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diff --git a/6897.txt b/6897.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..487f7ce --- /dev/null +++ b/6897.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10328 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Savage, by Captain Marryat + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Little Savage + +Author: Captain Marryat + +Posting Date: March 20, 2014 [EBook #6897] +Release Date: November, 2004 +First Posted: February 9, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LITTLE SAVAGE *** + + + + +Produced by Avinash Kothare, Tom Allen, Charles Franks and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by +Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + +THE LITTLE SAVAGE + +BY + +CAPTAIN MARRYAT + + + + +THIS IS FAIRY GOLD, BOY; AND 'T WILL PROVE SO. + +SHAKESPEARE + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +There is a reference, in _The Life and Letters of Captain Marryat_ by +his daughter Florence Marryat, to "_The Little Savage_, only two +chapters of the second volume of which were written by himself." + +This sentence may be variously interpreted, but most probably implies +that Marryat wrote all Part I (of the first edition) and two chapters +of Part II, that is--as far as the end of Chapter xxiv. The remaining +pages may be the work of his son Frank S. Marryat, who _edited_ the +first edition, supplying a brief preface to Part II:-- + +"I cannot publish this last work of my late father without some +prefatory remarks, as, in justice to the public, as well as to himself, +I should state, that his lamented decease prevented his concluding the +second volume." + +"The present volume has been for some time at press, but the +long-protracted illness of the author delayed its publication." + +_The Little Savage_ opens well. The picture of a lad, who was born on a +desert island--though of English parents--and really deserves to be +called a savage, growing up with no other companionship than that of +his father's murderer, is boldly conceived and executed with some +power. The man Jackson is a thoroughly human ruffian, who naturally +detests the boy he has so terribly injured, and bullies him brutally. +Under this treatment Frank's animal passions are inevitably aroused, +and when the lightning had struck his tyrant blind, he turns upon him +with a quiet savagery that is narrated with admirable detachment. + +This original situation arrests the reader's attention and secures his +interest in Frank Henniker's development towards civilisation and +virtue. His experience of absolute solitude after Jackson's death +serves to bring out his sympathies with animals and flowers; while, on +the arrival of Mrs Reichardt, he proves himself a loyal comrade under +kind treatment. + +It is much to be regretted that Marryat did not live to finish his work. + +R. B. J. + +_The Little Savage_ originally appeared in 1848-49. Marryat, who was +born in 1792, died at Langham, Norfolk, August 9, 1848. + +The following is the list of his published works:-- + +Suggestions for the Abolition of the Present System of Impressment in +the Naval Service, 1822; The Naval Officer, or Scenes and Adventures in +the Life of Frank Mildmay, 1829; The King's Own, 1830; Newton Forster +(from the _Metropolitan Magazine_), 1832; Jacob Faithful (from the +_Metropolitan Magazine_), 1834; Peter Simple, 1834; The Pacha of Many +Tales, 1835; Midshipman Easy (from the _Metropolitan Magazine_), 1836; +Japhet in Search of a Father (from the _Metropolitan Magazine_), 1836; +The Pirate and The Three Cutters, 1836; A Code of Signals for the Use +of Vessels employed in the Merchant Service, 1837; Snarleyyow, or The +Dog Fiend, 1837; A Diary in America, with Remarks on its Institutions, +1839; The Phantom Ship, 1839; Poor Jack, 1840; Olla Podrida (articles +from the _Metropolitan Magazine_), 1840; Joseph Rushbrook, or The +Poacher, 1841; Masterman Ready, or The Wreck of the _Pacific_, 1841; +Percival Keene, 1842; Narrative of the Travels and Adventures of +Monsieur Violet in California, Sonora, and Western Texas, 1843; The +Settlers in Canada, 1844; The Mission, or Scenes in Africa, 1845; The +Privateer's Man, 1846; The Children of the New Forest, 1847; The Little +Savage (posthumous), 1848-49; Valerie (posthumous), 1849; Life and +Letters, Florence Marryat, 1872. + + + + +THE LITTLE SAVAGE + + + + +Chapter I + + +I am about to write a very curious history, as the reader will agree +with me when he has read this book. We have more than one narrative of +people being cast away upon desolate islands, and being left to their +own resources, and no works are perhaps read with more interest; but I +believe I am the first instance of a boy being left alone upon an +uninhabited island. Such was, however, the case; and now I shall tell +my own story. + +My first recollections are, that I was in company with a man upon this +island, and that we walked often along the sea-shore. It was rocky and +difficult to climb in many parts, and the man used to drag or pull me +over the dangerous places. He was very unkind to me, which may appear +strange, as I was the only companion that he had; but he was of a +morose and gloomy disposition. He would sit down squatted in the corner +of our cabin, and sometimes not speak for hours--or he would remain the +whole day looking out at the sea, as if watching for something, but +what I never could tell; for if I spoke, he would not reply; and if +near to him, I was sure to receive a cuff or a heavy blow. I should +imagine that I was about five years old at the time that I first +recollect clearly what passed. I may have been younger. I may as well +here state what I gathered from him at different times, relative to our +being left upon this desolate spot. It was with difficulty that I did +so; for, generally speaking, he would throw a stone at me if I asked +questions, that is, if I repeatedly asked them after he had refused to +answer. It was on one occasion, when he was lying sick, that I gained +the information, and that only by refusing to attend him or bring him +food and water. He would be very angry, and say, that when he got well +again, he would make me smart for it; but I cared not, for I was then +getting strong, whilst he was getting weaker every day, and I had no +love for him, for he had never shown any to me, but always treated me +with great severity. + +He told me, that about twelve years before (not that I knew what he +meant by a year, for I had never heard the term used by him), an +English ship (I did not know what a ship was) had been swamped near the +island, in a heavy gale, and that seven men and one woman had been +saved, and all the other people lost. That the ship had been broken +into pieces, and that they had saved nothing--that they had picked up +among the rocks pieces of the wood with which it had been made, and had +built the cabin in which we lived. That one had died after another, and +had been buried (what death or burial meant, I had no idea at the +time), and that I had been born on the island; (How was I born? thought +I)--that most of them had died before I was two years old; and that +then, he and my mother were the only two left besides me. My mother had +died a few months afterwards. I was obliged to ask him many questions +to understand all this; indeed, I did not understand it till long +afterwards, although I had an idea of what he would say. Had I been +left with any other person, I should, of course, by conversation, have +learnt much; but he never would converse, still less explain. He called +me, Boy, and I called him, Master. His inveterate silence was the +occasion of my language being composed of very few words; for, except +to order me to do this or that, to procure what was required, he never +would converse. He did however mutter to himself, and talk in his +sleep, and I used to lie awake and listen, that I might gain +information; not at first, but when I grew older. He used to cry out in +his sleep constantly.--"A judgment, a judgment on me for my sins, my +heavy sins--God be merciful!" But what judgment, or what sin was, or +what was God, I did not then know, although I mused on words repeated +so often. + +I will now describe the island, and the way in which we lived. The +island was very small, perhaps not three miles round; it was of rock, +and there was no beach nor landing place, the sea washing its sides +with deep water. It was, as I afterwards discovered, one of the group +of islands to which the Peruvians despatch vessels every year to +collect the guano, or refuse of the sea birds which resort to the +islands; but the one on which we were was small, and detached some +distance from the others, on which the guano was found in great +profusion; so that hitherto it had been neglected, and no vessel had +ever come near it. Indeed, the other islands were not to be seen from +it except on a very clear day, when they appeared like a cloud or mist +on the horizon. The shores of the island were, moreover, so +precipitous, that there was no landing place, and the eternal wash of +the ocean would have made it almost impossible for a vessel to have +taken off a cargo. Such was the island upon which I found myself in +company with this man. Our cabin was built of ship-plank and timber, +under the shelter of a cliff, about fifty yards from the water; there +was a flat of about thirty yards square in front of it, and from the +cliff there trickled down a rill of water, which fell into a hole dug +out to collect it, and then found its way over the flat to the rocks +beneath. The cabin itself was large, and capable of holding many more +people than had ever lived in it; but it was not too large, as we had +to secure in it our provisions for many months. There were several +bed-places level with the floor, which were rendered soft enough to lie +on, by being filled with the feathers of birds. Furniture there was +none, except two or three old axes, blunted with long use, a tin +pannikin, a mess kid and some rude vessels to hold water, cut out of +wood. On the summit of the island there was a forest of underwood, and +the bushes extended some distance down the ravines which led from the +summit to the shore. One of my most arduous tasks was to climb these +ravines and collect wood, but fortunately a fire was not often +required. The climate was warm all the year round, and there seldom was +a fall of rain; when it did fall, it was generally expended on the +summit of the island, and did not reach us. At a certain period of the +year, the birds came to the island in numberless quantities to breed, +and their chief resort was some tolerably level ground--indeed, in many +places, it was quite level with the accumulation of guano--which ground +was divided from the spot where our cabin was built by a deep ravine. +On this spot, which might perhaps contain about twenty acres or more, +the sea birds would sit upon their eggs, not four inches apart from +each other, and the whole surface of this twenty acres would be +completely covered with them. There they would remain from the time of +the laying of the eggs, until the young ones were able to leave the +nests and fly away with them. At the season when the birds were on the +island, all was gaiety, bustle, and noise, but after their departure it +was quiet and solitude. I used to long for their arrival, and was +delighted with the animation which gladdened the island, the male birds +diving in every direction after fish, wheeling and soaring in the air, +and uttering loud cries, which were responded to by their mates on the +nests. + +But it was also our harvest time; we seldom touched the old birds, as +they were not in flesh, but as soon as the young ones were within a few +days of leaving the nests, we were then busy enough. In spite of the +screaming and the flapping of their wings in our faces, and the darting +their beaks at our eyes, of the old birds, as we robbed them of their +progeny, we collected hundreds every day, and bore as heavy a load as +we could carry across the ravine to the platform in front of our cabin, +where we busied ourselves in skinning them, splitting them, and hanging +them out to dry in the sun. The air of the island was so pure that no +putrefaction ever took place, and during the last fortnight of the +birds coming on the island, we had collected a sufficiency for our +support until their return on the following year. As soon as they were +quite dry they were packed up in a corner of the cabin for use. + +These birds were, it may be said, the only produce of the island, with +the exception of fish, and the eggs taken at the time of their first +making their nests. Fish were to be taken in large quantities. It was +sufficient to put a line over the rocks, and it had hardly time to go +down a fathom before anything at the end of it was seized. Indeed, our +means of taking them were as simple as their voracity was great. Our +lines were composed of the sinews of the legs of the man-of-war birds, +as I afterwards heard them named; and, as these were only about a foot +long, it required a great many of them knotted together to make a line. +At the end of the line was a bait fixed over a strong fish-bone, which +was fastened to the line by the middle; a half-hitch of the line round +one end kept the bone on a parallel with the line until the bait was +seized, when the line being taughtened, the half-hitch slipped off and +the bone remained crossways in the gullet of the fish, which was drawn +up by it. Simple as this contrivance was, it answered as well as the +best hook, of which I had never seen one at that time. The fish were so +strong and large, that, when I was young, the man would not allow me to +attempt to catch them, lest they should pull me into the water; but, as +I grew bigger, I could master them. Such was our food from one year's +end to the other; we had no variety, except when occasionally we +broiled the dried birds or the fish upon the embers, instead of eating +them dried by the sun. Our raiment, such as it was, we were also +indebted to the feathered tribe for. The birds were skinned with the +feathers on, and their skins sewn together with sinews, and a fish-bone +by way of a needle. These garments were not very durable, but the +climate was so fine that we did not suffer from the cold at any season +of the year. I used to make myself a new dress every year when the +birds came; but by the time that they returned, I had little left of my +last year's suit, the fragments of which might be found among the rocky +and steep parts of the ravine where we used to collect firing. + +Living such a life, with so few wants, and those periodically and +easily supplied, hardly varied from one year's end to another, it may +easily be imagined that I had but few ideas. I might have had more, if +my companion had not been of such a taciturn and morose habit; as it +was, I looked at the wide ocean, and the sky, and the sun, moon, and +stars, wondering, puzzled, afraid to ask questions, and ending all by +sleeping away a large portion of my existence. We had no tools except +the old ones, which were useless--no employment of any kind. There was +a book, and I asked what it was for and what it was, but I got no +answer. It remained upon the shelf, for if I looked at it I was ordered +away, and at last I regarded it with a sort of fear, as if it were a +kind of incomprehensible animal. The day was passed in idleness and +almost silence; perhaps not a dozen sentences were exchanged in the +twenty-four hours. My companion always the same, brooding over +something which appeared ever to occupy his thoughts, and angry if +roused up from his reverie. + + + + +Chapter II + + +The reader must understand that the foregoing remarks are to be +considered as referring to my position and amount of knowledge when I +was seven or eight years old. My master, as I called him, was a short +square-built man, about sixty years of age, as I afterwards estimated +from recollection and comparison. His hair fell down his back in thick +clusters and was still of a dark color, and his beard was full two feet +long and very bushy; indeed, he was covered with hair, wherever his +person was exposed. He was, I should say, very powerful had he had +occasion to exert his strength, but with the exception of the time at +which we collected the birds, and occasionally going up the ravine to +bring down faggots of wood, he seldom moved out of the cabin unless it +was to bathe. There was a pool of salt water of about twenty yards +square, near the sea, but separated from it by a low ridge of rocks, +over which the waves only beat when the sea was rough and the wind on +that side of the island. Every morning almost we went down to bathe in +that pool, as it was secure from the sharks, which were very numerous. +I could swim like a fish as early as I can recollect, but whether I was +taught, or learnt myself, I cannot tell. Thus was my life passed away; +my duties were trifling; I had little or nothing to employ myself +about, for I had no means of employment. I seldom heard the human +voice, and became as taciturn as my companion. My amusements were +equally confined--looking down into the depths of the ocean, as I lay +over the rocky wall which girded the major portion of the island, and +watching the motions of the finny tribes below, wondering at the stars +during the night season, eating, and sleeping. Thus did I pass away an +existence without pleasure and without pain. As for what my thoughts +were I can hardly say, my knowledge and my ideas were too confined for +me to have any food for thought. I was little better than a beast of +the field, that lies down on the pasture after he is filled. There was +one great source of interest however, which was, to listen to the +sleeping talk of my companion, and I always looked forward to the time +when the night fell and we repaired to our beds. I would lie awake for +hours, listening to his ejaculations and murmured speech, trying in +vain to find out some meaning in what he would say--but I gained +little; he talked of "that woman"--appearing to be constantly with +other men, and muttering about something he had hidden away. One night, +when the moon was shining bright, he sat up in his bed, which, as I +have before said, was on the floor of the cabin, and throwing aside the +feathers upon which he had been lying, scratched the mould away below +them and lifted up a piece of board. After a minute he replaced +everything, and lay down again. He evidently was sleeping during the +whole time. Here, at last, was something to feed my thoughts with. I +had heard him say in his sleep that he had hidden something--this must +be the hiding place. What was it? Perhaps I ought here to observe that +my feelings towards this man were those of positive dislike, if not +hatred; I never had received one kind word or deed from him, that I +could recollect. Harsh and unfeeling towards me, evidently looking upon +me with ill-will, and only suffering me because I saved him some +trouble, and perhaps because he wished to have a living thing for his +companion,--his feelings towards me were reciprocated by mine towards +him. What age I was at the time my mother died, I know not, but I had +some faint recollection of one who treated me with kindness and +caresses, and these recollections became more forcible in my dreams, +when I saw a figure very different from that of my companion (a female +figure) hanging over me or leading me by the hand. How I used to try to +continue those dreams, by closing my eyes again after I had woke up! +And yet I knew not that they had been brought about by the dim +recollection of my infancy; I knew not that the figure that appeared to +me was the shadow of my mother; but I loved the dreams because I was +treated kindly in them. + +But a change took place by the hand of Providence. One day, after we +had just laid in our yearly provision of sea birds, I was busy +arranging the skins of the old birds, on the flat rock, for my annual +garment, which was joined together something like a sack, with holes +for the head and arms to pass through; when, as I looked to seaward, I +saw a large white object on the water. + +"Look, master," said I, pointing towards it. + +"A ship, a ship!" cried my companion. + +"Oh," thought I, "that is a ship; I recollect that he said they came +here in a ship." I kept my eyes on her, and she rounded to. + +"Is she alive?" inquired I. + +"You're a fool," said the man; "come and help me to pile up this wood +that we may make a signal to her. Go and fetch some water and throw on +it, that there may be plenty of smoke. Thank God, I may leave this +cursed hole at last!" + +I hardly understood him, but I went for the water and brought it in the +mess kid. + +"I want more wood yet," said he. "Her head is this way, and she will +come nearer." + +"Then she is alive," said I. + +"Away, fool!" said he, giving me a cuff on the head; "get some more +water and throw on the wood." + +He then went into the cabin to strike a light, which he obtained by a +piece of iron and flint, with some fine dry moss for tinder. While he +was so employed, my eyes were fixed on the vessel, wondering what it +could be. It moved through the water, turned this way and that. "It +must be alive," thought I; "is it a fish or a bird?" As I watched the +vessel, the sun was going down and there was not more than an hour's +daylight. The wind was very light and variable, which accounted for the +vessel so often altering her course. My companion came out with his +hands full of smoking tinder, and putting it under the wood, was busy +blowing it into a flame. The wood was soon set fire to, and the smoke +ascended several feet into the air. + +"They'll see that," said he. + +"What then, it has eyes? it must be alive. Does it mind the wind?" +inquired I, having no answer to my first remark, "for look there, the +little clouds are coming up fast," and I pointed to the horizon, where +some small clouds were rising up and which were, as I knew from +experience and constantly watching the sky, a sign of a short but +violent gale, or tornado, of which we usually had one, if not two, at +this season of the year. + +"Yes; confound it," replied my companion, grinding his teeth, "it will +blow her off! That's my luck." + +In the meantime, the smoke ascended in the air and the vessel +approached nearer and nearer, until she was within, I suppose, two +miles of the island, and then it fell quite calm. My companion threw +more water on to increase the smoke, and the vessel now hauling up her +courses, I perceived that there were people on board, and while I was +arranging my ideas as to what the vessel might be, my companion cried +out--"They see us, they see us! there's hope now. Confound it, I've +been here long enough. Hurrah for old England!" and he commenced +dancing and capering about like a madman. At last he said, + +"Look out and see if she sends a boat, while I go into the cabin." + +"What's a boat?" said I. + +"Out, you fool! tell me if you see anything," + +"Yes, I do see something," replied I. "Look at the squall coming along +the water, it will be here very soon; and see how thick the clouds are +getting up: we shall have as much wind and rain as we had the time +before last, when the birds came." + +"Confound it," replied he, "I wish they'd lower a boat, at all events;" +and so saying, he went into the cabin, and I perceived that he was busy +at his bed-place. + +My eyes were still fixed upon the squall, as I watched it advancing at +a furious speed on the surface of the water; at first it was a deep +black line on the horizon, but as it approached the vessel, it changed +to white; the surface of the water was still smooth. The clouds were +not more than ten degrees above the horizon, although they were thick +and opaque--but at this season of the year, these tornadoes, as I may +call them, visited us; sometimes we had one, sometimes more, and it was +only when these gusts came on that we had any rain below. On board of +the vessel--I speak now from my after knowledge--they did not appear to +be aware of the danger; the sails were all set and flapping against the +masts. At last, I perceived a small object close to the vessel; this I +presumed was the boat which my companion looked for. It was like a +young vessel close to the old one, but I said nothing; as I was +watching and wondering what effect the rising wind would have upon her, +for the observations of my companion had made me feel that it was +important. After a time, I perceived that the white sails were +disappearing, and that the forms of men were very busy, and moving on +board, and the boat went back to the side of the vessel. The fact is, +they had not perceived the squall until it was too late, for in another +moment almost, I saw that the vessel bowed down to the fury of the +gale, and after that, the mist was so great that I couldn't see her any +more. + +"Is she sending a boat, boy?" cried my companion. + +"I can't see her," replied I; "for she is hidden by the wind." + +As I said this, the tornado reached to where we stood, and threw me off +my legs to the entrance of the cabin; and with the wind came down a +torrent of rain, which drenched us, and the clouds covered the whole of +the firmament, which became dark; the lightning darted in every +direction, with peals of thunder which were deafening. I crawled into +the cabin, into which the rain beat in great fury and flowed out again +in a small river. + +My companion sat near me, lowering and silent. For two hours the +tornado lasted without interruption; the sun had set, and the darkness +was opaque. It was impossible to move against the force of the wind and +the deluge of water which descended. Speak, we did not, but shut our +eyes against the lightning, and held our fingers to our ears to deaden +the noise of the thunder, which burst upon us in the most awful manner. +My companion groaned at intervals, whether from fear, I know not; I had +no fear, for I did not know the danger, or that there was a God to +judge the earth. + +Gradually the fury of the gale abated, the rain was only heavy at +intervals, and we could now hear the beating of the waves, as they +dashed against the rocks beneath us. The sky also cleared up a little, +and we could dimly discern the white foam of the breakers. I crawled +out of the cabin, and stood upon the platform in front, straining my +eyes to see the vessel. A flash of lightning, for a second, revealed +her to me; she was dismasted, rolling in the awful breakers, which bore +her down upon the high rocks, not a quarter of a mile from her. + +"There it is," exclaimed I, as the disappearance of the lightning left +me in darkness, more opaque than ever. + +"She's done for," growled my companion, who, I was not till then aware, +stood by my side. "No hopes this time, confound it!" Then he continued +for some time to curse and swear awfully, as I afterwards discovered, +for I did not then know what was cursing and swearing. + +"There she is again," said I, as another flash of lightning revealed +the position of the vessel. + +"Yes, and she won't be there long; in five minutes she'll be dashed to +atoms, and every soul perish." + +"What are souls?" inquired I. + +My companion gave me no reply. + +"I will go down to the rocks," said I, "and see what goes on." + +"Go," said he, "and share their fate." + + + + +Chapter III + + +I left him, and commenced a careful descent of the precipices by which +we were surrounded, but, before I had gone fifty paces, another flash +of lightning was followed up by a loud shriek, which arrested my steps. +Where the noise came from, I could not tell, but I heard my companion +calling to me to come back. I obeyed him, and found him standing where +I had left him. + +"You called me, master?" + +"Yes, I did; take my hand, and lead me to the cabin." + +I obeyed him, wondering why he asked me so to do. He gained his +bed-place, and threw himself down on it. + +"Bring the kid full of water," said he--"quick!" + +I brought it, and he bathed his head and face. After a time, he threw +himself back upon the bed-place, and groaned heavily. + +"O God! it's all over with me," said he at last. "I shall live and die +in this cursed hole." + +"What's the matter, master?" said I. + +He gave me no answer, but lay groaning and occasionally cursing. After +a time, he was still, and then I went out again. The tornado was now +over, and the stars were to be seen here and there, but still the wind +was strong and the wild clouds flew fast. The shores of the island were +one mass of foam, which was dashed high in the air and fell upon the +black rocks. I looked for the vessel, and could see nothing--the day +was evidently dawning, and I sat down and waited its coming. My +companion was apparently asleep, for he lay without motion or noise. +That some misfortune had happened, I was convinced, but what, I knew +not, and I passed a long time in conjecture, dividing my thoughts +between him and the vessel. At last the daylight appeared--the weather +was moderating fast, although the waves still beat furiously against +the rocky shore. I could see nothing of the vessel, and I descended the +path, now slippery and insecure from the heavy fall of rain, and went +as near to the edge of the rocks as the breaking billows would permit. +I walked along, occasionally drenched by the spray, until I arrived +where I had last seen the vessel. The waves were dashing and tossing +about, as if in sport, fragments of timber, casks, and spars; but that +was all I could see, except a mast and rigging, which lay alongside of +the rocks, sometimes appearing above them on the summit of the waves, +then descending far out of my sight, for I dared not venture near +enough to the edge to look over. "Then the vessel is dashed to pieces, +as my companion said," thought I. "I wonder how she was made." I +remained about an hour on the rocks, and then turned back to the cabin. +I found my companion awake, and groaning heavily. + +"There is no ship," said I, "nothing but pieces of wood floating about." + +"I know that," replied he; "but what do I care now?" + +"I thought by your making a smoke, that you did care." + +"Yes, I did then, but now I am blind, I shall never see a ship or +anything else again. God help me! I shall die and rot on this cursed +island." + +"Blind, what is blind?" inquired I. + +"The lightning has burned out my eyes, and I can see nothing--I cannot +help myself--I cannot walk about--I cannot do anything, and I suppose +you will leave me here to die like a dog." + +"Can't you see me?" + +"No, all is dark, dark as night, and will be as long as I live." And he +turned on his bed-place and groaned. "I had hope, I lived in hope--it +has kept me alive for many weary years, but now hope is gone, and I +care not if I die to-morrow." + +And then he started up and turned his face towards me, and I saw that +there was no light in his eyes. + +"Bring me some more water, do you hear?" said he, angrily. "Be quick, +or I'll make you." + +But I now fully comprehended his condition, and how powerless he was. +My feelings, as I have before said, were anything but cordial towards +him, and this renewed violence and threatening manner had its effect. I +was now, I suppose, about twelve or thirteen years old--strong and +active. I had more than once felt inclined to rebel, and measure my +strength against his. Irritated, therefore, at his angry language, I +replied-- + +"Go for the water yourself." + +"Ah!" sighed he, after a pause of some seconds, "that I might have +expected. But let me once get you into my hands, I'll make you remember +it." + +"I care not if I were in your hands," replied I; "I am as strong as +you." For I had thought so many a day, and meant to prove it. + +"Indeed! well, come here, and let us try." + +"No, no," replied I; "I'm not such a fool as you say I am--not that I'm +afraid of you; for I shall have an axe in my hand always ready, and you +will not find another." + +"I wish that I had tossed you over the cliffs when you were a child," +said he, bitterly, "instead of nursing you and bringing you up." + +"Then why have you not been kind to me? As far back as I can remember +you have always treated me ill; you have made me work for you; and yet +never even spoken kindly to me. I have wanted to know things, and you +have never answered my questions, but called me a fool, and told me to +hold my tongue. You have made me hate you, and you have often told me +how you hated me--you know you have." + +"It's true, quite true," replied he, as if talking to himself. "I have +done all that he says, and I have hated him. But I have had cause. Come +here, boy." + +"No," replied I; "do you come here. You have been master, and I have +been boy, long enough. Now I am master and you are boy, and you shall +find it so." + +Having said this, I walked out of the cabin and left him. He cried out, +"Don't leave me," but I heeded him not, and sat down at the edge of the +fiat ledge of the rock before the cabin. Looking at the white dancing +waves, and deep in my own thoughts, I considered a long while how I +should behave towards him. I did not wish him to die, as I knew he must +if I left him. He could not obtain water from the rill without a great +chance of falling over the cliff. In fact, I was now fully aware of his +helpless state; to prove it to myself, I rose and shut my own eyes; +tried if I could venture to move on such dangerous ground, and I felt +sure that I could not. He was then in my power; he could do nothing; he +must trust to me for almost everything. I had said, let what would +follow, I would be master and he boy; but that could not be, as I must +still attend upon him, or he would die. At last the thought came +suddenly upon me--I will be master, nevertheless, for now he shall +answer me all my questions, tell me all he knows, or he shall starve. +He is in my power. He shall now do what I have ever tried to make him +do, and he has ever refused. Having thus arranged my plans, I returned +to the cabin, and said to him: + +"Hear what I say--I will be kind to you, and not leave you to starve, +if you will do what I ask." + +"And what is that?" replied he. + +"For a long while I have asked you many questions, and you have refused +to answer them. Instead of telling me what I would know, you have +beaten or thrown stones at me, called me names, and threatened me. I +now give you your choice--either you shall promise to answer every +question that I put to you, or you may live how you can, for I shall +leave you to help yourself. If you do as I wish, I will do all I can to +help you, but if you will not, thank yourself for what may happen. +Recollect, I am master now; so take your choice." + +"Well," replied he slowly, "it's a judgment upon me, and I must agree +to it. I will do what you wish." + +"Well, then, to begin," said I, "I have often asked you what your name +was, and what was mine. I must call you something, and Master I will +not, for I am master now. What is your name?" + +He groaned, ground his teeth, and then said, "Edward Jackson." + +"Edward Jackson! very well; and my name?" + +"No, I cannot bear the name. I cannot say it," replied he, angrily. + +"Be it so," replied I. "Then I leave you." + +"Will you bring me some water for my eyes? they burn," said he. + +"No, I will not, nor anything else, unless you tell me my name." + +"Frank Henniker--and curses on it." + +"Frank Henniker. Well, now you shall have the water." + +I went out, filled a kid, and put it by his side, + +"There is the water, Jackson; if you want anything, call me. I shall be +outside." + +"I have gained the mastery," thought I,--"it will be my turn now. He +don't like to answer, but he shall, or he shall starve. Why does he +feel so angry at my name? Henniker! what is the meaning of Henniker, I +wonder? I will make him tell me. Yes, he shall tell me everything." I +may here observe, that as for pity and compassion, I did not know such +feelings. I had been so ill-treated, that I only felt that might was +right; and this right I determined upon exercising to the utmost. I +felt an inconceivable pleasure at the idea of my being the master, and +he the boy. I felt the love of power, the pride of superiority. I then +revolved in my mind the daily task which I would set him, before he +should receive his daily sustenance. He should talk now as much as I +pleased, for I was the master. I had been treated as a slave, and I was +now fully prepared to play the tyrant. Mercy and compassion I knew not. +I had never seen them called forth, and I felt them not. I sat down on +the flat rock for some time, and then it occurred to me that I would +turn the course of the water which fell into the hole at the edge of +the cliff; so that if he crawled there, he would not be able to obtain +any. I did so, and emptied the hole. The water was now only to be +obtained by climbing up, and it was out of his power to obtain a drop. +Food, of course, he could obtain, as the dried birds were all piled up +at the farther end of the cabin, and I could not well remove them; but +what was food without water? I was turning in my mind what should be +the first question to put to him; and I had decided that I would have a +full and particular account of how the vessel had been wrecked on the +island, and who were my father and mother, and why I was named +Henniker--when I was roused by hearing Jackson (as I shall in future +call him) crying out, "Boy, boy!" "Boy, indeed," thought I--"no longer +boy," and I gave no reply. Again he called, and at last he cried out, +"Henniker," but I had been ruffled by his calling me boy, and I would +not answer him. At last he fairly screamed my name, and then was +silent. After a moment, I perceived that he crawled out of his +bed-place, and feeling by the sides of the cabin, contrived on his +hands and knees to crawl in the direction of the hole into which the +water had previously been received; and I smiled at what I knew would +be his disappointment when he arrived there. He did so at last: put his +hand to feel the edge of the hole, and then down into it to feel for +the water; and when he found that there was none, he cursed bitterly, +and I laughed at his vexation. He then felt all the way down where the +water had fallen, and found that the course of it had been stopped, and +he dared not attempt anything further. He dashed his clenched hand +against the rock. "Oh! that I had him in this grasp--if it were but for +one moment. I would not care if I died the next." + +"I do not doubt you," replied I to him, above, "but you have not got me +in your hands, and you will not. Go in to bed directly--quick," cried +I, throwing a piece of rock at him, which hit him on the head. "Crawl +back as fast as you can, you fool, or I'll send another at your head +directly. I'll tame you, as you used to say to me." + +The blow on the head appeared to have confused him; but after a time he +crawled back to his bed-place, and threw himself down with a heavy +groan. + + + + +Chapter IV + + +I then went down to the water's edge to see if I could find anything +from the wreck, for the water was smooth, and no longer washed over the +rocks of the island. Except fragments of wood, I perceived nothing +until I arrived at the pool where we were accustomed to bathe; and I +found that the sea had thrown into it two articles of large +dimensions--one was a cask of the size of a puncheon, which lay in +about a foot of water farthest from the seaward; and the other was a +seaman's chest. What these things were I did not then know, and I wish +the reader to recollect that a great portion of this narrative is +compiled from after knowledge. The cask was firm in the sand, and I +could not move it. The chest was floating; I hauled it on the rocks +without difficulty, and then proceeded to open it. It was some time +before I could discover how, for I had never seen a lock, or a hinge in +my life; but at last, finding that the lid was the only portion of the +chest which yielded, I contrived, with a piece of rock, to break it +open. I found in it a quantity of seamen's clothes, upon which I put no +value; but some of the articles I immediately comprehended the use of, +and they filled me with delight. There were two new tin pannikins, and +those would hold water. There were three empty wine bottles, a hammer, +a chisel, gimlet, and some other tools, also three or four +fishing-lines many fathoms long. But what pleased me most were two +knives, one shutting up, with a lanyard sheath to wear round the waist; +and the other an American long knife, in a sheath, which is usually +worn by them in the belt. Now, three or four years back, Jackson had +the remains of a clasp knife--that is, there was about an inch of the +blade remaining--and this, as may be supposed, he valued very much; +indeed, miserable as the article was, in our destitute state it was +invaluable. + +This knife he had laid on the rock when fishing, and it had been +dragged into the sea as his line ran out; and he was for many days +inconsolable for its loss. We had used it for cutting open the birds +when we skinned them, and, indeed this remains of a knife had been +always in request. Since the loss of it, we had had hard work to get +the skins off the birds; I therefore well knew the value of these +knives, which I immediately secured. The remainder of the articles in +the chest, which was quite full, I laid upon the rocks, with the +clothes, to dry; of most of them I did not know the use, and +consequently did not prize them at the time. It was not until +afterwards, when I had taken them to my companion, that I learned their +value. I may as well here observe, that amongst these articles were two +books, and, from the positive commands of my companion, not to touch +the book in the cabin, I looked upon them with a degree of awe, and +hesitated upon taking them in my hand; but, at last, I put them out to +dry on the rocks, with the rest of the contents of the chest. + +I felt the knives, the blades were sharp; I put the lanyard of the +clasp knife round my neck; the sheath knife, which was a formidable +weapon, I made fast round my waist, with a piece of the fishing lines, +which I cut off; and I then turned my steps towards the cabin, as night +was coming on, though the moon was high in the heavens, and shining +brightly. On my return, I found Jackson in his bed-place; he heard me +come in, and asked me, in a quiet tone, whether I would bring him some +water? I answered, + +"No, that I would not, for what he had said about me, and what he would +do, if he got me into his power. I'll tame you," cried I. "I'm master +now, as you shall find." + +"You may be," replied he, quickly, "but still, that is no reason why +you should not let me have some water. Did I ever prevent you from +having water?" + +"You never had to fetch it for me," I rejoined, "or you would not have +taken the trouble. What trouble would you take for me, if I were blind +now, and not you? I should become of no use to you, and you would leave +me to die. You only let me live that you might make me work for you, +and beat me cruelly. It's my turn now--you're the boy, and I'm the +master." + +The reader must remember that I did not know the meaning of the word +"boy"; my idea of it was, that it was in opposition to "master," and +boy, with me, had the same idea as the word "slave." + +"Be it so," replied he, calmly. "I shall not want water long." + +There was a quietness about Jackson which made me suspect him, and the +consequence was, that although I turned into my bed-place, which was on +the ground at the side of the cabin opposite to his, I did not feel +inclined to go to sleep, but remained awake, thinking of what had +passed. It was towards morning when I heard him move; my face being +turned that way, I had no occasion to stir to watch his motions. He +crept very softly out of his bed-place towards me, listening, and +advancing on his knees, not more than a foot every ten seconds. "You +want me in your grasp," thought I, "come along," and I drew my American +knife from its sheath, without noise, and awaited his approach, smiling +at the surprise he would meet with. I allowed him to come right up to +me; he felt the side of my bed, and then passed his right hand over to +seize me. I caught his right hand with my left, and passing the knife +across his wrist, more than half divided it from his arm. He gave a +shriek of surprise and pain, and fell back. + +"He has a knife," exclaimed he, with surprise, holding his severed +wrist with the other hand. + +"Yes, he has a knife, and more than one," replied I, "and you see that +he knows how to use it. Will you come again? or will you believe that +I'm master?" + +"If you have any charity or mercy, kill me at once," said he, as he sat +up in the moonlight, in the centre of the floor of the cabin. + +"Charity and mercy," said I, "what are they? I never heard of them." + +"Alas! no," replied he, "I have shewed none--it's a judgment on me--a +judgment on me for my many sins; Lord, forgive me! First my eyes, now +my right hand useless. What next, O Lord of Heaven?" + +"Why, your other hand next," replied I, "if you try it again." + +Jackson made no reply. He attempted to crawl back to his bed, but, +faint with loss of blood, he dropped senseless on the floor of the +cabin. I looked at him, and satisfied that he would make no more +attempts upon me, I turned away, and fell fast asleep. In about two +hours, I awoke, and looking round, perceived him lying on the floor, +where he had fallen the night before. I went to him and examined +him--was he asleep, or was he dead? He lay in a pool of blood. I felt +him, and he was quite warm. It was a ghastly cut on his wrist, and I +thought, if he is dead, he will never tell me what I want to know. I +knew that he bound up cuts to stop the blood. I took some feathers from +the bed, and put a handful on the wound. After I had done it, I bound +his wrist up with a piece of fishing-line I had taken to secure the +sheath knife round my waist, and then I went for some water. I poured +some down his throat; this revived him, and he opened his eyes. + +"Where am I?" said he faintly. + +"Where are you?--why, in the cabin," said I. + +"Give me some more water." + +I did so, for I did not wish to kill him. I wanted him to live, and to +be in my power. After drinking the water he roused himself, and crawled +back to his bed-place. I left him then, and went down to bathe. + +The reader may exclaim--What a horrid tyrant this boy is--why, he is as +bad as his companion. Exactly--I was so--but let the reader reflect +that I was made so by education. From the time that I could first +remember, I had been tyrannised over; cuffed, kicked, abused and +ill-treated. I had never known kindness. Most truly was the question +put by me, "Charity and mercy--what are they?" I never heard of them. +An American Indian has kind feelings--he is hospitable and +generous--yet, educated to inflict, and receive, the severest tortures +to and from, his enemies, he does the first with the most savage and +vindictive feelings, and submits to the latter with indifference and +stoicism. He has, indeed, the kindlier feelings of his nature +exercised; still, this changes him not. He has been from earliest +infancy brought up to cruelty, and he cannot feel that it is wrong. +Now, my position was worse. I had never seen the softer feelings of our +nature called into play; I knew nothing but tyranny and oppression, +hatred and vengeance. It was therefore not surprising that, when my +turn came, I did to others as I had been done by. Jackson had no excuse +for his treatment of me, whereas, I had every excuse for retaliation. +He did know better, I did not. I followed the ways of the world in the +petty microcosm in which I had been placed. I knew not of mercy, of +forgiveness, charity, or goodwill. I knew not that there was a God; I +only knew that might was right, and the most pleasurable sensation +which I felt, was that of anxiety for vengeance, combined with the +consciousness of power. + +After I had bathed, I again examined the chest and its contents. I +looked at the books without touching them. "I must know what these +mean," thought I, "and I will know." My thirst for knowledge was +certainly most remarkable, in a boy of my age; I presume for the simple +reason, that we want most what we cannot obtain; and Jackson having +invariably refused to enlighten me on any subject, I became most +anxious and impatient to satisfy the longing which increased with my +growth. + + + + +Chapter V + + +For three days did Jackson lie on his bed; I supplied him with water, +but he did not eat anything. He groaned heavily at times, and talked +much to himself, and I heard him ask forgiveness of God, and pardon for +his sins. I noted this down for an explanation. On the third day, he +said to me, + +"Henniker, I am very ill. I have a fever coming on, from the wound you +have given me. I do not say that I did not deserve it, for I did, and I +know that I have treated you ill, and that you must hate me, but the +question is, do you wish me to die?" + +"No," replied I; "I want you to live, and answer all my questions, and +you shall do so." + +"I will do so," replied he. "I have done wrong, and I will make amends. +Do you understand me? I mean to say, that I have been very cruel to +you, and now I will do all you wish, and answer every question you may +put to me, as well as I can." + +"That is what I want," replied I. + +"I know it is, but my wound is festering and must be washed and +dressed. The feathers make it worse. Will you do this for me?" + +I thought a little, and recollected that he was still in my power, as +he could not obtain water. I replied, "Yes, I will." + +"The cord hurts it, you must take it off." + +I fetched the kid of water, and untied the cord, and took away the +feathers, which had matted together with the flow of blood, and then I +washed the wound carefully. Looking into the wound, my desire of +information induced me to say, "What are these little white cords, +which are cut through?" + +"They are the sinews and tendons," replied he, "by which we are enabled +to move our hands and fingers; now these are cut through, I shall not +have the use of my hand again." + +"Stop a moment," said I, rising up, "I have just thought of something." +I ran down to the point where the chest lay, took a shirt from the +rock, and brought it back with me, and tearing it into strips, I +bandaged the wound. + +"Where did you get that linen?" said Jackson. + +I told him. + +"And you got the knife there, too," said he, with a sigh. I replied in +the affirmative. + +As soon as I had finished, he told me he was much easier, and said, + +"I thank you." + +"What is I thank you?" replied I. + +"It means that I am grateful for what you have done." + +"And what is grateful?" inquired I again. "You never said those words +to me before." + +"Alas, no," replied he; "it had been better if I had. I mean that I +feel kindly towards you, for having bound up my wound, and would do +anything for you if I had the power. It means, that if I had my +eyesight, as I had a week ago, and was master, as I then was, that I +would not kick nor beat you, but be kind to you. Do you understand me?" + +"Yes," replied I, "I think I do; and if you tell me all I want to know +I shall believe you." + +"That I will as soon as I am well enough; but now I am too ill--you +must wait a day or two, till the fever has left me." + +Satisfied with Jackson's promise, I tended him carefully, and washed +and dressed his wound for the two following days. He said that he felt +himself much better, and his language to me was so kind and +conciliatory, that I hardly knew what to make of it; but this is +certain, that it had a good effect upon me, and gradually the hatred +and ill-will that I bore to him wore off, and I found myself handling +him tenderly, and anxious not to give him more pain than was necessary, +yet without being aware that I was prompted by better feelings. It was +on the third morning that he said,-- + +"I can talk to you now; what do you want to know?" + +"I want to know the whole story of how we came to this island, who my +father and mother were, and why you said that you hated me and my name?" + +"That," said Jackson, after a silence of a few minutes, "will take some +time. I could soon tell it you if it were not for the last +question,--why I hated your name? But the history of your father is so +mixed up with mine, that I cannot well tell one without the other. I +may as well begin with my own history, and that will be telling you +both." + +"Then tell it me," replied I, "and do not tell me what is not true." + +"No; I will tell you exactly what it was," replied Jackson; "you may as +well know it as not.--Your father and I were both born in England, +which you know is your country by birth, and you also know that the +language we talk is English." + +"I did not know it. Tell me something about England before you say any +more." + +I will not trouble the reader with Jackson's description of England, or +the many questions which I put to him. It was night-fall before he had +finished answering, and before I was satisfied with the information +imparted. I believe that he was very glad to hold his tongue, for he +complained of being tired, and I dressed his wound and wetted the +bandage with cold water for him before he went to sleep. + +I can hardly describe to the reader the effect which this uninterrupted +flow of language had upon me; I was excited in a very strange way, and +for many nights after could not sleep for hours. I may say here, I did +not understand a great proportion of the meaning of the words used by +Jackson; but I gathered it from the context, as I could not always be +interrupting him. + +It is astonishing how fast ideas breed ideas, and how a word, the +meaning of which I did not understand when it was first used, became by +repetition clear and intelligible; not that I always put the right +construction on it, but if I did not find it answer when used at +another time to my former interpretation of it, I would then ask and +obtain an explanation. This did not however occur very often. As for +this first night, I was positively almost drunk with words, and +remained nearly the whole of it arranging and fixing the new ideas that +I had acquired. My feelings towards Jackson also were changed--that is, +I no longer felt hatred or ill-will against him. These were swallowed +up in the pleasure which he had afforded me, and I looked upon him as a +treasure beyond all price,--not but that many old feelings towards him +returned at intervals, for they were not so easily disposed of, but +still I would not for the world have lost him until I had obtained from +him all possible knowledge; and if his wound did not look well when I +removed the bandage, I was much more distressed than he was. Indeed, +there was every prospect of our ultimately being friends, from our +mutual dependence on each other. It was useless on his part, in his +present destitute condition, to nourish feelings of animosity against +one on whose good offices he was now so wholly dependant, or on my +part, against one who was creating for me, I may say, new worlds for +imagination and thought to dwell on. On the following morning, Jackson +narrated in substance (as near as I can recollect) as follows:-- + +"I was not intended for a sailor. I was taught at a good school, and +when I was ten years old, I was put into a house of business as a +clerk, where I remained at the desk all day long, copying into ledgers +and day-books, in fact, writing what was required of me. This house was +connected with the South American trade." + +"Where is South America?" said I. + +"You had better let me tell my story," replied Jackson, "and after I +have done, you can ask any questions you like, but if you stop me, it +will take a week to finish it; yesterday we lost the whole day." + +"That's very true," replied I, "then I will do so." + +"There were two other clerks in the counting-house--the head clerk, +whose name was Manvers, and your father, who was in the counting-house +but a few months before me. Our master, whose name was Evelyn, was very +particular with both your father and myself, scanning our work daily, +and finding fault when we deserved it. This occasioned a rivalry +between us, which made us both very active, and I received praise quite +as often as he did. On Sunday, Mr Evelyn used to ask your father and me +to spend the day. We went to church in the forenoon and dined with him. +He had a daughter a little younger than we were. She was your mother. +Both of us, as we grew up, were very attentive to her, and anxious to +be in her good graces. I cannot say which was preferred at first, but I +rather think that if anything I was the favourite, during the first two +years of our being acquainted with her. I was more lively and a better +companion than your father, who was inclined to be grave and +thoughtful. We had been about four years in the counting-house, when my +mother died--my father had been dead some time before I went into +it--and at her death I found my share of her property to amount to +about L2500. But I was not yet twenty-one years of age. I could not +receive it for another year. Mr Evelyn, who had till then every reason +to be satisfied with my conduct, used to joke with me, and say that as +soon as I was of age, he would allow me, if I chose it, to put the +money in the business, and thus obtain a small share in it--and such +was my intention, and I looked forward to bright prospects and the hope +of one day being married to your mother, and I have no doubt but such +would have been the case, had I still conducted myself properly. But, +before I was of age, I made some very bad acquaintances, and soon ran +into expenses which I could not afford--and the worst was, that I +contracted a habit of sitting up late at night, and drinking to excess, +which I never have since got over, which proved my ruin then, and has +proved my ruin through life. This little fortune of mine not only gave +me consequence, but was the cause of my thinking very highly of myself. +I now was more particular in my attentions to Miss Evelyn, and was +graciously received by her father; neither had I any reason to complain +of my treatment from the young lady. As for your father, he was quite +thrown into the back-ground. He had no property nor hope of any, except +what he might hereafter secure by his diligence and good conduct; and +the attention I received from Mr Evelyn, and also the head clerk, who +had an idea that I was to be a partner and consequently would become +his superior, made him very melancholy and unhappy--for I believe that +then he was quite as much in love with Miss Evelyn as I was myself; and +I must tell you, that my love for her was unbounded, and she well +deserved it. But all these happy prospects were overthrown by my own +folly. As soon as it was known that I had property left to me, I was +surrounded by many others who requested to be introduced to me, and my +evenings were passed in what I considered very good company, but which +proved the very reverse. By degrees I took to gambling, and after a +time, lost more money than I could afford to pay. This caused me to +have recourse to a Jew, who advanced me loans at a large interest to be +repaid at my coming of age. Trying to win back my money, I at last +found myself indebted to the Jew for the sum of nearly L1000. The more +that I became involved, the more reckless I became. Mr Evelyn perceived +that I kept late hours, and looked haggard, as I well might; indeed, my +position had now become very awkward. Mr Evelyn knew well the sum that +had been left me, and how was I to account to him for the deficiency, +if he proposed that I should put it into the business? I should be +ruined in his opinion, and he never, I was convinced, would entrust the +happiness of his daughter to a young man who had been guilty of such +irregularities. At the same time, my love for her nearly amounted to +adoration. Never was there a more miserable being than I was for the +last six months previous to my coming of age, and to drown my misery I +plunged into every excess, and seldom, if ever, went to bed but in a +state of intoxication. Scheme after scheme did I propose to enable me +to conceal my fault, but I could hit upon nothing. The time approached; +I was within a few days of coming of age, when Mr Evelyn sent for me +and then spoke to me seriously, saying, that out of regard to the +memory of my father, with whom he had been very intimate, he was +willing to allow me to embark my little capital in the business, and +that he hoped that by my good conduct and application I might soon +become a useful partner. I stammered some reply which surprised him; +and he asked me to be more explicit. I stated that I considered my +capital too small to be of much use in such a business as his, and that +I preferred trying some quick method of doubling it; that as soon as I +had so done I would accept his offer with gratitude. 