So we accordingly did, and long ere we were awake in the morning the
captain and all his men, including Smart and Oscar, had departed to
execute his plans. We busied ourselves in preparing them a good supper
against their return; we had also all a dip in the sea, in a little
natural bath in the rocks, where no sharks could get at us. Finally, not
without misgivings, we all went up to look once more on the anaconda.
That evening, if they returned in time, it was to be skinned; the shiny,
scaly covering being to be preserved as a memorial of the event, and the
loathsome remains were to be thrown to the sharks. While we were
standing looking at its huge length, we heard shouts from above, and saw
the exploring party coming home. They soon joined us, the captain
delighted at being able to say that a large rat seemed our only wild
beast while Smart grumbled, and said he "did not think there was a beere
on the hisland." They had done as they promised, and not left a part of
the island unvisited.
They brought us home quantities of grapes, prickly pears, yams, bananas,
cocoa-nuts, with what would have been magnificent flowers but the hot
tropical climate withered them almost as soon as gathered. Oscar and
Smart seemed to have some great secrets between them, and, after keeping
Felix and the little girls in suspense for some time, Smart put his hand
into his pocket, and brought out a tiny, little, droll-looking monkey.
Shrieks of delight were heard, Felix exclaiming above all, "Oh give him
to me, let him be mine; oh the darling fellow." The little creature,
with its wild sorrowful eyes, looked from one face to the other, and, at
last, making a spring, it jumped into Felix's arms, and, nestling its
little head in his pinafore, grinned at everybody, as much as to say,
"Now, I don't care for you." Felix was by no means backward in returning
this spontaneous affection, spite of the little girls' civil remark
"that he was so like a monkey the little thing took him for his father
and mother."
We went to rest all very happy and contented, and enjoyed a week of the
merriest gipsy life that could be imagined. Both the parrots and the
monkey were getting quite familiar, and at home with us, taking to their
education comfortably.
At the end of that time, after the young ones had gone to bed, the
captain asked me how we liked this life? There was not a dissentient
voice. "Then," said he, "I think this a favourable opportunity to
propose a plan to you; it has been in my mind for some days. I only
waited until I saw whether it would be as agreeable, as it seems to me
inevitable." We waited in breathless expectation. He looked round us all
as he said, "How would you like staying here another six weeks?" "Very
much indeed! Beyond every thing. It is just what we wanted. It would be
most jolly." Schillie wound up by saying, "It is extremely stupid, and I
should not like it at all." "Would _you_ not?" said the captain, with
kind concern, laying great stress on the you; "Oh but ye must, I'd never
take ye to sea, and La Luna in such a leaky state." "What, captain, how!
pray explain yourself." "Well, if I must tell the truth, the more we
have examined the ship the more fearful are we to trust you all on board
of her." Heaps of voices now interrupted the captain. "But what are we
to do? How are we to get away? We don't want to stay here for ever. That
would be too much of a good thing." "Silence, girls," said I, "do let us
hear what the captain proposes." "This is my proposal then, Madam.
Emptied of her cargo, and with as few hands in her as possible, La Luna
will run nicely to St. Domingo, or some of the parts lying to the
westward, and belonging to South America; and, even should she fail, we
men can take to the boat, and, at all events make for some place, where
we can procure a vessel to come for you." "But La Luna won't sink,
surely we shall not lose her; we don't want any ship but her. Don't you
know how you love her yourself, captain?" "So I do! so I do! young
ladies, and I am fain to allow it's as much for her sake as yours, that
I want to take her to some port to get properly repaired. She has
strained so much that her ribs are quite bent, and, lying as she does,
exposed to this hot sun, her seams are bursting asunder in all
directions. She is too much damaged for us to repair, so as to make it
safe for you to go in her. Therefore, Madam, will you let me take her
empty to St. Domingo, where I will immediately charter a vessel for your
use, and leave La Luna in dock to be repaired against we come for her."
"But, supposing anything was to happen; supposing she was to founder and
all hands be lost, what would become of us?" "I would not have proposed
such a scheme, Madam, did I not feel sure there would be no danger of
such a thing happening; and, any way, it is better you should be left on
this island, for the chance of a ship coming this way, than liable to go
down to the bottom of the sea, without the power of man to save you." "I
am not so sure of that, captain, I think I should prefer all sinking or
swimming together." "At any rate, Madam," added the captain, "having
unburdened my mind, I'll leave you to sleep over the matter. Tak time to
consider, and let me know your wull in the morning."