While gazing away toward the east one day, the idea came to me to try to construct a boat, on my return to my house on the coast, in which to attempt to reach the distant land. I was not skilled in sailing a boat, but I reasoned that, with a fairly staunch and steady craft, provided with some sort of a sail, I might, when a long period of fair weather was promised, escape to the land which I dimly saw to the eastward. This plan occupied my mind continually for days, and, so seriously did I begin to consider it, that I became extremely impatient to start away for the coast.
Three weeks more of weary waiting, and the rain ceased to fall steadily, and then the sun began to break through the clouds at intervals, but the showers were still frequent. From the beacon I could see that the floods in the lowlands to the east were subsiding, and that the river along which I had traveled from the coast, was assuming its normal proportions.
Gradually the clouds dispersed, and whole days of bright sunshine followed. The rainy season was drawing to a close. A few days of clear weather would dry the ground and the bush so I would be able to set out for the coast.
I felt a pang of regret at the thought of leaving my home under the cliff; but then, perhaps I might come back. I could not tell. Perhaps I should have to give up the idea of building the boat, and then it might be years before I was rescued. I might, indeed, spend my entire life here alone; but this thought I put away from me.
My preparations for leaving the mountain were easily made. I left the house under the cliff exactly as it was, save the closing, securely, of the door; and one morning as the sun came up out of the sea, and the lovely island verdure lit up with a gorgeous blending of green, purple and gold, I took a farewell look all around the horizon from the peak, and, with my gun, arrows and bag of provisions, dressed in the rudely made cocoanut-cloth garments, I started down the mountain, taking, as nearly as I could, a northeast course toward the coast.
The ground was yet sufficiently damp to render it pleasantly springy and cool to my feet, and the freshness of the verdure of the forest and bush which I traversed imparted to the air a pleasant coolness, even though the sun shone fierce and hot. Birds were flitting like iridescent gems through the trees, and tittering curious discordant cries. Not since the beginning of my exile had I been conscious of such cheerfulness and light-heartedness as on this morning--and, with all, I had the feeling of going home, as, indeed, I was.
Crossing the valley at the foot of the first mountain peak, I ascended the lower spur and descended its side toward the level country which lay between it and the coast. In general appearance, the bush here did not materially differ from that to the southwest, traversed during my march from the coast months before.
Shortly after entering the belt of virgin forest which skirted the base of the mountain range, I emerged into an opening, perhaps two acres in extent. It was covered with thick grass, green and luxuriant after the rains. The grass was not tall, perhaps two feet high, apparently a new growth, and I started to cross it. A tall cactus, a veritable tree, stood alone near the centre of the grassland, and toward this I took my way, thinking that I would like to examine it closely, as it was the largest one I had seen on the island.
After examining this giant of the tropics, I continued my way across the intervening space toward the bush on the other side. I was nearly out of the grass, when a strange sound caused me to stand still and look about me.
The sound came in a series of short, angry grunts, like "woof! woof!" and, a short distance to the left I saw the grass violently agitated, while the noise came nearer to me.