Our two mariners had come ashore well provided with the means of carrying out their plans.  The Rancocus was far better provided with tools suited to the uses of the land, than was common for ships, her voyage contemplating a long stay among the islands she was to visit.  Thus, axes and picks were not wanting, Captain Crutchely having had an eye to the possible necessity of fortifying himself against savages.  Mark now ascended the crater-wall with a pick on his shoulder, and a part of a coil of ratlin-stuff around his neck.  As he went up, he used the pick to make steps, and did so much in that way, in the course of ten minutes, as greatly to facilitate the ascent and descent at the particular place he had selected.  Once on the summit, he found a part of the rock that overhung its base, and dropped one end of his line into the crater.  To this Bob attached the bucket, which Mark hauled up and emptied.  In this manner everything was transferred to the top of the crater-wall that was needed there, when Bob went down to the dingui to roll up the half-barrel of sweepings that had been brought from the ship.

Mark next looked about for the places which had seemed to him, on his previous visit, to have most of the character of soil.  He found a plenty of these spots, mostly in detached cavities of no great extent, where the crust had not yet formed; or, having once formed, had been disturbed by the action of the elements.  These places he first picked to pieces with his pick; then he stirred them well up with a hoe, scattering a little guano in the heaps, according to the directions of Betts.  When this was done, he sent down the bucket, and hauled up the sweepings of the deck, which Bob had ready for him, below.  Nor was this all Bob had done, during the hour Mark was at work, in the sun, on the summit of the crater.  He had found a large deposit of sea-weed, on a rock near the island, and had made two or three trips with the dingui, back and forth, to transfer some of it to the crater.  After all his toil and trouble, the worthy fellow did not get more than a hogshead full of this new material, but Mark thought it well worth while to haul it up, and to endeavour to mix it with his compost.  This was done by making it up in bundles, as one would roll up hay, of a size that the young man could manage.

Bob now joined his friend on the crater-wall, and assisted in carrying the sea-weed to the places prepared to receive it, when both of the mariners next set about mixing it up with the other ingredients of the intended soil.  After working for another hour in this manner, they were of opinion that they might make the experiment of putting in the seed.  Melons, of both sorts, and of the very best quality, were now put into the ground, as were also beans peas, and Indian-corn, or maize.  A few cucumber-seeds, and some onions were also tried, Captain Crutchely having brought with him a considerable quantity of the common garden seeds, as a benefit conferred on the natives of the islands he intended to visit, and through them on future navigators.  This care proceeded from his owners, who were what is called ‘Friends,’ and who somewhat oddly blended benevolence with the practices of worldly gain.