`I gave Jack some twine, and scrambling up one of the curious open-air
roots, he succeeded in measuring round the trunk itself, and made it
out to be about eighteen yards. I saw no sort of fruit, but the foliage
is thick and abundant, throwing delicious shade on the ground beneath,
which is carpeted with soft green herbage, and entirely free from
thorns, briars, or bushes of any kind. It is the most charming
resting-place that ever was seen, and I and the boys enjoyed our midday
meal immensely in this glorious palace of the woods, so grateful to our
senses after the glare and heat of our journey thither.
`The dogs joined us after a while. They had lingered behind on the
sea-shore, and I was surprised to see them lie down and go comfortably
to sleep without begging for food, as they do usually when we eat.
`The longer we remained in this enchanting place, the more did it
charm my fancy; and if we could but manage to live in some sort of
dwelling up among the branches of those grand, noble trees, I should
feel perfectly safe and happy. It seemed to me absurd to suppose we
should ever find another place half so lovely, so I determined to
search no further, but return to the beach and see if anything from the
wreck had been cast up by the waves, which we could carry away with us.
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