of the schooner while Charley and Elton and three men
went on shore, all sufficiently armed with rifles, pistols in their
belts, and cutlasses by their sides. They hoped by starting early in
the day to accomplish the tour of the island before dark. Having drawn
up their boat on the beach, they pushed on for the highest point of land
in the neighbourhood. On reaching it they saw in the valley below, on
the further side, wreaths of smoke ascending from among a grove of
trees. Charley and Elton agreed that there must be inhabitants, but
wisely determined not to approach them without first ascertaining, if
possible, their disposition. They therefore continued along the height,
so as to avoid the valley, proposing to cross over by a route which
appeared open to the opposite side of the island.

As they advanced they saw more signs of the island being inhabited:
tracks leading in various directions, ruined huts, and marks of fires
and native ovens. Some natives were also seen in the distance, but
whether or not they were observed they could not tell. Charley and
Elton speculated as they went on as to the probability of Jack being on
the island. Wherever they went, in all conspicuous places they left the
cards, with a notice that the schooner, on the east side of the island,
was waiting for him, hoping that possibly he might see one of them,
should they themselves miss him.

At length they reached the west side of the island, where the full
streng