The Coral Island, Robert Michael Ballantyne [inspirational novels .TXT] 📗
- Author: Robert Michael Ballantyne
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The morning was exceeding lovely. It was one of that very still
and peaceful sort which made the few noises that we heard seem to
be QUIET noises. I know no other way of expressing this idea.
Noises which so far from interrupting the universal tranquillity of
earth, sea, and sky - rather tended to reveal to us how quiet the
world around us really was. Such sounds as I refer to were, the
peculiarly melancholy - yet, it seemed to me, cheerful - plaint of
sea-birds floating on the glassy water, or sailing in the sky, also
the subdued twittering of little birds among the bushes, the faint
ripples on the beach, and the solemn boom of the surf upon the
distant coral reef. We felt very glad in our hearts as we walked
along the sands side by side. For my part, I felt so deeply
overjoyed, that I was surprised at my own sensations, and fell into
a reverie upon the causes of happiness. I came to the conclusion
that a state of profound peace and repose, both in regard to
outward objects and within the soul, is the happiest condition in
which man can be placed; for, although I had many a time been most
joyful and happy when engaged in bustling, energetic, active
pursuits or amusements, I never found that such joy or satisfaction
was so deep or so pleasant to reflect upon as that which I now
experienced. And I was the more confirmed in this opinion when I
observed, and, indeed, was told by himself, that Peterkin’s
happiness was also very great; yet he did not express this by
dancing, as was his wont, nor did he give so much as a single
shout, but walked quietly between us with his eye sparkling, and a
joyful smile upon his countenance. My reader must not suppose that
I thought all this in the clear and methodical manner in which I
have set it down here. These thoughts did, indeed, pass through my
mind, but they did so in a very confused and indefinite manner, for
I was young at that time, and not much given to deep reflections.
Neither did I consider that the peace whereof I write is not to be
found in this world - at least in its perfection, although I have
since learned that by religion a man may attain to a very great
degree of it.
I have said that Peterkin walked along the sands between us. We
had two ways of walking together about our island. When we
travelled through the woods, we always did so in single file, as by
this method we advanced with greater facility, the one treading in
the other’s footsteps. In such cases Jack always took the lead,
Peterkin followed, and I brought up the rear. But when we
travelled along the sands, which extended almost in an unbroken
line of glistening white round the island, we marched abreast, as
we found this method more sociable, and every way more pleasant.
Jack, being the tallest, walked next the sea, and Peterkin marched
between us, as by this arrangement either of us could talk to him
or he to us, while if Jack and I happened to wish to converse
together, we could conveniently do so over Peterkin’s head.
Peterkin used to say, in reference to this arrangement, that had he
been as tall as either of us, our order of march might have been
the same, for, as Jack often used to scold him for letting
everything we said to him pass in at one ear and out at the other,
his head could of course form no interruption to our discourse.
We were now fairly started. Half a mile’s walk conveyed us round a
bend in the land which shut out our bower from view, and for some
time we advanced at a brisk pace without speaking, though our eyes
were not idle, but noted everything, in the woods, on the shore, or
in the sea, that was interesting. After passing the ridge of land
that formed one side of our valley - the Valley of the Wreck - we
beheld another small vale lying before us in all the luxuriant
loveliness of tropical vegetation. We had, indeed, seen it before
from the mountain-top, but we had no idea that it would turn out to
be so much more lovely when we were close to it. We were about to
commence the exploration of this valley, when Peterkin stopped us,
and directed our attention to a very remarkable appearance in
advance along the shore.
“What’s yon, think you?” said he, levelling his spear, as if he
expected an immediate attack from the object in question, though it
was full half a mile distant.
As he spoke, there appeared a white column above the rocks, as if
of steam or spray. It rose upwards to a height of several feet,
and then disappeared. Had this been near the sea, we would not
have been so greatly surprised, as it might in that case have been
the surf, for at this part of the coast the coral reef approached
so near to the island that in some parts it almost joined it.
There was therefore no lagoon between, and the heavy surf of the
ocean beat almost up to the rocks. But this white column appeared
about fifty yards inland. The rocks at the place were rugged, and
they stretched across the sandy beach into the sea. Scarce had we
ceased expressing our surprise at this sight, when another column
flew upwards for a few seconds, not far from the spot where the
first had been seen, and disappeared; and so, at long irregular
intervals, these strange sights recurred. We were now quite sure
that the columns were watery or composed of spray, but what caused
them we could not guess, so we determined to go and see.
