day, when we were at the islet, perfectly stagnant and stupid.
One would not take us for the same people. Only let us always have
something to do, something to interest and busy ourselves about, and we
need not be very miserable, even on a desert island."

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

CAMPING OUT.

A DESPERATE ENGAGEMENT--JOHNNY DISCOVERS AN "OYSTER TREE"--VAGRANTS, OR
KINGS?--A SLEEPING PRESCRIPTION.

"Travellers ne'er did lie,
Though fools at home condemn them: If in Naples,
I should report this now, would they believe me?"

About sunset we went down to the beach to bathe. The trees along the
shore were occupied by immense crowds of exemplary sea-fowl, whose
regular and primitive habits of life had sent them to roost at this
early hour. Notwithstanding their webbed feet, they managed to perch
securely among the branches, many of which were so heavily freighted,
that they bent almost to the ground beneath their load.

Finding a spot where the beach shelved off gradually into deep water,
with a smooth, firm bottom, free from shells and corallines, we had a
refreshing swim. Afterwards, strolling along the shore by myself, I
found a large fish, beautifully marked with alternate black and yellow
bands, in a shallow, fenced off from the lagoon at low water, by a coral
ridge. The too eager pursuit of some of the smaller tribe of fishes,
had probably beguiled him into this trap, where he had been left by the
tide, to fall a victim, as I confidently reckoned, to his own rapacity.
All escape into deep water seemed to be pretty effectually cut off and I
looked upon him as already the captive of my bow and spear; but fearing
lest some of the others should come up to share the glory of securing so
splendid a prize, I forthwith set about effecting his actual capture.
Rolling my trowsers above my knees, I waded into the water to drive him
ashore; but I soon found that my task was not going to prove by any
means as easy as I had anticipated. My intended victim was exceedingly
vigorous and active, and as ferocious as a pike. He obstinately refused
to be driven at all, and struggled and floundered as desperately as if
he already had a vivid presentiment of the frying-pan, snapping
viciously at my fingers whenever I undertook to lay hold of him. To add
to the aggravating features of the case, he seemed to bristle all over
with an inordinate and unreasonable quantity of sharp-pointed fins and
spines, which must have been de