In the Eastern Seas

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER THIRTY.

  WALTER DISAPPEARS--NARRATIVE CONTINUED BY EMILY.

  I had not forgotten my uncle's wish to obtain another nautilus, but theweather had prevented us going on the water for some days. It havingagain moderated, I consulted Ali, through Mr Hooker, on the subject,and got him to explain what we proposed doing. We could not, however,make him understand clearly what we wanted. That morning he, Oliver,and I, with Potto Jumbo, went down to the beach to procure shell-fish.We had been some time on the rocks, when I saw an object floating intowards the shore. As it drew nearer, I discovered to my satisfactionthat it was the empty shell of a nautilus. In my eagerness I was aboutto throw off my clothes and jump in to fetch it, when Potto Jumbo drewme back. "Take care, Massa Walter," he said; "shark about here! Neverswim out in open place like dis." I, however, pointed out the shell toAli, and tried to make him understand that it was that of which we werein search. He seemed to fancy that I wanted him to swim off for it,and, thoughtless about the sharks, he was on the point of doing so.Potto stopped him also, and by waiting patiently, the nautilus shellgradually floated in towards us, and seizing it eagerly, I returned withit to the house. Mr Hooker had now no difficulty in explaining to Alithat it was the creature in its shell which he so much desired, and Alitold him that he had great hopes of capturing one.

  That evening Ali, Dick Tarbox, and I, went out to fish in our boat inthe line of cliffs near which my uncle had shot the frigate-birds.First, however, we pulled out some way, and laid down our fish-pots at aspot where Ali seemed to think it was possible we might capture one ofthe much-wished-for nautili. It was at this place Ali made usunderstand that we were more likely to catch fish than any other. Hecame prepared with hooks, which he himself had manufactured frombrass-wire, some of which had been found in the wreck. He had attachedabout a fathom of wire to each hook, at the upper end of which the linewas fastened; this was in order to prevent the sharp teeth of the fishcutting the line. He had caught a few fish in a hand net for bait.Having anchored our boat by a stone sufficient to hold her, we lowereddown our lines. To each hook a sort of sling of palm-leaf was fastened,and in this sling was a small stone, so arranged that on reaching thebottom it fell out. We very soon got bites, and Ali was the first tohaul up a fine large fish. Immediately afterwards I got one, and Tarboxbefore long caught another. In the meantime, however, Ali hauled up acouple; indeed, to each of ours he managed somehow or other to get two.Their names I do not remember, but I know I never had better sport in mylife. Gradually the rocks above our heads grew higher and higher in thegloom of approaching night, which seemed to soften the faint outlines ofthe landscape, and to increase the size of the objects round us. Alittle way from us was an opening in the cliffs, beyond which we couldsee the dark forest. From it there issued various sounds, which seemedto echo backwards and forwards among the rocks. Among them we coulddistinguish the moaning cries of monkeys--one seeming to be calling tothe other for help in piteous tones. The effect was curious, and had apeculiarly melancholy sound; indeed we might easily have supposed themto be the cries of captive slaves, or perhaps a more fanciful personmight describe them as disembodied spirits in some haunted island.Meanwhile the night wind, sighing through the lofty trees, came moaningdown towards us. At length darkness compelled us to give up our sport,and, with an abundant supply of fish, we pulled slowly back towards ourusual landing-place, where, having unladen our boat, we hauled her up toa safe spot above high-water mark.

  I felt an unusual melancholy steal over me, why I cannot tell, while, bythe light of a lamp fed by cocoa-nut oil manufactured by my uncle andhis factotum Tanda, I sat writing these lines of my journal:--"To-morrowmorning Ali and I are going off in the hopes of obtaining a nautilus,and he feels confident that we shall get one, probably at a reef whichhe knows of at some distance, almost out of sight of the island. It isso far off that, had he not mentioned it, we should not have been awareof its existence."

  EMILY'S JOURNAL.

