ost. He proposed,
therefore, that the midshipmen should remain behind, and, after taking
the rest they required, employ themselves in searching for food.

"No! no! we'll hold out as well as any of you," exclaimed Chandos. "If
our friends require help, the more there are to give it the better."

As Ralph could not object to this he agreed that they should come.

The bay in which they had landed looked towards the rising sun, and was
thus near one end of the island, while the wreck had occurred, Ralph
calculated, close to the other. They would have probably ravines to
cross, hills to ascend, and other impediments to encounter. Having
collected as many shell-fish and fruit as they could carry, they--
notwithstanding their expected difficulties--set out with sturdy hearts,
determined to overcome them.

The country was generally rocky and barren. Bleak hills destitute of
vegetation, narrow ravines, and savage gorges appeared on every side.
Often it seemed impossible that they could make any further progress;
but after several hours spent in climbing and scrambling they at length
reached the point for which they had been directing their course, on the
north-western shore. As they approached it they observed a few spots of
a more fertile character, and below them on level ground, forming the
shores of a small bay, waved several cocoa-nut and other tropical trees.
As no other huts were seen, or any plantations, they were convinced
that the island was uninhabited. Their chief attention was, however,
directed seaward in search of the wreck. Though the wind had gone down,
the surf still beat furiously along the whole line of coast, so that no
boats or rafts could have reached the shore in safety. About half a
mile off rose, from amid a mass of foam, the black rugged points of a
reef, now for a minute in sight, now concealed by the heavy rollers
which dashed over them and came rushing on with an angry roar towards
the cliffs which formed that end of the island.

"That must be the reef on which the frigate struck," said Ralph, with a
deep sigh, and tears of manly sorrow sprang to his eyes. "Poor fellows!
Not one can have escaped."

"It's too likely," said Jacob, gazing at the spot; "the ship must have
fallen off the reef, and the current would have swept her and all on
board away."

The rest of the party shared Ralph's grief, but they had no time to
indulge in it. He was anxious to examine the coast on the bare
po