The Little Savage
by Frederick Marryat · English · Gutenberg #6897 · 539,076 chars · public domain (US)
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Title: The Little Savage
Author: Frederick Marryat
Release date: November 1, 2004 [eBook #6897]
Most recently updated: March 19, 2014
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/6897
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LITTLE SAVAGE ***
Produced by Avinash Kothare, Tom Allen, Charles Franks and
the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. HTML version by
Al Haines.
THE LITTLE SAVAGE
BY
CAPTAIN MARRYAT
THIS IS FAIRY GOLD, BOY; AND 'T WILL PROVE SO.
SHAKESPEARE
INTRODUCTION
There is a reference, in _The Life and Letters of Captain Marryat_ by
his daughter Florence Marryat, to "_The Little Savage_, only two
chapters of the second volume of which were written by himself."
This sentence may be variously interpreted, but most probably implies
that Marryat wrote all Part I (of the first edition) and two chapters
of Part II, that is--as far as the end of Chapter xxiv. The remaining
pages may be the work of his son Frank S. Marryat, who _edited_ the
first edition, supplying a brief preface to Part II:--
"I cannot publish this last work of my late father without some
prefatory remarks, as, in justice to the public, as well as to himself,
I should state, that his lamented decease prevented his concluding the
second volume."
"The present volume has been for some time at press, but the
long-protracted illness of the author delayed its publication."
_The Little Savage_ opens well. The picture of a lad, who was born on a
desert island--though of English parents--and really deserves to be
called a savage, growing up with no other companionship than that of
his father's murderer, is boldly conceived and executed with some
power. The man Jackson is a thoroughly human ruffian, who naturally
detests the boy he has so terribly injured, and bullies him brutally.
Under this treatment Frank's animal passions are inevitably aroused,
and when the lightning had struck his tyrant blind, he turns upon him
with a quiet savagery that is narrated with admirable detachment.
This original situation arrests the reader's attention and secures his
interest in Frank Henniker's development towards civilisation and
virtue. His experience of absolute solitude after Jackson's death
serves to bring out his sympathies with animals and flowers; while, on
the arrival of Mrs Reichardt, he proves himself a loyal comrade under
kind treatment.
It is much to be regretted that Marryat did not live to finish his work.
R. B. J.
_The Little Savage_ originally appeared in 1848-49. Marryat, who was
born in 1792, died at Langham, Norfolk, August 9, 1848.
The following is the list of his published works:--
Suggestions for the Abolition of the Present System of Impressment in
the Naval Service, 1822; The Naval Officer, or Scenes and Adventures in
the Life of Frank Mildmay, 1829; The King's Own, 1830; Newton Forster
(from the _Metropolitan Magazine_), 1832; Jacob Faithful (from the
_Metropolitan Magazine_), 1834; Peter Simple, 1834; The Pacha of Many
Tales, 1835; Midshipman Easy (from the _Metropolitan Magazine_), 1836;
Japhet in Search of a Father (from the _Metropolitan Magazine_), 1836;
The Pirate and The Three Cutters, 1836; A Code of Signals for the Use
of Vessels employed in the Merchant Service, 1837; Snarleyyow, or The
Dog Fiend, 1837; A Diary in America, with Remarks on its Institutions,
1839; The Phantom Ship, 1839; Poor Jack, 1840; Olla Podrida (articles
from the _Metropolitan Magazine_), 1840; Joseph Rushbrook, or The
Poacher, 1841; Masterman Ready, or The Wreck of the _Pacific_, 1841;
Percival Keene, 1842; Narrative of the Travels and Adventures of
Monsieur Violet in California, Sonora, and Western Texas, 1843; The
Settlers in Canada, 1844; The Mission, or Scenes in Africa, 1845; The
Privateer's Man, 1846; The Children of the New Forest, 1847; The Little
Savage (posthumous), 1848-49; Valerie (posthumous), 1849; Life and
Letters, Florence Marryat, 1872.
THE LITTLE SAVAGE
Chapter I
I am about to write a very curious history, as the reader will agree
with me when he has read this book. We have more than one narrative of
people being cast away upon desolate islands, and being left to their
own resources, and no works are perhaps read with more interest; but I
believe I am the first instance of a boy being left alone upon an
uninhabited island. Such was, however, the case; and now I shall tell
my own story.
My first recollections are, that I was in company with a man upon this
island, and that we walked often along the sea-shore. It was rocky and
difficult to climb in many parts, and the man used to drag or pull me
over the dangerous places. He was very unkind to me, which may appear
strange, as I was the only companion that he had; but he was of a
morose and gloomy disposition. He would sit down squatted in the corner
of our cabin, and sometimes not speak for hours--or he would remain the
whole day looking out at the sea, as if watching for something, but
what I never could tell; for if I spoke, he would not reply; and if
near to him, I was sure to receive a cuff or a heavy blow. I should
imagine that I was about five years old at the time that I first
recollect clearly what passed. I may have been younger. I may as well
here state what I gathered from him at different times, relative to our
being left upon this desolate spot. It was with difficulty that I did
so; for, generally speaking, he would throw a stone at me if I asked
questions, that is, if I repeatedly asked them after he had refused to
answer. It was on one occasion, when he was lying sick, that I gained
the information, and that only by refusing to attend him or bring him
food and water. He would be very angry, and say, that when he got well
again, he would make me smart for it; but I cared not, for I was then
getting strong, whilst he was getting weaker every day, and I had no
love for him, for he had never shown any to me, but always treated me
with great severity.
He told me, that about twelve years before (not that I knew what he
meant by a year, for I had never heard the term used by him), an
English ship (I did not know what a ship was) had been swamped near the
island, in a heavy gale, and that seven men and one woman had been
saved, and all the other people lost. That the ship had been broken
into pieces, and that they had saved nothing--that they had picked up
among the rocks pieces of the wood with which it had been made, and had
built the cabin in which we lived. That one had died after another, and
had been buried (what death or burial meant, I had no idea at the
time), and that I had been born on the island; (How was I born? thought
I)--that most of them had died before I was two years old; and that
then, he and my mother were the only two left besides me. My mother had
died a few months afterwards. I was obliged to ask him many questions
to understand all this; indeed, I did not understand it till long
afterwards, although I had an idea of what he would say. Had I been
left with any other person, I should, of course, by conversation, have
learnt much; but he never would converse, still less explain. He called
me, Boy, and I called him, Master. His inveterate silence was the
occasion of my language being composed of very few words; for, except
to order me to do this or that, to procure what was required, he never
would converse. He did however mutter to himself, and talk in his
sleep, and I used to lie awake and listen, that I might gain
information; not at first, but when I grew older. He used to cry out in
his sleep constantly.--"A judgment, a judgment on me for my sins, my
heavy sins--God be merciful!" But what judgment, or what sin was, or
what was God, I did not then know, although I mused on words repeated
so often.
I will now describe the island, and the way in which we lived. The
island was very small, perhaps not three miles round; it was of rock,
and there was no beach nor landing place, the sea washing its sides
with deep water. It was, as I afterwards discovered, one of the group
of islands to which the Peruvians despatch vessels every year to
collect the guano, or refuse of the sea birds which resort to the
islands; but the one on which we were was small, and detached some
distance from the others, on which the guano was found in great
profusion; so that hitherto it had been neglected, and no vessel had
ever come near it. Indeed, the other islands were not to be seen from
it except on a very clear day, when they appeared like a cloud or mist
on the horizon. The shores of the island were, moreover, so
precipitous, that there was no landing place, and the eternal wash of
the ocean would have made it almost impossible for a vessel to have
taken off a cargo. Such was the island upon which I found myself in
company with this man. Our cabin was built of ship-plank and timber,
under the shelter of a cliff, about fifty yards from the water; there
was a flat of about thirty yards square in front of it, and from the
cliff there trickled down a rill of water, which fell into a hole dug
out to collect it, and then found its way over the flat to the rocks
beneath. The cabin itself was large, and capable of holding many more
people than had ever lived in it; but it was not too large, as we had
to secure in it our provisions for many months. There were several
bed-places level with the floor, which were rendered soft enough to lie
on, by being filled with the feathers of birds. Furniture there was
none, except two or three old axes, blunted with long use, a tin
pannikin, a mess kid and some rude vessels to hold water, cut out of
wood. On the summit of the island there was a forest of underwood, and
the bushes extended some distance down the ravines which led from the
summit to the shore. One of my most arduous tasks was to climb these
ravines and collect wood, but fortunately a fire was not often
required. The climate was warm all the year round, and there seldom was
a fall of rain; when it did fall, it was generally expended on the
summit of the island, and did not reach us. At a certain period of the
year, the birds came to the island in numberless quantities to breed,
and their chief resort was some tolerably level ground--indeed, in many
places, it was quite level with the accumulation of guano--which ground
was divided from the spot where our cabin was built by a deep ravine.
On this spot, which might perhaps contain about twenty acres or more,
the sea birds would sit upon their eggs, not four inches apart from
each other, and the whole surface of this twenty acres would be
completely covered with them. There they would remain from the time of
the laying of the eggs, until the young ones were able to leave the
nests and fly away with them. At the season when the birds were on the
island, all was gaiety, bustle, and noise, but after their departure it
was quiet and solitude. I used to long for their arrival, and was
delighted with the animation which gladdened the island, the male birds
diving in every direction after fish, wheeling and soaring in the air,
and uttering loud cries, which were responded to by their mates on the
nests.
But it was also our harvest time; we seldom touched the old birds, as
they were not in flesh, but as soon as the young ones were within a few
days of leaving the nests, we were then busy enough. In spite of the
screaming and the flapping of their wings in our faces, and the darting
their beaks at our eyes, of the old birds, as we robbed them of their
progeny, we collected hundreds every day, and bore as heavy a load as
we could carry across the ravine to the platform in front of our cabin,
where we busied ourselves in skinning them, splitting them, and hanging
them out to dry in the sun. The air of the island was so pure that no
putrefaction ever took place, and during the last fortnight of the
birds coming on the island, we had collected a sufficiency for our
support until their return on the following year. As soon as they were
quite dry they were packed up in a corner of the cabin for use.
These birds were, it may be said, the only produce of the island, with
the exception of fish, and the eggs taken at the time of their first
making their nests. Fish were to be taken in large quantities. It was
sufficient to put a line over the rocks, and it had hardly time to go
down a fathom before anything at the end of it was seized. Indeed, our
means of taking them were as simple as their voracity was great. Our
lines were composed of the sinews of the legs of the man-of-war birds,
as I afterwards heard them named; and, as these were only about a foot
long, it required a great many of them knotted together to make a line.
At the end of the line was a bait fixed over a strong fish-bone, which
was fastened to the line by the middle; a half-hitch of the line round
one end kept the bone on a parallel with the line until the bait was
seized, when the line being taughtened, the half-hitch slipped off and
the bone remained crossways in the gullet of the fish, which was drawn
up by it. Simple as this contrivance was, it answered as well as the
best hook, of which I had never seen one at that time. The fish were so
strong and large, that, when I was young, the man would not allow me to
attempt to catch them, lest they should pull me into the water; but, as
I grew bigger, I could master them. Such was our food from one year's
end to the other; we had no variety, except when occasionally we
broiled the dried birds or the fish upon the embers, instead of eating
them dried by the sun. Our raiment, such as it was, we were also
indebted to the feathered tribe for. The birds were skinned with the
feathers on, and their skins sewn together with sinews, and a fish-bone
by way of a needle. These garments were not very durable, but the
climate was so fine that we did not suffer from the cold at any season
of the year. I used to make myself a new dress every year when the
birds came; but by the time that they returned, I had little left of my
last year's suit, the fragments of which might be found among the rocky
and steep parts of the ravine where we used to collect firing.
Living such a life, with so few wants, and those periodically and
easily supplied, hardly varied from one year's end to another, it may
easily be imagined that I had but few ideas. I might have had more, if
my companion had not been of such a taciturn and morose habit; as it
was, I looked at the wide ocean, and the sky, and the sun, moon, and
stars, wondering, puzzled, afraid to ask questions, and ending all by
sleeping away a large portion of my existence. We had no tools except
the old ones, which were useless--no employment of any kind. There was
a book, and I asked what it was for and what it was, but I got no
answer. It remained upon the shelf, for if I looked at it I was ordered
away, and at last I regarded it with a sort of fear, as if it were a
kind of incomprehensible animal. The day was passed in idleness and
almost silence; perhaps not a dozen sentences were exchanged in the
twenty-four hours. My companion always the same, brooding over
something which appeared ever to occupy his thoughts, and angry if
roused up from his reverie.
Chapter II
The reader must understand that the foregoing remarks are to be
considered as referring to my position and amount of knowledge when I
was seven or eight years old. My master, as I called him, was a short
square-built man, about sixty years of age, as I afterwards estimated
from recollection and comparison. His hair fell down his back in thick
clusters and was still of a dark color, and his beard was full two feet
long and very bushy; indeed, he was covered with hair, wherever his
person was exposed. He was, I should say, very powerful had he had
occasion to exert his strength, but with the exception of the time at
which we collected the birds, and occasionally going up the ravine to
bring down faggots of wood, he seldom moved out of the cabin unless it
was to bathe. There was a pool of salt water of about twenty yards
square, near the sea, but separated from it by a low ridge of rocks,
over which the waves only beat when the sea was rough and the wind on
that side of the island. Every morning almost we went down to bathe in
that pool, as it was secure from the sharks, which were very numerous.
I could swim like a fish as early as I can recollect, but whether I was
taught, or learnt myself, I cannot tell. Thus was my life passed away;
my duties were trifling; I had little or nothing to employ myself
about, for I had no means of employment. I seldom heard the human
voice, and became as taciturn as my companion. My amusements were
equally confined--looking down into the depths of the ocean, as I lay
over the rocky wall which girded the major portion of the island, and
watching the motions of the finny tribes below, wondering at the stars
during the night season, eating, and sleeping. Thus did I pass away an
existence without pleasure and without pain. As for what my thoughts
were I can hardly say, my knowledge and my ideas were too confined for
me to have any food for thought. I was little better than a beast of
the field, that lies down on the pasture after he is filled. There was
one great source of interest however, which was, to listen to the
sleeping talk of my companion, and I always looked forward to the time
when the night fell and we repaired to our beds. I would lie awake for
hours, listening to his ejaculations and murmured speech, trying in
vain to find out some meaning in what he would say--but I gained
little; he talked of "that woman"--appearing to be constantly with
other men, and muttering about something he had hidden away. One night,
when the moon was shining bright, he sat up in his bed, which, as I
have before said, was on the floor of the cabin, and throwing aside the
feathers upon which he had been lying, scratched the mould away below
them and lifted up a piece of board. After a minute he replaced
everything, and lay down again. He evidently was sleeping during the
whole time. Here, at last, was something to feed my thoughts with. I
had heard him say in his sleep that he had hidden something--this must
be the hiding place. What was it? Perhaps I ought here to observe that
my feelings towards this man were those of positive dislike, if not
hatred; I never had received one kind word or deed from him, that I
could recollect. Harsh and unfeeling towards me, evidently looking upon
me with ill-will, and only suffering me because I saved him some
trouble, and perhaps because he wished to have a living thing for his
companion,--his feelings towards me were reciprocated by mine towards
him. What age I was at the time my mother died, I know not, but I had
some faint recollection of one who treated me with kindness and
caresses, and these recollections became more forcible in my dreams,
when I saw a figure very different from that of my companion (a female
figure) hanging over me or leading me by the hand. How I used to try to
continue those dreams, by closing my eyes again after I had woke up!
And yet I knew not that they had been brought about by the dim
recollection of my infancy; I knew not that the figure that appeared to
me was the shadow of my mother; but I loved the dreams because I was
treated kindly in them.
But a change took place by the hand of Providence. One day, after we
had just laid in our yearly provision of sea birds, I was busy
arranging the skins of the old birds, on the flat rock, for my annual
garment, which was joined together something like a sack, with holes
for the head and arms to pass through; when, as I looked to seaward, I
saw a large white object on the water.
"Look, master," said I, pointing towards it.
"A ship, a ship!" cried my companion.
"Oh," thought I, "that is a ship; I recollect that he said they came
here in a ship." I kept my eyes on her, and she rounded to.
"Is she alive?" inquired I.
