He had said, "I am Dirk Peters." He was Dirk Peters.
At length, moved by irresistible impulse, I said: "My friends, before any decision is made, let us carefully consider the situation.

Should we not lay up everlasting regret for ourselves if we were to abandon our expedition at the very moment when it promises to succeed?
Reflect upon this, captain, and you, my companions.

It is less than seven months since Patterson left your countrymen alive on Tsalal Island.

If they were there then, the fact proves that for eleven years they had been enabled to exist on the resources provided by the island, having nothing to fear from the islanders, some of whom had fallen victims to circumstances unknown to us, and others had probably transferred themselves to some neighbouring island.

This is quite plain, and I do not see how any objection can be raised to my reasoning." No one made answer: there was none to be made.
"If we have not come across the captain of the _Jane_ and his people," I resumed, "it is because they have been obliged to abandon Tsalal Island since Patterson's departure.