GRIEF OF MR. FORDYCE--MAHINTALA--CATCH A CROCODILE--SINGING FISH--ARRIVE
AT TRINCOMALEE--EMBARK ON BOARD THE STAR--VISIT THE MALDIVES--ADEN--NEWS
OF ALFRED--ISLAND OF PERIM--MAGADONA--FURTHER NEWS OF ALFRED--FIND A
SHIPWRECKED SEAMAN ON A ROCK--WHO HE PROVED TO BE.
"And where is Nowell? Have you not found him?" asked Mr Fordyce, as we
rode up to the rendez-vous, where breakfast was being prepared under the
shade of a banyan-tree. I thought my kind friend's heart would have
broken when he heard what had occurred.
"I had begun to love him as a son, for the son he was of the friend and
companion of my youth. His poor, poor mother, how this news will wring
her heart! What grief and anguish is in store for her!"
I need not further dwell on Mr Fordyce's grief; but I cannot leave the
subject without reminding those of my readers who may some day be
inclined carelessly to risk their lives as Nowell and I had been doing
ours, first, that they have no right to do so--that they are committing
a great sin by the act; and then, also, that though they may be careless
of the consequences, that they have mothers and sisters, fathers and
brothers at home, to whose loving hearts their untimely fate will bring
many a bitter pang of grief. It is a soldier's duty to be ready to die
fighting for his country; and though those at home mourn, and mourn
deeply, their grief is not bitter or full of anguish as it would be if
those they have lost had died in consequence of their own folly or
wickedness.
Nowell's death threw a gloom over our little party which it was
difficult to shake off. I was struck by the way, the instant poor Dango
was brought into camp, my grandfather set to work to examine and dress
his hurts.
"My great fear is that mortification will set in before we can reach
Trincomalee," he remarked. "His limb is so much crushed that I fear
amputation will be necessary to save the man's life."
He attended on the poor fellow with as much care and skill as any
medical man could have done, but his fear proved too well founded, and
before two days were over the daring and expert hunter had breathed his
last.
Anxious as we were to get to the termination of our journey, we could
not travel much faster than we had been doing. As our progress was in
no way retarded by it, my grandfather took Lumsden and me to see any
object of interest which was within our reach. The most extraordinary
was the mountain of Mahintala. It rises suddenly out of the plain to
the height of upwards of 1000 feet; its sides are covered with wood,
huge masses of granite towering up on the summit. The southern face is
almost precipitous, but on the north there is a sufficient slope to have
allowed of the formation of a thousand stone steps, leading from the
base to the highest point of the mountain. Some of them are cut out of
the mountain itself, but others are formed of slabs of granite, fifteen
feet in width. Each step averages a foot in height. It was on the
summit of this mountain that the great prophet of Buddha, Mahindo, first
stopped when he came to Ceylon to establish his religion, and it was
here that he met the monarch of the country, whom he converted to his
faith. On a platform near the top stands a dagoba, with a sort of
convent, intended for the habitation of the monks; and from thence the
steps continue upwards to the summit, which is crowned by a dagoba 100
feet in height, which is said to enshrine one solitary hair from the
forehead of Buddha.
This wonderful building has stood for upwards of eighteen centuries,
having been constructed about the first year of the Christian era. It
is said that when it was completed the king had it covered by a rich
canopy, ornamented with pearls and other precious stones, while he
spread a carpet, eight miles in length, from Mahintala to Anarajapoora,
that pilgrims might proceed over it without washing their feet. On the
level of the convent a tank has been formed for the use of the priests.
The whole level space near the summit must at one time have been covered
with buildings, from the vast quantity of ruins and fragments of
statues, and carved work of every description strewn about. In spite of
the height we climbed up to the top. The view is superb, extending
almost across the island from sea to sea. Below us was a wide expanse
of forest, spreading around till lost in the far distance, while out of
it were seen rising the dagobas of Anarajapoora, with the artificial
lakes I have described glittering among them, and several curious rocks
and mountain heights dim and indistinct in the far distance.