'As you please,' +replied he coolly; 'but take care, that in risking all, you do not lose +all. Of course, you are your own master,' and so saying, he left me, +apparently much displeased and mortified. But circumstances occurred, +which exposed the whole affair. When in company with my evening +companions, I stated my intentions of trying my fortune in the East +Indies, not seriously, but talking at random. This came to the ears of +the Jew of whom I had borrowed the money; he thought that I intended to +leave the kingdom without taking up my bonds, and immediately repaired +to Mr Evelyn's counting-house, to communicate with the head clerk, and +ascertain if the report was correct, stating also the sums I was +indebted to him. The head clerk informed Mr Evelyn, and on the day upon +which I became twenty-one years of age, he sent for me into his private +room, and, after some remonstrances, to which I replied very haughtily, +it ended in my being dismissed. The fact was, that Mr Evelyn had, since +his last interview with me, made inquiries, and finding out I had been +living a very riotous life, he had determined upon my leaving his +service. As soon as my first burst of indignation was over, I felt what +I had lost; my attachment to Miss Evelyn was stronger than ever, and I +bitterly deplored my folly, but after a time, as usual, I had recourse +to the bottle, and to drowning my cares in intemperance. I tried very +hard to obtain an interview with Miss Evelyn previous to my quitting +the house, but this Mr Evelyn would not permit, and a few days after, +sent his daughter away, to reside, for a time with a relation in the +country. I embarked my capital in the wine trade, and, could I have +restrained myself from drinking, should have been successful, and in a +short time might have doubled my property, as I stated to Mr Evelyn; +but now, I had become an irreclaimable drunkard, and when that is the +case, all hope is over. My affairs soon became deranged, and, at the +request of my partner, they were wound up, and I found myself with my +capital of L1500 reduced to L1000. With this, I resolved to try my +fortune in shipping; I procured a share in a brig, and sailed in her +myself. After a time, I was sufficiently expert to take the command of +her, and might have succeeded, had not my habit of drinking been so +confirmed. When at Ceylon, I fell sick, and was left behind. The brig +was lost, and as I had forgotten to insure my portion of her, I was +ruined. I struggled long, but in vain--intemperance was my curse, my +bane, the millstone at my neck, which dragged me down: I had education, +talents, and energy, and at one time, capital, but all were useless; +and thus did I sink down, from captain of a vessel to mate, from mate +to second mate, until I at last found myself a drunken sailor before +the mast. Such is my general history; to-morrow, I will let you know +how, and in what way, your father and I met again, and what occurred, +up to this present time." + +But I was too much bewildered and confused with what he had told me, to +allow him to proceed, as he proposed. + +"No, no," replied I. "I now recollect all you have said, although I do +not understand. You must first answer my questions, as to the meaning +of words I never heard of before. I cannot understand what money is, +what gaming is, and a great many more things you have talked about, but +I recollect, and can repeat every word that you have said. To-morrow, I +will recall it all over, and you shall tell me what I cannot make out; +after that, you can go on again." + +"Very well," replied he, "I don't care how long it takes me to answer +your questions, for I am not very anxious to tell all about your father +and myself." + + + + +Chapter VI + + +I can hardly describe to the reader the effect which these +conversations with Jackson had upon me at first. If a prisoner were +removed from a dark cell, and all at once introduced into a garden full +of fruit and flowers, which he never before had an idea were in +existence, he could not have been more filled with wonder, surprise, +and pleasure. All was novelty and excitement, but, at the same time, to +a great degree, above my comprehension. I had neither language nor +ideas to meet it, and yet, I did, to a certain degree, comprehend. I +saw not clearly, but sometimes as through a mist, at others through a +dark fog, and I could discern little. Every day, however, my increased +knowledge of language and terms gave me an increased knowledge of +ideas. I gained more by context than I did by any other means, and as I +was by degrees enlightened, so my thirst for information and knowledge +became every day more insatiable. + +That much that I considered I understood was erroneous, is certain, for +mine was a knowledge, as yet, of theory only. I could imagine to +myself, as far as the explanation I received, what such an object might +be, and, having made up my ideas on the matter, I was content; further +knowledge, would however incline me to think, and occasionally to +decide, that the idea I had formed was incorrect, and I would alter it. +Thus did I flounder about in a sea of uncertainty, but still of +exciting interest. + +If any one who has been educated, and has used his eyes in a civilised +country, reads an account of people and things hitherto unknown to him, +he can, from the description and from his own general knowledge, form a +very correct idea of what the country contains. But then he has used +his eyes--he has seen those objects, between which the parallel or the +difference has been pointed out. Now I had not that advantage. I had +seen nothing but the sea, rocks, and sea-birds, and had but one +companion. Here was my great difficulty, which, I may say, was never +surmounted, until I had visited and mixed with civilisation and men. +The difficulty, however, only increased my ardour. I was naturally of +an ingenious mind, I had a remarkable memory, and every increase of +knowledge was to me a source of delight. In fact, I had now something +to live for, before I had not; and I verily believe, that if Jackson +had been by any chance removed from me at this particular time, I +should soon have become a lunatic, from the sudden drying up of the +well which supplied my inordinate thirst for knowledge. + +Some days passed before I asked Jackson to continue his narrative, +during which we lived in great harmony. Whether it was that he was +deceiving me, and commanding his temper till he had an opportunity of +revenge, or whether it was that his forlorn and helpless condition had +softened him down, I could not say, but he appeared gradually to be +forming an attachment to me; I was however on my guard at all times. +His wounded wrist had now healed up, but his hand was quite useless, as +all the tendons had been severed. I had therefore less to fear from him +than before. At my request that he would continue his history, Jackson +related as follows:-- + +"After sailing in vessel after vessel, and generally dismissed after +the voyage for my failing of intemperance, I embarked on board a ship +bound to Chili, and after having been on the coast for nearly a year, +we were about to proceed home with a cargo, when we anchored at +Valdivia, previous to our homeward voyage, as we had some few articles +to ship at that port. We were again ready for sea, when we heard from +the captain, that he had agreed to take two passengers, a gentleman and +his wife, who wished to proceed to England. The cabin was cleared out, +and every preparation made to receive them on board, and in the evening +the boat was sent on shore for the luggage. I went in the boat, as I +thought it likely that the gentleman would give the boat's crew +something to drink; nor was I wrong--he gave us four dollars, which we +spent immediately in one of the ventas, and were all more or less +intoxicated. It had been arranged that the luggage should first be +carried on board, and after that, we were to return for the passengers, +as we were to sail early in the morning. We pulled off with the +luggage, but on our arrival on board, I was so drunk, that the captain +would not allow me to return in the boat, and I knew nothing of what +had passed until I was roused up the next morning to assist in getting +the ship under weigh. We had been under weigh two or three hours, and +were clearing the land fast, when the gentleman passenger came on neck; +I was then coiling down a rope on the quarter-deck, and as he passed by +me, I looked at him, and I recognised him immediately as your father. +Years had passed--from a stripling he had grown a man, but his face was +not to be mistaken. There he was, apparently a gentlemen of property +and consideration; and I, what was I? a drunken sailor. All I hoped +was, that he would not recognise me. Shortly afterwards he went down +again, and returned escorting his wife on deck. Again I took a furtive +curious glance, and perceived at once that she was that Miss Evelyn +whom I had once so loved, and by my folly had lost. This was madness. +As they stood on the deck enjoying the cool sea breeze, for the weather +was delightfully fine, the captain came up and joined them. I was so +confused at my discovery, that I knew not what I was about, and I +presume was doing something very awkwardly; for the captain said to +me--'Jackson, what are you about, you drunken hound? I suppose you are +not sober yet.' At the mention of my name, your father and mother +looked at me, and as I lifted up my head to reply to the captain, they +eyed me earnestly, and then spoke to each other in a low tone; after +which they interrogated the captain. I could not hear what they said, +but I was certain they were talking about me, and that they had +suspected, if they had not recognised me. I was ready to sink to the +deck, and, at the same time, I felt a hatred of your father enter my +heart, of which, during his life, I never could divest myself. It was +as I supposed; your father had recognised me, and the following morning +he came up to me as I was leaning over the gunwale amidships, and +addressed me,--'Jackson,' said he, 'I am sorry to find you in this +situation. You must have been very unfortunate to have become so +reduced. If you will confide your history to me, perhaps I may, when we +arrive in England, be able to assist you, and it really will give me +great pleasure.' I cannot say that I replied very cordially. 'Mr +Henniker,' said I, 'you have been fortunate by all appearances, and can +therefore afford compassion to those who have not been so; but, sir, in +our positions, I feel as if pity was in reality a sort of triumph, and +an offer of assistance an insult. I am content with my present +position, and will at all events not change it by your interference. I +earn my bread honestly. You can do no more. Times may change yet. It's +a long road that has no turning to it. I wish you a good morning.' So +saying, I turned from him, and walked away forward, with my heart full +of bitterness and anger. From that hour he never spoke to me or noticed +me again, but the captain was more severe upon me, and I ascribed his +severity most unjustly to your father. We were about to go round Cape +Horn, when the gale from the S.E. came on, which ended in the loss of +the vessel. For several days we strove up against it, but at last the +vessel, which was old, leaked so much from straining, that we were +obliged to bear up and run before it, which we did for several days, +the wind and sea continuing without intermission. At last we found +ourselves among these islands, and were compelled occasionally to haul +to the wind to clear them. This made her leak more and more, until at +last she became water logged, and we were forced to abandon her in +haste during the night, having no time to take anything with us; we +left three men on board, who were down below. By the mercy of Heaven we +ran the boat into the opening below, which was the only spot where we +could have landed. I think I had better stop now, as I have a good deal +to tell you yet." + +"Do then," replied I; "and now I think of it, I will bring up the chest +and all the things which were in it, and you shall tell me what they +are." + +I went down and returned with the clothes and linen. There were eight +pair of trousers, nine shirts, besides the one I had torn up to bandage +his wounds with, two pair of blue trousers, and two jackets, four white +duck frocks, some shoes, and stockings. Jackson felt them one by one +with his hands, and told me what they were, and how worn. + +"Why don't you wear some of them?" inquired I. + +"If you will give me leave, I will," replied he. "Let me have a duck +frock and a pair of trousers." + +I handed the articles to him, and then went back for the rest which I +had left on the rocks. + +When I returned, with my arms full, I found that he had put them on, +and his other clothes were beside him. "I feel more like a Christian +now," said he. + +"A Christian," said I, "what is that?" + +"I will tell you by-and-bye. It is what I have not been for a long, +long while," replied he. "Now, what have you brought this time?" + +"Here," said I, "what is this?" + +"This is a roll of duck, to make into frocks and trousers," replied he. +"That is bees'-wax." He then explained to me all the tools, +sailing-needles, fish-hooks, and fishing-lines, some sheets of +writing-paper, and two pens, I had brought up with me. "All these are +very valuable," said he, after a pause, "and would have added much to +our comfort, if I had not been blind." + +"There are more things yet," said I; "I will go and fetch them." + +This time I replaced the remaining articles, and brought up the chest. +It was a heavy load to carry up the rocks, and I was out of breath when +I arrived and set it down on the cabin-floor. + +"Now, I have the whole of them," said I. "Now, what is this?" + +"That is a spy-glass--but, alas! I am blind--but I will show you how to +use it, at all events." + +"Here are two books," said I. + +"Give them to me," said he, "and let me feel them. This one is a Bible, +I am quite sure by its shape, and the other is, I think, a Prayer-book." + +"What is a Bible, and what is a Prayer-book?" replied I. + +"The Bible is the Word of God, and the Prayer-book teaches us how to +pray to him." + +"But who is God? I have often heard you say, 'O God!' and 'God +damn'--but who is he?" + +"I will tell you to-night before we go to sleep," replied Jackson, +gravely. + +"Very well, I shall remind you. I have found a little box inside the +chest, and it is full of all manner of little things--strings and +sinews." + +"Let me feel them?" + +I put a bundle into his hand. + +"These are needles and thread for making and mending clothes--they will +be useful bye-and-bye." + +At last the whole contents of the chest were overhauled and explained: +I could not well comprehend the glass bottles, or how they were made, +but I put them with the pannikins, and everything else, very carefully +into the chest again, and hauled the chest to the farther end of the +cabin, out of the way. Before we went to bed that night, Jackson had to +explain to me who God was, but as it was only the commencement of +several conversations on the subject, I shall not at present trouble +the reader with what passed between us. Jackson appeared to be very +melancholy after the conversation we had had on religious matters, and +was frequently agitated and muttering to himself. + + + + +Chapter VII + + +I did not on the following day ask him to resume his narrative relative +to my father and mother, as I perceived that he avoided it, and I +already had so far changed as to have consideration for his feelings. +Another point had now taken possession of my mind, which was, whether +it were possible to learn to read those books which I had found in the +chest, and this was the first question that I put to Jackson when we +arose on that morning. + +"How is it possible?" replied he. "Am I not blind--how can I teach you?" + +"Is there no way?" replied I, mournfully. + +"Let me think.--Yes, perhaps there is a way--at all events we will try. +You know which book I told you was the Prayer-book?" + +"Oh yes! the small, thin one." + +"Yes--fetch it here. Now," said he, when I put it into his hand, "tell +me; is there a straight line down the middle of the page of the book, +so that the words and letters are on both sides of it?" + +"Yes, there is," replied I; "in every page, as you call it, there is a +black line down the middle, and words and letters (I suppose they are) +on both sides." + +"And among the letters, there are some larger than others, especially +at the side nearest to the margin." + +"I don't know what margin is." + +"I mean here," replied he, pointing to the margin of the page. + +"Yes, there are." + +"Well then, I will open the book as near as I can guess at the Morning +service, and you tell me if you can find any part of the writing which +appears to begin with a large round letter, like--what shall I +say?--the bottom of a pannikin." + +"There is one on this leaf, quite round." + +"Very well--now get me a small piece of stick, and make a point to it." + +I did so, and Jackson swept away a small place on the floor of the +cabin. + +"Now," said he, "there are many other prayers which begin with a round +O, as the letter is called; so I must first ascertain if this one is +the one I require. If it is, I know it by heart, and by that shall be +able to teach you all the letters of the alphabet." + +"What's an alphabet?" + +"The alphabet is the number of letters invented to enable us to read +and write. There are twenty-six of them. Now look, Frank; is the next +letter to O the shape of this?" and he drew with the pointed stick the +letter U on the ground. + +"Yes, it is," replied I. + +"And the next is like this," continued he, drawing the letter R, after +he had smoothed the ground and effaced the U. + +"Yes," replied I. + +"Well then, to make sure, I had better go on. OUR is one word, and then +there is a little space between; and next you come to an F." + +"Yes," replied I, looking at what he had drawn and comparing it with +the letter in the book. + +"Then I believe that we are all right, but to make sure, we will go on +for a little longer." + +Jackson then completed the word "Father," and "which art," that +followed it, and then he was satisfied. + +"Now," said he, "out of that prayer I can teach you all the letters, +and if you pay attention, you will learn to read." + +The whole morning was passed in my telling him the different letters, +and I very soon knew them all. During the day, the Lord's Prayer was +gone through, and as I learnt the words as well as the letters, I could +repeat it before night; I read it over to him twenty or thirty times, +spelling every word, letter by letter, until I was perfect. This was my +first lesson. + +"Why is it called the Lord's Prayer?" said I. + +"Because, when our Lord Jesus Christ was asked by His followers in what +way they ought to address God, He gave them this prayer to repeat, as +being the most proper that they could use." + +"But who was Jesus Christ?" + +"He was the Son of God, as I told you yesterday, and at the same time +equal with God." + +"How could he be equal with God, if, as you said yesterday, God sent +him down to be killed?" + +"It was with his own consent that he suffered death; but all this is a +mystery which you cannot understand at present." + +"What's a mystery?" + +"That which you cannot understand." + +"Do you understand it yourself?" + +"No, I do not; I only know that such is the fact, but it is above not +only mine, but all men's comprehension. But I tell you honestly that, +on these points, I am but a bad teacher; I have paid little attention +to them during my life, and as far as religion is concerned, I can only +give you the outlines, for I know no more." + +"But I thought you said, that people were to be punished or rewarded +when they died, according as they had lived a bad or good life; and +that to live a good life, people must be religious, and obey God's +commands." + +"I did tell you so, and I told you the truth; but I did not tell you +that I had led a bad life, as I have done, and that I have neglected to +pay obedience to God's word and command." + +"Then you will be punished when you die, will you not?" + +"Alas! I fear so, child," replied Jackson, putting his hands up to his +forehead and hiding his face. "But there is still time," continued he, +after a pause, and "O God of mercy!" exclaimed he, "how shall I escape?" + +I was about to continue the conversation, but Jackson requested that I +would leave him alone for a time. I went out and sat on a rock, +watching the stars. + +"And those, he says, were all made by God,"--"and God made everything," +thought I, "and God lives up beyond those stars." I thought for a long +while, and was much perplexed. I had never heard anything of God till +the night before, and what Jackson had told me was just enough to make +me more anxious and curious; but he evidently did not like to talk on +the subject. I tried after a time, if I could repeat the Lord's Prayer, +and I found that I could, so I knelt down on the rock, and looking up +to a bright star, as if I would imagine it was God, I repeated the +Lord's Prayer to it, and then I rose up and went to bed. + +This was the first time that I had ever prayed. + +I had learnt so much from Jackson, latterly, that I could hardly retain +what I had learnt; at all events, I had a very confused recollection in +my brain, and my thoughts turned from one subject to another, till +there was, for a time, a perfect chaos; by degrees things unravelled +themselves, and my ideas became more clear; but still I laboured under +that half-comprehension of things, which, in my position, was +unavoidable. + +But now my mind was occupied with one leading object and wish, which +was to learn to read. I thought no more of Jackson's history and the +account he might give me of my father and mother, and was as willing as +he was that it should be deferred for a time. What I required now was +to be able to read the books, and to this object my whole mind and +attention were given. Three or four hours in the earlier portion of the +day, and the same time in the latter, were dedicated to this pursuit, +and my attention never tired or flagged. In the course of, I think, +about six weeks, I could read, without hesitation, almost any portion +of the Bible or Prayer-Book. I required no more teaching from Jackson, +who now became an attentive hearer, as I read to him every morning and +evening a portion of the Gospel or Liturgy. But I cannot say that I +understood many portions which I read, and the questions which I put to +Jackson puzzled him not a little, and very often he acknowledged that +he could not answer them. As I afterwards discovered this arose from +his own imperfect knowledge of the nature of the Christian religion, +which, according to his statement to me, might be considered to have +been comprised in the following sentence: "If you do good on earth, you +will go to heaven and be happy; if you do ill, you will go to hell and +be tormented. Christ came down from heaven to teach us what to do, and +how to follow his example; and all that we read in the Bible we must +believe." This may be considered as the creed imparted to me at that +time. I believe that Jackson, like many others, knew no better, and +candidly told me what he himself had been taught to believe. + +But the season for the return of the birds arrived, and our stock of +provender was getting low. I was therefore soon obliged to leave my +books, and work hard for Jackson and myself. As soon as the young birds +were old enough, I set to my task. And now I found how valuable were +the knives which I had obtained from the seaman's chest; indeed, in +many points I could work much faster. By tying the neck and sleeves of +a duck frock, I made a bag, which enabled me to carry the birds more +conveniently, and in greater quantities at a time, and with the knives +I could skin and prepare a bird in one quarter of the time. With my +fishing-lines also, I could hang up more to dry at one time, so that, +though without assistance, I had more birds cured in the same time than +when Jackson and I were both employed in the labour. The whole affair, +however, occupied me from morning to evening for more than three weeks, +by which time the major portion of my provender was piled up at the +back of the cabin. I did not, however, lose what I had gained in +reading, as Jackson would not let me go away in the morning, or retire +to my bed in the evening, without my reading to him a portion of the +Bible. Indeed, he appeared to be uncomfortable if I did not do so. + +At last, the work was ended, and then I felt a strong desire return to +hear that portion of Jackson's history connected with my father and +mother, and I told him so. He did not appear to be pleased with my +communication, or at all willing to proceed, but as I pressed him hard +and showed some symptoms of resolution and rebellion, he reluctantly +resumed his narrative. + + + + +Chapter VIII + + +"I wish you to understand," said he, "that my unwillingness to go on +with my history, proceeds from my being obliged to make known to you +the hatred that subsisted between your father and me; but if you will +recollect, that we both had, in our early days, been striving to gain +the same object--I mean your mother--and also that he had taken, as it +were, what I considered to have been my place, in other points--that he +had been successful in life, and I had been unfortunate, you must not +then be surprised at my hating him as I did." + +"I understand nothing about your feelings," replied I; "and why he +injured you by marrying my mother, I cannot see." + +"Why I loved her." + +"Well, suppose you did, I don't know what love is, and therefore cannot +understand it, so tell me the story." + +"Well then, when I left off, I told you that we had ventured to land +upon this island by running the boat into the bathing-pond, but in so +doing, the boat was beaten to pieces, and was of no use afterwards. We +landed, eight persons in all--that is, the captain, your father, the +carpenter, mate, and three seamen, besides your mother. We had +literally nothing in the boat except three axes, two kids, and the two +pannikins, which we have indeed now, but as for provisions or even +water we had none of either. Our first object, therefore, was to search +the island to obtain water, and this we soon found at the rill which +now runs down by the side of the cabin. It was very fortunate for us +that we arrived exactly at the time that the birds had come on the +island, and had just laid their eggs; if not, we must have perished +with hunger, for we had not a fish-hook with us or even a fathom of +line. + +"We collected a quantity of eggs, and made a good meal, although we +devoured them raw. While we were running about, or rather climbing +about, over the rocks, to find out what chance of subsistence we might +have on the island, the captain and your father remained with your +mother, who sat down in a sheltered spot near to the bathing-pool. On +our return in the evening, the captain called us all together that he +might speak to us, and he said that if we would do well we must all act +in concert; that it also would be necessary that one should have the +command and control of the others; that without such was the case, +nothing would go on well;--and he asked us if we did not consider that +what he said was true. We all agreed, although I, for one, felt little +inclination to do so, but as all the rest said so, I raised no +objections. The captain then told us that as we were all of one +opinion, the next point, was to decide as to who should have the +command--he said, that if it had been on ship-board, he of course would +have taken it himself, but now we were on shore he thought that Mr +Henniker was a much more competent person than he was, and he therefore +proposed that the command should be given to him, and he, for one, +would willingly be under his orders. To this proposal, the carpenter +and mate immediately agreed, and at last two of the seamen. I was left +alone, but I resisted, saying, that I was not going to be ordered about +by a landsman, and that if I were to obey orders, it must be from a +thorough-bred seaman. The other two sailors were of my way of thinking, +I was sure, although they had given their consent, and I hoped that +they would join me, which they appeared very much inclined to do. Your +father spoke very coolly, modestly, and prudently. He pointed out that +he had no wish to take the command, and that he would cheerfully serve +under the captain of the vessel, if it would be more satisfactory to +all parties that such should be the case. But the captain and the +others were positive, saying that they would not have their choice +disputed by such a drunken vagabond as I was, and that if I did not +like to remain with them, I might go to any part of the island that I +chose. This conference ended by my getting in a passion, and saying +that I would not be under your father's orders; and I was seizing one +of the axes to go off with it, when the captain caught my arm and +wrested it from me, stating that the axe was his property, and then +telling me that I was welcome to go where I pleased. + +"I left them, therefore, and went away by myself to where the birds +were hatching, as I wished to secure a supply of eggs. When the night +closed in, I lay down upon the guano, and felt no cold, for the gale +was now over, and the weather was very mild. + +"The next morning, when I awoke, I found that the sun had been up some +time. I looked for the rest of my companions whom I had quitted, and +perceived that they were all busily at work. The sea was quite calm; +and, when the vessel went down after we left, many articles had +floated, and had been washed to the island. Some of the men were busy +collecting spars and planks, which were near the rocks, and pushing +them along with the boat-hooks to the direction of the bathing pond, +where they hauled them over the ridge, and secured them. Your father +and mother, with the carpenter, were on this ledge where we now are, +having selected it as a proper place for building a shelter, and were +apparently very busy. The captain and one of the seamen were carrying +up what spars and timber could be collected to where your father was +standing with the carpenter. All appeared to be active, and working +into each others hands; and I confess that, as I looked on, I envied +them, and wished that I had been along with them; but I could not bear +the idea of obeying any orders given by your father; and this alone +prevented my joining them, and making my excuses for what I had done +and said the previous night. I therefore swallowed some more birds' +eggs raw, and sat down in the sun, looking at them as they worked. + +"I soon perceived that the carpenter had commenced operations. The +frame of this cabin was, with the assistance of your father, before it +was noon, quite complete and put up; and then they all went down to the +bathing place, where the boat was lying with her bottom beaten out. +They commenced taking her to pieces and saving all the nails; the other +men carried up the portions of the boat as they were ripped off, to +where the frame of the cabin had been raised. I saw your mother go up +with a load in her hand, which I believed to be the nails taken from +the boat. In a couple of hours the boat was in pieces and carried up, +and then your father and most of the men went up to assist the +carpenter. I hardly need tell what they did, as you have the cabin +before you. The roof, you see, is mostly built out of the timbers of +the boat; and the lower part out of heavier wood; and a very good job +they made of it. Before the morning closed in, one of the sides of the +cabin was finished; and I saw them light a fire with the chips that had +been cut off with the axes, and they then dressed the eggs and birds +which they had collected the first day. + +"There was one thing which I had quite forgotten when I mutinied and +left my companions, which was, the necessity of water to drink; and I +now perceived that they had taken possession of the spot where the only +water had as yet been found. I was suffering very much from thirst +towards the close of the day, and I set off up the ravine to ascertain +if there was none to be found in that direction. Before night I +succeeded in finding some, as you know, for you have often drunk from +the spring when you have gone up for firewood. This gave me great +encouragement, for I was afraid that the want of water would have +driven me to submission. By way of bravado, I tore off, and cut with my +knife, as many boughs of the underwood on the ravine as I well could +carry, and the next morning I built a sort of wigwam for myself on the +guano, to show them that I had a house over my head as well as they +had; but I built it farther up to the edge of the cliff, above the +guano plain, so that I need not have any communication with those who I +knew would come for eggs and birds for their daily sustenance. + +"Before the night of the following day set in, the cabin was quite +finished. + +"The weather became warmer every day, and I found it very fatiguing to +have to climb the ravine two or three times a day to procure a drink of +water, for I had nothing to hold water in, and I thought that it would +be better that I should take up my quarters in the ravine, and build +myself a wigwam among the brushwood close to the water, instead of +having to make so many journeys for so necessary an article. I knew +that I could carry eggs in my hat and pocket-handkerchief sufficient +for two or three days at one trip; so I determined that I would do so; +and the next morning I went up the ravine, loaded with eggs, to take up +my residence there. In a day or two I had built my hut of boughs, and +made it very comfortable. I returned for a fresh supply of eggs on the +third day, with a basket I had constructed out of young boughs, and +which enabled me to carry a whole week's sustenance. Then I felt quite +satisfied, and made up my mind that I would live as a hermit during my +sojourn on the island, however long it might be; for I preferred +anything to obeying the orders of one whom I detested as I did your +father. + +"It soon was evident, however, how well they had done in selecting your +father as their leader. They had fancied that the birds would remain on +the island, and that thus they would always be able to procure a +supply. Your father, who had lived so long in Chili, knew better, and +that in a few weeks they would quit their nesting place. He pointed +this out to them, showing them what a mercy it was that they had been +cast away just at this time, and how necessary it was to make a +provision for the year. But this they could not imagine that it was +possible to do without salt to cure the birds with; but he knew how +beef was preserved without salt on the continent, and showed them how +to dry the birds in the sun. While therefore I was up in the ravine, +they were busy collecting and drying them in large quantities, and +before the time of the birds leaving they had laid up a sufficient +supply. It was he also that invented the fishing lines out of the +sinews of the legs of the birds, and your mother who knotted them +together. At first, they caught fish with some hooks made of nails, but +your father showed them the way to take them without a hook, as you +have learnt from me, and which he had been shown by some of the Indians +on the continent. Owing to your father, they were well prepared when +the birds flew away with their young ones, while I was destitute. +Previous to the flight, I had fared but badly, for the eggs contained +the young birds half formed, and latterly so completely formed that I +could not eat them, and as I had no fire and did not understand drying +them, I had no alternative but eating the young birds raw, which was +anything but pleasant. I consoled myself, however, with the idea that +your father and mother and the rest were faring just as badly as +myself, and I looked forward to the time when the birds would begin to +lay eggs again, when I resolved to hoard up a much larger supply while +they were fresh. But my schemes were all put an end to, for in two +days, after a great deal of noise and flying about in circles, all the +birds, young and old, took wing, and left me without any means of +future subsistence. + +"This was a horrid discovery, and I was put to my wits' ends. I +wandered over the guano place, and, after the third day of their +departure, was glad to pick up even a dead bird with which to appease +my hunger. At the same time, I wondered how my former companions got +on, for I considered that they must be as badly off as I was. I watched +them from behind the rocks, but I could perceive no signs of +uneasiness. There was your mother sitting quietly on the level by the +cabin, and your father or the captain talking with her. I perceived, +however, that two of the party were employed fishing off the rocks, and +I wondered where they got their fishing-lines, and at last I concluded +that it was by catching fish that they supported themselves. This, +however, did not help me--I was starving, and starvation will bring +down the pride of any man. On the fifth day, I walked down to the +rocks, to where one of the seamen was fishing, and having greeted him, +I told him that I was starving, and asked for something to eat. + +"'I cannot help you,' replied he; 'I have no power to give anything +away; it is more than I dare do. You must apply to Mr Henniker, who is +the governor now. What a foolish fellow you were to mutiny, as you did; +see what it has brought you to.' + +"'Why,' replied I, 'if it were not for fishing, you would not be better +off than I am.' + +"'Oh yes we should be; but we have to thank him for that--without him, +I grant, we should not have been. We have plenty of provisions, +although we fish to help them out.' + +"This puzzled me amazingly, but there was no help for it. I could +starve no longer, so up I went to the level where your father was +standing with the captain, and in a swaggering sort of tone, said that +I had come back, and wanted to join my comrades. The captain looked at +me, and referred me to your father, who said that he would consult with +the rest when they came to dinner, as without their permission he could +do nothing, and then they both turned away. In the meantime I was +ravenous with hunger, and was made more so by perceiving that two large +fish were slowly baking on the embers of the fire, and that your mother +was watching them; however, there was no help for it, and I sat down at +some little distance, anxiously waiting for the return of the rest of +the party, when my fate would be decided. My pride was now brought down +so low that I could have submitted to any terms which might have been +dictated. In about two hours they were all assembled to dinner, and I +remained envying every morsel that they ate, until the repast was +finished; when after some consultation, I was ordered to +approach--which I did--and your father addressed me: 'Jackson, you +deserted us when you might have been very useful, and when our labour +was severe; now that we have worked hard, and made ourselves tolerably +comfortable, you request to join us, and partake with us of the fruits +of our labour and foresight. You have provided nothing, we have--the +consequence is that we are in comparative plenty, while you are +starving. Now I have taken the opinion of my companions, and they are +all agreed, that as you have not assisted when you are wanted, should +we now allow you to join us, you will have to work more than the others +to make up an equivalent. It is therefore proposed that you shall join +us on one condition, which is, that during the year till the birds +again visit the island, it will be your task to go up to the ravine +every day, and procure the firewood which is required. If you choose to +accept these terms, you are permitted to join, always supposing that to +all the other rules and regulations which we have laid down for our +guidance, you will be subject as well as we are. These are our terms, +and you may decide as you think proper.' I hardly need say, that I +gladly accepted them, and was still more glad when the remnants of the +dinner were placed before me; I was nearly choked, I devoured with such +haste until my appetite was appeased. + +"When this was done, I thought over the conditions which I had +accepted, and my blood boiled at the idea that I was to be in a manner +the slave to the rest, as I should have to work hard every day. I +forgot that it was but justice, and that I was only earning my share of +the years' provisions, which I had not assisted to collect. My heart +was still more bitter against your father, and I vowed vengeance if +ever I had an opportunity, but there was no help for it. Every day I +went up with a piece of cord and an axe, cut a large faggot of wood, +and brought it down to the cabin. It was hard work, and occupied me +from breakfast to dinner-time, and I had no time to lose if I wanted to +be back for dinner. The captain always examined the faggot, and +ascertained that I had brought down a sufficient supply for the day's +consumption." + + + + +Chapter IX + + +"A year passed away, during which I was thus employed. At last, the +birds made their appearance, and after we had laid up our annual +provision, I was freed from my task, and had only to share the labour +with others. It was now a great source of speculation how long we were +likely to remain on the island; every day did we anxiously look out for +a vessel, but we could see none, or if seen, they were too far off from +the island to permit us to make signals to them. At last we began to +give up all hope, and, as hope was abandoned, a settled gloom was +perceptible on most of our faces. I believe that others would have now +mutinied as well as myself, if they had known what to mutiny about. +Your father and mother were the life and soul of the party, inventing +amusements, or narrating a touching story in the evenings, so as to +beguile the weary time; great respect was paid to your mother, which +she certainly deserved; I seldom approached her; she had taken a +decided dislike to me, arising, I presume, from my behaviour towards +her husband, for now that I was again on a footing with the others, I +was as insolent to him as I dared to be, without incurring the penalty +attached to insubordination, and I opposed him as much as I could in +every proposal that he brought forward--but your father kept his +temper, although I lost mine but too often. The first incident which +occurred of any consequence, was the loss of two of the men, who had, +with your father's permission, taken a week's provisions, with the +intention of making a tour round the island, and ascertaining whether +any valuable information could be brought back; they were the carpenter +and one of the seamen. It appears that during their return, as they +were crossing the highest ridge, they, feeling very thirsty, and not +finding water, attempted to refresh themselves by eating some berries +which they found on a plant. These berries proved to be strong poison, +and they returned very ill--after languishing a few days, they both +died. + +"This was an event which roused us up, and broke the monotony of our +life; but it was one which was not very agreeable to dwell upon, and +yet, at the same time, I felt rather pleasure than annoyance at it--I +felt that I was of more consequence, and many other thoughts entered my +mind which I shall not now dwell upon. We buried them in the guano, +under the first high rock, where, indeed, the others were all +subsequently buried. Three more months passed away, when the other +seaman was missing. After a search, his trousers were found at the edge +of the rock. He had evidently been bathing in the sea, for the day on +which he was missed, the water was as smooth as glass. Whether he had +seen something floating, which he wished to bring to land, or whether +he had ventured for his own amusement, for he was an excellent swimmer, +could never be ascertained--any more than whether he had sunk with the +cramp, or had been taken down by a shark. He never appeared again, and +his real fate is a mystery to this day, and must ever remain so. Thus +were we reduced to four men--your father, the captain, the mate, and +me. But you must be tired--I will stop now, and tell you the remainder +some other time." + +Although I was not tired, yet, as Jackson appeared to be so, I made no +objection to his proposal, and we both went to sleep. + +While I had read the Bible to Jackson, I had often been puzzled by +numbers being mentioned, and never could understand what was meant, +that is, I could form no of the quantity represented by seventy or +sixty, or whatever it might be. Jackson's answer was, "Oh! it means a +great many; I'll explain to you bye-and-bye, but we have nothing to +count with, and as I am blind, I must have something in my hand to +teach you." I recollected that at the bathing pool there were a great +many small shells on the rocks, about the size of a pea; there were +live fish in them, and they appeared to crawl on the rocks. I collected +a great quantity of these, and brought them up to the cabin, and +requested Jackson would teach me to count. This he did, until he came +to a thousand, which he said was sufficient. For many days I continued +to count up to a hundred, until I was quite perfect, and then Jackson +taught me addition and subtraction to a certain degree, by making me +add and take away from the shells, and count the accumulation, or the +remainder. At last, I could remember what I had gained by manipulation, +if I may use the term, but further, I could not go, although addition +had, to a degree, made me master of multiplication, and subtraction +gave me a good idea of division. + +This was a new delight to me, and occupied me for three or four weeks. +At last I had, as I thought, learned all that he could teach me in his +blind state, and I threw away the shells, and sighed for something more. + +Of a sudden it occurred to me, that I had never looked into the book +which still lay upon the shelf in the cabin, and I saw no reason now +that I should not; so I mentioned it to Jackson, and asked him why I +might not have that book? + +"To be sure you may," replied he; "but you never asked for it, and I +quite forgot it." + +"But when I asked you before, you were so particular that I should not +open it. What was your reason then?" + +Jackson replied--"I had no reason except that I then disliked you, and +I thought that looking into the book would give you pleasure. It +belonged to that poor fellow that was drowned; he had left it in the +stern-sheets of the boat when we were at Valdivia, and had forgotten +it, and we found it there when we landed on the island. Take it down, +it will amuse you." + +I took down the book, and opened it. It was, if I recollect right, +called "Mavor's Natural History." At all events, it was a Natural +History of Beasts and Birds, with a plate representing each, and a +description annexed. It would be impossible for me to convey to the +reader my astonishment and delight. I had never seen a picture or +drawing in my life. I did not know that such things existed. I was in +an ecstasy of delight as I turned over the pages, hardly taking +sufficient time to see one object before I hastened on to another. For +two or three hours did I thus turn over leaves, without settling upon +any one animal; at last my pulse beat more regularly, and I commenced +with the Lion. But now what a source of amusement, and what a multitude +of questions had to be answered by my companion. He had to tell me all +about the countries in which the animals were found; and the +description of the animals, with the anecdotes, were a source of much +conversation; and, what was more, the foregrounds and backgrounds of +the landscapes with which the animals were surrounded produced new +ideas. There was a palm-tree, which I explained to Jackson, and +inquired about it. This led to more inquiries. The lion himself +occupied him and me for a whole afternoon, and it was getting dark when +I lay down, with my new treasure by my side. I had read of the lion in +the Scriptures, and now I recalled all the passages; and before I slept +I thought of the bear which destroyed the children who had mocked +Elisha the prophet, and I determined that the first animal I would read +about the next morning should be the bear. + +I think that this book lasted me nearly two months, during which time, +except reading a portion every night and morning to Jackson, the Bible +and Prayer-book were neglected. Sometimes I thought that the book could +not be true; but when I came to the birds, I found those which +frequented the island so correctly described, that I had no longer any +doubt on the subject. Perhaps what interested me most were the plates +in which the barn-door fowls and the peacock were described, as in the +background of the first were a cottage and figures, representing the +rural scenery of England, my own country; and in the second there was a +splendid mansion, and a carriage and four horses driving up to the +door. In short, it is impossible to convey to the reader the new ideas +which I received from these slight efforts of the draftsman to give +effect to his drawing. The engraving was also a matter of much wonder, +and required a great deal of explanation from Jackson. This book became +my treasure, and it was not till I had read it through and through, so +as almost to know it by heart, that at length I returned to my Bible. +All this time I had never asked Jackson to go on with his narrative; +but now that my curiosity was appeased, I made the request. He +appeared, as before, very unwilling; but I was pertinacious, and he was +worried into it. + +"There were but four of us left and your mother, and the mate was in a +very bad state of health; he fretted very much, poor fellow, for he had +left a young wife in England, and what he appeared to fear most was, +that she would be married again before he could get home. It ended in a +confirmed liver complaint, which carried him off nine months +afterwards; and thus was one more of our companions disposed of. He +died very quietly, and gave me his sleeve-buttons and watch to deliver +to his wife, if ever I should escape from the island. I fear there is +little chance of her ever receiving them." + +"Where are they?" said I, recollecting how I had seen him lift up the +board under his bed-place. + +"I have them safe," replied Jackson, "and if necessary, will tell you +where to find them." + +This reply satisfied me, and I allowed him to proceed. + +"We buried him in the guano, by the side of the two others, and now we +were but three. It was at this time that your mother was confined and +you were born; that is about three months after the death of the mate. +We had just finished laying in our stock of birds for the year when she +was taken ill, sooner than was expected, and it was supposed that it +was occasioned by over-exertion at the time. However, she got up very +well without any medical assistance, and your father was much pleased +at having a son, for he had been married five years without any +prospect of a family. I ought to observe that the loss of our +companions, one after another, had had the effect of bringing those +that remained much closer together; I was treated with more kindness by +both your father and mother, and the captain, and I returned it as well +as my feelings would permit me, for I could not altogether get rid of +my animosity to your father. However, we became much more confidential, +that is certain, and I was now treated as an equal. + +"Six months passed away and you had become a thriving child, when a +melancholy occurrence"--here Jackson covered up his face with his hands +and remained for some time silent. + +"Go on," said I, "Jackson, I know that they all died somehow or +another." + +"Very true," replied he, recovering himself. "Well, your father +disappeared. He had gone to the rocks to fish, and when I was sent to +bring him home to dinner, he was nowhere to be found. It was supposed +that a larger fish than usual had been fast to his line, and that he +had been jerked off the rocks into the water and the sharks had taken +him. It was a dreadful affair," continued Jackson, again covering his +face. + +"I think," replied I, "that any man in his senses would have allowed +the fish to have taken the line rather than have been dragged into the +water. I don't think that the supposed manner of his death is at all +satisfactory." + +"Perhaps not," replied Jackson; "his foot may have slipped, who knows? +we only could guess; the line was gone as well as he, which made us +think what I said. Still we searched everywhere, but without hope; and +our search--that is the captain's and mine, for your poor mother +remained with you in her arms distracted--was the cause of another +disaster--no less than the death of the captain. They say misfortunes +never come single, and surely this was an instance of the truth of the +proverb." + +"How did he die?" replied I, gravely, for somehow or other I felt +doubts as to the truth of what he was saying. Jackson did not reply +till after a pause, when he said-- + +"He was out with me up the ravine collecting firewood, and he fell over +the high cliff. He was so injured that he died in half an hour." + +"What did you do?" + +"What did I do--what could I do but go back and break the news to your +mother, who was distracted when she heard it; for the captain was her +friend, and she could not bear me." + +"Well go on, pray," said I. + +"I did all that I could to make your mother comfortable, as there now +were but her, you, and I, left on the island. You were then about three +years old; but your mother always hated me, and appeared now to hate me +more and more. She never recovered the loss of your father to whom she +was devotedly attached; she pined away, and after six months she died, +leaving you and me only on the island. Now you know the whole history, +and pray do not ask me any more about it." + + + + +Chapter X + + +Jackson threw himself back in his bed-place and was silent. So was I, +for I was recalling all that he had told me, and my doubts were raised +as to the truth of it. I did not like his hurrying over the latter +portion of his narrative in the way which he had done. What he had said +about my mother was not satisfactory. I had for some time been +gradually drawing towards him, not only shewing, but feeling, for him a +great increase of goodwill; but suspicion had entered my mind, and I +now began to feel my former animosity towards him renewed. A night's +sleep, however, and more reflection, induced me to think that possibly +I was judging him too harshly, and as I could not afford to quarrel +with him, our intercourse remained as amicable as before, particularly +as he became more and more amiable towards me and did everything in his +power to interest and amuse me. + +I was one day reading to him the account of a monkey given in the book +of Natural History, in which it is said that that animal is fond of +spirits and will intoxicate itself, and Jackson was telling me many +anecdotes of monkeys on board of the vessel he had sailed in, when it +occurred to me that I had never thought of mentioning to him or of +ascertaining the contents of the cask which had been thrown into the +bathing-pool with the seaman's chest, and I did so then to Jackson, +wondering at its contents and how they were to be got at. + +Jackson entered into the question warmly, explaining to me how and +where to bore holes with a gimlet, and making two spiles for me to stop +the holes with. As soon as he had done so, curiosity induced me to go +down to the pool where the cask had been lying so long, in about a +foot-and-half water. By Jackson's directions I took a pannikin with me, +that I might bring him a specimen of the contents of the cask, if they +should prove not to be water. I soon bored the hole above and below, +following Jackson's directions, and the liquor, which poured out in a +small stream into the pannikin, was of a brown colour and very strong +in odour, so strong, indeed, as to make me reel as I walked back to the +rocks with the pannikin full of it. I then sat down, and after a time +tasted it. I thought I had swallowed fire, for I had taken a good +mouthful of it. "This cannot be what Jackson called spirits," said I. +"No one can drink this--what can it be?" Although I had not swallowed +more than a table-spoonful of it, yet, combined with the fumes of the +liquor which I had inhaled when drawing it off into the pannikin, the +effect was to make my head swim, and I lay down on the rock and shut my +eyes to recover myself. It ended in my falling asleep for many hours, +for it was not much after noon when I went to the cask, and it was near +sunset when I awoke, with an intense pain in my head. It was some time +before I could recollect where I was, or what had passed, but the +pannikin full of liquor by my side first reminded me; and then +perceiving how late it was, and how long I must have slept, I rose up, +and taking the pannikin in my hand, I hastened to return to the cabin. + +As I approached, I heard the voice of Jackson, whose hearing, since his +blindness, I had observed, had become peculiarly acute. + +"Is that you, Frank?" + +"Yes," replied I. + +"And what has kept you so long--how you have frightened me. God forgive +me, but I thought that I was to be left and abandoned to starvation." + +"Why should you have thought that?" replied I. + +"Because I thought that some way or another you must have been killed, +and then I must have died, of course. I never was so frightened in my +life, the idea of dying here all alone--it was terrible." + +It occurred to me at the time that the alarm was all for himself, for +he did not say a word about how sorry he should have been at any +accident happening to me, but I made no remark, simply stating what had +occurred, and my conviction that the contents of the cask were not +drinkable. + +"Have you brought any with you?" inquired he, sharply. + +"Yes, here it is," said I, giving him the pannikin. + +He smelt it, and raised it to his lips--took about a wine-glassful of +it, and then drew his breath. + +"This is delightful," said he; "the best of old rum, I never tasted so +good. How big did you say that the cask was?" + +I described it as well as I could. + +"Indeed, then it must be a whole puncheon--that will last a long while." + +"But do you mean to say that you really like to drink that stuff?" +inquired I. + +"Do I like to drink it? yes, it is good for men, but it's death to +little boys. It will kill you. Don't you get fond of it. Now promise me +that you will never drink a drop of it. You must not get fond of it, or +some sad accident will happen to you." + +"I don't think you need fear my drinking it," replied I. "I have had +one taste, as I told you, and it nearly burnt my mouth. I shan't touch +it again." + +"That's right," replied Jackson, taking another quantity into his +mouth. "You are not old enough for it; bye-and-bye, when you are as old +as I am, you may drink it, then it will do you good. Now, I'll go to +bed, it's time for bed. Bring the pannikin after me and put it by my +side. Take care you don't spill any of it." + +Jackson crawled to his bed, and I followed him with the pannikin, and +put it by his side, as he requested, and I returned to my own +resting-place, without however having the least inclination to sleep, +having slept so long during the day. + +At first Jackson was quiet, but I heard him occasionally applying to +the pannikin, which held, I should say, about three half-pints of +liquor. At last he commenced singing a sea song; I was much surprised, +as I had never heard him sing before; but I was also much pleased, as +it was the first time that I had ever heard anything like melody, for +he had a good voice and sang in good tune. As soon as he had finished, +I begged him to go on. + +"Ah!" replied he, with a gay tone I had never heard from him before. +"You like songs, do you? my little chap. Well, I'll give you plenty of +them. 