Only yesterday, my dear brother Walter asked me to assist him in writing
his journal from his dictation, begging me to put in any remarks of my
own. Little did I think at the time that the whole would be my work. I
obey his wishes, though sick at heart and full of anxiety. Yesterday
morning he and Ali went off in the boat to fish, saying that they were
sure of bringing back a nautilus, which our uncle and Mr Hooker so long
to possess; but a whole day has passed, and they have not returned.
They were seen to be pulling out to sea further than they have ever
before gone. They had been some time absent, and we were expecting
their return, when a fearful squall, such as has not occurred since the
time when the brig was lost, broke over the island. Mr Thudicumb and
the kind old boatswain tried to persuade me that I need not be alarmed,
but I cannot help feeling most fearful anxiety. The boat is so small,
and not at all calculated to contend with a heavy sea. And then that
Malay Ali--ought he to have been trusted? I have heard that the Malays
are dreadfully treacherous, and he may have taken this opportunity of
getting away to join his own people. I could not have thought that he
had been so heartless and cruel as to injure Walter, and yet I know it
is possible. Poor dear Grace can scarcely lift up her head; she has
been in tears all day, and Oliver feels it dreadfully. If we had
another boat we might go and search for him, and Oliver has been trying
to persuade Mr Thudicumb and the rest to build one; but he says it
would take a long time to do so, as no timber is ready for the purpose.
It would, indeed, take almost as much time to build a boat as it would
to finish the vessel, and he thinks that it is more important to do
that. Our uncle and Mr Hooker are very anxious, I see, notwithstanding
all they say. This morning before daybreak a strange rumbling noise was
heard, and we felt the house shake, and several articles which had been
placed carelessly on shelves fell down. On running out into the
verandah, a bright light was seen towards the mountains in the interior,
caused by flames issuing from a high peak, above which black wreaths of
smoke ascended to the sky. Mr Hooker says that although there might be
an eruption of the mountain, yet, as we are a long way from it, we
should have every prospect of escaping injury. I am nearly certain that
they said this to calm our alarm, for, unintentional, I heard them
talking together, when Mr Hooker observed he did not like the look of
things; that we are living at the mouth of a broad ravine, and that if
any large stream of lava were to come down, it would very likely take
our direction.
"That is what I am afraid of," said my uncle; "but as we have no means
of avoiding it, it would be a pity to put the idea into the minds of the
rest."
"Don't you think that we ought to have a large raft built?" Mr Hooker
observed. "If the lava were to come down, we might get upon that and
escape being burned, for the whole forest would quickly be in a blaze."
Our uncle said he would consult Mr Thudicumb; but he thought it would
take a considerable time to build a raft of sufficient size, and that
the time might be better employed in getting on with the vessel. They
therefore, it appears, have determined to proceed with that.
"But our collections--our cases--what shall we do with them?" said Mr
Hooker.
"Well, my dear Hooker," answered my uncle, "though I would willingly
risk my own life for the sake of attempting to save them, yet I feel we
ought not to imperil the lives of these young people or the others with
us. It is sad enough to have lost young Walter, and I am afraid he is
lost. That fellow Ali is a genuine Malay; had he been a Dyak, I should
have had more confidence, although he might have been a heathen, or a
head hunter, or a cannibal to boot. But those Malays, half Mohammedan
and half idolaters, are very untrustworthy."
Oh, how my heart sank when I heard these words. I wish that I had not
been compelled to listen to them; it shows too clearly what they think.
Oliver, though suffering himself, tries to console me. He tells me that
I must trust in God, and go on trusting, whatever happens; that I must
not suppose, even though Walter should be lost, that we have been
deserted by God; and that we may depend upon it, that he has allowed it
to happen for the best: at the same time, that he may have many ways of
preserving Walter, however great the dangers he may have to go through,
and of restoring him to us. Poor Frau Ursula, after she has been
looking at the mountain, wrings her hands, and wishes that she had never
come to this island. She left Ternate for fear of the burning mountain
there, and now she finds herself in a similar position of danger.
