The Coral Island - Robert Michael Ballantyne (little readers txt) 📗

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The morning was exceeding lovely. It was one of that very still

and peaceful sort which made the few noises that we heard seem to

be QUIET noises. I know no other way of expressing this idea.

Noises which so far from interrupting the universal tranquillity of

earth, sea, and sky - rather tended to reveal to us how quiet the

world around us really was. Such sounds as I refer to were, the

peculiarly melancholy - yet, it seemed to me, cheerful - plaint of

sea-birds floating on the glassy water, or sailing in the sky, also

the subdued twittering of little birds among the bushes, the faint

ripples on the beach, and the solemn boom of the surf upon the

distant coral reef. We felt very glad in our hearts as we walked

along the sands side by side. For my part, I felt so deeply

overjoyed, that I was surprised at my own sensations, and fell into

a reverie upon the causes of happiness. I came to the conclusion

that a state of profound peace and repose, both in regard to

outward objects and within the soul, is the happiest condition in

which man can be placed; for, although I had many a time been most

joyful and happy when engaged in bustling, energetic, active

pursuits or amusements, I never found that such joy or satisfaction

was so deep or so pleasant to reflect upon as that which I now

experienced. And I was the more confirmed in this opinion when I

observed, and, indeed, was told by himself, that Peterkin’s

happiness was also very great; yet he did not express this by

dancing, as was his wont, nor did he give so much as a single

shout, but walked quietly between us with his eye sparkling, and a

joyful smile upon his countenance. My reader must not suppose that

I thought all this in the clear and methodical manner in which I

have set it down here. These thoughts did, indeed, pass through my

mind, but they did so in a very confused and indefinite manner, for

I was young at that time, and not much given to deep reflections.

Neither did I consider that the peace whereof I write is not to be

found in this world - at least in its perfection, although I have

since learned that by religion a man may attain to a very great

degree of it.

 

I have said that Peterkin walked along the sands between us. We

had two ways of walking together about our island. When we

travelled through the woods, we always did so in single file, as by

this method we advanced with greater facility, the one treading in

the other’s footsteps. In such cases Jack always took the lead,

Peterkin followed, and I brought up the rear. But when we

travelled along the sands, which extended almost in an unbroken

line of glistening white round the island, we marched abreast, as

we found this method more sociable, and every way more pleasant.

Jack, being the tallest, walked next the sea, and Peterkin marched

between us, as by this arrangement either of us could talk to him

or he to us, while if Jack and I happened to wish to converse

together, we could conveniently do so over Peterkin’s head.

Peterkin used to say, in reference to this arrangement, that had he

been as tall as either of us, our order of march might have been

the same, for, as Jack often used to scold him for letting

everything we said to him pass in at one ear and out at the other,

his head could of course form no interruption to our discourse.

 

We were now fairly started. Half a mile’s walk conveyed us round a

bend in the land which shut out our bower from view, and for some

time we advanced at a brisk pace without speaking, though our eyes

were not idle, but noted everything, in the woods, on the shore, or

in the sea, that was interesting. After passing the ridge of land

that formed one side of our valley - the Valley of the Wreck - we

beheld another small vale lying before us in all the luxuriant

loveliness of tropical vegetation. We had, indeed, seen it before

from the mountain-top, but we had no idea that it would turn out to

be so much more lovely when we were close to it. We were about to

commence the exploration of this valley, when Peterkin stopped us,

and directed our attention to a very remarkable appearance in

advance along the shore.

 

“What’s yon, think you?” said he, levelling his spear, as if he

expected an immediate attack from the object in question, though it

was full half a mile distant.

 

As he spoke, there appeared a white column above the rocks, as if

of steam or spray. It rose upwards to a height of several feet,

and then disappeared. Had this been near the sea, we would not

have been so greatly surprised, as it might in that case have been

the surf, for at this part of the coast the coral reef approached

so near to the island that in some parts it almost joined it.

There was therefore no lagoon between, and the heavy surf of the

ocean beat almost up to the rocks. But this white column appeared

about fifty yards inland. The rocks at the place were rugged, and

they stretched across the sandy beach into the sea. Scarce had we

ceased expressing our surprise at this sight, when another column

flew upwards for a few seconds, not far from the spot where the

first had been seen, and disappeared; and so, at long irregular

intervals, these strange sights recurred. We were now quite sure

that the columns were watery or composed of spray, but what caused

them we could not guess, so we determined to go and see.