  Only yesterday, my dear brother Walter asked me to assist him in writinghis journal from his dictation, begging me to put in any remarks of myown. Little did I think at the time that the whole would be my work. Iobey his wishes, though sick at heart and full of anxiety. Yesterdaymorning he and Ali went off in the boat to fish, saying that they weresure of bringing back a nautilus, which our uncle and Mr Hooker so longto possess; but a whole day has passed, and they have not returned.They were seen to be pulling out to sea further than they have everbefore gone. They had been some time absent, and we were expectingtheir return, when a fearful squall, such as has not occurred since thetime when the brig was lost, broke over the island. Mr Thudicumb andthe kind old boatswain tried to persuade me that I need not be alarmed,but I cannot help feeling most fearful anxiety. The boat is so small,and not at all calculated to contend with a heavy sea. And then thatMalay Ali--ought he to have been trusted? I have heard that the Malaysare dreadfully treacherous, and he may have taken this opportunity ofgetting away to join his own people. I could not have thought that hehad been so heartless and cruel as to injure Walter, and yet I know itis possible. Poor dear Grace can scarcely lift up her head; she hasbeen in tears all day, and Oliver feels it dreadfully. If we hadanother boat we might go and search for him, and Oliver has been tryingto persuade Mr Thudicumb and the rest to build one; but he says itwould take a long time to do so, as no timber is ready for the purpose.It would, indeed, take almost as much time to build a boat as it wouldto finish the vessel, and he thinks that it is more important to dothat. Our uncle and Mr Hooker are very anxious, I see, notwithstandingall they say. This morning before daybreak a strange rumbling noise washeard, and we felt the house shake, and several articles which had beenplaced carelessly on shelves fell down. On running out into theverandah, a bright light was seen towards the mountains in the interior,caused by flames issuing from a high peak, above which black wreaths ofsmoke ascended to the sky. Mr Hooker says that although there might bean eruption of the mountain, yet, as we are a long way from it, weshould have every prospect of escaping injury. I am nearly certain thatthey said this to calm our alarm, for, unintentional, I heard themtalking together, when Mr Hooker observed he did not like the look ofthings; that we are living at the mouth of a broad ravine, and that ifany large stream of lava were to come down, it would very likely takeour direction.

  "That is what I am afraid of," said my uncle; "but as we have no meansof avoiding it, it would be a pity to put the idea into the minds of therest."

  "Don't you think that we ought to have a large raft built?" Mr Hookerobserved. "If the lava were to come down, we might get upon that andescape being burned, for the whole forest would quickly be in a blaze."

  Our uncle said he would consult Mr Thudicumb; but he thought it wouldtake a considerable time to build a raft of sufficient size, and thatthe time might be better employed in getting on with the vessel. Theytherefore, it appears, have determined to proceed with that.

  "But our collections--our cases--what shall we do with them?" said MrHooker.

  "Well, my dear Hooker," answered my uncle, "though I would willinglyrisk my own life for the sake of attempting to save them, yet I feel weought not to imperil the lives of these young people or the others withus. It is sad enough to have lost young Walter, and I am afraid he islost. That fellow Ali is a genuine Malay; had he been a Dyak, I shouldhave had more confidence, although he might have been a heathen, or ahead hunter, or a cannibal to boot. But those Malays, half Mohammedanand half idolaters, are very untrustworthy."

  Oh, how my heart sank when I heard these words. I wish that I had notbeen compelled to listen to them; it shows too clearly what they think.Oliver, though suffering himself, tries to console me. He tells me thatI must trust in God, and go on trusting, whatever happens; that I mustnot suppose, even though Walter should be lost, that we have beendeserted by God; and that we may depend upon it, that he has allowed itto happen for the best: at the same time, that he may have many ways
ofpreserving Walter, however great the dangers he may have to go through,and of restoring him to us. Poor Frau Ursula, after she has beenlooking at the mountain, wrings her hands, and wishes that she had nevercome to this island. She left Ternate for fear of the burning mountainthere, and now she finds herself in a similar position of danger.However, to do her justice, she tries to wear a smiling countenance whenshe speaks to Grace and me. We are left almost alone at the house, asthe rest of the party are assisting at ship-building. Tanda only comesoccasionally to feed the animals, and to bring us fruit and vegetablesfrom the garden. We volunteered to go and assist also, as we could atall events carry the wood, and hold the planks while the others werenailing them on; but though they thanked us, they said there were enoughhands employed. I believe, however, that only two or three are goodworkmen, and I suppose that we should be in the way.