'Tis a long while since I have sung, but it's a 'poor heart that +never rejoiceth.' The time was when no one in company could sing a song +as I could, and so I can again, now that I have something to cheer my +heart. Yes, here's another for you. I shall rouse them all out +by-and-bye, as I get the grog in--no fear of that--you find the stuff, +and I'll find songs." + +I was surprised at first at this unusual mirth; but recollecting what +Jackson had told me about his intemperance, I presumed that this mirth +which it produced was the cause why he indulged so much in it; and I +felt less inclined to blame him. At all events, I was much pleased with +the songs that he sang to me one after another for three or four hours, +when his voice became thick, and, after some muttering and swearing, he +was quite silent, and soon afterwards snored loudly. I remained awake +some time longer, and then I also sank into forgetfulness. + +When I awoke the next morning, I found Jackson still fast asleep. I +waited for him for our morning meal; but, as he did not wake, I took +mine by myself, and then I walked out to the rock, where I usually sat, +and looked round the horizon to see if there was anything in sight. The +spy-glass, from having been in sea water, was of no use, and I did not +know what to do with it; nor could Jackson instruct me. After I had +been out about an hour I returned, and found Jackson still snoring, and +I determined to wake him up. I pushed him for some time without +success; but, at last he opened his eyes, and said: + +"My watch already?" + +"No," said I; "but you have slept so long, that I have waked you up." + +He paused, as if he did not know my voice, and then said: + +"But I can't see anything; how's this?" + +"Why, don't you know that you're blind, Jackson?" replied I, with +amazement. + +"Yes, yes; I recollect now. Is there anything in the pannikin?" + +"Not a drop," replied I; "why, you must have drunk it all." + +"Yes, I recollect now. Get me some water, my good boy; for I am dying +with thirst." + +I went for the water; he drank the whole pannikin, and asked for more. + +"Won't you have something to eat?" said I. + +"Eat? oh no; I can't eat anything. Give me drink;" and he held out his +hand for the pannikin. I perceived how it trembled and shook, and I +observed it to him. + +"Yes," replied he, "that's always the case after a carouse, and I had a +good one last night--the first for many a year. But there's plenty more +of it. I wish you would get me a little more now, Frank, just to steady +me; just about two or three mouthfuls, no more; that is, no more till +night-time. Did I make much noise last night?" + +"You sang several songs," replied I, "with which I was much amused." + +"I'm glad that you liked them. I used to be considered a good singer in +my day; indeed, if I had not been such good company, as they term it, I +had not become so fond of drinking. Just go and fetch me about half an +inch high of the pannikin, my good fellow, that's all I want now." + +I went down to the cask, drew of the quantity that he requested, and +brought it to him. He drank it off; and, in a few moments, appeared to +be quite himself again. He then asked for something to eat, and +commenced telling me a variety of stories relative to what he termed +jolly parties in his former days; so that the day passed very +agreeably. As the night closed in, he said: + +"Now, Frank, I know you want to hear some more songs; so go down and +bring me up a full pannikin, and I will sing you plenty." + +I complied with his request, for I was anxious to be again amused as I +was the night before. The consequence was that this night was, in the +early portion of it, but a repetition of the previous one. Jackson took +the precaution to get into his bed-place before he commenced drinking; +and, as soon as he had taken his second dose, he asked me what sort of +songs I liked. My reply naturally was, that I had never heard any one +sing but him, and therefore could not say. + +"What did I sing to you last night?" said he. + +I replied as well as I could. + +"Ah," said he, "they were all sea songs; but now I will give you +something better." + +After a little thought, he commenced singing a very beautiful and +plaintive one, and certainly much better than he had sung the night +before; for he now was sober. The consequence was, that I was still +more delighted; and, at my request, he sang several others; but at last +his speech became rapid and thick, and he would not sing any more, +using some very coarse expressions to me when I asked him. For a time +he was silent, and I thought that he was going to sleep, and I was +reflecting upon the various effects which the liquor appeared to have +upon him, when I heard him talking and muttering, and I listened. + +"Never mind how I got them," said he; "quite as honestly as other +people, Old Moshes. There they are, do you choose to buy them?" Then +there was a pause, after which he commenced: "They're as pure diamonds +as ever came out of a mine. I know that, so none of your lies, you old +Jew. Where did I come by them? that's no concern of yours. The question +is, will you give me the price, or will you not? Well, then, I'm off. +No, I won't come back, you old thief." Here he swore terribly, and then +was silent. + +After a while he recommenced-- + +"Who can ever prove that they were Henniker's diamonds?" + +I started up at the mention of my father's name; I rested with my hands +on the floor of the cabin, breathless as to what would come next. + +"No, no," continued Jackson, "he's dead, and food for fishes--dead men +tell no tales--and she's dead, and the captain's dead, all dead--yes, +all;" and he gave a bitter groan and was silent. + +The day was breaking, and I could just see him as he lay; but he said +no more, and appeared to breathe heavily. As the sun rose, I got out of +my bed-place; and, now that it was broad daylight, I looked at Jackson. +He was lying on his back; his brow was covered with large drops of +perspiration, and his hands were clenched together. Although asleep, he +appeared, by the convulsive twitching of the muscles of his face, to be +suffering and in great agony. Occasionally he groaned deeply, and his +lips appeared to move, but no sound proceeded from them. I perceived +that the pannikin of liquor was not finished, one-third at least having +been left. + + + + +Chapter XI + + +I then went out of the cabin and took my usual seat, and began to +reflect upon what I had heard. He had talked about diamonds; now I knew +what diamonds were, so far as they were of great value, for I had read +of them in the Bible, and Jackson had explained the value of precious +stones to me, and had told me of diamonds of very great value indeed. +Then he said that they were Henniker's diamonds--he must have meant my +father, that was positive. And that no one could prove they were +his--this implied that Jackson had no right to them; indeed how could +he have? And then I recalled to mind his having a secret hiding place +under his bed, where I presumed the diamonds were deposited. I then +turned over in my mind what he had told me relative to the death of my +father, the captain, and my mother, how confused he was, and how glad +he was to get rid of the subject, and how unsatisfactory I thought his +account was at the time. After much cogitation, I made up my mind that +Jackson had not told me the truth, and that there was a mystery yet to +be explained; but how was I to get at it? There was but one way. The +liquor made him talk. I would supply him with liquor, and by degrees I +would get the truth out of him. At the same time I would not allow him +to suppose that he had said anything to commit himself, or that I had +any suspicions. + +How naturally do we fall into treachery and deceit, from the evil in +our own hearts, without any assistance or example from the world. How +could I have learnt deceit? Isolated as I had been, must it not have +been innate? + +I returned to the cabin, and woke Jackson without much difficulty, +since he had not drunk so much as on the previous night. + +"How are you this morning?" said I. + +"Not very well; I have had some bad dreams." + +"Well you sang me some beautiful songs," replied I. + +"Yes, I recollect," said he; "but I fell asleep at last." + +"Yes, you refused to sing any more, and went off in a loud snore." + +Jackson got out of his bed-place, and I gave him his meal. We talked +during the whole day about singing, and I hummed the air which had +pleased me most. + +"You have got the air pretty correct," said he; "you must have an ear +for music. Have you ever tried to sing?" + +"No, never; you know I have not." + +"You might have tried when I was not with you. Try now. I will sing a +tune, and then do you repeat it after me." + +He did so, and I repeated it. + +"Very good," said he. "Let's try the compass of your voice." + +He ran up the gamut, and I followed him. + +"I think you can go higher than I can," said he, "however you go quite +high enough, so now I'll give you a singing lesson." + +Thus were we occupied at intervals during the whole day, for Jackson +would not allow me to try my voice too much at first. As the evening +fell, he again asked me to fetch some liquor, and as I had three quart +wine bottles, as I before mentioned, which I had found in the chest, I +took them down to fill, as it would save me many trips, and be more +convenient in every respect. + +I brought them up full, and Jackson stopped them up with some of the +rags which I had torn to bind round his wrist, and put them all three +in his bed-place. + +"That will be a much better arrangement," said he, "as now I can pour +out the liquor into the pannikin as I want it; besides, I mean to take +a little water with it in future. It's not quite so good with water, +but it lasts longer, and one don't go to sleep so soon. Well, I little +thought that I should have such a comfort sent me after all my +sufferings. I don't so much care now about staying here. Go and fetch +some water in the pannikin." + +That night was a repetition of the first. Jackson sang till he was +intoxicated, and then fell fast asleep, not talking or saying a word, +and I was disappointed, for I remained awake to catch anything he might +say. It would be tedious to repeat what took place for about a +month;--suffice it to say it was very rarely, during that time, that +Jackson said anything in his sleep, or drunken state, and what he did +say I could make nothing of. He continued, in the daytime, to give me +lessons in singing, and I could now sing several songs very correctly. +At night, he returned to his usual habit, and was more or less +intoxicated before the night was over. I perceived, however, that this +excess had a great effect upon his constitution, and that he had become +very pale and haggard. Impatient as I felt to find out the truth, I +concealed my feelings towards him (which had certainly very much +changed again since the discovery I had made and the suspicions I had +formed) and I remained on the best of terms with him, resolving to wait +patiently. He had spoken once, and therefore I argued that he would +speak again, nor was I wrong in my calculations. + +One night, after he had finished his usual allowance of liquor, and had +composed himself for sleep, I observed that he was unusually restless, +changing his position in his bed-place every few minutes, and, at last, +he muttered, "Captain James. Well, what of Captain James, eh?" + +A thought struck me that he might reply to a question. + +"How did he die?" said I, in a low clear voice. + +"Die?" replied Jackson, "he fell down the cliff. Yes, he did. You can't +say I killed him. No--never put my finger on him." + +After that, he was silent for some time, and then he recommenced. + +"She always said that I destroyed them both, but I did not--only +one--yes, one, I grant--but I hated him--no, not for his diamonds--no, +no--if you said his wife indeed--love and hate." + +"Then you killed him for love of his wife, and hate of himself?" + +"Yes, I did. Who are you that have guessed that? Who are you? I'll have +your life." + +As he said this, he started up in his bed-place, awakened by his dream, +and probably by my voice, which he had replied to. + +"Who spoke?" said he. "Frank Henniker, did you speak?" + +I made no reply, but pretended to be sound asleep, as he still sat up, +as if watching me. I feigned a snore. + +"It could not have been him," muttered Jackson, "he's quite fast. +Mercy, what a dream!" + +He then sank down in his bed-place, and I heard the gurgling noise +which told me that he had put the bottle of liquor to his mouth, and +was drinking out of it. From the time that the gurgling lasted, he must +have taken a great deal. At last, all was quiet again. + +"So I have discovered it at last," said I, as my blood boiled at what I +had heard. "He did murder my father. Shall I kill him while he sleeps?" +was the first thought that came into my troubled mind. "No, I won't do +that. What then, shall I tax him with it when he is awake, and then +kill him?" but I thought, that, as he was blind, and unable to defend +himself, it would be cowardly, and I could not do that. What then was I +to do? and as I cooled down, I thought of the words of the Bible, that +we were to return good for evil; for Jackson, of whom, when I read it, +I asked why we were told to do so, had explained it to me, and +afterwards when I came to the part which said, "Vengeance is mine, +saith the Lord," he had told me that there was punishment for the +wicked hereafter, and that was the reason why we were not to obey the +Jewish law of "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," which I had +referred to. This portion of the Bible he had well explained, and +certain it is that it prevented my raising my hand against him that +night. Still, I remained in a state of great excitement; I felt that it +would be impossible for me to be any longer on good terms with him, and +I revolved the question in my mind, till at last, worn out by +excitement, I fell fast asleep. + +A short time before daylight, I started up at what I thought was a +faint cry, but I listened, and hearing nothing more, I again fell +asleep, and it was broad daylight when I arose; my first thoughts were +naturally of Jackson, and I looked at where he lay, but he was no +longer there--his bed-place was empty. I was astonished, and after a +moment's thought, I recollected the cry I had heard in the night, and I +ran out of the cabin and looked around me, but I could see nothing of +him. I then went to the edge of the flat rock upon which the cabin was +built and looked over it; it was about thirty feet from this rock to +the one below, and nearly perpendicular. I thought that he must have +gone out in the night, when intoxicated with liquor, and have fallen +down the precipice; but I did not see him as I peered over. "He must +have gone for water," thought I, and I ran to the corner of the rock, +where the precipice was much deeper, and looking over, I perceived him +lying down below without motion or apparent life. I had, then, judged +rightly. I sat down by the side of the pool of water quite overpowered; +last night I had been planning how I should destroy him, and now he lay +dead before me without my being guilty of the crime. "Vengeance is +mine, saith the Lord," were the words that first escaped my lips; and I +remained many minutes in deep thought. At last it occurred to me that +he might not yet be dead; I ran down the cliff, and, clambering over +the rocks, arrived breathless at the spot where Jackson lay. He groaned +heavily as I stood by him. + +"Jackson," said I, kneeling down by him, "are you much hurt?" for all +my feelings of animosity had vanished when I perceived his unhappy +condition. His lips moved, but he did not utter any sound. At last he +said, in a low voice, "Water." I hastened back as fast as I could to +the cabin, got a pannikin half full of water, and poured a little rum +in it out of the bottle. This journey and my return to him occupied +some ten minutes. I put it to his lips, and he seemed to revive. He was +a dreadful object to look at. The blood from a cut on his head had +poured over his face and beard, which were clotted with gore. How to +remove him to the cabin I knew not. It would be hardly possible for me +to carry him over the broken rocks which I had climbed to arrive at +where he lay; and there was no other way but what was longer, and just +as difficult. By degrees he appeared to recover; I gave him more of the +contents of the pannikin, and at last he could speak, although with +great pain and difficulty. As he did so he put his hand to his side. He +was indeed a ghastly object, with his sightless eyeballs, his livid +lips, and his face and beard matted with blood. + +"Do you think you could get to the cabin, if I helped you?" said I. + +"I shall never get there--let me die where I am," said he. + +"But the cut on your head is not very deep," replied I. + +"No, I don't feel it;--but--my side--I bleed inwardly--I am--broken to +pieces," said he, pausing and gasping between each word. + +I looked at his side, and perceived that it was already black and much +swollen. I offered him more drink, which he took eagerly, and I then +returned for a further supply. I filled two of the wine-bottles with +water and a small drop of spirits as before, and went back to where he +lay. I found him more recovered, and I had hopes that he might still do +well, and I told him so. + +"No, no," replied he; "I have but a few hours to live--I feel that. Let +me die here, and die in peace." + +He then sank into a sort of stupor, occasioned, I presume, by what I +had given him to drink, and remained quite quiet, and breathing +heavily. I sat by him waiting till he should rouse up again; for more +than an hour I was in a very confused state of mind, as may well be +imagined, after what had passed in the night. + + + + +Chapter XII + + +What I most thought of was obtaining from him, now that he was dying, +the full truth as to the deaths of my father and mother. + +Jackson remained so long in this state of stupor, I feared that he +would die before I could interrogate him; but this, as it proved, was +not to be the case. I waited another hour, very impatiently I must +acknowledge, and then I went to him and asked him how he felt. He +replied immediately, and without that difficulty which he appeared +before to have experienced. + +"I am better now--the inward bleeding has stopped; but still I cannot +live--my side is broken in, I do not think there is a rib that is not +fractured into pieces, and my spine is injured, for I cannot move or +feel my legs; but I may live many hours yet, and I thank God for His +mercy in allowing me so much time--short indeed to make reparation for +so bad a life, but still nothing is impossible with God." + +"Well, then," replied I, "if you can speak, I wish you would tell me +the truth relative to my father's death, and also about the death of +others; as for my father I know that you murdered him--for you said so +last night in your sleep." + +After a pause, Jackson replied--"I am glad that I did, and that you +have told me so--I wished to make a full confession even to you, for +confession is a proof of repentance. I know that you must hate me, and +will hate my memory, and I cannot be surprised at it; but look at me +now, Frank, and ask your own heart whether I am not more an object of +pity than of hatred. 'Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord!' and has not +His vengeance fallen upon me even in this world? Look at me; here I am, +separated from the world that I loved so much, with no chance of ever +joining it--possessed of wealth which would but a few months ago have +made me happy--now blind, crushed to pieces by an avenging God, in +whose presence I must shortly appear to answer for all my +wickedness--all my expectations overthrown, all my hopes destroyed, and +all my accumulated sins procuring me nothing, but, it may be, eternal +condemnation. I ask you again, am I not an object of pity and +commiseration?" + +I could but assent to this, and he proceeded. + +"I will now tell you the truth. I did tell the truth up to the time of +your father and mother's embarkation on board of the brig, up to when +the gale of wind came on which occasioned eventually the loss of the +ship. Now give me a little drink. + +"The vessel was so tossed by the storm, and the waves broke over her so +continually, that the between-decks were full of water, and as the +hatches were kept down, the heat was most oppressive. When it was not +my watch I remained below, and looked out for another berth to sleep +in. Before the cabin bulkheads on the starboard side, the captain had +fitted up a sort of sail-room to contain the spare sails in case we +should require them. It was about eight feet square, and the sails were +piled up in it, so as to reach within two feet of the deck overhead; +though the lower ones were wetted with the water, above they were dry, +and I took this berth on the top of the sails as my sleeping place. Now +the state-room in which your father and mother slept was on the other +side of the cabin bulkhead, and the straining and rolling of the vessel +had opened the chinks between the planks, so that I could see a great +deal of what was done in the state-room, and could hear every word +almost that was spoken by them. I was not aware of this when I selected +this place as my berth, but I found it out on the first night, the +light of the candle shining through the chinks into the darkness by +which I was surrounded outside. Of course, it is when a man is alone +with his wife that he talks on confidential subjects; that I knew well, +and hoped by listening to be able to make some discovery;--what, I had +no idea of; but, with the bad feelings which stimulated me, I +determined not to lose an opportunity. It was not till about a week +after I had selected this berth, that I made any discovery. I had had +the watch from six to eight o'clock, and had gone to bed early. About +nine o'clock your father came into the state-room. Your mother was +already in bed. As your father undressed, your mother said, 'Does not +that belt worry you a great deal, my dear?' + +"'No,' replied your father, 'I am used to it now; it did when I first +put it on, but now I have had it on four days, I do not feel it. I +shall keep it on as long as this weather lasts; there is no saying what +may happen, and it will not do to be looking for the belt at a moment's +warning.' + +"'Do you think then that we are in danger?' + +"'No, not particularly so, but the storm is very fierce, and the vessel +is old and weak. We may have fine weather in a day or two, or we may +not; at all events, when property of value is at stake, and that +property not my own, I should feel myself very culpable, if I did not +take every precaution.' + +"'Well--I wish we were safe home again, my dear, and that my father had +his diamonds, but we are in the hands of God.' + +"'Yes, I must trust to Him,' replied your father. + +"This circumstance induced me to look through one of the chinks of the +bulkhead, so that I could see your father, and I perceived that he was +unbuckling a belt which was round his body, and which no doubt +contained the diamonds referred to. It was of soft leather, and about +eight inches wide, sewed lengthways and breadthways in small squares, +in which I presumed the diamonds were deposited. After a time your +mother spoke again. + +"'I really think, Henniker, that I ought to wear the belt.' + +"'Why so, my dear?' + +"'Because it might be the means of my preservation in case of accident. +Suppose now, we were obliged to abandon the vessel and take to the +boats; a husband, in his hurry, might forget his wife, but he would not +forget his diamonds. If I wore the belt, you would be certain to put me +in the boat.' + +"'That observation of yours would have force with some husbands, and +some wives,' retorted your father; 'but as I have a firm belief in the +Scriptures, it does not affect me. What do the Proverbs say? "The price +of a virtuous woman is far above rubies;" and a good ruby is worth even +more in the market than a diamond of the same size.' + +"'Well, I must comfort myself with that idea,' replied your mother, +laughing. + +"'Supposing we be thrown upon some out-of-the-way place,' said your +father, 'I shall then commit the belt to your charge. It might soon be +discovered on my person, whereas, on yours, it would stand every chance +of being long concealed. I say this because, even in a desert, it would +be dangerous to have it known by unscrupulous and unprincipled men that +anyone had so much wealth about him.' + +"'Well,' replied your mother, 'that is also comfortable for me to hear, +for you will not leave me behind, because I shall be necessary to +conceal your treasure.' + +"'Yes,' replied your father, laughing, 'there is another chance for +you, you see.' + +"Your father then extinguished the light, and the conversation was not +renewed; but I had heard enough. Your father carried a great treasure +about his person--wealth, I took it for granted, that if I once could +obtain, and return to England, would save me from my present position. +My avarice was hereby excited, and thus another passion equally +powerful, and equally inciting to evil deeds, was added to the hate +which I already had imbibed for your father. But I must leave off now." + +Jackson drank a little more, and then remained quiet, and as I had had +no food that day, I took the opportunity of returning to the cabin, +with the promise that I would be back very soon. In half an hour I +returned, bringing with me the Bible and Prayer-book, as I thought that +he would ask me to read to him after he had made his confession. I +found him breathing heavily, and apparently asleep, so I did not wake +him. As I looked at him, and recalled to mind his words, "Am not I an +object of pity?" I confessed that he was, and then I asked myself the +question, Can you forgive him who was the murderer of your father? +After some reflection, I thought that I could. Was he not already +punished? Had not the murder been already avenged? It was not possible +to retain animosity against one so stricken, so broken to pieces, and +my heart smote me when I looked at his disabled hand, and felt that I, +boy as I was, had had a share in his marring. At last he spoke. + +"Are you there, Frank?" + +"Yes," replied I. + +"I have had a little sleep," said he. + +"Do you feel easier?" inquired I kindly. + +"Yes, I feel my side more numbed, and so it will remain till +mortification takes place. But let me finish my confession; I wish to +relieve my mind, not that I shall die to-night, or perhaps to-morrow, +but still I wish it over. Come nearer to me, that I may speak in a +lower voice, and then I shall be able to speak longer." + +I did so, and he proceeded. + +"You know how we were cast upon this island, and how I behaved at +first. When I afterwards took my place with the others, my evil +thoughts gradually quitted me, and I gave up all idea of any injury to +your father. But this did not last long. The deaths of so many, and at +last the captain your father and your mother being the only ones left +on the island besides myself, once more excited my cupidity. I thought +again of the belt of diamonds, and by what means I should gain +possession of it; and the devil suggested to me the murders of the +captain and of your father. I had ascertained that your father no +longer carried the belt on his person when we all used to bathe at the +bathing-pool; it was, therefore, as your father had proposed, in your +mother's keeping. Having once made up my mind, I watched every +opportunity to put my intentions into execution. It was the custom for +one of us to fish every morning, as your mother would not eat the dried +birds, if fish could be procured, and I considered that the only chance +I had of executing my horrible wish was when your father went to fish +off the rocks. We usually did so off the ledge of rocks which divide +the bathing-pool from the sea, but I found out another place, where +more fish, and of a better quality, were to be taken, which is off the +high wall of rocks just below. You know where I mean, I have often sent +you to fish there, but I never could go myself since your father's +death. Your father took his lines there, and was hauling in a large +fish, when I, who had concealed myself close to where he stood, watched +the opportunity as he looked over the rock to see if the fish was clear +of the water, to come behind him and throw him off into the sea. He +could not swim, I knew, and after waiting a minute or two, I looked +over and saw his body, just as it sank, after his last struggles. I +then hastened away, and my guilty conscience induced me to ascend the +ravine, and collect a faggot of firewood to bring home, that no +suspicions might be entertained; but my so doing was the very cause of +suspicion, as you will afterwards perceive. I returned with the wood, +and the captain observed, when I came up to the cabin: + +"'Why, it's something new for you to collect wood out of your turn, +Jackson. Wonders will never cease.' + +"'The fact is, that I am becoming very amiable,' replied I, hardly +knowing what to say, and afraid to look either of them in the face, for +your mother, with you on her lap, was standing close by. + +"'Has my husband caught any fish, do you know, Jackson?' said your +mother, 'for it is high time that he came home.' + +"'How can I tell?' replied I. 'I have been up the ravine for wood.' + +"'But you were down on the rock two hours ago,' replied your mother, +'for Captain James saw you coming away.' + +"'That I certainly did,' replied the captain. 'Had he caught any fish +when you were with him?' + +"They must have perceived my confusion when I said, 'Yes, I was on the +rocks, but I never went near Henniker, that I'll swear.' + +"'You must have been near him, even when I saw you,' replied the +captain. + +"'I never looked at him, if I was,' replied I. + +"'Well, then, one of us had better go down and see what he is about,' +said the captain. 'Shall I leave Jackson with you?' + +"'Yes, yes,' replied your mother, much agitated, 'for I have my +forebodings; better leave him here.' + +"The captain hastened down to the rocks, and in a quarter of an hour +returned very much heated, saying, 'He is not there!' + +"'Not there?' replied I, getting up, for I had seated myself in silence +on the rock during the captain's absence: 'that's very odd.' + +"'It is,' replied the captain. 'Jackson, go and try if you see anything +of him, while I attend to Mrs Henniker.' + +"Your mother, on the captain's return, had bowed her head down to her +knees, and covered her face with her hands. I was glad of an excuse to +be away, for my heart smote me as I witnessed her condition. + +"I remained away half-an-hour, and then returned, saying that I could +see nothing of your father. + +"Your mother was in the cabin, and the captain went in to her, while I +remained outside with all the feelings of Cain upon my brow. + +"That was a dreadful day for all parties--no food was taken. Your +mother and the captain remained in the cabin, and I dared not, as +usual, go in to my own bed-place. I lay all night upon the rocks--sleep +I could not; every moment I saw your father's body sinking, as I had +seen it in the morning. The next morning the captain came out to me. He +was very grave and stern, but he could not accuse me, whatever his +suspicions might have been. It was a week before I saw your mother +again, for I dared not intrude into her presence; but, finding there +was no accusation against me, I recovered my spirits, and returned to +the cabin, and things went on as before." + + + + +Chapter XIII + + +"One thing, however, was evident, that your mother had an aversion--I +may say a horror--of me, which she could not conceal. She said nothing, +but she never could look at me; and to any question I put, would seldom +make reply. Strange to say this treatment of hers produced quite a +different effect from what might have been anticipated, and I felt my +former love for her revive. Her shrinking from me made me more familiar +towards her, and increased her disgust. I assumed a jocose air with +her, and at times Captain James considered it his duty to interfere and +check me. He was a very powerful man, and in a contest would have +proved my master; this I knew, and this knowledge compelled me to be +more respectful to your mother in his presence, but when his back was +turned I became so disgustingly familiar, that at last your mother +requested that whether fishing or collecting wood, instead of going out +by turns we should both go, and leave her alone. This I could not well +refuse, as Captain James would in all probability have used force if I +had not consented, but my hatred to him was in consequence most +unbounded. However, an event took place which relieved me from the +subjection which I was under, and left me alone with you and your +mother. Now I must rest a little. Wait another hour, and you shall know +the rest." + +It was now late in the evening, but there was a bright moon which shone +over head, and the broad light and shadow made the rocks around us +appear peculiarly wild and rugged. They towered up one above the other +till they met the dark blue of the sky in which the stars twinkled but +faintly, while the moon sailed through the ether, without a cloud to +obscure her radiance. And in this majestic scenery were found but two +living beings--a poor boy and a mangled wretch--a murderer--soon to +breathe his last, and be summoned before an offended God. As I remained +motionless by his side, I felt, as I looked up, a sensation of awe, but +not of fear; I thought to myself--"And God made all this and all the +world besides, and me and him. The Bible said so:" and my speculation +then was as to what God must be, for although I had read the Bible, I +had but a confused idea, and had it been asked me, as it was of the man +in the chariot by Philip, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" I +most certainly should have answered, No. I remained for nearly two +hours in this reverie, and at last fell asleep with my back against the +rock. I was, however, wakened up by Jackson's voice, when he asked in a +low tone for water. + +"There it is," said I, handing it to him. "Have you called long?" + +"No," replied he; "I asked but once." + +"I have been asleep," said I. + +As soon as he had drunk, he said-- + +"I will finish now; my side begins to burn." + +He then proceeded-- + +"It was about four months after your father's death that Captain James +and I went together to the ravine to collect firewood. We passed under +the wall of rock, which you know so well, and went through the gap, as +we call it, when Captain James left the water-course and walked along +the edge of the wall. I followed him; we both of us had our pieces of +rope in our hands with which we tied the faggots. Of a sudden his foot +slipped, and he rolled down to the edge of the rock, but catching hold +of a small bush which had fixed its roots in the rocks, he saved +himself when his body was hanging half over the precipice. + +"'Give me the end of your rope,' said he to me, perfectly collected, +although in such danger. + +"'Yes,' replied I, and I intended so to do, as I perceived that if I +refused he could still have saved himself by the bush to which he clung. + +"But the bush began to loosen and give way, and Captain James +perceiving it cried out-- + +"'Quick, quick, the bush is giving way!' + +"This assertion of his determined me not to give him the rope. I +pretended to be in a great hurry to do so, but entangled it about my +legs, and then appeared occupied in clearing it, when he cried again-- + +"'Quick!'--and hardly had he said the word when the root of the bush +snapped, and down he fell below. + +"I heard the crash as he came to the rock beneath. See the judgment of +God--am I not now precisely in his position, lying battered and crushed +as he was? After a time I went down to where he lay, and found him +expiring. He had just strength to say 'God forgive you,' and then he +died. It was murder, for I could have saved him and would not, and yet +he prayed to God to forgive me. How much happier should I have felt if +he had not said that. His 'God forgive you' rang in my ears for months +afterwards. I returned to the cabin, and with a bold air stated to your +mother what had happened, for I felt I could say, this time, I did not +do the deed. She burst out into frantic exclamations, accusing me of +being not only his murderer but the murderer of her husband. I tried +all I could do to appease her, but in vain. For many weeks she was in a +state of melancholy and despondency, that made me fear for her life; +but she had you still to bestow her affections upon, and for your sake +she lived. I soon made this discovery. She was now wholly in my power, +but I was awed by her looks even, for a time. At last I became bolder, +and spoke to her of our becoming man and wife; she turned from me with +abhorrence. I then resorted to other means. I prevented her from +obtaining food; she would have starved with pleasure, but she could not +bear to see you suffer. I will not detail my cruelty and barbarity +towards her; suffice to say, it was such that she pined away, and about +six months after the death of the captain she died, exhorting me not to +injure you, but if ever I had an opportunity, to take you to your +grandfather. I could not refuse this demand, made by a woman whom I as +certainly killed by slow means as I had your father by a more sudden +death. I buried her in the guano, by the side of the others. After her +death my life was a torture to me for a long while. I dared not kill +you, but I hated you. I had only one consolation, one hope, which +occasionally gave me satisfaction; the consolation, if so it could be +called, was--that I had possession of the diamonds; the hope--that I +should one day see England again. You see me now--are they not all +avenged?" + +I could not but feel the truth of Jackson's last sentence. They were +indeed avenged. + +After a short pause, he said to me-- + +"Now, Frank, I feel that the mortification in my side is making great +progress, and, in a short time I shall be in too great pain to talk to +you. I have made a full confession of my crimes; it is all the +reparation I can make to you. Now, can you forgive me? for I shall die +very miserable if you do not. Just look at me. Can you feel resentment +against one in my wretched state? Recollect that you pray to be +forgiven as you forgive others. Give me your answer." + +"I think--yes, I feel that I can forgive you, Jackson," replied I. "I +shall soon be left alone on this island, and I am sure I should be much +more miserable than I shall be, if I do not forgive you. I do forgive +you." + +"Thanks; you are a good boy, and may God bless you. Is it not nearly +daylight?" + +"Yes, it is. I shall soon be able to read the Bible or Prayer-book to +you. I have them both here." + +"The pain is too severe, and becomes worse every minute. I shall not be +able to listen to you now; but I shall have some moments of quiet +before I die; and then--" + +Jackson groaned heavily, and ceased speaking. + +For many hours he appeared to suffer much agony, which he vented in low +groans; the perspiration hung on his forehead in large beads, and his +breathing became laborious. The sun rose and had nearly set again +before Jackson spoke; at last he asked for some drink. + +"It is over now," said he faintly. "The pain is subsiding, and death is +near at hand. You may read to me now; but, first, while I think of it, +let me tell you where you will find your father's property." + +"I know," replied I; "in your bed-place under the board. I saw you +remove it when you did not see me." + +"True. I have no more to say; it will all be over soon. Read the burial +service over me after I am dead; and now, while still above, read me +what you think I shall like best; for I cannot collect myself +sufficiently to tell you what is most proper. Indeed I hardly know. But +I can pray at times. Read on." + +I did so, and came upon the parable of the prodigal son. + +"That suits me," said Jackson. "Now let me pray. Pray for me, Frank." + +"I don't know how," replied I; "you never taught me." + +"Alas, no!" + +Jackson was then silent. I saw his pale lips move for some time. I +turned away for a few moments; when I came back to him, he was no more! +His jaw had fallen; and this being the first time that I had ever faced +death, I looked upon the corpse with horror and dismay. + +After a few minutes I left the body, and sat down on a rock at some +distance from it, for I was somewhat afraid to be near to it. On this +rock I remained till the sun was sinking below the horizon; when, +alarmed at the idea of being there when it was dark, I took up my books +and hastened back to the cabin. I was giddy from excitement, and not +having tasted food for many hours. As soon as I had eaten, I lay down +in my bed-place, intending to reflect upon what I was to do, now that I +was alone; but I was in a few moments fast asleep, and did not wake +until the sun was high. I arose much refreshed, and, seeing my Bible +and Prayer-book close to my bed-place, I recollected my promise to +Jackson that I would read the burial service over his body. I found the +place in the Prayer-book, for I had read it more than once before; and, +having just looked over it, I went with my book to where the body lay. +It presented a yet more hideous spectacle than it had the night before. +I read the service and closed the book. "What can I do?" thought I. "I +cannot bury him in the guano. It will be impossible to carry the body +over these rocks." Indeed, if it had been possible, I do not think I +could have touched it. I was afraid of it. At last I determined that I +would cover it up with the fragments of rocks which lay about in all +directions, and I did so. This occupied me about two hours, and then, +carrying the bottles with me, I gladly hastened away from the spot, +with a resolution never to revisit it. I felt quite a relief when I was +once more in the cabin. I was alone, it was true, but I was no longer +in contact with the dead. I could not collect my thoughts or analyse my +feelings during the remainder of the day. I sat with my head resting on +my hand, in the attitude of one thinking; but at the same time my mind +was vacant. I once more lay down to sleep, and the following morning I +found myself invigorated, and capable of acting as well as thinking. I +had a weight upon my spirits which I could not at first account for; +but it arose from the feeling that I was now alone, without a soul to +speak to or communicate with; my lips must now be closed till I again +fell in with some of my fellow-creatures--and was that likely? We had +seen some of them perish not far from us, and that was all, during a +period of many years. + + + + +Chapter XIV + + +I was now, by Jackson's account, nearly fourteen years old. During +fourteen years but one vessel had been seen by us. It might be fourteen +more, or double that time might elapse, before I should again fall in +with any of my fellow-creatures. As these thoughts saddened me, I felt +how much I would have sacrificed if Jackson had remained alive, were it +only for his company; I would have forgiven him anything. I even then +felt as if, in the murderer of my father, I had lost a friend. + +That day I was so unsettled I could not do anything; I tried to read, +but I could not; I tried to eat, but my appetite was gone, I sat +looking at the ocean as it rolled wave after wave, sometimes wondering +whether it would ever bring a fellow-creature to join me; at others I +sat, and for hours, in perfect vacuity of thought. The evening closed +in; it was dark, and I still remained seated where I was. At last I +returned to my bed, almost brokenhearted; but fortunately I was soon +asleep, and my sorrows were forgotten. + +Another morning was gladdened with a brilliant sun, the dark blue ocean +was scarcely ruffled by the breeze that swept over it, and I felt my +spirits much revived, and my appetite returned. After taking a meal, I +remembered what Jackson had told me about the belt with the diamonds, +and I went up to his bed-place, and turning out the bird's skins and +feathers, I raked up the gravel, which was not more than two inches +deep, and came to the board. I lifted it up, and found underneath a +hole, about a foot deep, full of various articles. There were the watch +and sleeve buttons of the mate, some dollars wrapped in old rags, a +tobacco-box, an old pipe, a brooch with hair forming initials, some +letters which were signed J. Evelyn, and which I perceived were from my +grandfather, and probably taken by Jackson after my mother's death. I +say letters, because they were such, as I afterwards found out, but I +had not then ever seen a letter, and my first attempt to decipher +written hand was useless, although I did manage to make out the +signature. There was in the tobacco-box a plain gold wedding-ring, +probably my mother's; and there was also a lock of long dark hair, +which I presumed was hers also. There were three or four specimens of +what I afterwards found out to be gold and silver ores, a silver +pencil-case, and a pair of small gold ear-rings. At the bottom of the +hole was the belt; it was of soft leather, and I could feel a hard +substance in it sewed in every square, which of course I presumed were +the diamonds, but I did not cut one of the divisions open to see what +was in them. It had on the upper part of it, in very plain writing, +"The property of Mr J. Evelyn, 33, Minories, London." I examined all +these articles one after another, and having satisfied my curiosity, I +replaced them in the hole for a future survey. I covered the hole with +the board, and put back the gravel and the feathers into the bed-place. +This occupied me about two hours, and then I again took my former +position on the rocks, and remained in a state of listless inactivity +of body and mind the remainder of that day. + +This state of prostration lasted for many days--I may say for weeks, +before it was altogether removed. I could find no pleasure in my books, +which were taken up, and after a few moments laid aside. It was now +within a month of the time that the birds should come to the island. I +was in no want of them for sustenance; there were plenty left, but I +almost loathed the sight of food. The reader may inquire how it was +that I knew the exact time of the arrival of the birds? I reply that +the only reckoning ever kept by Jackson and me was the arrival of the +full moons, and we also made a mark on the rock every time that the +moon was at the full. Thirteen moons were the quantity which we +reckoned from the time of the birds appearing on the island one year, +until their re-appearance the next; and twelve moons had now passed. At +length, tired with everything, tired of myself, and I may say, almost +tired of life, I one day took it into my head that I would take some +provisions with me and a bottle to hold water, and go up the ravine, +and cut firewood which should last me a long while; and that I would +remain up there for several days, for I hated the sight of the cabin +and of all that was near to it. The next day I acted upon this +resolution, and slinging my dry provisions on my shoulder, I set off +for the ravine. In an hour I had gained it; but not being in a hurry to +cut wood, I resolved upon climbing higher up, to see if I could reach +the opposite side of the island; that is, at least, get over the brow +of the hill, to have a good view of it. I continued to climb until I +had gained a smooth grassy spot, which was clear of brushwood; and as I +sat down to rest myself, I observed some blue flowers which I had never +seen before, indeed I did not know that there was a flower on the +island. As I afterwards discovered, they were one of the varieties of +Gentianellas. I looked at them, admired them, and felt quite an +affection for them; they were very pretty, and they were, as well as +myself, alone. Jackson, when I was pointing out the English cottages in +the landscapes of "Mavor's Natural History," had told me a great deal +about gardening in England, and how wild flowers and trees were +transplanted and improved by culture; how roses and other plants were +nailed up the walls, as I had observed in the engravings, and how they +were watered and kept; and as I sat down looking at the flower, the +thought occurred to me, Why should I not take it with me, and keep it +for myself? I can water it, and take care of it. I resolved that I +would do so, for I already looked upon the plant as a treasure. I took +it up carefully with my American knife, leaving sufficient mould about +the roots, and then I proceeded to ascend the hill; but before I had +gone another hundred yards, I found at least a dozen more of these +plants in flower, all finer than the one I had dug up, and three or +four others very different from these, which were also quite new to me. +I was puzzled what to do; I put down the plants I had dug up and +continued my ascent, not having made up my mind. After half-an-hour's +climbing, I gained the summit, and could perceive the ocean on the +other side, and the other half of the island lying beneath me. It was +very grand from the height I stood on, but I observed little difference +between one side of the island and the other; all was rugged barren +rock as on my side, with the exception of the portion close to me; this +had brushwood in the ravine, which appeared to be a sort of cleft +through the island. All was silent and solitary; not a bird was to be +seen, and nothing that had life could I discover. I was about to +return, when I thought I might as well go down the ravine facing me for +a little way, and see what there was in it. I did so, and discovered +some other plants that I had not seen on my side of the island. There +were also some fern trees, and some twining plants running up them, and +I thought to myself, Why, these plants are what I saw in the picture of +the English cottages, or very like them. I wonder if they would run up +my cabin? and then all at once the idea came to me that I would plant +some of them round the cabin, and that I would make a garden of +flowers, and have plants of my own. The reader can hardly imagine the +pleasure that this idea gave me; I sat down to ruminate upon it, and +felt quite happy for the time. I now recollected, however, that the +cabin was built on the rock, and that plants would only grow in the +earth. At first this idea chilled me, as it seemed to destroy all my +schemes, but I resolved that I would bring some earth to the rock, and +make my garden in that way. I at first thought of the guano, but +Jackson had told me that it was only used in small proportions to +enrich the soil, and would kill plants if used by itself. After an +hour's consideration, during which I called to mind all that Jackson +had told me on the subject, I made up my mind I would return to the +cabin, and on my return ascertain how low down the ravine I could +obtain earth for my garden; I would then carry the earth to the cabin, +make a soil ready for the plants and flowers, and then, when all was +ready, I would go up the ravine, collect what I could, and make my +garden. I did so. I found that I could get soil about one-third of the +way up the ravine, a quarter of a mile below where the brushwood grew; +and having ascertained that, I returned to the cabin, threw down my +provisions which were to have lasted me a week, and as it was late, I +decided that I would not commence operations until the following day. + +I took out of the chest a duck frock, and tying up the sleeves and +collar, so as to form a bag of the body of the frock, I set off the +next morning to begin my task. That day I contrived to carry to the +cabin ten or twelve bags of mould, which I put round it in a border +about four feet wide, and about a foot deep. It occupied me a whole +week to obtain the quantity of earth necessary to make the bed on each +side of the cabin; it was hard work, but it made me cheerful and happy +to what I had been before. I found that the best cure for melancholy +and solitude was employment, so I thus obtained valuable knowledge as +well as the making of my garden. When I had finished carrying the +mould, I started off for the ravine with two bags to hold the plants +which I might collect, and after a day's toil, I returned with my bags +full of small shrubs, besides a bundle of creepers to plant against the +sides of the cabin. The following day was occupied in planting +everything I had procured. I was sorry to see that the leaves and +flowers hung down, but I watered them all before I went to bed. The +next morning I was delighted to perceive that they had all recovered +and were looking quite fresh. But my garden was not full enough to +please me, and I once more went up the ravine, selecting other plants +which had no flowers on them, and one or two other shrubs, which I had +not before observed. When these were planted and watered, my garden +looked very gay and full of plants, and then I discovered the mould +came down for want of support at the edges; I therefore went and picked +up pieces of rock of sufficient size to make a border and hold up the +mould, and now all was complete, and I had nothing to do but to go on +watering them daily. This I did, and recollecting what Jackson had said +about the guano, I got a bag of it, and put some to each plant. The +good effect of this was soon observable, and before the birds came, my +garden was in a very flourishing condition. + +I cannot express to the reader the pleasure I derived from this little +garden. I knew every plant and every shrub, and talked to them as if +they were companions, while I watered and tended them, which I did +every night and morning, and their rapid growth was my delight. I no +longer felt my solitude so irksome as I had done. I had something to +look after, to interest me, and to love; they were alive as well as I +was; they grew, and threw out leaves and flowers; they were grateful +for the care I bestowed upon them, and became my companions and friends. + +I mentioned before that during the latter portion of the time I was +with Jackson, he had taught me to sing several songs. Feeling tired, in +my solitude, of not hearing the human voice, I found myself at first +humming over, and afterwards singing aloud, the various airs I had +collected from him. This afforded me much pleasure, and I used to sing +half the day. I had no one to listen to me, it is true, but as my +fondness for my garden increased, I used to sit down and sing to the +flowers and shrubs, and fancy that they listened to me. But my stock of +songs was not very large, and at last I had repeated them so often that +I became tired of the words. It occurred to me that the Prayer-book had +the Psalms of David at the end of it, set to music. I got the book, and +as far as the airs that I knew would suit, I sang them all; never were +Psalms, probably, sung to such tunes before, but it amused me, and +there was no want of variety of language. + +Every three or four days I would go up the ravine, and search carefully +for any new flower or shrub which I had not yet planted in my garden, +and when I found one, as I often did, it was a source of great delight. + + + + +Chapter XV + + +At last the birds came, and I procured some of their eggs, which were a +very agreeable change, after living so long upon dried meat. My want of +occupation occasioned me also to employ some of my time in fishing, +which I seldom had done while Jackson was alive; and this created a +variety in my food, to which, for a long while, I had been a stranger. +Jackson did not care for fish, as to cook it we were obliged to go up +the ravine for wood, and he did not like the trouble. When the birds +came, I had recourse to my book on Natural History, to read over again +the accounts of the Man-of-War birds, Gannets, and other birds +mentioned in it; and there was a vignette of a Chinaman with tame +cormorants on a pole, and in the letter-press an account of how they +were trained and employed to catch fish for their masters. This gave me +the idea that I would have some birds tame, as companions, and, if +possible, teach them to catch fish for me; but I knew that I must wait +till the young birds were fit to be taken from the nest. + +I now resolved that during the time the birds were mating, I would go +to the ravine and remain there several days, to collect bundles of +firewood. The firewood was chiefly cut from a sort of low bush, like +the sallow or willow, fit for making baskets, indeed fit for anything +better than firewood; however, there were some bushes which were of a +harder texture, and which burnt well. It was Jackson who told me that +the former were called willow and used for making baskets, and he also +shewed me how to tie the faggots up by twisting the sallows together. +They were not, however, what Jackson said they were--from after +knowledge, I should say that they were a species of Oleander or +something of the kind. + +Having roasted several dozen of eggs quite hard, by way of provision, I +set off one morning, and went to the ravine. As Jackson had said +before, I had to walk under a wall of rock thirty feet high, and then +pass through a water-course to get up to the ravine, which increased +the distance to where the shrubs grew, at least half a mile. It was +over this wall that the captain fell and was killed, because Jackson +would not assist him. I gained the thicket where the bushes grew, and +for three days I worked very hard, and had cut down and tied about +fifty large faggots, when I thought that I had collected enough to last +me for a long while; but I had still to carry them down, and this was a +heavy task, as I could not carry more than one at a time. It occurred +to me that if I threw my faggots over the wall opposite to where they +had been cut down, I should save myself nearly a mile of carriage, as +otherwise I had to walk all the way to the water-course which divided +the wall of rock, and then walk back again. Indeed, where I cut down +the wood was not more than a quarter of a mile from the bathing-pool, +and all down hill. I was delighted at this idea, which I wondered had +never occurred to Jackson, and I commenced putting it into execution. +The top of the wall of rock was slippery from the constant trickling of +the water over the surface, but this was only in some places. I carried +my faggots down one by one, and threw them over, being careful not to +lose my footing in so doing. I had carried all but three or four, and +had become careless, when, on heaving one over, my heels were thrown +up, and before I could recover myself I slid down the remainder of the +ledge and was precipitated down below, a distance of more than thirty +feet. I must have remained there many hours insensible, but at last I +recovered and found myself lying on the faggots which I had thrown +down. It was my falling on the faggots, instead of the hard rock, which +had saved my life. I rose as soon as I could collect my scattered +senses. I felt very sore and very much shaken, and the blood was +running out of my mouth, but there were no bones broken. I was, +however, too ill to attempt anything more that day. I walked home at a +very slow pace and went to bed. A sound sleep restored me, and in a day +or two I was quite recovered. I watered my plants, which I found +drooping, as if they had grieved at my being so long away from them, +and then I returned to where my faggots had been left; and to lighten +my labour I resolved to carry them down to the bathing-pool and stack +them up there on the rocks near to it. I mention this for reasons that +the reader will comprehend bye-and-bye. This occupied me two days, for +I was not inclined, after my fall, to work hard; and very glad was I +when the labour was over. + +The young birds were now hatched, but I had to wait four or five weeks +before they were fit to be taken. I began again to find solitude +tedious. The flowers in my garden had all bloomed and withered, and +there was not so much to interest me. I recommenced reading the Bible, +and the narratives in the Old and New Testaments again afforded me +pleasure. I hardly need say to the reader that I read the Bible as I +would have read any other book--for amusement, and not for instruction. +I had learnt little from Jackson--indeed, as regards the true nature of +the Christian religion, I may say, nothing at all. I do not believe +that he knew anything about it himself. It is true that the precepts in +the New Testament struck me, and that I was more interested about Our +Saviour than anybody else; but I could not comprehend him, or his +mission. In short, I read in darkness; and I may say that I almost knew +the Bible by heart without understanding it.--How could I? How many +thousands are there who do the same, without having an excuse to offer +for their blindness! + +At last the time for taking the birds arrived, and I had then +sufficient employment to keep me from being melancholy. I collected +quite as many as we had done when Jackson and I had to be provided for; +and with my new knives my labour was comparatively easy. As soon as I +had completed my provision, I went back to take the young birds which +already I had selected and left for that purpose. It was high time, for +I found that when I went to take them they were ready to fly. However, +after a good battle with the old birds (for I had taken six young +ones--two from each nest, which arrayed a force of six old ones against +me, who fought very valiantly in defence of their offspring), I +succeeded in carrying them off, but followed by the old birds, who now +screamed and darted close to me as they came pursuing me to the cabin. +As soon as I got safe back, I took the young birds into the cabin, +tying each of them by the leg with a piece of fishing line, and the +other end of the line I fastened to some pieces of rock which I had +collected ready on the platform outside of the cabin. The old birds +continued to persecute me till it was dark, and then they went away, +and I, tired with my day's labour, was not sorry to go to sleep. + +When I woke up the next morning, I found the old birds on the platform, +in company with the young ones, I presume trying to persuade them to +fly away with them; but the lines on their legs prevented that. They +did not leave at my approach for some little while; at last they all +took wing, and went off to sea; but in the course of a few minutes they +returned with some small fish in their mouths, with which they fed +their young ones. They continued to do this for the two following days, +when there was a general break up, announcing the departure of the main +body, which, after much soaring and wheeling in the air, flew off in a +northerly direction. The six parent birds, who were with their young +ones at the cabin, appeared for some time very uneasy, flying round and +round and screaming wildly; at last they soared in the air with loud +shrieks, and flew away after the main body, which was still in +sight--their love for their young overpowered by their instinctive +habits. I was not sorry when they were gone, as I wanted to have my new +family all to myself. I went down to the rocks and caught a fish, which +was large enough to supply them for three or four days. I fed them with +the inside of the fish, and they ate it very heartily. For several days +they appeared very uneasy; but gradually they settled, and not only +appeared to know me, but to welcome my coming, which was to me a source +of great pleasure. + +I now neglected my flowers for the birds, which were the more animated +of the two; and I sat down for hours on the platform with my six +companions, who I must own were not over-lively and intelligent, but +they were alive, and had eyes. They seldom roused up, unless I brought +them fish, of which they had a supply four times a day, and then they +would stand on their legs and open their beaks far apart, each waiting +for its share. They were a great happiness to me, and I watched their +gradual increase of plumage and of size, which was very rapid. I gave +them all names out of my Natural History book. One was Lion, then +Tiger, Panther, Bear, Horse, and Jackass (at the time that I named +them, the last would have been very appropriate to them all); and as I +always called them by their names as I fed them, I soon found, to my +great joy, that they knew them well enough. This delighted me. I read +my books to them by way of amusement; I sang my songs to them; I talked +to them; I would even narrate the various histories out of the Bible to +them, such as that of Joseph and his brethren, &c., and the stolid air +with which the communications were received made me almost imagine they +were listened to. + +After a time, I took the line off the legs of two of them, with the +precaution of first cutting their wings, and these two became much more +lively, following me into the cabin and generally staying there during +the night. As I found that no attempt was made to escape, I let them +all loose, after having cut their wings, and they all behaved equally +well with the two first to which I had given their liberty. + +The perfect obedience and good behaviour of my new companions again +gave me leisure that was not altogether desirable, as it left a vacuum +to fill up. But I returned to my garden. I could do no more at present +but water my plants and look at the increased daily growth of the +climbers, as they now boldly ascended the sides of the cabin; but I +thought it was high time to go up into the ravine and about the island, +to see if I could not add to my collection. + +One morning I set off up the ravine. I was not successful, so I +contented myself with carrying, by the long road, those faggots which I +had left behind me on the day when I fell over the precipice. This +labour I finished, and then returned to the cabin, where I was met by +my birds with half-extended wings and open mouths, as if they were very +glad to see me, and very hungry into the bargain. I ought to observe +that my birds appeared now to separate into pairs, male and female, as +their difference of plumage denoted. Lion and Horse were always side by +side, as were Jackass and Bear, and Tiger and Panther. I now fed them +one by one, calling them by name, to which they immediately responded, +and if anyone came who was not called, it was switched for its trouble. + +The next morning I set off on another voyage of discovery after plants, +and this time I resolved upon trying what I could find among the +crevices of the rocks, for I had seen at a distance what appeared to me +to be a very pretty flower on the ledge of one of the clefts. I did not +go up the ravine this time, but commenced climbing the rocks behind +where the cabin was built. It was hard work, but I was not easily +discouraged, and after a couple of hours I arrived at a level which I +had in view when I commenced my labour, and here I was amply rewarded, +for I found several plants quite new to me, and a variety of ferns, +which I thought very beautiful, although they had no flowers. The +scene, from where I stood, was awful and beautiful. I looked down upon +the rocks below, and the cabin, which appeared very small, and I +thought that I could see my birds like dots upon the platform. It was a +bright day and smooth water, I could clearly distinguish the other +islands in the distance, and I thought that I saw something like a +white speck close to them--perhaps it was a vessel. This made me +melancholy, and I could not help asking myself whether I was to remain +all my life upon the island, alone, or if there were any chance of my +ever being taken off it. As I looked down upon the cabin, I was +surprised at the steepness of the rocks which I had climbed, and felt +alarmed, as if I never should be able to get back again. But these +thoughts were soon chased away. I turned from the seaward, and looked +inland. I found that on one side of me there was a chasm between the +rocks, the bottom of which was so far down that I could not see it; and +on the other side the rock rose up as straight as a wall. My attention +was soon diverted by discovering another plant, and I now commenced my +task of digging them all up. I obtained, with the ferns, about twenty +new varieties, which I made up in a bundle ready for carrying down +slung round my neck, for I knew that I should require both hands to +descend with. Then I sat down to rest myself a little before I +commenced my return, and after I had been seated a few minutes, I +thought I would sing a song by way of amusement. + + + + +Chapter XVI + + +I have before said that, tired of repeating the words of the songs +which Jackson had taught me, I had taken those of Psalms in metre, at +the end of the Prayer-book, by way of variety; and, as far as metre +went, they answered very well, although people would have been +surprised to have heard Psalms sung to such quick and varied measure. +The Psalm I chose this time was the first--"How blest is he who ne'er +consents;" and I began accordingly; but when I came to the end of the +line, to my astonishment I heard a plaintive voice, at a distance, +repeat after me "con-sents." I looked round. I thought I must have been +deceived, so I continued--"By ill advice to walk." This time I could +not be mistaken--"to walk" was repeated by the same voice as plainly as +possible. I stopped singing, lost in wonder. There must be somebody on +the island as well as myself, thought I; for I never had heard an echo +before, except when it thundered, and such echoes I had put down as a +portion of the thunder. "Who's there?" cried I. "Who's there?" replied +the voice. "It's me!" "It's me!" was the answer. I did not know what to +make of it. I cried out again and again, and again and again I heard +what I said repeated, but no answer to my questions. I thought I was +insulted by somebody, and yet, when I listened, the voice that spoke +came from the face of the rock on the other side of the chasm, and no +one could be there without my seeing them. This made me think that I +was mistaken, and that there could not be anybody, but still I could +not solve the mystery. At last I became frightened, and as the sun was +now setting, I determined to get back to the cabin. I did so, and went +down much faster than I had gone up, for as it grew dark I became the +more alarmed. The only thing that re-assured me was the softness and +plaintiveness of the voice--not like Jackson's, but as of someone who +would not think of injuring me. + +Although I was, generally speaking, quiet and content with my isolated +position, yet it was only when I was employed or amused with my +favourites. At times, I could not find anything to do, and was overcome +by weariness. I would then throw away my books, and remain for hours +thinking upon the probability of my ever again seeing a fellow +creature; and a fit of melancholy would come over me, which would last +many days. I was in one of these moods, when it occurred to me, that, +although I had seen the other side of the island from the summit, I had +not gone down to the beach to explore it; and I resolved that I would +do so, making a trip of three or four days. When my knives had become +blunt, Jackson had told me how to sharpen them, by rubbing the blades +upon a hard flat piece of rock, wetted with water. This I had found to +answer very well, and I now determined I would try and sharpen one of +the old axes in the same way, so as to make it serviceable, for I was +very much afraid of breaking my knives in cutting down the brushwood, +and I knew how much more rapidly it could be done with an axe. I picked +out a large stone, suitable for the purpose, and with a kid of water at +hand, I set-to to sharpen the axe. It was a long job, but in a day or +two I had succeeded admirably, and the axe was in good order. I then +thought how I could leave my birds for so many days, as they would +require food. At last, I considered that if I caught two large fish and +cut them up, they would be sufficient for their sustenance. I did so, +and provided with a packet of dried birds for food, tied up in a duck +frock, with my Natural History book for amusement, a pannikin to get +water in, my axe on my shoulder, and my knives by my side--I first +kissed all the birds, and told them to remain quiet and good till I +came back--I set off on a bright clear morning on my tour of +examination. + +In a couple of hours I had gained the summit of the island, and +prepared for my descent, by sitting down and eating my dinner. I +observed that, as before, the water on the other side of the island was +quite smooth, compared to what it was on the side where I resided. It +was, in fact, from the prevailing winds during the year, the lee side +of the island. Having rested myself sufficiently, I commenced my +descent, which I accomplished in little less time than it took me to +ascend from the other side. As I neared the rocks by the shore, I +thought I perceived something occasionally moving about on them. I was +not mistaken, for as I came closer, I found that there were several +large animals lying on the rocks, and occasionally dropping into the +sea close to them. + +The sight of anything living was to me of great interest. I determined +to get nearer, and ascertain what animals they were. At last, by +creeping along from rock to rock, I arrived to within forty yards of +them. I recollected some animals of the same shape in my book of +Natural History, which, fortunately, I had with me in the duck frock, +and sitting down behind the rock, I pulled it out, and turned over the +pages until I came to a print which exactly answered to their +appearance. It was the Seal. Having satisfied myself on that point, I +read the history of the animal, and found that it was easily tamed, and +very affectionate when taken young, and also might be easily killed by +a blow on the nose. These, at least, were for me the two most important +pieces of information. It occurred to me that it would be very pleasant +to have a young seal for a playmate (for the Gannets, after all, were +not very intelligent), and I resolved to obtain one if I could. I put +down my duck frock with my provisions behind the rock, and taking my +axe in my hand, I cautiously advanced to where the animals lay. There +were about twenty of them all together on one rock, but they were all +large, and seemed to be about five or six feet long. I could not see a +small one anywhere, so I walked in behind the rocks farther to the +right, towards another rock, where I saw another batch of them lying. +As I neared them, I saw by herself a seal with a young one by her side, +not more than two feet long. This was what I wanted. They lay at some +distance from the water, upon a low rock. I watched them for some time, +and was much amused at the prattling which passed between the old and +the young one. I thought that to obtain the young one, I must of course +kill the old one, for I perceived that it had large teeth. I considered +it advisable to