In the Eastern Seas

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER ELEVEN.

  OUR ISLAND.

  A ledge of rocks running out from the land formed a small naturalharbour, into which the boat ran, and soon reached the sandy beach.Here the crew made signs to us to land. We obeyed, for resistance, ofcourse, was useless. I jumped on shore, followed by my two companions,and scarcely wetting our feet, we reached the dry beach. The men, thengiving a shove with their oars, pulled away, leaving us on what appearedto be an uninhabited island. Why we were thus treated we could notcomprehend.

  "I do not see that we have any great reason to complain," observedOliver. "We should have been very thankful had we reached this islandon the raft, and we ought to be very much obliged to those people forcarrying us here. They might have taken us to some place and sold usfor slaves, or might have creesed us and thrown us overboard."

  "You are right, Oliver," I answered; "and we must try to make the bestof it. I only hope we may find food and water. Unless they were lessthan human, they could scarcely have placed us on an island which theyknew was destitute of water." We made these remarks as we watched theboat rowing away toward the prow. She soon reached the vessel, washoisted up, and the prow made sail to the southward. We now sat down onthe beach, to see what was best to be done. Macco had his sailor'sknife, fortunately, secured with a lanyard round his neck. I had alarge clasp-knife in my pocket, which, though, like my clothes, somewhatthe worse for having been wetted with salt water, was still serviceableand sharp.

  The first thing was to survey our island, we agreed, and to try to findwater. The shore was lined in many places with the curious pandanus, orscrew-palm, which may well be described as a trunk with branches at bothends; or rather the roots seem to have lifted the trunk into the air andto have assumed the appearance of branches. Its woody fruit, about fiveinches in diameter, is in the form of a sphere, and is regularly dividedby projections of a diamond shape.

  The jungle was so thick that we could penetrate but a very little waythrough it, with great difficulty. Walking along the beach, we reacheda small opening--a miniature gulf, as it were, into which apparently astream of water had at some time flowed, though at present the bed wasperfectly dry. Looking up it, we discovered a high hill some littledistance inland; we agreed that if we could make our way to that, wemight thence have a better view of the surrounding country. We had notgone far when we came to a grove of bamboos. We each of us cut down acouple: one we pointed to serve as a weapon of defence; and the other weformed into the shape of a gouge to serve as a spade, with which weintended to dig for water, should we not find any stream or pool.Still, from the rich vegetation which appeared on every side, we hadlittle doubt that water would be found. Proceeding up the drywater-course, we approached the hill; but it grew narrower and narrower,till at length the trees and underwood, with numberless creepers, socompletely blocked up the way, that we could scarcely force a roadthrough it. Still, to the top of the hill we had determined to go.Making use of our knives, we cut away the creepers, sometimes crawlingunder the trees, sometimes climbing over the stems which bent across ourcourse. Once more we saw the summit of the hill. It appeared muchhigher than we at first supposed it to be. At length we were rewardedfor our exertions by finding that we were actually ascending the side.On we went, the underwood becoming less dense as we rose higher andhigher. We now had little difficulty in making our way, the trees andshrubs indeed assisting us in climbing the steep sides. When, however,we got to the top, we found that what we had supposed to be small shrubswere, in reality, large trees, covering it so thickly that the view onevery side was shut out.

  "I am afraid we have had all our toil for nothing," I observed.

  "I am afraid so, too," said Oliver.

  "Stay, Massa Walter," observed Macco. "I climb to top of dis tree, andden see what I can see."

  He pointed to the lofty palm under which we were standing. Descending alittle way, he cut a quantity of creepers, which he soon twisted into astrong hoop round the tree and his own body. He now began, by placingthe hoop a little way above him and leaning back, to climb upwards, andwith wonderful rapidity reached the summit. We asked him what he saw.

  "We on good big island!" he shouted out. "Plenty of wood; but no seewater. Dere oder islands." And then pointing to the south-east, hecried out,--"Dere more land, long, long away dere!"

  "Do you make out any vessel?" I asked.

  "No; only prow go away to de south."

  "That must be the coast of New Guinea," I observed to Oliver. "I onlyhope none of the inhabitants may come over to this island, for they areterrible savages."

  "If they come, we must keep out of their way," said Oliver. "It wouldbe better to remain here than to be carried off and eaten by them."

