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The Wonder Island Boys
THE MYSTERIES OF THE CAVERNS
by
ROGER T. FINLAY
Illustrated
The New York Book Company
New York
Copyright 1914
[Illustration: _"The professor was reading the scrap, and silently
handed it to George"_]
CONTENTS
I. MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF THE TEAM
The runaway team. Circumstances leading up to the present
condition. The singular occurrences. Examining the tree. The search
for the yaks. Red Angel as a scout. On the tracks. Losing the
trail. Red Angel's discovery. The wrecked wagon. The lost weapons
and ammunition. Breaking in new steers. The planting program.
Different plants and soils. Prospecting for ores and vegetation.
Discussing hunting trip. How people of different countries select
soils. Wild fruit and vegetables. Lessons from the actions of their
animals. Propagation of fruit and vegetables. Chemical changes
produced by different soils. The wild potato.
II. WORKING ON THE NEW BOAT
Determine to bring in the newly discovered lifeboat. Trip to South
River. Finding the broken yoke of their team. Recovering the
lifeboat. Uses for the bolo. Decision to row the boat around the
point. Making more guns. Preparing new tools. Alloys and their
uses. Hardness of metal. Bronze. Ancient guns. Manganese. Making
stocks for the guns. Commencing the hull of the new boat. Size of
the vessel. About shape or form of hulls. Momentum. Resistance. Red
Angel's attempt to whistle. Amusing performance. Teaching Red Angel
accomplishments. Vibration, the universal force.
III. THE HIDEEN MESSAGE
The new yoke for the yaks. Some of the mysteries. Discussion
concerning future discoveries. Rainbows. Musical pitch and colors.
Reflection and refraction. Riding the yaks. Completing some of the
guns. The trip after the wrecked wagon. Finding their runaway team.
Accounting for their disappearance. Prospecting. Sugar cane
discovered. Sorghum. The Tamarisk. Rigging up the lifeboat with
sails. Discovery of a hidden message in the lifeboat. Examining the
place where it was found. Determining the time when the message was
written. Rushing preparation of guns and ammunition. Galena. Lead.
Getting rid of the sulphur. Making bullets.
IV. THE TERRIBLE MONSOONS
Completing the guns. Description of the new ones. Polishing grit.
Emery. Corundum. Laying the keel of the big boat. Terrible winds.
The monsoons. Trade winds. Length of summers north and south of the
Equator. Disappearance of the flag from Observation Hill. George
and Angel's hunt for the flag. Disappointment. Angel finding the
flag. Angel's laugh. Facial expression in animals. Brass. The form
of bullets. Why pointed at one end and hollow in the other. Rifling
guns. Spiral movement. Molds for castings. The Professor's desire
to fully explore the cave. Weaving the sails for the new boat.
Angel's work on the loom.
V. THE VOYAGE FOR THE BENEFIT OF ANGEL, AND THE DISCOVERY
Completing the hull of the new boat. Making manilla rope. Decide to
take Angel along. Enticing him aboard. His consternation. Rounding
the cliffs. Discovering their first boat among debris. Taking it
along as a trailer. Sailing up Cataract River. Evidence that their
boat had been used by some one. Proof of its use by the natives.
One of the signs of civilization. Leverage. Fulcrum. Mechanical
powers. Delay of voyage owing to weather. Tourmaline. Harry's
invention. The bamboo tubes. Testing how fast the guns could be
loaded and fired. Cartridges. The marine works. The boats. Three
cheers for the new ship.
VI. THE GRUESOME FINDS IN THE CAVE
The cave. Taking the boat to explore the interior. The air pocket.
A board for charting the cave. The boat on the wagon. Entering the
cave. The lights. Returning for the boat. The peculiar noise at the
cave entrance. Methods for searching the cave. The domed chamber.
Making a circuit within it. The outlet. The second chamber. The
chalk icicles. Limestone. Volcanic action. Carbonic acid, and what
it produced. The caves of the world. What is learned in searching
caves. Their archaeological knowledge. A peculiar formation in the
large chamber. A platform within a recess. Skulls and skeletons.
Ancient weapons. Evidences of a terrible conflict. Musket balls.
Dirks and unknown forms of weapons. Singular copper receptacles.
Curiously wrought knives. Articles of furniture. Decayed clothing.
