way alone, but Ella begged so
hard to be allowed to come with me that I had not the heart to refuse
her, especially as there was no sufficient reason for so doing. So I
consented, promising her that after our exploration was over, if time
permitted, she should have a ramble _on_ shore on the southern side of
the mountain, when we would lay in a sea-stock of fruit at the same
time.

Bob said he would accompany us, and try his luck with the fishing-lines,
whilst Ella and I took our proposed stroll; and to this also there
seemed no objection, as the cutter was in a berth where the hardest gale
that ever blew could not have endangered her safety in the slightest
degree.

Accordingly, as soon as the meal was over, we shoved off, some instinct
prompting me, at the last moment, to take one of our revolving rifles
and a small supply of cartridges with me. We soon slid out of the cove,
and shortly afterwards rounded the north-western extremity of the
island.

This was the first trial of our _sliding-gunter_ mainsail upon our
singularly-constructed boat; and Bob and I were thrown into perfect
raptures at the truly marvellous speed with which it propelled the craft
along. The _Water Lily_ was wonderfully fast; but in smooth water and
light winds, her boat would have sailed round and round her.

We skimmed rapidly along the edge of the western reef, and when we had
run about four miles to the southward, found a good wide break, which
looked as though it led out to sea. I put up the helm at once, and away
we darted almost dead before the wind, down through it.

It was rather a circumbendibus sort of affair, and somewhat narrow in
places, though everywhere there was sufficient room to work the _Lily_
in; and after a run of about half an hour, we shot out between two
overhanging ledges, the extremities of which showed about, six feet
above water, and found ourselves rising and falling on the long swell of
the open ocean.

So far, so good, and we now hove about to retrace our steps, I noticing,
as we passed in between the two ledges I have mentioned, that the rock,
instead of being of coral formation, appeared to be composed of a lava-
like substance; and I then became confirmed in an impression, which had
crossed my mind once or twice before, that this island was certainly of
volcanic origin, and that the mountain had once been the crater of an
active volcano.

And the conformation of the summit seemed also to suggest thi