A CONVICT COLONY OF NATIVES
The Chief's son was present. "Did you ever know of a boat load of castaways on the island?" asked John.
"We never knew of anything like that," was his reply.
Every scrap in that mass of wreckage was gone over. There was nothing else visible by which they could gain the slightest clue. The skeleton was minutely examined. It was that of a strong, well-developed man, but from all appearances one leg was shorter than the other.
The bones of the shortened leg were closely investigated. "The bones show that this man met with an accident in early life, or before he was fully grown, or, he may have had some disease before he attained full growth, so that his right leg is shorter because not fully developed," said John, as he continued the examination.
"He must have been a soldier or an adventurer, as he has three bullet marks, one here in the right shoulder, one in the ankle, and the other on the cheek bone. All of the wounds were healed before he met his death."
"But there is one thing which is still more remark[p. 162]able. This man was a captive. He was tied in the boat and it was set adrift, and was likely on the open sea and washed ashore during one of the monsoons."
"Why do you think so?" asked Harry, as soon as he could recover breath after this announcement.
"This rope tells the story."
"But how does it happen that he and the boat were together. It seems to me that if the waves were high enough to bring the boat clear up to this point, he would be freed from the boat long before it reached this place."
"He was tied to the boat."
One mystery was solved, and another more terrible in its aspect came upon its heels. There was but one thing to do, and that was to bury the skeleton, and John ordered this done, as soon as he had taken the complete measurements of the remains.
"We don't want the box or the things in it now," said Harry.
"Indeed, I want the hatchet," answered George.
"Yes, and the rope," added John.
The boys went back to the camp with thoughtful expressions on their faces.
"This seems to be a Wonder Island, too," said George, more to himself than to any one else.
They descended the incline, and crossed the narrow neck of land that joined the two parts of the island. Beyond, as they advanced the ground grew more uneven and rugged. Occasionally rocks appeared, the first that they had noticed except around the place where George was captured.
Nevertheless, vegetation grew in even greater profusion than on the other branch of the island. There were more berries upon which all the natives feasted, and the boys were not slow to pick them as they passed.
In traveling alongside of a hill Harry was the first to call attention to a peculiar leaf on a plant, which bore rose-shaped flowers. "This is something new to me. There is nothing like it on Wonder Island. Did you notice it, John?"
The latter took a branch, and gazed at it for a long time. "I am surprised to find this growing here. It is a plant well known in Palestine, and is called the Rose of Jericho."
"What a delightful perfume it has," said Harry.
"It is not noted on that account, however. It is the resurrection plant."
"How singular; and in what way did it get that name?"
"It may be dried up entirely, and if placed in water it will again appear to revive and raise itself up. This is, of course, due to its power to absorb a vast amount of water. It is found near the shores of[p. 164] the Dead Sea, and I recall that when I was in Jerusalem it was a common thing to see the plant in its dried-up state, sold to pilgrims who were instructed how to resurrect it."
Here was caught the second and only other animal on the trip. It was somewhat smaller than Sunny, and the latter danced about the dead animal, as the "boys" brought it in.
"And what is this big-eared fellow?" asked George.
John laughed as he recognized the apt description. "It is a kind of Australian kangaroo. It inhabits trees, but is very clumsy in appearance and in action. It is a kind of sloth, or wombat."
"Isn't that a dandy fur?"
"The fur is not so valuable as its skin. There is nothing to compare with the softness of the hide when tanned. It feels like the finest velvet, and is very strong and durable."
They were now ascending a series of hills, each more difficult than the last, and the ground became extremely rough and broken. There was a lone path, in many places nearly obliterated. It was the uninviting road to the land of sorrow.
The Chief's son tried to be in the company of the boys at all times, and while he could not understand their chatter, Sutoto was a willing interpreter. He enjoyed the jolly freedom of the two chums, and their uniform good nature.
George and Harry were ever on the alert to make him feel at ease and so they talked with him, and told of the things which John explained, and it was plainly seen that he marveled at things which were described.
Referring to the exiled people, George asked: "Do those people never return after they are once condemned?"
"They are never permitted to come back."
"Do they stay there of their own free will?"
"No; I am told that they long to be at home again."
"Well, what would you do if they tried to come back?"
"We would drive them away. One time they tried to come back, all of them, and we had to kill some of them," and he said it in a tone of regret.
"Don't you believe in killing?"
He looked at George for a moment, and then looked up into Sutoto's eyes, as he said: "No; it would do no good. Would that be the right way?" he asked with a sort of innocence that brought a blush to George's cheeks.
"No; we do not believe in killing, except when we must to protect ourselves."
"But do you have to make such wonderful things[p. 166] as those (pointing to the guns) to protect yourselves?"
John threw back his head and tried to prevent a loud laugh, at this perfectly obvious question, while he looked at the boys to see what sort of an answer would be given.
George was non-plussed for a minute. John had no business to disconcert him in that way. He turned and expected Harry to answer, but it seemed as though he had imperfectly understood it. There was no way out of it, and George tried to get his body into a proper position to answer it with dignity.
"Well, you see, the guns were not made for the purpose of killing people, but for sporting purposes."
"Do you have many wild animals in your country?" he asked naïvely.
"Not many now."
John laughed a little so as not to be too undignified, and George saw the humor of the situation. He did not want to pursue the subject any further, and John graciously turned the conversation by announcing the discovery of the Upas tree.
"I didn't know the Upas tree was of such immense size," said Harry. "Is it really true that it kills everything that comes near it?"
"No, that is greatly exaggerated. The only time when it gives forth any harmful exudations, is when it is cut down, or when the bark is torn away, or it is wounded in such a way that the sap comes into contact with the body."
The illustration shows a flowering branch of the tree, and gives an idea of the silk-like leaves.
They were still going upwardly. On both sides, to the east and to the west could be seen the rolling sea. Ahead was the mountain, if such it might be called. Rocks began to appear everywhere. John stopped long at some of those dark gray walls, and chipped off many specimens.
There were now fewer birds and animals, except very small species, such as squirrels, and a variety of weasel, quick in its movements and reddish in color.
"This begins to look promising," remarked John, as he crawled around the ledges.
"Do you think we shall find any caves here?" asked George.
"I shall be very much surprised if we do not," he answered.
"Isn't it singular that the natives never knew about them, if there are any here?"
"No; I do not think that is strange; they do not believe in the witch doctors, and they have no Krishnos here, so that the caves are of no value to them."
"But do you find much that is valuable in the way of ores?"
"The hills here are full of the most valuable minerals. The little prospecting I have done is sufficient to satisfy me on that point. I am trying to make a fair estimate so I can give an accurate report when we return."
It was late in the afternoon when they reached the summit of the mountain which they had viewed from the south. It was green to the very summit, and from the elevation where they stood they could see a long and narrow stretch to the north, the distance in that direction being much farther than they had traveled from the little bight of land on the south.
"It does look inviting in that part of the island," said Harry. "Were you ever there, in the bad place?" asked Harry as the Chief's son came up.
"No; but I have heard much about it."
One of the natives who heard the conversation said: "It is a beautiful place."
"Have you ever been there?" he was asked.
"I was a guard on two occasions when we took prisoners there," he answered.
"Tell us about it," said George.
"I have never been in the village, but within an hour's march of it. The Chief warned us never to go into the place itself."
Aside from the village the place which interested John and the boys most was the mountain on which they were now standing. This must be explored. It was now late in the afternoon, and at John's suggestion they encamped, and only short excursions were made by the boys in the quest for something new.
It was a delightful night. The elevation gave them the advantage of a beautiful breeze, and the odors wafted to them, from some unknown source, on the mild trade wind from the north, was almost like a narcotic, so soothing and restful.
"Did you ever visit a more delightful spot?" asked Harry, as he inhaled the beautiful perfume.
"It does not seem to me that the criminal colony is in a very bad place, if this is any indication of it. Isn't that way of dealing with crime a strange thing?" remarked George.
"Why so?" asked John. "Is it anything peculiar for the wrongdoers to be banished from a community?"
