*CHAPTER IX.*
_*Starts to Explore the Island; Turtles' Eggs*_*.*
I followed the narrow line of sand, sometimes having to make a detourinland to get around a rocky point of land which jutted out into thewater, or to avoid a dagger-like plant the spike-like leaves of whichwere armed with spines as sharp as needles. This, I concluded, must bethe Spanish bayonet.
The sun shone brightly, and the sea, deep blue and calm, stretched awaytoward the west, the long, gentle swells causing but a ripple on thebeach. As I progressed, the island along the shore became lessattractive than it was in the near vicinity of my house; and in someplaces it had a parched appearance. Once I was obliged to cross a flatarea of several acres in extent, bounded by a high bluff, where I had tomake my way cautiously among cactus plants of various kinds; some lowand spreading over the ground and bearing beautiful, yellow, wax-likeblossoms, and others a great size, like trees denuded of the smallerbranches and twigs.
The sun had reached the zenith when I came to a small stream and satdown beneath a wide-spreading tree to rest, and to refresh myself fromthe provisions that I carried. As I ate I gazed up among the branchesof the great tree, whose broad leaves furnished such a grateful shade,when I saw that it bore fruit, round and green, five or six inches indiameter. This I believed to be bread-fruit, from the pictures I hadseen, and I resolved to carry two or three along with me, only obtainingthem by climbing the tree.
Although I did not intend to travel steadily in the heat of the dayduring my march, I felt anxious to make a good beginning on the firstday out, so after getting cool and feeling well rested, I went on.
As I crossed the brook, scores of small brown crabs scudded away alongthe bank. They were the first I had seen during my sojourn on theisland. Spiders, I had seen many of, some of great size with hairybodies and long legs; but as they showed no ferocity, I had no fear ofthem. Indeed on account of their great size I did not believe them tobe poisonous. As a rule, the natural histories said, poisonous spidersof the tropics are not of great size, and most of them have short legs.
Having made a long detour around a swampy place which extended to thesea, I came out of the bush upon a wide beach shaped like a semi-circle,or half-moon; and as I did so my attention was attracted to severallarge, glossy, blackish objects scattered over the beach. I approachedone, and found it to be a monstrous turtle. There must have beenhundreds of them, and, one by one, as I moved about, they started awaytoward the water. Some of them were very large, and must have weighedthree or four hundred pounds. Had I been so disposed I had no means ofdispatching one for food, but I felt sure that the turtles had beendepositing their eggs in the sand, and I could easily roast the eggs inthe fire, which would form a very acceptable adjunct to my larder.
Accordingly, digging into the sand where the turtles had been lying, Ifound plenty of round white eggs, a quantity of which I gathered to addto my stores.
It was now near the end of the afternoon, as I observed by the sun, andI decided to select a place to camp for the night. I selected a spotnear a thicket of thorn bushes, which would form an effectual protectionto the rear, and then began collecting dry branches for a fire. The sunwas low in the sky, and the heat was greatly moderated, and, by the timeI had collected a large pile of fire wood, a sea breeze sprang up,taking the place of the land breeze of the day, making it cool andcomfortable.
I had no difficulty this time in starting a fire, and as soon as it hadburned down sufficiently I buried a yam and some of the turtles' eggs inthe ashes, and, while they were cooking I occupied the time cutting awaya part of the smaller thorn bushes, making a cleared place in which Icould sleep during the night, the thicket over me furnishing protectionfrom the dampness of the air.
By the time this was accomplished, and a cocoanut shell of water wasbrought from the brook, I judged that the yam and eggs were sufficientlycooked, which they proved to be when I uncovered them, and I at onceproceeded to eat my evening meal. The eggs proved to be of good flavor,but wanted salt. This reminded me that I must provide a supply of salt,which I could do by evaporating some sea-water as soon as I had theopportunity.
It was now past sunset and rapidly growing dark; so I replenished thepile of firewood, and piling a quantity of it upon the fire, I lay downwith a bunch of grass for a pillow, and in a short time fell asleep.