the brook, and wrapping them in parcels of leaves, he
hoisted them into the roof of the grove-tree, and secured them there.

Morton surveyed these preparations with a grave smile, and none of us, I
think, placed much reliance on their efficacy. We trusted that there
would be no occasion to resort to them.

The supply of provisions which we had brought with us was exhausted, but
the painful suspense, and constant apprehension incident to our present
circumstances, long prevented any thought of hunger. It was not until
the day had passed without any alarm, and it was beginning to grow dark,
that we experienced any inclination to eat. Arthur and I then went in
search of food, but could obtain none, except a quantity of pandanus
cones which we gathered from a group of trees near the waterfall. The
kernels of these were the only food that any of us tasted that day.

At night, it was deemed best to keep a watch, in order to guard against
any surprise. As we made our arrangements for this purpose, my thoughts
reverted to the time of our sufferings at sea in the boat. But in our
present position, sought and pursued by malignant human beings, bent
upon taking our lives, and who might at that moment be prowling near,
there was something more fearful than any peril from the elements, or
even the dread of starvation itself.

But the night passed without disturbance or alarm of any kind, and in
the morning we began to indulge the hope that Arthur had overrated the
strength of the feelings by which Atollo was actuated, and to shake off
in some degree the profound depression of the preceding evening.

With the abatement of our fears and the partial return of tranquillity
of mind, we became more sensible to the demands of hunger. Max and
Morton ventured a little way into the adjoining forest in search of
birds, and returned in less than half an hour with about a dozen
pigeons, which they had knocked down with sticks and stones. Arthur had
in the meantime caught quite a string of the yellow fish which had so
perseveringly rejected all Max's overtures a couple of days since.
Morton then kindled a fire to cook our food, though we felt some
hesitation about this, being aware that the smoke might betray us to the
savages, if they should happen to be at the time in the neighbourhood.
But Max declared that falling into their hands was a fate preferable to
starvation, and that rather than eat raw fish and birds, he would incur
the