"You're a fool," said the man; "come and help me to pile up this wood
that we may make a signal to her. Go and fetch some water and throw on
it, that there may be plenty of smoke. Thank God, I may leave this
cursed hole at last!"
I hardly understood him, but I went for the water and brought it in the
mess kid.
"I want more wood yet," said he. "Her head is this way, and she will
come nearer."
"Then she is alive," said I.
"Away, fool!" said he, giving me a cuff on the head; "get some more
water and throw on the wood."
He then went into the cabin to strike a light, which he obtained by a
piece of iron and flint, with some fine dry moss for tinder. While he
was so employed, my eyes were fixed on the vessel, wondering what it
could be. It moved through the water, turned this way and that. "It
must be alive," thought I; "is it a fish or a bird?" As I watched the
vessel, the sun was going down and there was not more than an hour's
daylight. The wind was very light and variable, which accounted for the
vessel so often altering her course. My companion came out with his
hands full of smoking tinder, and putting it under the wood, was busy
blowing it into a flame. The wood was soon set fire to, and the smoke
ascended several feet into the air.
"They'll see that," said he.
"What then, it has eyes? it must be alive. Does it mind the wind?"
inquired I, having no answer to my first remark, "for look there, the
little clouds are coming up fast," and I pointed to the horizon, where
some small clouds were rising up and which were, as I knew from
experience and constantly watching the sky, a sign of a short but
violent gale, or tornado, of which we usually had one, if not two, at
this season of the year.
"Yes; confound it," replied my companion, grinding his teeth, "it will
blow her off! That's my luck."
In the meantime, the smoke ascended in the air and the vessel
approached nearer and nearer, until she was within, I suppose, two
miles of the island, and then it fell quite calm. My companion threw
more water on to increase the smoke, and the vessel now hauling up her
courses, I perceived that there were people on board, and while I was
arranging my ideas as to what the vessel might be, my companion cried
out--"They see us, they see us! there's hope now. Confound it, I've
been here long enough. Hurrah for old England!" and he commenced
dancing and capering about like a madman. At last he said,
"Look out and see if she sends a boat, while I go into the cabin."
"What's a boat?" said I.
"Out, you fool! tell me if you see anything,"
"Yes, I do see something," replied I. "Look at the squall coming along
the water, it will be here very soon; and see how thick the clouds are
getting up: we shall have as much wind and rain as we had the time
before last, when the birds came."
"Confound it," replied he, "I wish they'd lower a boat, at all events;"
and so saying, he went into the cabin, and I perceived that he was busy
at his bed-place.
My eyes were still fixed upon the squall, as I watched it advancing at
a furious speed on the surface of the water; at first it was a deep
black line on the horizon, but as it approached the vessel, it changed
to white; the surface of the water was still smooth. The clouds were
not more than ten degrees above the horizon, although they were thick
and opaque--but at this season of the year, these tornadoes, as I may
call them, visited us; sometimes we had one, sometimes more, and it was
only when these gusts came on that we had any rain below. On board of
the vessel--I speak now from my after knowledge--they did not appear to
be aware of the danger; the sails were all set and flapping against the
masts. At last, I perceived a small object close to the vessel; this I
presumed was the boat which my companion looked for. It was like a
young vessel close to the old one, but I said nothing; as I was
watching and wondering what effect the rising wind would have upon her,
for the observations of my companion had made me feel that it was
important. After a time, I perceived that the white sails were
disappearing, and that the forms of men were very busy, and moving on
board, and the boat went back to the side of the vessel. The fact is,
they had not perceived the squall until it was too late, for in another
moment almost, I saw that the vessel bowed down to the fury of the
gale, and after that, the mist was so great that I couldn't see her any
more.
"Is she sending a boat, boy?" cried my companion.
"I can't see her," replied I; "for she is hidden by the wind."
As I said this, the tornado reached to where we stood, and threw me off
my legs to the entrance of the cabin; and with the wind came down a
torrent of rain, which drenched us, and the clouds covered the whole of
the firmament, which became dark; the lightning darted in every
direction, with peals of thunder which were deafening. I crawled into
the cabin, into which the rain beat in great fury and flowed out again
in a small river.
My companion sat near me, lowering and silent. For two hours the
tornado lasted without interruption; the sun had set, and the darkness
was opaque. It was impossible to move against the force of the wind and
the deluge of water which descended. Speak, we did not, but shut our
eyes against the lightning, and held our fingers to our ears to deaden
the noise of the thunder, which burst upon us in the most awful manner.
My companion groaned at intervals, whether from fear, I know not; I had
no fear, for I did not know the danger, or that there was a God to
judge the earth.
Gradually the fury of the gale abated, the rain was only heavy at
intervals, and we could now hear the beating of the waves, as they
dashed against the rocks beneath us. The sky also cleared up a little,
and we could dimly discern the white foam of the breakers. I crawled
out of the cabin, and stood upon the platform in front, straining my
eyes to see the vessel. A flash of lightning, for a second, revealed
her to me; she was dismasted, rolling in the awful breakers, which bore
her down upon the high rocks, not a quarter of a mile from her.
"There it is," exclaimed I, as the disappearance of the lightning left
me in darkness, more opaque than ever.
"She's done for," growled my companion, who, I was not till then aware,
stood by my side. "No hopes this time, confound it!" Then he continued
for some time to curse and swear awfully, as I afterwards discovered,
for I did not then know what was cursing and swearing.
"There she is again," said I, as another flash of lightning revealed
the position of the vessel.
"Yes, and she won't be there long; in five minutes she'll be dashed to
atoms, and every soul perish."
"What are souls?" inquired I.
My companion gave me no reply.
"I will go down to the rocks," said I, "and see what goes on."
"Go," said he, "and share their fate."
Chapter III
I left him, and commenced a careful descent of the precipices by which
we were surrounded, but, before I had gone fifty paces, another flash
of lightning was followed up by a loud shriek, which arrested my steps.
Where the noise came from, I could not tell, but I heard my companion
calling to me to come back. I obeyed him, and found him standing where
I had left him.
"You called me, master?"
"Yes, I did; take my hand, and lead me to the cabin."
I obeyed him, wondering why he asked me so to do. He gained his
bed-place, and threw himself down on it.
"Bring the kid full of water," said he--"quick!"
I brought it, and he bathed his head and face. After a time, he threw
himself back upon the bed-place, and groaned heavily.
"O God! it's all over with me," said he at last. "I shall live and die
in this cursed hole."
"What's the matter, master?" said I.
He gave me no answer, but lay groaning and occasionally cursing. After
a time, he was still, and then I went out again. The tornado was now
over, and the stars were to be seen here and there, but still the wind
was strong and the wild clouds flew fast. The shores of the island were
one mass of foam, which was dashed high in the air and fell upon the
black rocks. I looked for the vessel, and could see nothing--the day
was evidently dawning, and I sat down and waited its coming. My
companion was apparently asleep, for he lay without motion or noise.
That some misfortune had happened, I was convinced, but what, I knew
not, and I passed a long time in conjecture, dividing my thoughts
between him and the vessel. At last the daylight appeared--the weather
was moderating fast, although the waves still beat furiously against
the rocky shore. I could see nothing of the vessel, and I descended the
path, now slippery and insecure from the heavy fall of rain, and went
as near to the edge of the rocks as the breaking billows would permit.
I walked along, occasionally drenched by the spray, until I arrived
where I had last seen the vessel. The waves were dashing and tossing
about, as if in sport, fragments of timber, casks, and spars; but that
was all I could see, except a mast and rigging, which lay alongside of
the rocks, sometimes appearing above them on the summit of the waves,
then descending far out of my sight, for I dared not venture near
enough to the edge to look over. "Then the vessel is dashed to pieces,
as my companion said," thought I. "I wonder how she was made." I
remained about an hour on the rocks, and then turned back to the cabin.
I found my companion awake, and groaning heavily.
"There is no ship," said I, "nothing but pieces of wood floating about."
"I know that," replied he; "but what do I care now?"
"I thought by your making a smoke, that you did care."
"Yes, I did then, but now I am blind, I shall never see a ship or
anything else again. God help me! I shall die and rot on this cursed
island."
"Blind, what is blind?" inquired I.
"The lightning has burned out my eyes, and I can see nothing--I cannot
help myself--I cannot walk about--I cannot do anything, and I suppose
you will leave me here to die like a dog."
"Can't you see me?"
"No, all is dark, dark as night, and will be as long as I live." And he
turned on his bed-place and groaned. "I had hope, I lived in hope--it
has kept me alive for many weary years, but now hope is gone, and I
care not if I die to-morrow."
And then he started up and turned his face towards me, and I saw that
there was no light in his eyes.
"Bring me some more water, do you hear?" said he, angrily. "Be quick,
or I'll make you."
But I now fully comprehended his condition, and how powerless he was.
My feelings, as I have before said, were anything but cordial towards
him, and this renewed violence and threatening manner had its effect. I
was now, I suppose, about twelve or thirteen years old--strong and
active. I had more than once felt inclined to rebel, and measure my
strength against his. Irritated, therefore, at his angry language, I
replied--
"Go for the water yourself."
"Ah!" sighed he, after a pause of some seconds, "that I might have
expected. But let me once get you into my hands, I'll make you remember
it."
"I care not if I were in your hands," replied I; "I am as strong as
you." For I had thought so many a day, and meant to prove it.
"Indeed! well, come here, and let us try."
"No, no," replied I; "I'm not such a fool as you say I am--not that I'm
afraid of you; for I shall have an axe in my hand always ready, and you
will not find another."
"I wish that I had tossed you over the cliffs when you were a child,"
said he, bitterly, "instead of nursing you and bringing you up."
"Then why have you not been kind to me? As far back as I can remember
you have always treated me ill; you have made me work for you; and yet
never even spoken kindly to me. I have wanted to know things, and you
have never answered my questions, but called me a fool, and told me to
hold my tongue. You have made me hate you, and you have often told me
how you hated me--you know you have."
"It's true, quite true," replied he, as if talking to himself. "I have
done all that he says, and I have hated him. But I have had cause. Come
here, boy."
"No," replied I; "do you come here. You have been master, and I have
been boy, long enough. Now I am master and you are boy, and you shall
find it so."
Having said this, I walked out of the cabin and left him. He cried out,
"Don't leave me," but I heeded him not, and sat down at the edge of the
fiat ledge of the rock before the cabin. Looking at the white dancing
waves, and deep in my own thoughts, I considered a long while how I
should behave towards him. I did not wish him to die, as I knew he must
if I left him. He could not obtain water from the rill without a great
chance of falling over the cliff. In fact, I was now fully aware of his
helpless state; to prove it to myself, I rose and shut my own eyes;
tried if I could venture to move on such dangerous ground, and I felt
sure that I could not. He was then in my power; he could do nothing; he
must trust to me for almost everything. I had said, let what would
follow, I would be master and he boy; but that could not be, as I must
still attend upon him, or he would die. At last the thought came
suddenly upon me--I will be master, nevertheless, for now he shall
answer me all my questions, tell me all he knows, or he shall starve.
He is in my power. He shall now do what I have ever tried to make him
do, and he has ever refused. Having thus arranged my plans, I returned
to the cabin, and said to him:
"Hear what I say--I will be kind to you, and not leave you to starve,
if you will do what I ask."
"And what is that?" replied he.
"For a long while I have asked you many questions, and you have refused
to answer them. Instead of telling me what I would know, you have
beaten or thrown stones at me, called me names, and threatened me. I
now give you your choice--either you shall promise to answer every
question that I put to you, or you may live how you can, for I shall
leave you to help yourself. If you do as I wish, I will do all I can to
help you, but if you will not, thank yourself for what may happen.
Recollect, I am master now; so take your choice."
"Well," replied he slowly, "it's a judgment upon me, and I must agree
to it. I will do what you wish."
"Well, then, to begin," said I, "I have often asked you what your name
was, and what was mine. I must call you something, and Master I will
not, for I am master now. What is your name?"
He groaned, ground his teeth, and then said, "Edward Jackson."
"Edward Jackson! very well; and my name?"
"No, I cannot bear the name. I cannot say it," replied he, angrily.
"Be it so," replied I. "Then I leave you."
"Will you bring me some water for my eyes? they burn," said he.
"No, I will not, nor anything else, unless you tell me my name."
"Frank Henniker--and curses on it."
"Frank Henniker. Well, now you shall have the water."
I went out, filled a kid, and put it by his side,
"There is the water, Jackson; if you want anything, call me. I shall be
outside."
"I have gained the mastery," thought I,--"it will be my turn now. He
don't like to answer, but he shall, or he shall starve. Why does he
feel so angry at my name? Henniker! what is the meaning of Henniker, I
wonder? I will make him tell me. Yes, he shall tell me everything." I
may here observe, that as for pity and compassion, I did not know such
feelings. I had been so ill-treated, that I only felt that might was
right; and this right I determined upon exercising to the utmost. I
felt an inconceivable pleasure at the idea of my being the master, and
he the boy. I felt the love of power, the pride of superiority. I then
revolved in my mind the daily task which I would set him, before he
should receive his daily sustenance. He should talk now as much as I
pleased, for I was the master. I had been treated as a slave, and I was
now fully prepared to play the tyrant. Mercy and compassion I knew not.
I had never seen them called forth, and I felt them not. I sat down on
the flat rock for some time, and then it occurred to me that I would
turn the course of the water which fell into the hole at the edge of
the cliff; so that if he crawled there, he would not be able to obtain
any. I did so, and emptied the hole. The water was now only to be
obtained by climbing up, and it was out of his power to obtain a drop.
Food, of course, he could obtain, as the dried birds were all piled up
at the farther end of the cabin, and I could not well remove them; but
what was food without water? I was turning in my mind what should be
the first question to put to him; and I had decided that I would have a
full and particular account of how the vessel had been wrecked on the
island, and who were my father and mother, and why I was named
Henniker--when I was roused by hearing Jackson (as I shall in future
call him) crying out, "Boy, boy!" "Boy, indeed," thought I--"no longer
boy," and I gave no reply. Again he called, and at last he cried out,
"Henniker," but I had been ruffled by his calling me boy, and I would
not answer him. At last he fairly screamed my name, and then was
silent. After a moment, I perceived that he crawled out of his
bed-place, and feeling by the sides of the cabin, contrived on his
hands and knees to crawl in the direction of the hole into which the
water had previously been received; and I smiled at what I knew would
be his disappointment when he arrived there. He did so at last: put his
hand to feel the edge of the hole, and then down into it to feel for
the water; and when he found that there was none, he cursed bitterly,
and I laughed at his vexation. He then felt all the way down where the
water had fallen, and found that the course of it had been stopped, and
he dared not attempt anything further. He dashed his clenched hand
against the rock. "Oh! that I had him in this grasp--if it were but for
one moment. I would not care if I died the next."
"I do not doubt you," replied I to him, above, "but you have not got me
in your hands, and you will not. Go in to bed directly--quick," cried
I, throwing a piece of rock at him, which hit him on the head. "Crawl
back as fast as you can, you fool, or I'll send another at your head
directly. I'll tame you, as you used to say to me."
The blow on the head appeared to have confused him; but after a time he
crawled back to his bed-place, and threw himself down with a heavy
groan.
Chapter IV
I then went down to the water's edge to see if I could find anything
from the wreck, for the water was smooth, and no longer washed over the
rocks of the island. Except fragments of wood, I perceived nothing
until I arrived at the pool where we were accustomed to bathe; and I
found that the sea had thrown into it two articles of large
dimensions--one was a cask of the size of a puncheon, which lay in
about a foot of water farthest from the seaward; and the other was a
seaman's chest. What these things were I did not then know, and I wish
the reader to recollect that a great portion of this narrative is
compiled from after knowledge. The cask was firm in the sand, and I
could not move it. The chest was floating; I hauled it on the rocks
without difficulty, and then proceeded to open it. It was some time
before I could discover how, for I had never seen a lock, or a hinge in
my life; but at last, finding that the lid was the only portion of the
chest which yielded, I contrived, with a piece of rock, to break it
open. I found in it a quantity of seamen's clothes, upon which I put no
value; but some of the articles I immediately comprehended the use of,
and they filled me with delight. There were two new tin pannikins, and
those would hold water. There were three empty wine bottles, a hammer,
a chisel, gimlet, and some other tools, also three or four
fishing-lines many fathoms long. But what pleased me most were two
knives, one shutting up, with a lanyard sheath to wear round the waist;
and the other an American long knife, in a sheath, which is usually
worn by them in the belt. Now, three or four years back, Jackson had
the remains of a clasp knife--that is, there was about an inch of the
blade remaining--and this, as may be supposed, he valued very much;
indeed, miserable as the article was, in our destitute state it was
invaluable.