As we drew near the sea we stopped one night in the neighbourhood of a
lagoon, in which the crocodiles were said to be very numerous, and of
prodigious size. As we walked out by the side of the sheet of water
just before sunset, we found a number of natives collected there, who
seemed to be in a state of great agitation. On inquiring, we were told
that a number of women were engaged in cutting rushes for making nets.
They were almost up to their waists, when great was their horror to see
the scaly back and tail of a huge crocodile appear among them. They
turned to fly towards the shore, but at that instant a piercing shriek
gave notice that one of their number was seized. The rest, as they
reached the shore, saw their helpless companion dragged away into deep
water. In vain she shrieked--in vain she lifted up her hands
imploringly for assistance. The horror-stricken group looked on without
attempting, probably without being able, to rescue her; and dreadful it
was to hear her cries and to see her struggles till, dragged into deep
water, she was concealed beneath its surface. Some men having
assembled, they resolved to try and catch the crocodile, to punish him
for his atrocity. For this purpose they baited a large hook. It was
made fast, not to a single thick rope, but to a bunch of small ones,
which the monster cannot bite through as he does a large one, as they
sink into the spaces between his teeth, and thus secure it more firmly
in his mouth. This collection of lines was carried out into deep water
by a buoy, and the end secured to some strong stakes driven in where it
was sufficiently shallow for the purpose. The hook was baited with the
entrails of a goat. Thus prepared, it was left during the night.
On leaving our tents the next morning, we found a strong strain on the
rope, and the natives soon collecting, a canoe was launched, and some
men getting into her, the line was made fast to her bow. No sooner did
the crocodile feel himself hauled towards the shore, than he resisted
strongly, and away spun the canoe off towards the middle of the lagoon.
The crew tugged one way and the monster the other, and now and then he
raised his fierce-looking head above the surface, clashing his jaws
together with the most horrid sound, which showed that if he once got
the canoe between them he could easily crush it and its crew.
The crocodile has no fleshy lips. All his mouth is composed of hard
bone, so that when he snaps with his teeth and jaws, it sounds exactly
as if two large pieces of hard wood had been struck together, and warns
any one of the fate they may expect if caught by them.
The natives, however, did not appear to fear him. They let him haul
away and exhaust his strength, and then once more they paddled towards
the land. Having at last carried the end of the line on shore, all
hands hauled away on it, and though he struggled vehemently, the
monster's huge snout was seen emerging from the water and gradually
approaching the dry land. No sooner, however, was he fairly on shore
than he appeared stupified, or else he was pretending to be so, that he
might have an opportunity of catching some one unawares. I was about to
go up to him to examine him more closely, when, with a terrific wag of
his huge tail, up he started and made a desperate effort to regain the
water. He was soon hauled back again, however, and Lumsden and I had to
put an end to him by sending a couple of rifle balls into his side. We
thought that we had killed him, for he lay perfectly still with his eyes
closed. We were again running up to him, when one of the natives called
us back, and another pricking him with a spear, up he started as full of
life as ever once more, making a push for the water, with the hook and
line still in his mouth. He was, however, soon brought back again, when
one of the natives pushed a long sharp spear into his neck, and drove it
home till it reached his heart. Whether or not he was the monster who
had killed the woman we could not tell. Certainly he had not swallowed
her, for on being cut open, his maw was found to contain only some
tortoises, and a quantity of gravel, and stones, and broken bricks.
Those hard substances he had swallowed to assist his digestion. The
opinion of the natives was that he certainly was not the monster who had
carried off the woman, because had he been, he would not have returned
for more food.
Crocodiles are said never to attack people except when pressed by
hunger. On such occasions they watch for deer and other animals which
come down to the tanks or lakes to drink, and, seizing them by their
heads, quickly draw them in. I should think that a crocodile would find
an elephant a very tough morsel, though he might give him a very awkward
nip at the end of his snout. At the same time, if any living creature
could crush a crocodile, an elephant's knees would do it.
