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diff --git a/37418-8.txt b/37418-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f8987cd --- /dev/null +++ b/37418-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12538 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Palm Tree Island, by Herbert Strang + +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: Palm Tree Island + +Author: Herbert Strang + +Illustrator: Archibald Webb + Alan Wright + +Release Date: September 19, 2011 [EBook #37418] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PALM TREE ISLAND *** + + + + +Produced by Al Haines + + + + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Cover art] + + + + + +[Frontispiece: "WHEN I LET FLY THE ARROW IT SPED VERY TRUE." (See page +335.)] + + + + + +PALM TREE ISLAND + +_BEING THE NARRATIVE OF_ HARRY BRENT _SHOWING HOW HE IN COMPANY WITH_ +WILLIAM BOBBIN _OF_ LIMEHOUSE _WAS LEFT ON AN ISLAND IN THE SOUTHERN +HEMISPHERE, AND THE ACCIDENTS AND ADVENTURES THAT SPRANG THEREFROM, THE +WHOLE FAITHFULLY SET FORTH_ + +_BY_ + +HERBERT STRANG + + + +_WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY_ + +_ARCHIBALD WEBB AND ALAN WRIGHT_ + + + + +LONDON + +HENRY FROWDE + +HODDER AND STOUGHTON + +1910 + + + + +Copyright 1909, by the G. H. Doran Company, in the United States of +America. + + + + +CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER THE FIRST + +OF MY UNCLE AND HIS HOBBY, AND WHAT CAME OF HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH TWO +MARINERS + + +CHAPTER THE SECOND + +OF THE VOYAGE OF THE _LOVEY SUSAN_ AND OF MY CONCERN THEREIN, ALSO THE +DISTRESSFUL CASE OF WILLIAM BOBBIN + + +CHAPTER THE THIRD + +OF THE NAVIGATION OF STRANGE SEAS; OF MUTTERINGS AND DISCONTENTS, OF +DESERTION, OF MUTINY AND OF SHIPWRECK + + +CHAPTER THE FOURTH + +OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WE CHEATED NEPTUNE AND CAME WITHIN THE GRIP OF +VULCAN; AND OF THE INHUMANITY OF THE MARINERS + + +CHAPTER THE FIFTH + +OF CLAMS AND COCOA-NUTS AND SUNDRY OUR DISCOVERIES; AND OF OUR +REFLECTIONS ON OUR FORLORN STATE + + +CHAPTER THE SIXTH + +OF OUR SEARCH FOR SUSTENANCE AND SHELTER; WITH VARIOUS MATTERS OF MORE +CONSEQUENCE TO THE CASTAWAY THAN EXCITEMENT TO THE READER + + +CHAPTER THE SEVENTH + +OF THE BUILDING OF OUR HUT, TO WHICH WE BRING MORE ENTHUSIASM THAN SKILL + + +CHAPTER THE EIGHTH + +OF MY ENCOUNTER WITH A SEA MONSTER; AND OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WE +PROVIDED OURSELVES WITH ARMS + + +CHAPTER THE NINTH + +OF PIGS AND POULTRY, AND OF THE DEPREDATIONS OF THE WILD DOGS, UPON +WHOM WE MAKE WAR + + +CHAPTER THE TENTH + +OF THE NAMING OF OUR ISLAND--OF A FLEET OF CANOES, AND OF THE MEANS +WHEREBY WE PREPARE TO STAND A SIEGE + + +CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH + +OF OUR SUBTERRANEOUS ADVENTURE, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE WILD DOGS +PROFITED BY OUR ABSENCE + + +CHAPTER THE TWELFTH + +OF A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN BILLY AND THE NARRATOR--OF AN +ENCOUNTER WITH A SHARK, AND THE BUILDING OF A CANOE + + +CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH + +OF OUR ENTRENCHMENTS; OF THE LAUNCHING OF OUR CANOE, AND THE DEADLY +PERIL THAT ATTENDED OUR FIRST VOYAGE + + +CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH + +OF OUR VOYAGE TO A NEIGHBOURING ISLAND, AND OF OUR INHOSPITABLE +RECEPTION BY THE SAVAGES + + +CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH + +OF THE SEVERAL SURPRISES THAT AWAITED BILLY AND THE NARRATOR AND THE +CREW OF THE _LOVEY SUSAN_; AND OF OUR ADVENTURES IN THE CAVE + + +CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH + +OF THE ASSAULT ON THE HUT, IN WHICH BOWS AND ARROWS PROVE SUPERIOR TO +MUSKETS + + +CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH + +OF THE END OF THE SEA MONSTERS; AND OF THE EVENTS THAT LED US TO +RECEIVE THE CREW AS OUR GUESTS + + +CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH + +OF THE DISCOMFITURE OF THE SAVAGES, AND THE UNMANNERLY BEHAVIOUR OF OUR +GUESTS + + +CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH + +OF OUR RETREAT TO THE RED ROCK, AND OF OUR VARIOUS RAIDS UPON OUR +PROPERTY + + +CHAPTER THE TWENTIETH + +OF ATTACKS BY LAND AND SEA; AND OF THE USES OF HUNGER IN THE MENDING OF +MANNERS + + +CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIRST + +OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CREW ARE PERSUADED TO AN INDUSTRIOUS AND +ORDERLY MODE OF LIFE + + +CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SECOND + +OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM PALM TREE ISLAND; OF THOSE WHO WON THROUGH, AND +OF THOSE WHO FELL BY THE WAY + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR + +BY ARCHIBALD WEBB + + +"WHEN I LET FLY THE ARROW IT SPED VERY TRUE . . . . . . _Frontispiece_ + (see p. 335) + +"ONE LIFTED THE PLANK AND AIMED A FURIOUS BLOW AT MY HEAD" + +"THE BEAST WHEELED ABOUT, AND RUSHED UPON BILLY" + +"I CRIED OUT TO HIM THAT A MONSTER WAS ATTACKING ME" + +"ONE DAY I FOUND HIM TRYING TO SHAVE WITH A FLINT" + +"THE BEAST HEAVED ITSELF CLEAN OUT OF THE WATER" + +"BILLY REACHED OVER, AND BROUGHT HIS AXE DOWN ON THE MAN'S HEAD" + +"I DEALT HIM SUCH A BLOW THAT HE FELL DOUBLED UP AT THE DOORWAY" + + + + +PEN-AND-INK SKETCHES + +BY ALAN WRIGHT + + +BILLY'S AXE + +OUR FLINT SCRAPER FOR SHARPENING AXES + +BILLY'S PLATE AND MUG + +SOME OF MY POTTERY + +SPEARHEAD + +BILLY'S BOW AND ARROW + +BILLY'S SCRAPER FOR ROUNDING ARROW SHAFTS + +CLAY SAUCEPANS, AND TONGS OF WOOD + +OUR PIG-STY + +KNIVES AND FORK + +CLAY PAIL, THE HANDLE OF A TOUGH ROOT, BOUND ON WITH SHRUNK HIDE + +BILLY'S PALM-LEAF HAT + +OUR SMALL HUT TURNED INTO A FOWL-HOUSE + +JUG WITH BENT-WOOD HANDLE, AND CUP + +THE BRUSH BILLY MADE, SHOWING ALSO THE MANNER OF IT + +COMB OF SPINES + +SPADE CUT OUT OF A LOG + +RAKE HEAD AND SCALLOP-SHELL HOE + +OUR WHEELBARROW + +OUR TABLE + +MY CHAIR AND BILLY'S STOOL + +OUR FISH-HOOKS + +OUR GAFF AND LANDING-NET + +OUR HARPOONS + +OUR CANOE + +OUR TRIPOD + +BILLY'S TOASTING-FORK + +OUR BASKETS + +OUR LAMP + + + +MAP OF PALM TREE ISLAND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _facing p._ 96 + + + + +CHAPTER THE FIRST + +OF MY UNCLE AND HIS OF HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH TWO MARINERS + + +I was rising four years old when my parents died, both within one week, +of the small-pox; and the day of their funeral is the furthermost of my +recollections. My nurse, having tied up the sleeves of my pinafore +with black, held me with her in the great room down-stairs as the +mourners assembled. Their solemn faces and whispered words, and the +dreadful black garments, drove me into a state of terror, and I was not +far from screaming among them when there entered a big man with a jolly +red face, at whom the company rose and bowed very respectfully. The +moment he was within the room his eye lit on me, and seeing at a glance +how matters stood, he thrust one hand into his great pocket, and drew +it forth full of sugar-plums, which he laid in my pinafore, and then +bade the nurse take me away. + +'Twas my uncle Stephen, said Nurse, and a kind good man. Certainly I +liked him well enough, and when, two or three days thereafter, he set +me before him on his saddle, and rode away humming the rhyme of +"Banbury Cross," I laughed very joyously, never believing but that +after I had seen the lady with the tinkling toes, Uncle Stephen would +bring me home again, and that by that time my mother would have +returned from heaven, whither they told me she had gone. + +I did not see my childhood's home again for near thirty years. + +My uncle took me to live with him, in his own house not a great way +from Stafford. He was an elder brother of my father's, and till then +had been a bachelor; but having now a small nephew to nourish and breed +up, he did not delay to seek a wife, and wed a fine young woman of +Burslem. She was very kind to me, and even when there were two boys of +her own to engage her affections, her kindness did not alter. So I +grew up in great happiness, having had few troubles, the greatest of +them being, perhaps, those that beset my first steps to learning in +Dame Johnson's little school. As for my subsequent search after +knowledge on the benches of the Grammar School at Stafford, the less +said the better: the master once declared, in Latin, that I was "only +not a fool." + +The light esteem in which the pedagogue held my intellects did not give +my uncle any concern. He was bad at the books himself, saving in one +kind I am to mention hereafter. He was a master potter, in a +substantial way of business, and held in some repute among men of his +trade. Indeed, it was the belief of many in our parts that he might +have become as famous in the world as Mr. Wedgwood himself, had he not +been afflicted with a hobby. + +I will not follow the example of the ingenious Mr. Sterne, and write +here a chapter upon hobby-horses; though I do believe I could say +something on that subject, if not with his incomparable humour, yet +with a certain truth of observation. Why is a man's hobby often at +such variance with other parts of his character? Why did the late Mr. +Selwyn, to wit, take the greatest pleasure in life in seeing men +hanged, drawn, and quartered? Who that knew John Steer (I knew him +well) only as he stood with knife and cleaver in his butcher's shop, +would believe that 'twas his delight, after slaughtering his sheep and +oxen, to solace his evenings with warbling on the German flute? My +uncle's hobby was no less extraordinary. He was inland bred, and I do +believe, until the year of his great adventure, had never gone above +twenty miles from his native town; yet he had a wondrous passion for +the sea and all that pertained to it. I am sure that he never saw the +sea until he and I together looked upon it at Tilbury, and there, to be +sure, the salt water is much qualified with fresh; yet, after business +hours, he was for ever talking of it and reading about it and the +doings of sailor men. He would pore for long hours upon the pages of +the _Sailor's Waggoner_, and con by heart the rules and instructions of +the _Sailor's Vade Mecum_. He was deeply learned in the _Principal +Navigations_ of Mr. Hakluyt; he could tell you all that befell George +Cavendish in the _Desire_ and Sir Richard Hawkins in the _Dainty_, and +would hold me spell-bound as he recited with infinite gusto the stark +doings of the Buccaneers. And when Mr. Cadell, the bookseller in the +Strand in London, sent him the great volumes containing the discoveries +of Commodore Byron, and those gallant captains Carteret, Wallis, and +Cook in the southern hemisphere, the days were a weariness to him until +he could light his candle and put on his spectacles and feast on those +enthralling narratives. Many's the time, as I lay awake in my bed, +have I heard my aunt Susan call down the stairs through the open door +of her room, "Steve, Steve, when be a-coming to bed, man?" and his +jolly voice rolling up, "Yes, my dear, I am near the end of the +chapter"; and there he would sit, and finish the chapter, and begin +another, and read on and on, until I might be stirred from a doze by +the sound of him shuffling past in his stockings, and grumbling because +there was but an inch of guttering candle left. + +My uncle was a sturdy patriot, and took a great delight in knowing that +the most of the navigators of those far-off seas were Englishmen. I +remember how he fumed and fretted when his bookseller in London sent +him the volume of Monsieur de Bougainville's voyage round the world. +What had these French apes, he cried, to do with voyages of discovery? +And when he read later, in Dr. Hawkesworth's book, of the trick which +Monsieur de Bougainville played on Captain Wallis--how, meeting the +captain on his homeward way, he sought with feigning to worm out of him +the secrets of his expedition--my uncle smote the table with his great +fist, and used such fiery language that my aunt turned pale and my +little cousins began to blubber. + +At this time I was in my seventeenth year, and had been for some months +in my uncle's factory, learning the rudiments of his trade. 'Twas +taken for granted that I should become a partner with him when I was of +age, for the business was good enough to support both me and my elder +cousin Thomas; while as for the younger, James, my aunt had set her +heart on making a parson of him. But it was ordained that, in my case, +things should fall out quite contrary to the intention, as you shall +hear. + +One fine Sunday we were walking home from church, my uncle and I, +across the fields, as our practice was, when we saw that the last stile +before we reached our road was occupied. A big fellow, clad in a dress +that was strange to our part of the country, sat athwart the rail of +the fence, with his feet on the upper step. Another man sprawled on +the grass beside the fence, lying stretched on his back with his hands +under his head, and a hat of black glazed straw tilted over his eyes. +As we drew nearer, I saw that the man on the stile had a big fat face, +his red cheeks so puffed out that his eyes were scarce visible, his +mouth loose and watery, with an underhung chin, a thick fringe of black +hair encircling it from ear to ear. + +Seeing us approach, he began with uncouth and clumsy movements to +descend from his perch; but he gave my uncle a hard look as we came up +with him, and then, spitting upon the ground, he said, + +"Bless my eyes--surely 'tis--ain't your name Stephen Brent, sir?" + +My uncle looked at the man in the way of one who is puzzled, and for +some while stood thus, the man smiling at him. Then of a sudden his +face partly cleared, and he said-- + +"You are never Nick Wabberley?" + +"The same, sir, Nick and Wabberley, as you knowed five and twenty year +ago." + +"Why, man, I am glad to see you," says my uncle heartily, offering his +hand, which the man took, not however before he had rubbed his own hand +upon the back of his breeches. + +"Same to you, sir, and very glad I am to see you so hearty. After five +and twenty year at sea----" + +"You have been to sea!" cries my uncle, his jolly face beaming. "Then +you must come up to my house to supper and tell me all about it." + +"Why, d'ye see, sir, there's my messmate," said the man, with a glance +at the prone figure, which had not moved; indeed, there came from +beneath the hat a succession of snores, as untuneful as ever I heard. +"We're in tow, d'ye see," added the big man. + +"Bring him too," says my uncle. "We have plenty of bread and bacon, +thank God." + +Whereupon the man went to his sleeping comrade, and neatly kicked his +hat into the air, bidding him wake, with a strange oath that startled +me. The sleeper did not at once open his eyes, but his mouth being +already open, he let forth a volley of curses, and demanded his hat, +avouching that if he suffered a sunstroke he would "this" and "that" +the other: his actual words I cannot write. My uncle's face showing +his reprobation of such language, especially on the Sabbath, the big +man excused his comrade, saying that 'twas only Joshua Chick's way, and +he was really a good soul, and very obliging. At this the prostrate +man opened his eyes, and, seeing my uncle, got upon his feet, and when +he was told of the invitation to supper, he touched his forelock and +said he was always ready to oblige. If the looks of Nick Wabberley did +not take my fancy, still less did those of Joshua Chick, who was a +small man, very lean and swarthy, and his eyes squinted so dreadfully +that he seemed to be looking at my uncle and myself at one and the same +time. + +After a few more words we parted, the men promising to be at our house +prompt at eight o'clock. And as we continued our walk home, my uncle +satisfied my curiosity, telling me that the big man, Nick Wabberley, +who was, as I had already guessed, the brother of Tom Wabberley, that +owned Lowcote Farm some two miles from our door, had been a +school-fellow of his, and the idlest boy in the whole countryside. He +never got through a day without a flogging. The master birched him; +his father leathered him; but neither did him any good: he remained an +incorrigible dunce and truant, and no one was very sorry when one +morning it was found that he had slipped out of his bedroom window +during the night and run away. He had never since been heard of, but +now that after twenty-five years he had returned to his native place, +my uncle's heart warmed towards him because he had been to sea. +Sailors were not often seen in our inland parts, and the prospect of +discourse with a man who had actually beheld what he had only read +about filled my uncle with delight. + +Prompt on the stroke of eight Nick Wabberley arrived, accompanied by +his messmate Joshua Chick. They proved to be excellent trenchermen: +indeed, they prolonged the meal longer than either my uncle or my aunt +liked, the former being impatient to hear stories of the sea, the +latter watching with concern the disappearance of her viands. But +supper was over at last, and then my uncle bade the visitors draw their +chairs to the fire, gave them each a long pipe and a sneaker of punch, +and settled himself in his arm-chair to drink in the tale of their +adventures. Being near seventeen I was allowed to make one of the +company, to the envy of my young cousins, who hung about the room for +some time, but being at last detected were bundled off to bed. + +It needs not to tell how late we sat up, nor how many tumblers of +brandy-punch the two sailors tossed off between them before they +departed, steady enough on their legs, but a trifle thick in their +speech. My uncle was abstemious himself, and held a toper to be +something less than a man; at an ordinary time he would have avoided to +ply his visitors with liquor, but the truth is that on this occasion +his whole soul was rapt away into a kind of wonderland by Nick +Wabberley's tales, so that the men were able to replenish their glasses +at intervals, unperceived. I have heard many a mariner's yarn since, +and know them to be works of fancy and imagination as often as not; at +that time I was as credulous as a babe, and my uncle scarcely less, and +I doubt not we gulped down all the marvels we heard as greedily as the +trout gapes at a fly. Certainly Nick Wabberley was a masterly +story-teller, spinning yarns, as they say, as easily as a spider spins +her web, and never at a loss for a word. Joshua Chick took but a +modest part in the conversation, being very well occupied in +replenishing the glasses; but every now and again he would slip in a +word to correct some statement of his comrade, Nick accepting it with +great composure. I noticed that these occasional contributions of +Joshua's tended most often towards embellishment, and the level tones +in which he related the most astonishing marvels, at the same time +fixing one eye on my uncle and the other on me (keeping his hand on the +brandy-bottle), made a wonderful impression on us. + +It appeared that the two sailors had been members of the company which +sailed with Captain Cook (he was then lieutenant) on his first voyage +into the southern hemisphere. My uncle knew by heart the story of this +voyage as it is given in Dr. Hawkesworth's book, and expressed great +surprise that so many of the incidents and particulars related by Nick +Wabberley were not mentioned in that worthy doctor's pages. He even +ventured at one point to controvert a statement of Nick's, adducing the +doctor as his authority, at which Nick waxed mightily indignant. "Why, +d'ye see, warn't I there?" he said. "Warn't I there, Josh?" + +"You was," says Chick firmly. + +"And warn't you there?" says Wabberley, his moist lips quivering with +indignation. + +"I were," replies Chick, with vehemence. + +"Then what the blazes has any landlubber of a doctor got to do with it, +what don't know one end of a ship from t'other!" + +There was nothing to be said in answer to this, and my uncle afterwards +confided to me his opinion that Captain Cook's own journals contained a +good many things which Dr. Hawkesworth had not seen fit to print. + +My uncle was so well pleased with the conversation of the seamen that +he invited them to come and see him again, and before long it became +their regular custom to drop in about supper-time, much to the +annoyance of Aunt Susan. She called Nick Wabberley a lazy lubber, and +as for Joshua Chick, she said his eyes made her feel creepy, and he ate +enough for four decent men. But my uncle was fairly mounted on his +hobby, and he asked her rather warmly whether she grudged a bite and a +sup to worthy mariners who had braved the perils of the deep (not to +speak of the appetites of cannibals) in the service of their country. +'Twas in vain she said that she knew Farmer Wabberley wished his +brother at Jericho--the great fat lubber lolloping about doing nothing +but eat and drink, when there were fields to hoe, and Joshua Chick +looking two ways at once, one eye on bacon and the other on beer; 'twas +a mercy he hadn't got two mouths as well, she said. My uncle would +hear nothing against them; always kindly and indulgent, he reminded her +that a gammon rasher and home-baked bread must be the most delectable +of dainties to men who for months at a time ate nothing but salt junk +and ship's biscuit. + +He never tired--nor, I must own, did I--of listening to Nick Wabberley. +His face fairly glowed as he heard of those favoured islands of the +south where food grew without labour and wealth was to be had almost +without lifting a finger. Wabberley described the ease with which +pearls might be obtained in the Pacific: how he had seen the natives +dive into the water and bring up oysters, every tenth of them +containing a gem, so little valued by the finders that the present of a +four-penny nail or a glass bead would purchase a handful of them. +Wabberley heaved a great sigh as he deplored his desperate bad luck in +not being permitted to trade. "The Captain, d'ye see, warn't a +trader," he said; "he was always thinking of taking soundings and +marking charts and discovering that there southern continent, which I +don't believe there ain't no such thing, though they do say as how the +world 'ud topple over if there warn't summat over yonder to keep it +steady. And as often as not, when we come to a island, we was so +desperate pushed for provisions, and vegetables to cure us of the +scurvy, that he hadn't no thought except for stocking the ship. Oh! +'twas cruel, when we might all ha' been as rich as lords, and all +vittles found in the bargain." + +In those days I remarked a certain restlessness in my uncle. He would +go to the door of an evening and look down the road for the two seamen, +and if they did not appear, which was seldom, he would walk up and +down, in and out of the house, with hands in pockets, melancholy +whistlings issuing from his lips. He read even more closely than usual +the pages of the _Vade Mecum_, and pored for hours on the maps that +embellish Dr. Hawkesworth's volumes. For the most part he was silent +and abstracted, but ever and anon he would startle me with some sudden +exclamation, some remark or question addressed, it seemed, to himself. +"Tugwell is a good man: I can trust him.... What will Susan say? ... A +matter of a year or two: what's that? ... I haven't a grey hair in my +head." I was somewhat concerned when I listened to these mutterings, +and wondered whether much brooding on oversea adventures had turned my +uncle's brain. And I was not at all prepared for the revelation that +came one night, when, looking up from his book, which lay open on his +knees, he waved his long pipe in the air and cried, "I'll do it, as +sure as my name is Stephen Brent." + +And then he poured out upon my astonished ears the full tale of his +imaginings. He was bent on making a voyage round the world. The South +Seas had cast a spell upon him. He longed to see the lands of which +the sailor-men had spoken; he was athirst for discovery. Perhaps he +might light upon this Southern Continent which had eluded the search of +others, and if he could forestall the French, what a feather it would +be in his cap, and how glorious for old England! And in these dreams +he was not less a man of business. There was vast wealth to be had by +bold adventurers; why should not he obtain a share of it, and amass a +second fortune for his boys? + +The greatness of this scheme as he unrolled it before me took my breath +away. When I asked how his business would fare in his absence he swept +the air with his pipe and declared that Tugwell, his manager, was sober +and trustworthy, and he had no fears on that score. I spoke of the +perils of shipwreck and pirates, of the Sallee rovers, of the +numberless accidents that might befall; but he brushed them all away as +things of no account. And then I myself took fire from his own +enthusiasm and begged that I might go with him. "No, no, Harry, my +boy," he said, kindly enough. "You must stay at home to look after +your aunt and the boys. Tugwell is a good man, but growing old; and if +anything happens to me you will be at hand to look to things; you are +seventeen, and pretty near a man." + +That night at supper, with much hemming and hawing, he broached his +project to my aunt. You should have heard her laugh! 'twas plain she +did not believe him to be serious; she said it was all gammon, and she +wondered what next indeed. But when he assured her that he meant every +word of it, she was first alarmed and then angry. She talked about a +maggot in his head, and asked what she was to do, a widow and not a +widow, with two growing boys that would run wild without their father; +and she wondered how a respectable man nigh fifty years old should +think of such a thing, and there wasn't a woman in the country who +would put up with such a pack of nonsense. To which he replied that +Captain Cook was a respectable man with a wife and family, and if the +captain's lady could part with her husband for a year or two, for the +honour and profit of England, surely 'twas not becoming in Mrs. Stephen +Brent to make an outcry over such a trifling matter. This made my aunt +only the more angry, and, for the first time in all my knowledge of +them, the good people looked unkindly upon each other. + +That my uncle's mind was firmly made up was plain to us next day. +Bidding me say nought of his intentions, which he wished to be kept +secret, lest they came to the ears of the French, he set off for +London, and was absent for a matter of ten days, much to the +displeasure of Nick Wabberley and Joshua Chick, who came to the house +evening after evening and went very disconsolate away, my aunt +detesting them both, and refusing to feed the men to whom she +attributed this mad whimsy of her husband. Her anger somewhat +moderated while he was away, and after a week or so she could smile at +his rubbish, declaring to me that she was sure he would think better of +it: he would be like a fish out of water in London Town, and the +sensible folks there would laugh him out of his foolishness, that they +would. She smiled and tossed her head even when he came back and told +us with great heartiness that he had bought a vessel--a north-country +collier of near four hundred tons, stout in her timbers and broad in +the beam, built for strength rather than speed--just such a vessel as +Captain Cook had sailed in. "Go along with you, Steve," she said. +"Don't tell me! You'll never go rampaging over the seas--a man of your +age: and 'tis a mercy, I'm sure, that you're a warm man and won't ruin +yourself, for you won't get half what you gave for it when you sell +your precious vessel again." She told me privately that she was sure, +when the time came, the foolish man would never venture himself on a +ship; what would _he_ do on a ship, she'd like to know, when he +couldn't ride a dozen miles in a coach, as he had told us, without +becoming squeamish and feeling as if his inside didn't belong to him! +The news that he had engaged a captain--a seasoned skipper, by name +Ezekiel Corke--only made her lift her hands and cry out, "Well, did you +ever see!" I am sure that her air of disbelief, and amusement mingled +with it, was a sore trial to my uncle. + +As for him, good man, he was in earnest, if ever a man was. One day +after he returned he rode over with me to Lowcote Farm, where we found +those two mariners, Chick and Wabberley, gloomily sucking straws on a +five-barred gate, and idly looking on at a busy scene of +sheep-shearing. Their dull faces brightened at the sight of him, and +when he told them what he had been doing, and asked if they would join +his crew, they smote each other on the back and swore lustily for very +joy. They asked him many questions about the ship and the captain, +talked very knowingly of spars and armaments and the various articles +it behoved to carry for trading with the natives, and offered to go at +once to London--my uncle paying their coach fares--and seek out old +messmates who should form the finest crew that ever foregathered in a +foc'sle. My uncle showed great pleasure at their willingness, and +arranged that they should accompany him when he next went to London to +make his preparations for the voyage. + +The news of my uncle's enterprise soon spread through our town, and it +became a nine days' wonder among our neighbours and the townsfolk. His +friends accosted him in the streets; some poked fun at him for entering +on a new branch of business at his time of life; others, with the best +intentions in the world, addressed to him the most solemn warnings, +taking him by the buttonhole and expatiating on the risks he was about +to run, doubting whether any money was to be made at sea, and advising +him very earnestly to stick to the clay. He bore their pleasantries +and their counsels with great good nature, declaring that he knew what +he was about, and they would see if they lived long enough. But I +could not help feeling sometimes that he was not quite so confident as +he liked to appear, and that the drawbacks and dangers he had shut his +eyes to in the first flush of his enthusiasm were now looming larger in +the prospect. Yet, whatever his qualms may have been, he pushed on his +preparations with vigour. He spent another fortnight in London, +collecting a crew with the aid of Wabberley and Chick, purchasing +stores, and laying in a cargo, and then he returned to take leave of +his family and friends. + +All this time I was beset with a great longing. The making of pottery +in a quiet town seemed to me a very tame and spiritless occupation: I +felt an immense stirring towards a life of activity and adventure, and +wished with all my heart that my uncle would change his mind and take +me with him. Against this, however, he was resolute, and the utmost he +would concede was that I should accompany him when he departed finally +from Stafford, and see the vessel in which he was to sail forth. +Accordingly, one fine August day ('twas the year 1775), I took passage +with him in the London coach. All Stafford had gathered to speed him. +He parted from my aunt and his boys at the inn door: up to the very +last she had held to the belief that he would draw back; and even when +he left her side and mounted into the coach she whispered to me, "I +don't believe it. I won't believe it! He'll never go. He never +will!" But the coach rumbled off, the crowd cheered, some one flung an +old shoe after us for luck, and I had never a doubt that before the +month was out my uncle would be afloat on the wide ocean, fairly +committed to his wonderful adventure in the southern seas. + + + + +CHAPTER THE SECOND + +OF THE VOYAGE OF THE _LOVEY SUSAN_ AND OF MY CONCERN THEREIN; ALSO THE +DISTRESSFUL CASE OF WILLIAM BOBBIN + + +The _Lovey Susan_--for so my uncle had named his vessel--lay at +Deptford, and as we walked from our inn, the _Cod and Lobster_ in Great +Tower Street, to see how her fitting out was proceeding, I was amazed +(this being the first time I had come to London) at the smells and the +noises of the narrow streets, and at the number of rough seamen whom we +met. How much greater was my amazement when we came to the docks, and +I saw the multitude of shipping--the forests of masts, the great black +hulls, the crowds of lighters that moved in and out among them. I +remember the fond air of pride with which my uncle pointed to his +vessel, and the smile upon his face when the captain spied him and +touched his hat. Captain Corke did not in the least resemble the idea +I had formed of a sea-captain. He was a little man, with lean cheeks, +and a brown wig a world too small for his head, so that I could see the +grey stubble of his own hair showing beneath it. My uncle presented me +to him and to the first mate, Mr. Lummis, whose hand, when I shook it, +left a strange pattern of tar on mine. Mr. Lummis was a rough-looking +man, with a square face and a tight mouth, who broke off his talk with +us very frequently to roar at one or other of the crew as they went to +and fro about their duties. The captain took us over the vessel, which +was all very strange to a landsman, and showed me his own quarters in +the round house, and when we came to my uncle's cabin, which was +certainly not so big as Aunt Susan's larder, nor half so sweet, I +thought of what she had said, and for the first time I felt some pity +for my uncle, and wondered how he would endure the being cooped up in +so narrow a compass. I was presented also to Mr. Bodger, the second +mate, who seemed a very shy and timid fellow, always looking away when +he spoke. I did not see either Wabberley or Chick, but learnt by and +by that they were on shore beating up for a few men to make up the +ship's full complement. + +Things were in a very forward state, and the captain said that the +_Lovey Susan_ would be ready to set sail in a week's time. We spent +that week in going to and fro between the ship and our inn. I own I +should have liked to see the sights of London, but my uncle was so much +in love with his vessel that he could not bear to be away from her, and +he would not let me go sight-seeing alone, saying that London was a +terrible wicked place for a boy. The utmost he would consent to was to +ride out to Tilbury and ride in again, which was a very paltry +expedition. When the end of the week came, there were still some +berths vacant, a number of the men having been seized for the king's +ships, the press being then very active. This put my uncle in a +desperate state of annoyance. He declared it was monstrous that his +men should be stolen when he was embarking on an adventure which might +bring great honour to the country. Since it was plain that his +departure must be delayed, he said it was sinful for me to waste any +more time in London when I might be useful at the works, and so took +passage for me in the coach and dispatched me home. Knowing that the +business would not suffer a jot by my absence, I wondered whether my +uncle dreaded a scene of parting; and for my part I was so sore at not +being allowed to accompany him that I thought it would save me an extra +pang if I did not take my farewell of him at the ship's side. + +I found my aunt wonderfully cheerful. She smiled when I told her of +the hindrances my uncle had met with, and declared that we should even +yet see him give up his whimsy and return to his proper business. This +opinion, however, I scouted, and when, after about a week, we received +a letter from him, I felt sure as I broke the seal that it was a last +message penned on the eve of sailing. It proved otherwise, being a +brief note to say that the crew was complete, through the good offices +of the obliging Chick, but that the departure was once more delayed, my +uncle being confined to his room at the _Cod and Lobster_ by a slight +attack of the gout. My aunt was for starting at once to attend upon +her husband, but this I dissuaded her from, saying that by the time she +arrived in London the attack might have passed and the ship sailed, and +she would have made the long journey for nothing, besides wasting +money. However, within three days comes another letter, in which my +uncle wrote that he was much worse, and desired me to come to him post +haste. This letter gave my aunt much concern, but on the whole pleased +her mightily, for she was sure I had been sent for to bring my uncle +home, and she went about with that triumphant look which a good lady +wears when she sees events answer to her predictions. + +I set off by the coach next morning. When I opened the door of my +uncle's room he fairly screamed at me: "Take care! for mercy's sake +take care!" I stepped back and looked about me in alarm, seeking for +some great peril against which I must be on my guard. But I saw +nothing but my uncle sitting in a big chair, with one leg propped on a +stool, and his foot swathed in huge wrappings of flannel. "Take care!" +he cried again with a groan as I approached. "Mind my toe! Keep a +yard away; not an inch nearer, or I shall yell the house down." At +that time I was astonished beyond measure at my uncle's vehemence; but +having since then suffered from the gout myself--'tis in our family: my +grandfather was a martyr to it, I have been told--I know the terror +which a movement, even a gust of air, inspires in the sufferer. + +My uncle told me, amid groans, that his heart was broken. The _Lovey +Susan_ was ready; he had as good a captain and crew as any man could +wish to have, but he himself would never make the voyage. Three +physicians, the best in London, were attending him, and their opinion +was that not only might he be some considerable time in recovering of +it, but that, being of a gouty habit of body, a new attack might seize +him at any moment and without warning. "Suppose it took me on the +voyage, Harry!" he said, groaning deeply. "Suppose I was like this on +board! You saw my cabin; no room to swing a kitten. What if a storm +blew up! What if I was tossed about!" Here he groaned again. "No +doctors! No comforts! I must go home to Susan, my boy--if I can ever +stand the journey---- Oh!" he shouted, as a twinge took him. "A +thousand plagues! Give me my draught, Harry; take care! Mind my toe!" + +I was distressed at my uncle's pitiful plight. 'Twas plain that his +agony of mind was as great as that of his body, because of his +disappointment in the check to his cherished design. For some while he +did nothing but groan; presently, when he was a little easier, he +announced the resolution he had come to, which was a great surprise to +me, but a still greater joy. 'Twas nothing less than that I should +take his place. He could not abide that his plans should be brought to +nought. He had weighed the matter carefully as he lay awake o' nights; +I was seventeen and nearly a man, and though no doubt I had gout in my +blood, I need not fear that enemy for some years to come. Being +sober-minded (he was pleased to say), and well acquainted with his +purposes, I could very well represent him, and though this +responsibility was great for one of my years, yet it would teach me +self-reliance and strengthen my character. He spoke to me long and +earnestly of the manner in which I should bear myself, with respect to +the captain and kindliness to the seamen; and I must never lose sight +of the object of the expedition, which was to discover the southern +continent, if it were the will of Providence, and so forestall the +French. + +I fear I paid less heed than I ought to my uncle's solemn admonitions, +so overjoyed was I at the wonderful prospect opening before me. Having +taken his resolution, my uncle was not the man to delay in executing +it. He sent for Captain Corke, and acquainted him with his design, +adjuring him to regard me in all things as his deputy, and to take me +fully into his counsels. He summoned before him Mr. Lummis and Mr. +Bodger, and Chick, who was made boatswain of the vessel, and addressed +them in my presence very solemnly, enlarging on the service they would +do their country if they assisted Captain Corke and me to bring the +expedition to a successful issue. And then, having dismissed them, he +bade me fall on my knees (at a yard's distance from his toe), and +besought the blessing of the Almighty on the voyage. A lump came into +my throat as I listened to his prayer, and when at its conclusion I +muttered my "Amen!" it expressed my earnest desire to do all that in me +lay to fulfil my uncle's behests, and, in God's good time, to give him +an account of my stewardship which should bring him comfort and +happiness. + +Next day, it being Friday the 22nd of August and a fair day, we loosed +our moorings at four o'clock in the morning and fell down with the +tide. We were lucky in encountering a favouring breeze when we came +out into the broad estuary of the river, and rounding the Foreland, we +set our course down channel. The movements of the sailors in working +the ship gave me much entertainment, and the gentle motion of the +vessel, the sea being calm, caused not the least discomfort, though it +was the first time I had sailed upon the deep. + +About eight o'clock in the evening, the time which mariners call +eight-bells, I was standing beside the captain on the main deck, and he +was pointing out a cluster of houses on the shore which he told me was +the fishing village of Margate, when we were aware of a commotion in +the fore-part of the vessel. I distinguished the rough voice of Mr. +Lummis, shouting abuse with many oaths that were new and shocking to my +ears. Presently the first mate comes up, hauling by the neck a boy of +some fifteen years, a short and sturdy fellow in dirty and ragged +garments, and with the grimiest face I ever did see. Up comes Mr. +Lummis, I say, lugging this boy along, cuffing him about the head, and +still rating him with the utmost vehemence. He hauls him in front of +the captain, and, shaking him as a terrier shakes a rat, says, "Here's +a young devil, sir, a ---- stowaway. Found him on the strakes in the +bilge, sir, the ---- little swipe." + +The captain looked at the boy, who stood with his shoulders hunched to +defend his head from the mate's blows, and then bidding Mr. Lummis +loose him, he asked him in a mild voice what he did aboard the vessel. +The boy rubbed his hand across his eyes, thereby spreading a black +smudge, and then answered in a tearful mumble that he didn't know. + +"What's your name?" says the captain. + +"Bobbin, sir," says the boy. + +"Bobbin what?" says the captain. + +"William, sir," says the boy. + +"Bobbin William?" says the captain. + +"William Bobbin," says the boy. + +The captain looked sternly on William Bobbin for the space of a minute +or two, but I do not remember that he said anything more to him at that +time. Mr. Lummis lugged him away and set him to some task, the captain +telling me that he would either put him ashore at some port in the +Channel or keep him if he gave promise of making himself useful. I may +as well say here that Billy Bobbin, as we called him, was not sent +ashore when contrary winds made us put in at Plymouth. It had come out +that his father was a blacksmith, of Limehouse, and the boy had run +away from the cruelties of his stepmother, and being strong of his +arms, and with some skill in smith's work, he proved a handy fellow. I +often wondered whether his stepmother used him any worse than he was +used aboard our vessel. The crew, as I was not long in finding out, +were a rough set of men, and seemed to look on Billy, being a stowaway, +as fair game. He was a good deal knocked about among them, and the +officers, so far as I could see, did nothing to defend him from their +ill-usage. When I spoke of it to the captain, he only said that was +the way at sea; and, indeed, Mr. Lummis himself was very free in +cuffing any of the seamen who displeased him, and once I saw him fell a +man to the deck with a marlin-spike, so that it was not to be wondered +at, when the men were thus treated, that they should deal in like +manner with the boy. I did speak of it once to Wabberley, thinking he +might perhaps put in a word for Billy, and he promised to speak to +Chick, who would do anything to oblige; but I never observed that +anything came of it. + +We had fair weather for a week or more, with light breezes, and I was +not the least incommoded by the motion of the vessel, whereby I began +to think that I should escape the sea-sickness of which I had heard +some speak. But when we had passed the Lizard the wind freshened, and +the ship rolled so heavily that I turned very sick, and lay for several +days in my bunk a prey to the most horrible sufferings I ever endured, +so that I wished I was dead, and did nothing but groan. During this +time I was left much to myself, the captain coming now and then to see +me, and ordering Clums the cook to give me a little biscuit soaked in +rum. However, the sickness passed, and when I went on deck again the +captain told me that I had now found my sea-legs and should suffer no +more, a prediction which to my great thankfulness came true. + +We proceeded without any remarkable incident until the 14th of +September, when we came to an anchor in Madeira road. The captain sent +a party of men on shore to replenish our water-casks, Mr. Lummis going +with them carrying three pistols stuck in his belt. I supposed that he +went thus armed for fear of some opposition from the natives of that +island, but the captain told me 'twas only to prevent the men from +deserting, it being not uncommon for such incidents to happen. We +sailed again on the 17th, and for two months never saw land, until the +6th of November, when we anchored off Cape Virgin Mary in the country +named Patagonia. There we perceived a great number of people on the +shore, who ran up and down both on foot and on horseback, hallooing to +us as if inviting us to land. This the captain was resolved not to do, +somewhat to my disappointment, for I should have liked to see the +Indians more nearly, especially as I had heard many things about them +from Wabberley when he related his voyages to my uncle. I had to +content myself with gazing at them through the captain's perspective +glass, and observed that all were tall and swarthy, and had a circle of +white painted round one eye, and a black ring about the other, the rest +of the face being streaked with divers colours, and their bodies almost +naked. One man, who seemed to be a chief, was of a gigantic stature, +and painted so as to make the most hideous appearance I ever beheld, +with the skin of some wild beast thrown over his shoulders. + +The captain questioned whether we should proceed through the Straits of +Magellan or attempt to double Cape Horn. He decided for the latter +course, and having heard somewhat of the violent storms that were to be +encountered in that latitude, I was not a little apprehensive of our +safety. However, having taken in water at a retired part of the coast, +we doubled the Cape after a voyage of rather more than two months, +having sustained no damage, and the _Lovey Susan_ sailed into the South +Sea. Here the calm weather which had favoured us broke up, and for +several weeks we had strong gales and heavy seas, so that we were +frequently brought under our courses, and there was not a dry place in +the ship for weeks together. Our upper works being open, and our +clothes and beds continually wet, as well from the heavy mists and +rains as from the washing of the seas, many of the crew sickened with +fever, and the captain kept his bed for several days. On the first +fair day our clothes were spread on the rigging to dry, and the sick +were taken on deck and dosed with salop, which, with portable soup +boiled in their pease and oatmeal, and as much vinegar and mustard as +they could use, brought them in a fair way to recovery. + +We proceeded on our voyage, the weather being variable, and I observed +that many strange birds came about the ship on squally days, which the +captain took for a sign that land was not far off. He was anxious now +to make land, for the men began to fall with the scurvy, and even those +who were not seized by that plague looked pale and sickly. We were +greatly rejoiced one day when the man at the masthead called out that +he saw land in the N.N.W., and within a little we sighted an island, +which approaching, we brought to, and the captain sent Mr. Lummis with +a boat fully manned and armed to the shore. After some hours the boat +returned, bearing a number of cocoa-nuts and a great quantity of +scurvy-grass, which proved an inestimable comfort to our sick. Mr. +Lummis reported that he had seen none of the inhabitants, who had all +fled away, it was plain, at the sight of our vessel. It being evening, +we stood off all night, and in the morning the captain sent two boats +to find a place where the ship might come to an anchor. But this was +found to be impossible, by reason of the reef surrounding the island. +The captain marked it down on his chart, and called it Brent Island +after my uncle; but I learnt many years afterward that it had already +been named Whitsun Island by Captain Wallis, having discovered it on +Whitsun Eve. We sailed away, hoping for better fortune. There was +none of us but longed to stretch our legs on the solid earth again, and +I think maybe it had been better for us if the captain had permitted +the men to stay for a while at Cape Virgin Mary or some other spot on +the coast of Patagonia, for the being cooped up for so many months +within the compass of a vessel of no great size must needs be trying to +the spirits even of men accustomed to it. + +However, within a few days of our leaving Brent Island we made another, +that afforded a safe anchorage. Here we went ashore by turns, and the +native people being very friendly, we stayed for upwards of a fortnight +among them. It was an inestimable blessing, after living so long on +ship's fare--salt junk and pease and hard sea-biscuit (much of it +rotten and defiled by weevils)--to please our appetites with fresh meat +and fruits, and these the natives very willingly provided in exchange +for knives and beads and looking-glasses and other such trifles. It +was now I tasted for the first time many vegetable things of which I +had known nothing save from the reports of Wabberley and Chick and the +books I had heard my uncle read--yams (a great fibrous tuber that +savoured of potatoes sweetened), bananas (a fruit shaped like a sausage +and tasting like a pear, though not so sweet), and bread-fruit, a +marvellous fruit that grows on a tree about the size of a middling oak, +and is the nearest in flavour to good wheaten bread that ever I ate. +As for flesh meat and poultry, we had that in plenty, the island being +perfectly overrun with pigs (rather boars than our English swine) and +fowls no different from our own, except that they were more active on +the wing. In this place, I say, we stayed for a fortnight or more, and +were marvellously invigorated by the change of food, so that our men +recovered the ruddy look of health, and the scurvy wholly left us. + +During this time the captain and I lodged in a hut obligingly lent us +by the chief of the island. We talked frequently of the main purpose +of our adventure, the discovery of a southern continent, the captain +intending, when we left the island, to sail southwards by west, into +latitudes to which his charts gave him very little guide. After we had +spent some time in diligent search, whether we made the discovery or +not, he proposed sailing north again, and visiting Otaheite and other +islands whereon Captain Cook had landed, for another part of my uncle's +purpose, though lesser, was to find what opportunities for trading +there were in these seas. It was the first part that engaged my fancy +the most, pleasing myself with the thought of my uncle's pride if we +should succeed where so many navigators before us had failed. + +When we left the island and sailed away, I remarked that the crew were +very loath to quit this land of ease and plenty. Indeed, when we +mustered the crew before embarking, we found that Wabberley and Hoggett +the sailmaker were amissing, and the captain in a great rage sent Mr. +Lummis with a party to find them. Chick offered to lead another party, +so as to scour the whole island (which was only a few miles across) +more expeditiously; but this the captain would not permit, for what +reason I knew not then, though I afterwards had cause to suspect it. +Half-a-day was wasted before the truants were brought back, and though +they pretended that they had lost their way in the woods that covered +the centre of the island, they looked so glum when they came that I +conceived a notion that Wabberley, a lazy fellow at all times, would +not have been much put about if we had sailed without him. It came +into my head that in the play of _The Tempest_, when the sailors are +cast upon an island, one of them proposes to make himself its king and +the other his minister, and I was amused to think how Wabberley and +Hoggett would have disputed about the allotment of those dignities, +even as Stephano and Trinculo. + +We took on board a good store of the fruits of the island, and sailed +for many days without dropping our anchor, though we passed several +islands both large and small. Then on a sudden the wind failed us, our +sails hung idle, and for many days we lay becalmed, the vessel being so +close wrapt about by mist that we could not see beyond a fathom line. +This had a bad effect on the temper of the men, who, being perforce +idle, had the more time for quarrelling, which is ever apt to break +out, even among good folk, when there is little to do. Some lay in a +kind of sullen stupor about the deck; others cast the dice and wrangled +with oaths and much foul talk; and when they tired even of this, they +took a cruel delight in tormenting poor Billy Bobbin in many ingenious +ways. So long did the calm endure that our store of fresh provision +gave out, and the men were put on short allowance, at which, although +the need of it was plain, they murmured as much as they dared. Having +always in mind my uncle's counsel to deal kindly with them, I had been +treated hitherto with respect; but I now observed that some of them +looked askance at me as I went about the ship, and once or twice after +I had passed I heard a muttering behind me, and then a burst of coarse +laughter. To make matters worse, the captain again fell sick of a kind +of calenture, and took to his bed. For all he was a quiet man, he +exercised a considerable authority over the crew, much greater than Mr. +Lummis, though the first mate was rougher, and sparing neither of oaths +nor of blows. With the captain always in his cabin the men became the +more unruly, and I longed very fervently for a breeze to spring up, so +that the need for work might effect a betterment in their tempers. + +One day when I was in the fore part of the ship, I heard a great hubbub +in the forecastle, and looking down through the scuttle, I saw a big +ruffian of a fellow--it was that same Hoggett whom I have mentioned +before--I saw him, I say, very brutally thrashing Billy Bobbin, dealing +him such savage blows on the bare back with a rope-end that his flesh +stood up in great livid weals, the rest of the men laughing and +jeering. The boy was so willing and good-tempered that I knew there +could be no just cause for such heavy punishment, and he was withal of +a brave spirit, bearing the stripes with little outcry until one stroke +of especial fierceness caused him to shriek with the pain. I had a +liking for Billy, and when I saw him thus ill-used I could no longer +contain myself, but springing down through the scuttle, I seized +Hoggett's arm and so prevented the rope from falling. Hoggett held the +boy with his left hand, but when I caught him and commanded him to +cease, he loosed Billy and turned upon me, dealing me a blow with the +rope before I was aware of it, and demanding with a string of oaths +what I meant by interfering, and crying that I had no business in the +forecastle. At this I got into a fury, and without thinking of the +odds against me I smote him in the face with my fist, an exceedingly +foolish thing to do with a man of his size. In a moment I lay +stretched on the deck, with the fellow above me, belabouring me with +his great fist so that I was like to be battered to a jelly, and I +doubt not would have been but that Mr. Lummis chanced to come by. +Seeing what was afoot he sprang down after me and immediately felled +Hoggett with a hand-spike. I was very much bruised, and felt sore for +a week after, and withal greatly distressed in mind, for none of the +men, not even Wabberley, who was among them, had offered to help me, +and I could not but look on this as a very clear proof that a dangerous +spirit was growing up among the crew. True, I was not an officer of +the ship, and was not in my rights in giving orders, as Hoggett said +when Mr. Lummis sentenced him to the loss of half his rum for the week. +But being nephew of the owner of the vessel, I considered, and justly, +that my position was as good as an officer's; and as for my striking +the man, Mr. Lummis did as much every day. + +It was on the day after this that Billy Bobbin came to me with a tale +that disturbed me mightily. He had been for some time uneasy in his +mind, he said, but owned that he would still have kept silence but for +my intervention in his behalf. He sought me after sunset (in those +latitudes it falls dark about seven o'clock), when the men were at +their supper, and he might talk to me unobserved. He said that the men +had been grumbling ever since we left the island where we had stayed. +They had a hearty dislike to the purpose of our expedition, and a great +scorn as well, deeming the search for a southern continent to be merely +a fool's quest. I own it caused me vast surprise to learn that +Wabberley was the most scornful of them all, saying that, having been +with Captain Cook on his first voyage, he knew there was no such +continent, or the captain would have found it, and telling the others +dreadful particulars of the tribulations they suffered: how some of +them spent a night of terror and freezing cold (though 'twas midsummer) +on a hillside of Tierra del Fuego, and how, out of a company of eighty, +the half died of fever or scurvy. And in contrast to these ills he +told us of the lovely island of Savu, and of Otaheite, where there was +everything that man could wish for--a genial climate, the earth +yielding its fruits without labour, or at least with the little labour +that a man might demand of his wives (for he could have as many wives +as he listed); in a word, a paradise where men might live at their ease +and never do a hand's turn more. Furthermore, Billy told me (and this +was the most serious part) that he had overheard the men talking, a +night or two before, of deserting in a body when we next went ashore +(provided the island was one of the fruitful sort, for there were some +barren), and leave the officers to navigate the vessel as best they +might. Great as my surprise had been to hear that Wabberley was one of +the moving spirits of this conspiracy, still greater was it when Billy +told me that this purpose of deserting was mooted by Joshua Chick the +boatswain. I had never been drawn to that obliging person; nay, his +very obligingness had annoyed me, just as sometimes I am nowadays +annoyed by a person over-officious in handing cups of tea; and when I +came to put two and two together, I could not doubt that this scheme +had been in the man's mind from the first. In short, he and Wabberley +had taken advantage of my uncle's hobby to beguile him upon setting +this expedition on foot, for no other reason than to find a means of +returning to these southern islands, where they might live in sloth and +luxurious ease. + +Bidding Billy to be silent on what he had told me, I went to the +captain, who, as I have said, was ill in his bunk, and acquainted him +with this pretty plot that was a-hatching. He was in a mighty taking, +I warrant you, and swore that he would hang the mutineers at the +yard-arm, at the same time handing me a sixpence to give to Billy +Bobbin for his fidelity. He called Mr. Lummis and Mr. Bodger into +council, and could hardly prevail on the former not to fling the +ringleaders into irons at once. Mr. Bodger, whom I had always regarded +as a man of mild disposition, suggested that they should be put ashore +among cannibals, and so be disposed of in the cook-pot (the natives, +for the most part, boiling their meat), which led Mr. Lummis to +declare, with a volley of oaths, that if the calm lasted much longer +they would want food aboard the vessel, and Wabberley would cut up +well. I own such talk as this seemed to me very ill-suited to the +occasion, though when it came to the point the officers were not barren +of practicable schemes for dealing with the mutineers, as will be seen +hereafter. + + + + +CHAPTER THE THIRD + +OF THE NAVIGATION OF STRANGE SEAS; OF MUTTERINGS AND DISCONTENTS, OF +DESERTION, OF MUTINY AND OF SHIPWRECK. + + +We lay becalmed for several days longer, during which time there was no +further outbreak among the men, for the captain bestirred himself and +came on deck, though in truth he was not fit for it. His mere presence +seemed to make for peace and quietness. He had counselled the officers +to alter nothing in their conduct, yet to be watchful; and I think he +never feared a mutiny on board the ship, expecting no danger until we +should set foot to land again. + +At length the mist cleared, the sails once more filled, and we set our +courses again towards the south-west. The men went about their duties +at first cheerfully, for the mere pleasure of action after so long +idleness; but when, after about a week, they perceived that the captain +held steadily on his course, without offering to touch at any of the +islands we sighted, their looks fell gloomy again, and there was some +grumbling, though subdued. Though our fresh food was now all gone, we +still had great stores of the common victuals--biscuit and pease and +oatmeal, besides salt junk, a sufficiency of rum, and water for two +months. This was sparingly used, every man of us washing in salt +water, which made my skin smart very much until I was used to it. + +Day by day, as we approached the high latitudes, the air became +sensibly colder, and in the morning we sometimes saw icicles on the +rigging. The sky was for the most part gloomy; showers of sleet and +hail beat upon us, and I own I felt a pity for the sailors at these +times, having to spend so many long hours below decks in darkness and +stench. For days at a stretch we crept through thick fogs, and by and +by came among icefloes, and then among icebergs, against which we ran +some risk of being shipwrecked, so that we had to keep a very careful +look-out. When I marked the growing discontent of the men, I feared +lest they should rise in mutiny and take the navigation of the vessel +into their own hands, and I verily believe we were only saved from this +by the captain's change of mind. He made it a point of honour to +fulfil the desires of my uncle so far as he might, and would have +continued the search for the southern continent against all risks; but +when the ice grew constantly thicker, and our fresh water began to lie +perilously low, he concluded that it was folly to try any more for that +season, and so steered north. + +Our men were greatly rejoiced at this resolution, and their +cheerfulness was such that I began to lose my fear of untoward +happenings. When I said as much to the captain, however, he observed +that our particular danger would arise when we came to a land of +plenty. It was his ill hap again to be seized with sickness at this +time, and he seldom left his bunk in the roundhouse. + +[Sidenote: The South Seas] + +One fair day--I think it was about a year after our sailing from +Deptford--we sighted an island which did not appear on our chart, but +which, on our nearer approach, gave promise of furnishing that +refreshment of which we were in need. It was very well wooded, and we +knew while still a great way off that it was inhabited, seeing through +our perspective glass a good number of canoes about its shore. When we +came within a little distance of it some of the canoes put off towards +us, and a crowd of people stood on the beach, inviting us as well by +their gestures as their loud cries to land. The captain, who had come +out of the roundhouse and sat on a stool by the door, considering that +the fertility of the place and the friendliness of the natives favoured +us, ordered the vessel to be hove to, and a boat to be made ready, with +casks for bringing back a supply of water. He then appointed a dozen +of the crew to man the boat, calling them before him, and commanding +them very strictly that they should not stray far from the +neighbourhood of the beach, but fill their casks at the nearest spring +or freshet, and purchase what vegetables and fruit they could in +exchange for such trifles as I have before mentioned. I observed that +the captain had not chosen Wabberley and Hoggett, or any other of the +men whom we certainly knew to be disaffected: indeed, both Hoggett and +Chick, with several more, were then sick of the scurvy. The captain +set Mr. Bodger over the boat's crew, and he went with a cutlass and two +pistols in his belt, but the men were without arms. + +As soon as they set off, being accompanied by two canoes which had by +this time reached our vessel, Mr. Lummis, at a word from the captain, +commanded the men that remained on board to collect all the arms that +were in the ship and bring them into the roundhouse. It was plain from +their looks that they were amazed and confounded at this order, which +they obeyed very sullenly, Mr. Lummis having in sight of them all stuck +a pistol in his belt. As they went to and fro they eyed the captain +suspiciously, and cast many a glance towards the shore, where their +fellows were beginning their task amid a great uproar of the natives. +It had been arranged between the captain and Mr. Lummis that this +precaution regarding the arms should be taken when the crew was thus +divided, so that we should have the means of coping with any mutinous +outbreak. The captain also insisted that I should take a pistol, which +I was loath to do, having never fired one in my life. + +The arms had all been bestowed in the roundhouse before the boat +returned with its first cargo. When the men came aboard they began to +tell their messmates of the exceeding richness of the island, as far as +they had seen it, but they had gone but a little way in their tale +before the other men broke in with an account of what had been done in +their absence, which made them dumb with astonishment. Being conscious +of their guilty designs, they perceived that we knew them too, though +they were not able in their first surprise to divine the means by which +we had obtained our knowledge. However, it was not a time to take +counsel together, with the officers about them, and as they had +performed but a small part of their task on shore, they went back into +the boat with as meek a look as ever I saw. + +[Sidenote: Mutterings] + +When they came again to the island, they set about their work as +before, though more sluggishly; but having filled a cask or two, and +brought them to the boat, I observed them, all but one, go up the +strand again without another cask to be replenished. I supposed that +they were now going to procure vegetables, but Mr. Lummis, who was +standing at my side, suddenly let forth a great oath, bidding me +observe that the men went empty-handed. And then we saw Mr. Bodger, +who had been left at the boat, hastily following them, and though we +were too far off to hear any words distinctly (besides, the native +people still made a great clamour), we could tell by his motions that +the mate was calling after them, and we saw two or three of them turn +round and laugh at him, and then go on up the island amid a concourse +of the natives. Mr. Lummis cried out to him to use his pistol on the +mutinous dogs, but he could not hear, and indeed he was a timid man, +besides being apprehensive, perhaps, that the natives, many of whom had +long spears, would turn upon him if he offered any violence. This +notion of ours had some colour when we saw him return hastily to the +boat, and endeavour, with the only man of them all that was left, to +launch her. This, however, they were unable to do, the boat being +beached high on the sand, and heavy with the full casks already laid in +her. + +Mr. Lummis went into the roundhouse, whither the captain had retired, +to acquaint him with these proceedings. They thought, and so did I, +that the men were putting in act the plot of which Billy Bobbin had +told us, though it seemed to me strange that they should have gone +without the ringleaders, who were still on board the vessel. We were +considering of this when Mr. Lummis, with another great oath, cried out +that he saw through the rascals' plan, which was, he said, to tempt us +to send another boat's crew after them, and then, having both the mates +ashore, to overpower them, as they would easily do with the aid of the +natives, in spite of the pistols. But he swore that he would prove one +too many for them, and having trained on the beach one of the six +swivel guns we carried, he commanded two of the men to lower the +dinghy, and then to come to the roundhouse for the captain's orders. + +This being done, and the men coming in, the captain looked very +severely upon them, and said that he was about to send them with Mr. +Lummis to bring off the boat with Mr. Bodger in it, and that if they +should attempt to join the rascals on shore, who had flatly disobeyed +orders, Mr. Lummis would shoot them instantly. This he said in a very +loud tone of voice, so as to be heard by the rest of the crew, who had +sneaked up out of curiosity to learn what was toward. The two men with +Mr. Lummis then descended into the dinghy, Mr. Lummis taking with him a +large piece of bright-coloured cloth, two small looking-glasses, and a +new sailor's knife. + +When they came to the shore, Mr. Lummis stepped out and waved the cloth +above his head, at which a number of the people came running to him, +making strange and uncouth cries. I had afterwards, as will be seen, +to learn how hard it is to communicate with men who have no common +speech with us; but even as the beasts are able to hold converse with +their kind, so the great Creator of all things has given to man the +power to make his thoughts plain to folk sundered in speech by the +iniquity of Babel. Mr. Lummis contrived to make these poor savages +understand his wishes, and when, with the aid of them and of the +seamen, the large boat was launched, and was rowed back to the ship, +taking the dinghy in tow, one of their canoes came also, with some of +their chief men in it. + +At the invitation of Mr. Lummis, the savages came aboard our vessel, +and then, with much pains, he acquainted them further with his desires. +He pointed to the seamen who were gathered on deck, and then to the +island, with gestures signifying that the men of their kind who had +first landed must be brought back. He made them understand that a +price would be paid for each man that was recovered, either a piece of +cloth, or a knife, or a looking-glass like those he showed to them. +And then, bethinking him that it were profitable to impress them with a +sense of his power, he ordered the gun to be fired with a blank charge, +at whose roar the savages fell flat upon their faces, and lay for some +while quaking in a great fear. After this they made haste to get into +their canoe and paddle to the shore, which was now deserted, all the +people having fled away at the sound of our gun; and they ran very +fleetly up into the wooded country and disappeared from our view. + +We saw nothing more of them or of our seamen that day; but early the +next morning, almost as soon as it was light, we heard a great +commotion on the shore, and soon perceived a vast throng flocking to +the beach, with our men among them. There they were cast with some +roughness into three of the canoes, and I perceived by the manner of +their falling, like as sheep when they are cast into a cart, that their +limbs were tied, which, without doubt, sorely ruffled their tempers, +being Englishmen. When the canoes came alongside our vessel, the +natives shouting and yelling like mad things, Mr. Lummis let down a +sling over the side, in which our men were hoisted one by one to the +deck. It was as much as I could do to keep from laughing, so sorry was +their look, their faces being scratched and bruised, and their garments +very much tattered, and indeed on one or two hanging mere shreds. Mr. +Lummis heartily cursed each one as he came up, with many quaint +derisive observations which mightily vexed them. We had taken seven or +eight aboard when Mr. Lummis, looking over those that were left in the +canoes, perceived that there were only ten in all, when there should +have been eleven, the party having numbered twelve at the first, of +whom one had returned with Mr. Bodger. Mr. Lummis flew into a rage at +this, supposing that the natives had kept back one man, with a design +to chaffer for a higher price; but when he demanded of the rest where +Wilkins was (that being the name of him who was missing), they answered +sullenly that he was dead, for he had offered a stout resistance when +the savages attempted to tie his hands, and had the temerity to fell +the chief himself with his fist. This spirited act, which was in truth +worthy of a true-born Englishman, cost him his life, for he was +instantly thrust through with spears. I doubt not his death was the +means of saving the lives of the rest, for seeing what had befallen +their comrade, and being unarmed, they submitted (though surely with an +ill grace) to be bound, and were so brought back to their vessel, as I +have said. The savages having received the presents promised them +returned to the island, where they immediately fell a-quarrelling about +the apportionment of their wages, and we saw that the strip of coloured +cloth was very soon torn into a hundred little pieces. + +[Sidenote: Mutiny] + +As for the seamen, they were by the captain's orders immediately put +into irons and laid in the hold. Though we had not taken aboard near +as much water or provision as we intended, yet the captain would not +risk the sending of another crew to the island, albeit he might safely +have done so, I think, the men being for the time sufficiently tamed. +We had to wait the best part of the day for a breeze; then we weighed +anchor and stood away to the north. While the island was still in +sight, the wind suddenly shifted its quarter, and blew first a gale and +then a hurricane, so that we had to shorten canvas. While this was +a-doing the sea was lashed to a fury, prodigious waves sweeping over +the deck and buffeting the vessel so heavily that her timbers shook, +and we feared the masts would go by the board. With ten men in irons +and about as many weakened by the scurvy, the crew were pretty hard +pressed, and though they worked with a will, since their very lives +depended on it, they railed without measure against the captain and Mr. +Lummis, heedless of what punishment might be dealt to them when the +storm abated. Presently a cry arose that the vessel had sprung a leak, +and since none of those above could be spared to man the pumps, Mr. +Lummis ordered the men in irons to be brought up, and made them work at +the pumps in turn. The storm rather increased than diminished in fury, +and the seamen were seized with a fear that the vessel would founder, +and I heard them mingle prayers and curses in a breath, reviling the +captain for taking them from the hospitable island, and crying out +"Lord, have mercy on us!" again and again. Darkness fell upon us while +we were still battling with the storm, which added to our terrors, for +the vessel would not obey the helm, and we knew not but we might be +cast upon some coral reef, such as abound in those regions, and there +be clean broken up. In this extremity of peril I own I was dreadfully +afraid, and prayed very fervently that we might be saved, thinking too +of my uncle and aunt, and the happiness I had enjoyed with them, +casting my mind back over many things in my past life, almost as a +drowning man does, at least I have heard so. + +I was inexpressibly relieved when at last the violence of the tempest +abated, in the wind first, for it was long before the turbulence of the +sea was sensibly diminished. About the middle of the night, however, +we were able to stand once more upright on the deck without clinging to +the shrouds or other things for support, and then, being utterly worn +out, we sought repose, but not before the leak had been discovered and +stopped, which took a long time, and the unruly seamen who were in +irons once more confined in the hold. I gave hearty thanks to God who +had so mercifully delivered us, and went to my bunk in as peaceful a +frame of mind as if it were my bed at home. + +I was awakened, how long afterwards I know not, by Mr. Bodger breaking +into my cabin, which was on the maindeck, and calling on me to come +instantly to the quarterdeck, and bring my pistol, for the crew had +risen in mutiny, and having made a rush to the hold had liberated the +men in irons. I sprang up and cast my coat, which was still dripping +wet, about me, and seizing my pistol, followed the man up to where Mr. +Lummis and the captain stood in front of the roundhouse. But a moment +after I joined them we were aware that the crew were advancing to +attack us, judging by the sounds of their shouting, for the night was +so black that we could see but little, the men having put out the sole +lantern. We were in a very desperate case, being but four against the +whole crew, saving some few who were sick, not one of the men having +come to our side; the captain, moreover, being very feeble from his +illness. But we had all the firearms at our command, and Mr. Lummis +trusted by means of these to do such execution among the mutineers that +they would lose heart, and while the worst of them would be cowed, the +better-disposed would yield to authority. Thus we four stood side by +side, and as the men drew near Mr. Lummis called to them in a loud +voice, warning them that we had weapons which we would use upon them if +they did not instantly return to their duty. There was silence for a +space; the shuffling of bare feet on the deck ceased; then a voice +called out (I think it was Hoggett's) that the captain should return to +the island we had lately left, and let 'em rest and recruit themselves, +they being dead sick of sailing without end. He finished by saying +that if the captain did not consent to this course, they would slit his +weazand and cast him to the sharks, and serve all of us the same, and +we had best make our choice without delay. Mr. Lummis, to whom the +captain left all this matter, roared out a string of oaths and +commanded the men to seize that rascal who had the insolency to order +the captain's goings. There was a great laugh, very horrid to hear, +being rather the sound that wild beasts would make than men; then there +was again silence, or rather we heard the low murmurs of the men +talking among themselves. Mr. Lummis cursed again, but this time under +his breath, and muttering "They mean mischief," he bade Mr. Bodger in a +whisper put out the lantern that swung from the roof of the roundhouse +behind us, and so made a light against which our forms, as we stood on +the threshold, could be distinctly seen by the men. This was no sooner +done than there came a single shrill blast on the sea-pipe, and the men +rushed up towards us with fierce shouts that made my flesh creep. + +"Fire!" cried Mr. Lummis loud enough to be heard above all the din. As +I have said before, I had never in my life fired a pistol, and what +with excitement and flurry, my finger fumbled a little at the trigger, +so that I was a thought behind the others; but even in that little +moment I heard terrible screams as the bullets from the officers' +pistols flew among the crew; and though I fired mine immediately after, +I could not tell whether 'twas pointed up or down, or in what direction +soever, and I was seized with a fit of shuddering when the thought came +to me in a flash that peradventure I had slain a fellow-creature. You +may think I was a coward, and perhaps I was; but yet I think I was not, +but only new at such kind of work, because I do not recollect that ever +I felt the same way again when I had to defend myself, as will appear +in order. + +This first discharge of our weapons caused the mutineers to draw back, +and we instantly seized other pistols which Mr. Lummis had laid in +readiness within reach. He called out, "Have ye had enough, you dogs?" +and from the silence I really thought they had, especially as Mr. +Bodger whispered that he heard no groans, and so believed that the men +who were hit must be dead. But all of a sudden, without any kind of +warning, except a slight whistling in the air, and then it was too +late, there was a crash a little to the left of me, where the captain +stood, and looking round I saw him lying in a heap against the wall of +the roundhouse, and heard him groan. "Fire!" shouted Mr. Lummis again, +but I was on my knees beside the captain, who told me very faintly that +he had been struck on the head by something; and, indeed, when I felt +along the deck with my hand I found the marlin-spike which had done the +mischief. He bid me stand and help the officers, whose shots I had +again heard; but scarce had I risen to my feet when Mr. Lummis staggers +against me and cries that his arm is broken. At the same moment there +was a great crash of breaking glass, which made us know that another +missile had smashed the skylight of the roundhouse; and then, when +there came a perfect clatter of heavy things, belaying pins and the +like, striking the timbers of the roundhouse, Mr. Lummis said that we +must withdraw into that place, or we should be battered to pieces. +Accordingly Mr. Bodger and I, we dragged the captain within the sliding +door and shut it fast, and taking the table and bench we drove them +against the door as a barricado, which we had scarcely done before the +men, guessing by the cessation of our fire what had happened, came +outside and hammered on the wood, shouting with triumph and derision. +"Send a bullet through the door, sir," cries Mr. Lummis, which I did, +and there was a howl of pain, and the men scuttled away, for being +without firearms they were still at a disadvantage against us. + +Mr. Bodger having relit the lantern, we saw that the captain had +fainted clean away, and there was a great cut in his head from which +the blood was flowing. While I dashed some water upon his face and +poured a little rum between his lips, Mr. Bodger looked to the hurts of +the chief mate, who was roaring as much with fury as with pain. It +proved that his arm was indeed broken, as he had said, and I never +heard anybody howl as he did when Mr. Bodger made shift to set it and +bind it up. Meanwhile the captain had come to, but his face was +ghastly pale, and I feared the worst from the enfeebled state in which +he was. + +I was already aware, from the altered motion of the vessel, that her +course had been changed, and could not doubt that the mutineers were +purposing to sail back to the island we had quitted. In this matter we +were wholly at their mercy, but I thought it a very hazardous +proceeding in the blackness of the night, especially as they had no +chart and could not have the least notion of how to set the course +truly. It would have been at least the act of reasonable men to heave +to and wait for morning light; but I had already observed that seamen +have little forethought, being like children in that respect, and they +were so eager to attain the haven of their desires as to be ready to +brave the perils of striking a reef or running aground on a shoal. We +talked together of what we should do if the vessel arrived at an +island, Mr. Bodger saying he feared they would murder us or maybe hand +us over to the savages, for though we were secure against them while we +remained in the roundhouse, 'twas clear that we must needs issue forth +some time, or starve for want of food. + +[Sidenote: Shipwreck] + +Some time had passed, I know not how long, when we became aware of a +marvellous perplexing change in the atmosphere. I felt a strange +tingling in my fingers; Mr. Bodger declared he was all pins and +needles, and Mr. Lummis cried out with an oath, without which indeed he +seldom spoke, that some one was walking over his grave. Almost as the +words left his lips a tremendous shock, as of an immense wave striking +the vessel, sent us all spinning to the deck, and immediately +afterwards there was a mighty crash, and Mr. Lummis cried that the +mainmast had gone by the board. The vessel had so listed that we +expected she would instantly founder; but she righted herself, and then +we heard a great hubbub outside, the men calling one to another in +accents of affright and dismay. It being plain that the vessel was in +a desperate case, I thought the seamen would be too intent on saving +their own lives to have any notion of taking ours; so with Mr. Bodger's +help I pulled away our barricado and opened the door. By the light of +the lantern I saw the seamen most frantically cutting away the +wreckage, in the midst of which there came a great shout that the leak +had opened again, only much bigger than before, and that water was +pouring into the hold. Instantly there was a cry to lower the boats; +none thought of manning the pumps, which indeed would have been vain, +as we saw pretty soon. We had three boats aboard, but one of these had +been smashed by the fall of the mast, and the men were cutting the +lashings of the other two, some also casting into them whatever things +they could lay hands on, never stopping to consider whether they were +useful or no. They lowered the boats over the side, not without great +danger, for the vessel was rolling heavily, and then began to jump into +them. I could not believe that they would be so heartless as to leave +their officers to go down with the ship, though they had proceeded +hitherto without so much as a look towards us; and rushing among them, +I cried out that the captain and Mr. Lummis were severely hurt, begging +them to wait just so long as to rescue them. But they thrust me away, +and Chick with a brutal laugh shouted that the officers might drown for +all he cared, and when I still urged him he dealt me such a buffet that +I fell sprawling among the wreckage. + +When I rose to my feet, having lain stunned for a space, there was not +a man to be seen. I was for a little while like one demented, running +to the side of the vessel--which had no bulwarks, but only a timber +railing--with the intent to fling myself into the boat, and so escape. +But then I thought of the officers, and could not bring myself to +desert them in their extremity, and so ran back to the roundhouse, to +see if by any means we could devise a raft of spars sufficient at least +to keep us afloat. I found Mr. Lummis stretched on the deck, having, +it seemed, stumbled over some of the wreckage and hurt his arm again, +so that he fainted. There was a figure standing by the door, which I +at first took to be Mr. Bodger, but on running up to ask him concerning +that matter of the raft, I perceived with amazement that it was not the +second mate at all, but Billy Bobbin. I looked around, but no Mr. +Bodger could I see; I called aloud for him, but there was no answer, +nor could I tell whether he had fallen overboard or been taken away +among the men. I rushed again to the side, hoping that even at the +last the seamen might have repented; but it was all one blackness; the +boats were clean gone. + +I went back, and seeing both Mr. Lummis and the captain still lying +motionless on the deck, I was well-nigh overcome with the horror of our +situation, and sat me down on a coil of rope and buried my face in my +hands. But in a moment I sprang up; I could not consult with the +officers, but there was Billy Bobbin, whom I supposed the men had +refused to take with them--I learnt afterwards that he had not offered +to go, but had remained of set purpose to stand by me who had treated +him kindly. He told me, too, that Mr. Lummis had not fainted, but had +been thrown down by the men, who came rummaging in the roundhouse for +arms, of which they took several, and powder and shot. I cried to +Billy to help me build a raft, for, little of a seaman though I was, I +perceived that the vessel was already beginning to settle down. We had +but a single lamp to assist us, and to add to our trouble, a great +storm of wind and rain beat upon us, causing the ship to labour so +heavily that we could scarce keep our feet. I was fairly at my wits' +end. If it had been daylight, and calm, we might have heaved some +spars and planks overboard and lashed them together, but that was +impossible in the darkness. Moreover, if we made a raft strong enough +to hold us four, we could not by any means, Billy and me, lift it and +launch it from the deck. All that we could do was to lash together +what spars and planks we could find there on the deck, and trust that +when the vessel foundered we might contrive to cling to it, though how +we were to fasten the helpless officers to it I was not any way able to +see. + +While these perplexities were tossing in my brain my hands were not +idle; indeed, I wrought so desperately, and Billy too, that the skin +was torn from our