They went down to the beach. Ready first procured from the stores a
good stout rope; and as the waves threw up casks and timbers of the
vessel, they stopped them from being washed back again, and either
rolled or hauled them up with the rope until they were safely landed.
This occupied them for the major part of the day; and yet they had not
collected a quarter of the articles that were in their reach,
independent of the quantity which floated about out at sea and at the
entrance of the cove.
"I think," said Ready, "we have done a good day's work; tomorrow we
shall be able to do much more, for the sea is going down, and the sun is
showing himself from the corner of that cloud. Now we will go to
supper, and then see if we can make ourselves more comfortable for the
night."
The tent which had not been blown down was given to Mrs Seagrave and
the children, and the other was fitted up as well as it could be. The
bedding being all wet, they procured some sails from the stores, which,
being stowed away farther in the grove, had not suffered much from the
tempest; and, spreading the canvas, they lay down, and the night passed
without any disaster, for the wind was now lulled to a pleasant breeze.
The next morning the sun shone bright--the air was fresh and bracing;
but a slight breeze rippled the waters, and there was little or no surf.
The various fragments of the wreck were tossed by the little surf that
still remained; many things were lying on the beach which had landed
during the night, and many more required but a little trouble to secure
them. There appeared to be a sort of in draught into the cove, as all
the articles which had been floating out at sea were now gradually
coming on shore in that direction. Ready and Mr Seagrave worked till
breakfast-time, and had by that time saved a great many casks and
packages.
After breakfast they went down again to the beach and resumed their
labours. "Look, Ready; what is that?" said William, who was with them,
as he pointed to a white-looking mass floating in the cove.
"That, sir, is the poor cow; and if you look again, you will see the
sharks are around, making a feast of her: don't you see them?"
"Yes, I do--what a quantity!"
"Yes, there's no want of them, William; so be very careful how you get
into the water, and never let Tommy go near it, for they don't care how
shallow it is when they see their food. But now, sir," said Ready, "I
must leave you and William to do what you can in saving any more of the
wreck, while I set to and put the boat in proper repair."
Ready left them at their own employment, and went away for his tools.
During this time Mr Seagrave and William occupied themselves in
collecting the different articles thrown on shore, and rolling up the
casks as far as they could.
As it would take some days for Ready to put the boat into proper order,
Mr Seagrave determined that he would go to the other side of the island
with William, that he might examine it himself; and, as Mrs Seagrave
had no objection to be left with Ready and Juno, on the third day after
the gale they set off. William led the way, guiding his footsteps
through the grove by the blazing of the cocoa-nut trees; and in two
hours they reached their destination.
"Is not this beautiful, father?" said William.
"Yes, indeed it is, my dear boy," replied Mr Seagrave. "I fancied that
nothing could be more beautiful than the spot where we reside, but this
surpasses it, not only in variety, but in extent."
"And now let us examine the spring, father," said William, leading the
way to the ravine.
The spring was full and flowing, and the water excellent. They then
directed their steps towards the sandy beach, and, having walked some
time, sat down upon a coral rock.
"Who would have ever imagined, William," said Mr Seagrave, "that this
island, and so many more which abound in the Pacific Ocean, could have
been raised by the work of little insects not bigger than a pin's head?"
"Insects, father?" replied William.
"Yes, insects. Give me that piece of dead coral, William. Do you see
that on every branch there are a hundred little holes? Well, in every
one of these little holes once lived a sea-insect; and as these insects
increase, so do the branches of the coral-trees."
"Yes, I understand that; but how do you make out that this island was
made by them?"
"Almost all the islands in these seas have been made by the labour and
increase of these small animals. The coral grows at first at the bottom
of the sea, where it is not disturbed by the winds or waves: by degrees,
as it increases, it advances higher and higher to the surface, till at
last it comes near to the top of the water; then it is stopped in its
growth by the force of the winds and waves, which break it off, and of
course it never grows above the water, for if it did the animals would
die."
"Then how does it become an island?"
"By very slow degrees; the time, perhaps, much depending upon chance:
for instance, a log of wood floating about, and covered with barnacles,
may ground upon the coral reefs; that would be a sufficient
commencement, for it would remain above water, and then shelter the
coral to leeward of it, until a flat rock had formed, level with the
edge of the water. The sea-birds are always looking for a place to rest
upon, and they would soon find it, and then their droppings would, in
course of time, form a little patch above water, and other floating
substances would be thrown on it; and land-birds, who are blown out to
sea, might rest themselves on it, and the seeds from their stomachs,
when dropped, would grow into trees or bushes."
"I understand that."
"Well then, William, you observe there is an island commenced, as it
were, and, once commenced, it soon increases, for the coral would then
be protected to leeward, and grow up fast. Do you observe how the coral
reefs extend at this side of the island, where they are protected from
the winds and waves; and how different it is on the weather side, which
we have just left? Just so the little patch above water protects the
corals to leeward, and there the island increases fast; for the birds
not only settle on it, but they make their nests and rear their young,
and so every year the soil increases; and then, perhaps, one cocoa-nut
in its great outside shell at last is thrown on these little patches--it
takes root, and becomes a tree, every year shedding its large branches,
which are turned into mould as soon as they decay, and then dropping its
nuts, which again take root and grow in this mould; and thus they
continue, season after season, and year after year, until the island
becomes as large and as thickly covered with trees as the one we are now
standing upon. Is not this wonderful, my dear boy? Is not he a great
and good God who can make such minute animals as these work his
pleasure, and at the time he thinks fit produce such a beautiful island
as this?"
"Indeed he is!" exclaimed William.
"We only need use our eyes, William, and we shall love as well as adore.
Look at that shell--is it not beautifully marked?--could the best
painter in the world equal its colouring?"
"No, indeed,--I should think not."
"And yet there are thousands of them in sight, and perhaps millions more
in the water. They have not been coloured in this way to be admired,
like the works of man; for this island has been till now probably
without any one upon it, and no one has ever seen them. It makes no
difference to Him, who has but to wish, and all is complete."
For a few minutes after this conversation, Mr Seagrave and William were
both silent. Mr Seagrave then rose from where he was sitting: "Come,
William, let us now find our way back again; we have three hours'
daylight left, and shall be home in good time."