Island of Professor Menu 199

stern kept trying to get at them. In the
stern sat a man whom I had not seen before:
he had a large, flat, white linen cap, and
sleeves and apron of the same material. In
one hand he held a ladle. WHis hair struck
me—it was bright green.

We landed ; and I could not help noticing
the gait of the three boatmen. They walked
very stiffly, stopping to pull away their legs
from the ground from time to time, as though
the legs were beginning to take root.

These men drove the sheep, and carried
the packets of seeds and other articles, up
to a door in the wall of the crater of the
volcano. There appeared to be some secret
about this crater; for no one was permitted
to enter.

I still had not partaken of food since the
consumption of the six castaways, and was
faint with hunger. Under these circum-
stances I was maddened by the appetising
perfume of cooking which proceeded from
the vicinity of the crater and pervaded the
island.

Merioneth noticed my condition, and hastily