y fish so close in that, just as it
was in the act of dashing off again, a couple of spears transfixed it,
and it was drawn over the side amidst a shout of triumph.

Mr Ebony, who was the most excited of all, patting me on the shoulders
and shaking hands most eagerly with one of the savages, took out the
hook, the line was thrown over again, and I had time to examine my
prize, a splendid fish, flashing with glorious colours in the morning
light. It was over a yard long, and very thick and round, while its
glistening scales were as big as shillings at the very least; in fact I
don't think I should exaggerate if I said that some in the centre rows
were as large as two-shilling pieces, fluted and gilded, and some tinged
with orange and glistening scarlet and green.

So great was the delight of all on board that they began to dance and
sing with such vigour that the canoe rocked about, and one man went head
over heels out into the sea.

I was horrified as I saw him disappear, but he was up again, grinning
hugely, and slipped in over the side of the canoe like a great black
eel, giving himself a shake to send the water out of his mop of hair,
and then sitting down to watch us fish.

For quite half an hour now we caught nothing, but it did not seem to
matter, for there was so much to look at as the glorious sun rose over
the sea, turning it into orange and gold; while, when I was tired of
that, the beauty of the trees and mountains on the island, with the
endless changes of light and shade, made my heart beat with pleasure as
I thought of what a lovely home these savages possessed, and it seemed
to explain to me why it was that they were all so childlike and happy.

I caught another fish then of seven or eight pounds weight, different to
the others, and Mr Ebony caught seven or eight quickly one after the
other, I suppose out of a shoal, and then, laughing and chattering once
again, the anchor, which proved to be a curious elbow, evidently the
root of a tree, sharped at its points and weighted with a lump of coral,
was hauled up, placed in the stern of the canoe, and we turned for the
shore.

"What a morning for a bathe!" I thought, as we drew nearer; and
starting up in the canoe when we were about a quarter of a mile from the
land, I began to take off my things, meaning to swim ashore, where we
were within a couple of hundred yards; but Mr Ebony stopped me, saying
something I could not understand of course.

"I'm g