CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.
AN ERUPTION OF THE BURNING MOUNTAIN.
The mountain had been quiet for some days. Our apprehensions of aneruption had passed away. We had succeeded in hauling the _Hope_ onshore; and Mr Thudicumb was of opinion that we should be unable torepair her, though it might take some time to enable us to do sosufficiently to prosecute our voyage to Singapore. We were all in goodspirits, as we trusted that after so many misadventures we should beable to succeed. The Frau and the girls had been busily employed inpreparing a fresh supply of provisions, while sago, rice, and maize, andsugar-cane in abundance, had been brought from the plantation. My uncleand I had been out shooting, and had killed a couple of deer, threehogs, and a number of wood-pigeons and other birds. We had thus a goodsupply of meat.
We had all retired to rest, and were in the expectation in a few days ofgetting the _Hope_ ready for launching. Suddenly we were awaked by myuncle's voice shouting out, "Up! up! Sleepers, awake! Put on yourclothes, and endeavour to retain your presence of mind." In an instantI was wide-awake, and knew by the tone of his voice that somethingserious had happened; indeed, the bright glare against the thick foliageof the trees in front of my window would have told me so. Oliver and Idressed rapidly, and ran to the room occupied by the Frau and the youngladies.
"What is it? what is it?" I heard the Frau exclaiming.
"Quick, quick," I answered; "put on your clothes, and take whatever youhave of most value."
They were already dressed, and now came to the door with looks of terrorin their countenances.
"We shall have time to save our lives, I trust, if we do not delay,"said my uncle, who now appeared in the chief room.
Here we all collected. Each man bore on his shoulders as much provisionas he could carry, done up in bags, already prepared for the purpose."On," cried my uncle. "Mr Thudicumb and Tarbox desire to bring up therear; I will lead the way." We hurried down the steps, and began ourmarch toward Hope Harbour. The mountain was throwing up sheets offlame, amid which appeared huge masses of rock and stones, while overour heads came down a shower of light ashes. Already a fringe of flamesurrounded the mountain. It was the jungle which had caught fire, andwas blazing furiously. The bright glare of the flames was reflected onthe trees on one hand, making the night as bright as day. My uncle hadset at liberty his poor animals. "They must seek their own safety," heobserved; "and their instincts may guide them to the least dangerousspot." Mr Hooker insisted upon taking Emily's arm, I supported Grace,and Roger Trew begged the Frau to let him help her. Macco walked withOliver, while Potto Jumbo ran to the front to assist my uncle inclearing the way. We hastened forward as fast as we could move, thepoor Frau panting with the unusual exertion she was compelled to make.The very heavens seemed on fire. The earth shook. The wild beasts inthe forests roared and howled. The birds uttered strange cries ofterror, and flew here and there. At length we reached the bamboobridge. At such a moment it seemed a fragile structure to cross. Not amoment was to be lost, however, for already the fire seemed rushing outtowards us, the trees crackling and hissing as the flames caught them.Terror-stricken animals rushed past us, heeding us not. My uncle, MrHooker, and the Frau, with their companions, had crossed, and Grace andI were on the bridge. It seemed to be shaken violently, and as I lookedup towards the mountain, I saw a mass of liquid fire rushing down thesides, and apparently wending its way towards us. I had nearly gainedthe further end of the bridge, when another violent shock occurred, andthe frail structure fell into the water. With difficulty could I haulmy companion up the bank. But where were Oliver and the other threemen? They too saw the stream of fire rushing towards them. I trembledlest we should be separated, or they might be overwhelmed in thedestruction we were endeavouring to escape. Macco cried out to Oliver,"Come on! come on!" and taking his arm, he rushed down the bank andplunged into the stream, from which a vapour was ascending, as if it wasalready heated by the fire above. I could not desert Grace, or I wouldhave hurried back to assist them; but they needed it not, for the nextinstant Macco and Oliver landed, Mr Thudicumb and Tarbox were alreadyin the water, and the other two were stretching out their hands to helpthem. I felt greatly relieved when I saw them all landed.
