Part 57 (1/2)
”Oh!” he cried at last, ”if people only knew what they would see if they travelled they would never care to stay at home.”
”Yes,” said Sir John dryly, ”if they only knew.”
They reached the beautiful glen at last, where the two springs--hot and cold--sent their waters into the shadowed pool, Jack being now forward with Edward, who, as an excuse for being well to the front in anything fresh which might arise, made a point of keeping close behind his young master with the gla.s.s, which he handed to him from time to time.
Now it was to sweep the sea beyond the glittering, misty edge of the reef, where a rainbow showed brilliantly from time to time; now to look up through a deep gash at the summit of the great volcano, which curved upward till its crater was lost in a cloud of vapour. Every now and then too a flock of birds had to be watched in some huge tree a little way back from the sands.
And still the yacht glided on in perfect safety hour after hour, with the reef nearer or more distant, but always affording an ample s.p.a.ce of deep pellucid water full of the wonders of the tropics, and calling for a brief inspection.
”Here, look, sir,” cried Ned suddenly, as they were pa.s.sing a lovely park-like stretch which ran high up amongst the dense forest growth.
”Catch hold, sir. It's just your focus.”
”Pigs,” said Jack contemptuously, ”half-a-dozen.”
”I never saw pigs like them, sir. Why, hark at 'em. They're barking.”
”Well, pigs make a short, sharp, barking noise sometimes,” said the doctor, whose attention had been taken by the man's words. ”No, they're not pigs, Jack,” he said, as he brought his gla.s.s to bear well upon the little cl.u.s.ter of animals running here and there among the trees, and ending by darting down upon the sands to stare at the yacht. ”Dogs, by all that's wonderful. Here, Meadows, Bradleigh, what do you make of these?”
”Mongrel wild dogs,” said the captain, after a glance; ”descendants of some that have been left by a pa.s.sing s.h.i.+p.”
”Why, we may find cows, sheep, and goats yet,” said the doctor.
”Very likely goats,” replied the captain, ”but I doubt whether we shall find the others.”
Every mile they pa.s.sed spread fresh beauties before them, the rugged nature of the mountain scenery precluding all sameness; and early in the afternoon, when, by the captain's calculation, they had arrived nearly at the opposite point to where they had lain at anchor, Jack had come to the conclusion that they need go no farther on their voyage, for they had hit upon the loveliest place in the world, where they ought to stay for good.
He said something of the kind to Sir John.
”And what about studies, books, and the realities of civilised life?”
said his father.
”I feel now as if I don't care for them a bit,” replied the lad dreamily. ”I should like to stop here and do nothing.”
”Do you mean that?”
”Well, not exactly nothing,” replied the lad, ”for I should want to shoot and fish and collect all the birds, insects, flowers, and sh.e.l.ls.”
”In other words, lead a very active life, my boy. But you would weary of it in time and want a change. Better do as we are doing now, visit an island like this and return home.”
”Yes, that is perhaps the best, father; and of course there are the troubles here--the dangerous reptiles and poisonous insects.”
”And the blacks,” said the doctor, who had been leaning over the rail with his gla.s.s to his eyes, but had heard every word.
”Yes,” said Jack with a shudder, ”there are the blacks.”
”I should like to know whether they are cannibals,” continued the doctor. ”The worst of it is, if we killed one we should be no wiser.
You see, you couldn't tell whether he was carnivorous or herbivorous by his teeth.--Well, captain, no signs of any inhabitants.”
”Not a bit; and we're quite half-way round. No signs either of another opening in the reef. Fine island to annex, Sir John. It's a regular fortification, a natural stronghold with an impregnable wall round it, and a full mile-wide moat inside. A fort at the point commanding the entrance would be sufficient.”