ff to the bottom, as it appeared from the basin to do,
it was arrested at several points in its fall, by which the force of the
descending water was so much broken that I thought we might safely
venture to place ourselves beneath it, and thus obtain a most
magnificent shower-bath.

The rock upon which it fell had gradually been hollowed away by the
action of the descending water, and presented the appearance of a
gigantic shallow bowl, of nearly thirty feet in diameter, brim-full of
the purest crystal water, which gushed away over the western or lower
edge into the sea. The depth varied regularly from a few inches round
the edge to about three feet immediately under the cascade, and the
whole formed a most princely bath.

We lost no time in stripping and plunging in, when, after indulging in a
thorough ablution, I ventured upon the shower experiment. The shock was
tremendous, and as much as ever I could bear; but its after effects were
delicious. I felt braced and strengthened, refreshed, and ready for
anything; but more especially for a good breakfast, which of course we
found awaiting us in due course when we returned to the cutter.

As soon as the meal was over Ella packed up the washing she was so
anxious about, and I put her and Bob ashore, the latter trudging happily
along by the side of his light-hearted companion, and bearing her bundle
on his shoulder. I then returned to the cutter, hove up the anchor, and
ran her in under her jib, until she gently took the ground, when I set
about mooring her stem and stern to the beach with warps made fast to
stakes firmly driven into the sand.

Bob soon returned, and we then unbent the mainsail, struck the topmast,
cast adrift the boom and gaff, and ran in the bowsprit and unrigged it;
and, then, transporting these spars and all our sails to the beach, we
rigged up a couple of small but comfortable enough tents, into which we
transferred our several belongings, and such necessaries as we expected
we should require during our short experiment in camp life. We at the
same time availed ourselves of so fine an opportunity as was now
afforded us, to thoroughly air our spare suit of sails.

It took up the entire day to clear the cutter of everything, ballast
included; and, even then, we were compelled to leave our large water-
tank on board, from sheer inability to get it out of the craft without
breaking up her deck, which, of course, we could not think of doing.

We s