CHAPTER XXII.
Manufacture glass. Build a steam yacht, and circumnavigate the island. Lay up large stores of valuable pearls obtained from the pearl oysters.
After I had perfected my submarine boat I used it often to gather thepearl oysters, and it was not difficult to steer straight to the buoyon the reef, fill the shelves of my boat, arise again to the surface,and return home. After allowing my first load to putrify, I went towork upon them and washed them out in the water of Stillwater Cove,obtaining nearly a handful of seed-pearls, some twelve of the size ofpeas, and four very handsome and perfectly-shaped larger ones. Thisinduced me to keep on; for here was portable wealth such as I couldtake away with me when I left the island. Let it suffice to say that,during repeated trips at intervals, I ended by obtaining probably thefinest private collection of pearls in the world. I had some eighteenof enormous size, nearly as large as English walnuts, but as perfectas if from the turning-lathe,--except one that had a slight blemish,and one that was irregular in form,--and I much doubted if there weremore perfect and larger ones in any royal crown. They were regal insize and appearance, and were, I knew, of immense value. Besides thesesixteen perfect gems without price, I had at least four hundred andsixty as large as a small filbert nut, and several hundreds as large ascommon peas, not to speak of vast quantities of seed-pearls, too manyto enumerate. If I could escape from the island, these treasures wouldkeep me in ease and comfort in any part of the world.
During the year succeeding the finishing of my submarine boat, I wastaken up with many new inventions almost too numerous to mention. Ienclosed another large piece of ground as a pasture for my goats, ofwhich I had now as many as I chose to keep; in fact, I loosed many ofthe she-goats and kids into the woods to return to a state of nature,having more than I could attend to. From the remainder I made cheese,butter, jerked meat, etc. It may be possible that some persons havelived as well as I, but at this time I had everything that could bedesired. I improved upon my ways of preserving my fruits, and froma ground-nut that I found on the island extracted a most deliciousoil, which I used in all my cooking. I had by this time, by repeatedbreedings, brought the wild quail, that I saw when first arriving atthe island, to a state of barnyard fowl, and I had their delicateflesh and eggs added to my larder. From my grapes I was able to makeseveral kinds of pleasant light wines. In fact I had everything butcompanionship.
But by my temperament I could not keep still, so I must yet inventsomething new that would be of use to me. What I wanted most atthis time was glass, plate-glass for my submarine boat, and I wasdetermined to have it. So, with my book to guide me, at it I went.I knew that silicic acid, practically glass, was represented bysea-sand. I also knew, or rather discovered from perusal and study ofmy book, that this sea-sand, freed from iron, formed the base of glass.Also that silica, silicic acid, or oxide of silicon exists in greatabundance in nature, being the principal constituent in rock and stone,and that crystal and quartz held it in its purest forms. This, combinedwith potash or soda, and subjected to a powerful heat, would, I knew,make glass, if mixed in the right proportions.
In the first place I gathered some five or six hundred pounds ofthe finest, purest, and whitest sea-sand that I could find. ThisI carefully washed in some seven or eight waters of Rapid River,till it was purified of all its salt, and then it was placed in myore-cleansing kiln, and burned, or rather heated, to a red heat, to getrid of all vegetable matter, and then sifted through wire screens toget rid of any pieces of fuel with which it might have become charged.Having thus gotten my sand all in order, purified, and cleansed, I wentwith the goat team, and a handy little cart with cast-iron wheels andframe, that I had made during odd times, to the coal mine, to bringhome some of the chalk there to be found, of which there were largequantities, and of a fine quality. This I brought home and reduced toa fine powder by pounding it up with hammers, and sifting it throughfine sieves. I then went to work and built some large fires upon theseaside, upon which, when in full blaze, I placed large quantities ofkelp or barilla, which was finally converted into ashes. After I hadburned sufficient of it, I allowed the fires to go out, and gatheredthe ashes carefully, to which I added a quantity of fresh waterand stirred it about carefully, preserving the fluid in open ironpans, which I placed upon fires and evaporated, and had carbonate ofsoda as the result; and, although on a desert island where there issupposed to be nothing, my book informed me that kelp or barilla wasthe best article from which to make carbonate of soda, and some kindsof sea-sand the very best base of which to form glass. Having thusprocured the component parts of which to make my glass, I set to tomake a large clay pot in which to fuse it, that would fit in the baseof my iron-smelting furnace, so as to be surrounded by the air blasts.My clay pits fitted me out with this without any trouble, and I thenhad to manufacture a level plate of iron, about two feet square, witha raised rim of some inch and a half in height, and this I placed ina horizontal position in front of the door of the furnace, and riggedabove it a large iron roller to work by machinery, that could be passedover its face. I then mixed my ingredients by hand in the followingproportions:--
Prepared sand 400 lbs. Carbonate of soda 250 " Ground chalk 30 "
and put the empty clay pot into the furnace and started an immensefire around it. As soon as it was at a white heat I filled it with mymixture, placing it in the pot by means of a long iron spoon some sixfeet in length, protecting my face with a mask of goatskin, and myhands by gloves of the same material. When vitrification was complete,which took place in about eighteen hours, and which I ascertained byplunging a long rod of iron into the pot, I ladled out a lot of themass by means of a clay-lined, long-handled, iron ladle, and poured therapidly-cooling but pliable substance upon the iron table constructedfor it, and, pressing the iron roller upon it in all its parts, soonrolled out a sheet of glass two feet square and at least an inch anda half thick. Allowing this to cool, I repeated the process afterremoving it, till I had made six large squares. I then changed theroller so as to come lower down to the iron plate, and by this methodcommenced turning out sheets of plate glass two feet square and aboutone quarter of an inch thick. My task was done. I had all the glass Ishould ever want as long as I should live; enough for the side lightsof my boat, and also for windows to the Hermitage. Fully satisfied withmy task, I allowed my fire to go down, and the large slabs of glass tocool.
