Page:Adrift in the Pacific, Sampson Low, 1889.djvu/137

Rh storms, and many were the swamps and quagmires round which the travellers had to go. Donagan found no traces of Baudoin's passage through the forest, such as existed in Trap Woods, but there could be no doubt he had been there, for the map indicated exactly the course of the river right down to the bay.

At noon a halt was made for luncheon, under the pine-trees, where Cross gathered a quantity of the fruit, on which they regaled themselves. Then, for the next two miles, the boys had to make their way through clumps of underwood, where, occasionally, they had to cut a path with their axes, so as not to stray too far from the river. On account of the delay this caused, it was not till seven o'clock that they got out of the forest. Night was coming on, and Donagan could make out nothing of the coast-line. All he could see was the long line of foam as he listened to the murmur of the sea rolling on to the beach.

It was decided to camp where they were, in the open. A few grouse were cooked for supper, and the fire that had been lighted was kept in during the night. It was Donagan' s turn to watch. Wilcox, Cross, and Webb stretched themselves under the branches of a large parasol pine and, tired out by the long day's work, were immediately asleep.

Donagan had great difficulty in keeping awake. He succeeded, however ; but when the time came for him to be relieved by one of his companions they were all so sound asleep that he could not make up his mind to wake any of them. The forest was so quiet that they were as safe as if they were at French Den. And so, having thrown a few handfuls of wood on the fire, Donagan lay down at the foot of the tree, and closed his eyes, to open them when the sun was up, lighting a wide horizon of sea.