CHAPTER TWENTY.
A MODERN CRUSOE'S ISLAND.
Macassar, at the south-west end of Celebes, had been visited; a Dutchtown, very neat and clean, having covered drains down the streets whichcarry away all impurities. On one side along the shore, forming astraight street a mile in length, are a number of shops, warehouses, andnative bazaars; on the other, two shorter streets form the old Dutchtown, with most of the private houses of the Europeans. It is enclosedby gates, with a fort at the southern end. Round the town extendrice-fields, in the rainy season presenting a mass of the most vividgreen. Beyond, are numerous native villages embosomed in fruit-trees.
We were occasionally on shore, and saw many objects of interest, but MrHooker made a long excursion into the interior, of which he gave us anaccount on his return. We caught sight of two of the animals peculiarto Celebes. One of them was a curious baboon-like monkey, about thesize of a spaniel, and of a jet-black colour. It had the projectingdog-like muzzle and overhanging brows of a baboon, with red callosities,and a scarcely visible fleshy tail, about an inch long. A large band ofthem visited the garden of the merchant at whose house we were stopping,and were busily employed in carrying off the fruit, when they weredisturbed by the servants, who rushed out with guns and sticks to drivethem off.
Next day we started with our friend into the neighbouring forest, inchase of the _babirusa_ or pig-deer. After a long search, we came upwith one, to which, the dogs gave chase; and it being brought to bay,was killed. It resembled a pig in general appearance, but had longslender legs and curved tusks like horns. Those of the lower jaw arevery long and sharp, but the upper ones, instead of growing downwards asthose of a boar generally do, curve upwards out of bony sockets throughthe skin on each side of the snout till they meet the eyes. Those ofthe creature we killed, which was an old one, were nearly ten inches inlength. Our Dutch friend stated that they were so formed to guard itseyes from the thorns and spines which it meets with whilst searching forfallen fruits among the thickets of ratan and other spiny plants. MrHooker, however, said he thought they had once been of use to the animalin digging, but its mode of life having been somewhat changed, they hadgrown up into their present curious form. Instead of digging for foodwith its snout as other pigs do, it feeds on fallen fruits from varioustrees. We saw also a number of butterflies, which Mr Hooker said werepeculiar to Celebes. Besides the babirusa, herds of wild pigs of largesize abound in the northern forests, and numerous jungle-fowl,hornbills, and great fruit-pigeons. Buffaloes are generally employed onthe farms, and we drank buffalo milk, which was brought into the housein bamboo buckets. It was as thick as cream and in order to keep itfluid during the day it was diluted with water.
Among the many curious trees we saw, was the sugar-palm, from which theusual beverage of the country is made--called sagueir. It is as strongas ordinary beer. The sugar makes a very nice sweetmeat, and Mr Hookersaid it put him very much in mind of the North American maple sugar.
We were introduced also to a very curious animal, somewhat smaller thana Shetland cow, called the sapi-utan. It has long straight horns, whichare ringed at the base and slope backwards over the neck. We were toldthat it inhabits the mountains, and is never found where deer exist.There seems a doubt whether it should be classed with the ox, buffalo,or antelope. The head is black, with a white mark over each eye, one onthe cheek, and another on the throat. We saw also a couple of maleos, aspecies of brush-turkey, allied to the _megapodi_ or mound-making birdswhich we had met with in our island. They live also in the northernpart of Celebes, and come down to the shore in order to lay their eggsin the black, hot, volcanic sand. It is a handsome bird, the plumageglossy black and rosy white, with a helmeted head, and elevated tail.Its walk is peculiarly stately. The sexes are very much alike. Two ormore birds will come down, and the female deposits a single egg in ahole which the male assists her in making, about a foot deep in thesand, and having covered it up, returns to the forest. At the end often days or so she comes to the same spot and lays another egg. Eachcan lay, it is said, six or eight eggs during the season. Frequentlytwo or three hens deposit their eggs in the same hole. The colour ofthe shell is a pale brick-red. The eggs being thus deposited, theparents take no further care of their offspring. The young birds, afterbreaking their shell, work their way up through the sand, just as theyoung megapodi do, and run off at once to the forest. A friend of MrHooker's presented him with some, which had been carefully covered up,and had just arrived. We took them on board the brig. The nextmorning, when far out of sight of land, we heard a strange noise in thecabin, and looking in, great was our surprise to see a covey of littlebirds flying right across it. They had been hatched during the night,and following the instincts of their nature, were making their way, asthey supposed, to their future forest home. We fed them on little bitsof chopped fruit, and such things as Mr Hooker thought would suit theirappetites.
