The Perils of the Shoal
Before I could take any steps to free myself from the loathsome
embraces of the octopus, another tentacle fastened itself round my
leg, while others writhed menacingly in an attempt to seize their
prey. The creature's body seemed but about the size of a sheep's
head, while each of the arms or tentacles was less than a yard in
length.
Retaining its hold on the rocks with a pair of its arms, the hideous
brute began to increase its grasp on my leg, while at the union of
the slimy tentacles I could distinguish a pair of small, protruding
eyes and a formidable beak. That beak was slowly approaching my
naked flesh, to rend it asunder.
Being without shoes, for I had kicked them off when I began
swimming, I was unable to stamp on the creature with my yet free
foot, though any attempt to do so might have led to my undoing, as I
had all my work cut out to prevent myself from being capsized. Once
prone on those slippery rocks, my fate was sealed.
Then I bethought me of my knife, which I had thrust into my belt.
Gripping it dagger-wise, I braced myself to overcome a sickening
sensation of fear, and plunged it to the hilt betwixt the eyes of
the hideous creature.
'Twas only to be likened to cutting a leather bag filled with
jelly--once the steel had ripped through the outer skin there seemed
no resistance to the blade; yet, though a quantity of watery blood,
mingled with a blackish froth, came from the wound, the octopus
apparently lost none of its vitality. Its rage, if I may so term it,
seemed to increase, for, quitting its hold on the rocks, it fastened
upon me with all its tentacles. I felt its snake-like embrace
encircle my legs, while two of its members seized my left arm.
Though I struck madly at its head to ward off the terrible,
beak-like mouth, my efforts seemed unavailing. The pain of the
hundreds of suckers was intense, and I felt my legs giving way under
the loathsome contraction of the creature's tentacles.
Suddenly the pressure seemed to relax, and redoubling my efforts, I
severed three of the arms with as many sweeps of my knife. Thus I
freed the upper part of my body; after that it was a comparatively
easy matter to cut off the other tentacles, though the remaining
parts still clung to my legs like a hundred leeches.
Shudderingly I made my way towards a portion of the reef that now
lay exposed, keeping a wary eye on the seaweed lest another octopus
should be lurking in the rocky crevices.
Having completely emerged from the water, I cut off the adhering
tentacles with my knife, for they would not become detached by other
means. Wherever the suckers had touched my flesh a small red wound
remained, so that my legs were one mass of livid spots, showing
vividly against the white skin, my prolonged stay in the water
having well-nigh stopped the flow of my blood.
I rubbed my limbs vigorously, and began to consider how I should
reach the shore, for the current had now ceased to ebb, as I could
tell by the absence of ripples over the submerged portion of the
shoal.
Fearing a similar encounter with an octopus, I hesitated to wade
over the seaweed-covered rocks, till, realizing that the longer I
waited the more exhausted I should become, and that I had traversed
a considerable distance ere I was attacked, I took heart, and walked
as rapidly as I could towards the landward edge of the shoal.
I noticed that from this part of the reef the blackened wreck of the
pirate vessel was immediately in line with the south-eastern end of
the island, so that by taking advantage of the flood stream I should
be carried on to the ledge of rocks that extended betwixt the shore
and the wreck, whence up to half tide I could walk ashore.
But just as I was about to commit myself to the waves, I saw a
black, triangular object cutting through the water between me and
the higher portion of the shoal I had just left. It was the fin of a
shark!
This ravenous monster had evidently got out of its bearings, for,
though shark's often frequent shoal water in search of their prey,
in this case there was barely sufficient depth for it to swim in.
Nevertheless, the shark had seen me, and was making straight for the
place where I stood. There was no help for it but to retrace my
steps to the now fast disappearing rocks, where I would have to make
a desperate stand until there was enough water for the brute to come
to close quarters. And then--I shuddered at the thought of it.
I managed to evade the monster, for it floundered heavily in the
shallows, lashing out with its tail, the noise of the blows sounding
like the report of a musket.
The water was now up to my ankles on the highest part of the reef.