It was a day's journey from this neighbourhood that we heard of the
existence of musical fish. It was asserted that they sang so loudly
that their notes could be heard by those floating over the calm surface
of the lake where they were said to live. My grandfather was a man who
never was content to believe anything from mere hearsay, when he had the
power of investigating the truth of an account. Accordingly he engaged
a canoe, and the evening of our arrival, when the moon arose, we pulled
off to the locality spoken of. The surface of the lake was like glass,
and as we listened there could be no doubt of it. Sweet, gentle sounds
came up faintly, but clearly, from the depths below. They reminded us
of those produced by a finger-glass when the edge is gently rubbed round
and round. There was not one continuous note, but a number of gentle
sounds, each, however, in itself perfectly clear from a bass to the
sweetest treble. On putting our ears against the side of the canoe the
sounds were much increased in volume. They varied, too, in different
parts, and at some places we lost them altogether. If the sounds
proceeded from fish this might have been caused by the shoals swimming
about, but then, on returning to the spot the notes were again heard as
before. The natives asserted that they were produced by the inhabitants
of shells, and they showed us some which they called the crying shells,
from which they asserted the sounds proceeded. From what we observed
and heard we were very much inclined to be of their opinion. _Cerithium
Palustre_ is the scientific name of the shell in question; but I cannot
pretend to decide the point.
Shortly after this we reached Trincomalee. Few harbours in the world
possess more beauty or are more perfect in their way than that of
Trincomalee. It is so completely landlocked that its surface is as calm
as that of a lake. Over its wide expanse are many lovely islands of
various sizes, while here and there bold headlands run into its waters,
and in other places the shores rise to a considerable height, covered
with trees, and lofty mountains are seen towering: up in the far
distance. We at once agreed how infinitely superior it was to Point de
Galle, in whose unsafe roadsteads so many noble ships have been cast
away. On the other hand, not only is the harbour of Trincomalee
renowned for its extent and security, but for its accessibility for
every description of craft at all seasons and in all weathers. Of
course my own opinion is worth but little, but I heard it stated by
those who knew the country well, and are at the same time thoroughly
disinterested, that it possesses every requisite to make it both the
capital and the great commercial port of the island. Except in the
immediate vicinity of the sea, the soil is far superior to that near
Point de Galle and Colombo, while the reasons which induced the former
possessors of the island to make those places the chief ports have now
ceased to be of importance; the chief of these reasons was the existence
of the cinnamon plantations near them, the greater number of which are
now abandoned.
Trincomalee is but a poor town, the only buildings of importance being
those belonging to Government. There are also a number of Hindu temples
kept up, but they are in the most barbarous style. They contributed to
make the crime of which England is guilty appear more glaring, that so
miserable a religion should still be in existence, after the country has
been so long governed by a Christian people. I do not say that any
religion should be put down by force, but I do say that the example of
Christian men and the preaching of Christian ministers ought, and would,
by this time, have influenced the votaries of Brahma and Siva, had they
been brought to bear on them in a place where, as in Trincomalee, the
religion of the country differs from both of them. The town has
extensive fortifications in the neighbourhood, but, under the modern
system of warfare, they would prove, I was told, of little or no value
as a defence to the place. I thought it best to give this short account
of Trincomalee before resuming the narrative of my own adventures.
We had been in the place two days when a brig-of-war entered the
harbour, which, on her making her number, I found with great
satisfaction to be the _Star_. Captain Armstrong was known to my
grandfather, so he accompanied me at once on board. I was anxious to
go, as Captain Armstrong had promised to make all the inquiries in his
power about Alfred, and I could not help hoping that he might have heard
something about him. Captain Armstrong received us most cordially.
When I inquired about my brother, he said that he had, after almost
abandoning all hope of hearing of him, discovered that he sailed in a
merchant brig, bound down the African coast, to trade chiefly in ivory,
gold, and other precious articles; but that there were rumours that the
vessel had been wrecked or cut off by the natives. He did not
altogether credit this rumour, and he assured us that had he been at
liberty he would at once have followed her supposed course, and
endeavoured to ascertain its correctness. He had, however, to return to
Ceylon and Madras. Some repairs being required for his brig he had put
in to Trincomalee, in consequence of which I had thus happily fallen in
with him.
