CHAPTER XIII
Departure decided upon -- Conjectures -- Preparations -- The three Passengers -- First Night -- Second Night -- Tabor Island -- Searching the Shore -- Searching the Wood -- No one -- Animals -- Plants -- A Dwelling -- Deserted.
"A castaway!" exclaimed Pencroft; "left on this Tabor Island not twohundred miles from us! Ah, Captain Harding, you won't now oppose mygoing."
"No, Pencroft," replied Cyrus Harding; "and you shall set out as soonas possible."
"To-morrow?"
"To-morrow!"
The engineer still held in his hand the paper which he had taken fromthe bottle. He contemplated it for some instants, then resumed,--
"From this document, my friends, from the way in which it is worded,we may conclude this: first, that the castaway on Tabor Island is aman possessing a considerable knowledge of navigation, since he givesthe latitude and longitude of the island exactly as we ourselves foundit, and to a second of approximation; secondly, that he is eitherEnglish or American, as the document is written in the Englishlanguage."
"That is perfectly logical," answered Spilett; "and the presence ofthis castaway explains the arrival of the case on the shores of ourisland. There must have been a wreck, since there is a castaway. As tothe latter, whoever he may be, it is lucky for him that Pencroftthought of building this boat and of trying her this very day, for aday later and this bottle might have been broken on the rocks."
"Indeed," said Herbert, "it is a fortunate chance that the_Bonadventure_ passed exactly where the bottle was still floating!"
"Does not this appear strange to you?" asked Harding of Pencroft.
"It appears fortunate, that's all," answered the sailor. "Do you seeanything extraordinary in it, captain. The bottle must go somewhere,and why not here as well as anywhere else?"
"Perhaps you are right, Pencroft," replied the engineer; "and yet--"
"But," observed Herbert, "there's nothing to prove that this bottlehas been floating long in the sea."
"Nothing," replied Gideon Spilett; "and the document appears even tohave been recently written. What do you think about it, Cyrus?"
"It is difficult to say, and besides we shall soon know," repliedHarding.
During this conversation Pencroft had not remained in-active. He hadput the vessel about, and the _Bonadventure_, all sails set, wasrunning rapidly towards Claw Cape.
Every one was thinking of the castaway on Tabor Island. Should they bein time to save him? This was a great event in the life of thecolonists! They themselves were but castaways, but it was to be fearedthat another might not have been so fortunate, and their duty was togo to his succour.
Claw Cape was doubled, and about four o'clock the _Bonadventure_dropped her anchor at the mouth of the Mercy.
That same evening the arrangements for the new expedition were made.It appeared best that Pencroft and Herbert, who knew how to work thevessel, should undertake the voyage alone. By setting out the nextday, the 10th of October, they would arrive on the 13th, for with thepresent wind it would not take more than forty-eight hours to makethis passage of a hundred and fifty miles. One day in the island,three or four to return, they might hope therefore that on the 17ththey would again reach Lincoln Island. The weather was fine, thebarometer was rising, the wind appeared settled, everything then wasin favour of these brave men whom an act of humanity was taking farfrom their island.
Thus it had been agreed that Cyrus Harding, Neb, and Gideon Spilett,should remain at Granite House, but an objection was raised, andSpilett, who had not forgotten his business as reporter to the _NewYork Herald_, having declared that he would go by swimming rather thanlose such an opportunity, he was admitted to take a part in thevoyage.
The evening was occupied in transporting on board the _Bonadventure_articles of bedding, utensils, arms, ammunition, a compass, provisionsfor a week, and this business being rapidly accomplished the colonistsascended to Granite House.
The next day, at five o'clock in the morning, the farewells were said,not without some emotion on both sides, and Pencroft setting sail madetowards Claw Cape, which had to be doubled in order to proceed to thesouth-west.
The _Bonadventure_ was already a quarter of a mile from the coast,when the passengers perceived on the heights of Granite House two menwaving their farewells; they were Cyrus Harding and Neb.
"Our friends," exclaimed Spilett, "this is our first separation forfifteen months."
Pencroft, the reporter, and Herbert waved in return, and Granite Housesoon disappeared behind the high rocks of the Cape.
During the first part of the day the _Bonadventure_ was still in sightof the southern coast of Lincoln Island, which soon appeared just likea green basket, with Mount Franklin rising from the centre. Theheights, diminished by distance, did not present an appearance likelyto tempt vessels to touch there. Reptile End was passed in about anhour, though at a distance of about ten miles.
At this distance it was no longer possible to distinguish anything ofthe Western Coast, which stretched away to the ridges of MountFranklin, and three hours after the last of Lincoln Island sank belowthe horizon.
The _Bonadventure_ behaved capitally. Bounding over the waves sheproceeded rapidly on her course. Pencroft had hoisted the foresail,and steering by the compass followed a rectilinear direction. Fromtime to time Herbert relieved him at the helm, and the lad's hand wasso firm that the sailor had not a point to find fault with.
Gideon Spilett chatted sometimes with one, sometimes with the other,if wanted he lent a hand with the ropes, and Captain Pencroft wasperfectly satisfied with his crew.
