CHAPTER XIX
Recollections of their Native Land -- Probable Future -- Project for surveying the Coasts of the Island -- Departure on the 16th of April -- Sea-view of Reptile End -- The basaltic Rocks of the Western Coast -- Bad Weather -- Night comes on -- New Incident.
Two years already! and for two years the colonists had had nocommunication with their fellow-creatures! They were without news fromthe civilised world, lost on this island, as completely as if they hadbeen on the most minute star of the celestial hemisphere!
What was now happening in their country? The picture of their nativeland was always before their eyes, the land torn by civil war at thetime they left it, and which the Southern rebellion was perhaps stillstaining with blood! It was a great sorrow to them, and they oftentalked together of these things, without ever doubting however thatthe cause of the North must triumph, for the honour of the AmericanConfederation.
During these two years not a vessel had passed in sight of the island;or, at least, not a sail had been seen. It was evident that LincolnIsland was out of the usual track, and also that it was unknown,--aswas besides proved by the maps,--for though there was no port, vesselsmight have visited it for the purpose of renewing their store ofwater. But the surrounding ocean was deserted as far as the eye couldreach, and the colonists must rely on themselves for regaining theirnative land.
However, one chance of rescue existed, and this chance was discussedone day in the first week of April, when the colonists were gatheredtogether in the dining-room of Granite House.
They had been talking of America, of their native country, which theyhad so little hope of ever seeing again.
"Decidedly we have only one way," said Spilett, "one single way forleaving Lincoln Island, and that is, to build a vessel large enough tosail several hundred miles. It appears to me, that when one has builta boat it is just as easy to build a ship!"
"And in which we might go to the Pomatous," added Herbert, "just aseasily as we went to Tabor Island."
"I do not say no," replied Pencroft, who had always the casting votein maritime questions; "I do not say no, although it is not exactlythe same thing to make a long as a short voyage! If our little crafthad been caught in any heavy gale of wind during the voyage to TaborIsland, we should have known that land was at no great distance eitherway; but twelve hundred miles is a pretty long way, and the nearestland is at least that distance!"
"Would you not, in that case, Pencroft, attempt the adventure?" askedthe reporter.
"I will attempt anything that is desired, Mr. Spilett," answered thesailor, "and you know well that I am not a man to flinch!"
"Remember, besides, that we number another sailor amongst us now,"remarked Neb.
"Who is that?" asked Pencroft.
"Ayrton."
"That is true," replied Herbert.
"If he will consent to come," said Pencroft.
"Nonsense!" returned the reporter; "do you think that if LordGlenarvan's yacht had appeared at Tabor Island, whilst he was stillliving there, Ayrton would have refused to depart?"
"You forget, my friends," then said Cyrus Harding, "that Ayrton wasnot in possession of his reason during the last years of his staythere. But that is not the question. The point is to know if we maycount among our chances of being rescued, the return of the Scotchvessel. Now, Lord Glenarvan promised Ayrton that he would return totake him off Tabor Island when he considered that his crimes wereexpiated, and I believe that he will return."
"Yes," said the reporter, "and I will add that he will return soon,for it is twelve years since Ayrton was abandoned!"
"Well!" answered Pencroft, "I agree with you that the nobleman willreturn, and soon too. But where will he touch? At Tabor Island, andnot at Lincoln Island."
"That is the more certain," replied Herbert, "as Lincoln Island is noteven marked on the map."
"Therefore, my friends," said the engineer, "we ought to take thenecessary precautions for making our presence, and that of Ayrton onLincoln Island known at Tabor Island."
"Certainly," answered the reporter, "and nothing is easier than toplace in the hut, which was Captain Grant's and Ayrton's dwelling, anotice which Lord Glenarvan and his crew cannot help finding, givingthe position of our island."
"It is a pity," remarked the sailor, "that we forgot to take thatprecaution on our first visit to Tabor Island."
"And why should we have done it?" asked Herbert.
"At that time we did not know Ayrton's history; we did not know thatany one was likely to come some day to fetch him; and when we did knowhis history, the season was too advanced to allow us to return then toTabor Island."
"Yes," replied Harding, "it was too late, and we must put off thevoyage until next spring."
"But suppose the Scotch yacht comes before that," said Pencroft.
"That is not probable," replied the engineer, "for Lord Glenarvanwould not choose the winter season to venture into these seas. Eitherhe has already returned to Tabor Island, since Ayrton has been withus, that is to say, during the last five months and has left again; orhe will not come till later, and it will be time enough in the firstfine October days to go to Tabor Island, and leave a notice there."
"We must allow," said Neb, "that it will be very unfortunate if the_Duncan_ has returned to these parts only a few months ago!"
"I hope that it is not so," replied Cyrus Harding, "and that Heavenhas not deprived us of the best chance which remains to us."
"I think," observed the reporter, "that at any rate we shall know whatwe have to depend on when we have been to Tabor Island, for if theyacht has returned there, they will necessarily have left some tracesof their visit."
"That is evident," answered the engineer. "So then, my friends, sincewe have this chance of returning to our country, we must waitpatiently, and if it is taken from us we shall see what will be bestto do."
