 Chapter 25 The Coral Island Chapter 25 The Sandalwood Party Native children's games somewhat surprising. Desperate amusements suddenly and fatally brought to a close. An old friend recognized news, Ramada's mad conduct. Next day the wood-cutting party went ashore again, and I accompanied them as before. During the dinner hour I wandered into the woods alone, being disinclined for food that day. I had not rambled far when I found myself unexpectedly on the seashore, having crossed a narrow neck of land which separated the native village from a large bay. Here I found a party of the islanders busy with one of their war canoes, which was almost ready for launching. I stood for a long time, watching this party with great interest, and observed that they fastened the timbers and planks to each other very much in the same way in which I had seen Jack fasten those of our little boat. But what surprised me most was its immense length which I measured carefully and found to be a hundred feet long, and it was so capacious that it could have held three hundred men. It had the unwieldy outrigger and enormously high stern points which I had remarked on the canoe that came to us while I was on the Coral Island. Observing some boys playing at games a short way along the beach, I resolved to go and watch them, but as I turned from the natives who were engaged so visibly and cheerfully at their work, I little thought of the terrible event that hung on the completion of that war canoe. Advancing towards the children who were so numerous that I began to think this must be the general playground of the village, I sat down on a grassy bank under the shade of a plantain tree to watch them, and a happier or more noisy crew I have never seen. There were at least two hundred of them, both boys and girls, all of whom were clad in no other garments than their own glossy little black skins except the marrow or strip of cloth around the loins of the boys, and a very short petticoat or kilt on the girls. They did not all play at the same game, but amused themselves in different groups. One band was busily engaged in a game exactly similar to our blind man's buff. Another set were walking on stilts, which raised children three feet from the ground. They were very expert at this amusement and seldom tumbled. In another place, I observed a group of girls standing together and apparently enjoying themselves very much, so I went up to see what they were doing and found that they were opening their eyelids with their fingers till their eyes appeared of an enormous size, and then thrusting pieces of straw between the upper and lower lids across the eyeball to keep them in that position. This seemed to me, I must confess, a very foolish as well as dangerous amusement. Nevertheless, the children seemed to be greatly delighted with the hideous faces they made. I pondered this subject a good deal and thought that if little children knew how silly they seemed to groan of people when they make faces, they would not be so fond of doing it. In another place were a number of boys engaged in flying kites, and I could not help wondering that some of the games of those little savages should be so like to our own, although they never had seen us at play. But the kites were different from ours in many respects, being of every variety of shape. They were made of very thin cloth, and the boys raised them to a wonderful height in the air by means of twine made from the coconut husk. Other games there were, some of which showed the natural depravity of the hearts of these poor savages, and made me wish fervently that missionaries might be sent out to them. But the amusement which the greatest number of the children of both sexes seemed to take chief delight in was swimming and diving in the sea, and the expertness which they exhibited was truly amazing. They seemed to have two principal gains in the water, one of which was to dive off a sort of stage which had been erected near a deep part of the sea and chase each other in the water. Some of them went down to an extraordinary depth. Others skimmed along the surface or rolled over and over like corpuses, or diving under each other came up unexpectedly and pulled each other down by a leg or an arm. They never seemed attire of this sport, and from the great heat of the water in the south seas they could remain in it nearly all day without feeling chilled. Many of these children were almost infants, scarce able to walk. Yet they staggered down the beach, flung their round fat little black bodies fearlessly into deep water, and struck out to sea with as much confidence as ducklings. The other game to which I have referred was swimming in the surf, but as this is an amusement in which all engaged from children of ten to grey-headed men of sixty, and as I had an opportunity of witnessing it in perfection the day following, I shall describe it more minutely. I suppose it was in honor of their guess that this grand swimming match was got up, for Ramada came and told the captain that they were going to engage in it and begged him to come and see. What sort of amusement is this surf swimming? I inquired of Bill as we walked together to a part of the shore, on which several thousands of the natives were assembled. It's a very favorite lark with these extraordinary critters, replied Bill, giving a turn to the quid of tobacco that invariably bulged out of his left cheek, ye see realm them fellows take to the water as soon as most as they can walk, and long before they can do that anything respectively, so that they are as much at home in the sea as on the land. Well ye see, I suppose they found swimming for miles out to sea, and diving fathoms deep wasn't exciting enough, so they invented this game of swimming on the surf. Each man and boy, as you see, has got a short board or plank, with which he swims out for a mile or more to sea, and then, getting on top of a young thunder and breaker, they come to shore on top of it, yelling and screeching like fiends. It's a marvel to me that they're not dashed to shivers on the coral reef, for sure and certain am I that if any of us tried it, we wouldn't be worth the fluke of a broken anchor after the wave fell. But there they go, as he spoke, several hundreds of the natives amongst whom we were now standing uttered a loud yell, rushed down to the beach, plunged into the surf, and were carried off by the seething foam of the retreating wave. At the point where we stood, the encircling coral reef joined the shore, so that the magnificent breakers, which a recent stiff breeze had rendered larger than usual, fell in thunder at the feet of the multitudes who lined the beach. For some time the swimmers continued to strike out to sea, resting over the swell like hundreds of black seals. Then they all turned, and watching an approaching billow mounted its white crest, and each laying his breast on the short flat board came rolling towards the shore, careening on the summit of the mighty wave, while they and the onlookers shouted and yelled with excitement. Just as the monster wave curled in solemn majesty to fling its bulky length upon the beach, most of the swimmers slid back into their trough behind. Others, slipping off their boards, seized them in their hands, and plunging through the watery waste, swam out to repeat the amusement. But a few, who seemed to me the most reckless, continued their career until they were launched upon the beach and enveloped in the churning foam and spray. One of these last came in on the crest of the wave most manfully, and landed with a violent bound almost on the spot where Bill and I stood. I saw by his peculiar headdress that he had removed nearly all the paint with which his face had been covered, and as he rose pending to his feet I recognized, to my surprise, the features of Taro, my old friend of the Coral Island. Taro at the same moment recognized me, and advancing quickly took me round the neck and rubbed noses which had the effect of transferring a good deal of the moist paint from his nose to mine. Then, recollecting that this was not the white man's mode of salutation, he grasped me by the hand and shook it violently. Hello, Ralph! cried Bill in surprise. That chap seems to have taken a sudden fancy to you, or he must be an old acquaintance. Right, Bill, I replied. He is indeed an old acquaintance. And I explained in a few words that he was the chief whose party Jack and Peter can and I helped to save. Taro, having thrown away his surfboard, entered into an animated conversation with Bill, pointing frequently during the course of it to me, whereby I concluded he must be telling him about the memorable battle in the part we had taken in it. When he paused I begged of Bill to ask him about the woman Apatay, for I had some hope that she might have come with Taro on this visit. And ask him, said I, who she is, for I am persuaded she is of a different race from the Fijians. On the mention of her name the chief frowned darkly and seemed to speak with much anger. You're right, Ralph, said Bill when the chief had ceased to talk. She's not a Fiji girl, but a Samoan. How she ever came to this place the chief does not very clearly explain, but he says she was taken in war and that he got her three years ago and kept her as his daughter ever since. Lucky for her poor girl, else she'd have been roasted and eaten like the rest. But why does Taro frown and look so angry, said I, because the girl's somewhat obstinate, like most of the sex and won't marry the man he wants her to. It seems that a chief of some other island came on a visit to Taro and took a fancy to her, but she wouldn't have him on no account, being already in love and engaged to a young chief whom Taro hates, and she kicked up a desperate shindy. So, as he was going on a war expedition in his canoe, he left her to think about it, saying he'd be back in six months or so, when he hoped she wouldn't be so obstrupulous. This