Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1876-10-12

IN the running waters and soon brought
up several dozen of the fnc orawfsll
which swarmed Setwcen the rocks.
These will be good - cried Neb,
helping the sailor
"Did not tell you that the island
had everything but tobacco - sighed the
sailor.
1t took but FIVE minutes to fill sack
with these little blue crustace, and then
the journey was resumed.
BY following the bank the colonists
moved more freely. Now and then
they found traces of large animals which
came to the stream for water, but they
found no sign of human beings, and
they were not yet in in part of the Far
West where the peccary had received
the leaden pellet which cost Pencroff a
tooth.
Smith and his companions JUDGED
| econ. al.,s fact that that the current rush
ed towards the sea with such rapidity
that they must be much further from
the coast than they imagined, because at
at this time the tide was raising, and its
effect would have been visible near the
mouth Of the creek. The engineer was
greatly astonished, and often consulted
his compass to be sure that the stream
was not returning towards the depths Of
the forest Meantime, its waters.
gradually widening, became less tumul-
tuous. The growth of trees on the
right bank was much denser than on the
lef, and 1t was impossible to see through
this -thicket but these woods were GER
taiuly not inhabited, or Top would have
discovered it. At half-past 10, to the
extreme surprise of Smith, Herbert,
who was walking some PAGES ahead
suddenly stopped, cxclaiming, The
sea :"
And a few minutes later the colonists
standing upon the border Of the forest,
saw the western coast Of the island
spread before them.
But what a contrast was this coast to
the one on which chance had thrown
them. No granite wall, no reef in the
ofing, not even a beach. The forest
formed the shore, and its futhermosi
trees, washed by the waves, leaned over
the waters 1t was in no sense such a
beach as is usually met with, composed
of vast reaches of sand or heaps of rocks,
but a fine border of beautiful trees
The bank was raised above the highest
tide, and upon this rich soil, supported
by a granite base, the splendid monarchs
of the forest seemed to be as firmly sci
as were those that stood in the interior of
the island.
The cslonists stood in hollow by a
tiny rivulet, which served as n neck to
the other stream but, curiously enough
these waters, instead of emptying into
the sea by gently sloping opening, fell
a height of more than forty feet-which
fact explained why the ising tide did
not affect the current And, on this
account, they were unanimous in giving
this watcr-course the name Of Fal
River.
Beyond, towards the north, the forest
shore extended for two miles; then the
trees became thinner, and, still further
on, line picturesque heights extended
from north TO south On the other hand
| all that part of the coast comprised be-
tween Fall River and the promontory
of Reptile End was bordercd by masses
of magnificent trees, some upright and
others leaning over the sea, whose
waves Tapped their roots 1t was evi-
dently therefore, on this part Of the
coast that the exploration must be con.
tinued, as this shore offered to the cast
aways, whoever they might be, refuge
which the other, desert and savage, hat
refused
The weather was beautiful, and from
the cliff where the beakfast had beer
prepared the view extended far anC
: wide. The horizon was perfectly dis
tinct, without sail in sight, and upol
the coast as far as could be seen. Their
was niether boat nor wreck, but the en-
gineer was not willing to be satisfe,
in this respect until they had explorct
the whole distance as far as Scrpcntin
Peninsula.
After hurried breakfast he gave tn
: signal to st7rt Instead of trayersing
? beach, the colonists followed along III
t coast. under the trees The distance t
Reptile End was about, twelve mile.
and had the way been clear, they coul
: have accomplished it in four hours, bu
the party were constantly obliged t
to turn out from the way, or to Gu
branches. or to break through thickets
and these hindrances multiplied as the
: proceeded But they no signs g
recent shipwreck on the shore al
though, as Spilett observed, as the It'd
was up, they could not say with certain
ty that there had not been one.
Tins reasoning was Just, and, more
over, the incident of the bullet proved
mdnbltably, that within three months
gun had been fred on the island
At . o'clock the extremity of III,
peninsula was still two miles distant
and It was evident that the colonist,
would have to camp for the night on n,
promontory of Reptile End. Happilv
game was as plenty here as on the otbc,
coast, and birds Of difcpt kinds abound