 

In a few minutes we gained the spot, which was very rugged and

precipitous, and, moreover, quite damp with the falling of the

spray. We had much ado to pass over dry-shod. The ground also was

full of holes here and there. Now, while we stood anxiously

waiting for the reappearance of these water-spouts, we heard a

low, rumbling sound near us, which quickly increased to a gargling

and hissing noise, and a moment afterwards a thick spout of water

burst upwards from a hole in the rock, and spouted into the air

with much violence, and so close to where Jack and I were standing

that it nearly touched us. We sprang to one side, but not before a

cloud of spray descended, and drenched us both to the skin.

 

Peterkin, who was standing farther off, escaped with a few drops,

and burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter on beholding our

miserable plight.

 

“Mind your eye!” he shouted eagerly, “there goes another!” The

words were scarcely out of his mouth when there came up a spout

from another hole, which served us exactly in the same manner as

before.

 

Peterkin now shrieked with laughter; but his merriment was abruptly

put a stop to by the gurgling noise occurring close to where he

stood.

 

“Where’ll it spout this time, I wonder?” he said, looking about

with some anxiety, and preparing to run. Suddenly there came a

loud hiss or snort; a fierce spout of water burst up between

Peterkin’s legs, blew him off his feet, enveloped him in its spray,

and hurled him to the ground. He fell with so much violence that

we feared he must have broken some of his bones, and ran anxiously

to his assistance; but fortunately he had fallen on a clump of

tangled herbage, in which he lay sprawling in a most deplorable

condition.

 

It was now our turn to laugh; but as we were not yet quite sure

that he was unhurt, and as we knew not when or where the next spout

might arise, we assisted him hastily to jump up and hurry from the

spot.

 

I may here add, that although I am quite certain that the spout of

water was very strong, and that it blew Peterkin completely off his

legs, I am not quite certain of the exact height to which it lifted

him, being somewhat startled by the event, and blinded partially by

the spray, so that my power of observation was somewhat impaired

for the moment.

 

“What’s to be done now?” inquired Peterkin ruefully.

 

“Make a fire, lad, and dry ourselves,” replied Jack.

 

“And here is material ready to our hand,” said I, picking up a

dried branch of a tree, as we hurried up to the woods.

 

In about an hour after this mishap our clothes were again dried.

While they were hanging up before the fire, we walked down to the

beach, and soon observed that these curious spouts took place

immediately after the fall of a huge wave, never before it; and,

moreover, that the spouts did not take place excepting when the

billow was an extremely large one. From this we concluded that

there must be a subterraneous channel in the rock into which the

water was driven by the larger waves, and finding no way of escape

except through these small holes, was thus forced up violently

through them. At any rate, we could not conceive any other reason

for these strange water-spouts, and as this seemed a very simple

and probable one, we forthwith adopted it.

 

“I say, Ralph, what’s that in the water? is it a shark?” said Jack,

just as we were about to quit the place.

 

I immediately ran to the overhanging ledge of rock, from which he

was looking down into the sea, and bent over it. There I saw a

very faint pale object of a greenish colour, which seemed to move

slightly while I looked at it.

 

“It’s like a fish of some sort,” said I.

 

“Hallo, Peterkin!” cried Jack, “fetch your spear; here’s work for

it.”

 

But when we tried to reach the object, the spear proved to be too

short.

 

“There, now,” said Peterkin with a sneer, “you were always telling

me it was too long.”

 

Jack now drove the spear forcibly towards the object, and let go

his hold; but, although it seemed to be well aimed, he must have

missed, for the handle soon rose again; and when the spear was

drawn up, there was the pale green object in exactly the same spot,

slowly moving its tail.

 

“Very odd,” said Jack.

 

But although it was undoubtedly very odd, and, although Jack and

all of us plunged the spear at it repeatedly, we could neither hit

it nor drive it away, so we were compelled to continue our journey

without discovering what it was. I was very much perplexed at this

strange appearance in the water, and could not get it out of my

mind for a long time afterwards. However, I quieted myself by

resolving that I would pay a visit to it again at some more

convenient season.

 

CHAPTER X.

 

Make discovery of many excellent roots and fruits - The resources

of the Coral Island gradually unfolded - The banian-tree - Another

tree which is supported by natural planks - Water-fowl found - A

very remarkable discovery, and a very peculiar murder - We

luxuriate on the fat of the land.

 

OUR examination of the little valley proved to be altogether most

satisfactory. We found in it not only similar trees to those we

had already seen in our own valley, but also one or two others of a

different species. We had also the satisfaction of discovering a

peculiar vegetable, which Jack concluded must certainly be that of

which he had read as being very