situation, and I hope that something good will come of it."

"That's the right sentiments, sir--only keep such feelings uppermost,
and we shall do right down well. Why, we have water, in plenty, until
after the rainy season shall be along, when we can catch a fresh supply.
Then, there is beef and pork enough betwixt decks to last you and me
five or six years; and bread and flour in good quantities, to say
nothing of lots of small stores, both forward and aft."

"The ship is well found, and, as you say, we might live a long time,
years certainly, on the food she contains. There is, however, one thing
to be dreaded, and to provide against which shall be my first care. We
are now fifty days on salted provisions, and fifty more will give us
both the scurvy."

"The Lord in his mercy protect me from that disease!" exclaimed Bob. "I
had it once, in an old v'y'ge round the Horn, and have no wish to try it
ag'in, But there must be fish in plenty among these rocks, Mr. Mark, and
we have a good stock of bread. By dropping the beef and pork, for a few
days at a time, might we not get shut of the danger?"

"Fish will help us, and turtle would be a great resource, could we meet
with any of _that_. But, man requires mixed food, meats and vegetables,
to keep him healthy; and nothing is so good for the scurvy as the last.
The worst of our situation is a want of soil, to grow any vegetables in.
I did not see so much as a rush, or the coarsest sea-plant, when we were
on the island yesterday. If we had soil, there is seed in plenty on
board, and this climate would bring forward vegetation at a rapid rate."

"Ay, ay, sir, and I'll tell you what I've got in the way of seeds,