So glorious was the scene, as the light wreaths of mist above the purple rolled away, that the terrible awakening from sleep was forgotten, and a spirit of thankfulness that they had been saved from the sea to land in such a paradise filled the breasts of all.
Beauty is beauty, but the loveliest scene is soon forgotten by a hungry man. Rest, freedom from peril, wounds and bruises amending, and the fact that the previous day’s supply had been very short, combined to make everybody ravenous; and the captain, though without a ship, had his hands full.
He satisfied himself that Morgan and the sailor were better, the fever having abated, and then gave his orders shortly.
Two men were set to make a fire, two more to cut down a cocoa-nut tree that was of small size and yet bore several fruits.
The major and Widgeon started off along the shore with a biscuit-bag to collect shell-fish, and at the muddy exit of a tiny stream came upon quite a swarm of little crabs, who challenged them to fight—so Billy afterwards said—by snapping their claws at them and flourishing them above their heads as they retreated to their holes.
Mark and Small provided themselves with a bag of bivalves for bait and went off to the boat to fish.
Lastly, the captain and the ladies walked to the edge of the jungle in search of fruit, while the former shot a few birds.
The morning was delightful, and Mark and Small were soon afloat, to Billy Widgeon’s intense disgust, for it had been his full intention to take Mark’s place and form one of the fishing party.
Mark soon had a line ready, and after opening some of the shell-fish with his knife baited a couple of hooks and waited till the boatswain had piloted the boat to where there was an opening in the reef and the sea was setting into the lagoon.
“Now, lookye here, my lad,” said Small; “when I was a boy I used to fish in the mill-dam at the back of our cottage, and I always found as there was most fish where the stream set in or came out. Now that’s deep water, and I’ll hold on to the bit of rock here while you chuck in; and if you don’t get a bite we’ll try somewheres else.”