When Mufatu opens his eyes, he begins to survey his surroundings on the island, which is covered in various types of vegetation.
Mufatu doesn't initially detect any signs of other people on the island, but he still worries that there might be "eaters-of-men" hiding in the jungle and "watching him from secret places." The vegetation offers a thick canopy of diverse flora. Mufatu walks through a quarter mile of coconut trees and then a band of breadfruit and wild bananas. There are mangoes, guavas, and oranges, as well, so the island offers plenty of fruit options for consumption. Vines connect the various trees like "aerial ropes" and ferns grow taller than the height of most men.
Rising out of the dense vegetation is a volcanic peak which is approximately three thousand feet tall. The remnants of the lava which once flowed down into the land below can still be seen...
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on the upper ridges of the volcano.
As Mafatu assesses the island's resources, a wild boar crashes through the undergrowth. Thrilled with this possible food source, Mafatu begins to imagine the tantalizing taste of pig roasted underground in "hot oven stones."
He decides to then explore the "other" side of the island and finds a patch of trees which have been stripped of their fruit. Mafatu spots a path that is broad and "well-defined," and he is certain that this trail was not created by "the feet of wild pigs." Investigating further, Mafatu follows the trail to the sea and discovers a "series of wide stone terraces rising in a pyramid." Atop the pyramid is a "grotesque idol," indicating the presence of other people on this island. Around the idol are piles of bones, and Mafatu believes that the "eaters-of-men" have made sacrifices at this "sacred place."
The island therefore offers both the hope of survival and the danger of being victimized by those who already live on the island. This setting establishes the central conflict for Mafatu as he seeks courage through adversity.