THE DEPARTURE]
In the evening the crescent moon, which would not be in its firstquarter until the 16th, appeared in the twilight and soon set again.The night was dark but starry, and the next day again promised to befine.
Pencroft prudently lowered the foresail, not wishing to be caught by asudden gust while carrying too much canvas; it was perhaps anunnecessary precaution on such a calm night, but Pencroft was aprudent sailor and cannot be blamed for it.
The reporter slept part of the night. Pencroft and Herbert took turnsfor a spell of two hours each at the helm. The sailor trusted Herbertas he would himself, and his confidence was justified by the coolnessand judgment of the lad. Pencroft gave him his directions as acommander to his steersman, and Herbert never allowed the_Bonadventure_ to swerve even a point. The night passed quietly, asdid the day of the 12th of October. A south-easterly direction wasstrictly maintained, unless the _Bonadventure_ fell in with someunknown current she would come exactly within sight of Tabor Island.
As to the sea over which the vessel was then sailing, it wasabsolutely deserted. Now and then a great albatross or frigate birdpassed within gun-shot, and Gideon Spilett wondered if it was to oneof them that he had confided his last letter addressed to the _NewYork Herald_. These birds were the only beings that appeared tofrequent this part of the ocean between Tabor and Lincoln Island.
"And yet," observed Herbert, "this is the time that whalers usuallyproceed towards the southern part of the Pacific. Indeed I do notthink there could be a more deserted sea than this."
"It is not quite so deserted as all that," replied Pencroft.
"What do you mean," asked the reporter.
"We are on it. Do you take our vessel for a wreck and us forporpoises?"
And Pencroft laughed at his joke.
By the evening, according to calculation, it was thought that the_Bonadventure_ had accomplished a distance of a hundred and twentymiles since her departure from Lincoln Island, that is to say inthirty-six hours, which would give her a speed of between three andfour knots an hour. The breeze was very slight and might soon dropaltogether. However it was hoped that the next morning by break ofday, if the calculation had been correct and the course true, theywould sight Tabor Island.
Neither Gideon Spilett, Herbert, nor Pencroft slept that night. In theexpectation of the next day they could not but feel some emotion.T
here was so much uncertainty in their enterprise! Were they nearTabor Island? Was the island still inhabited by the castaway to whosesuccour they had come. Who was this man? Would not his presencedisturb the little colony till then so united? Besides, would he becontent to exchange his prison for another? All these questions, whichwould no doubt be answered the next day, kept them in suspense, and atthe dawn of day they all fixed their gaze on the western horizon.
"Land!" shouted Pencroft at about six o'clock in the morning.
And it was impossible that Pencroft should be mistaken, it was evidentthat land was there. Imagine the joy of the little crew of the_Bonadventure_. In a few hours they would land on the beach of theisland!
The low coast of Tabor Island, scarcely emerging from the sea, was notmore than fifteen miles distant.
The head of the _Bonadventure_, which was a little to the south of theisland, was set directly towards it, and as the sun mounted in theeast, his rays fell upon one or two headlands.
"This is a much less important isle than Lincoln Island," observedHerbert, "and is probably due like ours to some submarine convulsion."
At eleven o'clock the _Bonadventure_ was not more than two miles off,and Pencroft, whilst looking for a suitable place at which to land,proceeded very cautiously through the unknown waters. The whole of theisland could now be surveyed, and on it could be seen groups of gumand other large trees, of the same species as those growing on LincolnIsland. But the astonishing thing was that no smoke arose to show thatthe island was inhabited, not a signal appeared on any point of theshore whatever!
And yet the document was clear enough; there was a castaway, and thiscastaway should have been on the watch.
In the meanwhile the _Bonadventure_ entered the winding channels amongthe reefs, and Pencroft observed every turn with extreme care. He hadput Herbert at the helm, posting himself in the bows, inspecting thewater, whilst he held the halliard in his hand, ready to lower thesail at a moment's notice. Gideon Spilett with his glass eagerlyscanned the shore, though without perceiving anything.
However at about twelve o'clock the keel of the _Bonadventure_ gratedon the bottom. The anchor was let go, the sails furled, and the crewof the little vessel landed.
And there was no reason to doubt that this was Tabor Island, sinceaccording to the most recent charts there was no island in this partof the Pacific between New Zealand and the American coast.
The vessel was securely moored, so that there should be no danger ofher being carried away by the receding tide; then Pencroft and hiscompanions, well armed, ascended the shore, so as to gain an elevationof about two hundred and fifty or three hundred feet which rose at adistance of half a mile.
"From the summit of that hill," said Spilett, "we can no doubt obtaina complete view of the island, which will greatly facilitate oursearch."
"So as to do here," replied Herbert, "that which Captain Harding didthe very first thing on Lincoln Island, by climbing Mount Franklin."
"Exactly so," answered the reporter; "and it is the best plan ofproceeding."
Whilst thus talking the explorers had advanced along a clearing whichterminated at the foot of the hill. Flocks of rock-pigeons andsea-swallows, similar to those of Lincoln Island, fluttered aroundthem. Under the woods which skirted the glade on the left they couldhear the bushes rustling and see the grass waving, which indicated thepresence of timid animals, but still nothing to show that the islandwas inhabited.
