With this view, after exploring without success a little glen
near us, we crossed several of the ridges of which I have before
spoken; and about noon found ourselves ascending a long and
gradually rising slope, but still without having discovered any
place adapted to our purpose. Low and heavy clouds betokened an
approaching storm, and we hurried on to gain a covert in a clump
of thick bushes, which appeared to terminate the long ascent. We
threw ourselves under the lee of these bushes, and pulling up the
long grass that grew around, covered ourselves completely with
it, and awaited the shower.

But it did not come as soon as we had expected, and before many
minutes my companion was fast asleep, and I was rapidly falling
into the same state of happy forgetfulness. Just at this
juncture, however, down came the rain with the violence that put
all thoughts of slumber to flight. Although in some measure
sheltered, our clothes soon became as wet as ever; this, after
all the trouble we had taken to dry them, was provoking enough:
but there was no help for it; and I recommend all adventurous
youths who abandon vessels in romantic islands during the rainy
season to provide themselves with umbrellas.

After an hour or so the shower passed away. My companion slept
through it all, or at least appeared so to do; and now that it
was over I had not the heart to awaken him. As I lay on my back
completely shrouded with verdure, the leafy branches drooping
over me, my limbs buried in grass, I could not avoid comparing
our situation with that of the interesting babes in the wood.
Poor little sufferers!--no wonder their constitutions broke down