The lagoon was skirted, and after rather a toilsome ascent among rocks
half smothered in creepers, the edge of the forest was reached, and a
halt called under the shade of a great fig-tree, among whose small, ripe
fruits a flock of brilliant little scarlet and green lories were
feeding; and here, seated about on the great, projecting roots, the
party partook of a delicious meal, feasting their eyes at the same time
upon the prospect around. For, from the elevation at which they now
were, they were able to look right over the low land that had been swept
by the vast wave, to where there was another slight elevation clothed
with trees.
As far as they could see, the low ground was spread with scattered
blocks of coral and lava, while here and there, little bright patches
told of shells that had been ground and polished thin by the action of
the waves, and now showed their glistening, pearly material.
Another look to the left across blocks of white coral, and over pools
slowly evaporating in the hot sunshine, showed the course the ship had
taken from where the sea beat against the reef-girdled shore. It was
all plain enough; that was the edge of the land, with a belt of calm,
blue water, and beyond that, as far as eye could reach to right and
left, a barrier reef of coral, upon which the great billows curved over,
flashing in the sun, and crested with their soft, white foam.
"It seems beyond belief," said Oliver at last. "Who could imagine that
our vessel could be borne right inland here and set down upon an even
keel almost uninjured?"
"And without the smallest chance of ever sailing the sea again," said
Panton, quietly.
"I say, look here, you two, we're not going to settle down here like so
many Robinson Crusoes, are we!" cried Drew.
"Only just so long, I say, as it will take us to make complete
collections of the natural history of the place," said Oliver, "for I
begin to be in hopes that the land is quite new, and that no one has
ever set foot upon it before."
"Then you think it is an island?" said Drew, who was eating with one
hand, collecting specimens of plants with the other.
"If he doesn't, I do," cried Panton, taking out a little bright steel
hammer and beginning to chip at a block of stone held fast by one of the
roots of the big tree under whose branches they were seated. "Look at
this--slag. I say that we are on a volcanic island, formed by a
mountain rising out of the sea and pouring out its streams of lava, and
throwing up its blocks and stones and cinders."
"What about the coral, then? The place is covered with scattered
blocks."
"Oh, those were carried in by the great wave," continued Panton. "Once
an island like this is thrust up from the bottom of the sea, the coral
insects soon begin to be busy and build all round it. Look at the reef
yonder."
"Then you think the volcano is in the middle of the island?" said Drew,
taking out his pocket lens to examine a tiny blossom.
"That doesn't follow," said Panton, oracularly, as he chipped off a
fragment of lava, which fresh fracture glistened brightly. "The
mountain may be just at the edge of the island, possibly on a cape. I
should say this one is, and cut off from sight by that wall of mist,
which seems to be rising from a gulf extending right across. What are
you men muttering there about tools?"
"Beg pardon, sir," said Smith, "I only said to my mate as you gents
seemed to have tools for everything."
"There," cried Oliver, "time's getting on, and I want to reach that
mist, get through, and see what the place is like on the other side.
Ready?"
For answer the others sprang up, all being eager to see more of the
country upon which they had been so singularly cast, and for the next
hour they were fighting their way through the dense forest, every cut
and slash they made with their pocket-knives to rid themselves of
creeper and thorn, destroying growth which was of intense interest to
Drew, while Panton damaged his shins over blocks of stone he longed to
chip, while dislodging insects and scaring birds and quadrupeds, of
which Oliver got but a glance.
They were constantly stopping to mop their faces, for the heat was
tremendous, and their progress very slow, but still they got on, some
open patch caused by the falling of a great tree rotted away by age, or
strangled by some creeper, giving them light and a breath of the soft
sea air overhead.
Everything here was beautifully green and fresh, the eruption having
left it unharmed, till, at the end of another tedious hour's work over
gradually rising ground full of jagged rifts and tumbled together
stones, which told of a convulsion of nature far back in some distant
age, when, in place of towering forest trees all must have been
absolutely bare and level. Smith, who was in front, cutting and
slashing with his jack-knife, uttered a shout.
"Land ho!" he cried, for they were evidently nearly through the sea of
verdure, the sky showing beneath the huge branches.
"At last!" cried Oliver, who was panting with the exertion, while his
companions' faces were torn and bleeding. "We must get Mr Rimmer to
let the men cut a way through here."
"Now then!" shouted Wriggs from somewhere ahead just then. "None o'
them tricks. D'yer hear?"
