Recollections of their Native Land -- Probable Future --
Project for surveying the Coasts of the Island -- Departure
on the 16th of April -- Sea-view of Reptile End -- The
basaltic Rocks of the Western Coast -- Bad Weather -- Night
comes on -- New Incident.
Two years already! and for two years the colonists had had no
communication with their fellow-creatures! They were without news from
the civilised world, lost on this island, as completely as if they had
been on the most minute star of the celestial hemisphere!
What was now happening in their country? The picture of their native
land was always before their eyes, the land torn by civil war at the
time they left it, and which the Southern rebellion was perhaps still
staining with blood! It was a great sorrow to them, and they often
talked together of these things, without ever doubting however that
the cause of the North must triumph, for the honour of the American
Confederation.
During these two years not a vessel had passed in sight of the island;
or, at least, not a sail had been seen. It was evident that Lincoln
Island was out of the usual track, and also that it was unknown,--as
was besides proved by the maps,--for though there was no port, vessels
might have visited it for the purpose of renewing their store of
water. But the surrounding ocean was deserted as far as the eye could
reach, and the colonists must rely on themselves for regaining their
native land.
However, one chance of rescue existed, and this chance was discussed
one day in the first week of April, when the colonists were gathered
together in the dining-room of Granite House.
They had been talking of America, of their native country, which they
had so little hope of ever seeing again.
"Decidedly we have only one way," said Spilett, "one single way for
leaving Lincoln Island, and that is, to build a vessel large enough to
sail several hundred miles. It appears to me, that when one has built
a boat it is just as easy to build a ship!"
"And in which we might go to the Pomatous," added Herbert, "just as
easily as we went to Tabor Island."
"I do not say no," replied Pencroft, who had always the casting vote
in maritime questions; "I do not say no, although it is not exactly
the same thing to make a long as a short voyage! If our little craft
had been caught in any heavy gale of wind during the voyage to Tabor
Island, we should have known that land was at no great distance either
way; but twelve hundred miles is a pretty long way, and the nearest
land is at least that distance!"
"Would you not, in that case, Pencroft, attempt the adventure?" asked
the reporter.
"I will attempt anything that is desired, Mr. Spilett," answered the
sailor, "and you know well that I am not a man to flinch!"
"Remember, besides, that we number another sailor amongst us now,"
remarked Neb.
"Who is that?" asked Pencroft.
"Ayrton."
"That is true," replied Herbert.
"If he will consent to come," said Pencroft.
"Nonsense!" returned the reporter; "do you think that if Lord
Glenarvan's yacht had appeared at Tabor Island, whilst he was still
living there, Ayrton would have refused to depart?"
"You forget, my friends," then said Cyrus Harding, "that Ayrton was
not in possession of his reason during the last years of his stay
there. But that is not the question. The point is to know if we may
count among our chances of being rescued, the return of the Scotch
vessel. Now, Lord Glenarvan promised Ayrton that he would return to
take him off Tabor Island when he considered that his crimes were
expiated, and I believe that he will return."
"Yes," said the reporter, "and I will add that he will return soon,
for it is twelve years since Ayrton was abandoned!"
"Well!" answered Pencroft, "I agree with you that the nobleman will
return, and soon too. But where will he touch? At Tabor Island, and
not at Lincoln Island."
"That is the more certain," replied Herbert, "as Lincoln Island is not
even marked on the map."
"Therefore, my friends," said the engineer, "we ought to take the
necessary precautions for making our presence, and that of Ayrton on
Lincoln Island known at Tabor Island."
"Certainly," answered the reporter, "and nothing is easier than to
place in the hut, which was Captain Grant's and Ayrton's dwelling, a
notice which Lord Glenarvan and his crew cannot help finding, giving
the position of our island."
"It is a pity," remarked the sailor, "that we forgot to take that
precaution on our first visit to Tabor Island."
"And why should we have done it?" asked Herbert.
