I hurried out before my companions,
and dressed in haste, in order to have a long examination of my tank,
which Peterkin, in the fulness of his heart, had tended with the utmost
care, as being a vivid remembrancer of me, rather than out of love for
natural history. It was in superb condition--the water as clear and
pellucid as crystal; the red and green seaweed of the most brilliant
hues; the red, purple, yellow, green, and striped anemones fully
expanded, and stretching out their arms as if to welcome and embrace
their former master; the star-fish, zoophytes, sea-pens, and other
innumerable marine insects looking fresh and beautiful; and the crabs,
as Peterkin said, looking as wide awake, impertinent, rampant, and
pugnacious as ever. It was, indeed, so lovely and so interesting that I
would scarcely allow myself to be torn away from it.
Last of all, we returned to the bower and collected the few articles we
possessed, such as the axe, the pencil-case, the broken telescope, the
penknife, the hook made from the brass ring, and the sail-needle, with
which we had landed on the island; also the long boots and the pistol,
besides several curious articles of costume which we had manufactured
from time to time.
These we conveyed on board in our little boat, after having carved our
names on a chip of ironwood, thus:--
JACK MARTIN,
RALPH ROVER,
PETERKIN GAY,
which we fixed up inside of the bower.
Pages:
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309