lding. We soon had an edifice erected, something like a
North American Indian wigwam, into which we could all creep and lie
conveniently at full length. By this time the tide had gone down, and
by crawling along the rocks, Macco was able to capture a number of
shell-fish. This he did by cutting them off the rock with the bamboo
spear: our only fear was lest they should be poisonous. We asked him
what he thought about the matter. "All right," he answered; "dem good
for eat." He had brought an ample supply for our supper; some were
roasted, but others were boiled as we had done the turtle's eggs. After
this, commending ourselves to One whom we knew would watch over us, we
lay down in our small hut to sleep.

The sun was just rising out of the horizon when we awoke; the sea was
calm and blue, and the sky was beautifully clear. Our first discussion
while at breakfast on turtle's eggs, was the best means of manufacturing
the sago. If we could get a tree cut down, there would not be much
difficulty; but how to fell it with our clasp-knives was the question.

"Perseverance conquers all difficulties," observed Oliver. "I remember
the story of the mouse letting the lion out of the net by nibbling away
at the meshes. We can work away at the stem with our knives, and do a
little every day, in the meantime subsisting on the eggs and the
shell-fish."

"Yes, yes," said Macco; "we choose small tree, enough for us to live on
for many days, and we soon have him down."

Before starting, however, the tide being still low, we collected a
further supply of shell-fish. As we were proceeding along the beach, we
saw, just rising as it were out of the water, a small ridge. "What can
that be?" I said, drawing nearer to it. I saw, as I got close to the
water's edge, that it was a huge bivalve. As far as I could judge, it
was alive. I called my companions, and catching hold of it, we dragged
it up, though our united strength could with difficulty accomplish our
object.

"Take care no put hand inside," said Macco, "or he bite bery hard!"

I am certain that I am right when I say that it could not have weighed
much less than a hundredweight. It would afford us not only one, but
several meals probably, if the creature inside bore any proportion to
his house. I did not know the name at the time, but I afterwards
learned that it must have been a specimen of the _Tridacna gigas_. I
have since heard that the shells themselves, wi