ht certainly improve her," answered the mate; "and if we could
obtain a sufficient amount of provisions and water, we might make a long
voyage in her, provided we were favoured with fine weather. But the
risk, I warn you, would be very great. Occasionally the seas in these
latitudes are excessively heavy and dangerous, and no improvement we
could make would enable her to stand them. We should also, as I
observed, have to carry a large supply of provisions and water, or we
might be compelled to land on a part of the coast where we should have
to encounter savages, who would probably attack and destroy us before we
had time to convince them that we came upon a peaceable errand. Or,
even should they be friendly, we have no goods with which to purchase
provisions; and from what I have heard of them, they are not likely to
supply us without payment. However, we will examine the boat, and
consider how we can enlarge her. We must first ascertain if we can
manage to cut out a sufficient number of planks and ribs; and then, if
we enlarge the boat, we shall want more sails and spars and rigging. We
shall also require casks to carry the water, and a stove for cooking;
and as we have no compass or quadrant or chart we can only make a
coasting voyage. We are also many hundred miles from Sydney in New
South Wales, which is the nearest port where we can obtain assistance.
It is my belief that we are now off the north-eastern end of New Guinea,
either on the mainland or on an island; though I suspect the latter, or
we should probably have fallen in with natives. This point we must
ascertain as soon as possible, for we should do well to avoid them, as
at the best they are a savage race, who are more likely to prove foes
than friends. Now, the first thing we have to do is to provide food for
ourselves. See, I was not idle during your absence."

The mate on this showed several contrivances for catching game. The
question was where to place them. It was first necessary to ascertain
the places frequented by the birds or beasts in the neighbourhood. Dan
had formed some traps composed of stones collected on the seashore, such
as boys in England are accustomed to set for sparrows and robins; but
the doctor very much doubted whether the birds of those regions were
likely to hop into them, as they appeared, he observed, to take their
food from the tops of the trees, and seldom descended to the ground.

"Arrah, I hope they will be a