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diff --git a/21721.txt b/21721.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..649c188 --- /dev/null +++ b/21721.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10118 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Coral Island, by R.M. Ballantyne + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Coral Island + +Author: R.M. Ballantyne + +Release Date: June 7, 2007 [EBook #21721] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CORAL ISLAND *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +THE CORAL ISLAND, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +BEGINNING--MY EARLY LIFE AND CHARACTER--I THIRST FOR ADVENTURE IN +FOREIGN LANDS, AND GO TO SEA. + +Roving has always been, and still is, my ruling passion, the joy of my +heart, the very sunshine of my existence. In childhood, in boyhood, and +in man's estate I have been a rover; not a mere rambler among the woody +glens and upon the hill-tops of my own native land, but an enthusiastic +rover throughout the length and breadth of the wide, wide world. + +It was a wild, black night of howling storm, the night on which I was +born on the foaming bosom of the broad Atlantic Ocean. My father was a +sea-captain; my grandfather was a sea-captain; my great-grandfather had +been a marine. Nobody could tell positively what occupation _his_ +father had followed; but my dear mother used to assert that he had been +a midshipman, whose grandfather, on the mother's side, had been an +admiral in the Royal Navy. At any rate, we knew that as far back as our +family could be traced, it had been intimately connected with the great +watery waste. Indeed, this was the case on both sides of the house; for +my mother always went to sea with my father on his long voyages, and so +spent the greater part of her life upon the water. + +Thus it was, I suppose, that I came to inherit a roving disposition. +Soon after I was born, my father, being old, retired from a seafaring +life, purchased a small cottage in a fishing village on the west coast +of England, and settled down to spend the evening of his life on the +shores of that sea which had for so many years been his home. It was +not long after this that I began to show the roving spirit that dwelt +within me. For some time past my infant legs had been gaining strength, +so that I came to be dissatisfied with rubbing the skin off my chubby +knees by walking on them, and made many attempts to stand up and walk +like a man--all of which attempts, however, resulted in my sitting down +violently and in sudden surprise. One day I took advantage of my dear +mother's absence to make another effort; and, to my joy, I actually +succeeded in reaching the doorstep, over which I tumbled into a pool of +muddy water that lay before my father's cottage door. Ah, how vividly I +remember the horror of my poor mother when she found me sweltering in +the mud amongst a group of cackling ducks, and the tenderness with which +she stripped off my dripping clothes and washed my dirty little body! +From this time forth my rambles became more frequent and, as I grew +older, more distant, until at last I had wandered far and near on the +shore and in the woods around our humble dwelling, and did not rest +content until my father bound me apprentice to a coasting-vessel and let +me go to sea. + +For some years I was happy in visiting the seaports, and in coasting +along the shores, of my native land. My Christian name was Ralph; and +my comrades added to this the name of Rover, in consequence of the +passion which I always evinced for travelling. Rover was not my real +name; but as I never received any other, I came at last to answer to it +as naturally as to my proper name. And as it is not a bad one, I see no +good reason why I should not introduce myself to the reader as Ralph +Rover. My shipmates were kind, good-natured fellows, and they and I got +on very well together. They did, indeed, very frequently make game of +and banter me, but not unkindly; and I overheard them sometimes saying +that Ralph Rover was a "queer, old-fashioned fellow." This, I must +confess, surprised me much; and I pondered the saying long, but could +come at no satisfactory conclusion as to that wherein my +old-fashionedness lay. It is true I was a quiet lad, and seldom spoke +except when spoken to. Moreover, I never could understand the jokes of +my companions even when they were explained to me, which dulness in +apprehension occasioned me much grief. However, I tried to make up for +it by smiling and looking pleased when I observed that they were +laughing at some witticism which I had failed to detect. I was also +very fond of inquiring into the nature of things and their causes, and +often fell into fits of abstraction while thus engaged in my mind. But +in all this I saw nothing that did not seem to be exceedingly natural, +and could by no means understand why my comrades should call me "an +old-fashioned fellow." + +Now, while engaged in the coasting trade I fell in with many seamen who +had travelled to almost every quarter of the globe; and I freely confess +that my heart glowed ardently within me as they recounted their wild +adventures in foreign lands--the dreadful storms they had weathered, the +appalling dangers they had escaped, the wonderful creatures they had +seen both on the land and in the sea, and the interesting lands and +strange people they had visited. But of all the places of which they +told me, none captivated and charmed my imagination so much as the Coral +Islands of the Southern Seas. They told me of thousands of beautiful, +fertile islands that had been formed by a small creature called the +coral insect, where summer reigned nearly all the year round, where the +trees were laden with a constant harvest of luxuriant fruit, where the +climate was almost perpetually delightful; yet where, strange to say, +men were wild, bloodthirsty savages, excepting in those favoured isles +to which the Gospel of our Saviour had been conveyed. These exciting +accounts had so great an effect upon my mind that, when I reached the +age of fifteen, I resolved to make a voyage to the South Seas. + +I had no little difficulty, at first, in prevailing on my dear parents +to let me go; but when I urged on my father that he would never have +become a great captain had he remained in the coasting trade, he saw the +truth of what I said and gave his consent. My dear mother, seeing that +my father had made up his mind, no longer offered opposition to my +wishes. "But, oh Ralph!" she said on the day I bade her adieu, "come +back soon to us, my dear boy; for we are getting old now, Ralph, and may +not have many years to live." + +I will not take up my readers' time with a minute account of all that +occurred before I took my final leave of my dear parents. Suffice it to +say that my father placed me under the charge of an old messmate of his +own, a merchant captain, who was on the point of sailing to the South +Seas in his own ship, the _Arrow_. My mother gave me her blessing and a +small Bible; and her last request was that I would never forget to read +a chapter every day and say my prayers, which I promised, with tears in +my eyes, that I would certainly do. + +Soon afterwards I went on board the _Arrow_, which was a fine, large +ship, and set sail for the islands of the Pacific Ocean. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +THE DEPARTURE--THE SEA--MY COMPANIONS--SOME ACCOUNT OF THE WONDERFUL +SIGHTS WE SAW ON THE GREAT DEEP--A DREADFUL STORM AND A FRIGHTFUL WRECK. + +It was a bright, beautiful, warm day when our ship spread her canvas to +the breeze and sailed for the regions of the south. Oh, how my heart +bounded with delight as I listened to the merry chorus of the sailors +while they hauled at the ropes and got in the anchor! The captain +shouted; the men ran to obey; the noble ship bent over to the breeze, +and the shore gradually faded from my view; while I stood looking on, +with a kind of feeling that the whole was a delightful dream. + +The first thing that struck me as being different from anything I had +yet seen during my short career on the sea, was the hoisting of the +anchor on deck and lashing it firmly down with ropes, as if we had now +bid adieu to the land for ever and would require its services no more. + +"There, lass!" cried a broad-shouldered jack-tar, giving the fluke of +the anchor a hearty slap with his hand after the housing was +completed--"there, lass, take a good nap now, for we sha'n't ask you to +kiss the mud again for many a long day to come!" + +And so it was. That anchor did not "kiss the mud" for many long days +afterwards; and when at last it did, it was for the last time! + +There were a number of boys in the ship, but two of them were my special +favourites. Jack Martin was a tall, strapping, broad-shouldered youth +of eighteen, with a handsome, good-humoured, firm face. He had had a +good education, was clever and hearty and lion-like in his actions, but +mild and quiet in disposition. Jack was a general favourite, and had a +peculiar fondness for me. My other companion was Peterkin Gay. He was +little, quick, funny, decidedly mischievous, and about fourteen years +old. But Peterkin's mischief was almost always harmless, else he could +not have been so much beloved as he was. + +"Hallo, youngster!" cried Jack Martin, giving me a slap on the shoulder +the day I joined the ship, "come below and I'll show you your berth. +You and I are to be messmates; and I think we shall be good friends, for +I like the look o' you." + +Jack was right. He and I, and Peterkin afterwards, became the best and +staunchest friends that ever tossed together on the stormy waves. + +I shall say little about the first part of our voyage. We had the usual +amount of rough weather and calm; also we saw many strange fish rolling +in the sea, and I was greatly delighted one day by seeing a shoal of +flying-fish dart out of the water and skim through the air about a foot +above the surface. They were pursued by dolphins, which feed on them; +and one flying-fish, in its terror, flew over the ship, struck on the +rigging, and fell upon the deck. Its wings were just fins elongated; +and we found that they could never fly far at a time, and never mounted +into the air like birds, but skimmed along the surface of the sea. Jack +and I had it for dinner, and found it remarkably good. + +When we approached Cape Horn, at the southern extremity of America, the +weather became very cold and stormy, and the sailors began to tell +stories about the furious gales and the dangers of that terrible cape. + +"Cape Horn," said one, "is the most horrible headland I ever doubled. +I've sailed round it twice already, and both times the ship was a'most +blow'd out o' the water." + +"I've been round it once," said another; "an' that time the sails were +split, and the ropes frozen in the blocks so that they wouldn't work, +and we wos all but lost." + +"An' I've been round it five times," cried a third; "an' every time wos +wuss than another, the gales wos so tree-mendous!" + +"And I've been round it, no times at all," cried Peterkin with an +impudent wink in his eye, "an' that time I wos blow'd inside out!" + +Nevertheless we passed the dreaded cape without much rough weather, and +in the course of a few weeks afterwards were sailing gently, before a +warm tropical breeze, over the Pacific Ocean. Thus we proceeded on our +voyage--sometimes bounding merrily before a fair breeze; at other times +floating calmly on the glassy wave and fishing for the curious +inhabitants of the deep, all of which, although the sailors thought +little of them, were strange, and interesting, and very wonderful to me. + +At last we came among the Coral Islands of the Pacific; and I shall +never forget the delight with which I gazed--when we chanced to pass +one--at the pure white, dazzling shores, and the verdant palm-trees, +which looked bright and beautiful in the sunshine. And often did we +three long to be landed on one, imagining that we should certainly find +perfect happiness there! Our wish was granted sooner than we expected. + +One night, soon after we entered the tropics, an awful storm burst upon +our ship. The first squall of wind carried away two of our masts, and +left only the foremast standing. Even this, however, was more than +enough, for we did not dare to hoist a rag of sail on it. For five days +the tempest raged in all its fury. Everything was swept off the decks, +except one small boat. The steersman was lashed to the wheel lest he +should be washed away, and we all gave ourselves up for lost. The +captain said that he had no idea where we were, as we had been blown far +out of our course; and we feared much that we might get among the +dangerous coral reefs which are so numerous in the Pacific. At daybreak +on the sixth morning of the gale we saw land ahead; it was an island +encircled by a reef of coral, on which the waves broke in fury. There +was calm water within this reef, but we could see only one narrow +opening into it. For this opening we steered; but ere we reached it a +tremendous wave broke on our stern, tore the rudder completely off, and +left us at the mercy of the winds and waves. + +"It's all over with us now, lads!" said the captain to the men. "Get +the boat ready to launch; we shall be on the rocks in less than +half-an-hour." + +The men obeyed in gloomy silence, for they felt that there was little +hope of so small a boat living in such a sea. + +"Come, boys," said Jack Martin, in a grave tone, to me and Peterkin, as +we stood on the quarter-deck awaiting our fate--"come, boys; we three +shall stick together. You see it is impossible that the little boat can +reach the shore, crowded with men. It will be sure to upset, so I mean +rather to trust myself to a large oar. I see through the telescope that +the ship will strike at the tail of the reef, where the waves break into +the quiet water inside; so if we manage to cling to the oar till it is +driven over the breakers, we may perhaps gain the shore. What say you? +Will you join me?" + +We gladly agreed to follow Jack, for he inspired us with confidence-- +although I could perceive, by the sad tone of his voice, that he had +little hope; and indeed, when I looked at the white waves that lashed +the reef and boiled against the rocks as if in fury, I felt that there +was but a step between us and death. My heart sank within me; but at +that moment my thoughts turned to my beloved mother, and I remembered +those words, which were among the last that she said to me: "Ralph, my +dearest child, always remember, in the hour of danger, to look to your +Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He alone is both able and willing to +save your body and your soul." So I felt much comforted when I thought +thereon. + +The ship was now very near the rocks. The men were ready with the boat, +and the captain beside them giving orders, when a tremendous wave came +towards us. We three ran towards the bow to lay hold of our oar, and +had barely reached it when the wave fell on the deck with a crash like +thunder. At the same moment the ship struck; the foremast broke off +close to the deck and went over the side, carrying the boat and men +along with it. Our oar got entangled with the wreck, and Jack seized an +axe to cut it free; but owing to the motion of the ship, he missed the +cordage and struck the axe deep into the oar. Another wave, however, +washed it clear of the wreck. We all seized hold of it, and the next +instant we were struggling in the wild sea. The last thing I saw was +the boat whirling in the surf, and all the sailors tossed into the +foaming waves. Then I became insensible. + +On recovering from my swoon I found myself lying on a bank of soft +grass, under shelter of an overhanging rock, with Peterkin on his knees +by my side, tenderly bathing my temples with water, and endeavouring to +stop the blood that flowed from a wound in my forehead. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +THE CORAL ISLAND--OUR FIRST COGITATIONS AFTER LANDING AND THE RESULT OF +THEM--WE CONCLUDE THAT THE ISLAND IS UNINHABITED. + +There is a strange and peculiar sensation experienced in recovering from +a state of insensibility which is almost indescribable: a sort of +dreamy, confused consciousness; a half-waking, half-sleeping condition, +accompanied with a feeling of weariness, which, however, is by no means +disagreeable. As I slowly recovered, and heard the voice of Peterkin +inquiring whether I felt better, I thought that I must have overslept +myself, and should be sent to the masthead for being lazy; but before I +could leap up in haste, the thought seemed to vanish suddenly away, and +I fancied that I must have been ill. Then a balmy breeze fanned my +cheek; and I thought of home, and the garden at the back of my father's +cottage with its luxuriant flowers, and the sweet-scented honeysuckle +that my dear mother trained so carefully upon the trellised porch. But +the roaring of the surf put these delightful thoughts to flight, and I +was back again at sea, watching the dolphins and the flying-fish, and +reefing topsails off the wild and stormy Cape Horn. Gradually the roar +of the surf became louder and more distinct. I thought of being wrecked +far, far away from my native land, and slowly opened my eyes to meet +those of my companion Jack, who, with a look of intense anxiety, was +gazing into my face. + +"Speak to us, my dear Ralph!" whispered Jack tenderly. "Are you better +now?" + +I smiled and looked up, saying, "Better! Why, what do you mean, Jack? +I'm quite well." + +"Then what are you shamming for, and frightening us in this way?" said +Peterkin, smiling through his tears; for the poor boy had been really +under the impression that I was dying. + +I now raised myself on my elbow, and putting my hand to my forehead, +found that it had been cut pretty severely, and that I had lost a good +deal of blood. + +"Come, come, Ralph," said Jack, pressing me gently backward, "lie down, +my boy; you're not right yet. Wet your lips with this water; it's cool +and clear as crystal. I got it from a spring close at hand. There, +now, don't say a word--hold your tongue," he said, seeing me about to +speak. "I'll tell you all about it, but you must not utter a syllable +till you have rested well." + +"Oh, don't stop him from speaking, Jack!" said Peterkin, who, now that +his fears for my safety were removed, busied himself in erecting a +shelter of broken branches in order to protect me from the wind--which, +however, was almost unnecessary, for the rock beside which I had been +laid completely broke the force of the gale. "Let him speak, Jack; it's +a comfort to hear that he's alive after lying there stiff and white and +sulky for a whole hour, just like an Egyptian mummy.--Never saw such a +fellow as you are, Ralph--always up to mischief. You've almost knocked +out all my teeth and more than half-choked me, and now you go shamming +dead! It's very wicked of you, indeed it is." + +While Peterkin ran on in this style my faculties became quite clear +again, and I began to understand my position. "What do you mean by +saying I half-choked you, Peterkin?" said I. + +"What do I mean? Is English not your mother-tongue? or do you want me +to repeat it in French by way of making it clearer? Don't you +remember?" + +"I remember nothing," said I, interrupting him, "after we were thrown +into the sea." + +"Hush, Peterkin!" said Jack; "you're exciting Ralph with your +nonsense.--I'll explain it to you. You recollect that, after the ship +struck, we three sprang over the bow into the sea? Well, I noticed that +the oar struck your head and gave you that cut on the brow which nearly +stunned you, so that you grasped Peterkin round the neck without knowing +apparently what you were about. In doing so, you pushed the telescope-- +which you clung to as if it had been your life--against Peterkin's +mouth--" + +"Pushed it against his mouth!" interrupted Peterkin; "say crammed it +down his throat! Why, there's a distinct mark of the brass rim on the +back of my gullet at this moment!" + +"Well, well, be that as it may," continued Jack, "you clung to him, +Ralph, till I feared you really would choke him. But I saw that he had +a good hold of the oar; so I exerted myself to the utmost to push you +towards the shore, which we luckily reached without much trouble, for +the water inside the reef is quite calm." + +"But the captain and crew, what of them?" I inquired anxiously. + +Jack shook his head. + +"Are they lost?" + +"No, they are not lost, I hope; but, I fear, there is not much chance of +their being saved. The ship struck at the very tail of the island on +which we are cast. When the boat was tossed into the sea it fortunately +did not upset, although it shipped a good deal of water, and all the men +managed to scramble into it; but before they could get the oars out, the +gale carried them past the point and away to leeward of the island. +After we landed I saw them endeavouring to pull towards us; but as they +had only one pair of oars out of the eight that belonged to the boat, +and as the wind was blowing right in their teeth, they gradually lost +ground. Then I saw them put about and hoist some sort of sail--a +blanket, I fancy, for it was too small for the boat--and in half-an-hour +they were out of sight." + +"Poor fellows!" I murmured sorrowfully. + +"But the more I think about it I've better hope of them," continued Jack +in a more cheerful tone. "You see, Ralph, I've read a great deal about +these South Sea Islands, and I know that in many places they are +scattered about in thousands over the sea, so they're almost sure to +fall in with one of them before long." + +"I'm sure I hope so," said Peterkin earnestly. "But what has become of +the wreck, Jack? I saw you clambering up the rocks there while I was +watching Ralph. Did you say she had gone to pieces?" + +"No, she has not gone to pieces; but she has gone to the bottom," +replied Jack. "As I said before, she struck on the tail of the island +and stove in her bow; but the next breaker swung her clear, and she +floated away to leeward. The poor fellows in the boat made a hard +struggle to reach her, but long before they came near her she filled and +went down. It was after she had foundered that I saw them trying to +pull to the island." + +There was a long silence after Jack had ceased speaking, and I have no +doubt that each was revolving in his mind our extraordinary position. +For my part, I cannot say that my reflections were very agreeable. I +knew that we were on an island, for Jack had said so; but whether it was +inhabited or not, I did not know. If it should be inhabited, I felt +certain, from all I had heard of South Sea Islanders, that we should be +roasted alive and eaten. If it should turn out to be uninhabited, I +fancied that we should be starved to death. "Oh," thought I, "if the +ship had only struck on the rocks we might have done pretty well, for we +could have obtained provisions from her, and tools to enable us to build +a shelter; but now--alas! alas! we are lost!" These last words I +uttered aloud in my distress. + +"Lost, Ralph!" exclaimed Jack, while a smile overspread his hearty +countenance. "Saved, you should have said. Your cogitations seem to +have taken a wrong road, and led you to a wrong conclusion." + +"Do you know what conclusion I have come to?" said Peterkin. "I have +made up my mind that it's capital--first-rate--the best thing that ever +happened to us, and the most splendid prospect that ever lay before +three jolly young tars. We've got an island all to ourselves. We'll +take possession in the name of the king. We'll go and enter the service +of its black inhabitants. Of course we'll rise, naturally, to the top +of affairs: white men always do in savage countries. You shall be king, +Jack; Ralph, prime minister; and I shall be--" + +"The court-jester," interrupted Jack. + +"No," retorted Peterkin; "I'll have no title at all. I shall merely +accept a highly responsible situation under government; for you see, +Jack, I'm fond of having an enormous salary and nothing to do." + +"But suppose there are no natives?" + +"Then we'll build a charming villa, and plant a lovely garden round it, +stuck all full of the most splendiferous tropical flowers; and we'll +farm the land, plant, sow, reap, eat, sleep, and be merry." + +"But to be serious," said Jack, assuming a grave expression of +countenance--which, I observed, always had the effect of checking +Peterkin's disposition to make fun of everything--"we are really in +rather an uncomfortable position. If this is a desert island, we shall +have to live very much like the wild beasts; for we have not a tool of +any kind--not even a knife." + +"Yes, we have _that_," said Peterkin, fumbling in his trousers pocket, +from which he drew forth a small penknife with only one blade, and that +was broken. + +"Well, that's better than nothing.--But come," said Jack, rising; "we +are wasting our time in _talking_ instead of _doing_.--You seem well +enough to walk now, Ralph.--Let us see what we have got in our pockets; +and then let us climb some hill and ascertain what sort of island we +have been cast upon, for, whether good or bad, it seems likely to be our +home for some time to come." + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +WE EXAMINE INTO OUR PERSONAL PROPERTY, AND MAKE A HAPPY DISCOVERY--OUR +ISLAND DESCRIBED--JACK PROVES HIMSELF TO BE LEARNED AND SAGACIOUS ABOVE +HIS FELLOWS--CURIOUS DISCOVERIES--NATURAL LEMONADE! + +We now seated ourselves upon a rock, and began to examine into our +personal property. When we reached the shore after being wrecked, my +companions had taken off part of their clothes and spread them out in +the sun to dry; for although the gale was raging fiercely, there was not +a single cloud in the bright sky. They had also stripped off most part +of my wet clothes and spread them also on the rocks. Having resumed our +garments, we now searched all our pockets with the utmost care, and laid +their contents out on a flat stone before us; and now that our minds +were fully alive to our condition, it was with no little anxiety that we +turned our several pockets inside out in order that nothing might escape +us. When all was collected together, we found that our worldly goods +consisted of the following articles: + +First, a small penknife with a single blade, broken off about the middle +and very rusty, besides having two or three notches on its edge. +(Peterkin said of this, with his usual pleasantry, that it would do for +a saw as well as a knife, which was a great advantage.) Second, an old +German-silver pencil-case without any lead in it. Third, a piece of +whip-cord about six yards long. Fourth, a sailmaker's needle of a small +size. Fifth, a ship's telescope, which I happened to have in my hand at +the time the ship struck, and which I had clung to firmly all the time I +was in the water; indeed, it was with difficulty that Jack got it out of +my grasp when I was lying insensible on the shore. I cannot understand +why I kept such a firm hold of this telescope. They say that a drowning +man will clutch at a straw. Perhaps it may have been some such feeling +in me, for I did not know that it was in my hand at the time we were +wrecked. However, we felt some pleasure in having it with us now-- +although we did not see that it could be of much use to us, as the glass +at the small end was broken to pieces. Our sixth article was a brass +ring which Jack always wore on his little finger. I never understood +why he wore it; for Jack was not vain of his appearance, and did not +seem to care for ornaments of any kind. Peterkin said, "it was in +memory of the girl he left behind him!" But as he never spoke of this +girl to either of us, I am inclined to think that Peterkin was either +jesting or mistaken. In addition to these articles, we had a little bit +of tinder and the clothes on our backs. These last were as follows: + +Each of us had on a pair of stout canvas trousers and a pair of sailors' +thick shoes. Jack wore a red flannel shirt, a blue jacket, and a red +Kilmarnock bonnet or nightcap, besides a pair of worsted socks, and a +cotton pocket-handkerchief with sixteen portraits of Lord Nelson printed +on it and a union-jack in the middle. Peterkin had on a striped flannel +shirt--which he wore outside his trousers and belted round his waist, +after the manner of a tunic--and a round black straw hat. He had no +jacket, having thrown it off just before we were cast into the sea; but +this was not of much consequence, as the climate of the island proved to +be extremely mild--so much so, indeed, that Jack and I often preferred +to go about without our jackets. Peterkin had also a pair of white +cotton socks and a blue handkerchief with white spots all over it. My +own costume consisted of a blue flannel shirt, a blue jacket, a black +cap, and a pair of worsted socks, besides the shoes and canvas trousers +already mentioned. This was all we had, and besides these things we had +nothing else; but when we thought of the danger from which we had +escaped, and how much worse off we might have been had the ship struck +on the reef during the night, we felt very thankful that we were +possessed of so much, although, I must confess, we sometimes wished that +we had had a little more. + +While we were examining these things and talking about them, Jack +suddenly started and exclaimed: + +"The oar! We have forgotten the oar!" + +"What good will that do us?" said Peterkin. "There's wood enough on the +island to make a thousand oars." + +"Ay, lad," replied Jack; "but there's a bit of hoop-iron at the end of +it, and that may be of much use to us." + +"Very true," said I; "let us go fetch it." And with that we all three +rose and hastened down to the beach. I still felt a little weak from +loss of blood, so that my companions soon began to leave me behind; but +Jack perceived this, and, with his usual considerate good-nature, turned +back to help me. This was now the first time that I had looked well +about me since landing, as the spot where I had been laid was covered +with thick bushes, which almost hid the country from our view. As we +now emerged from among these and walked down the sandy beach together, I +cast my eyes about, and truly my heart glowed within me and my spirits +rose at the beautiful prospect which I beheld on every side. The gale +had suddenly died away, just as if it had blown furiously till it dashed +our ship upon the rocks, and had nothing more to do after accomplishing +that. The island on which we stood was hilly, and covered almost +everywhere with the most beautiful and richly coloured trees, bushes, +and shrubs, none of which I knew the names of at that time--except, +indeed, the cocoa-nut palms, which I recognised at once from the many +pictures that I had seen of them before I left home. A sandy beach of +dazzling whiteness lined this bright-green shore, and upon it there fell +a gentle ripple of the sea. This last astonished me much, for I +recollected that at home the sea used to fall in huge billows on the +shore long after a storm had subsided. But on casting my glance out to +sea the cause became apparent. About a mile distant from the shore I +saw the great billows of the ocean rolling like a green wall, and +falling with a long, loud roar upon a low coral reef, where they were +dashed into white foam and flung up in clouds of spray. This spray +sometimes flew exceedingly high, and every here and there a beautiful +rainbow was formed for a moment among the falling drops. We afterwards +found that this coral reef extended quite round the island, and formed a +natural breakwater to it. Beyond this, the sea rose and tossed +violently from the effects of the storm; but between the reef and the +shore it was as calm and as smooth as a pond. + +My heart was filled with more delight than I can express at sight of so +many glorious objects, and my thoughts turned suddenly to the +contemplation of the Creator of them all. I mention this the more +gladly, because at that time, I am ashamed to say, I very seldom thought +of my Creator, although I was constantly surrounded by the most +beautiful and wonderful of His works. I observed, from the expression +of my companion's countenance, that he too derived much joy from the +splendid scenery, which was all the more agreeable to us after our long +voyage on the salt sea. There the breeze was fresh and cold; but here +it was delightfully mild, and when a puff blew off the land it came +laden with the most exquisite perfume that can be imagined. While we +thus gazed we were startled by a loud "Huzza!" from Peterkin, and on +looking towards the edge of the sea we saw him capering and jumping +about like a monkey, and ever and anon tugging with all his might at +something that lay upon the shore. + +"What an odd fellow he is, to be sure!" said Jack, taking me by the arm +and hurrying forward. "Come, let us hasten to see what it is." + +"Here it is, boys--hurrah! Come along! Just what we want!" cried +Peterkin as we drew near, still tugging with all his power. +"First-rate; just the very ticket!" + +I need scarcely say to my readers that my companion Peterkin was in the +habit of using very remarkable and peculiar phrases. And I am free to +confess that I did not well understand the meaning of some of them-- +such, for instance, as "the very ticket;" but I think it my duty to +recount everything relating to my adventures with a strict regard to +truthfulness in as far as my memory serves me, so I write, as nearly as +possible, the exact words that my companions spoke. I often asked +Peterkin to explain what he meant by "ticket," but he always answered me +by going into fits of laughter. However, by observing the occasions on +which he used it, I came to understand that it meant to show that +something was remarkably good or fortunate. + +On coming up we found that Peterkin was vainly endeavouring to pull the +axe out of the oar into which, it will be remembered, Jack struck it +while endeavouring to cut away the cordage among which it had become +entangled at the bow of the ship. Fortunately for us, the axe had +remained fast in the oar, and even now all Peterkin's strength could not +draw it out of the cut. + +"Ah, that is capital indeed!" cried Jack, at the same time giving the +axe a wrench that plucked it out of the tough wood. "How fortunate this +is! It will be of more value to us than a hundred knives, and the edge +is quite new and sharp." + +"I'll answer for the toughness of the handle, at any rate!" cried +Peterkin; "my arms are nearly pulled out of the sockets. But see here, +our luck is great. There is iron on the blade." He pointed to a piece +of hoop-iron as he spoke, which had been nailed round the blade of the +oar to prevent it from splitting. + +This also was a fortunate discovery. Jack went down on his knees, and +with the edge of the axe began carefully to force out the nails. But as +they were firmly fixed in, and the operation blunted our axe, we carried +the oar up with us to the place where we had left the rest of our +things, intending to burn the wood away from the iron at a more +convenient time. + +"Now, lads," said Jack after we had laid it on the stone which contained +our little all, "I propose that we should go to the tail of the island, +where the ship struck, which is only a quarter of a mile off; and see if +anything else has been thrown ashore. I don't expect anything, but it +is well to see. When we get back here it will be time to have our +supper and prepare our beds." + +"Agreed!" cried Peterkin and I together, as, indeed, we would have +agreed to any proposal that Jack made; for, besides his being older and +much stronger and taller than either of us, he was a very clever fellow, +and, I think, would have induced people much older than himself to +choose him for their leader, especially if they required to be led on a +bold enterprise. + +Now as we hastened along the white beach, which shone so brightly in the +rays of the setting sun that our eyes were quite dazzled by its glare, +it suddenly came into Peterkin's head that we had nothing to eat except +the wild berries which grew in profusion at our feet. + +"What shall we do, Jack?" said he with a rueful look. "Perhaps they may +be poisonous!" + +"No fear," replied Jack confidently. "I have observed that a few of +them are not unlike some of the berries that grow wild on our own native +hills. Besides, I saw one or two strange birds eating them just a few +minutes ago, and what won't kill the birds won't kill us. But look up +there, Peterkin," continued Jack, pointing to the branched head of a +cocoa-nut palm. "There are nuts for us in all stages." + +"So there are!" cried Peterkin, who, being of a very unobservant nature, +had been too much taken up with other things to notice anything so high +above his head as the fruit of a palm-tree. But whatever faults my +young comrade had, he could not be blamed for want of activity or animal +spirits. Indeed, the nuts had scarcely been pointed out to him when he +bounded up the tall stem of the tree like a squirrel, and in a few +minutes returned with three nuts, each as large as a man's fist. + +"You had better keep them till we return," said Jack. "Let us finish +our work before eating." + +"So be it, captain; go ahead!" cried Peterkin, thrusting the nuts into +his trousers pocket. "In fact, I don't want to eat just now; but I +would give a good deal for a drink. Oh, that I could find a spring! but +I don't see the smallest sign of one hereabouts. I say, Jack, how does +it happen that you seem to be up to everything? You have told us the +names of half-a-dozen trees already, and yet you say that you were never +in the South Seas before." + +"I'm not up to everything, Peterkin, as you'll find out ere long," +replied Jack with a smile; "but I have been a great reader of books of +travel and adventure all my life, and that has put me up to a good many +things that you are, perhaps, not acquainted with." + +"Oh, Jack, that's all humbug! If you begin to lay everything to the +credit of books, I'll quite lose my opinion of you," cried Peterkin with +a look of contempt. "I've seen a lot o' fellows that were _always_ +poring over books, and when they came to try to _do_ anything, they were +no better than baboons!" + +"You are quite right," retorted Jack; "and I have seen a lot of fellows, +who never looked into books at all, who knew nothing about anything +except the things they had actually seen, and very little they knew even +about these. Indeed, some were so ignorant that they did not know that +cocoa-nuts grew on cocoa-nut trees!" + +I could not refrain from laughing at this rebuke, for there was much +truth in it as to Peterkin's ignorance. + +"Humph! maybe you're right," answered Peterkin; "but I would not give +_tuppence_ for a man of books if he had nothing else in him." + +"Neither would I," said Jack; "but that's no reason why you should run +books down, or think less of me for having read them. Suppose, now, +Peterkin, that you wanted to build a ship, and I were to give you a long +and particular account of the way to do it, would not that be very +useful?" + +"No doubt of it," said Peterkin, laughing. + +"And suppose I were to write the account in a letter instead of telling +you in words, would that be less useful?" + +"Well--no, perhaps not." + +"Well, suppose I were to print it and send it to you in the form of a +book, would it not be as good and useful as ever?" + +"Oh, bother! Jack, you're a philosopher, and that's worse than +anything!" cried Peterkin with a look of pretended horror. + +"Very well, Peterkin, we shall see," returned Jack, halting under the +shade of a cocoa-nut tree. "You said you were thirsty just a minute +ago. Now jump up that tree and bring down a nut--not a ripe one; bring +a green, unripe one." + +Peterkin looked surprised, but seeing that Jack was in earnest, he +obeyed. + +"Now cut a hole in it with your penknife and clap it to your mouth, old +fellow," said Jack. + +Peterkin did as he was directed, and we both burst into uncontrollable +laughter at the changes that instantly passed over his expressive +countenance. No sooner had he put the nut to his mouth, and thrown back +his head in order to catch what came out of it, than his eyes opened to +twice their ordinary size with astonishment, while his throat moved +vigorously in the act of swallowing. Then a smile and a look of intense +delight overspread his face, except, indeed, the mouth, which, being +firmly fixed to the hole in the nut, could not take part in the +expression; but he endeavoured to make up for this by winking at us +excessively with his right eye. At length he stopped, and drawing a +long breath, exclaimed: + +"Nectar! perfect nectar!--I say, Jack, you're a Briton--the best fellow +I ever met in my life--Only taste that!" said he, turning to me and +holding the nut to my mouth. I immediately drank, and certainly I was +much surprised at the delightful liquid that flowed copiously down my +throat. It was extremely cool, and had a sweet taste, mingled with +acid; in fact, it was the likest thing to lemonade I ever tasted, and +was most grateful and refreshing. I handed the nut to Jack, who, after +tasting it, said, "Now, Peterkin, you unbeliever! I never saw or tasted +a cocoa-nut in my life before, except those sold in shops at home; but I +once read that the green nuts contain that stuff; and you see it is +true." + +"And, pray," asked Peterkin, "what sort of `stuff' does the ripe nut +contain?" + +"A hollow kernel," answered Jack, "with a liquid like milk in it; but it +does not satisfy thirst so well as hunger. It is very wholesome food, I +believe." + +"Meat and drink on the same tree!" cried Peterkin; "washing in the sea, +lodging on the ground--and all for nothing! My dear boys, we're set up +for life! It must be the ancient Paradise--hurrah!" and Peterkin tossed +his straw hat in the air and ran along the beach, hallooing like a +madman with delight. + +We afterwards found, however, that these lovely islands were very unlike +Paradise in many things. But more of this in its proper place. + +We had now come to the point of rocks on which the ship had struck, but +did not find a single article, although we searched carefully among the +coral rocks, which at this place jutted out so far as nearly to join the +reef that encircled the island. Just as we were about to return, +however, we saw something black floating in a little cove that had +escaped our observation. Running forward, we drew it from the water, +and found it to be a long, thick, leather boot, such as fishermen at +home wear; and a few paces farther on, we picked up its fellow. We at +once recognised these as having belonged to our captain, for he had worn +them during the whole of the storm in order to guard his legs from the +waves and spray that constantly washed over our decks. My first thought +on seeing them was that our dear captain had been drowned; but Jack soon +put my mind more at rest on that point by saying that if the captain had +been drowned with the boots on, he would certainly have been washed +ashore along with them, and that he had no doubt whatever he had kicked +them off while in the sea that he might swim more easily. + +Peterkin immediately put them on; but they were so large that, as Jack +said, they would have done for boots, trousers, and vest too. I also +tried them; but although I was long enough in the legs for them, they +were much too large in the feet for me. So we handed them to Jack, who +was anxious to make me keep them; but as they fitted his large limbs and +feet as if they had been made for him, I would not hear of it, so he +consented at last to use them. I may remark, however, that Jack did not +use them often, as they were extremely heavy. + +It was beginning to grow dark when we returned to our encampment; so we +put off our visit to the top of a hill till next day, and employed the +light that yet remained to us in cutting down a quantity of boughs and +the broad leaves of a tree of which none of us knew the name. With +these we erected a sort of rustic bower, in which we meant to pass the +night. There was no absolute necessity for this, because the air of our +island was so genial and balmy that we could have slept quite well +without any shelter; but we were so little used to sleeping in the open +air that we did not quite relish the idea of lying down without any +covering over us. Besides, our bower would shelter us from the +night-dews or rain, if any should happen to fall. Having strewed the +floor with leaves and dry grass, we bethought ourselves of supper. + +But it now occurred to us, for the first time, that we had no means of +making a fire. + +"Now, there's a fix! What shall we do?" said Peterkin, while we both +turned our eyes to Jack, to whom we always looked in our difficulties. +Jack seemed not a little perplexed. + +"There are flints enough, no doubt, on the beach," said he; "but they +are of no use at all without a steel. However, we must try." So +saying, he went to the beach, and soon returned with two flints. On one +of these he placed the tinder, and endeavoured to ignite it; but it was +with great difficulty that a very small spark was struck out of the +flints, and the tinder, being a bad, hard piece, would not catch. He +then tried the bit of hoop-iron, which would not strike fire at all; and +after that the back of the axe, with no better success. During all +these trials Peterkin sat with his hands in his pockets, gazing with a +most melancholy visage at our comrade, his face growing longer and more +miserable at each successive failure. + +"Oh dear!" he sighed; "I would not care a button for the cooking of our +victuals--perhaps they don't need it--but it's so dismal to eat one's +supper in the dark, and we have had such a capital day that it's a pity +to finish off in this glum style. Oh, I have it!" he cried, starting +up: "the spy-glass--the big glass at the end is a burning-glass!" + +"You forget that we have no sun," said I. + +Peterkin was silent. In his sudden recollection of the telescope he had +quite overlooked the absence of the sun. + +"Ah, boys, I've got it now!" exclaimed Jack, rising and cutting a branch +from a neighbouring bush, which he stripped of its leaves. "I recollect +seeing this done once at home. Hand me the bit of whip-cord." With the +cord and branch Jack soon formed a bow. Then he cut a piece about three +inches long off the end of a dead branch, which he pointed at the two +ends. Round this he passed the cord of the bow, and placed one end +against his chest, which was protected from its point by a chip of wood; +the other point he placed against the bit of tinder, and then began to +saw vigorously with the bow, just as a blacksmith does with his drill +while boring a hole in a piece of iron. In a few seconds the tinder +began to smoke; in less than a minute it caught fire; and in less than a +quarter of an hour we were drinking our lemonade and eating cocoa-nuts +round a fire that would have roasted an entire sheep, while the smoke, +flames, and sparks flew up among the broad leaves of the overhanging +palm-trees, and cast a warm glow upon our leafy bower. + +That night the starry sky looked down through the gently rustling trees +upon our slumbers, and the distant roaring of the surf upon the coral +reef was our lullaby. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +MORNING, AND COGITATIONS CONNECTED THEREWITH--WE LUXURIATE IN THE SEA, +TRY OUR DIVING POWERS, AND MAKE ENCHANTING EXCURSIONS AMONG THE CORAL +GROVES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN--THE WONDERS OF THE DEEP ENLARGED +UPON. + +What a joyful thing it is to awaken on a fresh, glorious morning, and +find the rising sun staring into your face with dazzling brilliancy! to +hear the birds twittering in the bushes, and to hear the murmuring of a +rill, or the soft, hissing ripples as they fall upon the seashore! At +any time, and in any place, such sights and sounds are most charming; +but more especially are they so when one awakens to them, for the first +time, in a novel and romantic situation, with the soft, sweet air of a +tropical climate mingling with the fresh smell of the sea, and stirring +the strange leaves that flutter overhead and around one, or ruffling the +plumage of the stranger birds that fly inquiringly around as if to +demand what business we have to intrude uninvited on their domains. +When I awoke on the morning after the shipwreck, I found myself in this +most delightful condition; and as I lay on my back upon my bed of +leaves, gazing up through the branches of the cocoa-nut trees into the +clear blue sky, and watched the few fleecy clouds that passed slowly +across it, my heart expanded more and more with an exulting gladness, +the like of which I had never felt before. While I meditated, my +thoughts again turned to the great and kind Creator of this beautiful +world, as they had done on the previous day when I first beheld the sea +and the coral reef, with the mighty waves dashing over it into the calm +waters of the lagoon. + +While thus meditating, I naturally bethought me of my Bible, for I had +faithfully kept the promise which I gave at parting to my beloved +mother--that I would read it every morning; and it was with a feeling of +dismay that I remembered I had left it in the ship. I was much troubled +about this. However, I consoled myself with reflecting that I could +keep the second part of my promise to her--namely, that I should never +omit to say my prayers. So I rose quietly lest I should disturb my +companions, who were still asleep, and stepped aside into the bushes for +this purpose. + +On my return I found them still slumbering, so I again lay down to think +over our situation. Just at that moment I was attracted by the sight of +a very small parrot, which Jack afterwards told me was called a +paroquet. It was seated on a twig that overhung Peterkin's head, and I +was speedily lost in admiration of its bright-green plumage, which was +mingled with other gay colours. While I looked I observed that the bird +turned its head slowly from side to side and looked downwards, first +with the one eye and then with the other. On glancing downwards I +observed that Peterkin's mouth was wide open, and that this remarkable +bird was looking into it. Peterkin used to say that I had not an atom +of fun in my composition, and that I never could understand a joke. In +regard to the latter, perhaps he was right; yet I think that, when they +were explained to me, I understood jokes as well as most people. But in +regard to the former, he must certainly have been wrong, for this bird +seemed to me to be extremely funny; and I could not help thinking that +if it should happen to faint, or slip its foot, and fall off the twig +into Peterkin's mouth, he would perhaps think it funny too! Suddenly +the paroquet bent down its head and uttered a loud scream in his face. +This awoke him, and with a cry of surprise, he started up, while the +foolish bird flew precipitately away. + +"Oh, you monster!" cried Peterkin, shaking his fist at the bird. Then +he yawned, and rubbed his eyes, and asked what o'clock it was. + +I smiled at this question, and answered that, as our watches were at the +bottom of the sea, I could not tell, but it was a little past sunrise. + +Peterkin now began to remember where we were. As he looked up into the +bright sky, and snuffed the scented air, his eyes glistened with +delight, and he uttered a faint "Hurrah!" and yawned again. Then he +gazed slowly round, till, observing the calm sea through an opening in +the bushes, he started suddenly up as if he had received an electric +shock, uttered a vehement shout, flung off his garments, and rushing +over the white sands, plunged into the water. The cry awoke Jack, who +rose on his elbow with a look of grave surprise; but this was followed +by a quiet smile of intelligence on seeing Peterkin in the water. With +an energy that he only gave way to in moments of excitement, Jack +bounded to his feet, threw off his clothes, shook back his hair, and +with a lion-like spring, dashed over the sands and plunged into the sea +with such force as quite to envelop Peterkin in a shower of spray. Jack +was a remarkably good swimmer and diver, so that after his plunge we saw +no sign of him for nearly a minute, after which he suddenly emerged, +with a cry of joy, a good many yards out from the shore. My spirits +were so much raised by seeing all this that I, too, hastily threw off my +garments and endeavoured to imitate Jack's vigorous bound; but I was so +awkward that my foot caught on a stump, and I fell to the ground. Then +I slipped on a stone while running over the sand and nearly fell again, +much to the amusement of Peterkin, who laughed heartily and called me a +"slow coach;" while Jack cried out, "Come along, Ralph, and I'll help +you!" However, when I got into the water I managed very well; for I was +really a good swimmer and diver too. I could not, indeed, equal Jack, +who was superior to any Englishman I ever saw; but I infinitely +surpassed Peterkin, who could only swim a little, and could not dive at +all. + +While Peterkin enjoyed himself in the shallow water and in running along +the beach, Jack and I swam out into the deep water and occasionally +dived for stones. I shall never forget my surprise and delight on first +beholding the bottom of the sea. As I have before stated, the water +within the reef was as calm as a pond; and as there was no wind, it was +quite clear from the surface to the bottom, so that we could see down +easily even at a depth of twenty or thirty yards. When Jack and I dived +into shallower water we expected to have found sand and stones, instead +of which we found ourselves in what appeared really to be an enchanted +garden. The whole of the bottom of the lagoon, as we called the calm +water within the reef, was covered with coral of every shape, size, and +hue. Some portions were formed like large mushrooms; others appeared +like the brain of a man, having stalks or necks attached to them; but +the most common kind was a species of branching coral, and some portions +were of a lovely pale-pink colour, others were pure white. Among this +there grew large quantities of seaweed of the richest hues imaginable, +and of the most graceful forms; while innumerable fishes--blue, red, +yellow, green, and striped--sported in and out amongst the flower-beds +of this submarine garden, and did not appear to be at all afraid of our +approaching them. + +On darting to the surface for breath after our first dive, Jack and I +rose close to each other. + +"Did you ever in your life, Ralph, see anything so lovely?" said Jack as +he flung the spray from his hair. + +"Never," I replied. "It appears to me like fairy realms. I can +scarcely believe that we are not dreaming." + +"Dreaming!" cried Jack. "Do you know, Ralph, I'm half-tempted to think +that we really are dreaming! But if so, I am resolved to make the most +of it and dream another dive; so here goes--down again, my boy!" + +We took the second dive together, and kept beside each other while under +water; and I was greatly surprised to find that we could keep down much +longer than I ever recollect having done in our own seas at home. I +believe that this was owing to the heat of the water, which was so warm +that we afterwards found we could remain in it for two and three hours +at a time without feeling any unpleasant effects such as we used to +experience in the sea at home. When Jack reached the bottom, he grasped +the coral stems and crept along on his hands and knees, peeping under +the seaweed and among the rocks. I observed him, also, pick up one or +two large oysters and retain them in his grasp, as if he meant to take +them up with him; so I also gathered a few. Suddenly he made a grasp at +a fish with blue and yellow stripes on its back, and actually touched +its tail, but did not catch it. At this he turned towards me and +attempted to smile; but no sooner had he done so than he sprang like an +arrow to the surface, where, on following him, I found him gasping and +coughing and spitting water from his mouth. In a few minutes he +recovered, and we both turned to swim ashore. + +"I declare, Ralph," said he, "that I actually tried to laugh under +water!" + +"So I saw," I replied; "and I observed that you very nearly caught that +fish by the tail. It would have done capitally for breakfast, if you +had." + +"Breakfast enough here," said he, holding up the oysters as we landed +and ran up the beach.--"Hallo, Peterkin! Here you are, boy! split open +these fellows while Ralph and I put on our clothes. They'll agree with +the cocoa-nuts excellently, I have no doubt." + +Peterkin, who was already dressed, took the oysters and opened them with +the edge of our axe, exclaiming, "Now, that's capital! There's nothing +I'm so fond of." + +"Ah! that's lucky," remarked Jack. "I'll be able to keep you in good +order now, Master Peterkin. You know you can't dive any better than a +cat. So, sir, whenever you behave ill you shall have no oysters for +breakfast." + +"I'm very glad that our prospect of breakfast is so good," said I, "for +I'm very hungry." + +"Here, then, stop your mouth with that, Ralph," said Peterkin, holding a +large oyster to my lips. I opened my mouth and swallowed it in silence, +and really it was remarkably good. + +We now set ourselves earnestly about our preparations for spending the +day. We had no difficulty with the fire this morning as our +burning-glass was an admirable one; and while we roasted a few oysters +and ate our cocoa-nuts, we held a long, animated conversation about our +plans for the future. What those plans were, and how we carried them +into effect, the reader shall see hereafter. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +AN EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR IN WHICH WE MAKE MANY VALUABLE AND +INTERESTING DISCOVERIES--WE GET A DREADFUL FRIGHT--THE BREAD-FRUIT +TREE--WONDERFUL PECULIARITY OF SOME OF THE FRUIT-TREES--SIGNS OF FORMER +INHABITANTS. + +Our first care, after breakfast, was to place the few articles we +possessed in the crevice of a rock at the farther end of a small cave +which we discovered near our encampment. This cave, we hoped, might be +useful to us afterwards as a storehouse. Then we cut two large clubs +off a species of very hard tree which grew near at hand. One of these +was given to Peterkin, the other to me, and Jack armed himself with the +axe. We took these precautions because we purposed to make an excursion +to the top of the mountains of the interior, in order to obtain a better +view of our island. Of course we knew not what dangers might befall us +by the way, so thought it best to be prepared. + +Having completed our arrangements and carefully extinguished our fire, +we sallied forth and walked a short distance along the sea-beach till we +came to the entrance of a valley, through which flowed the rivulet +before mentioned. Here we turned our backs on the sea and struck into +the interior. + +The prospect that burst upon our view on entering the valley was truly +splendid. On either side of us there was a gentle rise in the land, +which thus formed two ridges, about a mile apart, on each side of the +valley. These ridges--which, as well as the low grounds between them, +were covered with trees and shrubs of the most luxuriant kind--continued +to recede inland for about two miles, when they joined the foot of a +small mountain. This hill rose rather abruptly from the head of the +valley, and was likewise entirely covered, even to the top, with trees-- +except on one particular spot near the left shoulder, where was a bare +and rocky place of a broken and savage character. Beyond this hill we +could not see, and we therefore directed our course up the banks of the +rivulet towards the foot of it, intending to climb to the top, should +that be possible--as, indeed, we had no doubt it was. + +Jack, being the wisest and boldest among us, took the lead, carrying the +axe on his shoulder. Peterkin, with his enormous club, came second, as +he said he should like to be in a position to defend me if any danger +should threaten. I brought up the rear; but having been more taken up +with the wonderful and curious things I saw at starting than with +thoughts of possible danger, I had very foolishly left my club behind +me. Although, as I have said, the trees and bushes were very luxuriant, +they were not so thickly crowded together as to hinder our progress +among them. We were able to wind in and out, and to follow the banks of +the stream quite easily, although, it is true, the height and thickness +of the foliage prevented us from seeing far ahead. But sometimes a +jutting-out rock on the hillsides afforded us a position whence we could +enjoy the romantic view and mark our progress towards the foot of the +hill. I was particularly struck, during the walk, with the richness of +the undergrowth in most places, and recognised many berries and plants +that resembled those of my native land, especially a tall, elegantly +formed fern, which emitted an agreeable perfume. There were several +kinds of flowers, too; but I did not see so many of these as I should +have expected in such a climate. We also saw a great variety of small +birds of bright plumage, and many paroquets similar to the one, that +awoke Peterkin so rudely in the morning. + +Thus we advanced to the foot of the hill without encountering anything +to alarm us, except, indeed, once, when we were passing close under a +part of the hill which was hidden from our view by the broad leaves of +the banana-trees, which grew in great luxuriance in that part. Jack was +just preparing to force his way through this thicket when we were +startled and arrested by a strange pattering or rumbling sound, which +appeared to us quite different from any of the sounds we had heard +during the previous part of our walk. + +"Hallo!" cried Peterkin, stopping short, and grasping his club with both +hands; "what's that?" + +Neither of us replied; but Jack seized his axe in his right hand, while +with the other he pushed aside the broad leaves and endeavoured to peer +amongst them. + +"I can see nothing," he said after a short pause. "I think it--" + +Again the rumbling sound came, louder than before, and we all sprang +back and stood on the defensive. For myself, having forgotten my club, +and not having taken the precaution to cut another, I buttoned my +jacket, doubled my fists, and threw myself into a boxing attitude. I +must say, however, that I felt somewhat uneasy; and my companions +afterwards confessed that their thoughts at this moment had been +instantly filled with all they had ever heard or read of wild beasts and +savages, torturings at the stake, roastings alive, and such-like +horrible things. Suddenly the pattering noise increased with tenfold +violence. It was followed by a fearful crash among the bushes, which +was rapidly repeated, as if some gigantic animal were bounding towards +us. In another moment an enormous rock came crashing through the +shrubbery, followed by a cloud of dust and small stones, and flew close +past the spot where we stood, carrying bushes and young trees along with +it. + +"Pooh! is that all?" exclaimed Peterkin, wiping the perspiration off his +forehead. "Why, I thought it was all the wild men and beasts in the +South Sea Islands, galloping on in one grand charge to sweep us off the +face of the earth, instead of a mere stone tumbling down the +mountain-side!" + +"Nevertheless," remarked Jack, "if that same stone had hit any of us it +would have rendered the charge you speak of quite unnecessary, +Peterkin." + +This was true, and I felt very thankful for our escape. On examining +the spot more narrowly, we found that it lay close to the foot of a very +rugged precipice, from which stones of various sizes were always +tumbling at intervals. Indeed, the numerous fragments lying scattered +all round might have suggested the cause of the sound had we not been +too suddenly alarmed to think of anything. + +We now resumed our journey, resolving that, in our future excursions +into the interior, we would be careful to avoid this dangerous +precipice. + +Soon afterwards we arrived at the foot of the hill, and prepared to +ascend it. Here Jack made a discovery which caused us all very great +joy. This was a tree of a remarkably beautiful appearance, which Jack +confidently declared to be the celebrated bread-fruit tree. + +"Is it celebrated?" inquired Peterkin with a look of great simplicity. + +"It is," replied Jack. + +"That's odd, now," rejoined Peterkin; "I never heard of it before." + +"Then it's not so celebrated as I thought it was," returned Jack, +quietly squeezing Peterkin's hat over his eyes; "but listen, you +ignorant boobie! and hear of it now." + +Peterkin readjusted his hat, and was soon listening with as much +interest as myself while Jack told us that this tree is one of the most +valuable in the islands of the south; that it bears two, sometimes +three, crops of fruit in the year; that the fruit is very like wheaten +bread in appearance, and that it constitutes the principal food of many +of the islanders. + +"So," said Peterkin, "we seem to have everything ready prepared to our +hands in this wonderful island--lemonade ready bottled in nuts, and +loaf-bread growing on the trees!" + +Peterkin, as usual, was jesting; nevertheless, it is a curious fact that +he spoke almost the literal truth. + +"Moreover," continued Jack, "the bread-fruit tree affords a capital gum, +which serves the natives for pitching their canoes; the bark of the +young branches is made by them into cloth; and of the wood, which is +durable and of a good colour, they build their houses. So you see, +lads, that we have no lack of material here to make us comfortable, if +we are only clever enough to use it." + +"But are you sure that that's it?" asked Peterkin. + +"Quite sure," replied Jack; "for I was particularly interested in the +account I once read of it, and I remember the description well. I am +sorry, however that I have forgotten the descriptions of many other +trees which I am sure we have seen to-day, if we could but recognise +them. So you see, Peterkin, I'm not up to everything yet." + +"Never mind, Jack," said Peterkin with a grave, patronising expression +of countenance, patting his tall companion on the shoulder--"never mind, +Jack; you know a good deal for your age. You're a clever boy, sir--a +promising young man; and if you only go on as you have begun, sir, you +will--" + +The end of this speech was suddenly cut short by Jack tripping up +Peterkin's heels and tumbling him into a mass of thick shrubs, where, +finding himself comfortable, he lay still, basking in the sunshine, +while Jack and I examined the bread-fruit tree. + +We were much struck with the deep, rich green colour of its broad +leaves, which were twelve or eighteen inches long, deeply indented, and +of a glossy smoothness, like the laurel. The fruit, with which it was +loaded, was nearly round, and appeared to be about six inches in +diameter, with a rough rind, marked with lozenge-shaped divisions. It +was of various colours, from light pea-green to brown and rich yellow. +Jack said that the yellow was the ripe fruit. We afterwards found that +most of the fruit-trees on the island were evergreens, and that we +might, when we wished, pluck the blossom and the ripe fruit from the +same tree. Such a wonderful difference from the trees of our own +country surprised us not a little. The bark of the tree was rough and +light-coloured; the trunk was about two feet in diameter, and it +appeared to be twenty feet high, being quite destitute of branches up to +that height, where it branched off into a beautiful and umbrageous head. +We noticed that the fruit hung in clusters of twos and threes on the +branches; but as we were anxious to get to the top of the hill, we +refrained from attempting to pluck any at that time. + +Our hearts were now very much cheered by our good fortune, and it was +with light and active steps that we clambered up the steep sides of the +hill. On reaching the summit a new, and if possible a grander, prospect +met our gaze. We found that this was not the highest part of the +island, but that another hill lay beyond, with a wide valley between it +and the one on which we stood. This valley, like the first, was also +full of rich trees--some dark and some light green, some heavy and thick +in foliage, and others light, feathery, and graceful, while the +beautiful blossoms on many of them threw a sort of rainbow tint over +all, and gave to the valley the appearance of a garden of flowers. +Among these we recognised many of the bread-fruit trees, laden with +yellow fruit, and also a great many cocoa-nut palms. After gazing our +fill we pushed down the hillside, crossed the valley, and soon began to +ascend the second mountain. It was clothed with trees nearly to the +top; but the summit was bare, and in some places broken. + +While on our way up we came to an object which filled us with much +interest. This was the stump of a tree that had evidently been cut down +with an axe! So, then, we were not the first who had viewed this +beautiful isle. The hand of man had been at work there before us. It +now began to recur to us again that perhaps the island was inhabited, +although we had not seen any traces of man until now. But a second +glance at the stump convinced us that we had not more reason to think so +now than formerly; for the surface of the wood was quite decayed and +partly covered with fungus and green matter, so that it must have been +cut many years ago. + +"Perhaps," said Peterkin, "some ship or other has touched here long ago +for wood, and only taken one tree." + +We did not think this likely, however, because, in such circumstances, +the crew of a ship would cut wood of small size and near the shore; +whereas this was a large tree, and stood near the top of the mountain. +In fact, it was the highest large tree on the mountain, all above it +being wood of very recent growth. + +"I can't understand it," said Jack, scratching the surface of the stump +with his axe. "I can only suppose that the savages have been here and +cut it for some purpose known only to themselves. But, hallo! what have +we here?" + +As he spoke Jack began carefully to scrape away the moss and fungus from +the stump, and soon laid bare three distinct traces of marks, as if some +inscription or initials had been cut thereon. But although the traces +were distinct, beyond all doubt, the exact form of the letters could not +be made out. Jack thought they looked like JS, but we could not be +certain. They had apparently been carelessly cut, and long exposure to +the weather had so broken them up that we could not make out what they +were. We were exceedingly perplexed at this discovery, and stayed a +long time at the place conjecturing what these marks could have been, +but without avail; so, as the day was advancing, we left it, and quickly +reached the top of the mountain. + +We found this to be the highest point of the island, and from it we saw +our kingdom lying, as it were, like a map around us. As I have always +thought it impossible to get a thing properly into one's understanding +without comprehending it, I shall beg the reader's patience for a little +while I describe our island, thus, shortly: + +It consisted of two mountains: the one we guessed at five hundred feet; +the other, on which we stood, at one thousand. Between these lay a +rich, beautiful valley, as already said. This valley crossed the island +from one end to the other, being high in the middle and sloping on each +side towards the sea. The large mountain sloped, on the side farthest +from where we had been wrecked, gradually towards the sea; but although, +when viewed at a glance, it had thus a regular sloping appearance, a +more careful observation showed that it was broken up into a multitude +of very small vales--or, rather, dells and glens--intermingled with +little rugged spots and small but abrupt precipices here and there, with +rivulets tumbling over their edges and wandering down the slopes in +little white streams, sometimes glistening among the broad leaves of the +bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees, or hiding altogether beneath the rich +underwood. At the base of this mountain lay a narrow bright-green plain +or meadow, which terminated abruptly at the shore. On the other side of +the island, whence we had come, stood the smaller hill, at the foot of +which diverged three valleys--one being that which we had ascended, with +a smaller vale on each side of it, and separated from it by the two +ridges before mentioned. In these smaller valleys there were no +streams, but they were clothed with the same luxuriant vegetation. + +The diameter of the island seemed to be about ten miles, and as it was +almost circular in form, its circumference must have been thirty miles-- +perhaps a little more, if allowance be made for the numerous bays and +indentations of the shore. The entire island was belted by a beach of +pure white sand, on which laved the gentle ripples of the lagoon. We +now also observed that the coral reef completely encircled the island; +but it varied its distance from it here and there--in some places being +a mile from the beach, in others a few hundred yards, but the average +distance was half-a-mile. The reef lay very low, and the spray of the +surf broke quite over it in many places. This surf never ceased its +roar; for, however calm the weather might be, there is always a gentle +swaying motion in the great Pacific, which, although scarce noticeable +out at sea, reaches the shore at last in a huge billow. The water +within the lagoon, as before said, was perfectly still. There were +three narrow openings in the reef: one opposite each end of the valley +which I have described as crossing the island; the other opposite our +own valley, which we afterwards named the Valley of the Wreck. At each +of these openings the reef rose into two small green islets, covered +with bushes, and having one or two cocoa-nut palms on each. These +islets were very singular, and appeared as if planted expressly for the +purpose of marking the channel into the lagoon. Our captain was making +for one of these openings the day we were wrecked--and would have +reached it, too, I doubt not, had not the rudder been torn away. Within +the lagoon were several pretty, low coral islands, just opposite our +encampment; and immediately beyond these, out at sea, lay about a dozen +other islands, at various distances, from half-a-mile to ten miles--all +of them, as far as we could discern, smaller than ours and apparently +uninhabited. They seemed to be low coral islands, raised but little +above the sea, yet covered with cocoa-nut trees. + +All this we noted, and a great deal more, while we sat on the top of the +mountain. After we had satisfied ourselves we prepared to return; but +here, again, we discovered traces of the presence of man. These were a +pole or staff, and one or two pieces of wood which had been squared with +an axe. All of these were, however, very much decayed, and they had +evidently not been touched for many years. + +Full of these discoveries, we returned to our encampment. On the way we +fell in with the traces of some four-footed animal, but whether old or +of recent date none of us were able to guess. This also tended to raise +our hopes of obtaining some animal food on the island; so we reached +home in good spirits, quite prepared for supper, and highly satisfied +with our excursion. + +After much discussion, in which Peterkin took the lead, we came to the +conclusion that the island was uninhabited, and went to bed. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +JACK'S INGENUITY--WE GET INTO DIFFICULTIES ABOUT FISHING, AND GET OUT OF +THEM BY A METHOD WHICH GIVES US A COLD BATH--HORRIBLE ENCOUNTER WITH A +SHARK. + +For several days after the excursion related in the last chapter we did +not wander far from our encampment, but gave ourselves up to forming +plans for the future and making our present abode comfortable. + +There were various causes that induced this state of comparative +inaction. In the first place, although everything around us was so +delightful, and we could without difficulty obtain all that we required +for our bodily comfort, we did not quite like the idea of settling down +here for the rest of our lives, far away from our friends and our native +land. To set energetically about preparations for a permanent residence +seemed so like making up our minds to saying adieu to home and friends +for ever that we tacitly shrank from it, and put off our preparations, +for one reason and another, as long as we could. Then there was a +little uncertainty still as to there being natives on the island, and we +entertained a kind of faint hope that a ship might come and take us off. +But as day after day passed, and neither savages nor ships appeared, we +gave up all hope of an early deliverance, and set diligently to work at +our homestead. + +During this time, however, we had not been altogether idle. We made +several experiments in cooking the cocoa-nut, most of which did not +improve it. Then we removed our goods and took up our abode in the +cave, but found the change so bad that we returned gladly to the bower. +Besides this, we bathed very frequently, and talked a great deal--at +least Jack and Peterkin did; I listened. Among other useful things, +Jack, who was ever the most active and diligent, converted about three +inches of the hoop-iron into an excellent knife. First, he beat it +quite flat with the axe; then he made a rude handle, and tied the +hoop-iron to it with our piece of whip-cord, and ground it to an edge on +a piece of sandstone. When it was finished he used it to shape a better +handle, to which he fixed it with a strip of his cotton handkerchief--in +which operation he had, as Peterkin pointed out, torn off one of Lord +Nelson's noses. However, the whip-cord, thus set free, was used by +Peterkin as a fishing-line. He merely tied a piece of oyster to the end +of it. This the fish were allowed to swallow, and then they were pulled +quickly ashore. But as the line was very short and we had no boat, the +fish we caught were exceedingly small. + +One day Peterkin came up from the beach, where he had been angling, and +said in a very cross tone, "I'll tell you what, Jack, I'm not going to +be humbugged with catching such contemptible things any longer. I want +you to swim out with me on your back, and let me fish in deep water!" + +"Dear me, Peterkin!" replied Jack; "I had no idea you were taking the +thing so much to heart, else I would have got you out of that difficulty +long ago. Let me see;" and Jack looked down at a piece of timber, on +which he had been labouring, with a peculiar gaze of abstraction which +he always assumed when trying to invent or discover anything. + +"What say you to building a boat?" he inquired, looking up hastily. + +"Take far too long," was the reply; "can't be bothered waiting. I want +to begin at once!" + +Again Jack considered. "I have it!" he cried. "We'll fell a large tree +and launch the trunk of it in the water, so that when you want to fish +you've nothing to do but to swim out to it." + +"Would not a small raft do better?" said I. + +"Much better; but we have no ropes to bind it together with. Perhaps we +may find something hereafter that will do as well, but in the meantime +let us try the tree." + +This was agreed on; so we started off to a spot, not far distant, where +we knew of a tree that would suit us which grew near the water's edge. +As soon as we reached it Jack threw off his coat, and wielding the axe +with his sturdy arms, hacked and hewed at it for a quarter of an hour +without stopping. Then he paused, and while he sat down to rest I +continued the work. Then Peterkin made a vigorous attack on it; so that +when Jack renewed his powerful blows, a few minutes' cutting brought it +down with a terrible crash. + +"Hurrah! Now for it!" cried Jack. "Let us off with its head!" + +So saying, he began to cut through the stem again at about six yards +from the thick end. This done, he cut three strong, short poles or +levers from the stout branches, with which to roll the log down the +beach into the sea; for, as it was nearly two feet thick at the large +end, we could not move it without such helps. With the levers, however, +we rolled it slowly into the sea. + +Having been thus successful in launching our vessel, we next shaped the +levers into rude oars or paddles, and then attempted to embark. This +was easy enough to do; but after seating ourselves astride the log, it +was with the utmost difficulty we kept it from rolling round and +plunging us into the water. Not that we minded that much; but we +preferred, if possible, to fish in dry clothes. To be sure, our +trousers were necessarily wet, as our legs were dangling in the water on +each side of the log; but as they could be easily dried, we did not +care. After half-an-hour's practice, we became expert enough to keep +our balance pretty steadily. Then Peterkin laid down his paddle, and +having baited his line with a whole oyster, dropped it into deep water. + +"Now, then, Jack," said he, "be cautious; steer clear o' that seaweed. +There! that's it; gently, now--gently. I see a fellow at least a foot +long down there coming to--Ha! that's it! Oh bother! he's off!" + +"Did he bite?" said Jack, urging the log onwards a little with his +paddle. + +"Bite? Ay! he took it into his mouth, but the moment I began to haul he +opened his jaws and let it out again." + +"Let him swallow it next time," said Jack, laughing at the melancholy +expression of Peterkin's visage. + +"There he's again!" cried Peterkin, his eyes flashing with excitement. +"Look out! Now, then! No! Yes! No! Why, the brute _won't_ swallow +it!" + +"Try to haul him up by the mouth, then!" cried Jack. "Do it gently." + +A heavy sigh and a look of blank despair showed that poor Peterkin had +tried and failed again. + +"Never mind, lad," said Jack in a voice of sympathy; "we'll move on and +offer it to some other fish." So saying, Jack plied his paddle; but +scarcely had he moved from the spot when a fish with an enormous head +and a little body darted from under a rock and swallowed the bait at +once. + +"Got him this time--that's a fact!" cried Peterkin, hauling in the line. +"He's swallowed the bait right down to his tail, I declare! Oh, what a +thumper!" + +As the fish came struggling to the surface we leaned forward to see it, +and overbalanced the log. Peterkin threw his arms round the fish's +neck, and in another instant we were all floundering in the water! + +A shout of laughter burst from us as we rose to the surface, like three +drowned rats, and seized hold of the log. We soon recovered our +position, and sat more warily; while Peterkin secured the fish, which +had well-nigh escaped in the midst of our struggles. It was little +worth having, however. But, as Peterkin remarked, it was better than +the smouts he had been catching for the last two or three days; so we +laid it on the log before us, and having re-baited the line, dropped it +in again for another. + +Now, while we were thus intent upon our sport, our attention was +suddenly attracted by a ripple on the sea, just a few yards away from +us. Peterkin shouted to us to paddle in that direction, as he thought +it was a big fish and we might have a chance of catching it. But Jack, +instead of complying, said, in a deep, earnest tone of voice, which I +never before heard him use, "Haul up your line, Peterkin; seize your +paddle. Quick--it's a shark!" + +The horror with which we heard this may well be imagined; for it must be +remembered that our legs were hanging down in the water, and we could +not venture to pull them up without upsetting the log. Peterkin +instantly hauled up the line, and grasping his paddle, exerted himself +to the utmost, while we also did our best to make for shore. But we +were a good way off, and the log being, as I have before said, very +heavy, moved but slowly through the water. We now saw the shark quite +distinctly swimming round and round us, its sharp fin every now and then +protruding above the water. From its active and unsteady motions, Jack +knew it was making up its mind to attack us; so he urged us vehemently +to paddle for our lives, while he himself set us the example. Suddenly +he shouted, "Look out! there he comes!" and in a second we saw the +monstrous fish dive close under us and turn half-over on his side. But +we all made a great commotion with our paddles, which, no doubt, +frightened it away for that time, as we saw it immediately after +circling round us as before. + +"Throw the fish to him!" cried Jack in a quick, suppressed voice; "we'll +make the shore in time yet if we can keep him off for a few minutes." + +Peterkin stopped one instant to obey the command, and then plied his +paddle again with all his might. No sooner had the fish fallen on the +water than we observed the shark to sink. In another second we saw its +white breast rising; for sharks always turn over on their sides when +about to seize their prey, their mouths being not at the point of their +heads like those of other fish, but, as it were, under their chins. In +another moment his snout rose above the water; his wide jaws, armed with +a terrific double row of teeth, appeared; the dead fish was engulfed, +and the shark sank out of sight. But Jack was mistaken in supposing +that it would be satisfied. In a very few minutes it returned to us, +and its quick motions led us to fear that it would attack us at once. + +"Stop paddling!" cried Jack suddenly. "I see it coming up behind us. +Now, obey my orders _quickly_. Our lives may depend on it. Ralph-- +Peterkin--do your best to _balance the log_. Don't look out for the +shark. Don't glance behind you. Do nothing but balance the log." + +Peterkin and I instantly did as we were ordered, being only too glad to +do anything that afforded us a chance or a hope of escape, for we had +implicit confidence in Jack's courage and wisdom. For a few seconds, +that seemed long minutes to my mind, we sat thus silently; but I could +not resist glancing backward, despite the orders to the contrary. On +doing so, I saw Jack sitting rigid like a statue, with his paddle +raised, his lips compressed, and his eyebrows bent over his eyes, which +glared savagely from beneath them down into the water. + +I also saw the shark, to my horror, quite close under the log, in the +act of darting towards Jack's foot. I could scarce suppress a cry on +beholding this. In another moment the shark rose. Jack drew his leg +suddenly from the water and threw it over the log. The monster's snout +rubbed against the log as it passed, and revealed its hideous jaws, into +which Jack instantly plunged the paddle and thrust it down its throat. +So violent was this act that Jack rose to his feet in performing it; the +log was thereby rolled completely over, and we were once more plunged +into the water. We all rose, spluttering and gasping, in a moment. + +"Now, then, strike out for shore!" cried Jack.--"Here, Peterkin, catch +hold of my collar, and kick out with a will!" + +Peterkin did as he was desired, and Jack struck out with such force that +he cut through the water like a boat; while I, being free from all +encumbrance, succeeded in keeping up with him. As we had by this time +drawn pretty near to the shore, a few minutes more sufficed to carry us +into shallow water; and finally, we landed in safety, though very much +exhausted, and not a little frightened, by our terrible adventure. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE BEAUTIES OF THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA TEMPT PETERKIN TO DIVE--HOW HE DID +IT--MORE DIFFICULTIES OVERCOME--THE WATER GARDEN--CURIOUS CREATURES OF +THE SEA--THE TANK--CANDLES MISSED VERY MUCH, AND THE CANDLE-NUT TREE +DISCOVERED--WONDERFUL ACCOUNT OF PETERKIN'S FIRST VOYAGE--CLOTH FOUND +GROWING ON A TREE--A PLAN PROJECTED, AND ARMS PREPARED FOR OFFENCE AND +DEFENCE--A DREADFUL CRY. + +Our encounter with the shark was the first great danger that had +befallen us since landing on this island; and we felt very seriously +affected by it, especially when we considered that we had so often +unwittingly incurred the same danger before while bathing. We were now +forced to take to fishing again in the shallow water until we should +succeed in constructing a raft. What troubled us most, however, was +that we were compelled to forego our morning swimming-excursions. We +did, indeed, continue to enjoy our bathe in the shallow water; but Jack +and I found that one great source of our enjoyment was gone when we +could no longer dive down among the beautiful coral groves at the bottom +of the lagoon. We had come to be so fond of this exercise, and to take +such an interest in watching the formations of coral and the gambols of +the many beautiful fish amongst the forest of red and green seaweeds, +that we had become quite familiar with the appearance of the fish and +the localities that they chiefly haunted. We had also become expert +divers. But we made it a rule never to stay long under water at a time. +Jack told me that to do so often was bad for the lungs, and instead of +affording us enjoyment, would ere long do us a serious injury. So we +never stayed at the bottom as long as we might have done, but came up +frequently to the top for fresh air, and dived down again immediately. +Sometimes, when Jack happened to be in a humorous frame, he would seat +himself at the bottom of the sea on one of the brain-corals, as if he +were seated on a large paddock-stool, and then make faces at me in +order, if possible, to make me laugh under water. At first, when he +took me unawares, he nearly succeeded, and I had to shoot to the surface +in order to laugh; but afterwards I became aware of his intentions, and +being naturally of a grave disposition, I had no difficulty in +restraining myself. I used often to wonder how poor Peterkin would have +liked to be with us; and he sometimes expressed much regret at being +unable to join us. I used to do my best to gratify him, poor fellow, by +relating all the wonders that we saw; but this, instead of satisfying, +seemed only to whet his curiosity the more, so one day we prevailed on +him to try to go down with us. But although a brave boy in every other +way, Peterkin was very nervous in the water; and it was with difficulty +we got him to consent to be taken down, for he could never have managed +to push himself down to the bottom without assistance. But no sooner +had we pulled him down a yard or so into the deep, clear water than he +began to struggle and kick violently; so we were forced to let him go, +when he rose out of the water like a cork, gave a loud gasp and a +frightful roar, and struck out for the land with the utmost possible +haste. + +Now all this pleasure we were to forego, and when we thought thereon, +Jack and I felt very much depressed in our spirits. I could see, also, +that Peterkin grieved and sympathised with us; for, when talking about +this matter, he refrained from jesting and bantering us upon it. + +As, however, a man's difficulties usually set him upon devising methods +to overcome them, whereby he often discovers better things than those he +may have lost, so this our difficulty induced us to think of searching +for a large pool among the rocks, where the water should be deep enough +for diving, yet so surrounded by rocks as to prevent sharks from getting +at us. And such a pool we afterwards found, which proved to be very +much better than our most sanguine hopes anticipated. It was situated +not more than ten minutes' walk from our camp, and was in the form of a +small, deep bay or basin, the entrance to which, besides being narrow, +was so shallow that no fish so large as a shark could get in--at least, +not unless he should be a remarkably thin one. + +Inside of this basin, which we called our Water Garden, the coral +formations were much more wonderful, and the seaweed plants far more +lovely and vividly coloured, than in the lagoon itself. And the water +was so clear and still that, although very deep, you could see the +minutest object at the bottom. Besides this, there was a ledge of rock +which overhung the basin at its deepest part, from which we could dive +pleasantly, and whereon Peterkin could sit and see not only all the +wonders I had described to him, but also see Jack and me creeping +amongst the marine shrubbery at the bottom, like--as he expressed +it--"two great white sea-monsters." During these excursions of ours to +the bottom of the sea we began to get an insight into the manners and +customs of its inhabitants, and to make discoveries of wonderful things, +the like of which we never before conceived. Among other things, we +were deeply interested with the operations of the little coral insect, +which, I was informed by Jack, is supposed to have entirely constructed +many of the numerous islands in the Pacific Ocean. And certainly, when +we considered the great reef which these insects had formed round the +island on which we were cast, and observed their ceaseless activity in +building their myriad cells, it did at first seem as if this might be +true; but then, again, when I looked at the mountains of the island, and +reflected that there were thousands of such (many of them much higher) +in the South Seas, I doubted that there must be some mistake here. But +more of this hereafter. + +I also became much taken up with the manners and appearance of the +anemones, and starfish, and crabs, and sea-urchins, and such-like +creatures; and was not content with watching those I saw during my dives +in the Water Garden, but I must needs scoop out a hole in the coral rock +close to it, which I filled with salt water, and stocked with sundry +specimens of anemones and shell-fish, in order to watch more closely how +they were in the habit of passing their time. Our burning-glass, also, +now became a great treasure to me, as it enabled me to magnify, and so +to perceive more clearly, the forms and actions of these curious +creatures of the deep. + +Having now got ourselves into a very comfortable condition, we began to +talk of a project which we had long had in contemplation--namely, to +travel entirely round the island, in order, first, to ascertain whether +it contained any other productions which might be useful to us; and, +second, to see whether there might be any place more convenient and +suitable for our permanent residence than that on which we were now +encamped. Not that we were in any degree dissatisfied with it. On the +contrary, we entertained quite a home-feeling to our bower and its +neighbourhood; but if a better place did exist, there was no reason why +we should not make use of it. At any rate, it would be well to know of +its existence. + +We had much earnest talk over this matter. But Jack proposed that, +before undertaking such an excursion, we should supply ourselves with +good defensive arms; for, as we intended not only to go round all the +shore, but to descend most of the valleys, before returning home, we +should be likely to meet in with--he would not say _dangers_--but at +least with everything that existed on the island, whatever that might +be. + +"Besides," said Jack, "it won't do for us to live on cocoa-nuts and +oysters always. No doubt they are very excellent in their way, but I +think a little animal food now and then would be agreeable as well as +good for us; and as there are many small birds among the trees, some of +which are probably very good to eat, I think it would be a capital plan +to make bows and arrows, with which we could easily knock them over." + +"First-rate!" cried Peterkin. "You will make the bows, Jack, and I'll +try my hand at the arrows. The fact is, I'm quite tired of throwing +stones at the birds. I began the very day we landed, I think, and have +persevered up to the present time, but I've never hit anything yet." + +"You forget," said I, "you hit me one day on the shin." + +"Ah, true!" replied Peterkin; "and a precious shindy you kicked up in +consequence. But you were at least four yards away from the impudent +paroquet I aimed at, so you see what a horribly bad shot I am." + +"But, Jack," said I, "you cannot make three bows and arrows before +to-morrow; and would it not be a pity to waste time, now that we have +made up our minds to go on this expedition?--Suppose that you make one +bow and arrow for yourself, and we can take our clubs?" + +"That's true, Ralph. The day is pretty far advanced, and I doubt if I +can make even one bow before dark. To be sure, I might work by +firelight after the sun goes down." + +We had, up to this time, been in the habit of going to bed with the sun, +as we had no pressing call to work o' nights; and, indeed, our work +during the day was usually hard enough--what between fishing, and +improving our bower, and diving in the Water Garden, and rambling in the +woods--so that when night came we were usually very glad to retire to +our beds. But now that we had a desire to work at night, we felt a wish +for candles. + +"Won't a good blazing fire give you light enough?" inquired Peterkin. + +"Yes," replied Jack, "quite enough; but then it will give us a great +deal more than enough of heat in this warm climate of ours." + +"True," said Peterkin; "I forgot that. It would roast us." + +"Well, as you're always doing that at any rate," remarked Jack, "we +could scarcely call it a change. But the fact is, I've been thinking +over this subject before. There is a certain nut growing in these +islands which is called the candle-nut, because the natives use it +instead of candles; and I know all about it, and how to prepare it for +burning--" + +"Then why don't you do it?" interrupted Peterkin. "Why have you kept us +in the dark so long, you vile philosopher?" + +"Because," said Jack, "I have not seen the tree yet, and I'm not sure +that I should know either the tree or the nuts if I did see them. You +see, I forget the description." + +"Ah! that's just the way with me," said Peterkin with a deep sigh. "I +never could keep in my mind for half-an-hour the few descriptions I ever +attempted to remember. The very first voyage I ever made was caused by +my mistaking a description--or forgetting it, which is the same thing. +And a horrible voyage it was. I had to fight with the captain the whole +way out, and made the homeward voyage by swimming!" + +"Come, Peterkin," said I, "you can't get even _me_ to believe that." + +"Perhaps not, but it's true notwithstanding," returned Peterkin, +pretending to be hurt at my doubting his word. + +"Let us hear how it happened," said Jack, while a good-natured smile +overspread his face. + +"Well, you must know," began Peterkin, "that the very day before I went +to sea I was greatly taken up with a game at hockey, which I was playing +with my old school-fellows for the last time before leaving them.--You +see I was young then, Ralph." Peterkin gazed, in an abstracted and +melancholy manner, out to sea.--"Well, in the midst of the game, my +uncle, who had taken all the bother and trouble of getting me bound +'prentice and rigged out, came and took me aside, and told me that he +was called suddenly away from home, and would not be able to see me +aboard, as he had intended. `However,' said he, `the captain knows you +are coming, so that's not of much consequence; but as you'll have to +find the ship yourself, you must remember her name and description. +D'ye hear, boy?' I certainly did hear, but I'm afraid I did not +understand; for my mind was so taken up with the game, which I saw my +side was losing, that I began to grow impatient, and the moment my uncle +finished his description of the ship and bade me good-bye I bolted back +to my game, with only a confused idea of three masts, and a +green-painted taffrail, and a gilt figurehead of Hercules with his club +at the bow. Next day I was so much cast down with everybody saying +good-bye, and a lot o' my female friends cryin' horribly over me, that I +did not start for the harbour, where the ship was lying among a thousand +others, till it was almost too late. So I had to run the whole way. +When I reached the pier, there were so many masts, and so much +confusion, that I felt quite humble-bumbled in my faculties. `Now,' +said I to myself, `Peterkin, you're in a fix.' Then I fancied I saw a +gilt figurehead and three masts belonging to a ship just about to start; +so I darted on board, but speedily jumped on shore again when I found +that two of the masts belonged to another vessel and the figurehead to a +third! At last I caught sight of what I made sure was it--a fine large +vessel just casting off her moorings. The taffrail was green. Three +masts--yes, that must be it--and the gilt figurehead of Hercules. To be +sure, it had a three-pronged pitchfork in its hand instead of a club; +but that might be my uncle's mistake, or perhaps Hercules sometimes +varied his weapons. `Cast off!' roared a voice from the quarter-deck. +`Hold on!' cried I, rushing frantically through the crowd. `Hold on! +hold on!' repeated some of the bystanders, while the men at the ropes +delayed for a minute. This threw the captain into a frightful rage; for +some of his friends had come down to see him off, and having his orders +contradicted so flatly was too much for him. However, the delay was +sufficient. I took a race and a good leap; the ropes were cast off; the +steam-tug gave a puff, and we started. Suddenly the captain walks up to +me: `Where did you come from, you scamp, and what do you want here?' + +"`Please, sir,' said I, touching my cap, `I'm your new 'prentice come +aboard.' + +"`New 'prentice!' said he, stamping; `I've got no new 'prentice. My +boys are all aboard already. This is a trick, you young blackguard! +You've run away, you have!' And the captain stamped about the deck and +swore dreadfully; for, you see, the thought of having to stop the ship +and lower a boat and lose half-an-hour, all for the sake of sending a +small boy ashore, seemed to make him very angry. Besides, it was +blowin' fresh outside the harbour, so that to have let the steamer +alongside to put me into it was no easy job. Just as we were passing +the pier-head, where several boats were rowing into the harbour, the +captain came up to me. + +"`You've run away, you blackguard!' he said, giving me a box on the ear. + +"`No, I haven't!' said I angrily, for the box was by no means a light +one. + +"`Hark'ee, boy, can you swim?' + +"`Yes,' said I. + +"`Then do it!' and seizing me by my trousers and the nape of my neck, he +tossed me over the side into the sea. The fellows in the boats at the +end of the pier backed their oars on seeing this; but observing that I +could swim, they allowed me to make the best of my way to the +pier-head.--So you see, Ralph, that I really did swim my first homeward +voyage." + +Jack laughed, and patted Peterkin on the shoulder. + +"But tell us about the candle-nut tree," said I. "You were talking +about it." + +"Very true," said Jack; "but I fear I can remember little about it. I +believe the nut is about the size of a walnut; and I think that the +leaves are white, but I am not sure." + +"Eh! ha! hum!" exclaimed Peterkin; "I saw a tree answering to that +description this very day." + +"Did you?" cried Jack. "Is it far from this?" + +"No, not half-a-mile." + +"Then lead me to it," said Jack, seizing his axe. + +In a few minutes we were all three pushing through the underwood of the +forest, headed by Peterkin. + +We soon came to the tree in question, which, after Jack had closely +examined it, we concluded must be the candle-nut tree. Its leaves were +of a beautiful silvery white, and formed a fine contrast to the +dark-green foliage of the surrounding trees. We immediately filled our +pockets with the nuts, after which Jack said: + +"Now, Peterkin, climb that cocoa-nut tree and cut me one of the long +branches." + +This was soon done; but it cost some trouble, for the stem was very +high, and as Peterkin usually pulled nuts from the younger trees, he was +not much accustomed to climbing the high ones. The leaf or branch was a +very large one, and we were surprised at its size and strength. Viewed +from a little distance, the cocoa-nut tree seems to be a tall, straight +stem, without a single branch except at the top, where there is a tuft +of feathery-looking leaves that seem to wave like soft plumes in the +wind. But when we saw one of these leaves or branches at our feet, we +found it to be a strong stalk, about fifteen feet long, with a number of +narrow, pointed leaflets ranged alternately on each side. But what +seemed to us the most wonderful thing about it was a curious substance +resembling cloth, which was wrapped round the thick end of the stalk +where it had been cut from the tree. Peterkin told us that he had the +greatest difficulty in separating the branch from the stem on account of +this substance, as it was wrapped quite round the tree, and, he +observed, round all the other branches, thus forming a strong support to +the large leaves while exposed to high winds. When I call this +substance cloth I do not exaggerate. Indeed, with regard to all the +things I saw during my eventful career in the South Seas, I have been +exceedingly careful not to exaggerate, or in any way to mislead or +deceive my readers. This cloth, I say, was remarkably like to coarse +brown cotton cloth. It had a seam or fibre down the centre of it, from +which diverged other fibres, about the size of a bristle. There were +two layers of these fibres, very long and tough, the one layer crossing +the other obliquely, and the whole was cemented together with a still +finer fibrous and adhesive substance. When we regarded it attentively, +we could with difficulty believe that it had not been woven by human +hands. This remarkable piece of cloth we stripped carefully off, and +found it to be above two feet long by a foot broad, and we carried it +home with us as a great prize. + +Jack now took one of the leaflets, and cutting out the central spine or +stalk, hurried back with it to our camp. Having made a small fire, he +baked the nuts slightly and then peeled off the husks. After this he +wished to bore a hole in them, which, not having anything better at hand +at the time, he did with the point of our useless pencil-case. Then he +strung them on the cocoa-nut spine, and on putting a light to the +topmost nut we found, to our joy, that it burned with a clear, beautiful +flame, upon seeing which Peterkin sprang up and danced round the fire +for at least five minutes in the excess of his satisfaction. + +"Now, lads," said Jack, extinguishing our candle, "the sun will set in +an hour, so we have no time to lose. I shall go and cut a young tree to +make my bow out of, and you had better each of you go and select good +strong sticks for clubs, and we'll set to work at them after dark." + +So saying, he shouldered his axe and went off; followed by Peterkin; +while I took up the piece of newly discovered cloth, and fell to +examining its structure. So engrossed was I in this that I was still +sitting in the same attitude and occupation when my companions returned. + +"I told you so!" cried Peterkin with a loud laugh.--"Oh Ralph, you're +incorrigible! See, there's a club for you. I was sure, when we left +you looking at that bit of stuff, that we would find you poring over it +when we came back, so I just cut a club for you as well as for myself." + +"Thank you, Peterkin," said I. "It was kind of you to do that instead +of scolding me for a lazy fellow, as I confess I deserve." + +"Oh, as to that," returned Peterkin, "I'll blow you up yet if you wish +it; only it would be of no use if I did, for you're a perfect mule!" + +As it was now getting dark we lighted our candle, and placing it in a +holder made of two crossing branches inside of our bower, we seated +ourselves on our leafy beds and began to work. + +"I intend to appropriate the bow for my own use," said Jack, chipping +the piece of wood he had brought with his axe. "I used to be a pretty +fair shot once.--But what's that you're doing?" he added, looking at +Peterkin, who had drawn the end of a long pole into the tent, and was +endeavouring to fit a small piece of the hoop-iron to the end of it. + +"I'm going to enlist into the Lancers," answered Peterkin. "You see, +Jack, I find the club rather an unwieldy instrument for my delicately +formed muscles, and I flatter myself I shall do more execution with a +spear." + +"Well, if length constitutes power," said Jack, "you'll certainly be +invincible." + +The pole which Peterkin had cut was full twelve feet long, being a very +strong but light and tough young tree, which merely required thinning at +the butt to be a serviceable weapon. + +"That's a very good idea," said I. + +"Which--this?" inquired Peterkin, pointing to the spear. + +"Yes," I replied. + +"Humph!" said he; "you'd find it a pretty tough and matter-of-fact idea +if you had it stuck through your gizzard, old boy!" + +"I mean the idea of making it is a good one," said I, laughing. "And, +now I think of it, I'll change my plan too. I don't think much of a +club, so I'll make me a sling out of this piece of cloth. I used to be +very fond of slinging, ever since I read of David slaying Goliath the +Philistine, and I was once thought to be expert at it." + +So I set to work to manufacture a sling. For a long time we all worked +very busily without speaking. At length Peterkin looked up. "I say, +Jack, I'm sorry to say I must apply to you for another strip of your +handkerchief to tie on this rascally head with. It's pretty well torn +at any rate, so you won't miss it." + +Jack proceeded to comply with this request, when Peterkin suddenly laid +his hand on his arm and arrested him. + +"Hist, man!" said he; "be tender! You should never be needlessly cruel +if you can help it. Do try to shave past Lord Nelson's mouth without +tearing it, if possible! Thanks. There are plenty more handkerchiefs +on the cocoa-nut trees." + +Poor Peterkin! with what pleasant feelings I recall and record his jests +and humorous sayings now! + +While we were thus engaged we were startled by a distant, but most +strange and horrible, cry. It seemed to come from the sea, but was so +far away that we could not clearly distinguish its precise direction. +Rushing out of our bower, we hastened down to the beach and stayed to +listen. Again it came, quite loud and distinct on the night air--a +prolonged, hideous cry, something like the braying of an ass. The moon +had risen, and we could see the islands in and beyond the lagoon quite +plainly; but there was no object visible to account for such a cry. A +strong gust of wind was blowing from the point whence the sound came, +but this died away while we were gazing out to sea. + +"What can it be?" said Peterkin in a low whisper, while we all +involuntarily crept closer to each other. + +"Do you know," said Jack, "I have heard that mysterious sound twice +before, but never so loud as to-night. Indeed, it was so faint that I +thought I must have merely fancied it; so, as I did not wish to alarm +you, I said nothing about it." + +We listened for a long time for the sound again; but as it did not come, +we returned to the bower and resumed our work. + +"Very strange!" said Peterkin quite gravely.--"Do you believe in ghosts, +Ralph?" + +"No," I answered, "I do not. Nevertheless, I must confess that strange, +unaccountable sounds, such as we have just heard, make me feel a little +uneasy." + +"What say you to it, Jack?" + +"I neither believe in ghosts nor feel uneasy," he replied. "I never saw +a ghost myself, and I never met with any one who had; and I have +generally found that strange and unaccountable things have almost always +been accounted for, and found to be quite simple, on close examination. +I certainly can't imagine what _that_ sound is; but I'm quite sure I +shall find out before long, and if it's a ghost I'll--I'll--" + +"Eat it!" cried Peterkin. + +"Yes, I'll eat it!--Now, then, my bow and two arrows are finished; so, +if you're ready, we had better turn in." + +By this time Peterkin had thinned down his spear, and tied an iron point +very cleverly to the end of it; I had formed a sling, the lines of which +were composed of thin strips of the cocoa-nut cloth, plaited; and Jack +had made a stout bow, nearly five feet long, with two arrows, feathered +with two or three large plumes which some bird had dropped. They had no +barbs; but Jack said that if arrows were well feathered they did not +require iron points, but would fly quite well if merely sharpened at the +point, which I did not know before. + +"A feathered arrow without a barb," said he, "is a good weapon, but a +barbed arrow without feathers is utterly useless." + +The string of the bow was formed of our piece of whip-cord, part of +which, as he did not like to cut it, was rolled round the bow. + +Although thus prepared for a start on the morrow we thought it wise to +exercise ourselves a little in the use of our weapons before starting, +so we spent the whole of the next day in practising. And it was well we +did so, for we found that our arms were very imperfect, and that we were +far from perfect in the use of them. First, Jack found that the bow was +much too strong, and he had to thin it. Also the spear was much too +heavy, and so had to be reduced in thickness, although nothing would +induce Peterkin to have it shortened. My sling answered very well; but +I had fallen so much out of practice that my first stone knocked off +Peterkin's hat, and narrowly missed making a second Goliath of him. +However, after having spent the whole day in diligent practice, we began +to find some of our former expertness returning, at least Jack and I +did. As for Peterkin, being naturally a neat-handed boy, he soon +handled his spear well, and could run full tilt at a cocoa-nut, and hit +it with great precision once out of every five times. + +But I feel satisfied that we owed much of our rapid success to the +unflagging energy of Jack, who insisted that since we had made him +captain, we should obey him; and he kept us at work from morning till +night, perseveringly, at the same thing. Peterkin wished very much to +run about and stick his spear into everything he passed; but Jack put up +a cocoa-nut, and would not let him leave off running at that for a +moment except when he wanted to rest. We laughed at Jack for this, but +we were both convinced that it did us much good. + +That night we examined and repaired our arms ere we lay down to rest, +although we were much fatigued, in order that we might be in readiness +to set out on our expedition at daylight on the following morning. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +PREPARE FOR A JOURNEY ROUND THE ISLAND--SAGACIOUS REFLECTIONS-- +MYSTERIOUS APPEARANCES AND STARTLING OCCURRENCES. + +Scarcely had the sun shot its first ray across the bosom of the broad +Pacific when Jack sprang to his feet, and hallooing in Peterkin's ear to +awaken him, ran down the beach to take his customary dip in the sea. We +did not, as was our wont, bathe that morning in our Water Garden, but in +order to save time, refreshed ourselves in the shallow water just +opposite the bower. Our breakfast was also despatched without loss of +time, and in less than an hour afterwards all our preparations for the +journey were completed. + +In addition to his ordinary dress, Jack tied a belt of cocoa-nut cloth +round his waist, into which he thrust the axe. I was also advised to +put on a belt and carry a short cudgel or bludgeon in it, for, as Jack +truly remarked, the sling would be of little use if we should chance to +come to close quarters with any wild animal. As for Peterkin, +notwithstanding that he carried such a long and, I must add, +frightful-looking spear over his shoulder, we could not prevail on him +to leave his club behind; "for," said he, "a spear at close quarters is +not worth a button." I must say that it seemed to me that the club was, +to use his own style of language, not worth a button-hole; for it was +all knotted over at the head, something like the club which I remember +to have observed in picture-books of Jack the Giant-killer, besides +being so heavy that he required to grasp it with both hands in order to +wield it at all. However, he took it with him, and in this manner we +set out upon our travels. + +We did not consider it necessary to carry any food with us, as we knew +that wherever we went we should be certain to fall in with cocoa-nut +trees--having which we were amply supplied, as Peterkin said, with meat +and drink and pocket-handkerchiefs! I took the precaution, however, to +put the burning-glass into my pocket lest we should want fire. + +The morning was exceedingly lovely. It was one of that very still and +peaceful sort which made the few noises that we heard seem to be quiet +noises (I know no other way of expressing this idea)--noises which, so +far from interrupting the universal tranquillity of earth, sea, and sky, +rather tended to reveal to us how quiet the world round us really was. +Such sounds as I refer to were the peculiar, melancholy--yet, it seemed +to me, cheerful--plaint of sea-birds floating on the glassy waters or +sailing in the sky; also the subdued twittering of little birds among +the bushes, the faint ripples on the beach, and the solemn boom of the +surf upon the distant coral reef. We felt very glad in our hearts as we +walked along the sands, side by side. For my part, I felt so deeply +overjoyed that I was surprised at my own sensations, and fell into a +reverie upon the causes of happiness. I came to the conclusion that a +state of profound peace and repose, both in regard to outward objects +and within the soul, is the happiest condition in which man can be +placed; for although I had many a time been most joyful and happy when +engaged in bustling, energetic, active pursuits or amusements, I never +found that such joy or satisfaction was so deep or so pleasant to +reflect upon as that which I now experienced. And I was the more +confirmed in this opinion when I observed--and, indeed, as told by +himself--that Peterkin's happiness was also very great; yet he did not +express this by dancing, as was his wont, nor did he give so much as a +single shout, but walked quietly between us with his eye sparkling and a +joyful smile upon his countenance. My reader must not suppose that I +thought all this in the clear and methodical manner in which I have set +it down here. These thoughts did indeed pass through my mind; but they +did so in a very confused and indefinite manner, for I was young at that +time and not much given to deep reflections. Neither did I consider +that the peace whereof I write is not to be found in this world--at +least in its perfection--although I have since learned that, by +religion, a man may attain to a very great degree of it. + +I have said that Peterkin walked along the sands between us. We had two +ways of walking together about our island. When we travelled through +the woods we always did so in single file, as by this method we advanced +with greater facility, the one treading in the other's footsteps. In +such cases Jack always took the lead, Peterkin followed, and I brought +up the rear. But when we travelled along the sands, which extended +almost in an unbroken line of glistening white round the island, we +marched abreast, as we found this method more sociable and every way +more pleasant. Jack, being the tallest, walked next the sea, and +Peterkin marched between us, as by this arrangement either of us could +talk to him or he to us, while if Jack and I happened to wish to +converse together we could conveniently do so over Peterkin's head. +Peterkin used to say, in reference to this arrangement, that had he been +as tall as either of us, our order of march might have been the same; +for, as Jack often used to scold him for letting everything we said to +him pass in at one ear and out at the other, his head could, of course, +form no interruption to our discourse. + +We were now fairly started. Half-a-mile's walk conveyed us round a bend +in the land which shut out our bower from view, and for some time we +advanced at a brisk pace without speaking, though our eyes were not +idle, but noted everything--in the woods, on the shore, or in the sea-- +that was interesting. After passing the ridge of land that formed one +side of our valley--the Valley of the Wreck--we beheld another small +vale lying before us in all the luxuriant loveliness of tropical +vegetation. We had indeed seen it before from the mountain-top, but we +had no idea that it would turn out to be so much more lovely when we +were close to it. We were about to commence the exploration of this +valley when Peterkin stopped us, and directed our attention to a very +remarkable appearance in advance along the shore. + +"What's yon, think you?" said he, levelling his spear as if he expected +an immediate attack from the object in question, though it was full +half-a-mile distant. + +As he spoke, there appeared a white column above the rocks, as if of +steam or spray. It rose upwards to a height of several feet, and then +disappeared. Had this been near the sea, we would not have been so +greatly surprised, as it might in that case have been the surf, for at +this part of the coast the coral reef approached so near to the island +that in some parts it almost joined it. There was, therefore, no lagoon +between, and the heavy surf of the ocean beat almost up to the rocks. +But this white column appeared about fifty yards inland. The rocks at +the place were rugged, and they stretched across the sandy beach into +the sea. Scarce had we ceased expressing our surprise at this sight +when another column flew upwards for a few seconds, not far from the +spot where the first had been seen, and disappeared; and so, at long, +irregular intervals, these strange sights recurred. We were now quite +sure that the columns were watery, or composed of spray; but what caused +them we could not guess, so we determined to go and see. + +In a few minutes we gained the spot, which was very rugged and +precipitous, and, moreover, quite damp with the falling of the spray. +We had much ado to pass over dry-shod. The ground, also, was full of +holes here and there. Now, while we stood anxiously waiting for the +reappearance of these waterspouts, we heard a low, rumbling sound near +us, which quickly increased to a gurgling and hissing noise, and a +moment afterwards a thick spout of water burst upwards from a hole in +the rock and spouted into the air with much violence, and so close to +where Jack and I were standing that it nearly touched us. We sprang +aside, but not before a cloud of spray descended and drenched us both to +the skin. + +Peterkin, who was standing farther off; escaped with a few drops, and +burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter on beholding our miserable +plight. + +"Mind your eye!" he shouted eagerly; "there goes another!" The words +were scarcely out of his mouth when there came up a spout from another +hole, which served us exactly in the same manner as before. + +Peterkin now shrieked with laughter; but his merriment was abruptly put +a stop to by the gurgling noise occurring close to where he stood. + +"Where'll it spout this time, I wonder?" he said, looking about with +some anxiety and preparing to run. Suddenly there came a loud hiss or +snort; a fierce spout of water burst up between Peterkin's legs, blew +him off his feet, enveloped him in its spray, and hurled him to the +ground. He fell with so much violence that we feared he must have +broken some of his bones, and ran anxiously to his assistance; but +fortunately he had fallen on a clump of tangled herbage, in which he lay +sprawling in a most deplorable condition. + +It was now our turn to laugh; but as we were not yet quite sure that he +was unhurt, and as we knew not when or where the next spout might arise, +we assisted him hastily to jump up and hurry from the spot. + +I may here add that, although I am quite certain that the spout of water +was very strong, and that it blew Peterkin completely off his legs, I am +not quite certain of the exact height to which it lifted him, being +somewhat startled by the event, and blinded partially by the spray, so +that my power of observation was somewhat impaired for the moment. + +"What's to be done now?" asked Peterkin ruefully. + +"Make a fire, lad, and dry ourselves," replied Jack. + +"And here is material ready to our hand," said I, picking up a dried +branch of a tree as we hurried up to the woods. + +In about an hour after this mishap our clothes were again dried. While +they were hanging up before the fire we walked down to the beach, and +soon observed that these curious spouts took place immediately after the +fall of a huge wave, never before it; and, moreover, that the spouts did +not take place excepting when the billow was an extremely large one. +From this we concluded that there must be a subterraneous channel in the +rock into which the water was driven by the larger waves, and finding no +way of escape except through these small holes, was thus forced up +violently through them. At any rate, we could not conceive any other +reason for these strange waterspouts, and as this seemed a very simple +and probable one, we forthwith adopted it. + +"I say, Ralph, what's that in the water? Is it a shark?" said Jack just +as we were about to quit the place. + +I immediately ran to the overhanging ledge of rock, from which he was +looking down into the sea, and bent over it. There I saw a very faint, +pale object of a greenish colour, which seemed to move slightly while I +looked at it. + +"It's like a fish of some sort," said I. + +"Hallo, Peterkin!" cried Jack. "Fetch your spear; here's work for it!" + +But when we tried to reach the object, the spear proved to be too short. + +"There, now," said Peterkin with a sneer; "you were always telling me it +was too long." + +Jack now drove the spear forcibly towards the object, and let go his +hold. But although it seemed to be well aimed, he must have missed, for +the handle soon rose again; and when the spear was drawn up, there was +the pale-green object in exactly the same spot, slowly moving its tail. + +"Very odd!" said Jack. + +But although it was undoubtedly very odd, and although Jack and all of +us plunged the spear at it repeatedly, we could neither hit it nor drive +it away, so we were compelled to continue our journey without +discovering what it was. I was very much perplexed at this strange +appearance in the water, and could not get it out of my mind for a long +time afterwards. However, I quieted myself by resolving that I would +pay a visit to it again at some more convenient season. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +MAKE DISCOVERY OF MANY EXCELLENT ROOTS AND FRUITS--THE RESOURCES OF THE +CORAL ISLAND GRADUALLY UNFOLDED--THE BANYAN TREE--ANOTHER TREE WHICH IS +SUPPORTED BY NATURAL PLANKS--WATER-FOWL FOUND--A VERY REMARKABLE +DISCOVERY, AND A VERY PECULIAR MURDER--WE LUXURIATE ON THE FAT OF THE +LAND. + +Our examination of the little valley proved to be altogether most +satisfactory. We found in it not only similar trees to those we had +already seen in our own valley, but also one or two others of a +different species. We had also the satisfaction of discovering a +peculiar vegetable, which, Jack concluded, must certainly be that of +which he had read as being very common among the South Sea Islanders, +and which was named taro. Also we found a large supply of yams, and +another root like a potato in appearance. As these were all quite new +to us, we regarded our lot as a most fortunate one, in being thus cast +on an island which was so prolific and so well stored with all the +necessaries of life. Long afterwards we found out that this island of +ours was no better in these respects than thousands of other islands in +those seas. Indeed, many of them were much richer and more productive; +but that did not render us the less grateful for our present good +fortune. We each put one of these roots in our pocket, intending to use +them for our supper--of which more hereafter. We also saw many +beautiful birds here, and traces of some four-footed animal again. +Meanwhile the sun began to descend; so we returned to the shore and +pushed on, round the spouting rocks, into the next valley. This was +that valley of which I have spoken as running across the entire island. +It was by far the largest and most beautiful that we had yet looked +upon. Here were trees of every shape and size and hue which it is +possible to conceive of, many of which we had not seen in the other +valleys; for, the stream in this valley being larger, and the mould much +richer than in the Valley of the Wreck, it was clothed with a more +luxuriant growth of trees and plants. Some trees were dark, glossy +green; others of a rich and warm hue, contrasting well with those of a +pale, light green, which were everywhere abundant. Among these we +recognised the broad, dark heads of the bread-fruit, with its golden +fruit; the pure, silvery foliage of the candle-nut, and several species +which bore a strong resemblance to the pine; while here and there, in +groups and in single trees, rose the tall forms of the cocoa-nut palms, +spreading abroad, and waving their graceful plumes high above all the +rest, as if they were a superior race of stately giants keeping guard +over these luxuriant forests. Oh, it was a most enchanting scene! and I +thanked God for having created such delightful spots for the use of man. + +Now, while we were gazing around us in silent admiration, Jack uttered +an exclamation of surprise, and pointing to an object a little to one +side of us, said: + +"That's a banyan tree." + +"And what's a banyan tree?" inquired Peterkin as we walked towards it. + +"A very curious one, as you shall see presently," replied Jack. "It is +called the _aoa_ here, if I recollect rightly, and has a wonderful +peculiarity about it. What an enormous one it is, to be sure!" + +"_It_!" repeated Peterkin. "Why, there are dozens of banyans here! +What do you mean by talking bad grammar? Is your philosophy deserting +you, Jack?" + +"There is but one tree here of this kind," returned Jack, "as you will +perceive if you will examine it." And, sure enough, we did find that +what we had supposed was a forest of trees was in reality only one. Its +bark was of a light colour, and had a shining appearance, the leaves +being lance-shaped, small, and of a beautiful pea-green. But the +wonderful thing about it was that the branches, which grew out from the +stem horizontally, sent down long shoots or fibres to the ground, which, +taking root, had themselves become trees, and were covered with bark +like the tree itself. Many of these fibres had descended from the +branches at various distances, and thus supported them on natural +pillars, some of which were so large and strong that it was not easy at +first to distinguish the offspring from the parent stem. The fibres +were of all sizes and in all states of advancement, from the pillars we +have just mentioned to small cords which hung down and were about to +take root, and thin brown threads still far from the ground, which +swayed about with every motion of wind. In short, it seemed to us that, +if there were only space afforded to it, this single tree would at +length cover the whole island. + +Shortly after this we came upon another remarkable tree, which, as its +peculiar formation afterwards proved extremely useful to us, merits +description. It was a splendid chestnut, but its proper name Jack did +not know. However, there were quantities of fine nuts upon it, some of +which we put in our pockets. But its stem was the most wonderful part +of it. It rose to about twelve feet without a branch, and was not of +great thickness; on the contrary, it was remarkably slender for the size +of the tree. But to make up for this, there were four or five wonderful +projections in this stem, which I cannot better describe than by asking +the reader to suppose that five planks of two inches thick and three +feet broad had been placed round the trunk of the tree, with their +_edges_ closely fixed to it, from the ground up to the branches, and +that these planks had been covered over with the bark of the tree and +incorporated with it. In short, they were just natural buttresses, +without which the stem could not have supported its heavy and umbrageous +top. We found these chestnuts to be very numerous. They grew chiefly +on the banks of the stream, and were of all sizes. + +While we were examining a small tree of this kind Jack chipped a piece +off a buttress with his axe, and found the wood to be firm and easily +cut. He then struck the axe into it with all his force, and very soon +split it off close to the tree--first, however, having cut it across +transversely above and below. By this means he satisfied himself that +we could now obtain short planks, as it were all ready sawn, of any size +and thickness that we desired, which was a very great discovery indeed-- +perhaps the most important we had yet made. + +We now wended our way back to the coast, intending to encamp near the +beach, as we found that the mosquitoes were troublesome in the forest. +On our way we could not help admiring the birds which flew and chirped +around us. Among them we observed a pretty kind of paroquet, with a +green body, a blue head, and a red breast; also a few beautiful +turtle-doves, and several flocks of wood-pigeons. The hues of many of +these birds were extremely vivid--bright green, blue, and scarlet being +the prevailing tints. We made several attempts throughout the day to +bring down one of these, both with the bow and the sling--not for mere +sport, but to ascertain whether they were good for food. But we +invariably missed, although once or twice we were very near hitting. As +evening drew on however, a flock of pigeons flew past. I slung a stone +into the midst of them at a venture, and had the good fortune to kill +one. We were startled soon after by a loud whistling noise above our +heads, and on looking up, saw a flock of wild ducks making for the +coast. We watched these, and observing where they alighted, followed +them up until we came upon a most lovely blue lake, not more than two +hundred yards long, embosomed in verdant trees. Its placid surface, +which reflected every leaf and stem as if in a mirror, was covered with +various species of wild ducks, feeding among the sedges and broad-leaved +water-plants which floated on it, while numerous birds like water-hens +ran to and fro most busily on its margin. These all, with one accord, +flew tumultuously away the instant we made our appearance. While +walking along the margin we observed fish in the water, but of what sort +we could not tell. + +Now, as we neared the shore, Jack and I said we would go a little out of +our way to see if we could procure one of those ducks; so, directing +Peterkin to go straight to the shore and kindle a fire, we separated, +promising to rejoin him speedily. But we did not find the ducks, +although we made a diligent search for half-an-hour. We were about to +retrace our steps when we were arrested by one of the strangest sights +that we had yet beheld. + +Just in front of us, at the distance of about ten yards, grew a superb +tree, which certainly was the largest we had yet seen on the island. +Its trunk was at least five feet in diameter, with a smooth, grey bark; +above this the spreading branches were clothed with light-green leaves, +amid which were clusters of bright-yellow fruit, so numerous as to weigh +down the boughs with their great weight. This fruit seemed to be of the +plum species, of an oblong form, and a good deal larger than the magnum +bonum plum. The ground at the foot of this tree was thickly strewn with +the fallen fruit, in the midst of which lay sleeping, in every possible +attitude, at least twenty hogs of all ages and sizes, apparently quite +surfeited with a recent banquet. + +Jack and I could scarce restrain our laughter as we gazed at these +coarse, fat, ill-looking animals while they lay groaning and snoring +heavily amid the remains of their supper. + +"Now, Ralph," said Jack in a low whisper, "put a stone in your sling--a +good big one--and let fly at that fat fellow with his back toward you. +I'll try to put an arrow into yon little pig." + +"Don't you think we had better put them up first?" I whispered. "It +seems cruel to kill them while asleep." + +"If I wanted _sport_, Ralph, I would certainly set them up; but as we +only want _pork_, we'll let them lie. Besides, we're not sure of +killing them; so, fire away." + +Thus admonished, I slung my stone with so good aim that it went bang +against the hog's flank as if against the head of a drum; but it had no +other effect than that of causing the animal to start to its feet, with +a frightful yell of surprise, and scamper away. At the same instant +Jack's bow twanged, and the arrow pinned the little pig to the ground by +the ear. + +"I've missed, after all!" cried Jack, darting forward with uplifted axe; +while the little pig uttered a loud squeal, tore the arrow from the +ground, and ran away with it, along with the whole drove, into the +bushes and disappeared, though we heard them screaming long afterwards +in the distance. + +"That's very provoking, now," said Jack, rubbing the point of his nose. + +"Very," I replied, stroking my chin. + +"Well, we must make haste and rejoin Peterkin," said Jack; "it's getting +late." And without further remark, we threaded our way quickly through +the woods towards the shore. + +When we reached it we found wood laid out, the fire lighted and +beginning to kindle up, with other signs of preparation for our +encampment; but Peterkin was nowhere to be found. We wondered very much +at this; but Jack suggested that he might have gone to fetch water, so +he gave a shout to let him know that we had arrived, and sat down upon a +rock, while I threw off my jacket and seized the axe, intending to split +up one or two billets of wood. But I had scarce moved from the spot +when, in the distance, we heard a most appalling shriek, which was +followed up by a chorus of yells from the hogs, and a loud hurrah. + +"I do believe," said I, "that Peterkin has met with the hogs." + +"When Greek meets Greek," said Jack, soliloquising, "then comes the tug +of--" + +"Hurrah!" shouted Peterkin in the distance. + +We turned hastily towards the direction whence the sound came, and soon +descried Peterkin walking along the beach towards us with a little pig +transfixed on the end of his long spear! + +"Well done, my boy!" exclaimed Jack, slapping him on the shoulder when +he came up. "You're the best shot amongst us." + +"Look here, Jack!" cried Peterkin as he disengaged the animal from his +spear. "Do you recognise that hole?" said he, pointing to the pig's +ear; "and are you familiar with this arrow, eh?" + +"Well, I declare!" said Jack. + +"Of course you do," interrupted Peterkin; "but, pray, restrain your +declarations at this time, and let's have supper--for I'm uncommonly +hungry, I can tell you. And it's no joke to charge a whole herd of +swine with their great-grandmother bristling like a giant porcupine, at +the head of them!" + +We now set about preparing supper; and, truly, a good display of viands +we made when all was laid out on a flat rock in the light of the blazing +fire. There was, first of all, the little pig; then there were the +taro-root, and the yam, and the potato, and six plums; and lastly, the +wood-pigeon. To these Peterkin added a bit of sugar-cane, which he had +cut from a little patch of that plant which he had found not long after +separating from us; "and," said he, "the patch was somewhat in a square +form, which convinces me it must have been planted by man." + +"Very likely," replied Jack. "From all we have seen, I'm inclined to +think that some of the savages must have dwelt here long ago." + +We found no small difficulty in making up our minds how we were to cook +the pig. None of us had ever cut up one before, and we did not know +exactly how to begin; besides, we had nothing but the axe to do it with, +our knife having been forgotten. At last Jack started up and said: + +"Don't let us waste more time talking about it, boys.