besides, have gained a fair idea of the island in all but the extreme
south-eastern part. From the tops of some of the mountains, I believed
that I could gain a very good view of the small portion untraversed, or
rather not encircled by my route, which could not be very great. If the
island was inhabited anywhere in that direction, I believed I should see
some signs from the tops of the mountains.
I really had no faith that the island was inhabited, for, being
comparatively small, if there were people there I must have met some
signs, ere this, to indicate it.
I had another object in wishing to reach the mountains, which was to see
if any land was in sight to the south, east and southeast. One thing I
was perfectly sure of, that this island was near the Virgin group,
perhaps a little north of those islands, if not even one of them; so
that, if people did not regularly inhabit it, there must be islands not
far away that were inhabited, and people must, therefore, occasionally
visit my island.
I felt, moreover, anxious to reach the mountains as quickly as possible,
because, as I had calculated from my limited knowledge of the climate,
the rainy season must soon set in, which would make travel unpleasant,
if not difficult or impossible. And besides, I wished to be away from
the lowlands of the coast during heavy rains, as I knew it could not be
so healthful as the mountains.
So, getting my effects together, I set out, following the course of the
stream.
For the first few miles the stream flowed across a flat country, which
became rocky the further I went, and the stream became more rapid in its
flow.
Several pretty cascades were passed and, in places, I was obliged to do
some sharp scrambling over rocks that were overgrown with creeping
vines, among which convolvuli were conspicuous.
For four days I continued to ascend the stream, until lofty hills began
to rise on either side abruptly from the banks; which indicated that I
was getting very near the mountains.
The sides of the foot-hills were heavily wooded, but, as I left them and
entered the mountains, gradually ascending to a higher altitude, the
vegetation grew less dense and changed in its general appearance.
The stream was now little more than a small rushing mountain torrent,
foaming over the rocks. At the end of the fifth day, just before
sunset, I reached the source of the stream, for coming suddenly to a
wall of rock above which the mountain rose precipitously, I beheld the
brook bubbling forth from the bowels of the mountains. I decided to
camp here for the night, and proceeded about my usual preparations for
getting supper. I had no yams, but plenty of oranges; but presently I
saw some yam vines growing a short distance away, and it was the work of
a few minutes only to procure enough for supper and breakfast.
When I awoke in the morning the sky was partially overcast. As I had
calculated, the rainy season was undoubtedly about to set in, and I
resolved to hasten to the top of one of the mountains as quickly as
possible, as I felt that, upon the outlook from the highest elevation
depended my plans for a considerable time in the future.
So, hastily preparing and eating my morning meal, I climbed to the top
of the rock which rose above my camping place, and saw that the highest
mountain was not more than five miles away. I set out at once. The way
was not difficult except where it led across a deep ravine at the foot
of the mountain, where the undergrowth and creepers formed a dense
tangle; but once through this, I found the way almost clear of low bush.
I now began a steep climb. As I ascended, the cocoanut trees became
less plentiful, and their places were taken by other species of palm,
great ferns as large as trees, and giant cacti.
As nearly as I could tell, with the sun partly obscured by clouds, it
was near mid-day when I came upon a broad table-land of grass, dotted
here and there with groves of trees. Beyond, rose the last peak.
Fearing rain, I pushed forward, resolving to reach the top before dark,
and camp, so as to be ready to take observations early the next morning.
It was quite dark when I came to the summit. I could see nothing, of
course, until daylight, and I searched about for a place to camp. There
was a strong breeze blowing and the air was quite cool, so I found
shelter behind a great boulder and prepared to spend the night. I still
had a few yams with me, and three turtles' eggs, and these I cooked and
ate. I then proceeded to make myself as comfortable as possible by
lying close to the rock, and, having nothing else to do, I went to
sleep, the long climb having wearied me.
Once or twice during the night I awoke feeling very chilly, and I was
not sorry when the first faint gleam of dawn appeared.
The sun rose clear, but, to the south-east, fleecy clouds were scudding
along toward the land. In all directions, however, the line of the
horizon was distinctly visible, and the peak commanded a view of the sea
at all points of the compass, and of the whole island.