Kitchen utensils. Why the cave takes care of the smoke.
VII. THE TREASURES OF THE CAVE
The couch in the recess. Chests of gold. A pirates' lair. The
ancient coins. Peculiar articles of ornament. The lid with mocking
lock. Rings; bracelets. The buccaneers. The sermon. Ghastly relics.
A perceptible movement in the atmosphere. Startling supposition. A
possible outlet in the side of the hill. The slab of carbonate. The
writing on it. An accident and the finding of other skeletons. The
light shining into the cave. Discovery of the outlet. View of the
cataract from the opening in the hillside. The boat in the cave.
Taking it out by the hillside opening. The Professor's search.
Return of the boys with the team. Re-enter the cave. The Professor
lost. Hunting in the unknown passages. Return of the Professor.
Taking two of the skeletons to the laboratory.
VIII. REMOVING THE VESSELS FROM THE CAVERNS
Completion of the boat. Making a trial voyage. Rounding the cliffs.
Trip to the south. The forests and the mountains. On the south
coast. A raging storm. Seasickness and dizziness at great heights.
The calcareous slab from the cave. The letters on it. Photography.
Reagents. Photographic light. X-rays. Taking the copper vessels
from the cave. Gathering up the bones. Evidences of the strife.
Spanish inscriptions. Gold bullion. Silver ornaments and vessels.
Decayed chests. The coins. Peculiar guns. Non-effective powder.
Disappearance of Angel. Return of Angel with a rusted modern gun.
Iron or steel guns. Powder as a factor in making weapons.
IX. MAKING ELECTRICITY
Their present condition. What they had accomplished. Working for
love. Contemplating the hoard in the cave. Selfishness at the
bottom of the pirates' lives. Gathering sugar cane. Honey, and its
uses in ancient times. Beets and various tubers. Fattening
properties. Nitrogenous matter. The load of cane. Making a sugar
mill. Lime in sugar-cane juice. Clarifying sugar. A candy pulling.
Granulating sugar. The earth as a magnet. Electricity. Positive and
negative. Magnetic poles. Likes and unlikes. Making a magnet.
Retaining magnetism in a bar.
X. STARTING ON THE VOYAGE TO THE WEST
A barometer. Air pressure. A compass. The atmosphere. Dry weather.
Observing weather conditions. Providing compartments in the boat
for provisions. Bedding. Water supply. Faith. Preparing a tablet
for the Cataract. A terrific storm. A delayed departure. How delays
have often proved valuable to investigators. Starting the voyage to
the west. Striking a course. Observations on speed. Going with the
wind. Tacking. Angles of incidence. The action of air on a surface.
Determining the pressure of air by its velocity. Flying machines.
Time and speed in a vessel. Qualities necessary in a sailor.
XI. A TERRIBLE VOYAGE AND THE SHIPWRECK
The shadows of night. Recalling memories of their shipwreck. The
charting board. Cardinal points of the compass. How direction
traveled is laid out on the chart. Measurement by angles. A weary
night. The watches. The wind changing. The second day. Cliffs
beyond. Sailing against the wind. Rounding the northern point. The
fourth day. The increasing gale. Night. The lights to the south.
The gale turning to a storm. Driven back. A night without sleep. An
appalling monsoon. Springing a leak. The Professor exhausted.
Danger ahead. The cliffs. A maelstrom in sight. Averting the
danger. Recovery of the Professor. Steering for shore. Striking the
beach. The vessel shattered. Stranded miles from home. Taking up
the march. Putting an inscription on the boat. Nearing home.
XII. THE RETURN TRIP. THE ORANG-OUTANS
The blackened fire space. Discovery of their own camp in the
forest. An adventure in the woods. A huge bear. George's shot.
Charging the Professor, and his shot. Attacking George. Safety
behind a fallen tree. Search for the luggage. The cries of Angel.
The bear finding their packages. The bear making use of their
things. What they had left. The yellow pear. Guava. The coffee
tree. Cherries. Gathering coffee berries. How Angel made himself
understood. His excitement. The discovery of a number of
orang-outans. Red Angel visits them. He is not welcomed. Return of
the animal. The clearing in the woods. Recalling the fight of the
bears over the honey.
