The beauties of the bottom of the sea tempt Peterkin to dive--How he did
it--More difficulties overcome--The water garden--Curious creatures of
the sea--The tank--Candles missed very much, and the candle-nut tree
discovered--Wonderful account of Peterkin's first voyage--Cloth found
growing on a tree--A plan projected, and arms prepared for offence and
defence--A dreadful cry.
Our encounter with the shark was the first great danger that had befallen
us since landing on this island, and we felt very seriously affected by
it, especially when we considered that we had so often unwittingly
incurred the same danger before while bathing. We were now forced to
take to fishing again in the shallow water, until we should succeed in
constructing a raft. What troubled us most, however, was, that we were
compelled to forego our morning swimming excursions. We did, indeed,
continue to enjoy our bathe in the shallow water, but Jack and I found
that one great source of our enjoyment was gone, when we could no longer
dive down among the beautiful coral groves at the bottom of the lagoon.
We had come to be so fond of this exercise, and to take such an interest
in watching the formations of coral and the gambols of the many beautiful
fish amongst the forests of red and green sea-weeds, that we had become
quite familiar with the appearance of the fish and the localities that
they chiefly haunted. We had also become expert divers. But we made it
a rule never to stay long under water at a time. Jack told me that to do
so often was bad for the lungs, and, instead of affording us enjoyment,
would ere long do us a serious injury. So we never stayed at the bottom
as long as we might have done, but came up frequently to the top for
fresh air, and dived down again immediately. Sometimes, when Jack
happened to be in a humorous frame, he would seat himself at the bottom
of the sea on one of the brain corals, as if he were seated on a large
paddock-stool, and then make faces at me, in order, if possible, to make
me laugh under water. At first, when he took me unawares, he nearly
succeeded, and I had to shoot to the surface in order to laugh; but
afterwards I became aware of his intentions, and, being naturally of a
grave disposition, I had no difficulty in restraining myself. I used
often to wonder how poor Peterkin would have liked to be with us; and he
sometimes expressed much regret at being unable to join us. I used to do
my best to gratify him, poor fellow, by relating all the wonders that we
saw; but this, instead of satisfying, seemed only to whet his curiosity
the more, so one day we prevailed on him to try to go down with us. But,
although a brave boy in every other way, Peterkin was very nervous in the
water, and it was with difficulty we got him to consent to be taken down,
for he could never have managed to push himself down to the bottom
without assistance. But no sooner had we pulled him down a yard or so
into the deep clear water, than he began to struggle and kick violently,
so we were forced to let him go, when he rose out of the water like a
cork, gave a loud gasp and a frightful roar, and struck out for the land
with the utmost possible haste.
Now, all this pleasure we were to forego, and when we thought thereon,
Jack and I felt very much depressed in our spirits. I could see, also,
that Peterkin grieved and sympathized with us, for, when talking about
this matter, he refrained from jesting and bantering us upon it.
As, however, a man's difficulties usually set him upon devising methods
to overcome them, whereby he often discovers better things than those he
may have lost, so this our difficulty induced us to think of searching
for a large pool among the rocks, where the water should be deep enough
for diving yet so surrounded by rocks as to prevent sharks from getting
at us. And such a pool we afterwards found, which proved to be very much
better than our most sanguine hopes anticipated. It was situated not
more than ten minutes' walk from our camp, and was in the form of a small
deep bay or basin, the entrance to which, besides being narrow, was so
shallow that no fish so large as a shark could get in, at least not
unless he should be a remarkably thin one.
Inside of this basin, which we called our Water Garden, the coral
formations were much more wonderful, and the sea-weed plants far more
lovely and vividly coloured, than in the lagoon itself. And the water
was so clear and still, that, although very deep, you could see the
minutest object at the bottom. Besides this, there was a ledge of rock
which overhung the basin at its deepest part, from which we could dive
pleasantly and whereon Peterkin could sit and see not only all the
wonders I had described to him, but also see Jack and me creeping amongst
the marine shrubbery at the bottom, like, as--he expressed it,--"two
great white sea-monsters." During these excursions of ours to the bottom
of the sea, we began to get an insight into the manners and customs of
its inhabitants, and to make discoveries of wonderful things, the like of
which we never before conceived. Among other things, we were deeply
interested with the operations of the little coral insect which, I was
informed by Jack, is supposed to have entirely constructed many of the
numerous islands in Pacific Ocean. And, certainly, when we considered
the great reef which these insects had formed round the island on which
we were cast, and observed their ceaseless activity in building their
myriad cells, it did at first seem as if this might be true; but then,
again, when I looked at the mountains of the island, and reflected that
there were thousands of such, many of them much higher, in the South
Seas, I doubted that there must be some mistake here. But more of this
hereafter.
