CHAPTER ELEVEN.
INEXPLICABLE MYSTERY--HERBERT'S CONVALESCENCE--THE PARTS OF THE ISLANDTO BE EXPLORED--PREPARATIONS FOR DEPARTURE--FIRST DAY--NIGHT--SECONDDAY--KAURIES--A COUPLE OF CASSOWARIES--FOOTPRINTS IN THE FOREST--ARRIVALAT REPTILE POINT.
Gideon Spilett took the box and opened it. It contained nearly twohundred grains of a white powder, a few particles of which he carried tohis lips. The extreme bitterness of the substance precluded all doubt;it was certainly the precious extract of quinine, that pre-eminentantifebrile.
This powder must be administered to Herbert without delay. How it camethere might be discussed later.
"Some coffee!" said Spilett.
In a few moments Neb brought a cup of the warm infusion. Gideon Spilettthrew into it about eighteen grains of quinine, and they succeeded inmaking Herbert drink the mixture.
There was still time, for the third attack of the malignant fever hadnot yet shown itself. How they longed to be able to add that it wouldnot return!
Besides, it must be remarked, the hopes of all had now revived. Themysterious influence had been again exerted, and in a critical moment,when they had despaired of it.
In a few hours Herbert was much calmer. The colonists could now discussthis incident. The intervention of the stranger was more evident thanever. But how had he been able to penetrate during the night intoGranite House? It was inexplicable, and, in truth, the proceedings ofthe genius of the island were not less mysterious than was that geniushimself. During this day the sulphate of quinine was administered toHerbert every three hours.
The next day some improvement in Herbert's condition was apparent.Certainly, he was not out of danger, intermittent fevers being subjectto frequent and dangerous relapses, but the most assiduous care wasbestowed on him. And besides, the specific was at hand; nor, doubtless,was he who had brought it far-distant! and the hearts of all wereanimated by returning hope.
This hope was not disappointed. Ten days after, on the 20th ofDecember, Herbert's convalescence commenced.
He was still weak, and strict diet had been imposed upon him, but noaccess of fever supervened. And then, the poor boy submitted with suchdocility to all the prescriptions ordered him! He longed so to getwell!
Pencroft was as a man who has been drawn up from the bottom of an abyss.Fits of joy approaching to delirium seized him. When the time for thethird attack had passed by, he nearly suffocated the reporter in hisembrace. Since then, he always called him Dr Spilett.
The real doctor, however, remained undiscovered.
"We will find him!" repeated the sailor.
Certainly, this man, whoever he was, might expect a somewhat tooenergetic embrace from the worthy Pencroft!
The month of December ended, and with it the year 1867, during which thecolonists of Lincoln Island had of late been so severely tried. Theycommenced the year 1868 with magnificent weather, great heat, and atropical temperature, delightfully cooled by the sea-breeze. Herbert'srecovery progressed, and from his bed, placed near one of the windows ofGranite House, he could inhale the fresh air, charged with ozone, whichcould not fail to restore his health. His appetite returned, and whatnumberless delicate, savoury little dishes Neb prepared for him!
"It is enough to make one wish to have a fever oneself!" said Pencroft.
During all this time, the convicts did not once appear in the vicinityof Granite House. There was no news of Ayrton, and though the engineerand Herbert still had some hopes of finding him again, their companionsdid not doubt but that the unfortunate man had perished. However, thisuncertainty could not last, and when once the lad should have recovered,the expedition, the result of which must be so important, would beundertaken. But they would have to wait a month, perhaps, for all thestrength of the colony must be put into requisition to obtainsatisfaction from the convicts.
However, Herbert's convalescence progressed rapidly. The congestion ofthe liver had disappeared, and his wounds might be considered completelyhealed.
During the month of January, important work was done on the plateau ofProspect Heights; but it consisted solely in saving as much as waspossible from the devastated crops, either of corn or vegetables. Thegrain and the plants were gathered, so as to provide a new harvest forthe approaching half-season. With regard to rebuilding thepoultry-yard, wall, or stables, Cyrus Harding preferred to wait. Whilsthe and his companions were in pursuit of the convicts, the latter mightvery probably pay another visit to the plateau, and it would be uselessto give them an opportunity of recommencing their work of destruction.When the island should be cleared of these miscreants, they would setabout rebuilding. The young convalescent began to get up in the secondweek of January, at first for one hour a day, then two, then three. Hisstrength visibly returned, so vigorous was his constitution. He was noweighteen years of age. He was tall, and promised to become a man ofnoble and commanding presence. From this time his recovery, while stillrequiring care,--and Dr Spilett was very strict,--made rapid; progress.Towards the end of the month, Herbert was already walking about onProspect Heights, and the beach.
He derived, from several sea-baths, which he took in company withPencroft and Neb, the greatest possible benefit. Cyrus Harding thoughthe might now settle the day for their departure, for which the 15th ofFebruary was fixed. The nights, very clear at this time of year, wouldbe favourable to the researches they intended to make all over theisland.
