The cave was enshrouded in almost total darkness when they entered it,
but this was quickly dispelled, to Nigel's no little surprise, by the
rays of a magnificent oil-lamp, which Moses lighted and placed on the
table in the larger cave. A smaller one of the same kind already
illuminated the kitchen.
Not much conversation was indulged in during the progress of the supper
that was soon spread upon the rude table. The three men, being
uncommonly hungry and powerfully robust, found in food a sufficient
occupation for their mouths for some time.
After supper they became a little, but not much, more sociable, for,
although Nigel's active mind would gladly have found vent in
conversation, he experienced some difficulty in making headway against
the discouragement of Van der Kemp's very quiet disposition, and the
cavernous yawns with which Moses displayed at once his desire for
slumber and his magnificent dental arrangements.
"We always retire early to rest after a day of this sort," said the
hermit at last, turning to his guest. "Do you feel disposed for bed?"
"Indeed I do," said Nigel, with a half-suppressed yawn, that was
irresistibly dragged out of him by the sight of another earthquake on
the negro's face.
"Come, then, I will show you your berth; we have no bedrooms here," said
the hermit, with a sort of deprecatory smile, as he led the way to the
darker end of the cavern, where he pointed to a little recess in which
there was a pile of something that smelt fresh and looked like heather,
spread on which there was a single blanket.
"Sailors are said to be indifferent to sheets. You won't miss them, I
daresay?"
"Not in the least," returned Nigel, with a laugh. "Good-night," he
added, shaking hands with his host and suppressing another yawn, for
Moses' face, even in the extreme distance, was irresistibly infectious!
Our hero was indifferent not only to sheets, but also, in certain
circumstances, to the usual habiliments of night. Indeed, while
travelling in out-of-the-way regions he held it to be a duty to undress
but partially before turning in, so that he might be ready for
emergencies.
On lying down he found his mattress, whatever it was, to be a springy,
luxurious bed, and was about to resign himself to slumber when he
observed that, from the position in which he lay, he could see the
cavern in all its extent. Opening his half-closed eyes, therefore, he
watched the proceedings of his host, and in doing so, as well as in
speculating on his strange character and surroundings, he became
somewhat wakeful.
He saw that Van der Kemp, returning to the other end of the cave, sat
down beside the lamp, the blaze of which fell full on his fine calm
countenance. A motion of his head brought Moses to him, who sat down
beside him and entered into earnest conversation, to judge from his
gestures, for nothing could be heard where Nigel lay save the monotonous
murmur of their voices. The hermit did not move. Except for an
occasional inclination of the head he appeared to be a grand classic
statue, but it was otherwise with the negro. His position in front of
the lamp caused him to look if possible even blacker than ever, and the
blackness was so uniform that his entire profile became strongly
pronounced, thus rendering every motion distinct, and the varied pouting
of his huge lips remarkably obvious. The extended left hand, too, with
the frequent thrusting of the index finger of the other into the palm,
was suggestive of argument, and of much reasoning effort--if not power.
After about half-an-hour of conversation, Moses arose, shook his master
by the hand, appeared to say "Good-night" very obviously, yawned, and
retired to the kitchen, whence, in five minutes or so, there issued
sounds which betokened felicitous repose.
Meanwhile his master sat motionless for some time, gazing at the floor
as if in meditation. Then he rose, went to his book-case and took down
a large thick volume, which he proceeded to read.
Nigel had by that time dropped into a drowsy condition, yet his interest
in the doings of his strange entertainer was so great that he struggled
hard to keep awake, and partially succeeded.
"I wonder," he muttered, in sleepy tones, "if that's a f-fam-'ly Bible
he's reading--or--or--a vol'm o' the En-Encyclopida Brit--"
He dropped off at this point, but, feeling that he had given way to some
sort of weakness, he struggled back again in to wakefulness, and saw
that the hermit was bending over the large book with his massive brow
resting on the palms of both hands, and his fingers thrust into his
iron-grey hair. It was evident, however, that he was not reading the
book at that moment, for on its pages was lying what seemed to be a
miniature or photograph case, at which he gazed intently. Nigel roused
himself to consider this, and in doing so again dropped off--not yet
soundly, however, for curiosity induced one more violent struggle, and
he became aware of the fact that the hermit was on his knees with his
face buried in his hands.
The youth's thoughts must have become inextricably confused at this
point, yet their general drift was indicated by the muttered words:
"I--I'm glad o' that--a good sign--an'--an' it's _not_ th' Encyclop."
Here Morpheus finally conquered, and he sank into dreamless repose.
How long this condition lasted he could not tell, but he was awakened
violently by sensations and feelings of dread, which were entirely new
to him. The bed on which he rested seemed to heave under him, and his
ears were filled by sharp rattling sounds, something like--yet very
different from--the continuous roll of musketry.
Starting up, he sprang into the large cavern where he found Van der Kemp
quietly tightening his belt and Moses hastily pulling on his boots.
