“Yes, a hot spring, and this is steam,” said the doctor, as we went on to where a little basin of water bubbled gently, and sent forth quite a little pillar of vapour into the air; so white was it that the black might well have been excused for making his mistake.
“Jimmy run long see where black fellow gone. Cookum dinner here. Eh! whar a fire?” he cried, bending down and poking at the little basin with the butt of his spear before looking wonderingly at us.
“Far down in the earth, Jimmy,” said the doctor.
“Eh? Far down? Whar a fire makum water boils?” cried the black excitedly; and bending down he peered in all directions, ending by thrusting one hand in the spring and snatching it out again with a yell of pain.
“Is it so hot as that, Jimmy?” I said.
“Ah, roastum hot, O!” cried Jimmy, holding his hand to his mouth. “Oh! Mass Joe, doctor, stop. Jimmy go and find black fellow.”
We tried very hard to make the black understand that this was one of Nature’s wonders, but it was of no avail. He only shook his head and winked at us, grinning the while.
“No, no; Jimmy too cunning-artful. Play trickums. Make fool o’ Jimmy. Oh, no! Ha! ha! Jimmy cunning-artful; black fellow see froo everybody.”
He stood shaking his head at us in such an aggravating way, after all the trouble I had been at to show him that this was a hot spring and volcanic, that I felt ready to kick, and I daresay I should have kicked him if he had not been aware of me, reading my countenance easily enough, and backing away laughing, and getting within reach of a great piece of rock, behind which he could dodge if I grew too aggressive.
I left Jimmy to himself, and stood with the doctor examining the curious steaming little fount, which came bubbling out of some chinks in the solid rock and formed a basin for itself of milky white stone, some of which was rippled where the water ran over, and trickled musically along a jagged crevice in the rocky soil, sending up a faint steam which faded away directly in the glowing sunshine.