fingers, though we did not know it until the dawn +showed them to us all sore and bleeding. It was growing misty light, +and we had finished our raft, a poor makeshift thing, but the best we +could do, and were considering of how to fasten the officers to it, +when all of a sudden the ship gave a great lurch, and while we were +endeavouring to save ourselves from being cast into the sea, the deck +beneath us was riven asunder with a noise as of a great gun. Of what +happened then I know nothing; but when I had again possession of my +senses, I found myself struggling in the sea, in desperate straits for +breath. For some while I could see nothing, in such confusion was I; +but presently, breathing more easily, and keeping myself afloat, I +perceived that the ship had totally disappeared, and I was amid a +strange assemblage of all manner of small objects bobbing up and down +on the surface. In a little I spied our raft, and near by it the wreck +of the mainmast, which had been cut almost clear by the seamen before +they took to their boats; but never a sign was there of Mr. Lummis or +the captain or Billy. I struck out for the raft, wondering within +myself whether I had strength to reach it, for I was marvellously +exhausted, having, as I came to think afterwards, been drawn down to a +great depth by the sinking vessel. All at once I saw a head rise above +the further edge of the raft, and a moment after Billy scrambled on to +it, and flung himself down as utterly spent. I strove to strike out +more lustily, feeling a great joy that one at least of my comrades was +saved; but my strength was so far gone from me, and the sea so +disturbed, that I made scarce any progress, and in an extremity of +despair, gasping as I was, I raised my head above the water and shouted +Billy's name. He lifted himself and looked about him amazedly; then +spying me at a distance of six fathoms or more, as I guessed, he leaped +into the sea and came swimming towards me. I was at the point of +sinking when, with inexpressible joy, I felt his arm placed beneath me, +and thus sustained by him I plied my limbs again, though with great +effort, and came at length to the raft, which I seized eagerly, and +rested a while until I should recover strength enough to clamber upon +it as he had done. However, when I made the essay, the side of the +raft sank beneath my weight, and I know not what I should have done had +not Billy bid me still cling to it while he swam round to the other +side, and then, both heaving ourselves up at the same moment, we +contrived to get aboard of it, and sank utterly fordone at either end, +and Billy burst into tears. + + + + +CHAPTER THE FOURTH + +OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WE CHEATED NEPTUNE AND CAME WITHIN THE GRIP OF +VULCAN; AND OF THE INHUMANITY OF THE MARINERS + + +We sat, or rather crouched, on the raft, and 'twas a mercy the sea was +not now so tempestuous, for had it been, I am sure we should have had +no strength to battle with it. The rain had ceased, but a white mist +lay over the water, and, dripping wet as I was, I shivered and my teeth +chattered and I felt desperately sick. All around us floated sundry +bits of wreckage--planks and spars, a hencoop, some pots and pans and +empty barrels, and near at hand a something that caused me a sharp pang +at heart: it was Captain Corke's wig, and I thought of that good +seaman, and of Mr. Lummis too, both gone to their long account. For a +time, as I contemplated the flotsam by which we were surrounded, I gave +never a thought to the unhappy posture of Billy and me; but all at once +it came upon me with a great shock that we were castaways on the wide +ocean, far away from land, clean out of the track of any likely vessel, +and with no food, nor any means of procuring it, to be the sport of +wind and wave. I was even considering whether it were not better to +plunge overboard at once, before the pangs of hunger and thirst got +hold upon us, when Billy, who had raised himself upon his elbow, +suddenly gave a shout and stretched his hand towards me. "Land! land!" +he cried. I turned myself about, so quickly that I almost lost my +balance, and sure enough, through the mist I saw a long dark line, +which on this waste of water could betoken nothing else but land, as +Billy had said. And in that moment I blamed myself for my gloomy +thoughts and stark hopelessness, considering for the first time that +the good hand of God had preserved us hitherto from the dreadful fate +of the officers, and might have further mercies in store. + +[Sidenote: The Island] + +It was impossible to guess, because of the mist, how far the land was +from us, but with our hearts full of this reviving hope we took thought +by what means we might propel our raft thither. We did not consider +whether it was a barren or a fruitful land, or what perils we might +encounter of wild beasts or wild men; all our mind was bent upon +escaping from our present danger. The raft was composed of spars and +staves of the boat which had been shattered on the deck of the _Lovey +Susan_, lashed together with ropes. I felt in my pocket for a knife +wherewith to cut one of the spars loose, designing to use it as an oar, +but my pocket was empty save for one solitary button, which I +remembered having put there a day or two before when it started from my +breeches, intending to have it sewn on. I asked Billy if he had a +knife, and he, feeling in his pockets, confessed them likewise to be +empty, having left on the deck the knife we had used in making the +raft; but when I told him what I had in mind, he at once fell to +pulling at one of the knots with his fingers, which being hard, as a +seaman's always are, he contrived in a wonderfully short time to loose +the short spar, and began to thrust it into the water in the manner of +paddling. To our great joy the raft moved, as I could tell by its +passing some of the floating articles of wreckage, which it did so +close to some that I might have seized them by stretching forth my +hand, and I wished I had when I thought of it afterwards, for they +would have been of great use to us, and saved us a deal of labour, as +you shall see. + +We moved, I say, towards the shore, Billy keeping our course pretty +straight by plying the spar now on the right side, now on the left. +And then I perceived a shine upon the water, and, looking back, saw the +blessed sun as a ruddy disk, but like the moon in size, glimmering +through the mist behind us. Billy hailed the sunrise with a cheerful +shout, which did my heart good to hear it, and cried to me that the +mist was lifting, and we should soon see the land clear. And so it +was, though when we did behold it, we did not much like the look of it. +From the edge of the sea it rose to a considerable height, and it was +of a grey colour, or rather slate, and yet not quite that either, but +approaching to black. To the right the slope was covered with +vegetation, and about half way-up there was what in the distance--for +we were, as I reckoned, near a mile from the shore--looked to be a +dense wood, as indeed it afterwards proved. Still further to the right +a promontory of a reddish colour jutted out into the sea, and I +perceived that the water ran right through it by an archway, which I +suppose the sea had cut for itself, for I could not conceive it had +been made in any other way. This promontory also was green at the top +with plants and trees, and beyond it we could see a rock of the same +red colour, which appeared to be of very great size, like to an immense +iceberg, but much broader than any I have seen. To the left of the +blackish slope that I have before mentioned there were other patches of +green, and I was much exercised in my mind to know why the centre +portion was thus barren when there was vegetation on either side. + +We could not yet see the top of the slope, for the mist still lay upon +it; but as we drew nearer a pretty gentle gale sprang up, which with +the sunbeams drove the mist away, leaving only a small portion, which +hovered like a thick white cloud, or a nightcap, over the dark summit. +While I was gazing at it, wondering why it stayed so constantly just +there, I was amazed to see a part of this cloud shoot up to a +prodigious height, and while I was still in that amazement, we heard a +dull booming noise, like the discharge of a great gun far away. At +this Billy ceased paddling and looked at me as one affrighted, and +asked me very fearfully whether we had come to a country where the +French were fighting with the native people. But I perceived now that +the sea was in commotion around us, and it suddenly came into my mind +that this mountain we saw before us was a burning mountain, or volcano, +like to what I had read of in my lesson books, though I had thought +that they sent forth fire and smoke and burning streams of lava. And +then, remembering the great wave which had struck our vessel and caused +the panic among the seamen, I bethought me that it was maybe due to an +earthquake, which affects as well the sea as the land. I told Billy +what I thought, and he was much relieved that we had not happened upon +the French, but said very gloomily that we should not be much better +off on land below a burning mountain than on the sea, and for his part +he would sooner drown, that being, as 'twas said, an easy death, than +be burned alive. However, I said that we had as yet seen no fire, and +perhaps the furnace in the mountain was dying out, and we could at the +least put it to the test. In short, I persuaded him to take up his +paddle again, which he did, and so brought us a little nearer to the +land. + +But we now perceived that the raft was taken in a current, which bore +us to the right hand towards the promontory I have mentioned above, but +obliquely, so that we were like to be carried past it without being +able to land. The wind was blowing against the current, and we hoped +it might stay our course long enough for us to come at some haven; but +though we loosed another spar, which I used very diligently though with +little dexterity, the current gained upon us, and I saw that we should +never do it. In that predicament it came into my mind that we might +use our coats as a sail, and we instantly stripped them off and joined +them together by the sleeves, and then we lashed them to the spar I had +been plying and held it upright, Billy drawing the loose end taut by +two short lengths of rope which he fastened very quickly to the +extremity of the raft. The sail made a very extraordinary appearance, +as you may believe, but Billy laughed merrily when he saw it fill with +the wind, and so, he working his paddle, and me holding the mast--with +no little difficulty, for the wind was blowing more strongly--we drew +nearer and nearer to the land. + +And now, when we were, as I guessed, about two furlongs from the beach, +I spied all of a sudden two boats lying close together near a small +spit of land. I might have noticed them before but for being so busy +with the sail. Billy saw them too, and cried out that they were our +own boats, and was for steering instantly out to sea again, for he +would sooner have faced a tempest than Hoggett, or any other of the men +who had ill-used him. But even before I could answer him we were aware +of a strange trembling of the raft beneath our feet, in no wise like +the wonted heaving of the sea, and while we were in the article of +wondering what it might be, the raft seemed to sink under us, as if a +great gap had opened beneath it and it was falling through empty air. +I was in a terrible fright, and catched at my breath, but still keeping +my feet, and in a moment we heard a strange rushing behind us, and, +turning about, beheld a great wall of water bearing down upon us. With +one consent we flung ourselves on our faces, clutching at the ropes +that bound the raft together, and had barely got a grip of them when +the mountainous wave crashed upon us, and we were completely engulfed. + +What happened to us then neither Billy nor I could ever perfectly tell, +though we talked about it often; but I must suppose that the raft was +rolled over and over, with us a-clinging to it. I had scarce got a +little breath into me again, after a greater space of time even than +when I had been sucked under at the sinking of our vessel, when the +return wave smote upon us, and we were hurled back, and while we were +still gasping after this, another green wall fell upon us from +seawards, though not so high as the first, and, its force being spent, +we found ourselves, sore bruised and breathless, on the landward side +of a small group of rocks of about seven or eight feet high, and not +above thirty yards from the beach. We had been carried clean over it, +and the raft, to which we had clung as by a miracle, was floating in +two or three feet of water. This we discovered afterwards, for we were +as near dead as any one could be, and, indeed, I wonder that we were +not killed outright, as we should have been beyond doubt but that the +raft prevented us from being dashed upon the ground. We had had +battering enough as it was, but coming to our senses, and very sick +from the water we had swallowed, we sprang off the raft and hauled it +ashore, Billy crying out that his feet, which were bare, were cut to +pieces on the beach, which was very hard and jagged, though I escaped +hurt, having my boots on. + +We were immediately aware of a deep rumbling from the hill above, and +lifting our eyes, we beheld prodigious quantities of smoke or steam, we +could not tell which, belching from the top, and then a vast torrent of +water pouring down towards us, with steam rising from it in clouds. We +were near paralyzed with the sight, but recovered ourselves in time to +skip back to the rocks over which we had been cast, and clambered to +the top of them with what haste we might, Billy's feet being all red +with blood from the sharpness of the beach. The torrent spread out as +it flowed downwards, and, coming straight towards us, I was in a great +fear lest, even though we were perched up, we should not escape it, and +we were, indeed, on the point of casting ourselves into the sea. But I +was thankful we did not do it, for the stream did not rise higher than +within three feet of our perch, but dashed up a great shower of spray, +which was scalding hot. It also hurled our raft with great violence +against the rock beneath us, breaking off a good portion of it; but it +did not carry it out to sea, the rocks preventing it. + +Then, as we looked up towards the summit of the hill, we saw a number +of figures, very small in the distance, hasting pell-mell downwards. +At first I thought they were savages, who had espied us, but within a +little I knew them for seamen of our crew. They ran at the edge of the +torrent, avoiding the clouds of steam, but this they could no longer do +when they came to where the water had spread over the beach, and we +heard them uttering very great yells of pain, as well from the scalding +water as from the jagged edges of the ground, their feet being unshod +save for one or two of them. They skipped from point to point, +endeavouring to find a safe way, and I recollected afterwards the +strange antics of Wabberley, who, being of a ponderous shape, was very +unfit for such feats of agility. The men gave no sign of having seen +us, but bore away towards their right and our left towards a small +tract of sand which, being protected by the slope of the hill, had not +been covered by the lava from the mountain top, for such I concluded to +be the constitution of the hard, blackish soil of which I have before +spoken. + +The seamen who came first to the beach disappeared from our sight +behind a number of rocks like to those upon which we sat, and +immediately afterwards we heard loud cries of alarm proceeding from +that quarter. Those behind hasted on with even greater expedition than +before, and when they joined their comrades there arose a perfect +chorus of execration, which puzzled us a good deal, until, glancing +seaward beyond the rocks that hid the men from our sight, I descried +the nose of a boat, and shortly afterwards made out that it was empty. +Without doubt it was one of the two boats we had seen laid up on the +beach, and a wave had carried it out to sea, and it was this had +provoked the cries we had heard. But I did not see the second boat, +and wondered why the men did not put off in this to pursue the truant +instead of spending their breath in vain outcries. When some little +while had passed, and the boat was still drifting out, none pursuing +it, I was taken with a great curiosity to see what the reason might be, +and descended from my perch to creep towards them, taking care as I +went to haul our raft to a safe place on the beach. As for Billy, he +refused to budge, saying that he would not go a foot nearer to the men, +because he was sure they would do him a mischief, a thing which I could +by no means believe, their minds being taken up with other matters. +However, he would not come, so I left him there, and went on alone. + +It being my purpose to see without being seen--at least, until I knew +what mind the men bore towards us--I went softly, and coming to the +rocks beyond which they were, I peeped round one of them with great +caution. And then I understood both why they did not pursue the boat +and why they had let out so lamentable an outcry. The second of the +two boats had a great hole stove in her bottom, without doubt by that +huge wave which had well-nigh struck the breath out of us. The men +were at their wits' end what to do, for the other boat was drifting +further and further from the shore, and was at this time, as I +reckoned, at least a hundred yards distant. One of them, as I looked, +cried out that he would swim out to it; otherwise they were undone, for +they were in peril of being boiled or burnt alive; and he plunged into +the water and made a stroke or two. But immediately afterwards another +of the men cried out that he saw the fin of a shark, at which the first +man--his name was Pumfrey, and he was the ship's carpenter--instantly +turned about and swam for the shore, splashing most vehemently with his +arms and legs and bellowing like a bull, as much to frighten away the +shark as from fear. + +Seeing this their last hope of recovering the boat altogether dashed +away, the seamen did nothing but walk to and fro in great agitation of +mind, letting forth the most dreadful curses that ever I heard. As for +Mr. Bodger, whom I spied among them, he sat down on a rock, being a +timorous creature, as I have before said, and setting his face in his +hands, groaned and sighed in pitiful fashion, as did those that were +sick and wounded among them. It came into my mind--what I had not +thought of before--that Billy and me, being partners with them in their +unhappy situation, were no better able than they to leave this terrible +place, at least with any prospect of success, for I knew very well that +our raft would be a poor vessel for any voyage. And since it appeared +to be our doom to live or die with them, I saw no benefit that could +arise from any attempt to hide our presence. Accordingly I walked +round the rock into their midst. It was Wabberley that spied me first, +and when he saw me his jaw dropped and his face went green, as having +beyond doubt believed me to be now at the bottom of the sea. He +uttered a strange cry, which the others hearing, they looked towards +him, and at the same instant beheld me, and after a sudden brief +silence came running at me, demanding with the greatest eagerness how I +had come ashore. When I told them, on a raft, they shouted for joy, +and Hoggett catching me roughly by the arm, cried to me to say where +that same raft was, or he would dash my head against the rocks. I +answered that there was no need of threats or violence, for the raft +lay but a short distance away, and he might perhaps use it to overtake +the boat, and at the same time I pointed to the further rocks. Without +more ado he set off at a run, and spying Billy still sitting upon the +rock he asked whether we had the captain and Mr. Lummis also with us. +But he did not wait for an answer, running very swiftly until he came +to the place where our raft lay, the other men following him in a crowd. + +When he saw what a poor shattered thing the raft was, he broke out +again into cursing, thinking that it would be useless for his purpose, +as indeed it might have been, he being a very ponderous man. But then +bethinking himself he catched hold of Billy, and, Joshua Chick coming +up, swore that Billy and he, being of no great weight, should go on the +raft and pursue the boat, which, as we now perceived, had come into the +current that had nearly carried us past the further extremity of the +shore. Billy cried out that he would not go, but Hoggett took him by +the middle, and when Chick had launched the raft, he threw the boy +fairly on to it, bidding Chick fling him into the sea if he made any +bones about it. And then, wrenching up two of the planks of the broken +boat to serve as paddles, he gave them to the boatswain and Billy, who +thereupon began to ply them with the utmost vigour. + +We watched them as they went further and further from the shore, the +seamen shouting with excitement, and even laying wagers one against +another, though, being bereft of everything save their weapons and some +few articles that were in the boat, it seemed to me great folly. And +when after a long chase the boat was overhauled near the archway in the +red rock of which I have spoken, they fell into a perfect ecstasy of +joy, clapping each other on the back and shouting like frantic people. +We saw Chick baling out the boat, Billy helping him, and as they were a +long while doing this, it was plain that she held a great quantity of +water and would most likely have foundered in no long time. Whilst +they were at this work of baling, the raft floated away, and neglecting +it they began to pull back to the beach. But they had not taken many +strokes before we saw them turn again, and the men around me burst +forth into horrible execrations, supposing in the first moment (so base +of mind were they, as well as witless) that Chick was purposing to row +away and desert them. But I told them that Billy had only remembered +the raft, and so it proved, for they rowed after it, and having catched +it up, fastened it by a rope to the boat's stern and so headed again +towards the shore. + +While they were yet some distance off, the ground beneath our feet +trembled and we heard a great rumbling, and the sea was mightily +troubled, whereupon the men fell into their panic again, fearing that +an earthquake would swallow them ere ever they got clear away. They +cried in great terror to Chick to haste, and while the boat was yet +some fathoms' length from the beach, Wabberley and two or three more +dashed into the sea, and wading out, scrambled into the boat, with such +violence that they were not very far short of overturning it. Which +seeing, all the rest of the seamen rushed to do likewise, Hoggett and +some others carrying all the articles that were in the broken boat, and +then I saw that the boat, being the smaller of the two, could not +possibly contain us all, and indeed the men saw that too, and there was +such a fight to win places that I thought the boat would fill with +water and sink. As for me, I stood watching in a kind of amazement, +now in the mind to rush towards the boat with the others and fight for +a place, now deeming it better to wait until I saw to what issue things +came. + +[Sidenote: Abandoned] + +All this time Mr. Bodger had remained by my side, no doubt expecting +that he as an officer would be given a place as of right. But now +there came a mighty roar from the mountain; more terrible than any we +had yet heard, and I saw belching out of it not merely steam and water, +but smoke of a lurid darkness, the sky above becoming perfectly black +with a shower of ashes shot forth from the top, intermixed with fire. +At this the fight about the boat waxed still more violent, and Mr. +Bodger, darting from my side, sprang out into the sea. Then I saw +Hoggett fling Billy out of the boat, and three or four of the weaker +men who had been beaten from it mounted on to the raft, upon which also +Mr. Bodger scrambled in his desperate haste. The men upon it, finding +it likely to sink with the weight of them all, thrust him back again +into the water, and I heard him scream with terror when, striving to +regain his place, and clinging desperately to the edge of the raft, +they beat upon him with their fists and sought to loosen his hold. He +was on the point of being cast off when Hoggett, in the boat, which now +stood some little way off, shouted "Take him aboard, you fools; we may +want him," and they did as he said, though grumbling, one of them +saying that Hoggett was safe himself, and had taken mighty great care +not to overload _his_ craft. + +And then, as Billy came out of the water towards me, and I saw both the +boat and the raft moving away, and knew that we were to be left alone +on this dreadful shore, with the volcano vomiting forth fire--then, I +say, I was shaken out of the amazement which had held me, and being +perfectly frantic with terror, I rushed into the water, thinking +nothing of Billy or aught else than my own safety. With desperate +strokes I swam after the boat, shouting to the men to take me aboard. +She was moving but slowly, being greatly overladen, and having the raft +in tow, so that I was able to overtake the latter. But the men cried +that there was no room on it, and commanded me roughly to sheer off, +and when I still clung to it, one lifted the plank that had been used +as a paddle, and aimed a furious blow at my head. The violence of his +movement causing the raft to sink towards one side, he failed of his +brutal design, yet not wholly; for the plank as it descended grazed the +side of my head, inflicting such a cut that I was well-nigh stunned, +and was forced to loose my hold. I tried to set to swimming again, but +my strength was gone from me, and in my daze I might have gone to the +bottom if Billy had not swum after me. With his help I was able to +reach the shore, and when we stood up on the dry land and saw that the +seamen had beyond doubt abandoned us, we flung ourselves down on our +faces, in all the misery of wild despair. + +[Illustration: "ONE LIFTED THE PLANK ... AND AIMED A FURIOUS BLOW AT +ME."] + + + + +CHAPTER THE FIFTH + +OF CLAMS AND COCOA-NUTS AND SUNDRY OUR DISCOVERIES; AND OF OUR +REFLECTIONS ON OUR FORLORN STATE + + +I think I lay for a time in a kind of lethargy, for I was perfectly +unconscious of anything that might be happening about me, and it seemed +to me that my mind was a total blank. Whether it was the heat of the +sun, which had mounted well-nigh to the zenith, or the pangs of hunger +that roused me, I know not; but when I did arise I was aware of a +prodigious aching in my inwards, which was very natural, seeing that I +had not eaten for sixteen or twenty hours. And then I discovered that +Billy had risen first; indeed he told me that he had not lain long, +being not near so much overcome as I was, his harder life having +indurated as well his feelings as his skin. When I beheld him he was a +hundred yards or more away, sitting on a low flat rock, and eating with +a great appearance of relish. Seeing me get to my feet, he called to +me to come and eat likewise, and when I reached his rock I found a +great array of shells beside him, some broke apart and empty, others +still closed up. + +[Sidenote: Clams and Cocoa-nuts] + +"They ain't bad, master," he said, for so he commonly called me, "but +they do make a body uncommon dry." + +I was amazed, and indeed almost angry, because he seemed so +comfortable, not reflecting that after the dog's life he had led aboard +the _Lovey Susan_ his present posture was, at least, one of ease and +security, the mountain having done no harm as yet. My gorge rose when +I saw him take out the slimy inhabitants of the shells and eat them +raw; I had never eaten shell-fish at all, much less uncooked, and for +all my famishment my stomach refused this sort of food. The horror of +our situation smote upon my mind: here were we, little more than boys, +left on a strange shore with no food but what we could pick up, no +clothes but what we stood in--and they were but shirt and breeches, for +the coats we had used as a sail had been washed from the raft when the +great wave struck us--and no implements or tools of any kind, not so +much as a jack-knife. As yet we knew nothing of the land whereupon we +had been cast, though I guessed it must be an island, but whether large +or small, peopled or desolate, fertile or barren, all remained to be +discovered. The sum of our knowledge was that we were at the foot of a +burning mountain, and that was a very terrible thing to contemplate. +The thought of it drew me to look aloft at the summit, where there +still hung a cloud of steam, though not so large as before, and the +fire and smoke had ceased, but a stream of hot water was still flowing +down the side, yet not in a great volume. + +The sky was now very clear, and my head being uncovered, I found the +heat of the sun very discommoding, and withal my throat was parched, +and I had a great thirst, though Billy's must have been greater after +the salt things he had been eating. When he saw me turn from them with +loathing, he got up and said that we had better find a spring of fresh +water, so we walked along the hard beach, going to the right hand with +the design to ascend to the woods above, where I thought we might find +a spring, and certainly shelter from the sun. Billy groaned as the +sharp edges cut his bare feet; nevertheless he would not suffer me to +go alone, for which I was sorry, for when we had gone a little way we +came to some cliffs, which rose up so straight and forbidding that we +did not think fit to scale them, at least until we had sought an easier +way. Accordingly we went back again, crossing the stream of hot water, +which was now only trickling, and so continued until the lava ended at +the strip of sandy beach. I was now minded to strike up from the +shore, but was a little timid of approaching so near the course of the +hot flood, not knowing but that we might meet another torrent and +suffer a scalding. But, having come to the end of the sand, we arrived +at more cliffs, which, though not so high as the first, were no less +steep, so that we had to make a choice between scaling them and +ascending by the lava slope. Taking counsel with Billy, I determined +to venture on this latter, hoping that before we had gone far, we might +find a means of reaching the woods either on the right hand or the left. + +When we had gone a good way up, very toilsomely, I saw with great +thankfulness a slope to our left hand, which seemed to lead away from +the barren lava to living soil. We struck up this and found ourselves +by and by on a mossy plateau, on which Billy danced, so joyful was he +at feeling so soft a carpet beneath his feet. The wood was just beyond +us, not above a hundred yards away. When we came to it we were pretty +well blown, and exceeding hot, having never rested nor even looked back +since we left the beach. But now we bethought us to turn and gaze over +the sea, having some hope--at least I had--that the seamen might even +at the last have repented and put back to take us off. We saw the boat +indeed, but it was a mere speck, and the raft we could not see at all, +being in doubt whether it had sunk, or whether it was only the distance +that made it invisible. But far beyond the boat, we saw a dark line +which a landsman might have supposed to be a cloud, but which we, our +eyes being accustomed to ranging over wide spaces, knew at once to be +land. It did not seem likely that the seamen could yet have discovered +it, since it had escaped us when we were at the sea level; I considered +it to be a happy chance for them that they had directed their course so +truly, though when I said so to Billy, he said he hoped they would find +the land full of cannibals, who would cook and eat them all, and +Hoggett first. This mention of cannibals set up an apprehensiveness in +my mind, and I was chary of entering the wood, lest we came upon +savages, but Billy said very sturdily, that savages or no savages, he +must drink, and so went on among the trees, with me close at his heels. + +We looked about us eagerly, both for water and for fruits wherewith to +stay our hunger: but as for the former we saw none, and for the latter, +though we saw many plants bearing berries, and some trees with fruits +hanging upon them, we did not recognize at first any that we had seen +on the island where we recruited, and durst not, hungry as we were, +attempt anything strange lest they should be poisonous, and our first +meal prove our last. At one point we were startled by a small animal +leaping across our path, and Billy, crying it was a rabbit, without +thinking dashed after it, a very useless thing to do; but it had this +good result, that, tumbling headlong over something, he picked himself +up ruefully, and then shouted with delight, the obstacle being a large +cocoa-nut which had fallen from a tree. We were in a quandary at first +how to break it open, having no knife or other tool to pierce the husk; +but Billy bethought him of the buckles on our belts, and taking these +off, we cut and scraped at the husk until we came to the inner nut, and +then broke this open by hammering it very hard against the tree-trunk, +finding it the more easily breakable because it was over ripe; and +though we lost some of the liquid thereby, there remained enough to +furnish us with a very refreshing draught. + +While I was digging my teeth ravenously into the kernel, Billy shinned +up the stem, which was straight like the mast of a ship, to obtain some +more of this precious fruit. Having cast down two or three at my feet, +he cried out that he was going to the masthead to take a look round. +He went almost to the very top, and when he came down, told me that the +hill we were on was not the highest in the island, the highest being +the mountain, whose peak was still covered by the cloud of steam; but +except what might be hidden by this mountain, he could see all the rest +of the island, which by his reckoning could not be above two miles +long. He told me of the high red rock which we had seen through the +archway as we approached the land, and which lay now on our right hand. +On the left he discovered a little bay, with a strip of yellow sand, +though he could not tell how wide this was because of the cliffs. +Beyond the bay the land went to a point, and beyond this again, some +distance out in the sea, were two red rocks, not very large, standing +up like the posts of a gate, or, as I thought when I myself saw them, +like sentinels. All the country to the left of the burning +mountain--that is, to the west--was covered with vegetation, either +woods or grasses, which I was very glad to hear, since there was +promise of food, at least of the vegetable kind. I concluded that the +streams of lava cast forth by the mountain had flowed only towards the +beach at which we had landed, or at any rate had flowed no other way +for a long time, since otherwise the land could not have been so +fruitful. I asked Billy anxiously whether he had seen any wild beasts, +or any sign of the habitation of men; but he said that he had seen +neither the one nor the other, but only some birds, at which I was +vastly relieved. + +We sat for some while appeasing our appetites, scarcely speaking, for +Billy was not a talkative boy, and I was still too much under the +oppression of our lonely situation. All at once I set up a laugh, at +which Billy stopped munching at his cocoa-nut and looked at me in +astonishment. + +"Oh, Billy," I said, "if you had catched that rabbit, what could we +have done with it?" + +"Why, eat it, to be sure," says Billy. "I like rabbit meat." + +(We knew afterwards that there were no rabbits on the island, and +thought the animal we had seen must be a rat, though it did not run +like one.) + +"But how could we cook it?" I said. + +At that he looked startled, and felt again in his pocket, which, as I +have said, was empty. He had quite forgot that we had neither flint, +steel, nor tinder, so that we had no means of making a fire. He looked +very sober for a space, and then reminded me that we had seen the +savages make fire at the island where we stayed, by the very rapid +twirling of a stick, and he was sure he could do the like. However, +there was no need of a fire at that time, for the very good reason that +we had nothing to cook, and so we fell to again on our cocoa-nuts, and +ate a great quantity before we were satisfied. We saw that we had come +into a grove of those useful trees, and with their fruit, and the +shell-fish on the shore, which if it came to a pinch I must eat raw, as +Billy had done, we should be in no immediate danger of famishing. We +saw about us, too, many birds which we might eat if we could only snare +them and make a fire, though they were quite strange to both of us, +excepting parrots. The most of them were something larger than a +sparrow, but with brighter plumage, and they came flying about us very +tamely, yet never near enough to catch. + +Though we had no anxiety for the present in the matter of food, I was +still far from easy in mind about our situation, for there might be +wild beasts and men on the island, though we had not as yet seen any, +and I was troubled about our utter defencelessness. So after we had +eaten our fill and rested a while, I thought it behoved us to go +through the wood and see what there might be on the other side. +Accordingly we got up, feeling plaguy stiff from the many wettings we +had had, though the sun had dried our clothes, and went on until we +came to the edge of the wood, where we found another slope very much +steeper than the first, fairly open, but with saplings growing here and +there. Before we descended I bethought me it were well to have some +weapon in our hand in case we should meet any enemy, man or beast, so +Billy swarmed up a tree and broke off two branches, which, when +stripped of their twigs and leaves, made very fair clubs, though to be +sure of a rough appearance, and little likely to avail us much if we +encountered men in any wise armed. Still they were better than +nothing, and with these in our hands we descended the slope until we +came to another thick wood, which stretched on our right hand half way +or more to the summit of the smoking mountain. We went through this +wood, which differed very little from the first, and then all at once +we came upon a shining sheet of water, above two hundred yards long and +near as broad, with a few ducks swimming on it. The moment Billy saw +this he let forth a great shout, and bounded towards it, falling on his +knees and drinking very heartily. I was as glad as he was, for the +juice of cocoa-nuts is very agreeable, but not near so good as water +for quenching the thirst; but I was not so quick as Billy, nor did I +gulp it so eagerly, but took a mouthful and tasted it before drinking +more. The water was cool and seemed to me good to drink, though it had +a taste like the sulphur water my aunt Susan always gave to us in the +spring; she said it cleared our skin. I drank a few mouthfuls more, +and then we went on, skirting the base of the mountain on the further +side. + +[Sidenote: Wood and Water] + +We found the ground here very rough; indeed, nowhere on the island, as +we afterwards discovered when we came to explore it thoroughly, did we +find a stretch of level ground above twenty yards in length, even in +the parts where the vegetation was thickest. There were not many trees +growing on this side of the mountain, but we continued our journey in +as near a straight line as we could, observing more woods on our right +hand which I thought to examine another day. At length we came to a +high cliff overlooking the sea, and when we came to the top of it, +suddenly we saw towering over us the monstrous red rock of which we had +already had a glimpse when we first drew near to the shore. It rose +sheer out of the sea to the height of four or five hundred feet, as I +guessed, and was very broad too; at least, the side that fronted us +was, being full a quarter of a mile long. Between the rock and the +cliff on which we stood there was a narrow strait, through which the +sea rushed at a furious pace. I felt quite dizzy as I gazed down upon +it from our great height, though Billy, being used to climbing to the +masthead, went to the very edge of the cliff and stood there without +the least tremor. Indeed, he gave me a fright by saying that he would +leap across the strait to a ledge that jutted out from the rock towards +our island, approaching so near to it that he declared he could do it +easy; but I sprang to him and pulled him back, overcome with horror at +the thought of the terrible risk he would run and his dreadful death if +he missed his footing, and also of my solitude if I lost my only +companion. + +I now saw that his face was very pale, and I thought that he was +frightened at his own daring; but he suddenly bent his body double, and +when I asked him what was the matter he said that he had a very bad +pain. + +"That comes of eating those slimy things raw," I said. "I didn't eat +any." + +He made no answer, but flung himself on the ground, groaning, and I +stood over him, condoling with him, and very much concerned lest he was +poisoned. I had stood thus for the space of a minute or two, when all +at once I felt a terrible pain myself, and soon was beside him, +groaning full as loud as he. Since I had eaten none of the shell-fish, +and cocoa-nuts had never done us any harm before, I concluded, when I +was able to think, that our sufferings were caused by the sulphurous +water of the lake, which indeed turned out to be the true explanation; +for after we had drunk of it next day we were both afflicted with the +same violent colic, so that we resolved never to taste it again. Billy +was worse than me, having drunk the greater quantity, and it was a good +while before we were able to stand, and then we trembled so much and +felt so weak that we wished for nothing but to lie down and sleep. And +that put us on thinking of what we should do in the night. We had come +so slowly across the island that the sun was already sinking, and we +must needs find some secure place for repose before darkness fell upon +us. We were both used to discomforts aboard the _Lovey Susan_, but +there we had at least a bunk or a hammock and security from all but the +storm, whereas here there was no shelter save the woods, and we did not +know what strange perils might beset us there. And I know not whether +'twas the oncoming of the dark that made me more fearful, but certain +it is that I found myself looking about me timorously, and at one point +I was so sure that I saw a man that I clutched Billy hard by the arm +and whispered him to look too. Which doing, he cried out in a +perfectly loud voice, "Why, master, 'tis but an old stump of a tree. +'Tain't nothing to be scared on." Billy, I will say now, was never +affrighted at imaginary perils so much as at real ones. + +[Sidenote: Night] + +We had to consider, I say, of how we should pass the night. I was not +the least disposed to trudge back over the island, and indeed there was +no need, for no part, so far as I knew, was better than any other; in +short, we were both pretty tired, so that we determined to take shelter +in a small wood on the edge of the cliff on the opposite side of the +burning mountain from that where the lava had flowed. Our entrance +caused a great disturbance among the birds, which flew out in great +flocks and making shrill cries. We saw some brown rats, too, +scuttering among the undergrowth, and these put Billy in mind of the +rats in the _Lovey Susan_, which sometimes ran across the face of the +seamen in the forecastle when they slept. + +"I don't like them things, master," he said, "and we'd best climb up +into a tree and sleep on a bough." + +But it seemed to me that a bough of a tree would be a most uneasy +resting-place; I should assuredly lose my balance and topple to the +ground, though Billy, being accustomed to dizzy perches in the rigging +of the _Lovey Susan_, might find it comfortable enough. Yet I had no +mind for a lodging on the ground, without any defence from rats, to say +nothing of wild animals, of which there might be some on the island, +though we had not seen any. We talked about it for some time, and the +end of it was that we set about collecting some broken branches that +lay on the ground, and snapped off others that were within our reach, +and so piled up a little shelter round about a thick trunk. By the +time we had finished this work it was perfectly dark within the wood. +We sat ourselves down on the mossy carpet, with our cudgels close to +our hands, and then, bethinking us of the custom of setting watches on +board ship, we determined that one of us should watch while the other +slept. Being the older, I took the first watch, and Billy was soon +fast asleep, and I sat very melancholy by him, thinking of our lonely +situation, and of my good uncle and aunt at home, whose thoughts were, +I doubt not, fondly busy about me. + +There was no way whereby I might tell the time, and it might have been +two hours or three had passed when, feeling my head very heavy, I waked +Billy and told him to take his turn, which he did very willingly, +though he rubbed his eyes and yawned in the manner of one who has not +had his sleep out. In the midst of my slumber I was wakened by Billy +grasping my arm, and when I sat up, he whispered to me, as if greatly +affrighted, to listen. Since I heard nothing but the rustling of the +wind in the trees, it having got up while I slept, I thought that Billy +must have fallen into a doze and been visited by a nightmare. But all +at once there came a strange howling sound, that seemed to be near at +hand, and then it went into the distance, at one moment being quite low +and soft, the next very loud, though it never altered in pitch. We +clutched our cudgels and sat very close to each other, and Billy +whispered that he felt a cold shiver running down his back, as I myself +did, but I forbore to tell him so. The sound was very dreadful, as of +some creature in agony, though it was not the least like any sound I +had ever heard before, except once, when I heard a man tuning, as they +say, the organ in our parish church; and falling upon our ears in +pitchy darkness it made us very uneasy, as you may think. We were too +much affrighted to rise and seek for the cause of it, even if it had +been possible to find it in the dark; and so we listened to it, huddled +thus together, for a very long time, as it seemed, until, being quite +overcome with fatigue, we both fell asleep, and so remained until +morning light without keeping any guard. + +[Sidenote: Wild Dogs] + +I awoke first, and was instantly aware of a scratching at some part of +our barricade of branches. I sat up, grasping my cudgel, and in a +moment, it being broad daylight, I saw a little opening in the +barricado, and the nose of some animal pushing through it. I lifted up +my cudgel and, thrusting myself forward, aimed a blow at the intruder +so well that I hit him clean upon the point of the nose. There was a +sudden yelp and a snarl, and the nose withdrew itself, and when we +sprang to our feet--Billy having wakened at the sound--we spied a pack +of small dogs, above a score, at some little distance from our shelter. +They were of a strange kind, the like of which neither Billy nor I had +ever seen, being of a yellowish brown in colour, and with smooth coats, +not hairy like our dogs at home. Billy roared at them, asking whether +it was they that had made such uproar in the night; and when they did +not budge, but only looked at him without the least alarm, we both +sprang over our fence and ran towards them, brandishing our cudgels and +shouting very fiercely. Then they turned tail, and ran away yelping +and snarling; but as soon as we stopped, thinking that we had put them +to flight, instantly they stopped also, and sitting upon their +haunches, gazed at us very solemnly again. + +They did not offer to attack us, and, being of a small size, we did not +fear them as if they were great hounds or mastiffs; but the very number +of them making us somewhat uneasy, we set forward again to drive them +away. It happened as at first: they ran while we ran, but the moment +we stopped, they came to a stand also and gazed upon us in the same +saucy manner as before. Billy shook his fist at them, and called them +by a foul name which he had learnt, I suppose, from the rough seamen of +the _Lovey Susan_; but I will say this, that on my telling him it was +not a pretty word, he immediately promised never to use it again, since +it offended me, and I never heard it from his lips but once after, +which I will speak of in course, if I remember. + +But to return to our dogs: when we saw that it was useless to pursue +them, though we could scare them easily enough, we determined to go on +our way as if they were not there. And as you may believe, we set our +course first for the cocoa-nut grove, being amazing hungry, and as we +went thither we saw some trees of the bread-fruit, and Billy climbed +one of them, the trunk being no more than two feet thick, and threw one +fruit at me and another at the dogs, which had still followed us, +dogging us, as we say. They scampered after it as it rolled down the +hill, like as kittens chase a ball of worsted, which amused Billy very +much. As for me, I picked up the fruit he had cast at my feet--it was +near two pounds weight, I should think--and having broken the rind, not +without difficulty, for it was very tough, I tasted the milky juice and +afterwards the pulp, but found them both so unpleasing that I cast it +from me, very sorrowfully, for it seemed that we should never have any +other food but cocoa-nuts, unless we could devise some means of +cooking. We went on thence until we came to the palms, the dogs +following us again, except two that found the fruit I had thrown away, +and they stayed for a while sniffing at it, but finding it as +unpalatable as I had done, they by and by left it and joined the pack. +I observed that when Billy climbed up the cocoa-nut palm they drew in +closer, as if they guessed him to be more violent than me, and supposed +it no longer needful to keep at so great a distance. Indeed, when he +flung down a cocoa-nut, they dashed towards it, as if he did it merely +for their sport; but then I ran among them, striking at them smartly +with my cudgel, though I never hit them, for they immediately fled, but +came back when Billy and I sat down upon the ground to eat the fruit, +and watched us with such gravity that I could not contain myself, but +laughed very heartily. + +When we had finished our breakfast, we went down the hill to drink at +the lake, and the dogs still following at our heels, we began to feel +it a persecution, and resolved to make another attempt to rid ourselves +of them. The ground, as I have said before, was rough, and at one side +of the lake, nearest the mountain, we saw many pieces of rock scattered +about, and having collected them in a heap we began to throw them very +briskly at the dogs, which kept so close together that we could not +fail of hitting several. These ran yelping away, and after a while +those that were not hit became aware of the discomfiture of their +fellows and withdrew to a greater distance; but I observed that they +went no farther than the range of our cast, from which I concluded that +they were possessed of a certain intelligence. However, since their +hovering was now at a more convenient distance, we paid them no further +attention, and had freedom to think of other things. + +We had been so much taken up with these creatures that we had given +scarce a thought to our situation; but now, casting my eyes towards the +summit of the mountain, I saw with great delight that the cloud of +steam was altogether gone. + +"See, Billy," I cried, "we are not like to be burnt alive. The +mountain is quiet; yesterday's work has tired him out." + +"He's only pretending, belike," says Billy. + +But then I told him of what I had read in my lesson-book--I liked +reading the Latin part, but did not much relish the putting the English +back into Latin--about the mountain Vesuvius, that had been quiet so +long as that people made great cities at its base, and lived there very +merrily, the story being told very well by Plinius. + +"This is a different sort, then," says Billy, "because there ain't no +cities here, nor people neither." + +[Sidenote: The Mountain] + +I laughed at this, and then proposed that we should climb up the +mountain from the place where we stood, namely, the edge of the lake, +in which we had already drunk. For a great while Billy would not be +persuaded, but I prevailed with him at last, and we set off up the +mountain side, finding it a great toil, so steep was it, and rugged; +and being shod myself, I did not think enough of the pain to Billy's +bare feet, which he endured nevertheless without a murmur. There were +many pieces of jagged flint lying on the mountain-side, and Billy +seeing one that was flat and had a sharp edge, he picks it up and slips +it in his pocket, saying that we could break open our cocoa-nuts more +easily with it than by striking them against the tree-trunks or the +rocks. We had not gone above half way up the mountain when we were +seized with the same violent pains I have before mentioned, which made +us helpless for some while, and caused us, as I have said, to forswear +the water of the lake. But recovering by and by, we continued on our +way, and, taking heart from the perfect stillness, there being no +rumbling nor any shoot of boiling water as on the day before, we came +at last to the very top, and stood at the brink of the cup, or the +crater, as we say. + +We were so much terrified at our own boldness that, having reached the +top, we immediately ran some way down the slope, as if some dreadful +monster were at our heels. But coming to our senses again, we +resolutely made our way once more to the summit, and, holding each +other by the hand, we crept to the edge and peeped over. I own I was +very much surprised at the seeming innocence of the crater. The walls +were very steep, and made of some massive sort of stone, and so jagged +that we could easily have climbed down, as on steps, for a depth of two +hundred feet at least. But then the sides of the crater drew in +towards the centre, and we could see that it had no floor, but a hole +that looked very black and terrible; and the thought that one slip +might hurl us down, we knew not how far, into the bowels of the +mountain amid fire and brimstone, made us shrink back. Our curiosity +was satisfied, and I do not remember that we ever looked into that +yawning pit again, though we had occasion to climb the mountain more +than once. + +We then turned about and looked back over the island and across the sea +beyond. It was a magnificent fair day, the sky of a light blue colour +and very clear, and from our high perch we could see a prodigious great +distance on every side. Far away, like a cloud on the horizon, and +south-by-east, as we knew by the sun, was the island whereto the seamen +had set their course, and the remembrance of them set Billy in a rage, +and he cried out on them for taking away our raft. To the westward we +spied two or three islands close together, and nearer to us, though not +much, than the island to the south-east. I could not think that all +these islands were uninhabited, and became again not a little uneasy in +my mind, for supposing our own island had no people on it, of which I +was by no means assured, yet it might be visited sometimes by savages +from other islands, and it would be a fearsome thing for us if any +should land and discover us. Billy scoffed when I spoke out my thought. + +"Why," he said, "d'ye think, master, they'd be such fools as to come +here to this old smoker? And water what gives you the gripes too! No, +we shan't see nobody, black or white, never no more, and we shall live +here for ever and ever, if we gets enough to eat and drink, and then +when we're very old we'll be dead, and no one to put us away decent," +and at that he burst into tears, and begged me not to die first, +because he couldn't bear it. I was a good deal touched by the honest +boy's trouble, but I bid him cheer up, for we were both sound and well, +though I own I felt a great lump in my throat as I thought of our +present solitude and of my dear friends at home. To divert his +thoughts, and my own too, I pointed to the big red rock of which I have +spoken before, and which seemed more monstrous still, seen from this +side. There were birds sunning themselves on its bare top, and the +sight of them set me thinking that there were many birds on our island, +and there must also be eggs, which we could use for food, though I +remembered afterwards that having no fire we could not cook them, and I +could not eat them raw as I had seen some do. + +We walked round about the crater, observing, but not at first with any +minuteness, the many rocks and boulders of strange shape that were +scattered about, having been cast up at some time, I suppose, from the +depths of the mountains. Billy laid his hand on one great boulder, and +immediately started back in a fright, crying that it was burning hot, +which somewhat alarmed me too, not supposing that the mountain sent +forth aught now but hot water. But in a moment I saw that we had no +cause for terror, for the sun was by this time high in the heavens, and +the stone was made hot thereby, and by nothing else. When I said this +to Billy he was in a rage with the stone for giving him a start, and +shoved it very hard, and it being poised insecurely, it set off +a-rolling down very fast until it struck another boulder of even +greater size, and split with a mighty crash. "Serves you right," says +Billy, and we both clambered down to see what had happened to it. We +were surprised to see some bright streaks in the rock where it had been +fractured, and Billy declared that there must be iron in it; indeed, it +was of the brightness of steel. This set me on to think of the great +wealth that might lie a-hiding in our island, and of the great delight +it would have given my uncle if his adventure had gone as he wished; +but the discovery brought no comfort to us in our helpless situation; +indeed, it only made me the more sad. + +We had gone but a little farther when we saw a spring of hot water +bubbling out of the rock and running down in a cloud of steam. We +followed its course, picking our way very slowly, for the side of the +mountain was steep, until we came to a place where it dropped over a +sheer cliff, and fell a perfect cascade into the sea. Then we crept +round from this side of the mountain until we overlooked the long slope +of blackish rock that ran down to the beach on which we had landed, and +we descended slowly on the left side until we came to a strip of +woodland. Here we found more bread-fruit trees, at which we were not +so well pleased as if they had been cocoa-nut palms, because we had no +present means of making a fire for cooking. Billy offered to make fire +in the native way, but I said that he might do that afterwards, as I +wished to see what this end of the island was like. So we went through +the wood, and came out at the edge of a cliff, and saw below us the +promontory with the archway through it, of which I have spoken. Here, +too, we had another view of the monster rock, and observed that this +face also was steep and straight like the others, so that it must be +quite impossible to scale the rock unless its seaward face were more +practicable. + +[Illustration: PALM TREE ISLAND] + +[Sidenote: Reflections] + +We had now traversed the whole of our island except the north-east +corner, and having seen no living things except birds and small +animals, we began to be pretty sure that we were the only human beings +upon it. This, while it put away from us the present fear of being +slain by savages, or despitefully used, yet brought home to us the full +meaning of our loneliness. We sat down on the cliff, and looking over +the sea, which stretched away without any sign of land, nor even the +sail of a ship, we gave ourselves up to gloomy meditation. I knew that +but few ships ever ventured into this southern ocean, and the chance +that any ship would sight this tiny island was very small indeed. +Still less was it likely that a vessel would draw in so close as to +observe any signal that we might make. I remembered how Alexander +Selkirk had lived four years on his desolate island before a friendly +ship hove in sight, and that island was near the mainland, whereas ours +was in the midst of a vast ocean, remote as well from populous lands as +from the track of merchant ships. It seemed to me that we were doomed +to a lifelong imprisonment, and though I had before bid Billy to be of +good cheer, I was now myself utterly cast down, as one without hope. + +Being thus a prey to wretchedness I sat with my head in my hands, not +heeding the heat of the sun, which was now beating fiercely down upon +us, until I felt very sick and dizzy, and then I got up and looked for +Billy, who had disappeared. But he had only gone into the wood to find +food, it being nigh dinner-time. He came back and told me that there +was nothing but bread-fruit, and that we could not eat, so we had to +make our way to the cocoa-nut wood, which we did by descending to the +beach and climbing up the slope as before. In going along the beach +Billy picked up two or three shell-fish which he called clams, the +purple kind, not the larger sort, which were very heavy; indeed, one of +them would have made a meal for a family. We saw, too, several crabs +of a very large size, some above two feet long; and Billy, idly poking +his cudgel into a hole beside a rock, he could not draw it back, and +when he peeped in to see what held it, he cried out that it had been +seized by a great crab, and though he pulled very hard, he could not +draw it out. When we came to our wood we ate cocoanuts and quenched +our thirst with the juice, Billy striking them open with the sharp +flint he had in his pocket; but I could not forbear wondering how we +were to live without fresh water, of which we had seen none but what +was in the lake, and that was a medicine we were by no means inclined +to. Having appeased our hunger and thirst we were too listless to walk +any more, and too miserable to talk to each other, and so we laid +ourselves down and fell asleep. + +[Sidenote: Weapons] + +When I awoke I saw that Billy had been fashioning for himself a new +club in place of that which had been seized by the robber crab, only +this time he had made a better one. Having observed that the sharp +flint, of which I have before spoken, had two notches on its blunt +side, he had conceived the notion of binding it to his club, and so +using it as an axe-head. At first he was much exercised, as he told +me, how to fasten the two together, and sighed for some iron-wire, or +at least some stout cord; but glancing around he spied a creeping plant +with very long and slender tendrils, which he proved to be very tough, +and breaking off some lengths of this with his flint, he had nearly +finished binding the flint to his club. + +"What d'ye think of that, master?" says he, very proud of his +achievement. I told him it was a villainous, murdering instrument, and +asked him what he purposed doing with it. "Why," says he, "fight, to +be sure. It would kill a savage, or even a lion." At this I laughed, +saying that we had seen no lions or other wild beasts, and as for +savages, if we encountered them they would certainly shoot him with +their arrows or pierce him with spears before ever he was near enough +to strike them with his club. But he answered stoutly that a club was +better than bare fists, and an axe than a club, and as for its +ugliness, he would like to see me make a prettier one, on which I said +no more. + +[Illustration: Billy's Axe] + +I had fallen into a doze again, when I was suddenly awakened by Billy, +who shook me by the shoulder and when I sat up, pointed through the +trees to a little open space at the edge of the wood. I looked and saw +a number of little pigs--strange little creatures, with heads very much +too large for their bodies--grubbing in the ground with their snouts, +and a monstrous big sow near by. Billy springs up, and whispers he +will catch one of the piglets, and then he starts off and begins to +steal quickly through the wood towards the family group. I got up on +my feet to follow him, and seizing the club that lay nearest, found +that I had taken Billy's instead of my own, he having taken mine in his +excitement. Billy had just arrived at the open space when, being very +simple in his nature, he gave a great shout, and instantly the pigs set +off scampering away, with him hot-foot after them. However, he had +gone but half-way across the clearing when I saw a great boar with +monstrous curved tusks charging from the left-hand side. Billy caught +sight of the beast just in time, and turning about, he brought my club +down upon the beast's head very sharply; but it was not heavy enough to +do any great mischief, and, indeed, though it caused the boar to turn a +little aside, it did but increase its fury. The beast wheeled about, +and rushed upon Billy, who, though he smote it again, was carried off +his feet and lay sprawling, the club being struck from his hand as he +fell. + +[Illustration: "THE BEAST WHEELED ABOUT, AND RUSHED UPON BILLY."] + +[Sidenote: Billy has a Fall] + +When I saw the unhappy posture of my companion, I ran towards him as +fleetly as ever I could, being in a terrible fright lest the boar +should rend him with its tusks before I could come up with him. My +very speed incommoded me when, coming to the spot where Billy lay on +the ground, with the boar over him, I brought the flint-headed club +down upon the beast's skull, for the blow was not near as straight and +heavy as it might have been had my rush not been so headlong. However, +it served to make the boar turn round to spy at its new adversary; and +having now come to a standstill and collected myself, I dealt it such a +blow behind the ear, with a full swing of the club, that it fell over +sideways, and I did not observe that it made any movement after. I +picked Billy up, and saw with great trouble that the boar had rent a +great hole in his breeches and made a gash in his leg, which was +bleeding very freely. "That's nothing, master," says he, when I asked +him if he was much hurt; "but what d'ye say about my ugly murdering axe +now? Ain't it a good one?" he asked triumphantly. "Wouldn't it kill a +lion or a savage?" I owned that it had proved a very serviceable +instrument indeed, and said that I would certainly make one like it for +myself; but first I begged Billy to bathe his wounded leg in the lake, +which he did, and in a little the bleeding stopped, and we went back to +the wood, Billy declaring that he would certainly make fire in the +native fashion, and we should have pork for supper. But when we got +back to the dead boar, we found it already surrounded by a pack of +dogs, which were tearing its flesh very gluttonously. They snarled and +growled savagely when we essayed to drive them away, and knowing that +it is an ill matter to part a dog from his bone, I did not think it +prudent to provoke the rage of such a fierce regiment, though Billy +cried out valorously that he would fight them all sooner than allow +them to eat his pork. However, he gave in to my entreaty, vowing that +he would have pork to eat before many days were past, and as for the +dogs, he would teach them a lesson, that he would. + + + + +CHAPTER THE SIXTH + +OF OUR SEARCH FOR SUSTENANCE AND SHELTER; WITH VARIOUS MATTERS OF MORE +CONSEQUENCE TO THE CASTAWAY THAN EXCITEMENT TO THE READER + + +This little adventure with the pigs was, I verily believe, the means of +saving us from the lethargy into which we had like to have been cast by +brooding on our solitude. The knowledge that there were on our island +animals that might be formidable, and were certainly good for food, +proved to us at once the necessity of being watchful, and of setting +our wits to work to devise a means of cooking. And a thing that +happened the same night showed to us that if we were to make the best +of our situation, and have any comfort in our solitary life, we must +take some measures for our shelter. + +[Sidenote: A Storm] + +This event was nothing less than a violent storm of wind and rain which +sprang up suddenly in the middle of the night. We had returned to our +first shelter, the make-shift hut, or rather lean-to, which we had +constructed of boughs and leaves around a great tree. The wind broke +this down utterly, scattering the materials of it far and wide, and the +rain drenched us to the skin, or I should say, soaked us to the bone, +we having no garments but our shirts and breeches. That night was the +most miserable of all my life, I assure you. We huddled together for +shelter under the thickest trees, listening to the howling of the wind, +and sometimes hearing great crashing noises that made us fear almost to +remain under shelter at all, lest the trees should fall upon our heads +and kill us. Never a wink of sleep had we that night, and when +daylight came, we staggered forth from the wood, two shivering +miserable mortals, who would have given the world for a roaring fire +and a hot posset to comfort us. + +We needed not to climb trees for our breakfast, for the wind had +strewed the ground with cocoanuts, and had indeed uprooted many trees, +one of which had narrowly missed the very spot where we had lain. As +we ate our food, very wretched, we considered how we were to construct +some sort of hut, in case another storm should visit us. There was +timber in plenty, but neither Billy nor I had any knowledge of sawyers' +or carpenters' work; nor if we had should we have been much better off, +having no tool save the rough axe of Billy's fashioning. Necessity, +they say, is the mother of invention, and so it proved in our case, as +will be seen more fully hereafter. + +After breakfast the first thing that Billy did was to try his axe on +one of the big fallen trees. He was able after very great labour--I +taking my turns when he was tired--to lop some of the branches off, but +the flint was so much blunted by it that we saw it would serve us +little longer. Accordingly we set off up the mountain-side to find +other flints of which to make axe-heads, and on this little expedition +we were followed by the pack of dogs, which watched our proceedings as +if they took a great interest in them, but always remained at a +reasonable distance. By midday we had collected a fair number of +sharp-edged flints, small and big, and Billy having made me an axe like +his own--he would not let me do it, saying that he was sure he could +make a better one than me--we felt a deal more comfortable both in body +and mind, being satisfied that we should not lack tools, though rough, +and our clothes being dried with the sun. Indeed, we found the sun +rather oppressive, especially upon our bare heads, and we wished very +heartily that our hats had been spared to us; coats we could do without +in the daytime, though they would have been a great solace o' nights. + +[Sidenote: Plans] + +Having thus furnished ourselves with axes, we had to determine the site +for the hut we purposed building, and we talked very seriously about +this when we had eaten our dinner. + +"One thing is sure," says Billy; "we must build it a good way from the +old smoker" (so he called the mountain, above which we observed that a +cloud of steam had again gathered, though it had been clear yesterday). +If remoteness from the mountain had been the only point to be +considered, we might have been content with the wood in which we had +made our lean-to; but after our experience in the storm we did not +regard it as suitable for a permanent habitation when it might be +shattered any day or night. It was certain we could not build on those +parts of the island that were bare rock, for we could not by any means +dig foundations in it, and a hut without foundations, in an exposed +place, might be carried away in a hurricane, and hurled into the sea, +and we in it. And then it came into my mind that if we built too high +upon the island, our dwelling might be spied by the savages of the +neighbouring islands of which I have spoken, for we could not doubt +that they were inhabited, and the people would certainly put to sea +sometimes in their canoes. This set me on thinking that it would be +well to make our dwelling less a house than a fortress, in which we +could take refuge in case savages should at any time land upon our +island. It seemed to me, then, that we ought to seek for a remote +spot, very hard of access, and bethinking me of such a spot which I had +seen in our course towards the north-east, I had almost resolved to +choose that spot when I recollected all at once that there was no water +in that neighbourhood, which was a very serious matter. Indeed, this +lack of water gave us much concern, for as yet we had found none but +what smacked of brimstone, and Billy said that we didn't need +physicking every day, nor yet every week. We spent the rest of that +day, therefore, in roaming over the island once more in search of fresh +water, and made a more thorough exploration of the western end, in +which the vegetation was wilder than in the other woodland parts. +There was never a spring that we could see, and we should have had our +search for nothing but for a discovery that Billy made. He had climbed +a bare and very rough hillock, just beyond a patch of wood at the +south-west corner of the island, and I saw him suddenly stoop, and when +he rose to the erect posture he held something white in his hand, and +began to caper with every token of delight. Then he came running down +towards me, and shouted a word that sounded like "aig! aig!" which +puzzled me exceedingly, until when he came close to me and opened his +hand I saw what was certainly the likest to a hen's egg that I had ever +beheld, and concluded that "aig!" was the manner of calling it at +Limehouse. I could scarce believe it was indeed a hen's egg, for we +had seen no fowls save those I have mentioned before, nor had we heard, +amid the noises of the island, the clarion voice of any cock; yet it +was like nothing else, and Billy declared with great positiveness that +there must be roosters, as he called them, on the island, whose eggs +would form an agreeable addition to our fare. + +[Sidenote: Eggs] + +He was not by any means cast down when I said that we had no fire for +cooking, avouching that he had sucked 'em raw many a time, but added +that this being the first egg we had found, it belonged by right to me +as king of the island (so he called me in sport), and he would at once +set about making a fire, as he had often said he would do, and roast it +for me, we having no pan for boiling. When he spoke of boiling, I +remembered all of a sudden the spring of hot water we had seen on the +other side of the mountain, and thought it might very well serve to +cook the egg; so we made all haste to that spot, Billy saying that if +the water would cook an egg, it would also cook pig, and boiled pork +was very good, though not so good as roast. We came to the spring, and +laid the egg in the bottom of a cup-shaped hollow through which it +flowed, and having neither watch nor sand-glass, Billy set himself +patiently to count the seconds as well as he could, saying that the egg +must not be overdone nor underdone, but boiled just proper. + +"We will give it four minutes, master," says he, "instead of three, +'cos we ain't sure the water is on the boil, not what you would call +real boiling." + +Accordingly, the four minutes being expired (though I think he missed +count when just past a hundred and fifty), he took out the egg and, +breaking the shell at one end, gave it to me to taste, which I did, but +instantly spat it out of my mouth, and cast the egg down upon the +rocks, bespattering them with white and yellow. I told Billy with much +spluttering that the egg was addled, and indeed the taste of it was +very foul, and remained in my mouth a long time, till, having returned +to our wood, I cured it with a copious draught of cocoa-nut juice, the +acid of which was very grateful. Billy was much cast down at this +unfortunate beginning of his cookery, and wanted to go instantly and +kill a sucking-pig; but since it was already growing late, and would be +dark ere he could go and come and finish cooking, even if he found a +pig at once and caught it without trouble, I persuaded him to return +with me to the wood, where we had to rig up another shelter for the +night, in place of the one that had been shattered by the storm. + +I will say here that we found more eggs afterwards, always in places +that were hard to get at--on ledges in the land side of the cliffs, and +in hollows of rocky eminences; and though we for some time saw no fowls +and were much puzzled in consequence, we discovered by and by that they +roosted high up in the trees, and concluded that they did this to take +refuge from the rats and dogs, and kept silence for the same reason. +There were very few of them on the island, their broods being no doubt +much preyed upon when young and unable to fly. + +I had almost forgot to mention a strange discovery we made while we +were yet on the mountain. It chanced that Billy, prodding the ground +with his axe, dislodged a lump of rock which rolled down into the +spring, and had no sooner touched the water than it set up a great +hissing noise, and we saw a cloud of dirty yellow smoke rise up from it +into the air, with such a horrible stench that we choked and coughed, +and ran away to some distance until the fizzing and smoking ceased. I +had never seen or heard of the like before, and as for Billy, he said +that Old Smoker was worse than he thought him, carrying such poisonous +stuff in his inside. This made us careful how we trod, for we did not +know but there might be rocks of other kinds, which might "go off," as +Billy said, when we touched them. However, we did not find any such, +and we almost forgot about the fizzy rock, as Billy called it, until a +time came when we discovered a use for it. + +[Sidenote: The First Hut] + +To come back to the matter of our house. Having sought in vain for a +suitable site in the rougher parts of the island, we went down next day +to the lake-side, where we should at least be within reach of water, +though unpalatable. We found that the lake was very much swelled with +the recent heavy rains, and the water was not near so clear as +formerly, though it was much less nauseous to the taste, and we had a +good drink of it without suffering any ill effects. This quite +determined us in our choice, for we supposed that it would rain very +frequently, as in England, so that the lake would be constantly +replenished and the sulphurous character of its water be thus +qualified. We found in course of time that rain did not fall near so +often as in England, though usually much heavier; and that the effect +on the lake was not quite so great as we expected, at least in regard +to the taste, for the many rills and rivulets that carried water from +the high parts of the island ran over sulphurous soil, some of which +they washed down into the lake. + +[Illustration: Our Flint Scraper for Sharpening Axes] + +Being set on building a substantial house, or rather fortress, as I +said, we saw that with our rude tools it would take us a very long +time, and so we first took in hand to make a small hut which would +shelter us while the other was a-building. This we determined to place +at the edge of the wood above the lake, and we found much material in +the trees which had been uprooted in the storm, and in young straight +saplings which we could either pull up, the soil being thin, or cut +down with our stone axes. These axes of ours soon became blunt, but we +found a means to sharpen them by whetting on the hard rocks by the +shore, and it became our constant practice to begin each day with +bathing in the sea, and then sharpening our axes, which sharpened our +appetites also, I do assure you. Having got a sufficiency of these +slender poles for our walls, we stuck them in holes which we made with +our axes, and held them together with tendrils of the creeping plants +that grew very plentifully in the woods. We thus made walls about ten +feet high, about a space twelve feet square, and it was not until the +walls were up that we began to consider of how to put a roof to them, +having no ladders nor any means of mounting to such a height. This +made us see how needful it was to take thought beforehand, though we +never succeeded in foreseeing all the difficulties that we should meet +with, and I suppose no one ever did. All we could do about this roof +of ours was to carry up small rocks from the shore, and pile these one +on another until we made a stand high enough for us to lay saplings +from wall to wall. Since it was clear that this roof would protect us +but little, the rain being able to come through the interstices, we put +up stands of rocks inside the hut, and supported on these we made shift +to weave grasses and creepers among the poles, finding it very hard +work, and very long too, we having to take the stands down and build +them up again as we moved from place to place in the hut. As for the +walls, we filled up the interstices in them with earth from the +hill-side above us, which we found to be of a clayey sort, and soon +hardened in the sun, though after a little it began to crack and +crumble. We carried this earth in our hands, a very troublesome and +slow manner of doing it, but we had no vessels, nor did we at that time +think of making any. + +This hut took us above a week in building, at least I think so, for +after the first day or two we neglected to take any account of the +passage of time. It was a poor sort of thing when finished, and could +not have stood against a hurricane; but the weather was very fair, and +besides, the place we had chosen was not near so much exposed as our +first habitation, on higher ground. We hoped it would serve us until +we should have made our proposed fortress, and the building of it was +exceeding useful to us, for it took up, with the getting and eating of +our food, every minute of the daytime, and by keeping our thoughts +busy, as well as our hands, hindered us from dwelling on our loneliness. + +I had almost forgot to mention two or three things: first, that every +morning and evening one or other of us went up the mountain-side, to a +spot whence we had sight of the sea all around, to spy whether a sail +was visible. The second thing is, that Billy went out one day, and +brought back a little sucking-pig, which he had killed with his axe. +We cut off its hinder legs, and carried them to the hot spring, and +found that they cooked very well; and though the meat had a slight +savour of brimstone, it was vastly more agreeable than the salt junk we +were used to have aboard ship. Indeed, Billy said that it only wanted +pease-pudding to make a meal fit for a king, and he ran all the way to +the wood and back again to fetch a bread-fruit, to see if that, when +boiled, would supply the place of pease; but the fruit only boiled to a +pap, and when Billy tasted it, he declared that it spoiled the flavour +of the pork, so we ate the meat by itself. + +[Sidenote: Failure] + +This failure made Billy determine again to try his hand at making fire, +which we had no time for when building our little hut. He picked up a +straight twig, that seemed to promise well for his purpose, and +sharpening his flint axe, he peeled the twig and cut it so as to make a +stick about a foot long, one end of which he brought to a point. But, +finding the wood too soft for the use to which he designed it, he went +prowling about to discover a tree hard enough, testing them with his +axe, and after a long search, lighted upon a tree that was very hard, +and whose sap was of a blood-red colour.[1] Having cut a stick of +this, he sharpened one end to a point, and then took two chunks of +wood, one of a soft kind, the other of the new-discovered tree, which +we called redwood, and in each of these chunks he made a little hollow, +one in the soft wood for the sharp end of the stick, the other for the +blunt. Then, fitting the stick into these hollows, he gave me all +three pieces of wood to hold, and while I held them tightly clamped +together, he began to twirl the stick between his hands as fast as he +could, as he had seen the savages do, though often they used a +bowstring. He continued this for a good while, until his hands, hard +as they were, grew sore and his face was running with sweat; but +whether that the wood was damp, or that Billy was not dexterous enough, +I know not, only that there was never a sign of smouldering, though the +wood was hot when we felt it. Billy insisted that I should take a +turn, which I did, and twirled the stick even faster, I believe, than +he did, though not so long; but it was all no good, and at last we +threw the wood from us, concluding that if we were to obtain fire, it +must be in some other way. I do not mean that we never tried the +native way again: we were not so easily discouraged; we tried more than +once in the intervals of doing other things, and I think that with +perseverance we might have succeeded at last, only it was not +necessary, as will be seen hereafter. + +[Sidenote: Building Materials] + +This failure, though it annoyed us at the time, was of use to us, +inasmuch as it set us on noticing + + + +[1] This appears to have been what botanists call _Rhizophora +mucronata_.