"Sometin's bu'sted an' no mistake!" exclaimed the latter.
"An eruption from one of the cones," said the hermit. "I have been for
a long time expecting it. Come with us."
He went swiftly up the staircase and passages which led to the
observatory as he spoke.
The scene that met their eyes on reaching the ledge or plateau was
sublime in the extreme, as well as terrific.
"As I thought," said Van der Kemp, in a low tone. "It is Perboewatan
that has broken out."
"The cone from which I observed smoke rising?" asked Nigel.
"The same. The one over the very centre of the old crater, showing that
we were wrong in supposing it to be extinct: it was only slumbering. It
is in what vulcanologists term moderate eruption now, and, perhaps, may
prove a safety-valve which will prevent a more violent explosion."
That the cone of Perboewatan was indeed in a state of considerable
activity, worthy of a stronger term than "moderate," was very obvious.
Although at a distance, as we have said, of four miles, the glare of its
fires on the three figures perched near the top of Rakata was very
intense, while explosion after explosion sent molten lava and red-hot
rocks, pumice, and dust, high into the thickening air--clouds of smoke
and steam being vomited forth at the same time. The wind, of which
there was very little, blew it all away from the position occupied by
the three observers.
"What if the wind were to change and blow it all this way?" asked Nigel,
with very pardonable feelings of discomfort.
"We could return to the cavern," said the hermit.
"But what if Rakata itself should become active?"
It was evident from the very solemn expression on the negro's face that
he awaited the reply to Nigel's question with some anxiety.
"Rakata," answered the hermit thoughtfully, "although the highest cone,
is the one most distant from the great centre of activity. It is
therefore not likely that the volcanic energy will seek a vent here
while there are other cones between us and Perboewatan. But we shall
soon see whether the one vent is likely to suffice. There is
undoubtedly no diminution in the explosions at present."
There certainly was not, for the voice of the speaker was almost drowned
by the horrible din caused, apparently, by the hurtling of innumerable
fragments of rock and stones in the air, while a succession of fiery
flashes, each followed by a loud explosion, lit up the dome-shaped mass
of vapour that was mounting upwards and spreading over the sky. Vivid
flashes of lightning were also seen playing around the vapour-column.
At the same time, there began a fall of fine white dust, resembling
snow, which soon covered the foliage and the ground of all the lower
part of the island. The sea around was also ere long covered with
masses of pumice, which, being very light, floated away into the Indian
ocean, and these were afterwards encountered in large quantities by
various vessels passing through Sunda Straits.
The Scientific Committee, which ultimately wrote on the details of this
eruption in Krakatoa, mention this first outburst as being a phase of
moderate activity, similar to that which is said to have been exhibited
for some months during the years 1680 and 1681, and they added that "the
outburst was one of considerable violence, especially at its
commencement," that falls of dust were noticed at the distance of three
hundred miles, and that "the commander of the German war-vessel
_Elizabeth_ estimated the height of the dust-column issuing from the
volcano at 11 kilometres (36,000 feet or about 7 miles)."
To our hero, however, and to Moses, the outburst seemed anything but
"moderate," and that night as they two sat together in the cave after
supper, listening with awe-struck faces to the cannonading and wild
musketry going on as it seemed under their very feet, the negro solemnly
imparted to Nigel in a low whisper that he thought "de end ob de wurld
hab come at last!"
Returning at that moment from his observatory, to which he had ascended
for a few minutes to view the scene through one of his glasses, Van der
Kemp relieved their anxieties somewhat by remarking, in his quiet
manner, that there was a distinct diminution in the violence of the
explosions, and that, from his knowledge and experience of other
volcanoes in Java, Sumatra, and elsewhere, he thought it probable they
had seen the worst of it at that time, and that none of the other cones
would be likely to break out.
"I'm glad to hear you say so," observed Nigel, "for although the sight
is extremely magnificent and very interesting, both from a scientific
and artistic point of view, I cannot help thinking that we should be
safer away from this island at present--at least while the volcano is
active."
The hermit smiled almost pitifully. "I do not apprehend danger," he
said, "at least nothing unusual. But it happens that my business
requires me to leave in the course of a few days at any rate, so,
whether the eruption becomes fiercer or feebler, it will not matter to
us. I have preparations to make, however, and I have no doubt you won't
object to remain till all is ready for a start?"
"Oh, as to that," returned the youth, slightly hurt by the implied doubt
as to his courage, "if _you_ are willing to risk going off the earth
like a skyrocket, I am quite ready to take my chance of following you!"
"An' Moses am de man," said the negro, smiting his broad chest with his
fist, "what's ready to serve as a rocket-stick to bof, an' go up along
wid you!"
The hermit made the nearest approach to a laugh which Nigel had yet
seen, as he left the cave to undertake some of the preparations above
referred to.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note 1. See _The Eruption of Krakatoa and Subsequent Phenomena_ page
11. (Tribner and Company, London.)