but the latter did not lose heart . he gathered drift - wood along the strand , shot sea - birds , and looked for mussels and roots . he built himself a raft of drift - timber , and fished with a pole that had also been left behind . one day , while he was at work , he happened to notice a depression or hollow in the sand , as though made by the keel of a large northland schooner , and he could plainly trace the braidings of the hawsers from the strand up to the top of the island . then he thought to himself that he was in no danger , for he saw there was truth in the report he had often heard , that the meer - folk made the island their abode , and did much business with their ships .
who was reported to live on the island ?
meer - folk .
meer - folk .