does
throughout the greater portion of the American continent, whatever may
be the latitude.

By this time my uncle had almost recovered from his wound, and Oliver
and the Malay were much better and able to move about. Both my uncle
and Mr Hooker could converse with the Malay. They found him a very
intelligent fellow. He told them that his name was Ali, that he had
followed various occupations, but that, having gambled away all his
property, he had as a last resource taken to piracy. Among other
things, he had been a bee-hunter, and seemed to possess a great
knowledge of those wonderful insects. He boasted also of his skill as a
fisherman. Constantly listening to us as we talked, he soon began to
pick up a great many words of English. He was thus able to understand
things said to him, though he could not make any very clear reply.

Mr Thudicumb now once more urged the importance of commencing our
proposed vessel. I rather think that the two naturalists were in no
hurry to get away from the island, as they were both of them anxious to
replace the objects of natural history which had been destroyed by the
pirates. However, they could not refuse to comply with Mr Thudicumb's
request, and we therefore set forth with tools to the bay where we had
collected the materials, which, it will be remembered, we called Hope
Harbour. Fortunately, the pirates had not discovered it, or they would
probably have burned our wood. The timber and planks which had been
brought on shore did not appear very promising; at first, indeed, I
thought it would be impossible to make a vessel out of them.

"Perseverance will overcome difficulties," observed Mr Thudicumb.
"Never fear, Walter. With our axes and saws we shall be able in time to
smooth away these planks and fit the ribs to the new craft. However,
the first thing to be done is to get the keel laid, and for that purpose
we must have one of the longest and straightest trees we can find."

There was a clear road from the bay up into the interior, and while one
party prepared the spot where the vessel was to be built, levelling the
ground, and fixing logs on which the keel was to be placed, under Mr
Thudicumb's directions another started to select the timber. We were
not long before we came to a tall tree, fully eighty feet in height, and
as straight as an arrow.

"That will do admirably for us," said Mr Thudicumb; "for though our
vessel must not be so long, we shall require