It was six o' clock in the morning when the settlers, after a hasty
breakfast, set out to reach by the shortest way, the western coast of the
island. And how long would it take to do this? Cyrus Harding had said two
hours, but of course that depended on the nature of the obstacles they
might meet with As it was probable that they would have to cut a path
through the grass, shrubs, and creepers, they marched axe in hand, and with
guns also ready, wisely taking warning from the cries of the wild beasts
heard in the night.
The exact position of the encampment could be determined by the bearing
of Mount Franklin, and as the volcano arose in the north at a distance of
less than three miles, they had only to go straight towards the southwest
to reach the western coast. They set out, having first carefully secured
the canoe. Pencroft and Neb carried sufficient provision for the little
band for at least two days. It would not thus he necessary to hunt. The
engineer advised his companions to refrain from firing, that their presence
might not be betrayed to any one near the shore. The first hatchet blows
were given among the brushwood in the midst of some mastic-trees, a little
above the cascade; and his compass in his hand, Cyrus Harding led the way.
The forest here was composed for the most part of trees which had already
been met with near the lake and on Prospect Heights. There were deodars,
Douglas firs, casuarinas, gum trees, eucalypti, hibiscus, cedars, and other
trees, generally of a moderate size, for their number prevented their
growth.
Since their departure, the settlers had descended the slopes which
constituted the mountain system of the island, on to a dry soil, but the
luxuriant vegetation of which indicated it to be watered either by some
subterranean marsh or by some stream. However, Cyrus Harding did not
remember having seen, at the time of his excursion to the crater, any other
watercourses but the Red Creek and the Mercy.
During the first part of their excursion, they saw numerous troops of
monkeys who exhibited great astonishment at the sight of men, whose
appearance was so new to them. Gideon Spilett jokingly asked whether these
active and merry quadrupeds did not consider him and his companions as
degenerate brothers.
And certainly, pedestrians, hindered at each step by bushes, caught by
creepers, barred by trunks of trees, did not shine beside those supple
animals, who, bounding from branch to branch, were hindered by nothing on
their course. The monkeys were numerous, but happily they did not manifest
any hostile disposition.
Several pigs, agoutis, kangaroos, and other rodents were seen, also two
or three koalas, at which Pencroft longed to have a shot.
"But," said he, "you may jump and play just now; we shall have one or two
words to say to you on our way back!"
At half-past nine the way was suddenly found to be barred by an unknown
stream, from thirty to forty feet broad, whose rapid current dashed foaming
over the numerous rocks which interrupted its course. This creek was 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 swim
over."
"What would be the use of that?" returned Harding. "This creek evidently
runs to the sea. Let us remain on this side and follow the bank, and I
shall be much astonished if it does not lead us very quickly to the coast.
Forward!"
"One minute," said the reporter. "The name of this creek, my friends? Do
not 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 can
without stopping."
"Still another minute!" said Pencroft.
"What's the matter?" asked the reporter.
"Though hunting is forbidden, fishing is allowed, I suppose," said the
sailor.
"We have no time to lose," replied the engineer.
"Oh! five minutes!" replied Pencroft, "I only ask for five minutes to use
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 stones.
"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 in
the creek. A bag was filled with the crustaceae, whose shells were of a
cobalt blue. The settlers then pushed on.
They advanced more rapidly and easily along the bank of the river than in
the forest. From time to time they came upon the traces of animals of a
large size who had come to quench their thirst at the stream, but none were
actually seen, and it was evidently not in this part of the forest that the
peccary had received the bullet which had cost Pencroft a grinder.
In the meanwhile, considering the rapid current, Harding was led to
suppose that he and his companions were much farther from the western coast
than they had at first supposed. In fact, at this hour, the rising tide
would have turned back the current of the creek, if its mouth had only been
a few miles distant. Now, this effect was not produced, and the water
pursued its natural course. The engineer was much astonished at this, and
frequently consulted his compass, to assure himself that some turn of the
river was not leading them again into the Far West.