happened just a week ago, and Taro says that if she's not ready to go when the chief returns, as his bride, she'll be sent to him as a long pig. As a long pig, I explained it surprise. Why, what does he mean by that? He means something very unpleasant, answered Bill of the Frown. You see, these blackards eat men and women just as readily as they eat pigs, and as baked pigs and baked men are very like each other in appearance, they call men long pigs. If Avatay goes to this fellow as a long pig, it's all up with her, poor thing. Is she on the island now, I asked eagerly. No, she's at Taro's island. And where does it lie? About fifty or sixty miles to the south of this, returned Bill. But I, at this moment, we were startled by the cry of Mao, Mao, a shark, a shark, which was immediately followed by a shriek that rang clear and fearfully loud above the tumult of cries that arose from the savages in the water and on the land. We turned hastily towards the direction whence the cry came, and had just time to observe the glaring eyeballs of one of the swimmers as he tossed his arms into the air. Next instant he was pulled under the waves. A canoe was instantly launched, and the hand of the drowning man was caught, but only half of his body was dragged from the maw of the monster, which followed the canoe until the water became so shallow that it could scarcely swim. The crest of the next villa was tinged with red as it rolled towards the shore. In most countries of the world this would have made a deep impression on the spectators, but the only effect it had upon these islanders was to make them hurry with all speed out of the sea, lest a similar fate should befall some of the others. But so utterly reckless were they of human life that it did not for a moment suspend the progress of their amusements. It is true the surf swimming ended for that time somewhat abruptly, but they immediately proceeded with other dames. Bill told me that sharks do not often attack the surf swimmers, being frightened away by the immense numbers of men and boys in the water, and by the shouting and splashing that they make. But, said he, such a thing as you have seen just now don't frighten them much. They'll be at it again tomorrow or next day, just as if there wasn't a single shark between Fiji and Nova Zembla. After this the natives had a series of wrestling and boxing matches, and being men of immense size and muscle, they did a good deal of injury to each other, especially in boxing, in which not only the lower orders, but several of the chiefs and priests engaged. Each bout was very quickly terminated, for they did not pretend to a scientific knowledge of the art, and waste it no time in sparring, but hit straight out at each other's heads, and their blows were delivered with great force. Frequently one of the combatants was knocked down with a single blow, and one gigantic fellow hit his adversary so severely that he drove the skin entirely off his forehead. This feat was hailed with immense applause by the spectators. During these exhibitions, which were very painful to me, though I confess I could not refrain from beholding them, I was struck with the beauty of many of the figures and designs that were tattooed on the persons of the chief and principal men. One figure that seemed to me very elegant was that of a palm tree tattooed on the back of a man's leg, the roots rising, as it were, from under his heel, the stem ascending the tendon of the ankle, and the graceful head branching out upon the calf. I afterwards learned that this process of tattooing is very painful, and takes long to do, commencing at the age of 10, and being continued at intervals up to the age of 30. It is done by means of an instrument made of bone, with a number of sharp teeth with which the skin is punctured. Into these punctures, a preparation made from the kernel of the candle nut, mixed with coconut oil, is rubbed, and the mark, thus made, is indelible. The operation is performed by a class of men whose profession it is, and they tattoo as much at a time as the person on whom they are operating can bear, which is not much. The pain and inflammation caused by tattooing being very great, sometimes causing death. Some of the chiefs were tattooed with an ornamental stripe down the legs, which gave them the appearance of being clad in tights. Others had marks around the ankles and insteps, which looked like tight fitting and elegant boots. Their faces were also tattooed, and their breasts were very profusely marked with every imaginable species of device. Muskets, dogs, birds, pigs, clubs, and canoes intermingled with losangers, squares, circles, and other arbitrary figures. The women were not tattooed so much as the men, having only a few marks on their feet and arms. But I must say, however objectionable this strange practice may be, it nevertheless had this good effect, that it took away very much from their appearance of nakedness. Next day, while we were returning from the woods to our schooner, we observed Ramada rushing about in the neighborhood of his house, apparently mad with passion. Ah, Bill said to me. There he's at his old tricks again. That's his way when he gets drink. The natives make a sort of drink of their own, and it makes him bad enough. But when he gets brandy he's like a wild tiger. The captain, I suppose, has given him a bottle as usual to keep him in good humor. After drinking he usually goes to sleep, and the people know it well and keep out of his way for fear they should waken him. Even the babies are taken out of your shot, for when he's waked up he rushes out just as you see him now and spears or clubs the first person he meets. It seemed at the present time, however, that no deadly weapon had been in his way, for the infuriated chief was raging about without one. Suddenly he caught sight of an unfortunate man who was trying to conceal himself behind a tree. Rushing towards him, Ramada struck him a terrible blow in the head, which knocked out the poor man's eye and also dislocated the chief's finger. The wretched creature offered no resistance. He did not even attempt to parry the blow. Indeed, from what Bill said, I found that he might consider himself lucky in having escaped with his life, which would certainly have been forfeited had the chief been possessed of a club at the time. Have these wretched creatures no law among themselves, said I, which can restrain such wickedness? None, replied Bill. The chief's word is law. He might kill and eat a dozen of his own subjects any day for nothing more than his own pleasure, and nobody would take the least notice of it. This ferocious deed took place within sight of our party as we wended our way to the beach, but I could not observe any other expression on the faces of the men than that of total indifference or contempt. It seemed to me a very awful thing that it should be possible for men to come to such hardness of heart and callousness to the sight of bloodshed and violence, but indeed I began to find that such constant exposure to scenes of blood was having a slight effect upon myself, and I shuddered when I came to think that I, too, was becoming callous. I thought upon this subject much that night while I walked up and down the deck during my hours of watch, and I came to the conclusion that if I, who hate it, abhorred and detested such bloody deeds as I had witnessed within the last few weeks, could so soon come to be less sensitive about them, how little wonder that these poor ignorant savages, who were born and bred in familiarity therewith, should think nothing of them at all, and should hold human life in so very slight esteem. Chapter 26 of the Coral Island This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Tom Weiss. The Coral Island by R. M. Valentine. Chapter 26. Mischief brewing. My blood is made to run cold. Evil consultations and wicked resolves. Bloody bills attempts to do good, and fails. The attack. Whole sale murder. The flight. The escape. Next morning I awoke with a feverish brow and a feeling of deep depression at my heart, and the more I thought on my unhappy fate, the more wretched and miserable did I feel. I was surrounded on all sides by human beings of the most dreadful character to whom the shedding of blood was mere pastime. On shore were the natives, whose practices were so horrible that I could not think of them without shuddering. On board were none but pirates of the blackest dye, who although not cannibals were foul murderers, and more blameworthy even than the savages in as much as they knew better. Even Bill, with whom I had under the strange circumstances of my lot, formed a kind of intimacy was so fierce in his nature as to have acquired the title of bloody from his vile companions. I felt very much cast down the more I considered the subject and the impossibility of delivery, as it seemed to me at least for a long time to come. At last, in my feeling of utter helplessness, I prayed fervently to the Almighty that He would deliver me out of my miserable condition, and when I had done so, I felt some degree of comfort. When the captain came on deck before the hour at which the men usually started for the woods, I begged of him to permit me to remain aboard that day, as I did not feel well. But he looked at me angrily and ordered me in a surly tone to get ready to go on shore as usual. The fact was that the captain had been out of humor for some time past. Ramada and he had had some differences, and high words had cast between them, during which the chief had threatened to send a fleet of his war canoes with a thousand men to break up and burn the schooner. Whereupon the captain smiled sarcastically, and going up to the chief gazed sternly in his face while he said, I have only to raise my little finger just now, and my big gun will blow your whole village to atoms in five minutes. Although the chief was a bold man, he quailed before the pirate's glance and