52 THE SHIPWRECK,

to the ship. The count, reflecting that he was responsi-
ble for the lives of the men confided to his command, did
not wish to oblige them to greater exertions. “‘ Compa-
nions,” he cried out, “if you think the undertaking a des-
perate one, I will not force you to continue it ; but if my
own life were sufficient, I would willingly sacrifice it to
purchase a little water for our suffering comrades.”

The words of their commander reanimated the men ;
the torments they had suffered from thirst were recalled to
mind; and after a desperate effort they landed and unship-
ped their water casks. They were not long in finding a
spring. It was gushing from a rock, on whose summit
stood a large wooden cross. But they did not meet a Por-
tuguese guard, which it is customary with that people to
place at all their settlements; and from this they inferred
that the island was uninhabited. The land looked sterile
and waste; but after some search they discovered a deep
valley, in which grew a profusion of linden and cocoa trees,
doubtless planted by some humane navigator.

To gather cocoa nuts is not an easy task, as this fruit is
attached to the trunk of the tree by extremely tough liga-
ments. But young Merville, who had taken with bim his

hatchet and saw for the purpose of cutting some wood,
climbed the trees, whilst the others were filling the casks