he
breasts of others, only those sensations of animal enjoyment which man
shares in common with the brutes.

"Lower away the boat there," said Fletcher Christian, coming on deck
with a more cheerful air than he had worn since the day of the mutiny;
"we shall row round the island and search for a landing-place. You will
take charge, Mr Young, during my absence. Put muskets and ammunition
into the boat, John Adams; the place may be inhabited--there's no
saying--and South Sea savages are not a hospitable race as a rule. Now
then, look sharp, lads."

In a few minutes, Adams, Martin, McCoy, Brown, and Quintal were in the
boat, with two of the Otaheitan men.

"Won't you take cutlasses?" asked Young, looking over the side.

"Well, yes, hand down half-a-dozen; and don't go far from this end of
the island, Mr Young. Just keep dodging off and on."

"Ay, ay, sir," said the middy, touching his cap from the mere force of
habit.

"Shove off," said Christian, seating himself at the helm.

In a few minutes the boat was skimming over the calm water towards the
shore, while the _Bounty_, wearing round, went slowly out to sea.

As the boat neared the shore it soon became evident that it would be
extremely difficult to effect a landing. Nothing could be seen but high
precipitous cliffs without any sign of a harbour or creek sufficiently
large or safe to afford anchorage for the ship. Worst of all, the only
spot that seemed to offer any prospect of a landing-place, even for a
boat, was guarded by tremendous breakers that seemed to bid defiance to
man's feeble powers. These great waves, or rollers, were not the result
of storm or wind, but of the mere ocean-swell of the great Pacific,
which undulates over her broad breast even when becalmed. No signs of
the coming waves were visible more than a few hundred yards from the
shore. There, each roller gradually and silently arose when the
undulating motion of the sea caught the bottom. A little farther in it
assumed the form of a magnificent green wall of liquid glass, which
became more and more vast and perpendicular as it rolled on, until it
curled over and rushed with a mighty roar and a snowy crest towards the
beach. There it dashed itself in tumultuous foam among the rocks.

"Give way, lads," said Christian, sitting down after a prolonged gaze at
this scene; "we may find a better spot farther on."

As they proceeded they were received with wild and plaintive cries by
i