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+                              A BOY CRUSOE
+
+
+
+
+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 http://www.gutenberg.org/license.
+
+
+
+Title: A Boy Crusoe
+       or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands
+Author: Allan Eric
+Release Date: April 14, 2014 [EBook #45397]
+Reposted: April 21, 2014 [textual corrections]
+Language: English
+Character set encoding: UTF-8
+
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BOY CRUSOE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Al Haines.
+
+
+
+
+
+                              A BOY CRUSOE
+
+                                   OR
+
+               The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands
+
+
+                                   BY
+                               ALLAN ERIC
+
+
+
+                        M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY
+                          CHICAGO -- NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+                          [Transcriber’s note:
+          This book was also published as "A Yankee Crusoe".]
+
+              MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
+
+
+
+
+                              *CONTENTS.*
+
+Chapter.
+
+      I. Early Life; Off for a Voyage
+     II. Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea
+    III. A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship
+     IV. Cast Up by the Sea on a Tropical Island
+      V. Strange Surroundings; Building a House
+     VI. The Stockade; a Crusoe’s Life
+    VII. A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply
+   VIII. Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun
+     IX. Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles’ Eggs
+      X. In the Folds of a Snake
+     XI. The Mountain Cave; a Beacon; Attack by Pigs
+    XII. Return to the Coast; a Mangrove Swamp; Fever
+   XIII. A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish Trap
+    XIV. Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits
+     XV. A Hurricane and a Ship-Wreck
+    XVI. Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House
+   XVII. Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck
+  XVIII. The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain
+    XIX. An Ancient Ruin; Wonderful Discovery
+     XX. "The Golden Treasure;" Its Removal
+    XXI. Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster
+   XXII. Boat-Building; A Startling Sound
+  XXIII. Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island
+
+
+
+
+                             *A BOY CRUSOE*
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER I.*
+
+                  _*Early Life; Off for a Voyage*_*.*
+
+
+I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the
+Civil War.  My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the
+average farmer’s son in the remote country districts of New
+England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more.  Hard work
+on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country
+schoolhouse, a day’s fishing now and then filled the early years of my
+life full to over-flowing.  In the winter it was work in the woods,
+cutting up the year’s supply of fire-wood; and then, before the spring
+ploughing time, my brother and myself found pleasant labor and
+recreation combined in the maple woods, tapping the trees, gathering the
+sap and tending the fire under the great kettles where the sweet product
+of the maple was transformed into syrup and sugar.
+
+I really think that I was more thoughtful than the average boy.  I know
+that I read more.  I do not remember ever feeling dissatisfied with my
+life or with the prospects that the future held out for me.  Probably I
+was too young for these things to trouble me much; but I read everything
+in the way of books and papers that I could borrow, or purchase by
+saving a little money earned in various ways.  I was fond of stories of
+adventure; but travel and adventure combined, interested me most.
+Therefore, as I grew older, I became imbued with a passionate desire to
+travel in foreign lands.  The tropics were my ideal, and this feeling
+became stronger as the years went by.
+
+When I was fifteen years of age my father removed to a large village
+where there was a graded school, and I entered the grammar school, then
+the high school from which I was graduated.
+
+The passion for travel still had a strong hold upon me, but I saw no
+immediate prospect of gratifying it, for I was obliged to look about for
+some immediate means of earning a living for myself.  When everything
+else fails, one can always find an opportunity to canvass for a
+publishing house or a novelty concern; so, soon after leaving the high
+school, I was trudging up and down the banks of the Penobscot river,
+calling from house to house.  It was discouraging work, but I succeeded
+moderately well.
+
+Late in the fall I went up to Bangor to canvass that city, and it was
+there that I made the acquaintance of a gentleman, which led to the
+experiences that I am about to relate, and which changed the whole
+course of my life.
+
+Mr. William H. Sargent was a wealthy, retired merchant, with impaired
+health.  His wealth had been acquired by trading with the South American
+countries, and the West Indies, and he still retained large interest in
+many vessels sailing to that part of the world.
+
+It was his idea to make a voyage in one of these vessels, and the
+friendship which had developed between us, mostly through meeting in the
+reading room of the Public Library, caused him to suggest that I
+accompany him on his voyage to the Southern seas.
+
+I accepted only too gladly, and that very evening I wrote a long letter
+to my mother, explaining my good fortune, bidding her not to worry by
+exaggerating, in her own mind, the dangers to be encountered.
+
+The next few days I spent mostly with my benefactor, for as such I
+looked upon him, helping him in various ways in his preparations for the
+voyage.  As for myself, I required little more than a modest supply of
+clothing.
+
+Mr. Sargent was thoughtful and considerate, however, and insisted upon
+my procuring much that I deemed unnecessary for my modest requirements,
+paying for the same from his own pocket.
+
+Our craft was a trim bark called the _Ethelyn Hope_, built at Searsport
+three years before. She was two hundred and fifty tons gross measurement
+and sat in the water jauntily and buoyantly.  From her load water-line
+to the tips of her topmast she was as trim a craft as one could wish to
+see.  As she lay at the wharf ready for sea, everything on deck had been
+made snug, and not a coil of rope or spare block was out of place.  Her
+cargo consisted of case oil, salt fish and flour in her hold, and she
+carried a good deck-load of lumber.  She was bound for Cayenne, French
+Guiana, on the north coast of South America.
+
+The _Ethelyn Hope_ was commanded by Captain Thomas Witham; and the
+first, second and third mates, with nine able seamen before the mast
+comprised the crew.
+
+Nothing remained to be done except to cast off the lines, when, released
+from her bonds the bark slowly moved down the river.  The sails on the
+lower yards and jib-boom were set, and with a light breeze favoring her,
+aided by the swift current, the city was soon lost behind High Head.
+
+By daylight the following morning we had passed through the "Narrows",
+and just at sunrise all sails were set and the bark squared away for the
+mouth of the bay where she was laid on a sou’, sou’-east course as she
+took her final departure.
+
+My spirits were decidedly buoyant as the bark glided out of the bay into
+the open sea, and a delicious sense of elation took possession of me as
+I realized that I was really on board a ship, with the land fading away
+behind me, bound for a foreign shore, the wonderful tropics, the land of
+palms of which I had read so much.  I should see for myself the curious
+things of the sea, strange countries and people; and perhaps encounter
+fierce animals in the virgin forests, the home of birds of rare and
+beautiful plumage.
+
+With a strong northwest breeze the bark stood away on her course, with
+every sail filled out and drawing handsomely.  Although the weather had
+been clear and the sea fairly calm, by sunset a thin haze rendered the
+outline of the horizon dimly visible, and the Captain began to fear a
+blow.  His nautical instinct made him sure that there was to be a change
+in the weather, and he gave orders for everything to be made secure.
+And, sure enough, at dusk the wind freshened and hauled around into the
+north-east.
+
+It was about this time that I suddenly became conscious of a peculiar
+feeling, a sudden dizziness, like the sensation caused by a boy’s first
+cigar.  I knew well enough that I was experiencing the first sensations
+of seasickness, and, suddenly losing interest in the sailing of the
+ship, I went below and tumbled into my berth.
+
+Feeling somewhat better, while I lay quiet, I had nearly dropped off to
+sleep when I was aroused by a tremendous noise, which brought me to my
+senses, when I realized that the vessel was rolling and pitching wildly.
+I could hear the howling of the wind around the deck-houses, and the
+snapping of the great sails.  Now and then I heard the sound of the
+Captain’s voice on deck as though he were giving brisk orders; and I
+rightly concluded that we were having it very rough.  I looked across
+the cabin and saw that Mr. Sargent was in his berth, but as he was
+apparently not asleep I spoke to him, asking if there was any danger.
+
+"Oh, I guess not," he replied.  "We are having a pretty stiff blow."
+
+Strangely enough, I suppose, I did not now feel sick, though my head was
+a little dizzy, so I concluded to go on deck.  I cautiously ascended the
+companion way, and found the Captain standing near the wheel, enveloped
+in oil-skins, his head being covered by an ample sou’wester.
+
+"Hello, boy," was his greeting, "what are you doing up here?  The best
+place for you is below; you might get blown over-board."
+
+But I begged to be allowed to remain a little, arguing that I felt
+better on deck, and the Captain relented and found a sheltered place
+under the lee of the cook’s galley, telling me not to try to move about
+the deck.
+
+The bark was rolling and tossing, but appeared to be bounding through
+the water like a race-horse. Soon I heard the Captain tell the mate that
+the wind had shifted around into the east, and that they were in for a
+stiff blow, and rain, too, before long.
+
+So it proved, and it was not long before the squall struck in earnest.
+The ship careened, and a sea came over her weather rail, until the
+lee-scuppers spouted green water, wetting me a little, even in my
+sheltered retreat.
+
+The rain began to fall, and the sailors had their hands full.  There was
+a great commotion of loudly spoken orders, the tramping of feet, the
+creaking of blocks, the rush and roar of the sea and the howling of the
+blast through the rigging.  All hands were called to take in sail, and
+the bark, soon close hauled, was lying over nearly to her lee rail.  The
+heavy sea beat against her bows with all the force which tons of water
+could exert, while the staunch little vessel, quivering for a moment
+would seem to hesitate, and then plunge forward to meet the next
+onslaught like an animate thing possessed of sensible emotions.  The
+spray, flying back over the bows, drenched the deck from fore to aft.
+The topsail halyards had been hauled taut, and the sails filled out and
+backed against the masts with a noise like thunder.
+
+I did not long remain in the scanty shelter afforded by the house, but
+made the best of my way to the cabin.  To make matters worse, I was
+again off my "sea-legs," and was getting terribly sick.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER II.*
+
+                 _*Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea*_*.*
+
+
+The gale continued until the end of the fourth day, and we were south of
+the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream, when it abated somewhat, and
+though it continued to blow heavily, the sea was running more regularly,
+in long, even swells which made the motion of the bark less
+disagreeable, especially for me.
+
+The studding sails were taken in, and the wind was hauled, in order that
+the Captain might be given an opportunity to determine our longitude.
+
+The Captain found that we were not far off the course, as the wind had
+blown mostly from north, and northeast and east.  The sails were
+trimmed, and, by sundown the wind veered around into the northwest and
+blew steadily, while the sea gradually subsided.  We were now about two
+hundred miles to the eastward of Watling’s Island, one of the Bahamas,
+also known as San Salvador, the first land in the New World discovered
+by Columbus.  The stars shone bright, and the bark, rolling easily,
+plowed the warm waters of the sub-tropic sea.  I remained with Mr.
+Sargent long on deck that night, watching the phosphorence of the water,
+which in these latitudes, is sometimes very brilliant.
+
+The morning dawned upon a tropic sea, for the bark had made good
+progress during the night, and we were well abreast of the larger
+islands of the Bahamas.  The breeze was soft and balmy, and the ocean a
+deep, crystal blue, of a hue never seen except in these southern
+latitudes.  This is owing partly to the remarkable reflection of the sky
+but more to the extreme depth of the water.  Myriads of flying fish rose
+in flocks from the water and fluttered away on both sides of the ship as
+the bark glided through the weeds of the Sargasso Sea.  The Sargasso
+weed is a genus by itself, which, thrust away to the south by the mighty
+ocean currents, lies in a vast central pool, a great eddy between the
+Gulf Stream and the Equatorial current; and here it revolves.  It is
+ocean born, and long ages have passed since it lost its habit of growing
+on the rocky sea-bottom.  Forever floating it feeds among its branches
+whole families of crabs, cuttle-fish and mollusks, which like the plant
+itself, are found in no other seas.
+
+The flying-fish interested me greatly, for I had read much about them.
+I noticed that their flight was as perfect as that of some kinds of
+birds, and that it very closely resembled that of the swallow, in that
+it was a skimming, circling flight.  I had read that the flying-fish
+rarely leaves the water unless pursued by a shark or some other fish to
+which it is a prey; and that, on leaving the water it does not really
+fly, but, instead, emerges from the water on an upward plane, enabling
+it to skim along for some distance.  I had read, also, that the fish is
+unable to remain in the air only while its wings are wet.  This latter
+statement is undoubtedly correct; but I observed that its flight was
+perfect, the fish making use of its greatly elongated and highly
+developed pectoral fins, as wings.  I saw them flying singly and in
+flocks or schools, when they were not pursued by sharks and I was
+thoroughly convinced that they did actually fly. They gyrated in the air
+exactly like swallows, and moved their wings very rapidly like birds.
+There seemed to be no limit to the length of their flight, for they
+would rise from beneath the bows and fly away in a continuous line until
+lost to sight in the distance.
+
+Once one dropped upon the deck in the night and the cook broiled it,
+assuring us that its flesh was very delicate, much like that of a fresh
+water perch; and indeed, so it proved to be.
+
+The Captain had taken a course much further to the eastward than he
+would ordinarily. Usually, in going to the Guianas, the route is through
+the Bahama group, by way of the Crooked Island Channel, thence through
+the Windward Passage, between Cuba and Haiti and across the Caribbean
+sea by the east end of Jamaica.  But Mr. Sargent wished to go further to
+the eastward so as to pass among the Leeward Islands, perhaps landing
+there to await the return of the bark from the coast.  This plan could
+be followed without detriment, as a little delay in reaching Guiana was
+more than likely to result in an improved market for the cargo.  This
+explains the unusual course of the _Ethelyn Hope_.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER III.*
+
+               _*A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship*_*.*
+
+
+The weather continued fine for three days, after passing the latitude of
+San Salvador, with a fresh breeze blowing from the northwest, which sped
+the bark on her course so that she logged better than ten knots; but on
+the fourth day the wind swung around to the north and gradually hauled
+into the northeast, and the long, steady swells began to rise.
+
+The Captain at once prepared for a gale and ordered the sails trimmed to
+meet it.  That the apprehensions of the Captain were grave was proven by
+the precautions taken; for not only was sail shortened to the last
+extremity, but the hatches were securely battened down.
+
+The barometer began to fall about noon, and from that time the wind
+increased until it was blowing a gale; but just after sunset the wind
+almost died away, though the mountainous foam-flecked seas continued.
+
+As the sun went down the sky rapidly became overcast, and a cloud of
+inky blackness appeared along the horizon.  As we stood watching it a
+long line of whiteness appeared between the sea and the black cloud, and
+stretched away far toward the east.  Gradually the white line came
+nearer, until it proved to be a wall of foam.  It was advancing toward
+the ship with great rapidity; and as it came nearer the air above it was
+seen to be filled with flying spray.
+
+The wind began to freshen, and the sailors were hurrying about in
+obedience to the orders of the Captain, still shortening sail.  All the
+upper sails were reefed.
+
+Nearer and nearer came the wall of foam, and with a roar it struck the
+ship, and the storm broke in a perfect tornado.
+
+The bark was careened until the lee scuppers were submerged; and the
+staunch craft shook from end to end.  For an instant she seemed buried
+beneath the raging sea, and then rose and plunged into the next wave.
+
+Mr. Sargent and I made haste to go below, where we remained holding
+ourselves in our berths while the ship reeled, plunged and groaned in
+every timber and plank.
+
+A fearful report like the crack of a rifle told us that some sail had
+been carried away; and then followed others.  At length, from a change
+in the ship’s motion, we judged that the Captain was trying to put her
+about and run before the gale; but suddenly a fearful crash which seemed
+as though the bark had split from stem to stern was followed by a
+terrible rolling and plunging.
+
+Crack!  Crack! and the bark pitched and groaned worse than ever.
+
+We heard the Captain making his way toward the cabin, and then saw him
+enter.  His face wore a look of deep anxiety.
+
+"The masts have gone," he said, "and the bark is unmanageable.  You must
+prepare for the worst.  We may have to take to the boats."
+
+"At once, Captain?" asked Mr. Sargent.
+
+"I cannot tell until the well is sounded; but I fear that she must
+founder."
+
+At that moment the first mate entered the cabin and stated that the bark
+was leaking badly.  The water was rising fast in the hold.
+
+"We must remain on the ship to the last moment," said the Captain, "for
+a boat could not live in this sea."
+
+The Captain returned to the deck, and how long we clung to the berths I
+cannot tell, for I was dazed by the peril which threatened us--Were we
+to be lost at sea, drowned, all hands?
+
+The Captain again entered the cabin.  "We must take to the boats," he
+said, "and Heaven help us."
+
+We hastened on deck just as we were, half clothed, leaving everything
+behind.  Nothing could be taken.
+
+When we reached the deck we saw the Captain standing by the starboard
+boat.  The other had been launched, and had instantly disappeared in the
+darkness and foaming water.
+
+The Captain, first and second mate, Mr. Sargent and myself now alone
+remained on the bark.
+
+We hurried into the boat.  "We should not be far from one of the
+outlying islands of the Windward group," said the captain; "and if the
+boat can live in this sea until daylight we may reach one of the Virgin
+Islands."
+
+The tackle was let go, and a great sea caught the boat.  She was lifted
+up, and up, and up, and then sank, it seemed, into a fathomless abyss.
+
+I saw the first and second mate bend to the oars.  The Captain was in
+the stern.  The boat careened and seemed to start suddenly upward on an
+inclined plane.
+
+A rush of water enveloped her.  I heard a roaring sound in my ears, and
+I knew no more.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER IV.*
+
+             _*Cast up by the Sea on a Tropical Island*_*.*
+
+
+When I regained consciousness I was lying upon a sandy beach.  I was
+uninjured, but rather stiff, while my body seemed to be bruised in
+places.  I was, of course, wet to the skin, and I crawled up and lay
+upon the sand where my clothing was quickly dried by the hot sun, now
+well up.
+
+Meanwhile I looked about me.  I had been driven ashore between two
+points of land, upon a narrow beach.  The vegetation, very thick and
+luxuriant, grew close to the line of sand, and all around me, beautiful
+trees were waving in the balmy breeze, their shining leaves glistening
+in the sunlight.
+
+I stood up and looked behind me, but I saw nothing save lofty mountains
+heavily wooded.
+
+I had no doubt but that I was on an island, indeed I could be nowhere
+else, and I judged that it must be one of the most northern of the
+Leeward group.
+
+Looking toward the sea, I saw only the broad expanse of deep blue water
+stretching away to the horizon.  There was no other land in sight.
+
+The sea had become calmer, but the influence of the storm was still
+evidenced by the heavy surf which broke upon the narrow beach.  There
+was no wreckage of any kind, no sign of anything or anybody belonging to
+the bark.
+
+At first the utter lonesomeness and hopelessness of my situation
+depressed me; but it would not do to give way to gloomy thoughts.  I was
+entirely alone, and, so far as I knew, upon an uninhabited island.  My
+future was a sealed book.  After a while I began to take a more hopeful
+view of the situation, and the novelty of my surroundings, and the
+strange things about me, aroused my curiosity.  So I determined to
+explore along the shore.
+
+The vegetation was very dense, and appeared to be interwoven with vines
+of monstrous size. One kind of tree, very tall and with a heavy long
+narrow leaf seemed to be the most abundant; and from the descriptions
+which I had read, and by the clusters of oblong fruit at the bases of
+the leaf-heads, I knew them to be cocoanut palms.
+
+"If I am really alone upon an uninhabited island," I thought, "at least
+I shall not starve so long as I am able to obtain plenty of cocoanuts."
+
+Slowly I walked along the shore, my face being toward the east as I knew
+from the direction of the sun.  First I decided to go to the top of the
+loftiest headland to see if I could obtain any trace of the bark,
+although I felt sure that she had gone down, and that all but myself had
+perished; still, the loneliness of my situation caused me to cling to
+what I felt was but a vain hope, that some one beside myself had
+survived.
+
+With thoughts confused, and laboring under varying emotions, I walked
+slowly along, keeping on the sand except when I was obliged to turn
+aside to avoid a kind of dagger-like plant whose leaves were armed with
+cruel points.
+
+Reaching the headland I was obliged to go through a thicket where my
+scanty clothing, as well as my hands, was torn by great thorns. However,
+I reached the point of land, and climbing to the top of a high mound I
+looked around.  Before me, and to my right and left, there was nothing
+but the blue, heaving ocean; and behind me, I saw nothing but a dense
+forest, with lofty mountains in the distance.  There was no sign of life
+save brilliant plumaged birds flitting about, and bright colored
+butterflies glancing in the sunshine.
+
+Surely I was alone; but whether on an uninhabited island or not, the
+future alone would reveal.  For the present it did not matter, and I
+must certainly depend upon my own resources.
+
+I returned to the spot where I had been cast ashore, meanwhile revolving
+in my mind my present condition.  What gave me great anxiety just then
+was my lack of clothing.  I had on only my trousers, and shirt, shoes
+and stockings; and these were all I possessed in the world, but I was
+overjoyed to find that my knife was still in one of the pockets of my
+trousers.  It was a good one, large and having two blades.  The large
+blade was long and strong, and the possession of it might mean much to
+me in the future.
+
+Reaching the place where I regained consciousness after being thrown
+ashore by the waves. I began to think of finding a good place to build a
+temporary shelter.  This seemed to be as good a location as any, I
+thought, as I looked around.  It was in a sheltered cove, a clear,
+grassy plat surrounded by trees.
+
+"Why not make my camp right here," I asked myself; and as I reflected it
+seemed to be the only place where I should locate for the present, for
+here I should be in a position to watch closely in the hope that some
+vestige of the bark would yet be washed ashore; for I thought that, if
+the vessel had foundered, something belonging to her would very likely
+come ashore, and I felt sure that some parts of the boats, and perhaps
+the bodies of some of my unfortunate companions would be almost sure to
+drift in.
+
+It was, I judged, now near mid-day, and the heat of the sun upon my head
+gave me some concern.  I must devise some covering for my head.  Looking
+about with this object in view, I saw hanging from a small palm tree
+what looked like coarse canvas.  On examining it more closely, I found
+that it was really a sort of natural cloth, about the color of hemp, and
+composed of fibres that appeared to be very strong, crossing one another
+like warp and filling, but not interwoven.  Instead, the fibres were
+closely stuck together so that a strong, pliant fabric was formed.
+
+With my knife I cut off a large piece which I twisted about in such a
+manner as to form a conical cap.  The edges I fastened together with
+long, sharp thorns that I cut from some bushes near by.  This, though
+rude, would protect my head for the time being.
+
+Before proceeding to begin the construction of my place of abode, I felt
+inclined to look about for some means of satisfying the hunger which I
+now felt keenly, for I had eaten nothing since supper the night before
+on board the ill-fated bark.
+
+The cocoanut trees suggested the most available source of supply for the
+first meal in the strange surroundings in which I found myself; so going
+to a cluster of the trees near by, meanwhile wondering how I would
+manage to obtain the nuts fifty feet or more above my head, I was
+greatly relieved to find plenty of them lying upon the ground.  But the
+nuts that I saw were not like those common in the markets at home.
+Instead, they were oblong and many times larger.  I soon discovered that
+to get at the meat I must first cut away the outer husk or covering with
+which it was enveloped; so I opened my knife and set to work.  It was no
+easy task, for the husk was thick and tough; but after much labor I
+succeeded in removing it until I bared the round, hard shell of the nut,
+when, with a large stone I was not long in cracking it, and laying bare
+the white meat. With the nut in my hands I walked about among the trees
+as I ate.  So interested was I in the beautiful, brilliant-colored
+flowers, some of which were of enormous size, and in numbers of little
+green lizards that hopped about over the leaves of the smaller shrubs,
+that I did not at once notice, as I came into a grassy, circular plat,
+that the ground beneath a compact, shapely tree was plentifully
+besprinkled with golden globes, and I was in a high state of elation
+when I discovered that they were oranges. The tree itself was loaded
+with green and yellow fruit.  I peeled one of the largest, and found
+that it was delicious and juicy, but of a rather different flavor from
+those to which I had been accustomed.  But here was at least both
+refreshment and sustenance, so I was in no danger of starving, and I
+made a hearty meal.
+
+Crossing the grassy plat where the orange tree grew, I descended a
+gentle slope among the palm trees and soon came to a beautiful little
+stream of clear water.  Having still one of the halves of the cocoanut
+shell in my hand, I used it as a cup and took a long draught of the
+water, which, though rather warm, appeared to be pure and wholesome.
+
+The stream at this point was quite broad and very shallow, and though
+but a few rods from the mouth it flowed quite swiftly.  Along the banks
+I noticed that a certain tall, reed-like plant grew in great profusion,
+and, on closer examination I discovered it to be a kind of wild cane,
+with large, feathery, chocolate-colored plumes.
+
+I followed the bank of the stream to the shore, and then returned to my
+landing place, walking along the narrow beach.
+
+Hunger satisfied for the time-being, I set about making preparations for
+constructing my dwelling.  Although in no need of protection from cold
+in this tropical climate, I remembered having read that it was not
+advisable to be without shelter at night, so I decided that my first
+task should be to construct a house, or a hut.
+
+I first chose a clear place a little in among the palms, perhaps a dozen
+rods from the beach, and, as accurately as I could by pacing, I measured
+off an area ten feet square.  Each corner I marked by driving down a
+short stick, and then went in search of four corner posts.  After a
+little searching I found some straight trees about three inches in
+diameter, having smooth bark and with but few limbs, each tree forked
+about seven feet from the ground.  After an hour’s hard work, I
+succeeded in cutting down four of them with my knife; and after trimming
+off the branches and cutting off the tops, leaving ample forks, I
+dragged them to the site of lay dwelling.  I next felled another pole
+which was cut in halves, leaving the butt end about four feet long.
+This I sharpened at the thickest end, and with it made holes about
+eighteen inches deep at each corner of the square to be occupied by my
+house.
+
+Into each of these holes I set one of the forked corner posts, wedging
+it firmly with stones from the beach, driven solidly down all around it,
+filling in each with earth which I trod down firmly.  Four long poles
+were now needed to rest one end in each of the upright forks, so as to
+form a frame, and I started away again, this time toward the brook,
+which I followed up stream.  I had gone but a short distance when I came
+to a place where the stream widened into a broad pool.  The water here
+was dark and apparently deep, and all around it, gracefully bending over
+the still depths, I found growing tall plants having small, narrow green
+leaves.  The plants grew in clusters, and some of them were very tall, I
+judged from twenty-five to forty feet.  I hurried forward with a view to
+ascertaining whether they would suit my purpose, when I immediately made
+a discovery which at once solved the question of obtaining an ample
+supply of material for building operations, both now and in the future;
+for the tall, graceful plants proved to be bamboos. I knew them from the
+descriptions I had read, and from the regular joints, just like those I
+had seen on the bamboo fishing rods at home.
+
+I selected several of the bamboos, each being about two inches in
+diameter, and although I found them to be very hard, I managed to cut
+them down, and to trim off the branches and the tops.  By making three
+trips I dragged the bamboos to my building site.  Laying them along one
+side of the area to be occupied by the house, I found that they were
+nearly twenty feet long.  Four of them I cut off to the required length.
+I then raised one on either side, one end of each pole resting in one of
+the forks of the uprights.  A pole was then laid across each of the
+other sides, resting upon the poles supported by the forks, so that a
+sort of scaffold was formed, which needed only to be covered over to be
+complete.
+
+I had worked so busily and had become so much interested that I scarcely
+noticed that the sun was already sinking behind the palm trees, and
+casting long shadows across the beach; so, as I was aware that darkness
+very quickly follows sunset in the tropics, I must make haste and
+provide a temporary shelter for the night before suspending work.  I
+therefore cut the rest of the poles in halves and laid them across the
+two longer poles resting in the forks, thus forming a gridiron-like
+structure.  With my knife I cut a large quantity of leafy branches from
+the shrubs that grew near at hand, and then went to the brook for an
+armful of wild canes.  With this material I covered a portion of the
+scaffold, making quite a good shelter between myself and the sky.
+
+As the sun sank lower and the shadows deepened, I felt a sense of
+loneliness steal over me, for the idea of spending the night alone, I
+knew not where, perhaps on an island, with the boundless ocean on one
+side, and a deep, unknown forest on the other which might conceal fierce
+wild animals, was not at all pleasing.  But I must train myself to know
+no fear, and the sooner I began to school myself to this end, the
+better.
+
+Although I felt sure I should not sleep with nothing to protect me and
+with no means of making a fire, I instinctively began to think of
+providing some sort of couch; and again I took my knife and cut a
+quantity of bushes which I piled in the form of a bed beneath the
+scaffold. I next cut several armfuls of the tall grass which grew all
+around and with it covered the couch of bushes.  I now had an acceptable
+bed, so constructed that one end which was to serve as the head, was
+about a foot higher than the other.
+
+By the time I had finished it was quite dark; but I still stood leaning
+against one of the corner uprights with my face turned toward the
+forest, hesitating what to do next, and instinctively listening for some
+new sound.  There was no breeze stirring, and the sea lightly washed the
+sand with a low murmur which tended to increase my feeling of
+loneliness. Since sunset the air had become beautifully cool.  For a
+long time I stood motionless.
+
+The sounds of the night were about me; and once I started violently when
+I thought I heard a twig crack.  Then I heard, apparently only a little
+distance away, a noise like a stone, thrown by some one, striking the
+ground; but, after the startled feeling had partly left me I reasoned
+that the noise was made by a ripened cocoanut falling from the tree.
+The indistinct notes of many insects, new and strange, filled the air,
+and one particularly noisy insect gave forth a sharp clipping sound like
+that made by shears in the hands of a barber.  Sometimes a note like
+that of a bird varied the myriads of sounds. Feeling reassured, after a
+time, I cautiously lay down upon my couch, but still listening.  How
+long I remained conscious I cannot say; but I must have been very weary
+from the excitement of the ship-wreck, the hardship of being cast ashore
+and the busy day’s work.
+
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER V.*
+
+             _*Strange Surroundings; Building a House*_*.*
+
+
+My next sensation was that of the sun shining in my face when I awoke in
+the morning. At first, as I looked out from beneath my shelter I could
+scarcely comprehend where I was or how I came there; but the events of
+the day before soon returned to me.  For a few minutes I lay still,
+looking around upon my beautiful surroundings.  What a perfect paradise
+it was, and how overjoyed I should be were I here under different
+circumstances.
+
+There was a gentle breeze stirring, just enough to move the feathery
+leaves of the palms and to slightly bend the tall grass; and though I
+could not see any of them, I heard birds giving forth discordant notes
+in the forest around.
+
+But I must stir myself, for there was much to do.  My house must be
+finished, I must devise some articles for personal use, and the problem
+of my future sustenance must be solved, for I could not long continue to
+work and subsist entirely upon cocoanuts and oranges, although they
+would answer well enough for the present.
+
+So I sprang up and going directly to the stream I bathed my face and
+hands.  Having no towel and seeing no substitute for one, I sat down and
+dried myself in the sun.
+
+Cracking another cocoanut in the same manner as I did the day before and
+gathering some oranges, I sat down with my back against the palm tree
+and proceeded with my frugal breakfast. As I had neglected to provide
+myself with a meal ere I retired the night before, I was very hungry and
+my appetite was not satisfied until I had eaten nearly a dozen oranges,
+beside the cocoanut.  Using a half shell of the cocoanut as a cup, I
+took a long drink of water from the stream and turned again toward my
+embryo dwelling.
+
+I thought it best to construct the walls first in order to provide
+against the possible attacks of wild animals, and knowing this to be the
+first part of the dry season which, in the latitude in which I judged
+myself to be, lasts from the middle of November until May, there was no
+immediate necessity for providing shelter from rain.
+
+The necessity of devising some plan for keeping an accurate account of
+each day as it passed, now occurred to me, and as I walked back to the
+pool for another supply of bamboos, I revolved the question in my mind.
+The record which I proposed to keep must be indestructible, and in some
+compact, portable form so that I could easily take it with me in the
+event of sudden departure from my habitation.  One of the halves of the
+cocoanut shells which caught my eye as I passed the spot where I had
+partaken of breakfast, gave me an idea which I at once adopted.
+
+Then and there I put the plan into execution. It was this: I resolved to
+use only the halves of the cocoanut shells that contained the natural
+holes through which the shoots of the germinating nut emerge from the
+shell.  The meat was removed from the half shell, leaving the two holes
+through it.
+
+At the close of each day, as near sunset as possible, I would cut a deep
+notch in the edge of the shell, and each shell should have as many
+notches as there were days in the month.  On the completion of the month
+I would carve with my knife the name of the month and year; and in this
+way I hoped to preserve a correct record of the time.  As each month was
+finished I proposed to pass a cord through one of the holes; and for the
+purpose I at once braided a strong cord from the fibres of the cocoanut
+cloth from which I had constructed my head gear.
+
+I remembered, accurately the day of the wreck, and as I had been on
+shore one day, I out the first notch, and engraved on the shell:
+"December 18th, 18--."
+
+As I marked upon my calendar I wondered how many shells I should have
+upon my string ere I was rescued from my lonely position. "Perhaps," I
+thought, "I may never see any other place."  But I resolved not to
+harbor gloomy thoughts; and tying a large hard knot in one end of the
+cord, I strung the shell upon it, inserting it from the outside.
+Succeeding shells strung upon the cord would fit into one another like a
+nest of bowls.  Thus I would have a complete record, and a practically
+imperishable one.
+
+As I knew the day of the week on which I had commenced my lone life, I
+resolved, for each Sunday, to bore a hole instead of cutting a notch,
+for I intended to observe the Sabbath by abstaining from work.
+
+Continuing my way to the pool, I set to work cutting bamboos.  I
+selected only those measuring about two inches in diameter, and before
+the sun reached the zenith I had thirty of them cut and trimmed, ready
+to drag to my house.
+
+I found it hot work, and I threw myself down to rest.  For the first
+time I caught sight of the birds that had been making such a babel of
+discordant sounds all the morning.  Several of them were flying about
+near the opposite side of the pool, and I at once recognized them as
+parrots.
+
+"What a consolation it would be," I thought, "if I could capture one and
+teach it to talk. It certainly would prove far better than no
+companion."
+
+Having landed the bamboos at the house, I set about cutting them into
+lengths corresponding to the height of the corner posts.  These I set
+into the ground at regular intervals, in line with the posts, lashing
+the upper ends to the horizontal poles resting in the forks, and to the
+poles across the other two sides, using for the purpose a long, supple
+vine which I found growing in plenty in the edge of the woods, twisting
+around the trunks of the trees.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER VI.*
+
+                  _*The Stockade; A Crusoe’s Life*_*.*
+
+
+By the time I had finished setting the poles into the ground, thus
+forming the enclosure of the house, my appetite began to assert itself;
+and I was again reminded that I must search for food other than
+cocoanuts and oranges. More substantial nourishment I must have if I was
+to continue to work and retain my health and strength.  But my extreme
+anxiety to carry along the construction of my house sufficiently far to
+afford a feeling of security at night, decided me to make a few more
+meals of the oranges and nuts before suspending work long enough to
+discover or develop resources.
+
+Again I went to the pool and cut two more bamboos, each twenty feet
+long.  I then cut them in halves, making four poles each ten feet long.
+Carrying these to the house, I lashed one across the upright palings
+midway between the upper pole and the ground, lashing them firmly to
+each of the palings.  This strengthened the structure, and shaking it
+with all my strength I was gratified to find that, though naturally
+elastic, it was firm and strong.
+
+As I now had a safe protection from any wild animal of moderate size and
+strength, I felt that I should be secure at night.  I was on an island
+somewhere to the northeast of the Caribbean sea, in fact, I reasoned
+that I could be nowhere else; and from this, together with what I had
+read, I concluded that there could be no very large or ferocious wild
+animals in the forests about me.
+
+I still had some time to work before sunset, and I therefore went to the
+bank of the stream to cut a quantity of wild canes which I proposed to
+weave in the form of basket work, between the palings, thus forming the
+walls of my house.
+
+Cutting the canes was easy work, and by sunset I had a great pile of
+them landed by the house.
+
+Again satisfying the cravings of hunger with oranges and cocoanuts,
+washed down with water from the brook, I cut another notch in the
+cocoanut-shell calendar, and after sitting and listening to the varied
+insect sounds until it was quite dark, I retired, to my couch within the
+inclosure.
+
+Lying upon my couch, until I fell asleep, I revolved in my mind various
+plans for the future.  The details for the construction of my house were
+pretty well worked out in my mind; and the desirability of surrounding
+my abode with some sort of a stockade occurred to me. I had little fear
+of attacks from wild animals, but I presumed that the island was
+inhabited in some part of it, by what sort of people I had not yet
+considered.
+
+Indeed, it was extremely improbable that an island in this quarter of
+the world could be totally uninhabited.  Whether the islanders proved
+friendly or otherwise, the idea of a stockade as a protection against
+possible surprise met with my immediate approval.
+
+Another question of extreme importance to be considered was that of a
+permanent food supply.  Perhaps only cocoanuts and oranges abounded in
+my near vicinity; at any rate, I resolved to carefully survey the
+adjacent region for the purpose of ascertaining its resources.
+
+Then the question of providing clothing for myself must be considered,
+for, at best, my present raiment would not long survive the rough usage
+which it was now receiving, and to which it would hereafter be subjected
+in the bush.  I even thought it might be well to construct a suit from
+the cocoanut-fibre cloth, and thus save my civilized clothes for the day
+of my rescue.
+
+Many other things passed through my mind in rapid succession as I lay
+upon my couch, among them the project of starting out upon a tour of
+discovery in an endeavor to ascertain the extent of my domain, and if it
+was inhabited in any part of it.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER VII.*
+
+                _*A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply*_*.*
+
+
+The notches in the cocoanut calendar grew in number as the days passed,
+busy days of hard, incessant labor, and four months of my exile elapsed
+ere the house was finished to my satisfaction and a substantial stockade
+erected around it.  The walls of my house were made of the wild canes
+closely woven like basket-work. It had been done very carefully, and,
+when completed, I had a perfect shelter, both from the sun and the wind.
+The roof was made of the long grass, alternate with layers of bamboos;
+and by using the larger bamboos in the centre of the roof, when by
+successive layers it reached the proper thickness, I had a roof which
+sloped steeply from the centre to each edge, which, carefully covered
+with an outside layer of the long grass dressed from the top downward,
+would perfectly shed the water during the rainy season.  The thickness
+of the roof rendered it impervious to wet, and, as I soon discovered,
+almost a non-conductor of heat.
+
+I left no windows in the house, as I thought there would be sufficient
+ventilation through the interstices of the cane-walls, but I constructed
+a door three feet wide and five feet high, by lashing bamboos together
+in the form of a gridiron, and then weaving in cane as I had done in
+constructing the walls.  For hinges I made use of vines twisted
+together.
+
+The stockade surrounded the house at a distance of about six feet from
+either side, and it cost me several weeks of steady work.  I had first
+to cut a great number of good-sized bamboos, which, with only my knife,
+was very laborious work.  I had frequently to sharpen the knife on a
+piece of soft, porous rock which I found near the brook.
+
+Each bamboo was cut off to a length of ten feet, and sharpened at the
+small, or upper end. These I set into the ground at intervals of one
+foot, to a depth of two feet.  Then, at a distance of one foot from the
+top all around the enclosure, I lashed long bamboos, using the tough
+vine which I found in abundance near the edge of the bush, winding it
+around each upright bamboo, and around the horizontal poles.  Between
+the horizontal pole and the ground, I wove a close basketwork of the
+vine. It was harder work weaving in this vine, as it was larger than the
+canes; but it was very tough, and a wall composed of it closely woven
+would prove a very effective defense.
+
+So I kept busily at work, day after day, cutting the vines, trimming off
+the leaves, dragging them to the house and weaving them in around the
+bamboo uprights, until I finally had a wall about me elastic but capable
+of sustaining a great strain, the sharpened ends of the upright bamboos
+forming an effectual safeguard against the walls being scaled from the
+outside.
+
+After the woven-work of vines was thoroughly seasoned, which did not
+take long, I cut round holes six inches in diameter, four on each side,
+about five feet from the ground, in order that I might command a view in
+all directions without leaving the enclosure.
+
+In the side facing the sea, I made a door, constructed in a manner
+similar to that in the house; but, for the stockade door, I devised an
+arrangement for securely barring it on the inside, by using two large
+bamboos each two feet longer than the door was wide, held in place by
+rings of the supple vine which I twisted about the two door-posts.
+
+These rings were made by first bending several inches of one end of the
+vine in the form of a circle, and then winding the rest of the vine
+around this ring.  Through these the ends of the bars passing across the
+door were placed, which, if anything, made the opening, when closed and
+fastened inside, stronger than any other portion of the structure.
+
+During all this time I had lived solely upon cocoanuts and oranges,
+varied with a few shellfish, somewhat resembling periwinkles, only
+larger, that I found along the beach.  These I ate raw, and found them
+rather palatable but somewhat tough.  However, as I continued in good
+health and strength, I preferred to complete my house and stockade
+before making a systematic attempt to provide other food.
+
+Nothing now remained to be done in connection with my dwelling, but to
+carry into execution an idea which I had evolved while at work, that of
+transplanting some creepers from the edge of the forest and training
+them along the stockade, so that, as I calculated, in a short time, in
+this tropical land of rapid growth, they would completely cover the
+stockade, and render my retreat more safe from observation, should my
+solitude be invaded.
+
+During all this time I had suspended work on Sundays, but I had occupied
+the time in making short trips inland, and along the coast in either
+direction; but finding the forest very dense as I left the shore, I
+could not have gone more than four or five miles in any direction.  My
+trips along the shore were without results, so far as enlightenment
+concerning the extent of the island was concerned, for every bend of the
+coast revealed only headlands and more coast-line stretching away
+beyond.
+
+The results of my wandering in the bush had troubled me not a little,
+for I had found no new fruits and vegetables, and had discovered no
+animals, or birds that I could bring myself to think edible.  There were
+only parrots and smaller birds, some of brilliant plumage; and even had
+I chosen to eat them I had no means of securing the game.  I was
+somewhat surprised not to find more humming birds.  I saw only one kind,
+a large, black species, having two tiny golden feathers each about six
+inches long at the sides of its tail.  Of snakes, I had seen none, nor
+land turtles.
+
+The sea-shore, too, seemed to be as devoid of food supplies, for I had
+seen no sea turtle, though I knew that they should be plentiful in this
+latitude.
+
+But I refrained from attempting a systematic exploration, feeling it
+would be wise to first provide as secure a retreat as possible for my
+permanent headquarters.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER VIII.*
+
+            _*Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun*_*.*
+
+
+My house was now finished, and I began, with a light heart to think
+about starting on a long exploring trip.  Before taking my departure,
+however, two questions of importance must be solved, if possible,
+namely, that of devising a weapon with which I could shoot game, if any
+was found; and some means of procuring fire.
+
+The morning following the completion of the house and stockade, as I was
+walking toward the orange tree which continued to furnish me with an
+ample supply of fruit, an idea came to me, and so astonished was I that
+I had not thought of it before that I stopped short and gazed straight
+ahead of me for several minutes.
+
+My knife!
+
+Here was steel; now for a flint, and fire would be procurable at any
+moment.  I understood the use of flint and steel, for many times, in our
+boyhood, my brother and I, on our excursions in the woods, had made
+fires with old gun-flints and our pocket-knives as steel, for cooking
+grey squirrels when we were fortunate enough to shoot any.  We did this
+from choice, because of the novelty.
+
+Without further thought of breakfast I turned toward the shore to search
+for a substitute for flint, for I did not expect to find the real
+article here, as I had only seen soft, calcareous rock which appeared to
+be the prevailing kind.
+
+A long search up and down the beach failed to disclose any hard rock,
+not even a pebble of sufficient size.  Shells were abundant, but they
+would not answer the purpose.  I next turned my attention to the brook,
+and searched along the shallowest places for a hard stone.  I found one
+at last, round and flat, about the size of a silver dollar.  It was very
+dark, almost black, and appeared to be quite hard.  Wiping it with my
+hand I laid it down in the sun and waited impatiently for it to dry.
+When perfectly free of moisture, I opened my knife, and holding the
+blade firmly in my left hand, I struck the stone sharply against the
+back of the blade, with a quick downward stroke.  No spark appeared.
+Over and over again I tried but without success, but I saw that the
+stone scratched the steel, which gave me hope that the stone was
+sufficiently hard.
+
+After several more trials, a tiny spark shot downward from the blade.
+My joy knew no bounds.  Tinder must be procured.  Like a flash came to
+my mind the feathery heads of the wild cane.  If I could find one dry
+enough I thought it would do.  I at once ran up stream to where the
+canes grew, and after a little search I found a plume that was dead and
+quite dry. Bending the cane down I gathered a handful of the floss from
+the head, and going to the foot of a cocoanut tree, I lay the cane floss
+down by the foot of the tree and once more tried to produce a spark.  I
+was soon able to obtain a spark frequently, but they invariably failed
+to reach the floss, or to ignite when they touched it. But I saw that I
+had fire within reach, and it only required perseverance to procure it.
+Holding the knife blade closer to the floss, I struck again.  This time
+a shower of tiny sparks descended to the floss, and, yes, it had caught!
+Quickly dropping the knife and stone I partially covered it with my
+hands and very gently blew upon it.  A tiny wreath of smoke arose as the
+fire spread through the wad of floss.  Blowing upon it still harder, in
+short quick puffs, a tiny flame leaped up; and quickly gathering such
+dry leaves and grass as I could reach, I heaped them upon the flame.
+These were followed by small dry sticks until I had a good fire going.
+I now only needed something to cook, and that I proposed to search for.
+But fire was desirable as company at night, and to ward off wild beasts
+should any be found; also in the future I might wish to make signals by
+the aid of smoke.
+
+Not wishing to injure my faithful friend the cocoanut tree, I allowed
+the fire to go out, feeling full confidence in my ability to procure it
+any time I wished.
+
+I now set about preparing for my journey of exploration, meanwhile
+carefully watering, several times each day, the creepers that I had set
+out along the walls of the stockade, until they showed no further signs
+of wilting during the greatest heat of the day.  The water I brought,
+with much labor and many trips, from the brook, in cocoanut shells.
+
+It occurred to me to plant vines in front of the door of the stockade,
+so that, should I be absent for a great length of time, they would grow
+up over the door and still further obscure my retreat.  Acting on this
+idea, I searched about the bush for a vine less woody than those planted
+along the stockade.  At length, on the further side of the clearing, I
+discovered a vine, not unlike a morning glory vine, only it had larger
+leaves, climbing up a tall, smooth tree, and this seemed to answer my
+purpose.  So, getting down upon my knees I began to dig around the root
+in order to move it without disturbing the earth immediately surrounding
+it; when but a few inches below the top of the ground I came across a
+round, hard object which I at first thought to be a large root of the
+tree, but in digging still further around it I saw that the supposed
+root moved, until finally I lifted it out of the ground.  As I did so I
+noticed that it had one end attached to the vine that I was after.  The
+root was fully a foot and a half long, and about five inches in
+diameter, slightly rounded at the ends.  I cut off the vine with my
+knife, and ran with the root to the brook and washed it clean.  I now
+saw that I had found some kind of a tuber.  With my knife I cut through
+the thin rough skin, disclosing a white substance beneath.  Quickly
+cutting it in halves I found that the inside of the tuber was white and
+starchy.  I wondered what it could be.  It was not a sweet potato, for
+the latter is yellow.  Then I began to think of the roots that I had
+read about in books of travel in the tropics, and the first that came to
+my mind was the yam.  Yes, this must be the yam, though I did not know
+before that its foliage was in the form of a vine.
+
+Here food was in plenty, healthful and nourishing, and sufficient to
+sustain life even if I found no other, it being only necessary to roast
+them in ashes.
+
+I resolved to plant yam vines in front of the gate to the stockade, for,
+while the vines were growing up to conceal it, they would, in the
+meantime be storing away food for me against my return.  This plan I put
+into immediate execution.
+
+My next thought was of devising a weapon for offence and defence, also
+to be used in killing game.  The idea of a bow and arrows at first
+suggested itself, but this was abandoned for the bow-gun, for, as boys,
+we were able to do good execution with the latter as it had a stock and
+breech, admitting of securing better aim.
+
+Looking about for material from which to construct the bow-gun, the
+bamboo seemed to be the most available for the barrel; so I cut down one
+about two inches in diameter, from which I selected the longest and
+straightest section between the joints.  Next I cut a deep notch about
+four inches from the larger end, and extending to the centre of the
+bamboo. From the lower end of the notch I split away the upper half of
+the tube, thus forming a spout about four feet long which was to carry
+the arrow.  For a breech I selected a forked stick, the butt of which I
+carefully rounded and smoothed until it would fit tightly into the round
+socket at the larger end of the barrel, above the notch.  This, though
+crude, furnished a very fair substitute for a breech to rest against my
+shoulder when taking aim, particularly as I had thought to select a
+forked stick which had the butt slightly bent so that, when fixed in the
+breech-end of the barrel, the proper elevation was given.
+
+The next step was to make a bow and fix it firmly across the under side
+of the barrel, at right angles to it, I searched about in the bush a
+long time before I found a tree of the right size, straight and without
+branches; and, on bending it down toward the ground and cutting it, I
+found that it was elastic and quite hard.  From the tree I cut a section
+about three feet long, which I squared for a distance of two inches in
+the middle, whittling what was to be the inner side down flat from
+either side of the squared part to either end, each half tapering
+slightly from the middle.  I did not remove the bark from the back of
+the bow.
+
+Next I cut a square slot about the width of the squared part in the
+centre of the bow, in the under side of the bamboo about a foot from
+what was to be the muzzle, being careful, however, not to cut through
+into the groove of the barrel.  Into this I carefully fitted the squared
+portion of the bow, after which notches opening in opposite directions
+were cut on the lower side of the barrel, one on each side of the bow.
+With one of the supple vines I then lashed the bow firmly, drawing the
+vine over the notches. When the vine was thoroughly dry the bow would be
+held firmly and rigidly in place.
+
+The question of arrows was quickly solved, for I could think of nothing
+that could serve the purpose better than the long smooth stem which
+supported the heads of the wild canes These were of just the right size
+and length. I cut several dozens of them, sharpening one end of each,
+and notching the other to receive the string.  To give sufficient weight
+to the execution end of the arrow, I split a piece of the tough vine
+into fine strips, with which I closely wound the arrows near the ends,
+until the proper weight was secured to balance them during their flight
+and thus render them accurate. For the wings of the arrows I used sprays
+from the plumes of the wild cane, until I could find something more
+suitable, fastening them to the string end with fibres from the ever
+useful vine.
+
+It now only remained to provide a string for the bow, before the weapon
+could be tested. Carefully separating the longest fibres of the cocoanut
+cloth.  I braided them into a strong cord of uniform size, which I
+fastened to the bow.
+
+And now for the test!  Drawing the string back to the notch, I placed
+one of the arrows in the groove of the gun and, raising the gun to my
+shoulder, I released the string with an upward pressure of my right
+thumb, at the same time pointing the gun in the direction of the brook.
+
+As straight as a line could be drawn, the arrow sped away over the brook
+and was lost in the thicket beyond.  I felt confident of the success of
+my bow-gun, and after constructing a quiver for the arrows from a piece
+of the cocoanut cloth fastened together with thorns, and braiding a cord
+with which to sling it over my shoulder, I turned my attention to the
+final preparations for departure.
+
+These consisted of providing a store of provisions in case I did not
+immediately find food on the way.  I roasted several of the yams, and
+gathered two dozen oranges which were stored in a bag made of the
+cocoanut cloth.  I did not include cocoanuts, for I was sure to find
+plenty as I went along.
+
+I took the precaution to gather a quantity of the cane floss for tinder,
+which I placed in a short piece of bamboo, which I stopped up tightly at
+both ends with wooden plugs.  This was to protect it from moisture in
+case of rain. I also took the cocoanut calendar.
+
+The morning for departure arrived.  Taking a farewell plunge in the
+brook, I made a hearty breakfast of yams and oranges, after which,
+closing the door of the stockade and fastening it with withes of the
+vine, I slung the quiver of arrows and the bag of provisions over my
+shoulder, took the bow-gun and started away along the shore, going in a
+southerly direction.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER IX.*
+
+           _*Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles’ Eggs*_*.*
+
+
+I followed the narrow line of sand, sometimes having to make a detour
+inland to get around a rocky point of land which jutted out into the
+water, or to avoid a dagger-like plant the spike-like leaves of which
+were armed with spines as sharp as needles.  This, I concluded, must be
+the Spanish bayonet.
+
+The sun shone brightly, and the sea, deep blue and calm, stretched away
+toward the west, the long, gentle swells causing but a ripple on the
+beach.  As I progressed, the island along the shore became less
+attractive than it was in the near vicinity of my house; and in some
+places it had a parched appearance.  Once I was obliged to cross a flat
+area of several acres in extent, bounded by a high bluff, where I had to
+make my way cautiously among cactus plants of various kinds; some low
+and spreading over the ground and bearing beautiful, yellow, wax-like
+blossoms, and others a great size, like trees denuded of the smaller
+branches and twigs.
+
+The sun had reached the zenith when I came to a small stream and sat
+down beneath a wide-spreading tree to rest, and to refresh myself from
+the provisions that I carried.  As I ate I gazed up among the branches
+of the great tree, whose broad leaves furnished such a grateful shade,
+when I saw that it bore fruit, round and green, five or six inches in
+diameter.  This I believed to be bread-fruit, from the pictures I had
+seen, and I resolved to carry two or three along with me, only obtaining
+them by climbing the tree.
+
+Although I did not intend to travel steadily in the heat of the day
+during my march, I felt anxious to make a good beginning on the first
+day out, so after getting cool and feeling well rested, I went on.
+
+As I crossed the brook, scores of small brown crabs scudded away along
+the bank.  They were the first I had seen during my sojourn on the
+island.  Spiders, I had seen many of, some of great size with hairy
+bodies and long legs; but as they showed no ferocity, I had no fear of
+them.  Indeed on account of their great size I did not believe them to
+be poisonous.  As a rule, the natural histories said, poisonous spiders
+of the tropics are not of great size, and most of them have short legs.
+
+Having made a long detour around a swampy place which extended to the
+sea, I came out of the bush upon a wide beach shaped like a semi-circle,
+or half-moon; and as I did so my attention was attracted to several
+large, glossy, blackish objects scattered over the beach.  I approached
+one, and found it to be a monstrous turtle. There must have been
+hundreds of them, and, one by one, as I moved about, they started away
+toward the water.  Some of them were very large, and must have weighed
+three or four hundred pounds.  Had I been so disposed I had no means of
+dispatching one for food, but I felt sure that the turtles had been
+depositing their eggs in the sand, and I could easily roast the eggs in
+the fire, which would form a very acceptable adjunct to my larder.
+
+Accordingly, digging into the sand where the turtles had been lying, I
+found plenty of round white eggs, a quantity of which I gathered to add
+to my stores.
+
+It was now near the end of the afternoon, as I observed by the sun, and
+I decided to select a place to camp for the night.  I selected a spot
+near a thicket of thorn bushes, which would form an effectual protection
+to the rear, and then began collecting dry branches for a fire. The sun
+was low in the sky, and the heat was greatly moderated, and, by the time
+I had collected a large pile of fire wood, a sea breeze sprang up,
+taking the place of the land breeze of the day, making it cool and
+comfortable.
+
+I had no difficulty this time in starting a fire, and as soon as it had
+burned down sufficiently I buried a yam and some of the turtles’ eggs in
+the ashes, and, while they were cooking I occupied the time cutting away
+a part of the smaller thorn bushes, making a cleared place in which I
+could sleep during the night, the thicket over me furnishing protection
+from the dampness of the air.
+
+By the time this was accomplished, and a cocoanut shell of water was
+brought from the brook, I judged that the yam and eggs were sufficiently
+cooked, which they proved to be when I uncovered them, and I at once
+proceeded to eat my evening meal.  The eggs proved to be of good flavor,
+but wanted salt.  This reminded me that I must provide a supply of salt,
+which I could do by evaporating some sea-water as soon as I had the
+opportunity.
+
+It was now past sunset and rapidly growing dark; so I replenished the
+pile of firewood, and piling a quantity of it upon the fire, I lay down
+with a bunch of grass for a pillow, and in a short time fell asleep.
+
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER X.*
+
+                   _*Under the Coils of a Snake*_*.*
+
+
+When I awoke in the morning it was with a peculiar sense of oppression.
+In the first drowsiness I thought there was a great weight across my
+chest; and my arms were aching.  I tried to move, but found that I could
+not lift my arms.  They seemed to be pressed closely to my aides.
+Thoroughly awake now, I was terrified to find that I was lying beneath
+the folds of an enormous snake.
+
+Frightened as I was beyond all expression, I maintained sufficient
+presence of mind to keep perfectly quiet until I could more fully
+realize my true situation--and, above all, locate the position of the
+great reptile’s head.
+
+As I gazed at the great scaly coils that enveloped me, I saw that the
+snake was of a pale yellow color.  It was perfectly motionless.  By
+tracing the taper of its body I saw that the head must be somewhere near
+my right shoulder.
+
+I was in a great quandary what to do.  Although still anxious for
+results, I was now quite calm, and my mind was full of plans for
+escaping from the terrible coils.  I dared not move for fear that the
+snake would strike me with its fangs, or that it might encircle my body
+and squeeze me to death.  Some snakes, like the boa-constrictor, kill
+their victims by this method; and while I felt sure that this snake was
+not a boa, on account of its color, I felt that it had the strength to
+crush me to death.
+
+For a long time I lay in this position, how long I could not tell; but
+the sun had grown intensely hot as it beat down upon the thicket. I
+heard the cries of the birds, and looked up at the blue sky with the
+fleecy clouds floating across it, wondering whether it was to be my fate
+to die here in the folds of a huge serpent. I wondered too, if bye and
+bye my bones, bleached white, would be found in the thicket on the shore
+of this lonely island.
+
+I was gasping for breath on account of the heat, my cramped position and
+the weight of the serpent’s folds across my chest, when I felt it move a
+little.  I wondered if it was preparing to strike me.  I did not move,
+and in a moment it began to move again, and the coils slipped across my
+body.  Slowly it continued to move, until my arms were free and its tail
+swept across my face.
+
+I was now free, but I waited a few seconds to see if the snake was
+leaving me.  Distinctly hearing it gliding from me, I arose quietly,
+feeling stiff and sore in my arms and chest. The snake was not in sight,
+but seeing the grass moving a little distance away, seizing a large
+stone I sprang after it, but it escaped into the bush.
+
+I reasoned that the snake must have crawled under the thorn bushes after
+I lay down, and that it coiled upon my body for warmth, as the nights
+were frequently uncomfortably cool; and so soundly had I slept that its
+movements had not awakened me.
+
+After this unpleasant adventure I felt anxious to be moving, and, making
+a fire, cooked some eggs which, with oranges from the stores, comprised
+my breakfast; after which I gathered a few more turtles’ eggs, and
+resumed my march.
+
+As I had done the day before I followed the coast, but instead of
+keeping along the sand I followed the edge of the forest, thinking it
+might prove more advantageous to do so as it would enable me to keep a
+look-out for game, and perhaps discover new fruits.  My progress was
+necessarily much slower, but the walking was easier as the trees
+shielded me from the direct heat of the sun, which, on the beach was
+terrific, the white sand producing a fearful glare which caused no
+little pain in my eyes.
+
+As I proceeded, the country became more open, and I frequently crossed
+quite large treeless tracts of tall grass, or stretches which, had it
+not been for the tropical vegetation surrounding might have been taken
+for New England pasture land.
+
+One morning, just after resuming my march as I was crossing one of the
+latter grass tracts, a bird different from any I had before seen arose
+from the ground and flew into the thicket on the opposite side.  Its
+color was light drab, and the wings and under tail feathers were white.
+I approached the edge of the bush cautiously, meantime, drawing back the
+string of my bow-gun and fixing an arrow in place. Laying aside the bag
+of provisions I crept softly along, until a sharp "coo-o-o" drew my
+attention to the branches of a tree, where I saw the bird stepping
+gingerly along one of the larger limbs.  Apparently it had not seen me,
+so, carefully moving to one side until I had a low bush between me and
+the game, I worked up a little nearer in order to make sure of being
+within range of the arrow.  Then, rising quietly to one knee, I took
+careful aim and released the string. The sharp "twang," much to my
+surprise was instantly followed by a flutter as the bird came tumbling
+to the ground.  I hastened forward and picked it up.  The arrow had
+passed entirely through the neck, so that it was quite dead in a few
+moments.  I saw that it was a species of wild pigeon, and therefore
+edible; and I congratulated myself on securing such an acceptable change
+in my fare.
+
+I saw no more pigeons after that, but during the succeeding days I found
+several orange trees from which I replenished my supply of this
+refreshing fruit.
+
+I continued steadily on, making no important discoveries, following the
+edge of the brush, but always keeping the sea in sight.  Almost every
+day I went to the beach to look for turtles’ eggs, which I usually found
+in abundance.
+
+The coast continued to loom up before me, head-land after head-land,
+stretches of beach and rocky bay shores.  Allowing for the indentations
+of the coast that I followed, I concluded that the island was a large
+one; and, the fact that I was gradually turning toward the direction of
+the sun convinced me that its shape was nearly round.
+
+I always camped just before sunset that I might have sufficient time to
+make a fire, cook and eat supper before dark.
+
+I had not kept a fire after supper was cooked, as, having neither seen
+nor heard anything of wild animals of any kind, I did not feel the need
+of it; and, beside, I was becoming accustomed to being alone, and to
+sleeping in the open air, and the nervousness of the first few nights
+after I was cast ashore had entirely left me.
+
+At the end of the sixth day I had, in my journey, turned around so that
+the direction which I followed was a little more than right angles to
+that taken where I left my house.  In other words, instead of going
+nearly south, my course was now nearly southeast.
+
+At the end of the seventh day I came to a large stream which was too
+wide and deep to ford.  The next day being Sunday I resolved to pitch
+camp and remain there until Monday. Meanwhile I would decide whether to
+devise some means of fording the stream, or follow up its course.
+
+Although I had not, as yet, done any work on Sunday, I decided that it
+would be no great violation of the day to try to evaporate a little sea
+water, while I was in camp, and thus procure a little salt, which I was
+craving.
+
+That night before going to sleep, I revolved several schemes in my mind,
+and, ere I fell asleep, I believed I had solved the question of making
+salt.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XI.*
+
+    _*The Cave on the Mountain; A Beacon; Attacked by Wild Pigs*_*.*
+
+
+After breakfast the following morning, I cut a large quantity of fine,
+long grass, which I proceeded to make into large bunches, all I could
+hold in my hands, tieing them with wisps of the grass itself.  Then I
+cut two forked stakes and set them into the ground about ten feet apart.
+Going a few rods up the bank of the stream where I saw some bamboos
+growing, I cut one, and trimming it, carried it to the camp, and placed
+it, one end in each of the forks of the stakes.
+
+Taking the grass I went to the edge of the beach and thoroughly
+saturated it in the salt water after which I carried it to the camp, and
+parting each bunch in the middle, I hung them over the pole.
+
+The idea proved highly successful, for the hot sun evaporated the water
+very quickly, leaving particles of salt clinging to the grass throughout
+each bunch.
+
+I then gathered a quantity of broad leaves which I laid on the ground so
+that their edges over-lapped, and by gently shaking the bunches of grass
+the salt fell upon the leaves in a fine white shower.
+
+I repeated the process several times until I must have had fully half a
+pound of salt.
+
+Preparing a short piece of bamboo by plugging one end as I had done in
+making the box for the tinder, I carefully gathered up the salt and
+poured it into the bamboo, enough to last a long time.
+
+I had determined to go no further along the coast, but to follow the
+course of the stream to its source which I judged must be among the
+mountains which seemed to extend across the northeast corner of the
+island.  This I wished to do along the opposite bank, but, as I could
+not cross the stream at this point, I decided to follow the bank on
+which I now was, rather than take the time necessary to construct a
+raft.
+
+If I followed the stream to its source I should reach the mountains, and
+besides, have gained a fair idea of the island in all but the extreme
+south-eastern part.  From the tops of some of the mountains, I believed
+that I could gain a very good view of the small portion untraversed, or
+rather not encircled by my route, which could not be very great.  If the
+island was inhabited anywhere in that direction, I believed I should see
+some signs from the tops of the mountains.
+
+I really had no faith that the island was inhabited, for, being
+comparatively small, if there were people there I must have met some
+signs, ere this, to indicate it.
+
+I had another object in wishing to reach the mountains, which was to see
+if any land was in sight to the south, east and southeast.  One thing I
+was perfectly sure of, that this island was near the Virgin group,
+perhaps a little north of those islands, if not even one of them; so
+that, if people did not regularly inhabit it, there must be islands not
+far away that were inhabited, and people must, therefore, occasionally
+visit my island.
+
+I felt, moreover, anxious to reach the mountains as quickly as possible,
+because, as I had calculated from my limited knowledge of the climate,
+the rainy season must soon set in, which would make travel unpleasant,
+if not difficult or impossible.  And besides, I wished to be away from
+the lowlands of the coast during heavy rains, as I knew it could not be
+so healthful as the mountains.
+
+So, getting my effects together, I set out, following the course of the
+stream.
+
+For the first few miles the stream flowed across a flat country, which
+became rocky the further I went, and the stream became more rapid in its
+flow.
+
+Several pretty cascades were passed and, in places, I was obliged to do
+some sharp scrambling over rocks that were overgrown with creeping
+vines, among which convolvuli were conspicuous.
+
+For four days I continued to ascend the stream, until lofty hills began
+to rise on either side abruptly from the banks; which indicated that I
+was getting very near the mountains.
+
+The sides of the foot-hills were heavily wooded, but, as I left them and
+entered the mountains, gradually ascending to a higher altitude, the
+vegetation grew less dense and changed in its general appearance.
+
+The stream was now little more than a small rushing mountain torrent,
+foaming over the rocks.  At the end of the fifth day, just before
+sunset, I reached the source of the stream, for coming suddenly to a
+wall of rock above which the mountain rose precipitously, I beheld the
+brook bubbling forth from the bowels of the mountains.  I decided to
+camp here for the night, and proceeded about my usual preparations for
+getting supper.  I had no yams, but plenty of oranges; but presently I
+saw some yam vines growing a short distance away, and it was the work of
+a few minutes only to procure enough for supper and breakfast.
+
+When I awoke in the morning the sky was partially overcast.  As I had
+calculated, the rainy season was undoubtedly about to set in, and I
+resolved to hasten to the top of one of the mountains as quickly as
+possible, as I felt that, upon the outlook from the highest elevation
+depended my plans for a considerable time in the future.
+
+So, hastily preparing and eating my morning meal, I climbed to the top
+of the rock which rose above my camping place, and saw that the highest
+mountain was not more than five miles away.  I set out at once.  The way
+was not difficult except where it led across a deep ravine at the foot
+of the mountain, where the undergrowth and creepers formed a dense
+tangle; but once through this, I found the way almost clear of low bush.
+I now began a steep climb.  As I ascended, the cocoanut trees became
+less plentiful, and their places were taken by other species of palm,
+great ferns as large as trees, and giant cacti.
+
+As nearly as I could tell, with the sun partly obscured by clouds, it
+was near mid-day when I came upon a broad table-land of grass, dotted
+here and there with groves of trees.  Beyond, rose the last peak.
+Fearing rain, I pushed forward, resolving to reach the top before dark,
+and camp, so as to be ready to take observations early the next morning.
+
+It was quite dark when I came to the summit. I could see nothing, of
+course, until daylight, and I searched about for a place to camp. There
+was a strong breeze blowing and the air was quite cool, so I found
+shelter behind a great boulder and prepared to spend the night.  I still
+had a few yams with me, and three turtles’ eggs, and these I cooked and
+ate.  I then proceeded to make myself as comfortable as possible by
+lying close to the rock, and, having nothing else to do, I went to
+sleep, the long climb having wearied me.
+
+Once or twice during the night I awoke feeling very chilly, and I was
+not sorry when the first faint gleam of dawn appeared.
+
+The sun rose clear, but, to the south-east, fleecy clouds were scudding
+along toward the land.  In all directions, however, the line of the
+horizon was distinctly visible, and the peak commanded a view of the sea
+at all points of the compass, and of the whole island.
+
+I scanned the line of sea and sky all around, but saw nothing that
+looked like land.  A little to the south-east there was a faint,
+serrated line against the sky, but I concluded that it was only a cloud.
+
+As I stood scanning the great rim of the ocean, there came to me a
+strong feeling that I would like to establish a beacon on the summit,
+one, if possible, which could be seen from a ship several miles at sea;
+and the more I thought of this project the more strongly was I convinced
+that it would be a wise thing to do; for, in the event of a ship’s
+passing on this side of the island, a prominent structure on the
+mountain might attract attention and lead to my rescue. I thought it all
+over as I retraced my steps to the boulder, and resolved to look about
+for a suitable place to make a substantial shelter while engaged in the
+work.  I deemed it advisable to go further down the mountain where the
+vegetation was more plentiful, and where I might find fruits, and
+possibly game--though game did not seem to be plentiful, but brilliant
+plumaged birds were numerous.
+
+In the edge of the bush between the table land and the mountain peak, I
+discovered a small grove of about a dozen orange trees, and here I at
+first thought that I would make my camp; but a little further to the
+south I saw a great rock, which appeared to over-hang several feet; and
+the idea at once struck me that it might be wise to encamp beneath its
+shelter.
+
+So, turning in that direction I was not long in reaching the rock.  It
+was at the base of a spur of the mountain; and the top not only overhung
+the base considerably, but, there was a sort of natural excavation which
+formed quite a large cave, open on three sides, it was true; but here I
+saw great possibilities in establishing my camp while erecting the
+beacon.  Besides, I fully expected the rainy season to set in almost any
+day, and should I have to stay here for several months, the rock would
+afford me the best of shelter.
+
+So, having decided to make this the base of operations for the present,
+I took my bow-gun and set out to forage for supplies, of which I stood
+in immediate need.
+
+I went down among the trees in the intervale between the two mountains.
+The vegetation was very luxuriant, but not so dense as in portions of
+the lowlands across which I had marched. I had noted that the cocoanut
+palms were less plentiful here, and that there were several other kinds
+of palms that I had not seen before.  One of these had a trunk covered
+with great sharp spines, and from the grapelike cluster of fruit at the
+top I knew it must be an oil palm; but I saw only a few of these.
+Another had a bottle-shaped head of vivid green just below the leaves,
+which I at once recognized as the "mountain cabbage," or cabbage palm.
+These were very plentiful.
+
+Skirting the edge of the bush, a short distance to the north, I turned
+to penetrate further toward the valley, when suddenly, as I took a step
+forward, I felt myself sinking downward.  I threw down my gun and tried
+to save myself by clutching the creepers; but I continued to sink into a
+mass of vines.  I was considerably frightened, and wondered, for a brief
+moment, if I had fallen into the opening to a cavern; but suddenly my
+feet touched solid earth, and I found myself standing beside what
+appeared to be an old wall--about the height of my shoulder. Pushing
+aside the creepers I saw that it was really a wall, built of large
+stones and some kind of mortar.  I was so astonished at the discovery
+that I could scarcely collect my thoughts. Looking around, I was still
+more perplexed, for only a few feet away there was a rectangular
+enclosure which looked like the ruined foundations of a house.  I found
+that the wall extended for perhaps fifty feet in each direction, the
+opposite side being flush with the rising ground above.  An examination
+of the rectangular enclosure showed unmistakably that it was a portion
+of the foundation of a house.
+
+What could this mean?  It could mean but one thing; that people had
+lived here.  But when, I could form no opinion; but from the appearance
+of the masonry it must have been many years before.  The ruins, as well
+as the wall, were thickly overgrown with creepers and other vegetation.
+
+Still further signs of the former presence of man now attracted my
+attention.  A great plant, like an immense lily, with broad leaves six
+or seven feet long was growing near by at the edge of the small clear
+area surrounding the ruins; and, on going nearer to examine it I quickly
+recognized it from the great bunch of elongated fruit which hung from
+the crown of leaves.
+
+Banana trees!
+
+And there were many of them scattered around.  Here was a never-ending
+supply of food, of the most nourishing kind.  I walked around to the
+south side of the clearing, where I found other trees, much resembling,
+in general appearance, the banana trees; but the fruit was much larger,
+and curved like a scimitar.
+
+My reading of books of tropical travel stood me in good stead as it
+aided me in recognizing trees and fruits that proved of great use to me.
+This latter, I knew to be the plantain.  A still further search revealed
+yams, and several clusters of canes, much larger than the largest
+cornstalks that I had ever seen.
+
+Here was another valuable discovery--sugar cane!  Taking out my knife I
+cut one of the canes, and was delighted to see that it was full of
+limpid juice.  I tasted it and found it very sweet and very refreshing.
+I sucked several joints of the sugar cane dry, and then turned to gather
+some of the bananas.  The bunches were rather small, but several
+appeared to be quite ripe.  I also dug some of the yams, and with a
+sugar cane under one arm, my bow-gun under the other, the yams and
+bananas in my hands, I started back to the camp.  I could not climb the
+wall, loaded as I was, so I set about to go around the end nearest to my
+cave-dwelling; when I saw a pigeon, like one I had shot near the coast,
+fly up and alight on the wall.  As quickly as I could I laid down my
+load, and, adjusting an arrow in the bow-gun, took careful aim and
+released the string.  Again my aim was true, for the arrow pierced the
+neck close to the body.  It must have been killed almost instantly, for
+it quickly ceased fluttering.
+
+With this addition to my forage, I proceeded slowly to the camp.  With
+food for two days at least, I now began to form plans for making the
+"cave," as I chose to call it, habitable.  I proposed to close the two
+ends and a portion of the front, by setting bamboo, which I had seen
+growing plentifully in the valley below, into the ground, and weaving in
+vines.  I only intended to make a temporary shelter against the wind,
+and had no idea of spending the time and labor that I had on my house on
+the coast.
+
+It was slow work cutting the bamboos and dragging them up to the cave,
+and this occupied me several days.  These had to be cut into the proper
+lengths, and set into the ground, so that the upper ends would come
+firmly up against the overhanging rock.  As I worked, my plans for the
+future matured, so that I foresaw an extended sojourn here.  The
+ultimate outcome was, that the inclosing walls of the cave were, when
+finished, fully as substantial as those of my house at "Sargent" Bay, as
+I had resolved to call the place where I had drifted ashore, in honor of
+my late benefactor.  The paling of bamboos was closely interwoven with
+vines, and I constructed a door for the front. I now had not only a
+comfortable but a substantial dwelling, which would afford protection
+from the wind and rain, no matter from which direction they came.
+
+About every other day I went to the old ruins to procure bananas and
+yams; and, on these trips, I shot several pigeons which proved to be
+very delicate and tender.  I often roasted yams, and found them to be
+very hearty food; and became very fond of them.
+
+Frequently, of late, there had been showers of rain, which proved to me
+that the rainy season had set in.  I made frequent trips to the top of
+the mountain, and, each time, I saw that the peculiar serrated line
+against the sky, which I at first thought must be a cloud, had remained
+stationary.  This convinced me that it was land, and as it was evidently
+the top of a mountain range, it must be a great distance away.
+
+I speculated as to what land it would be.  If my suppositions were
+correct as to the position of the island on which I was exiled, from the
+direction it might be one of the Virgin Islands. If so, the Leeward
+Islands lay beyond, further to the east and south-east.
+
+My mind was now filled with the project of erecting a substantial
+beacon, one which would be seen from some distance at sea.  Gradually I
+evolved plans for the structure.  The first step was to cut the tallest
+and largest bamboo which I felt capable of dragging to the peak.  I
+found one that suited me.  It was a long tedious task to cut it down
+with my knife, but it was finally accomplished, and I dragged it to the
+front of the cave.
+
+It was my intention to devise a headpiece to fasten securely to the top
+of the bamboo in order to render it as conspicuous as possible.  This
+would have to be done before the bamboo was raised and set into the
+ground.
+
+The daily showers became more frequent and more severe, and some days
+the rain would sweep across the mountain in perfect torrents.
+Nevertheless, I succeeded in cutting several more bamboos, of smaller
+size, and I also brought several bunches of bananas and plantains, and a
+quantity of yams up to the cave.
+
+I now set to work to complete the beacon. Cutting the bamboos to the
+required lengths, I lashed them together in such a manner as to form a
+sort of gridiron, eight feet long and six feet wide.  This I filled in
+with a basket-work of vines, woven very loosely that the wind might
+easily pass through it, to prevent its being blown down when raised to
+the top of the pole.
+
+At length the beacon was finished, the gridiron being firmly lashed to
+the upper end of the bamboo; and I had been on the mountain seven weeks.
+The rainy season was well under way; but I worked during the intervals
+when it ceased to rain, and, by means of a sharpened stick, aided by my
+knife, I dug a hole fully four feet deep, on the highest part of the
+mountain. I found it difficult work to raise the bamboo with the
+gridiron at the top, and plant its base in the hole, but, after many
+trials, I succeeded, after which I wedged it firmly with stones and
+earth solidly packed.
+
+It would be useless to attempt to leave camp while the rain continued,
+and I had fully reconciled myself to remain until the close of the rainy
+season; and I hoped that I could find enough to do to occupy the time.
+I was obliged to go frequently in quest of food, and I set about
+preparing a brief account of the circumstances of my exile in the
+island, the date of the wreck and the date of the raising of the beacon;
+also, explicit directions for finding "Sargent" Bay, where my house
+stood.  This was carved in deep letters around the smooth surface of a
+large section of bamboo, like a Chinese prayer cylinder.  This was
+fastened to the bamboo signal pole, a few feet from the ground, to guide
+anyone who might chance to notice the beacon and investigate its
+meaning, to my rescue.
+
+I made a coat and kilt reaching to the knees, from cocoanut cloth.  The
+coat was without sleeves, but it would save my only shirt, and the kilt
+would prove a great protection to my trousers, which were already
+showing signs of hard usage.  These garments were sewn together with
+fibres of vines, a long, sharp thorn being used as a needle.  I also
+made a new hat, of more skillful workmanship than the first, which I had
+worn until the present time.
+
+Twice, each day, I went up to the beacon to scan the horizon.  I saw no
+vessels, but the distant, faint outline of mountains remained in sight.
+This position commanded a view of the entire island, and I studied it
+with interest.  It was nearly circular in shape, and I calculated that
+it was not over forty miles in diameter.  I had thought seriously of
+descending to the eastern slope of the mountains, and exploring the
+small portion which had not come, thus far, within my projected route.
+This belt of country, between the foot of the mountains and the sea,
+seemed, from my elevated position, to be very flat, and more sparsely
+wooded than the other side of the mountain; but the question of its
+being inhabited was settled by the torrents of rain, for, for miles to
+the east and south-east the country was under water.
+
+The rain had apparently been the heaviest on the east side of the
+island, for none of the west side was inundated, as far as I could
+discern; but the stream, along whose banks I had marched from the coast,
+was swollen to the size of a great river.
+
+After I had made the clothing, I searched the edge of the bush until I
+found some wild canes, growing by a swampy place, from which I made a
+supply of arrows.  Frequently I shot a pigeon, the birds apparently
+being driven into the open by the rain.  One day when I went to procure
+a fresh supply of bananas, as I extended one hand to cut off a bunch, I
+sprang back and quickly retired several rods.  The cause of my
+precipitate flight was nothing more nor less than a great yellow snake,
+exactly like my unwelcome companion on the coast.  It was coiled among
+the leaf stems of the banana tree.  I did not disturb it, not feeling
+particularly curious as to its disposition under the present
+circumstances; and the next time I came it was gone.  I named it the
+"banana snake," in commemoration of the latter incident, and because of
+its color, which was nearly that of a ripe banana.
+
+The nights, at this elevation, and during the rain, were cold, but the
+cave was quite comfortable, and I built a small fire just inside the
+door each night, to drive out the dampness; having, from time to time
+before the rain became too constant, filled all the available space in
+the cave with dry wood, only reserving enough room to lie down to sleep.
+
+The weeks passed, rather tediously after I could think of but little to
+do, but the rain was not so steady and, almost every day, there were
+several hours when it entirely ceased to fall. There being only short
+grass around the top of the mountain, I utilized these intervals of the
+cessation of rain by exploring the mountain to the line of the bush, all
+around.  There was nothing but rocks, with occasionally a few small
+shrubs.  But one day I made an interesting discovery.  Nearly down to
+the line of the bush on the opposite side from my camp, I came across a
+similar over-hanging rock; but on going under it, I perceived a large
+crevice, which, on close examination, I found extended into the mountain
+for some distance.  I had my tinder and flint with me and, gathering a
+few dry leaves and sticks that lay around near the opening, I made a
+fire at the entrance.  By its light I could see that I had found the
+entrance to a cavern, but I could see only a few feet from the mouth.
+The walls were dark and the top of the cavern was not more than four
+feet from the floor.  I determined to still further explore it with a
+torch.
+
+For a week I did not again go near the cavern, but made daily trips to
+the beacon for the purpose of taking observations, but all the time I
+was trying to invent a torch.  Nothing suitable for the purpose, which
+would burn for any length of time, suggested itself to me, until, one
+morning, while at the ruins for yams and fruit, I saw some ripe
+cocoanuts on the ground.
+
+"Why not use the oily kernel of the nut?"
+
+I at once proceeded to act upon this suggestion. Taking a couple of nuts
+to the camp, I split them in halves, fastening one into a split stick,
+making a sort of ladle.  Hastening to the cavern on the other side of
+the mountain, I made a little fire at the end of the stick, and had the
+satisfaction of soon seeing the oily meat of the nut blaze up in a
+steady, yellowish flame.  Watching it for a moment, I saw that the meat
+charred very slowly, while the oil was tried out by the heat to feed the
+flame.
+
+Taking the torch and the spare nuts with which to replenish the torch, I
+entered the mouth of the cavern.  I was both surprised and disappointed,
+for it was neither beautiful nor grand.  The roof was low, and the walls
+were dirty and grimy.  The cavern was not more than six feet wide and
+four feet high, and I was obliged to stoop as I moved along.  The cave
+took me straight into the mountain for a few rods, when I came to what
+appeared at first to be the end; but I soon discovered a small opening a
+little to my right, through which, after hesitating a little, I crawled
+on my hands and knees.  I went but a few feet before I emerged into a
+chamber of considerable size, where I could stand erect; and here I was
+greeted by a cloud of bats that flitted about as though bewildered by
+the light, their wings making a curious, uncanny fluttering sound.  I
+could see the roof plainly, and clinging to it, with their heads
+downward, were thousands of bats. There were, depending from the
+ceiling, a few small stalactites, but they were dark and grimy. I
+examined the floor of the cavern, which revealed to me its true nature.
+I was in a guano cave, the floor of which was thickly covered with the
+guano of the bats, the accumulation of centuries, probably.
+
+"What a fortune there is here," I thought, "if all this guano could be
+cheaply conveyed to the coast and loaded into vessels."
+
+Although the air in the cave seemed to be pure, it was not a pleasant
+place, and most unattractive; so, after discovering a small passage,
+like the one I had just crawled through, leading further into the
+mountain, I retreated toward the entrance and was soon in daylight,
+feeling no desire to further explore a cavern devoid of all the beauties
+usually attributed to such natural phenomena.
+
+The days dragged now, as I waited for the weather to clear, with nothing
+to break the monotony but occasional trips to the ruins for yams,
+oranges, plantains, bananas and sugar cane; and sometimes I would stalk
+pigeons, when my bow-gun proved very effective, especially as I every
+day became more skillful in using it, while the birds suffered in
+consequence.
+
+Several times each day I went to the beacon to scan the horizon; but I
+saw no sign of a vessel.  I reasoned that my island must be out of the
+regular track of vessels going to the Windward or Leeward Islands, as I
+knew it to be, of ships bound to the South American coast, Central
+America or any of the large West India Islands.  But the far distant
+mountains still showed plainly against the horizon.
+
+While gazing away toward the east one day, the idea came to me to try to
+construct a boat, on my return to my house on the coast, in which to
+attempt to reach the distant land.  I was not skilled in sailing a boat,
+but I reasoned that, with a fairly staunch and steady craft, provided
+with some sort of a sail, I might, when a long period of fair weather
+was promised, escape to the land which I dimly saw to the eastward. This
+plan occupied my mind continually for days, and, so seriously did I
+begin to consider it, that I became extremely impatient to start away
+for the coast.
+
+Three weeks more of weary waiting, and the rain ceased to fall steadily,
+and then the sun began to break through the clouds at intervals, but the
+showers were still frequent.  From the beacon I could see that the
+floods in the lowlands to the east were subsiding, and that the river
+along which I had traveled from the coast, was assuming its normal
+proportions.
+
+Gradually the clouds dispersed, and whole days of bright sunshine
+followed.  The rainy season was drawing to a close.  A few days of clear
+weather would dry the ground and the bush so I would be able to set out
+for the coast.
+
+I felt a pang of regret at the thought of leaving my home under the
+cliff; but then, perhaps I might come back.  I could not tell.  Perhaps
+I should have to give up the idea of building the boat, and then it
+might be years before I was rescued.  I might, indeed, spend my entire
+life here alone; but this thought I put away from me.
+
+My preparations for leaving the mountain were easily made.  I left the
+house under the cliff exactly as it was, save the closing, securely, of
+the door; and one morning as the sun came up out of the sea, and the
+lovely island verdure lit up with a gorgeous blending of green, purple
+and gold, I took a farewell look all around the horizon from the peak,
+and, with my gun, arrows and bag of provisions, dressed in the rudely
+made cocoanut-cloth garments, I started down the mountain, taking, as
+nearly as I could, a northeast course toward the coast.
+
+The ground was yet sufficiently damp to render it pleasantly springy and
+cool to my feet, and the freshness of the verdure of the forest and bush
+which I traversed imparted to the air a pleasant coolness, even though
+the sun shone fierce and hot.  Birds were flitting like iridescent gems
+through the trees, and tittering curious discordant cries.  Not since
+the beginning of my exile had I been conscious of such cheerfulness and
+light-heartedness as on this morning--and, with all, I had the feeling
+of going home, as, indeed, I was.
+
+Crossing the valley at the foot of the first mountain peak, I ascended
+the lower spur and descended its side toward the level country which lay
+between it and the coast.  In general appearance, the bush here did not
+materially differ from that to the southwest, traversed during my march
+from the coast months before.
+
+Shortly after entering the belt of virgin forest which skirted the base
+of the mountain range, I emerged into an opening, perhaps two acres in
+extent.  It was covered with thick grass, green and luxuriant after the
+rains.  The grass was not tall, perhaps two feet high, apparently a new
+growth, and I started to cross it.  A tall cactus, a veritable tree,
+stood alone near the centre of the grassland, and toward this I took my
+way, thinking that I would like to examine it closely, as it was the
+largest one I had seen on the island.
+
+After examining this giant of the tropics, I continued my way across the
+intervening space toward the bush on the other side.  I was nearly out
+of the grass, when a strange sound caused me to stand still and look
+about me.
+
+The sound came in a series of short, angry grunts, like "woof! woof!"
+and, a short distance to the left I saw the grass violently agitated,
+while the noise came nearer to me.
+
+I at once decided that some animal was coming toward me, whether to
+attack me or not, I could not tell.  But I quickly decided that the most
+sensible thing for me to do would be to seek safety.  Naturally I
+thought of the bush, and ran toward it.  The moment I started to run the
+"woof, woof!" followed me, and I increased my speed as fast as I could,
+hampered as I was by the thick grass.  The terrible, guttural sound
+gained upon me as I plunged on, but at last I reached the bush, and,
+seeing a large tree with branches near the ground, just ahead of me, I
+dropped my gun and bag of provisions, and grasped the lower limb.
+Quickly I climbed up to what I considered to be a safe distance, and
+then looked down to see what sort of a beast my pursuer would prove to
+be.
+
+I had but a second or two to wait, for soon, not one but three shot out
+of the grass and rushed to the foot of the tree.  I could not mistake
+them.  They were pigs, wild pigs.
+
+They looked up at me with little, cruel looking eyes, and one, the
+largest, which had probably led the chase, snapped his jaws, showing
+long, white tusks, ran around the tree and continued the "woof, woof!"
+throwing up his head and, as he apparently grew more angry because I was
+above his reach, flecks of foam were flung from the ugly jaws.  This one
+was, without a doubt, the boar.  The other two were smaller, and seemed
+to be taking matters more coolly.
+
+They were villainous-looking beasts, gaunt, with long legs and sharp,
+pointed heads; and their color was a sort of rusty-red.  Feeling
+perfectly safe, the question which naturally first occurred to me was,
+"how long shall I be besieged in this position?"  There seemed to be but
+one course to follow, at present, and that to await developments.  The
+pigs had not appeared to notice my paraphernalia.
+
+After a while the boar grew calmer, and finally all three lay down near
+the foot of the tree.  I made myself as comfortable as possible, and
+looked down at them.
+
+The day dragged along monotonously, while I was able to change my
+position so frequently that I was not cramped; but I began to get very
+hungry, having eaten nothing since early in the morning.  The pigs
+continued to remain on guard, the boar now and then getting up and
+regarding me contemplatively, until the sun sank behind the forest.
+Then the pigs moved away into the grass.  It was soon dark, and the
+moon, which was near its full, came up over the mountains; but I was not
+long able to distinguish the movements of the pigs in the uncertain
+moonlight.
+
+Patiently I waited, until the moon was directly over the clearing.
+There was no sound of the pigs, and, after a little, I slid to the
+ground and, cautiously gathering up my gun and provision bag, moved
+noiselessly away into the bush.  The moonlight favored me, and I hurried
+on for several miles, when I was brought to a halt by a small stream.
+Feeling safe from the pigs, I decided to camp here until daylight. I did
+not dare make a fire, so, after satisfying hunger with a portion of a
+pigeon which I had roasted before setting out, and an orange, I sat down
+by a large tree and, leaning against the trunk, was soon asleep.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XII.*
+
+          _*Return to the Coast; A Mangrove Swamp; Fever*_*.*
+
+
+When I awoke it was morning, and the sun was fully an hour up.  Taking a
+hasty bath in the cool water of the stream, and after a hurried meal,
+crossing the stream on the stones that were not submerged, I set off
+along the east bank.  The stream flowed in a northerly direction.  By
+keeping close to the edge of the forest I made rapid progress.  Nothing
+occurred to distract my attention, except the sight of a small flock of
+pigeons, one of which I killed.  I encamped for the night in the edge of
+a thicket, and made a fire to roast the bird which I plucked while
+waiting for a bed of coals.
+
+At daylight in the morning I continued my course down the stream which
+was now much wider and deeper.  Its edge was thickly fringed with
+bamboo, and the idea came to me that I might construct a raft from them,
+and float down stream to the coast; but then, the stream was apt to
+become suddenly shallow in places, and it contained many large stones,
+and after delaying for several days while constructing the raft, it
+might prove to be time and labor lost.
+
+At the close of the fourth day, as the sun was declining behind the palm
+trees, I was astonished, on emerging from a thicket, to see the ocean,
+blue and calm, stretching out before me.  I had failed to note the fact
+that I had followed a more direct course from the coast than when I
+marched toward the interior, and that the mountains were much nearer the
+north coast than the west.  For the last two days I had noticed that the
+cocoanut palms were more plentiful, as were also the bamboos along the
+stream, both of which should have reminded me of my approach to salt
+water.  I had reached the coast sooner than I expected.
+
+Knowing that I would probably not be able to cross the stream at its
+mouth, I found a place where a few stones rose above the water, and
+managed to cross to the other bank.  The mouth of this stream differed
+from that of either of the other two streams that I had seen.  It was
+broad and muddy, covering a wide expanse, and what seemed the strangest
+to me was that trees were growing from the water, covering the entire
+area of the mouth of the stream.  Each tree rested upon the apex formed
+by a cluster of roots, which rose from the water, looking like gigantic
+spiders or devil-fish.  I could see under the whole aquatic forest, a
+tangle of slimy roots above the dark water.  The air was permeated by an
+indescribable stench; and around the edge of the dark recess, black,
+hairy crabs crawled about, or lay by the festering pools.  I concluded
+that this was one of the famous mangrove swamps, and I decided to retire
+from such an undesirable locality.
+
+Accordingly I proceeded along the beach until I was free from the smell
+of the swamp, where I made camp for the night beneath some spreading
+trees near the water’s edge, making a fire and roasting yams, and
+broiling a pigeon which I had killed just after crossing the stream.
+
+When I awoke in the morning I felt that a change had come over me.  I
+felt dazed, the back of my head was aching, and I had a burning fever.
+After a few moments I remembered the swamp.  The air which I had been
+breathing must be laden with fever.  I staggered to my feet and, without
+stopping to get breakfast, I started along the beach, my course now
+being toward the west.
+
+I felt very weak and walked with great difficulty. I was obliged to stop
+frequently to rest, and toward mid-day I managed to eat the remainder of
+the pigeon that I had broiled the night before.  Once I saw some orange
+trees, but the fruit was both sour and bitter.  I sucked some of the
+juice, however.  The bitter and the acid seemed to allay my fever a
+little, and I soon felt less weak.  I camped at sundown, and went to
+sleep with confidence that my condition would be improved in the
+morning, as I was at a safe distance from the swamp.
+
+For two days more I marched along the shore, finding sweet orange-trees
+frequently, and plenty of pigeons whenever I chose to make a short
+detour into the forest.
+
+At last a high mound appeared ahead where the shore seemed to take a
+sharp sweep toward the south, and, hurrying forward, I was soon standing
+at the top of it and, to my great joy, looking down upon the bay where I
+had been cast ashore.
+
+Crossing the familiar little stream, I hastened toward my house.  It was
+with a feeling of relief that I saw that everything was apparently as I
+had left it.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XIII.*
+
+            _*A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish-Trap*_*.*
+
+
+Everything about my house was as I had left it.  Nothing had been
+disturbed, the overflowing stream not having reached it.  The vines
+around the stockade now completely covered it, and the yams that I had
+planted in front of the stockade-gate were thick and luxuriant, the
+great, bean-like leaves completely concealing the entrance.
+
+The effects of the fever were fast leaving me, and I grew strong
+rapidly.  There was much to do, now that I was settled down at home.  I
+dug up the yams in front of the stockade-gate and stored them in the
+house for future use.  Then I carried out the couch and made a new one
+of fresh branches and grass, more comfortable than the first had been.
+
+I also made two fire-places, mere enclosures for keeping the coals in
+place.  These consisted of circular enclosures of stones brought from
+the stream, each about three feet in diameter and one foot high, one
+being in a corner of the house for use during rainy weather, and the
+other in the enclosure of the stockade, near the gate.
+
+My next thought was to plant yams by the trunks of all the trees near
+the house.  This would furnish me an inexhaustible supply, and of a
+superior quality, as the vines would have plenty of chance to climb, up
+and around the tree trunks.
+
+One day while walking through the bush in search of pigeons, having
+succeeded in killing two, I came across several cocoanut palms of much
+smaller size than any I had yet seen. They were not more than fifteen
+feet high to the base of the leaf heads, and their tops were very
+spreading, much more so in proportion to the length of the trunks than
+in the case of the larger trees.  But these all bore great bunches of
+nuts, and I began to wonder how the unripe nuts would taste, and whether
+they contained more water than the ripe ones.
+
+With but little difficulty I climbed one of them, and with my knife
+clipped the stems of several of the nuts, which went tumbling to the
+ground.
+
+Descending, I cut off the husk of the end opposite the stem, until I
+could make a hole through the shell.  The latter was very thin and soft,
+and the knife went through it easily. My knife was always in excellent
+condition, kept so by frequent sharpening on the stone which I used for
+striking fire to the tinder.
+
+Raising the nut as though it were a canteen, I drank the water.  It was
+somewhat different from that of a ripe nut, much sweeter, more limpid
+and very cool and refreshing.  After the water was drained from the nut
+I out it open, when I found the whole inside lined with a whitish,
+translucent pulp, of the consistency of solid jelly.  This I found to be
+delicious, but, after having eaten a little, rather sickish.  However, I
+carried several of the unripe nuts to the house, and soon became very
+fond of them.  I made frequent trips to the young palms and the water
+became my principal beverage, while my only dessert was the jelly, for
+which I carved a rude spoon from a piece of hard wood.
+
+I noticed that the parrots were not so noisy as they had been before I
+left for the interior, and for several weeks I was at a loss to account
+for it.  But one evening, while returning from the water-cocoanut palms,
+I espied two diminutive parrots fluttering through the bush.  They were
+young ones and not quite able to fly, though nearly fledged.  They would
+launch out from a limb, sometimes falling short of their next perch, and
+sometimes striking against a limb, when they would flutter to the
+ground, making small, parrot-like cries.  They were a beautiful green,
+with red wing feathers and red breasts and necks.  The parent birds all
+the while remained near-by, as though encouraging the little ones in
+their attempts to fly.
+
+I tried to catch one of them, but they were sufficiently active to evade
+me successfully.  I felt a great desire to capture one and teach him to
+talk, for I sometimes longed for a companion to speak to.  Finally I
+evolved a plan for catching one.  I set to work to construct a net, for
+a snare would injure them.  I prepared a great quantity of fibres from
+the cocoanut cloth, and with it wove a purse-shaped net, perhaps two
+feet in length.  This was to be suspended to a limb of a tree, and
+baited with a piece of roast yam suspended over the mouth of the bag in
+such a manner that, when the young parrot reached for it, he would be
+almost sure to lose his balance and fall in.  Its weight, together with
+the fluttering of the bird, would draw the mouth of the bag together and
+prevent its escape.
+
+This net cost me several weeks of work, but it was at last finished and
+ready to set.  This I did very carefully, selecting a low limb in what
+seemed a favorite place for the parent birds to give flying lessons to
+the little ones.
+
+For several days the net remained undisturbed, and every morning I
+supplied it with a fresh, white piece of yam.
+
+One morning, just at daylight, I was awakened by a great outcry of
+parrots, and, feeling sure that one of the young birds had fallen into
+the net, I hastened toward it.  Sure enough, the net had done its work,
+for it was bobbing about and swaying from the limb, while muffled little
+shrieks came from the nearly-closed mouth; and from the trees around
+there arose a perfect babel of discordant cries of parrots, old and
+young.  The two parent birds were perched on the limb over the net, when
+I arrived, but on my approach they flew away a short distance, hurling
+cries of defiance at me. Carefully I cut the net clear of the limb and
+carried it to the house, the belligerent little parrot all the time
+fluttering and shrieking, and striking at my hand whenever it was near
+the opening.  I reproached myself for not thinking to make a cage for it
+when captured, and I was obliged to secure the opening and deposit the
+net in the house, while I made a cage for my future companion.  This was
+not a difficult task.  Going to the brook where the wild canes grew, I
+cut a quantity of them and, cutting them to the required length, I stuck
+them into the ground, leaving spaces about two inches wide.  The canes
+formed a small yard about two feet square.  The top was covered with a
+piece of cocoanut cloth, the edges being tied all around to the upright
+canes.
+
+How to get the fighting little bird out of the net and into the cage was
+the next question.  I did not exactly relish the idea of putting my hand
+into the net, so finally I decided to lift one corner of the cocoanut
+cloth on the top of the cage, and, loosening the mouth of the net,
+insert it under the cloth, at the same time reversing the net.  The
+scheme worked perfectly and the little parrot tumbled into the cage, his
+feathers all ruffled.  He was a curious little thing and I laughed aloud
+as, without uttering a sound, he proceeded to smooth his feathers, and
+then to circumnavigate the cage.  He then retired a little from the bars
+and regarded me with the utmost seriousness, canting his head, looking
+at me first with one eye and then the other.  Then he began to dress his
+feathers, evidently resolved to make the best of it all, and to feel
+perfectly at home from the first.
+
+I made my pet a little run-way outside the wall of the house,
+constructing it in the same manner as I had the cage, covering it half
+with cloth and the remainder with canes so he could have both sun and
+shade.  This enclosure I connected with the cage by cutting a square
+hole through the wall of the house.
+
+As the weeks passed, the parrot grew, his wing and tail feathers
+developed, and he became very beautiful.  He enjoyed his new home,
+apparently, spending a part of his time outside, and part inside.  He
+enjoyed the sunshine, but would never remain long in it.  He preferred
+the shade of the cloth covered portion.  Nights, he always passed
+inside, and I made a perch for him to sleep on.  It was simply a cane
+passing through the cage and securely fastened to a bar on each side.
+Hours and hours he would spend, swinging on this bar over and over,
+holding on with his claws, and then with his stubby beak. I fed him on
+yams, bananas and oranges, but the banana was his favorite food.
+
+Every day I talked to him, telling him all about the ship-wreck,
+discussing with him the various tasks that occupied me, and the
+probability of my rescue.  I named him Puff Ball on account of his shape
+when captured, and then I called him simply "Puff."  Puff listened
+patiently to all I had to say, frequently interjecting a sharp comment.
+Sometimes he would interrupt me by setting up a loud screeching, and I
+always had to cease talking when Puff had the floor.
+
+For weeks he did not appear to attempt to imitate my words, and I began
+to despair of teaching him to talk, when one morning, as I lay awake for
+a few minutes before arising, I heard him softly chattering to himself.
+I listened and heard him say "Puff," "Puff," very distinctly.  I was
+delighted and, going to the cage, I complimented him on his first
+attempt.
+
+Once while bathing in the stream, I noticed, for the first time, several
+fish gliding through a quiet pool.  From the momentary glance I had of
+them they appeared to resemble the white perch of the lakes at home.
+
+This opportunity to add to my larder could not be neglected, and I set
+to work to devise a plan for capturing them.  I thought, at first, of
+making a hook from thorns; but this idea was abandoned as not apt to be
+practical, and I hit upon a plan for making a net.  The first
+inspiration gradually developed into a trap, and took definite shape as
+I revolved the matter in my mind.  It was a simple device, but I spent
+much time and patience in perfecting it.
+
+First selecting one of the supple vines, about half an inch in
+thickness, I bent it into the form of a hoop, two feet in diameter,
+uniting the two ends by lashing them with smaller vines. Then, with the
+aid of a sharp thorn and thread from the fibre of the cocoanut, I sewed
+together pieces of the cocoanut cloth so as to make a bag three feet
+long, with an opening of the same diameter as the hoop.  Then I sewed
+the edge of the opening of the bag firmly to the hoop, which kept the
+bag rigidly open.
+
+Next, from more vines, I wove a funnel-shaped basket, the larger end
+fitting inside the hoop, while the smaller end, which was inserted into
+the bag, had an opening about six inches in diameter.  The larger end of
+this basket, which was like an inverted cone, was lashed to the hoop,
+all around.
+
+This was my fish-trap, and as soon as it was ready I took it to the
+brook.  The water was normally low and, finding the narrowest place in
+the current, I built across it a wall of stones, having an opening in
+the centre of the wall, in width just a little less than the diameter of
+the hoop.  The trap was then set into this opening, with the mouth
+pointing up-stream, the gentle current keeping the bag distended, while
+the hoop projecting across the edges of the opening in the wall held the
+bag in position.
+
+I expected that the fish, swimming downstream, finding no other passage,
+would enter the opening of the bag and pass through the small opening in
+the lower end of the cone, thereby becoming imprisoned.  From similar
+devices that my brother and myself had made and used in the brooks at
+home, I knew that, once inside, the fish would huddle in the lower end
+of the bag and make no effort to repass through the opening in the end
+of the cone.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XIV.*
+
+             _*Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits*_*.*
+
+
+The morning following the setting of the trap I removed it and, allowing
+the water to drain out through the meshes in the bag, I found three
+beautiful silvery fish, not unlike the white perch of the northern
+waters. Cleaning them, I broiled them over the coals, and found them to
+be delicious, delicate and fine flavored.  After that I had no lack of
+fresh fish.
+
+Puff, meantime, had made rapid progress in the art of talking and could
+carry on quite a conversation--and many were the hours I spent assisting
+him in adding to his vocabulary.  He insisted upon following me
+everywhere I went, always walking and never making any attempt to fly,
+his instructions in the use of his wings having been neglected since his
+capture.  When walking through the bush in search of pigeons and other
+provisions, I always carried Puff perched upon my shoulder, and he never
+made any attempt to escape.  He seemed as perfectly satisfied with my
+society as I was with his, and we kept up a continuous conversation.
+
+My supply of salt becoming nearly exhausted, I procured a large supply,
+enough to last me many months, by the same process as had been employed
+on the first experiment while marching along the coast.  This I sealed
+securely in joints of bamboo.
+
+Having no particular task on hand, one afternoon I proceeded to prepare
+a supply of provisions, roast pigeon, fish, yam, a few oranges and half
+a dozen green cocoanuts, preparatory to setting off, the following
+morning, to explore along the bank of the stream, which flowed almost by
+my door, toward its source.  I knew that this was a separate stream,
+independent of the other two that I had met with.  I remembered that I
+had not crossed a third stream on my march from the mountains, and I was
+curious as to its source.  Certainly it must be much shorter than the
+other two.
+
+Seeking my couch early in order that I might set off by daylight, before
+going to sleep I remembered that I needed a new supply of arrows. This
+would necessitate delaying another day, and in the morning I set to
+work, and before sunset I had several dozen of much better made arrows
+than the first ones.
+
+With my quiver and provision bag slung across my back and with Puff on
+one shoulder and the bow-gun on the other, I set out just as the sun was
+rising above the palm trees.  I kept to the left bank of the stream, and
+soon passed "Bamboo Pool" where I had first discovered these useful
+plants.
+
+I walked along rapidly, stopping only to refresh myself and Puff.  The
+way was easy, for there were very few shrubs or thorn bushes along the
+bank.  But I had to occasionally turn aside to avoid inhospitable cactus
+plants, and the sharp, dagger-like plant which grew plentifully almost
+everywhere.
+
+Just as I was thinking about seeking a good place to camp in order that
+I might make myself and Puff comfortable before dark, I was brought to
+an abrupt stop, where I stood transfixed with surprise; for I had
+reached the source of the stream, less than a day’s journey from my
+house.
+
+Before me there was a little pool, only a few feet across, and its
+centre was bubbling and boiling.  The water which supplied the stream
+flowed from the bowels of the earth.  While the pool was violently
+agitated, no sound was made by the up-rushing water.  My brook was
+simply the outlet of a subterranean river.
+
+I at once made camp for the night, determining to spend a day around the
+pool before returning.  I kindled a fire for the sake of its cheering
+effect, and made my supper from the provision bag.  Puff was satisfied
+with a banana.
+
+After a frugal breakfast in the morning--for I had only some plantain
+and a part of one of the fish left--I set out to explore the forest in
+the near vicinity of the pool.  Almost immediately I came across some
+banana trees, and near by a few plantains were also growing. Further
+around I found a couple of orange trees.  This seemed quite a natural
+garden, and it was not so far away but that I could make frequent trips
+from home for bananas and plantains.
+
+Penetrating a little further into the forest, I came to a little clear
+spot, in the centre of which grew two large, handsome trees, each with
+straight, rather smooth trunks, with symmetrical tops.
+
+At first I thought both the trees were of the same kind, but I soon
+noticed that the leaves of one were larger than those of the other, and
+more pinnate.  I discovered that both trees bore curious-looking fruit.
+The fruit, too, looked something alike.  It was large, round, and green
+in color, with a pebbly rind.  Several were lying under each tree; but
+that under one of the trees was decayed, and when I tried to move it
+with my foot it yielded to the pressure, and as the mass parted it
+looked like uncooked bread. The fruit under the other tree was firm and
+hard.  I was at a loss to solve the mystery. Cutting one of the latter,
+I found that it had a very hard shell.  Procuring a long pole from the
+bush, I succeeded in knocking off some fresh fruit from the other tree.
+On cutting this I found that the skin was thin, and that the inside had
+something the appearance of a yam.
+
+I carried one of each to camp, when it occurred to me to roast the
+latter, and see if it proved good to eat.  While it was roasting in the
+coals, I cut the other green globe in halves, and found that the hard
+shell was very readily separated from the meat, leaving two nice bowls,
+suitable for drinking vessels, and perhaps for cooking. When I thought
+the other was thoroughly roasted, I took it from the ashes.  The
+transformation was marvelous.  The fruit was now like light, white
+bread.  Very cautiously I tasted it, and found that, while it possessed
+no decided flavor, it was very delicate.  I tried some with a little
+salt, and mentally pronounced it delicious.
+
+Before going into camp for the night, I procured half a dozen of each
+fruit, and, early in the morning, after adding a supply of bananas and
+plantains to my burden, started to return to the house, which was
+reached early in the evening.
+
+I became very fond of the new fruit, which answered for bread; and I
+made dishes from the shell of the other which served for drinking
+vessels, and I even boiled some fish in one of them.
+
+My time was now occupied by various tasks. Frequent trips were made to
+the pool.  I planted more yams, and made frequent excursions hunting
+pigeons.  I also made a complete suit of clothes from the cocoanut
+cloth, including a hat and a pair of very substantial moccasins, for my
+shoes were all but useless.  These things were varied by giving Puff
+lessons in conversation, in which he proved to be an apt scholar.
+
+I had seen no turtles on this part of the coast, and I contemplated a
+journey to the cove where I had seen them months before, as soon as,
+from my calendar, I judged it to be their breeding season.  I had long
+craved more of their delicious eggs.
+
+As the days and weeks passed, frequent showers came up; and after a
+time, the showers of warm, tepid rain became more frequent. Some were
+very violent, with high wind, and occasionally thunder and lightning.
+They rose quickly and as quickly passed over, when the sun would burst
+out, making the drops falling from the trees glisten like silver.  But
+there came a day of almost steady rain, and, after consulting my
+calendar, I found that it was about time for the rainy season to set in.
+
+I had hardly thought of the rainy season since my return from the
+mountains.  Indeed, I had intended to set to work and attempt to
+construct a craft with which to try to reach the distant land to the
+east.  But now I must wait for another rainy season to pass before
+attempting it, for the sea would be too rough to risk a voyage in a rude
+and frail craft.
+
+I allowed gloomy thoughts to take possession of me, which I did not even
+confide to Puff, who was my only comforter.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XV.*
+
+                   _*A Hurricane and a Shipwreck*_*.*
+
+
+I strove to occupy my mind by digging a large store of yams, and
+gathering hundreds of cocoanuts, and storing them inside the house for
+use when the rain should prevent my going far from the shore.  I also
+gathered an immense quantity of dead branches for firewood, which I
+piled in the rear of the house, covering it thickly with grass and then
+broad leaves and bark stripped from the trees, to shed the water.
+
+The rain became almost constant, and after a day of hard work making
+some repairs that I thought necessary on my house, I lay on my couch,
+secure from the rain and wind, thinking of the past, present and future.
+The wind had risen rapidly until it had become a gale.  I listened to
+the rustle and flapping of the leaves of the palm trees, and to the roar
+of the waves on the shore.  At length, through the crevices around the
+door I could see that the night was frequently lighted up by vivid
+flashes of lightning.  Heavy thunder began to rumble away back over the
+forest.  The wind increased, and then came a roar which seemed to shake
+the earth, and shrieks sounded above the dashing of the surf as the wind
+came with terrible force.
+
+I could hear the stockade creak, and see the walls of the house tremble.
+The rain came in torrents, and swept against the enclosure. Another
+blinding flash and roar, and, above the rattle of the palm leaves I
+could hear the crack and crash of breaking and falling branches and tree
+trunks.  A hurricane had broken over the island.  I lay appalled, and
+listened to the terrible havoc of the tempest.  I could not close my
+eyes.
+
+It seemed as though the night would never pass; but after long, weary
+hours, a faint gray light stole into the house, denoting the approach of
+day and the end of that awful night.
+
+The storm abated a little, but the crashing sounds continued to come
+from the forest.  As soon as it was light enough to see plainly I
+ventured to go outside the stockade.  The structure had withstood the
+force of the wind; but what a pitiful sight greeted me as I looked
+about.  Many of the tall cocoanut palms that had been my friends and
+companions from the first lay prostrate, twisted and broken.  The ground
+was covered with nuts, leaves and broken branches.  The little stream
+was full to the very top of the banks.
+
+The waves roared and thundered on the narrow beach.  I turned toward the
+sea and thought about the night of the wreck.
+
+But had I gone mad?  Had the horrors of the night so affected my mind?
+I covered my eyes, and in a moment looked again.
+
+Yes, out toward the bluff, only a few rods from the shore, was a vessel.
+It lay as though at anchor.  I saw that it was a barkentine. The vessel
+had not anchored; she was stranded. Then I ran to the shore and waved my
+arms wildly.  I could not go to the bluff on account of the swollen
+stream.  I saw several men walking around the windlass.  Then they ran
+excitedly along the deck; and then I saw but two men on the deck.  I
+gazed out at the rocking vessel and saw a boat slowly swing around the
+bow.  It was filled with men rowing.  I saw the boat pointed toward the
+shore.  I watched it eagerly.  The boat seemed to make no headway.  But,
+yes, it was slowly making headway.  Then again my heart sank, as through
+the flying spume I saw a mountain of water, a great billow many times
+higher than the stranded ship, come rolling into the bay.  I stood
+transfixed with horror, spellbound, as I watched the water, coming with
+the speed of the wind, with a roar which every instant became more
+terrific. Powerless to aid the poor souls in the boat, struggling
+against a forlorn hope, in this moment of peril--of instant death, I
+stood, sick and faint, in contemplation of their fate.
+
+The great wave now overhung the vessel. Its foam-fringed crest curled
+over and, with a fearful snarl of anger, like some dread monster with
+jaws agape, it rushed over the vessel and obscured it from sight.
+
+I sank to the ground and covered my face, as I wept in anguish.  I was
+overcome at the awful thought of the catastrophe and by the instant, but
+full realization of my great disappointment,--almost at the moment when
+rescue from my long, lonely exile seemed near, every hope vanished; and
+in a few moments I should see the bodies of those whom I hoped would
+succor me tossed ashore, bruised and mangled. These thoughts flashed
+rapidly through my mind as I sank to the earth.
+
+Yet there was a faint hope, and the flitting thought caused my courage
+to revive for an instant.
+
+If the boat, perchance, escaped being swamped and should be borne far
+enough toward the beach to ground firmly and thus escape being carried
+back by the receding water, her passengers might be saved; but if not,
+her fate was certain, for she would be hurled back upon upon the reef
+and not a soul would escape.
+
+I started to my feet and strained my eyes in the direction of the vessel
+as the huge wave thundered upon the beach, the water rolling far up
+toward my house.
+
+Oh, the awful anguish of that moment!  At first I could see no sign of
+the vessel, but as the succeeding wave subsided I caught a glimpse of
+the vessel and saw that her masts, spars and rigging were hanging about
+her in a tangled mass of wreck.  The hull seemed to remain in about the
+same position, it only having careened shoreward.  The boat was nowhere
+to be seen, though I carefully scanned every inch of the swirling water.
+Perhaps it had been dashed ashore unseen by me, obscured in the cloud of
+foam.
+
+I dashed to the beach and ran eagerly along the shore, hoping to find
+the boat and to rescue her passengers who, if discovered, would be in a
+state of insensibility.  But my search was fruitless, and I stood again
+a hopeless castaway, no nearer rescue than when, on that bright morning
+after the storm which sent the _Ethelyn Hope_ to the bottom, I regained
+consciousness to find myself alone at this very spot.
+
+I returned to my house and tried to reconcile myself to my
+disappointment, and to adjust my mind to the rapid succession of events
+in which were mingled joy and sorrow, hope and despair, all within
+little more than a half-hour.
+
+Fortunately my house, thanks to the thoroughness with which the builder,
+assisted by nature, had done his work, had withstood the fury of the
+hurricane and had proved to be impervious to the rain, so I had no
+difficulty in making a fire, by which I prepared breakfast, drying my
+costume in the meantime.
+
+The wind had by this time nearly all died away, though the incessant
+roar of the surf continued on the beach.  Hoping still that some one
+from the ill-fated vessel might escape to keep me company, I went again
+to the beach, walking along toward the creek.  Seeing neither a body nor
+a sign of the boat, I started to follow along the bank of the creek with
+the intention of crossing it and searching along the shore in front of
+the bluff; but I had taken a few steps only when I stopped in
+astonishment, for almost at my feet, her shoulders upon a tangle of
+reeds, lay the body of a young woman.  I thought she must be dead, for
+she was very white and her eyes, while open, were fixed, turned upward
+toward the palm leaves. As gently as I could I lifted her and with some
+difficulty bore her to a mound at the foot of a palm tree, where I laid
+her carefully down, resting her drooping head in a natural position.
+
+Poor girl--for she was but a girl--cast up by the sea, dead; and that
+was all I could ever know, about her.  How tenderly I would lay her
+beneath the tropical flowers on the bluff, in a grave lined with soft
+grass!--alas, all I could do.
+
+Sadly I gazed at the still form, and was about to turn away again toward
+the beach when, to my great surprise, I thought I noticed a faint tremor
+on her face and a movement of her hands.  I must be mistaken; but no,
+again there was a movement--no mistaking it this time--then her eyes
+closed.  I knelt beside her and held her wrist.  It was cold, but I
+thought I could detect a tiny flicker of the pulse.  Certain now that
+life remained, I lifted her as tenderly as possible.  She was very
+slight and I could easily bear her weight; but her body was so limp that
+I found it difficult to carry her, supporting her head at the same time.
+
+However, I reached the house, bore her within and laid her upon the
+couch.  Then I took a piece of the cocoanut cloth, hastily twisting it
+to make it as soft as possible, and went to work vigorously chafing her
+wrists and hands, and I was presently rewarded by seeing her open her
+eyes.  Her head was turned slightly away, but with a faint sigh she
+moved it toward me.  With a wondering gaze she looked full into my face
+for a moment, and then her eyes closed again. She had lost
+consciousness, and I again chafed her hands and loosened her wet
+garments about her throat.  In what must have been a few moments only,
+but what seemed to me to be hours, she again opened her eyes and I saw
+her lips move.  I bent close to her and made out to catch her words,
+faintly whispered.
+
+"Where am I?  Is papa here?"
+
+That was all, for then she swooned away again.
+
+Her father.  How strange it all was, and now for the first time, I
+remembered that I had not noticed a woman on the deck of the ship before
+the boat was launched.  Satisfied now that her life was safe, I left
+her, hurried to the beach and renewed my search, when, directly in front
+of my door, with the water washing partly over it, I saw the body of a
+man resting upon the sand. From his appearance I judged him to be a
+sailor.  I dragged the body out of the water. The limbs were rigid and
+there was a deep gash on the left temple.
+
+Feeling certain that life was extinct, I turned and continued my search.
+I soon picked up an oar, and as I came to the mouth of the creek I saw
+something which caused me to start back, involuntarily.  It was a hand
+protruding from a pile of broken reeds.  Hastily I tore away the reeds,
+revealing the body of a man, which, I noticed, was not dressed like a
+sailor.  While I was moving the body away from the edge of the creek I
+observed that the man was rather past middle life, well built and rather
+stout, of medium complexion, with thick hair and moustache, both being
+sprinkled with gray.  His limbs were not rigid, which caused me to hope
+that a spark of life remained.  I therefore began to treat him as I knew
+drowning persons should be dealt with, and shortly, to my great joy, he
+began to revive and was, ere long, able to sit up and look about him.
+He gazed at me in seeming wonder as though thinking me to be a being of
+a different species from himself, which was not to be wondered at in
+view of my picturesque costume.
+
+"Oh Marjorie, my poor girl:" were his first words.
+
+"If you mean your daughter, sir," I said, "she is safe and sound in my
+house yonder."  He extended his hand to me, which I took and held while
+he recovered his vitality sufficiently to go to the house.
+
+"I fear we shall intrude greatly upon the hospitality of your
+household;" he said, with a little effort.
+
+"No fear of that, sir," I made reply; "for the company of yourself and
+daughter is certainly a great pleasure to me and I am the sole member of
+my household."
+
+"Are you alone, then?" he asked.
+
+"Yes, sir, alone on this island," I answered.
+
+He was going to say more but I begged him to desist until he was
+stronger, and until he was able to proceed to the house.
+
+He expressed himself as being fully able to do so, and as he seemed
+anxious about his daughter I assisted him to rise; and, placing an arm
+about him I supported him as he walked slowly to the house.
+
+The meeting of father and daughter was a joyous one.  The girl was able
+to sit up and the color was returning to her cheeks.  I could not help
+noticing at a glance that she was very pretty, tall with a slender well
+moulded figure, with brown hair and blue eyes and a clear complexion.
+She was, I judged, anywhere from seventeen to nineteen years old.  With
+usual feminine thoughtfulness of her appearance she had already coiled
+her hair neatly and rearranged her damp garments as well as she was
+able.  While I stirred up the fire so that my visitors might dry their
+clothes, the father related, briefly, the story of their experiences.
+
+His name was Richard Harborough, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, from which
+port the wrecked barkentine, _Three Sisters_, of which he was the owner,
+hailed.  His family consisted of his wife, and three daughters for whom
+his vessel was named.  He had determined to make a voyage in his vessel
+for health and recreation and his daughter Marjorie, a student at
+Dalhousie College, whose health had been impaired by overstudy, had
+accompanied him, the family physician strongly recommending a voyage in
+the southern seas as a restorative.
+
+The _Three Sisters_ had taken out a cargo of general merchandise to
+Demerara, British Guiana, and after discharging she had proceeded to
+Greytown, British Honduras, where she had taken in a partial cargo of
+mahogany for Boston, proceeding from the Central American coast to San
+Domingo where she took on board sufficient logwood to complete her
+cargo.  During heavy weather the seas that came aboard had polluted her
+fresh-water casks and seeing the island just at dusk they had put in
+toward it intending to anchor until morning and then to come ashore and
+refill her casks.  But the storm broke upon her, the rain obscured the
+island, and she would have gone ashore had she not struck one of the
+hidden coral reefs.  What prevented her masts from going overboard the
+men could not explain; but it must have been a miracle, they said.  As
+soon as the barkentine struck, the anchor was let go, by which it was
+hoped she would be prevented from drifting, until daylight.  When first
+I saw the men on the deck they were hauling up the anchor, finding that
+the barkentine had not drifted, with the intention of taking it to
+windward and trying to work her off the reef by heaving at the windlass.
+But realizing that the vessel was hopelessly aground, and fearing that
+she might break up, it was decided to try to reach the shore, the result
+of which attempt I had witnessed.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XVI*
+
+            _*Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House*_*.*
+
+
+I told them, as briefly as possible, the story of my exile on the
+island, to which they listened, seemingly with the greatest interest,
+refraining, on account of delicacy, I supposed, from asking about my
+strange garb.
+
+"And now," I said at the conclusion of my narrative, "you must make
+yourselves at home and as comfortable as possible, while I see about
+dinner"--for it was just mid-day--"and then we will attend to the poor
+fellow who lies outside on the beach."
+
+So saying I took my bow-gun, my guests watching me in wonder, and
+started for the thicket behind the house.
+
+I hoped to secure a pigeon, for my companions must be in need of
+nourishing food.  I had the good fortune to spy a pigeon almost
+immediately and to secure it with a single arrow.  My companions were
+greatly surprised to see me return so quickly, and after placing some
+yams and bread fruit to roast in the ashes, I set about plucking the
+pigeon.  It was a plump bird, of the ring-tail variety.  Half of it I
+fixed over the coals to roast, and with the remainder I proceeded to
+make some broth, which I succeeded very well in doing, thickening it
+with crumbs of cold roasted bread fruit, and seasoning it with salt of
+my own manufacture, as I explained to my guests, while I prepared it.
+
+After the repast, which greatly revived Mr. Harborough and his daughter,
+we all went to the beach, I leading the way, to where the dead sailor
+lay.
+
+"Poor fellow," said Mr. Harborough, "it is the third mate.  The
+barkentine carried seven men beside the captain and three mates.  We
+must see if any more have come ashore."  But although we searched
+carefully all along the shore up the bay, we found no other bodies. So
+the dead sailor was carried tenderly to the palm grove, where he was
+laid in a grave, dug after much hard labor, and lined with grass; I
+promising to carve a head-piece for it, in the near future.
+
+Then I took Mr. Harborough and his daughter around the neighborhood of
+my hut, showing them where I had been cast ashore, where I had gathered
+the reeds and cut the bamboos for my house, where I had discovered the
+yam vines; indeed, I gave them a careful history of my doings
+thereabout, which used up all the afternoon.  The sea, meantime, had
+subsided and the sun had dried the bush and the grass; and after a
+frugal meal from the remnants of the noonday repast, we sat long in
+front of the house beneath the tropical sky, watching the moon rising
+above the feathery palm tops, while we speculated regarding the future.
+
+The situation presented few complications, for we must simply make the
+best of everything until rescued, be it days, months, or years. Mr.
+Harborough had most important information to communicate, namely, that
+the _Three Sisters_ had a bountiful store of food supplies and cooking
+utensils, as well as a rifle, shot-gun and ammunition for each.  The
+rifle had belonged to the captain and the shot-gun to the mate, who,
+when opportunity offered, were accustomed to go ashore for a little
+sport, shooting.  To get these treasures ashore would greatly add to our
+comfort, and, although we had no boat, we resolved, very early in the
+morning, to set about discussing means for saving as much as possible
+from the vessel.
+
+Mr. Harborough, I was glad to see, took a cheerful view of the
+situation, and was resolved not to despair; and Miss Harborough, also,
+showed her bravery by taking the greatest interest in our plans.  With
+some large pieces of cocoanut cloth I screened off a corner of the room,
+including my couch, which was to serve as Miss Harborough’s sleeping
+apartment, while Mr. Harborough and I stretched ourselves on the floor
+near the door.  Before we slept I communicated to him my intention to
+build an addition to the house before attempting to do much in getting
+things from the vessel, in order to afford Miss Harborough privacy, by
+having a room to herself.  He thanked me for all my kindness, and we
+knew no more until awakened by Puff, who, while everything was damp, had
+not been heard from.  Indeed, I had, I regretted to admit, forgotten
+him.  But now, his feathers dry, and the morning bright and fair, he
+made himself heard, indicating by all the words in his vocabulary,
+interspersed with shrill screeches, that he was hungry, and would brook
+no delay in having his wants supplied.
+
+The morning repast finished, we adjourned to the beach to lay out a plan
+of work for the immediate future.  We had two matters to discuss: one,
+the most important, of devising ways and means of transporting the
+supplies from the stranded barkentine to the shore, and the other, the
+construction of an addition to the house for the accommodation of Miss
+Harborough.
+
+"It seems to me," observed Mr. Harborough, "that we should solve the
+problem of getting out to the vessel as quickly as possible; for, if
+there arises another great storm, she might break up."
+
+"That is very true," I replied, "and your suggestion is a wise one; so,
+as the building of the addition to the house will not be a long task if
+we work together, let us set to work upon it at once.  We will construct
+it in the same manner as I built this house."
+
+It was decided that Mr. Harborough should cut the bamboos and the canes,
+while I would build the house, having acquired some skill from my
+previous work.
+
+"I fear you will find it laborious work, for I have only this knife," I
+observed, taking out my much-used knife.
+
+"Ah," he replied, "I have a good knife, larger and stronger than yours;"
+so saying he produced a large pocket-knife, having a broad, strong
+blade.
+
+"Capital," said I; "now we shall get on famously."
+
+I conducted him to the thicket of bamboos a a little way up the stream,
+leaving him, while I went a little further down, to cut reeds.
+
+"Oh, but I want to do something to help," exclaimed Miss Harborough.
+"What can I do?"
+
+"You can be of the greatest assistance by carrying reeds to the house.
+They are very light, and, besides, you can take small armfulls."
+
+She was overjoyed at the idea, and she at once set to work with much
+enthusiasm.  I cut a quantity of reeds and then went back to bring some
+bamboos, after which I set to work cutting a door-way through the side
+of the house to connect it with the extension.  I pursued the same
+methods as in making the main house, Mr. Harborough cutting bamboos and
+reeds, his daughter bringing all the filling material from the stream,
+while I set up the frame and wove the reeds into the walls.  This
+finished, grass was cut for thatching the roof.  We worked steadily,
+only stopping for a bit to eat at noon, so that, by sunset, the addition
+was completed. It was six by eight feet in dimensions, and it was very
+thoroughly made.  After consulting Miss Harborough, it was decided not
+to have a door between the two apartments, but to hang up a curtain
+instead.  I suggested that the curtain be made of cocoanut cloth, and I
+promised Miss Harborough to gather the cloth in the morning, and show
+her how to sew it together with fine roots.
+
+We all sat for a time in front of the house, enjoying the breeze which
+blew toward the land after the sun-down, retiring early in anticipation
+of the work of the morrow.  Before I slept I had formed a plan to reach
+the barkentine on the reef, which I believed would prove successful.
+The morning dawned bright and cloudless, and the household was awakened
+by Puff, screaming for his breakfast.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XVII.*
+
+              _*Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck*_*.*
+
+
+We first visited the young cocoanut palms from which I cut a supply of
+cloth for the curtain, to be hung between the two apartments in the
+house; and while I dug some small roots for thread, to use in sewing the
+pieces together, Mr. Harborough, under my direction, with his knife
+shaped from a piece of hard wood, a bodkin, to be used in lieu of a
+needle in sewing.
+
+Leaving Miss Harborough comfortably ensconced in front of the house,
+with the materials around her, Mr. Harborough and myself set about the
+task of reaching the vessel.
+
+"There is but one way to reach her, sir," I said, "and that is by means
+of a raft.  It is the only sort of a craft that we can construct with no
+tools, and, besides, I believe we can make a raft which will carry the
+cargo."
+
+"Your experience fits you to take the initiative," he replied.  "I am
+under your direction. You shall lead, and I will follow and obey your
+instructions."
+
+"I am sure our combined ideas only will produce the best results," I
+made answer.  "But first let us proceed to the bamboo thicket."
+
+As we started to go up stream, Mr. Harborough turned and cast an anxious
+look toward his daughter.
+
+Noticing this, I hastened to reassure him concerning her safety.
+
+"And are there no wild animals on the island?" he asked.
+
+"I have seen none hereabout," I assured him. I remembered the wild pigs
+that I had met on my march around the coast, but I thought best not to
+unduly alarm him by alluding to them.
+
+"And do you believe the island entirely uninhabited?" he asked.
+
+"At the present time I believe it is absolutely uninhabited," I replied.
+As we walked along I told him about the old wall on the mountain, adding
+that it was evidently constructed by civilized people, long ago.  An
+idea occurred to me at that moment concerning the ruined wall, but I
+resolved not to communicate it at present.
+
+As for the wild pigs, I did not believe they would put in an appearance
+in this part of the island.  Reaching the bamboo thicket, we set to work
+cutting a great quantity of them, selecting those from two to four
+inches in diameter, I, meanwhile, explaining to Mr. Harborough how I
+proposed to construct the raft.  We labored incessantly the entire day,
+only stopping, when the sun stood directly overhead, to allay the
+cravings of our appetites; and reaching the house, we were delighted to
+find that Miss Harborough had dinner all ready for us, she having
+roasted some yams and the only remaining bread fruit.  I resolved to
+make a trip to the pool and procure another supply at once.
+
+Miss Harborough had finished the curtain, and before we returned to our
+bamboo cutting we hung it in place, fastening it with wooden skewers.
+
+While we continued to cut bamboos Miss Harborough wandered about
+admiring and wondering at the many tropical sights and sounds. I
+continued to keep the records of the days on my cocoanut-shell calendar.
+In two days we had cut what I believed was a sufficient number of
+bamboos.  The following day was Sunday; and while we resolved to abstain
+from working on the raft, we agreed that the time was too precious to
+remain entirely idle; so we resolved to devote the day to replenishing
+our larder.
+
+We were early astir and prepared for a trip to the pool.  Before setting
+out I got out the fish net, which I set in the stream, explaining that
+we would remove it on our return, and hoping that it would yield a good
+number of fish.  I took my bow-gun, intending to keep a sharp lookout
+for pigeons, and Miss Harborough carried Puff, I having taken care to
+secure him to her arm by a thong so he could not impede our progress by
+flying away into the thicket.
+
+We followed the bank of the stream and in due time reached the pool
+where we set about, in the best of spirits, gathering water-cocoanuts,
+bread fruit, oranges, bananas and plantains. Refreshing ourselves upon
+some ripe bananas that we found scattered through the bunches, while we
+sat beneath the shade of the broad leaves, we gathered up our spoils and
+set out to return.
+
+I decided to keep along the edge of the forest going back, hoping to bag
+a pigeon or two; and I was so fortunate as to secure four, to the great
+wonder of my companions who marvelled at my markmanship and the accuracy
+of the rude bow-gun.
+
+Arriving home the net was removed from the stream, being nearly half
+filled with fish.  The question of food was settled for several days,
+and we could work on the raft uninterrupted.
+
+Miss Harborough allotted to herself the duty of preparing the food, and
+well did she perform her task.  She not only had our meals ready with
+unfailing regularity, but her womanly instinct enabled her to devise
+dinners, dainty and appetising innovations in the simple cookery, that
+were most acceptable.
+
+The foundation of the raft was laid by placing bamboos on the beach just
+out of reach of the surf, there being no discernable tide, about one
+foot apart.  The poles, forming a layer, were about eighteen feet long,
+and there were fourteen of them.  This fixed the dimensions of the raft,
+eighteen by fourteen feet.  These were firmly lashed together with
+lianas from the thicket near by, which were passed over and under each
+alternate pole, across to the opposite side and back again, six times
+across, with double weaving at the ends.  Next we cut a great quantity
+of reeds and laid them evenly over the frame-work, to the thickness of
+about two feet.  Another frame was then made the same size as the first,
+which was placed over the reeds and bound firmly to the bottom frame, to
+which it was firmly fastened with lianas around the edges, forming a
+sort of mattress. This process was repeated until the raft was fully six
+feet thick.  This work, as is to be supposed, occupied several days; but
+when it was completed we had reason to feel proud of the result.
+Indeed, it was the outcome of no little skill.
+
+We expected that the buoyancy of the materials of which it was
+constructed, together with its great thickness, would enable the raft to
+float with its top high out of the water, which would allow it it to
+support a considerable load.  And, besides, it was so light that our
+combined efforts sufficed to move it quite readily.  On the morning of
+the day following its completion, we launched the raft, and to our great
+satisfaction saw that it floated like a cork.  We decided that a long
+bamboo to be used as a scull-oar would be the best means of propelling
+it.  One half of the thickness of the larger end of this bamboo was
+split away the length of the first joint, which gave a flat surface to
+offer resistance to the water in sculling.  Another bamboo was provided
+to be used in poling.  We were now ready to set out for the wreck.  Miss
+Harborough expressed a desire to accompany us, but I demurred, until we
+had proved the seaworthiness and stability of the raft, in which her
+father joined.  So she seated herself near the beach and watched us as
+we pushed off.
+
+Beneath our combined weight the raft did not appear to sink perceptibly,
+and it promised to float a good amount of cargo.  This was most pleasing
+to us for it would enable us to remove what we wanted from the vessel
+rapidly. We joined in poling the raft until the water became too deep,
+after which I used the scull from the end, being somewhat of an expert
+by reason of my boyish practice with a punt on the pond near the home of
+my childhood.  The sea was placid, and it required only a few minutes to
+reach the wreck.  I propelled the raft under the bow-sprit and held it
+steady by grasping the martingale, while Mr. Harborough climbed aboard,
+from whence he threw a line with which I quickly made the raft fast, and
+joined him on the deck.
+
+The scene around us was one of confusion. The deck was strewn with a
+tangled mass of rigging, rendering it not a little difficult to move
+about.
+
+"I think," said Mr. Harborough, "that we should proceed systematically
+through the vessel, and I suggest that we first proceed to the cabin."
+
+So we descended the companionway which led to the roomy cabin.  It was
+comfortably, though not luxuriously fitted up, after the usual style of
+vessels going on long voyages. Mr. Harborough proceeded to collect all
+his clothing, while I, at his suggestion, gathered into a bundle all of
+the wearing apparel that had belonged to the captain, to be appropriated
+to my own use; and indeed, I was sadly in need of it. We did not disturb
+Miss Harborough’s cabin, having decided to let her accompany us on the
+next trip, when she could gather up her own belongings.
+
+"There seems to be nothing else that can be of use to us," said Mr.
+Harborough, glancing around the cabin.
+
+"Oh, but why not take the chairs?  They are fastened to the floor of the
+cabin, but there must be tools on board in the carpenter’s kit, with
+which we can easily remove them.  And, then, the charts, the chronometer
+and the compass.  Who knows but that they may be of great use to us?  I
+am sure the compass would, at least."
+
+"That is true," he replied; "I fear that I am not very used to being a
+castaway."
+
+"A few months will accustom you to such an existence," I replied.
+
+So we went forward and found the carpenter’s chest, from which we took
+all the tools necessary to remove the cabin chairs, and the compass.
+These, with the chronometer and the clothing, we deposited together in
+the cabin. Next we set about collecting all the small sized rope and all
+the cooking utensils in the galley, which we placed with the cabin
+crockery.  We debated whether it would be advisable to attempt to remove
+the galley stove to the shore; but, because of its weight and the
+consequent great difficulty in removing it, we abandoned the idea.  As
+we moved about the deck we could see Miss Harborough by the beach, and
+we frequently signalled to her, fearing that she might be lonesome
+alone, amid such strange surroundings.
+
+As I stood gazing at the beautiful island, densely covered with tropical
+vegetation, radiant with golden light, I made out the mountain on which
+I had erected the beacon, which I could dimly see.  I called Mr.
+Scarborough’s attention to it, and expressed my disappointment that it
+was so dimly visible; but when I reflected that the mountain was much
+nearer the east coast, I took a brighter view of it, for I believed that
+the island must be one of the Virgin Islands; and, if so, it must be one
+of the most easterly.  Still I could not make up my mind what the land I
+had sighted far to the eastward from the mountain top might be.  If it
+was one of the northern Leeward Islands, then we could not be far out of
+the track of vessels.  In this case the beacon must, sooner or later, be
+seen from some passing ship.
+
+Overhauling the stores we found quantities of provisions, canned and
+dried fruits, salt, half a barrel of salted beef, nearly two barrels of
+flour, a great quantity of sweet potatoes and several gross of matches.
+Indeed, nothing seemed to be lacking.
+
+We now set about loading the raft, lowering the different articles over
+the side by means of a rope, distributing the weight over the raft. We
+loaded it until it settled to within a foot of the top, and a great
+quantity of freight it took. At this rate it would require but few trips
+to complete the work.  Taking the clothing aboard we started ashore,
+which we reached without accident, though it required considerably more
+time to scull the heavily loaded raft.  Being so deeply laden, it
+grounded several feet from the beach, so that in unloading it, we had to
+wade back and forth through the water.
+
+Everything was stored snugly in the house before sundown.
+
+On the morning following we made another early start for the wreck, Miss
+Harborough with us this time.  As before, the raft was made fast to the
+bow-sprit, and Miss Harborough was hoisted aboard in a bo’sn’s chair.
+We proceeded to load the raft, intending to make two trips during the
+day.  This was soon accomplished, and taking the compass and the
+chronometer, as well as Miss Harborough’s trunk, we were about to cast
+off, when, with an exclamation, Mr. Harborough grasped the chains and
+disappeared on deck, presently returning with face aglow, carrying in
+each hand a gun.  Such good fortune was almost overpowering, for with
+guns we could not only defend ourselves effectively, if necessary, but
+easily secure plenty of game.  He explained that there was a quantity of
+cartridges for the rifle as well as considerable ammunition for the
+shot-gun, in the cabin. Each day we continued to make one or two trips
+to the vessel, the weather fortunately continuing calm, with the result
+that we stripped her of everything that we could move, and that could
+possibly be of use to us.  We soon discovered that we could store in the
+house only such articles as there would constantly be use for, so we
+proceeded to build another addition from the other side, opposite Miss
+Harborough’s apartment, to serve exclusively as a store-room. Thus our
+abode extended to quite a pretentious establishment.  The raft, no
+longer in use, we hauled up among the cocoanut palms.  We had been so
+busy since the barkentine came ashore that we had not been able to
+extend the stockade around the two additions to the house. This we
+proceeded to do, following the same plan of construction as I had
+previously done, joining it to the main structure at the four corners,
+thus making an enclosure of quite twice the area of the original
+compound.  We planted yam vines all around the new stockade, varying our
+labors by making trips to the pool for provisions, going on excursions
+into the forest, but never far away, securing pigeons with the aid of
+the shot-gun, but seeing no animals, and fishing in the stream.  We
+lived sumptuously, with the fruit and the plentiful supplies from the
+vessel.  At my suggestion, we planted a quantity of sweet potatoes,
+selecting a sunny spot near the stream, breaking up the ground with
+poles sharpened with the aid of a good axe, which we found in the
+carpenter’s kit.  Indeed, we found several tools, such as a bit, auger,
+two saws; and a hammer that were of great use to us; and fortunately a
+few nails.  I had some doubt as to the success of our sweet potato
+experiment, believing that the tropical climate would prove too warm for
+them, remembering that they flourish to the greatest perfection in the
+eastern-central part of our own country. However, the experiment was
+worth trying in the interest of future food supplies.  We had, from the
+first, kept a close watch along the shore all along the bay, in case
