r a lifetime. Had we possessed a sail, matters might
have been different, for despite the queer model of our craft she had
proved to be an excellent sea boat, quite as good, indeed, as a boat of
the usual shape; but to be at sea in her without a sail was to be simply
at the mercy of wind and wave. I racked my brains to distraction in the
effort to evolve some practicable plan for obtaining a sail, even going
to the length of endeavouring to weave one of grass; but it was no good,
for as soon as the grass dried it became so tender and brittle that it
would never have borne the pressure of even a very moderate breeze, much
less a gale.

About a month later, when after numerous experiments I had found myself
obliged to abandon all hope in that direction, chance--or rather,
investigation in another direction--revived my hopes, and I began to
believe that I could see my way.

It was about two months from the time when we were driven out of the
wreck and compelled to commit ourselves and our fortunes to the mercy of
the open sea, and by this time our clothing had become so dilapidated
that the necessity for something to replace it was growing urgent.
Therefore, while I busied myself daily upon the task of conveying
combustible material to the summit of the Peak--as we had named the
highest point on the island--that we might be able to kindle a fire and
raise a big smoke in the event of a sail heaving in sight, and while
Julius undertook to find a daily supply of food for the party, the women
explored the island in search of some material that might be converted
into clothing.

By the merest accident they at length found what they believed might
serve. It was the inner bark of a certain tree, and consisted of long
white threads or filaments which, after being steeped in water for some
time, could be separated from each other, and which proved to be so
exceedingly tough that we were able to make excellent fishing lines of
them, and so secure a most welcome addition to our daily diet. The
threads were rather coarse, but we believed that they might be worked up
into a kind of sheeting which, while perhaps rather stiff and
uncomfortable when fashioned into garments, would make a very good sail;
and I devoted every moment of my spare time to the gathering and
preparation of the stuff, my idea being that after I had made a suit of
sails for the boat, if the others still refused to undertake a second
boat voyage, they might ag