Part 5 (2/2)

It was early in the morning, and yet dark, when I felt something touch me. I started up--a low cry of pleasure told me at once that it was Nero, who was by my side. Yes, it was Nero, who had come back, having climbed up again the steep path to the cabin, to return to his master. Need I say that I was overjoyed, that I hugged him as if he had been a human being, that I wept over him, and that in a few minutes afterwards we were asleep together in the same bed-place. Such was the fact, and never was there in my after life, so great a transition from grief to joy.

”Oh! now, if you had left me,”--said I to him, the next morning, when I got up; ”you naughty seal, to frighten me and make me so unhappy as you did!” Nero appeared quite as happy as I was at our reunion, and was more affectionate than ever.

I must now pa.s.s over many months in very few words, just stating to the reader what my position was at the end of three years, during which I was alone upon the island. I had now arrived at the age of near seventeen, and was tall and strong for my years. I had left off wearing my dress of the skins of birds, having subst.i.tuted one of the seaman's s.h.i.+rts, which I had found in the chest. This, however, was the whole of my costume, and although, had it been longer it would have been more correct, still, as I had no other companion but Nero, it was not necessary to be so very particular, as if I had been in society. During these three years, I think I had read the Bible and Prayer-book, and my Natural History book, at least five or six times quite through, and possessing a retentive memory, could almost repeat them by heart; but still I read the Bible as a sealed book, for I did not understand it, having had no one to instruct me, nor any grace bestowed upon me. I read for amus.e.m.e.nt, and nothing more.

My garden was now in a most flouris.h.i.+ng condition, the climbing plants had overrun the cabin, so as to completely cover the whole of the roof and every portion of it, and they hung in festoons on each side of the door-way. Many of the plants which I had taken up small, when I moved them, had proved to be trees, and were now waving to the breeze, high above the cabin roof; and everything that I had planted, from continual watering and guano, had grown most luxuriantly. In fact, my cabin was so covered and sheltered, that its original form had totally disappeared, it now looked like an arbour in a clump of trees, and from the rocks by the bathing-pool it had a very picturesque appearance.

I had, of course, several times gone up the ravine, and now that my axe had become useful, I had gradually acc.u.mulated a large stock of wood down by the bathing-pool, more than I could use for a long while, as I seldom lighted a fire, but the cutting it was employment, and employment was to me a great source of happiness. I had been several times to the other side of the island, and had had more encounters with the seals, of which I killed many, for I found their skins very comfortable and useful in the cabin. I had collected about three dozen of the finest skins, which were more than I required, but I had taken them for the same reason that I had collected the firewood, for the sake of employment, and in this instance, I may add, for the sake of the excitement which the combats with the seals afforded me.

I have not narrated any of these conflicts, as I thought that they might weary the reader, I must, however, state what occurred on one occasion, as although ludicrous, it nearly cost me my life. I had attacked a large male seal, with a splendid fur, for I always looked out for the best skinned animals. He was lying on a rock close to the water, and I had gone into the water to cut him off and prevent his escape by plunging in, as he would otherwise have done; but as I aimed the usual blow at his nose, my foot slipped on the wet rock, and I missed the animal, and at the same time fell down on the rock with the axe in my hand. The animal, which was a male of the largest size, seized hold of my s.h.i.+rt (which I then wore) with his teeth, and, plunging with me into the sea, dived down into the deep water. It was fortunate that he had seized my s.h.i.+rt instead of my body, and also that I could swim well. He carried me along with him--the s.h.i.+rt, for a few seconds, drawn over my head, when, disembarra.s.sing myself of the garment, by slipping my head and arms out, I left it in his possession, and regained the surface of the water, almost suffocated. It was fortunate that I did not wear sleeve-b.u.t.tons; had I had them, I could not have disengaged myself, and must have perished. I climbed the rock again, and turning round, I perceived the seal on the surface, shaking the s.h.i.+rt in great wrath. This was a sad discomfiture, as I lost not only my s.h.i.+rt but my axe, which I dropped when I was dragged into the water; nothing was saved except my knife, which I carried by a lanyard round my neck. Why I mention this circ.u.mstance particularly, is, that having felt great inconvenience for want of sleeve-b.u.t.tons to hold the wristbands of my s.h.i.+rt together, I had thought of making use of those of the mate, which the reader may recollect had been given with his watch into Jackson's care, to take home to his wife; but on second consideration I thought it very possible I might lose them, and decided that the property was in trust, and that I had no right to risk it. This correct feeling on my part, therefore, was probably the saving of my life.

