PLANS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NATIVES
Directly beyond this chamber, and on a line with the entrance passage, was an extension which led to the other side of the hill. The chamber formed an immense cross, in its plan section, and the two lateral extremities were the points of interest.
The party first went to the left, and there found the habitation of the Krishnos. Peculiar implements and instruments were discovered, and all of these were taken, and placed together, Muro and the boys looking on in wonder.
Among them were found a number of crude crosses and numerous charms or amulets, the kind that they vended, and which the natives gave their souls and bodies to acquire.
"The possession of these will be of great service to us, as the people reverence them, and we must not expect to change their beliefs in a fortnight."
"You said there was a lot of treasure here," remarked Ralph.
"That is in the other wing of the chamber. As we have everything from this place that is serviceable, we will go to the south wing."
The recessed part of the chamber at this place had the appearance of being carved from the rock, and decorated with the universal calcium. The floor was covered with stalagmites, rough and un[p. 112]even, showing that the place had not been trod, perhaps for centuries.
"What are those curious things?" asked Tom, gazing at the square-shaped objects, which were arranged in one corner.
"By opening them we shall see."
"Here is one, partly opened," exclaimed Ralph in great excitement.
"Yes; that is the one I tried to get into," answered John. "Notwithstanding it was a hazardous thing to do at the time, I took the risk. The Krishnos were at that very time at the other wing which we just left."
The receptacle was brought out and examined. The wealth of gold and silver was amazing. Blakely could hardly believe the testimony of his eyes.
"Your ship, the Adventurer, is floating around in pieces on the Pacific, but I imagine there is enough here to compensate you for the loss of the vessel," remarked John, as he noticed Blakely's wondering look.
"How can we ever get all this stuff on the wagon?" asked Tom. "The boxes are all falling to pieces."
"The Krishnos have plenty of copper vessels, as well as others, which they have gathered up from the wrecks on the coast. You know the best of everything goes to them, and the chiefs are not strong enough really to prevent them on account of the superstitious fears they inculcate."
True enough, the eastern wing had a hoard of vessels, some of them of the greatest value, which were arranged about the chests of treasure, and[p. 113] the work of filling the receptacles was industriously undertaken. This occupied them for fully three hours, and the greater task of carrying them to the wagon was begun.
When they emerged from the cave at four in the morning they were tired beyond all description, but they had a mass of treasure, that did not pale in comparison with the amount taken out of the caverns near the Cataract.
In the morning the Tuolos were selected, and the chief invited to enter the wagon. John went to the large hut, and released the Krishnos. They were unbound, and directed to follow the marching column, surprised at being free from the captive bonds. They could not understand such treatment, and this was heightened when John ordered the aged Krishno, who walked with difficulty, to take a place in the wagon.
The natives saw the warriors and their chief depart, not as prisoners, since all had their weapons, but conducted in state, if the appearance of the chief in the vehicle was an indication of the proceeding.
Two days thereafter the cavalcade approached the village, and the chief strained his eyes, as he peered at the multitude about him, and saw a village of a most remarkable character, where two moons before was a virgin tract of land.
The venerable appearance of the Professor attracted him. He was startled at the sight of Suros, and then, glancing about, he recognized Oma of the Brabos, Uraso of the Osagas, and lastly, Tastoa, chief of the Kurabus, lately his ally.
The Professor welcomed him with outstretched hand. "You are wondering at the sight of your late enemies, and of your friends. We have nothing but friends here. They can tell you that we welcome you as a friend, and will explain why we do so. We will show you what the people are doing for themselves, and how happily they live, and the White Chief brought you here so that you might see these things for yourself."
"We welcome you, Marmo, as one of our friends," said Suros. "I tried many moons ago to tell you that the Great Spirit did not want us to kill each other, but the wise men told you differently. We do not believe them any more, but listen to the White Chief."
"He has told us the most wonderful things, and taught us how the white men live, and how different tribes live together in peace."
After the welcoming functions and the explanations were concluded, he was taken to the different works, and everything explained to him. He saw the water wheel, and how it turned the sawmill and the grindstone and lathes, and the mill for making the flour.