"And Marsden," he continued, "you remember the invitation I gave you to
take a cruise in the _Star_, I now repeat it, and I am glad to tell you
that, after visiting Aden, I have been directed to proceed down the east
coast of Africa, as far as Natal. The object is that I may inquire into
matters connected with the abominable slave-trade, which has for some
time past, in spite of treaties and protestations, been carried on from
numerous places along that coast, especially at and near the settlements
belonging to the Portuguese. I shall make it my especial business to
inquire after the missing vessel, and probably, indeed, my ostensible
object, so that we may hope to gain some tidings of your brother." My
grandfather thanked Captain Armstrong very much for his kindness, and
so, of course, did I; and it was arranged that I was to go on board as
soon as the ship was ready for sea. This, however, would not be for
nearly another week. On leaving the cabin, what was my surprise to see
William Henley walking the deck with a gold lace to his cap, and the
crown and anchor on the buttons of his jacket. I went up to him and
warmly shook his hand. "What I have you entered the navy?" I
exclaimed. "Not exactly," he answered; "I have joined this ship as
pilot, as I am pretty well acquainted with the parts of the coast she is
about to visit, and, perhaps, the hope that I may assist in discovering
your missing brother may have influenced me in accepting Captain
Armstrong's offer of the berth." I was very certain that this was the
case, for I had, I knew, gained his regards, and that he would be ready
to do a great deal to serve me. "By-the-by, you will find two other old
shipmates aboard, who will be glad to hear that you are going to join
us," he continued, when I told him of Captain Armstrong's kindness.
"There they are."
I stepped forward, and there I found Johnny Spratt and Tommy Bigg, both
metamorphosed into regular men-of-war's men, though the latter was
certainly a very little one. Johnny, I found, had entered before the
brig left Point de Galle. He met an old shipmate belonging to the
_Star_, who persuaded him to enter, and he told me that he never
regretted having done so, as he was far better off in every respect than
he had been in the merchant-service. Tommy had followed Mr Henley, and
only joined when he did. He also seemed very happy, and looked twice as
brisk and active as he had ever been on board the Orion. I was afraid
that Solon would not be allowed to accompany me, but when I spoke to the
captain, he answered good-naturedly--
"Oh, bring him by all means. You will soon find that he makes plenty of
friends on board, for sailors delight in all sorts of pets, and more
especially in a little child, a monkey, or a dog, I suspect that they
will soon get him out of his gravity, however."
So it was arranged that Solon should accompany me. I should have been
very sorry to have parted from him, and yet I would not have declined
Captain Armstrong's offer on that account. I was so impatient to be off
that the week I was detained at Trincomalee appeared to pass very slowly
by. I spent a good deal of my time with Mr Fordyce. I wished to show
him, as much as possible, how sensible I was of all his kindness to me,
and I felt as if I had somewhat neglected him after I had met my
grandfather. He had begun to get over poor Nowell's death, but he had
very far from recovered his usual buoyancy of spirits. My grandfather
was very much engaged, partly in the business which had brought him to
Trincomalee, but chiefly in placing his affairs in a condition which
would enable him to return to England. I was very glad to find that he
intended to intrust the charge of many important matters to my friend
Lumsden. I had always found him at school a highly honourable and
conscientious boy; and I had every reason to believe that he was still
guided by the same high principles which then influenced his conduct.
The last words of my grandfather to me were, "Good-bye, Ralph, my dear
boy; I trust that we may meet again before many months are over, in Old
England, and that you will bring home Alfred safe with you."
Scarcely had Solon and I set our feet on the deck of the _Star_, than
the anchor was hove up, and sail being made, we ran out of the harbour
and stood away to the southward. The first land we sighted was that of
the Maldive Islands, of which there are said to be upwards of forty
thousand. They are all of a coral formation, and rise to an elevation
not exceeding fourteen feet above the ocean. Generally they are much
lower. The sea might easily be sent rolling over them, were they not
protected by long coral reefs and sandbanks of a circular form. Through
these reefs there are passages of great depth, called atolls. The water
inside is perfectly smooth. We entered by one of them, brought up off
Mali, the chief island, which is about seven miles in circumference. It
is the residence of the chief of all the group, who is called the
Sultan, and is now dependent on the British Government of Ceylon. The
people are Mohammedans, and their numbers are said to amount to upwards
of one hundred and fifty thousand souls. They produce Indian corn, and
millet, and sugar, and cotton; and there are numerous fine trees on the
islands--the uncultivated portions being covered with an impenetrable
jungle. There are few animals on the islands. Fish, however, is very
abundant, so that all the inhabitants might exist on them.
