IX
What Happened in the Dusk
Now with the coming of the dawn, a lasting silence stole across theisland and into the valley, and, conceiving that we had nothing more tofear, the bo'sun bade us get some rest, whilst he kept watch. And so Igot at last a very substantial little spell of sleep, which made me fitenough for the day's work.
Presently, after some hours had passed, the bo'sun roused us to gowith him to the further side of the island to gather fuel, and soon wewere back with each a load, so that in a little we had the fire goingright merrily.
Now for breakfast, we had a hash of broken biscuit, salt meat and someshell-fish which the bo'sun had picked up from the beach at the foot ofthe further hill; the whole being right liberally flavored with some ofthe vinegar, which the bo'sun said would help keep down any scurvy thatmight be threatening us. And at the end of the meal he served out to useach a little of the molasses, which we mixed with hot water, and drank.
The meal being ended, he went into the tent to take a look at Job, thewhich he had done already in the early morning; for the condition of thelad preyed somewhat upon him; he being, for all his size andtop-roughness, a man of surprisingly tender heart. Yet the boy remainedmuch as on the previous evening, so that we knew not what to do with himto bring him into better health. One thing we tried, knowing that no foodhad passed his lips since the previous morning, and that was to get somelittle quantity of hot water, rum and molasses down his throat; for itseemed to us he might die from very lack of food; but though we workedwith him for more than the half of an hour, we could not get him tocome-to sufficiently to take anything, and without that we had fear ofsuffocating him. And so, presently, we had perforce to leave him withinthe tent, and go about our business; for there was very much to be done.
Yet, before we did aught else, the bo'sun led us all into the valley,being determined to make a very thorough exploration of it, perchancethere might be any lurking beast or devil-thing waiting to rush out anddestroy us as we worked, and more, he would make search that he mightdiscover what manner of creatures had disturbed our night.
Now in the early morning, when we had gone for the fuel, we had kept tothe upper skirt of the valley where the rock of the nearer hill came downinto the spongy ground, but now we struck right down into the middle partof the vale, making a way amid the mighty fungi to the pit-like openingthat filled the bottom of the valley. Now though the ground was verysoft, there was in it so much of springiness that it left no trace of oursteps after we had gone on a little way, none, that is, save that in oddplaces, a wet patch followed upon our treading. Then, when we gotourselves near to the pit, the ground became softer, so that our feetsank into it, and left very real impressions; and here we found tracksmost curious and bewildering; for amid the slush that edged thepit--which I would mention here had less the look of a pit now that I hadcome near to it--were multitudes of markings which I can liken to nothingso much as the tracks of mighty slugs amid the mud, only that they werenot altogether like to that of slugs; for there were other markings suchas might have been made by bunches of eels cast down and picked upcontinually, at least, this is what they suggested to me, and I do butput it down as such.
Apart from the markings which I have mentioned, there was everywhere adeal of slime, and this we traced all over the valley among the greattoadstool plants; but, beyond that which I have already remarked, wefound nothing. Nay, but I was near to forgetting, we found a quantity ofthis thin slime upon those fungi which filled the end of the littlevalley nearest to our encampment, and here also we discovered many ofthem fresh broken or uprooted, and there was the same mark of the beastupon them all, and now I remember the dull thuds that I had heard in thenight, and made little doubt but that the creatures had climbed the greattoadstools so that they might spy us out; and it may be that many climbedupon one, so that their weight broke the fungi, or uprooted them. Atleast, so the thought came to me.
And so we made an end of our search, and after that, the bo'sun set eachone of us to work. But first he had us all back to the beach to give ahand to turn over the boat, so that he might get to the damaged part.Now, having the bottom of the boat full to his view, he made discoverythat there was other damage beside that of the burst plank; for thebottom plank of all had come away from the keel, which seemed to us avery serious matter; though it did not show when the boat was upon herbilges. Yet the bo'sun assured us that he had no doubts but that shecould be made seaworthy, though it would take a greater while thanhitherto he had thought needful.