"But what can induce the parents thus to leave their eggs?" asked Emily."I thought it was the nature of creatures to look after their young."
"If it was for their benefit, so it would have been," he answered; "butI suspect that these large birds, requiring a considerable amount offood, which consists entirely of fallen fruits, could only find it byroaming over a wide extent of country. If, therefore, a large numbercame down to this particular beach, which seems the only one fit forhatching them during the breeding season, they would perish for want offood. Providence, therefore, has so arranged that they should return tothe districts where they can find their food; whilst the young ones, notrequiring so much, are able to make their way as their strength willallow in the same direction."
We had a full-grown stuffed maleo on board. Its claws were sharp andstraight, and very different from those of the megapodi. The toes,however, were strongly webbed at the base; the leg rather long, forminga powerful instrument for scratching away the loose sand, which thosewho have watched them say they throw up in a complete shower whendigging their holes.
We had been standing on for some time to the west, a cast of the leadshowing us that we were in fifty fathoms--the shallow sea whichseparates Borneo from Java and Sumatra. Our compass had never been verytrustworthy. An injury it had received had still further put it out oforder, while thick cloudy weather had prevented us from taking anobservation. Mr Hooker had also for some days been unwell. He hadcaught a fever while we were at Macassar, the effects of which he beganto feel directly he came on board, and we were now very anxious abouthim. Several of the men also had been ill for some time before wereached Macassar. Two of them died. I will not stop to describe theparticulars of their funeral. We felt very sad as we committed them totheir ocean grave. Mr Hooker, who had studied medicine, was too ill tovisit the rest. He, however, got Mr Thudicumb and I to describe theirsymptoms as far as we were able, and sent the medicine accordingly. Assoon as he was able to move he insisted upon being carried forward tosee the men, when, somewhat altering his treatment of them, theyappeared to be getting better.
I was on deck one day, and Roger Trew was aloft, when he shouted out,"Land ahead!" Not knowing exactly our position, we were glad that ithad been seen during the day. I ran aloft, and after a time I coulddistinguish the land stretching away to the north and south, where itseemed to terminate. We therefore concluded that it was an island.This became a certainty as we stood on, as no land could bedistinguished beyond the two distant points we had discovered. We wererather nearest the north end, and Mr Thudicumb determined therefore togo round it. It was a land of dense forest, with here and theremountainous points; high bold capes standing out into the ocean,affording every possible variety of scenery.
"Why, there must be a fort somewhere thereabouts," observed MrThudicumb, who had been examining it through his glass. "I see a flagflying!"
There, sure enough, as we drew nearer, we discovered on the summit of abold rock, standing out into the sea, a flagstaff with a large flagflying from it. What the flag was, we coul
d not well make out, from itssomewhat battered condition. As we stood on, a bay opened out, theheadland I have spoken of forming the westernmost point. Mr Thudicumbconsidered that it would afford sufficient shelter to us should we bringup. He was anxious to do this, that we might go ashore and ascertainwhether any Europeans were living there.
"Perhaps some people have been cast away," he observed, "and havehoisted the flag as a signal to any passers-by."
Mr Hooker was still too weak to go ashore without inconvenience. MrThudicumb therefore ordered Dick Tarbox, myself, Roger Trew, and threeothers, to go in the boat, well armed with muskets and pistols, and toascertain the state of the case.
"Now, take care," said Mr Thudicumb, "that you are not led into anambush. Some of these islands are the dens of pirates, or savages, whoare no better, and still more treacherous. Keep a bright look-out oneither side as you advance, and see that you are able to get back to theboat without any difficulty. If there is an European there, he is sureto come down when he sees the boat pull in; so if you find no one atfirst, you must be doubly careful not to be caught in a trap."