This knife he had laid on the rock when fishing, and it had been
dragged into the sea as his line ran out; and he was for many days
inconsolable for its loss. We had used it for cutting open the birds
when we skinned them, and, indeed this remains of a knife had been
always in request. Since the loss of it, we had had hard work to get
the skins off the birds; I therefore well knew the value of these
knives, which I immediately secured. The remainder of the articles in
the chest, which was quite full, I laid upon the rocks, with the
clothes, to dry; of most of them I did not know the use, and
consequently did not prize them at the time. It was not until
afterwards, when I had taken them to my companion, that I learned their
value. I may as well here observe, that amongst these articles were two
books, and, from the positive commands of my companion, not to touch
the book in the cabin, I looked upon them with a degree of awe, and
hesitated upon taking them in my hand; but, at last, I put them out to
dry on the rocks, with the rest of the contents of the chest.
I felt the knives, the blades were sharp; I put the lanyard of the
clasp knife round my neck; the sheath knife, which was a formidable
weapon, I made fast round my waist, with a piece of the fishing lines,
which I cut off; and I then turned my steps towards the cabin, as night
was coming on, though the moon was high in the heavens, and shining
brightly. On my return, I found Jackson in his bed-place; he heard me
come in, and asked me, in a quiet tone, whether I would bring him some
water? I answered,
"No, that I would not, for what he had said about me, and what he would
do, if he got me into his power. I'll tame you," cried I. "I'm master
now, as you shall find."
"You may be," replied he, quickly, "but still, that is no reason why
you should not let me have some water. Did I ever prevent you from
having water?"
"You never had to fetch it for me," I rejoined, "or you would not have
taken the trouble. What trouble would you take for me, if I were blind
now, and not you? I should become of no use to you, and you would leave
me to die. You only let me live that you might make me work for you,
and beat me cruelly. It's my turn now--you're the boy, and I'm the
master."
The reader must remember that I did not know the meaning of the word
"boy"; my idea of it was, that it was in opposition to "master," and
boy, with me, had the same idea as the word "slave."
"Be it so," replied he, calmly. "I shall not want water long."
There was a quietness about Jackson which made me suspect him, and the
consequence was, that although I turned into my bed-place, which was on
the ground at the side of the cabin opposite to his, I did not feel
inclined to go to sleep, but remained awake, thinking of what had
passed. It was towards morning when I heard him move; my face being
turned that way, I had no occasion to stir to watch his motions. He
crept very softly out of his bed-place towards me, listening, and
advancing on his knees, not more than a foot every ten seconds. "You
want me in your grasp," thought I, "come along," and I drew my American
knife from its sheath, without noise, and awaited his approach, smiling
at the surprise he would meet with. I allowed him to come right up to
me; he felt the side of my bed, and then passed his right hand over to
seize me. I caught his right hand with my left, and passing the knife
across his wrist, more than half divided it from his arm. He gave a
shriek of surprise and pain, and fell back.
"He has a knife," exclaimed he, with surprise, holding his severed
wrist with the other hand.
"Yes, he has a knife, and more than one," replied I, "and you see that
he knows how to use it. Will you come again? or will you believe that
I'm master?"
"If you have any charity or mercy, kill me at once," said he, as he sat
up in the moonlight, in the centre of the floor of the cabin.
"Charity and mercy," said I, "what are they? I never heard of them."
"Alas! no," replied he, "I have shewed none--it's a judgment on me--a
judgment on me for my many sins; Lord, forgive me! First my eyes, now
my right hand useless. What next, O Lord of Heaven?"
"Why, your other hand next," replied I, "if you try it again."
Jackson made no reply. He attempted to crawl back to his bed, but,
faint with loss of blood, he dropped senseless on the floor of the
cabin. I looked at him, and satisfied that he would make no more
attempts upon me, I turned away, and fell fast asleep. In about two
hours, I awoke, and looking round, perceived him lying on the floor,
where he had fallen the night before. I went to him and examined
him--was he asleep, or was he dead? He lay in a pool of blood. I felt
him, and he was quite warm. It was a ghastly cut on his wrist, and I
thought, if he is dead, he will never tell me what I want to know. I
knew that he bound up cuts to stop the blood. I took some feathers from
the bed, and put a handful on the wound. After I had done it, I bound
his wrist up with a piece of fishing-line I had taken to secure the
sheath knife round my waist, and then I went for some water. I poured
some down his throat; this revived him, and he opened his eyes.
"Where am I?" said he faintly.
"Where are you?--why, in the cabin," said I.
"Give me some more water."
I did so, for I did not wish to kill him. I wanted him to live, and to
be in my power. After drinking the water he roused himself, and crawled
back to his bed-place. I left him then, and went down to bathe.
The reader may exclaim--What a horrid tyrant this boy is--why, he is as
bad as his companion. Exactly--I was so--but let the reader reflect
that I was made so by education. From the time that I could first
remember, I had been tyrannised over; cuffed, kicked, abused and
ill-treated. I had never known kindness. Most truly was the question
put by me, "Charity and mercy--what are they?" I never heard of them.
An American Indian has kind feelings--he is hospitable and
generous--yet, educated to inflict, and receive, the severest tortures
to and from, his enemies, he does the first with the most savage and
vindictive feelings, and submits to the latter with indifference and
stoicism. He has, indeed, the kindlier feelings of his nature
exercised; still, this changes him not. He has been from earliest
infancy brought up to cruelty, and he cannot feel that it is wrong.
Now, my position was worse. I had never seen the softer feelings of our
nature called into play; I knew nothing but tyranny and oppression,
hatred and vengeance. It was therefore not surprising that, when my
turn came, I did to others as I had been done by. Jackson had no excuse
for his treatment of me, whereas, I had every excuse for retaliation.
He did know better, I did not. I followed the ways of the world in the
petty microcosm in which I had been placed. I knew not of mercy, of
forgiveness, charity, or goodwill. I knew not that there was a God; I
only knew that might was right, and the most pleasurable sensation
which I felt, was that of anxiety for vengeance, combined with the
consciousness of power.
After I had bathed, I again examined the chest and its contents. I
looked at the books without touching them. "I must know what these
mean," thought I, "and I will know." My thirst for knowledge was
certainly most remarkable, in a boy of my age; I presume for the simple
reason, that we want most what we cannot obtain; and Jackson having
invariably refused to enlighten me on any subject, I became most
anxious and impatient to satisfy the longing which increased with my
growth.
Chapter V
For three days did Jackson lie on his bed; I supplied him with water,
but he did not eat anything. He groaned heavily at times, and talked
much to himself, and I heard him ask forgiveness of God, and pardon for
his sins. I noted this down for an explanation. On the third day, he
said to me,
"Henniker, I am very ill. I have a fever coming on, from the wound you
have given me. I do not say that I did not deserve it, for I did, and I
know that I have treated you ill, and that you must hate me, but the
question is, do you wish me to die?"
"No," replied I; "I want you to live, and answer all my questions, and
you shall do so."
"I will do so," replied he. "I have done wrong, and I will make amends.
Do you understand me? I mean to say, that I have been very cruel to
you, and now I will do all you wish, and answer every question you may
put to me, as well as I can."
"That is what I want," replied I.
"I know it is, but my wound is festering and must be washed and
dressed. The feathers make it worse. Will you do this for me?"
I thought a little, and recollected that he was still in my power, as
he could not obtain water. I replied, "Yes, I will."
"The cord hurts it, you must take it off."
I fetched the kid of water, and untied the cord, and took away the
feathers, which had matted together with the flow of blood, and then I
washed the wound carefully. Looking into the wound, my desire of
information induced me to say, "What are these little white cords,
which are cut through?"
"They are the sinews and tendons," replied he, "by which we are enabled
to move our hands and fingers; now these are cut through, I shall not
have the use of my hand again."
"Stop a moment," said I, rising up, "I have just thought of something."
I ran down to the point where the chest lay, took a shirt from the
rock, and brought it back with me, and tearing it into strips, I
bandaged the wound.
"Where did you get that linen?" said Jackson.
I told him.
"And you got the knife there, too," said he, with a sigh. I replied in
the affirmative.
As soon as I had finished, he told me he was much easier, and said,
"I thank you."
"What is I thank you?" replied I.
"It means that I am grateful for what you have done."
"And what is grateful?" inquired I again. "You never said those words
to me before."
"Alas, no," replied he; "it had been better if I had. I mean that I
feel kindly towards you, for having bound up my wound, and would do
anything for you if I had the power. It means, that if I had my
eyesight, as I had a week ago, and was master, as I then was, that I
would not kick nor beat you, but be kind to you. Do you understand me?"
"Yes," replied I, "I think I do; and if you tell me all I want to know
I shall believe you."
"That I will as soon as I am well enough; but now I am too ill--you
must wait a day or two, till the fever has left me."
Satisfied with Jackson's promise, I tended him carefully, and washed
and dressed his wound for the two following days. He said that he felt
himself much better, and his language to me was so kind and
conciliatory, that I hardly knew what to make of it; but this is
certain, that it had a good effect upon me, and gradually the hatred
and ill-will that I bore to him wore off, and I found myself handling
him tenderly, and anxious not to give him more pain than was necessary,
yet without being aware that I was prompted by better feelings. It was
on the third morning that he said,--
"I can talk to you now; what do you want to know?"
"I want to know the whole story of how we came to this island, who my
father and mother were, and why you said that you hated me and my name?"
"That," said Jackson, after a silence of a few minutes, "will take some
time. I could soon tell it you if it were not for the last
question,--why I hated your name? But the history of your father is so
mixed up with mine, that I cannot well tell one without the other. I
may as well begin with my own history, and that will be telling you
both."
"Then tell it me," replied I, "and do not tell me what is not true."
"No; I will tell you exactly what it was," replied Jackson; "you may as
well know it as not.--Your father and I were both born in England,
which you know is your country by birth, and you also know that the
language we talk is English."
"I did not know it. Tell me something about England before you say any
more."
I will not trouble the reader with Jackson's description of England, or
the many questions which I put to him. It was night-fall before he had
finished answering, and before I was satisfied with the information
imparted. I believe that he was very glad to hold his tongue, for he
complained of being tired, and I dressed his wound and wetted the
bandage with cold water for him before he went to sleep.
I can hardly describe to the reader the effect which this uninterrupted
flow of language had upon me; I was excited in a very strange way, and
for many nights after could not sleep for hours. I may say here, I did
not understand a great proportion of the meaning of the words used by
Jackson; but I gathered it from the context, as I could not always be
interrupting him.
It is astonishing how fast ideas breed ideas, and how a word, the
meaning of which I did not understand when it was first used, became by
repetition clear and intelligible; not that I always put the right
construction on it, but if I did not find it answer when used at
another time to my former interpretation of it, I would then ask and
obtain an explanation. This did not however occur very often. As for
this first night, I was positively almost drunk with words, and
remained nearly the whole of it arranging and fixing the new ideas that
I had acquired. My feelings towards Jackson also were changed--that is,
I no longer felt hatred or ill-will against him. These were swallowed
up in the pleasure which he had afforded me, and I looked upon him as a
treasure beyond all price,--not but that many old feelings towards him
returned at intervals, for they were not so easily disposed of, but
still I would not for the world have lost him until I had obtained from
him all possible knowledge; and if his wound did not look well when I
removed the bandage, I was much more distressed than he was. Indeed,
there was every prospect of our ultimately being friends, from our
mutual dependence on each other. It was useless on his part, in his
present destitute condition, to nourish feelings of animosity against
one on whose good offices he was now so wholly dependant, or on my
part, against one who was creating for me, I may say, new worlds for
imagination and thought to dwell on. On the following morning, Jackson
narrated in substance (as near as I can recollect) as follows:--
"I was not intended for a sailor. I was taught at a good school, and
when I was ten years old, I was put into a house of business as a
clerk, where I remained at the desk all day long, copying into ledgers
and day-books, in fact, writing what was required of me. This house was
connected with the South American trade."
"Where is South America?" said I.
"You had better let me tell my story," replied Jackson, "and after I
have done, you can ask any questions you like, but if you stop me, it
will take a week to finish it; yesterday we lost the whole day."
"That's very true," replied I, "then I will do so."
"There were two other clerks in the counting-house--the head clerk,
whose name was Manvers, and your father, who was in the counting-house
but a few months before me. Our master, whose name was Evelyn, was very
particular with both your father and myself, scanning our work daily,
and finding fault when we deserved it. This occasioned a rivalry
between us, which made us both very active, and I received praise quite
as often as he did. On Sunday, Mr Evelyn used to ask your father and me
to spend the day. We went to church in the forenoon and dined with him.
He had a daughter a little younger than we were. She was your mother.
Both of us, as we grew up, were very attentive to her, and anxious to
be in her good graces. I cannot say which was preferred at first, but I
rather think that if anything I was the favourite, during the first two
years of our being acquainted with her. I was more lively and a better
companion than your father, who was inclined to be grave and
thoughtful. We had been about four years in the counting-house, when my
mother died--my father had been dead some time before I went into
it--and at her death I found my share of her property to amount to
about L2500. But I was not yet twenty-one years of age. I could not
receive it for another year. Mr Evelyn, who had till then every reason
to be satisfied with my conduct, used to joke with me, and say that as
soon as I was of age, he would allow me, if I chose it, to put the
money in the business, and thus obtain a small share in it--and such
was my intention, and I looked forward to bright prospects and the hope
of one day being married to your mother, and I have no doubt but such
would have been the case, had I still conducted myself properly. But,
before I was of age, I made some very bad acquaintances, and soon ran
into expenses which I could not afford--and the worst was, that I
contracted a habit of sitting up late at night, and drinking to excess,
which I never have since got over, which proved my ruin then, and has
proved my ruin through life. This little fortune of mine not only gave
me consequence, but was the cause of my thinking very highly of myself.
