ond the range of my vision. Then the trees upon it
seemed to number some hundreds of thousands, a very fair proportion of
which appeared to be of large size, and the timber of which would
probably be found useful for a multiplicity of purposes. It was a
veritable garden of flowers of the most varied and beautiful shapes and
hues; butterflies of enormous size and the most gorgeous colours flitted
here and there; bees hovered over the multitudinous blossoms, busily
engaged in collecting their store of honey; many birds were seen, some
of then of marvellously beautiful plumage; while, as to fruit, wild
strawberries and raspberries flourished in profusion even upon the
headland on which I was standing, and which boasted no other vegetation
than grass and low bushes. The shores of the basin offered an
absolutely ideal site for a town, although the ground there might
perhaps be considered rather low; and for my own part I practically made
up my mind that, while I would stick to the ship as long as I might be
permitted to do so, if I were compelled to remain on the island for any
length of time I would endeavour to secure a plot of land on the weather
side of the island, and about halfway up the side of the mountain.

One of the most remarkable facts connected with the island, that served
to confirm me in the conviction that it was uninhabited, was the
extraordinary and absolute fearlessness of man which the birds and other
living things exhibited. They flitted about us, and settled within
reach of our hands, and numbers of them might have been captured had I
permitted it; but I pointed out to the men who accompanied me the
absolute uselessness as well as cruelty of such a proceeding, and
contrived to convince them that a great deal more pleasure was to be
derived from the sight of these beautiful creatures, alive and flying
about in perfect freedom and fearlessness, than from the possession of a
few of their dead and stuffed skins.

Having at length learned as much as was possible in such a brief visit
to this island paradise, and having also fully made up my mind as to the
precise spot in the basin where the _Mercury_ should be moored, I
summoned my boat's crew to follow me, and, descending to the beach, got
into our boat and pulled back to the ship, just in time for dinner.

Polson being ashore with the explorers, the cabin party at dinner
consisted only of Miss Hartley, Tudsbery, and myself; and it was only
natural t