--H.S. + + + +the differences between woods, which until that time we had thought +little about, but was now become a matter of importance, with our +fortress in view. We needed a hard, strong wood, yet not too hard to +be worked with our clumsy tools, and we spent a day or two in testing +the varieties of trees that grew on our island. The cocoa-nut palm was +by far the most plentiful, and the bread-fruit tree came next: but we +did not think of cutting down either of these to make posts of, because +they were food trees, and, being ignorant how often they bore fruit, we +did not venture at the first to diminish the source of our provision by +so much as one. Besides, we found, when we tried to cut a cocoa-nut +tree which had been cast down in the storm, that the wood was exceeding +hard, and so heavy that it sank in water. After this testing, I say, +we discovered a tree on the hill-side whose wood was neither too hard +nor too soft, and as it existed in great numbers, and bore no fruit, +none that was edible, at least, we determined on this as the material +for our house. I never knew the name of it, but it seemed to be a kind +of pine. + +I had now, as I say, clean lost count of the days, and had no means of +keeping a journal, even if I had had the patience. You must therefore +think of us as getting up every day with the sun, and going to bed +every night when it became dark. I say, going to bed, though indeed we +had little that deserved the name, our couch consisting of nothing but +the bare ground and such leaves and grasses as we found serviceable. +It was a mercy that the climate was so even, and the nights were not at +all cold, or I do believe we should have perished, our clothing being +so light. Indeed it was not long before we began to look with concern +upon our garments, which were much rotted already by the drenchings +they had had, and were becoming rent and frayed from hard usage. We +had no means either of repairing them, or of making others, and we +could only think that in course of time we should have to go naked, +like the savages. However, this did not trouble us at the moment, +since we had so much to do and to think about, what with getting our +food, and preparing our house, and fending off the dogs, which were +very troublesome, keeping at a distance, indeed, by day, but prowling +around our hut at night, and scratching at the walls so that they often +disturbed our sleep. Between sunrise and sunset we worked very +diligently, and resting one day in seven--or it might be five, or six +sometimes, since we kept no strict count; but I did not think God would +be angry with us if we were not very exact in this, since we did as +well as we could. + +We set to work getting material for our big house, as we called it, +immediately after our little house, or hut, was finished. At first we +were greatly disheartened, for though we chose small trees of which to +make our logs, both for easiness of felling and of moving when they +were felled, we found that our clumsy axes were very poor tools. Not +only did the flints need sharpening every few minutes, like a mower's +scythe, but being attached to the handles only with creepers, and not +very skilfully, they continually worked loose, and we had to desist in +order to bind them again, which mightily exasperated us. At the end of +the first day, seeing what little progress we had made, we were ready +to despair. "It will take us a hundred years, master," says Billy, +"and the corner posts will be rotted before we get the roof on. I +don't believe in none of your Robinson Crusoes; and we'd better have +been drownded; and I warrant you Hoggett and Chick and great fat +Wabberley are just enjoying themselves somewhere, and I'm sick of my +life." + +[Sidenote: Billy Scoffs at Romance] + +I have forgot to say that when we were eating our meals, or resting, I +had told Billy the surprising story of Robinson Crusoe, of whom he had +never heard, encouraging both him and myself with the tale of how that +good mariner, after tribulations like to our own, came at length +happily to his own land again. But I own I thought our case was much +worse than Crusoe's, for he had clothes, and corn food, and good +liquors, and firearms, and good tools, though few; and, indeed, +everything he needed save company, and that came to him at last; +whereas we had absolutely nothing except the fruits of the island and +what things we could make for ourselves. Yet in reckoning up our +situation and his, I felt very thankful that I had a companion, for the +worst of evils are tolerable if we have some one to share them, and I +wonder that Crusoe did not go stark mad, being alone for so many years +till his man Friday came. Billy often scoffed when I told him what I +remembered of Crusoe's story, and said he wasn't near so badly off as +we were, and if he--that is, Billy--only had what Crusoe had, he would +do as much as he, or more, especially if he had a forge and +blacksmith's tools. And in particular, when I told him of Crusoe's +horror when he saw a footprint in the sand, he burst into a laugh, and +asked why there was only one footprint, and made me go down to our +little bit of sandy beach there and then, and showed me the prints he +made with his own feet, and asked me triumphantly whether the man whose +mark Crusoe saw was a one-legged man, or what. + +Another thing I must mention, before I forget it, was that the first +time we went down to the shore we saw that the second boat, which, +being broken, the mariners had left, had been washed away. We were +very much vexed at this, and wished we had had the forethought to drag +it higher up, where the waves could not reach it. I do not think we +could have mended it enough to make it seaworthy, but we might have +tried; and it would at least have provided us with planks which we +should have found useful. However, it was gone, and there was no use +repining. + +But to come back to our house. We were, I say, in despair at the small +result of our first day's hard labour, especially as we saw no way of +improving our tools, and had no other means of felling the trees. It +came into my mind that if we only had fire, we might have burned them +down, and we tried again for a good while to make fire with the stick +and the chunks of wood. But we had no more success than before, and +Billy cried out that he wished he could get some of the fire that set +the mountain water a-boiling, but he supposed he would be burned alive +if he tried to get any. I smiled at his simplicity, and to ease his +thoughts a little, I asked him to accompany me up the mountain, it +being my turn to take our nightly look-out over the sea. It chanced +that as we strayed over the mountain-side we lighted upon one of the +splinters of the boulder which Billy had broken before, and the gleam +of metal in it catching my eye, I said to Billy that it was desperately +plaguy to be where metal abounded, and not be able to use it. + +[Sidenote: Making Fire] + +"Why, master," says he, "who knows as how we can't use it? We ain't +tried. Why didn't we think of it afore?" And straightway he picks up +the splinter, and I found a flint, and he struck them together, and +fairly danced with delight when he made a spark, though he stopped +dancing and howled next moment, having hurt his bare feet on the sharp +rock. + +I felt as great a delight as Billy, it being plain that we now had the +first means of making fire, and if only we could discover anything to +serve as tinder we might soon have a fire as large as we pleased. We +went back to our hut by the wood very quickly, being eager to try +before it was dark; but though we collected plenty of dry grass and +struck spark after spark out of the flint, we could not kindle a flame, +and, to our great disappointment, ate cold supper again. The next day +also we were no more successful, though we neglected our work while we +tried again and again, and should have been very sorry for the loss of +time but that time mattered very little to us. However, in the +afternoon, when we went into the wood to get cocoa-nuts, I sat myself +down on the trunk of a great tree which had been thrown down by a +storm, I suppose--not our storm, but earlier, for the leaves were all +withered. I sat myself down, I say, but went lower than I intended, +the trunk, that appeared solid, giving way under me, so that I toppled +over backwards in a cloud of dust. When we looked at the tree, we saw +that the inside of it was completely rotted away, with the dry rot, as +we say, and we both cried out at the same moment that this might be our +tinder. We immediately broke off a strip of the bark, and collected +some of the dust upon it, and then striking a spark, we caught it on +the tinder, which was, however, so dry that it flared up and burnt out +in an instant, without kindling the bark. We remedied this very soon +by mingling some dry grass, rubbed small, with the wood dust, and this +burning more slowly, it caused the bark to smoulder, from which we blew +up a flame, and in a few minutes had a very pretty fire of sticks. +Billy leapt around it in an ecstasy, and I could not help but liken him +to a fire-worshipper, whose religion I understood better now than +before, after all the trouble we had had. + +"Now we can bake some bread," said I. + +"And roast some pork," says Billy. + +"We had better make bread first," said I. + +"My mouth is watering for the crackling," says Billy. + +"Bread will be the sooner done," I said. + +"But the taste of pork stays in the mouth longer," says Billy. + +It nearly came to a quarrel between us, as to which should be cooked +first, meat or bread; but when we were in the heat of the argument we +perceived that our fire was going out, and that brought us to our +senses. We piled more sticks on it, and broken cocoa-nut shells, and +Billy, yielding to my desire for bread, went out into the wood and soon +returned with two or three fine large fruits, weighing, I should think, +about three pounds apiece. We had seen the native way of cooking this +fruit, paring off the rough rind and baking the inner part, between the +rind and the core, in an oven; but having no oven, though we promised +ourselves to build one soon, we laid the fruits as they were on a red +part of the fire, turning them about as you do chestnuts, and after a +while we took them up and, having broken away the rind, ate the bread +hot, and I do think I had never in my life before made such a hearty +meal as I now did, though, to be sure, the bread had a slight flavour +of burnt wood. However, we ate a good supper, and went to bed much +happier than at any time since we first came to the island. + +[Sidenote: Bread] + +We made our breakfast in the same way when we awoke, but finding that +it took some time to get a fire, we considered whether we could not +keep it constantly alive, yet without needing to replenish it too +frequently with fuel, which would have been a trouble, as well as a +hindrance to our work. After some thought, we devised a kind of +covered-in grate, which we built four-square of stones and pieces of +rock, filling up the spaces between them, where they did not fit, with +the clayey earth I have before mentioned, which we moistened with +water, fetched from the lake in half a cocoa-nut shell, and then worked +with our hands into a kind of mortar. We made a cover to this grate +with small boughs plaited with grass and smeared all over with earth, +and at the bottom of the grate we left two small holes by which air +might enter, not a great current, but enough to keep the fire +smouldering without burning much fuel. This device answered our +expectations very well. We found that by casting into the embers a +quantity of dry brushwood, and blowing upon them, we could obtain a +brisk fire in a very little time, and when we had no more need of it +for the present, we laid on a heap of grass and twigs, not too dry, and +shut down the lid, and so found that we could keep our fire alive for a +whole day with no more tending. We discovered, moreover, that by +making a second enclosure about our grate, and covering this in also, +we had a very convenient oven, in which we could lay in the morning the +bread-fruit we needed for our dinner, and at midday find it very well +cooked, neither too much nor too little. I must not forget to say that +our neighbours the dogs watched these proceedings very curiously, and +the first time we left the grate they went to it, to investigate with +their noses; but the stones being very hot, their noses were burnt, and +they ran yelping away, and came to it no more except the first time we +roasted some pig's flesh, and then, being in a perfect frenzy at the +savoury smell, they scratched down the walls of our oven and ran away +with our meat, hot as it was, so that we had none for dinner. At this +Billy flew into a fine rage, I assure you, and we had to consider of +some way of preserving our meat from these greedy maws, of which more +in its place. + +[Sidenote: Wood-cutting] + +Having now fire at our command, we set about putting it to the use for +which we had so greatly desired it, namely, the felling of trees for +our big house. We kindled fires against the trunks of four trees of a +fair size which we selected for our corner posts, at first setting the +fire all round, until we saw both that the wind, which was fairly +strong that morning, blew the flames all one way, and also that it +would be more convenient to burn the tree on the opposite side from the +direction in which we wished it to fall; then we put out the fires +except on the windward side. We found it no easy matter to keep the +flames at a just height, so that they did not burn more of the trunks +than we desired. Every now and again we chipped away the charred wood +with our axes, and so the fire ate deeper and deeper into the trees, +and we cut deeper and deeper also, until by the close of this day the +trees stood, as it were, but by a thread. We wished we had ropes, +wherewith we might pull the trees to the ground, but having none we +threw ourselves with great violence against the trunks, and so cast +them all down but one, which we left for a little more burning on the +morrow, and went to our hut very well satisfied with our day's work. + +We were sitting at our supper when of a sudden Billy gave a jump and +cried out, "What if any savages have seen our smoke!" Our fires had +given a good deal of smoke, especially the damper woods with which we +fed them; but I said that even the nearest island was too far off for +our smoke to be easily seen from it, and as for any savages who might +be cruising in canoes, they would suppose it came from the mountain. I +could not doubt that our island was an object of terror to the peoples +of the neighbouring islands, and I said we ought to be thankful to God +that it was so, since it was better to be lonely than to be made +slaves, or eaten by cannibals. This comforted Billy, though he said +that we had better use the driest woods we could find for our fires, so +that the smoke would be less. + + + + +CHAPTER THE SEVENTH + +OF THE BUILDING OF OUR HUT, TO WHICH WE BRING MORE ENTHUSIASM THAN SKILL + + +I have not said anything about the plan of our big hut, but it must not +be supposed that we began to work without any design. We often talked +about it, and so made a general plan, though we forgot many things and +did not foresee others. What this plan was will be made clear as I go +on: if I set it down here all in one place it would be like writing the +same thing twice over, which would be tedious. + +Having felled the four fairly large trees we designed for our +corner-posts, the next thing was to bring them down from the wood to +the level plateau where we intended to build. We lopped off some of +the branches and burnt off the rest, but then found that the trunks +were too heavy for us to drag, even though it was downhill. Thus we +were put to it to make rollers, which was not such a tedious matter as +felling the trees, for there were many young trees of a shape and size +fit for this use when we had taken off their branches. But when we +came to place the rollers under the first of our trunks we could not at +first by any means do it, the tree being so heavy that the two of us +together could not raise it an inch from the ground. How to get over +this difficulty puzzled us for some time; indeed, we might never have +thought of a way but for what I may call an accident. We had gone down +to the shore for our morning swim, and as we walked over the beach we +spied a crab scuttling away under a small rock. Billy had felt a +grudge against crabs ever since one had robbed him of his club: so he +cries out, "We'll have this old crab for dinner, master," and with that +he takes his axe and prises up the rock, and then gives the crab a +great knock, which did it not the least harm, it being large with a +thick shell. However, he was not to be baffled, so, setting down the +rock again, he bids me watch it, and runs off to the wood, returning +presently with a long bit of creeper, in which he had made a loop or +noose at one end. This noose he slips over one of the claws of the +crab, and drew it tight, and then set off at a run, dragging the crab +after him. + +[Sidenote: A Crab] + +We ate the crab for dinner, and liked it very well, but the more +important matter was that seeing Billy prise up the rock gave me a +notion of the right manner of moving our trees. + +"We must carry two rocks up to the wood," I said, "and cut two stout +poles, and then I will show you how the trees can be moved." + +"'Tis desperate hard work, master," says Billy with a prodigious sigh. +"We don't get on very fast. I wish we could find a cave where we could +live like that old Robinson Crusoe, without any building at all." + +"But he built all the same," said I. + +"But not without tools," says Billy. + +However, he agreed to my proposal, and we carried a rock between us, +with a great deal of sweating, up to where the fallen trees lay, and +then Billy says, "Ain't we fools!" and showed me that we could save a +deal of labour by fastening strands of creeper to the second rock, and +dragging it up instead of carrying it in our arms. This being done we +cut two stout poles, which took us a long time, and then, putting the +rocks one on either side of the first trunk, we took a pole each, and, +resting them on the rocks, put the one end under the tree and pressed +heavily on the other, and so contrived to lift the weight which our +unaided strength was quite unequal to. I do not mean that we had never +seen levers before, but we might never have thought of them unless +Billy had prised up the rock after that crab. The use of levers was +indeed a mystery to him, I mean the explanation of them, he saying that +we were no stronger than before, and there was certainly no strength in +two dead poles, and when I reminded him of the pulleys and the windlass +on board ship, which also helped to raise things, he said that poles +were not pulleys, nor a windlass neither, and he didn't see what that +had to do with it. However, there was the trunk lifted, and while I +held it so with my pole, Billy slipped a roller under it, and working +thus from the end towards the middle, we brought the roller along by +degrees, and then found that we could slip the second roller under the +other end without the help of the poles. + +Then, with much pushing and hauling, we set the trunk a-moving on the +rollers down the slope. It was still hard work enough, for where the +earth was soft, the rollers sank into it under the heavy weight of the +tree, and when we came to a part that was hard and pretty smooth, the +trunk set to a-rolling so fast that it almost ran away with us, and +Billy, who was in front, was very nearly sent headlong down, which +would have been very terrible if he had fallen plump into our grate. +We brought the other three trunks down to our plateau in the same way, +and thus had the four stout posts which we intended for the corners of +our house, though there was a great deal to be done to them before they +could be erected. They were about the same thickness, being sixteen or +eighteen inches across, but not the same length, and we had first to +make them equal, which took us a long time; I think we were ten days at +the work. When we had finished it, the trunks were about fourteen feet +long, that being the height we had determined on for our house, +allowing for some portion of the posts to be driven into the earth. We +did not peel the bark off the trees, but left it on, thinking it would +do no harm. + +[Sidenote: Choosing a Site] + +We marked out the lines of our house, on the level plateau near the +lake, which was almost the only even spot on the island, and allowed us +a space of about twenty feet square, which I thought was large enough, +thinking besides of the great labour we should be put to if we tried to +make too big a house. But when it came to erecting our corner-posts we +were in a great quandary. The ground was pretty soft, and deeper than +at other parts of the island, which I guessed was due to the heavy +rains washing earth down from the hill above. With spades or shovels +we might have dug holes to a considerable depth, and then slipped the +trunks in, and having thus disposed of a part of the dead weight of +them, we might have raised them to an erect position with levers, or by +pushing them up with our hands as men raise a long ladder. But with no +tools save our blunt axes we saw that such excavation would demand +unconscionable toil, and besides, after we should have accomplished it, +we should be hard put to it to make the earth around the timber +sufficiently firm and compact; so we had to consider another way, which +gave us a great deal of trouble. Indeed, it baffled us for several +days, in which, however, we were not idle, but occupied ourselves in +other concerns. + +[Sidenote: A Flagstaff] + +One of these was the erecting of a signal-post. Although, when we +talked matters over--as we often did, both in the daytime and +especially at night before we fell asleep--when we talked things over, +I say, we always concluded that there was little or no chance of being +rescued, and made our plans as if we were to remain on this island for +the rest of our lives; yet we thought it right to take our measures for +attracting any friendly ship that might heave in sight. We must not, +of course, attempt to raise any permanent signal, for such a thing +would beyond question be discovered by the savages of some neighbouring +island when going about in their canoes, and the last thing we could +wish was to bring savages into our peaceful domain. On the other hand, +unless we had some means of signalling, a ship might easily pass us by +before we could communicate with it, for the island was so small that +no vessel would heave to on the mere chance of finding water, since its +most important river, if it had one, could not be more than a mere +brook in size. Being thus decided that we ought to have some kind of +signal ready, in such a case, we determined that nothing could be +better than a flagstaff, even if we should never have a flag. + +As for the spot where to erect it, we had no difficulty in choosing +that; no better could be found than the wooded hill above the lava bed, +whither we climbed every morning and evening to take our lookout. At +the top of this hill, and somewhat apart from the rest of the trees, +there stood a tree very straight and tall, overtopping the others, so +that it formed a very clear mark. Since our flagstaff was not to be +permanently in sight, it seemed best that we should have one that we +could take to pieces, and put together when it was necessary to hoist +it, and I had already seen, at the edge of the lake, what I thought +would serve our purpose to a marvel. This was a cluster of trees, or +rather shrubs, like what is called bamboo, the stalks being tough and +hollow, with joints or knuckles here and there. We cut down three or +four of these stalks, choosing them all of different diameters, and +having burnt out the pith inside them, for some distance from the top, +we contrived to make a kind of telescope tube by fitting them together, +it reaching a length of near thirty feet. + +This being made, we cut, in the top of the trunk of the tall, straight +tree before mentioned, a groove large enough to form a socket for the +bottom end of our flagstaff, and when we had fitted it to our +satisfaction, we ventured just before sunset to raise the staff, and it +made a sort of topmast to the tree, standing some twelve feet above the +summit. + +"This is prime," says Billy. "Now all we want is an ancient or a +pendant to fix to the top of it, and there you are." + +"We have nothing but our shirts," said I, "and those we cannot spare." + +"But we don't need to raise our flag until we see a ship over yonder," +says Billy, "and if we do see one I can strip off my shirt in no time." + +"But we can't fit the staff in no time," I replied, "and we must +practise ourselves in that until we are very speedy in it." + +We did this accordingly, several evenings in succession, always at +dusk, so that our proceedings should not be seen by sharp-eyed savages; +and we found in a few days that we could fit the joints of the staff +together, and set it up in its socket, in the space of five minutes, as +near as I could guess. We kept the several joints in the tree, so that +we should not have the labour of hauling them from the ground every +time, fastening them to the boughs with strands of creepers. + +While on this matter of the flagstaff, I must say that it came into my +mind one day that I had seen the native women making a kind of cloth +out of the bark of a tree, though I had not observed what tree it was. +I thought we might contrive to make a pendant in the same way, and +after some trials of the bark of different trees we discovered that the +bread-fruit tree was best fitted for our purpose, and by diligently +beating with stones upon a broad strip of the bark, moistened with +water, we flattened and stretched it until it became a sort of thin +fabric, which would serve for a flag, though a makeshift one. But +having made it, we could not at first devise a means of attaching it to +the staff, having no nails, or anything that could be used in their +stead. There did, indeed, come out of the bark as we bruised it, a +sticky substance which we hoped might serve as glue, but we found that +it was not sufficiently tenacious. However, after some thought I hit +upon the device of stringing the flag on a strand of creeper, and then +knotting the ends of this about the pole. + +Our success in this particular gave us much contentment, and Billy +declared that now that we knew how to make cloth we must discover a +means of making needles and thread, so that we could patch our shirts +and breeches, which were already miserably rent and tattered. But this +was too great a puzzle for us at the moment, though we solved it +afterwards, as I shall tell in its place. + +[Sidenote: Pottery] + +Having started to tell some of the matters that occupied us while we +were pondering the means of setting up the posts of our house, I may +mention here another notion that came into my head. We had used some +of the clayey earth of the hill-side to fill the interstices of our +small house, and being often at a loss for vessels in which to cook our +food, and also to carry water--as yet we did not drink it much, for +very good reasons--I thought of trying to make some pots and pans. I +had, to be sure, no turning wheel, nor could I make one, nor had I the +prepared flints or the lead for glaze, such as were employed in my +uncle's factory. But I had seen the native people making pottery on +the island at which we touched, and that being, so to speak, my own +line of business, I had taken more particular note of it than of any +other of their devices. + +Their manner was to put a piece of calabash, or some such thing, under +a lump of clay, to make it turn freely, and then to turn it slowly, but +very deftly, by hand, fashioning thereby a vessel of such regular shape +that I am sure my uncle, could he have seen it, would scarce have +believed it had not been thrown, as we say, on the wheel. Such vessels +they first dried in the sun, then, when a group of them had been +moulded, a fire was kindled round and over them, and so they were +baked. I had no calabash, but I tried my prentice hand with the half +of a cocoa-nut shell, and found it very serviceable. But what gave me +a deal of trouble was the clay. When I had mixed a great lump of it, +moistening it with water and pounding it with stones, and had moulded a +sort of porringer upon the shell at first, the vessel would not keep +its shape, even so long as it took me to set it upon the ground to dry. +After making several trials of it, and being always disappointed, I saw +that I must mix some other substance with the earth to give it +consistency. This was a thing that baffled me for days, since all our +scouring of the island did not bring to light any substance that would +be of use, and we had no means of grinding into powder the flints which +lay around in plenty. How strange is it that we may look afar for what +we have at our very doors! All of a sudden it came into my head that +the sand of the seashore, at the edge of the lava tract, which we trod +every day in going to bathe, might be the very substance I needed, and +I found, when I came to try it, that it not only gave the clay the +consistency I desired, but added a glaze to it when I baked the first +vessel I made with it. I soon had a row of basins finished, not very +comely in shape, but serviceable, and all of a size; and Billy, having +heard me deplore that I had nothing larger than a cocoa-nut to mould +them on, went a-prowling on the shore one day, and came staggering back +with a great dome-shaped stone, and when he set it down in front of me, +"Oh, ain't I a fool!" says he. + +[Illustration: Billy's Plate and Mug] + +"What's the matter, Billy?" I asked. "'Tis the very thing I have been +wanting this long time." + +"I know it is, master," says he, "but what I don't know is why I was +such a silly ass as to sweat myself a-carrying of it, when I might have +rolled it on its edge." + +"Well, you won't do it again," I said, smiling at his woebegone look. + +"No, I take my davy I won't," says he. + +"What is 'davy'?" I asked, never having heard that expression before. + +"Why, don't you know that?" says he, opening his eyes very wide. + +"No. What is it?" I said. + +Then he scratched his head, and looked at the ground, and after a great +deal of consideration says: "Well, master, I can't say, not to be +certain, what a davy is; but suppose I said to you, 'I eat forty +cocoa-nuts at a go,' and you said to me, 'You're a liar,' and I said, +'I take my davy on it,' you'd have to believe me or else fetch me a +crack on the nob: at least, that's what they do Limehouse way." + +This may seem a very trifling matter, and not worthy of setting down in +a serious history; but I quote the words to show that we did not pass +the days without discourse, from which indeed I for my part got much +entertainment. + +With the round stone which Billy brought me, and others we afterwards +discovered, I made several pots of different sizes, which we found very +useful, more and more, indeed, as time went on. And as I became more +dexterous with practice, the shape and fashion of the pottery likewise +improved, so that I grew proud of my handicraft, and wished my uncle +could have seen it. As for Billy, he was very jealous of my work, and +lamented that he had not a forge and an anvil and the other implements +of a smith's calling, and he would show me what he could do; but as he +lacked these things, and so far as he could see was never like to have +them, he very sensibly employed himself in helping me, and in getting +and preparing our food, and the various materials needed for our house. +I must not forget to mention, too, that it was Billy who first thought +of using the red sap of the wood I have before spoke of, in giving a +dye to my pottery, which became thereby a bright red colour, very +pleasing to the eye. + +[Illustration: Some of my Pottery] + +All this while we had been thinking very deeply of the matter of our +big hut, and at last we hit upon a means of erecting the four +corner-posts. First we drove the handle of one of the axes--the wood +being hard and the earth soft, as I have said--for some distance into +the ground, and then having withdrawn it, we were able to drive into +the hole a somewhat thicker pole, the end of which we sharpened to a +point with our axes. Then we took the first of our corner-posts, +sharpened the end of it in like manner, this costing us much labour, +and charred the same end with fire, both to make the driving of it into +the earth easier, and to preserve it from rotting. The more serious +difficulty, of raising the heavy post and driving it in, was solved in +the following manner. We made three long ropes by twining strands of +creepers together, and these we tied very securely to the top of our +post. Having made a hole in the earth, as aforesaid, to the depth of +about four feet, we brought the pointed end directly over the hole, and +then raised the other end gradually with levers, propping it up +continually, as we tilted it higher, with a pile of small logs and +stones, which we increased moment by moment as required. I leave you +to judge what a slow and tedious business this was. + +[Sidenote: Building under Difficulties] + +When by this means the top end of the post was raised to a considerable +height, the pointed end slid into the hole, though not straight; but +the post was now tilted sufficiently for us to get under it and heave +it up with our hands until it was fairly upright, and then the point of +it sank some little way into the hole, but not far. Then, while I held +it upright, Billy went to a distance of a few yards, and drove a wedge +of wood like a tent-peg into the ground, using for hammer a long stone; +and this being done, he bound one of the three ropes (so I call them) +firmly about it. He did likewise with two more tent-pegs and the two +other ropes, so that when he had finished, the post was held erect and +stoutly supported by three ropes, the lower ends of which were so +placed as to be at the angles of what is called in the _Elements of +Euclid_ an equilateral triangle. This work took us a whole day, +reckoning in the time for our meals. + +The next part of our design was to erect a scaffolding about the post. +For this we chose and cut down stalks of the bamboo-like plant of which +we had made our flagstaff. These we lashed firmly together with +creeper ropes--or rather Billy did it, he having a seaman's dexterity +in such things; and driving their lower ends into the ground, we +contrived to construct a scaffolding four-square about the post, each +face of it about nine feet long, and carried up a little higher than +the top of the post, so as to clear the ropes that held this in +position. The scaffolding being finished with a prodigious deal of +labour--for having no ladder we were obliged to make standing-places of +stones, which were very insecure; indeed, both Billy and I tumbled off +them more than once, and grew very angry at having to collect the +stones and build them up again: the scaffolding being finished, I say, +we made a light platform of straight branches upon the top of it, but +not quite covering it, so that the top of the post was not hidden. + +"It won't bear us, that I'm sure," says Billy, when we had made the +platform. + +"Try," said I. "You are lighter than me: you go first." + +Billy clambered on to the platform very nimbly, and though the +scaffolding trembled and swayed so that I thought to see it instantly +collapse, it did no such thing, and I ventured to climb up on the other +side and join Billy. I was much more clumsy than he was, and pretty +nearly lost my balance, but managed to steady myself, and then we both +stood on the platform, and found that it bore the weight of us both +very well. + +The next thing was to haul up the implement which, after much +consideration, we had devised for driving in the post. 'Twas a massy +stump of a tree, which, both together, we could heave about two feet +above the ground--such a thing as resembled in some sort the big wooden +pummet which road-menders use for hammering down the cobbles in the +streets, though our pummet had no handle either at the top or the side, +but must be heaved up by main force from the bottom. We tied it many +times round with our creeper ropes, and, having mounted again on to the +platform, we began to haul. But the weight of the pummet, and our +heaving, and the being both on one side of the platform, was too much +for our frail support; the scaffolding fell apart, down we toppled +headlong after the pummet, and the strain upon the sustaining ropes +being too great, one of them snapped, and down came the post, falling +very luckily in the opposite direction from us, or we might have been +killed, or at least had our heads broken. + +Billy fairly howled with disappointment at this overthrow of our hopes, +and let forth many of the ugly words which he had learnt, either at +Limehouse or aboard the _Lovey Susan_. Indeed, it was a most vexatious +accident, for the labour of a good many days was undone in a moment, +and we had to begin over again, both to erect the corner-post and to +construct a scaffolding. Billy, who was like a child in some things, +declared and vowed he would work no more on the big hut. "I take my +davy I won't," says he. "What's the good? Here's another big hole +tore in my breeches. Why should you and me work like slaves when there +ain't no call for it, victuals growing free? And as for lodgings, the +small hut is good enough for me. We don't want a castle when there +ain't no one here but dogs and pigs; and I tell you what it is, master, +we don't eat enough pork, and I wish we had some onions;" and so he +talked on, and I said nothing, for I knew he would grumble until he was +tired, and then readily take up his work again. So in fact it proved, +for after a day's idleness, or rather change, we spending the day in +hunting for eggs, we set to work to weave more ropes and put together +another scaffolding, which when we tried it stood very steady, even +when we hauled up the pummet. With this pummet we drove the +corner-post into the earth inch by inch, lifting it with our hands (it +was as much as we could do) and then letting it fall plump on the head +of the post. 'Twas terribly slow work, and hard too, and we thought +our backs would break across the middle, they ached so much, only we +had to pause in the driving every now and then to let down our +platform, in proportion as the post went deeper into the ground, and +this of course took a great while. However, we drove the post at last +to the depth of four feet, and then Billy was just as elated as before +he had been cast down, for the post stood so massive and solid that it +seemed nothing short of an earthquake could move it; and that was +strong enough for us, for against an earthquake, if it came, of course +we could do nothing. Having succeeded with our first post, we did not +take quite so long about erecting the other three; but it was near six +weeks, I should think, before we got all four in position, I mean six +weeks after we had felled the trunks, they having then to be pointed +with our rude axes, and the scaffolding having to be built up afresh +with the same care for the fourth post as for the first. + +When we had the four posts up we were very well satisfied with our +handiwork, but desperately weary, for we had stuck to it day after day +without respite except to get our food and perform the other articles +of our regular life--bathing, and going up to our watch-tower, as we +called it, and so forth. Accordingly I said to Billy that we would +take a week's holiday before we made the walls of our house, on which +Billy sighed very heavily. + +"Why, don't you want a holiday?" I asked him. + +"'Course I do, master," says he, "but how can you have a holiday +without any beer?" + +He then told me that when his father took a holiday, he drove to some +country part near London--Islington, or maybe Hampstead--and spent the +day in playing skittles and drinking beer. This put a notion into my +head, and the first day of our holiday we played skittles with some +short posts set up in the sand on the beach, bowling at them with +cocoa-nuts. 'Twas as good a sport as we could devise at that time, +though we soon came to invent a better, as you shall hear. + + + + +CHAPTER THE EIGHTH + +OF MY ENCOUNTER WITH A SEA MONSTER; AND OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WE +PROVIDED OURSELVES WITH ARMS + + +I think it was on the second day of our week's holiday that we had a +terrible fright, which affected us the more because hitherto there had +been so little to alarm us. We had eaten our dinner, and were roaming +idly along the high ground in the west of the island, when, looking +over the brink, Billy spied some nests among the rocks in the face of +the cliff. We had never been able to obtain near so many eggs for our +food as we wished, the hens laying their eggs, as I have said, in +secret places which required much searching for, and for that we did +not on our working days care to spend time. But spying these nests, +Billy was set on clambering down to them to see if they contained eggs, +which would make us a very good supper. + +There was a narrow ledge that ran down the face of the cliff, ending +not far above the sea, which at this spot washed the base, there being +no beach of sand. The descent was so steep, and the ledge so narrow, +that I was in some doubt whether the attempt were not too dangerous; +but Billy, as I say, was set on it, and when I saw him actually begin +to clamber down, I could do naught but accompany him, and soon +outstripped him, because he stopped more often than I did to pry in all +the crevices. The face of the cliff was much scarred, and certain +large boulders in it seemed to me to be very loosely embedded; indeed, +now and again a piece of rock would become detached when I catched hold +of it to steady myself, and rolled and rumbled away until it fell into +the sea. You see by this how carefully it behoved us to go, and if the +ledge had not been a little wider than it appeared from the top, I +think I should have given up the enterprise. However, we persevered, +and in the course of our descent rifled of their eggs such nests as +came within our reach, the rightful owners of the nests, which were +sea-birds, wheeling about our heads with a clamour of shrill and +plaintive cries. We put the eggs in our pockets, having no other means +of carrying them, and when Billy sighed for a basket I said that we +would try to make one the very same day, there being plenty of material +for weaving. + +[Sidenote: A Sea Monster] + +Here and there in the face of the cliff there grew trees, not of great +size; indeed, it was a marvel that any grew, the ground being so hard +and rugged. When we came near the sea, we saw a little cluster of a +kind of pine tree[1] (at least I judged it so by its exceeding pleasant +smell) which jutted out over the sea, one of the tallest of them, +covered with great bunches of flowers of a bright yellow colour, very +pretty, reaching up to the edge of the narrow path down which we were +climbing. It was a strange tree, for instead of having a trunk thicker +at the bottom, like other trees, it divided into a number of shoots, +which entered the ground in the shape of a pyramid. I was just +reaching forward + + + +[1] Probably the screw-pine (_Pandanus odoratissimus_).--H.S. + + +to pluck one of the blossoms when I felt a strange tickling about my +ankle, and immediately afterward a sharp pain like that of a gad-fly's +bite, only worse. I thought a scorpion or some such thing had bitten +me, and turned myself a little, for the ledge on which I stood was too +narrow for great movements, and drew my leg back so that the reptile +should not sting me again. But I felt then as if my ankle had been +caught in a noose, which was being drawn constantly tighter, and I +could not free my leg from the grip, though I kicked as much as I +dared. Looking down to see what was holding me, I was annoyed, yet +relieved at the same time, to find that my leg was caught in nothing +worse, as it appeared, than a big brown, or rather brownish-purple, +leaf, into which I supposed I had unwittingly put my foot. Yet I +wondered that a mere leaf could grip me so firmly, and as I took out of +my belt the axe without which I never went abroad, intending to cut the +impediment away, my eye chanced to travel along the leaf towards its +furthest extremity, where it was partly hidden by a cluster of fruit. + +And then I felt a shiver run down my spine like a trickle of cold +water, for there, beyond the cluster, I saw two horrid eyes, like a +parrot's, gleaming in the midst of a big shapeless body, which I knew +to be alive by its pulsations. I had never in my life seen or heard of +such a thing, and knew not what it was or whether it was dangerous or +no; but the mere sight of it filled me with a sickening dread, and when +I saw the loathly monster drawing nearer to me, working its way, as it +seemed, by the tentacles wherewith it had attached itself to the tree, +and its body throbbing, I was as near overcome with sheer terror as any +man could be, so that I could not think, nor even cry out to Billy, who +was some few yards above me. All that I could do, and that was only by +instinct, was to resist the creature's pull, which had all but +dislodged me from my narrow foothold. + +It was Billy's voice that roused me from this palsy of the mind. "My +pockets won't hold no more, master," he said, being quite ignorant of +what was passing beneath him. Then I cried out to him that a monster +was attacking me, and at the same time I bent down and slashed +furiously with my axe upon the tentacle that gripped my leg, and turned +sick again when the axe-head encountered the slimy mass. But my +strokes, doubly redoubled, caused the monster somewhat to relax its +grip, and immediately afterward a big jagged piece of rock, hurled by +Billy, smote full upon it with a sickening thud, and rebounding fell +with a splash into the sea. The monster, as if stunned by the shock, +loosened its hold on the branches to which, as we now saw, it had +anchored itself, and in a little while fell into the sea and +disappeared from our sight. + +[Illustration: "I CRIED OUT TO HIM THAT A MONSTER WAS ATTACKING ME."] + +"I never did see such a wicked villain," says Billy. "Why, master, +you're as white as a sheet!" and, indeed, I was not far from swooning, +the horror of that great beast being still upon me. Billy was not near +so much affected, not having felt the monster's grip nor seen closely +its baleful eyes; and I think Billy was a trifle scornful of the terror +I could not conceal, though afterwards he said he didn't wonder at my +feeling pretty bad. It was some little time before I was sufficiently +recovered to attempt the upward climb; but, with Billy's help, I +presently clambered to the top, and threw myself very thankfully on the +grass, never heeding Billy's lamentable outcry when he found that two +of the eggs he carried had broken in his pocket. + +This terrible encounter, and most happy escape, set me on thinking +first what a mercy it was I carried my axe, and then how perfectly +defenceless we were against any human enemy that might come against us +armed. I said to Billy that we must spend the rest of our holiday in +making weapons, though when I spoke I had not the least notion of what +we could make that would be of any avail. Billy was for making huge +clubs, and sticking pieces of flint into their knobby ends, which would +beyond doubt have proved very formidable weapons at close quarters; +but, as I had told him already, we should be shot down with spears or +arrows before we could come within reach of the enemy, and therefore we +could do nothing against them unless we made weapons like their own. +Whereupon Billy declared for spears, since we had no strings for bows, +and we spent a day cutting light poles for the shafts and in searching +for sharp flints that might serve as the heads. But we had such a +difficulty in fastening the heads on, and the spears were so exceeding +rude and clumsy when made, that I despaired of ever making serviceable +defensive weapons of them, and being by no means satisfied that it was +beyond our capacity to fashion bows and arrows, I seized occasion while +Billy was cooking our supper (which was baked bread-fruit and fried +eggs, the latter stronger in flavour and not near so pleasant as hens' +eggs, having a fishy taste)--I seized occasion, I say, to make a first +trial for a bow-string, which Billy had very shrewdly perceived would +be the greatest difficulty. + +[Sidenote: Making Arms] + +I tried first of all a very thin strand of a creeping plant, but though +that was tough enough, it was not at all elastic, so that I gave that +up at once. Next I bethought me of the fibres in the husks and leaves +of the cocoa-nut, and wondered whether these could be woven into a +cord; and if any are surprised that I should so much as mention this, +having seen cocoa-nuts, perhaps, only as they appear in our shops, I +will explain that the nut itself is enclosed in a tough fibrous husk of +about two inches in thickness, while the leaf is covered for two or +three feet of its length with a fibrous matting, very fine and strong, +which acts as a kind of brace to the stalk and keeps it steadily fixed +to the trunk. I had taken note of this fibrous substance, and, indeed, +thought I remembered that the native people made thread of it; but when +I came to the actual experiment, I found that the thread so made was as +tough as you please, and it served us excellent well afterward in many +ways, as will presently be seen, but it was quite lacking in that +spring without which a bow-string is impossible. + +[Illustration: Spearhead] + +I do not mean to say that I made all these discoveries while Billy was +cooking the supper, but only that I began to make my trials then. It +was, indeed, several days before we lighted on something that was +suited to our purpose, and that by a kind of accident. We had gone up +the mountain, as was our daily custom, to make our survey, and coming +down again we left our usual path, for no reason that I can remember, +and came upon a patch of plants of a kind that we had not observed +before. We had become by this time so knowing in the vegetation of our +island, though quite ignorant of the names of the plants, that we +stopped to examine this new kind, and plucked some of it, which we +peeled as we went our way. It seemed to me that the bark of it had a +certain stretch in its fibres, and when we got back to our hut we +pulled the fibres out and twisted some of them together in the manner +of a cord, and fastened the ends of the string thus made to the ends of +a short pliable twig, and to our great joy, when I pulled the string +and released it suddenly, it shot back with a twang as like that of a +true cord as can be imagined. In my delight I cried out that I would +be Robin Hood and Billy should be Little John, which he took at first +to be an affront on his shortness of stature, he being eight inches or +more less than I was at that time; he grew afterwards till there was no +more than four inches betwixt us. But on my telling him what stories I +could remember of Robin Hood and his bold men in Lincoln green--Friar +Tuck and Maid Marion and the rest of the company--Billy, who had never +heard of any of these before, was greatly delighted, though he doubted +whether they were quite so good marksmen as the stories said, and +professed that of them all he would have preferred to be Friar Tuck, +who had a nice taste in venison, just as Billy himself had in pork. +However, he agreed to be Little John, reminding me very pertinently +that we had not yet made our bows and arrows. + +I had already made up my mind as to the wood we should use for making +the bows. It was that same red wood of which I have spoken once or +twice, and which, being flexible as well as hard, seemed to me the +fittest for our purpose of all the woods in the island. Accordingly we +chose two strong saplings of this tree growing to my own height, or a +little more, and having uprooted them, we cut off the branches and +twigs, peeled the bark off, and then pared them for three or four +inches in the centre, so as we might grip them easily. This done, we +shaved the ends as well as we could with our axes until they tapered, +and about two inches from each end we burned a notch in which we +purposed fitting the strings. Thus with an easy day's work we had two +fine bows, not very cunningly shaped, but strong and serviceable--at +least, we hoped so. + +[Illustration: Billy's Bow and Arrow] + +Billy took upon himself to make some arrows while I made the strings. +For this purpose he chose some straight light shoots, about as thick as +your finger, peeled off the bark as we did with the saplings, and +trimmed them with his axe and other sharp stones, rubbing them also +with sand, until they were wonderfully smooth. Billy was more patient +in this work than I had ever seen him, and as each shoot was prepared +he held it up to his eye and looked along it as if to see whether it +were a trifle out of the straight, and if he thought so, he would rub +and polish again until he was satisfied. He had near a dozen of these +shoots prepared by the time I had finished the strings for our two +bows, and he then began to point the heads; but it appeared that he was +quite ignorant of the use of feathers, so while he was pointing the +shafts I roamed about the woods in search of feathers, and found a good +number on the ground, and these we stuck on the tail end of the shafts +as I had seen them in pictures, for as for the actual things, I had +never had them in my hand. This made me wish, and so did many other +matters, that I had given more heed to the construction of things, for +barring pottery and rabbit-hutches I was a perfect simpleton in using +my hands. Of course, when the first arrow was finished, I tried it +with the bow, and found that it did not fly near so well as I hoped; +nor did the second and third that we made, which was a great trouble to +us. The flight of these arrows was neither far nor steady, and for a +long time we could not make out in the least why we had failed. It was +Billy that discovered the reason, though I believe it was more by guess +than by deduction. + +[Illustration: Billy's Scraper for rounding Arrow Shafts] + +"Why, master," he said, "I do believe 'tis all along o' those silly +feathers you've been and gone and stuck in, so that the tail's heavier +than the head." + +I saw that there might be something in Billy's notion, so we first of +all tried the experiment of making one of the arrows taper towards the +tail; and when we found that it certainly flew from the bow much better +than the others, I thought of improving still further by fitting stone +heads to the shafts. We split up some pieces of flint, and using a +flat corner of the lava tract as a kind of anvil, Billy chipped away at +some of the smaller pieces with a heavy lump of the rock containing +iron until we had a little heap of flakes shaped something like a leaf. +Some of these we lashed to shallow grooves in our shafts by means of +pieces of the string I had made; others we drove into clefts in the top +of the shafts; and when we came to try these new-tipped arrows on the +bow, we found that they flew very much better than any that we had made +before. + +By the time we had furnished ourselves with the bows and a dozen arrows +our week's holiday was past, and we ought by rights to have gone back +to our work on the house. But arrows were not made merely to be looked +at, nor to be shot off only for fun, as Billy said, and he was bent on +employing our new weapons in the useful work of providing food. We had +had nothing but bread-fruit, cocoanuts, and eggs, and pork twice, ever +since we had been on the island, which I reckoned to be now a matter of +three or four months or so, and I own I agreed with Billy that we +should be none the worse of a more frequent change of diet. Of late we +had seen very little of the wild pigs, being so much busied with our +building work and pottery, and other things; but the dogs were frequent +spectators of our proceedings, though not so constantly as at first, +finding no profit in them, I suppose. However, we now set off with our +bows and arrows, fiercely bent on slaughter. + +We tramped for a good long time across the island before we discovered +a herd of pigs in a little open space beyond a wood. They were +grunting, as pigs do, and poking their snouts into the ground as if in +search of food, though I doubted whether they would find anything fit +to eat, even for them, which are not particular, as everybody knows. +We crept up very stealthily to the edge of the open space, so that they +did not perceive us, and then, selecting the two nearest animals, we +let fly our shafts both at the same moment. The arrows flew very +swiftly from the bows, but clean over the pigs, so that we did not hit +one of them, and the twang of the bow-strings being very audible, the +pigs instantly took fright, and scampered away, all but one old boar, +as he seemed, who stood with his snout lifted, grunting very loud, as +if angry with being disturbed. + +"I'll have a shot for old father bacon," says Billy, fitting an arrow +to the string, and taking aim as well as he could, he shot it; but +having seen that his first shot went too high, he aimed the second too +low, and it stuck in the ground a yard or so in front of the solitary +boar. And then Billy flew into a mighty rage, I assure you, for the +boar marched up to the arrow, sticking out of the earth, and sniffed at +it with very loud grunts for a moment, and then snapped it up and broke +it in two. "There's half-a-day's work spoiled," cried Billy, who was +already angry enough at having missed his mark twice, and he rushed +out, calling the boar by many very unseemly names. The beast was taken +by surprise, and instantly turned tail and scampered after the rest of +the herd, with Billy at his heels, and me not far behind, for +remembering the scrape that Billy had fallen into once before, I did +not like to let him go out of my sight. And so we pursued those pigs +for above half-an-hour, I should think, and never came within fifty +yards of them, nor getting any chance to take a shot at them, because +they were never still. We gave it up when we were thoroughly weary, +and were going back to our hut, much disappointed of our expected meat, +when Billy remembered that we had left two arrows where we had first +encountered the pigs. + +"We must go back for 'em," says he, shaking his fist in the direction +whither the pigs had fled. "They are easier shot than made, and easier +broke than shot, drat it; but I'll make 'em porkers pay for leading us +this dance, see if I don't." + +I agreed that our arrows, made with such toil, were much too precious +to be wasted, and we went back to the place where we had shot them, not +finding it by any means easy to light on the spot again. + +"We shall have to practise, Billy," I said on the way; "we can't expect +to be good marksmen all at once." + +"I s'pose we can't," says Billy ruefully; "we do have to have three or +four goes at a thing afore we does it proper. But I did want some +pork." + +Coming at length to the open space, we searched for a good time before +we found the two arrows; but as I was stooping I made a discovery that +quite banished my disappointment and more than made amends for our long +tramp. The pigs, as I said, had been grubbing the ground vainly, as I +had thought; but I now saw that it was not so, for there before me lay +a long round root as big as a man's head, and of a dark brown colour, +which I immediately recognized as a yam. I called Billy to come and +see it, and remembering that we had ate some that time we sojourned on +the island, and found them very like potatoes when boiled and mashed, +but sweeter, we were exceedingly pleased, and Billy at once said that +we must certainly make some pork sausages to go with our mashed +potatoes. + +"Provided the pigs have left us any to mash," said I, for I now saw +that they had grubbed the ground pretty thoroughly, and though we +searched it for some time, we did not find above six yams, which we +carried back to our hut, and boiled one of them for dinner. Unless we +should find another plantation of them on the island, which I scarcely +hoped for, it seemed that our supply would be soon exhausted; but it +then came into my mind that we might plant some of those that we had, +and so grow them for ourselves. We knew nothing about the season for +planting, nor the right kind of soil for them, but supposed they would +be something like potatoes in their nature as well as in their taste, +and so determined to eat no more of them for the present, but to keep +them until such time as seemed fitting for planting. + +This question made us think of times and seasons, which, living from +day to day as we did without concern for the morrow, we had not yet +troubled ourselves about. It was summer when we first came to the +island, and we were now, as I guessed, about the end of autumn, though +there was little in the weather to show it, nor very much, so far as we +could tell, in the varying length of day and night. But the near +approach of winter came upon my mind with a kind of shock. We knew not +what the winter was like in these latitudes, nor whether we should be +afflicted with severe cold; but we could tell from the ripeness of the +fruits of the island that they would not hang much longer upon the +trees; indeed, some had already fallen; and I began to wonder what we +should do for food in the winter. We had discovered that the +bread-fruit, when plucked, remained good for three or four days, if the +rind was not pierced; but we had never kept any for a longer time, and +I was not a little dismayed as I thought of the straits we should be +put to if we could not preserve the food in some way. + +Billy reminded me that the native people with whom we had dwelt for a +fortnight had given us a bread-fruit pudding, which was delicious. I +asked him whether he had seen it made, and he said that he had not, but +it looked uncommon like batter pudding when it was baked, and indeed I +remembered it was just such a rich brown colour as well-cooked batter. +I had many a time seen my aunt Susan make batter, and though we had +neither milk nor flour, we had eggs, and it seemed to me at least worth +the trial to attempt a batter of bread-fruit. Accordingly we took two +large bread-fruits, very ripe, and having cut away the rind and +rejected the core, we put the white pulpy part into one of my earthen +vessels, and pounded and worked it with a thick stick until it looked +very like a thick batter. Billy meanwhile had beat up an egg, and when +we added this to the other, and mixed it, Billy cried out it reminded +him of pancake day, when his stepmother always made two thick pancakes +for herself and his father, and he had a thin one if there was any left +over. Since all the earthen vessels I had made were round-bottomed, +and we had nothing at all resembling a frying-pan, we were thinking of +boiling the mixture, and hoped it would not burn, being so thick, when +Billy asked why we shouldn't bake it. I pointed out that we had no +baking tins, and without something to hold it the batter would indeed +become as flat as a pancake; but Billy was equal to this difficulty. + +"I've seen my mother--she ain't my real mother, 'course--put a piece of +greasy paper round a dough-cake before she popped it in the oven, and +it came out all right, only a bit burnt sometimes, and then, my eye, +didn't she make a row!" When I said that we had no paper, he at once +replied, "But we've got leaves, and I don't see why a leaf of a leaf, +as you may call it, shouldn't be as good as a leaf of paper, or better, +the name being such." This appeared to me to be quite a good notion, +so we got some leaves and wrapped some of our batter in them, making +little oblong parcels about four inches long and two broad, and these +we put into our oven, which I have before mentioned, and when we took +them out and removed the leaves, we found our cakes to be of a fine +brown colour, and they smelled exceeding good and tasted better: in +fact, we had made the bread-fruit pudding we had so much liked before, +only ours was richer by the addition of the egg. + +We were very well pleased with this, but I own I was still better +pleased two or three days after, for I then came upon a portion of the +batter which we had left uncooked in the pot and forgotten, and found +that it was perfectly sweet and good, being not in the least offensive +either in taste or smell. It then came into my head all of a sudden +that if the bread-fruit pulp would keep good for days even when exposed +to the air, it might keep good for weeks and months if kept from the +air, and thus all our anxiety about our winter food would be removed. +When I suggested this to Billy he shook his head, saying, "We used to +keep potatoes in a cellar, but then they had their jackets on, and I've +never heard tell of fruits keeping. You can't keep an apple, 'cause +I've tried, only I ate it afore it was quite rotten." But I was +determined to make the experiment, though having no cellar or other +confined space I was at first at a loss how to form a large enough +receptacle for our store. After considering of it for some time I had +a notion of digging a hole in the ground and lining it with pottery +ware, but to this Billy said that we might use leaves and so save a lot +of time. So we dug a hole, not very deep, and lined it well with large +thick leaves, and into it we poured a great quantity of the bread-fruit +pulp that we had mashed--not mixing it with eggs, of course--and then +we covered it over with leaves, and put heavy stones on the top, and +waited for a week to see what came of it. + +[Sidenote: Archery] + +While we were waiting the result of our experiment at storage we +practised very diligently with our bows and arrows, and I observed that +Billy was pitting himself against me, though he did not say so, at +least not then, but he told me afterwards that he meant to try whether +Little John could not beat Robin Hood. At first we chose broad trees +for our targets, but we found after a time, when we began to be able to +hit them, that our arrows were very much blunted against the bark, +which made us think of devising a target, for the arrows took so long +to shape that it was important to us they should not be injured. This +making of a target gave us no trouble, for we had only to stretch +leaves across a light framework made of twigs; and to mark the centre +of it, for what I believe is called the bull's-eye, we smeared a circle +with the sticky substance which, as I have said, came out of the bark +of the bread-fruit tree when we beat it to make our flag, and then +sprinkled the sticky circle with sand, which stood out, light in +colour, against the dark green of the leaves. + +We set up this target at varying distances, which we made greater as we +grew more proficient, and we found that our arrows took no hurt from +striking against it, passing through the leaves, indeed, so that we had +to make another target by and by; but not very soon, because it was +some time before either of us hit the target at all, and as for a +bull's-eye, we thought we should never do it. Indeed, when we had +practised for about a week, Billy declared that he was sure there never +was a Robin Hood (he had made the same declaration before about +Robinson Crusoe), and he thought the tales about these two heroes must +have been invented by the same liar, because the one was Robin and the +other Robinson. When I said that was impossible, because Robin Hood +lived five or six hundred years before Crusoe was heard of, Billy said +'twas no matter; the stories of both were all pure fudge, and he +wouldn't believe until he saw it that any one could ever hit the +bull's-eye at a greater distance than ten yards. It chanced that our +target was thirty yards away at that moment, and fitting an arrow to +the bow, I let it fly without any nice calculation, and Billy was +fairly dumfoundered, and so was I, when we saw the arrow sticking in +the circle of sand, a little to the right of the exact centre. For a +moment Billy looked foolish; then he flushed, and turning truculently +to me he said, "I lay you a dollar you don't do it again, not in ten +shots." This put me on my mettle, and it did not occur to either of us +that we had no dollars nor any such thing; but I fired my shots one +after another with the most careful aim I could, and missed the target +altogether six times, and the other times only grazed the outer rim. +Whereupon Billy began to caper, and said I owed him a dollar, and a +pretty fine Robin Hood I was, with more of that boyish sort of talk, +which made me angry, and I flung down my bow, intending, I own, to +punch Billy's head. When he saw this, he flung down his bow also, and +squared himself, and put up his fists in such a remarkable way, calling +to me to come on, that I could not keep from laughing, and then he +laughed too, and so we were friends again at once. This was the first +time things got so near to a fight with us, and though we had little +disagreements that are not worth mentioning, we never fought but once +all the time we were on the island, and of that I must tell in its +place, if I think of it. + + + + +CHAPTER THE NINTH + +OF PIGS AND POULTRY, AND OF THE DEPREDATIONS OF THE WILD DOGS, UPON +WHOM WE MAKE WAR + + +It was after about a week of this practice in archery that we removed +the covering from the hole where we had stored the bread-fruit, and +looked to see how it was. To our great delight it was perfectly good, +though it had changed its colour, being now somewhat yellowish, and +also its smell, which was now something like that of yeast. This made +me think that the paste was fermenting, as indeed it was; but it seemed +to be none the worse, and we cooked a little and ate it with relish, +finding it rather acid, like cheese. Being satisfied on this point, we +immediately set to work to dig a larger hole, which we filled in like +manner with a great quantity of bread-fruits, mashing them to a paste +first in our earthen vessels. And having our anxiety thus relieved on +the score of provision for the winter, we ought to have gone back to +our work on the big hut, but we were so bent on improving our +marksmanship, Billy being determined to go pig-hunting, that we spent +nearly all our time in practising with our bows and arrows. By this +means we made ourselves pretty fair marksmen at the stationary target, +but when Billy talked about going out to shoot pigs, I said that he +would find it a very different matter to hit a moving thing. However, +he would not listen to me, but left me making some new arrows while he +went off by himself. He came back after a long time, empty-handed and +very crestfallen, having lost two arrows and broken a third, without +hitting a single pig. + +"I tell you what, master," says he, "you carry the target while I take +a shot at it: that will be as good as a running pig, and learn me to +shoot 'em." + +"And suppose you hit me?" I said. + +"Well, I might, that's true," he said, "you being bigger than a pig. +Don't I wish I knew how that there Little John aimed when he was +shooting at a deer!" + +[Illustration: Clay Saucepans, and Tongs of Wood] + +This made me think whether we could not devise a moving target, and +though I could not hit upon any means for several days, I did at last, +and we tried it, and it answered my expectations very well, and +moreover furnished us with a kind of sport, which was very grateful to +us in our loneliness. What we did was this: we made a target somewhat +larger than our first, in the same manner, but shaped like a man, that +is, the top was smaller than the rest, but we did not attempt to make +limbs. We made it very light, for this reason: that we strung it to a +thin rope made of the fibres of the plant I have mentioned before, this +rope being tied to two trees, about twenty yards apart, and at the +height of a man from the ground. We hung the target (or the Guy +Fawkes, as Billy called it) to the rope by a large loop, and to this we +tied another rope, but thinner, so that the guy could be drawn easily +along the rope from tree to tree. Then we took turns, the one shooting +at the guy with his arrows while the other drew it along as quickly as +he could, and we tried which of us could plant the most arrows in the +figure while it moved over this space of twenty yards, the loser having +to prepare the food for next day's meals. We found it very good sport +and very good practice too, and there was not much to choose between +us, though I think I became a trifle more expert than Billy, he +excelling me in muscular strength, but I having, or acquiring, a +certain knack with which strength has nothing to do. + +You may be sure that as soon as we had attained to any skill in hitting +our running man Billy was mad to go out once more and shoot pigs, and +we were talking about doing so, as we ate our breakfast one morning, +when we heard a great uproar in the wood just below the mountain, +running out towards the natural archway. It seemed as if all the dogs +in the island were barking and yelping at once. Wondering what the +cause might be, we snatched up our bows and arrows, having also our +axes as usual, and hasting across the lava bed towards the noise, we +came upon a great sow with a litter of tiny pigs, and twenty or more +dogs around them. This amazed us, for we had never seen the dogs +attack the pigs before, and I guessed that they would not have done so +now, only the sow was limping as if one of her legs was broken, and I +thought she might have fallen from a height, the ground hereabouts +being very rough and jagged. However, she was making a good fight of +it against the dogs, and we stopped to watch the struggle, forgetting +our own errand. + +The dogs, as I have before shown, were possessed of a certain degree of +cunning, and while some of them held the sow at bay, others rushed in +among the litter and carried off at least one of the piglets; the +mother, threatened on all sides, being unable to defend all her family. +After we had watched the scene for a little, Billy whispered to me, "I +say, master, you ain't a-going to let the dogs have all the pork?" I +agreed that we had as good a right to it as they, so we ran forward +shouting, and the dogs, which had seized enough of the litter to make a +very good meal, ran away with their booty, being plainly afraid that we +should attempt to take it from them. + +When the sow spied us she knew that we were as dangerous enemies to her +family as the dogs; at least she guessed it, for she made a very savage +rush at Billy, who was nearest to her, and would have overthrown him +but that she was lame and he was nimble. We took counsel together what +we should do, having a mind to capture her and lead her to our +settlement by the lake, for we knew that the little ones would follow +her, and Billy had a great notion of starting a piggery. But we saw +that, her leg being broken, we should have great difficulty in leading +her over the hill, even if our united strength could pull her: yet we +did not like to leave her to the mercy of the dogs, which would +certainly worry her slowly to death, helpless as she was. Accordingly +we thought it best to kill her outright, and while Billy did this with +his axe, I easily caught two of the little ones, which remained near +their mother, and held them by the legs until Billy came to my +assistance, and then we tied their legs together with creepers, so that +they could not escape. Then Billy caught another one, and reached +after the fourth, which, however, had become alarmed and scampered +away, only to be snapped up by the dogs. + +Now the question was, how should we bring the dead sow and the live +piglets to our hut by the lake?--for we had determined to eat the sow +and to keep the little ones alive. The sow was too heavy for one, or +even both of us, to carry over the steep and rocky hillside; the little +pigs were too small to be driven and must be carried. If we took the +sow and left the pigs, they would be seized by the dogs; while if we +took them and left the sow, there would be very little remaining of her +by the time we came back. We settled that I should carry the pigs +home, and bring back ropes for dragging the carcase, over which Billy +would keep guard; so I took a little squealing one under each arm, and +Billy slung the third to my back with a creeper, and I was about to +start when Billy said: "What if old father bacon hears their squeals +and comes after you?" In that case I should certainly have to drop one +of the pigs to wield my axe: my bow and arrows, of course, I could not +carry; but I must take the risk, and so set off, very well laden. + +I came safely to our hut, and shut up the pigs inside (which was a +trouble to us afterwards, but there was no help for it at the time, we +having no other place in which to secure them), and then, taking some +of our ropes, I hastened back to Billy. But I had no sooner got to the +top of the slope above the lake than I heard the same barking and +yelping and snarling as before, and in the same direction. This made +me hurry my steps, and 'twas well I did so, for when I came upon the +scene, there was Billy by the sow, and the pack of dogs leaping with +great uproar about him, he having his back to a rock, and very manfully +wielding his axe to keep off the furious animals. The moment I saw +this I gave a great shout, having before observed that nothing was more +likely to scare these wild creatures, and rushed upon them, and seeing +me they turned tail and scampered away into the wood. + +I found Billy in a very sad case. He told me that I had not long +departed when the dogs came creeping up, and then, being worked into a +frenzy by the sight and the scent of the carcase, and emboldened by +seeing only one instead of two boys, they had made a rush upon him. He +shot at them when he perceived that they were closing in, and I found +that one arrow had killed a dog, another was sticking in the ground, +and a third had broken against a spar of rock. Then he could no longer +shoot, because they were upon him, but he killed two with his axe, not +before he had been severely bitten about the legs, as he tried to +prevent them from mangling the sow, and indeed he was in very great +danger when I appeared to his rescue. The carcase had been so torn by +the dogs that I did not care to have anything more to do with it; +besides, Billy was so severely hurt, though he did not complain, that I +saw he could give me little help in dragging the carcase home; for +which reasons we decided to leave it to the dogs, and I only regretted +that we had not done so before. I was so anxious about Billy, +wondering whether his blood would be poisoned by the bite of the dogs, +that I forgot to pick up our bows and arrows until he reminded me of +them, and indeed he insisted on my gathering up two of those he had +shot, the third being broken, saying that we could not spare any now +that we had to reckon the dogs as our mortal enemies. Leaving the +carcase, then, which the dogs were at instantly, we returned to our +place, and then I bathed Billy's wounds with water from the lake, and +tore a great strip off my shirt to make bandages, for which Billy +blamed me, but what else could I do? + +[Sidenote: A Pig-sty] + +Since we could not endure that the pigs should be with us in the hut +(they had been there too long already), we had to build a sty for them, +or rather I had to, for Billy tried very bravely to help me, but had to +give up after a short while. For some days he wore a very troubled +look, asking me whether I thought he would go mad; but he cheered up +wonderfully as the days passed and he did not take a dislike to water. +I made as good a sty as I could with logs and branches, tying up the +pigs inside so that they could not get away, but we were awakened in +the middle of the night by a loud squealing, and when I ran out I found +that the dogs had come and scratched away a part of the weak fence, and +I was only just in time to save the piglets from them. Since I could +do nothing to strengthen the sty in the darkness, I built a great fire +near it, and sat by it for the rest of the night, in no very agreeable +frame of mind, I assure you, and wishing that we had not brought the +pigs, for being wild they were scarce likely to thrive in captivity. +However, Billy was so set upon commencing swine-herd that I gave in to +him, and next day began to build another sty, somewhat farther from the +hut, and very much stronger, in which we put two of the pigs, killing +the third and roasting a part for our dinner, hanging the rest up in +the smoke of our fire to cure it. For roasting we made a tripod like +to those that gipsies have, and not having any metal we made it of +pottery ware, moulding the clay about three straight saplings. + +[Illustration: Our Pig-sty] + +We had had so little flesh-meat hitherto that we had not felt the lack +of utensils, such as knives and forks; for bread-fruit needed nothing +but our fingers, and eggs we always boiled hard. But now that we had +the means of procuring flesh, I began to think of knives and forks and +other things which we commonly use at home, though I have been told +that our forefathers employed nothing but their fingers up to not so +very long ago. Seeing that we should not be able for a few days to +take up our work on the new hut, while Billy was recovering of his +wounds, I thought it a fair opportunity to provide ourselves with +articles of this sort if we could. We had no lack of material for +handles, and it was not a very hard matter to shape a two-pronged fork +of wood with the axe; but it was different with the knives, since we +had nothing that would serve for blades except flints. However, by +searching about the hillside I found several thin and fairly flat +pieces of flint which we contrived to split still thinner and to +sharpen by continually grinding them against the rocks, and when we had +fixed them into handles which we made of the hollow shoots of a certain +tree, we had knives, clumsy indeed, and not very sharp, but good enough +to sever the limbs of the animals we killed for food, and also to part +the meat into pieces when it was cooked. + +[Illustration: Knives and Fork] + +[Sidenote: Salt and Water] + +This same matter of meat put it into our heads to get salt for +ourselves, and fresh water; for neither could we relish the food +without the one nor quench our thirst without the other, cocoa-nut +juice after pork having very disagreeable effects. We got water from +the sea in some of the shallow pans that I had made, and found that by +leaving these exposed the water in course of time evaporated, leaving a +very rough and common kind of salt behind, and mixed with other +substances. As for fresh water, we found when we boiled water from the +lake, and allowed it to stand till it cooled and then poured it off, +that it almost wholly lost the sulphurous taste, and we could drink it +without hurt, which was a great comfort to us. We also put some of our +pans out when rain fell, which happened pretty often, so that I have +forgot to mention it; and with our fare thus enlarged, and being +provided with conveniences that we had not dreamt of at first, our lot +was much improved; and indeed we only wanted some means of replenishing +our wardrobe to be set up for life. + +[Illustration: Clay Pail, the Handle of a Tough Root, bound on with +Shrunk Hide] + +What with one thing and another, I think near a month must have passed +before we returned to our work on the big hut. There may be some who +will blame us for this dilatoriness, and say that we ought to have +continued on one task until it was finished; but I will say to them +that if we had done so we might not only have fallen ill for want of +change in our food, but we might have starved in the winter through not +laying up a store; and besides, these critics have never been, I dare +say, alone upon a desolate island. However, we did go back to our +work, and the four corner posts being set up, as I have said, we had +next to build the walls, which we did in the following manner. + +[Sidenote: The Hut] + +Between the corner posts, and about six inches apart, we planted strong +poles about three inches across, leaving a gap on the side farthest +from the lake, this being our doorway. On the outside of these upright +posts we lashed a number of thicker logs, twice as thick indeed as the +others, by means of creepers, laying the logs horizontally one upon +another. This was only done with prodigious labour, as you may guess, +all the poles and logs having to be felled and trimmed by us with our +rude instruments, and if I had hitherto been able to keep count of the +days, I should have clean lost it now, for we did not desist from our +work until the walls were finished, and every day was like the one that +went before and the one that came after. When the walls were finished, +and it was a question of the roof, we deliberated for a little whether +to make it flat, or to give it a pitch, like the roofs of cottages at +home in England. What determined us was the discovery that water was +beginning to ooze through the flat roof of our small hut; the rains +becoming heavier and more frequent as we drew near to the winter +season. Accordingly we gave a pitch of about four feet to our roof, +thus forming a fair slope on each side to carry off the rain water. +The framework of the roof was formed of bamboos lashed together, and +resting on grooves which we cut with much toil in the tops of the wall +posts. In order to keep out the rain we decided to thatch the roof +over, and for this purpose we collected a great quantity of grasses and +reeds from the borders of the lake. Billy told me that the thatched +roof of a cottage belonging to his uncle at Plumstead was full of +fleas, and as we did not desire to be visited by any such creatures we +soaked our materials very thoroughly in the sulphurous water of the hot +spring, thinking this would repel them, afterwards drying it in the +sun. We need not have troubled ourselves in this matter, for during +all the time we dwelt on the island we saw neither fleas nor any other +noxious insect; indeed, the grasshopper was the only kind worth +mentioning, and we grew to like their cheerful song in the evenings. + +The thatching took a long time, neither of us having the least idea how +to set about it, and I doubt not a true thatcher would have laughed at +our botching and bungling; but we did as well as we could, and were +mightily pleased with ourselves when the work was done. There only +remained the door, and if it had not been for the wild pigs and dogs on +the island we should never have troubled about a door at all, the +climate being such, even in winter, which was now upon us, that we need +never have closed our house to keep out the cold. But seeing that we +should never be secure from molestation by these beasts without a door, +we made one of stout logs lashed together, a little wider than the +doorway, and since we could not hinge it, we contrived so that when we +wished to close the hut at night or when we left it, we slid the door +between the wall and two stout posts which we drove into the ground +inside. As for a window, we did not need one, since we were up at dawn +and abed with the dark, and had the doorway always open when we were in +the hut during the daytime. + +I said we were abed with the dark, but we did not always sleep at once, +and oftentimes lay talking, so that we knew pretty nearly all about +each other before we had been many months on the island. Billy's life +had been so hard before he ran away to sea that I believe he was more +contented now than ever before, having got over his first fears of +savages and starvation, and the old smoker, as he called the burning +mountain. (This, I ought to say here, had not been violently active +since we first came to the island, though we sometimes heard faint +rumblings, and saw spurts of steam and water, but never so great as at +first.) I was not near so contented as Billy, for my life had been very +easy and comfortable at Stafford, and I remembered my kind friends +there, and sometimes felt in the lowest deeps of misery when I thought +I might never see them again. But when I reflected I saw that I ought +to be thankful that I was not cast on a barren island, or among +savages, and there was always a hope that some navigator might sail +towards our island and spy our flagstaff, though we often vexed +ourselves with the thought that a vessel might pass us in the night and +we know nothing about it. I think by this time we had altogether +forgotten the men of the _Lovey Susan_, and did not in the least +trouble ourselves to guess at what had become of them, though Billy did +say once that he was sure they were eaten up by savages. + +[Sidenote: Clothes] + +Our large hut being finished, I thought we deserved another holiday, +having never left working at it for many weeks, or perhaps months. But +the very first day we purposed being idle, a great storm of rain +overtook us as we roamed over the hills, and drove us back to our house +for shelter. We were drenched to the skin, and our garments were so +old and tattered that we thought they would fall to pieces when we +stripped them off to dry them; and moreover, though the air was not +cold, as we know cold in England, yet it was chilly sometimes, +especially at night, and I feared sometimes when we got wet, that we +should be seized with an ague. We began to consider whether we could +not by some means contrive to make ourselves clothes, and I reminded +Billy that we had made a kind of cloth for our flag out of the bark of +the bread-fruit tree. + +"Yes, but we ain't got no scissors," says he, "and there's a deal of +cutting out to be done in making clothes. My mother--not my real +mother, you know--used to make my breeches out of father's, and you +should have seen her snipping at 'em, gnashing her teeth together all +the time. We can't cut out with our axes, or them things you call +knives." + +This was true, but I suggested we might beat out the strips of bark +till they became of the proper shape. Billy scoffed at this. "What +about patterns?" he said. "She used to have paper things, and lay 'em +on the cloth and cut round 'em, and you can't make sleeves without 'em, +that I'm sure of. Besides, where's our needle and thread?" + +"We've made thread out of the fibres of the cocoa-nut," I said, "and as +for needles, couldn't we point some thin sticks, and try them?" + +"We can try," says he, "but it won't be no good, and you've forgot all +about thimbles." + +We did try, and I was not very much surprised when we failed, for +though we could point a stick with our flints, we had nothing with +which we could pierce the eye, and we found that tying the thread to +the end was by no means satisfactory. However, we did contrive to put +a few patches into our breeches by sticking on some of the bread-fruit +cloth, which was soft and brown, with the sticky stuff that came out of +the bark when we beat it. I should mention that we were not able to +use this stuff immediately, for it did not make the cloth adhere; but +we found that if we left it for a day, it became hard, and being then +heated in one of our pots over a fire, it turned into a very fair glue. +Besides patching our breeches thus, we made ourselves long coats, or +rather cloaks, for they had no sleeves, being simply a long piece of +cloth with a hole in the middle, and though we laughed at each other a +good deal when we put them on, they covered us from neck to heel, and +were very useful in keeping off the rain. And while we were about +this, we thought we might as well make hats too, if we could; and after +many failures we managed to fashion some bonnets out of cocoa-nut +leaves, which kept our heads dry, and when the summer came defended +them from the sun's heat, and our necks too, for we stuck on flaps at +the back. + +[Illustration: Billy's Palm-leaf Hat] + +We had started a piggery, as I have mentioned. At first it was a great +deal of trouble to us, for the dogs came yelping round the sty at +night, and the wild pigs also tried to reach the two piglets we had +captured, and we had to be constantly on the watch lest the walls of +the sty should be broken through. However, these wild inhabitants of +our island in course of time seemed to accept the piggery as part of +the order of things, and left us in peace. But our troubles were +started again when Billy all of a sudden conceived the notion of a +poultry run. In the course of our second holiday, after our new hut +was finished, we chanced to discover several nests of hens, which we +had formerly sought for in vain, they being cunningly concealed or else +very inaccessible. Domestic fowls do not seem in general to be very +plentifully endowed with wits, but the fowls on our island, having to +provide against the rapacity of rats and dogs and pigs, certainly had +more intelligence than ordinary; and the hens were not particular about +the comfort of their nests, so long as they could find a shelter--some +secluded nook among the rocks where they could lay their eggs. Billy +had said more than once that he would like to have a poultry run, but +though we now and then found eggs, and once or twice managed to bring +down a fowl with our arrows, which we roasted or boiled, we had never +yet been able to catch one alive. They frequented mostly the little +patch of woodland in the extreme west of the island, and there we +sometimes saw them roosting in the upper branches of tall trees. It +was near this spot that we found the nests I have mentioned, but the +birds were very wary, and flew away at the first sign of our approach. + +[Sidenote: Fowling] + +It was clear that if we were to catch them, we must snare them in some +way or other, and having not thought of making nets, which we might +have done with cocoa-nut fibres--indeed, we did afterwards--we wondered +whether the sticky substance that came from the bread-fruit bark might +serve us as birdlime. We tried it, but we found that it hardened too +quickly for our purpose; at least, that was how we explained our want +of success; and we thought that if we mixed it with some other +substance that would keep it moist the result might be different. We +tried bread-fruit, and then shredded cocoa-nut, but neither was +effectual; and then, almost as a last resource, we made the experiment +with a nut that I have not before mentioned, because we had not found +it of any use as food. It grew on a tall and very leafy tree, and the +ground was at this time strewed with the olive-green fruits which had +fallen, being over-ripe. We easily removed the outer covering, and +within was a hard shell, something like a walnut, only smooth, and +inside the shell was a whitish kernel, which we had found was not very +palatable; but it was very oily, and we thought this, when pounded, +might mix very well with our glue, as I may call it.