I scanned the line of sea and sky all around, but saw nothing that
looked like land. A little to the south-east there was a faint,
serrated line against the sky, but I concluded that it was only a cloud.
As I stood scanning the great rim of the ocean, there came to me a
strong feeling that I would like to establish a beacon on the summit,
one, if possible, which could be seen from a ship several miles at sea;
and the more I thought of this project the more strongly was I convinced
that it would be a wise thing to do; for, in the event of a ship's
passing on this side of the island, a prominent structure on the
mountain might attract attention and lead to my rescue. I thought it all
over as I retraced my steps to the boulder, and resolved to look about
for a suitable place to make a substantial shelter while engaged in the
work. I deemed it advisable to go further down the mountain where the
vegetation was more plentiful, and where I might find fruits, and
possibly game--though game did not seem to be plentiful, but brilliant
plumaged birds were numerous.
In the edge of the bush between the table land and the mountain peak, I
discovered a small grove of about a dozen orange trees, and here I at
first thought that I would make my camp; but a little further to the
south I saw a great rock, which appeared to over-hang several feet; and
the idea at once struck me that it might be wise to encamp beneath its
shelter.
So, turning in that direction I was not long in reaching the rock. It
was at the base of a spur of the mountain; and the top not only overhung
the base considerably, but, there was a sort of natural excavation which
formed quite a large cave, open on three sides, it was true; but here I
saw great possibilities in establishing my camp while erecting the
beacon. Besides, I fully expected the rainy season to set in almost any
day, and should I have to stay here for several months, the rock would
afford me the best of shelter.
So, having decided to make this the base of operations for the present,
I took my bow-gun and set out to forage for supplies, of which I stood
in immediate need.
I went down among the trees in the intervale between the two mountains.
The vegetation was very luxuriant, but not so dense as in portions of
the lowlands across which I had marched. I had noted that the cocoanut
palms were less plentiful here, and that there were several other kinds
of palms that I had not seen before. One of these had a trunk covered
with great sharp spines, and from the grapelike cluster of fruit at the
top I knew it must be an oil palm; but I saw only a few of these.
Another had a bottle-shaped head of vivid green just below the leaves,
which I at once recognized as the "mountain cabbage," or cabbage palm.
These were very plentiful.
Skirting the edge of the bush, a short distance to the north, I turned
to penetrate further toward the valley, when suddenly, as I took a step
forward, I felt myself sinking downward. I threw down my gun and tried
to save myself by clutching the creepers; but I continued to sink into a
mass of vines. I was considerably frightened, and wondered, for a brief
moment, if I had fallen into the opening to a cavern; but suddenly my
feet touched solid earth, and I found myself standing beside what
appeared to be an old wall--about the height of my shoulder. Pushing
aside the creepers I saw that it was really a wall, built of large
stones and some kind of mortar. I was so astonished at the discovery
that I could scarcely collect my thoughts. Looking around, I was still
more perplexed, for only a few feet away there was a rectangular
enclosure which looked like the ruined foundations of a house. I found
that the wall extended for perhaps fifty feet in each direction, the
opposite side being flush with the rising ground above. An examination
of the rectangular enclosure showed unmistakably that it was a portion
of the foundation of a house.
What could this mean? It could mean but one thing; that people had
lived here. But when, I could form no opinion; but from the appearance
of the masonry it must have been many years before. The ruins, as well
as the wall, were thickly overgrown with creepers and other vegetation.
Still further signs of the former presence of man now attracted my
attention. A great plant, like an immense lily, with broad leaves six
or seven feet long was growing near by at the edge of the small clear
area surrounding the ruins; and, on going nearer to examine it I quickly
recognized it from the great bunch of elongated fruit which hung from
the crown of leaves.
Banana trees!
And there were many of them scattered around. Here was a never-ending
supply of food, of the most nourishing kind. I walked around to the
south side of the clearing, where I found other trees, much resembling,
in general appearance, the banana trees; but the fruit was much larger,
and curved like a scimitar.