On the next day I set to work to polish the glass I had made, andthis I found a laborious and slow task. But it had to be done, andI commenced with fine pulverized and sifted sand, or rather quartz,and ended with chalk. It was many weeks before all was done, for Ineeded emery to help me in this task, and could find none, and hadto make other things do. But at last I had four fine slabs of plateglass quite well polished and clear, each two feet square, and oneand a half inches thick; and several that were of a quarter of aninch in thickness, many of which I had broken in attempting to polishthem. The latter were soon fitted into position as window lights inthe Hermitage, and pleasant enough they made the interior look. Theformer were made to fit into four holes cut out of the solid iron ofthe boat and fitted with flanges, into which they were set with greatcare by means of what the Chinese call _chenam_, a sort of water cementmade of lime, oil, white of eggs, and clam shells powdered fine, usedby them in making all their vessels water-tight. These four panes ofplate glass, each two feet square, and an inch and a half thick, wereplaced at either end and both sides of my boat on the slanting roof,and gave me a chance to see in what direction the boat was moving,to avoid obstacles, and aid me in submarine navigation. They werealso thick enough to withstand a blow of great force, and not to beaffected by the pressure of water upon them when at great depths; but,to preserve them more fully from any danger, I built outside of themall a wire screen, the meshes of which were perhaps two inches apart,and distant from the face of the glass outwards some six inches, madeof strong iron wire at least three eighths of an inch in diameter, sothat if by chance the bo
at should receive a blow, or be forced upon orback against any object, these screens would receive the blow and notthe naked glass, although I am ready to believe that the latter wouldhave sustained an immense shock without breaking, it was so thick andperfect, without crack or flaw. I should have said that all my glasshad just the faintest tinge of green, caused by the minute particlesof iron in the sea-sand of which it was composed, of which I had notbeen able to completely free it, although I had used magnets to extractlarge portions of it; but enough remained to give it this very lighttinge of which I have spoken.
I had no difficulty in cutting my thin glass into any shape Idesired, by means of case-hardened steel, which would scratch it deepenough to be broken off, although a glazier's diamond would haveperhaps performed the operation better; but a piece of sharp-edgedchilled-steel answered all practical purposes. Later on I had occasionto again make glass, but at this time I did not waste a moment inmaking household utensils, glasses, or bottles, my earthenware, woodenware, and ironware doing excellent service for me, and I had need of noutensil that they could not supply.
With my submarine boat perfected and supplied as it now was with itsimmense windows, I made many trips, and the sights under the water thatmy eyes gazed upon I could write thousands of pages about. I made nogreat discovery, however, in all my wanderings, except to find twomore oyster-banks, more to the northeast than the first one, but not soprolific. I saw often many creatures that never come to the surface,and for which there is no name, some of them small and seeminglyharmless, and others quite frightful and startling. I passed over, uponthree different occasions, enormous cuttle-fishes, or squids, withtentacles at least six or eight feet in length, and eyes three inchesin diameter; but they never, upon any occasion, paid the slightestattention to my boat, but remained perfectly motionless, clinging tothe stony bottom, waiting for their prey, and I took good care neverto disturb them. Immense crabs and lobsters, the very patriarchs ofthe ocean, often lay on the bottom to my view, and seemingly deformedand curious fishes, large and small, some like serpents and some likeinflated balls, often met my view as I floated along with the tide afew feet above the bottom. I never wholly got over the sensation ofbeing at the bottom of the ocean; it always seemed as if I had enteredanother world, where all was changed, and in which every living thingwas compelled to keep an eternal silence.
Many parts of the bottom, especially that near the pearl-oyster reefand the approaches to Stillwater Cove, became, shortly after using myglass windows, as familiar to me as similar places would have beenon land; there being fully as many distinguishing marks, peculiar inthemselves, as upon the rocks and protuberances of the island itself.I loved this lonely under-water drifting about, and indulged in it asa recreation as well as to increase my store of pearls. I sometimeswatched for hours the habits and movements of the animals below me,that seemed not to care for my presence; but quite often some hugemonster of the sea would pass by me, making me hold my breath with awe,if not fright. But I often thought that my iron boat would be a hardmouthful for anything beneath the waters to attempt to swallow.