I now was more particular in my attentions to Miss Evelyn, and was
graciously received by her father; neither had I any reason to complain
of my treatment from the young lady. As for your father, he was quite
thrown into the back-ground. He had no property nor hope of any, except
what he might hereafter secure by his diligence and good conduct; and
the attention I received from Mr Evelyn, and also the head clerk, who
had an idea that I was to be a partner and consequently would become
his superior, made him very melancholy and unhappy--for I believe that
then he was quite as much in love with Miss Evelyn as I was myself; and
I must tell you, that my love for her was unbounded, and she well
deserved it. But all these happy prospects were overthrown by my own
folly. As soon as it was known that I had property left to me, I was
surrounded by many others who requested to be introduced to me, and my
evenings were passed in what I considered very good company, but which
proved the very reverse. By degrees I took to gambling, and after a
time, lost more money than I could afford to pay. This caused me to
have recourse to a Jew, who advanced me loans at a large interest to be
repaid at my coming of age. Trying to win back my money, I at last
found myself indebted to the Jew for the sum of nearly L1000. The more
that I became involved, the more reckless I became. Mr Evelyn perceived
that I kept late hours, and looked haggard, as I well might; indeed, my
position had now become very awkward. Mr Evelyn knew well the sum that
had been left me, and how was I to account to him for the deficiency,
if he proposed that I should put it into the business? I should be
ruined in his opinion, and he never, I was convinced, would entrust the
happiness of his daughter to a young man who had been guilty of such
irregularities. At the same time, my love for her nearly amounted to
adoration. Never was there a more miserable being than I was for the
last six months previous to my coming of age, and to drown my misery I
plunged into every excess, and seldom, if ever, went to bed but in a
state of intoxication. Scheme after scheme did I propose to enable me
to conceal my fault, but I could hit upon nothing. The time approached;
I was within a few days of coming of age, when Mr Evelyn sent for me
and then spoke to me seriously, saying, that out of regard to the
memory of my father, with whom he had been very intimate, he was
willing to allow me to embark my little capital in the business, and
that he hoped that by my good conduct and application I might soon
become a useful partner. I stammered some reply which surprised him;
and he asked me to be more explicit. I stated that I considered my
capital too small to be of much use in such a business as his, and that
I preferred trying some quick method of doubling it; that as soon as I
had so done I would accept his offer with gratitude. 'As you please,'
replied he coolly; 'but take care, that in risking all, you do not lose
all. Of course, you are your own master,' and so saying, he left me,
apparently much displeased and mortified. But circumstances occurred,
which exposed the whole affair. When in company with my evening
companions, I stated my intentions of trying my fortune in the East
Indies, not seriously, but talking at random. This came to the ears of
the Jew of whom I had borrowed the money; he thought that I intended to
leave the kingdom without taking up my bonds, and immediately repaired
to Mr Evelyn's counting-house, to communicate with the head clerk, and
ascertain if the report was correct, stating also the sums I was
indebted to him. The head clerk informed Mr Evelyn, and on the day upon
which I became twenty-one years of age, he sent for me into his private
room, and, after some remonstrances, to which I replied very haughtily,
it ended in my being dismissed. The fact was, that Mr Evelyn had, since
his last interview with me, made inquiries, and finding out I had been
living a very riotous life, he had determined upon my leaving his
service. As soon as my first burst of indignation was over, I felt what
I had lost; my attachment to Miss Evelyn was stronger than ever, and I
bitterly deplored my folly, but after a time, as usual, I had recourse
to the bottle, and to drowning my cares in intemperance. I tried very
hard to obtain an interview with Miss Evelyn previous to my quitting
the house, but this Mr Evelyn would not permit, and a few days after,
sent his daughter away, to reside, for a time with a relation in the
country. I embarked my capital in the wine trade, and, could I have
restrained myself from drinking, should have been successful, and in a
short time might have doubled my property, as I stated to Mr Evelyn;
but now, I had become an irreclaimable drunkard, and when that is the
case, all hope is over. My affairs soon became deranged, and, at the
request of my partner, they were wound up, and I found myself with my
capital of L1500 reduced to L1000. With this, I resolved to try my
fortune in shipping; I procured a share in a brig, and sailed in her
myself. After a time, I was sufficiently expert to take the command of
her, and might have succeeded, had not my habit of drinking been so
confirmed. When at Ceylon, I fell sick, and was left behind. The brig
was lost, and as I had forgotten to insure my portion of her, I was
ruined. I struggled long, but in vain--intemperance was my curse, my
bane, the millstone at my neck, which dragged me down: I had education,
talents, and energy, and at one time, capital, but all were useless;
and thus did I sink down, from captain of a vessel to mate, from mate
to second mate, until I at last found myself a drunken sailor before
the mast. Such is my general history; to-morrow, I will let you know
how, and in what way, your father and I met again, and what occurred,
up to this present time."
But I was too much bewildered and confused with what he had told me, to
allow him to proceed, as he proposed.
"No, no," replied I. "I now recollect all you have said, although I do
not understand. You must first answer my questions, as to the meaning
of words I never heard of before. I cannot understand what money is,
what gaming is, and a great many more things you have talked about, but
I recollect, and can repeat every word that you have said. To-morrow, I
will recall it all over, and you shall tell me what I cannot make out;
after that, you can go on again."
"Very well," replied he, "I don't care how long it takes me to answer
your questions, for I am not very anxious to tell all about your father
and myself."
Chapter VI
I can hardly describe to the reader the effect which these
conversations with Jackson had upon me at first. If a prisoner were
removed from a dark cell, and all at once introduced into a garden full
of fruit and flowers, which he never before had an idea were in
existence, he could not have been more filled with wonder, surprise,
and pleasure. All was novelty and excitement, but, at the same time, to
a great degree, above my comprehension. I had neither language nor
ideas to meet it, and yet, I did, to a certain degree, comprehend. I
saw not clearly, but sometimes as through a mist, at others through a
dark fog, and I could discern little. Every day, however, my increased
knowledge of language and terms gave me an increased knowledge of
ideas. I gained more by context than I did by any other means, and as I
was by degrees enlightened, so my thirst for information and knowledge
became every day more insatiable.
That much that I considered I understood was erroneous, is certain, for
mine was a knowledge, as yet, of theory only. I could imagine to
myself, as far as the explanation I received, what such an object might
be, and, having made up my ideas on the matter, I was content; further
knowledge, would however incline me to think, and occasionally to
decide, that the idea I had formed was incorrect, and I would alter it.
Thus did I flounder about in a sea of uncertainty, but still of
exciting interest.
If any one who has been educated, and has used his eyes in a civilised
country, reads an account of people and things hitherto unknown to him,
he can, from the description and from his own general knowledge, form a
very correct idea of what the country contains. But then he has used
his eyes--he has seen those objects, between which the parallel or the
difference has been pointed out. Now I had not that advantage. I had
seen nothing but the sea, rocks, and sea-birds, and had but one
companion. Here was my great difficulty, which, I may say, was never
surmounted, until I had visited and mixed with civilisation and men.
The difficulty, however, only increased my ardour. I was naturally of
an ingenious mind, I had a remarkable memory, and every increase of
knowledge was to me a source of delight. In fact, I had now something
to live for, before I had not; and I verily believe, that if Jackson
had been by any chance removed from me at this particular time, I
should soon have become a lunatic, from the sudden drying up of the
well which supplied my inordinate thirst for knowledge.
Some days passed before I asked Jackson to continue his narrative,
during which we lived in great harmony. Whether it was that he was
deceiving me, and commanding his temper till he had an opportunity of
revenge, or whether it was that his forlorn and helpless condition had
softened him down, I could not say, but he appeared gradually to be
forming an attachment to me; I was however on my guard at all times.
His wounded wrist had now healed up, but his hand was quite useless, as
all the tendons had been severed. I had therefore less to fear from him
than before. At my request that he would continue his history, Jackson
related as follows:--
"After sailing in vessel after vessel, and generally dismissed after
the voyage for my failing of intemperance, I embarked on board a ship
bound to Chili, and after having been on the coast for nearly a year,
we were about to proceed home with a cargo, when we anchored at
Valdivia, previous to our homeward voyage, as we had some few articles
to ship at that port. We were again ready for sea, when we heard from
the captain, that he had agreed to take two passengers, a gentleman and
his wife, who wished to proceed to England. The cabin was cleared out,
and every preparation made to receive them on board, and in the evening
the boat was sent on shore for the luggage. I went in the boat, as I
thought it likely that the gentleman would give the boat's crew
something to drink; nor was I wrong--he gave us four dollars, which we
spent immediately in one of the ventas, and were all more or less
intoxicated. It had been arranged that the luggage should first be
carried on board, and after that, we were to return for the passengers,
as we were to sail early in the morning. We pulled off with the
luggage, but on our arrival on board, I was so drunk, that the captain
would not allow me to return in the boat, and I knew nothing of what
had passed until I was roused up the next morning to assist in getting
the ship under weigh. We had been under weigh two or three hours, and
were clearing the land fast, when the gentleman passenger came on neck;
I was then coiling down a rope on the quarter-deck, and as he passed by
me, I looked at him, and I recognised him immediately as your father.
Years had passed--from a stripling he had grown a man, but his face was
not to be mistaken. There he was, apparently a gentlemen of property
and consideration; and I, what was I? a drunken sailor. All I hoped
was, that he would not recognise me. Shortly afterwards he went down
again, and returned escorting his wife on deck. Again I took a furtive
curious glance, and perceived at once that she was that Miss Evelyn
whom I had once so loved, and by my folly had lost. This was madness.
As they stood on the deck enjoying the cool sea breeze, for the weather
was delightfully fine, the captain came up and joined them. I was so
confused at my discovery, that I knew not what I was about, and I
presume was doing something very awkwardly; for the captain said to
me--'Jackson, what are you about, you drunken hound? I suppose you are
not sober yet.' At the mention of my name, your father and mother
looked at me, and as I lifted up my head to reply to the captain, they
eyed me earnestly, and then spoke to each other in a low tone; after
which they interrogated the captain. I could not hear what they said,
but I was certain they were talking about me, and that they had
suspected, if they had not recognised me. I was ready to sink to the
deck, and, at the same time, I felt a hatred of your father enter my
heart, of which, during his life, I never could divest myself. It was
as I supposed; your father had recognised me, and the following morning
he came up to me as I was leaning over the gunwale amidships, and
addressed me,--'Jackson,' said he, 'I am sorry to find you in this
situation. You must have been very unfortunate to have become so
reduced. If you will confide your history to me, perhaps I may, when we
arrive in England, be able to assist you, and it really will give me
great pleasure.' I cannot say that I replied very cordially. 'Mr
Henniker,' said I, 'you have been fortunate by all appearances, and can
therefore afford compassion to those who have not been so; but, sir, in
our positions, I feel as if pity was in reality a sort of triumph, and
an offer of assistance an insult. I am content with my present
position, and will at all events not change it by your interference. I
earn my bread honestly. You can do no more. Times may change yet. It's
a long road that has no turning to it. I wish you a good morning.' So
saying, I turned from him, and walked away forward, with my heart full
of bitterness and anger. From that hour he never spoke to me or noticed
me again, but the captain was more severe upon me, and I ascribed his
severity most unjustly to your father. We were about to go round Cape
Horn, when the gale from the S.E. came on, which ended in the loss of
the vessel. For several days we strove up against it, but at last the
vessel, which was old, leaked so much from straining, that we were
obliged to bear up and run before it, which we did for several days,
the wind and sea continuing without intermission. At last we found
ourselves among these islands, and were compelled occasionally to haul
to the wind to clear them. This made her leak more and more, until at
last she became water logged, and we were forced to abandon her in
haste during the night, having no time to take anything with us; we
left three men on board, who were down below. By the mercy of Heaven we
ran the boat into the opening below, which was the only spot where we
could have landed. I think I had better stop now, as I have a good deal
to tell you yet."
"Do then," replied I; "and now I think of it, I will bring up the chest
and all the things which were in it, and you shall tell me what they
are."
I went down and returned with the clothes and linen. There were eight
pair of trousers, nine shirts, besides the one I had torn up to bandage
his wounds with, two pair of blue trousers, and two jackets, four white
duck frocks, some shoes, and stockings. Jackson felt them one by one
with his hands, and told me what they were, and how worn.
"Why don't you wear some of them?" inquired I.
"If you will give me leave, I will," replied he. "Let me have a duck
frock and a pair of trousers."
I handed the articles to him, and then went back for the rest which I
had left on the rocks.
When I returned, with my arms full, I found that he had put them on,
and his other clothes were beside him. "I feel more like a Christian
now," said he.
"A Christian," said I, "what is that?"
"I will tell you by-and-bye. It is what I have not been for a long,
long while," replied he. "Now, what have you brought this time?"
"Here," said I, "what is this?"
"This is a roll of duck, to make into frocks and trousers," replied he.
"That is bees'-wax." He then explained to me all the tools,
sailing-needles, fish-hooks, and fishing-lines, some sheets of
writing-paper, and two pens, I had brought up with me. "All these are
very valuable," said he, after a pause, "and would have added much to
our comfort, if I had not been blind."
"There are more things yet," said I; "I will go and fetch them."
This time I replaced the remaining articles, and brought up the chest.
It was a heavy load to carry up the rocks, and I was out of breath when
I arrived and set it down on the cabin-floor.
"Now, I have the whole of them," said I. "Now, what is this?"
"That is a spy-glass--but, alas! I am blind--but I will show you how to
use it, at all events."
"Here are two books," said I.
"Give them to me," said he, "and let me feel them. This one is a Bible,
I am quite sure by its shape, and the other is, I think, a Prayer-book."
"What is a Bible, and what is a Prayer-book?" replied I.
"The Bible is the Word of God, and the Prayer-book teaches us how to
pray to him."
"But who is God? I have often heard you say, 'O God!' and 'God
damn'--but who is he?"
"I will tell you to-night before we go to sleep," replied Jackson,
gravely.
"Very well, I shall remind you. I have found a little box inside the
chest, and it is full of all manner of little things--strings and
sinews."
"Let me feel them?"
I put a bundle into his hand.
"These are needles and thread for making and mending clothes--they will
be useful bye-and-bye."
At last the whole contents of the chest were overhauled and explained:
I could not well comprehend the glass bottles, or how they were made,
but I put them with the pannikins, and everything else, very carefully
into the chest again, and hauled the chest to the farther end of the
cabin, out of the way. Before we went to bed that night, Jackson had to
explain to me who God was, but as it was only the commencement of
several conversations on the subject, I shall not at present trouble
the reader with what passed between us. Jackson appeared to be very
melancholy after the conversation we had had on religious matters, and
was frequently agitated and muttering to himself.
Chapter VII
I did not on the following day ask him to resume his narrative relative
to my father and mother, as I perceived that he avoided it, and I
already had so far changed as to have consideration for his feelings.
Another point had now taken possession of my mind, which was, whether
it were possible to learn to read those books which I had found in the
chest, and this was the first question that I put to Jackson when we
arose on that morning.
"How is it possible?" replied he. "Am I not blind--how can I teach you?"
"Is there no way?" replied I, mournfully.
"Let me think.--Yes, perhaps there is a way--at all events we will try.
You know which book I told you was the Prayer-book?"
"Oh yes! the small, thin one."
"Yes--fetch it here. Now," said he, when I put it into his hand, "tell
me; is there a straight line down the middle of the page of the book,
so that the words and letters are on both sides of it?"
"Yes, there is," replied I; "in every page, as you call it, there is a
black line down the middle, and words and letters (I suppose they are)
on both sides."
"And among the letters, there are some larger than others, especially
at the side nearest to the margin."
"I don't know what margin is."
"I mean here," replied he, pointing to the margin of the page.
"Yes, there are."
"Well then, I will open the book as near as I can guess at the Morning
service, and you tell me if you can find any part of the writing which
appears to begin with a large round letter, like--what shall I
say?--the bottom of a pannikin."
"There is one on this leaf, quite round."
"Very well--now get me a small piece of stick, and make a point to it."
I did so, and Jackson swept away a small place on the floor of the
cabin.
"Now," said he, "there are many other prayers which begin with a round
O, as the letter is called; so I must first ascertain if this one is
the one I require. If it is, I know it by heart, and by that shall be
able to teach you all the letters of the alphabet."
"What's an alphabet?"
"The alphabet is the number of letters invented to enable us to read
and write. There are twenty-six of them. Now look, Frank; is the next
letter to O the shape of this?" and he drew with the pointed stick the
letter U on the ground.
"Yes, it is," replied I.
"And the next is like this," continued he, drawing the letter R, after
he had smoothed the ground and effaced the U.
"Yes," replied I.
"Well then, to make sure, I had better go on. OUR is one word, and then
there is a little space between; and next you come to an F."
"Yes," replied I, looking at what he had drawn and comparing it with
the letter in the book.
"Then I believe that we are all right, but to make sure, we will go on
for a little longer."
Jackson then completed the word "Father," and "which art," that
followed it, and then he was satisfied.
"Now," said he, "out of that prayer I can teach you all the letters,
and if you pay attention, you will learn to read."
The whole morning was passed in my telling him the different letters,
and I very soon knew them all. During the day, the Lord's Prayer was
gone through, and as I learnt the words as well as the letters, I could
repeat it before night; I read it over to him twenty or thirty times,
spelling every word, letter by letter, until I was perfect. This was my
first lesson.
"Why is it called the Lord's Prayer?" said I.
"Because, when our Lord Jesus Christ was asked by His followers in what
way they ought to address God, He gave them this prayer to repeat, as
being the most proper that they could use."
"But who was Jesus Christ?"
"He was the Son of God, as I told you yesterday, and at the same time
equal with God."
"How could he be equal with God, if, as you said yesterday, God sent
him down to be killed?"
"It was with his own consent that he suffered death; but all this is a
mystery which you cannot understand at present."
"What's a mystery?"
"That which you cannot understand."
"Do you understand it yourself?"
"No, I do not; I only know that such is the fact, but it is above not
only mine, but all men's comprehension. But I tell you honestly that,
on these points, I am but a bad teacher; I have paid little attention
to them during my life, and as far as religion is concerned, I can only
give you the outlines, for I know no more."
"But I thought you said, that people were to be punished or rewarded
when they died, according as they had lived a bad or good life; and
that to live a good life, people must be religious, and obey God's
commands."
"I did tell you so, and I told you the truth; but I did not tell you
that I had led a bad life, as I have done, and that I have neglected to
pay obedience to God's word and command."