Having concluded his examination of the boat, the bo'sun sent one of themen to bring the bottom-boards out of the tent; for he needed someplanking for the repair of the damage. Yet when the boards had beenbrought, he needed still something which they could not supply, and thiswas a length of very sound wood of some three inches in breadth eachway, which he intended to bolt against the starboard side of the keel,after he had gotten the planking replaced so far as was possible. He hadhopes that by means of this device he would be able to nail the bottomplank to this, and then caulk it with oakum, so making the boat almostso sound as ever.
Now hearing him express his need for such a piece of timber, we were alladrift to know from whence such a thing could be gotten, until there camesuddenly to me a memory of the mast and topmast upon the other side ofthe island, and at once I made mention of them. At that, the bo'sunnodded, saying that we might get the timber out of it, though it would bea work requiring some considerable labor, in that we had only a hand-sawand a small hatchet. Then he sent us across to be getting it clear of theweed, promising to follow when he had made an end of trying to get thetwo displaced planks back into position.
Having reached the spars, we set-to with a very good will to shift awaythe weed and wrack that was piled over them, and very much entangled withthe rigging. Presently we had laid them bare, and so we discovered themto be in remarkably sound condition, the lower-mast especially being afine piece of timber. All the lower and topmast standing rigging wasstill attached, though in places the lower rigging was stranded so far ashalf-way up the shrouds; yet there remained much that was good and allof it quite free from rot, and of the very finest quality of white hemp,such as is to be seen only in the best found vessels.
About the time that we had finished clearing the weed, the bo'sun cameover to us, bringing with him the saw and the hatchet. Under hisdirections, we cut the lanyards of the topmast rigging, and after thatsawed through the topmast just above the cap. Now this was a very toughpiece of work, and employed us a great part of the morning, even thoughwe took turn and turn at the saw, and when it was done we were mightilyglad that the bo'sun bade one of the men go over with some weed and makeup the fire for dinner, after which he was to put on a piece of the saltmeat to boil.
In the meanwhile, the bo'sun had started to cut through the topmast,about fifteen feet beyond the first cut, for that was the length of thebatten he required; yet so wearisome was the work, that we had not gottenmore than half through with it before the man whom the bo'sun had sent,returned to say that the dinner was ready. When this was dispatched, andwe had rested a little over our pipes, the bo'sun rose and led us back;for he was determined to get through with the topmast before dark.
Presently, relieving each other frequently, we completed the secondcut, and after that the bo'sun set us to saw a block about twelveinches deep from the remaining portion of the topmast. From this, whenwe had cut it, he proceeded to hew wedges with the hatchet. Then henotched the end of the fifteen-foot log, and into the notch he drovethe wedges, and so, towards evening, as much, maybe, by good luck asgood management, he had divided the log into two halves--the splitrunning very fairly down the center.
Now, perceiving how that it drew near to sundown, he bade the men hasteand gather weed and carry it across to our camp; but one he sent alongthe shore to make a search for shell-fish among the weed; yet he himselfceased not to work at the divided log, and kept me with him as helper.Thus, within the next hour, we had
a length, maybe some four inches indiameter, split off the whole length of one of the halves, and with thishe was very well content; though it seemed but a very little result forso much labor.
By this time the dusk was upon us, and the men, having made an end ofweed carrying, were returned to us, and stood about, waiting for thebo'sun to go into camp. At this moment, the man the bo'sun had sent togather shellfish, returned, and he had a great crab upon his spear, whichhe had spitted through the belly. This creature could not have been lessthan a foot across the back, and had a very formidable appearance; yet itproved to be a most tasty matter for our supper, when it had been placedfor a while in boiling water.
Now so soon as this man was returned, we made at once for the camp,carrying with us the piece of timber which we had hewn from the topmast.By this time it was quite dusk, and very strange amid the great fungi aswe struck across the upper edge of the valley to the opposite beach.Particularly, I noticed that the hateful, mouldy odor of these monstrousvegetables was more offensive than I had found it to be in the daytime;though this may be because I used my nose the more, in that I could notuse my eyes to any great extent.