get between them and the water, that they might not +escape me, and I contrived so to do before I made my appearance. As +soon as the old one perceived me running to them, it gave a shrill cry, +and then floundered towards the water; as we came close together, it +showed its teeth, and rose upon its flappers to defend itself and its +young one, which kept close to its side; but a blow on its nose with +the axe rendered it motionless, and apparently dead. Delighted with my +success, I seized hold of the young one and took it in my arms, and was +carrying it away, when I found myself confronted with the male seal, +which, alarmed by the cry of the female, had come to her assistance. It +was much larger than the female, with more shaggy hair about the neck +and shoulders, and apparently very fierce. I could not pass it, as it +was in shore of me, and I had just time to drop the young seal, and +leap behind a rock on one side, with my axe all ready. The animal +reared itself on the rock to pass over to me, when I saluted it with a +blow on the head, which staggered it. I had lost my presence of mind by +the creature coming upon me so unexpectedly, and my blow was not well +aimed, but before it could recover the first blow, another on its nose +tumbled it over, to all appearance lifeless. I then hastened to gain +the other side of the rock, where I had left the young seal, and found +that it had crept to its mother's body, and was fondling it. I took it +in my arms, and retreated to where I had left my duck frock, and +throwing everything else out, I put the animal in, and tied up the end, +so that it could not escape. I then sat down to recover myself from the +excitement occasioned by this first engagement I had ever been in, +quite delighted with my newly-acquired treasure. + +I then thought what I should do. It was now within an hour of dark, and +was too late to return to the other side of the island, or I would have +done so, as I was anxious to get my seal home. At last I decided that I +would go farther from the beach, and take up my quarters for the night. +I collected my provision, and with my seal under my arm, I walked away +about one hundred yards from the water's edge, and took up a position +under a large rock; here I ate my supper, and then untied the line +which closed up the frock, and had a parting look at my little friend +before I went to sleep. He had struggled a good deal at first, but was +now quiet, although he occasionally made attempts to bite me. I coaxed +him and fondled him a good deal, and then put him into his bag again, +and made him secure, which appeared to annoy him very much, as he was +not half as quiet in a bag as he was when I held him in my lap. I then +took my book to read over again the history of the seal, and I found +that their skins were valuable, and also that they gave a great deal of +oil, but I had no use for oil, though I thought that their skins might +be very comfortable in my bed-place. I shut my book and lay down to +sleep, but I could not obtain any till near daylight, I had been so +excited, and was so anxious about my treasure. The sun shining in my +eyes woke me up; I found my seal was lying very quiet; I touched him to +see that he was not dead, and the cry that he gave assured me to the +contrary. I then walked back to where I had left the bodies of the +parents. I found on examination that they were both dead, and also that +their furs were very beautiful, and I resolved that I would have their +skins. But here was a difficulty. If I took off the skins, I could not +carry them with me, and I was anxious to get the young one home, lest +it should die of hunger, so I decided that I would first take home the +young one, give it food and warm it, and then return and skin the old +ones. + +I therefore made my breakfast, and leaving the remainder of my +provision in a cleft in the rock, that I might not have the trouble of +bringing it again, I set off on my return, and used such diligence that +I was back at the cabin by noon. I found my birds all well, and +apparently quite satisfied with the provision that I had left them, for +they were most of them asleep, and those that were awake did not notice +my arrival. + +"Ah," thought I, "you only like me for what I give you; next time I go +away I will leave you hungry, and then when you see me come back, you +will all flutter your wings with gladness." + +I was puzzled where to put my seal so as to keep him safe: at last I +decided upon opening the seaman's chest and putting him in that. I did +so, and gave him a piece of fish which the birds had not eaten. The +little creature devoured it eagerly, and I took my lines and went down +to catch some fish for a further supply. In half an hour I returned +with two large fish, and I then took the seal out of the chest and fed +him again. He ate very heartily; and I was glad to perceive that he +appeared much tamer already. I threw some of the insides of the fish to +the birds, who were now become of very inferior interest to me. Having +fed my animals, I then thought of myself, and, as I took my meal, I +arranged that the next morning I would go over to the other side of the +island, skin the two seals, and spread out the skins on the rocks to +dry, and would leave them there till I had a better opportunity of +bringing them to the cabin; at present I could not be away from my new +acquaintance, which I wished to make tame and fond of me. Having fed +him again in the morning, I put down the lid of the chest, and then +started for the lee side of the island. + + + + +Chapter XVII + + +I arrived early, skinned both the seals, and dragged the skins up from +the water-side, though with difficulty, especially that of the large +one, to the rock where I had taken up my quarters the night before. +Here I spread them out to dry, putting large pieces of rock upon the +edges, that they might not be blown away. It was nearly dusk when I had +finished, but I set off, and an hour after dark arrived at the cabin; +for now that I knew my way so well, I got over the ground twice as fast +as I did before. I crawled into my bed-place in the dark, and slept +soundly after my fatigue. I awoke the next morning with the plaintive +cry of my seal in the chest, and I hastened to get some fish to feed +him with. I took him out and fed him; and was astonished how tame the +little animal had become already. He remained very quietly with me +after he had been fed, nestling close to my side, as if I had been his +mother, and even making a half attempt to follow me when I left him. + +My birds appeared very dull and stupid, and I observed also that they +were very dirty, and always rushed to the kid when it was full of +water, trying to get into it. This made me think that they required +bathing in salt water, and I took one down to the bathing-pool, with a +long line to its leg, and put it in. The manner in which the poor +creature floundered, and dipped and washed itself, for several minutes, +proved my supposition correct; so, after allowing it half an hour for +its recreation, I took it back, and went down with the others until +they had all indulged in the luxury of a bath; and from that time, as I +took them down almost every day, it was astonishing how much brighter +and sleeker their plumage became. + +I remained a week in the cabin, taming my seal, which now was quite +fond of me; and one night, as I was going to bed, he crawled into my +bed-place, and from that time he was my bed-fellow. At the end of a +week I went over to the other side of the island, and contrived to +carry up the two skins to the summit. It was a hard day's work. The day +afterwards I conveyed them to the cabin, and, as they were quite dry, I +put them into my bed-place to lie down upon, as I did not like the +smell of the birds' feathers, although I had so long been accustomed to +them. + +And now, what with my seal, my birds, and my garden, and the occupation +they gave me, the time passed quickly away, until, by my reckoning, it +was nearly the period for the birds to come again. I observed, as the +time drew near, that my birds were uneasy. They had paired, as I +mentioned before, and when their plumage was complete, it was evident +that they had paired male and female, as I had supposed. They had not +been tethered for a long while, and appeared to me now very much +inclined to fly, especially the male birds. At first I thought that I +would cut all their wings, as I was fearful that they would join the +other birds on their arrival, but observing that they were so fond of +their mates, I resolved to cut the wing of the females only, as I did +not think that the male birds would leave them. I did so, and took my +chance; for since I had the seal for a companion, I did not care so +much for the birds as before. At last the birds came, and took +possession of the guano-ground as usual, and I went for fresh eggs; at +the same time I found that my females were scratching, as if they would +make their nests, and a few days afterwards they began to lay. I then +thought that as soon as they had young ones they would wish to go away, +so I took the eggs that were laid, to prevent them, but I found that as +fast as I took away the eggs they laid more, and this they did for +nearly two months, supplying me with fresh eggs long after the wild +birds had hatched, and left the island. The male birds, at the time +that the females first laid their eggs, tried their wings in short +flights in circles, and then flew away out to sea. I thought that they +were gone, but I was deceived, for they returned in about a quarter of +an hour, each with a fish in its beak, which they laid down before +their mates. I was much pleased at this, and I resolved that in future +they should supply their own food, which they did; and not their own +food only, but enough for the seal and me also when the weather was +fine, but when it was rough, they could not obtain any, and then I was +obliged to feed them. The way I obtained from them the extra supply of +fish was, that when they first went out, I seized, on their return, the +fish which they brought, and as often as I did this they would go for +more, until the females were fed. + +But I had one difficulty to contend with, which was, that at the time +the birds could not obtain fish, which was when the weather was rough, +I could not either, as they would not take the bait. After some +cogitation, I decided that I would divide a portion of the bathing-pool +farthest from the shore, by a wall of loose rock which the water could +flow through, but which the fish could not get out of, and that I would +catch fish in the fine weather to feed the seal and the birds when the +weather was rough and bad. As soon as I had finished curing my stock of +provisions and got it safely housed in the cabin, I set to work to make +this wall, which did not take me a very long while, as the water was +not more than two feet deep, and the pool about ten yards across. As +soon as it was finished, I went out every day, when it was fine, and +caught as many fish as I thought I might require, and put them into +this portion of the bathing-pool. I found the plan answer well, as the +fish lived, but I had great difficulty in getting them out when I +wanted them, for they would not take the bait. + +As my birds were no longer a trouble to me, but rather, on the +contrary, a profit, I devoted my whole time to my seal. I required a +name for him, and reading in the book of Natural History that a certain +lion was called Nero, I thought it a very good name for a seal, and +bestowed it on him accordingly, although what Nero meant I had no idea +of. The animal was now so tame that he would cry if ever I left him, +and would follow me as far as he could down the rocks, but there was +one part of the path leading to the bathing-pool which was too +difficult for him, and there he would remain crying till I came back. I +had more than once taken him down to the bathing-pool to wash him, and +he was much pleased when I did. I now resolved that I would clear the +path of the rocks, that he might be able to follow me down the whole +way, for he had grown so much that I found him too heavy to carry. It +occupied me a week before I could roll away and remove the smaller +rocks, and knock off others with the axe, but I finished it at last, +and was pleased to find that the animal followed me right down and +plunged into the water. He had not been down since I had made the wall +of rock to keep the fish in, and as soon as he was in, he dived and +came out with one of the fish, which he brought to land. "So now," +thought I, "I shall know how to get the fish when I want them--I shall +bring you down, Nero." I may as well here observe that Nero very soon +obeyed orders as faithfully as a dog. I had a little switch, and when +he did wrong, I would give him a slight tap on the nose. He would shake +his head, show his teeth, and growl, and then come fondly to me. As he +used to follow me every day down to the pool, I had to break him off +going after the fish when I did not want them taken, and this I +accomplished. No one who had not witnessed it, could imagine the +affection and docility of this animal, and the love I had for him. He +was my companion and playmate during the day, and my bedfellow at +night. We were inseparable. + +It was at the latter portion of the second year of my solitude that a +circumstance occurred, that I must now relate. Nero had gone down to +the pool with me, and I was standing fishing off the rocks, when he +came out of the pool and plunged into the sea, playing all sorts of +gambols, and whistling with delight. I did not think anything about it. +He plunged and disappeared for a few minutes, and then would come up +again close to where my line was, but he disturbed the fish and I could +not catch any. To drive him farther off, I pelted him with pieces of +rock, one of which hit him very hard, and he dived down. After a time I +pulled up my line, and whistling to him to return, although I did not +see him, I went away to the cabin, fully expecting that he would soon +follow me, for now he could walk (after his fashion) from the cabin to +the pool as he pleased. This was early in the morning, and I busied +myself with my garden, which was now in great luxuriance, for I had +dressed it with guano; but observing about noon that he had not +returned, I became uneasy, and went down to the pool to look for him. +He was not there, and I looked on the sea, but could not perceive him +anywhere. I called and whistled, but it was of no use, and I grew very +much alarmed at the idea that my treasure had deserted me. "It could +not be because I threw the pieces of rock at him," thought I; "he would +not leave me for that." I remained for two or three hours, watching for +him, but it was all in vain; there was no seal--no Nero,--my heart sank +at the idea of the animal having deserted me, and for the first time in +my life, as far as I can recollect, I burst into a flood of tears. For +the first time in my life, I may say, I felt truly miserable--my whole +heart and affections were set upon this animal, the companion and +friend of my solitude, and I felt as if existence were a burden without +him. After a while, I retraced my steps to the cabin, but I was +miserable, more so than I can express. I could not rest quiet. Two +hours before sunset, I went down again to the rocks, and called till I +was hoarse. It was all in vain; night closed in, and again I returned +to the cabin, and threw myself down in my bed-place in utter despair. + +"I thought he loved me," said I to myself, "loved me as I loved him; I +would not have left him in that way." And my tears burst out anew at +the idea that I never should see my poor Nero again. + +The reader may think that my grief was inordinate and unwarrantable, +but let him put himself in my position--a lad of sixteen, alone on a +desolate island, with only one companion--true, he was an animal, and +could not speak, but he was affectionate; he replied to all my +caresses; he was my only companion and friend, the only object that I +loved or cared about. He was intelligent, and I thought loved me as +much as I loved him, and now he had deserted me, and I had nothing else +that I cared about or that cared for me. My tears flowed for more than +an hour, till at last I was wearied and fell asleep. + + + + +Chapter XVIII + + +It was early in the morning, and yet dark, when I felt something touch +me. I started up--a low cry of pleasure told me at once that it was +Nero, who was by my side. Yes, it was Nero, who had come back, having +climbed up again the steep path to the cabin, to return to his master. +Need I say that I was overjoyed, that I hugged him as if he had been a +human being, that I wept over him, and that in a few minutes afterwards +we were asleep together in the same bed-place. Such was the fact, and +never was there in my after life, so great a transition from grief to +joy. + +"Oh! now, if you had left me,"--said I to him, the next morning, when I +got up; "you naughty seal, to frighten me and make me so unhappy as you +did!" Nero appeared quite as happy as I was at our reunion, and was +more affectionate than ever. + +I must now pass over many months in very few words, just stating to the +reader what my position was at the end of three years, during which I +was alone upon the island. I had now arrived at the age of near +seventeen, and was tall and strong for my years. I had left off wearing +my dress of the skins of birds, having substituted one of the seaman's +shirts, which I had found in the chest. This, however, was the whole of +my costume, and although, had it been longer it would have been more +correct, still, as I had no other companion but Nero, it was not +necessary to be so very particular, as if I had been in society. During +these three years, I think I had read the Bible and Prayer-book, and my +Natural History book, at least five or six times quite through, and +possessing a retentive memory, could almost repeat them by heart; but +still I read the Bible as a sealed book, for I did not understand it, +having had no one to instruct me, nor any grace bestowed upon me. I +read for amusement, and nothing more. + +My garden was now in a most flourishing condition, the climbing plants +had overrun the cabin, so as to completely cover the whole of the roof +and every portion of it, and they hung in festoons on each side of the +door-way. Many of the plants which I had taken up small, when I moved +them, had proved to be trees, and were now waving to the breeze, high +above the cabin roof; and everything that I had planted, from continual +watering and guano, had grown most luxuriantly. In fact, my cabin was +so covered and sheltered, that its original form had totally +disappeared, it now looked like an arbour in a clump of trees, and from +the rocks by the bathing-pool it had a very picturesque appearance. + +I had, of course, several times gone up the ravine, and now that my axe +had become useful, I had gradually accumulated a large stock of wood +down by the bathing-pool, more than I could use for a long while, as I +seldom lighted a fire, but the cutting it was employment, and +employment was to me a great source of happiness. I had been several +times to the other side of the island, and had had more encounters with +the seals, of which I killed many, for I found their skins very +comfortable and useful in the cabin. I had collected about three dozen +of the finest skins, which were more than I required, but I had taken +them for the same reason that I had collected the firewood, for the +sake of employment, and in this instance, I may add, for the sake of +the excitement which the combats with the seals afforded me. + +I have not narrated any of these conflicts, as I thought that they +might weary the reader, I must, however, state what occurred on one +occasion, as although ludicrous, it nearly cost me my life. I had +attacked a large male seal, with a splendid fur, for I always looked +out for the best skinned animals. He was lying on a rock close to the +water, and I had gone into the water to cut him off and prevent his +escape by plunging in, as he would otherwise have done; but as I aimed +the usual blow at his nose, my foot slipped on the wet rock, and I +missed the animal, and at the same time fell down on the rock with the +axe in my hand. The animal, which was a male of the largest size, +seized hold of my shirt (which I then wore) with his teeth, and, +plunging with me into the sea, dived down into the deep water. It was +fortunate that he had seized my shirt instead of my body, and also that +I could swim well. He carried me along with him--the shirt, for a few +seconds, drawn over my head, when, disembarrassing myself of the +garment, by slipping my head and arms out, I left it in his possession, +and regained the surface of the water, almost suffocated. It was +fortunate that I did not wear sleeve-buttons; had I had them, I could +not have disengaged myself, and must have perished. I climbed the rock +again, and turning round, I perceived the seal on the surface, shaking +the shirt in great wrath. This was a sad discomfiture, as I lost not +only my shirt but my axe, which I dropped when I was dragged into the +water; nothing was saved except my knife, which I carried by a lanyard +round my neck. Why I mention this circumstance particularly, is, that +having felt great inconvenience for want of sleeve-buttons to hold the +wristbands of my shirt together, I had thought of making use of those +of the mate, which the reader may recollect had been given with his +watch into Jackson's care, to take home to his wife; but on second +consideration I thought it very possible I might lose them, and decided +that the property was in trust, and that I had no right to risk it. +This correct feeling on my part, therefore, was probably the saving of +my life. + +I have only now to mention my birds, and of them I can merely say that +they went on as before; they bathed constantly, at the right season +they laid eggs, the male birds caught fish and brought them to the +cabin, and they were just as stupid and uninteresting as they were at +first; however, they never left me, nor indeed shewed any intention to +leave me, after the first season of the birds returning to the island. +They were useful but not very ornamental, and not at all interesting to +one who had such an intelligent companion as Nero. + +Having now brought up my history, in a few words, until the time +referred to, I come to the narrative of what occurred to produce a +change in my condition. I have said that in the chest there was a +spy-glass, but it had been wetted with salt-water, and was useless. +Jackson had tried to shew me how to use it, and had shewn me correctly, +but the glasses were dimmed by the wet and subsequent evaporation from +heat. I had taken out all the glasses and cleaned them, except the +field-glass as it is called, but that being composed of two glasses, +the water had penetrated between them, and it still remained so dull +that nothing could be distinguished through it, at the time that +Jackson was shewing me how to use the instrument; it was therefore put +on one side as useless. A year afterwards, I took it out, from +curiosity, and then I discovered that the moisture between the two +glasses had been quite dried up, and that I could see very clearly +through it, and after a little practice I could use it as well as +anybody else. Still I seldom did use it, as my eyesight was +particularly keen, and I did not require it, and as for any vessel +coming off the island, I had gradually given up all thoughts of it. It +was one evening when the weather was very rough and the sea much +agitated, that I thought I saw something unusual on the water, about +four miles distant. I supposed at first it might be a spermaceti whale, +for numbers used to play round the island at certain seasons, and I +used to watch their blowing and their gambols, if I may use the term, +and Jackson often told me long stories about the whale fisheries; but a +ray of the setting sun made the object appear white, and I ran for the +glass, and made out that it was a boat or a very small vessel, with a +sail out, and running before the gale right down to the island. I +watched it till it was dark with much interest, and with thoughts of +various kinds chasing each other; and then I began to consider what was +best to do. I knew that in an hour the moon would rise, and as the sky +was not cloudy, although the wind and sea were high, I should probably +be able to see it again. "But they never can get on shore on this side +of the island," thought I, "with so much sea. Yes they might, if they +ran for the bathing-pool." After thinking a while, I decided that I +would go down to the bathing-pool, and place lighted faggots on the +rocks on each side of the entrance, as this would shew them where to +run for, and how to get in. I waited a little longer, and then taking +my spy-glass and some tinder with me, I went down to the pool, carried +two faggots to the rocks on each side, and having set them on fire and +taken up others to replace them as soon as they were burnt out, I sat +down with my spy-glass to see if I could make out where the boat might +be. + +As the moon rose, I descried her now within a mile of the island, and +her head directed towards the beacon lights made by the burning +faggots. I threw another faggot on each and went down for a further +supply. The gale had increased, and the spray now dashed over the rocks +to where the faggots were burning, and threatened to extinguish them, +but I put on more wood and kept up a fierce blaze. In a quarter of an +hour I could distinguish the boat; it was now close to the island, +perhaps three hundred yards distant, steering not directly for the +lights, but more along shore. The fact was that they had hauled up, not +knowing how they could land until they had observed the two lights +clear of each other, and then they understood why they had been made; +and a moment afterwards they bore up right for the entrance to the +bathing-pool, and came rushing on before the rolling seas. I still +trembled for them, as I knew that if the sea receded at the time that +they came to the ledge of rocks at the entrance, the boat would be +dashed to pieces, although their lives might be saved, but fortunately +for them, it was not so--on the contrary, they came in borne up on a +huge wave which carried them clear over the ledge, right up to the wall +of rock which I had made across the pool, and then the boat grounded. + +"Hurrah! well done, that," said a voice from the boat. "Lower away the +sail, my lads; all's right." + +The sail was lowered down, and then, by the light of the fire, I +discovered that there were several people in the boat. I had been too +much excited to say anything; indeed, I did not know what to say. I +only felt that I was no more alone, and the reader may imagine my joy +and delight. + + + + +Chapter XIX + + +As soon as the sail was lowered, the men leaped over the sides of the +boat into the water, and waded to the rocks. + +"Who are you?" said one of the men, addressing me, "and how many of you +are there here?" + +"There is no one on the island but myself," replied I; "but I'm so glad +that you have come." + +"Are you? Then perhaps you'll tell us how to get something to eat, my +hearty?" replied he. + +"Oh yes, wait a little, and I'll bring you plenty," replied I. + +"Well, then, look smart, that's a beauty, for we are hungry enough to +eat you, if you can find us nothing better." + +I was about to go up to the cabin for some birds, when another man +called out-- + +"I say--can you get us any water?" + +"Oh yes, plenty," replied I. + +"Well then, I say, Jim, hand us the pail out of the boat." + +The one addressed did so, and the man put it into my hands, saying, +"Bring us that pail, boy, will you?" I hastened up to the cabin, filled +the pail full of water, and then went for a quantity of dried birds, +with which I hastened down again to the bathing-pool; I found the men +had not been idle, they had taken some faggots off the stack and made a +large fire under the rocks, and were then busy making a sort of tent +with the boat's sails. + +"Here's the water, and here's some birds," said I, as I came up to them. + +"Birds! what birds?" said the man who had first spoken to me, and +appeared to have control over the rest. He took one up and examined it +by the light of the fire, exclaiming, "Queer eating, I expect." + +"Why, you didn't expect a regular hotel when you landed, did you, +mate?" said one of the men. + +"No, if I had, I would have called for a glass of grog," replied he. "I +suspect I might call a long while before I get anyone to bring me one +here." + +As I knew that Jackson called the rum by the name of grog, I said, +"There's plenty of grog, if you want any." + +"Is there, my hearty,--where?" + +"Why, in that cask that's in the water on the other side of your little +ship," replied I. "I can draw you some directly." + +"What! in that cask? Grog floating about in salt water, that's too bad. +Come here all of you--You're in earnest, boy--no joking I hope, or you +may repent it." + +"I'm not joking," said I--"there it is." + +The man, followed by all the rest, excepting one of the party, waded +into the water, and went to the cask of rum. + +"Take care," said I, "the spiles are in." + +"So I see--never fear, my hearty--come now all of us." So saying, the +whole of them laid hold of the cask by the chains, and lifting it up, +they carried it clean out of the water, and placed it on the rocks by +the side of the pool. + +"Hand us the little kid out of the boat, Jim," said the man; "we'll +soon see if it's the right stuff." + +He took out the spiles, drew off some of the liquor, and tasting it, +swore it was excellent. It was then handed round, and all the men took +some. + +"We're in luck to-night; we're fallen upon our legs," said the first +man. "I say, Jim, put them dried chickens into the pitch-kettle along +with some taters out of the bag--they'll make a good mess; and then +with this cask of grog to go to, we shan't do badly." + +"I say, old fellow," said he, turning to me, "you're a regular trump. +Who left you on shore to get all ready for us?" + +"I was born here," replied I. + +"Born here! well, we'll hear all about that to-morrow--just now, we'll +make up for lost time, for we've had nothing to eat or drink since +Wednesday morning. Look alive, my lads! get up the hurricane-house. +Jim, put the pail of water into the kettle, and send the islander here +for another pailful, for grog." + +The pail was handed to me, and I soon returned with it full, and, as I +did not see that they had a pannikin, I brought one down and gave it to +them. + +"You're a fine boy," said the mate; (as I afterwards found out that he +was). "And now, I say, where do you hold out? Have you a hut or a cave +to live in?" + +"Yes," replied I; "I have a cabin, but it is not large enough for all +of you." + +"No, no! we don't want to go there--we are very well where we are, +alongside of the cask of rum, but you see, my lad, we have a woman +here." + +"A woman!" said I; "I never saw a woman. Where is she?" + +"There she is, sitting by the fire." + +I looked round, and perceived that there was one of the party wrapped +up in a blanket, and with a wide straw hat on the head, which +completely concealed the form from me. The fact is, that the woman +looked like a bundle, and remained by the fire quite as inanimate. At +my saying that I never saw a woman, the man burst into a loud laugh. + +"Why, did you not say that you were born on the island, boy?" said the +mate at last. "Were you born without a mother?" + +"I cannot recollect my mother--she died when I was very young; and +therefore I said, that I had never seen a woman." + +"Well, that's explained; but you see, my lad--this is not only a woman, +but a very particular sort of a woman; and it will not do for her to +remain here after we have had our supper--for after supper, the men may +take a drop too much, and not behave themselves; so I asked you about +your cabin, that you might take her there to sleep. Can you do that?" + +"Yes," replied I; "I will take her there, if she wishes to go." + +"That's all right then, she'll be better there than here, at all +events. I say, boy, where did you leave your trousers?" + +"I never wear any." + +"Well then, if you have any, I advise you to put them on, for you are +quite old enough to be breeched." + +I remained with them while the supper was cooking, asking all manner of +questions, which caused great mirth. The pitch kettle, which was a +large iron pot on three short legs, surprised me a good deal, I had +never seen such a thing before, or anything put on the fire. I asked +what it was, and what it was made of. The potatoes also astonished me, +as I had never yet seen an edible root. + +"Why, where have you been all your life?" said one of the men. + +"On this island," replied I, very naively. + +I waded into the water to examine the boat as well as I could by the +light of the fire, but I could see little, and was obliged to defer my +examination till the next day. Before the supper was cooked and eaten, +I did, however, gain the following information. + +That they were a portion of the crew of a whaler, which had struck on a +reef of rocks about seventy miles off, and that they had been obliged +to leave her immediately, as she fell on her broadside a few minutes +afterwards; that they had left in two boats, but did not know what had +become of the other boat, which parted company during the night. The +captain and six men were in the other boat, and the mate with six men +in the one which had just landed--besides the lady. + +"What's a lady?" said I. + +"I mean the woman who sits there; her husband was killed by some of the +people of the Sandwich Isles, and she was going home to England. We +have a consort, another whaler, who was to have taken our cargo of oil +on board, and to have gone to England with that and her own cargo, and +the missionary's wife was to have been sent home in her." + +"What's a missionary?" inquired I. + +"Well, I don't exactly know; but he is a preacher who goes out to teach +the savages." + +By this time the supper was cooked, and the odour from the pitch kettle +was more savoury than anything that I had ever yet smelt. The kettle +was lifted off the fire, the contents of it poured into a kid, and +after they had given a portion in the small kid to the woman, who still +remained huddled up in the blanket by the fire, they all sat round the +large kid, and commenced their supper. + +"Come, boy, and join us," said the mate, "you can't have had your +supper; and as you've found one for us, it's hard but you should share +it with us." + +I was not sorry to do as he told me, and I must say that I never +enjoyed a repast so much in my life. + +"I say, boy, have you a good stock of them dried chickens of yours?" +said the mate. + +"Yes, I have a great many, but not enough to last long for so many +people." + +"Well, but we can get more, can't we?" + +"No!" replied I, "not until the birds come again, and that will not be +for these next five moons." + +"Five moons! what do you mean?" + +"I mean, five full moons must come, one after another." + +"Oh, I understand; why then we must not remain on the island." + +"No," replied I, "we must all go, or we shall starve; I am so glad that +you are come, and the sooner you go the better. Will you take Nero with +you?" + +"Who is Nero?" + +"Nero--my seal--he's very tame." + +"Well, we'll see about it; at all events," said he, turning to the +other men, "we must decide upon something, and that quickly, for we +shall starve if we remain here any time." + +It appeared that they had left the whaler in such a hurry, that they +had only had time to throw into the boat two breakers of water, four +empty breakers to fill with saltwater for ballast to the boat, and the +iron pitch kettle, with a large sack of potatoes. + +As soon as supper was finished, they went to the cask for the rum, and +then the mate said to me-- + +"Now I'll go and speak to the woman, and you shall take her to sleep in +your cabin." + +During the whole of this time the woman, as the mate called her, had +never spoken a word. She had taken her supper, and eaten it in silence, +still remaining by the fire, huddled up in the blanket. On the mate +speaking to her, she rose up, and I then perceived that she was much +taller than I thought she could have been; but her Panama hat still +concealed her face altogether. + +"Now then, my lad," said the mate, "shew the lady where she is to +sleep, and then you can join us again if you like." + +"Will you come with me?" said I, walking away. + +The woman followed me up the path. When we arrived at the platform +opposite the cabin, I recollected Nero, whom I had ordered to stay +there till my return. + +"You won't be afraid of the seal," said I, "will you? he is very +good-natured. Nero, come here." + +It was rather dark as Nero came shuffling up, and I went forward to +coax him, for he snarled a little at seeing a stranger. + +"Have you no light at hand?" said my companion, speaking for the first +time in a very soft, yet clear voice. + +"No, I have not, but I will get some tinder, and make a fire with one +of the faggots, and then you will be able to see." + +"Do so, then, my good lad," replied she. + +I thought her voice very pleasing. + +I soon lighted the faggot and enabled her to see Nero (who was now +quite quiet) and also the interior of the cabin. + +She examined the cabin and the bed-places, and then said, + +"Where do you sleep?" + +I replied by shewing her my bed-place. "And this," said I, pointing to +the one opposite, "was Jackson's, and you can sleep in that. Nero +sleeps with me. Here are plenty of seal skins to keep you warm if you +are cold. Are your clothes wet?" + +"No, they are quite dry now," replied she; "if you will get me some +seal skins, I will lie down on them, for I am very tired." + +I spread five or six skins one on the other, in Jackson's bed-place, +and then I went out and threw another faggot on the fire, that we might +have more light. + +"Do you want anything else?" said I. + +"Nothing, I thank you. Are you going to bed now?" + +"I was meaning to go down again to the men, but now I think of it, I do +not like to leave you alone with Nero, as he might bite you. Are you +afraid of him?" + +"No, I'm not much afraid, but still I have no wish to be bitten, and I +am not used to sleep with such animals, as you are." + +"Well then, I'll tell you how we'll manage it. I will take some skins +outside, and sleep there. Nero will not leave me, and then you won't be +afraid. The weather is clearing up fast, and there's very little wind +to what there was--besides, it will be daylight in three or four hours." + +"As you please," was the reply. + +Accordingly I took some seal skins out on the platform, and spreading +them, I lay down upon them, wishing her good-night, and Nero soon +joined me, and we were both fast asleep in a few minutes. + + + + +Chapter XX + + +Nero, who was an early riser, woke me up at day-break, or I should have +slept much longer; for I had been tired out with the fatigue and +excitement of the night before. As soon as I was up, I looked into the +cabin, and found the woman was fast asleep; her straw hat was off, but +she had lain down in her clothes. Her black hair was hanging about her +shoulders. Having only seen Jackson with his bushy beard, I had been +somewhat surprised when I first saw the men on their landing so +comparatively clear of hair on their face; my astonishment at the clear +white skin of a woman--and in this instance, it was peculiarly white +and pallid--was very great. I also perceived how much more delicate her +features were than those of the men; her teeth, too, were very white, +and Jackson's were discoloured and bad; I longed to see her eyes, but +they were closed. Any other difference I could not perceive, as she had +drawn the blanket close up to her chin. + +"This is then a woman," said I to myself: "yes, and it's very like what +I used to see in my dreams." I looked a little longer, and then, +hearing Nero coming into the cabin behind me, and afraid that she would +awake, I made a hasty retreat. + +I remained at this part of the cabin considering what I should do. I +thought I would light a fire, and go down for a fish to broil on the +embers for her breakfast, so I called Nero to come down with me. On +arriving at the pool, I found all the seamen fast asleep under the tent +they had made with the boat's sails; and they appeared to be much the +same as Jackson used to be after he had got drunk the night before; I +presumed therefore, that such was their state, and was not far wrong. +Nero went into the pool and brought out a fish, as I ordered him, and I +then walked to the boat to examine it. This took me half an hour, and I +was sorry that none of the men were awake, that so I might ask any +questions I wished. I examined the pitch-kettle, and the boat's sails, +and the breakers. Breakers are small casks, holding about six to seven +gallons of water, and are very handy for boats. I remained about an +hour, and then went back to the cabin, carrying a faggot on my +shoulder, Nero following with the fish in his mouth. We were met by the +woman, who came out of the cabin; she no longer had the blanket round +her, for it was a beautiful bright morning, and very warm. + +"Nero is bringing you your breakfast," said I, "so you ought to like +him." + +"I dare say I shall, if we are to be companions in future," replied she. + +"Do you want anything?" said I. + +"Yes, a little water, if you can get me some." + +I filled the kid from the spring, put it down by her, and then took out +the inside of the fish, and fed the birds, who were crowding round me. + +The woman washed her face and hands, braided up her hair, and then sat +down on the rock. In the meantime, I had lighted my faggot, cleaned the +fish, and waited till the wood was burnt to ashes before I put the fish +on the fire. Having then nothing to do, I thought that reading would +amuse the woman, and I went in for the Bible. + +"Shall I read to you?" said I. + +"Yes," replied she, with some astonishment in her looks. + +I read to her the history of Joseph and his brethren, which was my +favourite story in the Bible. + +"Who taught you to read?" said she, as I shut the book, and put the +fish on the embers. + +"Jackson," said I. + +"He was a good man, was he not?" replied she. + +I shook my head. "No, not very good," said I, at last. "If you knew all +about him, you would say the same; but he taught me to read." + +"How long have you been on this island?" said she. + +"I was born on it, but my father and mother are both dead, and Jackson +died three years ago--since that I have been quite alone, only Nero +with me." + +She then asked me a great many more questions, and I gave her a short +narration of what had passed, and what Jackson had told me; I also +informed her how it was I procured food, and how we must soon leave the +island, now that we were so many, or the food would not last out till +the birds came again. + +By this time the fish was cooked, and I took it off the fire and put it +into the kid, and we sat down to breakfast; in an hour or so, we had +become very sociable. + +I must however now stop a little to describe her. What the men had told +me was quite true. She had lost her husband, and was intending to +proceed to England. Her name was Reichardt, for her husband was a +German, or of German family. She was, as I have since ascertained, +about thirty-seven years old, and very tall and elegant; she must have +been very handsome when she was younger, but she had suffered much +hardship in following her husband as she had done, through all the +vicissitudes of his travels. + +Her face was oval; eyes black and large; and her hair black as the +raven's wing; her features were small and regular; her teeth white and +good; but her complexion was very pallid, and not a vestige of colour +on her cheeks. As I have since thought, it was more like a marble +statue than anything I can compare her to. There was a degree of +severity in her countenance when she did not smile, and it was seldom +that she did. I certainly looked upon her with more awe than regard, +for some time after I became acquainted with her; and yet her voice was +soft and pleasant, and her manners very amiable; but it must be +remembered I had never before seen a woman. After breakfast was over, I +proposed going down to where the seamen lay, to see if they were awake, +but I told her I thought that they would not be. + +"I will go with you, as I left a basket with some things of mine in the +boat, and it will be as well to bring them up at once." + +We therefore set off together, I having ordered Nero to stay in the +cabin. On our arrival at the pool we found the men still fast asleep; +and by her directions I went into the water to the boat, and brought +out a basket and a small bundle which she pointed out. + +"Shall I wake them?" said I. + +"No, no," replied she; "so long as they sleep, they will be doing no +harm. But," said she, "we may as well take some potatoes up with us; +fill both these handkerchiefs," continued she, taking two out of the +bundle. I did so, and she took one and I the other, and we returned to +the cabin. + +"Are these all the birds that you have for food?" said she, looking at +the pile in the cabin. + +"Yes," replied I. "But what are we to do with the potatoes?" + +"We can roast them by the fire if we like," said she; "but at present +we had better take them into the cabin. Did you plant all these flowers +and creepers which grow over the cabin?" + +"Yes," replied I. "I was alone and had nothing to do, so I thought I +would make a garden." + +"They are very pretty. Now that I am back, you can go down to the men +if you please, and tell them, when they wake up, that I wish to have +the smallest of the boat's sails, to make a screen of. Tell the mate, +he is the most civil." + +"I will," said I. "Is there anything else?" + +"Yes, bring up a few more potatoes; they will let you take them if you +say that I told you." + +"Shall I take Nero with me?" + +"Yes, I do not want his company, for I am a little afraid of him." + +I called Nero, who came after me, and went down to the pool, when I +found that the men had all woke up, and were very busy, some lighting a +fire, some washing potatoes, and some trying to catch the fish in the +pool. + +"Oh, here he is. Come, boy, what have you got for our breakfast? We've +been trying to catch some of these fish, but they're as quick as eels." + +"Nero will soon catch you what you want," replied I. "Here, Nero, in." + +Nero plunged in, and soon brought out a fish, and I then sent him in +for another. + +"Thanks, lad," said the mate; "that will be enough for our breakfast. +That seal of yours is a handy fellow, and well trained." + +While the other men were getting breakfast, one of them went up to +Nero, I believe with the intention of making friends with him, but Nero +rejected his advances, and showed his sharp teeth, snapping at him +several times. The man became angry, and caught up a piece of rock to +throw at the seal. He aimed at the animal's nose, and narrowly missed +hitting it. Had he done so, he would probably have killed it. This made +me very angry, and I told the man not to do so again; upon this, he +caught up another, and was about to throw it, when I seized him by the +collar with my left hand, and with my right drawing my American knife, +I threatened to stab him with it, if he attacked the beast. The man +started back, and in so doing, fell over a piece of rock, on his back. +This quarrel brought the mate to us, along with two or three of the +men. My knife was still lifted up, when the mate said-- + +"Come, my hearty, no knives, we don't allow them. That's not English. +Put it up, no one shall hurt the beast, I promise you. Bob, you fool, +why couldn't you leave the animal alone? You forget you are among +savages, here." + +At this, the other men burst out into a laugh. + +"Yes," observed one; "I can swear, when I get back, that the natives of +this island are savages, who eat raw flesh, have seals for playmates, +and don't wear clothes enough for common decency." + +This made them laugh more, and the man who had attacked Nero, and who +had got upon his legs again, joined with the others; so all was again +good-humour. The men sat down to their breakfast, while I examined the +boat again, and afterwards asked many questions, with which they were +much amused, every now and then observing, "Well, he is a savage!" + +After they had breakfasted, I made Nero catch another fish and sent him +up to the cabin with it, as I was afraid that the man might do him an +injury, and then told the mate that the woman had desired me to bring +up some potatoes. + +"Take them," said he; "but you have nothing to carry them up with. +Here, fill the pail, and I will go to the cabin with you." + +"She told me that I was to ask you for a small boat's sail, to hang up +as a screen." + +"Well, she shall have the boat's mizen. We don't want it. I'll carry it +up." + +The mate threw the sail and yard over his shoulder, and followed me up +to the cabin. On our arrival, we found the missionary's wife sitting on +the platform, Nero lying not far from her, with the fish beside him. +The mate took off his hat, and saluted my new companion, saying, "That +he hoped she was comfortable last night." + +"Yes," replied she, "as much so as I could expect; but I turned this +good lad out of his cabin, which I do not wish to do again, and +therefore I requested the sail for a screen. Now, John Gough, what do +you intend to do?" continued she. + +The mate replied, "I came up here to see what quantity of provisions +the lad might have. By his account, it will not last more than a month, +and it will take some time before we can reach where we are likely to +fall in with any vessel. Stay here we cannot, for we shall only eat the +provision and lose time, therefore, the sooner we are off the better." + +"If you take all the provision, of course you will take the lad with +you?" replied she. + +"Of course we will." + +"And my chest, and my seal?" inquired I. + +"Yes, your chest, certainly, but as for your seal, I do not know what +to say to that--he will be starved in the boat, and if you give him his +liberty, he will do well enough." + +"What you say is very true," replied the woman. "I am afraid, boy, that +you will have to part with your friend. It will be better for both of +you." + +I made no reply, for it cut me to the heart to think of parting with +Nero; but still I had sense enough to perceive that what they said was +right. + +The mate then went into the cabin, and examined the heap of dried birds +which I had collected, and having made his calculation, said that there +were sufficient for three weeks, but not more. + +"And when do you think of leaving this island?" inquired the woman. + +"The day after to-morrow, if I can persuade the men, madam," replied +he; "but you know they are not very easy to manage, and very +thoughtless, especially now that they have so unexpectedly fallen in +with liquor." + +"That I admit," replied she; "but as they will probably take the liquor +in the boat, that will not make so great a difference." + +"I shall go down and speak to them now they're all sober," replied the +mate, "and will let you know in the evening, or to-morrow morning, +perhaps, will be better." The mate then saluted her by touching his +hat, and left us. + + + + +Chapter XXI + + +There was one thing which had made a great impression on me in the +conversation with the men in the morning. They called me a Savage, and +said that I had not sufficient clothes on; and as I observed that they +were all dressed in jackets and trousers, which covered them from head +to foot, I took it for granted that my shirt, which was all that I +wore, was not a sufficient clothing. This had never occurred to me +before, nor can the reader be surprised at it. I had been like our +first parents in Eden--naked but not ashamed--but now that I had +suddenly come in contact with my fellow-men, I felt as if something +were amiss. The consequence was, that I went to the chest and got out a +pair of white trousers, and put them on. I thought them very +uncomfortable and very unnecessary articles, but others wore them, and +I felt that I must do so also. They were rather long for me, but I +rolled up the bottoms of the legs, as I observed that the seamen did, +and then came out on the platform, where the missionary's wife was +still seated, looking out upon the waves as they lashed the rocks. She +immediately observed the addition that I had made to my dress, and said, + +"That is a great improvement. Now you look like other people. What is +your name? you have not told me." + +When I had answered the question, I said to her-- + +"I have brought up more of the potatoes, as you call them; what am I to +do with them?" + +"First tell me, have you any spot that you know about the island where +there is mould--that is, earth, like you have in your garden--where we +can plant them?" + +"Yes," replied I, "there is some up there," and I pointed to one-third +up the ravine. "I brought all this earth from there, and there is +plenty of it; but what is the good of planting them?" + +"Because," said she, "one of the potatoes planted will, in a very short +time, grow, and then it will produce perhaps thirty or forty potatoes +at its roots as large as these; they are excellent things for food, and +where there is nothing else to be had, may be the means of preserving +life." + +"Well, that may be," replied I, "and if we were going to remain on the +island, it would be well to plant them, but as we are going away the +day after to-morrow, what's the use of it? I know that they are very +nice, for I had some for supper last night." + +"But are we only to think of ourselves in this world, and not of +others?" replied she. "Suppose, two or three years hence, another boat +were to be cast away on this island, and not find, as we have, you +here, with provisions ready for them, they would starve miserably; +whereas, if we plant these potatoes, they may find plenty of food and +be saved. Only think how glad your father and mother would have been to +have found potatoes on the island when they were thrown on it. We must +not live only for ourselves, but we must think and try to do good to +others--that is the duty of a Christian." + +"I think you are very right," replied I, "and a very kind person too. +If you wish it I will go and plant the potatoes this day. How am I to +plant them?" + +"They have a shovel in the boat," said she, "for I saw them throwing +the water out with it. Go down and get it, and then I will go with you +and show you." + +I went down and the mate gave me the shovel, which I carried up to her. +I found her cutting the potatoes into pieces, and she showed me how she +cut them, leaving an eye in each piece, and explained the reason for +it. I was soon very busy cutting away alongside of her, and before long +the pail of potatoes was all ready to be planted. + +We then walked to the ravine, and she showed me how to use the shovel, +and I made the holes. Before noon we had planted all that we had cut, +but we had still the two handkerchiefs full that we had at first +brought up with us. We returned to the cabin, and I prepared the fish +for dinner. After it was on the embers, she wished to have the screen +put up beside her bed-place. + +"Go down to the mate," said she, "and ask him for the hammer and three +or four nails. I know they have them in the boat." + +"I may as well take them down some birds for their dinner," replied I, +"for they will want them." + +"Yes, do so; and then come back to me as soon as you can." + +The mate gave me the hammer, an article I had never seen before, and +five or six nails, with which I returned to the cabin, and nailed up +the sail as a screen. + +"Now you will be able to sleep in your own bed-place to-night," said +she. + +I made no reply, but I could not imagine why I could not have done so +the night before, for I had only gone out of the cabin that she might +not be frightened by Nero being so close to her. + +After we had eaten our dinner, she said to me-- + +"How could you contrive to live on this island, if you had no dried +birds?" + +"How?" replied I; "why, very badly. I might catch fish; but there are +times in the year when you can catch no fish, they won't take bait, +neither will they when the weather is rough. Besides, I have only two +lines, and I might lose them both--then what would become of me? I +should starve." + +"Well, then, you see under all circumstances, it was just as well to +plant the potatoes, for other people may come here and be in your +position." + +"Yes, that is true, but we shall not be here long now, and you don't +know how glad I am to go. I want to see all the things that I have read +about in my books. I want to go to England and look for somebody; but +you don't know all that I know; some day I will tell you +all--everything. I am so tired of living here by myself--nothing to +say--no one to talk to--no one to care for, except Nero, and he can't +speak. I can't bear the idea of parting with him though." + +"Would you rather stay on the island with Nero, than go away without +him?" + +"No," replied I; "go I must, but still I do not like to part with him. +He is the only friend that I ever had, that I can remember." + +"When you have lived longer, and mixed more with the world, my poor +boy, you will then find how many sacrifices you will be obliged to +make, much more serious than parting with an animal that you are +attached to. I suppose you expect to be very happy if ever you get back +to England?" + +"Of course I do; why should I not be?" replied I; "I shall be always +happy." + +The Missionary's wife shook her head. "I fear not. Indeed, I think if +you live long enough, you will acknowledge that the happiest of your +days were passed on this barren rock." + +"Jackson said otherwise," replied I. "He was always grieving at being +on the island, and not able to get back to England, and he told me so +many stories about England, and what is done there, and what a +beautiful place it is, that I'm sure I shall like it better than being +here, even if I had somebody with me." + +"Well, you are in the hands of God, and you must put your trust in him. +He will do with you as he thinks best for you--that you know, as you +read your Bible." + +"No, I didn't know that," replied I. "God lives beyond the stars, a +long way off." + +"Is that all you have gained by reading your Bible?" inquired she, +looking me in the face. + +"No, not all," replied I; "but I do not understand a great deal that I +read, I want some one to tell me. I am so glad you came with the men in +the boat, for I never saw a woman before. I used to see somebody in my +dreams, and now I know it was a woman. It was my mother, but I have not +seen her for a long while now, and I have nobody but Nero." + +"My poor boy, you have a father in heaven." + +"Yes," replied I; "I know he is in heaven, and so is my mother, for +Jackson said that they were both very good." + +"I mean your Heavenly Father, God. Do you not say in the Lord's Prayer, +'Our Father which art in heaven.' You must love him." + +I was about to reply, when John Gough, the mate, came up, and told my +companion that he had been speaking to the men, and they had agreed +that the day after the next they would, if the weather permitted, leave +the island; that they had examined the boat, and found it required very +little repair, and that all would be ready the next day. + +"I hope that they will not overload the boat," said she. + +"I fear that they will, but I must do all I can to prevent it. The cask +of rum was rather an unfortunate discovery, and we had been better +without it. Leave it they will not, so we must put out of the boat all +that we can possibly do without, for we shall be nine of us, and that +will be plenty of weight with the addition of the cask." + +"You promised to take my chest, you remember," said I. + +"Yes, I will do so if I possibly can; but recollect, I may not be able +to keep my promise--for now that they have the liquor, the men do not +obey me as they did before, ma'am," said the mate. "Perhaps he had +better take the best of his clothes in a bundle, in case they should +refuse to take in the chest; and I must say that, loaded as the boat +will be, they will be much to blame if they do not refuse, for the boat +is but small for stowage, and there's all the provisions to put in her, +which will take up a deal of room." + +"That is very true," replied the woman. "It will be better to leave the +chest here, for I do not think that the boat will hold it. You must not +mind your chest, my good boy; it is of no great value." + +"They take my rum and all my birds, and they ought to take both me and +my chest." + +"Not if it takes up too much room," replied the woman. "You cannot +expect it. The wishes of one person must give way to the wishes of +many." + +"Why they would have starved if it had not been for me," replied I, +angrily. + +"That's very true, boy," replied the mate; "but you have to learn yet, +that might is right; and recollect that what you did this morning has +not made you any great favourite with them." + +"What was that?" inquired my companion. + +"Only that he nearly drove his knife through one of the men, that's +all," replied the mate; "English sailors ar'n't fond of knives." + +He then touched his hat, and went down again to the pool, desiring me +to follow him with a kid for our share of the supper. I did so, and on +my return she asked me why I had drawn my knife upon the seaman, and I +narrated how it occurred. She pointed out to me the impropriety of what +I had done, asking me whether the Bible did not tell us we were to +forgive injuries. + +"Yes," replied I; "but is it not injuries to ourselves? I did forgive +Jackson; but this was to prevent his hurting another." + +"Another! why you talk of Nero as if the animal was a rational being, +and his life of as much consequence as that of a fellow-creature. I do +not mean to say but that the man was very wrong, and that you must have +felt angry if an animal you were so fond of had been killed; but there +is a great difference between the life of an animal and that of a +fellow-creature. The animal dies, and there is an end of it; but a man +has an immortal soul, which never perishes, and nothing can excuse your +taking the life of a man, except in self-defence. Does not the +commandment say, 'Thou shalt not kill?'" + +She then talked to me a long while upon the subject, and fully made me +understand that I had been very wrong, and I confessed that I had been +so. + + + + +Chapter XXII + + +I now resolved to speak to her relative to the belt which contained the +diamonds; and I was first obliged to narrate to her in a few words what +Jackson had told me. She heard me with great interest, now and then +asking a question. When I had told her all, I said-- + +"Now, as they talk of not taking my chest, what shall I do? Shall I +wear the belt myself, or shall I put it in the bundle? or will you wear +it for me, as my mother would have done, if she had been alive?" + +She did not reply for some time, at last she said, as if talking to +herself, and not to me-- + +"How unsearchable are thy ways, O God!" + +Indeed, although I did not feel it at the time, I have afterwards +thought, and she told me herself, how great her surprise was at finding +in the unshorn little Savage, thus living alone upon a desolate rock, a +lad of good birth, and although he did not know it, with a fortune in +his charge, which would, in all probability, be ultimately his own. +This is certain, that the interest she felt towards me increased every +hour, as by degrees I disclosed my history. + +"Well," replied she, "if you will trust me, I will take charge of your +belt. To-morrow we will select out of the chest what will be best to +take with you, and then we will arrange as you wish." + +After about an hour's more conversation, she went into the cabin, and +retired behind the screen which had been fixed up, telling me that she +did not mind Nero, and that I might go to bed when I pleased. As I was +not much inclined to go down to the seamen, I followed her advice and +went to bed; but I could not sleep for a long time from the noise which +the men made, who were carousing at the bathing-pool. The idea of +parting with Nero also lay heavy upon my heart, though the woman had +almost satisfied me that as soon as I was gone, the animal would resume +its natural habits, and care nothing for me. + +I was up the next morning early, and went down with Nero to obtain the +fish which we required. I left some on the rocks for the seamen's +breakfast (for they were all sound asleep), and then returned to the +cabin, and prepared for our own. Mrs Reichardt, as I shall now call +her, soon came out to me, and when breakfast was over, proposed that we +should plant the remainder of the potatoes before we packed up the +things in the chest. As soon as they were all cut, we set off to the +ravine, and had finished our task before noon, at which time there were +but few of the seamen stirring, they had remained up so long the night +before, drinking. The mate was one of those who were on their legs, and +he asked me if I thought we should have smooth water to launch the boat +on