+bodies of other members of the barkentine’s crew came ashore. But none
+did, and, with the axe, we hewed a rude head-board from a hard-wood
+plank which we had brought from the vessel, for the grave of the man
+whom we had buried, carving thereon the name "William Clayton," together
+with the day and year of his death.
+
+We discussed the advisability of setting fire to the wreck, but after
+mature consideration we decided that so long as it remained intact, it
+might serve to attract attention should a vessel be passing, and thus
+lead to our rescue.
+
+We had much leisure, and I took occasion to make known a project which I
+had in mind from the first, that of making a trip to the mountain.  For
+one thing I wished to see if the beacon had withstood the hurricane;
+and, more than all, an idea had taken possession of me, growing stronger
+every day, that a careful investigation around the ruined wall might
+lead to interesting, and, perhaps, important revelations.  My companions
+were delighted with the prospect, and we at once set about making
+preparations for the journey; and here a new idea suggested itself.  We
+must carry with us as large a quantity of provisions as possible, and
+how could this be accomplished?  We would make knapsacks from
+sail-cloth.  Why had we not thought to bring the sails of the barkentine
+ashore?  The raft was again launched, and we removed the smaller sails
+from the vessel; and, by searching among the seamen’s dunnage in the
+forecastle, we found several sailors’ needles and twine.  All working
+together, we soon fashioned two square bags, with straps of several
+thicknesses of cloth, with which to sling them upon our backs.  The next
+most important thing was the selection of the articles to be carried
+with us.  Provisions must form the bulk of the packs, and we made the
+selection with the greatest care.  We also proposed to take along the
+axe, a coil of rope, the ship’s compass, which was removed from the
+gimbals, and, of course, the two guns, Mr. Harborough carrying the
+rifle, while I took the shot-gun.  We made belts from the sail-cloth for
+carrying ammunition.  The axe formed part of my equipment. A light
+bundle of clothing was made up for Miss Harborough who also took charge
+of Puff, who was made fast to her arm by a piece of twine. Everything
+was made snug in the house, and the remaining sail-cloth was carefully
+spread over the stores to be left behind.  The door was securely closed,
+and one bright morning we were ready to start, first taking, by means of
+the compass, the bearings of the mountain.  It was my intention to
+proceed by a different route from those I had followed in going to and
+returning from the mountain, for two reasons. One was that I wished to
+further explore the island, which a new route would enable me to do, and
+the other was that a direct route through the forest would be much
+shorter, requiring us to encamp but one night.  My companions fully
+agreed with this idea.  The stream was followed as far as the pool,
+where we entered the forest.  It consisted of many varieties of trees,
+one kind being of large size, with a smooth, straight trunk, towering to
+a great height, without branches.  This, Mr. Harborough said, was the
+mahogany tree.
+
+Great lianas entwined the trees and many creepers, some bearing
+exquisite blossoms that called forth exclamations of delight from Miss
+Harborough, depended from the branches; and in some places the
+vegetation was so dense that we were compelled to cut a way with the
+axe. At Mr. Harborough’s suggestion and at her request I ceased to
+address his daughter as Miss Harborough, and thereafter called her
+Marjorie, as did her father; for, as they both said, we were exiles
+together, and formality was superfluous.  We were in excellent spirits
+and made rapid progress.  When the sun was in the zenith, as we could
+see by an occasional glimpse through an opening in the dense canopy
+above us, we paused by a tiny stream of clear water for refreshments and
+a short rest.  Our repast finished, while Mr. Harborough and I conversed
+concerning the present and the future, Marjorie wandered away a short
+distance, searching for new and beautiful flowers.  Just as we rose to
+resume the march, and were about to call her, we heard an agonizing
+scream coming from the forest at no great distance away.  It was clear
+that something had befallen Marjorie.  Grasping the guns, we dashed in
+the direction indicated by her cries, and presently we saw her dress
+through the undergrowth.  As we hastened forward a sight met our eyes
+which caused us to come to a sudden halt and to gaze in horror at the
+spectacle before us; for there was Marjorie, crying out no longer, her
+limp body in the grasp of what looked like a dark, shrivelled-up old
+man.
+
+It seemed to be four or five feet tall, with a face almost black, its
+body covered with short hair.  The limbs were long, small, and the legs
+were bent.  We both shouted, at which the monster released Marjorie,
+allowing her to fall to the ground, while it stood motionless, looking
+at us, but making no sound.  Almost at the same instant it stooped and
+grasped a huge club which lay at its feet.  We waited no longer, and
+both raised our guns and fired.  Evidently our excitement disconcerted
+our aim, for the monster, without giving forth a sound, sprang to the
+great tree near which it stood and began to climb it rapidly, keeping to
+the side opposite to us.  We hastened around, and Mr. Harborough fired
+another shot from his rifle, but without apparent effect, for the
+creature quickly reached the branches and disappeared.
+
+We hastened to Marjorie who had recovered from her swoon, and was able
+to give us an account of her adventure.  There was little for her to
+tell.  She was walking leisurely along, stopping to admire a flower or a
+brilliant butterfly, when, without warning, she felt herself in the
+grasp of the horrible creature.  She screamed and then fainted.  We were
+unable to conjecture what sort of a creature it might be, for we were
+not aware that the tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere contained
+large apes.
+
+While we were discussing the matter, I remembered a story which I had
+read years before about a creature found in the depths of the South
+American forest, which was called a "Burghree."  As I recollected the
+story, the description of the "Burghree" corresponded very nearly to the
+monster we had just encountered.  Marjorie, having now recovered,
+although she was still somewhat weak, we again went to the tree and
+peered sharply among the branches.
+
+"It seems to me," said Mr. Harborough at length, "that I see something
+which looks like a great nest, far up in the tree-top."
+
+I looked more closely and also saw it.
+
+Clearly this was the home of the strange creature, and then I
+recollected that the story of the "Burghree" corresponded almost exactly
+to the present realization, for it retired to a great platform of
+branches and grass, far up in the tree-top, whence it hurled defiance
+and clubs at the men below, while this one uttered no sound.  Another
+shot from the rifle was without result, and we decided that it would be
+not only useless but folly to waste more ammunition. Resuming our march,
+few words passed between us for a long time.  As for myself, I was
+absorbed with my own thoughts, and Mr. Harborough seemed to be occupied
+in like manner.
+
+Suddenly I stopped and rested my gun upon the ground.
+
+"Mr. Harborough," said I, "did you notice that the face of the creature
+looked more like a human face than that of an ape, and that the feet and
+hands seemed to be unlike an ape’s feet and hands?"
+
+"I noticed the face," he answered.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XVIII.*
+
+          _*The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain*_*.*
+
+
+As we went on our cheerfulness returned.
+
+We saw occasional pigeons and many beautiful plumaged birds, among which
+were parrots and paroquets that kept up a noisy clatter. We also
+encountered a species of brown and yellow ground-snake about two feet
+long, which did not appear to be harmful, as it always seemed anxious to
+get away.  Frogs, small lizards and crabs were plentiful, and I presume
+some of the latter were edible.  Coming to a thicket of thorn-bush just
+as the dusk began to settle across our path, we prepared to camp for the
+night.  A square space was cleared in the thicket, some leafy branches
+were laid across the top to serve as a roof, wood was gathered, and a
+fire was built in front; and we proceeded to roast a few yams and two
+fat pigeons that I had shot late in the afternoon; and opening a can of
+peaches, we made a bountiful repast. We soon sought repose, and, as no
+sound save the murmuring of the breeze through the trees came from the
+forest, sleep came quickly to all of us.  We were aroused the next
+morning at daybreak by Puff who was screaming at the top of his voice at
+a flock of wild parrots in the trees above, and in an incredibly short
+time we were again on the march.  We had proceeded only a short distance
+when we came to a small open place covered with grass, and we were about
+to skirt its edge when close in front of us came an angry "woof."
+
+"Wild pigs," I cried, greatly alarmed, for, from my previous encounter,
+I understood their savage nature.
+
+At the moment an ugly looking boar showed his head directly in front of
+us.  Mr. Harborough was about to fire, but I restrained him, knowing
+that the least disturbance might bring a drove of these savage beasts
+upon us.
+
+"Let us quietly withdraw as quickly as possible," I said, "and make a
+detour of the forest."
+
+This plan was carried out, and, to my great relief, successfully, for
+the boar disappeared in the grass, and we saw no more of it.
+
+Having the compass, we were able to keep the right direction, pushing
+forward rapidly, only stopping a short time at mid-day for dinner, and
+the sun was yet high in the heavens when we came to the first rising
+ground, and I knew that we had reached the foot of the mountain.
+
+Presently I saw familiar land-marks, and I was able to lead the way to
+the top.  The beacon was standing exactly as I had left it.  We
+proceeded to my cave-dwelling, where everything was found pretty much as
+I had left it, except that the barricade before the door showed some
+decay.  There was still some time before nightfall, during which, after
+depositing our sacks within, we cut a quantity of grass for beds and
+gathered a quantity of fire-wood.  We also partitioned off one corner of
+the room for Marjorie, fixing a bamboo across, to which hung cocoanut
+cloth which we found in abundance a short distance away, fastening it
+together with pegs, and thus we were comfortably settled soon after our
+arrival; and, as we enjoyed the evening meal, we talked over future
+plans.  I promised to show my companions the ruined wall in the morning,
+as we retired to rest.
+
+The orange trees and banana plants near the ruin were still thrifty and
+bore abundant fruit, and we regaled ourselves as I showed my companions
+the old wall.  Mr. Harborough took the greatest interest in it, and we
+speculated as to its origin.  Other matters, however, engaged our
+attention from day to day.  The compass was taken to the foot of the
+beacon, and the bearings of the land which I had discovered in the
+distance accurately determined.
+
+It lay exactly southeast, half east, from where we stood.
+
+"In my opinion," said Mr. Harborough, "this small island where we now
+are is one of the most northeasterly of the Virgin Islands, and that
+land in the distance is one of the same group."
+
+"But," I said, "if that is the case should we not be able to see some of
+the other islands to the westward?"  I was aware that there were several
+islands in the Virgin Group.
+
+"Not necessarily," he answered, "for they lie very low on the ocean."
+
+We spent much time about the beacon, improving our habitation, in
+gathering fruit and shooting pigeons for our larder; and we took twelve
+days in making a trip to the low south-east coast, marching along the
+shore and returning from the northeast.  We found animal life even
+scarcer than on the west side.  Birds were not so plentiful, though we
+found some pigeons, and saw plenty of little green lizards and crabs.
+We made no discoveries that promised to be of use to us.  On our return
+I took my companions to the mouth of the guano cave, but Marjorie
+declined to enter and Mr. Harborough did not appear anxious to do so.
+We made frequent trips to the ruined wall, and searched the enclosure
+carefully.  The more we studied it the more we were convinced that the
+wall had served as a foundation for some structure.
+
+One day as we were returning with fruit, Mr. Harborough had fallen
+behind to examine a spot which had escaped attention, when we were
+arrested by a sudden exclamation from him. He had dropped upon his knees
+and was eagerly clearing away the plants and grass with his hands.
+
+We hastened to him, inquiring what he had discovered.  He pointed to a
+square, flat stone. It was about four feet square and seemed to open
+like a hatchway.  He had stepped upon it and felt it rock, very
+slightly, beneath his weight, but enough to attract his attention.  Did
+the stone conceal an opening, the entrance to an ancient dungeon, or a
+treasure vault?  We were nearly overcome with excitement, not unmixed
+with awe, and I confess to a feeling of dread as I contemplated what
+might be below if the stone really covered an opening to a subterranean
+chamber.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XIX.*
+
+             _*An Ancient Ruin; A Wonderful Discovery*_*.*
+
+
+The edges of the opening, around the stone, were crumbled and cracked,
+and after scraping away the accumulation of moss and mold we found that
+we were able to remove a large piece of rock which left a space of
+sufficient depth to receive a lever.  We hastened to the edge of the
+forest, where we selected a small tree of hard wood, which we felled;
+and from it we made a lever about fifteen feet in length.  The larger
+end was flattened a little with the axe, in order that it should fit
+closely against the stone in prying it up.
+
+We next moved a large stone from the wall, which we placed about three
+feet from the aperture which was to receive the lever, to act as a
+fulcrum.  Then we lifted the great lever, placed the flattened end into
+the aperture, let it rest against the stone fulcrum, and reaching up as
+near the elevated end of the lever as possible, brought our combined
+weight to bear upon it.
+
+The flat stone moved slowly upward, and Marjorie, who stood near, in her
+eagerness, bent over the opening.  Almost at the same moment she started
+violently back, gasping for breath. The foul air, which rushed from the
+opening, had nearly suffocated her.
+
+Working together nearer the upper end of the lever, the stone was lifted
+a little higher and Mr. Harborough was able to hold it while I placed a
+rock under the stone, which prevented it from falling back when the
+lever was released.
+
+We now gathered around the opening which was not yet wide enough to
+enable us to see far below; but to our great astonishment we saw that a
+flight of stone steps led downward. Below all was dark.  Foul air still
+came from the opening.
+
+"We must wait for the air to purify before entering," I said; "and,
+meanwhile, we will procure lights."
+
+"Why in the world did we not remove the cabin lamps from the vessel?"
+exclaimed Mr. Harborough, "If we only had them now."
+
+"Come to the house," I said, "and I will show you how we will procure a
+light."
+
+Hastening to the house I opened my knapsack and held up the two binnacle
+lamps for the inspection of my companions, much to their amazement.
+
+Both were filled with oil, very little of which had escaped, as I had
+wrapped strips of sailcloth tightly around them.
+
+In answer to their inquiring looks, I reminded them that I had, for a
+long time, believed that some such discovery as the present one might be
+made, and that I had, unknown to them, packed the binnacle lamps which
+had proved to be a fortunate act on my part.
+
+Taking them, with plenty of matches, we returned to the ruin.  Lighting
+a wisp of dry grass, I threw it into the opening.  It fell to the
+bottom, where it continued to burn brightly, showing that the air was
+now pure.  In the momentary glare of the burning grass, we saw that the
+opening was about eight feet deep.
+
+We now procured another stone from the wall, which we placed under the
+lever, increasing the height of the fulcrum so that we were able to lift
+the stone still further; and by pushing the lever around toward one side
+we quickly swung the stone from the opening until it rested at one side.
+
+Lighting the lamps, we cautiously descended the stone stairs.  They were
+covered with what seemed to be finely pulverized mould which had worked
+down from above; but the dampness, incident to an underground chamber
+rendered the steps somewhat slippery, so we had to descend carefully.
+There were ten steps. Reaching the bottom, Mr. Harborough and myself
+leading and Marjorie bringing up the rear, we found ourselves standing
+upon a solid floor, deeply covered with fine mould, but quite dry. The
+floor of the chamber was evidently composed of stone, laid very closely,
+without mortar. The roof was made of great flat stones, supported by two
+rows of pillars made of square blocks of stone, extending the length of
+the chamber.  The walls, roof, pillars and floor were all thickly
+covered with dust.  Searching along the walls, we discovered, at the
+further end, four niches sunk into the wall about five feet, and into
+the rear wall of each niche, there was fixed a massive iron staple, to
+which was fastened an iron chain of crude workmanship.  At the end of
+each chain there was a rough iron collar which was evidently designed to
+be fastened with a rivet.  Stepping into one of the niches, we
+discovered that the floor of it was thickly studded with sharp iron
+spikes which we found, on clearing away the dust, to be about two inches
+in height.  The purpose of the niches was apparent; they were
+unquestionably designed as places of torture.  Well must they have
+served their purpose; for the wretched victim who, on account of the
+short chain fastened to his neck, could not lie down, was compelled to
+stand constantly upon the sharp pointed spikes which would pierce and
+cruelly lacerate the feet.
+
+To what period of the New World’s history this dungeon belonged we could
+not even conjecture; but, judging from the style of architecture and the
+cunningly devised method of torture, Mr. Harborough, who had seen the
+ruined forts along the Spanish Main, had no doubt that this chamber was
+connected, in some way, with the old Castilian days in this part of the
+world.
+
+The west wall seemed to be perfectly smooth and unbroken; but on the
+east side of the chamber we found a square stone, measuring something
+like two feet each way, being almost a perfect cube, protruding half way
+from the wall. This was easily removed, and thrusting in one of the
+lamps, we saw what appeared to be a square chest.  Brushing away the
+dust which covered the end of the chest next to us, we saw that it was
+of wood, bound with bands of iron, the whole being thickly studded with
+nails.
+
+"A treasure chest," exclaimed Marjorie; "oh, it seems like the stories
+of the buccaneers."
+
+An iron ring was fastened to the chest, but when we took hold of it and
+tried to draw the chest toward us, we found it to be so heavy that we
+were unable to stir it.  So I went to procure a lever which I cut from a
+small tree near the wall, and returned with it to the chamber.  One end
+of the lever was inserted, upward through the ring of the chest and we
+lifted with our combined strength.
+
+The chest was raised slightly, and then the iron bands, eaten by years
+of rust, broke, and the chest, rotten with age, fell apart.
+
+Marjorie was holding one of the lamps so as to illuminate the chest,
+and, as it broke open, she almost dropped it, while Mr. Harborough and I
+dropped the lever and gazed at the broken chest and at each other in
+speechless astonishment; for the aperture seemed to be full of gold
+coins.
+
+We had discovered a treasure chest, indeed. The coins were of several
+sizes, and all were covered with a brownish dust.  But gold they were,
+and there were thousands and thousands of them.
+
+We examined many of the coins, on which the legends were plainly
+legible.  Each one bore a male head on one side, with dates ranging from
+1517 to 1540; and on the reverse, this superscription:--"Carlos I.,
+Espana: Rex"--Charles I., King of Spain.  We concluded that we had
+discovered a favorite trysting place of sea-rovers who sailed these
+waters carrying death and desolation afloat and ashore under the
+protection of royal authority, with the understanding that the Spanish
+treasury should be enriched thereby.
+
+Here, before us, with no one else to claim it, was wealth beyond our
+power to estimate.
+
+"It is utterly useless to us here," said Mr. Harborough, as we discussed
+the importance of our discovery.
+
+"True," I replied, "but as we have no intention of always remaining on
+this island, it may prove to be of great service to us.  To this end we
+must consider what immediate disposal we will make of all this wealth."
+
+"And," I continued, as we replaced the stone in the aperture and
+withdrew from the chamber, "it seems to me that the first step toward
+ensuring to ourselves the future enjoyment of all this wealth, should be
+to transport it to the cove and store it in our house."
+
+This proposition of mine was the beginning of much discussion and
+consideration for several days thereafter, during which it was
+definitely decided that the gold must be transported to our house at the
+cove; and we began to consider how this task, not a trifling one, could
+be accomplished.
+
+Clearly there was but one sure and safe way, and that, to carry it there
+ourselves.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XX.*
+
+           *"*_*The Golden Treasure;*_*" *_*Its Removal*_*.*
+
+
+It was finally settled that we would transport the golden treasure to
+Sargent, at the cove, in the knapsacks on our backs.  To do this would
+require several journeys through the forest; but as time was no object
+to us, what more could we ask than to be able, during our exile, to so
+easily acquire wealth which would render us independent for life; for
+rescued we must surely be, sooner or later.
+
+We decided that no part of the walls should remain uninspected.  Every
+square foot of it was carefully examined, but we found no indications of
+other openings.  One day, however, while looking at the east wall, I
+noticed one of the stones which seemed to be more loosely set into the
+wall than any of the others; and on examining it more closely, the upper
+edge appeared to be chipped as though some pointed instrument had been
+inserted.  It at once occurred to me that this may have been caused by
+prying the stone out--in other words, I mistrusted that the stone might
+conceal the entrance to another chamber.
+
+We examined it closely and came to the conclusion that it would be worth
+while to remove the stone.  We worked at it for several days without
+making any perceptible impression.
+
+It was too heavy and we could devise no appliance to assist us
+materially.  Finally it occurred to me that we might remove a flag-stone
+of the floor, dig under the stone and compel it to drop from its place.
+We soon discovered, however, that it rested upon the flag-stone next to
+it.  Not to abandon the project, we at last succeeded in removing the
+second flag-stone from the wall, which enabled us to excavate the earth
+from beneath the flag-stone next to the wall.  This we accomplished
+after a great deal of hard work, for our only excavating tools consisted
+of sharpened and flattened pieces of wood. At last, however, the
+flag-stone settled into the the excavation and the stone in this way
+fell outward.  To our great astonishment this was followed by a rush of
+air from the aperture.  We did not, at first, know what to make of this,
+but we shortly agreed that we had found the entrance to an underground
+passage leading to the open air.
+
+Indeed this idea seemed quite reasonable, for we had often read of such
+passages in connection with the strongholds of the early days; either as
+a means of offence or defence, or of escape.
+
+Taking the two lamps I preceded Mr. Harborough into the passage,
+Marjorie bringing up the rear.  From the first it was evident that the
+passage was not artificial, but a natural cavern. Indeed as we proceeded
+it proved to be a simple guano cave, the stalactites being grimy and the
+stalagmites buried beneath long years accumulations of guano.  In its
+general character it did not differ materially from the cave which I had
+discovered on the east side of the mountain during my former sojourn.
+The ceiling of this one, however, was higher so that we were able to
+walk upright; and it had no windings. Proceeding a few rods we came to a
+second chamber, leading off at right angles; but the opening was so
+small that we would have had to crawl through it and we did not consider
+it worth while to enter it, at present, at least.  The thought occurred
+to me that the passage connected this cavern with the one which I had
+previously discovered; for, as I thought the matter over, I believed
+that the two must run nearly parallel.  Myriads of bats flitted about,
+almost flying against our faces, and several times nearly extinguishing
+our lamps.  In a few minutes we came to a fair-sized chamber, nearly
+circular and perhaps a dozen feet in diameter; and as we entered it we
+were astonished to find that it was partially illumined by daylight.
+Stranger still, mounted on two huge wooden blocks were two brass cannon,
+pointing away from us.
+
+"An ingenious fortification," remarked Mr. Harborough.
+
+"A masked battery," said Marjorie.
+
+We now examined the guns closely.  They were covered with a greenish
+corrosion, and were, as I have said, brass.  They were of exactly the
+same size, about four-inch, and on the breech of each was stamped the
+following, together with the arms of Spain: "Espana: 1512."  We saw that
+we had reached the mouth of the cave, which was thickly filled with a
+mass of bushes and creepers.  We resolved to clear away the obstruction
+at once, and I returned to the chamber for the axe.  With it and our
+knives we soon cleared away the vegetable growths, and behold, we stood
+on the side of the mountain a few yards from the mouth of cave,
+overlooking the ocean to the eastward. The purpose of the guns was quite
+apparent. They commanded the approach to the mountain, and to an
+advancing enemy were utterly invisible, as a shelf of rock hid the
+entrance from below.  This latter discovery did not promise to be of any
+special importance to us, it was most interesting.  Our whole effort,
+now, was put forth toward transporting the gold to the cove on the west
+coast; and placing as many of the coins in each knapsack as we could
+each carry comfortably, we packed enough provisions to last at least two
+days, and set out.  As we had done on the journey to the mountains, we
+followed the edge of the forest making a short detour, when about half
+way, to avoid a possible encounter with the wild pigs. Mr. Harborough
+and myself would have liked very much to risk an encounter with them,
+but the safety of Marjorie was our first consideration, and these
+animals were very fierce.  So as we had grave doubts as to their
+desirability for food we decided to give them a wide berth.  Nothing
+occurred to give excitement to the march and toward the end of the
+second day we reached the house in the cove, where we found everything
+entirely undisturbed.  We immediately set to work to make several strong
+bags of sail-cloth, each being about two feet long and half as wide, in
+which to store the gold.  This occupied us one full day, and after
+storing the gold we had brought, in a corner of the hut, burying it
+beneath the kitchen utensils, we took sufficient provisions to last us
+during the return march and set out.  Numerous trips were made to and
+from the mountain which consumed several weeks.  Meanwhile we had made
+an additional discovery, almost as important as the first. As we
+gradually removed the gold contained in the chest we saw that there was
+another chest beyond it.  Like the first it fell to pieces on being
+moved.  Beyond it was a solid wall of stone. But the second chest was
+not so heavy as the first, and it proved to be only about half filled
+with gold.  The rest was occupied with rolls of manuscript, all of which
+fell to powder when exposed to the air, leaving not one scrap on which
+the faded writing was legible.
+
+At last only what gold we could carry away on one more trip remained.
+During our march to and fro from the coast we had kept a sharp watch for
+the "wild man," as we called him, and Marjorie always kept very close to
+us while passing through that part of the forest.
+
+But we saw no signs of him.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XXI.*
+
+          _*Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster*_*.*
+
+
+On the morning of the day on which we were to set out with the last
+packs of gold, the sky was partly overcast, and far down in the eastern
+horizon the sky line was blended into a leaden haze, which gradually
+disappeared as the sun ascended toward the zenith.  This I knew, was a
+premonition of the approaching rainy season, which I knew was always
+preceded for several weeks by a thin veil of clouds and the murky
+atmosphere of the horizon in the morning.
+
+This decided us to make this our last journey, and to remain at the cove
+after our next arrival there; for there we were sheltered, to a great
+degree, from the rain and our house was much more comfortable than the
+abode beneath the rock on the mountain, which was dreary during the long
+rain, as I knew from experience.  At the cove we had a substantial
+house, and, with the stores and utensils from the wreck we should be
+very comfortably situated.  And, beside, we had gradually, as we marched
+back and forth, evolved a scheme to remove some of the deck planks of
+the vessel and such lumber as we found available, and to try, during the
+rainy season, to construct a substantial boat in which we might venture
+to leave the island.  We planned to construct a great shed, closed in on
+three sides and left open at the end facing the beach.  Beneath this we
+would lay the keel of our craft and test our skill as ship-builders.
+
+So, with our guns, clothing, such other articles as we wished to take
+back with us, and of course, Puff, after closing the cliff-house we
+proceeded to the chamber beneath the ruin to pack the remaining gold.
+Our knapsacks were speedily filled, and we prepared to leave the
+chamber.
+
+Marjorie preceded us to the stairs, but scarcely had she reached the
+first step when she darted back to us shrieking and trembling, her face
+ashy pale.
+
+She crouched between us, unable to speak, her eyes staring wildly toward
+the stone steps. I sprang forward and looked up toward the opening.
+There I saw, standing between us and the sky, silent as a statue, with
+eyes glaring down at us--the wild man of the forest.
+
+There was no mistaking it; but this time it looked less like an ape and
+more like a human being.
+
+Without looking around I beckoned to Mr. Harborough.  He stepped to my
+side, and catching sight of the horrible thing above us, he raised his
+rifle and fired.  The report roared around the chamber and the stairway
+was filled with smoke.  Simultaneously a heavy body rolled down the
+slippery stairs and lay outstretched at our feet.  It was the wild
+man--lifeless; its limbs outstretched and its wide-open eyes staring up
+at us.
+
+Never again do I wish to look upon such a horrible object.  We shrank
+back in the doorway, feeling weak and faint; Marjorie clung to her
+father, her eyes gleaming with terror, a look of horror upon her face.
+
+After we had recovered our courage and the first shock had partly passed
+away, we approached closely and examined the strange being.  It was
+human in every detail, the hair, arms, legs, feet, eyes and face.  It
+had once been a man, but what a marvelous transformation had taken
+place!  The body was entirely covered with short brownish hair which
+grew several inches long on the breast.  The hair of the head was dark
+brown in color, long, tangled and matted.  The nose and mouth were
+regular, and the teeth were in fair condition.  The eyes were either
+blue or gray, we could not tell exactly which.  The finger-nails were
+long, which made the hands look like claws.
+
+The skin was tanned by exposure to sun and rain until it was a dark
+bronze hue.  We pondered long concerning the history of this strange
+being; for a human being it surely was; once like ourselves.
+
+In death it was less repugnant than in life. Now that we had become
+accustomed to look at it, it impressed us only as a poor dead outcast,
+of whom we knew nothing.
+
+There could be but one solution to the mystery.  Either the wretched
+person had been marooned, or, like ourselves had been cast away on the
+island, and, driven mad by solitude, exposure and the contemplation of
+his position had probably for several years roamed the forest as a wild
+man--a wild beast in every sense, except his origin.  We moved the body
+to a corner of the chamber, composed the limbs and went out into the
+sunlight.
+
+The long lever remained under the stone which had covered the opening,
+and we worked it back into place--closing the treasure chamber, now a
+tomb.  We covered the stone thickly with earth and turned toward the
+forest.
+
+Without further incident we reached the house at the cove and proceeded
+to put everything in order in anticipation of the coming rainy season
+which, we promised ourselves should be a busy one with us, between boat
+building and general occupations; and we viewed the future not without
+pleasant anticipations. We were comfortable, with every want supplied, a
+happy family sharing a common lot.
+
+Never was there a complaint made by any of us.  We indulged in
+conversation about home, our individual lives, and discussed matters of
+present and future moment.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XXII.*
+
+                _*Boat Building; a Startling Sound*_*.*
+
+
+Out first work of magnitude was the construction of a great shed in
+which to build the boat, sheltered from the weather.  This occupied us
+many days; for it was of considerable size, twenty-five feet long and
+about two thirds as wide.  The method of construction was exactly the
+same as in the other structures and need not be described again.  It was
+closed all around except the end next to the beach. This was left open
+to afford both air and light.
+
+House-building was varied by several trips to the stranded vessel which
+remained on the reef precisely as we had left it.  Our raft, too, was in
+a perfect state of repair.
+
+Many of the deck planks we removed, as well as all the boarding of the
+deck-house and the sheathing in the cabin.  We were careful to save
+every nail, and we found a further supply in the fore-castle.  These,
+though common "cut" nails, could readily be transformed into "clinch"
+nails by heating, in which form they would be available for fastening
+the boat together.
+
+The heavy deck planking we proposed to use for the keel and frame of the
+craft, as well as for oars and thole-pins.  All the lumber and such
+small rope as we believed would be of use to us, also quantities of
+sail-cloth, were transported to the shore and piled inside the shed.
+
+These duties were varied by occasional trips to the forest to hunt wild
+pigeons, fishing in the stream or jaunts to the pool for fruit.  These
+were holidays to us, during which work was forgotten and we all entered
+into the spirit of the occasion.
+
+Day by day the clouds of the morning lingered longer and longer and were
+less quickly dispelled by the sun’s rays.  They became more sombre as
+the days went by, and sunset was preceded by fitful gusts of wind,
+indicating that the rainy season was coming on apace.  So we abandoned
+further work on the boat and began to lay in a supply of cocoanuts and
+yams.
+
+While returning from the pool one day, as we passed the bamboo thicket
+an idea occurred to me which I lost no time in communicating to Mr.
+Harborough.
+
+It was this; to fasten bamboos, of good size, around our boat, outside,
+immediately below the gunwales, reaching from stem to stern.  This would
+render it more buoyant, for the bamboo, consisting as it does of hollow
+joints, would have the same effect as air bags, or water-tight
+compartments.  Such a device would, I believed, make it impossible to
+capsize the boat, thus making it doubly seaworthy and rendering our
+escape from exile more certain.
+
+"It is a capital idea," exclaimed Mr. Harborough. "And while we are
+about it," I continued, "we may as well select a bamboo for a mast."
+
+My companions fully approved of my ideas and we at once set to work to
+cut the bamboos and carry them to the boat-house.
+
+This work occupied us a good many days, for it was slow and laborious,
+even with the aid of the axe; for the outer part of the bamboo is
+extremely hard.
+
+We now proceeded to strengthen the outer part of the wall of the house,
+and to renew the thatch of the roofs, all of which required several days
+of labor, cutting the grass and fastening it into place.
+
+A large supply of wood was gathered and stored in the farther end of the
+boat-shed; in short we made every preparation for a comfortable rainy
+season, protected from the wind and the rain.  Hurricanes could not be
+guarded against, so we only hoped that they would give us a wide berth.
+
+The first showers had set in ere we resumed work on the boat.  From one
+of the best planks we fashioned the keel, which was laid with some
+ceremony, Marjorie constituting the audience; after which we set about
+getting out the stern-post and the frame-pieces.  While we were thus
+occupied Marjorie performed the house-hold duties, and, at odd times,
+busied herself heating the nails white-hot, and dropping them into
+water, which process transformed them into "clinch" nails.
+
+She also made several bags from sail-cloth strongly sewed, for the
+reception of the gold. The bags were filled with the coins, securely
+sewed up and stored away in Marjorie’s trunk, nearly filling it.  We
+decided that this would be the safest way to dispose of it for the
+present.
+
+Work on the boat went on apace, each day being much like its
+predecessor.  The daily showers became more frequent and copious and we
+saw the sun less often.
+
+At times we felt depressed and our isolation grew irksome.
+
+One morning, having had breakfast, we started for the boat-house, when
+we were brought to a sudden stand-still.
+
+A long-drawn sound like a trumpet blown at a distance echoed and
+reverberated through the trees.  It continued several seconds, during
+which we remained in a listening attitude.
+
+Neither of us spoke.
+
+It was repeated again; what could it mean, what could it be?
+
+Surely it could not come from any wild animal for we had seen none
+larger than a pig.
+
+Had we been believers in the existence of demons, we must have at once
+decided that a demon lurked in the forest behind us.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XXIII.*
+
+               _*Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island*_*.*
+
+
+Marjorie had heard the sound, also, and came toward us.
+
+Suddenly she pointed out toward the sea, uttering the exclamation,
+"look."
+
+We both turned and looked in the direction indicated.
+
+A boat was rounding the point; a real boat.
+
+There were men in it, four men.  The boat shot around the point and
+began skirting the shore toward us.
+
+We saw that they were black men, dressed in rough but civilized
+garments.
+
+They were conversing among themselves, speaking in a tongue which we did
+not understand.
+
+Were they friends or foes?  Stepping quickly into the house we took our
+guns and waited behind the stockade, standing so we could watch the
+boat.  It had the appearance of a canoe, made of wood.  Evidently the
+black men had seen our house as the canoe was turned toward the shore.
+
+She grounded in a few seconds, and the men sprang ashore.  They
+cautiously approached the boat-shed peered into it, and then came slowly
+toward the house.  Beckoning Marjorie to remain out of sight we grasped
+our guns and stepped boldly out, resolved to meet the emergency
+unhesitatingly, whatever it might be.
+
+To our surprise the black men stopped with a shout of joy.
+
+One a tall, fine looking negro, stepped toward us and extended his hand
+to us.
+
+"Fo’ de Lard, Marsa; Who is yo’, how long yo’ ben heah?"
+
+I told him that I had been here many months, and that my two companions,
+pointing to Mr. Harborough and to Marjorie, who now came forward, had
+been here half as long.
+
+Then he told us a strange story, one which gave us great joy.
+
+He said that they were coming from their island to this one to hunt
+turtles, at the great breeding place which I had discovered on my first
+march to the mountain, and that, while nearing the east coast of our
+island a steamer came along, slowed down and then stopped.
+
+Men on the steamer seemed to be looking at the island with glasses, and
+then the whistle of the steamer was blown.  This was in the late evening
+before.  Presently the steamer started and when it came up with the
+canoe the "cap’n" asked them if there were any people living on the
+island.
+
+The black men answered in the negative, adding that none of the turtle
+hunters dared go far from shore, for a terrible savage monster half man
+and half demon, lurked in the forest. The "cap’n" told them he had seen
+a beacon on the top of the mountain, and that he believed some one was
+signalling for assistance.  So he bargained with them to follow close
+along the shore, searching carefully in every cove, while the steamer
+followed slowly.
+
+The steamer anchored during the night and the black men were taken on
+board.
+
+At daylight that morning the black men continued along the shore in the
+canoe, the steamer following.  As the canoe came in sight of the cove
+they saw the wreck and signalled back to the steamer, which had answered
+by a blast on her whistle.
+
+It was the sound of the steamer’s whistle which we heard just before the
+boat appeared. In a few minutes a large steamer came in sight from
+behind the point and anchored off the cove.  A boat was immediately
+lowered and rowed swiftly ashore.  A man in uniform sprang ashore and
+came hurriedly to us, extending both his hands which we eagerly grasped.
+
+He was the second officer of the Royal Mail steamship _Dunmore Castle_,
+from England for West Indian and Colombian ports.  When off the east
+side of the island somewhat out of her course by reason of a heavy
+squall into which she had run a few hours before sighting the island,
+the first officer had seen my beacon and called the Captain’s attention
+to it.  The rest had been related by the black men.
+
+My story is nearly told.  We were transported on board the steamer, with
+such of our belonging as we wished to take with us.  The great weight of
+Marjorie’s trunk called forth some remarks from the men who handled it,
+but we made some casual allusion to rare sea-shells and other curios and
+felt relieved when the trunk was on board.
+
+The _Dunmore Castle_ proceeded to make her ports of call, during which
+we had to give a detailed account of our life and strange adventures on
+the island, to the wondering passengers.
+
+We were landed at Kingston, Jamaica, from whence we proceeded by stage
+over-land to Port Antonio on the north-east coast, where we embarked on
+the steamship _Sama_, for Boston, with fruit.
+
+I have nothing more of interest to relate, unless the reader may like to
+know that I see Marjorie every day still, and that her father visits us
+at least once each year, when we talk over and over again, the incidents
+that I have, in my humble way, tried to relate.
+
+
+
+
+                                 FINIS.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BOY CRUSOE ***
+
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+                              A BOY CRUSOE
+
+
+
+
+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 http://www.gutenberg.org/license.
+
+
+
+Title: A Boy Crusoe
+       or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands
+Author: Allan Eric
+Release Date: April 14, 2014 [EBook #45397]
+Reposted: April 21, 2014 [textual corrections]
+Language: English
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BOY CRUSOE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Al Haines.
+
+
+
+
+
+                              A BOY CRUSOE
+
+                                   OR
+
+               The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands
+
+
+                                   BY
+                               ALLAN ERIC
+
+
+
+                        M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY
+                          CHICAGO -- NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+                          [Transcriber's note:
+          This book was also published as "A Yankee Crusoe".]
+
+              MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
+
+
+
+
+                              *CONTENTS.*
+
+Chapter.
+
+      I. Early Life; Off for a Voyage
+     II. Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea
+    III. A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship
+     IV. Cast Up by the Sea on a Tropical Island
+      V. Strange Surroundings; Building a House
+     VI. The Stockade; a Crusoe's Life
+    VII. A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply
+   VIII. Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun
+     IX. Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs
+      X. In the Folds of a Snake
+     XI. The Mountain Cave; a Beacon; Attack by Pigs
+    XII. Return to the Coast; a Mangrove Swamp; Fever
+   XIII. A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish Trap
+    XIV. Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits
+     XV. A Hurricane and a Ship-Wreck
+    XVI. Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House
+   XVII. Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck
+  XVIII. The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain
+    XIX. An Ancient Ruin; Wonderful Discovery
+     XX. "The Golden Treasure;" Its Removal
+    XXI. Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster
+   XXII. Boat-Building; A Startling Sound
+  XXIII. Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island
+
+
+
+
+                             *A BOY CRUSOE*
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER I.*
+
+                  _*Early Life; Off for a Voyage*_*.*
+
+
+I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the
+Civil War.  My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the
+average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New
+England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more.  Hard work
+on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country
+schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my
+life full to over-flowing.  In the winter it was work in the woods,
+cutting up the year's supply of fire-wood; and then, before the spring
+ploughing time, my brother and myself found pleasant labor and
+recreation combined in the maple woods, tapping the trees, gathering the
+sap and tending the fire under the great kettles where the sweet product
+of the maple was transformed into syrup and sugar.
+
+I really think that I was more thoughtful than the average boy.  I know
+that I read more.  I do not remember ever feeling dissatisfied with my
+life or with the prospects that the future held out for me.  Probably I
+was too young for these things to trouble me much; but I read everything
+in the way of books and papers that I could borrow, or purchase by
+saving a little money earned in various ways.  I was fond of stories of
+adventure; but travel and adventure combined, interested me most.
+Therefore, as I grew older, I became imbued with a passionate desire to
+travel in foreign lands.  The tropics were my ideal, and this feeling
+became stronger as the years went by.
+
+When I was fifteen years of age my father removed to a large village
+where there was a graded school, and I entered the grammar school, then
+the high school from which I was graduated.
+
+The passion for travel still had a strong hold upon me, but I saw no
+immediate prospect of gratifying it, for I was obliged to look about for
+some immediate means of earning a living for myself.  When everything
+else fails, one can always find an opportunity to canvass for a
+publishing house or a novelty concern; so, soon after leaving the high
+school, I was trudging up and down the banks of the Penobscot river,
+calling from house to house.  It was discouraging work, but I succeeded
+moderately well.
+
+Late in the fall I went up to Bangor to canvass that city, and it was
+there that I made the acquaintance of a gentleman, which led to the
+experiences that I am about to relate, and which changed the whole
+course of my life.
+
+Mr. William H. Sargent was a wealthy, retired merchant, with impaired
+health.  His wealth had been acquired by trading with the South American
+countries, and the West Indies, and he still retained large interest in
+many vessels sailing to that part of the world.
+
+It was his idea to make a voyage in one of these vessels, and the
+friendship which had developed between us, mostly through meeting in the
+reading room of the Public Library, caused him to suggest that I
+accompany him on his voyage to the Southern seas.
+
+I accepted only too gladly, and that very evening I wrote a long letter
+to my mother, explaining my good fortune, bidding her not to worry by
+exaggerating, in her own mind, the dangers to be encountered.
+
+The next few days I spent mostly with my benefactor, for as such I
+looked upon him, helping him in various ways in his preparations for the
+voyage.  As for myself, I required little more than a modest supply of
+clothing.
+
+Mr. Sargent was thoughtful and considerate, however, and insisted upon
+my procuring much that I deemed unnecessary for my modest requirements,
+paying for the same from his own pocket.
+
+Our craft was a trim bark called the _Ethelyn Hope_, built at Searsport
+three years before. She was two hundred and fifty tons gross measurement
+and sat in the water jauntily and buoyantly.  From her load water-line
+to the tips of her topmast she was as trim a craft as one could wish to
+see.  As she lay at the wharf ready for sea, everything on deck had been
+made snug, and not a coil of rope or spare block was out of place.  Her
+cargo consisted of case oil, salt fish and flour in her hold, and she
+carried a good deck-load of lumber.  She was bound for Cayenne, French
+Guiana, on the north coast of South America.
+
+The _Ethelyn Hope_ was commanded by Captain Thomas Witham; and the
+first, second and third mates, with nine able seamen before the mast
+comprised the crew.
+
+Nothing remained to be done except to cast off the lines, when, released
+from her bonds the bark slowly moved down the river.  The sails on the
+lower yards and jib-boom were set, and with a light breeze favoring her,
+aided by the swift current, the city was soon lost behind High Head.
+
+By daylight the following morning we had passed through the "Narrows",
+and just at sunrise all sails were set and the bark squared away for the
+mouth of the bay where she was laid on a sou', sou'-east course as she
+took her final departure.
+
+My spirits were decidedly buoyant as the bark glided out of the bay into
+the open sea, and a delicious sense of elation took possession of me as
+I realized that I was really on board a ship, with the land fading away
+behind me, bound for a foreign shore, the wonderful tropics, the land of
+palms of which I had read so much.  I should see for myself the curious
+things of the sea, strange countries and people; and perhaps encounter
+fierce animals in the virgin forests, the home of birds of rare and
+beautiful plumage.
+
+With a strong northwest breeze the bark stood away on her course, with
+every sail filled out and drawing handsomely.  Although the weather had
+been clear and the sea fairly calm, by sunset a thin haze rendered the
+outline of the horizon dimly visible, and the Captain began to fear a
+blow.  His nautical instinct made him sure that there was to be a change
+in the weather, and he gave orders for everything to be made secure.
+And, sure enough, at dusk the wind freshened and hauled around into the
+north-east.
+
+It was about this time that I suddenly became conscious of a peculiar
+feeling, a sudden dizziness, like the sensation caused by a boy's first
+cigar.  I knew well enough that I was experiencing the first sensations
+of seasickness, and, suddenly losing interest in the sailing of the
+ship, I went below and tumbled into my berth.
+
+Feeling somewhat better, while I lay quiet, I had nearly dropped off to
+sleep when I was aroused by a tremendous noise, which brought me to my
+senses, when I realized that the vessel was rolling and pitching wildly.
+I could hear the howling of the wind around the deck-houses, and the
+snapping of the great sails.  Now and then I heard the sound of the
+Captain's voice on deck as though he were giving brisk orders; and I
+rightly concluded that we were having it very rough.  I looked across
+the cabin and saw that Mr. Sargent was in his berth, but as he was
+apparently not asleep I spoke to him, asking if there was any danger.
+
+"Oh, I guess not," he replied.  "We are having a pretty stiff blow."
+
+Strangely enough, I suppose, I did not now feel sick, though my head was
+a little dizzy, so I concluded to go on deck.  I cautiously ascended the
+companion way, and found the Captain standing near the wheel, enveloped
+in oil-skins, his head being covered by an ample sou'wester.
+
+"Hello, boy," was his greeting, "what are you doing up here?  The best
+place for you is below; you might get blown over-board."
+
+But I begged to be allowed to remain a little, arguing that I felt
+better on deck, and the Captain relented and found a sheltered place
+under the lee of the cook's galley, telling me not to try to move about
+the deck.
+
+The bark was rolling and tossing, but appeared to be bounding through
+the water like a race-horse. Soon I heard the Captain tell the mate that
+the wind had shifted around into the east, and that they were in for a
+stiff blow, and rain, too, before long.
+
+So it proved, and it was not long before the squall struck in earnest.
+The ship careened, and a sea came over her weather rail, until the
+lee-scuppers spouted green water, wetting me a little, even in my
+sheltered retreat.
+
+The rain began to fall, and the sailors had their hands full.  There was
+a great commotion of loudly spoken orders, the tramping of feet, the
+creaking of blocks, the rush and roar of the sea and the howling of the
+blast through the rigging.  All hands were called to take in sail, and
+the bark, soon close hauled, was lying over nearly to her lee rail.  The
+heavy sea beat against her bows with all the force which tons of water
+could exert, while the staunch little vessel, quivering for a moment
+would seem to hesitate, and then plunge forward to meet the next
+onslaught like an animate thing possessed of sensible emotions.  The
+spray, flying back over the bows, drenched the deck from fore to aft.
+The topsail halyards had been hauled taut, and the sails filled out and
+backed against the masts with a noise like thunder.
+
+I did not long remain in the scanty shelter afforded by the house, but
+made the best of my way to the cabin.  To make matters worse, I was
+again off my "sea-legs," and was getting terribly sick.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER II.*
+
+                 _*Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea*_*.*
+
+
+The gale continued until the end of the fourth day, and we were south of
+the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream, when it abated somewhat, and
+though it continued to blow heavily, the sea was running more regularly,
+in long, even swells which made the motion of the bark less
+disagreeable, especially for me.
+
+The studding sails were taken in, and the wind was hauled, in order that
+the Captain might be given an opportunity to determine our longitude.
+
+The Captain found that we were not far off the course, as the wind had
+blown mostly from north, and northeast and east.  The sails were
+trimmed, and, by sundown the wind veered around into the northwest and
+blew steadily, while the sea gradually subsided.  We were now about two
+hundred miles to the eastward of Watling's Island, one of the Bahamas,
+also known as San Salvador, the first land in the New World discovered
+by Columbus.  The stars shone bright, and the bark, rolling easily,
+plowed the warm waters of the sub-tropic sea.  I remained with Mr.
+Sargent long on deck that night, watching the phosphorence of the water,
+which in these latitudes, is sometimes very brilliant.
+
+The morning dawned upon a tropic sea, for the bark had made good
+progress during the night, and we were well abreast of the larger
+islands of the Bahamas.  The breeze was soft and balmy, and the ocean a
+deep, crystal blue, of a hue never seen except in these southern
+latitudes.  This is owing partly to the remarkable reflection of the sky
+but more to the extreme depth of the water.  Myriads of flying fish rose
+in flocks from the water and fluttered away on both sides of the ship as
+the bark glided through the weeds of the Sargasso Sea.  The Sargasso
+weed is a genus by itself, which, thrust away to the south by the mighty
+ocean currents, lies in a vast central pool, a great eddy between the
+Gulf Stream and the Equatorial current; and here it revolves.  It is
+ocean born, and long ages have passed since it lost its habit of growing
+on the rocky sea-bottom.  Forever floating it feeds among its branches
+whole families of crabs, cuttle-fish and mollusks, which like the plant
+itself, are found in no other seas.
+
+The flying-fish interested me greatly, for I had read much about them.
+I noticed that their flight was as perfect as that of some kinds of
+birds, and that it very closely resembled that of the swallow, in that
+it was a skimming, circling flight.  I had read that the flying-fish
+rarely leaves the water unless pursued by a shark or some other fish to
+which it is a prey; and that, on leaving the water it does not really
+fly, but, instead, emerges from the water on an upward plane, enabling
+it to skim along for some distance.  I had read, also, that the fish is
+unable to remain in the air only while its wings are wet.  This latter
+statement is undoubtedly correct; but I observed that its flight was
+perfect, the fish making use of its greatly elongated and highly
+developed pectoral fins, as wings.  I saw them flying singly and in
+flocks or schools, when they were not pursued by sharks and I was
+thoroughly convinced that they did actually fly. They gyrated in the air
+exactly like swallows, and moved their wings very rapidly like birds.
+There seemed to be no limit to the length of their flight, for they
+would rise from beneath the bows and fly away in a continuous line until
+lost to sight in the distance.
+
+Once one dropped upon the deck in the night and the cook broiled it,
+assuring us that its flesh was very delicate, much like that of a fresh
+water perch; and indeed, so it proved to be.
+
+The Captain had taken a course much further to the eastward than he
+would ordinarily. Usually, in going to the Guianas, the route is through
+the Bahama group, by way of the Crooked Island Channel, thence through
+the Windward Passage, between Cuba and Haiti and across the Caribbean
+sea by the east end of Jamaica.  But Mr. Sargent wished to go further to
+the eastward so as to pass among the Leeward Islands, perhaps landing
+there to await the return of the bark from the coast.  This plan could
+be followed without detriment, as a little delay in reaching Guiana was
+more than likely to result in an improved market for the cargo.  This
+explains the unusual course of the _Ethelyn Hope_.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER III.*
+
+               _*A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship*_*.*
+
+
+The weather continued fine for three days, after passing the latitude of
+San Salvador, with a fresh breeze blowing from the northwest, which sped
+the bark on her course so that she logged better than ten knots; but on
+the fourth day the wind swung around to the north and gradually hauled
+into the northeast, and the long, steady swells began to rise.
+
+The Captain at once prepared for a gale and ordered the sails trimmed to
+meet it.  That the apprehensions of the Captain were grave was proven by
+the precautions taken; for not only was sail shortened to the last
+extremity, but the hatches were securely battened down.
+
+The barometer began to fall about noon, and from that time the wind
+increased until it was blowing a gale; but just after sunset the wind
+almost died away, though the mountainous foam-flecked seas continued.
+
+As the sun went down the sky rapidly became overcast, and a cloud of
+inky blackness appeared along the horizon.  As we stood watching it a
+long line of whiteness appeared between the sea and the black cloud, and
+stretched away far toward the east.  Gradually the white line came
+nearer, until it proved to be a wall of foam.  It was advancing toward
+the ship with great rapidity; and as it came nearer the air above it was
+seen to be filled with flying spray.
+
+The wind began to freshen, and the sailors were hurrying about in
+obedience to the orders of the Captain, still shortening sail.  All the
+upper sails were reefed.
+
+Nearer and nearer came the wall of foam, and with a roar it struck the
+ship, and the storm broke in a perfect tornado.
+
+The bark was careened until the lee scuppers were submerged; and the
+staunch craft shook from end to end.  For an instant she seemed buried
+beneath the raging sea, and then rose and plunged into the next wave.
+
+Mr. Sargent and I made haste to go below, where we remained holding
+ourselves in our berths while the ship reeled, plunged and groaned in
+every timber and plank.
+
+A fearful report like the crack of a rifle told us that some sail had
+been carried away; and then followed others.  At length, from a change
+in the ship's motion, we judged that the Captain was trying to put her
+about and run before the gale; but suddenly a fearful crash which seemed
+as though the bark had split from stem to stern was followed by a
+terrible rolling and plunging.
+
+Crack!  Crack! and the bark pitched and groaned worse than ever.
+
+We heard the Captain making his way toward the cabin, and then saw him
+enter.  His face wore a look of deep anxiety.
+
+"The masts have gone," he said, "and the bark is unmanageable.  You must
+prepare for the worst.  We may have to take to the boats."
+
+"At once, Captain?" asked Mr. Sargent.
+
+"I cannot tell until the well is sounded; but I fear that she must
+founder."
+
+At that moment the first mate entered the cabin and stated that the bark
+was leaking badly.  The water was rising fast in the hold.
+
+"We must remain on the ship to the last moment," said the Captain, "for
+a boat could not live in this sea."
+
+The Captain returned to the deck, and how long we clung to the berths I
+cannot tell, for I was dazed by the peril which threatened us--Were we
+to be lost at sea, drowned, all hands?
+
+The Captain again entered the cabin.  "We must take to the boats," he
+said, "and Heaven help us."
+
+We hastened on deck just as we were, half clothed, leaving everything
+behind.  Nothing could be taken.
+
+When we reached the deck we saw the Captain standing by the starboard
+boat.  The other had been launched, and had instantly disappeared in the
+darkness and foaming water.
+
+The Captain, first and second mate, Mr. Sargent and myself now alone
+remained on the bark.
+
+We hurried into the boat.  "We should not be far from one of the
+outlying islands of the Windward group," said the captain; "and if the
+boat can live in this sea until daylight we may reach one of the Virgin
+Islands."
+
+The tackle was let go, and a great sea caught the boat.  She was lifted
+up, and up, and up, and then sank, it seemed, into a fathomless abyss.
+
+I saw the first and second mate bend to the oars.  The Captain was in
+the stern.  The boat careened and seemed to start suddenly upward on an
+inclined plane.
+
+A rush of water enveloped her.  I heard a roaring sound in my ears, and
+I knew no more.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER IV.*
+
+             _*Cast up by the Sea on a Tropical Island*_*.*
+
+
+When I regained consciousness I was lying upon a sandy beach.  I was
+uninjured, but rather stiff, while my body seemed to be bruised in
+places.  I was, of course, wet to the skin, and I crawled up and lay
+upon the sand where my clothing was quickly dried by the hot sun, now
+well up.
+
+Meanwhile I looked about me.  I had been driven ashore between two
+points of land, upon a narrow beach.  The vegetation, very thick and
+luxuriant, grew close to the line of sand, and all around me, beautiful
+trees were waving in the balmy breeze, their shining leaves glistening
+in the sunlight.
+
+I stood up and looked behind me, but I saw nothing save lofty mountains
+heavily wooded.
+
+I had no doubt but that I was on an island, indeed I could be nowhere
+else, and I judged that it must be one of the most northern of the
+Leeward group.
+
+Looking toward the sea, I saw only the broad expanse of deep blue water
+stretching away to the horizon.  There was no other land in sight.
+
+The sea had become calmer, but the influence of the storm was still
+evidenced by the heavy surf which broke upon the narrow beach.  There
+was no wreckage of any kind, no sign of anything or anybody belonging to
+the bark.
+
+At first the utter lonesomeness and hopelessness of my situation
+depressed me; but it would not do to give way to gloomy thoughts.  I was
+entirely alone, and, so far as I knew, upon an uninhabited island.  My
+future was a sealed book.  After a while I began to take a more hopeful
+view of the situation, and the novelty of my surroundings, and the
+strange things about me, aroused my curiosity.  So I determined to
+explore along the shore.
+
+The vegetation was very dense, and appeared to be interwoven with vines
+of monstrous size. One kind of tree, very tall and with a heavy long
+narrow leaf seemed to be the most abundant; and from the descriptions
+which I had read, and by the clusters of oblong fruit at the bases of
+the leaf-heads, I knew them to be cocoanut palms.
+
+"If I am really alone upon an uninhabited island," I thought, "at least
+I shall not starve so long as I am able to obtain plenty of cocoanuts."
+
+Slowly I walked along the shore, my face being toward the east as I knew
+from the direction of the sun.  First I decided to go to the top of the
+loftiest headland to see if I could obtain any trace of the bark,
+although I felt sure that she had gone down, and that all but myself had
+perished; still, the loneliness of my situation caused me to cling to
+what I felt was but a vain hope, that some one beside myself had
+survived.
+
+With thoughts confused, and laboring under varying emotions, I walked
+slowly along, keeping on the sand except when I was obliged to turn
+aside to avoid a kind of dagger-like plant whose leaves were armed with
+cruel points.
+
+Reaching the headland I was obliged to go through a thicket where my
+scanty clothing, as well as my hands, was torn by great thorns. However,
+I reached the point of land, and climbing to the top of a high mound I
+looked around.  Before me, and to my right and left, there was nothing
+but the blue, heaving ocean; and behind me, I saw nothing but a dense
+forest, with lofty mountains in the distance.  There was no sign of life
+save brilliant plumaged birds flitting about, and bright colored
+butterflies glancing in the sunshine.
+
+Surely I was alone; but whether on an uninhabited island or not, the
+future alone would reveal.  For the present it did not matter, and I
+must certainly depend upon my own resources.
+
+I returned to the spot where I had been cast ashore, meanwhile revolving
+in my mind my present condition.  What gave me great anxiety just then
+was my lack of clothing.  I had on only my trousers, and shirt, shoes
+and stockings; and these were all I possessed in the world, but I was
+overjoyed to find that my knife was still in one of the pockets of my
+trousers.  It was a good one, large and having two blades.  The large
+blade was long and strong, and the possession of it might mean much to
+me in the future.
+
+Reaching the place where I regained consciousness after being thrown
+ashore by the waves. I began to think of finding a good place to build a
+temporary shelter.  This seemed to be as good a location as any, I
+thought, as I looked around.  It was in a sheltered cove, a clear,
+grassy plat surrounded by trees.
+
+"Why not make my camp right here," I asked myself; and as I reflected it
+seemed to be the only place where I should locate for the present, for
+here I should be in a position to watch closely in the hope that some
+vestige of the bark would yet be washed ashore; for I thought that, if
+the vessel had foundered, something belonging to her would very likely
+come ashore, and I felt sure that some parts of the boats, and perhaps
+the bodies of some of my unfortunate companions would be almost sure to
+drift in.
+
+It was, I judged, now near mid-day, and the heat of the sun upon my head
+gave me some concern.  I must devise some covering for my head.  Looking
+about with this object in view, I saw hanging from a small palm tree
+what looked like coarse canvas.  On examining it more closely, I found
+that it was really a sort of natural cloth, about the color of hemp, and
+composed of fibres that appeared to be very strong, crossing one another
+like warp and filling, but not interwoven.  Instead, the fibres were
+closely stuck together so that a strong, pliant fabric was formed.
+
+With my knife I cut off a large piece which I twisted about in such a
+manner as to form a conical cap.  The edges I fastened together with
+long, sharp thorns that I cut from some bushes near by.  This, though
+rude, would protect my head for the time being.
+
+Before proceeding to begin the construction of my place of abode, I felt
+inclined to look about for some means of satisfying the hunger which I
+now felt keenly, for I had eaten nothing since supper the night before
+on board the ill-fated bark.
+
+The cocoanut trees suggested the most available source of supply for the
+first meal in the strange surroundings in which I found myself; so going
+to a cluster of the trees near by, meanwhile wondering how I would
+manage to obtain the nuts fifty feet or more above my head, I was
+greatly relieved to find plenty of them lying upon the ground.  But the
+nuts that I saw were not like those common in the markets at home.
+Instead, they were oblong and many times larger.  I soon discovered that
+to get at the meat I must first cut away the outer husk or covering with
+which it was enveloped; so I opened my knife and set to work.  It was no
+easy task, for the husk was thick and tough; but after much labor I
+succeeded in removing it until I bared the round, hard shell of the nut,
+when, with a large stone I was not long in cracking it, and laying bare
+the white meat. With the nut in my hands I walked about among the trees
+as I ate.  So interested was I in the beautiful, brilliant-colored
+flowers, some of which were of enormous size, and in numbers of little
+green lizards that hopped about over the leaves of the smaller shrubs,
+that I did not at once notice, as I came into a grassy, circular plat,
+that the ground beneath a compact, shapely tree was plentifully
+besprinkled with golden globes, and I was in a high state of elation
+when I discovered that they were oranges. The tree itself was loaded
+with green and yellow fruit.  I peeled one of the largest, and found
+that it was delicious and juicy, but of a rather different flavor from
+those to which I had been accustomed.  But here was at least both
+refreshment and sustenance, so I was in no danger of starving, and I
+made a hearty meal.
+
+Crossing the grassy plat where the orange tree grew, I descended a
+gentle slope among the palm trees and soon came to a beautiful little
+stream of clear water.  Having still one of the halves of the cocoanut
+shell in my hand, I used it as a cup and took a long draught of the
+water, which, though rather warm, appeared to be pure and wholesome.
+
+The stream at this point was quite broad and very shallow, and though
+but a few rods from the mouth it flowed quite swiftly.  Along the banks
+I noticed that a certain tall, reed-like plant grew in great profusion,
+and, on closer examination I discovered it to be a kind of wild cane,
+with large, feathery, chocolate-colored plumes.
+
+I followed the bank of the stream to the shore, and then returned to my
+landing place, walking along the narrow beach.
+
+Hunger satisfied for the time-being, I set about making preparations for
+constructing my dwelling.  Although in no need of protection from cold
+in this tropical climate, I remembered having read that it was not
+advisable to be without shelter at night, so I decided that my first
+task should be to construct a house, or a hut.
+
+I first chose a clear place a little in among the palms, perhaps a dozen
+rods from the beach, and, as accurately as I could by pacing, I measured
+off an area ten feet square.  Each corner I marked by driving down a
+short stick, and then went in search of four corner posts.  After a
+little searching I found some straight trees about three inches in
+diameter, having smooth bark and with but few limbs, each tree forked
+about seven feet from the ground.  After an hour's hard work, I
+succeeded in cutting down four of them with my knife; and after trimming
+off the branches and cutting off the tops, leaving ample forks, I
+dragged them to the site of lay dwelling.  I next felled another pole
+which was cut in halves, leaving the butt end about four feet long.
+This I sharpened at the thickest end, and with it made holes about
+eighteen inches deep at each corner of the square to be occupied by my
+house.
+
+Into each of these holes I set one of the forked corner posts, wedging
+it firmly with stones from the beach, driven solidly down all around it,
+filling in each with earth which I trod down firmly.  Four long poles
+were now needed to rest one end in each of the upright forks, so as to
+form a frame, and I started away again, this time toward the brook,
+which I followed up stream.  I had gone but a short distance when I came
+to a place where the stream widened into a broad pool.  The water here
+was dark and apparently deep, and all around it, gracefully bending over
+the still depths, I found growing tall plants having small, narrow green
+leaves.  The plants grew in clusters, and some of them were very tall, I
+judged from twenty-five to forty feet.  I hurried forward with a view to
+ascertaining whether they would suit my purpose, when I immediately made
+a discovery which at once solved the question of obtaining an ample
+supply of material for building operations, both now and in the future;
+for the tall, graceful plants proved to be bamboos. I knew them from the
+descriptions I had read, and from the regular joints, just like those I
+had seen on the bamboo fishing rods at home.
+
+I selected several of the bamboos, each being about two inches in
+diameter, and although I found them to be very hard, I managed to cut
+them down, and to trim off the branches and the tops.  By making three
+trips I dragged the bamboos to my building site.  Laying them along one
+side of the area to be occupied by the house, I found that they were
+nearly twenty feet long.  Four of them I cut off to the required length.
+I then raised one on either side, one end of each pole resting in one of
+the forks of the uprights.  A pole was then laid across each of the
+other sides, resting upon the poles supported by the forks, so that a
+sort of scaffold was formed, which needed only to be covered over to be
+complete.
+
+I had worked so busily and had become so much interested that I scarcely
+noticed that the sun was already sinking behind the palm trees, and
+casting long shadows across the beach; so, as I was aware that darkness
+very quickly follows sunset in the tropics, I must make haste and
+provide a temporary shelter for the night before suspending work.  I
+therefore cut the rest of the poles in halves and laid them across the
+two longer poles resting in the forks, thus forming a gridiron-like
+structure.  With my knife I cut a large quantity of leafy branches from
+the shrubs that grew near at hand, and then went to the brook for an
+armful of wild canes.  With this material I covered a portion of the
+scaffold, making quite a good shelter between myself and the sky.
+
+As the sun sank lower and the shadows deepened, I felt a sense of
+loneliness steal over me, for the idea of spending the night alone, I
+knew not where, perhaps on an island, with the boundless ocean on one
+side, and a deep, unknown forest on the other which might conceal fierce
+wild animals, was not at all pleasing.  But I must train myself to know
+no fear, and the sooner I began to school myself to this end, the
+better.
+
+Although I felt sure I should not sleep with nothing to protect me and
+with no means of making a fire, I instinctively began to think of
+providing some sort of couch; and again I took my knife and cut a
+quantity of bushes which I piled in the form of a bed beneath the
+scaffold. I next cut several armfuls of the tall grass which grew all
+around and with it covered the couch of bushes.  I now had an acceptable
+bed, so constructed that one end which was to serve as the head, was
+about a foot higher than the other.
+
+By the time I had finished it was quite dark; but I still stood leaning
+against one of the corner uprights with my face turned toward the
+forest, hesitating what to do next, and instinctively listening for some
+new sound.  There was no breeze stirring, and the sea lightly washed the
+sand with a low murmur which tended to increase my feeling of
+loneliness. Since sunset the air had become beautifully cool.  For a
+long time I stood motionless.
+
+The sounds of the night were about me; and once I started violently when
+I thought I heard a twig crack.  Then I heard, apparently only a little
+distance away, a noise like a stone, thrown by some one, striking the
+ground; but, after the startled feeling had partly left me I reasoned
+that the noise was made by a ripened cocoanut falling from the tree.
+The indistinct notes of many insects, new and strange, filled the air,
+and one particularly noisy insect gave forth a sharp clipping sound like
+that made by shears in the hands of a barber.  Sometimes a note like
+that of a bird varied the myriads of sounds. Feeling reassured, after a
+time, I cautiously lay down upon my couch, but still listening.  How
+long I remained conscious I cannot say; but I must have been very weary
+from the excitement of the ship-wreck, the hardship of being cast ashore
+and the busy day's work.
+
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER V.*
+
+             _*Strange Surroundings; Building a House*_*.*
+
+
+My next sensation was that of the sun shining in my face when I awoke in
+the morning. At first, as I looked out from beneath my shelter I could
+scarcely comprehend where I was or how I came there; but the events of
+the day before soon returned to me.  For a few minutes I lay still,
+looking around upon my beautiful surroundings.  What a perfect paradise
+it was, and how overjoyed I should be were I here under different
+circumstances.
+
+There was a gentle breeze stirring, just enough to move the feathery
+leaves of the palms and to slightly bend the tall grass; and though I
+could not see any of them, I heard birds giving forth discordant notes
+in the forest around.
+
+But I must stir myself, for there was much to do.  My house must be
+finished, I must devise some articles for personal use, and the problem
+of my future sustenance must be solved, for I could not long continue to
+work and subsist entirely upon cocoanuts and oranges, although they
+would answer well enough for the present.
+
+So I sprang up and going directly to the stream I bathed my face and
+hands.  Having no towel and seeing no substitute for one, I sat down and
+dried myself in the sun.
+
+Cracking another cocoanut in the same manner as I did the day before and
+gathering some oranges, I sat down with my back against the palm tree
+and proceeded with my frugal breakfast. As I had neglected to provide
+myself with a meal ere I retired the night before, I was very hungry and
+my appetite was not satisfied until I had eaten nearly a dozen oranges,
+beside the cocoanut.  Using a half shell of the cocoanut as a cup, I
+took a long drink of water from the stream and turned again toward my
+embryo dwelling.
+
+I thought it best to construct the walls first in order to provide
+against the possible attacks of wild animals, and knowing this to be the
+first part of the dry season which, in the latitude in which I judged
+myself to be, lasts from the middle of November until May, there was no
+immediate necessity for providing shelter from rain.
+
+The necessity of devising some plan for keeping an accurate account of
+each day as it passed, now occurred to me, and as I walked back to the
+pool for another supply of bamboos, I revolved the question in my mind.
+The record which I proposed to keep must be indestructible, and in some
+compact, portable form so that I could easily take it with me in the
+event of sudden departure from my habitation.  One of the halves of the
+cocoanut shells which caught my eye as I passed the spot where I had
+partaken of breakfast, gave me an idea which I at once adopted.
+
+Then and there I put the plan into execution. It was this: I resolved to
+use only the halves of the cocoanut shells that contained the natural
+holes through which the shoots of the germinating nut emerge from the
+shell.  The meat was removed from the half shell, leaving the two holes
+through it.
+
+At the close of each day, as near sunset as possible, I would cut a deep
+notch in the edge of the shell, and each shell should have as many
+notches as there were days in the month.  On the completion of the month
+I would carve with my knife the name of the month and year; and in this
+way I hoped to preserve a correct record of the time.  As each month was
+finished I proposed to pass a cord through one of the holes; and for the
+purpose I at once braided a strong cord from the fibres of the cocoanut
+cloth from which I had constructed my head gear.
+
+I remembered, accurately the day of the wreck, and as I had been on
+shore one day, I out the first notch, and engraved on the shell:
+"December 18th, 18--."
+
+As I marked upon my calendar I wondered how many shells I should have
+upon my string ere I was rescued from my lonely position. "Perhaps," I
+thought, "I may never see any other place."  But I resolved not to
+harbor gloomy thoughts; and tying a large hard knot in one end of the
+cord, I strung the shell upon it, inserting it from the outside.
+Succeeding shells strung upon the cord would fit into one another like a
+nest of bowls.  Thus I would have a complete record, and a practically
+imperishable one.
+
+As I knew the day of the week on which I had commenced my lone life, I
+resolved, for each Sunday, to bore a hole instead of cutting a notch,
+for I intended to observe the Sabbath by abstaining from work.
+
+Continuing my way to the pool, I set to work cutting bamboos.  I
+selected only those measuring about two inches in diameter, and before
+the sun reached the zenith I had thirty of them cut and trimmed, ready
+to drag to my house.
+
+I found it hot work, and I threw myself down to rest.  For the first
+time I caught sight of the birds that had been making such a babel of
+discordant sounds all the morning.  Several of them were flying about
+near the opposite side of the pool, and I at once recognized them as
+parrots.
+
+"What a consolation it would be," I thought, "if I could capture one and
+teach it to talk. It certainly would prove far better than no
+companion."
+
+Having landed the bamboos at the house, I set about cutting them into
+lengths corresponding to the height of the corner posts.  These I set
+into the ground at regular intervals, in line with the posts, lashing
+the upper ends to the horizontal poles resting in the forks, and to the
+poles across the other two sides, using for the purpose a long, supple
+vine which I found growing in plenty in the edge of the woods, twisting
+around the trunks of the trees.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER VI.*
+
+                  _*The Stockade; A Crusoe's Life*_*.*
+
+
+By the time I had finished setting the poles into the ground, thus
+forming the enclosure of the house, my appetite began to assert itself;
+and I was again reminded that I must search for food other than
+cocoanuts and oranges. More substantial nourishment I must have if I was
+to continue to work and retain my health and strength.  But my extreme
+anxiety to carry along the construction of my house sufficiently far to
+afford a feeling of security at night, decided me to make a few more
+meals of the oranges and nuts before suspending work long enough to
+discover or develop resources.
+
+Again I went to the pool and cut two more bamboos, each twenty feet
+long.  I then cut them in halves, making four poles each ten feet long.
+Carrying these to the house, I lashed one across the upright palings
+midway between the upper pole and the ground, lashing them firmly to
+each of the palings.  This strengthened the structure, and shaking it
+with all my strength I was gratified to find that, though naturally
+elastic, it was firm and strong.
+
+As I now had a safe protection from any wild animal of moderate size and
+strength, I felt that I should be secure at night.  I was on an island
+somewhere to the northeast of the Caribbean sea, in fact, I reasoned
+that I could be nowhere else; and from this, together with what I had
+read, I concluded that there could be no very large or ferocious wild
+animals in the forests about me.
+
+I still had some time to work before sunset, and I therefore went to the
+bank of the stream to cut a quantity of wild canes which I proposed to
+weave in the form of basket work, between the palings, thus forming the
+walls of my house.
+
+Cutting the canes was easy work, and by sunset I had a great pile of
+them landed by the house.
+
+Again satisfying the cravings of hunger with oranges and cocoanuts,
+washed down with water from the brook, I cut another notch in the
+cocoanut-shell calendar, and after sitting and listening to the varied
+insect sounds until it was quite dark, I retired, to my couch within the
+inclosure.
+
+Lying upon my couch, until I fell asleep, I revolved in my mind various
+plans for the future.  The details for the construction of my house were
+pretty well worked out in my mind; and the desirability of surrounding
+my abode with some sort of a stockade occurred to me. I had little fear
+of attacks from wild animals, but I presumed that the island was
+inhabited in some part of it, by what sort of people I had not yet
+considered.
+
+Indeed, it was extremely improbable that an island in this quarter of
+the world could be totally uninhabited.  Whether the islanders proved
+friendly or otherwise, the idea of a stockade as a protection against
+possible surprise met with my immediate approval.
+
+Another question of extreme importance to be considered was that of a
+permanent food supply.  Perhaps only cocoanuts and oranges abounded in
+my near vicinity; at any rate, I resolved to carefully survey the
+adjacent region for the purpose of ascertaining its resources.
+
+Then the question of providing clothing for myself must be considered,
+for, at best, my present raiment would not long survive the rough usage
+which it was now receiving, and to which it would hereafter be subjected
+in the bush.  I even thought it might be well to construct a suit from
+the cocoanut-fibre cloth, and thus save my civilized clothes for the day
+of my rescue.
+
+Many other things passed through my mind in rapid succession as I lay
+upon my couch, among them the project of starting out upon a tour of
+discovery in an endeavor to ascertain the extent of my domain, and if it
+was inhabited in any part of it.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER VII.*
+
+                _*A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply*_*.*
+
+
+The notches in the cocoanut calendar grew in number as the days passed,
+busy days of hard, incessant labor, and four months of my exile elapsed
+ere the house was finished to my satisfaction and a substantial stockade
+erected around it.  The walls of my house were made of the wild canes
+closely woven like basket-work. It had been done very carefully, and,
+when completed, I had a perfect shelter, both from the sun and the wind.
+The roof was made of the long grass, alternate with layers of bamboos;
+and by using the larger bamboos in the centre of the roof, when by
+successive layers it reached the proper thickness, I had a roof which
+sloped steeply from the centre to each edge, which, carefully covered
+with an outside layer of the long grass dressed from the top downward,
+would perfectly shed the water during the rainy season.  The thickness
+of the roof rendered it impervious to wet, and, as I soon discovered,
+almost a non-conductor of heat.
+
+I left no windows in the house, as I thought there would be sufficient
+ventilation through the interstices of the cane-walls, but I constructed
+a door three feet wide and five feet high, by lashing bamboos together
+in the form of a gridiron, and then weaving in cane as I had done in
+constructing the walls.  For hinges I made use of vines twisted
+together.
+
+The stockade surrounded the house at a distance of about six feet from
+either side, and it cost me several weeks of steady work.  I had first
+to cut a great number of good-sized bamboos, which, with only my knife,
+was very laborious work.  I had frequently to sharpen the knife on a
+piece of soft, porous rock which I found near the brook.
+
+Each bamboo was cut off to a length of ten feet, and sharpened at the
+small, or upper end. These I set into the ground at intervals of one
+foot, to a depth of two feet.  Then, at a distance of one foot from the
+top all around the enclosure, I lashed long bamboos, using the tough
+vine which I found in abundance near the edge of the bush, winding it
+around each upright bamboo, and around the horizontal poles.  Between
+the horizontal pole and the ground, I wove a close basketwork of the
+vine. It was harder work weaving in this vine, as it was larger than the
+canes; but it was very tough, and a wall composed of it closely woven
+would prove a very effective defense.
+
+So I kept busily at work, day after day, cutting the vines, trimming off
+the leaves, dragging them to the house and weaving them in around the
+bamboo uprights, until I finally had a wall about me elastic but capable
+of sustaining a great strain, the sharpened ends of the upright bamboos
+forming an effectual safeguard against the walls being scaled from the
+outside.
+
+After the woven-work of vines was thoroughly seasoned, which did not
+take long, I cut round holes six inches in diameter, four on each side,
+about five feet from the ground, in order that I might command a view in
+all directions without leaving the enclosure.
+
+In the side facing the sea, I made a door, constructed in a manner
+similar to that in the house; but, for the stockade door, I devised an
+arrangement for securely barring it on the inside, by using two large
+bamboos each two feet longer than the door was wide, held in place by
+rings of the supple vine which I twisted about the two door-posts.
+
+These rings were made by first bending several inches of one end of the
+vine in the form of a circle, and then winding the rest of the vine
+around this ring.  Through these the ends of the bars passing across the
+door were placed, which, if anything, made the opening, when closed and
+fastened inside, stronger than any other portion of the structure.
+
+During all this time I had lived solely upon cocoanuts and oranges,
+varied with a few shellfish, somewhat resembling periwinkles, only
+larger, that I found along the beach.  These I ate raw, and found them
+rather palatable but somewhat tough.  However, as I continued in good
+health and strength, I preferred to complete my house and stockade
+before making a systematic attempt to provide other food.
+
+Nothing now remained to be done in connection with my dwelling, but to
+carry into execution an idea which I had evolved while at work, that of
+transplanting some creepers from the edge of the forest and training
+them along the stockade, so that, as I calculated, in a short time, in
+this tropical land of rapid growth, they would completely cover the
+stockade, and render my retreat more safe from observation, should my
+solitude be invaded.
+
+During all this time I had suspended work on Sundays, but I had occupied
+the time in making short trips inland, and along the coast in either
+direction; but finding the forest very dense as I left the shore, I
+could not have gone more than four or five miles in any direction.  My
+trips along the shore were without results, so far as enlightenment
+concerning the extent of the island was concerned, for every bend of the
+coast revealed only headlands and more coast-line stretching away
+beyond.
+
+The results of my wandering in the bush had troubled me not a little,
+for I had found no new fruits and vegetables, and had discovered no
+animals, or birds that I could bring myself to think edible.  There were
+only parrots and smaller birds, some of brilliant plumage; and even had
+I chosen to eat them I had no means of securing the game.  I was
+somewhat surprised not to find more humming birds.  I saw only one kind,
+a large, black species, having two tiny golden feathers each about six
+inches long at the sides of its tail.  Of snakes, I had seen none, nor
+land turtles.
+
+The sea-shore, too, seemed to be as devoid of food supplies, for I had
+seen no sea turtle, though I knew that they should be plentiful in this
+latitude.
+
+But I refrained from attempting a systematic exploration, feeling it
+would be wise to first provide as secure a retreat as possible for my
+permanent headquarters.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER VIII.*
+
+            _*Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun*_*.*
+
+
+My house was now finished, and I began, with a light heart to think
+about starting on a long exploring trip.  Before taking my departure,
+however, two questions of importance must be solved, if possible,
+namely, that of devising a weapon with which I could shoot game, if any
+was found; and some means of procuring fire.
+
+The morning following the completion of the house and stockade, as I was
+walking toward the orange tree which continued to furnish me with an
+ample supply of fruit, an idea came to me, and so astonished was I that
+I had not thought of it before that I stopped short and gazed straight
+ahead of me for several minutes.
+
+My knife!
+
+Here was steel; now for a flint, and fire would be procurable at any
+moment.  I understood the use of flint and steel, for many times, in our
+boyhood, my brother and I, on our excursions in the woods, had made
+fires with old gun-flints and our pocket-knives as steel, for cooking
+grey squirrels when we were fortunate enough to shoot any.  We did this
+from choice, because of the novelty.
+
+Without further thought of breakfast I turned toward the shore to search
+for a substitute for flint, for I did not expect to find the real
+article here, as I had only seen soft, calcareous rock which appeared to
+be the prevailing kind.
+
+A long search up and down the beach failed to disclose any hard rock,
+not even a pebble of sufficient size.  Shells were abundant, but they
+would not answer the purpose.  I next turned my attention to the brook,
+and searched along the shallowest places for a hard stone.  I found one
+at last, round and flat, about the size of a silver dollar.  It was very
+dark, almost black, and appeared to be quite hard.  Wiping it with my
+hand I laid it down in the sun and waited impatiently for it to dry.
+When perfectly free of moisture, I opened my knife, and holding the
+blade firmly in my left hand, I struck the stone sharply against the
+back of the blade, with a quick downward stroke.  No spark appeared.
+Over and over again I tried but without success, but I saw that the
+stone scratched the steel, which gave me hope that the stone was
+sufficiently hard.
+
+After several more trials, a tiny spark shot downward from the blade.
+My joy knew no bounds.  Tinder must be procured.  Like a flash came to
+my mind the feathery heads of the wild cane.  If I could find one dry
+enough I thought it would do.  I at once ran up stream to where the
+canes grew, and after a little search I found a plume that was dead and
+quite dry. Bending the cane down I gathered a handful of the floss from
+the head, and going to the foot of a cocoanut tree, I lay the cane floss
+down by the foot of the tree and once more tried to produce a spark.  I
+was soon able to obtain a spark frequently, but they invariably failed
+to reach the floss, or to ignite when they touched it. But I saw that I
+had fire within reach, and it only required perseverance to procure it.
+Holding the knife blade closer to the floss, I struck again.  This time
+a shower of tiny sparks descended to the floss, and, yes, it had caught!
+Quickly dropping the knife and stone I partially covered it with my
+hands and very gently blew upon it.  A tiny wreath of smoke arose as the
+fire spread through the wad of floss.  Blowing upon it still harder, in
+short quick puffs, a tiny flame leaped up; and quickly gathering such
+dry leaves and grass as I could reach, I heaped them upon the flame.
+These were followed by small dry sticks until I had a good fire going.
+I now only needed something to cook, and that I proposed to search for.
+But fire was desirable as company at night, and to ward off wild beasts
+should any be found; also in the future I might wish to make signals by
+the aid of smoke.
+
+Not wishing to injure my faithful friend the cocoanut tree, I allowed
+the fire to go out, feeling full confidence in my ability to procure it
+any time I wished.
+
+I now set about preparing for my journey of exploration, meanwhile
+carefully watering, several times each day, the creepers that I had set
+out along the walls of the stockade, until they showed no further signs
+of wilting during the greatest heat of the day.  The water I brought,
+with much labor and many trips, from the brook, in cocoanut shells.
+
+It occurred to me to plant vines in front of the door of the stockade,
+so that, should I be absent for a great length of time, they would grow
+up over the door and still further obscure my retreat.  Acting on this
+idea, I searched about the bush for a vine less woody than those planted
+along the stockade.  At length, on the further side of the clearing, I
+discovered a vine, not unlike a morning glory vine, only it had larger
+leaves, climbing up a tall, smooth tree, and this seemed to answer my
+purpose.  So, getting down upon my knees I began to dig around the root
+in order to move it without disturbing the earth immediately surrounding
+it; when but a few inches below the top of the ground I came across a
+round, hard object which I at first thought to be a large root of the
+tree, but in digging still further around it I saw that the supposed
+root moved, until finally I lifted it out of the ground.  As I did so I
+noticed that it had one end attached to the vine that I was after.  The
+root was fully a foot and a half long, and about five inches in
+diameter, slightly rounded at the ends.  I cut off the vine with my
+knife, and ran with the root to the brook and washed it clean.  I now
+saw that I had found some kind of a tuber.  With my knife I cut through
+the thin rough skin, disclosing a white substance beneath.  Quickly
+cutting it in halves I found that the inside of the tuber was white and
+starchy.  I wondered what it could be.  It was not a sweet potato, for
+the latter is yellow.  Then I began to think of the roots that I had
+read about in books of travel in the tropics, and the first that came to
+my mind was the yam.  Yes, this must be the yam, though I did not know
+before that its foliage was in the form of a vine.
+
+Here food was in plenty, healthful and nourishing, and sufficient to
+sustain life even if I found no other, it being only necessary to roast
+them in ashes.
+
+I resolved to plant yam vines in front of the gate to the stockade, for,
+while the vines were growing up to conceal it, they would, in the
+meantime be storing away food for me against my return.  This plan I put
+into immediate execution.
+
+My next thought was of devising a weapon for offence and defence, also
+to be used in killing game.  The idea of a bow and arrows at first
+suggested itself, but this was abandoned for the bow-gun, for, as boys,
+we were able to do good execution with the latter as it had a stock and
+breech, admitting of securing better aim.
+
+Looking about for material from which to construct the bow-gun, the
+bamboo seemed to be the most available for the barrel; so I cut down one
+about two inches in diameter, from which I selected the longest and
+straightest section between the joints.  Next I cut a deep notch about
+four inches from the larger end, and extending to the centre of the
+bamboo. From the lower end of the notch I split away the upper half of
+the tube, thus forming a spout about four feet long which was to carry
+the arrow.  For a breech I selected a forked stick, the butt of which I
+carefully rounded and smoothed until it would fit tightly into the round
+socket at the larger end of the barrel, above the notch.  This, though
+crude, furnished a very fair substitute for a breech to rest against my
+shoulder when taking aim, particularly as I had thought to select a
+forked stick which had the butt slightly bent so that, when fixed in the
+breech-end of the barrel, the proper elevation was given.
+
+The next step was to make a bow and fix it firmly across the under side
+of the barrel, at right angles to it, I searched about in the bush a
+long time before I found a tree of the right size, straight and without
+branches; and, on bending it down toward the ground and cutting it, I
+found that it was elastic and quite hard.  From the tree I cut a section
+about three feet long, which I squared for a distance of two inches in
+the middle, whittling what was to be the inner side down flat from
+either side of the squared part to either end, each half tapering
+slightly from the middle.  I did not remove the bark from the back of
+the bow.
+
+Next I cut a square slot about the width of the squared part in the
+centre of the bow, in the under side of the bamboo about a foot from
+what was to be the muzzle, being careful, however, not to cut through
+into the groove of the barrel.  Into this I carefully fitted the squared
+portion of the bow, after which notches opening in opposite directions
+were cut on the lower side of the barrel, one on each side of the bow.
+With one of the supple vines I then lashed the bow firmly, drawing the
+vine over the notches. When the vine was thoroughly dry the bow would be
+held firmly and rigidly in place.
+
+The question of arrows was quickly solved, for I could think of nothing
+that could serve the purpose better than the long smooth stem which
+supported the heads of the wild canes These were of just the right size
+and length. I cut several dozens of them, sharpening one end of each,
+and notching the other to receive the string.  To give sufficient weight
+to the execution end of the arrow, I split a piece of the tough vine
+into fine strips, with which I closely wound the arrows near the ends,
+until the proper weight was secured to balance them during their flight
+and thus render them accurate. For the wings of the arrows I used sprays
+from the plumes of the wild cane, until I could find something more
+suitable, fastening them to the string end with fibres from the ever
+useful vine.
+
+It now only remained to provide a string for the bow, before the weapon
+could be tested. Carefully separating the longest fibres of the cocoanut
+cloth.  I braided them into a strong cord of uniform size, which I
+fastened to the bow.
+
+And now for the test!  Drawing the string back to the notch, I placed
+one of the arrows in the groove of the gun and, raising the gun to my
+shoulder, I released the string with an upward pressure of my right
+thumb, at the same time pointing the gun in the direction of the brook.
+
+As straight as a line could be drawn, the arrow sped away over the brook
+and was lost in the thicket beyond.  I felt confident of the success of
+my bow-gun, and after constructing a quiver for the arrows from a piece
+of the cocoanut cloth fastened together with thorns, and braiding a cord
+with which to sling it over my shoulder, I turned my attention to the
+final preparations for departure.
+
+These consisted of providing a store of provisions in case I did not
+immediately find food on the way.  I roasted several of the yams, and
+gathered two dozen oranges which were stored in a bag made of the
+cocoanut cloth.  I did not include cocoanuts, for I was sure to find
+plenty as I went along.
+
+I took the precaution to gather a quantity of the cane floss for tinder,
+which I placed in a short piece of bamboo, which I stopped up tightly at
+both ends with wooden plugs.  This was to protect it from moisture in
+case of rain. I also took the cocoanut calendar.
+
+The morning for departure arrived.  Taking a farewell plunge in the
+brook, I made a hearty breakfast of yams and oranges, after which,
+closing the door of the stockade and fastening it with withes of the
+vine, I slung the quiver of arrows and the bag of provisions over my
+shoulder, took the bow-gun and started away along the shore, going in a
+southerly direction.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER IX.*
+
+           _*Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs*_*.*
+
+
+I followed the narrow line of sand, sometimes having to make a detour
+inland to get around a rocky point of land which jutted out into the
+water, or to avoid a dagger-like plant the spike-like leaves of which
+were armed with spines as sharp as needles.  This, I concluded, must be
+the Spanish bayonet.
+
+The sun shone brightly, and the sea, deep blue and calm, stretched away
+toward the west, the long, gentle swells causing but a ripple on the
+beach.  As I progressed, the island along the shore became less
+attractive than it was in the near vicinity of my house; and in some
+places it had a parched appearance.  Once I was obliged to cross a flat
+area of several acres in extent, bounded by a high bluff, where I had to
+make my way cautiously among cactus plants of various kinds; some low
+and spreading over the ground and bearing beautiful, yellow, wax-like
+blossoms, and others a great size, like trees denuded of the smaller
+branches and twigs.
+
+The sun had reached the zenith when I came to a small stream and sat
+down beneath a wide-spreading tree to rest, and to refresh myself from
+the provisions that I carried.  As I ate I gazed up among the branches
+of the great tree, whose broad leaves furnished such a grateful shade,
+when I saw that it bore fruit, round and green, five or six inches in
+diameter.  This I believed to be bread-fruit, from the pictures I had
+seen, and I resolved to carry two or three along with me, only obtaining
+them by climbing the tree.
+
+Although I did not intend to travel steadily in the heat of the day
+during my march, I felt anxious to make a good beginning on the first
+day out, so after getting cool and feeling well rested, I went on.
+
+As I crossed the brook, scores of small brown crabs scudded away along
+the bank.  They were the first I had seen during my sojourn on the
+island.  Spiders, I had seen many of, some of great size with hairy
+bodies and long legs; but as they showed no ferocity, I had no fear of
+them.  Indeed on account of their great size I did not believe them to
+be poisonous.  As a rule, the natural histories said, poisonous spiders
+of the tropics are not of great size, and most of them have short legs.
+
+Having made a long detour around a swampy place which extended to the
+sea, I came out of the bush upon a wide beach shaped like a semi-circle,
+or half-moon; and as I did so my attention was attracted to several
+large, glossy, blackish objects scattered over the beach.  I approached
+one, and found it to be a monstrous turtle. There must have been
+hundreds of them, and, one by one, as I moved about, they started away
+toward the water.  Some of them were very large, and must have weighed
+three or four hundred pounds.  Had I been so disposed I had no means of
+dispatching one for food, but I felt sure that the turtles had been
+depositing their eggs in the sand, and I could easily roast the eggs in
+the fire, which would form a very acceptable adjunct to my larder.
+
+Accordingly, digging into the sand where the turtles had been lying, I
+found plenty of round white eggs, a quantity of which I gathered to add
+to my stores.
+
+It was now near the end of the afternoon, as I observed by the sun, and
+I decided to select a place to camp for the night.  I selected a spot
+near a thicket of thorn bushes, which would form an effectual protection
+to the rear, and then began collecting dry branches for a fire. The sun
+was low in the sky, and the heat was greatly moderated, and, by the time
+I had collected a large pile of fire wood, a sea breeze sprang up,
+taking the place of the land breeze of the day, making it cool and
+comfortable.
+
+I had no difficulty this time in starting a fire, and as soon as it had
+burned down sufficiently I buried a yam and some of the turtles' eggs in
+the ashes, and, while they were cooking I occupied the time cutting away
+a part of the smaller thorn bushes, making a cleared place in which I
+could sleep during the night, the thicket over me furnishing protection
+from the dampness of the air.
+
+By the time this was accomplished, and a cocoanut shell of water was
+brought from the brook, I judged that the yam and eggs were sufficiently
+cooked, which they proved to be when I uncovered them, and I at once
+proceeded to eat my evening meal.  The eggs proved to be of good flavor,
+but wanted salt.  This reminded me that I must provide a supply of salt,
+which I could do by evaporating some sea-water as soon as I had the
+opportunity.
+
+It was now past sunset and rapidly growing dark; so I replenished the
+pile of firewood, and piling a quantity of it upon the fire, I lay down
+with a bunch of grass for a pillow, and in a short time fell asleep.
+
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER X.*
+
+                   _*Under the Coils of a Snake*_*.*
+
+
+When I awoke in the morning it was with a peculiar sense of oppression.
+In the first drowsiness I thought there was a great weight across my
+chest; and my arms were aching.  I tried to move, but found that I could
+not lift my arms.  They seemed to be pressed closely to my aides.
+Thoroughly awake now, I was terrified to find that I was lying beneath
+the folds of an enormous snake.
+
+Frightened as I was beyond all expression, I maintained sufficient
+presence of mind to keep perfectly quiet until I could more fully
+realize my true situation--and, above all, locate the position of the
+great reptile's head.
+
+As I gazed at the great scaly coils that enveloped me, I saw that the
+snake was of a pale yellow color.  It was perfectly motionless.  By
+tracing the taper of its body I saw that the head must be somewhere near
+my right shoulder.
+
+I was in a great quandary what to do.  Although still anxious for
+results, I was now quite calm, and my mind was full of plans for
+escaping from the terrible coils.  I dared not move for fear that the
+snake would strike me with its fangs, or that it might encircle my body
+and squeeze me to death.  Some snakes, like the boa-constrictor, kill
+their victims by this method; and while I felt sure that this snake was
+not a boa, on account of its color, I felt that it had the strength to
+crush me to death.
+
+For a long time I lay in this position, how long I could not tell; but
+the sun had grown intensely hot as it beat down upon the thicket. I
+heard the cries of the birds, and looked up at the blue sky with the
+fleecy clouds floating across it, wondering whether it was to be my fate
+to die here in the folds of a huge serpent. I wondered too, if bye and
+bye my bones, bleached white, would be found in the thicket on the shore
+of this lonely island.
+
+I was gasping for breath on account of the heat, my cramped position and
+the weight of the serpent's folds across my chest, when I felt it move a
+little.  I wondered if it was preparing to strike me.  I did not move,
+and in a moment it began to move again, and the coils slipped across my
+body.  Slowly it continued to move, until my arms were free and its tail
+swept across my face.
+
+I was now free, but I waited a few seconds to see if the snake was
+leaving me.  Distinctly hearing it gliding from me, I arose quietly,
+feeling stiff and sore in my arms and chest. The snake was not in sight,
+but seeing the grass moving a little distance away, seizing a large
+stone I sprang after it, but it escaped into the bush.
+
+I reasoned that the snake must have crawled under the thorn bushes after
+I lay down, and that it coiled upon my body for warmth, as the nights
+were frequently uncomfortably cool; and so soundly had I slept that its
+movements had not awakened me.
+
+After this unpleasant adventure I felt anxious to be moving, and, making
+a fire, cooked some eggs which, with oranges from the stores, comprised
+my breakfast; after which I gathered a few more turtles' eggs, and
+resumed my march.
+
+As I had done the day before I followed the coast, but instead of
+keeping along the sand I followed the edge of the forest, thinking it
+might prove more advantageous to do so as it would enable me to keep a
+look-out for game, and perhaps discover new fruits.  My progress was
+necessarily much slower, but the walking was easier as the trees
+shielded me from the direct heat of the sun, which, on the beach was
+terrific, the white sand producing a fearful glare which caused no
+little pain in my eyes.
+
+As I proceeded, the country became more open, and I frequently crossed
+quite large treeless tracts of tall grass, or stretches which, had it
+not been for the tropical vegetation surrounding might have been taken
+for New England pasture land.
+
+One morning, just after resuming my march as I was crossing one of the
+latter grass tracts, a bird different from any I had before seen arose
+from the ground and flew into the thicket on the opposite side.  Its
+color was light drab, and the wings and under tail feathers were white.
+I approached the edge of the bush cautiously, meantime, drawing back the
+string of my bow-gun and fixing an arrow in place. Laying aside the bag
+of provisions I crept softly along, until a sharp "coo-o-o" drew my
+attention to the branches of a tree, where I saw the bird stepping
+gingerly along one of the larger limbs.  Apparently it had not seen me,
+so, carefully moving to one side until I had a low bush between me and
+the game, I worked up a little nearer in order to make sure of being
+within range of the arrow.  Then, rising quietly to one knee, I took
+careful aim and released the string. The sharp "twang," much to my
+surprise was instantly followed by a flutter as the bird came tumbling
+to the ground.  I hastened forward and picked it up.  The arrow had
+passed entirely through the neck, so that it was quite dead in a few
+moments.  I saw that it was a species of wild pigeon, and therefore
+edible; and I congratulated myself on securing such an acceptable change
+in my fare.
+
+I saw no more pigeons after that, but during the succeeding days I found
+several orange trees from which I replenished my supply of this
+refreshing fruit.
+
+I continued steadily on, making no important discoveries, following the
+edge of the brush, but always keeping the sea in sight.  Almost every
+day I went to the beach to look for turtles' eggs, which I usually found
+in abundance.
+
+The coast continued to loom up before me, head-land after head-land,
+stretches of beach and rocky bay shores.  Allowing for the indentations
+of the coast that I followed, I concluded that the island was a large
+one; and, the fact that I was gradually turning toward the direction of
+the sun convinced me that its shape was nearly round.
+
+I always camped just before sunset that I might have sufficient time to
+make a fire, cook and eat supper before dark.
+
+I had not kept a fire after supper was cooked, as, having neither seen
+nor heard anything of wild animals of any kind, I did not feel the need
+of it; and, beside, I was becoming accustomed to being alone, and to
+sleeping in the open air, and the nervousness of the first few nights
+after I was cast ashore had entirely left me.
+
+At the end of the sixth day I had, in my journey, turned around so that
+the direction which I followed was a little more than right angles to
+that taken where I left my house.  In other words, instead of going
+nearly south, my course was now nearly southeast.
+
+At the end of the seventh day I came to a large stream which was too
+wide and deep to ford.  The next day being Sunday I resolved to pitch
+camp and remain there until Monday. Meanwhile I would decide whether to
+devise some means of fording the stream, or follow up its course.
+
+Although I had not, as yet, done any work on Sunday, I decided that it
+would be no great violation of the day to try to evaporate a little sea
+water, while I was in camp, and thus procure a little salt, which I was
+craving.
+
+That night before going to sleep, I revolved several schemes in my mind,
+and, ere I fell asleep, I believed I had solved the question of making
+salt.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XI.*
+
+    _*The Cave on the Mountain; A Beacon; Attacked by Wild Pigs*_*.*
+
+
+After breakfast the following morning, I cut a large quantity of fine,
+long grass, which I proceeded to make into large bunches, all I could
+hold in my hands, tieing them with wisps of the grass itself.  Then I
+cut two forked stakes and set them into the ground about ten feet apart.
+Going a few rods up the bank of the stream where I saw some bamboos
+growing, I cut one, and trimming it, carried it to the camp, and placed
+it, one end in each of the forks of the stakes.
+
+Taking the grass I went to the edge of the beach and thoroughly
+saturated it in the salt water after which I carried it to the camp, and
+parting each bunch in the middle, I hung them over the pole.
+
+The idea proved highly successful, for the hot sun evaporated the water
+very quickly, leaving particles of salt clinging to the grass throughout
+each bunch.
+
+I then gathered a quantity of broad leaves which I laid on the ground so
+that their edges over-lapped, and by gently shaking the bunches of grass
+the salt fell upon the leaves in a fine white shower.
+
+I repeated the process several times until I must have had fully half a
+pound of salt.
+
+Preparing a short piece of bamboo by plugging one end as I had done in
+making the box for the tinder, I carefully gathered up the salt and
+poured it into the bamboo, enough to last a long time.
+
+I had determined to go no further along the coast, but to follow the
+course of the stream to its source which I judged must be among the
+mountains which seemed to extend across the northeast corner of the
+island.  This I wished to do along the opposite bank, but, as I could
+not cross the stream at this point, I decided to follow the bank on
+which I now was, rather than take the time necessary to construct a
+raft.
+
+If I followed the stream to its source I should reach the mountains, and
+besides, have gained a fair idea of the island in all but the extreme
+south-eastern part.  From the tops of some of the mountains, I believed
+that I could gain a very good view of the small portion untraversed, or
+rather not encircled by my route, which could not be very great.  If the
+island was inhabited anywhere in that direction, I believed I should see
+some signs from the tops of the mountains.
+
+I really had no faith that the island was inhabited, for, being
+comparatively small, if there were people there I must have met some
+signs, ere this, to indicate it.
+
+I had another object in wishing to reach the mountains, which was to see
+if any land was in sight to the south, east and southeast.  One thing I
+was perfectly sure of, that this island was near the Virgin group,
+perhaps a little north of those islands, if not even one of them; so
+that, if people did not regularly inhabit it, there must be islands not
+far away that were inhabited, and people must, therefore, occasionally
+visit my island.
+
+I felt, moreover, anxious to reach the mountains as quickly as possible,
+because, as I had calculated from my limited knowledge of the climate,
+the rainy season must soon set in, which would make travel unpleasant,
+if not difficult or impossible.  And besides, I wished to be away from
+the lowlands of the coast during heavy rains, as I knew it could not be
+so healthful as the mountains.
+
+So, getting my effects together, I set out, following the course of the
+stream.
+
+For the first few miles the stream flowed across a flat country, which
+became rocky the further I went, and the stream became more rapid in its
+flow.
+
+Several pretty cascades were passed and, in places, I was obliged to do
+some sharp scrambling over rocks that were overgrown with creeping
+vines, among which convolvuli were conspicuous.
+
+For four days I continued to ascend the stream, until lofty hills began
+to rise on either side abruptly from the banks; which indicated that I
+was getting very near the mountains.
+
+The sides of the foot-hills were heavily wooded, but, as I left them and
+entered the mountains, gradually ascending to a higher altitude, the
+vegetation grew less dense and changed in its general appearance.
+
+The stream was now little more than a small rushing mountain torrent,
+foaming over the rocks.  At the end of the fifth day, just before
+sunset, I reached the source of the stream, for coming suddenly to a
+wall of rock above which the mountain rose precipitously, I beheld the
+brook bubbling forth from the bowels of the mountains.  I decided to
+camp here for the night, and proceeded about my usual preparations for
+getting supper.  I had no yams, but plenty of oranges; but presently I
+saw some yam vines growing a short distance away, and it was the work of
+a few minutes only to procure enough for supper and breakfast.
+
+When I awoke in the morning the sky was partially overcast.  As I had
+calculated, the rainy season was undoubtedly about to set in, and I
+resolved to hasten to the top of one of the mountains as quickly as
+possible, as I felt that, upon the outlook from the highest elevation
+depended my plans for a considerable time in the future.
+
+So, hastily preparing and eating my morning meal, I climbed to the top
+of the rock which rose above my camping place, and saw that the highest
+mountain was not more than five miles away.  I set out at once.  The way
+was not difficult except where it led across a deep ravine at the foot
+of the mountain, where the undergrowth and creepers formed a dense
+tangle; but once through this, I found the way almost clear of low bush.
+I now began a steep climb.  As I ascended, the cocoanut trees became
+less plentiful, and their places were taken by other species of palm,
+great ferns as large as trees, and giant cacti.
+
+As nearly as I could tell, with the sun partly obscured by clouds, it
+was near mid-day when I came upon a broad table-land of grass, dotted
+here and there with groves of trees.  Beyond, rose the last peak.
+Fearing rain, I pushed forward, resolving to reach the top before dark,
+and camp, so as to be ready to take observations early the next morning.
+
+It was quite dark when I came to the summit. I could see nothing, of
+course, until daylight, and I searched about for a place to camp. There
+was a strong breeze blowing and the air was quite cool, so I found
+shelter behind a great boulder and prepared to spend the night.  I still
+had a few yams with me, and three turtles' eggs, and these I cooked and
+ate.  I then proceeded to make myself as comfortable as possible by
+lying close to the rock, and, having nothing else to do, I went to
+sleep, the long climb having wearied me.
+
+Once or twice during the night I awoke feeling very chilly, and I was
+not sorry when the first faint gleam of dawn appeared.
+
+The sun rose clear, but, to the south-east, fleecy clouds were scudding
+along toward the land.  In all directions, however, the line of the
+horizon was distinctly visible, and the peak commanded a view of the sea
+at all points of the compass, and of the whole island.
+
+I scanned the line of sea and sky all around, but saw nothing that
+looked like land.  A little to the south-east there was a faint,
+serrated line against the sky, but I concluded that it was only a cloud.
+
+As I stood scanning the great rim of the ocean, there came to me a
+strong feeling that I would like to establish a beacon on the summit,
+one, if possible, which could be seen from a ship several miles at sea;
+and the more I thought of this project the more strongly was I convinced
+that it would be a wise thing to do; for, in the event of a ship's
+passing on this side of the island, a prominent structure on the
+mountain might attract attention and lead to my rescue. I thought it all
+over as I retraced my steps to the boulder, and resolved to look about
+for a suitable place to make a substantial shelter while engaged in the
+work.  I deemed it advisable to go further down the mountain where the
+vegetation was more plentiful, and where I might find fruits, and
+possibly game--though game did not seem to be plentiful, but brilliant
+plumaged birds were numerous.
+
+In the edge of the bush between the table land and the mountain peak, I
+discovered a small grove of about a dozen orange trees, and here I at
+first thought that I would make my camp; but a little further to the
+south I saw a great rock, which appeared to over-hang several feet; and
+the idea at once struck me that it might be wise to encamp beneath its
+shelter.
+
+So, turning in that direction I was not long in reaching the rock.  It
+was at the base of a spur of the mountain; and the top not only overhung
+the base considerably, but, there was a sort of natural excavation which
+formed quite a large cave, open on three sides, it was true; but here I
+saw great possibilities in establishing my camp while erecting the
+beacon.  Besides, I fully expected the rainy season to set in almost any
+day, and should I have to stay here for several months, the rock would
+afford me the best of shelter.
+
+So, having decided to make this the base of operations for the present,
+I took my bow-gun and set out to forage for supplies, of which I stood
+in immediate need.
+
+I went down among the trees in the intervale between the two mountains.
+The vegetation was very luxuriant, but not so dense as in portions of
+the lowlands across which I had marched. I had noted that the cocoanut
+palms were less plentiful here, and that there were several other kinds
+of palms that I had not seen before.  One of these had a trunk covered
+with great sharp spines, and from the grapelike cluster of fruit at the
+top I knew it must be an oil palm; but I saw only a few of these.
+Another had a bottle-shaped head of vivid green just below the leaves,
+which I at once recognized as the "mountain cabbage," or cabbage palm.
+These were very plentiful.
+
+Skirting the edge of the bush, a short distance to the north, I turned
+to penetrate further toward the valley, when suddenly, as I took a step
+forward, I felt myself sinking downward.  I threw down my gun and tried
+to save myself by clutching the creepers; but I continued to sink into a
+mass of vines.  I was considerably frightened, and wondered, for a brief
+moment, if I had fallen into the opening to a cavern; but suddenly my
+feet touched solid earth, and I found myself standing beside what
+appeared to be an old wall--about the height of my shoulder. Pushing
+aside the creepers I saw that it was really a wall, built of large
+stones and some kind of mortar.  I was so astonished at the discovery
+that I could scarcely collect my thoughts. Looking around, I was still
+more perplexed, for only a few feet away there was a rectangular
+enclosure which looked like the ruined foundations of a house.  I found
+that the wall extended for perhaps fifty feet in each direction, the
+opposite side being flush with the rising ground above.  An examination
+of the rectangular enclosure showed unmistakably that it was a portion
+of the foundation of a house.
+
+What could this mean?  It could mean but one thing; that people had
+lived here.  But when, I could form no opinion; but from the appearance
+of the masonry it must have been many years before.  The ruins, as well
+as the wall, were thickly overgrown with creepers and other vegetation.
+
+Still further signs of the former presence of man now attracted my
+attention.  A great plant, like an immense lily, with broad leaves six
+or seven feet long was growing near by at the edge of the small clear
+area surrounding the ruins; and, on going nearer to examine it I quickly
+recognized it from the great bunch of elongated fruit which hung from
+the crown of leaves.
+
+Banana trees!
+
+And there were many of them scattered around.  Here was a never-ending
+supply of food, of the most nourishing kind.  I walked around to the
+south side of the clearing, where I found other trees, much resembling,
+in general appearance, the banana trees; but the fruit was much larger,
+and curved like a scimitar.
+
+My reading of books of tropical travel stood me in good stead as it
+aided me in recognizing trees and fruits that proved of great use to me.
+This latter, I knew to be the plantain.  A still further search revealed
+yams, and several clusters of canes, much larger than the largest
+cornstalks that I had ever seen.
+
+Here was another valuable discovery--sugar cane!  Taking out my knife I
+cut one of the canes, and was delighted to see that it was full of
+limpid juice.  I tasted it and found it very sweet and very refreshing.
+I sucked several joints of the sugar cane dry, and then turned to gather
+some of the bananas.  The bunches were rather small, but several
+appeared to be quite ripe.  I also dug some of the yams, and with a
+sugar cane under one arm, my bow-gun under the other, the yams and
+bananas in my hands, I started back to the camp.  I could not climb the
+wall, loaded as I was, so I set about to go around the end nearest to my
+cave-dwelling; when I saw a pigeon, like one I had shot near the coast,
+fly up and alight on the wall.  As quickly as I could I laid down my
+load, and, adjusting an arrow in the bow-gun, took careful aim and
+released the string.  Again my aim was true, for the arrow pierced the
+neck close to the body.  It must have been killed almost instantly, for
+it quickly ceased fluttering.
+
+With this addition to my forage, I proceeded slowly to the camp.  With
+food for two days at least, I now began to form plans for making the
+"cave," as I chose to call it, habitable.  I proposed to close the two
+ends and a portion of the front, by setting bamboo, which I had seen
+growing plentifully in the valley below, into the ground, and weaving in
+vines.  I only intended to make a temporary shelter against the wind,
+and had no idea of spending the time and labor that I had on my house on
+the coast.
+
+It was slow work cutting the bamboos and dragging them up to the cave,
+and this occupied me several days.  These had to be cut into the proper
+lengths, and set into the ground, so that the upper ends would come
+firmly up against the overhanging rock.  As I worked, my plans for the
+future matured, so that I foresaw an extended sojourn here.  The
+ultimate outcome was, that the inclosing walls of the cave were, when
+finished, fully as substantial as those of my house at "Sargent" Bay, as
+I had resolved to call the place where I had drifted ashore, in honor of
+my late benefactor.  The paling of bamboos was closely interwoven with
+vines, and I constructed a door for the front. I now had not only a
+comfortable but a substantial dwelling, which would afford protection
+from the wind and rain, no matter from which direction they came.
+
+About every other day I went to the old ruins to procure bananas and
+yams; and, on these trips, I shot several pigeons which proved to be
+very delicate and tender.  I often roasted yams, and found them to be
+very hearty food; and became very fond of them.
+
+Frequently, of late, there had been showers of rain, which proved to me
+that the rainy season had set in.  I made frequent trips to the top of
+the mountain, and, each time, I saw that the peculiar serrated line
+against the sky, which I at first thought must be a cloud, had remained
+stationary.  This convinced me that it was land, and as it was evidently
+the top of a mountain range, it must be a great distance away.
+
+I speculated as to what land it would be.  If my suppositions were
+correct as to the position of the island on which I was exiled, from the
+direction it might be one of the Virgin Islands. If so, the Leeward
+Islands lay beyond, further to the east and south-east.
+
+My mind was now filled with the project of erecting a substantial
+beacon, one which would be seen from some distance at sea.  Gradually I
+evolved plans for the structure.  The first step was to cut the tallest
+and largest bamboo which I felt capable of dragging to the peak.  I
+found one that suited me.  It was a long tedious task to cut it down
+with my knife, but it was finally accomplished, and I dragged it to the
+front of the cave.
+
+It was my intention to devise a headpiece to fasten securely to the top
+of the bamboo in order to render it as conspicuous as possible.  This
+would have to be done before the bamboo was raised and set into the
+ground.
+
+The daily showers became more frequent and more severe, and some days
+the rain would sweep across the mountain in perfect torrents.
+Nevertheless, I succeeded in cutting several more bamboos, of smaller
+size, and I also brought several bunches of bananas and plantains, and a
+quantity of yams up to the cave.
+
+I now set to work to complete the beacon. Cutting the bamboos to the
+required lengths, I lashed them together in such a manner as to form a
+sort of gridiron, eight feet long and six feet wide.  This I filled in
+with a basket-work of vines, woven very loosely that the wind might
+easily pass through it, to prevent its being blown down when raised to
+the top of the pole.
+
+At length the beacon was finished, the gridiron being firmly lashed to
+the upper end of the bamboo; and I had been on the mountain seven weeks.
+The rainy season was well under way; but I worked during the intervals
+when it ceased to rain, and, by means of a sharpened stick, aided by my
+knife, I dug a hole fully four feet deep, on the highest part of the
+mountain. I found it difficult work to raise the bamboo with the
+gridiron at the top, and plant its base in the hole, but, after many
+trials, I succeeded, after which I wedged it firmly with stones and
+earth solidly packed.
+
+It would be useless to attempt to leave camp while the rain continued,
+and I had fully reconciled myself to remain until the close of the rainy
+season; and I hoped that I could find enough to do to occupy the time.
+I was obliged to go frequently in quest of food, and I set about
+preparing a brief account of the circumstances of my exile in the
+island, the date of the wreck and the date of the raising of the beacon;
+also, explicit directions for finding "Sargent" Bay, where my house
+stood.  This was carved in deep letters around the smooth surface of a
+large section of bamboo, like a Chinese prayer cylinder.  This was
+fastened to the bamboo signal pole, a few feet from the ground, to guide
+anyone who might chance to notice the beacon and investigate its
+meaning, to my rescue.
+
+I made a coat and kilt reaching to the knees, from cocoanut cloth.  The
+coat was without sleeves, but it would save my only shirt, and the kilt
+would prove a great protection to my trousers, which were already
+showing signs of hard usage.  These garments were sewn together with
+fibres of vines, a long, sharp thorn being used as a needle.  I also
+made a new hat, of more skillful workmanship than the first, which I had
+worn until the present time.
+
+Twice, each day, I went up to the beacon to scan the horizon.  I saw no
+vessels, but the distant, faint outline of mountains remained in sight.
+This position commanded a view of the entire island, and I studied it
+with interest.  It was nearly circular in shape, and I calculated that
+it was not over forty miles in diameter.  I had thought seriously of
+descending to the eastern slope of the mountains, and exploring the
+small portion which had not come, thus far, within my projected route.
+This belt of country, between the foot of the mountains and the sea,
+seemed, from my elevated position, to be very flat, and more sparsely
+wooded than the other side of the mountain; but the question of its
+being inhabited was settled by the torrents of rain, for, for miles to
+the east and south-east the country was under water.
+
+The rain had apparently been the heaviest on the east side of the
+island, for none of the west side was inundated, as far as I could
+discern; but the stream, along whose banks I had marched from the coast,
+was swollen to the size of a great river.
+
+After I had made the clothing, I searched the edge of the bush until I
+found some wild canes, growing by a swampy place, from which I made a
+supply of arrows.  Frequently I shot a pigeon, the birds apparently
+being driven into the open by the rain.  One day when I went to procure
+a fresh supply of bananas, as I extended one hand to cut off a bunch, I
+sprang back and quickly retired several rods.  The cause of my
+precipitate flight was nothing more nor less than a great yellow snake,
+exactly like my unwelcome companion on the coast.  It was coiled among
+the leaf stems of the banana tree.  I did not disturb it, not feeling
+particularly curious as to its disposition under the present
+circumstances; and the next time I came it was gone.  I named it the
+"banana snake," in commemoration of the latter incident, and because of
+its color, which was nearly that of a ripe banana.
+
+The nights, at this elevation, and during the rain, were cold, but the
+cave was quite comfortable, and I built a small fire just inside the
+door each night, to drive out the dampness; having, from time to time
+before the rain became too constant, filled all the available space in
+the cave with dry wood, only reserving enough room to lie down to sleep.
+
+The weeks passed, rather tediously after I could think of but little to
+do, but the rain was not so steady and, almost every day, there were
+several hours when it entirely ceased to fall. There being only short
+grass around the top of the mountain, I utilized these intervals of the
+cessation of rain by exploring the mountain to the line of the bush, all
+around.  There was nothing but rocks, with occasionally a few small
+shrubs.  But one day I made an interesting discovery.  Nearly down to
+the line of the bush on the opposite side from my camp, I came across a
+similar over-hanging rock; but on going under it, I perceived a large
+crevice, which, on close examination, I found extended into the mountain
+for some distance.  I had my tinder and flint with me and, gathering a
+few dry leaves and sticks that lay around near the opening, I made a
+fire at the entrance.  By its light I could see that I had found the
+entrance to a cavern, but I could see only a few feet from the mouth.
+The walls were dark and the top of the cavern was not more than four
+feet from the floor.  I determined to still further explore it with a
+torch.
+
+For a week I did not again go near the cavern, but made daily trips to
+the beacon for the purpose of taking observations, but all the time I
+was trying to invent a torch.  Nothing suitable for the purpose, which
+would burn for any length of time, suggested itself to me, until, one
+morning, while at the ruins for yams and fruit, I saw some ripe
+cocoanuts on the ground.
+
+"Why not use the oily kernel of the nut?"
+
+I at once proceeded to act upon this suggestion. Taking a couple of nuts
+to the camp, I split them in halves, fastening one into a split stick,
+making a sort of ladle.  Hastening to the cavern on the other side of
+the mountain, I made a little fire at the end of the stick, and had the
+satisfaction of soon seeing the oily meat of the nut blaze up in a
+steady, yellowish flame.  Watching it for a moment, I saw that the meat
+charred very slowly, while the oil was tried out by the heat to feed the
+flame.
+
+Taking the torch and the spare nuts with which to replenish the torch, I
+entered the mouth of the cavern.  I was both surprised and disappointed,
+for it was neither beautiful nor grand.  The roof was low, and the walls
+were dirty and grimy.  The cavern was not more than six feet wide and
+four feet high, and I was obliged to stoop as I moved along.  The cave
+took me straight into the mountain for a few rods, when I came to what
+appeared at first to be the end; but I soon discovered a small opening a
+little to my right, through which, after hesitating a little, I crawled
+on my hands and knees.  I went but a few feet before I emerged into a
+chamber of considerable size, where I could stand erect; and here I was
+greeted by a cloud of bats that flitted about as though bewildered by
+the light, their wings making a curious, uncanny fluttering sound.  I
+could see the roof plainly, and clinging to it, with their heads
+downward, were thousands of bats. There were, depending from the
+ceiling, a few small stalactites, but they were dark and grimy. I
+examined the floor of the cavern, which revealed to me its true nature.
+I was in a guano cave, the floor of which was thickly covered with the
+guano of the bats, the accumulation of centuries, probably.
+
+"What a fortune there is here," I thought, "if all this guano could be
+cheaply conveyed to the coast and loaded into vessels."
+
+Although the air in the cave seemed to be pure, it was not a pleasant
+place, and most unattractive; so, after discovering a small passage,
+like the one I had just crawled through, leading further into the
+mountain, I retreated toward the entrance and was soon in daylight,
+feeling no desire to further explore a cavern devoid of all the beauties
+usually attributed to such natural phenomena.
+
+The days dragged now, as I waited for the weather to clear, with nothing
+to break the monotony but occasional trips to the ruins for yams,
+oranges, plantains, bananas and sugar cane; and sometimes I would stalk
+pigeons, when my bow-gun proved very effective, especially as I every
+day became more skillful in using it, while the birds suffered in
+consequence.
+
+Several times each day I went to the beacon to scan the horizon; but I
+saw no sign of a vessel.  I reasoned that my island must be out of the
+regular track of vessels going to the Windward or Leeward Islands, as I
+knew it to be, of ships bound to the South American coast, Central
+America or any of the large West India Islands.  But the far distant
+mountains still showed plainly against the horizon.
+
+While gazing away toward the east one day, the idea came to me to try to
+construct a boat, on my return to my house on the coast, in which to
+attempt to reach the distant land.  I was not skilled in sailing a boat,
+but I reasoned that, with a fairly staunch and steady craft, provided
+with some sort of a sail, I might, when a long period of fair weather
+was promised, escape to the land which I dimly saw to the eastward. This
+plan occupied my mind continually for days, and, so seriously did I
+begin to consider it, that I became extremely impatient to start away
+for the coast.
+
+Three weeks more of weary waiting, and the rain ceased to fall steadily,
+and then the sun began to break through the clouds at intervals, but the
+showers were still frequent.  From the beacon I could see that the
+floods in the lowlands to the east were subsiding, and that the river
+along which I had traveled from the coast, was assuming its normal
+proportions.
+
+Gradually the clouds dispersed, and whole days of bright sunshine
+followed.  The rainy season was drawing to a close.  A few days of clear
+weather would dry the ground and the bush so I would be able to set out
+for the coast.
+
+I felt a pang of regret at the thought of leaving my home under the
+cliff; but then, perhaps I might come back.  I could not tell.  Perhaps
+I should have to give up the idea of building the boat, and then it
+might be years before I was rescued.  I might, indeed, spend my entire
+life here alone; but this thought I put away from me.
+
+My preparations for leaving the mountain were easily made.  I left the
+house under the cliff exactly as it was, save the closing, securely, of
+the door; and one morning as the sun came up out of the sea, and the
+lovely island verdure lit up with a gorgeous blending of green, purple
+and gold, I took a farewell look all around the horizon from the peak,
+and, with my gun, arrows and bag of provisions, dressed in the rudely
+made cocoanut-cloth garments, I started down the mountain, taking, as
+nearly as I could, a northeast course toward the coast.
+
+The ground was yet sufficiently damp to render it pleasantly springy and
+cool to my feet, and the freshness of the verdure of the forest and bush
+which I traversed imparted to the air a pleasant coolness, even though
+the sun shone fierce and hot.  Birds were flitting like iridescent gems
+through the trees, and tittering curious discordant cries.  Not since
+the beginning of my exile had I been conscious of such cheerfulness and
+light-heartedness as on this morning--and, with all, I had the feeling
+of going home, as, indeed, I was.
+
+Crossing the valley at the foot of the first mountain peak, I ascended
+the lower spur and descended its side toward the level country which lay
+between it and the coast.  In general appearance, the bush here did not
+materially differ from that to the southwest, traversed during my march
+from the coast months before.
+
+Shortly after entering the belt of virgin forest which skirted the base
+of the mountain range, I emerged into an opening, perhaps two acres in
+extent.  It was covered with thick grass, green and luxuriant after the
+rains.  The grass was not tall, perhaps two feet high, apparently a new
+growth, and I started to cross it.  A tall cactus, a veritable tree,
+stood alone near the centre of the grassland, and toward this I took my
+way, thinking that I would like to examine it closely, as it was the
+largest one I had seen on the island.
+
+After examining this giant of the tropics, I continued my way across the
+intervening space toward the bush on the other side.  I was nearly out
+of the grass, when a strange sound caused me to stand still and look
+about me.
+
+The sound came in a series of short, angry grunts, like "woof! woof!"
+and, a short distance to the left I saw the grass violently agitated,
+while the noise came nearer to me.
+
+I at once decided that some animal was coming toward me, whether to
+attack me or not, I could not tell.  But I quickly decided that the most
+sensible thing for me to do would be to seek safety.  Naturally I
+thought of the bush, and ran toward it.  The moment I started to run the
+"woof, woof!" followed me, and I increased my speed as fast as I could,
+hampered as I was by the thick grass.  The terrible, guttural sound
+gained upon me as I plunged on, but at last I reached the bush, and,
+seeing a large tree with branches near the ground, just ahead of me, I
+dropped my gun and bag of provisions, and grasped the lower limb.
+Quickly I climbed up to what I considered to be a safe distance, and
+then looked down to see what sort of a beast my pursuer would prove to
+be.
+
+I had but a second or two to wait, for soon, not one but three shot out
+of the grass and rushed to the foot of the tree.  I could not mistake
+them.  They were pigs, wild pigs.
+
+They looked up at me with little, cruel looking eyes, and one, the
+largest, which had probably led the chase, snapped his jaws, showing
+long, white tusks, ran around the tree and continued the "woof, woof!"
+throwing up his head and, as he apparently grew more angry because I was
+above his reach, flecks of foam were flung from the ugly jaws.  This one
+was, without a doubt, the boar.  The other two were smaller, and seemed
+to be taking matters more coolly.
+
+They were villainous-looking beasts, gaunt, with long legs and sharp,
+pointed heads; and their color was a sort of rusty-red.  Feeling
+perfectly safe, the question which naturally first occurred to me was,
+"how long shall I be besieged in this position?"  There seemed to be but
+one course to follow, at present, and that to await developments.  The
+pigs had not appeared to notice my paraphernalia.
+
+After a while the boar grew calmer, and finally all three lay down near
+the foot of the tree.  I made myself as comfortable as possible, and
+looked down at them.
+
+The day dragged along monotonously, while I was able to change my
+position so frequently that I was not cramped; but I began to get very
+hungry, having eaten nothing since early in the morning.  The pigs
+continued to remain on guard, the boar now and then getting up and
+regarding me contemplatively, until the sun sank behind the forest.
+Then the pigs moved away into the grass.  It was soon dark, and the
+moon, which was near its full, came up over the mountains; but I was not
+long able to distinguish the movements of the pigs in the uncertain
+moonlight.
+
+Patiently I waited, until the moon was directly over the clearing.
+There was no sound of the pigs, and, after a little, I slid to the
+ground and, cautiously gathering up my gun and provision bag, moved
+noiselessly away into the bush.  The moonlight favored me, and I hurried
+on for several miles, when I was brought to a halt by a small stream.
+Feeling safe from the pigs, I decided to camp here until daylight. I did
+not dare make a fire, so, after satisfying hunger with a portion of a
+pigeon which I had roasted before setting out, and an orange, I sat down
+by a large tree and, leaning against the trunk, was soon asleep.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XII.*
+
+          _*Return to the Coast; A Mangrove Swamp; Fever*_*.*
+
+
+When I awoke it was morning, and the sun was fully an hour up.  Taking a
+hasty bath in the cool water of the stream, and after a hurried meal,
+crossing the stream on the stones that were not submerged, I set off
+along the east bank.  The stream flowed in a northerly direction.  By
+keeping close to the edge of the forest I made rapid progress.  Nothing
+occurred to distract my attention, except the sight of a small flock of
+pigeons, one of which I killed.  I encamped for the night in the edge of
+a thicket, and made a fire to roast the bird which I plucked while
+waiting for a bed of coals.
+
+At daylight in the morning I continued my course down the stream which
+was now much wider and deeper.  Its edge was thickly fringed with
+bamboo, and the idea came to me that I might construct a raft from them,
+and float down stream to the coast; but then, the stream was apt to
+become suddenly shallow in places, and it contained many large stones,
+and after delaying for several days while constructing the raft, it
+might prove to be time and labor lost.
+
+At the close of the fourth day, as the sun was declining behind the palm
+trees, I was astonished, on emerging from a thicket, to see the ocean,
+blue and calm, stretching out before me.  I had failed to note the fact
+that I had followed a more direct course from the coast than when I
+marched toward the interior, and that the mountains were much nearer the
+north coast than the west.  For the last two days I had noticed that the
+cocoanut palms were more plentiful, as were also the bamboos along the
+stream, both of which should have reminded me of my approach to salt
+water.  I had reached the coast sooner than I expected.
+
+Knowing that I would probably not be able to cross the stream at its
+mouth, I found a place where a few stones rose above the water, and
+managed to cross to the other bank.  The mouth of this stream differed
+from that of either of the other two streams that I had seen.  It was
+broad and muddy, covering a wide expanse, and what seemed the strangest
+to me was that trees were growing from the water, covering the entire
+area of the mouth of the stream.  Each tree rested upon the apex formed
+by a cluster of roots, which rose from the water, looking like gigantic
+spiders or devil-fish.  I could see under the whole aquatic forest, a
+tangle of slimy roots above the dark water.  The air was permeated by an
+indescribable stench; and around the edge of the dark recess, black,
+hairy crabs crawled about, or lay by the festering pools.  I concluded
+that this was one of the famous mangrove swamps, and I decided to retire
+from such an undesirable locality.
+
+Accordingly I proceeded along the beach until I was free from the smell
+of the swamp, where I made camp for the night beneath some spreading
+trees near the water's edge, making a fire and roasting yams, and
+broiling a pigeon which I had killed just after crossing the stream.
+
+When I awoke in the morning I felt that a change had come over me.  I
+felt dazed, the back of my head was aching, and I had a burning fever.
+After a few moments I remembered the swamp.  The air which I had been
+breathing must be laden with fever.  I staggered to my feet and, without
+stopping to get breakfast, I started along the beach, my course now
+being toward the west.
+
+I felt very weak and walked with great difficulty. I was obliged to stop
+frequently to rest, and toward mid-day I managed to eat the remainder of
+the pigeon that I had broiled the night before.  Once I saw some orange
+trees, but the fruit was both sour and bitter.  I sucked some of the
+juice, however.  The bitter and the acid seemed to allay my fever a
+little, and I soon felt less weak.  I camped at sundown, and went to
+sleep with confidence that my condition would be improved in the
+morning, as I was at a safe distance from the swamp.
+
+For two days more I marched along the shore, finding sweet orange-trees
+frequently, and plenty of pigeons whenever I chose to make a short
+detour into the forest.
+
+At last a high mound appeared ahead where the shore seemed to take a
+sharp sweep toward the south, and, hurrying forward, I was soon standing
+at the top of it and, to my great joy, looking down upon the bay where I
+had been cast ashore.
+
+Crossing the familiar little stream, I hastened toward my house.  It was
+with a feeling of relief that I saw that everything was apparently as I
+had left it.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XIII.*
+
+            _*A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish-Trap*_*.*
+
+
+Everything about my house was as I had left it.  Nothing had been
+disturbed, the overflowing stream not having reached it.  The vines
+around the stockade now completely covered it, and the yams that I had
+planted in front of the stockade-gate were thick and luxuriant, the
+great, bean-like leaves completely concealing the entrance.
+
+The effects of the fever were fast leaving me, and I grew strong
+rapidly.  There was much to do, now that I was settled down at home.  I
+dug up the yams in front of the stockade-gate and stored them in the
+house for future use.  Then I carried out the couch and made a new one
+of fresh branches and grass, more comfortable than the first had been.
+
+I also made two fire-places, mere enclosures for keeping the coals in
+place.  These consisted of circular enclosures of stones brought from
+the stream, each about three feet in diameter and one foot high, one
+being in a corner of the house for use during rainy weather, and the
+other in the enclosure of the stockade, near the gate.
+
+My next thought was to plant yams by the trunks of all the trees near
+the house.  This would furnish me an inexhaustible supply, and of a
+superior quality, as the vines would have plenty of chance to climb, up
+and around the tree trunks.
+
+One day while walking through the bush in search of pigeons, having
+succeeded in killing two, I came across several cocoanut palms of much
+smaller size than any I had yet seen. They were not more than fifteen
+feet high to the base of the leaf heads, and their tops were very
+spreading, much more so in proportion to the length of the trunks than
+in the case of the larger trees.  But these all bore great bunches of
+nuts, and I began to wonder how the unripe nuts would taste, and whether
+they contained more water than the ripe ones.
+
+With but little difficulty I climbed one of them, and with my knife
+clipped the stems of several of the nuts, which went tumbling to the
+ground.
+
+Descending, I cut off the husk of the end opposite the stem, until I
+could make a hole through the shell.  The latter was very thin and soft,
+and the knife went through it easily. My knife was always in excellent
+condition, kept so by frequent sharpening on the stone which I used for
+striking fire to the tinder.
+
+Raising the nut as though it were a canteen, I drank the water.  It was
+somewhat different from that of a ripe nut, much sweeter, more limpid
+and very cool and refreshing.  After the water was drained from the nut
+I out it open, when I found the whole inside lined with a whitish,
+translucent pulp, of the consistency of solid jelly.  This I found to be
+delicious, but, after having eaten a little, rather sickish.  However, I
+carried several of the unripe nuts to the house, and soon became very
+fond of them.  I made frequent trips to the young palms and the water
+became my principal beverage, while my only dessert was the jelly, for
+which I carved a rude spoon from a piece of hard wood.
+
+I noticed that the parrots were not so noisy as they had been before I
+left for the interior, and for several weeks I was at a loss to account
+for it.  But one evening, while returning from the water-cocoanut palms,
+I espied two diminutive parrots fluttering through the bush.  They were
+young ones and not quite able to fly, though nearly fledged.  They would
+launch out from a limb, sometimes falling short of their next perch, and
+sometimes striking against a limb, when they would flutter to the
+ground, making small, parrot-like cries.  They were a beautiful green,
+with red wing feathers and red breasts and necks.  The parent birds all
+the while remained near-by, as though encouraging the little ones in
+their attempts to fly.
+
+I tried to catch one of them, but they were sufficiently active to evade
+me successfully.  I felt a great desire to capture one and teach him to
+talk, for I sometimes longed for a companion to speak to.  Finally I
+evolved a plan for catching one.  I set to work to construct a net, for
+a snare would injure them.  I prepared a great quantity of fibres from
+the cocoanut cloth, and with it wove a purse-shaped net, perhaps two
+feet in length.  This was to be suspended to a limb of a tree, and
+baited with a piece of roast yam suspended over the mouth of the bag in
+such a manner that, when the young parrot reached for it, he would be
+almost sure to lose his balance and fall in.  Its weight, together with
+the fluttering of the bird, would draw the mouth of the bag together and
+prevent its escape.
+
+This net cost me several weeks of work, but it was at last finished and
+ready to set.  This I did very carefully, selecting a low limb in what
+seemed a favorite place for the parent birds to give flying lessons to
+the little ones.
+
+For several days the net remained undisturbed, and every morning I
+supplied it with a fresh, white piece of yam.
+
+One morning, just at daylight, I was awakened by a great outcry of
+parrots, and, feeling sure that one of the young birds had fallen into
+the net, I hastened toward it.  Sure enough, the net had done its work,
+for it was bobbing about and swaying from the limb, while muffled little
+shrieks came from the nearly-closed mouth; and from the trees around
+there arose a perfect babel of discordant cries of parrots, old and
+young.  The two parent birds were perched on the limb over the net, when
+I arrived, but on my approach they flew away a short distance, hurling
+cries of defiance at me. Carefully I cut the net clear of the limb and
+carried it to the house, the belligerent little parrot all the time
+fluttering and shrieking, and striking at my hand whenever it was near
+the opening.  I reproached myself for not thinking to make a cage for it
+when captured, and I was obliged to secure the opening and deposit the
+net in the house, while I made a cage for my future companion.  This was
+not a difficult task.  Going to the brook where the wild canes grew, I
+cut a quantity of them and, cutting them to the required length, I stuck
+them into the ground, leaving spaces about two inches wide.  The canes
+formed a small yard about two feet square.  The top was covered with a
+piece of cocoanut cloth, the edges being tied all around to the upright
+canes.
+
+How to get the fighting little bird out of the net and into the cage was
+the next question.  I did not exactly relish the idea of putting my hand
+into the net, so finally I decided to lift one corner of the cocoanut
+cloth on the top of the cage, and, loosening the mouth of the net,
+insert it under the cloth, at the same time reversing the net.  The
+scheme worked perfectly and the little parrot tumbled into the cage, his
+feathers all ruffled.  He was a curious little thing and I laughed aloud
+as, without uttering a sound, he proceeded to smooth his feathers, and
+then to circumnavigate the cage.  He then retired a little from the bars
+and regarded me with the utmost seriousness, canting his head, looking
+at me first with one eye and then the other.  Then he began to dress his
+feathers, evidently resolved to make the best of it all, and to feel
+perfectly at home from the first.
+
+I made my pet a little run-way outside the wall of the house,
+constructing it in the same manner as I had the cage, covering it half
+with cloth and the remainder with canes so he could have both sun and
+shade.  This enclosure I connected with the cage by cutting a square
+hole through the wall of the house.
+
+As the weeks passed, the parrot grew, his wing and tail feathers
+developed, and he became very beautiful.  He enjoyed his new home,
+apparently, spending a part of his time outside, and part inside.  He
+enjoyed the sunshine, but would never remain long in it.  He preferred
+the shade of the cloth covered portion.  Nights, he always passed
+inside, and I made a perch for him to sleep on.  It was simply a cane
+passing through the cage and securely fastened to a bar on each side.
+Hours and hours he would spend, swinging on this bar over and over,
+holding on with his claws, and then with his stubby beak. I fed him on
+yams, bananas and oranges, but the banana was his favorite food.
+
+Every day I talked to him, telling him all about the ship-wreck,
+discussing with him the various tasks that occupied me, and the
+probability of my rescue.  I named him Puff Ball on account of his shape
+when captured, and then I called him simply "Puff."  Puff listened
+patiently to all I had to say, frequently interjecting a sharp comment.
+Sometimes he would interrupt me by setting up a loud screeching, and I
+always had to cease talking when Puff had the floor.
+
+For weeks he did not appear to attempt to imitate my words, and I began
+to despair of teaching him to talk, when one morning, as I lay awake for
+a few minutes before arising, I heard him softly chattering to himself.
+I listened and heard him say "Puff," "Puff," very distinctly.  I was
+delighted and, going to the cage, I complimented him on his first
+attempt.
+
+Once while bathing in the stream, I noticed, for the first time, several
+fish gliding through a quiet pool.  From the momentary glance I had of
+them they appeared to resemble the white perch of the lakes at home.
+
+This opportunity to add to my larder could not be neglected, and I set
+to work to devise a plan for capturing them.  I thought, at first, of
+making a hook from thorns; but this idea was abandoned as not apt to be
+practical, and I hit upon a plan for making a net.  The first
+inspiration gradually developed into a trap, and took definite shape as
+I revolved the matter in my mind.  It was a simple device, but I spent
+much time and patience in perfecting it.
+
+First selecting one of the supple vines, about half an inch in
+thickness, I bent it into the form of a hoop, two feet in diameter,
+uniting the two ends by lashing them with smaller vines. Then, with the
+aid of a sharp thorn and thread from the fibre of the cocoanut, I sewed
+together pieces of the cocoanut cloth so as to make a bag three feet
+long, with an opening of the same diameter as the hoop.  Then I sewed
+the edge of the opening of the bag firmly to the hoop, which kept the
+bag rigidly open.
+
+Next, from more vines, I wove a funnel-shaped basket, the larger end
+fitting inside the hoop, while the smaller end, which was inserted into
+the bag, had an opening about six inches in diameter.  The larger end of
+this basket, which was like an inverted cone, was lashed to the hoop,
+all around.
+
+This was my fish-trap, and as soon as it was ready I took it to the
+brook.  The water was normally low and, finding the narrowest place in
+the current, I built across it a wall of stones, having an opening in
+the centre of the wall, in width just a little less than the diameter of
+the hoop.  The trap was then set into this opening, with the mouth
+pointing up-stream, the gentle current keeping the bag distended, while
+the hoop projecting across the edges of the opening in the wall held the
+bag in position.
+
+I expected that the fish, swimming downstream, finding no other passage,
+would enter the opening of the bag and pass through the small opening in
+the lower end of the cone, thereby becoming imprisoned.  From similar
+devices that my brother and myself had made and used in the brooks at
+home, I knew that, once inside, the fish would huddle in the lower end
+of the bag and make no effort to repass through the opening in the end
+of the cone.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XIV.*
+
+             _*Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits*_*.*
+
+
+The morning following the setting of the trap I removed it and, allowing
+the water to drain out through the meshes in the bag, I found three
