The weather was beautiful, and from the cliff where the breakfast had been prepared, the view extended far and wide. The horizon was perfectly distinct, without a sail in sight, and upon the coast, as far as could be seen, there was neither boat nor wreck, but the engineer was not willing to be satisfied in this respect, until they had explored the whole distance as far as Serpentine Peninsula. After a hurried breakfast he gave the signal to start. Instead of traversing a beach, the colonists followed along the coast, under the trees. The distance to Reptile End was about twelve miles, and, had the way been clear, they could have accomplished it in four hours, but the party were constantly obliged to turn out from the way, or to cut branches, or to break through thickets, and these hindrances multiplied as they proceeded. But they saw no signs of a recent shipwreck on the shore; although, as Spilett observed, as the tide was up, they could not say with certainty that there had not been one. This reasoning was just, and, moreover, the incident of the bullet proved, indubitably, that within three months a gun had been fired on the island. At 5 o’clock the extremity of the peninsula was still two miles distant, and it was evident that the colonists would have to camp for the night on the promontory of Reptile End. Happily, game was as plenty here as on the other coast, and birds of different kinds abounded. Two hours later, the party, tired out, reached the promontory. Here the forest border ended, and the shore assumed the usual aspect of a coast. It was possible that an abandoned vessel might be here, but, as the night was falling, it was necessary to postpone the exploration until the morrow. Pencroff and Herbert hastened to find a suitable place for a camp. The outskirts of the forest died away here, and near them the lad found a bamboo thicket. “Good,” said he, “this is a valuable discovery.” “Valuable?” asked Pencroff. “Yes, indeed, I need not tell you, Pencroff, all its uses, such as for making baskets, paper, and water-pipes; that the larger ones make excellent building material and strong jars. But—” “But?” “But perhaps you do not know that in India they eat bamboo as we do asparagus.” “Asparagus thirty feet high?” cried, Pencroff. “And is it good?” “Excellent,” answered the lad. “But they eat only the young sprouts.” “Delicious!” cried Pencroff. “And I am sure that the pith of young plants preserved in vinegar makes an excellent condiment.” “Better and better.” “And, lastly, they exude a sweet liquor which makes a pleasant drink.” “Is that all?” demanded the sailor. “That’s all.” “Isn’t it good to smoke?” “No, my poor Pencroff, you cannot smoke it!” They did not have to search far for a good place for the camp. The rocks, much worn by the action of the sea, had many hollows that would afford shelter from the wind. But just as they were about to enter one of these cavities they were arrested by formidable growlings.