Blown to Bits: The Lonely Man of Rakata, the Malay Archipelago

by R. M. Ballantyne

  CHAPTER FOUR.

  NIGEL UNDERGOES SOME QUITE NEW AND INTERESTING EXPERIENCES.

  The arrangements made on the following day turned out to be quite inaccordance with the wishes and tastes of the various parties concerned.

  The ship's carpenter having been duly set to work on the repairs, andbeing inspected in that serious piece of prosaic business by the secondmate, our captain was set free to charm the very souls of the juvenilesby wandering for miles along the coral strand inventing, narrating,exaggerating to his heart's content. Pausing now and then to askquestions irrelevant to the story in hand, like a wily actor, for thepurpose of intensifying the desire for more, he would mount a block ofcoral, and thence, sometimes as from a throne, or platform, or pulpit,impress some profound piece of wisdom, or some thrilling point, or someexceedingly obvious moral on his followers open-mouthed and open-eyed.

  These were by no means idlers, steeped in the too common business ofhaving nothing to do. No, they had regularly sought and obtained aholiday from work or school; for all the activities of social andcivilised life were going on full swing--fuller, indeed, than theaverage swing--in that remote, scarcely known, and beautiful little gemof the Indian Ocean.

  Meanwhile Nigel and Kathy, with sketch-books under their arms, went downto where the clear waters of the lagoon rippled on the white sand, and,launching a cockleshell of a boat, rowed out toward the islets.

  "Now, Kathy, you must let me pull," said Nigel, pushing out the sculls,"for although the captain tells me you are very good at rowing, it wouldnever do for a man, you know, to sit lazily down and let himself berowed by a girl."

  "Very well," said Kathy, with a quiet and most contented smile, for shehad not yet reached the self-conscious age--at least, as ages go in theCocos-Keeling Islands! Besides, Kathy was gifted with that charmingdisposition which never _objects_ to anything--anything, of course, thatdoes not involve principle!

  But it was soon found that, as the cockleshell had no rudder, and theintricacies they had to wind among were numerous, frequent directionsand corrections were called for from the girl.

  "D'you know," said Nigel at last, "as I don't know where you want me togo to, it may be as well, after all, that you should row!"

  "Very well," said Kathy, with another of her innocent smiles. "Ithinked it will be better so at first."

  Nigel could not help laughing at the way she said this as he handed herthe sculls.

  She soon proved herself to be a splendid boat-woman, and although herdelicate and shapely arms were as mere pipe-stems to the great brawnylimbs of her companion, yet she had a deft, mysterious way of handlingthe sculls that sent the cockleshell faster over the lagoon than before.

  "Now, we go ashore here," said Kathy, turning the boat,--with a promptbackwater of the left scull, and a vigorous pull of the right one,--intoa little cove just big enough to hold it.

  The keel went with such a plump on the sand, that Nigel, who sat on aforward thwart with his back landward, reversed the natural order ofthings by putting his back on the bottom of the boat and his heels inthe air.

  To this day it is an unsettled question whether this was done on purposeby Kathy. Certain it is that _she_ did not tumble, but burst into ahearty fit of laughter, while her large lustrous eyes half shutthemselves up and twinkled.

  "Why, you don't even apologise, you dreadful creature!" exclaimed Nigel,joining in the laugh, as he picked himself up.

  "Why should I 'pologise?" asked the girl, in the somewhat broken Englishacquired from her adopted family. "Why you not look out?"

  "Right, Kathy, right; I'll keep a sharp lookout next time. Meanwhile Iwill return good for evil by offering my hand to help you a--hallo!"

  While he spoke the girl had sprung past him like a grasshopper, andalighted on the sand like a butterfly.

  A few minutes later and this little jesting fit had vanished, and theywere both engaged with pencil and book, eagerly--for both wereenthusiastic--sketching one of the most enchanting scenes that can wellbe imagined. We will not attempt the impossible. Description could notconvey it. We can only refer the reader's imagination to the one old,hackneyed but expressive, word--fairyland!

  One peculiarly interesting point in the scene was, that on the oppositeside of the lagoon the captain could be seen holding forth to hisjuvenile audience.

  When a pretty long time had elapsed in absolute silence, each sketcherbeing totally oblivious of the other, Nigel looked up with a long sigh,and said:--

  "Well, you _have_ chosen a most exquisite scene for me. The more I workat it, the more I find to admire. May I look now at what you havedone?"

  "Oh yes, but I have done not much. I am slow," said the girl, as Nigelrose and looked over her shoulder.

  "Why!--what--how beautiful!--but--but--what do you mean?" exclaimed theyouth.

  "I don't understand you," said the girl, looking up in surprise.

  "Why, Kathy, I had supposed you were drawing that magnificent landscapeall this time, and--and you've only been drawing a group of shells.Splendidly done, I admit, but why--"

  He stopped at that moment, for her eyes suddenly filled with tears.

  "Forgive me, dear child," said Nigel, hurriedly "I did not intend tohurt your feelings. I was only surprised at your preference."

