BY WELL-KNOWN WAYS
The cave in which Mr. Wolston, Ernest, and Jack had spent the night four
months before, on the day before the English flag was planted at the
summit of Jean Zermatt peak, was that evening full of happiness. If no
one enjoyed a tranquil sleep, sleeplessness was not due to bad dreams
but to the excitement of the recent happenings.
After their prayer of thanksgiving, they had all declined to delay a
minute longer at the summit of the peak. Not for two hours would day
yield to night, and that time would be long enough for them to reach the
foot of the range.
“It would be very strange,” Fritz remarked, “if we could not find some
cave large enough to shelter us all.”
“Besides,” Frank answered, “we shall be lying under the trees—under the
trees of New Switzerland!—New Switzerland!”
He could not refrain from saying the dear name over and over again, the
name that was blessed by all.
“Speak it again, Dolly dear!” he exclaimed. “Say it again, that I may
hear it once more.”
“New Switzerland!” laughed the girl, her eyes shining with happiness.
“New Switzerland!” Jenny repeated, holding Fritz’s hand in her own.
And there was not one of them, not even Bob, who did not echo it.
“Well, good people,” said Captain Harry Gould, “if we have made up our
minds to go down to the foot of the mountain we have no time to lose.”
“What about eating?” John Block enquired. “And how are we to get food on
the way?”
“In forty-eight hours we shall be at Rock Castle,” Frank declared.
“Besides,” Fritz said, “isn’t there any quantity of game on the plains
of New Switzerland?”
“And how are you going to hunt it without guns?” Captain Gould enquired.
“Clever as Fritz and Frank are, I hardly imagine that merely by pointing
a stick——”
“Pooh!” Fritz answered. “Haven’t we got legs? You’ll see, captain!
Before mid-day to-morrow we shall have real meat instead of that turtle
stuff.”
“We must not abuse the turtles, Fritz,” said Jenny, “if only out of
gratitude.”
“You are quite right, wife, but let us be off! Bob doesn’t want to stay
here any longer; do you, Bob?”
“No, no,” the child replied; “not if papa and mama are coming too.”
“And to think,” said the boatswain slily, “to think that down there, in
the south, we have got a beautiful beach where turtles and mussels
swarm—and a beautiful cave where there are provisions for several
weeks—and in that cave a beautiful bed of sea-weed—and we are going to
leave all that for——”
“We will come back for our treasures by and by!” Fritz promised.
“But still——” John Block persisted.
“Oh, shut up, you wretched fellow!” Captain Gould ordered, laughing.
“I’ll shut up, captain; there are only two words more I should like to
say.”
“What are they?”
“Cut away!”
As usual, Fritz took the lead. They descended the cone without any
difficulty, and reached the foot of the range. Some happy instinct, a
genuine sense of direction, had led them to take the same path as Mr.
Wolston, Ernest, and Jack had taken, and it was barely eight o’clock
when they reached the edge of the vast pine-forest.
And by a no less happy chance—there seemed nothing surprising in it, for
they had entered upon the season of happy chances—the boatswain found
the cave in which Mr. Wolston and the two brothers had taken shelter. It
was rather small, but large enough for Jenny and Dolly and Susan and
little Bob. The men could sleep in the open air. They could tell, from
the white ashes of a fire, that the cave had been occupied before.
Perhaps all the members of the two families had crossed this forest and
climbed the peak on which the British flag was waving!
After supper, when Bob had fallen asleep in a corner of the cave, they
talked long, notwithstanding all the fatigue of the day, and the talk
turned upon the flag.
During the week that they had been held prisoners, the ship must have
sailed northwards. The only explanation of that could be the persistence
of contrary winds, for it was manifestly to the interest of Robert
Borupt and the crew to reach the far waters of the Pacific. If they had
not done so it was because the weather had prevented them.
Everything now went to show that the _Flag_ had been driven towards the
Indian Ocean, into the proximity of New Switzerland. Reckoning the time
that had passed, and the course that had been followed, since the boat
had been cast adrift, the incontestable conclusion followed that on that
day Harry Gould and his companions could not have been much more than a
couple of hundred miles from the desired island, though they had
imagined themselves separated from it by a thousand or more.
The boat had touched land on the southern coast, which Fritz and Frank
did not know at all, the other side of the mountain range which they had
seen for the first time when they came out into the Green Valley. Who
could have dreamed that there could be such an amazing difference in the
nature of the soil and its products between the rich country to the
north of the range and the arid plateau which extended from the peak to
the sea?
Now they could understand the arrival of the albatross on the other side
of the cliff. After Jenny Montrose’s departure the bird had probably
returned to Burning Rock, whence it flew sometimes to the shore of New
Switzerland, though it had never gone either to Falconhurst or Rock
Castle.