But even now our danger was fearful. On came the fire, on came thestream of lava. We had still a long way to go, it seemed. The rest ofthe party, not knowing what had occurred, had already got to somedistance. We rushed after them at increased speed. Poor Grace couldscarcely support herself, but I helped her along. At length we overtookour friends. "On, on!" cried Mr Sedgwick, every now and then turningback and pointing towards the beach, much as an officer might encouragea forlorn hope, only we were flying from danger instead of running intoit. The fire seemed scarcely a hundred yards from us, and already wefelt the heat of the advancing conflagration. At length the bay openedout before us, but the fire was by this time close on one hand, and theflames were curling up some tall palms which we the instant before hadpassed. Crash followed crash as the trees sank before the devouringelement. Already it had gained the edge of the path and ignited thewood on the opposite side. We had to pass under an arch of fire. Ientreated Oliver to keep close behind us. He and Macco sprang forward.At that moment there came a crash, and a tall tree fell directly behindthem, cutting off the mate and boatswain. It was no time to stop,however. I felt this for my companion's sake, and I know not, even if Ihad been alone, that I should have ventured to turn back to help them.
I feared that our two friends had been lost. Without them, how could weexpect safely to navigate our frail raft? We had got some way, almostclear of the wood, when I heard shouts, and turning my head, greatly tomy relief I saw both Mr Thudicumb and Tarbox leaping over the burningtrunk, their clothes already on fire. They were striking out theflames, however, and rushing on. "On! on!" I heard Tarbox shoutingout, and his voice seemed as strong and cheery as ever. In a fewseconds they overtook us, and we altogether rushed frantically out ofthe burning forest. A minute later none of us could have passed. Wehurried down to the beach. "On board the raft! on board the raft!"shouted my uncle, "for the lava may rush down from the mountain evenhere."
The raft was moored securely in the harbour, and, since I had seen it,had been greatly enlarged and improved. Potto Jumbo and Roger Trewrushed into the water, and cutting--the cable, towed it ashore. Theprovisions meantime were carried from the house where they had beenstored, and those we had brought with us were put on board. We all nowhastened on to the raft. The masts, and spars, and oars, and all theother things which had been prepared were also placed on it. "Now,shove off!" cried my uncle, "and Heaven protect us! Mr Thudicumb, webeg you to take charge of the raft. My duty is over." Merlin was thelast of our party who leaped on board. With long poles, which had beengot ready for the purpose, we shoved off. Not a moment too soon; foralready the lava which had overflowed the stream was making its waytowards the harbour, while the showers of dust increased, thicklycovering the raft.
I cast an affectionate look at the _Hope_. She had been the means ofrescuing me from my solitary island, and restoring me to my sister andfriends. In a few minutes, she would probably be a mass of cinders. Assoon as we were clear of the harbour, we got out our oars and paddles,and urged the raft away from the island. It was nearly calm. The heatwas drawing the air towards the mountain, thus creating a contrarybreeze to what we expected to find, or wished for. The scene which tookplace on our own island when Macco and I were carried from it, wasvividly recalled to my mind. There was the mountain blazing away, witha vast sea of flame surging at its base, spreading here and there withfearful rapidity, while the showers of ashes came every instant thickerand thicker. Three streams of lava were descending from the sides ofthe mountain, sweeping away in one instant the tall trees against whichit forced its course as if they had been willow wands. Even now itseemed as if destruction might overtake us. We urged on the raft withall the energy of despair. Mr Thudicumb steered, th
e rest of us workedthe oars. The Frau and the two girls were seated in the centre,surrounded by the lockers which contained our provisions. While thewater was smooth, there was no danger, but we could not help seeingthat, exposed to a heavy sea, there would be great risk of our beingwashed off it.