[1] Accordingly we +did this, and taking a quantity of the mixture to the spot which the +fowls haunted, we smeared a fallen branch with it, and having spread +some small pieces of baked bread-fruit as bait, we went among the trees +to await the issue. + +[Sidenote: A Fowl-house] + +Billy was patient enough when work was a-doing, but he never could bide +patiently, for which reason many holidays were not good for him. He +ran so often to the edge of the wood to see if any birds were snared, +that I am sure he was the cause why we had to wait so long, the birds +taking alarm at his movements. At last I persuaded him to go with me +back to our house, and when we returned after a long interval we +suspected by the unaccustomed cackling we heard that our birdlime had +proved successful; and so it was, for when we came to the branch, there +was a fine hen fluttering her wings and cackling most lamentably, and +also a kind of wood pigeon, which did not make near so much noise. +Billy wrung the neck of the pigeon in an instant, saying it would make +a tasty morsel for dinner, and then we tied the legs of the hen, and +carried her home. But one hen does not make a poultry run, and it was +a considerable time before we caught any more fowl, the fate of the +first seeming to have warned the rest. However, we did succeed in +catching four or five more at intervals, and we turned our small hut +into a fowl-house, putting poles across for them to roost on. It is a +strange thing, but after a little while the fowls, which had before +scarce made a sound, began to cackle and crow just as the fowls do in +England, and Billy said that finding they were now safe from their +enemies, and fed regularly, they were much happier than before, and +showed it by their singing. How that may be I know not, but I am +inclined to think that they had better kept silence, for one morning +after a night of wind and rain, during which we heard that strange +sound we heard on our first night, we found the gate of our poultry run +open and all the fowls gone, leaving only a great quantity of feathers +scattered about, both inside and out. This told us pretty plainly what +had happened, and if we needed assurance, we had it in the footprints +in the sodden ground. + +[Illustration: Our Small Hut turned into a Fowl-house] + +"'Tis them rampageous dogs, master," cried Billy in a fury. "The +thieving villains! And one of the hens beginning to sit, too! I wish +we could poison 'em." + +"We can't do that," I said, "but we shall have to make war on them, or +we shall never feel safe, either for our belongings or ourselves, for +they attacked you, and I am pretty sure that if one of us was hurt and +could not count on the help of the other he would soon be torn in +pieces. We must teach them a lesson." + +"Yes, but how?" says Billy. "They're such cowards that they won't +stand still to be shot at." + +"Nor would you, if you were a wild dog," I said. "I think we had +better set a trap for them." + +[Sidenote: War on the Dogs] + +"Yes, and catch 'em alive oh!" says Billy, and we straightway began to +consider of the kind of trap that would serve us best, Billy favouring +a running noose, which seemed to me not very sure, so I proposed a pit +covered over with branches and leaves. We tried this, and before we +went to bed we put a good-sized piece of roast pork (Billy having shot +a pig that day) on the covering of the pit, hoping that the dogs would +be drawn to it by the smell and then would tumble into the pit, where +we should find them in the morning. In the middle of the night we +heard a yapping and yelping; but we did not get up, for one thing +because it was dark and we could scarcely have seen to deal with our +captives. However, in the morning we found the pork gone and also the +dogs, and when we examined the pit we saw that some had fallen in but +scrambled out again up the sides, though how they did it we never could +tell, the hole being of a pretty good depth. This failure did not +slacken our determination, and we soon thought of a more subtle trick, +to which there was one drawback in the fact that we had no means of +making a good torch, which seemed essential to it. We could, of +course, have made a great blaze with our fire, which we had never let +go out since we had first kindled it, except when a great rain put it +out; but that would as like as not have defeated our own ends. +However, it chanced that one evening we made a discovery which was +useful to us in this particular, and much more afterward, as will +appear. + +I have mentioned the nut we pounded and mixed with glue to make our +birdlime. Well, since we did not wish to use up too many cocoa-nuts or +too much of our bread-fruit paste for feeding our two pigs, which were +thriving wonderfully, we gave them these other nuts, which they +appeared to like very well. On this evening I speak of, in +replenishing the fire to cook our supper, we happened to throw into it +two or three nuts which had got among the fuel, and we observed that +they burned with a very bright flame, quite different from the flame of +wood or cocoa-nut shells. We did not think any more of it for the +moment, but when I lay in bed (I say bed, but it was only leaves and +dried grass), our house being pitch-dark, I thought all of a sudden +that perhaps we could make a candle of these nuts if we wished, though +we had no need of a light, having nothing to read. I called out to +Billy to know if he was awake, and telling him of my notion, he said, +"What's the good?" which I remember he always did say when I suggested +anything new. However, I resolved to see whether I was right, and next +day I put two or three kernels together, and kindled them, and they +burned with a light like a candle's, but with a rather offensive smell. + +We at once set about making a torch, and finding that we had a +difficulty in getting the kernels entire out of the shells, which were +very hard, we thought of boiling them, and then found that the shells +cracked with the slightest tap, so that the kernels came out whole. +When we had some twenty of these kernels we skewered them together on a +thin, hard stick, and so had a torch, and there being now no obstacle +to the trick I purposed playing on the dogs, we took one of our pigs +into the house, and surrounded the other with a kind of stout stockade +inside the sty, and at nightfall we left the gate of the sty open, but +contrived that we could easily close it by means of a rope which we +carried into our house. We did not go to bed, but waited, holding our +torch ready, with flint and tinder, and also a couple of the spears I +have before mentioned, which, although rude weapons, were the fittest +for the work in hand. + +It was not long before we heard the light patter of feet, and soon +after the squealing of our decoy. We waited a little, so as to give +our expected guests plenty of time to establish themselves, knowing too +that they would not be able to do any harm to the pig, and then we +pulled the rope, so closing the gate upon the intruders. Then I +kindled the torch, and holding it aloft in my left hand, I rushed out +with a spear in my right hand, and Billy armed in like manner. The sty +was a good way from the house, and before we got to it the dogs that +were outside, alarmed by the unwonted glare and by our shouts, +scampered away into the darkness, leaving their comrades howling and +yelping in the sty, and the pig squealing too in a terrible fright. +Having the prisoners now at our mercy, for they could not leap the +walls of the sty, we doomed them to instant execution, and when some of +them fled for refuge into the covered part of the sty, we took off a +portion of the roof, and so fell on them again, and did not desist +until we had killed every one. We left them there until the morning, +and then carried them forth, nine in all, and Billy insisted on +skinning them, saying that their coats would make fine mats for our +house-floor, which indeed they did when they had been well washed in +lake-water and dried in the open air. The vengeance we took had an +excellent deterrent effect on the rest of the pack, which no more +molested us, at least in that part of the island. We caught more fowls +to replace those that had been stolen, and captured the litter of +another sow, which we killed for food, and were happy in the thought +that by natural increase our fowls and pigs would in course of time +provide us with as much food as we needed, or even more. We kept the +hides of those we killed, though we had no immediate use for them. +Billy said he wished he could make a pair of boots, for the rough +ground was very troublesome to his bare feet, and my boots were very +much worn and, indeed, scarcely held together. But we knew nothing of +bootmaking, and for some time did not attempt to provide ourselves with +footwear, though afterwards we contrived to make some strange and +uncouth foot-gloves: I can call them by no other name. + + + +[1] This was clearly the candle-nut, of which more is said +presently.--H.S. + + + + +CHAPTER THE TENTH + +OF THE NAMING OF OUR ISLAND--OF A FLEET OF CANOES, AND OF THE MEANS +WHEREBY WE PREPARE TO STAND A SIEGE + + +We had now fairly established ourselves as the owners of the island, +having a comfortable house, domestic animals, and a sufficient store of +food, the only article in which we were lamentably deficient being +clothes. The necessity we were under of working hard with our hands +left us little time for commiseration, and I verily believe that we +were in the main as cheerful and happy as we could have been anywhere. +And now that the completion of our hardest tasks left us a little +leisure, it came into our heads that we ought to give our property a +name, or rather it was Billy that thought of it, he saying that since I +was clearly king of the country, it was ridiculous not to be able to +say what country it was. + +"Call it Smoking Island," says he, "because of that old smoker up +there." + +To this I objected that it was not a pretty name, and besides, the +mountain was not always smoking. + +"Well then," he said, "call it Lonely Island, because it is lonely, and +so are we." + +To this I replied that a more cheerful name would suit me better, and +suggested that we should call it Perseverance Island, since all our +present comforts sprang from our persevering in the face of +difficulties. But this Billy would by no means agree to, saying that +it looked like bragging, and besides he hated the word perseverance, +because he had to write it so many times on his slate at school, and it +made him think of raps on the knuckles. He told me that he had been +for a few months at a charity school, but he played truant so often +that the master refused to have him any longer, at which he was very +glad. After considering sundry other names, to which either Billy or I +had some objection, we finally settled on Palm Tree Island, both +because most of the trees of the island were palms, and because we got +our first comfort, when we were deserted, from the cocoa-nut palms on +the hill-side. + +The general country being thus fitted with a name, we proceeded to name +the several parts of it. The mountain we called simply The Mountain, +though to Billy it was always Old Smoker; the slope leading up to the +crater we called Rocky Hill, and the wood beneath Bread-fruit Wood. +The big rock at the north-west corner was Red Rock, and the two smaller +ones at the south-west were The Sentinels. And so we named various +parts as we thought of it, not all at one time, and many of them not +until I made my map, of which I may say more hereafter. I must +mention, however, that Billy insisted on giving my name to the wood +where we slept on our first night, and in my turn I gave his name to a +sandy bay on the west of the island, and Billy was very proud when he +spelt out Bobbin's Bay on the aforesaid map. + +[Sidenote: Plantations] + +So the winter passed away, not like the winter in England, for we had +no frost or snow, nor did the leaves fall from the trees; the only true +sign that it was winter was the absence of flowers and fruit on the +trees; and even this was not the case with all of them, for the +cocoa-nut palm bore its fruit all the year round, so that on the same +tree there were nuts in all stages of ripeness, which I thought a very +wonderful thing. We had a considerable amount of rain, and this became +greater as we came into the spring season. We had kept for this season +the yams which we saved from the pigs, as I related a while ago, and we +now planted them, choosing two places, since we did not know on what +soil they would thrive best, whether where we had found them, or near +our house. We had kept the yams in one of our pans, and we guessed it +was time to plant them because we saw sprouts growing out of them, as +you sometimes see the eyes of a potato sprouting. We cut these +sprouting parts off, keeping the other parts for boiling, and set them +in the ground, some on the ground just below our house, the others in +the glade where we had discovered them. Knowing that we stood no +chance of getting a crop unless we defended the plants from the wild +pigs, we put fences of hurdles (made of twigs and reeds) round our +plantations, which were at first only a few yards square, and waited +with what patience we might for the result. I will say here that the +yams we planted near our house came to nothing, why I know not; but the +others throve exceedingly, and though we had some trouble with the +pigs, which broke down the fence more than once and did some damage, we +got a very fair crop in the summer, which supplied us with mashed +potatoes, as Billy said (for which we used dripping from the pigs we +cooked), and also with seed for another sowing. + +[Illustration: Jug with Bent-wood Handle and Cup] + +[Sidenote: Articles of Toilet] + +Though our great work in the building of our hut was finished (at least +we thought it was) our days were by no means idle, for we had our +animals to feed and our fences to keep in repair, and moreover we made +more pots and pans, also arrows and spears, thread and rope. One thing +that gave me much amusement was the brush that Billy made. Of course +we had not been able to attend to our toilet since we came to Palm Tree +Island, beyond bathing and washing our heads: I mean we could not brush +our hair, which was now grown down to our shoulders for want of +scissors, nor trim our finger-nails, though our hard work kept these +pretty short. But on going down to the lake one sunny day to fetch +water I saw my image reflected, and afterwards bemoaning my exceeding +unkempt appearance, though in truth it mattered nothing, Billy took it +into his head to make me, secretly, a brush and comb, which he +presented to me with great glee. "There, old king," says he, for he +sometimes called me king instead of master since we named the island, +"there you are, and I hope you'll use 'em to keep your old majesty's +head tidy." His manner of addressing me was not, you perceive, very +reverential; but I will say this for Billy, that though he was very +sturdy and independent of spirit, he was never insolent, being a +gentleman in his nature, and so we were rather good comrades than +anything else, and the talk of kings and so forth was mere fun and +play-acting. I did use the brush and comb which he had made for me, +but not, I confess, very often, and I cannot help thinking what a great +number of things that we are accustomed to we could do without; indeed, +though we had made ourselves knives and forks, we did not use them very +much either and you might have seen us at dinner-time squat down on the +floor of our house, with two mats of leaves in front of us, on one of +which was our meat (pork, or a pigeon or fowl), on the other our yams +or bread-fruit, boiled or baked, with a little heap of salt in the +corner, and little clay mugs filled with cocoa-nut juice or water at +the side. Then we would take a yam in one hand and a shank of pork, or +a leg of fowl, in the other, dip them in the salt and take a bite, and +then a bite of the yam, and so go through our meal very comfortably +till only the bones were left. Afterwards we thought of making stools +and chairs and a table, as much to employ our time as for any +conveniency of them, and then we ate our meals again in the civilized +way, though I own I thought it not a whit better nor much cleaner than +the other, for we could always wash our hands. + +[Illustration: The Brush Billy made, showing also the manner of it] + +[Illustration: Comb of Spines] + +I said that we could not cut our hair, but when it grew so long that it +covered our shoulders, and Billy said I should soon be an old woman, we +thought of shortening it by burning; so we each became barber in turn, +holding the hair away from the head with Billy's comb, and then burning +the ends away with a torch. Billy was much more hairy than I was, and +though he was three years younger than me his cheeks and chin already +showed signs of black whiskers and beard, and one day I found him +trying to shave with a flint, having made soap by boiling fat with the +ashes of wood; but he succeeded so ill, only making his chin raw, that +he gave it up, and said he supposed he would have to look a fright. + +[Illustration: "ONE DAY I FOUND HIM TRYING TO SHAVE WITH A FLINT."] + +[Sidenote: A Fleet of Canoes] + +One day, about a year after our first coming to the island, as we +judged by the ripeness of the breadfruit, Billy went up Flagstaff Hill, +as we called it, to take the survey which we never omitted, each of us +doing it in turn, though we sometimes went together. I was moulding a +new pan, when all of a sudden I heard a great shout from the hill-side +above, and looking up I saw Billy leaping down towards me with a speed +that seemed very dangerous, waving his arms and shouting, though in the +distance I could not distinguish his words. My heart leapt into my +mouth, as the saying is, for from his excitement I surmised that he had +descried a sail at sea, and I thought he was calling to me to help him +raise our signal. I ran towards him, and as we drew nearer to each +other, I saw plainly on his face the marks of great agitation, and then +in a breathless way he called the one word "Savages!" and I was +instantly in a terrible fear lest they had landed on the island and +were coming to attack us. + +However, when we met, Billy told me that from the hill-top he had seen +a fleet of canoes on the north side of the island, passing from west to +east. They were filled with savages, though whether armed or not he +could not tell, they being a good distance out at sea, nor was there +anything to show whether they purposed landing. It came into my mind +with a shock at that moment that we were very ill able to defend +ourselves in case they should land and attack us, for we had very +little provision in our hut, and if we took refuge there they might +keep us shut up until we died of hunger, or thirst, which would be +worse. I blamed myself very much for lack of prudence in not making +provision for such an emergency, but the truth is that after spending +so many months without seeing a human form we had become careless, and +went from day to day as though there had been no human beings in the +world except our two selves. However, it was too late to make up for +this neglect now, if the savages did indeed land, and I saw that in +that case we could only take to the woods and trust that our hut and +plantations, being inland, might pass undiscovered. Accordingly I +accompanied Billy back up the hill, and we went round the wood where +our signal-tree was, to a place nearer the crater, whence we had a more +extensive view. + +"There they are!" cried Billy, pointing out to sea, and I saw eight or +nine long canoes filled with brown men, who must have numbered near two +hundred in all. But I saw with inexpressible relief that they had come +past the Red Rock, and were proceeding steadily eastward, and knowing +that there was no beach on the north side of the island where they +might land, we had great hope that we should not be troubled with them. +Keeping out of sight behind rocks, though indeed there was perhaps +little danger of our being seen, we watched the fleet until it became +no more than a speck on the eastern horizon, and then we went down to +our hut, relieved of present danger, but by no means easy in mind about +the future. + +[Sidenote: Fortification] + +We knew not whether the fleet was going or returning, but whichever it +was, I was surprised it had not put in at our island for rest and +refreshment, for the nearest land to the west was at least twenty miles +away, and on the east it could not be less, for we had seen but the +dimmest line in that direction. Billy said the savages were without +doubt afraid of the old smoker, and even though he was harmless at +present, the island had a bad name, and so they would not land on it +except under very great stress. This I devoutly hoped was the true +explanation, for if it was, we had a reasonable hope that we should +never have to deal with savage enemies. Yet the fright we had had +determined us to do something to provide more efficiently for our +safety, and the first thing we did was to make loopholes in the walls +of our hut, so that if we were at any time forced to take refuge there, +we might at least be able to make some resistance by shooting arrows at +the enemy. Then we carried a great number of cocoa-nuts into the +house, which would provide us both with meat and drink, and we +determined to dig a hole in the floor when the bread-fruit was fully +ripe, and store it with the pounded pulp as we had done outside. Then +it came into my head of a sudden that, our hut being built wholly of +logs and thatch, the enemy might easily set fire to it and burn us +alive, and to hinder this we carried down great quantities of the +clayey soil of which we made our pottery ware, and mixing it with sand +and small stones, we made a kind of rough-cast with which we covered +the whole of the outside of the hut, roof and all, so that we not only +concealed the joints of the walls, but also, as I hoped, protected the +hut from fire. + +This work took us a long time, as you may guess, and before we had +finished it, we saw the fleet again. One or other of us went up the +hill several times a day to watch the eastern horizon, and on the third +day, I think it was, after we first saw the canoes, a little after +sunrise, I saw some tiny specks in the east, and recognizing them by +and by for canoes I watched them with great anxiety. I feared lest we +might have two enemies to deal with, the savages and the volcano, which +had been rumbling for a day or two at intervals, and sending up puffs +of steam or smoke, and we wondered whether there was going to be +another eruption like that at the time of our first coming. As soon as +I saw the canoes, I signalled for Billy to join me, and the moment we +caught sight of them he cried: "Why, there's only six; there was eight +or nine before," a fact which had escaped my notice. They were plainly +heading straight for the island, and not in a course that would bring +them past the north side with a good offing as before. + +"I don't want to be eat," said Billy, going pale under his sun-tan; +"but we can't fight over a hundred savages, can we, master?" + +Before I could reply there was a loud rumbling beneath us, and being +not a great way from the crater, we set off at a run, going down +towards the Red Rock, there being no lava on this side. We had run +barely twenty yards when a great puff of steam or smoke was shot up +into the air for near two hundred feet, I should guess, and a shower of +pumice stones fell around us. This frightened us so much that, +forgetting all about the canoes, we did not stop running until we came +to the edge of the cliff opposite the Red Rock, and then, there being +no more signs of activity in the volcano, we were thinking of climbing +up again to our watching-place when, to our great joy, we caught sight +of the canoes making round the north side, and indeed bearing away +northwards away from us. + +"Three cheers for old smoker," cried Billy. "He's scared 'em away, +sure as nuts, and they won't eat us after all." + +We stood watching the canoes as they made their way very toilsomely +against wind and current, and did not go down to our hut until they had +quite vanished from sight. It was long past our usual dinner-time, I +am sure, and as we had had no breakfast we were mighty hungry, and ate +with very good appetites, having lost our fear; and taking up our mugs +of cocoa-nut juice, and knocking them together in the way of folks +drinking a toast, I cried out, "Here's to old smoker!" and Billy +shouted, "God bless him!" + +This happened, as I say, three days after our first alarm, and we did +not cease from our efforts to put ourselves in a good posture of +defence if we should ever again have reason to fear an attack. We had +already made our hut fairly fire-proof, and cut loop-holes in the +walls, these at varying heights, so that we might shoot down from a +height upon the enemy at a distance, or on a level with them if they +came to close quarters. Since a man behind walls is equal to at least +three outside, I should think, we considered that we two, though hardly +come to man's estate, could make a very good fight of it; our only +trouble was the matter of water, for while we had no fears in the +matter of food, we did not see how by any means we could store +sufficient water in the hut, even if we filled all our pots and pans. + +[Sidenote: Sinking a Well] + +I was lying with Billy one evening outside our hut overlooking the +lake, when the solution to this puzzle came all at once into my head. +The ground behind the hut sloped pretty steeply down to the lake, the +length of the slope being about twenty feet, and the vertical height +about six feet--that is, between the floor of our hut and the usual +surface of the water. For I must observe here, lest I forget it, that +the depth of water in the lake varied very much at different seasons, +being far greater after a period of rainy weather than in drought, the +variation being at least equal to the height of a man. And in regard +to this variation a circumstance caused us much wonderment, for though +when the rains were heavy the lake rose very rapidly to a certain +point, we observed that it never came higher than that point, no matter +how long the rains continued. When I pointed this out to Billy he saw +nothing to wonder at in it, saying that the lake must be just like the +sea; for though it had rained hundreds and thousands of times since the +beginning of the world, the sea had never drowned the world since the +Flood, and it surely would have done so unless there was some hole at +the bottom that opened when the sea was getting too full. + +"That can't be," said I. + +"Well, then, how is it?" says he. "You pour water into a cup, and +it'll slop over presently. The lake's a cup, though a big one; why +don't it slop over after all these rains if there ain't a hole in the +bottom, as I say?" + +"But it can't be in the bottom, Billy, or the lake would sometimes be +drained quite dry," I said. + +"Well, it is, pretty nearly," he replied, but I would not admit that, +for though the water subsided slowly after the rains had ceased, it had +never sunk so low as to let us see the bottom. At low water we hunted +all round the lake to see if we could find an outlet through which the +water ran away, but we saw none, and remained in our puzzlement for a +good while longer. + +However, I was beginning to tell of the notion that came into my head +as we lay that evening above the lake. Being so little distant from +it, I thought, why should we not sink a well in the floor of the hut, +and connect it with the lake by a pipe? + +"What's the good?" says Billy, when I put the question to him. "For +one thing, the water won't run up into the hut without a pump; at +least, I've never seen water run uphill yet; and then, as soon as any +savages come, you may be sure they'll spy it, and then where are you?" + +I said that as for the latter point, we should, of course, take care to +show no sign outside of what we had done; and as for the former, I did +not despair of finding some way to raise the water to our level, even +if we could not make a pump. Billy talked till it was dark about the +difficulties of what I proposed--the difficulty of digging a hole, of +preventing the earth from falling in, and so forth--until you would +have thought he was the poorest-spirited creature that ever lived; but +that was only Billy's way, and I often observed that he was never so +active and eager, aye, and never so hopeful too, as after he had been +talking in this gloomy manner. At any rate, next day he set to work +with me to make a trial of my notion. + +It happened that, the weather having been dry for a good while, the +water was now low, indeed, within a foot of the lowest point to which +we had ever known it to sink, which was favourable to our plan; for it +was necessary that our pipe should enter the lake below the water's +surface, even in the driest weather, and moreover if the latter had +been full, we should have found it very troublesome, and perhaps +impossible, to do as I shall now relate. This was nothing less than to +dam up the water of the lake for a little space, so that we might cut a +passage through the side of it towards our hut. To make this dam we +felled a number of logs and dragged them down to the bed of the lake, +where we arranged them in the shape of a great V, the point of the V +being out in the lake, the ends resting on the shore. We lashed the +logs together very firmly, and coated them with clay, and so made a dam +which we found to answer very well. Of course we had to bale out the +water which was first between the arms of the V, and Billy grumbled as +we did this, saying that he was sure there would be a heavy rainstorm, +and all our work would be for nothing; but in this he turned out a +false prophet, since we had no rain at all for many days. + +[Illustration: Spade cut out of a log] + +When the inside of the V was dry, its floor was about three feet below +the level of the water outside of it; and within that dry space we +could work very comfortably at making a cutting through the bank +towards the hut. To do this we had to make spades, which we fashioned +out of hard wood as well as we could with our axes, and they served our +purpose excellently well, though they would not have done so had not +the earth been soft; if it had been rocky, I know not what we should +have done. With these spades we began to cut away a portion of the +sloping bank of the lake, continuing till we had, as it were, taken a +slice or a wedge off it, up to within about three yards of our hut. +This took us two whole days, for the earth, though soft compared with +rock, was pretty compact, and our clumsy tools made us sigh often, and +sweat too. + +Having come, as I say, to within ten feet or so of our hut, I thought +we might then give over digging and endeavour to pierce a way to a +point directly beneath the centre of the floor, or at least near enough +as that we might sink a shaft to meet it. We surveyed the position for +some little while, so as to take our bearings, as Billy said: and then, +having got a pretty good notion of the course our proposed passage +should take, we shoved into the earth, horizontally, a pole we had +sharpened to a point, and when we found we could push it in no further, +we drew it out and gave it another mighty shove, directing it in such a +way as we thought would bring it midway between the two corner posts, +though of course several feet below the floor. We found after a time +that, though we tried to drive the pole straight, nevertheless it +deflected somewhat towards the right; and when we pulled it out to give +it another shove, it met with some obstacle, which I was afraid might +be the bottom part of one of our posts, though I could not conceive how +we had gone so far out of our reckoning. But with a little more +pushing the pole, being in a certain degree flexible, went past the +obstacle, so that if this was one of the posts, it had not been met +squarely in the middle. The pole being now wholly in the earth except +just enough of it to hold by, we judged that we had driven it as far as +was needful, and mighty glad of it we were. + +Leaving the pole in the earth, we set about boring in the floor of our +hut, not beginning midway between the door-posts, as we should have +done if we had encountered no obstacle, but a little to one side. We +proceeded here in the same manner as we had done in the bank of the +lake, using a sharp-pointed pole, only we drove it down in a vertical +direction; but we soon found that this would not effect our purpose, as +indeed we might have known before if we had thought about it, for it +was necessary that we should make a clean hole, which could not be done +by driving in a pole. After considering of it, we determined to get a +large piece of bamboo stalk, at least five inches across, and to drive +that into the earth with the pummet we had used in building the hut. +This we did, and placing the bamboo (a piece about three feet long) in +the hole we had already begun to drive, we dealt it several heavy blows +with the pummet, by this means driving it into the ground, and at the +same time forcing some earth up into its hollow interior. Then we took +the bamboo out, and carrying it outside the hut, poked all the earth +out of it, and when it was empty, put it once more into the hole, and +smote it again as before. This was a very tedious business, for as the +hole went deeper we had to use a longer piece of bamboo, and when we +had near finished the bamboo broke in the middle, and we had to dig to +a depth of three feet or more around the hole before we could reach the +lower portion to pull it out again, at which Billy was very wroth, +because the excavation had to be filled in again, so as to bring the +floor to its former level. However, we continued until the hole was +seven or eight feet deep, at which depth we thought we should come to +the pole we had driven through the bank; but it would have been +scarcely less than a miracle if we had bored the hole to the exact +spot, and we had indeed to enlarge its circumference until it measured +full thirty inches across, and not till then did we come to the pole. +When we did strike this we were both very joyful, for we had been +working at it for four full days, and had yet got but a very little way +in our design. + +[Sidenote: A Surprising Discovery] + +We went back now to the lake-side, and using bamboos as we had done in +the hut, but with longer and larger stems, we made little by little a +sort of tunnel about five inches wide running to the well we had sunk. +We then sank this latter a few inches below its former level, so as to +make a kind of cistern or reservoir for the water when it should flow +in from the lake; and in order that the water might not run away +through the soft earth, we let down a quantity of clay with which to +line the bottom, intending to bake it with fire after we had rammed it +until it became hard and tight. Billy took this work of ramming, +performing it with a long and stout pole, which he lifted high and then +brought down with great force, he always delighting to show the +strength of his muscles. However, he had just made a stroke of +particular power, when the beater pole slipped from his hands and he +fell flat on his face over the top of the well. He was on his feet +again in an amazing short time, and I laughed as he ran to the door, +holding his nose, I thinking he was running to the lake to bathe it. +But in a moment I was aware of a very evil smell which came without a +doubt from the well we had sunk, and it was so powerful, and also +noisome, that I very quickly beat a retreat too, and joined Billy +outside the hut. + +"I'm poisoned," says Billy, spluttering and spitting on the ground. +"What did you do it for, master? I said as how 'twould be no use." + +"You're a Job's comforter," said I, somewhat tartly, such a speech as +Billy's only sharpening the edge of adversity, to my thinking. + +"You're another," says Billy, who did not in the least know what I +meant, his acquaintance with the Bible being at that time, I fear, very +slight. "There's the bottom knocked out of the well, and dead men's +bones below, that's what it is." + +It did come into my head for a minute that we might have opened up some +grave, or at least a place where human folk had been overtaken and +buried by lava from the mountain; but I soon gave this up, for the +earth was soft, and not a whit like lava, and as for a grave, no one +would have dug it so deep down in the earth. I was just as much vexed +as Billy was at this untoward event, but I think I was even more +curious to learn what was beneath our unlucky well, and I went back +soon into the hut, intending to examine the place. However, the evil +smell was so overpowering that I was fain to seek the open air again, +and it was some time, an hour or two, maybe, before the air became +clear enough for us to enter the hut with any comfort. Bethinking +myself that the clearing of the air showed that there might be nothing +very terrible below, the foul smell being due to the sudden release of +air long imprisoned, I got a length of our rope, and let it down with a +stone on the end until it touched the bottom, which we found to be +twice as deep as before; and when I did this, I perceived another thing +which seemed to me mighty strange, which was nothing less than a +current of air passing up through the well. There was, it is true, a +passage now between the lake-side and the hut, but we had felt no +current when the connection was first established, and yet we could not +conceive of a current coming from the very bowels of the earth. Billy +declared, in something of a fright, that we had got down to the roots +of the mountain, whence came the steam and the hot water; but I +answered that this was plainly absurd, the current of air that we felt +being perfectly cool, though not very fresh. + +I thought we might let down a torch into the well, whereby we should +perhaps be able to see something of what was below. Accordingly we +kindled a torch of kernels and let it down at the end of a rope, and +very evilly it smelled, I assure you. We observed that the flame +flickered a great deal until it descended to the first bottom of our +well, or perhaps two or three feet deeper; then the torch burnt more +steadily, but the flame did not rise straight up, but seemed to be +swayed a little to either side, and I could not help thinking, by the +look of it, that it was burning in a greater space than when it was in +our narrow well-shaft. Considering of some means of proving whether +this was so or not, I could at first see none, short of enlarging the +shaft until one of us could descend it, which indeed neither Billy nor +I was disposed to attempt. It was next day when an idea came into my +head, and that was occasioned by my seeing the spring-back of Billy's +bow when he shot at the running man, at which we exercised ourselves +now and again, seeing that we might have real men to shoot at some day. +The spring of the bow, I say, gave me a notion, and taking a flexible +strip of wood of the same tree, I tied one end of it to a long pole, +and then bent it double, not fastening it in that position, but +inserting it thus bent into the shaft, the sides of which prevented it +from springing back. Then I lowered the pole, and the bent piece of +wood scraped the sides of the well until it reached what had been the +bottom and a little beyond it; but then, as I still let down the pole, +the bent wood sprang loose, like as Billy's bow did, which showed very +plainly that the shaft was much wider below. + +This discovery perplexed, nay, disquieted us. For one thing, it was a +mercy that we had not lighted on this hollow chamber, for such it must +be, when we were driving in the posts for our hut, for then we might +have broken our necks. As yet we were ignorant of the extent of this +open space, though we knew its depth, nor could we tell whether it in +any way endangered the firmness of the hut. Billy said that if he had +known there was such a cellar beneath us he would not have lifted a +hand to help me build, and I own that if we had discovered it when we +were beginning to build, I should have assuredly chosen another +situation. But after spending so many months of hard work in putting +up our hut, I was very loath to leave it now and begin all over again, +though it was a staggering thought that at any moment of the day or +night we might sink, and the hut too, and maybe be cast into another +hole, for we could not tell but that the second bottom might give way +like the first. Moreover, even supposing that our hut was no less safe +than before, all the labour that we had been put to in devising a means +of supplying ourselves with water from the lake had gone for nought. I +think this was the heaviest blow we had had since we took up our abode +on the island, and for a time we stood stock-still, contemplating the +dark hole that was the grave, so to speak, of our hopes. + + + + +CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH + +OF OUR SUBTERRANEOUS ADVENTURE, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE WILD DOGS +PROFITED BY OUR ABSENCE + + +"Billy," said I, after we had stood silent a good while, "we must find +out what is below." + +"What's the good?" says Billy; "and how can you do it? Neither of us +can scrooge ourselves down through this hole, and I ain't a-going to +try, that's certain." + +"But you can help to make the hole wider," I replied. + +"And suppose I fall in," says he, "who'll pull me out?" + +"I should certainly do my best," said I. + +"And suppose you fall in too?" says he, being very persistent. + +"Then we shall help each other out," said I. + +"And suppose we find ourselves in the old smoker's kitchen, or get +buried alive or something?" says Billy. + +"We won't suppose any more, but just set to work," said I. "I will dig +out the earth, and you can carry it away, and then there'll be no +chance of your tumbling in." + +The matter being put thus, Billy would by no means agree to it, but +insisted that he would take his turn with me at digging. He asked me, +however, how the earth was to be carried away, for if we did it with +our hands it would take a month of Sundays. I answered that we must +certainly make some baskets, which was a pretty easy matter after a +little practice, there being plenty of rushes and such-like things +growing at the borders of the lake. Having made two very fair baskets, +that would hold about a bushel apiece, we began with our spades to cut +away the earth around the hole, Billy carrying it outside the hut when +I dug, and I doing the same when he dug. This work was exceeding +laborious, since when digging we had to be very careful not to let the +earth fall down the shaft and choke it up, and also the basketfuls of +earth had to be hauled up every few minutes. We were several days at +the work before we came to the bamboo pipe we had driven in from the +lake side--not, of course, that we did nothing else, having our other +duties to attend to, and besides we now went up to our watch-tower +three times, and sometimes four, every day, so that the savages should +not come in their canoes and take us by surprise. + +[Sidenote: The Cavern] + +Having got down to the pipe, which, as I have said, was but a few +inches above the cavity into which we had broken, we saw that we must +be even more careful, for if the earth should give way all of a sudden, +as it did before, we might for all we knew be hurled into a bottomless +abyss. All the time we had been digging we had felt the current of +cool air striking upward against us, from which it was plain that the +chamber below was not a perfectly closed vault, and the only comfort we +had of this was that we were certainly not coming to the old smoker's +kitchen, as Billy called it, for then the air would have been hot. To +avoid this headlong fall, I considered we should now cease to stand on +the ledge of earth at the side of the hole, and rig up a rope ladder +which we might attach securely to the doorposts above. Billy was +digging when this idea came into my head, he being lighter than I, and +after I told him of it he scrambled up very quickly by means of steps +we had cut in the side, confessing he was glad to get out in safety. + +It took us some time to make a rope ladder, but when it was done, and +fastened to the doorposts, I descended and hacked away with my spade at +the sides of the hole below me until I had made it big enough for my +body to go through. Then I got Billy to hand down to me a lighted +torch, and bending as low as I could, I clung to the ladder with one +hand, and with the other held the torch in the space below, being +nearly suffocated by its stinking fumes. However, by moving the torch +backwards and forwards I made out that the space was a small chamber, +oblong in shape, but not regular, and with a floor, but, so far as I +could see, no outlet, though I knew there must be one, because of the +current of air. Feeling by no means sure of the depth of the floor +below me, I clambered up again and pulled the ladder after me, and we +lengthened it by some three feet before I descended again. By the +light of my torch I then saw that I could drop to the floor without any +danger, and I let go the ladder, and fell upon my feet on hard rock. + +"What cheer, master?" calls out Billy, with his face close to the top +of the shaft above. I told him that I was safe and what manner of +place I was in, and said I would explore further, and when I did so I +found that we had no need to trouble ourselves about the safety of our +hut, because the walls of this underground chamber were of hard rock, +like the rocks on the sides of the mountain, and the roof the same, +except at the place where we had dug our shaft. How this came to be I +did not trouble to think,[1] nor did it concern us, the great matter +for us being that our hut had a solid foundation, which was a great +comfort. When I told this to Billy, by shouting up through the shaft, +the sound of my voice echoing very strangely, he cried back that he was +glad to hear it and that he was coming down to see. "No, no," I cried +at this; "you keep guard above while I seek further; and besides, the +ladder does not reach the ground, and perhaps you couldn't get up +again." + +"Then how will you get up, master?" says Billy. + +"Why, you can draw the ladder up while I go exploring, and by the time +I come back you can lengthen it," was my answer. + +This he agreed to do, only he begged me not to be long. + +[Sidenote: A Tunnel] + +When I came to examine the chamber, I found it to be neither so large +nor so lofty as I had first supposed. The general height of it was not +above five feet, though in parts it rose to ten feet or more. I had +soon made a tour about the chamber, the compass of which was perhaps +sixty or seventy feet, and in one corner of it I at last discovered an +opening, through which, I did not doubt, came the current of air I have +before mentioned. It was, as I found when I held my torch to it, a +very low and narrow passage, not above four feet high, and the draught +of air was so strong that it made my torch flare, and, indeed, was like +to blow it out. This made me consider whether I had not better rest +content and go no further; but curiosity was strong within me, and so I +went into the passage, or tunnel, having to bend my body very low, and +crept along with great caution, holding the torch in front of me lest I +came unawares upon a chasm and broke my neck. The passage seemed to me +to incline slightly downward, though I could not be sure of this, since +there were not only several crooks and turns in it, so that not many +yards of it were straight, but also it was in some parts pretty near +choked with rocks and stones, which I supposed had fallen from the roof +and sides. However, I picked my way among these obstacles when they +occurred, and found as I went on that the passage became both wider and +loftier, so that I was able to stand upright. + +After I had gone some distance through this tunnel, wondering whether +it was natural or had been made by men's hands, and inclining to the +former belief, I perceived that it was joined by another passage which +ran into it from my right hand, and the two passages thus joined in one +became a tunnel which increased both in width and height the further I +went. Whereas at starting from the cavern I had had to bend low, with +little space on either side of me, I now found myself in a passage +which in some parts was as much as twenty feet high, as near as I could +guess in the deceitful light of my torch, and so wide that five or six +men could easily have walked abreast in it. And as I still kept my +eyes cast down, being heedful of my footing, I perceived by and by on +the floor of the passage sundry small whitish objects which, when I +stooped to examine them, I found to be shells, and they became more +numerous the further I went. I began now to question with myself +whether this tunnel did not communicate with the sea, and whether the +sea ever came up through it so far into the interior of the island, for +the cavern whence I had started on this journey was directly below our +hut, and that was situate at least half a mile from the sea-shore. + +I went on, being eager to satisfy myself on this point, and holding my +torch about the level of my head, when all at once I felt the skin of +my hand scorched, and, looking up, saw that the flame was burning very +low, which had escaped me, so much were my thoughts taken up. I had no +mind to pursue this journey in darkness, for though I had come very +well to this point, I knew not whereto the tunnel would bring me, nor +what perils might be lurking in the way. Accordingly I turned myself +about, purposing to acquaint Billy with what I had discovered, and to +come again, either with him or alone, with sufficient light to hold out +to the end. But I soon saw, to my exceeding discomfort, that I had +already presumed too much upon the endurance of my torch, which was +flickering lower and lower, and within a little, though I made what +haste I could, went out altogether. At this I was mightily vexed, +though not alarmed, for the floor of the tunnel was perfectly sound, +albeit rough, and I did not look for the least difficulty in making my +way back to the cavern. Though not alarmed, I say, I was vexed, for I +could not go nearly so fast in the dark, and I began to think that +Billy might be a little uneasy at my long absence. As to myself, there +was only one thing to trouble about, and that was to keep to the right +hand, so that I should not fail of re-entering the passage by which I +had come when I arrived at the place where the other passage joined +with it. To make sure on this point I felt with my hand along the wall +at my right, and found this a help to me for some distance; but by and +by I had to leave it, so as to get past some rocks that stood in my +way, and in a little while after I returned to it I stumbled clean over +another obstacle, hurting my hands and knees, though luckily my head +did not strike the ground. + +[Sidenote: Lost] + +When I rose up, I could not find the wall at once, the passage here +being exceedingly rough with loose rocks and stones. I stumbled on, +and now for the first time the thought came into my head, how awful it +would be if a man were lost in such an underground passage as this, not +at first thinking of this plight as likely to be mine, though soon I +did begin to be very uneasy, and indeed I was almost overcome with +horror when all of a sudden I thought, "What if there be a perfect +network of these passages in the island, and I can never light on the +cavern again?" I wished now very heartily that I had let Billy come +down to me when he offered it, but there was no use in wishing, so I +groped my way onward, having now got my hand upon the wall again. + +I had noticed for some time that the floor of the tunnel was ascending, +and it seemed to me steeper than I had thought it to be when I came the +other way; but I paid little heed to this, because a hill always seems +steeper when you ascend than when you descend. But all of a sudden I +felt that the inclination was downward, and I was trying to recollect +if I had gone up and then down as I came from the cavern, when I felt +something cold about my feet, and, taking a step forward, splashed in +water. Instantly I turned about and rushed back, stumbling and +falling, and in a great dismay, for I knew now that I had lost my +bearings. There had been no water in the passage when I came; either +water had rushed into it suddenly, though how that could be I knew not, +or else I had come into another passage. Whichever it might be, my +situation was exceeding serious, for I might be drowned, or I might +wander for hours and never come to the cavern. I picked myself up when +I fell in my haste, and as I leant against the wall to recover myself, +something scurried past my feet, which made me shiver until I thought +that it could not be more than a rat or some other small beast. But +being now so confused that I knew not whether I had come from right or +left, I lifted up my voice and shouted the seaman's call "Ahoy!" for if +I was anywhere near the cavern, Billy might hear me, and that familiar +word would bring him, I did not doubt, to my help. I was startled by +what ensued upon my shout, for the whole space about me was filled with +noise, which at first I did not know to be the reverberation of my own +voice. The noise, the like of which I suppose had never been heard in +that place before, terrified all the denizens of it, and I felt several +small animals brush against my legs as they scurried past. When the +sounds had rolled away, I listened very intently for some answering +cry, but there was none, even though I shouted again, and I could not +but conclude that the din, great as it was, had failed to reach Billy's +ears. And since it now seemed plain that I must depend on myself +alone, and to stay still where I was would not help me a jot, I began +in sheer desperation to grope my way along the passage, not knowing in +the least whether I was going right or wrong. But supposing that I had +overshot the entrance to the passage leading back to the cavern, and +that I was now retracing my steps, I crept along by the wall on my left +hand, every now and again stopping to shout and listen, but always in +vain. And it came into my mind presently that while the sound of my +voice might carry a good way along the portion of the tunnel in which I +then was, yet it would not penetrate far along the passage that ran +back at a very sharp angle from it, so that I would do better to save +my breath until I arrived at the fork, and I went on again, holding my +peace. + +The tunnel seemed to me now to be full of strange whispers and little +silent noises which I had not perceived when I travelled along with my +torch. I have not a doubt it was my imagination playing tricks upon +me, helped very much by the darkness; but I did not think of this at +the time, and my skin crept, and broke out into a cold sweat, at the +rustlings and echoes that I heard, or thought I heard. I stopped two +or three times to listen more intently, and then heard nothing but the +beating of my heart, and so on again, until I thought I must surely +have come to the fork of the two passages. Halting, I groped with my +hands to discover if the passage was wider, and then I felt sure I +heard a rustling, and another sound, as of an animal breathing heavily, +and at that moment something cold and clammy touched my outstretched +hand. Instantly I drew back, and scarce knowing what I did let forth a +great shout, which rang, I doubt not, with the very accent of fear, and +immediately it was answered by a shout, which I took at first to be the +echo of it, for the hollow tunnel prolonged the sounds so that nothing +was clear. But in a moment I heard, quite near to me, that ill word +which had wont to be on Billy's lips, but which, since I reproved him +for it, he had never used. I cried his name in a burst of joy, and he +called back, "Is that you, master?" and the next moment we were +together, and I confess I threw my arms about Billy, and would not let +him go until he asked me in a quavering voice what I was afraid of. + +[Sidenote: Found] + +He told me that, being uneasy at my long absence, when he had expressly +charged me not to be long, he had let himself down by the rope ladder +into the cavern, and came with a torch in search of me, and it was his +hand that had so scared me. "But there you are!" says he. "First I +knocked my head against the roof, and then my funny-bone against the +wall, and then I tumbled head-first over a rock that some one had put +in the very middle of the way; over I went, and my torch was knocked +out of my hand, and the flame was put out. I hadn't got flint and +steel on me, course not; and so I couldn't light the torch again +without going back all the way, and I couldn't find the torch at first, +and when I did find it, things had got so mixed up that I didn't know +no more than Moses which was for'ard and which was aft. But I set a +course straight ahead, and here we are." + +"But where are we?" I said. + +Billy of course could not tell me this, having lost his bearings just +as completely as I had done. All that we knew was that the cavern was +not reached by the passage along which I had been going, for neither +Billy nor I had encountered water in our outward journey. It seemed to +me that we had both wandered into the passage which I had observed to +run into the other from the right hand, and if this was so, we had but +to go in the same direction as I had been going when Billy met me, and +to cling to the wall on the left side, and we should by and by find +ourselves at the fork of the two passages. And, indeed, we had not +gone above a dozen paces when Billy, who was in front, cried that the +wall turned a corner, and when we reached it we wheeled round in the +same direction, and in due time came to the cavern, which, though it +had seemed dark to me before, was now light by comparison with the +blackness of the tunnel we had left. I asked Billy whether he had +lengthened the ladder, and when he confessed that he had not, I +wondered how we were to ascend to our hut again, for the bottom of the +ladder was out of my reach. But Billy solved this difficulty by +getting on to my shoulders and then grasping the ladder, by which he +very nimbly climbed to the surface. There being no room in the shaft +for him to bend down and assist me, I had to wait until he had +lengthened the ladder, which he did very quickly, blaming himself for +not having done it before. Thus we came safely to our hut again, and +both having had enough of underground passages for that day, we +determined to go on another expedition later, indeed, very soon, for +Billy was eager to explore the tunnel to its end, when I had told him +of the largeness of it, and of the shells on its floor. + +I did not tell him my tale at once, for the moment we came up into our +hut we were aware that it had been visited in our absence. Having made +our discovery of the cavern by accident, and gone down into it without +premeditation, we had not thought to shut the door of the hut, which, +being open, those rascally dogs of which I have spoken more than once +had made an irruption. By great good luck there was nothing that they +could destroy, but they had thrown down a pile of cocoa-nuts we had in +one corner, and these lay scattered all about as if they had played +ball with them. I doubt not they would have made an attempt, as they +did afterwards, to plunder our poultry-run, but it would appear that +they had not discovered our absence for some time, and had been +startled away by the sound of us returning. We determined, when we +should descend again into the cavern, to close our door very firmly. + +The discovery of the cavern made us alter our plan of bringing water to +the hut. We had intended to make a reservoir just below the pipe, into +which we might let water from the lake whenever we needed it; but we +contented ourselves now with putting a plug into the end of the pipe, +with a small hole in the middle of it, which we could stop or un-stop +at will, so that by removing the stopping we should have a small +trickle of water which we could collect in one of our vessels, and draw +up into the hut. Having fixed these plugs, we went to the lake and +filled in with our spades the excavation we had made in the side, +heaping rocks about the ground that had been disturbed, so that there +should be nothing to betray our device to any one who might chance to +come. We then removed our V-shaped dam, and hastened back to the hut +to see whether the plan answered our expectations. We found when we +took out the stopping that there was a continual drip of water, which +pleased us very much, for we now knew that, however long we might be +shut up in the hut, we should never lack for water, and so we might be +quite easy in mind. + +[Sidenote: Exploring] + +When we had finished our work in this matter of the water supply, which +was a day or two after our adventure in the tunnel, we set off again, +both together, to make a further exploration, only this time you may be +sure we took several torches of a large size, so that the same trouble +of darkness and bewilderment should not overtake us. This time also we +took the precaution to close and fasten the door, for though there was +little or nothing in the hut to which the dogs could do serious hurt, +we preferred their room to their company, as the saying is. + +We went through the tunnel together, and came to the spot where my +torch had gone out, and had not gone very far from thence when we found +our way blocked by water, which came right into the tunnel, and which +we knew by its salt taste to be the sea. It was quite plain from this +that there was an outlet to the shore, but we could not tell how far it +was from us, the place being exceeding dark, so that the flames of two +torches held together scarce seemed to penetrate the blackness. Billy +was greatly disappointed at finding our further progress thus checked, +and asked me whether he should swim through the water until he came to +the opening on the shore; but this I would by no means consent to, for +I could have given him no light, and we could not tell what perils of +sunken rocks or other things we might encounter in the darkness. And +it was a mercy that Billy paid heed to my words, and was not obstinate, +for if he had done what he proposed, and entered the water, I doubt not +I should never have seen him again. + +[Sidenote: The Dogs Again] + +When we came back to our hut we heard a mighty cackling from the +fowl-house, which, as I have said before, was the smaller hut we had +used while the larger was a-building, and stood some little distance +from the latter on the edge of the level space. Our fowls being in the +main quiet birds, we suspected that something was amiss; indeed, Billy +declared at once that he was sure 'twas the dogs at their old tricks, +and was for opening the door and sallying out upon them at once. But I +bethought myself of a better way, and moreover one that would help us +to prove in some measure the efficacy of our defences; so I took out +the plug from one of the loopholes we had made in the wall facing the +fowl-house, and peeping through I saw nigh a dozen dogs assembled about +it, and some scratching diligently at the earth below the palisade. +They had never molested our creatures since the time when they were so +sore discomfited at the piggery, and I was not a little amazed at their +coming now, for none of them had seen us descending into the cavern. +But I suppose it was as Billy said, that they were cunning beasts with +the second sight; indeed, he said he had heard of witches, and +sometimes fair princesses, being turned into the shape of dogs, but he +knew these villainous rogues were not princesses. However, they did +certainly seem to have discovered that we were no longer on the surface +of the island, and were, as I say, striving to gain an entrance to our +poultry-run. + +I whispered to Billy, so as not to disturb them, to take the plug out +of another loophole, and then to shoot an arrow through when I gave the +word. This he did, and our arrows flying forth almost at the same +moment, by great good fortune (and perhaps some little skill) struck +two of the dogs, which fell writhing. I expected to see the rest of +the pack take warning and flee instantly, but this they did not do, +which shows that there is a limit to their reason; for seeing no enemy +they did not connect the fate of the two with any external cause, but +immediately set upon them, tearing them in pieces with horrible +yellings and snarlings. While they were at this cannibal business +Billy and I sent more arrows among them, and six dogs in all had fallen +to our weapons before the rest came to any understanding and sought +safety. + +"We could hit savages better," said Billy, as we sallied out, "because +they are bigger than dogs." + +"I hope we shall never have the need," I said, taking a long shot at +the rearmost of the dogs as they disappeared in the bushes. + +When we came to the poultry-run, we found that the dogs had already +scratched a good-sized hole beneath the palings, and within a little +they would have been able to scramble through and work havoc among our +fowls. We set about recovering our arrows, and soon had them all but +the one I had shot last, which, when I came to the place where I +expected it to be, was not there, nor could we find it, though we +searched for some time. + +"You must have hit the villain, master," says Billy. + +I could hardly believe this, for the range was long, and the dog was +moving; but on looking closely upon the ground I saw a trace of blood, +and suspected that I had in fact hit the dog, which had, however, run +on with the arrow in him. Being curious on this matter, I determined +to follow up the track, and sent Billy back to the hut for a spear or +an axe, as well to defend myself if the animal should turn upon me as +to put it out of torment if its wound should be grave. The track was +sometimes faint, but mostly clear, and ran in almost a straight line, +so that I followed it with ease, where it led me through the wood +eastward of the hut, bearing to the right round the base of the hill. +But I did not see the dog for some time, until all of a sudden I caught +a glimpse of it limping into the undergrowth some way ahead of me. I +made speed to overtake it, and the animal turned, snarling very +fiercely upon me, and standing as if to dispute my advance; but I +perceived that the creature was already far spent, for it tottered, and +recovered itself with great difficulty, so that I was very glad when +Billy came up, and with one thrust of the spear ended the poor beast's +life. + +"There you are, you villain!" cried Billy with a kind of savage joy as +he dealt the stroke; but I own I felt in a manner sorry for the +creature, and thought it a pity that we should have to wage war against +them, though I saw it was a necessity, they being, in their wild state, +as fierce and dangerous to us as wolves. Maybe my softness was partly +due to my recollection of a terrier we had at home, and I was +contemplating the beast Billy had slain, striving to make out some +likeness between her (for 'twas a bitch) and my uncle's terrier, when +Billy cried, "What's that?" and I was aware of a faint yelping near by. +Penetrating a little further into the undergrowth, I saw three little +puppies, their eyes just open, but they were not yet able to crawl. + +"They are very pretty when they're young, Billy," I said. + +"Pretty!" says he. "I'll show 'em. They shan't never grow up to +plague us;" and he was on the point of piercing one of them with his +spear when I stayed his hand. + +"But why and what for?" says he, looking at me in amazement. "They'll +only starve, or be eaten by the other rascals when they find 'em. +Better kill 'em now and have done with it." + +[Sidenote: Our Pets] + +But I had been thinking that we were two lone creatures on this island, +and we might perchance find some solace and amusement in keeping pets, +which we could not do with pigs or poultry, the former being too +swinish and the latter too silly. And I confess the little things +looked so pretty that I had not the heart to kill them, and so I +proposed that we should carry them back to the hut and do our best to +bring them up. + +"What's the good?" says Billy. "They won't live. I had some rabbits +once, and they died; and some guinea-pigs, and my mother drownded +them--she wasn't my real mother; and they may be pretty now, though I +can't see it, but when they grow up, bless you, they'll be as fierce as +those other villains, and we may as well kill 'em first as last." + +"Billy," I said, "my aunt Susan used to say, 'Never climb up to the +chimney-pots to meet the rain'----" + +"No one would but a fool," says Billy, interrupting, and when I tried +to explain what my aunt meant he said that was all very well, but where +did the chimney-pots come in? However, to shorten the story, he gave +in to my wish, and we carried the puppies to our hut, and made them up +a bed of grass and leaves in one of our large pans. We were hard put +to it to know how to feed them, and indeed, the food we gave +them--bread-fruit made into pap, and scraps of chicken, and the like, +as well as broth sometimes--did not agree with them very well, because +they were so young, so that I doubted whether we should succeed in +rearing them. One died in three days, but the others survived, and I +ought to say that Billy was fully as diligent as myself in tending +them, and showed a marvellous ingenuity in the preparation of their +meals. As they grew up, we used to watch them anxiously, expecting +that one fine day they would leave us and join themselves to their own +kindred in the wilds, and Billy said he hoped his dog would not leave +us the first, for he would never forgive it. But we saw with great +satisfaction that they showed no inclination towards the society of +their kind; indeed, it was the contrary; they shunned them, and showed +every mark of enmity if they approached, so that we saw they would +prove to be very good watchdogs when fully grown. Billy called his dog +Robin, which he said was a good name for a dog but not for a man, and I +called mine Little John to match; and they soon learnt to answer to +their names. + + + +[1] Probably the fissure had at one time extended to the surface, but +had been gradually filled up with soil brought to the spot by drainage +from the high ground.--H.S. + + + + +CHAPTER THE TWELFTH + +OF A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN BILLY AND THE NARRATOR--OF AN +ENCOUNTER WITH A SHARK, AND THE BUILDING OF A CANOE + + +We now began to consider ourselves as the possessors of considerable +wealth, compared with our condition when we first came to the island. +We had a fair estate, with none to dispute our title, at least, none +had yet done so; a substantial and commodious house, by no means a +mansion, and very plainly furnished, but having the necessary things, +to which we could add the others, and did. We had food, both of the +animal and vegetable kind, of our own breeding and growing, so that we +were always sure of its freshness. We looked abroad on our little +domain with a great deal of honest satisfaction, seeing our own +handiwork in it, and being ever urged on to other achievements by what +we had already done. This summer, for an instance, finding that our +yam plantation throve exceedingly, and needed hoeing because of the +very fertility of the soil, we made ourselves rakes and hoes, the +former of wood and bits of bone (these took us a long time), the latter +of scallop shells bound with cords about crutched sticks. Then, when +the yams were ripe, and we had to bring them to our house from the +plantation, which was at some distance, we thought of making a +wheelbarrow, which also employed us for a good time, and was indeed one +of the most difficult jobs we took in hand, the want of nails being a +great hindrance. The body of it was made of wicker-work closely +plaited, and the wheel a disc of pottery, which answered very well +until it broke in going over rocky ground, and then we had to carve out +a wooden one, which was a very tiresome job. We made also a sort of +bench-table out of the stump of a tree, which we split down the middle +by driving in flint wedges, and when we had split it we took one half +and planed the inside of it with scrapers, also of flint, and then +scoured it with sand, not being content until it was as smooth as a +sawyer's plank. It was on this that I drew the map I have mentioned +before, using a mixture of charcoal and oil pressed from candle-nuts, +and Billy was very proud when he saw BOBBIN'S BAY marked on it in +pretty neat, big characters. We made also some rough stools and +chairs, using always strong cords of cocoa-nut fibre in the place of +nails. Billy and I had a little difference about the stools, he +preferring them to be of three legs, and I of four, my reason being +that the four-legged sort were the more stable, while his reason was +nothing but a contrariness of temper that sometimes seized him; in +which frame of mind if I said I should like pork for dinner he would +immediately declare for chicken. + +[Illustration: Rake Head and Scallop-shell Hoe] + +[Illustration: Our Wheelbarrow] + +[Illustration: Our Table] + +[Sidenote: A Difference of Opinion] + +It was this that brought about the fight between us, which I think I +mentioned before. We had just finished making our first stools, his +being three-legged, and he sang a trifle loud because he was finished +first, he being always more handy with his fingers than I was, except +in delicate work and the making of pottery. He taunted me about my +slowness, asking what was the good of bothering about four legs when +three would do quite as well, and saying that he supposed I must have +one more than he, because he was only the son of a poor blacksmith of +Limehouse; and more to the same effect. Now this, I thought, was very +unjust, for I had never stood upon any difference in rank there might +be between us; nor indeed did Billy as a rule allude to it, much less +express any discontentment, but called me "master" very simply and +naturally. What came over him this day I know not, but he sat on his +three-legged stool with a very gloomy face, grumbling and growling +until I could endure it no longer. + +[Illustration: My Chair; Billy's Stool] + +"For goodness' sake, Billy," I said, "leave me to my work. Go and get +the dinner ready, or something." + +"I won't," says he. "Why should I get your dinner? I ain't your +servant, though I ain't got a mad uncle what's got more money than +wits. Money! what's the good of money when you ain't got no sense for +the spending of it? Why, if it hadn't been for your uncle I'd 'a been +rich by this time, working for decent wages in London, instead of +sweating for nothing." + +"You're an ass," said I, as pleasantly as you please. + +"I may be an ass," says Billy, "but I'm blowed if I'm a silly ass, and +that's what _you_ are." + +[Sidenote: A Fight] + +And then I own I clean lost my temper, and, leaving my work, I went to +him and dealt him a blow that sent him and his stool to the ground. +Whereupon he sprang to his feet, and came at me tooth and nail, as you +may say, butting me with his head, and grappling me, seeking to throw +me by main force. He was very muscular, as I have said, and he came +very near to effecting his purpose with me; but I shook him off, and +being longer in the arms than he, and possessor of a little more +science, I contrived to ward off his blows until he was pretty tired, +and then dealt him a stroke which fairly knocked the wind out of him. +He sat on the ground for some time looking about him in a dazed and +stupid way, and presently, when he was somewhat collected, he said, +"You give me a rare good 'un that time, master," and went on +cheerfully: "You do look comical with your nose a-swelling." + +I was already aware that something was amiss with that very prominent +feature, and I might have felt aggrieved at this allusion to it but for +the good-tempered manner in which Billy spoke. It was plain that he +had quite lost his ill-humour, and bore me no malice for the beating I +had given him; indeed, he appeared to think of me all the more highly +because of it. But I was exceeding vexed with myself for losing my +temper over such a trifle, and when we were sitting together by and by, +bathing our wounds, I spoke very solemnly about it, saying that it was +nothing less than sinful, after the mercies that had been vouchsafed to +us, our preservation from manifold dangers by land and sea, to give way +to our angry passions and fight each other with hate in our hearts. +Billy heard me patiently for a while, and subdued his naturally jocund +countenance to a decent solemnity; but presently he burst forth with a +laugh, and said, "Lor, master, how you do talk! What's a round of +fisticuffs and a black eye or two? I got a walloping and deserved it, +and you and me will be all the better friends," which I believe we were. + +[Illustration: Our Fish-hooks] + +[Illustration: Our Gaff and Landing-net] + +[Sidenote: Fishing] + +Now that our heavy labours in building our hut and securing our supply +of food were over, we had leisure to indulge ourselves in lighter and +more sportive avocations. We practised diligently with our arrows at +the running man, and greatly improved ourselves in shooting: and we +also began to consider whether we could not catch some of the fish +which came about the coast sometimes in great numbers, particularly +where the water was deep and big rocks lay near the surface. We +usually had intimation of the arrival of a shoal of fish by the +unwonted number of sea-birds we saw flying low and diving into the sea, +and indeed gorging themselves. Billy said he had often fished for +tiddlebacks in the ditches near his home, though he seldom caught any, +and I myself had some angling in our country streams; and our only +difficulty being hooks, for we had lines in plenty, made of that fibre +of which I have spoken, we set our wits to work to invent hooks, Billy +saying what a pity it was we hadn't even a bent pin. We did devise +after a time hooks of various sizes, made out of the bones of small +birds, and then nothing would satisfy us but we must have a gaff, which +we made of tough wood hardened in fire and greased with pork fat, and +also a landing-net, which we made of fibres stretched basket-wise on a +frame of bent wood. Armed with these implements, and with lines and +rods, and bits of shellfish for bait, we went down to the sea and +fished from rocks that stood out of the water at low tide, and were +little more than covered at high. We did not have very much success, +the hooks being easily broken, and I remember one of the first fish we +caught made us very ill, so that for some time after we thought no more +of this addition to our food. But after a while we determined to try +again, and it came into our minds that we had seen the natives of the +island we stayed on catching fish with spears, which manner we had not +thought of at first, the hook and line being the English way. +Accordingly we made some light wooden spears, or rather harpoons, and +with these in our hands we stood on the rocks until we saw fish that +took our fancy, and then flung our spears at them, as we had seen the +natives do. We missed a great many times, for it was not often that we +had the chance to throw our spears perpendicularly straight, and except +when we could, we were not able for a great while to take good aim, +because we did not allow for that strange effect water has of making +things appear to be in a different place from where they are.