XIII. THE STRANGE VISITOR
The flag on Observation Hill. Approaching Cataract. The alarm by
Red Angel. The house intact. Discovery of a man at the stable. His
peculiar actions. Lost memory. Aphasia. Unable to speak.
Recognizing the signal flag on the strange man. Provided with
clothing. A peculiar malady. The instinct of self-preservation.
Going with George to Observation Hill. The actions of a sailor. The
stranger visits the workshop. Expert with the use of tools.
Projecting an exploring trip by land. Naming the stranger John.
Startled at sound of the name. Mechanically performing work.
Examining the skulls.
XIV. AN EXCITING TRIP TO THE FALLS
The food supply. Butter. Cream. Centrifugal motion. Difference in
specific gravity between cream and milk. Making a cream separator.
Vegetables. Onions. Chives. The stranger as a prospector. Procuring
samples. Peculiarities of his malady. An exciting encounter with a
bear. John's skill as a hunter. Another honey tree. Killed with a
spear. The bear pelt. Visiting the falls. Action to indicate that
John recognizes the falls.
XV. THE STORY OF THE CAVE
Mystery about John. Humanity's search. The desire to know and
acquire. Gathering supplies for an extended trip by land. The boys
visit the cave. Determine to search the chamber visited by the
Professor. Gorgeous calcareous hangings. The ghosts of past
centuries. Gold and silver vessels. Skeletons. A recess. A row of
chests. Spanish guns. The chained skeletons in the recess. An
arsenal. The struggle. Locked in the embrace of death. Ancient
origin of the cave. Paleontology. Stone and bronze ages. Atlantis,
the great continent in the Atlantic, which disappeared. Story of
the Egyptian priests. The actinic rays. Purifying action of
sunlight. Bacteria. Glass houses. The eye. How it expresses
character. Laughter. How it brightens the eye. Fishhooks. A fishing
party. The salmon.
XVI. MUSIC AND ANIMALS
Preserving fish. Why heat is used. The use of tin for cans. Music.
The violin made by the boys. Violin strings; what they are made of.
How they are prepared and treated. The concert. How the music
affected Red Angel. John enraptured. How it touched him. The change
in his eyes. The field mouse. How different animals are moved by
music. The lion. Hippopotamus. Tigers. Monkeys. Momentary flashes
of intelligence in John. Building a new wagon. Finding and making
paint. Lead. Fermentation. Flax. Driers. Turpentine. Synthetic
food. Analysis. Tubes for powder. Completing the guns. Stocking the
wagon with provisions. Starting on the trip. Jack and Jill. The
sixth trip.
XVII. THE TRIP THROUGH THE DENSE FOREST
The trip along Cataract River. The great forest. How Angel
traveled. Reaching South River. Discovering a second falls. Where
the debris on a seashore comes from. The jungle. Leaving the river.
The two animals in the night. The camp aroused. A fight in the
dark. The puma. The frightened team. The injured yak. Animal
language. The panther. Trying to avoid the forest. Growing denser.
John and Harry scouting through the forest. Blazing a trail. The
hidden luncheon. End of the forest. Returning to the wagon. The
noise in their path. The wagon following the trail. The injured yak
improving.
XVIII. SEEING THE FIRST SAVAGES
Teaching Angel. Finding a campfire. Determine from the conditions
that it was recently made. Prospecting from the tops of trees. A
climbing ring. How made and used. The climbing operation. Harry
sees another forest to the south. Clear in the west. The wounded
yak calls a halt. Resuming the journey. Harry in the grasp of a
giant anaconda. John severs its body with a bolo. Boa constrictor.
The python. The Cashew tree. Gum arabic. Seeing the West River.
Discovering signs of habitations to the south. Course to be
followed in meeting the natives. Hearing voices in the night.