"At that time we did not know Ayrton's history; we did not know that
any one was likely to come some day to fetch him; and when we did know
his history, the season was too advanced to allow us to return then to
Tabor Island."
"Yes," replied Harding, "it was too late, and we must put off the
voyage until next spring."
"But suppose the Scotch yacht comes before that," said Pencroft.
"That is not probable," replied the engineer, "for Lord Glenarvan
would not choose the winter season to venture into these seas. Either
he has already returned to Tabor Island, since Ayrton has been with
us, that is to say, during the last five months and has left again; or
he will not come till later, and it will be time enough in the first
fine October days to go to Tabor Island, and leave a notice there."
"We must allow," said Neb, "that it will be very unfortunate if the
_Duncan_ has returned to these parts only a few months ago!"
"I hope that it is not so," replied Cyrus Harding, "and that Heaven
has not deprived us of the best chance which remains to us."
"I think," observed the reporter, "that at any rate we shall know what
we have to depend on when we have been to Tabor Island, for if the
yacht has returned there, they will necessarily have left some traces
of their visit."
"That is evident," answered the engineer. "So then, my friends, since
we have this chance of returning to our country, we must wait
patiently, and if it is taken from us we shall see what will be best
to do."
"At any rate," remarked Pencroft, "it is well understood that if we do
leave Lincoln Island in some way or another, it will not be because we
were uncomfortable there!"
"No, Pencroft," replied the engineer, "it will be because we are far
from all that a man holds dearest in this world, his family, his
friends, his native land!"
Matters being thus decided, the building of a vessel large enough to
sail either to the Archipelagos in the north, or to New Zealand in the
west, was no longer talked of, and they busied themselves in their
accustomed occupations, with a view to wintering a third time in
Granite House.
However, it was agreed that before the stormy weather came on, their
little vessel should be employed in making a voyage round the island.
A complete survey of the coast had not yet been made, and the
colonists had but an imperfect idea of the shore to the west and
north, from the mouth of Falls River to the Mandible Capes, as well as
of the narrow bay between them, which opened like a shark's jaws.
The plan of this excursion was proposed by Pencroft, and Cyrus Harding
fully acquiesced in it, for he himself wished to see this part of his
domain.
The weather was variable, but the barometer did not fluctuate by
sudden movements, and they could therefore count on tolerable weather.
However, during the first week of April, after a sudden barometrical
fall, a renewed rise was marked by a heavy gale of wind, lasting five
or six days; then the needle of the instrument remained stationary at
a height of twenty-nine inches and nine-tenths, and the weather
appeared propitious for an excursion.
The departure was fixed for the 16th of April, and the _Bonadventure_,
anchored in Port Balloon, was provisioned for a voyage which might be
of some duration.
Cyrus Harding informed Ayrton of the projected expedition, and
proposed that he should take part in it; but Ayrton preferring to
remain on shore, it was decided that he should come to Granite House
during the absence of his companions. Master Jup was ordered to keep
him company, and made no remonstrance.
On the morning of the 16th of April all the colonists, including Top,
embarked. A fine breeze blew from the south-west, and the
_Bonadventure_ tacked on leaving Port Balloon so as to reach Reptile
End. Of the ninety miles which the perimeter of the island measured,
twenty included the south coast between the port and the promontory.
The wind being right ahead, it was necessary to hug the shore.
It took the whole day to reach the promontory, for the vessel on
leaving port had only two hours of the ebb tide, and had therefore to
make way for six hours against the flood. It was nightfall before the
promontory was doubled.
The sailor then proposed to the engineer that they should continue
sailing slowly with two reefs in the sail. But Harding preferred to
anchor a few cable-lengths from the shore, so as to survey that part
of the coast during the day. It was agreed also that as they were
anxious for a minute exploration of the coast they should not sail
during the night, but would always, when the weather permitted it, be
at anchor near the shore.