[1] We +should have been in great danger of losing our spears had we not +foreseen this want of success, and attached a thin line to each of +them, which we held when we made our cast. After many disappointments, +and diligent practice, we contrived to make the needful allowance for +the apparent bending of the harpoons, or rather their turning aside +from the straight path as soon as they entered the water, and indeed we +became fairly dexterous, and could depend on getting a good basket of +fish whenever we chose. Our first experience having made us wary, we +were careful not to eat freely of any fish until we had proved whether +it was good for food, and the course of this proving was somewhat +painful to us, for we found that certain fish, even in the smallest +portions, caused sickness and giddiness. But after a time we learnt to +know the wholesome from the unwholesome, and then we often had fish at +our meals, broiled, baked, or boiled, and we cured a quantity, both +with salt and with smoke, against the time when they should not be so +easily got. + +[Illustration: Our Harpoons] + +One of the best fishing grounds about our coast was a spot just beyond +the little sandy beach at the south of the island, where it joined the +lava tract, a number of jagged rocks there jutting out of the cliff. +We were able to leap from one to another of these rocks until we came +to a somewhat larger one about fifty or sixty yards out to sea, to +which fish, both large and small, seemed to be marvellously attracted. +This rock appeared to us to be shaped like a mushroom, having a broad +top rising a little in the middle, beneath which the fish lay, for +forty winks, as Billy said. There was little rise and fall of the +tide, but at flood the top of the rock was just awash, and it was +covered with marine plants and limpets, which caused us to be very +careful of our footing. Here we sometimes caught so great a quantity +of fish that we had some trouble in carrying them ashore, so that we +made it a practice after a time, whenever we went to this rock, to take +with us a stout bag, made of a coarse broad grass that grew abundantly +on the shore of the lake; and we placed our catch in this, and then, +instead of springing from rock to rock, which had some peril, we being +so laden, we attached a line to the bag, and hauled it ashore as soon +as we reached the base of the cliff. + +We became, I say, fairly dexterous in course of time with our harpoons, +which we lost now and again, in spite of all our care, when the fish we +had speared were big ones, and too strong for us to hold. Once, +indeed, I was dragged right into the water, a great fellow suddenly +sounding when I had driven my harpoon home; and that time I not only +got a thorough drenching and several bruises through falling on the +rock, but lost fish, harpoon and line together. To prevent the like +mishap from happening again, we accustomed ourselves to wind the end of +the line about a spar of rock, so that if any fish proved too strong +for us, either the line snapped or the harpoon became disengaged. In +either of these cases, to be sure, we lost the fish, and if the line +snapped we lost the harpoon as well; but we did have a security against +being drawn into the sea ourselves, which in itself would have been a +trifle, seeing that we could both swim and thought nothing of a +wetting; but at certain seasons we had observed that sharks were +numerous off the coast, and we had a great dread of being snapped up by +one of these monsters, so that at such times we were careful not to go +above our middle when we bathed. + +[Sidenote: A Shark] + +I remember very well one day, when we were on this mushroom rock, and +the fish being very plentiful, we remained on it longer than our wont, +until, indeed, it was pretty nearly a foot deep in water. I had just +harpooned a fine fellow near three feet long--a sort of cod from which +Billy promised to cut some fine steaks for broiling--and Billy with the +gaff was helping me to land him, when all of a sudden I spied the fin +of a shark making straight towards us, and only a few yards away. In +another moment the beast turned over and heaved itself clean out of the +water and half on to the rock, and snapped up the prize under our very +noses. I think we were first more angry than affrighted, Billy fuming +against the impudent rogue that had snatched away what would have been +a welcome addition to our larder. We had two or three spare harpoons +floating in the shallow water behind us, and attached by their lines to +the spar of rock. These we seized, and just as the shark was jerking +himself back into deep water we hurled our weapons at him, and were +lucky to hit him before he sounded. In a moment the sea about us was +like a boiling caldron; we were swept off our feet by the lines, which +the wounded shark was dragging crosswise over the rock, and before we +could recover our footing one of the lines, which was somewhat shorter +than the other, snapped. But the other held, and we saw that the +shark, instead of plunging in a straight course away from the rock, was +heading up the coast, and moving in a circle of which the line was the +radius. We expected that this line also would snap in a moment, and +then we should have lost both our harpoons; but we were astonished by +and by to see that there was less and less strain and movement in the +line, until it ceased altogether. + +[Illustration: "THE BEAST HEAVED ITSELF CLEAN OUT OF THE WATER."] + +"I do believe we've killed him, master," says Billy. "Heave ho! we'll +soon see." + +Accordingly we hauled upon the line, and drew it in little by little, +until we saw the body of the shark at its end quite motionless. + +"We've got him and both the harpoons," cries Billy, "and the fish too, +for he ain't had time to swallow him proper." + +We passed a couple of lines round the monster's tail and dragged him to +the shore, and there Billy immediately set to work to open him, and +disgorged the fish of which we had been robbed. However, having no +mind to eat what the shark had partly swallowed, I persuaded Billy to +throw the fish into the sea, and Billy laughed at me finely afterwards, +I assure you, when I was eating with great relish a shark-steak he had +broiled for our supper. + +"If you can eat the shark, master, why couldn't you eat the fish?" says +he. + +I own I could give him no answer except that my gorge rose at the +thought of it, and this led me to consider of the strange +inconsistencies of men in matters of food, as in other things. My aunt +Susan would have been aghast at the idea of eating a snail, but she +would eat a chicken which she had herself fed on snails; and when I +mentioned this, Billy said that he didn't see any difference between +eating a chicken full of snails and the snails themselves. + +"Billy," said I presently, "I never thought I should see you eating +worms." + +"Why, whenever did you see me do that, master?" says he; "I never done +it. I'd be sick." + +"But we had a chicken for dinner, and you may be sure it had eaten +worms," I said. + +He began to see what I was driving at, and looked very grave for some +minutes, as if endeavouring to probe the comparison. Then a broad grin +spread over his face, and he said, "I reckon the chicken eats worms for +the same reason as we eat chickens, 'cause they're nice," and I am sure +he believed he had solved a very knotty problem. + +[Sidenote: A Canoe] + +It was partly this adventure with the shark, and partly our natural +wish to circumnavigate the island, that set us on trying to make a +boat. We had many times been sorry that we did not think of securing +the boat of the _Lovey Susan_ which had been staved in on the beach, +and therefore abandoned by the seamen, but which we might perhaps have +patched up if we had hauled it away from the sea. Unhappily, neither +Billy nor I had the least knowledge how to build a boat, nor if we had +would our rude tools have availed us much, so that though the idea had +come into our heads more than once, we had never done anything towards +putting it in action, partly from this ignorance of ours, and partly +because we had been so much occupied with other matters. Now that the +notion had come back to us with more force, however, we determined to +see what we could do in digging out the trunk of a tree to make a +canoe, something like those we had seen from our look-out hill, though +not near so large. Since we required it only to hold two, there was no +reason to make it large, whereas there were many for making it small, +for a large one would have needed a terrible amount of work, and if we +could have made one, we might have had great difficulty in bringing it +down to the beach and then in launching it. Yet we resolved that, +though it should not be large compared with those that held twenty or +thirty men, it should be of such a size as to ride the sea with fair +stability, for we did not want a cockle-shell or any cranky thing. + +For this purpose we chose a tree, of what name I know not, though I +think it was a kind of pine, which grew on the slope above the sandy +beach I have mentioned more than once. We chose it as much for its +position as for the nature of its wood, for being on the slope we +thought that we could more readily bring it down to the sea than if we +felled a tree further from the shore. We felled it as we did the trees +for our hut, with the aid of fire, and a notion came into my head by +which we made a great improvement on our former rough method. Our +difficulty had been to make a fire sufficiently large to burn away the +trunk rapidly, and yet not so large as to burn or scorch the tree +higher than was necessary. The idea that came into my head was to put +a bandage about the trunk, and so keep the fire within bounds, and when +we considered of the best material to use for this purpose, we decided +that clay would be the most serviceable, because it would not only not +burn itself, but it could be easily kept sodden. Having chosen our +tree, therefore, we clapped a thick bandage of wet clay round the trunk +about three feet from the ground, and lit a fire all round the tree, +and let it burn very fiercely for a time, and then we raked it away and +chipped off the charred wood with our axes; and having again wetted the +clay, we kindled the fire again, so that it would burn away the fresh +surface of wood that we had exposed. We continued thus until we had +thus burnt and chipped away a deep incision all round the tree, and +meanwhile we had debated whether we should make our canoe on the top of +the slope (in which case we should let the tree fall on to a little +patch of fairly level ground on the west side of it), or whether we +should cause the tree to fall down the slope over the cliff on the +western side, and so to the beach. Billy declared for the former +course, saying that if we let the tree go over the cliff it would +assuredly be smashed, and the trunk once split would be useless for our +purpose. In answer to this I said that, however vexatious it would be +to have to fell another tree, how much more vexatious would it be if +any mischance happened to our canoe when we had finished it and were +bringing it down to the beach! In the one case we should have lost +merely the time and labour of felling the tree; in the other, there +would be the additional loss of the longer time and greater labour +expended on the canoe. Billy agreed with this reasoning, so towards +the finish we built all the fire on the land side of the tree, until +with a little hauling and shoving it snapped off and toppled with a +mighty crash over the cliff. We ran down to see what had happened to +it, and though some of the larger branches had been broken off, the +main trunk, so far as we could tell, was not hurt in the least. + +We burnt off the top and the remaining branches, both Billy and I +tending our separate fires, of which we had many, so that the work was +made much lighter than it would have been if every single branch had +needs be lopped with a clumsy axe. + +Having thus got a log of wood clear of branches, and, as I reckoned, +about fifteen feet long, we peeled off the bark, and set to work to +hollow out the vessel. It was plain that this would be a work of long +time, for the trunk was about three feet thick, and I do not know how +many months we might have been about it if we had not brought fire +again to the aid of our axes. We found that we could save time by +allowing fires to smoulder for long periods in the top of the log, +which we wished to hollow out; and by starting these fires at +intervals, we found that when we had chipped away the charred wood +beneath the first, the wood beneath the second was ready to be chipped +away also, and so on all down the log. Billy and I were thus employed +the whole livelong day, and many days in succession, in building and +removing fires, and chipping away the charred wood, by which means we +gradually dug deeper and deeper into the heart of the log, rejoicing as +we saw it, by almost insensible degrees, receiving the semblance of a +canoe. + +The tree had fallen, as I said, over the cliff on to the sandy beach, +and we were in some trouble of mind lest a high sea, or peradventure a +violent storm, should carry our canoe away before it was finished. It +lay a little above high-water mark, it is true; but for our greater +security we moored it, when we left work upon it, by means of ropes to +some heavy rocks, which we trusted would preserve it from any such +untoward event. And it was indeed lucky we did so, for when we had +been for some weeks (as I guessed) at the work--not continuously, for +we had many other things to attend to--one night a violent storm got +up, with great fury of wind and rain, and also some rumbling in the +mountain, which made us feel very uneasy; and when we went down in the +morning, the storm having ceased, to see what had happened to our +canoe, we found that it had been lifted and tossed about by the sea, +being indeed half full of water; but mercifully the waves had not +dashed it against the rocks at the base of the cliff, or it would +assuredly have been shattered, or at least very much damaged. + +This was the first really great storm we had had since our big hut was +built, and the result of it, especially as it was followed by a period +of rainy weather, was to make us leave work on our canoe before it was +finished, and turn our hands to another task. Our hut, as I have said +before, was built on a little level tract, above and below which the +ground sloped, on the one side towards the cliffs, on the other to +Brimstone Lake, as we called it, from its medicinal water. The slope +above the hut was gradual, indeed, but it was a real slope all the +same, and during this period of heavy rain the water swept down in a +wide torrent from the heights, flowing past and through the hut, which +was flooded, and very uncomfortable. We suffered in this way, Billy +and I, more than our fowls, for they had poles to roost on. As for the +pigs, we did not trouble about them, and I do think that the more +sodden the ground the happier they were. We did our best, in dry +intervals, to make our walls watertight, but could not wholly succeed +in this, for the doorway faced the upper slope, and we could not by any +means make the door fit so closely as to keep out the water. Since the +floor of our hut was thus sodden, we could not sleep on it, but had to +make our bed on the bench table, and very hard it was. + +[Sidenote: Cutting a Trench] + +It was a day or two before we thought of any means of curing this very +disagreeable state of things, but then, all of a sudden, a notion came +to us--whether first to Billy or to me I do not remember--of digging a +trench round the hut, with outlets opening into the lake. We set about +this at once, finding the earth easy to work, even with our rude +spades, because it was so sodden, and after two or three days' work we +had made a shallow trench about the upper end of the hut, shaped like a +half-circle, so that when the rain-water fell down the slope it would +be intercepted by the trench, and so carried into the lake. We +observed again, at this time, that though the amount of water that +flowed into the lake was very much greater than we had ever known +before, yet the surface never rose above the certain level of which I +have already spoken, and we were still very much puzzled to know, at +least I was, how the surplus water was carried off; Billy saying that +it didn't matter to us, and we shouldn't be any better off if we did +know. My way of looking at things was different, and I own I felt a +great curiosity always to learn the reasons and causes of matters which +were not easy to understand. Yet it was, after all, little more than +an accident which brought about the discovery of this matter, and of +that I doubt not I shall tell in its place. + + + +[1] A rather long-winded allusion to refraction.--H.S. + + + + +CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH + +OF OUR ENTRENCHMENTS; OF THE LAUNCHING OF OUR CANOE, AND THE DEADLY +PERIL THAT ATTENDED OUR FIRST VOYAGE + + +While we were busy making the trench to keep the rain from our hut, +another notion came all of a sudden into my mind, which, in a kind of +merry sport, I at once made known to Billy. + +"We will make a moat about our castle, Billy," said I. + +"What's a moat, and where's our castle?" says he, leaning on his spade, +and looking all around. + +"Why, every Englishman's house is his castle, as they say," I answered, +"and as to a moat, you must know, Billy, that in the olden times----" + +"The times of Robin Hood or Robinson Crusoe?" says he; "for if it is I +don't believe a word of it." + +"This is quite true, I assure you," I said. "In the olden times, I +say, when every great lord lived in his castle, there was a great ditch +or trench all round it, to keep enemies away, for in those times lord +often used to fight lord." + +"Like rats," says Billy. "Go on, master." + +"Well, that ditch was called a moat, and it could only be crossed by a +drawbridge," I said, "that is, a bridge that was let down over it from +the castle gateway; and so, when the bridge was up, and the moat filled +with water, no enemy could get into the castle, and the people inside +were safe." + +"And suppose they were," says Billy, "what's the good unless they'd got +enough victuals inside to last 'em ever so long? If I was the lord +outside I'd stop there till they either starved or came out and had a +good fight." + +[Sidenote: Beginning a Moat] + +I answered that no doubt that was what they did, and went on to say +that if we continued our trench and made it wider and deeper, bringing +it close against the walls of our castle, we might add very greatly to +the strength of our position if ever the savages came to the island and +we had to defend ourselves against them. As to the matter of food, I +said that we had in the cavern below the castle as good a storehouse as +we could wish for, and I resolved that we would start at once, or at +least as soon as we had finished our canoe, to convey a great store of +bread-fruit and yams, and salted pork and fish, into the cavern, for +which purpose we should have to increase the number of our pots and +pans. But since this storehouse would be of little use to us if we +were driven out of the castle, Billy consented to help me to dig a +moat, though he said it would take us ten years to finish it, if we +made it deep enough and wide enough to be of any avail. And, indeed, +we were not long in finding out, when we began the work, that it would +take us a very great time, if not ten years; for to be of any defensive +use the moat must be at least six feet deep and about twice as wide, +and we were aghast when, at the end of a day's work with our spades, we +saw the exceeding smallness of what we had achieved. I was minded to +give up the attempt, though it always vexed me to leave a thing half +done, and the partial excavation we had made gave an untidy appearance +to the place which displeased me mightily. Moreover, the rains +ceasing, and a season of dry weather ensuing, the ground became so much +harder that we found our progress even slower than before, so that we +did give it up, and went back very cheerfully to our canoe, which we +had neglected all this time. + +We had hollowed out the log sufficiently for our purpose, though when I +looked at the clumsy product of our toil I had a great doubt whether we +should be able to sail in it. It had none of the nice curves and +shapeliness of a boat, and was the same at the one end as at the other, +so that to talk of its prow cutting the water, or cleaving the waves, +as fine writers say, would always have been ridiculous. However, we +had first to bring it to the water, and that we found a prodigious +task. The log, even hollowed out as it was, was much heavier than +those we had used in building our hut, and all our pushing and pulling +did not avail to move it an inch. We tried the plan of the rollers, +whereby we had brought the trees down the hill-side, and by levering up +the end of the canoe we managed to slip one of our round poles beneath +it, and then others, and when we had several in place, we shoved it and +moved it a few feet towards the sea. But the weight of it was so great +that the poles were driven into the sand, and so far from being +rollers, there they stuck, and we had no means of removing them except +by digging them out. This was a pretty check at the outset, and I do +not think anything could have been more vexatious. Billy and I stood +beside our ungainly vessel, cudgelling our brains for some means of +moving it, and Billy said he wished the worst storm that ever was would +spring up, so that the waves would come dashing up the beach to the +cliffs, and so carry back the canoe into its rightful element. + +"What makes water so strong, master?" he said, when he had uttered this +prayer for a storm. "The sea could lift this here ugly thing as easy +as if it was a cork; but water ain't got no muscles, and it's muscles +what does it." + +I could only answer that such was the nature of things, and that made +me think how feeble even the strongest man is, and how a puff of wind +or a wave of the sea can undo in a moment the labour of weeks and +months. I might have said something of this to Billy, though he was +always impatient of such talk, only he broke in upon my musing: "Well," +says he, "I suppose we'll have to go and cut some more poles, and make +a regular road of 'em down to the sea, and that'll take us a week or +more." + +"Time doesn't matter to us," I said. + +"Oh, but it does," cried Billy. "Suppose Old Smoker took it into his +head to go a-blazing? Suppose there was an earthquake? If we had the +canoe afloat, we could lie off a bit until Old Smoker's temper was +over." + +"But why suppose such things?" I said. "Here have we been two years or +more upon this island, and nothing has happened to harm us----" + +"Except that ugly monster with the long legs," says Billy, interrupting. + +"True; and----" I began. But he interrupted again. + +"And the shark," says he, "and the pig what tumbled me over, and the +dogs what bit me. It's all very well for you to talk, master. Things +ain't fair, that's all I've got to say. You don't get hurt, but I do. +Why, even fleas, now. We had a lot of fleas at home, but d'you think +they hurt my mother-in-law? Not a bit of it. They plagued me awful, +till I could screech; but my mother-in-law never felt 'em at all, and +that wasn't fair, 'cause she was big and I was little--at least, not so +big as her." + +I said it was true that Billy had suffered more mishaps than I, but +perhaps my turn would come some day; meanwhile we had as yet discovered +no way of moving the canoe, unless we tried Billy's plan of laying a +kind of roadway of poles from the cliff to the sea, and we supposed we +should have to do that, arduous as the work would be. We left it for +that day, and for the next, too, being loath to begin a task we did not +like; and then we saw another way of achieving our purpose, which I +wonder we had not thought of before. We had rigged up over the hole in +the floor leading to the cavern a sort of windlass, by means of which +we lowered provisions into our store-room, and it was when we were +letting down a basketful of yams that the idea came into my head. +Could we by any means devise a windlass which would give us a +sufficient purchase to haul the canoe to the sea? + +"'Course not," said Billy, when I put it to him. I never knew Billy's +like for the seeing of difficulties. "Nothing but oaks would be strong +enough." + +[Sidenote: Launching the Canoe] + +But I was by no means satisfied that the plan was impossible, and I +went down to the shore at low tide to look about me. I ought to say +that the windlass in the house was a very simple machine. We had stuck +two young stout saplings into the ground, one on each side of the hole, +having shortened their stems so that the fork where the lowest branches +were stood about three feet above the earth. Across these forks we +laid a short round pole for the drum of the winch, at one end of this +we lashed two slighter poles for the handle, and about the drum we +wound and unwound the rope by which we lowered things. Now it was +quite certain that we could not move our heavy canoe unless we had a +contrivance very much stronger than this, and the difficulty was that a +windlass for this purpose must be erected on the sand, and below +low-water mark, or it would not bring the canoe to the water. There +were certainly no trees of any kind growing in the sand, so that it +seemed that any contrivance of the kind must be made there by our own +hands. + +But as I was walking along the beach, endeavouring to see my way +through this difficulty, I observed a rock, not above three feet high, +which had a deep jagged groove across the top of it, resembling in some +degree the fork of a tree. I looked about for a companion rock near at +hand, but all that I saw were flatter and much smaller, not one having +any groove to match the other. But why should we not rig up, I +thought, something that should serve as well? After a great deal of +consideration I hit upon a plan, which Billy and I proceeded at next +low tide to carry out. We got two stout poles, and drove them into the +sand with the pummet, one across the other, so that the tops of them +made a big letter V, the point of which was at the same height as the +groove in the rock. We next laid a stout pole across from the V to the +groove, smearing it at the resting-places very plentifully with fat, so +that it would turn easily: this made a drum. Then we plaited a thick +and long rope, and wound one end about the drum and knotted the other +end to the nose of the canoe through a hole we made with our axes. +Last of all, we fastened a handle to the drum in the same way as we had +done with the small windlass in the hut. + +When this rough piece of machinery was ready we began to turn the +handle, both of us heaving at it, because the canoe was so heavy that +it needed all our strength. At first, indeed, we could scarcely move +it, and feared that all was again for nought; but when we had greased +the drum again with pork fat where it fitted into the supports, we +managed to turn it a very little way, and that giving encouragement, we +persevered, and had the joy of seeing the canoe coming inch by inch, +with much creaking and groaning of our machine, nearer to the water. +If the canoe had had a keel, I doubt whether we could have moved it, +for it would almost certainly have ploughed into the sand and stuck; +but being rounded and not pointed, it slid down, though slowly and with +many checks. And so, having drawn it down to a spot where the depth of +water when the tide came in would be sufficient to float it, we let +forth a shout of delight and went home to dinner with cheerful minds +and keen appetites, I do assure you. + +We had left our mooring-rope attaching the canoe to the rock, so that +it should not float away while we were at dinner; and when we had +finished the meal we went down to the shore again, very impatient to +try the vessel's buoyancy. The tide was not yet come near high enough +to float it, and we waited for a good while, watching the ripples +crawling up over the sand, every moment a little higher. At last the +water was washing around the canoe; then it floated, and no sooner did +it float than Billy pushed it out with a great shove into deeper water +and leaped aboard, and I laughed heartily at what ensued, for he turned +a somerset and went souse into the sea, and the canoe filled and sank. +Billy came up spluttering, and the first words he said were, "What's +the good of the silly thing!" And, indeed, I saw that maybe the matter +was not one for amusement, for if the vessel toppled over, or turned +turtle, as they say at sea, whenever we tried to board her, we should +have had all our labour in vain. However, we could but wait until the +tide fell again, when she would be left high and dry, and meanwhile we +went back to the house, as well to dry Billy's clothes (what there was +now left of them) as to consider how we might improve the stability of +the vessel on which we set such store. + +[Sidenote: The Outrigger] + +I remembered that when we were on the island where we sojourned for a +time (how long ago it seemed!) we had seen some strangely-shaped canoes +which very much moved my curiosity. There were cross-pieces of wood +let into the side of the canoe, and bent over, being fastened at the +lower extremity to a pole or plank which floated on the water. This +odd contrivance I had heard the seamen call an outrigger, and the +purpose of it was to keep the vessel on an even keel, as one may say, +though having no keel it would be better to say plainly, to keep it +steady. I was now much more alive to the benefit of this contrivance +than when I had merely seen it as a spectator; things do take on very +different aspects according as we are personally interested or not; and +we immediately set to work to fashion an outrigger for our vessel, +which took us two or three full working days to make, and another day +to adjust. When it was done, we floated the canoe once more, and got +into her, and felt exceeding pleased with ourselves for the space of +perhaps a minute, and then our complacency received a wound, for by +some shifting of our position the balance of the vessel was altered, +the outrigger rose up and made best part of a circle in the air, and +Billy and I were cast into the water. It was plain that the outrigger +was too light, and we made another one, using this time the heavy wood +of the cocoa-nut palm, which being very hard, too, gave us a deal of +trouble to fashion to the right shape; but we managed it at last, and +when we fixed this new outrigger to the canoe, we found that we could +sway from side to side without any danger of capsizing. Billy was +greatly uplifted at this, and wanted to set off there and then on a +voyage; he even said that perhaps we might rig up a sail and voyage to +England; but I told him that we had not yet proved the vessel, and did +not even know whether she would ride through a sea of any roughness; +and as for England, it was impossible to think that we could ever cross +the immense ocean in so clumsy a craft, though the mention of it set me +a-longing, and I felt more miserable than I had done for many a day. + +We had not yet made any paddles for propelling our canoe; Billy very +sensibly saying that 'twas no good wasting time on them until we had +proved whether our vessel would float. However, now that we were +assured of this, we made some paddles, finding it a pretty hard job, +for we had no means of splitting planks from the trees, and we had to +content ourselves with short poles, with blades made in the following +manner. To one end of the pole we lashed a thin flexible rod, bent to +the shape of a circle, and we made a kind of basket-work on this by +crossing and re-crossing with threads of cocoa-nut fibre, which we drew +as tight as we could. When we had coloured it red with the sap of the +redwood tree of which I have spoken before, we had a very serviceable +paddle, and not ill-looking either. We paddled about in shallow water +near the sandy beach, not venturing to go further out as yet, from fear +of capsizing where we might be snapped up by a shark. Our vessel +behaved very well, though with no grace of movement, to be sure, and we +found after a little practice that we could sit on the crosspieces of +the outrigger, which joined the sides of the canoe, and work our +paddles very well. + +I asked Billy what we should call our vessel. + +"Blackamoor, that's what I say," said he. + +"But she's only black inside," said I; "her outside is fair enough; and +now I come to think of it, we can paint her and make her look better +still." + +[Sidenote: Naming the Vessel] + +Accordingly we did this, expressing oil from the candle-nuts of which I +have spoken, and mixing this with sap from the red-wood tree. We made +a paintbrush of thin spines, and with this we painted the sides of the +vessel, which took us above a fortnight, I should think, for it was +wonderful what a prodigious quantity of paint we used, and what a +prodigious number of nuts we pressed before we got enough oil for our +purpose. When the painting was finished, Billy said that we ought to +call the vessel _Painted Sally_, or some such name; but I thought she +deserved a more respectful appellation, and suggested _Esperanza_, a +name which I had come upon somewhere in my reading, and which I thought +had a pleasant sound. However, Billy would not hear of it. + +"It's French, that I warrant you," he said, "and I can't abide 'em. +Besides, what's it mean? I suppose it means some rubbish or other." + +"Well, I think it means 'hope'," I said, "and I think it a much +prettier word." + +"I don't," says Billy bluntly; "it's too soft like." + +"And therefore it suits our vessel," I said, "for you know, Billy, +ships are always given ladies' names." + +"Yes, and the _Lovey Susan_," says he, "she went to the bottom, and +_her_ name was soft enough, and I don't believe any boat with the name +_Esperanza_ would ever have the strength to ride through a storm. I +likes a plain straightforward name, I do, like my own; you won't find +any man," says he, "with a better name than Billy Bobbin." + +"Well, shall we call her Billy?" I asked. + +Billy looked very serious at this, and after considering for a minute +he said he wasn't going to be called a "her" or a "she" for anybody, +not even on a boat, and then added, "Call her plain _Hope_ and settle +it, master, and never mind about your _Esperanzas_." + +"Fair Hope would suit a lady better than Plain Hope," I said very +gravely, and Billy, who was quite unconscious of the verbal point +('twas a very small one, I own), agreed that _Fair Hope_ wasn't bad; +and so we got some powdered charcoal and mixed it with oil, and printed +the name in black letters on the larboard bow, as Billy called it, and +having done this, we thought we might now venture to make a short +expedition up the coast. + +[Sidenote: We go Sailing] + +It was a fair bright morning when we set out on this our first voyage, +and we were very much excited, as you may imagine. We had been by my +reckoning, which was pure guess-work, above two years on the island, +and though we had become pretty reconciled to it, regarding it indeed +as our home for the rest of our lives, there were times when our lot +seemed to be that of prisoners, and the prospect of getting beyond our +bounds, though ever so short a distance and for ever so short a time, +seemed like the loosening of fetters and the removing of prison bars. +This made me think what a blessed thing is liberty, and when I +remembered unfortunate people whom I had read about as falling into +captivity I compared our lot with theirs, and saw how much we had to be +thankful for. + +However, to return to our voyage. We had been taught a certain caution +by sundry incidents that had already happened in our life on the +island, so we put some food and two or three pots of fresh water in the +bottom of the vessel, and our spears, axes, and bows and arrows as +well. While Billy carried these things down to the vessel, I went up +to our watch-tower, to see whether any canoes were in sight, for we +should have been very sorry if we had run among a fleet of savage +vessels. However, there was not a speck to be seen, only the low dusky +line on the western horizon that we believed to be the coast of some +island. Accordingly we set off in perfect ease of mind, and paddled +slowly along, keeping close to the shore, and following its +indentations as well as the rocks and shoals would permit us. + +The seaward aspect of the familiar parts of the island was very +interesting to us, and we amused ourselves with guessing what places in +the interior were opposite to us when the cliffs hid them from sight. +For some distance we passed beneath low cliffs; then the shore took a +great curve inward, making the bay we had called by Billy's name; the +head of this bay we judged to be the point of the shore nearest to our +hut, which was not itself visible from any part of the sea, lying as it +did in a hollow. We paddled out to the nearest of the big rocks that +stood like sentinels guarding this side of the island, and found a +great quantity of clams upon it, some of which Billy insisted on taking +into the boat, to see if they tasted any different from those we found +on our own shore, and in reaching over he pretty nearly upset the +vessel. From thence we went on to the second rock, some little +distance out to sea, and Billy wanted to get out and climb the rock, +which stood almost perpendicular, but with jagged sides, so that +climbing was possible; but the base of it was so thickly covered with +slimy seaweed that it would have been difficult to maintain a footing, +so I persuaded Billy to forego the enterprise. Leaving this rock, we +continued on our course, and came by and by to the rocky spar that was +what may be called the land's end of this part of the island. Here the +cliffs were very steep, indeed, almost perpendicular, as we had +discovered before when we had tried to walk round the coast, and found +our way blocked. When we had turned the corner, we found another +little bay, but no beach, except a very small strip of sand at the foot +of the cliffs. We saw a great quantity of driftwood on this beach, and +when we paddled up to it, a huge eel darted away from beneath a +water-sodden log, on which Billy made a great lamentation because we +had not brought our fishing lines and hooks. Among the driftwood we +saw two or three very old planks, worm-eaten and covered with moss, and +we wondered whether they were planks of the boat of the _Lovey Susan_, +which we might have had now if we had been more thoughtful. We took +them on board, not that they would be of any use to us, but that we +might keep them as mementoes. + +[Sidenote: The Cave] + +Paddling out of this bay, we were coasting along by more high cliffs +when we came all of a sudden to an immense opening, which appeared to +run a great way into the shore, though we could not tell how far, for +its depths were very black. + +"A cave, master!" cried Billy, full of excitement, and I was excited +too, there being I know not what of mystery and fascination about a +cave. "Let us go in," says he. + +You may think it strange, but I felt a great reluctance to paddle into +that gloomy place; my imagination, more active than Billy's, saw it +peopled by sea-urchins and hobgoblins, and I could fancy I already +heard strange noises, the fruit, I suppose, of my reading that +wonderful play of Shakespeare, _The Tempest_. However, I could not +show the white feather before Billy, so we paddled into the entrance, +finding a considerable depth of water there, and so for twenty or +thirty yards, there being more light in the cave than we had thought +when outside, because it was lofty, and the water threw up reflections. +But when we had come some twenty yards into it, it made a sudden bend +to the right, and at the same place became very much darker, so that +though we peered in we could see but a few yards in front of us. We +stayed for a little, looking about us, and seeing nothing but what +appeared to be considerable patches of seaweed floating on the water; +nor did we hear any noises, but all was as still as death, so that even +Billy was oppressed by the silence, and even more by the hollow echo +when he spoke. + +"I don't much like the look of this place, master," he said. + +I did not tell him that my feeling was the same, but affected to laugh +at him, though at the same time I dipped my paddle to bring the vessel +round with her head pointing to the opening. As I did so, I observed a +sort of heaving and undulating movement in one of the patches of +seaweed, and marvelled at it, for there was no current on the surface, +and the vessel was perfectly steady. But supposing there must be an +under-current of some kind, I paid no more heed to it, but continued to +paddle, and we soon brought the vessel out of the cave and among a +little labyrinth of rocks, partly above the surface and partly +submerged. We had but just got there, however, when we found our +vessel begin to lose way and our paddles to stick in the seaweed, as we +supposed, which was now very thick on the surface, and which was the +greater impediment to us because of the outrigger. We strove as hard +as we could to force the vessel through, but it was like tugging at a +rebellious slip-knot; the harder you tug the more you tie yourself up. +We were thinking of backing the vessel, so as to go round about the +obstacle, when all of a sudden, as I took notice of how the tendrils of +the seaweed were clinging about the outrigger and curling up towards +the side of the canoe, I was seized with the horrid suspicion that we +had not to deal with seaweed at all, but with a monster, or maybe +several, like to that terrible creature which had almost dragged me +down when we were searching for eggs, as I have related. This thought +made me shudder with a sickening apprehension, especially when the +notion struck me, as it did at that moment, that this cavern could not +be very far from the steep and rugged cliff by which we had descended. +Even before I could whisper my dread thought to Billy, some of the +tentacles, as I had now no doubt they were, were creeping over the +side, and one of them touched my leg and immediately held fast. For an +instant I was perfectly overcome with horror, as I was on the cliff, +and, as it were, paralyzed in my will; but then, making a great effort, +I jerked myself free, at the same time calling aloud to Billy and +chopping with my axe, which I had seized, at the tentacles that held +the canoe in their grip and had altogether stopped its motion. + +[Sidenote: A Shoal of Monsters] + +"The monster, is it?" cries Billy, who hated the thing with the same +aversion as I did, but seemed to be quite exempt from its fascination. +"I'll monster him," says he, and he dropped his paddle and took up his +axe and began hacking away with all his might at the horrid feelers +that were crawling over the vessel. There were the two of us, then, +slashing and chopping with desperate energy, running, or rather +creeping as quickly as we could, from end to end of the canoe whenever +a tentacle showed itself above the gunwale, with the result that the +grip of the creature (or creatures, for we knew not whether we had to +do with one or many)--the grip of it, I say, relaxed, and we thought we +could leave our axes and take to the paddles again. But we had not +gone above two yards when the vessel was brought up again, and this +time the paddles themselves were seized, and though I struggled with +all my strength, my paddle was drawn out of my hands and I saw it no +more. Billy was more lucky, and kept his, but he had to drop it into +the bottom and take to his axe again, as I did to mine, and so we fell +to it again, slashing and chopping at these hideous tentacles that came +up over the side, parts of them falling into the bottom of the vessel +as we severed them and writhing there. Once more we beat off the enemy +thus, and then I seized Billy's paddle in feverish haste, and plied it +with all my might, Billy doing what he could also with two spears held +together. And this time we got clear of the rocky labyrinth, to my +unutterable relief, though with some scraping of the outrigger, for you +may be sure we were in so great a hurry to get away that we could not +stop for nice steering; and we kept on paddling hard for some minutes +after we were a fair distance along the shore, and, indeed, did not +cease until we found ourselves in the channel between the island and +the red rock, and then we had another alarm, but of a different kind, +for our vessel was caught in the mighty current which rushed through +the narrow passage, and was swept on as if it had been a cork, we +gripping the thwarts and fearing every moment that we should either be +dashed against the rocks on one side or the other, or be totally +submerged in the boiling torrent. However, we came out at the further +end safe, though very wet and terrified, and were carried on, though +not so violently, past the place where the cascade fell from the +mountain, and so on towards the long spit of land that had the natural +archway at its end. + +[Sidenote: The End of the Voyage] + +We still had cause for alarm, for as yet we had no mastery of the +vessel, and feared we should be carried by the current right out to +sea. But by dint of great efforts, Billy with the paddle, which he had +taken from me, being the more muscular, and I with the spears, we +managed to take the vessel across the current and towards the land on +our right hand, and by and by got into pretty calm water near the +archway. Here, in the steep wall of the cliff, we saw a small cove, +where we might have beached the canoe; but after what we had come +through we had little disposition to linger, and so we paddled through +the archway and turned the corner, and went along by the lava beach +until we came at length to the sandy beach whence we had started. We +were fairly worn out, I assure you, as well with our frights and +terrors as with our exertions, and besides, we had eaten nothing since +the morning, though we had provisions with us, having had too much to +think about otherwise. Never did mariners land with more thankfulness +than we did. When we had tied up our vessel we went to our house and +built a roaring fire, to cheer our spirits as well as to dry our +clothes; and when we had eaten a comforting meal and fell a-talking, we +spoke of our satisfaction in the seaworthiness of the Fair Hope, and +also in having circumnavigated the island. + +"I'd like to kill that monster," says Billy, as we talked about that +part of our adventure; "and I will, too, if he'll come out of that cave +where we can see him proper." + +"I think we had better leave him in possession undisturbed," I said, +with the horror of the creature still upon me. "Perhaps there is a +shoal of the monsters there; the rocks we saw would make a very good +home for them. And I don't think we'll go that way again, Billy; I +seem to see those dreadful tentacles crawling all about me, and the +leathery feel of them when I chopped makes me shudder still." + +"Cheer up, master," says Billy. "After all, we did 'em more damage +than they did us, and taught 'em a lesson, I warrant you." + + + + +CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH + +OF OUR VOYAGE TO A NEIGHBOURING ISLAND, AND OF OUR INHOSPITABLE +RECEPTION BY THE SAVAGES + + +We did not take another voyage for some days, for my dreams were +haunted by visions of the monster, and I felt a shuddering reluctance +even to look at the canoe, upon which I seemed to see tentacles +writhing. And when we did again embark, it was only to paddle out to +the fishing-ground I have mentioned, though by and by, when the +recollection of the monster had become somewhat dimmed, we cruised +about the coast sometimes for the mere pleasure and exercise of it, and +to make ourselves more expert in the management of our vessel. After a +time the notion came to us of rigging up a mast and sail, and trying +what we could do in real navigation. We had some difficulty in +stepping the mast, which was a straight pine sapling; but the way we at +length hit upon was as follows: we fastened two straight logs athwart +the canoe, setting them parallel, and just so far apart as gave room +for the mast. Having set up the mast between them, we lashed two more +logs, but shorter, crosswise upon the first two, close up against the +mast, which was then, as you perceive, gripped pretty firmly by the +four logs. The sail gave us little trouble, for we had become expert +by this time in weaving, and we wove a sort of huge mat with long +grasses, which we found to serve excellently well. Spars and cordage +were also easily made, though they took a prodigious time, and we one +day hoisted our sail to see how our contrivances would act. + +[Illustration: Our Canoe] + +[Sidenote: Rigging] + +We were much disappointed when we found that as soon as the sail caught +the wind our vessel heeled over, so that we had to lower the sail +immediately, or we should have been capsized. After some thought we +hit upon a remedy, which was to make some alterations in the weight of +the outrigger, and also in the length of the outrigger beam; and when +we had spent a deal of time in making experiments, and running some +risks of losing the vessel, we managed so that she ran perfectly steady +with an ordinary breeze. And then we discovered that, our stability +being assured, we could sail marvellously close to the wind and at a +very fair speed, much faster, indeed, than we could paddle, and it then +became our delight to make little trips round the coast and some +distance out to sea, always very carefully looking out first from our +watch-tower to be sure that no savages were in sight. + +[Sidenote: The Red Rock] + +On one of these expeditions we sailed round to the north side of the +island, and it came into our heads to see whether it was possible to +make an ascent of the big red rock, the sides of which, so far as we +had been able to examine them from the cliffs and the hills, appeared +to be unscalable. We took care not to let our vessel drift into the +current that ran between the rock and the island, and running round to +the north side of it, we found that it was not near so precipitous here +as on the other sides--indeed, there was a very convenient +landing-place at the foot, and a little cove where the vessel might +safely lie, tied by the painter to a crag, while we satisfied our +curiosity by making the ascent. You may be sure that we tied the +vessel up very securely before leaving her, for if she had drifted +loose I do not know what we should have done, for we could scarcely +have swum to the island, the current being so strong, and I suppose we +should simply have stayed on the rock until we were dead. + +There was no pathway up the rock, on which we were perhaps the first +human beings that had ever set foot, and we found the ascent a great +deal more difficult than it had appeared from below. We had to clamber +up from point to point with the aid sometimes of stunted bushes--very +sturdy they were, too--that grew out of fissures; and choosing the +easiest way, we made a very zigzag course, sometimes losing sight of +the sea altogether. Here and there we disturbed sea-birds which had +made their nests in the face of the cliff, but there were not near so +many of these as we might have expected. After climbing thus for about +three hundred feet, as I calculated, we came to a sort of broad terrace +that ran in a fairly easy slope round the northern and eastern faces of +the rock, and pretty well covered with shrubs and moss. From this we +made our way, rather laboriously, to the southern side, and came by and +by to the ledge, or platform, which jutted out from the rock to the +island, and which I mentioned a while ago. Billy, you remember, had +spoke of leaping the gap, which would have been an impossible feat, for +not only was the distance too great, it being, I should think, at least +twenty feet, but, moreover, the ledge on the rock was somewhat higher +than the promontory of the island. Looking down upon this latter as we +now did, the gap seemed even less than it had appeared from the other +side, and I had really to be very stern with Billy when he declared +again that he knew he could jump it. + +From this ledge or platform we found the ascent to the summit of the +rock pretty easy, and when we got there, we saw that it was flat in +general, but a great deal cut up by fissures and jagged bosses, so that +it was not near so smooth as it appeared when we overlooked it from the +side of the mountain. Some of the fissures were of considerable depth, +and when I flung a small fragment of rock into one of them, to test it, +there came a faint splash from below, by which we knew that it +contained water; and yet the splash was not so faint as to come from +the sea, so that we concluded the water at the bottom of the fissure +was fresh, and had collected there from the drainage of the sort of +tableland on which we stood. There were thin shrubs and lichen growing +on the rock, but we saw nothing to interest us, and so, having got but +a poor reward for our labour in climbing, we descended again, and found +the descent little less laborious than the ascent; indeed, I thought it +more difficult, for the looking down made me a little dizzy. We were +both pretty tired by the time we reached the canoe, which was just as +we left it; and I should not have thought it worth while to say +anything about this fruitless expedition but for some surprising events +that happened later. + +[Sidenote: Preparing for a Voyage] + +It was some little while after this, I think, that I suffered a spell +of home-sickness, and was more miserable and down-hearted than I had +ever been since we came to the island. I have no doubt it was because +we had more time on our hands than heretofore, for with the making of +our canoe it seemed that there was little else left for us in the way +of handiwork, and the tending of our animals and plantations was by no +means enough to fill all our days. The servant of the ingenious +gentleman in the tale--Sancho Panza is his name, I think--in his +simplicity invoked blessings on him that invented sleep; and I would +match him by a similar invocation on the inventor of work, for I am +very sure that while we work we have no leisure to be discontented, and +when our work is done there is blessed sleep to refresh us. I did not +forget the saying that "all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy," +and Billy and I, as I have said, did some little in the way of play, +with skittles, and shooting at the running man, and in sailing our +canoe, which was a very fine sport, I assure you; and we spent some +time in trying to teach our dogs, which were growing apace, to perform +tricks, with but little success. However, I mention my home-sickness +because it was when I was in that black fit that Billy spoke again of +sailing to England. + +"Why not make a bigger canoe, master, and put a great store of food and +water aboard, and sail away?" he said. "When our water was done, we +could touch at some of them islands we passed and get more, and maybe +after a bit we might fall in with a proper ship and get a passage home." + +I pointed out in answer to this that we should not find it an easy +matter to launch a vessel large enough to carry provisions for a +lengthy voyage. "If we had a chart and compass," I said, "and other +things useful in navigation, about which neither you nor I know much, +we might perhaps set off and go from island to island on our stock of +food, until we came maybe to one of the possessions which the Dutch +have, I believe, in the Indian Archipelago, or maybe to some place in +Spanish America where we might find a friendly ship. But suppose our +food gave out and we could not make land," I said, "what could we do +without a chart or any means of taking observations? If luck went +against us, we might sail for weeks, and indeed months, without ever +seeing land at all. And besides," I went on, "suppose nothing of this +sort happened to us, but we chanced upon an island where the native +people were hostile----" + +"We would fight 'em," says Billy, interrupting me; "that's what we made +them bows and arrows for, and we can shoot straight now, and we could +make a few thousand arrows so that it wouldn't matter if we lost some." + +I could not help smiling at Billy's simplicity, admiring at the same +time his stoutness of heart; but I showed him that with all our +expertness we could not hope, being two, to contend with great hosts of +savages, who would very soon overwhelm us. However, Billy was not at +all convinced that his idea of a voyage to England was impracticable, +and he talked so much about it that I was in course of time prevailed +on to consider it, at least so far as to consent to make a little +experiment. In short, we resolved upon making a voyage of several days +from the island. We had to consider of the well-being of our live +stock during our intended absence, and that gave us some trouble, for +though we might take our two dogs with us, we could certainly not +transport our pigs or our poultry, nor did we wish to do so. On the +other hand, if we left them in their usual habitations, and we were +away longer than we expected, they would certainly starve, while if we +let them loose the fowls would as certainly be devoured by the wild +dogs, and the pigs the same, or else return to their wildness, but most +likely the former, for animals that have become domestic are no match +in fighting for wild animals of their kind. We might have left a large +quantity of food, that's true; but knowing the nature of beasts we knew +that they would devour it gluttonously without any forethought, and +maybe kill themselves with over-eating, and at any rate there would be +none of it left after the first day. It was a good while before we hit +upon any way out of this difficulty, and then it was Billy who thought +of a way, and very ingenious it was, in my estimation. As he very +truly said, we needed some contrivance that would enable the pigs to +get their food, but not too fast, and his device for this was to make a +long trough with holes in the bottom of it, and to raise this above the +ground just so high that the pigs by lifting up their snouts could +nibble through the holes at what the trough contained. I say I thought +it an ingenious notion, and we considered how such a trough could be +made, for we could not make one of planks, and it would be a tedious +business to burn out the inside of a tree as we had done with our +vessel. But it came into my head that we could make one by moulding +clay on such a tree, which we did, and having broken a number of holes +in the clay when it was moist, we burnt it hard, and thus the trough +was finished, in much less time than the hollowing of a tree would have +taken. We put some yams into it, and made a trial of this new +contrivance, and we found it answered our expectations almost too well, +for owing to the height of the trough when we had propped it up, the +smallness of the holes, and the unwonted postures to which the pigs +were enforced, they could only eat very slowly, which must have been a +great trouble to animals accustomed to rapid gobbling of their meals. +We saw that we should have to make a special trough for the smaller +pigs, or else give them one end of the trough to themselves, for +otherwise the larger animals would never have let them eat at all; and +in the end we put up a fence between the smaller and the larger pigs, +and tilted the trough a little, so that it was lower at one extremity; +and this end also we filled with pounded bread-fruit as well as yams, +as being more fit for the younger stomachs, besides being not so hard +to get at through the holes. From the trial we made we saw that the +trough, when full, would hold enough food for three or four days, and +if we were absent longer than that, the pigs must needs sing for their +supper, as Billy said. + +As for the fowls, we could not for a long time think of any manner of +supplying them with food. We were accustomed to fling their food to +them over the fence of their enclosure, and Billy said that what we +needed was some contrivance for dropping supplies down among them at +intervals. I remembered having read somewhere of a device for +releasing a catch by a candle burning a thread passed through it at a +certain distance from the top, but we could not make with our +candle-nuts a candle that would last near long enough, and besides, if +we could there was the danger that it would cause a conflagration. But +this set us on thinking towards the plan which we resolved on, and that +was to support a basket of food by a catch, and tie to the catch a +strip of raw hide, which, when it contracted with the sun's heat, would +release the catch. The manner of our doing this was as follows. We +suspended the basket from the roof of the fowl-house by slings, one on +each side, and to one of the slings we fastened a long strip of raw +hide, the other end of this being attached by a wooden peg to the wall, +and the hide being stretched pretty tight in a horizontal direction. +The contraction of the hide would thus pull the sling from under the +basket, and so cause it to fall. We found when we tried this at first +that the basket fell too soon, which was due to the too rapid +contraction of the hide; but we devised a remedy for this by wrapping +the hide round with wet grass, which prevented it from contracting so +soon. We put enough food in the basket to last about two days, being +unable to put more because it would then be too heavy for the catch. + +"If we are away longer than two days, and they eat it all too soon," +says Billy, "they must make the best of it, and maybe it'll learn 'em +not to be greedy." + +The supply of water for our animals gave us no trouble, for with our +numerous pots and pans filled there was enough for over a week. + +[Sidenote: A Certain Lecture] + +All these arrangements having been made--and we grudged the time for +them, so eager were we now to go a-sailing--we determined to set forth +the very next day. As we lay in our hut that night, before we went to +sleep we talked over what was before us, and I own I was in a very +serious mood, for we were certainly braving the unknown. We might be +caught in a storm, and knew not in the least how our vessel would then +behave. We might encounter savages, who would be hostile to us, and +maybe kill us, or make us captives. We were leaving a comfortable and +secure home, and embarking on what might prove to be a very sea of +troubles; and when, in talking to Billy, the manifold dangers to which +we might be exposed became more deeply pictured in my mind, I was +almost ready to give up the design. But when I threw out sundry hints +to this effect, Billy spoke so slightingly of these imaginary perils, +and so glowingly of the delights of roving and going a voyage of +discovery, that I resolutely stilled my qualms, and, indeed, felt some +little ashamed of my timorousness. For an example, when I said that we +might never come home again, Billy said, "Why, master, you _are_ a +croaker. We might have gone to the bottom with poor Captain Corke and +poor Mr. Lummis, and we didn't. We might have been took into that boat +with Hoggett and Wabberley and that lot, and we warn't, and mighty glad +I am of it, for I wouldn't be within call of Hoggett for a thousand +pound. And if so be they're alive anywhere now, and Mr. Bodger is with +'em, he wishes to goodness he warn't, that I warrant you." + +"But suppose we come back and find our house ruined with an earthquake +or smothered under ashes from the mountain?" I said. + +"Why, we shall think ourselves uncommon lucky," says he, "as we was not +here to be ruined and smothered too. I call that nothing but croaking, +master." + +I took some pains to defend myself from this charge, and to show Billy +that there is all the difference in the world between a settled habit +of looking on the dark side of things and a prudential survey when some +great enterprise is in question; but I might as well have talked to the +pigs, or to our two dogs, for all the impression I made. And it is as +well 'twas so, for his confidence and resoluteness to see only the +bright side were wonderfully cheering to me; and I have often since +thought that it is a great affliction to be able to see too much. To +use a homely instance, the donkey in the tale starved because he could +not make up his mind between the two bundles of hay; if he had seen +only one at a time he would have had a very good meal. + +When we rose in the morning I was quite as ready as Billy to embark on +our voyage. At the last moment something put it into our heads to +convey all our spare provisions and some of our tools to the cavern +below, which already held a great store, and to conceal the opening, +which hitherto we had only covered with loose logs. We now laid these +logs very close together across the top of the shaft a little below the +floor level, and over these we laid grass, and over this again a +quantity of earth like that of which the floor consisted; and then we +rammed it down, and laid on it flags and rushes with which we were used +to strew the floor, so that no one would think, to look at it, that +there was a cellar beneath. Then, having already strengthened the +fences of our poultry-run and pigsty, to keep out the wild dogs, we +carried down to the vessel a good store of provisions and water, also +our spears and bows and arrows, the arrows in neat quivers we had made +out of palm leaves. We then waited for the full tide to launch our +canoe and set sail. + +[Sidenote: We go a Voyage] + +This happened in the afternoon. We had talked over the direction of +our course, and had resolved to sail to the westward, for no other +reason, I think, than that we had seen the seamen of the _Lovey Susan_ +make for the east, and we had no wish to meet them again if perchance +we had to land for any purpose. If any one says it was a foolhardy +thing to attempt a voyage without a compass, and asks how we could be +sure of finding our way back again, I will remind him that it was very +rarely indeed Old Smoker had not a crown of steam or smoke upon his +head, and he stood so high that he could have been seen for a distance +of thirty or forty miles, I am sure, and we did not purpose to go near +so far as that. Our design was, indeed, to make direct for the island +which we had seen as a dim line on the western horizon, and we set +forth in the afternoon because we thought it best to approach this +island under cover of night, for if our coming was observed by the +people of the island while we were still a great way off, they would be +able, if hostilely inclined, to prepare an ambuscade for us, which +might be our ruin; whereas if we surprised them by an unexpected +arrival on their coast, they would not have had time to get ready for +us, and so we should not be in near so much danger. + +[Sidenote: A Coral Island] + +The breeze blew gently from the north-west, and the _Fair Hope_, +beating up against it, proceeded but slowly, though she sailed with a +steadiness which, now that we were farther from land than we had ever +been before, gave us much contentment. Our progress was so slow, +indeed, that darkness was upon us before we had got half-way to the +island, and we had to steer by the stars, which shone out with +exceeding brightness in a sky perfectly clear. There is something +inexpressibly moving in sailing thus upon a calm sea, in the deep +silence of the night, and neither Billy nor I had much to say to each +other. We tried to sleep a little now and then, taking it in turns to +steer, for the vessel needed no other management, so tranquil were the +elements; but neither of us could sleep soundly, and at length we gave +over the attempt, and were content to float idly on. Some while before +daybreak we heard the sound of breakers on our leeward side, and we +instantly brought the vessel to, having no mind to run upon a strange +shore in the darkness. When the dark lifted, we saw that we were +within a mile or so of a low island which, from our former experience +when sailing in the _Lovey Susan_, we knew to be a coral island. +Between it and us there was a reef over which the sea was breaking, and +we could see no opening in it, but we knew that there always is an +opening in such a reef, giving admittance to a broad lagoon. +Accordingly, we hoisted our sail again, and, still beating up to +windward, we came after some time to a gap in the reef at least a +hundred yards broad, so that we ran through it with ease, to find +ourselves, as we expected, in the shelter of the lagoon. We saw +immediately that our coming had not been unobserved, for on the farther +side of the lagoon there was a crowd of naked brown people in a little +clearing among the trees, who we knew had seen us, at first by their +gestures, and then by the proceedings of some few of them. For while +we looked, we saw a half-dozen or so running along the shore away from +us, and Billy cried that they were affrighted, and they must be a lot +of cowards. But I very soon perceived that he was quite mistaken in +this, for the goal of the runners was plainly a little cove about a +mile up the coast, where there were certain long dark objects drawn up +on the beach which I judged to be canoes, though I could not see them +clearly at so great a distance, especially as we were on the sea-level. + +We were about two hundred and fifty yards from the place where the +natives were congregated on the shore of the lagoon, so that we could +see them plainly, and we observed that the men were armed with clubs +and spears, but we saw no bows and arrows. They made no signs of +welcome such as were made by the people of the islands at which the +_Lovey Susan_ had touched, nor did they make signs of hostility, so +that I thought they were waiting for some indication from us as to our +friendliness or the reverse. Accordingly I stood up in the canoe, and, +raising my hands above my head, waved them in the air, upon which many +of the natives did the same, only their hands held their weapons. But +they shouted also, and there did not appear to be anything unfriendly +in the tone, so we continued our course towards the shore, to which +Billy had indeed been slowly paddling all the time. As we drew nearer +the shouts of the people grew more vociferous, and I observed that the +women and children among them had now got behind the men, which I +thought might be out of nothing but shyness, but on the other hand it +might be for security; and when we were, I suppose, about sixty yards +from the shore, I directed Billy to cease from paddling, so that we +might hold a parley with the people, if we could, before venturing to +land among them. But though he shipped his paddle, I observed that we +still drifted shoreward, the tide coming into the lagoon through the +gap in the reef; and being by no means ready to come within the power +of these people until we were sure of them, I caught up my paddle, and +began to use it so that we might keep a constant distance from the +shore. It was very fortunate I did this, as it proved afterwards, for +it precipitated the attack which would have otherwise been made upon us +later, when we might not have been able to get away. The people, no +doubt, supposed from my action that we were going to paddle out of the +lagoon, which did not suit their bloodthirsty minds, for at the first +stroke I made they burst into a great roar, the ferocity of which was +not doubtful, and a perfect cloud of spears hurtled through the air, +one of which, narrowly missing me, struck Billy in the arm, and another +completely transfixed his dog Robin, which fell dying in the bottom of +the canoe, and was immediately licked with every demonstration of grief +by its companion. Other spears hit the canoe, and some stuck in its +sides, but the most fell into the water. + +[Sidenote: An Attack] + +Billy was in such a rage at the loss of his dog that he seized his bow +and arrows, and in spite of his own hurt was going to shoot among the +savages; but I saw that we were in very great danger and sharply bade +him drop his weapon and help me run our vessel out of harm's way. We +set to with our paddles, therefore, making all haste to get out of the +lagoon, and not at present hoisting the sail, for the lagoon being +sheltered by a thick belt of trees, we felt scarcely at all the +north-westerly wind, and went much faster with paddles than we could +have done with the sail. The savages cast more spears at us, but none +hit us again, and we were soon out of range and thought we should +easily escape through the gap, when I observed that three of the canoes +which had been lying on the beach were now launched, and were coming +towards us very fast. It was plain that the native village was in that +direction, for though not above half-a-dozen men had hastened thither +along the shore, there were at least forty men in the three canoes, +which now, I perceived, were making slantwise across the lagoon, with +the plain intent of cutting us off from the entrance. This sight made +me feel very anxious, for though we might very likely outdistance the +canoes if we could hoist our sail in a fair breeze, we were no match +for them in the sheltered lagoon, our vessel being, I think, heavier +than theirs, and having only two paddles to their dozen at least. We +had less distance to go than they, that's true, but they moved I doubt +not three feet to our one, so that I could not help thinking we had a +poor chance of escaping, especially as Billy could use only one arm. +We worked as hard as ever we did in our lives, I assure you, Billy +doing the steering, and all the time he muttered terrible threats of +vengeance against the savages for killing his dog. + +We had been so intent upon the canoes that were speeding to cut us off +that we had had no eyes for a nearer danger. When the savages on shore +had discharged their spears, a good number of them leapt into the water +and set off swimming after us, of which we were not aware until on a +sudden we saw their black heads on the surface not many yards away. +They were very fine swimmers, that is certain, for some of them had +overhauled us, and were indeed almost within reach of our outrigger +before we saw them. I own I got a fright then, for if they once +managed to grip the outrigger, they could haul it beneath the surface +and so upset our craft, and all would be over. In this extremity I +called to Billy to keep them off with his spear or axe, though this +meant a slackening of speed which we could ill afford in face of the +canoes drawing nearer so rapidly to the gap; and besides, it gave +opportunity to others of the swimmers to come up with those that had at +first outstripped them. You see, then, how desperate was our +situation, I having both to paddle and to steer, and Billy having to +rush from end to end of the canoe to beat off the men, which would soon +become an impossible business, for while he jabbed at the men aiming at +the stern cross-piece, another made a dash for the bow-end, and there +were others ready to clutch at the beam. + +I was pretty nearly mad with despair when, as we came out of the +shelter of the trees lining the land side of the lagoon, I felt the +breeze blow stronger against my cheek and a flush of hope within me. +Crying to Billy to keep up for a minute longer, to which he answered, +"Trust me, master," in a breathless kind of way, I dropped my paddle, +caught at the halyard, and ran the sail up the mast. Instantly it +filled and took the wind, but in the moment when the vessel came to a +stop at my ceasing to paddle, two of the swimmers laid hands on the +beam of the outrigger, and I felt the vessel give a dreadful lurch. My +heart was in my mouth, as we say; but Billy, with a desperate stroke of +his spear, drove one of the men away, and the next moment the sudden +filling of the sail caused the vessel to plunge forward, so that the +man who still clung to the outrigger was drawn along and prevented from +exerting his strength to upset us. And while he still hung on Billy +reached over, and brought his axe down with great force on the man's +head, almost losing his balance; and the man gave a yell and let go his +hold, falling back among his companions, who had now abandoned the +pursuit. + +[Illustration: "BILLY REACHED OVER, AND BROUGHT HIS AXE DOWN ON THE +MAN'S HEAD."] + +Just as, before, our attention had been kept from the swimmers by the +canoes, so our tussle with the swimmers had prevented us from observing +the oncoming of the canoes. Being now free from the former danger, we +saw that our vessel and the canoes were about equal distances from the +gap, and I perceived with a terrible sinking of the heart that though +the _Fair Hope_ was making much greater speed than when we drove her by +paddles alone, yet the canoes were going still faster, the men in them +plying their paddles with amazing force and dexterity. Within a few +moments it became clear to me that the foremost canoe and our vessel +must reach the gap almost at the same instant, and Billy, who seemed to +have forgotten the perils in the excitement of the race, cried out, +"Don't let it be a tie, master. I'd rather be beat than come in a +tie." But I saw that to be even with them would be as good as a +beating, for if we came so much as within spear-throw of them, we could +not by any means escape as we had escaped from the men on shore. And +though I now took to my paddle again, having fixed the sail, and strove +with all my might, I perceived that within a minute the savages' first +canoe must reach the gap before us, and I was on the point of giving up +for lost, grasping my bow with the resolution to make the best fight I +could before being overwhelmed. Billy had already taken his, though I +knew by the set of his face that he was suffering much pain from his +wounded arm, and catching my eye, he said, "This is what we made 'em +for," and looked with great determination at the savages in the canoes. + +[Sidenote: Escape] + +But in that critical moment I saw something that set me on taking +another resolution, and carrying it out too, all in an instant, as it +were. We had been making, as I have said, for the gap in the reef, +through which the sea flowed inwards very smoothly. Upon the reef +itself the water was very much broken, more at some points than at +others, and in that flash of time I had observed that the part nearest +to us, on our right hand, appeared to lie some little distance below +the surface, for the water above it was not near so restless and +foam-crested as at some other parts. There were swells and eddies, +indeed, but it seemed to me that the water was deep enough to take our +vessel, and, as a drowning man will catch at a straw, I seized on this +as a bare chance of escape. In the twinkling of an eye--for I saw and +thought and acted all in a breath, so to speak--I thrust my paddle into +the water at such an angle as would divert the canoe towards this part +of the reef, telling Billy what I was about, and bidding him be ready +for anything that might happen. The vessel's head swung round to the +reef, we scudded across it with a scratching and scraping that made me +shudder, and it was well I did not know then what I learnt from a +mariner afterwards, how if we had struck upon any small pinnacle of +hard coral we must have been overturned to a certainty; that knowledge +might then have made a coward of me. But I did not know it, and we +scraped and bumped across the reef, which was very narrow, and so came +into the open sea, where, feeling the full force of the wind, we sped +away right merrily. + +"You did that prime, master," says Billy, "and now I'll have a shot." + +But by the time the foremost of the three canoes had come through the +gap, and Billy had adjusted his aim, we were clean out of range, which +rejoiced me as much as it disappointed him. "Can't we lay by and have +a shot or two?" he said; "the wretches killed my little dog." But I +thought it was more pertinent that we should make good our escape, +especially as it yet remained to be proved that the canoes could not +overtake us. It was a mercy they had no sails, for the paddlers drove +their craft along at a prodigious pace, so that for a time we did not +draw very much away from them, and when we did, immediately afterwards +there was a lull in the wind which made them gain upon us, so +alarmingly that I took to my paddle again to assist the wind. The +savages shouted with joy when they saw the gap between us lessening, +and even when the wind freshened again they did not give up the +pursuit, taking encouragement, no doubt, from what had lately happened, +and hoping that the wind would drop again, and for a longer time, until +they came within spear-throw. In this posture of affairs I saw that +Billy might be right, and that it would be really a wise thing to +discourage them more effectually, especially as we had done nothing to +provoke them, but on the contrary had intended to deal with them in the +most friendly way. Accordingly, I luffed a little, as seamen say, and +so allowed the first canoe to make upon us, and then I fitted an arrow +to my bow, and taking as good an aim as I could, let the shaft fly. +Our vessel was not above sixty yards distant from theirs, and if I had +been shooting on shore I should have hit the mark as like as not; but +being not at all accustomed to take aim while moving up and down I +missed the man at whom I aimed, and indeed did not hit any man, the +arrow sticking in the side of the canoe. + +"Try again, master," says Billy; but I was afraid I should not get the +chance of another shot, for the savages had stopped paddling, not being +sure, I suppose, whether I had done any damage or not; and our vessel +being under sail, was carried on a good way. But when they saw that no +one had been hit, they let forth a shout of derision, and set to +paddling again as if determined to dog us. I dare say I was nettled a +little by the mocking note I heard in their shout, which as it were put +me on my mettle; whether it was by greater care and steadiness or sheer +good fortune I know not, but certainly my next shot took effect, though +the range was longer. The man in the bow of the canoe gave a great +yell, and at the same moment dropped his paddle, and we saw him tear my +arrow out of his left shoulder and clap his hand to the wound, +whereupon Billy gave a shout of delight, and cried, "There you are, old +dirty-face, and I wish it was you that shot my little dog." The next +man in the canoe hurled his spear at us, but it fell some little +distance astern, and the other canoes having by this time caught up +with the first, we guessed by the loud chatter of the men that they +were taking counsel together, even while they still worked their +paddles. The result of their deliberation was that they gave up the +chase, a very reasonable course, for I am sure they could not have +caught us. They turned their canoes' heads towards their island, which +was now, I suppose, about two miles distant, and as soon as we saw that +they were really leaving us we hove to, and I bathed Billy's wound with +fresh water from one of our pots, observing as I did so that the +lurchings and jerkings our vessel had suffered in crossing the reef had +caused our pots to spill over, so that we had not left above a third of +the water we started with. Billy's wound, though he made light of it, +was an ugly gash, and I was a little anxious lest the weapon that dealt +it was poisoned. However, this was not so, and when I afterwards put a +bandage of leaves upon the wound (for Billy would not hear of my +tearing a strip from my tattered shirt), his arm was stiff for a few +days, but then quickly healed. + +I bathed his wound, I say, and then we ate a very good meal, and Billy +gave my dog a double share of food, to comfort him, he said, for the +loss of his companion. I asked him if double meals would comfort him, +supposing I was killed, merely to tease him; but his face became so +piteous when he said, "Don't say such things, Master, for I can't +a-bear it," I wished I had never spoken the words. I had never told +Billy how the thought that he might die came to me sometimes, and what +intolerable anguish it caused me, and I did not know that he ever had +the like thought; but he confided to me a long while after that +sometimes as he lay awake at night the question would repeat itself in +his mind: "What if Master should die?" and it gave him such a dreadful +feeling of loneliness that he would put out his hand to touch me lying +near him, to make sure that my flesh was still warm with the blood of +life. When he told me this I remembered having once felt his hand upon +mine, and how it tingled, and when I spoke he tightened his grasp and +said, "Good night, old king," and I knew by his tone that he had a +great affection for me; but I never supposed he was troubled in mind, +or I might have shown him, perhaps, more plainly how great was my +affection for him. + +However, to return to our vessel. We ate a meal, and considered what +we should do: whether continue our voyage in another direction, or +return at once to Palm Tree Island. Billy thought we had better go +a-cruising, "For," said he, "we don't know but what these savages will +spy on us, and see where we go to if we go home at once, and then they +may come after us some day, and we shall have a deal of trouble." + +"But they may spy on us even if we don't go home at once," I said, "and +never leave us until they find out where we came from." + +"Not they," says he; "they won't have the patience." + +[Sidenote: We return Home] + +I thought Billy's reasoning far from conclusive, for if they meant to +spy on us they would do so, and could not tell whether we were going +home or not. However, it did not appear that they had any such +intention, for by this time they were out of sight, and very thankful +we were that they had drawn away from us, for towards midday the wind +dropped, and the vessel lay almost idle for a long time, her sail +hanging very limp and sad. If the canoes had been near us now, we +could not have got away from them, and thinking of this made me haul +down our sail and unship the mast, lest they should be seen from some +elevated place in the island we had just left--a tree-top, maybe, for +the surface of coral islands is mainly flat. We could see our own +island very clearly, the mountain standing up against the sky; but I +began to be afraid that we should not reach it that day, because of the +calm, and we could not go fast enough with paddles alone. I did paddle +for a while, in order to increase our distance from the coral island, +which became dimmer on the horizon until we could scarce see it; but I +had begun to think that we should have to spend the night out at sea +when, as the sun sank, a breeze sprang up, which, if it held, would +bring us to our island, I guessed, very soon after dark. We hoisted +the sail, and sped along very merrily, being perfectly enchanted with +the qualities of the _Fair Hope_; but distance at sea is very +deceptive; we were farther away from our island than we thought, and it +was long after dark before we arrived at the little sandy beach, though +not so dark but we could see the giant form of the mountain upreared +against the stars, and so we did not lose our way. We were very tired, +and when we had moored our vessel to the rock we employed for this +purpose, we left everything in her, food and weapons and all, being +desirous of nothing but to get back to our house, eat our supper, and +go to bed. + + + + +CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH + +OF THE SEVERAL SURPRISES THAT AWAITED BILLY AND THE NARRATOR AND THE +CREW OF THE _LOVEY SUSAN_; AND OF OUR ADVENTURES IN THE CAVE + + +"I say, master," said Billy, as we toiled up towards our house, "you +and me'll think twice afore we go a-cruising again. I ain't never been +so tired in my life, and I shan't be awake to eat no supper." + +"Very well," said I, "we won't trouble to make up our fire, but----" + +[Sidenote: Unexpected Visitors] + +The words died on my lips, and we both stood stock still at the same +moment, for there had come to our ears on a sudden, from the direction +of the house, the sound of loud and boisterous laughter. Little John +yelped, Billy clutched my hand, and you will scarce believe it, but we +were both trembling like leaves in the wind; for imagine if you can +what a shock it was to us, after our loneliness on the island, to hear +the laughter of men. + +"They've got here first," says Billy in a whisper presently. + +"Who?" said I. + +"Why, the savages," he said. "They've spied on us. We'd better go +back for our spears and things." + +I agreed that this was a prudential measure, and we trudged hastily +down again to the canoe, and took our spears and bows and arrows, and +then retraced our steps, the dog accompanying us. We crept up with +exceeding caution until we reached a spot whence we could overlook the +hollow in which our house was situated; but or ever we got there we +were aware of a red glow, as from a huge fire, and when we came to the +summit of the crest and looked down the long slope towards the hut, +near half-a-mile away, we saw that in front of it a very large fire was +kindled, which lit up all the country around, and on the fringe, so to +speak, of the illuminated space certain dark figures moved. + +"They've made the fire ready to cook us," says Billy, his voice +trembling very much. + +"Nay, they're cooking already," I said, and showed him that they had +set our great tripod over the fire, and something dangled from it +roasting. + +[Illustration: Our Tripod] + +"They've stole one of our pigs," said Billy in great anger; indeed, his +first fear was now swallowed up in this new emotion. He spoke pretty +loud, and the dog, knowing from his manner that something was amiss, +began to yelp. I bade Billy hold his peace, for we must creep silently +towards the house and discover who these visitors were: and since the +dog might betray us if he yelped as we approached, we thought it best +to tie him to a tree; he would doubtless yelp there, but the visitors +would suppose he was a wild dog. We had just left him tied up when I +remembered that if his yelping brought the wild dogs about him he would +very soon be torn in pieces, so we had to go back and loose him, and +then Billy took him in his arms and said he would keep him quiet, which +he did. + +We crept along, being careful to take cover from the trees and shrubs, +and so not following a straight path, but working round somewhat until +we came to the back of our fowl-house, whence we could see and overhear +what was going on. But before we got there we had another amazing +shock, and a very disconcerting one too, for as we were walking Billy +all of a sudden clutched me by the arm and whispered, "That's Hoggett," +and then he uttered that profane word which I had never heard upon his +lips since the first day we came to the island. And sure enough, when +we came to the fowl-house, and could both hear and see them, grouped +about the fire beyond it sat or lay or stood a dozen of Billy's once +shipmates on the _Lovey Susan_, the mutinous crew of my uncle's +ill-fated vessel. Some of them, being on the farther side of the fire, +we could not see clearly: but on this side there was Hoggett, Billy's +especial enemy, and Wabberley; and Clums the cook, attending to the +fine pig, one of our best, that was roasting; and Chick, and Pumfrey +the ship's carpenter, and others whose names I need not write. Billy +was for fitting an arrow to his bow and shooting Hoggett that instant, +but I forbade him, in a whisper but peremptorily, for the two of us +could not hope to get the better of a dozen, when they had firearms +too, for I had spied a musket standing against the wall of the hut, +near to where Hoggett was lying. Besides, I own I felt a certain +tenderness towards these men, rough and brutal, aye, and treacherous, +as they were; for they were men of our race and speech, and to hear my +own language from the lips of Wabberley brought back to me those +evenings when he feasted my uncle with his stories, so that he gave me +thoughts of home. However, I felt a natural indignation at seeing +these uninvited guests making free with our property, and after hearing +somewhat of their talk I ceased to feel any kindness towards them. + +They were talking, I soon discovered, about the house and its owners, +and Hoggett declared that he was certain sure it belonged to savages, +an opinion which Wabberley instantly controverted. + +"Have I, or have I not, been in these here South Seas afore, Tom +Hoggett?" I heard him say, and Hoggett growled that he _said_ he had; +whereupon Wabberley continued, "Well then, I ask you again, didn't we +leave they two striplings on this very island?" + +"You're right, there," says Hoggett, "and one of 'em the sauciest, +snarliest son of a" (here a dreadful word) "that ever escaped his +proper lickings." + +("That's me," whispered Billy, in a great rage.) + +"True, but handy all the same," said Clums. "He could do a thing or +two with his tools, and I warrant you he made this;" and so saying, he +took up Billy's toasting-fork, and held a yam to the blaze. + +[Illustration: Billy's Toasting Fork] + +"'Twas Billy made it, sure enough," said Pumfrey, "for the other chap +couldn't ha' done it." + +"No, not him," said Wabberley. "He was a overgrown weed, he was, all +stalk and no head to it, and I reckon if the truth was known he made +this; any fool could do it," and he took up, as it chanced, one of the +two-pronged forks that I had made, and of which I was a little proud at +the time. + +"That's true, Nick," says Joshua Chick, "and what's more, shipmates, no +savage ever made a fork in his life, and lor' bless you, didn't we find +a hairbrush and a comb, and what savage ever wanted such, d'ye think? +And that there pig-sty, now, ain't that like the one where you was +brought up, Pumfrey, only a bit rougher, maybe?" + +This question was very much resented by Pumfrey the carpenter, who +declared hotly that he had built pig-sties, not lived in 'em, and +whoever made this pig-sty was a very poor hand at it. To this +Wabberley assented, and went on to say that the dirtiest savage as ever +breathed would have been ashamed of the miserable things we had made in +the way of pots and baskets and other things. It was plain that they +had pretty thoroughly ransacked our hut, and I was on thorns lest they +should have discovered our secret store-house below, which it appeared, +from what followed, that they had not done, and thankful I was. One of +the men asked what we lived on, for we couldn't eat, he supposed, +nothing but pork and chickens, and they had found nothing else, except +the yams in the pig's trough, we having put all the rest of our fruits +and vegetables in the store-house. + +"Ain't there plenty of trees on the island, donkey?" said Clums. "You +may take your davy there's bread-fruit and bananas and cocoa-nuts and +such like, and they pick 'em when they want 'em." + +"But where are the young devils?" said Hoggett. "Ain't that there pig +done yet, Clums? The smell makes me want to get my teeth into him." + +"One more turn," says Clums, "and then we'll have a better supper than +we've had many a day." + +"I say, where are the young devils?" says Hoggett again. "D'ye think +they see us a-coming and sheered off?" + +"Like as not," said Wabberley, "but we'll find 'em to-morrow, and they +shall get our dinner for us, d'ye see. I believe in taking it easy and +letting the youngsters do the work, I do. Did you get all the yams out +of that pig's trough, Clums?" + +"I did," says he, "and there must be some more growing somewhere, and +'tis to be hoped things ain't so short as they are in our island, +mates. Did you ever know food go so fast? There seemed enough for +thousands when we landed there, and you wouldn't ha' thought a score of +men would ha' made such a hole in it." + +And then they fell a-talking of the eight or nine men they had left on +what they called their island, and I judged from their discourse that +provisions being short with them, these twelve had come away to +discover a more plentiful land, having promised, if they found one, to +return and fetch their