The looms interested him the most of all. It is singular how the various tools and machinery affected the different ones, and this was particularly observed by the boys.
"I have watched the several tribes," said Harry, "as they first looked about them at the strange things, and it is curious how the different things impress them. I have noticed that the Osagas are particularly interested in machinery. The Saboros[p. 115] like anything connected with the soil, and they would make good agriculturists."
"Don't you remember when Uraso came to the Cataract he never took any stock in the guns, but Stut couldn't keep his hands off them?" responded Tom.
"The old chief Marmo thought the loom was the finest thing in the whole lot. He is over there now, and has been watching it for the last two hours."
For two days the chief wandered around, paying no attention to anything but the machinery, and the products turned out. The coins were a novelty, and a string was presented to him. He noticed the friendly attitude of all the warriors to his men, and marveled at the change.
He could not understand why the men would work for the coins, and then give them up for something else. The Professor tried to explain this, and it must be confessed that it was a hard thing to do. It seemed that nothing but a practical application would make it plain.
The Tuolo chief was a ready listener now, and was unusually quick to grasp a situation, although he could not learn the ethics of the white man. The Professor had him present at one of the trials for theft of a petty nature, which occurred a few days after his arrival.
He was surprised to find that any notice should be taken of such a trivial affair. The Professor, commenting on it at the trial, which he did particularly for the benefit of Marmo, said: "It is not the amount of the theft, but the act itself, which we[p. 116] must condemn. If you could have taken a larger amount you would have done so, and you must learn that the property you took did not belong to you but the some one else, and that is just as much a crime as though you took all the man possessed."
That was sufficient for his first lesson in justice. "But," he asked of the Professor, "can all men be guilty of doing wrong?"
"Can you do wrong?"
"Yes."
"But you are a Great Chief, and how can you do wrong in taking things from your people?"
"Because the people own the things, just as much as you own the things which you have properly obtained."
"Then if you do wrong, will you be punished?"
"Yes; just the same as the people who do wrong. My punishment should be greater, if I do wrong, because I should set them an example to do right."
"But how can I do wrong if I take anything from my people? I own everything."
"Who gave everything to you? By what right should you or I own everything? Because we are chiefs does not give us the right to own everything."
"Then how can the chiefs ever own anything?"'
"They should work for it like everyone else does."
"Do you work like the others do?"
"Yes; I oversee the work of others and try to make them happy, and see that no one is idle and[p. 117] that the laws are obeyed. For that work I am paid, just as the others are paid for the work they do. I do this work because my people ask me to do so, and they pay me a certain number of coins for the work, the same as the man is paid for the particular work he does."
This doctrine, so entirely new, could not be grasped at once, and he continued with his questionings: "But the people may not want me as their chief, and take some one else, and that would cause trouble, and no one would know who was chief."
"Then it becomes your duty to so conduct yourself that they will not want some one else to be chief. If a man works for me and he does not know or care how he does the work, or is careless, and I cannot depend on him, I get somebody else in his place. Would you keep such a man?"
"No; but I would have the power to send him away."
"Then the wise chief must know that if he acts as a true father to his people they will not try to get another chief."
Blakely had been a man of affairs at home, and was a sharp, shrewd business man. To him the Professor entrusted the arranging of the affairs of the town, impressing on him the importance of directing the natives into a wide and diversified character of enterprises.
The business was one admirably suited to his temperament. He had long ago spoken to the boys and John about the promotion of the island, by the establishments of various industries, and[p. 118] particularly agricultural pursuits, which would require workmen to cultivate coffee, cocoa, the spices, and the numerous vegetable products which grew in a wild state in great abundance everywhere.
These various articles, if grown systematically, would mean an immense source of wealth, and should afford employment for all the natives, and thus mean their advancement.
The hills were full of mineral. He knew this, and had the testimony of the Professor as to the valuable character of the various ores. Sooner or later communication could now be established with the outer world. All were contemplating the preparation of a suitable vessel which would enable them to return to the United States.
One evening, while the conversation was on this absorbing topic, he remarked: "I don't know how you gentlemen feel about this place, but as for myself I feel that from a business point of view this is the ideal spot. I am just as anxious as you are to see my home again, but the possibilities are so immense here, that, as soon as possible, I shall come back."
