I sat down helplessly, and wondered how the savages I had read of ever got fire in this way.
Up to this time I had not built myself a shelter of any kind.

At night I simply slept in the open air on the sand, with only my blankets round me.
One morning I was able to get out of the vessel some kegs of precious water, a small barrel of flour, and a quantity of tinned foods.

All these, together with some sails, spars, and ropes, I got safely ashore, and in the afternoon I rigged myself up a sort of canvas awning as a sleeping-place, using only some sails and spars.
Among the things I brought from the ship on a subsequent visit were a stiletto that had originally been given to me by my mother.

It was an old family relic with a black ebony handle and a finely tempered steel blade four or five inches in length.

I also got a stone tomahawk--a mere curio, obtained from the Papuans; and a quantity of a special kind of wood, also taken on board at New Guinea.