CHAPTER XXV
We Arrive at the Hiding-place of the Treasure
Having gained the crest of the hill that terminated in the headlandwhere I had met with my adventures in the cave, we descended by agradually sloping path that followed closely to the coast. On ourleft the ground rose in uneven terraces, covered with thick,tropical vegetation; while on the right I could see the shoalswhither I had been carried by the ebb tide.
At a distance of about six miles from the stockade we reached thenorth-eastern extremity of the island, where, owing to the hillynature of the ground, we had to follow a course that resembled threesides of a square. Thence, proceeding due west, and still followingthe coast line, we arrived at the place where the master gunner hadsuccessfully ambushed the retreating buccaneers.
Here we found the termination of a well-defined path that had beenmade by the rascally pirates during their occupation of the island.This path, we now knew, made a junction with another track from thebuccaneers' settlement, and, proceeding in an almost southerlydirection, led to a small cove on the south side of the island.
The character of the scenery changed at this place, for the pathplunged into a defile, the side of which showed traces of volcanicagency. Yet, though it was uphill for nearly four miles, thegradients of the road offered no great difficulty.
We harnessed four men to the traces of the wheelbarrows, but ourrate of progress was so slow that 'twas close on sunset ere wearrived at the clearing where the path through the forest cut acrossthe path we were pursuing. Here Captain Jeremy decided to pitch acamp, so as to be fresh for the next day's work.
Accordingly, the men cut down bushes to form a shelter from thenight dews, and a huge bonfire was lighted, for the air during thehours of darkness was decidedly cool. Then, after we had partakenof supper, we turned in and slept, save those who were set on guard.
The night passed without interruption, as Captain Jeremy hadexpected, since, even had Slater and his villainous crew beenanywhere near, 'tis unlikely that they would have made any attemptto molest us ere we had found the treasure.
"My lads," exclaimed Captain Jeremy, as we prepared to resume ourmarch, the barrows being left in reserve at the place where we hadcamped, "for the next two miles we will have to cut our way, takingour direction by the compass. Now, lest you think that our firstattempt was an utter failure, let me say that I took thatopportunity of verifying my bearings, having made allowance for thedifference and variation 'twixt the present time and when last Imade the journey to where the treasure lies. If in six miles I havehit my former track, shall we miss in two miles more? I think not;so take heart, men, and may success reward our efforts!"
Having carefully indicated the required direction by placing twostakes in a line with the magnetic bearing, Captain Jeremy gave theword for the men to proceed, and, wielding their hatchets with awill, they began to cut the path that was to extend two miles in astraight line; for the track cut by Captain Jeremy years ago was nowalmost totally obliterated, though we had found traces of it in theswamps.
The ground, hitherto swampy in the direct route 'twixt us and thestockade (for which reason we had made a wide detour), now becamefirm, standing high and continually rising towards the dip in thesaddle-shaped hill that we had seen on our first approach to theisland.
The men, working in relays, were instructed to hew a path wideenough for two people to walk abreast, and, keeping in a straightline with the portion they had already cut, our rate of progressionwas about a furlong an hour.
For two hours not a sound was heard save the dull swish of the axesas they sheared through the sap-laden canes and brushwood.
Suddenly one of the men gave an exclamation of surprise, and,dropping his axe, seized on a strange object and with a heavewrenched it from the ground. It was an arquebus, apparently ofsixteenth-century workmanship, its barrel nearly rusted through, andits stock so worm-eaten that it crumbled in his grasp.
This was the first token we had seen which related to our quest, andwith renewed efforts our men again attacked the impeding mass ofvegetation.
When at length the path had been constructed to a distance of abouttwo miles, our hopes and fears increased. How could the exact spotbe fixed in that wilderness? Had Captain Jeremy some particularclue, the result of which he kept locked in his breast till thefateful moment? A glance at our leader's resolute face wassufficient. He, at all events, was satisfied with the progress made.
"A man with a mattock!" he exclaimed; and as a seaman ran forwardwith the required article, he gave the order, "Dig here".
A few heavy strokes, and the implement struck a blackish stratum ofsoil. Picking up a handful, Captain Jeremy sniffed at it; but evenwhere I was standing I recognized the odour. It smelt of pitch.
"We are hard on the place," the Captain exclaimed; "another twentyyards, lads!"
At length, with an exclamation of triumph, one of the men pushedaside the reeds, and disclosed a scene the like of which I had neverseen before. For a space of nearly a hundred yards across, theground was destitute of verdure, being composed of a bituminoussoil. On all sides, save the one by which we had approached, werelofty black rocks, grotesquely shaped as if carved by the hand ofman; while facing us was a pinnacle that resembled a human face inprofile, about thirty feet in height. A more repulsive caricaturecould not be imagined. The thick, protruding upper lip, theoverhanging eyebrows, and the diabolical grin--'twas the very imagein stone of the villainous Ned Slater.
"Where--where?" exclaimed Captain Jeremy, gripping his pistols, forI had unconsciously uttered the miscreant's name.
"Nay," I replied, "not Ned Slater in the flesh, but his featurescarved in stone. Look at yon rock!"
"Sink me!" muttered the astonished Captain. "Oft have I seen thisrock, but never till now have I noticed this resemblance, yet 'tispassing strange."
"Is this the work of man?" I asked of him, as the seamen crowdedinto the open space and gazed amazedly at the hideous shape.
"'Tis hard to believe it is the hand of Nature," replied CaptainJeremy. "I have seen the like in the temples of the ancientMexicans, save that here are no traces of the sculptor's tools. Ibelieve 'tis a strange freak of fire, for all around can be seendistinct evidences of volcanic action. This floor is formed of driedpitch, of a like nature to the lake of pitch in the Isle ofTrinidad. But we are not here for the purpose of debating upon theorigin of these rocks."
So saying, he strode forward across the open space, and we followedin a body, our boots ringing on the hard surface 'neath our feet.Then I saw that the image of the man's head was on one side of therock only; on the other the outlines were roughly continued inhorizontal lines along the face of a cliff, till the continuity wasbroken by a projecting rock that resembled the gargoyles one sees onthe towers of cathedrals and churches in England.
Having stopped at the spot where the chin of the human-like profiletouched the ground, Captain Jeremy measured off seven paces alongthe base of the cliff. Here, as far as one could judge, the rockpresented an unbroken wall, so our amazement was unbounded when theseamen were ordered to attack the cliff with their mattocks.
Almost at the first blow there was a sudden fall of stones, and whenthe dust had cleared away a dark, yawning cavity was disclosed,while 'twas now evident that a wall had been built up and carefullyconcealed with a kind of dark plaster, so that it resembled the restof the rock.
"Steady, men!" warned the Captain, as several of the seamen preparedto scramble over the rubbish into the sombre cavity, "the air may bepoisonous."
Directing a number of the men to cut down some pine saplings, so asto make torches, Captain Jeremy called for flint and steel.
"Be careful of the tow," he cautioned. "A chance spark in thispitch-steeped place might be the death of all of us. Once within thecave, there will be no further danger from fire. Stand by, some ofyou, with a barrico, and douche every spark that falls."
One of the improvised torches was quickly in a blaze, and,describing a graceful curve
as it was hurled into the cavern, itstruck the floor, sending out a shower of sparks on the impact.
For a full minute the flame burnt steadily. The air was free fromnoxious gases.
"Five men will be sufficient at first," exclaimed Captain Jeremy."You, too, Master Clifford. Follow me."
And stepping over the dislodged rubble, he entered the cave.