We turned back a little way, to establish ourselves under a clump of trees, where we were in greater safety; we loaded our muskets, we kindled a large fire of dry branches, and recommending ourselves to the protection of God, we lay ourselves down on the soft moss to wait for the first rays of light.

With the exception of Jack, who from the first slept as if he had been in his bed, we none of us could rest.

The night was beautiful; a multitude of stars shone over our heads in the ethereal vault.

Ernest was never tired of gazing on them.

After some questions and suppositions on the plurality of worlds, their courses and their distances, he quitted us to wander on the borders of the river, which reflected them in all their brilliancy.
From this night his passion for astronomy commenced, a passion which he carried beyond all others.