or from the assaulting breakers, stood out in bold relief upon a
rocky point to the south and west of the observation hill. Their gaunt,
twisted trunks leaned backward from the sea; their shorn limbs, racked
by gales, were raised as if in supplication to the sombre forest behind
them. Trunks of enormous trees that had fallen perhaps a century ago
were found half-buried in the earth, while scattered along the northern
base of the range, overlooking the downs, a few of their gigantic
counterparts, alive and flourishing, raised their lofty heads far above
the surrounding forest, and stood like sentinels, guarding the plain.

9. A small river wound its devious way, with serpentine crooks and
curves, through the downs and across the meadow, emptying into the ocean
some distance east of the gleaming beach. That its source was far up
in the secretive hills was not a matter of conjecture, however;
the incessant hiss and roar of a cataract was plainly heard by the
investigators.

Here is the crude, hastily sketched map of the island as made by
Percival:

1. Position of stranded vessel in basin.

2. Entrance to channel from the north.

3. Entrance to channel from the south.

4. Narrow strip of woodland from channel almost to river's mouth.

5. Strip of meadow-land clear of trees.

6. River.

7. Stretch of lowland leading down to the water.

8. Crest of hill from which observations were taken with range extending
east and west.

9. Point of rocks with cypress trees.

10. Buttress-like west end of island.

11. Dense forest reaching to channel.

12. Rocky cape.

13. Level plateau, without trees.

14. Beach.

15. Penguins.

CHAPTER X.

After the second reading of the foregoing report, the first being
in English, Percival requested his fellow explorers to verify the
statements contained therein. This they did promptly. He then went on:

"I am delegated by Captain Trigger and the officers of this vessel,
after a conference just concluded,--and of which you are all well
aware,--to put before you as briefly and as clearly as possible the
decision that has been reached. I may as well confess in the beginning
that this decision is based on the recommendations of the party who went
to the top of the mountain. It is out of the question for the people on
board this vessel to go ashore until further investigations have been
made. For the present, we are all safe here on board the ship. We
don't know what