Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/67

OR, VULCAN S PEAK. 61 miles without it; and, particularly, by the fact that one line of rock stretched directly across this weather end, distant from it only two cables lengths, forming a pretty little sheet of perfectly smooth water between it and the island. Of course, to do this, the line of reef just men tioned must come very near the surface ; as in fact was the case, the rock rising so high as to be two or three feet out of water on the ebb, though usually submerged on the flood. The boat was obliged to pass round one end of this last- named reef, where there was deep water, and then to haul its wind a little in order to reach the shore. It would be difficult to describe the sensations with which Mark first landed. In approaching the place, both he and Bob had strained their eyes in the hope of seeing some proof that their shipmates had been there ; but no discovery rewarded their search. Nothing was seen, on or about the island, to furnish the smallest evidence that either of the boats had touched it. Mark found that he was treading on naked rock when he had landed, though the surface was tolerably smooth. The rock itself was of a sort to which he was unaccustomed ; and he began to sus pect, what in truth turned out on further investigation to be the fact, that instead of being on a reef of coral, he was on one of purely volcanic origin. The utter nakedness of the rock both surprised and grieved him. On the reefs, in every direction, considerable quantities of sea-weed had lodged, temporarily at least; but none of it appeared to have found its way to this particular place. Nakedness and dreariness were the two words which best described the island ; the only interruption to its solitude and deso lation being occasioned by the birds, which now came screaming and flying above the heads of the intruders, showing both by their boldness and their cries, that they were totally unacquainted with men. The mound, in the centre of the reef, was an object too conspicuous to escape attention, and our adventurers ap proached it at once, with the expectation of getting a better look-out from its summit, than that they had on the lower level of the surface of the ordinary reef. Thither then they proceeded, accompanied by a large flight of the birds. Neither Mark nor Bob, however, had neglected to turn VOL. I. 6