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

been blown far out of my

course ere I awoke. I was, therefore, in the habit of heaving-to

during those three hours; that is, fixing the rudder and the sails

in such a position as that by acting against each other, they would

keep the ship stationary. After my night’s rest, therefore, I had

only to make allowance for the lee-way she had made, and so resume

my course.

 

Of course I was to some extent anxious lest another squall should

come, but I made the best provision I could in the circumstances,

and concluded that by letting go the weather-braces of the topsails and the topsail halyards at the same time, I should thereby

render these sails almost powerless. Besides this, I proposed to

myself to keep a sharp lookout on the barometer in the cabin, and

if I observed at any time a sudden fall in it, I resolved that I

would instantly set about my multiform appliances for reducing

sail, so as to avoid being taken at unawares. Thus I sailed

prosperously for two weeks, with a fair wind, so that I calculated

I must be drawing near to the Coral Island; at the thought of which

my heart bounded with joyful expectation.

 

The only book I found on board, after a careful search, was a

volume of Captain Cook’s voyages. This, I suppose, the pirate

captain had brought with him in order to guide him, and to furnish

him with information regarding the islands of these seas. I found

this a most delightful book indeed, and I not only obtained much

interesting knowledge about the sea in which I was sailing, but I

had many of my own opinions, derived from experience, corroborated;

and not a few of them corrected. Besides the reading of this

charming book, and the daily routine of occupations, nothing of

particular note happened to me during this voyage, except once,

when on rising one night, after my three hours’ nap, while it was

yet dark, I was amazed and a little alarmed to find myself floating

in what appeared to be a sea of blue fire! I had often noticed the

beautiful appearance of phosphorescent light, but this far exceeded

anything of the sort I ever saw before. The whole sea appeared

somewhat like milk and was remarkably luminous.

 

I rose in haste, and, letting down a bucket into the sea, brought

some of the water on board and took it down to the cabin to examine

it; but no sooner did I approach the light than the strange

appearance disappeared, and when I removed the cabin lamp the

luminous light appeared again. I was much puzzled with this, and

took up a little of the water in the hollow of my hand and then let

it run off, when I found that the luminous substance was left

behind on my palm. I ran with it to the lamp; but when I got there

it was gone. I found, however, that when I went into the dark my

hand shone again; so I took the large glass of the ship’s telescope

and examined my hand minutely, when I found that there were on it

one or two small patches of a clear, transparent substance like

jelly, which were so thin as to be almost invisible to the naked

eye. Thus I came to know that the beautiful phosphoric light,

which I had so often admired before, was caused by animals, for I

had no doubt that these were of the same kind as the medusae or

jelly-fish which are seen in all parts of the world.

 

On the evening of my fourteenth day, I was awakened out of a nap

into which I had fallen by a loud cry, and starting up, I gazed

around me. I was surprised and delighted to see a large albatross

soaring majestically over the ship. I immediately took it into my

head that this was the albatross I had seen at Penguin Island. I

had, of course, no good reason for supposing this, but the idea

occurred to me, I know not why, and I cherished it, and regarded

the bird with as much affection as if he had been an old friend.

He kept me company all that day and left me as night fell.

 

Next morning as I stood motionless and with heavy eyes at the helm,

for I had not slept well, I began to weary anxiously for daylight,

and peered towards the horizon, where I thought I observed

something like a black cloud against the dark sky. Being always on

the alert for squalls, I ran to the bow. There could be no doubt

it was a squall, and as I listened I thought I heard the murmur of

the coming gale. Instantly I began to work might and main at my

cumbrous tackle for shortening sail, and in the course of an hour

and a half had the most of it reduced, - the topsail yards down on

the caps, the topsails clewed up, the sheets hauled in, the main

and fore peaks lowered, and the flying-jib down. While thus

engaged the dawn advanced, and I cast an occasional furtive glance

ahead in the midst of my labour. But now that things were prepared

for the worst, I ran forward again and looked anxiously over the

bow. I now heard the roar of the waves distinctly, and as a single

ray of the rising sun gleamed over the ocean I saw - what! could it

be that I was dreaming? - that magnificent breaker with its

ceaseless roar! - that mountain top! - yes, once more I beheld the

Coral Island!

 

CHAPTER XXIX.

 

The effect of a cannon-shot - A happy reunion of a somewhat moist

nature - Retrospects and explanations - An awful dive - New plans -

The last of the Coral Island.