Emily and Grace stood at the gangway as we pulled off.
"Oh, do take care, Walter, that those horrid savages do not get hold ofyou again!" exclaimed Emily.
"Pray, do! pray, do!" added Grace.
"Yes, Mynheer Walter, take care dat de savages don't eat you up; you nowgrow so fat and big, you fine large morsel," exclaimed Frau Ursula, whohad no fear whatever of savages or pirates, being in most instances avery dauntless and fearless person.
I was glad she said this, as it assisted to quell the anxiety of Emilyand Grace. The brig lay about a quarter of a mile from the beach, MrThudicumb being afraid to stand in nearer because of the reefs, of whichthere appeared to be several under water, their dark heads projectinghere and there from the shore. I waved my cap and held up my musket aswe pulled in, to show them that we were in good spirits, and prepared tomake a bold fight, if it was necessary; though I must say I had noexpectations of meeting either savages or pirates.
The flag, though tattered and patched, looked very like an Englishensign with the jack torn out of it.
"Depend upon it, some Englishman is there," observed Tarbox. "Whatobject could any pirates or savages have in flying a flag from thatpoint?"
We found the shore lined with black volcanic rocks, among which therewas some difficulty in landing. However, at length we discovered aplace between two ledges, into which we ran the boat. One of the menremained to take charge of her, while the rest of us, landing, walked upthe beach. We soon came to the thick jungle, in which we could find noopening. We therefore continued along the shore towards the point wherethe flag was flying. Having gone some way, we found an opening on ourright. The underwood and branches had evidently been cut away by anaxe, and seemed to lead from the flagstaff rock towards some place inthe interior. Dick Tarbox leading the way, we advanced along the path,keeping a look-out among the trunks of the trees on every side, lest anytreacherous enemies might be lurking there. The ground rose somewhat.At length we emerged into the open space, where there were signs of rudecultivation; and further on appeared a cottage raised on poles aboutthree feet from the ground, very similar to the building we had put upin our island, but considerably larger. This, we concluded, must be thehabitation of the people who had erected the flagstaff. As we gotnearer to it, we were saluted by the loud voices of birds--a number ofthe numerous tribes found in these regions. Such screeching, crying,cooing, shrieking, and chattering, I had never before heard; while fromwooden cages on every side, or from under small huts of curiousconstruction, came forth the cries of all sorts of animals. Still, noone appeared. Presently we heard a shot at a little distance, anddiscovered a path leading to where it came from. Tarbox fired as asignal, being sure, from what we saw in the cottage, that its occupantwas not likely to be evilly disposed towards us. As we went on, we saw,coming through the open glade before us, a tall figure, with a gun inhis hand, followed by another carrying a basket, and several birds slungover his shoulders.
"A veritable Robinson Crusoe!" I exclaimed.
The figure answered, indeed, in every respect, the description I hadseen of that far-famed adventurer. There was the pointed, palm-leafhat; the rough skin leggings; a belt round the waist, with hunting-knifeand all sorts of things stuck in it; boots of skin; and a gun in hishand (though, I suspect, Robinson Crusoe must have used a bow andarrow--at all events, he must have done so when his powder wasexpended). The man behind him, too, was in all respects like his manFriday; fully as dark-skinned, though perhaps with rather more clothingthan Friday was accustomed to wear, as his dress was similar to that ofthe leading figure.
"Hilloa, my friends! where do you come from?" he exclaimed, in a loud,cheery voice. "What! have you found me out at last?"
"Why, friend, we saw a flag flying from the point out there, and took itfor granted that somebody or other was here on shore wanting to be takenoff; and if you wish to come with us, we have directions to take you onboard our brig, which lies in the bay out there."
"Yes, indeed, I do; for I have been waiting here long enough almost tohave lost all account of time," answered the tall man. "I have a prettylarge family, however; and unless your brig is a good-sized one, I doubtwhether you can carry us all."
"What! have you got a wife and children living here?" asked Tarbox. "Wesaw nothing of them as we came along."
"No, no, no!" answered the stranger; "I have no wife; and as for mychildren, I cannot say that you would consider them as such. Probably,however, you heard the voices of my family as you passed my house."
