CHAPTER THREE.
COMMUNINGS OF MAN AND BEAST.
It would appear to be almost an essential element in life that manshould indulge in speech. Of course we cannot prove this, seeing thatwe have never been cast alone on a desert island (although we _have_been next thing to it), and cannot positively conclude what would havebeen the consequences to our castaway if he had rigidly refrained fromspeech. All that we can ground an opinion on is the fact that JohnJarwin talked as much and as earnestly to his dog as if he knew thatthat sagacious creature understood every word he uttered. Indeed, hegot into such a habit of doing this, that it is very probable he mighthave come to believe that Cuffy really did understand, though he was notgifted with the power to reply. If it be true that Jarwin came to thisstate of credulity, certain it is that Cuffy was deeply to blame in thematter, because the way in which that ridiculous hypocrite sat beforehis master, and looked up in his face with his lustrous, intelligenteyes, and cocked his ears, and wagged his tail, and smiled, might havedeceived a much less superstitious man than a British tar.
We have said that Cuffy smiled, advisedly. Some people might object tothe word, and say that he only "snickered," or made faces. That, wehold, is a controvertible question. Cuffy's facial contortions lookedlike smiling. They came very often inappropriately, and during parts ofJarwin's discourse when no smile should have been called forth; but ifthat be sufficient to prove that Cuffy was not smiling, then, on thesame ground, we hold that a large proportion of those ebullitions whichconvulse the human countenance are not smiles but unmeaning grins. Bethis as it may, Cuffy smiled, snickered, or grinned amazingly, duringthe long discourses that were delivered to him by his master, and indeedlooked so wonderfully human in his knowingness, that it only required aspeaking tongue and a shaved face to constitute him an unanswerableproof of the truth of the Darwinian theory of the origin of the humanspecies.
"Cuffy," said Jarwin, panting, as he reached the summit of his island,and sat down on its pinnacle rock, "that's a splendid view, ain't it?"
To any one save a cynic or a misanthrope, Cuffy replied with eye andtail, "It is magnificent."
"But you're not looking at it," objected Jarwin, "you're lookingstraight up in my face; so how can you tell what it's like, doggie?"
"I see it all," replied Cuffy with a grin; "all reflected in the depthsof your two loving eyes."
Of course Jarwin lost this pretty speech in consequence of its being amute reply, but he appeared to have some intuitive perception of it, forhe stooped down and patted the dog's head affectionately.
After this there was a prolonged silence, during which the sailor gazedwistfully round the horizon. The scene was indeed one of surpassingbeauty and grandeur. The island on which he had been cast was one ofthose small coral gems which deck the breast of the Pacific. It couldnot have been more than nine or ten miles in circumference, yet withinthis area there lay a miniature world. The mountain-top on which theseaman sat was probably eight or nine hundred feet above the level ofthe sea, and commanded a view of the whole island. On one side laythree lesser hills, covered to their summits with indescribably richverdure, amongst which rose conspicuous the tall stems and gracefulfoliage of many cocoanut-palms. Fruit-trees of various kinds glistenedin the sunshine, and flowering shrubs in abundance lent additionalsplendour to the scene. On the other side of the mountain a small lakeglittered like a jewel among the trees; and there numerous flocks ofwild-fowl disported themselves in peaceful security. From the fartherextremity of the lake flowed a rivulet, which, from the mountain-top,resembled a silver thread winding its way through miniature valleys,until lost in the light yellow sand of the sea-shore. On this beachthere was not even a ripple, because of the deep calm which prevailedbut on the ring or coral-reef, which completely encircled the island,those great "rollers"--which appear never to go down even in calm--fellfrom time to time with a long, solemn roar, and left an outer ring ofmilk-white foam. The blue lagoon between the reef and the island variedfrom a few yards to a quarter of a mile in breadth, and its quiet waterswere like a sheet of glass, save where they were ruffled now and then bythe diving of a sea-gull or the fin of a shark. Birds of many kindsfilled the grove with sweet sounds, and tended largely to dispel thatfeeling of intense loneliness which had been creeping that day over ourseaman's spirit.
"Come, my doggie," said Jarwin, patting his dumb companion's head, "ifyou and I are to dwell here for long, we've got a most splendid estateto look after. I only hope we won't find South Sea niggers inpossession before us, for they're not hospitable, Cuffy, they ain'thospitable, bein' given, so I'm told, to prefer human flesh to mostother kinds o' wittles."