  Macco, having ended his survey, descended the tree. I tried to get upthe same way, wishing to take a look round myself; but I found that,though not a bad climber, I could not manage it. Seeing no great use inpersisting in the attempt, I gave it up. We could find no other waydown to the shore, besides the one up which we had come. Having clearedaway some impediments, we had less difficulty in returning than we hadfound in going upwards. Macco led; indeed, his knowledge of woodcraftin his native country was of great service to us, for I believe withouthim we should very easily have lost our way, even though we had left themarks of our knives on the creepers as we went up. As we were pushingon, my eye caught sight of some trees in a hollow on one side, which Iat once knew to be sago-trees, from the description Mr Hooker had givenme of them.

  "See!" I exclaimed to Oliver, "there is a supply of food sufficient tolast us for months, or years, indeed, if we can manage to manufacturethe sago; and I think we shall have little difficulty in doing that."

  I pointed it out to Macco. He knew them at once.

  "Yes, yes!" he said; "dey bery good. I make food from dem. Come tolook for water dere."

  Following him, we proceeded to the hollow I have mentioned. The groundwas low and soft, and gave us some hopes of finding water. We instantlyset to work, digging with our bamboo spades. We dug and dug in the softearth; but though it was somewhat moist, not a thimbleful of waterappeared. Still we did not despair. Oliver proposed that we shouldlook for another spot at a lower level, where we might hope to be moresuccessful. We accordingly set to work to force our way through thejungle towards the shore. Even with sharp axes we should have foundsome difficulty; but it was very heavy work with our knives. Still, ithad to be done. Water was the first thing we required. We hadprogressed a hundred yards or less, though it had appeared to us upwardsof a mile, when we heard close to us a peculiar cry, which soundedsomething like, "Wawk--wawk--wawk!--Wok--wok--wok!" loud and shrillabove our heads. On looking up we caught sight of a magnificent bird,with rich crimson wings, and a long pendant tail like strips of satin.The head, and back, and shoulders were covered with the richest yellow,while the throat was of a deep metallic-green. The end of the sideplumes had white points. I had little difficulty in recognising thebird of paradise, and I remembered Mr Hooker speaking of one which hecalled the red bird of paradise. This, I had little doubt, was the birdbefore us. Away he flew, however, followed by a smaller bird of asombre brown plumage, which I could scarcely have supposed was his mate,had I not known that the wives of these gay-plumaged gentlemen arenearly always robed in Quaker-like simplicity. As he went, he appearedto be pecking away at the fruit of various trees over which he passed.It seemed surprising, too, that his long ribbon-like tail should haveescaped catching in the thick foliage through which he rapidly flew.We, poor creatures, scrambling through the lower part of the forest, hada difficulty in making our way, without losing our close-fittinggarments; indeed, as it was, they were sadly torn by the underwood. Wewere rewarded for our exertions, by reaching another hollow in which anumber of the sago-palms grew.

  The sago-palm has a creeping root-stem, like a nipa-palm, and Mr Hookerhad told me that when it is nearly fifteen years old it sends up animmense terminal spike of flow
ers, after which it dies. It is not sotall as the cocoa-nut tree, but is thicker and larger. The mid-ribs ofits immense leaves are twelve or fifteen feet long, and sometimes thelower part is as thick as a man's leg. They are excessively light,consisting of a firm pith, covered with a hard rind. They arefrequently used instead of bamboo; entire houses, indeed, are built ofthem. They serve for the roofs of houses, as also for the floors; andwhen pegged together, side by side, they form the centre part of thepanels of frame houses. As they do not shrink, but look clean and nice,without requiring varnish, they serve better for walls and partitionsthan do ordinary boards. Boxes, also, are made of them; indeed, itwould be difficult to describe the numberless uses to which they areput. The trunk, however, is the more valuable part, as the pith of theinterior is the staple food of large numbers of the inhabitants of theseregions. I will not stop here to describe how the sago is made; but Iwill do so shortly.

  We again set to work with our bamboo spades, and dug away mostenergetically. Some moisture on the ground encouraged us to proceed,while the burning thirst from which we were suffering increased ouranxiety for success. As we dug lower the ground became soft, and moreand more moist, when Macco, putting down his hand, brought it up full ofliquid mud. "Water come soon," he exclaimed, digging away moreenergetically than before.

