Chapter 14

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_ CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

The weather was glorious, and the days glided by in what would have been a luxurious life had it not been for the busy, investigating spirit which kept them active.

For they were in the midst of abundance. The well-stored ship, victualled for a couple of hundred people, offered plenty for three, while from sea and land there was an ample supply in the form of fish, fowl, and eggs, both birds' and turtles', places being discovered which were affected by these peculiar reptiles, and where they crawled out to deposit their round ova in the sand, while a fine specimen could be obtained by careful watching.

Then, too, there was an abundant supply of fresh water easily to be obtained by taking a water cask up the river on the raft.

As Carey's injury mended he was restlessly busy either superintending the pearl fishing, whose results were visible in half-a-dozen casks sunk in the sands and an ever-increasing stack of the great shells carefully ranged in solid layers by Bostock, to whom fell the lot of pouring water in the casks and giving their contents a stir-up from time to time.

"Smell, sir?" he said, in answer to a remark from Carey, who always went carefully to windward. "Oh, I s'pose they do; so does fish if you keep it too long, but I don't mind."

"But it's horrid sometimes," said Carey; "and if it wasn't for the pearls I wouldn't have anything to do with the mess."

"Dirty work brings clean money, my lad; and if you come to that, the fresh lots of shells I piles up don't smell like pots of musk. But it's all a matter o' taste. Some likes one smell, and some likes another, and then they calls it scent. Why, I remember once as people used to put drops on their hankychies as they called--now, what did they call that there scent, my lad?"

"Eau de Cologne."

"No, nothing like that."

"Lavender water?"

"Nay, nay."

"Millefleurs?"

"Nay, nothing like it. Here, I've got it; something like Paddy Chooly."

"Patchouli?"

"That's it. I knew it was something about Paddy. Well, sir, if you'll believe me, that stuff smelt just like black beetles in a kitchen cupboard near the fire. I don't mind the smell o' pearl soup."

"But I want to see number one emptied. When is it to be?"

"When it's quite ripe, and it aren't ripe yet."

"Takes a long time, doesn't it?" said Carey.

"And no mistake. So much the better. You've been expecting and expecting, and thinking about emptying that tub, and getting shovels full o' pearls out o' the bottom, and it's made you forget all about your sore chesty and give it time to get well. 'Tis quite well now, aren't it?"

"I think so, Bob; only the doctor says I'm to be very careful."

"Of course you have to be, my lad. But don't you fidget; I'll tell you when number one cask's ripe, and then don't you expect too much, for it's like lots o' things in this here world; it may turn out werry disappointing. You puts in pounds o' trouble, and don't get out an ounce o' good. P'raps there won't be a teaspoonful o' pearls, and them only as small as dust."

"Oh!" ejaculated Carey.

"No use to reckon on them, sir, but all the same, sometimes when a tub's emptied it turns out wonderful."

But the time wore on; tub after tub was filled, and the contents grew more and more liquid, and the testing was still kept in abeyance.

"Never mind," said the doctor, laughing, when Carey protested; "there is no harm in waiting."

And day by day Carey grew stronger, gradually taking his part in the daily avocations, fishing and shooting; and it was a grand day for him when one day the doctor thought that he might join him on an expedition to the lake.

"I'm all right now, Bob," he said, hurrying to the old sailor after this.

"Well, yes, you seem to be, sir," said Bostock; "what with the doctor's looking you up and down and me feeding you, we've pretty well made a man of you, and you're nearly all right; but I don't quite take what you mean."

"I've passed my last examination now, and Doctor Kingsmead seems to think he can give me up."

"I'm glad of it, my lad. Hearty, my lad."

"And we're going to explore a bit, going right up to the lake."

"Am I coming too?"

"Of course. You'd like to, wouldn't you?"

"Course I should, sir. Going to take the guns?"

"Oh, yes, and I mean to shoot. I want to see that lake too. It has been so tiresome only keeping along the shore and about the sands."

"You've had some tidy sails about the lagoon, and some good fishing, my lad."

"Of course I have, but I want to shoot."