I also became much taken up with the manners and appearance of the
anemones, and star-fish, and crabs, and sea-urchins, and such-like
creatures; and was not content with watching those I saw during my dives
in the Water Garden, but I must needs scoop out a hole in the coral rock
close to it, which I filled with salt water, and stocked with sundry
specimens of anemones and shell-fish, in order to watch more closely how
they were in the habit of passing their time. Our burning-glass also now
became a great treasure to me, as it enabled me to magnify, and so to
perceive more clearly the forms and actions of these curious creatures of
the deep.
Having now got ourselves into a very comfortable condition, we began to
talk of a project which we had long had in contemplation,--namely, to
travel entirely round the island; in order, first, to ascertain whether
it contained any other productions which might be useful to us; and,
second, to see whether there might be any place more convenient and
suitable for our permanent residence than that on which we were now
encamped. Not that we were in any degree dissatisfied with it; on the
contrary, we entertained quite a home-feeling to our bower and its
neighbourhood; but if a better place did exist, there was no reason why
we should not make use of it. At any rate, it would be well to know of
its existence.
We had much earnest talk over this matter. But Jack proposed that,
before undertaking such an excursion, we should supply ourselves with
good defensive arms, for, as we intended not only to go round all the
shore, but to ascend most of the valleys, before returning home, we
should be likely to meet in with, he would not say dangers, but, at
least, with everything that existed on the island, whatever that might
be.
"Besides," said Jack, "it won't do for us to live on cocoa-nuts and
oysters always. No doubt they are very excellent in their way, but I
think a little animal food, now and then, would be agreeable as well as
good for us; and as there are many small birds among the trees, some of
which are probably very good to eat, I think it would be a capital plan
to make bows and arrows, with which we could easily knock them over."
"First rate!" cried Peterkin. "You will make the bows, Jack, and I'll
try my hand at the arrows. The fact is, I'm quite tired of throwing
stones at the birds. I began the very day we landed, I think, and have
persevered up to the present time, but I've never hit anything yet."
"You forget," said I, "you hit me one day on the shin."
"Ah, true," replied Peterkin, "and a precious shindy you kicked up in
consequence. But you were at least four yards away from the impudent
paroquet I aimed at; so you see what a horribly bad shot I am."
"But," said I, "Jack, you cannot make three bows and arrows before to-
morrow, and would it not be a pity to waste time, now that we have made
up our minds to go on this expedition? Suppose that you make one bow and
arrow for yourself, and we can take our clubs?"
"That's true, Ralph. The day is pretty far advanced, and I doubt if I
can make even one bow before dark. To be sure I might work by
fire-light, after the sun goes down."
We had, up to this time, been in the habit of going to bed with the sun,
as we had no pressing call to work o' nights; and, indeed, our work
during the day was usually hard enough,--what between fishing, and
improving our bower, and diving in the Water Garden, and rambling in the
woods; so that, when night came, we were usually very glad to retire to
our beds. But now that we had a desire to work at night, we felt a wish
for candles.
"Won't a good blazing fire give you light enough?" inquired Peterkin.
"Yes," replied Jack, "quite enough; but then it will give us a great deal
more than enough of heat in this warm climate of ours."
"True," said Peterkin; "I forgot that. It would roast us."
"Well, as you're always doing that at any rate," remarked Jack, "we could
scarcely call it a change. But the fact is, I've been thinking over this
subject before. There is a certain nut growing in these islands which is
called the candle-nut, because the natives use it instead of candles, and
I know all about it, and how to prepare it for burning--"
"Then why don't you do it?" interrupted Peterkin. "Why have you kept us
in the dark so long, you vile philosopher?"
"Because," said Jack, "I have not seen the tree yet, and I'm not sure
that I should know either the tree or the nuts if I did see them. You
see, I forget the description."
"Ah! that's just the way with me," said Peterkin with a deep sigh. "I
never could keep in my mind for half an hour the few descriptions I ever
attempted to remember. The very first voyage I ever made was caused by
my mistaking a description, or forgetting it, which is the same thing.
And a horrible voyage it was. I had to fight with the captain the whole
way out, and made the homeward voyage by swimming!"
"Come, Peterkin," said I, "you can't get even _me_ to believe that."
"Perhaps not, but it's true, notwithstanding," returned Peterkin,
pretending to be hurt at my doubting his word.
"Let us hear how it happened," said Jack, while a good-natured smile
overspread his face.