We had gotten halfway across the top of the valley, and the gloom wasdeepening steadily, when there stole to me upon the calmness of theevening air, a faint smell; something quite different from that of thesurrounding fungi. A moment later I got a great whiff of it, and was nearsickened with the abomination of it; but the memory of that foul thingwhich had come to the side of the boat in the dawn-gloom, before wediscovered the island, roused me to a terror beyond that of the sicknessof my stomach; for, suddenly, I knew what manner of thing it was that hadbeslimed my face and throat upon the previous night, and left its hideousstench lingering in my nostrils. And with the knowledge, I cried out tothe bo'sun to make haste, for there were demons with us in the valley.And at that, some of the men made to run; but he bade them, in a verygrim voice, stay where they were, and keep well together, else would theybe attacked and overcome, straggled all among the fungi in the dark. Andthis, being, I doubt not, as much in fear of the rounding dark as of thebo'sun, they did, and so we came safely out of the valley; though thereseemed to follow us a little lower down the slope an uncanny slithering.
Now so soon as we reached the camp, the bo'sun ordered four fires to belit--one on each side of the tent, and this we did, lighting them at theembers of our old fire, which we had most foolishly allowed to die down.When the fires had been got going, we put on the boiler, and treated thegreat crab as I have already mentioned, and so fell-to upon a very heartysupper; but, as we ate, each man had his weapon stuck in the sand besidehim; for we had knowledge that the valley held some devilish thing, ormaybe many; though the knowing did not spoil our appetites.
And so, presently, we came to an end of eating, whereat each man pulledout his pipe, intending to smoke; but the bo'sun told one of the men toget him upon his feet and keep watch, else might we be in danger ofsurprise, with every man lolling upon the sand; and this seemed to mevery good sense; for it was easy to see that the men, too readily, deemedthemselves secure, by reason of the brightness of the fires about them.
Now, whilst the men were taking their ease within the circle of thefires, the bo'sun lit one of the dips which we had out of the ship in thecreek, and went in to see how Job was, after the day's rest. At that, Irose up, reproaching myself for having forgotten the poor lad, andfollowed the bo'sun into the tent. Yet, I had but reached the opening,when he gave out a loud cry, and held the candle low down to the sand. Atthat, I saw the reason for his agitation, for, in the place where we hadleft Job, there was nothing. I stepped into the tent, and, in the sameinstant, there came to my nostrils the faint odor of the horrible stenchwhich had come to me in the valley, and before then from the thing thatcame to the side of the boat. And, suddenly, I knew that Job had fallenprey of those foul things, and, knowing this, I called out to the bo'sunthat _they_ had taken the boy, and then my eyes caught the smear of slimeupon the sand, and I had proof that I was not mistaken.
Now, so soon as the bo'sun knew all that was in my mind; though indeed itdid but corroborate that which had come to his own, he came swiftly outfrom the tent, bidding the men to stand back; for they had come all aboutthe entrance, being very much discomposed at that which the bo'sun haddiscovered. Then the bo'sun took from a bundle of the reeds, which theyhad cut at the time when he had bidden them gather fuel, several of thethickest, and to one of these he bound a great mass of the dry weed;whereupon the men, divining his intention, did likewise with the others,and so we had each of us the wherewithal for a mighty torch.
So soon as we had completed our preparations, we took each man his weaponand, plunging our torches into the fires, set off along the track whichhad been made by the devil-things and the body of poor Job; for now thatwe had suspicion that harm had come to him, the marks in the sand, andthe slime, were very plain to be seen, so that it was a wonder that wehad not discovered them earlier.
Now the bo'sun led the way, and, finding the marks led direct to thevalley, he broke into a run, holding his torch well above his head. Atthat, each of us did likewise; for we had a great desire to be together,and further than this, I think with truth I may say, we were all fierceto avenge Job, so that we had less of fear in our hearts than otherwisehad been the case.