"Then you will be punished when you die, will you not?"
"Alas! I fear so, child," replied Jackson, putting his hands up to his
forehead and hiding his face. "But there is still time," continued he,
after a pause, and "O God of mercy!" exclaimed he, "how shall I escape?"
I was about to continue the conversation, but Jackson requested that I
would leave him alone for a time. I went out and sat on a rock,
watching the stars.
"And those, he says, were all made by God,"--"and God made everything,"
thought I, "and God lives up beyond those stars." I thought for a long
while, and was much perplexed. I had never heard anything of God till
the night before, and what Jackson had told me was just enough to make
me more anxious and curious; but he evidently did not like to talk on
the subject. I tried after a time, if I could repeat the Lord's Prayer,
and I found that I could, so I knelt down on the rock, and looking up
to a bright star, as if I would imagine it was God, I repeated the
Lord's Prayer to it, and then I rose up and went to bed.
This was the first time that I had ever prayed.
I had learnt so much from Jackson, latterly, that I could hardly retain
what I had learnt; at all events, I had a very confused recollection in
my brain, and my thoughts turned from one subject to another, till
there was, for a time, a perfect chaos; by degrees things unravelled
themselves, and my ideas became more clear; but still I laboured under
that half-comprehension of things, which, in my position, was
unavoidable.
But now my mind was occupied with one leading object and wish, which
was to learn to read. I thought no more of Jackson's history and the
account he might give me of my father and mother, and was as willing as
he was that it should be deferred for a time. What I required now was
to be able to read the books, and to this object my whole mind and
attention were given. Three or four hours in the earlier portion of the
day, and the same time in the latter, were dedicated to this pursuit,
and my attention never tired or flagged. In the course of, I think,
about six weeks, I could read, without hesitation, almost any portion
of the Bible or Prayer-Book. I required no more teaching from Jackson,
who now became an attentive hearer, as I read to him every morning and
evening a portion of the Gospel or Liturgy. But I cannot say that I
understood many portions which I read, and the questions which I put to
Jackson puzzled him not a little, and very often he acknowledged that
he could not answer them. As I afterwards discovered this arose from
his own imperfect knowledge of the nature of the Christian religion,
which, according to his statement to me, might be considered to have
been comprised in the following sentence: "If you do good on earth, you
will go to heaven and be happy; if you do ill, you will go to hell and
be tormented. Christ came down from heaven to teach us what to do, and
how to follow his example; and all that we read in the Bible we must
believe." This may be considered as the creed imparted to me at that
time. I believe that Jackson, like many others, knew no better, and
candidly told me what he himself had been taught to believe.
But the season for the return of the birds arrived, and our stock of
provender was getting low. I was therefore soon obliged to leave my
books, and work hard for Jackson and myself. As soon as the young birds
were old enough, I set to my task. And now I found how valuable were
the knives which I had obtained from the seaman's chest; indeed, in
many points I could work much faster. By tying the neck and sleeves of
a duck frock, I made a bag, which enabled me to carry the birds more
conveniently, and in greater quantities at a time, and with the knives
I could skin and prepare a bird in one quarter of the time. With my
fishing-lines also, I could hang up more to dry at one time, so that,
though without assistance, I had more birds cured in the same time than
when Jackson and I were both employed in the labour. The whole affair,
however, occupied me from morning to evening for more than three weeks,
by which time the major portion of my provender was piled up at the
back of the cabin. I did not, however, lose what I had gained in
reading, as Jackson would not let me go away in the morning, or retire
to my bed in the evening, without my reading to him a portion of the
Bible. Indeed, he appeared to be uncomfortable if I did not do so.
At last, the work was ended, and then I felt a strong desire return to
hear that portion of Jackson's history connected with my father and
mother, and I told him so. He did not appear to be pleased with my
communication, or at all willing to proceed, but as I pressed him hard
and showed some symptoms of resolution and rebellion, he reluctantly
resumed his narrative.
Chapter VIII
"I wish you to understand," said he, "that my unwillingness to go on
with my history, proceeds from my being obliged to make known to you
the hatred that subsisted between your father and me; but if you will
recollect, that we both had, in our early days, been striving to gain
the same object--I mean your mother--and also that he had taken, as it
were, what I considered to have been my place, in other points--that he
had been successful in life, and I had been unfortunate, you must not
then be surprised at my hating him as I did."
"I understand nothing about your feelings," replied I; "and why he
injured you by marrying my mother, I cannot see."
"Why I loved her."
"Well, suppose you did, I don't know what love is, and therefore cannot
understand it, so tell me the story."
"Well then, when I left off, I told you that we had ventured to land
upon this island by running the boat into the bathing-pond, but in so
doing, the boat was beaten to pieces, and was of no use afterwards. We
landed, eight persons in all--that is, the captain, your father, the
carpenter, mate, and three seamen, besides your mother. We had
literally nothing in the boat except three axes, two kids, and the two
pannikins, which we have indeed now, but as for provisions or even
water we had none of either. Our first object, therefore, was to search
the island to obtain water, and this we soon found at the rill which
now runs down by the side of the cabin. It was very fortunate for us
that we arrived exactly at the time that the birds had come on the
island, and had just laid their eggs; if not, we must have perished
with hunger, for we had not a fish-hook with us or even a fathom of
line.
"We collected a quantity of eggs, and made a good meal, although we
devoured them raw. While we were running about, or rather climbing
about, over the rocks, to find out what chance of subsistence we might
have on the island, the captain and your father remained with your
mother, who sat down in a sheltered spot near to the bathing-pool. On
our return in the evening, the captain called us all together that he
might speak to us, and he said that if we would do well we must all act
in concert; that it also would be necessary that one should have the
command and control of the others; that without such was the case,
nothing would go on well;--and he asked us if we did not consider that
what he said was true. We all agreed, although I, for one, felt little
inclination to do so, but as all the rest said so, I raised no
objections. The captain then told us that as we were all of one
opinion, the next point, was to decide as to who should have the
command--he said, that if it had been on ship-board, he of course would
have taken it himself, but now we were on shore he thought that Mr
Henniker was a much more competent person than he was, and he therefore
proposed that the command should be given to him, and he, for one,
would willingly be under his orders. To this proposal, the carpenter
and mate immediately agreed, and at last two of the seamen. I was left
alone, but I resisted, saying, that I was not going to be ordered about
by a landsman, and that if I were to obey orders, it must be from a
thorough-bred seaman. The other two sailors were of my way of thinking,
I was sure, although they had given their consent, and I hoped that
they would join me, which they appeared very much inclined to do. Your
father spoke very coolly, modestly, and prudently. He pointed out that
he had no wish to take the command, and that he would cheerfully serve
under the captain of the vessel, if it would be more satisfactory to
all parties that such should be the case. But the captain and the
others were positive, saying that they would not have their choice
disputed by such a drunken vagabond as I was, and that if I did not
like to remain with them, I might go to any part of the island that I
chose. This conference ended by my getting in a passion, and saying
that I would not be under your father's orders; and I was seizing one
of the axes to go off with it, when the captain caught my arm and
wrested it from me, stating that the axe was his property, and then
telling me that I was welcome to go where I pleased.
"I left them, therefore, and went away by myself to where the birds
were hatching, as I wished to secure a supply of eggs. When the night
closed in, I lay down upon the guano, and felt no cold, for the gale
was now over, and the weather was very mild.
"The next morning, when I awoke, I found that the sun had been up some
time. I looked for the rest of my companions whom I had quitted, and
perceived that they were all busily at work. The sea was quite calm;
and, when the vessel went down after we left, many articles had
floated, and had been washed to the island. Some of the men were busy
collecting spars and planks, which were near the rocks, and pushing
them along with the boat-hooks to the direction of the bathing pond,
where they hauled them over the ridge, and secured them. Your father
and mother, with the carpenter, were on this ledge where we now are,
having selected it as a proper place for building a shelter, and were
apparently very busy. The captain and one of the seamen were carrying
up what spars and timber could be collected to where your father was
standing with the carpenter. All appeared to be active, and working
into each others hands; and I confess that, as I looked on, I envied
them, and wished that I had been along with them; but I could not bear
the idea of obeying any orders given by your father; and this alone
prevented my joining them, and making my excuses for what I had done
and said the previous night. I therefore swallowed some more birds'
eggs raw, and sat down in the sun, looking at them as they worked.
"I soon perceived that the carpenter had commenced operations. The
frame of this cabin was, with the assistance of your father, before it
was noon, quite complete and put up; and then they all went down to the
bathing place, where the boat was lying with her bottom beaten out.
They commenced taking her to pieces and saving all the nails; the other
men carried up the portions of the boat as they were ripped off, to
where the frame of the cabin had been raised. I saw your mother go up
with a load in her hand, which I believed to be the nails taken from
the boat. In a couple of hours the boat was in pieces and carried up,
and then your father and most of the men went up to assist the
carpenter. I hardly need tell what they did, as you have the cabin
before you. The roof, you see, is mostly built out of the timbers of
the boat; and the lower part out of heavier wood; and a very good job
they made of it. Before the morning closed in, one of the sides of the
cabin was finished; and I saw them light a fire with the chips that had
been cut off with the axes, and they then dressed the eggs and birds
which they had collected the first day.
"There was one thing which I had quite forgotten when I mutinied and
left my companions, which was, the necessity of water to drink; and I
now perceived that they had taken possession of the spot where the only
water had as yet been found. I was suffering very much from thirst
towards the close of the day, and I set off up the ravine to ascertain
if there was none to be found in that direction. Before night I
succeeded in finding some, as you know, for you have often drunk from
the spring when you have gone up for firewood. This gave me great
encouragement, for I was afraid that the want of water would have
driven me to submission. By way of bravado, I tore off, and cut with my
knife, as many boughs of the underwood on the ravine as I well could
carry, and the next morning I built a sort of wigwam for myself on the
guano, to show them that I had a house over my head as well as they
had; but I built it farther up to the edge of the cliff, above the
guano plain, so that I need not have any communication with those who I
knew would come for eggs and birds for their daily sustenance.
"Before the night of the following day set in, the cabin was quite
finished.
"The weather became warmer every day, and I found it very fatiguing to
have to climb the ravine two or three times a day to procure a drink of
water, for I had nothing to hold water in, and I thought that it would
be better that I should take up my quarters in the ravine, and build
myself a wigwam among the brushwood close to the water, instead of
having to make so many journeys for so necessary an article. I knew
that I could carry eggs in my hat and pocket-handkerchief sufficient
for two or three days at one trip; so I determined that I would do so;
and the next morning I went up the ravine, loaded with eggs, to take up
my residence there. In a day or two I had built my hut of boughs, and
made it very comfortable. I returned for a fresh supply of eggs on the
third day, with a basket I had constructed out of young boughs, and
which enabled me to carry a whole week's sustenance. Then I felt quite
satisfied, and made up my mind that I would live as a hermit during my
sojourn on the island, however long it might be; for I preferred
anything to obeying the orders of one whom I detested as I did your
father.
"It soon was evident, however, how well they had done in selecting your
father as their leader. They had fancied that the birds would remain on
the island, and that thus they would always be able to procure a
supply. Your father, who had lived so long in Chili, knew better, and
that in a few weeks they would quit their nesting place. He pointed
this out to them, showing them what a mercy it was that they had been
cast away just at this time, and how necessary it was to make a
provision for the year. But this they could not imagine that it was
possible to do without salt to cure the birds with; but he knew how
beef was preserved without salt on the continent, and showed them how
to dry the birds in the sun. While therefore I was up in the ravine,
they were busy collecting and drying them in large quantities, and
before the time of the birds leaving they had laid up a sufficient
supply. It was he also that invented the fishing lines out of the
sinews of the legs of the birds, and your mother who knotted them
together. At first, they caught fish with some hooks made of nails, but
your father showed them the way to take them without a hook, as you
have learnt from me, and which he had been shown by some of the Indians
on the continent. Owing to your father, they were well prepared when
the birds flew away with their young ones, while I was destitute.
Previous to the flight, I had fared but badly, for the eggs contained
the young birds half formed, and latterly so completely formed that I
could not eat them, and as I had no fire and did not understand drying
them, I had no alternative but eating the young birds raw, which was
anything but pleasant. I consoled myself, however, with the idea that
your father and mother and the rest were faring just as badly as
myself, and I looked forward to the time when the birds would begin to
lay eggs again, when I resolved to hoard up a much larger supply while
they were fresh. But my schemes were all put an end to, for in two
days, after a great deal of noise and flying about in circles, all the
birds, young and old, took wing, and left me without any means of
future subsistence.
"This was a horrid discovery, and I was put to my wits' ends. I
wandered over the guano place, and, after the third day of their
departure, was glad to pick up even a dead bird with which to appease
my hunger. At the same time, I wondered how my former companions got
on, for I considered that they must be as badly off as I was. I watched
them from behind the rocks, but I could perceive no signs of
uneasiness. There was your mother sitting quietly on the level by the
cabin, and your father or the captain talking with her. I perceived,
however, that two of the party were employed fishing off the rocks, and
I wondered where they got their fishing-lines, and at last I concluded
that it was by catching fish that they supported themselves. This,
however, did not help me--I was starving, and starvation will bring
down the pride of any man. On the fifth day, I walked down to the
rocks, to where one of the seamen was fishing, and having greeted him,
I told him that I was starving, and asked for something to eat.
"'I cannot help you,' replied he; 'I have no power to give anything
away; it is more than I dare do. You must apply to Mr Henniker, who is
the governor now. What a foolish fellow you were to mutiny, as you did;
see what it has brought you to.'
"'Why,' replied I, 'if it were not for fishing, you would not be better
off than I am.'
"'Oh yes we should be; but we have to thank him for that--without him,
I grant, we should not have been. We have plenty of provisions,
although we fish to help them out.'
"This puzzled me amazingly, but there was no help for it. I could
starve no longer, so up I went to the level where your father was
standing with the captain, and in a swaggering sort of tone, said that
I had come back, and wanted to join my comrades. The captain looked at
me, and referred me to your father, who said that he would consult with
the rest when they came to dinner, as without their permission he could
do nothing, and then they both turned away. In the meantime I was
ravenous with hunger, and was made more so by perceiving that two large
fish were slowly baking on the embers of the fire, and that your mother
was watching them; however, there was no help for it, and I sat down at
some little distance, anxiously waiting for the return of the rest of
the party, when my fate would be decided. My pride was now brought down
so low that I could have submitted to any terms which might have been
dictated. In about two hours they were all assembled to dinner, and I
remained envying every morsel that they ate, until the repast was
finished; when after some consultation, I was ordered to
approach--which I did--and your father addressed me: 'Jackson, you
deserted us when you might have been very useful, and when our labour
was severe; now that we have worked hard, and made ourselves tolerably
comfortable, you request to join us, and partake with us of the fruits
of our labour and foresight. You have provided nothing, we have--the
consequence is that we are in comparative plenty, while you are
starving. Now I have taken the opinion of my companions, and they are
all agreed, that as you have not assisted when you are wanted, should
we now allow you to join us, you will have to work more than the others
to make up an equivalent. It is therefore proposed that you shall join
us on one condition, which is, that during the year till the birds
again visit the island, it will be your task to go up to the ravine
every day, and procure the firewood which is required. If you choose to
accept these terms, you are permitted to join, always supposing that to
all the other rules and regulations which we have laid down for our
guidance, you will be subject as well as we are. These are our terms,
and you may decide as you think proper.' I hardly need say, that I
gladly accepted them, and was still more glad when the remnants of the
dinner were placed before me; I was nearly choked, I devoured with such
haste until my appetite was appeased.
"When this was done, I thought over the conditions which I had
accepted, and my blood boiled at the idea that I was to be in a manner
the slave to the rest, as I should have to work hard every day. I
forgot that it was but justice, and that I was only earning my share of
the years' provisions, which I had not assisted to collect. My heart
was still more bitter against your father, and I vowed vengeance if
ever I had an opportunity, but there was no help for it. Every day I
went up with a piece of cord and an axe, cut a large faggot of wood,
and brought it down to the cabin. It was hard work, and occupied me
from breakfast to dinner-time, and I had no time to lose if I wanted to
be back for dinner. The captain always examined the faggot, and
ascertained that I had brought down a sufficient supply for the day's
consumption."
