his then agreed with the recent
period at which we placed the earthquake. Besides, plants and tufts
of flowers were growing here and there.

"And these are this year's," I cried, "no southern winter
has passed over them."

These facts having been ascertained, no doubt could remain
respecting the date of the cataclysm after the departure of
Patterson. The destruction of the population of Tsalal whose bones
lay about the village was not attributable to that catastrophe.
William Guy and the five sailors of the _Jane_ had been able to fly in
time, since no bones that could be theirs had been found on the
island.

Where had they taken refuge? This was the everpressing question.
What answer were we to obtain? Must we conclude that having reached
one of these islets they had perished in the swallowing-up of the
archipelago? We debated this point, as may be supposed, at a length
and with detail which I can only indicate here. Suffice it to say
that a decision was arrived at to the following effect. Our sole
chance of discovering the unfortunate castaways was to continue our
voyage for two or three parallels farther; the goal was there, and
which of us would not sacrifice even his life to attain it?

"God is guiding us, Mr. Jeorling," said Captain Len Guy.

CHAPTER XVIII.
A REVELATION.

The following day, the 29th of December, at six in the morning, the
schooner set sail with a north-east wind, and this time her course
was due south. The two succeeding days passed wholly without
incident; neither land nor any sign of land was observed. The men on
the Halbrahe took great hauls of fish, to their own satisfaction and
ours. It was New Year's Day, 1840, four months and seventeen days
since I had left the Kerguelens and two months and five days since
the Halbrahe had sailed from the Falklands. The half-breed, between
whom and myself an odd kind of tacit understanding subsisted,
approached the bench on which I was sitting--the captain was in his
cabin, and West was not in sight--with a plain intention of
conversing with me. The subject may easily be guessed.

"Dirk Peters," said I, taking up the subject at once, "do you
wish that we should talk of _him_?"

"Him?" he murmured.

"You have remained faithful to his memory, Dirk Peters."

"Forget him, sir! Never!"

"He is always there--before you?"

"Always! So many dangers shared! That makes brothers! No, it makes
a father and his son! Yes! And I have seen America a