The next morning, Miyoko and Michael ate the marinated bonito with the rest of the rice. The bonito had a strange smell already, but the taste was still delicious. Miyoko ate the last piece, enthusiastically grateful for the blessings of nature.

    There was a windy day, but Miyoko thought the wind is slightly weaker. Miyoko decided to go back to the island where Banana is. Miyoko is trying to convince herself that Banana is dead. But if she does not go back to theisland again, she just cannot forgive herself.  Despite being prevented by the bad weather, Miyoko returned to the island in search forBanana only once. If the banana manages to survive, it may sure to come out this time. If it didn't come out, either Banana was really dead or he likes the life on that island. Then that's fine for Miyoko.

    The day she returned to Banana Island the other day, she had blisters in her hands and it bleed. With blisters or not, Miyoko wants to go to look for Banana again.

    Michael is pessimistic.

    "Myoko, Banana will not come out. I think it is better to give up."

    "We don't know if we don't go there. Even if Banana does not come out, at least you can catch fish out there. And it won't be wasted."

    Michael reluctantly stood up as Miyoko pulled his hand to the canoe.

However, as soon as they embarked, Miyoko learned that both the wind and ocean currentswere unexpectedly strong. Leo's speedboat, which stopped by yesterday, went over the waves very easily, but the canoe is a completely different vehicle.

    Miyoko and Michael rowed all the way to the point where they could see the island of Banana, but that was the limit of it.  It seems very unlikely that they could go overthe current flowing between the two islands. Miyoko was completely exhausted and consumedher energy.

    Michael decided to drop the anchor there and to catch the fish. However, Miyoko did notfeel like entering the water because she wasafraid to be caught by the current and not be able to return to the canoe.  She stayed alone in the canoe. While she was swayed by the waves up and down, she got a bad seasick.  Shecannot wait three or four hours with this. As Miyoko was looking around for Michael, Michael's head suddenly popped up near the side of the canoe.

    Michael climbed up the canoe saying, 

    "No, there are no fish at all." 

    Miyoko made an involuntary sigh of relief. 

    “My goodness; now I can go back to the soil.” Miyoko thought.

    When she returned to the island and got off the canoe, Miyoko's seasick subsided.

    It was a day which they couldn't go to the island and couldn't get any fish, but after dinner, Michael told Miyoko about the landcrabs in jangle. Land-dwelling crabs have a palm-sized shell that tastes very good.  It is considered a delicacy in Palau.

    "Is there land crabs on this island?! I didn't know that. How do we catch it?"

    "I do not know. But we can figure it out somehow. Anyway, let's go."

    "Okay, sure!" 

    Miyoko doesn't have the courage to enter the dark jungle at night alone, but it is okay for two people.

Miyoko wore diving shoes this time because she hurt her feet with a sharp rock when she entered the mountain with a rubber sandals looking for Banana the other day. Then she put on her gloves and carried a bucket and a flashlight.

    The mountain on this island was very different from the mountain where Banana is.The ground was not rocks but dark, soft soil, and many thick, large trees were growing. The land crab was hidden by digging a hole among the roots.  When Michael shone a flashlight, they saw a muddy red body of a crab among the tree roots. Land crabs are not big, but they are still over eight inches. Even scissors are good size. You can't insert your hand carelessly in the hole. However, Miyoko and Michael soon found out that they can catch a crab easily when disturb the surrounding soil.  Probably the crab cannot dig a deeper hole to escape because the layer of the soil is not thick enough.  In about thirty minutes, the two caught half of a bucket-full of crabs.The crabs were angry and rattling in the bucket. 

    Miyoko and Michael noticed that their arms and knees were muddy. They went down the mountain, returned to the beach, and remove mud from the body in the sea. To prevent the crabs from escaping, Miyoko covered the bucket with a piece of board, and put the stones on it.  They were exhausted and went to the tent.

    The next morning, when Miyoko looked into the bucket, the crabs were still very angry. It was a windy day, so Michael went to build his hut right after breakfast. And Miyoko also worked hard to make her textbook.

    In the afternoon however, Miyoko's concentration diminished. The question how to cook that crabs occupied her mind. People in Palau boil the crab, loosen the meat, mixt with coconut milk, refill meat back in the crab shell and serve it. It is a time-consuming dish which is made only for special occasions. At first, Miyoko wondered if she could make crab soup. This way, she can enjoyboth meat and soup. She must wash the crabs and remove any mud from their bodies. Miyoko grabbed one crab from the bucket and brought it to the shore. The shell is slippery and shemust grub it firmly.  Also she must be carefulwhere to grab it to prevent from being pinched by its scissors.  After rinsing the mud, shelooked the crab closely. There are hair growing on the legs, and still a lot of mud on the legs. Miyoko can't drink soup with this. If she kills the crab first, she is able to wash every corner of its body before boiling. Miyoko sat down on the bench and brought the crab she grabbed near her face to observe it. How do you kill a crab? One can cut off the head if it is fish, but where is the crab's head? Miyoko pondered the cruel thoughts and scrutinized the crabs. Miyoko's conclusion was to give up soup, boil the crabs and eat their meat with soy sauce.

    Michael came as Miyoko brought a bucket of crabs into the sea and rinsed off the dirt.

    "Myoko, can you help me?"

    "What? What happened?"

    "I want to raise a pillar that will be one of the beams. But I can't do it alone."

   "All right. Let me see"

   When Miyoko went to the place where Michael has been working, some woods were now passed diagonally between the four pillars and were firmly connected to each other, making it look like a house. Isn't it quite an achievement? Miyoko was impressed. There are some long, straight mangrove trees lying on the sand. Michael is now trying to create a beam by passing a long pillar from the other side tothis end. To raise it high in the air can't be done alone.

    "What should I do?"

    "While I climb up and tie one of these long pillars above with a rope, can you lift the end of the pillar and hold it as high as possible?"

    Michael climbed on the beam. Even with the heavy weight of Michael, the pillars of the hut stood firmly. Miyoko was impressed even more. Miyoko and Michael worked together to put up some beams on the hut until sunset. When they finished, the hut was still only a skeleton, but it was clearly in the shape of a house.

    "It looks very good. It will be completed in no time."

    "No, it's going to be hard from now on. I have to reinforce here and there. I think itwould be a lot harder to make a floor" Michael replied modestly, but with great satisfaction.

    The two then made a bonfire to cook riceand boiled water to cook the crabs. The crab was beautifully boiled bright red, but it wasn't tasty at all. First, the crab was skinny. Its meat was not full. Miyoko and Michael were patient and carefully plucked meat from each and every one of the crab’sthin legs, but the rewards were low for their efforts. After a very time-consuming dinner, the two were tired more from effort than from having a full stomach. Crabs grow by molting. They get fat and thin each time. The timing may have been wrong.  Or, the jungle on this island is poor in nutrients and the crabs may always be thin. In any case, the two didn't feel like going to catch the land crabs again.