THE TRIP TO THE NEW ISLAND
Exciting as were the events alluded to in the last chapter, the boys insisted on taking Sutoto to the top of the peak. John and Blakely gathered up the fragments, and when the boys left they were busily engaged in making careful measurements of the stone and ledges.
It was not an easy task to gain the summit, but when they reached it, there was spread before them the most remarkable panorama. To the north they could see South River, the first stream they discovered when they came to the island.
They looked on it almost lovingly. "If it were not for the mountain range to the north we could see clear to Cataract," said Harry.
"The dear old place!" exclaimed George. Sutoto smiled. He had been there, and he shared the views of the boys.
"Let me have the glasses," shouted Harry, as he adjusted them and turned to the west. "Unity," was the only thing he said, as he handed the glasses to Sutoto. The latter looked, and stepped back in surprise. George kept his eyes on Sutoto, as the latter bent forward in his eagerness to see the town[p. 64] which was now so plain to him, although more than fifty miles away.
George leisurely took the glasses, as Sutoto said slowly, and with proper emphasis, "Wonderful! wonderful!"
He turned the glasses to the southeast, hoping to catch a glimpse of the land of treasures, but they saw nothing but the wide open sea, calm and peaceful, and he wondered that it could ever be so angry and tempestuous as they had known it to be on two momentous occasions.
They remained there for a long time, and viewed every portion of the island. When they descended they took a route leading to the west, and when nearly at the bottom, heard the unmistakable sounds of voices below them. For a moment the boys were alarmed, but Sutoto set up a shout, his quick ears having detected the voices of their friends. It was the first caravan load of copper which they were taking from the great cave near the Illyas' village.
"Glory! we are near the Illyas' village," said Harry, as he stumbled down the mountain side, and saw the train of men with the loads.
They would now do some more visiting. They must surely go over to the village where they captured the last of the hostile tribes. As they neared the village they were surprised to see Oma coming toward them. He greeted them like a monarch, and led them into the village.
"I am glad to welcome you," he said. The boys were astounded at the words. This man, the most[p. 65] vindictive and bitter of all the tribesmen, had learned to speak, and showed by his actions that he was glad to welcome them.
But when they came to the village, the surprise of the boys was so great that they could hardly speak. Instead of filth and uncleanliness everywhere, they saw carefully attended lawns, and houses, instead of huts. The people came out and greeted them with laughter.
And then the boys recognized many of the men who had lived in Unity, and who had worked for them in the shops, and in the fields. The Chief then escorted them to the large building, the same one in which the Chief was captured by the boys, the year before.
What a change! Formerly the furniture in the room was one jumbled mass of débris, and the household arrangements were only such as savage conditions warranted. Now, the large interior had been cut up into rooms, and they were furnished with comfortable belongings.
The Chief saw the curiosity of the boys, and he read their thoughts. "You wonder at the difference? Yes; it is a difference. We owe it to that wonderful Chief, and to you, and to John."
"Yes; John will be here soon," said George.
"I have seen him. He will be here. We are preparing a great feast for him," and the boys opened their eyes and smiled as they heard this announcement.
The people flocked about them, and the men who[p. 66] knew the boys were only too proud to be recognized by them. Thus they visited every nook and corner of the town, surprised and glad to see that the Chief had insisted on his people going to Unity and learning the ways of the white people.
There was a further reason why the coming of John and of Blake was a joyous event. Oma had been informed that the great copper mines were to be opened in the mountains, which would insure work for every one, and that they would be able to buy every sort of luxury and enjoy all the comforts of the white people.
Late that evening John and Blakely came accompanied by two hundred of the Illyas who had actually been engaged during the day in transporting copper from the cave to the hold of the Wonder.
The feast and the celebration that night in a village which, only a few months before, was of the most savage character, was, indeed, a marvel. Oma could scarcely express himself with enough earnestness, and the women were following the boys with their eyes, and actually caressing them, in their eagerness to show appreciation.
When the time came for them to leave, the Chief accompanied the men to the shore below South Mountain to witness their departure. Before they left the village, the things which had been brought there by the ships for the Illyas were placed in the Chief's storehouse, and Blakely paid the members of the party who had assisted them. This, also, was the occasion for much rejoicing.
Blakely, on board the Wonder, waved an adieu to the boys and John as the boats separated, and Sutoto gave the order to sail directly southeast.