"No; but it seems wrong to condemn the innocent women and children. Why should they be punished along with the guilty?"
"Probably, in the majority of cases, the women and children would prefer to accompany their husband and father. That does not seem to be so cruel, when it is considered that they are left free to live as much so as in their own community."
"That is what I cannot understand. What is the use of sending them away, if they are not locked up?"
"Do you not know that among the ancients, banishment from a country was the greatest punishment; greater even than death, in the opinion of many; and there are many cases where suicide was preferable. The odium of banishment was so great in those days that only the strongest and the greatest of men could live it down."
"It makes me feel, when I smell this delightful perfume, that the home of the bad people over there must be a beautiful place," said George.
"To give such an opinion, just because of the fragrance that comes from the north is proper for a sentimentalist," said John, as he laughed.
"Well, that is a pretty big name to give, and I suppose it means having some notion that hasn't any sense in it, but just theory?"
"That is a fairly close description, but I didn't mean it in that way."
The boys never felt resentful at anything that John might say, as they knew and appreciated his noble character and disposition too well not to understand that his remarks were never born of malice.
After a restful night preparations were made for a complete survey of the mountain, if it might be so dignified. Its greatest altitude did not exceed eight or nine hundred feet, and the width of the island at this point did not exceed two miles. It was quite rugged toward the east, but on the western side of[p. 171] the island the descent was sloping, and offered easy examination.
The natives were instructed what to do, and were told that they should particularly hunt for caves, or great holes, or entrances into the hills. Four search parties were thus organized, John being at the head of one, and George, Harry and Sutoto, each being a leader in the others.
Sutoto was most competent for work of this kind, as he had accompanied the boys on many expeditions, and was anxious to be of service in the quest.
John took a direction to the northeast, and Sutoto to the southeast, thus leaving Harry and George with their parties to explore the region to the west, and northwest.
As they were separating George slyly remarked: "John must have had some particular reason for taking the direction he did."
Harry smiled. "I hope we shall find the first caves."
Before separating John told them that he was desirous of finding a cavern which had certain peculiar markings therein, and the description showed it to be Cross-shaped. This must not be forgotten.
They entered into the undertaking with the greatest enthusiasm.
The boys simply danced, as they went down the hill, so great was the joy and the freedom of that beautiful spot. What a wonderful sensation is produced by beautiful odors. It is like a thought which[p. 172] transports you. On the other hand, when the odors are disagreeable how it depresses and disgusts.
A great French physician has said that in his observations, the real happy people are those who delight in beautiful odors; and while it is not true that criminals are devoid of the elevating influence of delightful perfumes, still, they are less influenced thereby.
In a number of tests made some years ago, a curious fact was observed: Sweet odors were allowed to Teach sleeping patients, which, when they did excite dreams, made them feel that they were living in a world of bliss, and surrounded by all the luxuries of life. On the other hand, when exposed to evil smelling odors, they dreamed of miseries, and of trouble and disgrace.
It was understood that the different expeditions were to report at the camp at midday, and that in the event of any accident, or other mishap, the firing of the guns would be sufficient warning to the party at the camp and to those who were searching.
George had with him two of his own "boys," and two of the natives, and Harry was also accompanied by several of his particular favorites. Harry, with his party, was the energetic one, as he was exceedingly wiry and a good walker. He did not intend to permit the others to encroach on any of his territory.
Not a vestige of anything was found which even so much as pointed to a cave or to the sign of human occupancy in that section. George, on the other hand, was more fortunate. In his area the shelving[p. 173] rocks were more numerous, and he also knew that the rocks were limestone, and that caves were more likely to exist in limestone formation than in trap rock, or either in granite or sandstone formations.
He was, therefore, fully prepared, when, in the early part of his investigation, to find, what appeared to be entrances, but in all cases they were blind leads,—that is they led in for short distances only, many of them being mere cleavages of the rocks.
The real cave is the one where the limestone is eaten out by the erosive action of the water attacking the calcium of the rock. Furthermore, he felt that he must go down nearer sea level to be assured of success, and he acted on that impulse.