However, to do her justice, she tries to wear a smiling countenance when
she speaks to Grace and me. We are left almost alone at the house, as
the rest of the party are assisting at ship-building. Tanda only comes
occasionally to feed the animals, and to bring us fruit and vegetables
from the garden. We volunteered to go and assist also, as we could at
all events carry the wood, and hold the planks while the others were
nailing them on; but though they thanked us, they said there were enough
hands employed. I believe, however, that only two or three are good
workmen, and I suppose that we should be in the way.
Two more anxious days have passed by, and dear, dear Walter has not come
back. We go down constantly to the sea-shore to watch for his boat, but
it does not appear. I took Mr Hooker's spy-glass, and Grace and I
spent many hours on Flagstaff Rock, looking out over the ocean. First I
took the glass, then she took it; and so we continued, as if looking
would bring him back, till our eyes ached with gazing on the shining
water: indeed, Ursula says we must not do it again, or we might bring on
blindness, which would be very dreadful. If it were not for Oliver I
think we should break down altogether, but he has such a calm, pious,
hopeful spirit. He assures me, and I know he speaks the truth, that he
yet hopes that Walter will return, or, at all events, that he has not
lost his life, and that we may find him some day or other. He has
persuaded our uncle to let him read the Bible to the party before they
go out to work, and he does so now every morning; and then he offers up
a beautiful prayer for our safety, and returns thanks for the care with
which we have hitherto been watched over by our merciful God.
Again to-day we wished to go to the rock, when Ursula took the spy-glass
from my hands, and said that we might go, but that we must not take it
with us; that it could not help Walter to come back, and that we should
see him without it as well as with it. We had been sitting there for
some time when Oliver joined us. He said that my uncle had sent him to
attend upon us, as he thought we ought not to be left to brood over our
anxiety by ourselves. Merlin accompanied him; and he says that in
future we must not go without Merlin. I suspect that there was some
other reason, because Oliver came with a gun. Perhaps some wild beasts
may have been seen lurking about in the neighbourhood, and they are
afraid the creatures may find us out. Oliver brought a book in his
pocket, which he took out and read to us. He reads beautifully, with a
gentle, yet clear musical voice. His mother taught him, and he says
that she is a well-educated woman, and a very excellent reader. It is a
valuable gift--for I think it is a gift, although it is one which may be
greatly improved by study and practice. Two or three times I stopped
him, however, for I thought I saw an object in the distance which I took
to be a boat. Oh, how my heart beat! But when Oliver looked--and his
eyes are keener than mine--he assured me that there was nothing, and
that it must have been fancy. Again and again I deceived myself in the
same way, and so did Grace. Once I felt sure that I saw a boat--she
said she saw something too; but we waited and waited, and Oliver read
on, and yet the object, if object there was, did not approach nearer.
Again I declared I saw a boat. Oliver looked up, and shading his eyes,
gazed in the direction in which I pointed.
"You are mistaken, Miss Emily," he answered quietly. "I wish you were
not. You caught sight of a mass of sea-weed, and your imagination made
it appear to your sight what it is not."
Saying this, he again sat down, and continued reading. Tanda had
manufactured some large parasols of palm-leaves, which sheltered us from
the sun, or we could not have sat out on the rocks. Oliver had come
without one of these, and we thoughtlessly allowed him to sit on with
the hot sun burning down on his back. On a sudden, as I was looking at
him I saw him turn very pale, and before I could spring to his side to
support him, he sunk fainting on the rock. Only then I thought of the
cause of his illness, and, holding up his head, placed the parasol above
him, while Grace ran down with his hat, and brought it up full of water.
The sea-water, however, was very warm. Though we sprinkled his face
with it, it did but little to revive him. Oh, what would I not have
given for some cold fresh water to pour down his throat! As I leaned
over him I was afraid that he would not revive; he looked so deadly
pale, and scarcely breathed. I entreated Grace to run to the house, and
bring the Frau, with a shell of fresh water; and I thought that perhaps
together we might carry Oliver back. Grace set off, followed by Merlin,
who evidently seemed to understand that something had to be done. Oh,
how anxious I felt for poor Oliver. I am sure that I would have given
my own life to save his. He was dear Walter's friend. I am sure Walter
loved him as a brother; indeed, he is well worthy of such regard. No
one also could be more attached to us. I took my bonnet and fanned his
cheek with one hand, while I held the palm-formed parasol over his head
with the other. Still he did not revive. I dreaded lest he should have
received a sun-stroke, which I knew to be a very dangerous thing. It
was very, very thoughtless of us to allow him thus to be exposed, but we
had been so accustomed to see everybody out in the hot sun that we did
not think about it, and used our parasols more for the sake of
preventing our faces being burned than from any fear of danger.
