The ground, very unequal and rough, was in some places perfectly riddled with holes, making walking extremely painful.

From these holes escaped every minute great birds of clumsy flight, which flew in all directions.

Others, more active, rose in flocks and passed in clouds over their heads.

The sailor thought he recognized gulls and cormorants, whose shrill cries rose above the roaring of the sea.
From time to time the castaways stopped and shouted, then listened for some response from the ocean, for they thought that if the engineer had landed, and they had been near to the place, they would have heard the barking of the dog Top, even should Harding himself have been unable to give any sign of existence.

They stopped to listen, but no sound arose above the roaring of the waves and the dashing of the surf.