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

from the shore.

My spirits were so much raised by seeing all this that I, too,

hastily threw off my garments and endeavoured to imitate Jack’s

vigorous bound; but I was so awkward that my foot caught on a

stump, and I fell to the ground; then I slipped on a stone while

running over the mud, and nearly fell again, much to the amusement

of Peterkin, who laughed heartily, and called me a “slow coach,”

while Jack cried out, “Come along, Ralph, and I’ll help you.”

However, when I got into the water I managed very well, for I was

really a good swimmer, and diver too. I could not, indeed, equal

Jack, who was superior to any Englishman I ever saw, but I

infinitely surpassed Peterkin, who could only swim a little, and

could not dive at all.

 

While Peterkin enjoyed himself in the shallow water and in running

along the beach, Jack and I swam out into the deep water, and

occasionally dived for stones. I shall never forget my surprise

and delight on first beholding the bottom of the sea. As I have

before stated, the water within the reef was as calm as a pond;

and, as there was no wind, it was quite clear, from the surface to

the bottom, so that we could see down easily even at a depth of

twenty or thirty yards. When Jack and I dived in shallower water,

we expected to have found sand and stones, instead of which we

found ourselves in what appeared really to be an enchanted garden.

The whole of the bottom of the lagoon, as we called the calm water

within the reef, was covered with coral of every shape, size, and

hue. Some portions were formed like large mushrooms; others

appeared like the brain of a man, having stalks or necks attached

to them; but the most common kind was a species of branching coral,

and some portions were of a lovely pale pink colour, others pure

white. Among this there grew large quantities of sea-weed of the

richest hues imaginable, and of the most graceful forms; while

innumerable fishes - blue, red, yellow, green, and striped -

sported in and out amongst the flower-beds of this submarine

garden, and did not appear to be at all afraid of our approaching

them.

 

On darting to the surface for breath, after our first dive, Jack

and I rose close to each other.

 

“Did you ever in your life, Ralph, see anything so lovely?” said

Jack, as he flung the spray from his hair.

 

“Never,” I replied. “It appears to me like fairy realms. I can

scarcely believe that we are not dreaming.”

 

“Dreaming!” cried Jack, “do you know, Ralph, I’m half tempted to

think that we really are dreaming. But if so, I am resolved to

make the most of it, and dream another dive; so here goes, - down

again, my boy!”

 

We took the second dive together, and kept beside each other while

under water; and I was greatly surprised to find that we could keep

down much longer than I ever recollect having done in our own seas

at home. I believe that this was owing to the heat of the water,

which was so warm that we afterwards found we could remain in it

for two and three hours at a time without feeling any unpleasant

effects such as we used to experience in the sea at home. When

Jack reached the bottom, he grasped the coral stems, and crept

along on his hands and knees, peeping under the sea-weed and among

the rocks. I observed him also pick up one or two large oysters,

and retain them in his grasp, as if he meant to take them up with

him, so I also gathered a few. Suddenly he made a grasp at a fish

with blue and yellow stripes on its back, and actually touched its

tail, but did not catch it. At this he turned towards me and

attempted to smile; but no sooner had he done so than he sprang

like an arrow to the surface, where, on following him, I found him

gasping and coughing, and spitting water from his mouth. In a few

minutes he recovered, and we both turned to swim ashore.

 

“I declare, Ralph,” said he, “that I actually tried to laugh under

water.”

 

“So I saw,” I replied; “and I observed that you very nearly caught

that fish by the tail. It would have done capitally for breakfast

if you had.”

 

“Breakfast enough here,” said he, holding up the oysters, as we

landed and ran up the beach. “Hallo! Peterkin, here you are, boy.

Split open these fellows while Ralph and I put on our clothes.

They’ll agree with the cocoa nuts excellently, I have no doubt.”

 

Peterkin, who was already dressed, took the oysters, and opened

them with the edge of our axe, exclaiming, “Now, that IS capital.

There’s nothing I’m so fond of.”

 

“Ah! that’s lucky,” remarked Jack. “I’ll be able to keep you in

good order now, Master Peterkin. You know you can’t dive any

better than a cat. So, sir, whenever you behave ill, you shall

have no oysters for breakfast.”

 

“I’m very glad that our prospect of breakfast is so good,” said I,

“for I’m very hungry.”

 

“Here, then, stop your mouth with that, Ralph,” said Peterkin,

holding a large oyster to my lips. I opened my mouth and swallowed

it in silence, and really it was remarkably good.

 

We now set ourselves earnestly about our preparations for spending

the day. We had no difficulty with the fire this morning, as our

burning-glass was an admirable one; and while we roasted a few

oysters and ate our cocoa nuts, we held a long, animated

conversation about our plans for the future. What those plans

were, and how we carried them into effect, the reader shall see

hereafter.