threat, and made no reply, but a bad feeling had been raised, and old sores had been opened. I had, therefore, to go with the woodcutters that day. Before starting, however, the captain called me into the cabin and said, Here, Ralph, I've got a mission for you, lad. That Blackard Ramada is in the dumps, and nothing will mollify him but a gift, so do you go up to his house and give him these whale's teeth with my compliments? Take with you one of the men who can speak the language. I looked at the gift in some surprise, for it consisted of six white whale's teeth, and two of the same dyed bright red, which seemed to me very paltry things. However, I did not dare to hesitate or to ask any questions, so gathering them up, I left the cabin and was soon on my way to the chief's house, accompanied by Bill. On expressing my surprise at the gift, he said, there are paltry enough to you or me, Ralph, but they're considered of great value by them, chaps. There are sort of cash among them. The red ones are the most prized, one of them being equal to twenty of the white ones. I suppose the only reason for their being valuable is that there ain't many of them, and they're hard to be got. On arriving at the house, we found Ramada sitting on a mat, in the midst of a number of large bales of native cloth and other articles, which had been brought to him as presents from time to time by inferior chiefs. He received us rather heartily, but on Bill explaining the nature of our errand, he became very condescending, and his eyes glistened with satisfaction when he received the whale's teeth, although he laid them aside with an assumption of kingly indifference. Go, he said with a wave of the hand, go tell your captain that he may cut wood today, but not tomorrow. He must come ashore. I want to have a palaver with him. As we left the house to return to the woods, Bill shook his head. There's mischief ruined in that black rascal's head. I know him of old, but what comes here? As he spoke, we heard the sound of laughter and shouting in the woods, and presently there issued from it a band of savages, in the midst of whom were a number of men bearing burdens on their shoulders. At first I thought that these burdens were poles with something rolled round them, the end of each pole resting on a man's shoulder, but on a nearer approach I saw that they were human beings, tied hand and foot, and so lashed to the poles that they could not move. I counted twenty of them as they passed. More murder! said Bill in a voice that sounded between a horse lap and a groan. Surely they are not going to murder them, said I, looking anxiously into Bill's face. I don't know, Ralph, replied Bill, what they're going to do with them, but I fear they mean no good when they tie fellows up in that way. As we continued our way towards the woodcutters, I observed that Bill looked anxiously over his shoulder in the direction where the procession had disappeared. At last he stopped, and turning abruptly on his heel said, I tell you what it is, Ralph, I must be at the bottom of that affair. Let us follow these black scoundrels and see what they're going to do. I must say I had no wish to pry further into their bloody practices, but Bill seemed bent on it, so I turned and went. We passed rapidly through the bush, being guided in the right direction by the shouts of the savages. Suddenly there was a dead silence, which continued for some time, while Bill and I involuntarily quickened our pace until we were running at the top of our speed across the narrow neck of land previously mentioned. As we reached the verge of the wood, we discovered the savages surrounding the large war canoe, which they were apparently on the point of launching. Suddenly the multitude put their united strength to the canoe, but scarcely had the huge machine begun to move when a yell, the most appalling that ever fell upon my ear, rose high above the shouting of the savages. It had not died away when another and another smoked upon my throbbing ear, and then I saw that these inhuman monsters were actually launching their canoe over the living bodies of their victims, but there was no pity in the breasts of these men. Forward they went in ruthless indifference, shouting as they went, while high above their voices rang the dying shrieks of those wretched creatures, as one after another the ponderous canoe passed over them, burst the eyeballs from their sockets, and sent the lifeblood gushing from their mouths. Oh, reader, this is no fiction. I would not, for the sake of thrilling you with horror, invent so terrible a scene. It was witnessed. It is true. True as that accursed sin which has rendered the human heart capable of such diabolical enormities. When it was over, I turned round and fell upon the grass with a deep groan, but Bill seized me by the arm and lifting me up as if I had been a child, cried. Come along, lad, let's away. And so, staggering and stumbling over the tangled underwood, we fled from the fatal spot. During the remainder of that day, I felt as if I were in a horrible dream. I scarce knew what was said to me, and was more than once blamed by the men for idling my time. At last the hour to return aboard came. We marched down to the beach and I felt relief for the first time when my feet rested on the schooner's deck. In the course of the evening I overheard part of a conversation between the captain and the first mate, which startled me not a little. They were down in the cabin and conversed in an undertone, but the skylight being off I overheard every word that was said. I don't half like it, said the mate. It seems to me that we'll only have hard fighting and no pay. No pay? repeated the captain in a voice of suppressed anger. Do you call a good cargo all for nothing no pay? Very true, returned the mate, but we've got the cargo aboard. Why not cut your cable and take French leave of them? What's the use of trying to kill the blackers when it'll do us no matter a good? Mate, said the captain in a low voice, you talk like a freshwater sailor. I can only attribute this shyness to some strange delusion, for surely his voice assumed a slightly sneering tone as he said this. Surely I am not to suppose that you have become soft-hearted. Besides, you are wrong in regard to the cargo being aboard. There's a good quarter of it lying in the woods, and that Blackard chief knows it and won't let me take it off. He defied us to do our worst yesterday. Defied us, did he, cried the mate with a bitter laugh. Poor contemptible thing. And yet he seems not so contemptible that you are afraid to attack him. Who said I was afraid? growled the mate sulkily. I'm as ready as any man in a ship. But, captain, what is it that you intend to do? I intend to muffle the sweeps and row the schooner up to the head of the creek there, from which point we can command the pile of sandalwood with our gun. Then I shall land with all the men except two, who shall take care of the schooner and be ready with the boat to take us off. We can creep through the woods to the head of the village, where these cannibals are always dancing round their suppers of human flesh, and if the carbines of the men are loaded with a heavy charge of buckshot, we can drop forty or fifty at the first volley. After that, the thing will be easy enough. The savages will take to the mountains in a body, and we shall take what we require, up anchor and away. To this plan the mate at length agreed. As he left the cabin, I heard the captain say, give the men an extra glass of grog, and don't forget the buckshot. The reader may concede the horror with which I heard this murderous conversation. I immediately repeated it to Bill, who seemed much perplexed about it. At length he said, I'll tell you what I'll do, Ralph. I'll swim ashore after dark and fix a musket to a tree not far from the place where we'll have to land, and I'll tie a long string to the trigger, so that when our fellows cross it they'll let it off, and so alarm the village in time to prevent an attack, but not in time to prevent us getting back to the boat. So, Master Captain, added Bill with a smile that, for the first time, seemed to me to be mingled with good-natured cheerfulness, you'll be balked at least for once in your life by bloody Bill. After it grew dark, Bill put this resolve into practice. He slipped over the side with a musket in his left hand, while with his right he swam ashore and entered the woods. He soon returned, having accomplished his purpose, and got on board without being seen, I being the only one on deck. When the hour of midnight approached, the men were mustered on deck, the cable was cut, and the muffled sweeps got out. These sweeps were immensely large oars, each requiring a couple of men to work it, in a few minutes we entered the mouth of the creek, which was indeed the mouth of a small river, and took about half an hour to ascend it, although the spot where we intended to land was not more than six hundred yards from the melt, because there was a slight current against us, and the mangroves which narrowed the creek impeded the rowers in some places. Having reached the spot which was so darkened by overhanging trees that we could see with difficulty a small cage anchor attached to a thin line was let softly down over the stern. Now lads, whispered the captain as he walked along the line of men, who were all armed to the teeth, don't be in a hurry, aim low, and don't waste your first shots. He then pointed to the boat into which the men crowded in silence. There was no room to row, but oars were not needed, as a slight push against the side of the schooner sent the boat gliding to the shore. There's no need of leaving two in the boat, whispered the mate as the men stepped out. We shall want all our hands, let Ralph stay. The captain ascended, and ordered me to stand in readiness with the boat hook, to shove ashore at a moment's notice if they should return, or to shove off