We afterwards found, however, that these lovely islands were very
unlike Paradise in many things. But more of this in its proper
place.

We had now come to the point of rocks on which the ship had struck,
but did not find a single article, although we searched carefully
among the coral rocks, which at this place jutted out so far as
nearly to join the reef that encircled the island. Just as we were
about to return, however, we saw something black floating in a
little cove that had escaped our observation. Running forward, we
drew it from the water, and found it to be a long thick leather
boot, such as fishermen at home wear; and a few paces farther on we
picked up its fellow. We at once recognised these as having
belonged to our captain, for he had worn them during the whole of
the storm, in order to guard his legs from the waves and spray that
constantly washed over our decks. My first thought on seeing them
was that our dear captain had been drowned; but Jack soon put my
mind more at rest on that point, by saying that if the captain had
been drowned with the boots on, he would certainly have been washed
ashore along with them, and that he had no doubt whatever he had
kicked them off while in the sea, that he might swim more easily.

Peterkin immediately put them on, but they were so large that, as
Jack said, they would have done for boots, trousers, and vest too.
I also tried them, but, although I was long enough in the legs for
them, they were much too large in the feet for me; so we handed
them to Jack, who was anxious to make me keep them, but as they
fitted his large limbs and feet as if they had been made for him, I
would not hear of it, so he consented at last to use them. I may