He looked anxiously round in all directions at this point, as if theideas suggested by his words were not particularly agreeable.
"No," he resumed, after a short survey, "it don't seem as if there wasany of 'em here. Anyhow I can't see none, and most parts of the islandare visible from this here mast-head."
Again the seaman became silent as he repeated his survey of the island;his hands, meanwhile, searching slowly, as if by instinct, round hispockets, and into their most minute recesses, if haply they might findan atom of tobacco. Both hands and eyes, however, failed in theirsearch; so, turning once more towards his dog, Jarwin sat down andaddressed it thus:--
"Cuff, my doggie, don't wink in that idiotical way, you hanimated bundleof oakum! and don't wag yer tail so hard, else you'll shake it off somefine day! Well, Cuff, here you an' I are fixed--`it may be for years,an' it may be for ever'--as the old song says; so it behoves you and meto hold a consultation as to wot's the best to be done for to make themost of our sukumstances. Ah, doggie!" he continued in a low tone,looking pensively towards the horizon, "it's little that my dear wife(your missus and mine, Cuff) knows that her John has fallen heir tositch an estate; become, so to speak, `monarch of all he surveys.' OMolly, Molly, if you was only here, wot a paradise it would be! Edenover again; Adam an' Eve, without a'most no difference, barrin' theclo'se, by the way, for if I ain't mistaken, Adam didn't wear a strawhat and a blue jacket, with pumps and canvas ducks. Leastwise, I'venever heard that he did; an' I'm quite sure that Eve didn't go to churchon Sundays in a gown wi' sleeves like two legs o' mutton, an' a bonnetlike a coal-scuttle. By the way, I don't think they owned a doggieneither."
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At this point the terrier, who had gradually quieted down during theabove soliloquy, gave a responsive wag of its tail, and looked up with asmile--a plain, obvious, unquestionable smile, which its master believedin most thoroughly.
"Ah, you needn't grin like that, Cuff," replied Jarwin, "it's quitecertain that Adam and Eve had no doggie. No doubt they had plenty ofwild 'uns--them as they giv'd names to--but they hadn't a good littletame 'un like you, Cuff; no, nor nobody else, for you're the best dog inthe world--if you'd only keep yer spanker-boom quiet; but you'll shakeit off, you will, if you go on like that. There, lie down, an' let'sget on with our consultation. Well, as I was sayin' when youinterrupted me, wot a happy life we could live here if we'd only got theold girl with us! I'd be king, you know, Cuff, and she'd be queen, andwe'd make you prime minister--you're prime favourite already, you know.There now, if you don't clap a stopper on that ere spanker-boom, I'llhave to lash it down. Well, to proceed: we'd build a hut--or a palace--of turf an' sticks, with a bunk alongside for you; an w'en our clo'sebegan for to wear out, we'd make pants and jackets and petticoats ofcocoanut-fibre; for you must know I've often see'd mats made o' thatstuff, an' splendid wear there's in it too, though it would be ratherrough for the skin at first; but we'd get used to that in coorse o'time. Only fancy Mrs Jarwin in a cocoanut-fibre petticoat with apalm-leaf hat, or somethink o' that sort! An', after all, it wouldn'tbe half so rediklous as some o' the canvas she's used to spread onSundays."
Jarwin evidently thought his ideas somewhat ridiculous, for he paused atthis point and chuckled, while Cuffy sprang
up and barked responsively.
While they were thus engaged, a gleam of white appeared on the horizon.
"Sail ho!" shouted the sailor in the loud, full tones with which he waswont to announce such an appearance from the mast-head in days gone by.
Oh, how earnestly he strained his eyes in the direction of that littlespeck! It might have been a sail; just as likely it was the wing of asea-gull or an albatross. Whatever it was, it grew gradually less untilit sank out of view on the distant horizon. With it sank poor Jarwin'snewly-raised hopes. Still he continued to gaze intently, in the hopethat it might reappear; but it did not. With a heavy sigh the sailorrose at length, wakened Cuffy, who had gone to sleep, and descended themountain.
This look-out on the summit of the island now became the regular placeof resort for Jarwin and his dumb, but invaluable companion. And soabsorbed did the castaway become, in his contemplation of the horizon,and in his expectation of the heaving in sight of another sail, that hesoon came to spend most of his time there. He barely gave himself timeto cook and eat his breakfast before setting out for the spot, andfrequently he remained there the livelong day, having carried up enoughof provision to satisfy his hunger.
