ation of our sleeping quarters,
which I recognised would be, for the time being, our abode, I decided
that it ought to be as near as possible to water. I therefore began my
exploration by following the course of the cliff edge upward toward
where the stream came tumbling down the ravine.

A walk of about a mile brought me to a point where the ledge which I had
been traversing terminated abruptly. In the face of the cliff on my
left, at the point where it cut across and blocked the narrow ledge
where I was standing, there was an irregularly-shaped hole or fissure
about two feet wide by perhaps five feet high which looked very much
like the mouth of a cave, and I determined to explore it; but upon
attempting to reach it I found it impossible of access, the rocky face
of the cliff was so absolutely smooth, so completely devoid of the
smallest projection, that not even a monkey could have reached it.

I looked around me again, this time taking especial notice of my more
immediate surroundings. If that opening happened to be really the mouth
of a cave, and could be made easily accessible, it ought to form an
ideal dwelling. There was pure sweet water in abundance far exceeding
our utmost requirements; the spot was unapproachable except by way of
the narrow ledge along which I had come, and could therefore be easily
defended in case of need; and the cave, if cave it really was, ought to
be at least as dry and roomy as any house that I could possibly build.

But how was I to gain entrance? There was but one way that I could
think of--by means of a ladder. I determined to construct one
forthwith, and set off upon my return journey with the intention of
going to the boat and procuring the axe from the carpenter's tool chest.
However, by the time I rejoined the others--who, it seemed, were
beginning to feel some anxiety as to what had become of me--the sun was
so low in the heavens that I at once perceived the impossibility of
carrying out my plan that night. I therefore searched for and soon
found two suitable trees, within easy hail of each other, under one of
which the women might sleep comfortably on soft beds of dry grass, while
Julius and I took possession of the other. When we had all partaken of
a moderate meal of bananas, the sun had set and the night was fast
closing down upon us; we therefore wended our way to our respective
trees, flung ourselves down upon our grassy couches, and were soon
wrapped in the swe