if any of the savages should happen to approach. He then threw his carbine into the hollow of his arm, and glided through the bushes followed by his men. With a throbbing heart I awaited the result of our plan. I knew the exact locality where the musket was placed, for Bill had described it to me, and I kept my straining eyes fixed upon the spot. But no sound came, and I began to fear that either they had gone in another direction, or that Bill had not fixed a string properly. Suddenly I heard a faint click, and observed one or two bright sparks among the bushes. My heart immediately sank within me, for I knew at once that the trigger had indeed been pulled, but that the priming had not caught. The plan, therefore, had utterly failed. A feeling of dread now began to creep over me as I stood in the boat, in that dark, silent spot, awaiting the issue of this murderous expedition. I shuddered as I glanced at the water that glided past like a dark reptile. I looked back at the schooner, but her hull was just barely visible, while her tapering mass were lost among the trees which overshadowed her. Her lower sails were set, but so thick was the gloom that they were quite invisible. Suddenly I heard a shot. In a moment a thousand voices raised a yell in the village, again the cry rose on the night air, and was followed by broken shouts as of scattered parties of men bounding into the woods. Then I heard another shout, loud and close at hand. It was the voice of the captain cursing the man who had fired the premature shot. Then came the order forward, followed by a wild hurrah of our men as they charged the savages. Shots now rang in quick succession, and at last a loud volley startled the echoes of the woods. It was followed by a multitude of wild shrieks which were immediately drowned in another hurrah from the men, the distance of the sea proving that they were driving their enemies before them towards the sea. While I was listening intently to these sounds, which were now mingled in confusion, I was startled by the rustling of the leaves not far from me. At first I thought it was a party of savages who had observed the schooner, but I was speedily undeceived by observing a body of natives, apparently several hundreds as far as I could guess in the uncertain light, bounding through the woods towards the scene of the battle. I saw at once that this was a party who had outflanked our men and would speedily attack them in the rear, and so it turned out, for in a short time the shouts increased tenfold, and among them I thought I heard a death cry uttered by voices familiar to my ear. At length the tumult of battle ceased, and from the cries of exultation that now arose from the savages I felt assured that our men had been conquered. I was immediately thrown into dreadful consternation. What was I now to do? To be taken by the savages was too horrible to be thought of. To flee to the mountains was hopeless, as I should soon be discovered, and to take the schooner out of the creek without assistance was impossible. I resolved, however, to make the attempt as being my only hope, and was on the point of pushing off when my hand was stayed and my blood chilled by an appalling shriek in which I recognized the voice of one of the crew. It was succeeded by a shout from the savages, then came another and another shriek of agony, making my ears detingle as I felt convinced they were murdering the pirate crew in cold blood. With a bursting heart and my brain whirling as if on fire, I seized the boat-hook to push from shore when a man sprang from the bushes. Stop, Ralph, stop! There, now, push off, he cried, and bound it into the boat so violently as nearly to upset her. It was Bill's voice. In another moment we were on board, the boat made fast, the line of the anchor cut, and the sweeps run out. At the first stroke of Bill's giant arm the schooner was nearly pulled ashore, for in his haste he forgot that I could scarcely move the unwieldy oar. Springing to the stern he lashed the rudder in such a position as that, while it aided me, it acted against him, and so rendered the force of our strokes nearly equal. The schooner now began to glide quickly down the creek, but before we reached its mouth a yell from a thousand voices on the bank told that we were discovered. Instantly a number of the savages plunged into the water and swam towards us, but we were making so much way that they could not overtake us. One, however, an immensely powerful man succeeded in laying hold of the cut rope that hung from the stern and clamored quickly upon deck. Bill caught sight of him the instant his head appeared above the trophale, but he did not cease to row, and did not appear even to notice the savage until he was within a yard of him. Then, dropping the sweep, he struck him a blow on the forehead with his clenched fist that felled him to the deck. Lifting him up, he hurled him overboard and resumed the oar, but now a greater danger awaited us, for the savages had outrun us on the bank, and were about to plunge into the water ahead of the schooner. If they succeeded in doing so, our fate was sealed. For one moment Bill stood irresolute, then, drawing a pistol from his belt, he sprang to the brass gun, held the pan of this pistol over the touch-hole, and fired. The shot was succeeded by the hiss of the cannon's priming, then the blaze and the crashing thunder of the monstrous gun burst upon the savages with such deafening roar that it seemed as if their very mountains had been rent asunder. This was enough. The moment of surprise and hesitation caused by the unwanted sound gave us time to pass the point. A gentle breeze, which the dense spoilage had hitherto prevented us from feeling, bulged out our sails. The schooner, bent before it, and the shouts of the disappointed savages, grew fainter and fainter in the distance, as we were slowly wafted out to sea. End of Chapter 26 Recording by Tom Weiss Chapter 27 of The Coral Island This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Recording by Tom Weiss The Coral Island by R. M. Ballentine Chapter 27 Reflections The Wounded Man The Squall True Consolation Death There is a power of endurance in human beings, both in their bodies and in their minds, which I have often thought seems to be wonderfully adapted and exactly proportioned to the circumstances in which individuals may happen to be placed. A power which in most cases is sufficient to carry a man through and over every obstacle that may happen to be thrown in his path through life, no matter how high or how steep the mountain may be, but which often forsakes him the moment the summit is gained, the point of difficulty passed, and leaves him prostrated, with energies gone, nerves unstung, and a feeling of incapacity, pervading the entire frame that renders the most trifling effort almost impossible. During the greater part of that day I had been subjected to severe mental and much physical excitement, which had almost crushed me down by the time I was relieved from duty in the course of the evening. But when the expedition whose failure had just been narrated was planned, my anxieties and energies had been so powerfully aroused that I went through the protracted scenes of that terrible night without a feeling of the slightest fatigue, my mind and body were alike active and full of energy. No sooner was the last thrilling fear of danger passed, however, than my faculties were utterly relaxed, and when I felt the cool breezes of the Pacific playing around my fevered brow, and heard the free waves rippling at the schooner's prow, as we left the hated island behind us, my senses persoaked me, and I fell in a swoon upon the deck. From this state I was quickly aroused by Bill, who shook me by the arm, saying, Hello Ralph boy, Ralph's up led, we're safe now. Poor thing, I believe he's fainted, and raising me in his arms he laid me on the folds of the gaff topsoil, which lay upon the deck near the tiller. Here, take a drop of this, it'll do you good, my boy, he added in a voice of tenderness which I had never heard him use before, while he held a brandy flask to my lips. I raised my eyes gratefully as I swallowed a mouthful. Next moment my head sank heavily upon my arm, and I fell fast asleep. I slept long, for when I awoke the sun was a good way above the horizon. I did not move on first opening my eyes, as I felt a delightful sensation of rest pervading me, and my eyes were riveted on and charmed with the gorgeous splendor of the mighty ocean that first upon my sight. It was a dead calm. The sea seemed a sheet of undulating crystal, tipped and streaked with the saffron hues of sunrise, which had not yet merged into the glowing heat of noon, and there was a deep calm in the blue dome above that was not broken even by the usual flutter of the sea-fowl. How long I would have lain in contemplation of this peaceful scene I know not, but my mind was recalled suddenly and painfully to the past and the present by the sight of Bill, who was seated on the deck at my feet, with his head reclining as if in sleep on his right arm which rested on the tiller. As he seemed to rest peacefully, I did not mean to disturb him, but the slight noise I made in raising myself on my elbow caused him to start and look around. Well, Ralph, awake at last, my boy, you have slept long and soundly, he said, turning towards me. On beholding his countenance, I sprang up in anxiety. He was deadly pale, and his hair, which hung in disheveled locks over his face, was clotted with blood. Blood also stained his hollow cheeks and covered the front of his shirt, which with the greater part of his dress was torn and soiled with mud. Oh, Bill, said I with deep anxiety. What is the matter with you? You are ill. You must have been wounded. Even so, lad, said Bill in a deep, soft voice, while he extended his huge frame on the couch from which I had just risen. I've got an ugly wound, I fear, and I've been