honey," suggested Maikar.
"And if we did not find honey, what then?"
"Berries," answered the little man.
"Berries are not nearly ripe yet."
"True, I forgot that."
"Say you did not know it, man," interposed the captain with a laugh;"never be ashamed of confessing ignorance in regard to things thatyou're not bound to know. Lead on, Bladud, we will follow. You knowmore of woodcraft than either of us. If it were the sea we had to dobattle with I would claim to lead. On land, being only a babe, I freelyresign the helm to one who knows how to steer."
Agreeing to this arrangement, Bladud led his companions up the steepface of a cliff until a projecting ledge was reached, which was justwide enough to form a camping-ground with a perpendicular cliff at theback, and with its other sides so precipitous as to render the approachof enemies--whether two or four-legged--exceedingly difficult. Bypiling a few stones at the head of the path by which it was reached,they rendered it impossible for any one to approach without awakeningthe sleepers.
Bladud then, using his sword as a hatchet, chipped off some pieces ofthe plank, and directed his companions to cut away the wet parts ofthese and reduce the dry parts to shavings.
They obeyed this order in silence, and wonderingly, for a fire seemeduseless, their encampment being well sheltered from the wind, and, as wehave said, the weather was warm. By means of a cord, a rude bow, and adrill made of a piece of dry wood, their leader soon procured fire, and,in a few minutes, a bright flame illumined their persons and the cliffbehind them.
As the shades of evening were falling by that time, the aspect of thingswas much improved by the change.
"Now, comrades," said the prince, undoing the breast of his tunic, anddrawing from either side a flat mass of dark substance that resembledold dried cow-hide, "we shall have supper, and then--to rest."
"Dried meat!" exclaimed little Maikar, his eyes--and indeed his wholevisage--blazing with delighted surprise.
"Right. Maikar. I knew that you would be hungry when we got ashore, soI caught up two pieces of meat and stuffed them into my breast just aswe were leaving--one for Arkal and me; the other for you. It may not bequite enough, perhaps, but will do, I hope, to keep you quiet tillmorning."
"Nay, I shall content me with my fair share, it I may claim a share atall of what I had no hand in procuring. It was wise of you to do this.How came you to think of it?"
"To say truth, I can lay claim to neither wisdom nor forethought,"answered the prince, dividing the food into equal portions. "The meatchanced to be lying close to my hand as I was about to leap into thesea. Had I seen it sooner, I would have advised all to take some in thesame way. There, now, set to and cook it. For myself, I feel so sleepythat I'm half inclined to eat it raw."
The jerked or dried meat which had been thus opportunely brought away,may be said to have been half cooked in the drying process, and indeed,was sometimes eaten in its dried condition, when it was inconvenient tocook it. In a few minutes, therefore, the supper was ready, and, in afew minutes more, it was disposed of--for strong jaws, sound teeth andgood appetite make short work of victuals.
By that time the night had set in; the gale was moderating; the starshad come out, and there seemed every prospect of a speedy and favourablechange in the weather. With darkness came the wolves and othercreatures of the night, both furred and feathered. Against the formerthe party was protected by the steep ascent and the barricade, but thelatter kept swooping down out of darkness, ever and anon, glaring atthem for a moment with round inquiring eyes and sweeping off, as ifaffrighted, in unearthly silence.
Little heed was paid to these sights and sounds, however, by ouradventurers, who were filled with sadness at the loss of their ship andcomrades.
They spoke but little during the meal, and, after partially dryingthemselves, lay down with their feet towards the fire, and almostinstantly fell asleep. Being trained to a hardy life, they did not feelthe want of couch or covering, and healthy exhaustion prevented dreamsfrom disturbing their repose.
Gradually the fire died down; the howling of the wolves ceased; thenight-birds betook them to their haunts, and no sound was heard in oraround the camp except the soft breathing of the sleepers and thebooming of the distant waves.
CHAPTER SIX.