"Well, you must know," began Peterkin, "that the very day before I went
to sea, I was greatly taken up with a game at hockey, which I was playing
with my old school-fellows for the last time before leaving them. You
see I was young then, Ralph." Peterkin gazed, in an abstracted and
melancholy manner, out to sea! "Well, in the midst of the game, my
uncle, who had taken all the bother and trouble of getting me bound
'prentice and rigged out, came and took me aside, and told me that he was
called suddenly away from home, and would not be able to see me aboard,
as he had intended. 'However,' said he, 'the captain knows you are
coming, so that's not of much consequence; but as you'll have to find the
ship yourself, you must remember her name and description. D'ye hear,
boy?' I certainly did hear, but I'm afraid I did not understand, for my
mind was so taken up with the game, which I saw my side was losing, that
I began to grow impatient, and the moment my uncle finished his
description of the ship, and bade me good-bye, I bolted back to my game,
with only a confused idea of three masts, and a green painted tafferel,
and a gilt figure-head of Hercules with his club at the bow. Next day I
was so much cast down with everybody saying good-bye, and a lot o' my
female friends cryin' horribly over me, that I did not start for the
harbour, where the ship was lying among a thousand others, till it was
almost too late. So I had to run the whole way. When I reached the
pier, there were so many masts, and so much confusion, that I felt quite
humblebumbled in my faculties. 'Now,' said I to myself, 'Peterkin,
you're in a fix.' Then I fancied I saw a gilt figure-head and three
masts, belonging to a ship just about to start; so I darted on board, but
speedily jumped on shore again, when I found that two of the masts
belonged to another vessel, and the figurehead to a third! At last I
caught sight of what I made sure was it,--a fine large vessel just
casting off her moorings. The tafferel was green. Three masts,--yes,
that must be it,--and the gilt figure-head of Hercules. To be sure it
had a three-pronged pitchfork in its hand instead of a club; but that
might be my uncle's mistake; or perhaps Hercules sometimes varied his
weapons. 'Cast off!' roared a voice from the quarter-deck. 'Hold on!'
cried I, rushing frantically through the crowd. 'Hold on! hold on!'
repeated some of the bystanders, while the men at the ropes delayed for a
minute. This threw the captain into a frightful rage; for some of his
friends had come down to see him off, and having his orders contradicted
so flatly was too much for him. However, the delay was sufficient. I
took a race and a good leap; the ropes were cast off; the steam-tug gave
a puff, and we started. Suddenly the captain was up to me: 'Where did
you come from, you scamp, and what do you want here?'
"'Please, sir,' said I, touching my cap, 'I'm you're new 'prentice come
aboard.'
"'New 'Prentice,' said he, stamping, 'I've got no new 'prentice. My boys
are all aboard already. This is a trick, you young blackguard. You've
run away, you have;' and the captain stamped about the deck and swore
dreadfully; for, you see, the thought of having to stop the ship and
lower a boat and lose half an hour, all for the slake of sending a small
boy ashore, seemed to make him very angry. Besides, it was blowin' fresh
outside the harbour, so that, to have let the steamer alongside to put me
into it was no easy job. Just as we were passing the pier-head, where
several boats were rowing into harbour, the captain came up to me,--
"'You've run away, you blackguard,' he said, giving me a box on the ear.
"'No I haven't,' said I, angrily; for the box was by no means a light
one.
"Hark'ee, boy, can you swim?'
"'Yes,' said I.
"'Then do it,' and, seizing me by my trousers and the nape of my neck, he
tossed me over the side into the sea. The fellows in the boats at the
end of the pier, backed their oars on seeing this; but observing that I
could swim, they allowed me to make the best of my way to the pier-head.
So, you see, Ralph, that I really did swim my first homeward voyage."
Jack laughed and patted Peterkin on the shoulder. "But tell us about the
candle-nut tree," said I; "you were talking about it."
"Very true," said Jack, "but I fear I can remember little about it. I
believe the nut is about the size of a walnut; and I think that the
leaves are white, but I am not sure."
"Eh! ha! hum!" exclaimed Peterkin, "I saw a tree answering to that
description this very day."
"Did you?" cried Jack. "Is it far from this?"
"No, not half a mile."
"Then lead me to it," said Jack, seizing his axe.
In a few minutes we were all three pushing through the underwood of the
forest, headed by Peterkin.
We soon came to the tree in question, which, after Jack had closely
examined it, we concluded must be the candle-nut tree. Its leaves were
of a beautiful silvery white, and formed a fine contrast to the
dark-green foliage of the surrounding trees. We immediately filled our
pockets with the nuts, after which Jack said,--
"Now, Peterkin, climb that cocoa-nut tree and cut me one of the long
branches."
