The Coral Island - Robert Michael Ballantyne (little readers txt) 📗
- Author: Robert Michael Ballantyne
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islanders, and which was named TARO. Also we found a large supply
of yams, and another root like a potato in appearance. As these
were all quite new to us, we regarded our lot as a most fortunate
one, in being thus cast on an island which was so prolific and so
well stored with all the necessaries of life. Long afterwards we
found out that this island of ours was no better in these respects
than thousands of other islands in those seas. Indeed, many of
them were much richer and more productive; but that did not render
us the less grateful for our present good fortune. We each put one
of these roots in our pocket, intending to use them for our supper;
of which more hereafter. We also saw many beautiful birds here,
and traces of some four-footed animal again. Meanwhile the sun
began to descend, so we returned to the shore, and pushed on round
the spouting rocks into the next valley. This was that valley of
which I have spoken as running across the entire island. It was by
far the largest and most beautiful that we had yet looked upon.
Here were trees of every shape and size and hue which it is
possible to conceive of, many of which we had not seen in the other
valleys; for, the stream in this valley being larger, and the mould
much richer than in the Valley of the Wreck, it was clothed with a
more luxuriant growth of trees and plants. Some trees were dark
glossy green, others of a rich and warm hue, contrasting well with
those of a pale light green, which were everywhere abundant. Among
these we recognised the broad dark heads of the bread-fruit, with
its golden fruit; the pure, silvery foliage of the candle-nut, and
several species which bore a strong resemblance to the pine; while
here and there, in groups and in single trees, rose the tall forms
of the cocoa-nut palms, spreading abroad, and waving their graceful
plumes high above all the rest, as if they were a superior race of
stately giants keeping guard over these luxuriant forests. Oh! it
was a most enchanting scene, and I thanked God for having created
such delightful spots for the use of man.
Now, while we were gazing around us in silent admiration, Jack
uttered an exclamation of surprise, and, pointing to an object a
little to one side of us, said, -
“That’s a banian-tree.”
“And what’s a banian-tree?” inquired Peterkin, as we walked towards
it.
“A very curious one, as you shall see presently,” replied Jack.
“It is called the AOA here, if I recollect rightly, and has a
wonderful peculiarity about it. What an enormous one it is, to be
sure.”
“IT!” repeated Peterkin; “why, there are dozens of banians here!
What do you mean by talking bad grammar? Is your philosophy
deserting you, Jack?”
“There is but one tree here of this kind,” returned Jack, “as you
will perceive if you will examine it.” And, sure enough, we did
find that what we had supposed was a forest of trees was in reality
only one. Its bark was of a light colour, and had a shining
appearance, the leaves being lance-shaped, small, and of a
beautiful pea-green. But the wonderful thing about it was, that
the branches, which grew out from the stem horizontally, sent down
long shoots or fibres to the ground, which, taking root, had
themselves become trees, and were covered with bark like the tree
itself. Many of these fibres had descended from the branches at
various distances, and thus supported them on natural pillars, some
of which were so large and strong, that it was not easy at first to
distinguish the offspring from the parent stem. The fibres were of
all sizes and in all states of advancement, from the pillars we
have just mentioned to small cords which hung down and were about
to take root, and thin brown threads still far from the ground,
which swayed about with every motion of wind. In short, it seemed
to us that, if there were only space afforded to it, this single
tree would at length cover the whole island.
Shortly after this we came upon another remarkable tree, which, as
its peculiar formation afterwards proved extremely useful to us,
merits description. It was a splendid chestnut, but its proper
name Jack did not know. However, there were quantities of fine
nuts upon it, some of which we put in our pockets. But its stem
was the wonderful part of it. It rose to about twelve feet without
a branch, and was not of great thickness; on the contrary, it was
remarkably slender for the size of the tree; but, to make up for
this, there were four or five wonderful projections in this stem,
which I cannot better describe than by asking the reader to suppose
that five planks of two inches thick and three feet broad had been
placed round the trunk of the tree, with their EDGES closely fixed
to it, from the ground up to the branches, and that these planks
bad been covered over with the bark of the tree and incorporated
with it. In short, they were just natural buttresses, without
which the stem could not have supported its heavy and umbrageous
top. We found these chestnuts to be very numerous. They grew
chiefly on the banks of the stream, and were of all sizes.
While we were examining a small tree of this kind, Jack chipped a
piece off a buttress with his axe, and found the wood to be firm
and easily cut. He then struck the axe into it with all his force,
and very soon split it off close to the tree, first, however,
having cut it across transversely above and below. By this means
he satisfied himself that we could now obtain short planks, as it
were all ready sawn, of any size and thickness that we desired;
which was a very great discovery indeed, perhaps the most important
we had yet made.