"Well, I s'pose it's natural, sir," said Bostock. "I know when I was a boy I always wanted to do something else. If I was in a garden it allus seemed as if the next garden must be better, and I wanted to look over the wall. One allus wants to be doing something fresh. It's Natur, I s'pose. Do we start soon?"

"Oh, yes, as soon as we can get off."

The early breakfast was over, and the satchel of provisions being prepared they were soon over the side, each bearing a double gun and a fair supply of ammunition, Bostock carrying, in addition, a small axe ready for use, and Carey hanging a billhook to his belt--a handy implement for getting through cane or tangled thorn.

It was another lovely morning, with the submarine gardens more beautiful than ever; but there was very little wind, and their progress across to their regular landing place was very slow, but not wearisome, for there was always something fresh to see in the sunlit waters. On this particular morning they sailed over sandy openings among the rocks, where Bostock drew attention to the abundance of those peculiar sea-slugs known in commerce as sea-cucumbers.

"Why not try some o' them cooked one of these days, Master Carey?" said the old sailor.

"Pah! Horrid! You never ate one, did you?"

"No, sir, but the Chinese think a deal of 'em, and give no end of money for a hundredweight salted and dried. We shall have to take to collecting them when we've got all the pearl hysters."

"Why, that will never be, Bob. There's all round the island to go, and even if we finished them we could sail to first one and then another reef."

"Yes, that's so, sir. Strikes me that when we do go away from here, what with pearl shells, pearls, and dried cocoanuts, we ought to be able to lade a ship with a valuable cargo."

"Look at the fish," said Carey.

"Yes, sir, there's plenty; but we're not going to fish to-day, of course?"

"Oh, no. Get ashore as soon as we can, and follow the stream right up to the lake."

"It's going to be a hot walk, my lad, and--"

"Hist! Look, Bob. Here, doctor, look! look!"

Both looked in the indicated direction, to see that the raft was on its way to glide by a turtle basking in the hot sunshine and apparently fast asleep.

"We're not going to fish," whispered Carey, "but we ought to have that."

"Yes," said the doctor, and Bostock was evidently of the same opinion, for he bent down softly to pick up a little coil of fine rope to make a noose at one end.

"You just make the other end fast to one of the planks, sir," he whispered. "He'll make a big rush as soon as he feels the rope."

Bostock crept forward softly and knelt down ready, with the raft gliding right for the sleeping reptile.

Then both the doctor and Carey held their breath with excitement, as the old sailor reached out, slipped the noose over one of the fins, and then started back deluged with water dashed up by the startled creature, which rushed off with all its might till it was brought up short by the line coming to an end.

At this there was a violent jerk, the raft was drawn out of its course and began to move at increased speed in the direction of the opening in the great reef, the prisoner making for the open sea.

"Better come and give a hand here, Mr Carey, sir," cried Bostock. "I ought to guide him a bit and make, him tow us our way so as to get him ashore. What do you say to the mouth of the river? If we could get him to run up there it would be splendid."

"And what about the crocodiles, Bob?"

"Eh? Ah! I forgot all about them, sir. Never mind; anywhere 'll do. That's right, sir; lay hold. Strong a'most as a helephant, aren't he? Wo ho! my lad. Don't be in a flurry. Well, I _am_ blest!"

One minute they were gliding steadily over the lagoon; the next the rope hung loosely in their hands.

"Lost him?" said the doctor.

"Yes, sir. We must have pulled one of his fins out. Dessay we've got it here."

"The rope slipped over it, Bob," said Carey, in disappointed tones, as the noose was hauled aboard. "Oh, we ought to have had that. It was a beauty."

"Never mind," said the doctor. "Steer for the shore, and let's get off on our trip."

Bostock turned to his steering oar and shook his head in a very discontented way.

"It's just as I said about the pearls, Master Carey; it don't do to reckon on anything till you get it. But I ought to have had that chap."

They made fast the raft and landed soon after, a little chipping with a crowbar having turned a rough mass into a pier which ran right up to the sand and sort of put an end to the necessity for wading.