shipmates. Pumfrey reminded them of their +promise, adding that the men would certainly starve if they were not +brought off, whereupon Hoggett declared with an oath that he for one +was not going to tug an oar for twenty miles in a leaky boat, to bring +off a lot of useless blockheads who would soon eat them out of house +and home. We pricked up our ears at this, Billy and me, hearing for +the first time that our visitors had made up their minds to abide with +us, and Billy ground his teeth, and whispered that we should have to +fight 'em. One of the men--I think it was Wabberley--asked what about +the mountain? and said he didn't like the notion of living where he +might be boiled or roasted any day. At this Hoggett made a mock of +him. "Ain't it years since we left they boys here?" he said. "Does it +look like boiling or roasting, 'cept for pigs? These here burning +mountains ain't always a-working, that's plain, and this one here may +be asleep for fifty years to come." + +And then they ended their discourse for a time, devoting themselves to +the roast pork and the yams of which they had deprived our pigs, +sighing also very heavily for beer; and finding no cocoa-nuts handy for +quenching their thirst, and being too lazy to fetch any (besides, it +was dark), two of them went with pots in their hands to the lake, on +which there was a very pretty reflection of their fire, and brought +them back full of water. Billy chuckled so much at this that I was +afraid he would be heard; but I was amused too, for there having been +no rains lately, we knew what the effect of drinking the water would +be; and, indeed, the next night we heard the men condoling with one +another, and it was plain that when they were seized in the middle of +the night with griping pains, they believed one and all that they were +poisoned. + +They had eat such a monstrous supper that they were fit afterward for +nought but swinish slumber, and the most of them lay where they were, +never intending to stir until the morning. Two or three, however, took +up their quarters in the hut. We did not observe that they set any +kind of watch, which was certainly a point of carelessness, and Billy +said it would be easy enough to steal upon them in the night and kill +them all, but this of course was not to be thought of. When we saw +that all was quiet we stole away back to the canoe, both to get our own +supper from the surplus of our provisions, and also to have a +sleeping-place. Since we did not know how long this rascally crew +would remain on the island, we thought we ought to convey what smoked +fish and salted pork we had in the canoe to the thicket on the side of +the mountain; as for the bread-fruit and cocoa-nuts, there was no need +for us to trouble about these, the trees being exceeding well laden +with them. And considering that it would be foolish to let the men see +our canoe, when we had taken the food up the mountain, very toilsomely, +we being so tired, we worked the canoe round the island with extreme +care, until we came to the little cove in the cliff which we had seen +near the archway in our voyage of circumnavigation. There we slept by +turns till break of day, finding it a matter of the greatest difficulty +to keep awake when our turns came for watching; and when it began to be +light we unshipped the mast, and clambering along the base of the +cliffs we made our way gradually upward until we reached the thicket, +where we deemed it best to remain in hiding. We heard nothing of the +men all the morning, and guessed that they were not in very active trim +after their medicinal draught of the night before; but in the afternoon +we heard them talking to one another from various parts of the island, +from which it was plain that they were searching for us. Once, indeed, +they came so near us that we were fearful of being discovered, and kept +very close in the depth of the thicket; but they passed us by, and I +wondered that they had been brave enough to come so far up the +mountain, remembering their panic on the day they landed. + +[Sidenote: Dispossessed] + +Making our meals chiefly of salt fish, we grew very thirsty, and did +not dare venture down to the woods where the cocoa-nuts grew, lest we +should be seen. But we thought we might creep round the mountain, +until we came to the place where the hot spring fell towards the Red +Rock, and there we filled some large leaves with the water, and let it +stand until it cooled, and then drank it, without any harm. And as we +returned to our hiding-place I chanced to see some pieces of that rock +I have before mentioned, what Billy called the fizzy rock, that which +belched forth great clouds of poisonous fume when it was touched with +water. The sight of this set an idea jogging in my head, which I did +not tell at that moment to Billy because of his natural impatience; but +when it was dark, and we had got down safely to the place of the former +night's watching, and assured ourselves from the men's talk that they +had no present notion of leaving the island--at this time of night, I +say, I communicated my notion to Billy, and he applauded it with great +enthusiasm. As soon as ever the first glimmer of light came, +therefore, we might have been seen very busy gathering lumps of this +rock, which we piled in two heaps, one about the spring near the top of +the mountain, the other about the spring that flowed down the lava bed. +We worked very hard at this, and I observed with great satisfaction +that the cloud of steam above the mountain was a trifle thicker this +day than it had been for some time past. Then we waited until the men +were at their breakfast (we could see them easily from the edge of the +thicket, which commanded a view of the house and its surroundings), and +when they were in the midst of it, we hasted to these springs, Billy to +one and I to the other, and began to topple into them the fragments of +rock which we had gathered, being exceeding careful to keep to the +windward side. The wind was blowing, as it did nearly always, in the +direction of the house, so that when the dense and filthy smoke rose +from the rock we had cast into the water, it was carried away into the +interior of the island. + +[Sidenote: A Stratagem] + +Having set this storm a-brewing, as you may say, we made haste to +regain our place in the thicket, whence we could see what went on +below. We were delighted beyond measure, and Billy began to caper, as +he always did when pleased, when we saw the men spring to their feet +and, leaving their breakfast, set off in a mighty hurry toward the +beach. We had not seen the place where they had left their boat, but +guessed from the direction of their flight that they had drawn it up at +the east end of the sandy beach, near the lava tract, indeed, at pretty +nearly the same point as they had landed at three years before. We +perceived that one or two of the men halted as they ran, and turning +about, looked up at the mountain and then called to their fellows. +Though we could not hear their words, the distance being too great, we +guessed that they were shouting to their comrades to wait a little, in +case the apparent explosion turned out to be of no account after all. +But the other men did not halt, nor even slacken their pace, and Billy +and I laughed a good deal to see Wabberley, who was much the fattest of +them, yet easily outstrip the rest, so much did panic lend lightness to +his heels. Their manifest terror appeared to shake the resolution of +the few hardier spirits who were inclined to pause. Without any +further delay they sped on after the others, and when they had +disappeared for a little from our view behind the rocks, we saw a boat +put off very soon after, going towards the south, whence we presumed it +had come. But it had not gone far when it stopped, and we saw at the +same moment that the fumes were being dissipated in the air, which +perhaps made the men think that the danger was over. We could not +venture to go again to the spring above the lava tract, which was +plainly to be seen from the sea, but we went back to the other spring, +where we were perfectly screened, and hurled great quantities of the +rock into the water, so that we were nearly overcome by the acrid +fumes. But we persevered until we had raised an immense cloud of +smoke, much denser than before; and running to the thicket to see the +effect of our handiwork, we were almost beside ourselves with joy when +we saw the boat proceeding at a good pace towards the south-east. We +watched it until it had finally disappeared, and then we hastened down +to our hut, wondering whether it had suffered any damage at the hands +of our visitors, and also whether they had left any of their own +belongings which would be useful to us, being exceeding jubilant also +at the wonderful success of the trick we had played on them. + +[Sidenote: We Regain our Own] + +When we came to examine our little demesne, we were in a great rage, +for the men had not only killed our finest pig and two or three of our +chickens, but had also turned the hut upside down, as people say, and +ransacked everything. Of course they got little for their pains except +the food, and they had not discovered our cellar, nor even the pit +outside the hut where our bread-fruit pulp was stored, what there was +left of it, for since we had used the cavern for a store-house we had +been under no necessity to keep the pit replenished. They had left +behind them nothing but one musket, which had no doubt been overlooked +in their haste, and a cap which Billy declared was Hoggett's, though I +myself thought it was Wabberley's. The musket was useless to us, +having no powder or shot, though it would make a capital club; and as +for the cap, whether Wabberley's or Hoggett's, neither Billy nor I was +in the least inclined to wear it, being very much worn, and filthy to +boot, not fit to be compared to our own light and cleanly bonnets, +which we wore pretty constantly now, to preserve us from sun-stroke. + +Though we had not suffered any great damage, I was very much disturbed +by this sudden visit of the seamen. We had heard enough of their talk +to guess that they had been driven to make their expedition by scarcity +of provisions, for had they been living in ease and plenty they would +hardly have risked so long a voyage in a leaky boat. Whether they had +visited other islands first we could not tell; but I could not help +fearing that if it was dearth that had impelled them, they would come +again, braving the dangers of the volcano. Cowards though they were, +they would certainly come to their senses before long, and when they +considered that we had a fair-built hut, and a plantation, and a +piggery and fowl-house, which had plainly received no hurt from the +mountain, they would be pretty sure to come back if they found no means +elsewhere of stocking their larder. + +"Perhaps they think we have gone away from the island," said Billy, +when I talked over the matter with him. "They will think Old Smoker +frighted us too." + +I saw there might be some truth in this, but I said that if it were so, +they would probably keep a careful watch on the mountain for the +future, and if they saw no signs of its breaking forth they would +return, confident of enjoying the fruits of our labours. + +"But we won't let 'em," cried Billy, stoutly. "Didn't they leave us, +the brutes, when they believed we should certainly be boiled or +roasted? Didn't they steal our raft? Did you hear 'em say they'd make +us fetch and carry for 'em if they caught us? We've done all the hard +work and they'll come and enjoy it, will they? Not if I know it." + +"We shall have to fight them then, Billy," I said. + +"Well," says he, "and so we will; and we'll make some more spears and +arrows at once." + +"But some of them have got muskets," I said, "and bows and arrows will +be poor weapons against them." + +This made Billy look glum for a moment or two, but then his face +brightened again, and he said, "I don't believe they've got many +muskets. They were all put in the round-house, don't you remember, +master? The Captain's orders. They stole one or two when we were all +sixes and sevens in the storm, and I don't suppose they've got much +powder and shot either, maybe none, for they're sure to have used some, +and it's a long time ago." + +This seemed to me very reasonable, and I thought that if we were within +our walls we might defend ourselves very well for a long time against +the men, even if they had a musket or two. But I wished we could in +some way strengthen our defences, and my mind went back to my notion of +cutting a moat around the hut, which would be of great assistance to +us; but the difficulty of cutting it was no less than before, and I was +afraid if we started it we should never get it done. Furthermore, the +only condition of our making a successful defence at all was that we +should not be taken by surprise as we had been this time, and I said to +Billy that we must never go a voyage again. + +"Well, and I don't want to," says he, "unless we can sail to England. +I didn't like the look of them brown fellows with the painted faces, +and did you see the sharks' teeth stuck in a ring round their hair? +We're better off here, master; and here we'd better bide." + +[Sidenote: We Strengthen our Defences] + +We had been putting our place in order while we talked thus, and then +we had our breakfast, eating indeed some of the food which the men had +been preparing when we drove them away. And after we had done our +customary morning's work--fed the pigs and fowls, gathered ripe +cocoa-nuts, and so forth--we set to work at once to make some new +arrows and spears, and bows and strings also, in case the others broke; +and all the while we were doing this, Billy talked very bravely about +the great fight there would be if the rascals came back. I said +nothing to damp his ardour, but my thoughts were very busy with a part +of the subject which he seemed not to consider, namely, what we should +do if it came to anything like a regular siege. I did not doubt we +could do much execution among the enemy from behind our walls if they +stood to be shot at; but they could very well avoid this, and since +there would be many of them against us two, they could strictly +blockade us; and though so far as food went we could defy them for a +long time, having our concealed stores below, yet the need for constant +watchfulness, day and night, would in a short time wear us out. When I +asked Billy what we should do in that case, he said, "Why, run out, and +let 'em chase us; we could dodge them big chaps well enough, and I +reckon we can run a deal faster." It was easy enough to show him that +the hunted life we should lead would be most wretched and precarious; +but he having suggested that we might escape set me on thinking whether +we might not indeed elude the enemy, at least for such time as was +needful to find some defence or shelter. + +We had, of course, the means of descending into our cavern; and this +was so well stocked with food that we might live there for a long time; +but our disappearance would immediately be discovered by our besiegers +(so I called them in advance), and they would know our whereabouts the +moment they entered the hut. The cavern, therefore, could not be a +permanent habitation. But it came into my mind again that we had never +thoroughly explored the tunnel leading from it, nor found whether it +had an outlet, though we suspected it had; and I thought that if there +was such an outlet, or if we could make one, our case would not be so +hopeless as at the present time it seemed. Accordingly, we determined +to descend into the cavern, and make another exploration, going +together, as we did the last time, both for the company's sake and for +better security in case of encountering any danger. So we heaved up +the covering of the shaft, and having made half-a-dozen torches, enough +to last us for several hours, we went down, leaving Little John on +guard, passed through the cavern, and came into the low and narrow +passage. + +[Sidenote: Adventure in the Cave] + +When we arrived at the place where the second passage entered this from +the right, we turned into it, and walked up an ascent, as I had done in +the darkness, until the floor suddenly took a dip downwards, and then +by the light of our torch we saw a considerable pool of water, +extending farther than the light would carry. We debated for a little +whether we should attempt to wade through this, and concluded that we +would not do so until we had failed to find a way out in the other +direction. Accordingly we retraced our steps, and went down the +tunnel, until we came to the wider part where on our last visit we had +seen water. The water was lower than it had been then, and we were +able to go farther, and when we came to the brink of it, we heard very +distinctly the sound of waves rolling in, so that we knew we could not +be far from an opening to the sea. And, indeed, peering across the +immense cave to which we had come, we saw far off a segment of blue +sky, and knew that the object of our search was gained. + +We stood at the edge of the water, surveying the cave by the light of +our torches. We saw that there depended from its roof certain shining +things like icicles, of rugged form and differing in length, which I +have since learned are called stalactites; and, moreover, there were +large boulders and masses of broken stalactites standing up out of the +water. Billy gave a shout when he saw this, and cried that he would +skip from rock to rock until he came to the mouth of the cave, and +defied me to race him; but the torch I was carrying was now burning +low, and I stayed to kindle another before going farther; and, +moreover, I doubted the wisdom of such feats of agility, for it would +be easy to miss one's footing and fall into the water, and if we both +did it our torches would be wetted and we should not be able to light +ourselves home. I had, indeed, just called out to him to come back, +when a dreadful shriek ran through the cavern, and raising my torch +above my head, I saw Billy scrambling up a tall and rugged rock that +stood ten feet or more above the water, a good way from where I stood. +He had dropped his torch, and I saw him but dimly by the light of mine, +and could not discern any cause for his terror; but that there must be +a very great cause I knew well, for Billy was brave enough. He +continued to shriek and call, though his voice rang so in that hollow +vaulted space that I could not at first make out any words; but having +started to approach him when I heard his first cry, going from rock to +rock as quickly as I could, I was presently able to see a number of +long tentacles clinging to the rock on which he was perched, and others +waving horribly above the surface of the water, as if some blind +creature were groping for its prey. And even as there came to my mind +the recollection of that loathly monster from whom I myself had barely +escaped, and I stood as if fascinated by those hideous antic limbs, I +saw the vast bulk of the beast appear above the surface, and rise +gradually behind its tentacles up the rock. + +Billy was by this time perched on the very summit of the rock, and when +he saw the monster ascending towards him he let forth another dreadful +cry which roused me from the sort of trance into which I had fallen. +Grasping the torch with my left hand and my axe with my right, I leapt +over the low rocks that stood between me and Billy, scarcely keeping my +footing, and began to hack with all my strength at the shapeless mass, +which made such a resistance to that poor clumsy axehead as a thing of +leather might make. It did not appear that my strokes were of any +avail, for the tentacles crept higher and higher; and looking up when I +heard another scream from Billy, I saw that one of them was beginning +to twine itself about his leg. And then all of a sudden, while I was +bringing my axe down once more on the monster, Billy made a leap +upwards, to catch at a stalactite that depended from the roof of the +vault, not far from his head. He must have been pretty near beside +himself to do what he did, for if he had caught hold of it he could not +have held on long; and what did in fact happen was that the stalactite +broke off with a sharp snap, and down came Billy and it into the water. +I thought this might be the best thing that could happen, for he could +swim like a fish, and the monster would take some time in letting +itself down from the rock; but when Billy rose to the surface, and I +called to him, I saw by his feeble movements that he must have been +hurt, so I sprang to a low rock near which he had come up, and held out +my axe for him to grasp, which he did, and so I got him on to the rock, +though not without some trouble, it being scarce broad enough for both +of us. And immediately afterwards I observed that the monster had left +the big rock and disappeared into the water, on which I cried to Billy +to be of good cheer, because I was sure my continual chopping had +wrought some damage on the monster and maybe killed it. But the words +were scarce out of my mouth when we saw, by the ruddy light of my +torch, a tentacle appear above the water not three feet away. This put +me in a shudder lest we were in a perfect den of the creatures, and I +called to Billy to jump across the rocks, if he could, back to the +entrance to the tunnel, so that he at any rate, being now the weaker, +might be out of harm's way. His terror lending him strength, he +gathered himself together and leapt from rock to rock as he had done +before, while I seized upon the axe which I had dropped beside me when +I landed on the rock, and chopped away in a kind of frenzy at the +tentacles which were brandishing themselves, you may say, at several +places around me. As soon as I saw that Billy was safe I gave up the +contest and sprang after him, and I was never so thankful in my life as +I was when I stood beside him at the end of the tunnel. + +We were neither of us in any mind to linger there, lest the monster and +his brood came to attack us, for we were now so terrified that we would +have believed them capable of anything. This was the second time that +we had been baulked of finding an outlet to the sea, and our experience +had been such that we should scarce attempt it again. We hurried back +through the tunnel, and had not gone very far when we had another +alarm, for whereas it had been dry when we descended, there was now a +little stream of water running down, which increased as we advanced +until it became almost a rivulet. At first I thought that the plug had +come out of the pipe leading from the lake into the shaft, but when we +came to the junction of the two passages, we saw that the water, which +was now above our ankles, was pouring out of the right-hand passage, +and not from the one that led from the cavern. This eased our alarm, +but we did not stay to consider of any attempt to discover the ultimate +source of this little torrent, but hastened on until we were once more +in our hut; and then we knew by the mighty pattering on the roof and +all around that a very heavy rain was falling. Indeed, when we opened +the door we saw that it must have been raining ever since we departed, +for the ground was exceeding sodden, and the trench about the hut was +half full of water, being scarce deep enough to carry off the drainage. +Of course the rain had put out the fire which we kept constantly +smouldering in the grate a few feet from our door, and though a hot +meal would have been very comforting after our fright and the wetting +we had got, we could not make one ready, because we had no dry wood in +the hut, nor indeed did we care to light a fire in it, having no +chimney to let out the smoke. + +[Sidenote: A Mystery Solved] + +It continued raining for two or three days, greatly to our discomfort; +and we made up our minds to two things: first, to have a stock of +firewood ready dried; second, to build ourselves a better grate, which +we could cover in with pottery ware, and thus prevent the fire from +being ever extinguished. During these days we observed, as we had done +before, that the lake did not rise above the high-water mark, though +the rain was the heaviest since we had been on the island; and when I +sought once more to account for this, and remembered the torrent +pouring down the passage, it came all of a sudden into my mind that I +had the true reason of it. The passage, as I have said, rose +continually from the cave inwards. Well, I guessed that its upper end +opened into the side of the lake, but it then rose until its highest +point was pretty nearly on a level with what we called the high-water +mark, and after that descended again. If it was so, it acted as a +siphon, the water not flowing down the passage until the lake rose to +the same height as the highest part of the passage. When I tried to +explain this to Billy he said it was all gammon, because if there was +an opening from the lake into the passage the water would keep on +flowing through until it couldn't help but run over. He could not in +the least understand that water could never rise above its own level +until I showed him by means of two tanks made of pottery, one large and +the other small, and then he owned that I might be right, though he +said it seemed to him like saying that a ten-pound weight wouldn't send +up a five-pound weight if they were put in the opposite pans of a +balance. + +However, my discovery (supposing my reasoning was correct, and we could +not prove it)--my discovery, I say, was of no practical advantage to +us, indeed, rather the reverse, for it seemed to show that the tunnel +from the cavern to the sea might be sometimes impassable, so that as a +way of retreat from our hut it was doubly useless. When I pointed this +out to Billy he said, "Never mind, master. We shall only have to fight +all the harder inside, that's all," which shows how hopeful he always +was. The only comfort I had was to think that our fears and anxieties +might never be justified, and that Hoggett and his crew would never +more visit us. + + + + +CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH + +OF THE ASSAULT ON THE HUT, IN WHICH BOWS AND ARROWS PROVE SUPERIOR TO +MUSKETS + + +The period of rainy weather which we suffered set me on to think again +of that project of digging a moat which we had formerly abandoned. +Several considerable rivulets flowed into the lake from the high ground +around, of which one, that came down the slope nearest the red rock, +had a pretty long course, and by the time it fell into the lake, forty +or fifty yards from the hut, was almost a river. Observing how it +washed the soil along with it, it came into my head that we might +perchance enlist it in our service, and make it do a great part of the +work of widening and deepening the trench. Of course Billy must ask +his customary question, "What's the good?" following this up with +another, more pertinent. "How _can_ we, master? The river--if you +call it a river: _I_ don't--don't run anywhere near the trench." + +"That's true," I said, "but we can make it." + +"How's that?" said he. + +"Why, by building a dam across it, and so turning its course where we +please," I said. + +"Oh, more building," says he. "What a one you are, master, for keeping +on a-doing things! What's the good? I lay you a cocoa-nut that before +you get your dam made, the rain stops, and then where'll you be?" + +I think I have already shown that Billy was always a good deal better +than his word. He used to remind me of that young man in the +Scripture, who refused when his father bid him do something, but +"afterwards repented and went," and was more to be admired than the +plausible sneak, his brother, who said to his father, "I go, sir," and +then did nothing of the sort. I once told Billy about this, and he was +very much interested, never having heard it before, and said he'd like +to know that man, and asked me if I could tell him any more things like +that. Accordingly I told him at different times all that I could +remember of the Bible stories, and the one he liked best was the story +of David, who took his admiration greatly, and whom he always called +"the little fellow," thinking of Goliath. + +However, to return to our dam. Billy helped me very diligently to pile +up a dam of rocks, which was pretty laborious, for we had to haul them +a good distance, and since it rained all the time we were constantly +drenched, and I wonder we did not take an ague. We were about three +days in doing it, and then, sure enough, as soon as it was done, the +rain ceased, and Billy turned a triumphant countenance upon me, and +asked what I thought of that. But I had the better of him next day, +for the rain came again, and we saw with great delight that the stream +was diverted by the dam into the narrow channel we had cut to bring it +to our trench, and before long it was flowing through this in +considerable volume, and fell into the lake. It nobly answered my +expectations, for the loosened earth was not only more easy for us to +dig with our rude spades, but it became mud as soon as it was dug up, +and was washed away. We began to deepen the trench into a moat at the +two ends opening on the lake, working backwards to the middle; but +before we had done very much the rain ceased again, and the rivulet +dried up. However, we were fairly come to the wettest part of the +year, and the rainy days were more than the fine ones, so that in the +course of a few months we had made good progress, and had indeed +widened and deepened the whole trench, though not near so much as I +should have liked. The part directly in front of our door was the +deepest, and we made a kind of drawbridge, of the nature of a hurdle, +to throw over it; not at this time, however, attempting any contrivance +for raising or lowering it. + +[Sidenote: On the Watch] + +Though we went about our daily work with great regularity, we were +never, I think, quite so cheerful as we had been before the visit of +our whilom shipmates. The thought that they might come back kept us +continually on the stretch, so to speak; we went up to our watch-tower, +one or other of us, not twice a day, as before, but three or four +times, and we never went to bed at night without an uneasy feeling that +when we awoke we might find our enemies upon us. For several nights, +indeed, Billy and I took turns to watch, though we soon gave it up, +partly because it was so fatiguing, and partly because, when we +considered of it calmly, we thought it very unlikely that the men would +arrive in the darkness, for, not knowing the coast, they might very +easily run upon a rock and lose their boat, a calamity which they would +not risk. + +One day, I know not how many months after we had scared away Hoggett +and his friends, Billy had gone up Flagstaff Hill to take his turn at +looking out, and he came running to tell me that he had descried a +small object on the eastern horizon. I immediately accompanied him +back to the station, and when we got there, he told me that the object +was scarce any bigger than when he first saw it, so that if it was a +boat, which we could not yet determine, it was moving very slowly. The +day was very hot, so that no one would wish to put forth any great +exertion, least of all the crew of the _Lovey Susan_. We watched for a +long time until we made out that the object was indeed a boat, and +moving with oars alone, there being not a capful of wind. It was +heading straight for our island, and we saw that it was a ship's boat +of European make, and not a native canoe, so that we had no doubt it +contained Hoggett and his fellows. + +"Let's try and scare 'em with the fizzy rock," said Billy; but though +we raised a dense cloud of smoke by this means the boat held on its +course, and we saw that this device at least had lost its terrors. + +"I wish Old Smoker would wake up," says Billy. "Wouldn't I like to go +down and poke up his fire, that's all! Or to blow it up with bellows +would be better still." + +I could not help thinking it a little unlucky that the mountain-top had +been for some time clear of smoke, which, indeed, was perhaps the +reason why the men had ventured once more to make the voyage. Finding +our stratagem of no avail, we ran down to the hut to put it, so far as +we might, in a posture of defence, judging by the slow progress of the +boat that we should have time. We took several of the fowls and one +pig into the house, unwelcome inmates though they were; the rest of the +pigs we let loose, taking our chance of recovering them later; we saw +that our bows had sound strings, and laid our arrows in readiness; and +then we returned to Flagstaff Hill, to watch the boat. Our own canoe, +I had almost forgot to say, lay in the little retired cove on the east +side of the island. + +[Sidenote: Return of the Crew] + +When the boat drew near to our coast, we lost sight of it, and could +not tell where the men would land; but we guessed that they would make +for the little bay on the south-west, where the landing was certainly +the easiest. Accordingly we hastened towards that spot, and having got +to the cliffs we saw the boat at some little distance from the shore, +so as to avoid shoals or rocks, as we guessed, and going in the very +direction we had surmised. When they were opposite the bay they pulled +the boat's head round, and came in very well, and running her ashore, +landed, all but two men whom they left in the boat to guard her. I saw +with great apprehension that the rest of the party were armed, some +with muskets, others with cutlasses and other weapons, which they had +taken into the boats when they left the _Lovey Susan_. And, moreover, +there were more men than had come before. They mounted the cliff more +briskly than I had expected to see them do it, and when we perceived, +ourselves being hidden all the time, that they were making a bee-line, +as people say, for our hut, we immediately made all speed back, lifted +the drawbridge when we had crossed the moat, and took it with us into +the hut, where we set up the door, and pulled out the plugs from a good +many loopholes in the walls, both that we might have a little light, +and also to be in readiness to defend ourselves. + +Through the loopholes we spied the men presently, coming towards us +from the high ground between us and the cliffs. "They are coming +mighty fast," says Billy. "Won't they sweat! What's the hurry, I +wonder?" Their pace was indeed more rapid than I should have chosen on +so hot a day. They were coming straight towards the house; but all on +a sudden all but one of them turned aside into the wood on their right +hand, and while we were wondering why they had gone out of their +course, we saw some of them swarm up the cocoa-nut palms that were on +the fringe of the wood, and knock down the fruit to their comrades +below, who immediately broke them open and quaffed the liquor. + +"Them's our cocoa-nuts, master," says Billy, with indignation. +"They're poaching." + +But I paid no heed to him, being intent on watching the one man who had +not swerved from the course with the others, but came straight on. It +was Hoggett. I observed that he looked about him with great curiosity +as he came nearer, and having reached the edge of the trench he stood +and pulled at his beard, looking this way and that like a man that is +puzzled. It was plain he saw that the appearance of the place was +somewhat altered since he saw it before, and from the glances he cast +at the hut I thought he seemed to question whether there was any one in +it or not. + +[Sidenote: Hoggett] + +"Shall I shoot him, master?" says Billy eagerly in my ear. I own I was +tempted to say yes, for we could have killed him easily, he being but a +few yards away, and the loss of their leader would very likely have so +much daunted the others that they would have withdrawn themselves. But +I could not bring myself to take him thus unawares, nor indeed did I +wish to be the first to open hostilities, so I bade Billy hold his +hand; and immediately afterwards Hoggett hailed us in seaman's fashion. +"Ahoy there!" says he, and putting my mouth to the loophole I shouted +"Ahoy!" back, and we laughed to see the start he gave, though if he +hadn't expected an answer, why did he shout, as Billy said. But if he +was startled it was only for a moment, for he lifted up his voice, +which was a very boisterous one, and with many oaths bade me to come +out, calling me by name, and when I refused he cursed me again, +uttering terrible threats of what he would do to me if I did not +immediately obey him. The others, hearing the shouts, left the wood +and came straggling up, and when they called to Hoggett to know what he +was about, he shouted that the rat was trapped, at which Billy could +contain himself no longer, but called out, "Don't you be so sure of +that, you thieving villain!" + +"So there's two of you, is there?" shouts the man, who had not known up +to this moment that more than one was in the hut, and then he unslung +his musket, and, taking good aim, fired through the loophole at which I +had been speaking, which he could very easily do, the range being so +short. But of course his taking aim had given me time to slip away, +and the slug passed clean through the hut, doing no damage, but merely +striking the wall on the other side, and setting Little John barking +furiously. I was somewhat amazed that after all these years the men +had any powder and shot left, and considered that they must have +husbanded their stock with remarkable care. However, I did not lose +any time in replying to Hoggett, but went to a loophole near the roof, +which was pretty well concealed on the outside by the thatch that +overhung the wall an inch or two; and standing on the little platform +beneath it I fitted an arrow to my bow and let fly, aiming to hit the +fellow's shoulder, for I was loath to take his life. It happened that +just as I shot he shifted his posture, so that the shaft, instead of +striking his shoulder as I intended, transfixed his forearm; whereupon +he dropped his musket with a howl as much of rage as of pain, I think, +and pulled out the arrow, while the rest of the men, who had plainly +not looked for anything of this sort, instantly took to their heels and +ran until they were out of range. Hoggett was a man of sterner mettle, +and held his ground, shaking his fist at the hut, and vowing with +horrible imprecations that he would have his revenge. Billy was +fingering his bow very restlessly, and asked me if he might shoot now, +but I would not let him, for at present we were in no danger; so +Hoggett, having picked up his musket, was suffered to go and rejoin his +comrades, which he did at length, stopping at every few yards to hurl +more curses at us. Then they stood in a group at the edge of the wood, +and seemed to take counsel together. + +"Wabberley ain't so fat, master," says Billy all of a sudden. + +I owned that he had fallen away somewhat. + +"And Chick's pretty near a skellington," Billy goes on. "And +Pumfrey----" He broke off, then cried, "Why, master, I do believe +they're famished." + +[Sidenote: The Interlopers] + +Indeed, having leisure now to observe the mariners more carefully than +it had been possible to do before, I saw that they were all very +woebegone in appearance, and not at all equal to what they had been. +They talked together for some time, and there did not seem to be +perfect agreement among them, for they grew very heady, and their +gestures began to be so violent that we looked for them to come to +blows, and Billy was delighted at the prospect of seeing them fight. +The chief parts in their discourse were taken by Wabberley and Hoggett, +and I saw the former point more than once towards the mountain, which, +as I have said, was clear that day. We could not even guess at the +subject of their deliberation, but presently the group broke up, and +the men went severally in different directions, and quite disappeared +from our view. We durst not leave the hut to follow them, lest they +were practising a trick on us, to entice us forth; and so we remained +for the rest of that day in a miserable state of uncertainty, not +knowing whether they had sailed away, or what they were doing. +However, when it began to be dark, we saw through the trees towards the +cliffs the glow of a fire, and guessed that they were camping; and not +long afterwards Little John growled, and then we heard the squeal of a +pig, by which we guessed that some of the pigs we had turned a-loose +had come back to their sty, and one had fallen a victim, which we were +quite unable to prevent. But as soon as it was full dark I thought it +pretty safe to go forth and spy out what they were doing, so I straitly +charged Billy to keep a good watch, and went out, creeping along very +stealthily by the edge of the wood as long as I could, until I came to +a place where I could easily see the men. They were, as I expected, +sitting around the fire eating their supper, and there came to my +nostrils the savorous odour of roast pork. I wished I could draw near +enough to them to hear what they said, but this I durst not do, because +the top of the cliff here was pretty open, so after a little I went +back to the hut, and we had our own supper, and then settled on what we +should do for keeping guard during the night. + +[Sidenote: The Mariners Depart] + +Neither of us had much sleep, for when our turn of watching was done, +we were uneasy at the chance of being attacked in the darkness, and so +slept but fitfully. However, nothing happened to alarm us, and in the +morning when we looked forth we could see none of the men, and supposed +that they were either still asleep or had already gone a-hunting their +breakfast. But when the sun rose in the heavens and we had not yet +seen a man of them, we fell into that same uneasiness that we had felt +before, until I could endure it no longer, but resolved to sally out +and see what had become of our visitors. I told Billy to be ready to +pull the drawbridge from the moat if he should see any of the men +approaching, and when he asked how I should get over if the bridge was +gone I told him not to worry about me, because, knowing the island as I +did, I could find some remote spot, and hard of access, if I should be +pursued. Accordingly, I left the hut, but instead of going directly +towards the cliffs, I made my course at first towards the mountain, +intending to make a circuit and so come near the place where I had last +seen the men. But I had not gone above half the distance when, looking +over the sea, I was beyond measure amazed to see the boat departing +under sail and oars, only instead of returning to the eastward, whence +it had come, it was going westward. It was soon hidden from my sight +by the shape of the cliffs, but I made great haste to go up to our +watch-tower, whence there was a view all round the island, and +perceived with as much puzzlement as joy that our enemies were in very +truth sailing clean away, and not merely cruising about the coast, as I +thought might be their design. I watched until the boat was almost out +of sight, and then went back to the hut to acquaint Billy with our +surprising good fortune. He immediately asked me whether I had counted +the men, and when I said that I had not thought of doing so, and +besides the boat was already too far off when I saw it, he cried, "Then +I take my davy 'tis a trick, and they have left some behind to trap +us." This fairly startled me, for such a notion had not come into my +head; and though I thought it unlikely that the boat would have gone so +far if the men's intention had been to return, yet I saw it was needful +we should be still on our guard. However, when half the day was gone +and we had seen never a sign of the men, but on the contrary some of +our pigs came back and entered their sty like wanderers returning home, +we thought it was ridiculous to be scared at mere fancies, and resolved +to set forth and see if any man had indeed been left. We took our bows +and arrows, and our axes in our belts, and went abroad very valiantly, +yet with caution; but though we spent the rest of the day in searching +the island, we found no man, nor indeed any trace at all of the +seamen's visit save their camp fire and signs of cooking, and also a +jack-knife, which one of them had without question left by mistake. + +When we were pretty well assured that we were still alone on the +island, we debated together what had brought the men back to our shore, +and why they had so soon gone again, especially after Hoggett had been +wounded and had uttered such terrible threats of vengeance. + +"What could they do, master?" says Billy. "They couldn't conquer us so +long as we stayed in the hut, and they couldn't starve us out, because +they'd have starved first; and 'tis my belief that, what with the trees +having no fruits to speak of, and Old Smoker, and the griping water of +Brimstone Lake, they considered this island to be an uncomfortable sort +of place, and so sheered off." + +[Sidenote: Story of the Mariners] + +We afterwards discovered that Billy's guess was very near the truth, +and for the better understanding of my story, I deem it convenient to +relate here what we only learnt at a later time. The seamen of the +_Lovey Susan_, when they left us on the island the first time, went +away to the south-east, and by and by came to a small island, +uninhabited as ours was, but pretty well furnished with fruit trees, +and there they took up their abode, and for many months lived in +plenty, their fare, in addition to the fruits, being fish and +birds--when they could catch them--and pigs, of which there were a few. +They made simple grass huts for themselves, not taking the trouble to +build substantial houses, and when this was done, they being not at all +diligent, did nothing else but quarrel among themselves, and their +laziness and improvidence in due time found them out. They lived very +comfortably while their supplies of food lasted, but they hunted down +the pigs until one day they were astonished to find there were no more; +and as to fish, that was very plentiful at certain seasons and scarce +at others, and during the time of plenty they did not trouble about +curing any--at least, only two or three men did, one of whom was Mr. +Bodger, and these gave up doing it when they found that the others +expected to share with them. But their principal food at all times was +bread-fruit, because they got less tired of this than of cocoa-nuts and +other fruits; yet they were so reckless that they consumed the fruit +when it was ripe without any thought for the morrow, having no notion +of preserving it. The season of bread-fruit being over, they subsisted +on cocoa-nuts, but they being a score of ravenous men, and the island +small, they had well-nigh consumed all the cocoa-nuts before the next +bread-fruit ripened; thus they had at one time more than they could +eat, and at another very short commons, and at these times they became +very sour in temper, and there were constant bickerings and +recriminations amongst them. + +One day a fleet of canoes filled with savage warriors came to their +island, and the savages having landed, there was a sharp fight betwixt +them and the mariners, in which the latter came off victors by virtue +of their firearms, though not without suffering considerable loss, two +of them being killed and nearly all wounded. When we heard of this +fight, Billy and me, we guessed that the savages were those we had seen +one day from our watch-tower, though, of course, we could never prove +it. Saving for this fight, the mariners were unmolested on their +island; but in course of time the scarcity of food drove them to make +voyages in search of islands that would afford better sustenance, +which, however, they failed to discover. Then it was that one of them +proposed that they should return to our island, which they knew from +what they had seen of it to be fertile--at least, in parts--but they +had so clear a recollection of the terrors of the volcano, especially +Wabberley, who had been scalded the worst by the boiling water, that +they were some time in making up their minds to the voyage, but did so +at last. This was the occasion of their first visit to our island, +when they discovered our hut, and were driven to panic and flight by +our invention of an eruption. The boat being leaky, they had not +ventured to lengthen their voyage, lest they should not be able to get +back to their own island, where there was at least present security, +and where they had left some of their number. Thither they returned, +and lived there as best they could until the pinch of want again +compelled them to set forth. Having seen from the slopes of our island +the dim line on the western horizon betokening other land, they +determined to sail thither; for though they suspected that their +enemies the savages might have come thence, the bolder spirits among +them thought it better to risk sudden death at the hands of savages +than slow starvation on their island prison, especially as there was a +chance that they might find friendly savages on some island or another. +Accordingly they did what they could to patch up their boat for the +voyage, and set forth, all of them this time, for four being dead--two +slain by the savages and two by disease--the boat would hold them all. +Their design was to touch at our island on the way for rest and +refreshment, and see, also, whether there were still signs that it was +inhabited, for on their former visit they believed that we had been +driven away by fear of the volcano, so that they did not think of +settling on the island themselves. But when they landed, and Hoggett +saw that, so far from being scared away, we had remained--or, at any +rate, returned--and improved our settlement, he was for capturing our +hut and entering into possession of the island, and was deterred from +attempting this design only by finding that we could defend ourselves +and by the overruling of his companions when they found, on roaming +over the island, that it was not near so fertile as they had supposed. +They did not discover our yam plantation, and feared that their case +here would very soon be no better than it had been on their own island. +Accordingly they sailed away, westward, as I have said, to accomplish +the purpose with which they had set forth. + +All this, I say, we did not learn till a good while afterwards, and +having set it down for the better understanding of those that read, I +will now return to the place where I left our own story--like a child +standing in a drawn circle and forbid to move till he is told. We were +greatly rejoiced to find that our visitors had quite left us, and went +with cheerful hearts about our work, a part of it on this day being the +gathering together of our swine which we had released. Some came back +of themselves; others had struck up acquaintance with some of the wild +pigs that were still on the island, and appeared to be indisposed to +return to civilization, though one did indeed come in what I thought +was a shamefaced way above a week after all the rest, and him I called +the prodigal son. + +"The what son?" says Billy. + +"The prodigal son," said I; and then I told him the story, which he +heard with the same eagerness and pleasure as he heard all my stories, +whether out of the Bible or out of profane history. When I came to +that part where the wretched young man "would fain have filled his +belly with the husks that the swine did eat," Billy interrupted me, +saying it was clear they did not feed their pigs half so well in that +country as we did, and he warranted that Wabberley and the other seamen +would be pleased enough if they got as good food as our pigs, for he +persisted in believing (which turned out to be true) that the men were +famishing, and he went on to declare that he was sure they would come +back again. + +"For why?" says he. "Why, they know we've been here these ever so many +years" (it was about four by my reckoning), "and living comfortable, +and wherever they go they'll either have to work, which they hate, or +to fight, which will be worse, for their powder and shot won't last for +ever, and I wonder they've any left at all. They must have been +uncommon careful of it." + +I did not think that Billy's prediction would come true, for they had +certainly found no great stores of food on our island, and if it was +food they were seeking they would surely suppose that, though we were +alive, we had no more than supplied our own needs. However, there is +no folly in being prepared for anything that may befall, so Billy and I +set ourselves to think very seriously again of what we should do if our +hut were besieged closely for any considerable length of time. Our +situation would not be pleasant, between exasperated besiegers on the +one side and the terrible monsters on the other, and I set my wits to +work very earnestly to see if I might devise some means whereby we +might extirpate those hideous creatures and so clear a way to the sea. +To make an attack on them with our weapons held no great promise in it, +for, as Billy said, they seemed to be terribly tough, and while we were +disposing of one, others might cling around us and lug us to perdition. +Besides, the very sight of the monsters made our blood run cold, and +Billy said he would sooner face a thousand stepmothers than one of +them, though he thought he might prefer one monster to three Hoggetts. + +[Sidenote: Experiments] + +It was after the matter had been beating in my head for several days +that the notion came to me to try how the fizzy rock would affect the +creatures. We knew what dreadful choking fumes came from it when it +was thrown into water, and it seemed to me not impossible that these +fumes might dissolve in water and poison it, and 'twould then be only a +question of getting a sufficient quantity to destroy the whole nest or +lair of the monsters. Considering that it would be a very laborious +matter to bring down to the cliffs enough of the rock for our purpose, +we determined to make a trial of it first, and the creature we selected +for the _vile corpus_ (which is pretty nearly all the Latin I remember) +was one of those robber crabs which I think I have mentioned. We +caught one on the shore, and put him into one of my pots, which we +filled with water and then cast in one or two lumps of the rock. There +was a great fizzing and spluttering, with dense and suffocating fumes, +and when they had cleared off and it was safe for us to go to the pot, +we found the crab perfectly black and quite dead, and when Billy took +it out of the pot he declared that the water stung his hand. We were +very well satisfied with this trial, and immediately set about +collecting a great quantity of the poisonous stuff, bringing it down +from the mountain in baskets which we slung at our backs, and heaping +it up on the cliff just above the entrance to the cave. I proposed +that we should carry it down to the shore, and convey it to the +monsters' haunt in our canoe, but this Billy would not hear of for a +moment, avouching that he would sooner be eaten by savages than hugged +by the slimy arms of the beasts. + +[Sidenote: Billy is Reflective] + +We had been digging out the rock, and carrying it to the cliff, for a +matter of two days when a terrible storm of rain came on in the night, +and when we got up in the morning and went to the cliff, we saw that +all the rock we had so toiled in collecting had spent itself, and left +a black desolation all around the spot where it had lain. This gave us +a great deal of annoyance, as much at our thoughtlessness as at the +thing itself; but we did not give up our design, resolving rather to be +the more careful in our preparations. It took us a very long time to +assemble as much material as we had before, because we had to dig +deeper into the side of the mountain for it, and when we got it we +covered it over very scrupulously, so that the rain could not touch it. +Billy remarked that of course, after our taking all that trouble, there +would be no more rain for a month, and he was right; but I pointed out +to him that we should have been very foolish if we had not taken these +precautions, and he said it was a pity you could not tell things +beforehand, adding, as if it had never struck him before, that you +never could tell what might have been, because all we knew was what +was. And then he was silent for a time, and when he spoke again, he +said: "Ain't it terrible, master, to think you never can catch a minute +what's gone?" Billy so seldom said anything of a reflective nature +that I looked at him in some alarm, with a kind of superstitious fear +that he was sickening for something; but I was relieved in a moment +when, in the same breath, he said: "It do make you eat hearty, though." + +When we had heaped up on the cliff a good many hundredweights of the +rock, we waited for the flow of the tide, and then, choosing a place +where the cliff ran down very steep and straight to the mouth of the +cave, we flung the stuff into the water between the mouth and the rocks +where we first encountered the shoal of monsters. We watched eagerly +to see what happened, and saw a vast number of bubbles come to the +surface, and a certain quantity of smoke that floated away on the +breeze, but not near such a smother as we had experience of, which made +us hope that there was all the more poison in the water. There was a +slight current at the foot of the cliffs, setting past the cluster of +rocks towards the channel between Red Rock and the island. We walked +along for a little space, in the same direction as this current, to see +if there was any sign on the surface of the water of our experiment +having had any effect. For some little while we saw nothing, and had +begun to believe that the monsters were proof against what we had +fondly hoped was poison, when we observed some tentacles appearing +above the water by the rocks, and also at the base of the cliffs, and +by and by the palpitating bodies of the monsters themselves, crawling +up as if the water did not very well agree with them. We pelted these +creatures very hard with stones and lumps of the strange rock, and +though we missed pretty often, yet we hit them pretty often too, and +had lively satisfaction when we saw them loose their hold and tumble +back into the water as soon as the rock began to fizz. But we could +not see that any of them were killed, and had to conclude that the +water about the rocks was too deep, and the current moved too fast, for +our poisonous substance to work its full effect, and so we went back +disappointed, with the problem of making a safe way through the tunnel +to the sea as far from solution as ever it was. + + + + +CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH + +OF THE END OF THE SEA MONSTERS; AND OF THE EVENTS THAT LED US TO +RECEIVE THE CREW AS OUR GUESTS + + +We had failed to destroy the monsters from the cliff top, and I +concluded that we must still fail, unless we could, find some means of +attacking them in an enclosed space, where there was no current to +carry away the water as soon as it was rendered poisonous. It was +Billy who suggested the plan which we ultimately found successful. +Though he had refused point blank to approach the cave in our canoe, he +would not mind, he said, "having a go" at the monsters from the tunnel, +for there at least we had dry land to run back to, whereas if the canoe +were caught in the embrace of one of the large creatures there would be +little chance for us. And since we had already learnt that the +monsters came into the cave, as well as haunting the rocks outside, I +agreed, when Billy suggested it, that even if we could not kill them +outright we might make the water in the cave so exceeding noisome that +they would depart thence and seek more savorous quarters. We saw great +difficulties in the way, first, to the conveying a sufficiently great +quantity of the rock to the cave; then the possibility of heavy rains +falling before we had accomplished our task, with the consequent rise +of the water in the lake and the flooding of the tunnel, which would +not only render it a perilous place for us ourselves, but would use up, +or decompose, as they say, the material we had collected before we got +it to the proper place. As to the first difficulty, we were already so +well accustomed to hard work of various kinds that we thought nothing +of it; while for the matter of the rain we could only take our chance +and resolve to be as philosophical as possible if all our labour was +undone. With this in mind, we determined to collect the lumps of rock +first of all in our hut, and not to begin to convey them through the +tunnel until we had as much as we wanted: which accordingly we did, +going backwards and forwards for many days between the hut and the spot +on the mountain-side where we found an inexhaustible supply of the +rock. When we had got together a sufficient quantity, we carried above +two-thirds of it in baskets to the entrance of the cave, and very +laborious it was, because the way was so rough and in places so narrow, +and we barked our shins and elbows pretty often. But it was done at +last, and then we laid up a similar heap on the cliff, at the same spot +as we had put it before. + +[Illustration: Our Baskets] + +[Sidenote: End of the Monsters] + +When all things were in readiness, we went along the tunnel one day, +carrying torches in our hands, until we came to the place where we had +put our heap of rock, at the brink of the pool. Now that the moment +for our great enterprise was come, we were in a fever, I assure you, +both from the importance of what we had taken in hand to do, and from +our shuddering horror of the monsters. We held our torches above our +heads, searching the cave for signs of them, expecting every moment to +see the hideous tentacles emerge from the black water at our feet, and +fancying we saw these dreadful enemies on all the rocks that strewed +the floor of the cave. "What are we waiting for?" says Billy in an +awful whisper, and seeing that certainly nothing was to be gained by +delay, we stuck our torches into crevices in the wall, and then with +two great heaves cast the pieces of rock into the water, and retreated +instantly into the tunnel to escape the choking fumes that arose. We +had to go a good way before we felt ourselves to be in safety from +them, and indeed it promised to be so long before we could venture to +go down to the cave again that we thought we might as well return to +our hut and run down to the cliff, to see if any of the creatures had +been driven forth. Accordingly we made great haste, and when we came +to the cliff and looked over, we saw first several of the smaller +creatures floating at the mouth of the cave, and quite dead as far as +we could tell; but immediately afterwards there came slowly swimming +out a huge monster that far exceeded in size and ugliness that which +had seized me on that day when we climbed down the cliff for eggs. +Whether it was the same that had nearly caught Billy I know not, +because we never saw that clearly; but we were perfectly amazed at the +hugeness of it, being as big round as my aunt's round table in the +parlour, and its tentacles stretching on all sides like the roots of an +immense oak. Though we were far above it, and in safety, we shuddered +when we beheld it, and our cheeks became pale; I saw that Billy's did, +and he told me afterwards that I was as white as a ghost. We both felt +beyond measure thankful that we had been so mercifully preserved from +falling a prey to this terrible giant, which could have crushed the +life out of us in a few minutes. + +The monster swam slowly along until it came to the rocks I have before +mentioned, and there it heaved itself up until the greater part of it +was out of the water. "He's going to sit there till he's got the stink +out of his nose," said Billy, "and then he'll go back, and all our +work's thrown away." I feared that it would be as Billy said, and saw +that we should have no security unless the monster were driven clean +away or else killed outright. We took up some of the lumps of rock we +had collected on the cliff and hurled them at the creature, but it had +so lodged itself that we could hit nothing but its tentacles, and our +missiles seemed to do them no hurt. If the creature would only expose +its body, a great round bag of jelly as it seemed, we might shoot +arrows into it and perhaps find a mortal spot. I bade Billy run back +to the hut to fetch our bows and arrows while I still kept the monster +in sight, and when he returned with them, we hurled pieces of rock just +beyond where the creature lay, on the seaward side of it, hoping that +the fumes would drive it from its perch towards us, so that we might +take a fair aim. And that is what happened, for the monster after a +little shifted its posture, and moved slowly away from the poisonous +fumes that beset it, back towards its old haunt in the cave. "Now +we've got him," says Billy, in great excitement. "You shoot better +than me, master; you have a go at him while I keep on flinging the rock +t'other side of him, to keep him on the move." Accordingly I shot +arrow after arrow at the great central mass, as fast as I could fit +them to the bow, while Billy flung stone after stone just beyond it. +He cried out in amazement when the arrows clean disappeared in the +creature's body, and yet it moved, and he asked me in a whisper whether +I didn't think it was the devil himself, and so couldn't be killed, +except by God. But I bade him continue his throwing, and I shot at +least a dozen arrows, I think, before I thought the creature moved more +slowly, as if it had suffered some injury; and it being then close up +against the cliff, directly below us, I said to Billy that we would +topple down on it the whole of the lumps that were left, and see if +that would not deal the finishing stroke. This we did, casting over +above a hundred-weight of the stuff, some of which struck the creature, +and the rest fell with great hissing and smoking into the water around +it. The stench almost overpowered us even at the height we stood, and +we withdrew for a little, but returning and peering over we saw the +monster floating without any motion, and its tentacles curled up most +strangely around it. "I do believe he's dead, the villain!" cried +Billy joyously; and though we stood watching for some time longer, +there was no motion in the beast, at least no motion of its own, for we +saw that it gradually drifted on the current towards the Red Rock; and +then we hastened away across that part of the island until we came to +the point opposite the ledge, where we could look down into the narrow +race between; and we had not been there long when the monster, +perfectly inert, was swept around the corner and through the channel, +and so carried along past the north side of the island until we lost +sight of it, and knew that we should see it no more. + +For several days after this some of this family of monsters were cast +up dead on the shore, together with a great quantity of fish of all +kinds, so that we were in no doubt of the efficacy of this remarkable +mineral. Indeed, Billy startled me by saying one night, just as I was +going to sleep, "I say, master, what a fine thing that stuff would be +for doing away with mother-in-laws and Hoggetts and such!" I told him +this was a horrible notion, and he owned that it was, and he supposed +it would be murder and he would be hanged for it. "But," says he, +"suppose Hoggett and that lot come back and fight us, and we kill one +or two of 'em--and we can't be sure our arrows won't go straight--would +that be murder, eh?" I replied that I thought it was justifiable to +kill a man if fighting in self-defence. "Well then," says he, "I don't +understand it, not a bit. You kill a man when he's shooting at you, +and might kill you if you ain't first, and that ain't murder; but if +you kill him with fizzy rock, so that he don't have a chance to kill +you, that _is_ murder. What do you make of that, now?" I own I could +make nothing of it (though perhaps I might nowadays), but said he had +better go to sleep; and he cast that up at me afterwards, saying that +whenever he wanted things explained I told him to go to sleep because I +couldn't think of what to say, which was not true in general, though it +was on that occasion. + +But to return to my story. We found that we had killed or driven away +all the noxious creatures which had made their home in the cave, and +since we took care to fumigate the cave at intervals, we were never +troubled with them again. The having a direct and safe outlet from our +hut to the sea was a great source of satisfaction to us, for now if at +any time we should be hard pressed above, we could very easily make our +escape and so free ourselves from immediate danger. To this end we +brought our canoe round from the nook where we had kept it on the other +side of the island, and having taken it into the cave, we made what you +may call a dock for it by piling some rocks together above high-water +mark, behind which we could lay it up without much fear that it would +be discovered if any one should enter the cave from the sea. + +[Sidenote: Daily Tasks] + +After this we resumed our normal way of life, going about our daily +business with a regularity which no new alarm interfered with for a +very long time. We were accustomed to measure the time, so far as we +did it at all, by the bread-fruit season, calling it summer while this +fruit was ripening, and winter when we had plucked it all, for we were +always careful to lay up a good store of it, both for ourselves and our +animals. Our pigs and our poultry throve very well, so that we had to +enlarge their dwellings; and I will say here, in case I forget it, that +by devoting some part of our time to hunting, we came very near to +exterminating both the wild pigs and the dogs; and we found that as +they grew less, the wild fowls increased mightily, because of their +greater security. We did not put ourselves to any trouble to molest +them, both because they were still difficult to approach, and because +we had enough of our domestic poultry to supply our own wants. We had +discovered that these fowl were exceeding fond of a kind of small grain +that grew near our yam plantation, and to which we had given little +heed because it was no use for our own food. But seeing that our fowls +liked it, we began to cultivate it, and kept a good quantity of it +stored in the cellar beneath our hut. We kept there also a large +supply of our other foods--yams, bread-fruit, cocoa-nuts, smoked pork +and fish, and so forth; and also all our spare implements which we had +not in constant use, namely arrows, fish-hooks, pots and pans, in short +all the things we had made, keeping in the hut itself only those things +which we used constantly, and enough food for the day. I do not know +whether I have mentioned one use to which we put our fowls. We kept +the feathers of those we killed, and also those that fell in the +moulting time, and in fights, for they did fight sometimes; and having +cleaned these as well as we could we stuffed them into pillow-cases +made of leaves, and so had comfortable rests for our heads at night. +We used to take advantage of rainy days to patch our clothing, which +was by this time, as you may guess, the strangest motley that could be +seen; and besides the overcoats I have mentioned before, we made +ourselves leggings of raw hide, of which also we made covers for our +chairs. + +So another season passed over us. We were as happy as any two men +could be in like circumstances, I believe; we enjoyed perfect health, +and had discovered for ourselves what great pleasure comes from simply +_doing things_. We had quite given up any thought of being rescued or +ever seeing our native land again, and though there were times when I +at least pined for the dear ones at home, I was always inestimably +thankful for Billy's companionship, but for which I do not think I +could have supported the loneliness. + +[Sidenote: A Chase] + +It was towards the middle of the winter season, that is, when we were +just beginning to think of planting our yams, when, going up one +morning to our watch-tower, a task we never once omitted, I spied a +number of dark objects on the sea to westward, which I very soon +discovered to be canoes filled with savages. They were approaching our +island, and I thought at first they might pass us by as the fleet had +done before; but as they drew nearer I observed that there was a ship's +boat among them, or rather ahead of them, and with white men aboard, +and when I had watched for a little while I could not doubt that the +canoes were chasing the boat and were very near overhauling it. Indeed +I saw them spread out as if to envelop it, but then there was a shot +fired and I saw the smoke hover over the boat, and the canoes paused in +their course, and the boat drew away from them, only, however, to be +pursued again as soon as it was out of shot range. I counted ten +canoes, and each held, as I reckoned, above twenty men; the white men, +whom I had already guessed to be the seamen of the _Lovey Susan_, being +no more than about fifteen or sixteen. + +Billy was not with me on the watch-tower, it being his turn to cook the +dinner; but seeing that it would be an hour or maybe more before the +boat and the canoes could reach the island, I made great haste back to +our hut, and acquainted Billy with what I had seen. "I hope the +savages will catch 'em," says he at once, but agreed with me that we +must prepare ourselves to meet a greater danger than any that had yet +fallen to our lot, for we could not doubt that so great a horde of +savages would easily overcome our few countrymen if they landed, and +then, if they found our hut, they would most likely turn their attack +upon us. Indeed, it seemed to me that our only chance of safety lay in +the annihilation of the seamen before they could leave the shore, for +we did not suppose that the savages would come inland into the island +of the burning mountain, unless they had great provocation or +incitement to it. All that we could do was to let the pigs loose +again, and take up the drawbridge from our moat, which latter, however, +we did not do until we had been to the cliff to see whether the boat +was indeed making for our island. When we got there we found the crew +at that moment landing, in the desperate haste of men frantic with +fear, and after we had seen the first of them scrambling up the cliffs +where they were easiest to climb, we ran back to our hut very quickly, +pulled up the drawbridge, and set up and barricadoed the door. We had +seen that the first of the canoes was but a few yards from the shore, +and from the fierce outcries and war-whoops of the savages we knew that +they were resolved upon blood. + +I considered with myself whether we ought to lend assistance to the men +of our colour; but when I thought of the way in which they had treated +us, and indeed reckoned up the heavy score we had against them, I could +not believe that their quarrel with the savages was any affair of ours, +and so resolved to let them fight it out between them. And when the +seamen began to appear on the top of the cliffs, and made straight for +our hut, I saw that the fight would after all perhaps not be so +one-sided as we had first imagined, for several of the men had muskets, +and muskets were greatly superior to any weapons the savages carried, +besides the fear they inspired in ignorant breasts. The seamen, I say, +made straight for our hut, and I counted sixteen of them; Chick was +ahead of all the rest, he being a little man and light of foot; but +Wabberley, big as he was, was not far behind, being as craven a soul as +ever I saw; and then came the rest in a group. When they reached the +edge of the moat, and found there was no means of getting across it +save by leaping down and scaling the opposite side, which would have +taken a long time, they were in a great stew, and some began to run +frantically up and down to see if there was not some spot where the +crossing was easier. But Hoggett came to the part opposite our +doorway, and cried out in a most affecting voice, "Master Brent, Master +Brent, sir, let us in, sir, for mercy's sake, or we shall all be +murdered, sir." + +"Yes, 'tis 'Master Brent, sir,' 'Please, sir, would you be so kind, +sir!' now," says Billy with a sneer. + +"If you please, sir," begins Hoggett again, almost echoing Billy's +mockery, "the savages are right on our heels, sir, and we're +Christians, and you wouldn't see us all slaughtered like pigs, sir." + +"Why shouldn't I?" I cried through a loophole. "What reason can you +give why we should interfere?" + +Here Wabberley cried out in terror that the savages were coming, and we +saw several dusky forms appear in the distance. Hoggett, who was not +without a certain courage, and coolness too, turned to the men and bade +them post themselves behind the pigsties and fowlhouse, and let the +savages have one shot to daunt them, but not more, from which I guessed +they were very short of powder and shot. Almost in the same breath he +continued his pleading with me, and I own he sickened me when he +declared he repented of the wrong he had done, and if I would only let +him in, like a "kind Christian gentleman," he would fetch and carry for +me all the rest of his days. I think I might have yielded if he had +not been so abject, which I did not need Billy's mockery to tell me was +mere feigning; but I resolutely refused, and then we saw Hoggett in his +true colours again, for the savages beginning to close round, he gave a +glance at them and then poured out upon me the most horrible +vituperation and foulest language I ever heard from the lips of any +man, and then ran to join his comrades who were ensconced behind our +outbuildings. + +[Sidenote: A Fight with Savages] + +The savages came on in a pretty compact body, brandishing spears and +clubs, many of them having bows and arrows, and all looking exceeding +fierce, their skins being tattooed in strange and hideous patterns, +their hair bushed up like a thatch supported on what seemed to be a row +of shark's teeth. There was much shouting and gesticulating among +them, and from the manner of their pointing I guessed that they were +mighty surprised at the sight of our hut and its surroundings, and +indeed they came to a halt at some little distance from the moat, and +seemed to be deliberating what course to follow; and all the time the +seamen, who had regained something of their courage now that they were +behind cover, closely watched them, but never offered to fire. The +clamour of the savages increased to a wondrous degree, and I believed +they must be working up their courage to charge, and presently the +group widened out until it was near a half-circle in shape, and then +the naked warriors, near two hundred in number, rushed forward with +most furious whoops, their leader being a man of great stature and +especial intricacy of tattooing. They had come within about eighty +yards of the seamen when I heard Hoggett give the word to fire, and +there were instantly several shots, but not so many shots as muskets, +by which I saw that there was shortness of ammunition, as I suspected. +The half-dozen shots, however, were enough to bring the savages to a +pause, not because of any damage done among them, for the muskets of +those days were not near so good as the rifles which I hear some of our +men carried of late in Spain; but because of the noise and smoke, which +are as terrifying to savage people as they are to animals. When the +seamen had fired they began instantly to put in fresh charges, and the +savage chief stirred his people up to attack again; but I observed that +some of them had already drawn back, in fear of the muskets. However, +others, though they did not advance further, stood their ground and +began to discharge arrows and spears, which at first did no hurt at +all, because the seamen were pretty well hidden; which seeing, the +savages spread out so as to encircle the outbuildings, and then began +to discharge their weapons again, the white men no longer being all +sheltered. What shrieks of joy there were when the savages observed +that one or two of their missiles had got home! Taking new courage +from the sight, they surged forward with blood-curdling yells, and had +come within about fifty yards of the pig-sty when Hoggett again gave +the word to fire, and this time they hit one or two of the savages, and +again brought them to a halt. + +"I don't think much of them for fighters," said Billy, who had been +watching these proceedings very eagerly through his loophole. "Why +don't they rush in while the rascals are priming their guns? They're +just a lot of donkeys, that's what they are." + +[Sidenote: Asylum] + +But I saw that this second halt of the savages was only as a gathering +up of strength, for they were now frenzied, as well with delight at the +wounding of two of the white men as with anger at the damage done among +themselves. Even before the seamen had had time to charge their guns +again I saw the rush beginning, and I could not doubt that this time +the savages would overwhelm the little company of white men, or at +least do terrible execution among them. And in that moment my mind was +made up for me, as it were without my consent to it, though I believe I +must have felt in my inmost heart that it would be a crime to stand +neutral while men of my own colour were butchered before my eyes. +However that may be, certain it is that all of a sudden I ran very fast +to the door and pulled it open, and then bidding Billy come after me +and bring his bow and arrows, I caught up the drawbridge, threw it +across the moat, and leapt over, calling to Hoggett to bring his men +into our hut as quickly as might be. The sight of me suddenly sallying +forth seemed to strike the savages with amazement, for they paused in +the middle of their onset, and thus gave time to the seamen, not only +to finish their priming, but also to make steps in retreat towards the +hut; and as they came, Wabberley being first--as might be +expected--Hoggett and Pumfrey and two or three more of the braver sort +formed themselves into a rearguard, covering the retreat with their +levelled muskets. However, before the second of the wounded men had +come over the drawbridge the savages got the better of their +astonishment and rushed on with horrible yells, whereupon I ranged +myself alongside of Hoggett and the rest, calling to Billy to come too, +and wondering why he had not yet joined me. Then we shot all together, +the men with their muskets and I with bow and arrow, but I could not +see what the effect of our shots was, partly because of the smoke, and +partly because the savages were now such a wild mob that everything was +confused. But in a moment I saw the big chief leaping with great +strides before his men, who were close at his heels and no more than +thirty yards from the moat. The seamen were helpless, for they had +fired their pieces and could not recharge them in time; but I plucked +another arrow from my quiver, and fitting it to my bow took as good aim +as I could at the chief; and thankful I was that I had had a good deal +of practice at what Billy called our guy, for when I let fly the arrow +it sped very true, and struck the savage in the left side of his chest, +just below the shoulder joint, and he fell upon his face, though I knew +by his howling that he was not dead. The fall of their leader fairly +daunted the rest of the savages, and they halted, and we seized this +breathing space to get all the men across the moat, and then I caught +up the drawbridge and ran behind the men into the hut, and we had got +the door into its place by the time the savages came to the moat. When +they saw that they were baulked they let forth the most astonishing +cries I ever heard in my life, like the yelping of dogs rather than the +cries of men; and while some carried their chief away, others ran round +towards the lake side of the hut to see if there was any door there, or +any weak spot there or at the other sides where they might attack us. +And then, looking through a loophole, I saw seven or eight prostrate +forms on the ground, the victims of the seamen's muskets. + +The hut was very dim inside, all the light being what came through the +loopholes, we never having made a window: but little as it was it was +enough for Hoggett, and one or two more, to see to charge their pieces, +and putting these through loopholes in different sides of the hut, they +fired and so scattered the savages, who ran swiftly out of gun-shot. +We saw them meet together a good distance off, towards the cliff, and +one of the seamen said they were holding a parliament, and he hoped +they had punishment enough and would make up their minds to go back to +their own island. + +[Sidenote: What I Owe Billy] + +Observing that the seamen were very intent on watching these +proceedings, I turned to find Billy, to ask him why he had not come out +with me when I bade him, for I thought his backwardness was due either +to cowardice or to flat disobedience, and I was as much astonished at +the one as at the other. I could not find him at first, for the hut +was pretty well packed, and indeed the air already began to be foul and +oppressive; but I did find him, and when I asked him in some heat what +he meant by it, he took me by the arm and whispered in my ear, "Why, +you forgot we hadn't covered over the hole into the cellar, and I +reckoned we didn't want 'em to know about that, at least not yet a +bit." And then I shook him by the hand and thanked him for his +thoughtfulness, and when he said in great surprise, "Why, master, +that's nothing," I did not dare to tell him the unkind thoughts that +had come into my mind, for I was sure he would have been very much hurt +by them. Certainly it would have been a terrible calamity if the men +had discovered our secret chamber, and I dare say 'tis due only to +Billy's presence of mind in that matter of hastily covering over the +shaft that I am alive to pen these lines to-day. + + + + +CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH + +OF THE DISCOMFITURE OF THE SAVAGES, AND THE UNMANNERLY BEHAVIOUR OF OUR +GUESTS + + +There we were then, I say, sixteen seamen and our two selves, with +Little John, cooped up in a house built for two, with no air nor light +but what came through the small loopholes in the walls. It was +desperately unpleasant; at least, I found it so; as for the seamen, +maybe they felt it less, being accustomed to the closeness of 'tween +decks, though to be sure they had lived an open life for so long that +they had almost had time to forget the forecastle of the _Lovey Susan_. +There was a great babblement among them, congratulating one another on +their lucky escape and on their having found quarters, cursing the +savages very heartily, and hoping they would now sheer off. I do not +remember that I heard a word of thanks to us for helping them, except +from poor Mr. Bodger, who came to me and, in a manner more meek and +quiet even than when he was aboard the _Lovey Susan_, said it was like +heaven to find me again, after the terrible life he had led among the +seamen. It was from him I learnt what I have already related about the +men's doings on the island where they landed, and of what had happened +subsequently to their last visit to us, which was as follows. They had +gone to one of the islands to the westward which they had seen from the +slopes of our island, and made friends with the savages there, which +they were able to do because, having firearms, the savages thought to +make use of them in warfare against their enemies. For a time the +seamen lived right royally among them, having food and quarters on +condition of this military service; but becoming insolent and puffed up +with their own importance, they presently offended the savages, and +crowned their misdeeds with refusing to fight any more for them, which +they did because their ammunition was running short. Learning from a +savage girl that had a partiality for Pumfrey that the tribe were +minded to enslave them, they determined to slip away by night in their +boat, and come back to our island, to see whether their notions about +it were well founded, I mean as to the scarcity of food on it; and they +did this, but their departure was discovered before they had gone very +far, and with the morning light they saw that they were pursued by +their infuriate employers. + +[Sidenote: Besieged] + +Mr. Bodger did not tell me all this, and what I have related before, at +one time, because we were too busy watching the proceedings of the +savages, and debating about them, to hold long discourse undisturbed. +The issue of their deliberations appeared to be that they would make no +attempt to carry our defences by main force, which indeed would have +been a hopeless undertaking, but to invest us strictly, being no doubt +confident in their numbers to overwhelm us when we should issue forth, +as we must some time do, when the pressure of hunger compelled us. The +whole body of them split up into five little camps of about forty men +each, who posted themselves in a half-circle about the front side of +the hut, and out of range of the seamen's muskets. One of these camps, +however, was placed, very likely out of bravado, a good deal nearer to +our hut than the rest, and Hoggett declared with an oath that he would +have a shot at them, only he did not care