The Coral Island, Robert Michael Ballantyne [inspirational novels .TXT] 📗
- Author: Robert Michael Ballantyne
- Performer: -
Book online «The Coral Island, Robert Michael Ballantyne [inspirational novels .TXT] 📗». Author Robert Michael Ballantyne
fun, so I’m your man whenever you want me.”
This plan of Jack’s was quite in accordance with his romantic,
impulsive nature; and, having made up his mind to save this black
girl, he could not rest until the thing was commenced.
“But there may be great danger in this attempt,” he said, at the
end of a long consultation on the subject; “will you, lads, go with
me in spite of this?”
“Go with you?” we repeated in the same breath.
“Can you doubt it?” said I.
“For a moment,” added Peterkin.
I need scarcely say that, having made up our minds to go on this
enterprise, we lost no time in making preparations to quit the
island; and as the schooner was well laden with stores of every
kind for a long cruise, we had little to do except to add to our
abundant supply a quantity of cocoa-nuts, bread-fruit, taro, yams,
plums, and potatoes, chiefly with the view of carrying the
fragrance of our dear island along with us as long as we could.
When all was ready, we paid a farewell visit to the different
familiar spots where most of our time had been spent. We ascended
the mountain top, and gazed for the last time at the rich green
foliage in the valleys, the white sandy beach, the placid lagoon,
and the barrier coral-reef with its crested breakers. Then we
descended to Spouting Cliff, and looked down at the pale-green
monster which we had made such fruitless efforts to spear in days
gone by. From this we hurried to the Water Garden and took a last
dive into its clear waters, and a last gambol amongst its coral
groves. I hurried out before my companions, and dressed in haste,
in order to have a long examination of my tank, which Peterkin, in
the fulness of his heart, had tended with the utmost care, as being
a vivid remembrancer of me, rather than out of love for natural
history. It was in superb condition; - the water as clear and
pellucid as crystal; the red and green sea-weed of the most
brilliant hues; the red, purple, yellow, green, and striped
anemones fully expanded, and stretching out their arms as if to
welcome and embrace their former master; the starfish, zoophytes,
sea-pens, and other innumerable marine insects, looking fresh and
beautiful; and the crabs, as Peterkin said, looking as wide awake,
impertinent, rampant, and pugnacious as ever. It was indeed so
lovely and so interesting that I would scarcely allow myself to be
torn away from it.
Last of all, we returned to the bower and collected the few
articles we possessed, such as the axe, the pencil-case, the broken
telescope, the penknife, the hook made from the brass ring, and
the sail-needle, with which we had landed on the island; - also,
the long boots and the pistol, besides several curious articles of
costume which we had manufactured from time to time.
These we conveyed on board in our little boat, after having carved
our names on a chip of iron-wood, thus:-
JACK MARTIN,
RALPH ROVER,
PETERKIN GAY,
which we fixed up inside of the bower. The boat was then hoisted
on board and the anchor weighed; which latter operation cost us
great labour and much time, as the anchor was so heavy that we
could not move it without the aid of my complex machinery of blocks
and pulleys. A steady breeze was blowing off shore when we set
sail, at a little before sunset. It swept us quickly past the reef
and out to sea. The shore grew rapidly more indistinct as the
shades of evening fell, while our clipper bark bounded lightly over
the waves. Slowly the mountain top sank on the horizon, until it
became a mere speck. In another moment the sun and the Coral
Island sank together into the broad bosom of the Pacific.
CHAPTER XXX.
The voyage - The island, and a consultation in which danger is
scouted as a thing unworthy of consideration - Rats and cats - The
native teacher - Awful revelations - Wonderful effects of
Christianity.
OUR voyage during the next two weeks was most interesting and
prosperous. The breeze continued generally fair, and at all times
enabled us to lie our course; for being, as I have said before,
clipper-built, the pirate schooner could lie very close to the
wind, and made little lee-way. We had no difficulty now in
managing our sails, for Jack was heavy and powerful, while Peterkin
was active as a kitten. Still, however, we were a very
insufficient crew for such a vessel, and if any one had proposed to
us to make such a voyage in it before we had been forced to go
through so many hardships from necessity, we would have turned away
with pity from the individual making such proposal as from a
madman. I pondered this a good deal, and at last concluded that
men do not know how much they are capable of doing till they try,
and that we should never give way to despair in any undertaking,
however difficult it may seem:- always supposing, however, that our
cause is a good one, and that we can ask the divine blessing on it.
Although, therefore, we could now manage our sails easily, we
nevertheless found that my pulleys were of much service to us in
some things; though Jack did laugh heartily at the uncouth
arrangement of ropes and blocks, which had, to a sailor’s eye, a
very lumbering and clumsy appearance. But I will not drag my
reader through the details of this voyage. Suffice it to say,
that, after an agreeable sail of about three weeks, we arrived off
the island of Mango, which I recognised at once from the
description that the pirate, Bill, had given me of it during one of
our conversations.
