It was placed with the left side toward the window, so that the light from the window would strike across the desk from left to right.

This is the most convenient direction for receiving light when one is writing.

Forester then placed a chair before the desk, and Marco went into the house and brought out all the books and papers which he had, and arranged them neatly in his desk.
While he was gone, Forester took an inkstand and a sand-box out of a closet by the side of the fire, and filled them both, and put them on the desk.

He also placed in the desk a supply of paper, in quarter sheets.

After Marco had come back, and had put in his books and papers, Forester gave him a ruler and a lead pencil; also a slate and half a dozen slate pencils; also a piece of sponge and a piece of India-rubber.