Afterrestingforafewmomentswebegantheascent，andafteralittlevigorousclimbingfoundourselvesclosetoitssummit。Instead，however，ofwalkingalongitsridge，whereweshouldhavebeeninfullviewofthenativesinthevalesbeneath，andatapointwheretheycouldeasilyinterceptus，weretheysoinclined，wecautiouslyadvancedononeside，crawlingonourhandsandknees，andscreenedfromobservationbythegrassthroughwhichweglided，muchinthefashionofacoupleofserpents。Afteranhouremployedinthisunpleasantkindoflocomotion，westartedtoourfeetagain，andpursuedourwayboldlyalongthecrestoftheridge。
　　Thissalientspuroftheloftyelevationsthatencompassedthebay，rosewithasharpanglefromthevalleysatitsbase，andpresented，withtheexceptionofafewsteepacclivities，theappearanceofavastinclinedplane，sweepingdowntowardstheseafromtheheightsinthedistance。Wehadascendeditneartheplaceofitstermination，andatitslowestpoint，andnowsawourroutetothemountainsdistinctlydefinedalongitsnarrowcrest，whichwascoveredwithasoftcarpetofverdure，andwasinmanypartsonlyafewfeetwide。
　　Elatedwiththesuccesswhichhadsofarattendedourenterprise，andinvigoratedbytherefreshingatmospherewenowinhaled，TobyandI，inhighspirits，weremakingourwayrapidlyalongtheridge，whensuddenlyfromthevalleysbelow，whichlayoneithersideofus，weheardthedistantshoutsofthenatives，whohadjustdescriedus，andtowhomourfigures，broughtinboldreliefagainstthesky，wereplainlyrevealed。
　　Glancingoureyesintothesevalleys，weperceivedtheirsavageinhabitantshurryingtoandfro，seeminglyundertheinfluenceofsomesuddenalarm，andappearingtotheeyescarcelybiggerthansomanypigmies，whiletheirwhitethatcheddwellings，dwarfedbythedistance，lookedlikebaby-houses。Aswelookeddownupontheislandersfromourloftyelevation，weexperiencedasenseofsecurity；feelingconfidentthat，shouldtheyundertakeapursuit，itwould，fromthestartwenowhad，proveentirelyfruitless，unlesstheyfollowedusintothemountains，whereweknewtheycarednottoventure。
　　However，wethoughtitaswelltomakethemostofourtime；andaccordingly，wherethegroundwouldadmitofit，weranswiftlyalongthesummitoftheridge，untilwewerebroughttoastandbyasteepcliff，whichatfirstseemedtointerposeaneffectualbarriertoourfartheradvance。Bydintofmuchhardscrambling，however，andatsomerisktoournecks，weatlastsurmountedit，andcontinuedourflightwithunabatedcelerity。
　　Wehadleftthebeachearlyinthemorning，andafteranuninterrupted，thoughattimesdifficultanddangerousascent，duringwhichwehadneveronceturnedourfacestothesea，wefoundourselves，aboutthreehoursbeforesunset，standingonthetopofwhatseemedtobethehighestlandontheisland，animmenseoverhangingcliffcomposedofbasalticrocks，hungroundwithparasiticalplants。Wemusthavebeenmorethanthreethousandfeetabovethelevelofthesea，andthesceneryviewedfromthisheightwasmagnificent。
　　ThelonelybayofNukuheva，dottedhereandtherewiththeblackhullsofthevesselscomposingtheFrenchsquadron，layreposingatthebaseofacircularrangeelevations，whoseverdantsides，perforatedwithdeepglens，ordiversifiedwithsmilingvalleys，formedaltogethertheloveliestviewIeverbeheld，andwereItoliveahundredyears，IshallneverforgetthefeelingofadmirationwhichIthenexperienced。