--Hold it up, +Peterkin. There, lay the hind leg on this block of wood--so;" and he +cut it off; with a large portion of the haunch, at a single blow of the +axe. "Now the other--that's it." And having thus cut off the two hind +legs, he made several deep gashes in them, thrust a sharp-pointed stick +through each, and stuck them up before the blaze to roast. The +wood-pigeon was then split open, quite flat, washed clean in salt water, +and treated in a similar manner. While these were cooking we scraped a +hole in the sand and ashes under the fire, into which we put our +vegetables and covered them up. + +The taro-root was of an oval shape, about ten inches long and four or +five thick. It was of a mottled-grey colour, and had a thick rind. We +found it somewhat like an Irish potato, and exceedingly good. The yam +was roundish, and had a rough brown skin. It was very sweet and well +flavoured. The potato, we were surprised to find, was quite sweet and +exceedingly palatable, as also were the plums--and, indeed, the pork and +pigeon too--when we came to taste them. Altogether, this was decidedly +the most luxurious supper we had enjoyed for many a day. Jack said it +was out-of-sight better than we ever got on board ship; and Peterkin +said he feared that if we should remain long on the island he would +infallibly become a glutton or an epicure, whereat Jack remarked that he +need not fear that, for he was both already! And so, having eaten our +fill, not forgetting to finish off with a plum, we laid ourselves +comfortably down to sleep, upon a couch of branches, under the +overhanging ledge of a coral rock. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +EFFECTS OF OVEREATING, AND REFLECTIONS THEREON--HUMBLE ADVICE REGARDING +COLD WATER--THE "HORRIBLE CRY" ACCOUNTED FOR--THE CURIOUS BIRDS CALLED +PENGUINS--PECULIARITY OF THE COCOA-NUT PALM--QUESTIONS ON THE FORMATION +OF CORAL ISLANDS--MYSTERIOUS FOOTSTEPS--STRANGE DISCOVERIES AND SAD +SIGHTS. + +When we awoke on the following morning we found that the sun was already +a good way above the horizon, so I came to the conclusion that a heavy +supper is not conducive to early rising. Never-the-less, we felt +remarkably strong and well, and much disposed to have our breakfast. +First, however, we had our customary morning bathe, which refreshed us +greatly. + +I have often wondered very much in after years that the inhabitants of +my own dear land did not make more frequent use of this most charming +element, water--I mean in the way of cold bathing. Of course, I have +perceived that it is not convenient for them to go into the sea or the +rivers in winter, as we used to do on the Coral Island; but then I knew +from experience that a large washing-tub and a sponge do form a most +pleasant substitute. The feelings of freshness, of cleanliness, of +vigour, and extreme hilarity that always followed my bathes in the sea-- +and even, when in England, my ablutions in the wash-tub--were so +delightful that I would sooner have gone without my breakfast than +without my bathe in cold water. My readers will forgive me for asking +whether they are in the habit of bathing thus every morning; and if they +answer "No", they will pardon me for recommending them to begin at once. +Of late years, since retiring from the stirring life of adventure which +I have led so long in foreign climes, I have heard of a system called +the cold-water cure. Now, I do not know much about that system; so I do +not mean to uphold it, neither do I intend to run it down. Perhaps, in +reference to it, I may just hint that there may be too much of a good +thing--I know not. But of this I am quite certain, that there may also +be too little of a good thing; and the great delight I have had in cold +bathing during the course of my adventurous career inclines me to think +that it is better to risk taking too much than to content one's self +with too little. Such is my opinion, derived from much experience; but +I put it before my readers with the utmost diffidence and with profound +modesty, knowing that it may possibly jar with their feelings of +confidence in their own ability to know and judge as to what is best and +fittest in reference to their own affairs. But to return from this +digression, for which I humbly crave forgiveness. + +We had not advanced on our journey much above a mile or so, and were +just beginning to feel the pleasant glow that usually accompanies +vigorous exercise, when, on turning a point that revealed to us a new +and beautiful cluster of islands, we were suddenly arrested by the +appalling cry which had so alarmed us a few nights before. But this +time we were by no means so much alarmed as on the previous occasion, +because, whereas at that time it was night, now it was day; and I have +always found, though I am unable to account for it, that daylight +banishes many of the fears that are apt to assail us in the dark. + +On hearing the sound, Peterkin instantly threw forward his spear. + +"Now, what can it be?" said he, looking round at Jack. "I tell you what +it is: if we are to go on being pulled up in a constant state of horror +and astonishment, as we have been for the last week, the sooner we're +out o' this island the better, notwithstanding the yams and lemonade, +and pork and plums!" + +Peterkin's remark was followed by a repetition of the cry, louder than +before. + +"It comes from one of these islands," said Jack. + +"It must be the ghost of a jackass, then," said Peterkin, "for I never +heard anything so like." + +We all turned our eyes towards the cluster of islands, where, on the +largest, we observed curious objects moving on the shore. + +"Soldiers they are--that's flat!" cried Peterkin, gazing at them in the +utmost amazement. + +And, in truth, Peterkin's remark seemed to me to be correct; for at the +distance from which we saw them, they appeared to be an army of +soldiers. There they stood, rank and file, in lines and in squares, +marching and counter-marching, with blue coats and white trousers. +While we were looking at them the dreadful cry came again over the +water, and Peterkin suggested that it must be a regiment sent out to +massacre the natives in cold blood. At this remark Jack laughed and +said: + +"Why, Peterkin, they are penguins!" + +"Penguins?" repeated Peterkin. + +"Ay, penguins, Peterkin, penguins--nothing more or less than big +sea-birds, as you shall see one of these days when we pay them a visit +in our boat, which I mean to set about building the moment we return to +our bower." + +"So, then, our dreadful yelling ghosts and our murdering army of +soldiers," remarked Peterkin, "have dwindled down to penguins--big +sea-birds! Very good. Then I propose that we continue our journey as +fast as possible, lest our island should be converted into a dream +before we get completely round it." + +Now, as we continued on our way, I pondered much over this new discovery +and the singular appearance of these birds, of which Jack could only +give us a very slight and vague account; and I began to long to commence +our boat, in order that we might go and inspect them more narrowly. But +by degrees these thoughts left me, and I began to be much taken up again +with the interesting peculiarities of the country which we were passing +through. + +The second night we passed in a manner somewhat similar to the first--at +about two-thirds of the way round the island, as we calculated--and we +hoped to sleep on the night following at our bower. I will not here +note so particularly all that we said and saw during the course of this +second day, as we did not make any further discoveries of great +importance. The shore along which we travelled, and the various parts +of the woods through which we passed, were similar to those which have +been already treated of. There were one or two observations that we +made, however, and these were as follows: + +We saw that, while many of the large fruit-bearing trees grew only in +the valleys, and some of them only near the banks of the streams, where +the soil was peculiarly rich, the cocoa-nut palm grew in every place +whatsoever--not only on the hillsides, but also on the seashore, and +even, as has been already stated, on the coral reef itself, where the +soil, if we may use the name, was nothing better than loose sand mingled +with broken shells and coral rock. So near to the sea, too, did this +useful tree grow, that in many places its roots were washed by the spray +from the breakers. Yet we found the trees growing thus on the sands to +be quite as luxuriant as those growing in the valleys, and the fruit as +good and refreshing also. Besides this, I noticed that on the summit of +the high mountain, which we once more ascended at a different point from +our first ascent, were found abundance of shells and broken coral +formations, which, Jack and I agreed, proved either that this island +must have once been under the sea, or that the sea must once have been +above the island: in other words, that as shells and coral could not +possibly climb to the mountain-top, they must have been washed upon it +while the mountain-top was on a level with the sea. We pondered this +very much; and we put to ourselves the question, "What raised the island +to its present height above the sea?" But to this we could by no means +give to ourselves a satisfactory reply. Jack thought it might have been +blown up by a volcano; and Peterkin said he thought it must have jumped +up of its own accord! We also noticed, what had escaped us before, that +the solid rocks of which the island was formed were quite different from +the live coral rocks on the shore, where, the wonderful little insects +were continually working. They seemed, indeed, to be of the same +material--a substance like limestone; but while the coral rocks were +quite full of minute cells in which the insects lived, the other rocks +inland were hard and solid, without the appearance of cells at all. Our +thoughts and conversations on this subject were sometimes so profound +that Peterkin said we should certainly get drowned in them at last, even +although we were such good divers! Nevertheless, we did not allow his +pleasantry on this and similar points to deter us from making our notes +and observations as we went along. + +We found several more droves of hogs in the woods, but abstained from +killing any of them, having more than sufficient for our present +necessities. We saw, also, many of their footprints in this +neighbourhood. Among these we also observed the footprints of a smaller +animal, which we examined with much care, but could form no certain +opinion as to them. Peterkin thought they were those of a little dog, +but Jack and I thought differently. We became very curious on this +matter, the more so that we observed these footprints to lie scattered +about in one locality, as if the animal which had made them was +wandering round about in a very irregular manner and without any object +in view. Early in the forenoon of our third day we observed these +footprints to be much more numerous than ever, and in one particular +spot they diverged off into the woods in a regular beaten track, which +was, however, so closely beset with bushes that we pushed through it +with difficulty. We had now become so anxious to find out what animal +this was, and where it went to, that we determined to follow the track +and, if possible, clear up the mystery. Peterkin said, in a bantering +tone, that he was sure it would be cleared up, as usual, in some +frightfully simple way, and prove to be no mystery at all! + +The beaten track seemed much too large to have been formed by the animal +itself, and we concluded that some larger animal had made it, and that +the smaller one made use of it. But everywhere the creeping plants and +tangled bushes crossed our path, so that we forced our way along with +some difficulty. Suddenly, as we came upon an open space, we heard a +faint cry, and observed a black animal standing in the track before us. + +"A wild cat!" cried Jack, fitting an arrow to his bow, and discharging +it so hastily that he missed the animal, and hit the earth about +half-a-foot to one side of it. To our surprise, the wild cat did not +fly, but walked slowly towards the arrow and snuffed at it. + +"That's the most comical wild cat I ever saw!" cried Jack. + +"It's a tame wild cat, I think," said Peterkin, levelling his spear to +make a charge. + +"Stop!" cried I, laying my hand on his shoulder. "I do believe the poor +beast is blind. See, it strikes against the branches as it walks along. +It must be a very old one;" and I hastened towards it. + +"Only think," said Peterkin with a suppressed laugh, "of a superannuated +wild cat!" + +We now found that the poor cat was not only blind, or nearly so, but +extremely deaf, as it did not hear our footsteps until we were quite +close behind it. Then it sprang round, and, putting up its back and +tail, while the black hair stood all on end, uttered a hoarse mew and a +fuff. + +Poor thing said Peterkin, gently extending his hand and endeavouring to +pat the cat's head. "Poor pussy! chee, chee, chee! puss, puss, puss! +cheetie pussy!" + +No sooner did the cat hear these sounds than all signs of anger fled, +and advancing eagerly to Peterkin, it allowed itself to be stroked, and +rubbed itself against his legs, purring loudly all the time, and showing +every symptom of the most extreme delight. + +"It's no more a wild cat than I am!" cried Peterkin, taking it in his +arms; "it's quite tame.--Poor pussy! cheetie pussy!" + +We now crowded around Peterkin, and were not a little surprised--and, to +say truth, a good deal affected--by the sight of the poor animal's +excessive joy. It rubbed its head against Peterkin's cheek, licked his +chin, and thrust its head almost violently into his neck, while it +purred more loudly than I ever heard a cat purr before, and appeared to +be so much overpowered by its feelings that it occasionally mewed and +purred almost in the same breath. Such demonstrations of joy and +affection led us at once to conclude that this poor cat must have known +man before, and we conjectured that it had been left either accidentally +or by design on the island many years ago, and was now evincing its +extreme joy at meeting once more with human beings. While we were +fondling the cat and talking about it, Jack glanced round the open space +in the midst of which we stood. + +"Hallo!" exclaimed he; "this looks something like a clearing. The axe +has been at work here. Just look at these tree-stumps." + +We now turned to examine these, and without doubt we found trees that +had been cut down here and there, also stumps and broken branches--all +of which, however, were completely covered over with moss, and bore +evidence of having been in this condition for some years. No human +footprints were to be seen either on the track or among the bushes, but +those of the cat were found everywhere. We now determined to follow up +the track as far as it went, and Peterkin put the cat down; but it +seemed to be so weak, and mewed so very pitifully, that he took it up +again and carried it in his arms, where in a few minutes it fell sound +asleep. + +About ten yards farther on, the felled trees became more numerous, and +the track, diverging to the right, followed for a short space the banks +of a stream. Suddenly we came to a spot where once must have been a +rude bridge, the stones of which were scattered in the stream, and those +on each bank entirely covered over with moss. In silent surprise and +expectancy we continued to advance, and a few yards farther on, beheld, +under the shelter of some bread-fruit trees, a small hut or cottage. I +cannot hope to convey to my readers a very correct idea of the feelings +that affected us on witnessing this unexpected sight. We stood for a +long time in silent wonder, for there was a deep and most melancholy +stillness about the place that quite overpowered us; and when we did at +length speak, it was in subdued whispers, as if we were surrounded by +some awful or supernatural influence. Even Peterkin's voice, usually so +quick and lively on all occasions, was hushed now; for there was a +dreariness about this silent, lonely, uninhabited cottage--so strange in +its appearance, so far away from the usual dwellings of man, so old, +decayed, and deserted in its aspect that fell upon our spirits like a +thick cloud, and blotted out as with a pall the cheerful sunshine that +had filled us since the commencement of our tour round the island. + +The hut or cottage was rude and simple in its construction. It was not +more than twelve feet long by ten feet broad, and about seven or eight +feet high. It had one window, or rather a small frame in which a window +might perhaps once have been, but which was now empty. The door was +exceedingly low, and formed of rough boards, and the roof was covered +with broad cocoa-nut and plantain leaves. But every part of it was in a +state of the utmost decay. Moss and green matter grew in spots all over +it. The woodwork was quite perforated with holes; the roof had nearly +fallen in, and appeared to be prevented from doing so altogether by the +thick matting of creeping plants and the interlaced branches which years +of neglect had allowed to cover it almost entirely; while the thick, +luxuriant branches of the bread-fruit and other trees spread above it, +and flung a deep, sombre shadow over the spot, as if to guard it from +the heat and the light of day. We conversed long and in whispers about +this strange habitation ere we ventured to approach it; and when at +length we did so, it was, at least on my part, with feelings of awe. + +At first Jack endeavoured to peep in at the window; but from the deep +shadow of the trees already mentioned, and the gloom within, he could +not clearly discern objects, so we lifted the latch and pushed open the +door. We observed that the latch was made of iron, and almost eaten +away with rust. In the like condition were also the hinges, which +creaked as the door swung back. On entering, we stood still and gazed +around us, while we were much impressed with the dreary stillness of the +room. But what we saw there surprised and shocked us not a little. +There was no furniture in the apartment save a little wooden stool and +an iron pot, the latter almost eaten through with rust. In the corner +farthest from the door was a low bedstead, on which lay two skeletons, +embedded in a little heap of dry dust. With beating hearts we went +forward to examine them. One was the skeleton of a man; the other that +of a dog, which was extended close beside that of the man, with its head +resting on his bosom. + +Now we were very much concerned about this discovery, and could scarce +refrain from tears on beholding these sad remains. After some time we +began to talk about what we had seen, and to examine in and around the +hut, in order to discover some clue to the name or history of this poor +man, who had thus died in solitude, with none to mourn his loss save his +cat and his faithful dog. But we found nothing--neither a book nor a +scrap of paper. We found, however, the decayed remnants of what +appeared to have been clothing, and an old axe. But none of these +things bore marks of any kind, and indeed they were so much decayed as +to convince us that they had lain in the condition in which we found +them for many years. + +This discovery now accounted to us for the tree-stump at the top of the +mountain with the initials cut on it; also for the patch of sugar-cane +and other traces of man which we had met with in the course of our +rambles over the island. And we were much saddened by the reflection +that the lot of this poor wanderer might possibly be our own, after many +years' residence on the island, unless we should be rescued by the visit +of some vessel or the arrival of natives. Having no clue whatever to +account for the presence of this poor human being in such a lonely spot, +we fell to conjecturing what could have brought him there. I was +inclined to think that he must have been a shipwrecked sailor, whose +vessel had been lost here, and all the crew been drowned except himself +and his dog and cat. But Jack thought it more likely that he had run +away from his vessel, and had taken the dog and cat to keep him company. +We were also much occupied in our minds with the wonderful difference +between the cat and the dog. For here we saw that while the one +perished like a loving friend by its master's side, with its head +resting on his bosom, the other had sought to sustain itself by prowling +abroad in the forest, and had lived in solitude to a good old age. +However, we did not conclude from this that the cat was destitute of +affection, for we could not forget its emotions on first meeting with +us; but we saw from this that the dog had a great deal more of generous +love in its nature than the cat, because it not only found it impossible +to live after the death of its master, but it must needs, when it came +to die, crawl to his side and rest its head upon his lifeless breast. + +While we were thinking on these things, and examining into everything +about the room, we were attracted by an exclamation from Peterkin. + +"I say, Jack," said he, "here is something that will be of use to us." + +"What is it?" said Jack, hastening across the room. + +"An old pistol," replied Peterkin, holding up the weapon, which he had +just pulled from under a heap of broken wood and rubbish that lay in a +corner. + +"That, indeed, might have been useful," said Jack, examining it, "if we +had any powder; but I suspect the bow and the sling will prove more +serviceable." + +"True, I forgot that," said Peterkin; "but we may as well take it with +us, for the flint will serve to strike fire with when the sun does not +shine." + +After having spent more than an hour at this place without discovering +anything of further interest, Peterkin took up the old cat, which had +lain very contentedly asleep on the stool whereon he had placed it, and +we prepared to take our departure. In leaving the hut, Jack stumbled +heavily against the door-post, which was so much decayed as to break +across, and the whole fabric of the hut seemed ready to tumble about our +ears. This put it into our heads that we might as well pull it down, +and so form a mound over the skeleton. Jack, therefore, with his axe, +cut down the other door-post, which, when it was done, brought the whole +hut in ruins to the ground, and thus formed a grave to the bones of the +poor recluse and his dog. Then we left the spot, having brought away +the iron pot, the pistol, and the old axe, as they might be of much use +to us hereafter. + +During the rest of this day we pursued our journey, and examined the +other end of the large valley, which we found to be so much alike to the +parts already described that I shall not recount the particulars of what +we saw in this place. I may, however, remark that we did not quite +recover our former cheerful spirits until we arrived at our bower, which +we did late in the evening, and found everything just in the same +condition as we had left it three days before. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TANK--JACK'S WISDOM AND PETERKIN'S +IMPERTINENCE--WONDERFUL BEHAVIOUR OF A CRAB--GOOD WISHES FOR THOSE WHO +DWELL FAR FROM THE SEA--JACK COMMENCES TO BUILD A LITTLE BOAT. + +Rest is sweet, as well for the body as for the mind. During my long +experience, amid the vicissitudes of a chequered life, I have found that +periods of profound rest at certain intervals, in addition to the +ordinary hours of repose, are necessary to the well-being of man. And +the nature, as well as the period, of this rest varies according to the +different temperaments of individuals and the peculiar circumstances in +which they may chance to be placed. To those who work with their minds, +bodily labour is rest; to those who labour with the body, deep sleep is +rest; to the downcast, the weary, and the sorrowful, joy and peace are +rest. Nay, further, I think that to the gay, the frivolous, the +reckless, when sated with pleasures that cannot last, even sorrow proves +to be rest of a kind, although, perchance, it were better that I should +call it relief than rest. There is, indeed, but one class of men to +whom rest is denied--there is no rest to the wicked. At this I do but +hint, however, as I treat not of that rest which is spiritual, but more +particularly of that which applies to the mind and to the body. + +Of this rest we stood much in need on our return home, and we found it +exceedingly sweet when we indulged in it after completing the journey +just related. It had not, indeed, been a very long journey; +nevertheless, we had pursued it so diligently that our frames were not a +little prostrated. Our minds were also very much exhausted in +consequence of the many surprises, frequent alarms, and much profound +thought to which they had been subjected; so that when we lay down, on +the night of our return, under the shelter of the bower, we fell +immediately into very deep repose. I can state this with much +certainty; for Jack afterwards admitted the fact, and Peterkin, although +he stoutly denied it, I heard snoring loudly at least two minutes after +lying down. In this condition we remained all night and the whole of +the following day without awaking once, or so much as moving our +positions. When we did awake it was near sunset, and we were all in +such a state of lassitude that we merely rose to swallow a mouthful of +food. As Peterkin remarked, in the midst of a yawn, we took breakfast +at tea-time, and then went to bed again, where we lay till the following +forenoon. + +After this we arose very greatly refreshed, but much alarmed lest we had +lost count of a day. I say we were much alarmed on this head; for we +had carefully kept count of the days, since we were cast upon our +island, in order that we might remember the Sabbath-day, which day we +had hitherto, with one accord, kept as a day of rest, and refrained from +all work whatsoever. However, on considering the subject, we all three +entertained the same opinion as to how long we had slept, and so our +minds were put at ease. + +We now hastened to our Water Garden to enjoy a bathe, and to see how did +the animals which I had placed in the tank. We found the garden more +charming, pellucid, and inviting than ever; and Jack and I plunged into +its depths and gambolled among its radiant coral groves, while Peterkin +wallowed at the surface, and tried occasionally to kick us as we passed +below. Having dressed, I then hastened to the tank; but what was my +surprise and grief to find nearly all the animals dead, and the water in +a putrid condition! I was greatly distressed at this, and wondered what +could be the cause of it. + +"Why, you precious humbug!" said Peterkin, coming up to me, "how could +you expect it to be otherwise? When fishes are accustomed to live in +the Pacific Ocean, how can you expect them to exist in a hole like +that?" + +"Indeed, Peterkin," I replied, "there seems to be truth in what you say. +Nevertheless, now I think of it, there must be some error in your +reasoning; for if I put in but a few very small animals, they will bear +the same proportion to this pond that the millions of fish bear to the +ocean." + +"I say, Jack!" cried Peterkin, waving his hand; "come here, like a good +fellow. Ralph is actually talking philosophy. Do come to our +assistance, for he's out o' sight beyond me already!" + +"What's the matter?" inquired Jack, coming up, while he endeavoured to +scrub his long hair dry with a towel of cocoa-nut cloth. + +I repeated my thoughts to Jack, who, I was happy to find, quite agreed +with me. "The best plan," he said, "will be to put very few animals at +first into your tank, and add more as you find it will bear them. And +look here," he added, pointing to the sides of the tank, which, for the +space of two inches above the water-level, were encrusted with salt, +"you must carry your philosophy a little further, Ralph. That water has +evaporated so much that it is too salt for anything to live in. You +will require to add _fresh_ water now and then, in order to keep it at +the same degree of saltness as the sea." + +"Very true, Jack; that never struck me before," said I. + +"And, now I think of it," continued Jack, "it seems to me that the +surest way of arranging your tank so as to get it to keep pure and in +good condition will be to _imitate_ the ocean in it; in fact, make it a +miniature Pacific. I don't see how you can hope to succeed unless you +do that." + +"Most true," said I, pondering what my companion said. "But I fear that +that will be very difficult." + +"Not at all," cried Jack, rolling his towel up into a ball and throwing +it into the face of Peterkin, who had been grinning and winking at him +during the last five minutes--"not at all. Look here. There is water +of a certain saltness in the sea; well, fill your tank with sea-water, +and keep it at that saltness by marking the height at which the water +stands on the sides. When it evaporates a little, pour in _fresh_ water +from the brook till it comes up to the mark, and then it will be right, +for the salt does not evaporate with the water. Then there's lots of +seaweed in the sea; well, go and get one or two bits of seaweed and put +them into your tank. Of course the weed must be alive, and growing to +little stones; or you can chip a bit off the rocks with the weed +sticking to it. Then, if you like, you can throw a little sand and +gravel into your tank, and the thing's complete." + +"Nay, not quite," said Peterkin, who had been gravely attentive to this +off-hand advice--"not quite. You must first make three little men to +dive in it before it can be said to be perfect; and that would be rather +difficult, I fear, for two of them would require to be philosophers. +But hallo! what's this?--I say, Ralph, look here! There's one o' your +crabs up to something uncommon. It's performing the most remarkable +operation for a crab I ever saw--taking off its coat, I do believe, +before going to bed!" + +We hastily stooped over the tank, and certainly were not a little amused +at the conduct of one of the crabs which still survived its companions. +It was one of the common small crabs, like to those that are found +running about everywhere on the coast of England. While we gazed at it +we observed its back to split away from the lower part of its body, and +out of the gap thus formed came a soft lump which moved and writhed +unceasingly. This lump continued to increase in size until it appeared +like a bunch of crab's legs; and, indeed, such it proved in a very few +minutes to be, for the points of the toes were at length extricated from +the hole in its back, the legs spread out, the body followed, and the +crab walked away quite entire, even to the points of its nipper-claws, +leaving a perfectly entire shell behind it, so that, when we looked, it +seemed as though there were two complete crabs instead of one. + +"Well," exclaimed Peterkin, drawing a long breath, "I've _heard_ of a +man jumping out of his skin and sitting down in his skeleton in order to +cool himself, but I never expected to _see_ a crab do it!" + +We were, in truth, much amazed at this spectacle, and the more so when +we observed that the new crab was larger than the crab that it came out +of. It was also quite soft, but by next morning its skin had hardened +into a good shell. We came thus to know that crabs grow in this way, +and not by the growing of their shells, as we had always thought before +we saw this wonderful operation. + +Now I considered well the advice which Jack had given me about preparing +my tank, and the more I thought of it the more I came to regard it as +very sound and worthy of being acted on. So I forthwith put his plan in +execution, and found it to answer excellently well--indeed, much beyond +my expectation; for I found that after a little experience had taught me +the proper proportion of seaweed and animals to put into a certain +amount of water, the tank needed no further attendance. And, moreover, +I did not require ever afterwards to renew or change the sea-water, but +only to add a very little fresh water from the brook, now and then, as +the other evaporated. I therefore concluded that if I had been suddenly +conveyed, along with my tank, into some region where there was no salt +sea at all, my little sea and my sea-fish would have continued to thrive +and to prosper notwithstanding. This made me greatly to desire that +those people in the world who live far inland might know of my wonderful +tank, and by having materials like to those of which it was made +conveyed to them, thus be enabled to watch the habits of those most +mysterious animals that reside in the sea, and examine with their own +eyes the wonders of the great deep. + +For many days after this, while Peterkin and Jack were busily employed +in building a little boat out of the curious natural planks of the +chestnut-tree, I spent much of my time in examining with the +burning-glass the marvellous operations that were constantly going on in +my tank. Here I saw those anemones which cling, like little red, +yellow, and green blobs of jelly, to the rocks, put forth, as it were, a +multitude of arms and wait till little fish or other small animalcules +unwarily touched them, when they would instantly seize them, fold arm +after arm round their victims, and so engulf them in their stomachs. +Here I saw the ceaseless working of those little coral insects whose +efforts have encrusted the islands of the Pacific with vast rocks, and +surrounded them with enormous reefs; and I observed that many of these +insects, though extremely minute, were very beautiful, coming out of +their holes in a circle of fine threads, and having the form of a +shuttlecock. Here I saw curious little barnacles opening a hole in +their backs and constantly putting out a thin, feathery hand, with +which, I doubt not, they dragged their food into their mouths. Here, +also, I saw those crabs which have shells only on the front of their +bodies, but no shell whatever on their remarkably tender tails, so that, +in order to find a protection to them, they thrust them into the empty +shells of whelks, or some such fish, and when they grow too big for one, +change into another. But, most curious of all, I saw an animal which +had the wonderful power, when it became ill, of casting its stomach and +its teeth away from it, and getting an entirely new set in the course of +a few months! All this I saw, and a great deal more, by means of my +tank and my burning-glass; but I refrain from setting down more +particulars here, as I have still much to tell of the adventures that +befell us while we remained on this island. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +NOTABLE DISCOVERY AT THE SPOUTING CLIFFS--THE MYSTERIOUS GREEN MONSTER +EXPLAINED--WE ARE THROWN INTO UNUTTERABLE TERROR BY THE IDEA THAT JACK +IS DROWNED--THE DIAMOND CAVE. + +"Come, Jack," cried Peterkin one morning about three weeks after our +return from our long excursion, "let's be jolly to-day, and do something +vigorous. I'm quite tired of hammering and bammering, hewing and +screwing, cutting and butting at that little boat of ours, that seems as +hard to build as Noah's ark. Let us go on an excursion to the +mountain-top, or have a hunt after the wild ducks, or make a dash at the +pigs. I'm quite flat--flat as bad ginger-beer--flat as a pancake; in +fact, I want something to rouse me--to toss me up, as it were. Eh! what +do you say to it?" + +"Well," answered Jack, throwing down the axe with which he was just +about to proceed towards the boat, "if that's what you want, I would +recommend you to make an excursion to the waterspouts. The last one we +had to do with tossed you up a considerable height; perhaps the next +will send you higher--who knows?--if you're at all reasonable or +moderate in your expectations!" + +"Jack, my dear boy," said Peterkin gravely, "you are really becoming too +fond of jesting. It's a thing I don't at all approve of; and if you +don't give it up, I fear that, for our mutual good, we shall have to +part." + +"Well, then, Peterkin," replied Jack with a smile, "what would you +have?" + +"Have?" said Peterkin. "I would _have_ nothing. I didn't say I wanted +to _have_; I said that I wanted to _do_." + +"By the bye," said I, interrupting their conversation, "I am reminded by +this that we have not yet discovered the nature of yon curious +appearance that we saw near the waterspouts on our journey round the +island. Perhaps it would be well to go for that purpose." + +"Humph!" ejaculated Peterkin, "I know the nature of it well enough." + +"What was it?" said I. + +"It was of a _mysterious_ nature, to be sure!" said he with a wave of +his hand, while he rose from the log on which he had been sitting and +buckled on his belt, into which he thrust his enormous club. + +"Well, then, let us away to the waterspouts," cried Jack, going up to +the bower for his bow and arrows.--"And bring your spear, Peterkin; it +may be useful." + +We now, having made up our minds to examine into this matter, sallied +forth eagerly in the direction of the waterspout rocks, which, as I have +before mentioned, were not far from our present place of abode. On +arriving there we hastened down to the edge of the rocks and gazed over +into the sea, where we observed the pale-green object still distinctly +visible, moving its tail slowly to and fro in the water. + +"Most remarkable!" said Jack. + +"Exceedingly curious!" said I. + +"Beats everything!" said Peterkin.--"Now, Jack," he added, "you made +such a poor figure in your last attempt to stick that object that I +would advise you to let me try it. If it has got a heart at all, I'll +engage to send my spear right through the core of it; if it hasn't got a +heart, I'll send it through the spot where its heart ought to be." + +"Fire away, then, my boy," replied Jack with a laugh. + +Peterkin immediately took the spear, poised it for a second or two above +his head, then darted it like an arrow into the sea. Down it went +straight into the centre of the green object, passed quite through it, +and came up immediately afterwards, pure and unsullied, while the +mysterious tail moved quietly as before! + +"Now," said Peterkin gravely, "that brute is a heartless monster; I'll +have nothing more to do with it." + +"I'm pretty sure now," said Jack, "that it is merely a phosphoric light; +but I must say I'm puzzled at its staying always in that exact spot." + +I also was much puzzled, and inclined to think with Jack that it must be +phosphoric light, of which luminous appearance we had seen much while on +our voyage to these seas. "But," said I, "there is nothing to hinder us +from diving down to it, now that we are sure it is not a shark." + +"True," returned Jack, stripping off his clothes. "I'll go down, Ralph, +as I'm better at diving than you are.--Now, then, Peterkin, out o' the +road!" Jack stepped forward, joined his hands above his head, bent over +the rocks, and plunged into the sea. For a second or two the spray +caused by his dive hid him from view; then the water became still, and +we saw him swimming far down in the midst of the green object. Suddenly +he sank below it, and vanished altogether from our sight! We gazed +anxiously down at the spot where he had disappeared for nearly a minute, +expecting every moment to see him rise again for breath; but fully a +minute passed and still he did not reappear. Two minutes passed! and +then a flood of alarm rushed in upon my soul when I considered that, +during all my acquaintance with him, Jack had never stayed under water +more than a minute at a time--indeed, seldom so long. + +"Oh Peterkin!" I said in a voice that trembled with increasing anxiety, +"something has happened. It is more than three minutes now." But +Peterkin did not answer; and I observed that he was gazing down into the +water with a look of intense fear mingled with anxiety, while his face +was overspread with a deadly paleness. Suddenly he sprang to his feet +and rushed about in a frantic state, wringing his hands, and exclaiming, +"Oh Jack! Jack! He is gone! It must have been a shark, and he is gone +for ever!" + +For the next five minutes I know not what I did; the intensity of my +feelings almost bereft me of my senses. But I was recalled to myself by +Peterkin seizing me by the shoulders and staring wildly into my face, +while he exclaimed, "Ralph! Ralph! perhaps he has only fainted! Dive +for him, Ralph!" + +It seemed strange that this did not occur to me sooner. In a moment I +rushed to the edge of the rocks, and without waiting to throw off my +garments, was on the point to spring into the waves when I observed +something black rising up through the green object. In another moment +Jack's head rose to the surface, and he gave a wild shout, flinging back +the spray from his locks, as was his wont after a dive. Now we were +almost as much amazed at seeing him reappear, well and strong, as we had +been at first at his non-appearance; for, to the best of our judgment, +he had been nearly ten minutes under water--perhaps longer--and it +required no exertion of our reason to convince us that this was utterly +impossible for mortal man to do and retain his strength and faculties. +It was, therefore, with a feeling akin to superstitious awe that I held +down my hand and assisted him to clamber up the steep rocks. But no +such feeling affected Peterkin. No sooner did Jack gain the rocks and +seat himself on one, panting for breath, than he threw his arms round +his neck and burst into a flood of tears. "Oh Jack! Jack!" said he, +"where were you? What kept you so long?" + +After a few moments Peterkin became composed enough to sit still and +listen to Jack's explanation, although he could not restrain himself +from attempting to wink every two minutes at me in order to express his +joy at Jack's safety. I say he attempted to wink, but I am bound to add +that he did not succeed; for his eyes were so much swollen with weeping +that his frequent attempts only resulted in a series of violent and +altogether idiotical contortions of the face, that were very far from +expressing what he intended. However, I knew what the poor fellow meant +by it; so I smiled to him in return, and endeavoured to make believe +that he was winking. + +"Now, lads," said Jack when we were composed enough to listen to him, +"yon green object is not a shark; it is a stream of light issuing from a +cave in the rocks. Just after I made my dive, I observed that this +light came from the side of the rock above which we are now sitting; so +I struck out for it, and saw an opening into some place or other that +appeared to be luminous within. For one instant I paused to think +whether I ought to venture. Then I made up my mind and dashed into it; +for you see, Peterkin, although I take some time to tell this, it +happened in the space of a few seconds, so that I knew I had wind enough +in me to serve to bring me out o' the hole and up to the surface again. +Well, I was just on the point of turning--for I began to feel a little +uncomfortable in such a place--when it seemed to me as if there was a +faint light right above me. I darted upwards, and found my head out of +water. This relieved me greatly, for I now felt that I could take in +air enough to enable me to return the way I came. Then it all at once +occurred to me that I might not be able to find the way out again; but +on glancing downwards, my mind was put quite at rest by seeing the green +light below me streaming into the cave, just like the light that we had +seen streaming out of it, only what I now saw was much brighter. + +"At first I could scarcely see anything as I gazed around me, it was so +dark; but gradually my eyes became accustomed to it, and I found that I +was in a huge cave, part of the walls of which I observed on each side +of me. The ceiling just above me was also visible, and I fancied that I +could perceive beautiful, glittering objects there; but the farther end +of the cave was shrouded in darkness. While I was looking around me in +great wonder, it came into my head that you two would think I was +drowned; so I plunged down through the passage again in a great hurry, +rose to the surface, and--here I am!" + +When Jack concluded his recital of what he had seen in this remarkable +cave, I could not rest satisfied till I had dived down to see it; which +I did, but found it so dark, as Jack had said, that I could scarcely see +anything. When I returned we had a long conversation about, it, during +which I observed that Peterkin had a most lugubrious expression on his +countenance. + +"What's the matter, Peterkin?" said I. + +"The matter?" he replied. "It's all very well for you two to be talking +away like mermaids about the wonders of this cave; but you know I must +be content to hear about it, while you are enjoying yourselves down +there like mad dolphins. It's really too bad!" + +"I'm very sorry for you, Peterkin--indeed I am," said Jack; "but we +cannot help you. If you would only learn to dive--" + +"Learn to fly, you might as well say!" retorted Peterkin in a very sulky +tone. + +"If you would only consent to keep still," said I, "we would take you +down with us in ten seconds." + +"Hum!" returned Peterkin; "suppose a salamander was to propose to you +`only to keep still' and he would carry you through a blazing fire in a +few seconds, what would you say?" + +We both laughed and shook our heads, for it was evident that nothing was +to be made of Peterkin in the water. But we could not rest satisfied +till we had seen more of this cave; so, after further consultation, Jack +and I determined to try if we could take down a torch with us, and set +fire to it in the cavern. This we found to be an undertaking of no +small difficulty, but we accomplished it at last by the following means: +First, we made a torch of a very inflammable nature out of the bark of a +certain tree, which we cut into strips, and after twisting, cemented +together with a kind of resin or gum, which we also obtained from +another tree; neither of which trees, however, was known by name to +Jack. This, when prepared, we wrapped up in a great number of plies of +cocoa-nut cloth, so that we were confident it could not get wet during +the short time it should be under water. Then we took a small piece of +the tinder, which we had carefully treasured up lest we should require +it, as before said, when the sun should fail us; also, we rolled up some +dry grass and a few chips, which, with a little bow and drill, like +those described before, we made into another bundle and wrapped it up in +cocoa-nut cloth. When all was ready we laid aside our garments, with +the exception of our trousers, which, as we did not know what rough +scraping against the rocks we might be subjected to, we kept on. + +Then we advanced to the edge of the rocks--Jack carrying one bundle, +with the torch; I the other, with the things for producing fire. + +"Now don't weary for us, Peterkin, should we be gone some time," said +Jack. "We'll be sure to return in half-an-hour at the very latest, +however interesting the cave should be, that we may relieve your mind." + +"Farewell!" said Peterkin, coming up to us with a look of deep but +pretended solemnity, while he shook hands and kissed each of us on the +cheek--"farewell! And while you are gone I shall repose my weary limbs +under the shelter of this bush, and meditate on the changefulness of all +things earthly, with special reference to the forsaken condition of a +poor shipwrecked sailor-boy!" So saying, Peterkin waved his hand, +turned from us, and cast himself upon the ground with a look of +melancholy resignation, which was so well feigned that I would have +thought it genuine had he not accompanied it with a gentle wink. We +both laughed, and springing from the rocks together, plunged head first +into the sea. + +We gained the interior of the submarine cave without difficulty, and on +emerging from the waves, supported ourselves for some time by treading +water, while we held the two bundles above our heads. This we did in +order to let our eyes become accustomed to the obscurity. Then, when we +could see sufficiently, we swam to a shelving rock, and landed in +safety. Having wrung the water from our trousers, and dried ourselves +as well as we could under the circumstances, we proceeded to ignite the +torch. This we accomplished without difficulty in a few minutes; and no +sooner did it flare up than we were struck dumb with the wonderful +objects that were revealed to our gaze. The roof of the cavern just +above us seemed to be about ten feet high, but grew higher as it receded +into the distance until it was lost in darkness. It seemed to be made +of coral, and was supported by massive columns of the same material. +Immense icicles (as they appeared to us) hung from it in various places. +These, however, were formed, not of ice, but of a species of limestone, +which seemed to flow in a liquid form towards the point of each, where +it became solid. A good many drops fell, however, to the rock below, +and these formed little cones, which rose to meet the points above. +Some of them had already met, and thus we saw how the pillars were +formed, which at first seemed to us as if they had been placed there by +some human architect to support the roof. As we advanced farther in we +saw that the floor was composed of the same material as the pillars, and +it presented the curious appearance of ripples such as are formed on +water when gently ruffled by the wind. There were several openings on +either hand in the walls that seemed to lead into other caverns, but +these we did not explore at this time. We also observed that the +ceiling was curiously marked in many places, as if it were the fretwork +of a noble cathedral; and the walls, as well as the roof, sparkled in +the light of our torch, and threw back gleams and flashes as if they +were covered with precious stones. Although we proceeded far into this +cavern, we did not come to the end of it; and we were obliged to return +more speedily than we would otherwise have done, as our torch was nearly +expended. We did not observe any openings in the roof, or any +indications of places whereby light might enter; but near the entrance +to the cavern stood an immense mass of pure-white coral rock, which +caught and threw back the little light that found an entrance through +the cave's mouth, and thus produced, we conjectured, the pale-green +object which had first attracted our attention. We concluded, also, +that the reflecting power of this rock was that which gave forth the dim +light that faintly illumined the first part of the cave. + +Before diving through the passage again we extinguished the small piece +of our torch that remained, and left it in a dry spot--conceiving that +we might possibly stand in need of it if, at any future time, we should +chance to wet our torch while diving into the cavern. As we stood for a +few minutes after it was out, waiting till our eyes became accustomed to +the gloom, we could not help remarking the deep, intense stillness and +the unutterable gloom of all around us; and as I thought of the +stupendous dome above, and the countless gems that had sparkled in the +torchlight a few minutes before, it came into my mind to consider how +strange it is that God should make such wonderful and exquisitely +beautiful works never to be seen at all--except, indeed, by chance +visitors such as ourselves. + +I afterwards found that there were many such caverns among the islands +of the South Seas, some of them larger and more beautiful than the one I +have just described. + +"Now, Ralph, are you ready?" said Jack in a low voice, that seemed to +echo up into the dome above. + +"Quite ready." + +"Come along, then," said he; and plunging off the ledge of the rock into +the water, we dived through the narrow entrance. In a few seconds we +were panting on the rocks above, and receiving the congratulations of +our friend Peterkin. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +STRANGE PECULIARITY OF THE TIDES--ALSO OF THE TWILIGHT--PETERKIN'S +REMARKABLE CONDUCT IN EMBRACING A LITTLE PIG AND KILLING A BIG SOW--SAGE +REMARKS ON JESTING--ALSO ON LOVE. + +It was quite a relief to us to breathe the pure air and to enjoy the +glad sunshine after our long ramble in the Diamond Cave, as we named it; +for although we did not stay more than half-an-hour away, it seemed to +us much longer. While we were dressing, and during our walk home, we +did our best to satisfy the curiosity of poor Peterkin, who seemed to +regret, with lively sincerity, his inability to dive. + +There was no help for it, however, so we condoled with him as we best +could. Had there been any great rise or fall in the tide of these seas, +we might perhaps have found it possible to take him down with us at low +water; but as the tide never rose or fell more than eighteen inches or +two feet, this was impossible. + +This peculiarity of the tide--its slight rise and fall--had not +attracted our observation till some time after our residence on the +island. Neither had we observed another curious circumstance until we +had been some time there. This was the fact that the tide rose and fell +with constant regularity, instead of being affected by the changes of +the moon as in our own country, and as it is in most other parts of the +world--at least, in all those parts with which I am acquainted. Every +day and every night, at twelve o'clock precisely, the tide is at the +full; and at six o'clock, every morning and evening, it is ebb. I can +speak with much confidence on this singular circumstance, as we took +particular note of it, and never found it to alter. Of course I must +admit we had to guess the hour of twelve midnight, and I think we could +do this pretty correctly; but in regard to twelve noon we are quite +positive, because we easily found the highest point that the sun reached +in the sky by placing ourselves at a certain spot whence we observed the +sharp summit of a cliff resting against the sky, just where the sun +passed. + +Jack and I were surprised that we had not noticed this the first few +days of our residence here, and could only account for it by our being +so much taken up with the more obvious wonders of our novel situation. +I have since learned, however, that this want of observation is a sad +and very common infirmity of human nature, there being hundreds of +persons before whose eyes the most wonderful things are passing every +day who nevertheless, are totally ignorant of them. I therefore have to +record my sympathy with such persons, and to recommend to them a course +of conduct which I have now for a long time myself adopted--namely, the +habit of forcing my attention upon all things that go on around me, and +of taking some degree of interest in them whether I feel it naturally or +not. I suggest this the more earnestly, though humbly, because I have +very frequently come to know that my indifference to a thing has +generally been caused by my ignorance in regard to it. + +We had much serious conversation on this subject of the tides; and Jack +told us, in his own quiet, philosophical way, that these tides did great +good to the world in many ways, particularly in the way of cleansing the +shores of the land, and carrying off the filth that was constantly +poured into the sea therefrom--which, Peterkin suggested, was remarkably +tidy of it to do. Poor Peterkin could never let slip an opportunity to +joke, however inopportune it might be, which at first we found rather a +disagreeable propensity, as it often interrupted the flow of very +agreeable conversation--and, indeed, I cannot too strongly record my +disapprobation of this tendency in general; but we became so used to it +at last that we found it no interruption whatever. Indeed, strange to +say, we came to feel that it was a necessary part of our enjoyment (such +is the force of habit), and found the sudden outbursts of mirth, +resulting from his humorous disposition, quite natural and refreshing to +us in the midst of our more serious conversations. But I must not +misrepresent Peterkin. We often found, to our surprise, that he knew +many things which we did not; and I also observed that those things +which he learned from experience were never forgotten. From all these +things I came at length to understand that things very opposite and +dissimilar in themselves, when united, do make an agreeable whole; as, +for example, we three on this our island, although most unlike in many +things, when united, made a trio so harmonious that I question if there +ever met before such an agreeable triumvirate. There was, indeed, no +note of discord whatever in the symphony we played together on that +sweet Coral Island; and I am now persuaded that this was owing to our +having been all tuned to the same key--namely, that of _love_! Yes, we +loved one another with much fervency while we lived on that island; and, +for the matter of that, we love each other still. + +And while I am on this subject, or rather the subject that just preceded +it--namely, the tides--I may here remark on another curious natural +phenomenon. We found that there was little or no twilight in this +island. We had a distinct remembrance of the charming long twilight at +home, which some people think the most delightful part of the day-- +though, for my part, I have always preferred sunrise; and when we first +landed, we used to sit down on some rocky point or eminence, at the +close of our day's work, to enjoy the evening breeze, but no sooner had +the sun sunk below the horizon than all became suddenly dark. This +rendered it necessary that we should watch the sun when we happened to +be out hunting; for to be suddenly left in the dark while in the woods +was very perplexing, as, although the stars shone with great beauty and +brilliancy, they could not pierce through the thick umbrageous boughs +that interlaced above our heads. + +But to return. After having told all we could to Peterkin about the +Diamond Cave under Spouting Cliff, as we named the locality, we were +wending our way rapidly homewards when a grunt and a squeal were borne +down by the land breeze to our ears. + +"That's the ticket!" was Peterkin's remarkable exclamation as he started +convulsively and levelled his spear. + +"Hist!" cried Jack; "these are your friends, Peterkin. They must have +come over expressly to pay you a friendly visit, for it is the first +time we have seen them on this side of the island." + +"Come along!" cried Peterkin, hurrying towards the wood; while Jack and +I followed, smiling at his impatience. + +Another grunt and half-a-dozen squeals, much louder than before, came +down the valley. At this time we were just opposite the small vale +which lay between the Valley of the Wreck and Spouting Cliff. + +"I say, Peterkin!" cried Jack in a hoarse whisper. + +"Well, what is't?" + +"Stay a bit, man! These grunters are just up there on the hillside. If +you go and stand with Ralph in the lee of yon cliff I'll cut round +behind and drive them through the gorge, so that you'll have a better +chance of picking out a good one. Now, mind you pitch into a fat young +pig, Peterkin!" added Jack as he sprang into the bushes. + +"Won't I, just!" said Peterkin, licking his lips, as we took our station +beside the cliff. "I feel quite a tender affection for young pigs in my +heart. Perhaps it would be more correct to say in my tum--" + +"There they come!" cried I as a terrific yell from Jack sent the whole +herd screaming down the hill. Now Peterkin, being unable to hold back, +crept a short way up a very steep grassy mound in order to get a better +view of the hogs before they came up; and just as he raised his head +above its summit, two little pigs, which had outrun their companions, +rushed over the top with the utmost precipitation. One of these brushed +close past Peterkin's ear; the other, unable to arrest its headlong +flight, went, as Peterkin himself afterwards expressed it, `bash' into +his arms with a sudden squeal, which was caused more by the force of the +blow than the will of the animal, and both of them rolled violently down +to the foot of the mound. No sooner was this reached than the little +pig recovered its feet, tossed up its tail, and fled shrieking from the +spot. But I slung a large stone after it, which, being fortunately well +aimed, hit it behind the ear and felled it to the earth. + +"Capital, Ralph! that's your sort!" cried Peterkin, who, to my surprise +and great relief, had risen to his feet apparently unhurt, though much +dishevelled. He rushed frantically towards the gorge, which the yells +of the hogs told us they were now approaching. I had made up my mind +that I would abstain from killing another, as, if Peterkin should be +successful, two were more than sufficient for our wants at the present +time. Suddenly they all burst forth--two or three little round ones in +advance, and an enormous old sow with a drove of hogs at her heels. + +"Now, Peterkin," said I, "there's a nice little fat one; just spear it." + +But Peterkin did not move; he allowed it to pass unharmed. I looked at +him in surprise, and saw that his lips were compressed and his eyebrows +knitted, as if he were about to fight with some awful enemy. + +"What is it?" I inquired with some trepidation. + +Suddenly he levelled his spear, darted forward, and with a yell that +nearly froze the blood in my veins, stabbed the old sow to the heart. +Nay, so vigorously was it done that the spear went in at one side and +came out at the other! + +"Oh Peterkin!" said I, going up to him, "what have you done?" + +"Done? I've killed their great-great-grandmother, that's all," said he, +looking with a somewhat awestruck expression at the transfixed animal. + +"Hallo! what's this?" said Jack as he came up. "Why, Peterkin, you must +be fond of a tough chop. If you mean to eat this old hog, she'll try +your jaws, I warrant. What possessed you to stick _her_, Peterkin?" + +"Why, the fact is, I want a pair of shoes." + +"What have your shoes to do with the old hog?" said I, smiling. + +"My present shoes have certainly nothing to do with her," replied +Peterkin; "nevertheless, she will have a good deal to do with my future +shoes. The fact is, when I saw you floor that pig so neatly, Ralph, it +struck me that there was little use in killing another. Then I +remembered all at once that I had long wanted some leather or tough +substance to make shoes of, and this old grandmother seemed so tough +that I just made up my mind to stick her--and you see I've done it!" + +"That you certainly have, Peterkin," said Jack as he was examining the +transfixed animal. + +We now considered how we were to carry our game home, for, although the +distance was short, the hog was very heavy. At length we hit on the +plan of tying its four feet together, and passing the spear-handle +between them. Jack took one end on his shoulder, I took the other on +mine, and Peterkin carried the small pig. + +Thus we returned in triumph to our bower, laden, as Peterkin remarked, +with the glorious spoils of a noble hunt. As he afterwards spoke in +similarly glowing terms in reference to the supper that followed, there +is every reason to believe that we retired that night to our leafy beds +in a high state of satisfaction. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +BOAT-BUILDING EXTRAORDINARY--PETERKIN TRIES HIS HAND AT COOKERY, AND +FAILS MOST SIGNALLY--THE BOAT FINISHED--CURIOUS CONVERSATION WITH THE +CAT, AND OTHER MATTERS. + +For many days after this, Jack applied himself with unremitting +assiduity to the construction of our boat, which at length began to look +something like one. But those only who have had the thing to do can +entertain a right idea of the difficulty involved in such an +undertaking, with no other implements than an axe, a bit of hoop-iron, a +sail-needle, and a broken penknife. But Jack did it. He was of that +disposition which _will_ not be conquered. When he believed himself to +be acting rightly, he overcame all obstacles. I have seen Jack, when +doubtful whether what he was about to do were right or wrong, as timid +and vacillating as a little girl; and I honour him for it! + +As this boat was a curiosity in its way, a few words here relative to +the manner of its construction may not be amiss. + +I have already mentioned the chestnut-tree with its wonderful buttresses +or planks. This tree, then, furnished us with the chief part of our +material. First of all, Jack sought out a limb of a tree of such a form +and size as, while it should form the keel, a bend at either end should +form the stem and stern-posts. Such a piece, however, was not easy to +obtain; but at last he procured it by rooting up a small tree which had +a branch growing at the proper angle about ten feet up its stem, with +two strong roots growing in such a form as enabled him to make a +flat-sterned boat. This placed, he procured three branching roots of +suitable size, which he fitted to the keel at equal distances, thus +forming three strong ribs. Now the squaring and shaping of these, and +the cutting of the grooves in the keel, was an easy enough matter, as it +was all work for the axe, in the use of which Jack was become +wonderfully expert; but it was quite a different affair when he came to +nailing the ribs to the keel, for we had no instrument capable of boring +a large hole, and no nails to fasten them with. We were, indeed, much +perplexed here; but Jack at length devised an instrument that served +very well. He took the remainder of our hoop-iron and beat it into the +form of a pipe or cylinder, about as thick as a man's finger. This he +did by means of our axe and the old rusty axe we had found at the house +of the poor man at the other side of the island. This, when made red +hot, bored slowly through the timbers; and the better to retain the +heat, Jack shut up one end of it and filled it with sand. True, the +work was very slowly done; but it mattered not--we had little else to +do. Two holes were bored in each timber, about an inch and a half +apart, and also down into the keel, but not quite through. Into these +were placed stout pegs made of a tree called iron-wood, and when they +were hammered well home, the timbers were as firmly fixed as if they had +been nailed with iron. The gunwales, which were very stout, were fixed +in a similar manner. But besides the wooden nails, they were firmly +lashed to the stem and stern-posts and ribs by means of a species of +cordage which we had contrived to make out of the fibrous husk of the +cocoa-nut. This husk was very tough, and when a number of the threads +were joined together they formed excellent cordage. At first we tied +the different lengths together; but this was such a clumsy and awkward +complication of knots that we contrived, by careful interlacing of the +ends together before twisting, to make good cordage of any size or +length we chose. Of course it cost us much time and infinite labour; +but Jack kept up our spirits when we grew weary, and so all that we +required was at last constructed. + +Planks were now cut off the chestnut-trees of about an inch thick. +These were dressed with the axe--but clumsily, for an axe is ill-adapted +for such work. Five of these planks on each side were sufficient; and +we formed the boat in a very rounded, barrel-like shape, in order to +have as little twisting of the planks as possible, for although we could +easily bend them, we could not easily twist them. Having no nails to +rivet the planks with, we threw aside the ordinary fashion of +boat-building and adopted one of our own. The planks were therefore +placed on each other's edges, and sewed together with the tough cordage +already mentioned; they were also thus sewed to the stem, the stern, and +the keel. Each stitch or tie was six inches apart, and was formed thus: +Three holes were bored in the upper plank and three in the lower, the +holes being above each other--that is, in a vertical line. Through +these holes the cord was passed, and when tied, formed a powerful stitch +of three-ply. Besides this, we placed between the edges of the planks +layers of cocoa-nut fibre, which, as it swelled when wetted, would, we +hoped, make our little vessel water-tight. But in order further to +secure this end, we collected a large quantity of pitch from the +bread-fruit tree, with which, when boiled in our old iron pot, we paid +the whole of the inside of the boat, and while it was yet hot, placed +large pieces of cocoa-nut cloth on it, and then gave it another coat +above that. Thus the interior was covered with a tough, water-tight +material; while the exterior, being uncovered, and so exposed to the +swelling action of the water, was, we hoped, likely to keep the boat +quite dry. I may add that our hopes were not disappointed. + +While Jack was thus engaged, Peterkin and I sometimes assisted him; but +as our assistance was not much required, we more frequently went +a-hunting on the extensive mud-flats at the entrance of the long valley +which lay nearest to our bower. Here we found large flocks of ducks of +various kinds, some of them bearing so much resemblance to the wild +ducks of our own country that I think they must have been the same. On +these occasions we took the bow and the sling, with both of which we +were often successful, though I must confess that I was the least so. +Our suppers were thus pleasantly varied, and sometimes we had such a +profusion spread out before us that we frequently knew not with which of +the dainties to begin. + +I must also add that the poor old cat which we had brought home had +always a liberal share of our good things; and so well was it looked +after, especially by Peterkin, that it recovered much of its former +strength, and seemed to improve in sight as well as hearing. + +The large flat stone, or rock of coral, which stood just in front of the +entrance to our bower, was our table. On this rock we had spread out +the few articles we possessed the day we were shipwrecked; and on the +same rock, during many a day afterwards, we spread out the bountiful +supply with which we had been blessed on our Coral Island. Sometimes we +sat down at this table to a feast consisting of hot rolls--as Peterkin +called the newly baked bread-fruit--a roast pig, roast duck, boiled and +roasted yams, cocoa-nuts, taro, and sweet potatoes; which we followed up +with a dessert of plums, apples, and plantains--the last being a +large-sized and delightful fruit, which grew on a large shrub or tree +not more than twelve feet high, with light-green leaves of enormous +length and breadth. These luxurious feasts were usually washed down +with cocoa-nut lemonade. + +Occasionally Peterkin tried to devise some new dish--"a conglomerate," +as he used to say; but these generally turned out such atrocious +compounds that he was ultimately induced to give up his attempts in +extreme disgust--not forgetting, however, to point out to Jack that his +failure was a direct contradiction to the proverb which he (Jack) was +constantly thrusting down his throat--namely, that "where there's a will +there's a way." For he had a great will to become a cook, but could by +no means find a way to accomplish that end. + +One day, while Peterkin and I were seated beside our table, on which +dinner was spread, Jack came up from the beach, and flinging down his +axe, exclaimed: + +"There, lads, the boat's finished at last! So we've nothing to do now +but shape two pair of oars, and then we may put to sea as soon as we +like." + +This piece of news threw us into a state of great joy; for although we +were aware that the boat had been gradually getting near its completion, +it had taken so long that we did not expect it to be quite ready for at +least two or three weeks. But Jack had wrought hard and said nothing, +in order to surprise us. + +"My dear fellow," cried Peterkin, "you're a perfect trump! But why did +you not tell us it was so nearly ready? Won't we have a jolly sail +to-morrow, eh?" + +"Don't talk so much, Peterkin," said Jack; "and, pray, hand me a bit of +that pig." + +"Certainly, my dear," cried Peterkin, seizing the axe. "What part will +you have? A leg, or a wing, or a piece of the breast--which?" + +"A hind leg, if you please," answered Jack; "and, pray, be so good as to +include the tail." + +"With all my heart," said Peterkin, exchanging the axe for his hoop-iron +knife, with which he cut off the desired portion. "I'm only too glad, +my dear boy, to see that your appetite is so wholesale, and there's no +chance whatever of its dwindling down into re-tail again--at least, in +so far as this pig is concerned.--Ralph, lad, why don't you laugh, eh?" +he added, turning suddenly to me with a severe look of inquiry. + +"Laugh!" said I. "What at, Peterkin? Why should I laugh?" + +Both Jack and Peterkin answered this inquiry by themselves laughing so +immoderately that I was induced to believe I had missed noticing some +good joke, so I begged that it might be explained to me; but as this +only produced repeated roars of laughter, I smiled and helped myself to +another slice of plantain. + +"Well, but," continued Peterkin, "I was talking of a sail to-morrow. +Can't we have one, Jack?" + +"No," replied Jack, "we can't have a sail; but I hope we shall have a +row, as I intend to work hard at the oars this afternoon, and if we +can't get them finished by sunset, we'll light our candle-nuts, and turn +them out of hands before we turn into bed." + +"Very good," said Peterkin, tossing a lump of pork to the cat, who +received it with a mew of satisfaction. "I'll help you, if I can." + +"Afterwards," continued Jack, "we will make a sail out of the cocoa-nut +cloth, and rig up a mast; and then we shall be able to sail to some of +the other islands, and visit our old friends the penguins." + +The prospect of being so soon in a position to extend our observations +to the other islands, and enjoy a sail over the beautiful sea, afforded +us much delight, and after dinner we set about making the oars in good +earnest. Jack went into the woods and blocked them roughly out with the +axe, and I smoothed them down with the knife, while Peterkin remained in +the bower spinning, or rather twisting, some strong, thick cordage with +which to fasten them to the boat. + +We worked hard and rapidly, so that when the sun went down Jack and I +returned to the bower with four stout oars, which required little to be +done to them save a slight degree of polishing with the knife. As we +drew near we were suddenly arrested by the sound of a voice. We were +not a little surprised at this--indeed, I may almost say alarmed; for +although Peterkin was undoubtedly fond of talking, we had never, up to +this time, found him talking to himself. We listened intently, and +still heard the sound of a voice as if in conversation. Jack motioned +me to be silent, and advancing to the bower on tiptoe, we peeped in. + +The sight that met our gaze was certainly not a little amusing. On the +top of a log which we sometimes used as a table sat the black cat with a +very demure expression on its countenance, and in front of it, sitting +on the ground with his legs extended on either side of the log, was +Peterkin. At the moment we saw him he was gazing intently into the +cat's face, with his nose about four inches from it, his hands being +thrust into his breeches pockets. + +"Cat," said Peterkin, turning his head a little on one side, "I love +you!" + +There was a pause, as if Peterkin awaited a reply to this affectionate +declaration. But the cat said nothing. + +"Do you hear me?" cried Peterkin sharply. "I love you--I do! Don't you +love me?" + +To this touching appeal the cat said "mew" faintly. + +"Ah, that's right! You're a jolly old rascal! Why did you not speak at +once, eh?" and Peterkin put forward his mouth and kissed the cat on the +nose! + +"Yes," continued Peterkin after a pause, "I love you. D'you think I'd +say so if I didn't, you black villain? I love you because I've got to +take care of you, and to look after you, and to think about you, and to +see that you don't die--" + +"Mew, me-a-w!" said the cat. + +"Very good," continued Peterkin; "quite true, I have no doubt. But +you've no right to interrupt me, sir. Hold your tongue till I have done +speaking. Moreover, cat, I love you because you came to me the first +time you ever saw me, and didn't seem to be afraid, and appeared to be +fond of me, though you didn't know that I wasn't going to kill you. Now +that was brave, that was bold, and very jolly, old boy, and I love you +for it--I do!" + +Again there was a pause of a few minutes, during which the cat looked +placid, and Peterkin dropped his eyes upon its toes as if in +contemplation. Suddenly he looked up. + +"Well, cat, what are you thinking about now? Won't speak, eh? Now tell +me: don't you think it's a monstrous shame that those two scoundrels, +Jack and Ralph, should keep us waiting for our supper so long?" + +Here the cat arose, put up its back and stretched itself, yawned +slightly, and licked the point of Peterkin's nose! + +"Just so, old boy; you're a clever fellow.--I really do believe the +brute understands me!" said Peterkin, while a broad grin overspread his +face as he drew back and surveyed the cat. + +At this point Jack burst into a loud fit of laughter. The cat uttered +an angry fuff and fled, while Peterkin sprang up and exclaimed: + +"Bad luck to you, Jack! You've nearly made the heart jump out of my +body, you have!" + +"Perhaps I have," replied Jack, laughing, as we entered the bower; "but +as I don't intend to keep you or the cat any longer from your supper, I +hope that you'll both forgive me." + +Peterkin endeavoured to turn this affair off with a laugh. But I +observed that he blushed very deeply at the time we discovered +ourselves, and he did not seem to relish any allusion to the subject +afterwards; so we refrained from remarking on it ever after, though it +tickled us not a little at the time. + +After supper we retired to rest, and to dream of wonderful adventures in +our little boat and distant voyages upon the sea. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +THE BOAT LAUNCHED--WE VISIT THE CORAL REEF--THE GREAT BREAKER THAT NEVER +GOES DOWN--CORAL INSECTS--THE WAY IN WHICH CORAL ISLANDS ARE MADE--THE +BOATS SAIL--WE TAX OUR INGENUITY TO FORM FISH-HOOKS--SOME OF THE FISH WE +SAW--AND A MONSTROUS WHALE--WONDERFUL SHOWER OF LITTLE FISH-- +WATERSPOUTS. + +It was a bright, clear, beautiful morning when we first launched our +little boat and rowed out upon the placid waters of the lagoon. Not a +breath of wind ruffled the surface of the deep. Not a cloud spotted the +deep-blue sky. Not a sound that was discordant broke the stillness of +the morning, although there were many sounds--sweet, tiny, and +melodious--that mingled in the universal harmony of nature. The sun was +just rising from the Pacific's ample bosom, and tipping the +mountain-tops with a red glow. The sea was shining like a sheet of +glass, yet heaving with the long, deep swell that, all the world round, +indicates the life of Ocean; and the bright seaweeds and the brilliant +corals shone in the depths of that pellucid water, as we rowed over it, +like rare and precious gems. Oh, it was a sight fitted to stir the soul +of man to its profoundest depths! and if he owned a heart at all, to +lift that heart in adoration and gratitude to the great Creator of this +magnificent and glorious universe! + +At first, in the strength of our delight, we rowed hither and thither +without aim or object. But after the effervescence of our spirits was +abated, we began to look about us and to consider what we should do. + +"I vote that we row to the reef," cried Peterkin. + +"And I vote that we visit the islands within the lagoon," said I. + +"And I vote we do both," cried Jack; "so pull away, boys!" + +As I have already said, we had made four oars; but our boat was so small +that only two were necessary. The extra pair were reserved in case any +accident should happen to the others. It was therefore only needful +that two of us should row, while the third steered by means of an oar-- +and relieved the rowers occasionally. + +First we landed on one of the small islands and ran all over it, but saw +nothing worthy of particular notice. Then we landed on a larger island, +on which were growing a few cocoa-nut trees. Not having eaten anything +that morning, we gathered a few of the nuts and breakfasted. After this +we pulled straight out to sea, and landed on the coral reef. + +This was indeed a novel and interesting sight to us. We had now been so +long on shore that we had almost forgotten the appearance of breakers, +for there were none within the lagoon. But now, as we stood beside the +foam-crested billow of the open sea, all the enthusiasm of the sailor +was awakened in our breasts; and as we gazed on the widespread ruin of +that single magnificent breaker that burst in thunder at our feet, we +forgot the Coral Island behind us, we forgot our bower and the calm +repose of the scented woods, we forgot all that had passed during the +last few months, and remembered nothing but the storms, the calms, the +fresh breezes, and the surging billows of the open sea. + +This huge, ceaseless breaker, to which I have so often alluded, was a +much larger and more sublime object than we had at all imagined it to +be. It rose many yards above the level of the sea, and could be seen +approaching at some distance from the reef. Slowly and majestically it +came on, acquiring greater volume and velocity as it advanced, until it +assumed the form of a clear watery arch, which sparkled in the bright +sun. On it came with resistless and solemn majesty, the upper edge +lipped gently over, and it fell with a roar that seemed as though the +heart of Ocean were broken in the crash of tumultuous water, while the +foam-clad coral reef appeared to tremble beneath the mighty shock! + +We gazed long and wonderingly at this great sight, and it was with +difficulty we could tear ourselves away from it. As I have once before +mentioned, this wave broke in many places over the reef and scattered +some of its spray into the lagoon; but in most places the reef was +sufficiently broad and elevated to receive and check its entire force. +In many places the coral rocks were covered with vegetation--the +beginning, as it appeared to us, of future islands. Thus, on this reef, +we came to perceive how most of the small islands of those seas are +formed. On one part we saw the spray of the breaker washing over the +rocks, and millions of little, active, busy creatures continuing the +work of building up this living rampart. At another place, which was +just a little too high for the waves to wash over it, the coral insects +were all dead; for we found that they never did their work above water. +They had faithfully completed the mighty work which their Creator had +given them to do, and they were now all dead. Again, in other spots the +ceaseless lashing of the sea had broken the dead coral in pieces, and +cast it up in the form of sand. Here sea-birds had alighted, little +pieces of seaweed and stray bits of wood had been washed up, seeds of +plants had been carried by the wind, and a few lovely blades of bright +green had already sprung up, which, when they died, would increase the +size and fertility of these emeralds of Ocean. At other places these +islets had grown apace, and were shaded by one or two cocoa-nut trees, +which grew literally in the sand, and were constantly washed by the +ocean spray--yet, as I have before remarked, their fruit was most +refreshing and sweet to our taste. + +Again, at this time Jack and I pondered the formation of the large coral +islands. We could now understand how the low ones were formed; but the +larger islands cost us much consideration, yet we could arrive at no +certain conclusion on the subject. + +Having satisfied our curiosity, and enjoyed ourselves during the whole +day in our little boat, we returned, somewhat wearied, and withal rather +hungry, to our bower. + +"Now," said Jack, "as our boat answers so well we will get a mast and +sail made immediately." + +"So we will!" cried Peterkin as we all assisted to drag the boat above +high-water mark. "We'll light our candle and set about it this very +night. Hurrah, my boys, pull away!" + +As we dragged our boat, we observed that she grated heavily on her keel; +and as the sands were in this place mingled with broken coral rocks, we +saw portions of the wood being scraped off. + +"Hallo!" cried Jack on seeing this, "that won't do. Our keel will be +worn off in no time at this rate." + +"So it will," said I, pondering deeply as to how this might be +prevented. But I am not of a mechanical turn naturally, so I could +conceive no remedy save that of putting a plate of iron on the keel; but +as we had no iron, I knew not what was to be done. "It seems to me, +Jack," I added, "that it is impossible to prevent the keel being worn +off thus." + +"Impossible?" cried Peterkin. "My dear Ralph, you are mistaken; there +is nothing so easy." + +"How?" I inquired in some surprise. + +"Why, by not using the boat at all!" replied Peterkin. + +"Hold your impudent tongue, Peterkin!" said Jack as he shouldered the +oars. "Come along with me, and I'll give you work to do. In the first +place, you will go and collect coca-nut fibre, and set to work to make +sewing-twine with it--" + +"Please, captain," interrupted Peterkin, "I've got lots of it made +already--more than enough, as a little friend of mine used to be in the +habit of saying every day after dinner." + +"Very well," continued Jack; "then you'll help Ralph to collect +cocoa-nut cloth and cut it into shape, after which we'll make a sail of +it. I'll see to getting the mast and the gearing; so let's to work." + +And to work we went right busily, so that in three days from that time +we had set up a mast and sail, with the necessary rigging, in our little +boat. The sail was not, indeed, very handsome to look at, as it was +formed of a number of oblong patches of cloth; but we had sewed it well +by means of our sail-needle, so that it was strong, which was the chief +point.--Jack had also overcome the difficulty about the keel by pinning +to it a _false_ keel. This was a piece of tough wood, of the same +length and width as the real keel, and about five inches deep. He made +it of this depth because the boat would be thereby rendered not only +much more safe, but more able to beat against the wind--which, in a sea +where the trade-winds blow so long and so steadily in one direction, was +a matter of great importance. This piece of wood was pegged very firmly +to the keel; and we now launched our boat with the satisfaction of +knowing that when the false keel should be scraped off we could easily +put on another,--whereas, should the real keel have been scraped away, +we could not have renewed it without taking our boat to pieces, which +Peterkin said made his "marrow quake to think upon." + +The mast and sail answered excellently; and we now sailed about in the +lagoon with great delight, and examined with much interest the +appearance of our island from a distance. Also, we gazed into the +depths of the water, and watched for hours the gambols of the curious +and bright-coloured fish among the corals and seaweed. Peterkin also +made a fishing-line; and Jack constructed a number of hooks, some of +which were very good, others remarkably bad. Some of these hooks were +made of iron-wood--which did pretty well, the wood being extremely +hard--and Jack made them very thick and large. Fish there are not +particular. Some of the crooked bones in fish-heads also answered for +this purpose pretty well. But that which formed our best and most +serviceable hook was the brass finger-ring belonging to Jack. It gave +him not a little trouble to manufacture it. First he cut it with the +axe, then twisted it into the form of a hook. The barb took him several +hours to cut. He did it by means of constant sawing with the broken +penknife. As for the point, an hour's rubbing on a piece of sandstone +made an excellent one. + +It would be a matter of much time and labour to describe the appearance +of the multitudes of fish that were day after day drawn into our boat by +means of the brass hook. Peterkin always caught them--for we observed +that he derived much pleasure from fishing--while Jack and I found ample +amusement in looking on, also in gazing down at the coral groves, and in +baiting the hook. Among the fish that we saw, but did not catch, were +porpoises and swordfish, whales and sharks. The porpoises came +frequently into our lagoon in shoals, and amused us not a little by +their bold leaps into the air and their playful gambols in the sea. The +swordfish were wonderful creatures--some of them apparently ten feet in +length, with an ivory spear six or eight feet long projecting from their +noses. We often saw them darting after other fish, and no doubt they +sometimes killed them with their ivory swords. Jack remembered having +heard once of a swordfish attacking a ship, which seemed strange indeed; +but as they are often in the habit of attacking whales, perhaps it +mistook the ship for one. This swordfish ran against the vessel with +such force that it drove its sword quite through the thick planks; and +when the ship arrived in harbour, long afterwards, the sword was found +still sticking in it! + +Sharks did not often appear; but we took care never again to bathe in +deep water without leaving one of our number in the boat, to give us +warning if he should see a shark approaching. As for the whales, they +never came into our lagoon; but we frequently saw them spouting in the +deep water beyond the reef. I shall never forget my surprise the first +day I saw one of these huge monsters close to me. We had been rambling +about on the reef during the morning, and were about to re-embark in our +little boat to return home, when a loud blowing sound caused us to wheel +rapidly round. We were just in time to see a shower of spray falling, +and the flukes or tail of some monstrous fish disappear in the sea a few +hundred yards off. We waited some time to see if he would rise again. +As we stood, the sea seemed to open up at our very feet; an immense +spout of water was sent with a snort high into the air, and the huge, +blunt head of a sperm-whale rose before us. It was so large that it +could easily have taken our little boat, along with ourselves, into its +mouth! It plunged slowly back into the sea, like a large ship +foundering, and struck the water with its tail so forcibly as to cause a +sound like a cannon-shot. + +We also saw a great number of flying-fish, although we caught none; and +we noticed that they never flew out of the water except when followed by +their bitter foe the dolphin, from whom they thus endeavoured to escape. +But of all the fish that we saw, none surprised us so much as those +that we used to find in shallow pools after a shower of rain; and this +not on account of their appearance, for they were ordinary-looking and +very small, but on account of their having descended in a shower of +rain! We could account for them in no other way, because the pools in +which we found these fish were quite dry before the shower, and at some +distance above high-water mark. Jack, however, suggested a cause which +seemed to me very probable. We used often to see waterspouts in the +sea. A waterspout is a whirling body of water, which rises from the sea +like a sharp-pointed pillar. After rising a good way, it is met by a +long tongue, which comes down from the clouds; and when the two have +joined, they look something like an hour-glass. The waterspout is then +carried by the wind--sometimes gently, sometimes with violence--over the +sea, sometimes up into the clouds; and then, bursting asunder, it +descends in a deluge. This often happens over the land as well as over +the sea; and it sometimes does much damage, but frequently it passes +gently away. Now, Jack thought that the little fish might perhaps have +been carried up in a waterspout, and so sent down again in a shower of +rain. But we could not be certain as to this point, yet we thought it +likely. + +During these delightful fishing and boating excursions we caught a good +many eels, which we found to be very good to eat. We also found turtles +among the coral rocks, and made excellent soup in our iron kettle. +Moreover, we discovered many shrimps and prawns, so that we had no lack +of variety in our food; and, indeed, we never passed a week without +making some new and interesting discovery of some sort or other, either +on the land or in the sea. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +A MONSTER WAVE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES--THE BOAT LOST AND FOUND--PETERKIN'S +TERRIBLE ACCIDENT--SUPPLIES OF FOOD FOR A VOYAGE IN THE BOAT--WE VISIT +PENGUIN ISLAND, AND ARE AMAZED BEYOND MEASURE--ACCOUNT OF THE PENGUINS. + +One day, not long after our little boat was finished, we were sitting on +the rocks at Spouting Cliff, and talking of an excursion which we +intended to make to Penguin Island the next day. + +"You see," said Peterkin, "it might be all very well for a stupid fellow +like me to remain here and leave the penguins alone; but it would be +quite inconsistent with your characters as philosophers to remain any +longer in ignorance of the habits and customs of these birds, so the +sooner we go the better." + +"Very true," said I. "There is nothing I desire so much as to have a +closer inspection of them." + +"And I think," said Jack, "that you had better remain at home, Peterkin, +to take care of the cat; for I'm sure the hogs will be at it in your +absence, out of revenge for your killing their great-grandmother so +recklessly." + +"Stay at home!" cried Peterkin. "My dear fellow, you would certainly +lose your way, or get upset, if I were not there to take care of you." + +"Ah, true!" said Jack gravely; "that did not occur to me. No doubt you +must go. Our boat does require a good deal of ballast; and all that you +say, Peterkin, carries so much weight with it that we won't need stones +if you go." + +Now, while my companions were talking, a notable event occurred, which, +as it is not generally known, I shall be particular in recording here. + +While we were talking, as I have said, we noticed a dark line, like a +low cloud or fog-bank, on the seaward horizon. The day was a fine one, +though cloudy, and a gentle breeze was blowing; but the sea was not +rougher, or the breaker on the reef higher, than usual. At first we +thought that this looked like a thundercloud, and as we had had a good +deal of broken weather of late, accompanied by occasional peals of +thunder, we supposed that a storm must be approaching. Gradually, +however, this line seemed to draw nearer without spreading up over the +sky, as would certainly have been the case if it had been a storm-cloud. +Still nearer it came, and soon we saw that it was moving swiftly +towards the island; but there was no sound till it reached the islands +out at sea. As it passed these islands we observed, with no little +anxiety, that a cloud of white foam encircled them, and burst in spray +into the air; it was accompanied by a loud roar. This led us to +conjecture that the approaching object was an enormous wave of the sea; +but we had no idea how large it was till it came near to ourselves. +When it approached the outer reef, however, we were awestruck with its +unusual magnitude; and we sprang to our feet, and clambered hastily up +to the highest point of the precipice, under an indefinable feeling of +fear. + +I have said before that the reef opposite Spouting Cliff was very near +to the shore, while just in front of the bower it was at a considerable +distance out to sea. Owing to this formation, the wave reached the reef +at the latter point before it struck at the foot of Spouting Cliff. The +instant it touched the reef we became aware, for the first time, of its +awful magnitude. It burst completely over the reef at all points with a +roar that seemed louder to me than thunder, and this roar continued for +some seconds while the wave rolled gradually along towards the cliff on +which we stood. As its crest reared before us we felt that we were in +great danger, and turned to flee; but we were too late. With a crash +that seemed to shake the solid rock, the gigantic billow fell, and +instantly the spouting-holes sent up a gush of waterspouts with such +force that they shrieked on issuing from their narrow vents. It seemed +to us as if the earth had been blown up with water. We were stunned and +confused by the shock, and so drenched and blinded with spray that we +knew not for a few moments whither to flee for shelter. At length we +all three gained an eminence beyond the reach of the water. But what a +scene of devastation met our gaze as we looked along the shore! This +enormous wave not only burst over the reef, but continued its way across +the lagoon, and fell on the sandy beach of the island with such force +that it passed completely over it and dashed into the woods, levelling +the smaller trees and bushes in its headlong course. + +On seeing this, Jack said he feared our bower must have been swept away, +and that the boat, which was on the beach, must have been utterly +destroyed. Our hearts sank within us as we thought of this, and we +hastened round through the woods towards our home. On reaching it we +found, to our great relief of mind, that the force of the wave had been +expended just before reaching the bower; but the entrance to it was +almost blocked up by the torn-up bushes and tangled heaps of seaweed. +Having satisfied ourselves as to the bower, we hurried to the spot where +the boat had been left; but no boat was there. The spot on which it had +stood was vacant, and no sign of it could we see on looking around us. + +"It may have been washed up into the woods," said Jack, hurrying up the +beach as he spoke. Still no boat was to be seen, and we were about to +give ourselves over to despair when Peterkin called to Jack and said: + +"Jack, my friend, you were once so exceedingly sagacious and wise as to +make me acquainted with the fact that cocoa-nuts grow upon trees. Will +you now be so good as to inform me what sort of fruit that is growing on +the top of yonder bush? for I confess to being ignorant, or at least +doubtful, on the point." + +We looked towards the bush indicated, and there, to our surprise, beheld +our little boat snugly nestled among the leaves. We were very much +overjoyed at this, for we would have suffered any loss rather than the +loss of our boat. We found that the wave had actually borne the boat on +its crest from the beach into the woods, and there launched it into the +heart of this bush, which was extremely fortunate; for had it been +tossed against a rock or a tree, it would have been dashed to pieces, +whereas it had not received the smallest injury. It was no easy matter, +however, to get it out of the bush and down to the sea again. This cost +us two days of hard labour to accomplish. + +We had also much ado to clear away the rubbish from before the bower, +and spent nearly a week in constant labour ere we got the neighbourhood +to look as clean and orderly as before; for the uprooted bushes and +seaweed that lay on the beach formed a more dreadfully confused-looking +mass than one who had not seen the place after the inundation could +conceive. + +Before leaving the subject I may mention, for the sake of those who +interest themselves in the curious natural phenomena of our world, that +this gigantic wave occurs regularly on some of the islands of the +Pacific once, and sometimes twice, in the year. I heard this stated by +the missionaries during my career in those seas. They could not tell me +whether it visited all of the islands, but I was certainly assured that +it occurred periodically in some of them. + +After we had got our home put to rights, and cleared of the debris of +the inundation, we again turned our thoughts to paying the penguins a +visit. The boat was therefore overhauled and a few repairs done. Then +we prepared a supply of provisions, for we intended to be absent at +least a night or two--perhaps longer. This took us some time to do; +for, while Jack was busy with the boat, Peterkin was sent into the woods +to spear a hog or two, and had to search long, sometimes, ere he found +them. Peterkin was usually sent on this errand when we wanted a pork +chop (which was not seldom), because he was so active and could run so +wonderfully fast that he found no difficulty in overtaking the hogs; but +being dreadfully reckless, he almost invariably tumbled over stumps and +stones in the course of his wild chase, and seldom returned home without +having knocked the skin off his shins. Once, indeed, a more serious +accident happened to him. He had been out all the morning alone, and +did not return at the usual time to dinner. We wondered at this, for +Peterkin was always very punctual at the dinner-hour. As supper-time +drew near we began to be anxious about him, and at length sallied forth +to search the woods. For a long time we sought in vain; but a little +before dark we came upon the tracks of the hogs, which we followed up +until we came to the brow of a rather steep bank or precipice. Looking +over this, we beheld Peterkin lying in a state of insensibility at the +foot, with his cheek resting on the snout of a little pig, which was +pinned to the earth by the spear. We were dreadfully alarmed, but +hastened to bathe his forehead with water, and had soon the satisfaction +of seeing him revive. After we had carried him home, he related to us +how the thing had happened. + +"You must know," said he, "I walked about all the forenoon, till I was +as tired as an old donkey, without seeing a single grunter--not so much +as a track of one; but as I was determined not to return empty-handed, I +resolved to go without my dinner, and--" + +"What!" exclaimed Jack, "did you _really_ resolve to do that?" + +"Now, Jack, hold your tongue," returned Peterkin. "I say that I +resolved to forego my dinner and to push to the head of the small +valley, where I felt pretty sure of discovering the hogs. I soon found +that I was on the right scent, for I had scarcely walked half-a-mile in +the direction of the small plum-tree we found there the other day when a +squeak fell on my ear. `Ho, ho,' said I, `there you go, my boys;' and I +hurried up the glen. I soon started them, and singling out a fat pig, +ran tilt at him. In a few seconds I was up with him, and stuck my spear +right through his dumpy body. Just as I did so, I saw that we were on +the edge of a precipice--whether high or low, I knew not; but I had been +running at such a pace that I could not stop, so the pig and I gave a +howl in concert and went plunging over together. I remembered nothing +more after that till I came to my senses, and found you bathing my +temples, and Ralph wringing his hands over me." + +But although Peterkin was often unfortunate in the way of getting +tumbles, he was successful on the present occasion in hunting, and +returned before evening with three very nice little hogs. I also was +successful in my visit to the mud-flats, where I killed several ducks. +So that when we launched and loaded our boat at sunrise the following +morning, we found our store of provisions to be more than sufficient. +Part had been cooked the night before, and on taking note of the +different items, we found the account to stand thus: + + 10 Bread-fruits (two baked, eight unbaked). + 20 Yams (six roasted, the rest raw). + 6 Taro-roots. + 50 Fine large plums. + 6 Cocoa-nuts, ripe. + 6 Ditto, green (for drinking). + 4 Large ducks and two small ones, raw. + 3 Cold roast pigs, with stuffing. + +I may here remark that the stuffing had been devised by Peterkin +specially for the occasion. He kept the manner of its compounding a +profound secret, so I cannot tell what it was; but I can say, with much +confidence, that we found it to be atrociously bad, and after the first +tasting, scraped it carefully out and threw it overboard. We calculated +that this supply would last us for several days; but we afterwards found +that it was much more than we required, especially in regard to the +cocoa-nuts, of which we found large supplies wherever we went. However, +as Peterkin remarked, it was better to have too much than too little, as +we knew not to what straits we might be put during our voyage. + +It was a very calm, sunny morning when we launched forth and rowed over +the lagoon towards the outlet in the reef, and passed between the two +green islets that guarded the entrance. We experienced some difficulty +and no little danger in passing the surf of the breaker, and shipped a +good deal of water in the attempt; but once past the billow, we found +ourselves floating placidly on the long, oily swell that rose and fell +slowly as it rolled over the wide ocean. + +Penguin Island lay on the other side of our own island, at about a mile +beyond the outer reef, and we calculated that it must be at least twenty +miles distant by the way we should have to go. We might, indeed, have +shortened the way by coasting round our island inside of the lagoon, and +going out at the passage in the reef nearly opposite to Penguin Island; +but we preferred to go by the open sea--first, because it was more +adventurous, and secondly, because we should have the pleasure of again +feeling the motion of the deep, which we all loved very much, not being +liable to sea-sickness. + +"I wish we had a breeze," said Jack. + +"So do I," cried Peterkin, resting on his oar and wiping his heated +brow; "pulling is hard work. Oh dear, if we could only catch a hundred +or two of these gulls, tie them to the boat with long strings, and make +them fly as we want them, how capital it would be!" + +"Or bore a hole through a shark's tail and reeve a rope through it, eh?" +remarked Jack. "But, I say, it seems that my wish is going to be +granted, for here comes a breeze. Ship your oar, Peterkin.--Up with the +mast, Ralph; I'll see to the sail. Mind your helm; look out for +squalls!" + +This last speech was caused by the sudden appearance of a dark-blue line +on the horizon, which, in an incredibly short space of time, swept down +on us, lashing up the sea in white foam as it went. We presented the +stern of the boat to its first violence, and in a few seconds it +moderated into a steady breeze, to which we spread our sail and flew +merrily over the waves. Although the breeze died away soon afterwards, +it had been so stiff while it lasted that we were carried over the +greater part of our way before it fell calm again; so that when the +flapping of the sail against the mast told us that it was time to resume +the oars, we were not much more than a mile from Penguin Island. + +"There go the soldiers!" cried Peterkin as we came in sight of it. "How +spruce their white trousers look this morning! I wonder if they will +receive us kindly?--D'you think they are hospitable, Jack?" + +"Don't talk, Peterkin, but pull away, and you shall see shortly." + +As we drew near to the island, we were much amused by the manoeuvres and +appearance of these strange birds. They seemed to be of different +species: for some had crests on their heads, while others had none; and +while some were about the size of a goose, others appeared nearly as +large as a swan. We also saw a huge albatross soaring above the heads +of the penguins. It was followed and surrounded by numerous flocks of +sea-gulls. Having approached to within a few yards of the island, which +was a low rock, with no other vegetation on it than a few bushes, we lay +on our oars and gazed at the birds with surprise and pleasure, they +returning our gaze with interest. We now saw that their soldierlike +appearance was owing to the stiff erect manner in which they sat on +their short legs--"bolt-upright," as Peterkin expressed it. They had +black heads, long, sharp beaks, white breasts, and bluish backs. Their +wings were so short that they looked more like the fins of a fish, and +indeed we soon saw that they used them for the purpose of swimming under +water. There were no quills on these wings, but a sort of scaly +feathers, which also thickly covered their bodies. Their legs were +short, and placed so far back that the birds, while on land, were +obliged to stand quite upright in order to keep their balance; but in +the water they floated like other water-fowl. At first we were so +stunned with the clamour which they and other sea-birds kept up around +us that we knew not which way to look, for they covered the rocks in +thousands; but as we continued to gaze, we observed several quadrupeds +(as we thought) walking in the midst of the penguins. + +"Pull in a bit," cried Peterkin, "and let's see what these are. They +must be fond of noisy company to consort with such creatures." + +To our surprise, we found that these were no other than penguins which +had gone down on all fours, and were crawling among the bushes on their +feet and wings, just like quadrupeds. Suddenly one big old bird, that +had been sitting on a point very near to us, gazing in mute +astonishment, became alarmed, and scuttling down the rocks, plumped or +fell, rather than ran, into the sea. It dived in a moment, and, a few +seconds afterwards, came out of the water far ahead with such a spring, +and such a dive back into the sea again, that we could scarcely believe +it was not a fish that had leaped in sport. + +"That beats everything!" said Peterkin, rubbing his nose, and screwing +up his face with an expression of exasperated amazement. "I've heard of +a thing being neither fish, flesh, nor fowl; but I never did expect to +live to see a brute that was all three together--at once--in one! But +look there!" he continued, pointing with a look of resignation to the +shore--"look there! there's no end to it. What has that brute got under +its tail?" + +We turned to look in the direction pointed out, and there saw a penguin +walking slowly and very sedately along the shore with an egg under its +tail. There were several others, we observed, burdened in the same way; +and we found afterwards that these were a species of penguin that always +carried their eggs so. Indeed, they had a most convenient cavity for +the purpose, just between the tail and the legs. We were very much +impressed with the regularity and order of this colony. The island +seemed to be apportioned out into squares, of which each penguin +possessed one, and sat in stiff solemnity in the middle of it, or took a +slow march up and down the spaces between. Some were hatching their +eggs, but others were feeding their young ones in a manner that caused +us to laugh not a little. The mother stood on a mound or raised rock, +while the young one stood patiently below her on the ground. Suddenly +the mother raised her head and uttered a series of the most discordant +cackling sounds. + +"She's going to choke," cried Peterkin. + +But this was not the case, although, I confess, she looked like it. In +a few seconds she put down her head and opened her mouth, into which the +young one thrust its beak and seemed to suck something from her throat. +Then the cackling was renewed, the sucking continued, and so the +operation of feeding was carried on till the young one was satisfied; +but what she fed her little one with we could not tell. + +"Now, just look yonder!" said Peterkin in an excited tone. "If that +isn't the most abominable piece of maternal deception I ever saw! That +rascally old lady penguin has just pitched her young one into the sea, +and there's another about to follow her example." + +This indeed seemed to be the case, for on the top of a steep rock close +to the edge of the sea we observed an old penguin endeavouring to entice +her young one into the water; but the young one seemed very unwilling to +go, and notwithstanding the enticements of its mother, moved very slowly +towards her. At last she went gently behind the young bird and pushed +it a little towards the water, but with great tenderness, as much as to +say, "Don't be afraid, darling; I won't hurt you, my pet!" But no +sooner did she get it to the edge of the rock, where it stood looking +pensively down at the sea, than she gave it a sudden and violent push, +sending it headlong down the slope into the water, where its mother left +it to scramble ashore as it best could. We observed many of them +employed in doing this, and we came to the conclusion that this is the +way in which old penguins teach their children to swim. + +Scarcely had we finished making our remarks on this, when we were +startled by about a dozen of the old birds hopping in the most clumsy +and ludicrous manner towards the sea. The beach here was a sloping +rock, and when they came to it some of them succeeded in hopping down in +safety, but others lost their balance and rolled and scrambled down the +slope in the most helpless manner. The instant they reached the water, +however, they seemed to be in their proper element. They dived, and +bounded out of it and into it again with the utmost agility; and so, +diving and bounding and sputtering--for they could not fly--they went +rapidly out to sea. + +On seeing this, Peterkin turned with a grave face to us and said, "It's +my opinion that these birds are all stark, staring mad, and that this is +an enchanted island. I therefore propose that we should either put +about ship and fly in terror from the spot, or land valorously on the +island and sell our lives as dearly as we can." + +"I vote for landing; so pull in, lads!" said Jack, giving a stroke with +his oar that made the boat spin. In a few seconds we ran the boat into +a little creek, where we made her fast to a projecting piece of coral, +and running up the beach, entered the ranks of the penguins, armed with +our cudgels and our spear. We were greatly surprised to find that +instead of attacking us, or showing signs of fear at our approach, these +curious birds did not move from their places until we laid hands on +them, and merely turned their eyes on us in solemn, stupid wonder as we +passed. There was one old penguin, however, that began to walk slowly +towards the sea; and Peterkin took it into his head that he would try to +interrupt its progress, so he ran between it and the sea and brandished +his cudgel in its face. But this proved to be a resolute old bird. It +would not retreat; nay, more, it would not cease to advance, but battled +with Peterkin bravely, and drove him before it until it reached the sea. +Had Peterkin used his club he could easily have felled it, no doubt; +but as he had no wish to do so cruel an act merely out of sport, he let +the bird escape. + +We spent fully three hours on this island in watching the habit of these +curious birds; but when we finally left them, we all three concluded, +after much consultation, that they were the most wonderful creatures we +had ever seen, and further, we thought it probable that they were the +most wonderful creatures in the world! + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +AN AWFUL STORM AND ITS CONSEQUENCES--NARROW ESCAPE--A ROCK PROVES A SURE +FOUNDATION--A FEARFUL NIGHT AND A BRIGHT MORNING--DELIVERANCE FROM +DANGER. + +It was evening before we left the island of the penguins. As we had +made up our minds to encamp for the night on a small island whereon grew +a few cocoa-nut trees, which was about two miles off, we lay-to our oars +with some energy. But a danger was in store for us which we had not +anticipated. The wind, which had carried us so quickly to Penguin +Island, freshened as evening drew on to a stiff breeze, and before we +had made half the distance to the small island, it became a regular +gale. Although it was not so directly against us as to prevent our +rowing in the course we wished to go, yet it checked us very much; and +although the force of the sea was somewhat broken by the island, the +waves soon began to rise and to roll their broken crests against our +small craft, so that she began to take in water, and we had much ado to +keep ourselves afloat. At last the wind and sea together became so +violent that we found it impossible to make the island; so Jack suddenly +put the head of the boat round, and ordered Peterkin and me to hoist a +corner of the sail, intending to run back to Penguin Island. + +"We shall at least have the shelter of the bushes," he said as the boat +flew before the wind, "and the penguins will keep us company." + +As Jack spoke, the wind suddenly shifted and blew so much against us +that we were forced to hoist more of the sail in order to beat up for +the island, being by this change thrown much to leeward of it. What +made matters worse was that the gale came in squalls, so that we were +more than once nearly upset. + +"Stand by, both of you!" cried Jack in a quick, earnest tone. "Be ready +to deuce the sail. I very much fear we won't make the island after +all." + +Peterkin and I were so much in the habit of trusting everything to Jack +that we had fallen into the way of not considering things, especially +such things as were under Jack's care. We had, therefore, never doubted +for a moment that all was going well, so that it was with no little +anxiety that we heard him make the above remark. However, we had no +time for question or surmise, for at the moment he spoke a heavy squall +was bearing down upon us, and as we were then flying with our lee +gunwale dipping occasionally under the waves, it was evident that we +should have to lower our sail altogether. In a few seconds the squall +struck the boat; but Peterkin and I had the sail down in a moment, so +that it did not upset us. But when it was past we were more than +half-full of water. This I soon bailed out, while Peterkin again +hoisted a corner of the sail. But the evil which Jack had feared came +upon us. We found it quite impossible to make Penguin Island. The gale +carried us quickly past it towards the open sea, and the terrible truth +flashed upon us that we should be swept out and left to perish miserably +in a small boat in the midst of the wide ocean. + +This idea was forced very strongly upon us, because we saw nothing in +the direction whither the wind was blowing us save the raging billows of +the sea; and indeed we trembled as we gazed around us, for we were now +beyond the shelter of the islands, and it seemed as though any of the +huge billows, which curled over in masses of foam, might swallow us up +in a moment. The water also began to wash in over our sides, and I had +to keep constantly bailing; for Jack could not quit the helm, nor +Peterkin the sail, for an instant, without endangering our lives. In +the midst of this distress Jack uttered an exclamation of hope, and +pointed towards a low island or rock which lay directly ahead. It had +been hitherto unobserved, owing to the dark clouds that obscured the sky +and the blinding spray that seemed to fill the whole atmosphere. + +As we neared this rock we observed that it was quite destitute of trees +and verdure, and so low that the sea broke completely over it. In fact, +it was nothing more than the summit of one of the coral formations, +which rose only a few feet above the level of the water, and was, in +stormy weather, all but invisible. Over this island the waves were +breaking in the utmost fury, and our hearts sank within us as we saw +that there was not a spot where we could thrust our little boat without +its being dashed to pieces. + +"Show a little bit more sail!" cried Jack as we swept past the weather +side of the rock with fearful speed. + +"Ay, ay!" answered Peterkin, hoisting about a foot more of our sail. + +Little though the addition was, it caused the boat to lie over and creak +so loudly, as we cleft the foaming waves, that I expected to be upset +every instant; and I blamed Jack in my heart for his rashness. But I +did him injustice; for although during two seconds the water rushed +inboard in a torrent, he succeeded in steering us sharply round to the +leeward side of the rock, where the water was comparatively calm and the +force of the breeze broken. + +"Out your oars now, lads! That's well done! Give way!" We obeyed +instantly. The oars splashed into the waves together. One good, hearty +pull, and we were floating in a comparatively calm creek that was so +narrow as to be barely able to admit our boat. Here we were in perfect +safety, and as we leaped on shore and fastened our cable to the rocks, I +thanked God in my heart for our deliverance from so great danger. But +although I have said we were now in safety, I suspect that few of my +readers would have envied our position. It is true we had no lack of +food; but we were drenched to the skin; the sea was foaming round us, +and the spray flying over our heads, so that we were completely +enveloped, as it were, in water; the spot on which we had landed was not +more than twelve yards in diameter, and from this spot we could not move +without the risk of being swept away by the storm. At the upper end of +the creek was a small hollow or cave in the rock, which sheltered us +from the fury of the winds and waves; and as the rock extended in a sort +of ledge over our heads, it prevented the spray from falling upon us. + +"Why," said Peterkin, beginning to feel cheery again, "it seems to me +that we have got into a mermaid's cave, for there is nothing but water +all round us; and as for earth and sky, they are things of the past." + +Peterkin's idea was not inappropriate, for what with the sea roaring in +white foam up to our very feet, and the spray flying in white sheets +continually over our heads, and the water dripping heavily from the +ledge above like a curtain in front of our cave, it did seem to us very +much more like being below than above water. + +"Now, boys," cried Jack, "bestir yourselves, and let's make ourselves +comfortable.--Toss out our provisions, Peterkin; and here, Ralph, lend a +hand to haul up the boat. Look sharp!" + +"Ay, ay, captain!" we cried as we hastened to obey, much cheered by the +hearty manner of our comrade. + +Fortunately the cave, although not very deep, was quite dry, so that we +succeeded in making ourselves much more comfortable than could have been +expected. We landed our provisions, wrung the water out of our +garments, spread our sail below us for a carpet, and after having eaten +a hearty meal, began to feel quite cheerful. But as night drew on our +spirits sank again, for with the daylight all evidence of our security +vanished away. We could no longer see the firm rock on which we lay, +while we were stunned with the violence of the tempest that raged around +us. The night grew pitchy dark as it advanced, so that we could not see +our hands when we held them up before our eyes, and were obliged to feel +each other occasionally to make sure that we were safe, for the storm at +last became so terrible that it was difficult to make our voices +audible. A slight variation of the wind, as we supposed, caused a few +drops of spray ever and anon to blow into our faces; and the eddy of the +sea, in its mad boiling, washed up into our little creek until it +reached our feet and threatened to tear away our boat. In order to +prevent this latter calamity, we hauled the boat farther up and held the +cable in our hands. Occasional flashes of lightning shone with a +ghastly glare through the watery curtains around us, and lent additional +horror to the scene. Yet we longed for those dismal flashes, for they +were less appalling than the thick blackness that succeeded them. +Crashing peals of thunder seemed to tear the skies in twain, and fell +upon our ears through the wild yelling of the hurricane as if it had +been but a gentle summer breeze; while the billows burst upon the +weather side of the island until we fancied that the solid rock was +giving way, and in our agony we clung to the bare ground, expecting +every moment to be whirled away and whelmed in the black, howling sea. +Oh, it was a night of terrible anxiety! and no one can conceive the +feelings of intense gratitude and relief with which we at last saw the +dawn of day break through the vapoury mists around us. + +For three days and three nights we remained on this rock, while the +storm continued to rage with unabated fury. On the morning of the +fourth day it suddenly ceased, and the wind fell altogether; but the +waves still ran so high that we did not dare to put off in our boat. +During the greater part of this period we scarcely slept above a few +minutes at a time; but on the third night we slept soundly, and awoke +early on the fourth morning to find the sea very much down, and the sun +shining brightly again in the clear blue sky. + +It was with light hearts that we launched forth once more in our little +boat and steered away for our island home, which, we were overjoyed to +find, was quite visible on the horizon, for we had feared that we had +been blown out of sight of it altogether. As it was a dead calm, we had +to row during the greater part of the day; but towards the afternoon a +fair breeze sprang up, which enabled us to hoist our sail. We soon +passed Penguin Island and the other island which we had failed to reach +on the day the storm commenced; but as we had still enough of +provisions, and were anxious to get home, we did not land--to the great +disappointment of Peterkin, who seemed to entertain quite an affection +for the penguins. + +Although the breeze was pretty fresh for several hours, we did not reach +the outer reef of our island till nightfall; and before we had sailed +more than a hundred yards into the lagoon, the wind died away +altogether, so that we had to take to our oars again. It was late, and +the moon and stars were shining brightly when we arrived opposite the +bower and leaped upon the strand. So glad were we to be safe back again +on our beloved island that we scarcely took time to drag the boat a +short way up the beach, and then ran up to see that all was right at the +bower. I must confess, however, that my joy was mingled with a vague +sort of fear lest our home had been visited and destroyed during our +absence; but on reaching it we found everything just as it had been +left, and the poor black cat curled up, sound asleep, on the coral table +in front of our humble dwelling. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +SHOEMAKING--THE EVEN TENOR OF OUR WAY SUDDENLY INTERRUPTED--AN +UNEXPECTED VISIT AND AN APPALLING BATTLE--WE ALL BECOME WARRIORS, AND +JACK PROVES HIMSELF TO BE A HERO. + +For many months after this we continued to live on our island in +uninterrupted harmony and happiness. Sometimes we went out a-fishing in +the lagoon, and sometimes went a-hunting in the woods, or ascended to +the mountain-top by way of variety, although Peterkin always asserted +that we went for the purpose of hailing any ship that might chance to +heave in sight. But I am certain that none of us wished to be delivered +from our captivity, for we were extremely happy; and Peterkin used to +say that as we were very young, we should not feel the loss of a year or +two. Peterkin, as I have said before, was thirteen years of age, Jack +eighteen, and I fifteen. But Jack was very tall, strong, and manly for +his age, and might easily have been mistaken for twenty. + +The climate was so beautiful that it seemed to be a perpetual summer, +and as many of the fruit-trees continued to bear fruit and blossom all +the year round, we never wanted for a plentiful supply of food. The +hogs, too, seemed rather to increase than diminish, although Peterkin +was very frequent in his attacks on them with his spear. If at any time +we failed in finding a drove, we had only to pay a visit to the +plum-tree before mentioned, where we always found a large family of them +asleep under its branches. + +We employed ourselves very busily during this time in making various +garments of cocoa-nut cloth, as those with which we had landed were +beginning to be very ragged. Peterkin also succeeded in making +excellent shoes out of the skin of the old hog in the following manner: +He first cut a piece of the hide, of an oblong form, a few inches longer +than his foot. This he soaked in water, and while it was wet he sewed +up one end of it so as to form a rough imitation of that part of the +heel of a shoe where the seam is. This done, he bored a row of holes +all round the edge of the piece of skin, through which a tough line was +passed. Into the sewed-up part of this shoe he thrust his heel; then, +drawing the string tight, the edges rose up and overlapped his foot all +round. It is true there were a great many ill-looking puckers in these +shoes; but we found them very serviceable notwithstanding, and Jack came +at last to prefer them to his long boots. We also made various other +useful articles, which added to our comfort, and once or twice spoke of +building us a house; but we had so great an affection for the bower, and +withal found it so serviceable, that we determined not to leave it, nor +to attempt the building of a house, which in such a climate might turn +out to be rather disagreeable than useful. + +We often examined the pistol that we had found in the house on the other +side of the island, and Peterkin wished much that we had powder and +shot, as it would render pig-killing much easier; but, after all, we had +become so expert in the use of our sling and bow and spear that we were +independent of more deadly weapons. + +Diving in the Water Garden also continued to afford us as much pleasure +as ever, and Peterkin began to be a little more expert in the water from +constant practice. As for Jack and me, we began to feel as if water +were our native element, and revelled in it with so much confidence and +comfort that Peterkin said he feared we would turn into fish some day +and swim off and leave him, adding that he had been for a long time +observing that Jack was becoming more and more like a shark every day. +Whereupon Jack remarked that if he (Peterkin) were changed into a fish, +he would certainly turn into nothing better or bigger than a shrimp. +Poor Peterkin did not envy us our delightful excursions under water-- +except, indeed, when Jack would dive down to the bottom of the Water +Garden, sit down on a rock, and look up and make faces at him. Peterkin +did feel envious then, and often said he would give anything to be able +to do that. I was much amused when Peterkin said this; for if he could +only have seen his own face when he happened to take a short dive, he +would have seen that Jack's was far surpassed by it--the great +difference being, however, that Jack made faces on purpose, Peterkin +couldn't help it! + +Now, while we were engaged with these occupations and amusements, an +event occurred one day which was as unexpected as it was exceedingly +alarming and very horrible. + +Jack and I were sitting, as we were often wont to do, on the rocks at +Spouting Cliff, and Peterkin was wringing the water from his garments, +having recently fallen by accident into the sea--a thing he was +constantly doing--when our attention was suddenly arrested by two +objects which appeared on the horizon. + +"What are yon, think you?" I said, addressing Jack. + +"I can't imagine," answered he. "I've noticed them for some time, and +fancied they were black sea-gulls; but the more I look at them, the more +I feel convinced they are much larger than gulls." + +"They seem to be coming towards us," said I. + +"Hallo! what's wrong?" inquired Peterkin, coming up. + +"Look there," said Jack. + +"Whales!" cried Peterkin, shading his eyes with his hand. "No--eh--can +they be boats, Jack?" + +Our hearts beat with excitement at the very thought of seeing human +faces again. + +"I think you are about right, Peterkin. But they seem to me to move +strangely for boats," said Jack in a low tone, as if he were talking to +himself. + +I noticed that a shade of anxiety crossed Jack's countenance as he gazed +long and intently at the two objects, which were now nearing us fast. +At last he sprang to his feet. "They are canoes, Ralph! whether +war-canoes or not, I cannot tell; but this I know--that all the natives +of the South Sea Islands are fierce cannibals, and they have little +respect for strangers. We must hide if they land here, which I +earnestly hope they will not do." + +I was greatly alarmed at Jack's speech; but I confess I thought less of +what he said than of the earnest, anxious manner in which he said it, +and it was with very uncomfortable feelings that Peterkin and I followed +him quickly into the woods. + +"How unfortunate," said I as we gained the shelter of the bushes, "that +we have forgotten our arms!" + +"It matters not," said Jack; "here are clubs enough and to spare." As +he spoke, he laid his hand on a bundle of stout poles of various sizes, +which Peterkin's ever-busy hands had formed, during our frequent visits +to the cliff, for no other purpose, apparently, than that of having +something to do. + +We each selected a stout club according to our several tastes and lay +down behind a rock, whence we could see the canoes approach without +ourselves being seen. At first we made an occasional remark on their +appearance; but after they entered the lagoon and drew near the beach, +we ceased to speak, and gazed with intense interest at the scene before +us. + +We now observed that the foremost canoe was being chased by the other, +and that it contained a few women and children as well as men--perhaps +forty souls altogether--while the canoe which pursued it contained only +men. They seemed to be about the same in number, but were better armed, +and had the appearance of being a war-party. Both crews were paddling +with all their might, and it seemed as if the pursuers exerted +themselves to overtake the fugitives ere they could land. In this, +however, they failed. The foremost canoe made for the beach close +beneath the rocks behind which we were concealed. Their short paddles +flashed like meteors in the water, and sent up a constant shower of +spray. The foam curled from the prow, and the eyes of the rowers +glistened in their black faces as they strained every muscle of their +naked bodies. Nor did they relax their efforts till the canoe struck +the beach with a violent shock; then, with a shout of defiance, the +whole party sprang, as if by magic, from the canoe to the shore. Three +women, two of whom carried infants in their arms, rushed into the woods; +and the men crowded to the water's edge, with stones in their hands, +spears levelled, and clubs brandished, to resist the landing of their +enemies. + +The distance between the two canoes had been about half-a-mile, and at +the great speed they were going, this was soon passed. As the pursuers +neared the shore, no sign of fear or hesitation was noticeable. On they +came, like a wild charger--received, but recked not of, a shower of +stones. The canoe struck, and with a yell that seemed to issue from the +throats of incarnate fiends, they leaped into the water and drove their +enemies up the beach. + +The battle that immediately ensued was frightful to behold. Most of the +men wielded clubs of enormous size and curious shapes, with which they +dashed out each other's brains. As they were almost entirely naked, and +had to bound, stoop, leap, and run in their terrible hand-to-hand +encounters, they looked more like demons than human beings. I felt my +heart grow sick at the sight of this bloody battle, and would fain have +turned away; but a species of fascination seemed to hold me down and +glue my eyes upon the combatants. I observed that the attacking party +was led by a most extraordinary being, who, from his size and +peculiarity, I concluded was a chief. His hair was frizzed out to an +enormous extent, so that it resembled a large turban. It was of a +light-yellow hue, which surprised me much, for the man's body was as +black as coal, and I felt convinced that the hair must have been dyed. +He was tattooed from head to foot; and his face, besides being tattooed, +was besmeared with red paint and streaked with white. Altogether, with +his yellow turban-like hair, his Herculean black frame, his glittering +eyes, and white teeth, he seemed the most terrible monster I ever +beheld. He was very active in the fight, and had already killed four +men. + +Suddenly the yellow-haired chief was attacked by a man quite as strong +and large as himself. He flourished a heavy club, something like an +eagle's beak at the point. For a second or two these giants eyed each +other warily, moving round and round, as if to catch each other at a +disadvantage; but seeing that nothing was to be gained by this caution, +and that the loss of time might effectually turn the tide of battle +either way, they apparently made up their minds to attack at the same +instant, for, with a wild shout and simultaneous spring, they swung +their heavy clubs, which met with a loud report. Suddenly the +yellow-haired savage tripped, his enemy sprang forward, the ponderous +club was swung; but it did not descend, for at that moment the savage +was felled to the ground by a stone from the hand of one who had +witnessed his chief's danger. This was the turning-point in the battle. +The savages who landed first turned and fled towards the bush on seeing +the fall of their chief. But not one escaped; they were all overtaken +and felled to the earth. I saw, however, that they were not all killed. +Indeed, their enemies, now that they were conquered, seemed anxious to +take them alive; and they succeeded in securing fifteen, whom they bound +hand and foot with cords, and carrying them up into the woods, laid them +down among the bushes. Here they left them, for what purpose I knew +not, and returned to the scene of the late battle, where the remnant of +the party were bathing their wounds. + +Out of the forty blacks that composed the attacking party only +twenty-eight remained alive, two of whom were sent into the bush to hunt +for the women and children. Of the other party, as I have said, only +fifteen survived, and these were lying bound and helpless on the grass. + +Jack and Peterkin and I now looked at each other, and whispered our +fears that the savages might clamber up the rocks to search for fresh +water, and so discover our place of concealment; but we were so much +interested in watching their movements that we agreed to remain where we +were--and indeed we could not easily have risen without exposing +ourselves to detection. One of the savages now went up to the woods and +soon returned with a bundle of firewood, and we were not a little +surprised to see him set fire to it by the very same means used by Jack +the time we made our first fire--namely, with the bow and drill. When +the fire was kindled, two of the party went again to the woods and +returned with one of the bound men. A dreadful feeling of horror crept +over my heart as the thought flashed upon me that they were going to +burn their enemies. As they bore him to the fire my feelings almost +overpowered me. I gasped for breath, and seizing my club, endeavoured +to spring to my feet; but Jack's powerful arm pinned me to the earth. +Next moment one of the savages raised his club and fractured the +wretched creature's skull. He must have died instantly; and, strange +though it may seem, I confess to a feeling of relief when the deed was +done, because I now knew that the poor savage could not be burned alive. +Scarcely had his limbs ceased to quiver when the monsters cut slices of +flesh from his body, and after roasting them slightly over the fire, +devoured them. + +Suddenly there arose a cry from the woods, and in a few seconds the two +savages hastened towards the fire, dragging the three women and their +two infants along with them. One of these women was much younger than +her companions, and we were struck with the modesty of her demeanour and +the gentle expression of her face, which, although she had the flattish +nose and thick lips of the others, was of a light-brown colour, and we +conjectured that she must be of a different race. She and her +companions wore short petticoats, and a kind of tippet on their +shoulders. Their hair was jet black, but instead of being long, was +short and curly--though not woolly--somewhat like the hair of a young +boy. While we gazed with interest and some anxiety at these poor +creatures, the big chief advanced to one of the elder females and laid +his hand upon the child. But the mother shrank from him, and clasping +the little one to her bosom, uttered a wail of fear. With a savage +laugh, the chief tore the child from her arms and tossed it into the +sea. A low groan burst from Jack's lips as he witnessed this atrocious +act and heard the mother's shriek as she fell insensible on the sand. +The rippling waves rolled the child on the beach, as if they refused to +be a party in such a foul murder, and we could observe that the little +one still lived. + +The young girl was now brought forward, and the chief addressed her; but +although we heard his voice and even the words distinctly, of course we +could not understand what he said. The girl made no answer to his +fierce questions, and we saw by the way in which he pointed to the fire +that he threatened her life. + +"Peterkin," said Jack in a hoarse whisper, "have you got your knife?" + +"Yes," replied Peterkin, whose face was pale as death. + +"That will do. Listen to me, and do my bidding quick.--Here is the +small knife, Ralph. Fly, both of you, through the bush, cut the cords +that bind the prisoners, and set them free! There! quick, ere it be too +late!" Jack sprang up and seized a heavy but short bludgeon, while his +strong frame trembled with emotion, and large drops rolled down his +forehead. + +At this moment the man who had butchered the savage a few minutes before +advanced towards the girl with his heavy club. Jack uttered a yell that +rang like a death-shriek among the rocks. With one bound he leaped over +a precipice full fifteen feet high, and before the savages had recovered +from their surprise, was in the midst of them, while Peterkin and I +dashed through the bushes towards the prisoners. With one blow of his +staff Jack felled the man with the club; then turning round with a look +of fury he rushed upon the big chief with the yellow hair. Had the blow +which Jack aimed at his head taken effect, the huge savage would have +needed no second stroke; but he was agile as a cat, and avoided it by +springing to one side, while at the same time he swung his ponderous +club at the head of his foe. It was now Jack's turn to leap aside; and +well was it for him that the first outburst of his blind fury was over, +else he had become an easy prey to his gigantic antagonist. But Jack +was cool now. He darted his blows rapidly and well, and the superiority +of his light weapon was strikingly proved in this combat; for while he +could easily evade the blows of the chief's heavy club, the chief could +not so easily evade those of his light one. Nevertheless, so quick was +he, and so frightfully did he fling about the mighty weapon, that +although Jack struck him almost every blow, the strokes had to be +delivered so quickly that they wanted force to be very effectual. + +It was lucky for Jack that the other savages considered the success of +their chief in this encounter to be so certain that they refrained from +interfering. Had they doubted it, they would have probably ended the +matter at once by felling him. But they contented themselves with +awaiting the issue. + +The force which the chief expended in wielding his club now began to be +apparent. His movements became slower, his breath hissed through his +clenched teeth, and the surprised savages drew nearer in order to render +assistance. Jack observed this movement. He felt that his fate was +sealed, and resolved to cast his life upon the next blow. The chief's +club was again about to descend on his head. He might have evaded it +easily, but instead of doing so, he suddenly shortened his grasp of his +own club, rushed in under the blow, struck his adversary right between +the eyes with all his force, and fell to the earth, crushed beneath the +senseless body of the chief. A dozen clubs flew high in air, ready to +descend on the head of Jack; but they hesitated a moment, for the +massive body of the chief completely covered him. That moment saved his +life. Ere the savages could tear the chief's body away, seven of their +number fell prostrate beneath the clubs of the prisoners whom Peterkin +and I had set free, and two others fell under our own hand. We could +never have accomplished this had not our enemies been so engrossed with +the fight between Jack and their chief that they had failed to observe +us until we were upon them. They still outnumbered our party by three; +but we were flushed with victory, while they were taken by surprise and +dispirited by the fall of their chief. Moreover, they were awestruck by +the sweeping fury of Jack, who seemed to have lost his senses +altogether, and had no sooner shaken himself free of the chief's body +than he rushed into the midst of them, and in three blows equalised our +numbers. Peterkin and I flew to the rescue, the savages followed us, +and in less than ten minutes the whole of our opponents were knocked +down or made prisoners, bound hand and foot, and extended side by side +upon the seashore. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +INTERCOURSE WITH THE SAVAGES--CANNIBALISM PREVENTED--THE SLAIN ARE +BURIED AND THE SURVIVORS DEPART, LEAVING US AGAIN ALONE ON OUR CORAL +ISLAND. + +After the battle was over, the savages crowded round us and gazed at us +in surprise, while they continued to pour upon us a flood of questions, +which, being wholly unintelligible, of course we could not answer. +However, by way of putting an end to it, Jack took the chief (who had +recovered from the effects of his wound) by the hand and shook it +warmly. No sooner did the blacks see that this was meant to express +good-will than they shook hands with us all round. After this ceremony +was gone through Jack went up to the girl, who had never once moved from +the rock where she had been left, but had continued an eager spectator +of all that had passed. He made signs to her to follow him, and then, +taking the chief by the hand, was about to conduct him to the bower when +his eye fell on the poor infant which had been thrown into the sea and +was still lying on the shore. Dropping the chief's hand he hastened +towards it, and, to his great joy, found it to be still alive. We also +found that the mother was beginning to recover slowly. + +"Here, get out o' the way," said Jack, pushing us aside as we stooped +over the poor woman and endeavoured to restore her; "I'll soon bring her +round." So saying, he placed the infant on her bosom and laid its warm +cheek on hers. The effect was wonderful. The woman opened her eyes, +felt the child, looked at it, and with a cry of joy, clasped it in her +arms, at the same time endeavouring to rise--for the purpose, +apparently, of rushing into the woods. + +"There, that's all right," said Jack, once more taking the chief by the +hand.--"Now, Ralph and Peterkin, make the women and these fellows follow +me to the bower. We'll entertain them as hospitably as we can." + +In a few minutes the savages were all seated on the ground in front of +the bower, making a hearty meal off a cold roast pig, several ducks, and +a variety of cold fish, together with an unlimited supply of cocoa-nuts, +bread-fruits, yams, taro, and plums--with all of which they seemed to be +quite familiar and perfectly satisfied. + +Meanwhile we three, being thoroughly knocked up with our day's work, +took a good draught of cocoa-nut lemonade, and throwing ourselves on our +beds, fell fast asleep. The savages, it seems, followed our example, +and in half-an-hour the whole camp was buried in repose. + +How long we slept I cannot tell; but this I know--that when we lay down +the sun was setting, and when we awoke it was high in the heavens. I +awoke Jack, who started up in surprise, being unable at first to +comprehend our situation. "Now, then," said he, springing up, "let's +see after breakfast.--Hallo, Peterkin, lazy fellow! how long do you mean +to lie there?" + +Peterkin yawned heavily. "Well," said he, opening his eyes and looking +up after some trouble, "if it isn't to-morrow morning, and me thinking +it was to-day all this time--Hallo, Venus! where did you come from? You +seem tolerably at home, anyhow. Bah! might as well speak to the cat as +to you--better, in fact, for it understands me, and you don't." + +This remark was called forth by the sight of one of the elderly females, +who had seated herself on the rock in front of the bower, and having +placed her child at her feet, was busily engaged in devouring the +remains of a roast pig. + +By this time the natives outside were all astir, and breakfast in an +advanced state of preparation. During the course of it we made sundry +attempts to converse with the natives by signs, but without effect. At +last we hit upon a plan of discovering their names. Jack pointed to his +breast and said "Jack" very distinctly; then he pointed to Peterkin and +to me, repeating our names at the same time. Then he pointed to himself +again and said "Jack," and laying his finger on the breast of the chief, +looked inquiringly into his face. The chief instantly understood him, +and said "Tararo" twice distinctly. Jack repeated it after him, and the +chief, nodding his head approvingly, said "Chuck," on hearing which +Peterkin exploded with laughter. But Jack turned, and with a frown +rebuked him, saying, "I must look even more indignantly at you than I +feel, Peterkin, you rascal, for these fellows don't like to be laughed +at." Then turning towards the youngest of the women, who was seated at +the door of the bower, he pointed to her; whereupon the chief said +"Avatea," and pointing towards the sun, raised his finger slowly towards +the zenith, where it remained steadily for a minute or two. + +"What can that mean, I wonder?" said Jack, looking puzzled. + +"Perhaps," said Peterkin, "the chief means she is an angel come down to +stay here for a while. If so, she's an uncommonly black one!" + +We did not feel quite satisfied with this explanation, so Jack went up +to her and said "Avatea." The woman smiled sadly and nodded her head, +at the same time pointing to her breast and then to the sun in the same +manner as the chief had done. We were much puzzled to know what this +could signify; but as there was no way of solving our difficulty, we +were obliged to rest content. + +Jack now made signs to the natives to follow him, and taking up his axe, +he led them to the place where the battle had been fought. Here we +found the prisoners, who had passed the night on the beach, having been +totally forgotten by us, as our minds had been full of our guests, and +were ultimately overcome by sleep. They did not seem the worse for +their exposure, however, as we judged by the hearty appetite with which +they devoured the breakfast that was soon after given to them. Jack +then began to dig a hole in the sand, and after working a few seconds, +he pointed to it and to the dead bodies that lay exposed on the beach. +The natives immediately perceived what he wanted, and running for their +paddles, dug a hole in the course of half-an-hour that was quite large +enough to contain all the bodies of the slain. When it was finished, +they tossed their dead enemies into it with so much indifference that we +felt assured they would not have put themselves to this trouble had we +not asked them to do so. The body of the yellow-haired chief was the +last thrown in. This wretched man would have recovered from the blow +with which Jack felled him, and indeed he did endeavour to rise during +the _melee_ that followed his fall; but one of his enemies, happening to +notice the action, dealt him a blow with his club that killed him on the +spot. + +While they were about to throw the sand over this chief, one of the +savages stooped over him, and with a knife, made apparently of stone, +cut a large slice of flesh from his thigh. We knew at once that he +intended to make use of this for food, and could not repress a cry of +horror and disgust. + +"Come, come, you blackguard!" cried Jack, starting up and seizing the +man by the arm, "pitch that into the hole. Do you hear?" + +The savage, of course, did not understand the command; but he perfectly +understood the look of disgust with which Jack regarded the flesh, and +his fierce gaze as he pointed towards the hole. Nevertheless, he did +not obey. Jack instantly turned to Tararo and made signs to him to +enforce obedience. The chief seemed to understand the appeal; for he +stepped forward, raised his club, and was on the point of dashing out +the brains of his offending subject when Jack sprang forward and caught +his uplifted arm. + +"Stop, you blockhead!" he shouted. "I don't want you to kill the man!" +He then pointed again to the flesh and to the hole. The chief uttered a +few words, which had the desired effect; for the man threw the flesh +into the hole, which was immediately filled up. This man was of a +morose, sulky disposition, and during all the time he remained on the +island, regarded us--especially Jack--with a scowling visage. His name, +we found, was Mahine. + +The next three or four days were spent by the savages in mending their +canoe, which had been damaged by the violent shock it had sustained on +striking the shore. This canoe was a very curious structure. It was +about thirty feet long, and had a high, towering stern. The timbers of +which it was partly composed were fastened much in the same way as those +of our little boat were put together; but the part that seemed most +curious to us was a sort of outrigger, or long plank, which was attached +to the body of the canoe by means of two stout cross-beams. These beams +kept the plank parallel with the canoe, but not in contact with it, for +it floated in the water with an open space between--thus forming a sort +of double canoe. This, we found, was intended to prevent the upsetting +of the canoe, which was so narrow that it could not have maintained an +upright position without the outrigger. We could not help wondering +both at the ingenuity and the clumsiness of this contrivance. + +When the canoe was ready, we assisted the natives to carry the prisoners +into it, and helped them to load it with provisions and fruit. Peterkin +also went to the plum-tree for the purpose of making a special onslaught +upon the hogs, and killed no less than six of them. These we baked and +presented to our friends, on the day of their departure. On that day +Tararo made a great many energetic signs to us, which, after much +consideration, we came to understand were proposals that we should go +away with him to his island; but having no desire to do so, we shook our +heads very decidedly. However, we consoled him by presenting him with +our rusty axe, which we thought we could spare, having the excellent one +which had been so providentially washed ashore to us the day we were +wrecked. We also gave him a piece of wood with our names carved on it, +and a piece of string to hang it round his neck as an ornament. + +In a few minutes more we were all assembled on the beach. Being unable +to speak to the savages, we went through the ceremony of shaking hands, +and expected they would depart; but before doing so, Tararo went up to +Jack and rubbed noses with him, after which he did the same with +Peterkin and me! Seeing that this was their mode of salutation, we +determined to conform to their custom; so we rubbed noses heartily with +the whole party, women and all! The only disagreeable part of the +process was when we came to rub noses with Mahine; and Peterkin +afterwards said that when he saw his wolfish eyes glaring so close to +his face, he felt much more inclined to _bang_ than to _rub_ his nose. +Avatea was the last to take leave of us, and we experienced a feeling of +real sorrow when she approached to bid us farewell. Besides her modest +air and gentle manners, she was the only one of the party who exhibited +the smallest sign of regret at parting from us. Going up to Jack, she +put out her flat little nose to be rubbed, and thereafter paid the same +compliment to Peterkin and me. + +An hour later the canoe was out of sight; and we, with an indefinable +feeling of sadness creeping round our hearts, were seated in silence +beneath the shadow of our bower, meditating on the wonderful events of +the last few days. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +SAGACIOUS AND MORAL REMARKS IN REGARD TO LIFE--A SAIL!--AN UNEXPECTED +SALUTE--THE END OF THE BLACK CAT--A TERRIBLE DIVE--AN INCAUTIOUS +PROCEEDING AND A FRIGHTFUL CATASTROPHE. + +Life is a strange compound. Peterkin used to say of it that it beat a +druggist's shop all to sticks; for whereas the first is a compound of +good and bad, the other is a horrible compound of all that is utterly +detestable. And indeed the more I consider it, the more I am struck +with the strange mixture of good and evil that exists, not only in the +material earth, but in our own natures. In our own Coral Island we had +experienced every variety of good that a bountiful Creator could heap on +us. Yet on the night of the storm we had seen how almost, in our case-- +and altogether, no doubt, in the case of others less fortunate--all this +good might be swept away for ever. We had seen the rich fruit-trees +waving in the soft air, the tender herbs shooting upwards under the +benign influence of the bright sun; and the next day we had seen these +good and beautiful trees and plants uprooted by the hurricane, crushed +and hurled to the ground in destructive devastation. We had lived for +many months in a clime, for the most part, so beautiful that we had +often wondered whether Adam and Eve had found Eden more sweet; and we +had seen the quiet solitudes of our paradise suddenly broken in upon by +ferocious savages, and the white sands stained with blood and strewed +with lifeless forms, yet among these cannibals we had seen many symptoms +of a kindly nature. I pondered these things much, and while I +considered them there recurred to my memory those words which I had read +in my Bible: "The works of God are wonderful, and His ways past finding +out." + +After these poor savages had left us we used to hold long and frequent +conversations about them, and I noticed that Peterkin's manner was now +much altered. He did not, indeed, jest less heartily than before, but +he did so less frequently; and often there was a tone of deep +seriousness in his manner, if not in his words, which made him seem to +Jack and me as if he had grown two years older within a few days. But +indeed I was not surprised at this when I reflected on the awful +realities which we had witnessed so lately. We could by no means shake +off a tendency to gloom for several weeks afterwards; but as time wore +away, our usual good spirits returned somewhat, and we began to think of +the visit of the savages with feelings akin to those with which we +recall a terrible dream. + +One day we were all enjoying ourselves in the Water Garden preparatory +to going on a fishing excursion, for Peterkin had kept us in such +constant supply of hogs that we had become quite tired of pork and +desired a change. Peterkin was sunning himself on the ledge of rock, +while we were creeping among the rocks below. Happening to look up, I +observed Peterkin cutting the most extraordinary capers and making +violent gesticulations for us to come up; so I gave Jack a push and rose +immediately. + +"A sail! a sail--Ralph, look--Jack, away on the horizon there, just over +the entrance to the lagoon!" cried Peterkin as we scrambled up the +rocks. + +"So it is--and a schooner, too!" said Jack as he proceeded hastily to +dress. + +Our hearts were thrown into a terrible flutter by this discovery, for if +it should touch at our island, we had no doubt the captain would be +happy to give us a passage to some of the civilised islands, where we +could find a ship sailing for England or some other part of Europe. +Home, with all its associations, rushed in upon my heart like a flood; +and much though I loved the Coral Island and the bower which had now +been our home so long, I felt that I could have quitted all at that +moment without a sigh. With joyful anticipations we hastened to the +highest point of rock near our dwelling and awaited the arrival of the +vessel, for we now perceived that she was making straight for the island +under a steady breeze. + +In less than an hour she was close to the reef, where she rounded-to and +backed her topsails in order to survey the coast. Seeing this, and +fearing that they might not perceive us, we all three waved pieces of +cocoa-nut cloth in the air, and soon had the satisfaction of seeing them +beginning to lower a boat and bustle about the decks as if they meant to +land. Suddenly a flag was run up to the peak, a little cloud of white +smoke rose from the schooner's side, and before we could guess their +intentions, a cannon-shot came crashing through the bushes, carried away +several cocoa-nut trees in its passage, and burst in atoms against the +cliff a few yards below the spot on which we stood. + +With feelings of terror we now observed that the flag at the schooner's +peak was black, with a Death's-head and cross-bones upon it. As we +gazed at each other in blank amazement, the word "pirate" escaped our +lips simultaneously. + +"What is to be done?" cried Peterkin as we observed a boat shoot from +the vessel's side and make for the entrance of the reef. "If they take +us off the island, it will either be to throw us overboard for sport or +to make pirates of us." + +I did not reply, but looked at Jack, as being our only resource in this +emergency. He stood with folded arms, and his eyes fixed with a grave, +anxious expression on the ground. "There is but one hope," said he, +turning with a sad expression of countenance to Peterkin. "Perhaps, +after all, we may not have to resort to it. If these villains are +anxious to take us, they will soon overrun the whole island. But come, +follow me." + +Stopping abruptly in his speech, Jack bounded into the woods, and led us +by a circuitous route to Spouting Cliff. Here he halted, and advancing +cautiously to the rocks, glanced over their edge. We were soon by his +side, and saw the boat, which was crowded with armed men, just touching +the shore. In an instant the crew landed, formed line, and rushed up to +our bower. + +In a few seconds we saw them hurrying back to the boat, one of them +swinging the poor cat round his head by the tail. On reaching the +water's edge he tossed it far into the sea, and joined his companions, +who appeared to be holding a hasty council. + +"You see what we may expect," said Jack bitterly. "The man who will +wantonly kill a poor brute for sport will think little of murdering a +fellow-creature. Now, boys, we have but one chance left--the Diamond +Cave." + +"The Diamond Cave!" cried Peterkin. "Then my chance is a poor one, for +I could not dive into it if all the pirates on the Pacific were at my +heels." + +"Nay, but," said I, "we will take you down, Peterkin, if you will only +trust us." + +As I spoke, we observed the pirates scatter over the beach, and radiate, +as if from a centre, towards the woods and along shore. + +"Now, Peterkin," said Jack in a solemn tone, "you must make up your mind +to do it, or we must make up our minds to die in your company." + +"Oh Jack, my dear friend!" cried Peterkin, turning pale, "leave me; I +don't believe they'll think it worth while to kill me. Go, you and +Ralph, and dive into the cave." + +"That will not I," answered Jack quietly, while he picked up a stout +cudgel from the ground.--"So now, Ralph, we must prepare to meet these +fellows. Their motto is `No quarter.' If we can manage to floor those +coming in this direction, we may escape into the woods for a while." + +"There are five of them," said I; "we have no chance." + +"Come, then!" cried Peterkin, starting up and grasping Jack convulsively +by the arm; "let us dive. I will go." + +Those who are not naturally expert in the water know well the feelings +of horror that overwhelm them, when in it, at the bare idea of being +held down even for a few seconds--that spasmodic, involuntary recoil +from compulsory immersion which has no connection whatever with +cowardice; and they will understand the amount of resolution that it +required in Peterkin to allow himself to be dragged down to a depth of +ten feet, and then, through a narrow tunnel, into an almost pitch-dark +cavern. But there was no alternative. The pirates had already caught +sight of us, and were now within a short distance of the rocks. + +Jack and I seized Peterkin by the arms. + +"Now, keep quite still--no struggling," said Jack, "or we are lost!" + +Peterkin made no reply; but the stern gravity of his marble features, +and the tension of his muscles, satisfied us that he had fully made up +his mind to go through with it. Just as the pirates gained the foot of +the rocks, which hid us for a moment from their view, we bent over the +sea and plunged down together, head foremost. Peterkin behaved like a +hero. He floated passively between us like a log of wood, and we passed +the tunnel and rose into the cave in a shorter space of time than I had +ever done it before. + +Peterkin drew a long, deep breath on reaching the surface, and in a few +seconds we were all standing on the ledge of rock in safety. Jack now +searched for the tinder and torch which always lay in the cave. He soon +found them, and lighting the torch, revealed to Peterkin's wondering +gaze the marvels of the place. But we were too wet to waste much time +in looking about us. Our first care was to take off our clothes and +wring them as dry as we could. This done, we proceeded to examine into +the state of our larder, for, as Jack truly remarked, there was no +knowing how long the pirates might remain on the island. + +"Perhaps," said Peterkin, "they may take it into their heads to stop +here altogether, and so we shall be buried alive in this place." + +"Don't you think, Peterkin, that it's the nearest thing to being drowned +alive that you ever felt?" said Jack with a smile. "But I have no fear +of that. These villains never stay long on shore. The sea is their +home, so you may depend upon it that they won't stay more than a day or +two at the furthest." + +We now began to make arrangements for spending the night in the cavern. +At various periods Jack and I had conveyed cocoa-nuts and other fruits, +besides rolls of cocoa-nut cloth, to this submarine cave, partly for +amusement, and partly from a feeling that we might possibly be driven +one day to take shelter here from the savages. Little did we imagine +that the first savages who would drive us into it would be white +savages--perhaps our own countrymen! We found the cocoa-nuts in good +condition, and the cooked yams; but the bread-fruits were spoiled. We +also found the cloth where we had left it, and on opening it out, there +proved to be sufficient to make a bed--which was important, as the rock +was damp. Having collected it all together, we spread out our bed, +placed our torch in the midst of us, and ate our supper. It was indeed +a strange chamber to feast in; and we could not help remarking on the +cold, ghastly appearance of the walls, and the black water at our side +with the thick darkness beyond, and the sullen sound of the drops that +fell at long intervals from the roof of the cavern into the still water, +and the strong contrast between all this and our bed and supper, which, +with our faces, were lit up with the deep-red flame of the torch. + +We sat long over our meal, talking together in subdued voices, for we +did not like the dismal echoes that rang through the vault above when we +happened to raise them. At last the faint light that came through the +opening died away, warning us that it was night and time for rest. We +therefore put out our torch and lay down to sleep. + +On awaking, it was some time ere we could collect our faculties so as to +remember where we were, and we were in much uncertainty as to whether it +was early or late. We saw by the faint light that it was day, but could +not guess at the hour; so Jack proposed that he should dive out and +reconnoitre. + +"No, Jack," said I; "do you rest here. You've had enough to do during +the last few days. Rest yourself now, and take care of Peterkin, while +I go out to see what the pirates are about. I'll be very careful not to +expose myself, and I'll bring you word again in a short time." + +"Very well, Ralph," answered Jack; "please yourself. But don't be long. +And if you'll take my advice, you'll go in your clothes; for I would +like to have some fresh cocoa-nuts, and climbing trees without clothes +is uncomfortable--to say the least of it." + +"The pirates will be sure to keep a sharp lookout," said Peterkin; "so, +pray, be careful." + +"No fear," said I. "Good-bye." + +"Good-bye," answered my comrades. + +And while the words were yet sounding in my ears, I plunged into the +water, and in a few seconds found myself in the open air. On rising, I +was careful to come up gently and to breathe softly, while I kept close +in beside the rocks; but as I observed no one near me, I crept slowly +out and ascended the cliff, a step at a time, till I obtained a full +view of the shore. No pirates were to be seen--even their boat was +gone; but as it was possible they might have hidden themselves, I did +not venture too boldly forward. Then it occurred to me to look out to +sea, when, to my surprise, I saw the pirate schooner sailing away almost +hull down on the horizon! On seeing this I uttered a shout of joy. +Then my first impulse was to dive back to tell my companions the good +news; but I checked myself, and ran to the top of the cliff in order to +make sure that the vessel I saw was indeed the pirate schooner. I +looked long and anxiously at her, and giving vent to a deep sigh of +relief, said aloud, "Yes, there she goes; the villains have been balked +of their prey this time at least!" + +"Not so sure of that!" said a deep voice at my side, while at the same +moment a heavy hand grasped my shoulder and held it as if in a vice. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY TWO. + +I FALL INTO THE HANDS OF PIRATES--HOW THEY TREATED ME, AND WHAT I SAID +TO THEM--THE RESULT OF THE WHOLE ENDING IN A MELANCHOLY SEPARATION AND +IN A MOST UNEXPECTED GIFT. + +My heart seemed to leap into my throat at the words; and turning round, +I beheld a man of immense stature and fierce aspect regarding me with a +smile of contempt. He was a white man--that is to say, he was a man of +European blood, though his face, from long exposure to the weather, was +deeply bronzed. His dress was that of a common seaman, except that he +had on a Greek skull-cap, and wore a broad shawl of the richest silk +round his waist. In this shawl were placed two pairs of pistols and a +heavy cutlass. He wore a beard and moustache, which, like the locks on +his head, were short, curly, and sprinkled with grey hairs. + +"So, youngster," he said with a sardonic smile, while I felt his grasp +tighten on my shoulder, "the villains have been balked of their prey, +have they? We shall see--we shall see. Now, you whelp, look yonder!" +As he spoke, the pirate uttered a shrill whistle. In a second or two it +was answered, and the pirate boat rowed round the point at the Water +Garden and came rapidly towards us. "Now, go make a fire on that point; +and hark'ee, youngster, if you try to run away I'll send a quick and +sure messenger after you," and he pointed significantly at his pistols. + +I obeyed in silence; and as I happened to have the burning-glass in my +pocket, a fire was speedily kindled, and a thick smoke ascended into the +air. It had scarcely appeared for two minutes when the boom of a gun +rolled over the sea, and looking up, I saw that the schooner was making +for the island again. It now flashed across me that this was a ruse on +the part of the pirates, and that they had sent their vessel away, +knowing that it would lead us to suppose that they had left altogether. +But there was no use of regret now. I was completely in their power; so +I stood helplessly beside the pirate, watching the crew of the boat as +they landed on the beach. For an instant I contemplated rushing over +the cliff into the sea; but this, I saw, I could not now accomplish, as +some of the men were already between me and the water. + +There was a good deal of jesting at the success of their scheme, as the +crew ascended the rocks and addressed the man who had captured me by the +title of "Captain". They were a ferocious set of men, with shaggy +beards and scowling brows. All of them were armed with cutlasses and +pistols, and their costumes were, with trifling variations, similar to +that of the captain. As I looked from one to the other, and observed +the low, scowling brows that never unbent even when the men laughed, and +the mean, rascally expression that sat on each face, I felt that my life +hung by a hair. + +"But where are the other cubs?" cried one of the men with an oath that +made me shudder. "I'll swear to it there were three at least, if not +more." + +"You hear what he says, whelp: where are the other dogs?" said the +captain. + +"If you mean my companions," said I in a low voice, "I won't tell you." + +A loud laugh burst from the crew at this answer. + +The pirate captain looked at me in surprise. Then drawing a pistol from +his belt, he cocked it and said, "Now, youngster, listen to me. I've no +time to waste here. If you don't tell me all you know, I'll blow your +brains out! Where are your comrades?" + +For an instant I hesitated, not knowing what to do in this extremity. +Suddenly a thought occurred to me. + +"Villain," said I, shaking my clenched fist in his face, "to blow my +brains out would make short work of me, and be soon over; death by +drowning is as sure, and the agony prolonged. Yet I tell you to your +face, if you were to toss me over yonder cliff into the sea, I would not +tell you where my companions are; and I dare you to try me!" + +The pirate captain grew white with rage as I spoke. "Say you so?" cried +he, uttering a fierce oath.--"Here, lads, take him by the legs and heave +him in--quick!" + +The men, who were utterly silenced with surprise at my audacity, +advanced and seized me; and as they carried me towards the cliff, I +congratulated myself not a little on the success of my scheme, for I +knew that once in the water I should be safe, and could rejoin Jack and +Peterkin in the cave. But my hopes were suddenly blasted by the captain +crying out, "Hold on, lads, hold on! We'll give him a taste of the +thumb-screws before throwing him to the sharks. Away with him into the +boat. Look alive! the breeze is freshening." + +The men instantly raised me shoulder-high, and hurrying down the rocks, +tossed me into the bottom of the boat, where I lay for some time stunned +with the violence of my fall. + +On recovering sufficiently to raise myself on my elbow, I perceived that +we were already outside the coral reef and close alongside the schooner, +which was of small size and clipper-built. I had only time to observe +this much when I received a severe kick on the side from one of the men, +who ordered me, in a rough voice, to jump aboard. Rising hastily, I +clambered up the side. In a few minutes the boat was hoisted on deck, +the vessel's head put close to the wind, and the Coral Island dropped +slowly astern as we beat up against a head sea. + +Immediately after coming aboard, the crew were too busily engaged in +working the ship and getting in the boat to attend to me; so I remained +leaning against the bulwarks close to the gangway, watching their +operations. I was surprised to find that there were no guns or +carronades of any kind in the vessel, which had more the appearance of a +fast-sailing trader than a pirate. But I was struck with the neatness +of everything. The brass-work of the binnacle and about the tiller, as +well as the copper belaying-pins, were as brightly polished as if they +had just come from the foundry. The decks were pure white and smooth. +The masts were clean-scraped and varnished, except at the cross-trees +and truck, which were painted black. The standing and running rigging +was in the most perfect order, and the sails white as snow. In short, +everything, from the single narrow red stripe on her low, black hull to +the trucks on her tapering masts, evinced an amount of care and strict +discipline that would have done credit to a ship of the Royal Navy. +There was nothing lumbering or unseemly about the vessel, excepting, +perhaps, a boat, which lay on the deck with its keel up between the fore +and main masts. It seemed disproportionately large for the schooner; +but when I saw that the crew amounted to between thirty and forty men, I +concluded that this boat was held in reserve in case of any accident +compelling the crew to desert the vessel. + +As I have before said, the costumes of the men were similar to that of +the captain. But in head-gear they differed, not only from him, but +from each other--some wearing the ordinary straw hat of the merchant +service, while others wore cloth caps and red worsted nightcaps. I +observed that all their arms were sent below, the captain only retaining +his cutlass and a single pistol in the folds of his shawl. Although the +captain was the tallest and most powerful man in the ship, he did not +strikingly excel many of his men in this respect; and the only +difference that an ordinary observer would have noticed was a certain +degree of open candour, straightforward daring, in the bold, ferocious +expression of his face, which rendered him less repulsive than his +low-browed associates, but did not by any means induce the belief that +he was a hero. This look was, however, the indication of that spirit +which gave him the pre-eminence among the crew of desperadoes who called +him captain. He was a lion-like villain, totally devoid of personal +fear, and utterly reckless of consequences, and therefore a terror to +his men, who individually hated him, but unitedly felt it to be to their +advantage to have him at their head. + +But my thoughts soon reverted to the dear companions whom I had left on +shore; and as I turned towards the Coral Island, which was now far away +to leeward, I sighed deeply, and the tears rolled slowly down my cheeks +as I thought that I might never see them more. + +"So you're blubbering, are you, you obstinate whelp?" said the deep +voice of the captain as he came up and gave me a box on the ear that +nearly felled me to the deck. "I don't allow any such weakness aboard +o' this ship. So clap a stopper on your eyes, or I'll give you +something to cry for." + +I flushed with indignation at this rough and cruel treatment, but felt +that giving way to anger would only make matters worse; so I made no +reply, but took out my handkerchief and dried my eyes. + +"I thought you were made of better stuff," continued the captain +angrily. "I'd rather have a mad bulldog aboard than a water-eyed puppy. +But I'll cure you, lad, or introduce you to the sharks before long. +Now go below, and stay there till I call you." + +As I walked forward to obey, my eye fell on a small keg standing by the +side of the mainmast, on which the word _gunpowder_ was written in +pencil. It immediately flashed across me that as we were beating up +against the wind, anything floating in the sea would be driven on the +reef encircling the Coral Island. I also recollected--for thought is +more rapid than the lightning--that my old companions had a pistol. +Without a moment's hesitation, therefore, I lifted the keg from the deck +and tossed it into the sea! An exclamation of surprise burst from the +captain and some of the men who witnessed this act of mine. + +Striding up to me, and uttering fearful imprecations, the captain raised +his hand to strike me, while he shouted, "Boy! whelp! what mean you by +that?" + +"If you lower your hand," said I in a loud voice, while I felt the blood +rush to my temples, "I'll tell you. Until you do so, I'm dumb." + +The captain stepped back and regarded me with a look of amazement. + +"Now," continued I, "I threw that keg into the sea because the wind and +waves will carry it to my friends on the Coral Island, who happen to +have a pistol but no powder. I hope that it will reach them soon; and +my only regret is that the keg was not a bigger one. Moreover, pirate, +you said just now that you thought I was made of better stuff. I don't +know what stuff I am made of--I never thought much about that subject; +but I'm quite certain of this--that I am made of such stuff as the like +of you shall never tame, though you should do your worst!" + +To my surprise, the captain, instead of flying into a rage, smiled, and +thrusting his hand into the voluminous shawl that encircled his waist, +turned on his heel and walked aft, while I went below. + +Here, instead of being rudely handled, as I had expected, the men +received me with a shout of laughter; and one of them, patting me on the +back, said, "Well done, lad! You're a brick, and I have no doubt will +turn out a rare cove. Bloody Bill there was just such a fellow as you +are, and he's now the biggest cut-throat of us all." + +"Take a can of beer, lad," cried another, "and wet your whistle after +that speech o' your'n to the captain. If any one o' us had made it, +youngster, he would have had no whistle to wet by this time." + +"Stop your clapper, Jack!" vociferated a third. "Give the boy a junk o' +meat. Don't you see he's a'most goin' to kick the bucket?" + +"And no wonder," said the first speaker with an oath, "after the tumble +you gave him into the boat! I guess it would have broke your neck if +you had got it." + +I did indeed feel somewhat faint, which was owing, doubtless, to the +combined effects of ill-usage and hunger; for it will be recollected +that I had dived out of the cave that morning before breakfast, and it +was now near midday. I therefore gladly accepted a plate of boiled pork +and a yam, which were handed to me by one of the men from the locker on +which some of the crew were seated eating their dinner. But I must add +that the zest with which I ate my meal was much abated in consequence of +the frightful oaths and the terrible language that flowed from the lips +of these godless men, even in the midst of their hilarity and +good-humour. The man who had been alluded to as Bloody Bill was seated +near me, and I could not help wondering at the moody silence he +maintained among his comrades. He did indeed reply to their questions +in a careless, off-hand tone, but he never volunteered a remark. The +only difference between him and the others was his taciturnity and his +size, for he was nearly, if not quite, as large a man as the captain. + +During the remainder of the afternoon I was left to my own reflections, +which were anything but agreeable; for I could not banish from my mind +the threat about the thumbscrews, of the nature and use of which I had a +vague but terrible conception. I was still meditating on my unhappy +fate when, just after nightfall, one of the watch on deck called down +the hatchway: + +"Hallo, there! One o' you tumble up and light the cabin lamp, and send +that boy aft to the captain--sharp!" + +"Now, then, do you hear, youngster? the captain wants you. Look alive!" +said Bloody Bill, raising his huge frame from the locker on which he had +been asleep for the last two hours. He sprang up the ladder, and I +instantly followed him, and going aft, was shown into the cabin by one +of the men, who closed the door after me. + +A small silver lamp which hung from a beam threw a dim, soft light over +the cabin, which was a small apartment, and comfortably but plainly +furnished. Seated on a camp-stool at the table, and busily engaged in +examining a chart of the Pacific, was the captain, who looked up as I +entered, and in a quiet voice bade me be seated, while he threw down his +pencil, and rising from the table, stretched himself on a sofa at the +upper end of the cabin. + +"Boy," said he, looking me full in the face, "what is your name?" + +"Ralph Rover," I replied. + +"Where did you come from, and how came you to be on that island? How +many companions had you on it? Answer me, now, and mind you tell no +lies." + +"I never tell lies," said I firmly. + +The captain received this reply with a cold, sarcastic smile, and bade +me answer his questions. + +I then told him the history of myself and my companions from the time we +sailed till the day of his visit to the island--taking care, however, to +make no mention of the Diamond Cave. After I had concluded, he was +silent for a few minutes; then looking up, he said, "Boy, I believe +you." + +I was surprised at this remark, for I could not imagine why he should +not believe me. However, I made no reply. + +"And what," continued the captain, "makes you think that this schooner +is a pirate?" + +"The black flag," said I, "showed me what you are; and if any further +proof were wanting, I have had it in the brutal treatment I have +received at your hands." + +The captain frowned as I spoke; but, subduing his anger, he continued, +"Boy, you are too bold. I admit that we treated you roughly, but that +was because you made us lose time and gave us a good deal of trouble. +As to the black flag, that is merely a joke that my fellows play off +upon people sometimes in order to frighten them. It is their humour, +and does no harm. I am no pirate, boy, but a lawful trader--a rough +one, I grant you; but one can't help that in these seas, where there are +so many pirates on the water and such murderous blackguards on the land. +I carry on a trade in sandal-wood with the Feejee Islands; and if you +choose, Ralph, to behave yourself and be a good boy, I'll take you along +with me and give you a good share of the profits. You see, I'm in want +of an honest boy like you to look after the cabin, and keep the log, and +superintend the traffic on shore sometimes. What say you, Ralph: would +you like to become a sandal-wood trader?" + +I was much surprised by this explanation, and a good deal relieved to +find that the vessel, after all, was not a pirate; but instead of +replying, I said, "If it be as you state, then why did you take me from +my island, and why do you not now take me back?" + +The captain smiled as he replied, "I took you off in anger, boy, and I'm +sorry for it. I would even now take you back, but we are too far away +from it. See, there it is," he added, laying his finger on the chart; +"and we are now here--fifty miles, at least. It would not be fair to my +men to put about now, for they have all an interest in the trade." + +I could make no reply to this; so, after a little more conversation, I +agreed to become one of the crew--at least, until we could reach some +civilised island where I might be put ashore. The captain assented to +this proposition; and after thanking him for the promise, I left the +cabin and went on deck with feelings that ought to have been lighter, +but which were, I could not tell why, marvellously heavy and +uncomfortable still. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY THREE. + +BLOODY BILL--DARK SURMISES--A STRANGE SAIL, AND A STRANGE CREW, AND A +STILL STRANGER CARGO--NEW REASONS FOR FAVOURING MISSIONARIES--A +MURDEROUS MASSACRE, AND THOUGHTS THEREON. + +Three weeks after the conversation narrated in the last chapter I was +standing on the quarter-deck of the schooner, watching the gambols of a +shoal of porpoises that swam round us. It was a dead calm--one of those +still, hot, sweltering days so common in the Pacific, when nature seems +to have gone to sleep, and the only thing in water or in air that proves +her still alive is her long, deep breathing in the swell of the mighty +sea. No cloud floated in the deep blue above, no ripple broke the +reflected blue below. The sun shone fiercely in the sky, and a ball of +fire blazed with almost equal power from out the bosom of the water. So +intensely still was it, and so perfectly transparent was the surface of +the deep, that had it not been for the long swell already alluded to, we +might have believed the surrounding universe to be a huge, blue, liquid +ball, and our little ship the one solitary material speck in all +creation floating in the midst of it. + +No sound broke on our ears save the soft puff now and then of a +porpoise, the slow creak of the masts as we swayed gently on the swell, +the patter of the reef-points, and the occasional flap of the hanging +sails. An awning covered the fore and after parts of the schooner, +under which the men composing the watch on deck lolled in sleepy +indolence, overcome with excessive heat. Bloody Bill, as the men +invariably called him, was standing at the tiller; but his post for the +present was a sinecure, and he whiled away the time by alternately +gazing in dreamy abstraction at the compass in the binnacle and by +walking to the taffrail in order to spit into the sea. In one of these +turns he came near to where I was standing, and leaning over the side, +looked long and earnestly down into the blue wave. + +This man, although he was always taciturn and often surly, was the only +human being on board with whom I had the slightest desire to become +better acquainted. The other men, seeing that I did not relish their +company, and knowing that I was a protege of the captain, treated me +with total indifference. Bloody Bill, it is true, did the same; but as +this was his conduct to every one else, it was not peculiar in reference +to me. Once or twice I tried to draw him into conversation, but he +always turned away after a few cold monosyllables. As he now leaned +over the taffrail, close beside me, I said to him: + +"Bill, why is it that you are so gloomy? Why do you never speak to any +one?" + +Bill smiled slightly as he replied, "Why, I s'pose it's because I hain't +got nothin' to say!" + +"That's strange," said I musingly. "You look like a man that could +think, and such men can usually speak." + +"So they can, youngster," rejoined Bill somewhat sternly; "and I could +speak too if I had a mind to, but what's the use o' speakin' here? The +men only open their mouths to curse and swear, and they seem to find it +entertainin'; but I don't, so I hold my tongue." + +"Well, Bill, that's true, and I would rather not hear you speak at all +than hear you speak like the other men. But I don't swear, Bill; so you +might talk to me sometimes, I think. Besides, I'm weary of spending day +after day in this way, without a single soul to say a pleasant word to. +I've been used to friendly conversation, Bill, and I really would take +it kind if you would talk with me a little now and then." + +Bill looked at me in surprise, and I thought I observed a sad expression +pass across his sunburned face. + +"An' where have you been used to friendly conversation?" said Bill, +looking down again into the sea. "Not on that Coral Island, I take it?" + +"Yes, indeed," said I energetically. "I have spent many of the happiest +months in my life on that Coral Island;" and without waiting to be +further questioned, I launched out into a glowing account of the happy +life that Jack and Peterkin and I had spent together, and related +minutely every circumstance that befell us while on the island. + +"Boy, boy," said Bill in a voice so deep that it startled me, "this is +no place for you!" + +"That's true," said I. "I am of little use on board, and I don't like +my comrades; but I can't help it, and at any rate I hope to be free +again soon." + +"Free?" said Bill, looking at me in surprise. + +"Yes, free," returned I. "The captain said he would put me ashore after +this trip was over." + +"_This trip_! Hark'ee, boy," said Bill, lowering his voice, "what said +the captain to you the day you came aboard?" + +"He said that he was a trader in sandal-wood, and no pirate, and told me +that if I would join him for this trip he would give me a good share of +the profits, or put me on shore in some civilised island if I chose." + +Bill's brows lowered savagely as he muttered, "Ay, he said truth when he +told you he was a sandal-wood trader, but he lied when--" + +"Sail ho!" shouted the lookout at the masthead. + +"Where away?" cried Bill, springing to the tiller; while the men, +startled by the sudden cry, jumped up and gazed round the horizon. + +"On the starboard quarter, hull down, sir," answered the lookout. + +At this moment the captain came on deck, and mounting into the rigging, +surveyed the sail through the glass. Then sweeping his eye round the +horizon, he gazed steadily at the particular point. + +"Take in topsails!" shouted the captain, swinging himself down on the +deck by the main-back stay. + +"Take in topsails!" roared the first mate. + +"Ay, ay, sir-r-r!" answered the men as they sprang into the rigging and +went aloft like cats. + +Instantly all was bustle on board the hitherto quiet schooner. The +topsails were taken in and stowed, the men stood by the sheets and +halyards, and the captain gazed anxiously at the breeze, which was now +rushing towards us like a sheet of dark blue. In a few seconds it +struck us. The schooner trembled, as if in surprise at the sudden +onset, while she fell away; then, bending gracefully to the wind, as +though in acknowledgment of her subjection, she cut through the waves +with her sharp prow like a dolphin, while Bill directed her course +towards the strange sail. + +In half-an-hour we neared her sufficiently to make out that she was a +schooner, and from the clumsy appearance of her masts and sails we +judged her to be a trader. She evidently did not like our appearance, +for the instant the breeze reached her she crowded all sail and showed +us her stern. As the breeze had moderated a little, our topsails were +again shaken out; and it soon became evident--despite the proverb, "A +stern chase is a long one"--that we doubled her speed, and would +overhaul her speedily. When within a mile we hoisted British colours, +but receiving no acknowledgment, the captain ordered a shot to be fired +across her bows. In a moment, to my surprise, a large portion of the +bottom of the boat amidships was removed, and in the hole thus exposed +appeared an immense brass gun. It worked on a swivel, and was elevated +by means of machinery. It was quickly loaded and fired. The heavy ball +struck the water a few yards ahead of the chase, and ricochetting into +the air, plunged into the sea a mile beyond it. + +This produced the desired effect. The strange vessel backed her +topsails and hove-to, while we ranged up and lay-to about a hundred +yards off. + +"Lower the boat!" cried the captain. + +In a second the boat was lowered and manned by a part of the crew, who +were all armed with cutlasses and pistols. As the captain passed me to +get into it he said, "Jump into the stern-sheets, Ralph; I may want +you." I obeyed, and in ten minutes more we were standing on the +stranger's deck. We were all much surprised at the sight that met our +eyes. Instead of a crew of such sailors as we were accustomed to see, +there were only fifteen blacks, standing on the quarter-deck, and +regarding us with looks of undisguised alarm. They were totally +unarmed, and most of them unclothed. One or two, however, wore portions +of European attire. One had on a pair of duck trousers, which were much +too large for him, and stuck out in a most ungainly manner; another wore +nothing but the common, scanty, native garment round the loins and a +black beaver hat; but the most ludicrous personage of all, and one who +seemed to be chief, was a tall, middle-aged man, of a mild, simple +expression of countenance, who wore a white cotton shirt, a +swallow-tailed coat, and a straw hat, while his black, brawny legs were +totally uncovered below the knees. + +"Where's the commander of this ship?" inquired our captain, stepping up +to this individual. + +"I is cap'in," he answered, taking off his straw hat and making a low +bow. + +"You!" said our captain in surprise. "Where do you come from, and where +are you bound? What cargo have you aboard?" + +"We is come," answered the man with the swallow-tail, "from Aitutaki; we +was go for Rarotonga. We is native miss'nary ship; our name is de +_Olive Branch_; an' our cargo is two tons cocoa-nuts, seventy pigs, +twenty cats, and de Gosp'l." + +This announcement was received by the crew of our vessel with a shout of +laughter, which, however, was peremptorily checked by the captain, whose +expression instantly changed from one of severity to that of frank +urbanity as he advanced towards the missionary and shook him warmly by +the hand. + +"I am very glad to have fallen in with you," said he, "and I wish you +much success in your missionary labours. Pray take me to your cabin, as +I wish to converse with you privately." + +The missionary immediately took him by the hand, and as he led him away +I heard him saying, "me most glad to find you trader; we t'ought you be +pirate. You very like one 'bout the masts." + +What conversation the captain had with this man I never heard; but he +came on deck again in a quarter of an hour, and shaking hands cordially +with the missionary, ordered us into our boat and returned to the +schooner, which was immediately put before the wind. In a few minutes +the _Olive Branch_ was left far behind us. + +That afternoon, as I was down below at dinner, I heard the men talking +about this curious ship. + +"I wonder," said one, "why our captain looked so sweet on yon +swallow-tailed supercargo o' pigs and Gospels? If it had been an +ordinary trader, now, he would have taken as many o' the pigs as he +required and sent the ship with all on board to the bottom." + +"Why, Dick, you must be new to these seas if you don't know that!" cried +another. "The captain cares as much for the Gospel as you do (an' +that's precious little); but he knows, and everybody knows, that the +only place among the southern islands where a ship can put in and get +what she wants in comfort is where the Gospel has been sent to. There +are hundreds o' islands, at this blessed moment, where you might as well +jump straight into a shark's maw as land without a band o' thirty +comrades armed to the teeth to back you." + +"Ay," said a man with a deep scar over his right eye. "Dick's new to +the work. But if the captain takes us for a cargo o' sandal-wood to the +Feejees, he'll get a taste o' these black gentry in their native +condition. For my part, I don't know, and I don't care, what the Gospel +does to them; but I know