+beautiful silvery fish, not unlike the white perch of the northern
+waters. Cleaning them, I broiled them over the coals, and found them to
+be delicious, delicate and fine flavored.  After that I had no lack of
+fresh fish.
+
+Puff, meantime, had made rapid progress in the art of talking and could
+carry on quite a conversation--and many were the hours I spent assisting
+him in adding to his vocabulary.  He insisted upon following me
+everywhere I went, always walking and never making any attempt to fly,
+his instructions in the use of his wings having been neglected since his
+capture.  When walking through the bush in search of pigeons and other
+provisions, I always carried Puff perched upon my shoulder, and he never
+made any attempt to escape.  He seemed as perfectly satisfied with my
+society as I was with his, and we kept up a continuous conversation.
+
+My supply of salt becoming nearly exhausted, I procured a large supply,
+enough to last me many months, by the same process as had been employed
+on the first experiment while marching along the coast.  This I sealed
+securely in joints of bamboo.
+
+Having no particular task on hand, one afternoon I proceeded to prepare
+a supply of provisions, roast pigeon, fish, yam, a few oranges and half
+a dozen green cocoanuts, preparatory to setting off, the following
+morning, to explore along the bank of the stream, which flowed almost by
+my door, toward its source.  I knew that this was a separate stream,
+independent of the other two that I had met with.  I remembered that I
+had not crossed a third stream on my march from the mountains, and I was
+curious as to its source.  Certainly it must be much shorter than the
+other two.
+
+Seeking my couch early in order that I might set off by daylight, before
+going to sleep I remembered that I needed a new supply of arrows. This
+would necessitate delaying another day, and in the morning I set to
+work, and before sunset I had several dozen of much better made arrows
+than the first ones.
+
+With my quiver and provision bag slung across my back and with Puff on
+one shoulder and the bow-gun on the other, I set out just as the sun was
+rising above the palm trees.  I kept to the left bank of the stream, and
+soon passed "Bamboo Pool" where I had first discovered these useful
+plants.
+
+I walked along rapidly, stopping only to refresh myself and Puff.  The
+way was easy, for there were very few shrubs or thorn bushes along the
+bank.  But I had to occasionally turn aside to avoid inhospitable cactus
+plants, and the sharp, dagger-like plant which grew plentifully almost
+everywhere.
+
+Just as I was thinking about seeking a good place to camp in order that
+I might make myself and Puff comfortable before dark, I was brought to
+an abrupt stop, where I stood transfixed with surprise; for I had
+reached the source of the stream, less than a day's journey from my
+house.
+
+Before me there was a little pool, only a few feet across, and its
+centre was bubbling and boiling.  The water which supplied the stream
+flowed from the bowels of the earth.  While the pool was violently
+agitated, no sound was made by the up-rushing water.  My brook was
+simply the outlet of a subterranean river.
+
+I at once made camp for the night, determining to spend a day around the
+pool before returning.  I kindled a fire for the sake of its cheering
+effect, and made my supper from the provision bag.  Puff was satisfied
+with a banana.
+
+After a frugal breakfast in the morning--for I had only some plantain
+and a part of one of the fish left--I set out to explore the forest in
+the near vicinity of the pool.  Almost immediately I came across some
+banana trees, and near by a few plantains were also growing. Further
+around I found a couple of orange trees.  This seemed quite a natural
+garden, and it was not so far away but that I could make frequent trips
+from home for bananas and plantains.
+
+Penetrating a little further into the forest, I came to a little clear
+spot, in the centre of which grew two large, handsome trees, each with
+straight, rather smooth trunks, with symmetrical tops.
+
+At first I thought both the trees were of the same kind, but I soon
+noticed that the leaves of one were larger than those of the other, and
+more pinnate.  I discovered that both trees bore curious-looking fruit.
+The fruit, too, looked something alike.  It was large, round, and green
+in color, with a pebbly rind.  Several were lying under each tree; but
+that under one of the trees was decayed, and when I tried to move it
+with my foot it yielded to the pressure, and as the mass parted it
+looked like uncooked bread. The fruit under the other tree was firm and
+hard.  I was at a loss to solve the mystery. Cutting one of the latter,
+I found that it had a very hard shell.  Procuring a long pole from the
+bush, I succeeded in knocking off some fresh fruit from the other tree.
+On cutting this I found that the skin was thin, and that the inside had
+something the appearance of a yam.
+
+I carried one of each to camp, when it occurred to me to roast the
+latter, and see if it proved good to eat.  While it was roasting in the
+coals, I cut the other green globe in halves, and found that the hard
+shell was very readily separated from the meat, leaving two nice bowls,
+suitable for drinking vessels, and perhaps for cooking. When I thought
+the other was thoroughly roasted, I took it from the ashes.  The
+transformation was marvelous.  The fruit was now like light, white
+bread.  Very cautiously I tasted it, and found that, while it possessed
+no decided flavor, it was very delicate.  I tried some with a little
+salt, and mentally pronounced it delicious.
+
+Before going into camp for the night, I procured half a dozen of each
+fruit, and, early in the morning, after adding a supply of bananas and
+plantains to my burden, started to return to the house, which was
+reached early in the evening.
+
+I became very fond of the new fruit, which answered for bread; and I
+made dishes from the shell of the other which served for drinking
+vessels, and I even boiled some fish in one of them.
+
+My time was now occupied by various tasks. Frequent trips were made to
+the pool.  I planted more yams, and made frequent excursions hunting
+pigeons.  I also made a complete suit of clothes from the cocoanut
+cloth, including a hat and a pair of very substantial moccasins, for my
+shoes were all but useless.  These things were varied by giving Puff
+lessons in conversation, in which he proved to be an apt scholar.
+
+I had seen no turtles on this part of the coast, and I contemplated a
+journey to the cove where I had seen them months before, as soon as,
+from my calendar, I judged it to be their breeding season.  I had long
+craved more of their delicious eggs.
+
+As the days and weeks passed, frequent showers came up; and after a
+time, the showers of warm, tepid rain became more frequent. Some were
+very violent, with high wind, and occasionally thunder and lightning.
+They rose quickly and as quickly passed over, when the sun would burst
+out, making the drops falling from the trees glisten like silver.  But
+there came a day of almost steady rain, and, after consulting my
+calendar, I found that it was about time for the rainy season to set in.
+
+I had hardly thought of the rainy season since my return from the
+mountains.  Indeed, I had intended to set to work and attempt to
+construct a craft with which to try to reach the distant land to the
+east.  But now I must wait for another rainy season to pass before
+attempting it, for the sea would be too rough to risk a voyage in a rude
+and frail craft.
+
+I allowed gloomy thoughts to take possession of me, which I did not even
+confide to Puff, who was my only comforter.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XV.*
+
+                   _*A Hurricane and a Shipwreck*_*.*
+
+
+I strove to occupy my mind by digging a large store of yams, and
+gathering hundreds of cocoanuts, and storing them inside the house for
+use when the rain should prevent my going far from the shore.  I also
+gathered an immense quantity of dead branches for firewood, which I
+piled in the rear of the house, covering it thickly with grass and then
+broad leaves and bark stripped from the trees, to shed the water.
+
+The rain became almost constant, and after a day of hard work making
+some repairs that I thought necessary on my house, I lay on my couch,
+secure from the rain and wind, thinking of the past, present and future.
+The wind had risen rapidly until it had become a gale.  I listened to
+the rustle and flapping of the leaves of the palm trees, and to the roar
+of the waves on the shore.  At length, through the crevices around the
+door I could see that the night was frequently lighted up by vivid
+flashes of lightning.  Heavy thunder began to rumble away back over the
+forest.  The wind increased, and then came a roar which seemed to shake
+the earth, and shrieks sounded above the dashing of the surf as the wind
+came with terrible force.
+
+I could hear the stockade creak, and see the walls of the house tremble.
+The rain came in torrents, and swept against the enclosure. Another
+blinding flash and roar, and, above the rattle of the palm leaves I
+could hear the crack and crash of breaking and falling branches and tree
+trunks.  A hurricane had broken over the island.  I lay appalled, and
+listened to the terrible havoc of the tempest.  I could not close my
+eyes.
+
+It seemed as though the night would never pass; but after long, weary
+hours, a faint gray light stole into the house, denoting the approach of
+day and the end of that awful night.
+
+The storm abated a little, but the crashing sounds continued to come
+from the forest.  As soon as it was light enough to see plainly I
+ventured to go outside the stockade.  The structure had withstood the
+force of the wind; but what a pitiful sight greeted me as I looked
+about.  Many of the tall cocoanut palms that had been my friends and
+companions from the first lay prostrate, twisted and broken.  The ground
+was covered with nuts, leaves and broken branches.  The little stream
+was full to the very top of the banks.
+
+The waves roared and thundered on the narrow beach.  I turned toward the
+sea and thought about the night of the wreck.
+
+But had I gone mad?  Had the horrors of the night so affected my mind?
+I covered my eyes, and in a moment looked again.
+
+Yes, out toward the bluff, only a few rods from the shore, was a vessel.
+It lay as though at anchor.  I saw that it was a barkentine. The vessel
+had not anchored; she was stranded. Then I ran to the shore and waved my
+arms wildly.  I could not go to the bluff on account of the swollen
+stream.  I saw several men walking around the windlass.  Then they ran
+excitedly along the deck; and then I saw but two men on the deck.  I
+gazed out at the rocking vessel and saw a boat slowly swing around the
+bow.  It was filled with men rowing.  I saw the boat pointed toward the
+shore.  I watched it eagerly.  The boat seemed to make no headway.  But,
+yes, it was slowly making headway.  Then again my heart sank, as through
+the flying spume I saw a mountain of water, a great billow many times
+higher than the stranded ship, come rolling into the bay.  I stood
+transfixed with horror, spellbound, as I watched the water, coming with
+the speed of the wind, with a roar which every instant became more
+terrific. Powerless to aid the poor souls in the boat, struggling
+against a forlorn hope, in this moment of peril--of instant death, I
+stood, sick and faint, in contemplation of their fate.
+
+The great wave now overhung the vessel. Its foam-fringed crest curled
+over and, with a fearful snarl of anger, like some dread monster with
+jaws agape, it rushed over the vessel and obscured it from sight.
+
+I sank to the ground and covered my face, as I wept in anguish.  I was
+overcome at the awful thought of the catastrophe and by the instant, but
+full realization of my great disappointment,--almost at the moment when
+rescue from my long, lonely exile seemed near, every hope vanished; and
+in a few moments I should see the bodies of those whom I hoped would
+succor me tossed ashore, bruised and mangled. These thoughts flashed
+rapidly through my mind as I sank to the earth.
+
+Yet there was a faint hope, and the flitting thought caused my courage
+to revive for an instant.
+
+If the boat, perchance, escaped being swamped and should be borne far
+enough toward the beach to ground firmly and thus escape being carried
+back by the receding water, her passengers might be saved; but if not,
+her fate was certain, for she would be hurled back upon upon the reef
+and not a soul would escape.
+
+I started to my feet and strained my eyes in the direction of the vessel
+as the huge wave thundered upon the beach, the water rolling far up
+toward my house.
+
+Oh, the awful anguish of that moment!  At first I could see no sign of
+the vessel, but as the succeeding wave subsided I caught a glimpse of
+the vessel and saw that her masts, spars and rigging were hanging about
+her in a tangled mass of wreck.  The hull seemed to remain in about the
+same position, it only having careened shoreward.  The boat was nowhere
+to be seen, though I carefully scanned every inch of the swirling water.
+Perhaps it had been dashed ashore unseen by me, obscured in the cloud of
+foam.
+
+I dashed to the beach and ran eagerly along the shore, hoping to find
+the boat and to rescue her passengers who, if discovered, would be in a
+state of insensibility.  But my search was fruitless, and I stood again
+a hopeless castaway, no nearer rescue than when, on that bright morning
+after the storm which sent the _Ethelyn Hope_ to the bottom, I regained
+consciousness to find myself alone at this very spot.
+
+I returned to my house and tried to reconcile myself to my
+disappointment, and to adjust my mind to the rapid succession of events
+in which were mingled joy and sorrow, hope and despair, all within
+little more than a half-hour.
+
+Fortunately my house, thanks to the thoroughness with which the builder,
+assisted by nature, had done his work, had withstood the fury of the
+hurricane and had proved to be impervious to the rain, so I had no
+difficulty in making a fire, by which I prepared breakfast, drying my
+costume in the meantime.
+
+The wind had by this time nearly all died away, though the incessant
+roar of the surf continued on the beach.  Hoping still that some one
+from the ill-fated vessel might escape to keep me company, I went again
+to the beach, walking along toward the creek.  Seeing neither a body nor
+a sign of the boat, I started to follow along the bank of the creek with
+the intention of crossing it and searching along the shore in front of
+the bluff; but I had taken a few steps only when I stopped in
+astonishment, for almost at my feet, her shoulders upon a tangle of
+reeds, lay the body of a young woman.  I thought she must be dead, for
+she was very white and her eyes, while open, were fixed, turned upward
+toward the palm leaves. As gently as I could I lifted her and with some
+difficulty bore her to a mound at the foot of a palm tree, where I laid
+her carefully down, resting her drooping head in a natural position.
+
+Poor girl--for she was but a girl--cast up by the sea, dead; and that
+was all I could ever know, about her.  How tenderly I would lay her
+beneath the tropical flowers on the bluff, in a grave lined with soft
+grass!--alas, all I could do.
+
+Sadly I gazed at the still form, and was about to turn away again toward
+the beach when, to my great surprise, I thought I noticed a faint tremor
+on her face and a movement of her hands.  I must be mistaken; but no,
+again there was a movement--no mistaking it this time--then her eyes
+closed.  I knelt beside her and held her wrist.  It was cold, but I
+thought I could detect a tiny flicker of the pulse.  Certain now that
+life remained, I lifted her as tenderly as possible.  She was very
+slight and I could easily bear her weight; but her body was so limp that
+I found it difficult to carry her, supporting her head at the same time.
+
+However, I reached the house, bore her within and laid her upon the
+couch.  Then I took a piece of the cocoanut cloth, hastily twisting it
+to make it as soft as possible, and went to work vigorously chafing her
+wrists and hands, and I was presently rewarded by seeing her open her
+eyes.  Her head was turned slightly away, but with a faint sigh she
+moved it toward me.  With a wondering gaze she looked full into my face
+for a moment, and then her eyes closed again. She had lost
+consciousness, and I again chafed her hands and loosened her wet
+garments about her throat.  In what must have been a few moments only,
+but what seemed to me to be hours, she again opened her eyes and I saw
+her lips move.  I bent close to her and made out to catch her words,
+faintly whispered.
+
+"Where am I?  Is papa here?"
+
+That was all, for then she swooned away again.
+
+Her father.  How strange it all was, and now for the first time, I
+remembered that I had not noticed a woman on the deck of the ship before
+the boat was launched.  Satisfied now that her life was safe, I left
+her, hurried to the beach and renewed my search, when, directly in front
+of my door, with the water washing partly over it, I saw the body of a
+man resting upon the sand. From his appearance I judged him to be a
+sailor.  I dragged the body out of the water. The limbs were rigid and
+there was a deep gash on the left temple.
+
+Feeling certain that life was extinct, I turned and continued my search.
+I soon picked up an oar, and as I came to the mouth of the creek I saw
+something which caused me to start back, involuntarily.  It was a hand
+protruding from a pile of broken reeds.  Hastily I tore away the reeds,
+revealing the body of a man, which, I noticed, was not dressed like a
+sailor.  While I was moving the body away from the edge of the creek I
+observed that the man was rather past middle life, well built and rather
+stout, of medium complexion, with thick hair and moustache, both being
+sprinkled with gray.  His limbs were not rigid, which caused me to hope
+that a spark of life remained.  I therefore began to treat him as I knew
+drowning persons should be dealt with, and shortly, to my great joy, he
+began to revive and was, ere long, able to sit up and look about him.
+He gazed at me in seeming wonder as though thinking me to be a being of
+a different species from himself, which was not to be wondered at in
+view of my picturesque costume.
+
+"Oh Marjorie, my poor girl:" were his first words.
+
+"If you mean your daughter, sir," I said, "she is safe and sound in my
+house yonder."  He extended his hand to me, which I took and held while
+he recovered his vitality sufficiently to go to the house.
+
+"I fear we shall intrude greatly upon the hospitality of your
+household;" he said, with a little effort.
+
+"No fear of that, sir," I made reply; "for the company of yourself and
+daughter is certainly a great pleasure to me and I am the sole member of
+my household."
+
+"Are you alone, then?" he asked.
+
+"Yes, sir, alone on this island," I answered.
+
+He was going to say more but I begged him to desist until he was
+stronger, and until he was able to proceed to the house.
+
+He expressed himself as being fully able to do so, and as he seemed
+anxious about his daughter I assisted him to rise; and, placing an arm
+about him I supported him as he walked slowly to the house.
+
+The meeting of father and daughter was a joyous one.  The girl was able
+to sit up and the color was returning to her cheeks.  I could not help
+noticing at a glance that she was very pretty, tall with a slender well
+moulded figure, with brown hair and blue eyes and a clear complexion.
+She was, I judged, anywhere from seventeen to nineteen years old.  With
+usual feminine thoughtfulness of her appearance she had already coiled
+her hair neatly and rearranged her damp garments as well as she was
+able.  While I stirred up the fire so that my visitors might dry their
+clothes, the father related, briefly, the story of their experiences.
+
+His name was Richard Harborough, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, from which
+port the wrecked barkentine, _Three Sisters_, of which he was the owner,
+hailed.  His family consisted of his wife, and three daughters for whom
+his vessel was named.  He had determined to make a voyage in his vessel
+for health and recreation and his daughter Marjorie, a student at
+Dalhousie College, whose health had been impaired by overstudy, had
+accompanied him, the family physician strongly recommending a voyage in
+the southern seas as a restorative.
+
+The _Three Sisters_ had taken out a cargo of general merchandise to
+Demerara, British Guiana, and after discharging she had proceeded to
+Greytown, British Honduras, where she had taken in a partial cargo of
+mahogany for Boston, proceeding from the Central American coast to San
+Domingo where she took on board sufficient logwood to complete her
+cargo.  During heavy weather the seas that came aboard had polluted her
+fresh-water casks and seeing the island just at dusk they had put in
+toward it intending to anchor until morning and then to come ashore and
+refill her casks.  But the storm broke upon her, the rain obscured the
+island, and she would have gone ashore had she not struck one of the
+hidden coral reefs.  What prevented her masts from going overboard the
+men could not explain; but it must have been a miracle, they said.  As
+soon as the barkentine struck, the anchor was let go, by which it was
+hoped she would be prevented from drifting, until daylight.  When first
+I saw the men on the deck they were hauling up the anchor, finding that
+the barkentine had not drifted, with the intention of taking it to
+windward and trying to work her off the reef by heaving at the windlass.
+But realizing that the vessel was hopelessly aground, and fearing that
+she might break up, it was decided to try to reach the shore, the result
+of which attempt I had witnessed.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XVI*
+
+            _*Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House*_*.*
+
+
+I told them, as briefly as possible, the story of my exile on the
+island, to which they listened, seemingly with the greatest interest,
+refraining, on account of delicacy, I supposed, from asking about my
+strange garb.
+
+"And now," I said at the conclusion of my narrative, "you must make
+yourselves at home and as comfortable as possible, while I see about
+dinner"--for it was just mid-day--"and then we will attend to the poor
+fellow who lies outside on the beach."
+
+So saying I took my bow-gun, my guests watching me in wonder, and
+started for the thicket behind the house.
+
+I hoped to secure a pigeon, for my companions must be in need of
+nourishing food.  I had the good fortune to spy a pigeon almost
+immediately and to secure it with a single arrow.  My companions were
+greatly surprised to see me return so quickly, and after placing some
+yams and bread fruit to roast in the ashes, I set about plucking the
+pigeon.  It was a plump bird, of the ring-tail variety.  Half of it I
+fixed over the coals to roast, and with the remainder I proceeded to
+make some broth, which I succeeded very well in doing, thickening it
+with crumbs of cold roasted bread fruit, and seasoning it with salt of
+my own manufacture, as I explained to my guests, while I prepared it.
+
+After the repast, which greatly revived Mr. Harborough and his daughter,
+we all went to the beach, I leading the way, to where the dead sailor
+lay.
+
+"Poor fellow," said Mr. Harborough, "it is the third mate.  The
+barkentine carried seven men beside the captain and three mates.  We
+must see if any more have come ashore."  But although we searched
+carefully all along the shore up the bay, we found no other bodies. So
+the dead sailor was carried tenderly to the palm grove, where he was
+laid in a grave, dug after much hard labor, and lined with grass; I
+promising to carve a head-piece for it, in the near future.
+
+Then I took Mr. Harborough and his daughter around the neighborhood of
+my hut, showing them where I had been cast ashore, where I had gathered
+the reeds and cut the bamboos for my house, where I had discovered the
+yam vines; indeed, I gave them a careful history of my doings
+thereabout, which used up all the afternoon.  The sea, meantime, had
+subsided and the sun had dried the bush and the grass; and after a
+frugal meal from the remnants of the noonday repast, we sat long in
+front of the house beneath the tropical sky, watching the moon rising
+above the feathery palm tops, while we speculated regarding the future.
+
+The situation presented few complications, for we must simply make the
+best of everything until rescued, be it days, months, or years. Mr.
+Harborough had most important information to communicate, namely, that
+the _Three Sisters_ had a bountiful store of food supplies and cooking
+utensils, as well as a rifle, shot-gun and ammunition for each.  The
+rifle had belonged to the captain and the shot-gun to the mate, who,
+when opportunity offered, were accustomed to go ashore for a little
+sport, shooting.  To get these treasures ashore would greatly add to our
+comfort, and, although we had no boat, we resolved, very early in the
+morning, to set about discussing means for saving as much as possible
+from the vessel.
+
+Mr. Harborough, I was glad to see, took a cheerful view of the
+situation, and was resolved not to despair; and Miss Harborough, also,
+showed her bravery by taking the greatest interest in our plans.  With
+some large pieces of cocoanut cloth I screened off a corner of the room,
+including my couch, which was to serve as Miss Harborough's sleeping
+apartment, while Mr. Harborough and I stretched ourselves on the floor
+near the door.  Before we slept I communicated to him my intention to
+build an addition to the house before attempting to do much in getting
+things from the vessel, in order to afford Miss Harborough privacy, by
+having a room to herself.  He thanked me for all my kindness, and we
+knew no more until awakened by Puff, who, while everything was damp, had
+not been heard from.  Indeed, I had, I regretted to admit, forgotten
+him.  But now, his feathers dry, and the morning bright and fair, he
+made himself heard, indicating by all the words in his vocabulary,
+interspersed with shrill screeches, that he was hungry, and would brook
+no delay in having his wants supplied.
+
+The morning repast finished, we adjourned to the beach to lay out a plan
+of work for the immediate future.  We had two matters to discuss: one,
+the most important, of devising ways and means of transporting the
+supplies from the stranded barkentine to the shore, and the other, the
+construction of an addition to the house for the accommodation of Miss
+Harborough.
+
+"It seems to me," observed Mr. Harborough, "that we should solve the
+problem of getting out to the vessel as quickly as possible; for, if
+there arises another great storm, she might break up."
+
+"That is very true," I replied, "and your suggestion is a wise one; so,
+as the building of the addition to the house will not be a long task if
+we work together, let us set to work upon it at once.  We will construct
+it in the same manner as I built this house."
+
+It was decided that Mr. Harborough should cut the bamboos and the canes,
+while I would build the house, having acquired some skill from my
+previous work.
+
+"I fear you will find it laborious work, for I have only this knife," I
+observed, taking out my much-used knife.
+
+"Ah," he replied, "I have a good knife, larger and stronger than yours;"
+so saying he produced a large pocket-knife, having a broad, strong
+blade.
+
+"Capital," said I; "now we shall get on famously."
+
+I conducted him to the thicket of bamboos a a little way up the stream,
+leaving him, while I went a little further down, to cut reeds.
+
+"Oh, but I want to do something to help," exclaimed Miss Harborough.
+"What can I do?"
+
+"You can be of the greatest assistance by carrying reeds to the house.
+They are very light, and, besides, you can take small armfulls."
+
+She was overjoyed at the idea, and she at once set to work with much
+enthusiasm.  I cut a quantity of reeds and then went back to bring some
+bamboos, after which I set to work cutting a door-way through the side
+of the house to connect it with the extension.  I pursued the same
+methods as in making the main house, Mr. Harborough cutting bamboos and
+reeds, his daughter bringing all the filling material from the stream,
+while I set up the frame and wove the reeds into the walls.  This
+finished, grass was cut for thatching the roof.  We worked steadily,
+only stopping for a bit to eat at noon, so that, by sunset, the addition
+was completed. It was six by eight feet in dimensions, and it was very
+thoroughly made.  After consulting Miss Harborough, it was decided not
+to have a door between the two apartments, but to hang up a curtain
+instead.  I suggested that the curtain be made of cocoanut cloth, and I
+promised Miss Harborough to gather the cloth in the morning, and show
+her how to sew it together with fine roots.
+
+We all sat for a time in front of the house, enjoying the breeze which
+blew toward the land after the sun-down, retiring early in anticipation
+of the work of the morrow.  Before I slept I had formed a plan to reach
+the barkentine on the reef, which I believed would prove successful.
+The morning dawned bright and cloudless, and the household was awakened
+by Puff, screaming for his breakfast.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XVII.*
+
+              _*Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck*_*.*
+
+
+We first visited the young cocoanut palms from which I cut a supply of
+cloth for the curtain, to be hung between the two apartments in the
+house; and while I dug some small roots for thread, to use in sewing the
+pieces together, Mr. Harborough, under my direction, with his knife
+shaped from a piece of hard wood, a bodkin, to be used in lieu of a
+needle in sewing.
+
+Leaving Miss Harborough comfortably ensconced in front of the house,
+with the materials around her, Mr. Harborough and myself set about the
+task of reaching the vessel.
+
+"There is but one way to reach her, sir," I said, "and that is by means
+of a raft.  It is the only sort of a craft that we can construct with no
+tools, and, besides, I believe we can make a raft which will carry the
+cargo."
+
+"Your experience fits you to take the initiative," he replied.  "I am
+under your direction. You shall lead, and I will follow and obey your
+instructions."
+
+"I am sure our combined ideas only will produce the best results," I
+made answer.  "But first let us proceed to the bamboo thicket."
+
+As we started to go up stream, Mr. Harborough turned and cast an anxious
+look toward his daughter.
+
+Noticing this, I hastened to reassure him concerning her safety.
+
+"And are there no wild animals on the island?" he asked.
+
+"I have seen none hereabout," I assured him. I remembered the wild pigs
+that I had met on my march around the coast, but I thought best not to
+unduly alarm him by alluding to them.
+
+"And do you believe the island entirely uninhabited?" he asked.
+
+"At the present time I believe it is absolutely uninhabited," I replied.
+As we walked along I told him about the old wall on the mountain, adding
+that it was evidently constructed by civilized people, long ago.  An
+idea occurred to me at that moment concerning the ruined wall, but I
+resolved not to communicate it at present.
+
+As for the wild pigs, I did not believe they would put in an appearance
+in this part of the island.  Reaching the bamboo thicket, we set to work
+cutting a great quantity of them, selecting those from two to four
+inches in diameter, I, meanwhile, explaining to Mr. Harborough how I
+proposed to construct the raft.  We labored incessantly the entire day,
+only stopping, when the sun stood directly overhead, to allay the
+cravings of our appetites; and reaching the house, we were delighted to
+find that Miss Harborough had dinner all ready for us, she having
+roasted some yams and the only remaining bread fruit.  I resolved to
+make a trip to the pool and procure another supply at once.
+
+Miss Harborough had finished the curtain, and before we returned to our
+bamboo cutting we hung it in place, fastening it with wooden skewers.
+
+While we continued to cut bamboos Miss Harborough wandered about
+admiring and wondering at the many tropical sights and sounds. I
+continued to keep the records of the days on my cocoanut-shell calendar.
+In two days we had cut what I believed was a sufficient number of
+bamboos.  The following day was Sunday; and while we resolved to abstain
+from working on the raft, we agreed that the time was too precious to
+remain entirely idle; so we resolved to devote the day to replenishing
+our larder.
+
+We were early astir and prepared for a trip to the pool.  Before setting
+out I got out the fish net, which I set in the stream, explaining that
+we would remove it on our return, and hoping that it would yield a good
+number of fish.  I took my bow-gun, intending to keep a sharp lookout
+for pigeons, and Miss Harborough carried Puff, I having taken care to
+secure him to her arm by a thong so he could not impede our progress by
+flying away into the thicket.
+
+We followed the bank of the stream and in due time reached the pool
+where we set about, in the best of spirits, gathering water-cocoanuts,
+bread fruit, oranges, bananas and plantains. Refreshing ourselves upon
+some ripe bananas that we found scattered through the bunches, while we
+sat beneath the shade of the broad leaves, we gathered up our spoils and
+set out to return.
+
+I decided to keep along the edge of the forest going back, hoping to bag
+a pigeon or two; and I was so fortunate as to secure four, to the great
+wonder of my companions who marvelled at my markmanship and the accuracy
+of the rude bow-gun.
+
+Arriving home the net was removed from the stream, being nearly half
+filled with fish.  The question of food was settled for several days,
+and we could work on the raft uninterrupted.
+
+Miss Harborough allotted to herself the duty of preparing the food, and
+well did she perform her task.  She not only had our meals ready with
+unfailing regularity, but her womanly instinct enabled her to devise
+dinners, dainty and appetising innovations in the simple cookery, that
+were most acceptable.
+
+The foundation of the raft was laid by placing bamboos on the beach just
+out of reach of the surf, there being no discernable tide, about one
+foot apart.  The poles, forming a layer, were about eighteen feet long,
+and there were fourteen of them.  This fixed the dimensions of the raft,
+eighteen by fourteen feet.  These were firmly lashed together with
+lianas from the thicket near by, which were passed over and under each
+alternate pole, across to the opposite side and back again, six times
+across, with double weaving at the ends.  Next we cut a great quantity
+of reeds and laid them evenly over the frame-work, to the thickness of
+about two feet.  Another frame was then made the same size as the first,
+which was placed over the reeds and bound firmly to the bottom frame, to
+which it was firmly fastened with lianas around the edges, forming a
+sort of mattress. This process was repeated until the raft was fully six
+feet thick.  This work, as is to be supposed, occupied several days; but
+when it was completed we had reason to feel proud of the result.
+Indeed, it was the outcome of no little skill.
+
+We expected that the buoyancy of the materials of which it was
+constructed, together with its great thickness, would enable the raft to
+float with its top high out of the water, which would allow it it to
+support a considerable load.  And, besides, it was so light that our
+combined efforts sufficed to move it quite readily.  On the morning of
+the day following its completion, we launched the raft, and to our great
+satisfaction saw that it floated like a cork.  We decided that a long
+bamboo to be used as a scull-oar would be the best means of propelling
+it.  One half of the thickness of the larger end of this bamboo was
+split away the length of the first joint, which gave a flat surface to
+offer resistance to the water in sculling.  Another bamboo was provided
+to be used in poling.  We were now ready to set out for the wreck.  Miss
+Harborough expressed a desire to accompany us, but I demurred, until we
+had proved the seaworthiness and stability of the raft, in which her
+father joined.  So she seated herself near the beach and watched us as
+we pushed off.
+
+Beneath our combined weight the raft did not appear to sink perceptibly,
+and it promised to float a good amount of cargo.  This was most pleasing
+to us for it would enable us to remove what we wanted from the vessel
+rapidly. We joined in poling the raft until the water became too deep,
+after which I used the scull from the end, being somewhat of an expert
+by reason of my boyish practice with a punt on the pond near the home of
+my childhood.  The sea was placid, and it required only a few minutes to
+reach the wreck.  I propelled the raft under the bow-sprit and held it
+steady by grasping the martingale, while Mr. Harborough climbed aboard,
+from whence he threw a line with which I quickly made the raft fast, and
+joined him on the deck.
+
+The scene around us was one of confusion. The deck was strewn with a
+tangled mass of rigging, rendering it not a little difficult to move
+about.
+
+"I think," said Mr. Harborough, "that we should proceed systematically
+through the vessel, and I suggest that we first proceed to the cabin."
+
+So we descended the companionway which led to the roomy cabin.  It was
+comfortably, though not luxuriously fitted up, after the usual style of
+vessels going on long voyages. Mr. Harborough proceeded to collect all
+his clothing, while I, at his suggestion, gathered into a bundle all of
+the wearing apparel that had belonged to the captain, to be appropriated
+to my own use; and indeed, I was sadly in need of it. We did not disturb
+Miss Harborough's cabin, having decided to let her accompany us on the
+next trip, when she could gather up her own belongings.
+
+"There seems to be nothing else that can be of use to us," said Mr.
+Harborough, glancing around the cabin.
+
+"Oh, but why not take the chairs?  They are fastened to the floor of the
+cabin, but there must be tools on board in the carpenter's kit, with
+which we can easily remove them.  And, then, the charts, the chronometer
+and the compass.  Who knows but that they may be of great use to us?  I
+am sure the compass would, at least."
+
+"That is true," he replied; "I fear that I am not very used to being a
+castaway."
+
+"A few months will accustom you to such an existence," I replied.
+
+So we went forward and found the carpenter's chest, from which we took
+all the tools necessary to remove the cabin chairs, and the compass.
+These, with the chronometer and the clothing, we deposited together in
+the cabin. Next we set about collecting all the small sized rope and all
+the cooking utensils in the galley, which we placed with the cabin
+crockery.  We debated whether it would be advisable to attempt to remove
+the galley stove to the shore; but, because of its weight and the
+consequent great difficulty in removing it, we abandoned the idea.  As
+we moved about the deck we could see Miss Harborough by the beach, and
+we frequently signalled to her, fearing that she might be lonesome
+alone, amid such strange surroundings.
+
+As I stood gazing at the beautiful island, densely covered with tropical
+vegetation, radiant with golden light, I made out the mountain on which
+I had erected the beacon, which I could dimly see.  I called Mr.
+Scarborough's attention to it, and expressed my disappointment that it
+was so dimly visible; but when I reflected that the mountain was much
+nearer the east coast, I took a brighter view of it, for I believed that
+the island must be one of the Virgin Islands; and, if so, it must be one
+of the most easterly.  Still I could not make up my mind what the land I
+had sighted far to the eastward from the mountain top might be.  If it
+was one of the northern Leeward Islands, then we could not be far out of
+the track of vessels.  In this case the beacon must, sooner or later, be
+seen from some passing ship.
+
+Overhauling the stores we found quantities of provisions, canned and
+dried fruits, salt, half a barrel of salted beef, nearly two barrels of
+flour, a great quantity of sweet potatoes and several gross of matches.
+Indeed, nothing seemed to be lacking.
+
+We now set about loading the raft, lowering the different articles over
+the side by means of a rope, distributing the weight over the raft. We
+loaded it until it settled to within a foot of the top, and a great
+quantity of freight it took. At this rate it would require but few trips
+to complete the work.  Taking the clothing aboard we started ashore,
+which we reached without accident, though it required considerably more
+time to scull the heavily loaded raft.  Being so deeply laden, it
+grounded several feet from the beach, so that in unloading it, we had to
+wade back and forth through the water.
+
+Everything was stored snugly in the house before sundown.
+
+On the morning following we made another early start for the wreck, Miss
+Harborough with us this time.  As before, the raft was made fast to the
+bow-sprit, and Miss Harborough was hoisted aboard in a bo'sn's chair.
+We proceeded to load the raft, intending to make two trips during the
+day.  This was soon accomplished, and taking the compass and the
+chronometer, as well as Miss Harborough's trunk, we were about to cast
+off, when, with an exclamation, Mr. Harborough grasped the chains and
+disappeared on deck, presently returning with face aglow, carrying in
+each hand a gun.  Such good fortune was almost overpowering, for with
+guns we could not only defend ourselves effectively, if necessary, but
+easily secure plenty of game.  He explained that there was a quantity of
+cartridges for the rifle as well as considerable ammunition for the
+shot-gun, in the cabin. Each day we continued to make one or two trips
+to the vessel, the weather fortunately continuing calm, with the result
+that we stripped her of everything that we could move, and that could
+possibly be of use to us.  We soon discovered that we could store in the
+house only such articles as there would constantly be use for, so we
+proceeded to build another addition from the other side, opposite Miss
+Harborough's apartment, to serve exclusively as a store-room. Thus our
+abode extended to quite a pretentious establishment.  The raft, no
+longer in use, we hauled up among the cocoanut palms.  We had been so
+busy since the barkentine came ashore that we had not been able to
+extend the stockade around the two additions to the house. This we
+proceeded to do, following the same plan of construction as I had
+previously done, joining it to the main structure at the four corners,
+thus making an enclosure of quite twice the area of the original
+compound.  We planted yam vines all around the new stockade, varying our
+labors by making trips to the pool for provisions, going on excursions
+into the forest, but never far away, securing pigeons with the aid of
+the shot-gun, but seeing no animals, and fishing in the stream.  We
+lived sumptuously, with the fruit and the plentiful supplies from the
+vessel.  At my suggestion, we planted a quantity of sweet potatoes,
+selecting a sunny spot near the stream, breaking up the ground with
+poles sharpened with the aid of a good axe, which we found in the
+carpenter's kit.  Indeed, we found several tools, such as a bit, auger,
+two saws; and a hammer that were of great use to us; and fortunately a
+few nails.  I had some doubt as to the success of our sweet potato
+experiment, believing that the tropical climate would prove too warm for
+them, remembering that they flourish to the greatest perfection in the
+eastern-central part of our own country. However, the experiment was
+worth trying in the interest of future food supplies.  We had, from the
+first, kept a close watch along the shore all along the bay, in case
+bodies of other members of the barkentine's crew came ashore. But none
+did, and, with the axe, we hewed a rude head-board from a hard-wood
+plank which we had brought from the vessel, for the grave of the man
+whom we had buried, carving thereon the name "William Clayton," together
+with the day and year of his death.
+
+We discussed the advisability of setting fire to the wreck, but after
+mature consideration we decided that so long as it remained intact, it
+might serve to attract attention should a vessel be passing, and thus
+lead to our rescue.
+
+We had much leisure, and I took occasion to make known a project which I
+had in mind from the first, that of making a trip to the mountain.  For
+one thing I wished to see if the beacon had withstood the hurricane;
+and, more than all, an idea had taken possession of me, growing stronger
+every day, that a careful investigation around the ruined wall might
+lead to interesting, and, perhaps, important revelations.  My companions
+were delighted with the prospect, and we at once set about making
+preparations for the journey; and here a new idea suggested itself.  We
+must carry with us as large a quantity of provisions as possible, and
+how could this be accomplished?  We would make knapsacks from
+sail-cloth.  Why had we not thought to bring the sails of the barkentine
+ashore?  The raft was again launched, and we removed the smaller sails
+from the vessel; and, by searching among the seamen's dunnage in the
+forecastle, we found several sailors' needles and twine.  All working
+together, we soon fashioned two square bags, with straps of several
+thicknesses of cloth, with which to sling them upon our backs.  The next
+most important thing was the selection of the articles to be carried
+with us.  Provisions must form the bulk of the packs, and we made the
+selection with the greatest care.  We also proposed to take along the
+axe, a coil of rope, the ship's compass, which was removed from the
+gimbals, and, of course, the two guns, Mr. Harborough carrying the
+rifle, while I took the shot-gun.  We made belts from the sail-cloth for
+carrying ammunition.  The axe formed part of my equipment. A light
+bundle of clothing was made up for Miss Harborough who also took charge
+of Puff, who was made fast to her arm by a piece of twine. Everything
+was made snug in the house, and the remaining sail-cloth was carefully
+spread over the stores to be left behind.  The door was securely closed,
+and one bright morning we were ready to start, first taking, by means of
+the compass, the bearings of the mountain.  It was my intention to
+proceed by a different route from those I had followed in going to and
+returning from the mountain, for two reasons. One was that I wished to
+further explore the island, which a new route would enable me to do, and
+the other was that a direct route through the forest would be much
+shorter, requiring us to encamp but one night.  My companions fully
+agreed with this idea.  The stream was followed as far as the pool,
+where we entered the forest.  It consisted of many varieties of trees,
+one kind being of large size, with a smooth, straight trunk, towering to
+a great height, without branches.  This, Mr. Harborough said, was the
+mahogany tree.
+
+Great lianas entwined the trees and many creepers, some bearing
+exquisite blossoms that called forth exclamations of delight from Miss
+Harborough, depended from the branches; and in some places the
+vegetation was so dense that we were compelled to cut a way with the
+axe. At Mr. Harborough's suggestion and at her request I ceased to
+address his daughter as Miss Harborough, and thereafter called her
+Marjorie, as did her father; for, as they both said, we were exiles
+together, and formality was superfluous.  We were in excellent spirits
+and made rapid progress.  When the sun was in the zenith, as we could
+see by an occasional glimpse through an opening in the dense canopy
+above us, we paused by a tiny stream of clear water for refreshments and
+a short rest.  Our repast finished, while Mr. Harborough and I conversed
+concerning the present and the future, Marjorie wandered away a short
+distance, searching for new and beautiful flowers.  Just as we rose to
+resume the march, and were about to call her, we heard an agonizing
+scream coming from the forest at no great distance away.  It was clear
+that something had befallen Marjorie.  Grasping the guns, we dashed in
+the direction indicated by her cries, and presently we saw her dress
+through the undergrowth.  As we hastened forward a sight met our eyes
+which caused us to come to a sudden halt and to gaze in horror at the
+spectacle before us; for there was Marjorie, crying out no longer, her
+limp body in the grasp of what looked like a dark, shrivelled-up old
+man.
+
+It seemed to be four or five feet tall, with a face almost black, its
+body covered with short hair.  The limbs were long, small, and the legs
+were bent.  We both shouted, at which the monster released Marjorie,
+allowing her to fall to the ground, while it stood motionless, looking
+at us, but making no sound.  Almost at the same instant it stooped and
+grasped a huge club which lay at its feet.  We waited no longer, and
+both raised our guns and fired.  Evidently our excitement disconcerted
+our aim, for the monster, without giving forth a sound, sprang to the
+great tree near which it stood and began to climb it rapidly, keeping to
+the side opposite to us.  We hastened around, and Mr. Harborough fired
+another shot from his rifle, but without apparent effect, for the
+creature quickly reached the branches and disappeared.
+
+We hastened to Marjorie who had recovered from her swoon, and was able
+to give us an account of her adventure.  There was little for her to
+tell.  She was walking leisurely along, stopping to admire a flower or a
+brilliant butterfly, when, without warning, she felt herself in the
+grasp of the horrible creature.  She screamed and then fainted.  We were
+unable to conjecture what sort of a creature it might be, for we were
+not aware that the tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere contained
+large apes.
+
+While we were discussing the matter, I remembered a story which I had
+read years before about a creature found in the depths of the South
+American forest, which was called a "Burghree."  As I recollected the
+story, the description of the "Burghree" corresponded very nearly to the
+monster we had just encountered.  Marjorie, having now recovered,
+although she was still somewhat weak, we again went to the tree and
+peered sharply among the branches.
+
+"It seems to me," said Mr. Harborough at length, "that I see something
+which looks like a great nest, far up in the tree-top."
+
+I looked more closely and also saw it.
+
+Clearly this was the home of the strange creature, and then I
+recollected that the story of the "Burghree" corresponded almost exactly
+to the present realization, for it retired to a great platform of
+branches and grass, far up in the tree-top, whence it hurled defiance
+and clubs at the men below, while this one uttered no sound.  Another
+shot from the rifle was without result, and we decided that it would be
+not only useless but folly to waste more ammunition. Resuming our march,
+few words passed between us for a long time.  As for myself, I was
+absorbed with my own thoughts, and Mr. Harborough seemed to be occupied
+in like manner.
+
+Suddenly I stopped and rested my gun upon the ground.
+
+"Mr. Harborough," said I, "did you notice that the face of the creature
+looked more like a human face than that of an ape, and that the feet and
+hands seemed to be unlike an ape's feet and hands?"
+
+"I noticed the face," he answered.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XVIII.*
+
+          _*The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain*_*.*
+
+
+As we went on our cheerfulness returned.
+
+We saw occasional pigeons and many beautiful plumaged birds, among which
+were parrots and paroquets that kept up a noisy clatter. We also
+encountered a species of brown and yellow ground-snake about two feet
+long, which did not appear to be harmful, as it always seemed anxious to
+get away.  Frogs, small lizards and crabs were plentiful, and I presume
+some of the latter were edible.  Coming to a thicket of thorn-bush just
+as the dusk began to settle across our path, we prepared to camp for the
+night.  A square space was cleared in the thicket, some leafy branches
+were laid across the top to serve as a roof, wood was gathered, and a
+fire was built in front; and we proceeded to roast a few yams and two
+fat pigeons that I had shot late in the afternoon; and opening a can of
+peaches, we made a bountiful repast. We soon sought repose, and, as no
+sound save the murmuring of the breeze through the trees came from the
+forest, sleep came quickly to all of us.  We were aroused the next
+morning at daybreak by Puff who was screaming at the top of his voice at
+a flock of wild parrots in the trees above, and in an incredibly short
+time we were again on the march.  We had proceeded only a short distance
+when we came to a small open place covered with grass, and we were about
+to skirt its edge when close in front of us came an angry "woof."
+
+"Wild pigs," I cried, greatly alarmed, for, from my previous encounter,
+I understood their savage nature.
+
+At the moment an ugly looking boar showed his head directly in front of
+us.  Mr. Harborough was about to fire, but I restrained him, knowing
+that the least disturbance might bring a drove of these savage beasts
+upon us.
+
+"Let us quietly withdraw as quickly as possible," I said, "and make a
+detour of the forest."
+
+This plan was carried out, and, to my great relief, successfully, for
+the boar disappeared in the grass, and we saw no more of it.
+
+Having the compass, we were able to keep the right direction, pushing
+forward rapidly, only stopping a short time at mid-day for dinner, and
+the sun was yet high in the heavens when we came to the first rising
+ground, and I knew that we had reached the foot of the mountain.
+
+Presently I saw familiar land-marks, and I was able to lead the way to
+the top.  The beacon was standing exactly as I had left it.  We
+proceeded to my cave-dwelling, where everything was found pretty much as
+I had left it, except that the barricade before the door showed some
+decay.  There was still some time before nightfall, during which, after
+depositing our sacks within, we cut a quantity of grass for beds and
+gathered a quantity of fire-wood.  We also partitioned off one corner of
+the room for Marjorie, fixing a bamboo across, to which hung cocoanut
+cloth which we found in abundance a short distance away, fastening it
+together with pegs, and thus we were comfortably settled soon after our
+arrival; and, as we enjoyed the evening meal, we talked over future
+plans.  I promised to show my companions the ruined wall in the morning,
+as we retired to rest.
+
+The orange trees and banana plants near the ruin were still thrifty and
+bore abundant fruit, and we regaled ourselves as I showed my companions
+the old wall.  Mr. Harborough took the greatest interest in it, and we
+speculated as to its origin.  Other matters, however, engaged our
+attention from day to day.  The compass was taken to the foot of the
+beacon, and the bearings of the land which I had discovered in the
+distance accurately determined.
+
+It lay exactly southeast, half east, from where we stood.
+
+"In my opinion," said Mr. Harborough, "this small island where we now
+are is one of the most northeasterly of the Virgin Islands, and that
+land in the distance is one of the same group."
+
+"But," I said, "if that is the case should we not be able to see some of
+the other islands to the westward?"  I was aware that there were several
+islands in the Virgin Group.
+
+"Not necessarily," he answered, "for they lie very low on the ocean."
+
+We spent much time about the beacon, improving our habitation, in
+gathering fruit and shooting pigeons for our larder; and we took twelve
+days in making a trip to the low south-east coast, marching along the
+shore and returning from the northeast.  We found animal life even
+scarcer than on the west side.  Birds were not so plentiful, though we
+found some pigeons, and saw plenty of little green lizards and crabs.
+We made no discoveries that promised to be of use to us.  On our return
+I took my companions to the mouth of the guano cave, but Marjorie
+declined to enter and Mr. Harborough did not appear anxious to do so.
+We made frequent trips to the ruined wall, and searched the enclosure
+carefully.  The more we studied it the more we were convinced that the
+wall had served as a foundation for some structure.
+
+One day as we were returning with fruit, Mr. Harborough had fallen
+behind to examine a spot which had escaped attention, when we were
+arrested by a sudden exclamation from him. He had dropped upon his knees
+and was eagerly clearing away the plants and grass with his hands.
+
+We hastened to him, inquiring what he had discovered.  He pointed to a
+square, flat stone. It was about four feet square and seemed to open
+like a hatchway.  He had stepped upon it and felt it rock, very
+slightly, beneath his weight, but enough to attract his attention.  Did
+the stone conceal an opening, the entrance to an ancient dungeon, or a
+treasure vault?  We were nearly overcome with excitement, not unmixed
+with awe, and I confess to a feeling of dread as I contemplated what
+might be below if the stone really covered an opening to a subterranean
+chamber.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XIX.*
+
+             _*An Ancient Ruin; A Wonderful Discovery*_*.*
+
+
+The edges of the opening, around the stone, were crumbled and cracked,
+and after scraping away the accumulation of moss and mold we found that
+we were able to remove a large piece of rock which left a space of
+sufficient depth to receive a lever.  We hastened to the edge of the
+forest, where we selected a small tree of hard wood, which we felled;
+and from it we made a lever about fifteen feet in length.  The larger
+end was flattened a little with the axe, in order that it should fit
+closely against the stone in prying it up.
+
+We next moved a large stone from the wall, which we placed about three
+feet from the aperture which was to receive the lever, to act as a
+fulcrum.  Then we lifted the great lever, placed the flattened end into
+the aperture, let it rest against the stone fulcrum, and reaching up as
+near the elevated end of the lever as possible, brought our combined
+weight to bear upon it.
+
+The flat stone moved slowly upward, and Marjorie, who stood near, in her
+eagerness, bent over the opening.  Almost at the same moment she started
+violently back, gasping for breath. The foul air, which rushed from the
+opening, had nearly suffocated her.
+
+Working together nearer the upper end of the lever, the stone was lifted
+a little higher and Mr. Harborough was able to hold it while I placed a
+rock under the stone, which prevented it from falling back when the
+lever was released.
+
+We now gathered around the opening which was not yet wide enough to
+enable us to see far below; but to our great astonishment we saw that a
+flight of stone steps led downward. Below all was dark.  Foul air still
+came from the opening.
+
+"We must wait for the air to purify before entering," I said; "and,
+meanwhile, we will procure lights."
+
+"Why in the world did we not remove the cabin lamps from the vessel?"
+exclaimed Mr. Harborough, "If we only had them now."
+
+"Come to the house," I said, "and I will show you how we will procure a
+light."
+
+Hastening to the house I opened my knapsack and held up the two binnacle
+lamps for the inspection of my companions, much to their amazement.
+
+Both were filled with oil, very little of which had escaped, as I had
+wrapped strips of sailcloth tightly around them.
+
+In answer to their inquiring looks, I reminded them that I had, for a
+long time, believed that some such discovery as the present one might be
+made, and that I had, unknown to them, packed the binnacle lamps which
+had proved to be a fortunate act on my part.
+
+Taking them, with plenty of matches, we returned to the ruin.  Lighting
+a wisp of dry grass, I threw it into the opening.  It fell to the
+bottom, where it continued to burn brightly, showing that the air was
+now pure.  In the momentary glare of the burning grass, we saw that the
+opening was about eight feet deep.
+
+We now procured another stone from the wall, which we placed under the
+lever, increasing the height of the fulcrum so that we were able to lift
+the stone still further; and by pushing the lever around toward one side
+we quickly swung the stone from the opening until it rested at one side.
+
+Lighting the lamps, we cautiously descended the stone stairs.  They were
+covered with what seemed to be finely pulverized mould which had worked
+down from above; but the dampness, incident to an underground chamber
+rendered the steps somewhat slippery, so we had to descend carefully.
+There were ten steps. Reaching the bottom, Mr. Harborough and myself
+leading and Marjorie bringing up the rear, we found ourselves standing
+upon a solid floor, deeply covered with fine mould, but quite dry. The
+floor of the chamber was evidently composed of stone, laid very closely,
+without mortar. The roof was made of great flat stones, supported by two
+rows of pillars made of square blocks of stone, extending the length of
+the chamber.  The walls, roof, pillars and floor were all thickly
+covered with dust.  Searching along the walls, we discovered, at the
+further end, four niches sunk into the wall about five feet, and into
+the rear wall of each niche, there was fixed a massive iron staple, to
+which was fastened an iron chain of crude workmanship.  At the end of
+each chain there was a rough iron collar which was evidently designed to
+be fastened with a rivet.  Stepping into one of the niches, we
+discovered that the floor of it was thickly studded with sharp iron
+spikes which we found, on clearing away the dust, to be about two inches
+in height.  The purpose of the niches was apparent; they were
+unquestionably designed as places of torture.  Well must they have
+served their purpose; for the wretched victim who, on account of the
+short chain fastened to his neck, could not lie down, was compelled to
+stand constantly upon the sharp pointed spikes which would pierce and
+cruelly lacerate the feet.
+
+To what period of the New World's history this dungeon belonged we could
+not even conjecture; but, judging from the style of architecture and the
+cunningly devised method of torture, Mr. Harborough, who had seen the
+ruined forts along the Spanish Main, had no doubt that this chamber was
+connected, in some way, with the old Castilian days in this part of the
+world.
+
+The west wall seemed to be perfectly smooth and unbroken; but on the
+east side of the chamber we found a square stone, measuring something
+like two feet each way, being almost a perfect cube, protruding half way
+from the wall. This was easily removed, and thrusting in one of the
+lamps, we saw what appeared to be a square chest.  Brushing away the
+dust which covered the end of the chest next to us, we saw that it was
+of wood, bound with bands of iron, the whole being thickly studded with
+nails.
+
+"A treasure chest," exclaimed Marjorie; "oh, it seems like the stories
+of the buccaneers."
+
+An iron ring was fastened to the chest, but when we took hold of it and
+tried to draw the chest toward us, we found it to be so heavy that we
+were unable to stir it.  So I went to procure a lever which I cut from a
+small tree near the wall, and returned with it to the chamber.  One end
+of the lever was inserted, upward through the ring of the chest and we
+lifted with our combined strength.
+
+The chest was raised slightly, and then the iron bands, eaten by years
+of rust, broke, and the chest, rotten with age, fell apart.
+
+Marjorie was holding one of the lamps so as to illuminate the chest,
+and, as it broke open, she almost dropped it, while Mr. Harborough and I
+dropped the lever and gazed at the broken chest and at each other in
+speechless astonishment; for the aperture seemed to be full of gold
+coins.
+
+We had discovered a treasure chest, indeed. The coins were of several
+sizes, and all were covered with a brownish dust.  But gold they were,
+and there were thousands and thousands of them.
+
+We examined many of the coins, on which the legends were plainly
+legible.  Each one bore a male head on one side, with dates ranging from
+1517 to 1540; and on the reverse, this superscription:--"Carlos I.,
+Espana: Rex"--Charles I., King of Spain.  We concluded that we had
+discovered a favorite trysting place of sea-rovers who sailed these
+waters carrying death and desolation afloat and ashore under the
+protection of royal authority, with the understanding that the Spanish
+treasury should be enriched thereby.
+
+Here, before us, with no one else to claim it, was wealth beyond our
+power to estimate.
+
+"It is utterly useless to us here," said Mr. Harborough, as we discussed
+the importance of our discovery.
+
+"True," I replied, "but as we have no intention of always remaining on
+this island, it may prove to be of great service to us.  To this end we
+must consider what immediate disposal we will make of all this wealth."
+
+"And," I continued, as we replaced the stone in the aperture and
+withdrew from the chamber, "it seems to me that the first step toward
+ensuring to ourselves the future enjoyment of all this wealth, should be
+to transport it to the cove and store it in our house."
+
+This proposition of mine was the beginning of much discussion and
+consideration for several days thereafter, during which it was
+definitely decided that the gold must be transported to our house at the
+cove; and we began to consider how this task, not a trifling one, could
+be accomplished.
+
+Clearly there was but one sure and safe way, and that, to carry it there
+ourselves.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XX.*
+
+           *"*_*The Golden Treasure;*_*" *_*Its Removal*_*.*
+
+
+It was finally settled that we would transport the golden treasure to
+Sargent, at the cove, in the knapsacks on our backs.  To do this would
+require several journeys through the forest; but as time was no object
+to us, what more could we ask than to be able, during our exile, to so
+easily acquire wealth which would render us independent for life; for
+rescued we must surely be, sooner or later.
+
+We decided that no part of the walls should remain uninspected.  Every
+square foot of it was carefully examined, but we found no indications of
+other openings.  One day, however, while looking at the east wall, I
+noticed one of the stones which seemed to be more loosely set into the
+wall than any of the others; and on examining it more closely, the upper
+edge appeared to be chipped as though some pointed instrument had been
+inserted.  It at once occurred to me that this may have been caused by
+prying the stone out--in other words, I mistrusted that the stone might
+conceal the entrance to another chamber.
+
+We examined it closely and came to the conclusion that it would be worth
+while to remove the stone.  We worked at it for several days without
+making any perceptible impression.
+
+It was too heavy and we could devise no appliance to assist us
+materially.  Finally it occurred to me that we might remove a flag-stone
+of the floor, dig under the stone and compel it to drop from its place.
+We soon discovered, however, that it rested upon the flag-stone next to
+it.  Not to abandon the project, we at last succeeded in removing the
+second flag-stone from the wall, which enabled us to excavate the earth
+from beneath the flag-stone next to the wall.  This we accomplished
+after a great deal of hard work, for our only excavating tools consisted
+of sharpened and flattened pieces of wood. At last, however, the
+flag-stone settled into the the excavation and the stone in this way
+fell outward.  To our great astonishment this was followed by a rush of
+air from the aperture.  We did not, at first, know what to make of this,
+but we shortly agreed that we had found the entrance to an underground
+passage leading to the open air.
+
+Indeed this idea seemed quite reasonable, for we had often read of such
+passages in connection with the strongholds of the early days; either as
+a means of offence or defence, or of escape.
+
+Taking the two lamps I preceded Mr. Harborough into the passage,
+Marjorie bringing up the rear.  From the first it was evident that the
+passage was not artificial, but a natural cavern. Indeed as we proceeded
+it proved to be a simple guano cave, the stalactites being grimy and the
+stalagmites buried beneath long years accumulations of guano.  In its
+general character it did not differ materially from the cave which I had
+discovered on the east side of the mountain during my former sojourn.
+The ceiling of this one, however, was higher so that we were able to
+walk upright; and it had no windings. Proceeding a few rods we came to a
+second chamber, leading off at right angles; but the opening was so
+small that we would have had to crawl through it and we did not consider
+it worth while to enter it, at present, at least.  The thought occurred
+to me that the passage connected this cavern with the one which I had
+previously discovered; for, as I thought the matter over, I believed
+that the two must run nearly parallel.  Myriads of bats flitted about,
+almost flying against our faces, and several times nearly extinguishing
+our lamps.  In a few minutes we came to a fair-sized chamber, nearly
+circular and perhaps a dozen feet in diameter; and as we entered it we
+were astonished to find that it was partially illumined by daylight.
+Stranger still, mounted on two huge wooden blocks were two brass cannon,
+pointing away from us.
+
+"An ingenious fortification," remarked Mr. Harborough.
+
+"A masked battery," said Marjorie.
+
+We now examined the guns closely.  They were covered with a greenish
+corrosion, and were, as I have said, brass.  They were of exactly the
+same size, about four-inch, and on the breech of each was stamped the
+following, together with the arms of Spain: "Espana: 1512."  We saw that
+we had reached the mouth of the cave, which was thickly filled with a
+mass of bushes and creepers.  We resolved to clear away the obstruction
+at once, and I returned to the chamber for the axe.  With it and our
+knives we soon cleared away the vegetable growths, and behold, we stood
+on the side of the mountain a few yards from the mouth of cave,
+overlooking the ocean to the eastward. The purpose of the guns was quite
+apparent. They commanded the approach to the mountain, and to an
+advancing enemy were utterly invisible, as a shelf of rock hid the
+entrance from below.  This latter discovery did not promise to be of any
+special importance to us, it was most interesting.  Our whole effort,
+now, was put forth toward transporting the gold to the cove on the west
+coast; and placing as many of the coins in each knapsack as we could
+each carry comfortably, we packed enough provisions to last at least two
+days, and set out.  As we had done on the journey to the mountains, we
+followed the edge of the forest making a short detour, when about half
+way, to avoid a possible encounter with the wild pigs. Mr. Harborough
+and myself would have liked very much to risk an encounter with them,
+but the safety of Marjorie was our first consideration, and these
+animals were very fierce.  So as we had grave doubts as to their
+desirability for food we decided to give them a wide berth.  Nothing
+occurred to give excitement to the march and toward the end of the
+second day we reached the house in the cove, where we found everything
+entirely undisturbed.  We immediately set to work to make several strong
+bags of sail-cloth, each being about two feet long and half as wide, in
+which to store the gold.  This occupied us one full day, and after
+storing the gold we had brought, in a corner of the hut, burying it
+beneath the kitchen utensils, we took sufficient provisions to last us
+during the return march and set out.  Numerous trips were made to and
+from the mountain which consumed several weeks.  Meanwhile we had made
+an additional discovery, almost as important as the first. As we
+gradually removed the gold contained in the chest we saw that there was
+another chest beyond it.  Like the first it fell to pieces on being
+moved.  Beyond it was a solid wall of stone. But the second chest was
+not so heavy as the first, and it proved to be only about half filled
+with gold.  The rest was occupied with rolls of manuscript, all of which
+fell to powder when exposed to the air, leaving not one scrap on which
+the faded writing was legible.
+
+At last only what gold we could carry away on one more trip remained.
+During our march to and fro from the coast we had kept a sharp watch for
+the "wild man," as we called him, and Marjorie always kept very close to
+us while passing through that part of the forest.
+
+But we saw no signs of him.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XXI.*
+
+          _*Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster*_*.*
+
+
+On the morning of the day on which we were to set out with the last
+packs of gold, the sky was partly overcast, and far down in the eastern
+horizon the sky line was blended into a leaden haze, which gradually
+disappeared as the sun ascended toward the zenith.  This I knew, was a
+premonition of the approaching rainy season, which I knew was always
+preceded for several weeks by a thin veil of clouds and the murky
+atmosphere of the horizon in the morning.
+
+This decided us to make this our last journey, and to remain at the cove
+after our next arrival there; for there we were sheltered, to a great
+degree, from the rain and our house was much more comfortable than the
+abode beneath the rock on the mountain, which was dreary during the long
+rain, as I knew from experience.  At the cove we had a substantial
+house, and, with the stores and utensils from the wreck we should be
+very comfortably situated.  And, beside, we had gradually, as we marched
+back and forth, evolved a scheme to remove some of the deck planks of
+the vessel and such lumber as we found available, and to try, during the
+rainy season, to construct a substantial boat in which we might venture
+to leave the island.  We planned to construct a great shed, closed in on
+three sides and left open at the end facing the beach.  Beneath this we
+would lay the keel of our craft and test our skill as ship-builders.
+
+So, with our guns, clothing, such other articles as we wished to take
+back with us, and of course, Puff, after closing the cliff-house we
+proceeded to the chamber beneath the ruin to pack the remaining gold.
+Our knapsacks were speedily filled, and we prepared to leave the
+chamber.
+
+Marjorie preceded us to the stairs, but scarcely had she reached the
+first step when she darted back to us shrieking and trembling, her face
+ashy pale.
+
+She crouched between us, unable to speak, her eyes staring wildly toward
+the stone steps. I sprang forward and looked up toward the opening.
+There I saw, standing between us and the sky, silent as a statue, with
+eyes glaring down at us--the wild man of the forest.
+
+There was no mistaking it; but this time it looked less like an ape and
+more like a human being.
+
+Without looking around I beckoned to Mr. Harborough.  He stepped to my
+side, and catching sight of the horrible thing above us, he raised his
+rifle and fired.  The report roared around the chamber and the stairway
+was filled with smoke.  Simultaneously a heavy body rolled down the
+slippery stairs and lay outstretched at our feet.  It was the wild
+man--lifeless; its limbs outstretched and its wide-open eyes staring up
+at us.
+
+Never again do I wish to look upon such a horrible object.  We shrank
+back in the doorway, feeling weak and faint; Marjorie clung to her
+father, her eyes gleaming with terror, a look of horror upon her face.
+
+After we had recovered our courage and the first shock had partly passed
+away, we approached closely and examined the strange being.  It was
+human in every detail, the hair, arms, legs, feet, eyes and face.  It
+had once been a man, but what a marvelous transformation had taken
+place!  The body was entirely covered with short brownish hair which
+grew several inches long on the breast.  The hair of the head was dark
+brown in color, long, tangled and matted.  The nose and mouth were
+regular, and the teeth were in fair condition.  The eyes were either
+blue or gray, we could not tell exactly which.  The finger-nails were
+long, which made the hands look like claws.
+
+The skin was tanned by exposure to sun and rain until it was a dark
+bronze hue.  We pondered long concerning the history of this strange
+being; for a human being it surely was; once like ourselves.
+
+In death it was less repugnant than in life. Now that we had become
+accustomed to look at it, it impressed us only as a poor dead outcast,
+of whom we knew nothing.
+
+There could be but one solution to the mystery.  Either the wretched
+person had been marooned, or, like ourselves had been cast away on the
+island, and, driven mad by solitude, exposure and the contemplation of
+his position had probably for several years roamed the forest as a wild
+man--a wild beast in every sense, except his origin.  We moved the body
+to a corner of the chamber, composed the limbs and went out into the
+sunlight.
+
+The long lever remained under the stone which had covered the opening,
+and we worked it back into place--closing the treasure chamber, now a
+tomb.  We covered the stone thickly with earth and turned toward the
+forest.
+
+Without further incident we reached the house at the cove and proceeded
+to put everything in order in anticipation of the coming rainy season
+which, we promised ourselves should be a busy one with us, between boat
+building and general occupations; and we viewed the future not without
+pleasant anticipations. We were comfortable, with every want supplied, a
+happy family sharing a common lot.
+
+Never was there a complaint made by any of us.  We indulged in
+conversation about home, our individual lives, and discussed matters of
+present and future moment.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XXII.*
+
+                _*Boat Building; a Startling Sound*_*.*
+
+
+Out first work of magnitude was the construction of a great shed in
+which to build the boat, sheltered from the weather.  This occupied us
+many days; for it was of considerable size, twenty-five feet long and
+about two thirds as wide.  The method of construction was exactly the
+same as in the other structures and need not be described again.  It was
+closed all around except the end next to the beach. This was left open
+to afford both air and light.
+
+House-building was varied by several trips to the stranded vessel which
+remained on the reef precisely as we had left it.  Our raft, too, was in
+a perfect state of repair.
+
+Many of the deck planks we removed, as well as all the boarding of the
+deck-house and the sheathing in the cabin.  We were careful to save
+every nail, and we found a further supply in the fore-castle.  These,
+though common "cut" nails, could readily be transformed into "clinch"
+nails by heating, in which form they would be available for fastening
+the boat together.
+
+The heavy deck planking we proposed to use for the keel and frame of the
+craft, as well as for oars and thole-pins.  All the lumber and such
+small rope as we believed would be of use to us, also quantities of
+sail-cloth, were transported to the shore and piled inside the shed.
+
+These duties were varied by occasional trips to the forest to hunt wild
+pigeons, fishing in the stream or jaunts to the pool for fruit.  These
+were holidays to us, during which work was forgotten and we all entered
+into the spirit of the occasion.
+
+Day by day the clouds of the morning lingered longer and longer and were
+less quickly dispelled by the sun's rays.  They became more sombre as
+the days went by, and sunset was preceded by fitful gusts of wind,
+indicating that the rainy season was coming on apace.  So we abandoned
+further work on the boat and began to lay in a supply of cocoanuts and
+yams.
+
+While returning from the pool one day, as we passed the bamboo thicket
+an idea occurred to me which I lost no time in communicating to Mr.
+Harborough.
+
+It was this; to fasten bamboos, of good size, around our boat, outside,
+immediately below the gunwales, reaching from stem to stern.  This would
+render it more buoyant, for the bamboo, consisting as it does of hollow
+joints, would have the same effect as air bags, or water-tight
+compartments.  Such a device would, I believed, make it impossible to
+capsize the boat, thus making it doubly seaworthy and rendering our
+escape from exile more certain.
+
+"It is a capital idea," exclaimed Mr. Harborough. "And while we are
+about it," I continued, "we may as well select a bamboo for a mast."
+
+My companions fully approved of my ideas and we at once set to work to
+cut the bamboos and carry them to the boat-house.
+
+This work occupied us a good many days, for it was slow and laborious,
+even with the aid of the axe; for the outer part of the bamboo is
+extremely hard.
+
+We now proceeded to strengthen the outer part of the wall of the house,
+and to renew the thatch of the roofs, all of which required several days
+of labor, cutting the grass and fastening it into place.
+
+A large supply of wood was gathered and stored in the farther end of the
+boat-shed; in short we made every preparation for a comfortable rainy
+season, protected from the wind and the rain.  Hurricanes could not be
+guarded against, so we only hoped that they would give us a wide berth.
+
+The first showers had set in ere we resumed work on the boat.  From one
+of the best planks we fashioned the keel, which was laid with some
+ceremony, Marjorie constituting the audience; after which we set about
+getting out the stern-post and the frame-pieces.  While we were thus
+occupied Marjorie performed the house-hold duties, and, at odd times,
+busied herself heating the nails white-hot, and dropping them into
+water, which process transformed them into "clinch" nails.
+
+She also made several bags from sail-cloth strongly sewed, for the
+reception of the gold. The bags were filled with the coins, securely
+sewed up and stored away in Marjorie's trunk, nearly filling it.  We
+decided that this would be the safest way to dispose of it for the
+present.
+
+Work on the boat went on apace, each day being much like its
+predecessor.  The daily showers became more frequent and copious and we
+saw the sun less often.
+
+At times we felt depressed and our isolation grew irksome.
+
+One morning, having had breakfast, we started for the boat-house, when
+we were brought to a sudden stand-still.
+
+A long-drawn sound like a trumpet blown at a distance echoed and
+reverberated through the trees.  It continued several seconds, during
+which we remained in a listening attitude.
+
+Neither of us spoke.
+
+It was repeated again; what could it mean, what could it be?
+
+Surely it could not come from any wild animal for we had seen none
+larger than a pig.
+
+Had we been believers in the existence of demons, we must have at once
+decided that a demon lurked in the forest behind us.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XXIII.*
+
+               _*Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island*_*.*
+
+
+Marjorie had heard the sound, also, and came toward us.
+
+Suddenly she pointed out toward the sea, uttering the exclamation,
+"look."
+
+We both turned and looked in the direction indicated.
+
+A boat was rounding the point; a real boat.
+
+There were men in it, four men.  The boat shot around the point and
+began skirting the shore toward us.
+
+We saw that they were black men, dressed in rough but civilized
+garments.
+
+They were conversing among themselves, speaking in a tongue which we did
+not understand.
+
+Were they friends or foes?  Stepping quickly into the house we took our
+guns and waited behind the stockade, standing so we could watch the
+boat.  It had the appearance of a canoe, made of wood.  Evidently the
+black men had seen our house as the canoe was turned toward the shore.
+
+She grounded in a few seconds, and the men sprang ashore.  They
+cautiously approached the boat-shed peered into it, and then came slowly
+toward the house.  Beckoning Marjorie to remain out of sight we grasped
+our guns and stepped boldly out, resolved to meet the emergency
+unhesitatingly, whatever it might be.
+
+To our surprise the black men stopped with a shout of joy.
+
+One a tall, fine looking negro, stepped toward us and extended his hand
+to us.
+
+"Fo' de Lard, Marsa; Who is yo', how long yo' ben heah?"
+
+I told him that I had been here many months, and that my two companions,
+pointing to Mr. Harborough and to Marjorie, who now came forward, had
+been here half as long.
+
+Then he told us a strange story, one which gave us great joy.
+
+He said that they were coming from their island to this one to hunt
+turtles, at the great breeding place which I had discovered on my first
+march to the mountain, and that, while nearing the east coast of our
+island a steamer came along, slowed down and then stopped.
+
+Men on the steamer seemed to be looking at the island with glasses, and
+then the whistle of the steamer was blown.  This was in the late evening
+before.  Presently the steamer started and when it came up with the
+canoe the "cap'n" asked them if there were any people living on the
+island.
+
+The black men answered in the negative, adding that none of the turtle
+hunters dared go far from shore, for a terrible savage monster half man
+and half demon, lurked in the forest. The "cap'n" told them he had seen
+a beacon on the top of the mountain, and that he believed some one was
+signalling for assistance.  So he bargained with them to follow close
+along the shore, searching carefully in every cove, while the steamer
+followed slowly.
+
+The steamer anchored during the night and the black men were taken on
+board.
+
+At daylight that morning the black men continued along the shore in the
+canoe, the steamer following.  As the canoe came in sight of the cove
+they saw the wreck and signalled back to the steamer, which had answered
+by a blast on her whistle.
+
+It was the sound of the steamer's whistle which we heard just before the
+boat appeared. In a few minutes a large steamer came in sight from
+behind the point and anchored off the cove.  A boat was immediately
+lowered and rowed swiftly ashore.  A man in uniform sprang ashore and
+came hurriedly to us, extending both his hands which we eagerly grasped.
+
+He was the second officer of the Royal Mail steamship _Dunmore Castle_,
+from England for West Indian and Colombian ports.  When off the east
+side of the island somewhat out of her course by reason of a heavy
+squall into which she had run a few hours before sighting the island,
+the first officer had seen my beacon and called the Captain's attention
+to it.  The rest had been related by the black men.
+
+My story is nearly told.  We were transported on board the steamer, with
+such of our belonging as we wished to take with us.  The great weight of
+Marjorie's trunk called forth some remarks from the men who handled it,
+but we made some casual allusion to rare sea-shells and other curios and
+felt relieved when the trunk was on board.
+
+The _Dunmore Castle_ proceeded to make her ports of call, during which
+we had to give a detailed account of our life and strange adventures on
+the island, to the wondering passengers.
+
+We were landed at Kingston, Jamaica, from whence we proceeded by stage
+over-land to Port Antonio on the north-east coast, where we embarked on
+the steamship _Sama_, for Boston, with fruit.
+
+I have nothing more of interest to relate, unless the reader may like to
+know that I see Marjorie every day still, and that her father visits us
+at least once each year, when we talk over and over again, the incidents
+that I have, in my humble way, tried to relate.
+
+
+
+
+                                 FINIS.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BOY CRUSOE ***
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+<title>A BOY CRUSOE</title>
+<meta name="PG.Rights" content="Public Domain" />
+<meta name="PG.Title" content="A Boy Crusoe" />
+<meta name="PG.Producer" content="Al Haines" />
+<meta name="PG.Reposted" content="2014-04-21 textual corrections" />
+<link rel="coverpage" href="images/img-cover.jpg" />
+<meta name="DC.Creator" content="Allan Eric" />
+<meta name="DC.Created" content="1910" />
+<meta name="PG.Id" content="45397" />
+<meta name="PG.Released" content="2014-04-14" />
+<meta name="DC.Language" content="en" />
+<meta name="DC.Title" content="A Boy Crusoe or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands" />
+
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+<meta content="A Boy Crusoe&#10;or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands" name="DCTERMS.title" />
+<meta content="crusoe.rst" name="DCTERMS.source" />
+<meta content="en" scheme="DCTERMS.RFC4646" name="DCTERMS.language" />
+<meta content="2014-04-21T21:08:20.347831+00:00" scheme="DCTERMS.W3CDTF" name="DCTERMS.modified" />
+<meta content="Project Gutenberg" name="DCTERMS.publisher" />
+<meta content="Public Domain in the USA." name="DCTERMS.rights" />
+<link href="http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45397" rel="DCTERMS.isFormatOf" />
+<meta content="Allan Eric" name="DCTERMS.creator" />
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+</head>
+<body>
+<div class="document" id="a-boy-crusoe">
+<h1 class="center document-title level-1 pfirst title"><span class="x-large">A BOY CRUSOE</span></h1>
+
+<!-- this is the default PG-RST stylesheet -->
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+<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
+<div class="clearpage">
+</div>
+<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
+<div class="align-None container language-en pgheader" id="pg-header" xml:lang="en" lang="en">
+<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>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 </span><a class="reference internal" href="#project-gutenberg-license">Project Gutenberg License</a><span>
+included with this eBook or online at
+</span><a class="reference external" href="http://www.gutenberg.org/license">http://www.gutenberg.org/license</a><span>.</span></p>
+<p class="noindent pnext"></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<div class="align-None container" id="pg-machine-header">
+<p class="noindent pfirst"><span>Title: A Boy Crusoe
+<br />       or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands
+<br />
+<br />Author: Allan Eric
+<br />
+<br />Release Date: April 14, 2014 [EBook #45397]
+<br />Reposted: April 21, 2014 [textual corrections]
+<br />
+<br />Language: English
+<br />
+<br />Character set encoding: UTF-8</span></p>
+</div>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-start-line"><span>*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK </span><span>A BOY CRUSOE</span><span> ***</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="noindent pfirst" id="pg-produced-by"><span>Produced by Al Haines.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
+</div>
+<p class="noindent pfirst"><span></span></p>
+</div>
+<div class="align-None container titlepage">
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst"><span class="x-large">A BOY CRUSOE</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><span class="medium">OR</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><span class="large">The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">BY
+<br />ALLAN ERIC</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">M. A. DONOHUE &amp; COMPANY
+<br />CHICAGO -- NEW YORK</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+</div>
+<div class="align-None container verso">
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">[Transcriber's note:
+<br />This book was also published as "A Yankee Crusoe".]</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><span class="small">MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold large">CONTENTS.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 1em">
+</div>
+<p class="noindent pfirst"><span class="small">Chapter.</span></p>
+<ol class="upperroman simple">
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#early-life-off-for-a-voyage">Early Life; Off for a Voyage</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#heavy-weather-the-sargasso-sea">Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#a-terrible-storm-leaving-the-ship">A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#cast-up-by-the-sea-on-a-tropical-island">Cast Up by the Sea on a Tropical Island</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#strange-surroundings-building-a-house">Strange Surroundings; Building a House</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#the-stockade-a-crusoe-s-life">The Stockade; a Crusoe's Life</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#a-cocoanut-calendar-food-supply">A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#thoughts-of-the-future-making-a-bow-gun">Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#starts-to-explore-the-island-turtles-eggs">Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#in-the-folds-of-a-snake">In the Folds of a Snake</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#the-mountain-cave-a-beacon-attack-by-pigs">The Mountain Cave; a Beacon; Attack by Pigs</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#return-to-the-coast-a-mangrove-swamp-fever">Return to the Coast; a Mangrove Swamp; Fever</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#a-feathered-companion-making-a-fish-trap">A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish Trap</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#another-exploring-trip-tropical-fruits">Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#a-hurricane-and-a-ship-wreck">A Hurricane and a Ship-Wreck</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#pleasant-companions-enlarging-the-house">Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#building-a-raft-visits-to-the-wreck">Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#the-march-continued-arrival-on-the-mountain">The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#an-ancient-ruin-wonderful-discovery">An Ancient Ruin; Wonderful Discovery</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#the-golden-treasure-its-removal">"The Golden Treasure;" Its Removal</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#preparing-for-departure-death-of-the-monster">Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#boat-building-a-startling-sound">Boat-Building; A Startling Sound</a></p>
+</li>
+<li><p class="first noindent pfirst"><a class="medium reference internal" href="#rescue-at-hand-leaving-the-island">Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island</a></p>
+</li>
+</ol>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="early-life-off-for-a-voyage"><span class="bold x-large">A BOY CRUSOE</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 3em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER I.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Early Life; Off for a Voyage</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>I was born in a little town in the State of
+Maine, near the close of the Civil War.  My
+boyhood life did not differ materially from that
+of the average farmer's son in the remote
+country districts of New England--except,
+perhaps, that I read more and thought more.  Hard
+work on the rugged soil, two terms each year
+in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's
+fishing now and then filled the early years of
+my life full to over-flowing.  In the winter it
+was work in the woods, cutting up the year's
+supply of fire-wood; and then, before the
+spring ploughing time, my brother and myself
+found pleasant labor and recreation combined in
+the maple woods, tapping the trees, gathering
+the sap and tending the fire under the great
+kettles where the sweet product of the maple
+was transformed into syrup and sugar.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I really think that I was more thoughtful
+than the average boy.  I know that I read
+more.  I do not remember ever feeling
+dissatisfied with my life or with the prospects
+that the future held out for me.  Probably I
+was too young for these things to trouble me
+much; but I read everything in the way of
+books and papers that I could borrow, or
+purchase by saving a little money earned in various
+ways.  I was fond of stories of adventure; but
+travel and adventure combined, interested me
+most.  Therefore, as I grew older, I became
+imbued with a passionate desire to travel in
+foreign lands.  The tropics were my ideal, and
+this feeling became stronger as the years went by.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>When I was fifteen years of age my father
+removed to a large village where there was a
+graded school, and I entered the grammar school,
+then the high school from which I was graduated.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The passion for travel still had a strong hold
+upon me, but I saw no immediate prospect of
+gratifying it, for I was obliged to look about for
+some immediate means of earning a living for
+myself.  When everything else fails, one can
+always find an opportunity to canvass for a
+publishing house or a novelty concern; so, soon
+after leaving the high school, I was trudging up
+and down the banks of the Penobscot river,
+calling from house to house.  It was discouraging
+work, but I succeeded moderately well.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Late in the fall I went up to Bangor to
+canvass that city, and it was there that I made the
+acquaintance of a gentleman, which led to the
+experiences that I am about to relate, and which
+changed the whole course of my life.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. William H. Sargent was a wealthy, retired
+merchant, with impaired health.  His wealth
+had been acquired by trading with the South
+American countries, and the West Indies, and
+he still retained large interest in many vessels
+sailing to that part of the world.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was his idea to make a voyage in one of
+these vessels, and the friendship which had
+developed between us, mostly through meeting
+in the reading room of the Public Library,
+caused him to suggest that I accompany him on
+his voyage to the Southern seas.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I accepted only too gladly, and that very
+evening I wrote a long letter to my mother,
+explaining my good fortune, bidding her not to
+worry by exaggerating, in her own mind, the
+dangers to be encountered.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The next few days I spent mostly with my
+benefactor, for as such I looked upon him,
+helping him in various ways in his preparations for
+the voyage.  As for myself, I required little
+more than a modest supply of clothing.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Sargent was thoughtful and considerate,
+however, and insisted upon my procuring much
+that I deemed unnecessary for my modest
+requirements, paying for the same from his own
+pocket.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Our craft was a trim bark called the </span><em class="italics">Ethelyn
+Hope</em><span>, built at Searsport three years before.
+She was two hundred and fifty tons gross
+measurement and sat in the water jauntily
+and buoyantly.  From her load water-line to
+the tips of her topmast she was as trim a craft
+as one could wish to see.  As she lay at the
+wharf ready for sea, everything on deck had
+been made snug, and not a coil of rope or spare
+block was out of place.  Her cargo consisted of
+case oil, salt fish and flour in her hold, and she
+carried a good deck-load of lumber.  She was
+bound for Cayenne, French Guiana, on the
+north coast of South America.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The </span><em class="italics">Ethelyn Hope</em><span> was commanded by Captain
+Thomas Witham; and the first, second and
+third mates, with nine able seamen before the
+mast comprised the crew.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Nothing remained to be done except to cast
+off the lines, when, released from her bonds the
+bark slowly moved down the river.  The sails
+on the lower yards and jib-boom were set, and
+with a light breeze favoring her, aided by the
+swift current, the city was soon lost behind High
+Head.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>By daylight the following morning we had
+passed through the "Narrows", and just at
+sunrise all sails were set and the bark squared away
+for the mouth of the bay where she was laid
+on a sou', sou'-east course as she took her final
+departure.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My spirits were decidedly buoyant as the bark
+glided out of the bay into the open sea, and a
+delicious sense of elation took possession of me
+as I realized that I was really on board a ship,
+with the land fading away behind me, bound for
+a foreign shore, the wonderful tropics, the land
+of palms of which I had read so much.  I should
+see for myself the curious things of the sea,
+strange countries and people; and perhaps
+encounter fierce animals in the virgin forests, the
+home of birds of rare and beautiful plumage.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>With a strong northwest breeze the bark stood
+away on her course, with every sail filled out
+and drawing handsomely.  Although the weather
+had been clear and the sea fairly calm, by
+sunset a thin haze rendered the outline of the
+horizon dimly visible, and the Captain began to fear
+a blow.  His nautical instinct made him sure
+that there was to be a change in the weather,
+and he gave orders for everything to be made
+secure.  And, sure enough, at dusk the wind
+freshened and hauled around into the north-east.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was about this time that I suddenly became
+conscious of a peculiar feeling, a sudden
+dizziness, like the sensation caused by a boy's first
+cigar.  I knew well enough that I was experiencing
+the first sensations of seasickness, and,
+suddenly losing interest in the sailing of the
+ship, I went below and tumbled into my berth.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Feeling somewhat better, while I lay quiet, I
+had nearly dropped off to sleep when I was
+aroused by a tremendous noise, which brought
+me to my senses, when I realized that the vessel
+was rolling and pitching wildly.  I could hear
+the howling of the wind around the deck-houses,
+and the snapping of the great sails.  Now and
+then I heard the sound of the Captain's voice on
+deck as though he were giving brisk orders; and
+I rightly concluded that we were having it very
+rough.  I looked across the cabin and saw that
+Mr. Sargent was in his berth, but as he was
+apparently not asleep I spoke to him, asking if
+there was any danger.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, I guess not," he replied.  "We are
+having a pretty stiff blow."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Strangely enough, I suppose, I did not now
+feel sick, though my head was a little dizzy, so
+I concluded to go on deck.  I cautiously ascended
+the companion way, and found the Captain standing
+near the wheel, enveloped in oil-skins, his
+head being covered by an ample sou'wester.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Hello, boy," was his greeting, "what are you
+doing up here?  The best place for you is below;
+you might get blown over-board."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>But I begged to be allowed to remain a little,
+arguing that I felt better on deck, and the
+Captain relented and found a sheltered place
+under the lee of the cook's galley, telling me
+not to try to move about the deck.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The bark was rolling and tossing, but appeared
+to be bounding through the water like a race-horse.
+Soon I heard the Captain tell the mate
+that the wind had shifted around into the east,
+and that they were in for a stiff blow, and rain,
+too, before long.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So it proved, and it was not long before the
+squall struck in earnest.  The ship careened,
+and a sea came over her weather rail, until the
+lee-scuppers spouted green water, wetting me
+a little, even in my sheltered retreat.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The rain began to fall, and the sailors had
+their hands full.  There was a great commotion
+of loudly spoken orders, the tramping of feet,
+the creaking of blocks, the rush and roar of the
+sea and the howling of the blast through the
+rigging.  All hands were called to take in sail,
+and the bark, soon close hauled, was lying over
+nearly to her lee rail.  The heavy sea beat
+against her bows with all the force which tons
+of water could exert, while the staunch little
+vessel, quivering for a moment would seem to
+hesitate, and then plunge forward to meet the
+next onslaught like an animate thing possessed
+of sensible emotions.  The spray, flying back
+over the bows, drenched the deck from fore to
+aft.  The topsail halyards had been hauled taut,
+and the sails filled out and backed against the
+masts with a noise like thunder.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I did not long remain in the scanty shelter
+afforded by the house, but made the best of my
+way to the cabin.  To make matters worse, I
+was again off my "sea-legs," and was getting
+terribly sick.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="heavy-weather-the-sargasso-sea"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER II.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>The gale continued until the end of the fourth
+day, and we were south of the deep blue waters
+of the Gulf Stream, when it abated somewhat,
+and though it continued to blow heavily, the
+sea was running more regularly, in long, even
+swells which made the motion of the bark less
+disagreeable, especially for me.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The studding sails were taken in, and the
+wind was hauled, in order that the Captain
+might be given an opportunity to determine
+our longitude.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The Captain found that we were not far off
+the course, as the wind had blown mostly from
+north, and northeast and east.  The sails were
+trimmed, and, by sundown the wind veered
+around into the northwest and blew steadily,
+while the sea gradually subsided.  We were now
+about two hundred miles to the eastward of
+Watling's Island, one of the Bahamas, also
+known as San Salvador, the first land in the
+New World discovered by Columbus.  The stars
+shone bright, and the bark, rolling easily, plowed
+the warm waters of the sub-tropic sea.  I
+remained with Mr. Sargent long on deck that
+night, watching the phosphorence of the water,
+which in these latitudes, is sometimes very
+brilliant.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The morning dawned upon a tropic sea, for
+the bark had made good progress during the
+night, and we were well abreast of the larger
+islands of the Bahamas.  The breeze was soft
+and balmy, and the ocean a deep, crystal blue,
+of a hue never seen except in these southern
+latitudes.  This is owing partly to the remarkable
+reflection of the sky but more to the extreme
+depth of the water.  Myriads of flying fish rose
+in flocks from the water and fluttered away on
+both sides of the ship as the bark glided
+through the weeds of the Sargasso Sea.  The
+Sargasso weed is a genus by itself, which, thrust
+away to the south by the mighty ocean
+currents, lies in a vast central pool, a great eddy
+between the Gulf Stream and the Equatorial
+current; and here it revolves.  It is ocean born,
+and long ages have passed since it lost its habit
+of growing on the rocky sea-bottom.  Forever
+floating it feeds among its branches whole
+families of crabs, cuttle-fish and mollusks, which like
+the plant itself, are found in no other seas.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The flying-fish interested me greatly, for I
+had read much about them.  I noticed that their
+flight was as perfect as that of some kinds of
+birds, and that it very closely resembled that of
+the swallow, in that it was a skimming, circling
+flight.  I had read that the flying-fish rarely
+leaves the water unless pursued by a shark or
+some other fish to which it is a prey; and that,
+on leaving the water it does not really fly, but,
+instead, emerges from the water on an upward
+plane, enabling it to skim along for some
+distance.  I had read, also, that the fish is unable
+to remain in the air only while its wings are
+wet.  This latter statement is undoubtedly
+correct; but I observed that its flight was perfect,
+the fish making use of its greatly elongated and
+highly developed pectoral fins, as wings.  I saw
+them flying singly and in flocks or schools, when
+they were not pursued by sharks and I was
+thoroughly convinced that they did actually fly.
+They gyrated in the air exactly like swallows,
+and moved their wings very rapidly like birds.
+There seemed to be no limit to the length of
+their flight, for they would rise from beneath
+the bows and fly away in a continuous line until
+lost to sight in the distance.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Once one dropped upon the deck in the night
+and the cook broiled it, assuring us that its flesh
+was very delicate, much like that of a fresh
+water perch; and indeed, so it proved to be.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The Captain had taken a course much further
+to the eastward than he would ordinarily.
+Usually, in going to the Guianas, the route is
+through the Bahama group, by way of the
+Crooked Island Channel, thence through the
+Windward Passage, between Cuba and Haiti
+and across the Caribbean sea by the east end of
+Jamaica.  But Mr. Sargent wished to go further
+to the eastward so as to pass among the
+Leeward Islands, perhaps landing there to await
+the return of the bark from the coast.  This
+plan could be followed without detriment, as a
+little delay in reaching Guiana was more than
+likely to result in an improved market for the
+cargo.  This explains the unusual course of the
+</span><em class="italics">Ethelyn Hope</em><span>.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="a-terrible-storm-leaving-the-ship"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER III.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>The weather continued fine for three days,
+after passing the latitude of San Salvador, with
+a fresh breeze blowing from the northwest,
+which sped the bark on her course so that she
+logged better than ten knots; but on the fourth
+day the wind swung around to the north and
+gradually hauled into the northeast, and the
+long, steady swells began to rise.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The Captain at once prepared for a gale and
+ordered the sails trimmed to meet it.  That the
+apprehensions of the Captain were grave was
+proven by the precautions taken; for not only
+was sail shortened to the last extremity, but
+the hatches were securely battened down.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The barometer began to fall about noon, and
+from that time the wind increased until it was
+blowing a gale; but just after sunset the wind
+almost died away, though the mountainous
+foam-flecked seas continued.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As the sun went down the sky rapidly
+became overcast, and a cloud of inky blackness
+appeared along the horizon.  As we stood
+watching it a long line of whiteness appeared
+between the sea and the black cloud, and
+stretched away far toward the east.  Gradually
+the white line came nearer, until it proved to
+be a wall of foam.  It was advancing toward
+the ship with great rapidity; and as it came
+nearer the air above it was seen to be filled
+with flying spray.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The wind began to freshen, and the sailors
+were hurrying about in obedience to the orders
+of the Captain, still shortening sail.  All the
+upper sails were reefed.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Nearer and nearer came the wall of foam, and
+with a roar it struck the ship, and the storm
+broke in a perfect tornado.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The bark was careened until the lee scuppers
+were submerged; and the staunch craft shook
+from end to end.  For an instant she seemed
+buried beneath the raging sea, and then rose
+and plunged into the next wave.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Sargent and I made haste to go below,
+where we remained holding ourselves in our
+berths while the ship reeled, plunged and
+groaned in every timber and plank.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>A fearful report like the crack of a rifle told
+us that some sail had been carried away; and
+then followed others.  At length, from a change
+in the ship's motion, we judged that the
+Captain was trying to put her about and run before
+the gale; but suddenly a fearful crash which
+seemed as though the bark had split from stem
+to stern was followed by a terrible rolling and
+plunging.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Crack!  Crack! and the bark pitched and
+groaned worse than ever.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We heard the Captain making his way toward
+the cabin, and then saw him enter.  His face
+wore a look of deep anxiety.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"The masts have gone," he said, "and the
+bark is unmanageable.  You must prepare for
+the worst.  We may have to take to the boats."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"At once, Captain?" asked Mr. Sargent.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"I cannot tell until the well is sounded; but
+I fear that she must founder."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At that moment the first mate entered the
+cabin and stated that the bark was leaking
+badly.  The water was rising fast in the hold.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"We must remain on the ship to the last
+moment," said the Captain, "for a boat could
+not live in this sea."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The Captain returned to the deck, and how
+long we clung to the berths I cannot tell, for I
+was dazed by the peril which threatened us--Were
+we to be lost at sea, drowned, all hands?</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The Captain again entered the cabin.  "We
+must take to the boats," he said, "and Heaven
+help us."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We hastened on deck just as we were, half
+clothed, leaving everything behind.  Nothing
+could be taken.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>When we reached the deck we saw the Captain
+standing by the starboard boat.  The other
+had been launched, and had instantly
+disappeared in the darkness and foaming water.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The Captain, first and second mate, Mr. Sargent
+and myself now alone remained on the bark.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We hurried into the boat.  "We should not
+be far from one of the outlying islands of the
+Windward group," said the captain; "and if the
+boat can live in this sea until daylight we may
+reach one of the Virgin Islands."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The tackle was let go, and a great sea caught
+the boat.  She was lifted up, and up, and up,
+and then sank, it seemed, into a fathomless
+abyss.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I saw the first and second mate bend to the
+oars.  The Captain was in the stern.  The boat
+careened and seemed to start suddenly upward
+on an inclined plane.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>A rush of water enveloped her.  I heard a
+roaring sound in my ears, and I knew no more.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="cast-up-by-the-sea-on-a-tropical-island"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER IV.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Cast up by the Sea on a Tropical Island</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>When I regained consciousness I was lying
+upon a sandy beach.  I was uninjured, but
+rather stiff, while my body seemed to be bruised
+in places.  I was, of course, wet to the skin,
+and I crawled up and lay upon the sand where
+my clothing was quickly dried by the hot sun,
+now well up.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Meanwhile I looked about me.  I had been
+driven ashore between two points of land, upon
+a narrow beach.  The vegetation, very thick
+and luxuriant, grew close to the line of sand,
+and all around me, beautiful trees were waving
+in the balmy breeze, their shining leaves
+glistening in the sunlight.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I stood up and looked behind me, but I saw
+nothing save lofty mountains heavily wooded.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had no doubt but that I was on an island,
+indeed I could be nowhere else, and I judged
+that it must be one of the most northern of the
+Leeward group.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Looking toward the sea, I saw only the broad
+expanse of deep blue water stretching away to
+the horizon.  There was no other land in sight.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The sea had become calmer, but the influence
+of the storm was still evidenced by the heavy
+surf which broke upon the narrow beach.  There
+was no wreckage of any kind, no sign of
+anything or anybody belonging to the bark.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At first the utter lonesomeness and hopelessness
+of my situation depressed me; but it would
+not do to give way to gloomy thoughts.  I was
+entirely alone, and, so far as I knew, upon an
+uninhabited island.  My future was a sealed
+book.  After a while I began to take a more
+hopeful view of the situation, and the novelty
+of my surroundings, and the strange things
+about me, aroused my curiosity.  So I
+determined to explore along the shore.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The vegetation was very dense, and appeared
+to be interwoven with vines of monstrous size.
+One kind of tree, very tall and with a heavy
+long narrow leaf seemed to be the most
+abundant; and from the descriptions which I had
+read, and by the clusters of oblong fruit at the
+bases of the leaf-heads, I knew them to be
+cocoanut palms.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"If I am really alone upon an uninhabited
+island," I thought, "at least I shall not starve
+so long as I am able to obtain plenty of cocoanuts."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Slowly I walked along the shore, my face
+being toward the east as I knew from the
+direction of the sun.  First I decided to go to the
+top of the loftiest headland to see if I could
+obtain any trace of the bark, although I felt
+sure that she had gone down, and that all but
+myself had perished; still, the loneliness of my
+situation caused me to cling to what I felt was
+but a vain hope, that some one beside myself
+had survived.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>With thoughts confused, and laboring under
+varying emotions, I walked slowly along,
+keeping on the sand except when I was obliged to
+turn aside to avoid a kind of dagger-like plant
+whose leaves were armed with cruel points.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Reaching the headland I was obliged to go
+through a thicket where my scanty clothing, as
+well as my hands, was torn by great thorns.
+However, I reached the point of land, and
+climbing to the top of a high mound I looked
+around.  Before me, and to my right and left,
+there was nothing but the blue, heaving ocean;
+and behind me, I saw nothing but a dense forest,
+with lofty mountains in the distance.  There
+was no sign of life save brilliant plumaged birds
+flitting about, and bright colored butterflies
+glancing in the sunshine.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Surely I was alone; but whether on an
+uninhabited island or not, the future alone would
+reveal.  For the present it did not matter, and
+I must certainly depend upon my own resources.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I returned to the spot where I had been cast
+ashore, meanwhile revolving in my mind my
+present condition.  What gave me great anxiety
+just then was my lack of clothing.  I had on
+only my trousers, and shirt, shoes and
+stockings; and these were all I possessed in the
+world, but I was overjoyed to find that my
+knife was still in one of the pockets of my
+trousers.  It was a good one, large and having
+two blades.  The large blade was long and
+strong, and the possession of it might mean
+much to me in the future.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Reaching the place where I regained consciousness
+after being thrown ashore by the waves.
+I began to think of finding a good place to build
+a temporary shelter.  This seemed to be as
+good a location as any, I thought, as I looked
+around.  It was in a sheltered cove, a clear,
+grassy plat surrounded by trees.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Why not make my camp right here," I asked
+myself; and as I reflected it seemed to be the
+only place where I should locate for the present,
+for here I should be in a position to watch closely
+in the hope that some vestige of the bark would
+yet be washed ashore; for I thought that, if the
+vessel had foundered, something belonging to
+her would very likely come ashore, and I felt
+sure that some parts of the boats, and perhaps
+the bodies of some of my unfortunate
+companions would be almost sure to drift in.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was, I judged, now near mid-day, and the
+heat of the sun upon my head gave me some
+concern.  I must devise some covering for my
+head.  Looking about with this object in view,
+I saw hanging from a small palm tree what
+looked like coarse canvas.  On examining it
+more closely, I found that it was really a sort of
+natural cloth, about the color of hemp, and
+composed of fibres that appeared to be very
+strong, crossing one another like warp and
+filling, but not interwoven.  Instead, the fibres
+were closely stuck together so that a strong,
+pliant fabric was formed.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>With my knife I cut off a large piece which
+I twisted about in such a manner as to form a
+conical cap.  The edges I fastened together
+with long, sharp thorns that I cut from some
+bushes near by.  This, though rude, would
+protect my head for the time being.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Before proceeding to begin the construction
+of my place of abode, I felt inclined to look
+about for some means of satisfying the hunger
+which I now felt keenly, for I had eaten nothing
+since supper the night before on board the
+ill-fated bark.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The cocoanut trees suggested the most available
+source of supply for the first meal in the
+strange surroundings in which I found myself;
+so going to a cluster of the trees near by,
+meanwhile wondering how I would manage to obtain
+the nuts fifty feet or more above my head, I
+was greatly relieved to find plenty of them
+lying upon the ground.  But the nuts that I
+saw were not like those common in the markets
+at home.  Instead, they were oblong and many
+times larger.  I soon discovered that to get at
+the meat I must first cut away the outer husk
+or covering with which it was enveloped; so I
+opened my knife and set to work.  It was no
+easy task, for the husk was thick and tough;
+but after much labor I succeeded in removing it
+until I bared the round, hard shell of the nut,
+when, with a large stone I was not long in
+cracking it, and laying bare the white meat.
+With the nut in my hands I walked about
+among the trees as I ate.  So interested was I
+in the beautiful, brilliant-colored flowers, some
+of which were of enormous size, and in
+numbers of little green lizards that hopped about
+over the leaves of the smaller shrubs, that I did
+not at once notice, as I came into a grassy,
+circular plat, that the ground beneath a compact,
+shapely tree was plentifully besprinkled with
+golden globes, and I was in a high state of
+elation when I discovered that they were oranges.
+The tree itself was loaded with green and
+yellow fruit.  I peeled one of the largest, and
+found that it was delicious and juicy, but of a
+rather different flavor from those to which I
+had been accustomed.  But here was at least
+both refreshment and sustenance, so I was in
+no danger of starving, and I made a hearty meal.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Crossing the grassy plat where the orange
+tree grew, I descended a gentle slope among
+the palm trees and soon came to a beautiful
+little stream of clear water.  Having still one
+of the halves of the cocoanut shell in my hand,
+I used it as a cup and took a long draught of
+the water, which, though rather warm, appeared
+to be pure and wholesome.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The stream at this point was quite broad and
+very shallow, and though but a few rods from
+the mouth it flowed quite swiftly.  Along the
+banks I noticed that a certain tall, reed-like
+plant grew in great profusion, and, on closer
+examination I discovered it to be a kind of wild
+cane, with large, feathery, chocolate-colored
+plumes.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I followed the bank of the stream to the
+shore, and then returned to my landing place,
+walking along the narrow beach.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Hunger satisfied for the time-being, I set
+about making preparations for constructing my
+dwelling.  Although in no need of protection
+from cold in this tropical climate, I remembered
+having read that it was not advisable to be
+without shelter at night, so I decided that my
+first task should be to construct a house, or a hut.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I first chose a clear place a little in among
+the palms, perhaps a dozen rods from the beach,
+and, as accurately as I could by pacing, I
+measured off an area ten feet square.  Each corner
+I marked by driving down a short stick, and
+then went in search of four corner posts.  After
+a little searching I found some straight trees
+about three inches in diameter, having smooth
+bark and with but few limbs, each tree forked
+about seven feet from the ground.  After an
+hour's hard work, I succeeded in cutting down
+four of them with my knife; and after trimming
+off the branches and cutting off the tops,
+leaving ample forks, I dragged them to the site of
+lay dwelling.  I next felled another pole which
+was cut in halves, leaving the butt end about
+four feet long.  This I sharpened at the thickest
+end, and with it made holes about eighteen
+inches deep at each corner of the square to be
+occupied by my house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Into each of these holes I set one of the forked
+corner posts, wedging it firmly with stones from
+the beach, driven solidly down all around it,
+filling in each with earth which I trod down
+firmly.  Four long poles were now needed to
+rest one end in each of the upright forks, so as
+to form a frame, and I started away again, this
+time toward the brook, which I followed up
+stream.  I had gone but a short distance when
+I came to a place where the stream widened
+into a broad pool.  The water here was dark
+and apparently deep, and all around it,
+gracefully bending over the still depths, I found
+growing tall plants having small, narrow green
+leaves.  The plants grew in clusters, and some
+of them were very tall, I judged from twenty-five
+to forty feet.  I hurried forward with a
+view to ascertaining whether they would suit
+my purpose, when I immediately made a
+discovery which at once solved the question of
+obtaining an ample supply of material for
+building operations, both now and in the future; for
+the tall, graceful plants proved to be bamboos.
+I knew them from the descriptions I had read,
+and from the regular joints, just like those I had
+seen on the bamboo fishing rods at home.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I selected several of the bamboos, each being
+about two inches in diameter, and although I
+found them to be very hard, I managed to cut
+them down, and to trim off the branches and
+the tops.  By making three trips I dragged the
+bamboos to my building site.  Laying them
+along one side of the area to be occupied by the
+house, I found that they were nearly twenty
+feet long.  Four of them I cut off to the
+required length.  I then raised one on either side,
+one end of each pole resting in one of the forks
+of the uprights.  A pole was then laid across
+each of the other sides, resting upon the poles
+supported by the forks, so that a sort of scaffold
+was formed, which needed only to be covered
+over to be complete.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had worked so busily and had become so
+much interested that I scarcely noticed that the
+sun was already sinking behind the palm trees,
+and casting long shadows across the beach; so,
+as I was aware that darkness very quickly
+follows sunset in the tropics, I must make haste
+and provide a temporary shelter for the night
+before suspending work.  I therefore cut the
+rest of the poles in halves and laid them across
+the two longer poles resting in the forks, thus
+forming a gridiron-like structure.  With my
+knife I cut a large quantity of leafy branches
+from the shrubs that grew near at hand, and
+then went to the brook for an armful of wild
+canes.  With this material I covered a portion
+of the scaffold, making quite a good shelter
+between myself and the sky.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As the sun sank lower and the shadows
+deepened, I felt a sense of loneliness steal over
+me, for the idea of spending the night alone, I
+knew not where, perhaps on an island, with the
+boundless ocean on one side, and a deep,
+unknown forest on the other which might conceal
+fierce wild animals, was not at all pleasing.  But
+I must train myself to know no fear, and the
+sooner I began to school myself to this end, the
+better.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Although I felt sure I should not sleep with
+nothing to protect me and with no means of
+making a fire, I instinctively began to think of
+providing some sort of couch; and again I took
+my knife and cut a quantity of bushes which I
+piled in the form of a bed beneath the scaffold.
+I next cut several armfuls of the tall grass which
+grew all around and with it covered the couch
+of bushes.  I now had an acceptable bed, so
+constructed that one end which was to serve as
+the head, was about a foot higher than the other.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>By the time I had finished it was quite dark;
+but I still stood leaning against one of the
+corner uprights with my face turned toward the
+forest, hesitating what to do next, and
+instinctively listening for some new sound.  There
+was no breeze stirring, and the sea lightly
+washed the sand with a low murmur which
+tended to increase my feeling of loneliness.
+Since sunset the air had become beautifully
+cool.  For a long time I stood motionless.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The sounds of the night were about me; and
+once I started violently when I thought I heard
+a twig crack.  Then I heard, apparently only a
+little distance away, a noise like a stone, thrown
+by some one, striking the ground; but, after the
+startled feeling had partly left me I reasoned
+that the noise was made by a ripened cocoanut
+falling from the tree.  The indistinct notes of
+many insects, new and strange, filled the air,
+and one particularly noisy insect gave forth a
+sharp clipping sound like that made by shears
+in the hands of a barber.  Sometimes a note
+like that of a bird varied the myriads of sounds.
+Feeling reassured, after a time, I cautiously lay
+down upon my couch, but still listening.  How
+long I remained conscious I cannot say; but I
+must have been very weary from the excitement
+of the ship-wreck, the hardship of being
+cast ashore and the busy day's work.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="strange-surroundings-building-a-house"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER V.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Strange Surroundings; Building a House</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>My next sensation was that of the sun
+shining in my face when I awoke in the morning.
+At first, as I looked out from beneath my
+shelter I could scarcely comprehend where I was or
+how I came there; but the events of the day
+before soon returned to me.  For a few
+minutes I lay still, looking around upon my
+beautiful surroundings.  What a perfect paradise it
+was, and how overjoyed I should be were I here
+under different circumstances.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>There was a gentle breeze stirring, just enough
+to move the feathery leaves of the palms and
+to slightly bend the tall grass; and though I
+could not see any of them, I heard birds giving
+forth discordant notes in the forest around.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>But I must stir myself, for there was much
+to do.  My house must be finished, I must
+devise some articles for personal use, and the
+problem of my future sustenance must be
+solved, for I could not long continue to work
+and subsist entirely upon cocoanuts and oranges,
+although they would answer well enough for
+the present.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So I sprang up and going directly to the
+stream I bathed my face and hands.  Having
+no towel and seeing no substitute for one, I sat
+down and dried myself in the sun.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Cracking another cocoanut in the same manner
+as I did the day before and gathering some
+oranges, I sat down with my back against the
+palm tree and proceeded with my frugal breakfast.
+As I had neglected to provide myself
+with a meal ere I retired the night before, I
+was very hungry and my appetite was not
+satisfied until I had eaten nearly a dozen oranges,
+beside the cocoanut.  Using a half shell of the
+cocoanut as a cup, I took a long drink of water
+from the stream and turned again toward my
+embryo dwelling.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I thought it best to construct the walls first
+in order to provide against the possible attacks
+of wild animals, and knowing this to be the
+first part of the dry season which, in the
+latitude in which I judged myself to be, lasts from
+the middle of November until May, there was
+no immediate necessity for providing shelter
+from rain.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The necessity of devising some plan for keeping
+an accurate account of each day as it passed,
+now occurred to me, and as I walked back to the
+pool for another supply of bamboos, I revolved
+the question in my mind.  The record which I
+proposed to keep must be indestructible, and in
+some compact, portable form so that I could
+easily take it with me in the event of sudden
+departure from my habitation.  One of the
+halves of the cocoanut shells which caught my
+eye as I passed the spot where I had partaken
+of breakfast, gave me an idea which I at once
+adopted.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Then and there I put the plan into execution.
+It was this: I resolved to use only the halves of
+the cocoanut shells that contained the natural
+holes through which the shoots of the
+germinating nut emerge from the shell.  The meat
+was removed from the half shell, leaving the
+two holes through it.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At the close of each day, as near sunset as
+possible, I would cut a deep notch in the edge
+of the shell, and each shell should have as many
+notches as there were days in the month.  On
+the completion of the month I would carve with
+my knife the name of the month and year;
+and in this way I hoped to preserve a correct
+record of the time.  As each month was
+finished I proposed to pass a cord through one of
+the holes; and for the purpose I at once braided
+a strong cord from the fibres of the cocoanut
+cloth from which I had constructed my head gear.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I remembered, accurately the day of the
+wreck, and as I had been on shore one day, I
+out the first notch, and engraved on the shell:
+"December 18th, 18--."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I marked upon my calendar I wondered
+how many shells I should have upon my string
+ere I was rescued from my lonely position.
+"Perhaps," I thought, "I may never see any
+other place."  But I resolved not to harbor
+gloomy thoughts; and tying a large hard knot
+in one end of the cord, I strung the shell upon
+it, inserting it from the outside.  Succeeding
+shells strung upon the cord would fit into one
+another like a nest of bowls.  Thus I would
+have a complete record, and a practically
+imperishable one.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I knew the day of the week on which I
+had commenced my lone life, I resolved, for
+each Sunday, to bore a hole instead of cutting
+a notch, for I intended to observe the Sabbath
+by abstaining from work.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Continuing my way to the pool, I set to work
+cutting bamboos.  I selected only those
+measuring about two inches in diameter, and before
+the sun reached the zenith I had thirty of them
+cut and trimmed, ready to drag to my house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I found it hot work, and I threw myself down
+to rest.  For the first time I caught sight of
+the birds that had been making such a babel of
+discordant sounds all the morning.  Several of
+them were flying about near the opposite side
+of the pool, and I at once recognized them as
+parrots.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"What a consolation it would be," I thought,
+"if I could capture one and teach it to talk.
+It certainly would prove far better than no
+companion."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Having landed the bamboos at the house, I
+set about cutting them into lengths corresponding
+to the height of the corner posts.  These I
+set into the ground at regular intervals, in line
+with the posts, lashing the upper ends to the
+horizontal poles resting in the forks, and to the
+poles across the other two sides, using for the
+purpose a long, supple vine which I found growing
+in plenty in the edge of the woods, twisting
+around the trunks of the trees.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="the-stockade-a-crusoe-s-life"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VI.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">The Stockade; A Crusoe's Life</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>By the time I had finished setting the poles
+into the ground, thus forming the enclosure of
+the house, my appetite began to assert itself;
+and I was again reminded that I must search
+for food other than cocoanuts and oranges.
+More substantial nourishment I must have if I
+was to continue to work and retain my health
+and strength.  But my extreme anxiety to
+carry along the construction of my house
+sufficiently far to afford a feeling of security at
+night, decided me to make a few more meals
+of the oranges and nuts before suspending
+work long enough to discover or develop resources.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Again I went to the pool and cut two more
+bamboos, each twenty feet long.  I then cut
+them in halves, making four poles each ten feet
+long.  Carrying these to the house, I lashed
+one across the upright palings midway between
+the upper pole and the ground, lashing them
+firmly to each of the palings.  This strengthened
+the structure, and shaking it with all my
+strength I was gratified to find that, though
+naturally elastic, it was firm and strong.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I now had a safe protection from any wild
+animal of moderate size and strength, I felt
+that I should be secure at night.  I was on an
+island somewhere to the northeast of the
+Caribbean sea, in fact, I reasoned that I could be
+nowhere else; and from this, together with
+what I had read, I concluded that there could
+be no very large or ferocious wild animals in
+the forests about me.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I still had some time to work before sunset,
+and I therefore went to the bank of the stream
+to cut a quantity of wild canes which I
+proposed to weave in the form of basket work,
+between the palings, thus forming the walls of
+my house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Cutting the canes was easy work, and by
+sunset I had a great pile of them landed by the
+house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Again satisfying the cravings of hunger with
+oranges and cocoanuts, washed down with water
+from the brook, I cut another notch in the
+cocoanut-shell calendar, and after sitting and
+listening to the varied insect sounds until it was
+quite dark, I retired, to my couch within the
+inclosure.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Lying upon my couch, until I fell asleep, I
+revolved in my mind various plans for the
+future.  The details for the construction of my
+house were pretty well worked out in my mind;
+and the desirability of surrounding my abode
+with some sort of a stockade occurred to me.
+I had little fear of attacks from wild animals,
+but I presumed that the island was inhabited in
+some part of it, by what sort of people I had
+not yet considered.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Indeed, it was extremely improbable that an
+island in this quarter of the world could be
+totally uninhabited.  Whether the islanders
+proved friendly or otherwise, the idea of a
+stockade as a protection against possible
+surprise met with my immediate approval.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Another question of extreme importance to
+be considered was that of a permanent food
+supply.  Perhaps only cocoanuts and oranges
+abounded in my near vicinity; at any rate, I
+resolved to carefully survey the adjacent region
+for the purpose of ascertaining its resources.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Then the question of providing clothing for
+myself must be considered, for, at best, my
+present raiment would not long survive the
+rough usage which it was now receiving, and to
+which it would hereafter be subjected in the
+bush.  I even thought it might be well to
+construct a suit from the cocoanut-fibre cloth, and
+thus save my civilized clothes for the day of
+my rescue.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Many other things passed through my mind
+in rapid succession as I lay upon my couch,
+among them the project of starting out upon a
+tour of discovery in an endeavor to ascertain
+the extent of my domain, and if it was
+inhabited in any part of it.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="a-cocoanut-calendar-food-supply"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VII.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>The notches in the cocoanut calendar grew
+in number as the days passed, busy days of
+hard, incessant labor, and four months of my
+exile elapsed ere the house was finished to my
+satisfaction and a substantial stockade erected
+around it.  The walls of my house were made
+of the wild canes closely woven like basket-work.
+It had been done very carefully, and,
+when completed, I had a perfect shelter, both
+from the sun and the wind.  The roof was made
+of the long grass, alternate with layers of
+bamboos; and by using the larger bamboos in the
+centre of the roof, when by successive layers it
+reached the proper thickness, I had a roof which
+sloped steeply from the centre to each edge,
+which, carefully covered with an outside layer
+of the long grass dressed from the top
+downward, would perfectly shed the water during
+the rainy season.  The thickness of the roof
+rendered it impervious to wet, and, as I soon
+discovered, almost a non-conductor of heat.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I left no windows in the house, as I thought
+there would be sufficient ventilation through
+the interstices of the cane-walls, but I constructed
+a door three feet wide and five feet high, by
+lashing bamboos together in the form of a
+gridiron, and then weaving in cane as I had done in
+constructing the walls.  For hinges I made use
+of vines twisted together.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The stockade surrounded the house at a distance
+of about six feet from either side, and it
+cost me several weeks of steady work.  I had
+first to cut a great number of good-sized
+bamboos, which, with only my knife, was very
+laborious work.  I had frequently to sharpen
+the knife on a piece of soft, porous rock which
+I found near the brook.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Each bamboo was cut off to a length of ten
+feet, and sharpened at the small, or upper end.
+These I set into the ground at intervals of one
+foot, to a depth of two feet.  Then, at a
+distance of one foot from the top all around the
+enclosure, I lashed long bamboos, using the
+tough vine which I found in abundance near
+the edge of the bush, winding it around each
+upright bamboo, and around the horizontal
+poles.  Between the horizontal pole and the
+ground, I wove a close basketwork of the vine.
+It was harder work weaving in this vine, as it
+was larger than the canes; but it was very
+tough, and a wall composed of it closely woven
+would prove a very effective defense.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So I kept busily at work, day after day, cutting
+the vines, trimming off the leaves, dragging
+them to the house and weaving them in around
+the bamboo uprights, until I finally had a wall
+about me elastic but capable of sustaining a
+great strain, the sharpened ends of the upright
+bamboos forming an effectual safeguard against
+the walls being scaled from the outside.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After the woven-work of vines was thoroughly
+seasoned, which did not take long, I cut
+round holes six inches in diameter, four on each
+side, about five feet from the ground, in order
+that I might command a view in all directions
+without leaving the enclosure.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>In the side facing the sea, I made a door,
+constructed in a manner similar to that in the
+house; but, for the stockade door, I devised an
+arrangement for securely barring it on the
+inside, by using two large bamboos each two feet
+longer than the door was wide, held in place by
+rings of the supple vine which I twisted about
+the two door-posts.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>These rings were made by first bending
+several inches of one end of the vine in the form
+of a circle, and then winding the rest of the
+vine around this ring.  Through these the ends
+of the bars passing across the door were placed,
+which, if anything, made the opening, when
+closed and fastened inside, stronger than any
+other portion of the structure.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>During all this time I had lived solely upon
+cocoanuts and oranges, varied with a few
+shellfish, somewhat resembling periwinkles, only
+larger, that I found along the beach.  These I
+ate raw, and found them rather palatable but
+somewhat tough.  However, as I continued in
+good health and strength, I preferred to
+complete my house and stockade before making a
+systematic attempt to provide other food.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Nothing now remained to be done in
+connection with my dwelling, but to carry into
+execution an idea which I had evolved while at work,
+that of transplanting some creepers from the
+edge of the forest and training them along the
+stockade, so that, as I calculated, in a short time,
+in this tropical land of rapid growth, they would
+completely cover the stockade, and render my
+retreat more safe from observation, should my
+solitude be invaded.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>During all this time I had suspended work on
+Sundays, but I had occupied the time in making
+short trips inland, and along the coast in either
+direction; but finding the forest very dense as I
+left the shore, I could not have gone more than
+four or five miles in any direction.  My trips
+along the shore were without results, so far as
+enlightenment concerning the extent of the
+island was concerned, for every bend of the
+coast revealed only headlands and more
+coast-line stretching away beyond.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The results of my wandering in the bush had
+troubled me not a little, for I had found no new
+fruits and vegetables, and had discovered no
+animals, or birds that I could bring myself to
+think edible.  There were only parrots and
+smaller birds, some of brilliant plumage; and
+even had I chosen to eat them I had no means
+of securing the game.  I was somewhat
+surprised not to find more humming birds.  I saw
+only one kind, a large, black species, having two
+tiny golden feathers each about six inches long
+at the sides of its tail.  Of snakes, I had seen
+none, nor land turtles.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The sea-shore, too, seemed to be as devoid of
+food supplies, for I had seen no sea turtle,
+though I knew that they should be plentiful in
+this latitude.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>But I refrained from attempting a systematic
+exploration, feeling it would be wise to first
+provide as secure a retreat as possible for my
+permanent headquarters.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="thoughts-of-the-future-making-a-bow-gun"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER VIII.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>My house was now finished, and I began, with
+a light heart to think about starting on a long
+exploring trip.  Before taking my departure,
+however, two questions of importance must be
+solved, if possible, namely, that of devising a
+weapon with which I could shoot game, if any
+was found; and some means of procuring fire.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The morning following the completion of the
+house and stockade, as I was walking toward
+the orange tree which continued to furnish me
+with an ample supply of fruit, an idea came to
+me, and so astonished was I that I had not
+thought of it before that I stopped short and
+gazed straight ahead of me for several minutes.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My knife!</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Here was steel; now for a flint, and fire would
+be procurable at any moment.  I understood
+the use of flint and steel, for many times, in our
+boyhood, my brother and I, on our excursions
+in the woods, had made fires with old gun-flints
+and our pocket-knives as steel, for cooking grey
+squirrels when we were fortunate enough to
+shoot any.  We did this from choice, because of
+the novelty.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Without further thought of breakfast I turned
+toward the shore to search for a substitute for
+flint, for I did not expect to find the real article
+here, as I had only seen soft, calcareous rock
+which appeared to be the prevailing kind.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>A long search up and down the beach failed
+to disclose any hard rock, not even a pebble of
+sufficient size.  Shells were abundant, but they
+would not answer the purpose.  I next turned
+my attention to the brook, and searched along
+the shallowest places for a hard stone.  I found
+one at last, round and flat, about the size of a
+silver dollar.  It was very dark, almost black,
+and appeared to be quite hard.  Wiping it with
+my hand I laid it down in the sun and waited
+impatiently for it to dry.  When perfectly free
+of moisture, I opened my knife, and holding
+the blade firmly in my left hand, I struck
+the stone sharply against the back of the blade,
+with a quick downward stroke.  No spark
+appeared.  Over and over again I tried but
+without success, but I saw that the stone scratched
+the steel, which gave me hope that the stone
+was sufficiently hard.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After several more trials, a tiny spark shot
+downward from the blade.  My joy knew no
+bounds.  Tinder must be procured.  Like a
+flash came to my mind the feathery heads of the
+wild cane.  If I could find one dry enough I
+thought it would do.  I at once ran up stream
+to where the canes grew, and after a little search
+I found a plume that was dead and quite dry.
+Bending the cane down I gathered a handful of
+the floss from the head, and going to the foot of
+a cocoanut tree, I lay the cane floss down by
+the foot of the tree and once more tried to
+produce a spark.  I was soon able to obtain a spark
+frequently, but they invariably failed to reach
+the floss, or to ignite when they touched it.
+But I saw that I had fire within reach, and it
+only required perseverance to procure it.
+Holding the knife blade closer to the floss, I struck
+again.  This time a shower of tiny sparks
+descended to the floss, and, yes, it had caught!
+Quickly dropping the knife and stone I partially
+covered it with my hands and very gently blew
+upon it.  A tiny wreath of smoke arose as the
+fire spread through the wad of floss.  Blowing
+upon it still harder, in short quick puffs, a tiny
+flame leaped up; and quickly gathering such dry
+leaves and grass as I could reach, I heaped them
+upon the flame.  These were followed by small
+dry sticks until I had a good fire going.  I now
+only needed something to cook, and that I
+proposed to search for.  But fire was desirable as
+company at night, and to ward off wild beasts
+should any be found; also in the future I might
+wish to make signals by the aid of smoke.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Not wishing to injure my faithful friend the
+cocoanut tree, I allowed the fire to go out,
+feeling full confidence in my ability to procure it
+any time I wished.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I now set about preparing for my journey of
+exploration, meanwhile carefully watering,
+several times each day, the creepers that I had set
+out along the walls of the stockade, until they
+showed no further signs of wilting during the
+greatest heat of the day.  The water I brought,
+with much labor and many trips, from the brook,
+in cocoanut shells.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It occurred to me to plant vines in front of
+the door of the stockade, so that, should I be
+absent for a great length of time, they would
+grow up over the door and still further obscure
+my retreat.  Acting on this idea, I searched
+about the bush for a vine less woody than those
+planted along the stockade.  At length, on the
+further side of the clearing, I discovered a vine,
+not unlike a morning glory vine, only it had
+larger leaves, climbing up a tall, smooth tree,
+and this seemed to answer my purpose.  So,
+getting down upon my knees I began to dig
+around the root in order to move it without
+disturbing the earth immediately surrounding it;
+when but a few inches below the top of the
+ground I came across a round, hard object which
+I at first thought to be a large root of the tree,
+but in digging still further around it I saw that
+the supposed root moved, until finally I lifted it
+out of the ground.  As I did so I noticed that
+it had one end attached to the vine that I was
+after.  The root was fully a foot and a half
+long, and about five inches in diameter, slightly
+rounded at the ends.  I cut off the vine with
+my knife, and ran with the root to the brook
+and washed it clean.  I now saw that I had
+found some kind of a tuber.  With my knife I
+cut through the thin rough skin, disclosing a
+white substance beneath.  Quickly cutting it in
+halves I found that the inside of the tuber was
+white and starchy.  I wondered what it could
+be.  It was not a sweet potato, for the latter is
+yellow.  Then I began to think of the roots
+that I had read about in books of travel in the
+tropics, and the first that came to my mind was
+the yam.  Yes, this must be the yam, though
+I did not know before that its foliage was in the
+form of a vine.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Here food was in plenty, healthful and nourishing,
+and sufficient to sustain life even if I
+found no other, it being only necessary to roast
+them in ashes.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I resolved to plant yam vines in front of the
+gate to the stockade, for, while the vines were
+growing up to conceal it, they would, in the
+meantime be storing away food for me against
+my return.  This plan I put into immediate
+execution.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My next thought was of devising a weapon for
+offence and defence, also to be used in killing
+game.  The idea of a bow and arrows at first
+suggested itself, but this was abandoned for the
+bow-gun, for, as boys, we were able to do good
+execution with the latter as it had a stock and
+breech, admitting of securing better aim.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Looking about for material from which to
+construct the bow-gun, the bamboo seemed to
+be the most available for the barrel; so I cut
+down one about two inches in diameter, from
+which I selected the longest and straightest
+section between the joints.  Next I cut a deep
+notch about four inches from the larger end,
+and extending to the centre of the bamboo.
+From the lower end of the notch I split away
+the upper half of the tube, thus forming a
+spout about four feet long which was to carry
+the arrow.  For a breech I selected a forked
+stick, the butt of which I carefully rounded
+and smoothed until it would fit tightly into the
+round socket at the larger end of the barrel,
+above the notch.  This, though crude, furnished
+a very fair substitute for a breech to rest against
+my shoulder when taking aim, particularly as I
+had thought to select a forked stick which had
+the butt slightly bent so that, when fixed in the
+breech-end of the barrel, the proper elevation
+was given.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The next step was to make a bow and fix it
+firmly across the under side of the barrel, at
+right angles to it, I searched about in the
+bush a long time before I found a tree of the
+right size, straight and without branches; and,
+on bending it down toward the ground and
+cutting it, I found that it was elastic and quite
+hard.  From the tree I cut a section about
+three feet long, which I squared for a distance
+of two inches in the middle, whittling what was
+to be the inner side down flat from either side
+of the squared part to either end, each half
+tapering slightly from the middle.  I did not
+remove the bark from the back of the bow.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Next I cut a square slot about the width of
+the squared part in the centre of the bow, in
+the under side of the bamboo about a foot from
+what was to be the muzzle, being careful,
+however, not to cut through into the groove of the
+barrel.  Into this I carefully fitted the squared
+portion of the bow, after which notches opening
+in opposite directions were cut on the lower
+side of the barrel, one on each side of the bow.
+With one of the supple vines I then lashed the
+bow firmly, drawing the vine over the notches.
+When the vine was thoroughly dry the bow
+would be held firmly and rigidly in place.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The question of arrows was quickly solved,
+for I could think of nothing that could serve
+the purpose better than the long smooth stem
+which supported the heads of the wild canes
+These were of just the right size and length.
+I cut several dozens of them, sharpening one
+end of each, and notching the other to receive
+the string.  To give sufficient weight to the
+execution end of the arrow, I split a piece of
+the tough vine into fine strips, with which I
+closely wound the arrows near the ends, until
+the proper weight was secured to balance them
+during their flight and thus render them accurate.
+For the wings of the arrows I used sprays
+from the plumes of the wild cane, until I could
+find something more suitable, fastening them to
+the string end with fibres from the ever useful vine.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It now only remained to provide a string for
+the bow, before the weapon could be tested.
+Carefully separating the longest fibres of the
+cocoanut cloth.  I braided them into a strong
+cord of uniform size, which I fastened to the bow.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>And now for the test!  Drawing the string
+back to the notch, I placed one of the arrows
+in the groove of the gun and, raising the gun
+to my shoulder, I released the string with an
+upward pressure of my right thumb, at the
+same time pointing the gun in the direction of
+the brook.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As straight as a line could be drawn, the
+arrow sped away over the brook and was lost in
+the thicket beyond.  I felt confident of the
+success of my bow-gun, and after constructing
+a quiver for the arrows from a piece of the
+cocoanut cloth fastened together with thorns,
+and braiding a cord with which to sling it over
+my shoulder, I turned my attention to the final
+preparations for departure.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>These consisted of providing a store of
+provisions in case I did not immediately find food
+on the way.  I roasted several of the yams,
+and gathered two dozen oranges which were
+stored in a bag made of the cocoanut cloth.  I
+did not include cocoanuts, for I was sure to find
+plenty as I went along.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I took the precaution to gather a quantity of
+the cane floss for tinder, which I placed in a
+short piece of bamboo, which I stopped up
+tightly at both ends with wooden plugs.  This
+was to protect it from moisture in case of rain.
+I also took the cocoanut calendar.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The morning for departure arrived.  Taking
+a farewell plunge in the brook, I made a hearty
+breakfast of yams and oranges, after which,
+closing the door of the stockade and fastening
+it with withes of the vine, I slung the quiver
+of arrows and the bag of provisions over my
+shoulder, took the bow-gun and started away
+along the shore, going in a southerly direction.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="starts-to-explore-the-island-turtles-eggs"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER IX.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>I followed the narrow line of sand, sometimes
+having to make a detour inland to get around a
+rocky point of land which jutted out into the
+water, or to avoid a dagger-like plant the
+spike-like leaves of which were armed with spines as
+sharp as needles.  This, I concluded, must be
+the Spanish bayonet.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The sun shone brightly, and the sea, deep
+blue and calm, stretched away toward the west,
+the long, gentle swells causing but a ripple on
+the beach.  As I progressed, the island along
+the shore became less attractive than it was in
+the near vicinity of my house; and in some
+places it had a parched appearance.  Once I
+was obliged to cross a flat area of several acres
+in extent, bounded by a high bluff, where I had
+to make my way cautiously among cactus plants
+of various kinds; some low and spreading over
+the ground and bearing beautiful, yellow, wax-like
+blossoms, and others a great size, like trees
+denuded of the smaller branches and twigs.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The sun had reached the zenith when I came
+to a small stream and sat down beneath a
+wide-spreading tree to rest, and to refresh myself
+from the provisions that I carried.  As I ate I
+gazed up among the branches of the great tree,
+whose broad leaves furnished such a grateful
+shade, when I saw that it bore fruit, round and
+green, five or six inches in diameter.  This I
+believed to be bread-fruit, from the pictures I
+had seen, and I resolved to carry two or three
+along with me, only obtaining them by climbing
+the tree.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Although I did not intend to travel steadily
+in the heat of the day during my march, I felt
+anxious to make a good beginning on the first
+day out, so after getting cool and feeling well
+rested, I went on.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I crossed the brook, scores of small brown
+crabs scudded away along the bank.  They were
+the first I had seen during my sojourn on the
+island.  Spiders, I had seen many of, some of
+great size with hairy bodies and long legs; but
+as they showed no ferocity, I had no fear of
+them.  Indeed on account of their great size I
+did not believe them to be poisonous.  As a
+rule, the natural histories said, poisonous spiders
+of the tropics are not of great size, and most of
+them have short legs.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Having made a long detour around a swampy
+place which extended to the sea, I came out of
+the bush upon a wide beach shaped like a semi-circle,
+or half-moon; and as I did so my attention
+was attracted to several large, glossy, blackish
+objects scattered over the beach.  I approached
+one, and found it to be a monstrous turtle.
+There must have been hundreds of them, and,
+one by one, as I moved about, they started away
+toward the water.  Some of them were very
+large, and must have weighed three or four
+hundred pounds.  Had I been so disposed I had
+no means of dispatching one for food, but I felt
+sure that the turtles had been depositing their
+eggs in the sand, and I could easily roast the
+eggs in the fire, which would form a very
+acceptable adjunct to my larder.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Accordingly, digging into the sand where the
+turtles had been lying, I found plenty of round
+white eggs, a quantity of which I gathered to
+add to my stores.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was now near the end of the afternoon, as
+I observed by the sun, and I decided to select a
+place to camp for the night.  I selected a spot
+near a thicket of thorn bushes, which would
+form an effectual protection to the rear, and
+then began collecting dry branches for a fire.
+The sun was low in the sky, and the heat was
+greatly moderated, and, by the time I had
