The seals, old Green said, were numerous enough; but, he added that the islanders were only able to pay a short visit in December every year, and so lost considerable chances of taking more of them.
"Aha," thought Fritz, "we'll be there altogether, and so will have opportunities for taking them all the year round.

Tristaners, my good people, look out for your sealskins and oil in future; we, crusoes, are going into the business wholesale!" When the brothers were rowed back to the ship in the evening--having spent the entire day on the island in noticing what would be most useful to themselves subsequently for the new life they were about to adopt-- the other Tristaners who had remained on board choosing goods returned to the shore, promising to send the value of the articles they had selected in beef and potatoes on the following morning.

Before turning in for the night, however, Captain Brown gave Fritz to read a newspaper extract which he had posted into his logbook.

This detailed the early history of the little colony, and the gist of it was as follows:-- Although discovered as early as the year 1506 by d'Acunha, the first comparatively modern navigator who visited the island was the captain of an American ship--the _Industry_, a whaler sailing from Philadelphia-- who remained at Tristan from August, 1790, to April, 1791, his people pitching their tents on almost the precise spot now occupied by the settlement.

At the time of this vessel's visit, it was mentioned that there was plenty of wood of a small growth excellent for firewood; but this Fritz noticed was not the case when he inspected the place during the day, hardly anything but slight brush being apparent beyond the tussock-grass.