Thenextday,the17thofApril,thesailor’sfirstwordswereaddressedtoGideonSpilett.

           "Well,sir,"heasked,"whatshallwedoto-day?"

           "Whatthecaptainpleases,"repliedthereporter.

           Tillthentheengineer’scompanionshadbeenbrickmakersandpotters,nowtheyweretobecomemetallurgists.

           Thedaybefore,afterbreakfast,theyhadexploredasfarasthepointofMandibleCape,sevenmilesdistantfromtheChimneys.There,thelongseriesofdownsended,andthesoilhadavolcanicappearance.TherewerenolongerhighcliffsasatProspectHeights,butastrangeandcapriciousborderwhichsurroundedthenarrowgulfbetweenthetwocapes,formedofmineralmatter,thrownupbythevolcano.Arrivedatthispointthesettlersretracedtheirsteps,andatnightfallenteredtheChimneys;buttheydidnotsleepbeforethequestionofknowingwhethertheycouldthinkofleavingLincolnIslandornotwasdefinitelysettled.

           ThetwelvehundredmileswhichseparatedtheislandfromthePomoutousIslandwasaconsiderabledistance.Aboatcouldnotcrossit,especiallyattheapproachofthebadseason.Pencrofthadexpresslydeclaredthis.Now,toconstructasimpleboatevenwiththenecessarytools,wasadifficultwork,andthecolonistsnothavingtoolstheymustbeginbymakinghammers,axes,adzes,saws,augers,planes,etc.,whichwouldtakesometime.Itwasdecided,therefore,thattheywouldwinteratLincolnIsland,andthattheywouldlookforamorecomfortabledwellingthantheChimneys,inwhichtopassthewintermonths.