  "Hurrah!" I shouted. "A spring! a spring! We are indeed lucky!"

  "Let us rather say that God is merciful," said Oliver, though in so lowa voice that it seemed scarcely as if he intended me to hear him.

  "You are right," I answered; "I do feel grateful." Some bamboos grew ashort way off, and Macco, running to them, soon cut several pieces,leaving the knots at the ends to serve as bottoms; we thus in a fewminutes were each supplied with a serviceable cup. By this time thethick mud had settled down, though the water was far from limpid. Weeach of us eagerly took a draught to quench our thirst. Thus, then, wewere supplied with the first necessary of life. By this time we had allbecome very hungry; though we felt sure we could manufacture some sagoout of the sago-palms, yet it would be a work of time. Our chief hopeof obtaining food immediately was on the sea-shore--we might at allevents find shell-fish. Macco told us he was sure he could manufacturesome fishing-lines and hooks; the latter out of the bones of birds, andthe lines from some of the numerous creepers with which the islandabounded. While this was being done, however, we should be starved; wetherefore made the best of our way round through the path we had alreadymade to the shore. I had often thought the matter over, and I was surethat many persons had lost their lives from not immediately setting towork to try and find the means of subsistence. I had read of twoparties being cast away on the same island at a short distance from eachother: the one perishing; the other, from their energy and perseverance,existing for many months, and ultimately escaping.

  Oliver needed no urging, and Macco especially seemed ready to exert hisfaculties in obtaining food. We looked along the beach, but the waterwas up, and no shells with live creatures in them could we find. Therewas no lack of empty shells, however, some of them of great size andbeauty, such as would fetch a high price in England.

  "They are of very little use to us," I observed.

  Macco heard me. "Not so sure of dat, Massa Walter," he said, for Ishould remark that, having learned his English from Potto Jumbo, hespoke very much in his way. "Here dis big shell make good cook-pot;here clean out dis, make good cup; here plates, and here dis make goodspoon," and he picked up shells of different shapes.

  "I wish, however, we could find something to put into them and cook," Icould not help saying.

  Soon after, we had reached the beach where we had landed. We found thesand soft and fine. Macco looked about, and then exclaimed, "Ha, ha!here's somet'ing;" and he began digging away with the bamboo spade. Ina short time he produced a couple of turtle's eggs: we hunted, and soonfound several more. "Dese do till tide go down and we find shell-fish,"he observed.

  Though very hungry, I had no fancy for eating turtle's eggs raw. "Wemust try and find the means of lighting a fire," I observed. "Do youthink, Macco, you could produce a flame with two pieces of wood, as isdone in some countries?"

  "Not so sure," he answered; "but if we had flint, I soon find pith toset on fire."

  From the character of the island, which appeared to be entirelyvolcanic, I had no hope of finding flints. Just then it flashed acrossme that a few days before I had been using a glass from my telescope asa burning-glass, and I recollected putting it in my pocket on beingcalled off suddenly to attend to some duty; I had little hope, however,of finding it unbroken. I put my hands into my trowsers pockets, andthen into my jacket pockets, but it was not there; neither was it in mywaistcoat pockets, but there was a hole in one of them, and afterfeeling about, I found it had worked its way round into the corner ofthe waistcoat by my side. It had thus escaped being broken, ordiscovered by the Malays when they took away our money. I produced itwith great satisfaction. Macco ran off immediately, and came back withsome dried pith and a bundle of sticks. We soon produced a flame andhad a fire burning. Macco then made a collection of round stones, whichhe put on the fire, at the same time filling one of the shells withwater. "Too much water," he observed, turning some of it out. He thentransferred the hot stones to the water, which began bubbling andhissing as if it were boiling. "Put in the eggs," he observed; "soonboil dem." We followed his advice, and in four or five minutes the eggswere boiled thoroughly, quite as well as if they had been put into a poton the fire. We had now no danger of starving, for the present at allevents; and indeed, if we could manufacture the sago, we might supplyourselves with food sufficient to last for any length of time.