Then kits and guns were shouldered, and, light-hearted and eager, Carey followed the doctor, who struck in at once through the great belt of cocoanut palms, and, pushing upwards through beautifully wooded ground, soon took them beyond the parts heretofore traversed by Carey, who now began to long to stop at every hundred yards to investigate a flowering tree where insects swarmed, or some clump of bushes noisy with cockatoos or screaming parrots. But the doctor kept steadily on till a dull humming roar away to the right began to grow louder, and at the end of about a mile of climbing there was a soft moist feeling in the air, which increased till all at once their guide halted upon the brink of a precipice.

"Now then," he said, speaking loudly, for the roar of the hidden falls nearly drowned his voice; "come forward cautiously and look down."

Carey and the old sailor approached, parting the mass of ferns and creepers, which flourished wonderfully in the soft moist air; and then they found themselves on a level with the top of the hills which they had seen from the lagoon, where the little river suddenly plunged down into a deep hollow a couple of hundred feet below, and from which a faint cloud of mist floated, now arched by an iridescent bow. It was a beautiful sight, but the doctor gave them little time to admire it.

"You can come up here any time now," he said. "Let's push forward and get to the lake and the peak which we have to climb, so that you can have the view."

"But where was it you saw the crocodiles?" asked Carey.

"Oh, half a mile lower down, nearer the sea. I came straight across to-day, so as to take the nearest cut. The little river runs up through a winding valley right away from here."

"But we shall be missing all the beauties," said Carey.

The doctor laughed.

"There'll be more beauties and wonders than you can grasp in one excursion," he said. "I suppose you mean to come again, and to use your gun."

The boy was silenced, and followed the doctor as he pressed on for some distance farther, till the valley opened out a little and there was ample room to walk on the same level as the river, here gliding gently in the full sunshine, with its banks beautiful with flower, insect, and bird.

Every here and there, though, there were hot sandy patches dotted with peculiar-looking black stone lying in masses, cracked and riven as if by fire, while parts were cindery and vesicular, others glistening in the sunshine like black glass.

"You take the lead now, Carey," said the doctor. "You can't go wrong; only follow the river; it will lead you right up to the lake."

"Wouldn't you rather lead, sir?"

"No, my lad; I want you to have the first chance at anything worth shooting. Keep your eyes well open, and you may catch sight of the great crowned pigeons. There, forward."

Carey needed no further orders, and full of excitement he stepped on in front, looking keenly to right and left, and scanning every bush and tree. For the first mile he saw nothing larger than parrots, but turning into a stony part where the sand and pebbles reflected the sun with a glowing heat, something suddenly darted up from before him and ran rapidly in amongst a rugged pile of scattered stones.

"Here! a young crocodile," he cried.

"Nonsense, boy. There are no crocodiles here," cried the doctor. "One of the great mountain lizards."

"Too big! Six feet long," said Carey, excitedly.

"Well, they grow seven or eight. Go on."

Carey went on, but so as to follow the glistening creature he had seen disappear, cocking his gun for a shot if he had a chance.

The chance came the next minute, but he was not able to take advantage of it, for on turning one of the black masses of slag which looked as if it had lately come from a furnace, the great lizard was started again, and what followed was over in a few seconds, for the lithe, active creature turned threateningly upon its pursuer with jaws thrown open, and it looked startling enough in its grey, glistening armour as it menaced the lad, who stood aghast--but only to be brought to a knowledge of his position by the attack which followed.

It was no snapping or seizing, but there was a sharp whistling sound and, quick as lightning, the long, tapering thin tail crooked twice round Carey's legs, making him utter a cry of pain, for it was as if he had been flogged sharply with a whip of wire.

The next minute the great lizard had disappeared.

"Why didn't you shoot?" said the doctor.

"Hadn't time. Oh, how it did hurt! Why, it was like steel."

"Never mind; you must be quicker next time, but I daresay there will be marks left."

"And Bob's laughing at it," said the boy, in an ill-used tone. "Here, you had better lead."

"Never mind, lead on," said the doctor; "the smarting will soon pass off. It is not like a poisonous bite."

