A Boy Crusoe; or, The Golden Treasure of the Virgin Islands

by Allan Eric

Taking the grass I went to the edge of the beach and thoroughly saturated it in the salt water after which I carried it to the camp, and parting each bunch in the middle, I hung them over the pole.

The idea proved highly successful, for the hot sun evaporated the water very quickly, leaving particles of salt clinging to the grass throughout each bunch.

I then gathered a quantity of broad leaves which I laid on the ground so that their edges over-lapped, and by gently shaking the bunches of grass the salt fell upon the leaves in a fine white shower.

I repeated the process several times until I must have had fully half a pound of salt.

Preparing a short piece of bamboo by plugging one end as I had done in making the box for the tinder, I carefully gathered up the salt and poured it into the bamboo, enough to last a long time.

I had determined to go no further along the coast, but to follow the course of the stream to its source which I judged must be among the mountains which seemed to extend across the northeast corner of the island. This I wished to do along the opposite bank, but, as I could not cross the stream at this point, I decided to follow the bank on which I now was, rather than take the time necessary to construct a raft.

If I followed the stream to its source I should reach the mountains, and besides, have gained a fair idea of the island in all but the extreme south-eastern part. From the tops of some of the mountains, I believed that I could gain a very good view of the small portion untraversed, or rather not encircled by my route, which could not be very great. If the island was inhabited anywhere in that direction, I believed I should see some signs from the tops of the mountains.

I really had no faith that the island was inhabited, for, being comparatively small, if there were people there I must have met some signs, ere this, to indicate it.

I had another object in wishing to reach the mountains, which was to see if any land was in sight to the south, east and southeast. One thing I was perfectly sure of, that this island was near the Virgin group, perhaps a little north of those islands, if not even one of them; so that, if people did not regularly inhabit it, there must be islands not far away that were inhabited, and people must, therefore, occasionally visit my island.

I felt, moreover, anxious to reach the mountains as quickly as possible, because, as I had calculated from my limited knowledge of the climate, the rainy season must soon set in, which would make travel unpleasant, if not difficult or impossible. And besides, I wished to be away from the lowlands of the coast during heavy rains, as I knew it could not be so healthful as the mountains.