Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/274

 34 THE C RAT EH; when the whole Reef was washed by them in every gale of wind. This perpendicular portion of the rock, moreover, was much harder than the ordinary surface of the Summit, owing in all probability to the same cause. It was even polished in appearance, and in general was some eighteen or twenty feet in height, with the exception of the two or three places, by one of which Mark and Betts had clam bered up on their first visit to the Summit. These places, always small, and barely sufficient to allow of a man s find ing footing on them, had long been picked away, in order to prevent the inroads of Kitty, and when the men had turned their attention to rendering the place secure against a sudden inroad, they being the only points where an ene my could get up, without resorting to ladders or artificial assistance, had, by means of additional labour, been ren dered as secure as all the rest of the outer wall, 3 as the base of the crater was usually termed among them. It was true, that civilized assailants, who had the ordinary means at command, would soon have mastered this obstacle ; but savages would not be likely to come prepared to meet it. The schooner, with her cradle and ways, had required all the loose timber, to the last stick, and the enemy was not likely to procure any supplies from the ship-yard. Two of the carronades were on the Summit, judiciously planted ; two were on board the Abraham, as was one of the long sixes, and the remainder of the guns, (three at the rock excepted) were still on board the ship. Mark divided his forces for the night. As Bridget ha bitually lived in the Rnncocus cabins, he did not derange her household at all, but merely strengthened her crew, by placing Bigelow and Socrates on board her; each with his family ; while Betts assumed the command of the crater, having for his companion Jones. These were small garri sons; but the fortresses were strong, considering all the circumstances, and the enemy were uncivilized, knowing but little of fire-arms. By nine o clock everything was arranged, arid most of the women and children were on their beds, though no one there undressed that night. Mark and Betts met, by agreement, alongside of the schooner, as soon as their respective duties elsewhere would allow. As the Reef, proper, was an island, they