FIRST ANXIETIES AND TROUBLES.
The day that followed the wreck was well advanced before the sleepersawakened.
Their first thoughts were those of thankfulness for having escaped withlife. Then arose feelings of loneliness and sorrow at the sad fate ofthe crew of the _Penelope_, for though it was just possible that some oftheir comrades had reached the shore on the beach that extended to thewestward, such an event was not very probable. Still the bare hope ofthis induced them to rise in haste. After a hurried breakfast on theremnants of the previous night's supper, they proceeded along the coastfor several miles, carefully searching the shores of every bay.
About noon they halted. A few scraps of the dried meat still remained,and on these they dined, sitting on a grassy slope, while they consultedas to their future proceedings.
"What is now to be done?" asked the captain of Bladud, after they hadbeen seated in silence for some minutes.
"I would rather hear your opinion first," returned his friend. "Youmust still continue to act as captain, for it is fitting that age shouldsit at the helm, while I will act the part of guide and forester, seeingthat I am somewhat accustomed to woodcraft."
"And the remainder of our band," said little Maikar, wiping his mouthafter finishing the last morsel, "will sit in judgment on yourdeliberations."
"Be it so," returned Bladud. "Wisdom, it is said, lies in smallcompass, so we should find it in you."
Captain Arkal, whose knitted brows and downcast eyes showed that histhoughts were busy, looked up suddenly.
"It is not likely," he said, "that any ships will come near this coast,for the gale has driven us far out of the usual track of trading ships,and there are no towns here, large or small, that I know of. It wouldbe useless, therefore, to remain where we are in the hope of beingpicked up by a passing vessel. To walk back to our home in the east isnext to impossible, for it is not only far distant, but there liebetween us and Hellas far-reaching gulfs and bays, besides greatmountain ranges, which have never yet been crossed, for their tops arein the clouds and covered, summer and winter, with eternal snow."
"Then no hope remains to us," said Maikar, with a sigh, "except to joinourselves to the wild people of the land--if there be any people at allin it--and live and die like savages."
"Patience, Maikar, I have not yet finished."
"Besides," interpolated Bladud, "a wise judge never delivers an opinionuntil he has heard both sides of a question."
"Now, from my knowledge of the lie of coast-lands, I feel sure that theIsles of the Cassiterides must lie there," continued the captain,pointing westward, "and if we travel diligently, it is not unlikely thatwe shall come down upon the coast of this land almost opposite to them.There we may find, or perhaps make, a boat in which we could crossover--for the sea at that part is narrow, and the white cliffs of theland will be easily distinguished. Once there, I have no doubt that weshall find a ship belonging to one of my countrymen which will takeMaikar and me back to our homes, while you, prince, will doubtless beable to return to your father's court on foot."
It will be seen from this speech that the Phoenician captain includedthe southern shore of England in his idea of the Cassiterides. Hisnotion of the direction in which the islands lay, however, was somewhatincorrect, being founded partly on experience, but partly also on amisconception prevalent at the time that the islands referred to layonly a little way to the north of Spain.
"Your plan seems to me a good one," said Bladud, after some thought,"but I cannot help thinking that you are not quite right in your notionas to the direction of the tin islands. When I left Albion, I kept acareful note of our daily runs--being somewhat curious on such points--a
nd it is my opinion that they lie _there_."
He pointed almost due north. The captain smiled and shook his head.Bladud looked at Maikar, who also smiled and shook his head.
"If you want my opinion," said the little man, gravely, "it is that whentwo great, good and wise men differ so widely, it is more than likelythe truth lies somewhere between them. In _my_ judgment, therefore, theCassiterides lie yonder."
He pointed with an air of confidence in a north-west direction.
"It does seem to me," said Bladud, "that Maikar is right, for as you andI seem to be equally confident in our views, captain, a middle coursemay be the safest. However, if you decide otherwise, I of coursesubmit."
"Nay," returned the captain, "I will not abuse the power you have