ot be less than twenty feet.

As for the height to which its vault extended, the gloom prevented even
an estimate. For not a ray of light found its way through the bark wall.
Neither cleft nor fault was there through which the wind or rain could
come. Our two Crusoes would therein find themselves in a position to
brave with impunity the inclemency of the weather. No cave could be
firmer, or drier, or compacter. In truth it would have been difficult to
have anywhere found a better.

"Eh, Tartlet, what do you think of our natural house?" asked Godfrey.

"Yes, but the chimney?" answered Tartlet.

"Before we talk about the chimney," replied Godfrey, "let us wait till
we have got the fire!"

This was only logical.

Godfrey went to reconnoitre the neighbourhood. As we have said, the
prairie extended to this enormous mass of sequoias which formed its
edge. The small stream meandering through the grassy carpet gave a
healthy freshness to its borders, and thereon grew shrubs of different
kinds; myrtles, mastic bushes, and among others a quantity of
manzanillas, which gave promise of a large crop of their wild apples.

Farther off, on ground that grew gradually higher, were scattered
several clumps of trees, made up of oaks and beeches, sycamores and
nettle-trees, but trees of great stature as they were, they seemed but
simple underwood by the side of the "mammoths," whose huge shadows the
sun was throwing even into the sea. Across the prairie lay minor lines
of bushes, and vegetable clumps and verdant thickets, which Godfrey
resolved to investigate on the following day.

If the site pleased him, it did not displease the domestic animals.
Agouties, goats, and sheep had soon taken possession of this domain,
which offered them roots to nibble at, and grass to browse on far beyond
their needs. As for the fowls they were greedily pecking away at the
seeds and worms in the banks of the rivulet. Animal life was already
manifesting itself in such goings and comings, such flights and gambols,
such bleatings and gruntings and cluckings as had doubtless never been
heard of in these parts before.

Then Godfrey returned to the clump of sequoias, and made a more
attentive examination of the tree in which he had chosen to take up his
abode. It appeared to him that it would be difficult, if not impossible,
to climb into the first branches, at least by the exterior; for the
trunk presented no protuberances. Inside it the ascent might b