In a few minutes we gained the spot, which was very rugged and
precipitous, and, moreover, quite damp with the falling of the
spray. We had much ado to pass over dry-shod. The ground also was
full of holes here and there. Now, while we stood anxiously
waiting for the reappearance of these water-spouts, we heard a
low, rumbling sound near us, which quickly increased to a gargling
and hissing noise, and a moment afterwards a thick spout of water
burst upwards from a hole in the rock, and spouted into the air
with much violence, and so close to where Jack and I were standing
that it nearly touched us. We sprang to one side, but not before a
cloud of spray descended, and drenched us both to the skin.
Peterkin, who was standing farther off, escaped with a few drops,
and burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter on beholding our
miserable plight.
“Mind your eye!” he shouted eagerly, “there goes another!” The
words were scarcely out of his mouth when there came up a spout
from another hole, which served us exactly in the same manner as
before.
Peterkin now shrieked with laughter; but his merriment was abruptly
put a stop to by the gurgling noise occurring close to where he
stood.
“Where’ll it spout this time, I wonder?” he said, looking about
with some anxiety, and preparing to run. Suddenly there came a
loud hiss or snort; a fierce spout of water burst up between
Peterkin’s legs, blew him off his feet, enveloped him in its spray,
and hurled him to the ground. He fell with so much violence that
we feared he must have broken some of his bones, and ran anxiously
to his assistance; but fortunately he had fallen on a clump of
tangled herbage, in which he lay sprawling in a most deplorable
condition.
It was now our turn to laugh; but as we were not yet quite sure
that he was unhurt, and as we knew not when or where the next spout
might arise, we assisted him hastily to jump up and hurry from the
spot.
I may here add, that although I am quite certain that the spout of
water was very strong, and that it blew Peterkin completely off his
legs, I am not quite certain of the exact height to which it lifted
him, being somewhat startled by the event, and blinded partially by
the spray, so that my power of observation was somewhat impaired
for the moment.
“What’s to be done now?” inquired Peterkin ruefully.
“Make a fire, lad, and dry ourselves,” replied Jack.
“And here is material ready to our hand,” said I, picking up a
dried branch of a tree, as we hurried up to the woods.
In about an hour after this mishap our clothes were again dried.
While they were hanging up before the fire, we walked down to the
beach, and soon observed that these curious spouts took place
immediately after the fall of a huge wave, never before it; and,
moreover, that the spouts did not take place excepting when the
billow was an extremely large one. From this we concluded that
there must be a subterraneous channel in the rock into which the
water was driven by the larger waves, and finding no way of escape
except through these small holes, was thus forced up violently
through them. At any rate, we could not conceive any other reason
for these strange water-spouts, and as this seemed a very simple
and probable one, we forthwith adopted it.
“I say, Ralph, what’s that in the water? is it a shark?” said Jack,
just as we were about to quit the place.
I immediately ran to the overhanging ledge of rock, from which he
was looking down into the sea, and bent over it. There I saw a
very faint pale object of a greenish colour, which seemed to move
slightly while I looked at it.
“It’s like a fish of some sort,” said I.
“Hallo, Peterkin!” cried Jack, “fetch your spear; here’s work for
it.”
But when we tried to reach the object, the spear proved to be too
short.
“There, now,” said Peterkin with a sneer, “you were always telling
me it was too long.”
Jack now drove the spear forcibly towards the object, and let go
his hold; but, although it seemed to be well aimed, he must have
missed, for the handle soon rose again; and when the spear was
drawn up, there was the pale green object in exactly the same spot,
slowly moving its tail.
“Very odd,” said Jack.
But although it was undoubtedly very odd, and, although Jack and
all of us plunged the spear at it repeatedly, we could neither hit
it nor drive it away, so we were compelled to continue our journey
without discovering what it was. I was very much perplexed at this
strange appearance in the water, and could not get it out of my
mind for a long time afterwards. However, I quieted myself by
resolving that I would pay a visit to it again at some more
convenient season.
CHAPTER X.
Make discovery of many excellent roots and fruits - The resources
of the Coral Island gradually unfolded - The banian-tree - Another
tree which is supported by natural planks - Water-fowl found - A
very remarkable discovery, and a very peculiar murder - We
luxuriate on the fat of the land.
OUR examination of the little valley proved to be altogether most
satisfactory. We found in it not only similar trees to those we
had already seen in our own valley, but also one or two others of a
different species. We had also the satisfaction of discovering a
peculiar vegetable, which Jack concluded must certainly be that of
which he had read as being very
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