How anxiously I awaited the return of Grace and Ursula! Every now and
then I looked up, hoping to see them, but of course I had to watch
Oliver, in the hope that he might begin to revive. I could not help
occasionally, too, glancing seaward in search of Walter's boat. I
thought I saw a slight movement in Oliver's eyes. I was gazing down
upon his face when I heard a strange noise coming from the forest. I
looked up, but could see nothing. I thought I must have been mistaken.
Again the sounds reached my ears, and then, turning my eyes in the
direction whence they came, I saw, appearing among the boughs of a tall
tree, a hideous countenance. I had not forgotten the appearance of the
monster we had seen at the lake. A second look convinced me that it was
the face of a huge orang-outan. I trembled lest he should discover
Oliver and me. He was at some distance, however, and evidently employed
in eating fruit, as I saw a shower of husks and leaves falling down
beneath him to the ground. Still I could not help dreading that his
eyes were fixed on us. If he were alone, I hoped that there was less
danger; but if accompanied by his wife and young ones, I knew that there
was great risk, should he see us, of his attacking us, lest we might
hurt them. Though anxious to watch Oliver, I could scarcely withdraw my
eyes from the hideous monster, who, as he moved along the bough, now
appeared full in sight. The sounds made me dread, too, that he was not
alone; and presently I saw on another bough a smaller creature, and
then, what I dreaded much, another large one among the boughs on the
same tree. Still, as long as they remained on the boughs, I knew I had
less reason to dread danger.
How long Ursula and Grace seemed in coming! I fancied they would have
been with me in a much shorter time. At last I caught sight of Grace
running along the shore round a point of rock, and when she saw me she
signed that Ursula was following. A new alarm now seized me lest the
orang-outan should see her as she passed by, and descend the tree in
chase. I thought of Oliver's gun, which lay near; but though I knew how
to fire, I had never taken aim at an object, and I had little hope of
shooting the mias. I was afraid, too, of crying out, lest that might
also attract him; indeed, had I done so, Grace would probably not have
known what to do, and was very likely to be pursued. I watched the tree
with greater anxiety even than before, but the mias continued busily
employed in plucking fruit and handing it to the young one; as I
supposed, teaching him how to open it, and take the best parts. My
heart beat as if it would break, so anxious did I become. Oh, how
thankful I felt when Grace at length reached me with the shell of water.
"I could not help spilling some of it," she said, as she put it to
Oliver's lips. "I am sure it will do him good. See! see! he is already
opening his eyes."
He did so, but closed them again. We poured a few drops down his
throat, and then bathed his forehead and head; and in the meantime
Ursula was approaching. She could never move conveniently very fast,
and she was now evidently out of breath from running. This made her
perhaps more inclined to cry out, to let us know that she was coming.
Supposing the mias had not seen her, I dreaded lest her voice should
attract its attention. That it had done so there was soon no doubt, for
I saw him leaning over the bough, and looking eagerly about. Not till
then did I tell Grace what I had seen.
"Oh dear! what shall we do?" she exclaimed. "It will seize poor Ursula,
I am sure. See! see! it is already swinging itself down from the bough!
Yes--there--it has almost reached the ground! Shall we let Ursula know
of her danger, though I am afraid she will faint if she catches sight of
the creature, she has such a dread of them?"
"No; say nothing: she is too far on to run back again, and it will be
better for her to get on the rock, and she may reach it before the mias
can do so."
"But if she does not, I must fire!" exclaimed Grace, seizing Oliver's
gun. "I am not afraid of doing that."
"But you cannot take good aim," I said. "It will be better not till the
last extremity."
"No; I will only do so if the mias gets near Ursula," she answered,
taking up the gun, however, and advancing steadily along the rock.