the following day. I replied in the affirmative, and went with Mrs +Reichardt to the cabin, and putting down the shovel, I hauled my chest +out on the platform to select what articles I should take. + +While we were thus employed, and talking at times, the men came up for +the dried birds to take down ready for putting them in the boat on the +following day, and in two trips they had cleared out the whole of them. + +"Have you used all the potatoes you brought up?" said one of the men; +"for we shall be short of provisions." + +Mrs Reichardt replied that we had none left. + +"Well then," said the man, "the mate says you had better bring down +that brute of yours to catch the rest of the fish in the pond, that we +may cook them before we start, as they will make two days' meals at +least." + +"Very well," replied I; "I will come down directly." I did so, and +Nero, in a quarter of an hour, had landed all the fish, and I then +returned with him to the cabin. Mrs R. had selected the best of the +clothes, and made them up in a tight bundle, which she sewed up with +strong thread. My books she had left out, as well as the spy-glass, and +the tools I had, as they might be useful. I asked her whether I should +carry them down to the bathing-pool, but she replied that on the +morning when we embarked would be quite time enough. I then went to the +hole under Jackson's bed-place, and brought out the belt and the few +articles that were with it. Mrs R., after having examined them, said +that she would take care of them all; the watch and other trinkets she +put in her basket, the belt she took to the bed-place, and secreted it. + +She appeared very silent and thoughtful, and on my asking her whether I +should not take down the shovel, and the pail, and hammer, she replied, +"No, leave all till we are ready to go to the boat. It will be time +enough." + +Shortly afterwards, the mate brought us up some of the fish which they +had cooked for supper, and when we had eaten it we went to bed. + +"This is the last night we shall sleep together, Nero," said I, kissing +my favourite, and the thought brought tears into my eyes. "But it can't +be helped." I was however soon fast asleep with my arm round the animal. + +When I went out the next morning, I found that the weather was +beautifully fine, the water smooth, and only rippled by a light breeze. +As Mrs R. had not yet made her appearance, I went down to the +bathing-pool, where I found all the men up and in full activity. The +boat had been emptied out, the oars, masts, and sails, were on the +rocks and the men were turning the bows to the seaward in readiness for +launching her over the ledge of rocks. The dried birds lay in a heap by +the side of the cask of rum, and the fish which had been baked were in +a large kid. The six breakers were also piled up together, and the mate +and some of the men were disputing as to how many of them should be +filled with water. The mate wanted them all filled; the men said that +three would be sufficient, as the boat would be so loaded. At last the +mate gained his point, and the men each took a breaker, and went up to +the cabin for the water. I went with them to fill the breakers, and +also to see that they did no mischief, for they appeared very unruly +and out of temper; and I was afraid that they would hurt Nero, who was +at the cabin, if I was not there to prevent them; but with the +exception of examining the cabin, and forcing themselves in upon Mrs +Reichardt, they did nothing. When the breakers were full, which took at +least half an hour, they did indeed try to catch the birds, and would +have wrung their necks, but the males flew away, and the females I put +into the bed-place that was screened off in the cabin, and near which +Mrs Reichardt was sitting. They all appeared to have a great awe and +respect for this woman, and a look from her was more effectual than +were any words of the mate. + +"We don't want you," said one of the men, as they went down to the +bathing-pool with the breakers on their shoulders. "Why don't you keep +up with the lady? You're quite a lady's man, now you've white trousers +on." + +The others who followed him laughed at this latter remark. + +"I'm of no use up there, at present," said I; "and I may be down below." + +The men set down the breakers on the rocks by the pool, and then, under +the directions of the mate, prepared to launch the boat over the ledge. +The masts of the boat were placed athwartships, under her keel, for her +to run upon, and being now quite empty, she was very light. She was +what they call a whale-boat, fitted for the whale fishery, pointed at +both ends, and steered by an oar; she was not very large, but held +seven people comfortably, and she was remarkably well fitted with sails +and masts, having two lugs and a mizen. As soon as they were all ready, +the men went to the side of the boat, and in a minute she was launched +into the sea without injury. The mate said to me, as they brought her +broadside to the ledge-- + +"Now, my lad, we don't want you any more; you may go up to the cabin +till we are ready, and then we will send for you and the lady." + +"Oh! but I can be of use here," replied I; "and I am of none up there." + +The mate did not reply, and the men then went to the rum cask, and +rolled it towards the boat; and when they had it on the ledge, they +parbuckled it, as they term it, into the boat with a whale-line that +they happened to have, and which was of great length. After the cask of +rum was got in amidships, (and it took up a great deal of space, +reaching from one gunnel to the other, and standing high above the +thwarts) they went for the breakers of water, which they put in, three +before and three behind the cask, upon the floor of the boat. + +"She will be too heavy," said one of the men, "with so much water." + +"We can easily get rid of it," replied the mate. "If you had said she +would be too heavy with so much liquor on board, you had better +explained the matter; however, you must have your own ways, I suppose." + +The next articles that they brought to stow away were the provisions. +The kid of fish was put amidships on the breakers, and the dried birds, +which they carried down in their arms, were packed up neatly in the +stern-sheets. They were soon up to the gunnel, and the mate said, + +"You had better stow away forward now--there will be little room for +the lady as it is." + +"No, no, stow them all aft," replied one of the men, in a surly tone; +"the lady must sit where she can. She's no better than we." + +"Shall this go in?" said I, pointing to the coil of whale-line, and +addressing the mate. + +"No, no; we must leave that," replied one of the men in the boat; "we +shall be wedged enough as it is; and I say, Jim, throw that old saw and +the bag of nails out of the boat--we can have no use for them." + +The masts were then stepped, and the rigging set up to the gunnel of +the boat, the yards and sails handed in, and hooked on the halyards +ready for hoisting. In fact the boat was now all ready for starting; +they had only the iron kettle and two or three other articles to put in. + +"Shall we have the mizen?" inquired one of the men, pointing to the +mast, which lay on the rocks. + +"No, she steers quite as well without it," replied the mate. "We'll +leave it. And now, lads, hand the oars in." + +They were brought to the boat, but owing to the puncheon of rum in the +centre, they could not lie flat, and after a good deal of arguing and +disputing, four oars and a boat-hook were lashed to the gunnel outside, +and the rest were left on the rocks. + +At this time there was some consultation between the mate and some of +the men--the mate being evidently opposed by the others. I could not +hear what it was about, but the mate appeared very angry and very much +annoyed. At last he dashed his hat down on the rocks in a great +passion, saying, + +"No good will come of it. Mark my words. No good ever did or ever will. +Be it so, you are too many for me; but I tell you again, no good will +come of it." + +The mate then sat down on the rocks by himself, and put his head down +on his knees, covering it with his hands. + +The man with whom he had been disputing went to the others in the boat, +and spoke to them in a low tone, looking round at me, to ascertain if I +was within hearing. + +After a minute or two they all separated, and then one of them said to +me-- + +"Now, my lad, we're all ready. Go up to the cabin and bring down your +bundle and her basket, and tell the lady we are waiting for her." + +"There's the shovel," said I, "and the boat's sail--must I bring them +down?" + +"Oh yes, bring them down, and also two or three sealskins for the lady +to sit upon." + +Off I went on my errand, for I was delighted with the idea of leaving +the island, and my patience had been almost exhausted at the time they +had taken in the stowage of the boat. As I hastened up the path, I +heard loud contention, and the mate's voice speaking very angrily, and +I stopped for a short time to listen, but the noise ceased, and I went +on again. I found Nero on the platform, and I stopped a minute to +caress him. "Good bye, my poor Nero, we shall never see one another +again," said I. "You must go back to the sea, and catch fish for +yourself;" and the tears started in my eyes as I gave the animal a +farewell kiss. + +I then went into the cabin, where I found Mrs Reichardt sitting very +quietly. + +"They are all ready," said I, "and have sent me up for you but I am to +bring down the boat's sail and some seal skins for you to sit upon. I +can carry both if you can carry my bundle. Have you put the belt on?" + +"Yes," replied she, "I am quite ready. I will carry the bundle, and the +books and spy-glass, as well as my basket; but we must pack them +close," added she, "and roll the sail up round the yard, or you will +not be able to carry it." + +We took the sail down, and got it ready for carrying, and I rolled up +the two best seal skins, and tied them with a piece of fishing line, +and then we were all ready. I shouldered my burden, and Mrs Reichardt +took the other articles, as proposed, and we left the cabin to go down +the path to the bathing-pool. + +"Good bye, Nero--good bye, birds--good bye, cabin--and good bye, +garden," said I, as I went along the platform; and having so done, and +ordered Nero back with a tremulous voice, I turned my head in the +direction of the bathing-pool. I stared and then screamed, dropping my +burden, as I lifted up my hands in amazement-- + +"Look!" cried I to my companion. "Look!" repeated I, breathless. + +She did look, and saw as I did--the boat under all sail, half a mile +from the pool, staggering under a fresh breeze, which carried her away +at the rate of seven or eight miles an hour. + +They had left us--they had deserted us. I cried out, like a madman, +"Stop! stop! stop!" and then, seeing how useless it was, I dashed +myself on the rock, and for a minute or two was insensible. + +"Oh!" groaned I, at last, as I came to my senses. + +"Frank Henniker," said a sweet firm voice. + +I opened my eyes, and saw Mrs Reichardt standing by me. + +"It is the will of Heaven, and you must submit to it patiently," +continued she. + +"But so cruel, so treacherous!" replied I, looking at the fast-receding +boat. + +"I grant, most cruel, and most treacherous, but we must leave them to +the judgment of God. What can they expect from him in the way of mercy +when they have shewn none? I tell you candidly, that I think we are +better in our present forlorn state upon this rock, than if in that +boat. They have taken with them the seeds of discord, of recklessness, +and intemperance, in an attempt which requires the greatest prudence, +calmness, and unanimity, and I fear there is little chance of their +even being rescued from their dangerous position. It is my opinion, and +I thought so when I first knew they had found the cask, that liquor +would prove their ruin, and I say again, that boat will never arrive at +its destination, and they will all perish miserably. It has pleased God +that they should leave us here, and depend upon it, it has been so +decided for the best." + +"But," replied I, looking again at the boat, "I was tired of being +here--I was so anxious to get off--and now to be left! And they have +taken all our provisions, everything, even the fish in the pool. We +shall starve." + +"I hope not," replied she, "and I think not; but we must exert +ourselves, and trust to Heaven." + +But I could not heed her--my heart was bursting. I sobbed, as I sat +with my hands covering up my face. + +"All gone!" cried I. "No one left but you and I." + +"Yes," replied she, "one more." + +"Who?" cried I, looking up. + +"God!--who is with us always." + + + + +Chapter XXIII + + +I heard what she said, but my head was too confused to weigh the words. +I remained silent, where I was. A few seconds elapsed, and she spoke +again: + +"Frank Henniker, rise, and listen to me." + +"We shall starve," muttered I. + +As I said this, one of the male birds returned from the sea with a +large fish, of which Mrs Reichardt took possession, as she had seen me +do, and the gannet flew away again to obtain more. Immediately +afterwards, the other two birds returned with fish, which were in a +like way secured by my companion. + +"See how unjust and ungrateful you are," observed she. "Here are the +birds feeding us, as the ravens did Elijah in the wilderness, at the +very time that you are doubting the goodness and mercy of God. There is +a meal for us provided already." + +"My head! my head!" exclaimed I, "it is bursting, and there is a heavy +weight rolling in it--I cannot see anything." + +And such was the fact: the excitement had brought on a determination of +blood to the head, and my senses were rapidly departing. Mrs Reichardt +knelt by my side, and perceiving that what I had said was the case, +went into the cabin and brought out a cloth, which she wetted with +water from the spring, and laid across my forehead and temples. I +remained motionless and nearly senseless for half an hour, during which +she continued to apply fresh cold water to the cloth, and by degrees I +recovered from my stupor. In the meantime, the weather being so fine +and the water smooth, the gannets continued to return with the fish +they caught, almost all of which were taken from them by my companion, +until she had collected more than a dozen fish, from half a pound to a +pound weight, which she put away, so that the birds and seal might not +devour them. + +I was still in a half dozing state, when the breathing and cold nose of +Nero touched my cheek, and the murmurings of my favourite roused me up, +and I opened my eyes. + +"I am better now," said I to Mrs Reichardt. "How kind you have been!" + +"Yes, you are better, but still, you must remain quiet. Do you think +that you could walk to your bed-place?" + +"I'll try," replied I, and with her assistance I rose up; but, when I +afterwards gained my feet, I should have fallen if she had not +supported me; but, assisted by her, I gained my bed and sank down again. + +She raised my head higher, and then applied the linen cloth and cold +water as before. + +"Try now," said she, "if you cannot go to sleep. When you awake again, +I will have some dinner ready for you." + +I thanked her and shut my eyes. Nero crawled to my bed-place, and with +my hand upon his head, I fell asleep, and remained so till near sunset, +when I awoke with very little pain in my head, and much refreshed. I +found Mrs Reichardt by my side. + +"You are better now," said she. "Can you eat any dinner? I must make +friends with Nero, for he has been disputing my right to come near your +bedside, and his teeth are rather formidable. However, I gave him the +inside of the fish when I cleaned them, and we are better friends +already. There is your dinner." + +Mrs Reichardt placed before me some of the fish, broiled on the embers, +and I ate very heartily. + +"It is very kind of you," said I, "to be working for me, when I ought +to be working for you--but you must not do it again." + +"Only my share of the work when you are well," replied she; "but my +share I always shall do. I cannot be idle, and I am strong enough to do +a great deal; but we will talk about that to-morrow morning. You will +be quite well by that time, I hope." + +"Oh! I feel well now," replied I, "only I am very weak." + +"You must put your trust in God, my poor boy. Do you ever pray to him?" + +"Yes, I try a little sometimes--but I don't know how. Jackson never +taught me that." + +"Then I will. Shall I pray now for both of us?" + +"Will God hear you? What was it that you said just before I forgot +everything this morning?" + +"I told you that there was another here besides ourselves, a good and +gracious God, who is always with us and always ready to come to our +assistance if we call upon him." + +"You told me God lived beyond the stars." + +"My poor boy, as if he were a God who was afar off and did not attend +to our prayers! Such is not the case. He is with us always in spirit, +listening to all our prayers, and reading every secret thought of our +hearts." + +I was silent for some time, thinking upon what she had told me; at last +I said-- + +"Then pray to him." + +Mrs Reichardt knelt down and prayed in a clear and fervent voice, +without hesitation or stop. She prayed for protection and support in +our desolate condition, that we might be supplied with all things +needful for our sustenance, and have a happy deliverance from our +present position. She prayed that we might be contented and resigned +until it should please him to rescue us--that we might put our whole +trust and confidence in him, and submit without murmuring to whatever +might be his will. She prayed for health and strength, for an increase +of faith and gratitude towards him for all his mercies. She thanked him +for our having been preserved by being left on the desolate rock, +instead of having left it in the boat with the seamen. (This surprised +me.) And then she prayed for me, entreating that she might be the +humble instrument of leading me to my Heavenly Father, and that he +would be pleased to pour down upon me his Holy Spirit, so that I might, +by faith in Christ, be accepted, and become a child of God and an +inheritor of eternal bliss. + +There was something so novel to me and so beautiful in her fervency of +prayer, that the tears came into my eyes, and about a minute after she +had finished, I said-- + +"I now recollect, at least, I think I do--for the memory of it is very +confused-that my mother used to kneel down by me and pray just as you +have done. Oh, how I wish I had a mother!" + +"My child," replied she, "promise me that you will be a good and +obedient son, and I will be a mother to you." + +"Will you? Oh! how kind of you. Yes, I will be all you wish; I will +work for you day and night if it is necessary. I will do everything, if +you will but be my mother." + +"I will do my duty to you as a mother most strictly," replied she; "so +that is agreed upon. Now, you had better go to sleep, if you can." + +"But I must first ask you a question. Why did you thank God for the +seamen having left us here, instead of taking us with them?" + +"Because the boat was overloaded as it was; because the men, having +liquor, would become careless and desperate, and submit to no control; +and therefore I think there is little or no chance of their ever +arriving anywhere safe, but that they will perish miserably in some way +or another. This, I consider, is the probability, unless the Almighty +in his mercy should be pleased to come to their assistance, and allow +them to fall in with some vessel soon after their departure." + +"Do you think, then, that God prevented our going with them on purpose +that we might not share their fate?" + +"I do! God regulates everything. Had it been better for us that we +should have gone, he would have permitted it; but he willed it +otherwise, and we must bow to his will with a full faith, that he +orders everything for the best." + +"And you say that God will give us all that we ask for in our prayers?" + +"Yes, if we pray fervently and in faith, and ask it in the name of +Jesus Christ; that is, he will grant all we pray for, that is good for +us, but not what is not good for us; or when we ask anything, we do not +know that we are asking what is proper or not--but he does. We may ask +what would be hurtful to us, and then, in his love for us, he denies +it. For instance, suppose you had been accustomed to pray, you must +have prayed God that he would permit you to leave this island in the +boat, as you are so anxious to go away; but supposing that boat is +lost, as I imagine it will be, surely it would have been a kindness in +God, who knew that it would be lost, not to grant your prayer. Is it +not so?" + +"Yes, I see now, thank you; now I will go to sleep--good-night." + + + + +Chapter XXIV + + +I awoke the next morning quite recovered from my illness of the day +before, and was out of the cabin before Mrs Reichardt, who still +remained behind the screen which she had put up after I had gone to +sleep. It was a beautiful morning, the water was smooth, and merely +rippled with a light breeze, and the sun shone bright. I felt well and +happy. I lighted a fire to broil the fish for breakfast, as there was a +sufficiency left, and then got my fishing-lines ready to catch some +larger fish to reinhabit my pond at the bathing pool. Mrs Reichardt +came out of the cabin and found me playing with Nero. + +"Good morning, dear mother," said I, for I felt most kindly towards her. + +"Good morning, my dear boy," replied she. "Are you quite well?" + +"Quite well; and I have got my lines all ready, for I have been +thinking that until the birds come, we must live on fish altogether, +and we can only take them in fine weather like this; so we must not +lose such a day." + +"Certainly not. As soon as we have breakfasted, we will go down and +fish. I can fish very well, I am used to it. We must both work now; but +first go for your Bible, that we may read a little." + +I did so, and after she had read a chapter she prayed, and I knelt by +her side; then we breakfasted, and as soon as we had breakfasted, we +set off to the bathing-pool. + +"Do you know if they left anything behind them, Frank?" + +"Yes," replied I, "they left some oars, I believe, and a long line and +we have the shovel, and the hammer, and the boat's small sail, up at +the cabin." + +"Well, we shall see very soon," replied she, as we went down the path. + +When we arrived at the bathing-pool, the first thing that met my eyes +made me leap with joy. "Oh! mother! mother! they've left the iron pot; +I did so long for it; and as I lay awake this morning, I thought that +if I prayed for anything, it would be for the iron pot. I was tired of +dried birds, and they ate so different when they were boiled up in the +pot with potatoes." + +"I am equally glad, Frank, for I do not like victuals uncooked; but now +let us first see what else they have thrown out of the boat." + +"Why they have put on shore three of the little casks of water," said +I; "they took them all on board." + +"They have so, I suppose, because the boat was too heavy, and they +would not part with the liquor. Foolish men, they will now not have +more than six days' water, and will suffer dreadfully." + +We then looked round the rocks and found that they had left the iron +kettle, three breakers, five oars, and a harpoon and staffs; a +gang-board, a whale line of 200 fathoms, an old saw, a bag of +broad-headed nails, and two large pieces of sheet-iron. + +"That saw may be very useful to us," said Mrs Reichardt, "especially as +you have files in your chest. Indeed, if we want them, we may convert +one-half of the saw into knives." + +"Into knives! How?" + +"I will shew you; and these pieces of sheet-iron I could use again. You +see the sheet-iron was put on to repair any hole which might be made in +the boat, and they have thrown it out, as well as the hammer and nails. +I wonder at John Gough permitting it." + +"I heard them quarrelling with him as I came out yesterday to fetch you +down; they would not mind what he said." + +"No, or we should not have been left here," replied she; "John Gough +was too good a man to have allowed it, if he could have prevented it. +That sheet-iron will be very useful. Do you know what for? to broil +fish on, or anything else. We must turn up the corners with the hammer. +But now we must lose no more time, but fish all day long, and not think +of eating till supper time." + +Accordingly we threw out our lines, and the fish taking the bait +freely, we soon hauled in more than a dozen large fish, which I put +into the bathing-pool. + +"What use can we make of that long line which they have left?" + +"A good many; but the best use we can make of it, is to turn it into +fishing-lines, when we require new ones." + +"But how can we do that, it is so thick and heavy?" + +"Yes, but I will show you how to unlay it, and then make it up again. +Recollect, Frank, that I have been the wife of a Missionary, and have +followed my husband wherever he went; sometimes we have been well off, +sometimes as badly off as you and I are now--for a Missionary has to go +through great dangers, and great hardships, as you would acknowledge if +you ever heard my life, or rather that of my husband." + +"Won't you tell it to me?" + +"Yes, perhaps I will, some day or another; but what I wish to point out +to you now is, that being his wife, and sharing his danger and +privation, I have been often obliged to work hard and to obtain my +living as I could. In England, women do little except in the house, but +a Missionary's wife is obliged to work with the men, and as a man very +often, and therefore learns to do many things of which women in general +are ignorant. You understand now?" + +"Oh yes. I have thought already that you appear to know more than +Jackson did." + +"I should think not; but Jackson was not fond of work I expect, and I +am. And now, Frank, you little thought that when you so tardily went to +work the other day to plant potatoes for the benefit of any one that +might hereafter come to the island, that you were planting for +yourself, and would reap the benefit of your own kind act; for if you +had not assisted, of course I could not have done it by myself: so true +it is, that even in this world you are very often rewarded for a good +action." + +"But are not you always?" + +"No, my child, you must not expect that; but if not rewarded in this +world, you will be rewarded in the next." + +"I don't understand that." + +"I suppose that you hardly can, but I will explain all that to you, if +God spare my life; but it must be at a more seasonable time." + +We continued fishing till late in the afternoon, by which time we had +taken twenty-eight large fish, about seven to nine pounds' weight; Mrs +Reichardt then proposed that we should leave off, as we had already +provision for a fortnight. + +I hauled out one more fish, which she took with her to cook for our +supper, and having coiled up my lines, I then commenced, as she had +told me to do, carrying up the articles left by the boat's crew at the +bathing-pool. The first thing I seized upon was the coveted iron +kettle; I was quite overjoyed at the possession of this article, and I +had good reason to be. In my other hand I carried the saw and the bag +of nails. As soon as I had deposited them at the cabin, I went down +again, and before supper was ready I had brought up everything except +the three breakers of water, which I left where they were, as we did +not want them for present use, whatever we might hereafter. We were +both rather tired, and were glad to go to bed after we had taken our +supper. + + + + +Chapter XXV + + +When we met the following morning, my mother, as I shall in future call +her, said to me, "This will be a busy day, Frank, for we have a great +many arrangements to make in the cabin, so that we may be comfortable. +In future the cabin must be kept much more clean and tidy than it +is--but that is my business more than yours. Let us get our breakfasts, +and then we will begin." + +"I don't know what you want me to do," replied I; "but I will do it if +I can, as soon as you tell me." + +"My dear boy, a woman requires a portion of the cabin to herself, as it +is not the custom for women to live altogether with men. Now, what I +wish is, that the hinder part of the cabin, where you used to stow away +your dried birds, should be made over to me. We have oars with which we +can make a division, and then nail up seal skins, so that I may have +that part of the cabin to myself. Now, do you understand what I want?" + +"Yes, but the oars are longer than the cabin is wide," observed I. "How +shall we manage it?" + +"We have the old saw, and that will do well enough to cut them off, +without its being sharpened." + +"I never saw one used," replied I, "and I don't understand it." + +"I will soon show you. First, we must measure the width of the cabin. I +shall not take away more than one third of it." + +My mother went into the cabin, and I followed her. With a piece of +fishing-line, she took the width of the cabin, and then the height up +to the rafters for the door posts. We then went out, and with the saw, +which she showed me how to use, and which astonished me very much, when +I perceived its effects, the oars were cut up to the proper length. +Gimlets I had already from the sea-chest, and nails and hammer we had +just obtained from the boat, so that before the forenoon was over, the +framework was all ready for nailing on the seal skins. The bag of +broad-headed short nails, which had been thrown on the rocks, were +excellent for this purpose, and, as I had plenty of skins, the cabin +was soon divided off, with a skin between the door-jambs hanging down +loose, so that any one might enter. I went inside after it was +complete. "But," said I, "you have no light to see what you are about." + +"Not yet, but I soon will have," replied my mother. "Bring the saw +here, Frank. Observe, you must cut through the side of the cabin here, +a square hole of this size; three of the planks cut through will be +sufficient. Begin here." + +I did as she directed me, and in the course of half an hour, I had cut +out of the south side of the cabin a window about two feet square, +which admitted plenty of light. + +"But won't it make it cold at night?" said I. + +"We will prevent that," replied she, and she took out a piece of white +linen, and with some broad-headed nails, she nailed it up, so as to +prevent the air from coming in, although there was still plenty of +light. "There," said she, "that is but a coarse job, which I will mend +bye-and-bye, but it will do for the present." + +"Well, it is very nice and comfortable now," said I, looking round it. +"Now what shall I bring in?" + +"Nothing for the bed but seal skins," said she. "I do not like the +feathers. The seal skins are stiff at present, but I think we may be +able to soften them bye-and-bye. Now, Frank, your chest had better come +in here, as it is of no use where it is, and we will make a storeroom +of it, to hold all our valuables." + +"What, the diamonds?" replied I. + +"My dear boy, we have articles to put into the chest, which, in our +present position, are more valuable to us than all the diamonds in the +world. Tell me now, yourself, what do you prefer and set most value +upon, your belt of diamonds, or the iron kettle?" + +"The iron kettle, to be sure," replied I. + +"Exactly so; and there are many things in our possession as valuable as +the iron kettle, as you will hereafter acknowledge. Now do you go and +get ready some fire for us, and I will finish here by myself. Nero, +keep out, sir--you are never to come into this cabin." + +I went with Nero for a fish and when I returned, I determined that I +would use the iron kettle. I put it on with water and boiled the fish, +and I thought that it ate better than broiled on the embers, which made +it too dry. + +As we sat at our meal, I said, "Dear mother, what are we to do next?" + +"To-morrow morning we will put the cabin into better order, and put +away all our things instead of leaving them about the platform in this +way. Then I will carefully look over all that we have got, and put them +away in the chest. I have not yet seen the contents of the chest." + +The next day it was very cloudy and, rough weather, blowing fresh. +After breakfast we set to work. We cleared out the floor of the cabin, +which was strewed with all manner of things, for Jackson and I had not +been very particular. The whale line was coiled up and put into one +corner, and every thing else was brought in and a place found for it. + +"We must contrive some shelves," said my mother, "that we may put +things on them, or else we never can be tidy; and we have not one +except that which holds the books. I think we can manage it. We have +two oars left besides the boat's yard; we will nail them along the side +of the cabin, about a foot or more from it, and then we will cut some +of the boat's sail, and nail the canvas from the side of the cabin to +the oars, and that will make a sort of shelf which will hold our +things." + +I brought in the oars, they were measured and cut off and nailed up. +The canvas was then stretched from the side of the cabin to the oar, +and nailed with the broad-headed nails, and made two capital shelves on +each side of the cabin, running from one end to the other. + +"There," said my mother, "that is a good job. Now we will examine the +chest and put everything away and in its place." + +My mother took out all the clothes, and folded them up. When she found +the roll of duck which was at the bottom, she said-- + +"I am glad to find this as I can make a dress for myself much better +for this island than this black stuff dress which I now wear, and which +I will put by to wear in case we should be taken off the island some of +these days, for I must dress like other people when I am again among +them. The clothes are sufficient to last you for a long while, but I +shall only alter two shirts and two pair of trousers to your present +size, as you will grow very fast. How old do you think you are now?" + +I replied, "About sixteen years old, or perhaps more." + +"I should think that was about your age." + +Having examined and folded up every article of clothing in the chest, +the tools, spyglass, &c., were put by me on the shelves, and then we +examined the box containing the thread, needles, fishhooks, and other +articles, such as buttons, &c. + +"These are valuable," said she; "I have some of my own to put along +with them. Go and fetch my basket, I have not yet had time to look into +it since I left the ship." + +"What is there in it?" + +"Except brushes and combs, I can hardly say. When I travelled about, I +always carried my basket, containing those things most requisite for +daily use, and in the basket I put everything that I wished to +preserve, till I had an opportunity to put it away. When I embarked on +board of the whaler, I brought my basket on my arm as usual, but except +opening it for my brushes and combs or scissors, I have not examined it +for months." + +"What are brushes and combs and scissors?" + +"That I will shew you," replied she, opening the lid of the basket. +"These are the brushes and combs for cleaning the hair, and these are +scissors. Now we will take everything out." + +The basket did indeed appear to contain a wonderful quantity of things, +almost all new to me. There were two brushes, twelve combs, three pair +of scissors, a penknife, a little bottle of ink, some pens, a woman's +thimble, a piece of wax, a case of needles, thread and silk, a piece of +India ink, and a camel's-hair brush, sealing-wax, sticking plaster, a +box of pills, some tape and bobbin, paper of pins, a magnifying glass, +silver pencil case, some money in a purse, black shoe ribbon, and many +other articles which I have forgotten. All I know is that I never was +so much interested ever after at any show as I was with the contents of +this basket, all of which were explained to me by my mother, as to +their uses, and how they were made. There were several little papers at +the bottom of the basket which she said were seeds of plants, which she +had collected to take to England with her, and that we would plant them +here. As she shook the dust out of the basket after it was empty, two +or three white things tumbled out, which she asked me to pick up and +give to her. + +"I don't know how they came here," said she, "but three of them are +orange-pips which we will sow to-morrow, and the other is a pea, but of +what kind I know not, we will sow that also--but I fear it will not +come up, as it appears to me to be one of the peas served out to the +sailors on board ship, and will be too old to grow. We can but try. Now +we will put into the chest, with the other things that you have, what +we do not want for present use, and then I can drive a nail into the +side of my bedroom and hang my basket on it." + +"But," said I, "this round glass--what is that for?" + +"Put it on one side," replied she, "and to-morrow, if it is fine, I +will shew you the use of it; but there are some things we have +forgotten, which are your belt and the other articles you gave me to +take for you when you thought we were to leave the island. They are in +the bed-place opposite to yours." + +I brought them, and she put away the mate's watch and sleeve buttons, +and the other trinkets, &c., saying that she would examine the letters +and papers at another time. The belt was examined, counting how many of +the squares had stones in them, and then, with her scissors, she cut +open one of the squares, and took out a white glittering thing like +glass as it appeared to me, and looked at it carefully. + +"I am no great judge of these things," said she, "but still I have +picked up some little knowledge. This belt, if it contain all stones +like this, must be of considerable value; now I must get out my needle +and thread and sew it up again." She did, and put the belt away with +the other articles in the chest. "And now," said she, "we have done a +good day's work, and it is time to have something to eat." + + + + +Chapter XXVI + + +I must say that I was much better pleased with the appearance of the +cabin, it was so neat and clean to what it had been, and everything was +out of the way. The next day was a calm and clear day, and we went down +to fish. We were fortunate, and procured almost as many as we had done +at the previous fishing--they were all put in the bathing pool as +before. When we went up to the cabin, as soon as the fish was put on +the fire, under the direction of my mother, I turned up the sides of +one of the pieces of sheet iron, so as to make a sort of dish. The +other piece I did the same to, only not so high at the sides, as one +piece was kept for baking the fish on and the other as a dish to put +our dinner upon when cooked. That day we had been too busy with fishing +to think of anything else, but on the following I recollected the +magnifying glass, and brought it to her. She first showed me the power +it had to magnify, with which I was much amused for a time, and she +explained as well as she could to me the cause of its having that +power, but I could not well understand her; I was more pleased with the +effect than cognisant of the cause. Afterwards she sent me to the cabin +for some of the dried moss which I used for tinder, and placing the +glass so as to concentrate the rays of the sun, to my astonishment I +saw the tinder caught fire. It was amazement more than astonishment, +and I looked up to see where the fire came from. My mother explained to +me, and I, to a certain degree, comprehended, but I was too anxious to +have the glass in my own hands and try experiments. I lighted the +tinder again-then I burnt my hand--then I singed one of the gannet's +heads, and lastly, perceiving that Nero was fast asleep in the sun, I +obtained the focus on his cold nose. He started up with a growl, which +made me retreat, and I was perfectly satisfied with the result of my +experiments. From that time, the fire was, when the sun shone, +invariably lighted by the burning-glass, and very useful did I find it. +As it was so portable, I always carried it with me, and when I had +nothing to do, I magnified, or set fire, according to the humour of the +moment. + +Although I have not mentioned it, not a morning rose, but before +breakfast, I read the Scriptures to my mother. + +"There's so much in that book which I cannot understand," said I, one +morning. + +"I suspect that, living as you have, alone on this island, and having +seen nothing of the world," replied my mother, "that there are not many +books that you would understand." + +"But I understand all that is said in the Beast and Bird Book," replied +I. + +"Perhaps you may, or think you do; but, Frank, you must not class the +Bible with other books. The other books are the works of man, but the +Bible is the word of God. There are many portions of that book which +the cleverest men, who have devoted their lives to its study, cannot +understand, and which never will be understood as long as this world +endures. In many parts the Bible is a sealed book." + +"But will it never be understood then by anybody?" + +"There is quite as much of the Bible as is necessary for men to follow +its precepts, and this is so clear that anybody may understand it--it +contains all that is necessary for salvation; but there are passages, +the true meaning of which we cannot explain, and which God, for his own +purposes, will not permit us to. But if we do not know them now, we +shall probably hereafter, when we have left this world, and our +intellects more nearly approach God's." + +"Well, I don't understand why we should not understand it." + +"Frank," replied she, "look at that flower just in bloom. Do you +understand how it is that that plant keeps alive--grows every +year--every year throws out a large blue flower? Why should it do so? +why should the flower always be blue? and whence comes that beautiful +colour? Can you tell me? You see, you know that it does do so; but can +you tell me what makes it do so?" + +"No." + +"Look at that bird. You know it is hatched from an egg. How is it that +the inside of an egg is changed into a bird? How is it that the bird is +covered with feathers, and has the power to fly? Can you explain to me +yourself? You can walk about just as you please--you have the power of +reasoning, and thinking, and of acting; but by what means is it that +you possess that power? Can you tell? You know that is so, but you know +no more. You can't tell why or how or what causes produce these +effects--can you?" + +"No." + +"Well, then, if you are surrounded by all manner of things, living and +dead, and see every day things which you cannot explain, or understand, +why should you be surprised that, as God has not let you know by what +means these effects are produced, that in his written word he should +also keep from you that which for good purposes you are not permitted +to know. Everything here is by God's will, and that must be sufficient +for us. Now do you understand?" + +"Yes, I see now what you mean, but I never thought about these things +before. Tell me some more about the Bible." + +"Not now. Some day I will give you a history of the Bible, and then you +will understand the nature of the book, and why it was written; but not +at present. Suppose, as we have nothing particular to do, you tell me +all you know about yourself from Jackson, and all that happened while +you lived with him. I have heard only part, and I should like to know +all." + +"Very well," replied I. "I will tell you everything, but it will take a +long while." + +"We shall have plenty of time to spare, my dear boy, I fear, before we +leave this place; so, never mind time--tell me everything." + +I commenced my narrative, but I was interrupted. + +"Have you never been able to call your own mother to your memory?" said +she. + +"I think I can now, since I have seen you, but I could not before. I +now can recollect a person dressed like you, kneeling down and praying +by my side; and I said before, the figure has appeared in my dreams, +and much oftener since you have been here." + +"And your father?" + +"I have not the slightest remembrance of him, or anybody else except my +mother." + +I then proceeded, and continued my narrative until it was time to go to +bed; but as I was very circumstantial, and was often interrupted by +questions, I had not told a quarter of what I had to say. + + + + +Chapter XXVII + + +Mrs Reichardt had promised to give me a history of the Bible; and one +day, when the weather kept us both at home, she thus commenced her +narrative:-- + +"The Bible is a history of God's doings for the salvation of man. It +commences with the fall of man by disobedience, and ends with the +sacrifice made for his reinstatement. As by one man, Adam, sin came +into the world, so by one man, Jesus Christ, was sin and death +overcome. If you will refer to the third chapter of Genesis, at the +very commencement of the Bible, you will find that at the same time +that Adam receives his punishment, a promise is made by the Lord, that +the head of the serpent shall hereafter be bruised. The whole of the +Bible, from the very commencement, is an announcement of the coming of +Christ; so that as soon as the fault had been committed, the Almighty, +in his mercy, had provided a remedy. Nothing is unknown or unforeseen +by God. + +"Recollect, Frank, that the Bible contains the history of God's doings, +but it does not often tell us why such things were done. It must be +sufficient for us to know that such was the will of God; when he thinks +proper, he allows us to understand his ways, but to our limited +capacities, most of his doings are inscrutable. But, are we to suppose +that, because we, in our foolishness, cannot comprehend his reasons, +that therefore they must be cavilled at? Do you understand me, Frank?" + +"Yes," replied I; "I do pretty well." + +"As I pointed out to you the other day, you see the blade of grass +grow, and you see it flower, but how it does so you know not. If then +you are surrounded all your life with innumerable things which you see +but cannot comprehend--when all nature is a mystery to you--even +yourself--how can you expect to understand the dealings of God in other +things? When, therefore, you read the Bible, you must read it with +faith." + +"What is faith? I don't quite understand, mother." + +"Frank, I have often told you of many things that are in England, where +you one day hope to go. Now, if when you arrive in England, you find +that everything that I have told you is quite true, you will be +satisfied that I am worthy of belief." + +"Yes." + +"Well, suppose some one were to tell you something relative to any +other country, which you could not understand, and you came to me and +asked me if such were the case, would you, having found that I told you +truth with regard to England, believe that what you had been told of +this other country was true, if I positively asserted that it was so?" + +"Of course I should, mother." + +"Well, then, Frank, that would be faith; a belief in things not only +not seen, but which you cannot understand. But to go on, I mention this +because some people are so presumptuous as to ask the why and the +wherefore of God's doings, and attempt to argue upon their justice, +forgetting that the little reason they have is the gift of God, and +that they must be endowed with intellect equal to the Almighty, to +enable them to know and perceive that which he decides upon. But if God +has not permitted us to understand all his ways, still, wherever we can +trace the finger of God, we can always perceive that everything is +directed by an all-wise and beneficent hand; and that, although the +causes appear simple, the effects produced are extraordinary and +wonderful. We shall observe this as we talk over the history of the +Jews, in the Bible. But, I repeat, that we must study the whole of the +Bible with faith, and not be continually asking ourselves, 'Why was +this done?' If you will turn to the ninth chapter of the Epistle to the +Romans, you will see what the Apostle Paul says on the subject: 'Nay +but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God?' Shall the thing +formed say to him that formed it, 'Why hast thou made me thus?' Do you +not understand in what spirit the Bible should be read?" + +"Yes, I do. We must read it as the Word of God, and believe all that we +read in it." + +"Exactly;--now we will proceed. After Adam's fall, the earth became so +wicked that God destroyed it, leaving but Noah and his family to +re-people it; and as soon as this was done, the Almighty prepared for +his original intention for the future salvation of men. He selected +Abraham, who was a good man, and who had faith, to be the father of a +nation chosen for his own people--that was the Jewish nation. He told +him that his seed should multiply as the stars in the heavens, and that +all the nations of the earth should be blessed in him; that is, that +from his descendants should Christ be born, who should be the salvation +of men. Abraham's great-grandchildren were brought into Egypt, to live +apart in the land of Goshen. You have read the history of Joseph and +his brethren?" + +"Oh yes; I know that well." + +"Well, the Almighty wished the Jews should be a nation apart from +others, and for that purpose he brought them into Egypt. But observe, +Frank, by what simple and natural causes this was effected. It was by a +dream of Joseph's, which, when he told them of it, irritated his +brothers against him; they sold him as a slave, and he was sent into +Egypt. There, having explained the dream of Pharaoh, he was made a +ruler over Egypt, and saved that country from the famine which was in +every other land. His brothers come down to buy corn, and he recognises +them. He sends for his father and all the family, and establishes them +in the land of Goshen, as shepherds, apart from the Egyptians. Here +they multiplied fast; but after Joseph's elevation they were cruelly +treated by the Egyptians, who became afraid of their rapid increase, +and eventually the Kings of Egypt gave orders that all the male +children of the Jews should be destroyed. It was at this time, when +they were so oppressed and cruelly treated by the Egyptians, that God +interfered and sent for Moses. Moses, like all the rest of the Jews, +knew nothing of the true God, and was difficult to persuade, and it was +only by miracles that he was convinced." + +"Why did God keep the Jews apart from the Egyptians, and have them +thrown in bondage?" + +"Because he wished to prepare them to become his own peculiar people. +By their being descended from Abraham, and having never intermarried +with other nations, they had become a pure race; by being in bondage +and severely treated, they had suffered and become united as a people. +They knew no Gods but those worshipped by the Egyptians, and these Gods +it was now the intention of the Almighty to confound, and prove to the +Jews as worthless. At the same time he worked with his own nation in +mystery, for when Moses asked him what God he was to tell his people +that he was, the Almighty only replied by these words--_I am_; having +no name like all the false Gods worshipped by the Egyptians. He was now +about to prove, by his wonderful miracles, the difference between +himself and the false Gods." + +"What are miracles?" + +"A miracle is doing that which man has no power of doing, proving that +the party who does it is superior to man: for instance--to restore a +dead man to life is a miracle, as none but God, or those empowered by +God could do. Miracles were necessary, therefore, to prove to the Jews +that the Almighty was the true God, and were resorted to by him in this +instance, as well as in the coming of Our Saviour, when it was also +necessary to prove that he was the Son of God. When the Almighty sent +Moses to Pharaoh to demand that the Israelites should have permission +to sacrifice in the desert, he purposely hardened the heart of Pharaoh +that he might refuse the request." + +"But why did he so?" + +"Because he wanted to prove to the Israelites that he was the only true +God and had Pharaoh consented to their going away, there would have +been no opportunity of performing those miracles by which the +Israelites were to be delivered, and by which they were to acknowledge +him as their God." + +Mrs Reichardt often renewed this conversation, till I became acquainted +with Scriptural History. + + + + +Chapter XXVIII + + +The following morning, I went with Nero to take a couple of fish out of +the pool. As soon as Nero had caught them, he went into the other part +of the bathing pool to amuse himself, while I cleaned the fish, which I +generally did before I went up to the cabin, giving him the heads and +insides for his share, if I did not require any portion for the birds. +Nero was full of play that morning, and when I threw the heads to him, +as he frolicked in the water, he brought them out to the rocks, but +instead of eating them, as usual, he laid them at my feet. I threw them +in several times, and he continued to bring them out, and my mother, +coming down to me, was watching him. + +"I think," said she, "you must teach Nero to fetch and carry like a +dog--try. Instead of the heads, throw in this piece of wood;" which she +now broke off the boat-hook staff. + +I did so, and Nero brought it out, as he had done the heads of the +fish. I patted and coaxed the animal, and tried him again several times +with success. + +"Now," said my mother, "you must accustom him to certain words when you +send him for anything. Always say, 'Fetch it, Nero!' and point with +your finger." + +"Why am I to do that, mother?" I asked. + +"Because the object to be gained is, not that the animal should fetch +out what you throw in, but what you send it to bring out which you have +not thrown in. Do you understand?" + +"Yes," replied I. "You mean if there were anything floating near on the +sea, I should send him for it." + +"Exactly. Then Nero would be of some use." + +"I will soon teach him," replied I; "to-morrow I will send him into the +sea after the piece of spar. I've no fear that he will go away now." + +"I was thinking last night, Frank, whether they had taken the pail with +them in the boat." + +"The pail," said I; "I know where it is, but I quite forgot it. We left +it up the ravine the last day we planted the potatoes." + +"We did so, now I recollect. I will go for it while you get the +breakfast ready." + +We had now been for many weeks on a fish diet, and I must confess that +I was tired of it, which was not the case when I lived upon the dried +birds during the whole of the year. Why so I cannot tell, but I was +soon to learn to relish fish, if I could obtain them. + +It was not often that the wind blew direct on the shore, but coming +from the northward and eastward, it was in a slanting direction, but +occasionally, and chiefly about the time of the Equinoxes, the gales +came on very heavy from the eastward, and then the wash of the seas +upon the rocky coast was tremendous. Such was the case about this time. +A fierce gale of wind from the eastward raised a sea which threw the +surf and spray high over the loftiest of the rocks, and the violence of +the wind bore the spray far inland. The gale had come on in the +evening, and my mother and I, when we rose in the morning, were +standing on the platform before the cabin, admiring the grandeur of the +scene, but without the least idea that it was to be productive of so +much misery to ourselves. My mother pointed out to me some passages in +the Psalms and Old Testament bearing strongly upon the scene before us; +after a time I called Nero, and went down with him to take fish out of +the pool for our day's consumption. At that time we had a large supply +in the pool--more than ever, I should say. When I arrived at the pool, +I found the waves several feet in height rolling in over the ledges, +and the pool one mass of foam, the water in it being at least two or +three feet higher than usual; still it never occurred to me that there +was any mischief done, until I had sent Nero in for the fish, and found +that, after floundering and diving for some time, he did not bring out +one. My mind misgave me, and I ordered him in again. He remained some +time and then returned without a fish, and I was then satisfied that +from the rolling in of the waves, and the unusual quantity of the water +in the pool, the whole of the fish had escaped, and that we were now +without any provisions or means of subsistence, until the weather +should settle, and enable us to catch some more. + +Aghast at the discovery, I ran up to the cabin, and called to my +mother, who was in her bedroom. + +"Oh, mother, all the fish have got out of the pool, and we have nothing +to eat. I told you we should be starved." + +"Take time, Frank, and take breath," replied she, "and then tell me +what has happened, to cause this alarm and dismay, that you appear to +be in." + +I explained to her what had happened, and that Nero could not find one +fish. + +"I fear that what you say must be correct," replied she; "but we must +put our trust in God. It is his will, and whatever he wills must be +right." + +I cannot say I was Christian enough at the time to acknowledge the +truth of her reply, and I answered, "If God is as good and as gracious +as you say, will he allow us to starve? Does he know that we are +starving?" continued I. + +"Does he know, Frank?" replied my mother; "what does the Bible +say--that not a sparrow falls to the ground without his knowledge; and +of how much more worth are you than many sparrows? Shame upon you, +Frank!" + +I was abashed but not satisfied, I therefore replied quietly, "We have +nothing to eat, mother." + +"Granted that we have lost all our fish, Frank, still we are not yet +starving; the weather may moderate tomorrow, and we may catch some +more, or even if it should not till the day afterwards, we can bear to +be two days without food. Let us hope for the best and put our trust in +God--let us pray to him and ask him for his assistance. He can rebuke +these stormy waters--he can always find means of helping those who put +confidence in him, and will send us aid when all hope appears gone. +Pray, Frank, as I will do, fervently, and believing that your prayer is +heard--pray with faith, and your prayer will be answered." + +"It is not always so," replied I; "you have told me of many people who +have died of starvation." + +"I grant it, and for all wise purposes they were permitted so to do, +but the Almighty had reasons for permitting it, unknown to us, but +which you may depend upon it, were good. We cannot fathom his decrees. +He may even now decide that such is to be our fate; but if so, depend +upon it, Frank, all is right, and what appears to you now as cruel and +neglectful of you, would, if the future could be looked into by us, +prove to have been an act of mercy." + +"Do you think, then, that we shall starve?" + +"I do not--I have too much faith in God's mercy, and I do not think +that he would have preserved our lives by preventing the men from +taking us into the boat, if we were now to starve. God is not +inconsistent; and I feel assured that, forlorn as our present position +appears to be, and tried as our faith in him may be, we shall still be +preserved, and live to be monuments of his gracious love and kindness." + +These words of my mother and the implicit confidence which she appeared +to have, much revived me. "Well," said I, "I hope you are right, my +dear mother, and now I think of it," continued I, brightening up at the +idea, "if the worst come to the worst, we can eat the birds; I don't +care much for them now, and if I did, you should not starve, mother." + +"I believe you would not hesitate to sacrifice the birds, Frank, but a +greater sacrifice may be demanded of you." + +"What?" inquired I; and then after a little thought, I said, "You don't +mean Nero, mother?" + +"To tell the truth, I did mean Nero, Frank, for the birds will not be a +support for more than a day or two." + +"I never could kill Nero, mother," replied I gloomily, and walking away +into the cabin, I sat down very melancholy at the idea of my favourite +being sacrificed; to me it appeared quite horrible, and my mother +having referred to it, made her fall very much in my good opinion. +Alas! I was indeed young and foolish, and little thought what a change +would take place in my feelings. As for the birds, as I really did not +care for them, I resolved to kill two of them for our day's meal, and +returning to the platform I had laid hold of the two that were there +and had seized both by the neck, when my mother asked me what I was +going to do. + +"Kill them, and put them in the pot for our dinner," replied I. + +"Nay, Frank! you are too hasty. Let us make some little sacrifice, even +for the poor birds. We surely can fast one day without very great +suffering. To-morrow will be time enough." + +I dropped the birds from my hand, tacitly consenting to her proposal. +It was not, however, for the sake of the birds that I did so, but +because one day's respite for the birds would be a day's respite for +Nero. + +"Come," said my mother, "let us go into the cabin and get some work. I +will alter some of the clothes for you. What will you do?" + +"I don't know," replied I, "but I will do whatever you tell me." + +"Well, then, I perceive that the two fishing-lines are much worn, and +they may break very soon, and then we shall be without the means of +taking fish, even if the weather is fine, so now we will cut off some +of the whale line, and when it is unravelled, I will show you how to +lay it up again into fishing line; and, perhaps, instead of altering +the clothes, I had better help you, as fishing-lines are now of more +consequence to us than anything else." + +This was an arrangement which I gladly consented to. In a short time +the whale line was unravelled, and my mother showed me how to lay it up +in three yarns, so as to make a stout fishing line. She assisted, and +the time passed away more rapidly than I had expected it would. + +"You are very clever, mother," said I. + +"No, my child, I am not, but I certainly do know many things which +women in general are not acquainted with; but the reason of this is, I +have lived a life of wandering, and occasional hardships. Often left to +our own resources, when my husband and I were among strangers, we found +the necessity of learning to do many things for ourselves, which those +who have money usually employ others to do for them; but I have been in +situations where even money was of no use, and had to trust entirely to +myself. I have therefore always made it a rule to learn everything that +I could; and as I have passed much of my life in sailing over the deep +waters, I obtained much useful knowledge from the seamen, and this of +laying up fishing lines is one of the arts which they communicated to +me. Now, you see, I reap the advantage of it." + +"Yes," replied I; "and so do I. How lucky it was that you came to this +island!" + +"Lucky for me, do you mean, Frank?" + +"No, mother! I mean how lucky for me." + +"I trust that I have been sent here to be useful, Frank, and with that +feeling I cheerfully submit to the will of God. He has sent me that I +may be useful to you, I do not doubt; and if by my means you are drawn +towards him, and, eventually, become one of his children, I shall have +fulfilled my mission." + +"I do not understand you quite, mother." + +"No, you cannot as yet, but everything in season," replied she, slowly +musing; "'First the blade, then the ear, and then the full corn in the +ear.'" + +"Mother," said I, "I should like to hear the whole story of your life. +You know I have told you all that I know about myself. Now suppose you +tell me your history, and that of your husband. You did say that +perhaps, one day you would. Do you recollect?" + +"Yes, I do recollect that I did make a sort of promise, Frank, and I +promise you now that some day I will fulfil it; but I am not sure that +you will understand or profit by the history now, so much as you may +bye-and-bye." + +"Well, but mother, you can tell me the story twice, and I shall be glad +to hear it again, so tell it to me now, to amuse me, and bye-and-bye +that I may profit by it." + +My mother smiled, which she very seldom did, and said-- + +"Well, Frank, as I know you would at any time give up your dinner to +listen to a story, and as you will have no dinner to-day, I think it is +but fair that I should consent to your wish. Who shall I begin +with--with my husband or with myself?" + +"Pray begin with your own history," replied I. + + + + +Chapter XXIX + + +"I am the daughter of a parish clerk in a small market town near the +southern coast of England, within a few miles of a large seaport." + +"What is a parish clerk?" I asked, interrupting my mother at the +commencement of her promised narrative. + +"A parish clerk," she replied, "is a man who is employed in the parish +or place to which he belongs, to fulfil certain humble duties in +connection with the church or place of worship where the people meet +together to worship God." + +"What does he do there?" I inquired. + +"He gives out the psalms that are to be sung, leads the congregation in +making their responses to the minister appointed to perform the +services of the church; has the custody of the registry of births, +deaths, and burials of