Chapter IX
"A year passed away, during which I was thus employed. At last, the
birds made their appearance, and after we had laid up our annual
provision, I was freed from my task, and had only to share the labour
with others. It was now a great source of speculation how long we were
likely to remain on the island; every day did we anxiously look out for
a vessel, but we could see none, or if seen, they were too far off from
the island to permit us to make signals to them. At last we began to
give up all hope, and, as hope was abandoned, a settled gloom was
perceptible on most of our faces. I believe that others would have now
mutinied as well as myself, if they had known what to mutiny about.
Your father and mother were the life and soul of the party, inventing
amusements, or narrating a touching story in the evenings, so as to
beguile the weary time; great respect was paid to your mother, which
she certainly deserved; I seldom approached her; she had taken a
decided dislike to me, arising, I presume, from my behaviour towards
her husband, for now that I was again on a footing with the others, I
was as insolent to him as I dared to be, without incurring the penalty
attached to insubordination, and I opposed him as much as I could in
every proposal that he brought forward--but your father kept his
temper, although I lost mine but too often. The first incident which
occurred of any consequence, was the loss of two of the men, who had,
with your father's permission, taken a week's provisions, with the
intention of making a tour round the island, and ascertaining whether
any valuable information could be brought back; they were the carpenter
and one of the seamen. It appears that during their return, as they
were crossing the highest ridge, they, feeling very thirsty, and not
finding water, attempted to refresh themselves by eating some berries
which they found on a plant. These berries proved to be strong poison,
and they returned very ill--after languishing a few days, they both
died.
"This was an event which roused us up, and broke the monotony of our
life; but it was one which was not very agreeable to dwell upon, and
yet, at the same time, I felt rather pleasure than annoyance at it--I
felt that I was of more consequence, and many other thoughts entered my
mind which I shall not now dwell upon. We buried them in the guano,
under the first high rock, where, indeed, the others were all
subsequently buried. Three more months passed away, when the other
seaman was missing. After a search, his trousers were found at the edge
of the rock. He had evidently been bathing in the sea, for the day on
which he was missed, the water was as smooth as glass. Whether he had
seen something floating, which he wished to bring to land, or whether
he had ventured for his own amusement, for he was an excellent swimmer,
could never be ascertained--any more than whether he had sunk with the
cramp, or had been taken down by a shark. He never appeared again, and
his real fate is a mystery to this day, and must ever remain so. Thus
were we reduced to four men--your father, the captain, the mate, and
me. But you must be tired--I will stop now, and tell you the remainder
some other time."
Although I was not tired, yet, as Jackson appeared to be so, I made no
objection to his proposal, and we both went to sleep.
While I had read the Bible to Jackson, I had often been puzzled by
numbers being mentioned, and never could understand what was meant,
that is, I could form no of the quantity represented by seventy or
sixty, or whatever it might be. Jackson's answer was, "Oh! it means a
great many; I'll explain to you bye-and-bye, but we have nothing to
count with, and as I am blind, I must have something in my hand to
teach you." I recollected that at the bathing pool there were a great
many small shells on the rocks, about the size of a pea; there were
live fish in them, and they appeared to crawl on the rocks. I collected
a great quantity of these, and brought them up to the cabin, and
requested Jackson would teach me to count. This he did, until he came
to a thousand, which he said was sufficient. For many days I continued
to count up to a hundred, until I was quite perfect, and then Jackson
taught me addition and subtraction to a certain degree, by making me
add and take away from the shells, and count the accumulation, or the
remainder. At last, I could remember what I had gained by manipulation,
if I may use the term, but further, I could not go, although addition
had, to a degree, made me master of multiplication, and subtraction
gave me a good idea of division.
This was a new delight to me, and occupied me for three or four weeks.
At last I had, as I thought, learned all that he could teach me in his
blind state, and I threw away the shells, and sighed for something more.
Of a sudden it occurred to me, that I had never looked into the book
which still lay upon the shelf in the cabin, and I saw no reason now
that I should not; so I mentioned it to Jackson, and asked him why I
might not have that book?
"To be sure you may," replied he; "but you never asked for it, and I
quite forgot it."
"But when I asked you before, you were so particular that I should not
open it. What was your reason then?"
Jackson replied--"I had no reason except that I then disliked you, and
I thought that looking into the book would give you pleasure. It
belonged to that poor fellow that was drowned; he had left it in the
stern-sheets of the boat when we were at Valdivia, and had forgotten
it, and we found it there when we landed on the island. Take it down,
it will amuse you."
I took down the book, and opened it. It was, if I recollect right,
called "Mavor's Natural History." At all events, it was a Natural
History of Beasts and Birds, with a plate representing each, and a
description annexed. It would be impossible for me to convey to the
reader my astonishment and delight. I had never seen a picture or
drawing in my life. I did not know that such things existed. I was in
an ecstasy of delight as I turned over the pages, hardly taking
sufficient time to see one object before I hastened on to another. For
two or three hours did I thus turn over leaves, without settling upon
any one animal; at last my pulse beat more regularly, and I commenced
with the Lion. But now what a source of amusement, and what a multitude
of questions had to be answered by my companion. He had to tell me all
about the countries in which the animals were found; and the
description of the animals, with the anecdotes, were a source of much
conversation; and, what was more, the foregrounds and backgrounds of
the landscapes with which the animals were surrounded produced new
ideas. There was a palm-tree, which I explained to Jackson, and
inquired about it. This led to more inquiries. The lion himself
occupied him and me for a whole afternoon, and it was getting dark when
I lay down, with my new treasure by my side. I had read of the lion in
the Scriptures, and now I recalled all the passages; and before I slept
I thought of the bear which destroyed the children who had mocked
Elisha the prophet, and I determined that the first animal I would read
about the next morning should be the bear.
I think that this book lasted me nearly two months, during which time,
except reading a portion every night and morning to Jackson, the Bible
and Prayer-book were neglected. Sometimes I thought that the book could
not be true; but when I came to the birds, I found those which
frequented the island so correctly described, that I had no longer any
doubt on the subject. Perhaps what interested me most were the plates
in which the barn-door fowls and the peacock were described, as in the
background of the first were a cottage and figures, representing the
rural scenery of England, my own country; and in the second there was a
splendid mansion, and a carriage and four horses driving up to the
door. In short, it is impossible to convey to the reader the new ideas
which I received from these slight efforts of the draftsman to give
effect to his drawing. The engraving was also a matter of much wonder,
and required a great deal of explanation from Jackson. This book became
my treasure, and it was not till I had read it through and through, so
as almost to know it by heart, that at length I returned to my Bible.
All this time I had never asked Jackson to go on with his narrative;
but now that my curiosity was appeased, I made the request. He
appeared, as before, very unwilling; but I was pertinacious, and he was
worried into it.
"There were but four of us left and your mother, and the mate was in a
very bad state of health; he fretted very much, poor fellow, for he had
left a young wife in England, and what he appeared to fear most was,
that she would be married again before he could get home. It ended in a
confirmed liver complaint, which carried him off nine months
afterwards; and thus was one more of our companions disposed of. He
died very quietly, and gave me his sleeve-buttons and watch to deliver
to his wife, if ever I should escape from the island. I fear there is
little chance of her ever receiving them."
"Where are they?" said I, recollecting how I had seen him lift up the
board under his bed-place.
"I have them safe," replied Jackson, "and if necessary, will tell you
where to find them."
This reply satisfied me, and I allowed him to proceed.
"We buried him in the guano, by the side of the two others, and now we
were but three. It was at this time that your mother was confined and
you were born; that is about three months after the death of the mate.
We had just finished laying in our stock of birds for the year when she
was taken ill, sooner than was expected, and it was supposed that it
was occasioned by over-exertion at the time. However, she got up very
well without any medical assistance, and your father was much pleased
at having a son, for he had been married five years without any
prospect of a family. I ought to observe that the loss of our
companions, one after another, had had the effect of bringing those
that remained much closer together; I was treated with more kindness by
both your father and mother, and the captain, and I returned it as well
as my feelings would permit me, for I could not altogether get rid of
my animosity to your father. However, we became much more confidential,
that is certain, and I was now treated as an equal.
"Six months passed away and you had become a thriving child, when a
melancholy occurrence"--here Jackson covered up his face with his hands
and remained for some time silent.
"Go on," said I, "Jackson, I know that they all died somehow or
another."
"Very true," replied he, recovering himself. "Well, your father
disappeared. He had gone to the rocks to fish, and when I was sent to
bring him home to dinner, he was nowhere to be found. It was supposed
that a larger fish than usual had been fast to his line, and that he
had been jerked off the rocks into the water and the sharks had taken
him. It was a dreadful affair," continued Jackson, again covering his
face.
"I think," replied I, "that any man in his senses would have allowed
the fish to have taken the line rather than have been dragged into the
water. I don't think that the supposed manner of his death is at all
satisfactory."
"Perhaps not," replied Jackson; "his foot may have slipped, who knows?
we only could guess; the line was gone as well as he, which made us
think what I said. Still we searched everywhere, but without hope; and
our search--that is the captain's and mine, for your poor mother
remained with you in her arms distracted--was the cause of another
disaster--no less than the death of the captain. They say misfortunes
never come single, and surely this was an instance of the truth of the
proverb."
"How did he die?" replied I, gravely, for somehow or other I felt
doubts as to the truth of what he was saying. Jackson did not reply
till after a pause, when he said--
"He was out with me up the ravine collecting firewood, and he fell over
the high cliff. He was so injured that he died in half an hour."
"What did you do?"
"What did I do--what could I do but go back and break the news to your
mother, who was distracted when she heard it; for the captain was her
friend, and she could not bear me."
"Well go on, pray," said I.
"I did all that I could to make your mother comfortable, as there now
were but her, you, and I, left on the island. You were then about three
years old; but your mother always hated me, and appeared now to hate me
more and more. She never recovered the loss of your father to whom she
was devotedly attached; she pined away, and after six months she died,
leaving you and me only on the island. Now you know the whole history,
and pray do not ask me any more about it."
Chapter X
Jackson threw himself back in his bed-place and was silent. So was I,
for I was recalling all that he had told me, and my doubts were raised
as to the truth of it. I did not like his hurrying over the latter
portion of his narrative in the way which he had done. What he had said
about my mother was not satisfactory. I had for some time been
gradually drawing towards him, not only shewing, but feeling, for him a
great increase of goodwill; but suspicion had entered my mind, and I
now began to feel my former animosity towards him renewed. A night's
sleep, however, and more reflection, induced me to think that possibly
I was judging him too harshly, and as I could not afford to quarrel
with him, our intercourse remained as amicable as before, particularly
as he became more and more amiable towards me and did everything in his
power to interest and amuse me.
I was one day reading to him the account of a monkey given in the book
of Natural History, in which it is said that that animal is fond of
spirits and will intoxicate itself, and Jackson was telling me many
anecdotes of monkeys on board of the vessel he had sailed in, when it
occurred to me that I had never thought of mentioning to him or of
ascertaining the contents of the cask which had been thrown into the
bathing-pool with the seaman's chest, and I did so then to Jackson,
wondering at its contents and how they were to be got at.
Jackson entered into the question warmly, explaining to me how and
where to bore holes with a gimlet, and making two spiles for me to stop
the holes with. As soon as he had done so, curiosity induced me to go
down to the pool where the cask had been lying so long, in about a
foot-and-half water. By Jackson's directions I took a pannikin with me,
that I might bring him a specimen of the contents of the cask, if they
should prove not to be water. I soon bored the hole above and below,
following Jackson's directions, and the liquor, which poured out in a
small stream into the pannikin, was of a brown colour and very strong
in odour, so strong, indeed, as to make me reel as I walked back to the
rocks with the pannikin full of it. I then sat down, and after a time
tasted it. I thought I had swallowed fire, for I had taken a good
mouthful of it. "This cannot be what Jackson called spirits," said I.
"No one can drink this--what can it be?" Although I had not swallowed
more than a table-spoonful of it, yet, combined with the fumes of the
liquor which I had inhaled when drawing it off into the pannikin, the
effect was to make my head swim, and I lay down on the rock and shut my
eyes to recover myself. It ended in my falling asleep for many hours,
for it was not much after noon when I went to the cask, and it was near
sunset when I awoke, with an intense pain in my head. It was some time
before I could recollect where I was, or what had passed, but the
pannikin full of liquor by my side first reminded me; and then
perceiving how late it was, and how long I must have slept, I rose up,
and taking the pannikin in my hand, I hastened to return to the cabin.
As I approached, I heard the voice of Jackson, whose hearing, since his
blindness, I had observed, had become peculiarly acute.
"Is that you, Frank?"
"Yes," replied I.
"And what has kept you so long--how you have frightened me. God forgive
me, but I thought that I was to be left and abandoned to starvation."
"Why should you have thought that?" replied I.
"Because I thought that some way or another you must have been killed,
and then I must have died, of course. I never was so frightened in my
life, the idea of dying here all alone--it was terrible."
It occurred to me at the time that the alarm was all for himself, for
he did not say a word about how sorry he should have been at any
accident happening to me, but I made no remark, simply stating what had
occurred, and my conviction that the contents of the cask were not
drinkable.
"Have you brought any with you?" inquired he, sharply.
"Yes, here it is," said I, giving him the pannikin.
He smelt it, and raised it to his lips--took about a wine-glassful of
it, and then drew his breath.
"This is delightful," said he; "the best of old rum, I never tasted so
good. How big did you say that the cask was?"
I described it as well as I could.
"Indeed, then it must be a whole puncheon--that will last a long while."
"But do you mean to say that you really like to drink that stuff?"
inquired I.
"Do I like to drink it? yes, it is good for men, but it's death to
little boys. It will kill you. Don't you get fond of it. Now promise me
that you will never drink a drop of it. You must not get fond of it, or
some sad accident will happen to you."
"I don't think you need fear my drinking it," replied I. "I have had
one taste, as I told you, and it nearly burnt my mouth. I shan't touch
it again."
"That's right," replied Jackson, taking another quantity into his
mouth. "You are not old enough for it; bye-and-bye, when you are as old
as I am, you may drink it, then it will do you good. Now, I'll go to
bed, it's time for bed. Bring the pannikin after me and put it by my
side. Take care you don't spill any of it."
Jackson crawled to his bed, and I followed him with the pannikin, and
put it by his side, as he requested, and I returned to my own
resting-place, without however having the least inclination to sleep,
having slept so long during the day.
At first Jackson was quiet, but I heard him occasionally applying to
the pannikin, which held, I should say, about three half-pints of
liquor. At last he commenced singing a sea song; I was much surprised,
as I had never heard him sing before; but I was also much pleased, as
it was the first time that I had ever heard anything like melody, for
he had a good voice and sang in good tune. As soon as he had finished,
I begged him to go on.
"Ah!" replied he, with a gay tone I had never heard from him before.
"You like songs, do you? my little chap. Well, I'll give you plenty of
them. 'Tis a long while since I have sung, but it's a 'poor heart that
never rejoiceth.' The time was when no one in company could sing a song
as I could, and so I can again, now that I have something to cheer my
heart. Yes, here's another for you. I shall rouse them all out
by-and-bye, as I get the grog in--no fear of that--you find the stuff,
and I'll find songs."
I was surprised at first at this unusual mirth; but recollecting what
Jackson had told me about his intemperance, I presumed that this mirth
which it produced was the cause why he indulged so much in it; and I
felt less inclined to blame him. At all events, I was much pleased with
the songs that he sang to me one after another for three or four hours,
when his voice became thick, and, after some muttering and swearing, he
was quite silent, and soon afterwards snored loudly. I remained awake
some time longer, and then I also sank into forgetfulness.
When I awoke the next morning, I found Jackson still fast asleep. I
waited for him for our morning meal; but, as he did not wake, I took
mine by myself, and then I walked out to the rock, where I usually sat,
and looked round the horizon to see if there was anything in sight. The
spy-glass, from having been in sea water, was of no use, and I did not
know what to do with it; nor could Jackson instruct me. After I had
been out about an hour I returned, and found Jackson still snoring, and
I determined to wake him up. I pushed him for some time without
success; but, at last he opened his eyes, and said:
"My watch already?"
"No," said I; "but you have slept so long, that I have waked you up."
He paused, as if he did not know my voice, and then said:
"But I can't see anything; how's this?"