However, the creek gradually widened and its waters became less
tumultuous. The trees on the right bank were as close together as on the
left bank, and it was impossible to distinguish anything beyond them; but
these masses of wood were evidently uninhabited, for Top did not bark, and
the intelligent animal would not have failed to signal the presence of any
stranger in the neighborhood.
At half-past ten, to the great surprise of Cyrus Harding, Herbert, who
was a little in front, suddenly stopped and exclaimed,--
"The sea!"
In a few minutes more, the whole western shore of the island lay extended
before the eyes of the settlers.
But what a contrast between this and the eastern coast, upon which chance
had first thrown them. No granite cliff, no rocks, not even a sandy beach.
The forest reached the shore, and the tall trees bending over the water
were beaten by the waves. It was not such a shore as is usually formed by
nature, either by extending a vast carpet of sand, or by grouping masses of
rock, but a beautiful border consisting of the most splendid trees. The
bank was raised a little above the level of the sea, and on this luxuriant
soil, supported by a granite base, the fine forest trees seemed to be as
firmly planted as in the interior of the island.
The colonists were then on the shore of an unimportant little harbor,
which would scarcely have contained even two or three fishing-boats. It
served as a neck to the new creek, of which the curious thing was that its
waters, instead of joining the sea by a gentle slope, fell from a height of
more than forty feet, which explained why the rising tide was not felt up
the stream. In fact, the tides of the Pacific, even at their maximum
elevation, could never reach the level of the river, and, doubtless,
millions of years would pass before the water would have worn away the
granite and hollowed a practicable mouth.
It was settled that the name of Falls River should be given to this
stream. Beyond, towards the north, the forest border was prolonged for a
space of nearly two miles; then the trees became scarcer, and beyond that
again the picturesque heights described a nearly straight line, which ran
north and south. On the contrary, all the part of the shore between Falls
River and Reptile End was a mass of wood, magnificent trees, some straight,
others bent, so that the long sea-swell bathed their roots. Now, it was
this coast, that is, all the Serpentine Peninsula, that was to be explored,
for this part of the shore offered a refuge to castaways, which the other
wild and barren side must have refused.
The weather was fine and clear, and from a height of a hillock on which
Neb and Pencroft had arranged breakfast, a wide view was obtained. There
was, however, not a sail in sight; nothing could be seen along the shore as
far as the eye could reach. But the engineer would take nothing for granted
until he had explored the coast to the very extremity of the Serpentine
Peninsula.
Breakfast was soon despatched, and at half-past eleven the captain gave
the signal for departure. Instead of proceeding over the summit of a cliff
or along a sandy beach, the settlers were obliged to remain under cover of
the trees so that they might continue on the shore.
The distance which separated Falls River from Reptile End was about
twelve miles. It would have taken the settlers four hours to do this, on a
clear ground and without hurrying themselves; but as it was they needed
double the time, for what with trees to go round, bushes to cut down, and
creepers to chop away, they were impeded at every step, these obstacles
greatly lengthening their journey.
There was, however, nothing to show that a shipwreck had taken place
recently. It is true that, as Gideon Spilett observed, any remains of it
might have drifted out to sea, and they must not take it for granted that
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 the bullet
proved that a shot must have been fired in Lincoln Island within three
months.
It was already five o'clock, and there were still two miles between the
settlers and the extremity of the Serpentine Peninsula. It was evident that
after having reached Reptile End, Harding and his companions would not have
time to return before dark to their encampment near the source of the
Mercy. It would therefore be necessary to pass the night on the promontory.
But they had no lack of provisions, which was lucky, for there were no
animals on the shore, though birds, on the contrary, abound--jacamars,
couroucous, tragopans, grouse, lories, parrots, cockatoos, pheasants,
pigeons, and a hundred others. There was not a tree without a nest, and not
a nest which was not full of flapping wings.
Towards seven o'clock the weary explorers arrived at Reptile End. Here
the seaside forest ended, and the shore resumed the customary appearance of
a coast, with rocks, reefs, and sands. It was possible that something might
be found here, but darkness came on, and the further exploration had to be
put off to the next day.