+collected a large pile of fire wood, a sea breeze
+sprang up, taking the place of the land breeze of
+the day, making it cool and comfortable.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had no difficulty this time in starting a fire,
+and as soon as it had burned down sufficiently I
+buried a yam and some of the turtles' eggs in
+the ashes, and, while they were cooking I
+occupied the time cutting away a part of the smaller
+thorn bushes, making a cleared place in which I
+could sleep during the night, the thicket over
+me furnishing protection from the dampness of
+the air.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>By the time this was accomplished, and a
+cocoanut shell of water was brought from the
+brook, I judged that the yam and eggs were
+sufficiently cooked, which they proved to be
+when I uncovered them, and I at once proceeded
+to eat my evening meal.  The eggs proved to
+be of good flavor, but wanted salt.  This
+reminded me that I must provide a supply of salt,
+which I could do by evaporating some sea-water
+as soon as I had the opportunity.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was now past sunset and rapidly growing
+dark; so I replenished the pile of firewood, and
+piling a quantity of it upon the fire, I lay down
+with a bunch of grass for a pillow, and in a short
+time fell asleep.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="in-the-folds-of-a-snake"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER X.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Under the Coils of a Snake</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>When I awoke in the morning it was with a
+peculiar sense of oppression.  In the first
+drowsiness I thought there was a great weight across
+my chest; and my arms were aching.  I tried
+to move, but found that I could not lift my
+arms.  They seemed to be pressed closely to my
+aides.  Thoroughly awake now, I was terrified
+to find that I was lying beneath the folds of an
+enormous snake.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Frightened as I was beyond all expression, I
+maintained sufficient presence of mind to keep
+perfectly quiet until I could more fully realize
+my true situation--and, above all, locate the
+position of the great reptile's head.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I gazed at the great scaly coils that
+enveloped me, I saw that the snake was of a pale
+yellow color.  It was perfectly motionless.  By
+tracing the taper of its body I saw that the head
+must be somewhere near my right shoulder.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I was in a great quandary what to do.  Although
+still anxious for results, I was now quite
+calm, and my mind was full of plans for
+escaping from the terrible coils.  I dared not move
+for fear that the snake would strike me with its
+fangs, or that it might encircle my body and
+squeeze me to death.  Some snakes, like the
+boa-constrictor, kill their victims by this method;
+and while I felt sure that this snake was not a
+boa, on account of its color, I felt that it had the
+strength to crush me to death.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>For a long time I lay in this position, how
+long I could not tell; but the sun had grown
+intensely hot as it beat down upon the thicket.
+I heard the cries of the birds, and looked up at
+the blue sky with the fleecy clouds floating
+across it, wondering whether it was to be my
+fate to die here in the folds of a huge serpent.
+I wondered too, if bye and bye my bones,
+bleached white, would be found in the thicket
+on the shore of this lonely island.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I was gasping for breath on account of the
+heat, my cramped position and the weight of
+the serpent's folds across my chest, when I felt
+it move a little.  I wondered if it was preparing
+to strike me.  I did not move, and in a moment
+it began to move again, and the coils slipped
+across my body.  Slowly it continued to move,
+until my arms were free and its tail swept across
+my face.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I was now free, but I waited a few seconds to
+see if the snake was leaving me.  Distinctly
+hearing it gliding from me, I arose quietly,
+feeling stiff and sore in my arms and chest.
+The snake was not in sight, but seeing the grass
+moving a little distance away, seizing a large
+stone I sprang after it, but it escaped into the
+bush.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I reasoned that the snake must have crawled
+under the thorn bushes after I lay down, and
+that it coiled upon my body for warmth, as
+the nights were frequently uncomfortably cool;
+and so soundly had I slept that its movements
+had not awakened me.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After this unpleasant adventure I felt anxious
+to be moving, and, making a fire, cooked some
+eggs which, with oranges from the stores,
+comprised my breakfast; after which I gathered a
+few more turtles' eggs, and resumed my march.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I had done the day before I followed the
+coast, but instead of keeping along the sand I
+followed the edge of the forest, thinking it
+might prove more advantageous to do so as it
+would enable me to keep a look-out for game,
+and perhaps discover new fruits.  My progress
+was necessarily much slower, but the walking
+was easier as the trees shielded me from the
+direct heat of the sun, which, on the beach was
+terrific, the white sand producing a fearful glare
+which caused no little pain in my eyes.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I proceeded, the country became more
+open, and I frequently crossed quite large treeless
+tracts of tall grass, or stretches which, had
+it not been for the tropical vegetation surrounding
+might have been taken for New England
+pasture land.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>One morning, just after resuming my march
+as I was crossing one of the latter grass tracts,
+a bird different from any I had before seen
+arose from the ground and flew into the thicket
+on the opposite side.  Its color was light drab,
+and the wings and under tail feathers were
+white.  I approached the edge of the bush
+cautiously, meantime, drawing back the string of
+my bow-gun and fixing an arrow in place.
+Laying aside the bag of provisions I crept softly
+along, until a sharp "coo-o-o" drew my attention
+to the branches of a tree, where I saw the
+bird stepping gingerly along one of the larger
+limbs.  Apparently it had not seen me, so,
+carefully moving to one side until I had a low bush
+between me and the game, I worked up a little
+nearer in order to make sure of being within
+range of the arrow.  Then, rising quietly to one
+knee, I took careful aim and released the string.
+The sharp "twang," much to my surprise was
+instantly followed by a flutter as the bird came
+tumbling to the ground.  I hastened forward
+and picked it up.  The arrow had passed
+entirely through the neck, so that it was quite
+dead in a few moments.  I saw that it was a
+species of wild pigeon, and therefore edible; and
+I congratulated myself on securing such an
+acceptable change in my fare.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I saw no more pigeons after that, but during
+the succeeding days I found several orange trees
+from which I replenished my supply of this
+refreshing fruit.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I continued steadily on, making no important
+discoveries, following the edge of the brush, but
+always keeping the sea in sight.  Almost every
+day I went to the beach to look for turtles'
+eggs, which I usually found in abundance.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The coast continued to loom up before me,
+head-land after head-land, stretches of beach and
+rocky bay shores.  Allowing for the indentations
+of the coast that I followed, I concluded that
+the island was a large one; and, the fact that I
+was gradually turning toward the direction of
+the sun convinced me that its shape was nearly
+round.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I always camped just before sunset that I
+might have sufficient time to make a fire, cook
+and eat supper before dark.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had not kept a fire after supper was cooked,
+as, having neither seen nor heard anything of
+wild animals of any kind, I did not feel the need
+of it; and, beside, I was becoming accustomed
+to being alone, and to sleeping in the open air,
+and the nervousness of the first few nights after
+I was cast ashore had entirely left me.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At the end of the sixth day I had, in my
+journey, turned around so that the direction
+which I followed was a little more than right
+angles to that taken where I left my house.  In
+other words, instead of going nearly south, my
+course was now nearly southeast.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At the end of the seventh day I came to a
+large stream which was too wide and deep to
+ford.  The next day being Sunday I resolved
+to pitch camp and remain there until Monday.
+Meanwhile I would decide whether to devise
+some means of fording the stream, or follow up
+its course.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Although I had not, as yet, done any work on
+Sunday, I decided that it would be no great
+violation of the day to try to evaporate a little
+sea water, while I was in camp, and thus
+procure a little salt, which I was craving.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>That night before going to sleep, I revolved
+several schemes in my mind, and, ere I fell
+asleep, I believed I had solved the question of
+making salt.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="the-mountain-cave-a-beacon-attack-by-pigs"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XI.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">The Cave on the Mountain; A Beacon; Attacked by Wild Pigs</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>After breakfast the following morning, I cut
+a large quantity of fine, long grass, which I
+proceeded to make into large bunches, all I could
+hold in my hands, tieing them with wisps of the
+grass itself.  Then I cut two forked stakes and
+set them into the ground about ten feet apart.
+Going a few rods up the bank of the stream
+where I saw some bamboos growing, I cut one,
+and trimming it, carried it to the camp, and
+placed it, one end in each of the forks of the
+stakes.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Taking the grass I went to the edge of the
+beach and thoroughly saturated it in the salt
+water after which I carried it to the camp, and
+parting each bunch in the middle, I hung them
+over the pole.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The idea proved highly successful, for the hot
+sun evaporated the water very quickly, leaving
+particles of salt clinging to the grass throughout
+each bunch.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I then gathered a quantity of broad leaves
+which I laid on the ground so that their edges
+over-lapped, and by gently shaking the bunches
+of grass the salt fell upon the leaves in a fine
+white shower.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I repeated the process several times until I
+must have had fully half a pound of salt.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Preparing a short piece of bamboo by plugging
+one end as I had done in making the box for the
+tinder, I carefully gathered up the salt and
+poured it into the bamboo, enough to last a long
+time.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had determined to go no further along the
+coast, but to follow the course of the stream to
+its source which I judged must be among the
+mountains which seemed to extend across the
+northeast corner of the island.  This I wished
+to do along the opposite bank, but, as I could
+not cross the stream at this point, I decided to
+follow the bank on which I now was, rather
+than take the time necessary to construct a raft.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>If I followed the stream to its source I should
+reach the mountains, and besides, have gained
+a fair idea of the island in all but the extreme
+south-eastern part.  From the tops of some of
+the mountains, I believed that I could gain a
+very good view of the small portion untraversed,
+or rather not encircled by my route, which
+could not be very great.  If the island was
+inhabited anywhere in that direction, I believed
+I should see some signs from the tops of the
+mountains.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I really had no faith that the island was
+inhabited, for, being comparatively small, if there
+were people there I must have met some signs,
+ere this, to indicate it.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had another object in wishing to reach the
+mountains, which was to see if any land was in
+sight to the south, east and southeast.  One
+thing I was perfectly sure of, that this island
+was near the Virgin group, perhaps a little north
+of those islands, if not even one of them; so
+that, if people did not regularly inhabit it, there
+must be islands not far away that were inhabited,
+and people must, therefore, occasionally
+visit my island.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I felt, moreover, anxious to reach the mountains
+as quickly as possible, because, as I had
+calculated from my limited knowledge of the
+climate, the rainy season must soon set in, which
+would make travel unpleasant, if not difficult or
+impossible.  And besides, I wished to be away
+from the lowlands of the coast during heavy
+rains, as I knew it could not be so healthful as
+the mountains.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So, getting my effects together, I set out,
+following the course of the stream.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>For the first few miles the stream flowed
+across a flat country, which became rocky the
+further I went, and the stream became more
+rapid in its flow.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Several pretty cascades were passed and, in
+places, I was obliged to do some sharp
+scrambling over rocks that were overgrown with
+creeping vines, among which convolvuli were
+conspicuous.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>For four days I continued to ascend the
+stream, until lofty hills began to rise on either
+side abruptly from the banks; which indicated
+that I was getting very near the mountains.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The sides of the foot-hills were heavily
+wooded, but, as I left them and entered the
+mountains, gradually ascending to a higher
+altitude, the vegetation grew less dense and
+changed in its general appearance.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The stream was now little more than a small
+rushing mountain torrent, foaming over the
+rocks.  At the end of the fifth day, just before
+sunset, I reached the source of the stream, for
+coming suddenly to a wall of rock above which
+the mountain rose precipitously, I beheld the
+brook bubbling forth from the bowels of the
+mountains.  I decided to camp here for the
+night, and proceeded about my usual preparations
+for getting supper.  I had no yams, but
+plenty of oranges; but presently I saw some
+yam vines growing a short distance away, and
+it was the work of a few minutes only to
+procure enough for supper and breakfast.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>When I awoke in the morning the sky was
+partially overcast.  As I had calculated, the
+rainy season was undoubtedly about to set in,
+and I resolved to hasten to the top of one of
+the mountains as quickly as possible, as I felt
+that, upon the outlook from the highest elevation
+depended my plans for a considerable time
+in the future.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So, hastily preparing and eating my morning
+meal, I climbed to the top of the rock which
+rose above my camping place, and saw that the
+highest mountain was not more than five miles
+away.  I set out at once.  The way was not
+difficult except where it led across a deep ravine
+at the foot of the mountain, where the undergrowth
+and creepers formed a dense tangle; but
+once through this, I found the way almost clear
+of low bush.  I now began a steep climb.  As
+I ascended, the cocoanut trees became less
+plentiful, and their places were taken by other
+species of palm, great ferns as large as trees,
+and giant cacti.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As nearly as I could tell, with the sun partly
+obscured by clouds, it was near mid-day when I
+came upon a broad table-land of grass, dotted
+here and there with groves of trees.  Beyond,
+rose the last peak.  Fearing rain, I pushed
+forward, resolving to reach the top before dark,
+and camp, so as to be ready to take observations
+early the next morning.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was quite dark when I came to the summit.
+I could see nothing, of course, until daylight,
+and I searched about for a place to camp.
+There was a strong breeze blowing and the air
+was quite cool, so I found shelter behind a great
+boulder and prepared to spend the night.  I
+still had a few yams with me, and three turtles'
+eggs, and these I cooked and ate.  I then
+proceeded to make myself as comfortable as possible
+by lying close to the rock, and, having nothing
+else to do, I went to sleep, the long climb
+having wearied me.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Once or twice during the night I awoke feeling
+very chilly, and I was not sorry when the
+first faint gleam of dawn appeared.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The sun rose clear, but, to the south-east,
+fleecy clouds were scudding along toward the
+land.  In all directions, however, the line of the
+horizon was distinctly visible, and the peak
+commanded a view of the sea at all points of
+the compass, and of the whole island.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I scanned the line of sea and sky all around,
+but saw nothing that looked like land.  A little
+to the south-east there was a faint, serrated line
+against the sky, but I concluded that it was only
+a cloud.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I stood scanning the great rim of the
+ocean, there came to me a strong feeling that I
+would like to establish a beacon on the summit,
+one, if possible, which could be seen from a ship
+several miles at sea; and the more I thought of
+this project the more strongly was I convinced
+that it would be a wise thing to do; for, in the
+event of a ship's passing on this side of the
+island, a prominent structure on the mountain
+might attract attention and lead to my rescue.
+I thought it all over as I retraced my steps to
+the boulder, and resolved to look about for a
+suitable place to make a substantial shelter
+while engaged in the work.  I deemed it
+advisable to go further down the mountain where
+the vegetation was more plentiful, and where I
+might find fruits, and possibly game--though
+game did not seem to be plentiful, but brilliant
+plumaged birds were numerous.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>In the edge of the bush between the table
+land and the mountain peak, I discovered a
+small grove of about a dozen orange trees, and
+here I at first thought that I would make my
+camp; but a little further to the south I saw a
+great rock, which appeared to over-hang several
+feet; and the idea at once struck me that it
+might be wise to encamp beneath its shelter.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So, turning in that direction I was not long in
+reaching the rock.  It was at the base of a spur
+of the mountain; and the top not only
+overhung the base considerably, but, there was a
+sort of natural excavation which formed quite a
+large cave, open on three sides, it was true; but
+here I saw great possibilities in establishing my
+camp while erecting the beacon.  Besides, I
+fully expected the rainy season to set in almost
+any day, and should I have to stay here for
+several months, the rock would afford me the best
+of shelter.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So, having decided to make this the base of
+operations for the present, I took my bow-gun
+and set out to forage for supplies, of which I
+stood in immediate need.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I went down among the trees in the intervale
+between the two mountains.  The vegetation
+was very luxuriant, but not so dense as in
+portions of the lowlands across which I had marched.
+I had noted that the cocoanut palms were less
+plentiful here, and that there were several other
+kinds of palms that I had not seen before.  One
+of these had a trunk covered with great sharp
+spines, and from the grapelike cluster of fruit at
+the top I knew it must be an oil palm; but I
+saw only a few of these.  Another had a bottle-shaped
+head of vivid green just below the leaves,
+which I at once recognized as the "mountain
+cabbage," or cabbage palm.  These were very
+plentiful.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Skirting the edge of the bush, a short distance
+to the north, I turned to penetrate further
+toward the valley, when suddenly, as I took a step
+forward, I felt myself sinking downward.  I threw
+down my gun and tried to save myself by
+clutching the creepers; but I continued to sink
+into a mass of vines.  I was considerably
+frightened, and wondered, for a brief moment, if I
+had fallen into the opening to a cavern; but
+suddenly my feet touched solid earth, and I
+found myself standing beside what appeared to
+be an old wall--about the height of my shoulder.
+Pushing aside the creepers I saw that it
+was really a wall, built of large stones and some
+kind of mortar.  I was so astonished at the
+discovery that I could scarcely collect my thoughts.
+Looking around, I was still more perplexed, for
+only a few feet away there was a rectangular
+enclosure which looked like the ruined foundations
+of a house.  I found that the wall extended
+for perhaps fifty feet in each direction, the
+opposite side being flush with the rising ground
+above.  An examination of the rectangular
+enclosure showed unmistakably that it was a
+portion of the foundation of a house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>What could this mean?  It could mean but
+one thing; that people had lived here.  But
+when, I could form no opinion; but from the
+appearance of the masonry it must have been
+many years before.  The ruins, as well as the
+wall, were thickly overgrown with creepers and
+other vegetation.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Still further signs of the former presence of
+man now attracted my attention.  A great
+plant, like an immense lily, with broad leaves
+six or seven feet long was growing near by at
+the edge of the small clear area surrounding the
+ruins; and, on going nearer to examine it I
+quickly recognized it from the great bunch of
+elongated fruit which hung from the crown of
+leaves.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Banana trees!</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>And there were many of them scattered
+around.  Here was a never-ending supply of
+food, of the most nourishing kind.  I walked
+around to the south side of the clearing, where
+I found other trees, much resembling, in general
+appearance, the banana trees; but the fruit was
+much larger, and curved like a scimitar.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My reading of books of tropical travel stood
+me in good stead as it aided me in recognizing
+trees and fruits that proved of great use to me.
+This latter, I knew to be the plantain.  A still
+further search revealed yams, and several clusters
+of canes, much larger than the largest cornstalks
+that I had ever seen.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Here was another valuable discovery--sugar
+cane!  Taking out my knife I cut one of the
+canes, and was delighted to see that it was full
+of limpid juice.  I tasted it and found it very
+sweet and very refreshing.  I sucked several
+joints of the sugar cane dry, and then turned to
+gather some of the bananas.  The bunches were
+rather small, but several appeared to be quite
+ripe.  I also dug some of the yams, and with a
+sugar cane under one arm, my bow-gun under
+the other, the yams and bananas in my hands, I
+started back to the camp.  I could not climb
+the wall, loaded as I was, so I set about to go
+around the end nearest to my cave-dwelling;
+when I saw a pigeon, like one I had shot near
+the coast, fly up and alight on the wall.  As
+quickly as I could I laid down my load, and,
+adjusting an arrow in the bow-gun, took careful
+aim and released the string.  Again my aim
+was true, for the arrow pierced the neck close
+to the body.  It must have been killed almost
+instantly, for it quickly ceased fluttering.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>With this addition to my forage, I proceeded
+slowly to the camp.  With food for two days at
+least, I now began to form plans for making
+the "cave," as I chose to call it, habitable.  I
+proposed to close the two ends and a portion of
+the front, by setting bamboo, which I had seen
+growing plentifully in the valley below, into the
+ground, and weaving in vines.  I only intended
+to make a temporary shelter against the wind,
+and had no idea of spending the time and labor
+that I had on my house on the coast.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was slow work cutting the bamboos and
+dragging them up to the cave, and this occupied
+me several days.  These had to be cut into the
+proper lengths, and set into the ground, so that
+the upper ends would come firmly up against
+the overhanging rock.  As I worked, my plans
+for the future matured, so that I foresaw an
+extended sojourn here.  The ultimate outcome
+was, that the inclosing walls of the cave were,
+when finished, fully as substantial as those of
+my house at "Sargent" Bay, as I had resolved
+to call the place where I had drifted
+ashore, in honor of my late benefactor.  The
+paling of bamboos was closely interwoven with
+vines, and I constructed a door for the front.
+I now had not only a comfortable but a
+substantial dwelling, which would afford protection
+from the wind and rain, no matter from which
+direction they came.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>About every other day I went to the old ruins
+to procure bananas and yams; and, on these
+trips, I shot several pigeons which proved to be
+very delicate and tender.  I often roasted yams,
+and found them to be very hearty food; and
+became very fond of them.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Frequently, of late, there had been showers
+of rain, which proved to me that the rainy
+season had set in.  I made frequent trips to the
+top of the mountain, and, each time, I saw that
+the peculiar serrated line against the sky, which
+I at first thought must be a cloud, had remained
+stationary.  This convinced me that it was land,
+and as it was evidently the top of a mountain
+range, it must be a great distance away.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I speculated as to what land it would be.  If
+my suppositions were correct as to the position
+of the island on which I was exiled, from the
+direction it might be one of the Virgin Islands.
+If so, the Leeward Islands lay beyond, further
+to the east and south-east.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My mind was now filled with the project of
+erecting a substantial beacon, one which would
+be seen from some distance at sea.  Gradually
+I evolved plans for the structure.  The first step
+was to cut the tallest and largest bamboo which
+I felt capable of dragging to the peak.  I found
+one that suited me.  It was a long tedious task
+to cut it down with my knife, but it was finally
+accomplished, and I dragged it to the front of
+the cave.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was my intention to devise a headpiece to
+fasten securely to the top of the bamboo in order
+to render it as conspicuous as possible.  This
+would have to be done before the bamboo was
+raised and set into the ground.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The daily showers became more frequent and
+more severe, and some days the rain would
+sweep across the mountain in perfect torrents.
+Nevertheless, I succeeded in cutting several
+more bamboos, of smaller size, and I also brought
+several bunches of bananas and plantains, and a
+quantity of yams up to the cave.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I now set to work to complete the beacon.
+Cutting the bamboos to the required lengths, I
+lashed them together in such a manner as to
+form a sort of gridiron, eight feet long and six
+feet wide.  This I filled in with a basket-work
+of vines, woven very loosely that the wind might
+easily pass through it, to prevent its being blown
+down when raised to the top of the pole.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At length the beacon was finished, the gridiron
+being firmly lashed to the upper end of the
+bamboo; and I had been on the mountain seven
+weeks.  The rainy season was well under way;
+but I worked during the intervals when it
+ceased to rain, and, by means of a sharpened
+stick, aided by my knife, I dug a hole fully four
+feet deep, on the highest part of the mountain.
+I found it difficult work to raise the bamboo
+with the gridiron at the top, and plant its base
+in the hole, but, after many trials, I succeeded,
+after which I wedged it firmly with stones and
+earth solidly packed.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It would be useless to attempt to leave camp
+while the rain continued, and I had fully
+reconciled myself to remain until the close of the
+rainy season; and I hoped that I could find
+enough to do to occupy the time.  I was
+obliged to go frequently in quest of food, and I
+set about preparing a brief account of the
+circumstances of my exile in the island, the date of
+the wreck and the date of the raising of the
+beacon; also, explicit directions for finding
+"Sargent" Bay, where my house stood.  This
+was carved in deep letters around the smooth
+surface of a large section of bamboo, like a
+Chinese prayer cylinder.  This was fastened to
+the bamboo signal pole, a few feet from the
+ground, to guide anyone who might chance to
+notice the beacon and investigate its meaning,
+to my rescue.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I made a coat and kilt reaching to the knees,
+from cocoanut cloth.  The coat was without
+sleeves, but it would save my only shirt, and the
+kilt would prove a great protection to my
+trousers, which were already showing signs of
+hard usage.  These garments were sewn together
+with fibres of vines, a long, sharp thorn being
+used as a needle.  I also made a new hat, of
+more skillful workmanship than the first, which
+I had worn until the present time.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Twice, each day, I went up to the beacon to
+scan the horizon.  I saw no vessels, but the
+distant, faint outline of mountains remained in
+sight.  This position commanded a view of the
+entire island, and I studied it with interest.  It
+was nearly circular in shape, and I calculated
+that it was not over forty miles in diameter.  I
+had thought seriously of descending to the
+eastern slope of the mountains, and exploring the
+small portion which had not come, thus far,
+within my projected route.  This belt of
+country, between the foot of the mountains and the
+sea, seemed, from my elevated position, to be
+very flat, and more sparsely wooded than the
+other side of the mountain; but the question of
+its being inhabited was settled by the torrents of
+rain, for, for miles to the east and south-east the
+country was under water.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The rain had apparently been the heaviest on
+the east side of the island, for none of the west
+side was inundated, as far as I could discern; but
+the stream, along whose banks I had marched
+from the coast, was swollen to the size of a great
+river.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After I had made the clothing, I searched the
+edge of the bush until I found some wild canes,
+growing by a swampy place, from which I made
+a supply of arrows.  Frequently I shot a pigeon,
+the birds apparently being driven into the open
+by the rain.  One day when I went to procure
+a fresh supply of bananas, as I extended one
+hand to cut off a bunch, I sprang back and
+quickly retired several rods.  The cause of my
+precipitate flight was nothing more nor less than
+a great yellow snake, exactly like my unwelcome
+companion on the coast.  It was coiled among
+the leaf stems of the banana tree.  I did not
+disturb it, not feeling particularly curious as to
+its disposition under the present circumstances;
+and the next time I came it was gone.  I named
+it the "banana snake," in commemoration of
+the latter incident, and because of its color,
+which was nearly that of a ripe banana.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The nights, at this elevation, and during the
+rain, were cold, but the cave was quite comfortable,
+and I built a small fire just inside the door
+each night, to drive out the dampness; having,
+from time to time before the rain became too
+constant, filled all the available space in the
+cave with dry wood, only reserving enough
+room to lie down to sleep.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The weeks passed, rather tediously after I
+could think of but little to do, but the rain was
+not so steady and, almost every day, there were
+several hours when it entirely ceased to fall.
+There being only short grass around the top of
+the mountain, I utilized these intervals of the
+cessation of rain by exploring the mountain to
+the line of the bush, all around.  There was
+nothing but rocks, with occasionally a few small
+shrubs.  But one day I made an interesting
+discovery.  Nearly down to the line of the
+bush on the opposite side from my camp, I came
+across a similar over-hanging rock; but on
+going under it, I perceived a large crevice, which,
+on close examination, I found extended into the
+mountain for some distance.  I had my tinder
+and flint with me and, gathering a few dry
+leaves and sticks that lay around near the
+opening, I made a fire at the entrance.  By its light
+I could see that I had found the entrance to a
+cavern, but I could see only a few feet from the
+mouth.  The walls were dark and the top of
+the cavern was not more than four feet from
+the floor.  I determined to still further explore
+it with a torch.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>For a week I did not again go near the
+cavern, but made daily trips to the beacon for
+the purpose of taking observations, but all the
+time I was trying to invent a torch.  Nothing
+suitable for the purpose, which would burn for
+any length of time, suggested itself to me,
+until, one morning, while at the ruins for yams
+and fruit, I saw some ripe cocoanuts on the
+ground.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Why not use the oily kernel of the nut?"</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I at once proceeded to act upon this suggestion.
+Taking a couple of nuts to the camp, I
+split them in halves, fastening one into a split
+stick, making a sort of ladle.  Hastening to the
+cavern on the other side of the mountain, I
+made a little fire at the end of the stick, and
+had the satisfaction of soon seeing the oily
+meat of the nut blaze up in a steady, yellowish
+flame.  Watching it for a moment, I saw that
+the meat charred very slowly, while the oil was
+tried out by the heat to feed the flame.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Taking the torch and the spare nuts with
+which to replenish the torch, I entered the
+mouth of the cavern.  I was both surprised
+and disappointed, for it was neither beautiful
+nor grand.  The roof was low, and the walls
+were dirty and grimy.  The cavern was not
+more than six feet wide and four feet high, and
+I was obliged to stoop as I moved along.  The
+cave took me straight into the mountain for a
+few rods, when I came to what appeared at first
+to be the end; but I soon discovered a small
+opening a little to my right, through which,
+after hesitating a little, I crawled on my hands
+and knees.  I went but a few feet before I
+emerged into a chamber of considerable size,
+where I could stand erect; and here I was
+greeted by a cloud of bats that flitted about as
+though bewildered by the light, their wings
+making a curious, uncanny fluttering sound.  I
+could see the roof plainly, and clinging to it, with
+their heads downward, were thousands of bats.
+There were, depending from the ceiling, a few
+small stalactites, but they were dark and grimy.
+I examined the floor of the cavern, which
+revealed to me its true nature.  I was in a guano
+cave, the floor of which was thickly covered
+with the guano of the bats, the accumulation of
+centuries, probably.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"What a fortune there is here," I thought,
+"if all this guano could be cheaply conveyed to
+the coast and loaded into vessels."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Although the air in the cave seemed to be
+pure, it was not a pleasant place, and most
+unattractive; so, after discovering a small passage,
+like the one I had just crawled through, leading
+further into the mountain, I retreated toward
+the entrance and was soon in daylight, feeling
+no desire to further explore a cavern devoid of
+all the beauties usually attributed to such
+natural phenomena.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The days dragged now, as I waited for the
+weather to clear, with nothing to break the
+monotony but occasional trips to the ruins for
+yams, oranges, plantains, bananas and sugar
+cane; and sometimes I would stalk pigeons,
+when my bow-gun proved very effective,
+especially as I every day became more skillful in
+using it, while the birds suffered in consequence.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Several times each day I went to the beacon
+to scan the horizon; but I saw no sign of a
+vessel.  I reasoned that my island must be out
+of the regular track of vessels going to the
+Windward or Leeward Islands, as I knew it to
+be, of ships bound to the South American coast,
+Central America or any of the large West India
+Islands.  But the far distant mountains still
+showed plainly against the horizon.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>While gazing away toward the east one day,
+the idea came to me to try to construct a boat,
+on my return to my house on the coast, in
+which to attempt to reach the distant land.  I
+was not skilled in sailing a boat, but I reasoned
+that, with a fairly staunch and steady craft,
+provided with some sort of a sail, I might, when a
+long period of fair weather was promised, escape
+to the land which I dimly saw to the eastward.
+This plan occupied my mind continually for
+days, and, so seriously did I begin to consider
+it, that I became extremely impatient to start
+away for the coast.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Three weeks more of weary waiting, and the
+rain ceased to fall steadily, and then the sun
+began to break through the clouds at intervals,
+but the showers were still frequent.  From the
+beacon I could see that the floods in the
+lowlands to the east were subsiding, and that the
+river along which I had traveled from the coast,
+was assuming its normal proportions.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Gradually the clouds dispersed, and whole
+days of bright sunshine followed.  The rainy
+season was drawing to a close.  A few days of
+clear weather would dry the ground and the
+bush so I would be able to set out for the coast.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I felt a pang of regret at the thought of
+leaving my home under the cliff; but then, perhaps
+I might come back.  I could not tell.  Perhaps
+I should have to give up the idea of building
+the boat, and then it might be years before I
+was rescued.  I might, indeed, spend my entire
+life here alone; but this thought I put away
+from me.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My preparations for leaving the mountain
+were easily made.  I left the house under the
+cliff exactly as it was, save the closing, securely,
+of the door; and one morning as the sun came
+up out of the sea, and the lovely island verdure
+lit up with a gorgeous blending of green, purple
+and gold, I took a farewell look all around the
+horizon from the peak, and, with my gun,
+arrows and bag of provisions, dressed in the
+rudely made cocoanut-cloth garments, I started
+down the mountain, taking, as nearly as I could,
+a northeast course toward the coast.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The ground was yet sufficiently damp to
+render it pleasantly springy and cool to my
+feet, and the freshness of the verdure of the
+forest and bush which I traversed imparted to
+the air a pleasant coolness, even though the
+sun shone fierce and hot.  Birds were flitting
+like iridescent gems through the trees, and
+tittering curious discordant cries.  Not since
+the beginning of my exile had I been conscious
+of such cheerfulness and light-heartedness as on
+this morning--and, with all, I had the feeling
+of going home, as, indeed, I was.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Crossing the valley at the foot of the first
+mountain peak, I ascended the lower spur and
+descended its side toward the level country
+which lay between it and the coast.  In general
+appearance, the bush here did not materially
+differ from that to the southwest, traversed
+during my march from the coast months before.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Shortly after entering the belt of virgin forest
+which skirted the base of the mountain range,
+I emerged into an opening, perhaps two acres
+in extent.  It was covered with thick grass,
+green and luxuriant after the rains.  The grass
+was not tall, perhaps two feet high, apparently
+a new growth, and I started to cross it.  A tall
+cactus, a veritable tree, stood alone near the
+centre of the grassland, and toward this I took
+my way, thinking that I would like to examine
+it closely, as it was the largest one I had seen
+on the island.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After examining this giant of the tropics, I
+continued my way across the intervening space
+toward the bush on the other side.  I was nearly
+out of the grass, when a strange sound caused
+me to stand still and look about me.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The sound came in a series of short, angry
+grunts, like "woof! woof!" and, a short distance
+to the left I saw the grass violently agitated,
+while the noise came nearer to me.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I at once decided that some animal was
+coming toward me, whether to attack me or not, I
+could not tell.  But I quickly decided that the
+most sensible thing for me to do would be to
+seek safety.  Naturally I thought of the bush,
+and ran toward it.  The moment I started to
+run the "woof, woof!" followed me, and I
+increased my speed as fast as I could, hampered
+as I was by the thick grass.  The terrible,
+guttural sound gained upon me as I plunged
+on, but at last I reached the bush, and, seeing a
+large tree with branches near the ground, just
+ahead of me, I dropped my gun and bag of
+provisions, and grasped the lower limb.  Quickly
+I climbed up to what I considered to be a safe
+distance, and then looked down to see what sort
+of a beast my pursuer would prove to be.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had but a second or two to wait, for soon,
+not one but three shot out of the grass and
+rushed to the foot of the tree.  I could not
+mistake them.  They were pigs, wild pigs.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>They looked up at me with little, cruel looking
+eyes, and one, the largest, which had probably
+led the chase, snapped his jaws, showing long,
+white tusks, ran around the tree and continued
+the "woof, woof!" throwing up his head and, as
+he apparently grew more angry because I was
+above his reach, flecks of foam were flung from
+the ugly jaws.  This one was, without a doubt,
+the boar.  The other two were smaller, and
+seemed to be taking matters more coolly.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>They were villainous-looking beasts, gaunt,
+with long legs and sharp, pointed heads; and
+their color was a sort of rusty-red.  Feeling
+perfectly safe, the question which naturally first
+occurred to me was, "how long shall I be
+besieged in this position?"  There seemed to be
+but one course to follow, at present, and that
+to await developments.  The pigs had not
+appeared to notice my paraphernalia.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After a while the boar grew calmer, and
+finally all three lay down near the foot of the
+tree.  I made myself as comfortable as possible,
+and looked down at them.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The day dragged along monotonously, while
+I was able to change my position so frequently
+that I was not cramped; but I began to get very
+hungry, having eaten nothing since early in the
+morning.  The pigs continued to remain on
+guard, the boar now and then getting up and
+regarding me contemplatively, until the sun
+sank behind the forest.  Then the pigs moved
+away into the grass.  It was soon dark, and the
+moon, which was near its full, came up over the
+mountains; but I was not long able to distinguish
+the movements of the pigs in the uncertain moonlight.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Patiently I waited, until the moon was
+directly over the clearing.  There was no sound
+of the pigs, and, after a little, I slid to the
+ground and, cautiously gathering up my gun
+and provision bag, moved noiselessly away into
+the bush.  The moonlight favored me, and I
+hurried on for several miles, when I was brought
+to a halt by a small stream.  Feeling safe from
+the pigs, I decided to camp here until daylight.
+I did not dare make a fire, so, after satisfying
+hunger with a portion of a pigeon which I had
+roasted before setting out, and an orange, I sat
+down by a large tree and, leaning against the
+trunk, was soon asleep.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="return-to-the-coast-a-mangrove-swamp-fever"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XII.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Return to the Coast; A Mangrove Swamp; Fever</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>When I awoke it was morning, and the sun
+was fully an hour up.  Taking a hasty bath in
+the cool water of the stream, and after a hurried
+meal, crossing the stream on the stones that
+were not submerged, I set off along the east
+bank.  The stream flowed in a northerly
+direction.  By keeping close to the edge of the
+forest I made rapid progress.  Nothing occurred
+to distract my attention, except the sight of a
+small flock of pigeons, one of which I killed.  I
+encamped for the night in the edge of a thicket,
+and made a fire to roast the bird which I plucked
+while waiting for a bed of coals.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At daylight in the morning I continued my
+course down the stream which was now much
+wider and deeper.  Its edge was thickly fringed
+with bamboo, and the idea came to me that I
+might construct a raft from them, and float
+down stream to the coast; but then, the stream
+was apt to become suddenly shallow in places,
+and it contained many large stones, and after
+delaying for several days while constructing the
+raft, it might prove to be time and labor lost.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At the close of the fourth day, as the sun was
+declining behind the palm trees, I was astonished,
+on emerging from a thicket, to see the ocean,
+blue and calm, stretching out before me.  I had
+failed to note the fact that I had followed a
+more direct course from the coast than when I
+marched toward the interior, and that the
+mountains were much nearer the north coast than the
+west.  For the last two days I had noticed that
+the cocoanut palms were more plentiful, as were
+also the bamboos along the stream, both of
+which should have reminded me of my approach
+to salt water.  I had reached the coast sooner
+than I expected.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Knowing that I would probably not be able
+to cross the stream at its mouth, I found a place
+where a few stones rose above the water, and
+managed to cross to the other bank.  The
+mouth of this stream differed from that of either
+of the other two streams that I had seen.  It
+was broad and muddy, covering a wide expanse,
+and what seemed the strangest to me was that
+trees were growing from the water, covering the
+entire area of the mouth of the stream.  Each
+tree rested upon the apex formed by a cluster
+of roots, which rose from the water, looking like
+gigantic spiders or devil-fish.  I could see
+under the whole aquatic forest, a tangle of slimy
+roots above the dark water.  The air was
+permeated by an indescribable stench; and around
+the edge of the dark recess, black, hairy crabs
+crawled about, or lay by the festering pools.  I
+concluded that this was one of the famous
+mangrove swamps, and I decided to retire from such
+an undesirable locality.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Accordingly I proceeded along the beach
+until I was free from the smell of the swamp,
+where I made camp for the night beneath some
+spreading trees near the water's edge, making a
+fire and roasting yams, and broiling a pigeon
+which I had killed just after crossing the stream.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>When I awoke in the morning I felt that a
+change had come over me.  I felt dazed, the
+back of my head was aching, and I had a
+burning fever.  After a few moments I remembered
+the swamp.  The air which I had been breathing
+must be laden with fever.  I staggered to
+my feet and, without stopping to get breakfast,
+I started along the beach, my course now being
+toward the west.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I felt very weak and walked with great difficulty.
+I was obliged to stop frequently to rest,
+and toward mid-day I managed to eat the
+remainder of the pigeon that I had broiled the
+night before.  Once I saw some orange trees,
+but the fruit was both sour and bitter.  I sucked
+some of the juice, however.  The bitter and
+the acid seemed to allay my fever a little, and I
+soon felt less weak.  I camped at sundown, and
+went to sleep with confidence that my condition
+would be improved in the morning, as I was at
+a safe distance from the swamp.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>For two days more I marched along the
+shore, finding sweet orange-trees frequently, and
+plenty of pigeons whenever I chose to make a
+short detour into the forest.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At last a high mound appeared ahead where
+the shore seemed to take a sharp sweep toward
+the south, and, hurrying forward, I was soon
+standing at the top of it and, to my great joy,
+looking down upon the bay where I had been
+cast ashore.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Crossing the familiar little stream, I hastened
+toward my house.  It was with a feeling of
+relief that I saw that everything was apparently
+as I had left it.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="a-feathered-companion-making-a-fish-trap"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XIII.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish-Trap</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>Everything about my house was as I had left
+it.  Nothing had been disturbed, the overflowing
+stream not having reached it.  The vines
+around the stockade now completely covered it,
+and the yams that I had planted in front of the
+stockade-gate were thick and luxuriant, the
+great, bean-like leaves completely concealing
+the entrance.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The effects of the fever were fast leaving
+me, and I grew strong rapidly.  There was
+much to do, now that I was settled down at
+home.  I dug up the yams in front of the
+stockade-gate and stored them in the house for
+future use.  Then I carried out the couch and
+made a new one of fresh branches and grass,
+more comfortable than the first had been.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I also made two fire-places, mere enclosures
+for keeping the coals in place.  These consisted
+of circular enclosures of stones brought from
+the stream, each about three feet in diameter
+and one foot high, one being in a corner of the
+house for use during rainy weather, and the
+other in the enclosure of the stockade, near the
+gate.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My next thought was to plant yams by the
+trunks of all the trees near the house.  This
+would furnish me an inexhaustible supply, and
+of a superior quality, as the vines would have
+plenty of chance to climb, up and around the
+tree trunks.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>One day while walking through the bush in
+search of pigeons, having succeeded in killing
+two, I came across several cocoanut palms of
+much smaller size than any I had yet seen.
+They were not more than fifteen feet high to
+the base of the leaf heads, and their tops were
+very spreading, much more so in proportion to
+the length of the trunks than in the case of the
+larger trees.  But these all bore great bunches
+of nuts, and I began to wonder how the unripe
+nuts would taste, and whether they contained
+more water than the ripe ones.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>With but little difficulty I climbed one of
+them, and with my knife clipped the stems of
+several of the nuts, which went tumbling to the
+ground.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Descending, I cut off the husk of the end
+opposite the stem, until I could make a hole
+through the shell.  The latter was very thin
+and soft, and the knife went through it easily.
+My knife was always in excellent condition,
+kept so by frequent sharpening on the stone
+which I used for striking fire to the tinder.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Raising the nut as though it were a canteen,
+I drank the water.  It was somewhat different
+from that of a ripe nut, much sweeter, more
+limpid and very cool and refreshing.  After the
+water was drained from the nut I out it open, when
+I found the whole inside lined with a whitish,
+translucent pulp, of the consistency of solid
+jelly.  This I found to be delicious, but, after
+having eaten a little, rather sickish.  However,
+I carried several of the unripe nuts to the
+house, and soon became very fond of them.  I
+made frequent trips to the young palms and the
+water became my principal beverage, while my
+only dessert was the jelly, for which I carved a
+rude spoon from a piece of hard wood.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I noticed that the parrots were not so noisy
+as they had been before I left for the interior,
+and for several weeks I was at a loss to account
+for it.  But one evening, while returning from
+the water-cocoanut palms, I espied two
+diminutive parrots fluttering through the bush.  They
+were young ones and not quite able to fly,
+though nearly fledged.  They would launch out
+from a limb, sometimes falling short of their
+next perch, and sometimes striking against a
+limb, when they would flutter to the ground,
+making small, parrot-like cries.  They were a
+beautiful green, with red wing feathers and red
+breasts and necks.  The parent birds all the
+while remained near-by, as though encouraging
+the little ones in their attempts to fly.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I tried to catch one of them, but they were
+sufficiently active to evade me successfully.  I
+felt a great desire to capture one and teach him
+to talk, for I sometimes longed for a companion
+to speak to.  Finally I evolved a plan for
+catching one.  I set to work to construct a net, for a
+snare would injure them.  I prepared a great
+quantity of fibres from the cocoanut cloth, and
+with it wove a purse-shaped net, perhaps two
+feet in length.  This was to be suspended to a
+limb of a tree, and baited with a piece of roast
+yam suspended over the mouth of the bag in
+such a manner that, when the young parrot
+reached for it, he would be almost sure to lose
+his balance and fall in.  Its weight, together
+with the fluttering of the bird, would draw the
+mouth of the bag together and prevent its escape.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>This net cost me several weeks of work, but
+it was at last finished and ready to set.  This I
+did very carefully, selecting a low limb in what
+seemed a favorite place for the parent birds to
+give flying lessons to the little ones.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>For several days the net remained undisturbed,
+and every morning I supplied it with a fresh,
+white piece of yam.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>One morning, just at daylight, I was awakened
+by a great outcry of parrots, and, feeling
+sure that one of the young birds had fallen into
+the net, I hastened toward it.  Sure enough,
+the net had done its work, for it was bobbing
+about and swaying from the limb, while muffled
+little shrieks came from the nearly-closed
+mouth; and from the trees around there arose
+a perfect babel of discordant cries of parrots,
+old and young.  The two parent birds were
+perched on the limb over the net, when I
+arrived, but on my approach they flew away a
+short distance, hurling cries of defiance at me.
+Carefully I cut the net clear of the limb and
+carried it to the house, the belligerent little
+parrot all the time fluttering and shrieking,
+and striking at my hand whenever it was near
+the opening.  I reproached myself for not
+thinking to make a cage for it when captured,
+and I was obliged to secure the opening and
+deposit the net in the house, while I made a
+cage for my future companion.  This was not a
+difficult task.  Going to the brook where the
+wild canes grew, I cut a quantity of them and,
+cutting them to the required length, I stuck
+them into the ground, leaving spaces about two
+inches wide.  The canes formed a small yard
+about two feet square.  The top was covered
+with a piece of cocoanut cloth, the edges being
+tied all around to the upright canes.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>How to get the fighting little bird out of the
+net and into the cage was the next question.  I
+did not exactly relish the idea of putting my
+hand into the net, so finally I decided to lift one
+corner of the cocoanut cloth on the top of the
+cage, and, loosening the mouth of the net, insert
+it under the cloth, at the same time reversing
+the net.  The scheme worked perfectly and the
+little parrot tumbled into the cage, his feathers
+all ruffled.  He was a curious little thing and I
+laughed aloud as, without uttering a sound, he
+proceeded to smooth his feathers, and then to
+circumnavigate the cage.  He then retired a
+little from the bars and regarded me with the
+utmost seriousness, canting his head, looking at
+me first with one eye and then the other.  Then
+he began to dress his feathers, evidently
+resolved to make the best of it all, and to feel
+perfectly at home from the first.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I made my pet a little run-way outside the
+wall of the house, constructing it in the same
+manner as I had the cage, covering it half with
+cloth and the remainder with canes so he could
+have both sun and shade.  This enclosure I
+connected with the cage by cutting a square
+hole through the wall of the house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As the weeks passed, the parrot grew, his
+wing and tail feathers developed, and he became
+very beautiful.  He enjoyed his new home,
+apparently, spending a part of his time outside,
+and part inside.  He enjoyed the sunshine, but
+would never remain long in it.  He preferred
+the shade of the cloth covered portion.  Nights,
+he always passed inside, and I made a perch for
+him to sleep on.  It was simply a cane passing
+through the cage and securely fastened to a bar
+on each side.  Hours and hours he would spend,
+swinging on this bar over and over, holding on
+with his claws, and then with his stubby beak.
+I fed him on yams, bananas and oranges, but
+the banana was his favorite food.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Every day I talked to him, telling him all
+about the ship-wreck, discussing with him the
+various tasks that occupied me, and the
+probability of my rescue.  I named him Puff Ball on
+account of his shape when captured, and then I
+called him simply "Puff."  Puff listened
+patiently to all I had to say, frequently
+interjecting a sharp comment.  Sometimes he would
+interrupt me by setting up a loud screeching,
+and I always had to cease talking when Puff
+had the floor.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>For weeks he did not appear to attempt to
+imitate my words, and I began to despair of
+teaching him to talk, when one morning, as I
+lay awake for a few minutes before arising, I
+heard him softly chattering to himself.  I
+listened and heard him say "Puff," "Puff," very
+distinctly.  I was delighted and, going to the
+cage, I complimented him on his first attempt.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Once while bathing in the stream, I noticed,
+for the first time, several fish gliding through a
+quiet pool.  From the momentary glance I had
+of them they appeared to resemble the white
+perch of the lakes at home.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>This opportunity to add to my larder could
+not be neglected, and I set to work to devise
+a plan for capturing them.  I thought, at first,
+of making a hook from thorns; but this idea
+was abandoned as not apt to be practical, and I
+hit upon a plan for making a net.  The first
+inspiration gradually developed into a trap, and
+took definite shape as I revolved the matter in
+my mind.  It was a simple device, but I spent
+much time and patience in perfecting it.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>First selecting one of the supple vines, about
+half an inch in thickness, I bent it into the form
+of a hoop, two feet in diameter, uniting the
+two ends by lashing them with smaller vines.
+Then, with the aid of a sharp thorn and thread
+from the fibre of the cocoanut, I sewed together
+pieces of the cocoanut cloth so as to make a bag
+three feet long, with an opening of the same
+diameter as the hoop.  Then I sewed the edge
+of the opening of the bag firmly to the hoop,
+which kept the bag rigidly open.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Next, from more vines, I wove a funnel-shaped
+basket, the larger end fitting inside the
+hoop, while the smaller end, which was inserted
+into the bag, had an opening about six inches
+in diameter.  The larger end of this basket,
+which was like an inverted cone, was lashed to
+the hoop, all around.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>This was my fish-trap, and as soon as it was
+ready I took it to the brook.  The water was
+normally low and, finding the narrowest place
+in the current, I built across it a wall of stones,
+having an opening in the centre of the wall, in
+width just a little less than the diameter of the
+hoop.  The trap was then set into this opening,
+with the mouth pointing up-stream, the gentle
+current keeping the bag distended, while the
+hoop projecting across the edges of the opening
+in the wall held the bag in position.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I expected that the fish, swimming downstream,
+finding no other passage, would enter
+the opening of the bag and pass through the
+small opening in the lower end of the cone,
+thereby becoming imprisoned.  From similar
+devices that my brother and myself had made
+and used in the brooks at home, I knew that,
+once inside, the fish would huddle in the lower
+end of the bag and make no effort to repass
+through the opening in the end of the cone.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="another-exploring-trip-tropical-fruits"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XIV.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>The morning following the setting of the
+trap I removed it and, allowing the water to
+drain out through the meshes in the bag, I
+found three beautiful silvery fish, not unlike
+the white perch of the northern waters.
+Cleaning them, I broiled them over the coals, and
+found them to be delicious, delicate and fine
+flavored.  After that I had no lack of fresh fish.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Puff, meantime, had made rapid progress in
+the art of talking and could carry on quite a
+conversation--and many were the hours I spent
+assisting him in adding to his vocabulary.  He
+insisted upon following me everywhere I went,
+always walking and never making any attempt
+to fly, his instructions in the use of his wings
+having been neglected since his capture.  When
+walking through the bush in search of pigeons
+and other provisions, I always carried Puff
+perched upon my shoulder, and he never made
+any attempt to escape.  He seemed as perfectly
+satisfied with my society as I was with his, and
+we kept up a continuous conversation.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My supply of salt becoming nearly exhausted,
+I procured a large supply, enough to last me
+many months, by the same process as had been
+employed on the first experiment while marching
+along the coast.  This I sealed securely in
+joints of bamboo.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Having no particular task on hand, one afternoon
+I proceeded to prepare a supply of provisions,
+roast pigeon, fish, yam, a few oranges
+and half a dozen green cocoanuts, preparatory
+to setting off, the following morning, to explore
+along the bank of the stream, which flowed
+almost by my door, toward its source.  I knew
+that this was a separate stream, independent of
+the other two that I had met with.  I remembered
+that I had not crossed a third stream on
+my march from the mountains, and I was curious
+as to its source.  Certainly it must be much
+shorter than the other two.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Seeking my couch early in order that I might
+set off by daylight, before going to sleep I
+remembered that I needed a new supply of arrows.
+This would necessitate delaying another day,
+and in the morning I set to work, and before
+sunset I had several dozen of much better made
+arrows than the first ones.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>With my quiver and provision bag slung
+across my back and with Puff on one shoulder
+and the bow-gun on the other, I set out just as
+the sun was rising above the palm trees.  I
+kept to the left bank of the stream, and soon
+passed "Bamboo Pool" where I had first
+discovered these useful plants.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I walked along rapidly, stopping only to
+refresh myself and Puff.  The way was easy,
+for there were very few shrubs or thorn bushes
+along the bank.  But I had to occasionally turn
+aside to avoid inhospitable cactus plants, and
+the sharp, dagger-like plant which grew
+plentifully almost everywhere.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Just as I was thinking about seeking a good
+place to camp in order that I might make
+myself and Puff comfortable before dark, I was
+brought to an abrupt stop, where I stood transfixed
+with surprise; for I had reached the source
+of the stream, less than a day's journey from
+my house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Before me there was a little pool, only a few
+feet across, and its centre was bubbling and
+boiling.  The water which supplied the stream
+flowed from the bowels of the earth.  While
+the pool was violently agitated, no sound was
+made by the up-rushing water.  My brook was
+simply the outlet of a subterranean river.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I at once made camp for the night, determining
+to spend a day around the pool before
+returning.  I kindled a fire for the sake of its
+cheering effect, and made my supper from the
+provision bag.  Puff was satisfied with a banana.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After a frugal breakfast in the morning--for
+I had only some plantain and a part of one of
+the fish left--I set out to explore the forest in
+the near vicinity of the pool.  Almost
+immediately I came across some banana trees, and
+near by a few plantains were also growing.
+Further around I found a couple of orange
+trees.  This seemed quite a natural garden, and
+it was not so far away but that I could make
+frequent trips from home for bananas and
+plantains.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Penetrating a little further into the forest, I
+came to a little clear spot, in the centre of
+which grew two large, handsome trees, each
+with straight, rather smooth trunks, with
+symmetrical tops.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At first I thought both the trees were of the
+same kind, but I soon noticed that the leaves of
+one were larger than those of the other, and
+more pinnate.  I discovered that both trees
+bore curious-looking fruit.  The fruit, too, looked
+something alike.  It was large, round, and green
+in color, with a pebbly rind.  Several were lying
+under each tree; but that under one of the
+trees was decayed, and when I tried to move it
+with my foot it yielded to the pressure, and as
+the mass parted it looked like uncooked bread.
+The fruit under the other tree was firm and
+hard.  I was at a loss to solve the mystery.
+Cutting one of the latter, I found that it had a
+very hard shell.  Procuring a long pole from
+the bush, I succeeded in knocking off some
+fresh fruit from the other tree.  On cutting
+this I found that the skin was thin, and that the
+inside had something the appearance of a yam.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I carried one of each to camp, when it occurred
+to me to roast the latter, and see if it proved
+good to eat.  While it was roasting in the coals,
+I cut the other green globe in halves, and found
+that the hard shell was very readily separated
+from the meat, leaving two nice bowls, suitable
+for drinking vessels, and perhaps for cooking.
+When I thought the other was thoroughly
+roasted, I took it from the ashes.  The
+transformation was marvelous.  The fruit was now
+like light, white bread.  Very cautiously I
+tasted it, and found that, while it possessed no
+decided flavor, it was very delicate.  I tried
+some with a little salt, and mentally pronounced
+it delicious.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Before going into camp for the night, I
+procured half a dozen of each fruit, and, early in
+the morning, after adding a supply of bananas
+and plantains to my burden, started to return
+to the house, which was reached early in the
+evening.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I became very fond of the new fruit, which
+answered for bread; and I made dishes from the
+shell of the other which served for drinking
+vessels, and I even boiled some fish in one of
+them.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My time was now occupied by various tasks.
+Frequent trips were made to the pool.  I
+planted more yams, and made frequent excursions
+hunting pigeons.  I also made a complete
+suit of clothes from the cocoanut cloth, including
+a hat and a pair of very substantial moccasins,
+for my shoes were all but useless.  These
+things were varied by giving Puff lessons in
+conversation, in which he proved to be an apt
+scholar.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had seen no turtles on this part of the coast,
+and I contemplated a journey to the cove where
+I had seen them months before, as soon as, from
+my calendar, I judged it to be their breeding
+season.  I had long craved more of their
+delicious eggs.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As the days and weeks passed, frequent
+showers came up; and after a time, the showers
+of warm, tepid rain became more frequent.
+Some were very violent, with high wind, and
+occasionally thunder and lightning.  They rose
+quickly and as quickly passed over, when the
+sun would burst out, making the drops falling
+from the trees glisten like silver.  But there
+came a day of almost steady rain, and, after
+consulting my calendar, I found that it was
+about time for the rainy season to set in.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I had hardly thought of the rainy season since
+my return from the mountains.  Indeed, I had
+intended to set to work and attempt to construct
+a craft with which to try to reach the distant
+land to the east.  But now I must wait for
+another rainy season to pass before attempting
+it, for the sea would be too rough to risk a
+voyage in a rude and frail craft.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I allowed gloomy thoughts to take possession
+of me, which I did not even confide to Puff, who
+was my only comforter.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="a-hurricane-and-a-ship-wreck"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XV.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">A Hurricane and a Shipwreck</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>I strove to occupy my mind by digging a
+large store of yams, and gathering hundreds of
+cocoanuts, and storing them inside the house
+for use when the rain should prevent my going
+far from the shore.  I also gathered an immense
+quantity of dead branches for firewood, which I
+piled in the rear of the house, covering it thickly
+with grass and then broad leaves and bark
+stripped from the trees, to shed the water.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The rain became almost constant, and after a
+day of hard work making some repairs that I
+thought necessary on my house, I lay on my
+couch, secure from the rain and wind, thinking
+of the past, present and future.  The wind had
+risen rapidly until it had become a gale.  I
+listened to the rustle and flapping of the leaves
+of the palm trees, and to the roar of the waves
+on the shore.  At length, through the crevices
+around the door I could see that the night was
+frequently lighted up by vivid flashes of
+lightning.  Heavy thunder began to rumble away
+back over the forest.  The wind increased, and
+then came a roar which seemed to shake the
+earth, and shrieks sounded above the dashing of
+the surf as the wind came with terrible force.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I could hear the stockade creak, and see the
+walls of the house tremble.  The rain came in
+torrents, and swept against the enclosure.
+Another blinding flash and roar, and, above the
+rattle of the palm leaves I could hear the crack
+and crash of breaking and falling branches and
+tree trunks.  A hurricane had broken over the
+island.  I lay appalled, and listened to the
+terrible havoc of the tempest.  I could not close
+my eyes.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It seemed as though the night would never
+pass; but after long, weary hours, a faint gray
+light stole into the house, denoting the approach
+of day and the end of that awful night.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The storm abated a little, but the crashing
+sounds continued to come from the forest.  As
+soon as it was light enough to see plainly I
+ventured to go outside the stockade.  The
+structure had withstood the force of the wind; but
+what a pitiful sight greeted me as I looked
+about.  Many of the tall cocoanut palms that
+had been my friends and companions from the
+first lay prostrate, twisted and broken.  The
+ground was covered with nuts, leaves and
+broken branches.  The little stream was full to
+the very top of the banks.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The waves roared and thundered on the
+narrow beach.  I turned toward the sea and thought
+about the night of the wreck.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>But had I gone mad?  Had the horrors of
+the night so affected my mind?  I covered my
+eyes, and in a moment looked again.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Yes, out toward the bluff, only a few rods
+from the shore, was a vessel.  It lay as though
+at anchor.  I saw that it was a barkentine.
+The vessel had not anchored; she was stranded.
+Then I ran to the shore and waved my arms
+wildly.  I could not go to the bluff on account
+of the swollen stream.  I saw several men
+walking around the windlass.  Then they ran
+excitedly along the deck; and then I saw but
+two men on the deck.  I gazed out at the
+rocking vessel and saw a boat slowly swing around
+the bow.  It was filled with men rowing.  I
+saw the boat pointed toward the shore.  I
+watched it eagerly.  The boat seemed to make
+no headway.  But, yes, it was slowly making
+headway.  Then again my heart sank, as through
+the flying spume I saw a mountain of water, a
+great billow many times higher than the stranded
+ship, come rolling into the bay.  I stood
+transfixed with horror, spellbound, as I watched the
+water, coming with the speed of the wind, with
+a roar which every instant became more terrific.
+Powerless to aid the poor souls in the boat,
+struggling against a forlorn hope, in this moment
+of peril--of instant death, I stood, sick and
+faint, in contemplation of their fate.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The great wave now overhung the vessel.
+Its foam-fringed crest curled over and, with a
+fearful snarl of anger, like some dread monster
+with jaws agape, it rushed over the vessel and
+obscured it from sight.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I sank to the ground and covered my face, as
+I wept in anguish.  I was overcome at the
+awful thought of the catastrophe and by the
+instant, but full realization of my great
+disappointment,--almost at the moment when rescue
+from my long, lonely exile seemed near, every
+hope vanished; and in a few moments I should
+see the bodies of those whom I hoped would
+succor me tossed ashore, bruised and mangled.
+These thoughts flashed rapidly through my
+mind as I sank to the earth.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Yet there was a faint hope, and the flitting
+thought caused my courage to revive for an
+instant.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>If the boat, perchance, escaped being
+swamped and should be borne far enough toward
+the beach to ground firmly and thus escape
+being carried back by the receding water, her
+passengers might be saved; but if not, her fate
+was certain, for she would be hurled back upon
+upon the reef and not a soul would escape.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I started to my feet and strained my eyes in
+the direction of the vessel as the huge wave
+thundered upon the beach, the water rolling far
+up toward my house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Oh, the awful anguish of that moment!  At
+first I could see no sign of the vessel, but as
+the succeeding wave subsided I caught a glimpse
+of the vessel and saw that her masts, spars and
+rigging were hanging about her in a tangled
+mass of wreck.  The hull seemed to remain in
+about the same position, it only having careened
+shoreward.  The boat was nowhere to be seen,
+though I carefully scanned every inch of the
+swirling water.  Perhaps it had been dashed
+ashore unseen by me, obscured in the cloud of foam.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I dashed to the beach and ran eagerly along
+the shore, hoping to find the boat and to rescue
+her passengers who, if discovered, would be in
+a state of insensibility.  But my search was
+fruitless, and I stood again a hopeless castaway,
+no nearer rescue than when, on that bright
+morning after the storm which sent the </span><em class="italics">Ethelyn
+Hope</em><span> to the bottom, I regained consciousness
+to find myself alone at this very spot.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I returned to my house and tried to reconcile
+myself to my disappointment, and to adjust my
+mind to the rapid succession of events in which
+were mingled joy and sorrow, hope and despair,
+all within little more than a half-hour.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Fortunately my house, thanks to the
+thoroughness with which the builder, assisted by
+nature, had done his work, had withstood the
+fury of the hurricane and had proved to be
+impervious to the rain, so I had no difficulty in
+making a fire, by which I prepared breakfast,
+drying my costume in the meantime.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The wind had by this time nearly all died
+away, though the incessant roar of the surf
+continued on the beach.  Hoping still that some
+one from the ill-fated vessel might escape to
+keep me company, I went again to the beach,
+walking along toward the creek.  Seeing neither
+a body nor a sign of the boat, I started to
+follow along the bank of the creek with the
+intention of crossing it and searching along the
+shore in front of the bluff; but I had taken
+a few steps only when I stopped in astonishment,
+for almost at my feet, her shoulders upon
+a tangle of reeds, lay the body of a young
+woman.  I thought she must be dead, for she
+was very white and her eyes, while open, were
+fixed, turned upward toward the palm leaves.
+As gently as I could I lifted her and with some
+difficulty bore her to a mound at the foot of a
+palm tree, where I laid her carefully down,
+resting her drooping head in a natural position.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Poor girl--for she was but a girl--cast up
+by the sea, dead; and that was all I could ever
+know, about her.  How tenderly I would lay
+her beneath the tropical flowers on the bluff, in
+a grave lined with soft grass!--alas, all I could do.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Sadly I gazed at the still form, and was about
+to turn away again toward the beach when, to
+my great surprise, I thought I noticed a faint
+tremor on her face and a movement of her
+hands.  I must be mistaken; but no, again
+there was a movement--no mistaking it this
+time--then her eyes closed.  I knelt beside
+her and held her wrist.  It was cold, but I
+thought I could detect a tiny flicker of the
+pulse.  Certain now that life remained, I lifted
+her as tenderly as possible.  She was very slight
+and I could easily bear her weight; but her
+body was so limp that I found it difficult to
+carry her, supporting her head at the same time.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>However, I reached the house, bore her within
+and laid her upon the couch.  Then I took a
+piece of the cocoanut cloth, hastily twisting it
+to make it as soft as possible, and went to work
+vigorously chafing her wrists and hands, and I
+was presently rewarded by seeing her open her
+eyes.  Her head was turned slightly away, but
+with a faint sigh she moved it toward me.  With
+a wondering gaze she looked full into my face
+for a moment, and then her eyes closed again.
+She had lost consciousness, and I again chafed
+her hands and loosened her wet garments about
+her throat.  In what must have been a few
+moments only, but what seemed to me to be
+hours, she again opened her eyes and I saw her
+lips move.  I bent close to her and made out to
+catch her words, faintly whispered.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Where am I?  Is papa here?"</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>That was all, for then she swooned away again.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Her father.  How strange it all was, and now
+for the first time, I remembered that I had not
+noticed a woman on the deck of the ship before
+the boat was launched.  Satisfied now that her
+life was safe, I left her, hurried to the beach and
+renewed my search, when, directly in front of
+my door, with the water washing partly over it,
+I saw the body of a man resting upon the sand.
+From his appearance I judged him to be a
+sailor.  I dragged the body out of the water.
+The limbs were rigid and there was a deep gash
+on the left temple.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Feeling certain that life was extinct, I turned
+and continued my search.  I soon picked up an
+oar, and as I came to the mouth of the creek I
+saw something which caused me to start back,
+involuntarily.  It was a hand protruding from
+a pile of broken reeds.  Hastily I tore away the
+reeds, revealing the body of a man, which, I
+noticed, was not dressed like a sailor.  While I
+was moving the body away from the edge of the
+creek I observed that the man was rather past
+middle life, well built and rather stout, of medium
+complexion, with thick hair and moustache, both
+being sprinkled with gray.  His limbs were not
+rigid, which caused me to hope that a spark of
+life remained.  I therefore began to treat him
+as I knew drowning persons should be dealt
+with, and shortly, to my great joy, he began to
+revive and was, ere long, able to sit up and look
+about him.  He gazed at me in seeming wonder
+as though thinking me to be a being of a
+different species from himself, which was not to be
+wondered at in view of my picturesque costume.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh Marjorie, my poor girl:" were his first words.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"If you mean your daughter, sir," I said,
+"she is safe and sound in my house yonder."  He
+extended his hand to me, which I took and
+held while he recovered his vitality sufficiently
+to go to the house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"I fear we shall intrude greatly upon the
+hospitality of your household;" he said, with a
+little effort.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"No fear of that, sir," I made reply; "for the
+company of yourself and daughter is certainly a
+great pleasure to me and I am the sole member
+of my household."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Are you alone, then?" he asked.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Yes, sir, alone on this island," I answered.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>He was going to say more but I begged him
+to desist until he was stronger, and until he was
+able to proceed to the house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>He expressed himself as being fully able to
+do so, and as he seemed anxious about his
+daughter I assisted him to rise; and, placing an
+arm about him I supported him as he walked
+slowly to the house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The meeting of father and daughter was a
+joyous one.  The girl was able to sit up and the
+color was returning to her cheeks.  I could not
+help noticing at a glance that she was very
+pretty, tall with a slender well moulded figure,
+with brown hair and blue eyes and a clear
+complexion.  She was, I judged, anywhere from
+seventeen to nineteen years old.  With usual
+feminine thoughtfulness of her appearance she
+had already coiled her hair neatly and
+rearranged her damp garments as well as she was
+able.  While I stirred up the fire so that my
+visitors might dry their clothes, the father
+related, briefly, the story of their experiences.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>His name was Richard Harborough, of Halifax,
+Nova Scotia, from which port the wrecked
+barkentine, </span><em class="italics">Three Sisters</em><span>, of which he was the
+owner, hailed.  His family consisted of his wife,
+and three daughters for whom his vessel was
+named.  He had determined to make a voyage
+in his vessel for health and recreation and his
+daughter Marjorie, a student at Dalhousie
+College, whose health had been impaired by
+overstudy, had accompanied him, the family
+physician strongly recommending a voyage in
+the southern seas as a restorative.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The </span><em class="italics">Three Sisters</em><span> had taken out a cargo of
+general merchandise to Demerara, British Guiana,
+and after discharging she had proceeded to
+Greytown, British Honduras, where she had
+taken in a partial cargo of mahogany for Boston,
+proceeding from the Central American coast to
+San Domingo where she took on board sufficient
+logwood to complete her cargo.  During heavy
+weather the seas that came aboard had polluted
+her fresh-water casks and seeing the island just
+at dusk they had put in toward it intending to
+anchor until morning and then to come ashore
+and refill her casks.  But the storm broke upon
+her, the rain obscured the island, and she would
+have gone ashore had she not struck one of the
+hidden coral reefs.  What prevented her masts
+from going overboard the men could not
+explain; but it must have been a miracle, they
+said.  As soon as the barkentine struck, the
+anchor was let go, by which it was hoped she
+would be prevented from drifting, until
+daylight.  When first I saw the men on the deck
+they were hauling up the anchor, finding that
+the barkentine had not drifted, with the
+intention of taking it to windward and trying to work
+her off the reef by heaving at the windlass.
+But realizing that the vessel was hopelessly
+aground, and fearing that she might break up,
+it was decided to try to reach the shore, the
+result of which attempt I had witnessed.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="pleasant-companions-enlarging-the-house"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XVI</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>I told them, as briefly as possible, the story
+of my exile on the island, to which they listened,
+seemingly with the greatest interest, refraining,
+on account of delicacy, I supposed, from asking
+about my strange garb.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"And now," I said at the conclusion of my
+narrative, "you must make yourselves at home
+and as comfortable as possible, while I see about
+dinner"--for it was just mid-day--"and then
+we will attend to the poor fellow who lies
+outside on the beach."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So saying I took my bow-gun, my guests
+watching me in wonder, and started for the
+thicket behind the house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I hoped to secure a pigeon, for my companions
+must be in need of nourishing food.  I had the
+good fortune to spy a pigeon almost immediately
+and to secure it with a single arrow.  My
+companions were greatly surprised to see me return
+so quickly, and after placing some yams and
+bread fruit to roast in the ashes, I set about
+plucking the pigeon.  It was a plump bird, of
+the ring-tail variety.  Half of it I fixed over the
+coals to roast, and with the remainder I
+proceeded to make some broth, which I succeeded
+very well in doing, thickening it with crumbs
+of cold roasted bread fruit, and seasoning it
+with salt of my own manufacture, as I
+explained to my guests, while I prepared it.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After the repast, which greatly revived
+Mr. Harborough and his daughter, we all went to
+the beach, I leading the way, to where the dead
+sailor lay.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Poor fellow," said Mr. Harborough, "it is
+the third mate.  The barkentine carried seven
+men beside the captain and three mates.  We
+must see if any more have come ashore."  But
+although we searched carefully all along the
+shore up the bay, we found no other bodies.
+So the dead sailor was carried tenderly to the
+palm grove, where he was laid in a grave, dug
+after much hard labor, and lined with grass; I
+promising to carve a head-piece for it, in the
+near future.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Then I took Mr. Harborough and his
+daughter around the neighborhood of my hut,
+showing them where I had been cast ashore, where I
+had gathered the reeds and cut the bamboos for
+my house, where I had discovered the yam
+vines; indeed, I gave them a careful history of
+my doings thereabout, which used up all the
+afternoon.  The sea, meantime, had subsided
+and the sun had dried the bush and the grass;
+and after a frugal meal from the remnants of
+the noonday repast, we sat long in front of the
+house beneath the tropical sky, watching the
+moon rising above the feathery palm tops, while
+we speculated regarding the future.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The situation presented few complications,
+for we must simply make the best of everything
+until rescued, be it days, months, or years.
+Mr. Harborough had most important information
+to communicate, namely, that the </span><em class="italics">Three
+Sisters</em><span> had a bountiful store of food supplies
+and cooking utensils, as well as a rifle, shot-gun
+and ammunition for each.  The rifle had
+belonged to the captain and the shot-gun to the
+mate, who, when opportunity offered, were
+accustomed to go ashore for a little sport,
+shooting.  To get these treasures ashore would
+greatly add to our comfort, and, although we
+had no boat, we resolved, very early in the
+morning, to set about discussing means for
+saving as much as possible from the vessel.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Mr. Harborough, I was glad to see, took a
+cheerful view of the situation, and was resolved
+not to despair; and Miss Harborough, also,
+showed her bravery by taking the greatest
+interest in our plans.  With some large pieces
+of cocoanut cloth I screened off a corner of the
+room, including my couch, which was to serve
+as Miss Harborough's sleeping apartment, while
+Mr. Harborough and I stretched ourselves on
+the floor near the door.  Before we slept I
+communicated to him my intention to build an
+addition to the house before attempting to do
+much in getting things from the vessel, in order
+to afford Miss Harborough privacy, by having
+a room to herself.  He thanked me for all my
+kindness, and we knew no more until awakened
+by Puff, who, while everything was damp, had
+not been heard from.  Indeed, I had, I
+regretted to admit, forgotten him.  But now, his
+feathers dry, and the morning bright and fair,
+he made himself heard, indicating by all the
+words in his vocabulary, interspersed with shrill
+screeches, that he was hungry, and would brook
+no delay in having his wants supplied.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The morning repast finished, we adjourned
+to the beach to lay out a plan of work for the
+immediate future.  We had two matters to
+discuss: one, the most important, of devising ways
+and means of transporting the supplies from the
+stranded barkentine to the shore, and the other,
+the construction of an addition to the house for
+the accommodation of Miss Harborough.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"It seems to me," observed Mr. Harborough,
+"that we should solve the problem of getting out
+to the vessel as quickly as possible; for, if there
+arises another great storm, she might break up."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"That is very true," I replied, "and your suggestion
+is a wise one; so, as the building of the
+addition to the house will not be a long task if
+we work together, let us set to work upon it
+at once.  We will construct it in the same
+manner as I built this house."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was decided that Mr. Harborough should
+cut the bamboos and the canes, while I would
+build the house, having acquired some skill
+from my previous work.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"I fear you will find it laborious work, for I
+have only this knife," I observed, taking out
+my much-used knife.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Ah," he replied, "I have a good knife, larger
+and stronger than yours;" so saying he produced
+a large pocket-knife, having a broad, strong
+blade.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Capital," said I; "now we shall get on famously."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I conducted him to the thicket of bamboos a
+a little way up the stream, leaving him, while I
+went a little further down, to cut reeds.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, but I want to do something to help,"
+exclaimed Miss Harborough.  "What can I do?"</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"You can be of the greatest assistance by
+carrying reeds to the house.  They are very
+light, and, besides, you can take small armfulls."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>She was overjoyed at the idea, and she at
+once set to work with much enthusiasm.  I cut
+a quantity of reeds and then went back to bring
+some bamboos, after which I set to work cutting
+a door-way through the side of the house to
+connect it with the extension.  I pursued the
+same methods as in making the main house,
+Mr. Harborough cutting bamboos and reeds, his
+daughter bringing all the filling material from
+the stream, while I set up the frame and wove
+the reeds into the walls.  This finished, grass
+was cut for thatching the roof.  We worked
+steadily, only stopping for a bit to eat at noon,
+so that, by sunset, the addition was completed.
+It was six by eight feet in dimensions, and it
+was very thoroughly made.  After consulting
+Miss Harborough, it was decided not to have a
+door between the two apartments, but to hang
+up a curtain instead.  I suggested that the
+curtain be made of cocoanut cloth, and I promised
+Miss Harborough to gather the cloth in the
+morning, and show her how to sew it together
+with fine roots.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We all sat for a time in front of the house,
+enjoying the breeze which blew toward the
+land after the sun-down, retiring early in
+anticipation of the work of the morrow.  Before I
+slept I had formed a plan to reach the
+barkentine on the reef, which I believed would prove
+successful.  The morning dawned bright and
+cloudless, and the household was awakened by
+Puff, screaming for his breakfast.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="building-a-raft-visits-to-the-wreck"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XVII.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>We first visited the young cocoanut palms
+from which I cut a supply of cloth for the
+curtain, to be hung between the two apartments in
+the house; and while I dug some small roots
+for thread, to use in sewing the pieces together,
+Mr. Harborough, under my direction, with his
+knife shaped from a piece of hard wood, a
+bodkin, to be used in lieu of a needle in sewing.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Leaving Miss Harborough comfortably
+ensconced in front of the house, with the
+materials around her, Mr. Harborough and myself
+set about the task of reaching the vessel.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"There is but one way to reach her, sir," I
+said, "and that is by means of a raft.  It is the
+only sort of a craft that we can construct with
+no tools, and, besides, I believe we can make a
+raft which will carry the cargo."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Your experience fits you to take the initiative,"
+he replied.  "I am under your direction.
+You shall lead, and I will follow and obey your
+instructions."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"I am sure our combined ideas only will
+produce the best results," I made answer.  "But
+first let us proceed to the bamboo thicket."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As we started to go up stream, Mr. Harborough
+turned and cast an anxious look toward
+his daughter.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Noticing this, I hastened to reassure him
+concerning her safety.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"And are there no wild animals on the island?"
+he asked.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"I have seen none hereabout," I assured him.
+I remembered the wild pigs that I had met on
+my march around the coast, but I thought best
+not to unduly alarm him by alluding to them.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"And do you believe the island entirely
+uninhabited?" he asked.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"At the present time I believe it is absolutely
+uninhabited," I replied.  As we walked along I
+told him about the old wall on the mountain,
+adding that it was evidently constructed by
+civilized people, long ago.  An idea occurred
+to me at that moment concerning the ruined
+wall, but I resolved not to communicate it at
+present.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As for the wild pigs, I did not believe they
+would put in an appearance in this part of the
+island.  Reaching the bamboo thicket, we set
+to work cutting a great quantity of them,
+selecting those from two to four inches in diameter,
+I, meanwhile, explaining to Mr. Harborough
+how I proposed to construct the raft.  We
+labored incessantly the entire day, only
+stopping, when the sun stood directly overhead, to
+allay the cravings of our appetites; and
+reaching the house, we were delighted to find that
+Miss Harborough had dinner all ready for us,
+she having roasted some yams and the only
+remaining bread fruit.  I resolved to make a
+trip to the pool and procure another supply at once.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Miss Harborough had finished the curtain, and
+before we returned to our bamboo cutting we
+hung it in place, fastening it with wooden skewers.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>While we continued to cut bamboos Miss
+Harborough wandered about admiring and
+wondering at the many tropical sights and sounds.
+I continued to keep the records of the days on
+my cocoanut-shell calendar.  In two days we
+had cut what I believed was a sufficient number
+of bamboos.  The following day was Sunday;
+and while we resolved to abstain from working
+on the raft, we agreed that the time was too
+precious to remain entirely idle; so we resolved
+to devote the day to replenishing our larder.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We were early astir and prepared for a trip
+to the pool.  Before setting out I got out the
+fish net, which I set in the stream, explaining
+that we would remove it on our return, and
+hoping that it would yield a good number of
+fish.  I took my bow-gun, intending to keep a
+sharp lookout for pigeons, and Miss Harborough
+carried Puff, I having taken care to secure him
+to her arm by a thong so he could not impede
+our progress by flying away into the thicket.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We followed the bank of the stream and in
+due time reached the pool where we set about,
+in the best of spirits, gathering water-cocoanuts,
+bread fruit, oranges, bananas and plantains.
+Refreshing ourselves upon some ripe bananas
+that we found scattered through the bunches,
+while we sat beneath the shade of the broad
+leaves, we gathered up our spoils and set out to
+return.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I decided to keep along the edge of the forest
+going back, hoping to bag a pigeon or two; and
+I was so fortunate as to secure four, to the great
+wonder of my companions who marvelled at my
+markmanship and the accuracy of the rude bow-gun.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Arriving home the net was removed from the
+stream, being nearly half filled with fish.  The
+question of food was settled for several days,
+and we could work on the raft uninterrupted.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Miss Harborough allotted to herself the duty
+of preparing the food, and well did she perform
+her task.  She not only had our meals ready
+with unfailing regularity, but her womanly
+instinct enabled her to devise dinners, dainty and
+appetising innovations in the simple cookery,
+that were most acceptable.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The foundation of the raft was laid by placing
+bamboos on the beach just out of reach of the
+surf, there being no discernable tide, about one
+foot apart.  The poles, forming a layer, were
+about eighteen feet long, and there were
+fourteen of them.  This fixed the dimensions of the
+raft, eighteen by fourteen feet.  These were
+firmly lashed together with lianas from the
+thicket near by, which were passed over and
+under each alternate pole, across to the opposite
+side and back again, six times across, with
+double weaving at the ends.  Next we cut a
+great quantity of reeds and laid them evenly
+over the frame-work, to the thickness of about
+two feet.  Another frame was then made the
+same size as the first, which was placed over
+the reeds and bound firmly to the bottom frame,
+to which it was firmly fastened with lianas
+around the edges, forming a sort of mattress.
+This process was repeated until the raft was
+fully six feet thick.  This work, as is to be
+supposed, occupied several days; but when it was
+completed we had reason to feel proud of the
+result.  Indeed, it was the outcome of no little
+skill.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We expected that the buoyancy of the materials
+of which it was constructed, together with
+its great thickness, would enable the raft to float
+with its top high out of the water, which would
+allow it it to support a considerable load.  And,
+besides, it was so light that our combined efforts
+sufficed to move it quite readily.  On the
+morning of the day following its completion, we
+launched the raft, and to our great satisfaction
+saw that it floated like a cork.  We decided
+that a long bamboo to be used as a scull-oar
+would be the best means of propelling it.  One
+half of the thickness of the larger end of this
+bamboo was split away the length of the first
+joint, which gave a flat surface to offer resistance
+to the water in sculling.  Another bamboo
+was provided to be used in poling.  We were
+now ready to set out for the wreck.  Miss
+Harborough expressed a desire to accompany us,
+but I demurred, until we had proved the
+seaworthiness and stability of the raft, in which
+her father joined.  So she seated herself near
+the beach and watched us as we pushed off.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Beneath our combined weight the raft did
+not appear to sink perceptibly, and it promised
+to float a good amount of cargo.  This was
+most pleasing to us for it would enable us to
+remove what we wanted from the vessel rapidly.
+We joined in poling the raft until the water
+became too deep, after which I used the scull
+from the end, being somewhat of an expert by
+reason of my boyish practice with a punt on the
+pond near the home of my childhood.  The sea
+was placid, and it required only a few minutes
+to reach the wreck.  I propelled the raft under
+the bow-sprit and held it steady by grasping
+the martingale, while Mr. Harborough climbed
+aboard, from whence he threw a line with which
+I quickly made the raft fast, and joined him on
+the deck.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The scene around us was one of confusion.
+The deck was strewn with a tangled mass of
+rigging, rendering it not a little difficult to
+move about.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"I think," said Mr. Harborough, "that we
+should proceed systematically through the
+vessel, and I suggest that we first proceed to the
+cabin."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So we descended the companionway which
+led to the roomy cabin.  It was comfortably,
+though not luxuriously fitted up, after the usual
+style of vessels going on long voyages.
+Mr. Harborough proceeded to collect all his clothing,
+while I, at his suggestion, gathered into a
+bundle all of the wearing apparel that had
+belonged to the captain, to be appropriated to my
+own use; and indeed, I was sadly in need of it.
+We did not disturb Miss Harborough's cabin,
+having decided to let her accompany us on the
+next trip, when she could gather up her own
+belongings.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"There seems to be nothing else that can be
+of use to us," said Mr. Harborough, glancing
+around the cabin.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Oh, but why not take the chairs?  They are
+fastened to the floor of the cabin, but there
+must be tools on board in the carpenter's kit,
+with which we can easily remove them.  And,
+then, the charts, the chronometer and the
+compass.  Who knows but that they may be of
+great use to us?  I am sure the compass would,
+at least."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"That is true," he replied; "I fear that I am
+not very used to being a castaway."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"A few months will accustom you to such an
+existence," I replied.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So we went forward and found the carpenter's
+chest, from which we took all the tools
+necessary to remove the cabin chairs, and the
+compass.  These, with the chronometer and the
+clothing, we deposited together in the cabin.
+Next we set about collecting all the small sized
+rope and all the cooking utensils in the galley,
+which we placed with the cabin crockery.  We
+debated whether it would be advisable to
+attempt to remove the galley stove to the shore;
+but, because of its weight and the consequent
+great difficulty in removing it, we abandoned
+the idea.  As we moved about the deck we
+could see Miss Harborough by the beach, and
+we frequently signalled to her, fearing that she
+might be lonesome alone, amid such strange
+surroundings.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>As I stood gazing at the beautiful island,
+densely covered with tropical vegetation,
+radiant with golden light, I made out the mountain
+on which I had erected the beacon, which I
+could dimly see.  I called Mr. Scarborough's
+attention to it, and expressed my disappointment
+that it was so dimly visible; but when I
+reflected that the mountain was much nearer
+the east coast, I took a brighter view of it, for I
+believed that the island must be one of the
+Virgin Islands; and, if so, it must be one of the
+most easterly.  Still I could not make up my
+mind what the land I had sighted far to the
+eastward from the mountain top might be.  If
+it was one of the northern Leeward Islands,
+then we could not be far out of the track of
+vessels.  In this case the beacon must, sooner
+or later, be seen from some passing ship.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Overhauling the stores we found quantities
+of provisions, canned and dried fruits, salt, half
+a barrel of salted beef, nearly two barrels of
+flour, a great quantity of sweet potatoes and
+several gross of matches.  Indeed, nothing
+seemed to be lacking.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We now set about loading the raft, lowering
+the different articles over the side by means of
+a rope, distributing the weight over the raft.
+We loaded it until it settled to within a foot of
+the top, and a great quantity of freight it took.
+At this rate it would require but few trips to
+complete the work.  Taking the clothing aboard
+we started ashore, which we reached without
+accident, though it required considerably more
+time to scull the heavily loaded raft.  Being so
+deeply laden, it grounded several feet from the
+beach, so that in unloading it, we had to wade
+back and forth through the water.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Everything was stored snugly in the house
+before sundown.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>On the morning following we made another
+early start for the wreck, Miss Harborough with
+us this time.  As before, the raft was made fast
+to the bow-sprit, and Miss Harborough was
+hoisted aboard in a bo'sn's chair.  We
+proceeded to load the raft, intending to make two
+trips during the day.  This was soon
+accomplished, and taking the compass and the
+chronometer, as well as Miss Harborough's trunk,
+we were about to cast off, when, with an
+exclamation, Mr. Harborough grasped the chains and
+disappeared on deck, presently returning with
+face aglow, carrying in each hand a gun.  Such
+good fortune was almost overpowering, for with
+guns we could not only defend ourselves
+effectively, if necessary, but easily secure plenty of
+game.  He explained that there was a quantity
+of cartridges for the rifle as well as considerable
+ammunition for the shot-gun, in the cabin.
+Each day we continued to make one or two
+trips to the vessel, the weather fortunately
+continuing calm, with the result that we stripped
+her of everything that we could move, and that
+could possibly be of use to us.  We soon
+discovered that we could store in the house only such
+articles as there would constantly be use for, so
+we proceeded to build another addition from
+the other side, opposite Miss Harborough's
+apartment, to serve exclusively as a store-room.
+Thus our abode extended to quite a pretentious
+establishment.  The raft, no longer in use, we
+hauled up among the cocoanut palms.  We had
+been so busy since the barkentine came ashore
+that we had not been able to extend the
+stockade around the two additions to the house.
+This we proceeded to do, following the same
+plan of construction as I had previously done,
+joining it to the main structure at the four
+corners, thus making an enclosure of quite twice
+the area of the original compound.  We planted
+yam vines all around the new stockade, varying
+our labors by making trips to the pool for
+provisions, going on excursions into the forest, but
+never far away, securing pigeons with the aid
+of the shot-gun, but seeing no animals, and
+fishing in the stream.  We lived sumptuously, with
+the fruit and the plentiful supplies from the
+vessel.  At my suggestion, we planted a
+quantity of sweet potatoes, selecting a sunny spot
+near the stream, breaking up the ground with
+poles sharpened with the aid of a good axe,
+which we found in the carpenter's kit.  Indeed,
+we found several tools, such as a bit, auger, two
+saws; and a hammer that were of great use to
+us; and fortunately a few nails.  I had some
+doubt as to the success of our sweet potato
+experiment, believing that the tropical climate
+would prove too warm for them, remembering
+that they flourish to the greatest perfection in
+the eastern-central part of our own country.
+However, the experiment was worth trying in
+the interest of future food supplies.  We had,
+from the first, kept a close watch along the
+shore all along the bay, in case bodies of other
+members of the barkentine's crew came ashore.
+But none did, and, with the axe, we hewed a
+rude head-board from a hard-wood plank which
+we had brought from the vessel, for the grave
+of the man whom we had buried, carving
+thereon the name "William Clayton," together
+with the day and year of his death.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We discussed the advisability of setting fire
+to the wreck, but after mature consideration we
+decided that so long as it remained intact, it
+might serve to attract attention should a vessel
+be passing, and thus lead to our rescue.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We had much leisure, and I took occasion to
+make known a project which I had in mind
+from the first, that of making a trip to the
+mountain.  For one thing I wished to see if
+the beacon had withstood the hurricane; and,
+more than all, an idea had taken possession of
+me, growing stronger every day, that a careful
+investigation around the ruined wall might lead
+to interesting, and, perhaps, important
+revelations.  My companions were delighted with the
+prospect, and we at once set about making
+preparations for the journey; and here a new
+idea suggested itself.  We must carry with us
+as large a quantity of provisions as possible, and
+how could this be accomplished?  We would
+make knapsacks from sail-cloth.  Why had we
+not thought to bring the sails of the barkentine
+ashore?  The raft was again launched, and we
+removed the smaller sails from the vessel; and,
+by searching among the seamen's dunnage in
+the forecastle, we found several sailors' needles
+and twine.  All working together, we soon
+fashioned two square bags, with straps of
+several thicknesses of cloth, with which to sling
+them upon our backs.  The next most important
+thing was the selection of the articles to be
+carried with us.  Provisions must form the bulk
+of the packs, and we made the selection with
+the greatest care.  We also proposed to take
+along the axe, a coil of rope, the ship's compass,
+which was removed from the gimbals, and, of
+course, the two guns, Mr. Harborough carrying
+the rifle, while I took the shot-gun.  We made
+belts from the sail-cloth for carrying
+ammunition.  The axe formed part of my equipment.
+A light bundle of clothing was made up for Miss
+Harborough who also took charge of Puff, who
+was made fast to her arm by a piece of twine.
+Everything was made snug in the house, and
+the remaining sail-cloth was carefully spread
+over the stores to be left behind.  The door
+was securely closed, and one bright morning we
+were ready to start, first taking, by means of
+the compass, the bearings of the mountain.  It
+was my intention to proceed by a different
+route from those I had followed in going to and
+returning from the mountain, for two reasons.
+One was that I wished to further explore the
+island, which a new route would enable me to
+do, and the other was that a direct route
+through the forest would be much shorter,
+requiring us to encamp but one night.  My
+companions fully agreed with this idea.  The
+stream was followed as far as the pool, where
+we entered the forest.  It consisted of many
+varieties of trees, one kind being of large size,
+with a smooth, straight trunk, towering to a
+great height, without branches.  This,
+Mr. Harborough said, was the mahogany tree.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Great lianas entwined the trees and many
+creepers, some bearing exquisite blossoms that
+called forth exclamations of delight from Miss
+Harborough, depended from the branches; and
+in some places the vegetation was so dense that
+we were compelled to cut a way with the axe.
+At Mr. Harborough's suggestion and at her
+request I ceased to address his daughter as Miss
+Harborough, and thereafter called her Marjorie,
+as did her father; for, as they both said, we
+were exiles together, and formality was
+superfluous.  We were in excellent spirits and made
+rapid progress.  When the sun was in the
+zenith, as we could see by an occasional glimpse
+through an opening in the dense canopy above
+us, we paused by a tiny stream of clear water
+for refreshments and a short rest.  Our repast
+finished, while Mr. Harborough and I conversed
+concerning the present and the future, Marjorie
+wandered away a short distance, searching for
+new and beautiful flowers.  Just as we rose to
+resume the march, and were about to call her,
+we heard an agonizing scream coming from the
+forest at no great distance away.  It was clear
+that something had befallen Marjorie.  Grasping
+the guns, we dashed in the direction indicated
+by her cries, and presently we saw her
+dress through the undergrowth.  As we hastened
+forward a sight met our eyes which caused
+us to come to a sudden halt and to gaze in
+horror at the spectacle before us; for there was
+Marjorie, crying out no longer, her limp body
+in the grasp of what looked like a dark,
+shrivelled-up old man.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It seemed to be four or five feet tall, with a
+face almost black, its body covered with short
+hair.  The limbs were long, small, and the legs
+were bent.  We both shouted, at which the
+monster released Marjorie, allowing her to fall
+to the ground, while it stood motionless,
+looking at us, but making no sound.  Almost at the
+same instant it stooped and grasped a huge club
+which lay at its feet.  We waited no longer,
+and both raised our guns and fired.  Evidently
+our excitement disconcerted our aim, for the
+monster, without giving forth a sound, sprang
+to the great tree near which it stood and began
+to climb it rapidly, keeping to the side opposite
+to us.  We hastened around, and Mr. Harborough
+fired another shot from his rifle, but
+without apparent effect, for the creature quickly
+reached the branches and disappeared.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We hastened to Marjorie who had recovered
+from her swoon, and was able to give us an
+account of her adventure.  There was little for
+her to tell.  She was walking leisurely along,
+stopping to admire a flower or a brilliant
+butterfly, when, without warning, she felt herself
+in the grasp of the horrible creature.  She
+screamed and then fainted.  We were unable
+to conjecture what sort of a creature it might
+be, for we were not aware that the tropical
+regions of the Western Hemisphere contained
+large apes.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>While we were discussing the matter, I
+remembered a story which I had read years before
+about a creature found in the depths of the
+South American forest, which was called a
+"Burghree."  As I recollected the story, the
+description of the "Burghree" corresponded
+very nearly to the monster we had just
+encountered.  Marjorie, having now recovered,
+although she was still somewhat weak, we again
+went to the tree and peered sharply among the
+branches.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"It seems to me," said Mr. Harborough at
+length, "that I see something which looks like
+a great nest, far up in the tree-top."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I looked more closely and also saw it.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Clearly this was the home of the strange
+creature, and then I recollected that the story
+of the "Burghree" corresponded almost exactly
+to the present realization, for it retired to a
+great platform of branches and grass, far up in
+the tree-top, whence it hurled defiance and clubs
+at the men below, while this one uttered no
+sound.  Another shot from the rifle was
+without result, and we decided that it would be not
+only useless but folly to waste more ammunition.
+Resuming our march, few words passed
+between us for a long time.  As for myself, I
+was absorbed with my own thoughts, and
+Mr. Harborough seemed to be occupied in like manner.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Suddenly I stopped and rested my gun upon
+the ground.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Mr. Harborough," said I, "did you notice
+that the face of the creature looked more like a
+human face than that of an ape, and that the
+feet and hands seemed to be unlike an ape's
+feet and hands?"</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"I noticed the face," he answered.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="the-march-continued-arrival-on-the-mountain"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XVIII.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>As we went on our cheerfulness returned.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We saw occasional pigeons and many beautiful
+plumaged birds, among which were parrots
+and paroquets that kept up a noisy clatter.
+We also encountered a species of brown and
+yellow ground-snake about two feet long, which
+did not appear to be harmful, as it always
+seemed anxious to get away.  Frogs, small
+lizards and crabs were plentiful, and I presume
+some of the latter were edible.  Coming to a
+thicket of thorn-bush just as the dusk began to
+settle across our path, we prepared to camp for
+the night.  A square space was cleared in the
+thicket, some leafy branches were laid across
+the top to serve as a roof, wood was gathered,
+and a fire was built in front; and we proceeded
+to roast a few yams and two fat pigeons that I
+had shot late in the afternoon; and opening a
+can of peaches, we made a bountiful repast.
+We soon sought repose, and, as no sound save
+the murmuring of the breeze through the trees
+came from the forest, sleep came quickly to all
+of us.  We were aroused the next morning at
+daybreak by Puff who was screaming at the top
+of his voice at a flock of wild parrots in the trees
+above, and in an incredibly short time we were
+again on the march.  We had proceeded only a
+short distance when we came to a small open
+place covered with grass, and we were about to
+skirt its edge when close in front of us came an
+angry "woof."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Wild pigs," I cried, greatly alarmed, for,
+from my previous encounter, I understood their
+savage nature.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At the moment an ugly looking boar showed
+his head directly in front of us.  Mr. Harborough
+was about to fire, but I restrained him,
+knowing that the least disturbance might bring
+a drove of these savage beasts upon us.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Let us quietly withdraw as quickly as possible,"
+I said, "and make a detour of the forest."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>This plan was carried out, and, to my great
+relief, successfully, for the boar disappeared in
+the grass, and we saw no more of it.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Having the compass, we were able to keep
+the right direction, pushing forward rapidly,
+only stopping a short time at mid-day for
+dinner, and the sun was yet high in the heavens
+when we came to the first rising ground, and I
+knew that we had reached the foot of the mountain.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Presently I saw familiar land-marks, and I
+was able to lead the way to the top.  The
+beacon was standing exactly as I had left it.  We
+proceeded to my cave-dwelling, where everything
+was found pretty much as I had left it,
+except that the barricade before the door
+showed some decay.  There was still some time
+before nightfall, during which, after depositing
+our sacks within, we cut a quantity of grass for
+beds and gathered a quantity of fire-wood.  We
+also partitioned off one corner of the room for
+Marjorie, fixing a bamboo across, to which hung
+cocoanut cloth which we found in abundance a
+short distance away, fastening it together with
+pegs, and thus we were comfortably settled soon
+after our arrival; and, as we enjoyed the
+evening meal, we talked over future plans.  I
+promised to show my companions the ruined wall in
+the morning, as we retired to rest.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The orange trees and banana plants near the
+ruin were still thrifty and bore abundant fruit,
+and we regaled ourselves as I showed my
+companions the old wall.  Mr. Harborough took the
+greatest interest in it, and we speculated as to
+its origin.  Other matters, however, engaged
+our attention from day to day.  The compass
+was taken to the foot of the beacon, and the
+bearings of the land which I had discovered in
+the distance accurately determined.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It lay exactly southeast, half east, from where
+we stood.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"In my opinion," said Mr. Harborough, "this
+small island where we now are is one of the
+most northeasterly of the Virgin Islands, and
+that land in the distance is one of the same
+group."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"But," I said, "if that is the case should we
+not be able to see some of the other islands to
+the westward?"  I was aware that there were
+several islands in the Virgin Group.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Not necessarily," he answered, "for they lie
+very low on the ocean."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We spent much time about the beacon, improving
+our habitation, in gathering fruit and
+shooting pigeons for our larder; and we took
+twelve days in making a trip to the low
+south-east coast, marching along the shore and
+returning from the northeast.  We found animal
+life even scarcer than on the west side.  Birds
+were not so plentiful, though we found some
+pigeons, and saw plenty of little green lizards
+and crabs.  We made no discoveries that
+promised to be of use to us.  On our return I took
+my companions to the mouth of the guano cave,
+but Marjorie declined to enter and Mr. Harborough
+did not appear anxious to do so.  We
+made frequent trips to the ruined wall, and
+searched the enclosure carefully.  The more we
+studied it the more we were convinced that the
+wall had served as a foundation for some structure.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>One day as we were returning with fruit,
+Mr. Harborough had fallen behind to examine a spot
+which had escaped attention, when we were
+arrested by a sudden exclamation from him.
+He had dropped upon his knees and was eagerly
+clearing away the plants and grass with his
+hands.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We hastened to him, inquiring what he had
+discovered.  He pointed to a square, flat stone.
+It was about four feet square and seemed to
+open like a hatchway.  He had stepped upon it
+and felt it rock, very slightly, beneath his weight,
+but enough to attract his attention.  Did the
+stone conceal an opening, the entrance to an
+ancient dungeon, or a treasure vault?  We
+were nearly overcome with excitement, not
+unmixed with awe, and I confess to a feeling of
+dread as I contemplated what might be below if
+the stone really covered an opening to a
+subterranean chamber.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="an-ancient-ruin-wonderful-discovery"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XIX.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">An Ancient Ruin; A Wonderful Discovery</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>The edges of the opening, around the stone,
+were crumbled and cracked, and after scraping
+away the accumulation of moss and mold we
+found that we were able to remove a large piece
+of rock which left a space of sufficient depth to
+receive a lever.  We hastened to the edge of the
+forest, where we selected a small tree of hard
+wood, which we felled; and from it we made a
+lever about fifteen feet in length.  The larger
+end was flattened a little with the axe, in order
+that it should fit closely against the stone in
+prying it up.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We next moved a large stone from the wall,
+which we placed about three feet from the aperture
+which was to receive the lever, to act as a
+fulcrum.  Then we lifted the great lever, placed
+the flattened end into the aperture, let it rest
+against the stone fulcrum, and reaching up as
+near the elevated end of the lever as possible,
+brought our combined weight to bear upon it.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The flat stone moved slowly upward, and
+Marjorie, who stood near, in her eagerness, bent
+over the opening.  Almost at the same moment
+she started violently back, gasping for breath.
+The foul air, which rushed from the opening,
+had nearly suffocated her.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Working together nearer the upper end of the
+lever, the stone was lifted a little higher and
+Mr. Harborough was able to hold it while I
+placed a rock under the stone, which prevented
+it from falling back when the lever was released.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We now gathered around the opening which
+was not yet wide enough to enable us to see far
+below; but to our great astonishment we saw
+that a flight of stone steps led downward.
+Below all was dark.  Foul air still came from
+the opening.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"We must wait for the air to purify before
+entering," I said; "and, meanwhile, we will
+procure lights."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Why in the world did we not remove the
+cabin lamps from the vessel?" exclaimed
+Mr. Harborough, "If we only had them now."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Come to the house," I said, "and I will show
+you how we will procure a light."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Hastening to the house I opened my knapsack
+and held up the two binnacle lamps for the
+inspection of my companions, much to their
+amazement.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Both were filled with oil, very little of which
+had escaped, as I had wrapped strips of
+sailcloth tightly around them.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>In answer to their inquiring looks, I reminded
+them that I had, for a long time, believed that
+some such discovery as the present one might
+be made, and that I had, unknown to them,
+packed the binnacle lamps which had proved to
+be a fortunate act on my part.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Taking them, with plenty of matches, we
+returned to the ruin.  Lighting a wisp of dry
+grass, I threw it into the opening.  It fell to the
+bottom, where it continued to burn brightly,
+showing that the air was now pure.  In the
+momentary glare of the burning grass, we saw
+that the opening was about eight feet deep.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We now procured another stone from the
+wall, which we placed under the lever, increasing
+the height of the fulcrum so that we were
+able to lift the stone still further; and by
+pushing the lever around toward one side we quickly
+swung the stone from the opening until it rested
+at one side.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Lighting the lamps, we cautiously descended
+the stone stairs.  They were covered with what
+seemed to be finely pulverized mould which
+had worked down from above; but the dampness,
+incident to an underground chamber rendered
+the steps somewhat slippery, so we had
+to descend carefully.  There were ten steps.
+Reaching the bottom, Mr. Harborough and myself
+leading and Marjorie bringing up the rear,
+we found ourselves standing upon a solid floor,
+deeply covered with fine mould, but quite dry.
+The floor of the chamber was evidently
+composed of stone, laid very closely, without mortar.
+The roof was made of great flat stones,
+supported by two rows of pillars made of square
+blocks of stone, extending the length of the
+chamber.  The walls, roof, pillars and floor were
+all thickly covered with dust.  Searching along
+the walls, we discovered, at the further end,
+four niches sunk into the wall about five feet,
+and into the rear wall of each niche, there was
+fixed a massive iron staple, to which was
+fastened an iron chain of crude workmanship.  At
+the end of each chain there was a rough iron
+collar which was evidently designed to be
+fastened with a rivet.  Stepping into one of the
+niches, we discovered that the floor of it was
+thickly studded with sharp iron spikes which
+we found, on clearing away the dust, to be
+about two inches in height.  The purpose of
+the niches was apparent; they were unquestionably
+designed as places of torture.  Well must
+they have served their purpose; for the wretched
+victim who, on account of the short chain
+fastened to his neck, could not lie down, was
+compelled to stand constantly upon the sharp
+pointed spikes which would pierce and cruelly
+lacerate the feet.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>To what period of the New World's history
+this dungeon belonged we could not even
+conjecture; but, judging from the style of architecture
+and the cunningly devised method of torture,
+Mr. Harborough, who had seen the ruined
+forts along the Spanish Main, had no doubt that
+this chamber was connected, in some way, with
+the old Castilian days in this part of the world.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The west wall seemed to be perfectly smooth
+and unbroken; but on the east side of the
+chamber we found a square stone, measuring
+something like two feet each way, being almost a
+perfect cube, protruding half way from the wall.
+This was easily removed, and thrusting in one
+of the lamps, we saw what appeared to be a
+square chest.  Brushing away the dust which
+covered the end of the chest next to us, we saw
+that it was of wood, bound with bands of iron,
+the whole being thickly studded with nails.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"A treasure chest," exclaimed Marjorie; "oh,
+it seems like the stories of the buccaneers."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>An iron ring was fastened to the chest, but
+when we took hold of it and tried to draw the
+chest toward us, we found it to be so heavy
+that we were unable to stir it.  So I went to
+procure a lever which I cut from a small tree
+near the wall, and returned with it to the
+chamber.  One end of the lever was inserted, upward
+through the ring of the chest and we lifted with
+our combined strength.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The chest was raised slightly, and then the
+iron bands, eaten by years of rust, broke, and
+the chest, rotten with age, fell apart.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Marjorie was holding one of the lamps so as
+to illuminate the chest, and, as it broke open,
+she almost dropped it, while Mr. Harborough
+and I dropped the lever and gazed at the broken
+chest and at each other in speechless astonishment;
+for the aperture seemed to be full of gold
+coins.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We had discovered a treasure chest, indeed.
+The coins were of several sizes, and all were
+covered with a brownish dust.  But gold they
+were, and there were thousands and thousands
+of them.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We examined many of the coins, on which
+the legends were plainly legible.  Each one
+bore a male head on one side, with dates
+ranging from 1517 to 1540; and on the reverse,
+this superscription:--"Carlos I., Espana:
+Rex"--Charles I., King of Spain.  We concluded
+that we had discovered a favorite trysting place
+of sea-rovers who sailed these waters carrying
+death and desolation afloat and ashore under the
+protection of royal authority, with the
+understanding that the Spanish treasury should be
+enriched thereby.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Here, before us, with no one else to claim it,
+was wealth beyond our power to estimate.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"It is utterly useless to us here," said
+Mr. Harborough, as we discussed the importance of
+our discovery.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"True," I replied, "but as we have no intention
+of always remaining on this island, it may
+prove to be of great service to us.  To this end
+we must consider what immediate disposal we
+will make of all this wealth."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"And," I continued, as we replaced the stone in
+the aperture and withdrew from the chamber, "it
+seems to me that the first step toward ensuring
+to ourselves the future enjoyment of all this
+wealth, should be to transport it to the cove
+and store it in our house."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>This proposition of mine was the beginning
+of much discussion and consideration for several
+days thereafter, during which it was definitely
+decided that the gold must be transported to
+our house at the cove; and we began to consider
+how this task, not a trifling one, could be
+accomplished.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Clearly there was but one sure and safe way,
+and that, to carry it there ourselves.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="the-golden-treasure-its-removal"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XX.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><span class="bold medium">"</span><em class="bold italics medium">The Golden Treasure;</em><span class="bold medium">" </span><em class="bold italics medium">Its Removal</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>It was finally settled that we would transport
+the golden treasure to Sargent, at the cove, in
+the knapsacks on our backs.  To do this would
+require several journeys through the forest; but
+as time was no object to us, what more could
+we ask than to be able, during our exile, to so
+easily acquire wealth which would render us
+independent for life; for rescued we must
+surely be, sooner or later.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We decided that no part of the walls should
+remain uninspected.  Every square foot of it
+was carefully examined, but we found no
+indications of other openings.  One day, however,
+while looking at the east wall, I noticed one of
+the stones which seemed to be more loosely set
+into the wall than any of the others; and on
+examining it more closely, the upper edge
+appeared to be chipped as though some pointed
+instrument had been inserted.  It at once
+occurred to me that this may have been caused by
+prying the stone out--in other words, I mistrusted
+that the stone might conceal the entrance
+to another chamber.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We examined it closely and came to the
+conclusion that it would be worth while to remove
+the stone.  We worked at it for several days
+without making any perceptible impression.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was too heavy and we could devise no
+appliance to assist us materially.  Finally it
+occurred to me that we might remove a
+flag-stone of the floor, dig under the stone and
+compel it to drop from its place.  We soon
+discovered, however, that it rested upon the flag-stone
+next to it.  Not to abandon the project, we at
+last succeeded in removing the second flag-stone
+from the wall, which enabled us to excavate the
+earth from beneath the flag-stone next to the
+wall.  This we accomplished after a great deal
+of hard work, for our only excavating tools
+consisted of sharpened and flattened pieces of wood.
+At last, however, the flag-stone settled into the
+the excavation and the stone in this way fell
+outward.  To our great astonishment this was
+followed by a rush of air from the aperture.  We
+did not, at first, know what to make of this, but
+we shortly agreed that we had found the
+entrance to an underground passage leading to the
+open air.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Indeed this idea seemed quite reasonable, for
+we had often read of such passages in
+connection with the strongholds of the early days;
+either as a means of offence or defence, or of
+escape.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Taking the two lamps I preceded Mr. Harborough
+into the passage, Marjorie bringing up
+the rear.  From the first it was evident that the
+passage was not artificial, but a natural cavern.
+Indeed as we proceeded it proved to be a simple
+guano cave, the stalactites being grimy and the
+stalagmites buried beneath long years accumulations
+of guano.  In its general character it
+did not differ materially from the cave which I
+had discovered on the east side of the mountain
+during my former sojourn.  The ceiling of this
+one, however, was higher so that we were able
+to walk upright; and it had no windings.
+Proceeding a few rods we came to a second
+chamber, leading off at right angles; but the opening
+was so small that we would have had to crawl
+through it and we did not consider it worth
+while to enter it, at present, at least.  The
+thought occurred to me that the passage
+connected this cavern with the one which I had
+previously discovered; for, as I thought the
+matter over, I believed that the two must run
+nearly parallel.  Myriads of bats flitted about,
+almost flying against our faces, and several
+times nearly extinguishing our lamps.  In a
+few minutes we came to a fair-sized chamber,
+nearly circular and perhaps a dozen feet in
+diameter; and as we entered it we were astonished
+to find that it was partially illumined by
+daylight.  Stranger still, mounted on two huge
+wooden blocks were two brass cannon, pointing
+away from us.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"An ingenious fortification," remarked Mr. Harborough.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"A masked battery," said Marjorie.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We now examined the guns closely.  They
+were covered with a greenish corrosion, and
+were, as I have said, brass.  They were of
+exactly the same size, about four-inch, and on
+the breech of each was stamped the following,
+together with the arms of Spain: "Espana:
+1512."  We saw that we had reached the mouth
+of the cave, which was thickly filled with a mass
+of bushes and creepers.  We resolved to clear
+away the obstruction at once, and I returned to
+the chamber for the axe.  With it and our
+knives we soon cleared away the vegetable
+growths, and behold, we stood on the side of
+the mountain a few yards from the mouth of
+cave, overlooking the ocean to the eastward.
+The purpose of the guns was quite apparent.
+They commanded the approach to the mountain,
+and to an advancing enemy were utterly
+invisible, as a shelf of rock hid the entrance
+from below.  This latter discovery did not
+promise to be of any special importance to us,
+it was most interesting.  Our whole effort,
+now, was put forth toward transporting the gold
+to the cove on the west coast; and placing as
+many of the coins in each knapsack as we could
+each carry comfortably, we packed enough
+provisions to last at least two days, and set out.  As
+we had done on the journey to the mountains,
+we followed the edge of the forest making a
+short detour, when about half way, to avoid a
+possible encounter with the wild pigs.
+Mr. Harborough and myself would have liked very
+much to risk an encounter with them, but the
+safety of Marjorie was our first consideration,
+and these animals were very fierce.  So as we
+had grave doubts as to their desirability for food
+we decided to give them a wide berth.  Nothing
+occurred to give excitement to the march
+and toward the end of the second day we
+reached the house in the cove, where we found
+everything entirely undisturbed.  We immediately
+set to work to make several strong bags
+of sail-cloth, each being about two feet long and
+half as wide, in which to store the gold.  This
+occupied us one full day, and after storing the
+gold we had brought, in a corner of the hut,
+burying it beneath the kitchen utensils, we took
+sufficient provisions to last us during the return
+march and set out.  Numerous trips were made
+to and from the mountain which consumed
+several weeks.  Meanwhile we had made an
+additional discovery, almost as important as the first.
+As we gradually removed the gold contained in
+the chest we saw that there was another chest
+beyond it.  Like the first it fell to pieces on being
+moved.  Beyond it was a solid wall of stone.
+But the second chest was not so heavy as the
+first, and it proved to be only about half filled
+with gold.  The rest was occupied with rolls of
+manuscript, all of which fell to powder when
+exposed to the air, leaving not one scrap on
+which the faded writing was legible.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At last only what gold we could carry away
+on one more trip remained.  During our march
+to and fro from the coast we had kept a sharp
+watch for the "wild man," as we called him, and
+Marjorie always kept very close to us while
+passing through that part of the forest.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>But we saw no signs of him.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="preparing-for-departure-death-of-the-monster"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XXI.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>On the morning of the day on which we
+were to set out with the last packs of gold, the
+sky was partly overcast, and far down in the
+eastern horizon the sky line was blended into a
+leaden haze, which gradually disappeared as the
+sun ascended toward the zenith.  This I knew,
+was a premonition of the approaching rainy
+season, which I knew was always preceded for
+several weeks by a thin veil of clouds and the
+murky atmosphere of the horizon in the morning.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>This decided us to make this our last journey,
+and to remain at the cove after our next arrival
+there; for there we were sheltered, to a great
+degree, from the rain and our house was much
+more comfortable than the abode beneath the
+rock on the mountain, which was dreary during
+the long rain, as I knew from experience.  At
+the cove we had a substantial house, and, with
+the stores and utensils from the wreck we should
+be very comfortably situated.  And, beside, we
+had gradually, as we marched back and forth,
+evolved a scheme to remove some of the deck
+planks of the vessel and such lumber as we
+found available, and to try, during the rainy
+season, to construct a substantial boat in which
+we might venture to leave the island.  We
+planned to construct a great shed, closed in on
+three sides and left open at the end facing the
+beach.  Beneath this we would lay the keel of
+our craft and test our skill as ship-builders.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>So, with our guns, clothing, such other articles
+as we wished to take back with us, and of course,
+Puff, after closing the cliff-house we proceeded
+to the chamber beneath the ruin to pack the
+remaining gold.  Our knapsacks were speedily
+filled, and we prepared to leave the chamber.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Marjorie preceded us to the stairs, but scarcely
+had she reached the first step when she darted
+back to us shrieking and trembling, her face
+ashy pale.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>She crouched between us, unable to speak,
+her eyes staring wildly toward the stone steps.
+I sprang forward and looked up toward the
+opening.  There I saw, standing between us and
+the sky, silent as a statue, with eyes glaring
+down at us--the wild man of the forest.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>There was no mistaking it; but this time it
+looked less like an ape and more like a human
+being.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Without looking around I beckoned to
+Mr. Harborough.  He stepped to my side, and
+catching sight of the horrible thing above us, he
+raised his rifle and fired.  The report roared
+around the chamber and the stairway was filled
+with smoke.  Simultaneously a heavy body
+rolled down the slippery stairs and lay
+outstretched at our feet.  It was the wild
+man--lifeless; its limbs outstretched and its wide-open
+eyes staring up at us.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Never again do I wish to look upon such a
+horrible object.  We shrank back in the
+doorway, feeling weak and faint; Marjorie clung to
+her father, her eyes gleaming with terror, a look
+of horror upon her face.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>After we had recovered our courage and the
+first shock had partly passed away, we
+approached closely and examined the strange
+being.  It was human in every detail, the hair,
+arms, legs, feet, eyes and face.  It had once
+been a man, but what a marvelous transformation
+had taken place!  The body was entirely
+covered with short brownish hair which grew
+several inches long on the breast.  The hair of
+the head was dark brown in color, long, tangled
+and matted.  The nose and mouth were regular,
+and the teeth were in fair condition.  The eyes
+were either blue or gray, we could not tell
+exactly which.  The finger-nails were long,
+which made the hands look like claws.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The skin was tanned by exposure to sun and
+rain until it was a dark bronze hue.  We pondered
+long concerning the history of this strange
+being; for a human being it surely was; once
+like ourselves.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>In death it was less repugnant than in life.
+Now that we had become accustomed to look at
+it, it impressed us only as a poor dead outcast,
+of whom we knew nothing.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>There could be but one solution to the
+mystery.  Either the wretched person had been
+marooned, or, like ourselves had been cast away
+on the island, and, driven mad by solitude,
+exposure and the contemplation of his position
+had probably for several years roamed the
+forest as a wild man--a wild beast in every sense,
+except his origin.  We moved the body to a
+corner of the chamber, composed the limbs and
+went out into the sunlight.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The long lever remained under the stone
+which had covered the opening, and we worked
+it back into place--closing the treasure
+chamber, now a tomb.  We covered the stone thickly
+with earth and turned toward the forest.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Without further incident we reached the
+house at the cove and proceeded to put
+everything in order in anticipation of the coming
+rainy season which, we promised ourselves
+should be a busy one with us, between boat
+building and general occupations; and we viewed
+the future not without pleasant anticipations.
+We were comfortable, with every want supplied,
+a happy family sharing a common lot.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Never was there a complaint made by any of
+us.  We indulged in conversation about home,
+our individual lives, and discussed matters of
+present and future moment.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="boat-building-a-startling-sound"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XXII.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Boat Building; a Startling Sound</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>Out first work of magnitude was the
+construction of a great shed in which to build the
+boat, sheltered from the weather.  This
+occupied us many days; for it was of considerable
+size, twenty-five feet long and about two thirds
+as wide.  The method of construction was
+exactly the same as in the other structures and
+need not be described again.  It was closed all
+around except the end next to the beach.
+This was left open to afford both air and light.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>House-building was varied by several trips to
+the stranded vessel which remained on the reef
+precisely as we had left it.  Our raft, too, was
+in a perfect state of repair.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Many of the deck planks we removed, as well
+as all the boarding of the deck-house and the
+sheathing in the cabin.  We were careful to
+save every nail, and we found a further supply
+in the fore-castle.  These, though common
+"cut" nails, could readily be transformed into
+"clinch" nails by heating, in which form they
+would be available for fastening the boat
+together.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The heavy deck planking we proposed to use
+for the keel and frame of the craft, as well as
+for oars and thole-pins.  All the lumber and
+such small rope as we believed would be of use
+to us, also quantities of sail-cloth, were
+transported to the shore and piled inside the shed.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>These duties were varied by occasional trips
+to the forest to hunt wild pigeons, fishing in the
+stream or jaunts to the pool for fruit.  These
+were holidays to us, during which work was
+forgotten and we all entered into the spirit of
+the occasion.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Day by day the clouds of the morning lingered
+longer and longer and were less quickly
+dispelled by the sun's rays.  They became more
+sombre as the days went by, and sunset was
+preceded by fitful gusts of wind, indicating that
+the rainy season was coming on apace.  So we
+abandoned further work on the boat and began
+to lay in a supply of cocoanuts and yams.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>While returning from the pool one day, as we
+passed the bamboo thicket an idea occurred to
+me which I lost no time in communicating to
+Mr. Harborough.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was this; to fasten bamboos, of good size,
+around our boat, outside, immediately below the
+gunwales, reaching from stem to stern.  This
+would render it more buoyant, for the bamboo,
+consisting as it does of hollow joints, would have
+the same effect as air bags, or water-tight
+compartments.  Such a device would, I believed,
+make it impossible to capsize the boat, thus
+making it doubly seaworthy and rendering our
+escape from exile more certain.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"It is a capital idea," exclaimed Mr. Harborough.
+"And while we are about it," I continued,
+"we may as well select a bamboo for a mast."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My companions fully approved of my ideas
+and we at once set to work to cut the bamboos
+and carry them to the boat-house.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>This work occupied us a good many days, for
+it was slow and laborious, even with the aid of
+the axe; for the outer part of the bamboo is
+extremely hard.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We now proceeded to strengthen the outer
+part of the wall of the house, and to renew the
+thatch of the roofs, all of which required several
+days of labor, cutting the grass and fastening
+it into place.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>A large supply of wood was gathered and
+stored in the farther end of the boat-shed; in
+short we made every preparation for a comfortable
+rainy season, protected from the wind and
+the rain.  Hurricanes could not be guarded
+against, so we only hoped that they would give
+us a wide berth.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The first showers had set in ere we resumed
+work on the boat.  From one of the best planks
+we fashioned the keel, which was laid with some
+ceremony, Marjorie constituting the audience;
+after which we set about getting out the
+stern-post and the frame-pieces.  While we were thus
+occupied Marjorie performed the house-hold
+duties, and, at odd times, busied herself heating
+the nails white-hot, and dropping them into
+water, which process transformed them into
+"clinch" nails.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>She also made several bags from sail-cloth
+strongly sewed, for the reception of the gold.
+The bags were filled with the coins, securely
+sewed up and stored away in Marjorie's trunk,
+nearly filling it.  We decided that this would
+be the safest way to dispose of it for the present.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Work on the boat went on apace, each day
+being much like its predecessor.  The daily
+showers became more frequent and copious and
+we saw the sun less often.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At times we felt depressed and our isolation
+grew irksome.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>One morning, having had breakfast, we started
+for the boat-house, when we were brought to a
+sudden stand-still.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>A long-drawn sound like a trumpet blown at
+a distance echoed and reverberated through the
+trees.  It continued several seconds, during
+which we remained in a listening attitude.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Neither of us spoke.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was repeated again; what could it mean,
+what could it be?</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Surely it could not come from any wild
+animal for we had seen none larger than a pig.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Had we been believers in the existence of
+demons, we must have at once decided that a
+demon lurked in the forest behind us.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst" id="rescue-at-hand-leaving-the-island"><span class="bold large">CHAPTER XXIII.</span></p>
+<p class="center pnext"><em class="bold italics medium">Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island</em><span class="bold medium">.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 2em">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst"><span>Marjorie had heard the sound, also, and came
+toward us.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Suddenly she pointed out toward the sea,
+uttering the exclamation, "look."</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We both turned and looked in the direction
+indicated.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>A boat was rounding the point; a real boat.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>There were men in it, four men.  The boat
+shot around the point and began skirting the
+shore toward us.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We saw that they were black men, dressed in
+rough but civilized garments.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>They were conversing among themselves,
+speaking in a tongue which we did not understand.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Were they friends or foes?  Stepping quickly
+into the house we took our guns and waited
+behind the stockade, standing so we could watch
+the boat.  It had the appearance of a canoe,
+made of wood.  Evidently the black men had
+seen our house as the canoe was turned toward
+the shore.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>She grounded in a few seconds, and the men
+sprang ashore.  They cautiously approached
+the boat-shed peered into it, and then came
+slowly toward the house.  Beckoning Marjorie
+to remain out of sight we grasped our guns and
+stepped boldly out, resolved to meet the
+emergency unhesitatingly, whatever it might be.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>To our surprise the black men stopped with a
+shout of joy.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>One a tall, fine looking negro, stepped toward
+us and extended his hand to us.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>"Fo' de Lard, Marsa; Who is yo', how long
+yo' ben heah?"</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I told him that I had been here many months,
+and that my two companions, pointing to
+Mr. Harborough and to Marjorie, who now came
+forward, had been here half as long.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Then he told us a strange story, one which
+gave us great joy.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>He said that they were coming from their
+island to this one to hunt turtles, at the great
+breeding place which I had discovered on my
+first march to the mountain, and that, while
+nearing the east coast of our island a steamer
+came along, slowed down and then stopped.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>Men on the steamer seemed to be looking at
+the island with glasses, and then the whistle of
+the steamer was blown.  This was in the late
+evening before.  Presently the steamer started
+and when it came up with the canoe the "cap'n"
+asked them if there were any people living on
+the island.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The black men answered in the negative,
+adding that none of the turtle hunters dared go
+far from shore, for a terrible savage monster
+half man and half demon, lurked in the forest.
+The "cap'n" told them he had seen a beacon on
+the top of the mountain, and that he believed
+some one was signalling for assistance.  So he
+bargained with them to follow close along the
+shore, searching carefully in every cove, while
+the steamer followed slowly.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The steamer anchored during the night and
+the black men were taken on board.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>At daylight that morning the black men continued
+along the shore in the canoe, the steamer
+following.  As the canoe came in sight of the
+cove they saw the wreck and signalled back to
+the steamer, which had answered by a blast on
+her whistle.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>It was the sound of the steamer's whistle
+which we heard just before the boat appeared.
+In a few minutes a large steamer came in sight
+from behind the point and anchored off the
+cove.  A boat was immediately lowered and
+rowed swiftly ashore.  A man in uniform sprang
+ashore and came hurriedly to us, extending both
+his hands which we eagerly grasped.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>He was the second officer of the Royal Mail
+steamship </span><em class="italics">Dunmore Castle</em><span>, from England for
+West Indian and Colombian ports.  When off
+the east side of the island somewhat out of her
+course by reason of a heavy squall into which
+she had run a few hours before sighting the
+island, the first officer had seen my beacon and
+called the Captain's attention to it.  The rest
+had been related by the black men.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>My story is nearly told.  We were transported
+on board the steamer, with such of our
+belonging as we wished to take with us.  The great
+weight of Marjorie's trunk called forth some
+remarks from the men who handled it, but we
+made some casual allusion to rare sea-shells and
+other curios and felt relieved when the trunk
+was on board.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>The </span><em class="italics">Dunmore Castle</em><span> proceeded to make her
+ports of call, during which we had to give a
+detailed account of our life and strange adventures
+on the island, to the wondering passengers.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>We were landed at Kingston, Jamaica, from
+whence we proceeded by stage over-land to Port
+Antonio on the north-east coast, where we
+embarked on the steamship </span><em class="italics">Sama</em><span>, for Boston, with
+fruit.</span></p>
+<p class="pnext"><span>I have nothing more of interest to relate,
+unless the reader may like to know that I see
+Marjorie every day still, and that her father
+visits us at least once each year, when we talk
+over and over again, the incidents that I have,
+in my humble way, tried to relate.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 4em">
+</div>
+<p class="center pfirst"><span class="medium">FINIS.</span></p>
+<div class="vspace" style="height: 6em">
+</div>
+<!-- -*- encoding: utf-8 -*- -->
+<div class="backmatter">
+</div>
+<p class="pfirst" id="pg-end-line"><span>*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK </span><span>A BOY CRUSOE</span><span> ***</span></p>
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+</html>
diff --git a/45397-h/images/img-cover.jpg b/45397-h/images/img-cover.jpg
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/45397-h/images/img-cover.jpg
diff --git a/45397-rst.zip b/45397-rst.zip
new file mode 100644
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/45397-rst.zip
diff --git a/45397-rst/45397-rst.rst b/45397-rst/45397-rst.rst
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--- /dev/null
+++ b/45397-rst/45397-rst.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,5765 @@
+.. -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-

