But the next day being Sunday, and also Easter Sunday, all agreed to sanctify the day by rest.

These Americans were religious men, scrupulous observers of the precepts of the Bible, and their situation could not but develop sentiments of confidence towards the Author of all things.
On the evening of the 15th of April they returned to the Chimneys, carrying with them the pottery, the furnace being extinguished until they could put it to a new use.

Their return was marked by a fortunate incident; the engineer discovered a substance which replaced tinder.
It is known that a spongy, velvety flesh is procured from a certain mushroom of the genus polyporous.

Properly prepared, it is extremely inflammable, especially when it has been previously saturated with gunpowder, or boiled in a solution of nitrate or chlorate of potash.
But, till then, they had not found any of these polypores or even any of the morels which could replace them.

On this day, the engineer, seeing a plant belonging to the wormwood genus, the principal species of which are absinthe, balm-mint, tarragon, etc., gathered several tufts, and, presenting them to the sailor, said,-- "Here, Pencroft, this will please you." Pencroft looked attentively at the plant, covered with long silky hair, the leaves being clothed with soft down.
"What's that, captain ?" asked Pencroft.