My reading of books of tropical travel stood me in good stead as it
aided me in recognizing trees and fruits that proved of great use to me.
This latter, I knew to be the plantain. A still further search revealed
yams, and several clusters of canes, much larger than the largest
cornstalks that I had ever seen.
Here was another valuable discovery--sugar cane! Taking out my knife I
cut one of the canes, and was delighted to see that it was full of
limpid juice. I tasted it and found it very sweet and very refreshing.
I sucked several joints of the sugar cane dry, and then turned to gather
some of the bananas. The bunches were rather small, but several
appeared to be quite ripe. I also dug some of the yams, and with a
sugar cane under one arm, my bow-gun under the other, the yams and
bananas in my hands, I started back to the camp. I could not climb the
wall, loaded as I was, so I set about to go around the end nearest to my
cave-dwelling; when I saw a pigeon, like one I had shot near the coast,
fly up and alight on the wall. As quickly as I could I laid down my
load, and, adjusting an arrow in the bow-gun, took careful aim and
released the string. Again my aim was true, for the arrow pierced the
neck close to the body. It must have been killed almost instantly, for
it quickly ceased fluttering.
With this addition to my forage, I proceeded slowly to the camp. With
food for two days at least, I now began to form plans for making the
"cave," as I chose to call it, habitable. I proposed to close the two
ends and a portion of the front, by setting bamboo, which I had seen
growing plentifully in the valley below, into the ground, and weaving in
vines. I only intended to make a temporary shelter against the wind,
and had no idea of spending the time and labor that I had on my house on
the coast.
It was slow work cutting the bamboos and dragging them up to the cave,
and this occupied me several days. These had to be cut into the proper
lengths, and set into the ground, so that the upper ends would come
firmly up against the overhanging rock. As I worked, my plans for the
future matured, so that I foresaw an extended sojourn here. The
ultimate outcome was, that the inclosing walls of the cave were, when
finished, fully as substantial as those of my house at "Sargent" Bay, as
I had resolved to call the place where I had drifted ashore, in honor of
my late benefactor. The paling of bamboos was closely interwoven with
vines, and I constructed a door for the front. I now had not only a
comfortable but a substantial dwelling, which would afford protection
from the wind and rain, no matter from which direction they came.
About every other day I went to the old ruins to procure bananas and
yams; and, on these trips, I shot several pigeons which proved to be
very delicate and tender. I often roasted yams, and found them to be
very hearty food; and became very fond of them.
Frequently, of late, there had been showers of rain, which proved to me
that the rainy season had set in. I made frequent trips to the top of
the mountain, and, each time, I saw that the peculiar serrated line
against the sky, which I at first thought must be a cloud, had remained
stationary. This convinced me that it was land, and as it was evidently
the top of a mountain range, it must be a great distance away.
I speculated as to what land it would be. If my suppositions were
correct as to the position of the island on which I was exiled, from the
direction it might be one of the Virgin Islands. If so, the Leeward
Islands lay beyond, further to the east and south-east.
My mind was now filled with the project of erecting a substantial
beacon, one which would be seen from some distance at sea. Gradually I
evolved plans for the structure. The first step was to cut the tallest
and largest bamboo which I felt capable of dragging to the peak. I
found one that suited me. It was a long tedious task to cut it down
with my knife, but it was finally accomplished, and I dragged it to the
front of the cave.
It was my intention to devise a headpiece to fasten securely to the top
of the bamboo in order to render it as conspicuous as possible. This
would have to be done before the bamboo was raised and set into the
ground.
The daily showers became more frequent and more severe, and some days
the rain would sweep across the mountain in perfect torrents.
Nevertheless, I succeeded in cutting several more bamboos, of smaller
size, and I also brought several bunches of bananas and plantains, and a
quantity of yams up to the cave.
I now set to work to complete the beacon. Cutting the bamboos to the
required lengths, I lashed them together in such a manner as to form a
sort of gridiron, eight feet long and six feet wide. This I filled in
with a basket-work of vines, woven very loosely that the wind might
easily pass through it, to prevent its being blown down when raised to
the top of the pole.