"Ho, ho! all those birds and beasts, you mean, friend!" said Tarbox."Well, as to that, as we have a gentleman on board, the owner of thebrig, who has a fancy that way, I do not think he will refuse to have asmany as the craft will hold. But it will take some little time, Isuspect, to build houses for them; for I suppose they are not tameenough to be allowed to run at liberty about the decks?"
"Not exactly," answered the stranger. "Some of them have ratherquarrelsome dispositions, and they would be apt to fall out with eachother, and perhaps with the crew. However, a considerable number areturned into mummies, though they fill somewhat large cages altogether;and as I have spent so much of my time in collecting them, I have nointention of leaving them behind. If you can take them, I will go withyou; but if not, I must get you to send another vessel to bring me off.The craft which brought me here must either have been lost in a typhoonor destroyed by pirates, for she did not return at the time appointed;and after waiting month after month, and year after year, I almost gaveup all hopes of again seeing a civilised man. I have had visitors, tobe sure, on the island; but I did not like their looks, as I thoughtthey were more likely to stick their krisses into me than to carry meaway to a civilised place; and therefore I had to keep out of sight.Still, at last I began to regret not being able to exhibit my treasuresto my fellow-men capable of appreciating them; and so I rigged thatflagstaff you saw, and hoisted a flag as a signal to any passing vesselto put in here. However, most craft, I suppose, keep either alongfurther to the southward, or else to the north of this island; andthough I have seen a few passing in the horizon, none have come nearenough to distinguish my signal."
From the way the stranger spoke, I saw at once that he was a man ofsuperior education, in spite of his strange costume.
"Perhaps, sir," I said, "you would like to come on board and see theowner, Mr Hooker. I am sure he would be delighted to do what he can toassist you."
"Hooker!" he exclaimed. "Hooker, did you say, young man? Of course Iwill. If he is the Hooker I know--and from what you say about him, Ihave little doubt about the matter--I shall be delighted to see him; andI am very sure he will do all he can to assist me.--Stay, however," hesaid. "If you will wait a little while, I will accompany you. I must,however, first feed my family, as I may be absent for some time, andthey are not accustomed to go without their provisions."
The noise as we passed the house had been considerable. As the strangerapproached it, however, the cries with which his feathered andfour-footed friends greeted him were almost deafening. I might haveadded, no-footed friends, for he had huge pythons, and snakes of allsorts;--tigers, and other wild beasts; and birds, from long-leggedstorks down to the smallest of the feathered tribes. He and his manFriday were occupied some time in feeding all these numerous creatures,according to their respective wants. They all appeared to know him, andacknowledge him as their master; and he must have employed considerabletime in taming many of them. I will describe them by-and-by.
At length the operation of feeding them was over, and he expressedhimself ready to accompany us to the boat. He addressed a few words tohis man, Tanda, he called him, adding, as he walked away,--"Don't fear,my lad; I am not going to desert you.--He does not understand that, bythe by;" and, turning round again, he spoke to the man in a strangelanguage. He put up his hand to look at the brig. "Well," he said, ashe stepped into the boat, "I scarcely expected ever to see a Europeanvessel come near this island."
All hands able to appear on deck were collected at the gangway to gazeat us as we approached. They certainly did regard our companion withlooks of astonishment as he stepped up the side.
"Mr Hooker is below, sir," I said. "I will let him know that you arehere."
I ran down into the cabin, eager to give the intelligence to my friend.
"He did not give his name," I answered; "but he said he was an oldfriend of yours."
"An old friend of mine out here? Can it possibly be--and yet I think itmust. Beg him to come down. Oh! how I wish I was able to go on shoreand help him to get off his valuables! Strange! that is strange!" Iheard him say as I left the cabin.
I found the stranger in conversation with Emily and Grace, with whom heseemed greatly interested. He was patting Emily's cheek, and lookingwith an inquiring glance into her face, when I appeared.
Mr Hooker endeavoured to rise from his chair when the stranger entered.
"Is it possible?" he exclaimed, holding out both his hands.
"Hooker," exclaimed the stranger, "I know you!"
