ll-laden traders or towns, where booty can
be obtained. Even if they knew of our existence, we have little here to
tempt them."

It was, however, but too probable that had they caught sight of the
wreck, a large portion of which was still above water, they would have
come in, and we might have suffered severely, had they not either
carried us off as captives or put us to death. We had therefore great
reason to be thankful that they had passed by without visiting the
island.

Mr Thudicumb, though still not well enough to begin building the
vessel, assisted us in repairing the boat. I was anxious to go out and
fish; for having gained a good deal of experience with poor Macco, I was
in hopes of being able to supply the table with the result of my
industry. We had fortunately brought some fishing-lines and hooks. I
proposed manufacturing some lobster-baskets such as I had seen used, in
the hope of catching lobsters or crabs. We had plenty of materials in
the smaller creepers, some of which were of a tough fibre; and Roger
Trew, like many more sailors, understood basket-work. We were therefore
not long in manufacturing a dozen pots, which we baited with pieces of
pork. I should have said that my uncle had domesticated several pigs
which he had caught young, and which ran about in the neighbourhood of
the house, without any wish apparently to stray further. Roger Trew,
Oliver, and I made the first expedition, while the rest of the party
were making preparations for the vessel. It was not settled, however,
where she was to be built. We agreed, however, that in the
neighbourhood of the house it would be very inconvenient to launch her.
Our first expedition was very successful, and we brought home a good
supply of fish. The next day we carried out our lobster-pots, to try
our fortune with them. Before returning home after fishing we pulled
along the coast, when we saw at a distance a lofty cliff, with a number
of large birds flying about it. Some went off to a great distance, and
did not, as far as we could see, return. The report we gave of these,
on our return, made Mr Sedgwick desirous of accompanying us on our next
expedition.

"They must be, I suspect, from your account of them, Walter, cormorants,
or rather that species of them known as the frigate-bird."

No one is so eager as a naturalist when in search of a specimen, and we
soon saw that Mr Sedgwick would be far more pleased if we took him
round to t