that when any o' the islands chance to get it, +trade goes all smooth and easy. But where they ha'n't got it, Beelzebub +himself could hardly desire better company." + +"Well, you ought to be a good judge," cried another, laughing, "for +you've never kept any company but the worst all your life!" + +"Ralph Rover!" shouted a voice down the hatchway; "captain wants you, +aft." + +Springing up the ladder, I hastened to the cabin, pondering as I went +the strange testimony borne by these men to the effect of the Gospel on +savage natures--testimony which, as it was perfectly disinterested, I +had no doubt whatever was strictly true. + +On coming again on deck I found Bloody Bill at the helm, and as we were +alone together, I tried to draw him into conversation. After repeating +to him the conversation in the forecastle about the missionaries, I +said: + +"Tell me, Bill: is this schooner really a trader in sandal-wood?" + +"Yes, Ralph, she is; but she's just as really a pirate. The black flag +you saw flying at the peak was no deception." + +"Then how can you say she's a trader?" asked I. + +"Why, as to that, she trades when she can't take by force; but she takes +by force when she can, in preference. Ralph," he added, lowering his +voice, "if you had seen the bloody deeds that I have witnessed done on +these decks, you would not need to ask if we were pirates. But you'll +find it out soon enough. As for the missionaries, the captain favours +them because they are useful to him. The South Sea Islanders are such +incarnate fiends that they are the better of being tamed, and the +missionaries are the only men who can do it." + +Our track after this lay through several clusters of small islets, among +which we were becalmed more than once. During this part of our voyage +the watch on deck and the lookout at the masthead were more than usually +vigilant, as we were not only in danger of being attacked by the natives +(who, I learned from the captain's remarks, were a bloody and deceitful +tribe at this group), but we were also exposed to much risk from the +multitudes of coral reefs that rose up in the channels between the +islands--some of them just above the surface, others a few feet below +it. Our precautions against the savages, I found, were indeed +necessary. + +One day we were becalmed among a group of small islands, most of which +appeared to be uninhabited. As we were in want of fresh water, the +captain sent the boat ashore to bring off a cask or two. But we were +mistaken in thinking there were no natives; for scarcely had we drawn +near to the shore when a band of naked blacks rushed out of the bush and +assembled on the beach, brandishing their clubs and spears in a +threatening manner. Our men were well armed, but refrained from showing +any signs of hostility, and rowed nearer in order to converse with the +natives; and I now found that more than one of the crew could +imperfectly speak dialects of the language peculiar to the South Sea +Islanders. When within forty yards of the shore we ceased rowing, and +the first mate stood up to address the multitude; but instead of +answering us, they replied with a shower of stones, some of which cut +the men severely. Instantly our muskets were levelled, and a volley was +about to be fired when the captain hailed us in a loud voice from the +schooner, which lay not more than five or six hundred yards off the +shore. + +"Don't fire!" he shouted angrily. "Pull off to the point ahead of you!" + +The men looked surprised at this order, and uttered deep curses as they +prepared to obey; for their wrath was roused, and they burned for +revenge. Three or four of them hesitated, and seemed disposed to +mutiny. + +"Don't distress yourselves, lads," said the mate, while a bitter smile +curled his lip. "Obey orders. The captain's not the man to take an +insult tamely. If Long Tom does not speak presently, I'll give myself +to the sharks." + +The men smiled significantly as they pulled from the shore, which was +now crowded with a dense mass of savages, amounting probably to five or +six hundred. We had not rowed off above a couple of hundred yards when +a loud roar thundered over the sea, and the big brass gun sent a +withering shower of grape point-blank into the midst of the living mass, +through which a wide lane was cut; while a yell, the like of which I +could not have imagined, burst from the miserable survivors as they fled +to the woods. Amongst the heaps of dead that lay on the sand just where +they had fallen, I could distinguish mutilated forms writhing in agony; +while ever and anon one and another rose convulsively from out the mass, +endeavoured to stagger towards the wood, and ere they had taken a few +steps, fell and wallowed on the bloody sand. My blood curdled within me +as I witnessed this frightful and wanton slaughter; but I had little +time to think, for the captain's deep voice came again over the water +towards us: "Pull ashore, lads, and fill your water-casks!" The men +obeyed in silence, and it seemed to me as if even their hard hearts were +shocked by the ruthless deed. On gaining the mouth of the rivulet at +which we intended to take in water, we found it flowing with blood; for +the greater part of those who were slain had been standing on the banks +of the stream, a short way above its mouth. Many of the wretched +creatures had fallen into it; and we found one body, which had been +carried down, jammed between two rocks, with the staring eyeballs turned +towards us, and his black hair waving in the ripples of the blood-red +stream. No one dared to oppose our landing now, so we carried our casks +to a pool above the murdered group, and having filled them, returned on +board. Fortunately a breeze sprang up soon afterwards, and carried us +away from the dreadful spot; but it could not waft me away from the +memory of what I had seen. + +"And this," thought I, gazing in horror at the captain, who, with a +quiet look of indifference, leaned upon the taffrail, smoking a cigar +and contemplating the fertile green islets as they passed like a lovely +picture before our eyes--"this is the man who favours the missionaries +because they are useful to him and can tame the savages better than any +one else can do it!" Then I wondered in my mind whether it were +possible for any missionary to tame _him_! + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR. + +BLOODY BILL IS COMMUNICATIVE AND SAGACIOUS--UNPLEASANT PROSPECTS-- +RETROSPECTIVE MEDITATIONS INTERRUPTED BY VOLCANIC AGENCY--THE PIRATES +NEGOTIATE WITH A FEEJEE CHIEF--VARIOUS ETCETERAS THAT ARE CALCULATED TO +SURPRISE AND HORRIFY. + +It was many days after the events just narrated ere I recovered a little +of my wonted spirits. I could not shake off the feeling for a long time +that I was in a frightful dream, and the sight of our captain filled me +with so much horror that I kept out of his way as much as my duties +about the cabin would permit. Fortunately he took so little notice of +me that he did not observe my changed feelings towards him, otherwise it +might have been worse for me. + +But I was now resolved that I would run away the very first island we +should land at, and commit myself to the hospitality of the natives +rather than remain an hour longer than I could help in the pirate +schooner. I pondered this subject a good deal, and at last made up my +mind to communicate my intention to Bloody Bill; for during several +talks I had had with him of late, I felt assured that he too would +willingly escape if possible. When I told him of my design he shook his +head. "No, no, Ralph," said he; "you must not think of running away +here. Among some of the groups of islands you might do so with safety; +but if you tried it here, you would find that you had jumped out of the +fryin'-pan into the fire." + +"How so, Bill?" said I. "Would the natives not receive me?" + +"That they would, lad; but they would eat you too." + +"Eat me!" said I in surprise. "I thought the South Sea Islanders never +ate anybody except their enemies." + +"Humph!" ejaculated Bill. "I 'spose 'twas yer tender-hearted friends in +England that put that notion into your head. There's a set o' +soft-hearted folk at home that I knows on who don't like to have their +feelin's ruffled; and when you tell them anything they don't like--that +shocks them, as they call it--no matter how true it be, they stop their +ears and cry out, `Oh, that is _too_ horrible! We can't believe that!' +An' they say truth. They can't believe it, 'cause they won't believe +it. Now, I believe there's thousands o' the people in England who are +sich born drivellin' _won't believers_ that they think the black fellows +hereaways, at the worst, eat an enemy only now an' then out o' spite; +whereas I know for certain, and many captains of the British and +American navies know as well as me, that the Feejee Islanders eat not +only their enemies but one another--and they do it not for spite, but +for pleasure. It's a _fact_ that they prefer human flesh to any other. +But they don't like white men's flesh so well as black; they say it +makes them sick." + +"Why, Bill," said I, "you told me just now that they would eat _me_ if +they caught me!" + +"So I did, and so I think they would. I've only heard some o' them say +they don't like white men _so well_ as black; but if they was hungry +they wouldn't be particular. Anyhow, I'm sure they would kill you. You +see, Ralph, I've been a good while in them parts, and I've visited the +different groups of islands oftentimes as a trader. And thorough-goin' +blackguards some o' them traders are--no better than pirates, I can tell +you. One captain that I sailed with was not a chip better than the one +we're with now. He was trading with a friendly chief one day aboard his +vessel. The chief had swam off to us with the things for trade tied +atop of his head, for them chaps are like otters in the water. Well, +the chief was hard on the captain, and would not part with some o' his +things. When their bargainin' was over they shook hands, and the chief +jumped overboard to swim ashore; but before he got forty yards from the +ship, the captain seized a musket and shot him dead. He then hove up +anchor and put to sea, and as we sailed along the shore he dropped six +black fellows with his rifle, remarkin' that `that would spoil the trade +for the next-comers.' But, as I was sayin', I'm up to the ways o' these +fellows. One o' the laws o' the country is that every shipwrecked +person who happens to be cast ashore, be he dead or alive, is doomed to +be roasted and eaten. There was a small tradin' schooner wrecked off +one of these islands when we were lyin' there in harbour during a storm. +The crew was lost--all but three men, who swam ashore. The moment they +landed, they were seized by the natives and carried up into the woods. +We knew pretty well what their fate would be; but we could not help +them, for our crew was small, and if we had gone ashore they would +likely have killed us all. We never saw the three men again. But we +heard frightful yelling and dancing and merrymaking that night; and one +of the natives, who came aboard to trade with us next day, told us that +the _long pigs_, as he called the men, had been roasted and eaten, and +their bones were to be converted into sail-needles. He also said that +white men were bad to eat, and that most o' the people on shore were +sick." + +I was very much shocked and cast down in my mind at this terrible +account of the natives, and asked Bill what he would advise me to do. +Looking round the deck to make sure that we were not overheard, he +lowered his voice and said, "There are two or three ways that we might +escape, Ralph, but none o' them's easy. If the captain would only sail +for some o' the islands near Tahiti we might run away there well enough, +because the natives are all Christians; an' we find that wherever the +savages take up with Christianity they always give over their bloody +ways, and are safe to be trusted. I never cared for Christianity +myself," he continued in a soliloquising voice, "and I don't well know +what it means; but a man with half-an-eye can see what it does for these +black critters. However, the captain always keeps a sharp lookout after +us when we get to these islands, for he half-suspects that one or two o' +us are tired of his company. Then we might manage to cut the boat +adrift some fine night when it's our watch on deck, and clear off before +they discovered that we were gone. But we would run the risk o' bein' +caught by the blacks. I wouldn't like to try that plan. But you and I +will think over it, Ralph, and see what's to be done. In the meantime +it's our watch below, so I'll go and turn in." + +Bill then bade me good-night and went below, while a comrade took his +place at the helm; but feeling no desire to enter into conversation with +him, I walked aft, and leaning over the stern, looked down into the +phosphorescent waves that gurgled around the rudder, and streamed out +like a flame of blue light in the vessel's wake. My thoughts were very +sad, and I could scarce refrain from tears as I contrasted my present +wretched position with the happy, peaceful time I had spent on the Coral +Island with my dear companions. As I thought upon Jack and Peterkin, +anxious forebodings crossed my mind, and I pictured to myself the grief +and dismay with which they would search every nook and corner of the +island in a vain attempt to discover my dead body; for I felt assured +that if they did not see any sign of the pirate schooner or boat when +they came out of the cave to look for me, they would never imagine that +I had been carried away. I wondered, too, how Jack would succeed in +getting Peterkin out of the cave without my assistance; and I trembled +when I thought that he might lose presence of mind, and begin to kick +when he was in the tunnel! These thoughts were suddenly interrupted and +put to flight by a bright-red blaze, which lighted up the horizon to the +southward and cast a crimson glow far over the sea. This appearance was +accompanied by a low growling sound, as of distant thunder, and at the +same time the sky above us became black, while a hot, stifling wind blew +around us in fitful gusts. + +The crew assembled hastily on deck, and most of them were under the +belief that a frightful hurricane was pending; but the captain, coming +on deck, soon explained the phenomena. + +"It's only a volcano," said he. "I knew there was one hereabouts, but +thought it was extinct.--Up, there, and furl topgallant sails! We'll +likely have a breeze, and it's well to be ready." + +As he spoke, a shower began to fall, which, we quickly observed, was not +rain, but fine ashes. As we were many miles distant from the volcano, +these must have been carried to us from it by the wind. As the captain +had predicted, a stiff breeze soon afterwards sprang up, under the +influence of which we speedily left the volcano far behind us; but +during the greater part of the night we could see its lurid glare and +hear its distant thunder. The shower did not cease to fall for several +hours, and we must have sailed under it for nearly forty miles--perhaps +farther. When we emerged from the cloud, our decks and every part of +the rigging were completely covered with a thick coat of ashes. I was +much interested in this, and recollected that Jack had often spoken of +many of the islands of the Pacific as being volcanoes, either active or +extinct, and had said that the whole region was more or less volcanic, +and that some scientific men were of opinion that the islands of the +Pacific were nothing more or less than the mountain-tops of a huge +continent which had sunk under the influence of volcanic agency. + +Three days after passing the volcano, we found ourselves a few miles to +windward of an island of considerable size and luxuriant aspect. It +consisted of two mountains, which seemed to be nearly four thousand feet +high. They were separated from each other by a broad valley, whose +thick-growing trees ascended a considerable distance up the +mountain-sides; and rich, level plains or meadow-land spread round the +base of the mountains, except at the point immediately opposite the +large valley, where a river seemed to carry the trees, as it were, along +with it down to the white, sandy shore. The mountain-tops, unlike those +of our Coral Island, were sharp, needle-shaped, and bare, while their +sides were more rugged and grand in outline than anything I had yet seen +in those seas. Bloody Bill was beside me when the island first hove in +sight. + +"Ah!" he exclaimed, "I know that island well. They call it Emo." + +"Have you been there before, then?" I inquired. + +"Ay, that I have, often, and so has this schooner. 'Tis a famous island +for sandal-wood. We have taken many cargoes of it already--and have +paid for them, too, for the savages are so numerous that we dared not +try to take it by force. But our captain has tried to cheat them so +often that they're beginnin' not to like us overmuch now. Besides, the +men behaved ill the last time we were here, and I wonder the captain is +not afraid to venture. But he's afraid o' nothin' earthly, I believe." + +We soon ran inside the barrier coral reef, and let go our anchor in six +fathoms water, just opposite the mouth of a small creek, whose shores +were densely covered with mangroves and tall umbrageous trees. The +principal village of the natives lay about half-a-mile from this point. +Ordering the boat out, the captain jumped into it, and ordered me to +follow him. The men, fifteen in number, were well armed; and the mate +was directed to have Long Tom ready for emergencies. + +"Give way, lads!" cried the captain. + +The oars fell into the water at the word, the boat shot from the +schooner's side, and in a few minutes reached the shore. Here, contrary +to our expectation, we were met with the utmost cordiality by Romata, +the principal chief of the island, who conducted us to his house and +gave us mats to sit upon. I observed in passing that the natives, of +whom there were two or three thousand, were totally unarmed. + +After a short preliminary palaver, a feast of baked pigs and various +roots was spread before us, of which we partook sparingly, and then +proceeded to business. The captain stated his object in visiting the +island, regretted that there had been a slight misunderstanding during +the last visit, and hoped that no ill-will was borne by either party, +and that a satisfactory trade would be accomplished. + +Romata answered that he had forgotten there had been any differences +between them, protested that he was delighted to see his friends again, +and assured them they should have every assistance in cutting and +embarking the wood. The terms were afterwards agreed on, and we rose to +depart. All this conversation was afterwards explained to me by Bill, +who understood the language pretty well. + +Romata accompanied us on board, and explained that a great chief from +another island was then on a visit to him, and that he was to be +ceremoniously entertained on the following day. After begging to be +allowed to introduce him to us, and receiving permission, he sent his +canoe ashore to bring him off. At the same time he gave orders to bring +on board his two favourites, a cock and a paroquet. While the canoe was +gone on this errand, I had time to regard the savage chief attentively. +He was a man of immense size, with massive but beautifully moulded limbs +and figure, only parts of which--the broad chest and muscular arms--were +uncovered; for although the lower orders generally wore no other +clothing than a strip of cloth called _maro_ round their loins, the +chief, on particular occasions, wrapped his person in voluminous folds +of a species of native cloth made from the bark of the Chinese +paper-mulberry. Romata wore a magnificent black beard and moustache, +and his hair was frizzed out to such an extent that it resembled a large +turban, in which was stuck a long wooden pin! I afterwards found that +this pin served for scratching the head, for which purpose the fingers +were too short without disarranging the hair. But Romata put himself to +much greater inconvenience on account of his hair; for we found that he +slept with his head resting on a wooden pillow, in which was cut a +hollow for the neck, so that the hair of the sleeper might not be +disarranged. + +In ten minutes the canoe returned, bringing the other chief, who +certainly presented a most extraordinary appearance, having painted one +half of his face red and the other half yellow, besides ornamenting it +with various designs in black! Otherwise he was much the same in +appearance as Romata, though not so powerfully built. As this chief had +never seen a ship before--except, perchance, some of the petty traders +that at long intervals visit these remote islands--he was much taken up +with the neatness and beauty of all the fittings of the schooner. He +was particularly struck with a musket which was shown to him, and asked +where the white men got hatchets hard enough to cut the tree of which +the barrel was made! While he was thus engaged, his brother-chief stood +aloof, talking with the captain, and fondling a superb cock and a little +blue-headed paroquet--the favourites of which I have before spoken. I +observed that all the other natives walked in a crouching posture while +in the presence of Romata. Before our guests left us, the captain +ordered the brass gun to be uncovered and fired for their gratification; +and I have every reason to believe he did so for the purpose of showing +our superior power, in case the natives should harbour any evil designs +against us. Romata had never seen this gun before, as it had not been +uncovered on previous visits, and the astonishment with which he viewed +it was very amusing. Being desirous of knowing its power, he begged +that the captain would fire it; so a shot was put into it. The chiefs +were then directed to look at a rock about two miles out at sea, and the +gun was fired. In a second the top of the rock was seen to burst +asunder, and to fall in fragments into the sea. + +Romata was so delighted with the success of this shot that he pointed to +a man who was walking on the shore, and begged the captain to fire at +him, evidently supposing that his permission was quite sufficient to +justify the captain in such an act. He was therefore surprised, and not +a little annoyed, when the captain refused to fire at the native and +ordered the gun to be housed. + +Of all the things, however, that afforded matter of amusement to these +savages, that which pleased Romata's visitor most was the ship's pump. +He never tired of examining it and pumping up the water. Indeed, so +much was he taken up with this pump that he could not be prevailed on to +return on shore, but sent a canoe to fetch his favourite stool, on which +he seated himself, and spent the remainder of the day in pumping the +bilge-water out of the ship! + +Next day the crew went ashore to cut sandal-wood, while the captain, +with one or two men, remained on board, in order to be ready, if need +be, with the brass gun, which was unhoused and conspicuously elevated, +with its capacious muzzle directed point-blank at the chief's house. +The men were fully armed, as usual; and the captain ordered me to go +with them, to assist in the work. I was much pleased with this order, +for it freed me from the captain's company, which I could not now +endure, and it gave me an opportunity of seeing the natives. + +As we wound along in single file through the rich, fragrant groves of +banana, cocoa-nut, bread-fruit, and other trees, I observed that there +were many of the plum and banyan trees, with which I had become familiar +on the Coral Island. I noticed, also, large quantities of taro--roots, +yams, and sweet potatoes growing in enclosures. On turning into an open +glade of the woods, we came abruptly upon a cluster of native houses. +They were built chiefly of bamboos, and were thatched with the large, +thick leaves of the pandanus; but many of them had little more than a +sloping roof and three sides with an open front, being the most simple +shelter from the weather that could well be imagined. Within these and +around them were groups of natives--men, women, and children--who all +stood up to gaze at us as we marched along, followed by the party of men +whom the chief had sent to escort us. About half-a-mile inland we +arrived at the spot where the sandal-wood grew, and while the men set to +work I clambered up an adjoining hill to observe the country. + +About midday the chief arrived with several followers, one of whom +carried a baked pig on a wooden platter, with yams and potatoes on +several plantain leaves, which he presented to the men, who sat down +under the shade of a tree to dine. The chief sat down to dine also; +but, to my surprise, instead of feeding himself, one of his wives +performed that office for him! I was seated beside Bill, and asked him +the reason of this. + +"It is beneath his dignity, I believe, to feed himself," answered Bill; +"but I dare say he's not particular, except on great occasions. They've +a strange custom among them, Ralph, which is called _tabu_, and they +carry it to great lengths. If a man chooses a particular tree for his +god, the fruit o' that tree is tabued to him; and if he eats it, he is +sure to be killed by his people--and eaten, of course, for killing means +eating hereaway. Then, you see that great mop o' hair on the chief's +head? Well, he has a lot o' barbers to keep it in order; and it's a law +that whoever touches the head of a living chief or the body of a dead +one, his hands are tabued. So in that way the barbers' hands are always +tabued, and they daren't use them for their lives, but have to be fed +like big babies--as they are, sure enough!" + +"That's odd, Bill. But look there," said I, pointing to a man whose +skin was of a much lighter colour than the generality of the natives. +"I've seen a few of these light-skinned fellows among the Feejeeans. +They seem to me to be of quite a different race." + +"So they are," answered Bill. "These fellows come from the Tongan +Islands, which lie a long way to the eastward. They come here to build +their big war-canoes; and as these take two, and sometimes four, years +to build, there's always some o' the brown-skins among the black +sarpents o' these islands." + +"By the way, Bill," said I, "your mentioning serpents reminds me that I +have not seen a reptile of any kind since I came to this part of the +world." + +"No more there are any," said Bill, "if ye except the niggers +themselves. There's none on the islands but a lizard or two, and some +sich harmless things; but I never seed any myself. If there's none on +the land, however, there's more than enough in the water; and that +reminds me of a wonderful brute they have here. But come, I'll show it +to you." So saying, Bill arose, and leaving the men still busy with the +baked pig, led me into the forest. After proceeding a short distance we +came upon a small pond of stagnant water. A native lad had followed us, +to whom we called and beckoned him to come to us. On Bill saying a few +words to him, which I did not understand, the boy advanced to the edge +of the pond and gave a low, peculiar whistle. Immediately the water +became agitated, and an enormous eel thrust its head above the surface +and allowed the youth to touch it. It was about twelve feet long, and +as thick round the body as a man's thigh. + +"There!" said Bill, his lip curling with contempt; "what do you think of +that for a god, Ralph? This is one o' their gods, and it has been fed +with dozens o' livin' babies already. How many more it'll get afore it +dies is hard to say." + +"Babies!" said I with an incredulous look. + +"Ay, babies," returned Bill. "Your soft-hearted folk at home would say, +`Oh, horrible! Impossible!' to that, and then go away as comfortable +and unconcerned as if their sayin' `Horrible! impossible!' had made it a +lie. But I tell you, Ralph, it's a _fact_. I've seed it with my own +eyes the last time I was here; an' mayhap, if you stop awhile at this +accursed place and keep a sharp lookout, you'll see it too. They don't +feed it regularly with livin' babies, but they give it one now and then +as a treat.--Bah, you brute!" cried Bill in disgust, giving the reptile +a kick on the snout with his heavy boot that sent it sweltering back in +agony into its loathsome pool. I thought it lucky for Bill--indeed for +all of us--that the native youth's back happened to be turned at the +time, for I am certain that if the poor savages had come to know that we +had so rudely handled their god we should have had to fight our way back +to the ship. As we retraced our steps I questioned my companion further +on this subject. + +"How comes it, Bill, that the mothers allow such a dreadful thing to be +done?" + +"Allow it? the mothers _do_ it! It seems to me that there's nothing too +fiendish or diabolical for these people to do. Why, in some of the +islands they have an institution called the _Areoi_, and the persons +connected with that body are ready for any wickedness that mortal man +can devise. In fact, they stick at nothing; and one o' their customs is +to murder their infants the moment they are born. The mothers agree to +it, and the fathers do it. And the mildest ways they have of murdering +them is by sticking them through the body with sharp splinters of +bamboo, strangling them with their thumbs, or burying them alive and +stamping them to death while under the sod." + +I felt sick at heart while my companion recited these horrors. + +"But it's a curious fact," he continued after a pause, during which we +walked in silence towards the spot where we had left our comrades--"it's +a curious fact that wherever the missionaries get a footin' all these +things come to an end at once, an' the savages take to doin' each other +good and singin' psalms, just like Methodists." + +"God bless the missionaries," said I, while a feeling of enthusiasm +filled my heart so that I could speak with difficulty. "God bless and +prosper the missionaries till they get a footing in every island of the +sea!" + +"I would say Amen to that prayer, Ralph, if I could," said Bill, in a +deep, sad voice; "but it would be a mere mockery for a man to ask a +blessing for others who dare not ask one for himself. But, Ralph," he +continued, "I've not told you half o' the abominations I have seen +durin' my life in these seas. If we pull long together, lad, I'll tell +you more; and if times have not changed very much since I was here last, +it's like that you'll have a chance o' seeing a little for yourself +before long." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE. + +THE SANDAL-WOOD PARTY--NATIVE CHILDREN'S GAMES SOMEWHAT SURPRISING-- +DESPERATE AMUSEMENTS SUDDENLY AND FATALLY BROUGHT TO A CLOSE--AN OLD +FRIEND RECOGNISED--NEWS--ROMATA'S MAD CONDUCT. + +Next day the wood-cutting party went ashore again, and I accompanied +them as before. During the dinner-hour I wandered into the woods alone, +being disinclined for food that day. I had not rambled far when I found +myself unexpectedly on the seashore, having crossed a narrow neck of +land which separated the native village from a large bay. Here I found +a party of the islanders busy with one of their war-canoes, which was +almost ready for launching. I stood for a long time watching this party +with great interest, and observed that they fastened the timbers and +planks to each other very much in the same way in which I had seen Jack +fasten those of our little boat. But what surprised me most was its +immense length, which I measured carefully, and found to be a hundred +feet long; and it was so capacious that it could have held three hundred +men. It had the unwieldy outrigger and enormously high stern-posts +which I had remarked on the canoe that came to us while I was on the +Coral Island. Observing some boys playing at games a short way along +the beach, I resolved to go and watch them; but as I turned from the +natives who were engaged so busily and cheerfully at their work, I +little thought of the terrible event that hung on the completion of that +war-canoe. + +Advancing towards the children, who were so numerous that I began to +think this must be the general playground of the village, I sat down on +a grassy bank under the shade of a plantain-tree to watch them. And a +happier or more noisy crew I have never seen. There were at least two +hundred of them, both boys and girls, all of whom were clad in no other +garments than their own glossy little black skins, except the maro, or +strip of cloth, round the loins of the boys, and a very short petticoat +or kilt on the girls. They did not all play at the same game, but +amused themselves in different groups. + +One band was busily engaged in a game exactly similar to our blind man's +buff. Another set were walking on stilts, which raised the children +three feet from the ground. They were very expert at this amusement, +and seldom tumbled. In another place I observed a group of girls +standing together, and apparently enjoying themselves very much; so I +went up to see what they were doing, and found that they were opening +their eyelids with their fingers till their eyes appeared of an enormous +size, and then thrusting pieces of straw between the upper and lower +lids, across the eyeball, to keep them in that position! This seemed to +me, I must confess, a very foolish as well as dangerous amusement. +Nevertheless, the children seemed to be greatly delighted with the +hideous faces they made. I pondered this subject a good deal, and +thought that if little children knew how silly they seemed to grown-up +people when, they make faces, they would not be so fond of doing it. In +another place were a number of boys engaged in flying kites; and I could +not help wondering that some of the games of those little savages should +be so like to our own, although they had never seen us at play. But the +kites were different from ours in many respects, being of every variety +of shape. They were made of very thin cloth, and the boys raised them +to a wonderful height in the air by means of twine made from the +cocoa-nut husk. Other games there were, some of which showed the +natural depravity of the hearts of these poor savages, and made me wish +fervently that missionaries might be sent out to them. But the +amusement which the greatest number of the children of both sexes seemed +to take chief delight in was swimming and diving in the sea, and the +expertness which they exhibited was truly amazing. They seemed to have +two principal games in the water, one of which was to dive off a sort of +stage which had been erected near a deep part of the sea, and chase each +other in the water. Some of them went down to an extraordinary depth; +others skimmed along the surface, or rolled over and over like +porpoises, or diving under each other, came up unexpectedly and pulled +each other down by a leg or an arm. They never seemed to tire of this +sport, and from the great heat of the water in the South Seas, they +could remain in it nearly all day without feeling chilled. Many of +these children were almost infants, scarce able to walk; yet they +staggered down the beach, flung their round, fat little black bodies +fearlessly into deep water, and struck out to sea with as much +confidence as ducklings. + +The other game to which I have referred was swimming in the surf. But +as this is an amusement in which all engage, from children of ten to +grey-headed men of sixty, and as I had an opportunity of witnessing it +in perfection the day following, I shall describe it more minutely. + +I suppose it was in honour of their guest that this grand swimming-match +was got up, for Romata came and told the captain that they were going to +engage in it, and begged him to "come and see." + +"What sort of amusement is this surf-swimming?" I inquired of Bill as +we walked together to a part of the shore on which several thousands of +the natives were assembled. + +"It's a very favourite lark with these 'xtr'or'nary critters," replied +Bill, giving a turn to the quid of tobacco that invariably bulged out of +his left cheek. "Ye see, Ralph, them fellows take to the water as soon +a'most as they can walk, an' long before they can do that anything +respectably, so that they are as much at home in the sea as on the land. +Well, ye see, I 'spose they found swimmin' for miles out to sea, and +divin' fathoms deep, wasn't excitin' enough, so they invented this game +o' swimmin' on the surf. Each man and boy, as you see, has got a short +board or plank, with which he swims out for a mile or more to sea, and +then, gettin' on the top o' yon thunderin' breaker, they come to shore +on the top of it, yellin' and screechin' like fiends. It's a marvel to +me that they're not dashed to shivers on the coral reef, for sure an' +sart'in am I that if any o' us tried it, we wouldn't be worth the fluke +of a broken anchor after the wave fell. But there they go!" + +As he spoke, several hundreds of the natives, amongst whom we were now +standing, uttered a loud yell, rushed down the beach, plunged into the +surf, and were carried off by the seething foam of the retreating wave. + +At the point where we stood, the encircling coral reef joined the shore, +so that the magnificent breakers, which a recent stiff breeze had +rendered larger than usual, fell in thunder at the feet of the +multitudes who lined the beach. For some time the swimmers continued to +strike out to sea, breasting over the swell like hundreds of black +seals. Then they all turned, and watching an approaching billow, +mounted its white crest, and each laying his breast on the short, flat +board, came rolling towards the shore, careering on the summit of the +mighty wave, while they and the onlookers shouted and yelled with +excitement. Just as the monster wave curled in solemn majesty to fling +its bulky length upon the beach, most of the swimmers slid back into the +trough behind; others, slipping off their boards, seized them in their +hands, and plunging through the watery waste, swam out to repeat the +amusement; but a few, who seemed to me the most reckless, continued +their career until they were launched upon the beach and enveloped in +the churning foam and spray. One of these last came in on the crest of +the wave most manfully, and landed with a violent bound almost on the +spot where Bill and I stood. I saw by his peculiar head-dress that he +was the chief whom the tribe entertained as their guest. The sea-water +had removed nearly all the paint with which his face had been covered, +and as he rose panting to his feet, I recognised, to my surprise, the +features of Tararo, my old friend of the Coral Island! + +Tararo at the same moment recognised me, and advancing quickly, took me +round the neck and rubbed noses, which had the effect of transferring a +good deal of the moist paint from his nose to mine. Then, recollecting +that this was not the white man's mode of salutation, he grasped me by +the hand and shook it violently. + +"Hallo, Ralph!" cried Bill in surprise, "that chap seems to have taken a +sudden fancy to you, or he must be an old acquaintance." + +"Right, Bill," I replied; "he is indeed an old acquaintance." And I +explained, in a few words, that he was the chief whose party Jack and +Peterkin and I had helped to save. + +Tararo having thrown away his surf-board, entered into an animated +conversation with Bill, pointing frequently during the course of it to +me, whereby I concluded he must be telling him about the memorable +battle and the part we had taken in it. When he paused I begged of Bill +to ask him about the woman Avatea, for I had some hope that she might +have come with Tararo on this visit. "And ask him," said I, "who she +is, for I am persuaded she is of a different race from the Feejeeans." +On the mention of her name the chief frowned darkly, and seemed to speak +with much anger. + +"You're right, Ralph," said Bill when the chief had ceased to talk; +"she's not a Feejee girl, but a Samoan. How she ever came to this place +the chief does not very clearly explain; but he says she was taken in +war, and that he got her three years ago, an' kept her as his daughter +ever since. Lucky for her, poor girl, else she'd have been roasted and +eaten like the rest." + +"But why does Tararo frown and look so angry?" said I. + +"Because the girl's somewhat obstinate, like most o' the sex, an' won't +marry the man he wants her to. It seems that a chief of some other +island came on a visit to Tararo and took a fancy to her; but she +wouldn't have him on no account, bein' already in love, and engaged to a +young chief whom Tararo hates, and she kicked up a desperate shindy. +So, as he was goin' on a war-expedition in his canoe, he left her to +think about it, sayin' he'd be back in six months or so, when he hoped +she wouldn't be so obstropolous. This happened just a week ago; an' +Tararo says that if she's not ready to go, when the chief returns, as +his bride, she'll be sent to him as a _long pig_." + +"As a long pig!" I exclaimed in surprise. "Why, what does he mean by +that?" + +"He means somethin' very unpleasant," answered Bill with a frown. "You +see, these blackguards eat men an' women just as readily as they eat +pigs; and as baked pigs and baked men are very like each other in +appearance, they call men _long_ pigs. If Avatea goes to this fellow as +a long pig, it's all up with her, poor thing!" + +"Is she on the island now?" I asked eagerly. + +"No; she's at Tararo's island." + +"And where does it lie?" + +"About fifty or sixty miles to the south'ard o' this," returned Bill; +"but I--" + +At this moment we were startled by the cry of "mao! mao--a shark! a +shark!" which was immediately followed by a shriek that rang clear and +fearfully loud above the tumult of cries that arose from the savages in +the water and on the land. We turned hastily towards the direction +whence the cry came, and had just time to observe the glaring eyeballs +of one of the swimmers as he tossed his arms in the air. Next instant +he was pulled under the waves. A canoe was instantly launched, and the +hand of the drowning man was caught; but only half of his body was +dragged from the maw of the monster, which followed the canoe until the +water became so shallow that it could scarcely swim. The crest of the +next billow was tinged with red as it rolled towards the shore. + +In most countries of the world this would have made a deep impression on +the spectators; but the only effect it had upon these islanders was to +make them hurry with all speed out of the sea, lest a similar fate +should befall some of the others. But so utterly reckless were they of +human life that it did not for a moment suspend the progress of their +amusements. It is true the surf-swimming ended for that time somewhat +abruptly, but they immediately proceeded with other games. Bill told me +that sharks do not often attack the surf-swimmers, being frightened away +by the immense numbers of men and boys in the water, and by the shouting +and splashing that they make. "But," said he, "such a thing as you have +seen just now don't frighten them much. They'll be at it again +to-morrow or next day, just as if there wasn't a single shark between +Feejee and Nova Zembla." + +After this the natives had a series of wrestling and boxing matches; and +being men of immense size and muscle, they did a good deal of injury to +each other, especially in boxing, in which not only the lower orders but +several of the chiefs and priests engaged. Each bout was very quickly +terminated; for they did not pretend to a scientific knowledge of the +art, and wasted, no time in sparring, but hit straight out at each +other's heads, and their blows were delivered with great force. +Frequently one of the combatants was knocked down with a single blow, +and one gigantic fellow hit his adversary so severely that he drove the +skin entirely off his forehead. This feat was hailed with immense +applause by the spectators. + +During these exhibitions, which were very painful to me, though I +confess I could not refrain from beholding them, I was struck with the +beauty of many of the figures and designs that were tattooed on the +persons of the chiefs and principal men. One figure, that seemed to me +very elegant, was that of a palm-tree tattooed on the back of a man's +leg, the roots rising, as it were, from under his heel, the stem +ascending the tendon of the ankle, and the graceful head branching out +upon the calf. I afterwards learned that this process of tattooing is +very painful, and takes long to do, commencing at the age of ten, and +being continued at intervals up to the age of thirty. It is done by +means of an instrument made of bone, with a number of sharp teeth, with +which the skin is punctured. Into these punctures a preparation made +from the kernel of the candle-nut, mixed with cocoa-nut oil, is rubbed, +and the mark thus made is indelible. The operation is performed by a +class of men whose profession it is, and they tattoo as much at a time +as the person on whom they are operating can bear, which is not much, +the pain and inflammation caused by tattooing being very great-- +sometimes causing death. Some of the chiefs were tattooed with an +ornamental stripe down the legs, which gave them the appearance of being +clad in tights; others had marks round the ankles and insteps, which +looked like tight-fitting and elegant boots. Their faces were also +tattooed, and their breasts were very profusely marked with every +imaginable species of device--muskets, dogs, birds, pigs, clubs, and +canoes, intermingled with lozenges, squares, circles, and other +arbitrary figures. + +The women were not tattooed so much as the men, having only a few marks +on their feet and arms. But I must say, however objectionable this +strange practice may be, it nevertheless had this good effect--that it +took away very much from their appearance of nakedness. + +Next day, while we were returning from the woods to our schooner, we +observed Romata rushing about in the neighbourhood of his house, +apparently mad with passion. + +"Ah!" said Bill to me, "there he's at his old tricks again. That's his +way when he gets drink. The natives make a sort of drink o' their own, +and it makes him bad enough; but when he gets brandy he's like a wild +tiger. The captain, I suppose, has given him a bottle, as usual, to +keep him in good-humour. After drinkin' he usually goes to sleep, and +the people know it well, and keep out of his way for fear they should +waken him. Even the babies are taken out of earshot; for when he's +waked up he rushes out, just as you see him now, and spears or clubs the +first person he meets." + +It seemed at the present time, however, that no deadly weapon had been +in his way, for the infuriated chief was raging about without one. +Suddenly he caught sight of an unfortunate man who was trying to conceal +himself behind a tree. Rushing towards him, Romata struck him a +terrible blow on the head, which knocked out the poor man's eye and also +dislocated the chief's finger. The wretched creature offered no +resistance; he did not even attempt to parry the blow. Indeed, from +what Bill said, I found that he might consider himself lucky in having +escaped with his life, which would certainly have been forfeited had the +chief been possessed of a club at the time. + +"Have these wretched creatures no law among themselves," said I, "which +can restrain such wickedness?" + +"None," replied Bill. "The chief's word is law. He might kill and eat +a dozen of his own subjects any day for nothing more than his own +pleasure, and nobody would take the least notice of it." + +This ferocious deed took place within sight of our party as we wended +our way to the beach, but I could not observe any other expression on +the faces of the men than that of total indifference or contempt. It +seemed to me a very awful thing that it should be possible for men to +come to such hardness of heart and callousness to the sight of bloodshed +and violence; but, indeed, I began to find that such constant exposure +to scenes of blood was having a slight effect upon myself, and I +shuddered when I came to think that I too was becoming callous. + +I thought upon this subject much that night while I walked up and down +the deck during my hours of watch, and I came to the conclusion that if +I, who hated, abhorred, and detested such bloody deeds as I had +witnessed within the last few weeks, could so soon come to be less +sensitive about them, how little wonder that these poor, ignorant +savages, who were born and bred in familiarity therewith, should think +nothing of them at all, and should hold human life in so very slight +esteem! + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. + +MISCHIEF BREWING--MY BLOOD IS MADE TO RUN COLD--EVIL CONSULTATIONS AND +WICKED RESOLVES--BLOODY BILL ATTEMPTS TO DO GOOD, AND FAILS--THE +ATTACK--WHOLESALE MURDER--THE FLIGHT--THE ESCAPE. + +Next morning I awoke with a feverish brow and a feeling of deep +depression at my heart; and the more I thought on my unhappy fate, the +more wretched and miserable did I feel. + +I was surrounded on all sides by human beings of the most dreadful +character, to whom the shedding of blood was mere pastime. On shore +were the natives, whose practices were so horrible that I could not +think of them without shuddering. On board were none but pirates of the +blackest dye, who, although not cannibals, were foul murderers, and more +blameworthy even than the savages, inasmuch as they knew better. Even +Bill, with whom I had, under the strange circumstances of my lot, formed +a kind of intimacy, was so fierce in his nature as to have acquired the +title of "Bloody" from his vile companions. I felt very much cast down +the more I considered the subject and the impossibility of delivery, as +it seemed to me--at least, for a long time to come. At last, in my +feeling of utter helplessness, I prayed fervently to the Almighty that +He would deliver me out of my miserable condition; and when I had done +so I felt some degree of comfort. + +When the captain came on deck, before the hour at which the men usually +started for the woods, I begged of him to permit me to remain aboard +that day, as I did not feel well; but he looked at me angrily, and +ordered me, in a surly tone, to get ready to go on shore as usual. The +fact was that the captain had been out of humour for some time past. +Romata and he had had some differences, and high words had passed +between them, during which the chief had threatened to send a fleet of +his war-canoes, with a thousand men, to break up and burn the schooner; +whereupon the captain smiled sarcastically, and going up to the chief, +gazed sternly in his face while he said, "I have only to raise my little +finger just now, and my big gun will blow your whole village to atoms in +five minutes!" Although the chief was a bold man, he quailed before the +pirate's glance and threat, and made no reply; but a bad feeling had +been raised, and old sores had been opened. + +I had, therefore, to go with the woodcutters that day. Before starting, +however, the captain called me into the cabin and said: + +"Here, Ralph; I've got a mission for you, lad. That blackguard Romata +is in the dumps, and nothing will mollify him but a gift; so do you go +up to his house and give him these whale's teeth, with my compliments. +Take with you one of the men who can speak the language." + +I looked at the gift in some surprise, for it consisted of six white +whale's teeth, and two of the same dyed bright red, which seemed to me +very paltry things. However, I did not dare to hesitate, or to ask any +questions; so gathering them up, I left the cabin, and was soon on my +way to the chief's house, accompanied by Bill. On expressing my +surprise at the gift, he said: + +"They're paltry enough to you or me, Ralph, but they're considered of +great value by them chaps. They're a sort o' cash among them. The red +ones are the most prized, one of them bein' equal to twenty o' the white +ones. I suppose the only reason for their bein' valuable is that there +ain't many of them, and they're hard to be got." + +On arriving at the house we found Romata sitting on a mat, in the midst +of a number of large bales of native cloth and other articles, which had +been brought to him as presents from time to time by inferior chiefs. +He received us rather haughtily; but on Bill explaining the nature of +our errand, he became very condescending, and his eyes glistened with +satisfaction when he received the whale's teeth, although he laid them +aside with an assumption of kingly indifference. + +"Go," said he with a wave of the hand--"go tell your captain that he may +cut wood to-day, but not to-morrow. He must come ashore; I want to have +a palaver with him." + +As we left the house to return to the woods, Bill shook his head. + +"There's mischief brewin' in that black rascal's head. I know him of +old. But what comes here?" + +As he spoke, we heard the sound of laughter and shouting in the wood, +and presently there issued from it a band of savages, in the midst of +whom were a number of men bearing burdens on their shoulders. At first +I thought that these burdens were poles with something rolled round +them, the end of each pole resting on a man's shoulder; but on a nearer +approach I saw that they were human beings, tied hand and foot, and so +lashed to the poles that they could not move. I counted twenty of them +as they passed. + +"More murder!" said Bill in a voice that sounded between a hoarse laugh +and a groan. + +"Surely they are not going to murder them?" said I, looking anxiously +into Bill's face. + +"I don't know, Ralph," replied Bill, "what they're goin' to do with +them; but I fear they mean no good when they tie fellows up in that +way." + +As we continued our way towards the woodcutters, I observed that Bill +looked anxiously over his shoulder in the direction where the procession +had disappeared. At last he stopped, and turning abruptly on his heel, +said: + +"I tell ye what it is, Ralph: I must be at the bottom o' that affair. +Let us follow these black scoundrels and see what they're goin' to do." + +I must say I had no wish to pry further into their bloody practices; but +Bill seemed bent on it, so I turned and went. We passed rapidly through +the bush, being guided in the right direction by the shouts of the +savages. Suddenly there was a dead silence, which continued for some +time, while Bill and I involuntarily quickened our pace until we were +running at the top of our speed across the narrow neck of land +previously mentioned. As we reached the verge of the wood we discovered +the savages surrounding the large war-canoe, which they were apparently +on the point of launching. Suddenly the multitude put their united +strength to the canoe; but scarcely had the huge machine begun to move +when a yell, the most appalling that ever fell upon my ear, rose high +above the shouting of the savages. It had not died away when another +and another smote upon my throbbing ear, and then I saw that these +inhuman monsters were actually launching their canoe over the living +bodies of their victims. But there was no pity in the breasts of these +men. Forward they went in ruthless indifference, shouting as they went, +while high above their voices rang the dying shrieks of those wretched +creatures as, one after another, the ponderous canoe passed over them, +burst the eyeballs from their sockets, and sent the life-blood gushing +from their mouths. Oh reader, this is no fiction! I would not, for the +sake of thrilling you with horror, invent so terrible a scene. It was +witnessed. It is true--true as that accursed sin which has rendered the +human heart capable of such diabolical enormities! + +When it was over I turned round and fell upon the grass with a deep +groan; but Bill seized me by the arm, and lifting me up as if I had been +a child, cried: + +"Come along, lad; let's away!" And so, staggering and stumbling over +the tangled underwood, we fled from the fatal spot. + +During the remainder of that day I felt as if I were in a horrible +dream. I scarce knew what was said to me, and was more than once blamed +by the men for idling my time. At last the hour to return aboard came. +We marched down to the beach, and I felt relief for the first time when +my feet rested on the schooner's deck. + +In the course of the evening I overheard part of a conversation between +the captain and the first mate, which startled me not a little. They +were down in the cabin, and conversed in an undertone; but the skylight +being off; I overhead every word that was said. + +"I don't half-like it," said the mate. "It seems to me that we'll only +have hard fightin' and no pay." + +"No pay!" repeated the captain in a voice of suppressed anger. "Do you +call a good cargo all for nothing no pay?" + +"Very true," returned the mate; "but we've got the cargo aboard. Why +not cut your cable and take French leave o' them? What's the use o' +tryin' to kill the blackguards when it'll do us no manner o' good?" + +"Mate," said the captain in a low voice, "you talk like a fresh-water +sailor. I can only attribute this shyness to some strange delusion, for +surely,"--his voice assumed a slightly sneering tone as he said +this--"surely I am not to suppose that you have become soft-hearted! +Besides, you are wrong in regard to the cargo being aboard; there's a +good quarter of it lying in the woods, and that blackguard chief knows +it, and won't let me take it off. He defied us to do our worst +yesterday." + +"Defied us! did he?" cried the mate with a bitter laugh. "Poor, +contemptible thing!" + +"And yet he seems not so contemptible but that you are afraid to attack +him." + +"Who said I was afraid?" growled the mate sulkily. "I'm as ready as any +man in the ship. But, captain, what is it that you intend to do?" + +"I intend to muffle the sweeps and row the schooner up to the head of +the creek there, from which point we can command the pile of sandal-wood +with our gun. Then I shall land with all the men except two, who shall +take care of the schooner and be ready with the boat to take us off. We +can creep through the woods to the head of the village, where these +cannibals are always dancing round their suppers of human flesh; and if +the carbines of the men are loaded with a heavy charge of buck-shot, we +can drop forty or fifty at the first volley. After that the thing will +be easy enough. The savages will take to the mountains in a body, and +we shall take what we require, up anchor, and away." + +To this plan the mate at length agreed. As he left the cabin, I heard +the captain say: + +"Give the men an extra glass of grog, and don't forget the buck-shot." + +The reader may conceive the horror with which I heard this murderous +conversation. I immediately repeated it to Bill, who seemed much +perplexed about it. At length he said: + +"I'll tell you what I'll do, Ralph. I'll swim ashore after dark and fix +a musket to a tree not far from the place where we'll have to land, and +I'll tie a long string to the trigger, so that when our fellows cross it +they'll let it off, and so alarm the village in time to prevent an +attack, but not in time to prevent us gettin' back to the boat.--So, +Master Captain," added Bill with a smile that, for the first time, +seemed to me to be mingled with good-natured cheerfulness, "you'll be +balked at least for once in your life by Bloody Bill." + +After it grew dark, Bill put this resolve in practice. He slipped over +the side with a musket in his left hand, while with his right he swam +ashore and entered the woods. He soon returned, having accomplished his +purpose, and got on board without being seen, I being the only one on +deck. + +When the hour of midnight approached, the men were mustered on deck, the +cable was cut, and the muffled sweeps got out. These sweeps were +immensely large oars, each requiring a couple of men to work it. In a +few minutes we entered the mouth of the creek, which was indeed the +mouth of a small river, and took about half-an-hour to ascend it, +although the spot where we intended to land was not more than six +hundred yards from the mouth, because there was a slight current against +us, and the mangroves which narrowed the creek impeded the rowers in +some places. Having reached the spot, which was so darkened by +overhanging trees that we could see with difficulty, a small +kedge-anchor attached to a thin line was let softly down over the stern. + +"Now, lads," whispered the captain as he walked along the line of men, +who were all armed to the teeth, "don't be in a hurry, aim low, and +don't waste your first shots." + +He then pointed to the boat, into which the men crowded in silence. +There was no room to row; but oars were not needed, as a slight push +against the side of the schooner sent the boat gliding to the shore. + +"There's no need of leaving two in the boat," whispered the mate as the +men stepped out; "we shall want all our hands. Let Ralph stay." + +The captain assented, and ordered me to stand in readiness with the +boat-hook, to shove ashore at a moment's notice if they should return, +or to shove off if any of the savages should happen to approach. He +then threw his carbine into the hollow of his arm, and glided through +the bushes, followed by his men. With a throbbing heart I awaited the +result of our plan. I knew the exact locality where the musket was +placed, for Bill had described it to me, and I kept my straining eyes +fixed upon the spot. But no sound came, and I began to fear that either +they had gone in another direction or that Bill had not fixed the string +properly. Suddenly I heard a faint click, and observed one or two +bright sparks among the bushes. My heart immediately sank within me, +for I knew at once that the trigger had indeed been pulled, but that the +priming had not caught. The plan, therefore, had utterly failed. A +feeling of dread now began to creep over me as I stood in the boat, in +that dark, silent spot, awaiting the issue of this murderous expedition. +I shuddered as I glanced at the water that glided past like a dark +reptile. I looked back at the schooner; but her hull was just barely +visible, while her tapering masts were lost among the trees which +overshadowed her. Her lower sails were set, but so thick was the gloom +that they were quite invisible. + +Suddenly I heard a shot. In a moment a thousand voices raised a yell in +the village; again the cry rose on the night air, and was followed by +broken shouts as of scattered parties of men bounding into the woods. +Then I heard another shout, loud and close at hand; it was the voice of +the captain cursing the man who had fired the premature shot. Then came +the order, "Forward!" followed by a wild hurrah of our men as they +charged the savages. Shots now rang in quick succession, and at last a +loud volley startled the echoes of the woods. It was followed by a +multitude of wild shrieks, which were immediately drowned in another +hurrah from the men, the distance of the sound proving that they were +driving their enemies before them towards the sea. + +While I was listening intently to these sounds, which were now mingled +in confusion, I was startled by the rustling of the leaves not far from +me. At first I thought it was a party of savages who had observed the +schooner, but I was speedily undeceived by observing a body of natives-- +apparently several hundreds, as far as I could guess in the uncertain +light--bounding through the woods towards the scene of battle. I saw at +once that this was a party who had outflanked our men, and would +speedily attack them in the rear. And so it turned out; for in a short +time the shouts increased tenfold, and among them I thought I heard a +death-cry uttered by voices familiar to my ear. + +At length the tumult of battle ceased, and from the cries of exultation +that now arose from the savages, I felt assured that our men had been +conquered. I was immediately thrown into dreadful consternation. What +was I now to do? To be taken by the savages was too horrible to be +thought of; to flee to the mountains was hopeless, as I should soon be +discovered; and to take the schooner out of the creek without assistance +was impossible. I resolved, however, to make the attempt, as being my +only hope, and was on the point of pushing off, when my hand was stayed +and my blood chilled by an appalling shriek, in which I recognised the +voice of one of the crew. It was succeeded by a shout from the savages. +Then came another and another shriek of agony, making my ears to +tingle, as I felt convinced they were murdering the pirate crew in cold +blood. With a bursting heart and my brain whirling as if on fire, I +seized the boat-hook to push from shore when a man sprang from the +bushes. + +"Stop! Ralph, stop! There, now, push off!" he cried, and bounded into +the boat so violently as nearly to upset her. It was Bill's voice! In +another moment we were on board--the boat made fast, the line of the +anchor cut, and the sweeps run out. At the first stroke of Bill's giant +arm the schooner was nearly pulled ashore, for in his haste he forgot +that I could scarcely move the unwieldy oar. Springing to the stern, he +lashed the rudder in such a position as that, while it aided me, it +acted against him, and so rendered the force of our strokes nearly +equal. The schooner now began to glide quickly down the creek; but +before we reached its mouth, a yell from a thousand voices on the bank +told that we were discovered. Instantly a number of the savages plunged +into the water and swam towards us; but we were making so much way that +they could not overtake us. One, however, an immensely powerful man, +succeeded in laying hold of the cut rope that hung from the stern, and +clambered quickly upon deck. Bill caught sight of him the instant his +head appeared above the taffrail. But he did not cease to row, and did +not appear even to notice the savage until he was within a yard of him; +then dropping the sweep, he struck him a blow on the forehead with his +clenched fist that felled him to the deck. Lifting him up, he hurled +him overboard, and resumed the oar. But now a greater danger awaited +us; for the savages had outrun us on the bank, and were about to plunge +into the water ahead of the schooner. If they succeeded in doing so, +our fate was sealed. For one moment Bill stood irresolute. Then +drawing a pistol from his belt, he sprang to the brass gun, held the pan +of his pistol over the touch-hole, and fired. The shot was succeeded by +the hiss of the cannon's priming; then the blaze and the crashing +thunder of the monstrous gun burst upon the savages with such deafening +roar that it seemed as if their very mountains had been rent asunder. + +This was enough. The moment of surprise and hesitation caused by the +unwonted sound gave us time to pass the point; a gentle breeze, which +the dense foliage had hitherto prevented us from feeling, bulged out our +sails; the schooner bent before it, and the shouts of the disappointed +savages grew fainter and fainter in the distance as we were slowly +wafted out to sea. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN. + +REFLECTIONS--THE WOUNDED MAN--THE SQUALL--TRUE CONSOLATION--DEATH. + +There is a power of endurance in human beings, both in their bodies and +in their minds, which, I have often thought, seems to be wonderfully +adapted and exactly proportioned to the circumstances in which +individuals may happen to be placed--a power which, in most cases, is +sufficient to carry a man through and over every obstacle that may +happen to be thrown in his path through life, no matter how high or how +steep the mountain may be, but which often forsakes him the moment the +summit is gained, the point of difficulty passed, and leaves him +prostrated, with energies gone, nerves unstrung, and a feeling of +incapacity pervading the entire frame that renders the most trifling +effort almost impossible. + +During the greater part of that day I had been subjected to severe +mental and much physical excitement, which had almost crushed me down by +the time I was relieved from duty in the course of the evening. But +when the expedition whose failure has just been narrated was planned, my +anxieties and energies had been so powerfully aroused that I went +through the protracted scenes of that terrible night without a feeling +of the slightest fatigue. My mind and body were alike active and full +of energy. No sooner was the last thrilling fear of danger past, +however, than my faculties were utterly relaxed; and when I felt the +cool breezes of the Pacific playing around my fevered brow, and heard +the free waves rippling at the schooner's prow, as we left the hated +island behind us, my senses forsook me, and I fell in a swoon upon the +deck. + +From this state I was quickly aroused by Bill, who shook me by the arm, +saying: + +"Hallo, Ralph, boy! Rouse up, lad; we're safe now! Poor thing! I +believe he's fainted." And raising me in his arms he laid me on the +folds of the gaff-topsail, which lay upon the deck near the tiller. +"Here, take a drop o' this; it'll do you good, my boy," he added in a +voice of tenderness which I had never heard him use before, while he +held a brandy-flask to my lips. + +I raised my eyes gratefully as I swallowed a mouthful; next moment my +head sank heavily upon my arm, and I fell fast asleep. I slept long, +for when I awoke the sun was a good way above the horizon. I did not +move on first opening my eyes, as I felt a delightful sensation of rest +pervading me, and my eyes were riveted on and charmed with the gorgeous +splendour of the mighty ocean that burst upon my sight. It was a dead +calm; the sea seemed a sheet of undulating crystal, tipped and streaked +with the saffron hues of sunrise, which had not yet merged into the +glowing heat of noon; and there was a deep calm in the blue dome above +that was not broken even by the usual flutter of the sea-fowl. How long +I would have lain in contemplation of this peaceful scene I know not, +but my mind was recalled suddenly and painfully to the past and the +present by the sight of Bill, who was seated on the deck at my feet, +with his head reclining, as if in sleep, on his right arm, which rested +on the tiller. As he seemed to rest peacefully, I did not mean to +disturb him; but the slight noise I made in raising myself on my elbow +caused him to start and look round. + +"Well, Ralph, awake at last, my boy? You have slept long and soundly," +he said, turning towards me. + +On beholding his countenance I sprang up in anxiety. He was deadly +pale, and his hair, which hung in dishevelled locks over his face, was +clotted with blood. Blood also stained his hollow cheeks and covered +the front of his shirt, which, with the greater part of his dress, was +torn and soiled with mud. + +"Oh Bill!" said I with deep anxiety, "what is the matter with you? You +are ill. You must have been wounded." + +"Even so, lad," said Bill in a deep, soft voice, while he extended his +huge frame on the couch from which I had just risen. "I've got an ugly +wound, I fear; and I've been waiting for you to waken to ask you to get +me a drop o' brandy and a mouthful o' bread from the cabin lockers. You +seemed to sleep so sweetly, Ralph, that I didn't like to disturb you. +But I don't feel up to much just now." + +I did not wait till he had done talking, but ran below immediately, and +returned in a few seconds with a bottle of brandy and some broken +biscuit. He seemed much refreshed after eating a few morsels and +drinking a long draught of water mingled with a little of the spirits. +Immediately afterwards he fell asleep, and I watched him anxiously until +he awoke, being desirous of knowing the nature and extent of his wound. + +"Ha!" he exclaimed on awaking suddenly, after a slumber of an hour; "I'm +the better of that nap, Ralph. I feel twice the man I was;" and he +attempted to rise, but sank back again immediately with a deep groan. + +"Nay, Bill, you must not move, but lie still while I look at your wound. +I'll make a comfortable bed for you here on deck, and get you some +breakfast. After that you shall tell me how you got it. Cheer up, +Bill!" I added, seeing that he turned his head away; "you'll be all +right in a little, and I'll be a capital nurse to you, though I'm no +doctor." + +I then left him, and lighted a fire in the caboose. While it was +kindling, I went to the steward's pantry and procured the materials for +a good breakfast, with which, in little more than half-an-hour, I +returned to my companion. He seemed much better, and smiled kindly on +me as I set before him a cup of coffee and a tray with several eggs and +some bread on it. + +"Now, then, Bill," said I cheerfully, sitting down beside him on the +deck, "let's fall to. I'm very hungry myself, I can tell you. But--I +forgot--your wound," I added, rising; "let me look at it." + +I found that the wound was caused by a pistol-shot in the chest. It did +not bleed much, and as it was on the right side, I was in hopes that it +might not be very serious. But Bill shook his head. "However," said +he, "sit down, Ralph, and I'll tell you all about it. + +"You see, after we left the boat an' began to push through the bushes, +we went straight for the line of my musket, as I had expected. But by +some unlucky chance it didn't explode, for I saw the line torn away by +the men's legs, and heard the click o' the lock; so I fancy the priming +had got damp and didn't catch. I was in a great quandary now what to +do, for I couldn't concoct in my mind, in the hurry, any good reason for +firin' off my piece. But they say necessity's the mother of invention; +so just as I was giving it up and clinchin' my teeth to bide the worst +o't and take what should come, a sudden thought came into my head. I +stepped out before the rest, seemin' to be awful anxious to be at the +savages, tripped my foot on a fallen tree, plunged head foremost into a +bush, an' ov coorse my carbine exploded! Then came such a screechin' +from the camp as I never heard in all my life. I rose at once, and was +rushin' on with the rest when the captain called a halt. + +"`You did that a purpose, you villain!' he said with a tremendous oath, +and drawin' a pistol from his belt, let fly right into my breast. I +fell at once, and remembered no more till I was startled and brought +round by the most awful yell I ever heard in my life--except, maybe, the +shrieks o' them poor critters that were crushed to death under yon big +canoe. Jumpin' up, I looked round, and through the trees saw a fire +gleamin' not far off; the light of which showed me the captain and men +tied hand and foot, each to a post, and the savages dancin' round them +like demons. I had scarce looked for a second when I saw one o' them go +up to the captain flourishing a knife, and before I could wink he +plunged it into his breast, while another yell, like the one that roused +me, rang upon my ear. I didn't wait for more, but bounding up, went +crashing through the bushes into the woods. The black fellows caught +sight of me, however, but not in time to prevent me jumpin' into the +boat, as you know." + +Bill seemed to be much exhausted after this recital, and shuddered +frequently during the narrative; so I refrained from continuing the +subject at that time, and endeavoured to draw his mind to other things. + +"But now, Bill," said I, "it behoves us to think about the future, and +what course of action we shall pursue. Here we are, on the wide +Pacific, in a well-appointed schooner, which is our own--at least, no +one has a better claim to it than we have--and the world lies before us. +Moreover, here comes a breeze, so we must make up our minds which way +to steer." + +"Ralph, boy," said my companion, "it matters not to me which way we go. +I fear that my time is short now. Go where you will; I'm content." + +"Well, then, Bill, I think we had better steer to the Coral Island and +see what has become of my dear old comrades, Jack and Peterkin. I +believe the island has no name, but the captain once pointed it out to +me on the chart, and I marked it afterwards; so, as we know pretty well +our position just now, I think I can steer to it. Then, as to working +the vessel, it is true I cannot hoist the sails single-handed, but +luckily we have enough of sail set already; and if it should come on to +blow a squall, I could at least drop the peaks of the main and fore +sails, and clew them up partially without help, and throw her head close +into the wind, so as to keep her all shaking till the violence of the +squall is past. And if we have continued light breezes, I'll rig up a +complication of blocks and fix them to the topsail halyards, so that I +shall be able to hoist the sails without help. 'Tis true I'll require +half-a-day to hoist them, but we don't need to mind that. Then I'll +make a sort of erection on deck to screen you from the sun, Bill; and if +you can only manage to sit beside the tiller and steer for two hours +every day, so as to let me get a nap, I'll engage to let you off duty +all the rest of the twenty-four hours. And if you don't feel able for +steering, I'll lash the helm and heave-to while I get you your +breakfasts and dinners; and so we'll manage famously, and soon reach the +Coral Island." + +Bill smiled faintly as I ran on in this strain. + +"And what will you do," said he, "if it comes on to blow a storm?" + +This question silenced me, while I considered what I should do in such a +case. At length I laid my hand on his arm and said, "Bill, when a man +has done all that he can do, he ought to leave the rest to God." + +"Oh Ralph," said my companion in a faint voice, looking anxiously into +my face, "I wish that I had the feelin's about God that you seem to +have, at this hour. I'm dyin', Ralph; yet I, who have braved death a +hundred times, am afraid to die. I'm afraid to enter the next world. +Something within tells me there will be a reckoning when I go there. +But it's all over with me, Ralph. I feel that there's no chance o' my +bein' saved." + +"Don't say that, Bill," said I in deep compassion; "don't say that. I'm +quite sure there's hope even for you, but I can't remember the words of +the Bible that make me think so. Is there not a Bible on board, Bill?" + +"No; the last that was in the ship belonged to a poor boy that was taken +aboard against his will. He died, poor lad--I think through +ill-treatment and fear. After he was gone, the captain found his Bible +and flung it overboard." + +I now reflected, with great sadness and self-reproach, on the way in +which I had neglected my Bible, and it flashed across me that I was +actually, in the sight of God, a greater sinner than this blood-stained +pirate; for, thought I, he tells me that he never read the Bible and was +never brought up to care for it, whereas I was carefully taught to read +it by my own mother, and had read it daily as long as I possessed one, +yet to so little purpose that I could not now call to mind a single text +that would meet this poor man's case and afford him the consolation he +so much required. I was much distressed, and taxed my memory for a long +time. At last a text did flash into my mind, and I wondered much that I +had not thought of it before. + +"Bill," said I in a low voice, "`Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and +thou shalt be saved.'" + +"Ay, Ralph, I've heard the missionaries say that before now; but what +good can it do me? It's not for me, that; it's not for the likes o' +me." + +I knew not now what to say, for although I felt sure that that word was +for him as well as for me, I could not remember any other word whereby I +could prove it. + +After a short pause, Bill raised his eyes to mine and said, "Ralph, I've +led a terrible life. I've been a sailor since I was a boy, and I've +gone from bad to worse ever since I left my father's roof. I've been a +pirate three years now. It is true I did not choose the trade, but I +was inveigled aboard this schooner and kept here by force till I became +reckless and at last joined them. Since that time my hand has been +steeped in human blood again and again. Your young heart would grow +cold if I--But why should I go on? 'Tis of no use, Ralph; my doom is +fixed." + +"Bill," said I, "`Though your sins be red like crimson, they shall be +white as snow.' Only believe." + +"Only believe!" cried Bill, starting up on his elbow. "I've heard men +talk o' believing as if it was easy. Ha! 'tis easy enough for a man to +point to a rope and say, `I believe that would bear my weight;' but 'tis +another thing for a man to catch hold o' that rope and swing himself by +it over the edge of a precipice!" + +The energy with which he said this, and the action with which it was +accompanied, were too much for Bill. He sank back with a deep groan. +As if the very elements sympathised with this man's sufferings, a low +moan came sweeping over the sea. + +"Hist, Ralph!" said Bill, opening his eyes; "there's a squall coming, +lad! Look alive, boy! Clew up the foresail! Drop the mainsail peak! +Them squalls come quick sometimes." + +I had already started to my feet, and saw that a heavy squall was indeed +bearing down on us. It had hitherto escaped my notice, owing to my +being so much engrossed by our conversation. I instantly did as Bill +desired, for the schooner was lying motionless on the glassy sea. I +observed with some satisfaction that the squall was bearing down on the +larboard bow, so that it would strike the vessel in the position in +which she would be best able to stand the shock. Having done my best to +shorten sail, I returned aft, and took my stand at the helm. + +"Now, boy," said Bill in a faint voice, "keep her close to the wind." + +A few seconds afterwards he said, "Ralph, let me hear those two texts +again." + +I repeated them. + +"Are ye sure, lad, ye saw them in the Bible?" + +"Quite sure," I replied. + +Almost before the words had left my lips the wind burst upon us, and the +spray dashed over our decks. For a time the schooner stood it bravely, +and sprang forward against the rising sea like a war-horse. Meanwhile +clouds darkened the sky, and the sea began to rise in huge billows. +There was still too much sail on the schooner, and as the gale +increased, I feared that the masts would be torn out of her or carried +away, while the wind whistled and shrieked through the strained rigging. +Suddenly the wind shifted a point, a heavy sea struck us on the bow, +and the schooner was almost laid on her beam-ends, so that I could +scarcely keep my legs. At the same moment Bill lost his hold of the +belaying-pin which had served to steady him, and he slid with stunning +violence against the skylight. As he lay on the deck close beside me, I +could see that the shock had rendered him insensible; but I did not dare +to quit the tiller for an instant, as it required all my faculties, +bodily and mental, to manage the schooner. For an hour the blast drove +us along, while, owing to the sharpness of the vessel's bow and the +press of canvas, she dashed through the waves instead of breasting over +them, thereby drenching the decks with water fore and aft. At the end +of that time the squall passed away, and left us rocking on the bosom of +the agitated sea. + +My first care, the instant I could quit the helm, was to raise Bill from +the deck and place him on the couch. I then ran below for the +brandy-bottle, and rubbed his face and hands with it, and endeavoured to +pour a little down his throat. But my efforts, although I continued +them long and assiduously, were of no avail; as I let go the hand which +I had been chafing, it fell heavily on the deck. I laid my hand over +his heart, and sat for some time quite motionless; but there was no +flutter there--the pirate was dead! + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT. + +ALONE ON THE DEEP--NECESSITY THE MOTHER OF INVENTION--A VALUABLE BOOK +DISCOVERED--NATURAL PHENOMENON--A BRIGHT DAY IN MY HISTORY. + +It was with feelings of awe, not unmingled with fear, that I now seated +myself on the cabin skylight and gazed upon the rigid features of my +late comrade, while my mind wandered over his past history and +contemplated with anxiety my present position. Alone in the midst of +the wide Pacific, having a most imperfect knowledge of navigation, and +in a schooner requiring at least eight men as her proper crew! But I +will not tax the reader's patience with a minute detail of my feelings +and doings during the first few days that followed the death of my +companion. I will merely mention that I tied a cannon-ball to his feet, +and with feelings of the deepest sorrow, consigned him to the deep. + +For fully a week after that a steady breeze blew from the east, and as +my course lay west and by north, I made rapid progress towards my +destination. I could not take an observation, which I very much +regretted, as the captain's quadrant was in the cabin; but from the day +of setting sail from the island of the savages I had kept a dead +reckoning, and as I knew pretty well now how much leeway the schooner +made, I hoped to hit the Coral Island without much difficulty. In this +I was the more confident that I knew its position on the chart--which, I +understood, was a very good one--and so had its correct bearings by +compass. + +As the weather seemed now quite settled and fine, and as I had got into +the trade-winds, I set about preparations for hoisting the topsails. +This was a most arduous task, and my first attempts were complete +failures, owing, in a great degree, to my reprehensible ignorance of +mechanical forces. The first error I made was in applying my apparatus +of blocks and pulleys to a rope which was too weak, so that the very +first heave I made broke it in two, and sent me staggering against the +after-hatch, over which I tripped, and striking against the main-boom, +tumbled down the companion-ladder into the cabin. I was much bruised +and somewhat stunned by this untoward accident. However, I considered +it fortunate that I was not killed. In my next attempt I made sure of +not coming by a similar accident, so I unreeved the tackling and fitted +up larger blocks and ropes. But although the principle on which I acted +was quiet correct, the machinery was now so massive and heavy that the +mere friction and stiffness of the thick cordage prevented me from +moving it at all. Afterwards, however, I came to proportion things more +correctly; but I could not avoid reflecting at the time how much better +it would have been had I learned all this from observation and study, +instead of waiting till I was forced to acquire it through the painful +and tedious lessons of experience. + +After the tackling was prepared and in good working order, it took me +the greater part of a day to hoist the main topsail. As I could not +steer and work at this at the same time, I lashed the helm in such a +position that, with a little watching now and then, it kept the schooner +in her proper course. By this means I was enabled, also, to go about +the deck and down below for things that I wanted as occasion required; +also to cook and eat my victuals. But I did not dare to trust to this +plan during the three hours of rest that I allowed myself at night, as +the wind might have shifted, in which case I should have been blown far +out of my course ere I awoke. I was, therefore, in the habit of +heaving-to during those three hours--that is, fixing the rudder and the +sails in such a position as that, by acting against each other, they +would keep the ship stationary. After my night's rest, therefore, I had +only to make allowance for the leeway she had made, and so resume my +course. + +Of course I was, to some extent, anxious lest another squall should +come; but I made the best provision I could in the circumstances, and +concluded that by letting go the weather-braces of the topsails and the +topsail halyards at the same time, I should thereby render these sails +almost powerless. Besides this, I proposed to myself to keep a sharp +lookout on the barometer in the cabin; and if I observed at any time a +sudden fall in it, I resolved that I would instantly set about my +multiform appliances for reducing sail, so as to avoid being taken +unawares. Thus I sailed prosperously for two weeks, with a fair wind, +so that I calculated I must be drawing near to the Coral Island, at the +thought of which my heart bounded with joyful expectation. + +The only book I found on board, after a careful search, was a volume of +Captain Cook's voyages. This, I suppose, the pirate captain had brought +with him in order to guide him, and to furnish him with information +regarding the islands of these seas. I found this a most delightful +book indeed; and I not only obtained much interesting knowledge about +the sea in which I was sailing, but I had many of my own opinions, +derived from experience, corroborated, and not a few of them corrected. +Besides the reading of this charming book, and the daily routine of +occupations, nothing of particular note happened to me during this +voyage--except once, when on rising one night, after my three hours' +nap, while it was yet dark, I was amazed and a little alarmed to find +myself floating in what appeared to be a sea of blue fire! I had often +noticed the beautiful appearance of phosphorescent light, but this far +exceeded anything of the sort I ever saw before. The whole sea appeared +somewhat like milk, and was remarkably luminous. + +I rose in haste, and letting down a bucket into the sea, brought some of +the water on board and took it down to the cabin to examine it; but no +sooner did I approach the light than the strange appearance disappeared, +and when I removed the cabin lamp the luminous light appeared again. I +was much puzzled with this, and took up a little of the water in the +hollow of my hand and then let it run off, when I found that the +luminous substance was left behind on my palm. I ran with it to the +lamp, but when I got there it was gone. I found, however, that when I +went into the dark my hand shone again; so I took the large glass of the +ship's telescope and examined my hand minutely, when I found that there +were on it one or two small patches of a clear, transparent substance +like jelly, which were so thin as to be almost invisible to the naked +eye. Thus I came to know that the beautiful phosphoric light, which I +had so often admired before, was caused by animals; for I had no doubt +that these were of the same kind as the medusa or jelly-fish, which are +seen in all parts of the world. + +On the evening of my fourteenth day I was awakened out of a nap into +which I had fallen by a loud cry, and starting up, I gazed around me. I +was surprised and delighted to see a large albatross soaring +majestically over the ship. I immediately took it into my head that +this was the albatross I had seen at Penguin Island. I had, of course, +no good reason for supposing this; but the idea occurred to me, I know +not why, and I cherished it, and regarded the bird with as much +affection as if he had been an old friend. He kept me company all that +day, and left me as night fell. + +Next morning, as I stood motionless and with heavy eyes at the helm--for +I had not slept well--I began to weary anxiously for daylight, and +peered towards the horizon, where I thought I observed something like a +black cloud against the dark sky. Being always on the alert for +squalls, I ran to the bow. There could be no doubt it was a squall, and +as I listened I thought I heard the murmur of the coming gale. +Instantly I began to work might and main at my cumbrous tackle for +shortening sail, and in the course of an hour and a half had the most of +it reduced--the topsail yards down on the caps, the topsails clewed up, +the sheets hauled in, the main and fore peaks lowered, and the +flying-jib down. While thus engaged, the dawn advanced, and I cast an +occasional furtive glance ahead in the midst of my labour. But now that +things were prepared for the worst, I ran forward again and looked +anxiously over the bow. I now heard the roar of the waves distinctly; +and as a single ray of the rising sun gleamed over the ocean, I saw-- +what! could it be that I was dreaming?--that magnificent breaker with +its ceaseless roar--that mountain-top! Yes, once more I beheld the +Coral Island! + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY NINE. + +THE EFFECT OF A CANNON-SHOT--A HAPPY REUNION OF A SOMEWHAT MOIST +NATURE--RETROSPECT AND EXPLANATIONS--AN AWFUL DIVE--NEW PLANS--THE LAST +OF THE CORAL ISLAND. + +I almost fell upon the deck with the tumult of mingled emotions that +filled my heart as I gazed ardently towards my beautiful island. It was +still many miles away, but sufficiently near to enable me to trace +distinctly the well-remembered outlines of the two mountains. My first +impulse was to utter an exclamation of gratitude for being carried to my +former happy home in safety; my second, to jump up, clap my hands, +shout, and run up and down the deck, with no other object in view than +that of giving vent to my excited feelings. Then I went below for the +telescope, and spent nearly ten minutes of the utmost impatience in +vainly trying to get a focus, and in rubbing the skin nearly off my +eyes, before I discovered that having taken off the large glass to +examine the phosphoric water with, I had omitted to put it on again. + +After that I looked up impatiently at the sails, which I now regretted +having lowered so hastily, and for a moment thought of hoisting the main +topsail again; but recollecting that it would take me full half-a-day to +accomplish, and that, at the present rate of sailing, two hours would +bring me to the island, I immediately dismissed the idea. + +The remainder of the time I spent in making feverish preparations for +arriving and seeing my dear comrades. I remembered that they were not +in the habit of rising before six, and as it was now only three, I hoped +to arrive before they were awake. Moreover, I set about making ready to +let go the anchor, resolving in my own mind that as I knew the depth of +water in the passage of the reef and within the lagoon, I would run the +schooner in and bring up opposite the bower. Fortunately the anchor was +hanging at the cat-head, otherwise I should never have been able to use +it. Now I had only to cut the tackling, and it would drop of its own +weight. After searching among the flags, I found the terrible black +one, which I ran up to the peak. While I was doing this a thought +struck me. I went to the powder-magazine, brought up a blank cartridge, +and loaded the big brass gun, which, it will be remembered, was unhoused +when we set sail; and as I had no means of housing it, there it had +stood, bristling alike at fair weather and foul all the voyage. I took +care to grease its mouth well, and before leaving the fore part of the +ship, thrust the poker into the fire. + +All was now ready. A steady five-knot breeze was blowing, so that I was +now not more than quarter of a mile from the reef. I was soon at the +entrance; and as the schooner glided quickly through, I glanced +affectionately at the huge breaker as if it had been the same one I had +seen there when I bade adieu, as I feared for ever, to the island. On +coming opposite the Water Garden, I put the helm hard down. The +schooner came round with a rapid, graceful bend, and lost way just +opposite the bower. Running forward, I let go the anchor, caught up the +red-hot poker, applied it to the brass gun, and saluted the mountains +with a _bang_ such as had only once before broke their slumbering +echoes! + +Effective although it was, however, it was scarcely equal to the bang +with which, instantly after, Peterkin bounded from the bower, in scanty +costume, his eyeballs starting from his head with surprise and terror. +One gaze he gave, one yell, and then fled into the bushes like a wild +cat. The next moment Jack went through exactly the same performance, +the only difference being that his movements were less like those of +Jack-in-the-box, though not less vigorous and rapid than those of +Peterkin. + +"Hallo!" I shouted, almost mad with joy. "What ho! Peterkin! Jack! +hallo! it's _me_!" + +My shout was just in time to arrest them. They halted and turned round, +and the instant I repeated the cry I saw that they recognised my voice +by both of them running at full speed towards the beach. I could no +longer contain myself. Throwing off my jacket, I jumped overboard at +the same moment that Jack bounded into the sea. In other moment we met +in deep water, clasped each other round the neck, and sank, as a matter +of course, to the bottom! We were well-nigh choked, and instantly +struggled to the surface, where Peterkin was spluttering about like a +wounded duck, laughing and crying by turns, and choking himself with +salt water! + +It would be impossible to convey to my reader, by description, an +adequate conception of the scene that followed my landing on the beach, +as we stood embracing each other indiscriminately in our dripping +garments, and giving utterance to incoherent rhapsodies, mingled with +wild shouts. It can be more easily imagined than described; so I will +draw a curtain over this part of my history, and carry the reader +forward over an interval of three days. + +During the greater part of that period Peterkin did nothing but roast +pigs, taro, and bread-fruit, and ply me with plantains, plums, potatoes, +and cocoa-nuts, while I related to him and Jack the terrible and +wonderful adventures I had gone through since we last met. After I had +finished the account, they made me go all over it again; and when I had +concluded the second recital I had to go over it again, while they +commented upon it piecemeal. They were much affected by what I told +them of the probable fate of Avatea, and Peterkin could by no means +brook the idea of the poor girl being converted into a _long pig_! As +for Jack, he clenched his teeth, and shook his fist towards the sea, +saying at the same time that he was sorry he had not broken Tararo's +head, and he only hoped that one day he should be able to plant his +knuckles on the bridge of that chief's nose! After they had `pumped me +dry,' as Peterkin said, I begged to be informed of what had happened to +them during my long absence, and particularly as to how they got out of +the Diamond Cave. + +"Well, you must know," began Jack, "after you had dived out of the cave, +on the day you were taken away from us, we waited very patiently for +half-an-hour, not expecting you to return before the end of that time. +Then we began to upbraid you for staying so long when you knew we would +be anxious; but when an hour passed we became alarmed, and I resolved at +all hazards to dive out and see what had become of you, although I felt +for poor Peterkin, because, as he truly said, `If you never come back, +I'm shut up here for life.' However, I promised not to run any risk, +and he let me go--which, to say truth, I thought very courageous of +him!" + +"I should just think it was," interrupted Peterkin, looking at Jack over +the edge of a monstrous potato which he happened to be devouring at the +time. + +"Well," continued Jack, "you may guess my consternation when you did not +answer to my halloo. At first I imagined that the pirates must have +killed you, and left you in the bush or thrown you into the sea; then it +occurred to me that this would have served no end of theirs, so I came +to the conclusion that they must have carried you away with them. As +this thought struck me, I observed the pirate schooner standing away to +the nor'ard, almost hull down on the horizon, and I sat down on the +rocks to watch her as she slowly sank from my sight. And I tell you, +Ralph, my boy, that I shed more tears that time at losing you than I +have done, I verily believe, all my life before--" + +"Pardon me, Jack, for interrupting," said Peterkin; "surely you must be +mistaken in that. You've often told me that when you were a baby you +used to howl and roar from morning to--" + +"Hold your tongue, Peterkin!" cried Jack.--"Well, after the schooner had +disappeared, I dived back into the cave, much to Peterkin's relief, and +told him what I had seen. We sat down and had a long talk over this +matter, and then we agreed to make a regular, systematic search through +the woods, so as to make sure at least that you had not been killed. +But now we thought of the difficulty of getting out of the cave without +your help. Peterkin became dreadfully nervous when he thought of this; +and I must confess I felt some alarm, for, of course, I could not hope +alone to take him out so quickly as we two together had brought him in. +And he himself vowed that if we had been a moment longer with him that +time, he would have had to take a breath of salt water. However, there +was no help for it, and I endeavoured to calm his fears as well as I +could; `for,' said I, `you can't live here, Peterkin,' to which he +replied, `Of course not, Jack; I can only die here, and as that's not at +all desirable, you had better propose something.' So I suggested that +he should take a good, long breath, and trust himself to me. + +"`Might we not make a large bag of cocoa-nut cloth, into which I could +shove my head, and tie it tight round my neck?' he asked with a haggard +smile. `It might let me get one breath under water!' + +"`No use,' said I; `it would fill in a moment and suffocate you. I see +nothing for it, Peterkin, if you really can't keep your breath so long, +but to let me knock you down, and carry you out while in a state of +insensibility.' + +"But Peterkin didn't relish this idea. He seemed to fear that I would +not be able to measure the exact force of the blow, and might, on the +one hand, hit him so softly as to render a second or third blow +necessary, which would be very uncomfortable; or, on the other hand, +give him such a smash as would entirely spoil his figurehead, or mayhap +knock the life out of him altogether! At last I got him persuaded to +try to hold his breath, and commit himself to me; so he agreed, and down +we went. But I had not got half-way through when he began to struggle +and kick like a wild bull, burst from my grasp, and hit against the roof +of the tunnel. I was therefore obliged to force him violently back into +the cave again, where he, rose panting to the surface. In short, he had +lost his presence of mind, and--" + +"Nothing of the sort!" cried Peterkin indignantly; "I only lost my wind, +and if I had not had presence of mind enough to kick as I did, I should +have bu'st in your arms!" + +"Well, well, so be it," resumed Jack with a smile.--"But the upshot of +it was that we had to hold another consultation on the point; and I +really believe that had it not been for a happy thought of mine, we +should have been consulting there yet." + +"I wish we had!" again interrupted Peterkin with a sigh.--"I'm sure, +Ralph, if I had thought that you were coming back again I would +willingly have awaited your return for months rather than have endured +the mental agony which I went through.--But proceed." + +"The thought was this," continued Jack--"that I should tie Peterkin's +hands and feet with cords, and then lash him firmly to a stout pole +about five feet long, in order to render him quite powerless and keep +him straight and stiff. You should have seen his face of horror, Ralph, +when I suggested this! But he came to see that it was his only chance, +and told me to set about it as fast as I could; `for,' said he, `this is +no jokin', Jack, _I_ can tell you, and the sooner it's done the better.' +I soon procured the cordage and a suitable pole, with which I returned +to the cave, and lashed him as stiff and straight as an Egyptian mummy; +and, to say truth, he was no bad representation of what an English mummy +would be, if there were such things, for he was as white as a dead man. + +"`Now,' said Peterkin in a tremulous voice, `swim with me as near to the +edge of the hole as you can before you dive; then let me take a long +breath; and as I sha'n't be able to speak after I've taken it, you'll +watch my face, and the moment you see me wink--dive! And oh,' he added +earnestly, `pray don't be long!' + +"I promised to pay the strictest attention to his wishes, and swam with +him to the outlet of the cave. Here I paused. `Now, then,' said I, +`pull away at the wind, lad.' + +"Peterkin drew in a breath so long that I could not help thinking of the +frog in the fable, that wanted to swell itself as big as the ox. Then I +looked into his face earnestly. Slap went the lid of his right eye; +down went my head, and up went my heels. We shot through the passage +like an arrow, and rose to the surface of the open sea before you could +count twenty. + +"Peterkin had taken in such an awful load of wind that, on reaching the +free air, he let it out with a yell loud enough to have been heard a +mile off; and then the change in his feelings was so sudden and great +that he did not wait till we landed, but began, tied up as he was, to +shout and sing for joy as I supported him with my left arm to the shore. +However, in the middle of a laugh that a hyena might have envied, I let +him accidentally slip, which extinguished him in a moment. + +"After this happy deliverance, we immediately began our search for your +dead body, Ralph; and you have no idea how low our hearts sank as we set +off; day after day, to examine the valleys and mountain-sides with the +utmost care. In about three weeks we completed the survey of the whole +island, and had at least the satisfaction of knowing that you had not +been killed. But it occurred to us that you might have been thrown into +the sea; so we examined the sands and the lagoon carefully, and +afterwards went all round the outer reef. One day, while we were upon +the reef, Peterkin espied a small, dark object lying among the rocks, +which seemed to be quite different from the surrounding stones. We +hastened towards the spot, and found it to be a small keg. On knocking +out the head we discovered that it was gunpowder." + +"It was I who sent you that, Jack," said I with a smile. + +"Fork out!" cried Peterkin energetically, starting to his feet and +extending his open hand to Jack. "Down with the money, sir, else I'll +have you shut up for life in a debtor's prison the moment we return to +England!" + +"I'll give you an I.O.U. in the meantime," returned Jack, laughing, "so +sit down and be quiet.--The fact is, Ralph, when we discovered this keg +of powder Peterkin immediately took me a bet of a thousand pounds that +you had something to do with it, and I took him a bet of ten thousand +that you had not." + +"Peterkin was right, then," said I, explaining how the thing had +occurred. + +"Well, we found it very useful," continued Jack, "although some of it +had got a little damp; and we furbished up the old pistol, with which +Peterkin is a crack shot now. But to continue. We did not find any +other vestige of you on the reef, and finally gave up all hope of ever +seeing you again. After this the island became a dreary place to us, +and we began to long for a ship to heave in sight and take us off. But +now that you're back again, my dear fellow, it looks as bright and +cheerful as it used to do, and I love it as much as ever. + +"And now," continued Jack, "I have a great desire to visit some of the +other islands of the South Seas. Here we have a first-rate schooner at +our disposal, so I don't see what should hinder us." + +"Just the very thing I was going to propose!" cried Peterkin. "I vote +for starting at once." + +"Well, then," said Jack, "it seems to me that we could not do better +than shape our course for the island on which Avatea lives, and +endeavour to persuade Tararo to let her marry the black fellow to whom +she is engaged instead of making a `long pig' of her. If he has a spark +of gratitude in him, he'll do it. Besides, having become champions for +this girl once before, it behoves us, as true knights, not to rest until +we set her free; at least, all the heroes in all the story-books I have +ever read would count it foul disgrace to leave such a work unfinished." + +"I'm sure I don't know or care what your knights in story-books would +do," said Peterkin; "but I'm certain that it would be capital fun, so +I'm your man whenever you want me." + +This plan of Jack's was quite in accordance with his romantic, impulsive +nature; and having made up his mind to save this black girl, he could +not rest until the thing was commenced. + +"But there may be great danger in this attempt," he said at the end of a +long consultation on the subject. "Will you, lads, go with me in spite +of this?" + +"Go with you!" we repeated in the same breath. + +"Can you doubt it?" said I. + +"For a moment?" added Peterkin. + +I need scarcely say that having made up our minds to go on this +enterprise, we lost no time in making preparations to quit the island; +and as the schooner was well laden with stores of every kind for a long +cruise, we had little to do except to add to our abundant supply a +quantity of cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, taro, yams, plums, and potatoes, +chiefly with the view of carrying the fragrance of our dear island along +with us as long as we could. + +When all was ready, we paid a farewell visit to the different familiar +spots where most of our time had been spent. We ascended the +mountain-top, and gazed for the last time at the rich green foliage in +the valleys, the white sandy beach, the placid lagoon, and the barrier +coral reef with its crested breakers. Then we descended to Spouting +Cliff, and looked down at the pale-green monster which we had made such +fruitless efforts to spear in days gone by. From this we hurried to the +Water Garden, and took a last dive into its clear waters and a last +gambol amongst its coral groves. I hurried out before my companions, +and dressed in haste, in order to have a long examination of my tank, +which Peterkin, in the fulness of his heart, had tended with the utmost +care, as being a vivid remembrancer of me rather than out of love for +natural history. It was in superb condition: the water as clear and +pellucid as crystal; the red and green seaweed of the most brilliant +hues; the red, purple, yellow, green, and striped anemones fully +expanded, and stretching out their arms as if to welcome and embrace +their former master; the starfish, zoophytes, sea-pens, and other +innumerable marine insects, looking fresh and beautiful; and the crabs, +as Peterkin said, looking as wide-awake, impertinent, rampant, and +pugnacious as ever. It was, indeed, so lovely and so interesting that I +would scarcely allow myself to be torn away from it. + +Last of all, we returned to the bower and collected the few articles we +possessed--such as the axe, the pencil-case, the broken telescope, the +penknife, the hook made from the brass ring, and the sail-needle, with +which we had landed on the island; also the long boots and the pistol, +besides several curious articles of costume which we had manufactured +from time to time. + +These we conveyed on board in our little boat, after having carved our +names on a chip of iron-wood, thus: + + JACK MARTIN + RALPH ROVER + PETERKIN GAY + +This we fixed up inside of the bower. The boat was then hoisted on +board and the anchor weighed, which latter operation cost us great +labour and much time, as the anchor was so heavy that we could not move +it without the aid of my complex machinery of blocks and pulleys. A +steady breeze was blowing off-shore when we set sail, at a little before +sunset. It swept us quickly past the reef and out to sea. The shore +grew rapidly more indistinct as the shades of evening fell, while our +clipper bark bounded lightly over the waves. Slowly the mountain-top +sank on the horizon until it became a mere speck. In another moment the +sun and the Coral Island sank together into the broad bosom of the +Pacific. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY. + +THE VOYAGE--THE ISLAND, AND A CONSULTATION IN WHICH DANGER IS SCOUTED AS +A THING UNWORTHY OF CONSIDERATION--RATS AND CATS--THE NATIVE TEACHER-- +AWFUL REVELATIONS--WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF CHRISTIANITY. + +Our voyage during the next two weeks was most interesting and +prosperous. The breeze continued generally fair, and at all times +enabled us to lie our course; for being, as I have said before, +clipper-built, the pirate schooner could lie very close to the wind and +make little leeway. We had no difficulty now in managing our sails, for +Jack was heavy and powerful, while Peterkin was active as a kitten. +Still, however, we were a very insufficient crew for such a vessel; and +if any one had proposed to us to make such a voyage in it before we had +been forced to go through so many hardships from necessity, we would +have turned away with pity from the individual making such proposal as +from a madman. I pondered this a good deal, and at last concluded that +men do not know how much they are capable of doing till they try, and +that we should never give way to despair in any undertaking, however +difficult it may seem--always supposing, however, that our cause is a +good one, and that we can ask the Divine blessing on it. + +Although, therefore, we could now manage our sails easily, we +nevertheless found that my pulleys were of much service to us in some +things, though Jack did laugh heartily at the uncouth arrangement of +ropes and blocks, which had, to a sailor's eye, a very lumbering and +clumsy appearance. But I will not drag my reader through the details of +this voyage. Suffice it to say that, after an agreeable sail of about +three weeks, we arrived off the island of Mango, which I recognised at +once from the description that the pirate Bill had given me of it during +one of our conversations. + +As soon as we came within sight of it, we hove the ship to and held a +council of war. + +"Now, boys," said Jack as we seated ourselves beside him on the cabin +skylight, "before we go further in this business we must go over the +pros and cons of it; for although you have so generously consented to +stick by me through thick and thin, it would be unfair did I not see +that you thoroughly understand the danger of what we are about to +attempt." + +"Oh, bother the danger!" cried Peterkin. "I wonder to hear you, Jack, +talk of danger! When a fellow begins to talk about it, he'll soon come +to magnify it to such a degree that he'll not be fit to face it when it +comes--no more than a suckin' baby." + +"Nay, Peterkin," replied Jack gravely, "I won't be jested out of it. I +grant you that when we've once resolved to act, and have made up our +minds what to do, we should think no more of danger. But before we have +so resolved, it behoves us to look it straight in the face, and examine +into it, and walk round it; for if we flinch at a distant view, we're +sure to run away when the danger is near.--Now, I understand from you, +Ralph, that the island is inhabited by thorough-going, out-and-out +cannibals, whose principal law is, `Might is right, and the weakest goes +to the wall?'" + +"Yes," said I; "so Bill gave me to understand. He told me, however, +that at the southern side of it the missionaries had obtained a footing +amongst an insignificant tribe. A native teacher had been sent there by +the Wesleyans, who had succeeded in persuading the chief at that part to +embrace Christianity. But instead of that being of any advantage to our +enterprise, it seems the very reverse; for the chief Tararo is a +determined heathen, and persecutes the Christians--who are far too weak +in numbers to offer any resistance--and looks with dislike upon all +white men, whom he regards as propagators of the new faith." + +"'Tis a pity," said Jack, "that the Christian tribe is so small, for we +shall scarcely be safe under their protection, I fear. If Tararo takes +it into his head to wish for our vessel, or to kill ourselves, he could +take us from them by force. You say that the native missionary talks +English?" + +"So I believe." + +"Then, what I propose is this," said Jack. "We will run round to the +south side of the island, and cast anchor off the Christian village. We +are too far away just now to have been descried by any of the savages, +so we shall get there unobserved, and have time to arrange our plans +before the heathen tribes know of our presence. But in doing this we +run the risk of being captured by the ill-disposed tribes, and being +very ill-used, if not--a--" + +"Roasted alive and eaten!" cried Peterkin. "Come, out with it, Jack! +According to your own showing, it's well to look the danger straight in +the face." + +"Well, that _is_ the worst of it, certainly. Are you prepared, then, to +take your chance of that?" + +"I've been prepared and had my mind made up long ago," cried Peterkin, +swaggering about the deck with his hands thrust into his breeches +pockets. "The fact is, Jack, I don't believe that Tararo will be so +ungrateful as to eat us, and I'm quite sure that he'll be too happy to +grant us whatever we ask; so the sooner we go in and win the better." + +Peterkin was wrong, however, in his estimate of savage gratitude, as the +sequel will show. + +The schooner was now put before the wind, and after making a long run to +the southward, we put about and beat up for the south side of Mango, +where we arrived before sunset, and hove-to off the coral reef. Here we +awaited the arrival of a canoe, which immediately put off on our +rounding-to. When it arrived, a mild-looking native, of apparently +forty years of age, came on board, and taking off his straw hat, made us +a low bow. He was clad in a respectable suit of European clothes; and +the first words he uttered, as he stepped up to Jack and shook hands +with him, were: + +"Good-day, gentlemen. We are happy to see you at Mango. You are +heartily welcome." + +After returning his salutation, Jack exclaimed, "You must be the native +missionary teacher of whom I have heard--are you not?" + +"I am. I have the joy to be a servant of the Lord Jesus at this +station." + +"You're the very man I want to see, then," replied Jack; "that's lucky. +Come down to the cabin, friend, and have a glass of wine. I wish +particularly to speak with you. My men there"--pointing to Peterkin and +me--"will look after your people." + +"Thank you," said the teacher as he followed Jack to the cabin; "I do +not drink wine or any strong drink." + +"Oh! then there's lots of water, and you can have biscuit." + +"Now, 'pon my word, that's cool!" said Peterkin; "his _men_, forsooth! +Well, since we are to be men, we may as well come it as strong over +these black chaps as we can.--Hallo, there!" he cried to the half-dozen +of natives who stood upon the deck, gazing in wonder at all they saw, +"here's for you;" and he handed them a tray of broken biscuit and a can +of water. Then thrusting his hands into his pockets, he walked up and +down the deck with an enormous swagger, whistling vociferously. + +In about half-an-hour Jack and the teacher came on deck, and the latter, +bidding us a cheerful good-evening, entered his canoe and paddled to the +shore. When he was gone, Peterkin stepped up to Jack, and touching his +cap, said: + +"Well, captain, have you any communications to make to your _men_?" + +"Yes," cried Jack: "ready about, mind the helm, and clew up your tongue, +while I con the schooner through the passage in the reef. The teacher, +who seems a first-rate fellow, says it's quite deep, and good anchorage +within the lagoon close to the shore." + +While the vessel was slowly advancing to her anchorage, under a light +breeze, Jack explained to us that Avatea was still on the island, living +amongst the heathens; that she had expressed a strong desire to join the +Christians; but Tararo would not let her, and kept her constantly in +close confinement. + +"Moreover," continued Jack, "I find that she belongs to one of the +Samoan Islands, where Christianity had been introduced long before her +capture by the heathens of a neighbouring island; and the very day after +she was taken she was to have joined the church which had been planted +there by that excellent body, the London Missionary Society. The +teacher tells me, too, that the poor girl has fallen in love with a +Christian chief, who lives on an island some fifty miles or so to the +south of this one, and that she is meditating a desperate attempt at +escape. So, you see, we have come in the nick of time.--I fancy that +this chief is the fellow whom you heard of, Ralph, at the island of +Emo.--Besides all this, the heathen savages are at war among themselves, +and there's to be a battle fought the day after to-morrow, in which the +principal leader is Tararo; so that we'll not be able to commence our +negotiations with the rascally chief till the day after." + +The village off which we anchored was beautifully situated at the head +of a small bay, from the margin of which trees of every description +peculiar to the tropics rose in the richest luxuriance to the summit of +a hilly ridge, which was the line of demarcation between the possessions +of the Christians and those of the neighbouring heathen chief. + +The site of the settlement was an extensive plot of flat land, +stretching in a gentle slope from the sea to the mountain. The cottages +stood several hundred yards from the beach, and were protected from the +glare of the sea by the rich foliage of rows of large Barringtonia and +other trees which girt the shore. The village was about a mile in +length, and perfectly straight, with a wide road down the middle, on +either side of which were rows of the tufted-topped ti-tree, whose +delicate and beautiful blossoms, hanging beneath their plume-crested +tops, added richness to the scene. The cottages of the natives were +built beneath these trees, and were kept in the most excellent order, +each having a little garden in front, tastefully laid out and planted, +while the walks were covered with black and white pebbles. + +Every house had doors and Venetian windows, painted partly with +lamp-black made from the candle-nut, and partly with red ochre, which +contrasted powerfully with the dazzling coral lime that covered the +walls. On a prominent position stood a handsome church, which was quite +a curiosity in its way. It was a hundred feet long by fifty broad, and +was seated throughout to accommodate upwards of two thousand persons. +It had six large folding-doors, and twelve windows with Venetian blinds; +and although a large and substantial edifice, it had been built, we were +told by the teacher: in the space of two months! There was not a single +iron nail in the fabric, and the natives had constructed it chiefly with +their stone and bone axes and other tools, having only one or two axes +or tools of European manufacture. Everything around this beautiful spot +wore an aspect of peace and plenty; and as we dropped our anchor within +a stone's-cast of the substantial coral wharf, I could not avoid +contrasting it with the wretched village of Emo, where I had witnessed +so many frightful scenes. When the teacher afterwards told me that the +people of this tribe had become converts only a year previous to our +arrival, and that they had been living before that in the practice of +the most bloody system of idolatry, I could not refrain from exclaiming, +"What a convincing proof that Christianity is of God!" + +On landing from our little boat we were received with a warm welcome by +the teacher and his wife, the latter being also a native, clothed in a +simple European gown and a straw bonnet. The shore was lined with +hundreds of natives, whose persons were all more or less clothed with +native cloth. Some of the men had on a kind of poncho formed of this +cloth, their legs being uncovered; others wore clumsily fashioned +trousers, and no upper garment except hats made of straw and cloth. +Many of the dresses, both of women and men, were grotesque enough, being +very bad imitations of the European garb; but all wore a dress of some +sort or other. They seemed very glad to see us, and crowded round us as +the teacher led the way to his dwelling, where we were entertained, in +the most sumptuous manner, on baked pig and all the varieties of fruits +and vegetables that the island produced. We were much annoyed, however, +by the rats: they seemed to run about the house like domestic animals. +As we sat at table, one of them peeped up at us over the edge of the +cloth, close to Peterkin's elbow, who floored it with a blow on the +snout from his knife, exclaiming as he did so: + +"I say, Mister Teacher, why don't you set traps for these brutes? +Surely you are not fond of them!" + +"No," replied the teacher with a smile. "We would be glad to get rid of +them if we could; but if we were to trap all the rats on the island, it +would occupy our whole time." + +"Are they, then, so numerous?" inquired Jack. + +"They swarm everywhere. The poor heathens on the north side eat them, +and think them very sweet. So did my people formerly; but they do not +eat so many now, because the missionary who was last here expressed +disgust at it. The poor people asked if it was wrong to eat rats; and +he told them that it was certainly not wrong, but that the people of +England would be much disgusted were they asked to eat rats." + +We had not been an hour in the house of this kind-hearted man when we +were convinced of the truth of his statement as to their numbers; for +the rats ran about the floors in dozens, and during our meal two men +were stationed at the table to keep them off! + +"What a pity you have no cats!" said Peterkin; and he aimed a blow at +another reckless intruder, and missed it. + +"We would indeed be glad to have a few," rejoined the teacher, "but they +are difficult to be got. The hogs, we find, are very good rat-killers; +but they do not seem to be able to keep the numbers down. I have heard +that they are better than cats." + +As the teacher said this, his good-natured black face was wrinkled with +a smile of merriment. Observing that I had noticed it, he said: + +"I smiled just now when I remembered the fate of the first cat that was +taken to Rarotonga. This is one of the stations of the London +Missionary Society. It, like our own, is infested with rats, and a cat +was brought at last to the island. It was a large black one. On being +turned loose, instead of being content to stay among men, the cat took +to the mountains and lived in a wild state, sometimes paying visits +during the night to the houses of the natives; some of whom, living at a +distance from the settlement, had not heard of the cat's arrival, and +were dreadfully frightened in consequence, calling it a `monster of the +deep,' and flying in terror away from it. One night the cat--feeling a +desire for company, I suppose--took its way to the house of a chief who +had recently been converted to Christianity, and had begun to learn to +read and pray. The chief's wife, who was sitting awake at his side +while he slept, beheld with horror two fires glistening in the doorway, +and heard with surprise a mysterious voice. Almost petrified with fear, +she awoke her husband, and began to upbraid him for forsaking his old +religion and burning his god, who, she declared, was now come to be +avenged of them. `Get up and pray! get up and pray!' she cried. The +chief arose, and on opening his eyes, beheld the same glaring lights and +heard the same ominous sound. Impelled by the extreme urgency of the +case, he commenced, with all possible vehemence, to vociferate the +alphabet, as a prayer to God to deliver them from the vengeance of +Satan! On hearing this, the cat, as much alarmed as themselves, fled +precipitately away, leaving the chief and his wife congratulating +themselves on the efficacy of their prayer." + +We were much diverted with this anecdote, which the teacher related in +English so good that we certainly could not have supposed him a native +but for the colour of his face and the foreign accent in his tone. Next +day we walked out with this interesting man, and were much entertained +and instructed by his conversation as we rambled through the cool, shady +groves of bananas, citrons, limes, and other trees, or sauntered among +the cottages of the natives, and watched them while they laboured +diligently in the taro-beds or manufactured the tapa, or native cloth. +To some of these Jack put questions, through the medium of the +missionary; and the replies were such as to surprise us at the extent of +their knowledge. Indeed, Peterkin very truly remarked that "they seemed +to know a considerable deal more than Jack himself!" + +Among other pieces of interesting information that we obtained was the +following, in regard to coral formations: + +"The islands of the Pacific," said our friend, "are of three different +kinds or classes. Those of the first class are volcanic, mountainous, +and wild--some shooting their jagged peaks into the clouds at an +elevation of ten and fifteen thousand feet. Those of the second class +are of crystallised limestone, and vary in height from one hundred to +five hundred feet. The hills on these are not so wild or broken as +those of the first class, but are richly clothed with vegetation, and +very beautiful. I have no doubt that the Coral Island on which you were +wrecked was one of this class. They are supposed to have been upheaved +from the bottom of the sea by volcanic agency; but they are not +themselves volcanic in their nature, neither are they of coral +formation. Those of the third class are the low coralline islands, +usually having lagoons of water in their midst. They are very numerous. + +"As to the manner in which coral islands and reefs are formed, there are +various opinions on this point. I will give you what seems to me the +most probable theory--a theory, I may add, which is held by some of the +good and scientific missionaries. It is well known that there is much +lime in salt water; it is also known that coral is composed of lime. It +is supposed that the polypes, or coral insects, have the power of +attracting this lime to their bodies, and with this material they build +their little cells or habitations. They choose the summit of a volcano, +or the top of a submarine mountain, as a foundation on which to build, +for it is found that they never work at any great depth below the +surface. On this they work. The polypes on the mountain-top, of +course, reach the surface first; then those at the outer edges reach the +top sooner than the others between them and the centre, thus forming the +coral reef surrounding the lagoon of water and the central island. +After that, the insects within the lagoon cease working. When the +surface of the water is reached, these myriads of wonderful creatures +die. Then birds visit the spot, and seeds are thus conveyed thither, +which take root and spring up and flourish. Thus are commenced those +coralline islets of which you have seen so many in these seas. The +reefs round the large islands are formed in a similar manner. When we +consider," added the missionary, "the smallness of the architects used +by our heavenly Father in order to form those lovely and innumerable +islands, we are filled with much of that feeling which induced the +ancient king to exclaim, `How manifold, O Lord, are Thy works! in wisdom +hast Thou made them all.'" + +We all heartily agreed with the missionary in this sentiment, and felt +not a little gratified to find that the opinions which Jack and I had +been led to form, from personal observation on our Coral Island, were +thus to a great extent corroborated. + +The missionary also gave us an account of the manner in which +Christianity had been introduced among them. He said: "When +missionaries were first sent here, three years ago, a small vessel +brought them; and the chief, who is now dead, promised to treat well the +two native teachers who were left with their wives on the island. But +scarcely had the boat which landed them returned to the ship than the +natives began to maltreat their guests, taking away all they possessed, +and offering them further violence, so that when the boat was sent in +haste to fetch them away, the clothes of both men and women were torn +nearly off their backs. + +"Two years after this the vessel visited them again, and I, being in +her, volunteered to land alone, without any goods whatever, begging that +my wife might be brought to me the following year--that is, _this_ year; +and, as you see, she is with me. But the surf was so high that the boat +could not land me; so with nothing on but my trousers and shirt, and +with a few catechisms and a Bible, besides some portions of the +Scripture translated into the Mango tongue, I sprang into the sea, and +swam ashore on the crest of a breaker. I was instantly dragged up the +beach by the natives; who, on finding I had nothing worth having upon +me, let me alone. I then made signs to my friends in the ship to leave +me, which they did. At first the natives listened to me in silence, but +laughed at what I said while I preached the Gospel of our blessed +Saviour Jesus Christ to them. Afterwards they treated me ill, +sometimes; but I persevered, and continued to dwell among them, and +dispute, and exhort them to give up their sinful ways of life, burn +their idols, and come to Jesus. + +"About a month after I landed, I heard that the chief was dead. He was +the father of the present chief, who is now a most consistent member of +the Church. It is a custom here that when a chief dies his wives are +strangled and buried with him. Knowing this, I hastened to his house to +endeavour to prevent such cruelty if possible. When I arrived, I found +two of the wives had already been killed, while another was in the act +of being strangled. I pleaded hard for her, but it was too late; she +was already dead. I then entreated the son to spare the fourth wife, +and after much hesitation, my prayer was granted; but in half-an-hour +afterwards this poor woman repented of being unfaithful, as she termed +it, to her husband, and insisted on being strangled, which was +accordingly done. + +"All this time the chief's son was walking up and down before his +father's house with a brow black as thunder. When he entered I went in +with him, and found, to my surprise, that his father was _not_ dead! +The old man was sitting on a mat in a corner, with an expression of +placid resignation on his face. + +"`Why,' said I, `have you strangled your father's wives before he is +dead?' + +"To this the son replied, `He is dead. That is no longer my father. He +is as good as dead now. He is to be _buried alive_.' + +"I now remembered having heard that it is a custom among the Feejee +Islanders that when the reigning chief grows old and infirm, the heir to +the chieftainship has a right to depose his father, in which case he is +considered as dead, and is buried alive. The young chief was now about +to follow this custom, and despite my earnest entreaties and pleadings, +the old chief was buried that day before my eyes in the same grave with +his four strangled wives! Oh, my heart groaned when I saw this! and I +prayed to God to open the hearts of these poor creatures, as He had +already opened mine, and pour into them the light and the love of the +Gospel of Jesus. My prayer was answered very soon. A week afterwards +the son, who was now chief of the tribe, came to me, bearing his god on +his shoulders, and groaning beneath its weight. Flinging it down at my +feet, he desired me to burn it! + +"You may conceive how overjoyed I was at this. I sprang up and embraced +him, while I shed tears of joy. Then we made a fire and burned the god +to ashes, amid an immense concourse of the people, who seemed terrified +at what was being done, and shrank back when we burned the god, +expecting some signal vengeance to be taken upon us; but seeing that +nothing happened, they changed their minds, and thought that our God +must be the true one after all. From that time the mission prospered +steadily; and now, while there is not a single man in the tribe who has +not burned his household gods and become a convert to Christianity, +there are not a few, I hope, who are true followers of the Lamb, having +been plucked as brands from the burning by Him who can save unto the +uttermost. I will not tell you more of our progress at this time; but +you see," he said, waving his hand around him, "the village, and the +church did not exist a year ago!" + +We were indeed much interested in this account, and I could not help +again in my heart praying to God to prosper those missionary societies +that send such inestimable blessings to these islands of dark and bloody +idolatry. The teacher also added that the other tribes were very +indignant at this one for having burned its gods, and threatened to +destroy it altogether; but they had done nothing yet. "And if they +should," said the teacher, "the Lord is on our side; of whom shall we be +afraid?" + +"Have the missionaries many stations in these seas?" inquired Jack. + +"Oh yes. The London Missionary Society have a great many in the Tahiti +group, and other islands in that quarter. Then the Wesleyans have the +Feejee Islands all to themselves, and the Americans have many stations +in other groups. But still, my friend, there are hundreds of islands +here, the natives of which have never heard of Jesus, or the good word +of God, or the Holy Spirit; and thousands are living and dying in the +practice of those terrible sins and bloody murders of which you have +already heard.