DISCOVERY OF THE ISLAND AND EXPLORATIONS
Weary, they dragged themselves over the cliffs and down to the waiting natives. Muro was surprised to learn that they had found no signs of people, so they rowed back to the ship, and after a hearty meal, retired for the night.
In the morning when they asked John for his opinion, he said, "The only course is to sail south, and circumnavigate the island. In doing so we shall effect a landing every ten miles or so, and then go into the interior. This will thus enable us to learn all about the land. At the same time we must survey the island, so as to learn its extent, as well as its general shape and outline."
"But how can we survey it without the instruments?"
"That is readily done, by observing the headlands, or some special coast line marks, and then taking the angles from those points."
"Well, that will be interesting, at least. How shall we start?"
"Do you see that point to the south which may be five or ten miles away?"
"Yes."
"Now, examine the compass, and turn it so that[p. 76] the cardinal points are directly north and south. Now sight across the face of the compass so that you get the exact line between this point and yonder object. What do you make it to be?"
"Why I make it out to be S. E."
"That is correct. The line 1 is south by east."
"But how can we find out how long line 1 is?" asked Harry.
"Why by triangulation," said George, quickly.
"I know that, but how can we do it on sea?"
"It can be done on sea, as well as on land, but we had better go and make the first measurement by tri[p. 77]angulation correctly, and do this in our subsequent measurements, unless it should be necessary to make the measurements at sea. The plan followed on shipboard will be found similar to the plan followed on land."
The boat was manned and the boys with a crew of the men and John made for the shore, and together they went inland to a point marked B ([Fig. 5]), and sighted across to the same object C that was noted of the ship. This, then, gave three lines, 1, 2 and 3, forming a triangle.
"If these angles are placed on a paper the distance from A to C can be determined on the principles of proportion," remarked John.
"How is that done?"
"We will assume that the lines 1, 2, are at right angles to each other. This is not necessary, but it happens to be so in this case. Let us first measure the distance along the line 2, which may be any number of inches, or feet. Suppose we call the line one inch long. Then draw the line 1, so that it will be sufficiently long to be sure and meet the line 3."
"Yes; I now see how it is done," remarked George, with enthusiasm. "If the line 3 is drawn at the angle we got, when we looked at C, from B, the line will cross line 1 at C."
"That is correct. Now, if it is one inch from A to B, we may use that inch as a measurement to get the distance along the line."
"Let me step it off," said Harry. "I find it is just two and three-quarters inches."
"What was the distance, in feet from A to B?" asked John.
"I have the figures here," said George. "We found it was six hundred and ninety feet."
"If, now, you will multiply 690 by 2-3/4, we shall have the distance from this point A, and yonder point, or headland C."
"I make it out to be just 1897.5," was Harry's conclusion.
The boys, together with John and a half dozen of the natives, went along the shore, and mounted the point C, and from that place selected another point in a southerly direction, and again made the same calculations.
The vessel in the meantime was put under sail and[p. 79] anchored a mile below, giving the surveying party time to make several triangulations, and late in the afternoon the party came on board, tired and ready to take a rest.
From the position taken up by the ship they could see a long stretch of shore line, practically straight, trending toward the southeast, and with their glass could see, miles away, a headland which afforded a pronounced point for observation.
The next morning the same parties rowed to the shore, and Uraso was left with the party to guard the shore boat, while Muro accompanied John and the boys. On this occasion John issued the following instruction:
"The long point which you see in the distance is, probably, 15 miles beyond. It is not more than that, but this clear atmosphere is liable to deceive. I have instructed Sutoto to wait until one o'clock today, and if by that time there is no word from us Uraso will return to the ship, and you will take up anchor and steer for the headland beyond."
"So that you may understand our movements, we will strike into the interior, taking a course due east, for ten miles, or thereabout, and then turn to the south, and reach the sea near the place where the vessel will be located."
"I understand, now, how the distance can be measured by triangulation on land; but how to get the distances, on shipboard, is what puzzles me," said Harry.
John smiled as he replied: "I knew you would[p. 80] come to that sooner or later, so I prepared a little sketch ([Fig. 7]), which shows the bow of a vessel, and the tall mast. The lines from A to B give an angle with the vertical line of the mast, which will enable you to determine how far the ship is from any point."
"But I am still in the dark as to how, even if we have that distance, we can thereby tell by triangulation, on the vessel, how far one point is from another on the land."