All the same the whip-like strokes stung and smarted terribly, as the boy went on again, vowing vengeance mentally against the very next lizard he saw.

But he did not take his revenge, though he started two more at different times from among the sun-baked stones, and Bostock bantered him about it.

"Why don't you shoot, sir?" he said, in a low voice so that the doctor, who was a little behind, examining plants, did not hear.

"Who's to shoot at a thin whip-lash of a tail?" said Carey, angrily. "They're here one moment and gone the next. They dart out of sight like a flash."

As they went higher the doctor pointed out various tokens of some ancient eruption, it being plain that there must have been a time when the bed of the river formed that of a flow of volcanic mud, mingled with blocks of lava and scoria. Then the lake must in the course of ages have formed, and its overflowings have swept away all soft and loose debris.

"Yes, it's all very interesting," said Carey, "but it's precious hot," and he gave himself a sort of writhe to make his clothes rub over his skin. But the attempt was in vain, for his shirt stuck, and a peculiarly irritable look came over his countenance.

"Do the weals sting?" asked the doctor.

"Horribly. That lizard's tail must be all bone. Oh, it does hurt still."

"It will soon go off. Think of it from a natural history point of view, my boy, and how singular it is that the creature should be endowed with such a wonderful power of defence. It regularly flogged and lashed at you."

"Yes; cracked its tail like a whip."

"No, no; the sound you heard was caused by the blows. It seems as if the saurian tribe make special use of their tails for offence and defence."

"Why, what else does?" said Carey, rubbing himself softly.

"Crocodiles and alligators strike with tremendous force; the former will sweep cattle or human beings off a river bank into the water; and I daresay those monster lizards attack small animals in the same way."

"But I'm not a small animal, sir," said the boy, shortly. "Yes, it's all very well to laugh, Doctor Kingsmead, and talk about studying a whopping from a natural history point of view, but one couldn't study wasps comfortably sitting on their nest."

"No, and I daresay the cuts were very painful, but the sting will soon pass off."

"Yes, it's getting better now," said Carey, looking a little more cheerful; "but old Bob keeps on grinning about it. He doesn't look at me, but he keeps on chuckling to himself every minute, and that's what it means. I wish he'd get stung, or something. Hi! look out. Snake!"

His shout aroused a sleeping boa--not one of the giants of its kind, but a good-sized serpent of the sort known among Australian settlers as the carpet snake.

The reptile had been sleeping in the sunshine and, startled into activity, made for its lair, a dense patch of woodland, escaping before anyone could get a shot.

"That's a pretty good proof that this isle was at one time joined to the mainland, Carey," said the doctor, "and this would account for the volcano we are ascending being so dwarfed. There must have been a gradual sinking, and so it is that we find creatures that would not inhabit an ordinary island. For instance, we should not find monitors and carpet snakes in a coral island. Look at the birds too; those kingfishers. Do you see, Bostock, there's an old friend of ours, the great laughing jackass?"

"Nay," said the old sailor, shading his eyes; "that's not the same. He's a deal like him, but our old laughing jackasses down south haven't got all that bright blue in their jackets. Going to shoot him, Master Carey?"

"No," said the boy; "I don't want it. 'Tisn't good to eat."

"There's a lovely bird there," said the doctor, pointing to where there was a flash of dark purply orange, as the sun played upon the head and back of a bird nearly the size of a jay. "A regular Queensland bird. I've seen it there."

"What is it?" said Carey.

"The rifle bird; a near relative, I believe, to the birds of paradise."

"But it's nearly black," protested Carey. "Birds of paradise are all fluffy buff feathers."

"Some of them," said the doctor, "but there are many kinds, some much more ornamental than the kind you mean."

He raised his gun to shoot the rifle bird, but lowered it again.

"I couldn't preserve it if I shot it," he said. "Come along."

They continued the ascent, finding the heat in the sheltered valley rather more than they could bear, and Carey looked longingly down to his right at the placidly flowing river, thinking how pleasant a dip would be.

"I say," he said at last, "what a little shade there is."

