A ledge of rocks running out from the land formed a small natural
harbour, into which the boat ran, and soon reached the sandy beach.
Here the crew made signs to us to land. We obeyed, for resistance, of
course, was useless. I jumped on shore, followed by my two companions,
and scarcely wetting our feet, we reached the dry beach. The men, then
giving a shove with their oars, pulled away, leaving us on what appeared
to be an uninhabited island. Why we were thus treated we could not
comprehend.
"I do not see that we have any great reason to complain," observed
Oliver. "We should have been very thankful had we reached this island
on the raft, and we ought to be very much obliged to those people for
carrying us here. They might have taken us to some place and sold us
for slaves, or might have creesed us and thrown us overboard."
"You are right, Oliver," I answered; "and we must try to make the best
of it. I only hope we may find food and water. Unless they were less
than human, they could scarcely have placed us on an island which they
knew was destitute of water." We made these remarks as we watched the
boat rowing away toward the prow. She soon reached the vessel, was
hoisted up, and the prow made sail to the southward. We now sat down on
the beach, to see what was best to be done. Macco had his sailor's
knife, fortunately, secured with a lanyard round his neck. I had a
large clasp-knife in my pocket, which, though, like my clothes, somewhat
the worse for having been wetted with salt water, was still serviceable
and sharp.
The first thing was to survey our island, we agreed, and to try to find
water. The shore was lined in many places with the curious pandanus, or
screw-palm, which may well be described as a trunk with branches at both
ends; or rather the roots seem to have lifted the trunk into the air and
to have assumed the appearance of branches. Its woody fruit, about five
inches in diameter, is in the form of a sphere, and is regularly divided
by projections of a diamond shape.
The jungle was so thick that we could penetrate but a very little way
through it, with great difficulty. Walking along the beach, we reached
a small opening--a miniature gulf, as it were, into which apparently a
stream of water had at some time flowed, though at present the bed was
perfectly dry. Looking up it, we discovered a high hill some little
distance inland; we agreed that if we could make our way to that, we
might thence have a better view of the surrounding country. We had not
gone far when we came to a grove of bamboos. We each of us cut down a
couple: one we pointed to serve as a weapon of defence; and the other we
formed into the shape of a gouge to serve as a spade, with which we
intended to dig for water, should we not find any stream or pool.
Still, from the rich vegetation which appeared on every side, we had
little doubt that water would be found. Proceeding up the dry
water-course, we approached the hill; but it grew narrower and narrower,
till at length the trees and underwood, with numberless creepers, so
completely blocked up the way, that we could scarcely force a road
through it. Still, to the top of the hill we had determined to go.
Making use of our knives, we cut away the creepers, sometimes crawling
under the trees, sometimes climbing over the stems which bent across our
course. Once more we saw the summit of the hill. It appeared much
higher than we at first supposed it to be. At length we were rewarded
for our exertions by finding that we were actually ascending the side.
On we went, the underwood becoming less dense as we rose higher and
higher. We now had little difficulty in making our way, the trees and
shrubs indeed assisting us in climbing the steep sides. When, however,
we got to the top, we found that what we had supposed to be small shrubs
were, in reality, large trees, covering it so thickly that the view on
every side was shut out.
"I am afraid we have had all our toil for nothing," I observed.
"I am afraid so, too," said Oliver.
"Stay, Massa Walter," observed Macco. "I climb to top of dis tree, and
den see what I can see."
He pointed to the lofty palm under which we were standing. Descending a
little way, he cut a quantity of creepers, which he soon twisted into a
strong hoop round the tree and his own body. He now began, by placing
the hoop a little way above him and leaning back, to climb upwards, and
with wonderful rapidity reached the summit. We asked him what he saw.
"We on good big island!" he shouted out. "Plenty of wood; but no see
water. Dere oder islands." And then pointing to the south-east, he
cried out,--"Dere more land, long, long away dere!"
"Do you make out any vessel?" I asked.
"No; only prow go away to de south."
"That must be the coast of New Guinea," I observed to Oliver. "I only
hope none of the inhabitants may come over to this island, for they are
terrible savages."
"If they come, we must keep out of their way," said Oliver. "It would
be better to remain here than to be carried off and eaten by them."
Macco, having ended his survey, descended the tree. I tried to get up
the same way, wishing to take a look round myself; but I found that,
though not a bad climber, I could not manage it. Seeing no great use in
persisting in the attempt, I gave it up. We could find no other way
down to the shore, besides the one up which we had come. Having cleared
away some impediments, we had less difficulty in returning than we had
found in going upwards. Macco led; indeed, his knowledge of woodcraft
in his native country was of great service to us, for I believe without
him we should very easily have lost our way, even though we had left the
marks of our knives on the creepers as we went up. As we were pushing
on, my eye caught sight of some trees in a hollow on one side, which I
at once knew to be sago-trees, from the description Mr Hooker had given
me of them.
"See!" I exclaimed to Oliver, "there is a supply of food sufficient to
last us for months, or years, indeed, if we can manage to manufacture
the sago; and I think we shall have little difficulty in doing that."