As soon as we came within sight of it we hove the ship to, and held
a council of war.
“Now, boys,” said Jack, as we seated ourselves beside him on the
cabin sky-light, “before we go farther in this business, we must go
over the pros and cons of it; for, although you have so generously
consented to stick by me through thick and thin, it would be unfair
did I not see that you thoroughly understand the danger of what we
are about to attempt.”
“Oh! bother the danger,” cried Peterkin; “I wonder to hear YOU,
Jack, talk of danger. When a fellow begins to talk about it, he’ll
soon come to magnify it to such a degree that he’ll not be fit to
face it when it comes, no more than a suckin’ baby!”
“Nay, Peterkin,” replied Jack, gravely, “I won’t be jested out of
it. I grant you, that, when we’ve once resolved to act, and have
made up our minds what to do, we should think no more of danger.
But, before we have so resolved, it behoves us to look at it
straight in the face, and examine into it, and walk round it; for
if we flinch at a distant view, we’re sure to run away when the
danger is near. Now, I understand from you, Ralph, that the island
is inhabited by thorough-going, out-and-out cannibals, whose
principal law is - ‘Might is right, and the weakest goes to the
wall?’”
“Yes,” said I, “so Bill gave me to understand. He told me,
however, that, at the southern side of it, the missionaries had
obtained a footing amongst an insignificant tribe. A native
teacher had been sent there by the Wesleyans, who had succeeded in
persuading the chief at that part to embrace Christianity. But
instead of that being of any advantage to our enterprise, it seems
the very reverse; for the chief Tararo is a determined heathen, and
persecutes the Christians, - who are far too weak in numbers to
offer any resistance, - and looks with dislike upon all white men,
whom he regards as propagators of the new faith.”
“‘Tis a pity,” said Jack, “that the Christian tribe is so small,
for we shall scarcely be safe under their protection, I fear. If
Tararo takes it into his head to wish for our vessel, or to kill
ourselves, he could take us from them by force. You say that the
native missionary talks English?”
“So I believe.”
“Then, what I propose is this,” said Jack: “We will run round to
the south side of the island, and cut anchor off the Christian
village. We are too far away just now to have been descried by any
of the savages, so we shall get there unobserved, and have time to
arrange our plans before the heathen tribes know of our presence.
But, in doing this, we run the risk of being captured by the ill-disposed tribes, and being very ill used, if not - a - “
“Roasted alive and eaten,” cried Peterkin. “Come, out with it,
Jack; according to your own showing, it’s well to look the danger
straight in the face!”
“Well, that is the worst of it, certainly. Are you prepared, then,
to take your chance of that?”
“I’ve been prepared and had my mind made up long ago,” cried
Peterkin, swaggering about the deck with his hands thrust into his
breeches’ pockets. “The fact is, Jack, I don’t believe that Tararo
will be so ungrateful as to eat us; and I’m, quite sure that he’ll
be too happy to grant us whatever we ask: so the sooner we go in
and win the better.”
Peterkin was wrong, however, in his estimate of savage gratitude,
as the sequel will show.
The schooner was now put before the wind, and, after making a long
run to the south’ard, we put about and beat up for the south side
of Mango, where we arrived before sunset, and hove-to off the coral
reef. Here we awaited the arrival of a canoe, which immediately
put off on our rounding to. When it arrived, a mild-looking
native, of apparently forty years of age, came on board, and,
taking off his straw hat, made us a low bow. He was clad in a
respectable suit of European clothes; and the first words he
uttered, as he stepped up to Jack and shook hands with him, were, -
“Good day, gentlemen; we are happy to see you at Mango - you are
heartily welcome.”
After returning his salutation, Jack exclaimed, “You must be the
native missionary teacher of whom I have heard - are you not?”
“I am. I have the joy to be a servant of the Lord Jesus at this
station.”
“You’re the very man I want to see, then,” replied Jack; “that’s
lucky. Come down to the cabin, friend, and have a glass of wine.
I wish particularly to speak with you. My men there” (pointing to
Peterkin and me) “will look after your people.”
“Thank you,” said the teacher, as he followed Jack to the cabin, “I
do not drink wine or any strong drink.”
“Oh! then, there’s lots of water, and you can have biscuit.”
“Now, ‘pon my word, that’s cool!” said Peterkin; “his MEN,
forsooth! Well, since we are to be men, we may as well come it as
strong over these black chaps as we can. Hallo, there!” he cried
to the half dozen of natives who stood upon the deck, gazing in
wonder at all they saw, “here’s for you;” and he handed them a tray
of broken biscuit and a can of water. Then, thrusting his hands
into his pockets, he walked up and down the deck with an enormous
swagger, whistling vociferously.
In about half an hour Jack and
Comments (0)