The necessary preparations for this exploration were now commenced, andwere important, for the colonists had sworn not to return to GraniteHouse until their twofold object had been achieved; on the one hand, toexterminate the convicts, and rescue Ayrton, if he was still living; onthe other, to discover who it was that presided so effectually over thefortunes of the colony.
Of Lincoln Island, the settlers knew thoroughly all the eastern coastfrom Claw Cape to the Mandible Capes, the extensive Tadorn Marsh, theneighbourhood of Lake Grant, Jacamar Wood, between the road to thecorral and the Mercy, the courses of the Mercy and Red Creek, andlastly, the spurs of Mount Franklin, among which the corral had beenestablished.
They had explored, though only in an imperfect manner, the vast shore ofWashington Bay from Claw Cape to Reptile End, the woody and marshyborder of the west coast, and the interminable downs, ending at the openmouth of Shark Gulf. But they had in no way surveyed the woods whichcovered the Serpentine Peninsula, all to the right of the Mercy, theleft bank of Falls River, and the wilderness of spurs and valleys whichsupported three quarters of the base of Mount Franklin, to the east, thenorth, and the west, and where doubtless many secret retreats existed.Consequently, many millions of acres of the island had still escapedtheir investigations.
It was, therefore, decided that the expedition should be carried throughthe Far West, so as to include all that region situated on the right ofthe Mercy.
It might, perhaps, be better worth while to go direct to the corral,where it might be supposed that the convicts had again taken refuge,either to pillage or to establish themselves there. But either thedevastation of the corral would have been an accomplished fact by thistime, and it would be too late to prevent it; or it had been theconvicts' interest to intrench themselves there, and there would bestill time to go and turn them out on their return.
Therefore, after some discussion, the first plan was adhered to, and thesettlers resolved to proceed through the wood to Reptile End. Theywould make their way with their hatchets, and thus lay the first draftof a road which would place Granite House in communication with the endof the peninsula for a length of from sixteen to seventeen miles.
The cart was in good condition. The onagas, well rested, could go along journey. Provisions, camp effects, a portable stove, and variousutensils were packed in the cart, as also weapons and ammunition,carefully chosen from the now complete arsenal of Granite House. But itwas necessary to remember that the convicts were, perhaps, roaming aboutthe woods, and that in the midst of these thick forests a shot mightquickly be fired a
nd received. It was therefore resolved that thelittle band of settlers should remain together and not separate underany pretext whatever.
It was also decided that no one should remain at Granite House. Top andJup themselves were to accompany the expedition; the inaccessibledwelling needed no guard. The 14th of February, eve of the departure,was Sunday. It was consecrated entirely to repose, and thanksgivingsaddressed by the colonists to the Creator. A place in the cart wasreserved for Herbert, who, though thoroughly convalescent, was still alittle weak. The next morning, at daybreak, Cyrus Harding took thenecessary measures to protect Granite House from any invasion. Theladders, which were formerly used for the ascent, were brought to theChimneys and buried deep in the sand, so that they might be available onthe return of the colonists, for the machinery of the lift had beentaken to pieces, and nothing of the apparatus remained. Pencroft stayedthe last in Granite House in order to finish this work, and he thenlowered himself down by means of a double rope held below, and which,when once hauled down, left no communication between the upper landingand the beach.
The weather was magnificent.
"We shall have a warm day of it," said the reporter, laughing.
"Pooh! Dr Spilett," answered Pencroft, "we shall walk under the shadeof the trees and shan't even see the sun!"
"Forward!" said the engineer.
The cart was waiting on the beach before the Chimneys. The reportermade Herbert take his place in it during the first hours at least of thejourney, and the lad was obliged to submit to his doctor's orders.
Neb placed himself at the onagas' heads. Cyrus Harding, the reporter,and the sailor, walked in front. Top bounded joyfully along. Herbertoffered a seat in his vehicle to Jup, who accepted it without ceremony.The moment for departure had arrived, and the little band set out.
The cart first turned the angle of the mouth of the Mercy, then, havingascended the left bank for a mile, crossed the bridge, at the other sideof which commenced the road to Port Balloon and there the explorers,leaving this road on their left, entered the cover of the immense woodswhich formed the region of the Far West.
For the first two miles the widely-scattered trees allowed the cart topass with ease; from time to time it became necessary to cut away a fewcreepers and bushes, but no serious obstacle impeded the progress of thecolonists.
The thick foliage of the trees threw a grateful shade on the ground.Deodars, douglas-firs, casuarinas, banksias, gum-trees, dragon-trees,and other well-known species, succeeded each other far as the eye couldreach. The feathered tribes of the island were all represented--tetras,jacamars, pheasants, lories, as well as the chattering cockatoos,parrots, and paroquets. Agouties, kangaroos, and capybaras fled swiftlyat their approach; and all this reminded the settlers of the firstexcursions they had made on their arrival at the island.
"Nevertheless," observed Cyrus Harding, "I notice that these creatures,both birds and quadrupeds, are more timid than formerly. These woodshave, therefore, been recently traversed by the convicts, and we shallcertainly find some traces of them."
