r sharp
screams or hoarse coughs, but a kind of jabbering jargon, as if the apes
were engaged in a family confabulation.

The swimmers at length arrived so near, that they no longer felt any
fear about finding the way to the place where the reunion of the
_quadrumana_ was being held; and which could not be more than a hundred
yards distant.

Silently gliding through the water, the eyes of both peered intently
forward, in an endeavour to pierce the obscurity, and, if possible,
discover some low limb of a tree, or projecting buttress, on which they
might find a foothold. They had good hope of success, for they had seen
many such since starting from the shore. Had rest been necessary, they
might have obtained it more than once by grasping a branch above, or
clinging to one of the great trunks, whose gnarled and knotted sides
would have afforded sufficient support.

But they were both strong swimmers, and needed no rest. There was none
for the bereaved father--could be none--till he should reach the
termination of their strange enterprise, and know what was to be its
result.

As they swam onward, now proceeding with increased caution, their eyes
scanning the dark surface before them, both all of a sudden and
simultaneously came to a stop. It was just as if something underneath
the water had laid hold of them by the legs, checking them at the same
instant of time.

And something _had_ impeded their farther progress, but not from behind.
In front was the obstruction, which proved to be a bank of earth, that,
though under the water, rose within a few inches of its surface. The
breast of each swimmer had struck against it, the shock raising them
into a half-erect attitude, from which they had no need to return to the
horizontal. On the contrary, they now rose upon their feet, which they
felt to be resting on a firm hard bottom.

Standing in pleased surprise, they could better survey the prospect
before them; and after a minute spent in gazing through the gloom, they
saw that dry land was close to the spot where they had been so abruptly
arrested.

It appeared only a low-lying islet, scarce rising above the level of the
lagoon, and of limited extent--only a few rods in superficial area. It
was thickly covered with trees; but, unlike those standing in the water,
which were tall and with single stems, those upon the islet were
supported by many trunks, proclaiming them to be some species of the
Indian fig or _bany