"At any rate," remarked Pencroft, "it is well understood that if we doleave Lincoln Island in some way or another, it will not be because wewere uncomfortable there!"
"No, Pencroft," replied the engineer, "it will be because we are farfrom all that a man holds dearest in this world, his family, hisfriends, his native land!"
Matters being thus decided, the building of a vessel large enough tosail either to the Archipelagos in the north, or to New Zealand in thewest, was no longer talked of, and they busied themselves in theiraccustomed occupations, with a view to wintering a third time inGranite House.
However, it was agreed that before the stormy weather came on, theirlittle vessel should be employed in making a voyage round the island.A complete survey of the coast had not yet been made, and thecolonists had but an imperfect idea of the shore to the west andnorth, from the mouth of Falls River to the Mandible Capes, as well asof the narrow bay between them, which opened like a shark's jaws.
The plan of this excursion was proposed by Pencroft, and Cyrus Hardingfully acquiesced in it, for he himself wished to see this part of hisdomain.
The weather was variable, but the barometer did not fluctuate bysudden movements, and they could therefore count on tolerable weather.However, during the first week of April, after a sudden barometricalfall, a renewed rise was marked by a heavy gale of wind, lasting fiveor six days; then the needle of the instrument remained stationary ata height of twenty-nine inches and nine-tenths, and the weatherappeared propitious for an excursion.
The departure was fixed for the 16th of April, and the _Bonadventure_,anchored in Port Balloon, was provisioned for a voyage which might beof some duration.
Cyrus Harding informed Ayrton of the projected expedition, andproposed that he should take part in it; but Ayrton preferring toremain on shore, it was decided that he should come to Granite Houseduring the absence of his companions. Master Jup was ordered to keephim company, and made no remonstrance.
On the morning of the 16th of April all the colonists, including Top,embarked. A fine breeze blew from the south-west, and the_Bonadventure_ tacked
on leaving Port Balloon so as to reach ReptileEnd. Of the ninety miles which the perimeter of the island measured,twenty included the south coast between the port and the promontory.The wind being right ahead, it was necessary to hug the shore.
It took the whole day to reach the promontory, for the vessel onleaving port had only two hours of the ebb tide, and had therefore tomake way for six hours against the flood. It was nightfall before thepromontory was doubled.
The sailor then proposed to the engineer that they should continuesailing slowly with two reefs in the sail. But Harding preferred toanchor a few cable-lengths from the shore, so as to survey that partof the coast during the day. It was agreed also that as they wereanxious for a minute exploration of the coast they should not sailduring the night, but would always, when the weather permitted it, beat anchor near the shore.
The night was passed under the promontory, and the wind having fallen,nothing disturbed the silence. The passengers, with the exception ofthe sailor, scarcely slept as well on board the _Bonadventure_ as theywould have done in their rooms at Granite House, but they did sleephowever. Pencroft set sail at break of day, and by going on thelarboard tack they could keep close to the shore.
The colonists knew this beautiful wooded coast, since they had alreadyexplored it on foot, and yet it again excited their admiration. Theycoasted along as close in as possible, so as to notice everything,avoiding always the trunks of trees which floated here and there.Several times also they anchored, and Gideon Spilett took photographsof the superb scenery.
About noon the _Bonadventure_ arrived at the mouth of Falls River.Beyond, on the left bank, a few scattered trees appeared, and threemiles further even these dwindled into solitary groups among thewestern spurs of the mountain, whose arid ridge sloped down to theshore.
What a contrast between the northern and southern part of the coast!In proportion as one was woody and fertile so was the other rugged andbarren! It might have been designated as one of those iron coasts, asthey are called in some countries, and its wild confusion appeared toindicate that a sudden crystallisation had been produced in the yetliquid basalt of some distant geological sea. These stupendous masseswould have terrified the settlers if they had been cast at first onthis part of the island! They had not been able to perceive thesinister aspect of this shore from the summit of Mount Franklin, forthey overlooked it from too great a height, but viewed from the sea itpresented a wild appearance which could not perhaps be equalled in anycorner of the globe.
The _Bonadventure_ sailed along this coast for the distance of half amile. It was easy to see that it was composed of blocks of all sizes,from twenty to three hundred feet in height, and of all shapes, roundlike towers, prismatic like steeples, pyramidal like obelisks, conicallike factory chimneys. An iceberg of the Polar seas could not havebeen more capricious in its terrible sublimity! Here, bridges werethrown from one rock to another; there, arches like those of a wave,into the depths of which the eye could not penetrate; in one place,large vaulted excavations presented a monumental aspect; in another, acrowd of columns, spires, and arches, such as no Gothic cathedral everpossessed. Every caprice of nature, still more varied than those ofthe imagination, appeared on this grand coast, which extended over alength of eight or nine miles.
Cyrus Harding and his companions gazed, with a feeling of surprisebordering on stupefaction. But, although they remained silent, Top,not being troubled with feelings of this sort, uttered barks whichwere repeated by the thousand echoes of the basaltic cliff. Theengineer even observed that these barks had something strange in them,like those which the dog had uttered at the mouth of the well inGranite House.
