CHAPTER IV
Journey to the Coast -- Troops of Monkeys -- A new River -- The Reason the Tide was not felt -- A woody Shore -- Reptile Promontory -- Herbert envies Gideon Spilett -- Explosion of Bamboos.
It was six o'clock in the morning when the settlers, after a hastybreakfast, set out to reach by the shortest way the western coast of theisland. And how long would it take to do this? Cyrus Harding had saidtwo hours, but of course that depended on the nature of the obstaclesthey might meet with. As it was probable that they would have to cut apath through the grass, shrubs, and creepers, they marched axe in hand,and with guns also ready, wisely taking warning from the cries of thewild beasts heard in the night.
The exact position of the encampment could be determined by the bearingof Mount Franklin, and as the volcano arose in the north at a distanceof less than three miles, they had only to go straight towards thesouth-west to reach the western coast. They set out, having firstcarefully secured the canoe. Pencroft and Neb carried sufficientprovisions for the little band for at least two days. It would not thusbe necessary to hunt. The engineer advised his companions to refrainfrom firing, that their presence might not be betrayed to any one nearthe shore. The first hatchet blows were given among the brushwood in themidst of some mastick-trees, a little above the cascade; and his compassin his hand, Cyrus Harding led the way.
The forest here was composed for the most part of trees which hadalready been met with near the lake and on Prospect Heights. There weredeodars, Douglas firs, casuarinas, gum-trees, eucalypti, hibiscus,cedars, and other trees, generally of a moderate size, for their numberprevented their growth.
Since their departure, the settlers had descended the slopes whichconstituted the mountain system of the island, on to a dry soil, but theluxuriant vegetation of which indicated it to be watered either by somesubterranean marsh or by some stream. However, Cyrus Harding did notremember to have seen, at the time of his excursion to the crater, anyother watercourses but the Red Creek and the Mercy.
During the first part of their excursion, they saw numerous troops ofmonkeys who exhibited great astonishment at the sight of men, whoseappearance was so new to them. Gideon Spilett jokingly asked whetherthese active and merry quadrupeds did not consider him and hiscompanions as degenerate brothers.
And certainly, pedestrians, hindered at each step by bushes, caught bycreepers, barred by trunks of trees, did not shine beside those suppleanimals, who, bounding from branch to branch, were hindered by nothingon their course. The monkeys were numerous, but happily they did notmanifest any hostile disposition.
Several pigs, agoutis, kangaroos, and other rodents were seen, also twoor three kaolas, at which Pencroft longed to have a shot.
"But," said he, "you may jump and play just now; we shall have one ortwo words to say to you on our way back!"
At half-past nine the way was suddenly found to be barred by an unknownstream, from thirty to forty feet broad, whose rapid current dashedfoaming over the numerous rocks which interrupted its course. This creekwas deep and clear, but it was absolutely unnavigable.
"We are cut off!" cried Neb.
"No," replied Herbert, "it is only a stream, and we can easily swimover."
"What would be the use of that?" returned Harding. "This creek evidentlyruns to the sea. Let us remain on this side and follow the bank, and Ishall be much astonished if it does not lead us very quickly to thecoast. Forward!"
"One minute," said the reporter. "The name of this creek, my friends? Donot let us leave our geography incomplete."
"All right!" said Pencroft.
"Name it, my boy," said the engineer, addressing the lad.
"Will it not be better to wait until we have explored it to its mouth?"answered Herbert.
"Very well," replied Cyrus Harding. "Let us follow it as fast as we canwithout stopping."
"Still another minute!" said Pencroft.
"What's the matter?" asked the reporter.
"Though hunting is forbidden, fishing is allowed, I suppose," said thesailor.
"We have no time to lose," replied the engineer.
"Oh! five minutes!" replied Pencroft, "I only ask for five minutes touse in the interest of our breakfast!"
And Pencroft, lying down on the bank, plunged his arm into the water,and soon pulled up several dozen of fine crayfish from among the stores.
"These will be good!" cried Neb, going to the sailor's aid.
"As I said, there is everything in this island, except tobacco!"muttered Pencroft with a sigh.
The fishing did not take five minutes for the crayfish were swarming inthe creek. A bag was filled with the crustaceae, whose shells were of acobalt blue. The settlers then pushed on.
They advanced more rapidly and easily along the bank of the river thanin the forest. From time to time they came upon the traces of animals ofa large size who had come to quench their thirst at the stream but nonewere actually seen and it was evidently not in this part of the forestthat the peccary had received the bullet which had cost Pencroft agrinder.