"And unfortunately," said the doctor, "it grows less the higher we get-- a way with the growth on mountains; but we shall soon be high enough to feel the sea breeze, and after all it's a wonderfully interesting tramp."

Carey agreed that it was, for the bird life now was most attractive-- gaily dressed parroquets, green, and with breasts like gorgeous sunsets, were plentiful.

There were the lovely little zebra parrots, too, in abundance, black cockatoos, white with sulphur crest, beauties in pink and grey, and finches with black or scarlet heads and breasts shot with topaz, amethyst, and vivid blue.

Then every rock had its occupants in the shape of silvery-grey, golden-green, or black and orange lizards, some looking as if they were bearded, others bearing a singular frill, while again others were dotted with hideous spikes and prickles, all being given to turn defiantly upon the intruders to their domain, and menacingly open their gaping mouths, lined with orange, yellow, or rich blue; but ready to take flight all the same and plunge into the rock rift or hole which made their home.

At last there was a rocky slope to climb, up to the left of which a sugar-loaf peak rose, which Carey at once concluded was the one which the doctor had climbed; so, feeling that their task was pretty well achieved, he manfully breasted the rock-strewn slope, ignored the lizards basking in the sun, and directly after gave a shout of satisfaction, for on one side there came a deliciously cool breeze, while on the other he was looking down at a vividly blue lake lying in a hollow a couple of hundred feet below where he stood, and quite sheltered from the wind, so that its surface was like a mirror and reflected the hills all round.

"Lovely, eh, Carey?"

"It is glorious," panted the boy. "Isn't it fine, Bob?"

Bostock grunted, laid down his gun, swung round the satchel containing the food, and passed the strap over his head, setting it afterwards on the ground in a very significant manner.

"Yes," said the doctor; "we may as well have our lunch."

"But I say," said Carey, "do you really think this was once a volcano, doctor?"

"Certainly, and the blue water we look down upon was preceded by a lake of fire."

"But how was that? Where did the water come from? Not from the sea."

"No, from the draining of these hills or mountains all round, upon which you have seen the clouds gather and melt into rain."

"And that put out the volcanic fire?" said Carey, quickly.

"Oh, no," replied the doctor, smiling. "If those trickling streams had run down into a lake of fire they would have flown up again in steam with tremendous explosions. This lake of water did not form until the volcano was quite extinct, and--"

"Shall I cut up the wittles, sir?" said Bostock, who had been impatiently waiting for the doctor to end his lecture.

"Here, fall to, Carey; Bostock is getting ravenous." And they ate their lunch, with Carey longing to go down the inner slope to examine the lake for fish and try to find out how deep it was.

It was a double feast, one for the body and one for the brain, the long walk and exertion having made all hungry, and as soon as this was appeased the doctor led the way for the final cone to be climbed.

Here Carey feasted indeed--the glass showing him through the limpid air reef after reef silvered with spray, and what were evidently islands, looking like faint amethystine clouds floating between sea and sky.

These islands lay to the north-east, but though they all looked long and carefully there was no sign of any great tract of land or continent.

"These are the times, Carey, when one feels one's ignorance," observed the doctor.

"Ignorance? I thought you knew nearly every thing."

"Nearly nothing," said the doctor, laughing. "I mean as compared to what there is to know. Now, for instance, there are charts in the captain's cabin, and the proper instruments for taking observations-- sextants and chronometer. I ought to be able to tell exactly where we are, Carey, and mark it upon a chart, but I can't."

"Never mind, sir, it's very beautiful," said the boy. "I say, though, we can't see the _Chusan_ from here."

"No, it is cut off by the projecting part of the mountain."

"Yes, and the lower parts and mouth of the river too. But we can see all round the other side of the island."

"Yes, and see what prisoners we are and shall be till some ship comes on a voyage of discovery and sees the great wreck."

"Well," said Carey, thoughtfully, "if it wasn't for one thing I like it, and don't feel in a bit of a hurry to go away."

"And what is the one thing?" asked the doctor.

"Mother and father's trouble. They must think I'm dead." _

Read next: Chapter 15

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