"After the distance from the vessel to the point is determined, as I have shown, then the length of the ship itself is used as the two points to sight from, and the two lines thus projected, from the opposite ends of the vessel, together with the line lengthwise along the ship, form a triangle, the same as the triangle lines 1, 2, 3, in the sketch ([Fig. 5])."
It might be well at this place to describe the equipment of the party as it left the boat. The natives carried a plentiful supply of provisions. Each had[p. 81] a gun, the best kind of breech loaders, and also a spear.
The natives love to handle spears better than anything else in the way of a weapon, and each also had a knife, and some carried the inevitable bolo, that primitive form of hatchet which is known all over the world where steel or iron is available, and the people have arrived at such a state that they are able to make metal articles.
John and the boys also carried guns, but the boys had revolvers, seven shooters, not of large bore, but very convenient weapons, in close quarters. Each carried also a knife, and belt to contain the cartridges for the guns.
Harry carried a camera, which he had brought from the States, and George had the field glass strapped across the shoulders. John felt that they had a force large enough to make a fairly effective stand against a pretty strong force of natives, the entire party counting, in this instance, sixteen.
As they advanced into the interior, it was evident that they were gradually ascending, so that at about six miles from the landing place they reached the crest of the rising ground. Beyond, where the nature of the ground permitted they saw clearly that the distance beyond had a lower altitude than the place where they stood.
During this trip there was no evidence that the island was occupied, but they saw the most amazing evidences of tropical fruits and trees. Magnificent trees were in evidence everywhere, and the woods,[p. 82] besides mahogany, and ebony, were of the most valuable character.
John noted all these things, but the boys were most interested in the birds and animals which roamed about. The latter were not large or vicious looking, but it was not permitted to shoot any of them lest it might alarm Uraso, who was at the landing.
Ahead could be seen several ridges, one of them heavily wooded. Reaching the summit they beheld a beautiful valley below, and opposite on a shelving rock, stood a type of mountain deer like a sentinel, while a dozen or more were feeding on the green slope beneath.
Frequently on the march the boys would take side trips, in the attempt to run down some of the curious animals, but they were careful to keep the main force in sight.
Thus they tramped on fully five miles beyond the crest of the ridge, and occasionally John would stop to examine some suspicious-looking indication of habitation.
"It would surprise me very much to find that the island is not inhabited," he said, as he examined what appeared to be a path.
At this juncture one of the native scouts came up and showed John a curious stone formation. John took it, and turned it over several times. "That is part of a stone hatchet." The scout nodded assent with a smile.
All now became intent on searching. This finally resulted in bringing to light a well-formed spear, not unlike those originally used on Wonder Island among the native tribes.
Surely they were getting evidence pretty fast now. Then, while crossing a little rivulet, one of the scouts plainly saw the print of a native foot, which was unmistakable. True, it had been made days before, probably a month, but there it was, and now it was incumbent on them to find out where the people were.
The entire party scattered along the little stream, and searched both banks for a considerable distance, the boys taking an active part in the work. Usually the boys kept together, and entertained each other, but on this occasion all were so intent on discovering where, and in what direction the footprints would lead, that they quite forgot to watch each other.
John gave a customary whistle, as he was in the habit of doing, when it was desired to call the party together, and all of the scouts promptly returned, as well as Harry. George was nowhere to be seen. John questioned Harry. He had first missed him at the bend in the stream not two hundred feet to the north.
He rushed back in that direction, while John gave another blast on the whistle, and then listened intently for a reply. Harry came back without any intelligence, and almost frantic. John and the scouts then broke into a run, and Harry turned with them.
That instant a shot rang out. "That must be George," exclaimed John. "Forward as quickly as possible."
The party turned the bend of the river. All along this part of the stream the banks were cut up by ridges and diminutive cliffs, and in many places were large shelving rocks which came up close to the stream.
Immediately after the shot John stopped, and listened for some sound, and the natives, usually so alert to recognize noises, did likewise.
"That shot means that George is in some danger," said John.
"But why does he not answer the whistle? Why should he shoot, and then not call to us, if there is any danger," said Harry in despair.
They turned the bend, and searched to and fro. The shot could not have been more than eight hundred feet away. The searchers spread out into a fan-shaped formation. One of the scouts ran up hurriedly and called to John, who went forward, and there, alongside of a huge rock, where there was little grass, he saw unmistakable evidence of a scuffle.