This was soon done, but it cost some trouble, for the stem was very high,
and as Peterkin usually pulled nuts from the younger trees, he was not
much accustomed to climbing the high ones. The leaf or branch was a very
large one, and we were surprised at its size and strength. Viewed from a
little distance, the cocoa-nut tree seems to be a tall, straight stem,
without a single branch except at the top, where there is a tuft of
feathery-looking leaves, that seem to wave like soft plumes in the wind.
But when we saw one of these leaves or branches at our feet, we found it
to be a strong stalk, about fifteen feet long, with a number of narrow,
pointed leaflets ranged alternately on each side. But what seemed to us
the most wonderful thing about it was a curious substance resembling
cloth, which was wrapped round the thick end of the stalk, where it had
been cut from the tree. Peterkin told us that he had the greatest
difficulty in separating the branch from the stem, on account of this
substance, as it was wrapped quite round the tree, and, he observed,
round all the other branches, thus forming a strong support to the large
leaves while exposed to high winds. When I call this substance cloth I
do not exaggerate. Indeed, with regard to all the things I saw during my
eventful career in the South Seas, I have been exceedingly careful not to
exaggerate, or in any way to mislead or deceive my readers. This cloth,
I say, was remarkably like to coarse brown cotton cloth. It had a seam
or fibre down the centre of it, from which diverged other fibres, about
the size of a bristle. There were two layers of these fibres, very long
and tough, the one layer crossing the other obliquely, and the whole was
cemented together with a still finer fibrous and adhesive substance. When
we regarded it attentively, we could with difficulty believe that it had
not been woven by human hands. This remarkable piece of cloth we
stripped carefully off, and found it to be above two feet long, by a foot
broad, and we carried it home with us as a great prize.
Jack now took one of the leaflets, and, cutting out the central spine or
stalk, hurried back with it to our camp. Having made a small fire, he
baked the nuts slightly, and then pealed off the husks. After this he
wished to bore a hole in them, which, not having anything better at hand
at the time, he did with the point of our useless pencil-case. Then he
strung them on the cocoa-nut spine, and on putting a light to the topmost
nut, we found to our joy that it burned with a clear, beautiful flame;
upon seeing which, Peterkin sprang up and danced round the fire for at
least five minutes in the excess of his satisfaction.
"Now lads," said Jack, extinguishing our candle, the sun will set in an
hour, so we have no time to lose. "I shall go and cut a young tree to
make my bow out of, and you had better each of you go and select good
strong sticks for clubs, and we'll set to work at them after dark."
So saying he shouldered his axe and went off, followed by Peterkin, while
I took up the piece of newly discovered cloth, and fell to examining its
structure. So engrossed was I in this that I was still sitting in the
same attitude and occupation when my companions returned.
"I told you so!" cried Peterkin, with a loud laugh. "Oh, Ralph, you're
incorrigible. See, there's a club for you. I was sure, when we left you
looking at that bit of stuff, that we would find you poring over it when
we came back, so I just cut a club for you as well as for myself."
"Thank you, Peterkin," said I. "It was kind of you to do that, instead
of scolding me for a lazy fellow, as I confess I deserve."
"Oh! as to that," returned Peterkin, "I'll blow you up yet, if you wish
it--only it would be of no use if I did, for you're a perfect mule!"
As it was now getting dark we lighted our candle, and placing it in a
holder made of two crossing branches, inside of our bower, we seated
ourselves on our leafy beds and began to work.
"I intend to appropriate the bow for my own use," said Jack, chipping the
piece of wood he had brought with his axe. "I used to be a pretty fair
shot once. But what's that you're doing?" he added, looking at Peterkin,
who had drawn the end of a long pole into the tent, and was endeavouring
to fit a small piece of the hoop-iron to the end of it.
"I'm going to enlist into the Lancers," answered Peterkin. "You see,
Jack, I find the club rather an unwieldy instrument for my delicately-
formed muscles, and I flatter myself I shall do more execution with a
spear."
"Well, if length constitutes power," said Jack, "you'll certainly be
invincible."
The pole which Peterkin had cut was full twelve feet long, being a very
strong but light and tough young tree, which merely required thinning at
the butt to be a serviceable weapon.
"That's a very good idea," said I.
"Which--this?" inquired Peterkin, pointing to the spear.
"Yes;" I replied.
"Humph!" said he; "you'd find it a pretty tough and matter-of-fact idea,
if you had it stuck through your gizzard, old boy!"
"I mean the idea of making it is a good one," said I, laughing. "And,
now I think of it, I'll change my plan, too. I don't think much of a
club, so I'll make me a sling out of this piece of cloth. I used to be
very fond of slinging, ever since I read of David slaying Goliath the
Philistine, and I was once thought to be expert at it."
