[Note: this transcription was produced by an automatic OCR engine]

LIFE ON A PLANTATION 51

those corroded coral rocks, full of sharp points and
edges, and shaped like melted tin poured into water.
These rocks were very jagged, full of crevices, in
which the swell thundered and foamed, and over
which I had to jump. Once I fell in, cut my legs
and hands most cruelly and had only my luck to
thank that I did not break any bones, and got safely
out of the damp, dark prison. But at least I could
see where I was, and that I was getting on, and I
preferred this to the uncertain struggle in the forest.
In some places the coast rose to a high bank, round
which I could not walk. I had to climb up on one
side as best I could and descend on the other with
the help of trees and vines. Thus, fighting my way
along, I was overtaken by the sudden tropical night,
and I had to stop where I was for fear of falling into
some hole; A fall would have been a real calamity,
as nobody would ever have found me or even looked
for me on that lonely coast. I therefore sat down
where I was, on the corals where they seemed least
pointed. I did not succeed at all in making a fire;
the night‘ was quite dark and moonless, and a fine
'rain penetrated everything. I have rarely PASSED a
longer night or felt so lonely. The new day revived
my Spirits, breakfast did not detain me long, as I had
nothing to eat, so I kept along the shore, jumping
and climbing, and had to swim through several
lagoons, swarming, as I heard afterwards, with big
sharks! After a while the coral shore changed into
a sand beach, and after having waded for some hours
more in the warm water with the little rags that were