The captain's business with the sultan was soon concluded. It was
interesting and curious to sail among the tree-covered islands, some of
the woods appearing to rise directly out of the water, while we threaded
our way out again from the group to the westward. Our passage across
the Arabian Sea was as smooth as the most timid of navigators could
desire. We made the mountainous, rocky, and somewhat barren, though
considerable island of Socotra, belonging to the Imaun of Muscat. Soon
after this we sighted the mountain mass of Jebel Shamshan, or Cape Aden
as it is called, rising 1776 feet above the sea, with the town of Aden
built on the eastern base of it.
The capture of Aden, in 1839, was one of the first naval exploits which
took place during the reign of Queen Victoria and most gallantly was it
accomplished by an expedition sent from India, under the command of
Captain H. Smith of the _Volage_. As we approached the lofty headland
of Cape Aden it looked like an island. Its position is very similar to
that of Gibraltar, as it is connected with the mainland by a piece of
low swampy ground. I was struck by its grand picturesque appearance,
though it is barren and wild, and utterly destitute of vegetation. We
ran in and anchored not far off the fortified island of Sirah, four or
five miles from the town.
Aden, when captured, consisted of little more than an assemblage of mud
huts with matting coverings, and contained scarcely six hundred
inhabitants. It is now a flourishing place containing twenty-two
thousand inhabitants, and is surrounded by orchards and gardens. This
change is owing to its occupation by British troops, and the constant
visits of steamers with numerous passengers to and from India.
I went on shore with Captain Armstrong to make more inquiries about
Alfred, or rather the vessel in which he sailed. She was, I found,
called the _Dragon_. The master, Captain Redman, was a very plausible
person, and my brother had undoubtedly thought him a very respectable
one; but things had come out after he had left Aden considerably to his
discredit, and I had reason to fear that he was utterly unprincipled and
reckless, and intimately connected with slavers--indeed, it was very
probable that he would without scruple have taken a cargo of slaves on
board if he had had the opportunity. Should he have attempted to obtain
slaves on some parts of the coast, it was very likely that he would have
been cut off, as the natives in many places are strongly opposed to the
slave-trade, having discovered how greatly it is to their disadvantage.
For the sake of it wars are fostered, and a horrible system of
kidnapping is practised; while commerce, the cultivation of the land,
and the general resources of the country are neglected, the only people
who benefit being the chiefs and the foreigners who assist in carrying
away the unhappy slaves. Every piece of information I gained raised my
hopes, although often it might have appeared to be of a very
discouraging nature. I felt that it added another link to the chain by
which I hoped to find my way to where Alfred was concealed.
What may properly be called the British settlement of Aden is embraced
in a peninsula of about fifteen miles in circumference. It is in
reality a huge crater joined to the mainland by a narrow neck of sand.
The town and cantonments are within the crater, and thus entirely
surrounded by hills, except on the east, where it has a gap opening on
East Bay. The town is neat and well built, and the fortifications
entirely new. It is very strong by nature, and as large sums and the
best engineering skill have been employed in re-fortifying it, it may
now be considered impregnable, and is deservedly looked on as the
Gibraltar of the Indian Ocean. It used to be supplied with water from
tanks formed on the sides of the mountains, and these the governor has
much improved. Wells also have been sunk, and the sea-water has been
distilled to supply that most necessary fluid.
Instead of at once going north, we stood up the Straits of
Bab-el-Mandeb, to the island of Perim, when we came to anchor in a
remarkably fine harbour, capable of accommodating a numerous fleet. It
had lately been occupied by the British, who were then building a
lighthouse on it. The only safe passage by it is that on the north, or
Arabian shore, barely half a mile in width. That on the southern side,
between it and Africa--though eleven miles wide--is exceedingly
difficult, so that it might easily be rendered impassable. Thus strong
fortifications on the north side might prevent any fleet from forcing
the passage of the Red Sea. As about a quarter of the island consists
of a low plain of sand and coral, covered with salt-loving plants, and
the remainder is overspread with loose boulders and masses of black
lava, without a drop of fresh water, it cannot be considered a desirable
residence. The garrison, however, is supplied by means of tanks
constructed to catch the rain, and the fort is also furnished with an
apparatus for distilling salt water. The highest point is only about
245 feet above the sea.