During the afternoon the sea was calm and afforded a beautiful sail, but during the night a strong breeze came up and its intensity varied during the night. The next day, however, the sea became choppy, and over two-thirds of the natives were rolling around on the deck in the agonies of sea-sickness.
"This will give us an opportunity to try the new cure for the malady," said John.
"What is that?" asked George.
"Simply atrophine."
"How is it administered?"
"By injecting it."
"What is atrophine?" asked Harry.
"It is a crystalline, bitter and poisonous alkaloid, taken from the deadly nightshade, and the same principle is also found in the thorn apple."
"Isn't it the same as belladonna?" remarked George.
"No; but belladonna is also an extract of nightshade."
"Have you any of it here?"
"Yes; I brought some, together with the other drugs that the Professor ordered, and I am anxious to try it. The remedy was discovered by Prof. Fischer, of Munich, and also simultaneously by Dr. Reginald Pollard, of South Kensington, England."
Accompanied by the boys John went among the sufferers, and administered the medicine, giving at[p. 68] each injection about 1-64th of a grain. It was remarkable in its effects. Within a half hour the sickening feeling in the stomach disappeared, the eyes began to grow bright again, the pulse full, and the patient became strong and vigorous.
None of them objected to John's ministrations. Their confidence in his ability was sufficient for them and the results justified their faith.
When the boys came on deck in the morning, they strained their eyes looking toward the horizon for land but there was no land in sight. John was already on deck and he smiled as he saw them ascend the ladder. "And where is your island?" he asked.
"How far have we gone?"
"We have been driven somewhat out of our course, it is true; but we are more than a hundred miles from Wonder Island, and have sailed past the place where the other island ought to be, according to Walter's letter." And John chuckled somewhat, at the crestfallen looks of the boys.
"Where are we going now?"
"I told Sutoto we would better tack to the southwest. We can use up a day at that course, and then double back, probably thirty or forty miles to the south, and in that way we can cover a wide area."
While sailing in that direction they had to go pretty much into the face of the wind, but it was considered wise to explore that region to the south of the islands first, and then take another section to the east or to the west.
Night came on without any indications of land, and[p. 69] the course was altered directly to the east. The boys remained up until nearly twelve that night, but no light or evidence of land came in sight. Tired with the exertions of the day, they retired, and were soon asleep.
How long they slept was immaterial to them. Sutoto came into their cabin, and awakened them, saying, "We can see some lights in the east." They heard the voice, and its earnest expression, and without waiting to dress scrambled out. Far off to the southeast was a faint glimmer, then it died away.
After a moment or two it appeared again, somewhat brighter than before. The night was intensely dark, and the wind was blowing a steady gale, so that the boat not only rocked but it moved forward into the lines of waves across their path.
John was above, and they hurriedly rushed to see him. He was smiling, as they approached, and he greeted them by saying "We have reached your island, probably."
"How long have you seen the light?" asked George.
"A half hour, or more," he answered.
The boys were not in the mood now to return to bed, so they went back to dress, and then returned, meanwhile watching the light with eager eyes. The course of the ship was directed toward it, and every one on board had now heard the news.
Soon the watch on the port side sang out: "Land ahead," and every one sprang to the left side. There, plainly in the darkness, was a headland, or a[p. 70] spur, which they were passing at almost right angles. The most intense excitement prevailed.
Still the light was directly ahead, and, apparently, a long distance from them. John told Sutoto to haul in the sails, and to take a course directly to the south. He explained that it would be wise to stand off the shore as long as possible, as the ship's clock showed that it was now past four o'clock so that within the next hour they might be able to view the land clearly enough to determine their future course.
Impatiently they awaited that period of gloom which is said to be the darkest time,—just before the dawn. This seemed to be so to the watchers, but shortly after five the curtain lifted. A slight haze was over the land, but they had found an island, at least.
"Do you know our position?" asked Harry, as John approached. "Yes; I have just figured it out. We are fifty leagues (one hundred and fifty miles) southeast of Wonder Island."
The boys looked at each other. Evidently Walter was wrong, or they had read his letter incorrectly. But they saw land, and John assured them that there was no land between that place and their own island.
Anxiously they awaited daylight, and when it came they gazed out on a barren waste,—a rocky and uninviting shore.