The night was passed under the promontory, and the wind having fallen,
nothing disturbed the silence. The passengers, with the exception of
the sailor, scarcely slept as well on board the _Bonadventure_ as they
would have done in their rooms at Granite House, but they did sleep
however. Pencroft set sail at break of day, and by going on the
larboard tack they could keep close to the shore.
The colonists knew this beautiful wooded coast, since they had already
explored it on foot, and yet it again excited their admiration. They
coasted along as close in as possible, so as to notice everything,
avoiding always the trunks of trees which floated here and there.
Several times also they anchored, and Gideon Spilett took photographs
of the superb scenery.
About noon the _Bonadventure_ arrived at the mouth of Falls River.
Beyond, on the left bank, a few scattered trees appeared, and three
miles further even these dwindled into solitary groups among the
western spurs of the mountain, whose arid ridge sloped down to the
shore.
What a contrast between the northern and southern part of the coast!
In proportion as one was woody and fertile so was the other rugged and
barren! It might have been designated as one of those iron coasts, as
they are called in some countries, and its wild confusion appeared to
indicate that a sudden crystallisation had been produced in the yet
liquid basalt of some distant geological sea. These stupendous masses
would have terrified the settlers if they had been cast at first on
this part of the island! They had not been able to perceive the
sinister aspect of this shore from the summit of Mount Franklin, for
they overlooked it from too great a height, but viewed from the sea it
presented a wild appearance which could not perhaps be equalled in any
corner of the globe.
The _Bonadventure_ sailed along this coast for the distance of half a
mile. It was easy to see that it was composed of blocks of all sizes,
from twenty to three hundred feet in height, and of all shapes, round
like towers, prismatic like steeples, pyramidal like obelisks, conical
like factory chimneys. An iceberg of the Polar seas could not have
been more capricious in its terrible sublimity! Here, bridges were
thrown from one rock to another; there, arches like those of a wave,
into the depths of which the eye could not penetrate; in one place,
large vaulted excavations presented a monumental aspect; in another, a
crowd of columns, spires, and arches, such as no Gothic cathedral ever
possessed. Every caprice of nature, still more varied than those of
the imagination, appeared on this grand coast, which extended over a
length of eight or nine miles.
Cyrus Harding and his companions gazed, with a feeling of surprise
bordering on stupefaction. But, although they remained silent, Top,
not being troubled with feelings of this sort, uttered barks which
were repeated by the thousand echoes of the basaltic cliff. The
engineer even observed that these barks had something strange in them,
like those which the dog had uttered at the mouth of the well in
Granite House.
"Let us go close in," said he.
And the _Bonadventure_ sailed as near as possible to the rocky shore.
Perhaps some cave, which it would be advisable to explore, existed
there? But Harding saw nothing, not a cavern, not a cleft which could
serve as a retreat to any being whatever, for the foot of the cliff
was washed by the surf. Soon Top's barks ceased, and the vessel
continued her course at a few cable-lengths from the coast.
In the north-west part of the island the shore became again flat and
sandy. A few trees here and there rose above a low, marshy ground,
which the colonists had already surveyed; and in violent contrast to
the other desert shore, life was again manifested by the presence of
myriads of water-fowl. That evening the _Bonadventure_ anchored in a
small bay to the north of the island, near the land, such was the
depth of water there. The night passed quietly, for the breeze died
away with the last light of day, and only rose again with the first
streaks of dawn.
As it was easy to land, the usual hunters of the colony, that is to
say, Herbert and Gideon Spilett, went for a ramble of two hours or so,
and returned with several strings of wild duck and snipe. Top had done
wonders, and not a bird had been lost, thanks to his zeal and
cleverness.
At eight o'clock in the morning the _Bonadventure_ set sail, and ran
rapidly towards North Mandible Cape, for the wind was right astern and
freshening rapidly.
