ng on the trees!"

Peterkin, as usual, was jesting; nevertheless, it is a curious fact that
he spoke almost the literal truth. "Moreover," continued Jack, "the
bread-fruit tree affords a capital gum, which serves the natives for
pitching their canoes; the bark of the young branches is made by them
into cloth; and of the wood, which is durable and of a good colour, they
build their houses. So you see, lads, that we have no lack of material
here to make us comfortable, if we are only clever enough to use it."

"But are you sure that that's it?" asked Peterkin.

"Quite sure," replied Jack; "for I was particularly interested in the
account I once read of it, and I remember the description well. I am
sorry, however, that I have forgotten the descriptions of many other
trees which I am sure we have seen to-day, if we could but recognise
them. So you see, Peterkin, I'm not up to everything yet."

"Never mind, Jack," said Peterkin, with a grave, patronizing expression
of countenance, patting his tall companion on the shoulder,--"never mind,
Jack; you know a good deal for your age. You're a clever boy, sir,--a
promising young man; and if you only go on as you have begun, sir, you
will--"

The end of this speech was suddenly cut short by Jack tripping up
Peterkin's heels and tumbling him into a mass of thick shrubs, where,
finding himself comfortable, he lay still basking in the sunshine, while
Jack and I examined the bread-tree.

We were much struck with the deep, rich green colour of its broad leaves,
which were twelve or eighteen inches long, deeply indented, and of a
glossy smoothness, like the laurel. The fruit, with which it was loaded,
was nearly round, and appeared to be about six inches in diameter, with a
rough rind, marked with lozenge-shaped divisions. It was of various
colours, from light pea-green to brown and rich yellow. Jack said that
the yellow was the ripe fruit. We afterwards found that most of the
fruit-trees on the island were evergreens, and that we might, when we
wished, pluck the blossom and the ripe fruit from the same tree. Such a
wonderful difference from the trees of our own country surprised us not a
little. The bark of the tree was rough and light-coloured; the trunk was
about two feet in diameter, and it appeared to be twenty feet high, being
quite destitute of branches up to that height, where it branched off into
a beautiful and umbrageous head. We noticed that the fruit hung in