  Two more anxious days have passed by, and dear, dear Walter has not comeback. We go down constantly to the sea-shore to watch for his boat, butit does not appear. I took Mr Hooker's spy-glass, and Grace and Ispent many hours on Flagstaff Rock, looking out over the ocean. First Itook the glass, then she took it; and so we continued, as if lookingwould bring him back, till our eyes ached with gazing on the shiningwater: indeed, Ursula says we must not do it again, or we might bring onblindness, which would be very dreadful. If it were not for Oliver Ithink we should break down altogether, but he has such a calm, pious,hopeful spirit. He assures me, and I know he speaks the truth, that heyet hopes that Walter will return, or, at all events, that he has notlost his life, and that we may find him some day or other. He haspersuaded our uncle to let him read the Bible to the party before theygo out to work, and he does so now every morning; and then he offers upa beautiful prayer for our safety, and returns thanks for the care withwhich we have hitherto been watched over by our merciful God.

  Again to-day we wished to go to the rock, when Ursula took the spy-glassfrom my hands, and said that we might go, but that we must not take itwith us; that it could not help Walter to come back, and that we shouldsee him without it as well as with it. We had been sitting there forsome time when Oliver joined us. He said that my uncle had sent him toattend upon us, as he thought we ought not to be left to brood over ouranxiety by ourselves. Merlin accompanied him; and he says that infuture we must not go without Merlin. I suspect that there was someother reason, because Oliver came with a gun. Perhaps some wild beastsmay have been seen lurking about in the neighbourhood, and they areafraid the creatures may find us out. Oliver brought a book in hispocket, which he took out and read to us. He reads beautifully, with agentle, yet clear musical voice. His mother taught him, and he saysthat she is a well-educated woman, and a very excellent reader. It is avaluable gift--for I think it is a gift, although it is one which may begreatly improved by study and practice. Two or three times I stoppedhim, however, for I thought I saw an object in the distance which I tookto be a boat. Oh, how my heart beat! But when Oliver looked--and hiseyes are keener than mine--he assured me that there was nothing, andthat it must have been fancy. Again and again I deceived myself in thesame way, and so did Grace. Once I felt sure that I saw a boat--shesaid she saw something too; but we waited and waited, and Oliver readon, and yet the object, if object there was, did not approach nearer.Again I declared I saw a boat. Oliver looked up, and shading his eyes,gazed in the direction in which I pointed.

  "You are mistaken, Miss Emily," he answered quietly. "I wish you werenot. You caught sight of a mass of sea-weed, and your imagination madeit appear to your sight what it is not."

  Saying this, he again sat down, and continued reading. Tanda hadmanufactured some large parasols of palm-leaves, which sheltered us fromthe sun, or we could not have sat out on the rocks. Oliver had comewithout one of these, and we thoughtlessly allowed him to sit on withthe hot sun burning down on his back. On a sudden, as I was looking athim I saw him turn very pale, and before I could spring to his side tosupport him, he sunk fainting on the rock. Only then I thought of thecause of his illness, and, holding up his head, placed the parasol abovehim, while Grace ran down with his hat, and brought it up full of water.The sea-water, however, was very warm. Though we sprinkled his facewith it, it did but little to revive him. Oh, what would I not havegiven for some cold fresh water to pour down his throat! As I leanedover him I was afraid that he would not revive; he looked so deadlypale, and scarcely breathed. I entreated Grace to run to the house, andbring the Frau, with a shell of fresh water; and I thought that perhapstogether we might carry Oliver back. Grace set off, followed by Merlin,who evidently seemed to understand that something had to be done. Oh,how anxious I felt for poor Oliver. I am sure that I would have givenmy own life to save his. He was dear Walter's friend. I am sure Walterloved him as a brother; indeed, he is well worthy of such regard. Noone also could be more attached to us. I took my bonnet and fanned hischeek with one hand, while I held the palm-formed parasol over his headwith the other. Still he did not revive. I dreaded lest he should havereceived a sun-stroke, which I knew to be a very dangerous thing. Itwas very, very thoughtless of us to allow him thus to be exposed, but wehad been so accustomed to see everybody out in the hot sun that we didnot think about it, and used our parasols more for the sake ofpreventing our faces being burned than from any fear of danger.

