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Blown to Bits or The Lonely Man of Rakata]
CAME UNEXPECTEDLY ON A CAVERN."--PAGE112.--(_Frontispiece_.)]
BLOWN TO BITS
OR
THE LONELY MAN OF RAKATA.
A Tale of the Malay Archipelago.
BY R.M. BALLANTYNE,
AUTHOR OF "BLUE LIGHTS, OR HOT WORK IN THE SOUDAN;" "THE FUGITIVES;""RED ROONEY;" "THE ROVER OF THE ANDES;" "THE WILD MAN OF THE WEST;" "THERED ERIC;" "FREAKS ON THE FELLS;" "THE YOUNG TRAWLER;" "DUSTY DIAMONDS;""THE BATTERY AND THE BOILER;" "POST HASTE;" "BLACK IVORY;" "THE IRONHORSE;" "FIGHTING THE FLAMES;" "THE LIFEBOAT;" ETC. ETC.
With Illustrations by the Author.
_EIGHTH THOUSAND_.
LONDON:
JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.
1894.
[_All rights reserved_.]
PREFACE.
The extremely violent nature of the volcanic eruption in Krakatoa in1883, the peculiar beauty of those parts of the eastern seas where theevent occurred, the wide-spread influences of the accompanyingphenomena, and the tremendous devastation which resulted, have allinspired me with a desire to bring the matter, in the garb of a tale,before that portion of the juvenile world which accords me a hearing.
For most of the facts connected with the eruption which have beenimported into my story, I have to acknowledge myself indebted to therecently published important and exhaustive "Report" of the KrakatoaCommittee, appointed by the Royal Society to make a thoroughinvestigation of the whole matter in all its phases.
I have also to acknowledge having obtained much interesting and usefulinformation from the following among other works:--_The MalayArchipelago_, by A.R. Wallace; _A Naturalist's Wanderings in the EasternArchipelago_, by H.O. Forbes; and Darwin's _Journal of Researches_ roundthe world in H.M.S. "Beagle."
R.M. BALLANTYNE.
HARROW-ON-THE HILL, 1889.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAP. I.--THE PLAY COMMENCES, 1
II.--THE HAVEN IN THE CORAL RING, 9
III.--INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF VARIOUS KINDS, 19
IV.--NIGEL UNDERGOES SOME QUITE NEW AND INTERESTING EXPERIENCES, 33
V.--CAPTAIN ROY SURPRISES AND GRATIFIES HIS SON, WHO SURPRISES A NEGRO, AND SUDDENLY FORMS AN ASTONISHING RESOLVE, 47
VI.--THE HERMIT OF RAKATA INTRODUCED, 58
VII.--WONDERS OF THE HERMIT'S CAVE AND ISLAND, 72
VIII.--PERBOEWATAN BECOMES MODERATELY VIOLENT, 89
IX.--DESCRIBES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A SINGULAR MEETING UNDER PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES, 99
X.--A CURIOUS SEA-GOING CRAFT--THE UNKNOWN VOYAGE BEGUN, 111
XI.--CANOEING ON THE SEA--A MYSTERIOUS NIGHT-SURPRISE AND SUDDEN FLIGHT, 123
XII.--WEATHERING A STORM IN THE OPEN SEA, 140
XIII.--FRIENDS ARE MET WITH, ALSO PIRATES, AND A LIFE-OR-DEATH PADDLE ENSUES, 153
XIV.--A NEW FRIEND FOUND--NEW DANGERS ENCOUNTERED AND NEW HOPES DELAYED, 173
XV.--HUNTING THE GREAT MAN-MONKEY, 189
XVI.--BEGINS WITH A TERRIBLE FIGHT AND ENDS WITH A HASTY FLIGHT, 204
XVII.--TELLS OF THE JOYS, ETC., OF THE PROFESSOR IN THE SUMATRAN FORESTS, ALSO OF A CATASTROPHE AVERTED, 217
XVIII.--A TRYING ORDEAL--DANGER THREATENS AND FLIGHT AGAIN RESOLVED ON, 230
XIX.--A TERRIBLE MURDER AND A STRANGE REVELATION, 243
XX.--NIGEL MAKES A CONFIDANT OF MOSES--UNDERTAKES A LONELY WATCH AND SEES SOMETHING WONDERFUL, 259
XXI.--IN WHICH THE PROFESSOR DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF, 276
XXII.--A PYTHON DISCOVERED AND A GEYSER INTERVIEWED, 297
XXIII.--TELLS OF VOLCANIC FIRES AND A STRANGE RETURN "HOME," 307
XXIV.--AN AWFUL NIGHT AND TERRIBLE MORNING, 324
XXV.--ADVENTURES OF THE "SUNSHINE" AND AN UNEXPECTED REUNION, 343
XXVI.--A CLIMAX, 361
XXVII.--"BLOWN TO BITS," 371
XXVIII.--THE FATE OF THE "SUNSHINE," 377
XXIX.--TELLS CHIEFLY OF THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF THIS ERUPTION ON THE WORLD AT LARGE, 385
XXX.--COMING EVENTS, ETC.--WONDERFUL CHANGES AMONG THE ISLANDS, 401
XXXI.--ENDS WITH A STRUGGLE BETWEEN INCLINATION AND DUTY, 414
XXXII.--THE LAST, 425
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.
VIGNETTE TITLE.
"HE CAME UNEXPECTEDLY ON A CAVERN."--PAGE 112, _Frontispiece_.
ART ON THE KEELING ISLANDS, _facing page_ 36
THEY DISCOVER A PIRATES' BIVOUAC, 164
"DO YOU HEAR?" SAID VERKIMIER, STERNLY, 187
BLOWN TO BITS 342
BLOWN TO BITS
A TALE OF THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO.