walking toward the orange tree which continued to furnish me with an
ample supply of fruit, an idea came to me, and so astonished was I that
I had not thought of it before that I stopped short and gazed straight
ahead of me for several minutes.
My knife!
Here was steel; now for a flint, and fire would be procurable at any
moment. I understood the use of flint and steel, for many times, in our
boyhood, my brother and I, on our excursions in the woods, had made
fires with old gun-flints and our pocket-knives as steel, for cooking
grey squirrels when we were fortunate enough to shoot any. We did this
from choice, because of the novelty.
Without further thought of breakfast I turned toward the shore to search
for a substitute for flint, for I did not expect to find the real
article here, as I had only seen soft, calcareous rock which appeared to
be the prevailing kind.
A long search up and down the beach failed to disclose any hard rock,
not even a pebble of sufficient size. Shells were abundant, but they
would not answer the purpose. I next turned my attention to the brook,
and searched along the shallowest places for a hard stone. I found one
at last, round and flat, about the size of a silver dollar. It was very
dark, almost black, and appeared to be quite hard. Wiping it with my
hand I laid it down in the sun and waited impatiently for it to dry.
When perfectly free of moisture, I opened my knife, and holding the
blade firmly in my left hand, I struck the stone sharply against the
back of the blade, with a quick downward stroke. No spark appeared.
Over and over again I tried but without success, but I saw that the
stone scratched the steel, which gave me hope that the stone was
sufficiently hard.
After several more trials, a tiny spark shot downward from the blade.
My joy knew no bounds. Tinder must be procured. Like a flash came to
my mind the feathery heads of the wild cane. If I could find one dry
enough I thought it would do. I at once ran up stream to where the
canes grew, and after a little search I found a plume that was dead and
quite dry. Bending the cane down I gathered a handful of the floss from
the head, and going to the foot of a cocoanut tree, I lay the cane floss
down by the foot of the tree and once more tried to produce a spark. I
was soon able to obtain a spark frequently, but they invariably failed
to reach the floss, or to ignite when they touched it. But I saw that I
had fire within reach, and it only required perseverance to procure it.
Holding the knife blade closer to the floss, I struck again. This time
a shower of tiny sparks descended to the floss, and, yes, it had caught!
Quickly dropping the knife and stone I partially covered it with my
hands and very gently blew upon it. A tiny wreath of smoke arose as the
fire spread through the wad of floss. Blowing upon it still harder, in
short quick puffs, a tiny flame leaped up; and quickly gathering such
dry leaves and grass as I could reach, I heaped them upon the flame.
These were followed by small dry sticks until I had a good fire going.
I now only needed something to cook, and that I proposed to search for.
But fire was desirable as company at night, and to ward off wild beasts
should any be found; also in the future I might wish to make signals by
the aid of smoke.
Not wishing to injure my faithful friend the cocoanut tree, I allowed
the fire to go out, feeling full confidence in my ability to procure it
any time I wished.
I now set about preparing for my journey of exploration, meanwhile
carefully watering, several times each day, the creepers that I had set
out along the walls of the stockade, until they showed no further signs
of wilting during the greatest heat of the day. The water I brought,
with much labor and many trips, from the brook, in cocoanut shells.
It occurred to me to plant vines in front of the door of the stockade,
so that, should I be absent for a great length of time, they would grow
up over the door and still further obscure my retreat. Acting on this
idea, I searched about the bush for a vine less woody than those planted
along the stockade. At length, on the further side of the clearing, I
discovered a vine, not unlike a morning glory vine, only it had larger
leaves, climbing up a tall, smooth tree, and this seemed to answer my
purpose. So, getting down upon my knees I began to dig around the root
in order to move it without disturbing the earth immediately surrounding
it; when but a few inches below the top of the ground I came across a
round, hard object which I at first thought to be a large root of the
tree, but in digging still further around it I saw that the supposed
root moved, until finally I lifted it out of the ground. As I did so I
noticed that it had one end attached to the vine that I was after. The
root was fully a foot and a half long, and about five inches in
diameter, slightly rounded at the ends. I cut off the vine with my
knife, and ran with the root to the brook and washed it clean. I now
saw that I had found some kind of a tuber. With my knife I cut through
the thin rough skin, disclosing a white substance beneath. Quickly
cutting it in halves I found that the inside of the tuber was white and
starchy. I wondered what it could be. It was not a sweet potato, for
the latter is yellow. Then I began to think of the roots that I had
read about in books of travel in the tropics, and the first that came to
my mind was the yam. Yes, this must be the yam, though I did not know
before that its foliage was in the form of a vine.