+

+.. meta::

+   :PG.Id: 45397

+   :PG.Title: A Boy Crusoe

+   :PG.Released: 2014-04-14

+   :PG.Reposted: 2014-04-21 textual corrections

+   :PG.Rights: Public Domain

+   :PG.Producer: Al Haines

+   :DC.Creator: Allan Eric

+   :DC.Title: A Boy Crusoe

+              or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands

+   :DC.Language: en

+   :DC.Created: 1910

+   :coverpage: images/img-cover.jpg

+

+============

+A BOY CRUSOE

+============

+

+.. clearpage::

+

+.. pgheader::

+

+.. container:: titlepage center white-space-pre-line

+

+   .. vspace:: 4

+

+   .. class:: x-large

+

+      A BOY CRUSOE

+

+   .. class:: medium

+

+      OR

+

+   .. class:: large

+

+      The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands

+

+   .. vspace:: 2

+

+   .. class:: medium

+

+      BY

+      ALLAN ERIC

+

+   .. vspace:: 3

+

+   .. class:: medium

+

+      M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY

+      CHICAGO -- NEW YORK 

+

+   .. vspace:: 4

+

+.. container:: verso center white-space-pre-line

+

+   .. vspace:: 3

+

+   .. class:: medium

+

+      [Transcriber's note: 

+      This book was also published as "A Yankee Crusoe".]

+

+   .. class:: small

+

+      MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

+

+   .. vspace:: 4

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CONTENTS.

+

+.. vspace:: 1

+

+.. class:: noindent small

+

+   Chapter.

+

+.. class:: noindent medium white-space-pre-line

+

+I.  `Early Life; Off for a Voyage`_

+II.  `Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea`_

+III.  `A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship`_

+IV.  `Cast Up by the Sea on a Tropical Island`_

+V.  `Strange Surroundings; Building a House`_

+VI.  `The Stockade; a Crusoe's Life`_

+VII.  `A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply`_

+VIII.  `Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun`_

+IX.  `Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs`_

+X.  `In the Folds of a Snake`_

+XI.  `The Mountain Cave; a Beacon; Attack by Pigs`_

+XII.  `Return to the Coast; a Mangrove Swamp; Fever`_

+XIII.  `A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish Trap`_

+XIV.  `Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits`_

+XV.  `A Hurricane and a Ship-Wreck`_

+XVI.  `Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House`_

+XVII.  `Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck`_

+XVIII.  `The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain`_

+XIX.  `An Ancient Ruin; Wonderful Discovery`_

+XX.  `"The Golden Treasure;" Its Removal`_

+XXI.  `Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster`_

+XXII.  `Boat-Building; A Startling Sound`_

+XXIII.  `Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island`_

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Early Life; Off for a Voyage`:

+

+.. class:: center x-large bold

+

+   A BOY CRUSOE

+

+.. vspace:: 3

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER I.

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Early Life; Off for a Voyage*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+I was born in a little town in the State of

+Maine, near the close of the Civil War.  My

+boyhood life did not differ materially from that

+of the average farmer's son in the remote

+country districts of New England--except,

+perhaps, that I read more and thought more.  Hard

+work on the rugged soil, two terms each year

+in the little yellow country schoolhouse, a day's

+fishing now and then filled the early years of

+my life full to over-flowing.  In the winter it

+was work in the woods, cutting up the year's

+supply of fire-wood; and then, before the

+spring ploughing time, my brother and myself

+found pleasant labor and recreation combined in

+the maple woods, tapping the trees, gathering

+the sap and tending the fire under the great

+kettles where the sweet product of the maple

+was transformed into syrup and sugar.

+

+I really think that I was more thoughtful

+than the average boy.  I know that I read

+more.  I do not remember ever feeling

+dissatisfied with my life or with the prospects

+that the future held out for me.  Probably I

+was too young for these things to trouble me

+much; but I read everything in the way of

+books and papers that I could borrow, or

+purchase by saving a little money earned in various

+ways.  I was fond of stories of adventure; but

+travel and adventure combined, interested me

+most.  Therefore, as I grew older, I became

+imbued with a passionate desire to travel in

+foreign lands.  The tropics were my ideal, and

+this feeling became stronger as the years went by.

+

+When I was fifteen years of age my father

+removed to a large village where there was a

+graded school, and I entered the grammar school,

+then the high school from which I was graduated.

+

+The passion for travel still had a strong hold

+upon me, but I saw no immediate prospect of

+gratifying it, for I was obliged to look about for

+some immediate means of earning a living for

+myself.  When everything else fails, one can

+always find an opportunity to canvass for a

+publishing house or a novelty concern; so, soon

+after leaving the high school, I was trudging up

+and down the banks of the Penobscot river,

+calling from house to house.  It was discouraging

+work, but I succeeded moderately well.

+

+Late in the fall I went up to Bangor to

+canvass that city, and it was there that I made the

+acquaintance of a gentleman, which led to the

+experiences that I am about to relate, and which

+changed the whole course of my life.

+

+Mr. William H. Sargent was a wealthy, retired

+merchant, with impaired health.  His wealth

+had been acquired by trading with the South

+American countries, and the West Indies, and

+he still retained large interest in many vessels

+sailing to that part of the world.

+

+It was his idea to make a voyage in one of

+these vessels, and the friendship which had

+developed between us, mostly through meeting

+in the reading room of the Public Library,

+caused him to suggest that I accompany him on

+his voyage to the Southern seas.

+

+I accepted only too gladly, and that very

+evening I wrote a long letter to my mother,

+explaining my good fortune, bidding her not to

+worry by exaggerating, in her own mind, the

+dangers to be encountered.

+

+The next few days I spent mostly with my

+benefactor, for as such I looked upon him,

+helping him in various ways in his preparations for

+the voyage.  As for myself, I required little

+more than a modest supply of clothing.

+

+Mr. Sargent was thoughtful and considerate,

+however, and insisted upon my procuring much

+that I deemed unnecessary for my modest

+requirements, paying for the same from his own

+pocket.

+

+Our craft was a trim bark called the *Ethelyn

+Hope*, built at Searsport three years before.

+She was two hundred and fifty tons gross

+measurement and sat in the water jauntily

+and buoyantly.  From her load water-line to

+the tips of her topmast she was as trim a craft

+as one could wish to see.  As she lay at the

+wharf ready for sea, everything on deck had

+been made snug, and not a coil of rope or spare

+block was out of place.  Her cargo consisted of

+case oil, salt fish and flour in her hold, and she

+carried a good deck-load of lumber.  She was

+bound for Cayenne, French Guiana, on the

+north coast of South America.

+

+The *Ethelyn Hope* was commanded by Captain

+Thomas Witham; and the first, second and

+third mates, with nine able seamen before the

+mast comprised the crew.

+

+Nothing remained to be done except to cast

+off the lines, when, released from her bonds the

+bark slowly moved down the river.  The sails

+on the lower yards and jib-boom were set, and

+with a light breeze favoring her, aided by the

+swift current, the city was soon lost behind High

+Head.

+

+By daylight the following morning we had

+passed through the "Narrows", and just at

+sunrise all sails were set and the bark squared away

+for the mouth of the bay where she was laid

+on a sou', sou'-east course as she took her final

+departure.

+

+My spirits were decidedly buoyant as the bark

+glided out of the bay into the open sea, and a

+delicious sense of elation took possession of me

+as I realized that I was really on board a ship,

+with the land fading away behind me, bound for

+a foreign shore, the wonderful tropics, the land

+of palms of which I had read so much.  I should

+see for myself the curious things of the sea,

+strange countries and people; and perhaps

+encounter fierce animals in the virgin forests, the

+home of birds of rare and beautiful plumage.

+

+With a strong northwest breeze the bark stood

+away on her course, with every sail filled out

+and drawing handsomely.  Although the weather

+had been clear and the sea fairly calm, by

+sunset a thin haze rendered the outline of the

+horizon dimly visible, and the Captain began to fear

+a blow.  His nautical instinct made him sure

+that there was to be a change in the weather,

+and he gave orders for everything to be made

+secure.  And, sure enough, at dusk the wind

+freshened and hauled around into the north-east.

+

+It was about this time that I suddenly became

+conscious of a peculiar feeling, a sudden

+dizziness, like the sensation caused by a boy's first

+cigar.  I knew well enough that I was experiencing

+the first sensations of seasickness, and,

+suddenly losing interest in the sailing of the

+ship, I went below and tumbled into my berth.

+

+Feeling somewhat better, while I lay quiet, I

+had nearly dropped off to sleep when I was

+aroused by a tremendous noise, which brought

+me to my senses, when I realized that the vessel

+was rolling and pitching wildly.  I could hear

+the howling of the wind around the deck-houses,

+and the snapping of the great sails.  Now and

+then I heard the sound of the Captain's voice on

+deck as though he were giving brisk orders; and

+I rightly concluded that we were having it very

+rough.  I looked across the cabin and saw that

+Mr. Sargent was in his berth, but as he was

+apparently not asleep I spoke to him, asking if

+there was any danger.

+

+"Oh, I guess not," he replied.  "We are

+having a pretty stiff blow."

+

+Strangely enough, I suppose, I did not now

+feel sick, though my head was a little dizzy, so

+I concluded to go on deck.  I cautiously ascended

+the companion way, and found the Captain standing

+near the wheel, enveloped in oil-skins, his

+head being covered by an ample sou'wester.

+

+"Hello, boy," was his greeting, "what are you

+doing up here?  The best place for you is below;

+you might get blown over-board."

+

+But I begged to be allowed to remain a little,

+arguing that I felt better on deck, and the

+Captain relented and found a sheltered place

+under the lee of the cook's galley, telling me

+not to try to move about the deck.

+

+The bark was rolling and tossing, but appeared

+to be bounding through the water like a race-horse.

+Soon I heard the Captain tell the mate

+that the wind had shifted around into the east,

+and that they were in for a stiff blow, and rain,

+too, before long.

+

+So it proved, and it was not long before the

+squall struck in earnest.  The ship careened,

+and a sea came over her weather rail, until the

+lee-scuppers spouted green water, wetting me

+a little, even in my sheltered retreat.

+

+The rain began to fall, and the sailors had

+their hands full.  There was a great commotion

+of loudly spoken orders, the tramping of feet,

+the creaking of blocks, the rush and roar of the

+sea and the howling of the blast through the

+rigging.  All hands were called to take in sail,

+and the bark, soon close hauled, was lying over

+nearly to her lee rail.  The heavy sea beat

+against her bows with all the force which tons

+of water could exert, while the staunch little

+vessel, quivering for a moment would seem to

+hesitate, and then plunge forward to meet the

+next onslaught like an animate thing possessed

+of sensible emotions.  The spray, flying back

+over the bows, drenched the deck from fore to

+aft.  The topsail halyards had been hauled taut,

+and the sails filled out and backed against the

+masts with a noise like thunder.

+

+I did not long remain in the scanty shelter

+afforded by the house, but made the best of my

+way to the cabin.  To make matters worse, I

+was again off my "sea-legs," and was getting

+terribly sick.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER II.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+The gale continued until the end of the fourth

+day, and we were south of the deep blue waters

+of the Gulf Stream, when it abated somewhat,

+and though it continued to blow heavily, the

+sea was running more regularly, in long, even

+swells which made the motion of the bark less

+disagreeable, especially for me.

+

+The studding sails were taken in, and the

+wind was hauled, in order that the Captain

+might be given an opportunity to determine

+our longitude.

+

+The Captain found that we were not far off

+the course, as the wind had blown mostly from

+north, and northeast and east.  The sails were

+trimmed, and, by sundown the wind veered

+around into the northwest and blew steadily,

+while the sea gradually subsided.  We were now

+about two hundred miles to the eastward of

+Watling's Island, one of the Bahamas, also

+known as San Salvador, the first land in the

+New World discovered by Columbus.  The stars

+shone bright, and the bark, rolling easily, plowed

+the warm waters of the sub-tropic sea.  I

+remained with Mr. Sargent long on deck that

+night, watching the phosphorence of the water,

+which in these latitudes, is sometimes very

+brilliant.

+

+The morning dawned upon a tropic sea, for

+the bark had made good progress during the

+night, and we were well abreast of the larger

+islands of the Bahamas.  The breeze was soft

+and balmy, and the ocean a deep, crystal blue,

+of a hue never seen except in these southern

+latitudes.  This is owing partly to the remarkable

+reflection of the sky but more to the extreme

+depth of the water.  Myriads of flying fish rose

+in flocks from the water and fluttered away on

+both sides of the ship as the bark glided

+through the weeds of the Sargasso Sea.  The

+Sargasso weed is a genus by itself, which, thrust

+away to the south by the mighty ocean

+currents, lies in a vast central pool, a great eddy

+between the Gulf Stream and the Equatorial

+current; and here it revolves.  It is ocean born,

+and long ages have passed since it lost its habit

+of growing on the rocky sea-bottom.  Forever

+floating it feeds among its branches whole

+families of crabs, cuttle-fish and mollusks, which like

+the plant itself, are found in no other seas.

+

+The flying-fish interested me greatly, for I

+had read much about them.  I noticed that their

+flight was as perfect as that of some kinds of

+birds, and that it very closely resembled that of

+the swallow, in that it was a skimming, circling

+flight.  I had read that the flying-fish rarely

+leaves the water unless pursued by a shark or

+some other fish to which it is a prey; and that,

+on leaving the water it does not really fly, but,

+instead, emerges from the water on an upward

+plane, enabling it to skim along for some

+distance.  I had read, also, that the fish is unable

+to remain in the air only while its wings are

+wet.  This latter statement is undoubtedly

+correct; but I observed that its flight was perfect,

+the fish making use of its greatly elongated and

+highly developed pectoral fins, as wings.  I saw

+them flying singly and in flocks or schools, when

+they were not pursued by sharks and I was

+thoroughly convinced that they did actually fly.

+They gyrated in the air exactly like swallows,

+and moved their wings very rapidly like birds.

+There seemed to be no limit to the length of

+their flight, for they would rise from beneath

+the bows and fly away in a continuous line until

+lost to sight in the distance.

+

+Once one dropped upon the deck in the night

+and the cook broiled it, assuring us that its flesh

+was very delicate, much like that of a fresh

+water perch; and indeed, so it proved to be.

+

+The Captain had taken a course much further

+to the eastward than he would ordinarily.

+Usually, in going to the Guianas, the route is

+through the Bahama group, by way of the

+Crooked Island Channel, thence through the

+Windward Passage, between Cuba and Haiti

+and across the Caribbean sea by the east end of

+Jamaica.  But Mr. Sargent wished to go further

+to the eastward so as to pass among the

+Leeward Islands, perhaps landing there to await

+the return of the bark from the coast.  This

+plan could be followed without detriment, as a

+little delay in reaching Guiana was more than

+likely to result in an improved market for the

+cargo.  This explains the unusual course of the

+*Ethelyn Hope*.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER III.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+The weather continued fine for three days,

+after passing the latitude of San Salvador, with

+a fresh breeze blowing from the northwest,

+which sped the bark on her course so that she

+logged better than ten knots; but on the fourth

+day the wind swung around to the north and

+gradually hauled into the northeast, and the

+long, steady swells began to rise.

+

+The Captain at once prepared for a gale and

+ordered the sails trimmed to meet it.  That the

+apprehensions of the Captain were grave was

+proven by the precautions taken; for not only

+was sail shortened to the last extremity, but

+the hatches were securely battened down.

+

+The barometer began to fall about noon, and

+from that time the wind increased until it was

+blowing a gale; but just after sunset the wind

+almost died away, though the mountainous

+foam-flecked seas continued.

+

+As the sun went down the sky rapidly

+became overcast, and a cloud of inky blackness

+appeared along the horizon.  As we stood

+watching it a long line of whiteness appeared

+between the sea and the black cloud, and

+stretched away far toward the east.  Gradually

+the white line came nearer, until it proved to

+be a wall of foam.  It was advancing toward

+the ship with great rapidity; and as it came

+nearer the air above it was seen to be filled

+with flying spray.

+

+The wind began to freshen, and the sailors

+were hurrying about in obedience to the orders

+of the Captain, still shortening sail.  All the

+upper sails were reefed.

+

+Nearer and nearer came the wall of foam, and

+with a roar it struck the ship, and the storm

+broke in a perfect tornado.

+

+The bark was careened until the lee scuppers

+were submerged; and the staunch craft shook

+from end to end.  For an instant she seemed

+buried beneath the raging sea, and then rose

+and plunged into the next wave.

+

+Mr. Sargent and I made haste to go below,

+where we remained holding ourselves in our

+berths while the ship reeled, plunged and

+groaned in every timber and plank.

+

+A fearful report like the crack of a rifle told

+us that some sail had been carried away; and

+then followed others.  At length, from a change

+in the ship's motion, we judged that the

+Captain was trying to put her about and run before

+the gale; but suddenly a fearful crash which

+seemed as though the bark had split from stem

+to stern was followed by a terrible rolling and

+plunging.

+

+Crack!  Crack! and the bark pitched and

+groaned worse than ever.

+

+We heard the Captain making his way toward

+the cabin, and then saw him enter.  His face

+wore a look of deep anxiety.

+

+"The masts have gone," he said, "and the

+bark is unmanageable.  You must prepare for

+the worst.  We may have to take to the boats."

+

+"At once, Captain?" asked Mr. Sargent.

+

+"I cannot tell until the well is sounded; but

+I fear that she must founder."

+

+At that moment the first mate entered the

+cabin and stated that the bark was leaking

+badly.  The water was rising fast in the hold.

+

+"We must remain on the ship to the last

+moment," said the Captain, "for a boat could

+not live in this sea."

+

+The Captain returned to the deck, and how

+long we clung to the berths I cannot tell, for I

+was dazed by the peril which threatened us--Were

+we to be lost at sea, drowned, all hands?

+

+The Captain again entered the cabin.  "We

+must take to the boats," he said, "and Heaven

+help us."

+

+We hastened on deck just as we were, half

+clothed, leaving everything behind.  Nothing

+could be taken.

+

+When we reached the deck we saw the Captain

+standing by the starboard boat.  The other

+had been launched, and had instantly

+disappeared in the darkness and foaming water.

+

+The Captain, first and second mate, Mr. Sargent

+and myself now alone remained on the bark.

+

+We hurried into the boat.  "We should not

+be far from one of the outlying islands of the

+Windward group," said the captain; "and if the

+boat can live in this sea until daylight we may

+reach one of the Virgin Islands."

+

+The tackle was let go, and a great sea caught

+the boat.  She was lifted up, and up, and up,

+and then sank, it seemed, into a fathomless

+abyss.

+

+I saw the first and second mate bend to the

+oars.  The Captain was in the stern.  The boat

+careened and seemed to start suddenly upward

+on an inclined plane.

+

+A rush of water enveloped her.  I heard a

+roaring sound in my ears, and I knew no more.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Cast up by the Sea on a Tropical Island`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER IV.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Cast up by the Sea on a Tropical Island*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+When I regained consciousness I was lying

+upon a sandy beach.  I was uninjured, but

+rather stiff, while my body seemed to be bruised

+in places.  I was, of course, wet to the skin,

+and I crawled up and lay upon the sand where

+my clothing was quickly dried by the hot sun,

+now well up.

+

+Meanwhile I looked about me.  I had been

+driven ashore between two points of land, upon

+a narrow beach.  The vegetation, very thick

+and luxuriant, grew close to the line of sand,

+and all around me, beautiful trees were waving

+in the balmy breeze, their shining leaves

+glistening in the sunlight.

+

+I stood up and looked behind me, but I saw

+nothing save lofty mountains heavily wooded.

+

+I had no doubt but that I was on an island,

+indeed I could be nowhere else, and I judged

+that it must be one of the most northern of the

+Leeward group.

+

+Looking toward the sea, I saw only the broad

+expanse of deep blue water stretching away to

+the horizon.  There was no other land in sight.

+

+The sea had become calmer, but the influence

+of the storm was still evidenced by the heavy

+surf which broke upon the narrow beach.  There

+was no wreckage of any kind, no sign of

+anything or anybody belonging to the bark.

+

+At first the utter lonesomeness and hopelessness

+of my situation depressed me; but it would

+not do to give way to gloomy thoughts.  I was

+entirely alone, and, so far as I knew, upon an

+uninhabited island.  My future was a sealed

+book.  After a while I began to take a more

+hopeful view of the situation, and the novelty

+of my surroundings, and the strange things

+about me, aroused my curiosity.  So I

+determined to explore along the shore.

+

+The vegetation was very dense, and appeared

+to be interwoven with vines of monstrous size.

+One kind of tree, very tall and with a heavy

+long narrow leaf seemed to be the most

+abundant; and from the descriptions which I had

+read, and by the clusters of oblong fruit at the

+bases of the leaf-heads, I knew them to be

+cocoanut palms.

+

+"If I am really alone upon an uninhabited

+island," I thought, "at least I shall not starve

+so long as I am able to obtain plenty of cocoanuts."

+

+Slowly I walked along the shore, my face

+being toward the east as I knew from the

+direction of the sun.  First I decided to go to the

+top of the loftiest headland to see if I could

+obtain any trace of the bark, although I felt

+sure that she had gone down, and that all but

+myself had perished; still, the loneliness of my

+situation caused me to cling to what I felt was

+but a vain hope, that some one beside myself

+had survived.

+

+With thoughts confused, and laboring under

+varying emotions, I walked slowly along,

+keeping on the sand except when I was obliged to

+turn aside to avoid a kind of dagger-like plant

+whose leaves were armed with cruel points.

+

+Reaching the headland I was obliged to go

+through a thicket where my scanty clothing, as

+well as my hands, was torn by great thorns.

+However, I reached the point of land, and

+climbing to the top of a high mound I looked

+around.  Before me, and to my right and left,

+there was nothing but the blue, heaving ocean;

+and behind me, I saw nothing but a dense forest,

+with lofty mountains in the distance.  There

+was no sign of life save brilliant plumaged birds

+flitting about, and bright colored butterflies

+glancing in the sunshine.

+

+Surely I was alone; but whether on an

+uninhabited island or not, the future alone would

+reveal.  For the present it did not matter, and

+I must certainly depend upon my own resources.

+

+I returned to the spot where I had been cast

+ashore, meanwhile revolving in my mind my

+present condition.  What gave me great anxiety

+just then was my lack of clothing.  I had on

+only my trousers, and shirt, shoes and

+stockings; and these were all I possessed in the

+world, but I was overjoyed to find that my

+knife was still in one of the pockets of my

+trousers.  It was a good one, large and having

+two blades.  The large blade was long and

+strong, and the possession of it might mean

+much to me in the future.

+

+Reaching the place where I regained consciousness

+after being thrown ashore by the waves.

+I began to think of finding a good place to build

+a temporary shelter.  This seemed to be as

+good a location as any, I thought, as I looked

+around.  It was in a sheltered cove, a clear,

+grassy plat surrounded by trees.

+

+"Why not make my camp right here," I asked

+myself; and as I reflected it seemed to be the

+only place where I should locate for the present,

+for here I should be in a position to watch closely

+in the hope that some vestige of the bark would

+yet be washed ashore; for I thought that, if the

+vessel had foundered, something belonging to

+her would very likely come ashore, and I felt

+sure that some parts of the boats, and perhaps

+the bodies of some of my unfortunate

+companions would be almost sure to drift in.

+

+It was, I judged, now near mid-day, and the

+heat of the sun upon my head gave me some

+concern.  I must devise some covering for my

+head.  Looking about with this object in view,

+I saw hanging from a small palm tree what

+looked like coarse canvas.  On examining it

+more closely, I found that it was really a sort of

+natural cloth, about the color of hemp, and

+composed of fibres that appeared to be very

+strong, crossing one another like warp and

+filling, but not interwoven.  Instead, the fibres

+were closely stuck together so that a strong,

+pliant fabric was formed.

+

+With my knife I cut off a large piece which

+I twisted about in such a manner as to form a

+conical cap.  The edges I fastened together

+with long, sharp thorns that I cut from some

+bushes near by.  This, though rude, would

+protect my head for the time being.

+

+Before proceeding to begin the construction

+of my place of abode, I felt inclined to look

+about for some means of satisfying the hunger

+which I now felt keenly, for I had eaten nothing

+since supper the night before on board the

+ill-fated bark.

+

+The cocoanut trees suggested the most available

+source of supply for the first meal in the

+strange surroundings in which I found myself;

+so going to a cluster of the trees near by,

+meanwhile wondering how I would manage to obtain

+the nuts fifty feet or more above my head, I

+was greatly relieved to find plenty of them

+lying upon the ground.  But the nuts that I

+saw were not like those common in the markets

+at home.  Instead, they were oblong and many

+times larger.  I soon discovered that to get at

+the meat I must first cut away the outer husk

+or covering with which it was enveloped; so I

+opened my knife and set to work.  It was no

+easy task, for the husk was thick and tough;

+but after much labor I succeeded in removing it

+until I bared the round, hard shell of the nut,

+when, with a large stone I was not long in

+cracking it, and laying bare the white meat.