"Come, come, my man," said Drew, sternly, "keep to your work. This is
no time for playing."
"All right, sir, but please speak to Tommy Smith. Man don't want big
nuts chucked at his head."
"Who's a-chucking nuts?" cried Smith, indignantly, and he began to force
his way back into sight of his companions.
"Why, you did, and hit me just now."
"Sweer I didn't!" cried Smith. "Here, hullo! Drop that, will you? Who
was that?"
A great nut, half as big as a man's head, had struck the speaker on the
shoulder.
"Why, there's someone up in that tree throwing at us!" said Drew.
"Yes, I see him," cried Wriggs, "that big tree, just where it's getting
light. Here, I see you: leave off will yer?"
"It's the natives, sir," said Smith, in a warning voice. "Get your guns
ready, they'll be shooting pysoned arrows directly."
"I see him plain, now, sir. He's only a little black chap. Yes,
there's two on 'em. Well, upon my word, if they aren't two monkeys!"
Another big nut came with a crash through the branches and, before
Oliver could check him, Drew raised his gun and sent a shower of shot
peppering through the leaves over the heads of the two occupants of the
great tree, with the result that two large apes went swinging from bough
to bough, chattering indignantly, and disappearing at once.
"You shouldn't have done that," cried Oliver. "I wanted to have a look
at the creatures."
"I daresay you'll have plenty more chances, for, if this proves to be an
island, they can't get away."
"But the fact of there being large creatures here, proves that it is not
an island," said Oliver.
"Not a bit of it," said Panton, oracularly. "There are plenty of
islands peopled with animals, because they were occupants of continents
now submerged. Look at Trinidad, for instance. That was once the
north-east corner of North America, and all her flora and fauna are
continental."
"Oh, I say, don't be so horribly scientific," cried Oliver, "let's get
out into the open where we can breathe. Look at the butterflies in that
sunshiny patch. Really we have dropped into a land of wonders."
"And stinging insects and thorns," said Panton. "I say, what was that
rustling away through the leaves?"
"Snake, sir, big 'un. I see his tail wiggle," cried Smith.
"Better be careful," said Oliver, gravely, "there may be poisonous
snakes about the edge of the forest. Ha! What a relief!"
For he had suddenly stepped out through a dense curtain of a creeping
plant into the bright sunshine, to find that for some distance in front
the earth was clothed with a low, bush-like growth; then there was a
broad, blackish grey stretch of land, and again beyond that the veil of
vapour rising right across their way to right and left.
The little party stood out for a few minutes looking round, with the
portion of the island or peninsula they had left cut off now by the
forest which rose right behind them like a huge green ridge of verdure.
Then, full of excitement, they began to advance through the low bushes
toward the long line of white vapour slowly curling like a bank of
clouds, for the one desire now among all was to stand face to face with
the mountain which had partially burned up the face of the beautiful
tropic land.
It soon became evident that they were traversing a stretch of newly
springing up trees, for everything was of a young and tender green, but
after a time there was a parched, dried-up aspect; then they came upon
withered patches, and by degrees the vivid green gave place to a dull
parched-up drab and grey, every leaf and blade of grass being burned up
or scorched by heat and some destructive gas.
They hurried across this desolate band, for the wall of mist was but a
short distance in advance, and a curious feeling of eagerness attacked
the party, even to the two sailors. For beyond that curtain was
evidently the centre of the mysterious volcanic force which had been
answerable for their presence there, and doubtless upon passing through
the vapour behind which it was hid, they would be able to grasp their
fate; whether a certain amount of journeying would bring them to the
habitations of men, or show them that they were shut up in some unknown
isle.
"Come along," said Drew, "and let's know the worst."
"The worst!" cried Oliver. "You mean the best?"
"Well, we might be worse off," said Panton, laughing; "but be careful,
all of you. This steam, or whatever it is, may be rising from some
great gulf, and mists are rather confusing. Shall I lead?"
"By all means," said the others, and he stepped out for a few yards, and
then, to the surprise of Oliver, who was next, it was as if they had
entered the mist unconsciously, though it was thin to a degree, and the
only effect was to make Panton look magnified, so that twenty yards
farther on he had grown as it were into a giant.
Oliver looked back and saw that those who followed had the same aspect.
"Don't see any rift or chasm," said Panton; "but come cautiously, for
the ground feels soft and spongy."