"Let us go close in," said he.
And the _Bonadventure_ sailed as near as possible to the rocky shore.Perhaps some cave, which it would be advisable to explore, existedthere? But Harding saw nothing, not a cavern, not a cleft which couldserve as a retreat to any being whatever, for the foot of the cliffwas washed by the surf. Soon Top's barks ceased, and the vesselcontinued her course at a few cable-lengths from the coast.
In the north-west part of the island the shore became again flat andsandy. A few trees here and there rose above a low, marshy ground,which the colonists had already surveyed; and in violent contrast tothe other desert shore, life was again manifested by the presence ofmyriads of water-fowl. That evening the _Bonadventure_ anchored in asmall bay to the north of the island, near the land, such was thedepth of water there. The night passed quietly, for the breeze diedaway with the last light of day, and only rose again with the firststreaks of dawn.
As it was easy to land, the usual hunters of the colony, that is tosay, Herbert and Gideon Spilett, went for a ramble of two hours or so,and returned with several strings of wild duck and snipe. Top had donewonders, and not a bird had been lost, thanks to his zeal andcleverness.
At eight o'clock in the morning the _Bonadventure_ set sail, and ranrapidly towards North Mandible Cape, for the wind was right astern andfreshening rapidly.
"However," observed Pencroft, "I should not be surprised if a galecame up from the west. Yesterday the sun set in a very red-lookinghorizon, and now, this morning, those mares-tails don't forebodeanything good."
These mares-tails are cirrus clouds, scattered in the zenith, theirheight from the sea being less than five thousand feet. They look likelight pieces of cotton wool, and their presence usually announces somesudden change in the weather.
"Well," said Harding, "let us carry as much sail as possible, and runfor shelter into Shark Gulf. I think that the _Bonadventure_ will besafe there."
"Perfectly," replied Pencroft, "and besides, the north coast is merelysand, very uninteresting to look at."
"I shall not be sorry," resumed the engineer, "to pass not onlyto-night but to-morrow in that bay, which is worth being carefullyexplored."
"I think that we shall be obliged to do so, whether we like it ornot," answered Pencroft, "for the sky looks very threatening towardsthe west. Dirty weather is coming on!"
"At any rate we have a favourable wind for reaching Cape Mandible,"observed the reporter.
"A very fine wind," replied the sailor; "but we must tack to enter thegulf, and I should like to see my way clear in these unknownquarters."
"Quarters which appear to be filled with rocks," added Herbert, "if wejudge by what we saw on the south coast of Shark Gulf."
"Pencroft," said Cyrus Harding, "do as you think best, we will leaveit to you."
"Don't make your mind uneasy, captain," replied the sailor, "I shallnot expose myself needlessly! I would rather a knife were run into myribs than a sharp rock into those of my _Bonadventure_!"
That which Pencroft called ribs was the part of his vessel underwater, and he valued it more than his own skin.
"What o'clock is it?" asked Pencroft.
"Ten o'clock," replied Gideon Spilett.
"And what distance is it to the Cape, captain?"
"About fifteen miles," replied the engineer.
"That's a matter of two hours and a half," said the sailor, "and weshall be off the Cape between twelve and one o'clock. Unluckily, thetide will be turning at that moment, and will be ebbing out of thegulf. I am afraid that it will be very difficult to get in, havingboth wind and tide against us."
"And the more so that it is a full moon to-day," remarked Herbert,"and these April tides are very strong."
"Well, Pencroft," asked Cyrus Harding, "can you not anchor off theCape?"
"Anchor near land, with bad weather coming on!" exclaimed the sailor."What are you thinking of, captain? We should run aground to acertainty!"
"What will you do then?"
"I shall try to keep in the offing until the flood, that is to say,till about seven in the evening, and if there is still light enough Iwill try to enter the gulf; if not, we must stand off and on duringthe night, and we will enter to-morrow at sunrise."
"As I told you, Pencroft, we will leave it to you," answered Harding.
"Ah!" said Pencroft, "if th
ere was only a light-house on the coast, itwould be much more convenient for sailors."
"Yes," replied Herbert, "and this time we shall have no obligingengineer to light a fire to guide us into port!"
"Why, indeed, my dear Cyrus," said Spilett, "we have never thanked youfor it, but frankly, without that fire we should never have been ableto reach--"
"A fire?" asked Harding, much astonished at the reporter's words.
"We mean, captain," answered Pencroft, "that on board the_Bonadventure_ we were very anxious during the few hours before ourreturn, and we should have passed to windward of the island, if it hadnot been for the precaution you took of lighting a fire in the nightof the 19th of October, on Prospect Heights."
"Yes, yes! That was a lucky idea of mine!" replied the engineer.
"And this time," continued the sailor, "unless the idea occurs toAyrton, there will be no one to do us that little service!"
"No! no one!" answered Cyrus Harding.
A few minutes after, finding himself alone in the bows of the vesselwith the reporter, the engineer bent down and whispered,--
"If there is one thing certain in this world, Spilett, it is that Inever lighted any fire during the night of the 19th of October,neither on Prospect Heights nor on any other part of the island!"
ANOTHER MYSTERY]