the proposed shape of the stem and stern.
His chief doubt was about the length. He finally settled to make the
canoe thirty feet long. The tree was upwards of four feet in diameter.
He proposed to make the gunwale two feet above this by raising it all
round, and he thus hoped to get a craft of sufficient beam to carry
cargo and go through a considerable amount of sea. He had the whole
plan more clearly defined in his own mind than he could have designed it
on paper. His first business was to chop off the bark and to saw the
two ends even; then to level one side of the tree, cutting off rather
more than one-third. On the level thus formed, he drew a line from one
end to the other, carefully measuring it so that both sides might be
equal. He next marked off from his drawing the shape of the bow and
stern. By the time these operations were completed it was again night.
He determined that nothing except what was absolutely necessary should
stop him until he could finish it. He intended to fix on a keel and
stern, so that the boat might carry sail. While on board the _Wolf_, he
had often heard the warrant officers discuss the best form of boat. The
carpenter described the canoes in those seas with outriggers, which
would prevent them upsetting. Dick had comprehended the object of
these; indeed, the carpenter had shown him some prints in Captain Cook's
voyages, which enabled him still better to understand the use of such
contrivances. Though Dick was highly proud of his proposed craft, he
was fully sensible of the importance of procuring food.

Next morning when he went to his traps, he found that no birds had been
taken. He concluded that, seeing so many of their companions caught,
the rest had become wary, but he saw many others of different species,
which he hoped either to trap or shoot. To do this he must manufacture
his proposed crossbow. Without loss of time, taking an axe and saw with
him, he set out in search of the necessary wood, for none of that from
the wreck was likely to answer the purpose. He went on through the
broad valley, until he arrived at the smaller one, in which was the
spring whence Lord Reginald procured his supply of water. He looked
out, but could see nothing of either the young lord or his dog. As he
passed through the wood, he observed several birds; they had large feet
and long curved claws, and were about the size of a small barn-door
fowl. Their plumage was mostly of a dark