waiting for you to awaken to ask you to get me a drop of brandy and a mouthful of bread from the cabin lockers. You seem to sleep so sweetly, Ralph, that I didn't like to disturb you, but I don't feel up to much just now. I did not wait till he had done talking, but ran below immediately and returned in a few seconds with a bottle of brandy and some broken biscuit. He seemed much refreshed after eating a few morsels and drinking a long draught of water mingled with a little of the spirits. Immediately afterwards he fell asleep, and I watched him anxiously until he awoke, being desirous of knowing the nature and extent of his wound. Ha! he exclaimed unawaking suddenly, after a slumber of an hour. I'm the better of that, Nap Ralph. I feel twice the man I was, and he attempted to rise, but sank back again immediately with a deep groan. Nay, Bill, you must not move, but lie still while I look at your wound. I'll make a comfortable bed for you here on deck, and get you some breakfast. After that you shall tell me how you got it. Share up, Bill. I had it, seeing that he turned his head away. You'll be all right in a little, and I'll be a capital nurse to you, though I'm no doctor. I then left him and lighted a fire in the caboose. While it was kindling, I went to the steward's pantry and procured the materials for a good breakfast, with which, in little more than half an hour, I returned to my companion. He seemed much better, and smiled kindly on me as I set before him a cup of coffee, and a tray with several eggs and some bread on it. Now then, Bill, said I cheerfully, sitting down beside him on the deck, Let's fall, too. I'm very hungry myself, I can tell you. But I forgot your wound. I had it rising. Let me look at it. I found that the wound was caused by a pistol shot in the chest. It did not bleed much, and as it was on the right side I was in hopes that it might not be very serious. But Bill shook his head. However, said he, Sit down, Ralph, and I'll tell you all about it. You see, after we left the boat and began to push through the bushes, we went straight for the line of my musket, as I had expected. But by some unlucky chance it didn't explode, for I saw the line torn away by the men's legs and heard the click of the lock, so I fancy the priming had got damp and didn't catch. I was in a great quandary now what to do, for I couldn't concoct in my mind in the hurry any good reason for firing off my piece. But they say necessity is the mother of invention, so just as I was giving it up and clenching my teeth to bide the worst it, and take what should come, a sudden thought came into my head. I stepped out before the rest, semen to be awful anxious to be at the savages, tripped my foot on a fallen tree, plunged my head foremost into a bush, and of course my carbine exploded. Then came such a screeching from the camp as I have never heard in all my life. I rose at once and was rushing on with the rest when the captain called the halt. You did that a purpose, you villain, he said with a tremendous oath, and drawn a pistol from his belt let fly right into my breast. I fell at once, and remembered no more till I was startled and brought round by the most awful yell I ever heard in my life, except maybe the shrieks of them poor critters that were crushed to death under yon big canoe. Jumping up I looked round and through the trees saw a fire gleamon not far off, the light of which showed me the captain and men tied handed foot, each to a post, and the savages dancing round them like demons. I had scarce look for a second when I saw one of them go up to the captain flourishing a knife, and before I could wink he plunged it into his breast, while another yell like the one that roused me rang upon my ear. I didn't wait for more, but bounding up went crashing through the bushes into the woods. The blackfellows caught sight of me however, but not in time to prevent me jumping into the boat, as you know. Bill seemed to be much exhausted after this recital, and shuddered frequently during the narrative, so I refrained from continuing the subject at that time, and endeavored to draw his mind to other things. But now, Bill, said I, it behooves us to think about the future, and what course of action we shall pursue. Here we are, on the wide Pacific, in a well-appointed schooner, which is our own, at least no one has a better claim to it than we have, and the world lies before us. Moreover, here comes a breeze, so we must make up our minds which way to steer. Ralph, my boy, said my companion, it matters not to me which way we go. I fear that my time is short now. Go where you will. I'm content. Well, then, Bill, I think we had better steer to the coral island, and see what has become of my dear old comrades, Jack and Peterkin. I believe the island has no name, but the captain once pointed it out to me on the chart, and I marked it afterwards, so as we pretty well know our position just now, I think I can steer to it. Then, as to working the vessel, it is true I cannot hoist the sails single-handed, but luckily we have enough of sail set already, and if it should come on to blow a squall, I could at least drop the peaks of the main and four sails, and clue them up partially without help, and throw her head close into the wind, so as to keep her all shaking till the violence of the squall is passed. And if we have continued light breezes, I'll rig up a complication of blocks, and fix them to the topsoil halyards, so that I shall be able to hoist the sails without help. Tis true, I'll require half a day to hoist them, but we don't need to mind that. Then I'll make a sort of erection on deck to screen you from the Sun-bill, and if you can only manage to sit beside the tiller and steer for two hours every day, so as to let me get a nap I'll engage to let you off duty all the rest of the twenty-four hours, and if you don't feel able for steering I'll lash the helm and heave two while I get you your breakfasts and dinners, and so we'll manage famously and soon reach the coral island. Bill smiled faintly as I ran on in this strain. And what will you do, said he, if it comes on to blow a storm? This question silenced me, while I considered what I should do in such a case. At length I laid my hand on his arm and said, Bill, when a man has done all that he can do, he ought to leave the rest to God. O Ralph, said my companion in a faint voice, looking anxiously into my face, I wish that I had the feelings about God that you seem to have at this hour. I'm dying, Ralph, yet I, who have braved death a hundred times, am afraid to die. I'm afraid to enter the next world. Something within tells me there will be a reckoning when I go there. But it's all over with me, Ralph. I feel that there's no chance of my being saved. Don't say that, Bill, said I in deep compassion. Don't say that. I'm quite sure there's hope, even for you. But I can't remember the words of the Bible that make me think so. Is there not a Bible on board, Bill? No. The last that was in the ship belonged to a poor boy that was taken aboard against his will. He died, poor lad, I think through ill treatment and fear. After he was gone, the captain found his Bible and flung it overboard. I now reflect it with great sadness and self- reproach, on the way in which I had neglected my Bible, and it flashed across me that I was actually, in the sight of God, a greater sinner than this blood-stained pirate. Poor thought I, he tells me that he never read the Bible, and was never brought up to care for it, whereas I was carefully taught to read it by my own mother, and had read it daily as long as I possessed one. Yet to so little purpose that I could not now call to mind a single text that would meet this poor man's case and afford him the consolation he so much required. I was much distressed and taxed my memory for a long time. At last a text did flash into my mind, and I wondered much that I had not thought of it before. Bill, said I in a low voice, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved. I, Ralph, I heard the missionaries say that before now, but what good can it do me? It's not for me that it's not for the likes of me. I knew not now what to say, for although I felt sure that that word was for him as well as for me, I could not remember any other word whereby I could prove it. After a short pause, Bill raised his eyes to my and said, Ralph, I've led a terrible life. I've been a sailor since I was a boy, and I've gone from bad to worse ever since I left my father's room. I've been a pirate three years now. It is true I did not choose the trade, but I was invagled aboard the schooner and kept here by force till I became reckless, and at last joined them. Since that time my hand has been steeped in human blood again and again. Your young heart would grow cold if I—but why should I go on? Tis of no use, Ralph, my doom is fixed. Bill, said I, though your sins be read like crimson, they shall be white as snow. Only believe. Only believe, cried Bill, starting up on his elbow. I've heard men talk of believing as if it was easy. Ha! Tis easy enough for a man to point to a rope and say, I believe that would bear my weight, but Tis another thing for a man to catch hold of that rope and swing himself by it over the edge of a precipice. The energy with which he said this, and the action with which it was accompanied, were too much for Bill. He sank back with a deep groan, as if the very elements sympathized with this man's sufferings a low moan came sweeping over the sea. Hest Ralph, said Bill, opening his eyes. There's a squall coming, lad. Look alive, boy. Clue up the foresail. Drop the mainsail peak. Them squalls come up quick sometimes. I had already started to my feet and saw that a heavy squall was indeed bearing down on us. It had hitherto escaped my notice owing to my being so much engrossed by our conversation. I instantly did as Bill desired, but the schooner was lying motionless on the glassy