Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/114

 108 THE CRATER; good deal of care in its construction, to resist the wind, while that inside scarce ever felt the breeze. This want of wind, or of air in motion, indeed, formed the most se rious objection to the crater, as a place of residence, in the hot months ; and the want of breeze that was suffered in the tent, set Mark to work to devise expedients for build ing some sort of tent, or habitation, on the mount itself, where it would be always cool, provided one could get a protection from the fierce rays of the sun. After a good deal of search, Mark selected a spot on the Summit, as he began to term the place, and pitched his tent on it. Holes were made in the soft rocks, and pieces of spars were inserted, to answer for posts. With a com mencement as solid as this, it was not difficult to make the walls of the tent (or marquee would be the better word, since both habitations had nearly upright sides) by means of an old fore-course. In order to get the canvas up there, however, it was found necessary to cut out the pieces be low, when, by means of the purchase at the derrick, it was all hoisted to the Summit. These several arrangements occupied Mark and Bob another fortnight, completing the first quarter of a year they had passed on the Reef. By this time they had got accustomed to their situation, and had fallen into regular courses of duty, though the increasing heats admonished both of the prudence of not exposing themselves too much beneath the fiery sun at noon-day.