  How anxiously I awaited the return of Grace and Ursula! Every now andthen I looked up, hoping to see them, but of course I had to watchOliver, in the hope that he might begin to revive. I could not helpoccasionally, too, glancing seaward in search of Walter's boat. Ithought I saw a slight movement in Oliver's eyes. I was gazing downupon his face when I heard a strange noise coming from the forest. Ilooked up, but could see nothing. I thought I must have been mistaken.Again the sounds reached my ears, and then, turning my eyes in thedirection whence they came, I saw, appearing among the boughs of a talltree, a hideous countenance. I had not forgotten the appearance of themonster we had seen at the lake. A second look convinced me that it wasthe face of a huge orang-outan. I trembled lest he should discoverOliver and me. He was at some distance, however, and evidently employedin eating fruit, as I saw a shower of husks and leaves falling downbeneath him to the ground. Still I could not help dreading that hiseyes were fixed on us. If he were alone, I hoped that there was lessdanger; but if accompanied by his wife and young ones, I knew that therewas great risk, should he see us, of his attacking us, lest we mighthurt them. Though anxious to watch Oliver, I could scarcely withdraw myeyes from the hideous monster, who, as he moved along the bough, nowappeared full in sight. The sounds made me dread, too, that he was notalone; and presently I saw on another bough a smaller creature, andthen, what I dreaded much, another large one among the boughs on thesame tree. Still, as long as they remained on the boughs, I knew I hadless reason to dread danger.

  How long Ursula and Grace seemed in coming! I fancied they would havebeen with me in a much shorter time. At last I caught sight of Gracerunning along the shore round a point of rock, and when she saw me shesigned that Ursula was following. A new alarm now seized me lest theorang-outan should see her as she passed by, and descend the tree inchase. I thought of Oliver's gun, which lay near; but though I knew howto fire, I had never taken aim at an object, and I had little hope ofshooting the mias. I was afraid, too, of crying out, lest that mightalso attract him; indeed, had I done so, Grace would probably not haveknown what to do, and was very likely to be pursued. I watched the treewith greater anxiety even than before, but the mias continued busilyemployed in plucking fruit and handing it to the young one; as Isupposed, teaching him how to open it, and take the best parts. Myheart beat as if it would break, so anxious did I become. Oh, howthankful I felt when Grace at length reached me with the shell of water.

  "I could not help spilling some of it," she said, as she put it toOliver's lips. "I am sure it will do him good. See! see! he is alreadyopening his eyes."

  He did so, but closed them again. We poured a few dr
ops down histhroat, and then bathed his forehead and head; and in the meantimeUrsula was approaching. She could never move conveniently very fast,and she was now evidently out of breath from running. This made herperhaps more inclined to cry out, to let us know that she was coming.Supposing the mias had not seen her, I dreaded lest her voice shouldattract its attention. That it had done so there was soon no doubt, forI saw him leaning over the bough, and looking eagerly about. Not tillthen did I tell Grace what I had seen.

  "Oh dear! what shall we do?" she exclaimed. "It will seize poor Ursula,I am sure. See! see! it is already swinging itself down from the bough!Yes--there--it has almost reached the ground! Shall we let Ursula knowof her danger, though I am afraid she will faint if she catches sight ofthe creature, she has such a dread of them?"

  "No; say nothing: she is too far on to run back again, and it will bebetter for her to get on the rock, and she may reach it before the miascan do so."

  "But if she does not, I must fire!" exclaimed Grace, seizing Oliver'sgun. "I am not afraid of doing that."

  "But you cannot take good aim," I said. "It will be better not till thelast extremity."

  "No; I will only do so if the mias gets near Ursula," she answered,taking up the gun, however, and advancing steadily along the rock.

