I was wild to get ashore.
Victor and Axel, a Swede and a Norwegian, and I planned to keep together.
(And so well did we, that for the rest of the cruise we were known as the "Three Sports.") Victor pointed out a pathway that disappeared up a wild canyon, emerged on a steep bare lava slope, and thereafter appeared and disappeared, ever climbing, among the palms and flowers.

We would go over that path, he said, and we agreed, and we would see beautiful scenery, and strange native villages, and find, Heaven alone knew, what adventure at the end.

And Axel was keen to go fishing.

The three of us agreed to that, too.

We would get a sampan, and a couple of Japanese fishermen who knew the fishing grounds, and we would have great sport.
As for me, I was keen for anything.
And then, our plans made, we rowed ashore over the banks of living coral and pulled our boat up the white beach of coral sand.