  The tide had, meantime, been going out, and here and there where therocks were exposed we caught sight of shell-fish. I, however, knowingeven in that climate the danger of sleeping entirely exposed to thenight air without a roof over the head, advised my companions at once toset to work and build a hut. We accordingly went back to the sago-palmgrove, and cut down as many of the leaves as we could carry. With thesewe returned to the beach, on the highest part of which, just under thetrees, we proposed putting up a temporary hut, till we could get a morepermanent building. We soon had an edifice erected, something like aNorth American Indian wigwam, into which we could all creep and lieconveniently at full length. By this time the tide had gone down, andby crawling along the rocks, Macco was able to capture a number ofshell-fish. This he did by cutting them off the rock with the bamboospear: our only fear was lest they should be poisonous. We asked himwhat he thought about the matter. "All right," he answered; "dem goodfor eat." He had brought an ample supply for our supper; some wereroasted, but others were boiled as we had done the turtle's eggs. Afterthis, commending ourselves to One whom we knew would watch over us, welay down in our small hut to sleep.

  The sun was just rising out of the horizon when we awoke; the sea wascalm and blue, and the sky was beautifully clear. Our first discussionwhile at breakfast on turtle's eggs, was the best means of manufacturingthe sago. If we could get a tree cut down, there would not be muchdifficulty; but how to fell it with our clasp-knives was the question.

  "Perseverance conquers all difficulties," observed Oliver. "I rememberthe story of the mouse letting the lion out of the net by nibbling awayat the meshes. We can work away at the stem with our knives, and do alittle every day, in the meantime subsisting on the eggs and theshell-fish."

  "Yes, yes," said Macco; "we choose small tree, enough for us to live onfor many days, and we soon have him down."

  Before starting, however, the tide being still low, we collected afurther supply of shell-fish. As we were proceeding along the beach, wesaw, just rising as it were out of the water, a small ridge. "What canthat be?" I said, drawing nearer to it. I saw, as I got close to thewater's edge, that it was a huge bivalve. As far as I could judge, itwas alive. I called my companions, and catching hold of it, we draggedit up, though our united strength could with diffic
ulty accomplish ourobject.

  "Take care no put hand inside," said Macco, "or he bite bery hard!"

  I am certain that I am right when I say that it could not have weighedmuch less than a hundredweight. It would afford us not only one, butseveral meals probably, if the creature inside bore any proportion tohis house. I did not know the name at the time, but I afterwardslearned that it must have been a specimen of the _Tridacna gigas_. Ihave since heard that the shells themselves, without the mollusc, weigheven more than that; indeed, I afterwards saw some in use of largersize. Having captured our prize, however, we found that there was somechance of our not being able to get at the mollusc inside; for when thedifficulty of opening an ordinary oyster-shell is remembered, the forcerequired to get at the inside of so large a shell as this would be noeasy task. It was important, however, to get the creature out at once,for if it were exposed to the sun, it would, in all probability, not befit to eat by the evening. Macco, ever fertile in resource, ran off,and soon returned with a supply of bamboos, which he split up into finelong wedges. He hunted about on every side till he found a smallopening; into this he instantly inserted the fine point of a piece ofbamboo, and going round the shell, placed another in a similar position.There was no lack of pieces of coral rock lying about which had beenbroken off by the sea, and thrown up on the beach; these served ashammers. "Now," he cried out, "strike! strike altogether!" We did so,but Oliver's instrument and mine made no impression; Macco's, however,went right in, and seemed to cut some part of the creature; for directlyafterwards, by using the wedges as levers, we lifted up one of thevalves, and exposed to view a huge mass of blubber-like flesh. Maccoseemed highly delighted. "Dat bery good, bery good!" he exclaimed, andsoon cut the whole away from the shell, and held it up to let the waterrun out.

  "I should be very hungry before I could eat that," I observed.

  "Ah, Massa Walter," he answered, "you will be bery hungry if you no eatdis, and many oder curious t'ings. De great t'ing is, if good to eat.If good, no mind looks; better to eat dis dan starve."

  With some powerful blows, he separated the two shells, and now begged usto carry them up to the hut. "Dey hold water," he observed; "and wesoon have all we want to live well." Having made up the fire, he cutthree very long bamboo stakes, with which he made a triangle over it, sohigh that the flames could not reach the poles to burn them. From thecentre he hung down the huge mollusc, so that the smoke might circleround it. "Dere," he said, "dis now dry, and keep well till we want eatit."