  I had never seen her exhibit so much coolness and courage; indeed, I didnot think that she possessed them. Ursula had stopped at that momentfor want of breath, and the mias also seemed to be sitting on a lowerbranch which he had reached, gazing towards us, as if consideringwhether the person he saw was coming to attack him. Happily all thistime Ursula was not aware of her danger. Having recovered herself alittle, she again began to hurry on towards the rock. Hoping that, asthe mias stopped when she stopped, it might do so again, I now shoutedout to her. The creature turned a quick glance towards us, anddiscovered, as it might suppose, that it had two enemies instead of one."Quick! quick, Ursula! quick!" now shouted Grace, pointing to the mias.The poor Frau showed by her gestures how frightened she was. Still shemanaged to run on, while the mias continued descending the tree.Before, however, it had reached the ground she had got up to the rock,at no great distance from Grace.

  "Run! run!" cried Grace; "get safely on to the rock, good Frau, and Iwill defend you."

  "No, no, my child," answered the Frau. "It is for me to fight. Give methe gun. I know how to use it. You run back to Emily and Oliver.Here, take this shell of water, though. I will fire the gun, I say."

  She almost snatched the weapon out of the hand of Grace, who came ontowards us with the water. I saw that the Frau was taking aim at themias, and was considering whether she could hit it at so great adistance. I was afraid that she would not, and entreated her not tofire.

  "No, no, my child," she shouted out; "I will wait till he come nearer."

  Our position was truly a dreadful one, for the creature might in a fewminutes have destroyed the good Frau, and then come and attacked us ifit had been so disposed. We were now once more quiet, and this inducedthe mias to remain stationary. I wondered why Merlin had not come. Ithought that he might have assisted us at all events; at the same timeit was too probable that should he attack the creature, he would bespeedily worsted.

  We now again applied more water to Oliver's brow, and gave him a fewmore drops to drink. The effect was satisfactory; and not only did heopen his eyes, but his lips began to move, and a slight colour came backto his cheeks. At length I heard him speaking, but in so low a voicethat I had to put my ear to his mouth.

  "What is it all about?" he asked; "what has happened?"

  "Do not be anxious, dear Oliver," I said. "The sun was very hot, andyou fainted." I did not like to tell him of our alarm about the mias.

  "But I shall soon be well," he answered. "It is very hot here. I thinkI could reach the shade of some tree, where it would be cooler."

  "Oh no, no; you must not move," I cried out. "We are safer here."

  The exertion of speaking, however, was evidently very great, and with agentle sigh he again leaned back. Of course, with that horrid creaturenear us, I would not have ventured towards the forest, even had he beenbetter able to move.

  The mias had all the time been watching us, and perhaps, from seeing somany people together, it thought we were about to attack it. Now, toour horror, we saw it reach the ground and stand upright, holding on byone of the boughs, and grinning savagely at us, so we fancied. The Frautook the gun. "I'll fire! I'll kill him!" she cried out. "He must notcome near to hurt you young people." There was a firmness in her tone Ihad seldom heard. She felt herself to be our protectress, and wasprepared to do battle in our behalf. Oliver heard her speak.

  "What is it?" he asked in a faint voice.

  "Oh, there is a horrid mias near us, and the Frau has taken your gun toshoot it," answered Grace.

  "She cannot aim properly! Let me fire. Don't fire--don't fire, Frau!"he said, attempting to rise. He was, however, too weak, and again sunkback on the rock, supported by Grace and me.

  With horror we saw the mias let go the bough and begin to walk towardsus on all fours. It advanced towards where a thick shrub grew, whenagain catching hold of a bough, it raised itself up on its hind legs."Now I'll fire!" cried the Frau. I was afraid even then that had itbeen much nearer she would not have hit it, or at all events wounded itmortally, and I knew that it would become more savage. I cried out toher to stop till it was nearer, but at that instant she pulled thetrigger. She had missed, we feared, for the mias, uttering a savagecry, again moved towards us.

  "Load again; load again!" Grace and I cried out.

  "Bring the gun to me, pray," said Oliver; "I will load it. I can dothat." He felt for his ammunition, which was at his side, but the Frautook it from him.

  "I'll load," she said, beginning to do so. All this time the mias wasadvancing. Now and then it turned its head, however, as if to watchwhat had become of its family, and this delayed its progress. The Frau,having had experience of loading at the fort, was soon again ready.Kneeling down, she raised the fowling-piece to her shoulder. The miaswas still standing upright. At the instant she fired we saw it fall.

  "It is hit--it is hit!" cried Grace.