In less than the half of a minute we had reached the end of the valley;but here, the ground being of a nature not happy in the revealing oftracks, we were at fault to know in which direction to continue. At that,the bo'sun set up a loud shout to Job, perchance he might be yet alive;but there came no answer to us, save a low and uncomfortable echo. Thenthe bo'sun, desiring to waste no more time, ran straight down towards thecenter of the valley, and we followed, and kept our eyes very open aboutus. We had gotten perhaps halfway, when one of the men shouted that hesaw something ahead; but the bo'sun had seen it earlier; for he wasrunning straight down upon it, holding his torch high and swinging hisgreat cutlass. Then, instead of smiting, he fell upon his knees besideit, and the following instant we were up with him, and in that samemoment it seemed to me that I saw a number of white shapes melt swiftlyinto the shadows further ahead: but I had no thought for these when Iperceived that by which the bo'sun knelt; for it was the stark body ofJob, and no inch of it but was covered with the little ringed marks thatI had discovered upon my throat, and from every place there ran a trickleof blood, so that he was a most horrid and fearsome sight.
At the sight of Job so mangled and be-bled, there came over us the suddenquiet of a mortal terror, and in that space of silence, the bo'sun placedhis hand over the poor lad's heart; but there was no movement, though thebody was still warm. Immediately upon that, he rose to his feet, a lookof vast wrath upon his great face. He plucked his torch from the ground,into which he had plunged the haft, and stared round into the silence ofthe valley; but there was no living thing in sight, nothing save thegiant fungi and the strange shadows cast by our great torches, and theloneliness.
At this moment, one of the men's torches, having burnt near out, fell allto pieces, so that he held nothing but the charred support, andimmediately two more came to a like end. Upon this, we became afraid thatthey would not last us back to the camp, and we looked to the bo'sun toknow his wish; but the man was very silent, and peering everywhere intothe shadows. Then a fourth torch fell to the ground in a shower ofembers, and I turned to look. In the same instant there came a greatflare of light behind me, accompanied by the dull thud of a dry matterset suddenly alight. I glanced swiftly back to the bo'sun, and he wasstaring up at one of the giant toadstools which was in flames all alongits nearer edge, and burning with an incredible fury, sending out spiritsof flame, and anon giving out sharp reports, and at each report, a finepowder was belched in thin streams; which, getting into our throats andnostrils, set us sneezing and coughing most lamentably; so that I amconvinced, had any enemy come upon us at that moment, we had been undoneby reason of our uncouth helplessness.
Now whether it had c
ome to the bo'sun to set alight this first of thefungi, I know not; for it may be that his torch coming by chance againstit, set it afire. However it chanced, the bo'sun took it as a veritablehint from Providence, and was already setting his torch to one a littlefurther off, whilst the rest of us were near to choking with ourcoughings and sneezings. Yet, that we were so suddenly overcome by thepotency of the powder, I doubt if a full minute passed before we wereeach one busied after the manner of the bo'sun; and those whose torcheshad burned out, knocked flaming pieces from the burning fungus, and withthese impaled upon their torch-sticks, did so much execution as any.
And thus it happened that within five minutes of this discovery of Job'sbody, the whole of that hideous valley sent up to heaven the reek of itsburning; whilst we, filled with murderous desires, ran hither and thitherwith our weapons, seeking to destroy the vile creatures that had broughtthe poor lad to so unholy a death. Yet nowhere could we discover anybrute or creature upon which to ease our vengeance, and so, presently,the valley becoming impassable by reason of the heat, the flying sparksand the abundance of the acrid dust, we made back to the body of the boy,and bore him thence to the shore.
And during all that night no man of us slept, and the burning of thefungi sent up a mighty pillar of flame out of the valley, as out of themouth of a monstrous pit and when the morning came it still burned. Thenwhen it was daylight, some of us slept, being greatly awearied; but somekept watch.
And when we waked there was a great wind and rain upon the island.