Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 2.djvu/290

 barren, except at the summit of the hills, where some trees formed a coronet, at once beautiful and refreshing, but tantalizing to look at, as they appeared utterly inaccessible; and even supposing I could have discovered a landing-place, I was in great doubt whether I should have availed myself of it, as the island appeared to produce nothing which could have added to our comfort, while delay would only have uselessly consumed our provisions. There did not appear to be a living creature on the island, and the danger of approaching to find a landing-place was most imminent.

This unpromising appearance induced me to propose that we should continue our course to Rio Janeiro. The men were of another opinion. They said they had been too long afloat, cooped up, and that they should prefer remaining on the island to risking their lives any longer, in so frail a boat, on the wide ocean. We were still debating, when we came to a small spot of sand, on which we discovered two wild hogs, which