Here food was in plenty, healthful and nourishing, and sufficient to
sustain life even if I found no other, it being only necessary to roast
them in ashes.
I resolved to plant yam vines in front of the gate to the stockade, for,
while the vines were growing up to conceal it, they would, in the
meantime be storing away food for me against my return. This plan I put
into immediate execution.
My next thought was of devising a weapon for offence and defence, also
to be used in killing game. The idea of a bow and arrows at first
suggested itself, but this was abandoned for the bow-gun, for, as boys,
we were able to do good execution with the latter as it had a stock and
breech, admitting of securing better aim.
Looking about for material from which to construct the bow-gun, the
bamboo seemed to be the most available for the barrel; so I cut down one
about two inches in diameter, from which I selected the longest and
straightest section between the joints. Next I cut a deep notch about
four inches from the larger end, and extending to the centre of the
bamboo. From the lower end of the notch I split away the upper half of
the tube, thus forming a spout about four feet long which was to carry
the arrow. For a breech I selected a forked stick, the butt of which I
carefully rounded and smoothed until it would fit tightly into the round
socket at the larger end of the barrel, above the notch. This, though
crude, furnished a very fair substitute for a breech to rest against my
shoulder when taking aim, particularly as I had thought to select a
forked stick which had the butt slightly bent so that, when fixed in the
breech-end of the barrel, the proper elevation was given.
The next step was to make a bow and fix it firmly across the under side
of the barrel, at right angles to it, I searched about in the bush a
long time before I found a tree of the right size, straight and without
branches; and, on bending it down toward the ground and cutting it, I
found that it was elastic and quite hard. From the tree I cut a section
about three feet long, which I squared for a distance of two inches in
the middle, whittling what was to be the inner side down flat from
either side of the squared part to either end, each half tapering
slightly from the middle. I did not remove the bark from the back of
the bow.
Next I cut a square slot about the width of the squared part in the
centre of the bow, in the under side of the bamboo about a foot from
what was to be the muzzle, being careful, however, not to cut through
into the groove of the barrel. Into this I carefully fitted the squared
portion of the bow, after which notches opening in opposite directions
were cut on the lower side of the barrel, one on each side of the bow.
With one of the supple vines I then lashed the bow firmly, drawing the
vine over the notches. When the vine was thoroughly dry the bow would be
held firmly and rigidly in place.
The question of arrows was quickly solved, for I could think of nothing
that could serve the purpose better than the long smooth stem which
supported the heads of the wild canes These were of just the right size
and length. I cut several dozens of them, sharpening one end of each,
and notching the other to receive the string. To give sufficient weight
to the execution end of the arrow, I split a piece of the tough vine
into fine strips, with which I closely wound the arrows near the ends,
until the proper weight was secured to balance them during their flight
and thus render them accurate. For the wings of the arrows I used sprays
from the plumes of the wild cane, until I could find something more
suitable, fastening them to the string end with fibres from the ever
useful vine.
It now only remained to provide a string for the bow, before the weapon
could be tested. Carefully separating the longest fibres of the cocoanut
cloth. I braided them into a strong cord of uniform size, which I
fastened to the bow.
And now for the test! Drawing the string back to the notch, I placed
one of the arrows in the groove of the gun and, raising the gun to my
shoulder, I released the string with an upward pressure of my right
thumb, at the same time pointing the gun in the direction of the brook.
As straight as a line could be drawn, the arrow sped away over the brook
and was lost in the thicket beyond. I felt confident of the success of
my bow-gun, and after constructing a quiver for the arrows from a piece
of the cocoanut cloth fastened together with thorns, and braiding a cord
with which to sling it over my shoulder, I turned my attention to the
final preparations for departure.