　　MYcuriosityhadbeennotalittleraisedwithregardtothedescriptionofcountryweshouldmeetontheothersideofthemountains；andIhadsupposed，withToby，thatimmediatelyongainingtheheightsweshouldbeenabledtoviewthelargebaysofHapparandTypeereposingatourfeetononeside，inthesamewaythatNukuhevalayspreadoutbelowontheother。Buthereweweredisappointed。Insteadoffindingthemountainwehadascendedsweepingdownintheoppositedirectionintobroadandcapaciousvalleys，thelandappearedtoretainitsgeneralelevation，onlybrokenintoaseriesofridgesandinter-vales，whichasfarastheeyecouldreachstretchedawayfromus，withtheirprecipitoussidescoveredwiththebrightestverdure，andwavinghereandtherewiththefoliageofclumpsofwoodland；amongwhich，however，weperceivednoneofthosetreesuponwhosefruitwehadreliedwithsuchcertainty。
　　Thiswasamostunlooked-fordiscovery，andonethatpromisedtodefeatourplansaltogether，forwecouldnotthinkofdescendingthemountainontheNukuhevasideinquestoffood。Shouldweforthispurposebeinducedtoretraceoursteps，weshouldrunnosmallchanceofencounteringthenatives，whointhatcase，iftheydidnothingworsetous，wouldbecertaintoconveyusbacktotheshipforthesakeoftherewardincalicoandtrinkets，whichwehadnodoubtourskipperwouldholdouttothemasaninducementtoourcapture。
　　Whatwastobedone？TheDollywouldnotsailperhapsfortendays，andhowwerewetosustainlifeduringthisperiod？Ibitterlyrepentedourimprovidenceinnotprovidingourselves，asweeasilymighthavedone，withasupplyofbiscuit。WitharuefulvisageI
　　nowbethoughtmeofthescantyhandfulofbreadIhadstuffedintothebosomofmyfrock，andfeltsomewhatdesiroustoascertainwhatpartofithadweatheredtheratherroughusageithadexperiencedinascendingthemountain。IaccordinglyproposedtoTobythatweshouldenterintoajointexaminationofthevariousarticleswehadbroughtfromtheship。Withthisintentweseatedourselvesuponthegrass；andalittlecurioustoseewithwhatkindofjudgmentmycompanionhadfilledhisfrock-whichIremarkedseemedaboutaswelllinedasmyown-Irequestedhimtocommenceoperationsbyspreadingoutitscontents。
　　Thrustinghishand，then，intothebosomofthiscapaciousreceptacle，hefirstbroughttolightaboutapoundoftobacco，whosecomponentpartsstilladheredtogether，thewholeoutsidebeingcoveredwithsoftparticlesofseabread。Wetanddripping，ithadtheappearanceofhavingbeenjustrecoveredfromthebottomofthesea。ButIpaidslightattentiontoasubstanceofsolittlevaluetousinourpresentsituation，assoonasIperceivedtheindicationsitgaveofToby’sforesightinlayinginasupplyoffoodfortheexpedition。
　　Ieagerlyinquiredwhatquantityhehadbroughtwithhim，when，rummagingoncemorebeneathhisgarment，heproducedasmallhandfulofsomethingsosoft，pulpy，anddiscoloured，thatforafewmomentshewasasmuchpuzzledasmyselftotellbywhatpossibleinstrumentalitysuchavillanouscompoundhadbecomeengenderedinhisbosom。Icanonlydescribeitasahashofsoakedbreadandbitsoftobacco，broughttoadoughyconsistencybytheunitedagencyofperspirationandrain。Butrepulsiveasitmightotherwisehavebeen，Inowregardeditasaninvaluabletreasure，andproceededwithgreatcaretotransferthispaste-likemasstoalargeleafwhichIhadpluckedfromabushbesideme。Tobyinformedmethatinthemorninghehadplacedtwowholebiscuitsinhisbosom，withaviewofmunchingthem，shouldhefeelsoinclined，duringourflight。ThesewerenowreducedtotheequivocalsubstancewhichIhadjustplacedontheleaf。
　　Anotherdiveintothefrockbroughttoviewsomefourorfiveyardsofcalicoprint，whosetastefulpatternwasratherdisfiguredbytheyellowstainsofthetobaccowithwhichithadbeenbroughtincontact。Indrawingthiscalicoslowlyfromhisbosominchbyinch，Tobyremindedmeofajugglerperformingthefeatoftheendlessribbon。Thenextcastwasasmallone，beingasailor’slittle“dittybag，“containingneedles，thread，andothersewingutensils；