+With the nut in my hands I walked about

+among the trees as I ate.  So interested was I

+in the beautiful, brilliant-colored flowers, some

+of which were of enormous size, and in

+numbers of little green lizards that hopped about

+over the leaves of the smaller shrubs, that I did

+not at once notice, as I came into a grassy,

+circular plat, that the ground beneath a compact,

+shapely tree was plentifully besprinkled with

+golden globes, and I was in a high state of

+elation when I discovered that they were oranges.

+The tree itself was loaded with green and

+yellow fruit.  I peeled one of the largest, and

+found that it was delicious and juicy, but of a

+rather different flavor from those to which I

+had been accustomed.  But here was at least

+both refreshment and sustenance, so I was in

+no danger of starving, and I made a hearty meal.

+

+Crossing the grassy plat where the orange

+tree grew, I descended a gentle slope among

+the palm trees and soon came to a beautiful

+little stream of clear water.  Having still one

+of the halves of the cocoanut shell in my hand,

+I used it as a cup and took a long draught of

+the water, which, though rather warm, appeared

+to be pure and wholesome.

+

+The stream at this point was quite broad and

+very shallow, and though but a few rods from

+the mouth it flowed quite swiftly.  Along the

+banks I noticed that a certain tall, reed-like

+plant grew in great profusion, and, on closer

+examination I discovered it to be a kind of wild

+cane, with large, feathery, chocolate-colored

+plumes.

+

+I followed the bank of the stream to the

+shore, and then returned to my landing place,

+walking along the narrow beach.

+

+Hunger satisfied for the time-being, I set

+about making preparations for constructing my

+dwelling.  Although in no need of protection

+from cold in this tropical climate, I remembered

+having read that it was not advisable to be

+without shelter at night, so I decided that my

+first task should be to construct a house, or a hut.

+

+I first chose a clear place a little in among

+the palms, perhaps a dozen rods from the beach,

+and, as accurately as I could by pacing, I

+measured off an area ten feet square.  Each corner

+I marked by driving down a short stick, and

+then went in search of four corner posts.  After

+a little searching I found some straight trees

+about three inches in diameter, having smooth

+bark and with but few limbs, each tree forked

+about seven feet from the ground.  After an

+hour's hard work, I succeeded in cutting down

+four of them with my knife; and after trimming

+off the branches and cutting off the tops,

+leaving ample forks, I dragged them to the site of

+lay dwelling.  I next felled another pole which

+was cut in halves, leaving the butt end about

+four feet long.  This I sharpened at the thickest

+end, and with it made holes about eighteen

+inches deep at each corner of the square to be

+occupied by my house.

+

+Into each of these holes I set one of the forked

+corner posts, wedging it firmly with stones from

+the beach, driven solidly down all around it,

+filling in each with earth which I trod down

+firmly.  Four long poles were now needed to

+rest one end in each of the upright forks, so as

+to form a frame, and I started away again, this

+time toward the brook, which I followed up

+stream.  I had gone but a short distance when

+I came to a place where the stream widened

+into a broad pool.  The water here was dark

+and apparently deep, and all around it,

+gracefully bending over the still depths, I found

+growing tall plants having small, narrow green

+leaves.  The plants grew in clusters, and some

+of them were very tall, I judged from twenty-five

+to forty feet.  I hurried forward with a

+view to ascertaining whether they would suit

+my purpose, when I immediately made a

+discovery which at once solved the question of

+obtaining an ample supply of material for

+building operations, both now and in the future; for

+the tall, graceful plants proved to be bamboos.

+I knew them from the descriptions I had read,

+and from the regular joints, just like those I had

+seen on the bamboo fishing rods at home.

+

+I selected several of the bamboos, each being

+about two inches in diameter, and although I

+found them to be very hard, I managed to cut

+them down, and to trim off the branches and

+the tops.  By making three trips I dragged the

+bamboos to my building site.  Laying them

+along one side of the area to be occupied by the

+house, I found that they were nearly twenty

+feet long.  Four of them I cut off to the

+required length.  I then raised one on either side,

+one end of each pole resting in one of the forks

+of the uprights.  A pole was then laid across

+each of the other sides, resting upon the poles

+supported by the forks, so that a sort of scaffold

+was formed, which needed only to be covered

+over to be complete.

+

+I had worked so busily and had become so

+much interested that I scarcely noticed that the

+sun was already sinking behind the palm trees,

+and casting long shadows across the beach; so,

+as I was aware that darkness very quickly

+follows sunset in the tropics, I must make haste

+and provide a temporary shelter for the night

+before suspending work.  I therefore cut the

+rest of the poles in halves and laid them across

+the two longer poles resting in the forks, thus

+forming a gridiron-like structure.  With my

+knife I cut a large quantity of leafy branches

+from the shrubs that grew near at hand, and

+then went to the brook for an armful of wild

+canes.  With this material I covered a portion

+of the scaffold, making quite a good shelter

+between myself and the sky.

+

+As the sun sank lower and the shadows

+deepened, I felt a sense of loneliness steal over

+me, for the idea of spending the night alone, I

+knew not where, perhaps on an island, with the

+boundless ocean on one side, and a deep,

+unknown forest on the other which might conceal

+fierce wild animals, was not at all pleasing.  But

+I must train myself to know no fear, and the

+sooner I began to school myself to this end, the

+better.

+

+Although I felt sure I should not sleep with

+nothing to protect me and with no means of

+making a fire, I instinctively began to think of

+providing some sort of couch; and again I took

+my knife and cut a quantity of bushes which I

+piled in the form of a bed beneath the scaffold.

+I next cut several armfuls of the tall grass which

+grew all around and with it covered the couch

+of bushes.  I now had an acceptable bed, so

+constructed that one end which was to serve as

+the head, was about a foot higher than the other.

+

+By the time I had finished it was quite dark;

+but I still stood leaning against one of the

+corner uprights with my face turned toward the

+forest, hesitating what to do next, and

+instinctively listening for some new sound.  There

+was no breeze stirring, and the sea lightly

+washed the sand with a low murmur which

+tended to increase my feeling of loneliness.

+Since sunset the air had become beautifully

+cool.  For a long time I stood motionless.

+

+The sounds of the night were about me; and

+once I started violently when I thought I heard

+a twig crack.  Then I heard, apparently only a

+little distance away, a noise like a stone, thrown

+by some one, striking the ground; but, after the

+startled feeling had partly left me I reasoned

+that the noise was made by a ripened cocoanut

+falling from the tree.  The indistinct notes of

+many insects, new and strange, filled the air,

+and one particularly noisy insect gave forth a

+sharp clipping sound like that made by shears

+in the hands of a barber.  Sometimes a note

+like that of a bird varied the myriads of sounds.

+Feeling reassured, after a time, I cautiously lay

+down upon my couch, but still listening.  How

+long I remained conscious I cannot say; but I

+must have been very weary from the excitement

+of the ship-wreck, the hardship of being

+cast ashore and the busy day's work.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Strange Surroundings; Building a House`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER V.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Strange Surroundings; Building a House*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+My next sensation was that of the sun

+shining in my face when I awoke in the morning.

+At first, as I looked out from beneath my

+shelter I could scarcely comprehend where I was or

+how I came there; but the events of the day

+before soon returned to me.  For a few

+minutes I lay still, looking around upon my

+beautiful surroundings.  What a perfect paradise it

+was, and how overjoyed I should be were I here

+under different circumstances.

+

+There was a gentle breeze stirring, just enough

+to move the feathery leaves of the palms and

+to slightly bend the tall grass; and though I

+could not see any of them, I heard birds giving

+forth discordant notes in the forest around.

+

+But I must stir myself, for there was much

+to do.  My house must be finished, I must

+devise some articles for personal use, and the

+problem of my future sustenance must be

+solved, for I could not long continue to work

+and subsist entirely upon cocoanuts and oranges,

+although they would answer well enough for

+the present.

+

+So I sprang up and going directly to the

+stream I bathed my face and hands.  Having

+no towel and seeing no substitute for one, I sat

+down and dried myself in the sun.

+

+Cracking another cocoanut in the same manner

+as I did the day before and gathering some

+oranges, I sat down with my back against the

+palm tree and proceeded with my frugal breakfast.

+As I had neglected to provide myself

+with a meal ere I retired the night before, I

+was very hungry and my appetite was not

+satisfied until I had eaten nearly a dozen oranges,

+beside the cocoanut.  Using a half shell of the

+cocoanut as a cup, I took a long drink of water

+from the stream and turned again toward my

+embryo dwelling.

+

+I thought it best to construct the walls first

+in order to provide against the possible attacks

+of wild animals, and knowing this to be the

+first part of the dry season which, in the

+latitude in which I judged myself to be, lasts from

+the middle of November until May, there was

+no immediate necessity for providing shelter

+from rain.

+

+The necessity of devising some plan for keeping

+an accurate account of each day as it passed,

+now occurred to me, and as I walked back to the

+pool for another supply of bamboos, I revolved

+the question in my mind.  The record which I

+proposed to keep must be indestructible, and in

+some compact, portable form so that I could

+easily take it with me in the event of sudden

+departure from my habitation.  One of the

+halves of the cocoanut shells which caught my

+eye as I passed the spot where I had partaken

+of breakfast, gave me an idea which I at once

+adopted.

+

+Then and there I put the plan into execution.

+It was this: I resolved to use only the halves of

+the cocoanut shells that contained the natural

+holes through which the shoots of the

+germinating nut emerge from the shell.  The meat

+was removed from the half shell, leaving the

+two holes through it.

+

+At the close of each day, as near sunset as

+possible, I would cut a deep notch in the edge

+of the shell, and each shell should have as many

+notches as there were days in the month.  On

+the completion of the month I would carve with

+my knife the name of the month and year;

+and in this way I hoped to preserve a correct

+record of the time.  As each month was

+finished I proposed to pass a cord through one of

+the holes; and for the purpose I at once braided

+a strong cord from the fibres of the cocoanut

+cloth from which I had constructed my head gear.

+

+I remembered, accurately the day of the

+wreck, and as I had been on shore one day, I

+out the first notch, and engraved on the shell:

+"December 18th, 18--."

+

+As I marked upon my calendar I wondered

+how many shells I should have upon my string

+ere I was rescued from my lonely position.

+"Perhaps," I thought, "I may never see any

+other place."  But I resolved not to harbor

+gloomy thoughts; and tying a large hard knot

+in one end of the cord, I strung the shell upon

+it, inserting it from the outside.  Succeeding

+shells strung upon the cord would fit into one

+another like a nest of bowls.  Thus I would

+have a complete record, and a practically

+imperishable one.

+

+As I knew the day of the week on which I

+had commenced my lone life, I resolved, for

+each Sunday, to bore a hole instead of cutting

+a notch, for I intended to observe the Sabbath

+by abstaining from work.

+

+Continuing my way to the pool, I set to work

+cutting bamboos.  I selected only those

+measuring about two inches in diameter, and before

+the sun reached the zenith I had thirty of them

+cut and trimmed, ready to drag to my house.

+

+I found it hot work, and I threw myself down

+to rest.  For the first time I caught sight of

+the birds that had been making such a babel of

+discordant sounds all the morning.  Several of

+them were flying about near the opposite side

+of the pool, and I at once recognized them as

+parrots.

+

+"What a consolation it would be," I thought,

+"if I could capture one and teach it to talk.

+It certainly would prove far better than no

+companion."

+

+Having landed the bamboos at the house, I

+set about cutting them into lengths corresponding

+to the height of the corner posts.  These I

+set into the ground at regular intervals, in line

+with the posts, lashing the upper ends to the

+horizontal poles resting in the forks, and to the

+poles across the other two sides, using for the

+purpose a long, supple vine which I found growing

+in plenty in the edge of the woods, twisting

+around the trunks of the trees.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`The Stockade; A Crusoe's Life`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER VI.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *The Stockade; A Crusoe's Life*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+By the time I had finished setting the poles

+into the ground, thus forming the enclosure of

+the house, my appetite began to assert itself;

+and I was again reminded that I must search

+for food other than cocoanuts and oranges.

+More substantial nourishment I must have if I

+was to continue to work and retain my health

+and strength.  But my extreme anxiety to

+carry along the construction of my house

+sufficiently far to afford a feeling of security at

+night, decided me to make a few more meals

+of the oranges and nuts before suspending

+work long enough to discover or develop resources.

+

+Again I went to the pool and cut two more

+bamboos, each twenty feet long.  I then cut

+them in halves, making four poles each ten feet

+long.  Carrying these to the house, I lashed

+one across the upright palings midway between

+the upper pole and the ground, lashing them

+firmly to each of the palings.  This strengthened

+the structure, and shaking it with all my

+strength I was gratified to find that, though

+naturally elastic, it was firm and strong.

+

+As I now had a safe protection from any wild

+animal of moderate size and strength, I felt

+that I should be secure at night.  I was on an

+island somewhere to the northeast of the

+Caribbean sea, in fact, I reasoned that I could be

+nowhere else; and from this, together with

+what I had read, I concluded that there could

+be no very large or ferocious wild animals in

+the forests about me.

+

+I still had some time to work before sunset,

+and I therefore went to the bank of the stream

+to cut a quantity of wild canes which I

+proposed to weave in the form of basket work,

+between the palings, thus forming the walls of

+my house.

+

+Cutting the canes was easy work, and by

+sunset I had a great pile of them landed by the

+house.

+

+Again satisfying the cravings of hunger with

+oranges and cocoanuts, washed down with water

+from the brook, I cut another notch in the

+cocoanut-shell calendar, and after sitting and

+listening to the varied insect sounds until it was

+quite dark, I retired, to my couch within the

+inclosure.

+

+Lying upon my couch, until I fell asleep, I

+revolved in my mind various plans for the

+future.  The details for the construction of my

+house were pretty well worked out in my mind;

+and the desirability of surrounding my abode

+with some sort of a stockade occurred to me.

+I had little fear of attacks from wild animals,

+but I presumed that the island was inhabited in

+some part of it, by what sort of people I had

+not yet considered.

+

+Indeed, it was extremely improbable that an

+island in this quarter of the world could be

+totally uninhabited.  Whether the islanders

+proved friendly or otherwise, the idea of a

+stockade as a protection against possible

+surprise met with my immediate approval.

+

+Another question of extreme importance to

+be considered was that of a permanent food

+supply.  Perhaps only cocoanuts and oranges

+abounded in my near vicinity; at any rate, I

+resolved to carefully survey the adjacent region

+for the purpose of ascertaining its resources.

+

+Then the question of providing clothing for

+myself must be considered, for, at best, my

+present raiment would not long survive the

+rough usage which it was now receiving, and to

+which it would hereafter be subjected in the

+bush.  I even thought it might be well to

+construct a suit from the cocoanut-fibre cloth, and

+thus save my civilized clothes for the day of

+my rescue.

+

+Many other things passed through my mind

+in rapid succession as I lay upon my couch,

+among them the project of starting out upon a

+tour of discovery in an endeavor to ascertain

+the extent of my domain, and if it was

+inhabited in any part of it.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER VII.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+The notches in the cocoanut calendar grew

+in number as the days passed, busy days of

+hard, incessant labor, and four months of my

+exile elapsed ere the house was finished to my

+satisfaction and a substantial stockade erected

+around it.  The walls of my house were made

+of the wild canes closely woven like basket-work.

+It had been done very carefully, and,

+when completed, I had a perfect shelter, both

+from the sun and the wind.  The roof was made

+of the long grass, alternate with layers of

+bamboos; and by using the larger bamboos in the

+centre of the roof, when by successive layers it

+reached the proper thickness, I had a roof which

+sloped steeply from the centre to each edge,

+which, carefully covered with an outside layer

+of the long grass dressed from the top

+downward, would perfectly shed the water during

+the rainy season.  The thickness of the roof

+rendered it impervious to wet, and, as I soon

+discovered, almost a non-conductor of heat.

+

+I left no windows in the house, as I thought

+there would be sufficient ventilation through

+the interstices of the cane-walls, but I constructed

+a door three feet wide and five feet high, by

+lashing bamboos together in the form of a

+gridiron, and then weaving in cane as I had done in

+constructing the walls.  For hinges I made use

+of vines twisted together.

+

+The stockade surrounded the house at a distance

+of about six feet from either side, and it

+cost me several weeks of steady work.  I had

+first to cut a great number of good-sized

+bamboos, which, with only my knife, was very

+laborious work.  I had frequently to sharpen

+the knife on a piece of soft, porous rock which

+I found near the brook.

+

+Each bamboo was cut off to a length of ten

+feet, and sharpened at the small, or upper end.

+These I set into the ground at intervals of one

+foot, to a depth of two feet.  Then, at a

+distance of one foot from the top all around the

+enclosure, I lashed long bamboos, using the

+tough vine which I found in abundance near

+the edge of the bush, winding it around each

+upright bamboo, and around the horizontal

+poles.  Between the horizontal pole and the

+ground, I wove a close basketwork of the vine.

+It was harder work weaving in this vine, as it

+was larger than the canes; but it was very

+tough, and a wall composed of it closely woven

+would prove a very effective defense.

+

+So I kept busily at work, day after day, cutting

+the vines, trimming off the leaves, dragging

+them to the house and weaving them in around

+the bamboo uprights, until I finally had a wall

+about me elastic but capable of sustaining a

+great strain, the sharpened ends of the upright

+bamboos forming an effectual safeguard against

+the walls being scaled from the outside.

+

+After the woven-work of vines was thoroughly

+seasoned, which did not take long, I cut

+round holes six inches in diameter, four on each

+side, about five feet from the ground, in order

+that I might command a view in all directions

+without leaving the enclosure.

+

+In the side facing the sea, I made a door,

+constructed in a manner similar to that in the

+house; but, for the stockade door, I devised an

+arrangement for securely barring it on the

+inside, by using two large bamboos each two feet

+longer than the door was wide, held in place by

+rings of the supple vine which I twisted about

+the two door-posts.

+

+These rings were made by first bending

+several inches of one end of the vine in the form

+of a circle, and then winding the rest of the

+vine around this ring.  Through these the ends

+of the bars passing across the door were placed,

+which, if anything, made the opening, when

+closed and fastened inside, stronger than any

+other portion of the structure.

+

+During all this time I had lived solely upon

+cocoanuts and oranges, varied with a few

+shellfish, somewhat resembling periwinkles, only

+larger, that I found along the beach.  These I

+ate raw, and found them rather palatable but

+somewhat tough.  However, as I continued in

+good health and strength, I preferred to

+complete my house and stockade before making a

+systematic attempt to provide other food.

+

+Nothing now remained to be done in

+connection with my dwelling, but to carry into

+execution an idea which I had evolved while at work,

+that of transplanting some creepers from the

+edge of the forest and training them along the

+stockade, so that, as I calculated, in a short time,

+in this tropical land of rapid growth, they would

+completely cover the stockade, and render my

+retreat more safe from observation, should my

+solitude be invaded.

+

+During all this time I had suspended work on

+Sundays, but I had occupied the time in making

+short trips inland, and along the coast in either

+direction; but finding the forest very dense as I

+left the shore, I could not have gone more than

+four or five miles in any direction.  My trips

+along the shore were without results, so far as

+enlightenment concerning the extent of the

+island was concerned, for every bend of the

+coast revealed only headlands and more

+coast-line stretching away beyond.

+

+The results of my wandering in the bush had

+troubled me not a little, for I had found no new

+fruits and vegetables, and had discovered no

+animals, or birds that I could bring myself to

+think edible.  There were only parrots and

+smaller birds, some of brilliant plumage; and

+even had I chosen to eat them I had no means

+of securing the game.  I was somewhat

+surprised not to find more humming birds.  I saw

+only one kind, a large, black species, having two

+tiny golden feathers each about six inches long

+at the sides of its tail.  Of snakes, I had seen

+none, nor land turtles.

+

+The sea-shore, too, seemed to be as devoid of

+food supplies, for I had seen no sea turtle,

+though I knew that they should be plentiful in

+this latitude.

+

+But I refrained from attempting a systematic

+exploration, feeling it would be wise to first

+provide as secure a retreat as possible for my

+permanent headquarters.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER VIII.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+My house was now finished, and I began, with

+a light heart to think about starting on a long

+exploring trip.  Before taking my departure,

+however, two questions of importance must be

+solved, if possible, namely, that of devising a

+weapon with which I could shoot game, if any

+was found; and some means of procuring fire.

+

+The morning following the completion of the

+house and stockade, as I was walking toward

+the orange tree which continued to furnish me

+with an ample supply of fruit, an idea came to

+me, and so astonished was I that I had not

+thought of it before that I stopped short and

+gazed straight ahead of me for several minutes.

+

+My knife!

+

+Here was steel; now for a flint, and fire would

+be procurable at any moment.  I understood

+the use of flint and steel, for many times, in our

+boyhood, my brother and I, on our excursions

+in the woods, had made fires with old gun-flints

+and our pocket-knives as steel, for cooking grey

+squirrels when we were fortunate enough to

+shoot any.  We did this from choice, because of

+the novelty.

+

+Without further thought of breakfast I turned

+toward the shore to search for a substitute for

+flint, for I did not expect to find the real article

+here, as I had only seen soft, calcareous rock

+which appeared to be the prevailing kind.

+

+A long search up and down the beach failed

+to disclose any hard rock, not even a pebble of

+sufficient size.  Shells were abundant, but they

+would not answer the purpose.  I next turned

+my attention to the brook, and searched along

+the shallowest places for a hard stone.  I found

+one at last, round and flat, about the size of a

+silver dollar.  It was very dark, almost black,

+and appeared to be quite hard.  Wiping it with

+my hand I laid it down in the sun and waited

+impatiently for it to dry.  When perfectly free

+of moisture, I opened my knife, and holding

+the blade firmly in my left hand, I struck

+the stone sharply against the back of the blade,

+with a quick downward stroke.  No spark

+appeared.  Over and over again I tried but

+without success, but I saw that the stone scratched

+the steel, which gave me hope that the stone

+was sufficiently hard.

+

+After several more trials, a tiny spark shot

+downward from the blade.  My joy knew no

+bounds.  Tinder must be procured.  Like a

+flash came to my mind the feathery heads of the

+wild cane.  If I could find one dry enough I

+thought it would do.  I at once ran up stream

+to where the canes grew, and after a little search

+I found a plume that was dead and quite dry.

+Bending the cane down I gathered a handful of

+the floss from the head, and going to the foot of

+a cocoanut tree, I lay the cane floss down by

+the foot of the tree and once more tried to

+produce a spark.  I was soon able to obtain a spark

+frequently, but they invariably failed to reach

+the floss, or to ignite when they touched it.

+But I saw that I had fire within reach, and it

+only required perseverance to procure it.

+Holding the knife blade closer to the floss, I struck

+again.  This time a shower of tiny sparks

+descended to the floss, and, yes, it had caught!

+Quickly dropping the knife and stone I partially

+covered it with my hands and very gently blew

+upon it.  A tiny wreath of smoke arose as the

+fire spread through the wad of floss.  Blowing

+upon it still harder, in short quick puffs, a tiny

+flame leaped up; and quickly gathering such dry

+leaves and grass as I could reach, I heaped them

+upon the flame.  These were followed by small

+dry sticks until I had a good fire going.  I now

+only needed something to cook, and that I

+proposed to search for.  But fire was desirable as

+company at night, and to ward off wild beasts

+should any be found; also in the future I might

+wish to make signals by the aid of smoke.

+

+Not wishing to injure my faithful friend the

+cocoanut tree, I allowed the fire to go out,

+feeling full confidence in my ability to procure it

+any time I wished.

+

+I now set about preparing for my journey of

+exploration, meanwhile carefully watering,

+several times each day, the creepers that I had set

+out along the walls of the stockade, until they

+showed no further signs of wilting during the

+greatest heat of the day.  The water I brought,

+with much labor and many trips, from the brook,

+in cocoanut shells.

+

+It occurred to me to plant vines in front of

+the door of the stockade, so that, should I be

+absent for a great length of time, they would

+grow up over the door and still further obscure

+my retreat.  Acting on this idea, I searched

+about the bush for a vine less woody than those

+planted along the stockade.  At length, on the

+further side of the clearing, I discovered a vine,

+not unlike a morning glory vine, only it had

+larger leaves, climbing up a tall, smooth tree,

+and this seemed to answer my purpose.  So,

+getting down upon my knees I began to dig

+around the root in order to move it without

+disturbing the earth immediately surrounding it;

+when but a few inches below the top of the

+ground I came across a round, hard object which

+I at first thought to be a large root of the tree,

+but in digging still further around it I saw that

+the supposed root moved, until finally I lifted it

+out of the ground.  As I did so I noticed that

+it had one end attached to the vine that I was

+after.  The root was fully a foot and a half

+long, and about five inches in diameter, slightly

+rounded at the ends.  I cut off the vine with

+my knife, and ran with the root to the brook

+and washed it clean.  I now saw that I had

+found some kind of a tuber.  With my knife I

+cut through the thin rough skin, disclosing a

+white substance beneath.  Quickly cutting it in

+halves I found that the inside of the tuber was

+white and starchy.  I wondered what it could

+be.  It was not a sweet potato, for the latter is

+yellow.  Then I began to think of the roots

+that I had read about in books of travel in the

+tropics, and the first that came to my mind was

+the yam.  Yes, this must be the yam, though

+I did not know before that its foliage was in the

+form of a vine.

+

+Here food was in plenty, healthful and nourishing,

+and sufficient to sustain life even if I

+found no other, it being only necessary to roast

+them in ashes.

+

+I resolved to plant yam vines in front of the

+gate to the stockade, for, while the vines were

+growing up to conceal it, they would, in the

+meantime be storing away food for me against

+my return.  This plan I put into immediate

+execution.

+

+My next thought was of devising a weapon for

+offence and defence, also to be used in killing

+game.  The idea of a bow and arrows at first

+suggested itself, but this was abandoned for the

+bow-gun, for, as boys, we were able to do good

+execution with the latter as it had a stock and

+breech, admitting of securing better aim.

+

+Looking about for material from which to

+construct the bow-gun, the bamboo seemed to

+be the most available for the barrel; so I cut

+down one about two inches in diameter, from

+which I selected the longest and straightest

+section between the joints.  Next I cut a deep

+notch about four inches from the larger end,

+and extending to the centre of the bamboo.

+From the lower end of the notch I split away

+the upper half of the tube, thus forming a

+spout about four feet long which was to carry

+the arrow.  For a breech I selected a forked

+stick, the butt of which I carefully rounded

+and smoothed until it would fit tightly into the

+round socket at the larger end of the barrel,

+above the notch.  This, though crude, furnished

+a very fair substitute for a breech to rest against

+my shoulder when taking aim, particularly as I

+had thought to select a forked stick which had

+the butt slightly bent so that, when fixed in the

+breech-end of the barrel, the proper elevation

+was given.

+

+The next step was to make a bow and fix it

+firmly across the under side of the barrel, at

+right angles to it, I searched about in the

+bush a long time before I found a tree of the

+right size, straight and without branches; and,

+on bending it down toward the ground and

+cutting it, I found that it was elastic and quite

+hard.  From the tree I cut a section about

+three feet long, which I squared for a distance

+of two inches in the middle, whittling what was

+to be the inner side down flat from either side

+of the squared part to either end, each half

+tapering slightly from the middle.  I did not

+remove the bark from the back of the bow.

+

+Next I cut a square slot about the width of

+the squared part in the centre of the bow, in

+the under side of the bamboo about a foot from

+what was to be the muzzle, being careful,

+however, not to cut through into the groove of the

+barrel.  Into this I carefully fitted the squared

+portion of the bow, after which notches opening

+in opposite directions were cut on the lower

+side of the barrel, one on each side of the bow.

+With one of the supple vines I then lashed the

+bow firmly, drawing the vine over the notches.

+When the vine was thoroughly dry the bow

+would be held firmly and rigidly in place.

+

+The question of arrows was quickly solved,

+for I could think of nothing that could serve

+the purpose better than the long smooth stem

+which supported the heads of the wild canes

+These were of just the right size and length.

+I cut several dozens of them, sharpening one

+end of each, and notching the other to receive

+the string.  To give sufficient weight to the

+execution end of the arrow, I split a piece of

+the tough vine into fine strips, with which I

+closely wound the arrows near the ends, until

+the proper weight was secured to balance them

+during their flight and thus render them accurate.

+For the wings of the arrows I used sprays

+from the plumes of the wild cane, until I could

+find something more suitable, fastening them to

+the string end with fibres from the ever useful vine.

+

+It now only remained to provide a string for

+the bow, before the weapon could be tested.

+Carefully separating the longest fibres of the

+cocoanut cloth.  I braided them into a strong

+cord of uniform size, which I fastened to the bow.

+

+And now for the test!  Drawing the string

+back to the notch, I placed one of the arrows

+in the groove of the gun and, raising the gun

+to my shoulder, I released the string with an

+upward pressure of my right thumb, at the

+same time pointing the gun in the direction of

+the brook.

+

+As straight as a line could be drawn, the

+arrow sped away over the brook and was lost in

+the thicket beyond.  I felt confident of the

+success of my bow-gun, and after constructing

+a quiver for the arrows from a piece of the

+cocoanut cloth fastened together with thorns,

+and braiding a cord with which to sling it over

+my shoulder, I turned my attention to the final

+preparations for departure.

+

+These consisted of providing a store of

+provisions in case I did not immediately find food

+on the way.  I roasted several of the yams,

+and gathered two dozen oranges which were

+stored in a bag made of the cocoanut cloth.  I

+did not include cocoanuts, for I was sure to find

+plenty as I went along.

+

+I took the precaution to gather a quantity of

+the cane floss for tinder, which I placed in a

+short piece of bamboo, which I stopped up

+tightly at both ends with wooden plugs.  This

+was to protect it from moisture in case of rain.

+I also took the cocoanut calendar.

+

+The morning for departure arrived.  Taking

+a farewell plunge in the brook, I made a hearty

+breakfast of yams and oranges, after which,

+closing the door of the stockade and fastening

+it with withes of the vine, I slung the quiver

+of arrows and the bag of provisions over my

+shoulder, took the bow-gun and started away

+along the shore, going in a southerly direction.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER IX.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+I followed the narrow line of sand, sometimes

+having to make a detour inland to get around a

+rocky point of land which jutted out into the

+water, or to avoid a dagger-like plant the

+spike-like leaves of which were armed with spines as

+sharp as needles.  This, I concluded, must be

+the Spanish bayonet.

+

+The sun shone brightly, and the sea, deep

+blue and calm, stretched away toward the west,

+the long, gentle swells causing but a ripple on

+the beach.  As I progressed, the island along

+the shore became less attractive than it was in

+the near vicinity of my house; and in some

+places it had a parched appearance.  Once I

+was obliged to cross a flat area of several acres

+in extent, bounded by a high bluff, where I had

+to make my way cautiously among cactus plants

+of various kinds; some low and spreading over

+the ground and bearing beautiful, yellow, wax-like

+blossoms, and others a great size, like trees

+denuded of the smaller branches and twigs.

+

+The sun had reached the zenith when I came

+to a small stream and sat down beneath a

+wide-spreading tree to rest, and to refresh myself

+from the provisions that I carried.  As I ate I

+gazed up among the branches of the great tree,

+whose broad leaves furnished such a grateful

+shade, when I saw that it bore fruit, round and

+green, five or six inches in diameter.  This I

+believed to be bread-fruit, from the pictures I

+had seen, and I resolved to carry two or three

+along with me, only obtaining them by climbing

+the tree.

+

+Although I did not intend to travel steadily

+in the heat of the day during my march, I felt

+anxious to make a good beginning on the first

+day out, so after getting cool and feeling well

+rested, I went on.

+

+As I crossed the brook, scores of small brown

+crabs scudded away along the bank.  They were

+the first I had seen during my sojourn on the

+island.  Spiders, I had seen many of, some of

+great size with hairy bodies and long legs; but

+as they showed no ferocity, I had no fear of

+them.  Indeed on account of their great size I

+did not believe them to be poisonous.  As a

+rule, the natural histories said, poisonous spiders

+of the tropics are not of great size, and most of

+them have short legs.

+

+Having made a long detour around a swampy

+place which extended to the sea, I came out of

+the bush upon a wide beach shaped like a semi-circle,

+or half-moon; and as I did so my attention

+was attracted to several large, glossy, blackish

+objects scattered over the beach.  I approached

+one, and found it to be a monstrous turtle.

+There must have been hundreds of them, and,

+one by one, as I moved about, they started away

+toward the water.  Some of them were very

+large, and must have weighed three or four

+hundred pounds.  Had I been so disposed I had

+no means of dispatching one for food, but I felt

+sure that the turtles had been depositing their

+eggs in the sand, and I could easily roast the

+eggs in the fire, which would form a very

+acceptable adjunct to my larder.

+

+Accordingly, digging into the sand where the

+turtles had been lying, I found plenty of round

+white eggs, a quantity of which I gathered to

+add to my stores.

+

+It was now near the end of the afternoon, as

+I observed by the sun, and I decided to select a

+place to camp for the night.  I selected a spot

+near a thicket of thorn bushes, which would

+form an effectual protection to the rear, and

+then began collecting dry branches for a fire.

+The sun was low in the sky, and the heat was

+greatly moderated, and, by the time I had

+collected a large pile of fire wood, a sea breeze

+sprang up, taking the place of the land breeze of

+the day, making it cool and comfortable.

+

+I had no difficulty this time in starting a fire,

+and as soon as it had burned down sufficiently I

+buried a yam and some of the turtles' eggs in

+the ashes, and, while they were cooking I

+occupied the time cutting away a part of the smaller

+thorn bushes, making a cleared place in which I

+could sleep during the night, the thicket over

+me furnishing protection from the dampness of

+the air.

+

+By the time this was accomplished, and a

+cocoanut shell of water was brought from the

+brook, I judged that the yam and eggs were

+sufficiently cooked, which they proved to be

+when I uncovered them, and I at once proceeded

+to eat my evening meal.  The eggs proved to

+be of good flavor, but wanted salt.  This

+reminded me that I must provide a supply of salt,

+which I could do by evaporating some sea-water

+as soon as I had the opportunity.

+

+It was now past sunset and rapidly growing

+dark; so I replenished the pile of firewood, and

+piling a quantity of it upon the fire, I lay down

+with a bunch of grass for a pillow, and in a short

+time fell asleep.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`In the Folds of a Snake`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER X.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Under the Coils of a Snake*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+When I awoke in the morning it was with a

+peculiar sense of oppression.  In the first

+drowsiness I thought there was a great weight across

+my chest; and my arms were aching.  I tried

+to move, but found that I could not lift my

+arms.  They seemed to be pressed closely to my

+aides.  Thoroughly awake now, I was terrified

+to find that I was lying beneath the folds of an

+enormous snake.

+

+Frightened as I was beyond all expression, I

+maintained sufficient presence of mind to keep

+perfectly quiet until I could more fully realize

+my true situation--and, above all, locate the

+position of the great reptile's head.

+

+As I gazed at the great scaly coils that

+enveloped me, I saw that the snake was of a pale

+yellow color.  It was perfectly motionless.  By

+tracing the taper of its body I saw that the head

+must be somewhere near my right shoulder.

+

+I was in a great quandary what to do.  Although

+still anxious for results, I was now quite

+calm, and my mind was full of plans for

+escaping from the terrible coils.  I dared not move

+for fear that the snake would strike me with its

+fangs, or that it might encircle my body and

+squeeze me to death.  Some snakes, like the

+boa-constrictor, kill their victims by this method;

+and while I felt sure that this snake was not a

+boa, on account of its color, I felt that it had the

+strength to crush me to death.

+

+For a long time I lay in this position, how

+long I could not tell; but the sun had grown

+intensely hot as it beat down upon the thicket.

+I heard the cries of the birds, and looked up at

+the blue sky with the fleecy clouds floating

+across it, wondering whether it was to be my

+fate to die here in the folds of a huge serpent.

+I wondered too, if bye and bye my bones,

+bleached white, would be found in the thicket

+on the shore of this lonely island.

+

+I was gasping for breath on account of the

+heat, my cramped position and the weight of

+the serpent's folds across my chest, when I felt

+it move a little.  I wondered if it was preparing

+to strike me.  I did not move, and in a moment

+it began to move again, and the coils slipped

+across my body.  Slowly it continued to move,

+until my arms were free and its tail swept across

+my face.

+

+I was now free, but I waited a few seconds to

+see if the snake was leaving me.  Distinctly

+hearing it gliding from me, I arose quietly,

+feeling stiff and sore in my arms and chest.

+The snake was not in sight, but seeing the grass

+moving a little distance away, seizing a large

+stone I sprang after it, but it escaped into the

+bush.

+

+I reasoned that the snake must have crawled

+under the thorn bushes after I lay down, and

+that it coiled upon my body for warmth, as

+the nights were frequently uncomfortably cool;

+and so soundly had I slept that its movements

+had not awakened me.

+

+After this unpleasant adventure I felt anxious

+to be moving, and, making a fire, cooked some

+eggs which, with oranges from the stores,

+comprised my breakfast; after which I gathered a

+few more turtles' eggs, and resumed my march.

+

+As I had done the day before I followed the

+coast, but instead of keeping along the sand I

+followed the edge of the forest, thinking it

+might prove more advantageous to do so as it

+would enable me to keep a look-out for game,

+and perhaps discover new fruits.  My progress

+was necessarily much slower, but the walking

+was easier as the trees shielded me from the

+direct heat of the sun, which, on the beach was

+terrific, the white sand producing a fearful glare

+which caused no little pain in my eyes.

+

+As I proceeded, the country became more

+open, and I frequently crossed quite large treeless

+tracts of tall grass, or stretches which, had

+it not been for the tropical vegetation surrounding

+might have been taken for New England

+pasture land.

+

+One morning, just after resuming my march

+as I was crossing one of the latter grass tracts,

+a bird different from any I had before seen

+arose from the ground and flew into the thicket

+on the opposite side.  Its color was light drab,

+and the wings and under tail feathers were

+white.  I approached the edge of the bush

+cautiously, meantime, drawing back the string of

+my bow-gun and fixing an arrow in place.

+Laying aside the bag of provisions I crept softly

+along, until a sharp "coo-o-o" drew my attention

+to the branches of a tree, where I saw the

+bird stepping gingerly along one of the larger

+limbs.  Apparently it had not seen me, so,

+carefully moving to one side until I had a low bush

+between me and the game, I worked up a little

+nearer in order to make sure of being within

+range of the arrow.  Then, rising quietly to one

+knee, I took careful aim and released the string.

+The sharp "twang," much to my surprise was

+instantly followed by a flutter as the bird came

+tumbling to the ground.  I hastened forward

+and picked it up.  The arrow had passed

+entirely through the neck, so that it was quite

+dead in a few moments.  I saw that it was a

+species of wild pigeon, and therefore edible; and

+I congratulated myself on securing such an

+acceptable change in my fare.

+

+I saw no more pigeons after that, but during

+the succeeding days I found several orange trees

+from which I replenished my supply of this

+refreshing fruit.

+

+I continued steadily on, making no important

+discoveries, following the edge of the brush, but

+always keeping the sea in sight.  Almost every

+day I went to the beach to look for turtles'

+eggs, which I usually found in abundance.

+

+The coast continued to loom up before me,

+head-land after head-land, stretches of beach and

+rocky bay shores.  Allowing for the indentations

+of the coast that I followed, I concluded that

+the island was a large one; and, the fact that I

+was gradually turning toward the direction of

+the sun convinced me that its shape was nearly

+round.

+

+I always camped just before sunset that I

+might have sufficient time to make a fire, cook

+and eat supper before dark.

+

+I had not kept a fire after supper was cooked,

+as, having neither seen nor heard anything of

+wild animals of any kind, I did not feel the need

+of it; and, beside, I was becoming accustomed

+to being alone, and to sleeping in the open air,

+and the nervousness of the first few nights after

+I was cast ashore had entirely left me.

+

+At the end of the sixth day I had, in my

+journey, turned around so that the direction

+which I followed was a little more than right

+angles to that taken where I left my house.  In

+other words, instead of going nearly south, my

+course was now nearly southeast.

+

+At the end of the seventh day I came to a

+large stream which was too wide and deep to

+ford.  The next day being Sunday I resolved

+to pitch camp and remain there until Monday.

+Meanwhile I would decide whether to devise

+some means of fording the stream, or follow up

+its course.

+

+Although I had not, as yet, done any work on

+Sunday, I decided that it would be no great

+violation of the day to try to evaporate a little

+sea water, while I was in camp, and thus

+procure a little salt, which I was craving.

+

+That night before going to sleep, I revolved

+several schemes in my mind, and, ere I fell

+asleep, I believed I had solved the question of

+making salt.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`The Mountain Cave; a Beacon; Attack by Pigs`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XI.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *The Cave on the Mountain; A Beacon; Attacked by Wild Pigs*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+After breakfast the following morning, I cut

+a large quantity of fine, long grass, which I

+proceeded to make into large bunches, all I could

+hold in my hands, tieing them with wisps of the

+grass itself.  Then I cut two forked stakes and

+set them into the ground about ten feet apart.

+Going a few rods up the bank of the stream

+where I saw some bamboos growing, I cut one,

+and trimming it, carried it to the camp, and

+placed it, one end in each of the forks of the

+stakes.

+

+Taking the grass I went to the edge of the

+beach and thoroughly saturated it in the salt

+water after which I carried it to the camp, and

+parting each bunch in the middle, I hung them

+over the pole.

+

+The idea proved highly successful, for the hot

+sun evaporated the water very quickly, leaving

+particles of salt clinging to the grass throughout

+each bunch.

+

+I then gathered a quantity of broad leaves

+which I laid on the ground so that their edges

+over-lapped, and by gently shaking the bunches

+of grass the salt fell upon the leaves in a fine

+white shower.

+

+I repeated the process several times until I

+must have had fully half a pound of salt.

+

+Preparing a short piece of bamboo by plugging

+one end as I had done in making the box for the

+tinder, I carefully gathered up the salt and

+poured it into the bamboo, enough to last a long

+time.

+

+I had determined to go no further along the

+coast, but to follow the course of the stream to

+its source which I judged must be among the

+mountains which seemed to extend across the

+northeast corner of the island.  This I wished

+to do along the opposite bank, but, as I could

+not cross the stream at this point, I decided to

+follow the bank on which I now was, rather

+than take the time necessary to construct a raft.

+

+If I followed the stream to its source I should

+reach the mountains, and besides, have gained

+a fair idea of the island in all but the extreme

+south-eastern part.  From the tops of some of

+the mountains, I believed that I could gain a

+very good view of the small portion untraversed,

+or rather not encircled by my route, which

+could not be very great.  If the island was

+inhabited anywhere in that direction, I believed

+I should see some signs from the tops of the

+mountains.

+

+I really had no faith that the island was

+inhabited, for, being comparatively small, if there

+were people there I must have met some signs,

+ere this, to indicate it.

+

+I had another object in wishing to reach the

+mountains, which was to see if any land was in

+sight to the south, east and southeast.  One

+thing I was perfectly sure of, that this island

+was near the Virgin group, perhaps a little north

+of those islands, if not even one of them; so

+that, if people did not regularly inhabit it, there

+must be islands not far away that were inhabited,

+and people must, therefore, occasionally

+visit my island.

+

+I felt, moreover, anxious to reach the mountains

+as quickly as possible, because, as I had

+calculated from my limited knowledge of the

+climate, the rainy season must soon set in, which

+would make travel unpleasant, if not difficult or

+impossible.  And besides, I wished to be away

+from the lowlands of the coast during heavy

+rains, as I knew it could not be so healthful as

+the mountains.

+

+So, getting my effects together, I set out,

+following the course of the stream.

+

+For the first few miles the stream flowed

+across a flat country, which became rocky the

+further I went, and the stream became more

+rapid in its flow.

+

+Several pretty cascades were passed and, in

+places, I was obliged to do some sharp

+scrambling over rocks that were overgrown with

+creeping vines, among which convolvuli were

+conspicuous.

+

+For four days I continued to ascend the

+stream, until lofty hills began to rise on either

+side abruptly from the banks; which indicated

+that I was getting very near the mountains.

+

+The sides of the foot-hills were heavily

+wooded, but, as I left them and entered the

+mountains, gradually ascending to a higher

+altitude, the vegetation grew less dense and

+changed in its general appearance.

+

+The stream was now little more than a small

+rushing mountain torrent, foaming over the

+rocks.  At the end of the fifth day, just before

+sunset, I reached the source of the stream, for

+coming suddenly to a wall of rock above which

+the mountain rose precipitously, I beheld the

+brook bubbling forth from the bowels of the

+mountains.  I decided to camp here for the

+night, and proceeded about my usual preparations

+for getting supper.  I had no yams, but

+plenty of oranges; but presently I saw some

+yam vines growing a short distance away, and

+it was the work of a few minutes only to

+procure enough for supper and breakfast.

+

+When I awoke in the morning the sky was

+partially overcast.  As I had calculated, the

+rainy season was undoubtedly about to set in,

+and I resolved to hasten to the top of one of

+the mountains as quickly as possible, as I felt

+that, upon the outlook from the highest elevation

+depended my plans for a considerable time

+in the future.

+

+So, hastily preparing and eating my morning

+meal, I climbed to the top of the rock which

+rose above my camping place, and saw that the

+highest mountain was not more than five miles

+away.  I set out at once.  The way was not

+difficult except where it led across a deep ravine

+at the foot of the mountain, where the undergrowth

+and creepers formed a dense tangle; but

+once through this, I found the way almost clear

+of low bush.  I now began a steep climb.  As

+I ascended, the cocoanut trees became less

+plentiful, and their places were taken by other

+species of palm, great ferns as large as trees,

+and giant cacti.

+

+As nearly as I could tell, with the sun partly

+obscured by clouds, it was near mid-day when I

+came upon a broad table-land of grass, dotted

+here and there with groves of trees.  Beyond,

+rose the last peak.  Fearing rain, I pushed

+forward, resolving to reach the top before dark,

+and camp, so as to be ready to take observations

+early the next morning.

+

+It was quite dark when I came to the summit.

+I could see nothing, of course, until daylight,

+and I searched about for a place to camp.

+There was a strong breeze blowing and the air

+was quite cool, so I found shelter behind a great

+boulder and prepared to spend the night.  I

+still had a few yams with me, and three turtles'

+eggs, and these I cooked and ate.  I then

+proceeded to make myself as comfortable as possible

+by lying close to the rock, and, having nothing

+else to do, I went to sleep, the long climb

+having wearied me.

+

+Once or twice during the night I awoke feeling

+very chilly, and I was not sorry when the

+first faint gleam of dawn appeared.

+

+The sun rose clear, but, to the south-east,

+fleecy clouds were scudding along toward the

+land.  In all directions, however, the line of the

+horizon was distinctly visible, and the peak

+commanded a view of the sea at all points of

+the compass, and of the whole island.

+

+I scanned the line of sea and sky all around,

+but saw nothing that looked like land.  A little

+to the south-east there was a faint, serrated line

+against the sky, but I concluded that it was only

+a cloud.

+

+As I stood scanning the great rim of the

+ocean, there came to me a strong feeling that I

+would like to establish a beacon on the summit,

+one, if possible, which could be seen from a ship

+several miles at sea; and the more I thought of

+this project the more strongly was I convinced

+that it would be a wise thing to do; for, in the

+event of a ship's passing on this side of the

+island, a prominent structure on the mountain

+might attract attention and lead to my rescue.

+I thought it all over as I retraced my steps to

+the boulder, and resolved to look about for a

+suitable place to make a substantial shelter

+while engaged in the work.  I deemed it

+advisable to go further down the mountain where

+the vegetation was more plentiful, and where I

+might find fruits, and possibly game--though

+game did not seem to be plentiful, but brilliant

+plumaged birds were numerous.

+

+In the edge of the bush between the table

+land and the mountain peak, I discovered a

+small grove of about a dozen orange trees, and

+here I at first thought that I would make my

+camp; but a little further to the south I saw a

+great rock, which appeared to over-hang several

+feet; and the idea at once struck me that it

+might be wise to encamp beneath its shelter.

+

+So, turning in that direction I was not long in

+reaching the rock.  It was at the base of a spur

+of the mountain; and the top not only

+overhung the base considerably, but, there was a

+sort of natural excavation which formed quite a

+large cave, open on three sides, it was true; but

+here I saw great possibilities in establishing my

+camp while erecting the beacon.  Besides, I

+fully expected the rainy season to set in almost

+any day, and should I have to stay here for

+several months, the rock would afford me the best

+of shelter.

+

+So, having decided to make this the base of

+operations for the present, I took my bow-gun

+and set out to forage for supplies, of which I

+stood in immediate need.

+

+I went down among the trees in the intervale

+between the two mountains.  The vegetation

+was very luxuriant, but not so dense as in

+portions of the lowlands across which I had marched.

+I had noted that the cocoanut palms were less

+plentiful here, and that there were several other

+kinds of palms that I had not seen before.  One

+of these had a trunk covered with great sharp

+spines, and from the grapelike cluster of fruit at

+the top I knew it must be an oil palm; but I

+saw only a few of these.  Another had a bottle-shaped

+head of vivid green just below the leaves,

+which I at once recognized as the "mountain

+cabbage," or cabbage palm.  These were very

+plentiful.

+

+Skirting the edge of the bush, a short distance

+to the north, I turned to penetrate further

+toward the valley, when suddenly, as I took a step

+forward, I felt myself sinking downward.  I threw

+down my gun and tried to save myself by

+clutching the creepers; but I continued to sink

+into a mass of vines.  I was considerably

+frightened, and wondered, for a brief moment, if I

+had fallen into the opening to a cavern; but

+suddenly my feet touched solid earth, and I

+found myself standing beside what appeared to

+be an old wall--about the height of my shoulder.

+Pushing aside the creepers I saw that it

+was really a wall, built of large stones and some

+kind of mortar.  I was so astonished at the

+discovery that I could scarcely collect my thoughts.

+Looking around, I was still more perplexed, for

+only a few feet away there was a rectangular

+enclosure which looked like the ruined foundations

+of a house.  I found that the wall extended

+for perhaps fifty feet in each direction, the

+opposite side being flush with the rising ground

+above.  An examination of the rectangular

+enclosure showed unmistakably that it was a

+portion of the foundation of a house.

+

+What could this mean?  It could mean but

+one thing; that people had lived here.  But

+when, I could form no opinion; but from the

+appearance of the masonry it must have been

+many years before.  The ruins, as well as the

+wall, were thickly overgrown with creepers and

+other vegetation.

+

+Still further signs of the former presence of

+man now attracted my attention.  A great

+plant, like an immense lily, with broad leaves

+six or seven feet long was growing near by at

+the edge of the small clear area surrounding the

+ruins; and, on going nearer to examine it I

+quickly recognized it from the great bunch of

+elongated fruit which hung from the crown of

+leaves.

+

+Banana trees!

+

+And there were many of them scattered

+around.  Here was a never-ending supply of

+food, of the most nourishing kind.  I walked

+around to the south side of the clearing, where

+I found other trees, much resembling, in general

+appearance, the banana trees; but the fruit was

+much larger, and curved like a scimitar.

+

+My reading of books of tropical travel stood

+me in good stead as it aided me in recognizing

+trees and fruits that proved of great use to me.

+This latter, I knew to be the plantain.  A still

+further search revealed yams, and several clusters

+of canes, much larger than the largest cornstalks

+that I had ever seen.

+

+Here was another valuable discovery--sugar

+cane!  Taking out my knife I cut one of the

+canes, and was delighted to see that it was full

+of limpid juice.  I tasted it and found it very

+sweet and very refreshing.  I sucked several

+joints of the sugar cane dry, and then turned to

+gather some of the bananas.  The bunches were

+rather small, but several appeared to be quite

+ripe.  I also dug some of the yams, and with a

+sugar cane under one arm, my bow-gun under

+the other, the yams and bananas in my hands, I

+started back to the camp.  I could not climb

+the wall, loaded as I was, so I set about to go

+around the end nearest to my cave-dwelling;

+when I saw a pigeon, like one I had shot near

+the coast, fly up and alight on the wall.  As

+quickly as I could I laid down my load, and,

+adjusting an arrow in the bow-gun, took careful

+aim and released the string.  Again my aim

+was true, for the arrow pierced the neck close

+to the body.  It must have been killed almost

+instantly, for it quickly ceased fluttering.

+

+With this addition to my forage, I proceeded

+slowly to the camp.  With food for two days at

+least, I now began to form plans for making

+the "cave," as I chose to call it, habitable.  I

+proposed to close the two ends and a portion of

+the front, by setting bamboo, which I had seen

+growing plentifully in the valley below, into the

+ground, and weaving in vines.  I only intended

+to make a temporary shelter against the wind,

+and had no idea of spending the time and labor

+that I had on my house on the coast.

+

+It was slow work cutting the bamboos and

+dragging them up to the cave, and this occupied

+me several days.  These had to be cut into the

+proper lengths, and set into the ground, so that

+the upper ends would come firmly up against

+the overhanging rock.  As I worked, my plans

+for the future matured, so that I foresaw an

+extended sojourn here.  The ultimate outcome

+was, that the inclosing walls of the cave were,

+when finished, fully as substantial as those of

+my house at "Sargent" Bay, as I had resolved

+to call the place where I had drifted

+ashore, in honor of my late benefactor.  The

+paling of bamboos was closely interwoven with

+vines, and I constructed a door for the front.

+I now had not only a comfortable but a

+substantial dwelling, which would afford protection

+from the wind and rain, no matter from which

+direction they came.

+

+About every other day I went to the old ruins

+to procure bananas and yams; and, on these

+trips, I shot several pigeons which proved to be

+very delicate and tender.  I often roasted yams,

+and found them to be very hearty food; and

+became very fond of them.

+

+Frequently, of late, there had been showers

+of rain, which proved to me that the rainy

+season had set in.  I made frequent trips to the

+top of the mountain, and, each time, I saw that

+the peculiar serrated line against the sky, which

+I at first thought must be a cloud, had remained

+stationary.  This convinced me that it was land,

+and as it was evidently the top of a mountain

+range, it must be a great distance away.

+

+I speculated as to what land it would be.  If

+my suppositions were correct as to the position

+of the island on which I was exiled, from the

+direction it might be one of the Virgin Islands.

+If so, the Leeward Islands lay beyond, further

+to the east and south-east.

+

+My mind was now filled with the project of

+erecting a substantial beacon, one which would

+be seen from some distance at sea.  Gradually

+I evolved plans for the structure.  The first step

+was to cut the tallest and largest bamboo which

+I felt capable of dragging to the peak.  I found

+one that suited me.  It was a long tedious task

+to cut it down with my knife, but it was finally

+accomplished, and I dragged it to the front of

+the cave.

+

+It was my intention to devise a headpiece to

+fasten securely to the top of the bamboo in order

+to render it as conspicuous as possible.  This

+would have to be done before the bamboo was

+raised and set into the ground.

+

+The daily showers became more frequent and

+more severe, and some days the rain would

+sweep across the mountain in perfect torrents.

+Nevertheless, I succeeded in cutting several

+more bamboos, of smaller size, and I also brought

+several bunches of bananas and plantains, and a

+quantity of yams up to the cave.

+

+I now set to work to complete the beacon.

+Cutting the bamboos to the required lengths, I

+lashed them together in such a manner as to

+form a sort of gridiron, eight feet long and six

+feet wide.  This I filled in with a basket-work

+of vines, woven very loosely that the wind might

+easily pass through it, to prevent its being blown

+down when raised to the top of the pole.

+

+At length the beacon was finished, the gridiron

+being firmly lashed to the upper end of the

+bamboo; and I had been on the mountain seven

+weeks.  The rainy season was well under way;

+but I worked during the intervals when it

+ceased to rain, and, by means of a sharpened

+stick, aided by my knife, I dug a hole fully four

+feet deep, on the highest part of the mountain.

+I found it difficult work to raise the bamboo

+with the gridiron at the top, and plant its base

+in the hole, but, after many trials, I succeeded,

+after which I wedged it firmly with stones and

+earth solidly packed.

+

+It would be useless to attempt to leave camp

+while the rain continued, and I had fully

+reconciled myself to remain until the close of the

+rainy season; and I hoped that I could find

+enough to do to occupy the time.  I was

+obliged to go frequently in quest of food, and I

+set about preparing a brief account of the

+circumstances of my exile in the island, the date of

+the wreck and the date of the raising of the

+beacon; also, explicit directions for finding

+"Sargent" Bay, where my house stood.  This

+was carved in deep letters around the smooth

+surface of a large section of bamboo, like a

+Chinese prayer cylinder.  This was fastened to

+the bamboo signal pole, a few feet from the

+ground, to guide anyone who might chance to

+notice the beacon and investigate its meaning,

+to my rescue.

+

+I made a coat and kilt reaching to the knees,

+from cocoanut cloth.  The coat was without

+sleeves, but it would save my only shirt, and the

+kilt would prove a great protection to my

+trousers, which were already showing signs of

+hard usage.  These garments were sewn together

+with fibres of vines, a long, sharp thorn being

+used as a needle.  I also made a new hat, of

+more skillful workmanship than the first, which

+I had worn until the present time.

+

+Twice, each day, I went up to the beacon to

+scan the horizon.  I saw no vessels, but the

+distant, faint outline of mountains remained in

+sight.  This position commanded a view of the

+entire island, and I studied it with interest.  It

+was nearly circular in shape, and I calculated

+that it was not over forty miles in diameter.  I

+had thought seriously of descending to the

+eastern slope of the mountains, and exploring the

+small portion which had not come, thus far,

+within my projected route.  This belt of

+country, between the foot of the mountains and the

+sea, seemed, from my elevated position, to be

+very flat, and more sparsely wooded than the

+other side of the mountain; but the question of

+its being inhabited was settled by the torrents of

+rain, for, for miles to the east and south-east the

+country was under water.

+

+The rain had apparently been the heaviest on

+the east side of the island, for none of the west

+side was inundated, as far as I could discern; but

+the stream, along whose banks I had marched

+from the coast, was swollen to the size of a great

+river.

+

+After I had made the clothing, I searched the

+edge of the bush until I found some wild canes,

+growing by a swampy place, from which I made

+a supply of arrows.  Frequently I shot a pigeon,

+the birds apparently being driven into the open

+by the rain.  One day when I went to procure

+a fresh supply of bananas, as I extended one

+hand to cut off a bunch, I sprang back and

+quickly retired several rods.  The cause of my

+precipitate flight was nothing more nor less than

+a great yellow snake, exactly like my unwelcome

+companion on the coast.  It was coiled among

+the leaf stems of the banana tree.  I did not

+disturb it, not feeling particularly curious as to

+its disposition under the present circumstances;

+and the next time I came it was gone.  I named

+it the "banana snake," in commemoration of

+the latter incident, and because of its color,

+which was nearly that of a ripe banana.

+

+The nights, at this elevation, and during the

+rain, were cold, but the cave was quite comfortable,

+and I built a small fire just inside the door

+each night, to drive out the dampness; having,

+from time to time before the rain became too

+constant, filled all the available space in the

+cave with dry wood, only reserving enough

+room to lie down to sleep.

+

+The weeks passed, rather tediously after I

+could think of but little to do, but the rain was

+not so steady and, almost every day, there were

+several hours when it entirely ceased to fall.

+There being only short grass around the top of

+the mountain, I utilized these intervals of the

+cessation of rain by exploring the mountain to

+the line of the bush, all around.  There was

+nothing but rocks, with occasionally a few small

+shrubs.  But one day I made an interesting

+discovery.  Nearly down to the line of the

+bush on the opposite side from my camp, I came

+across a similar over-hanging rock; but on

+going under it, I perceived a large crevice, which,

+on close examination, I found extended into the

+mountain for some distance.  I had my tinder

+and flint with me and, gathering a few dry

+leaves and sticks that lay around near the

+opening, I made a fire at the entrance.  By its light

+I could see that I had found the entrance to a

+cavern, but I could see only a few feet from the

+mouth.  The walls were dark and the top of

+the cavern was not more than four feet from

+the floor.  I determined to still further explore

+it with a torch.

+

+For a week I did not again go near the

+cavern, but made daily trips to the beacon for

+the purpose of taking observations, but all the

+time I was trying to invent a torch.  Nothing

+suitable for the purpose, which would burn for

+any length of time, suggested itself to me,

+until, one morning, while at the ruins for yams

+and fruit, I saw some ripe cocoanuts on the

+ground.

+

+"Why not use the oily kernel of the nut?"

+

+I at once proceeded to act upon this suggestion.

+Taking a couple of nuts to the camp, I

+split them in halves, fastening one into a split

+stick, making a sort of ladle.  Hastening to the

+cavern on the other side of the mountain, I

+made a little fire at the end of the stick, and

+had the satisfaction of soon seeing the oily

+meat of the nut blaze up in a steady, yellowish

+flame.  Watching it for a moment, I saw that

+the meat charred very slowly, while the oil was

+tried out by the heat to feed the flame.

+

+Taking the torch and the spare nuts with

+which to replenish the torch, I entered the

+mouth of the cavern.  I was both surprised

+and disappointed, for it was neither beautiful

+nor grand.  The roof was low, and the walls

+were dirty and grimy.  The cavern was not

+more than six feet wide and four feet high, and

+I was obliged to stoop as I moved along.  The

+cave took me straight into the mountain for a

+few rods, when I came to what appeared at first

+to be the end; but I soon discovered a small

+opening a little to my right, through which,

+after hesitating a little, I crawled on my hands

+and knees.  I went but a few feet before I

+emerged into a chamber of considerable size,

+where I could stand erect; and here I was

+greeted by a cloud of bats that flitted about as

+though bewildered by the light, their wings

+making a curious, uncanny fluttering sound.  I

+could see the roof plainly, and clinging to it, with

+their heads downward, were thousands of bats.

+There were, depending from the ceiling, a few

+small stalactites, but they were dark and grimy.

+I examined the floor of the cavern, which

+revealed to me its true nature.  I was in a guano

+cave, the floor of which was thickly covered

+with the guano of the bats, the accumulation of

+centuries, probably.

+

+"What a fortune there is here," I thought,

+"if all this guano could be cheaply conveyed to

+the coast and loaded into vessels."

+

+Although the air in the cave seemed to be

+pure, it was not a pleasant place, and most

+unattractive; so, after discovering a small passage,

+like the one I had just crawled through, leading

+further into the mountain, I retreated toward

+the entrance and was soon in daylight, feeling

+no desire to further explore a cavern devoid of

+all the beauties usually attributed to such

+natural phenomena.

+

+The days dragged now, as I waited for the

+weather to clear, with nothing to break the

+monotony but occasional trips to the ruins for

+yams, oranges, plantains, bananas and sugar

+cane; and sometimes I would stalk pigeons,

+when my bow-gun proved very effective,

+especially as I every day became more skillful in

+using it, while the birds suffered in consequence.

+

+Several times each day I went to the beacon

+to scan the horizon; but I saw no sign of a

+vessel.  I reasoned that my island must be out

+of the regular track of vessels going to the

+Windward or Leeward Islands, as I knew it to

+be, of ships bound to the South American coast,

+Central America or any of the large West India

+Islands.  But the far distant mountains still

+showed plainly against the horizon.

+

+While gazing away toward the east one day,

+the idea came to me to try to construct a boat,

+on my return to my house on the coast, in

+which to attempt to reach the distant land.  I

+was not skilled in sailing a boat, but I reasoned

+that, with a fairly staunch and steady craft,

+provided with some sort of a sail, I might, when a

+long period of fair weather was promised, escape

+to the land which I dimly saw to the eastward.

+This plan occupied my mind continually for

+days, and, so seriously did I begin to consider

+it, that I became extremely impatient to start

+away for the coast.

+

+Three weeks more of weary waiting, and the

+rain ceased to fall steadily, and then the sun

+began to break through the clouds at intervals,

+but the showers were still frequent.  From the

+beacon I could see that the floods in the

+lowlands to the east were subsiding, and that the

+river along which I had traveled from the coast,

+was assuming its normal proportions.

+

+Gradually the clouds dispersed, and whole

+days of bright sunshine followed.  The rainy

+season was drawing to a close.  A few days of

+clear weather would dry the ground and the

+bush so I would be able to set out for the coast.

+

+I felt a pang of regret at the thought of

+leaving my home under the cliff; but then, perhaps

+I might come back.  I could not tell.  Perhaps

+I should have to give up the idea of building

+the boat, and then it might be years before I

+was rescued.  I might, indeed, spend my entire

+life here alone; but this thought I put away

+from me.

+

+My preparations for leaving the mountain

+were easily made.  I left the house under the

+cliff exactly as it was, save the closing, securely,

+of the door; and one morning as the sun came

+up out of the sea, and the lovely island verdure

+lit up with a gorgeous blending of green, purple

+and gold, I took a farewell look all around the

+horizon from the peak, and, with my gun,

+arrows and bag of provisions, dressed in the

+rudely made cocoanut-cloth garments, I started

+down the mountain, taking, as nearly as I could,

+a northeast course toward the coast.

+

+The ground was yet sufficiently damp to

+render it pleasantly springy and cool to my

+feet, and the freshness of the verdure of the

+forest and bush which I traversed imparted to

+the air a pleasant coolness, even though the

+sun shone fierce and hot.  Birds were flitting

+like iridescent gems through the trees, and

+tittering curious discordant cries.  Not since

+the beginning of my exile had I been conscious

+of such cheerfulness and light-heartedness as on

+this morning--and, with all, I had the feeling

+of going home, as, indeed, I was.

+

+Crossing the valley at the foot of the first

+mountain peak, I ascended the lower spur and

+descended its side toward the level country

+which lay between it and the coast.  In general

+appearance, the bush here did not materially

+differ from that to the southwest, traversed

+during my march from the coast months before.

+

+Shortly after entering the belt of virgin forest

+which skirted the base of the mountain range,

+I emerged into an opening, perhaps two acres

+in extent.  It was covered with thick grass,

+green and luxuriant after the rains.  The grass

+was not tall, perhaps two feet high, apparently

+a new growth, and I started to cross it.  A tall

+cactus, a veritable tree, stood alone near the

+centre of the grassland, and toward this I took

+my way, thinking that I would like to examine

+it closely, as it was the largest one I had seen

+on the island.

+

+After examining this giant of the tropics, I

+continued my way across the intervening space

+toward the bush on the other side.  I was nearly

+out of the grass, when a strange sound caused

+me to stand still and look about me.

+

+The sound came in a series of short, angry

+grunts, like "woof! woof!" and, a short distance

+to the left I saw the grass violently agitated,

+while the noise came nearer to me.

+

+I at once decided that some animal was

+coming toward me, whether to attack me or not, I

+could not tell.  But I quickly decided that the

+most sensible thing for me to do would be to

+seek safety.  Naturally I thought of the bush,

+and ran toward it.  The moment I started to

+run the "woof, woof!" followed me, and I

+increased my speed as fast as I could, hampered

+as I was by the thick grass.  The terrible,

+guttural sound gained upon me as I plunged

+on, but at last I reached the bush, and, seeing a

+large tree with branches near the ground, just

+ahead of me, I dropped my gun and bag of

+provisions, and grasped the lower limb.  Quickly

+I climbed up to what I considered to be a safe

+distance, and then looked down to see what sort

+of a beast my pursuer would prove to be.

+

+I had but a second or two to wait, for soon,

+not one but three shot out of the grass and

+rushed to the foot of the tree.  I could not

+mistake them.  They were pigs, wild pigs.

+

+They looked up at me with little, cruel looking

+eyes, and one, the largest, which had probably

+led the chase, snapped his jaws, showing long,

+white tusks, ran around the tree and continued

+the "woof, woof!" throwing up his head and, as

+he apparently grew more angry because I was

+above his reach, flecks of foam were flung from

+the ugly jaws.  This one was, without a doubt,

+the boar.  The other two were smaller, and

+seemed to be taking matters more coolly.

+

+They were villainous-looking beasts, gaunt,

+with long legs and sharp, pointed heads; and

+their color was a sort of rusty-red.  Feeling

+perfectly safe, the question which naturally first

+occurred to me was, "how long shall I be

+besieged in this position?"  There seemed to be

+but one course to follow, at present, and that

+to await developments.  The pigs had not

+appeared to notice my paraphernalia.

+

+After a while the boar grew calmer, and

+finally all three lay down near the foot of the

+tree.  I made myself as comfortable as possible,

+and looked down at them.

+

+The day dragged along monotonously, while

+I was able to change my position so frequently

+that I was not cramped; but I began to get very

+hungry, having eaten nothing since early in the

+morning.  The pigs continued to remain on

+guard, the boar now and then getting up and

+regarding me contemplatively, until the sun

+sank behind the forest.  Then the pigs moved

+away into the grass.  It was soon dark, and the

+moon, which was near its full, came up over the

+mountains; but I was not long able to distinguish

+the movements of the pigs in the uncertain moonlight.

+

+Patiently I waited, until the moon was

+directly over the clearing.  There was no sound

+of the pigs, and, after a little, I slid to the

+ground and, cautiously gathering up my gun

+and provision bag, moved noiselessly away into

+the bush.  The moonlight favored me, and I

+hurried on for several miles, when I was brought

+to a halt by a small stream.  Feeling safe from

+the pigs, I decided to camp here until daylight.

+I did not dare make a fire, so, after satisfying

+hunger with a portion of a pigeon which I had

+roasted before setting out, and an orange, I sat

+down by a large tree and, leaning against the

+trunk, was soon asleep.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Return to the Coast; A Mangrove Swamp; Fever`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XII.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Return to the Coast; A Mangrove Swamp; Fever*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+When I awoke it was morning, and the sun

+was fully an hour up.  Taking a hasty bath in

+the cool water of the stream, and after a hurried

+meal, crossing the stream on the stones that

+were not submerged, I set off along the east

+bank.  The stream flowed in a northerly

+direction.  By keeping close to the edge of the

+forest I made rapid progress.  Nothing occurred

+to distract my attention, except the sight of a

+small flock of pigeons, one of which I killed.  I

+encamped for the night in the edge of a thicket,

+and made a fire to roast the bird which I plucked

+while waiting for a bed of coals.

+

+At daylight in the morning I continued my

+course down the stream which was now much

+wider and deeper.  Its edge was thickly fringed

+with bamboo, and the idea came to me that I

+might construct a raft from them, and float

+down stream to the coast; but then, the stream

+was apt to become suddenly shallow in places,

+and it contained many large stones, and after

+delaying for several days while constructing the

+raft, it might prove to be time and labor lost.

+

+At the close of the fourth day, as the sun was

+declining behind the palm trees, I was astonished,

+on emerging from a thicket, to see the ocean,

+blue and calm, stretching out before me.  I had

+failed to note the fact that I had followed a

+more direct course from the coast than when I

+marched toward the interior, and that the

+mountains were much nearer the north coast than the

+west.  For the last two days I had noticed that

+the cocoanut palms were more plentiful, as were

+also the bamboos along the stream, both of

+which should have reminded me of my approach

+to salt water.  I had reached the coast sooner

+than I expected.

+

+Knowing that I would probably not be able

+to cross the stream at its mouth, I found a place

+where a few stones rose above the water, and

+managed to cross to the other bank.  The

+mouth of this stream differed from that of either

+of the other two streams that I had seen.  It

+was broad and muddy, covering a wide expanse,

+and what seemed the strangest to me was that

+trees were growing from the water, covering the

+entire area of the mouth of the stream.  Each

+tree rested upon the apex formed by a cluster

+of roots, which rose from the water, looking like

+gigantic spiders or devil-fish.  I could see

+under the whole aquatic forest, a tangle of slimy

+roots above the dark water.  The air was

+permeated by an indescribable stench; and around

+the edge of the dark recess, black, hairy crabs

+crawled about, or lay by the festering pools.  I

+concluded that this was one of the famous

+mangrove swamps, and I decided to retire from such

+an undesirable locality.

+

+Accordingly I proceeded along the beach

+until I was free from the smell of the swamp,

+where I made camp for the night beneath some

+spreading trees near the water's edge, making a

+fire and roasting yams, and broiling a pigeon

+which I had killed just after crossing the stream.

+

+When I awoke in the morning I felt that a

+change had come over me.  I felt dazed, the

+back of my head was aching, and I had a

+burning fever.  After a few moments I remembered

+the swamp.  The air which I had been breathing

+must be laden with fever.  I staggered to

+my feet and, without stopping to get breakfast,

+I started along the beach, my course now being

+toward the west.

+

+I felt very weak and walked with great difficulty.

+I was obliged to stop frequently to rest,

+and toward mid-day I managed to eat the

+remainder of the pigeon that I had broiled the

+night before.  Once I saw some orange trees,

+but the fruit was both sour and bitter.  I sucked

+some of the juice, however.  The bitter and

+the acid seemed to allay my fever a little, and I

+soon felt less weak.  I camped at sundown, and

+went to sleep with confidence that my condition

+would be improved in the morning, as I was at

+a safe distance from the swamp.

+

+For two days more I marched along the

+shore, finding sweet orange-trees frequently, and

+plenty of pigeons whenever I chose to make a

+short detour into the forest.

+

+At last a high mound appeared ahead where

+the shore seemed to take a sharp sweep toward

+the south, and, hurrying forward, I was soon

+standing at the top of it and, to my great joy,

+looking down upon the bay where I had been

+cast ashore.

+

+Crossing the familiar little stream, I hastened

+toward my house.  It was with a feeling of

+relief that I saw that everything was apparently

+as I had left it.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish Trap`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XIII.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish-Trap*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+Everything about my house was as I had left

+it.  Nothing had been disturbed, the overflowing

+stream not having reached it.  The vines

+around the stockade now completely covered it,

+and the yams that I had planted in front of the

+stockade-gate were thick and luxuriant, the

+great, bean-like leaves completely concealing

+the entrance.

+

+The effects of the fever were fast leaving

+me, and I grew strong rapidly.  There was

+much to do, now that I was settled down at

+home.  I dug up the yams in front of the

+stockade-gate and stored them in the house for

+future use.  Then I carried out the couch and

+made a new one of fresh branches and grass,

+more comfortable than the first had been.

+

+I also made two fire-places, mere enclosures

+for keeping the coals in place.  These consisted

+of circular enclosures of stones brought from

+the stream, each about three feet in diameter

+and one foot high, one being in a corner of the

+house for use during rainy weather, and the

+other in the enclosure of the stockade, near the

+gate.

+

+My next thought was to plant yams by the

+trunks of all the trees near the house.  This

+would furnish me an inexhaustible supply, and

+of a superior quality, as the vines would have

+plenty of chance to climb, up and around the

+tree trunks.

+

+One day while walking through the bush in

+search of pigeons, having succeeded in killing

+two, I came across several cocoanut palms of

+much smaller size than any I had yet seen.

+They were not more than fifteen feet high to

+the base of the leaf heads, and their tops were

+very spreading, much more so in proportion to

+the length of the trunks than in the case of the

+larger trees.  But these all bore great bunches

+of nuts, and I began to wonder how the unripe

+nuts would taste, and whether they contained

+more water than the ripe ones.

+

+With but little difficulty I climbed one of

+them, and with my knife clipped the stems of

+several of the nuts, which went tumbling to the

+ground.

+

+Descending, I cut off the husk of the end

+opposite the stem, until I could make a hole

+through the shell.  The latter was very thin

+and soft, and the knife went through it easily.

+My knife was always in excellent condition,

+kept so by frequent sharpening on the stone

+which I used for striking fire to the tinder.

+

+Raising the nut as though it were a canteen,

+I drank the water.  It was somewhat different

+from that of a ripe nut, much sweeter, more

+limpid and very cool and refreshing.  After the

+water was drained from the nut I out it open, when

+I found the whole inside lined with a whitish,

+translucent pulp, of the consistency of solid

+jelly.  This I found to be delicious, but, after

+having eaten a little, rather sickish.  However,

+I carried several of the unripe nuts to the

+house, and soon became very fond of them.  I

+made frequent trips to the young palms and the

+water became my principal beverage, while my

+only dessert was the jelly, for which I carved a

+rude spoon from a piece of hard wood.

+

+I noticed that the parrots were not so noisy

+as they had been before I left for the interior,

+and for several weeks I was at a loss to account

+for it.  But one evening, while returning from

+the water-cocoanut palms, I espied two

+diminutive parrots fluttering through the bush.  They

+were young ones and not quite able to fly,

+though nearly fledged.  They would launch out

+from a limb, sometimes falling short of their

+next perch, and sometimes striking against a

+limb, when they would flutter to the ground,

+making small, parrot-like cries.  They were a

+beautiful green, with red wing feathers and red

+breasts and necks.  The parent birds all the

+while remained near-by, as though encouraging

+the little ones in their attempts to fly.

+

+I tried to catch one of them, but they were

+sufficiently active to evade me successfully.  I

+felt a great desire to capture one and teach him

+to talk, for I sometimes longed for a companion

+to speak to.  Finally I evolved a plan for

+catching one.  I set to work to construct a net, for a

+snare would injure them.  I prepared a great

+quantity of fibres from the cocoanut cloth, and

+with it wove a purse-shaped net, perhaps two

+feet in length.  This was to be suspended to a

+limb of a tree, and baited with a piece of roast

+yam suspended over the mouth of the bag in

+such a manner that, when the young parrot

+reached for it, he would be almost sure to lose

+his balance and fall in.  Its weight, together

+with the fluttering of the bird, would draw the

+mouth of the bag together and prevent its escape.

+

+This net cost me several weeks of work, but

+it was at last finished and ready to set.  This I

+did very carefully, selecting a low limb in what

+seemed a favorite place for the parent birds to

+give flying lessons to the little ones.

+

+For several days the net remained undisturbed,

+and every morning I supplied it with a fresh,

+white piece of yam.

+

+One morning, just at daylight, I was awakened

+by a great outcry of parrots, and, feeling

+sure that one of the young birds had fallen into

+the net, I hastened toward it.  Sure enough,

+the net had done its work, for it was bobbing

+about and swaying from the limb, while muffled

+little shrieks came from the nearly-closed

+mouth; and from the trees around there arose

+a perfect babel of discordant cries of parrots,

+old and young.  The two parent birds were

+perched on the limb over the net, when I

+arrived, but on my approach they flew away a

+short distance, hurling cries of defiance at me.

+Carefully I cut the net clear of the limb and

+carried it to the house, the belligerent little

+parrot all the time fluttering and shrieking,

+and striking at my hand whenever it was near

+the opening.  I reproached myself for not

+thinking to make a cage for it when captured,

+and I was obliged to secure the opening and

+deposit the net in the house, while I made a

+cage for my future companion.  This was not a

+difficult task.  Going to the brook where the

+wild canes grew, I cut a quantity of them and,

+cutting them to the required length, I stuck

+them into the ground, leaving spaces about two

+inches wide.  The canes formed a small yard

+about two feet square.  The top was covered

+with a piece of cocoanut cloth, the edges being

+tied all around to the upright canes.

+

+How to get the fighting little bird out of the

+net and into the cage was the next question.  I

+did not exactly relish the idea of putting my

+hand into the net, so finally I decided to lift one

+corner of the cocoanut cloth on the top of the

+cage, and, loosening the mouth of the net, insert

+it under the cloth, at the same time reversing

+the net.  The scheme worked perfectly and the

+little parrot tumbled into the cage, his feathers

+all ruffled.  He was a curious little thing and I

+laughed aloud as, without uttering a sound, he

+proceeded to smooth his feathers, and then to

+circumnavigate the cage.  He then retired a

+little from the bars and regarded me with the

+utmost seriousness, canting his head, looking at

+me first with one eye and then the other.  Then

+he began to dress his feathers, evidently

+resolved to make the best of it all, and to feel

+perfectly at home from the first.

+

+I made my pet a little run-way outside the

+wall of the house, constructing it in the same

+manner as I had the cage, covering it half with

+cloth and the remainder with canes so he could

+have both sun and shade.  This enclosure I

+connected with the cage by cutting a square

+hole through the wall of the house.

+

+As the weeks passed, the parrot grew, his

+wing and tail feathers developed, and he became

+very beautiful.  He enjoyed his new home,

+apparently, spending a part of his time outside,

+and part inside.  He enjoyed the sunshine, but

+would never remain long in it.  He preferred

+the shade of the cloth covered portion.  Nights,

+he always passed inside, and I made a perch for

+him to sleep on.  It was simply a cane passing

+through the cage and securely fastened to a bar

+on each side.  Hours and hours he would spend,

+swinging on this bar over and over, holding on

+with his claws, and then with his stubby beak.

+I fed him on yams, bananas and oranges, but

+the banana was his favorite food.

+

+Every day I talked to him, telling him all

+about the ship-wreck, discussing with him the

+various tasks that occupied me, and the

+probability of my rescue.  I named him Puff Ball on

+account of his shape when captured, and then I

+called him simply "Puff."  Puff listened

+patiently to all I had to say, frequently

+interjecting a sharp comment.  Sometimes he would

+interrupt me by setting up a loud screeching,

+and I always had to cease talking when Puff

+had the floor.

+

+For weeks he did not appear to attempt to

+imitate my words, and I began to despair of

+teaching him to talk, when one morning, as I

+lay awake for a few minutes before arising, I

+heard him softly chattering to himself.  I

+listened and heard him say "Puff," "Puff," very

+distinctly.  I was delighted and, going to the

+cage, I complimented him on his first attempt.

+

+Once while bathing in the stream, I noticed,

+for the first time, several fish gliding through a

+quiet pool.  From the momentary glance I had

+of them they appeared to resemble the white

+perch of the lakes at home.

+

+This opportunity to add to my larder could

+not be neglected, and I set to work to devise

+a plan for capturing them.  I thought, at first,

+of making a hook from thorns; but this idea

+was abandoned as not apt to be practical, and I

+hit upon a plan for making a net.  The first

+inspiration gradually developed into a trap, and

+took definite shape as I revolved the matter in

+my mind.  It was a simple device, but I spent

+much time and patience in perfecting it.

+

+First selecting one of the supple vines, about

+half an inch in thickness, I bent it into the form

+of a hoop, two feet in diameter, uniting the

+two ends by lashing them with smaller vines.

+Then, with the aid of a sharp thorn and thread

+from the fibre of the cocoanut, I sewed together

+pieces of the cocoanut cloth so as to make a bag

+three feet long, with an opening of the same

+diameter as the hoop.  Then I sewed the edge

+of the opening of the bag firmly to the hoop,

+which kept the bag rigidly open.

+

+Next, from more vines, I wove a funnel-shaped

+basket, the larger end fitting inside the

+hoop, while the smaller end, which was inserted

+into the bag, had an opening about six inches

+in diameter.  The larger end of this basket,

+which was like an inverted cone, was lashed to

+the hoop, all around.

+

+This was my fish-trap, and as soon as it was

+ready I took it to the brook.  The water was

+normally low and, finding the narrowest place

+in the current, I built across it a wall of stones,

+having an opening in the centre of the wall, in

+width just a little less than the diameter of the

+hoop.  The trap was then set into this opening,

+with the mouth pointing up-stream, the gentle

+current keeping the bag distended, while the

+hoop projecting across the edges of the opening

+in the wall held the bag in position.

+

+I expected that the fish, swimming downstream,

+finding no other passage, would enter

+the opening of the bag and pass through the

+small opening in the lower end of the cone,

+thereby becoming imprisoned.  From similar

+devices that my brother and myself had made

+and used in the brooks at home, I knew that,

+once inside, the fish would huddle in the lower

+end of the bag and make no effort to repass

+through the opening in the end of the cone.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XIV.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+The morning following the setting of the

+trap I removed it and, allowing the water to

+drain out through the meshes in the bag, I

+found three beautiful silvery fish, not unlike

+the white perch of the northern waters.

+Cleaning them, I broiled them over the coals, and

+found them to be delicious, delicate and fine

+flavored.  After that I had no lack of fresh fish.

+

+Puff, meantime, had made rapid progress in

+the art of talking and could carry on quite a

+conversation--and many were the hours I spent

+assisting him in adding to his vocabulary.  He

+insisted upon following me everywhere I went,

+always walking and never making any attempt

+to fly, his instructions in the use of his wings

+having been neglected since his capture.  When

+walking through the bush in search of pigeons

+and other provisions, I always carried Puff

+perched upon my shoulder, and he never made

+any attempt to escape.  He seemed as perfectly

+satisfied with my society as I was with his, and

+we kept up a continuous conversation.

+

+My supply of salt becoming nearly exhausted,

+I procured a large supply, enough to last me

+many months, by the same process as had been

+employed on the first experiment while marching

+along the coast.  This I sealed securely in

+joints of bamboo.

+

+Having no particular task on hand, one afternoon

+I proceeded to prepare a supply of provisions,

+roast pigeon, fish, yam, a few oranges

+and half a dozen green cocoanuts, preparatory

+to setting off, the following morning, to explore

+along the bank of the stream, which flowed

+almost by my door, toward its source.  I knew

+that this was a separate stream, independent of

+the other two that I had met with.  I remembered

+that I had not crossed a third stream on

+my march from the mountains, and I was curious

+as to its source.  Certainly it must be much

+shorter than the other two.

+

+Seeking my couch early in order that I might

+set off by daylight, before going to sleep I

+remembered that I needed a new supply of arrows.

+This would necessitate delaying another day,

+and in the morning I set to work, and before

+sunset I had several dozen of much better made

+arrows than the first ones.

+

+With my quiver and provision bag slung

+across my back and with Puff on one shoulder

+and the bow-gun on the other, I set out just as

+the sun was rising above the palm trees.  I

+kept to the left bank of the stream, and soon

+passed "Bamboo Pool" where I had first

+discovered these useful plants.

+

+I walked along rapidly, stopping only to

+refresh myself and Puff.  The way was easy,

+for there were very few shrubs or thorn bushes

+along the bank.  But I had to occasionally turn

+aside to avoid inhospitable cactus plants, and

+the sharp, dagger-like plant which grew

+plentifully almost everywhere.

+

+Just as I was thinking about seeking a good

+place to camp in order that I might make

+myself and Puff comfortable before dark, I was

+brought to an abrupt stop, where I stood transfixed

+with surprise; for I had reached the source

+of the stream, less than a day's journey from

+my house.

+

+Before me there was a little pool, only a few

+feet across, and its centre was bubbling and

+boiling.  The water which supplied the stream

+flowed from the bowels of the earth.  While

+the pool was violently agitated, no sound was

+made by the up-rushing water.  My brook was

+simply the outlet of a subterranean river.

+

+I at once made camp for the night, determining

+to spend a day around the pool before

+returning.  I kindled a fire for the sake of its

+cheering effect, and made my supper from the

+provision bag.  Puff was satisfied with a banana.

+

+After a frugal breakfast in the morning--for

+I had only some plantain and a part of one of

+the fish left--I set out to explore the forest in

+the near vicinity of the pool.  Almost

+immediately I came across some banana trees, and

+near by a few plantains were also growing.

+Further around I found a couple of orange

+trees.  This seemed quite a natural garden, and

+it was not so far away but that I could make

+frequent trips from home for bananas and

+plantains.

+

+Penetrating a little further into the forest, I

+came to a little clear spot, in the centre of

+which grew two large, handsome trees, each

+with straight, rather smooth trunks, with

+symmetrical tops.

+

+At first I thought both the trees were of the

+same kind, but I soon noticed that the leaves of

+one were larger than those of the other, and

+more pinnate.  I discovered that both trees

+bore curious-looking fruit.  The fruit, too, looked

+something alike.  It was large, round, and green

+in color, with a pebbly rind.  Several were lying

+under each tree; but that under one of the

+trees was decayed, and when I tried to move it

+with my foot it yielded to the pressure, and as

+the mass parted it looked like uncooked bread.

+The fruit under the other tree was firm and

+hard.  I was at a loss to solve the mystery.

+Cutting one of the latter, I found that it had a

+very hard shell.  Procuring a long pole from

+the bush, I succeeded in knocking off some

+fresh fruit from the other tree.  On cutting

+this I found that the skin was thin, and that the

+inside had something the appearance of a yam.

+

+I carried one of each to camp, when it occurred

+to me to roast the latter, and see if it proved

+good to eat.  While it was roasting in the coals,

+I cut the other green globe in halves, and found

+that the hard shell was very readily separated

+from the meat, leaving two nice bowls, suitable

+for drinking vessels, and perhaps for cooking.

+When I thought the other was thoroughly

+roasted, I took it from the ashes.  The

+transformation was marvelous.  The fruit was now

+like light, white bread.  Very cautiously I

+tasted it, and found that, while it possessed no

+decided flavor, it was very delicate.  I tried

+some with a little salt, and mentally pronounced

+it delicious.

+

+Before going into camp for the night, I

+procured half a dozen of each fruit, and, early in

+the morning, after adding a supply of bananas

+and plantains to my burden, started to return

+to the house, which was reached early in the

+evening.

+

+I became very fond of the new fruit, which

+answered for bread; and I made dishes from the

+shell of the other which served for drinking

+vessels, and I even boiled some fish in one of

+them.

+

+My time was now occupied by various tasks.

+Frequent trips were made to the pool.  I

+planted more yams, and made frequent excursions

+hunting pigeons.  I also made a complete

+suit of clothes from the cocoanut cloth, including

+a hat and a pair of very substantial moccasins,

+for my shoes were all but useless.  These

+things were varied by giving Puff lessons in

+conversation, in which he proved to be an apt

+scholar.

+

+I had seen no turtles on this part of the coast,

+and I contemplated a journey to the cove where

+I had seen them months before, as soon as, from

+my calendar, I judged it to be their breeding

+season.  I had long craved more of their

+delicious eggs.

+

+As the days and weeks passed, frequent

+showers came up; and after a time, the showers

+of warm, tepid rain became more frequent.

+Some were very violent, with high wind, and

+occasionally thunder and lightning.  They rose

+quickly and as quickly passed over, when the

+sun would burst out, making the drops falling

+from the trees glisten like silver.  But there

+came a day of almost steady rain, and, after

+consulting my calendar, I found that it was

+about time for the rainy season to set in.

+

+I had hardly thought of the rainy season since

+my return from the mountains.  Indeed, I had

+intended to set to work and attempt to construct

+a craft with which to try to reach the distant

+land to the east.  But now I must wait for

+another rainy season to pass before attempting

+it, for the sea would be too rough to risk a

+voyage in a rude and frail craft.

+

+I allowed gloomy thoughts to take possession

+of me, which I did not even confide to Puff, who

+was my only comforter.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`A Hurricane and a Ship-Wreck`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XV.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *A Hurricane and a Shipwreck*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+I strove to occupy my mind by digging a

+large store of yams, and gathering hundreds of

+cocoanuts, and storing them inside the house

+for use when the rain should prevent my going

+far from the shore.  I also gathered an immense

+quantity of dead branches for firewood, which I

+piled in the rear of the house, covering it thickly

+with grass and then broad leaves and bark

+stripped from the trees, to shed the water.

+

+The rain became almost constant, and after a

+day of hard work making some repairs that I

+thought necessary on my house, I lay on my

+couch, secure from the rain and wind, thinking

+of the past, present and future.  The wind had

+risen rapidly until it had become a gale.  I

+listened to the rustle and flapping of the leaves

+of the palm trees, and to the roar of the waves

+on the shore.  At length, through the crevices

+around the door I could see that the night was

+frequently lighted up by vivid flashes of

+lightning.  Heavy thunder began to rumble away

+back over the forest.  The wind increased, and

+then came a roar which seemed to shake the

+earth, and shrieks sounded above the dashing of

+the surf as the wind came with terrible force.

+

+I could hear the stockade creak, and see the

+walls of the house tremble.  The rain came in

+torrents, and swept against the enclosure.

+Another blinding flash and roar, and, above the

+rattle of the palm leaves I could hear the crack

+and crash of breaking and falling branches and

+tree trunks.  A hurricane had broken over the

+island.  I lay appalled, and listened to the

+terrible havoc of the tempest.  I could not close

+my eyes.

+

+It seemed as though the night would never

+pass; but after long, weary hours, a faint gray

+light stole into the house, denoting the approach

+of day and the end of that awful night.

+

+The storm abated a little, but the crashing

+sounds continued to come from the forest.  As

+soon as it was light enough to see plainly I

+ventured to go outside the stockade.  The

+structure had withstood the force of the wind; but

+what a pitiful sight greeted me as I looked

+about.  Many of the tall cocoanut palms that

+had been my friends and companions from the

+first lay prostrate, twisted and broken.  The

+ground was covered with nuts, leaves and

+broken branches.  The little stream was full to

+the very top of the banks.

+

+The waves roared and thundered on the

+narrow beach.  I turned toward the sea and thought

+about the night of the wreck.

+

+But had I gone mad?  Had the horrors of

+the night so affected my mind?  I covered my

+eyes, and in a moment looked again.

+

+Yes, out toward the bluff, only a few rods

+from the shore, was a vessel.  It lay as though

+at anchor.  I saw that it was a barkentine.

+The vessel had not anchored; she was stranded.

+Then I ran to the shore and waved my arms

+wildly.  I could not go to the bluff on account

+of the swollen stream.  I saw several men

+walking around the windlass.  Then they ran

+excitedly along the deck; and then I saw but

+two men on the deck.  I gazed out at the

+rocking vessel and saw a boat slowly swing around

+the bow.  It was filled with men rowing.  I

+saw the boat pointed toward the shore.  I

+watched it eagerly.  The boat seemed to make

+no headway.  But, yes, it was slowly making

+headway.  Then again my heart sank, as through

+the flying spume I saw a mountain of water, a

+great billow many times higher than the stranded

+ship, come rolling into the bay.  I stood

+transfixed with horror, spellbound, as I watched the

+water, coming with the speed of the wind, with

+a roar which every instant became more terrific.

+Powerless to aid the poor souls in the boat,

+struggling against a forlorn hope, in this moment

+of peril--of instant death, I stood, sick and

+faint, in contemplation of their fate.

+

+The great wave now overhung the vessel.

+Its foam-fringed crest curled over and, with a

+fearful snarl of anger, like some dread monster

+with jaws agape, it rushed over the vessel and

+obscured it from sight.

+

+I sank to the ground and covered my face, as

+I wept in anguish.  I was overcome at the

+awful thought of the catastrophe and by the

+instant, but full realization of my great

+disappointment,--almost at the moment when rescue

+from my long, lonely exile seemed near, every

+hope vanished; and in a few moments I should

+see the bodies of those whom I hoped would

+succor me tossed ashore, bruised and mangled.

+These thoughts flashed rapidly through my

+mind as I sank to the earth.

+

+Yet there was a faint hope, and the flitting

+thought caused my courage to revive for an

+instant.

+

+If the boat, perchance, escaped being

+swamped and should be borne far enough toward

+the beach to ground firmly and thus escape

+being carried back by the receding water, her

+passengers might be saved; but if not, her fate

+was certain, for she would be hurled back upon

+upon the reef and not a soul would escape.

+

+I started to my feet and strained my eyes in

+the direction of the vessel as the huge wave

+thundered upon the beach, the water rolling far

+up toward my house.

+

+Oh, the awful anguish of that moment!  At

+first I could see no sign of the vessel, but as

+the succeeding wave subsided I caught a glimpse

+of the vessel and saw that her masts, spars and

+rigging were hanging about her in a tangled

+mass of wreck.  The hull seemed to remain in

+about the same position, it only having careened

+shoreward.  The boat was nowhere to be seen,

+though I carefully scanned every inch of the

+swirling water.  Perhaps it had been dashed

+ashore unseen by me, obscured in the cloud of foam.

+

+I dashed to the beach and ran eagerly along

+the shore, hoping to find the boat and to rescue

+her passengers who, if discovered, would be in

+a state of insensibility.  But my search was

+fruitless, and I stood again a hopeless castaway,

+no nearer rescue than when, on that bright

+morning after the storm which sent the *Ethelyn

+Hope* to the bottom, I regained consciousness

+to find myself alone at this very spot.

+

+I returned to my house and tried to reconcile

+myself to my disappointment, and to adjust my

+mind to the rapid succession of events in which

+were mingled joy and sorrow, hope and despair,

+all within little more than a half-hour.

+

+Fortunately my house, thanks to the

+thoroughness with which the builder, assisted by

+nature, had done his work, had withstood the

+fury of the hurricane and had proved to be

+impervious to the rain, so I had no difficulty in

+making a fire, by which I prepared breakfast,

+drying my costume in the meantime.

+

+The wind had by this time nearly all died

+away, though the incessant roar of the surf

+continued on the beach.  Hoping still that some

+one from the ill-fated vessel might escape to

+keep me company, I went again to the beach,

+walking along toward the creek.  Seeing neither

+a body nor a sign of the boat, I started to

+follow along the bank of the creek with the

+intention of crossing it and searching along the

+shore in front of the bluff; but I had taken

+a few steps only when I stopped in astonishment,

+for almost at my feet, her shoulders upon

+a tangle of reeds, lay the body of a young

+woman.  I thought she must be dead, for she

+was very white and her eyes, while open, were

+fixed, turned upward toward the palm leaves.

+As gently as I could I lifted her and with some

+difficulty bore her to a mound at the foot of a

+palm tree, where I laid her carefully down,

+resting her drooping head in a natural position.

+

+Poor girl--for she was but a girl--cast up

+by the sea, dead; and that was all I could ever

+know, about her.  How tenderly I would lay

+her beneath the tropical flowers on the bluff, in

+a grave lined with soft grass!--alas, all I could do.

+

+Sadly I gazed at the still form, and was about

+to turn away again toward the beach when, to

+my great surprise, I thought I noticed a faint

+tremor on her face and a movement of her

+hands.  I must be mistaken; but no, again

+there was a movement--no mistaking it this

+time--then her eyes closed.  I knelt beside

+her and held her wrist.  It was cold, but I

+thought I could detect a tiny flicker of the

+pulse.  Certain now that life remained, I lifted

+her as tenderly as possible.  She was very slight

+and I could easily bear her weight; but her

+body was so limp that I found it difficult to

+carry her, supporting her head at the same time.

+

+However, I reached the house, bore her within

+and laid her upon the couch.  Then I took a

+piece of the cocoanut cloth, hastily twisting it

+to make it as soft as possible, and went to work

+vigorously chafing her wrists and hands, and I

+was presently rewarded by seeing her open her

+eyes.  Her head was turned slightly away, but

+with a faint sigh she moved it toward me.  With

+a wondering gaze she looked full into my face

+for a moment, and then her eyes closed again.

+She had lost consciousness, and I again chafed

+her hands and loosened her wet garments about

+her throat.  In what must have been a few

+moments only, but what seemed to me to be

+hours, she again opened her eyes and I saw her

+lips move.  I bent close to her and made out to

+catch her words, faintly whispered.

+

+"Where am I?  Is papa here?"

+

+That was all, for then she swooned away again.

+

+Her father.  How strange it all was, and now

+for the first time, I remembered that I had not

+noticed a woman on the deck of the ship before

+the boat was launched.  Satisfied now that her

+life was safe, I left her, hurried to the beach and

+renewed my search, when, directly in front of

+my door, with the water washing partly over it,

+I saw the body of a man resting upon the sand.

+From his appearance I judged him to be a

+sailor.  I dragged the body out of the water.

+The limbs were rigid and there was a deep gash

+on the left temple.

+

+Feeling certain that life was extinct, I turned

+and continued my search.  I soon picked up an

+oar, and as I came to the mouth of the creek I

+saw something which caused me to start back,

+involuntarily.  It was a hand protruding from

+a pile of broken reeds.  Hastily I tore away the

+reeds, revealing the body of a man, which, I

+noticed, was not dressed like a sailor.  While I

+was moving the body away from the edge of the

+creek I observed that the man was rather past

+middle life, well built and rather stout, of medium

+complexion, with thick hair and moustache, both

+being sprinkled with gray.  His limbs were not

+rigid, which caused me to hope that a spark of

+life remained.  I therefore began to treat him

+as I knew drowning persons should be dealt

+with, and shortly, to my great joy, he began to

+revive and was, ere long, able to sit up and look

+about him.  He gazed at me in seeming wonder

+as though thinking me to be a being of a

+different species from himself, which was not to be

+wondered at in view of my picturesque costume.

+

+"Oh Marjorie, my poor girl:" were his first words.

+

+"If you mean your daughter, sir," I said,

+"she is safe and sound in my house yonder."  He

+extended his hand to me, which I took and

+held while he recovered his vitality sufficiently

+to go to the house.

+

+"I fear we shall intrude greatly upon the

+hospitality of your household;" he said, with a

+little effort.

+

+"No fear of that, sir," I made reply; "for the

+company of yourself and daughter is certainly a

+great pleasure to me and I am the sole member

+of my household."

+

+"Are you alone, then?" he asked.

+

+"Yes, sir, alone on this island," I answered.

+

+He was going to say more but I begged him

+to desist until he was stronger, and until he was

+able to proceed to the house.

+

+He expressed himself as being fully able to

+do so, and as he seemed anxious about his

+daughter I assisted him to rise; and, placing an

+arm about him I supported him as he walked

+slowly to the house.

+

+The meeting of father and daughter was a

+joyous one.  The girl was able to sit up and the

+color was returning to her cheeks.  I could not

+help noticing at a glance that she was very

+pretty, tall with a slender well moulded figure,

+with brown hair and blue eyes and a clear

+complexion.  She was, I judged, anywhere from

+seventeen to nineteen years old.  With usual

+feminine thoughtfulness of her appearance she

+had already coiled her hair neatly and

+rearranged her damp garments as well as she was

+able.  While I stirred up the fire so that my

+visitors might dry their clothes, the father

+related, briefly, the story of their experiences.

+

+His name was Richard Harborough, of Halifax,

+Nova Scotia, from which port the wrecked

+barkentine, *Three Sisters*, of which he was the

+owner, hailed.  His family consisted of his wife,

+and three daughters for whom his vessel was

+named.  He had determined to make a voyage

+in his vessel for health and recreation and his

+daughter Marjorie, a student at Dalhousie

+College, whose health had been impaired by

+overstudy, had accompanied him, the family

+physician strongly recommending a voyage in

+the southern seas as a restorative.

+

+The *Three Sisters* had taken out a cargo of

+general merchandise to Demerara, British Guiana,

+and after discharging she had proceeded to

+Greytown, British Honduras, where she had

+taken in a partial cargo of mahogany for Boston,

+proceeding from the Central American coast to

+San Domingo where she took on board sufficient

+logwood to complete her cargo.  During heavy

+weather the seas that came aboard had polluted

+her fresh-water casks and seeing the island just

+at dusk they had put in toward it intending to

+anchor until morning and then to come ashore

+and refill her casks.  But the storm broke upon

+her, the rain obscured the island, and she would

+have gone ashore had she not struck one of the

+hidden coral reefs.  What prevented her masts

+from going overboard the men could not

+explain; but it must have been a miracle, they

+said.  As soon as the barkentine struck, the

+anchor was let go, by which it was hoped she

+would be prevented from drifting, until

+daylight.  When first I saw the men on the deck

+they were hauling up the anchor, finding that

+the barkentine had not drifted, with the

+intention of taking it to windward and trying to work

+her off the reef by heaving at the windlass.

+But realizing that the vessel was hopelessly

+aground, and fearing that she might break up,

+it was decided to try to reach the shore, the

+result of which attempt I had witnessed.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XVI

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+I told them, as briefly as possible, the story

+of my exile on the island, to which they listened,

+seemingly with the greatest interest, refraining,

+on account of delicacy, I supposed, from asking

+about my strange garb.

+

+"And now," I said at the conclusion of my

+narrative, "you must make yourselves at home

+and as comfortable as possible, while I see about

+dinner"--for it was just mid-day--"and then

+we will attend to the poor fellow who lies

+outside on the beach."

+

+So saying I took my bow-gun, my guests

+watching me in wonder, and started for the

+thicket behind the house.

+

+I hoped to secure a pigeon, for my companions

+must be in need of nourishing food.  I had the

+good fortune to spy a pigeon almost immediately

+and to secure it with a single arrow.  My

+companions were greatly surprised to see me return

+so quickly, and after placing some yams and

+bread fruit to roast in the ashes, I set about

+plucking the pigeon.  It was a plump bird, of

+the ring-tail variety.  Half of it I fixed over the

+coals to roast, and with the remainder I

+proceeded to make some broth, which I succeeded

+very well in doing, thickening it with crumbs

+of cold roasted bread fruit, and seasoning it

+with salt of my own manufacture, as I

+explained to my guests, while I prepared it.

+

+After the repast, which greatly revived

+Mr. Harborough and his daughter, we all went to

+the beach, I leading the way, to where the dead

+sailor lay.

+

+"Poor fellow," said Mr. Harborough, "it is

+the third mate.  The barkentine carried seven

+men beside the captain and three mates.  We

+must see if any more have come ashore."  But

+although we searched carefully all along the

+shore up the bay, we found no other bodies.

+So the dead sailor was carried tenderly to the

+palm grove, where he was laid in a grave, dug

+after much hard labor, and lined with grass; I

+promising to carve a head-piece for it, in the

+near future.

+

+Then I took Mr. Harborough and his

+daughter around the neighborhood of my hut,

+showing them where I had been cast ashore, where I

+had gathered the reeds and cut the bamboos for

+my house, where I had discovered the yam

+vines; indeed, I gave them a careful history of

+my doings thereabout, which used up all the

+afternoon.  The sea, meantime, had subsided

+and the sun had dried the bush and the grass;

+and after a frugal meal from the remnants of

+the noonday repast, we sat long in front of the

+house beneath the tropical sky, watching the

+moon rising above the feathery palm tops, while

+we speculated regarding the future.

+

+The situation presented few complications,

+for we must simply make the best of everything

+until rescued, be it days, months, or years.

+Mr. Harborough had most important information

+to communicate, namely, that the *Three

+Sisters* had a bountiful store of food supplies

+and cooking utensils, as well as a rifle, shot-gun

+and ammunition for each.  The rifle had

+belonged to the captain and the shot-gun to the

+mate, who, when opportunity offered, were

+accustomed to go ashore for a little sport,

+shooting.  To get these treasures ashore would

+greatly add to our comfort, and, although we

+had no boat, we resolved, very early in the

+morning, to set about discussing means for

+saving as much as possible from the vessel.

+

+Mr. Harborough, I was glad to see, took a

+cheerful view of the situation, and was resolved

+not to despair; and Miss Harborough, also,

+showed her bravery by taking the greatest

+interest in our plans.  With some large pieces

+of cocoanut cloth I screened off a corner of the

+room, including my couch, which was to serve

+as Miss Harborough's sleeping apartment, while

+Mr. Harborough and I stretched ourselves on

+the floor near the door.  Before we slept I

+communicated to him my intention to build an

+addition to the house before attempting to do

+much in getting things from the vessel, in order

+to afford Miss Harborough privacy, by having

+a room to herself.  He thanked me for all my

+kindness, and we knew no more until awakened

+by Puff, who, while everything was damp, had

+not been heard from.  Indeed, I had, I

+regretted to admit, forgotten him.  But now, his

+feathers dry, and the morning bright and fair,

+he made himself heard, indicating by all the

+words in his vocabulary, interspersed with shrill

+screeches, that he was hungry, and would brook

+no delay in having his wants supplied.

+

+The morning repast finished, we adjourned

+to the beach to lay out a plan of work for the

+immediate future.  We had two matters to

+discuss: one, the most important, of devising ways

+and means of transporting the supplies from the

+stranded barkentine to the shore, and the other,

+the construction of an addition to the house for

+the accommodation of Miss Harborough.

+

+"It seems to me," observed Mr. Harborough,

+"that we should solve the problem of getting out

+to the vessel as quickly as possible; for, if there

+arises another great storm, she might break up."

+

+"That is very true," I replied, "and your suggestion

+is a wise one; so, as the building of the

+addition to the house will not be a long task if

+we work together, let us set to work upon it

+at once.  We will construct it in the same

+manner as I built this house."

+

+It was decided that Mr. Harborough should

+cut the bamboos and the canes, while I would

+build the house, having acquired some skill

+from my previous work.

+

+"I fear you will find it laborious work, for I

+have only this knife," I observed, taking out

+my much-used knife.

+

+"Ah," he replied, "I have a good knife, larger

+and stronger than yours;" so saying he produced

+a large pocket-knife, having a broad, strong

+blade.

+

+"Capital," said I; "now we shall get on famously."

+

+I conducted him to the thicket of bamboos a

+a little way up the stream, leaving him, while I

+went a little further down, to cut reeds.

+

+"Oh, but I want to do something to help,"

+exclaimed Miss Harborough.  "What can I do?"

+

+"You can be of the greatest assistance by

+carrying reeds to the house.  They are very

+light, and, besides, you can take small armfulls."

+

+She was overjoyed at the idea, and she at

+once set to work with much enthusiasm.  I cut

+a quantity of reeds and then went back to bring

+some bamboos, after which I set to work cutting

+a door-way through the side of the house to

+connect it with the extension.  I pursued the

+same methods as in making the main house,

+Mr. Harborough cutting bamboos and reeds, his

+daughter bringing all the filling material from

+the stream, while I set up the frame and wove

+the reeds into the walls.  This finished, grass

+was cut for thatching the roof.  We worked

+steadily, only stopping for a bit to eat at noon,

+so that, by sunset, the addition was completed.

+It was six by eight feet in dimensions, and it

+was very thoroughly made.  After consulting

+Miss Harborough, it was decided not to have a

+door between the two apartments, but to hang

+up a curtain instead.  I suggested that the

+curtain be made of cocoanut cloth, and I promised

+Miss Harborough to gather the cloth in the

+morning, and show her how to sew it together

+with fine roots.

+

+We all sat for a time in front of the house,

+enjoying the breeze which blew toward the

+land after the sun-down, retiring early in

+anticipation of the work of the morrow.  Before I

+slept I had formed a plan to reach the

+barkentine on the reef, which I believed would prove

+successful.  The morning dawned bright and

+cloudless, and the household was awakened by

+Puff, screaming for his breakfast.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XVII.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+We first visited the young cocoanut palms

+from which I cut a supply of cloth for the

+curtain, to be hung between the two apartments in

+the house; and while I dug some small roots

+for thread, to use in sewing the pieces together,

+Mr. Harborough, under my direction, with his

+knife shaped from a piece of hard wood, a

+bodkin, to be used in lieu of a needle in sewing.

+

+Leaving Miss Harborough comfortably

+ensconced in front of the house, with the

+materials around her, Mr. Harborough and myself

+set about the task of reaching the vessel.

+

+"There is but one way to reach her, sir," I

+said, "and that is by means of a raft.  It is the

+only sort of a craft that we can construct with

+no tools, and, besides, I believe we can make a

+raft which will carry the cargo."

+

+"Your experience fits you to take the initiative,"

+he replied.  "I am under your direction.

+You shall lead, and I will follow and obey your

+instructions."

+

+"I am sure our combined ideas only will

+produce the best results," I made answer.  "But

+first let us proceed to the bamboo thicket."

+

+As we started to go up stream, Mr. Harborough

+turned and cast an anxious look toward

+his daughter.

+

+Noticing this, I hastened to reassure him

+concerning her safety.

+

+"And are there no wild animals on the island?"

+he asked.

+

+"I have seen none hereabout," I assured him.

+I remembered the wild pigs that I had met on

+my march around the coast, but I thought best

+not to unduly alarm him by alluding to them.

+

+"And do you believe the island entirely

+uninhabited?" he asked.

+

+"At the present time I believe it is absolutely

+uninhabited," I replied.  As we walked along I

+told him about the old wall on the mountain,

+adding that it was evidently constructed by

+civilized people, long ago.  An idea occurred

+to me at that moment concerning the ruined

+wall, but I resolved not to communicate it at

+present.

+

+As for the wild pigs, I did not believe they

+would put in an appearance in this part of the

+island.  Reaching the bamboo thicket, we set

+to work cutting a great quantity of them,

+selecting those from two to four inches in diameter,

+I, meanwhile, explaining to Mr. Harborough

+how I proposed to construct the raft.  We

+labored incessantly the entire day, only

+stopping, when the sun stood directly overhead, to

+allay the cravings of our appetites; and

+reaching the house, we were delighted to find that

+Miss Harborough had dinner all ready for us,

+she having roasted some yams and the only

+remaining bread fruit.  I resolved to make a

+trip to the pool and procure another supply at once.

+

+Miss Harborough had finished the curtain, and

+before we returned to our bamboo cutting we

+hung it in place, fastening it with wooden skewers.

+

+While we continued to cut bamboos Miss

+Harborough wandered about admiring and

+wondering at the many tropical sights and sounds.

+I continued to keep the records of the days on

+my cocoanut-shell calendar.  In two days we

+had cut what I believed was a sufficient number

+of bamboos.  The following day was Sunday;

+and while we resolved to abstain from working

+on the raft, we agreed that the time was too

+precious to remain entirely idle; so we resolved

+to devote the day to replenishing our larder.

+

+We were early astir and prepared for a trip

+to the pool.  Before setting out I got out the

+fish net, which I set in the stream, explaining

+that we would remove it on our return, and

+hoping that it would yield a good number of

+fish.  I took my bow-gun, intending to keep a

+sharp lookout for pigeons, and Miss Harborough

+carried Puff, I having taken care to secure him

+to her arm by a thong so he could not impede

+our progress by flying away into the thicket.

+

+We followed the bank of the stream and in

+due time reached the pool where we set about,

+in the best of spirits, gathering water-cocoanuts,

+bread fruit, oranges, bananas and plantains.

