n the tiny flame, and it was instantly in a
blaze.

"Bravo!" shouted Max, "that's what I consider a decided triumph of
heathenism over civilisation, and the story-books."

Morton now seized the sticks again, and imitating Eiulo's method of
proceeding, succeeded in kindling them, though it took him a
considerable time to do it: thus it was satisfactorily established, by
actual experiment, that we could obtain a fire whenever we should want
one.

The question was now raised, whether we should continue our exploration
further that day, or remain where we were until the following morning;
and as the heat was still very oppressive, and we were sufficiently
tired already, the latter course was unanimously determined upon.

Johnny liked the spot which we occupied so well, that he proposed
"building a hut" upon it, and making it our head-quarters, as long as we
should have to stay on the island. It was certainly a pleasant site;
and, commanding as it did a wide view of the ocean, vessels could be
descried at a greater distance, and signalled with a surer prospect of
attracting notice, than from any other locality yet known to us. From
the wooded summit, the land descended on every side--towards the shore
in a series of terraces--towards the interior in one smooth and
continuous slope, after which it again rose in a succession of densely
wooded eminences, irregular and picturesque in their outlines, and each
higher than the last as you proceeded inland; the farthest of them
towering up in strong relief against the south-eastern sky. The various
shades of the masses of different kinds of foliage, with which these
heights were clothed, from that of the pale-leaved candle-nut, to the
sombre green of the bread-fruit groves, contributed greatly to the
pleasing effect of the landscape. On the right, as you looked towards
the ocean, lay the flat tract, occupied by the sea-fowl, and which
Johnny had named after them. At nearly an equal distance on the left,
the line of the beach was broken, by what appeared to be a small grove,
or clump of trees, detached from the main forest, and planted directly
on the line of the shore.

As we had concluded to suspend our explorations until the next day,
every one was left to his own resources for the remainder of the
afternoon. Johnny having set Morton at work, to make him a bow, "to
shoot birds with," began to occupy himself in the very important task of
finding an appropriate name for