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

by Allan Eric

My mind was now filled with the project of erecting a substantial beacon, one which would be seen from some distance at sea. Gradually I evolved plans for the structure. The first step was to cut the tallest and largest bamboo which I felt capable of dragging to the peak. I found one that suited me. It was a long tedious task to cut it down with my knife, but it was finally accomplished, and I dragged it to the front of the cave.

It was my intention to devise a headpiece to fasten securely to the top of the bamboo in order to render it as conspicuous as possible. This would have to be done before the bamboo was raised and set into the ground.

The daily showers became more frequent and more severe, and some days the rain would sweep across the mountain in perfect torrents. Nevertheless, I succeeded in cutting several more bamboos, of smaller size, and I also brought several bunches of bananas and plantains, and a quantity of yams up to the cave.

I now set to work to complete the beacon. Cutting the bamboos to the required lengths, I lashed them together in such a manner as to form a sort of gridiron, eight feet long and six feet wide. This I filled in with a basket-work of vines, woven very loosely that the wind might easily pass through it, to prevent its being blown down when raised to the top of the pole.

At length the beacon was finished, the gridiron being firmly lashed to the upper end of the bamboo; and I had been on the mountain seven weeks. The rainy season was well under way; but I worked during the intervals when it ceased to rain, and, by means of a sharpened stick, aided by my knife, I dug a hole fully four feet deep, on the highest part of the mountain. I found it difficult work to raise the bamboo with the gridiron at the top, and plant its base in the hole, but, after many trials, I succeeded, after which I wedged it firmly with stones and earth solidly packed.

It would be useless to attempt to leave camp while the rain continued, and I had fully reconciled myself to remain until the close of the rainy season; and I hoped that I could find enough to do to occupy the time. I was obliged to go frequently in quest of food, and I set about preparing a brief account of the circumstances of my exile in the island, the date of the wreck and the date of the raising of the beacon; also, explicit directions for finding "Sargent" Bay, where my house stood. This was carved in deep letters around the smooth surface of a large section of bamboo, like a Chinese prayer cylinder. This was fastened to the bamboo signal pole, a few feet from the ground, to guide anyone who might chance to notice the beacon and investigate its meaning, to my rescue.

I made a coat and kilt reaching to the knees, from cocoanut cloth. The coat was without sleeves, but it would save my only shirt, and the kilt would prove a great protection to my trousers, which were already showing signs of hard usage. These garments were sewn together with fibres of vines, a long, sharp thorn being used as a needle. I also made a new hat, of more skillful workmanship than the first, which I had worn until the present time.

Twice, each day, I went up to the beacon to scan the horizon. I saw no vessels, but the distant, faint outline of mountains remained in sight. This position commanded a view of the entire island, and I studied it with interest. It was nearly circular in shape, and I calculated that it was not over forty miles in diameter. I had thought seriously of descending to the eastern slope of the mountains, and exploring the small portion which had not come, thus far, within my projected route. This belt of country, between the foot of the mountains and the sea, seemed, from my elevated position, to be very flat, and more sparsely wooded than the other side of the mountain; but the question of its being inhabited was settled by the torrents of rain, for, for miles to the east and south-east the country was under water.

The rain had apparently been the heaviest on the east side of the island, for none of the west side was inundated, as far as I could discern; but the stream, along whose banks I had marched from the coast, was swollen to the size of a great river.

After I had made the clothing, I searched the edge of the bush until I found some wild canes, growing by a swampy place, from which I made a supply of arrows. Frequently I shot a pigeon, the birds apparently being driven into the open by the rain. One day when I went to procure a fresh supply of bananas, as I extended one hand to cut off a bunch, I sprang back and quickly retired several rods. The cause of my precipitate flight was nothing more nor less than a great yellow snake, exactly like my unwelcome companion on the coast. It was coiled among the leaf stems of the banana tree. I did not disturb it, not feeling particularly curious as to its disposition under the present circumstances; and the next time I came it was gone. I named it the "banana snake," in commemoration of the latter incident, and because of its color, which was nearly that of a ripe banana.