At length the beacon was finished, the gridiron being firmly lashed to
the upper end of the bamboo; and I had been on the mountain seven weeks.
The rainy season was well under way; but I worked during the intervals
when it ceased to rain, and, by means of a sharpened stick, aided by my
knife, I dug a hole fully four feet deep, on the highest part of the
mountain. I found it difficult work to raise the bamboo with the
gridiron at the top, and plant its base in the hole, but, after many
trials, I succeeded, after which I wedged it firmly with stones and
earth solidly packed.
It would be useless to attempt to leave camp while the rain continued,
and I had fully reconciled myself to remain until the close of the rainy
season; and I hoped that I could find enough to do to occupy the time.
I was obliged to go frequently in quest of food, and I set about
preparing a brief account of the circumstances of my exile in the
island, the date of the wreck and the date of the raising of the beacon;
also, explicit directions for finding "Sargent" Bay, where my house
stood. This was carved in deep letters around the smooth surface of a
large section of bamboo, like a Chinese prayer cylinder. This was
fastened to the bamboo signal pole, a few feet from the ground, to guide
anyone who might chance to notice the beacon and investigate its
meaning, to my rescue.
I made a coat and kilt reaching to the knees, from cocoanut cloth. The
coat was without sleeves, but it would save my only shirt, and the kilt
would prove a great protection to my trousers, which were already
showing signs of hard usage. These garments were sewn together with
fibres of vines, a long, sharp thorn being used as a needle. I also
made a new hat, of more skillful workmanship than the first, which I had
worn until the present time.
Twice, each day, I went up to the beacon to scan the horizon. I saw no
vessels, but the distant, faint outline of mountains remained in sight.
This position commanded a view of the entire island, and I studied it
with interest. It was nearly circular in shape, and I calculated that
it was not over forty miles in diameter. I had thought seriously of
descending to the eastern slope of the mountains, and exploring the
small portion which had not come, thus far, within my projected route.
This belt of country, between the foot of the mountains and the sea,
seemed, from my elevated position, to be very flat, and more sparsely
wooded than the other side of the mountain; but the question of its
being inhabited was settled by the torrents of rain, for, for miles to
the east and south-east the country was under water.
The rain had apparently been the heaviest on the east side of the
island, for none of the west side was inundated, as far as I could
discern; but the stream, along whose banks I had marched from the coast,
was swollen to the size of a great river.
After I had made the clothing, I searched the edge of the bush until I
found some wild canes, growing by a swampy place, from which I made a
supply of arrows. Frequently I shot a pigeon, the birds apparently
being driven into the open by the rain. One day when I went to procure
a fresh supply of bananas, as I extended one hand to cut off a bunch, I
sprang back and quickly retired several rods. The cause of my
precipitate flight was nothing more nor less than a great yellow snake,
exactly like my unwelcome companion on the coast. It was coiled among
the leaf stems of the banana tree. I did not disturb it, not feeling
particularly curious as to its disposition under the present
circumstances; and the next time I came it was gone. I named it the
"banana snake," in commemoration of the latter incident, and because of
its color, which was nearly that of a ripe banana.
The nights, at this elevation, and during the rain, were cold, but the
cave was quite comfortable, and I built a small fire just inside the
door each night, to drive out the dampness; having, from time to time
before the rain became too constant, filled all the available space in
the cave with dry wood, only reserving enough room to lie down to sleep.
The weeks passed, rather tediously after I could think of but little to
do, but the rain was not so steady and, almost every day, there were
several hours when it entirely ceased to fall. There being only short
grass around the top of the mountain, I utilized these intervals of the
cessation of rain by exploring the mountain to the line of the bush, all
around. There was nothing but rocks, with occasionally a few small
shrubs. But one day I made an interesting discovery. Nearly down to
the line of the bush on the opposite side from my camp, I came across a
similar over-hanging rock; but on going under it, I perceived a large
crevice, which, on close examination, I found extended into the mountain
for some distance. I had my tinder and flint with me and, gathering a
few dry leaves and sticks that lay around near the opening, I made a
fire at the entrance. By its light I could see that I had found the
entrance to a cavern, but I could see only a few feet from the mouth.
