CHAPTER XI.
The Voyage up the River.—The Way to China.—The Note of a Strange Bird.—A Hasty Flight.—A Tropical Storm.—The Loss of the Canoes.—The Cave of the Bats.—A Toilsome Pilgrimage.
After the fervent heat of noon had somewhat subsided, the party arranged themselves in the two canoes, and, aided by the tide, swept up the river, which now extended to the cliffs on both sides, and effectually cut off any passage by land. Occasionally the fallen masses of the sandstone rocks, which lay shelving or sloping to the water, were covered with a rich growth of low entangled shrubs, now bursting into flowers of many a brilliant hue; amongst which numbers of pert, noisy, little green or variegated parrots hopped about, chattering over these strange disturbers of their wonted tranquillity.
"Charming! charming!" exclaimed Mr. Mayburn. "This is the sublime solitude of which I have dreamed all my life. How glorious it would be
'To hold with Heaven communion meet,
Meet for a spirit bound to Heaven,—
And, in this wilderness beneath,
Pure zephyrs from above to breathe.'
What a completion of all my hopes it would be, my children, if you could find some quiet spot where we might land, and be content to pass our lives upon it."
This desire of Mr. Mayburn was received by his children with some consternation, while Ruth, though she but vaguely understood the proposal, looked round at the prison-like rocky walls, the sombre twilight, and the dashing waters, and began to cry. Even Wilkins, who heard all that was said in Mr. Mayburn's canoe, cried out, "Nay, nay, master, that would upset all; I'se not flinch to sail wi' ye, or to tramp wi' ye; but to bide here for good, among oysters and poll-parrots, is what I can't stand. It would soon set me off bush-ranging."
"We must move onward, papa," said Arthur, "but doubtless we shall find, as we proceed, scenes that will interest you even more than this. We may even encounter peaceful tribes; and though our ignorance of their language will prevent our holding any beneficial intercourse with them, we may at all events give them an example of kindness and forbearance."
"And remember, papa," said Margaret, "we have a definite aim in our travels. We must look forward to the pleasure of joining our friends, the Deverells."