+Refreshing ourselves upon some ripe bananas

+that we found scattered through the bunches,

+while we sat beneath the shade of the broad

+leaves, we gathered up our spoils and set out to

+return.

+

+I decided to keep along the edge of the forest

+going back, hoping to bag a pigeon or two; and

+I was so fortunate as to secure four, to the great

+wonder of my companions who marvelled at my

+markmanship and the accuracy of the rude bow-gun.

+

+Arriving home the net was removed from the

+stream, being nearly half filled with fish.  The

+question of food was settled for several days,

+and we could work on the raft uninterrupted.

+

+Miss Harborough allotted to herself the duty

+of preparing the food, and well did she perform

+her task.  She not only had our meals ready

+with unfailing regularity, but her womanly

+instinct enabled her to devise dinners, dainty and

+appetising innovations in the simple cookery,

+that were most acceptable.

+

+The foundation of the raft was laid by placing

+bamboos on the beach just out of reach of the

+surf, there being no discernable tide, about one

+foot apart.  The poles, forming a layer, were

+about eighteen feet long, and there were

+fourteen of them.  This fixed the dimensions of the

+raft, eighteen by fourteen feet.  These were

+firmly lashed together with lianas from the

+thicket near by, which were passed over and

+under each alternate pole, across to the opposite

+side and back again, six times across, with

+double weaving at the ends.  Next we cut a

+great quantity of reeds and laid them evenly

+over the frame-work, to the thickness of about

+two feet.  Another frame was then made the

+same size as the first, which was placed over

+the reeds and bound firmly to the bottom frame,

+to which it was firmly fastened with lianas

+around the edges, forming a sort of mattress.

+This process was repeated until the raft was

+fully six feet thick.  This work, as is to be

+supposed, occupied several days; but when it was

+completed we had reason to feel proud of the

+result.  Indeed, it was the outcome of no little

+skill.

+

+We expected that the buoyancy of the materials

+of which it was constructed, together with

+its great thickness, would enable the raft to float

+with its top high out of the water, which would

+allow it it to support a considerable load.  And,

+besides, it was so light that our combined efforts

+sufficed to move it quite readily.  On the

+morning of the day following its completion, we

+launched the raft, and to our great satisfaction

+saw that it floated like a cork.  We decided

+that a long bamboo to be used as a scull-oar

+would be the best means of propelling it.  One

+half of the thickness of the larger end of this

+bamboo was split away the length of the first

+joint, which gave a flat surface to offer resistance

+to the water in sculling.  Another bamboo

+was provided to be used in poling.  We were

+now ready to set out for the wreck.  Miss

+Harborough expressed a desire to accompany us,

+but I demurred, until we had proved the

+seaworthiness and stability of the raft, in which

+her father joined.  So she seated herself near

+the beach and watched us as we pushed off.

+

+Beneath our combined weight the raft did

+not appear to sink perceptibly, and it promised

+to float a good amount of cargo.  This was

+most pleasing to us for it would enable us to

+remove what we wanted from the vessel rapidly.

+We joined in poling the raft until the water

+became too deep, after which I used the scull

+from the end, being somewhat of an expert by

+reason of my boyish practice with a punt on the

+pond near the home of my childhood.  The sea

+was placid, and it required only a few minutes

+to reach the wreck.  I propelled the raft under

+the bow-sprit and held it steady by grasping

+the martingale, while Mr. Harborough climbed

+aboard, from whence he threw a line with which

+I quickly made the raft fast, and joined him on

+the deck.

+

+The scene around us was one of confusion.

+The deck was strewn with a tangled mass of

+rigging, rendering it not a little difficult to

+move about.

+

+"I think," said Mr. Harborough, "that we

+should proceed systematically through the

+vessel, and I suggest that we first proceed to the

+cabin."

+

+So we descended the companionway which

+led to the roomy cabin.  It was comfortably,

+though not luxuriously fitted up, after the usual

+style of vessels going on long voyages.

+Mr. Harborough proceeded to collect all his clothing,

+while I, at his suggestion, gathered into a

+bundle all of the wearing apparel that had

+belonged to the captain, to be appropriated to my

+own use; and indeed, I was sadly in need of it.

+We did not disturb Miss Harborough's cabin,

+having decided to let her accompany us on the

+next trip, when she could gather up her own

+belongings.

+

+"There seems to be nothing else that can be

+of use to us," said Mr. Harborough, glancing

+around the cabin.

+

+"Oh, but why not take the chairs?  They are

+fastened to the floor of the cabin, but there

+must be tools on board in the carpenter's kit,

+with which we can easily remove them.  And,

+then, the charts, the chronometer and the

+compass.  Who knows but that they may be of

+great use to us?  I am sure the compass would,

+at least."

+

+"That is true," he replied; "I fear that I am

+not very used to being a castaway."

+

+"A few months will accustom you to such an

+existence," I replied.

+

+So we went forward and found the carpenter's

+chest, from which we took all the tools

+necessary to remove the cabin chairs, and the

+compass.  These, with the chronometer and the

+clothing, we deposited together in the cabin.

+Next we set about collecting all the small sized

+rope and all the cooking utensils in the galley,

+which we placed with the cabin crockery.  We

+debated whether it would be advisable to

+attempt to remove the galley stove to the shore;

+but, because of its weight and the consequent

+great difficulty in removing it, we abandoned

+the idea.  As we moved about the deck we

+could see Miss Harborough by the beach, and

+we frequently signalled to her, fearing that she

+might be lonesome alone, amid such strange

+surroundings.

+

+As I stood gazing at the beautiful island,

+densely covered with tropical vegetation,

+radiant with golden light, I made out the mountain

+on which I had erected the beacon, which I

+could dimly see.  I called Mr. Scarborough's

+attention to it, and expressed my disappointment

+that it was so dimly visible; but when I

+reflected that the mountain was much nearer

+the east coast, I took a brighter view of it, for I

+believed that the island must be one of the

+Virgin Islands; and, if so, it must be one of the

+most easterly.  Still I could not make up my

+mind what the land I had sighted far to the

+eastward from the mountain top might be.  If

+it was one of the northern Leeward Islands,

+then we could not be far out of the track of

+vessels.  In this case the beacon must, sooner

+or later, be seen from some passing ship.

+

+Overhauling the stores we found quantities

+of provisions, canned and dried fruits, salt, half

+a barrel of salted beef, nearly two barrels of

+flour, a great quantity of sweet potatoes and

+several gross of matches.  Indeed, nothing

+seemed to be lacking.

+

+We now set about loading the raft, lowering

+the different articles over the side by means of

+a rope, distributing the weight over the raft.

+We loaded it until it settled to within a foot of

+the top, and a great quantity of freight it took.

+At this rate it would require but few trips to

+complete the work.  Taking the clothing aboard

+we started ashore, which we reached without

+accident, though it required considerably more

+time to scull the heavily loaded raft.  Being so

+deeply laden, it grounded several feet from the

+beach, so that in unloading it, we had to wade

+back and forth through the water.

+

+Everything was stored snugly in the house

+before sundown.

+

+On the morning following we made another

+early start for the wreck, Miss Harborough with

+us this time.  As before, the raft was made fast

+to the bow-sprit, and Miss Harborough was

+hoisted aboard in a bo'sn's chair.  We

+proceeded to load the raft, intending to make two

+trips during the day.  This was soon

+accomplished, and taking the compass and the

+chronometer, as well as Miss Harborough's trunk,

+we were about to cast off, when, with an

+exclamation, Mr. Harborough grasped the chains and

+disappeared on deck, presently returning with

+face aglow, carrying in each hand a gun.  Such

+good fortune was almost overpowering, for with

+guns we could not only defend ourselves

+effectively, if necessary, but easily secure plenty of

+game.  He explained that there was a quantity

+of cartridges for the rifle as well as considerable

+ammunition for the shot-gun, in the cabin.

+Each day we continued to make one or two

+trips to the vessel, the weather fortunately

+continuing calm, with the result that we stripped

+her of everything that we could move, and that

+could possibly be of use to us.  We soon

+discovered that we could store in the house only such

+articles as there would constantly be use for, so

+we proceeded to build another addition from

+the other side, opposite Miss Harborough's

+apartment, to serve exclusively as a store-room.

+Thus our abode extended to quite a pretentious

+establishment.  The raft, no longer in use, we

+hauled up among the cocoanut palms.  We had

+been so busy since the barkentine came ashore

+that we had not been able to extend the

+stockade around the two additions to the house.

+This we proceeded to do, following the same

+plan of construction as I had previously done,

+joining it to the main structure at the four

+corners, thus making an enclosure of quite twice

+the area of the original compound.  We planted

+yam vines all around the new stockade, varying

+our labors by making trips to the pool for

+provisions, going on excursions into the forest, but

+never far away, securing pigeons with the aid

+of the shot-gun, but seeing no animals, and

+fishing in the stream.  We lived sumptuously, with

+the fruit and the plentiful supplies from the

+vessel.  At my suggestion, we planted a

+quantity of sweet potatoes, selecting a sunny spot

+near the stream, breaking up the ground with

+poles sharpened with the aid of a good axe,

+which we found in the carpenter's kit.  Indeed,

+we found several tools, such as a bit, auger, two

+saws; and a hammer that were of great use to

+us; and fortunately a few nails.  I had some

+doubt as to the success of our sweet potato

+experiment, believing that the tropical climate

+would prove too warm for them, remembering

+that they flourish to the greatest perfection in

+the eastern-central part of our own country.

+However, the experiment was worth trying in

+the interest of future food supplies.  We had,

+from the first, kept a close watch along the

+shore all along the bay, in case bodies of other

+members of the barkentine's crew came ashore.

+But none did, and, with the axe, we hewed a

+rude head-board from a hard-wood plank which

+we had brought from the vessel, for the grave

+of the man whom we had buried, carving

+thereon the name "William Clayton," together

+with the day and year of his death.

+

+We discussed the advisability of setting fire

+to the wreck, but after mature consideration we

+decided that so long as it remained intact, it

+might serve to attract attention should a vessel

+be passing, and thus lead to our rescue.

+

+We had much leisure, and I took occasion to

+make known a project which I had in mind

+from the first, that of making a trip to the

+mountain.  For one thing I wished to see if

+the beacon had withstood the hurricane; and,

+more than all, an idea had taken possession of

+me, growing stronger every day, that a careful

+investigation around the ruined wall might lead

+to interesting, and, perhaps, important

+revelations.  My companions were delighted with the

+prospect, and we at once set about making

+preparations for the journey; and here a new

+idea suggested itself.  We must carry with us

+as large a quantity of provisions as possible, and

+how could this be accomplished?  We would

+make knapsacks from sail-cloth.  Why had we

+not thought to bring the sails of the barkentine

+ashore?  The raft was again launched, and we

+removed the smaller sails from the vessel; and,

+by searching among the seamen's dunnage in

+the forecastle, we found several sailors' needles

+and twine.  All working together, we soon

+fashioned two square bags, with straps of

+several thicknesses of cloth, with which to sling

+them upon our backs.  The next most important

+thing was the selection of the articles to be

+carried with us.  Provisions must form the bulk

+of the packs, and we made the selection with

+the greatest care.  We also proposed to take

+along the axe, a coil of rope, the ship's compass,

+which was removed from the gimbals, and, of

+course, the two guns, Mr. Harborough carrying

+the rifle, while I took the shot-gun.  We made

+belts from the sail-cloth for carrying

+ammunition.  The axe formed part of my equipment.

+A light bundle of clothing was made up for Miss

+Harborough who also took charge of Puff, who

+was made fast to her arm by a piece of twine.

+Everything was made snug in the house, and

+the remaining sail-cloth was carefully spread

+over the stores to be left behind.  The door

+was securely closed, and one bright morning we

+were ready to start, first taking, by means of

+the compass, the bearings of the mountain.  It

+was my intention to proceed by a different

+route from those I had followed in going to and

+returning from the mountain, for two reasons.

+One was that I wished to further explore the

+island, which a new route would enable me to

+do, and the other was that a direct route

+through the forest would be much shorter,

+requiring us to encamp but one night.  My

+companions fully agreed with this idea.  The

+stream was followed as far as the pool, where

+we entered the forest.  It consisted of many

+varieties of trees, one kind being of large size,

+with a smooth, straight trunk, towering to a

+great height, without branches.  This,

+Mr. Harborough said, was the mahogany tree.

+

+Great lianas entwined the trees and many

+creepers, some bearing exquisite blossoms that

+called forth exclamations of delight from Miss

+Harborough, depended from the branches; and

+in some places the vegetation was so dense that

+we were compelled to cut a way with the axe.

+At Mr. Harborough's suggestion and at her

+request I ceased to address his daughter as Miss

+Harborough, and thereafter called her Marjorie,

+as did her father; for, as they both said, we

+were exiles together, and formality was

+superfluous.  We were in excellent spirits and made

+rapid progress.  When the sun was in the

+zenith, as we could see by an occasional glimpse

+through an opening in the dense canopy above

+us, we paused by a tiny stream of clear water

+for refreshments and a short rest.  Our repast

+finished, while Mr. Harborough and I conversed

+concerning the present and the future, Marjorie

+wandered away a short distance, searching for

+new and beautiful flowers.  Just as we rose to

+resume the march, and were about to call her,

+we heard an agonizing scream coming from the

+forest at no great distance away.  It was clear

+that something had befallen Marjorie.  Grasping

+the guns, we dashed in the direction indicated

+by her cries, and presently we saw her

+dress through the undergrowth.  As we hastened

+forward a sight met our eyes which caused

+us to come to a sudden halt and to gaze in

+horror at the spectacle before us; for there was

+Marjorie, crying out no longer, her limp body

+in the grasp of what looked like a dark,

+shrivelled-up old man.

+

+It seemed to be four or five feet tall, with a

+face almost black, its body covered with short

+hair.  The limbs were long, small, and the legs

+were bent.  We both shouted, at which the

+monster released Marjorie, allowing her to fall

+to the ground, while it stood motionless,

+looking at us, but making no sound.  Almost at the

+same instant it stooped and grasped a huge club

+which lay at its feet.  We waited no longer,

+and both raised our guns and fired.  Evidently

+our excitement disconcerted our aim, for the

+monster, without giving forth a sound, sprang

+to the great tree near which it stood and began

+to climb it rapidly, keeping to the side opposite

+to us.  We hastened around, and Mr. Harborough

+fired another shot from his rifle, but

+without apparent effect, for the creature quickly

+reached the branches and disappeared.

+

+We hastened to Marjorie who had recovered

+from her swoon, and was able to give us an

+account of her adventure.  There was little for

+her to tell.  She was walking leisurely along,

+stopping to admire a flower or a brilliant

+butterfly, when, without warning, she felt herself

+in the grasp of the horrible creature.  She

+screamed and then fainted.  We were unable

+to conjecture what sort of a creature it might

+be, for we were not aware that the tropical

+regions of the Western Hemisphere contained

+large apes.

+

+While we were discussing the matter, I

+remembered a story which I had read years before

+about a creature found in the depths of the

+South American forest, which was called a

+"Burghree."  As I recollected the story, the

+description of the "Burghree" corresponded

+very nearly to the monster we had just

+encountered.  Marjorie, having now recovered,

+although she was still somewhat weak, we again

+went to the tree and peered sharply among the

+branches.

+

+"It seems to me," said Mr. Harborough at

+length, "that I see something which looks like

+a great nest, far up in the tree-top."

+

+I looked more closely and also saw it.

+

+Clearly this was the home of the strange

+creature, and then I recollected that the story

+of the "Burghree" corresponded almost exactly

+to the present realization, for it retired to a

+great platform of branches and grass, far up in

+the tree-top, whence it hurled defiance and clubs

+at the men below, while this one uttered no

+sound.  Another shot from the rifle was

+without result, and we decided that it would be not

+only useless but folly to waste more ammunition.

+Resuming our march, few words passed

+between us for a long time.  As for myself, I

+was absorbed with my own thoughts, and

+Mr. Harborough seemed to be occupied in like manner.

+

+Suddenly I stopped and rested my gun upon

+the ground.

+

+"Mr. Harborough," said I, "did you notice

+that the face of the creature looked more like a

+human face than that of an ape, and that the

+feet and hands seemed to be unlike an ape's

+feet and hands?"

+

+"I noticed the face," he answered.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XVIII.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+As we went on our cheerfulness returned.

+

+We saw occasional pigeons and many beautiful

+plumaged birds, among which were parrots

+and paroquets that kept up a noisy clatter.

+We also encountered a species of brown and

+yellow ground-snake about two feet long, which

+did not appear to be harmful, as it always

+seemed anxious to get away.  Frogs, small

+lizards and crabs were plentiful, and I presume

+some of the latter were edible.  Coming to a

+thicket of thorn-bush just as the dusk began to

+settle across our path, we prepared to camp for

+the night.  A square space was cleared in the

+thicket, some leafy branches were laid across

+the top to serve as a roof, wood was gathered,

+and a fire was built in front; and we proceeded

+to roast a few yams and two fat pigeons that I

+had shot late in the afternoon; and opening a

+can of peaches, we made a bountiful repast.

+We soon sought repose, and, as no sound save

+the murmuring of the breeze through the trees

+came from the forest, sleep came quickly to all

+of us.  We were aroused the next morning at

+daybreak by Puff who was screaming at the top

+of his voice at a flock of wild parrots in the trees

+above, and in an incredibly short time we were

+again on the march.  We had proceeded only a

+short distance when we came to a small open

+place covered with grass, and we were about to

+skirt its edge when close in front of us came an

+angry "woof."

+

+"Wild pigs," I cried, greatly alarmed, for,

+from my previous encounter, I understood their

+savage nature.

+

+At the moment an ugly looking boar showed

+his head directly in front of us.  Mr. Harborough

+was about to fire, but I restrained him,

+knowing that the least disturbance might bring

+a drove of these savage beasts upon us.

+

+"Let us quietly withdraw as quickly as possible,"

+I said, "and make a detour of the forest."

+

+This plan was carried out, and, to my great

+relief, successfully, for the boar disappeared in

+the grass, and we saw no more of it.

+

+Having the compass, we were able to keep

+the right direction, pushing forward rapidly,

+only stopping a short time at mid-day for

+dinner, and the sun was yet high in the heavens

+when we came to the first rising ground, and I

+knew that we had reached the foot of the mountain.

+

+Presently I saw familiar land-marks, and I

+was able to lead the way to the top.  The

+beacon was standing exactly as I had left it.  We

+proceeded to my cave-dwelling, where everything

+was found pretty much as I had left it,

+except that the barricade before the door

+showed some decay.  There was still some time

+before nightfall, during which, after depositing

+our sacks within, we cut a quantity of grass for

+beds and gathered a quantity of fire-wood.  We

+also partitioned off one corner of the room for

+Marjorie, fixing a bamboo across, to which hung

+cocoanut cloth which we found in abundance a

+short distance away, fastening it together with

+pegs, and thus we were comfortably settled soon

+after our arrival; and, as we enjoyed the

+evening meal, we talked over future plans.  I

+promised to show my companions the ruined wall in

+the morning, as we retired to rest.

+

+The orange trees and banana plants near the

+ruin were still thrifty and bore abundant fruit,

+and we regaled ourselves as I showed my

+companions the old wall.  Mr. Harborough took the

+greatest interest in it, and we speculated as to

+its origin.  Other matters, however, engaged

+our attention from day to day.  The compass

+was taken to the foot of the beacon, and the

+bearings of the land which I had discovered in

+the distance accurately determined.

+

+It lay exactly southeast, half east, from where

+we stood.

+

+"In my opinion," said Mr. Harborough, "this

+small island where we now are is one of the

+most northeasterly of the Virgin Islands, and

+that land in the distance is one of the same

+group."

+

+"But," I said, "if that is the case should we

+not be able to see some of the other islands to

+the westward?"  I was aware that there were

+several islands in the Virgin Group.

+

+"Not necessarily," he answered, "for they lie

+very low on the ocean."

+

+We spent much time about the beacon, improving

+our habitation, in gathering fruit and

+shooting pigeons for our larder; and we took

+twelve days in making a trip to the low

+south-east coast, marching along the shore and

+returning from the northeast.  We found animal

+life even scarcer than on the west side.  Birds

+were not so plentiful, though we found some

+pigeons, and saw plenty of little green lizards

+and crabs.  We made no discoveries that

+promised to be of use to us.  On our return I took

+my companions to the mouth of the guano cave,

+but Marjorie declined to enter and Mr. Harborough

+did not appear anxious to do so.  We

+made frequent trips to the ruined wall, and

+searched the enclosure carefully.  The more we

+studied it the more we were convinced that the

+wall had served as a foundation for some structure.

+

+One day as we were returning with fruit,

+Mr. Harborough had fallen behind to examine a spot

+which had escaped attention, when we were

+arrested by a sudden exclamation from him.

+He had dropped upon his knees and was eagerly

+clearing away the plants and grass with his

+hands.

+

+We hastened to him, inquiring what he had

+discovered.  He pointed to a square, flat stone.

+It was about four feet square and seemed to

+open like a hatchway.  He had stepped upon it

+and felt it rock, very slightly, beneath his weight,

+but enough to attract his attention.  Did the

+stone conceal an opening, the entrance to an

+ancient dungeon, or a treasure vault?  We

+were nearly overcome with excitement, not

+unmixed with awe, and I confess to a feeling of

+dread as I contemplated what might be below if

+the stone really covered an opening to a

+subterranean chamber.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`An Ancient Ruin; Wonderful Discovery`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XIX.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *An Ancient Ruin; A Wonderful Discovery*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+The edges of the opening, around the stone,

+were crumbled and cracked, and after scraping

+away the accumulation of moss and mold we

+found that we were able to remove a large piece

+of rock which left a space of sufficient depth to

+receive a lever.  We hastened to the edge of the

+forest, where we selected a small tree of hard

+wood, which we felled; and from it we made a

+lever about fifteen feet in length.  The larger

+end was flattened a little with the axe, in order

+that it should fit closely against the stone in

+prying it up.

+

+We next moved a large stone from the wall,

+which we placed about three feet from the aperture

+which was to receive the lever, to act as a

+fulcrum.  Then we lifted the great lever, placed

+the flattened end into the aperture, let it rest

+against the stone fulcrum, and reaching up as

+near the elevated end of the lever as possible,

+brought our combined weight to bear upon it.

+

+The flat stone moved slowly upward, and

+Marjorie, who stood near, in her eagerness, bent

+over the opening.  Almost at the same moment

+she started violently back, gasping for breath.

+The foul air, which rushed from the opening,

+had nearly suffocated her.

+

+Working together nearer the upper end of the

+lever, the stone was lifted a little higher and

+Mr. Harborough was able to hold it while I

+placed a rock under the stone, which prevented

+it from falling back when the lever was released.

+

+We now gathered around the opening which

+was not yet wide enough to enable us to see far

+below; but to our great astonishment we saw

+that a flight of stone steps led downward.

+Below all was dark.  Foul air still came from

+the opening.

+

+"We must wait for the air to purify before

+entering," I said; "and, meanwhile, we will

+procure lights."

+

+"Why in the world did we not remove the

+cabin lamps from the vessel?" exclaimed

+Mr. Harborough, "If we only had them now."

+

+"Come to the house," I said, "and I will show

+you how we will procure a light."

+

+Hastening to the house I opened my knapsack

+and held up the two binnacle lamps for the

+inspection of my companions, much to their

+amazement.

+

+Both were filled with oil, very little of which

+had escaped, as I had wrapped strips of

+sailcloth tightly around them.

+

+In answer to their inquiring looks, I reminded

+them that I had, for a long time, believed that

+some such discovery as the present one might

+be made, and that I had, unknown to them,

+packed the binnacle lamps which had proved to

+be a fortunate act on my part.

+

+Taking them, with plenty of matches, we

+returned to the ruin.  Lighting a wisp of dry

+grass, I threw it into the opening.  It fell to the

+bottom, where it continued to burn brightly,

+showing that the air was now pure.  In the

+momentary glare of the burning grass, we saw

+that the opening was about eight feet deep.

+

+We now procured another stone from the

+wall, which we placed under the lever, increasing

+the height of the fulcrum so that we were

+able to lift the stone still further; and by

+pushing the lever around toward one side we quickly

+swung the stone from the opening until it rested

+at one side.

+

+Lighting the lamps, we cautiously descended

+the stone stairs.  They were covered with what

+seemed to be finely pulverized mould which

+had worked down from above; but the dampness,

+incident to an underground chamber rendered

+the steps somewhat slippery, so we had

+to descend carefully.  There were ten steps.

+Reaching the bottom, Mr. Harborough and myself

+leading and Marjorie bringing up the rear,

+we found ourselves standing upon a solid floor,

+deeply covered with fine mould, but quite dry.

+The floor of the chamber was evidently

+composed of stone, laid very closely, without mortar.

+The roof was made of great flat stones,

+supported by two rows of pillars made of square

+blocks of stone, extending the length of the

+chamber.  The walls, roof, pillars and floor were

+all thickly covered with dust.  Searching along

+the walls, we discovered, at the further end,

+four niches sunk into the wall about five feet,

+and into the rear wall of each niche, there was

+fixed a massive iron staple, to which was

+fastened an iron chain of crude workmanship.  At

+the end of each chain there was a rough iron

+collar which was evidently designed to be

+fastened with a rivet.  Stepping into one of the

+niches, we discovered that the floor of it was

+thickly studded with sharp iron spikes which

+we found, on clearing away the dust, to be

+about two inches in height.  The purpose of

+the niches was apparent; they were unquestionably

+designed as places of torture.  Well must

+they have served their purpose; for the wretched

+victim who, on account of the short chain

+fastened to his neck, could not lie down, was

+compelled to stand constantly upon the sharp

+pointed spikes which would pierce and cruelly

+lacerate the feet.

+

+To what period of the New World's history

+this dungeon belonged we could not even

+conjecture; but, judging from the style of architecture

+and the cunningly devised method of torture,

+Mr. Harborough, who had seen the ruined

+forts along the Spanish Main, had no doubt that

+this chamber was connected, in some way, with

+the old Castilian days in this part of the world.

+

+The west wall seemed to be perfectly smooth

+and unbroken; but on the east side of the

+chamber we found a square stone, measuring

+something like two feet each way, being almost a

+perfect cube, protruding half way from the wall.

+This was easily removed, and thrusting in one

+of the lamps, we saw what appeared to be a

+square chest.  Brushing away the dust which

+covered the end of the chest next to us, we saw

+that it was of wood, bound with bands of iron,

+the whole being thickly studded with nails.

+

+"A treasure chest," exclaimed Marjorie; "oh,

+it seems like the stories of the buccaneers."

+

+An iron ring was fastened to the chest, but

+when we took hold of it and tried to draw the

+chest toward us, we found it to be so heavy

+that we were unable to stir it.  So I went to

+procure a lever which I cut from a small tree

+near the wall, and returned with it to the

+chamber.  One end of the lever was inserted, upward

+through the ring of the chest and we lifted with

+our combined strength.

+

+The chest was raised slightly, and then the

+iron bands, eaten by years of rust, broke, and

+the chest, rotten with age, fell apart.

+

+Marjorie was holding one of the lamps so as

+to illuminate the chest, and, as it broke open,

+she almost dropped it, while Mr. Harborough

+and I dropped the lever and gazed at the broken

+chest and at each other in speechless astonishment;

+for the aperture seemed to be full of gold

+coins.

+

+We had discovered a treasure chest, indeed.

+The coins were of several sizes, and all were

+covered with a brownish dust.  But gold they

+were, and there were thousands and thousands

+of them.

+

+We examined many of the coins, on which

+the legends were plainly legible.  Each one

+bore a male head on one side, with dates

+ranging from 1517 to 1540; and on the reverse,

+this superscription:--"Carlos I., Espana:

+Rex"--Charles I., King of Spain.  We concluded

+that we had discovered a favorite trysting place

+of sea-rovers who sailed these waters carrying

+death and desolation afloat and ashore under the

+protection of royal authority, with the

+understanding that the Spanish treasury should be

+enriched thereby.

+

+Here, before us, with no one else to claim it,

+was wealth beyond our power to estimate.

+

+"It is utterly useless to us here," said

+Mr. Harborough, as we discussed the importance of

+our discovery.

+

+"True," I replied, "but as we have no intention

+of always remaining on this island, it may

+prove to be of great service to us.  To this end

+we must consider what immediate disposal we

+will make of all this wealth."

+

+"And," I continued, as we replaced the stone in

+the aperture and withdrew from the chamber, "it

+seems to me that the first step toward ensuring

+to ourselves the future enjoyment of all this

+wealth, should be to transport it to the cove

+and store it in our house."

+

+This proposition of mine was the beginning

+of much discussion and consideration for several

+days thereafter, during which it was definitely

+decided that the gold must be transported to

+our house at the cove; and we began to consider

+how this task, not a trifling one, could be

+accomplished.

+

+Clearly there was but one sure and safe way,

+and that, to carry it there ourselves.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`"The Golden Treasure;" Its Removal`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XX.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   "*The Golden Treasure;*" *Its Removal*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+It was finally settled that we would transport

+the golden treasure to Sargent, at the cove, in

+the knapsacks on our backs.  To do this would

+require several journeys through the forest; but

+as time was no object to us, what more could

+we ask than to be able, during our exile, to so

+easily acquire wealth which would render us

+independent for life; for rescued we must

+surely be, sooner or later.

+

+We decided that no part of the walls should

+remain uninspected.  Every square foot of it

+was carefully examined, but we found no

+indications of other openings.  One day, however,

+while looking at the east wall, I noticed one of

+the stones which seemed to be more loosely set

+into the wall than any of the others; and on

+examining it more closely, the upper edge

+appeared to be chipped as though some pointed

+instrument had been inserted.  It at once

+occurred to me that this may have been caused by

+prying the stone out--in other words, I mistrusted

+that the stone might conceal the entrance

+to another chamber.

+

+We examined it closely and came to the

+conclusion that it would be worth while to remove

+the stone.  We worked at it for several days

+without making any perceptible impression.

+

+It was too heavy and we could devise no

+appliance to assist us materially.  Finally it

+occurred to me that we might remove a

+flag-stone of the floor, dig under the stone and

+compel it to drop from its place.  We soon

+discovered, however, that it rested upon the flag-stone

+next to it.  Not to abandon the project, we at

+last succeeded in removing the second flag-stone

+from the wall, which enabled us to excavate the

+earth from beneath the flag-stone next to the

+wall.  This we accomplished after a great deal

+of hard work, for our only excavating tools

+consisted of sharpened and flattened pieces of wood.

+At last, however, the flag-stone settled into the

+the excavation and the stone in this way fell

+outward.  To our great astonishment this was

+followed by a rush of air from the aperture.  We

+did not, at first, know what to make of this, but

+we shortly agreed that we had found the

+entrance to an underground passage leading to the

+open air.

+

+Indeed this idea seemed quite reasonable, for

+we had often read of such passages in

+connection with the strongholds of the early days;

+either as a means of offence or defence, or of

+escape.

+

+Taking the two lamps I preceded Mr. Harborough

+into the passage, Marjorie bringing up

+the rear.  From the first it was evident that the

+passage was not artificial, but a natural cavern.

+Indeed as we proceeded it proved to be a simple

+guano cave, the stalactites being grimy and the

+stalagmites buried beneath long years accumulations

+of guano.  In its general character it

+did not differ materially from the cave which I

+had discovered on the east side of the mountain

+during my former sojourn.  The ceiling of this

+one, however, was higher so that we were able

+to walk upright; and it had no windings.

+Proceeding a few rods we came to a second

+chamber, leading off at right angles; but the opening

+was so small that we would have had to crawl

+through it and we did not consider it worth

+while to enter it, at present, at least.  The

+thought occurred to me that the passage

+connected this cavern with the one which I had

+previously discovered; for, as I thought the

+matter over, I believed that the two must run

+nearly parallel.  Myriads of bats flitted about,

+almost flying against our faces, and several

+times nearly extinguishing our lamps.  In a

+few minutes we came to a fair-sized chamber,

+nearly circular and perhaps a dozen feet in

+diameter; and as we entered it we were astonished

+to find that it was partially illumined by

+daylight.  Stranger still, mounted on two huge

+wooden blocks were two brass cannon, pointing

+away from us.

+

+"An ingenious fortification," remarked Mr. Harborough.

+

+"A masked battery," said Marjorie.

+

+We now examined the guns closely.  They

+were covered with a greenish corrosion, and

+were, as I have said, brass.  They were of

+exactly the same size, about four-inch, and on

+the breech of each was stamped the following,

+together with the arms of Spain: "Espana:

+1512."  We saw that we had reached the mouth

+of the cave, which was thickly filled with a mass

+of bushes and creepers.  We resolved to clear

+away the obstruction at once, and I returned to

+the chamber for the axe.  With it and our

+knives we soon cleared away the vegetable

+growths, and behold, we stood on the side of

+the mountain a few yards from the mouth of

+cave, overlooking the ocean to the eastward.

+The purpose of the guns was quite apparent.

+They commanded the approach to the mountain,

+and to an advancing enemy were utterly

+invisible, as a shelf of rock hid the entrance

+from below.  This latter discovery did not

+promise to be of any special importance to us,

+it was most interesting.  Our whole effort,

+now, was put forth toward transporting the gold

+to the cove on the west coast; and placing as

+many of the coins in each knapsack as we could

+each carry comfortably, we packed enough

+provisions to last at least two days, and set out.  As

+we had done on the journey to the mountains,

+we followed the edge of the forest making a

+short detour, when about half way, to avoid a

+possible encounter with the wild pigs.

+Mr. Harborough and myself would have liked very

+much to risk an encounter with them, but the

+safety of Marjorie was our first consideration,

+and these animals were very fierce.  So as we

+had grave doubts as to their desirability for food

+we decided to give them a wide berth.  Nothing

+occurred to give excitement to the march

+and toward the end of the second day we

+reached the house in the cove, where we found

+everything entirely undisturbed.  We immediately

+set to work to make several strong bags

+of sail-cloth, each being about two feet long and

+half as wide, in which to store the gold.  This

+occupied us one full day, and after storing the

+gold we had brought, in a corner of the hut,

+burying it beneath the kitchen utensils, we took

+sufficient provisions to last us during the return

+march and set out.  Numerous trips were made

+to and from the mountain which consumed

+several weeks.  Meanwhile we had made an

+additional discovery, almost as important as the first.

+As we gradually removed the gold contained in

+the chest we saw that there was another chest

+beyond it.  Like the first it fell to pieces on being

+moved.  Beyond it was a solid wall of stone.

+But the second chest was not so heavy as the

+first, and it proved to be only about half filled

+with gold.  The rest was occupied with rolls of

+manuscript, all of which fell to powder when

+exposed to the air, leaving not one scrap on

+which the faded writing was legible.

+

+At last only what gold we could carry away

+on one more trip remained.  During our march

+to and fro from the coast we had kept a sharp

+watch for the "wild man," as we called him, and

+Marjorie always kept very close to us while

+passing through that part of the forest.

+

+But we saw no signs of him.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XXI.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+On the morning of the day on which we

+were to set out with the last packs of gold, the

+sky was partly overcast, and far down in the

+eastern horizon the sky line was blended into a

+leaden haze, which gradually disappeared as the

+sun ascended toward the zenith.  This I knew,

+was a premonition of the approaching rainy

+season, which I knew was always preceded for

+several weeks by a thin veil of clouds and the

+murky atmosphere of the horizon in the morning.

+

+This decided us to make this our last journey,

+and to remain at the cove after our next arrival

+there; for there we were sheltered, to a great

+degree, from the rain and our house was much

+more comfortable than the abode beneath the

+rock on the mountain, which was dreary during

+the long rain, as I knew from experience.  At

+the cove we had a substantial house, and, with

+the stores and utensils from the wreck we should

+be very comfortably situated.  And, beside, we

+had gradually, as we marched back and forth,

+evolved a scheme to remove some of the deck

+planks of the vessel and such lumber as we

+found available, and to try, during the rainy

+season, to construct a substantial boat in which

+we might venture to leave the island.  We

+planned to construct a great shed, closed in on

+three sides and left open at the end facing the

+beach.  Beneath this we would lay the keel of

+our craft and test our skill as ship-builders.

+

+So, with our guns, clothing, such other articles

+as we wished to take back with us, and of course,

+Puff, after closing the cliff-house we proceeded

+to the chamber beneath the ruin to pack the

+remaining gold.  Our knapsacks were speedily

+filled, and we prepared to leave the chamber.

+

+Marjorie preceded us to the stairs, but scarcely

+had she reached the first step when she darted

+back to us shrieking and trembling, her face

+ashy pale.

+

+She crouched between us, unable to speak,

+her eyes staring wildly toward the stone steps.

+I sprang forward and looked up toward the

+opening.  There I saw, standing between us and

+the sky, silent as a statue, with eyes glaring

+down at us--the wild man of the forest.

+

+There was no mistaking it; but this time it

+looked less like an ape and more like a human

+being.

+

+Without looking around I beckoned to

+Mr. Harborough.  He stepped to my side, and

+catching sight of the horrible thing above us, he

+raised his rifle and fired.  The report roared

+around the chamber and the stairway was filled

+with smoke.  Simultaneously a heavy body

+rolled down the slippery stairs and lay

+outstretched at our feet.  It was the wild

+man--lifeless; its limbs outstretched and its wide-open

+eyes staring up at us.

+

+Never again do I wish to look upon such a

+horrible object.  We shrank back in the

+doorway, feeling weak and faint; Marjorie clung to

+her father, her eyes gleaming with terror, a look

+of horror upon her face.

+

+After we had recovered our courage and the

+first shock had partly passed away, we

+approached closely and examined the strange

+being.  It was human in every detail, the hair,

+arms, legs, feet, eyes and face.  It had once

+been a man, but what a marvelous transformation

+had taken place!  The body was entirely

+covered with short brownish hair which grew

+several inches long on the breast.  The hair of

+the head was dark brown in color, long, tangled

+and matted.  The nose and mouth were regular,

+and the teeth were in fair condition.  The eyes

+were either blue or gray, we could not tell

+exactly which.  The finger-nails were long,

+which made the hands look like claws.

+

+The skin was tanned by exposure to sun and

+rain until it was a dark bronze hue.  We pondered

+long concerning the history of this strange

+being; for a human being it surely was; once

+like ourselves.

+

+In death it was less repugnant than in life.

+Now that we had become accustomed to look at

+it, it impressed us only as a poor dead outcast,

+of whom we knew nothing.

+

+There could be but one solution to the

+mystery.  Either the wretched person had been

+marooned, or, like ourselves had been cast away

+on the island, and, driven mad by solitude,

+exposure and the contemplation of his position

+had probably for several years roamed the

+forest as a wild man--a wild beast in every sense,

+except his origin.  We moved the body to a

+corner of the chamber, composed the limbs and

+went out into the sunlight.

+

+The long lever remained under the stone

+which had covered the opening, and we worked

+it back into place--closing the treasure

+chamber, now a tomb.  We covered the stone thickly

+with earth and turned toward the forest.

+

+Without further incident we reached the

+house at the cove and proceeded to put

+everything in order in anticipation of the coming

+rainy season which, we promised ourselves

+should be a busy one with us, between boat

+building and general occupations; and we viewed

+the future not without pleasant anticipations.

+We were comfortable, with every want supplied,

+a happy family sharing a common lot.

+

+Never was there a complaint made by any of

+us.  We indulged in conversation about home,

+our individual lives, and discussed matters of

+present and future moment.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Boat-Building; A Startling Sound`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XXII.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Boat Building; a Startling Sound*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+Out first work of magnitude was the

+construction of a great shed in which to build the

+boat, sheltered from the weather.  This

+occupied us many days; for it was of considerable

+size, twenty-five feet long and about two thirds

+as wide.  The method of construction was

+exactly the same as in the other structures and

+need not be described again.  It was closed all

+around except the end next to the beach.

+This was left open to afford both air and light.

+

+House-building was varied by several trips to

+the stranded vessel which remained on the reef

+precisely as we had left it.  Our raft, too, was

+in a perfect state of repair.

+

+Many of the deck planks we removed, as well

+as all the boarding of the deck-house and the

+sheathing in the cabin.  We were careful to

+save every nail, and we found a further supply

+in the fore-castle.  These, though common

+"cut" nails, could readily be transformed into

+"clinch" nails by heating, in which form they

+would be available for fastening the boat

+together.

+

+The heavy deck planking we proposed to use

+for the keel and frame of the craft, as well as

+for oars and thole-pins.  All the lumber and

+such small rope as we believed would be of use

+to us, also quantities of sail-cloth, were

+transported to the shore and piled inside the shed.

+

+These duties were varied by occasional trips

+to the forest to hunt wild pigeons, fishing in the

+stream or jaunts to the pool for fruit.  These

+were holidays to us, during which work was

+forgotten and we all entered into the spirit of

+the occasion.

+

+Day by day the clouds of the morning lingered

+longer and longer and were less quickly

+dispelled by the sun's rays.  They became more

+sombre as the days went by, and sunset was

+preceded by fitful gusts of wind, indicating that

+the rainy season was coming on apace.  So we

+abandoned further work on the boat and began

+to lay in a supply of cocoanuts and yams.

+

+While returning from the pool one day, as we

+passed the bamboo thicket an idea occurred to

+me which I lost no time in communicating to

+Mr. Harborough.

+

+It was this; to fasten bamboos, of good size,

+around our boat, outside, immediately below the

+gunwales, reaching from stem to stern.  This

+would render it more buoyant, for the bamboo,

+consisting as it does of hollow joints, would have

+the same effect as air bags, or water-tight

+compartments.  Such a device would, I believed,

+make it impossible to capsize the boat, thus

+making it doubly seaworthy and rendering our

+escape from exile more certain.

+

+"It is a capital idea," exclaimed Mr. Harborough.

+"And while we are about it," I continued,

+"we may as well select a bamboo for a mast."

+

+My companions fully approved of my ideas

+and we at once set to work to cut the bamboos

+and carry them to the boat-house.

+

+This work occupied us a good many days, for

+it was slow and laborious, even with the aid of

+the axe; for the outer part of the bamboo is

+extremely hard.

+

+We now proceeded to strengthen the outer

+part of the wall of the house, and to renew the

+thatch of the roofs, all of which required several

+days of labor, cutting the grass and fastening

+it into place.

+

+A large supply of wood was gathered and

+stored in the farther end of the boat-shed; in

+short we made every preparation for a comfortable

+rainy season, protected from the wind and

+the rain.  Hurricanes could not be guarded

+against, so we only hoped that they would give

+us a wide berth.

+

+The first showers had set in ere we resumed

+work on the boat.  From one of the best planks

+we fashioned the keel, which was laid with some

+ceremony, Marjorie constituting the audience;

+after which we set about getting out the

+stern-post and the frame-pieces.  While we were thus

+occupied Marjorie performed the house-hold

+duties, and, at odd times, busied herself heating

+the nails white-hot, and dropping them into

+water, which process transformed them into

+"clinch" nails.

+

+She also made several bags from sail-cloth

+strongly sewed, for the reception of the gold.

+The bags were filled with the coins, securely

+sewed up and stored away in Marjorie's trunk,

+nearly filling it.  We decided that this would

+be the safest way to dispose of it for the present.

+

+Work on the boat went on apace, each day

+being much like its predecessor.  The daily

+showers became more frequent and copious and

+we saw the sun less often.

+

+At times we felt depressed and our isolation

+grew irksome.

+

+One morning, having had breakfast, we started

+for the boat-house, when we were brought to a

+sudden stand-still.

+

+A long-drawn sound like a trumpet blown at

+a distance echoed and reverberated through the

+trees.  It continued several seconds, during

+which we remained in a listening attitude.

+

+Neither of us spoke.

+

+It was repeated again; what could it mean,

+what could it be?

+

+Surely it could not come from any wild

+animal for we had seen none larger than a pig.

+

+Had we been believers in the existence of

+demons, we must have at once decided that a

+demon lurked in the forest behind us.

+

+

+

+

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. _`Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island`:

+

+.. class:: center large bold

+

+   CHAPTER XXIII.

+

+

+.. class:: center medium bold

+

+   *Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island*.

+

+.. vspace:: 2

+

+Marjorie had heard the sound, also, and came

+toward us.

+

+Suddenly she pointed out toward the sea,

+uttering the exclamation, "look."

+

+We both turned and looked in the direction

+indicated.

+

+A boat was rounding the point; a real boat.

+

+There were men in it, four men.  The boat

+shot around the point and began skirting the

+shore toward us.

+

+We saw that they were black men, dressed in

+rough but civilized garments.

+

+They were conversing among themselves,

+speaking in a tongue which we did not understand.

+

+Were they friends or foes?  Stepping quickly

+into the house we took our guns and waited

+behind the stockade, standing so we could watch

+the boat.  It had the appearance of a canoe,

+made of wood.  Evidently the black men had

+seen our house as the canoe was turned toward

+the shore.

+

+She grounded in a few seconds, and the men

+sprang ashore.  They cautiously approached

+the boat-shed peered into it, and then came

+slowly toward the house.  Beckoning Marjorie

+to remain out of sight we grasped our guns and

+stepped boldly out, resolved to meet the

+emergency unhesitatingly, whatever it might be.

+

+To our surprise the black men stopped with a

+shout of joy.

+

+One a tall, fine looking negro, stepped toward

+us and extended his hand to us.

+

+"Fo' de Lard, Marsa; Who is yo', how long

+yo' ben heah?"

+

+I told him that I had been here many months,

+and that my two companions, pointing to

+Mr. Harborough and to Marjorie, who now came

+forward, had been here half as long.

+

+Then he told us a strange story, one which

+gave us great joy.

+

+He said that they were coming from their

+island to this one to hunt turtles, at the great

+breeding place which I had discovered on my

+first march to the mountain, and that, while

+nearing the east coast of our island a steamer

+came along, slowed down and then stopped.

+

+Men on the steamer seemed to be looking at

+the island with glasses, and then the whistle of

+the steamer was blown.  This was in the late

+evening before.  Presently the steamer started

+and when it came up with the canoe the "cap'n"

+asked them if there were any people living on

+the island.

+

+The black men answered in the negative,

+adding that none of the turtle hunters dared go

+far from shore, for a terrible savage monster

+half man and half demon, lurked in the forest.

+The "cap'n" told them he had seen a beacon on

+the top of the mountain, and that he believed

+some one was signalling for assistance.  So he

+bargained with them to follow close along the

+shore, searching carefully in every cove, while

+the steamer followed slowly.

+

+The steamer anchored during the night and

+the black men were taken on board.

+

+At daylight that morning the black men continued

+along the shore in the canoe, the steamer

+following.  As the canoe came in sight of the

+cove they saw the wreck and signalled back to

+the steamer, which had answered by a blast on

+her whistle.

+

+It was the sound of the steamer's whistle

+which we heard just before the boat appeared.

+In a few minutes a large steamer came in sight

+from behind the point and anchored off the

+cove.  A boat was immediately lowered and

+rowed swiftly ashore.  A man in uniform sprang

+ashore and came hurriedly to us, extending both

+his hands which we eagerly grasped.

+

+He was the second officer of the Royal Mail

+steamship *Dunmore Castle*, from England for

+West Indian and Colombian ports.  When off

+the east side of the island somewhat out of her

+course by reason of a heavy squall into which

+she had run a few hours before sighting the

+island, the first officer had seen my beacon and

+called the Captain's attention to it.  The rest

+had been related by the black men.

+

+My story is nearly told.  We were transported

+on board the steamer, with such of our

+belonging as we wished to take with us.  The great

+weight of Marjorie's trunk called forth some

+remarks from the men who handled it, but we

+made some casual allusion to rare sea-shells and

+other curios and felt relieved when the trunk

+was on board.

+

+The *Dunmore Castle* proceeded to make her

+ports of call, during which we had to give a

+detailed account of our life and strange adventures

+on the island, to the wondering passengers.

+

+We were landed at Kingston, Jamaica, from

+whence we proceeded by stage over-land to Port

+Antonio on the north-east coast, where we

+embarked on the steamship *Sama*, for Boston, with

+fruit.

+

+I have nothing more of interest to relate,

+unless the reader may like to know that I see

+Marjorie every day still, and that her father

+visits us at least once each year, when we talk

+over and over again, the incidents that I have,

+in my humble way, tried to relate.

+

+.. vspace:: 4

+

+.. class:: center medium

+

+   FINIS.

+

+.. vspace:: 6

+

+.. pgfooter::