My heart bounded with satisfaction when once more we made sail to the
southward. We were at length, I felt, fairly on our voyage to discover
my brother. Keeping an easterly course, we steered along the coast of
Berbera till we doubled Cape Guardafui. We then once more stood to the
southward along the coast of Ajan. We saw no towns or even villages,
though we constantly kept close in with the land. This part of Africa
is inhabited by tribes of people called the Somauli, who are in general
Mohammedans. Some live in towns, but they are mostly a pastoral people.
Those who live on this part of the coast occupy themselves almost
entirely as fishermen. We landed at several places to communicate with
them, and got glimpses of fertile-looking valleys, and here and there of
fine open grassy plains. We could hear of no vessel answering to the
description of the _Dragon_ having been seen off the coast; indeed, from
the business in which she was said to have been engaged, it was not
likely that she would have called off there. We entered also the
harbour of Magadoxa, formed by a coral reef. It is a curious place.
There are scarcely a hundred and fifty houses in the place--all of them
with thick walls, and built round court-yards, but one-half of the town
consists almost entirely of tombs.
We should not have been the wiser for our visit had we not fallen in
with the master of an Arab dhow, who had been some way to the southward
of the Portuguese settlements. Captain Armstrong had on some occasion
rendered him some service, and when he saw the _Star_, he came on board
with some small presents to show his gratitude. On being questioned, he
told us that some voyages before he had fallen in with a brig answering
exactly the description of the _Dragon_, and that he had heard that an
attempt had been made by her master and his crew to carry off some of
the negroes from a village on the coast against their will. He had
succeeded in securing a few on board, but when returning on shore for a
further supply, the natives had set on him, and murdered him and most of
his people. They had then gone on board, rescued their countrymen, and
carried off the survivors of the brig's crew as captives into the
interior.
Though I trembled while the account was being translated to me, yet on
considering over the subject, I felt sure that Alfred would not have
joined the party who had attempted to kidnap the natives, and I
therefore had great hopes that he was among those who had been made
prisoners, and that I should ultimately be able to discover the place of
his captivity. The Arab did not know the exact position of the spot
where the occurrence had taken place, as it was some way further to the
south than he had gone. Yet from the information he gave, Captain
Armstrong had little doubt about finding it.
Leaving Magadoxa, we continued our course to the southward. A few days
after this we were standing on with a fair breeze and a light wind, when
the look-out from the masthead hailed the deck, to say that there was an
object on the port bow, but whether a rock, or a ship with her masts
gone or capsized, or a whale, he could not tell. Several of the
officers went aloft with their glasses, as I also did, to try and
ascertain what it was which had hove in sight. We looked and looked,
however, for some time, without being able to settle the point. The
object was a long way off, and we drew only very slowly up to it. As we
approached it seemed to grow larger and larger. It was pretty clearly
not a ship's bottom, nor a whale, and finally it resolved itself into a
high rock surrounded by a coral reef--so we judged from the line of surf
which every now and then we saw rising up out of the blue sea. It was a
very dangerous-looking place, on which, during the fierce gales of those
latitudes, in thick weather or on a dark night many a fine ship has
probably been cast away.
"There appears to me to be something moving on the rock," observed Mr
D'Arcy, the second lieutenant. "Perhaps there are only birds there."
"No, sir; there is a man, and he is waving a shirt or a flag, or
something of that size," I exclaimed, after looking attentively for some
moments.
Having got as near as we could venture, we hove to, to leeward of the
rock, when a boat was lowered, of which Mr D'Arcy took command, and
very kindly allowed me to accompany him. As we pulled up to the rock,
we found how much we had been deceived by the distance as to its size,
for instead of being anything like the size of a ship, the rock, or
rather the islet, proved to be nearly a mile in circumference, though
when first discovered only the conical rock in the centre had been seen,
the lower portion being very little above the level of the water. As
soon as the man discovered us approaching, he ran down from his lofty
post towards us. Why, I could not tell; I almost expected to see
Alfred. We had to pull round some way before, guided by the signs he
made, we could find a passage through the reefs. At length, however,
one was found, and dashing through it, we were soon close to the shore.
