There were no signs of vegetation of any kind--not a tree or a shrub.

There were no animals; but there were great flocks of birds, some of which seemed different from anything that we had ever seen before.

The long spears which the natives carried might possibly be used for catching these, or for fishing purposes.

This thought made them seem less formidable, since they would thus be instruments of food rather than weapons of war.

Meanwhile we drifted on as before, and the natives watched us, running along the shore abreast of us, so as to keep up with the boat.
There seemed over a hundred of them.