"And Sedgwick," answered the other, "in your somewhat out-of-the-waygarb, I know you still, my friend--my master in science--my instructorin knowledge--"
The two friends eagerly shook hands, the stranger sinking down into achair, and looking eagerly into Mr Hooker's face.
"You will recover, never fear--you will recover," he exclaimed. "Youhave had a touch of jungle fever; and if you can get on shore for a fewdays, and live in the open air, instead of in this confined cabin, youwill quickly pick up your strength. But, Hooker, I had no idea you weremarried. Are these young people on board your children? and the lady ondeck there, is she your wife?"
"No, no, no," answered Mr Hooker. "The old Dutchwoman is the younggirls' governante. And it is extraordinary! Can you think who thosechildren are?"
"Had I not seen the girl I might have been puzzled; for I cannotconjecture what has brought them out here," and he turned round andlooked at me. "Yes; I recognise his father too.--Is your father out inthese parts?" he asked.
"No, sir," I answered. "They are both dead."
"Both dead, did you say? Your mother dead? For her sake I chieflylonged to return to England; and she gone, boy! Do you know who I am?I am your uncle! Did you ever hear of your uncle, Tom Sedgwick, thenaturalist?"
"Indeed I have," I answered. "And I heard that he had gone away, longago, to the Eastern Seas, and was supposed to have lost his life."
"That was but natural enough, as I did not appear," answered MrSedgwick. "But it is very wonderful that you should have come to thevery place where I have been so long living apart from myfellow-creatures. And your sister, what is her name?"
I told him.
"And the other little girl, is she a relation? for I have no difficultyin distinguishing which is my niece."
"No; she is Captain Davenport's daughter," I answered.
"A nice, pretty little girl. But Emily--I must see Emily again."
I ran to call her. She came down trembling; for she had often heard ourmother speak of our uncle, and for her sake had longed to see him. MrSedgwick pressed her fondly in his arms.
"Yes, you are the very image of your mother," he said, looking in herface again and again.
Thus, for some time, we sat talking of the past, rather than thepresent.
"Well, Hooker!" he exclaimed at last, "I wish you were on shore. Wemust see how you are by to-morrow or next day; and, in the meantime, wemust get these young people and their worthy nurse to come to my houseand see my wonders. I can easily manage to find accommodation for them;for I built it originally in the expectation of having some companions.Walter, you will accompany them, as I suppose, Hooker, you can sparehim?"
"I have no doubt my skipper can do without him," answered Mr Hooker;"though, I can tell you, he is of no little importance on board, as heacts the part of mate; and a very good seaman he is, too, for his age,and the time he has been at sea."
I asked Mr Hooker if Oliver could accompany us, as I knew he could bespared. "And Merlin too. The old fellow will like a run on shore; andyou will let him come also," I said, turning to my uncle.
"He looks too wise an animal to quarrel with any of my friends," heobserved; "and I shall be very glad to see him."
Frau Ursula and the young ladies quickly got ready a few things to takeon shore. Evening was approaching. However, the old friends had a gooddeal to talk about before we shoved off. In a short time, we werepretty well at our ease with Mr Sedgwick; and the girls looked forwardwith delight to the wonders they hoped to see on the island.
We landed at a rather more convenient spot, which Mr Sedgwick pointedout. Roger Trew, who had leave to remain on shore, assisted in carryingup the beds for the ladies; while Oliver and I took charge of the otherarticles they required. The boat then pulled back to the brig. Themoment Merlin landed he scampered off along the shore, bounding andgambolling just like a young dog, so delighted did he appear to be ableto stretch his legs. He then came up to me, and licking my hand,followed close at my heels.
"I do not quite like the look of the weather," observed Mr Sedgwick,glancing back at the sea. "I wish I had told them on board the brig toget out another anchor; or it might have been safer, to be sure, tostand out into the offing. Stay; there will be no harm in giving them acaution."
He went back to the beach and hailed; but the boat was already at aconsiderable distance, and Tarbox did not appear to hear him.
"Well, I hope it is all right," he observed. "I have often seen thisweather, and nothing has come of it. At the same time, it generallylooks like this just before a heavy gale; and this open bay is not agood place for a vessel to be caught in when it blows hard."
In the Eastern Seas Page 20