We soon had reason to be thankful that we had escaped from the island,for the fire was every instant seen to be extending on both sides, whilethe eruption became more furious than ever. Suddenly a loud roar washeard coming over the water, and a vast rent was made in the side of themountain. It seemed like the work of magic. The whole outline was inan instant changed. The conical top was rolling down, while in otherplaces huge mounds were seen to be forced up as it were out of theearth. The glare of the conflagration reached us even at the distancewe were from the island. I had been watching Emily and Grace, andthough their countenances exhibited anxiety, there was no senselessterror perceptible. The Frau certainly did show alarm, and every nowand then hid her face when the mountain sent forth fresh volumes offlame, or continued roars were heard as vast fragments of rock werehurled up into the air, and came crashing down on the earth, newopenings being made in the side of the mountain.
"There is a breeze from the eastward," I heard Mr Thudicumb exclaim."Hoist the sails, lads!"
The masts had already been stepped. We hoisted our two lugsails, with asmall jib on the bowsprit, which had been rigged ahead, and the raftfeeling its effects, glided over the surface.
"We may reach some part of Java, even if we cannot get as far asSingapore," observed Mr Thudicumb. "It would be a long voyage in sucha craft as this; but if the weather holds fair, and our provisions lastout, I see no reason why we should not accomplish it. We shall have thesun soon, and that will help us to steer the right course when we losesight of the island."
Streaks of bright light were now appearing in the east, and presentlythe whole sky was overspread with a ruddy glow, which increased inintensity near the horizon, till the sun, a vast globe of fire, roseabove the waters, and quickly shot upwards in the sky. Still we werenot clear altogether of the cinders which fell in light showers upon ourheads, but we had lost all dread of being overwhelmed by any heaviersubstance, though we could see that many huge stones and rocks werefalling into the water astern of us. The very island itself was tornand rent by the various subterranean powers working away beneath it, andit seemed probable, from what was taking place, that the whole would erelong be submerged by the ocean. How thankful we were when at length,the breeze freshening, we were carried to a distance from the awfulspot.
"Should we not return thanks to Him who has preserved us?" said Oliverat length in a quiet tone to Mr Hooker.
"Certainly we should, my boy," was the answer; and together we kneltdown on the raft, Mr Thudicumb still steering, and offered up ourthanks to him who rules the winds and seas and all the powers of theearth.
With a better appetite than might have been expected, and with cheerfulspirits, we went to breakfast. No distinction was made between theladies and gentlemen and the men. All shared alike. We had an oillamp, with which we could boil our tea, and our other provisions we werecompelled to eat cold. Few of them indeed required cooking.
Day after day we glided on, still favoured by fine weather. The littletent we had brought sheltered the Frau and her charges. Those who hadbeen on watch also were not sorry in the day-time to creep into it andgo to sleep. Thus we all obtained sufficient rest, and those alone whohave been exposed as we were, can understand how sweet that rest was.
"A sail! a sail!" cried Roger Trew. The beams of the rising sun wereshining on the white canvas of a ship which was hull down a long way tothe westward. She seemed to be crossing our course, but whether wecould reach her before she had stood to any great distance seemeddoubtful. We got out our oars to increase the speed of our raft. Howeagerly we all kept looking towards that patch of white just risingabove the horizon! We drew nearer and nearer. Perhaps the look-outaloft might have seen us. From the deck of the ship we could scarcelyhave been visible. Frequently, as we drew nearer, I felt inclined toshriek out and to shout to her to stay for us.
"Do you think she is English?" asked Mr Hooker.
"Little doubt about it," answered Mr Thudicumb. "She is a merchantman,though probably bound round from Singapore to trade with some of theseislands, and maybe to go to Sydney, or perhaps up to China."
It seemed very doubtful, however, whether she would perceive us beforeshe had got to a distance. Already she was ahead of us, standing awayon the port tack. Our eyes, as they had hitherto been, were still fixedon her.
"See! see! there is lift tacks and sheets!--the helm's a-lee!--she'scoming round!" shouted Tarbox. "We are seen! we are seen!"