　　thencamearazor-case，followedbytwoorthreeseparateplugsofnegro-head，whichwerefishedupfromthebottomofthenowemptyreceptacle。Thesevariousmattersbeinginspected，IproducedafewthingswhichIhadmyselfbrought。
　　Asmighthavebeenanticipatedfromthestateofmycompanion’sediblesupplies，Ifoundmyowninadeplorablecondition，anddiminishedtoaquantitythatwouldnothaveformedhalfadozenmouthfulsforahungrymanwhowaspartialenoughtotobacconottomindswallowingit。Afewmorselsofbread，withafathomortwoofwhitecottoncloth，andseveralpoundsofchoicepigtail，composedtheextentofmypossessions。
　　Ourjointstockofmiscellaneousarticleswerenowmadeupintoacompactbundle，whichitwasagreedweshouldcarryalternately。Butthesorryremainsofthebiscuitwerenottobedisposedofsosummarily:theprecariouscircumstancesinwhichwewereplacedmadeusregardthemassomethingonwhichveryprobablydependedthefateofouradventure。Afterabriefdiscussion，inwhichwebothofusexpressedourresolutionofnotdescendingintothebayuntiltheship’sdeparture，Isuggestedtomycompanionthatlittleofitastherewas，weshoulddividethebreadintosixequalportions，eachofwhichshouldbeaday’sallowanceforbothofus。Thispropositionheassentedto；soItookthesilkkerchieffrommyneck，andcuttingitwithmyknifeintohalfadozenequalpieces，proceededtomakeanexactdivision。
　　Atfirst，Toby，withadegreeoffastidiousnessthatseemedtomeill-timed，wasforpickingouttheminuteparticlesoftobaccowithwhichthespongymasswasmixed；butagainstthisproceedingI
　　protested，asbysuchanoperationwemusthavegreatlydiminisheditsquantity。
　　Whenthedivisionwasaccomplished，wefoundthataday’sallowanceforthetwowasnotagreatdealmorethanwhatatable-spoonmighthold。Eachseparateportionweimmediatelyrolledupinthebitofsilkpreparedforit，andjoiningthemalltogetherintoasmallpackage，Icommittedthem，withsolemninjunctionsoffidelity，tothecustodyofToby。Fortheremainderofthatdayweresolvedtofast，aswehadbeenfortifiedbyabreakfastinthemorning；andnowstartingagaintoourfeet，welookedaboutusforashelterduringthenight，which，fromtheappearanceoftheheavens，promisedtobeadarkandtempestuousone。
　　Therewasnoplacenearuswhichwouldinanywayanswerourpurpose；soturningourbacksuponNukuheva，wecommencedexploringtheunknownregionswhichlayupontheothersideofthemountain。
　　Inthisdirection，asfarasourvisionextended，notasignoflife，noranythingthatdenotedeventhetransientresidenceofmancouldbeseen。Thewholelandscapeseemedoneunbrokensolitude，theinterioroftheislandhavingapparentlybeenuntenantedsincethemorningofthecreation；andasweadvancedthroughthiswilderness，ourvoicessoundedstrangelyinourears，asthoughhumanaccentshadneverbeforedisturbedthefearfulsilenceoftheplace，interruptedonlybythelowmurmuringsofdistantwaterfalls。
　　Ourdisappointment，however，innotfindingthevariousfruitswithwhichwehadintendedtoregaleourselvesduringourstayinthesewilds，wasagooddeallessenedbytheconsiderationthatfromthisverycircumstanceweshouldbemuchlessexposedtoacasualmeetingwiththesavagetribesaboutus，whoweknewalwaysdweltbeneaththeshadowsofthosetreeswhichsuppliedthemwithfood。
　　Wewanderedalong，castingeagerglancesintoeverybushwepassed，untiljustaswehadsucceededinmountingoneofthemanyridgesthatintersectedtheground，Isawinthegrassbeforemesomethinglikeanindistinctlytracedfootpath，whichappearedtoleadalongthetopoftheridge，andtodescendwithitintoadeepravineabouthalfamileinadvanceofus。