Crackling of twigs. A party of savages. The next morning. Examining
the tracks made by the midnight party. Following the trail thus
made. The open country. The first view of the inhabitants.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"The Professor was reading the scrap, and silently handed it to George"
"'We have probably found a pirate's lair, and here is the booty'"
"The Professor walked toward him and held out his hand"
"With a single stroke the body of the snake was severed above the last
coil"
LIST OF FIGURES
1. The Broken Yoke
2. Top View of Boat
3. Side View of Boat
4. Cross Section of Boat
5. Force of Momentum
6. Red Angel
7. The Color Spectrum
8. Reflection Angle
9. The Hidden Message
10. The First Gun
11. The Bullet
12. The Sea-going Boat
13. The Cave
14. The Slab Found in the Cave
15. Old Coins Found in Cave
16. Cane Crusher
17. A Magnet
18. Magnetic Induction
19. The Two Magnets
20. Making a Permanent Magnet
21. Illustrating Wind Pressure, 1
22. Illustrating Wind Pressure, 2
23. Mariner's Compass
24. Chart of the Voyage
25. The Charting Board
26. Guava
27. Coffee
28. Cream Separator
29. The Lion and Cubs
30. The Puma
31. The Acajou
THE MYSTERIES OF THE CAVERNS
CHAPTER I
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF THE TEAM
The boys looked at the Professor in amazement. They were too much
excited and concerned at the new situation to be able to interpret what
the sudden disappearance of their team meant.
The Professor turned to the boys: "Are you sure the yaks were tied
before we left them?"
"I was particularly careful," answered Harry, "to tie both of them."
"I am pretty sure that both were securely fastened, and they were in
that condition when I came back the last time," was George's reply.
To understand the peculiar situation above referred to, it will be
necessary to go back and briefly relate some of the remarkable events
which had taken place in the lives of the three people concerned in this
history.
George Mayfield and Harry Crandall, together with a Professor, were
mates on a ship training school, which sailed from New York one year
before. A terrific explosion at sea cast them adrift in mid-Pacific
Ocean, and after five days of suffering they were cast ashore on an
apparently uncharted island, without any food, and entirely devoid of
any tools, implements or weapons.
Exercising the knowledge of the Professor, and the ingenuity of the
boys, they gradually dug from mother earth and from the rocks and trees
the articles necessary to sustain life, and eventually they found
different ores from which various implements and weapons were made. They
constructed numerous machines, crude, at first, and gradually developed
them. They succeeded in capturing yaks, a bovine species of animals,
some of which were trained like oxen; wagons were built; a shop
constructed; a water wheel installed; a primitive sawmill put up; a
primary battery made; articles of clothing woven; felt made; and
numerous things of this character originated from material which nature
had furnished in its crude state.
While doing all this the desire to explore the island was a
predominating one. Four trips into the interior had been made in order
to ascertain whether or not it contained any human beings. During those
trips numerous evidences were found to show that savages were there, and
some indications that civilized people had visited the island.
The peculiar happenings which excited their interest were the mysterious
things that occurred at various times, among which the following may be
briefly enumerated: The disappearance of a boat, which they built, and
which was left at the place where the team was lost; the subsequent
finding of the boat among debris on the seashore, having oars and rope
in it which were strange to them; the removal of the flagpole and flag
which had been erected up on a high point near the ocean, called
Observation Hill, and the fire in the forest.
To the foregoing may be added the discovery of a prospecting hole, which
had been dug, evidently, by some one in the hope of finding mineral; a
yak with a brand on it; wreckage of a boat, which, undoubtedly, belonged
to their ill-fated ship; a gruesome skeleton on the seashore; and
finally one of the lifeboats of the schoolship and a companion to their
own, found on the shore of the stream where they now were.
All these things were sufficient not only to cause alarm, but the
greatest consternation on the part of the boys. It must be said,
however, that the trials of the boys, under the calm, calculating
deportment of the Professor, had done much to make them self-reliant.
George, the elder, was of an exceedingly inquisitive turn of mind; he
was a theorist, and tried to find out the reason for everything. On the
other hand, Harry was practical in all his efforts; he could take the
knowledge obtained and profit by it, as the previous volumes show. It
was fortunate, therefore, as the Professor put it, that theory and
practice were personified in the two boys, who, although companionable,
were the exact opposites as types.
The Professor never showed a preference, in any manner, for either. Like
the true philosopher he saw the value of the two distinct qualities, the
one useless without the other.
When they had fully recovered from their astonishment, George was the
first to speak. "They may have broken the fastenings."
The Professor, who had been intently examining the tree to which they
were hitched, said: "I can find no evidence of any undue wrench which
might show that they had gotten away by their own exertions. Let us see
whether we can follow the trail."