At first, while there, he employed himself in the erection of a rudeflag-staff, and thus kept himself busy and reasonably cheerful. He cutthe pole with some difficulty, his clasp-knife being but a poorsubstitute for an axe; then he bored a hole at the top to reave thehalliards through. These latter he easily made by plaiting togetherthreads of cocoanut-fibre, which were both tough and long. When ready,he set up and fixed the staff, and hoisted thereon several huge leavesof the palm-tree, which, in their natural size and shape, formedexcellent flags.
When, however, all this was done, he was reduced to a state of idleness,and his mind began to dwell morbidly on the idea of being left to spendthe rest of his days on the island. His converse with Cuffy became sosad that the spirits of that sagacious and sympathetic dog were visiblyaffected. He did, indeed, continue to lick his master's hand lovingly,and to creep close to his side on all occasions; but he ceased to waghis expressive tail with the violence that used to characterise thatappendage in other days, and became less demonstrative in his conduct.All this, coupled with constant exposure in all sorts of weather--although Jarwin was not easily affected by a breeze or a wet jacket--began at last to undermine the health of the stout seaman. He becamesomewhat gaunt and hollow-cheeked, and his beard and moustache, which ofcourse he could not shave, and which, for a long time, presented theappearance of stubble, added to the lugubriosity of his aspect.
As a climax to his distress, he one day lost his dog! When it went off,or where it went to, he could not tell, but, on rousing up one morningand putting out his hand almost mechanically to give it the accustomedpat of salutation, he found that it was gone.
A thrill of alarm passed through his frame on making this discovery,and, leaping up, he began to shout its name. But no answering bark washeard. Again and again he shouted, but in vain. Without taking time toput on his coat, he ran to the top of the nearest eminence, and againshouted loud and long. Still no answer.
A feeling of desperate anxiety now took possession of the man. The bareidea of being left in utter loneliness drove him almost distracted. Forsome time he ran hither and thither, calling passionately to his dog,until he became quite exhausted; then he sat down on a rock, andendeavoured to calm his spirit and consider what he should do.Indulging in his tendency to think aloud, he said--
"Come now, John, don't go for to make a downright fool of yerself.Cuffy has only taken a longer walk than usual. He'll be home tobreakfast; but you may as well look a bit longer, there's no sayin' wotmay have happened. He may have felled over a precepiece or sprain'd hisleg. Don't you give way to despair anyhow, John Jarwin, but nail yercolours to the mast, and never say die."
Somewhat calmed by these encouraging exhortations, the sailor rose upand resumed his search in a more methodical way. Going down to the sea,he walked thence up to the edge of the bush, gazing with the utmostintensity at the ground all the way, in the hope of discovering Cuffy'sfresh footsteps; but none were to be seen.
"Come," said he, "it's clear that you haven't gone to the s'uth'ard o'yer home; now, we'll have a look to the nor'ard."
Here he was more successful. The prints of Cuffy's small paws werediscovered on the wet sand bearing northward along shore. Jarwinfollowed them up eagerly, but, coming to a place where the sand was hardand dry, and covered with thin grass, he lost them. Turning back towhere they were distinct, he recommenced the search. No red Indian, inpursuit of friend or foe, ever followed up a trail with more intenseeagerness than poor Jarwin followed the track of his lost companion. Heeven began to develop, in quite a surprising way, some of the deepsagacity of the savage; for he came, before that day was over, not onlyto distinguish the prints of Cuffy's paws on pretty hard sand, where theimpressions were very faint, but even on rough ground, where there wereno distinct marks at all--only such indications as were afforded by thepressure of a dead leaf into soft ground, or the breaking of a fallentwig!
Nevertheless, despite his care, anxiety, and diligence, Jarwin failed tofind his dog. He roamed all that day until his limbs were weary, andshouted till his voice was hoarse, but only echoes answered him. Atlast he sat down, overcome with fatigue and grief.
It had rained heavily during the latter part of the day and soaked himto the skin, but he heeded it not. Towards evening the weather clearedup little, but the sun descended to the horizon in a mass of blackclouds, which were gilded with [a] strange lurid light that presaged astorm; while sea-birds flew overhead and shrieked in wild excitement, asif they were alarmed at the prospect before them. But Jarwin observedand cared for none of these things. He buried his face in his hands,and sat for some time perfectly motionless.
