WE AGAIN EXPLORE THE CAVES
During the two days which followed the making of our compact with
Captain Montbar we were busy with our preparations for a second visit
to the place of the painted hands, where we knew that gold was to be
obtained for those who had the courage to carry it away. This time we
sailed round, so that we were saved the journey over the cliffs. We had
caused to be made for Hartog, Janstins, and me dresses of sail-cloth,
with masks like those worn by Inquisitors, the eye-holes being filled
with glass. The sleeves of the jacket were made long, so as to cover
our hands. Our sea boots and breeches we knew to be impervious to
hornet stings, and, thus equipped, we hoped to succeed in carrying away
the treasure which the Lamakera fishermen had abandoned.
We took the smallest of our ship's boats, in which we rowed ashore,
and, leaving the crew at the entrance to the caves, we three, as
silently as possible, propelled the boat along the stream into the
interior. As we progressed we met with evidences of our former visit.
Lumps of stalactites lay where they had fallen when shaken from the
vaulted roof by the discharge of our firearms. The body of the lad
Bruno was also to be seen, half submerged, in the water of the stream.
Close to the body was the heap of gold dust, and this we began to load
into our boat, making as little noise as possible lest we should
disturb the hornets from their nests.
We worked rapidly, and in less than an hour we had filled the boat with
as much as she could carry of the heavy sand, nearly all of which was
gold dust, when a humming warned us of the approach of the hornets. We
had brought with us but a single torch, so as to avoid the light which
we knew would attract the swarm of venomous insects, as also the bats
and flying creatures which had made their home in these wonderful
caverns; but the solitary gleam, in so much darkness, seemed to burn
with the brightness of a conflagration. The smoke, also, from our
torch, ascending into the vaulted roof of the cavern, was beginning to
disturb the weird dwellers from their gloomy abode, and already
ghostly, bat-like forms began to fill the air space above our heads. It
was time to leave, and, reluctantly, we began to push the boat toward
the mouth of the cave, promising ourselves to return next day for more
of the precious stuff; of which there appeared to be an inexhaustible
supply. As we neared the entrance to the cave, however, we were
startled to observe a peril which had hitherto escaped our notice.
Poised over the arch of the narrow passage was a mass of rock so finely
balanced that it seemed to be held in its place by the weight of a
number of bat-like creatures clustering at one of its angles. As we
approached, these bats, startled by the light of our torch, began, one
or two at a time, to rise from their resting place, causing the rock to
topple toward us. Thus we stood in danger of being crushed by the mass
should it fall as we passed the entrance, or, worse still, if it fell
before we escaped into the cave beyond, we might find ourselves
entombed alive in this dreadful place, to become a prey to the horrors
of which we had had previous experience.
"Forward!" roared Hartog, and, putting forth his great strength, he
began to propel the boat, heavily laden as she was, at a rapid pace
toward the entrance of the cavern. With our hearts in our throats,
Janstins and I came to his assistance, and, pushing frantically
together, we drove the boat through the entrance just as the bats, in a
body, rose from the balancing rock, which, relieved of their weight,
fell with a crash, effectually blocking the path into the cave.
Fortunately we were on the right side of the obstacle, and our way was
open to the sea, but a moment's hesitation would have consigned us to a
lingering death, which, I am not ashamed to say, I shuddered to
contemplate.
We now took off the canvas jackets and masks we had worn as a
protection against stings from the hornets, and, without further
mishap, conveyed the sand we had brought away with us on board our
ship, from which we washed six buckets full of gold dust. Each
bucketful we reckoned, by weight, to be worth twenty thousand English
pounds, so that we had ransom to pay Montbar for salvaging our vessel,
besides retaining enough to make us all rich men.
Our crew, who had now become obedient to Hartog's authority, were
desirous to continue the search of the cavern, in the hope of obtaining
more of the precious metal, but on being taken to the entrance to the
caves, it was found that an impassable barrier of rock stood between
them and their desire for boundless wealth. They were, therefore,
compelled to be satisfied with a share in the gold we had already won.
And here it may be observed how wise are the ways of Providence and how
watchful appeared to be the good genius who followed our destiny. Had
limitless wealth been suddenly showered upon us, what evil consequences
might have followed? Man is, after all, but an avaricious creature, who
requires the discipline of necessity to restrain his covetous nature.
The prospect of gold-getting would probably have undermined Hartog's
authority, and would most likely have ended in disaster for us all. As
it was, we had enough, but not more than enough, and the discipline of
our ship, so necessary to our common safety, was maintained.
We paid Montbar, according to our agreement, gold to the value of sixty
thousand English pounds, that being half the value of the gold
obtained, with which he expressed himself well satisfied.
"Honesty is, after all, the best policy," he said. "Had I not restored
to you your ship I would have missed this treasure, that will well
repay me for my long voyage, which I had before thought profitless. I
regret your decision not to accompany me to the West Indies, but since
you have paid your ransom you are free to go whithersoever your fancy
may lead you, without let or hindrance."
We thanked Montbar, although I could not help smiling at the tribute
which he paid to honesty when I remembered that the lockers in his
cabins were crammed with the loot which he had taken as a freebooter
upon the seas.