It seemed that the animals on the island farm, like mankind in the wide world, found it all too small.
On the 26th of April, while I was ashore, rollers came in which rendered launching a boat impossible.

However, the sloop being securely moored to a buoy in deep water outside of all breakers, she was safe, while I, in the best of quarters, listened to well-told stories among the officers of the Stone Frigate.

On the evening of the 29th, the sea having gone down, I went on board and made preparations to start again on my voyage early next day, the boatswain of the island and his crew giving me a hearty handshake as I embarked at the jetty.
For reasons of scientific interest, I invited in mid-ocean the most thorough investigation concerning the crew-list of the _Spray_.

Very few had challenged it, and perhaps few ever will do so henceforth; but for the benefit of the few that may, I wished to clench beyond doubt the fact that it was not at all necessary in the expedition of a sloop around the world to have more than one man for the crew, all told, and that the _Spray_ sailed with only one person on board.

And so, by appointment, Lieutenant Eagles, the executive officer, in the morning, just as I was ready to sail, fumigated the sloop, rendering it impossible for a person to live concealed below, and proving that only one person was on board when she arrived.