the inhabitants, and the care of the church +monuments, and of other property belonging to the building. In some +places he also fulfils the duties of bell-ringer and grave-digger; that +is to say, by ringing a large bell at the top of the church, he summons +the people to their devotions, during their lives, and digs a hole in +consecrated ground, surrounding the sacred building, to receive their +bodies when dead." + +I mused on this strange combination of offices, and entertained a +notion of the importance of such a functionary, which I afterwards +found was completely at variance with the real state of the case. + +"My father," she resumed, "not only fulfilled all these duties, but +contrived to perform the functions of schoolmaster to the parish +children." + +"What are parish children?" I asked eagerly. "I know what children are, +as Jackson represented to me that I was the child of my father and +mother, but what makes children, parish children?" + +"They are the children of the poor," Mrs Reichardt replied, "who, not +being able to afford them instruction, willingly allow them to be +taught at the expense of the people of the parish generally." + +I thought this a praiseworthy arrangement. I knew nothing of +poors-rates, and the system of giving relief to the poor of the parish, +so long used in England, afterwards explained to me, but the kindness +and wisdom of this plan of instruction became evident to my +understanding. I was proceeding to ask other questions, when my mother +stopped them by saying, that if I expected her to get through her +story, I must let her proceed without further interruption; for many +things would be mentioned by her which demanded explanation, for one so +completely unaware of their existence as myself, and that it would be +impossible to make me thoroughly acquainted with such things within any +reasonable time; the proper explanations, she promised, should follow. +She then proceeded. + +"My father, it may be thought, had enough on his hands, but in an +obscure country town, it is not unusual for one man to unite the +occupations of several, and this was particularly the case with my +father, who, in addition to the offices I have enumerated, was the best +cattle-doctor and bone-setter within ten miles; and often earned his +bread at different kinds of farmer's work, such as thatching, hedging, +ditching and the like. Nevertheless, he found time to read his Bible, +and bring up his only daughter religiously. This daughter was myself." + +"What had become of your mother?" I asked, as I thought it strange Mrs +Reichardt should only mention one parent. + +"She had died very soon after my birth," she answered, "and I was left +at first to the care of a poor woman, who nursed me; as soon, however, +as I could run about, and had exhibited some signs of intelligence, my +father began to get so partial to me, that he very reluctantly allowed +me to go out of his sight. He took great pains in teaching me what he +knew, and though the extent of his acquirements was by no means great, +it was sufficient to lay a good foundation, and establish a desire for +more comprehensive information, which I sought every available means to +obtain. + +"I remember that at a very early age I exhibited an extraordinary +curiosity for a child; constantly asking questions, not only of my +father, but of all his friends and visitors, and, as they seemed to +consider me a quick and lively child, they took pleasure in satisfying +my inquisitive spirit. In this way I gained a great deal of knowledge, +and, by observation of what passed around me, a great deal more. + +"It soon became a source of pride and gratification with my father, to +ask me to read the Bible to him. This naturally led to a good many +inquiries on my part, and numerous explanations on his. In course of +time, I became familiar with all the sacred writings, and knew their +spirit and meaning much better than many persons who were more than +double my age. + +"My fondness for such studies, and consequent reputation, attracted the +attention of Dr Brightwell, the clergyman of our parish, who had the +kindness to let me share the instructions of his children, and still +further advanced my education, and still more increased my natural +predilection for religious information. By the time I was thirteen, I +became quite a prodigy in Christian learning, and was often sent for to +the parsonage, to astonish the great people of the neighbourhood, by +the facility with which I answered the most puzzling questions that +were put to me, respecting the great mysteries of Christianity." + + + + +Chapter XXX + + +It was about this time that I first became acquainted with an orphan +boy, an inmate of the workhouse, who had been left to the care of the +parish by the sudden death of his parents, a German clock-maker and his +wife, from a malignant fever which had visited the neighbourhood, and +taken off a considerable portion of the labouring population. I had +been sent on errands from my father, to the master of the workhouse, a +severe, sullen man, of whom I had a great dread, and I noticed this +child, in consequence of his pale and melancholy countenance, and +apparently miserable condition. I observed that no one took any notice +of him; and that he was allowed to wander about the great straggling +workhouse, among the insane, the idiotic, and the imbecile, without the +slightest attention being paid to his going and coming; in short, he +lived the wretched life of a workhouse boy. + +"I see that you are eager to ask what is a workhouse boy," said my +mother, "so I will anticipate your question. There is, in the various +parishes of the country to which we both belong, a building expressly +set apart for the accommodation and support of the destitute and +disabled poor. It usually contains inmates of all ages, from the infant +just born, to the very aged, whose infirmities shew them to be on the +verge of the grave. They are all known to be in a state of helpless +poverty, and quite unable to earn a subsistence for themselves. In this +building they are clothed and fed; the younger provided with +instruction necessary to put them in the way of earning a livelihood; +the elders of the community enjoying the consolations of religion, +accorded to them by the regular visits of the chaplain." + +"I suppose," I here observed, "that the people who lived there, were +deeply impressed with their good fortune in finding such an asylum?" + +"As far as I could ever ascertain," Mrs Reichardt replied, "it was +exactly the reverse. It was always thought so degrading to enter a +workhouse, that the industrious labourer would endure any and every +privation rather than live there. An honest hard-working man must be +sorely driven indeed, to seek such a shelter in his distress." + +"That seems strange," I observed. "Why should he object to receive what +he so much stands in need of?" + +"When he thus comes upon the funds of the parish," answered my mother, +"he becomes what is called a pauper, and among the English peasantry of +the better sort, there is the greatest possible aversion to be ranked +with this degraded class. Consequently, the inmates of the workhouses +are either those whose infirmities prevent their earning a subsistence, +or the idle and the dissolute, who feel none of the honest prejudices +of self-dependence, and care only to live from day to day on the coarse +and meagre fare afforded them by the charity of their wealthier and +more industrious fellow-creatures. + +"The case of this poor boy I thought very pitiable. I found out that +his name was Heinrich Reichardt. He could speak no language but his +own, and therefore his wants remained unknown, and his feelings +unregarded. He had been brought up with a certain sense of comfort and +decency, which was cruelly outraged by the position in which he found +himself placed by the sudden death of his parents. I observed that he +was often in tears, and his fair features and light hair contrasted +remarkably with the squalid faces and matted locks of his companions. +His wretchedness never failed to make a deep impression on me. + +"I brought him little presents, and strove to express my sympathy for +his sufferings. He seemed, at first, more surprised than grateful, but +I shortly discovered that my attentions gave him unusual pleasure, and +he looked upon my visits as his only solace and gratification. + +"Even at this period I exercised considerable influence over my father, +and I managed to interest him in the case of the poor foreign boy to +such an extent, that he was induced to take him out of the workhouse, +and find him a home under his own roof. He was at first reluctant to +burden himself with the bringing up of a child, who, from his foreign +language and habits, could be of little use to him in his avocations; +but I promised to teach him English, and all other learning of which he +stood most in need, and assured my father that in a prodigious short +time I would make him a much abler assistant than he was likely to find +among the boys of the town. + +"My father's desire to please me, rather than any faith he reposed in +my assertions, led him to allow me to do as I pleased in this affair. I +lost no time, therefore, in beginning my course of instruction, and in +a few weeks ascertained that I had an apt pupil, who was determined to +proceed with his education as fast as circumstances would admit. We +were soon able to express our ideas to each other, and in a few months +read together the book out of which I had received so many invaluable +lessons. + +"In a short time, I became not less proud of, than partial to, my +pupil. I took him through the same studies which I had pursued under +the auspices of our clergyman, and was secretly pleased to find, not +only that he was singularly quick in imbibing my instructions, but +displayed a strong natural taste for those investigations towards which +I had shown so marked a bias. + +"Day after day have we sat together discoursing of the great events +recorded in Holy Writ: going over every chapter of its marvellous +records, page by page, till the whole was so firmly fixed upon our +minds, that we had no necessity during our conversations for referring +to the Sacred Book. We found examples we held up to ourselves for +imitation; we found incidents we regarded as promises of Divine +protection; we found consolation and comfort, as well as exhortation +and advice; and, moreover, we found a sort of instruction that led us +to select for ourselves duties that apparently tended to bring us +nearer to the Great Being whose goodness we had so diligently studied. + +"My father seemed as much pleased with my successful teaching, as he +had been with my successful learning; and when young Reichardt turned +out a remarkably handy and intelligent lad, to whose assistance in some +of his avocations he could have recourse with perfect confidence in his +cleverness and discretion, he grew extremely partial to him. Dr +Brightwell also proved his friend, and in a few years, the condition of +the friendless workhouse boy was so changed, he could not have been +taken for the same person. + +"He was a boy of a very grateful spirit, and always regarded me with +the devotion of a most thankful heart. Often would he contrast the +wretchedness of his previous condition, with the happiness he now +enjoyed, and express in the warmest terms his obligations to me for the +important service I had rendered him in rescuing him from the abject +misery of the workhouse. Under these circumstances, it is not +extraordinary, that we should learn to regard each other with the +liveliest feelings of affection, and while we were still children, +endured all the transports and torments which make up the existence of +more experienced lovers." + +"I do not like interrupting you," I here observed, "but I certainly +should like to know what is meant by the word lovers?" + +"I can scarcely explain it to you satisfactorily at present," said Mrs +Reichardt, with a smile; "but I have no doubt, before many years have +passed over your head--always provided that you escape from this +island--you will understand it without requiring any explanation. But I +must now leave my story, as many things of much consequence to our +future welfare now demand my careful attention." + +I could not then ascertain from her what was meant by the word whose +meaning I had asked. It had very much excited my curiosity, but she +left me to attend to her domestic duties, of which she was extremely +regardful, and I had no opportunity at that time of eliciting from her +the explanation I desired. + + + + +Chapter XXXI + + +It is impossible for me to overrate the value of Mrs Reichardt's +assistance. Indeed had it not been for her, circumstanced as I was at +this particular period, I should in all probability have perished. Her +exhortations saved me from despair, when our position seemed to have +grown quite desperate. But example did more, even, than precept. Her +ingenuity in devising expedients, her activity in putting them in +force, her unfailing cheerfulness under disappointment, and Christian +resignation under privation, produced the best results. I was enabled +to bear up against the ill effects of our crippled resources, +consequent upon the ill conduct of the sailors of the whaler, and the +failure of our fish-pond. + +She manufactured strong lines for deep sea fishing, and having +discovered a shelf of rock, little more than two feet above the sea, to +which with a good deal of difficulty I could descend, I took my stand +one day on the rock with my lines baited with a piece of one of my +feathered favourites, whom dire necessity had at last forced me to +destroy. I waited with all the patience of a veteran angler. I knew the +water to be very deep, and it lay in a sheltered nook or corner of the +rocks about ten feet across; I allowed the line to drop some three or +four yards, and not having any float, could only tell I had a bite by +feeling a pull at the line, which was wound round my arm. + +After some time having been passed in this way, my attention was +withdrawn from the line, and given to the narrative I had so lately +heard--that is to say, though my eyes were still fixed upon the line, I +had completely given up my thoughts to the story of the poor German +boy, who had been snatched from poverty by the interference of the +parish clerk's daughter, and I contrived to speculate on what I should +have done under such circumstances, imagining all sorts of +extravagances in which I should have indulged, to testify my gratitude +to so amiable and benevolent a friend. + +A singular course of ideal scenes followed each other in quick +succession in my mind--as I fancied myself the hero of a similar +adventure. I regarded my imaginary benefactress with feelings of such +intensity as I had never before experienced; and it seemed that I was +to her the exciting object of sentiments of a like nature, the +knowledge of which awoke in our hearts the most agreeable sensations. + +I was rudely disturbed out of this day-dream by finding myself suddenly +plunged into the deep water beneath me. The shock was so startling, +that some seconds elapsed before I could comprehend my situation; and +then it became clear that I must have hooked a fish, that had not only +succeeded in pulling me off my balance, but the line by which he was +held being round my arm, cutting painfully into the flesh, threatened +drowning by keeping me under water. With great difficulty I managed to +rise to the surface, and loosened the windings of the line from my +limb; then, anxious to retain possession of what from its force must +have been a fish well worth some trouble in catching, I held on with +both hands, and pulled with all my strength. + +At first, by main force I was drawn through the water; then when I +found the strain slacken, I drew in the line. This manoeuvre was +repeated several times, till I succeeded in obtaining a view of what I +had caught; or, more properly speaking, of what had caught me. It was +merely a glimpse; for the fish, which was a very large one, getting a +sight of me within a few yards of him, made some desperate plunges, and +again darted off, dragging me along with him, sometimes under the +water, and sometimes on the surface. + +His body was nearly round, and about seven or eight feet long--rather a +formidable antagonist for close quarters; nevertheless, I was most +eager to get at him, the more so, when I ascertained that his +resistance was evidently decreasing. I continued to approach, and at +last got near enough to plunge my knife up to the haft in his head, +which at once put an end to the struggle. + +But now another difficulty presented itself. In the ardour of the chase +I had been drawn nearly a mile from the island, and I found it +impossible to carry back the produce of my sport, exhausted as I was by +the efforts I had made in capturing him. I knew I could not swim with +such a burthen for the most inconsiderable portion of the distance. My +fish therefore must be abandoned. Here was a bountiful supply of food, +as soon as placed within reach, rendered totally unavailable. + +I thought of Mrs Reichardt. I thought how gratified she would have +been, could I have brought to her such an excellent addition to our +scanty stock of food. Then I thought of her steadfast reliance upon +Providence, and what valuable lessons of piety and wisdom she would +read me, if she found me depressed by my disappointment. + + + + +Chapter XXXII + + +As soon as I could disconnect my tackle from the dead fish, I turned my +face homewards, and struck out manfully for the shore; luckily I did +not observe any sharks. I landed safely without further adventure, and +immediately sought my kind friend and companion, whom I found, as +usual, industriously employed in endeavouring to secure me additional +comforts. If she was not engaged in ordinary women's work, making, +mending, cleaning, or improving, in our habitation, she was sure to be +found doing something in the immediate neighbourhood, which, though +less feminine, shewed no less forethought, prudence, and sagacity. + +Our garden had prospered wonderfully under her hands. The ground seemed +now stocked with various kinds of vegetation, of which I neither knew +the value, nor the proper mode of cultivation; and we seemed about to +be surrounded with shrubs and plants--many of very pleasing +appearance--that must in a short time entirely change the aspect of the +place. + +She heard my adventure with a good deal of interest, only remonstrating +with me upon my want of caution, and dwelling upon the fatal +consequences that must have ensued to herself, had I been drowned or +disabled by falling from the rock, or devoured by the sharks. + +"You may consider yourself, my dear son," she observed, with serious +earnestness, "to have been under the Divine care. Nothing can be +clearer than that a wise and kind Providence is continually watching +over his creatures when placed in unusual or perilous circumstances. He +occasionally affords them manifestations of his favour, to encourage +them when engaged in good works. This shews the comprehensive eye of +the master of many workmen, who overlooks the labours of his more +industrious servants, and indicates to them his regard for their +welfare and appreciation of their labours." + +"But surely," I interposed, "if I had been under the superintendence of +the Providence of which you speak, I should not have been obliged to +abandon so capital a fish, when I had endured such trouble to capture +it, and when its possession was so necessary to our comfort, nay, even +to our existence." + +"The very abandonment of so unwieldy a creature," she replied, "is +unanswerable evidence of a Divine interposition in your favour; for had +you persisted in your intention of carrying it to the shore, there is +but little doubt that its weight would have overpowered you, and that +you would have been drowned; and then what would have become of me? A +woman left in this desolate spot to her own resources, must soon be +forced to give up the struggle for existence, from want of physical +strength. Nevertheless, there are numerous instances on record, of +women having surmounted hardships which few men could endure. Supported +by our Heavenly Father, who is so powerful a protector of the weak, and +friend of the helpless, the weakest of our weak sex may triumph over +the most intolerable sufferings. I, however, am not over confident of +being so supported, and therefore, I think it would be but shewing a +proper consideration for your fellow exile, to act in every emergency +with as much circumspection and prudence as possible." + +I promised that for the future I would run no such risks, and added +many professions of regard for her safety. They had the desired effect; +I pretended to think no more of my disappointment, nevertheless, I +found myself constantly dwelling on the size of my lost fish, and +lamenting my being obliged to abandon him to his more voracious +brethren of the deep. These thoughts so filled my mind that at night I +continued to dream over again the whole incident, beginning with my +patient angling from the rock, and concluding with my disconsolate swim +to shore--and pursued my scaly antagonist quite as determinedly in my +sleep as I had done in the deep waters. + +I rose early after having passed so disturbed a night, and soon made my +way to the usual haunt of Nero, whom I discovered in the sea near the +rocks making all sorts of strange tumblings and divings, apparently +after some dark object that was floating in the water. I called him +away, to examine what it was that had so attracted his attention, and +my surprise may be imagined when I made out the huge form of my enemy +of the preceding day. My shouts and exclamations of joy soon brought +Mrs Reichardt to the scene, and when she discovered the shape of this +prodigious fish, her surprise seemed scarcely less than my own. + +How to land him was our first consideration; and after some debate on +the ways and means, I got a rope and leaped into the water with it, +fastened a noose round his gills, and then swimming back and climbing +the rock; we jointly tried to pull him up on to the shore. We hauled +and tugged with all our force for a considerable time, but to very +little effect; he was too heavy to pull up perpendicularly. At last we +managed to drag him to a low piece of rock, and there I divided him +into several pieces, which Mrs Reichardt carried away to dry and +preserve in some way that she said would make the fish capital eating +all the year round. + +It was very palatable when dressed by her, and as she changed the +manner of cooking several times, I never got tired of it. By its +flavour, as far as I could judge from subsequent knowledge, the +creature was something of the sturgeon kind of fish, but its proper +name I never could learn; nor was I ever able to catch another, +therefore, I must presume that it was a stranger in those seas. +Nevertheless, he proved most acceptable to us both, for we should have +fared but ill for some time, had it not been for his providential +capture. + +It was one afternoon, when we had been enjoying a capital meal at the +expense of our great friend, that I led the subject to Mrs Reichardt's +adventures, subsequently to where she broke off in the story of herself +and the poor German boy; and though not without considerable +reluctance, I induced her to proceed with her narrative. + + + + +Chapter XXXIII + + +"Our good minister Dr Brightwell," she commenced, "was a man of +considerable scholastic attainments, and he delighted in making a +display of them. At one time, he had been master of an extensive +grammar school, and now he employed a good deal of his leisure in +teaching those boys and girls of the town, who indicated the possession +of anything like talent. The overseers used to talk jestingly to my +father of the Doctor teaching plough-boys Greek and Latin; and wenches, +whose chief employment was stone-picking in the fields, geography and +the use of the globes. Even the churchwardens shook their heads, and +privately thought the Rector a little out of his seven senses for +wasting his learning upon such unprofitable scholars. Nevertheless, he +continued his self-imposed task, without meeting any reward beyond the +satisfaction of his own conscience. It was not till he added to his +pupils myself and young Reichardt, that he felt he was doing his duty +with some prospect of advantage. + +"The spirit of emulation roused both of us to make extraordinary +efforts to second our worthy master's endeavours: and this did not, as +is usually the case, proceed from rivalry--it arose entirely from a +desire of the one to stand well in the estimation of the other. In this +way we learned the French and Latin languages, geography, and the usual +branches of a superior education: but our bias was more particularly +for religious knowledge, and our preceptor encouraged this, till we +were almost as good theologians as himself. + +"While this information was being carefully arranged and digested, +there sprung up in our hearts so deep a devotion for each other, that +we were miserable when absent and enjoyed no gratification so much as +being in each other's society. We knew not then the full power and +meaning of this preference, but, as we changed from boy and girl-hood +to adult life, our feelings developed themselves into that attachment +between the sexes, which from time immemorial has received the name of +love." + +"I think I know what that means, now," said I, as my day-dream, which +was so rudely disturbed by my fall into the sea occurred to me. + +"It would be strange if you did," she replied, "considering that it is +quite impossible you should have become acquainted with it." + +"Yes, I am certain I understand it very well," I rejoined, more +confidently, and then added, not without some embarrassment, "If I were +placed in the position of Heinrich Reichardt, I am quite sure I should +feel towards any young female, who was so kind to me, the deepest +regard and affection. I should like to be constantly near her, and +should always desire that she should like me better than anyone else." + +"That is quite as good an explanation of the matter, as I could expect +from you," she observed, smiling. "But to return to my story. Our +mutual attachment attracted general attention, and was the subject of +much observation. But we had no enemies: and when we were met strolling +together in the shady lanes, gathering wild flowers, or wandering +through the woods in search of wild strawberries, no one thought it +necessary to make any remark if we had our arms round each other's +waist. My father, if he heard anything about it, did not interfere. +Young Reichardt had made himself so useful to him, and shewed himself +so remarkably clever in everything he undertook, that the old man loved +him as his own son. + +"It was a settled thing between us, that we were to become man and +wife, as soon as we should be permitted. And many were our plans and +schemes for the future. Heinrich considered himself to be in the +position of Jacob, who served such a long and patient apprenticeship +for Rachel; and though he confessed he should not like to wait so long +for his wife as the patriarch had been made to do, he acknowledged he +would rather serve my father to the full period, than give up all hope +of possessing me. + +"This happy state of things was, however, suddenly put an end to, by Dr +Brightwell one day sending for my father. It was a long time before he +came back, and when he did, he looked unusually grave and reserved. In +an hour or so he communicated to me the result of his long interview +with the Rector. The Doctor had resolved to send young Reichardt to a +distant place, where many learned men lived together in colleges, for +the purpose of further advancing his education, and fitting him for a +religious teacher, to which vocation he had long expressed a desire to +devote himself. The idea of separation seemed very terrible, but I at +last got reconciled to it, in the belief that it would be greatly for +Heinrich's advantage, and we parted at last with many tears, many +protestations, some fears, but a great many more hopes. + +"For some days after he had left me, everything seemed so strange, +every one seemed so dull, every place seemed so desolate, that I felt +as if I had been transported into some dismal scene, where I knew no +one, and where there was no one likely to care about me in the +slightest degree. My father went about his avocations in a different +spirit to what he had so long been used to exhibit; it was evident he +missed Heinrich as much as I did, and the villagers stared whenever I +passed them--as though my ever going about without Heinrich, was +something which they had never anticipated. + +"In course of time, however, to all appearance, everything and every +one went on in their daily course, as though no Heinrich had ever been +heard of. My father would sometimes, when overpressed by business, +refer to the able assistant he had lost, and now and then I heard a +conjecture hazarded by some one or other of his most confidential +friends, as to what young Reichardt was doing with himself. My +conjectures, and my references to him, were far from being so +occasional; there was scarce an hour of the day I did not think of him; +but, believing that I should please him most by endeavouring to improve +as much as possible during his absence, I did not give myself up to +idle reflections respecting the past, or anticipations, equally idle, +respecting the future. + +"My great delight was in hearing from him. At first, his letters +expressed only his feelings for me; then he dwelt more largely on his +own exertions for preparing himself for the profession he desired to +adopt; and after a time, his correspondence was almost entirely +composed of expositions of his views of a religious life, and +dissertations on various points of doctrine. He evidently was growing +more enthusiastic in religion, and less regardful of our attachment. + +"Yet I entertained no apprehensions or misgivings. I did not think it +necessary to consider myself slighted because the thoughts of my future +husband were evidently raised more and more above me; the knowledge of +this only made me more anxious to raise myself more and more towards +the elevation to which his thoughts were so intently directed. + +"Things went on in this way for two or three years. I never saw him all +this time; I heard from him but seldom. He excused his limited +correspondence on the plea that his studies left him no time for +writing. I never blamed him for this apparent neglect--indeed I rather +encouraged it, for my exhortations were always that he should address +his time and energies towards the attainment of the object I knew him +to have so much at heart--his becoming a minister of our Lord's Gospel. + +"One day my father came home from the rectory with a troubled +countenance. Dr Brightwell was very indignant because Heinrich had +joined a religious community that dissented from the Articles of the +Church of England. The Doctor had offered to get him employment in the +Church, if he would give up his new connections: but the more earnest +character of his new faith exerted so much influence over his +enthusiastic nature, that he willingly abandoned his bright prospects +to become a more humble labourer in a less productive vineyard. + +"My father, as the clerk of the parish, seemed to think himself bound +to share in the indignation of his pastor for this desertion, and +Heinrich was severely condemned by him for displaying such ingratitude +to his benefactor: I was commanded to think no more of him. + +"This, however, was not so easy a matter, although our correspondence +appeared to have entirely ceased. I knew not where to address a letter +to him and was quite unaware of what his future career was now to be." + + + + +Chapter XXXIV + + +"Time passed on. With all, except myself, Heinrich Reichardt appeared +to be forgotten; in the opinion of all, except myself, he had forgotten +our house, and all the friends he had once made there. Our good Rector +had been removed by death from the post he had so ably filled; and my +father being incapacitated by age and infirmity from attending his +duties in the church, had his place filled by another. He had saved +sufficient to live upon, and had built himself a small cottage at the +end of the village, where we lived together in perfect peace, if not in +perfect happiness. + +"I had long grown up to womanhood, and having some abilities, had been +employed as one of the teachers of the girls' school, of which I had +raised myself to be mistress. I conducted myself so as to win the +respect of the chief parochial officers, from more than one of whom I +received proposals of marriage: but I never could reconcile myself to +the idea of becoming the wife of any man but the long-absent Heinrich, +and the new clerk and the overseer were fain to be content with my +grateful rejection of their proposals. + +"I determined to wait patiently till I could learn from Heinrich's own +lips that he had abandoned his early friend. I could never get myself +to believe in the possibility of his unfaithfulness; and the +remembrances of our mutual studies in the Book of Truth seemed always +to suggest the impossibility of his acting so completely at variance +with the impressions he had thence received. + +"I was aware that if I had mentioned my hopes of his one day coming to +claim me, I should be laughed at by everyone who knew anything of our +story--so I said nothing; but continued the more devotedly in my heart +to cherish that faith which had so long afforded me support against the +overwhelming evidence of prolonged silence and neglect. + +"There was a congregation of Dissenters in the town, and I had been +once or twice prevailed on to join their devotions. One day I heard +that proceedings of extraordinary interest would take place at the +meeting-house. A minister of great reputation had accepted the +situation of Missionary to preach the Gospel to the heathen, and he was +visiting the different congregations that lay in his route to the +seaport whence he was to embark to the Sandwich Islands. He was +expected to address a discourse to the Dissenters of our parish, and I +was induced to go and hear him. + +"The meeting-house was very much crowded, but I contrived to get a seat +within a short distance of the speakers, and waited with much interest +to behold the man, who, like some of the first preachers, had chosen +the perilous task of endeavouring to convert a nation of savage +idolaters to the faith of the true Christ. + +"After a short delay he appeared on a raised platform, and was +introduced to this congregation by their minister. I heard nothing of +this introduction, though it seemed a long one; I saw nothing of the +speaker, though his was a figure which always attracted an attentive +audience. I saw only the stranger. In those pale, grave, and serious +features then presented to me, I recognised Heinrich Reichardt." + +"He had come back to you at last," I exclaimed; "I thought he would. +After all you had done for the poor German boy, it was impossible that +he should grow up to manhood and forget you." + +"You shall hear," she replied. "For some time my heart beat wildly, and +I thought I should be obliged to leave the place, my sensations became +so overpowering; but the fear of disturbing the congregation, and of +attracting attention towards myself, had such influence over me, that I +managed to retain sufficient control over my feelings to remain quiet. +Nevertheless, my eyes were upon Heinrich, and my whole heart and soul +were exclusively engrossed by him while he continued before me. + +"Presently he began to speak. As I have just said, I paid no attention +to the preliminary proceedings. I know nothing of the manner in which +he was introduced to his audience; but when he became the speaker, +every word fell upon my ear with a distinctness that seemed quite +marvellous to me. + +"And how could it be otherwise? His tall figure, his melancholy yet +expressive features, his earnest manner, and clear and sonorous voice, +invested him with all the power and dignity of an Apostle, and when +with these attributes were joined those associations of the past with +which he was so intimately connected, it is impossible to exaggerate +the influence he exercised over me. + +"He began with a fervent blessing on all who had sought the sanctity of +that roof, and his hearers, impressed with the thrilling earnestness of +his delivery, became at once hushed into a kind of awe-struck +attention. They knelt down, and bowed their heads in prayer. + +"I appeared to have no power to follow the general example, but +remained the only sitter in the entire congregation with my eyes, nay, +all my senses, fixed, rivetted upon the preacher. This, of course, +attracted his attention. I saw him look towards me with surprise, then +he started, his voice hesitated for a moment, but he almost immediately +continued his benediction, and, as it seemed to me, with a voice +tremulous with emotion. + +"Then followed a discourse on the object of the preacher in presenting +himself there. He described the wonderful goodness of the Creator in +continually raising up the most humble instruments of his will to +perform the most important offices; in illustration of which he +referred to the numerous instances in the Old and New Testaments, where +God's preference in this way is so clearly manifested. + +"He then stated that 'a case had arisen for Divine interposition, equal +in necessity to any which had occurred since the first commencement of +Christianity.' He explained that 'there were nations still existing in +a distant portion of the globe in a state of the wildest barbarism. +Ignorant savages were they, with many cruel and idolatrous customs, who +were cannibals and murderers, and given up to the worst vices of the +heathen. Their abject and pitiable state, he told us, the Lord God had +witnessed with Divine commiseration, and had determined that the light +of Christian love should shine upon their darkness, and that Almighty +wisdom should dissipate their besotted ignorance. + +"'But who' he asked, 'was to be the ambassador from so stupendous a +Power to these barbarous states? Who would venture to be a messenger of +peace and comfort to a cruel and savage nation? Was there no man,' he +again asked, 'great enough and bold enough to undertake a mission of +such vast importance, attended by such terrible risks? + +"'The Almighty Ruler seeks not for his ministers among the great and +bold,' he added, 'as it is written, He hath put down the mighty from +their seats, and hath exalted the humble and meek. And it will be +peculiarly so on this occasion, for the exaltation is from the humblest +origin; so humble it is scarcely possible to imagine so miserable a +beginning, in the end attaining distinction so honorable. + +"'Imagine, if you can, my brethren,' he said, 'in the building set +apart in your town for the reception of your destitute poor, a child +parentless, friendless, and moneyless, condemned, as it seemed, to +perpetual raggedness and intolerable suffering. A ministering angel, +under the direction of the Supreme Goodness, took that child by the +hand and led it out of the pauper walls that enclosed it, and under its +auspices the child grew and flourished, and learned all that was +excellent in faith and admirable in practice. + +"'It was ordained that he should lose sight of his angelic teacher. A +dire necessity compelled him to withdraw from that pure and gracious +influence. He had to learn in a different school, and prepare himself +for heavier tasks. Manhood, with all its severe responsibilities, came +upon him. He sought first to render himself competent for some holy +undertaking, before he could consider himself worthy again to claim +that notice which had made him what he was. Earnestly he strove for the +Divine assistance and encouragement; and as his qualifications +increased, his estimate of the worthiness necessary for the object he +had in view, became more and more exalted. + +"'At last,' he continued, 'it became known to him that a Missionary was +required to explain to the savage people to whom I have already +alluded, the principles of Christianity. He was appointed to this +sacred trust: and he then determined, before he left this country for +the distant one of his ministry, to present himself before that +beneficent being who had poured out before him so abundant a measure of +Christian virtue; that they might be joined together in the same great +vocation, and support each other in the same important trust.' + +"I heard enough," continued Mrs Reichardt. "All was explained, and I +was fully satisfied. The discourse proceeded to identify the speaker +with the poor boy who had been preserved for such onerous duties. Then +came an appeal to the congregation for their prayers, and such +assistance as they could afford, to advance so holy a work as the +conversion of the heathen. + +"I was in such a tumult of pleasant feelings that I retained but a +confused recollection of the subsequent events. I only remember that as +I was walking home from the meeting, I heard footsteps quickly +following; in a few minutes more the voice that had so lately filled my +heart to overflowing with happiness, again addressed me. I was too much +excited to remain unconcerned on suddenly discovering that Heinrich was +so near, and I fell fainting into his arms. + +"I was carried into a neighbouring cottage, but in a short time was +enabled to proceed home. In a week afterwards we were married: a few +days more sufficed for the preparations that were required for my +destination, and then we proceeded to the port, and embarked on board +the ship that was to take us over many thousand miles of sea, to the +wild, unknown country that was to be the scene of our mission." + + + + +Chapter XXXV + + +Mrs Reichardt was obliged to break off her narrative, where it +concluded at the end of the last chapter. As I have said, her household +duties, being very numerous, and requiring a great deal of attention, +took up nearly the whole of her time. + +The garden now presented a most agreeable appearance, possessing +several different kinds of vegetables, and various plants that had been +raised from seed. We had succeeded in raising several young orange +trees from the pips she had brought in her basket; and they promised to +supply us with plenty of their luscious fruit. Even the peas we thought +so dry and useless had germinated, and provided us with a welcome +addition to our table. I shall never forget the first day she added to +our scanty meal of dried fish a dish of smoking potatoes fresh out of +the moist earth. After enjoying sufficiently my wonder at their +appearance, and delight at their agreeable taste, she informed me of +their first introduction into Europe, and their gradual diffusion over +the more civilised portions of the globe. + +I speak of Europe now, because I had learned from my companion, not +only a good deal of geography, but had obtained some insight into +several other branches of knowledge. In particular, she had told me +much interesting information about England, much more than I had +learned from Jackson; dwelling upon its leading features, and the most +remarkable portions of its history; and I must acknowledge that I felt +a secret pride in belonging to so great a country. + +I considered that I belonged to it, for my father and mother were +English, and though I might be called The Little Savage, and be fixed +to an obscure island in the great ocean, I felt that my real home was +in this great country my mother talked about so glowingly, and that my +chief object ought to be to return into the hands of my grandfather the +belt that had in so singular a manner come into my possession. + +I often thought of this great England whose glory had been so widely +spread and so durably established, and longed for some means of leaving +our present abode, and going in search of its time-honoured shores. But +I asked myself how was this desirable object to be effected? We had no +means of transporting ourselves from the prison into which we had been +accidentally cast. We had nothing resembling a boat on the island, and +we had no tools for making one; and even had we been put in possession +of such a treasure, we had no means of launching it. The rocky +character of the coast made the placing of a boat on the water almost +impossible. + +The expectation of a vessel appearing off the island appeared quite as +unreasonable. We had seen no ships for a long time, and those we had +observed were a great deal too far off to heed our signals. + +We had no help for it, but to trust to Providence and bear our present +evil patiently. Nevertheless, I took my glass and swept the sea far and +wide in search of a ship, but failed to discover anything but a +spermaceti whale blowing in the distance, or a shoal of porpoises +tumbling over each other nearer the shore, or a colony of seals basking +in the sun on the rocks nearest the sea. My disappointment was shared +by Nero, who seemed to regard my vexation with a sympathising glance, +and even the gannets turned their dull stupid gaze upon me, with an +expression as if they deeply commiserated my distress. + +I had for a long time employed myself in making a shelving descent to +the sea, on the most secure part of the rock, intending that it should +be a landing place for a boat, in case any ship should come near enough +to send one to our rescue. It was a work of great labour, and hatchet +and spade equally suffered in my endeavours to effect my object; but at +last I contrived to take advantage of a natural fracture in the rock, +and a subsequent fall of the cliff, to make a rude kind of inclined +plane, rather too steep, and too rough for bad climbers, but extremely +convenient for my mother and me, whenever we should be prepared to +embark for our distant home. + +My thoughts were now often directed to the possibility of making on the +island some kind of boat that would hold ourselves and sufficient +provisions for a voyage to the nearest of the larger islands. I spoke +to Mrs Reichardt on the subject, but she dwelt upon the impossibility +without either proper tools, or the slightest knowledge of +boat-building, of producing a vessel to which we could trust ourselves +with any confidence, neither of us knowing anything about its +management in the open sea; and then she spoke of the dangers a small +boat would meet with, if the water should be rough, or if we should not +be able to make the island in any reasonable time. + +Yet I was not daunted by difficulties, nor dissuaded by discouraging +representations. I thought at first of fastening all the loose timber +together that had drifted against the rocks, as much in the shape of a +boat as I could get it, but on looking over my stock of nails, I found +they fell very far short of the proper quantity; consequently that mode +of effecting my purpose was abandoned. + +I then thought of felling a tree and hollowing it out by charring the +timber. As yet I had discovered nothing on the island but shrubs. I was +quite certain that no tree grew near enough to the sea to be available, +and if I should succeed in cutting down a large one and fashioning it +as I desired, I had no means of transport. + +I might possibly make a boat capable of carrying all I wanted to put +into it, but as I could neither move the water up to the boat, nor the +boat down to the water, for all the service I wanted of it, even if the +island contained a tree large enough, I might just as well leave it +untouched. + +Still I would not altogether abandon my favourite project. I thought of +the willows that grew on the island, and fancied I could make a +framework by twisting them strongly together, and stretching seal skins +over them. I laboured at this for several weeks,--exercising all my +ingenuity and no slight stock of patience, to create an object with +which I was but imperfectly acquainted. + +I did succeed at last in putting together something in a remote degree +resembling the boat that brought part of the whaler's crew to the +island and had taken them away, but it was not a quarter the size, and +was so light that I could carry it without much difficulty to the +landing I had constructed on the cliff. When I came to try its +capabilities, I found it terribly lop-sided--it soon began to leak, and +in fact it exhibited so many faults, that I was forced to drag it again +on shore, and take it to pieces. + +I called in Mrs Reichardt to my assistance, and though at first she +seemed averse to the experiment, she gave me a great deal of +information respecting the structure of small boats, and the method of +waterproofing leather and other fabrics. I attended carefully to all +she said, and commenced re-building with more pretensions to art. + +I now made a strong frame-work, tolerably sharp at each end, and as +nearly as possible resembling a keel at the bottom. I covered this on +both sides with pieces of strong cloth saturated with grease from the +carcases of birds, and then covered the whole with well-dried seal +skins, which I had made impervious to wet. The inside of the boat +nearest the water I neatly covered with pieces of dry bark, over which +I fixed some boards, which had floated to the island from wrecked +ships. Finally I put in some benches to sit on, and then fancied I had +done everything that was necessary. + +I soon got her into the fishing-pool, and was delighted to find that +she floated capitally--but I still had a great deal to do. I had made +neither oars to propel her through the water, nor sail to carry her +through the waves, when rowing was impossible. I remembered the +whaler's spare oars and mizen, but they were too large; nevertheless, +they served me as models to work upon, and in time I made a rough pair +of paddles or oars, which, though rudely fashioned, I hoped would +answer the purpose pretty well. + +The next difficulty was how to use the oars, and I made many awkward +attempts before I ascertained the proper method of proceeding. Again my +companion, on whom nothing which had once passed before her eyes had +passed in vain, shewed me how the boat should be managed. + +In a short time I could row about the pool with sufficient dexterity to +turn the boat in any direction I required, and I then took Nero as a +passenger, and he seemed to enjoy the new gratification with a +praiseworthy decorum; till, when I was trying to turn the boat round, +the movement caused him to attempt to shift his quarters, which he did +with so little attention to the build of our vessel, that in one moment +she was capsized, and in the next we were swimming about in the pool +with our vessel bottom upwards. + +As she was so light, I soon righted her, and found that she had +received no injury, and appeared to be perfectly water-tight. + + + + +Chapter XXXVI + + +I could not prevail upon Mrs Reichardt to embark in my craft, the fate +of my first passenger which she had witnessed from the shore, had +deterred her from attempting a voyage under such unpromising +circumstances. + +As soon as I had dried my clothes, I was for making another experiment, +and one too of a more hazardous nature. I would not be parted from +Nero, but I made him lie at the bottom of the boat, where I could have +him under strict control. With him I also took my little flock of +gannets, who perched themselves round me, gazing about them with an air +of such singular stupidity as they were being propelled through the +water, that I could not help bursting out laughing. + +"Indeed," said Mrs Reichardt, "such a boat's crew and such a boat has +never been seen in those seas before. A young savage as captain, a tame +seal as boatswain, and a flock of gannets as sailors, certainly made up +as curious a set of adventurers as ever floated upon the wide ocean." + +I was not the least remarkable of the strange group, for I had nothing +on but a pair of duck trousers, patched in several places; and my hair, +which had grown very long, hung in black wavy masses to my shoulders. +My skin was tanned by the sun to a light brown, very different from the +complexion of Mrs Reichardt, which had ever been remarkable for its +paleness. Indeed she told me I should find some difficulty in +establishing my claim to the title of European, but none at all to that +of Little Savage, which she often playfully called me. + +Nevertheless, in this trim, and with these companions, I passed out of +the fishing-pool into the sea, with the intention of rowing round the +island. Mrs Reichardt waved her hand as I departed on my voyage, having +exhorted me to be very careful, as long as I was in hearing; she then +turned away, as I thought, to return to the hut. + +The day was remarkably fine. There was not so much as a cloud on the +horizon, and scarcely a ripple on the water: therefore, everything +seemed to favour my project, for if there had been anything of a +breeze, the beating of the waves against the rock would have been a +great obstacle to my pursuing my voyage with either comfort or safety. +The water too was so clear, that although it was of great depth, I +could distinguish the shells that lay on the sand, and observe various +kinds of fish, some of most curious shape, that rushed rapidly beneath +the boat as it was urged along. + +I was delighted with the motion, and with the agreeable appearance of +the different novelties that met my gaze. The light boat glided almost +imperceptibly through the water at every stroke of the oar. Nero lay as +still as if his former lesson had taught him the necessity of remaining +motionless; and the gannets now and then expressed their satisfaction +by a shrill cry or a rapid fluttering of their wings. + +In this way, we passed on without any adventure, till I found it +necessary for me to row some distance out to sea, to round a projecting +rock that stood like a mighty wall before me. I pulled accordingly, and +then had a better opportunity of seeing the island than I had ever +obtained. I recognised all the favourite places, the ravine, the wood, +the hut covered with beautiful creepers, and the garden, full of +flowers, looked very agreeable to the eye: but every part seemed to +look pleasant, except the great savage rocks which enclosed the island +on every side: but even these I thought had an air of grandeur that +gave additional effect to the scene. + +Much to my surprise, I recognised Mrs Reichardt walking rapidly towards +a part of the shore, near which I should be obliged to pass. From this +I saw that she was intent on watching me from point to point, to know +the worst, if any accident should befall me, and be at hand should +there be a necessity for rendering assistance. I shouted to her, and +she waved her hand in reply. + +On rounding the headland, my astonishment was extreme on finding my +little bark in the midst of a shoal of enormous sharks. If I came in +contact with one of them I was lost, for the frail boat would certainly +be upset and as Jackson had assured me, if ever I allowed these +monsters to come near enough, one snap of their jaws, and there would +be an end of the Little Savage. I thought of the warning of Mrs +Reichardt, and was inclined to think I had better have taken her +advice, and remained in the fishing-pool; nevertheless, I went on as +quietly and deliberately as possible, exercising all my skill to keep +clear of my unexpected enemies. + +It was not till I had got into the middle of the shoal that the sharks +seemed to be aware there was anything unusual in their neighbourhood, +but as soon as they were fully aware of the presence of an intruder, +they exhibited the most extraordinary excitement, rushing together in +groups, with such rapid motion, that the water became so agitated, I +was obliged to exercise all my skill to keep the boat steady on her +course. + +They dived, and rushed to and fro, and jostled each other, as I +thought, in anything but an amicable spirit; still, however, keeping at +a respectful distance from the boat, for which I was extremely +thankful. I urged her on with all my strength, for the purpose of +getting away from such unpleasant neighbours; but they were not to be +so easily disposed of. They came swimming after the boat, then when +within a few yards dived, and in a moment they were before it, as if to +bar any further progress. + +I however pushed on, and they disappeared, but immediately afterwards +rose on all sides of me. They were evidently getting more confidence; a +fact I ascertained with no slight apprehension, for they began to +approach nearer, and their gambols threatened every minute to overwhelm +my poor craft, that, light as a cork, bounced up and down the agitated +waves, as if quite as much alarmed for our safety as ourselves. + +The captain was not the only one who began to fear evil; the gannets +were very restless, and it was only by strong admonitions I could +prevail on Nero to retain his recumbent attitude at my feet; their +instinct warned them of approaching danger, and I felt the comfortable +assurance that my own rashness had brought me into my present critical +position, and that if the menaced destruction did arrive, there was no +sort of assistance at hand on which I could rely. + +Every moment the sharks became more violent in their demonstrations, +and more bold in their approaches, and I could scarcely keep the boat +going, or prevent the water rushing over her sides. The gannets, having +shewn themselves for some minutes uneasy, had at last flown away to the +neighbouring rock, and Nero began to growl and snap, as though +meditating a forcible release from his prostrate position, to see what +mischief was brewing. + +As I was coaxing him to be quiet, I felt a tremendous blow given to the +boat, evidently from beneath, and she rose into the air several yards, +scattering Nero and myself, and the oars, in different directions. + +The noise we made in falling appeared for the instant to have scattered +the creatures, for I had struck out for the rock and nearly reached it +before a shark made its appearance. + +Just then I saw a large monster rushing towards me. I thought all was +over. He turned to open his great jaws, and in another instant I should +have been devoured. + +At that critical period I saw a second object dart in between me and +the shark, and attack the latter fiercely. It was Nero, and it was the +last I ever saw of my faithful friend. His timely interposition enabled +me to reach a ledge in the cliff, where I was in perfect safety, +hanging by some strong seaweed, although my feet nearly touched the +water, and I could retain my position only with the greatest difficulty. + +The whole shoal were presently around me. They a first paid their +attentions to the boat and the oars, which they buffeted about till +they were driven close to the rock, at a little distance from the place +where I had found temporary safety. They left these things unharmed as +soon as they caught sight of me, and then their eagerness and violence +returned with tenfold fury. They darted towards me in a body, and I was +obliged to lift my legs, or I should have had them snapped off by one +or other of the twenty gaping jaws that were thrust over each other, in +their eagerness to make a mouthful of my limbs. + +This game was carried on for some minutes of horrible anxiety to me. I +fancied that my struggles had loosened the seaweed, and that in a few +minutes it must give way, and I should then be fought for and torn to +pieces by the ravenous crew beneath. I shouted with all the strength of +my lungs to scare them away; but as if they were as well aware that I +could not escape them as I was myself, they merely left off their +violent efforts to reach my projecting legs, and forming a semi-circle +round me, watched with upturned eyes, that seemed to possess a fiendish +expression that fascinated and bewildered me, the snapping of the frail +hold that supported me upon the rock. + +In my despair I prayed heartily, but it was rather to commend my soul +to my Maker, than with any prospect of being rescued from so imminent +and horrible a peril. The eyes of the ravenous monsters below seemed to +mock my devotion. I felt the roots of the seaweed giving way: the +slightest struggle on my part would I knew only hasten my dissolution, +and I resigned myself to my fate. + +In this awful moment I heard a voice calling out my name. It was Mrs +Reichardt on the cliff high above me. I answered with all the eagerness +of despair. Then there came a heavy splash into the water, and I heard +her implore me to endeavour to make for a small shrub that grew in a +hollow of the rock, at a very short distance from the tuft of seaweed +that had become so serviceable. + +I looked down. The sharks had all disappeared; I knew, however, that +they would shortly return, and lost not a moment in making an effort to +better my position in the manner I had been directed. Mrs Reichardt had +thrown a heavy stone into the water among the sharks, the loud splash +of which had driven them away. Before they again made their appearance, +I had caught a firm hold of the twig, and flung myself up into a +position of perfect safety. + +"Thank God he's safe!" I heard Mrs Reichardt exclaim. + +The sharks did return, but when they found their anticipated prey had +escaped, they swam lazily out to sea. + +"Are you much hurt, Frank Henniker?" she presently cried out to me. + +"I have not a scratch," I replied. + +"Then thank God for your deliverance," she added. + +I did thank God, and Mrs Reichardt joined with me in prayer, and a more +fervent thanksgiving than was ours, it is scarcely possible to imagine. + + + + +Chapter XXXVII + + +I had several times pressed Mrs Reichardt for the conclusion of her +story, but she had always seemed reluctant to resume the subject. It +was evidently full of painful incidents, and she shrunk from dwelling +upon them. At last, one evening we were sitting together, she working +with her needle and I employed upon a net she had taught me how to +manufacture, and I again led the conversation to the narrative my +companion had left unfinished. She sighed heavily and looked distressed. + +"It is but natural you should expect this of me, my son," she said; +"but you little know the suffering caused by my recalling the +melancholy events that I have to detail. However, I have led you to +expect the entire relation, and, therefore, I will endeavour to realise +your anticipations." + +I assured her I was ready to wait, whenever it might be agreeable for +her to narrate the termination of her interesting history. + +"It will never be agreeable to me," she replied mournfully; "indeed I +would forget it, if I could; but that is impossible. The struggle may +as well be made now, as at any time. I will therefore commence by +informing you, that during our long voyage to the Sandwich Islands, I +found ample opportunity for studying the disposition of my husband. He +was much changed since he first left me, but his was still the same +grateful nature, full of truth and purity, that had won me towards him +when a child. A holy enthusiasm seemed now to exalt him above ordinary +humanity. I could scarcely ever get him to talk upon any but religious +subjects, and those he treated in so earnest and exalted a manner, that +it was impossible to avoid being carried away with his eloquence. + +"He seemed to feel the greatness of his destination, as though it had +raised him to an equality with the adventurous Saints, who established +the banner of Christ among the Pagan nations of Europe. He was fond of +dilating upon the importance of his mission, and of dwelling on the +favour that had been vouchsafed him, in causing him to be selected for +so high and responsible a duty. + +"It was evident that he would rather have been sent to associate with +the barbarous people whom he expected to make his converts, than have +been raised to the richest Bishopric in England. And yet, with this +exultation, there was a spirit of deep melancholy pervading his +countenance, as well as his discourses, that seemed to imply a sense of +danger. The nimbus of the saint in his eyes was associated with the +crown of martyrdom. He seemed to look forward to a fatal termination of +his ministry, as the most and proper conclusion of his labours. + +"His conversation often filled me with dread. His intimations of danger +seemed at first very shocking, but, at last, I got more familiar with +these terrible suggestions, and regarded them as the distempered +fancies of an overworked mind. + +"In this way our long voyage passed, and we arrived at last at our +place of destination. When we had disembarked, the scene that presented +itself to me was so strange, that I could almost believe I had passed +into a new world. The most luxurious vegetation, of a character I had +never seen before--the curious buildings--the singular forms of the +natives, and their peculiar costume--excited my wonder to an intense +degree. + +"My husband applied himself diligently to learn the language of the +people, whilst I as intently studied their habits and customs. We both +made rapid progress. + +"As soon as I could make myself understood, I endeavoured to make +friends with the women, particularly with the wives of the great men, +and although I was at first the object of more curiosity than regard, I +persisted in my endeavours, and