What a big part the faithful bird had played in their salvation! It was
to him that they owed the discovery of that second cavern into which
little Bob had followed him, and, as a consequence, the finding of the
passage which came out on the top of the cliff.
The conversation lasted far into the night. But at last fatigue overcame
them, and they slept. But at early dawn they took some food and set out
again in high spirits.
Besides the traces of a fire in the cave, the little band encountered
other signs in the forest and the open country. The trampled grass and
broken branches were caused by the constant movement of animals,
ruminants or beasts of prey, but it was impossible to be under any
misapprehension when they came upon the traces of encampments.
“Besides,” Fritz pointed out, “who but our own people could have planted
the flag on the summit of that peak?”
“Unless it went and planted itself there!” the boatswain replied with a
laugh.
“Which would not be a surprising thing for an English flag to do!” Fritz
replied cheerfully. “There are quite a lot of places where it would seem
to have grown by itself!”
Led by Fritz, the party descended the first slopes of the range, which
were partly covered by the forest.
Great obstacles to overcome or serious risks to be incurred seemed
unlikely on the way from the range to the Promised Land.
The distance between the two points might be estimated at twenty miles.
If they did ten miles a day, with a halt for two hours at mid-day, and
slept one night on the way, they could reach the defile of Cluse in the
evening of the following day.
From the defile to Rock Castle or to Falconhurst would be a matter of a
few hours only.
“Ah,” said Frank, “if we only had our two good buffaloes, Storm and
Grumbler, or Fritz’s onager, or Whirlwind, Jack’s ostrich, it would only
take us one day to get to Rock Castle!”
“I am sure that Frank forgot to post the letter we wrote, asking them to
send the animals to us,” Jenny answered merrily.
“What, Frank, did you forget?” asked Fritz. “A thoughtful, attentive
fellow like you?”
“No,” said Frank, “it was Jenny who forgot to tie a note to her
albatross’s leg before he flew off.”
“How thoughtless of me!” the young woman exclaimed.
“But it is not certain that the postman would have taken the letter to
the right address,” Dolly said.
“Who knows?” Frank replied. “Everything that is happening now is so
extraordinary.”
“Well,” said Captain Gould, “since we can’t count upon Storm or Grumbler
or Whirlwind or the onager, the best thing we can do is to trust to our
own legs.”
“And to step lively,” John Block added.
They started with the firm intention only to halt at mid-day. From time
to time James and Frank and the boatswain carried Bob, although the
child wanted to walk. So they lost no time crossing the forest.
James and Susan Wolston, who knew nothing of the marvels of New
Switzerland, were filled with constant admiration of the luxuriant
vegetation, which is far finer than that of Cape Colony.
And yet they were only in the part of the island which was left to
itself, and had never been touched by the hand of man! What would it be
like when they came to the cultivated portion of the district, to the
farms at Eberfurt, Sugar-cane Grove, Wood Grange, and Prospect Hill, the
rich territory of the Promised Land?
Game abounded everywhere—agoutis, peccaries, cavies, antelopes, and
rabbits, besides bustards, partridges, grouse, hazel-hens, guinea fowls,
and ducks. Fritz and Frank had good reason to regret not having their
sporting guns with them. The cavies and peccaries and agoutis would not
let anyone come near them, and it seemed likely that they would be
reduced to finishing what was left of their provisions for their next
meal.
But then the question of food was resolved by a stroke of luck.
About eleven o’clock, Fritz, walking in front, made a sign for everyone
to stop at the edge of a little clearing crossed by a narrow stream, on
the bank of which an animal was quenching its thirst.
It was an antelope, and it meant wholesome and refreshing meat if only
they could contrive to capture it somehow!
The simplest plan seemed to be to make a ring around the clearing,
without allowing themselves to be seen, and directly the antelope
attempted to break out, to stop its way, regardless of danger from its
horns, overpower, and kill it.
The difficulty was to carry through this operation without alarming an
animal whose sight is so keen, hearing so sharp, and scent so delicate.
While Jenny and Susan and Dolly and Bob halted behind a bush, Fritz,
Frank, James, Captain Gould, and the boatswain, armed only with their
pocket knives, began to work round the clearing, keeping well under
cover in the thickets.
The antelope went on drinking at the stream, showing no signs of
uneasiness, until Fritz got up sharply and uttered a loud shout.
At once the animal sprang up, stretched out its neck, and jumped towards
the brake, which it could have cleared in a single leap.
It made for the side where Frank and John Block were standing, each with
knife in hand.
The beast sprang, but took off badly, fell back, bowled the boatswain
over, and struggled to rise.
Then up came Fritz, and throwing himself upon the animal, succeeded in
driving his knife into its flank. But this one blow would not have been
sufficient if Captain Gould had not succeeded in cutting its throat.