  "I have killed the creature!" exclaimed the Frau.

  But no, it had merely fallen to its usual walking position, and was oncemore approaching us. There appeared no longer time for her to load.All hope of escaping the savage monster abandoned us. The Frau,however, grasped the gun, evidently intending to do battle. At thatinstant Merlin's loud bark was heard, and we saw him tearing along overthe sand towards us. The mias stopped to look at him, seeming to thinkhim a more dangerous antagonist than were we three females and our sickcompanion. Merlin caught sight of the mias, and bounded towards him. Inow began to fear for our four-footed friend, for I knew the power ofthe creature, and how one grasp of its strong hands would in an instantdestroy the dog. Just, however, before Merlin reached it, loud shoutswere heard, and we saw coming round the point of the rock several of ourfriends with guns in their hands, evidently understanding that we werein danger. Mr Tarbox, the boatswain, led the way, followed by MrHooker and Potto Jumbo. The mias now turned round and moved towards thedog, but Merlin was too sagacious to allow himself to be caught, andwhen almost within the creature's reach he bounded on one side, and thenwheeled off, still barking, with the evident intention of drawing itaway from us. How thankful I felt when I saw him do so, for his purposewas answered. The creature followed him, making springs which at eachbound almost brought it up to him; but on every occasion the dog nimblyavoided it, till he had brought it within range of the boatswain'smusket. The mias, exasperated by disappointment, made two or threesuccessive springs towards the dog, which brought it still nearer to ourfriends. The boatswain fired, when the creature seemed to discover, forthe first time, how near it was to its enemies. The ball took effectupon its shoulder. We saw it stand upright, stretching out its hugearms as if to grasp hold of them and tear t
hem to pieces; but at thatinstant Mr Hooker stopped and levelled his gun, and the savage monsterrolled over on the sand. Still it was not dead, and we were even yetafraid our friends might be injured; but the boatswain stopping,reloaded his gun, and Potto Jumbo rushing in with a spear thrust it atthe creature. There was another report, and we knew that we wereperfectly safe.

  How thankful I felt that we had escaped, for I cannot describethoroughly how fearfully alarmed we were. There is something sodreadful in the appearance of those huge baboons. Our friends arriving,proposed carrying Oliver into the shade; but we told them that we hadseen another mias and a young one, on which Mr Hooker and the boatswainset off in search of the creatures, while Potto Jumbo lifted up Oliverin his powerful arms, almost as if he had been a child, and carried himoff to the edge of the forest, where we could all be sufficiently shadedfrom the hot rays of the sun. Potto Jumbo then set off to join MrHooker and the boatswain. Oliver now quickly recovered, and aftertaking another draught of water, declared that he was able to walk home.We persuaded him, however, to wait till the return of our friends. Ina short time we saw them coming through the forest, dragging a prisonerbetween them. It appeared to be a largish monkey. It was evident itwas in no way pleased at being taken prisoner, for it turned its headround now on one side, now on the other, attempting to bite its captors,but we saw that its snout had been muzzled.

  "We have brought a prize for my friend's menagerie," exclaimed MrHooker. "Here is a young mias, and I hope to tame and civilise it,though at present its manners are far from cultivated. We killed themother, who now hangs to the bough of a tree. Potto Jumbo soonafterwards caught the young gentleman by a noose round the neck."

  By this time Oliver, having greatly recovered, was able, with theassistance of the Frau and Potto Jumbo, to set off for the house. I wasanxious to remain that I might continue watching for Walter, but theFrau and Mr Hooker would on no account allow me to do so, and at last Iyielded to their wishes and accompanied them home. We reached itwithout further adventure, having to stop, however, several times torest Oliver, who was far weaker than he had supposed. The fright andexcitement we had gone through made Grace and me very ill; and all nightlong I was dreaming that we were pursued by the hideous monster, fromwhom we in vain endeavoured to escape.

  By the morning, however, we had much recovered. Our small captiveshowed its ferocious nature by trying to bite and scratch every one whoapproached it. It caught Tanda by the arm when taking it some food, andnot till it had received several blows on the head would it let go. Itwas then shut up in a strong cage; but the following morning was founddead, after having made a vain attempt to force its way out.