"Why, don't you know that you're blind, Jackson?" replied I, with
amazement.
"Yes, yes; I recollect now. Is there anything in the pannikin?"
"Not a drop," replied I; "why, you must have drunk it all."
"Yes, I recollect now. Get me some water, my good boy; for I am dying
with thirst."
I went for the water; he drank the whole pannikin, and asked for more.
"Won't you have something to eat?" said I.
"Eat? oh no; I can't eat anything. Give me drink;" and he held out his
hand for the pannikin. I perceived how it trembled and shook, and I
observed it to him.
"Yes," replied he, "that's always the case after a carouse, and I had a
good one last night--the first for many a year. But there's plenty more
of it. I wish you would get me a little more now, Frank, just to steady
me; just about two or three mouthfuls, no more; that is, no more till
night-time. Did I make much noise last night?"
"You sang several songs," replied I, "with which I was much amused."
"I'm glad that you liked them. I used to be considered a good singer in
my day; indeed, if I had not been such good company, as they term it, I
had not become so fond of drinking. Just go and fetch me about half an
inch high of the pannikin, my good fellow, that's all I want now."
I went down to the cask, drew of the quantity that he requested, and
brought it to him. He drank it off; and, in a few moments, appeared to
be quite himself again. He then asked for something to eat, and
commenced telling me a variety of stories relative to what he termed
jolly parties in his former days; so that the day passed very
agreeably. As the night closed in, he said:
"Now, Frank, I know you want to hear some more songs; so go down and
bring me up a full pannikin, and I will sing you plenty."
I complied with his request, for I was anxious to be again amused as I
was the night before. The consequence was that this night was, in the
early portion of it, but a repetition of the previous one. Jackson took
the precaution to get into his bed-place before he commenced drinking;
and, as soon as he had taken his second dose, he asked me what sort of
songs I liked. My reply naturally was, that I had never heard any one
sing but him, and therefore could not say.
"What did I sing to you last night?" said he.
I replied as well as I could.
"Ah," said he, "they were all sea songs; but now I will give you
something better."
After a little thought, he commenced singing a very beautiful and
plaintive one, and certainly much better than he had sung the night
before; for he now was sober. The consequence was, that I was still
more delighted; and, at my request, he sang several others; but at last
his speech became rapid and thick, and he would not sing any more,
using some very coarse expressions to me when I asked him. For a time
he was silent, and I thought that he was going to sleep, and I was
reflecting upon the various effects which the liquor appeared to have
upon him, when I heard him talking and muttering, and I listened.
"Never mind how I got them," said he; "quite as honestly as other
people, Old Moshes. There they are, do you choose to buy them?" Then
there was a pause, after which he commenced: "They're as pure diamonds
as ever came out of a mine. I know that, so none of your lies, you old
Jew. Where did I come by them? that's no concern of yours. The question
is, will you give me the price, or will you not? Well, then, I'm off.
No, I won't come back, you old thief." Here he swore terribly, and then
was silent.
After a while he recommenced--
"Who can ever prove that they were Henniker's diamonds?"
I started up at the mention of my father's name; I rested with my hands
on the floor of the cabin, breathless as to what would come next.
"No, no," continued Jackson, "he's dead, and food for fishes--dead men
tell no tales--and she's dead, and the captain's dead, all dead--yes,
all;" and he gave a bitter groan and was silent.
The day was breaking, and I could just see him as he lay; but he said
no more, and appeared to breathe heavily. As the sun rose, I got out of
my bed-place; and, now that it was broad daylight, I looked at Jackson.
He was lying on his back; his brow was covered with large drops of
perspiration, and his hands were clenched together. Although asleep, he
appeared, by the convulsive twitching of the muscles of his face, to be
suffering and in great agony. Occasionally he groaned deeply, and his
lips appeared to move, but no sound proceeded from them. I perceived
that the pannikin of liquor was not finished, one-third at least having
been left.
Chapter XI
I then went out of the cabin and took my usual seat, and began to
reflect upon what I had heard. He had talked about diamonds; now I knew
what diamonds were, so far as they were of great value, for I had read
of them in the Bible, and Jackson had explained the value of precious
stones to me, and had told me of diamonds of very great value indeed.
Then he said that they were Henniker's diamonds--he must have meant my
father, that was positive. And that no one could prove they were
his--this implied that Jackson had no right to them; indeed how could
he have? And then I recalled to mind his having a secret hiding place
under his bed, where I presumed the diamonds were deposited. I then
turned over in my mind what he had told me relative to the death of my
father, the captain, and my mother, how confused he was, and how glad
he was to get rid of the subject, and how unsatisfactory I thought his
account was at the time. After much cogitation, I made up my mind that
Jackson had not told me the truth, and that there was a mystery yet to
be explained; but how was I to get at it? There was but one way. The
liquor made him talk. I would supply him with liquor, and by degrees I
would get the truth out of him. At the same time I would not allow him
to suppose that he had said anything to commit himself, or that I had
any suspicions.
How naturally do we fall into treachery and deceit, from the evil in
our own hearts, without any assistance or example from the world. How
could I have learnt deceit? Isolated as I had been, must it not have
been innate?
I returned to the cabin, and woke Jackson without much difficulty,
since he had not drunk so much as on the previous night.
"How are you this morning?" said I.
"Not very well; I have had some bad dreams."
"Well you sang me some beautiful songs," replied I.
"Yes, I recollect," said he; "but I fell asleep at last."
"Yes, you refused to sing any more, and went off in a loud snore."
Jackson got out of his bed-place, and I gave him his meal. We talked
during the whole day about singing, and I hummed the air which had
pleased me most.
"You have got the air pretty correct," said he; "you must have an ear
for music. Have you ever tried to sing?"
"No, never; you know I have not."
"You might have tried when I was not with you. Try now. I will sing a
tune, and then do you repeat it after me."
He did so, and I repeated it.
"Very good," said he. "Let's try the compass of your voice."
He ran up the gamut, and I followed him.
"I think you can go higher than I can," said he, "however you go quite
high enough, so now I'll give you a singing lesson."
Thus were we occupied at intervals during the whole day, for Jackson
would not allow me to try my voice too much at first. As the evening
fell, he again asked me to fetch some liquor, and as I had three quart
wine bottles, as I before mentioned, which I had found in the chest, I
took them down to fill, as it would save me many trips, and be more
convenient in every respect.
I brought them up full, and Jackson stopped them up with some of the
rags which I had torn to bind round his wrist, and put them all three
in his bed-place.
"That will be a much better arrangement," said he, "as now I can pour
out the liquor into the pannikin as I want it; besides, I mean to take
a little water with it in future. It's not quite so good with water,
but it lasts longer, and one don't go to sleep so soon. Well, I little
thought that I should have such a comfort sent me after all my
sufferings. I don't so much care now about staying here. Go and fetch
some water in the pannikin."
That night was a repetition of the first. Jackson sang till he was
intoxicated, and then fell fast asleep, not talking or saying a word,
and I was disappointed, for I remained awake to catch anything he might
say. It would be tedious to repeat what took place for about a
month;--suffice it to say it was very rarely, during that time, that
Jackson said anything in his sleep, or drunken state, and what he did
say I could make nothing of. He continued, in the daytime, to give me
lessons in singing, and I could now sing several songs very correctly.
At night, he returned to his usual habit, and was more or less
intoxicated before the night was over. I perceived, however, that this
excess had a great effect upon his constitution, and that he had become
very pale and haggard. Impatient as I felt to find out the truth, I
concealed my feelings towards him (which had certainly very much
changed again since the discovery I had made and the suspicions I had
formed) and I remained on the best of terms with him, resolving to wait
patiently. He had spoken once, and therefore I argued that he would
speak again, nor was I wrong in my calculations.
One night, after he had finished his usual allowance of liquor, and had
composed himself for sleep, I observed that he was unusually restless,
changing his position in his bed-place every few minutes, and, at last,
he muttered, "Captain James. Well, what of Captain James, eh?"
A thought struck me that he might reply to a question.
"How did he die?" said I, in a low clear voice.
"Die?" replied Jackson, "he fell down the cliff. Yes, he did. You can't
say I killed him. No--never put my finger on him."
After that, he was silent for some time, and then he recommenced.
"She always said that I destroyed them both, but I did not--only
one--yes, one, I grant--but I hated him--no, not for his diamonds--no,
no--if you said his wife indeed--love and hate."
"Then you killed him for love of his wife, and hate of himself?"
"Yes, I did. Who are you that have guessed that? Who are you? I'll have
your life."
As he said this, he started up in his bed-place, awakened by his dream,
and probably by my voice, which he had replied to.
"Who spoke?" said he. "Frank Henniker, did you speak?"
I made no reply, but pretended to be sound asleep, as he still sat up,
as if watching me. I feigned a snore.
"It could not have been him," muttered Jackson, "he's quite fast.
Mercy, what a dream!"
He then sank down in his bed-place, and I heard the gurgling noise
which told me that he had put the bottle of liquor to his mouth, and
was drinking out of it. From the time that the gurgling lasted, he must
have taken a great deal. At last, all was quiet again.
"So I have discovered it at last," said I, as my blood boiled at what I
had heard. "He did murder my father. Shall I kill him while he sleeps?"
was the first thought that came into my troubled mind. "No, I won't do
that. What then, shall I tax him with it when he is awake, and then
kill him?" but I thought, that, as he was blind, and unable to defend
himself, it would be cowardly, and I could not do that. What then was I
to do? and as I cooled down, I thought of the words of the Bible, that
we were to return good for evil; for Jackson, of whom, when I read it,
I asked why we were told to do so, had explained it to me, and
afterwards when I came to the part which said, "Vengeance is mine,
saith the Lord," he had told me that there was punishment for the
wicked hereafter, and that was the reason why we were not to obey the
Jewish law of "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," which I had
referred to. This portion of the Bible he had well explained, and
certain it is that it prevented my raising my hand against him that
night. Still, I remained in a state of great excitement; I felt that it
would be impossible for me to be any longer on good terms with him, and
I revolved the question in my mind, till at last, worn out by
excitement, I fell fast asleep.
A short time before daylight, I started up at what I thought was a
faint cry, but I listened, and hearing nothing more, I again fell
asleep, and it was broad daylight when I arose; my first thoughts were
naturally of Jackson, and I looked at where he lay, but he was no
longer there--his bed-place was empty. I was astonished, and after a
moment's thought, I recollected the cry I had heard in the night, and I
ran out of the cabin and looked around me, but I could see nothing of
him. I then went to the edge of the flat rock upon which the cabin was
built and looked over it; it was about thirty feet from this rock to
the one below, and nearly perpendicular. I thought that he must have
gone out in the night, when intoxicated with liquor, and have fallen
down the precipice; but I did not see him as I peered over. "He must
have gone for water," thought I, and I ran to the corner of the rock,
where the precipice was much deeper, and looking over, I perceived him
lying down below without motion or apparent life. I had, then, judged
rightly. I sat down by the side of the pool of water quite overpowered;
last night I had been planning how I should destroy him, and now he lay
dead before me without my being guilty of the crime. "Vengeance is
mine, saith the Lord," were the words that first escaped my lips; and I
remained many minutes in deep thought. At last it occurred to me that
he might not yet be dead; I ran down the cliff, and, clambering over
the rocks, arrived breathless at the spot where Jackson lay. He groaned
heavily as I stood by him.
"Jackson," said I, kneeling down by him, "are you much hurt?" for all
my feelings of animosity had vanished when I perceived his unhappy
condition. His lips moved, but he did not utter any sound. At last he
said, in a low voice, "Water." I hastened back as fast as I could to
the cabin, got a pannikin half full of water, and poured a little rum
in it out of the bottle. This journey and my return to him occupied
some ten minutes. I put it to his lips, and he seemed to revive. He was
a dreadful object to look at. The blood from a cut on his head had
poured over his face and beard, which were clotted with gore. How to
remove him to the cabin I knew not. It would be hardly possible for me
to carry him over the broken rocks which I had climbed to arrive at
where he lay; and there was no other way but what was longer, and just
as difficult. By degrees he appeared to recover; I gave him more of the
contents of the pannikin, and at last he could speak, although with
great pain and difficulty. As he did so he put his hand to his side. He
was indeed a ghastly object, with his sightless eyeballs, his livid
lips, and his face and beard matted with blood.
"Do you think you could get to the cabin, if I helped you?" said I.
"I shall never get there--let me die where I am," said he.
"But the cut on your head is not very deep," replied I.
"No, I don't feel it;--but--my side--I bleed inwardly--I am--broken to
pieces," said he, pausing and gasping between each word.
I looked at his side, and perceived that it was already black and much
swollen. I offered him more drink, which he took eagerly, and I then
returned for a further supply. I filled two of the wine-bottles with
water and a small drop of spirits as before, and went back to where he
lay. I found him more recovered, and I had hopes that he might still do
well, and I told him so.
"No, no," replied he; "I have but a few hours to live--I feel that. Let
me die here, and die in peace."
He then sank into a sort of stupor, occasioned, I presume, by what I
had given him to drink, and remained quite quiet, and breathing
heavily. I sat by him waiting till he should rouse up again; for more
than an hour I was in a very confused state of mind, as may well be
imagined, after what had passed in the night.
Chapter XII
What I most thought of was obtaining from him, now that he was dying,
the full truth as to the deaths of my father and mother.
Jackson remained so long in this state of stupor, I feared that he
would die before I could interrogate him; but this, as it proved, was
not to be the case. I waited another hour, very impatiently I must
acknowledge, and then I went to him and asked him how he felt. He
replied immediately, and without that difficulty which he appeared
before to have experienced.
"I am better now--the inward bleeding has stopped; but still I cannot
live--my side is broken in, I do not think there is a rib that is not
fractured into pieces, and my spine is injured, for I cannot move or
feel my legs; but I may live many hours yet, and I thank God for His
mercy in allowing me so much time--short indeed to make reparation for
so bad a life, but still nothing is impossible with God."
"Well, then," replied I, "if you can speak, I wish you would tell me
the truth relative to my father's death, and also about the death of
others; as for my father I know that you murdered him--for you said so
last night in your sleep."
After a pause, Jackson replied--"I am glad that I did, and that you
have told me so--I wished to make a full confession even to you, for
confession is a proof of repentance. I know that you must hate me, and
will hate my memory, and I cannot be surprised at it; but look at me
now, Frank, and ask your own heart whether I am not more an object of
pity than of hatred. 'Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord!' and has not
His vengeance fallen upon me even in this world? Look at me; here I am,
separated from the world that I loved so much, with no chance of ever
joining it--possessed of wealth which would but a few months ago have
made me happy--now blind, crushed to pieces by an avenging God, in
whose presence I must shortly appear to answer for all my
wickedness--all my expectations overthrown, all my hopes destroyed, and
all my accumulated sins procuring me nothing, but, it may be, eternal
condemnation. I ask you again, am I not an object of pity and
commiseration?"
I could but assent to this, and he proceeded.
"I will now tell you the truth. I did tell the truth up to the time of
your father and mother's embarkation on board of the brig, up to when
the gale of wind came on which occasioned eventually the loss of the
ship. Now give me a little drink.
"The vessel was so tossed by the storm, and the waves broke over her so
continually, that the between-decks were full of water, and as the
hatches were kept down, the heat was most oppressive. When it was not
my watch I remained below, and looked out for another berth to sleep
in. Before the cabin bulkheads on the starboard side, the captain had
fitted up a sort of sail-room to contain the spare sails in case we
should require them. It was about eight feet square, and the sails were
piled up in it, so as to reach within two feet of the deck overhead;
though the lower ones were wetted with the water, above they were dry,
and I took this berth on the top of the sails as my sleeping place. Now
the state-room in which your father and mother slept was on the other
side of the cabin bulkhead, and the straining and rolling of the vessel
had opened the chinks between the planks, so that I could see a great
deal of what was done in the state-room, and could hear every word
almost that was spoken by them. I was not aware of this when I selected
this place as my berth, but I found it out on the first night, the
light of the candle shining through the chinks into the darkness by
which I was surrounded outside. Of course, it is when a man is alone
with his wife that he talks on confidential subjects; that I knew well,
and hoped by listening to be able to make some discovery;--what, I had
no idea of; but, with the bad feelings which stimulated me, I
determined not to lose an opportunity. It was not till about a week
after I had selected this berth, that I made any discovery. I had had
the watch from six to eight o'clock, and had gone to bed early. About
nine o'clock your father came into the state-room. Your mother was
already in bed. As your father undressed, your mother said, 'Does not
that belt worry you a great deal, my dear?'