The animal lay motionless among the branches, and the boatswain got up
nimbly.
“Confounded brute!” exclaimed John Block, who had escaped with a few
bruises. “I’ve shipped more than one heavy sea in my time, but never
been bowled over like that!”
“I hope you are not much hurt, Block?” Captain Gould asked.
“No: only scratched, and that don’t matter, captain. What annoys me is
to have been turned upside down like that.”
“Well, to make up for it we will keep the best bit for you,” Jenny
answered.
“No, Mrs. Fritz, no! no! I would rather have the bit that pitched me on
to the ground. That was its head. I want that animal’s head!”
They set to work to cut up the antelope and take out the edible parts.
Since they were now assured of food to last them until the evening of
the following day, there would be no need for them to trouble further
about it before they got to the defile of Cluse.
Fritz and Frank were no novices where the preparation of game was
concerned. Had they not studied it in theory and in practice in twelve
years’ hunting among the grass-lands and woods of the Promised Land? Nor
was the boatswain clumsy over the job. He seemed to derive real
revengeful pleasure in skinning the animal. Within a quarter of an hour
the haunches, cutlets, and other savoury portions were ready to be
grilled over the embers.
As it was nearly noon, it seemed best to camp in the clearing, where the
stream would furnish clear, fresh water. Captain Gould and James lighted
a wood fire at the foot of a mangrove. Then Fritz placed the best bits
of the antelope over the glowing embers and left Susan and Holly to
superintend the cooking.
By a lucky chance Jenny had just found a quantity of roots such as can
be roasted in the ashes. They were of a kind to satisfy hungry stomachs,
and would agreeably complete the bill of fare for luncheon.
No flesh is more delicate than that of the antelope, which is both
fragrant and tender, and everybody agreed that this was a real treat.
“How good it is,” John Block exclaimed, “to eat real meat which has
walked in its lifetime, and not crawled clumsily over the ground!”
“We won’t cry down turtles,” Captain Gould replied; “not even to sing
the praises of antelope.”
“The captain is right,” said Jenny. “Without those excellent creatures,
which have fed us ever since we got to the island, what would have
become of us?”
“Then here’s luck to turtles!” cried the boatswain. “But give me another
chop.”
When this refreshing meal was finished, they set out once more. They had
no time to lose if the afternoon stage was to complete the ten miles
planned for the day.
If Fritz and Frank had been alone, they would have paid no heed to
fatigue. They would have marched all night and made but a single stage
of the whole journey to the defile. They may have had the idea now, and
it was certainly very tempting, for they could have got to Rock Castle
in the afternoon of the following day. But they did not venture to
suggest going on ahead.
Besides, think of the happiness of all arriving together at their
much-desired goal, to throw themselves into the arms of the relations
and friends who had been waiting so long for them, who might have lost
all hope of ever seeing them again!
The second stage was done under the same conditions as the first, in
order to husband the strength of Jenny and Dolly and Susan Wolston.
No incident occurred, and about four o’clock in the afternoon the edge
of the forest was reached.
A fertile champaign extended beyond. Its vegetation was entirely due to
the productivity of the soil, verdant grass-lands and woods or clumps of
trees studding the country right up to the entrance to the Green Valley.
A few herds of stags and deer passed in the distance, but there was no
question of hunting them. Numerous flocks of ostriches were also seen,
reminding Fritz and Frank of their expedition to the country near the
Arabian Watch-tower.
Several elephants appeared as well. They moved quietly through the thick
woods, and one could imagine the longing eyes with which Jack would have
regarded them if he had been there!
“While we have been away,” Fritz said, “Jack may have succeeded in
capturing an elephant, and taming and training it, as we did Storm and
Grumbler and Lightfoot!”
“It’s quite possible, dear,” Jenny answered. “After fourteen months’
absence we must expect to find something new in New Switzerland.”
“Our second fatherland!” Frank said.
“I am already picturing other houses there,” Holly exclaimed, “and other
farms—perhaps a village even!”
“Well,” said the boatswain, “I could be quite content with what we see
about us; and I can’t imagine anything better in your island than we
have here.”
“It is nothing compared with the Promised Land, Mr. Block,” Dolly
declared.
“Nothing,” Jenny agreed. “M. Zermatt gave it that Bible name because it
deserved it, and we, more blest than the children of Israel, are about
to set foot in the land of Canaan.”
And John Block admitted they were right.
At six o’clock they stopped for the night.
There was little likelihood of change in the weather at this season, and
the cold was not formidable. Indeed, they had suffered rather from heat
during the day, in spite of the fact that they were in the shelter of
the trees during the hottest hours. After that, a few isolated woods and
copses had enabled them to walk in the shade without wandering too far
from the direct route.