I had long, long ago given over any idea of being attacked by savages,and my nerves had become again, as in my younger days, hard as steel;yet I often used to think of how I could lie concealed in this boat,beyond discovery from any source, should I ever be attacked, or how,rising to the surface amongst a fleet of canoes, I could spread dismayby my appearance alone from the bottom of the ocean, among any body ofsavages, however numerically strong or valiant.
No one will ever know the gardens of the ocean that I often sailedover, more beautiful far than anything upon the earth.
My restless energy did not stop at the consummation of this submarineboat, but during this year I went to work upon a beautiful small steamyacht, to use for my pleasure and recreation. It was built partly ofwood and iron, and constructed upon the ways from which the submarineboat was formerly launched. This steam yacht was not very large, butit was of a fine model and graceful lines. I built it twenty feet inlength and six feet in width, and three feet draft of water, withnearly the whole decked over except the cockpit aft. It was fitted withone long mast, situated near the bows, and only to be used in case ofemergency. The building of the boiler and engine, of about four-horsepower, was to me a pleasure, not a labor, and the casting of thescrew was the only thing that gave me any trouble. But this I finallyovercame, after a few trials with different moulds. The little housethat contained the cabin and engine-room was lighted with small piecesof plate glass, and I fitted the interior with a nice cot to sleepupon, lockers for provisions, coal, and fuel, a small cast-iron stovefor cooking purposes, and all the handy appurtenances of a small yacht.My sail was not a very elegant one, and was made out of strong matting,light but coarse; I having, as yet, not attempted to make cloth in anyshape. My cable was of rawhide, and my anchors, of course, of iron.
With this boat, after a preparatory trial of its engine, in companywith one of my pet goats I set out upon the circumnavigation of myisland. It was one fine December morning that I steamed down StillwaterCove, the yacht moving rapidly and evenly along through the water, andthe machinery and screw working well and smoothly. I had invented asort of comb to retain the tiller in any given position whilst absentfrom the deck in the engine-room to put on more fuel or oil the engine,so that the yacht would proceed in a straight course till my return tothe deck. I intended to make a complete circuit of the island, andto be absent several days if needful; so before leaving the HermitageI put everything in order. As to my flocks and birds, they at thisseason could take care of themselves very well for a few days. I laidmy course first for West Signal Point, and, when I had doubled it,I pointed the yacht due north, and made quite an excursion in thatdirection, fully twenty-five miles; but, as I suspected, found no signof any other land, although I climbed upon the mast and looked about mein all directions, the island astern being in the dim distance. I foundthat my little yacht was a splendid sea-boat, and, decked over as shewas, plunged into the waves of the Pacific unharmed. Its rate of speed,in smooth water, I estimated at fully nine knots, and in a seaway atleast five or six. Having in vain looked about me for land, which,however, I did not expect to find, I put about and steered back to theisland, leaving West Signal Point on the port hand, and close aboard,making my way to the southward, and parallel with the western shore ofthe island, distant not over one mile.
When off Penguin Point I again put to sea, at least twenty-five milesdue west; but as in the former case discovered no land. When I hadagain come up with the island the day was nearly spent, and I tookthe yacht into a small cove, just to the westward of Mirror Bay,and, having anchored in smooth water, ate my supper, played with andcaressed my goat, and went to bed. In the early morning I again gotunder way and stood out to sea, to the southward, but no sign of land.Thence I proceeded to Eastern Cape, and from there made a trip seaward,to the eastward, but with similar barren results. From thence I made myway home to the Hermitage, pleased with my yacht and with the trip, butdoubly convinced that my island was alone and distinct, and not one ofa series or group. As I passed Mirror Bay on this trip I was temptedto enter it and explore the island more fully in that direction, butas I found on the second day that my machinery of the yacht neededsome slight alteration and change, I made my way home, as I have said,determined to make a new trip for this very purpose, and therefore,upon my arrival, I immediately went to work upon those parts of theengine that did not exactly please me by their working, and improvedand perfected them in my workshop, by means of my turning-lathe andother tools, till they suited my mechanical tastes and worked perfectlyto my satisfaction. I fitted my yacht with two nice iron howitzers, ofabout three pounds caliber, and had hung up in the cabin a harpoon andlance, with two of my smooth-bored guns and plenty of ammunition. Thecoal that I had stored on board would last me many days, for there wasat least three tons, and the furnace of my little boiler did not usemore than one-quarter of a ton daily, if as much. I had also on deck avery lig
ht small boat, not over six feet in length, in which I couldreach the shore whenever I anchored the yacht near it.
Thus fitted out, which took me several days, I started again upon myexploration, and it was upon this trip I made one of the most startlingdiscoveries yet since I had been shipwrecked; one that changed allmy views about the island, and the future, and carried me completelyout of my every-day life into a period of excitement, curiosity, andamazement, and which, as will be disclosed, had a marked effect uponall my future movements.