"Steer for the little cove beyond the great rock," said John.
The sails were hoisted, and the vessel slowly moved[p. 71] south, and rounded into the waters bounded by the circular shore line. The anchor was soon cast, and then began the launching of the boats.
John called the men before him, and gave a few words of advice. "We have no knowledge of the character of the land, or of the people who may live there. Two boats will be manned, and ten will take their places in each. Uraso will have charge of one, and Muro of the other. When we reach the shore Muro will remain with the men under his command, while Uraso will follow me. It will be understood that so long as no shots are heard by Muro and his party that our expedition is safe, but should any firing be heard, then the ship must be signaled and those in the vessel here must come to shore, and Muro with his soldiers will at once come to our relief. I hope we shall have no occasion for calling on you, but we must be prepared for any emergency."
The two boats pulled for the shore. After landing John, with Uraso's men the boys quickly scrambled up the rough cliffs beyond. When the heights were gained they looked over a beautifully wooded landscape, but it was still, except for the birds and the small animals which looked at them in a startled manner, and then scurried for cover.
"I doubt whether there are any people living here," remarked Harry. "There is not a sign of living beings."
"You are quite mistaken there," said John.
The boys looked at John. "Have you seen any signs?" asked George.
"Yes; did you notice how the animals fled at our approach?"
They had noticed it, but neglected to draw any inference from it.
"That is one of the surest signs. Do you now remember how differently the animals acted in the region around Cataract from those in the southwest portion of Wonder Island?"
"I now remember that is so. Don't you remember, George, when we came across the first herd of yaks, that they hardly noticed us? I am sure that the animals out at West River didn't wait to interview us."
"Well, I remember the big bear was very anxious to make our acquaintance," said George, and Harry smiled, as he remembered how the big fellow took his revenge by tearing up their baggage.
John directed the men to the right, and in the direction of an elevation which seemed to be clear of timber. From that point they searched the intervening wooded area, and caught sight of a still higher tableland miles beyond.
"Your glasses would be serviceable here," said John. George handed them to John, and he gazed through them long and earnestly. "I am unable to find any traces of human beings, and I cannot account for the light which we saw during the night, and which must have been nearly ahead of us."
He walked forward, the men following. They marched for more than a mile, every object being examined. Fallen trees were particularly investi[p. 73]gated, and clumps of trees were searched, even the bark of trees being minutely gone over by John.
The natives, generally so keen to discover evidences of their kind, walked along, and shook their heads, to indicate the absence of all signs. The land in the interior was elevated, but it was not rough or broken, the only place where an upheaval had taken place appearing to be the west coast.
"This seems to look bad for our purposes," said John, as he turned to the boys.
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"I don't think there are any caves in this section," he answered. "But we might as well investigate farther to the right, and see what the land looks like."
"Aren't those coffee trees?" said George, in great eagerness, as he bounded forwardly.
There, not a hundred feet away, were the beautiful trees with white clusters all over them. Thousands of these trees were in sight.
"I believe we have struck a coffee plantation," exclaimed Harry.
John did not answer, but went up to one of the trees and carefully examined it. "No, these trees have grown wild, and no one has ever gathered the berries."
"But what an opportunity there would be here for gathering coffee! Too bad Blakely isn't here," said George.
"We never saw anything like it on Wonder Island," suggested Harry. "Now, why is it that co[p. 74]coa will grow in wonderful profusion on one island, and none on the next, and the other island will have bananas and the other not?"
"The explanation of that has been the means of bringing out a wonderful study, that is explained by the nature of the soil itself. In every country certain sections will spontaneously produce product alike, in almost every essential quality. Thus, flax, for instance, is found, identical in its character, in Kamscatska, and in Minnesota; in the Siberian wilds and in Central America; on the heights of the Himalayas, and in the lowest plains of South America."
"But how do you explain the similarity? They must have come from seed, and how did the seeds get from place to place, when there were no ships to carry them?"
"There can be only one explanation. The soil itself, if identical in its character, will, eventually, produce the same vegetables and vegetation. Thus, it has been found that the localities where this wild flax was found, had soil which was the same in its nature, and calculated to produce the same in kind."
For four hours the little band marched to the south, and came back along a track nearer the sea, without discovering the slightest indication of human habitations, except the frightened looks and actions of the animals in their path.