 

CHAPTER VI.

 

An excursion into the interior, in which we make many valuable and

interesting discoveries - We get a dreadful fright - The bread-fruit tree - Wonderful peculiarity of some of the fruit trees -

Signs of former inhabitants.

 

OUR first care, after breakfast, was to place the few articles we

possessed in the crevice of a rock at the farther end of a small

cave which we discovered near our encampment. This cave, we hoped,

might be useful to us afterwards as a store-house. Then we cut two

large clubs off a species of very hard tree which grew near at

hand. One of these was given to Peterkin, the other to me, and

Jack armed himself with the axe. We took these precautions because

we purposed to make an excursion to the top of the mountains of the

interior, in order to obtain a better view of our island. Of

course we knew not what dangers might befall us by the way, so

thought it best to be prepared.

 

Having completed our arrangements and carefully extinguished our

fire, we sallied forth and walked a short distance along the sea-beach, till we came to the entrance of a valley, through which

flowed the rivulet before mentioned. Here we turned our backs on

the sea and struck into the interior.

 

The prospect that burst upon our view on entering the valley was

truly splendid. On either side of us there was a gentle rise in

the land, which thus formed two ridges about a mile apart on each

side of the valley. These ridges, - which, as well as the low

grounds between them, were covered with trees and shrubs of the

most luxuriant kind - continued to recede inland for about two

miles, when they joined the foot of a small mountain. This hill

rose rather abruptly from the head of the valley, and was likewise

entirely covered even to the top with trees, except on one

particular spot near the left shoulder, where was a bare and rocky

place of a broken and savage character. Beyond this hill we could

not see, and we therefore directed our course up the banks of the

rivulet towards the foot of it, intending to climb to the top,

should that be possible, as, indeed, we had no doubt it was.

 

Jack, being the wisest and boldest among us, took the lead,

carrying the axe on his shoulder. Peterkin, with his enormous

club, came second, as he said he should like to be in a position to

defend me if any danger should threaten. I brought up the rear,

but, having been more taken up with the wonderful and curious

things I saw at starting than with thoughts of possible danger, I

had very foolishly left my club behind me. Although, as I have

said the trees and bushes were very luxuriant, they were not so

thickly crowded together as to hinder our progress among them. We

were able to wind in and out, and to follow the banks of the stream

quite easily, although, it is true, the height and thickness of the

foliage prevented us from seeing far ahead. But sometimes a

jutting-out rock on the hill sides afforded us a position whence we

could enjoy the romantic view and mark our progress towards the

foot of the hill. I wag particularly struck, during the walk, with

the richness of the undergrowth in most places, and recognised many

berries and plants that resembled those of my native land,

especially a tall, elegantly-formed fern, which emitted an

agreeable perfume. There were several kinds of flowers, too, but I

did not see so many of these as I should have expected in such a

climate. We also saw a great variety of small birds of bright

plumage, and many paroquets similar to the one that awoke Peterkin

so rudely in the morning.

 

Thus we advanced to the foot of the hill without encountering

anything to alarm us, except, indeed, once, when we were passing

close under a part of the hill which was hidden from our view by

the broad leaves of the banana trees, which grew in great

luxuriance in that part. Jack was just preparing to force his way

through this thicket, when we were startled and arrested by a

strange pattering or rumbling sound, which appeared to us quite

different from any of the sounds we had heard during the previous

part of our walk.

 

“Hallo!” cried Peterkin, stopping short and grasping his club with

both hands, “what’s that?”

 

Neither of us replied; but Jack seized his axe in his right hand,

while with the other he pushed aside the broad leaves and

endeavoured to peer amongst them.

 

“I can see nothing,” he said, after a short pause.

 

“I think it - “

 

Again the rumbling sound came, louder than before, and we all

sprang back and stood on the defensive. For myself, having

forgotten my club, and not having taken the precaution to cut

another, I buttoned my jacket, doubled my fists, and threw myself

into a boxing attitude. I must say, however, that I felt somewhat

uneasy; and my companions afterwards confessed that their thoughts

at this moment had been instantly filled with all they had ever

heard or read of wild beasts and savages, torturings at the stake,

roastings alive, and such like horrible things. Suddenly the

pattering noise increased with tenfold violence. It was followed

by a fearful crash among the bushes, which was rapidly repeated, as

if some gigantic animal were bounding towards us. In another

moment an enormous rock came crashing through the shrubbery,

followed by a cloud of dust and small stones, flew close past the

spot where we stood, carrying bushes and young trees along with it.

 

“Pooh! is that all?” exclaimed Peterkin, wiping the perspiration

off his forehead. “Why, I thought