In the meanwhile, considering the rapid current Harding was led tosuppose that he and his companions were much farther from the westerncoast than they had at first supposed. In fact, at this hour, the risingtide would have turned back the current of the creek if its mouth hadonly been a few miles distant. Now, this effect was not produced, andthe water pursued its natural course. The engineer was much astonishedat this, and frequently consulted his compass to assure himself thatsome turn of the river was not leading them again into the Far West.
However, the creek gradually widened and its waters became lesstumultuous. The trees on the right bank were as close together as on theleft bank, and it was impossible to distinguish anything beyond them,but these masses of wood were evidently uninhabited, for Top did notbark, and the intelligent animal would not have failed to signal thepresence of any stranger in the neighbourhood.
DENIZENS OF THE FOREST]
At half past ten, to the great surprise of Cyrus Harding, Herbert, whowas a little in front, suddenly stopped and exclaimed--
"The sea!"
In a few minutes more, the whole western shore of the island layextended before the eyes of the settlers.
But what a contrast between this and the eastern coast, upon whichchance had first thrown them. No granite cliff, no rocks, not even asandy beach. The forest reached the shore, and the tall trees bendingover the water were beaten by the waves. It was not such a shore as isusually formed by nature, either by extending a vast carpet of sand, orby grouping masses of rock, but a beautiful border consisting of themost splendid trees. The bank was raised a little above the level of thesea, and on this luxuriant soil supported by a granite base, the fineforest trees seemed to be as firmly planted as in the interior of theisland.
The colonists were then on the shore of an unimportant little harbour,which would scarcely have contained even two or three fishing boats. Itserved as a neck to the new creek of which the curious thing was thatits waters, instead of joining the sea by a gentle slope, fell from aheight of more than forty feet, which explained why the rising tide wasnot felt up the stream. In fact, the tides of the Pacific, even at theirmaximum of elevation, could never reach the level of the river, and,doubtless millions of years would pass before the water would have wornaway the granite and hollowed a practicable mouth.
It was settled that the name of Falls River should be given to thisstream. Beyond, towards the north, the forest border was prolonged for aspace of nearly two miles, then the trees became scarcer, and beyondthat again the picturesque heights described a nearly straight linewhich ran north and south. On the contrary, all the part of the shorebetween Falls River and Reptile End was a mass of wood, magnificenttrees, some straight, others bent, so that the long sea swell bathedtheir roots. Now, it was this coast, that is, all the Serpentinepeninsula, that was to be explored, for this part of the shore offereda refuge to castaways, which the other wild and barren side must haverefused.
THE SEA.]
The weather was fine and clear, and from the height of a hillock onwhich Neb and Pencroft had arranged breakfast, a wide view was obtained.There was, however, not a sail in sight; nothing could be seen along theshore as far as the eye could reach. But the engineer would take nothingfor granted until he had explored the coast to the very extremity of theSerpentine peninsula.
Breakfast was soon despatched, and at half-past eleven the captain gavethe signal for departure. Instead of proceeding over the summit of acliff or along a sandy beach, the settlers were obliged to remain undercover of the trees so that they might continue on the shore.
The distance which separated Falls River from Reptile End was abouttwelve miles. It would have taken the settlers four hours to do this, ona clear ground and without hurrying themselves; but as it was theyneeded double the time, for what with trees to go round, bushes to cutdown, and creepers to chop away, they were impeded at every step, theseobstacles greatly lengthening their journey.
There was, however, nothing to show that a shipwreck had taken placerecently. It is true that, as Gideon Spilett observed, any remains of itmight have drifted out to sea, and they must not take it for grantedthat because they could find no traces of it, a ship had not been castaway on the coast.
The reporter's argument was just, and besides, the incident of thebullet proved that a shot must have been fired in Lincoln Island withinthree months.
It was already five o'clock, and there were still two miles between thesettlers and the extremity of the Serpentine peninsula. It was evidentthat after having reached Reptile End, Harding and his companions wouldnot have time to return before dark to their encampment near the sourceof the Mercy. It would therefore be necessary to pass the night on thepromontory. But they had no lack of provisions, which was lucky, forthere were no animals on the shore, though birds, on the contrary,abounded--jacamars, couroucoos, tragopans, grouse, lories, parrots,cockatoos, pheasants, pigeons, and a hundred others. There was not atree without a nest, and not a nest which was not full of flappingwings.
Towards seven o'clock the weary explorers arrived at Reptile End. Herethe seaside forest ended, and the shore resumed the customary appearanceof a coast, with rocks, reefs, and sands. It was possible that somethingmight be found here, but darkness came on, and the further explorationhad to be put off to the next day.
Pencroft and Herbert hastened on to find a suitable place for theircamp. Amongst the last trees of the forest of the Far West, the boyfound several thick clumps of bamboos.
"Good," said he; "this is a valuable discovery."
