Pencroft's first care, after unloading the raft, was to render the cave habitable by stopping up all the holes which made it draughty.

Sand, stones, twisted branches, wet clay, closed up the galleries open to the south winds.

One narrow and winding opening at the side was kept, to lead out the smoke and to make the fire draw.

The cave was thus divided into three or four rooms, if such dark dens with which a donkey would scarcely have been contented deserved the name.

But they were dry, and there was space to stand upright, at least in the principal room, which occupied the center.