The doctor said he could find neither a plant nor a lichen on the island, and only a few insects and spiders, besides the boobies and noddies.  I ought to have mentioned that we did not fail to meet with the moist and oppressive weather found under the belt of calms under the equator.  Frequently I felt as if I could scarcely breathe, and nearly everybody was in low spirits and ready to grumble.  Jerry and I vowed that the air was abominable.  Cousin Silas stopped us.