 

I ALMOST fell upon the deck with the tumult of mingled emotions

that filled my heart, as I gazed ardently towards my beautiful

island. It was still many miles away, but sufficiently near to

enable me to trace distinctly the well-remembered outlines of the

two mountains. My first impulse was to utter an exclamation of

gratitude for being carried to my former happy home in safety; my

second, to jump up, clap my hands, shout, and run up and down the

deck, with no other object in view than that of giving vent to my

excited feelings. Then I went below for the telescope, and spent

nearly ten minutes of the utmost impatience in vainly trying to get

a focus, and in rubbing the skin nearly off my eyes, before I

discovered that having taken off the large glass to examine the

phosphoric water with I had omitted to put it on again.

 

After that I looked up impatiently at the sails, which I now

regretted having lowered so hastily, and for a moment thought of

hoisting the main-top sail again; but recollecting that it would

take me full half a day to accomplish, and that, at the present

rate of sailing, two hours would bring me to the island, I

immediately dismissed the idea.

 

The remainder of the time I spent in making feverish preparations

for arriving and seeing my dear comrades. I remembered that they

were not in the habit of rising before six, and, as it was now only

three, I hoped to arrive before they were awake. Moreover, I set

about making ready to let go the anchor, resolving in my own mind

that, as I knew the depth of water in the passage of the reef and

within the lagoon, I would run the schooner in and bring up

opposite the bower. Fortunately the anchor was hanging at the cat-head, otherwise I should never have been able to use it. Now, I

had only to cut the tackling, and it would drop of its own weight.

After searching among the flags, I found the terrible black one,

which I ran up to the peak. While I was doing this, a thought

struck me. I went to the powder magazine, brought up a blank

cartridge and loaded the big brass gun, which, it will be

remembered, was unhoused when we set sail, and, as I had no means

of housing it, there it had stood, bristling alike at fair weather

and foul all the voyage. I took care to grease its mouth well,

and, before leaving the fore part of the ship, thrust the poker

into the fire.

 

All was now ready. A steady five-knot breeze was blowing, so that

I was now not more than quarter of a mile from the reef. I was

soon at the entrance, and, as the schooner glided quietly through,

I glanced affectionately at the huge breaker, as if it had been the

same one I had seen there when I bade adieu, as I feared for ever,

to the island. On coming opposite the Water Garden, I put the helm

hard down. The schooner came round with a rapid, graceful bend,

and lost way just opposite the bower. Running forward, I let go

the anchor, caught up the red-hot poker, applied it to the brass

gun, and the mountains with a BANG, such as had only once before

broke their slumbering echoes!

 

Effective although it was, however, it was scarcely equal to the

bang with which, instantly after, Peterkin bounded from the bower,

in scanty costume, his eyeballs starting from his head with

surprise and terror. One gaze he gave, one yell, and then fled

into the bushes like a wild cat. The next moment Jack went through

exactly the same performance, the only difference being, that his

movements were less like those of Jack-in-the-box, though not less

vigorous and rapid than those of Peterkin.

 

“Hallo!” I shouted, almost mad with joy, “what, ho! Peterkin!

Jack! hallo! it’s me!”

 

My shout was just in time to arrest them. They halted and turned

round, and, the instant I repeated the cry, I saw that they

recognised my voice, by both of them running at full speed towards

the beach. I could no longer contain myself. Throwing off my

jacket, I jumped overboard at the same moment that Jack bounded

into the sea. In another moment we met in deep water, clasped each

other round the neck, and sank, as a matter of course, to the

bottom! We were well-nigh choked, and instantly struggled to the

surface, where Peterkin was spluttering about like a wounded duck,

laughing and crying by turns, and choking himself with salt water!

 

It would be impossible to convey to my reader, by description, an

adequate conception of the scene that followed my landing on the

beach, as we stood embracing each other indiscriminately in our

dripping garments, and giving utterance to incoherent rhapsodies,

mingled with wild shouts. It can be more easily imagined than

described, so I will draw a curtain over this part of my history,

and carry the reader forward over an interval of three days.

 

During the greater part of that period Peterkin did nothing but

roast pigs, taro, and bread-fruit, and ply me with plantains,

plums, potatoes, and cocoa-nuts, while I related to him and Jack

the terrible and wonderful adventures I had gone through since we

last met. After I had finished the account, they made me go all

over it again; and, when I had concluded the second recital, I had

to go over it again, while they commented upon it piecemeal. They

were much affected by what I told them of the probable fate of

Avatea, and Peterkin could by no means brook the idea of the poor

girl being converted into a LONG PIG! As for Jack, he clenched his

teeth, and shook his fist towards the sea, saying at the same time,

that he was sorry