The ground was covered with leaves, so that no earth was visible, and
the only sort of trail left in a forest, under those conditions, is the
slightly depressed tracks which the wheels make. They examined this,
noting also the overturned leaves, which are usually left in the wake of
cattle.
The latter means seemed to be the only available way in which any trace
could be made out, and this they followed. It led directly to the west,
and toward the section they were desirous of exploring at the time the
present trip was inaugurated.
"How fast do you suppose the team is traveling?"
"Certainly not faster than we are now going. They cannot be hurried very
well, as you know, and we should be able to overtake them within an hour
or two."
"But what shall we do if we find them in charge of somebody?"
That suggestion brought up at once a very serious question. They had
made six pistols, very crude, it is true, but which served admirably as
weapons of defense; but the hazardous part of the present situation was
that only the Professor had one of the pistols, the others having been
left with the team. The only thing which added some comfort was the
knowledge that as the pistols required a special hook to enable them to
cock the firing plug, and as the Professor had this hook, those who took
the team might not be able to use the weapons against them.
At this place it might be well to refer to Red Angel. Nearly nine months
before, on one of their trips, a baby orang-outan had been captured, and
the boys educated him, as best they could, and he really developed many
reasonable instincts. It was Red Angel who left the wagon and followed
them down the river, and who by his peculiar actions attracted attention
to their missing team.
"We owe something to Angel for his cuteness in coming for us," said
Harry.
The orang progressed rapidly, swinging, as he did, from tree to tree on
the route, and when no trees were in sight, would shamble along in a
peculiar way, as it is difficult for them to walk erect. Their feet are
not adapted to promote a graceful gait.
"The track seems to be lost," said the Professor. "I cannot make it out,
either from the leaves or the depression. However, it appears best to
follow this course."
Without stopping they proceeded in the same general direction. Red
Angel, who up to this time had followed the route taken by the party,
now turned to the right, and when George called, refused to return. As
George walked toward him, he kept advancing to the right, and could not
be induced to come back.
"Probably we should follow him," was the Professor's conclusion.
It was evident from Angel's antics that the change in the course
delighted him.
George, who was ahead, soon stopped, and shouted back, gleefully. "Here
are the tracks! Good fellow, come here!"
Angel understood this. He had actually sensed the direction taken by the
missing team, for here were the tracks. The only thing that grieved
George was the absence of the honey pot. Angel's weakness was honey, and
that was now with the team.
Suddenly Angel, who was now in one of the large trees which grew all
along the course, began an excitable chatter, and vigorously jumped from
one limb to the next, and George, who knew his antics pretty well by
this time, stopped and prepared himself for some new and unexpected
development in this remarkable journey. Angel, on the other hand,
started off through the trees with wonderful agility, and it was all the
boys could do to follow.
There, ahead of them, was the wagon perched against a tree, one of the
front wheels and an axle broken, and the tongue wrenched off; but the
yaks had disappeared. It is singular that the team had gone thus far
without meeting an obstruction. As it was, one wheel had locked with a
tree, and the yaks, by their tremendous power, had broken the parts
mentioned and gone on.
Before the wagon was reached, however, numbers of articles were found
scattered along the trail, which were gathered up.
The finding of the wagon was an intense relief. Their minds had been
perturbed with this occurrence, as never before, and they had met
numerous thrilling episodes before.
"Something must have frightened the yaks, and they were going at a much
greater speed than at a walk when they collided with the tree," observed
the Professor.
"Why do you think so?" asked Harry.
"In the first place, the fact that our articles were scattered along the
path before they reached the tree; and, secondly, the wagon pole and the
wheel were strong enough to hold the yaks against the tree if they had
been moving along at their usual gait."
"Well, I am thankful that we have the wagon, even though the yaks are
gone," said George, as he crawled into it. He peered out and continued
in a surprised tone: "Where do you suppose the pistols are? Did you
leave yours in the box, Harry?"
"Yes; on the right side. Yours were there at the time. I saw all of
them."
"They are not here now, and it is likely they have been lost with some
of the other things." Harry was up in an instant.
"Where is the ammunition?"
"It was all in the bottom of the box."
It did not seem at all likely that the pistols or the ammunition could
fall out of the box. It is true other things had fallen along the way,
but this seemed to be such an unlikely occurrence that they could
scarcely credit it.