  "You have not hurt me," returned Kathy in a low voice, as she resumedher work, "but what you say calls back to me--my father was very fond ofshells."

  She stopped, and Nigel, blaming himself for having inadvertently touchedsome tender chord, hastened, somewhat clumsily, to change the subject.

  "You draw landscape also, I doubt not?"

  "Oh yes--plenty. If you come home to me to-night, I will show yousome."

  "I shall be only too happy," returned the youth, sitting down again tohis sketch, "and perhaps I may be able to give you a hint or two--especially in reference to perspective--for I've had regular training,you know, Kathy, and I dare say you have not had that here."

  "Not what you will think much, perhaps, yet I have study a little inschool, and _very_ much from Nature."

  "Well, you have been under the best of masters," returned Nigel, "if youhave studied much from Nature. And who has been your other teacher?"

  "A brother of Mr Ross. I think he must understand very much. He wasan engineer, and has explained to me the rules of perspective, and manyother things which were at first very hard to understand. But I do seethem now."

  "Perhaps then, Kathleen," said Nigel, in that drawling, absent tone inwhich artists are apt to indulge when busy at work--"perhaps you may bealready too far advanced to require instruction from me."

  "Perhaps--but I think no, for you seems to understand a great deal. Butwhy you call me Kathleen just now?"

  "Because I suppose that is your real name--Kathy being the short for it.Is it not so?"

  "Well, p'raps it is. I have hear mother Holbein say so once. I likeKathleen best."

  "Then, may I call you Kathleen?"

  "If you like."

  At this point both artists had become so engrossed in their occupationthat they ceased to converse, and for a considerable time profoundsilence reigned--at least on their part, though not as regarded others,for every now and then the faint sound of laughter came floating overthe tranquil lagoon from that part of the coral strand where Captain Roywas still tickling the fancies and expanding the imaginations andharrowing or soothing the feelings of the Cocos-Keeling juveniles.

  Inferior animal life was also in ceaseless activity around thesketchers, filling the air with those indescribably quiet noises whichare so suggestive of that general happiness which was originally interrestrial paradise and is ultimately to be the lot of redeemedcreation.

  Snipe and curlews were wading with jaunty step and absorbed inquiringgaze in the shallow pools. Hermit-crabs of several species and sizeswere scuttling about searching for convenient shells in which to deposittheir naturally homeless and tender tails. Overhead there was a sort ofsea-rookery, the
trees being tenanted by numerous gannets, frigatebirds, and terns--the first gazing with a stupid yet angry air; thelast--one beautiful little snow-white species in particular--hoveringonly a few feet above the sketchers' heads, while their large black eyesscanned the drawings with the owlish look of wisdom peculiar toconnoisseurs. Noddies also were there, and, on the ground, lizards andspiders and innumerable ants engaged in all the varied activitiesconnected with their several domestic arrangements.

  Altogether it was a scene of bright peaceful felicity, which seemed topermeate Nigel's frame right inward to the spinal marrow, and would havekept him entranced there at his work for several hours longer if thecravings of a healthy appetite had not warned him to desist.

  "Now, Kathleen," he said, rising and stretching himself as one is apt todo after sitting long in a constrained position, "it seems to me abouttime to--by the way, we've forgotten to bring something to eat!"

  His expression as he said this made his companion look up and laugh.

  "Plenty cocoa-nuts," she said, pointing with her pencil to theoverarching trees.

  "True, but I doubt my ability to climb these long straight stems;besides, I have got only a small clasp-knife, which would be but a poorweapon with which to attack the thick outer husk of the nuts."

  "But I have got a few without the husks in the boat," said the girl,rising and running to the place where the cockleshell had been left.

  She returned immediately with several nuts divested of their thick outercovering, and in the condition with which we are familiar in England.Some of them were already broken, so that they had nothing to do but sitdown to lunch.

  "Here is one," said Kathy, handing a nut to Nigel, "that has got no meatyet in it--only milk. Bore a hole in it and drink, but see you bore inthe right hole."

  "The right hole?" echoed the youth, "are some of them wrong ones?"

  "Oh yes, only one of the three will do. One of our crawbs knows thatand has claws that can bore through the husk and shell. We calls himcoconut crawb."

  "Indeed! That is strange; I never heard before of a crab that fed oncocoa-nuts."

  "This one do. He is very big, and also climbs trees. It goes aboutmost at night. Perhaps you see one before you go away."

  The crab to which Kathy referred is indeed a somewhat eccentriccrustacean, besides being unusually large. It makes deep tunnels in theground larger than rabbit burrows, which it lines with cocoa-nut fibre.One of its claws is developed into an organ of extraordinary power withwhich it can break a cocoa-nut shell, and even, it is said, a man'slimb! It never takes all the husk off a cocoa-nut--that would be anunnecessary trouble--but only enough off the end where the three eyeletsare, to enable it to get at the inside. Having pierced the proper eyewith one of its legs it rotates the nut round it until the hole is largeenough to admit the point of its great claw, with which it continues thework. This remarkable creature also climbs the palm-trees, but not togather nuts; that is certain, for its habits have been closely watchedand it has been ascertained that it feeds only on fallen nuts. Possiblyit climbs for exercise, or to obtain a more extended view of itscharming habitat, or simply "for fun." Why not?

