Thenextday,the16thofApril,andEasterSunday,thesettlersissuedfromtheChimneysatdaybreak,andproceededtowashtheirlinen.Theengineerintendedtomanufacturesoapassoonashecouldprocurethenecessarymaterials—sodaorpotash,fatoroil.Theimportantquestionofrenewingtheirwardrobewouldbetreatedofinthepropertimeandplace.Atanyratetheirclotheswouldlastatleastsixmonthslonger,fortheywerestrong,andcouldresistthewearofmanuallabor.Butallwoulddependonthesituationoftheislandwithregardtoinhabitedland.Thiswouldbesettledto-dayiftheweatherpermitted.

           Thesunrisingaboveaclearhorizon,announcedamagnificentday,oneofthosebeautifulautumndayswhicharelikethelastfarewellsofthewarmseason.

           Itwasnownecessarytocompletetheobservationsoftheeveningbeforebymeasuringtheheightofthecliffabovethelevelofthesea.

           "Shallyounotneedaninstrumentsimilartotheonewhichyouusedyesterday?"saidHerberttotheengineer.

           "No,myboy,"repliedthelatter,"wearegoingtoproceeddifferently,butinaspreciseaway."

           Herbert,wishingtolearneverythinghecould,followedtheengineertothebeach.Pencroft,Neb,andthereporterremainedbehindandoccupiedthemselvesindifferentways.

           CyrusHardinghadprovidedhimselfwithastraightstick,twelvefeetlong,whichhehadmeasuredasexactlyaspossiblebycomparingitwithhisownheight,whichheknewtoahair.