smoke which
ascended was so pungent and smelt so disagreeably that we could scarcely
bear it. It had the effect, however, of keeping the mosquitoes, which
had hitherto annoyed us terribly, at a distance. By degrees also a few
burning embers appeared, and we placed our shell-fish upon them. Seeing
Ben poking in his wooden sword, I asked, "Why are you burning that?"

"I am not burning it, sir, but hardening the point and edge; and I would
advise you to do the same with yours."

And following his example, we found it greatly improved our weapons.

In a short time the shell-fish were cooked, and we enjoyed our repast,
though we should have been glad to have had some substitute for bread to
eat with the molluscs. Having cleaned out some of the larger shells, we
cooked a further supply, which we packed within them, and then tied them
up in our handkerchiefs, that we might be saved the necessity of
lighting another fire. Indeed, we should, we knew, be unable to do so,
except during the daytime, unless we could pick up a real flint--and
that Boxall feared we were not likely to find.

Our hunger being satisfied, our thirst returned, and our next object, as
we advanced, was to discover water. The tide being high, we were
compelled to seek the harder ground on the summit of the sand-hills, as
the mosquitoes and sand-flies rendered walking on the sand excessively
disagreeable. We kept in a line, as we had before done in our search
for water, at a short distance from each other,--Boxall having chosen a
position on the left,--and had trudged on for a couple of miles or more,
as we calculated, without discovering any signs which tempted us to dig;
for we were unwilling to make the attempt without a prospect of success.
I was next to Boxall; and after we had gone some way he came nearer to
me, and shouted that he would diverge to the left, towards a slight
elevation, desiring us to go on slowly, and to halt should we lose sight
of him. "I will make a signal, should I find any sign of water," he
added. By this time my mouth and tongue had become fearfully parched,
and I earnestly hoped that he would succeed. Continuing to look out for
the usual signs--a little verdure, with a slight depression in the
sand--I went on slowly till I got near enough to Halliday to tell him
what Boxall had said; and he repeated the order to Ben. We had not gone
much further when I felt great hopes, from the appearance of a spot
before me, that