succeeded in establishing with many a +good understanding. + +"I found them ignorant of everything that in civilised countries is +considered knowledge--their minds being enveloped in the most +deplorable darkness--the only semblance of religion in use amongst +them, being a brutal and absurd idolatry. + +"I often tried to lead them to the consideration of more humanising +truths, for the purpose of preparing the way for the inculcation of the +great mysteries of our holy religion: but the greater portion of my +hearers were incompetent to understand what I seemed so desirous of +teaching, and my making them comprehend the principles of Christianity +appeared to be a hopeless task. + +"Yet I continued my pious labours, without allowing my exertions to +flag--making myself useful to them and their families in every way I +could--attending them when sick--giving them presents when well--and +showing them every kindness likely to make a favourable impression on +their savage natures. In this way I proceeded doing good, till I found +an opportunity of being of service to a young girl, about twelve years +of age, who was a younger sister of one of the wives of a great chief. +She had sprained her ankle and was in great pain, when I applied the +proper remedies and gave her speedy relief. Hooloo, for that was her +name, from that moment became warmly attached to me, and finding her of +an affectionate and ingenuous disposition, I became extremely desirous +of improving upon the good impression I had made. + +"At the same time my husband sought, by his knowledge of the mechanical +arts, and some acquaintance with medicine, to recommend himself to the +men. He also met with much difficulty at first, in making his +information properly appreciated. He sought to increase their +comforts--to introduce agricultural implements of a more useful +description, and to lead them generally towards the conveniences and +decencies of civilisation. He built himself a house, and planted a +garden, and cultivated some land, in which he shewed the superior +advantages of what he knew, to what they practised. They seemed to +marvel much, but continued to go on in their own way. + +"He also went amongst them as a physician, and having acquired +considerable knowledge of medicine and simple surgery, he was enabled +to work some cures in fevers and spear wounds, that in course of time +made for him so great a reputation, that many of the leading chiefs +sent for him when anything ailed them or their families, and they were +so well satisfied with what he did for them, that he began to be looked +upon as one who was to be treated with particular respect and honour, +by all classes of the natives, from the highest to the lowest. + +"On one occasion the king required his services. He was suffering from +a sort of cholic, for which the native doctors could give him no +relief. My husband administered some medicines, and stayed with his +Majesty until they had the desired effect, and the result being a +complete recovery, seemed so astonishing to all the members of his +Sandwich Majesty's court, that the doctor was required to administer +the same medicine to every one, from the queen to the humblest of her +attendants, though all were apparently in good health. He managed to +satisfy them with a small portion only of the mixture, which he was +quite certain could do them no harm: and they professed to be +wonderfully the better for it." + + + + +Chapter XXXVIII + + +"His reputation had now grown so great, that whatever he required was +readily granted. He first desired to have some children sent him; to +learn those things which had enabled him to do so much good, and this +having been readily sanctioned, we opened a school for girls and boys, +in which we taught the first elements of a civilised education. + +"Finding we made fair progress in this way, we commenced developing our +real object, the inculcation of Christian sentiments. This meeting with +no opposition, and Reichardt having established a powerful influence +over the entire community, he next proceeded with the parents, and +earnestly strove to induce them to embrace the profession of +Christianity. + +"His labours were not entirely unproductive. There began to prevail +amongst the islanders, a disposition to hear the wondrous discourses of +this stranger, and he was employed, day after day, in explaining to +large and attentive audiences, the history of the Christian world, and +the observances and doctrine of that faith which had been cemented by +the blood of the Redeemer. The new and startling subjects of his +discourse, as well as the impressive character of his eloquence, +frequently deeply moved his hearers; and at his revelations they would +often burst forth into piercing shouts and loud expressions of +amazement. + +"In truth it was a moving scene. The noble figure of the Missionary, +with his fine features lighted up with the fire of holy enthusiasm, +surrounded by a crowd of dusky savages, armed with spears and war +clubs, and partly clothed with feathers, in their features shewing +traces of unusual excitement, and every now and then joining in a wild +chorus, expressive of their wonder, could not have been witnessed by +any Christian, without emotion. + +"But when the ceremony of Baptism was first performed before them, +their amazement was increased a thousandfold. The first member of our +flock was Hooloo, whom I had instructed so far, in the principles of +our faith, and I had acquired such an influence over her mind, that she +readily consented to abandon her idolatrous customs and become a +Christian. + +"After a suitable address to the natives, who had assembled in some +thousands to witness the spectacle, in which he explained to them the +motive and object of baptism, my husband assisted the girl down a +sloping green bank which led to a beautiful stream, and walked with her +into the water till he was up to his waist; then, after offering up a +long and fervent prayer that this first victory over the false worship +of the Devil, might be the forerunner of the entire extirpation of +idolatry from the land, he, plunging her into the water, baptised her +in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. + +"All the people were awed to silence while the ceremony proceeded, but +when it was over they burst forth into a loud cry, and came down to +meet the new Christian and my husband as they came out of the water, +and waved over them boughs of trees, and danced and shouted as though +in an ecstasy. + +"We however had not proceeded to this extent, without exciting +considerable opposition; our disrespect towards their idols had given +great offence to those who were identified with the superstitions of +the people, and flourished according as these were supported. +Complaints were made too of our teaching a new religion, in opposition +to the gods they and their fathers had worshipped, and a powerful party +was got together for the purpose of pursuing us to destruction. + +"My husband was summoned before a council of the great chiefs, to hear +the accusations that had been brought against him: and the old +idolaters got up and abused him, and threatened him with the punishment +of their monstrous gods, for telling lies to the people, and deceiving +them with forged tales and strange customs. + +"They sought all they could, to move the judges against him, by +painting the terrible fate that would befall them if they failed to +kill the white stranger, who had insulted their gods; and they +predicted hosts of calamities that were to happen, in consequence of +their having allowed the teller of lies to work so much mischief +against them. + +"My husband then being called upon for his defence, first declared to +the judges the attributes of the Deity he worshipped: that he created +the vast heavens, the stars, the mountains, the rivers, and the sea; +his voice spoke in the thunder, and his eye flashed in the lightning. +He then dwelt on his goodness to man, especially to the Sandwich +Islanders, whom he had created for the purpose of enjoying the fine +country around them and of beholding the beauty of the heavens where he +dwelt. Then he referred to the gods they had worshipped, and asked how +they were made, and what such senseless things could do for them; +commenting on their inability to serve them, in any way, or do them any +harm; and went on to speak of the benefits he had been able to confer +upon them, through the influence of the all powerful God he worshipped; +and asked them if he had ever done them anything but good. Lastly, he +promised them innumerable benefits, if they would leave their useless +gods, and turn to the only God who had the power to serve them. + +"It is impossible for me to do justice to the animated manner in which +he delivered this discourse. It produced great effect upon the majority +of his hearers; but there was a powerful minority it still more +strongly influenced against him; and they continued to interrupt him +with terrible outcries. + +"Most of the leading chiefs were against his suffering any harm. They +bore in mind the advantages he had conferred, by his skill in medicine, +and superior wisdom in various other things, which the people would +lose were he put to death. They also remembered the hope he held out of +future benefits, which of course they could not expect, if they offered +him any violence. + +"The result was, that my husband was suffered to go harmless from the +meeting, to the great disappointment of his enemies, who could scarcely +be kept from laying violent hands upon him. The danger he had escaped, +unfortunately, did not render him more prudent. Far from it. He +believed that he was a chosen instrument of the Most High, to win these +savages from the depths of idolatry and Paganism; and continued, on +every occasion that presented itself, to endeavour to win souls to God. + +"The school increased, several of the parents suffered themselves to be +baptised, and there was a regular observance of the Lord's Day amongst +those who belonged to our little flock. Even many of the islanders, +although they did not become Christians, attended our religious +services, and spoke well of us. + +"We brought up the young people to be able to teach their brethren and +sisters; and hoped to be able to establish missions in other parts of +the island, to which we sometimes made excursions; preaching the +inestimable blessings of the gospel to the islanders, and exhorting +them to abandon their dark customs and heathen follies. I was not far +behind my husband in this good work, and acquired as much influence +among the women as he exercised over the men: indeed we were generally +looked upon as holy people, who deserved to be treated with veneration +and respect." + + + + +Chapter XXXIX + + +"Things went on in this flourishing way for several years; my husband, +deeply impressed with the responsibility of his position, as a chosen +servant of God, devoted himself so entirely to the great work he had +undertaken, that he often seemed to overlook the claims upon his +attention of her he had chosen as his partner, in his struggle against +the Powers of Darkness. Sometimes I did not see him for several days; +and often when we were together, he was so abstracted, he did not seem +aware I was present. Whenever I could get him to speak of himself, he +would dilate on the unspeakable felicity that he felt in drawing nearer +to the end of his work. I affected not to know to what he alluded; but +I always felt that he was referring to the impression he entertained of +his own speedy dissolution, which he had taken up when he first +embraced this mission. + +"I tried to get rid of my misgivings by recalling the dangers and +difficulties we had triumphantly passed, and referring to the +encouraging state of things that existed at the present time; +nevertheless, I could not prevent a sinking of the heart, whenever I +heard him venture upon the subject; and when he was absent from me, I +often experienced an agony of anxiety till his return. I saw, however, +no real cause of apprehension, and endeavoured to persuade myself none +existed; and very probably I should have succeeded, had not my husband +so frequently indulged in references to our separation. + +"Alas," she exclaimed, mournfully, "he was better informed than I was +of the proximity of that Celestial Home, for which he had been so long +and zealously preparing himself. He, doubtless, had his intimation from +on high, that his translation to the realms of bliss, was no remote +consequence of his undertaking the mission he had accepted; and he had +familiarised his mind to it as a daily duty, and by his constant +references had sought to prepare me for the catastrophe he knew to be +inevitable." + +Here Mrs Reichardt became so sensibly affected, that it was some time +before she could proceed with her narrative. She, however, did so at +last, yet I could see by the tears that traced each other down her wan +cheeks, how much her soul was moved by the terrible details into which +she was obliged to enter. + +"In the midst of our success," she presently resumed, "when we had +established a congregation, had baptised hundreds of men, women, and +children, had completed a regular place of worship, and an extensive +school-house, both of which were fully and regularly attended, some +European vessel paid us a short visit, soon after which, that dreadful +scourge the small-pox, broke out amongst the people. Both children and +adults were seized, and as soon as one died a dozen were attacked. + +"Soon the greatest alarm pervaded the natives; my husband was implored +to stop the pestilence, which power they felt convinced he had in his +hands. He did all that was possible for him to do, but that +unfortunately was very little. His recommendation of remedial measures +was rarely attended with the desired results. Death was very busy. The +people died in scores, and the survivors, excited by the vindictive men +who had formerly sought his death for disparaging their gods, began not +only to fall off rapidly in their regard and reverence for my husband, +but murmurs first, and execrations afterwards, and violent menaces +subsequently, attended him whenever he appeared. + +"He preached to them resignation to the Divine Will; but resignation +was not a savage virtue. He was indefatigable in his attentions to the +sick; but those of whom he was most careful seemed the speediest to +die. The popular feeling against him increased every hour; he appeared, +however, to defy his fate--walking unconcernedly amongst crowds of +infuriated savages brandishing heavy clubs, and threatening him with +the points of their sharp spears; but his eye never blinked, and his +cheek never blanched, and he walked on his way inwardly praising God, +careless of the evil passions that raged around him. + +"It was on a Sabbath morn--our service had far advanced; we could boast +of but a limited congregation, for many had died, some had fled from +the pestilence into the interior; others had avoided the place in +consequence of the threats of their countrymen. A few children, and two +or three women, were all their teacher had to address. + +"We were engaged in singing a Psalm, when a furious crowd, mad with +rage, as it seemed, screaming and yelling in the most frightful manner, +and brandishing their weapons as though about to attack an enemy, burst +into our little chapel, and seized my husband in the midst of his +devotions. + +"I rushed forward to protect him from the numerous weapons that were +aimed at his life, but was dragged back by the hair of my head; and +with infuriate cries and gestures, that made them look like demons +broke loose from hell, they fell upon him with their clubs and spears. + +"Reichardt made no resistance, he merely clasped his hands the more +firmly, and looked up to Heaven the more devoutly, as he continued the +Psalm he had commenced before they entered. This did not delay his fate. + +"They beat out his brains so close to me, that I was covered with his +blood, and I believe I should have shared the same fate, had I not +fainted with terror at the horrible scene of which I was a forced +spectator. + +"I learned afterwards that some powerful chief interfered, and I was +carried away more dead than alive, in which state I long remained. As +soon as I became sufficiently strong to be moved, I took advantage of a +whaler calling at the island, homeward bound, to beg a passage. The +captain heard my lamentable story, took me on board as soon as he +could, and shewed a seaman's sympathy for my sufferings. + +"I was to have returned to England with him, but off this place we +encountered a terrible storm, in which we were obliged to take to the +boats, as the only chance of saving our lives. What became of him I +know not, as the two boats parted company soon after leaving the wreck. +I trust he managed to reach the land in safety, and is now in his own +country, enjoying all the comforts that can make life covetable. + +"What became of that part of the crew that brought me here in the other +boat, led by the fires you had lighted, I am in doubt. But I think on +quitting the island, crowded as their boat was, and in the state of its +crew, it was scarcely possible for them to have made the distant island +for which they steered." + + + + +Chapter XL + + +Mrs Reichardt's story made a sensible impression on me. I no longer +wondered at the pallor of her countenance, or the air of melancholy +that at first seemed so remarkable; she had suffered most severely, and +her sufferings were too recent not to have left their effects upon her +frame. + +I thought a good deal about her narrative, and wondered much that men +could be got to leave their comfortable homes, and travel thousands and +thousands of miles across the fathomless seas, with the hope of +converting a nation of treacherous savages, by whom they were sure to +be slaughtered at the first outbreak of ill-feeling. + +I could not but admire the character of Reichardt--in all his actions +he had exhibited a marked nobility of nature. He would not present +himself before the woman who had the strongest claims upon his +gratitude, till he had obtained a position and a reputation that +should, in his opinion, make him worthy of her; and though he had a +presentiment of the fate that would overtake him, he fulfilled his +duties as a missionary with a holy enthusiasm that made him regard his +approaching martyrdom as the greatest of all earthly distinctions. I +felt regret that I had not known such a man. I knew how much I had lost +in having missed such an example. + +My having heard this story led me into much private communing with +myself respecting religion. I could consider myself little better than +a savage, like the brutal Sandwich Islanders; my conduct to Jackson had +been only in a degree less inhuman than that these idolaters had shewn +to their teacher when he was in their power. I fancied at the time that +I served him right, for his villainous conduct to my father, and brutal +conduct to me: but God having punished him for his misdeeds, I felt +satisfied I had no business to put him to greater torment as +satisfaction for my own private injuries. I fancied God might have been +angry with me, and had kept me on the island as a punishment for my +offences; and I had some conversation with Mrs Reichardt on this point. + +"Nothing," she observed, "can excuse your ill-feeling towards Jackson; +he was a bad man, without a doubt, and he deserved condign punishment +for his usage of your parents; but the Divine founder of our religion +has urged us to return good for evil." + +"Yes," I answered readily, "but I should have suffered as bad as my +father and mother, had I not prevented his doing me mischief." + +"You do not know that you were to suffer," she replied. "Jackson, +without such terrible punishment as he brought upon himself, might +eventually have become contrite, and have restored you to your friends +as well as enabled you to obtain your grandfather's property. God +frequently performs marvellous things with such humble instruments, for +he hath said, 'There is more joy in heaven over one sinner that +repenteth, than over ninety-nine just men.'" + +"Surely, this is raising the wicked man over the good," I cried. + +"Not at all," she replied. "The repentant is one gained from the ranks +of the great enemy--it is as one that was lost and is found again--it +is a soul added to the blessed. Therefore the joy in heaven is abundant +at such a conversion. The just are the natural heirs of heaven--their +rights are acknowledged without dispute--their claim is at once +recognised and allowed, and they receive their portion of eternal joy +as a matter of course, without there being any necessity for exciting +those demonstrations of satisfaction which hail the advent of a sinner +saved." + +"I don't think such a villain as Jackson would ever go to heaven," I +observed. + +"'Judge not, lest ye be judged,'" she answered; "that is a text that +cannot be too often impressed upon persons anxious to condemn to +eternal torment all those they believe to be worse than themselves. It +is great presumption in us poor creatures of clay, to anticipate the +proceedings of the Infinite Wisdom. Let us leave the high prerogative +of judgment to the Almighty Power, by whom only it is exercised, and in +our opinions of even the worst of our fellow-creatures, let us exercise +a comprehensive charity, mingled with a prayer that even at the +eleventh hour, they may have turned from the evil of their ways, and +embraced the prospect of salvation, which the mercy of their Creator +has held out to them." + +In this and similar conversations, Mrs Reichardt would endeavour to +plant in my mind the soundest views of religion; and she spoke so well, +and so convincingly, that I had little trouble in understanding her +meaning, or in retaining it after it had been uttered. + +It was not, as I have before stated, to religion only that she led my +thoughts, although that certainly was the most frequent subject of our +conversation. She sought to instruct me in the various branches of +knowledge into which she had acquired some insight, and in this way I +picked up as much information respecting grammar, geography, astronomy, +writing, arithmetic, history, and morals, as I should have gained had I +been at a school, instead of being forced to remain on a desolate +island. + +I need not say that I still desired to leave it. I had long been tired +of the place, notwithstanding that from our united exertions, we +enjoyed many comforts which we could not have hoped for. Our hut we had +metamorphosed into something Mrs Reichardt styled a rustic cottage, +which, covered as it was with flowers and creepers, really looked very +pretty; and the garden added greatly to its pleasant appearance: for +near the house we had transplanted everything that bore a flower that +could be found in the island, and had planted some shrubs, that, having +been carefully nurtured made rapid growth, and screened the hut from +the wind. + +I had built a sort of out-house for storing potatoes and firewood, and +a fowl-house for the gannets, which were now a numerous flock; and had +planted a fence round the garden, so that as Mrs Reichardt said, we +looked as if we had selected a dwelling in our own beloved England, in +the heart of a rural district, instead of our being circumscribed in a +little island thousands of miles across the wide seas, from the home of +which we were so fond of talking. + +Although my companion always spoke warmly of the land of her birth, and +evidently would have been glad to return to it, she never grieved over +her hard fate in being, as it were, a prisoner on a rock, out of reach +of friends and kindred; indeed, she used to chide me for being +impatient of my detention, and insensible of the blessings I enjoyed. + +"What temptations are we not free from here?" she would say. "We see +nothing of the world; we cannot be contaminated with its vices, or +suffer from its follies. The hideous wars--the terrible +revolutions--the dreadful visitations of famine and pestilence--are +completely unknown to us. Robbery, and murder, and fraud, and the +thousand other phases of human wickedness, we altogether escape. There +was a time, when men, for the purpose of leading holy lives, abandoned +the fair cities in which they had lived in the enjoyment of every +luxury, and sought a cave in some distant desert, where, in the lair of +some wild beast, with a stone for a pillow, a handful of herbs for a +meal, and a cup of water for beveridge, they lived out the remnant of +their days in a constant succession of mortifications, prayers, and +penitence. + +"How different," she added, "is our own state. We are as far removed +from the sinfulness of the world as any hermit of the desert, whilst we +have the enjoyment of comforts to which they were strangers." + +"But probably," I observed, "these men were penitents, and went into +the desert as much to punish their bodies for the transgressions of the +flesh, as to acquire by solitary communion, a better knowledge of the +spirit than they were likely to obtain in their old haunts." + +"Some were penitents, no doubt," she answered, "but they, having +obtained by their sanctity an extraordinary reputation, induced others, +whose lives had been blameless, to follow their example, and in time +the desert became colonised with recluses, who rivalled each other in +the intensity of their devotions and the extent of their privations." + +"Would it not have been more commendable," I asked, "if these men had +remained in the community to which they belonged, withstanding +temptation, and been employed in labour that was creditable to +themselves and useful to their country?" + +"No doubt it would," she replied; "but religion has, unfortunately, too +often been the result of impulse rather than conviction; and at the +period to which we are referring, it was thought that sinful human +nature could only gain the attributes of saintship by neglecting its +social duties, and punishing its humanity in the severest manner. Even +in more recent times, and at the present day, in Catholic countries, it +is customary for individuals of both sexes, to abandon the world of +which they might render themselves ornaments, and shut themselves up in +buildings constructed expressly to receive them, where they continue to +go through a course of devotions and privations till death puts an end +to their voluntary imprisonment. + +"In this modified instance of seclusion," she added, "there are +features very different from our own case. We are not forced to +impoverish our blood with insufficient diet, or mortify our flesh with +various forms of punishment. We do not neglect the worship of God. We +offer up daily thanks for his loving care of us, and sing his praises +in continual hymns: and instead of wasting the hours of the day in +unmeaning penances, we fill up our time in employments that add to our +health, comfort, and happiness: and that enable us the better to +appreciate the goodness of that Power who is so mindful of our welfare." + +"Have you no wish then, to leave this island?" I inquired. + +"I should gladly avail myself of the first opportunity that presented +itself for getting safely to England," she replied. "But I would wait +patiently the proper time. It is not only useless repining at our +prolonged stay here, but it looks like an ungrateful doubting of the +power of God to remove us. Be assured that he has not preserved us so +long, and through so many dangers, to abandon us when we most require +his interposition in our favour." + +I endeavoured to gather consolation from such representations: but +perhaps young people are not so easily reconciled to what they do not +like, as are their elders, for I cannot say I succeeded in becoming +satisfied with my position. + + + + +Chapter XLI + + +The perils of my first voyage had deterred me from making a similar +experiment; but I recovered my boat, and having further strengthened +it, fitted it with what could either be turned into a well or locker: I +used to row out a little distance when the sea was free from sharks and +fish. + +But my grand effort in this direction was the completion of a net, +which, assisted by Mrs Reichardt, I managed to manufacture. By this +time she had gained sufficient confidence to accompany me in my fishing +excursions; she would even take the oars whilst I threw out the net, +and assisted me in dragging it into the boat. + +The first time we got such a haul, that I was afraid of the safety of +our little craft. The locker was full, and numbers of great fish, as I +flung them out of the net, were flapping and leaping about the bottom +of the boat. It began to sink lower in the water than was agreeable to +either of us, and I found it absolutely necessary to throw back into +the sea the greater portion of our catch. We then rowed carefully to +land, rejoicing that we had at our command, the means of obtaining an +abundant supply of food whenever we desired it. + +Mrs Reichardt was with me also in our land excursions. Together we had +explored every part of the island; our chief object was plants for +enriching our garden, and often as we had been in search of novelties, +we invariably brought home additions to our collection; and my +companion having acquired some knowledge of botany, would explain to me +the names, characters, and qualities of the different species, which +made our journeys peculiarly interesting. + +Our appearance often caused considerable amusement to each other; for +our respective costumes must have been extremely curious in the eyes of +a stranger. Neither wore shoes or stockings--these things we did not +possess, and could not procure; we wore leggings and sandals of seal +skin to protect us from the thorns and plants of the cacti tribe, among +which we were obliged to force our way. My companion wore a conical cap +of seal skin, and protected her complexion from the sun, by a rude +attempt at an umbrella I had made for her. + +She had on, on these occasions, a pair of coarse cloth trousers, as her +own dress would have been torn to pieces before she had got half a mile +through the bush; these were surmounted by a tight spencer she had +herself manufactured out of a man's waistcoat, and a dimity petticoat, +which buttoned up to her throat, and was fastened in the same way at +the wrists. + +My head was covered with a broad-brimmed hat, made of dry grass, which +I had myself platted. I wore a sailor's jacket, much the worse for +wear, patched with seal skin, over a pair of duck trousers, similarly +repaired. + +Although our expeditions were perfectly harmless, we did not go without +weapons. At the instigation of my companion, I had made myself a good +stout bow and plenty of arrows, and had exercised myself so frequently +at aiming at a mark, as to have acquired very considerable skill in the +use of them. I had now several arrows of hard wood tipped with sharp +fish-bones, and some with iron nails, in a kind of pouch behind me; in +its sheath before me was my American knife, which I used for taking the +plants from the ground. I had a basket made of the long grass of the +island, slung around me, which served to contain our treasures; and I +carried my bow in my hand. + +My companion, in addition to her umbrella, bore only a long staff, and +a small basket tied round her waist that usually contained a little +refreshment; for she would say there was no knowing what might occur to +delay our return, and therefore it was better to take our meal with us. +And not the least agreeable portion of the day's labour was our repast; +for we would seat ourselves in some quiet corner, surrounded by +flowers, and shaded by the brushwood from the sun, and there eat our +dried fish or pick our birds, and roast our potatoes by means of a fire +of dried sticks, and wash down our simple dinner with a flask of pure +water--the most refreshing portion of our banquet. + +I had, as I have just stated, attained a singular degree of skill in +the use of the bow and arrow, which, as we had no fire-arms, was often +of important service in procuring food on land. + +I had made another use of my skill--an application of it which afforded +me a vast deal of satisfaction. My old enemies the sharks used still to +frequent a certain portion of the coast in great numbers, and as soon +as I became master of my weapon, I would stand as near to the edge of +the rock as was safe, and singling out my victim, aim at his upper fin, +which I often found had the effect of ridding the place of that fellow. + +I bore such an intense hatred to these creatures, for the fright they +had put me into during my memorable voyage of discovery, and for the +slaughter of my beloved Nero, that I determined to wage incessant war +against them, as long as I could manufacture an arrow, or a single +shark remained on the coast. + +As we had so often traversed the island without accident, we dreamt not +of danger. We had never met with any kind of animals, except our old +friends the seals, who kept near the sea. Of birds, the gannets were +generally the sole frequenters of the island; but we had seen, at rare +intervals, birds of a totally different character, some of which I had +shot. + +Indeed, during our excursions, I was always on the look out for any +stranger of the feathered race, that I might exercise my skill upon +him. If he proved eatable, he was sure to be very welcome; and even if +he could not be cooked, he afforded me some entertainment, in hearing +from Mrs Reichardt his name and habits. + +We had discovered a natural hollow which lay so low that it was quite +hid till we came close to it, when we had to descend a steep declivity +covered with shrubs. At the bottom was a soil evidently very +productive, for we found trees growing there to a considerable height, +that were in marked contrast to the shrubby plants that grew in other +parts of the island. We called this spot the Happy Valley, and it +became a favourite resting-place. + +I remember on one of these occasions, we had made our dinner after +having been several hours employed in seeking for plants, of which we +had procured a good supply, and the remains of our meal lay under a +great tree, beneath the spreading branches of which we had been resting +ourselves. + +It was quite on the other side of the island, within about a quarter of +a mile from the sea. Abundance of curious plants grew about the place, +and Mrs Reichardt had wandered to a little distance to examine all +within view. + +I was peering into the trees and shrubs around to discover a new comer. +I had wandered in an opposite direction to that taken by my companion, +and was creeping round a clump of shrubs about twenty yards off, in +which I detected a chirping noise, when I heard a loud scream. + +I turned sharply round and beheld Mrs Reichardt, evidently in an agony +of terror, running towards me with prodigious swiftness. She had +dropped her umbrella and her staff, her cap had fallen from her head, +and her long hair, disarranged by her sudden flight, streamed behind +her shoulders. + +At first I did not see anything which could have caused this terrible +alarm, but in a few seconds I heard a crushing among a thicket of +shrubs from which she was running, as if some heavy weight was being +forced through them; and presently there issued a most extraordinary +monster. It came forward at a quick pace, its head erect above ten +feet, its jaws wide open, from the midst of which there issued a forked +tongue which darted in and out with inconceivable rapidity. Its body +was very long, and thick as an ordinary tree; it was covered over with +bright shining scales that seemed to have different colours, and was +propelled along the ground in folds of various sizes, with a length of +tail of several yards behind. Its eyes were very bright and fierce. Its +appearance certainly accounted for my companion's alarm. + +"Fly!" she cried in accents of intense terror, as she rushed towards +me, "fly, or you are lost!" + +She then gave a hurried glance behind her, and seeing the formidable +monster in full chase, she just had power to reach the spot to which I +had advanced, and sunk overpowered with terror, fainting at my feet. + +My first movement was to step across her body for the purpose of +disputing the passage of the monster, and in an erect posture, with my +bow drawn tight as I could pull it, I waited a few seconds till I could +secure a good aim, for I knew everything depended on my steadiness and +resolution. + +On came my prodigious antagonist, making a terrible hissing as he +approached, his eyes flashing, his jaws expanded as if he intended to +swallow me at a mouthful, and the enormous folds of his huge body +passing like wheels over the ground, crushing the thick plants that +came in their way like grass. + +I must acknowledge that in my heart I felt a strange sinking sensation, +but I remembered that our only chance of escape lay in giving the +monster a mortal wound, and the imminence of the danger seemed to +afford me the resolution I required. + +He was close behind, and in a direct line with the tree under which we +had dined, and I was about twenty yards from it. Directly his head +darted round and in front of the tree, making a good mark, I let fly +the arrow direct, as I thought, for his eye, hoping, by penetrating his +brain, to settle him at once. But as he moved his head at that moment, +the arrow went into his open jaws, one of which it penetrated, and +going deep into the tree behind, pinned his head close to the bark. + +As soon as the huge creature found himself hurt, he wound his enormous +body round the trunk, and with his desperate exertions swayed the great +tree backwards and forwards, as I would have done one of its smallest +branches. Fearful that he would liberate himself before I could save my +senseless companion, as quick as possible I discharged all my arrows +into his body, which took effect in various places. His exertions then +became so terrible that I hastily snatched up Mrs Reichardt in my arms, +and with a fright that seemed to give me supernatural strength, I ran +as fast as I could the shortest way to our hut. Fortunately, before I +had gone half a mile, my companion came to her senses, and was able to +continue her flight. + +We got home at last, half dead with fatigue and fright; nevertheless +the first thing we did was to barricade all the entrances. We left +loop-holes to reconnoitre; and there we sat for hours after our +arrival, waiting the monster's approach in fear and trembling. + +We did not go to sleep that night. We did not, either of us, go out the +next day. The next night one watched while the other slept. The second +day my courage had so far returned, I wanted to go and look after the +constant subject of our conversation. But Mrs Reichardt dissuaded me. + +She told me it was an enormous python, or serpent of the boa species, +that are common on the northern coast of America. Probably it had been +brought to the island on a drifted tree, and being so prodigious a +reptile, the wounds it had received were not likely to do it much harm, +and it would be no doubt lurking about, ready to pounce upon either of +us directly we appeared. + +On the third day, nothing having occurred to increase our alarm, I +determined to know the worst; so I got by stealth out of the house, and +armed with a fresh bow, a good supply of arrows, a hatchet slung at my +side, and my American knife--with my mind made up for another conflict +if necessary--I crept stealthily along, with my eyes awake to the +slightest motion, and my ears open to the slightest sound, till I +approached the scene of my late unequal struggle. + +I must own I began to draw my breath rather rapidly, and my heart beat +more quickly, as I came near the place where I had left my terrible +enemy. To my extreme surprise the python had disappeared. There was a +tree still standing, though its foliage and branches strewed the +ground, and a great portion of its bark was ground to powder. At the +base of the trunk was a pool of blood mingled with fragments of bark, +broken arrows, leaves, and mould. The reptile had escaped. But where +was he? Not altogether without anxiety I began to look for traces of +his retreat; and they were easily found. With my arrow ready for +immediate flight, I followed a stream of blood that was still visible +on the grass, and led from the tree, accompanied by unmistakable marks +of the great serpent's progress, in a direct line to the sea. There it +disappeared. + +When I discovered this, I breathed again. There was no doubt if the +monster survived the conflict, he was hundreds of miles away, and was +not likely to return to a place where he had received so rough a +welcome. It may readily be believed I lost no time in taking the +agreeable news to my companion. + + + + +Chapter XLII + + +I had become tired of looking out for a ship. Though day after day, and +week after week, I made the most careful scrutiny with my glass, as I +have said, it brought no result. I sometimes fancied I saw a vessel +appearing in the line of the horizon, and I would pile up faggots and +light them, and throw on water to make them smoke, as Jackson had done; +but all without avail. Either my vision had deceived me, or my signals +had not been observed, or the ship's course did not lie in the +direction of the island. + +We had had storms too on several occasions, but no wreck had been left +on our coast. I began to think we were doomed to live out our lives on +this rock, and frequently found myself striving very manfully to be +resigned to my fate, and for a few days I would cheerfully endeavour to +make the best of it. But the increasing desire I felt to get to +England, that I might seek out my grandfather, and put him in +possession of his diamonds, always prevented this state of things +enduring very long. I had obtained from Mrs Reichardt an idea of the +value of these stones, and of the importance of their restoration to my +relative, and I had often thought of the satisfaction I should enjoy in +presenting myself before him, as the restorer of such valuable +property, which, no doubt, had long since been given up as lost. + +But latterly, I thought less of these things; the chance of leaving the +island seemed so remote, and the prospect of ever seeing my grandfather +so very distant, that I had ceased to take any interest in the contents +of the belt. The diamonds seemed to become as valueless as they were +useless; a handful of wheat would have been much more desirable. It was +now some time since I had seen the belt, or inquired about it. + +Thus we lived without any incident occurring worth relating--when one +day the appearance of the atmosphere indicated a storm, and a very +violent hurricane, attended with peals of thunder and lurid flashes of +lightning, lasted during the whole of the day and evening. The wind +tore up the trees by the roots, blew down our outhouses, made terrible +havoc in our garden, and threatened to tumble our hut over our heads. + +We could not think of going to our beds whilst such a tempest was +raging around us, so we sat up, listening to the creaking of the +boards, and anticipating every moment that the whole fabric would be +blown to pieces. Fortunately, the bark with which I had covered the +roof, in a great measure protected us from the rain, which came down in +torrents; but every part was not equally impervious, and our discomfort +was increased by seeing the water drip through, and form pools on the +floor. + +The thunder still continued at intervals, and was sometimes so loud as +to have a most startling effect upon us. My companion knelt down and +said her prayers with great fervour, and I joined in them with scarcely +less devotion. Indeed it was an awful night, and our position, though +under shelter, was not without danger. The incessant flashes of +lightning seemed to play round our edifice, as if determined to set it +in a blaze; and the dreadful peals of thunder that followed, rolled +over our heads, as if about to burst upon the creaking boards that shut +us from its fury. + +I fancied once or twice that I heard during the storm bursts of sound +quite different in character from the peals of thunder. They were not +so loud, and did not reverberate so much; they seemed to come nearer, +and then the difference in sound became very perceptible. + +"Great God!" exclaimed Mrs Reichardt, starting up from her kneeling +posture, "that is a gun from some ship." + +The wind seemed less boisterous for a few seconds, and the thunder +ceased. We listened breathlessly for the loud boom we had just heard, +but it was not repeated. In a moment afterwards our ears were startled +by the most terrifying combination of screams, shrieks, cries, and +wailings I had ever heard. My blood seemed chilled in my veins. + +"A ship has just struck," whispered my companion, scarcely above her +breath. "The Lord have mercy on the crew!" + +She sank on her knees again in prayer, as if for the poor souls who +were struggling in the jaws of death. The wind still howled, and the +thunder still roared, but in the fiercest war of the elements, I +fancied I could every now and then hear the piercing shrieks sent up to +heaven for assistance. I thought once or twice of venturing out, but I +remembered the safety of my companion was so completely bound up with +my own, that I could not reconcile myself to leaving her; and I was +also well aware, that till the terrible fury of the tempest abated, it +was impossible for me to be of the slightest service to the people of +the wrecked ship, even could I remain unharmed exposed to the violence +of the weather. + +I however awaited with much impatience and intense anxiety till the +storm had in some measure spent itself; but this did not occur till +sunrise the next morning. The wind fell, the thunder and lightning +ceased, the rain was evidently diminishing, and the brightness of the +coming day began to burst through the darkest night that had ever +visited the island. + +Mrs Reichardt would not be left behind; it was possible she might be +useful, and taking with her a small basket of such things as she +imagined might be required, she accompanied me to the rocks nearest the +sea. + +On arriving there, the most extraordinary scene presented itself. The +sea was strewed with spars, masts, chests, boats stove in or otherwise +injured, casks, empty hen-coops, and innumerable pieces of floating +wreck that were continually dashed against the rocks, or were washed +ashore, wherever an opening for the sea presented itself. At a little +distance lay the remains of a fine ship, her masts gone by the board, +her decks open, in fact a complete wreck, over which the sea had but +lately been making a clean sweep, carrying overboard everything that +could not resist its fury. + +I could see nothing resembling a human being, though both myself and my +companion looked carefully round in the hope of discovering some poor +creature, that might need assistance. It appeared, however, as if the +people of the ship had taken to their boats, which had been swamped, +and most probably all who had ventured into them had been devoured by +the sharks. + +Had the crew remained on board, they would in all probability have been +saved; as the vessel had been thrown almost high and dry. + +As soon as we had satisfied ourselves that no sharks were in the +neighbourhood, I launched my little boat, and each taking an oar, we +pulled in the direction of the wreck, which we reached in a few minutes. + +She had heeled over after striking, and the water was quite smooth +under her lee. I contrived to climb into the main chains, and from +thence on board, and was soon afterwards diligently exploring the ship. +I penetrated every place into which I could effect an entrance, +marvelling much at the variety of things I beheld. There seemed such an +abundance of everything, and of things too quite new to me, that I was +bewildered by their novelty and variety. + +Having discovered a coil of new rope, I hauled it on deck, and soon +made fast my little boat to the ship. Then I made a hasty rope ladder +which I threw over, and Mrs Reichardt was in a very few minutes +standing by my side. Her knowledge was necessary to inform me of the +uses of the several strange things I saw, and to select for our own use +what was most desirable. She being well acquainted with the interior of +a ship, and having explained to me its numerous conveniences, I could +not but admire the ingenuity of man, in creating such stupendous +machines. + +The ship having much water in the hold, I was forced to dive into the +armoury. It was the first time I had seen such things, and I handled +the muskets and pistols with a vast deal of curiosity; as my companion +explained to me how they were loaded and fired, I at once saw their +advantage over the bow and arrow, and was selecting two or three to +carry away, when I hesitated on being assured they would be perfectly +useless without ammunition. I might have remained content with my own +savage weapons that had already served me so well, had not Mrs +Reichardt, in the course of our survey, discovered several tin +canisters of powder perfectly uninjured, with abundance of shot and +bullets, of which I quickly took possession. + +From other parts of the vessel we selected bags of grain, barrels of +flour, and provisions of various kinds; wearing apparel, boxes of +tools, with numerous bottles and jars, with the contents of which I was +perfectly unacquainted, though their discovery gave great gratification +to my companion. What most excited my wonder, were various kinds of +agricultural implements that we found in the hold, and in a short time +I was made aware of the proper employment of spades, harrows, ploughs, +thrashing-machines, and many other things, of the existence of which I +had never before dreamt. + +We found also quantities of various kinds of seeds and roots, and some +sort of twigs growing in pots, which Mrs Reichardt particularly begged +me not to leave behind, as they would be of the greatest use to us; and +she added that, from various signs, she believed that the ship had been +an emigrant vessel going out with settlers, but to what place she could +not say. + +We made no ceremony in breaking open lockers and chests, and every +where discovered a variety of things, which, could we transfer to our +island, would add greatly to our comfort; but how they were to be got +ashore, was a puzzle which neither of us seemed capable of solving. Our +little boat would only contain a few of the lighter articles; and as +many of these as we could conveniently put together were shortly stowed +in her. + +With this cargo we were about returning, when my companion called my +attention to a noise that seemed to come from a distant corner of the +vessel, and she laughed and exhibited so much satisfaction that I +believed we were close upon some discovery far more important than any +we had yet hit upon. + +We continued to make our way to what seemed to me a very out of the way +part of the vessel, led in a great measure by the noises that proceeded +from thence. It was so dark here, that we were obliged to get a light, +and my companion having procured a ship's lantern, and lighted it by +means of a tinderbox, led me to a place where I could discern several +animals, most of which were evidently dead. She however ascertained +that there were two young calves, three or four sheep, and as many +young pigs, still giving very noisy evidence of their existence. She +searched about and found some food for them, which they ate with great +avidity. The larger animals she told me were cows and horses; but they +had fallen down, and gave no signs of life. + +My companion and myself then entered into a long debate as to how we +were to remove the living animals from the dead; and she dwelt very +eloquently upon the great advantages that would accrue to us, if we +could succeed in transporting to the island the survivors. + +After giving them a good feed, seeing we could not remove them at +present, we descended safely to our boat and gained the shore without +any accident. Then having housed our treasures, we were for putting +together a raft of the various planks and barrels that were knocking +against the rocks, but as I knew this would take a good deal of time, I +thought I would inspect the ship's boats, which, bottom upwards, were +drifting about within a few yards of us. + +To our great satisfaction, one I ascertained to be but little injured, +and having forced her ashore, with our united exertions we turned her +over. In an hour we had made her water-tight, had picked up her oars, +and were pulling merrily for the wreck. + + + + +Chapter XLIII + + +Had the cows or horses been alive, they must have been left behind, for +we could not have removed them, but the smaller animals were with +comparatively little difficulty got on deck, and they descended with me +into the boat. We added a few things that lay handy, and in a few +minutes were laughingly driving our four-footed treasures on shore, to +the extreme astonishment of the gannets, which seemed as though they +would never cease to flap their wings, as their new associates were +driven by them. + +In the same way we removed the most portable of the agricultural +implements, bed and bedding, cots, and hammocks, furniture, the +framework of a house, preserved provisions of all kinds, a medicine +chest, boxes of books, crates of china and glass, all sorts of useful +tools, and domestic utensils; in short, in the course of the next two +or three weeks, by repeated journeys, we filled every available place +we could find with what we had managed to rescue. + +Then came another terrible storm that lasted two days, after which the +wreck having been broken up, was scattered in every direction. I +however managed to secure the drift wood, tubs, spars, and chests, +which were all got on shore, and proved of the greatest service to me +some time afterwards. + +Numerous as our acquisitions had been in this way, both of us had been +infinitely better pleased had we been able to rescue some of the +ill-fated crew, to whom they had once belonged. But not one of them +could have escaped, and only one body was cast on shore, which was that +of a young woman, who lay with her face to the ground, and her wet +clothes clinging round her. We turned her carefully over, and I beheld +a face that seemed to me wonderfully fair and beautiful. She had +escaped the sharks, and had been dead several hours--most probably she +had been cast on shore by the waves soon after the ship struck, for she +had escaped also the rocks, which, had she been dashed against, would +have left fearful signs of their contact on her delicate frame. + +The sight of her corpse gave me many melancholy thoughts. I thought of +the delight she might have caused both of us, had she been saved. What +a pleasant companion she might have proved! Indeed, as I looked on her +pale cold features, I fancied that she might have reconciled me to +ending my existence on the island--ay, even to the abandonment of my +favourite scheme of seeking my grandfather to give him back his +diamonds. + +We took her up with as much pity and affection as if she were our +nearest and dearest relative, and carried her home and placed her on +Mrs Reichardt's bed; and then I laid some planks together, in the shape +of what Mrs Reichardt called a coffin--and I dug her a deep grave in +the guano. + +And all the while I found myself crying as I had never cried before, +and my heart seemed weary and faint. In solemn silence we carried her +to her grave, and read over her the funeral service out of the +Prayer-book, kneeling and praying for this nameless creature, whom we +had never seen alive, as though she had been our companion for many +years; both of us shedding tears for her hapless fate as if we had lost +a beloved sister. And when we had filled up her grave and departed, we +went home, and passed the most miserable day we had ever had to endure +since we had first been cast upon the island. + +I had now numerous occupations that kept me actively employed. Still I +could not for a long time help recalling to mind that pale face that +looked so piteously upon me when I first beheld it; and then I would +leave off my work, and give myself up to my melancholy thoughts till my +attention was called off by some appeal from my companion. I made a +kind of monument over the place where she was buried, and planted there +the finest flowers we had; and I never passed the spot without a +prayer, as if I were approaching holy ground. + +I must not forget to add, that a few days after the wreck we were +agreeably surprised by visitors that, though unexpected, were extremely +welcome. I had noticed strange birds wandering about in various parts +of the island. On their coming under the notice of my companion, they +were immediately recognised as fowls and ducks that had no doubt +escaped from the ship. + +We might now, therefore, constitute ourselves a little colony, of which +Mrs Reichardt and myself were the immediate governors, the settlers +being a mingled community of calves, sheep, pigs, and poultry, that +lived on excellent terms with each other; the quadrupeds having +permission to roam where they pleased, and the bipeds being kept within +a certain distance of the government house. + +The old hut had suffered so much from the storm that I determined on +building another in a better position, and had recourse to the +framework of the house I had taken from the wreck. I had some +difficulty in putting the several parts together, but at last +succeeded, and a small, but most commodious dwelling was the result. +Near it I laid out a new garden, wherein I planted all the orange-trees +we had reared, as well as many of the seeds and roots we had brought +from the wreck. A little beyond I enclosed a paddock, wherein I planted +the twigs we had found in pots, which proved to be fruit trees. + +When I had done this, I thought of my agricultural implements, and very +much desired to make use of a handy plough that was amongst them, when +I learned the advantages that might arise from it. At first, I yoked +myself to the plough, and Mrs Reichardt held it: this proved such hard +and awkward work that I kept projecting all sorts of plans for +lessening the labour--the best was that of yoking our calves, and +making them pull instead of myself. This was more easily thought of +than done. The animals did not prove very apt pupils, but in course of +time, with a good deal of patience, and some manoeuvring, I succeeded +in making them perform the work they were expected to do. + +Thus, in building, gardening, planting, and farming, the time flew by +quickly, and in the course of the next year the aspect of the place had +become quite changed. The guano that enriched the soil made every kind +of vegetation thrive with an almost marvellous rapidity and luxuriance. +We had a comfortable house, up which a vine was creeping in one place, +and a young pear-tree in another. We were supplied with the choicest +oranges, and had apples of several kinds. We had abundance of +furniture, and an inexhaustible stock of provisions. We had a most +gorgeous show of flowers of many different species; our new kitchen +garden was full of useful vegetables--young fruit trees were yielding +their produce wherever they had been planted--the poultry had more than +doubled their number--the calves were taking upon themselves the full +dignity of the state of cow and bull--the ewes had numerous lambs--and +the pigs had not only grown into excellent pork, but had already +produced more than one litter that would be found equally desirable +when provisions ran scarce. We had two growing crops, of different +kinds of grain, and a large pasture-field fenced round. + +The Little Savage, at seventeen, had been transformed into a farmer, +and the cultivation of the farm and the care of the live stock soon +left him no time for indulging in vain longings to leave the island, or +useless regrets for the fair creature who, even in death, I had +regarded as its greatest ornament. + +Two years later, still greater improvements, and still greater +additions became visible. We were establishing a dairy farm on a small +scale, and as our herds and flocks, as well as the pigs and poultry, +increased rapidly, we promised in a few years to be the most thriving +farmers that had ever lived in that part of the world by the +cultivation of the land. + + + + +Chapter XLIV + + +Although my first experimental voyage had proved so hazardous, now that +I was better provided for meeting its perils, I became anxious to make +another attempt to circumnavigate the island. The boat that had +belonged to the wrecked ship, from the frequent trips I had made in her +to and from the shore, I could manage as well as if I had been rowing +boats all my life. + +With the assistance of Mrs Reichardt, who pulled an oar almost as well +as myself, we could get her along in very good style, even when heavily +laden, and our labours together had taken from her all that timidity +which had deterred her from trusting herself with me, when I first +ventured from the island. + +I was, however, very differently circumstanced now, to what I was then. +Instead of a frail cockle-shell, that threatened to be capsized by +every billow that approached it, and that would scarcely hold two +persons comfortably, I was master of a well-built ship's-boat, that +would hold half a dozen with ease, and except in very rough weather, +was as safe as any place ashore. + +I had repaired the slight damage its timbers had received, and had made +an awning to protect us when rowing from the heat of the sun; I had +also raised a sail, which would relieve us of a good deal of labour. +When everything was prepared, I urged Mrs Reichardt to accompany me in +a voyage round the island; an excursion I hoped would turn out equally +pleasant and profitable. + +I found her very averse to trusting herself farther from shore than was +absolutely necessary. She raised all kinds of objections--prominent +among which were my want of seamanship for managing a boat in the open +sea; the danger that might arise from a sudden squall coming on; her +fear of our getting amongst a shoal of sharks, and the risk we ran of +driving against a projecting rock; but I overruled them all. + +I showed her, by taking little trips out to sea, that I could manage +the boat either with the sail or the oars, and assured her that by +keeping close to the island, we could run ashore before danger could +reach us; and that nothing could be easier than our keeping out of the +reach of both rocks and sharks. + +I do not think I quite convinced her that her fears were groundless, +but my repeated entreaties, the fineness of the weather, and her +dislike to be again left on the island, whilst I was risking my life at +sea, prevailed, and she promised to join me in this second experiment. + +Her forethought, however, was here as fully demonstrated as on other +occasions, for she did not suffer the boat to leave the shore till she +had provided for any accident that might prevent our return in the +anticipated time. + +A finer day for such a voyage we could not have selected. The sky was +without a cloud, and there was just wind enough for the purpose I +wanted, without any apprehensions of this being increased. I got up the +awning, and spread the sail, and handing Mrs Reichardt to her appointed +seat, we bid farewell to our four-footed and two-footed friends ashore, +that were gazing at us as if they knew they were parting from their +only protectors. I then pushed the boat off, the wind caught the sail, +and she glided rapidly through the deep water. + +I let her proceed in this way about a quarter of a mile from the +island, and then tacked; the boat, obedient to the position of the +sail, altered her course, and we proceeded at about the same rate for a +considerable distance. + +Mrs Reichardt, notwithstanding her previous fears, could not help +feeling the exhilarating effect of this adventurous voyage. We were +floating, safely and gracefully, upon the billows, with nothing but sea +and sky in every direction but one, where the rugged shores of our +island home gave a bold, yet menacing feature to the view. + +My heart seemed to expand with the majestic prospect before me. Never +had mariner, when discovering some prodigious continent, felt a greater +degree of exultation than I experienced, when directing my little +vessel over the immense wilderness of waters that spread out before me, +till it joined the line of the horizon. + +I sat down by the side of Mrs Reichardt, and allowed the boat to +proceed on its course, either as if it required no directing hand, or +that its present direction was so agreeable, I felt no inclination to +alter it. + +"I can easily imagine," said I, "the enthusiasm of such men as +Columbus, whose discovery of America you were relating to me the other +day. The vocation of these early navigators was a glorious one, and, +when they had tracked their way over so many thousand miles of pathless +water, and found themselves in strange seas, expecting the appearance +of land, hitherto unknown to the civilised world, they must have felt +the importance of their mission as discoverers." + +"No doubt, Frank," she replied. "And probably it was this that +supported the great man you have just named, in the severe trials he +was obliged to endure, on the very eve of the discovery that was to +render his name famous to all generations. He had endured intolerable +hardships, the ship had been so long without sight of land, that no one +thought it worth while to look out for it, and he expected that his +crew would mutiny, and insist on returning. At this critical period of +his existence, first one indication of land, and then another made +itself manifest; the curiosity of the disheartened sailors became +excited; hope revived in the breast of their immortal captain; a man +was now induced to ascend the main-top, and his joyful cry of land woke +up the slumbering spirit of the crew. In this way, a new world was +first presented to the attention of the inhabitants of the old." + +"It appears to me very unjust," I observed, "that so important a +discovery should have become known to us, not by the name of its +original discoverer, but by that of a subsequent visitor to its shores." + +"Undoubtedly," said Mrs Reichardt, "it is apparently unfair that +Americus Vespucius should obtain an honour which Christopher Columbus +alone had deserved. But of the fame which is the natural right of him +whose courage and enterprise procured this unrivalled acquisition, no +one can deprive him. His gigantic discovery may always be known as +America, but the world acknowledges its obligation to Columbus, and +knows little beyond the name of his rival." + +"Were the immediate results of so large an addition to geographical +knowledge, as beneficial to the entire human race as they ought to have +been?" + +"I do not think they were. The vast continent then thrown open to the +advance of civilisation, may be divided into two portions, the south +and the north. The former was inhabited by a harmless effeminate race, +who enjoyed many of the refinements of civilisation; their knowledge of +the arts, for instance, as shewn to us in the ruins of their cities, +was considerable; they possessed extensive buildings in a bold and +ornate style of architecture; they made a lavish use of the precious +metals, of which the land was extremely rich, and they wore dresses +which shewed a certain perfection in the manufacture of textile +fabrics, and no slight degree of taste and art in their formation. + +"The Spaniards, who were led to this part of the continent by a desire +to enrich themselves with the gold which the earliest discoverers had +found in the new country in considerable quantities, invaded the +territories of this peaceful people, and, by their superior knowledge +of warlike weapons, and the ignorance of the intentions of their +invaders that prevailed amongst the natives of all ranks, by a series +of massacres, they were enabled, though comparatively but a small +force, to obtain possession of the vast empire that had been +established there from time immemorial, and turn it into a Spanish +colony. + +"The blood of this harmless race flowed like water; their great Incas +or Emperors were deposed and murdered, their splendid temples plundered +of their riches, their nobles and priests tortured to make them change +their faith, and the great mass of the people became slaves to their +more warlike conquerors. It was in this way the gold of Mexico and Peru +enriched the treasury of Spain; but every ingot had the curse of blood +upon it, and from that time the Spanish power, then at its height, +began to decline in Europe, till it sunk in the scale of nations among +the least important. The colonies revolted from the mother country, and +became independent states; but the curse that followed the infamous +appropriation of the country, seems to cling to the descendants of the +first criminals, and neither government nor people prospers; and it is +evident that all these independent states must in time be absorbed by a +great republic, that has sprung up by peaceable means, as it were at +their side, whilst they were content to be colonies." + +"To what republic do you allude?" + +"You may remember that I told you that the entire continent was divided +into south and north." + +"Exactly." + +"The history of the southern portion I have rapidly sketched for you, +that of the northern you will find of a totally different character." + +"Pray let me hear it." + +"When North America was first discovered, it was found to be inhabited +by a race of savages, divided into several tribes. They had no +manufactures; they had no knowledge of art or science; they lived in +the impenetrable woods in huts, having no pretension to architecture; +they went almost entirely naked, were extremely warlike, and fond of +hunting, and were known to devour the enemies they killed in battle. + +"To this barbarous race came a few adventurous men across the stormy +Atlantic, from the distant island of England--" + +"Ah, England!" I exclaimed, "that is the country of my parents--that is +the home of my grandfather; let me hear anything you have to say about +England." + +Mrs Reichardt smiled at my animation, but proceeded without making any +comment upon what I had said. + +"England possessed at this period many adventurous spirits, who were +ready to dare every danger to obtain for their country a share in the +honours which other lands had assumed through the enterprise of their +navigators. By such men different portions of the northern continent of +America were discovered; the fame of these new lands, their wonderful +productiveness and admirable climate, soon spread amongst their +countrymen, and from time to time various ships left the English ports +with small bands of adventurers, who made what were termed settlements +in the country of these savages--not by mercilessly massacring them as +the Spaniards had done in the south, and then plundering them of all +they possessed, but by purchasing certain districts or pieces of land +from the original occupants, which they peacefully cultivated; as their +numbers increased, they multiplied their habitations, and obtained by +barter of the savages fresh accessions of territory." + +"The English showed themselves a much more humane people than the +Spaniards," I observed. "But did they never come into collision with +the wild natives of the country?" + +"Frequently," Mrs Reichardt replied, "but in some measure this was +unavoidable. As new settlers from England landed in the country, they +required more land; but the savages were now not inclined to barter; +they had become jealous of the strangers, and were desirous of driving +them back to their ships before they became too numerous. Acts of +hostility were committed by the savages upon the settlers, which were +often marked by great brutality: this exasperated the latter, who +joined in a warlike association, and notwithstanding their numbers and +daring, drove them further and further from their neighbourhood, till +either by conquest, treaties, or purchase, the Englishmen or their +descendants obtained the greater portion of North America." + +"Do they still hold possession of it?" I asked. + +"Up to a recent date, the whole of this vast acquisition was a colony +in obedience to the government of England; but a dispute having arisen +between the mother country and the colony, a struggle took place, which +ended in the latter throwing off all subjection to the laws of England. +The extensive provinces joined together in a union of equal privileges +and powers, which has since gone by the name of the Government of the +United States of North America. This is the great republic to which I +just now alluded, that is gradually absorbing the minor Southern States +into its--union, and threatens at no very distant date to spread the +English language and the English race over the whole continent of +America." + +"Has England then completely lost the country she colonised?" I +inquired, feeling more and more interested in the subject. + +"No, a great portion still remains in her possession," she replied. +"The people preserved their allegiance when their neighbours thought +proper to rise in revolt, and are now in a state of great prosperity, +governed by the laws of England, and supported by her power. The +English possessions in North America form an extensive district. It is, +however, but an inconsiderable fraction of the vast countries still +remaining under the dominion of England. Her territories lie in every +quarter of the globe; indeed the sun never sets upon this immense +empire--an empire with which the conquests of Alexander, and of Caesar, +or the most formidable state that existed in ancient times, cannot for +a moment be compared; and when we bear in mind that in all these +various climates, and in all these far-distant shores, the flag of our +country affords the same protection to the colonist as he would enjoy +in his own land, we may entertain some idea of the vast power that +government possesses which can make itself respected at so many +opposite points from the source whence it emanates." + +I was so much interested in this description, that I had neglected to +notice the rate at which the boat was driving through the water. I now +rose with great alacrity to shift the sail, as we had got several miles +from the island, and if I did not take care we might be blown out of +sight of land. I lost no time in putting her on another tack, but we +had not proceeded far in this direction when I found the wind lull, and +presently the sail drooped to the mast, and there was a dead calm. + +It became necessary now to take to our oars, and we were presently +pulling with all our strength in the direction of land. This went on +for some time till we were both tired, and I was surprised at the +little progress we had made. We lay on our oars and took some +refreshment, and then pulled with additional vigour; but I began to +suspect that we were receding from the land instead of approaching it, +and called Mrs Reichardt's attention to the fact of the island +diminishing in size notwithstanding the length of time we had been +pulling towards it. + +"Ah, Frank," she said, in a melancholy tone of voice, "I have for some +time entertained suspicions that all our strength was being expended in +vain. It is very clear that we have got into a current that is every +moment taking us farther out to sea, and if a breeze does not soon +spring up, we shall lose sight of the island, and then, heaven only +knows what will become of us." + +I shook out the sail, in hopes of its catching sufficient wind to lead +us out of the current, but not a breath of air was stirring. We did not +possess such a thing as a compass; our provisions were only calculated +for a pleasure trip--we had only one small jar of water, and a flask of +spirit, a few biscuits, two large cakes, a chicken, and some dried +fish. The land was rapidly receding; I could only mark its position +with respect to the sun that now was pouring its burning rays upon our +little bark. If it had not been for the awning we could not have +endured it; the heat was so oppressive. We had been obliged to give +over rowing, as much from the fatigue it occasioned, as from the +hopelessness of our labour. + +We now sat with sinking hearts watching the fast retreating land. It +had become a point--it diminished to a speck, and as it disappeared +from our anxious sight, the sun set in all his glory, and we were +drifting at the mercy of the current we knew not where, with nothing +but sky and sea all around us. + + + + +Chapter XLV + + +Vainly I stretched my eyes around the illimitable field of ocean, in +hope of discerning some indication of that power whose ships I had been +told traversed every sea; but nothing like a vessel was in sight--the +mighty waters stretched out like an endless desert on every side. There +was no sign of man in all this vast space, except our little boat; and +in comparison with this space, how insignificant were the two helpless +human beings who sat silent and motionless in that boat awaiting their +destiny. + +The stars came out with marvellous brilliancy. I fancied that I had +never seen them appear so bright; but probably the gloominess of my +thoughts made them look brighter by contrast. I seemed the centre of a +glorious system of worlds revolving above me with a calm and tranquil +beauty, that appeared to reproach me for giving way to despair in a +scene so lovely. + +The great mass of water, scarcely moved by a ripple, now appeared lit +up with countless fires, and a purplish haze, like a low flame, was +visible in every direction. I directed the attention of my companion to +this strange appearance. Notwithstanding the intensity of her anxiety, +she immediately entered into an explanation of the phenomenon, and +attributed it to a peculiarly phosphoric state of the sea, caused by +myriads of creatures which possess the quality of the glow-worm, and +rising to the surface of the water, made the latter seem as though +enveloped in flame. + +I sat a long time watching the singular appearances that presented +themselves whenever I dashed down the oar. It looked as though I was +beating fire instead of water, and flame seemed to come from the oar +with the drops that fell from it into the sea. + +In this way hours passed by: we were still floating with the current; +the moon and stars were now coldly shining over our heads; the ocean +around us was still gleaming with phosphoric fires, when Mrs Reichardt +advised me to take some nourishment, and then endeavour to go to sleep, +saying she would keep watch and apprise me if anything happened of +which it might be advantageous to avail ourselves. + +The only thing I desired was the appearance of a vessel, or the setting +in of a breeze, of which at present not a sign existed. I felt +disinclined either to eat or to drink: but I proposed that my companion +should make a meal and then go to sleep, as it was much more proper +that I should keep watch than herself. The fact was, we were both +anxious that the other should be the first to diminish our little stock +of food; but as neither would be induced to do this, it was decided +that our provisions should be divided into certain portions, which were +only to be taken at sunrise and sunset, and that we should during the +night relieve each other every three hours in keeping watch, that if we +saw land, or a ship, or the wind should spring up, we might consult +immediately as to our course. + +I only succeeded in inducing her to lie down at the bottom of the boat, +to obtain a little sleep, previously to her taking my place that I +might so rest myself. She first said her usual prayers for the evening, +in which I joined, and in a few minutes I was glad to hear by her +regular breathing, that she was obtaining that repose of which I was +certain she stood greatly in need. + +I was now the sole observer of the stupendous spectacle that spread out +around and above me the most sublime feature in this imposing scene +appeared to be the silence which reigned supreme over all. The heavens +were as mute as the sea. It looked as if the earth had been engulfed by +a second deluge, and all living nature had perished utterly from the +face of it. + +I felt a deep feeling of melancholy stealing over me: and could not +forbear reproaching myself for embarking in this hazardous enterprise, +and risking a life that I was bound to preserve. What could become of +us both I knew not--but I was sensible that if we were not speedily +picked up, or made some friendly shore, there existed but little hopes +of our surviving many days. + +I made up my mind that the island we should never see again, and though +I had been so anxious for so many years to quit it, now that fate had +separated us for ever, I could not console myself for the loss of a +home endeared to me by so many recollections. But my great grief was +the loss of my grandfather's diamonds. He had now no chance of having +them restored to him. If they were found they would become the property +of the discoverer; and he would never know how his daughter perished on +a rock, and how his grandson was swallowed up by the waters of the +great deep. + +And then I thought of that glorious England I had so long hoped to see, +and my heart sunk within me as I gazed out upon the boundless prospect. +There was not a voice to murmur consolation, not a hand to offer me +assistance. Was I never to see those white cliffs which had been so +often described to me, that I could call them to mind as clearly as if +they stood in all their pride and beauty before my eyes? + +How often had I dreamed of approaching the hallowed shores of +England--how often had I heard the cheerful voices of her people +welcoming the Little Savage to his natural home--how often had I been +embraced by my aged grandfather, and received into the happy circle of +his friends, with the respect and affection due to his heir. I had +dreamed happy dreams, and seen blissful visions; and the result was +starvation in an open boat on the illimitable ocean. + +Mrs Reichardt still slept, and I would not wake her. As long as she was +insensible to the dangers of her position she must exist in comparative +happiness; to disturb her was to bring her back to a sense of danger +and misery, and the recollection that my folly had brought her to this +hopeless state. + +I noticed that a small cloud was making its appearance in the horizon, +and almost at the same instant I observed it, I felt a breeze that was +just sufficient to flap the sail against the mast. In a few minutes the +cloud had greatly increased, and the wind filled the sail. I fancied it +blew in a direction contrary to the current; and in the belief that it +did so I soon got the boat round, and to my great joy she was presently +scudding before the wind at a rate that was sensibly increasing. + +But the cloud presently began to envelop the heavens, and a thick +darkness spread itself like a veil in every direction. The wind blew +very fresh, and strained the mast to which the sail had been fixed; and +now I began to entertain a new fear: some sudden gust might take the +sail and capsize us, or tear it from its fastenings. I would gladly +have taken in the sail, but I considered it as rather a hazardous +experiment. Mrs Reichardt lay in a position that prevented my getting +at it without disturbing her, or running the risk of tipping the boat +over, when it would be sure to fill immediately, and sink with us both. +Though we could both swim, I felt assured that if we were once in the +water, there would remain very little chance of our protracting our +lives beyond a few hours. + +The boat, therefore, continued to run before the wind at a rapid rate, +the slight mast creaking, and the sail stretching so tight, I expected +every minute that we should be upset. At this moment Mrs Reichardt +awoke, and her quick eye immediately took in the full extent of her +danger. + +"We shall be lost," she said hurriedly, "if we do not take in that +sail!" + +I was fully aware of this, but she had seen more of a sailor's perils +than I had, and knew better how to meet them. She offered to assist me +in taking in the sail, and directing me to be very careful, we +proceeded, with the assistance of the awning, to the mast, and after a +good deal of labour, and at some risk of being blown into the sea, we +succeeded in furling the sail, and unshipping the mast. + +We were now in quite as much danger from another cause--the surface of +the sea, which had been so smooth during the calm, was now so violently +agitated by the wind, that the boat kept ascending one great billow +only to descend into the trough of another. We often went down almost +perpendicularly, and the height seemed every moment increasing; and +every time we went thus plunging headlong into the boiling waters, I +thought we should be engulfed never to rise; nevertheless, the next +minute, up we ascended on the crest of some more fearful wave than any +we had hitherto encountered, and down again we plunged in the dark +unfathomable abyss that, walled in by foaming mountains of water, +appeared yawning to close over us for ever. + +It was almost entirely dark; we could see only the white foam of the +wave over which we were about to pass; save this, it was black below +and black above, and impenetrable darkness all around. + +Mrs Reichardt sat close to me with her hand in mine--she uttered no +exclamations of feminine terror--she was more awe-struck than +frightened. I believe that she was fully satisfied her last hour had +come, for I could hear her murmuring a prayer in which she commended +her soul to her Creator. + +I cannot say that I was in any great degree alarmed--the rapid up and +down motion of the boat gave me a sensation of pleasure I had never +before experienced. To say the truth, I should have greatly enjoyed +being thus at the mercy of the winds and waves, in the midst of a black +and stormy night on the trackless ocean, had it not been for my +constant thoughts of my companion, and my bitter self-reproaches for +having led her into so terrible a danger. + +I was now, however, called from these reflections, by the necessity of +active employment. The boat I found shipped water at every plunge, and +if speedy means were not taken to keep the water under, there was +little doubt that she would soon fill and go down. I therefore seized +the iron kettle we had brought with us to cook our dinner, and began +rapidly bailing out the water, which was already over our ankles. We +continued to ship water, sometimes more and sometimes less; and Mrs +Reichardt, actuated no doubt by the same motives as myself, with a tin +pan now assisted me in getting rid of the treacherous element. + +By our united exertions we kept the water under, and hoped to be able +to get rid of the whole of it. About this time it began to rain very +heavily, and although the awning protected our heads, so much fell into +the boat, that notwithstanding our labours we continued to sit in a +pool. + +We were, however, glad to find that as the rain fell the wind abated, +and as the latter subsided, the sea became less violent, and we shipped +less water. I was now able by my own exertions to keep the boat +tolerably dry, and Mrs Reichardt, ever provident, spread out all the +empty vessels she had brought with her to catch the rain, for as she +said, we did not know how valuable that water might become in a short +time. + +The rain continued to pour down in a perfect torrent for several hours; +at the end of which the sky gradually cleared. The sea, though still +rough, presented none of those mountainous waves that a short time +before had threatened to annihilate us at every descent, and there was +just sufficient breeze to waft us along at a brisk rate with the +assistance of our sail. + +Mrs Reichardt helped me in putting up the mast, and directly we began +to feel the breeze, she insisted on my taking some refreshment. It was +vitally necessary to both, for our labours had been heavy for several +hours. We therefore ate sparingly of our provisions, and washed down +our meal with a pannikin of water mingled with a little spirit. + + + + +Chapter XLVI + + +The morning dawned upon a boundless expanse of sea. The first object +that presented itself to my sight was an enormous whale spouting water +about a quarter of a mile distant from me; then I observed another, +then a third, and subsequently, several more; they presented a singular +and picturesque appearance, as one or other of these vast animals was +continually throwing up a column of water that caught the rays of the +sun, and looked very beautiful in the distance. + +I looked in vain for land; I looked equally in vain for a ship; there +was nothing visible but this shoal of whales, and Mrs Reichardt +endeavoured to cheer me by describing the importance of the whale +fishery to England, and the perils which the men meet with who pursue +the fish for the purpose of wounding them with an iron instrument +called a harpoon. + +I felt much interest in these details; and my companion went into the +whole history of a whaling expedition, describing the first discovery +of the huge fish from the ship; the pursuit in the boats, and the +harpooning of the whale; its struggles after having been wounded; its +being towed to the ship's side; the subsequent manufacture of oil from +the blubber of the animal, and the preparation of whalebone. + +In attending to this discourse, I completely forgot that I was being +tossed about in the open sea, I knew not where; and where I might be in +a short time it would be proved I was equally ignorant: perhaps I +should be a corpse floating on the surface of the ocean waiting for a +tomb till a shark came that way; perhaps I should be suffering the +torments of hunger and thirst; perhaps cast lifeless upon a rock, where +my bleached bones would remain the only monument which would then +declare that there once existed in these latitudes such a being as the +Little Savage. + +Where now could be the island I, though long so anxious to quit, now +was a thousand times more desirous of beholding? I felt that nothing +could be more agreeable to me than a glimpse of that wild rocky coast +that had so often appeared to me the walls of an intolerable prison. + +I strained my eyes in vain in every direction; the line of the horizon +stretched out uninterrupted by a single break of any kind all around. +Where could we be? I often asked myself; but except that we were on the +wide ocean, neither myself nor my companion had the slightest idea of +our geographical position. We must have been blown a considerable +distance during the storm: much farther than the current had taken us +from the island. + +I calculated that we must have passed it by many a mile if we had +continued the same course; but the wind had shifted several times, and +it might be that we were not so very long a sail from it, could we gain +the slightest knowledge of the direction in which it was to be found. +But this was hopeless. I felt assured that we must abandon all idea of +seeing it again. + +In the midst of these painful reflections, my companion directed my +attention to an object at a very considerable distance, and intimated +her impression that it was a ship. Luckily, I had brought my glass with +me, and soon was anxiously directing it to the required point. It was a +ship: but at so great a distance that it was impossible, as Mrs +Reichardt said, for any person on board to distinguish our boat. I +would have sailed in that direction, but the wind was contrary: I had, +therefore, no alternative but to wait till the ship should approach +near enough to make us out; and I passed several hours of the deepest +anxiety in watching the course of the distant vessel. + +She increased in size, so that I could observe that she was a large +ship by the unassisted eye; but as we were running before the wind in a +totally different direction, there seemed very little chance of our +communicating, unless she altered her course. + +Mrs Reichardt mentioned that signals were made by vessels at a distance +to attract each other's attention, and described the various ways in +which they communicated the wishes of their respective captains. The +only signal I had been in the habit of making was burning quantities of +wood on the shore and pouring water on it to make it smoke--this was +impossible in our boat. + +My companion at last suggested that I should tie a table-cloth to the +mast; its peculiar whiteness might attract attention. The sail was +presently taken in, and the table-cloth spread in its place; but, +unfortunately, it soon afterwards came on a dead calm--the breeze died +away, and the cloth hung in long folds against the mast. + +No notice whatever was taken of us. We now took to our oars and pulled +in the direction of the ship; but after several hours' hard rowing, our +strength had so suffered from our previous fatigues, that we seemed to +have made very little distance. + +In a short time the sun set, and we watched the object of all our hopes +with most anxious eyes, till night set in and hid her from our sight. +Shortly afterwards a light breeze again sprung up; with renewed hope we +gave our sail to the wind, but it bore us in a contrary direction, and +when morning dawned we saw no more of the ship. + +The wind had now again shifted, and bore us briskly along. But where? I +had fallen asleep during the preceding night, wearied out with labour +and anxiety, and I did not wake till long after daybreak. Mrs Reichardt +would not disturb me. In sleep I was insensible to the miseries and +dangers of my position. She could not bring herself to disturb a repose +that was at once so necessary to mind and body; and I fell into a sweet +dream of a new home in that dear England I had prayed so often to see; +and bright faces smiled upon me, and voices welcomed me, full of +tenderness and affection. + +I fancied that in one of those faces I recognised my mother, of whose +love I had so early been deprived, and that it was paler than all the +others, but infinitely more tender and affectionate: then the +countenance seemed to grow paler and paler, till it took upon itself +the likeness of the fair creature I had buried in the guano, and I +thought she embraced me, and her arms were cold as stone, and she +pressed her lips to mine, and they gave a chill to my blood that made +me shake as with an ague. + +Suddenly I beheld Jackson with his sightless orbs groping towards me +with a knife in his hand, muttering imprecations, and he caught hold of +me, and we had a desperate struggle, and he plunged a long knife into +my chest, with a loud laugh of derision and malice; and as I felt the +blade enter my flesh, I gave a start and jumped up, and alarmed Mrs +Reichardt by the wild cry with which I awoke. + +How strongly was that dream impressed upon my mind; and the features of +the different persons who figured in it--how distinctly they were +brought before me! My poor mother was as fresh in my recollection as +though I had seen her but yesterday, and the sweetness of her looks as +she approached me--how I now tried to recall them, and feasted on their +memory as though it were a lost blessing. + +Then the nameless corpse that had been washed from the wreck, how +strange it seemed, that after this lapse of time she should appear to +me in a dream, as though we had been long attached to each other, and +her affections had been through life entirely my own. Poor girl! +Perhaps even now some devoted lover mourns her loss; or hopes at no +distant date to be able to join her in the new colony, to attain which +a cruel destiny had forced her from his arms. Little does he dream of +her nameless grave under the guano. Little does he dream that the only +colony in which he is likely to join her is that settlement in the +great desert of oblivion, over which Death has remained governor from +the birth of the world. + +But the most unpleasant part of the vision was the appearance of +Jackson; and it was a long time before I could bring myself to believe +that I had not beheld his well known features--that I had not been +stabbed by him, and that I was not suffering from the mortal wound he +had inflicted. I however at last shook off the delusion, and to Mrs +Reichardt's anxious inquiries replied only that I had had a +disagreeable dream. + +In a short time I began to doubt whether the waking was more pleasant +than the dreaming--the vast ocean still spread itself before me like a +mighty winding sheet, the fair sky, beautiful as it appeared in the +rays of the morning sun, I could only regard as a pall--and our little +bark was the coffin in which two helpless human beings, though still +existing, were waiting interment. + +"Has God abandoned us?" I asked my companion, "or has He forgotten that +two of his creatures are in the deepest peril of their lives, from +which He alone can save them?" + +"Hush! Frank Henniker," exclaimed Mrs Reichardt solemnly; "this is +impious. God never abandons those who are worthy of His protection. He +will either save them at His own appointed time--or if He think it more +desirable, will snatch them from a scene where so many dangers surround +them, and place them where there prevails eternal tranquillity, and +everlasting bliss. + +"We should rather rejoice," she added, with increasing seriousness, +"that we are thought worthy of being so early taken from a world in +which we have met with so many troubles." + +"But to die in this way," I observed gloomily; "to be left to linger +out days of terrible torture, without a hope of relief--I cannot +reconcile myself to it." + +"We must die sooner or later," she said, "and there are many diseases +which are fatal after protracted suffering of the most agonising +description. These we have been spared. The wretch who lingers in +torment, visited by some loathsome disorder, would envy us, could he +see the comparatively easy manner in which we are suffered to leave +existence. + +"But I do not myself see the hopelessness of our case," she added. "It +is not yet impossible that we may be picked up by a ship, or discover +some friendly shore whence we might obtain a passage for England." + +"I see no prospect of this," said I; "we are apparently out of the +track of ships, and if it should be our chance to discover one, the +people on board are not likely to observe us. I wish I had never left +the island." + +Mrs Reichardt never reproached me--never so much as reminded me that it +was my own fault. She merely added, "It was the will of God." + +We ate and drank our small rations--my companion always blessing the +meal, and offering a thanksgiving for being permitted to enjoy it. I +noticed what was left. We had been extremely economical, yet there was +barely enough for another day. We determined still further to reduce +the trifling portion we allowed ourselves, that we might increase our +chance of escape. + + + + +Chapter XLVII + + +Five days and nights had we been drifting at the mercy of the winds and +waves; all our small stock of food had been devoured--though we had +hoarded every crumb, as the miser hoards his gold. Even the rain water, +as well as the water we had brought with us, we had drained to the last +drop. + +The weather continually alternated from a dead calm to a light breeze: +the wind frequently shifted, but I had no strength left to attend to +the sail--the boat was abandoned to its own guidance, or rather to that +of the wind. When becalmed we lay still--when the breeze sprang up we +pursued our course till the sail no longer felt its influence. + +Five long days and nights--days of intolerable suffering, nights of +inexpressible horror. From sunrise to sunset I strained my eyes along +the line of the horizon, but nothing but sky and wave ever met my gaze. +When it became dark, excited by the deep anxiety I had endured +throughout the day, I could not sleep. I fancied I beheld through the +darkness monstrous forms mocking and gibbering, and high above them all +was reared the head of the enormous python I had combated in the Happy +Valley. And he opened his tremendous jaws, as though to swallow me, and +displayed fold upon fold of his immense form as if to involve and crush +the boat in its mighty involutions. + +I was always glad when the day dawned, or if the night happened to be +fair and starlight; for the spectres vanished when the sun shone, and +the tranquil beauty of the stars calmed my soul. + +I was famishing for want of food--but I suffered most from want of +water, for the heat during the day was tremendous, and I became so +frantic from thirst, that nothing but the exhortations of Mrs Reichardt +would have prevented me from dashing myself into the sea, and drinking +my fill of the salt water that looked so tempting and refreshing. + +My companion sought to encourage me to hope, long after all hope had +vanished--then she preached resignation to the Divine Will, and in her +own nature gave a practical commentary on her text. + +I perceived that her voice was getting more and more faint--and that +she was becoming hourly more feeble. She was not able to move from her +seat, and at last asked me to assist her to lie down at the bottom of +the boat. Then I noticed that she prayed fervently, and I could often +distinguish my name in these petitions to the throne of Grace. + +I felt a strange sensation in my head, and my tongue became in my mouth +as a dry stick--from this I was relieved by chewing the sleeve of my +shirt; but my head grew worse. My eyes too were affected in a strange +manner. I continually fancied that I saw ships sailing about at a +little distance from me, and I strove to attract their attention by +calling to them. My voice was weak and I could create only a kind of +half stifled cry. Then I thought I beheld land: fair forests and green +pastures spread before me--bright flowers and refreshing fruits grew +all around--and I called to my companion to make haste for we were +running ashore and should presently be pulling the clustering grapes +and should lay ourselves down among the odorous flowers. + +Mrs Reichardt opened her eyes and gazed at me with a more painful +interest. She knew I was haunted by the chimeras created by famine and +thirst; but she seemed to have lost all power of speech. She motioned +me to join her in prayer; I, however, was too much occupied with the +prospect of landing, and paid no attention to her signs. + +Presently the bright landscape faded away, and I beheld nothing but the +wide expanse of water, the circle of which appeared to expand and +spread into the sky, and the sky seemed lost and broken up in the +water, and for a few minutes they were mixed together in the wildest +and strangest confusion. Subsequently to this I must have dropt asleep, +for after a while I found myself huddled up in a corner of the boat, +and must have fallen there from my seat. I stared about me for some +time, unconscious where I was. The bright sun still shone over my head; +the everlasting sea still rolled beneath my feet. + +I looked to the bottom of the boat, and met the upturned gaze of my +fellow voyager--the pale face had grown paler, and the expression of +the painful eye had become less intelligent. I thought she was as I had +seen her in my dream, when she changed from her own likeness to that of +the poor drowned girl we buried in the guano. + +I turned away my gaze--the sight was too painful to look upon. I felt +assured that she was dying, and that in a very short space of time, +that faithful and affectionate nature I must part from forever. + +I thought I would make a last effort. Though faint and trembling, +burning with fever, and feeling deadly sick, I managed by the support +of the awning to crawl to the mast, and embracing it with one arm I +raised the glass with the other hand, and looked carefully about. My +hand was very unsteady and my eyes seemed dim. I could discern nothing +but water. + +I should have sunk in despair to the bottom of the boat, had I not been +attracted at the moment by a singular appearance in the sky. A cloud +was approaching of a shape and appearance I had never observed before. +I raised the glass again, and after observing this cloud for some time +with great attention, I felt assured that what I considered to be long +lines of vapour was an immense flock of birds. + +This discovery interested me--I forgot the intensity of my sufferings +in observing the motions of this apparently endless flock. As the first +file approached, I looked again, to see if I could make out what they +were. God of heaven! They were gannets. + +I crawled back to my companion as rapidly as my feeble limbs would +allow, to inform her of the discovery I had made. Alas! I found that I +was unheeded. I could not believe that her fine spirit had fled; no, +she moved her hand; but the dull spiritless gaze seemed to warn me that +her dissolution was fast approaching. I looked for the spirit flask, +and found a few drops were still left there; I poured these into her +mouth, and watched the result with the deepest anxiety I had ever known +since the day of my birth. + +In a few minutes I found that she breathed more regularly and +distinctly--presently her eyes lost that fixedness which had made them +so painful to look upon. Then she recognised me, and took hold of my +hand, regarding me with the sweet smile with which I was so familiar. + +As soon as I found that consciousness had returned, I told her of the +great flock of gannets that were evidently wending their way to their +customary resting place, and the hope I entertained that if they could +be kept in sight, and the wind remained in the same quarter, the boat +might be led by them to the place where they laid their eggs. + +She listened to me with attention, and evidently understood what I +said. Her lips moved, and I thought she was returning thanks to +God--accepting the flight of the birds as a manifest proof that He was +still watching over us. In a few minutes she seemed so much better that +she could sit up. I noticed her for some time watching the gannets that +now approached in one vast cloud that threatened to shut us out from +the sky--she then turned her gaze in an opposite direction, and with a +smile of exultation that lit up her wan face as with a glory, stretched +her arm out, pointing her hand to a distant portion of the sea. My gaze +quickly followed hers, and I fancied I discovered a break in the line +of the horizon; but it did not look like a ship. I pointed the glass in +that direction, and felt the joyful assurance that we were within sight +of land. + +This additional discovery gave me increased strength: or rather hope +now dawning upon us, gave me an impulse I had not felt before. I in my +turn became the consoler. I encouraged Mrs Reichardt, with all the +arguments of which I was master, to think that we should soon be in +safety. She smiled, and something like animation again appeared in her +pale features. + +If I could save her, I felt I should be blessed beyond measure. Such an +object was worth striving for; and I did strive. I know not how it was +that I gained strength to do what I did on that day; but I felt that I +was supported from On High, and as the speck of land that she had first +discovered gradually enlarged itself as we approached it, my exertions +to secure a speedy rescue for my companion from the jaws of death, +continued to increase. + +The breeze remained fair and we scudded along at a spanking rate, the +gannets keeping us company all the way--evidently bound to the same +shore. I kept talking to Mrs Reichardt, and endeavouring to raise her +spirits with the most cheering description of what we should do when we +got ashore, for God would be sure to direct us to some place where we +might without difficulty recover our strength. + +Hitherto she had not spoken, but as soon as we began to distinguish the +features of the shore we were approaching she unclosed her lips, and +again the same triumphant smile played around them. + +"Frank Henniker, do you know that rock?" + +"No!--yes!--can it be possible? O what a gracious Providence has been +watching over us!" + +It was a rock of a remarkable shape that stood a short distance from +the fishing-pool. It could not be otherwise, the gannets had led us to +their old haunts. We were approaching our island. I looked at my +companion--she was praying. I immediately joined with her in +thanks-giving for the signal mercy that had been vouchsafed to us, and +in little more than an hour had the priceless satisfaction of carrying +her from the shore to the cottage, and then we carefully nursed +ourselves till we recovered the effects of this dreadful cruise. + + + + +Chapter XLVIII + + +My numerous pursuits, as I stated in a preceding chapter obliging me to +constant occupation, kept me from useless repining about my destiny, in +being obliged to live so many years on this far-distant corner of the +earth, I had long ceased to look for passing ships--I scarcely ever +thought about them, and had given up all speculations about my +grandfather's reception of me. I rarely went out to sea, except to +fish, and never cared to trouble myself about anything beyond the +limited space which had become my inheritance. + +The reader, then, may judge of my surprise when, one sultry day, I had +been busily engaged for several hours cutting down a field of wheat, +Mrs Reichardt came running to me with the astounding news that there +was a ship off the island, and a boat full of people had just left her, +and were rowing towards the rocks. I hastily took the glass she had +brought with her, and as soon as I could get to a convenient position, +threw myself on the ground on the rock, and reconnoitred through the +glass the appearance of the new comers. + +I soon noticed that a part were well armed, which was not the case with +the rest, for they were pinioned in such a manner that they could +scarcely move hand or foot. We concealed ourselves by lying our lengths +on the grass. As the boat approached, I could discern that the unarmed +party belonged to a superior class of men, while many of the others had +countenances that did not prepossess me at all in their favour. + +We lay hid in the long grass, from which we could command a view of our +approaching visitors. + +"I think I understand this," whispered Mrs Reichardt. "There is +mischief here." + +"Had I not better run home and get arms?" I asked. + +"No," she replied, "you had better not. If we are able to do any good, +we must do it by stratagem. Let us watch their movements, and act with +great caution." + +My companion's advice was, I saw, the wisest that could be pursued; and +therefore we remained in our hiding places, narrowly observing our +visitors as they approached. They entered the fishing-pool, and I could +then distinctly not only see but hear them. To my extreme surprise, one +of the first men who jumped out of the boat was John Gough, who had +brought Mrs Reichardt to the island. He looked older, but I recognised +him in a moment, and so did my companion. Her admonitory "Hush!" kept +me from betraying the place of our concealment--so great was my +astonishment--having long believed him and all his lawless associates +to have been lost at sea. + +He was well armed, and evidently possessed some authority; +nevertheless, I thought I could detect an air of concern in his +features, as he offered to help one of the captives out of the boat. +The latter, however, regarded him with an air of disdain, and, though +his hands were tied behind him, leaped ashore without assistance. He +was a man of commanding stature, with a well bronzed face, and a look +of great energy of character. He wore a band of gold lace round his +cap, and had on duck trousers, and a blue jacket and waistcoat. + +"Come, captain!" exclaimed John Gough, "I bear you no malice. Though +you have been rather hard upon us, we won't leave you to starve." + +"He's a deuced deal better off than he desarves to be," cried a man +from the boat, whom I at once recognised as the fellow on whom I had +drawn my knife for hurting Nero. "If we had made him walk the plank, as +I proposed, I'm blowed if it wouldn't have been much more to the +purpose than putting him on this here island, with lots o' prog, and +everything calkilated to make him and his domineering officers +comfortable for the rest of their days." + +"Hold your tongue, you mutineering rascal," exclaimed the captain +angrily. "A rope's end at the yard-arm will be your deserts before +long." + +"Thank ye kindly, captain," replied the fellow, touching his hat in +mockery. "But you must be pleased to remember I ain't caught yet; and +we means to have many a jolly cruise in your ship, and get no end o' +treasure, before I shall think o' my latter end; and then I means to +die like a Christian, and repent o' my sins, and make a much more +edifying example than I should exhibit dangling at the end of a rope." + +The men laughed, the captain muttered something about "pirates and +mutineers," but the rest of the officers wisely held their tongues. + +I now noticed an elderly man of very respectable appearance, who was +not pinioned like the rest. His hair was quite white, his complexion +very pale, and he looked like one oppressed with deep sorrow and +anxiety. He rose from his seat in the boat, and was assisted out by +John Gough. + +"I'm very sorry that we are obliged to leave you here, Mr Evelyn," said +Gough, "but you see, sir, we have no alternative. We couldn't keep you +with us, for many reasons; and therefore we have been obliged to make +you a sharer in the fate of our officers." + +"And werry painful this is to our feelings, sir, you may believe," said +another of the mutineers mockingly. "I'm quite moloncholy as I thinks +on it." + +The men again laughed; but the person so addressed walked to the side +of the captain without making any observation. The other captives also +left the boat in silence. They were eight in all, but four of them were +evidently common seamen by their dress--the others were officers. All +were well-made, strong men. + +"What a precious pretty colony you'll make, my hearties!" exclaimed one +of the mutineers, jeeringly, as he helped to land a cask, and some +other packages, that they had brought with them. "It's a thousand +pities you ain't got no female associates, that you might marry, and +settle, and bring up respectable families." + +"Talking of women," cried the one who had first spoken, "I wonder what +became of the one we left here so cleverly when we was wrecked at this +here place six years ago." + +John Gough looked uneasy at this inquiry, as if the recollection was +not agreeable to him. + +"And the Little Savage," continued the fellow, "what was agoing to send +his knife into my ribs for summat or other--I forget what. They must +have died long ago, I ain't no doubt, as we unfortnitely left 'em +nothin' to live upon." + +"No doubt they died hand in hand, like the Babes in the Wood," said +another. + +I still observed John Gough; he seemed distressed at the turn the +conversation had taken. + +"Now, mates," he said hurriedly, "let us return to the ship. We have +done what we came to do." + +"I votes as we shall go and see arter the Missionary's woman and the +Little Savage," cried the fourth. "I should like, somehow, to see +whether they be living or not, and a stroll ashore won't do any on us +any harm." + +"I shall remain here till you return," said John Gough; and he threw +himself on the grass with his back towards me, and only a few yards +from the place in which we were concealed. The rest, after making fast +the boat, started off on an exploring expedition, in the direction of +the old hut. + + + + +Chapter XLIX + + +The captives were grouped together, some sitting, and some standing. +Not one of them looked dejected at his fate; though I could see by +their movements that they were impatient of the bonds that tied them. +My attention was most frequently directed to the old gentleman who had +been addressed as Mr Evelyn. Notwithstanding the grief expressed in his +countenance, it possessed an air of benevolence and kindness of heart +that even his settled melancholy did not conceal. I could not +understand why, but I felt a deeper interest for this person than for +any of the others--a sort of yearning towards him, mingled with a +desire to protect him from the malice of his enemies. + +Almost as soon as they were gone, John Gough beckoned to Mr Evelyn to +sit down by his side. Possibly this was done to prevent his assisting +his companions to regain their liberty, as he, not being pinioned like +the rest, might easily have done, and they might have overpowered their +guard before his companions could come to his assistance. But Gough was +well armed, and the rest being without weapons of any kind, it was +scarcely probable that they would have risked their lives in so +desperate an attempt. + +Mr Evelyn came and quietly sat himself down in the place indicated. I +observed him with increasing interest, and singular to relate, the more +I gazed on his venerable face, the more strongly I felt assured that I +had seen it before. This of course was impossible, nevertheless, the +fancy took possession of me, and I experienced a strange sensation of +pleasure as I watched the changes his features underwent. + +"John Gough, I am sorry to see you mixed up in this miserable +business," said he, mildly addressing his companion. The other did not +answer, and as his back was turned towards me I could not observe the +effect the observation had upon him. + +"The men who have left us I know to be bad men," continued the speaker; +"I expect nothing but wickedness from them. But you I am aware have +been better brought up. Your responsibility therefore becomes the +greater in assisting them in their villainy." + +"You had better not let them hear you, Mr Evelyn," replied Gough, at +last, in something like a surly tone; "I would not answer for the +consequences." + +"Those I do not fear," the other answered. "The results of this +transaction can make very little difference to a man on the verge of +the grave, who has outlived all his relatives, and has nothing left to +fall back upon but the memory of his misfortunes: but to one in the +prime of life like yourself, who can boast of friends and relatives who +feel an interest in your good name, these results must be serious +indeed. What must be the feelings of your respectable father when he +learns that you have joined a gang of pirates; how intense must be the +grief of your amiable mother when she hears that you have paid the +penalty that must sooner or later overtake you for embracing so lawless +a life." + +"Come, Mr Evelyn," exclaimed Gough, though with a tremulousness in his +voice that betrayed the state of his feelings, "you have no right to +preach to me. I have done as much as I could for you all. The men would +have made short work with you, if I had not interposed, and pointed out +to them this uninhabited island." + +"Where it seems you left a poor woman to be starved to death," +continued Mr Evelyn. + +"It was no fault of mine," replied the man; "I did all I could to +prevent it." + +"It would have been more manly if you had remained with her on this +rock, and left your cowardly associates to take their selfish course. +But you are weak and irresolute, John Gough; too easily persuaded into +evil, too slow to follow the impulses of good. The murder of that poor +woman is as much your deed as if you had blown her brains out before +you abandoned her. Indeed I do not know but what the latter would have +been the less criminal." + +John Gough made no answer. I do not think, however, his mind was quite +easy under this accusation, for he seemed restless, and kept playing +with his pistols, with his eyes cast down. + +"Your complicity in this mutiny, too, John Gough, is equally +inexcusable," continued Mr Evelyn. "It was your duty to have stood by +Captain Manvers and his officers, by which you would have earned their +eternal gratitude, and a handsome provision from the owners of the +vessel." + +"It's no use talking of these things now, Mr Evelyn," said Gough, +hurriedly. "I have taken my course. It is too late to turn back. Would +to God," he added, dashing his hand violently against his brow, "I had +had nothing to do with it." + +"It is never too late, John Gough, to do good," here cried out Mrs +Reichardt, as she rose from her place of concealment, as much to my +surprise as that of all who could observe her. But nothing could equal +the astonishment of Gough when he first caught sight of her +features;--he sprang to his feet, leaving his pistols on the ground, +and clasping his hands together, exclaimed, "Thank God, she is safe!" + +"Yes," she replied, approaching him and taking his hand kindly. "By an +interposition of Providence, you are saved from the guilt of one +murder. In the name of that God who has so signally preserved you +against yourself, I command you to abandon your present wicked designs." + +The man hesitated, but it seemed as if he could not take his gaze from +her face, and it was evident that her presence exerted an extraordinary +influence over him. In the meantime I had made my appearance on the +scene, not less to the astonishment of the lookers-on; and my first act +was to take possession of the pair of pistols that Gough had left on +the ground; my next to hurry to the group of captives, who had been +regarding us, in a state as it were of perfect bewilderment, and with +my American knife to cut their bonds. + +"I will do whatever you think proper," said John Gough. "Believe me I +have been reluctantly led into this, and joined the mutiny knowing that +I should have been murdered if I did not." + +"You must endeavour to make what amends are in your power," continued +Mrs Reichardt, "by assisting your officers in recovering possession of +the ship." + +"I will gladly assist in whatever they may think feasible," said the +man. "But we must first secure the desperate fellows who have just left +us, and as we are but poorly provided with weapons, that of itself will +be a service of no slight danger. To get possession of the ship I am +afraid will be still more hazardous; but you shall find me in the front +of every danger." + +Here Captain Manvers and the others came up to where John Gough and Mrs +Reichardt were conversing; he heard Gough's last speech, and he was +going to say something, when I interposed by stating that there was no +time now for explanations, for in a few minutes the fellows who had +gone to the hut would return, and the only way to prepare for them was +for the whole party to go to our house, to which Mrs Reichardt would +lead them, where they would find plenty of arms and ammunition. In the +meantime I would keep watch, and observe their motions, and by firing +one of the pistols would signal to them if I was in any danger. Lastly, +I recommended that the oars should be removed from the boat, to prevent +the mutineers making their escape to the ship. + +My appearance and discourse attracted general attention. I particularly +noticed that Mr Evelyn started as soon as he caught sight of me, and +appeared to observe me with singular carefulness; but that, no doubt, +arose from my unexpected address, and the strange way in which I had +presented myself before him. + +The Captain approving of my proposal, the whole party, after taking +away the boat's oars, moved off rapidly in the direction of the house. +I again concealed myself in the grass, and waited the return of the +mutineers. They did not remain away long. I could hear them +approaching, for they laughed and shouted as they went along loud +enough to be heard at a considerable distance. When they began to +descend the rocks, they passed so close to me, that I could hear every +word that was spoken. + +"Well, flesh is grass, as the parson says," said Jack; "they must have +died sooner or later, if we hadn't parted company with so little +ceremony. But, hallo! my eyes and limbs! Where's John Gough? Where's +the captain? Where's all on 'em?" + +It is impossible to express the astonishment of the men on reaching the +spot where they had so lately left their prisoners, and discovering +that not a trace of them was to be seen. At first they imagined that +they had escaped in the boat, but as soon as they saw that the boat was +safe, they gave up that idea. Then they fancied John Gough had taken +the prisoners to stroll a little distance inland, and they began to +shout as loud as their lungs would permit them. Receiving no response, +they uttered many strange ejaculations, which I could not then +understand, but which I have since learned were profane oaths; and +seemed at a loss what to do, whether to wander about the island in +search of them, or return to their ship. + +Only one chanced to be for the former, and the others overruled him, +not thinking it was worth their while to take so much trouble as to go +rambling about in a strange place. They seemed bent on taking to the +boat, when one of them suggested they might get into a scrape if they +returned without their companion. They finally resolved on sitting down +and waiting his return. + +Presently, one complained he was very sleepy, as he had been too busy +mutineering to turn into his hammock the previous night, and the others +acknowledged they also felt an equal want of rest from the same cause. +Each began to yawn. They laid themselves at their full length along the +grass, and in a short time I could hear by their snoring, as Jackson +used to do, that they were asleep. + +I now crept stealthily towards them on my hands and knees, and they +were in such a profound sleep, that I had no difficulty whatever in +removing the pistols from their belts. I had just succeeded in this, +when I beheld the captain, and John Gough, and Mr Evelyn, and all the +rest of them, well armed with guns and pistols, approaching the place +where we were. + +In a few minutes afterwards the mutineers were made prisoners, without +their having an opportunity of making the slightest resistance. I was +much complimented by the captain for the dexterity with which I had +disarmed them; but while I was in conversation with him, it is +impossible to express the surprise I felt, on seeing Mr Evelyn suddenly +rush towards me from the side of Mrs Reichardt, with whom he had been +talking, and, embracing me with the most moving demonstrations of +affection, claim me as his grandson. + +The mystery was soon explained. Mr Evelyn had met so many losses in +business as a merchant, that he took the opportunity of a son of his +old clerk--who had become a captain of a fine ship, employed in the +South American trade--being about to proceed on a trading voyage to +that part of the world, to sail in his vessel with a consignment of +goods for the South American market. He had also another object, which +was to inquire after the fate of his long-lost daughter and son-in-law, +of whom he had received no certain intelligence, since the latter took +ship with the diamonds he had purchased to return home. The vessel in +which they sailed had never been heard of since; and Mr Evelyn had long +given up all hopes of seeing either of them again, or the valuable +property with which they had been entrusted. + +On their going to the house, he had asked Mrs Reichardt my name, +stating that I so strongly resembled a very dear friend of his, he +believed had perished many years ago, that he felt quite an interest in +me. The answer he received led to a series of the most earnest +inquiries, and Mrs Reichardt satisfied him on every point, showed him +all the property that had formerly been in the possession of Mrs +Henniker and her husband: related Jackson's story, and convinced him, +that though he had lost the daughter for whom he had mourned so long, +her representative existed in the Little Savage, who was saving him +from the fate for which he had been preserved by the mutineers. + +I have only to add, that I had the happiness of restoring to my +grandfather the diamonds I had obtained from Jackson, which were no +doubt very welcome to him, for they not only restored him to affluence, +but made him one of the richest merchants upon Change. + +I was also instrumental in obtaining for the captain the command of his +ship, and of restoring discipline amongst the crew. The ringleaders of +the mutiny were thrown into irons, and taken home for trial; this +resulted in one or two of them being hanged by way of example, and +these happened to be the men who so barbarously deserted Mrs Reichardt. +She accompanied me to England in Captain Manvers's vessel, for when he +heard of the obligations I owed her, my grandfather decided that she +should remain with us as long as she lived. We however did not leave +the island until we had shown my grandfather, the captain, and his +officers, what we had effected during our stay, and every one was +surprised that we could have produced a flourishing farm upon a barren +rock. I did not fail to show the places where I had had my fight with +the python, and where I had been pursued by the sharks, and my +narrative of both incidents seemed to astonish my hearers exceedingly. + +I must not forget to add, that the day before our departure, John Gough +came to me privately, and requested my good offices with the captain, +that he might be left on the island. He had become a very different +character to what he had previously been; and as there could be no +question that the repentance he assumed was sincere, I said all I could +for him. My recommendation was successful, and I transferred to John +Gough all my farm, farming stock, and agricultural implements; +moreover, promised to send him whatever he might further require to +make his position comfortable. He expressed great gratitude, but +desired nothing; only that his family might know that he was well off, +and was not likely to return. + +Perhaps John Gough did not like the risk he ran of being tried for +mutiny, or was averse to sailing with his former comrades; but whatever +was the cause of his resolution, it is certain that he remained behind +when the ship left the island, and may be there to this hour for all I +know to the contrary. + +We made a quick voyage to England, and as my readers will no doubt be +glad to hear, the Little Savage landed safely at Plymouth, and was soon +cordially welcomed to his grandfather's house in London. + + +THE END. + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Little Savage, by Captain Marryat + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LITTLE SAVAGE *** + +***** This file should be named 6897.txt or 6897.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/8/9/6897/ + +Produced by Avinash Kothare, Tom Allen, Charles Franks and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. 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