“If no go away,” returned Bry in solemn tones, “we soon be dead.”
“Why?”
“Pearl People never let people come to their island. If people come, they kill ’em quick. Nux and I, we once live on island near here. Twice the young men of my people make a war party to conquer Pearl People. The first time none ever came back. The second time Nux and I we go with them. We have many hundred fighting men—warriors. We come to other side of island, where is big city. Pearl People see us and send many hundred boats to meet us on the water. We make brave fight. All our warriors die. Nux and me, we bound and put in bottom of canoe. Pearl People king say he take us to city and kill us with fire to honor his great Pearl God, who win him the fight. But sudden storm come up; very bad storm; our boat break away and drift out to sea; we nearly die from thirst and pain when you pick us up and save us. That the story of the Pearl People. They very bad, cruel blacks.”
Bry’s dramatic recital gave us all food for thought, as may well be imagined. The sailors and passengers formed an eager group around him and listened intently to the tale; but there was little of comfort in it for anyone.
Uncle Naboth, my father and I, Joe and Ned Britton, went a little apart from the others and held a council. After considering the situation we favored Joe’s advice, which was to cut across the end of the island to where the Seagull was perched upon the rocks, enter the ship and take possession of it before our enemies did. We could be more comfortable there than elsewhere on this bleak shore. Our supplies were there, probably uninjured; moreover, we could use it as a fort and defend it successfully against a horde if attacked.
If Bry and Nux were correct about this being Faytan, then this was the safest plan we could adopt. If our blacks were wrong we would soon discover the fact and could later decide on a definite plan of action.
It would be impossible to launch the boats again and return around the point to the ship, for the sea was yet in fearful turmoil; so we decided to leave the boats where they were, and try to find our way across the rocks.
Our passengers, when this was explained to them, readily agreed to the plan, provided the ship proved to be in a safe position and we were able to get aboard. Of course our crew, all old and tried men, were ready to obey any orders they received, so we lost no time in making the start and our promptness doubtless saved our lives.
There was a gloomy sky and the wind howled mournfully among the rocks. We appointed two men to assist Madam de Jiminez and two others to aid Madam de Alcantara who, since a real calamity had befallen us, had ceased to wail and settled into a state of helpless stupor. Alfonso and Joe walked with Lucia, but the girl was fully as active as they were and could climb the rocks like a mountain goat.
There was a fairly level country between the forest and the cove, but in order to reach the ship we had to clamber over a mass of jagged rocks that proved exceedingly difficult. There were high peaks with deep ravines between them, for the point we were crossing was of volcanic formation and some eruption had tossed the huge stones helter-skelter in a confused mass. At one time we were high enough to see the ocean—still rolling wildly—and at its feet the dear old Seagull perched like a monument on the rocks. Then we got tangled up with the ravines again and when next we emerged we were across the point, and only a hundred rods or so from the jagged coast where the ship was.