to waste the powder, his +stock being all but gone. "Where's Brent?" cries he. "_Mister +Brent_," says Billy at once. "Is that there young scum of a Bobbin +a-talking?" cries Hoggett. I caught Billy's arm to keep him from +answering, fearing lest Hoggett should deal brutally with him; and +Hoggett said with a laugh, "Where's _Mister_ Brent, then?" "What is +it?" said I. "Send one of your arrows amongst those reptiles, will +you?" says he, in a tone that I did not at all relish, so that I was on +the point of taking him up pretty sharply, only I thought better of it, +for what was the use of making a bother when there were so many of +them? Indeed, I was already not a little disturbed in my mind, +foreseeing that if the fellow would put on this insolency of bearing so +soon, we should go through rough water presently. However, to come +back to my story. I was not at all disposed to shoot an arrow at +Hoggett's bidding; yet I thought it were a good thing to show the +savages that we had our eyes on them; so I said, "Billy, maybe you will +kindly show Hoggett what you can do." "Do you bid me, master?" says +the boy: I call him "boy," though he was at this time, I suppose, +eighteen or nineteen years old. "I ask you, Billy," said I: whereupon +he took his bow and an arrow, and went to one of the loopholes, and +there was pretty nearly a fight among the men for places at the others, +for there were not enough for all of them. As for myself I could see +nothing, but I heard the twang of the bow-string, and immediately +afterwards a great shout of laughter from the men, which Billy told me +was occasioned by the sudden leaping up of the savages among whom the +arrow fell, and their scuttering like rabbits to a safer distance. I +do not doubt their amazement, for their own bows were small compared +with ours, and had not near so long a range. + +"Well shot, Billy!" cries Clums, the cook of the _Lovey Susan_, and a +good-tempered man on the whole, but a perfect child in the hands of +Hoggett, who was angered by his praise of Billy, and sharply bade him +"hold his jaw." "Why didn't you make a window in this cursed hole?" he +cried; "I can't see nothing." "We'll open the door," said I, "for +they're out of range now, and we can shut it again before they get +near." Accordingly we opened it, and I was very thankful for the fresh +air, and the men, spying in one corner the little pile of cocoa-nuts +that we usually kept there, seized upon them, and in their haste to +drink the juice broke them carelessly, so that a good deal was spilled. +"Give me water instead of that muck," cried Hoggett; "maybe Mr. Brent +will kindly show us what he can do that way," and having thus mocked me +he shouted a great guffaw, which some of the men imitated, though one +or two looked ill-pleased. I had much ado, I assure you, to command my +temper, but I did command it, and afterwards remembered a saying of my +uncle, that to lose your temper is to give a weapon to your enemy. I +showed Hoggett our water-pot, and bade him be sparing, for that was all +we had, and he answered with an oath that he would drink as much as he +pleased; but Chick then spoke up, bidding him not to be a greedy swine, +and Hoggett growled out some answer; but I observed that he did not +drink much, and so I learnt, what I afterwards confirmed, that Chick +had some sway over Hoggett, I suppose from his speaking little, but +always to the point. + +We thought it prudent to shut the door when night fell, in spite of the +closeness of the atmosphere; and I never in all my life spent so +horrible a night. Some of the men, I know not who, took our pillows, +so that Billy and I were no better off than the most of them, and we +lay side by side on the floor, except when we took our turn at +watching, for the whole company was divided into watches as on board +ship. We knew that the savages kept watch also, for we saw the glow of +their camp fires, and Billy said he wished he could have seen how they +made the fire, he having never ceased to feel disappointment because he +had failed in that particular. There was nothing to disturb us during +the night, but I rose in the morning so sick and miserable that I +thought I should die if I had to endure the like again. We opened the +door as soon as it was light, and quaffed the air as if it was nectar; +and the seamen having roused up, clamoured for breakfast, and soon +finished all the cocoa-nuts we had in the house; and they took off the +lid of our great breadpan, as we called it, and seeing the bread-fruit +paste there, cried out to know what it was, and when I told them, +nothing would satisfy them but that Billy should take some of it out to +our oven, which was near the hut, and the fire still smouldering. +There was little danger in Billy's doing this, because the savages were +still at too great a distance for their arrows to reach us, and if they +came nearer he would have time to run indoors; but I did not like his +acting as servant to these men, and said so, whereupon Hoggett asked +fiercely whether the boy was not a stowaway, and who was he to put on +airs, and he would show him, and so forth; and I thought it was better +for the sake of peace and quietness that Billy should cook a little +bread for them. + +There we were, cooped up all that day, and before night all our food +and water were gone, and the men grew very testy, and in a most +unreasonable manner turned their vexation on Billy and me, demanding +why we had brought them into the hut to starve. To this I found myself +quite unable to frame a suitable answer, being perfectly overcome with +the sheer ingratitude of the men; but when it was dark I said that +Billy and I would go out and get some water and also a few cocoa-nuts. +I did not purpose to go out by the door at the front of the hut, but to +cut a hole in the slope of the roof facing the lake, that side not +being watched at all by the savages. It was no very long business to +make a hole of the right size, the seamen's cutlasses aiding our own +tools, which they scoffed at a good deal. But when we were on the +point of going forth, Clums asked me where I should get the water, and +when I said from the lake he begged and prayed me not to do so, because +he said it griped them so horribly. However, I told him that boiling +it was a means of making it harmless, and then he said go, and "God +bless you!" which was an exceeding strange saying on his lips, which +were commonly cursing and swearing. Billy and I went out through the +hole, and the men handed out pails, and with these we went down to the +lake, and filled them, and returned, the savages being no whit the +wiser. And the pails being let down, the men kindled a small fire on +the earthen floor, so as to boil the water, while we went into the +woods to gather some cocoa-nuts. We talked on the way about the +strange change which had come over the posture of our affairs, +wondering very much what the issue might be. The savages would no +doubt contrive to subsist on plants which we had never used for food, +and if they went a-prowling they would discover our plantation of yams; +but we had already dug up the most of these and stored them in our +cellar with the bread fruit, and I could not think there was enough +fruit left on the trees to support so large a throng of savages for any +considerable period. Still, there was enough to last them until we +were all starved, unless we disclosed our secret store below the hut, +which I was exceeding loath even to think of. + +This second night was not quite such a torture as the first, the hole +in the roof giving us the much-needed ventilation; but next day the men +were more quarrelsome than ever, and I was in a constant fear lest they +should set to work to break each others' heads, which might have rid us +of some arrant rascals, it is true, but it might also have put an end +to Billy and me. They vented some of their ill-temper on Little John, +who had not taken kindly to them, and showed himself so exceeding +fierce when they kicked him, that they would have killed him only I +prevented them. The savages had made no other attack on us, but +neither had they given any sign of removing themselves; rather the +contrary, indeed, for they never let their fires out, and they had +started to build themselves little shelters at the edge of the cliffs. +Hoggett began to talk of sallying forth and seeing if we could not work +such mischief among them as would send them packing, and though +Wabberley and Mr. Bodger were the loudest against this, Wabberley +waxing most movingly eloquent in describing the dangers of the plan +proposed, the others were so desperately weary of the situation that +they consented to accompany Hoggett, the time chosen for the attempt +being just after it became dark. But while we were waiting as +patiently as we might for the day to end, it came into my head that we +might find the fizzy rock as efficacious in scaring the savages as it +had been with the seamen; and since Billy and I had gone out and come +in safely the night before, we might issue forth on this coming night, +and get enough of the rock to make a very good smoke in the morning. +While Billy and I were consulting about this in whispers, one of the +men--I think it was Pumfrey--proposed that we should all steal out at +dead of night, and creep down to the boat and the canoes, and make off +in the darkness, leaving the savages marooned on the island. This +notion at first met with acceptance from some, but Chick, who said +little ordinarily, spoke up very strongly against it, arguing that +there was little chance of all of us getting to the shore unperceived, +and asking how we knew the canoes were not guarded. He said also, very +pertinently, that if we did get away, we could not take all the canoes, +and the savages, when they discovered our departure, would set off in +chase, and being more expert with the paddles they would soon overtake +us, we having now next to no powder and shot for the guns; and to +clinch it all, he said that if we were caught in the open it was +kingdom come for all of us, on which Wabberley declared that Chick was +very obliging in putting the case so plainly, and he for one would live +and die with Chick. Whereupon I said there was no need for any one to +die, at least not yet, and offered to go out with Billy in the middle +of the night and put in action the plan I had formed for driving the +savages away. Hoggett and some of the rest looked at me with great +suspicion, and Hoggett said, "How are you going to do it?" and I +hesitated at first whether to tell him; but reflecting that he was +bound to know I told him that we had the means of making a great smoke +and smother, and so might delude the savages with the belief that the +mountain was active. There was a very grim look on Hoggett's face +when, silencing some of the men who were beginning to speak, he asked +again how we could make that smoke and smother, and I saw no use in +attempting to conceal it, and so told him about the extraordinary rock +we had discovered. His eyes glittered as I was speaking, and when I +had ended he would not suffer the other men to speak a word, but bade +me do as I had said. "Do it proper," says he, "and we'll see." + +[Sidenote: The Savages are Scared] + +Accordingly, in the deep time of night Billy and I clambered out +through the hole in the roof and set off with our spades up the +mountain side, to dig out enough rock to make a big smoke as soon as it +was light. Billy said it was a pity I had told the men about the rock, +and he was sure harm would come of it; but I showed him that our case +could scarcely be worse than it was, shut up in a narrow compass with +such unpleasant companions, and that if we drove the savages from the +island we should at least have liberty of movement, and as for what was +to happen after, we must leave it to Providence, at the same time +saying that the seamen would surely not remain long on the island when +they found it was not very plentiful in food, so far as they could +tell. "That's all very well, master," says Billy sorrowfully; "but +there's enough to keep 'em until the fruits begin to ripen again, and +there's all our pigs and fowls, which they'll eat up as sure as a gun, +and we shan't be able to breed no more. Still, I don't see what we can +do, unless we poison the whole lot of 'em, same as we did the monsters, +and I suppose you won't agree to that." I said that I would not, and +then reminded Billy that we had triumphed over many difficulties and +dangers in our four years' residence on the island, and I did not in +any way despair of coming safely through this present predicament; and +so we went on up the mountain side, not hurrying or taking any +particular care, for we knew the savages would not be in this part of +the island, having a very wholesome dread of the volcano. + +Being come to the place where the deposit of fizzy rock was, we worked +a great quantity of it loose with our spades, and carried it to the +neighbourhood of the springs, where by the dawn we had two great heaps. +As soon as it began to be light we threw the rock bit by bit into the +water, Billy at one spring and I at the other, being careful to keep +out of sight from below, for we knew that every eye in the camps of the +savages would be turned to the mountain as soon as they saw the smoke. +It happened that the cloud of steam over the summit was somewhat denser +than it had been the day before, which was all in favour of our design. +We were favoured, too, by the stillness of the air, for, there being no +wind, the fumes that rose from the rock hung about the mountain and did +not float away, though that was also a disadvantage to us, inasmuch as +we could not avoid the poisonous stench. We had to hold our breath and +rush into the smoke in order to keep the springs constantly fed with +the rock, and I began to feel very ill, and, going to see how Billy was +faring, I observed that his skin was a greenish colour, and so I bade +him to desist and to come with me and peer over to see whether our +trick had wrought upon the savages as we hoped it would. We saw that +they were standing in a great throng watching the smoke; but they did +not as yet appear to be infected with panic, which, when I thought of +it, I considered to be due to the absence of the rumbling noises that +commonly accompanied the action of the volcano. Since we could not in +any way make such a noise as would counterfeit the natural rumbling, I +racked my brains to think of any other means by which we might work +upon them the beginnings of fright, for I was sure that if we could +only start them it would not be long before panic fear got hold of +them, and then it would sweep them away. Running back to my spring, to +cast more rock into it, I observed that there were some big boulders a +little higher up, below the edge of the crater, that appeared to be +insecurely poised. They were at the top of a gentle slope, which fell +away afterwards into a sheer precipice several hundreds of feet in +depth. I wondered whether the boulders I have mentioned could be seen +from the savages' camp, and creeping up the slope to see, I found that +the savages were quite out of sight; whereupon I hastened down to +Billy, and after throwing into the springs enough rock to last a good +while, we went together to the top of the slope, and shoving with all +our strength against one of the boulders, we set it rolling down. The +moment we had started it we went to another, and so on, until there was +a sort of cascade of rocks sliding down the slope and then plunging +over the edge and crashing down at the foot of the precipice, the sound +coming very faintly to our ears. + +Though we chose only the smaller of the boulders, the larger being +utterly beyond our strength to move, the haste with which we worked +made us very hot and weary, and when we paused to rest for a moment we +thought we heard shouts of alarm from below, and then all of a sudden +there was silence. Heaving over one more boulder we hastened down to +the place from which we could see the savages while ourselves unseen, +and when we got there they had all vanished. "We've done it, master," +said Billy, panting, "and much good 'twill be to us." But I was by no +means sure that the savages had actually gone, thinking that maybe they +had merely shifted their quarters; accordingly I did not think it +proper to go down at once towards our hut, but remained for some while +longer feeding the springs with the rock. However, when we were again +feeling very sick because of the fumes, and went to some distance for +purer air, we caught sight of the fleet of canoes making for the +westward, the savages paddling with great energy; and being very joyful +at the success of our stratagem, though somewhat apprehensive of what +was to ensue, we descended the mountain-side and came again to our hut. +The seamen had already issued from it, and were standing on the cliffs +watching the departing canoes; but as we approached them we observed +signs of discontent and anger among them, instead of the gladness we +expected. And when we came to them several of them cried out that the +savages had taken their boat, and now they were marooned; and Hoggett +came up to us with a very truculent mien, and said that he now knew how +we had tricked him when he first came to the island--I mean on his +first visit to us--and he wanted to know what we meant by it, and but +for us he might have stayed on the island with his mates and lived +hearty, instead of near starving as he had done, and we had better not +try no more tricks on him, or he'd show us, and a great deal more to +the like effect, with plentiful oaths and very foul language. I +affected to laugh it off, saying that at any rate our trick had cleared +the island of savages, whereupon he broke out again: "Yes," says he, +"and they've robbed us of our boat; and now we've got to stop here, and +goodness knows how we'll live, for you two fools ain't had the sense to +grow enough for all of us. I want my breakfast, I do, and there ain't +nothing in that there cabin, and you'd better look alive and get me +something, or I may come to eating you." This speech made me very +indignant, when but for us Hoggett and the rest would without doubt +have been butchered by the savages; but since it was plain that we were +to live with him and them I saw that no good would come of quarrelling, +so I laughed again, and said if he was patient he might have a +breakfast of pork and potatoes (by which I meant yams) and maybe an egg +or two, unless the savages had scared our hens from laying; and he +looked very well pleased at this, and called to the other men, telling +them what the breakfast was to be, and then he stuck his hands in his +pockets and swaggered off among them, saying to us as he went not to be +long about it, because he was hungry. + +Billy fairly gnashed his teeth as we went to our hut. He was much more +put about than I was, resenting on my behalf the domineering airs that +Hoggett put on. "There you are," says he, "what did I say? This ain't +our island no more. You ain't the king, and I ain't the prince, or +whatever you call it, but it belongs to Hoggett." + +"Oh no, it doesn't," said I; "Hoggett doesn't become the owner just +because you and I, to humour him, give him his breakfast." + +"Breakfast!" says Billy scornfully; "yes, breakfast, and dinner, and +supper, and bites in between; and as for humouring him, you might as +well humour one of they monsters we poisoned, he'll only squeeze you +the harder." + +[Sidenote: Dreams] + +I laughed at Billy, for I believed that by showing ourselves friendly +we should gain the friendliness of the men, so that, if we were +destined to live on the island together, we might form a peaceable if +not a happy community. I dreamt of a little republic, in which all +should have tasks corresponding to their talents, so that what little +labour was required should fall very lightly on individuals. I dreamt +also of making a boat large enough to carry us all, and sailing away +some day to England, or at least to some place where we should fall in +with an English ship. And I dare say in these my day-dreams I saw +myself as the head of this little republic; not an autocrat, but a +kindly and benevolent protector, to whom the others would look up, +knowing that his whole heart was set on their good. It was in this +frame of mind that I willingly helped Billy to prepare a sumptuous +repast for the men, slaying a pig and several fowls, and boiling yams +and eggs. They ate with mighty good appetite, and I am sure thoroughly +enjoyed the meal, though Wabberley did grumble in the middle of it, +because we had no beer. Some of them mocked and jeered at our clumsy +crockery and other utensils; but Clums spoke up for us on this point, +saying that a pot was good enough if it didn't run out, and he only +wished he had had such things in the island where they had been. + +[Sidenote: Mr. Bodger] + +For the rest of that day the men roamed about the island, and one or +two of them plucked up courage to climb the mountain, though they +turned back before they came to the crater. They discovered our +plantation of yams, and were pleased to express approval of the manner +in which we had fenced it in, and Pumfrey said it must be enlarged now, +for we could not grow enough there to feed them all. This brought home +to me the fact that our solitude was henceforth to be peopled, and +though I might please myself with dreams of ruling over a little +republic, I own I felt a sort of regret that the happy life Billy and I +had led together was encroached on and perturbed, a feeling which grew +into positive abhorrence before the day was out. The men came +punctually back to the hut for meals, and Clums, who was a good-natured +fellow if he was let alone, lent a hand to their preparation, so that +the work did not fall wholly on Billy and me. And it was during the +latter part of the day that I heard from Mr. Bodger more particulars of +the miseries of his life on their island. They had saved him at the +first, it appeared, merely because they thought his seamanship might be +some time useful to them, but when he never had an opportunity of doing +anything in that way they used to taunt him, and ask him why he hadn't +stuck to Captain Corke and Mr. Lummis, and dealt very evilly with him +in many ways. It was plain to me that not only had he no authority +over them, such as a ship's officer ought to have, but that he went in +mortal terror of Hoggett, so that if it came to a tussle between +Hoggett and me I could expect no help from Mr. Bodger. + +I observed during the day that there were always some of the men in the +hut, or reclining against the wall outside, and it came into my head +that they were guarding it, so that Billy and I could not barricade +ourselves in it as we had done before, and keep them out. I smiled at +this, for having let them in of my own accord, and under no compulsion, +I did not think of going back on this, even though the savages were +departed. I thought we should not be so discommoded at night, because +we had not only the hole in the roof, but could also keep the door +open, there being no longer any fear of molestation by wild dogs. In +my mind I was planning to build other huts, as soon as I could persuade +the men to it, so that Billy and I might have our own to ourselves, +which was very much to be desired, considering what stores we had +beneath it, and the access to our canoe, now laid up in Dismal Cave. +But just before dark, when we had had our supper out in the open, and +were thinking of turning in, and I came with Billy to the doorway of +the hut, there was Hoggett standing in it with his elbows stuck out and +his legs a-straddle, and Wabberley and Chick just behind him. He did +not offer to move aside for me, on which I smiled and said we had not +foreseen that he would be our guest or we might have made the doorway +wider; and then he took a step forward, Wabberley and Chick moving into +the doorway, and thrusting his head out until his nose nearly touched +mine, he said, very loud: "Look 'ee here, you Brent," says he, "this +here place is now mine, d'ye see? and I'm a-going to let in my friends +and no one else, and to-night I'm not a-going to have any one in but +Mr. Chick and Mr. Wabberley and one or two more, and you two young +fellows can just rig up a bunk outside, along with Bodger and the rest." + +"That's rather a poor return for hospitality, isn't it, Mr. Hoggett?" I +said as pleasantly as I could, though I was raging inside. + +"I don't want none of your fine talk, Brent," says he, "and as for +Billy Bobbin, if he makes those eyes at me I'll knock his head off." + +"No, you won't," says Billy, nimbly stepping back out of reach. It +appeared that he had not been able to keep out of his eyes the fury +which burnt within him. + +Hoggett glared at him, and called him foul names, and then turning to +me he cried: "I've said my say, and I tell you if I catch you inside +this cabin to-night or any time, I'll flay you alive. You hear that, +Mr. Chick?" + +"I do," says Chick. + +"You hear that, Mr. Wabberley?" says Hoggett again. + +"I do," says Wabberley. + +"Well, then, Brent has had fair warning, more'n he gave me," says +Hoggett, "when he sent an arrow through the fleshy part of my arm." + +"That's a lie," cried Billy; "you had more warning than I'd give you." + +[Sidenote: Turned Out] + +Hoggett in a fury caught up a musket that stood against the wall, and +was presenting it at Billy, but I knocked it up, and bade him, in a +very different tone from what I had used as yet, have a care. He +seemed surprised at my firmness, and put down the musket, and then, +seeing that the other men had come up, and were standing at watch in a +little knot, I turned to them, with the intent to appeal to their sense +of justice, believing that if I could once get them to break away from +Hoggett's dominance all might be well. But I had not spoken a dozen +words when Hoggett, who, as his words had shown, was longing to pay off +his score against me for wounding him that time, aimed a blow at me, +which, however, I saw coming out of the corner of my eye, so that I was +ready for it, and parrying it with my left arm, I dealt him such a blow +upon his body that he fell doubled up at the doorway. In a moment +Chick sprang across him, cutlass in hand, and made for me, and +Wabberley came after him, and Hoggett called on the other men to seize +me; and though Billy sprang instantly to my side, I saw that the odds +were too great against us, and that we had better run for it. I +stepped back just in time to escape Chick's cutlass, and at the same +time Billy thrust his foot in front of Wabberley, so that the big man +came down very heavily on his face; and then we sprinted across the +drawbridge, and pulled it after us, so that the men that pursued us +were brought up on the brink of the moat, and could do no more than +shake their fists and curse us. Billy and I went on leisurely with +Little John, who had come after us, and considering what we should do +we determined to betake ourselves to the thicket on the slope of the +mountain, and it was quite dark before we got there. We made ourselves +as comfortable as we could for the night, being strangely reminded of +our first coming to the island and the fears and terrors of that time; +but we had no such disquietude of mind now, and I think in our hearts +we were both glad to have broken with the seamen. When I reproached +myself for not having the presence of mind to resume possession of our +hut immediately after the savages had departed, Billy said it wouldn't +have been much good, because the seamen could not choose but stay on +the island, their boat being gone, and things would have come to pretty +much the same pass; but he had no sooner said it than he let forth a +sharp cry of dismay: "Our canoe, master!" And then I remembered that, +having laid our canoe up in the cave, we had no means of getting to +her, now that the entrance to the cavern was barred, for we could not +climb down the face of the cliffs, nor had we any other boat or raft to +carry us there by sea. This was a very staggering situation to be in, +and Billy said it was a shame that after we had been so happy all these +years we should have all our troubles over again. Sleep overtook us +before we saw any way out of our difficulties, which stared us in the +face when we opened our eyes to the new day. + +[Illustration: "I DEALT HIM SUCH A BLOW THAT HE FELL DOUBLED UP AT THE +DOORWAY."] + + + + +CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH + +OF OUR RETREAT TO THE RED ROCK, AND OF OUR VARIOUS RAIDS UPON OUR +PROPERTY + + +We had one great advantage over the seamen in that we knew every yard +of the island, and so could find our food without searching. Billy +laughed when he thought of them having to get their own breakfast, and +wishing they had not driven us away; but I said that they had not +intended to drive us away, but that Hoggett expected to daunt and cow +us, and so make us his bond servants. "Well, he _must_ be a fool," +says Billy, and chuckled again to think that his old enemy had +over-reached himself. Presently we saw that I was right in my surmise, +for we heard men shouting in different parts of the island, and guessed +they were seeking us; but we kept close all that day, feeling pretty +sure that the men would not come up the mountain until they had +searched other parts. + +We were not idle this day, for we at once set about making a raft to +carry us round to the cave, using saplings and creepers for this +purpose, fashioning them into a kind of hurdle which we hoped would +support us well enough, or at least one of us, for the short voyage. +We laughed again to think that when we should have got our canoe again, +we might if we pleased sail clean away from the island and seek another +home without let or hindrance from the seamen; but we never had any +serious thought of this, Palm Tree Island being now our very home. As +for what our course of action was to be, we very earnestly considered +that while our fingers were busy with the raft. It was plain we could +not fight the men, for they had muskets and powder and shot enough to +kill us, being only two; and we were without any weapons save our axes, +which we always carried in our belts, all the others being either in +the hut or in the cellar below it. If we did not fight them, we must +nevertheless be either friends or enemies; friends we could not be +while Hoggett maintained his present insolency, and as enemies we could +but keep out of their way. But I saw we should lead a terrible life if +we remained on the island and were harried from place to place, and +hunted down, and maybe captured and made slaves of in the end. We +might, to be sure, go and live in the cave, where it was little likely +that we should be discovered, and if we were we could no doubt make a +very good defence; but we did not relish the prospect of skulking, so +to speak, in the dim purlieus of the cave and tunnel while our enemies +were ranging the island free, and enjoying the full use of what we had +laboured so hard for. "I can't a-bear to think of Hoggett drinking out +of _my_ mug," says Billy, with a rueful countenance, "and blunting _my_ +spears, and wasting _my_ arrows, and eating our pigs, too, master. +What if they eat 'em all, as they did in their own island, and don't +leave none for breeding? Oh, that Hoggett! Wouldn't I like to drop +some fizzy rock in his water and poison him!" + +[Sidenote: Quandary] + +This was indeed a thing to be thought of, and we made up our minds at +least to secure some of our pigs and devise some secret place where we +might keep them. But the first matter to settle was our own +habitation, and it was near the close of the day before the notion came +into my head that we might choose the Red Rock, which being severed +from the island would be quite inaccessible, except by a bridge, and +when we had possession of our bows and arrows we could easily prevent +them from throwing a bridge across. It would have been quite foreign +to Billy's nature and habit if he had fallen in with this plan without +demur, and he said at once that Red Rock was quite barren, save for a +few stunted bushes which were of no good either for shelter or food. +"But," I said to him, "we shall have our canoe, and we can carry stores +in this from the cavern to the rock, and we can make shift to put up +some sort of shelter against the weather, which isn't very bad." + +"That's true," says he, "but when our stores are all used up, what +then? We've got enough in our cellar for three or four months, +perhaps, and I lay Hoggett would like to get hold of some of our salted +pork, as good as bacon any day; but it won't last for ever, and what +then?" + +"I can't see so far ahead," said I. "We can live very comfortably for +three or four months, and perhaps longer, and by that time something +may have happened." + +"Yes," says he, "Old Smoker may start work again, and if he does I hope +he'll go strong, so that they'll be scared out of their wits and drove +to make a raft or boat or something to get away." + +Having determined on this, therefore, we made great speed with our raft +and finished it before dark, but not soon enough to set off that same +night, nor indeed did we much wish to do so, because we had not forgot +the monsters that used to live in the cave, and though we had seen none +since we poisoned them, we were still squeamish about approaching in +the dark. Besides, we should need torches to light us up the tunnel to +our storehouse, and for these we had to collect some of the candlenuts, +and some dry grass for tinder; the flint and what we called the steel +Billy always had in his pocket. We made these preparations before we +lay down to rest, resolved to start as soon as ever we saw any sign of +dawn in the sky. This resolution, as often happens in such cases, +caused me to sleep fitfully, and it was in one of these wakeful spaces +that a notion jogged in my head of a plan whereby we might get even +with the seamen and come into our own again. I thought of it over and +over again, and it excited me and tickled my fancy too; but I +determined to say nothing about it to Billy until I had pondered it +more carefully, so that I should be ready to meet all the objections +which I knew he would raise. + +It was still dark, but there was a sort of silent stirring in the sky, +betokening dawn, when I waked Billy, who was snoring very happily upon +his back, and told him we must convey our raft down to the shore, if we +would come to the cave before the men were about. He got up at once, +and we carried the raft between us across the island, being careful to +keep a good distance from the hut, which made the way longer but surer. +Being merely a kind of hurdle, the raft was not heavy and gave us no +trouble by its weight, though it was troublesome to get it over the +steep places we had to pass on our way down to the shore. However, we +came there without mishap, at the sandy beach, and launched the raft; +but when I stood upon it I saw that it would not support Billy as well, +and I proposed to him that I should go to the cave alone and bring back +the canoe for him. This he flatly and with great vehemence refused, +saying that I might never get there, what with sharks and long-legged +monsters, and that he wasn't going to be left behind, but would share +everything with me. When I asked him how he would go, the raft not +being strong enough for two, he said he would catch hold of it and swim +along, and as for sharks, he would kick out very hard and so scare any +that came, and we always had our axes. But now I took a firm stand, +and said plainly that I would not allow any such thing, nor did I yield +to Billy's pleading that I would permit him to make the journey alone; +and so I set off, and not to make a long story about a short voyage, I +arrived safely at the cave, and found the canoe just as we had left her +behind the rocks. Then I went back for Billy, and when we came to the +cave again we lit our torch (we had brought only one, having material +for plenty more in the cavern), and proceeded up the tunnel until we +reached our storehouse, where we first of all had a good breakfast, +thinking all the time of the seamen above, perfectly ignorant of what +was going on beneath them. We spoke in whispers and moved very +quietly, so that the men should not hear us, and get an inkling of our +whereabouts; not that there was much danger of this, perhaps, for if +they did hear a sound it was like to make them more fearful than +inquisitive, and Billy said they would be sure to think it was Old +Smoker talking to himself, and they might then leave the hut as a +dangerous place. But I thought it best to run no risks that we could +avoid, and so we moved very softly, as I have said. + +We spent the whole of that day in conveying stores down to our canoe, +finding it a very laborious and tedious business, because the +narrowness of the first part of the tunnel, and the roughness of the +way, did not allow us to bear such heavy loads as we might have done in +the open. We felt an itching curiosity to know what the men were +doing, and how they took our disappearance, and Billy said it would be +great fun to sail round the island and show ourselves to them, for we +could run back to the cave at any time, and they would never know where +we had gone, the cave not being visible from above, and the cliff +unscalable. But our posture was too serious for mere fun, especially +as I did not wish the men even to know we were still alive, because of +that notion which had come into my head; and it was for the same reason +that I had resolved not to attempt to transport our stores to the Red +Rock until the dusk of evening, when the men would have given over +their roaming and returned to the hut. When we rested from our work, +and ate our meals, we paddled the canoe out to the mouth of the cave, +where we could be in the sunshine and fresh air, and away from the +exceeding noisome stench made by our torches; and it was really a +pleasant enough day, the seamen not being able to molest us. + +[Sidenote: Retreat to Red Rock] + +Accordingly, as soon as it was dusk, with a promise of a full, clear +moon, we set off, and paddled our well-laden canoe to the north side of +the Red Rock, where, as I have said, was the only landing-place. +Having moored our vessel securely to a peak of rock, we set to work to +carry our cargo up the steep path, and found this the hardest task we +had ever undertaken, so that though we toiled pretty nearly all night +we had not above half emptied the canoe by the morning. It was very +stupid of us to work so hard, as we saw when we had tired ourselves out +to dropping, for being on the side of the rock furthest from the island +we could not be seen from thence, and might have taken three or four +days over the work if we pleased. The manner of our carrying the +stores up was to load baskets and strap them to our backs; but one part +of the ascent was too steep for us to climb thus laden, and we then +tied the baskets in turn to the end of a rope, and one climbed up first +and hauled the baskets after him, with much bumping against the rugged +side, which made me fear lest we should lose a good deal. However, +nothing was lost save two or three cocoa-nuts and the lid of one of my +pots, which was full of bread-fruit paste, so that I was glad it was +only the lid and not the pot itself. The danger thus narrowly escaped +taught us a lesson, and when it came to our largest pots, instead of +trying to carry them up full, we emptied their contents into the +baskets, and so made several light loads instead of one heavy one, thus +avoiding a particular mishap. + +When morning came, as I say, we had carried up but half our cargo, and +having by that time perceived that there was no need for haste, we +refreshed ourselves with one or two cocoa-nuts we had, not lighting a +fire to cook anything else, in case its smoke should be seen by the +seamen. This consideration somewhat damped our liking for our new +abode, for we had been so long accustomed to good and well-cooked meals +that the prospect of living on nothing but cocoa-nuts, as on our first +coming to the island, was mighty displeasing; and, moreover, we had +only a very few cocoa-nuts, not having stored many of these because we +could get them from the trees all the year round. However, I told +Billy that I thought we could light a fire at night, for it was scarce +likely that the men would be abroad in the darkness at one of the high +parts of the island, from which alone the top of the Red Rock could be +seen, and he was comforted at this, saying that he didn't mind cold +breakfast and dinner if he had hot supper. After our frugal breakfast +we laid ourselves down to sleep, under the shadow of an overhung rock, +and did not waken until the sun was very high. Being then exceeding +thirsty I remembered the water we had found at the bottom of a cleft +when we first came to the rock, and we let down a pitcher by a rope +into one of the clefts, and when we drew it up we found it full of +delicious cold water with scarcely any taste to it; and though, +remembering the water of Brimstone Lake, we drank sparingly at first, +we found that it did us no hurt, and indulged ourselves with more +copious draughts than we had ever taken since we had lived on the +island. We waited until the heat of the day was past before we resumed +our unlading, and we did not finish it until next day, sleeping pretty +near all through the night. When we had got everything +up--bread-fruit, yams, salted flesh and fish, ropes, spears, bows and +arrows, strips of hide and bark cloth, and sundry other things which we +thought we might find useful--we packed them as snugly as we could +under ledges and in hollows, and covered over the perishables with +cloth to keep off dew and rain, and then we thought about ourselves, +and how we could make the barren rock a habitable place. It would be +easy enough to build a cabin or lean-to against the rocky wall if we +only had the materials; but there was nothing serviceable to be found +on the spot, and to get them we must venture back to the island. This +we could only do in the hours of darkness, or immediately after dawn, +but the idea of this rather pleased us with its venturesomeness, and +being now equipped with our weapons we were bold enough. In the early +hours of the morning, therefore, we paddled round through the archway +until we reached the rock by the lava beach, where Billy had perched on +our first day, and leaving Billy and Little John to guard the canoe, I +went into the woods with my axe, carrying also my bow and arrows, to +cut some saplings and rushes, and some creepers to bind things +together. I promised Billy I would come back after a while and let him +take his turn, but I had not been working above half-an-hour, I should +think, when he joined me, saying he was sure the canoe would be safe, +because it was hidden behind the rock, and there was nothing to bring +the men to that part of the island, because he would take his davy they +never bathed, of which indeed I myself had had good evidence; and +besides, he said, he had left Little John to guard it. I was glad of +Billy's help, for between us we cut a good deal of material in a very +short time; but I did not like leaving the canoe to the sole charge of +the dog, and resolved not to come again in the morning, but only in the +evening, there being much less danger of meeting the men then. +Accordingly I did not wait until we had got enough material for our +purpose, but said we would finish the job another time; and we carried +the stuff to the canoe, making two journeys to do it, and so got back +to the Red Rock safely. + +We spent the rest of that day in making, with the things we had +brought, a kind of trellis-work to serve as the front and side walls of +our lean-to, for the back wall was the rock itself. We had not near +enough to finish the job, but enough to keep us employed all that day; +and a little before dusk we set off again to paddle to the island to +fetch more. And this time, as soon as we had got enough saplings and +reeds and things, we went on to the smaller cocoa-nut grove, there +being a very good moon, purposing to carry away a few ripe cocoa-nuts +for our own consumption; but when we were gathering them from the trees +it came into my head that we might as well begin upon that notion I +have before mentioned, which was nothing less than to starve the seamen +into repentance and humbleness of spirit. I had not as yet told it to +Billy, but I had pondered it myself, and thought I saw my way to it, +and so I now began suggesting to Billy that we should strip the trees +of all the ripe fruit. "What's the good, master?" says he at once, as +I knew he would: "it will take us a long time to carry 'em all to the +canoe, and we don't want 'em, not really." + +"No," said I, "but Hoggett does want 'em," and then I told him my +drift. I was afraid he would spoil it all with shouting, for he opened +his mouth wide to let it forth, but remembered himself in time, and so +shut his mouth on a sort of hoarse croak, which might have seemed to +any one that heard it the croak of some strange animal or bird. + +"My eye!" says he, "that's prime, master. However did you think of it? +But we'll have to come pretty often, because these here cocoa-nuts get +ripe so fast. 'Tis lucky the bread-fruit ain't in season yet, and the +yams is nearly all gone; but there's the pigs and fowls, drat it, and +if they use all them up too we'll never get no more." + +[Sidenote: Stealing no Robbery] + +"That's true," I said, "but we shall maybe be able to get some of them +by and by. At any rate, let us get the cocoa-nuts now, and we need not +trouble to take them all to the canoe. We will take just what we need, +and hide the rest in the undergrowth." + +Accordingly we stripped the ripe fruit from all the trees at this spot; +there were only about half-a-dozen; and having concealed all the nuts +but two or three that we wanted for our own refreshment, we carried +these to the canoe, and paddled back to the Red Rock, where we broiled +some fish steaks for second supper, our work having made us hungry, and +so to sleep. + +Next day we finished our lean-to, making walls and roof of the +trellis-work I have mentioned, and being very tired we went to sleep +without paying another visit to the island. I thought we were doing +very well, and the only thing that gave me any concern was our canoe, +for we had no very safe harbourage for it on the rock, and if a storm +came I was afraid the sea might wash it from the ledge on which it lay, +and then we should be in a lamentable fix. However, as we usually had +some warning of bad weather, in the low flying of seabirds and other +signs we had become used to observe, we determined at the first warning +to take the canoe into the cave and lie up there until the storm was +past. Of course we could not do this if the storm broke upon us +suddenly in the night, but in that matter we must simply trust to +Providence. + +All necessary work on the Red Rock being done, we began to find time +hang somewhat heavy on our hands. Our asylum (as I may call it) was no +more than some two hundred feet square; at least, the habitable part of +it was no more: and having explored every get-at-able corner of it, and +finding nothing to reward us except a few seabirds' eggs, we had +nothing to do; and to lie about looking at each other was vastly +uninteresting. We clambered to the highest point, and there, under +cover of a craggy rock that overhung the island, we looked over the +domain from which we had been expelled, and I scarce think Adam himself +was more grieved at the loss of Eden than we were now. We could not +see our hut, but a great part of the island between it and the sea, to +the westward and southward, was open to our view, and of course the +mountain, and the long slope that ran downwards from the crater to the +archway. Once or twice we caught glimpses of the seamen as they roamed +the island, and then Billy's wrath and indignation knew no bounds, and +he pleaded with me to land and post ourselves behind trees, and shoot +the men with our arrows, but this of course I would not consent to, +having besides in my mind a better way of dealing with them. And I +bade Billy remember that they must be very uneasy at not lighting on +any traces of us, to which he replied scornfully, "Suppose they are, +what's the odds? They'll soon believe as how we are drownded, and then +they'll be jolly enough, using our things and all." + +"Maybe they'll be afraid of seeing our ghosts," I said. + +"That would frighten 'em, wouldn't it?" says he. "Fancy old Wabberley, +now, seeing a thing all white come creeping along, making gashly +sounds, and all that; wouldn't he holla and cry for mercy! I wish we +could turn into ghosts for once, only I suppose we can't till we're +dead, and I don't want to be dead, do you, master?" + +The next night chanced to be stormy, with a high wind, and we heard +that strange howling I have before mentioned, and of which we had never +discovered the cause, for it was clear no dogs made it, there being +none now on the island. But on sailing our canoe to the cave, for +safety's sake, we learnt at last what made the noise, which was nothing +less than the wind blowing across the mouth of the cave. Billy said +the sound would frighten the men as well as any ghost could do it, and +I think he was himself pleased to know that the explanation was so +simple and natural. + +The weather cleared next day, and we returned to the Red Rock. Being +determined to set off for the island that very night, and begin to put +into practice the scheme I had been forming in my mind, we had a good +sleep in the afternoon, and embarked in the canoe just after sunset. +The moon was up, but we did not suppose the seamen would wander from +the hut at night-time, and the moonlight would help us. When we +landed, we went up to the cocoa-nut grove, and began to strip the trees +of all the nuts, ripe and unripe, starting with those that were +furthest from the hut, and so were the least likely to be known as yet +by the men. We conveyed the nuts, in the baskets we had brought on our +backs, to the canoe; and then, Billy being still mighty concerned about +the pigs, lest they should all be killed and eaten, we determined to go +very stealthily towards the hut, to see if we might anyways get a pig +from the sty, and also to learn what the men had done about our +settlement. Spying down upon the place, we saw that the door of the +hut was open, and that the drawbridge was not laid across the moat, so +that we supposed all the men were sleeping within. But as we drew +nearer, and came close to the fowl-house, we were surprised by great +snores proceeding from it, by which we knew that some of the men had +made it their lodging, though we could not guess what they had done +with the fowls which they had turned out. They had let them loose, as +we afterwards discovered, never supposing that they would have any +difficulty in catching them when they wanted them for food; and we were +very much amused when we learnt of their anger and amazement at finding +that the fowls had betaken themselves to inaccessible places, so that +they never had but two or three all the time they were on the island. + +I thought there would be too great a risk in trying to purloin one of +our pigs, the sty being not above a dozen yards from the fowl-house, +but Billy would do it, and assured me he would get one of the young +ones as easy as anything. Accordingly I let him go, and sure enough he +came back in no long time carrying one of the piglets close in his +arms, and I had not heard above one feeble squeal, the reason I heard +no more being that Billy slipped into the little pig's mouth a bit of +cocoa-nut he happened to have in his pocket. But Billy himself was in +a furious temper, telling me, when we had gotten ourselves safe away, +that he had seen his best axe, and his own wooden spade, on which he +had carved the initial letter of his name, lying close by the pig-sty, +and he was perfectly overcome with anger at the thought that his very +own tools were being used by these sacrilegious hands. Nothing would +satisfy him but that he must go back and bring them away, which he did, +and we took them and the pig down to our canoe, and paddled back to the +Red Rock, very well satisfied with our night's work. + +The next night we paid another visit to the island, and this time we +went to the plantation of yams, finding, as we half expected, that the +men had already made some depredations on it. Having brought spades as +well as baskets, we dug up a good many of the yams that remained, and +carried them to the canoe in two or three trips. We continued these +expeditions night after night, finding a certain fascination in them, +and being tickled with the thought that while the men were lapped in +slumber we were gradually depriving them of their means of subsistence. +"'Tis just like housebreakers, ain't it, master?" said Billy gleefully +once; "only there ain't no watchman to cop us. And what's more, it +ain't wrong neither, for a man ain't doing no wrong if he takes what's +his very own." Night by night we drew nearer to the hut, and had +worked so often without the least alarm that we flattered ourselves +there would soon be no more fruit to gather, and then, as Billy said, +Hoggett would begin to starve. + +One night, the seventh or eighth, I should think, since we began, we +had brought our canoe to the strip of sand beside the lava beach, and +had gone up to a small clump of trees which we had not been able to +strip completely the night before. Billy had gone aloft, being nimbler +in climbing than me, and I was about to follow him, when all of a +sudden he called out, quite loud, his surprise making him to be off his +guard, that there wasn't a single cocoa-nut left. Immediately +afterwards I heard him say, not so loud, "Oh geminy, now I've been and +done it!" and began to slide down very rapidly; but in a moment I heard +a loud crackling of twigs close by, and then a shout, "Here's the +devils!" and I knew that the men were upon us; it was plain they had +observed how the fruits were disappearing night by night, and had been +on the watch for us. Billy came down the tree more quickly than any +monkey could have done, with great damage to his hands and still more +to his breeches, as we afterwards discovered, the bark-cloth with which +we had patched them being clean torn away, so that "the rent was made +worse," as the Bible says. His feet were no sooner on the ground than +we set off a-running with all our might towards the canoe, and we had +not got above fifty yards when some of the men broke from cover and ran +after us, shouting the most terrible curses. We had to go about two +hundred yards before we came to the edge of the cliff, but being much +more nimble on our feet than the seamen we did not lose ground, but +rather gained; and arriving at the edge, we immediately began to +descend towards the sea, in such haste that I am sure no two men ever +came so near to breaking their necks. The cliff, as I have said +before, was exceeding steep and rough, and the descent was all the more +perilous because it was night, though moonlit; and to this day I marvel +that we came safe to the bottom. There was nothing that could be +called a path; we could only scramble down as best we might, trusting +to luck, or rather to Providence; and though we escaped with our lives, +and our limbs sound, yet our feet and legs were pretty badly cut by the +sharp edges of rock. The seamen, when they came to the brink, did not +dare to follow us, but caught up stones and hurled them down upon us, +and if they had been able to take good aim we must certainly have been +killed. However, we came safe to the beach and to our canoe, into +which we leapt and paddled away as quickly as we could, and the men +spying us set up a great howl of rage, and I was vexed they had seen +our vessel, but it could not be helped. They ran along the top of the +cliff watching us, the moon being up, as I said; but we disappeared +from their view so soon as we had come beneath the cliffs, and then, so +that they should not know of our refuge on the Red Rock, we lay for a +good while in the entrance to Dismal Cave, not proceeding further until +we thought the men would have returned to their quarters. + +Billy was exceeding vexed to think that his careless outcry had had so +untoward an issue. "I could knock my head off, master," he cried +passionately, and when I asked him what good that would be he said, +"Well, I couldn't stick it on again, could I? Only I have got a silly +tongue." I told him that he need not reproach himself, for I was sure +the men had been on the watch for us, having no doubt observed the +nightly disappearance of the fruits. "Yes," says Billy, "but if they +hadn't spied us they might ha' thought they was taken by goblins or +such," to which I replied that I did not think goblins fed on such +substantial fare, and so by degrees I brought him to a more tranquil +frame of mind. I thought it very likely that the men would now guess +what our purpose was, and gather in all the foodstuffs that were left, +so that there would be none for us to venture for; wherefore we must +leave the further working out of our plan to time. Accordingly, we +went no more from the Red Rock to the island, except once, and that was +to get another pig as mate to the one we had already captured. We +delayed to do this for several days, until we thought the men would not +be so carefully on guard as they would be immediately after their +discovery of us; but when we did venture to land and creep near to the +pig-sty, we feared our errand was impossible, because the men had lit +an open fire near the hut and we saw two of them on watch. However, +Billy said he was not going to be beat, and he asked me to go into the +woods and make a terrible noise, which he thought would draw the men +away, and so give him an opportunity of seizing the pig. I would not +consent to this at first, for it seemed like leaving the dangerous part +of the work to Billy; but he insisted that he could get the pig more +easily than I could, which was true, and so I agreed at last, but +thought of another way instead of making a noise, and that was to go +into a clump of trees on the other side of the hut from the pig-sty, +and there strike a light, which I doubted not would be seen by the men. +Knowing the country as I did, it would be easy to escape down to the +canoe, which we had left this time in the little cove on the east of +the island, guessing that the men would make for the sandy beach if +they suspected our presence. There was a risk, of course, that not all +the men would be drawn towards the light, but we had to chance that, +and so I departed, bidding Billy have a very great care. + +The plan answered perfectly to his expectation, only it took somewhat +longer than he thought, for I was not so used to striking fire as +Billy, and I failed so many times that I feared I should never do it. +But at last I got a light, and set some dry grass on fire, and there +was a mighty blaze, and Billy told me afterwards that the moment they +saw it the men who were on watch jumped to their feet and ran towards +the hut, not being able to reach it because the drawbridge was taken +away. I myself heard their shout, and having thrown some more grass on +the fire, I sped away towards the east, and waited for Billy at the +edge of the wood on the cliffs, wondering how he would come, whether +across the lava tract or the very much longer way round the mountain. +I heard the shouting continue for some time, but it seemed to be going +away from me, at which I was very glad; and after what seemed a very +long time, I heard a little noise close at hand, and holding myself on +my guard I saw Billy staggering along under his burden, and when he +came near, he said he was sweating horrible, the pig being uncommon +obstinate. To deaden the sound of its squealing he had stripped off +his shirt and smothered the pig's head in it, and he had come right +across the lava tract, having seen that the men had all gone in the +other direction, towards the sandy beach. We carried the pig between +us down to the canoe, and lay there all night, not daring to paddle +away until just before dawn, for we could not return to the Red Rock by +the west side of the island while the men were astir, for they would +have seen us, nor could we go the other way because of the current. +But we guessed that not having spied the canoe where it had been +before, the men would imagine we had some lurking place on the island, +and after a time would not keep watch on the shore. Besides, the moon +would go down before morning; and so, when it was still very dark, we +left our hiding-place and paddled quietly round the island, and came to +the Red Rock without having been observed. + + + + +CHAPTER THE TWENTIETH + +OF ATTACKS BY LAND AND SEA; AND OF THE USES OF HUNGER IN THE MENDING OF +MANNERS + + +We calculated, Billy and I, that there was enough food left on the +island to last the men for about a month, or perhaps longer with +careful husbanding; but from what Mr. Bodger had told me of their ways +on their island, and from what I knew of them myself, I did not suppose +they would practise any stint until they felt the pinch of want. I own +I hoped they would not, and if that seems a hard saying, you must +remember that I had a deep purpose, namely to recover possession of our +own, which was itself laudable, and also to teach the men a lesson +whereby they and all of us would profit. It was necessary to the +success of my plan that they should come to the verge of famishment +before the bread-fruit season, for if they endured until the fruit was +ripe, they would have plenty of food for three or four months +thereafter, and I could not view with patience the prospect of +remaining sequestered on the Red Rock for so long. Having done all we +could, it would have been simple foolhardiness to risk complete failure +by making useless visits to the island, and we endured what was a kind +of imprisonment on the Red Rock as patiently as we could, leaving it +only once to bring more stores from the cavern. + +We were, I assure you, mighty weary of our life before the day came +when our whereabouts was discovered. I know not how long it was, but I +guess five or six weeks. Having nothing better to do, we often went to +the edge of the Red Rock, where we could overlook a part of the island +from behind the vantage of a boulder, and we sometimes saw the men +moving from place to place, taking care ourselves to keep out of their +sight, at least I took care, Billy being less prudent, so that more +than once I had to drag him down when he began to climb the boulder to +have a better view. Of course we could have been seen any day if the +men had climbed the mountain, but they never did this. I learnt +afterwards that they had scoured every accessible part of the island +for us, and after a time suspected that we were on the Red Rock, and +kept a watch on it, but saw never a sign of us until the day of which I +am now to tell. + +[Sidenote: Discovery] + +Our dog, Little John, seldom barked unless there was something to +trouble him, and we had taken care since we had been on the rock to +keep him as quiet as possible, so that the men might not discover us +through him. But it chanced one day that one of the pigs broke loose +from the place where we had tethered him, and began to run in a very +stupid fashion, not heeding in the least the danger of falling over a +crag and dashing himself to pieces. Little John no sooner saw the mad +antics of the creature than he set off in pursuit, barking furiously, +and Billy set off too with a shout, taking great enjoyment in the chase +after our period of idleness. He came up with the pig just as it had +arrived at the very edge of the plateau, and caught it, and at that +very moment I heard another shout, and looking over I saw two of the +men just at the edge of the wood near the rocky ledge of which I have +spoken before. It was plain that they had seen Billy, though he +dropped out of sight immediately he heard the shout, and they came +forward until they stood at the edge of the cliff, being separated from +the rock only by the narrow gap. "That's where the young devils are +hiding," I heard one of them say. "Didn't I say so, Bill?" Their +words came very clearly to me, for sailor men have not very dulcet +voices. "Hail them, Jack," says the other, and the first man put his +hands to his mouth and let forth a stentorian "Ahoy!" which might have +been heard a mile away. At first I paid no heed, but when he shouted +again I saw no good that could come of further concealment, so I +climbed up on to the boulder, being followed by Billy as soon as he had +put the pig back into safety. + +"What do you want?" I cried down to them. You would have laughed to +see their faces. Our sudden appearance seemed to have nonplussed them, +for they stood staring blankly up at us, as not knowing what to say. +Then says one to the other, "Go and fetch Hoggett," and the fellow +immediately set off and disappeared into the wood, running towards the +hut. The other man stood on the same spot, gazing dumbly at us, and +never once offered to address us, and we sat down on the boulder, Billy +smiling and dangling his legs in the most careless way. Presently we +saw Hoggett and pretty near all the men coming through the wood, and +Hoggett had his musket, and I thought that they must have started +before the messenger came to them, or they could not have got to us so +soon; no doubt they had heard the shouting. Well, Hoggett comes along, +with Chick and Wabberley close behind him, and when he got to the edge +of the cliff below us (it was two or three hundred feet) he lifts up +his voice and cries out, "Hi, you Brent, you come ashore sharp now, +d'ye hear?" I thanked him very courteously for his invitation, but +said I was very comfortable where I was, upon which he cursed me +heartily, and cried out again, "You come sharp now, and no nonsense, or +I'll come and fetch you," winding up with that opprobrious word which I +had cured Billy of using. The threat was such an idle one that I +smiled at him, and Billy laughed heartily, and putting his thumb to his +nose, spread out his fingers in that gesture of derision which I have +observed small boys to use, and which I thought he should not have used +at his age, being at this time, as I reckoned, not far short of twenty +years old. What with my silence and Billy's mockery, Hoggett flew into +a terrible rage, and clapping his musket to his shoulder, he let fly at +me; but I was too far above him for him to take a good aim, he being +never used to fire except on the flat, and the slug struck the rock a +good many feet below us. Still, we did not know but he might have +better luck next time, so we got down off the boulder and disappeared +from sight, and sat there listening to the furious outcry the men made, +Hoggett in particular declaring he would flay us alive when he caught +us. The men talked together for some while, and then, when the sounds +ceased, we peeped over and saw them returning in a group whence they +had come. + +We saw no more of them that day, or the next, but on the second day, in +the afternoon, when Billy got on the boulder to take a look round, he +called to me that he spied a raft coming towards us from the direction +of the cave, with Hoggett and half-a-dozen more aboard. I could see +that Billy was a little alarmed at this, for he always had a great +dread of Hoggett; but I told him not to be disturbed, for I was sure +from our vantage ground, and with our bows and arrows, we could easily +beat them off if they landed and tried to clamber up. "Things are +going well," I said to him. "They have actually begun to work at last, +and pretty diligently, too, to make that raft in less than two days." +"But what's the odds to us, master," says Billy, "if they have begun to +work? I think it's a very bad sign, I do." "We shall see," I said; +and Billy looked very much puzzled, for I had not told him my design in +its fulness, because I wished to get a certain assurance of its success +first. + +[Sidenote: Invasion Fails] + +It was soon plain that we should not be put to the trouble of defence, +and we had a hearty laugh at the coil in which the men soon found +themselves; for coming pretty close to the shore, they were caught in +the current which ran very swiftly through the narrow gap, and despite +the desperate efforts which they made with their paddles, the raft, +which is at all times a clumsy vessel, was swept along and twirled this +way and that, and the men were in such extremity of danger that they +ceased to gaze at us, and bent all their energies to prevent the raft +from being dashed against the rocks on either side and shivered to +atoms. They were carried right through the channel, and pretty nearly +to the natural archway, before they got the least control over the +raft, and even then they could only manage it enough to steer clear of +the sides of the arch, and so win to the open sea. By that time the +current had lost the most of its force, and we knew very well that if +they paddled out to the left, and made a sufficiently large circuit, +they might gain the north side of Red Rock, even with so clumsy a +vessel as theirs, and discover our landing-place. However, they had +been so greatly discomfited that I was not much surprised when, instead +of steering to the left, they allowed the raft to drift past the +promontory, and after a little while they disappeared from our sight, +having clearly determined to return to the place where they had +embarked. + +But though this attempt had been so signal a failure, I saw very +clearly that we must not be content merely to smile and do nothing, for +if they were to take thought and go about the enterprise in a +reasonable way, they might very well come to our landing-place some +time, and then they might seize our canoe, a loss which we could not +contemplate without dismay. Accordingly, Billy and I spent the rest of +the afternoon in a very serious talk, the issue of which was that in +the middle of the night we descended the rock and launched the canoe, +in which we set off, and, rounding the archway, came opposite the lava +beach. This we examined as well as we were able by the light of the +stars, for there was no moon, but not perceiving what we sought, we +paddled on very quietly until Billy told me in a whisper that he spied +it on the sandy beach; and there, indeed, was the raft, drawn up above +high-water mark, and no one attending it--at least, no one that we +could see. We had talked over this point very anxiously, for if they +had set a guard over the raft our scheme would be brought to nought; +but we both agreed that it would be very unlike them to take this +precaution, and, besides, there was not a man of them who would consent +to undertake the office of night watchman so far from the hut while the +others were enjoying their repose; and so it turned out. + +We passed on without landing, until we came to a sort of dell in the +cliff, where we knew there grew a great quantity of long grass and +rushes. We landed there, and having pulled up many armfuls of the +grass, which we did very easily, the soil being thin, we loaded it into +the canoe, and then returned to the place where the raft lay. For some +little while we waited, listening for any sound that might give token +of wakefulness among the men, but hearing nothing, we ran the canoe +lightly in shore, and having landed, we carried our grasses and laid +them beside the raft. Then we went on further until we came to a patch +of thick scrub, where we broke off a quantity of small branches, and +these we laid beside our other material, going and coming as quickly as +we could. + +[Sidenote: Making a Bonfire] + +Our purpose, as you have guessed, was to burn the raft, so that we +should not have that to fear again, nor did I suppose the men would +make another, for it must have cost them many pangs to break through +their indolence to make this one, and if it were destroyed nothing +would persuade them to undergo the toil again. We knew, of course, +that the raft would be wet, at least on the under side, where it had +not been exposed to the sun after they beached it; but in order to +assist the fire we purposed to kindle, we had brought some of our +candle-nuts and some cocoa-nut shells and husks, which are highly +inflammable and would give a very fine blaze. But when we came to lift +the raft so as to push our fuel under it, we found that we could not in +any wise raise it, for it was bigger than we had supposed from seeing +it in the water, and would have needed five or six men to move it, I am +sure. However, we set to work to scrape a hollow in the sand beneath +it, or rather several hollows, in which we laid the fuel, and we heaped +on the top side also a good quantity of cocoa-nut husks. We had taken +the precaution to bring a smouldering torch with us, so that we should +not make a noise in striking a light; and after we had spied round very +carefully to make sure that we were not observed, we crouched down on +the seaward side of the raft and blew the torch into a flame, and then +thrust it into the fuel, first at one place and then at another. We +waited only long enough to see that the fires were fairly kindled, and +then we hastened at once to the canoe, and paddled out to sea for some +distance. The fire might blaze and burn itself out without being ever +seen by any of the men; but it was possible that some of them were +awake, and if they were they could not fail to observe the glow in the +sky, and then they would assuredly come over the hill to learn the +cause of it. It was for this reason that we drew off from the shore so +far that we should be outside the circle of light when the raft was +fully ablaze. + +The night was calm and clear, and the sea so still that we were able to +keep the canoe at the same spot with but a touch of the paddles now and +then. It was some time before we saw any considerable flames; indeed, +we began to fear lest the wood of the raft were too damp to kindle +properly, and Billy whispered in my ear, "Don't I wish we had some +turps, or some of that pig fat we've got in our cellar. That would +make something like a blaze." However, I told him he must be patient, +and a little while after the flames burst from beneath the raft and +licked the sides, and we heard a mighty crackling, the wood being wet, +and at last a monstrous big flame and a thick column of smoke rose up +into the sky, and I could hardly restrain Billy from shouting in his +joy, he saying to me, in tones much above a whisper, that he had never +seen a bigger bonfire, even on Guy Fawkes day, and he thought it must +be something like the Fire of London. (I discovered afterwards, when I +had time to remember it, that Billy did not in the least know what the +Fire of London was, but knew only the phrase; and when I told him that +a great part of the city was burnt down in that historical calamity, he +asked me whether that was just another of my stories, like Robin Hood.) +It was indeed a very fine sight in the blackness of the night, the glow +lighting up the long slopes leading up from the beach, and being +reflected magnificently in the sea. + +About half-an-hour, I should think, from the time when we first kindled +the bonfire, we saw some of the seamen hasting down the hill, and the +glow striking the barrels of the muskets which one or two carried, I +deemed it expedient to withdraw a little farther from the beach, though +in truth it was unlikely we could be seen. We lay to again, and +observed the men draw near to the fire, some standing about it +helplessly, one or two trying to scatter the fuel with the barrels of +their muskets; but they could no nothing, the great heat preventing +them from coming close enough, and besides, we saw Hoggett pull them +away, and heard him cry out to them that they were fools, because they +would only spoil the muskets and not put out the fire. And Ernulfus +himself could not, I am sure, have cursed us more comprehensively than +those seamen then did (you will find his curse in Mr. Sterne's +ingenious book), and not merely did they curse us, but they added +sundry strange extravagant threats of what they would do to us, some of +these things being so horrible that Billy wanted to answer them back, +only I prevented him, for besides being merely amused at these big +words from men who were perfectly impotent to harm us, I thought that +silence would work better for the further acting of my plans. + +We stayed until the fire was nearly burnt out, and then got us back to +the Red Rock, exceeding pleased at having destroyed the only means, as +we thought, whereby the seamen might come at us. Another week ran its +course, we remaining quiet in our habitation, cruising a little off the +north side in the twilight and early mornings, but not going again to +the island. We kept a look-out on it from the vantage ground of the +boulders, and once or twice caught glimpses of the men in the copse or +on the cliffs, but they did not come near to the rock again, and I own +I began to feel a little downhearted, for if they could eke out their +food much longer the bread-fruit season would come, and then my plan +would be ruined. Once or twice, too, we heard sounds as of chopping +wood in the copse, and we thought that the men were after all going to +build a raft, which did not give us any concern, for even if we could +not burn it, we could prevent them from getting a footing on our +fortress. However, it was not a raft, as we learnt one day. We were +sitting at our dinner one afternoon, and, as we always did (I forget +whether I have mentioned it), we had tied up Little John, who, though a +very good dog in many things, could never be taught to know the +difference between "mine" and "thine" at meal times, so that Billy said +he was afraid the beast would always be a heathen. He had reason +enough to know, after a little experience, that his turn to feed would +come after us and before the pigs, so that he was accustomed to stand +in perfect quietness while we ate; wherefore when on this afternoon we +heard him growling very deeply, and saw him strain at his leash, we +wondered what was amiss with him. + +[Sidenote: A Bridge] + +"I guess it's Hoggett," said Billy all of a sudden, and up he jumps and +runs to the boulder and peeps over. "Goodness alive, master!" he +called to me, in a low tone; "they've been and made a bridge!" I was +up in an instant, and springing to Billy's side I saw that the men were +dragging up the slope from the wood a long sort of hurdle, very like +our drawbridge, only longer and stouter. They were hauling it to the +edge, where the cliff approached within twenty feet of the ledge on Red +Rock, and if they should throw it over the gap, they would have an easy +passage-way from the island to our fortress, nor did I see any means of +preventing them, for while we were shooting at some of them with our +bows and arrows, the rest could come across; and though we should still +have the advantage of them, being above them and with good defences, I +did not like to think that it was even possible for them to get a +footing on our ground. The narrowest part of the gap was almost +directly below us, so that if we had some heavy stones we might hope, +by casting them down on the bridge, either to smash it, or to render +the passage so perilous that no man would venture to make it. Though +there were a great number of large rocks about us, there were none +small enough to be dislodged or hurled; but I remembered having seen a +number of loose stones in a fissure about half-way across our plateau, +and seeing that it would be some minutes before the men came to the gap +with the bridge, I bade Billy fetch as many of these stones as he could +carry in a basket, while I held the men at bay. + +When he was gone about this, I fitted an arrow to my bow, and taking as +good aim as I could, I let fly at the foremost of the men, there being +eight of them carrying the bridge, four on each side. But not being +used to shoot downwards at so sharp an angle, I did not hit any of the +men, though the arrow stuck in the wicker-work near the end of the +bridge, and the arrival of this silent messenger (and yet eloquent) +made the men drop their burden and stand irresolute. Hoggett and +Pumfrey at once raised their muskets to the shoulder, but they could +see nothing to aim at, and though they must know, of course, that the +arrow had come through one of the many gaps above, they could not tell +which, and their ammunition was much too precious now to be wasted on a +chance shot. However, they still held their muskets ready, no doubt +hoping that I would show myself, and so give them a target; but finding +after a while that this hope was vain, they lowered their weapons, and +I heard Hoggett call to the others to take up the bridge again and make +haste to bring it to the gap. Then, knowing that they could hardly +raise their muskets again, take aim, and fire, before I could drop +under cover, I leapt up in full view of them all and cried in a loud +voice that I would shoot the first man of them that offered to cross +the gap. It was almost an error to do this, for Hoggett was pretty +near being too quick for me. Just as I sank down again behind the +boulder his musket flashed, and I heard the slug strike with a thud +against the rock. I moved a little away to another place, and saw +Hoggett making all haste to prime his weapon, while he shouted to the +others to rush forward with the bridge and fling it across the gap. At +this Joshua Chick, who was the only man that ever stood up against +Hoggett, cried in a fierce manner, "You come and lend a hand yourself," +with an oath at the end; whereupon Hoggett, who did not want for +courage, flings his musket down and, shoving Chick aside, takes his +place at the bridge, and, roaring "Now!" the men forgot their fears, +and raised a seamen's cheer, and with a mighty heave flung the bridge +across the gap, having tied ropes to each end of it to prevent it from +falling into the gulf if they missed their aim. + +Now my mind was firmly made up that no man should cross the gap if I +could help it, and recognizing that Hoggett was the men's leader, and +that without him they would scarce attempt anything, I took steady aim +at him, not intending to kill him, for I had another fate in store for +him, but to hit the arm by which he held the bridge. I was by this +time a pretty good marksman at a target, whether stationary or the +running man, but the necessity of aiming down-hill clean put me out, so +that instead of hitting Hoggett's arm, my arrow pierced the calf of his +leg. He let forth a terrible curse, and, loosing his hold on the +bridge, clapped his hand to his leg and pulled out the shaft, then sat +down upon the ground and began to bind up the wound with a strip torn +from his shirt. The moment of my hitting him was the same moment when +the bridge was thrown across the gap, and I hoped that it would fall +from the men's hands into the channel, but it had been well aimed and +fell plumb on the ledge. However, when the men saw Hoggett wounded, +and pretty badly, to judge by his language, they drew back, none of +them caring to be the first to venture on the bridge and to encounter +an arrow from above. Hoggett roared to them to go on, but every man +looked at other to lead the way. He cried to Wabberley, but Wabberley +was much in the rear; and then to Chick, but Chick was not on this +occasion obliging; indeed, I observed him, being a small man, hiding +himself from Hoggett's gaze behind Wabberley's more massive frame, and +Wabberley trying in his turn to put Chick in front of him. This +backwardness on the part of the men inflamed Hoggett to an excess of +rage, and he swore that as soon as he had bound up his leg he would +cross that bridge and teach those young (here a very bad word) that he +was not going to be played with no more. + +While he was still tying up his wound Billy staggered up with the +biggest basket slung over his back, filled with five or six jagged +lumps of rock weighing, as I guessed, about a dozen pounds apiece. He +was panting very much, but asked, "Where's Hoggett?" and when I told +him in a word that the bridge was thrown across and Hoggett intending +to invade us, he cried, "I'll show him!" and immediately slung the +basket off his back, and seizing one of the stones, hurled it over the +plateau to the bridge below, and when he did so I peeped through a +crevice to see what was the issue. The missile struck the ledge about +two yards from the end of the bridge, and then bounding off, fell into +the gap, but we did not hear the splash as it entered the water, +because the sea itself made a pretty loud noise as it raced through the +narrow channel. The men shrank back when they saw the stone, fearing +no doubt lest another should light on the head of some one, and they +were less inclined than ever to pay heed to the words of Hoggett, who +had roared himself perfectly hoarse. I told Billy what I had seen, and +bade him try again, and the second stone he cast, heavier than the +first, plunged into the gap without striking either the bridge or the +ledge. Of course both these shots had been made pretty much by +guesswork, Billy hurling them over without exposing himself, and only +able to judge the general direction. When I told him the result of the +second cast, he waited a moment or two, to recover breath and to wipe +the sweat from his brow; and then he took up another big stone, and +jumped to the very edge of the plateau, where there was no cover at +all, and setting his teeth, put all his strength into the throw. The +bridge was a pretty good target, being not less than three feet wide, +and Billy's aim was so true that the stone hit the bridge not far from +the further end, causing it to jump so much that it lay very awkwardly +askew across the gap, threatening indeed to slip into the sea. At this +Hoggett jumped up and rushed to the bridge to pull it back into its +former place; but meanwhile I had taken another stone and, doing as +Billy had done, flung it with all my might, and it fell about the +centre of the bridge, making it jump again just as Hoggett was stooping +to clutch it. Billy was at my side instantly with another stone, and +he aimed this time exactly at the further end of the bridge, purposing, +as he told me, to hit this and Hoggett too, and he succeeded so well +that the seaman, bold as he was, started back as the missile sprang up +and almost struck his head. Before he could recover himself I had +hurled another stone down, and I had the satisfaction of seeing this, +falling a little sideways on the bridge, which was already shifted from +its first position, shake the end of it clean off the cliff, and though +Hoggett, braving all things, leapt forward and caught at the rope, he +was too late; the bridge fell into the gap, and we heard quite plainly +the splashing sound it made as it came to the bottom. + +[Sidenote: The Enemy Retreat] + +All this time the men had been looking on in a dazed and silly way, not +one of them offering to help Hoggett to save the bridge they had been +at such pains to make; indeed, the moment it fell into the chasm I +observed Wabberley very gently slink away towards the wood. It was +always a great cause of wonderment to me that this big wind-bag of a +man was tolerated, let alone made a comrade of, by Hoggett, who was +neither a coward nor a wind-bag, except when he was mouthing futile +threats against me and Billy. But I have lived a good many years since +then, and have seen other instances of the same sort. However, to keep +to my story, the men stood for a little while, unable to say a word to +the ravings of Hoggett, who, between the pain of his wound and the +bitter disappointment at his rebuff, was as near frenzy as ever I saw a +man; and then, seeing, I suppose, that nothing was to be gained by +staying, they presently departed, Hoggett last of them all, walking +very slowly and with a limp. I saw one or two of the men turn back to +speak to him, but he waved his arms and roared at them, so that they +very soon faced about and left him to himself; in some circumstances +would-be sympathizers only aggravate a man's trouble. So Hoggett went, +baffled and solitary, never turning aside until he came to the edge of +the wood, and then the passion that he had been brooding on broke all +bounds, and he wheeled about suddenly, and shook his fist most +vehemently at us, shouting words which in the distance I could not +catch. I think we should have laughed at this exhibition of impotent +wrath if he had done it before; but there was something, I know not +what, strangely moving in the spectacle of this big rough man walking +alone, unable to endure the speech, or even the presence, of his +friends, and then at last overcome by the force of the feelings working +within him. Neither Billy nor I spoke for a full minute after he had +vanished into the wood, and then Billy struck a new note. + +"Chick's skinnier than ever," says he. + +"Wabberley isn't," I said. + +"Not so far as you can see," says Billy; "but I warrant he is if you +could see him with his clothes off. Them big men take a lot of +thinning." + +"You think they are hungry, then?" said I. + +"I don't think; I'd take my davy on it," says he. "They've eat all our +provender long ago, you may be sure, and all the pigs except our two, +and it ain't the fish season, nor yet the bread-fruit; and if we wait +here a bit longer they'll just be skellingtons, and all we shall have +to do will be to bury 'em." + +I smiled, for I did not think it would come to burying yet, and Billy +asked me what there was to laugh at, for he would not care to demean +himself by burying such rascals; and then I considered whether to tell +him the further part of my plan, and decided to wait yet a little. I +was in no more doubt than he was that the men were beginning to feel +the pinch of want, which had urged them to their late desperate +assault, they suspecting, I suppose, that we had full stores which we +were hoarding from them. A week or two more, I thought, and my scheme, +by the very flux of time, would be brought to maturity. Meanwhile I +deemed it well to make another visit to the cavern to replenish our own +stores, and I saw with concern how low our stock was falling; indeed, +if I had not seen by their haggard look that the men were already in +straits, I should have been anxious about the possibility of us two +holding out any longer than they. + +[Sidenote: Suppliants] + +It was about ten days, I think, after that business of the bridge, when +one morning, an hour or two after daybreak, we heard a loud shout from +the cliff opposite our rock. A hurricane had been blowing during the +night, as bad as any we had had since we came to the island, and worse +than any since the mariners came; and the wind had been set in that +direction in which it gave that deep and melancholy organ-note from the +mouth of the cave. It sprang up so suddenly that we had no warning of +it, and could not sail to the cave; but very fortunately the north side +of the rock was not exposed to the tempest, so that our canoe suffered +no hurt. Billy and I had slept very little, being very much put about +to keep ourselves dry; but when the fury of the storm abated towards +morning, we fell asleep, and were awakened by the shout I have +mentioned. Seizing our bows and arrows, we ran to the edge of the +plateau, and peeping through a crevice in the rock we beheld Wabberley +standing some little way from the brink of the cliff, and holding up a +stick to which was tied a frayed and tattered shirt. + +"A flag of truce, Billy," said I, and I am sure the tone of my voice +must have betrayed my inward elation. + +"No, it's Pumfrey's shirt, master," says Billy. "I know it by the blue +spots. What's he stuck it on to the silly old stick for?" + +"For a flag of truce," I repeated; "to show he's an envoy come to sue +for terms of peace, perhaps." + +"I don't know what them there words mean," says Billy, "but you look +uncommon pleased about it, so I suppose it's all right. But I say, +master, look; there's the whole lot of them among the trees yonder. +What's in the wind now?" + +I told him that we should soon see. We had not yet shown ourselves, +and Wabberley continued shouting, sometimes, "Ahoy!" sometimes my name, +always prefixing the respectful appellative "master," and not calling +me plain "Brent," as Hoggett had done. Since the main group of men +were pretty near a furlong from us, and we were far above them, I +thought we might safely show ourselves; whereupon we mounted the +boulder, and the moment he saw us Wabberley waved his flag and came a +pace or two nearer. Here I will set down, as near as I can remember +them, the exact words of the conversation (if such it can be called) +that ensued. + +"What do you want?" + +"Why, sir, d'ye see, we're terrible short of grub." + +"Well?" + +"Pretty near starved." + +"Well?" + +"Only scraps for the last three days." + +"Yes?" + +Here he paused, finding little encouragement in my monosyllables, and +though he was usually glib enough, it was not easy, I dare say, to be +eloquent when he had to shout so that his voice would reach to us so +far above him. But he now assumed a most solemn and lugubrious +expression of countenance, and cried-- + +"Dying fast!" + +"What of that?" + +"Can you do summat for us?" + +"Do what?" + +"Give us some grub." + +"Why?" + +"You wouldn't see your old shipmates starve!" (I wish I could convey +with my pen the accent of surprise, pain, reproach, which trembled in +his voice.) "You wouldn't see your old shipmates starve!" says he. + +"Why not?" + +At this his jaw dropped: he was struck dumb; he stared up at us for a +little, and then, lowering his flag, he turned and went slowly back to +the wood. + +"My eye! This is prime!" cried Billy, hugging himself with glee. +"'Why not?' says you, and he ain't got no answer, 'cause there ain't +none, at least, not a good one. Speaking short's much better than +squirting a lot of words about, like my mother-in-law does--or did, for +she may be dead." + +When Wabberley got back to his companions, I observed that there was +some discussion among them, and by and by another man left them, +carrying the flag, and I saw that this was Mr. Bodger. He came up as +Wabberley had done, and asked very humbly if he might speak a word with +me. I bade him say on, and he then told me, in more words than +Wabberley had used, but with no more essential matter, that they had +come to the end of their food, and without some assistance from us +would in no long time starve to death. Now you may think that, Mr. +Bodger being an officer, I ought to have yielded, at any rate so far as +to take him into company with Billy and me; but I would not do this, +because he was a weak man, who could only swim with the current, and I +knew very well that if the seamen got the upper hand of us again, Mr. +Bodger would not only do nothing to help us, but would consent to any +indignity and oppression that might be put upon us. Accordingly, I +gave him as short answers as I had given Wabberley, and when he began +to whine and plead for himself I dismissed him very abruptly, and he +turned away dejected. At this, the men who had been lurking among the +trees swarmed out in a body, and rushed towards the edge of the cliff, +and for a moment I thought they meditated another attack; but I saw +that they were without arms, so I did not change my posture, but waited +where I was until they came to the brink, and set up such a clamour, +all speaking at once, that I could not distinguish what any one said. + +"Where's Hoggett?" says Billy, and I had already noticed that neither +he nor Wabberley was now among them: indeed, I had not seen Hoggett at +all since he went away with a wound in his leg. I observed that +privation was telling heavily upon them, and I own I felt a touch of +commiseration for Clums and one or two more of the better disposed +among them; but I hardened my heart, for if my plan was to succeed I +could not afford to show the least mark of weakness or complaisance. +There being a great clamour, I say, I raised my hand and made a gesture +for them to be silent, and then said that I would come down to the +ledge and speak to them at closer quarters. Billy begged me not to do +so, but I told him to hold bow and arrows ready in case he perceived +any sign of treachery, and then walked down the shelf of rock until I +came to the ledge and stood within about twenty feet of them. The +hungry look in their eyes, now that I saw them close, was very dreadful +to behold; but I stiffened my countenance to a great severity, and told +them that there was no reason that I could see why I should not leave +them to the fate they had brought on themselves. They had committed +crimes, I said, for which they would assuredly have been hanged in any +land where law and order reigned; and I reminded them of their base +ingratitude when their very existence at that moment was owing to Billy +and me. Then cutting my speech short, for it is ill work baiting folk +in desperate misfortune, I merely added that I could not endure to see +even such wretches as they were perishing with hunger, and that I was +willing to help them, provided they would accept my conditions. At +this their eyes lighted up with hope, and a babel of cries arose, all +shouting assent, and I think I heard one voice say, "God bless you!" +But commanding silence again I bade them not to be so ready with their +assent until they had heard my terms, and I explained to them that they +must needs change quarters with us, they abiding on the rock, whence +they would have no means of escape, we returning to our proper abode on +the island. I said further that I would provide them with a +sufficiency of food, but that they must work for their living, and I +ended: "These are my terms; you can take them or leave them." + +They were silent when I had finished speaking, and looked at one +another with a mixture of doubt and wonder. Then Chick, whose eyes +were at greater variance than ever, I suppose because he was so pulled +down in his health by want--Chick steps forward and says, "But if we +come on to this here rock you may leave us to starve," and another man +joins in, "True, we shall be in a trap." + +"You are right," I said. "You will be in a trap; you will have to +trust me, and being villains and traitors yourselves, you find that a +hard matter, I doubt not. Go away and talk it over. If you want to +speak to me you can hail the rock; but let no man, I warn you, come +armed from the wood, for he will certainly be shot." + +And with that I left them, and went slowly up to rejoin Billy. + + + + +CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIRST + +OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CREW ARE PERSUADED TO AN INDUSTRIOUS AND +ORDERLY MODE OF LIFE + + +I have never seen a face more woebegone than Billy's was when I came to +his side, and there was a world of reproach in his eye. I told him the +main drift of what had passed before. "I know," says he; "I heard it. +What's the good?" "Why, my doubting Thomas," said I, "the good is +this: that we shall have our island to ourselves again." "I take my +davy we won't," says he. "If you let 'em come across that there gap +they'll turn round on us as soon as there's enough of 'em, and then +where are you?" + +I told him that coming across the gap was out of the question, because +we had destroyed their bridge, and I did not wish to wait while another +was a-making. My purpose was to convey the men from the island to the +rock in our canoe, not all together, but one by one, so that there +would be no risk of their overpowering us. Billy was pleased to say +that this was a pretty good notion, but he fell gloomy again in an +instant, and when I asked him what other objection he had to make, he +said, "You said as how the men would have to work for their keep, but +how can they work on this old rock? Don't we know there ain't nothing +to do? And if there was anything, they wouldn't do it, bless you, not +unless you stood over 'em with a whip." I told him that in that case +they would certainly get nothing to eat, and was proceeding to explain +what I designed concerning their work when we heard a hail, and saw the +men coming in a group from the wood. "Now don't you go for to be too +kind, master," says Billy, as I went down to meet them. "They'll only +think you're a silly ass." I smiled at him, and promised I would make +a very stern taskmaster, and bade him again to be ready with his bow +and arrows; and then I walked very leisurely down to the ledge, and +asked the men whether they had come at any resolution. + +"We have, sir," says Chick, as respectful as you please. "We've had a +quorum" (Where did he get the word, I wonder?), "and what we says is +this: you're a kind gentleman, and your good uncle afore ye, and----" + +Here I called to him not to make a speech, but to say what he had to +say in few words; and one or two of his mates roughly scolded him, and +bade him come to the point; whereupon without more ado he told me that, +relying on my promise to give them food, they were ready to accept my +conditions and take up their abode on the rock. + +"And Hoggett and Wabberley--what about them?" I said, having seen from +the first that these two were not among them. They looked from one to +another as if reluctant to speak, and then Pumfrey said bluntly, "They +won't come, sir," and when I asked why not, he said he didn't know; +they only said they wouldn't, with a great deal of cursing and swearing. + +"Very well," said I, "then you must make them come. Every one of you +must come to the rock, Hoggett included. If he and Wabberley won't +consent, you must overpower them and carry them to the rock like +parcels." + +[Sidenote: Terms] + +They looked very mumchanced at this, and I could see that they still +held Hoggett in some dread. They began to talk in undertones among +themselves, and thinking to quicken them I turned on my heel, telling +them pleasantly to think it over. On this they broke forth into cries, +beseeching me to let them come across at once, because they were so +hungry; and when I said that I could permit none to come until every +man of them was ready, Colam and one or two more of the boldest swore +that they would not starve for the sake of Hoggett, and Chick vowed +that he would make Wabberley see reason, or he would know the reason +why. Whereupon, to encourage them, I said that I would give them a +little provision as an earnest of my engagement; and calling up to +Billy, I bade him bring down a little smoked pork and fish, as well as +a quantity of bread-fruit. At this the men cheered with an unfeigned +heartiness that I found infinitely moving, and they cheered again when +Billy appeared, carrying very unwillingly, as I could see, the small +quantity of provision I had ordered. And then those men must needs go +about to ingratiate themselves with Billy, choosing the wrong way, as +ignorant and foolish folk often will. "That's never little Billy +Bobbin!" says one. "How he's growed, to be sure!" says another. +"Fancy little Billy turning into such a fine figure of a man!" says a +third; and all the time I think they hardly knew what they said, their +eyes being fixed on the things he carried. Billy's round face became +as red as a lobster when it is boiled, and his eyes flashed fire, and +for a moment I thought he was going to fling his burdens over the ledge +into the sea; but he put a curb upon himself and brought the things to +me, and then, as though no longer afraid of doing hurt to my property, +he stood at the very brink of the ledge and cried, "Yes, I'm Billy +Bobbin, and I've growed, and I won't have my master put upon; and if I +ain't as handsome as Pumfrey, I ain't got a squint like Chick--and this +is our grub what we smoked and such with our very own hands, and you +ought to go down on your bended knees and say grace for it, and for +what you are going to receive----" + +I interrupted Billy at this point, being quite amazed at his outburst, +the like of which I had not seen since we fought about that matter of +the three-legged stool. "Nobody could make them thieving villains +truly thankful," he said under his breath, and when I bade him throw +the food across the gap among the men, he did it with a certain +viciousness at first, and chuckled when a piece of salt fish struck +Pumfrey in the face. But he became sober the moment he saw with what +eagerness the poor wretches picked up the food, and as they began to +hasten away with it to their fire, and some even to eat the dried meat +raw, he offered them much useful instruction in the best way of cooking +it, especially the bread-fruit. Before the men went, I told them to +convey their muskets and what ammunition was left down to the lava +beach, and lay them ten yards above high-water mark, promising to come +and fetch them. And I added, in the solemnest tones I was master of, +that if a man of them was to be seen on the beach when I came there, a +little after midday, I would withdraw my offer, and of that I gave them +fair warning. Billy was much more easy in mind now, and said he +thought there might be something in my plan; indeed, he was eager to +set off almost at once, without waiting for the time I had appointed. +However, I managed to persuade him to wait until we had eaten our +dinner, and then we launched the canoe, and in due time sailed round +the island to the lava beach. There was no one to be seen, except one +man whom we spied disappearing into the woods as we arrived; but on the +beach above high-water mark, as I had said, the muskets were laid +neatly in a row, the powder-horns with them. We paddled in until the +water was shallow, not designing to beach the canoe, and then Billy +leapt overboard and ran up the beach, I meanwhile handling my bow to +show that he was covered. He returned with four muskets, and told me +that there were four more to bring, so that one was missing, there +having been nine when the men came to the island. As soon as all the +muskets, together with the powder-horns and bullet-pouches, were stowed +in the canoe, I set up a loud halloo, at which the men started out of +the wood in which they had been, I doubt not, watching us, and came +towards us, and when they were near enough I cried to them that the +muskets were one short, and asked whose it was, to which the answer, as +I expected, was that it was Hoggett's. Then I asked where Hoggett was, +and they told me he had barricadoed himself in the hut, and refused to +give up the musket. I asked about Wabberley. + +"Here I be, Mr. Brent, sir," says the man himself, coming from the rear +of the group; "and right down glad I am, d'ye see, sir, to know as how +you be a-going to feed us proper. Ah! how I do remember your good +uncle, and the dear lady your aunt----" + +[Sidenote: Hoggett is Obstinate] + +I could not endure this, both Chick and Wabberley in one day stirring +up memories of the home I should never see more, so I peremptorily +commanded him to cease, and said that as he was Hoggett's particular +friend he had better employ his eloquence in persuading Hoggett to give +up his musket with the rest. I told him that a bargain was a bargain, +and as the bargain was that all the muskets were to be delivered, the +men would receive only half rations until the full tale was made up. +This incensed them very much against Hoggett, and they were in the mind +to deal very hardly with him had he been in their power; but one of the +men said that he still had a very meagre supply of food in the hut, +which could not be eked out beyond a day or two; whereupon I determined +to wait, knowing that the men would be eager enough to bring Hoggett to +terms so long as they were kept on short commons. I told them to come +to the rock before night for another meal, and then we set off in the +canoe, and conveyed the muskets to the cave in the cliff, and left them +at the entrance of the tunnel, after that returning to the Red Rock. + +We spent the next two days in carrying back to our storehouse a certain +part of our provisions, leaving on the rock no more than would suffice +the men for a single week. We took back also our pigs, which we left +at the entrance of the tunnel, thinking that a few hours of darkness +would not hurt them. These comings and goings were watched very +curiously by the men, who would have liked to know where we went after +we passed from their sight beneath the cliff; indeed, afterwards they +put questions to Billy, who, however, would never give them the least +particle of satisfaction on that matter. Each day we gave them two +meals, and the knowledge that it was Hoggett who prevented them from +enjoying plenty made them exceeding bitter against him. But they told +me that he was deaf to all their entreaties, and kept himself close +shut in the hut, only cursing when they spoke to him, and threatening +to blow out the brains of any man that offered to molest him. However, +on the third day, in the morning, one of the men came to the ledge all +breathless, having run all the way from the hut to be the first to tell +me that Hoggett had yielded, being, in fact, very weak and ill from his +privations. Soon after, the others came up with his musket, and then +one of them asked me, in name of them all, whether I would not come to +the island and rule over them there, promising to obey me faithfully in +all points. When this was being said, I saw Billy looking at me with +great anxiety, lest this offer of a kingdom (which was already my own) +should seduce me from my purpose; but there was no need for him to +fear, because I knew the fickle and unscrupulous nature of these +mariners, and that they could never be trusted until they should be +subdued by the wholesome discipline of work. Accordingly I refused +this petition, announcing that on the next morning, soon after +daybreak, I would begin the transport of them to the rock, bidding them +come one by one unarmed to the sandy beach, to be taken off in the +canoe. I think if they had known what a bare, inhospitable abode they +were coming to they might have made some demur; but they said nothing, +and agreed to do exactly as I commanded. + +[Sidenote: The Rock Prison] + +Next morning we began this work, Billy and I, taking the men one at a +time into the canoe, after we had searched them, and conveying them to +the rock as quickly as might be, Billy paddling, while I stood over our +passenger with a loaded musket. Having landed him I bade him make his +way to the top, and then we went back for another. When we had carried +eight of them in this way, I saw that we should not come to an end of +it before night unless we took more than one at a time, for the going +to and fro was near an hour's work, and very fatiguing; so I determined +to take two men, having proceeded so far without any sign of +resistance. By the time we came to the rock with the ninth and tenth +men, there was a little assemblage on the plateau, and when we were +paddling back I saw that Pumfrey and Chick had found their way to the +ledge, and they shouted after us, and though we could not hear their +words, Billy said he was sure they were crying to be taken off again. +Indeed, when we arrived with the next two men, we found that Chick and +Pumfrey, in defiance of my order that none of those we had landed +should return to the landing-place, had come down and were awaiting us, +and as we came near, Chick asked with a great deal of indignation +whether I supposed that true-born Englishmen, and able seamen besides, +were going to bide up in that God-forsaken place. I reminded him of +the bargain, and, holding off from the rock, asked him whether he +wished all his mates to starve, as they certainly would do unless he +mounted to the plateau and stayed there, for I would not land another +man, nor give them any more food, until he had gone. At this, one of +the men in the canoe told Chick not to be a fool, but to do as I bid +him, and Chick cried that it was all very well, but _he_ had not seen +the place. However, he went away, very unwillingly, with Pumfrey, and +we had no more trouble of that sort. + +We brought Hoggett away last of all, and alone. He looked very ill, +and said never a word to us, but I could see that he was inwardly a +very furnace of wrath. Billy had said to me, as we went to fetch him, +"Mind you shoot him, master, if he tries any tricks," and I was very +carefully on my guard and did not feel at all easy in my mind until I +saw him safely landed. I lately saw a lion-tamer performing tricks +with lions in a cage, and as I watched, my thoughts went back many +years to this day of our life on Palm Tree Island, and I fancied that +the tamer must feel pretty much as I felt when we had Hoggett in the +canoe--as if the wild beast might at any moment break loose. + +[Sidenote: Sheep and Goats] + +Having thus conveyed all the men to the rock, we returned to the +island, and laid up the canoe just as it was falling dark, being pretty +tired, especially Billy, for though I had taken a turn at paddling he +would not let me do much, saying that he knew he would be a bad hand +with a musket, and might shoot me instead of the men if one of them +proved mutinous. We went up very eagerly to our hut, feeling like +wanderers returning home, Little John frisking and barking about us in +as great a delight as we ourselves. But our mirth was turned to +melancholy when we came to the hut, for it was in such a dreadful state +that we could not endure the thought of passing the night in it, and so +we dragged our weary limbs back to the canoe, and slept there, +supperless, for the men had not kept the fire in, and we had nothing +with us which we could eat raw. Our sleep lasted until pretty late the +next morning, and then, having kindled the fire and cooked our +breakfast, we sat talking of the remaining part of my scheme. Billy's +face beamed when I showed him how I meant to make the men work for +their living, and for once he did not ask, "What's the good?" but +declared he couldn't have thought of anything better himself. + +I had a pretty good notion of the characters of the men individually, +having been for upwards of a year on board ship with them; and Billy +knew them even better than I did, because of his nearness to them in +the forecastle. A ship is a little world, and there, as in the great +world, there are good and bad, and some that are neither good nor bad, +for there are a good many colours, as you may say, betwixt white and +black. The crew of the _Lovey Susan_, to be sure, was made up rather +of evil-disposed than of well-disposed, for it was recruited by +Wabberley and Chick, as I said at the beginning of my story, and you +know what I thought of them. The better sort among them being few, +could not prevail against the many, and especially against a man like +Hoggett, who was so exceeding strong and masterful. Now it was a part +of my scheme to sunder the sheep from the goats, if I may say so; and +they being all on the rock I could do this, I hoped, without seeming to +make any distinction among them, at any rate at first. For when I +spoke of their working for their living, I did not have the rock in +mind as the scene of their labours, but the island. To feed so many, +we should need to enlarge our plantation, and this would mean work; and +I had already thought, with leaping heart, of another task we might put +in hand when I had brought the men to a proper humbleness and docility. +But since there would not be at first enough work for all of them, nor +indeed would it be safe to employ them all, I had resolved to begin +with the least wicked of them. As we sat at breakfast, therefore, +Billy and I conned over their names, passing judgment on them, as it +were. + +"What about Clums?" I said. + +"He's a fat fool," says Billy, "but there ain't no harm in him, away +from Hoggett. But he can't do anything but cook, and I can cook as +well as him now." + +"Well, he must learn to do other things," I said. "And Jordan?" + +"Not by no means," says Billy. "He speaks you pretty fair, but he's a +sly wretch, the sort of man to pick your grub when you warn't looking." + +"What do you say to Hoskin, then?" I asked. + +"Why, I don't think much of Hoskin," says he; "but I'll say this for +him, that he's about the only man of 'em that didn't kick and cuff me, +though he looked on when the others did. But what about Mr. Bodger?" + +I said that I thought Mr. Bodger a weak and cowardly fellow, who would +probably deem himself very much ill-used if set to work, and I was +determined to have none idle on the island, while if he were put over +the others, they would flout him and might grow mutinous again. Well, +after considering the men one by one, we resolved to bring Clums and +Hoskin first to the island, and Billy said, anticipating me, that their +first job must be the cleansing of our hut, which in its present state +was not fit for a pig to live in. This put me in mind of our two pigs +in the cave, and as soon as we had finished our breakfast we paddled to +the cave and brought them away, though when we took them to the sty we +found that it was not a secure place at present, those lazy wretches +having actually broken up a great part of the fence, I suppose for +firewood. "That's the second job," says Billy, "to mend the fence." +We then made our way to the cliff opposite Red Rock, so that we could +speak to the men, for we could scarce make our voices heard at so great +a height if we sailed to the foot of the rock in our canoe; and having +hailed them, I said that Clums and Hoskin were to come to the +landing-place and we would fetch them to make a beginning in working +for their living. Pumfrey asked whether he couldn't come too, which I +took to be a very good sign; but I replied that his turn would come +another day. + +The two men came with us very readily, and on the way Clums said he +would cook us the best dinner we had had for years, upon which Billy +winked at me, making such a comical grimace that I could not help +laughing. Clums was taken aback when he learnt what task had been +assigned to him, but he was a cheerful soul, and said that as Billy had +cleaned his pans for him a good many times on the _Lovey Susan_ he +supposed it was only fair that he should clean up the floor for Billy +and me, though he thought it ought by rights to be done by Hoggett and +Wabberley. It took them pretty nearly all day to make the hut +thoroughly tidy and shipshape, and when they were looking rather rueful +at the thought of being taken back to the rock for the night, I pleased +them mightily by giving them the small hut to sleep in. As for Billy +and me, we took up our quarters in our old place, having as a +precaution brought in the drawbridge and barricadoed the door; and we +had Little John with us to give warning of any attempt to break in, +which indeed I thought unlikely, for I did not see what they could gain +by it. + +I thought we would wait one more day before we brought over any more +men, so we gave the two next morning the job of cleaning the +outbuildings and beginning the repair of the fences. They wrought +willingly enough, though clumsily, not being used to this kind of work: +accordingly on the third day we fetched Pumfrey and another man, whose +name I forget, and while the first two were still working on the +repairs, we set the others to dig the yam plantation, to make ready for +the new crop. We deemed it well thus to keep the four men in two +parties until we were sure of them. + +On the fourth day, when we sailed to the rock to bring two more men, we +found the whole company assembled on the ledge, and they raised a great +clamour, from which we made out by and by that all their food was gone. +I had left what I thought would be enough for a full week, and so it +would have been if they had portioned it out with any prudence. When +we brought them another supply I said they would have to manage better, +and one of them said that so they would if we took them to the island +and gave them some work to do, for on the rock there was nothing else +to do but feed. There was so much reason in this that I forbore to +upbraid them any more; but I appointed the man who had spoken a kind of +commissary to dole out the provisions, and told the other men that if +there were any disputes the quarrelsome would be the last to be taken +to the island. It being now late, we took no more men that day, but +two the next, and these were all whom we had any reason to believe were +the sheep. + +It would make too long a story to tell of all the little happenings of +the next weeks. From the first we gave the men to understand that they +would go back to the rock and take turn with others, at our pleasure, +whether they went or not depending on themselves. They proved to be +reasonable, performing the tasks set them without grumbling, and indeed +they confessed that they were very glad to have something to do and +good food to eat after their miserable life under Hoggett's rule. We +soon put Clums to his proper work of cooking, he having no skill in +anything else, and he was always amazed at the never-failing supply of +provisions which Billy and I brought in our canoe, not having revealed +to any one the secret of our storehouse. Our fowls, as I have said, +were all dispersed, except those that the men had eaten, but we got +some of them back in our old way of liming the trees, and so had the +beginning of a poultry-run again; and when the men had repaired the +pig-sty and made a new fowl-house, and dug up the ground for the yams, +there was very little left to employ them, so I set them to fell trees +for building another and more commodious house, which would hold them +all when my scheme had perfectly ripened. And when, after a week or +two, I found everything going on as well as I could wish, I determined +to bring over the goats, who had learnt by conversations across the gap +what we were doing, and were, many of them, exceeding desirous of +enjoying the same liberty as their comrades, even though they had to +work. Accordingly I got the men to make a bridge like that which we +had destroyed, and when this was flung across the gap, we brought two +of the men across, with Mr. Bodger, who, as I supposed, was mightily +indignant at being left among the worst of the crew. I told him very +frankly what my reasons were, and he immediately said that if I thought +so ill of him he would waive all privileges as an officer, and work as +a common seaman until I was satisfied with him. I was so much +surprised at this, never supposing him to have any spirit at all, that +I thought fit to put him to his trial as an officer, and giving him a +musket, made him overseer of the men who were felling and preparing +trees. I soon saw that the position of authority, and the means to +enforce it, wrought a change in him, and though he was never a strong +man, and would never have been able to exercise command if left quite +to himself, yet he became a satisfactory lieutenant, and I never had +cause to repent trusting him. + +[Sidenote: The Uses of Adversity] + +Hoggett and Wabberley and Chick were the last of the men to be brought +to the island. I overheard some of the men grumbling at this one day, +saying that these three were living a lazy life, doing nothing for +their keep, while the rest were working hard. But Clums silenced the +grumblers; calling them fools with a seaman's bluntness, asking them +whether they didn't owe all their miseries to those three, and bursting +into tears when he spoke of a little girl he had at home, and said that +but for the mutiny they might all be living happy at Wapping or +Deptford by now. I felt a lump come into my throat when the man talked +of home, and Billy, who was with me, said he wouldn't mind having a +look at his old dad, especially as he thought he would no longer be +afraid of his mother-in-law, as he always called his step-mother. +Clums, I say, said that the longer Hoggett and the other two were kept +on the rock the better, but I thought they should have their chance +with the rest; accordingly one day I went up myself, with Billy, to the +ledge and called for them. Hoggett and Wabberley refused point-blank +to come, but Chick said he was ready to oblige, and we took him over, +telling the other two that they would be put on half rations until they +came to a better mind. This very soon had its effect on Wabberley, to +whom his creature comforts were everything; and even Hoggett yielded in +a day or two, and came over with the rest in the morning. I had forgot +to say that we did not allow the men we called the goats to remain on +the island overnight, but marched them back to the rock when their +day's work was done, this partly because we did not trust them, and +partly because there was no room for them to live decently until the +new house was built. I may say here that we never did permit Hoggett +and the other two to reside on the island. Wabberley was incorrigibly +lazy, and did as little work as he could; Hoggett always sullen, and +once or twice he flung down his tools and refused to work any more, and +kept his word until he was brought to his senses by having his food cut +off. As for Chick, he was extremely obliging, and did all he could to +persuade me to let him remain on the island, and admit him to the +select company of the sheep; but I did not trust him, and with reason, +for Clums told Billy that when they were working Chick would often +revile us in the bitterest way, and say that he and Hoggett would get +even with us some time or other. + +The new house was finished in about two months, and then we brought all +the men to live on the island except the three I have mentioned. The +bread-fruit season was now come, so that we had plenty of food, and the +men made great vats in the ground for the storage of the pulp, being +still ignorant of the storehouse beneath our hut. When other work +failed, I set them to make more pots and pans, and bows and arrows, and +we had many shooting contests at our running man, though there were +half-a-dozen of the men whom I would never permit to handle a weapon of +any kind until close observation assured me that they were to be +trusted. We also went on fishing expeditions, and smoked a great +quantity of the fish we caught, and purposed to do the same with our +pigs as soon as they should increase. In order that we might enlarge +still more our reserve of food, I caused some new plantations of +cocoa-nut palms to be made at different parts of the island. There was +no need for planting when Billy and I were alone, because the trees +bore enough fruit for our use; nor was there any need for planting the +bread-fruit tree, because this had a remarkable way of propagating +itself on all sides by shoots that sprang from the roots; but I had +seen that several of the cocoa-nut palms had lately died, from what +cause I never knew, for they seemed to be uninjured,[1] and I did not +know but that a similar blight might fall on the bread-fruit trees +also; and so I planted cocoa-nuts to provide against a possible failure +of the bread-fruit. + +[Sidenote: A Little History] + +Thus I found myself at the head of a very thriving community. Our +active and open-air life kept us in good health, and the little +diversions which we mingled with our work--shooting and fishing, quoits +and skittles and Aunt Sally, performed with rough things of our own +making--these helped to keep us cheerful, and we had no troubles beyond +the storms and cyclones, no savages appearing to molest us, and Old +Smoker never showing more than a light crown of vapour, and sometimes +not even that. Billy and I lived alone in our hut, with Little John, +and we were, I am sure, happier than we were before the men came, for +we had more to think about and a great deal more to do. Billy said +once that I was now a king indeed, and asked whether I wouldn't like a +crown, though it would be made of leaves, there being no metal to be +had. I told him that I was quite content as I was, and besides, if I +was to be a king I must have a title, and I thought Harry must be an +ill-starred name, for Harry the First was the king that never smiled +again, and Harry the last (that is, the Eighth) was not a very +estimable character; and then Billy must needs hear all I remembered +about those monarchs, and when I spoke of the six wives he looked very +serious, and remained very quiet and thoughtful for a long time. I +asked him what he was thinking about, and he said, "Why, a king ain't +much good without a queen, and it's no good being Harry the First +(which you would be, this being a new kingdom) if there ain't no chance +of Harry the Second, or perhaps Billy the First, to come after. But +there, you wouldn't like a wife same as my mother-in-law, so it's all +one." + + + +[1] Probably from the depredations of the _phasma_, or spectre insect, +a deadly foe to cocoa-nuts.--H.S. + + + + +CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SECOND + +OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM PALM TREE ISLAND; OF THOSE WHO WON THROUGH, AND +OF THOSE WHO FELL BY THE WAY + + +For several days after this conversation I observed that Billy was not +near so cheerful as he was wont to be, and when I spoke to him about +it, and asked what ailed him, he returned me only evasive answers. One +night when we were abed, but not asleep, he sighed so often and so +heavily that I said I would and must know what was the matter, and then +he surprised me beyond measure by saying, in a sort of mumble, "I'm +only thinking of my little girl." I thought his wits were wandering, +but I asked him, "What little girl?" and he said, "Her name's Elizabeth +Jane." I asked him what on earth he meant, and then, unbosoming +himself, he told me that Clums' mention of _his_ little girl, and our +talk about Henry the Eighth's wives, had set him thinking of a little +girl he used to play with at home, when his own mother was alive--a +neighbour's child, who used to come into the smithy at all hours, and +whom his father used to call "Billy's little sweetheart." + +"Of course she wasn't," says Billy, "not real, 'cause I was only eight +or nine and she less; but them things we was talking about made me +think of her, and I thought she was growed up now, same as me, and I +wondered if she was hanging on a fellow's arm like I used to see 'em in +Limehouse Walk, and it made me want to punch his head; and then I +thought I want to go home, and I can't, and I'm that wretched I can't +abear myself." + +[Illustration: Our Lamp] + +Here was a pretty posture to be in! I was vastly amused, never having +been so taken myself, at the thought of Billy in love with a child he +had not seen for perhaps a dozen years, for he told me that she never +came to the house after his mother died, and had gone to live +elsewhere; but I did not laugh, and Billy could not see me smiling, and +I said quietly, "Well, and why shouldn't we go home?" He gave a shout +that set Little John barking, and bounced out of bed, and struck a +light, kindling a little lamp we had made of half a cocoa-nut filled +with its own oil, and some twisted threads for a wick, which gave a +good light and had no offensive smell like our torches of candle-nuts. +And then he sat down on his stool by my bed, and looked me in the eyes, +and I saw his eyes shining like coals when he asked me what I meant. I +said to him that there was now a goodly company of us, and what two +boys could hardly do alone might be done by such a number, and that +was, to make a vessel big enough to hold us all, and sound enough to +venture ourselves upon the deep. Billy was enraptured with the notion, +and instead of raising difficulties, as he usually did when I broached +a new project, he refused to see those that I myself mentioned, such as +our want of instruments and charts, and the danger of storms, and the +danger of falling in with cannibals, and so forth. These +considerations did not trouble him in the least; but one thing did, and +that was the question whether the men would be willing to undertake the +long and arduous preparation that would be necessary. But I bade him +leave that to me, and he went back to bed much happier, and slept very +sound. + +[Sidenote: Planning a Voyage] + +Next day I put the matter to the men, and they were one and all +exceeding favourable to it. Their life was pretty easy now, for there +was not much work to do; but I saw that lack of work did not make for +happiness, and indeed Pumfrey said plainly that he would willingly +exchange his present life for what he had formerly called his dog's +life on board ship, for there was more variety in that, and spells +ashore, not to speak of rum and tobacco. So I found them all ready to +start work at once, the only thing that daunted them being their +ignorance, for there was not a shipwright among them, and Pumfrey, the +ship's carpenter, said he might mend a ship, but couldn't make one. +However, I told them that we would not try to build a vessel with +planks, but would make a larger canoe after the model of the _Fair +Hope_, which we had found to be perfectly seaworthy and suitable for +the navigation of those seas. Mr. Bodger shook his head and declared +that no vessel of that shape would ever reach the old country, but I +pointed out that there were many lands nearer than England, some of +them in the possession of our own people, and if we could strike any of +the trade routes we should certainly fall in with a vessel, and then +our troubles would be over. "S'pose she's a Frenchman?" says Clums. I +asked "What then?" for France and England were at peace when we sailed +from the Thames, and I had no patience with the folk who looked on +every foreigner as a dragon or a monster, and I said so. "That's all +true enough, sir, I dare say," says Clums, "but there's the frogs, d'ye +see?" and I found that he looked at it from the cook's point of view, +and did not relish the idea of preparing, much less eating, the +articles of French fare. But though these little objections were +raised, there was a common readiness to set to work, and we went out +immediately into the woods to find a tree suited to our needs. + +[Sidenote: The New Vessel] + +We soon found a giant, perfectly straight and sound, and we made +preparations to fell it forthwith. Billy explained to the men our +manner of using fire, which pleased them very much, and some of them +having good steel axes, it took not so long to fell this great tree as +it had taken to fell the one for our canoe. The tree being situated at +some distance from the edge of the cliff, I was for a time puzzled how +to transport it, as I had been before, for I thought it hazardous to +roll a tree of such great weight over the cliff to the beach below. +But when we had moved it to the edge over rollers, one of the men +proposed that we should lower it by means of ropes, which we did, +suspending the trunk to half-a-dozen trees that grew close together +there, and paying out the ropes until the great burden was let down to +a spot whence it might roll the rest of the way without hurt. Having +thus got the trunk safely to the foot of the cliffs, we hollowed it out +with fire and axes, as Billy and I had done before, and while some were +at this work the rest prepared a mast and spars, and also a large +outrigger; and all toiled with such a good will, having the prospect of +deliverance before them, that the vessel was fully equipped and ready +for sea in about four months, as I guessed, from the day we began work +on her. I did not think of painting her, remembering the prodigious +labour the _Fair Hope_ had cost us in that particular; but when some of +the men said that a good coat of paint would make her more seaworthy, +we resolved to do it, and for many days we did nothing but express oil +out of nuts and mix with it the sap of the redwood tree; and I laughed +to see what strange objects some of the men made of themselves, for +they would raise their hands to their brows to wipe off the sweat, the +weather being warm, and left great streaks of red behind; and it came +into my head that the savages' custom of painting themselves might have +begun in just such a way. + +When the vessel was painted there was still the naming of her, and this +matter came up one evening when we were having our supper on the open +ground near our hut, for we usually had our supper with the men in a +pleasant family manner--Hoggett and Wabberley and Chick having been +taken back to the rock. When I asked what we were to call her, before +any one else could speak Billy blurted out "Elizabeth Jane," and you +never heard such a shout of laughter as then rang through the air, for +Billy was so ready, and his face turned such a fiery hue the moment he +had spoken, that the men "smoked" him, as the saying is, and they +twitted him (being on very friendly terms with him now) on the lass he +had left behind him, and when he explained, very sheepishly, that she +was no more than eight years old when he saw her last they shouted +again, and told him that she certainly wouldn't know him now, with his +whiskers coming thick, and did he think she would wait for him when +there were properer men about? Billy took it all with surprising good +temper, and I found out afterwards that he and Clums had become very +close friends, and Clums told him that if he could not find Elizabeth +Jane, or if she was already wed, he would present him to his own +daughter Georgiana, called after the king, and a winsome lass, said +Clums, and just husband high. + +We named the vessel _Elizabeth Jane_, and launched her, not by that +device of the windlass we had used for the _Fair Hope_, but making a +slipway of rollers, over which the men tugged her with ropes. Then we +sailed her on a first trip round the island, by which we learnt what +little changes were necessary in the outrigger to keep her steady. She +behaved exceeding well, and the seamen were mighty pleased with her, +and began in wondrous good spirits the preparation for the great voyage +we purposed making. They were greatly disappointed when I told them +that we should have to wait a good time yet, until the season of storms +and unsettled weather passed; but we had plenty to occupy us in the +meantime, for there was pork and fish to salt and cure, and breadfruit +to be prepared, for we did not know how long our voyage might last, and +I was in some dread lest our vessel would not have stowage room for all +the food I thought it necessary to take. We had to make also +water-pots of a special shape, so that they would lie snugly in the +bottom of the vessel, and we made hurdles to cover them, so that they +should not be broken. This matter of water gave me much concern, and I +resolved to fit up the _Fair Hope_ as a victualler, to follow our +larger vessel, as such vessels do the warships: we found that she had +room enough for a good many water-pots and a great quantity of +cocoa-nuts beside, the juice of which was both agreeable and wholesome, +if we did not drink it at night. We fitted up on each vessel a light +hoarding made of thin poles let into the gunwale, and carrying a canopy +of bread-bark cloth, which would not only defend us from the sun's +rays, but help to save the fresh water from evaporating. During the +period of waiting, moreover, the men made a good number of new arrows +and spears, and diligently practised themselves in their use. We kept +the muskets in good order, but there being scarcely any powder and shot +left we could not place much reliance on them if we should have to +fight, which I hoped very sincerely would not be the case. + +[Sidenote: Retribution] + +One thing I had resolutely determined on, and that was that Hoggett and +Wabberley and Chick should not accompany us. The two last I owed a +special grudge against, because it was they who had led my poor uncle +on to undertake his expedition, when they were all the time meditating +the treachery which they put in act when the opportunity came. And as +for Hoggett, he had built, so to speak, very well on their foundations, +and had been the controlling force in the mutiny and all that happened +after. Moreover, these three were the only men who did their work on +the island sullenly and unwillingly, for Chick's obligingness was +merely put on as a cloak. Though I had said nothing to make them +suppose they would be left on the island, so that they had as great an +incentive to further our preparations as any man, they did not in the +least change their usual behaviour, but performed all the tasks set +them ungraciously and with a grudge. + +They were marched to the Red Rock every night at sunset, and this had +become so much a part of the order of things that they did not show any +surprise when it was done on the very night before we were to set sail. +I had said no word of my resolution to anybody as yet, but that night I +told it to Billy, and he was greatly delighted, saying that the only +thing he feared in the voyage was the presence of Hoggett. I told him +that if we could have kept the men prisoners I might have relented +towards them, but since that was impossible, I feared that if they were +let loose among the crew their bad influence would ruin any chance of +success we might have. + +Accordingly, when they were brought over next morning, expecting to be +given places in the _Elizabeth Jane_, I had a parade of all the men +before me, and told these three plainly that they were to be left +behind. Hoggett went white to the lips, but said never a word, whereas +Wabberley and Chick whined and whimpered and behaved like the sorry +curs they were. They pled with me with the most abject entreaties and +promises, uttering the most piteous plaints of the horrors of solitude, +and so forth; whereupon I pointed out to them that they were in +infinitely better case than they had left us on the first day we came +to the island, having a house to live in, and arms and tools, as well +as animals and well-grown plantations. I told them that after their +many wickednesses they might be thankful that their lives were spared. +Finally I showed them, to the great amazement of all, the shaft below +the hut, and explained our device for getting water from the lake, and +the uses to which we put the cavern beneath, and told them also of the +passage to the shore; and then I thought Hoggett would die of rage and +mortification, especially when he saw Clums and the rest looking at him +with a kind of mocking pity. He broke through his silence now, and +poured out upon me such a torrent of invective and curses as I have +never heard before or since, foaming at the mouth in a manner that was +horrible to see. Then all of a sudden he ceased, as though his words +were choking him, and throwing upon me one last look full of hate and +malevolence he went away by himself, and I never saw him again. + +We then embarked on the _Elizabeth Jane_, taking Little John with us. +Wabberley and Chick stood on the beach, very dejected, when we launched +the vessel, no doubt hoping to the last that I would relent. They +remained there until they looked but tiny specks, and we were far away +on the ocean. My heart was very full as I watched the island +diminishing in the distance, and thought of the years we had spent +there, and of all our trials and blessings, the latter outnumbering the +former, by the grace of God. Billy was very silent, telling me +afterwards that it gave him a queer feeling inside, to leave the island +which had been a proper home. We set our course due west, as near as +we could judge, and avoiding the island at which we had been so +inhospitably received, we made for a small group somewhat to the north, +where Mr. Bodger told me the men had settled for a time as mercenaries +of the native people. We put in at one of the islands, the people +running away at our approach, and filled up our water-vessels, and also +laid in a small stock of fresh cocoa-nuts, as well as fowls and other +things, in the room of those we had consumed. During their stay on the +island some of the men had picked up a smattering of the language of +the people, and they now confirmed, when the natives took courage and +came back, what they had before understood, that there was another +group of islands two days' paddling to the west. With the aid of a +favouring breeze on our quarter we came to these islands in a day and a +half, and ran for the outermost of the group, so as to be nearest to +the open sea if any attack were made upon us. But here we were +received in friendly wise, and we were fortunate again in getting news +of another group still farther to the west. However, when we got to +this, after two or three days' sail, we found that the people spoke a +tongue which none of our men understood, so that though we tried in +every possible manner to learn from them how we should sail to come to +other islands, we failed utterly, and saw ourselves forced to put to +sea again, having taken in fresh food and water, without any guidance +whatever. There we were, then, afloat on the wide ocean, without chart +or compass, the sport of chance, as some might think; but when I looked +up to the sky in the stillness of night, and thought that the birds +have no chart or compass, and not one so much as falls to the ground +but God knows, I felt perfectly contented and easy in mind, believing +that we should some day arrive at the haven where we would be. + +[Sidenote: The Voyage] + +It being very necessary that we should make land before our food and +water were all spent, the men took turns at the paddles, even while the +wind held, so that we should proceed with all possible speed. We were +five days without sighting land, and our water was all consumed when at +last we came to an island; but we could not land, because a great +multitude of savages in war-paint came to the shore brandishing clubs +and spears, and we had to wait till night, and then some of the men +went with me in the _Fair Hope_ to another part of the coast, and +landing there unseen, we were able to fill our vessels. I will not +tell all the incidents of that voyage, even if I could remember them; +but I may tell of one time, when we were chased by a fleet of +war-canoes, and should most certainly have been caught, only when the +first of the pursuing craft was but a biscuit's throw away, I fired a +musket shot, which terrified them so much that they turned their prows +and fled away shrieking. + +After several weeks, the weather having been fair all the time, we were +caught by a storm in mid-ocean, out of sight of any land, and then for +the first time my heart sank, and I feared we should go to the bottom. +We had little rigging to make us top-heavy, and we managed to get that +down before the blast took us; but the waves swept over us with such +force that we had much ado to prevent ourselves from being washed out, +and had no thought of anything except to cling to the thwarts, and, +when each wave had passed, to bale for our lives. The rope by which we +towed the _Fair Hope_ was snapped, and she was carried away, and no +doubt before long submerged. In the merciful providence of God the +storm was quickly over, but then our case was dreadful in the extreme, +for all our provisions were ruined or else swept overboard, and the +most of our paddles were gone. To make matters worse, the wind +dropped, and we had nothing but light airs that scarcely moved the +vessel a yard a minute. For two days and nights we lay thus, the wide +waste of water all about us, the hot sun above, and neither land nor +ship in sight. On the first day not a man of us ate, and at night we +sought to moisten our parched lips by sucking the dew from our shirts; +but on the second day some of the men gnawed the sodden fish and flesh +that remained, which did but increase their thirst, so that in the +night they began to rave, and in the morning Pumfrey and Hoskin were +dead. We committed their bodies to the deep with great awe and +trembling, none knowing but he might be the next. But not long after a +strong breeze sprang up in the east, and carried our vessel along at so +round a pace that hope revived in our sad hearts, and Billy mounted the +gunwale and, clinging to the supports of the canopy I have mentioned, +he looked out eagerly for land. When he saw none after a while he came +down again, feeling very weak and dizzy, and had not the heart or the +strength to try again, and so we sped on almost blindly, having just +care enough to keep the vessel's head to the west. And then, when we +were again on the point of despairing, some one cried that he saw land +ahead, and when I looked, I saw a long dark shape upon the water, above +which a huge bank of clouds seemed to rest. We fixed our longing eyes +thereon, and as we drew nearer the clouds broke slowly apart, and we +saw the sides of stupendous mountains, ten times as lofty as the +mountain on Palm Tree Island, even in the part we saw, for their tops +were wrapped in mist. It was many hours, I am sure, before we drew +near to the coast, which we saw was very precipitous, so that we +despaired of finding a safe landing; but we steered north, skirting it, +and came by and by to a part where the cliffs fell away, and there, +being perfectly reckless now, for we could but die, we drove our vessel +ashore, and it struck on a ridge of rock very like the lava beach of +Palm Tree Island. By great good fortune there was no depth of water on +it, and we were able to wade ashore, which we reached more dead than +alive. + +When we had rested somewhat we looked about for food, the inland parts +being very well wooded, and we were inexpressibly thankful when we +found both bread-fruit and bananas, and cocoa-nuts too, of which we +made a meal, some eating so ravenously that they were very ill, and I +feared Billy would die. But he and the others recovered, to my great +joy, and we camped there, and slept so heavily that if any savages had +come upon us we should have been killed without being able to lift a +hand to defend ourselves. However, we saw no savages during the week +we stayed there, and at the end of that time, being marvellously +refreshed and invigorated, we towed our vessel off the ridge (she had +suffered no hurt, the sea being calm) with ropes, some we had with us, +and others we made with creepers, swimming out into the sea with them. +Then we plaited baskets, and carried in them as much food as we could +load into the vessel, and once more set sail. + +We found that our passage westward was barred by this island, which +extended in a north-westerly direction for many miles, at least a +hundred, I should think.[1] When we arrived at the northern extremity +of it, we drew in, so as to get more food, but perceiving a strange +black smoke arising from the earth, we were afraid to approach nearer, +nor indeed did the land appear very fertile; so we sailed past, hoping +to discover another island before our provisions, of which we had a +great store, were exhausted. But day after day went by without our +seeing any, and though we were very sparing with our food, it was at +last all gone, and we again suffered the torturing pangs of hunger and +thirst. And when we woke one morning after a terrible night, we did +not think we should live through the day, and the wild look in the eyes +of some of the men made me fear they would go mad, or even propose to +eat one another. I had already observed them gazing ravenously at +Little John, but I held him constantly at my side, being determined to +keep him as a memento of our sojourn on Palm Tree Island. I do not +know but I might have been prevailed on at last to consent to his +death, but towards evening Billy, using his little remnant of strength +to climb on to the gunwale, cried out that he saw a sail, and called to +me in a very hoarse voice to make a signal. I took up my musket at +once, and fired a shot, and then another, and then saw with great agony +that I could fire no more, for there was no more powder in my horn, and +the little that was in the others had been spoiled by the sea water. +But by and by we heard a shot, and Billy cried that the vessel was +clapping on more sail, and was coming towards us. We were in terrible +dread lest she should not come up with us before night, for she might +pass us in the dark, and then we must have died. But she came up +apace, and heaving to, hailed us in a tongue I did not understand, +though the vessel was of European make. Clums, however, told me she +was Dutch, and he answered the hail in that tongue, though his mouth +was so parched that his voice was nothing but a croak. He said we were +famishing, whereupon the skipper lowered a boat, sending food and water +to us. When we were somewhat revived, I told the officer in the boat, +by the interpretation of Clums, something of my story, at which he +marvelled greatly, especially at our strange vessel, and would have +heard more, only the skipper shouted for him to come back. I asked +whether the skipper would not take us aboard, assuring him that my +uncle would pay our charges very willingly, and when he returned to his +vessel the skipper consented to this, saying, as I heard afterwards, +that none but Englishmen, who were all mad, would have ventured to sea +in such a crazy craft. + +Accordingly we went on board the Dutch vessel, some of us having to be +hauled up the side in slings, we were so weak. We left the poor +_Elizabeth Jane_ derelict, and Billy shed bitter tears, being still +very much of a child at heart, and taking this as a sad omen, +portending the death of the Elizabeth Jane he had known. As for me, +having nothing of this kind to be superstitious about, I was so joyful +at falling in with a friendly vessel, and at the hope this engendered +in me, that I did not spare a sigh upon the _Elizabeth Jane_, being +indeed much more sorrowful at the loss of the _Fair Hope_, much as a +father might feel the loss of his firstborn. + +I said a "friendly vessel," but it was not so friendly neither. She +was a Dutch Indiaman bound for Java, and the skipper, though humane +enough to pick us up (after a promise of pay), never looked on us very +kindly, because we were English, and the Dutch were exceeding jealous +at the presence of English mariners in those waters, seeming to think +that the ocean was their highway by right. (I have observed that the +French and the Spanish, as well as ourselves, hold the same opinion, or +did hold it until that late gallant gentleman Lord Nelson taught them +better.) However, the Dutch skipper brought us to the island of Java, +whither he was bound, and handed us over to the Governor, who put me +through a very strict interrogation, with the aid of one of his +officers that knew English, a clerk sitting by and writing all I said. +He did the same afterwards with Billy and Mr. Bodger, each by himself, +and Billy was mightily indignant when the Governor, having had read out +some parts of my story, asked him if they were true. + +I do not know what would have happened to me but that the Governor's +wife, who had lived in England and spoke English, was greatly +interested when she heard of our strange adventures: and it chancing +that I fell ill of a low fever, she had me brought to her house, and +tended me with great kindness, as much as Billy would let her, for he +was very jealous, and would not leave me. When I was recovered, and +this kind benefactress asked me what I would do, I said I must go home, +and though I had no money, my uncle would right willingly pay my +charges. Accordingly, by her kind interest I was provided with money, +and clothes of a Dutch cut, and took passage in a Dutch Indiaman that +was returning to Holland with a freight of sugar, in which Java is very +prolific, and Billy was to go with me as my servant, and Little John +too. I learnt that Mr. Bodger and Colam were dead, being carried off +by a fever like mine; but the rest of the men, all but two, had found +berths on the same Indiaman, she being short-handed owing to an +epidemic fever that had broken out aboard on her way out. The two last +of our party remained at Batavia for some time, being ill and unfit to +work; but afterwards they worked their way to Calcutta, and thence on a +British vessel to London, as they did not fail to inform me when they +arrived. As for me and Billy and the dog, we went on the Dutchman, +which touched at the Cape of Good Hope, and thence sailed direct for +Amsterdam, and from there we got a passage to London, where we arrived +on April 2, 1783, eight years and seven months after we departed on the +ill-fated _Lovey Susan_. + +[Sidenote: Billy's Stepmother] + +I wrote a letter to my uncle that same day, telling him of my return, +for I thought if I went home too suddenly the shock might do him an +injury, especially if he had the gout. Billy went to see his old dad, +promising to come back next day, since I had resolved to take him home +with me, and show my uncle the good companion of my solitude. He was +true to his word, and when I asked him how his people fared, he said +his father was the same as ever, only not quite so spry, and his +mother-in-law (as he called her) was fatter, but no less ill-tempered. +Her first words when she saw him were, "Back again like a bad penny!" +and after he had told her and his father somewhat of his strange life +since he left them, all she said was, "Well, you've growed a lot, and +big enough to work the smithy, and me and your father can take that +little public we've had our eyes on." "Not if I knows it," says Billy +to me; "I know what it 'ud be. She'd always be in the bar, a-taking a +little drop here and a little drop there, and she's a tartar when she's +had two glasses. Dad's a deal better off as he is, and he knows it." +I asked him whether he had made any inquiry for Elizabeth Jane, and he +looked at me very seriously, and said, "I knowed it meant something +when that there boat of ours went down. They don't know what's become +of her, but her dad was hanged for house-breaking a year or two ago, so +I reckon I've had a lucky escape. I'll go and see Clums when I get +back." + +[Sidenote: Home Again] + +We went down to Stafford next day. The news of my return had already +got abroad, and folk were expecting me, for there was a great crowd at +the door of the _Bell_, and when I clambered off the coach, there was +such a shouting and cheering as you never heard. I didn't know I had +so many friends. Two great youths pushed their way through the throng +and, gripping me by the arms, began lugging me into the inn, and one of +them cried, "Well done, old Harry!" and then I knew it was my cousin +Tom, and the other, who was James home from Cambridge, says, "Come on, +Harry, Mother's in there," and when I asked where was Father, they told +me he was crippled with the gout and couldn't come. My aunt, good +woman, round and rosy as ever, was all of a tremble when she saw me, +and burst into tears as she flung her arms around my neck; and then up +comes honest John King, the landlord, with a tumbler of rum shrub, +which he made her drink, saying it was the finest thing in the world +for the staggers; and the pot-boy was close behind him with four +foaming tankards of ale, and John lifts his and cries, "Welcome home!" +his honest face shining like the sun. And then I remembered Billy, and +called him in, and he came, rather red and uneasy, and the landlord +sent for another pot when I explained who he was, and there was such a +laughing and chattering that my head fairly buzzed. + +When we had emptied our tankards (Billy whispered to me, "Master, did +you ever taste such beer?") my aunt said Father would be dying of +impatience, so we went out again among the crowd and found them looking +with curiosity and amazement at Little John, who sat on the door-step, +keeping guard. "Never seed a beast like that," says one; "what is he?" +Billy laughed, and said it was a dog, at which they scoffed: and I may +say here that it was a long time before the other dogs in our part +would own Little John as one of their kind. We got into a carriage +waiting for us, and nothing would satisfy some of the young 'prentices +but they must unyoke the horses, and drag us the two miles to my +uncle's house, and there were the maidservants at the gate (more of +them than when I went away), and they waved handkerchiefs or +dish-clouts, I don't know which, and Billy's face was redder than ever. + +I found my uncle sitting in his great chair, with his leg stretched +out, and I was not a bit surprised nor hurt when his first words were, +"Mind my toe!" and then he cries, "God bless you, Harry, my boy," and +flings his arms round me, and kisses me as if I were a child again +instead of a tall fellow of near twenty-six. And then he wiped his +eyes and said he was an old fool, and catching sight of Billy he wanted +to know who that was, and I tried to explain, but somehow the words +stuck in my throat, and I couldn't say more than "Billy." "Billy +what?" shouts my uncle. "Bobbin, sir," says Billy, and everybody +laughed, and laughed again when Billy, looking very much puzzled, said, +"Rightly, William, sir." And then James, the graver of my two cousins, +said we had better have something to eat, and so we did, my aunt having +prepared a feast of fat things fit for kings, as Billy said, and finer +by a great deal than I ever had when I was king of Palm Tree Island. +On which everybody demanded to know what he meant, and I had to begin +my story there and then, and it lasted all through supper and many +hours beyond, and even then I had not told the half of it. You may +guess how rapt an audience I had, and how they cried out against +Wabberley and Chick, and the indignation of my uncle and aunt at their +villanous doings; and my admiration of Aunt Susan was vastly increased +because she did not turn round upon her husband, as many good women +would have done, and beg him to note that she had told him so. When +they heard what a close comrade Billy had been to me during those years +of solitude and trouble they perfectly overwhelmed him with kind words +and praises, and he said to me afterwards that he knew now why my uncle +had called his ship the _Lovey Susan_, and he wished he had an Aunt +Susan himself, instead of a mother-in-law. + +[Sidenote: Pleasant Places] + +When I, in my turn, came to hear of what had happened during my long +absence, I found that after two years had passed my uncle began to be +very restless, and when the third was gone without bringing any news of +us, he was much perturbed, and made many visits to London to ask if we +had been spoken by any vessel, and to see the captains of outgoing +ships and beg them to make what search they could. At the end of the +fourth year he gave us up for lost, and was in such terrible distress +of mind that he fell ill, and was a long time of recovering. When he +did get about again he collected all his books about the sea, and the +voyages of navigators and discoverers, of which he had a great many, +and burnt them every one, and never in all his life looked into any +book of the sort again, but took to poetry instead. His business had +thriven amazingly, and he led me into his private room one day and +showed me a book in which he had entered, quarter by quarter, the sums +of money he had put away for me in case I should ever come back. I had +not been home a week when he drew out a deed of partnership, on such +generous terms that by the time I was thirty I was what the country +folk call a very warm man. He presented Billy immediately with fifty +pounds, and learning from him that he wished to remain with me, he said +the best thing he could do was to learn the pottery trade, which Billy +accordingly did, and he is now the manager of our factory. + +We had not been at home above six months when Billy came to me one +evening, and said that he was a good deal bothered in his mind. I +asked him what was the matter, and he asked me back whether I thought +there was anything unlucky in names. When I told him that I did not +think so, and he still seemed troubled, I said he had better make a +clean breast of it, whereupon he said: "It's that little girl again, +sir." "Clums's girl?" I said. "No, sir, it's Elizabeth Jane." "You +have found her, then?" I said. "It's not _her_," says he; "it's them," +looking very gloomy. + +I told him to light his pipe (he had become a very great smoker) and to +tell me all about it. Accordingly, between puffs of his pipe, he +explained that he thought one of my aunt's maids, whose name was +Elizabeth, a very fine young woman; and he also thought the parson's +cook, whose name was Jane, a very fine young woman; but that after the +sad fate of our vessel, and the distressing discovery that the first +Elizabeth Jane's father had been hanged, he was afraid there was +something "unchancy," as he put it, about both names. Moreover, he +liked both Elizabeth and Jane so much that, even if there had been no +shadow on their names, he could not make up his mind between them: "And +I can't have 'em both," says he; "not even Harry the Eighth, by what +you said, had more'n one wife at once." I said it was a very hard +case, and after considering of it very deeply (as he thought) for a +good while, I told him that, being quite inexperienced in these +matters, I was afraid my advice would be of little worth, but he might +ask them whether they would go back with him to Palm Tree Island, and +choose the one that said yes. "I've done that, sir," says he heavily, +"and they both say they'd like it ever so, if it was me." This was a +facer, and I knew not what to say, until by a happy thought I suggested +that he should consult my aunt Susan, with whom he was a prime +favourite. + +He came to me a day or two after and said it was all settled. "I spoke +to Mrs. Brent, sir," says he, "and she said 'Bless the man! What next, +I wonder!' and then she says that she had nothing to say against +Elizabeth, who does her work well, but has rather a fancy for ribbons +and laces, she says; and as for Jane, she is a very decent respectable +woman, and a good cook, and makes dough cakes the very way Mrs. Brent +told her, she says. 'She'd make any man a good wife,' she says." + +"Well, you must bring Jane to see me," I said. + +"Oh, but it ain't Jane; it's Elizabeth," says he, and when I had done +laughing, and asked him why he had ignored my aunt's recommendation, he +launched forth into a very rambling and confused statement of which I +could make nothing. He married Elizabeth soon after, and I do not +think my aunt ever thoroughly forgave him. + +[Sidenote: One Mariner Returns] + +One day, about ten years ago, I was sitting with my uncle in his +garden, chatting with him as I frequently did in the evening, because +he could not get about much, when we saw an old man, very crooked and +infirm, hobble up to the gate on two sticks, and lift the latch. +Thinking he was a beggar, my uncle bade him very sharply to be off. +For a moment he hesitated; then he opened the gate and came slowly +towards us, my uncle shaking his fist at him, and daring him to move +another step. There was something strangely familiar, and yet +unfamiliar, in his appearance; but as he still hobbled along, it came +upon me all of a sudden who he was, and I told my uncle I believed it +was Nick Wabberley. "The scoundrel! The villain!" cried my uncle. +"How dare he show his face here!" and then he added under his breath, +"I'm getting old, Harry," remembering, I suppose, that he and Wabberley +were much of an age. + +Wabberley came towards us very slowly, and I saw that his hands were +shaking and his features twisted. He looked at my uncle, and then at +me, but it was plain that he did not recognize me; and then he began to +speak, and it was very pitiful to hear him, because with palsy upon him +he could not pronounce some of his words aright, and the story he told +was pitiful too. He related how he had been left with Hoggett and +Chick on the island by me and the stowaway, "who didn't ought to have +left us, men what they ought to respect," said he. Chick died; then +Hoggett fell into a melancholy and took to going off for days alone. +One day there was a dreadful eruption of the volcano, which terrified +them so much that they went down into the cavern below the hut to hide, +and when the danger was past, Hoggett refused to go up; he had lost his +wits and thought he was in his grave. Wabberley let down food to him +in a basket, but he did not touch it, and so remained until he starved +himself to death. + +"I was all alone; d'ye know what that is, Stephen Brent?" says +Wabberley. How long he lived thus solitary he knew not, but he was +nearly out of his mind when one day a ship's boat came ashore for +water, and brought him home, the wreck we saw him. "You won't forget +your old schoolmate, Stephen Brent?" says he; and my uncle, who had +muttered "Dear, dear!" and "Poor fellow!" and suchlike things, while +Wabberley was speaking, now thrust his hand into his pocket, and saying +"God have mercy on us all!" gave him a handful of silver. Wabberley +touched his forelock in the old mechanical fashion, and without a +second look at me he hobbled away, and as he came to the gate, whom +should he meet but Billy, walking up to the house with his eldest son, +a boy of twelve. Billy stopped, and in his face I saw a great +amazement; but Wabberley passed him by, not knowing him again. And +then I was surprised, and touched too, to see Billy follow after the +poor old man, and take him by one arm, and make his boy take the other, +to help his tottering footsteps, and so they passed out of my sight. + +[Sidenote: The End] + +I have been long of telling my story; yet I might have told much more +but for the fear of wearying you. Billy sometimes says he wouldn't +have minded taking a trip to the South Seas and having a look at Old +Smoker; but if it had come to the point I think he could hardly have +torn himself away from Elizabeth and the little Bobbins. As for me, +though I have neither wife nor child, I am too busy a man, and maybe +too old, to think of entering upon what would, I fear, be a long and +troublesome search. There have been many voyages of discovery in those +parts since my time, and if Palm Tree Island is now marked on maps and +charts for the guidance of captains and navigators, I think I should +feel a trifle sorry did I see it under another name. + + + +[1] This must have been Bougainville Island, one of the Solomon +Group.--H.S. + + + + +RICHARD CLAY & SONS, LIMITED, + +BREAD STREET HILL, E.C., AND + +BUNGAY, SUFFOLK. + + + + +HERBERT STRANG'S + +BOOKS FOR BOYS + + +"_Mr. Strang is the legitimate successor to the late Mr. Henty. There +were many chapters of Henty's, however, which boys were prone to +'skip'; they will not be tempted to skip anything of Mr. +Strang's._"--BIRMINGHAM POST. + + +Humphrey Bold: His Chances and Mischances by Land and Sea + +Illustrated in Colour by W. H. MARGETSON. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, +olivine edges, 6/-. Special Presentation Edition, 7/6 net. + +In this story are recounted the many adventures that befell Mr. +Humphrey Bold of Shrewsbury, from the time when, a puny slip of a boy, +he was befriended by Joe Punchard, the cooper's apprentice (who nearly +shook the life out of his tormentor, Cyrus Vetch, by rolling him down +the Wyle Cop in a barrel), to the day when, grown into a sturdy young +giant, he sailed into Plymouth Sound as first lieutenant of the +_Bristol_ frigate. The intervening chapters teem with exciting +incidents, telling of sea fights; of Humphrey's escape from a French +prison; of his voyage to the West Indies and all the perils he +encountered there. + +"A most thrilling and romantic story. We can easily understand any boy +becoming so interested and fascinated as to want to read it at a +sitting."--_Schoolmaster_. + + +Rob the Ranger: A Story of the Fight for Canada. + +Illustrated in Coiour by W. H. MARGETSON, and three Maps. Crown 8vo, +cloth elegant, olivine edges, 6/-. Special Presentation Edition, 7/6 +net. + +Rob Somers, son of an English settler in New York State, sets out with +Lone Pete, a trapper, in pursuit of an Indian raiding party which has +destroyed his home and carried off his younger brother. He is captured +and taken to Quebec, where he finds his brother, and escapes with him +in the dead of the winter, in company with a little band of New +Englanders. They are pursued over snow and ice, and in a log hut +beside Lake Champlain maintain a desperate struggle against a larger +force of French, Indians, and half-breeds, ultimately reaching Fort +Edward in safety. + +This book is recommended by General Baden Powell first among scouting +stories for boys. + + +One of Clive's Heroes: A Story of the Fight for India. + +Illustrated in Colour, and Maps. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine +edges, 6/- + +Desmond Burke goes out to India to seek his fortune, and is sold by a +false friend of his, one Marmaduke Diggle, to the famous Pirate of +Gheria. But he escapes, runs away with one of the Pirate's own +vessels, and meets Colonel Clive, whom he assists to capture the +Pirate's stronghold. His subsequent adventures on the other side of +India--how he saves a valuable cargo of his friend, Mr. Merriman, +assists Clive in his fights against Sirajuddaula, and rescues Mr. +Merriman's wife and daughter from the clutches of Diggle--are told with +great spirit and humour. + +"An absorbing story.... The narrative not only thrills, but also +weaves skilfully out of fact and fiction a clear impression of our +fierce struggle for India."--_Athenĉum_. + + +Settlers and Scouts: A Story of the African Highlands. + +Illustrated in Colours. Crown 8vo, cloth, olivine edges. 5/-. + +An Englishman and his son emigrate to a remote part of British East +Africa, where they settle down as farmers and stock raisers. The story +tells of their difficulties through the depredations of wild beasts, +and the yet more formidable attacks of an Arab engaged in the ivory +trade. The story is a worthy successor to "Tom Burnaby," also an +African tale, by which Mr. Herbert Strang made his reputation as a +writer for boys. + + +Samba: A Story of the Congo. + +Illustrated in Colour. Crown 8vo, cloth elegant, olivine edges, 5/-. + +The first work of fiction in which the cause of the hapless Congo +native is championed. + +"It was an excellent idea on the part of Mr. Herbert Strang to write a +story about the treatment of the natives in the Congo Free State.... +Mr. Strang has a big following among English boys, and anything he +chooses to write is sure to receive their appreciative +attention."--_Standard_. + +"Mr. Herbert Strang has written not a few admirable books for boys, but +none likely to make a more profound impression than his new story of +this year."--_Scotsman_. + + +Barclay of the Guides: A Story of the Indian Mutiny. + +Illustrated in coiour by H. W. KOEKKOEK. With Maps. Crown 8vo, cloth +elegant, olivine edges, 5/-. + +Of all our Native Indian regiments the Guides have probably the most +glorious traditions. They were among the few who remained true to +their salt during the trying days of the great Mutiny, vying in +gallantry and devotion with our best British regiments. The story +tells how James Barclay, after a strange career in Afghanistan, becomes +associated with this famous regiment, and though young in years, bears +a man's part in the great march to Delhi, the capture of the royal +city, and the suppression of the Mutiny. + +"One of the best boys' books of the year, and one which will find +favour everywhere."--_Journal of Education_. + + +With Drake on the Spanish Main + +Illustrated in Colour by ARCHIBALD WEBB. With Maps. Crown 8vo, cloth +elegant, olivine edges, 5/- + +A rousing story of adventure by sea and land. The hero, Dennis +Hazelrig, is cast ashore on an island in the Spanish Main, the sole +survivor of a band of adventurers from Plymouth. He lives for some +time with no companion but a spider monkey, but by a series of +remarkable incidents he gathers about him a numerous band of escaped +slaves and prisoners, English, French and native; captures a Spanish +Fort; fights a Spanish galleon; meets Francis Drake, and accompanies +him in his famous adventures on the Isthmus of Panama; and finally +reaches England the possessor of much treasure. + + +Jack Hardy: or, A Hundred Years Ago. + +Illustrated by W. RAINEY, R.I. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 2/6. + +The old smuggling days! What visions are called up by the name--of +stratagems, and caves, and secret passages, and ding-dong fights +between sturdy seamen and dashing King's officers! It is in these +brave days of old that Mr. Herbert Strang has laid the scenes of his +story "Jack Hardy." Jack is a bold young middy who, in the course of +his duty to the King, falls into all manner of difficulties and +dangers: has unpleasant experiences in a French prison, escapes by +sheer daring and ingenuity, and turns the tables on his captors in a +way that will make every British boy's heart glow. + +"Herbert Strang is second to none in graphic power and vivacity ... +Here is the best of characterization in bold outline."--_Athenĉum_. + + +King of the Air: or, To Morocco on an Airship + +Illustrated in Colour by W. E. WEBSTER. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 2/6 + + +Lord of the Seas: A Story of a Submarine. + +Illustrated in Colour by C. FLEMING WILLIAMS. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, +2/6. + +The present day is witnessing a simultaneous attack by scientific +investigation on the problems of aerial and submarine locomotion. In +"King of the Air" Mr. Strang gives us a romance of modern aeronautics. +In "Lord of the Seas" we have a companion volume dealing with the +marvels of submarine navigation. + +"Without doubt Mr. Strang is at the top of his profession. 'The King +of the Air' is one of the best boys' books in print, and Mr. Strang has +given us an excellent companion in 'Lord of the Seas.'"--_Dundee +Advertiser_. + + +Swift and Sure: The Story of a Hydroplane. + +Crown 8vo, cloth extra 2/6. + +What the aeroplane is to the air the hydroplane promises to be to the +sea. This story, a pendant to the two preceding books, is a forecast +of what may be expected from the progress of mechanical invention. + + + +HERBERT STRANG'S + +HISTORICAL SERIES + +Crown 8vo. With 4 Illustrations in Colour, 1/6 each. + + +WITH THE BLACK PRINCE (EDWARD III.). + +CLAUD THE ARCHER (HENRY V.). + +A MARINER OF ENGLAND (ELIZABETH). + +ONE OF RUPERT'S HORSE (CHARLES I.). + +WITH MARLBOROUGH TO MALPLAQUET (ANNE). + + + + +HENRY FROWDE AND HODDER & STOUGHTON + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Palm Tree Island, by Herbert Strang + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PALM TREE ISLAND *** + +***** This file should be named 37418-8.txt or 37418-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/4/1/37418/ + +Produced by Al Haines + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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