But even before we touched it, the man plunged into the water in his
eagerness to meet us. I looked eagerly, but I soon saw that it was not
Alfred. He was an oldish, roughish-looking man, and had all the
appearance of a seaman.
"Thank Heaven, friends, that have been sent to save me," he exclaimed,
as he was helped into the boat; "I don't think I could have held out
many days longer. I have been living on dried whale's flesh and
shell-fish for I don't know how many months past, and I was beginning to
feel the scurvy breaking out in me; but all's right now; I've no fear."
Mr D'Arcy wished to have a look at the rock before leaving it, so he
and I, and one of the midshipmen, landed. Our idea of its being the
extinct crater of a marine volcano was undoubtedly correct. At the foot
of the cone was a pool, deep and clear, of pure fresh water, forced up
it must have been from beneath the ocean. On one side of the islet were
the remains of a large sperm whale, the flesh of which had supplied the
poor man with food. He had also constructed a hut very neatly out of
the bones, near the top of the crater. Already young palm-trees and a
variety of vegetable productions were springing up round the base of the
cone, so that this spot in a few years hence may afford ample support to
any one cast away on it. After a very cursory inspection of the place
we hurried back to the boat, and returned on board.
The rescued man expressed himself most grateful for the assistance
afforded him. He did not, however, at first say much about himself,
merely observing that he had gone through a great number of adventures,
and had at last, after having been a prisoner among the blacks, and
effected his escape, been wrecked three months before on this rock, when
he was the only person whose life had been saved.
"And what is your name, my man?" asked Captain Armstrong.
"Bigg, sir--Thomas Bigg," answered the seaman.
"He seems to be an active, intelligent man. As we are short of hands,
we may as well allow him to enter if he wishes it," observed the captain
to the first lieutenant.
The stranger was asked if he would enter, and expressed no objections to
do so, but said he would think about it.
When I heard the name of Thomas Bigg, I looked at the man very hard, to
see if I could discover any likeness between him and Tommy, for I could
not help thinking that he might possibly be Tommy's father, who was
supposed to have been lost at sea. I waited till the seaman was sent
forward, and then I followed him.
"I say, my man, your name is not strange to me," said I. "Will you tell
me, have you ever had a son called after yourself?"
"Why do you ask, sir?" said he, looking surprised, and yet very eager.
"Because I once had a shipmate of that name, a little fellow, who told
me that his father had been so long at sea without coming home, that he
was supposed to be lost," I replied.
"Did he remember me? Did he talk about me, the poor dear little chap?"
inquired the seaman, eagerly.
"Indeed he did," I answered. "He told me how fond you were of him. He
was sure that you would have come back if you could; and he, I am sure,
loved you dearly, as a son should a kind father."
"Bless him! bless him!" exclaimed the seaman, brushing away a tear from
his eye. "But where is he now? Can you tell me nothing more about
him?"
Just then Tommy came on deck. "What do you think of that little fellow
out there?" I asked.
The seaman looked at him eagerly. In another moment he had sprung from
one side of the ship to the other, and, to Tommy's great surprise, had
seized him in his arms, and gazing anxiously in his face, began to hug
him as if he was about to squeeze all the breath out of his body. Tommy
looked up at length in return.
"Father!" he exclaimed, hesitatingly, drawing deeply his breath; "is it
you, is it you indeed?"
"Tommy, Tommy, it is," cried the seaman. "I've found you, and you've
found me; and if they were to tell me that you were not my own boy, I
wouldn't believe them, that I wouldn't. I know you as well as if I'd
never lost sight of you, that I do!"
I cannot describe how happy I felt at this meeting of the father and his
boy. The tears came to my eyes as I watched them. I soon, however,
went away and left them to themselves. "I trust I may be as fortunate
in finding poor Alfred, after my long search for him, as Tommy has been
in finding his father without looking for him at all," was the tenor of
my silent prayer.