Supper was prepared, as the earlier meal had been, before a crackling
fire of dry wood. This night would not be spent within a cave, but, with
fatigue to rock them, not one of them lay awake.
As a matter of precaution, however, Fritz and Frank and the boatswain
decided to keep alternate watch. When darkness fell, roaring could be
heard in the far distance. There were wild beasts in this part of the
island.
Next morning a start was made at daybreak. They hoped to get through the
defile of Cluse in the second stage of the journey, if they met with no
obstacles on the way.
There were no more hardships about the march to-day than there had been
the day before. They went from wood to wood, so to speak, avoiding as
much as possible the rays of the sun.
After the mid-day meal, taken by the side of a fast-running river twenty
to thirty yards in width, flowing towards the north, they merely had to
go along the left bank.
Neither Fritz nor Frank knew this river, since their expeditions had
never brought them into the heart of the island. They had no idea that
it had already received a name, that it was called the Montrose, as they
had no knowledge of the new name of Jean Zermatt peak, on whose summit
the British flag was floating. What a pleasure it would be to Jenny to
learn that this river bore the name of her family!
After marching for an hour they left the Montrose, which bore off
sharply to the east. Two hours later Fritz and Frank, who had taken the
lead, set foot at length on country known to them.
“The Green Valley!” they shouted, and saluted it with a cheer.
It was the Green Valley, and now they only had to get to the rampart
enclosing the Promised Land to be at the defile of Cluse.
This time, no consideration, no hunger or fatigue, could have availed to
hold back any of them. Following Fritz and Frank, they all hurried
forward, although the path was steep. They seemed to be impelled
forcibly towards the goal which they had despaired of ever attaining!
Oh, if only by some extraordinary good luck M. Zermatt and Mr. Wolston
might be at the hermitage at Eberfurt, and their families with them, as
the custom was during the summer season!
But that would have been too good to be true, as people say. Not even
John Block dared to hope for it.
The beams across the entrance were all in place, fixed firmly between
interstices among the rocks so as to resist the efforts of even the most
powerful animals.
“That is our door!” Fritz cried.
“Yes,” said Jenny, “the door into the Promised Land where all our dear
ones live!”
They only had to remove one of the beams, a task which took but a few
minutes.
And then at last they were through the defile, and all had the feeling
that they were entering their own home—home, which, only three days ago,
they had supposed to be hundreds and hundreds of miles away!
Fritz and Frank and John Block replaced the beam in its proper grooves
so as to bar the way against wild beasts and pachyderms.
About half-past seven night was falling with the suddenness peculiar to
the tropics when Fritz and his companions reached the hermitage at
Eberfurt.
Nobody was at the farm, and, although they regretted this, there was no
occasion for them to be surprised.
The little villa was in perfect order. They opened all the doors and
windows, and proceeded to make themselves comfortable for the ten hours
or so they would stay.
In accordance with M. Zermatt’s practice, the house was quite ready for
the reception of the two families, who visited it several times in the
course of the year. The bedsteads were given to Jenny and Dolly, Susan
and little Bob, and to Captain Gould. Dry grass spread on the floor of
the out-house would be good enough for the others this last night before
their return home.
Moreover, Eberfurt was always provided with stores to last a week.
So Jenny only had the trouble of opening large wicker hampers, to find
preserves of various kinds, sago, cassava, or tapioca flour, and salted
meat and fish. As for fruit—figs, mangoes, bananas, pears and
apples—they only had to take a step to pick them from the trees, and
only another to gather vegetables in the kitchen garden.
Of course the kitchen and larder were properly equipped with all
necessary utensils. Directly a good wood fire was crackling in the
stove, the pot was set upon its tripod. Water was drawn from an
off-shoot from the Eastern River, which supplied the reservoir belonging
to the farm. And it was with special pleasure that Fritz and Frank were
able to offer their guests glasses of palm wine drawn from the barrels
in the cellar.
“Ah-ha!” cried the boatswain. “We’ve been teetotallers a very long
time.”
“Well, we will pledge you now, good old Block!” Fritz exclaimed.
“As much as you like,” the boatswain answered. “Nothing could be more
pleasant than drinking one another’s health in this excellent wine.”
“Let us drink then,” said Frank, “to the happiness of seeing our parents
and our friends again at Falconhurst or Rock Castle!” And, clinking
glasses, they gave three cheers for the Zermatts and the Wolstons.
“Seriously,” John Block remarked, “there are plenty of inns in England
and elsewhere which aren’t nearly so good as this hermitage of
Eberfurt.”
“Moreover, Block,” Fritz answered, “here the entertainment is free!”
When supper was finished all sought the repose of which they had such
need after their long day’s march.
Every one of them slept until the sun rose next morning.