Arrived at the foot of the hill, Pencroft, Spilett, and Herbertclimbed it in a few minutes, and gazed anxiously round the horizon.
NEARING THE ISLAND]
They were on an islet which did not measure more than six miles incircumference, its shape not much bordered by capes or promontories,bays or creeks, being a lengthened oval. All around, the lonely seaextended to the limits of the horizon. No land nor even a sail was insight.
This woody islet did not offer the varied aspects of Lincoln Island,arid and wild in one part, but fertile and rich in the other. On thecontrary this was a uniform mass of verdure, out of which rose two orthree hills of no great height. Obliquely to the oval of the islandran a stream through a wide meadow falling into the sea on the west bya narrow mouth.
"The domain is limited," said Herbert.
"Yes," rejoined Pencroft. "It would have been too small for us."
"And moreover," said the reporter, "it appears to be uninhabited."
"Indeed," answered Herbert, "nothing here betrays the presence ofman."
"Let us go down," said Pencroft, "and search."
The sailor and his two companions returned to the shore, to the placewhere they had left the _Bonadventure_.
They had decided to make the tour of the island on foot, beforeexploring the interior, so that not a spot should escape theirinvestigations. The beach was easy to follow, and only in some placeswas their way barred by large rocks, which, however, they easilypassed round. The explorers proceeded towards the south, disturbingnumerous flocks of sea-birds and herds of seals, which threwthemselves into the sea as soon as they saw the strangers at adistance.
"Those beasts yonder," observed the reporter, "do not see men for thefirst time. They fear them, therefore they must know them."
An hour after their departure they arrived on the southern point ofthe islet, terminated by a sharp cape, and proceeded towards the northalong the western coast, equally formed by sand and rocks, thebackground bordered with thick woods.
There was not a trace of a habitation in any part, not the print of ahuman foot on the shore of the island, which after four hours' walkinghad been gone completely round.
It was to say the least very extraordinary, and they were compelled tobelieve that Tabor Island was not or was no longer inhabited. Perhaps,after all, the document was already several months or several yearsold, and it was possible in this case, either that the castaway hadbeen enabled to return to his country, or that he had died of misery.
Pencroft, Spilett, and Herbert, forming more or less probableconjectures, dined rapidly on board the _Bonadventure_, so as to beable to continue their excursion until nightfall. This was done atfive o'clock in the evening, at which hour they entered the wood.
Numerous animals fled at their approach, being principally, one mightsay, only goats and pigs, which it was easy to see belonged toEuropean species.
Doubtless some whaler had landed them on the island, where they hadrapidly increased. Herbert resolved to catch one or two living, andtake them back to Lincoln Island.
It was no longer doubtful that men at some period or other had visitedthis islet, and this became still more evident when paths appearedtrodden through the forest, felled trees, and everywhere traces of thehand of man; but the trees were becoming rotten, and had been felledmany years ago; the marks of the axe were velveted with moss, and thegrass grew long and thick on the paths, so that it was difficult tofind them.
"But," observed Gideon Spilett, "this not only proves that men havelanded on the island, but also that they lived on it for some time.Now, who were these men? How many of them remain?"
"The document," said Herbert, "only spoke of one castaway."
"Well, if he is still on the island," replied Pencroft, "it isimpossible but that we shall find him."
The exploration was continued. The sailor and his companions naturallyfollowed the route which cut diagonally across the island, and theywere thus obliged to follow the stream which flowed towards the sea.
If the animals of European origin, if works due to a human hand,showed incontestably that men had already visited the island, severalspecimens of the vegetable kingdom did not prove it less. In someplaces, in the midst of clearings, it was evident that the soil hadbeen planted with culinary plants, at probably the same distantperiod.
What, then, was Herbert's joy, when he recognised potatoes, chicory,sorrel, carrots, cabbages, and turnips, of which it was sufficient tocollect the seed to enrich the soil of Lincoln Island.
"Capital, jolly!" exclaimed Penc
roft. "That will suit Neb as well asus. Even if we do not find the castaway, at least our voyage will nothave been useless, and God will have rewarded us."
"Doubtless," replied Gideon Spilett; "but to see the state in which wefind these plantations, it is to be feared that the island has notbeen inhabited for some time."
"Indeed," answered Herbert, "an inhabitant, whoever he was, could nothave neglected such an important culture!"
"Yes," said Pencroft, "the castaway has gone."
"We must suppose so."
"It must then be admitted that the document has already a distantdate?"
"Evidently."
"And that the bottle only arrived at Lincoln Island after havingfloated in the sea a long time."
"Why not," returned Pencroft. "But night is coming on," added he, "andI think that it will be best to give up the search for the present."
"Let us go on board, and to-morrow we will begin again," said thereporter.
This was the wisest course, and it was about to be followed whenHerbert, pointing to a confused mass among the trees, exclaimed,--
"A hut!"
All three immediately ran towards the dwelling. In the twilight it wasjust possible to see that it was built of planks and covered with athick tarpaulin.
The half-closed door was pushed open by Pencroft, who entered with arapid step.
The hut was empty!
A HUT!]