Often would I imagine that my foot touched the slimy tentacles of an
octopus, as the now increasing current caused the long tendrils of
seaweed to sweep against my legs; while many crabs of small size
would dart swiftly in a sidelong motion over my toes.
All the while the shark, having found a pool of deeper water, was
swimming lazily to and fro, turning occasionally on its back. I
could then see its small, evil-looking eyes, as it marked its
anticipated prey.
In vain I sought for some stones to hurl at the monster--the face of
the rock beneath the kelp was firm and solid.
Although the sun's rays had long since dried my scanty clothing, I
shivered with numbness, aye, and with fear. Bitterly did I regret my
rashness in descending to that fatal ledge without my companion, yet
vain were my regrets.
More than once I resolved to cast myself into the sea and, knife in
hand, to do battle with the ferocious monster that awaited me.
'Twould be victory or death, and even in the latter case it would
the sooner end my prolonged torments. Yet, as I looked at the
glistening white monster, with its huge mouth armed with serrated
rows of sharp teeth, I could not force myself to take the desperate
step.
"Ahoy!"
Surely my ears deceived me, or did I hear the faint sound of a hail?
Looking round I saw, to my inexpressible joy and relief, a boat
making towards the shoal. It was the same craft that I had seen
taking soundings in the channel that morning.
Under the powerful strokes of the rowers the boat dashed to my
rescue, the foam hissing at her bows as her sharp stem cleft the
water.
Then everything began to grow dim; I heard the report of a musket,
and was barely conscious of the shark quivering on the surface of
the water, with shattered jaws. Strong arms bore me to the boat, and
directly I felt myself placed on the bottom boards a white mist swam
before my eyes, and I lost consciousness.
* * * * *
When I came to myself I was lying on my bunk in the cabin of the
_Golden Hope_. Captain Jeremy, his head swathed in bandages, was
sitting an a chair, with a chart spread out on the table in front of
him. This surprised me not a little, for when I had last seen him he
was lying weak and helpless.
I tried to raise myself on my elbow, but the task was beyond my
power. Seeing this, Captain Jeremy got up and, coming over to my
bed, gave me something to drink.
"That's better," he exclaimed encouragingly. "Now try to rest
awhile."
"But, sir," said I, so feebly that I could scarce realize 'twas my
own voice, "how do I come to be here? Ah! I remember," and I
shuddered at the thought of my harrowing adventures.
"Not another word," he said imperatively, and as obediently as a
child I fell asleep.
A few days later I was able to sit up, and then I learnt that I had
been unconscious for sixteen days, while anxiety for my condition
had been largely responsible for Captain Jeremy's rapid recovery.
I knew the kindly Captain was burning with impatience to hear the
story of my misadventures, but he refrained from questioning me for
quite another week.
"Are you really sure you're not dreaming?" he asked, when, in the
course of my narrative, I related how I had found my captors to be
Ned Slater and the five other deserters.
"I would I had been," I replied. "Yet now I know, on the rogue's own
statement, that he it was who slew my father."
"If I had only given heed to your suspicions!" returned Captain
Jeremy grimly. "No matter, I'll lay them by the heels yet;" and at
the conclusion of my story, to which both he and Captain 'Enery
listened with the greatest interest, he expressed his intention of
going ashore and making a descent upon the villains' retreat.
This he accordingly did, but, though the cave was discovered and a
careful search made in and around the place, the rogues had
vanished. I had often wondered how they managed to climb up from the
mouth of the cavern to the top of the cliff. This Captain Jeremy
explained. In the tunnel the searchers came across the trunk of a
small tree which had apparently been thrust out a little way, so
that by standing on it a man could climb up the perpendicular face
of the precipice by means of a series of notches cut in the rock.
This done, he fastened a stout rope round a projecting ledge, so
that his companions could follow with ease. Beyond this the villains
had left no trace save, on careful examination, a dark stain that
was found on the dusty floor, thus bearing out my statement that I
had accounted for one of them at least.
I progressed slowly yet surely, and meanwhile Captain Jeremy
recovered his accustomed strength and health. At length, to the
unbounded satisfaction of all hands, it was announced that, all
preparations being completed, an expedition into the interior of the
island would be made early in the following week.