--I trust, my friends," he added, looking earnestly into +our faces--"I trust that if you ever return to England, you will tell +your Christian friends that the horrors which they hear of in regard to +these islands are _literally true_, and that when they have heard the +worst, the `_half has not been told them_;' for there are perpetrated +here foul deeds of darkness of which man may not speak. You may also +tell them," he said, looking around with a smile, while a tear of +gratitude trembled in his eye and rolled down his coal-black +cheek--"tell them of the blessings that the Gospel has wrought _here_!" + +We assured our friend that we would certainly not forget his request. +On returning towards the village, about noon, we remarked on the +beautiful whiteness of the cottages. + +"That is owing to the lime with which they are plastered," said the +teacher. "When the natives were converted, as I have described, I set +them to work to build cottages for themselves, and also this handsome +church which you see. When the framework and other parts of the house +were up, I sent the people to fetch coral from the sea. They brought +immense quantities. Then I made them cut wood, and piling the coral +above it, set it on fire. + +"`Look! look!' cried the poor people in amazement; `what wonderful +people the Christians are! He is roasting stones! We shall not need +taro or bread-fruit any more; we may eat stones!' + +"But their surprise was still greater when the coral was reduced to a +fine, soft, white powder. They immediately set up a great shout, and +mingling the lime with water, rubbed their faces and their bodies all +over with it, and ran through the village screaming with delight. They +were also much surprised at another thing they saw me do. I wished to +make some household furniture, and constructed a turning-lathe to assist +me. The first thing that I turned was the leg of a sofa, which was no +sooner finished than the chief seized it with wonder and delight, and +ran through the village exhibiting it to the people, who looked upon it +with great admiration. The chief then, tying a string to it, hung it +round his neck as an ornament! He afterwards told me that if he had +seen it before he became a Christian, he would have made it his god!" + +As the teacher concluded this anecdote we reached his door. Saying that +he had business to attend to, he left us to amuse ourselves as we best +could. + +"Now, lads," said Jack, turning abruptly towards us, and buttoning up +his jacket as he spoke, "I'm off to see the battle. I've no particular +fondness for seein' bloodshed; but I must find out the nature o' these +fellows and see their customs with my own eyes, so that I may be able to +speak of it again, if need be, authoritatively. It's only six miles +off, and we don't run much more risk than that of getting a rap with a +stray stone or an overshot arrow. Will you go?" + +"To be sure we will," said Peterkin. + +"If they chance to see us, we'll cut and run for it," added Jack. + +"Dear me!" cried Peterkin; "_you_ run! I thought you would scorn to run +from any one." + +"So I would, if it were my duty to fight," returned Jack coolly; "but as +I don't want to fight, and don't intend to fight, if they offer to +attack us I'll run away, like the veriest coward that ever went by the +name of Peterkin. So come along." + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY ONE. + +A STRANGE AND BLOODY BATTLE--THE LION BEARDED IN HIS DEN--FRIGHTFUL +SCENES OF CRUELTY, AND FEARS FOR THE FUTURE. + +We had ascertained from the teacher the direction to the spot on which +the battle was to be fought, and after a walk of two hours, reached it. +The summit of a bare hill was the place chosen; for, unlike most of the +other islanders, who are addicted to bush-fighting, those of Mango are +in the habit of meeting on open ground. We arrived before the two +parties had commenced the deadly struggle, and creeping as close up as +we dared among the rocks, we lay and watched them. + +The combatants were drawn up face to face, each side ranged in rank four +deep. Those in the first row were armed with long spears; the second +with clubs to defend the spearmen; the third row was composed of young +men with slings; and the fourth consisted of women, who carried baskets +of stones for the slingers, and clubs and spears with which to supply +the warriors. Soon after we arrived, the attack was made with great +fury. There was no science displayed. The two bodies of savages rushed +headlong upon each other and engaged in a general melee, and a more +dreadful set of men I have never seen. They wore grotesque war-caps, +made of various substances and decorated with feathers. Their faces and +bodies were painted so as to make them look as frightful as possible; +and as they brandished their massive clubs, leaped, shouted, yelled, and +dashed each other to the ground, I thought I had never seen men look so +like demons before. + +We were much surprised at the conduct of the women, who seemed to be +perfect furies, and hung about the heels of their husbands in order to +defend them. One stout young woman we saw, whose husband was hard +pressed and about to be overcome: she lifted a large stone, and throwing +it at his opponent's head, felled him to the earth. But the battle did +not last long. The band most distant from us gave way and were routed, +leaving eighteen of their comrades dead upon the field. These the +victors brained as they lay; and putting some of their brains on leaves, +went off with them, we were afterwards informed, to their temples to +present them to their gods as an earnest of the human victims who were +soon to be brought there. + +We hastened back to the Christian village with feelings of the deepest +sadness at the sanguinary conflict which we had just witnessed. + +Next day, after breakfasting with our friend the teacher, we made +preparations for carrying out our plan. At first the teacher +endeavoured to dissuade us. + +"You do not know," said he, turning to Jack, "the danger you run in +venturing amongst these ferocious savages. I feel much pity for poor +Avatea; but you are not likely to succeed in saving her, and you may die +in the attempt." + +"Well," said Jack quietly, "I am not afraid to die in a good cause." + +The teacher smiled approvingly at him as he said this, and after a +little further conversation, agreed to accompany us as interpreter-- +saying that although Tararo was unfriendly to him, he had hitherto +treated him with respect. + +We now went on board the schooner, having resolved to sail round the +island and drop anchor opposite the heathen village. We manned her with +natives, and hoped to overawe the savages by displaying our brass gun to +advantage. The teacher soon after came on board, and setting our sails, +we put to sea. In two hours more we made the cliffs reverberate with +the crash of the big gun, which we fired by way of salute, while we ran +the British ensign up to the peak and cast anchor. The commotion on +shore showed us that we had struck terror into the hearts of the +natives; but seeing that we did not offer to molest them, a canoe at +length put off and paddled cautiously towards us. The teacher showed +himself, and explaining that we were friends and wished to palaver with +the chief, desired the native to go and tell him to come on board. + +We waited long and with much impatience for an answer. During this time +the native teacher conversed with us again, and told us many things +concerning the success of the Gospel among those islands; and perceiving +that we were by no means so much gratified as we ought to have been at +the hearing of such good news, he pressed us more closely in regard to +our personal interest in religion, and exhorted us to consider that our +souls were certainly in as great danger as those of the wretched heathen +whom we pitied so much if we had not already found salvation in Jesus +Christ. "Nay, further," he added, "if such be your unhappy case, you +are, in the sight of God, much worse than these savages--forgive me, my +young friends, for saying so--for they have no knowledge, no light, and +do not profess to believe; while you, on the contrary, have been brought +up in the light of the blessed Gospel and call yourselves Christians. +These poor savages are indeed the enemies of our Lord; but you, if ye be +not true believers, are traitors!" + +I must confess that my heart condemned me while the teacher spoke in +this earnest manner, and I knew not what to reply. Peterkin, too, did +not seem to like it, and, I thought, would willingly have escaped. But +Jack seemed deeply impressed, and wore an anxious expression on his +naturally grave countenance, while he assented to the teacher's remarks, +and put to him many earnest questions. Meanwhile the natives who +composed our crew, having nothing particular to do, had squatted down on +the deck and taken out their little books containing the translated +portions of the New Testament, along with hymns and spelling-books, and +were now busily engaged--some vociferating the alphabet, others learning +prayers off by heart, while a few sang hymns--all of them being utterly +unmindful of our presence. The teacher soon joined them, and soon +afterwards they all engaged in a prayer, which was afterwards translated +to us, and proved to be a petition for the success of our undertaking +and for the conversion of the heathen. + +While we were thus engaged a canoe put off from shore, and several +savages leaped on deck, one of whom advanced to the teacher and informed +him that Tararo could not come on board that day, being busy with some +religious ceremonies before the gods, which could on no account be +postponed. He was also engaged with a friendly chief, who was about to +take his departure from the island, and therefore begged that the +teacher and his friends would land and pay a visit to him. To this the +teacher returned answer that we would land immediately. + +"Now, lads," said Jack as we were about to step into our little boat, +"I'm not going to take any weapons with me, and I recommend you to take +none either. We are altogether in the power of these savages; and the +utmost we could do, if they were to attack us, would be to kill a few of +them before we were ourselves overpowered. I think that our only chance +of success lies in mild measures. Don't you think so?" + +To this I assented gladly; and Peterkin replied by laying down a huge +bell-mouthed blunderbuss, and divesting himself of a pair of enormous +horse-pistols, with which he had purposed to overawe the natives! We +then jumped into our boat and rowed ashore. + +On reaching the beach we were received by a crowd of naked savages, who +shouted a rude welcome, and conducted us to a house or shed where a +baked pig and a variety of vegetables were prepared for us. Having +partaken of these, the teacher begged to be conducted to the chief; but +there seemed some hesitation, and after some consultation among +themselves, one of the men stood forward and spoke to the teacher. + +"What says he?" inquired Jack when the savage had concluded. + +"He says that the chief is just going to the temple of his god, and +cannot see us yet; so we must be patient, my friend." + +"Well," cried Jack, rising, "if he won't come to see me, I'll e'en go +and see him. Besides, I have a great desire to witness their +proceedings at this temple of theirs. Will you go with me, friend?" + +"I cannot," said the teacher, shaking his head. "I must not go to the +heathen temples and witness their inhuman rites, except for the purpose +of condemning their wickedness and folly." + +"Very good," returned Jack; "then I'll go alone, for I cannot condemn +their doings till I have seen them." + +Jack arose, and we, having determined to go also, followed him through +the banana-groves to a rising ground immediately behind the village, on +the top of which stood the Bure, or temple, under the dark shade of a +group of iron-wood trees. As we went through the village I was again +led to contrast the rude huts and sheds, and their almost naked, +savage-looking inhabitants, with the natives of the Christian village, +who, to use the teacher's scriptural expression, were now "clothed and +in their right mind." + +As we turned into a broad path leading towards the hill, we were +arrested by the shouts of an approaching multitude in the rear. Drawing +aside into the bushes, we awaited their coming up; and as they drew +near, we observed that it was a procession of the natives, many of whom +were dancing and gesticulating in the most frantic manner. They had an +exceedingly hideous aspect, owing to the black, red, and yellow paints +with which their faces and naked bodies were bedaubed. In the midst of +these came a band of men carrying three or four planks, on which were +seated, in rows, upwards of a dozen men. I shuddered involuntarily as I +recollected the sacrifice of human victims at the island of Emo, and +turned with a look of fear to Jack as I said: + +"Oh Jack! I have a terrible dread that they are going to commit some of +their cruel practices on these wretched men. We had better not go to +the temple. We shall only be horrified without being able to do any +good, for I fear they are going to kill them." + +Jack's face wore an expression of deep compassion as he said in a low +voice, "No fear, Ralph; the sufferings of these poor fellows are over +long ago." + +I turned with a start as he spoke, and glancing at the men, who were now +quite near to the spot where we stood, saw that they were all dead. +They were tied firmly with ropes in a sitting posture on the planks, and +seemed, as they bent their sightless eyeballs and grinning mouths over +the dancing crew below, as if they were laughing in ghastly mockery at +the utter inability of their enemies to hurt them now. These, we +discovered afterwards, were the men who had been slain in the battle of +the previous day, and were now on their way to be first presented to the +gods and then eaten. Behind these came two men leading between them a +third, whose hands were pinioned behind his back. He walked with a firm +step, and wore a look of utter indifference on his face as they led him +along, so that we concluded he must be a criminal who was about to +receive some slight punishment for his faults. The rear of the +procession was brought up by a shouting crowd of women and children, +with whom we mingled and followed to the temple. + +Here we arrived in a few minutes. The temple was a tall, circular +building, open at one side. Around it were strewn heaps of human bones +and skulls. At a table inside sat the priest, an elderly man with a +long grey beard. He was seated on a stool, and before him lay several +knives, made of wood, bone, and splinters of bamboo, with which he +performed his office of dissecting dead bodies. Farther in lay a +variety of articles that had been dedicated to the god, and among them +were many spears and clubs. I observed among the latter some with human +teeth sticking in them, where the victims had been clubbed in their +mouths. + +Before this temple the bodies, which were painted with vermilion and +soot, were arranged in a sitting posture; and a man called a "dan-vosa" +(orator) advanced, and laying his hands on their heads, began to chide +them, apparently, in a low, bantering tone. What he said we knew not, +but as he went on he waxed warm, and at last shouted to them at the top +of his lungs, and finally finished by kicking the bodies over and +running away, amid the shouts and laughter of the people, who now rushed +forward. Seizing the bodies by a leg or an arm, or by the hair of the +head, they dragged them over stumps and stones and through sloughs until +they were exhausted. The bodies were then brought back to the temple +and dissected by the priest, after which they were taken out to be +baked. + +Close to the temple a large fire was kindled, in which stones were +heated red hot. When ready these were spread out on the ground, and a +thick coating of leaves strewn over them to slack the heat. On this +"lovo," or oven, the bodies were then placed, covered over, and left to +bake. + +The crowd now ran with terrible yells towards a neighbouring hill or +mound, on which we observed the framework of a house lying ready to be +erected. Sick with horror, yet fascinated by curiosity, we staggered +after them mechanically, scarce knowing where we were going or what we +did, and feeling a sort of impression that all we saw was a dreadful +dream. + +Arrived at the place, we saw the multitude crowding round a certain +spot. We pressed forward, and obtained a sight of what they were doing. +A large wooden beam or post lay on the ground, beside the other parts +of the framework of the house, and close to the end of it was a hole +about seven feet deep and upwards of two feet wide. While we looked, +the man whom we had before observed with his hands pinioned was carried +into the circle. His hands were now free, but his legs were tightly +strapped together. The post of the house was then placed in the hole, +and the man put in beside it. His head was a good way below the surface +of the hole, and his arms were clasped round the post. Earth was now +thrown in until all was covered over and stamped down; and this, we were +afterwards told, was a ceremony usually performed at the dedication of a +new temple or the erection of a chief's house! + +"Come, come," cried Jack on beholding this horrible tragedy; "we have +seen enough, enough--far more than enough! Let us go." + +Jack's face looked ghastly pale and haggard as we hurried back to rejoin +the teacher; and I have no doubt that he felt terrible anxiety when he +considered the number and ferocity of the savages, and the weakness of +the few arms which were ready indeed to essay, but impotent to effect, +Avatea's deliverance from these ruthless men. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY TWO. + +AN UNEXPECTED DISCOVERY, AND A BOLD, RECKLESS DEFIANCE, WITH ITS +CONSEQUENCES--PLANS OF ESCAPE, AND HEROIC RESOLVES. + +When we returned to the shore and related to our friend what had passed, +he was greatly distressed, and groaned in spirit; but we had not sat +long in conversation when we were interrupted by the arrival of Tararo +on the beach, accompanied by a number of followers bearing baskets of +vegetables and fruits on their heads. + +We advanced to meet him, and he expressed, through our interpreter, much +pleasure in seeing us. + +"And what, is it that my friends wish to say to me?" he inquired. + +The teacher explained that we came to beg that Avatea might be spared. + +"Tell him," said Jack, "that I consider that I have a right to ask this +of him, having not only saved the girl's life, but the lives of his own +people also; and say that I wish her to be allowed to follow her own +wishes, and join the Christians." + +While this was being translated the chief's brow lowered, and we could +see plainly that our request met with no favourable reception. He +replied with considerable energy and at some length. + +"What says he?" inquired Jack. + +"I regret to say that he will not listen to the proposal. He says he +has pledged his word to his friend that the girl shall be sent to him, +and a deputy even now on this island awaiting the fulfilment of the +pledge." + +Jack bit his lip in suppressed anger. "Tell Tararo," he exclaimed with +a flashing eye, "that if he does not grant my demand it will be worse +for him. Say I have a big gun on board my schooner that will blow his +village into the sea if he does not give up the girl." + +"Nay, my friend," said the teacher gently, "I will not tell him that. +We must `overcome evil with good.'" + +"What does my friend say?" inquired the chief, who seemed nettled by +Jack's looks of defiance. + +"He is displeased," replied the teacher. + +Tararo turned away with a smile of contempt, and walked towards the men +who carried the baskets of vegetables, and who had now emptied the whole +on the beach in an enormous pile. + +"What are they doing there?" I inquired. + +"I think that they are laying out a gift which they intend to present to +some one," said the teacher. + +At this moment a couple of men appeared, leading a young girl between +them, and going towards the heap of fruits and vegetables, placed her on +top of it. We started with surprise and fear, for in the young female +before us we recognised the Samoan girl, Avatea. + +We stood rooted to the earth with surprise and thick-coming fears. + +"Oh my dear young friend!" whispered the teacher in a voice of deep +emotion; while he seized Jack by the arm, "she is to be made a sacrifice +even now!" + +"Is she?" cried Jack with a vehement shout, spurning the teacher aside, +and dashing over two natives who stood in his way, while he rushed +towards the heap, sprang up its side, and seized Avatea by the arm. In +another moment he dragged her down, placed her back to a large tree, and +wrenching a war-club from the hand of a native who seemed powerless and +petrified with surprise, whirled it above his head, and yelled, rather +than shouted, while his face blazed with fury, "Come on, the whole +nation of you, an ye like it, and do your worst!" + +It seemed as though the challenge had been literally accepted; for every +savage on the ground ran precipitately at Jack with club and spear, and +doubtless would speedily have poured out his brave blood on the sod had +not the teacher rushed in between them, and raising his voice to its +utmost, cried: + +"Stay your hands, warriors! It is not your part to judge in this +matter! It is for Tararo, the chief, to say whether or not the young +man shall live or die!" + +The natives were arrested; and I know not whether it was the gratifying +acknowledgment of his superiority thus made by the teacher, or some +lingering feeling of gratitude for Jack's former aid in time of need, +that influenced Tararo, but he stepped forward, and waving his hand, +said to his people, "Desist. The young man's life is mine." Then +turning to Jack, he said, "You have forfeited your liberty and life to +me. Submit yourself, for we are more numerous than the sand upon the +shore. You are but one: why should you die?" + +"Villain!" exclaimed Jack passionately. "I may die, but assuredly I +shall not perish alone! I will not submit until you promise that this +girl shall not be injured!" + +"You are very bold," replied the chief haughtily, "but very foolish. +Yet I will say that Avatea shall not be sent away--at least, for three +days." + +"You had better accept these terms," whispered the teacher entreatingly. +"If you persist in this mad defiance, you will be slain and Avatea will +be lost. Three days are worth having." + +Jack hesitated a moment, then lowered his club, and throwing it moodily +to the ground, crossed his arms on his breast and hung down his head in +silence. + +Tararo seemed pleased by his submission, and told the teacher to say +that he did not forget his former services, and therefore would leave +him free as to his person, but that the schooner would be detained till +he had further considered the matter. + +While the teacher translated this, he approached as near to where Avatea +was standing as possible without creating suspicion, and whispered to +her a few words in the native language. Avatea, who, during the whole +of the foregoing scene, had stood leaning against the tree perfectly +passive, and seemingly quite uninterested in all that was going on, +replied by a single rapid glance of her dark eye, which was instantly +cast down again on the ground at her feet. + +Tararo now advanced, and taking the girl by the hand, led her +unresistingly away; while Jack, Peterkin, and I returned with the +teacher on board the schooner. + +On reaching the deck we went down to the cabin, where Jack threw +himself, in a state of great dejection, on a couch; but the teacher +seated himself by his side, and laying his hand upon his shoulder, said: + +"Do not give way to anger, my young friend. God has given us three +days, and we must use the means that are in our power to free this poor +girl from slavery. We must not sit in idle disappointment; we must +act--" + +"Act!" cried Jack, raising himself and tossing back his hair wildly. +"It is mockery to talk of acting when one is bound hand and foot. How +can I act? I cannot fight a whole nation of savages single-handed. +Yes," he said with a bitter smile, "I _can_ fight them; but I cannot +conquer them, or save Avatea." + +"Patience, my friend: your spirit is not a good one just now. You +cannot expect that blessing which alone can ensure success unless you +are more submissive. I will tell you my plans if you will listen." + +"Listen!" cried Jack eagerly. "Of course I will, my good fellow! I did +not know you had any plans. Out with them! I only hope you will show +me how I can get the girl on board of this schooner, and I'd up anchor +and away in no time. But proceed with your plans." + +The teacher smiled sadly. "Ah, my friend, if one fathom of your +anchor-chain were to rattle as you drew it in, a thousand warriors would +be standing on your deck! No, no; that could not be done. Even now +your ship would be taken from you were it not that Tararo has some +feeling of gratitude towards you. But I know Tararo well. He is a man +of falsehood, as all the unconverted savages are. The chief to whom he +has promised this girl is very powerful, and Tararo _must_ fulfil his +promise. He has told you that he would do nothing to the girl for three +days, but that is because the party who are to take her away will not be +ready to start for three days. Still, as he might have made you a +prisoner during those three days, I say that God has given them to us." + +"Well, but what do you propose to do?" said Jack impatiently. + +"My plan involves much danger; but I see no other, and I think you have +courage to brave it. It is this. There is an island about fifty miles +to the south of this, the natives of which are Christians, and have been +so for two years or more, and the principal chief is Avatea's lover. +Once there, Avatea would be safe. Now, I suggest that you should +abandon your schooner. Do you think that you can make so great a +sacrifice?" + +"Friend," replied Jack, "when I make up my mind to go through with a +thing of importance, I can make any sacrifice." + +The teacher smiled. "Well, then, the savages could not conceive it +possible that for the sake of a girl you would voluntarily lose your +fine vessel; therefore, as long as she lies here, they think they have +you all safe. So I suggest that we get a quantity of stores conveyed to +a sequestered part of the shore, provide a small canoe, put Avatea on +board, and you three would paddle to the Christian island." + +"Bravo!" cried Peterkin, springing up and seizing the teacher's hand. +"Missionary, you're a regular brick! I didn't think you had so much in +you!" + +"As for me," continued the teacher, "I will remain on board till they +discover that you are gone. Then they will ask me where you are gone +to, and I will refuse to tell." + +"And what'll be the result of that?" inquired Jack. + +"I know not. Perhaps they will kill me; but," he added, looking at Jack +with a peculiar smile, "I too am not afraid to die in a good cause!" + +"But how are we to get hold of Avatea?" inquired Jack. + +"I have arranged with her to meet us at a particular spot, to which I +will guide you to-night. We shall then arrange about it. She will +easily manage to elude her keepers, who are not very strict in watching +her, thinking it impossible that she could escape from the island. +Indeed, I am sure that such an idea will never enter their heads. But, +as I have said, you run great danger. Fifty miles in a small canoe, on +the open sea, is a great voyage to make. You may miss the island, too, +in which case there is no other in that direction for a hundred miles or +more; and if you lose your way and fall among other heathens, you know +the law of Feejee--a castaway who gains the shore is doomed to die. You +must count the cost, my young friend." + +"I have counted it," replied Jack. "If Avatea consents to run the risk, +most certainly I will; and so will my comrades also. Besides," added +Jack, looking seriously into the teacher's face, "your Bible--our +Bible--tells of ONE who delivers those who call on Him in the time of +trouble; who holds the winds in His fists, and the waters in the hollow +of His hand." + +We now set about active preparations for the intended voyage: collected +together such things as we should require, and laid out on the deck +provisions sufficient to maintain us for several weeks, purposing to +load the canoe with as much as she could hold consistently with speed +and safety. These we covered with a tarpaulin, intending to convey them +to the canoe only a few hours before starting. When night spread her +sable curtain over the scene, we prepared to land; but first kneeling +along with the natives and the teacher, the latter implored a blessing +on our enterprise. Then we rowed quietly to the shore and followed our +sable guide, who led us by a long detour in order to avoid the village, +to the place of rendezvous. We had not stood more than five minutes +under the gloomy shade of the thick foliage when a dark figure glided +noiselessly up to us. + +"Ah, here you are!" said Jack as Avatea approached.--"Now, then, tell +her what we've come about, and don't waste time." + +"I understan' leetl' English," said Avatea in a low voice. + +"Why, where did you pick up English?" exclaimed Jack in amazement. "You +were dumb as a stone when I saw you last." + +"She has learned all she knows of it from me," said the teacher, "since +she came to the island." + +We now gave Avatea a full explanation of our plans, entering into all +the details, and concealing none of the danger, so that she might be +fully aware of the risk she ran. As we had anticipated, she was too +glad of the opportunity thus afforded her to escape from her persecutors +to think of the danger or risk. + +"Then you're willing to go with us, are you?" said Jack. + +"Yis, I willing to go." + +"And you're not afraid to trust yourself out on the deep sea so far?" + +"No, I not 'fraid to go. Safe with Christian." + +After some further consultation the teacher suggested that it was time +to return, so we bade Avatea good-night; and having appointed to meet at +the cliff where the canoe lay on the following night, just after dark, +we hastened away--we to row back to the schooner with muffled oars, +Avatea to glide back to her prison-hut among the Mango savages. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY THREE. + +THE FLIGHT--THE PURSUIT--DESPAIR AND ITS RESULTS--THE LION BEARDED IN +HIS DEN AGAIN--AWFUL DANGER THREATENED AND WONDERFULLY AVERTED--A +TERRIFIC STORM. + +As the time for our meditated flight drew near, we became naturally very +fearful lest our purpose should be discovered, and we spent the whole of +the following day in a state of nervous anxiety. We resolved to go +ashore and ramble about the village, as if to observe the habits and +dwellings of the people, as we thought that an air of affected +indifference to the events of the previous day would be more likely than +any other course of conduct to avert suspicion as to our intentions. +While we were thus occupied, the teacher remained on board with the +Christian natives, whose powerful voices reached us ever and anon as +they engaged in singing hymns or in prayer. + +At last the long and tedious day came to a close, the sun sank into the +sea, and the short-lived twilight of those regions, to which I have +already referred, ended abruptly in a dark night. Hastily throwing a +few blankets into our little boat, we stepped into it, and whispering +farewell to the natives in the schooner, rowed gently over the lagoon, +taking care to keep as near to the beach as possible. We rowed in the +utmost silence and with muffled oars, so that had any one observed us at +the distance of a few yards, he might have almost taken us for a phantom +boat or a shadow on the dark water. Not a breath of air was stirring; +but fortunately the gentle ripple of the sea upon the shore, mingled +with the soft roar of the breaker on the distant reef, effectually +drowned the slight plash that we unavoidably made in the water by the +dipping of our oars. + +A quarter of an hour sufficed to bring us to the overhanging cliff under +whose black shadow our little canoe lay, with her bow in the water, +ready to be launched, and most of her cargo already stowed away. As the +keel of our little boat grated on the sand, a hand was laid upon the +bow, and a dim form was seen. + +"Ha!" said Peterkin in a whisper as he stepped upon the beach; "is that +you, Avatea?" + +"Yis, it am me," was the reply. + +"All right--Now, then, gently--Help me to shove off the canoe," +whispered Jack to the teacher.--"And, Peterkin, do you shove these +blankets aboard; we may want them before long.--Avatea, step into the +middle: that's right." + +"Is all ready?" whispered the teacher. + +"Not quite," replied Peterkin.--"Here, Ralph, lay hold o' this pair of +oars, and stow them away if you can. I don't like paddles. After we're +safe away, I'll try to rig up rowlocks for them." + +"Now, then, in with you and shove off!" + +One more earnest squeeze of the kind teacher's hand, and with his +whispered blessing yet sounding in our ears, we shot like an arrow from +the shore, sped over the still waters of the lagoon, and paddled as +swiftly as strong arms and willing hearts could urge us over the long +swell of the open sea. + +All that night and the whole of the following day we plied our paddles +in almost total silence and without a halt, save twice to recruit our +failing energies with a mouthful of food and a draught of water. Jack +had taken the bearing of the island just after starting, and laying a +small pocket-compass before him, kept the head of the canoe due south, +for our chance of hitting the island depended very much on the +faithfulness of our steersman in keeping our tiny bark exactly and +constantly on its proper course. Peterkin and I paddled in the bow, and +Avatea worked untiringly in the middle. + +As the sun's lower limb dipped on the gilded edge of the sea Jack ceased +working, threw down his paddle, and called a halt. + +"There!" he cried, heaving a deep, long-drawn sigh; "we've put a +considerable breadth of water between us and these black rascals, so now +we'll have a hearty supper and a sound sleep." + +"Hear, hear!" cried Peterkin. "Nobly spoken, Jack!--Hand me a drop of +water, Ralph.--Why, girl, what's wrong with you? You look just like a +black owl blinking in the sunshine!" + +Avatea smiled. "I sleepy," she said; and as if to prove the truth of +this, she laid her head on the edge of the canoe and fell fast asleep. + +"That's uncommon sharp practice," said Peterkin with a broad grin. +"Don't you think we should awake her to make her eat something first? +Or perhaps," he added with a grave, meditative look--"perhaps we might +put some food in her mouth, which is so elegantly open at the present +moment, and see if she'd swallow it while asleep.--If so, Ralph, you +might come round to the front here and feed her quietly, while Jack and +I are tucking into the victuals. It would be a monstrous economy of +time." + +I could not help smiling at Peterkin's idea, which indeed, when I +pondered it, seemed remarkably good in theory; nevertheless, I declined +to put it in practice, being fearful of the result should the victuals +chance to go down the wrong throat. But on suggesting this to Peterkin, +he exclaimed: + +"Down the wrong throat, man! Why, a fellow with half-an-eye might see +that if it went down Avatea's throat it could not go down the wrong +throat!--unless, indeed, you have all of a sudden become inordinately +selfish, and think that all the throats in the world are wrong ones +except your own. However, don't talk so much, and hand me the pork +before Jack finishes it. I feel myself entitled to at least one minute +morsel." + +"Peterkin, you're a villain--a paltry little villain!" said Jack quietly +as he tossed the hind legs (including the tail) of a cold roast pig to +his comrade; "and I must again express my regret that unavoidable +circumstances have thrust your society upon me, and that necessity has +compelled me to cultivate your acquaintance. Were it not that you are +incapable of walking upon the water, I would order you, sir, out of the +canoe!" + +"There! you've awakened Avatea with your long tongue," retorted +Peterkin, with a frown, as the girl gave vent to a deep sigh. "No," he +continued, "it was only a snore. Perchance she dreameth of her black +Apollo.--I say, Ralph, do leave just one little slice of that yam! +Between you and Jack I run a chance of being put on short allowance, if +not--yei-a-a-ow!" + +Peterkin's concluding remark was a yawn of so great energy that Jack +recommended him to postpone the conclusion of his meal till next +morning--a piece of advice which he followed so quickly that I was +forcibly reminded of his remark, a few minutes before, in regard to the +sharp practice of Avatea. + +My readers will have observed, probably, by this time, that I am much +given to meditation: they will not, therefore, be surprised to learn +that I fell into a deep reverie on the subject of sleep, which was +continued without intermission into the night, and prolonged without +interruption into the following morning. But I cannot feel assured that +I actually slept during that time, although I am tolerably certain that +I was not awake. + +Thus we lay, like a shadow, on the still bosom of the ocean, while the +night closed in, and all around was calm, dark, and silent. + +A thrilling cry of alarm from Peterkin startled us in the morning, just +as the grey dawn began to glimmer in the east. + +"What's wrong?" cried Jack, starting up. + +Peterkin replied by pointing, with a look of anxious dread, towards the +horizon; and a glance sufficed to show us that one of the largest-sized +war-canoes was approaching us! + +With a groan of mingled despair and anger, Jack seized his paddle, +glanced at the compass, and in a suppressed voice commanded us to "Give +way!" But we did not require to be urged. Already our four paddles +were glancing in the water, and the canoe bounded over the glassy sea +like a dolphin, while a shout from our pursuers told that they had +observed our motions. + +"I see something like land ahead," said Jack in a hopeful tone. "It +seems impossible that we could have made the island yet; still, if it is +so, we may reach it before these fellows can catch us, for our canoe is +light and our muscles are fresh." + +No one replied; for, to say truth, we felt that in a long chase we had +no chance whatever with a canoe which held nearly a hundred warriors. +Nevertheless, we resolved to do our utmost to escape, and paddled with a +degree of vigour that kept us well in advance of our pursuers. The +war-canoe was so far behind us that it seemed but a little speck on the +sea, and the shouts to which the crew occasionally gave vent came +faintly towards us on the morning breeze. We therefore hoped that we +should be able to keep in advance for an hour or two, when we might +perhaps reach the land ahead. But this hope was suddenly crushed by the +supposed land, not long after, rising up into the sky, thus proving +itself to be a fog-bank! + +A bitter feeling of disappointment filled each heart, and was expressed +on each countenance, as we beheld this termination to our hopes. But we +had little time to think of regret. Our danger was too great and +imminent to permit of a moment's relaxation from our exertions. No hope +now animated our bosoms; but a feeling of despair, strange to say, lent +us power to work, and nerved our arms with such energy that it was +several hours ere the savages overtook us. When we saw that there was +indeed no chance of escape, and that paddling any longer would only +serve to exhaust our strength without doing any good, we turned the side +of our canoe towards the approaching enemy and laid down our paddles. + +Silently, and with a look of bitter determination on his face, Jack +lifted one of the light boat-oars that we had brought with us, and +resting it on his shoulder, stood up in an attitude of bold defiance. +Peterkin took the other oar and also stood up, but there was no anger +visible on his countenance: when not sparkling with fun, it usually wore +a mild, sad expression, which was deepened on the present occasion as he +glanced at Avatea, who sat with her face resting in her hands upon her +knees. Without knowing very well what I intended to do, I also arose +and grasped my paddle with both hands. + +On came the large canoe like a war-horse of the deep, with the foam +curling from its sharp bow, and the spear-heads of the savages glancing +in the beams of the rising sun. Perfect silence was maintained on both +sides; and we could hear the hissing water, and see the frowning eyes of +the warriors, as they came rushing on. When about twenty yards distant, +five or six of the savages in the bow rose, and laying aside their +paddles, took up their spears. Jack and Peterkin raised their oars, +while, with a feeling of madness whirling in my brain, I grasped my +paddle and prepared for the onset. But before any of us could strike a +blow, the sharp prow of the war-canoe struck us like a thunderbolt on +the side and hurled us into the sea! + +What occurred after this I cannot tell, for I was nearly drowned; but +when I recovered from the state of insensibility into which I had been +thrown, I found myself stretched on my back, bound hand and foot, +between Jack and Peterkin, in the bottom of the large canoe. + +In this condition we lay the whole day, during which time the savages +only rested one hour. When night came they rested again for another +hour, and appeared to sleep just as they sat. But we were neither +unbound nor allowed to speak to each other during the voyage, nor was a +morsel of food or a draught of water given to us. For food, however, we +cared little; but we would have given much for a drop of water to cool +our parched lips. And we would have been glad, too, had they loosened +the cords that bound us; for they were tightly fastened, and occasioned +us much pain. The air, also, was unusually hot--so much so that I felt +convinced that a storm was brewing. This also added to our sufferings. +However, these were at length relieved by our arrival at the island from +which we had fled. + +While we were being led ashore, we caught a glimpse of Avatea, who was +seated in the hinder part of the canoe. She was not fettered in any +way. Our captors now drove us before them towards the hut of Tararo, at +which we speedily arrived, and found the chief seated with an expression +on his face that boded us no good. Our friend the teacher stood beside +him, with a look of anxiety on his mild features. + +"How comes it," said Tararo, turning to the teacher, "that these youths +have abused our hospitality?" + +"Tell him," replied Jack, "that we have not abused his hospitality, for +his hospitality has not been extended to us. I came to the island to +deliver Avatea, and my only regret is that I have failed to do so. If I +get another chance, I will try to save her yet." + +The teacher shook his head. "Nay, my young friend, I had better not +tell him that: it will only incense him." + +"I care not," replied Jack. "If you don't tell him that, you'll tell +him nothing, for I won't say anything softer." + +On hearing Jack's speech, Tararo frowned, and his eye flashed with +anger. + +"Go, presumptuous boy!" he said. "My debt to you cancelled. You and +your companions shall die!" + +As he spoke he rose and signed to several of attendants, who seized Jack +and Peterkin and violently by the collars, and dragging us from the +house of the chief, led us through the wood to the outskirts of the +village. Here they thrust us into a species of natural cave in a cliff, +and having barricaded the entrance, left us in total darkness. + +After feeling about for some time--for our legs were unshackled, +although our wrists were still bound with thongs--we found a low ledge +of rock running along one side of the cavern. On this we seated +ourselves, and for a long time maintained unbroken silence. + +At last I could restrain my feelings no longer. "Alas! dear Jack and +Peterkin," said I, "what is to become of us? I fear that we are doomed +to die." + +"I know not," replied Jack in a tremulous voice--"I know not. Ralph, I +regret deeply the hastiness of my violent temper, which, I must confess, +has been the chief cause of our being brought to this sad condition. +Perhaps the teacher may do something for us. But I have little hope." + +"Ah no!" said Peterkin with a heavy sigh; "I am sure he can't help us. +Tararo doesn't care more for him than for one of his dogs." + +"Truly," said I, "there seems no chance of deliverance, unless the +Almighty puts forth His arm to save us. Yet I must say I have great +hope, my comrades; for we have come to this dark place by no fault of +ours--unless it be a fault to try to succour a woman in distress." + +I was interrupted in my remarks by a noise at the entrance to the +cavern, which was caused by the removal of the barricade. Immediately +after three men entered, and taking us by the collars of our coats, led +us away through the forest. As we advanced we heard much shouting and +beating of native drums in the village, and at first we thought that our +guards were conducting us to the hut of Tararo again. But in this we +were mistaken. The beating of drums gradually increased, and soon after +we observed a procession of the natives coming towards us. At the head +of this procession we were placed, and then we all advanced together +towards the temple where human victims were wont to be sacrificed! + +A thrill of horror ran through my heart as I recalled to mind the awful +scenes that I had before witnessed at that dreadful spot. But +deliverance came suddenly from a quarter whence we little expected it. +During the whole of that day there had been an unusual degree of heat in +the atmosphere, and the sky assumed that lurid aspect which portends a +thunderstorm. Just as we were approaching the horrid temple, a growl of +thunder burst overhead, and heavy drops of rain began to fall. + +Those who have not witnessed gales and storms in tropical regions can +form but a faint conception of the fearful hurricane that burst upon the +island of Mango at this time. Before we reached the temple the storm +burst upon us with a deafening roar; and the natives, who knew too well +the devastation that was to follow, fled right and left through the +woods in order to save their property, leaving us alone in the midst of +the howling storm. The trees around us bent before the blast like +willows, and we were about to flee in order to seek shelter when the +teacher ran toward us with a knife in his hand. + +"Thank the Lord," he said, cutting our bonds, "I am in time! Now, seek +the shelter of the nearest rock." + +This we did without a moment's hesitation, for the whistling wind burst, +ever and anon, like thunderclaps among the trees, and tearing them from +their roots, hurled them with violence to the ground. Rain cut across +the land in sheets, and lightning played like forked serpents in the +air, while high above the roar of the hissing tempest the thunder +crashed and burst and rolled in awful majesty. + +In the village the scene was absolutely appalling. Roofs were blown +completely off the houses in many cases, and in others the houses +themselves were levelled with the ground. In the midst of this the +natives were darting to and fro--in some instances saving their goods, +but in many others seeking to save themselves from the storm of +destruction that whirled around them. But terrific although the tempest +was on land, it was still more tremendous on the mighty ocean. Billows +sprang, as it were, from the great deep, and while their crests were +absolutely scattered into white mist, they fell upon the beach with a +crash that seemed to shake the solid land. But they did not end there. +Each successive wave swept higher and higher on the beach until the +ocean lashed its angry waters among the trees and bushes, and at length, +in a sheet of white, curdled foam, swept into the village and upset and +carried off, or dashed into wreck, whole rows of the native dwellings! +It was a sublime, an awful scene, calculated, in some degree at least, +to impress the mind of beholders with the might and majesty of God. + +We found shelter in a cave that night and all the next day, during which +time the storm raged in fury. But on the night following, it abated +somewhat; and in the morning we went to the village to seek for food, +being so famished with hunger that we lost all feeling of danger and all +wish to escape in our desire to satisfy the cravings of nature. But no +sooner had we obtained food than we began to wish that we had rather +endeavoured to make our escape into the mountains. This we attempted to +do soon afterwards; but the natives were now able to look after us, and +on our showing a disposition to avoid observation and make towards the +mountains, we were seized by three warriors, who once more bound our +wrists and thrust us into our former prison. + +It is true Jack made a vigorous resistance, and knocked down the first +savage who seized him with a well-directed blow of his fist, but he was +speedily overpowered by others. Thus we were again prisoners, with the +prospect of torture and a violent death before us. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR. + +IMPRISONMENT--SINKING HOPES--UNEXPECTED FREEDOM TO MORE THAN ONE, AND IN +MORE SENSES THAN ONE. + +For a long, long month we remained in our dark and dreary prison, during +which dismal time we did not see the face of a human being except that +of the silent savage who brought us our daily food. + +There have been one or two seasons in my life during which I have felt +as if the darkness of sorrow and desolation that crushed my inmost heart +could never pass away until death should make me cease to feel. The +present was such a season. + +During the first part of our confinement we felt a cold chill at our +hearts every time we heard a footfall near the cave, dreading lest it +should prove to be that of our executioner. But as time dragged heavily +on we ceased to feel this alarm, and began to experience such a deep, +irrepressible longing for freedom that we chafed and fretted in our +confinement like tigers. Then a feeling of despair came over us, and we +actually longed for the time when the savages would take us forth to +die. But these changes took place very gradually, and were mingled +sometimes with brighter thoughts; for there were times when we sat, in +that dark cavern on our ledge of rock, and conversed almost pleasantly +about the past until we well-nigh forgot the dreary present. But we +seldom ventured to touch upon the future. + +A few decayed leaves and boughs formed our bed, and a scanty supply of +yams and taro, brought to us once a day, constituted our food. + +"Well, Ralph, how have you slept?" said Jack in a listless tone on +rising one morning from his humble couch. "Were you much disturbed by +the wind last night?" + +"No," said I. "I dreamed of home all night, and I thought that my +mother smiled upon me and beckoned me to go to her; but I could not, for +I was chained." + +"And I dreamed too," said Peterkin; "but it was of our happy home on the +Coral Island. I thought we were swimming in the Water Garden. Then the +savages gave a yell, and we were immediately in the cave at Spouting +Cliff, which, somehow or other changed into this gloomy cavern; and I +awoke to find it true." + +Peterkin's tone was so much altered by the depressing influence of his +long imprisonment that, had I not known it was he who spoke, I should +scarcely have recognised it, so sad was it, and so unlike to the merry, +cheerful voice we had been accustomed to hear. I pondered this much, +and thought of the terrible decline of happiness that may come on human +beings in so short a time; how bright the sunshine in the sky at one +time, and in a short space bow dark the overshadowing cloud! I had no +doubt that the Bible would have given me much light and comfort on this +subject if I had possessed one, and I once more had occasion to regret +deeply having neglected to store my memory with its consoling truths. + +While I meditated thus, Peterkin again broke the silence of the cave by +saying, in a melancholy tone, "Oh, I wonder if we shall ever see our +dear island more!" + +His voice trembled, and covering his face with both hands, he bent down +his head and wept. It was an unusual sight for me to see our once +joyous companion in tears, and I felt a burning desire to comfort him; +but, alas! what could I say? I could hold out no hope; and although I +essayed twice to speak, the words refused to pass my lips. While I +hesitated Jack sat down beside him and whispered a few words in his ear, +while Peterkin threw himself on his friend's breast and rested his head +on his shoulder. + +Thus we sat for some time in deep silence. Soon after we heard +footsteps at the entrance of the cave, and immediately our jailer +entered. We were so much accustomed to his regular visits, however, +that we paid little attention to him, expecting that he would set down +our meagre fare as usual and depart. But, to our surprise, instead of +doing so, he advanced towards us with a knife in his hand, and going up +to Jack, he cut the thongs that bound his wrists; then he did the same +to Peterkin and me! For fully five minutes we stood in speechless +amazement, with our freed hands hanging idly by our sides. The first +thought that rushed into my mind was that the time had come to put us to +death; and although, as I have said before, we actually wished for death +in the strength of our despair, now that we thought it drew really near +I felt all the natural love of life revive in my heart, mingled with a +chill of horror at the suddenness of our call. + +But I was mistaken. After cutting our bonds the savage pointed to the +cave's mouth, and we marched, almost mechanically, into the open air. +Here, to our surprise, we found the teacher standing under a tree, with +his hands clasped before him, and the tears trickling down his dark +cheeks. On seeing Jack, who came out first, he sprang towards him, and +clasping him in his arms, exclaimed: + +"Oh my dear young friend, through the great goodness of God you are +free!" + +"Free?" cried Jack. + +"Ay, free!" repeated the teacher, shaking us warmly by the hands again +and again--"free to go and come as you will. The Lord has unloosed the +bonds of the captive, and set the prisoners free. A missionary has been +sent to us, and Tararo has embraced the Christian religion! The people +are even now burning their gods of wood! Come, my dear friends, and see +the glorious sight!" + +We could scarcely credit our senses. So long had we been accustomed, in +our cavern, to dream of deliverance, that we imagined for a moment this +must surely be nothing more than another vivid dream. Our eyes and +minds were dazzled, too, by the brilliant sunshine, which almost blinded +us after our long confinement to the gloom of our prison, so that we +felt giddy with the variety of conflicting emotions that filled our +throbbing bosoms; but as we followed the footsteps of our sable friend, +and beheld the bright foliage of the trees, and heard the cries of the +paroquets, and smelt the rich perfume of the flowering shrubs, the +truth--that we were really delivered from prison and from death--rushed +with overwhelming power into our souls, and with one accord, while tears +sprang to our eyes, we uttered a loud, long cheer of joy. + +It was replied to by a shout from a number of the natives who chanced to +be near. Running towards us, they shook us by the hand with every +demonstration of kindly feeling. They then fell behind, and forming a +sort of procession, conducted us to the dwelling of Tararo. + +The scene that met our eyes here was one that I shall never forget. On +a rude bench in front of his house sat the chief. A native stood on his +left hand, who from his dress seemed to be a teacher. On his right +stood an English gentleman, who I at once, and rightly, concluded was a +missionary. He was tall, thin, and apparently past forty, with a bald +forehead and thin grey hair. The expression of his countenance was the +most winning I ever saw, and his clear grey eyes beamed with a look that +was frank, fearless, loving, and truthful. In front of the chief was an +open space, in the centre of which lay a pile of wooden idols, ready to +be set on fire; and around these were assembled thousands of natives, +who had come to join in or to witness the unusual sight. A bright smile +overspread the missionary's face as he advanced quickly to meet us, and +he shook us warmly by the hands. + +"I am overjoyed to meet you, my dear young friends," he said. "My +friend and _your_ friend, the teacher, has told me your history; and I +thank our Father in heaven with all my heart, that He has guided me to +this island and made me the instrument of saving you." + +We thanked the missionary most heartily, and asked him, in some +surprise, how he had succeeded in turning the heart of Tararo in our +favour. + +"I will tell you that at a more convenient time," he answered, +"meanwhile we must not forget the respect due to the chief. He waits to +receive you." + +In the conversation that immediately followed between us and Tararo, the +latter said that the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ had been sent +to the island, and that to it we were indebted for our freedom. +Moreover, he told us that we were at liberty to depart in our schooner +whenever we pleased, and that we should be supplied with as much +provision as we required. He concluded by shaking hands with us warmly, +and performing the ceremony of rubbing noses. + +This was indeed good news to us, and we could hardly find words to +express our gratitude to the chief and to the missionary. + +"And what of Avatea?" inquired Jack. + +The missionary replied by pointing to a group of natives, in the midst +of whom the girl stood. Beside her was a tall, strapping fellow, whose +noble mien and air of superiority bespoke him a chief of no ordinary +kind. "That youth is her lover. He came this very morning in his +war-canoe to treat with Tararo for Avatea. He is to be married in a few +days, and afterwards returns to his island home with his bride." + +"That's capital!" said Jack as he stepped up to the savage and gave him +a hearty shake of the hand. "I wish you joy, my lad!--And you too, +Avatea!" + +As Jack spoke, Avatea's lover took him by the hand and led him to the +spot where Tararo and the missionary stood, surrounded by most of the +chief men of the tribe. The girl herself followed and stood on his left +hand, while her lover stood on his right, and commanding silence, made +the following speech, which was translated by the missionary: + +"Young friend, you have seen few years, but your head is old. Your +heart, also, is large and very brave. I and Avatea are your debtors; +and we wish, in the midst of this assembly, to acknowledge our debt, and +to say that it is one which we can never repay. You have risked your +life for one who was known to you only for a few days. But she was a +woman in distress, and that was enough to secure to her the aid of a +Christian man. We, who live in these islands of the sea, know that the +true Christians always act thus. Their religion is one of love and +kindness. We thank God that so many Christians have been sent here: we +hope many more will come. Remember that I and Avatea will think of you, +and pray for you and your brave comrades, when you are far away." + +To this kind speech Jack returned a short, sailor-like reply, in which +he insisted that he had only done for Avatea what he would have done for +any woman under the sun. But Jack's forte did not lie in speech-making, +so he terminated rather abruptly by seizing the chief's hand and shaking +it violently, after which he made a hasty retreat. + +"Now, then, Ralph and Peterkin," said Jack as we mingled with the crowd, +"it seems to me that, the object we came here for having been +satisfactorily accomplished, we have nothing more to do but get ready +for sea as fast as we can, and hurrah for old England!" + +"That's my idea precisely," said Peterkin, endeavouring to wink; but he +had wept so much of late, poor fellow, that he found it difficult. +"However, I'm not going away till I see these fellows burn their gods." + +Peterkin had his wish, for in a few minutes afterwards fire was put to +the pile, the roaring flames, ascended, and amid the acclamations of the +assembled thousands, the false gods of Mango were reduced to ashes! + + + +CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE. + +CONCLUSION. + +To part is the lot of all mankind. The world is a scene of constant +leave-taking, and the hands that grasp in cordial greeting to-day are +doomed ere long to unite for the last time when the quivering lips +pronounce the word "Farewell." It is a sad thought, but should we on +that account exclude it from our minds? May not a lesson worth learning +be gathered in the contemplation of it? May it not, perchance, teach us +to devote our thoughts more frequently and attentively to that land +where we meet but part no more? + +How many do we part from in this world with a light good-bye whom we +never see again! Often do I think, in my meditations on this subject, +that if we realised more fully the shortness of the fleeting intercourse +that we have in this world with many of our fellow-men, we would try +more earnestly to do them good, to give them a friendly smile, as it +were, in passing (for the longest intercourse on earth is little more +than a passing word and glance), and show that we have sympathy with +them in the short, quick struggle of life by our kindly words and looks +and actions. + +The time soon drew near when we were to quit the islands of the South +Seas; and strange though it may appear, we felt deep regret at parting +with the natives of the island of Mango, for after they embraced the +Christian faith, they sought, by showing us the utmost kindness, to +compensate for the harsh treatment we had experienced at their hands. +And we felt a growing affection for the native teachers and the +missionary, and especially for Avatea and her husband. + +Before leaving we had many long and interesting conversations with the +missionary, in one of which he told us that he had been making for the +island of Rarotonga when his native-built sloop was blown out of its +course, during a violent gale, and driven to this island. At first the +natives refused to listen to what he had to say; but after a week's +residence among them, Tararo came to him and said that he wished to +become a Christian and would burn his idols. He proved himself to be +sincere, for, as we have seen, he persuaded all his people to do +likewise. I use the word "persuaded" advisedly, for, like all the other +Feejee chiefs, Tararo was a despot, and might have commanded obedience +to his wishes; but he entered so readily into the spirit of the new +faith that he perceived at once the impropriety of using constraint in +the propagation of it. He set the example, therefore; and that example +was followed by almost every man of the tribe. + +During the short time that we remained at the island repairing our +vessel and getting her ready for sea, the natives had commenced building +a large and commodious church under the superintendence of the +missionary, and several rows of new cottages were marked out; so that +the place bid fair to become, in a few months, as prosperous and +beautiful as the Christian village at the other end of the island. + +After Avatea was married, she and her husband were sent away loaded with +presents, chiefly of an edible nature. One of the native teachers went +with them, for the purpose of visiting still more distant islands of the +sea, and spreading, if possible, the light of the glorious Gospel there. + +As the missionary intended to remain for several weeks longer in order +to encourage and confirm his new converts, Jack and Peterkin and I held +a consultation in the cabin of our schooner--which we found just as we +had left her, for everything that had been taken out of her was +restored. We now resolved to delay our departure no longer. The desire +to see our beloved native land was strong upon us, and we could not +wait. + +Three natives volunteered to go with us to Tahiti, where we thought it +likely that we should be able to procure a sufficient crew of sailors to +man our vessel; so we accepted their offer gladly. + +It was a bright, clear morning when we hoisted the snow-white sails of +the pirate schooner and left the shores of Mango. The missionary and +thousands of the natives came down to bid us God-speed and to see us +sail away. As the vessel bent before a light, fair wind, we glided +quickly over the lagoon under a cloud of canvas. + +Just as we passed through the channel in the reef the natives gave us a +loud cheer; and as the missionary waved his hat, while he stood on a +coral rock with his grey hairs floating in the wind, we heard the single +word "Farewell" borne faintly over the sea. + +That night, as we sat on the taffrail gazing out upon the wide sea and +up into the starry firmament, a thrill of joy, strangely mixed with +sadness, passed through our hearts; for we were at length "homeward +bound" and were gradually leaving far behind us the beautiful, +bright-green coral islands of the Pacific Ocean. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Coral Island, by R.M. 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