We now wended our way back to the coast, intending to encamp near
the beach, as we found that the mosquitoes were troublesome in the
forest. On our way we could not help admiring the birds which flew
and chirped around us. Among them we observed a pretty kind of
paroquet, with a green body, a blue head, and a red breast; also a
few beautiful turtledoves, and several flocks of wood-pigeons. The
hues of many of these birds were extremely vivid, - bright green,
blue, and scarlet, being the prevailing tints. We made several
attempts throughout the day to bring down one of these, both with
the bow and the sling, - not for mere sport, but to ascertain
whether they were good for food. But we invariably missed,
although once or twice we were very near hitting. As evening drew
on, however, a flock of pigeons flew past. I slung a stone into
the midst of them at a venture, and had the good fortune to kill
one. We were startled, soon after, by a loud whistling noise above
our heads; and on looking up, saw a flock of wild ducks making for
the coast. We watched these, and, observing where they alighted,
followed them up until we came upon a most lovely blue lake, not
more than two hundred yards long, imbosomed in verdant trees. Its
placid surface, which reflected every leaf and stem, as if in a
mirror, was covered with various species of wild ducks, feeding
among the sedges and broad-leaved water-plants which floated on it,
while numerous birds like water-hens ran to and fro most busily on
its margin. These all with one accord flew tumultuously away the
instant we made our appearance. While walking along the margin we
observed fish in the water, but of what sort we could not tell.
Now, as we neared the shore, Jack and I said we would go a little
out of our way to see if we could procure one of those ducks; so,
directing Peterkin to go straight to the shore and kindle a fire,
we separated, promising to rejoin him speedily. But we did not
find the ducks, although we made a diligent search for half an
hour. We were about to retrace our steps, when we were arrested by
one of the strangest sights that we had yet beheld.
Just in front of us, at the distance of about ten yards, grew a
superb tree, which certainly was the largest we had yet seen on the
island. Its trunk was at least five feet in diameter, with a
smooth gray bark; above this the spreading branches were clothed
with light green leaves, amid which were clusters of bright yellow
fruit, so numerous as to weigh down the boughs with their great
weight. This fruit seemed to be of the plum species, of an oblong
form, and a good deal larger than the magnum bonum plum. The
ground at the foot of this tree was thickly strewn with the fallen
fruit, in the midst of which lay sleeping, in every possible
attitude, at least twenty hogs of all ages and sizes, apparently
quite surfeited with a recent banquet.
Jack and I could scarce restrain our laughter as we gazed at these
coarse, fat, ill-looking animals, while they lay groaning and
snoring heavily amid the remains of their supper.
“Now, Ralph,” said Jack, in a low whisper, “put a stone in your
sling, - a good big one, - and let fly at that fat fellow with his
back toward you. I’ll try to put an arrow into yon little pig.”
“Don’t you think we had better put them up first?” I whispered; “it
seems cruel to kill them while asleep.”
“If I wanted SPORT, Ralph, I would certainly set them up; but as we
only want PORK, we’ll let them lie. Besides, we’re not sure of
killing them; so, fire away.”
Thus admonished, I slung my stone with so good aim that it went
bang against the hog’s flank as if against the head of a drum; but
it had no other effect than that of causing the animal to start to
its feet, with a frightful yell of surprise, and scamper away. At
the same instant Jack’s bow twanged, and the arrow pinned the
little pig to the ground by the ear.
“I’ve missed, after all,” cried Jack, darting forward with uplifted
axe, while the little pig uttered a loud squeal, tore the arrow
from the ground, and ran away with it, along with the whole drove,
into the bushes and disappeared, though we heard them screaming
long afterwards in the distance.
“That’s very provoking, now,” said Jack, rubbing the point of his
nose.
“Very,” I replied, stroking my chin.
“Well, we must make haste and rejoin Peterkin,” said Jack. “It’s
getting late.” And, without further remark, we threaded our way
quickly through the woods towards the shore.
When we reached it, we found wood laid out, the fire lighted and
beginning to kindle up, with other signs of preparation for our
encampment, but Peterkin was nowhere to be found. We wondered very
much at this; but Jack suggested that he might have gone to fetch
water; so he gave a shout to let him know that we had arrived, and
sat down upon a rock, while I threw off my jacket and seized the
axe, intending to split up one or two billets of wood. But I had
scarce moved from the spot when, in the distance, we heard a most
appalling shriek, which was followed up by a chorus of yells from
the hogs, and a loud “hurrah!”
“I do believe,” said
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