knocked on the head; to a dead certainty you will come bang upon
a party of these savages in the midst of your discovery-makings,
and I doubt whether such an event would particularly delight you,
just take my advice for once, and let us 'bout ship and steer in
some other direction; besides, it's getting late and we ought to
be mooring ourselves for the night.'

'That is just the thing I have been driving at,' replied I; 'and
I am thinking that this ravine will exactly answer our purpose,
for it is roomy, secluded, well watered, and may shelter us from
the weather.'

'Aye, and from sleep too, and by the same token will give us sore
throats, and rheumatisms into the bargain,' cried Toby, with
evident dislike at the idea.

'Oh, very well then, my lad,' said I, 'since you will not
accompany me, here I go alone. You will see me in the morning;'
and advancing to the edge of the cliff upon which we had been
standing, I proceeded to lower myself down by the tangled roots
which clustered about all the crevices of the rock. As I had
anticipated, Toby, in spite of his previous remonstrances,
followed my example, and dropping himself with the activity of a
squirrel from point to point, he quickly outstripped me and
effected a landing at the bottom before I had accomplished
two-thirds of the descent.

The sight that now greeted us was one that will ever be vividly
impressed upon my mind. Five foaming streams, rushing through as
many gorges, and swelled and turbid by the recent rains, united