  All this and a great deal more was told to Nigel by Kathleen, who was abit of a naturalist in her tendencies--as they sat there under thegraceful fronds of the palm-trees admiring the exquisite view, eatingand drinking cocoa-nuts.

  "I suppose you have plenty of other kinds of food besides this?" saidNigel.

  "Oh yes, plenty. Most of the fish in our lagoon be good for eating, andso also the crawbs, and we have turtle too."

  "Indeed! How do you catch the turtle? Another nut, please.--Thankyou."

  "The way we gets turtle is by the men diving for them and catching themin the water. We has pigs too--plenty, and the wild birds are some verynice."

  [See note.]

  When the artists had finished they proceeded to the shore, and to theirsurprise and amusement found the cockleshell in possession of apiratical urchin of about four years of age in a charmingly light stateof clothing. He was well-known to Kathleen, and it turned out that,having seen the cockle start at too great a distance to be hailed, andhaving set his heart on joining in the excursion, he had watched theirmovements, observed their landing on the islet--which was not far fromthe main circlet of land--and, running round till he came opposite toit, swam off and got into the boat. Being somewhat tired he had laindown to rest and fallen sound asleep.

  On the way home this urchin's sole delight was to lean over the bow andwatch the fish and coral-groves over which they skimmed. In this he wasimitated by Nigel who, ungallantly permitting his companion to row, alsoleaned over the side and gazed down into the clear crystal depths withunwearying delight.

  For the wonderful colours displayed in those depths must be seen to bebelieved. Not only is the eye pleased with the ever-varying formationsof the coral bowers, but almost dazzled with the glittering fish--blue,emerald, green, scarlet, orange, banded, spotted, and striped--that darthither and thither among the rich-toned sea-weed and the variegatedanemones which spread their tentacles upwards as if inviting the gazerto come down. Among these, crabs could be seen crawling with undecidedmotion, as if unable to make up their minds, while in out of the waycrevices clams of a gigantic size were gaping in deadly quietude readyto close with a snap on any unfortunate creature that should give themthe slightest touch.

  Nigel was sharply awakened from his dream by a sudden splash. Lookingup he observed that the small boy was gone. With a bound he stooderect, one foot on the gunwale and hands clasped ready to dive, when aglance revealed the fact that Kathy was smiling broadly!

  "Don't jump!" she said. "He is only after a fish."

  Even while she spoke Nigel saw the brown little fellow shooting aboutlike a galvanised tadpole, with a small harpoon in his hand.

  Next moment he appeared on the surface shouting and spluttering, with asplendid fish on the end of his harpoon! Both were hauled into theboat, and very soon after they drew near to land.

  In the shallow water Nigel observed some remarkable creatures whichresembled hedgehogs, having jaws armed with formidable teeth to enablethem to feed, Kathy said, on coral insects. File-fishes also drew hisattention particularly. These were magnificently striped and coloured,and apparently very fearless.

  "What convenient tails they have to lay hold of," remarked our hero, asthey slowly glided past one; "I believe I could catch it with my hand!"

  Stooping swiftly as he spoke, he dipped his arm into the water, andactually did grasp the fish by its tail, but dropped it againinstantly--to the shrieking delight of the urchin and Kathy,--for thetail was armed with a series of sharp spines which ran into his handlike lancets.

  This was an appropriate conclusion to a day that would have beenotherwise too enjoyable. Poor Nigel's felicity was further diluted whenhe met his father.

  "We'll have to sleep aboard to-night," said the captain, "for there's afair breeze outside which seems likely to hold, and the mast has beentemporarily rigged up, so we'll have to up anchor, and away by break ofday to-morrow."

  Nigel's heart sank.

  "To-morrow! father?"

  "Ay, to-morrow. Business first, pleasure afterwards."

  "Well, I suppose you are right, but it seems almost a shame to leavesuch a heaven upon earth as this in such a hurry. Besides, is it notunkind to such hospitable people to bolt off after you've got all thatyou want out of them?"

  "Can't help that, lad--

  "Dooty first, an' fun to follow, That's what beats creation hollow."

  "Come father, don't say that you quote _that_ from mother!"

  "No more I do, my boy. It's my own--homemade. I put it together lastnight when I couldn't sleep for your snorin'."

  "Don't tell fibs, father. You know I never snore. But--really--are weto start at daylight?"

  "We are, if the wind holds. But you may stay as late as you choose onshore to-night."

  Nigel availed himself
of the opportunity to see as much of the place andpeople as was possible in the limited time. Next morning the goodthough damaged brig was running in the direction of Sunda Straits beforea stiff and steady breeze.

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  Note 1. We recommend those who desire more curious information on thefauna and flora of the Keeling Islands to apply to Henry O. Forbes mostinteresting book, _A Naturalist's Wanderings in the EasternArchipelago_, published by Sampson Low.