Ralph reflected a moment, and he replied: "I can now see where we made many mistakes during the past year by not adopting that plan."
They passed to the east around the bend, and then followed the small bay which indented the shore, and finally moved out along the peninsula, which terminated in a cape east of the mouth of South River.
"I have often thought," observed Harry, "since we have lived here that it would be a good plan to name the different capes and bays, just as we did with the rivers and streams."
"Good idea," answered Tom; "but I think we ought to make a survey of the place. Have you never done that?"
"No; but we talked of it several times. Let us get the Professor to help us with that on our next holiday trip."
From the cape where they now stood an unobstructed view was had to the south. To the southwest were the mountains, beyond which Ralph and Tom had their bitter experiences. An explanation was made of the course of South River, the mouth of which was plainly visible; the story was told of their trip up the stream with the first boat which had been built by them; how, after they left it at the foot of the high Falls, ten miles inland, it had disappeared when they went for it; the recovery of the boat at the beach to their left, some months afterwards, when it contained strange oars and ropes; their second trip to the Falls, and the finding of the Investigator's lifeboat; and their hunting experience in the forest below the river, and the discovery of the huts.
All this made a wonderful impression on the boys. The story of the lifeboat was the most remarkable to their minds, because it brought up the first recollections of some inklings which they had heard about other castaways.
"Don't you remember, Tom, when the second tribe got us, we saw some trinkets, and a few pocket knives, and when we tried to find out about them they removed them?"
"Yes, and Illoga, the Chief, I am now sure, tried to tell me about them, because in the effort he held up four fingers, which we couldn't make out. Don't you remember? I think they took the knives away, because they were afraid we would take them. Didn't you ever notice how jealous they always were of their own property?"
The party now went inland, and devoted the rest of the day to hunting, and brought home a splendid lot of game.