The walls were dark and the top of the cavern was not more than four
feet from the floor. I determined to still further explore it with a
torch.
For a week I did not again go near the cavern, but made daily trips to
the beacon for the purpose of taking observations, but all the time I
was trying to invent a torch. Nothing suitable for the purpose, which
would burn for any length of time, suggested itself to me, until, one
morning, while at the ruins for yams and fruit, I saw some ripe
cocoanuts on the ground.
"Why not use the oily kernel of the nut?"
I at once proceeded to act upon this suggestion. Taking a couple of nuts
to the camp, I split them in halves, fastening one into a split stick,
making a sort of ladle. Hastening to the cavern on the other side of
the mountain, I made a little fire at the end of the stick, and had the
satisfaction of soon seeing the oily meat of the nut blaze up in a
steady, yellowish flame. Watching it for a moment, I saw that the meat
charred very slowly, while the oil was tried out by the heat to feed the
flame.
Taking the torch and the spare nuts with which to replenish the torch, I
entered the mouth of the cavern. I was both surprised and disappointed,
for it was neither beautiful nor grand. The roof was low, and the walls
were dirty and grimy. The cavern was not more than six feet wide and
four feet high, and I was obliged to stoop as I moved along. The cave
took me straight into the mountain for a few rods, when I came to what
appeared at first to be the end; but I soon discovered a small opening a
little to my right, through which, after hesitating a little, I crawled
on my hands and knees. I went but a few feet before I emerged into a
chamber of considerable size, where I could stand erect; and here I was
greeted by a cloud of bats that flitted about as though bewildered by
the light, their wings making a curious, uncanny fluttering sound. I
could see the roof plainly, and clinging to it, with their heads
downward, were thousands of bats. There were, depending from the
ceiling, a few small stalactites, but they were dark and grimy. I
examined the floor of the cavern, which revealed to me its true nature.
I was in a guano cave, the floor of which was thickly covered with the
guano of the bats, the accumulation of centuries, probably.
"What a fortune there is here," I thought, "if all this guano could be
cheaply conveyed to the coast and loaded into vessels."
Although the air in the cave seemed to be pure, it was not a pleasant
place, and most unattractive; so, after discovering a small passage,
like the one I had just crawled through, leading further into the
mountain, I retreated toward the entrance and was soon in daylight,
feeling no desire to further explore a cavern devoid of all the beauties
usually attributed to such natural phenomena.
The days dragged now, as I waited for the weather to clear, with nothing
to break the monotony but occasional trips to the ruins for yams,
oranges, plantains, bananas and sugar cane; and sometimes I would stalk
pigeons, when my bow-gun proved very effective, especially as I every
day became more skillful in using it, while the birds suffered in
consequence.
Several times each day I went to the beacon to scan the horizon; but I
saw no sign of a vessel. I reasoned that my island must be out of the
regular track of vessels going to the Windward or Leeward Islands, as I
knew it to be, of ships bound to the South American coast, Central
America or any of the large West India Islands. But the far distant
mountains still showed plainly against the horizon.
While gazing away toward the east one day, the idea came to me to try to
construct a boat, on my return to my house on the coast, in which to
attempt to reach the distant land. I was not skilled in sailing a boat,
but I reasoned that, with a fairly staunch and steady craft, provided
with some sort of a sail, I might, when a long period of fair weather
was promised, escape to the land which I dimly saw to the eastward. This
plan occupied my mind continually for days, and, so seriously did I
begin to consider it, that I became extremely impatient to start away
for the coast.
Three weeks more of weary waiting, and the rain ceased to fall steadily,
and then the sun began to break through the clouds at intervals, but the
showers were still frequent. From the beacon I could see that the
floods in the lowlands to the east were subsiding, and that the river
along which I had traveled from the coast, was assuming its normal
proportions.
Gradually the clouds dispersed, and whole days of bright sunshine
followed. The rainy season was drawing to a close. A few days of clear
weather would dry the ground and the bush so I would be able to set out
for the coast.