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There
were
one
or
two
observations
that
we
made
,
however
,
and
these
were
as
follows
:
We
saw
that
,
while
many
of
the
large
fruit-bearing
trees
grew
only
in
the
valleys
,
and
some
of
them
only
near
the
banks
of
the
streams
,
where
the
soil
was
peculiarly
rich
,
the
cocoa-nut
palm
grew
in
every
place
whatsoever
--
not
only
on
the
hillsides
,
but
also
on
the
seashore
,
and
even
,
as
has
been
already
stated
,
on
the
coral
reef
itself
,
where
the
soil
,
if
we
may
use
the
name
,
was
nothing
better
than
loose
sand
mingled
with
broken
shells
and
coral
rock
.
So
near
to
the
sea
,
too
,
did
this
useful
tree
grow
,
that
in
many
places
its
roots
were
washed
by
the
spray
from
the
breakers
.
Yet
we
found
the
trees
growing
thus
on
the
sands
to
be
quite
as
luxuriant
as
those
growing
in
the
valleys
,
and
the
fruit
as
good
and
refreshing
also
.
Besides
this
,
I
noticed
that
on
the
summit
of
the
high
mountain
,
which
we
once
more
ascended
at
a
different
point
from
our
first
ascent
,
were
found
abundance
of
shells
and
broken
coral
formations
,
which
,
Jack
and
I
agreed
,
proved
either
that
this
island
must
have
once
been
under
the
sea
,
or
that
the
sea
must
once
have
been
above
the
island
:
in
other
words
,
that
as
shells
and
coral
could
not
possibly
climb
to
the
mountain-top
,
they
must
have
been
washed
upon
it
while
the
mountain-top
was
on
a
level
with
the
sea
.
We
pondered
this
very
much
;
and
we
put
to
ourselves
the
question
,
"
What
raised
the
island
to
its
present
height
above
the
sea
?
"
But
to
this
we
could
by
no
means
give
to
ourselves
a
satisfactory
reply
.
Jack
thought
it
might
have
been
blown
up
by
a
volcano
;
and
Peterkin
said
he
thought
it
must
have
jumped
up
of
its
own
accord
!
We
also
noticed
,
what
had
escaped
us
before
,
that
the
solid
rocks
of
which
the
island
was
formed
were
quite
different
from
the
live
coral
rocks
on
the
shore
,
where
,
the
wonderful
little
insects
were
continually
working
.
They
seemed
,
indeed
,
to
be
of
the
same
material
--
a
substance
like
limestone
;
but
while
the
coral
rocks
were
quite
full
of
minute
cells
in
which
the
insects
lived
,
the
other
rocks
inland
were
hard
and
solid
,
without
the
appearance
of
cells
at
all
.
Our
thoughts
and
conversations
on
this
subject
were
sometimes
so
profound
that
Peterkin
said
we
should
certainly
get
drowned
in
them
at
last
,
even
although
we
were
such
good
divers
!
Nevertheless
,
we
did
not
allow
his
pleasantry
on
this
and
similar
points
to
deter
us
from
making
our
notes
and
observations
as
we
went
along
.
We
found
several
more
droves
of
hogs
in
the
woods
,
but
abstained
from
killing
any
of
them
,
having
more
than
sufficient
for
our
present
necessities
.
We
saw
,
also
,
many
of
their
footprints
in
this
neighbourhood
.
Among
these
we
also
observed
the
footprints
of
a
smaller
animal
,
which
we
examined
with
much
care
,
but
could
form
no
certain
opinion
as
to
them
.
Peterkin
thought
they
were
those
of
a
little
dog
,
but
Jack
and
I
thought
differently
.
We
became
very
curious
on
this
matter
,
the
more
so
that
we
observed
these
footprints
to
lie
scattered
about
in
one
locality
,
as
if
the
animal
which
had
made
them
was
wandering
round
about
in
a
very
irregular
manner
and
without
any
object
in
view
.
Early
in
the
forenoon
of
our
third
day
we
observed
these
footprints
to
be
much
more
numerous
than
ever
,
and
in
one
particular
spot
they
diverged
off
into
the
woods
in
a
regular
beaten
track
,
which
was
,
however
,
so
closely
beset
with
bushes
that
we
pushed
through
it
with
difficulty
.
We
had
now
become
so
anxious
to
find
out
what
animal
this
was
,
and
where
it
went
to
,
that
we
determined
to
follow
the
track
and
,
if
possible
,
clear
up
the
mystery
.
Peterkin
said
,
in
a
bantering
tone
,
that
he
was
sure
it
would
be
cleared
up
,
as
usual
,
in
some
frightfully
simple
way
,
and
prove
to
be
no
mystery
at
all
!
The
beaten
track
seemed
much
too
large
to
have
been
formed
by
the
animal
itself
,
and
we
concluded
that
some
larger
animal
had
made
it
,
and
that
the
smaller
one
made
use
of
it
.
But
everywhere
the
creeping
plants
and
tangled
bushes
crossed
our
path
,
so
that
we
forced
our
way
along
with
some
difficulty
.
Suddenly
,
as
we
came
upon
an
open
space
,
we
heard
a
faint
cry
,
and
observed
a
black
animal
standing
in
the
track
before
us
.
"
A
wild
cat
!
"
cried
Jack
,
fitting
an
arrow
to
his
bow
,
and
discharging
it
so
hastily
that
he
missed
the
animal
,
and
hit
the
earth
about
half-a-foot
to
one
side
of
it
.
To
our
surprise
,
the
wild
cat
did
not
fly
,
but
walked
slowly
towards
the
arrow
and
snuffed
at
it
.
"
That
's
the
most
comical
wild
cat
I
ever
saw
!
"
cried
Jack
.
"
It
's
a
tame
wild
cat
,
I
think
,
"
said
Peterkin
,
levelling
his
spear
to
make
a
charge
.
"
Stop
!
"
cried
I
,
laying
my
hand
on
his
shoulder
.
"
I
do
believe
the
poor
beast
is
blind
.
See
,
it
strikes
against
the
branches
as
it
walks
along
.
It
must
be
a
very
old
one
;
"
and
I
hastened
towards
it
.
