and, I must add,
frightful-looking spear over his shoulder, we could not prevail on him
to leave his club behind; "for," said he, "a spear at close quarters is
not worth a button." I must say that it seemed to me that the club was,
to use his own style of language, not worth a button-hole; for it was
all knotted over at the head, something like the club which I remember
to have observed in picture-books of Jack the Giant-killer, besides
being so heavy that he required to grasp it with both hands in order to
wield it at all. However, he took it with him, and in this manner we
set out upon our travels.

We did not consider it necessary to carry any food with us, as we knew
that wherever we went we should be certain to fall in with cocoa-nut
trees--having which we were amply supplied, as Peterkin said, with meat
and drink and pocket-handkerchiefs! I took the precaution, however, to
put the burning-glass into my pocket lest we should want fire.

The morning was exceedingly lovely. It was one of that very still and
peaceful sort which made the few noises that we heard seem to be quiet
noises (I know no other way of expressing this idea)--noises which, so
far from interrupting the universal tranquillity of earth, sea, and sky,
rather tended to reveal to us how quiet the world round us really was.
Such sounds as I refer to were the peculiar, melancholy--yet, it seemed
to me, cheerful--plaint of sea-birds floating on the glassy waters or
sailing in the sky; also the subdued twittering of little birds among
the bushes, the faint ripples on the beach, and the solemn boom of the
surf upon the distant coral reef. We felt very glad in our hearts as we
walked along the sands, side by side. For my part, I felt so deeply
overjoyed that I was surprised at my own sensations, and fell into a
reverie upon the causes of happiness. I came to the conclusion that a
state of profound peace and repose, both in regard to outward objects
and within the soul, is the happiest condition in which man can be
placed; for although I had many a time been most joyful and happy when
engaged in bustling, energetic, active pursuits or amusements, I never
found that such joy or satisfaction was so deep or so pleasant to
reflect upon as that which I now experienced. And I was the more
confirmed in this opinion when I observed--and, indeed, as told by
himself--that Peterkin's happiness was also very great; yet he did not
express this by dancing, as was