sea. I observed with some satisfaction that the squall was bearing down on the larbord bow, so that it would strike the vessel in the position in which she would best be able to stand the shock. Having done my best to shorten sail, I returned afk and took my stand at the helm. Now, boy, said Bill in a faint voice, keep her close to the wind. A few seconds afterwards he said, Ralph, let me hear those two texts again. I repeated them. Are ye sure, lad? Ye saw them in the Bible? Quite sure, I replied. Almost before the words had left my lips, the wind burst upon us and the spray dashed over our decks. For a time the schooner stood it bravely and sprang forward against the rising sea like a warhorse. Meanwhile, clouds darkened the sky, and the sea began to rise in huge billows. There was still too much sail on the schooner, and as the gale increased, I feared that the mast would be torn out of her or carried away, while the wind whistled and shrieked through the strained rigging. Suddenly the wind shifted a point, a heavy sea struck us on the bow, and the schooner was almost laid on her at beam ends, so that I could scarcely keep my legs. At the same moment Bill lost his hold of the belaying pin which had served to steady him, and he slid with stunning violence against the skylight. As he lay on the deck close beside me, I could see that the shock had rendered him insensible, but I did not dare to quit the tiller for an instant, as it required all my faculties, bodily and mental, to manage the schooner. For an hour the blast drove us along, while owing to the sharpness of the vessel's bow and the press of canvas she dashed through the waves instead of breasting over them, thereby drenching the decks with water for an hour. At the end of that time the squall passed away, and left us rocking on the bosom of the agitated sea. My first care, the instant I could quit the helm, was to raise Bill from the deck and place him on the couch. I then ran below for the brandy bottle, and rubbed his face and hands with it, and endeavored to pour a little down his throat. But my efforts, although I continued them long and assiduously, were of no avail. As I let go the hand which I had been chafing, it fell heavily on the deck. I laid my hand over his heart, and sat for some time, quite motionless. But there was no flutter there. The pirate was dead. Chapter 28. Alone on the Deep. Necessity, the mother of invention. A valuable book discovered. Natural Phenomenon. A bright day in my history. It was with feelings of awe, not unmingled with fear, that I now seated myself on the cabin skylight and gazed upon the rigid features of my late comrade, while my mind wandered over his past history and contemplated with anxiety my present position. Alone, in the midst of the wide Pacific, having a most imperfect knowledge of navigation, and in a schooner requiring at least eight men as her proper crew, but I will not tax the reader's patience with a minute detail of my feelings and doings during the first few days that follow the depth of my companion. I will merely mention that I tied a cannonball to his feet, and with feelings of the deepest sorrow consigned him to the deep. Perfully a week after that a steady breeze blew from the east, and as my course lay west and by north I made rapid progress towards my destination. I could not take an observation, which I very much regret it, as the captain's quadrant was in the cabin, but from the day of setting sail from the island of the savages I had kept a dead reckoning, and as I pretty well knew how much leeway the schooner made, I hoped to hit the coral island without much difficulty. In this I was the more confident that I knew its position on the chart, which I understood was a very good one, and so had its correct bearings by compass. As the weather seemed now quite settled and fine, and as I had got into the trade winds, I set about preparations for hoisting the topsoils. This was a most arduous task, and my first attempts were complete failures owing, in a great degree, to my reprehensible ignorance of mechanical forces. The first error I made was in applying my apparatus of blocks and pulleys to a rope which was too weak, so that the very first heave I made broke it in two, and sent me staggering against the afterhatch, over which I tripped and striking against the main boom tumbled down the companion ladder into the cabin. I was much bruised and somewhat stunned by this untoward accident. However, I considered it fortunate that I was not killed. In my next attempt I made sure of not coming by a similar accident, so I unreaved the tackling and fitted up larger blocks and ropes. But although the principle on which I acted was quite correct, the machinery was now so massive and heavy that the mere friction and stiffness of a thick cordage prevented me from moving it at all. Afterwards, however, I came to proportion things more correctly, but I could not avoid reflecting at the time how much better it would have been had I learned all this from observation and study, instead of waiting till I was forced to acquire it through the painful and tedious lessons of experience. After the tackling was prepared and in good working order, it took me the greater part of a day to hoist the main topsell. As I could not steer and work at this at the same time, I lashed the helm in such a position that with the little watching now and then it kept the schooner in her proper course. By this means I was enabled also to go about the deck and down below for things that I wanted as occasion required, also to cook and eat my victuals. But I did not dare to trust this plan during the three hours of rest that I allowed myself at night, as the wind might have shifted, in which case I should have been blown far out of my course ere I awoke. I was, therefore, in the habit of heaving too during those three hours, that is, fixing the rudder and the sails in such a position as that by acting against each other they would keep the ship stationary. After my nights rest, therefore, I had only to make allowance for the leeway she had made, and so resumed my course. Of course I was, to some extent, anxious lest another squall should come, but I had made the best provision I could in the circumstances and concluded that by letting go the weather braces of the topsoils and the topsoil halyards at the same time I should thereby render these sails almost powerless. Besides this, I proposed to myself to keep a sharp look out on the barometer in the cabin, and if I observed at any time a sudden fall in it, I resolved that I would instantly set about my multi-form appliances for reducing sail, so as to avoid being taken unawares. Thus I sailed prosperously for two weeks, with a fair wind, so that I calculated I must be drawing near to the coral island, at the thought of which my heart bounded with joyful expectation. The only book I found on board, after a careful search, was a volume of Captain Cook's voyages. This, I suppose, the pirate captain had brought with him in order to guide him, and to furnish him with information regarding the islands of these seas. I found this a most delightful book indeed, and I not only obtained much interesting knowledge about the sea in which I was sailing, but I had many of my own opinions derived from experience corroborated, and not a few of them corrected. Besides the reading of this charming book and the daily routine of occupations, nothing a particular note happened to me during this voyage, except once when on rising one night, after my three hours nap, while it was yet dark, I was amazed and a little alarmed to find myself floating in what appeared to be a sea of blue fire. I had often noticed the beautiful appearance of phosphorescent light, but this far exceeded anything of the sort I ever saw before. The whole sea appeared somewhat like milk, and was remarkably luminous. I rose in haste, and letting down a bucket into the sea brought some of the water on board, and took it down to the cabin to examine it. But no sooner did I approach the light than this strange appearance disappeared, and when I removed the cabin light, the luminous light appeared again. I was much puzzled with this, and took up a little of the water in the hollow of my hand, and then let it run off, when I found that the luminous substance was left behind on my palm. I ran with it to the lamp, but when I got there it was gone. I found, however, that when I went into the dark my hand shone again, so I took the large glass of the ship's telescope, and examined my hand minutely, when I found that there were on it one or two small batches of a clear, transparent substance like jelly, which were so thin as to be almost invisible to the naked eye. Thus I came to know that the beautiful phosphoric light, which I had so often admired before, was caused by animals. For I had no doubt that these were of the same kind as the medusa or jellyfish which are seen in all parts of the world. On the evening of my fourteenth day I was awakened out of a nap into which I had fallen by a loud cry, and starting up I gazed around me, was surprised and delighted to see a large albatross soaring majestically over the ship. I immediately took it into my head that this was the albatross I had seen at Penguin Island. I had, of course, no good reason for supposing this, but the idea occurred to me, I know not why, and I cherished it, and regarded the bird with as much affection as if he had been an old friend. He kept me company all that day, and left me as night fell. Next morning, as I stood motionless and with heavy eyes at the helm, for I had not slept well, I began to weary anxiously for daylight, and peered towards the horizon where I thought I observed something like a black cloud against the dark sky. Being always on the alert for squalls, I ran to the bow. There could be no doubt it was a squall, and as I listened, I thought I heard the murmur of the coming gale. Instantly I began to work might and mane at my cumbers tackle for shortening sail, and in the course of an hour and a half had the most of it reduced. The topsoil yards down on the caps, the topsoils clued up, the sheets hauled in, the mane and four peaks lowered, and the flying jib down. While thus engaged, the dawn advanced, and I cast an occasional furtive glance ahead in the midst of my labor. But now that things were prepared for the worst, I ran forward again and looked anxiously over the bow. I now heard the roar of the waves distinctly, and as a single ray of the rising sun gleamed over the ocean I saw, what could it be that I was dreaming, the magnificent breaker with its ceaseless roar, that mountaintop. Yes, once more I beheld the Coral Island. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain, recording by Tom Weiss. The Coral Island by R. M. Valentine. Chapter 29. The effect of a cannon shot. A happy reunion of a somewhat moist nature. Retrospect and explanations. An awful dive. New plans. The last of the Coral Island. I almost fell upon the deck with a tumult of mingled emotions that filled my heart as I gazed ardently towards my beautiful island. It was still many miles away, but sufficiently near to enable me to trace distinctly the well-remembered outlines of the two mountains. My first impulse was to utter an exclamation of gratitude for being carried to my former happy home in safety. My second, to jump up, clap my hands, shout, and run up and down the deck with no other object in view than that of giving vent to my excited feelings. Then I went below for the telescope and spent nearly ten minutes of the utmost impatience in vainly trying to get a focus and rubbing the skin nearly off my eyes before I discovered that having taken off the large glass to examine the phosphoric water width, I had omitted to put it back on again. After that, I looked up impatiently at the sails, which I now regret it having lowered so hastily, and for a moment thought of hoisting the main topsoil again, but recollecting that it would take me full half a day to accomplish and that at the present rate of sailing two hours would bring me to the island, I immediately dismissed the idea. The remainder of the time I spent in making feverish preparations for arriving and seeing my dear comrades. I remembered that they were not in the habit of rising before six, and as it was now only three, I hoped to arrive before they were awake. Moreover, I set about making ready to let go the anchor, resolving in my own mind that as I knew the depth of water in the passage of the reef and within the lagoon, I would run the schooner in and bring up opposite the bower. Fortunately, the anchor was hanging at the cathead, otherwise I should never have been able to use it. Now I had only to cut the tackling, and it would drop of its own weight. After searching among the flags, I found the terrible black one, which I ran up to the peak. While I was doing this, a thought struck me. I went to the powder magazine, brought up a blank cartridge, and loaded the big brass gun, which it will be remembered was unhoused when we set sail, and as I had no means of housing it, there it had stood, bristling alike at fair weather and foul all the voyage. I took care to grease its mouth well, and before leaving the fore part of the ship, thrust the poker into the fire. All was now ready. A steady five knot breeze was blowing, so that I was now not more than a quarter of a mile from the reef. I was soon at the entrance, and as the schooner glided quickly through, I glanced affectionately at the huge breaker, as if it had been the same one I had seen there when I bade a dew, as I feared forever to the island. On coming opposite the water garden, I put the helm hard down. The schooner came round with a rapid graceful bend, and lost way just opposite the bower. Running forward, I let go the anchor, caught up the red-hot poker, and applied it to the brass gun, and saluted the mountains with a bang such as only once before broke their slumbering echoes. Effective, although it was, however, it was scarcely equal to the bang with which, instantly afterward, Peterkin bound it from the bower in scanty costume, his eyeballs starting from his head with surprise and terror. One gaze he gave, one yell, and then fled into the bushes like a wild cat. The next moment Jack went through exactly the same performance, the only difference being that his movements were less like those of Jack in the Box, though not less vigorous and rapid than those of Peterkin. Hello, I shout it almost mad with joy. What ho? Peterkin, Jack, hello, it's me. My shout was just in time to arrest them. They called it, and turned round, and the instant I repeated the cry I saw that they recognized my voice by both of them running at full speed towards the beach, I could no longer contain myself. Throwing off my jacket, I jumped overboard at the same moment that Jack bounded into the sea. In another moment we met in deep water, clasped each other around the neck and sank as a matter, of course, to the bottom. We were well nigh choked and instantly struggled to the surface where Peterkin was spluttering about like a wounded duck, laughing and crying by turns and choking himself with salt water. It would be impossible to convey to my reader by description an adequate conception of the scene that followed my landing on the beach, as we stood embracing each other indiscriminately in our dripping garments and giving utterance to incoherent rhapsodies mingled with wild shouts. It could be more easily imagined than described, so I will draw a curtain over this part of my history and carry the reader forward over an interval of three days. During the greater part of that period, Peterkin did nothing but roast pigs, taro, and breadfruit, and ply me with plantains, plums, potatoes, and coconuts, while I relayed it to him and Jack the terrible and wonderful adventures I had gone through since we last met. After I had finished the account, they made me go all over it again, and when I had concluded the second recital, I had to go over it again, while they commented upon it piecemeal. They were much affected by what I told them of the probable fate of Abbotay, and Peterkin could by no means broke the idea of the poor girl being converted into a long pig. As for Jack, he clenched his teeth and shook his fists towards the sea, saying at the same time that he was sorry he had not broken taro's head, and he only hoped that one day he should be able to plant his knuckles on the bridge of that chief's nose. After they had puffed me dry, as Peterkin said, I begged to be informed of what had happened to them during my long absence, and particularly as to how they got out of the diamond cave. Well, you must know, began Jack, after you had dived out of the cave, on the day you were taken away from us, we've waited very patiently for half an hour, not expecting you to return before the end of that time. Then we began to upgrade you for staying so long when you knew we would be anxious, but when an hour passed we became alarmed, and I resolved at all hazards to dive out and see what had become of you, although I felt for poor Peterkin, because, as he truly said, if you never come back, I'm shut up here for life. However, I promised not to run any risk, and he let me go, which to say truth I thought very courageous of him. I should just think it was, interrupted Peterkin, looking at Jack over the edge of a monstrous potato which he happened to be devouring at the time. Well, continued Jack, you may guess my consternation when you did not answer to my hallue. At first I imagined that the pirates must have killed you and left you in the bush, or thrown you into the sea, then it occurred to me that this would have served no end of theirs, so I came to the conclusion that they must have carried you away with them. As this thought struck me, I observed the pirate schooners standing away to north, almost hauled down on the horizon, and I sat down on the rocks to watch her, as she slowly sank from my sight. And I tell you, Ralph, my boy, that I shed more tears that time at losing you than I have done, I verily believe, all my life before. Pardon me, Jack, for interrupting, said Peterkin. Surely you must be mistaken in that. You've often told me that when you were a baby, you used to howl and roar from morning to haul your tongue, Peterkin, cried Jack. Well, after the schooner had disappeared, I dived back into the cave much to Peterkin's relief, and told him what I had seen. We sat down and had a long talk over this matter, and then we agreed to make a regular, systematic search through the woods, so as to make sure, at least, that you have not been killed. But we now thought of the difficulty of getting out of the cave without your help. Peterkin became dreadfully nervous when he thought of this, and I must confess I felt some alarm, or, of course, I could not hope alone to take him out so quickly, as we two together had brought him in. And he himself vowed that if we had been a moment longer with him that time, he would have had to take a breath of salt water. However, there was no help for it, and I endeavored to calm his fears, as well as I could. For, said I, you can't live here, Peterkin, to which he replied, of course not, Jack. I can only die here, and as that's not at all desirable, you had better propose something. So I suggested he should take a good, long breath, and trust himself, to me. Might we not make a large bag of coconut cloth, into which I could shove my head and tie it tight around my neck? He asked with a haggard smile. It might let me get one breath underwater. No use, said I. It would fill in a moment and suffocate you. I see nothing poor at Peterkin, if you really can't keep your breath so long, but to let me knock you down and carry you out while in a state of insensibility. But Peterkin didn't relish this idea. He