These consisted of providing a store of provisions in case I did not
immediately find food on the way. I roasted several of the yams, and
gathered two dozen oranges which were stored in a bag made of the
cocoanut cloth. I did not include cocoanuts, for I was sure to find
plenty as I went along.
I took the precaution to gather a quantity of the cane floss for tinder,
which I placed in a short piece of bamboo, which I stopped up tightly at
both ends with wooden plugs. This was to protect it from moisture in
case of rain. I also took the cocoanut calendar.
The morning for departure arrived. Taking a farewell plunge in the
brook, I made a hearty breakfast of yams and oranges, after which,
closing the door of the stockade and fastening it with withes of the
vine, I slung the quiver of arrows and the bag of provisions over my
shoulder, took the bow-gun and started away along the shore, going in a
southerly direction.
*CHAPTER IX.*
_*Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs*_*.*
I followed the narrow line of sand, sometimes having to make a detour
inland to get around a rocky point of land which jutted out into the
water, or to avoid a dagger-like plant the spike-like leaves of which
were armed with spines as sharp as needles. This, I concluded, must be
the Spanish bayonet.
The sun shone brightly, and the sea, deep blue and calm, stretched away
toward the west, the long, gentle swells causing but a ripple on the
beach. As I progressed, the island along the shore became less
attractive than it was in the near vicinity of my house; and in some
places it had a parched appearance. Once I was obliged to cross a flat
area of several acres in extent, bounded by a high bluff, where I had to
make my way cautiously among cactus plants of various kinds; some low
and spreading over the ground and bearing beautiful, yellow, wax-like
blossoms, and others a great size, like trees denuded of the smaller
branches and twigs.
The sun had reached the zenith when I came to a small stream and sat
down beneath a wide-spreading tree to rest, and to refresh myself from
the provisions that I carried. As I ate I gazed up among the branches
of the great tree, whose broad leaves furnished such a grateful shade,
when I saw that it bore fruit, round and green, five or six inches in
diameter. This I believed to be bread-fruit, from the pictures I had
seen, and I resolved to carry two or three along with me, only obtaining
them by climbing the tree.
Although I did not intend to travel steadily in the heat of the day
during my march, I felt anxious to make a good beginning on the first
day out, so after getting cool and feeling well rested, I went on.
As I crossed the brook, scores of small brown crabs scudded away along
the bank. They were the first I had seen during my sojourn on the
island. Spiders, I had seen many of, some of great size with hairy
bodies and long legs; but as they showed no ferocity, I had no fear of
them. Indeed on account of their great size I did not believe them to
be poisonous. As a rule, the natural histories said, poisonous spiders
of the tropics are not of great size, and most of them have short legs.
Having made a long detour around a swampy place which extended to the
sea, I came out of the bush upon a wide beach shaped like a semi-circle,
or half-moon; and as I did so my attention was attracted to several
large, glossy, blackish objects scattered over the beach. I approached
one, and found it to be a monstrous turtle. There must have been
hundreds of them, and, one by one, as I moved about, they started away
toward the water. Some of them were very large, and must have weighed
three or four hundred pounds. Had I been so disposed I had no means of
dispatching one for food, but I felt sure that the turtles had been
depositing their eggs in the sand, and I could easily roast the eggs in
the fire, which would form a very acceptable adjunct to my larder.
Accordingly, digging into the sand where the turtles had been lying, I
found plenty of round white eggs, a quantity of which I gathered to add
to my stores.
It was now near the end of the afternoon, as I observed by the sun, and
I decided to select a place to camp for the night. I selected a spot
near a thicket of thorn bushes, which would form an effectual protection
to the rear, and then began collecting dry branches for a fire. The sun
was low in the sky, and the heat was greatly moderated, and, by the time
I had collected a large pile of fire wood, a sea breeze sprang up,
taking the place of the land breeze of the day, making it cool and
comfortable.
I had no difficulty this time in starting a fire, and as soon as it had
burned down sufficiently I buried a yam and some of the turtles' eggs in
the ashes, and, while they were cooking I occupied the time cutting away
a part of the smaller thorn bushes, making a cleared place in which I
could sleep during the night, the thicket over me furnishing protection
from the dampness of the air.