So I set to work to manufacture a sling. For a long time we all worked
very busily without speaking. At length Peterkin looked up: "I say,
Jack, I'm sorry to say I must apply to you for another strip of your
handkerchief, to tie on this rascally head with. It's pretty well torn
at any rate, so you won't miss it."
Jack proceeded to comply with this request when Peterkin suddenly laid
his hand on his arm and arrested him.
"Hist, man," said he, "be tender; you should never be needlessly cruel if
you can help it. Do try to shave past Lord Nelson's mouth without
tearing it, if possible! Thanks. There are plenty more handkerchiefs on
the cocoa-nut trees."
Poor Peterkin! with what pleasant feelings I recall and record his jests
and humorous sayings now!
While we were thus engaged, we were startled by a distant but most
strange and horrible cry. It seemed to come from the sea, but was so far
away that we could not clearly distinguish its precise direction. Rushing
out of our bower, we hastened down to the beach and stayed to listen.
Again it came quite loud and distinct on the night air,--a prolonged,
hideous cry, something like the braying of an ass. The moon had risen,
and we could see the islands in and beyond the lagoon quite plainly, but
there was no object visible to account for such a cry. A strong gust of
wind was blowing from the point whence the sound came, but this died away
while we were gazing out to sea.
"What can it be?" said Peterkin, in a low whisper, while we all
involuntarily crept closer to each other.
"Do you know," said Jack, "I have heard that mysterious sound twice
before, but never so loud as to-night. Indeed it was so faint that I
thought I must have merely fancied it, so, as I did not wish to alarm
you, I said nothing about it."
We listened for a long time for the sound again, but as it did not come,
we returned to the bower and resumed our work.
"Very strange," said Peterkin, quite gravely. "Do you believe in ghosts,
Ralph?"
"No," I answered, "I do not. Nevertheless I must confess that strange,
unaccountable sounds, such as we have just heard, make me feel a little
uneasy."
"What say you to it, Jack?"
"I neither believe in ghosts nor feel uneasy," he replied. "I never saw
a ghost myself, and I never met with any one who had; and I have
generally found that strange and unaccountable things have almost always
been accounted for, and found to be quite simple, on close examination. I
certainly can't imagine what _that_ sound is; but I'm quite sure I shall
find out before long,--and if it's a ghost I'll--"
"Eat it," cried Peterkin.
"Yes, I'll eat it! Now, then, my bow and two arrows are finished; so if
you're ready we had better turn in."
By this time Peterkin had thinned down his spear and tied an iron point
very cleverly to the end of it; I had formed a sling, the lines of which
were composed of thin strips of the cocoa-nut cloth, plaited; and Jack
had made a stout bow, nearly five feet long, with two arrows, feathered
with two or three large plumes which some bird had dropt. They had no
barbs, but Jack said that if arrows were well feathered, they did not
require iron points, but would fly quite well if merely sharpened at the
point; which I did not know before.
"A feathered arrow without a barb," said he, "is a good weapon, but a
barbed arrow without feathers is utterly useless."
The string of the bow was formed of our piece of whip-cord, part of
which, as he did not like to cut it, was rolled round the bow.
Although thus prepared for a start on the morrow, we thought it wise to
exercise ourselves a little in the use of our weapons before starting, so
we spent the whole of the next day in practising. And it was well we did
so, for we found that our arms were very imperfect, and that we were far
from perfect in the use of them. First, Jack found that the bow was much
too strong, and he had to thin it. Also the spear was much too heavy,
and so had to be reduced in thickness, although nothing would induce
Peterkin to have it shortened. My sling answered very well, but I had
fallen so much out of practice that my first stone knocked off Peterkin's
hat, and narrowly missed making a second Goliath of him. However, after
having spent the whole day in diligent practice, we began to find some of
our former expertness returning--at least Jack and I did. As for
Peterkin, being naturally a neat-handed boy, he soon handled his spear
well, and could run full tilt at a cocoa nut, and hit it with great
precision once out of every five times.
But I feel satisfied that we owed much of our rapid success to the
unflagging energy of Jack, who insisted that, since we had made him
Captain, we should obey him; and he kept us at work from morning till
night, perseveringly, at the same thing. Peterkin wished very much to
run about and stick his spear into everything he passed; but Jack put up
a cocoa nut, and would not let him leave off running at that for a
moment, except when he wanted to rest. We laughed at Jack for this, but
we were both convinced that it did us much good.
That night we examined and repaired our arms ere we lay down to rest,
although we were much fatigued, in order that we might be in readiness to
set out on our expedition at daylight on the following morning.