r a tree growing among the moss
beds. I have learned since that it is called a 'dwarf willow.' The stem
of the tree, if such it might be called, was not larger than my little
finger; and its branches, which lay flat on the ground, were in no case
more than a foot long.

"Besides these willows, I discovered also, growing about the rocks, a
trailing plant, with very small stem, and thick, dry leaves. It had a
pretty little purple blossom on it, and was the only thing I saw that
looked as if it would burn. I can assure you that I wished hard enough
that I had some way of proving whether it would burn or not. However,
since I had discovered so many other things on this my first journey
around the island, I was not without hope that I should light upon some
way of starting a fire. So I named the plant at once 'the fire plant;'
but I have since been told by a wise doctor that I met down in Boston,
that its right name is 'Andromeda.' It is a sort of heather, like the
Scotch heather that you have all heard about, only it is as much smaller
than the Scotch heather as the dwarf willow I told you of is smaller
than the tall willow-tree that grows out there in front of the door.

"Although I had not, as I have said, discovered any natives living on
the island, yet I came back from my journey feeling less disappointed
than I would have thought. No doubt my anxiety to see how the Dean was
so occupied my mind that I did not dwell as much upon my own unhappy
condition as I otherwise would have done. In truth, I think the Dean
must have saved me from despair and death; for, if I had not felt
obliged to exert myself in his behalf, I must have sunk under the heavy
load of my misfortunes.

"When I came back to the Dean, I found that the poor boy was still
sleeping soundly,--a sort of dead, heavy sleep. At first, I thought to
arouse him; but then, again, since I found he was quite warm, I
concluded the best thing was not to disturb him. Some color had come
into his face; indeed, there was quite a flush there, and he seemed to
be a little feverish. The only thing I now feared was that his reason
might have left him; and this thought filled me with a kind of dread of
seeing him rouse up, just as every one, when he fears some great
calamity, tries to postpone the realization of it as long as possible.
So I suffered him to remain sleeping, and satisfied myself with watching
his now somewhat heavy breathing for a little while, when, growing
c