lf a mile in width, the greater
portion consisting of black volcanic rocks thrown up by some mighty
convulsion of nature. No other harbour was discovered; indeed, there
was not a spot besides the bay they had entered on which a landing could
be effected without danger. They probably were the first people who had
entered the bay, for there were no signs of the island ever having been
inhabited. There was but a very small portion of ground fit for
cultivation; the only trees were those which clothed the side of the
valley and the little cocoa-nut grove on the shore of the bay; while no
other stream of water was discovered besides that near which they had
formed their camp.

As the trees could not be perceived from the sea, Harry thought that,
even if the island was marked on the chart, it was probably set down as
a barren rock on which no one could land.

"My father, depend upon it, thought that our boat was swamped in
attempting to regain the ship, or else that she was driven on the rocks,
when he might well suppose that none of us could have escaped. He would
otherwise, I am sure, have come back before this," he observed to old
Tom.

"I hope that is the reason why he has not come back," was the answer;
for old Tom had come to the conclusion that the ship, with all hands,
had been lost, though he did not like to say so to Harry.

The men were beginning to get very impatient at their long detention on
the island. Old Tom did his best to keep them employed; but it was
difficult to find work for them. It was evident, too, that the
cocoa-nuts would not last for ever; and when they had come to an end,
what would they do for food? the men inquired. They might live on fish;
but three or four of their hooks had already been lost, and in time they
might be unable even to catch fish.

"One thing is clear, lads," observed Tom; "if we are to get away, we
must carry water with us as well as food. Our small breaker will only
hold enough for two or three days on short allowance, and, though we may
carry some in the tubs, it will be difficult to keep that from being
spilled. My advice is, that we set to work and scoop out a number of
cocoa-nuts--they will hold a good supply--and we must try and smoke or
salt some fish. I calculate that we can carry enough to last us three
or four weeks, and in that time we may be able to reach a more fertile
island than this is--one likely to be visited by whalers--if we are not
so fortu