They had to wander some time before a suitable camping spot was found,
for that part of the Newfoundland coast on which they had been landed
was almost inaccessible. The cliffs in many places rose sheer out of
the water to a height of full three hundred feet. Only in a few places
little strips of shingly beach lay between the base of the cliffs and
the sea, so that the finding of an opening in those stupendous ramparts
of rock was no easy matter in a dark night.

At last they came to a place where the cliffs appeared to rise less
precipitously. After careful clambering for some minutes they
discovered a sort of gap in the rampart, up which they climbed, amid
rugged and broken masses, until they reached a somewhat level plateau,
or shelf, covered with small bushes. Here they resolved to encamp.

"Whether it's the top o' the cliffs or not, there's no findin' out,"
remarked Trench, as he tried to survey the ground; "but whether or not
don't matter, for it looks level enough to lie on, an' we're as like as
not to break our necks if we try to go further."

"Agreed," said Paul; "but now it occurs to me that our pork may be raw,
and that we shall want fire to cook it. Have you got flint and steel in
your pocket, Master Trench?"

"Ay--never travel without it; but by ill-luck I've got no tinder. Flint
and steel are useless, you know, without that."

"If ill-luck troubles _you_," returned Paul, "good luck favours _me_,
for I have got a bit of tinder, and--"

"The pork's raw," exclaimed Oliver, who had been hastily investigating
the contents of the canvas bag; "but, I say, there's more than pork
here. There's a lot o' the little flour-cakes our cook was so fond of
makin'."

"Good. Now then let us have a search for wood," said Paul. "If we find
that, we shall get along well enough till morning. But have a care,
Olly, keep from the edge of the cliff. The ledge is not broad. Have an
eye too, or rather an ear, for water as you go along."

Success attended their search, for in a few minutes Paul and the captain
returned with loads of dry branches, and Olly came back reporting water
close at hand, trickling from a crevice in the cliffs.

"Your shirt-front tells the tale, Olly. You've been drinking," said
Paul, who was busy striking a light at the time.

"Indeed I have; and we shall all be obliged to drink under difficulties,
for we have neither cup nor mug with us."

"Neither is wanted, boy, as I'll soon show