By the time this was accomplished, and a cocoanut shell of water was
brought from the brook, I judged that the yam and eggs were sufficiently
cooked, which they proved to be when I uncovered them, and I at once
proceeded to eat my evening meal. The eggs proved to be of good flavor,
but wanted salt. This reminded me that I must provide a supply of salt,
which I could do by evaporating some sea-water as soon as I had the
opportunity.
It was now past sunset and rapidly growing dark; so I replenished the
pile of firewood, and piling a quantity of it upon the fire, I lay down
with a bunch of grass for a pillow, and in a short time fell asleep.
*CHAPTER X.*
_*Under the Coils of a Snake*_*.*
When I awoke in the morning it was with a peculiar sense of oppression.
In the first drowsiness I thought there was a great weight across my
chest; and my arms were aching. I tried to move, but found that I could
not lift my arms. They seemed to be pressed closely to my aides.
Thoroughly awake now, I was terrified to find that I was lying beneath
the folds of an enormous snake.
Frightened as I was beyond all expression, I maintained sufficient
presence of mind to keep perfectly quiet until I could more fully
realize my true situation--and, above all, locate the position of the
great reptile's head.
As I gazed at the great scaly coils that enveloped me, I saw that the
snake was of a pale yellow color. It was perfectly motionless. By
tracing the taper of its body I saw that the head must be somewhere near
my right shoulder.
I was in a great quandary what to do. Although still anxious for
results, I was now quite calm, and my mind was full of plans for
escaping from the terrible coils. I dared not move for fear that the
snake would strike me with its fangs, or that it might encircle my body
and squeeze me to death. Some snakes, like the boa-constrictor, kill
their victims by this method; and while I felt sure that this snake was
not a boa, on account of its color, I felt that it had the strength to
crush me to death.
For a long time I lay in this position, how long I could not tell; but
the sun had grown intensely hot as it beat down upon the thicket. I
heard the cries of the birds, and looked up at the blue sky with the
fleecy clouds floating across it, wondering whether it was to be my fate
to die here in the folds of a huge serpent. I wondered too, if bye and
bye my bones, bleached white, would be found in the thicket on the shore
of this lonely island.
I was gasping for breath on account of the heat, my cramped position and
the weight of the serpent's folds across my chest, when I felt it move a
little. I wondered if it was preparing to strike me. I did not move,
and in a moment it began to move again, and the coils slipped across my
body. Slowly it continued to move, until my arms were free and its tail
swept across my face.
I was now free, but I waited a few seconds to see if the snake was
leaving me. Distinctly hearing it gliding from me, I arose quietly,
feeling stiff and sore in my arms and chest. The snake was not in sight,
but seeing the grass moving a little distance away, seizing a large
stone I sprang after it, but it escaped into the bush.
I reasoned that the snake must have crawled under the thorn bushes after
I lay down, and that it coiled upon my body for warmth, as the nights
were frequently uncomfortably cool; and so soundly had I slept that its
movements had not awakened me.
After this unpleasant adventure I felt anxious to be moving, and, making
a fire, cooked some eggs which, with oranges from the stores, comprised
my breakfast; after which I gathered a few more turtles' eggs, and
resumed my march.
As I had done the day before I followed the coast, but instead of
keeping along the sand I followed the edge of the forest, thinking it
might prove more advantageous to do so as it would enable me to keep a
look-out for game, and perhaps discover new fruits. My progress was
necessarily much slower, but the walking was easier as the trees
shielded me from the direct heat of the sun, which, on the beach was
terrific, the white sand producing a fearful glare which caused no
little pain in my eyes.
As I proceeded, the country became more open, and I frequently crossed
quite large treeless tracts of tall grass, or stretches which, had it
not been for the tropical vegetation surrounding might have been taken
for New England pasture land.
One morning, just after resuming my march as I was crossing one of the
latter grass tracts, a bird different from any I had before seen arose
from the ground and flew into the thicket on the opposite side. Its
color was light drab, and the wings and under tail feathers were white.
