We were now fairly started. Half a mile's walk conveyed us round a bend
in the land which shut out our bower from view, and for some time we
advanced at a brisk pace without speaking, though our eyes were not
idle, but noted everything, in the woods, on the shore, or in the sea,
that was interesting. After passing the ridge of land that formed one
side of our valley--the Valley of the Wreck--we beheld another small
vale lying before us in all the luxuriant loveliness of tropical
vegetation. We had, indeed, seen it before from the mountain-top, but
we had no idea that it would turn out to be so much more lovely when we
were close to it. We were about to commence the exploration of this
valley, when Peterkin stopped us, and directed our attention to a very
remarkable appearance in advance along the shore.
"What's yon, think you?" said he, levelling his spear, as if he
expected an immediate attack from the object in question, though it was
full half a mile distant.
As he spoke, there appeared a white column above the rocks, as if of
steam or spray. It rose upwards to a height of several feet, and then
disappeared. Had this been near the sea, we would not have been so
greatly surprised, as it might in that case have been the surf, for at
this part of the coast the coral reef approached so near to the island
that in some parts it almost joined it. There was therefore no lagoon
between, and the heavy surf of the ocean beat almost up to the rocks.
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