"However," observed Pencroft, "I should not be surprised if a gale
came up from the west. Yesterday the sun set in a very red-looking
horizon, and now, this morning, those mares-tails don't forebode
anything good."
These mares-tails are cirrus clouds, scattered in the zenith, their
height from the sea being less than five thousand feet. They look like
light pieces of cotton wool, and their presence usually announces some
sudden change in the weather.
"Well," said Harding, "let us carry as much sail as possible, and run
for shelter into Shark Gulf. I think that the _Bonadventure_ will be
safe there."
"Perfectly," replied Pencroft, "and besides, the north coast is merely
sand, very uninteresting to look at."
"I shall not be sorry," resumed the engineer, "to pass not only
to-night but to-morrow in that bay, which is worth being carefully
explored."
"I think that we shall be obliged to do so, whether we like it or
not," answered Pencroft, "for the sky looks very threatening towards
the west. Dirty weather is coming on!"
"At any rate we have a favourable wind for reaching Cape Mandible,"
observed the reporter.
"A very fine wind," replied the sailor; "but we must tack to enter the
gulf, and I should like to see my way clear in these unknown
quarters."
"Quarters which appear to be filled with rocks," added Herbert, "if we
judge by what we saw on the south coast of Shark Gulf."
"Pencroft," said Cyrus Harding, "do as you think best, we will leave
it to you."
"Don't make your mind uneasy, captain," replied the sailor, "I shall
not expose myself needlessly! I would rather a knife were run into my
ribs than a sharp rock into those of my _Bonadventure_!"
That which Pencroft called ribs was the part of his vessel under
water, and he valued it more than his own skin.
"What o'clock is it?" asked Pencroft.
"Ten o'clock," replied Gideon Spilett.
"And what distance is it to the Cape, captain?"
"About fifteen miles," replied the engineer.
"That's a matter of two hours and a half," said the sailor, "and we
shall be off the Cape between twelve and one o'clock. Unluckily, the
tide will be turning at that moment, and will be ebbing out of the
gulf. I am afraid that it will be very difficult to get in, having
both wind and tide against us."
"And the more so that it is a full moon to-day," remarked Herbert,
"and these April tides are very strong."
"Well, Pencroft," asked Cyrus Harding, "can you not anchor off the
Cape?"
"Anchor near land, with bad weather coming on!" exclaimed the sailor.
"What are you thinking of, captain? We should run aground to a
certainty!"
"What will you do then?"
"I shall try to keep in the offing until the flood, that is to say,
till about seven in the evening, and if there is still light enough I
will try to enter the gulf; if not, we must stand off and on during
the night, and we will enter to-morrow at sunrise."
"As I told you, Pencroft, we will leave it to you," answered Harding.
"Ah!" said Pencroft, "if there was only a light-house on the coast, it
would be much more convenient for sailors."
"Yes," replied Herbert, "and this time we shall have no obliging
engineer to light a fire to guide us into port!"
"Why, indeed, my dear Cyrus," said Spilett, "we have never thanked you
for it, but frankly, without that fire we should never have been able
to reach--"
"A fire?" asked Harding, much astonished at the reporter's words.
"We mean, captain," answered Pencroft, "that on board the
_Bonadventure_ we were very anxious during the few hours before our
return, and we should have passed to windward of the island, if it had
not been for the precaution you took of lighting a fire in the night
of the 19th of October, on Prospect Heights."
"Yes, yes! That was a lucky idea of mine!" replied the engineer.
"And this time," continued the sailor, "unless the idea occurs to
Ayrton, there will be no one to do us that little service!"
"No! no one!" answered Cyrus Harding.
A few minutes after, finding himself alone in the bows of the vessel
with the reporter, the engineer bent down and whispered,--
"If there is one thing certain in this world, Spilett, it is that I
never lighted any fire during the night of the 19th of October,
neither on Prospect Heights nor on any other part of the island!"
[Illustration: ANOTHER MYSTERY]