wered to the description given by Arthur Pym. It rose upon a
rocky base of about a league in circumference, and was so arid that
no vegetation existed on its surface.

"Mr. Jeorling," said Captain Len Guy, "do you observe a
promontory in the direction of the north-east?"

"I observe it, captain."

"Is it not formed of heaped-up rocks which look like giant bales
of cotton?"

"That is so, and just what the narrative describes."

"Then all we have to do is to land on the promontory, Mr. leoding.
Who knows but we may come across some vestige of the crew of the
fane, supposing them to have succeeded in escaping from Tsalal
Island."

The speaker was devouring the islet with his eyes. What must his
thoughts, his desires, his impatience have been! But there was a man
whose gaze was set upon the same point even more fixedly; that man
was Hunt.

Before we left the _Halbrane_ Len Guy enjoined the most minute and
careful watchfulness upon his lieutenant. This was a charge which
West did not need. Our exploration would take only half a day at
most. If the boat had not returned in the afternoon a second was to
be sent in search of us.

"Look sharp also after our recruits," added the captain.

"Don't be uneasy, captain," replied the lieutenant. "Indeed,
since you want four men at the oars you had better take them from
among the new ones. That will leave four less troublesome fellows on
board."

This was a good idea, for, under the deplorable influence of Hearne,
the discontent of his shipmates from the Falklands was on the
increase. The boat being ready, four of the new crew took their
places forward, while Hunt, at his own request, was steersman.
Captain Len Guy, the boatswain and myself, all well armed, seated
ourselves aft, and we started for the northern point of the islet.
In the course of an hour we had doubled the promontory, and come in
sight of the little bay whose shores the boats of the fane had
touched.

Hunt steered for this bay, gliding with remarkable skill between the
rocky points which stuck up here and there. One would have thought
he knew his way among them.

We disembarked on a stony coast. The stones were covered with sparse
lichen. The tide was already ebbing, leaving uncovered the sandy
bottom of a sort of beach strewn with black blocks, resembling big
nail-heads.

Two men were left in charge of the boat while we landed amid the
rocks, and, accompanied by the other two, Captain Len Guy, the