Chocolate is not cheating! After a salty meal, you need a little bit of sweet. This is living, not cheating.
As to the Indians, the guiding principle was, promise them anything just so long as they get out of the way.
The corals do not look much worn, but still appear to have been dead. There are some delicate shells of molluscs from depths beyond 500 fathoms, where they were certainly living.