seemed to fear that I would not be able to measure the exact force of the blow, and might, on the one hand, hit him so softly as to render a second or third blow necessary, which would be very uncomfortable. Or, on the other hand, give him such a smash as would entirely spoil his figurehead, or may have knocked the life out of him altogether. At last I got him persuaded to try to hold his breath, and commit himself to me. So he agreed, and down we went. But I had not got halfway through when he began to struggle and kick like a wild bull, first from my grasp and hit against the roof of the tunnel. I was therefore obliged to force him violently back into the cave again, where he rose panting to the surface. In short, he had lost his presence of mind, and nothing of the sort cried Peterkin indignantly. I only lost my win, and if I had not had presence of mind to kick, as I did, I should have bust in your arms. Well, so be it, resumed Jack with a smile. But the upshot of it was that we had to hold another consultation on the point, and I really believed that had it not been for a happy thought of mine, we should have been consulting there yet. I wish we had, again interrupted Peterkin with a sigh. I'm sure, Ralph, if I had thought that you were coming back again, I would willingly have awaited your return for months rather than have endured the mental agony which I went through. But proceed, the thought was this, continued Jack, that I should tie Peterkin's hands and feet with cords, and then lash him firmly to a stout pole about five feet long in order to render him quite powerless and keep him straight and stiff. You should have seen his face of horror, Ralph, when I suggested this, but he came to see that it was his only chance, and told me to set about it as fast as I could. For, said he, this is no joking, Jack, I can tell you, and the sooner it's done, the better. I soon procured the cordage in a suitable pole, with which I returned to the cave, and lashed him as stiff and straight as an Egyptian mummy. And to say truth, he was no bad representation of what an English mummy would be, if there were such things, for he was as white as a dead man. Now, said Peterkin in a tremulous voice, swim with me as near to the edge of the hole as you can before you dive. Then let me take a long breath, and as I shan't be able to speak after I've taken it, you'll watch my face, and the moment you see me wait, dive, and oh, he added earnestly, pray don't be long. I promised to pay the strictest attention to his wishes, and swam with him to the outlet of the cave. Here I paused. Now then, said I, pull away at the wind lad. Peterkin drew in a breath so long that I could not help thinking of the frog in the fable, that wanted to swell itself up as big as the ox. Then I looked into his face earnestly, slapped with the lid of his right eye, down went my head, and up went my heels. We shot through the passage like an arrow and rose to the surface of the open sea before you could count twenty. Peterkin had taken in such an awful load of wind that, on reaching the free air, he let it out with a yell loud enough to have heard a mile off, and then the change in his feelings was so sudden and great that he did not wait till we landed, but began, tied up as he was, to shout and sing for joy as I supported him with my left arm to the shore. However, in the middle of a laugh that a hyena might have indeed, I let him accidentally slip, which extinguished him for a moment. After this happy deliverance, we immediately began our search for your dead body realm, and you have no idea how low our hearts sank as we set off day after day to examine the valleys and mountainsides with the utmost care. In about three weeks we completed the survey of the whole island, and had at least the satisfaction of knowing that you had not been killed. But it occurred to us that you might have been thrown into the sea, so we examined the sands and the lagoon carefully, and afterwards went all round the outer reef. One day, while we were upon the reef, Peterkin aspired a small, dark object lying among the rocks, which seemed to be quite different from the surrounding stones. We hastened towards the spot and found it to be a small keg. Unknocking out the head, we discovered that it was gunpowder. It was I who sent you that, Jack, said I with a smile. Pork out, cried Peterkin energetically, starting to his feet and extending his open hand to Jack. Down with the money, sir, else I'll have you shut up for life in a debtor's prison the moment we return to England. I'll give you an IOU in the meantime, return Jack laughing, so sit down and be quiet. The fact is, Ralph, when we discovered this keg of powder, Peterkin immediately took me a bet of a thousand pounds that you had something to do with it, and I took him a bet of ten thousand that you had not. Peterkin was right, then, said I, explaining how the thing had occurred. Well, we found it very useful, continued Jack, although some of it had got a little damp, and we furnished up the old pistol with which Peterkin is a cracked shot now. But to continue, we did not find any other vestige of you on the reef, and finally gave up all hope of ever seeing you again. After this the island became a dreary place to us, and we began to long for a ship to heave in sight and take us off. But now that you're back again, my dear fellow, it looks as bright and cheerful as it used to do, and I love it as much as ever. And now, continued Jack, I have a great desire to visit some of the other islands of the South Seas. Here we have a first great schooner at our disposal, so I don't see what should hinder us. Just the very thing I was going to propose, cried Peterkin, I vote for starting it once. Well then, said Jack, it seems to me that we could not do better than shape our course for the island on which Avatay lives, and endeavor to persuade Tarot to let her marry the black fellow to whom she is engaged instead of making a long pig of her. If he has a spark of gratitude in him, he'll do it. Besides, having become champions for this girl once before, it behooves us as true knights not to rest until we set her free. At least all the heroes in all the storybooks I have ever read would count it foul disgrace to lead such a work, unfinished. I'm sure I don't know or care what your knights in storybooks would do, said Peterkin, but I'm certain that it would be capital fun, so I'm your man whenever you want me. This plan of Jack's was quite in accordance with his romantic, impulsive nature, and having made up his mind to save this black girl, he could not rest until the thing was commenced. But there may be great danger in this attempt, he said at the end of a long consultation on the subject. Will you lads go with me in spite of this? Go with you, we repeat it in the same breath. Can you doubt it, said I? For a moment, added Peterkin. I need scarcely say that having made up our minds to go on this enterprise, we lost no time in making preparations to quit the island, and as the schooner was well laden with stores of every kind for a long cruise, we had little to do except to add to our abundant supply a quantity of coconuts, breadfruit, taro, yams, plums, and potatoes, chiefly with the view of carrying the fragrance of our dear island along with us as long as we could. When all was ready, we paid a farewell visit to the different familiar spots where most of our time had been spent. We ascended the mountaintop and gazed for the last time at the rich green foliage in the valleys, the white sandy beach, the placid lagoon, and the barrier coral reef with its crested breakers. Then we descended to Spouting Cliff and looked down at the pale green monster which we had made such fruitless efforts to spear in days gone by. From this we hurried to the water garden and took a last dive into its clear waters and a last gamble amongst its coral groves. I hurried out before my companions and dressed in haste in order to have a long examination of my tank which Peterkin in the fullness of his heart had tended to with the utmost care as being a vivid remembrance of me rather than out of love for natural history. It was in superb condition, the water as clear and pellicent as crystal, the red and green seaweed of the most brilliant hues, the red, purple, yellow, green, and striped anemones fully expanded and stretching out their arms as if to welcome and embrace their former master, the starfish, zoofights, sea pens, and other innumerable marine insects looking fresh and beautiful, and the crabs as Peterkin said looking as wide awake, impertinent, rampant, and pugnacious as ever. It was indeed so lovely and so interesting that I would scarcely allow myself to be torn away from it. Last of all, we returned to the bower and collected the few articles we possessed, such as the ax, the pencil case, the broken telescope, the pen knife, the hook made from the brass ring, and the sail needle with which we had landed on the island, also the long boots and the pistol, besides several other curious articles of costume which we had manufactured from time to time. Then we conveyed on board in our little boat after having carved our names on a chip of ironwood dust, Jack Martin, Ralph Rover, Peterkin Gay. This we fixed up inside of the bower. The boat was then hoisted on board and the anchor weighed, which latter operation cost us great labor and much time, as the anchor was so heavy that we could not move it without the aid of my complex machinery of blocks and pulleys. A steady breeze was blowing offshore when we set sail, at a little before sunset. It swept us quickly past the reef and out to sea. The shore grew rapidly more indistinct as the shadows of evening fell, while our clipper bark bound it lightly over the waves. Slowly the mountaintop sank on the horizon until it became a mere speck. In another moment the sun and the coral island sank together into the broad bosom of the Pacific.