"These are the footprints of George's shoes," remarked Harry.
"Yes, and here are the prints of the native feet," said John, as one of the scouts distinctly pointed out two or three well defined marks.
"They are, undoubtedly, near at hand. We must now be on our guard," said John, as he pondered on the situation.
"I wonder why they didn't attack us?" asked Harry.
"The reason, no doubt, is that it is a small party. A larger body would not have attempted to capture one of us by stealth."
John turned to Hasmo, one of the fleetest runners, and instructed him to go back to the landing place at once, and advise Uraso to bring his men and provisions, as well as additional ammunition, and to hold the ship until additional word should be sent.
Hasmo was off in an instant, and then John issued additional instructions. "It is evident," he said, "that we must look for the people to the east or, more likely, toward the southeast. That is the reason why I had the boat held at the place where we have just landed. There is also another reason why I think the tribes, if there are any, are to the south, and that is, in this latitude they are much less exposed to the effects of the great winds that occur at certain portions of the year."
Harry wandered about, not knowing what to do, at this terrible catastrophe. George in the hands of the savages! He could hardly believe it.
"Don't worry about George too much," said John consolingly. "I am inclined to think he has had enough experience within the past two years to help him out of immediate trouble, and we will then be able to take a hand."
This somewhat relieved Harry. It is possible that George might be able to take care of himself. "But suppose they kill him?" This was his great fear.
"It is not at all likely they will do that," remarked Muro. "Those who captured him form only a small party, and it is not at all likely that there was a chief with them. Under the circumstances they would not dare kill him until the Chief ordered it."
John smiled as he nodded at the explanation given by Muro. After all, it was not as bad as it might be. Now to the rescue. Muro begged permission to do scouting work until Uraso arrived, and selecting Stut as his companion, they glided through the forest directly to the east.
They were now fully twelve miles from the boat, and the runner could be depended on to reach Uraso within an hour, if not hindered on the journey. It would then take, possibly, two hours more for the party to return, so that it was safe to assume that they would have to remain in the vicinity for the next three hours.
John decided that the time should be spent in exploring the directions to the southeast and to the northeast as well, so they might be well informed when the reinforcements arrived.
Hasmo glided through the forest like a deer. He knew that it was imperative to reach the shore before one o'clock, because at that time the vessel would leave for the southeastern point. To get there too late would mean a trip for fifteen miles or more along the shore to reach the next landing.
The dense forest near the shore prevented him from seeing the vessel until he crossed the last ridge,[p. 87] and when he finally came within view of the harbor the ship had disappeared. He stopped and glanced to the south, but no ship was in sight. This was a situation which had been considered, from the point of view of the departure of the vessel; but where had it gone?
He went to the shore, where Uraso's party had been, and then, laboriously ascended the point beyond, and from which he could get a clear view of the sea. There, far beyond, was the Pioneer, sailing to the southeast under a strong breeze.
He tore off his jacket, and seizing a branch, began to wave it back and forth. The ship went on, and there was no indication that they noticed him. He remained thus for nearly a quarter of an hour, and then knew that he must follow the ship until he reached the next landing place.
The trip along the shore was a most difficult one, as he could not follow the beach. Many of the rocks along the shore were licked by the waves, so that he had to take a course beyond the cliffs, and the land was not only rough, but numerous gulleys, or draws, as they are called, were washed out, making speed impossible.
It required more than two hours to make the trip, and it was considerably after three when he hailed the boat from the shore, and hurriedly told the story of George's capture.
Uraso was not slow in gathering the men needed for the expedition, and when the guns and ammuni[p. 88]tion were brought out all of the men actually begged to go along, but he knew that John would not sanction leaving the vessel without a crew.
John and his scouts impatiently awaited the return of the men and during this time received the reports from the scouts as they came in. It was evident from the slight traces found that the band which captured George had gone east. It was no doubt from some indication to this effect obtained by Muro, that induced him to take his course in that direction, also.
All had departed but Muro: Four o'clock came, and then five, but neither Muro nor Uraso appeared. This did, indeed, look strange to John, who could, in a measure, account for Muro's non-appearance; but he could not understand why Uraso did not come. It then occurred that after all Hasmo might not have been able to reach the landing before sailing time, and with this theory he consoled Harry, who was constantly on the alert, waiting for tidings.