The provisions were safe, and you may be sure that Angel was not only
petted, but he received a good share of the delicious sweet.
It was now nearing night, and they were fully ten miles from home. Ten
miles is not a long tramp, but to travelers like ours, already weary
with their trudging and with the excitements of the day, it was
concluded to camp in the wagon for the night, and then proceed home
early in the morning. To take the wagon would be an impossibility.
They really learned to love the patient yaks. For fully five months they
had been daily companions, and were now so well trained that some
discouragement was felt at being compelled again to break in others.
They had an ample supply of good material in the herd to pick from, but
it took time and patience to develop such a team as had been lost.
During the entire night one of the trio kept watch, not so much from a
feeling of fear as in the hope the yaks would return during the night;
but they were doomed to disappointment. Morning came, but the yaks did
not, and after gathering together the most useful belongings, and
putting them into convenient bundles for carrying purposes, set out for
home.
The first question taken up by the boys after their return was the
selection of a pair of young steers for the new team; and the work of
making a new pair of yokes was carried forward with energy. They were in
the midst of the planting season which had been interrupted when the
last journey was undertaken.
Hitherto it had been the custom to devote at least one day each week to
hunting, on which occasions they also made trips to such points in the
island as had not been previously visited; and it was also a part of
their duty to examine the woods and the fields to find new specimens of
plants, fruits and flowers; and among the hills and ravines were many
kinds of ore, some of which they had been fortunate enough to find on
their entry to the island.
The metals thus found were utilized, because they had set up a workshop
alongside the sawmill, and in it had a crude lathe adapted to work in
wood or iron. It will thus be seen that each tour was for prospecting
purposes, to supply their needs, as well as to learn what the island
contained.
Each evening it was the habit to have a general discussion concerning
the events of the day, or with reference to matters of moment about the
work to be done on the morrow.
George was much interested in the planting program. "What kinds of
vegetable would it be most advisable to plant in the space we have
prepared?"
"One of the important points to consider in the planting of all crops is
whether the soil is adapted for it. When the United States were first
settled it was a surprising thing that many of the original settlers
would go miles inland, exposed to every sort of danger, to find land,
when there was plenty nearer the seashore or close to civilization.
There was a reason for that which we are only now beginning fully to
understand. Plants have a habit of growing in soil adapted for their
needs, and it would be an interesting study in going over our island to
consider the habits of plants in this respect."
"Is that the reason why different countries have such different kinds of
plants?"
"Yes; plants select their soil, and owing to these habits, every variety
of soil, in every climate, supports its own vegetable tribes. Of the
five thousand flowering plants of central Europe, only three hundred
grow on peaty soils, and those are mainly rushes and sedges. In the
native forests of northern Europe and America, the unlettered explorer
hails with joy the broad-leaved trees glittering in the sun among the
pines, as a symptom of good land, which he knows how to cultivate. The
rudest peasant in Europe knows that wheat and beans seek clay soils; the
northern German knows that rye alone and the potato are best adapted for
the blowing sands of that country; the Chinese peasant, that the warm
sloping banks of light land are fitted for the tea plant, and stiff,
wet, impervious flooded clays for his rice. Even the slaves in the
Southern States were aware that open alluvial lands were best suited to
cotton; and the degraded slaves of Pernambuco know that the cocoa grows
only on the sandy soils of the coast, just the same as in west Africa
the oil palms flourish on the moist sea sand that skirts the shore, and
the mangroves where muddy shallows are daily deserted by the retiring
tide."
"Some time ago you stated in one of our talks that soil was the
necessary thing to select in order to propagate, or make good fruit and
grain out of the poor or wild kind. Were all our vegetables and grains
originally wild?"
"Originally nothing in the way of fruit, flower, grain or garden
vegetables was anything but wild and unproductive, or bitter, tasteless
or unprofitable. Chemical changes are made in the plant by the soil in
which it grows, because it is from the soil that it gets its food. The
large and juicy carrot found at home is nothing but the woody spindle of
the wild carrot, and I have found several species of it here. Cabbages,
cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts and a host of other like vegetables were,
in their natural state, poor, woody, bitter stems, and had useless
roots. As I have already stated, the wild potato, which we are now
cultivating, has, in its original state, a bitter root, as you have
discovered."