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+                              A BOY CRUSOE
+
+
+
+
+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 http://www.gutenberg.org/license.
+
+
+
+Title: A Boy Crusoe
+       or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands
+Author: Allan Eric
+Release Date: April 14, 2014 [EBook #45397]
+Reposted: April 21, 2014 [textual corrections]
+Language: English
+Character set encoding: US-ASCII
+
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BOY CRUSOE ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Al Haines.
+
+
+
+
+
+                              A BOY CRUSOE
+
+                                   OR
+
+               The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands
+
+
+                                   BY
+                               ALLAN ERIC
+
+
+
+                        M. A. DONOHUE & COMPANY
+                          CHICAGO -- NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+                          [Transcriber's note:
+          This book was also published as "A Yankee Crusoe".]
+
+              MANUFACTURED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
+
+
+
+
+                              *CONTENTS.*
+
+Chapter.
+
+      I. Early Life; Off for a Voyage
+     II. Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea
+    III. A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship
+     IV. Cast Up by the Sea on a Tropical Island
+      V. Strange Surroundings; Building a House
+     VI. The Stockade; a Crusoe's Life
+    VII. A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply
+   VIII. Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun
+     IX. Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs
+      X. In the Folds of a Snake
+     XI. The Mountain Cave; a Beacon; Attack by Pigs
+    XII. Return to the Coast; a Mangrove Swamp; Fever
+   XIII. A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish Trap
+    XIV. Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits
+     XV. A Hurricane and a Ship-Wreck
+    XVI. Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House
+   XVII. Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck
+  XVIII. The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain
+    XIX. An Ancient Ruin; Wonderful Discovery
+     XX. "The Golden Treasure;" Its Removal
+    XXI. Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster
+   XXII. Boat-Building; A Startling Sound
+  XXIII. Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island
+
+
+
+
+                             *A BOY CRUSOE*
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER I.*
+
+                  _*Early Life; Off for a Voyage*_*.*
+
+
+I was born in a little town in the State of Maine, near the close of the
+Civil War.  My boyhood life did not differ materially from that of the
+average farmer's son in the remote country districts of New
+England--except, perhaps, that I read more and thought more.  Hard work
+on the rugged soil, two terms each year in the little yellow country
+schoolhouse, a day's fishing now and then filled the early years of my
+life full to over-flowing.  In the winter it was work in the woods,
+cutting up the year's supply of fire-wood; and then, before the spring
+ploughing time, my brother and myself found pleasant labor and
+recreation combined in the maple woods, tapping the trees, gathering the
+sap and tending the fire under the great kettles where the sweet product
+of the maple was transformed into syrup and sugar.
+
+I really think that I was more thoughtful than the average boy.  I know
+that I read more.  I do not remember ever feeling dissatisfied with my
+life or with the prospects that the future held out for me.  Probably I
+was too young for these things to trouble me much; but I read everything
+in the way of books and papers that I could borrow, or purchase by
+saving a little money earned in various ways.  I was fond of stories of
+adventure; but travel and adventure combined, interested me most.
+Therefore, as I grew older, I became imbued with a passionate desire to
+travel in foreign lands.  The tropics were my ideal, and this feeling
+became stronger as the years went by.
+
+When I was fifteen years of age my father removed to a large village
+where there was a graded school, and I entered the grammar school, then
+the high school from which I was graduated.
+
+The passion for travel still had a strong hold upon me, but I saw no
+immediate prospect of gratifying it, for I was obliged to look about for
+some immediate means of earning a living for myself.  When everything
+else fails, one can always find an opportunity to canvass for a
+publishing house or a novelty concern; so, soon after leaving the high
+school, I was trudging up and down the banks of the Penobscot river,
+calling from house to house.  It was discouraging work, but I succeeded
+moderately well.
+
+Late in the fall I went up to Bangor to canvass that city, and it was
+there that I made the acquaintance of a gentleman, which led to the
+experiences that I am about to relate, and which changed the whole
+course of my life.
+
+Mr. William H. Sargent was a wealthy, retired merchant, with impaired
+health.  His wealth had been acquired by trading with the South American
+countries, and the West Indies, and he still retained large interest in
+many vessels sailing to that part of the world.
+
+It was his idea to make a voyage in one of these vessels, and the
+friendship which had developed between us, mostly through meeting in the
+reading room of the Public Library, caused him to suggest that I
+accompany him on his voyage to the Southern seas.
+
+I accepted only too gladly, and that very evening I wrote a long letter
+to my mother, explaining my good fortune, bidding her not to worry by
+exaggerating, in her own mind, the dangers to be encountered.
+
+The next few days I spent mostly with my benefactor, for as such I
+looked upon him, helping him in various ways in his preparations for the
+voyage.  As for myself, I required little more than a modest supply of
+clothing.
+
+Mr. Sargent was thoughtful and considerate, however, and insisted upon
+my procuring much that I deemed unnecessary for my modest requirements,
+paying for the same from his own pocket.
+
+Our craft was a trim bark called the _Ethelyn Hope_, built at Searsport
+three years before. She was two hundred and fifty tons gross measurement
+and sat in the water jauntily and buoyantly.  From her load water-line
+to the tips of her topmast she was as trim a craft as one could wish to
+see.  As she lay at the wharf ready for sea, everything on deck had been
+made snug, and not a coil of rope or spare block was out of place.  Her
+cargo consisted of case oil, salt fish and flour in her hold, and she
+carried a good deck-load of lumber.  She was bound for Cayenne, French
+Guiana, on the north coast of South America.
+
+The _Ethelyn Hope_ was commanded by Captain Thomas Witham; and the
+first, second and third mates, with nine able seamen before the mast
+comprised the crew.
+
+Nothing remained to be done except to cast off the lines, when, released
+from her bonds the bark slowly moved down the river.  The sails on the
+lower yards and jib-boom were set, and with a light breeze favoring her,
+aided by the swift current, the city was soon lost behind High Head.
+
+By daylight the following morning we had passed through the "Narrows",
+and just at sunrise all sails were set and the bark squared away for the
+mouth of the bay where she was laid on a sou', sou'-east course as she
+took her final departure.
+
+My spirits were decidedly buoyant as the bark glided out of the bay into
+the open sea, and a delicious sense of elation took possession of me as
+I realized that I was really on board a ship, with the land fading away
+behind me, bound for a foreign shore, the wonderful tropics, the land of
+palms of which I had read so much.  I should see for myself the curious
+things of the sea, strange countries and people; and perhaps encounter
+fierce animals in the virgin forests, the home of birds of rare and
+beautiful plumage.
+
+With a strong northwest breeze the bark stood away on her course, with
+every sail filled out and drawing handsomely.  Although the weather had
+been clear and the sea fairly calm, by sunset a thin haze rendered the
+outline of the horizon dimly visible, and the Captain began to fear a
+blow.  His nautical instinct made him sure that there was to be a change
+in the weather, and he gave orders for everything to be made secure.
+And, sure enough, at dusk the wind freshened and hauled around into the
+north-east.
+
+It was about this time that I suddenly became conscious of a peculiar
+feeling, a sudden dizziness, like the sensation caused by a boy's first
+cigar.  I knew well enough that I was experiencing the first sensations
+of seasickness, and, suddenly losing interest in the sailing of the
+ship, I went below and tumbled into my berth.
+
+Feeling somewhat better, while I lay quiet, I had nearly dropped off to
+sleep when I was aroused by a tremendous noise, which brought me to my
+senses, when I realized that the vessel was rolling and pitching wildly.
+I could hear the howling of the wind around the deck-houses, and the
+snapping of the great sails.  Now and then I heard the sound of the
+Captain's voice on deck as though he were giving brisk orders; and I
+rightly concluded that we were having it very rough.  I looked across
+the cabin and saw that Mr. Sargent was in his berth, but as he was
+apparently not asleep I spoke to him, asking if there was any danger.
+
+"Oh, I guess not," he replied.  "We are having a pretty stiff blow."
+
+Strangely enough, I suppose, I did not now feel sick, though my head was
+a little dizzy, so I concluded to go on deck.  I cautiously ascended the
+companion way, and found the Captain standing near the wheel, enveloped
+in oil-skins, his head being covered by an ample sou'wester.
+
+"Hello, boy," was his greeting, "what are you doing up here?  The best
+place for you is below; you might get blown over-board."
+
+But I begged to be allowed to remain a little, arguing that I felt
+better on deck, and the Captain relented and found a sheltered place
+under the lee of the cook's galley, telling me not to try to move about
+the deck.
+
+The bark was rolling and tossing, but appeared to be bounding through
+the water like a race-horse. Soon I heard the Captain tell the mate that
+the wind had shifted around into the east, and that they were in for a
+stiff blow, and rain, too, before long.
+
+So it proved, and it was not long before the squall struck in earnest.
+The ship careened, and a sea came over her weather rail, until the
+lee-scuppers spouted green water, wetting me a little, even in my
+sheltered retreat.
+
+The rain began to fall, and the sailors had their hands full.  There was
+a great commotion of loudly spoken orders, the tramping of feet, the
+creaking of blocks, the rush and roar of the sea and the howling of the
+blast through the rigging.  All hands were called to take in sail, and
+the bark, soon close hauled, was lying over nearly to her lee rail.  The
+heavy sea beat against her bows with all the force which tons of water
+could exert, while the staunch little vessel, quivering for a moment
+would seem to hesitate, and then plunge forward to meet the next
+onslaught like an animate thing possessed of sensible emotions.  The
+spray, flying back over the bows, drenched the deck from fore to aft.
+The topsail halyards had been hauled taut, and the sails filled out and
+backed against the masts with a noise like thunder.
+
+I did not long remain in the scanty shelter afforded by the house, but
+made the best of my way to the cabin.  To make matters worse, I was
+again off my "sea-legs," and was getting terribly sick.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER II.*
+
+                 _*Heavy Weather; the Sargasso Sea*_*.*
+
+
+The gale continued until the end of the fourth day, and we were south of
+the deep blue waters of the Gulf Stream, when it abated somewhat, and
+though it continued to blow heavily, the sea was running more regularly,
+in long, even swells which made the motion of the bark less
+disagreeable, especially for me.
+
+The studding sails were taken in, and the wind was hauled, in order that
+the Captain might be given an opportunity to determine our longitude.
+
+The Captain found that we were not far off the course, as the wind had
+blown mostly from north, and northeast and east.  The sails were
+trimmed, and, by sundown the wind veered around into the northwest and
+blew steadily, while the sea gradually subsided.  We were now about two
+hundred miles to the eastward of Watling's Island, one of the Bahamas,
+also known as San Salvador, the first land in the New World discovered
+by Columbus.  The stars shone bright, and the bark, rolling easily,
+plowed the warm waters of the sub-tropic sea.  I remained with Mr.
+Sargent long on deck that night, watching the phosphorence of the water,
+which in these latitudes, is sometimes very brilliant.
+
+The morning dawned upon a tropic sea, for the bark had made good
+progress during the night, and we were well abreast of the larger
+islands of the Bahamas.  The breeze was soft and balmy, and the ocean a
+deep, crystal blue, of a hue never seen except in these southern
+latitudes.  This is owing partly to the remarkable reflection of the sky
+but more to the extreme depth of the water.  Myriads of flying fish rose
+in flocks from the water and fluttered away on both sides of the ship as
+the bark glided through the weeds of the Sargasso Sea.  The Sargasso
+weed is a genus by itself, which, thrust away to the south by the mighty
+ocean currents, lies in a vast central pool, a great eddy between the
+Gulf Stream and the Equatorial current; and here it revolves.  It is
+ocean born, and long ages have passed since it lost its habit of growing
+on the rocky sea-bottom.  Forever floating it feeds among its branches
+whole families of crabs, cuttle-fish and mollusks, which like the plant
+itself, are found in no other seas.
+
+The flying-fish interested me greatly, for I had read much about them.
+I noticed that their flight was as perfect as that of some kinds of
+birds, and that it very closely resembled that of the swallow, in that
+it was a skimming, circling flight.  I had read that the flying-fish
+rarely leaves the water unless pursued by a shark or some other fish to
+which it is a prey; and that, on leaving the water it does not really
+fly, but, instead, emerges from the water on an upward plane, enabling
+it to skim along for some distance.  I had read, also, that the fish is
+unable to remain in the air only while its wings are wet.  This latter
+statement is undoubtedly correct; but I observed that its flight was
+perfect, the fish making use of its greatly elongated and highly
+developed pectoral fins, as wings.  I saw them flying singly and in
+flocks or schools, when they were not pursued by sharks and I was
+thoroughly convinced that they did actually fly. They gyrated in the air
+exactly like swallows, and moved their wings very rapidly like birds.
+There seemed to be no limit to the length of their flight, for they
+would rise from beneath the bows and fly away in a continuous line until
+lost to sight in the distance.
+
+Once one dropped upon the deck in the night and the cook broiled it,
+assuring us that its flesh was very delicate, much like that of a fresh
+water perch; and indeed, so it proved to be.
+
+The Captain had taken a course much further to the eastward than he
+would ordinarily. Usually, in going to the Guianas, the route is through
+the Bahama group, by way of the Crooked Island Channel, thence through
+the Windward Passage, between Cuba and Haiti and across the Caribbean
+sea by the east end of Jamaica.  But Mr. Sargent wished to go further to
+the eastward so as to pass among the Leeward Islands, perhaps landing
+there to await the return of the bark from the coast.  This plan could
+be followed without detriment, as a little delay in reaching Guiana was
+more than likely to result in an improved market for the cargo.  This
+explains the unusual course of the _Ethelyn Hope_.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER III.*
+
+               _*A Terrible Storm; Leaving the Ship*_*.*
+
+
+The weather continued fine for three days, after passing the latitude of
+San Salvador, with a fresh breeze blowing from the northwest, which sped
+the bark on her course so that she logged better than ten knots; but on
+the fourth day the wind swung around to the north and gradually hauled
+into the northeast, and the long, steady swells began to rise.
+
+The Captain at once prepared for a gale and ordered the sails trimmed to
+meet it.  That the apprehensions of the Captain were grave was proven by
+the precautions taken; for not only was sail shortened to the last
+extremity, but the hatches were securely battened down.
+
+The barometer began to fall about noon, and from that time the wind
+increased until it was blowing a gale; but just after sunset the wind
+almost died away, though the mountainous foam-flecked seas continued.
+
+As the sun went down the sky rapidly became overcast, and a cloud of
+inky blackness appeared along the horizon.  As we stood watching it a
+long line of whiteness appeared between the sea and the black cloud, and
+stretched away far toward the east.  Gradually the white line came
+nearer, until it proved to be a wall of foam.  It was advancing toward
+the ship with great rapidity; and as it came nearer the air above it was
+seen to be filled with flying spray.
+
+The wind began to freshen, and the sailors were hurrying about in
+obedience to the orders of the Captain, still shortening sail.  All the
+upper sails were reefed.
+
+Nearer and nearer came the wall of foam, and with a roar it struck the
+ship, and the storm broke in a perfect tornado.
+
+The bark was careened until the lee scuppers were submerged; and the
+staunch craft shook from end to end.  For an instant she seemed buried
+beneath the raging sea, and then rose and plunged into the next wave.
+
+Mr. Sargent and I made haste to go below, where we remained holding
+ourselves in our berths while the ship reeled, plunged and groaned in
+every timber and plank.
+
+A fearful report like the crack of a rifle told us that some sail had
+been carried away; and then followed others.  At length, from a change
+in the ship's motion, we judged that the Captain was trying to put her
+about and run before the gale; but suddenly a fearful crash which seemed
+as though the bark had split from stem to stern was followed by a
+terrible rolling and plunging.
+
+Crack!  Crack! and the bark pitched and groaned worse than ever.
+
+We heard the Captain making his way toward the cabin, and then saw him
+enter.  His face wore a look of deep anxiety.
+
+"The masts have gone," he said, "and the bark is unmanageable.  You must
+prepare for the worst.  We may have to take to the boats."
+
+"At once, Captain?" asked Mr. Sargent.
+
+"I cannot tell until the well is sounded; but I fear that she must
+founder."
+
+At that moment the first mate entered the cabin and stated that the bark
+was leaking badly.  The water was rising fast in the hold.
+
+"We must remain on the ship to the last moment," said the Captain, "for
+a boat could not live in this sea."
+
+The Captain returned to the deck, and how long we clung to the berths I
+cannot tell, for I was dazed by the peril which threatened us--Were we
+to be lost at sea, drowned, all hands?
+
+The Captain again entered the cabin.  "We must take to the boats," he
+said, "and Heaven help us."
+
+We hastened on deck just as we were, half clothed, leaving everything
+behind.  Nothing could be taken.
+
+When we reached the deck we saw the Captain standing by the starboard
+boat.  The other had been launched, and had instantly disappeared in the
+darkness and foaming water.
+
+The Captain, first and second mate, Mr. Sargent and myself now alone
+remained on the bark.
+
+We hurried into the boat.  "We should not be far from one of the
+outlying islands of the Windward group," said the captain; "and if the
+boat can live in this sea until daylight we may reach one of the Virgin
+Islands."
+
+The tackle was let go, and a great sea caught the boat.  She was lifted
+up, and up, and up, and then sank, it seemed, into a fathomless abyss.
+
+I saw the first and second mate bend to the oars.  The Captain was in
+the stern.  The boat careened and seemed to start suddenly upward on an
+inclined plane.
+
+A rush of water enveloped her.  I heard a roaring sound in my ears, and
+I knew no more.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER IV.*
+
+             _*Cast up by the Sea on a Tropical Island*_*.*
+
+
+When I regained consciousness I was lying upon a sandy beach.  I was
+uninjured, but rather stiff, while my body seemed to be bruised in
+places.  I was, of course, wet to the skin, and I crawled up and lay
+upon the sand where my clothing was quickly dried by the hot sun, now
+well up.
+
+Meanwhile I looked about me.  I had been driven ashore between two
+points of land, upon a narrow beach.  The vegetation, very thick and
+luxuriant, grew close to the line of sand, and all around me, beautiful
+trees were waving in the balmy breeze, their shining leaves glistening
+in the sunlight.
+
+I stood up and looked behind me, but I saw nothing save lofty mountains
+heavily wooded.
+
+I had no doubt but that I was on an island, indeed I could be nowhere
+else, and I judged that it must be one of the most northern of the
+Leeward group.
+
+Looking toward the sea, I saw only the broad expanse of deep blue water
+stretching away to the horizon.  There was no other land in sight.
+
+The sea had become calmer, but the influence of the storm was still
+evidenced by the heavy surf which broke upon the narrow beach.  There
+was no wreckage of any kind, no sign of anything or anybody belonging to
+the bark.
+
+At first the utter lonesomeness and hopelessness of my situation
+depressed me; but it would not do to give way to gloomy thoughts.  I was
+entirely alone, and, so far as I knew, upon an uninhabited island.  My
+future was a sealed book.  After a while I began to take a more hopeful
+view of the situation, and the novelty of my surroundings, and the
+strange things about me, aroused my curiosity.  So I determined to
+explore along the shore.
+
+The vegetation was very dense, and appeared to be interwoven with vines
+of monstrous size. One kind of tree, very tall and with a heavy long
+narrow leaf seemed to be the most abundant; and from the descriptions
+which I had read, and by the clusters of oblong fruit at the bases of
+the leaf-heads, I knew them to be cocoanut palms.
+
+"If I am really alone upon an uninhabited island," I thought, "at least
+I shall not starve so long as I am able to obtain plenty of cocoanuts."
+
+Slowly I walked along the shore, my face being toward the east as I knew
+from the direction of the sun.  First I decided to go to the top of the
+loftiest headland to see if I could obtain any trace of the bark,
+although I felt sure that she had gone down, and that all but myself had
+perished; still, the loneliness of my situation caused me to cling to
+what I felt was but a vain hope, that some one beside myself had
+survived.
+
+With thoughts confused, and laboring under varying emotions, I walked
+slowly along, keeping on the sand except when I was obliged to turn
+aside to avoid a kind of dagger-like plant whose leaves were armed with
+cruel points.
+
+Reaching the headland I was obliged to go through a thicket where my
+scanty clothing, as well as my hands, was torn by great thorns. However,
+I reached the point of land, and climbing to the top of a high mound I
+looked around.  Before me, and to my right and left, there was nothing
+but the blue, heaving ocean; and behind me, I saw nothing but a dense
+forest, with lofty mountains in the distance.  There was no sign of life
+save brilliant plumaged birds flitting about, and bright colored
+butterflies glancing in the sunshine.
+
+Surely I was alone; but whether on an uninhabited island or not, the
+future alone would reveal.  For the present it did not matter, and I
+must certainly depend upon my own resources.
+
+I returned to the spot where I had been cast ashore, meanwhile revolving
+in my mind my present condition.  What gave me great anxiety just then
+was my lack of clothing.  I had on only my trousers, and shirt, shoes
+and stockings; and these were all I possessed in the world, but I was
+overjoyed to find that my knife was still in one of the pockets of my
+trousers.  It was a good one, large and having two blades.  The large
+blade was long and strong, and the possession of it might mean much to
+me in the future.
+
+Reaching the place where I regained consciousness after being thrown
+ashore by the waves. I began to think of finding a good place to build a
+temporary shelter.  This seemed to be as good a location as any, I
+thought, as I looked around.  It was in a sheltered cove, a clear,
+grassy plat surrounded by trees.
+
+"Why not make my camp right here," I asked myself; and as I reflected it
+seemed to be the only place where I should locate for the present, for
+here I should be in a position to watch closely in the hope that some
+vestige of the bark would yet be washed ashore; for I thought that, if
+the vessel had foundered, something belonging to her would very likely
+come ashore, and I felt sure that some parts of the boats, and perhaps
+the bodies of some of my unfortunate companions would be almost sure to
+drift in.
+
+It was, I judged, now near mid-day, and the heat of the sun upon my head
+gave me some concern.  I must devise some covering for my head.  Looking
+about with this object in view, I saw hanging from a small palm tree
+what looked like coarse canvas.  On examining it more closely, I found
+that it was really a sort of natural cloth, about the color of hemp, and
+composed of fibres that appeared to be very strong, crossing one another
+like warp and filling, but not interwoven.  Instead, the fibres were
+closely stuck together so that a strong, pliant fabric was formed.
+
+With my knife I cut off a large piece which I twisted about in such a
+manner as to form a conical cap.  The edges I fastened together with
+long, sharp thorns that I cut from some bushes near by.  This, though
+rude, would protect my head for the time being.
+
+Before proceeding to begin the construction of my place of abode, I felt
+inclined to look about for some means of satisfying the hunger which I
+now felt keenly, for I had eaten nothing since supper the night before
+on board the ill-fated bark.
+
+The cocoanut trees suggested the most available source of supply for the
+first meal in the strange surroundings in which I found myself; so going
+to a cluster of the trees near by, meanwhile wondering how I would
+manage to obtain the nuts fifty feet or more above my head, I was
+greatly relieved to find plenty of them lying upon the ground.  But the
+nuts that I saw were not like those common in the markets at home.
+Instead, they were oblong and many times larger.  I soon discovered that
+to get at the meat I must first cut away the outer husk or covering with
+which it was enveloped; so I opened my knife and set to work.  It was no
+easy task, for the husk was thick and tough; but after much labor I
+succeeded in removing it until I bared the round, hard shell of the nut,
+when, with a large stone I was not long in cracking it, and laying bare
+the white meat. With the nut in my hands I walked about among the trees
+as I ate.  So interested was I in the beautiful, brilliant-colored
+flowers, some of which were of enormous size, and in numbers of little
+green lizards that hopped about over the leaves of the smaller shrubs,
+that I did not at once notice, as I came into a grassy, circular plat,
+that the ground beneath a compact, shapely tree was plentifully
+besprinkled with golden globes, and I was in a high state of elation
+when I discovered that they were oranges. The tree itself was loaded
+with green and yellow fruit.  I peeled one of the largest, and found
+that it was delicious and juicy, but of a rather different flavor from
+those to which I had been accustomed.  But here was at least both
+refreshment and sustenance, so I was in no danger of starving, and I
+made a hearty meal.
+
+Crossing the grassy plat where the orange tree grew, I descended a
+gentle slope among the palm trees and soon came to a beautiful little
+stream of clear water.  Having still one of the halves of the cocoanut
+shell in my hand, I used it as a cup and took a long draught of the
+water, which, though rather warm, appeared to be pure and wholesome.
+
+The stream at this point was quite broad and very shallow, and though
+but a few rods from the mouth it flowed quite swiftly.  Along the banks
+I noticed that a certain tall, reed-like plant grew in great profusion,
+and, on closer examination I discovered it to be a kind of wild cane,
+with large, feathery, chocolate-colored plumes.
+
+I followed the bank of the stream to the shore, and then returned to my
+landing place, walking along the narrow beach.
+
+Hunger satisfied for the time-being, I set about making preparations for
+constructing my dwelling.  Although in no need of protection from cold
+in this tropical climate, I remembered having read that it was not
+advisable to be without shelter at night, so I decided that my first
+task should be to construct a house, or a hut.
+
+I first chose a clear place a little in among the palms, perhaps a dozen
+rods from the beach, and, as accurately as I could by pacing, I measured
+off an area ten feet square.  Each corner I marked by driving down a
+short stick, and then went in search of four corner posts.  After a
+little searching I found some straight trees about three inches in
+diameter, having smooth bark and with but few limbs, each tree forked
+about seven feet from the ground.  After an hour's hard work, I
+succeeded in cutting down four of them with my knife; and after trimming
+off the branches and cutting off the tops, leaving ample forks, I
+dragged them to the site of lay dwelling.  I next felled another pole
+which was cut in halves, leaving the butt end about four feet long.
+This I sharpened at the thickest end, and with it made holes about
+eighteen inches deep at each corner of the square to be occupied by my
+house.
+
+Into each of these holes I set one of the forked corner posts, wedging
+it firmly with stones from the beach, driven solidly down all around it,
+filling in each with earth which I trod down firmly.  Four long poles
+were now needed to rest one end in each of the upright forks, so as to
+form a frame, and I started away again, this time toward the brook,
+which I followed up stream.  I had gone but a short distance when I came
+to a place where the stream widened into a broad pool.  The water here
+was dark and apparently deep, and all around it, gracefully bending over
+the still depths, I found growing tall plants having small, narrow green
+leaves.  The plants grew in clusters, and some of them were very tall, I
+judged from twenty-five to forty feet.  I hurried forward with a view to
+ascertaining whether they would suit my purpose, when I immediately made
+a discovery which at once solved the question of obtaining an ample
+supply of material for building operations, both now and in the future;
+for the tall, graceful plants proved to be bamboos. I knew them from the
+descriptions I had read, and from the regular joints, just like those I
+had seen on the bamboo fishing rods at home.
+
+I selected several of the bamboos, each being about two inches in
+diameter, and although I found them to be very hard, I managed to cut
+them down, and to trim off the branches and the tops.  By making three
+trips I dragged the bamboos to my building site.  Laying them along one
+side of the area to be occupied by the house, I found that they were
+nearly twenty feet long.  Four of them I cut off to the required length.
+I then raised one on either side, one end of each pole resting in one of
+the forks of the uprights.  A pole was then laid across each of the
+other sides, resting upon the poles supported by the forks, so that a
+sort of scaffold was formed, which needed only to be covered over to be
+complete.
+
+I had worked so busily and had become so much interested that I scarcely
+noticed that the sun was already sinking behind the palm trees, and
+casting long shadows across the beach; so, as I was aware that darkness
+very quickly follows sunset in the tropics, I must make haste and
+provide a temporary shelter for the night before suspending work.  I
+therefore cut the rest of the poles in halves and laid them across the
+two longer poles resting in the forks, thus forming a gridiron-like
+structure.  With my knife I cut a large quantity of leafy branches from
+the shrubs that grew near at hand, and then went to the brook for an
+armful of wild canes.  With this material I covered a portion of the
+scaffold, making quite a good shelter between myself and the sky.
+
+As the sun sank lower and the shadows deepened, I felt a sense of
+loneliness steal over me, for the idea of spending the night alone, I
+knew not where, perhaps on an island, with the boundless ocean on one
+side, and a deep, unknown forest on the other which might conceal fierce
+wild animals, was not at all pleasing.  But I must train myself to know
+no fear, and the sooner I began to school myself to this end, the
+better.
+
+Although I felt sure I should not sleep with nothing to protect me and
+with no means of making a fire, I instinctively began to think of
+providing some sort of couch; and again I took my knife and cut a
+quantity of bushes which I piled in the form of a bed beneath the
+scaffold. I next cut several armfuls of the tall grass which grew all
+around and with it covered the couch of bushes.  I now had an acceptable
+bed, so constructed that one end which was to serve as the head, was
+about a foot higher than the other.
+
+By the time I had finished it was quite dark; but I still stood leaning
+against one of the corner uprights with my face turned toward the
+forest, hesitating what to do next, and instinctively listening for some
+new sound.  There was no breeze stirring, and the sea lightly washed the
+sand with a low murmur which tended to increase my feeling of
+loneliness. Since sunset the air had become beautifully cool.  For a
+long time I stood motionless.
+
+The sounds of the night were about me; and once I started violently when
+I thought I heard a twig crack.  Then I heard, apparently only a little
+distance away, a noise like a stone, thrown by some one, striking the
+ground; but, after the startled feeling had partly left me I reasoned
+that the noise was made by a ripened cocoanut falling from the tree.
+The indistinct notes of many insects, new and strange, filled the air,
+and one particularly noisy insect gave forth a sharp clipping sound like
+that made by shears in the hands of a barber.  Sometimes a note like
+that of a bird varied the myriads of sounds. Feeling reassured, after a
+time, I cautiously lay down upon my couch, but still listening.  How
+long I remained conscious I cannot say; but I must have been very weary
+from the excitement of the ship-wreck, the hardship of being cast ashore
+and the busy day's work.
+
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER V.*
+
+             _*Strange Surroundings; Building a House*_*.*
+
+
+My next sensation was that of the sun shining in my face when I awoke in
+the morning. At first, as I looked out from beneath my shelter I could
+scarcely comprehend where I was or how I came there; but the events of
+the day before soon returned to me.  For a few minutes I lay still,
+looking around upon my beautiful surroundings.  What a perfect paradise
+it was, and how overjoyed I should be were I here under different
+circumstances.
+
+There was a gentle breeze stirring, just enough to move the feathery
+leaves of the palms and to slightly bend the tall grass; and though I
+could not see any of them, I heard birds giving forth discordant notes
+in the forest around.
+
+But I must stir myself, for there was much to do.  My house must be
+finished, I must devise some articles for personal use, and the problem
+of my future sustenance must be solved, for I could not long continue to
+work and subsist entirely upon cocoanuts and oranges, although they
+would answer well enough for the present.
+
+So I sprang up and going directly to the stream I bathed my face and
+hands.  Having no towel and seeing no substitute for one, I sat down and
+dried myself in the sun.
+
+Cracking another cocoanut in the same manner as I did the day before and
+gathering some oranges, I sat down with my back against the palm tree
+and proceeded with my frugal breakfast. As I had neglected to provide
+myself with a meal ere I retired the night before, I was very hungry and
+my appetite was not satisfied until I had eaten nearly a dozen oranges,
+beside the cocoanut.  Using a half shell of the cocoanut as a cup, I
+took a long drink of water from the stream and turned again toward my
+embryo dwelling.
+
+I thought it best to construct the walls first in order to provide
+against the possible attacks of wild animals, and knowing this to be the
+first part of the dry season which, in the latitude in which I judged
+myself to be, lasts from the middle of November until May, there was no
+immediate necessity for providing shelter from rain.
+
+The necessity of devising some plan for keeping an accurate account of
+each day as it passed, now occurred to me, and as I walked back to the
+pool for another supply of bamboos, I revolved the question in my mind.
+The record which I proposed to keep must be indestructible, and in some
+compact, portable form so that I could easily take it with me in the
+event of sudden departure from my habitation.  One of the halves of the
+cocoanut shells which caught my eye as I passed the spot where I had
+partaken of breakfast, gave me an idea which I at once adopted.
+
+Then and there I put the plan into execution. It was this: I resolved to
+use only the halves of the cocoanut shells that contained the natural
+holes through which the shoots of the germinating nut emerge from the
+shell.  The meat was removed from the half shell, leaving the two holes
+through it.
+
+At the close of each day, as near sunset as possible, I would cut a deep
+notch in the edge of the shell, and each shell should have as many
+notches as there were days in the month.  On the completion of the month
+I would carve with my knife the name of the month and year; and in this
+way I hoped to preserve a correct record of the time.  As each month was
+finished I proposed to pass a cord through one of the holes; and for the
+purpose I at once braided a strong cord from the fibres of the cocoanut
+cloth from which I had constructed my head gear.
+
+I remembered, accurately the day of the wreck, and as I had been on
+shore one day, I out the first notch, and engraved on the shell:
+"December 18th, 18--."
+
+As I marked upon my calendar I wondered how many shells I should have
+upon my string ere I was rescued from my lonely position. "Perhaps," I
+thought, "I may never see any other place."  But I resolved not to
+harbor gloomy thoughts; and tying a large hard knot in one end of the
+cord, I strung the shell upon it, inserting it from the outside.
+Succeeding shells strung upon the cord would fit into one another like a
+nest of bowls.  Thus I would have a complete record, and a practically
+imperishable one.
+
+As I knew the day of the week on which I had commenced my lone life, I
+resolved, for each Sunday, to bore a hole instead of cutting a notch,
+for I intended to observe the Sabbath by abstaining from work.
+
+Continuing my way to the pool, I set to work cutting bamboos.  I
+selected only those measuring about two inches in diameter, and before
+the sun reached the zenith I had thirty of them cut and trimmed, ready
+to drag to my house.
+
+I found it hot work, and I threw myself down to rest.  For the first
+time I caught sight of the birds that had been making such a babel of
+discordant sounds all the morning.  Several of them were flying about
+near the opposite side of the pool, and I at once recognized them as
+parrots.
+
+"What a consolation it would be," I thought, "if I could capture one and
+teach it to talk. It certainly would prove far better than no
+companion."
+
+Having landed the bamboos at the house, I set about cutting them into
+lengths corresponding to the height of the corner posts.  These I set
+into the ground at regular intervals, in line with the posts, lashing
+the upper ends to the horizontal poles resting in the forks, and to the
+poles across the other two sides, using for the purpose a long, supple
+vine which I found growing in plenty in the edge of the woods, twisting
+around the trunks of the trees.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER VI.*
+
+                  _*The Stockade; A Crusoe's Life*_*.*
+
+
+By the time I had finished setting the poles into the ground, thus
+forming the enclosure of the house, my appetite began to assert itself;
+and I was again reminded that I must search for food other than
+cocoanuts and oranges. More substantial nourishment I must have if I was
+to continue to work and retain my health and strength.  But my extreme
+anxiety to carry along the construction of my house sufficiently far to
+afford a feeling of security at night, decided me to make a few more
+meals of the oranges and nuts before suspending work long enough to
+discover or develop resources.
+
+Again I went to the pool and cut two more bamboos, each twenty feet
+long.  I then cut them in halves, making four poles each ten feet long.
+Carrying these to the house, I lashed one across the upright palings
+midway between the upper pole and the ground, lashing them firmly to
+each of the palings.  This strengthened the structure, and shaking it
+with all my strength I was gratified to find that, though naturally
+elastic, it was firm and strong.
+
+As I now had a safe protection from any wild animal of moderate size and
+strength, I felt that I should be secure at night.  I was on an island
+somewhere to the northeast of the Caribbean sea, in fact, I reasoned
+that I could be nowhere else; and from this, together with what I had
+read, I concluded that there could be no very large or ferocious wild
+animals in the forests about me.
+
+I still had some time to work before sunset, and I therefore went to the
+bank of the stream to cut a quantity of wild canes which I proposed to
+weave in the form of basket work, between the palings, thus forming the
+walls of my house.
+
+Cutting the canes was easy work, and by sunset I had a great pile of
+them landed by the house.
+
+Again satisfying the cravings of hunger with oranges and cocoanuts,
+washed down with water from the brook, I cut another notch in the
+cocoanut-shell calendar, and after sitting and listening to the varied
+insect sounds until it was quite dark, I retired, to my couch within the
+inclosure.
+
+Lying upon my couch, until I fell asleep, I revolved in my mind various
+plans for the future.  The details for the construction of my house were
+pretty well worked out in my mind; and the desirability of surrounding
+my abode with some sort of a stockade occurred to me. I had little fear
+of attacks from wild animals, but I presumed that the island was
+inhabited in some part of it, by what sort of people I had not yet
+considered.
+
+Indeed, it was extremely improbable that an island in this quarter of
+the world could be totally uninhabited.  Whether the islanders proved
+friendly or otherwise, the idea of a stockade as a protection against
+possible surprise met with my immediate approval.
+
+Another question of extreme importance to be considered was that of a
+permanent food supply.  Perhaps only cocoanuts and oranges abounded in
+my near vicinity; at any rate, I resolved to carefully survey the
+adjacent region for the purpose of ascertaining its resources.
+
+Then the question of providing clothing for myself must be considered,
+for, at best, my present raiment would not long survive the rough usage
+which it was now receiving, and to which it would hereafter be subjected
+in the bush.  I even thought it might be well to construct a suit from
+the cocoanut-fibre cloth, and thus save my civilized clothes for the day
+of my rescue.
+
+Many other things passed through my mind in rapid succession as I lay
+upon my couch, among them the project of starting out upon a tour of
+discovery in an endeavor to ascertain the extent of my domain, and if it
+was inhabited in any part of it.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER VII.*
+
+                _*A Cocoanut Calendar; Food Supply*_*.*
+
+
+The notches in the cocoanut calendar grew in number as the days passed,
+busy days of hard, incessant labor, and four months of my exile elapsed
+ere the house was finished to my satisfaction and a substantial stockade
+erected around it.  The walls of my house were made of the wild canes
+closely woven like basket-work. It had been done very carefully, and,
+when completed, I had a perfect shelter, both from the sun and the wind.
+The roof was made of the long grass, alternate with layers of bamboos;
+and by using the larger bamboos in the centre of the roof, when by
+successive layers it reached the proper thickness, I had a roof which
+sloped steeply from the centre to each edge, which, carefully covered
+with an outside layer of the long grass dressed from the top downward,
+would perfectly shed the water during the rainy season.  The thickness
+of the roof rendered it impervious to wet, and, as I soon discovered,
+almost a non-conductor of heat.
+
+I left no windows in the house, as I thought there would be sufficient
+ventilation through the interstices of the cane-walls, but I constructed
+a door three feet wide and five feet high, by lashing bamboos together
+in the form of a gridiron, and then weaving in cane as I had done in
+constructing the walls.  For hinges I made use of vines twisted
+together.
+
+The stockade surrounded the house at a distance of about six feet from
+either side, and it cost me several weeks of steady work.  I had first
+to cut a great number of good-sized bamboos, which, with only my knife,
+was very laborious work.  I had frequently to sharpen the knife on a
+piece of soft, porous rock which I found near the brook.
+
+Each bamboo was cut off to a length of ten feet, and sharpened at the
+small, or upper end. These I set into the ground at intervals of one
+foot, to a depth of two feet.  Then, at a distance of one foot from the
+top all around the enclosure, I lashed long bamboos, using the tough
+vine which I found in abundance near the edge of the bush, winding it
+around each upright bamboo, and around the horizontal poles.  Between
+the horizontal pole and the ground, I wove a close basketwork of the
+vine. It was harder work weaving in this vine, as it was larger than the
+canes; but it was very tough, and a wall composed of it closely woven
+would prove a very effective defense.
+
+So I kept busily at work, day after day, cutting the vines, trimming off
+the leaves, dragging them to the house and weaving them in around the
+bamboo uprights, until I finally had a wall about me elastic but capable
+of sustaining a great strain, the sharpened ends of the upright bamboos
+forming an effectual safeguard against the walls being scaled from the
+outside.
+
+After the woven-work of vines was thoroughly seasoned, which did not
+take long, I cut round holes six inches in diameter, four on each side,
+about five feet from the ground, in order that I might command a view in
+all directions without leaving the enclosure.
+
+In the side facing the sea, I made a door, constructed in a manner
+similar to that in the house; but, for the stockade door, I devised an
+arrangement for securely barring it on the inside, by using two large
+bamboos each two feet longer than the door was wide, held in place by
+rings of the supple vine which I twisted about the two door-posts.
+
+These rings were made by first bending several inches of one end of the
+vine in the form of a circle, and then winding the rest of the vine
+around this ring.  Through these the ends of the bars passing across the
+door were placed, which, if anything, made the opening, when closed and
+fastened inside, stronger than any other portion of the structure.
+
+During all this time I had lived solely upon cocoanuts and oranges,
+varied with a few shellfish, somewhat resembling periwinkles, only
+larger, that I found along the beach.  These I ate raw, and found them
+rather palatable but somewhat tough.  However, as I continued in good
+health and strength, I preferred to complete my house and stockade
+before making a systematic attempt to provide other food.
+
+Nothing now remained to be done in connection with my dwelling, but to
+carry into execution an idea which I had evolved while at work, that of
+transplanting some creepers from the edge of the forest and training
+them along the stockade, so that, as I calculated, in a short time, in
+this tropical land of rapid growth, they would completely cover the
+stockade, and render my retreat more safe from observation, should my
+solitude be invaded.
+
+During all this time I had suspended work on Sundays, but I had occupied
+the time in making short trips inland, and along the coast in either
+direction; but finding the forest very dense as I left the shore, I
+could not have gone more than four or five miles in any direction.  My
+trips along the shore were without results, so far as enlightenment
+concerning the extent of the island was concerned, for every bend of the
+coast revealed only headlands and more coast-line stretching away
+beyond.
+
+The results of my wandering in the bush had troubled me not a little,
+for I had found no new fruits and vegetables, and had discovered no
+animals, or birds that I could bring myself to think edible.  There were
+only parrots and smaller birds, some of brilliant plumage; and even had
+I chosen to eat them I had no means of securing the game.  I was
+somewhat surprised not to find more humming birds.  I saw only one kind,
+a large, black species, having two tiny golden feathers each about six
+inches long at the sides of its tail.  Of snakes, I had seen none, nor
+land turtles.
+
+The sea-shore, too, seemed to be as devoid of food supplies, for I had
+seen no sea turtle, though I knew that they should be plentiful in this
+latitude.
+
+But I refrained from attempting a systematic exploration, feeling it
+would be wise to first provide as secure a retreat as possible for my
+permanent headquarters.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER VIII.*
+
+            _*Thoughts of the Future; Making a Bow-Gun*_*.*
+
+
+My house was now finished, and I began, with a light heart to think
+about starting on a long exploring trip.  Before taking my departure,
+however, two questions of importance must be solved, if possible,
+namely, that of devising a weapon with which I could shoot game, if any
+was found; and some means of procuring fire.
+
+The morning following the completion of the house and stockade, as I was
+walking toward the orange tree which continued to furnish me with an
+ample supply of fruit, an idea came to me, and so astonished was I that
+I had not thought of it before that I stopped short and gazed straight
+ahead of me for several minutes.
+
+My knife!
+
+Here was steel; now for a flint, and fire would be procurable at any
+moment.  I understood the use of flint and steel, for many times, in our
+boyhood, my brother and I, on our excursions in the woods, had made
+fires with old gun-flints and our pocket-knives as steel, for cooking
+grey squirrels when we were fortunate enough to shoot any.  We did this
+from choice, because of the novelty.
+
+Without further thought of breakfast I turned toward the shore to search
+for a substitute for flint, for I did not expect to find the real
+article here, as I had only seen soft, calcareous rock which appeared to
+be the prevailing kind.
+
+A long search up and down the beach failed to disclose any hard rock,
+not even a pebble of sufficient size.  Shells were abundant, but they
+would not answer the purpose.  I next turned my attention to the brook,
+and searched along the shallowest places for a hard stone.  I found one
+at last, round and flat, about the size of a silver dollar.  It was very
+dark, almost black, and appeared to be quite hard.  Wiping it with my
+hand I laid it down in the sun and waited impatiently for it to dry.
+When perfectly free of moisture, I opened my knife, and holding the
+blade firmly in my left hand, I struck the stone sharply against the
+back of the blade, with a quick downward stroke.  No spark appeared.
+Over and over again I tried but without success, but I saw that the
+stone scratched the steel, which gave me hope that the stone was
+sufficiently hard.
+
+After several more trials, a tiny spark shot downward from the blade.
+My joy knew no bounds.  Tinder must be procured.  Like a flash came to
+my mind the feathery heads of the wild cane.  If I could find one dry
+enough I thought it would do.  I at once ran up stream to where the
+canes grew, and after a little search I found a plume that was dead and
+quite dry. Bending the cane down I gathered a handful of the floss from
+the head, and going to the foot of a cocoanut tree, I lay the cane floss
+down by the foot of the tree and once more tried to produce a spark.  I
+was soon able to obtain a spark frequently, but they invariably failed
+to reach the floss, or to ignite when they touched it. But I saw that I
+had fire within reach, and it only required perseverance to procure it.
+Holding the knife blade closer to the floss, I struck again.  This time
+a shower of tiny sparks descended to the floss, and, yes, it had caught!
+Quickly dropping the knife and stone I partially covered it with my
+hands and very gently blew upon it.  A tiny wreath of smoke arose as the
+fire spread through the wad of floss.  Blowing upon it still harder, in
+short quick puffs, a tiny flame leaped up; and quickly gathering such
+dry leaves and grass as I could reach, I heaped them upon the flame.
+These were followed by small dry sticks until I had a good fire going.
+I now only needed something to cook, and that I proposed to search for.
+But fire was desirable as company at night, and to ward off wild beasts
+should any be found; also in the future I might wish to make signals by
+the aid of smoke.
+
+Not wishing to injure my faithful friend the cocoanut tree, I allowed
+the fire to go out, feeling full confidence in my ability to procure it
+any time I wished.
+
+I now set about preparing for my journey of exploration, meanwhile
+carefully watering, several times each day, the creepers that I had set
+out along the walls of the stockade, until they showed no further signs
+of wilting during the greatest heat of the day.  The water I brought,
+with much labor and many trips, from the brook, in cocoanut shells.
+
+It occurred to me to plant vines in front of the door of the stockade,
+so that, should I be absent for a great length of time, they would grow
+up over the door and still further obscure my retreat.  Acting on this
+idea, I searched about the bush for a vine less woody than those planted
+along the stockade.  At length, on the further side of the clearing, I
+discovered a vine, not unlike a morning glory vine, only it had larger
+leaves, climbing up a tall, smooth tree, and this seemed to answer my
+purpose.  So, getting down upon my knees I began to dig around the root
+in order to move it without disturbing the earth immediately surrounding
+it; when but a few inches below the top of the ground I came across a
+round, hard object which I at first thought to be a large root of the
+tree, but in digging still further around it I saw that the supposed
+root moved, until finally I lifted it out of the ground.  As I did so I
+noticed that it had one end attached to the vine that I was after.  The
+root was fully a foot and a half long, and about five inches in
+diameter, slightly rounded at the ends.  I cut off the vine with my
+knife, and ran with the root to the brook and washed it clean.  I now
+saw that I had found some kind of a tuber.  With my knife I cut through
+the thin rough skin, disclosing a white substance beneath.  Quickly
+cutting it in halves I found that the inside of the tuber was white and
+starchy.  I wondered what it could be.  It was not a sweet potato, for
+the latter is yellow.  Then I began to think of the roots that I had
+read about in books of travel in the tropics, and the first that came to
+my mind was the yam.  Yes, this must be the yam, though I did not know
+before that its foliage was in the form of a vine.
+
+Here food was in plenty, healthful and nourishing, and sufficient to
+sustain life even if I found no other, it being only necessary to roast
+them in ashes.
+
+I resolved to plant yam vines in front of the gate to the stockade, for,
+while the vines were growing up to conceal it, they would, in the
+meantime be storing away food for me against my return.  This plan I put
+into immediate execution.
+
+My next thought was of devising a weapon for offence and defence, also
+to be used in killing game.  The idea of a bow and arrows at first
+suggested itself, but this was abandoned for the bow-gun, for, as boys,
+we were able to do good execution with the latter as it had a stock and
+breech, admitting of securing better aim.
+
+Looking about for material from which to construct the bow-gun, the
+bamboo seemed to be the most available for the barrel; so I cut down one
+about two inches in diameter, from which I selected the longest and
+straightest section between the joints.  Next I cut a deep notch about
+four inches from the larger end, and extending to the centre of the
+bamboo. From the lower end of the notch I split away the upper half of
+the tube, thus forming a spout about four feet long which was to carry
+the arrow.  For a breech I selected a forked stick, the butt of which I
+carefully rounded and smoothed until it would fit tightly into the round
+socket at the larger end of the barrel, above the notch.  This, though
+crude, furnished a very fair substitute for a breech to rest against my
+shoulder when taking aim, particularly as I had thought to select a
+forked stick which had the butt slightly bent so that, when fixed in the
+breech-end of the barrel, the proper elevation was given.
+
+The next step was to make a bow and fix it firmly across the under side
+of the barrel, at right angles to it, I searched about in the bush a
+long time before I found a tree of the right size, straight and without
+branches; and, on bending it down toward the ground and cutting it, I
+found that it was elastic and quite hard.  From the tree I cut a section
+about three feet long, which I squared for a distance of two inches in
+the middle, whittling what was to be the inner side down flat from
+either side of the squared part to either end, each half tapering
+slightly from the middle.  I did not remove the bark from the back of
+the bow.
+
+Next I cut a square slot about the width of the squared part in the
+centre of the bow, in the under side of the bamboo about a foot from
+what was to be the muzzle, being careful, however, not to cut through
+into the groove of the barrel.  Into this I carefully fitted the squared
+portion of the bow, after which notches opening in opposite directions
+were cut on the lower side of the barrel, one on each side of the bow.
+With one of the supple vines I then lashed the bow firmly, drawing the
+vine over the notches. When the vine was thoroughly dry the bow would be
+held firmly and rigidly in place.
+
+The question of arrows was quickly solved, for I could think of nothing
+that could serve the purpose better than the long smooth stem which
+supported the heads of the wild canes These were of just the right size
+and length. I cut several dozens of them, sharpening one end of each,
+and notching the other to receive the string.  To give sufficient weight
+to the execution end of the arrow, I split a piece of the tough vine
+into fine strips, with which I closely wound the arrows near the ends,
+until the proper weight was secured to balance them during their flight
+and thus render them accurate. For the wings of the arrows I used sprays
+from the plumes of the wild cane, until I could find something more
+suitable, fastening them to the string end with fibres from the ever
+useful vine.
+
+It now only remained to provide a string for the bow, before the weapon
+could be tested. Carefully separating the longest fibres of the cocoanut
+cloth.  I braided them into a strong cord of uniform size, which I
+fastened to the bow.
+
+And now for the test!  Drawing the string back to the notch, I placed
+one of the arrows in the groove of the gun and, raising the gun to my
+shoulder, I released the string with an upward pressure of my right
+thumb, at the same time pointing the gun in the direction of the brook.
+
+As straight as a line could be drawn, the arrow sped away over the brook
+and was lost in the thicket beyond.  I felt confident of the success of
+my bow-gun, and after constructing a quiver for the arrows from a piece
+of the cocoanut cloth fastened together with thorns, and braiding a cord
+with which to sling it over my shoulder, I turned my attention to the
+final preparations for departure.
+
+These consisted of providing a store of provisions in case I did not
+immediately find food on the way.  I roasted several of the yams, and
+gathered two dozen oranges which were stored in a bag made of the
+cocoanut cloth.  I did not include cocoanuts, for I was sure to find
+plenty as I went along.
+
+I took the precaution to gather a quantity of the cane floss for tinder,
+which I placed in a short piece of bamboo, which I stopped up tightly at
+both ends with wooden plugs.  This was to protect it from moisture in
+case of rain. I also took the cocoanut calendar.
+
+The morning for departure arrived.  Taking a farewell plunge in the
+brook, I made a hearty breakfast of yams and oranges, after which,
+closing the door of the stockade and fastening it with withes of the
+vine, I slung the quiver of arrows and the bag of provisions over my
+shoulder, took the bow-gun and started away along the shore, going in a
+southerly direction.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER IX.*
+
+           _*Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs*_*.*
+
+
+I followed the narrow line of sand, sometimes having to make a detour
+inland to get around a rocky point of land which jutted out into the
+water, or to avoid a dagger-like plant the spike-like leaves of which
+were armed with spines as sharp as needles.  This, I concluded, must be
+the Spanish bayonet.
+
+The sun shone brightly, and the sea, deep blue and calm, stretched away
+toward the west, the long, gentle swells causing but a ripple on the
+beach.  As I progressed, the island along the shore became less
+attractive than it was in the near vicinity of my house; and in some
+places it had a parched appearance.  Once I was obliged to cross a flat
+area of several acres in extent, bounded by a high bluff, where I had to
+make my way cautiously among cactus plants of various kinds; some low
+and spreading over the ground and bearing beautiful, yellow, wax-like
+blossoms, and others a great size, like trees denuded of the smaller
+branches and twigs.
+
+The sun had reached the zenith when I came to a small stream and sat
+down beneath a wide-spreading tree to rest, and to refresh myself from
+the provisions that I carried.  As I ate I gazed up among the branches
+of the great tree, whose broad leaves furnished such a grateful shade,
+when I saw that it bore fruit, round and green, five or six inches in
+diameter.  This I believed to be bread-fruit, from the pictures I had
+seen, and I resolved to carry two or three along with me, only obtaining
+them by climbing the tree.
+
+Although I did not intend to travel steadily in the heat of the day
+during my march, I felt anxious to make a good beginning on the first
+day out, so after getting cool and feeling well rested, I went on.
+
+As I crossed the brook, scores of small brown crabs scudded away along
+the bank.  They were the first I had seen during my sojourn on the
+island.  Spiders, I had seen many of, some of great size with hairy
+bodies and long legs; but as they showed no ferocity, I had no fear of
+them.  Indeed on account of their great size I did not believe them to
+be poisonous.  As a rule, the natural histories said, poisonous spiders
+of the tropics are not of great size, and most of them have short legs.
+
+Having made a long detour around a swampy place which extended to the
+sea, I came out of the bush upon a wide beach shaped like a semi-circle,
+or half-moon; and as I did so my attention was attracted to several
+large, glossy, blackish objects scattered over the beach.  I approached
+one, and found it to be a monstrous turtle. There must have been
+hundreds of them, and, one by one, as I moved about, they started away
+toward the water.  Some of them were very large, and must have weighed
+three or four hundred pounds.  Had I been so disposed I had no means of
+dispatching one for food, but I felt sure that the turtles had been
+depositing their eggs in the sand, and I could easily roast the eggs in
+the fire, which would form a very acceptable adjunct to my larder.
+
+Accordingly, digging into the sand where the turtles had been lying, I
+found plenty of round white eggs, a quantity of which I gathered to add
+to my stores.
+
+It was now near the end of the afternoon, as I observed by the sun, and
+I decided to select a place to camp for the night.  I selected a spot
+near a thicket of thorn bushes, which would form an effectual protection
+to the rear, and then began collecting dry branches for a fire. The sun
+was low in the sky, and the heat was greatly moderated, and, by the time
+I had collected a large pile of fire wood, a sea breeze sprang up,
+taking the place of the land breeze of the day, making it cool and
+comfortable.
+
+I had no difficulty this time in starting a fire, and as soon as it had
+burned down sufficiently I buried a yam and some of the turtles' eggs in
+the ashes, and, while they were cooking I occupied the time cutting away
+a part of the smaller thorn bushes, making a cleared place in which I
+could sleep during the night, the thicket over me furnishing protection
+from the dampness of the air.
+
+By the time this was accomplished, and a cocoanut shell of water was
+brought from the brook, I judged that the yam and eggs were sufficiently
+cooked, which they proved to be when I uncovered them, and I at once
+proceeded to eat my evening meal.  The eggs proved to be of good flavor,
+but wanted salt.  This reminded me that I must provide a supply of salt,
+which I could do by evaporating some sea-water as soon as I had the
+opportunity.
+
+It was now past sunset and rapidly growing dark; so I replenished the
+pile of firewood, and piling a quantity of it upon the fire, I lay down
+with a bunch of grass for a pillow, and in a short time fell asleep.
+
+
+
+
+                              *CHAPTER X.*
+
+                   _*Under the Coils of a Snake*_*.*
+
+
+When I awoke in the morning it was with a peculiar sense of oppression.
+In the first drowsiness I thought there was a great weight across my
+chest; and my arms were aching.  I tried to move, but found that I could
+not lift my arms.  They seemed to be pressed closely to my aides.
+Thoroughly awake now, I was terrified to find that I was lying beneath
+the folds of an enormous snake.
+
+Frightened as I was beyond all expression, I maintained sufficient
+presence of mind to keep perfectly quiet until I could more fully
+realize my true situation--and, above all, locate the position of the
+great reptile's head.
+
+As I gazed at the great scaly coils that enveloped me, I saw that the
+snake was of a pale yellow color.  It was perfectly motionless.  By
+tracing the taper of its body I saw that the head must be somewhere near
+my right shoulder.
+
+I was in a great quandary what to do.  Although still anxious for
+results, I was now quite calm, and my mind was full of plans for
+escaping from the terrible coils.  I dared not move for fear that the
+snake would strike me with its fangs, or that it might encircle my body
+and squeeze me to death.  Some snakes, like the boa-constrictor, kill
+their victims by this method; and while I felt sure that this snake was
+not a boa, on account of its color, I felt that it had the strength to
+crush me to death.
+
+For a long time I lay in this position, how long I could not tell; but
+the sun had grown intensely hot as it beat down upon the thicket. I
+heard the cries of the birds, and looked up at the blue sky with the
+fleecy clouds floating across it, wondering whether it was to be my fate
+to die here in the folds of a huge serpent. I wondered too, if bye and
+bye my bones, bleached white, would be found in the thicket on the shore
+of this lonely island.
+
+I was gasping for breath on account of the heat, my cramped position and
+the weight of the serpent's folds across my chest, when I felt it move a
+little.  I wondered if it was preparing to strike me.  I did not move,
+and in a moment it began to move again, and the coils slipped across my
+body.  Slowly it continued to move, until my arms were free and its tail
+swept across my face.
+
+I was now free, but I waited a few seconds to see if the snake was
+leaving me.  Distinctly hearing it gliding from me, I arose quietly,
+feeling stiff and sore in my arms and chest. The snake was not in sight,
+but seeing the grass moving a little distance away, seizing a large
+stone I sprang after it, but it escaped into the bush.
+
+I reasoned that the snake must have crawled under the thorn bushes after
+I lay down, and that it coiled upon my body for warmth, as the nights
+were frequently uncomfortably cool; and so soundly had I slept that its
+movements had not awakened me.
+
+After this unpleasant adventure I felt anxious to be moving, and, making
+a fire, cooked some eggs which, with oranges from the stores, comprised
+my breakfast; after which I gathered a few more turtles' eggs, and
+resumed my march.
+
+As I had done the day before I followed the coast, but instead of
+keeping along the sand I followed the edge of the forest, thinking it
+might prove more advantageous to do so as it would enable me to keep a
+look-out for game, and perhaps discover new fruits.  My progress was
+necessarily much slower, but the walking was easier as the trees
+shielded me from the direct heat of the sun, which, on the beach was
+terrific, the white sand producing a fearful glare which caused no
+little pain in my eyes.
+
+As I proceeded, the country became more open, and I frequently crossed
+quite large treeless tracts of tall grass, or stretches which, had it
+not been for the tropical vegetation surrounding might have been taken
+for New England pasture land.
+
+One morning, just after resuming my march as I was crossing one of the
+latter grass tracts, a bird different from any I had before seen arose
+from the ground and flew into the thicket on the opposite side.  Its
+color was light drab, and the wings and under tail feathers were white.
+I approached the edge of the bush cautiously, meantime, drawing back the
+string of my bow-gun and fixing an arrow in place. Laying aside the bag
+of provisions I crept softly along, until a sharp "coo-o-o" drew my
+attention to the branches of a tree, where I saw the bird stepping
+gingerly along one of the larger limbs.  Apparently it had not seen me,
+so, carefully moving to one side until I had a low bush between me and
+the game, I worked up a little nearer in order to make sure of being
+within range of the arrow.  Then, rising quietly to one knee, I took
+careful aim and released the string. The sharp "twang," much to my
+surprise was instantly followed by a flutter as the bird came tumbling
+to the ground.  I hastened forward and picked it up.  The arrow had
+passed entirely through the neck, so that it was quite dead in a few
+moments.  I saw that it was a species of wild pigeon, and therefore
+edible; and I congratulated myself on securing such an acceptable change
+in my fare.
+
+I saw no more pigeons after that, but during the succeeding days I found
+several orange trees from which I replenished my supply of this
+refreshing fruit.
+
+I continued steadily on, making no important discoveries, following the
+edge of the brush, but always keeping the sea in sight.  Almost every
+day I went to the beach to look for turtles' eggs, which I usually found
+in abundance.
+
+The coast continued to loom up before me, head-land after head-land,
+stretches of beach and rocky bay shores.  Allowing for the indentations
+of the coast that I followed, I concluded that the island was a large
+one; and, the fact that I was gradually turning toward the direction of
+the sun convinced me that its shape was nearly round.
+
+I always camped just before sunset that I might have sufficient time to
+make a fire, cook and eat supper before dark.
+
+I had not kept a fire after supper was cooked, as, having neither seen
+nor heard anything of wild animals of any kind, I did not feel the need
+of it; and, beside, I was becoming accustomed to being alone, and to
+sleeping in the open air, and the nervousness of the first few nights
+after I was cast ashore had entirely left me.
+
+At the end of the sixth day I had, in my journey, turned around so that
+the direction which I followed was a little more than right angles to
+that taken where I left my house.  In other words, instead of going
+nearly south, my course was now nearly southeast.
+
+At the end of the seventh day I came to a large stream which was too
+wide and deep to ford.  The next day being Sunday I resolved to pitch
+camp and remain there until Monday. Meanwhile I would decide whether to
+devise some means of fording the stream, or follow up its course.
+
+Although I had not, as yet, done any work on Sunday, I decided that it
+would be no great violation of the day to try to evaporate a little sea
+water, while I was in camp, and thus procure a little salt, which I was
+craving.
+
+That night before going to sleep, I revolved several schemes in my mind,
+and, ere I fell asleep, I believed I had solved the question of making
+salt.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XI.*
+
+    _*The Cave on the Mountain; A Beacon; Attacked by Wild Pigs*_*.*
+
+
+After breakfast the following morning, I cut a large quantity of fine,
+long grass, which I proceeded to make into large bunches, all I could
+hold in my hands, tieing them with wisps of the grass itself.  Then I
+cut two forked stakes and set them into the ground about ten feet apart.
+Going a few rods up the bank of the stream where I saw some bamboos
+growing, I cut one, and trimming it, carried it to the camp, and placed
+it, one end in each of the forks of the stakes.
+
+Taking the grass I went to the edge of the beach and thoroughly
+saturated it in the salt water after which I carried it to the camp, and
+parting each bunch in the middle, I hung them over the pole.
+
+The idea proved highly successful, for the hot sun evaporated the water
+very quickly, leaving particles of salt clinging to the grass throughout
+each bunch.
+
+I then gathered a quantity of broad leaves which I laid on the ground so
+that their edges over-lapped, and by gently shaking the bunches of grass
+the salt fell upon the leaves in a fine white shower.
+
+I repeated the process several times until I must have had fully half a
+pound of salt.
+
+Preparing a short piece of bamboo by plugging one end as I had done in
+making the box for the tinder, I carefully gathered up the salt and
+poured it into the bamboo, enough to last a long time.
+
+I had determined to go no further along the coast, but to follow the
+course of the stream to its source which I judged must be among the
+mountains which seemed to extend across the northeast corner of the
+island.  This I wished to do along the opposite bank, but, as I could
+not cross the stream at this point, I decided to follow the bank on
+which I now was, rather than take the time necessary to construct a
+raft.
+
+If I followed the stream to its source I should reach the mountains, and
+besides, have gained a fair idea of the island in all but the extreme
+south-eastern part.  From the tops of some of the mountains, I believed
+that I could gain a very good view of the small portion untraversed, or
+rather not encircled by my route, which could not be very great.  If the
+island was inhabited anywhere in that direction, I believed I should see
+some signs from the tops of the mountains.
+
+I really had no faith that the island was inhabited, for, being
+comparatively small, if there were people there I must have met some
+signs, ere this, to indicate it.
+
+I had another object in wishing to reach the mountains, which was to see
+if any land was in sight to the south, east and southeast.  One thing I
+was perfectly sure of, that this island was near the Virgin group,
+perhaps a little north of those islands, if not even one of them; so
+that, if people did not regularly inhabit it, there must be islands not
+far away that were inhabited, and people must, therefore, occasionally
+visit my island.
+
+I felt, moreover, anxious to reach the mountains as quickly as possible,
+because, as I had calculated from my limited knowledge of the climate,
+the rainy season must soon set in, which would make travel unpleasant,
+if not difficult or impossible.  And besides, I wished to be away from
+the lowlands of the coast during heavy rains, as I knew it could not be
+so healthful as the mountains.
+
+So, getting my effects together, I set out, following the course of the
+stream.
+
+For the first few miles the stream flowed across a flat country, which
+became rocky the further I went, and the stream became more rapid in its
+flow.
+
+Several pretty cascades were passed and, in places, I was obliged to do
+some sharp scrambling over rocks that were overgrown with creeping
+vines, among which convolvuli were conspicuous.
+
+For four days I continued to ascend the stream, until lofty hills began
+to rise on either side abruptly from the banks; which indicated that I
+was getting very near the mountains.
+
+The sides of the foot-hills were heavily wooded, but, as I left them and
+entered the mountains, gradually ascending to a higher altitude, the
+vegetation grew less dense and changed in its general appearance.
+
+The stream was now little more than a small rushing mountain torrent,
+foaming over the rocks.  At the end of the fifth day, just before
+sunset, I reached the source of the stream, for coming suddenly to a
+wall of rock above which the mountain rose precipitously, I beheld the
+brook bubbling forth from the bowels of the mountains.  I decided to
+camp here for the night, and proceeded about my usual preparations for
+getting supper.  I had no yams, but plenty of oranges; but presently I
+saw some yam vines growing a short distance away, and it was the work of
+a few minutes only to procure enough for supper and breakfast.
+
+When I awoke in the morning the sky was partially overcast.  As I had
+calculated, the rainy season was undoubtedly about to set in, and I
+resolved to hasten to the top of one of the mountains as quickly as
+possible, as I felt that, upon the outlook from the highest elevation
+depended my plans for a considerable time in the future.
+
+So, hastily preparing and eating my morning meal, I climbed to the top
+of the rock which rose above my camping place, and saw that the highest
+mountain was not more than five miles away.  I set out at once.  The way
+was not difficult except where it led across a deep ravine at the foot
+of the mountain, where the undergrowth and creepers formed a dense
+tangle; but once through this, I found the way almost clear of low bush.
+I now began a steep climb.  As I ascended, the cocoanut trees became
+less plentiful, and their places were taken by other species of palm,
+great ferns as large as trees, and giant cacti.
+
+As nearly as I could tell, with the sun partly obscured by clouds, it
+was near mid-day when I came upon a broad table-land of grass, dotted
+here and there with groves of trees.  Beyond, rose the last peak.
+Fearing rain, I pushed forward, resolving to reach the top before dark,
+and camp, so as to be ready to take observations early the next morning.
+
+It was quite dark when I came to the summit. I could see nothing, of
+course, until daylight, and I searched about for a place to camp. There
+was a strong breeze blowing and the air was quite cool, so I found
+shelter behind a great boulder and prepared to spend the night.  I still
+had a few yams with me, and three turtles' eggs, and these I cooked and
+ate.  I then proceeded to make myself as comfortable as possible by
+lying close to the rock, and, having nothing else to do, I went to
+sleep, the long climb having wearied me.
+
+Once or twice during the night I awoke feeling very chilly, and I was
+not sorry when the first faint gleam of dawn appeared.
+
+The sun rose clear, but, to the south-east, fleecy clouds were scudding
+along toward the land.  In all directions, however, the line of the
+horizon was distinctly visible, and the peak commanded a view of the sea
+at all points of the compass, and of the whole island.
+
+I scanned the line of sea and sky all around, but saw nothing that
+looked like land.  A little to the south-east there was a faint,
+serrated line against the sky, but I concluded that it was only a cloud.
+
+As I stood scanning the great rim of the ocean, there came to me a
+strong feeling that I would like to establish a beacon on the summit,
+one, if possible, which could be seen from a ship several miles at sea;
+and the more I thought of this project the more strongly was I convinced
+that it would be a wise thing to do; for, in the event of a ship's
+passing on this side of the island, a prominent structure on the
+mountain might attract attention and lead to my rescue. I thought it all
+over as I retraced my steps to the boulder, and resolved to look about
+for a suitable place to make a substantial shelter while engaged in the
+work.  I deemed it advisable to go further down the mountain where the
+vegetation was more plentiful, and where I might find fruits, and
+possibly game--though game did not seem to be plentiful, but brilliant
+plumaged birds were numerous.
+
+In the edge of the bush between the table land and the mountain peak, I
+discovered a small grove of about a dozen orange trees, and here I at
+first thought that I would make my camp; but a little further to the
+south I saw a great rock, which appeared to over-hang several feet; and
+the idea at once struck me that it might be wise to encamp beneath its
+shelter.
+
+So, turning in that direction I was not long in reaching the rock.  It
+was at the base of a spur of the mountain; and the top not only overhung
+the base considerably, but, there was a sort of natural excavation which
+formed quite a large cave, open on three sides, it was true; but here I
+saw great possibilities in establishing my camp while erecting the
+beacon.  Besides, I fully expected the rainy season to set in almost any
+day, and should I have to stay here for several months, the rock would
+afford me the best of shelter.
+
+So, having decided to make this the base of operations for the present,
+I took my bow-gun and set out to forage for supplies, of which I stood
+in immediate need.
+
+I went down among the trees in the intervale between the two mountains.
+The vegetation was very luxuriant, but not so dense as in portions of
+the lowlands across which I had marched. I had noted that the cocoanut
+palms were less plentiful here, and that there were several other kinds
+of palms that I had not seen before.  One of these had a trunk covered
+with great sharp spines, and from the grapelike cluster of fruit at the
+top I knew it must be an oil palm; but I saw only a few of these.
+Another had a bottle-shaped head of vivid green just below the leaves,
+which I at once recognized as the "mountain cabbage," or cabbage palm.
+These were very plentiful.
+
+Skirting the edge of the bush, a short distance to the north, I turned
+to penetrate further toward the valley, when suddenly, as I took a step
+forward, I felt myself sinking downward.  I threw down my gun and tried
+to save myself by clutching the creepers; but I continued to sink into a
+mass of vines.  I was considerably frightened, and wondered, for a brief
+moment, if I had fallen into the opening to a cavern; but suddenly my
+feet touched solid earth, and I found myself standing beside what
+appeared to be an old wall--about the height of my shoulder. Pushing
+aside the creepers I saw that it was really a wall, built of large
+stones and some kind of mortar.  I was so astonished at the discovery
+that I could scarcely collect my thoughts. Looking around, I was still
+more perplexed, for only a few feet away there was a rectangular
+enclosure which looked like the ruined foundations of a house.  I found
+that the wall extended for perhaps fifty feet in each direction, the
+opposite side being flush with the rising ground above.  An examination
+of the rectangular enclosure showed unmistakably that it was a portion
+of the foundation of a house.
+
+What could this mean?  It could mean but one thing; that people had
+lived here.  But when, I could form no opinion; but from the appearance
+of the masonry it must have been many years before.  The ruins, as well
+as the wall, were thickly overgrown with creepers and other vegetation.
+
+Still further signs of the former presence of man now attracted my
+attention.  A great plant, like an immense lily, with broad leaves six
+or seven feet long was growing near by at the edge of the small clear
+area surrounding the ruins; and, on going nearer to examine it I quickly
+recognized it from the great bunch of elongated fruit which hung from
+the crown of leaves.
+
+Banana trees!
+
+And there were many of them scattered around.  Here was a never-ending
+supply of food, of the most nourishing kind.  I walked around to the
+south side of the clearing, where I found other trees, much resembling,
+in general appearance, the banana trees; but the fruit was much larger,
+and curved like a scimitar.
+
+My reading of books of tropical travel stood me in good stead as it
+aided me in recognizing trees and fruits that proved of great use to me.
+This latter, I knew to be the plantain.  A still further search revealed
+yams, and several clusters of canes, much larger than the largest
+cornstalks that I had ever seen.
+
+Here was another valuable discovery--sugar cane!  Taking out my knife I
+cut one of the canes, and was delighted to see that it was full of
+limpid juice.  I tasted it and found it very sweet and very refreshing.
+I sucked several joints of the sugar cane dry, and then turned to gather
+some of the bananas.  The bunches were rather small, but several
+appeared to be quite ripe.  I also dug some of the yams, and with a
+sugar cane under one arm, my bow-gun under the other, the yams and
+bananas in my hands, I started back to the camp.  I could not climb the
+wall, loaded as I was, so I set about to go around the end nearest to my
+cave-dwelling; when I saw a pigeon, like one I had shot near the coast,
+fly up and alight on the wall.  As quickly as I could I laid down my
+load, and, adjusting an arrow in the bow-gun, took careful aim and
+released the string.  Again my aim was true, for the arrow pierced the
+neck close to the body.  It must have been killed almost instantly, for
+it quickly ceased fluttering.
+
+With this addition to my forage, I proceeded slowly to the camp.  With
+food for two days at least, I now began to form plans for making the
+"cave," as I chose to call it, habitable.  I proposed to close the two
+ends and a portion of the front, by setting bamboo, which I had seen
+growing plentifully in the valley below, into the ground, and weaving in
+vines.  I only intended to make a temporary shelter against the wind,
+and had no idea of spending the time and labor that I had on my house on
+the coast.
+
+It was slow work cutting the bamboos and dragging them up to the cave,
+and this occupied me several days.  These had to be cut into the proper
+lengths, and set into the ground, so that the upper ends would come
+firmly up against the overhanging rock.  As I worked, my plans for the
+future matured, so that I foresaw an extended sojourn here.  The
+ultimate outcome was, that the inclosing walls of the cave were, when
+finished, fully as substantial as those of my house at "Sargent" Bay, as
+I had resolved to call the place where I had drifted ashore, in honor of
+my late benefactor.  The paling of bamboos was closely interwoven with
+vines, and I constructed a door for the front. I now had not only a
+comfortable but a substantial dwelling, which would afford protection
+from the wind and rain, no matter from which direction they came.
+
+About every other day I went to the old ruins to procure bananas and
+yams; and, on these trips, I shot several pigeons which proved to be
+very delicate and tender.  I often roasted yams, and found them to be
+very hearty food; and became very fond of them.
+
+Frequently, of late, there had been showers of rain, which proved to me
+that the rainy season had set in.  I made frequent trips to the top of
+the mountain, and, each time, I saw that the peculiar serrated line
+against the sky, which I at first thought must be a cloud, had remained
+stationary.  This convinced me that it was land, and as it was evidently
+the top of a mountain range, it must be a great distance away.
+
+I speculated as to what land it would be.  If my suppositions were
+correct as to the position of the island on which I was exiled, from the
+direction it might be one of the Virgin Islands. If so, the Leeward
+Islands lay beyond, further to the east and south-east.
+
+My mind was now filled with the project of erecting a substantial
+beacon, one which would be seen from some distance at sea.  Gradually I
+evolved plans for the structure.  The first step was to cut the tallest
+and largest bamboo which I felt capable of dragging to the peak.  I
+found one that suited me.  It was a long tedious task to cut it down
+with my knife, but it was finally accomplished, and I dragged it to the
+front of the cave.
+
+It was my intention to devise a headpiece to fasten securely to the top
+of the bamboo in order to render it as conspicuous as possible.  This
+would have to be done before the bamboo was raised and set into the
+ground.
+
+The daily showers became more frequent and more severe, and some days
+the rain would sweep across the mountain in perfect torrents.
+Nevertheless, I succeeded in cutting several more bamboos, of smaller
+size, and I also brought several bunches of bananas and plantains, and a
+quantity of yams up to the cave.
+
+I now set to work to complete the beacon. Cutting the bamboos to the
+required lengths, I lashed them together in such a manner as to form a
+sort of gridiron, eight feet long and six feet wide.  This I filled in
+with a basket-work of vines, woven very loosely that the wind might
+easily pass through it, to prevent its being blown down when raised to
+the top of the pole.
+
+At length the beacon was finished, the gridiron being firmly lashed to
+the upper end of the bamboo; and I had been on the mountain seven weeks.
+The rainy season was well under way; but I worked during the intervals
+when it ceased to rain, and, by means of a sharpened stick, aided by my
+knife, I dug a hole fully four feet deep, on the highest part of the
+mountain. I found it difficult work to raise the bamboo with the
+gridiron at the top, and plant its base in the hole, but, after many
+trials, I succeeded, after which I wedged it firmly with stones and
+earth solidly packed.
+
+It would be useless to attempt to leave camp while the rain continued,
+and I had fully reconciled myself to remain until the close of the rainy
+season; and I hoped that I could find enough to do to occupy the time.
+I was obliged to go frequently in quest of food, and I set about
+preparing a brief account of the circumstances of my exile in the
+island, the date of the wreck and the date of the raising of the beacon;
+also, explicit directions for finding "Sargent" Bay, where my house
+stood.  This was carved in deep letters around the smooth surface of a
+large section of bamboo, like a Chinese prayer cylinder.  This was
+fastened to the bamboo signal pole, a few feet from the ground, to guide
+anyone who might chance to notice the beacon and investigate its
+meaning, to my rescue.
+
+I made a coat and kilt reaching to the knees, from cocoanut cloth.  The
+coat was without sleeves, but it would save my only shirt, and the kilt
+would prove a great protection to my trousers, which were already
+showing signs of hard usage.  These garments were sewn together with
+fibres of vines, a long, sharp thorn being used as a needle.  I also
+made a new hat, of more skillful workmanship than the first, which I had
+worn until the present time.
+
+Twice, each day, I went up to the beacon to scan the horizon.  I saw no
+vessels, but the distant, faint outline of mountains remained in sight.
+This position commanded a view of the entire island, and I studied it
+with interest.  It was nearly circular in shape, and I calculated that
+it was not over forty miles in diameter.  I had thought seriously of
+descending to the eastern slope of the mountains, and exploring the
+small portion which had not come, thus far, within my projected route.
+This belt of country, between the foot of the mountains and the sea,
+seemed, from my elevated position, to be very flat, and more sparsely
+wooded than the other side of the mountain; but the question of its
+being inhabited was settled by the torrents of rain, for, for miles to
+the east and south-east the country was under water.
+
+The rain had apparently been the heaviest on the east side of the
+island, for none of the west side was inundated, as far as I could
+discern; but the stream, along whose banks I had marched from the coast,
+was swollen to the size of a great river.
+
+After I had made the clothing, I searched the edge of the bush until I
+found some wild canes, growing by a swampy place, from which I made a
+supply of arrows.  Frequently I shot a pigeon, the birds apparently
+being driven into the open by the rain.  One day when I went to procure
+a fresh supply of bananas, as I extended one hand to cut off a bunch, I
+sprang back and quickly retired several rods.  The cause of my
+precipitate flight was nothing more nor less than a great yellow snake,
+exactly like my unwelcome companion on the coast.  It was coiled among
+the leaf stems of the banana tree.  I did not disturb it, not feeling
+particularly curious as to its disposition under the present
+circumstances; and the next time I came it was gone.  I named it the
+"banana snake," in commemoration of the latter incident, and because of
+its color, which was nearly that of a ripe banana.
+
+The nights, at this elevation, and during the rain, were cold, but the
+cave was quite comfortable, and I built a small fire just inside the
+door each night, to drive out the dampness; having, from time to time
+before the rain became too constant, filled all the available space in
+the cave with dry wood, only reserving enough room to lie down to sleep.
+
+The weeks passed, rather tediously after I could think of but little to
+do, but the rain was not so steady and, almost every day, there were
+several hours when it entirely ceased to fall. There being only short
+grass around the top of the mountain, I utilized these intervals of the
+cessation of rain by exploring the mountain to the line of the bush, all
+around.  There was nothing but rocks, with occasionally a few small
+shrubs.  But one day I made an interesting discovery.  Nearly down to
+the line of the bush on the opposite side from my camp, I came across a
+similar over-hanging rock; but on going under it, I perceived a large
+crevice, which, on close examination, I found extended into the mountain
+for some distance.  I had my tinder and flint with me and, gathering a
+few dry leaves and sticks that lay around near the opening, I made a
+fire at the entrance.  By its light I could see that I had found the
+entrance to a cavern, but I could see only a few feet from the mouth.
+The walls were dark and the top of the cavern was not more than four
+feet from the floor.  I determined to still further explore it with a
+torch.
+
+For a week I did not again go near the cavern, but made daily trips to
+the beacon for the purpose of taking observations, but all the time I
+was trying to invent a torch.  Nothing suitable for the purpose, which
+would burn for any length of time, suggested itself to me, until, one
+morning, while at the ruins for yams and fruit, I saw some ripe
+cocoanuts on the ground.
+
+"Why not use the oily kernel of the nut?"
+
+I at once proceeded to act upon this suggestion. Taking a couple of nuts
+to the camp, I split them in halves, fastening one into a split stick,
+making a sort of ladle.  Hastening to the cavern on the other side of
+the mountain, I made a little fire at the end of the stick, and had the
+satisfaction of soon seeing the oily meat of the nut blaze up in a
+steady, yellowish flame.  Watching it for a moment, I saw that the meat
+charred very slowly, while the oil was tried out by the heat to feed the
+flame.
+
+Taking the torch and the spare nuts with which to replenish the torch, I
+entered the mouth of the cavern.  I was both surprised and disappointed,
+for it was neither beautiful nor grand.  The roof was low, and the walls
+were dirty and grimy.  The cavern was not more than six feet wide and
+four feet high, and I was obliged to stoop as I moved along.  The cave
+took me straight into the mountain for a few rods, when I came to what
+appeared at first to be the end; but I soon discovered a small opening a
+little to my right, through which, after hesitating a little, I crawled
+on my hands and knees.  I went but a few feet before I emerged into a
+chamber of considerable size, where I could stand erect; and here I was
+greeted by a cloud of bats that flitted about as though bewildered by
+the light, their wings making a curious, uncanny fluttering sound.  I
+could see the roof plainly, and clinging to it, with their heads
+downward, were thousands of bats. There were, depending from the
+ceiling, a few small stalactites, but they were dark and grimy. I
+examined the floor of the cavern, which revealed to me its true nature.
+I was in a guano cave, the floor of which was thickly covered with the
+guano of the bats, the accumulation of centuries, probably.
+
+"What a fortune there is here," I thought, "if all this guano could be
+cheaply conveyed to the coast and loaded into vessels."
+
+Although the air in the cave seemed to be pure, it was not a pleasant
+place, and most unattractive; so, after discovering a small passage,
+like the one I had just crawled through, leading further into the
+mountain, I retreated toward the entrance and was soon in daylight,
+feeling no desire to further explore a cavern devoid of all the beauties
+usually attributed to such natural phenomena.
+
+The days dragged now, as I waited for the weather to clear, with nothing
+to break the monotony but occasional trips to the ruins for yams,
+oranges, plantains, bananas and sugar cane; and sometimes I would stalk
+pigeons, when my bow-gun proved very effective, especially as I every
+day became more skillful in using it, while the birds suffered in
+consequence.
+
+Several times each day I went to the beacon to scan the horizon; but I
+saw no sign of a vessel.  I reasoned that my island must be out of the
+regular track of vessels going to the Windward or Leeward Islands, as I
+knew it to be, of ships bound to the South American coast, Central
+America or any of the large West India Islands.  But the far distant
+mountains still showed plainly against the horizon.
+
+While gazing away toward the east one day, the idea came to me to try to
+construct a boat, on my return to my house on the coast, in which to
+attempt to reach the distant land.  I was not skilled in sailing a boat,
+but I reasoned that, with a fairly staunch and steady craft, provided
+with some sort of a sail, I might, when a long period of fair weather
+was promised, escape to the land which I dimly saw to the eastward. This
+plan occupied my mind continually for days, and, so seriously did I
+begin to consider it, that I became extremely impatient to start away
+for the coast.
+
+Three weeks more of weary waiting, and the rain ceased to fall steadily,
+and then the sun began to break through the clouds at intervals, but the
+showers were still frequent.  From the beacon I could see that the
+floods in the lowlands to the east were subsiding, and that the river
+along which I had traveled from the coast, was assuming its normal
+proportions.
+
+Gradually the clouds dispersed, and whole days of bright sunshine
+followed.  The rainy season was drawing to a close.  A few days of clear
+weather would dry the ground and the bush so I would be able to set out
+for the coast.
+
+I felt a pang of regret at the thought of leaving my home under the
+cliff; but then, perhaps I might come back.  I could not tell.  Perhaps
+I should have to give up the idea of building the boat, and then it
+might be years before I was rescued.  I might, indeed, spend my entire
+life here alone; but this thought I put away from me.
+
+My preparations for leaving the mountain were easily made.  I left the
+house under the cliff exactly as it was, save the closing, securely, of
+the door; and one morning as the sun came up out of the sea, and the
+lovely island verdure lit up with a gorgeous blending of green, purple
+and gold, I took a farewell look all around the horizon from the peak,
+and, with my gun, arrows and bag of provisions, dressed in the rudely
+made cocoanut-cloth garments, I started down the mountain, taking, as
+nearly as I could, a northeast course toward the coast.
+
+The ground was yet sufficiently damp to render it pleasantly springy and
+cool to my feet, and the freshness of the verdure of the forest and bush
+which I traversed imparted to the air a pleasant coolness, even though
+the sun shone fierce and hot.  Birds were flitting like iridescent gems
+through the trees, and tittering curious discordant cries.  Not since
+the beginning of my exile had I been conscious of such cheerfulness and
+light-heartedness as on this morning--and, with all, I had the feeling
+of going home, as, indeed, I was.
+
+Crossing the valley at the foot of the first mountain peak, I ascended
+the lower spur and descended its side toward the level country which lay
+between it and the coast.  In general appearance, the bush here did not
+materially differ from that to the southwest, traversed during my march
+from the coast months before.
+
+Shortly after entering the belt of virgin forest which skirted the base
+of the mountain range, I emerged into an opening, perhaps two acres in
+extent.  It was covered with thick grass, green and luxuriant after the
+rains.  The grass was not tall, perhaps two feet high, apparently a new
+growth, and I started to cross it.  A tall cactus, a veritable tree,
+stood alone near the centre of the grassland, and toward this I took my
+way, thinking that I would like to examine it closely, as it was the
+largest one I had seen on the island.
+
+After examining this giant of the tropics, I continued my way across the
+intervening space toward the bush on the other side.  I was nearly out
+of the grass, when a strange sound caused me to stand still and look
+about me.
+
+The sound came in a series of short, angry grunts, like "woof! woof!"
+and, a short distance to the left I saw the grass violently agitated,
+while the noise came nearer to me.
+
+I at once decided that some animal was coming toward me, whether to
+attack me or not, I could not tell.  But I quickly decided that the most
+sensible thing for me to do would be to seek safety.  Naturally I
+thought of the bush, and ran toward it.  The moment I started to run the
+"woof, woof!" followed me, and I increased my speed as fast as I could,
+hampered as I was by the thick grass.  The terrible, guttural sound
+gained upon me as I plunged on, but at last I reached the bush, and,
+seeing a large tree with branches near the ground, just ahead of me, I
+dropped my gun and bag of provisions, and grasped the lower limb.
+Quickly I climbed up to what I considered to be a safe distance, and
+then looked down to see what sort of a beast my pursuer would prove to
+be.
+
+I had but a second or two to wait, for soon, not one but three shot out
+of the grass and rushed to the foot of the tree.  I could not mistake
+them.  They were pigs, wild pigs.
+
+They looked up at me with little, cruel looking eyes, and one, the
+largest, which had probably led the chase, snapped his jaws, showing
+long, white tusks, ran around the tree and continued the "woof, woof!"
+throwing up his head and, as he apparently grew more angry because I was
+above his reach, flecks of foam were flung from the ugly jaws.  This one
+was, without a doubt, the boar.  The other two were smaller, and seemed
+to be taking matters more coolly.
+
+They were villainous-looking beasts, gaunt, with long legs and sharp,
+pointed heads; and their color was a sort of rusty-red.  Feeling
+perfectly safe, the question which naturally first occurred to me was,
+"how long shall I be besieged in this position?"  There seemed to be but
+one course to follow, at present, and that to await developments.  The
+pigs had not appeared to notice my paraphernalia.
+
+After a while the boar grew calmer, and finally all three lay down near
+the foot of the tree.  I made myself as comfortable as possible, and
+looked down at them.
+
+The day dragged along monotonously, while I was able to change my
+position so frequently that I was not cramped; but I began to get very
+hungry, having eaten nothing since early in the morning.  The pigs
+continued to remain on guard, the boar now and then getting up and
+regarding me contemplatively, until the sun sank behind the forest.
+Then the pigs moved away into the grass.  It was soon dark, and the
+moon, which was near its full, came up over the mountains; but I was not
+long able to distinguish the movements of the pigs in the uncertain
+moonlight.
+
+Patiently I waited, until the moon was directly over the clearing.
+There was no sound of the pigs, and, after a little, I slid to the
+ground and, cautiously gathering up my gun and provision bag, moved
+noiselessly away into the bush.  The moonlight favored me, and I hurried
+on for several miles, when I was brought to a halt by a small stream.
+Feeling safe from the pigs, I decided to camp here until daylight. I did
+not dare make a fire, so, after satisfying hunger with a portion of a
+pigeon which I had roasted before setting out, and an orange, I sat down
+by a large tree and, leaning against the trunk, was soon asleep.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XII.*
+
+          _*Return to the Coast; A Mangrove Swamp; Fever*_*.*
+
+
+When I awoke it was morning, and the sun was fully an hour up.  Taking a
+hasty bath in the cool water of the stream, and after a hurried meal,
+crossing the stream on the stones that were not submerged, I set off
+along the east bank.  The stream flowed in a northerly direction.  By
+keeping close to the edge of the forest I made rapid progress.  Nothing
+occurred to distract my attention, except the sight of a small flock of
+pigeons, one of which I killed.  I encamped for the night in the edge of
+a thicket, and made a fire to roast the bird which I plucked while
+waiting for a bed of coals.
+
+At daylight in the morning I continued my course down the stream which
+was now much wider and deeper.  Its edge was thickly fringed with
+bamboo, and the idea came to me that I might construct a raft from them,
+and float down stream to the coast; but then, the stream was apt to
+become suddenly shallow in places, and it contained many large stones,
+and after delaying for several days while constructing the raft, it
+might prove to be time and labor lost.
+
+At the close of the fourth day, as the sun was declining behind the palm
+trees, I was astonished, on emerging from a thicket, to see the ocean,
+blue and calm, stretching out before me.  I had failed to note the fact
+that I had followed a more direct course from the coast than when I
+marched toward the interior, and that the mountains were much nearer the
+north coast than the west.  For the last two days I had noticed that the
+cocoanut palms were more plentiful, as were also the bamboos along the
+stream, both of which should have reminded me of my approach to salt
+water.  I had reached the coast sooner than I expected.
+
+Knowing that I would probably not be able to cross the stream at its
+mouth, I found a place where a few stones rose above the water, and
+managed to cross to the other bank.  The mouth of this stream differed
+from that of either of the other two streams that I had seen.  It was
+broad and muddy, covering a wide expanse, and what seemed the strangest
+to me was that trees were growing from the water, covering the entire
+area of the mouth of the stream.  Each tree rested upon the apex formed
+by a cluster of roots, which rose from the water, looking like gigantic
+spiders or devil-fish.  I could see under the whole aquatic forest, a
+tangle of slimy roots above the dark water.  The air was permeated by an
+indescribable stench; and around the edge of the dark recess, black,
+hairy crabs crawled about, or lay by the festering pools.  I concluded
+that this was one of the famous mangrove swamps, and I decided to retire
+from such an undesirable locality.
+
+Accordingly I proceeded along the beach until I was free from the smell
+of the swamp, where I made camp for the night beneath some spreading
+trees near the water's edge, making a fire and roasting yams, and
+broiling a pigeon which I had killed just after crossing the stream.
+
+When I awoke in the morning I felt that a change had come over me.  I
+felt dazed, the back of my head was aching, and I had a burning fever.
+After a few moments I remembered the swamp.  The air which I had been
+breathing must be laden with fever.  I staggered to my feet and, without
+stopping to get breakfast, I started along the beach, my course now
+being toward the west.
+
+I felt very weak and walked with great difficulty. I was obliged to stop
+frequently to rest, and toward mid-day I managed to eat the remainder of
+the pigeon that I had broiled the night before.  Once I saw some orange
+trees, but the fruit was both sour and bitter.  I sucked some of the
+juice, however.  The bitter and the acid seemed to allay my fever a
+little, and I soon felt less weak.  I camped at sundown, and went to
+sleep with confidence that my condition would be improved in the
+morning, as I was at a safe distance from the swamp.
+
+For two days more I marched along the shore, finding sweet orange-trees
+frequently, and plenty of pigeons whenever I chose to make a short
+detour into the forest.
+
+At last a high mound appeared ahead where the shore seemed to take a
+sharp sweep toward the south, and, hurrying forward, I was soon standing
+at the top of it and, to my great joy, looking down upon the bay where I
+had been cast ashore.
+
+Crossing the familiar little stream, I hastened toward my house.  It was
+with a feeling of relief that I saw that everything was apparently as I
+had left it.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XIII.*
+
+            _*A Feathered Companion; Making a Fish-Trap*_*.*
+
+
+Everything about my house was as I had left it.  Nothing had been
+disturbed, the overflowing stream not having reached it.  The vines
+around the stockade now completely covered it, and the yams that I had
+planted in front of the stockade-gate were thick and luxuriant, the
+great, bean-like leaves completely concealing the entrance.
+
+The effects of the fever were fast leaving me, and I grew strong
+rapidly.  There was much to do, now that I was settled down at home.  I
+dug up the yams in front of the stockade-gate and stored them in the
+house for future use.  Then I carried out the couch and made a new one
+of fresh branches and grass, more comfortable than the first had been.
+
+I also made two fire-places, mere enclosures for keeping the coals in
+place.  These consisted of circular enclosures of stones brought from
+the stream, each about three feet in diameter and one foot high, one
+being in a corner of the house for use during rainy weather, and the
+other in the enclosure of the stockade, near the gate.
+
+My next thought was to plant yams by the trunks of all the trees near
+the house.  This would furnish me an inexhaustible supply, and of a
+superior quality, as the vines would have plenty of chance to climb, up
+and around the tree trunks.
+
+One day while walking through the bush in search of pigeons, having
+succeeded in killing two, I came across several cocoanut palms of much
+smaller size than any I had yet seen. They were not more than fifteen
+feet high to the base of the leaf heads, and their tops were very
+spreading, much more so in proportion to the length of the trunks than
+in the case of the larger trees.  But these all bore great bunches of
+nuts, and I began to wonder how the unripe nuts would taste, and whether
+they contained more water than the ripe ones.
+
+With but little difficulty I climbed one of them, and with my knife
+clipped the stems of several of the nuts, which went tumbling to the
+ground.
+
+Descending, I cut off the husk of the end opposite the stem, until I
+could make a hole through the shell.  The latter was very thin and soft,
+and the knife went through it easily. My knife was always in excellent
+condition, kept so by frequent sharpening on the stone which I used for
+striking fire to the tinder.
+
+Raising the nut as though it were a canteen, I drank the water.  It was
+somewhat different from that of a ripe nut, much sweeter, more limpid
+and very cool and refreshing.  After the water was drained from the nut
+I out it open, when I found the whole inside lined with a whitish,
+translucent pulp, of the consistency of solid jelly.  This I found to be
+delicious, but, after having eaten a little, rather sickish.  However, I
+carried several of the unripe nuts to the house, and soon became very
+fond of them.  I made frequent trips to the young palms and the water
+became my principal beverage, while my only dessert was the jelly, for
+which I carved a rude spoon from a piece of hard wood.
+
+I noticed that the parrots were not so noisy as they had been before I
+left for the interior, and for several weeks I was at a loss to account
+for it.  But one evening, while returning from the water-cocoanut palms,
+I espied two diminutive parrots fluttering through the bush.  They were
+young ones and not quite able to fly, though nearly fledged.  They would
+launch out from a limb, sometimes falling short of their next perch, and
+sometimes striking against a limb, when they would flutter to the
+ground, making small, parrot-like cries.  They were a beautiful green,
+with red wing feathers and red breasts and necks.  The parent birds all
+the while remained near-by, as though encouraging the little ones in
+their attempts to fly.
+
+I tried to catch one of them, but they were sufficiently active to evade
+me successfully.  I felt a great desire to capture one and teach him to
+talk, for I sometimes longed for a companion to speak to.  Finally I
+evolved a plan for catching one.  I set to work to construct a net, for
+a snare would injure them.  I prepared a great quantity of fibres from
+the cocoanut cloth, and with it wove a purse-shaped net, perhaps two
+feet in length.  This was to be suspended to a limb of a tree, and
+baited with a piece of roast yam suspended over the mouth of the bag in
+such a manner that, when the young parrot reached for it, he would be
+almost sure to lose his balance and fall in.  Its weight, together with
+the fluttering of the bird, would draw the mouth of the bag together and
+prevent its escape.
+
+This net cost me several weeks of work, but it was at last finished and
+ready to set.  This I did very carefully, selecting a low limb in what
+seemed a favorite place for the parent birds to give flying lessons to
+the little ones.
+
+For several days the net remained undisturbed, and every morning I
+supplied it with a fresh, white piece of yam.
+
+One morning, just at daylight, I was awakened by a great outcry of
+parrots, and, feeling sure that one of the young birds had fallen into
+the net, I hastened toward it.  Sure enough, the net had done its work,
+for it was bobbing about and swaying from the limb, while muffled little
+shrieks came from the nearly-closed mouth; and from the trees around
+there arose a perfect babel of discordant cries of parrots, old and
+young.  The two parent birds were perched on the limb over the net, when
+I arrived, but on my approach they flew away a short distance, hurling
+cries of defiance at me. Carefully I cut the net clear of the limb and
+carried it to the house, the belligerent little parrot all the time
+fluttering and shrieking, and striking at my hand whenever it was near
+the opening.  I reproached myself for not thinking to make a cage for it
+when captured, and I was obliged to secure the opening and deposit the
+net in the house, while I made a cage for my future companion.  This was
+not a difficult task.  Going to the brook where the wild canes grew, I
+cut a quantity of them and, cutting them to the required length, I stuck
+them into the ground, leaving spaces about two inches wide.  The canes
+formed a small yard about two feet square.  The top was covered with a
+piece of cocoanut cloth, the edges being tied all around to the upright
+canes.
+
+How to get the fighting little bird out of the net and into the cage was
+the next question.  I did not exactly relish the idea of putting my hand
+into the net, so finally I decided to lift one corner of the cocoanut
+cloth on the top of the cage, and, loosening the mouth of the net,
+insert it under the cloth, at the same time reversing the net.  The
+scheme worked perfectly and the little parrot tumbled into the cage, his
+feathers all ruffled.  He was a curious little thing and I laughed aloud
+as, without uttering a sound, he proceeded to smooth his feathers, and
+then to circumnavigate the cage.  He then retired a little from the bars
+and regarded me with the utmost seriousness, canting his head, looking
+at me first with one eye and then the other.  Then he began to dress his
+feathers, evidently resolved to make the best of it all, and to feel
+perfectly at home from the first.
+
+I made my pet a little run-way outside the wall of the house,
+constructing it in the same manner as I had the cage, covering it half
+with cloth and the remainder with canes so he could have both sun and
+shade.  This enclosure I connected with the cage by cutting a square
+hole through the wall of the house.
+
+As the weeks passed, the parrot grew, his wing and tail feathers
+developed, and he became very beautiful.  He enjoyed his new home,
+apparently, spending a part of his time outside, and part inside.  He
+enjoyed the sunshine, but would never remain long in it.  He preferred
+the shade of the cloth covered portion.  Nights, he always passed
+inside, and I made a perch for him to sleep on.  It was simply a cane
+passing through the cage and securely fastened to a bar on each side.
+Hours and hours he would spend, swinging on this bar over and over,
+holding on with his claws, and then with his stubby beak. I fed him on
+yams, bananas and oranges, but the banana was his favorite food.
+
+Every day I talked to him, telling him all about the ship-wreck,
+discussing with him the various tasks that occupied me, and the
+probability of my rescue.  I named him Puff Ball on account of his shape
+when captured, and then I called him simply "Puff."  Puff listened
+patiently to all I had to say, frequently interjecting a sharp comment.
+Sometimes he would interrupt me by setting up a loud screeching, and I
+always had to cease talking when Puff had the floor.
+
+For weeks he did not appear to attempt to imitate my words, and I began
+to despair of teaching him to talk, when one morning, as I lay awake for
+a few minutes before arising, I heard him softly chattering to himself.
+I listened and heard him say "Puff," "Puff," very distinctly.  I was
+delighted and, going to the cage, I complimented him on his first
+attempt.
+
+Once while bathing in the stream, I noticed, for the first time, several
+fish gliding through a quiet pool.  From the momentary glance I had of
+them they appeared to resemble the white perch of the lakes at home.
+
+This opportunity to add to my larder could not be neglected, and I set
+to work to devise a plan for capturing them.  I thought, at first, of
+making a hook from thorns; but this idea was abandoned as not apt to be
+practical, and I hit upon a plan for making a net.  The first
+inspiration gradually developed into a trap, and took definite shape as
+I revolved the matter in my mind.  It was a simple device, but I spent
+much time and patience in perfecting it.
+
+First selecting one of the supple vines, about half an inch in
+thickness, I bent it into the form of a hoop, two feet in diameter,
+uniting the two ends by lashing them with smaller vines. Then, with the
+aid of a sharp thorn and thread from the fibre of the cocoanut, I sewed
+together pieces of the cocoanut cloth so as to make a bag three feet
+long, with an opening of the same diameter as the hoop.  Then I sewed
+the edge of the opening of the bag firmly to the hoop, which kept the
+bag rigidly open.
+
+Next, from more vines, I wove a funnel-shaped basket, the larger end
+fitting inside the hoop, while the smaller end, which was inserted into
+the bag, had an opening about six inches in diameter.  The larger end of
+this basket, which was like an inverted cone, was lashed to the hoop,
+all around.
+
+This was my fish-trap, and as soon as it was ready I took it to the
+brook.  The water was normally low and, finding the narrowest place in
+the current, I built across it a wall of stones, having an opening in
+the centre of the wall, in width just a little less than the diameter of
+the hoop.  The trap was then set into this opening, with the mouth
+pointing up-stream, the gentle current keeping the bag distended, while
+the hoop projecting across the edges of the opening in the wall held the
+bag in position.
+
+I expected that the fish, swimming downstream, finding no other passage,
+would enter the opening of the bag and pass through the small opening in
+the lower end of the cone, thereby becoming imprisoned.  From similar
+devices that my brother and myself had made and used in the brooks at
+home, I knew that, once inside, the fish would huddle in the lower end
+of the bag and make no effort to repass through the opening in the end
+of the cone.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XIV.*
+
+             _*Another Exploring Trip; Tropical Fruits*_*.*
+
+
+The morning following the setting of the trap I removed it and, allowing
+the water to drain out through the meshes in the bag, I found three
+beautiful silvery fish, not unlike the white perch of the northern
+waters. Cleaning them, I broiled them over the coals, and found them to
+be delicious, delicate and fine flavored.  After that I had no lack of
+fresh fish.
+
+Puff, meantime, had made rapid progress in the art of talking and could
+carry on quite a conversation--and many were the hours I spent assisting
+him in adding to his vocabulary.  He insisted upon following me
+everywhere I went, always walking and never making any attempt to fly,
+his instructions in the use of his wings having been neglected since his
+capture.  When walking through the bush in search of pigeons and other
+provisions, I always carried Puff perched upon my shoulder, and he never
+made any attempt to escape.  He seemed as perfectly satisfied with my
+society as I was with his, and we kept up a continuous conversation.
+
+My supply of salt becoming nearly exhausted, I procured a large supply,
+enough to last me many months, by the same process as had been employed
+on the first experiment while marching along the coast.  This I sealed
+securely in joints of bamboo.
+
+Having no particular task on hand, one afternoon I proceeded to prepare
+a supply of provisions, roast pigeon, fish, yam, a few oranges and half
+a dozen green cocoanuts, preparatory to setting off, the following
+morning, to explore along the bank of the stream, which flowed almost by
+my door, toward its source.  I knew that this was a separate stream,
+independent of the other two that I had met with.  I remembered that I
+had not crossed a third stream on my march from the mountains, and I was
+curious as to its source.  Certainly it must be much shorter than the
+other two.
+
+Seeking my couch early in order that I might set off by daylight, before
+going to sleep I remembered that I needed a new supply of arrows. This
+would necessitate delaying another day, and in the morning I set to
+work, and before sunset I had several dozen of much better made arrows
+than the first ones.
+
+With my quiver and provision bag slung across my back and with Puff on
+one shoulder and the bow-gun on the other, I set out just as the sun was
+rising above the palm trees.  I kept to the left bank of the stream, and
+soon passed "Bamboo Pool" where I had first discovered these useful
+plants.
+
+I walked along rapidly, stopping only to refresh myself and Puff.  The
+way was easy, for there were very few shrubs or thorn bushes along the
+bank.  But I had to occasionally turn aside to avoid inhospitable cactus
+plants, and the sharp, dagger-like plant which grew plentifully almost
+everywhere.
+
+Just as I was thinking about seeking a good place to camp in order that
+I might make myself and Puff comfortable before dark, I was brought to
+an abrupt stop, where I stood transfixed with surprise; for I had
+reached the source of the stream, less than a day's journey from my
+house.
+
+Before me there was a little pool, only a few feet across, and its
+centre was bubbling and boiling.  The water which supplied the stream
+flowed from the bowels of the earth.  While the pool was violently
+agitated, no sound was made by the up-rushing water.  My brook was
+simply the outlet of a subterranean river.
+
+I at once made camp for the night, determining to spend a day around the
+pool before returning.  I kindled a fire for the sake of its cheering
+effect, and made my supper from the provision bag.  Puff was satisfied
+with a banana.
+
+After a frugal breakfast in the morning--for I had only some plantain
+and a part of one of the fish left--I set out to explore the forest in
+the near vicinity of the pool.  Almost immediately I came across some
+banana trees, and near by a few plantains were also growing. Further
+around I found a couple of orange trees.  This seemed quite a natural
+garden, and it was not so far away but that I could make frequent trips
+from home for bananas and plantains.
+
+Penetrating a little further into the forest, I came to a little clear
+spot, in the centre of which grew two large, handsome trees, each with
+straight, rather smooth trunks, with symmetrical tops.
+
+At first I thought both the trees were of the same kind, but I soon
+noticed that the leaves of one were larger than those of the other, and
+more pinnate.  I discovered that both trees bore curious-looking fruit.
+The fruit, too, looked something alike.  It was large, round, and green
+in color, with a pebbly rind.  Several were lying under each tree; but
+that under one of the trees was decayed, and when I tried to move it
+with my foot it yielded to the pressure, and as the mass parted it
+looked like uncooked bread. The fruit under the other tree was firm and
+hard.  I was at a loss to solve the mystery. Cutting one of the latter,
+I found that it had a very hard shell.  Procuring a long pole from the
+bush, I succeeded in knocking off some fresh fruit from the other tree.
+On cutting this I found that the skin was thin, and that the inside had
+something the appearance of a yam.
+
+I carried one of each to camp, when it occurred to me to roast the
+latter, and see if it proved good to eat.  While it was roasting in the
+coals, I cut the other green globe in halves, and found that the hard
+shell was very readily separated from the meat, leaving two nice bowls,
+suitable for drinking vessels, and perhaps for cooking. When I thought
+the other was thoroughly roasted, I took it from the ashes.  The
+transformation was marvelous.  The fruit was now like light, white
+bread.  Very cautiously I tasted it, and found that, while it possessed
+no decided flavor, it was very delicate.  I tried some with a little
+salt, and mentally pronounced it delicious.
+
+Before going into camp for the night, I procured half a dozen of each
+fruit, and, early in the morning, after adding a supply of bananas and
+plantains to my burden, started to return to the house, which was
+reached early in the evening.
+
+I became very fond of the new fruit, which answered for bread; and I
+made dishes from the shell of the other which served for drinking
+vessels, and I even boiled some fish in one of them.
+
+My time was now occupied by various tasks. Frequent trips were made to
+the pool.  I planted more yams, and made frequent excursions hunting
+pigeons.  I also made a complete suit of clothes from the cocoanut
+cloth, including a hat and a pair of very substantial moccasins, for my
+shoes were all but useless.  These things were varied by giving Puff
+lessons in conversation, in which he proved to be an apt scholar.
+
+I had seen no turtles on this part of the coast, and I contemplated a
+journey to the cove where I had seen them months before, as soon as,
+from my calendar, I judged it to be their breeding season.  I had long
+craved more of their delicious eggs.
+
+As the days and weeks passed, frequent showers came up; and after a
+time, the showers of warm, tepid rain became more frequent. Some were
+very violent, with high wind, and occasionally thunder and lightning.
+They rose quickly and as quickly passed over, when the sun would burst
+out, making the drops falling from the trees glisten like silver.  But
+there came a day of almost steady rain, and, after consulting my
+calendar, I found that it was about time for the rainy season to set in.
+
+I had hardly thought of the rainy season since my return from the
+mountains.  Indeed, I had intended to set to work and attempt to
+construct a craft with which to try to reach the distant land to the
+east.  But now I must wait for another rainy season to pass before
+attempting it, for the sea would be too rough to risk a voyage in a rude
+and frail craft.
+
+I allowed gloomy thoughts to take possession of me, which I did not even
+confide to Puff, who was my only comforter.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XV.*
+
+                   _*A Hurricane and a Shipwreck*_*.*
+
+
+I strove to occupy my mind by digging a large store of yams, and
+gathering hundreds of cocoanuts, and storing them inside the house for
+use when the rain should prevent my going far from the shore.  I also
+gathered an immense quantity of dead branches for firewood, which I
+piled in the rear of the house, covering it thickly with grass and then
+broad leaves and bark stripped from the trees, to shed the water.
+
+The rain became almost constant, and after a day of hard work making
+some repairs that I thought necessary on my house, I lay on my couch,
+secure from the rain and wind, thinking of the past, present and future.
+The wind had risen rapidly until it had become a gale.  I listened to
+the rustle and flapping of the leaves of the palm trees, and to the roar
+of the waves on the shore.  At length, through the crevices around the
+door I could see that the night was frequently lighted up by vivid
+flashes of lightning.  Heavy thunder began to rumble away back over the
+forest.  The wind increased, and then came a roar which seemed to shake
+the earth, and shrieks sounded above the dashing of the surf as the wind
+came with terrible force.
+
+I could hear the stockade creak, and see the walls of the house tremble.
+The rain came in torrents, and swept against the enclosure. Another
+blinding flash and roar, and, above the rattle of the palm leaves I
+could hear the crack and crash of breaking and falling branches and tree
+trunks.  A hurricane had broken over the island.  I lay appalled, and
+listened to the terrible havoc of the tempest.  I could not close my
+eyes.
+
+It seemed as though the night would never pass; but after long, weary
+hours, a faint gray light stole into the house, denoting the approach of
+day and the end of that awful night.
+
+The storm abated a little, but the crashing sounds continued to come
+from the forest.  As soon as it was light enough to see plainly I
+ventured to go outside the stockade.  The structure had withstood the
+force of the wind; but what a pitiful sight greeted me as I looked
+about.  Many of the tall cocoanut palms that had been my friends and
+companions from the first lay prostrate, twisted and broken.  The ground
+was covered with nuts, leaves and broken branches.  The little stream
+was full to the very top of the banks.
+
+The waves roared and thundered on the narrow beach.  I turned toward the
+sea and thought about the night of the wreck.
+
+But had I gone mad?  Had the horrors of the night so affected my mind?
+I covered my eyes, and in a moment looked again.
+
+Yes, out toward the bluff, only a few rods from the shore, was a vessel.
+It lay as though at anchor.  I saw that it was a barkentine. The vessel
+had not anchored; she was stranded. Then I ran to the shore and waved my
+arms wildly.  I could not go to the bluff on account of the swollen
+stream.  I saw several men walking around the windlass.  Then they ran
+excitedly along the deck; and then I saw but two men on the deck.  I
+gazed out at the rocking vessel and saw a boat slowly swing around the
+bow.  It was filled with men rowing.  I saw the boat pointed toward the
+shore.  I watched it eagerly.  The boat seemed to make no headway.  But,
+yes, it was slowly making headway.  Then again my heart sank, as through
+the flying spume I saw a mountain of water, a great billow many times
+higher than the stranded ship, come rolling into the bay.  I stood
+transfixed with horror, spellbound, as I watched the water, coming with
+the speed of the wind, with a roar which every instant became more
+terrific. Powerless to aid the poor souls in the boat, struggling
+against a forlorn hope, in this moment of peril--of instant death, I
+stood, sick and faint, in contemplation of their fate.
+
+The great wave now overhung the vessel. Its foam-fringed crest curled
+over and, with a fearful snarl of anger, like some dread monster with
+jaws agape, it rushed over the vessel and obscured it from sight.
+
+I sank to the ground and covered my face, as I wept in anguish.  I was
+overcome at the awful thought of the catastrophe and by the instant, but
+full realization of my great disappointment,--almost at the moment when
+rescue from my long, lonely exile seemed near, every hope vanished; and
+in a few moments I should see the bodies of those whom I hoped would
+succor me tossed ashore, bruised and mangled. These thoughts flashed
+rapidly through my mind as I sank to the earth.
+
+Yet there was a faint hope, and the flitting thought caused my courage
+to revive for an instant.
+
+If the boat, perchance, escaped being swamped and should be borne far
+enough toward the beach to ground firmly and thus escape being carried
+back by the receding water, her passengers might be saved; but if not,
+her fate was certain, for she would be hurled back upon upon the reef
+and not a soul would escape.
+
+I started to my feet and strained my eyes in the direction of the vessel
+as the huge wave thundered upon the beach, the water rolling far up
+toward my house.
+
+Oh, the awful anguish of that moment!  At first I could see no sign of
+the vessel, but as the succeeding wave subsided I caught a glimpse of
+the vessel and saw that her masts, spars and rigging were hanging about
+her in a tangled mass of wreck.  The hull seemed to remain in about the
+same position, it only having careened shoreward.  The boat was nowhere
+to be seen, though I carefully scanned every inch of the swirling water.
+Perhaps it had been dashed ashore unseen by me, obscured in the cloud of
+foam.
+
+I dashed to the beach and ran eagerly along the shore, hoping to find
+the boat and to rescue her passengers who, if discovered, would be in a
+state of insensibility.  But my search was fruitless, and I stood again
+a hopeless castaway, no nearer rescue than when, on that bright morning
+after the storm which sent the _Ethelyn Hope_ to the bottom, I regained
+consciousness to find myself alone at this very spot.
+
+I returned to my house and tried to reconcile myself to my
+disappointment, and to adjust my mind to the rapid succession of events
+in which were mingled joy and sorrow, hope and despair, all within
+little more than a half-hour.
+
+Fortunately my house, thanks to the thoroughness with which the builder,
+assisted by nature, had done his work, had withstood the fury of the
+hurricane and had proved to be impervious to the rain, so I had no
+difficulty in making a fire, by which I prepared breakfast, drying my
+costume in the meantime.
+
+The wind had by this time nearly all died away, though the incessant
+roar of the surf continued on the beach.  Hoping still that some one
+from the ill-fated vessel might escape to keep me company, I went again
+to the beach, walking along toward the creek.  Seeing neither a body nor
+a sign of the boat, I started to follow along the bank of the creek with
+the intention of crossing it and searching along the shore in front of
+the bluff; but I had taken a few steps only when I stopped in
+astonishment, for almost at my feet, her shoulders upon a tangle of
+reeds, lay the body of a young woman.  I thought she must be dead, for
+she was very white and her eyes, while open, were fixed, turned upward
+toward the palm leaves. As gently as I could I lifted her and with some
+difficulty bore her to a mound at the foot of a palm tree, where I laid
+her carefully down, resting her drooping head in a natural position.
+
+Poor girl--for she was but a girl--cast up by the sea, dead; and that
+was all I could ever know, about her.  How tenderly I would lay her
+beneath the tropical flowers on the bluff, in a grave lined with soft
+grass!--alas, all I could do.
+
+Sadly I gazed at the still form, and was about to turn away again toward
+the beach when, to my great surprise, I thought I noticed a faint tremor
+on her face and a movement of her hands.  I must be mistaken; but no,
+again there was a movement--no mistaking it this time--then her eyes
+closed.  I knelt beside her and held her wrist.  It was cold, but I
+thought I could detect a tiny flicker of the pulse.  Certain now that
+life remained, I lifted her as tenderly as possible.  She was very
+slight and I could easily bear her weight; but her body was so limp that
+I found it difficult to carry her, supporting her head at the same time.
+
+However, I reached the house, bore her within and laid her upon the
+couch.  Then I took a piece of the cocoanut cloth, hastily twisting it
+to make it as soft as possible, and went to work vigorously chafing her
+wrists and hands, and I was presently rewarded by seeing her open her
+eyes.  Her head was turned slightly away, but with a faint sigh she
+moved it toward me.  With a wondering gaze she looked full into my face
+for a moment, and then her eyes closed again. She had lost
+consciousness, and I again chafed her hands and loosened her wet
+garments about her throat.  In what must have been a few moments only,
+but what seemed to me to be hours, she again opened her eyes and I saw
+her lips move.  I bent close to her and made out to catch her words,
+faintly whispered.
+
+"Where am I?  Is papa here?"
+
+That was all, for then she swooned away again.
+
+Her father.  How strange it all was, and now for the first time, I
+remembered that I had not noticed a woman on the deck of the ship before
+the boat was launched.  Satisfied now that her life was safe, I left
+her, hurried to the beach and renewed my search, when, directly in front
+of my door, with the water washing partly over it, I saw the body of a
+man resting upon the sand. From his appearance I judged him to be a
+sailor.  I dragged the body out of the water. The limbs were rigid and
+there was a deep gash on the left temple.
+
+Feeling certain that life was extinct, I turned and continued my search.
+I soon picked up an oar, and as I came to the mouth of the creek I saw
+something which caused me to start back, involuntarily.  It was a hand
+protruding from a pile of broken reeds.  Hastily I tore away the reeds,
+revealing the body of a man, which, I noticed, was not dressed like a
+sailor.  While I was moving the body away from the edge of the creek I
+observed that the man was rather past middle life, well built and rather
+stout, of medium complexion, with thick hair and moustache, both being
+sprinkled with gray.  His limbs were not rigid, which caused me to hope
+that a spark of life remained.  I therefore began to treat him as I knew
+drowning persons should be dealt with, and shortly, to my great joy, he
+began to revive and was, ere long, able to sit up and look about him.
+He gazed at me in seeming wonder as though thinking me to be a being of
+a different species from himself, which was not to be wondered at in
+view of my picturesque costume.
+
+"Oh Marjorie, my poor girl:" were his first words.
+
+"If you mean your daughter, sir," I said, "she is safe and sound in my
+house yonder."  He extended his hand to me, which I took and held while
+he recovered his vitality sufficiently to go to the house.
+
+"I fear we shall intrude greatly upon the hospitality of your
+household;" he said, with a little effort.
+
+"No fear of that, sir," I made reply; "for the company of yourself and
+daughter is certainly a great pleasure to me and I am the sole member of
+my household."
+
+"Are you alone, then?" he asked.
+
+"Yes, sir, alone on this island," I answered.
+
+He was going to say more but I begged him to desist until he was
+stronger, and until he was able to proceed to the house.
+
+He expressed himself as being fully able to do so, and as he seemed
+anxious about his daughter I assisted him to rise; and, placing an arm
+about him I supported him as he walked slowly to the house.
+
+The meeting of father and daughter was a joyous one.  The girl was able
+to sit up and the color was returning to her cheeks.  I could not help
+noticing at a glance that she was very pretty, tall with a slender well
+moulded figure, with brown hair and blue eyes and a clear complexion.
+She was, I judged, anywhere from seventeen to nineteen years old.  With
+usual feminine thoughtfulness of her appearance she had already coiled
+her hair neatly and rearranged her damp garments as well as she was
+able.  While I stirred up the fire so that my visitors might dry their
+clothes, the father related, briefly, the story of their experiences.
+
+His name was Richard Harborough, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, from which
+port the wrecked barkentine, _Three Sisters_, of which he was the owner,
+hailed.  His family consisted of his wife, and three daughters for whom
+his vessel was named.  He had determined to make a voyage in his vessel
+for health and recreation and his daughter Marjorie, a student at
+Dalhousie College, whose health had been impaired by overstudy, had
+accompanied him, the family physician strongly recommending a voyage in
+the southern seas as a restorative.
+
+The _Three Sisters_ had taken out a cargo of general merchandise to
+Demerara, British Guiana, and after discharging she had proceeded to
+Greytown, British Honduras, where she had taken in a partial cargo of
+mahogany for Boston, proceeding from the Central American coast to San
+Domingo where she took on board sufficient logwood to complete her
+cargo.  During heavy weather the seas that came aboard had polluted her
+fresh-water casks and seeing the island just at dusk they had put in
+toward it intending to anchor until morning and then to come ashore and
+refill her casks.  But the storm broke upon her, the rain obscured the
+island, and she would have gone ashore had she not struck one of the
+hidden coral reefs.  What prevented her masts from going overboard the
+men could not explain; but it must have been a miracle, they said.  As
+soon as the barkentine struck, the anchor was let go, by which it was
+hoped she would be prevented from drifting, until daylight.  When first
+I saw the men on the deck they were hauling up the anchor, finding that
+the barkentine had not drifted, with the intention of taking it to
+windward and trying to work her off the reef by heaving at the windlass.
+But realizing that the vessel was hopelessly aground, and fearing that
+she might break up, it was decided to try to reach the shore, the result
+of which attempt I had witnessed.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XVI*
+
+            _*Pleasant Companions; Enlarging the House*_*.*
+
+
+I told them, as briefly as possible, the story of my exile on the
+island, to which they listened, seemingly with the greatest interest,
+refraining, on account of delicacy, I supposed, from asking about my
+strange garb.
+
+"And now," I said at the conclusion of my narrative, "you must make
+yourselves at home and as comfortable as possible, while I see about
+dinner"--for it was just mid-day--"and then we will attend to the poor
+fellow who lies outside on the beach."
+
+So saying I took my bow-gun, my guests watching me in wonder, and
+started for the thicket behind the house.
+
+I hoped to secure a pigeon, for my companions must be in need of
+nourishing food.  I had the good fortune to spy a pigeon almost
+immediately and to secure it with a single arrow.  My companions were
+greatly surprised to see me return so quickly, and after placing some
+yams and bread fruit to roast in the ashes, I set about plucking the
+pigeon.  It was a plump bird, of the ring-tail variety.  Half of it I
+fixed over the coals to roast, and with the remainder I proceeded to
+make some broth, which I succeeded very well in doing, thickening it
+with crumbs of cold roasted bread fruit, and seasoning it with salt of
+my own manufacture, as I explained to my guests, while I prepared it.
+
+After the repast, which greatly revived Mr. Harborough and his daughter,
+we all went to the beach, I leading the way, to where the dead sailor
+lay.
+
+"Poor fellow," said Mr. Harborough, "it is the third mate.  The
+barkentine carried seven men beside the captain and three mates.  We
+must see if any more have come ashore."  But although we searched
+carefully all along the shore up the bay, we found no other bodies. So
+the dead sailor was carried tenderly to the palm grove, where he was
+laid in a grave, dug after much hard labor, and lined with grass; I
+promising to carve a head-piece for it, in the near future.
+
+Then I took Mr. Harborough and his daughter around the neighborhood of
+my hut, showing them where I had been cast ashore, where I had gathered
+the reeds and cut the bamboos for my house, where I had discovered the
+yam vines; indeed, I gave them a careful history of my doings
+thereabout, which used up all the afternoon.  The sea, meantime, had
+subsided and the sun had dried the bush and the grass; and after a
+frugal meal from the remnants of the noonday repast, we sat long in
+front of the house beneath the tropical sky, watching the moon rising
+above the feathery palm tops, while we speculated regarding the future.
+
+The situation presented few complications, for we must simply make the
+best of everything until rescued, be it days, months, or years. Mr.
+Harborough had most important information to communicate, namely, that
+the _Three Sisters_ had a bountiful store of food supplies and cooking
+utensils, as well as a rifle, shot-gun and ammunition for each.  The
+rifle had belonged to the captain and the shot-gun to the mate, who,
+when opportunity offered, were accustomed to go ashore for a little
+sport, shooting.  To get these treasures ashore would greatly add to our
+comfort, and, although we had no boat, we resolved, very early in the
+morning, to set about discussing means for saving as much as possible
+from the vessel.
+
+Mr. Harborough, I was glad to see, took a cheerful view of the
+situation, and was resolved not to despair; and Miss Harborough, also,
+showed her bravery by taking the greatest interest in our plans.  With
+some large pieces of cocoanut cloth I screened off a corner of the room,
+including my couch, which was to serve as Miss Harborough's sleeping
+apartment, while Mr. Harborough and I stretched ourselves on the floor
+near the door.  Before we slept I communicated to him my intention to
+build an addition to the house before attempting to do much in getting
+things from the vessel, in order to afford Miss Harborough privacy, by
+having a room to herself.  He thanked me for all my kindness, and we
+knew no more until awakened by Puff, who, while everything was damp, had
+not been heard from.  Indeed, I had, I regretted to admit, forgotten
+him.  But now, his feathers dry, and the morning bright and fair, he
+made himself heard, indicating by all the words in his vocabulary,
+interspersed with shrill screeches, that he was hungry, and would brook
+no delay in having his wants supplied.
+
+The morning repast finished, we adjourned to the beach to lay out a plan
+of work for the immediate future.  We had two matters to discuss: one,
+the most important, of devising ways and means of transporting the
+supplies from the stranded barkentine to the shore, and the other, the
+construction of an addition to the house for the accommodation of Miss
+Harborough.
+
+"It seems to me," observed Mr. Harborough, "that we should solve the
+problem of getting out to the vessel as quickly as possible; for, if
+there arises another great storm, she might break up."
+
+"That is very true," I replied, "and your suggestion is a wise one; so,
+as the building of the addition to the house will not be a long task if
+we work together, let us set to work upon it at once.  We will construct
+it in the same manner as I built this house."
+
+It was decided that Mr. Harborough should cut the bamboos and the canes,
+while I would build the house, having acquired some skill from my
+previous work.
+
+"I fear you will find it laborious work, for I have only this knife," I
+observed, taking out my much-used knife.
+
+"Ah," he replied, "I have a good knife, larger and stronger than yours;"
+so saying he produced a large pocket-knife, having a broad, strong
+blade.
+
+"Capital," said I; "now we shall get on famously."
+
+I conducted him to the thicket of bamboos a a little way up the stream,
+leaving him, while I went a little further down, to cut reeds.
+
+"Oh, but I want to do something to help," exclaimed Miss Harborough.
+"What can I do?"
+
+"You can be of the greatest assistance by carrying reeds to the house.
+They are very light, and, besides, you can take small armfulls."
+
+She was overjoyed at the idea, and she at once set to work with much
+enthusiasm.  I cut a quantity of reeds and then went back to bring some
+bamboos, after which I set to work cutting a door-way through the side
+of the house to connect it with the extension.  I pursued the same
+methods as in making the main house, Mr. Harborough cutting bamboos and
+reeds, his daughter bringing all the filling material from the stream,
+while I set up the frame and wove the reeds into the walls.  This
+finished, grass was cut for thatching the roof.  We worked steadily,
+only stopping for a bit to eat at noon, so that, by sunset, the addition
+was completed. It was six by eight feet in dimensions, and it was very
+thoroughly made.  After consulting Miss Harborough, it was decided not
+to have a door between the two apartments, but to hang up a curtain
+instead.  I suggested that the curtain be made of cocoanut cloth, and I
+promised Miss Harborough to gather the cloth in the morning, and show
+her how to sew it together with fine roots.
+
+We all sat for a time in front of the house, enjoying the breeze which
+blew toward the land after the sun-down, retiring early in anticipation
+of the work of the morrow.  Before I slept I had formed a plan to reach
+the barkentine on the reef, which I believed would prove successful.
+The morning dawned bright and cloudless, and the household was awakened
+by Puff, screaming for his breakfast.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XVII.*
+
+              _*Building a Raft; Visits to the Wreck*_*.*
+
+
+We first visited the young cocoanut palms from which I cut a supply of
+cloth for the curtain, to be hung between the two apartments in the
+house; and while I dug some small roots for thread, to use in sewing the
+pieces together, Mr. Harborough, under my direction, with his knife
+shaped from a piece of hard wood, a bodkin, to be used in lieu of a
+needle in sewing.
+
+Leaving Miss Harborough comfortably ensconced in front of the house,
+with the materials around her, Mr. Harborough and myself set about the
+task of reaching the vessel.
+
+"There is but one way to reach her, sir," I said, "and that is by means
+of a raft.  It is the only sort of a craft that we can construct with no
+tools, and, besides, I believe we can make a raft which will carry the
+cargo."
+
+"Your experience fits you to take the initiative," he replied.  "I am
+under your direction. You shall lead, and I will follow and obey your
+instructions."
+
+"I am sure our combined ideas only will produce the best results," I
+made answer.  "But first let us proceed to the bamboo thicket."
+
+As we started to go up stream, Mr. Harborough turned and cast an anxious
+look toward his daughter.
+
+Noticing this, I hastened to reassure him concerning her safety.
+
+"And are there no wild animals on the island?" he asked.
+
+"I have seen none hereabout," I assured him. I remembered the wild pigs
+that I had met on my march around the coast, but I thought best not to
+unduly alarm him by alluding to them.
+
+"And do you believe the island entirely uninhabited?" he asked.
+
+"At the present time I believe it is absolutely uninhabited," I replied.
+As we walked along I told him about the old wall on the mountain, adding
+that it was evidently constructed by civilized people, long ago.  An
+idea occurred to me at that moment concerning the ruined wall, but I
+resolved not to communicate it at present.
+
+As for the wild pigs, I did not believe they would put in an appearance
+in this part of the island.  Reaching the bamboo thicket, we set to work
+cutting a great quantity of them, selecting those from two to four
+inches in diameter, I, meanwhile, explaining to Mr. Harborough how I
+proposed to construct the raft.  We labored incessantly the entire day,
+only stopping, when the sun stood directly overhead, to allay the
+cravings of our appetites; and reaching the house, we were delighted to
+find that Miss Harborough had dinner all ready for us, she having
+roasted some yams and the only remaining bread fruit.  I resolved to
+make a trip to the pool and procure another supply at once.
+
+Miss Harborough had finished the curtain, and before we returned to our
+bamboo cutting we hung it in place, fastening it with wooden skewers.
+
+While we continued to cut bamboos Miss Harborough wandered about
+admiring and wondering at the many tropical sights and sounds. I
+continued to keep the records of the days on my cocoanut-shell calendar.
+In two days we had cut what I believed was a sufficient number of
+bamboos.  The following day was Sunday; and while we resolved to abstain
+from working on the raft, we agreed that the time was too precious to
+remain entirely idle; so we resolved to devote the day to replenishing
+our larder.
+
+We were early astir and prepared for a trip to the pool.  Before setting
+out I got out the fish net, which I set in the stream, explaining that
+we would remove it on our return, and hoping that it would yield a good
+number of fish.  I took my bow-gun, intending to keep a sharp lookout
+for pigeons, and Miss Harborough carried Puff, I having taken care to
+secure him to her arm by a thong so he could not impede our progress by
+flying away into the thicket.
+
+We followed the bank of the stream and in due time reached the pool
+where we set about, in the best of spirits, gathering water-cocoanuts,
+bread fruit, oranges, bananas and plantains. Refreshing ourselves upon
+some ripe bananas that we found scattered through the bunches, while we
+sat beneath the shade of the broad leaves, we gathered up our spoils and
+set out to return.
+
+I decided to keep along the edge of the forest going back, hoping to bag
+a pigeon or two; and I was so fortunate as to secure four, to the great
+wonder of my companions who marvelled at my markmanship and the accuracy
+of the rude bow-gun.
+
+Arriving home the net was removed from the stream, being nearly half
+filled with fish.  The question of food was settled for several days,
+and we could work on the raft uninterrupted.
+
+Miss Harborough allotted to herself the duty of preparing the food, and
+well did she perform her task.  She not only had our meals ready with
+unfailing regularity, but her womanly instinct enabled her to devise
+dinners, dainty and appetising innovations in the simple cookery, that
+were most acceptable.
+
+The foundation of the raft was laid by placing bamboos on the beach just
+out of reach of the surf, there being no discernable tide, about one
+foot apart.  The poles, forming a layer, were about eighteen feet long,
+and there were fourteen of them.  This fixed the dimensions of the raft,
+eighteen by fourteen feet.  These were firmly lashed together with
+lianas from the thicket near by, which were passed over and under each
+alternate pole, across to the opposite side and back again, six times
+across, with double weaving at the ends.  Next we cut a great quantity
+of reeds and laid them evenly over the frame-work, to the thickness of
+about two feet.  Another frame was then made the same size as the first,
+which was placed over the reeds and bound firmly to the bottom frame, to
+which it was firmly fastened with lianas around the edges, forming a
+sort of mattress. This process was repeated until the raft was fully six
+feet thick.  This work, as is to be supposed, occupied several days; but
+when it was completed we had reason to feel proud of the result.
+Indeed, it was the outcome of no little skill.
+
+We expected that the buoyancy of the materials of which it was
+constructed, together with its great thickness, would enable the raft to
+float with its top high out of the water, which would allow it it to
+support a considerable load.  And, besides, it was so light that our
+combined efforts sufficed to move it quite readily.  On the morning of
+the day following its completion, we launched the raft, and to our great
+satisfaction saw that it floated like a cork.  We decided that a long
+bamboo to be used as a scull-oar would be the best means of propelling
+it.  One half of the thickness of the larger end of this bamboo was
+split away the length of the first joint, which gave a flat surface to
+offer resistance to the water in sculling.  Another bamboo was provided
+to be used in poling.  We were now ready to set out for the wreck.  Miss
+Harborough expressed a desire to accompany us, but I demurred, until we
+had proved the seaworthiness and stability of the raft, in which her
+father joined.  So she seated herself near the beach and watched us as
+we pushed off.
+
+Beneath our combined weight the raft did not appear to sink perceptibly,
+and it promised to float a good amount of cargo.  This was most pleasing
+to us for it would enable us to remove what we wanted from the vessel
+rapidly. We joined in poling the raft until the water became too deep,
+after which I used the scull from the end, being somewhat of an expert
+by reason of my boyish practice with a punt on the pond near the home of
+my childhood.  The sea was placid, and it required only a few minutes to
+reach the wreck.  I propelled the raft under the bow-sprit and held it
+steady by grasping the martingale, while Mr. Harborough climbed aboard,
+from whence he threw a line with which I quickly made the raft fast, and
+joined him on the deck.
+
+The scene around us was one of confusion. The deck was strewn with a
+tangled mass of rigging, rendering it not a little difficult to move
+about.
+
+"I think," said Mr. Harborough, "that we should proceed systematically
+through the vessel, and I suggest that we first proceed to the cabin."
+
+So we descended the companionway which led to the roomy cabin.  It was
+comfortably, though not luxuriously fitted up, after the usual style of
+vessels going on long voyages. Mr. Harborough proceeded to collect all
+his clothing, while I, at his suggestion, gathered into a bundle all of
+the wearing apparel that had belonged to the captain, to be appropriated
+to my own use; and indeed, I was sadly in need of it. We did not disturb
+Miss Harborough's cabin, having decided to let her accompany us on the
+next trip, when she could gather up her own belongings.
+
+"There seems to be nothing else that can be of use to us," said Mr.
+Harborough, glancing around the cabin.
+
+"Oh, but why not take the chairs?  They are fastened to the floor of the
+cabin, but there must be tools on board in the carpenter's kit, with
+which we can easily remove them.  And, then, the charts, the chronometer
+and the compass.  Who knows but that they may be of great use to us?  I
+am sure the compass would, at least."
+
+"That is true," he replied; "I fear that I am not very used to being a
+castaway."
+
+"A few months will accustom you to such an existence," I replied.
+
+So we went forward and found the carpenter's chest, from which we took
+all the tools necessary to remove the cabin chairs, and the compass.
+These, with the chronometer and the clothing, we deposited together in
+the cabin. Next we set about collecting all the small sized rope and all
+the cooking utensils in the galley, which we placed with the cabin
+crockery.  We debated whether it would be advisable to attempt to remove
+the galley stove to the shore; but, because of its weight and the
+consequent great difficulty in removing it, we abandoned the idea.  As
+we moved about the deck we could see Miss Harborough by the beach, and
+we frequently signalled to her, fearing that she might be lonesome
+alone, amid such strange surroundings.
+
+As I stood gazing at the beautiful island, densely covered with tropical
+vegetation, radiant with golden light, I made out the mountain on which
+I had erected the beacon, which I could dimly see.  I called Mr.
+Scarborough's attention to it, and expressed my disappointment that it
+was so dimly visible; but when I reflected that the mountain was much
+nearer the east coast, I took a brighter view of it, for I believed that
+the island must be one of the Virgin Islands; and, if so, it must be one
+of the most easterly.  Still I could not make up my mind what the land I
+had sighted far to the eastward from the mountain top might be.  If it
+was one of the northern Leeward Islands, then we could not be far out of
+the track of vessels.  In this case the beacon must, sooner or later, be
+seen from some passing ship.
+
+Overhauling the stores we found quantities of provisions, canned and
+dried fruits, salt, half a barrel of salted beef, nearly two barrels of
+flour, a great quantity of sweet potatoes and several gross of matches.
+Indeed, nothing seemed to be lacking.
+
+We now set about loading the raft, lowering the different articles over
+the side by means of a rope, distributing the weight over the raft. We
+loaded it until it settled to within a foot of the top, and a great
+quantity of freight it took. At this rate it would require but few trips
+to complete the work.  Taking the clothing aboard we started ashore,
+which we reached without accident, though it required considerably more
+time to scull the heavily loaded raft.  Being so deeply laden, it
+grounded several feet from the beach, so that in unloading it, we had to
+wade back and forth through the water.
+
+Everything was stored snugly in the house before sundown.
+
+On the morning following we made another early start for the wreck, Miss
+Harborough with us this time.  As before, the raft was made fast to the
+bow-sprit, and Miss Harborough was hoisted aboard in a bo'sn's chair.
+We proceeded to load the raft, intending to make two trips during the
+day.  This was soon accomplished, and taking the compass and the
+chronometer, as well as Miss Harborough's trunk, we were about to cast
+off, when, with an exclamation, Mr. Harborough grasped the chains and
+disappeared on deck, presently returning with face aglow, carrying in
+each hand a gun.  Such good fortune was almost overpowering, for with
+guns we could not only defend ourselves effectively, if necessary, but
+easily secure plenty of game.  He explained that there was a quantity of
+cartridges for the rifle as well as considerable ammunition for the
+shot-gun, in the cabin. Each day we continued to make one or two trips
+to the vessel, the weather fortunately continuing calm, with the result
+that we stripped her of everything that we could move, and that could
+possibly be of use to us.  We soon discovered that we could store in the
+house only such articles as there would constantly be use for, so we
+proceeded to build another addition from the other side, opposite Miss
+Harborough's apartment, to serve exclusively as a store-room. Thus our
+abode extended to quite a pretentious establishment.  The raft, no
+longer in use, we hauled up among the cocoanut palms.  We had been so
+busy since the barkentine came ashore that we had not been able to
+extend the stockade around the two additions to the house. This we
+proceeded to do, following the same plan of construction as I had
+previously done, joining it to the main structure at the four corners,
+thus making an enclosure of quite twice the area of the original
+compound.  We planted yam vines all around the new stockade, varying our
+labors by making trips to the pool for provisions, going on excursions
+into the forest, but never far away, securing pigeons with the aid of
+the shot-gun, but seeing no animals, and fishing in the stream.  We
+lived sumptuously, with the fruit and the plentiful supplies from the
+vessel.  At my suggestion, we planted a quantity of sweet potatoes,
+selecting a sunny spot near the stream, breaking up the ground with
+poles sharpened with the aid of a good axe, which we found in the
+carpenter's kit.  Indeed, we found several tools, such as a bit, auger,
+two saws; and a hammer that were of great use to us; and fortunately a
+few nails.  I had some doubt as to the success of our sweet potato
+experiment, believing that the tropical climate would prove too warm for
+them, remembering that they flourish to the greatest perfection in the
+eastern-central part of our own country. However, the experiment was
+worth trying in the interest of future food supplies.  We had, from the
+first, kept a close watch along the shore all along the bay, in case
+bodies of other members of the barkentine's crew came ashore. But none
+did, and, with the axe, we hewed a rude head-board from a hard-wood
+plank which we had brought from the vessel, for the grave of the man
+whom we had buried, carving thereon the name "William Clayton," together
+with the day and year of his death.
+
+We discussed the advisability of setting fire to the wreck, but after
+mature consideration we decided that so long as it remained intact, it
+might serve to attract attention should a vessel be passing, and thus
+lead to our rescue.
+
+We had much leisure, and I took occasion to make known a project which I
+had in mind from the first, that of making a trip to the mountain.  For
+one thing I wished to see if the beacon had withstood the hurricane;
+and, more than all, an idea had taken possession of me, growing stronger
+every day, that a careful investigation around the ruined wall might
+lead to interesting, and, perhaps, important revelations.  My companions
+were delighted with the prospect, and we at once set about making
+preparations for the journey; and here a new idea suggested itself.  We
+must carry with us as large a quantity of provisions as possible, and
+how could this be accomplished?  We would make knapsacks from
+sail-cloth.  Why had we not thought to bring the sails of the barkentine
+ashore?  The raft was again launched, and we removed the smaller sails
+from the vessel; and, by searching among the seamen's dunnage in the
+forecastle, we found several sailors' needles and twine.  All working
+together, we soon fashioned two square bags, with straps of several
+thicknesses of cloth, with which to sling them upon our backs.  The next
+most important thing was the selection of the articles to be carried
+with us.  Provisions must form the bulk of the packs, and we made the
+selection with the greatest care.  We also proposed to take along the
+axe, a coil of rope, the ship's compass, which was removed from the
+gimbals, and, of course, the two guns, Mr. Harborough carrying the
+rifle, while I took the shot-gun.  We made belts from the sail-cloth for
+carrying ammunition.  The axe formed part of my equipment. A light
+bundle of clothing was made up for Miss Harborough who also took charge
+of Puff, who was made fast to her arm by a piece of twine. Everything
+was made snug in the house, and the remaining sail-cloth was carefully
+spread over the stores to be left behind.  The door was securely closed,
+and one bright morning we were ready to start, first taking, by means of
+the compass, the bearings of the mountain.  It was my intention to
+proceed by a different route from those I had followed in going to and
+returning from the mountain, for two reasons. One was that I wished to
+further explore the island, which a new route would enable me to do, and
+the other was that a direct route through the forest would be much
+shorter, requiring us to encamp but one night.  My companions fully
+agreed with this idea.  The stream was followed as far as the pool,
+where we entered the forest.  It consisted of many varieties of trees,
+one kind being of large size, with a smooth, straight trunk, towering to
+a great height, without branches.  This, Mr. Harborough said, was the
+mahogany tree.
+
+Great lianas entwined the trees and many creepers, some bearing
+exquisite blossoms that called forth exclamations of delight from Miss
+Harborough, depended from the branches; and in some places the
+vegetation was so dense that we were compelled to cut a way with the
+axe. At Mr. Harborough's suggestion and at her request I ceased to
+address his daughter as Miss Harborough, and thereafter called her
+Marjorie, as did her father; for, as they both said, we were exiles
+together, and formality was superfluous.  We were in excellent spirits
+and made rapid progress.  When the sun was in the zenith, as we could
+see by an occasional glimpse through an opening in the dense canopy
+above us, we paused by a tiny stream of clear water for refreshments and
+a short rest.  Our repast finished, while Mr. Harborough and I conversed
+concerning the present and the future, Marjorie wandered away a short
+distance, searching for new and beautiful flowers.  Just as we rose to
+resume the march, and were about to call her, we heard an agonizing
+scream coming from the forest at no great distance away.  It was clear
+that something had befallen Marjorie.  Grasping the guns, we dashed in
+the direction indicated by her cries, and presently we saw her dress
+through the undergrowth.  As we hastened forward a sight met our eyes
+which caused us to come to a sudden halt and to gaze in horror at the
+spectacle before us; for there was Marjorie, crying out no longer, her
+limp body in the grasp of what looked like a dark, shrivelled-up old
+man.
+
+It seemed to be four or five feet tall, with a face almost black, its
+body covered with short hair.  The limbs were long, small, and the legs
+were bent.  We both shouted, at which the monster released Marjorie,
+allowing her to fall to the ground, while it stood motionless, looking
+at us, but making no sound.  Almost at the same instant it stooped and
+grasped a huge club which lay at its feet.  We waited no longer, and
+both raised our guns and fired.  Evidently our excitement disconcerted
+our aim, for the monster, without giving forth a sound, sprang to the
+great tree near which it stood and began to climb it rapidly, keeping to
+the side opposite to us.  We hastened around, and Mr. Harborough fired
+another shot from his rifle, but without apparent effect, for the
+creature quickly reached the branches and disappeared.
+
+We hastened to Marjorie who had recovered from her swoon, and was able
+to give us an account of her adventure.  There was little for her to
+tell.  She was walking leisurely along, stopping to admire a flower or a
+brilliant butterfly, when, without warning, she felt herself in the
+grasp of the horrible creature.  She screamed and then fainted.  We were
+unable to conjecture what sort of a creature it might be, for we were
+not aware that the tropical regions of the Western Hemisphere contained
+large apes.
+
+While we were discussing the matter, I remembered a story which I had
+read years before about a creature found in the depths of the South
+American forest, which was called a "Burghree."  As I recollected the
+story, the description of the "Burghree" corresponded very nearly to the
+monster we had just encountered.  Marjorie, having now recovered,
+although she was still somewhat weak, we again went to the tree and
+peered sharply among the branches.
+
+"It seems to me," said Mr. Harborough at length, "that I see something
+which looks like a great nest, far up in the tree-top."
+
+I looked more closely and also saw it.
+
+Clearly this was the home of the strange creature, and then I
+recollected that the story of the "Burghree" corresponded almost exactly
+to the present realization, for it retired to a great platform of
+branches and grass, far up in the tree-top, whence it hurled defiance
+and clubs at the men below, while this one uttered no sound.  Another
+shot from the rifle was without result, and we decided that it would be
+not only useless but folly to waste more ammunition. Resuming our march,
+few words passed between us for a long time.  As for myself, I was
+absorbed with my own thoughts, and Mr. Harborough seemed to be occupied
+in like manner.
+
+Suddenly I stopped and rested my gun upon the ground.
+
+"Mr. Harborough," said I, "did you notice that the face of the creature
+looked more like a human face than that of an ape, and that the feet and
+hands seemed to be unlike an ape's feet and hands?"
+
+"I noticed the face," he answered.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XVIII.*
+
+          _*The March Continued; Arrival on the Mountain*_*.*
+
+
+As we went on our cheerfulness returned.
+
+We saw occasional pigeons and many beautiful plumaged birds, among which
+were parrots and paroquets that kept up a noisy clatter. We also
+encountered a species of brown and yellow ground-snake about two feet
+long, which did not appear to be harmful, as it always seemed anxious to
+get away.  Frogs, small lizards and crabs were plentiful, and I presume
+some of the latter were edible.  Coming to a thicket of thorn-bush just
+as the dusk began to settle across our path, we prepared to camp for the
+night.  A square space was cleared in the thicket, some leafy branches
+were laid across the top to serve as a roof, wood was gathered, and a
+fire was built in front; and we proceeded to roast a few yams and two
+fat pigeons that I had shot late in the afternoon; and opening a can of
+peaches, we made a bountiful repast. We soon sought repose, and, as no
+sound save the murmuring of the breeze through the trees came from the
+forest, sleep came quickly to all of us.  We were aroused the next
+morning at daybreak by Puff who was screaming at the top of his voice at
+a flock of wild parrots in the trees above, and in an incredibly short
+time we were again on the march.  We had proceeded only a short distance
+when we came to a small open place covered with grass, and we were about
+to skirt its edge when close in front of us came an angry "woof."
+
+"Wild pigs," I cried, greatly alarmed, for, from my previous encounter,
+I understood their savage nature.
+
+At the moment an ugly looking boar showed his head directly in front of
+us.  Mr. Harborough was about to fire, but I restrained him, knowing
+that the least disturbance might bring a drove of these savage beasts
+upon us.
+
+"Let us quietly withdraw as quickly as possible," I said, "and make a
+detour of the forest."
+
+This plan was carried out, and, to my great relief, successfully, for
+the boar disappeared in the grass, and we saw no more of it.
+
+Having the compass, we were able to keep the right direction, pushing
+forward rapidly, only stopping a short time at mid-day for dinner, and
+the sun was yet high in the heavens when we came to the first rising
+ground, and I knew that we had reached the foot of the mountain.
+
+Presently I saw familiar land-marks, and I was able to lead the way to
+the top.  The beacon was standing exactly as I had left it.  We
+proceeded to my cave-dwelling, where everything was found pretty much as
+I had left it, except that the barricade before the door showed some
+decay.  There was still some time before nightfall, during which, after
+depositing our sacks within, we cut a quantity of grass for beds and
+gathered a quantity of fire-wood.  We also partitioned off one corner of
+the room for Marjorie, fixing a bamboo across, to which hung cocoanut
+cloth which we found in abundance a short distance away, fastening it
+together with pegs, and thus we were comfortably settled soon after our
+arrival; and, as we enjoyed the evening meal, we talked over future
+plans.  I promised to show my companions the ruined wall in the morning,
+as we retired to rest.
+
+The orange trees and banana plants near the ruin were still thrifty and
+bore abundant fruit, and we regaled ourselves as I showed my companions
+the old wall.  Mr. Harborough took the greatest interest in it, and we
+speculated as to its origin.  Other matters, however, engaged our
+attention from day to day.  The compass was taken to the foot of the
+beacon, and the bearings of the land which I had discovered in the
+distance accurately determined.
+
+It lay exactly southeast, half east, from where we stood.
+
+"In my opinion," said Mr. Harborough, "this small island where we now
+are is one of the most northeasterly of the Virgin Islands, and that
+land in the distance is one of the same group."
+
+"But," I said, "if that is the case should we not be able to see some of
+the other islands to the westward?"  I was aware that there were several
+islands in the Virgin Group.
+
+"Not necessarily," he answered, "for they lie very low on the ocean."
+
+We spent much time about the beacon, improving our habitation, in
+gathering fruit and shooting pigeons for our larder; and we took twelve
+days in making a trip to the low south-east coast, marching along the
+shore and returning from the northeast.  We found animal life even
+scarcer than on the west side.  Birds were not so plentiful, though we
+found some pigeons, and saw plenty of little green lizards and crabs.
+We made no discoveries that promised to be of use to us.  On our return
+I took my companions to the mouth of the guano cave, but Marjorie
+declined to enter and Mr. Harborough did not appear anxious to do so.
+We made frequent trips to the ruined wall, and searched the enclosure
+carefully.  The more we studied it the more we were convinced that the
+wall had served as a foundation for some structure.
+
+One day as we were returning with fruit, Mr. Harborough had fallen
+behind to examine a spot which had escaped attention, when we were
+arrested by a sudden exclamation from him. He had dropped upon his knees
+and was eagerly clearing away the plants and grass with his hands.
+
+We hastened to him, inquiring what he had discovered.  He pointed to a
+square, flat stone. It was about four feet square and seemed to open
+like a hatchway.  He had stepped upon it and felt it rock, very
+slightly, beneath his weight, but enough to attract his attention.  Did
+the stone conceal an opening, the entrance to an ancient dungeon, or a
+treasure vault?  We were nearly overcome with excitement, not unmixed
+with awe, and I confess to a feeling of dread as I contemplated what
+might be below if the stone really covered an opening to a subterranean
+chamber.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XIX.*
+
+             _*An Ancient Ruin; A Wonderful Discovery*_*.*
+
+
+The edges of the opening, around the stone, were crumbled and cracked,
+and after scraping away the accumulation of moss and mold we found that
+we were able to remove a large piece of rock which left a space of
+sufficient depth to receive a lever.  We hastened to the edge of the
+forest, where we selected a small tree of hard wood, which we felled;
+and from it we made a lever about fifteen feet in length.  The larger
+end was flattened a little with the axe, in order that it should fit
+closely against the stone in prying it up.
+
+We next moved a large stone from the wall, which we placed about three
+feet from the aperture which was to receive the lever, to act as a
+fulcrum.  Then we lifted the great lever, placed the flattened end into
+the aperture, let it rest against the stone fulcrum, and reaching up as
+near the elevated end of the lever as possible, brought our combined
+weight to bear upon it.
+
+The flat stone moved slowly upward, and Marjorie, who stood near, in her
+eagerness, bent over the opening.  Almost at the same moment she started
+violently back, gasping for breath. The foul air, which rushed from the
+opening, had nearly suffocated her.
+
+Working together nearer the upper end of the lever, the stone was lifted
+a little higher and Mr. Harborough was able to hold it while I placed a
+rock under the stone, which prevented it from falling back when the
+lever was released.
+
+We now gathered around the opening which was not yet wide enough to
+enable us to see far below; but to our great astonishment we saw that a
+flight of stone steps led downward. Below all was dark.  Foul air still
+came from the opening.
+
+"We must wait for the air to purify before entering," I said; "and,
+meanwhile, we will procure lights."
+
+"Why in the world did we not remove the cabin lamps from the vessel?"
+exclaimed Mr. Harborough, "If we only had them now."
+
+"Come to the house," I said, "and I will show you how we will procure a
+light."
+
+Hastening to the house I opened my knapsack and held up the two binnacle
+lamps for the inspection of my companions, much to their amazement.
+
+Both were filled with oil, very little of which had escaped, as I had
+wrapped strips of sailcloth tightly around them.
+
+In answer to their inquiring looks, I reminded them that I had, for a
+long time, believed that some such discovery as the present one might be
+made, and that I had, unknown to them, packed the binnacle lamps which
+had proved to be a fortunate act on my part.
+
+Taking them, with plenty of matches, we returned to the ruin.  Lighting
+a wisp of dry grass, I threw it into the opening.  It fell to the
+bottom, where it continued to burn brightly, showing that the air was
+now pure.  In the momentary glare of the burning grass, we saw that the
+opening was about eight feet deep.
+
+We now procured another stone from the wall, which we placed under the
+lever, increasing the height of the fulcrum so that we were able to lift
+the stone still further; and by pushing the lever around toward one side
+we quickly swung the stone from the opening until it rested at one side.
+
+Lighting the lamps, we cautiously descended the stone stairs.  They were
+covered with what seemed to be finely pulverized mould which had worked
+down from above; but the dampness, incident to an underground chamber
+rendered the steps somewhat slippery, so we had to descend carefully.
+There were ten steps. Reaching the bottom, Mr. Harborough and myself
+leading and Marjorie bringing up the rear, we found ourselves standing
+upon a solid floor, deeply covered with fine mould, but quite dry. The
+floor of the chamber was evidently composed of stone, laid very closely,
+without mortar. The roof was made of great flat stones, supported by two
+rows of pillars made of square blocks of stone, extending the length of
+the chamber.  The walls, roof, pillars and floor were all thickly
+covered with dust.  Searching along the walls, we discovered, at the
+further end, four niches sunk into the wall about five feet, and into
+the rear wall of each niche, there was fixed a massive iron staple, to
+which was fastened an iron chain of crude workmanship.  At the end of
+each chain there was a rough iron collar which was evidently designed to
+be fastened with a rivet.  Stepping into one of the niches, we
+discovered that the floor of it was thickly studded with sharp iron
+spikes which we found, on clearing away the dust, to be about two inches
+in height.  The purpose of the niches was apparent; they were
+unquestionably designed as places of torture.  Well must they have
+served their purpose; for the wretched victim who, on account of the
+short chain fastened to his neck, could not lie down, was compelled to
+stand constantly upon the sharp pointed spikes which would pierce and
+cruelly lacerate the feet.
+
+To what period of the New World's history this dungeon belonged we could
+not even conjecture; but, judging from the style of architecture and the
+cunningly devised method of torture, Mr. Harborough, who had seen the
+ruined forts along the Spanish Main, had no doubt that this chamber was
+connected, in some way, with the old Castilian days in this part of the
+world.
+
+The west wall seemed to be perfectly smooth and unbroken; but on the
+east side of the chamber we found a square stone, measuring something
+like two feet each way, being almost a perfect cube, protruding half way
+from the wall. This was easily removed, and thrusting in one of the
+lamps, we saw what appeared to be a square chest.  Brushing away the
+dust which covered the end of the chest next to us, we saw that it was
+of wood, bound with bands of iron, the whole being thickly studded with
+nails.
+
+"A treasure chest," exclaimed Marjorie; "oh, it seems like the stories
+of the buccaneers."
+
+An iron ring was fastened to the chest, but when we took hold of it and
+tried to draw the chest toward us, we found it to be so heavy that we
+were unable to stir it.  So I went to procure a lever which I cut from a
+small tree near the wall, and returned with it to the chamber.  One end
+of the lever was inserted, upward through the ring of the chest and we
+lifted with our combined strength.
+
+The chest was raised slightly, and then the iron bands, eaten by years
+of rust, broke, and the chest, rotten with age, fell apart.
+
+Marjorie was holding one of the lamps so as to illuminate the chest,
+and, as it broke open, she almost dropped it, while Mr. Harborough and I
+dropped the lever and gazed at the broken chest and at each other in
+speechless astonishment; for the aperture seemed to be full of gold
+coins.
+
+We had discovered a treasure chest, indeed. The coins were of several
+sizes, and all were covered with a brownish dust.  But gold they were,
+and there were thousands and thousands of them.
+
+We examined many of the coins, on which the legends were plainly
+legible.  Each one bore a male head on one side, with dates ranging from
+1517 to 1540; and on the reverse, this superscription:--"Carlos I.,
+Espana: Rex"--Charles I., King of Spain.  We concluded that we had
+discovered a favorite trysting place of sea-rovers who sailed these
+waters carrying death and desolation afloat and ashore under the
+protection of royal authority, with the understanding that the Spanish
+treasury should be enriched thereby.
+
+Here, before us, with no one else to claim it, was wealth beyond our
+power to estimate.
+
+"It is utterly useless to us here," said Mr. Harborough, as we discussed
+the importance of our discovery.
+
+"True," I replied, "but as we have no intention of always remaining on
+this island, it may prove to be of great service to us.  To this end we
+must consider what immediate disposal we will make of all this wealth."
+
+"And," I continued, as we replaced the stone in the aperture and
+withdrew from the chamber, "it seems to me that the first step toward
+ensuring to ourselves the future enjoyment of all this wealth, should be
+to transport it to the cove and store it in our house."
+
+This proposition of mine was the beginning of much discussion and
+consideration for several days thereafter, during which it was
+definitely decided that the gold must be transported to our house at the
+cove; and we began to consider how this task, not a trifling one, could
+be accomplished.
+
+Clearly there was but one sure and safe way, and that, to carry it there
+ourselves.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XX.*
+
+           *"*_*The Golden Treasure;*_*" *_*Its Removal*_*.*
+
+
+It was finally settled that we would transport the golden treasure to
+Sargent, at the cove, in the knapsacks on our backs.  To do this would
+require several journeys through the forest; but as time was no object
+to us, what more could we ask than to be able, during our exile, to so
+easily acquire wealth which would render us independent for life; for
+rescued we must surely be, sooner or later.
+
+We decided that no part of the walls should remain uninspected.  Every
+square foot of it was carefully examined, but we found no indications of
+other openings.  One day, however, while looking at the east wall, I
+noticed one of the stones which seemed to be more loosely set into the
+wall than any of the others; and on examining it more closely, the upper
+edge appeared to be chipped as though some pointed instrument had been
+inserted.  It at once occurred to me that this may have been caused by
+prying the stone out--in other words, I mistrusted that the stone might
+conceal the entrance to another chamber.
+
+We examined it closely and came to the conclusion that it would be worth
+while to remove the stone.  We worked at it for several days without
+making any perceptible impression.
+
+It was too heavy and we could devise no appliance to assist us
+materially.  Finally it occurred to me that we might remove a flag-stone
+of the floor, dig under the stone and compel it to drop from its place.
+We soon discovered, however, that it rested upon the flag-stone next to
+it.  Not to abandon the project, we at last succeeded in removing the
+second flag-stone from the wall, which enabled us to excavate the earth
+from beneath the flag-stone next to the wall.  This we accomplished
+after a great deal of hard work, for our only excavating tools consisted
+of sharpened and flattened pieces of wood. At last, however, the
+flag-stone settled into the the excavation and the stone in this way
+fell outward.  To our great astonishment this was followed by a rush of
+air from the aperture.  We did not, at first, know what to make of this,
+but we shortly agreed that we had found the entrance to an underground
+passage leading to the open air.
+
+Indeed this idea seemed quite reasonable, for we had often read of such
+passages in connection with the strongholds of the early days; either as
+a means of offence or defence, or of escape.
+
+Taking the two lamps I preceded Mr. Harborough into the passage,
+Marjorie bringing up the rear.  From the first it was evident that the
+passage was not artificial, but a natural cavern. Indeed as we proceeded
+it proved to be a simple guano cave, the stalactites being grimy and the
+stalagmites buried beneath long years accumulations of guano.  In its
+general character it did not differ materially from the cave which I had
+discovered on the east side of the mountain during my former sojourn.
+The ceiling of this one, however, was higher so that we were able to
+walk upright; and it had no windings. Proceeding a few rods we came to a
+second chamber, leading off at right angles; but the opening was so
+small that we would have had to crawl through it and we did not consider
+it worth while to enter it, at present, at least.  The thought occurred
+to me that the passage connected this cavern with the one which I had
+previously discovered; for, as I thought the matter over, I believed
+that the two must run nearly parallel.  Myriads of bats flitted about,
+almost flying against our faces, and several times nearly extinguishing
+our lamps.  In a few minutes we came to a fair-sized chamber, nearly
+circular and perhaps a dozen feet in diameter; and as we entered it we
+were astonished to find that it was partially illumined by daylight.
+Stranger still, mounted on two huge wooden blocks were two brass cannon,
+pointing away from us.
+
+"An ingenious fortification," remarked Mr. Harborough.
+
+"A masked battery," said Marjorie.
+
+We now examined the guns closely.  They were covered with a greenish
+corrosion, and were, as I have said, brass.  They were of exactly the
+same size, about four-inch, and on the breech of each was stamped the
+following, together with the arms of Spain: "Espana: 1512."  We saw that
+we had reached the mouth of the cave, which was thickly filled with a
+mass of bushes and creepers.  We resolved to clear away the obstruction
+at once, and I returned to the chamber for the axe.  With it and our
+knives we soon cleared away the vegetable growths, and behold, we stood
+on the side of the mountain a few yards from the mouth of cave,
+overlooking the ocean to the eastward. The purpose of the guns was quite
+apparent. They commanded the approach to the mountain, and to an
+advancing enemy were utterly invisible, as a shelf of rock hid the
+entrance from below.  This latter discovery did not promise to be of any
+special importance to us, it was most interesting.  Our whole effort,
+now, was put forth toward transporting the gold to the cove on the west
+coast; and placing as many of the coins in each knapsack as we could
+each carry comfortably, we packed enough provisions to last at least two
+days, and set out.  As we had done on the journey to the mountains, we
+followed the edge of the forest making a short detour, when about half
+way, to avoid a possible encounter with the wild pigs. Mr. Harborough
+and myself would have liked very much to risk an encounter with them,
+but the safety of Marjorie was our first consideration, and these
+animals were very fierce.  So as we had grave doubts as to their
+desirability for food we decided to give them a wide berth.  Nothing
+occurred to give excitement to the march and toward the end of the
+second day we reached the house in the cove, where we found everything
+entirely undisturbed.  We immediately set to work to make several strong
+bags of sail-cloth, each being about two feet long and half as wide, in
+which to store the gold.  This occupied us one full day, and after
+storing the gold we had brought, in a corner of the hut, burying it
+beneath the kitchen utensils, we took sufficient provisions to last us
+during the return march and set out.  Numerous trips were made to and
+from the mountain which consumed several weeks.  Meanwhile we had made
+an additional discovery, almost as important as the first. As we
+gradually removed the gold contained in the chest we saw that there was
+another chest beyond it.  Like the first it fell to pieces on being
+moved.  Beyond it was a solid wall of stone. But the second chest was
+not so heavy as the first, and it proved to be only about half filled
+with gold.  The rest was occupied with rolls of manuscript, all of which
+fell to powder when exposed to the air, leaving not one scrap on which
+the faded writing was legible.
+
+At last only what gold we could carry away on one more trip remained.
+During our march to and fro from the coast we had kept a sharp watch for
+the "wild man," as we called him, and Marjorie always kept very close to
+us while passing through that part of the forest.
+
+But we saw no signs of him.
+
+
+
+
+                             *CHAPTER XXI.*
+
+          _*Preparing for Departure; Death of the Monster*_*.*
+
+
+On the morning of the day on which we were to set out with the last
+packs of gold, the sky was partly overcast, and far down in the eastern
+horizon the sky line was blended into a leaden haze, which gradually
+disappeared as the sun ascended toward the zenith.  This I knew, was a
+premonition of the approaching rainy season, which I knew was always
+preceded for several weeks by a thin veil of clouds and the murky
+atmosphere of the horizon in the morning.
+
+This decided us to make this our last journey, and to remain at the cove
+after our next arrival there; for there we were sheltered, to a great
+degree, from the rain and our house was much more comfortable than the
+abode beneath the rock on the mountain, which was dreary during the long
+rain, as I knew from experience.  At the cove we had a substantial
+house, and, with the stores and utensils from the wreck we should be
+very comfortably situated.  And, beside, we had gradually, as we marched
+back and forth, evolved a scheme to remove some of the deck planks of
+the vessel and such lumber as we found available, and to try, during the
+rainy season, to construct a substantial boat in which we might venture
+to leave the island.  We planned to construct a great shed, closed in on
+three sides and left open at the end facing the beach.  Beneath this we
+would lay the keel of our craft and test our skill as ship-builders.
+
+So, with our guns, clothing, such other articles as we wished to take
+back with us, and of course, Puff, after closing the cliff-house we
+proceeded to the chamber beneath the ruin to pack the remaining gold.
+Our knapsacks were speedily filled, and we prepared to leave the
+chamber.
+
+Marjorie preceded us to the stairs, but scarcely had she reached the
+first step when she darted back to us shrieking and trembling, her face
+ashy pale.
+
+She crouched between us, unable to speak, her eyes staring wildly toward
+the stone steps. I sprang forward and looked up toward the opening.
+There I saw, standing between us and the sky, silent as a statue, with
+eyes glaring down at us--the wild man of the forest.
+
+There was no mistaking it; but this time it looked less like an ape and
+more like a human being.
+
+Without looking around I beckoned to Mr. Harborough.  He stepped to my
+side, and catching sight of the horrible thing above us, he raised his
+rifle and fired.  The report roared around the chamber and the stairway
+was filled with smoke.  Simultaneously a heavy body rolled down the
+slippery stairs and lay outstretched at our feet.  It was the wild
+man--lifeless; its limbs outstretched and its wide-open eyes staring up
+at us.
+
+Never again do I wish to look upon such a horrible object.  We shrank
+back in the doorway, feeling weak and faint; Marjorie clung to her
+father, her eyes gleaming with terror, a look of horror upon her face.
+
+After we had recovered our courage and the first shock had partly passed
+away, we approached closely and examined the strange being.  It was
+human in every detail, the hair, arms, legs, feet, eyes and face.  It
+had once been a man, but what a marvelous transformation had taken
+place!  The body was entirely covered with short brownish hair which
+grew several inches long on the breast.  The hair of the head was dark
+brown in color, long, tangled and matted.  The nose and mouth were
+regular, and the teeth were in fair condition.  The eyes were either
+blue or gray, we could not tell exactly which.  The finger-nails were
+long, which made the hands look like claws.
+
+The skin was tanned by exposure to sun and rain until it was a dark
+bronze hue.  We pondered long concerning the history of this strange
+being; for a human being it surely was; once like ourselves.
+
+In death it was less repugnant than in life. Now that we had become
+accustomed to look at it, it impressed us only as a poor dead outcast,
+of whom we knew nothing.
+
+There could be but one solution to the mystery.  Either the wretched
+person had been marooned, or, like ourselves had been cast away on the
+island, and, driven mad by solitude, exposure and the contemplation of
+his position had probably for several years roamed the forest as a wild
+man--a wild beast in every sense, except his origin.  We moved the body
+to a corner of the chamber, composed the limbs and went out into the
+sunlight.
+
+The long lever remained under the stone which had covered the opening,
+and we worked it back into place--closing the treasure chamber, now a
+tomb.  We covered the stone thickly with earth and turned toward the
+forest.
+
+Without further incident we reached the house at the cove and proceeded
+to put everything in order in anticipation of the coming rainy season
+which, we promised ourselves should be a busy one with us, between boat
+building and general occupations; and we viewed the future not without
+pleasant anticipations. We were comfortable, with every want supplied, a
+happy family sharing a common lot.
+
+Never was there a complaint made by any of us.  We indulged in
+conversation about home, our individual lives, and discussed matters of
+present and future moment.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XXII.*
+
+                _*Boat Building; a Startling Sound*_*.*
+
+
+Out first work of magnitude was the construction of a great shed in
+which to build the boat, sheltered from the weather.  This occupied us
+many days; for it was of considerable size, twenty-five feet long and
+about two thirds as wide.  The method of construction was exactly the
+same as in the other structures and need not be described again.  It was
+closed all around except the end next to the beach. This was left open
+to afford both air and light.
+
+House-building was varied by several trips to the stranded vessel which
+remained on the reef precisely as we had left it.  Our raft, too, was in
+a perfect state of repair.
+
+Many of the deck planks we removed, as well as all the boarding of the
+deck-house and the sheathing in the cabin.  We were careful to save
+every nail, and we found a further supply in the fore-castle.  These,
+though common "cut" nails, could readily be transformed into "clinch"
+nails by heating, in which form they would be available for fastening
+the boat together.
+
+The heavy deck planking we proposed to use for the keel and frame of the
+craft, as well as for oars and thole-pins.  All the lumber and such
+small rope as we believed would be of use to us, also quantities of
+sail-cloth, were transported to the shore and piled inside the shed.
+
+These duties were varied by occasional trips to the forest to hunt wild
+pigeons, fishing in the stream or jaunts to the pool for fruit.  These
+were holidays to us, during which work was forgotten and we all entered
+into the spirit of the occasion.
+
+Day by day the clouds of the morning lingered longer and longer and were
+less quickly dispelled by the sun's rays.  They became more sombre as
+the days went by, and sunset was preceded by fitful gusts of wind,
+indicating that the rainy season was coming on apace.  So we abandoned
+further work on the boat and began to lay in a supply of cocoanuts and
+yams.
+
+While returning from the pool one day, as we passed the bamboo thicket
+an idea occurred to me which I lost no time in communicating to Mr.
+Harborough.
+
+It was this; to fasten bamboos, of good size, around our boat, outside,
+immediately below the gunwales, reaching from stem to stern.  This would
+render it more buoyant, for the bamboo, consisting as it does of hollow
+joints, would have the same effect as air bags, or water-tight
+compartments.  Such a device would, I believed, make it impossible to
+capsize the boat, thus making it doubly seaworthy and rendering our
+escape from exile more certain.
+
+"It is a capital idea," exclaimed Mr. Harborough. "And while we are
+about it," I continued, "we may as well select a bamboo for a mast."
+
+My companions fully approved of my ideas and we at once set to work to
+cut the bamboos and carry them to the boat-house.
+
+This work occupied us a good many days, for it was slow and laborious,
+even with the aid of the axe; for the outer part of the bamboo is
+extremely hard.
+
+We now proceeded to strengthen the outer part of the wall of the house,
+and to renew the thatch of the roofs, all of which required several days
+of labor, cutting the grass and fastening it into place.
+
+A large supply of wood was gathered and stored in the farther end of the
+boat-shed; in short we made every preparation for a comfortable rainy
+season, protected from the wind and the rain.  Hurricanes could not be
+guarded against, so we only hoped that they would give us a wide berth.
+
+The first showers had set in ere we resumed work on the boat.  From one
+of the best planks we fashioned the keel, which was laid with some
+ceremony, Marjorie constituting the audience; after which we set about
+getting out the stern-post and the frame-pieces.  While we were thus
+occupied Marjorie performed the house-hold duties, and, at odd times,
+busied herself heating the nails white-hot, and dropping them into
+water, which process transformed them into "clinch" nails.
+
+She also made several bags from sail-cloth strongly sewed, for the
+reception of the gold. The bags were filled with the coins, securely
+sewed up and stored away in Marjorie's trunk, nearly filling it.  We
+decided that this would be the safest way to dispose of it for the
+present.
+
+Work on the boat went on apace, each day being much like its
+predecessor.  The daily showers became more frequent and copious and we
+saw the sun less often.
+
+At times we felt depressed and our isolation grew irksome.
+
+One morning, having had breakfast, we started for the boat-house, when
+we were brought to a sudden stand-still.
+
+A long-drawn sound like a trumpet blown at a distance echoed and
+reverberated through the trees.  It continued several seconds, during
+which we remained in a listening attitude.
+
+Neither of us spoke.
+
+It was repeated again; what could it mean, what could it be?
+
+Surely it could not come from any wild animal for we had seen none
+larger than a pig.
+
+Had we been believers in the existence of demons, we must have at once
+decided that a demon lurked in the forest behind us.
+
+
+
+
+                            *CHAPTER XXIII.*
+
+               _*Rescue at Hand; Leaving the Island*_*.*
+
+
+Marjorie had heard the sound, also, and came toward us.
+
+Suddenly she pointed out toward the sea, uttering the exclamation,
+"look."
+
+We both turned and looked in the direction indicated.
+
+A boat was rounding the point; a real boat.
+
+There were men in it, four men.  The boat shot around the point and
+began skirting the shore toward us.
+
+We saw that they were black men, dressed in rough but civilized
+garments.
+
+They were conversing among themselves, speaking in a tongue which we did
+not understand.
+
+Were they friends or foes?  Stepping quickly into the house we took our
+guns and waited behind the stockade, standing so we could watch the
+boat.  It had the appearance of a canoe, made of wood.  Evidently the
+black men had seen our house as the canoe was turned toward the shore.
+
+She grounded in a few seconds, and the men sprang ashore.  They
+cautiously approached the boat-shed peered into it, and then came slowly
+toward the house.  Beckoning Marjorie to remain out of sight we grasped
+our guns and stepped boldly out, resolved to meet the emergency
+unhesitatingly, whatever it might be.
+
+To our surprise the black men stopped with a shout of joy.
+
+One a tall, fine looking negro, stepped toward us and extended his hand
+to us.
+
+"Fo' de Lard, Marsa; Who is yo', how long yo' ben heah?"
+
+I told him that I had been here many months, and that my two companions,
+pointing to Mr. Harborough and to Marjorie, who now came forward, had
+been here half as long.
+
+Then he told us a strange story, one which gave us great joy.
+
+He said that they were coming from their island to this one to hunt
+turtles, at the great breeding place which I had discovered on my first
+march to the mountain, and that, while nearing the east coast of our
+island a steamer came along, slowed down and then stopped.
+
+Men on the steamer seemed to be looking at the island with glasses, and
+then the whistle of the steamer was blown.  This was in the late evening
+before.  Presently the steamer started and when it came up with the
+canoe the "cap'n" asked them if there were any people living on the
+island.
+
+The black men answered in the negative, adding that none of the turtle
+hunters dared go far from shore, for a terrible savage monster half man
+and half demon, lurked in the forest. The "cap'n" told them he had seen
+a beacon on the top of the mountain, and that he believed some one was
+signalling for assistance.  So he bargained with them to follow close
+along the shore, searching carefully in every cove, while the steamer
+followed slowly.
+
+The steamer anchored during the night and the black men were taken on
+board.
+
+At daylight that morning the black men continued along the shore in the
+canoe, the steamer following.  As the canoe came in sight of the cove
+they saw the wreck and signalled back to the steamer, which had answered
+by a blast on her whistle.
+
+It was the sound of the steamer's whistle which we heard just before the
+boat appeared. In a few minutes a large steamer came in sight from
+behind the point and anchored off the cove.  A boat was immediately
+lowered and rowed swiftly ashore.  A man in uniform sprang ashore and
+came hurriedly to us, extending both his hands which we eagerly grasped.
+
+He was the second officer of the Royal Mail steamship _Dunmore Castle_,
+from England for West Indian and Colombian ports.  When off the east
+side of the island somewhat out of her course by reason of a heavy
+squall into which she had run a few hours before sighting the island,
+the first officer had seen my beacon and called the Captain's attention
+to it.  The rest had been related by the black men.
+
+My story is nearly told.  We were transported on board the steamer, with
+such of our belonging as we wished to take with us.  The great weight of
+Marjorie's trunk called forth some remarks from the men who handled it,
+but we made some casual allusion to rare sea-shells and other curios and
+felt relieved when the trunk was on board.
+
+The _Dunmore Castle_ proceeded to make her ports of call, during which
+we had to give a detailed account of our life and strange adventures on
+the island, to the wondering passengers.
+
+We were landed at Kingston, Jamaica, from whence we proceeded by stage
+over-land to Port Antonio on the north-east coast, where we embarked on
+the steamship _Sama_, for Boston, with fruit.
+
+I have nothing more of interest to relate, unless the reader may like to
+know that I see Marjorie every day still, and that her father visits us
+at least once each year, when we talk over and over again, the incidents
+that I have, in my humble way, tried to relate.
+
+
+
+
+                                 FINIS.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A BOY CRUSOE ***
+
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