r
spots where most of our time had been spent. We ascended the
mountain-top, and gazed for the last time at the rich green foliage in
the valleys, the white sandy beach, the placid lagoon, and the barrier
coral reef with its crested breakers. Then we descended to Spouting
Cliff, and looked down at the pale-green monster which we had made such
fruitless efforts to spear in days gone by. From this we hurried to the
Water Garden, and took a last dive into its clear waters and a last
gambol amongst its coral groves. I hurried out before my companions,
and dressed in haste, in order to have a long examination of my tank,
which Peterkin, in the fulness of his heart, had tended with the utmost
care, as being a vivid remembrancer of me rather than out of love for
natural history. It was in superb condition: the water as clear and
pellucid as crystal; the red and green seaweed of the most brilliant
hues; the red, purple, yellow, green, and striped anemones fully
expanded, and stretching out their arms as if to welcome and embrace
their former master; the starfish, zoophytes, sea-pens, and other
innumerable marine insects, looking fresh and beautiful; and the crabs,
as Peterkin said, looking as wide-awake, impertinent, rampant, and
pugnacious as ever. It was, indeed, so lovely and so interesting that I
would scarcely allow myself to be torn away from it.

Last of all, we returned to the bower and collected the few articles we
possessed--such as the axe, the pencil-case, the broken telescope, the
penknife, the hook made from the brass ring, and the sail-needle, with
which we had landed on the island; also the long boots and the pistol,
besides several curious articles of costume which we had manufactured
from time to time.

These we conveyed on board in our little boat, after having carved our
names on a chip of iron-wood, thus:

JACK MARTIN
RALPH ROVER
PETERKIN GAY

This we fixed up inside of the bower. The boat was then hoisted on
board and the anchor weighed, which latter operation cost us great
labour and much time, as the anchor was so heavy that we could not move
it without the aid of my complex machinery of blocks and pulleys. A
steady breeze was blowing off-shore when we set sail, at a little before
sunset. It swept us quickly past the reef and out to sea. The shore
grew rapidly more indistinct as the shades of evening f