I approached the edge of the bush cautiously, meantime, drawing back the
string of my bow-gun and fixing an arrow in place. Laying aside the bag
of provisions I crept softly along, until a sharp "coo-o-o" drew my
attention to the branches of a tree, where I saw the bird stepping
gingerly along one of the larger limbs. Apparently it had not seen me,
so, carefully moving to one side until I had a low bush between me and
the game, I worked up a little nearer in order to make sure of being
within range of the arrow. Then, rising quietly to one knee, I took
careful aim and released the string. The sharp "twang," much to my
surprise was instantly followed by a flutter as the bird came tumbling
to the ground. I hastened forward and picked it up. The arrow had
passed entirely through the neck, so that it was quite dead in a few
moments. I saw that it was a species of wild pigeon, and therefore
edible; and I congratulated myself on securing such an acceptable change
in my fare.
I saw no more pigeons after that, but during the succeeding days I found
several orange trees from which I replenished my supply of this
refreshing fruit.
I continued steadily on, making no important discoveries, following the
edge of the brush, but always keeping the sea in sight. Almost every
day I went to the beach to look for turtles' eggs, which I usually found
in abundance.
The coast continued to loom up before me, head-land after head-land,
stretches of beach and rocky bay shores. Allowing for the indentations
of the coast that I followed, I concluded that the island was a large
one; and, the fact that I was gradually turning toward the direction of
the sun convinced me that its shape was nearly round.
I always camped just before sunset that I might have sufficient time to
make a fire, cook and eat supper before dark.
I had not kept a fire after supper was cooked, as, having neither seen
nor heard anything of wild animals of any kind, I did not feel the need
of it; and, beside, I was becoming accustomed to being alone, and to
sleeping in the open air, and the nervousness of the first few nights
after I was cast ashore had entirely left me.
At the end of the sixth day I had, in my journey, turned around so that
the direction which I followed was a little more than right angles to
that taken where I left my house. In other words, instead of going
nearly south, my course was now nearly southeast.
At the end of the seventh day I came to a large stream which was too
wide and deep to ford. The next day being Sunday I resolved to pitch
camp and remain there until Monday. Meanwhile I would decide whether to
devise some means of fording the stream, or follow up its course.
Although I had not, as yet, done any work on Sunday, I decided that it
would be no great violation of the day to try to evaporate a little sea
water, while I was in camp, and thus procure a little salt, which I was
craving.
That night before going to sleep, I revolved several schemes in my mind,
and, ere I fell asleep, I believed I had solved the question of making
salt.
*CHAPTER XI.*
_*The Cave on the Mountain; A Beacon; Attacked by Wild Pigs*_*.*
After breakfast the following morning, I cut a large quantity of fine,
long grass, which I proceeded to make into large bunches, all I could
hold in my hands, tieing them with wisps of the grass itself. Then I
cut two forked stakes and set them into the ground about ten feet apart.
Going a few rods up the bank of the stream where I saw some bamboos
growing, I cut one, and trimming it, carried it to the camp, and placed
it, one end in each of the forks of the stakes.
Taking the grass I went to the edge of the beach and thoroughly
saturated it in the salt water after which I carried it to the camp, and
parting each bunch in the middle, I hung them over the pole.
The idea proved highly successful, for the hot sun evaporated the water
very quickly, leaving particles of salt clinging to the grass throughout
each bunch.
I then gathered a quantity of broad leaves which I laid on the ground so
that their edges over-lapped, and by gently shaking the bunches of grass
the salt fell upon the leaves in a fine white shower.
I repeated the process several times until I must have had fully half a
pound of salt.
Preparing a short piece of bamboo by plugging one end as I had done in
making the box for the tinder, I carefully gathered up the salt and
poured it into the bamboo, enough to last a long time.
I had determined to go no further along the coast, but to follow the
course of the stream to its source which I judged must be among the
mountains which seemed to extend across the northeast corner of the
island. This I wished to do along the opposite bank, but, as I could
not cross the stream at this point, I decided to follow the bank on
which I now was, rather than take the time necessary to construct a
raft.