"Valuable?" returned Pencroft.
"Certainly," replied Herbert. "I may say, Pencroft, that the bark of thebamboo cut into flexible laths, is used for making baskets; that thisbark, mashed into a paste, is used for the manufacture of Chinese paper;that the stalks furnish, according to their size, canes and pipes, andare used for conducting water; that large bamboos make excellentmaterial for building, being light and strong, and being never attackedby insects. I will add that by sawing the bamboo in two at the joint,keeping for the bottom the part of the transverse film which forms thejoint, useful cups are obtained, which are much in use among theChinese. No! you don't care for that. But--"
"But what?"
"But I can tell you, if you are ignorant of it, that in India thesebamboos are eaten like asparagus."
"Asparagus thirty feet high!" exclaimed the sailor. "And are they good?"
"Excellent," replied Herbert. "Only it is not the stems of thirty feethigh which are eaten, but the young shoots."
"Perfect, my boy, perfect!" replied Pencroft.
"I will also add that the pith of the young stalks, preserved invinegar, makes a good pickle."
"Better and better, Herbert!"
"And lastly, that the bamboos exude a sweet liquor which can be madeinto a very agreeable drink."
"Is that all?" asked the sailor.
"That is all!"
"And they don't happen to do for smoking?"
"No, my poor Pencroft."
Herbert and the sailor had not to look long for a place in which to passthe night. The rocks, which must have been violently beaten by the seaunder the influence of the winds of the south west, presented manycavities in which shelter could be found against the night air. But justas they were about to enter one of these caves a loud roaring arrestedthem.
"Back!" cried Pencroft. "Our guns are only loaded with small shot, andbeasts which can roar as loud as that would care no more for it than forgrams of salt!". And the sailor, seizing Herbert by the arm, dragged himbehind a rock, just as a magnificent animal showed itself at theentrance of the cavern.
It was a jaguar of a size at least equal to its Asiatic congeners, thatis to say, it measured five feet from the extremity of its head to thebeginning of its tail. The yellow colour of its hair was relieved bystreaks and regular oblong spots of black, which contrasted with thewhite of its chest. Herbert recognised it as the ferocious rival of thetiger, as formidable as the puma, which is the rival of the largestwolf!
The jaguar advanced and gazed around him with blazing eyes, his hairbristling as if this was not the first time he had scented man.
At this moment the reporter appeared round a rock, and Herbert, thinkingthat he had not seen the jaguar, was about to rush towards him, whenGideon Spilett signed to him to remain where he was. This was not hisfirst tiger, and advancing to within ten feet of the animal he remainedmotionless, his gun to his shoulder, without moving a muscle. The jaguarcollected itself for a spring, but at that moment a shot struck it inthe eyes, and it fell dead.
Herbert and Pencroft rushed towards the jaguar. Neb and Harding also ranup, and they remained for some instants contemplating the animal as itlay stretched on the ground, thinking that its magnificent skin would bea great ornament to the hall at Granite House.
"Oh, Mr. Spilett, how I admire and envy you!" cried Herbert, in a fit ofvery natural enthusiasm.
"Well, my boy," replied the reporter, "you could have done the same."
AT THAT MOMENT A SHOT STRUCK THE JAGUAR BETWEEN THE EYESAND IT FELL DEAD]
"I! with such coolness!--"
"Imagine to yourself, Herbert, that the jaguar is only a hare, and youwould fire as quietly as possible."
"That is," rejoined Pencroft, "it is not more dangerous than a hare!"
"And now," said Gideon Spilett, "since the jaguar has left its abode, Ido not see, my friends, why we should not take possession of it for thenight."
"But others may come," said Pencroft.
"It will be enough to light a fire at the entrance of the cavern," saidthe reporter, "and no wild beasts will dare to cross the threshold."
"Into the jaguar's house, then!" replied the sailor, dragging after himthe body of the animal.
Whilst Neb skinned the jaguar, his companions collected an abundantsupply of dry wood from the forest, which they heaped up at the cave.
Cyrus Harding, seeing the clump of bamboos, cut a quantity, which hemingled with the other fuel.
This done, they entered the grotto, of which the floor was strewn withbones, the guns were carefully loaded, in case of a sudden attack, theyhad supper, and then just before they lay down to rest, the heap of woodpiled at the entrance was set fire to. Immediately, a regular explosion,or rather, a series of reports, broke the silence! The noise was caused,by the bamboos, which, as the flames reached them, exploded likefireworks. The noise was enough to terrify even the boldest of wildbeasts.
It was not the engineer who had invented this way of causing loudexplosions, for, according to Marco Polo, the Tartars have employed itfor many centuries to drive away from their encampments the formidablewild beasts of Central Asia.