I had never seen her exhibit so much coolness and courage; indeed, I did
not think that she possessed them. Ursula had stopped at that moment
for want of breath, and the mias also seemed to be sitting on a lower
branch which he had reached, gazing towards us, as if considering
whether the person he saw was coming to attack him. Happily all this
time Ursula was not aware of her danger. Having recovered herself a
little, she again began to hurry on towards the rock. Hoping that, as
the mias stopped when she stopped, it might do so again, I now shouted
out to her. The creature turned a quick glance towards us, and
discovered, as it might suppose, that it had two enemies instead of one.
"Quick! quick, Ursula! quick!" now shouted Grace, pointing to the mias.
The poor Frau showed by her gestures how frightened she was. Still she
managed to run on, while the mias continued descending the tree.
Before, however, it had reached the ground she had got up to the rock,
at no great distance from Grace.
"Run! run!" cried Grace; "get safely on to the rock, good Frau, and I
will defend you."
"No, no, my child," answered the Frau. "It is for me to fight. Give me
the gun. I know how to use it. You run back to Emily and Oliver.
Here, take this shell of water, though. I will fire the gun, I say."
She almost snatched the weapon out of the hand of Grace, who came on
towards us with the water. I saw that the Frau was taking aim at the
mias, and was considering whether she could hit it at so great a
distance. I was afraid that she would not, and entreated her not to
fire.
"No, no, my child," she shouted out; "I will wait till he come nearer."
Our position was truly a dreadful one, for the creature might in a few
minutes have destroyed the good Frau, and then come and attacked us if
it had been so disposed. We were now once more quiet, and this induced
the mias to remain stationary. I wondered why Merlin had not come. I
thought that he might have assisted us at all events; at the same time
it was too probable that should he attack the creature, he would be
speedily worsted.
We now again applied more water to Oliver's brow, and gave him a few
more drops to drink. The effect was satisfactory; and not only did he
open his eyes, but his lips began to move, and a slight colour came back
to his cheeks. At length I heard him speaking, but in so low a voice
that I had to put my ear to his mouth.
"What is it all about?" he asked; "what has happened?"
"Do not be anxious, dear Oliver," I said. "The sun was very hot, and
you fainted." I did not like to tell him of our alarm about the mias.
"But I shall soon be well," he answered. "It is very hot here. I think
I could reach the shade of some tree, where it would be cooler."
"Oh no, no; you must not move," I cried out. "We are safer here."
The exertion of speaking, however, was evidently very great, and with a
gentle sigh he again leaned back. Of course, with that horrid creature
near us, I would not have ventured towards the forest, even had he been
better able to move.
The mias had all the time been watching us, and perhaps, from seeing so
many people together, it thought we were about to attack it. Now, to
our horror, we saw it reach the ground and stand upright, holding on by
one of the boughs, and grinning savagely at us, so we fancied. The Frau
took the gun. "I'll fire! I'll kill him!" she cried out. "He must not
come near to hurt you young people." There was a firmness in her tone I
had seldom heard. She felt herself to be our protectress, and was
prepared to do battle in our behalf. Oliver heard her speak.
"What is it?" he asked in a faint voice.
"Oh, there is a horrid mias near us, and the Frau has taken your gun to
shoot it," answered Grace.
"She cannot aim properly! Let me fire. Don't fire--don't fire, Frau!"
he said, attempting to rise. He was, however, too weak, and again sunk
back on the rock, supported by Grace and me.
With horror we saw the mias let go the bough and begin to walk towards
us on all fours. It advanced towards where a thick shrub grew, when
again catching hold of a bough, it raised itself up on its hind legs.
"Now I'll fire!" cried the Frau. I was afraid even then that had it
been much nearer she would not have hit it, or at all events wounded it
mortally, and I knew that it would become more savage. I cried out to
her to stop till it was nearer, but at that instant she pulled the
trigger. She had missed, we feared, for the mias, uttering a savage
cry, again moved towards us.
"Load again; load again!" Grace and I cried out.
"Bring the gun to me, pray," said Oliver; "I will load it. I can do
that." He felt for his ammunition, which was at his side, but the Frau
took it from him.
"I'll load," she said, beginning to do so. All this time the mias was
advancing. Now and then it turned its head, however, as if to watch
what had become of its family, and this delayed its progress. The Frau,
having had experience of loading at the fort, was soon again ready.
Kneeling down, she raised the fowling-piece to her shoulder. The mias
was still standing upright. At the instant she fired we saw it fall.