I have only now to mention my birds, and of them I can merely say that they went on as before; they bathed constantly, at the right season they laid eggs, the male birds caught fish and brought them to the cabin, and they were just as stupid and uninteresting as they were at first; however, they never left me, nor indeed shewed any intention to leave me, after the first season of the birds returning to the island. They were useful but not very ornamental, and not at all interesting to one who had such an intelligent companion as Nero.

Having now brought up my history, in a few words, until the time referred to, I come to the narrative of what occurred to produce a change in my condition. I have said that in the chest there was a spy-gla.s.s, but it had been wetted with salt-water, and was useless. Jackson had tried to shew me how to use it, and had shewn me correctly, but the gla.s.ses were dimmed by the wet and subsequent evaporation from heat. I had taken out all the gla.s.ses and cleaned them, except the field-gla.s.s as it is called, but that being composed of two gla.s.ses, the water had penetrated between them, and it still remained so dull that nothing could be distinguished through it, at the time that Jackson was shewing me how to use the instrument; it was therefore put on one side as useless. A year afterwards, I took it out, from curiosity, and then I discovered that the moisture between the two gla.s.ses had been quite dried up, and that I could see very clearly through it, and after a little practice I could use it as well as anybody else. Still I seldom did use it, as my eyesight was particularly keen, and I did not require it, and as for any vessel coming off the island, I had gradually given up all thoughts of it. It was one evening when the weather was very rough and the sea much agitated, that I thought I saw something unusual on the water, about four miles distant. I supposed at first it might be a spermaceti whale, for numbers used to play round the island at certain seasons, and I used to watch their blowing and their gambols, if I may use the term, and Jackson often told me long stories about the whale fisheries; but a ray of the setting sun made the object appear white, and I ran for the gla.s.s, and made out that it was a boat or a very small vessel, with a sail out, and running before the gale right down to the island. I watched it till it was dark with much interest, and with thoughts of various kinds chasing each other; and then I began to consider what was best to do. I knew that in an hour the moon would rise, and as the sky was not cloudy, although the wind and sea were high, I should probably be able to see it again. ”But they never can get on sh.o.r.e on this side of the island,” thought I, ”with so much sea. Yes they might, if they ran for the bathing-pool.” After thinking a while, I decided that I would go down to the bathing-pool, and place lighted f.a.ggots on the rocks on each side of the entrance, as this would shew them where to run for, and how to get in. I waited a little longer, and then taking my spy-gla.s.s and some tinder with me, I went down to the pool, carried two f.a.ggots to the rocks on each side, and having set them on fire and taken up others to replace them as soon as they were burnt out, I sat down with my spy-gla.s.s to see if I could make out where the boat might be.

As the moon rose, I descried her now within a mile of the island, and her head directed towards the beacon lights made by the burning f.a.ggots. I threw another f.a.ggot on each and went down for a further supply. The gale had increased, and the spray now dashed over the rocks to where the f.a.ggots were burning, and threatened to extinguish them, but I put on more wood and kept up a fierce blaze. In a quarter of an hour I could distinguish the boat; it was now close to the island, perhaps three hundred yards distant, steering not directly for the lights, but more along sh.o.r.e. The fact was that they had hauled up, not knowing how they could land until they had observed the two lights clear of each other, and then they understood why they had been made; and a moment afterwards they bore up right for the entrance to the bathing-pool, and came rus.h.i.+ng on before the rolling seas. I still trembled for them, as I knew that if the sea receded at the time that they came to the ledge of rocks at the entrance, the boat would be dashed to pieces, although their lives might be saved, but fortunately for them, it was not so--on the contrary, they came in borne up on a huge wave which carried them clear over the ledge, right up to the wall of rock which I had made across the pool, and then the boat grounded.

