threw myself heartily into the spirit of the search, accompanying
O'Gorman and a search-party to the islet, and actively participating in
a hunt for the two black rocks. But, after persevering for more than
three hours, it became evident that the little spot was so completely
overgrown with tangled, impenetrable jungle that but one course was open
to us, that of clearing the ground by cutting down and destroying the
network of creepers that choked up the spaces between the tree-trunks.
This proved to be a lengthy and arduous undertaking, it being necessary
to cut the undergrowth away in blocks, as it were, and then drag the
detached masses to the water's edge and tumble them overboard. But
after four days of this work, at the end of which there was very little
result to show for our labour, we found evidences of the islet having at
some previous period been cleared by means of fire, the workers having
encountered several charred and blackened tree-stumps; so we determined
to adopt a similar course, the vegetation being dry and in excellent
condition for such an experiment. Accordingly, the undergrowth was
attacked with knives and axes on the weather side of the island, and the
detached masses, instead of being hove overboard, were allowed to remain
and thoroughly dry in the sun. Then, when our accumulation of dry
brushwood seemed sufficient for our purpose, it was set alight, and in
half an hour the entire island was a blazing mass, there being just wind
enough to fan the flames and cause them to spread. In two hours the
operation was complete, the once verdant and beautiful spot having been
converted into an ugly patch of flat and fire-blackened soil, some fifty
acres in extent, with two conspicuous outcrops of black rock protruding
from the ashes and debris of the conflagration.

There was very little doubt in my mind that the two outcrops of rock
rendered visible by the destruction of the vegetation upon the islet
were those referred to by John Withicombe, and I said as much to
O'Gorman, whose impatience to test the truth of my conviction was such
that he would have had me go to work with my rods and sextant that same
afternoon; but when we attempted to land upon the islet we found that
although the ashes were black on the surface they were still a dull
glowing red in the heart of them, and so hot that they were not yet to
be stood upon, leaving out of the question the veil of acrid,
suffocating, blue smoke tha