While seated thus, a cold shiver passed through his frame once or twice,and he felt unusually faint.
"Humph!" said he, the second time this occurred, "strange sort o'feelin'. Never felt it before. No doubt it's in consikince o' goin'without wittles all day. Well, well," he added, with a deep long-drawnsigh, "who'd have thought I'd lose 'ee, Cuff, in this fashion. It'sfoolish, no doubt, to take on like this, but I can't help it somehow. Idon't believe I could feel much worse if I had lost my old 'ooman. It'skurious, but I feels awful lonesome without 'ee, my doggie."
He was interrupted by the shivering again, and was about to rise, when along low wail struck on his ear. He listened intently. No statue eversat more motionless on its pedestal than did Jarwin during the nextthree minutes.
Again the wail rose, faint and low at first, then swelling out into aprolonged loud cry, which, strange to say, seemed to be both distant andnear.
John Jarwin was not altogether free from superstition. His heart beathard under the influence of a mingled feeling of hope and fear; but whenhe heard the cry the third time, he dismissed his fears, and, leapingup, hurried forward in the direction whence the sound appeared to come.The bushes were thick and difficult to penetrate, but he persevered onhearing a repetition of the wail, and was thus led into a part of theisland which he had not formerly visited.
Presently he came to something that appeared not unlike an old track;but, although the sun had not quite set, the place was so shut in bytangled bushes and trees that he could see nothing distinctly. Suddenlyhe put his right foot on a mass of twigs, which gave way under hisweight, and he made a frantic effort to recover himself. Next moment,he fell headlong into a deep hole or pit at the bottom of which he laystunned for some time. Recovering, he found that no bones were broken,and after considerable difficulty, succeeded in scrambling out of thehole. Just as he did so, the wail was again raised; but it sounded sostrange, and so unlike any sound that Cuffy could produce, that he wastempted to give up the search--all the more that his recent fall had soshaken his exhausted frame that he could scarcely walk.
While he stood irresolute, the wail was repeated, an
d, this time, therewas a melancholy sort of "bow-wow" mingled with it, that sent the bloodcareering through his veins like wildfire. Fatigue and hunger wereforgotten. Shouting the name of his dog, he bounded forward, and wouldinfallibly have plunged head-foremost into another pit, at the bottom ofwhich Cuffy lay, had not that wise creature uttered a sudden bark ofjoy, which checked his master on the very brink.
"Hallo! _Cuff_, is that you, my doggie?"
"Bow, wow, _wow_!" exclaimed Cuffy in tones which there could be nomistaking, although the broken twigs and herbage which covered the mouthof the pit muffled them a good deal, and accounted for the strangenessof the creature's howls when heard at a distance.
"Why, where ever have 'ee got yourself into?" said Jarwin, going down onhis knees and groping carefully about the opening of the pit. "I dobelieve you've bin an' got into a trap o' some sort. The savages musthave been here before us, doggie, and made more than one of 'em, forI've just comed out o' one myself. Hallo! _there_, I'm into another!"he exclaimed as the treacherous bank gave way, and he slipped inheadlong, with a dire crash, almost smothering Cuffy in his fall.
Fortunately, no damage, beyond a few scratches, resulted either to dogor man, and in a few minutes more both stood upon firm ground.
It would be vain, reader to attempt to give you in detail all that JohnJarwin said and did on that great occasion, as he sat there on theground caressing his dog as if it had been his own child. We leave itto your imagination!
When he had expended the first burst of feeling, he got up, and wasabout to retrace his steps, when he observed some bones lying near him.On examination, these proved to be the skeleton of a man. At firstJarwin thought it must be that of a native; but he was startled to findamong the dust on which the skeleton lay several brass buttons withanchors on them. That he stood beside the remains of a brother seaman,who had probably been cast on that island, as he himself had been,seemed very evident, and the thought filled him with strange depressingemotions. As it was by that time too dark to make furtherinvestigations, he left the place, intending to return next day; and,going as cautiously as possible out of the wood, returned to his abode,where he kindled a fire, gave Cuffy some food, and prepared some forhimself; but before he had tasted that food another of the shiveringfits seized him. A strange feeling of being very ill, and a peculiarwandering of his mind, induced him to throw himself on his couch. Theprolonged strain to which body and mind had been subjected had provedtoo much for him, and before morning he was stricken with a ragingfever.