Thenextday,the18thofFebruary,wasdevotedtotheexplorationofallthatwoodedregionformingtheshorefromReptileEndtoFallsRiver.Thecolonistswereabletosearchthisforestthoroughly,for,asitwascomprisedbetweenthetwoshoresoftheSerpentinePeninsula,itwasonlyfromthreetofourmilesinbreadth.Thetrees,bothbytheirheightandtheirthickfoliage,borewitnesstothevegetativepowerofthesoil,moreastonishingherethaninanyotherpartoftheisland.OnemighthavesaidthatacornerfromthevirginforestsofAmericaorAfricahadbeentransportedintothistemperatezone.Thisledthemtoconcludethatthesuperbvegetationfoundaheatinthissoil,dampinitsupperlayer,butwarmedintheinteriorbyvolcanicfires,whichcouldnotbelongtoatemperateclimate.Themostfrequentlyoccurringtreeswereknariesandeucalyptiofgiganticdimensions.

           Butthecolonists’objectwasnotsimplytoadmirethemagnificentvegetation.TheyknewalreadythatinthisrespectLincolnIslandwouldhavebeenworthytotakethefirstrankintheCanarygroup,towhichthefirstnamegivenwasthatoftheHappyIsles.Now,alas!theirislandnolongerbelongedtothementirely;othershadtakenpossessionofit,miscreantspolluteditsshores,andtheymustbedestroyedtothelastman.

           Notraceswerefoundonthewesterncoast,althoughtheywerecarefullysoughtfor.Nomorefootprints,nomorebrokenbranches,nomoredesertedcamps.

           "Thisdoesnotsurpriseme,"saidCyrusHardingtohiscompanions.

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