"It is hit--it is hit!" cried Grace.
"I have killed the creature!" exclaimed the Frau.
But no, it had merely fallen to its usual walking position, and was once
more approaching us. There appeared no longer time for her to load.
All hope of escaping the savage monster abandoned us. The Frau,
however, grasped the gun, evidently intending to do battle. At that
instant Merlin's loud bark was heard, and we saw him tearing along over
the sand towards us. The mias stopped to look at him, seeming to think
him a more dangerous antagonist than were we three females and our sick
companion. Merlin caught sight of the mias, and bounded towards him. I
now began to fear for our four-footed friend, for I knew the power of
the creature, and how one grasp of its strong hands would in an instant
destroy the dog. Just, however, before Merlin reached it, loud shouts
were heard, and we saw coming round the point of the rock several of our
friends with guns in their hands, evidently understanding that we were
in danger. Mr Tarbox, the boatswain, led the way, followed by Mr
Hooker and Potto Jumbo. The mias now turned round and moved towards the
dog, but Merlin was too sagacious to allow himself to be caught, and
when almost within the creature's reach he bounded on one side, and then
wheeled off, still barking, with the evident intention of drawing it
away from us. How thankful I felt when I saw him do so, for his purpose
was answered. The creature followed him, making springs which at each
bound almost brought it up to him; but on every occasion the dog nimbly
avoided it, till he had brought it within range of the boatswain's
musket. The mias, exasperated by disappointment, made two or three
successive springs towards the dog, which brought it still nearer to our
friends. The boatswain fired, when the creature seemed to discover, for
the first time, how near it was to its enemies. The ball took effect
upon its shoulder. We saw it stand upright, stretching out its huge
arms as if to grasp hold of them and tear them to pieces; but at that
instant Mr Hooker stopped and levelled his gun, and the savage monster
rolled over on the sand. Still it was not dead, and we were even yet
afraid our friends might be injured; but the boatswain stopping,
reloaded his gun, and Potto Jumbo rushing in with a spear thrust it at
the creature. There was another report, and we knew that we were
perfectly safe.
How thankful I felt that we had escaped, for I cannot describe
thoroughly how fearfully alarmed we were. There is something so
dreadful in the appearance of those huge baboons. Our friends arriving,
proposed carrying Oliver into the shade; but we told them that we had
seen another mias and a young one, on which Mr Hooker and the boatswain
set off in search of the creatures, while Potto Jumbo lifted up Oliver
in his powerful arms, almost as if he had been a child, and carried him
off to the edge of the forest, where we could all be sufficiently shaded
from the hot rays of the sun. Potto Jumbo then set off to join Mr
Hooker and the boatswain. Oliver now quickly recovered, and after
taking another draught of water, declared that he was able to walk home.
We persuaded him, however, to wait till the return of our friends. In
a short time we saw them coming through the forest, dragging a prisoner
between them. It appeared to be a largish monkey. It was evident it
was in no way pleased at being taken prisoner, for it turned its head
round now on one side, now on the other, attempting to bite its captors,
but we saw that its snout had been muzzled.
"We have brought a prize for my friend's menagerie," exclaimed Mr
Hooker. "Here is a young mias, and I hope to tame and civilise it,
though at present its manners are far from cultivated. We killed the
mother, who now hangs to the bough of a tree. Potto Jumbo soon
afterwards caught the young gentleman by a noose round the neck."
By this time Oliver, having greatly recovered, was able, with the
assistance of the Frau and Potto Jumbo, to set off for the house. I was
anxious to remain that I might continue watching for Walter, but the
Frau and Mr Hooker would on no account allow me to do so, and at last I
yielded to their wishes and accompanied them home. We reached it
without further adventure, having to stop, however, several times to
rest Oliver, who was far weaker than he had supposed. The fright and
excitement we had gone through made Grace and me very ill; and all night
long I was dreaming that we were pursued by the hideous monster, from
whom we in vain endeavoured to escape.
By the morning, however, we had much recovered. Our small captive
showed its ferocious nature by trying to bite and scratch every one who
approached it. It caught Tanda by the arm when taking it some food, and
not till it had received several blows on the head would it let go. It
was then shut up in a strong cage; but the following morning was found
dead, after having made a vain attempt to force its way out.