alm and other trees growing
on it. I eagerly looked out for the sago-palm, remembering that it was
in a grove of one of these trees we had found water on our island. We
searched and searched in vain. Already our tongues were clinging to the
roofs of our mouths. The birds had soon grown putrid, so that many
hours had passed since we had moistened our lips. I felt ready to drop,
and Ali also was almost overcome. We eagerly chewed the leaves of
trees, but they gave us no relief. Oh, how delightful would have been
the sound of a bubbling fountain! No sago-trees, no sign of water could
we discover. I found my knees shaking, my strength leaving me. At
length I could no longer stand. I leant against the trunk of a tall
tree, and gradually sank down to the ground. I began to dread that
death would overtake me, and what a fearful death! I had read of such,
but never supposed that I should realise it myself. Ali cast a look at
me. He could do nothing to help me. He was going to desert me, I
thought. My voice was failing. I tried to call him back, but I could
no longer articulate, and a dreamy, half-conscious state of feeling came
over me. "I shall thus sink calmly into death," I thought. I tried to
pray, I tried to collect my thoughts, but in vain. How long I thus
continued I know not, when I heard a voice shouting. It was Ali's. I
opened my eyes, and saw that he was running towards a tall tree. At
last I saw him ascend the trunk. It seemed wonderful how he could get
up. Presently I heard something drop. It was a bunch of cocoa-nuts;
another and another followed. I tried to crawl towards them, but had no
strength to move. Ali descended the tree. He seized a cocoa-nut, broke
it open, and drank the contents. Once more I tried to cry out. Then I
saw him running towards me. Oh, how delicious was the draught which he
poured down my throat! In a few seconds I felt like another being. My
strength returned. I sat up and eagerly clutched another cocoa-nut
which he handed me. In a wonderfully short time I felt perfectly
recovered.

We hunted about, but could find very few more trees. We should soon, we
knew, consume the young fruit. We remained, however, on the island all
the day, and as we wandered along the beach, we came to some soft hot
sand, in which we discovered a number of turtles' eggs. We had now
sufficient to support life, but I well knew that our provisions would
not last long, and that w