”Hurrah! well done, that,” said a voice from the boat. ”Lower away the sail, my lads; all's right.”

The sail was lowered down, and then, by the light of the fire, I discovered that there were several people in the boat. I had been too much excited to say anything; indeed, I did not know what to say. I only felt that I was no more alone, and the reader may imagine my joy and delight.

Chapter XIX.

As soon as the sail was lowered, the men leaped over the sides of the boat into the water, and waded to the rocks.

”Who are you?” said one of the men, addressing me, ”and how many of you are there here?”

”There is no one on the island but myself,” replied I; ”but I'm so glad that you have come.”

”Are you? Then perhaps you'll tell us how to get something to eat, my hearty?” replied he.

”Oh yes, wait a little, and I'll bring you plenty,” replied I.

”Well, then, look smart, that's a beauty, for we are hungry enough to eat you, if you can find us nothing better.”

I was about to go up to the cabin for some birds, when another man called out-- ”I say--can you get us any water?”

”Oh yes, plenty,” replied I.

”Well then, I say, Jim, hand us the pail out of the boat.”

The one addressed did so, and the man put it into my hands, saying, ”Bring us that pail, boy, will you?” I hastened up to the cabin, filled the pail full of water, and then went for a quant.i.ty of dried birds, with which I hastened down again to the bathing-pool; I found the men had not been idle, they had taken some f.a.ggots off the stack and made a large fire under the rocks, and were then busy making a sort of tent with the boat's sails.

”Here's the water, and here's some birds,” said I, as I came up to them.

”Birds! what birds?” said the man who had first spoken to me, and appeared to have control over the rest. He took one up and examined it by the light of the fire, exclaiming, ”Queer eating, I expect.”

”Why, you didn't expect a regular hotel when you landed, did you, mate?” said one of the men.

”No, if I had, I would have called for a gla.s.s of grog,” replied he. ”I suspect I might call a long while before I get anyone to bring me one here.”

As I knew that Jackson called the rum by the name of grog, I said, ”There's plenty of grog, if you want any.”

”Is there, my hearty,--where?”

”Why, in that cask that's in the water on the other side of your little s.h.i.+p,” replied I. ”I can draw you some directly.”

”What! in that cask? Grog floating about in salt water, that's too bad. Come here all of you--You're in earnest, boy--no joking I hope, or you may repent it.”

”I'm not joking,” said I--”there it is.”

The man, followed by all the rest, excepting one of the party, waded into the water, and went to the cask of rum.

”Take care,” said I, ”the spiles are in.”

”So I see--never fear, my hearty--come now all of us.” So saying, the whole of them laid hold of the cask by the chains, and lifting it up, they carried it clean out of the water, and placed it on the rocks by the side of the pool.

”Hand us the little kid out of the boat, Jim,” said the man; ”we'll soon see if it's the right stuff.”

He took out the spiles, drew off some of the liquor, and tasting it, swore it was excellent. It was then handed round, and all the men took some.

”We're in luck to-night; we're fallen upon our legs,” said the first man. ”I say, Jim, put them dried chickens into the pitch-kettle along with some taters out of the bag--they'll make a good mess; and then with this cask of grog to go to, we shan't do badly.”

”I say, old fellow,” said he, turning to me, ”you're a regular trump. Who left you on sh.o.r.e to get all ready for us?”

”I was born here,” replied I.

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