"For my part," replied the Professor, "if a ship should appear in the harbor to-morrow, I would not for a moment consider leaving these people. The work of their redemption is not even started in such a way as to permit me to safely leave them. The boys may well be pardoned and commended for wanting to go home, but my work is here."
"That expresses my sentiment exactly," said[p. 119] Harry. "I want to go home, it is true, but what a wonderful experience we have had here, and when I think of the remarkable progress we have made it astonishes me more than I can tell you. If I do go home it will be to come back again, because I want to be where the Professor is. I like this work, and the excitement it affords."
"You won't have any more savages to fight," responded the Professor, "and it might not be so interesting for you."
"Making guns is much more pleasant than using them against people."
George's face was a study. He was the sentimental one of the lot. He was by all odds the most emotional, and the greatest lover of home. But withal that he reechoed the sentiments of Harry. "If I could only see home again, I would be content, and when I came back it would be to know that I could return whenever I wanted to."
All the boys were enthusiastic about the trip home. Many plans were projected, and talked over.
"Won't it create a sensation," remarked Ralph, "when it is announced that three of the Investigator's lifeboats were wrecked on an island, and that the survivors arrived after an absence of—"
"Yes," broke in Tom. "How long?"
"That will depend on several things," said John. "First, to bring the Illyas to terms, and second, to build a boat big enough to take us safely to the nearest harbor which is in communication with America. As for myself, this life and the[p. 120] hopes for the future are too alluring for me to even try to get away."
With characteristic energy Blakely consulted Harry and the working force in the shop.
"Do you think we could turn out some plows?" he asked.
Harry smiled. "This establishment is prepared to turn out anything it has orders for."
"Then put down my order for a half dozen plows, to be delivered as quickly as possible."
The new town was located within the territorial limits of the Osagas' country, and it was now necessary to make immediate provision for some sort of laws or regulations with respect to the land. The savage theory was that the chief owned all the land, and this was a condition that well might breed trouble.
Osaga was the chief. He was the first to receive the full understanding of the new doctrine. It was proposed that he should receive as full compensation a certain stipulated sum, and in return make a transfer of all his rights to the State.
"But what is the State," he asked, "and who will he be?"
"The State will mean all of you."
"Then I will own a part of it just the same as everybody else?"
"Yes; let me explain that still further. When your people begin to raise coffee and cocoa, and all the other things which the people in the world will come here for and buy of you, the lands all about you will become very valuable, and many will come here to buy them. The money will go[p. 121] to the State, which means you and everyone else here."
"Will it be done the same with the Berees, and the Kurabus and the Saboros?"
"Yes; each will be a State of its own, and will be governed in the same way, and a Saboro will come here and buy some land, and you will protect him, and when one of the Osagas goes to the Berees he can buy land there, and they must protect him and his wife and children."
"Yes; I see what you mean. I am content. I will do this whether the others do or not."
"But I assure you," continued the Professor, "that the others will be compelled to do as you do."
"How can we compel them?"
"No one will want to buy their land, and they will not become valuable for that reason, like yours, because the people who come here will buy only where they know there is a law and where they know they will be protected."
Uraso grasped the wonderful import of this statement, and became its most enthusiastic advocate. He had many talks with Marmo and Muro, and he presented the matter in such a way that most suitably appealed to the savage mind.
The all-absorbing topic now was the proposed expedition to the Illyas. Marmo, the Tuolo chief, had sent a message to their chief, in which he set forth the advantages which would accrue to them to quietly submit, and also stated that he did so willingly, in the belief such a course would be of the greatest and most lasting benefit.
Marmo had received no response, and the outlook boded no good. Preparations were begun, and Marmo insisted that his warriors should form part of the force, and that he himself would accompany the expedition. As the boys, by the aid of their helpers, had been at work on the guns from the time the factory was set up, they had a hundred and twenty guns completed. This was ample for any requirement.
Two new wagons were also made, and several smaller ones, designed for single steers, the latter being used by the Professor and the chiefs in going to and fro.