Pencroft and Herbert hastened on to find a suitable place for their camp.
Among the last trees of the forest of the Far West, the boy found 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 the
bamboo, cut into flexible laths, is used for making baskets; that this
bark, mashed into a paste, is used for the manufacture of Chinese paper;
that the stalks furnish, according to their size, canes and pipes and are
used for conducting water; that large bamboos make excellent material for
building, being light and strong, and being never attacked by 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 the joint, useful cups
are obtained, which are much in use among the Chinese. No! you don't care
for that. But--"
"But what?"
"But I can tell you, if you are ignorant of it, that in India these
bamboos 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 feet
high 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 in vinegar,
makes a good pickle."
"Better and better, Herbert!"
"And lastly, that the bamboos exude a sweet liquor which can be made
into 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 pass
the night. The rocks, which must have been violently beaten by the sea
under the influence of the winds of the southwest, presented many cavities
in which shelter could be found against the night air. But just as they
were about to enter one of these caves a loud roaring arrested them.
"Back!" cried Pencroft. "Our guns are only loaded with small shot, and
beasts which can roar as loud as that would care no more for it than for
grains of salt!" And the sailor, seizing Herbert by the arm, dragged him
behind a rock, just as a magnificent animal showed itself at the entrance
of the cavern.
It was a jaguar of a size at least equal to its Asiatic congeners, that
is to say, it measured five feet from the extremity of its head to the
beginning of its tail. The yellow color of its hair was relieved by streaks
and regular oblong spots of black, which contrasted with the white of its
chest. Herbert recognized it as the ferocious rival of the tiger, as
formidable as the puma, which is the rival of the largest wolf!
The jaguar advanced and gazed around him with blazing eyes, his hair
bristling as if this was not the first time he had scented men.
At this moment the reporter appeared round a rock, and Herbert, thinking
that he had not seen the jaguar, was about to rush towards him, when Gideon
Spilett signed to him to remain where he was. This was not his first tiger,
and advancing to within ten feet of the animal he remained motionless, his
gun to his shoulder, without moving a muscle. The jaguar collected itself
for a spring, but at that moment a shot struck it in the eyes, and it fell
dead.
Herbert and Pencroft rushed towards the jaguar. Neb and Harding also ran
up, and they remained for some instants contemplating the animal as it lay
stretched on the ground, thinking that its magnificent skin would be a
great ornament to the hall at Granite House.
"Oh, Mr. Spilett, how I admire and envy you!" cried Herbert, in a fit of
very natural enthusiasm.
"Well, my boy," replied the reporter, "you could have done the same."
"I! with such coolness!--"
"Imagine to yourself, Herbert, that the jaguar is only a hare, and you
would fire as quietly as possible."
"That is," rejoined Pencroft, "that it is not more dangerous than a
hare!"
"And now," said Gideon Spilett, "since the jaguar has left its abode, I
do not see, my friends, why we should not take possession of it for the
night."
"But others may come," said Pencroft.
"It will be enough to light a fire at the entrance of the cavern," said
the reporter, "and no wild beasts will dare to cross the threshold."
"Into the jaguar's house, then!" replied the sailor, dragging after him
the body of the animal.
While Neb skinned the jaguar, his companions collected an abundant supply
of dry wood from the forest, which they heaped up at the cave.
Cyrus Harding, seeing the clump of bamboos, cut a quantity, which he
mingled with the other fuel.
This done, they entered the grotto, of which the floor was strewn with
bones, the guns were carefully loaded, in case of a sudden attack, they had
supper, and then just before they lay down to rest, the heap of wood piled
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 like fireworks. The
noise was enough to terrify even the boldest of wild beasts.
It was not the engineer who had invented this way of causing loud
explosions, for, according to Marco Polo, the Tartars have employed it for
many centuries to drive away from their encampments the formidable wild
beasts of Central Asia.