And, in fact, in several places they could distinguish traces, more orless recent, of the passage of a band of men--here branches broken offthe trees, perhaps to mark out the way; there the ashes of a fire, andfootprints in clayey spots; but nothing which appeared to belong to asettled encampment.
The engineer had recommended his companions to refrain from hunting.The reports of the fire-arms might give the alarm to the convicts, whowere, perhaps, roaming through the forest. Moreover, the hunters wouldnecessarily ramble some distance from the cart, which it was dangerousto leave unguarded.
In the after-part of the day, when about six miles from Granite House,their progress became much more difficult. In order to make their waythrough some thickets, they were obliged to cut down trees. Beforeentering such places Harding was, careful to send in Top and Jup, whofaithfully accomplished their commission, and when the dog and orangreturned without giving any warning, there was evidently nothing tofear, either from convicts or wild beasts, two varieties of the animalkingdom, whose ferocious instincts placed them on the same level. Onthe evening of the first day the colonists encamped about nine milesfrom Granite House, on the border of a little stream falling into theMercy, and of the existence of which they had till then been ignorant;it evidently, however, belonged to the hydrographical system to whichthe soil owed its astonishing fertility. The settlers made a heartymeal, for their appetites were sharpened, and measures were then takenthat the night might be passed in safety. If the engineer had had onlyto deal with wild beasts, jaguars, or others, he would have simplylighted fires all round his camp, which would have sufficed for itsdefence; but the convicts would be rather attracted than terrified bythe flames, and it was, therefore, better to be surrounded by theprofound darkness of night.
The watch was, however, carefully organised. Two of the settlers wereto watch together, and every two hours it was agreed that they should berelieved by their comrades. And so, notwithstanding his wish to thecontrary, Herbert was exempted from guard, Pencroft and Gideon Spilettin one party, the engineer and Neb in another, mounted guard in turnsover the camp.
The night, however, was but of few hours. The darkness was due ratherto the thickness of the foliage than to the disappearance of the sun.The silence was scarcely disturbed by the howling of jaguars and thechattering of the monkeys, the latter appearing to particularly irritatemaster Jup. The night passed without incident, and on the next day, the15th of February, the journey through the forest, rather tedious thandifficult, was continued. This day they could not accomplish more thansix miles, for every moment they were obliged to cut a road with theirhatchets.
Like true settlers, the colonists spared the largest and most beautifultrees, which would besides have cost immense labour to fell, and thesmall ones only were sacrificed, but the result was that the road took avery winding direction, and lengthened itself by numerous _detours_.
During the day Herbert discovered several new specimens not before metwith in the island, such as the tree-fern, with its leaves spread outlike the waters of a fountain, locust-trees, on the long pods of whichthe onagas browsed greedily, and which supplied a sweet pulp ofexcellent flavour. There, too, the colonists again found groups ofmagnificent kauries, their cylindrical trunks, crowned with a cone ofverdure, rising to a height of two hundred feet. These were thetree-kings of New Zealand, as celebrated as the cedars of Lebanon.
As to the fauna, there was no addition to those species already known tothe hunters. Nevertheless, they saw, though unable to get near them, acouple of those large birds peculiar to Australia, a sort of cassowary,called emu, five feet in height, and with brown plumage, which belong tothe tribe of waders. Top darted after them as fast as his four legscould carry him, but the emus distanced him with ease, so prodigious wastheir speed.
As to the traces left by the convicts, a few more were discovered. Somefootprints found near an apparently recently-extinguished fire wereattentively examined by the settlers. By measuring them one after theother, according to their length and breadth, the marks of five men'sfeet were easily distinguished. The five convicts had evidently campedon this spot; but,--and this was the object of so minute anexamination,--a sixth foot-print could not be discovered, which in thatcase would have been that of Ayrton.
"Ayrton was not with them!" said Herbert.
"No," answered Pencroft, "and if he was not with them, it was becausethe wretches had already murdered him! but then these rascals have not aden to which they may be tracked like tigers!"
"No," replied the reporter; "it is more probable that they wander atrandom, and it is their interest to rove about until the time when theywill be masters of the island!"
"The masters of the island!" exclaimed the sailor; "the masters of theisland!" he repeated, and his voice was choked, as if his throat wasseized in an iron grasp. Then in a calmer tone, "Do you know, CaptainHarding," said he, "what the ball is which I have rammed
into my gun?"
"No, Pencroft!"
"It is the ball that went through Herbert's chest, and I promise you itwon't miss its mark!"
But this just retaliation would not bring Ayrton back to life, and fromthe examination of the footprints left in the ground, they must, alas!conclude that all hopes of ever seeing him again must be abandoned.
That evening they encamped fourteen miles from Granite House, and CyrusHarding calculated that they could not be more than five miles fromReptile Point.
And, indeed, the next day the extremity of the peninsula was reached,and the whole length of the forest had been traversed; but there wasnothing to indicate the retreat in which the convicts had taken refuge,nor that, no less secret, which sheltered the mysterious unknown.