THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE YAKS
It was a relief to get on fairly even ground again, where it would not
be necessary to make turns and twists around all sorts of obstructions,
to say nothing of ravines and water courses. On the evening of the
fifteenth day, calculations showed that they were halfway back from the
point farthest west, but they still had no knowledge of their distance
from the sea, which undoubtedly was to the east, or, possibly,
northeast. West River flowed to the north, and all the streams crossed
flowed north or northeasterly, how far, it was impossible to say.
Two days afterward the scene changed somewhat. There had been little
wind during the journey thus far; but now breezes sprang up for two
successive days, at about four in the afternoon, which came from the
north.
"I think the sea is not far away."
"Why do you think so, Professor?"
"Did you notice the warm breezes this evening, and also last night at
about the same time?"
"Why should the breezes from the ocean blow warm winds to us at this
time of the year when it ought to be cold?"
"It is not at all likely that the breezes are any warmer than at other
times of the year. Heat is merely a relative matter. We feel the
difference of the wind temperatures principally for the reason that when
the vast body of water in moving ocean streams is giving off its heat,
it imparts it to the atmosphere and modifies it, so that as it sweeps
over the land it is warmer than the natural temperature."
The following day, late in the afternoon, they caught the first glimpse
of the sea, and it was welcomed. A camp was made for the night in the
open, and with an early start next morning the explorers reached the
last hill to the west of the cataract.
When they arrived home, which was not without considerable misgiving,
owing to their long absence, they were overjoyed at finding everything
at the house in perfect order, but their yaks were missing.
This was, at first, a sore grief to them, especially to George, who
considered it to be a personal loss. Milk was a luxury, as well as a
necessity, to him. The team was now all that remained of their herd.
"It is strange we did not see any of them on our journey."
It was a surprising thing to see their water wheel in motion, although
they had taken considerable pains to push the wheel back so the blades
would not be in contact with the water. It was found that the Cataract
River was much swollen with the rains, so that the water had come into
contact with the wheel.
As the team was now the sole reliance, so far as the herd was concerned,
the Professor suggested that they should thereafter keep the team within
the enclosure, so as to prevent their straying, as they might, in the
absence of their fellows, try to escape.
The present house, which had been built since coming to the Cataract,
had originally only one room, and two of the sides were formed, as
stated, by the walls of the right-angled rocks, the room being about ten
feet square.
After the water wheel was built and put in and the sawmill erected, they
were enabled to get lumber, and an extension twelve by fifteen feet was
put up, to be used as a sleeping and living room.
A small addition was also added, which was converted into a kitchen, so
that the original enclosure could be used as a storeroom.
A sort of roadway passed the new addition, and beyond was the Cataract,
not fifty feet away. Directly below the Cataract another building was
put up, in one end of which was the sawmill, and at the other end was a
sort of shed in which they had put up a furnace, blacksmith shop, and a
kind of primitive foundry.
Within the workshop work was done during the rainy weather, and it was
made as comfortable as possible.
They were now back, ready to take up active life again. Not that the
past nineteen days were inactive ones. By no means; but they loved the
work which every day had brought to them in the past, and were happy in
the thought that they were accomplishing things of the greatest value to
themselves. They were really tired, and for a few days did little active
work.
"Do you think we have accomplished very much on our trip?" was George's
inquiry the evening of their arrival.
"We saw a light, didn't we?"
The boys laughed, when they saw that the Professor said it with a broad
smile. They had no doubt, but he wished to convey the impression that
they had seen a light, just as many others had, without being able to
understand it. George saw the point at once. "I hope we may be able to
profit by it. But, really, how much more do we know than we knew a month
ago?"
"The West River, the bear, the wildcat, the Baby; why, you had entirely
forgotten him and his cute ways. We learned that there are, without
doubt, savage tribes on the island. I am inclined to think the trip has
taught us something."
The Baby was an interesting little chap. He would sit up at the table
with innocent blinking eyes, and gravely imitate the motions of eating,
especially if there was something sweet in sight.
That night a startling noise was heard, made by the unmistakable tramp
of animals passing their home. Harry was the first to open the small
port, which served as a window.
"Hurrah for our yaks!" There they were, back again, with two additional
calves. The next morning they were contentedly lying down outside of the
enclosure which held their team.
Didn't "Baby" enjoy the milk! So did the boys. The cattle had not
strayed away far, but merely found a better feeding ground. The barley
field had been exhausted.
"If there is anything I missed on the journey, it was the clock. I don't
like guessing at time," was George's comment, after they had fully gone
over their experiences on the trip.
"I suppose," said Harry, "we can make watches, but they will be rather
cumbersome, because our tools are not very delicate. What do you think,
Professor?"
"That is for you to decide. I am of the opinion that as we have a pretty
good clock, and as it is susceptible of being nicely regulated, we could
put in our time more profitably in doing some other much needed work."
"What is that? I am willing to do anything?"
"We have some hides that need tanning, and the fresh bear pelt must be
cured. As our herd of cattle has increased we might slaughter several of
them, so that we can dehair the pelts and tan them all at the same time;
then we need some contrivances to enable us to determine the location of
our island; and also to afford a means to measure distances in
traveling, because, I presume, you are just as anxious as ever to know
what we have on the island."
There was a hearty assent to this view of the situation.
"I want to do everything we can to learn about our surroundings," was
George's response; "and I would like to have the fire, and the mystery
of the boat, and the flagpole cleared up."
The thing which most interested Harry after their return, was the
disposition of the barley which they had harvested before the last
journey was undertaken. This was welcomed by the Professor as a
necessity. Accordingly a level floor was provided, on which was spread a
thick layer of barley stalks, and this was beaten with flails. A flail
is simply a piece of wood about the thickness and length of a broom
handle. To this was attached, by means of leather strips, a club, not
unlike a baseball bat, so the bat portion swung on the end of the
handle, and in this manner the barley was threshed out.
[Illustration: _Fig. 7. Threshing Flail._]
Before the invention of the threshing machine this was the universal
method of threshing, although it was also customary to tramp it out with
horses, which were driven over a thick layer of the straw hour after
hour.
In one day they threshed out five bushels; beautiful golden grain. The
boys who had often seen wheat and oats threshed out, never appreciated
grain as they did their own, acquired in the manner this was.
The grinding-stones, which they had previously made, were then set to
work, making the meal, or flour, as they preferred to call it.
Heretofore flour had been a luxury, and there was a longing for it, so
it was decided to make up the first batch of bread.
You may be sure that the Professor did not object to activities in this
direction; and they had long ago learned his peculiarities, particularly
not to venture any information voluntarily, so the boys concluded to
make bread on their own knowledge. They had often seen bread made.
"All you have to do is to mix up the flour with a little water, put some
rising in it and let it stand until it raises and then bake it."
"That's all well enough, Harry, I suppose we can do all that, but where
shall we get the yeast?"
"That's so; yeast is necessary; I suppose we shall have to see the
Professor, after all; but hold on; I have seen sour milk used, George."
"So have I; but I think mother used something else with it."
"Well, there we are; who would think we could have trouble with such a
simple thing as making bread?"
The Professor came smiling. "You want to make bread, and the only thing
that troubles you is to raise it so it will be light?"
"Wouldn't it be bread if you didn't raise it? You know the Jews used
unleavened, or unraised, bread."
"But we want regular bread, of course, and we want to know what to use
to raise it with."
"I don't see that you particularly need anything."
"Why not?"
"If you let the dough stand in a temperature of between 90 and 120
degrees for a certain time, fermentation will take place, and it can
then be baked."
"But why should it ferment?"
"Bread raising is merely fermentation. All flour is largely composed of
starch. The high temperature, of 100 degrees or over, causes the starch
to turn first into sugar, then into alcohol and carbonic acid, and the
gases thus formed force their way up through the dough, causing it to
swell, as you have often noticed."
[Illustration: _Fig. 8. Imperfectly leavened. Perfectly Leavened.
SAMPLES OF BREAD_]
Without further instructions the boys began the making of bread. Shortly
afterwards the Professor appeared laughing immoderately.
"Come and see the Baby."
The boys were out in an instant. The Baby was in the storeroom
adjoining, and discovered the honey pot. It was a "sight." He sat there,
both hands and arms covered with honey, blinking innocently, and licking
his fingers and arms with the greatest joy imaginable.
"You little rascal, you are getting too fat now," was George's greeting;
but Baby didn't mind. He knew George by this time.
The bread raised, but it, too, was a "sight." It was full of holes and
at some places the bread had no appearance of having "come up," which is
kitchen parlance for unraised bread.
"What is the matter with it, Harry?"
"Did you work it before you put it into the oven?"
"I forgot that."
When the Professor saw the sample he divined the trouble at once.
"Of course, you have to work it, for the reason that 'working'
distributes the gases through the mass. I think you made the mistake in
working it and then putting it into the oven immediately."
"How long should it stand after working?"
"That depends on the amount of carbonic gas which is developed. When it
first raises the gas forces its way through the dough irregularly, and
by then working it the gas is broken up and distributed evenly, so that
if the mass is allowed to stand after the second working every part of
it will be leavened. When it is then put into the oven, the heat at
first causes a more rapid expansion, or raising, of the dough, and as
the heat increases, fermentation is stopped, and the baking process sets
the dough. The result is tiny little holes throughout the bread, where
the gases were."
"But why do they use yeast if it can be done without?"
"Because it makes the raising process easier, and more positive."
"Is it the carbonic acid which makes some bread sour?"
"Yes; sour bread results if the fermentation is continued too long."
[Illustration: _Fig. 9. Air Pocket._]
It was George's custom each day to watch the movements of the yaks,
because it was through them that they learned of the barley field which
was such a source of usefulness to them. One day while out on an
expedition of this kind, he wandered down to the rock cliffs, probably
five hundred feet west of Observation Hill, this hill, it will be
remembered, being close to the landing place when they were cast on the
island. The sea was heavy and the tide coming in. He could not help
reflecting, and his home, his parents, and his beautiful life there came
up to his inward vision. The dreary pounding sea made him homesick, and
for the first time he burst into tears. But George was a brave boy. He
knew that crying was useless, and felt a little ashamed of himself.
His reflections were not long, however. To his left he saw a peculiar
sight. At every inrushing wave there was a report like a cannon shot,
followed by a tremendous stream and spray of water, which was shot out
to sea high up above the waves.
This was an extraordinary sight to him, and unexplainable. The story was
related to the Professor that evening.
"That was an air pocket in the rocks."
"What is an air pocket?"
"From your description it is probably a large cave, so situated in the
wall of the cliff, that at a certain period the waves will entirely
close the mouth. When the wave dashes up against the cliff and closes
the mouth of the cave, the water tries to enter the cave. In doing so
air is compressed in the pocket, and when the wave again starts to go
out to sea, and the pressure is partly taken away, the compressed air
explodes, so to say, and shoots out the water into a spray, and also
causes the noise you heard."
"How much can air be compressed?"
"It is not known definitely how far. It has been compressed to less than
one-eight-hundredth of its bulk. It is the most elastic substance
known."
"Isn't water compressible?"
"No; if it had been compressible you would not have had that exhibition
at the air pocket."