"'No,' replied your father, 'I am used to it now; it did when I first
put it on, but now I have had it on four days, I do not feel it. I
shall keep it on as long as this weather lasts; there is no saying what
may happen, and it will not do to be looking for the belt at a moment's
warning.'
"'Do you think then that we are in danger?'
"'No, not particularly so, but the storm is very fierce, and the vessel
is old and weak. We may have fine weather in a day or two, or we may
not; at all events, when property of value is at stake, and that
property not my own, I should feel myself very culpable, if I did not
take every precaution.'
"'Well--I wish we were safe home again, my dear, and that my father had
his diamonds, but we are in the hands of God.'
"'Yes, I must trust to Him,' replied your father.
"This circumstance induced me to look through one of the chinks of the
bulkhead, so that I could see your father, and I perceived that he was
unbuckling a belt which was round his body, and which no doubt
contained the diamonds referred to. It was of soft leather, and about
eight inches wide, sewed lengthways and breadthways in small squares,
in which I presumed the diamonds were deposited. After a time your
mother spoke again.
"'I really think, Henniker, that I ought to wear the belt.'
"'Why so, my dear?'
"'Because it might be the means of my preservation in case of accident.
Suppose now, we were obliged to abandon the vessel and take to the
boats; a husband, in his hurry, might forget his wife, but he would not
forget his diamonds. If I wore the belt, you would be certain to put me
in the boat.'
"'That observation of yours would have force with some husbands, and
some wives,' retorted your father; 'but as I have a firm belief in the
Scriptures, it does not affect me. What do the Proverbs say? "The price
of a virtuous woman is far above rubies;" and a good ruby is worth even
more in the market than a diamond of the same size.'
"'Well, I must comfort myself with that idea,' replied your mother,
laughing.
"'Supposing we be thrown upon some out-of-the-way place,' said your
father, 'I shall then commit the belt to your charge. It might soon be
discovered on my person, whereas, on yours, it would stand every chance
of being long concealed. I say this because, even in a desert, it would
be dangerous to have it known by unscrupulous and unprincipled men that
anyone had so much wealth about him.'
"'Well,' replied your mother, 'that is also comfortable for me to hear,
for you will not leave me behind, because I shall be necessary to
conceal your treasure.'
"'Yes,' replied your father, laughing, 'there is another chance for
you, you see.'
"Your father then extinguished the light, and the conversation was not
renewed; but I had heard enough. Your father carried a great treasure
about his person--wealth, I took it for granted, that if I once could
obtain, and return to England, would save me from my present position.
My avarice was hereby excited, and thus another passion equally
powerful, and equally inciting to evil deeds, was added to the hate
which I already had imbibed for your father. But I must leave off now."
Jackson drank a little more, and then remained quiet, and as I had had
no food that day, I took the opportunity of returning to the cabin,
with the promise that I would be back very soon. In half an hour I
returned, bringing with me the Bible and Prayer-book, as I thought that
he would ask me to read to him after he had made his confession. I
found him breathing heavily, and apparently asleep, so I did not wake
him. As I looked at him, and recalled to mind his words, "Am not I an
object of pity?" I confessed that he was, and then I asked myself the
question, Can you forgive him who was the murderer of your father?
After some reflection, I thought that I could. Was he not already
punished? Had not the murder been already avenged? It was not possible
to retain animosity against one so stricken, so broken to pieces, and
my heart smote me when I looked at his disabled hand, and felt that I,
boy as I was, had had a share in his marring. At last he spoke.
"Are you there, Frank?"
"Yes," replied I.
"I have had a little sleep," said he.
"Do you feel easier?" inquired I kindly.
"Yes, I feel my side more numbed, and so it will remain till
mortification takes place. But let me finish my confession; I wish to
relieve my mind, not that I shall die to-night, or perhaps to-morrow,
but still I wish it over. Come nearer to me, that I may speak in a
lower voice, and then I shall be able to speak longer."
I did so, and he proceeded.
"You know how we were cast upon this island, and how I behaved at
first. When I afterwards took my place with the others, my evil
thoughts gradually quitted me, and I gave up all idea of any injury to
your father. But this did not last long. The deaths of so many, and at
last the captain your father and your mother being the only ones left
on the island besides myself, once more excited my cupidity. I thought
again of the belt of diamonds, and by what means I should gain
possession of it; and the devil suggested to me the murders of the
captain and of your father. I had ascertained that your father no
longer carried the belt on his person when we all used to bathe at the
bathing-pool; it was, therefore, as your father had proposed, in your
mother's keeping. Having once made up my mind, I watched every
opportunity to put my intentions into execution. It was the custom for
one of us to fish every morning, as your mother would not eat the dried
birds, if fish could be procured, and I considered that the only chance
I had of executing my horrible wish was when your father went to fish
off the rocks. We usually did so off the ledge of rocks which divide
the bathing-pool from the sea, but I found out another place, where
more fish, and of a better quality, were to be taken, which is off the
high wall of rocks just below. You know where I mean, I have often sent
you to fish there, but I never could go myself since your father's
death. Your father took his lines there, and was hauling in a large
fish, when I, who had concealed myself close to where he stood, watched
the opportunity as he looked over the rock to see if the fish was clear
of the water, to come behind him and throw him off into the sea. He
could not swim, I knew, and after waiting a minute or two, I looked
over and saw his body, just as it sank, after his last struggles. I
then hastened away, and my guilty conscience induced me to ascend the
ravine, and collect a faggot of firewood to bring home, that no
suspicions might be entertained; but my so doing was the very cause of
suspicion, as you will afterwards perceive. I returned with the wood,
and the captain observed, when I came up to the cabin:
"'Why, it's something new for you to collect wood out of your turn,
Jackson. Wonders will never cease.'
"'The fact is, that I am becoming very amiable,' replied I, hardly
knowing what to say, and afraid to look either of them in the face, for
your mother, with you on her lap, was standing close by.
"'Has my husband caught any fish, do you know, Jackson?' said your
mother, 'for it is high time that he came home.'
"'How can I tell?' replied I. 'I have been up the ravine for wood.'
"'But you were down on the rock two hours ago,' replied your mother,
'for Captain James saw you coming away.'
"'That I certainly did,' replied the captain. 'Had he caught any fish
when you were with him?'
"They must have perceived my confusion when I said, 'Yes, I was on the
rocks, but I never went near Henniker, that I'll swear.'
"'You must have been near him, even when I saw you,' replied the
captain.
"'I never looked at him, if I was,' replied I.
"'Well, then, one of us had better go down and see what he is about,'
said the captain. 'Shall I leave Jackson with you?'
"'Yes, yes,' replied your mother, much agitated, 'for I have my
forebodings; better leave him here.'
"The captain hastened down to the rocks, and in a quarter of an hour
returned very much heated, saying, 'He is not there!'
"'Not there?' replied I, getting up, for I had seated myself in silence
on the rock during the captain's absence: 'that's very odd.'
"'It is,' replied the captain. 'Jackson, go and try if you see anything
of him, while I attend to Mrs Henniker.'
"Your mother, on the captain's return, had bowed her head down to her
knees, and covered her face with her hands. I was glad of an excuse to
be away, for my heart smote me as I witnessed her condition.
"I remained away half-an-hour, and then returned, saying that I could
see nothing of your father.
"Your mother was in the cabin, and the captain went in to her, while I
remained outside with all the feelings of Cain upon my brow.
"That was a dreadful day for all parties--no food was taken. Your
mother and the captain remained in the cabin, and I dared not, as
usual, go in to my own bed-place. I lay all night upon the rocks--sleep
I could not; every moment I saw your father's body sinking, as I had
seen it in the morning. The next morning the captain came out to me. He
was very grave and stern, but he could not accuse me, whatever his
suspicions might have been. It was a week before I saw your mother
again, for I dared not intrude into her presence; but, finding there
was no accusation against me, I recovered my spirits, and returned to
the cabin, and things went on as before."
Chapter XIII
"One thing, however, was evident, that your mother had an aversion--I
may say a horror--of me, which she could not conceal. She said nothing,
but she never could look at me; and to any question I put, would seldom
make reply. Strange to say this treatment of hers produced quite a
different effect from what might have been anticipated, and I felt my
former love for her revive. Her shrinking from me made me more familiar
towards her, and increased her disgust. I assumed a jocose air with
her, and at times Captain James considered it his duty to interfere and
check me. He was a very powerful man, and in a contest would have
proved my master; this I knew, and this knowledge compelled me to be
more respectful to your mother in his presence, but when his back was
turned I became so disgustingly familiar, that at last your mother
requested that whether fishing or collecting wood, instead of going out
by turns we should both go, and leave her alone. This I could not well
refuse, as Captain James would in all probability have used force if I
had not consented, but my hatred to him was in consequence most
unbounded. However, an event took place which relieved me from the
subjection which I was under, and left me alone with you and your
mother. Now I must rest a little. Wait another hour, and you shall know
the rest."
It was now late in the evening, but there was a bright moon which shone
over head, and the broad light and shadow made the rocks around us
appear peculiarly wild and rugged. They towered up one above the other
till they met the dark blue of the sky in which the stars twinkled but
faintly, while the moon sailed through the ether, without a cloud to
obscure her radiance. And in this majestic scenery were found but two
living beings--a poor boy and a mangled wretch--a murderer--soon to
breathe his last, and be summoned before an offended God. As I remained
motionless by his side, I felt, as I looked up, a sensation of awe, but
not of fear; I thought to myself--"And God made all this and all the
world besides, and me and him. The Bible said so:" and my speculation
then was as to what God must be, for although I had read the Bible, I
had but a confused idea, and had it been asked me, as it was of the man
in the chariot by Philip, "Understandest thou what thou readest?" I
most certainly should have answered, No. I remained for nearly two
hours in this reverie, and at last fell asleep with my back against the
rock. I was, however, wakened up by Jackson's voice, when he asked in a
low tone for water.
"There it is," said I, handing it to him. "Have you called long?"
"No," replied he; "I asked but once."
"I have been asleep," said I.
As soon as he had drunk, he said--
"I will finish now; my side begins to burn."
He then proceeded--
"It was about four months after your father's death that Captain James
and I went together to the ravine to collect firewood. We passed under
the wall of rock, which you know so well, and went through the gap, as
we call it, when Captain James left the water-course and walked along
the edge of the wall. I followed him; we both of us had our pieces of
rope in our hands with which we tied the faggots. Of a sudden his foot
slipped, and he rolled down to the edge of the rock, but catching hold
of a small bush which had fixed its roots in the rocks, he saved
himself when his body was hanging half over the precipice.
"'Give me the end of your rope,' said he to me, perfectly collected,
although in such danger.
"'Yes,' replied I, and I intended so to do, as I perceived that if I
refused he could still have saved himself by the bush to which he clung.
"But the bush began to loosen and give way, and Captain James
perceiving it cried out--
"'Quick, quick, the bush is giving way!'
"This assertion of his determined me not to give him the rope. I
pretended to be in a great hurry to do so, but entangled it about my
legs, and then appeared occupied in clearing it, when he cried again--
"'Quick!'--and hardly had he said the word when the root of the bush
snapped, and down he fell below.
"I heard the crash as he came to the rock beneath. See the judgment of
God--am I not now precisely in his position, lying battered and crushed
as he was? After a time I went down to where he lay, and found him
expiring. He had just strength to say 'God forgive you,' and then he
died. It was murder, for I could have saved him and would not, and yet
he prayed to God to forgive me. How much happier should I have felt if
he had not said that. His 'God forgive you' rang in my ears for months
afterwards. I returned to the cabin, and with a bold air stated to your
mother what had happened, for I felt I could say, this time, I did not
do the deed. She burst out into frantic exclamations, accusing me of
being not only his murderer but the murderer of her husband. I tried
all I could do to appease her, but in vain. For many weeks she was in a
state of melancholy and despondency, that made me fear for her life;
but she had you still to bestow her affections upon, and for your sake
she lived. I soon made this discovery. She was now wholly in my power,
but I was awed by her looks even, for a time. At last I became bolder,
and spoke to her of our becoming man and wife; she turned from me with
abhorrence. I then resorted to other means. I prevented her from
obtaining food; she would have starved with pleasure, but she could not
bear to see you suffer. I will not detail my cruelty and barbarity
towards her; suffice to say, it was such that she pined away, and about
six months after the death of the captain she died, exhorting me not to
injure you, but if ever I had an opportunity, to take you to your
grandfather. I could not refuse this demand, made by a woman whom I as
certainly killed by slow means as I had your father by a more sudden
death. I buried her in the guano, by the side of the others. After her
death my life was a torture to me for a long while. I dared not kill
you, but I hated you. I had only one consolation, one hope, which
occasionally gave me satisfaction; the consolation, if so it could be
called, was--that I had possession of the diamonds; the hope--that I
should one day see England again. You see me now--are they not all
avenged?"
I could not but feel the truth of Jackson's last sentence. They were
indeed avenged.
After a short pause, he said to me--
"Now, Frank, I feel that the mortification in my side is making great
progress, and, in a short time I shall be in too great pain to talk to
you. I have made a full confession of my crimes; it is all the
reparation I can make to you. Now, can you forgive me? for I shall die
very miserable if you do not. Just look at me. Can you feel resentment
against one in my wretched state? Recollect that you pray to be
forgiven as you forgive others. Give me your answer."
"I think--yes, I feel that I can forgive you, Jackson," replied I. "I
shall soon be left alone on this island, and I am sure I should be much
more miserable than I shall be, if I do not forgive you. I do forgive
you."
"Thanks; you are a good boy, and may God bless you. Is it not nearly
daylight?"
"Yes, it is. I shall soon be able to read the Bible or Prayer-book to
you. I have them both here."
"The pain is too severe, and becomes worse every minute. I shall not be
able to listen to you now; but I shall have some moments of quiet
before I die; and then--"
Jackson groaned heavily, and ceased speaking.
For many hours he appeared to suffer much agony, which he vented in low
groans; the perspiration hung on his forehead in large beads, and his
breathing became laborious. The sun rose and had nearly set again
before Jackson spoke; at last he asked for some drink.
"It is over now," said he faintly. "The pain is subsiding, and death is
near at hand. You may read to me now; but, first, while I think of it,
let me tell you where you will find your father's property."
"I know," replied I; "in your bed-place under the board. I saw you
remove it when you did not see me."
"True. I have no more to say; it will all be over soon. Read the burial
service over me after I am dead; and now, while still above, read me
what you think I shall like best; for I cannot collect myself
sufficiently to tell you what is most proper. Indeed I hardly know. But
I can pray at times. Read on."
I did so, and came upon the parable of the prodigal son.
"That suits me," said Jackson. "Now let me pray. Pray for me, Frank."
"I don't know how," replied I; "you never taught me."
"Alas, no!"
Jackson was then silent. I saw his pale lips move for some time. I
turned away for a few moments; when I came back to him, he was no more!
His jaw had fallen; and this being the first time that I had ever faced
death, I looked upon the corpse with horror and dismay.
After a few minutes I left the body, and sat down on a rock at some
distance from it, for I was somewhat afraid to be near to it. On this
rock I remained till the sun was sinking below the horizon; when,
alarmed at the idea of being there when it was dark, I took up my books
and hastened back to the cabin. I was giddy from excitement, and not
having tasted food for many hours. As soon as I had eaten, I lay down
in my bed-place, intending to reflect upon what I was to do, now that I
was alone; but I was in a few moments fast asleep, and did not wake
until the sun was high. I arose much refreshed, and, seeing my Bible
and Prayer-book close to my bed-place, I recollected my promise to
Jackson that I would read the burial service over his body. I found the
place in the Prayer-book, for I had read it more than once before; and,
having just looked over it, I went with my book to where the body lay.
It presented a yet more hideous spectacle than it had the night before.
I read the service and closed the book. "What can I do?" thought I. "I
cannot bury him in the guano. It will be impossible to carry the body
over these rocks." Indeed, if it had been possible, I do not think I
could have touched it. I was afraid of it. At last I determined that I
would cover it up with the fragments of rocks which lay about in all
directions, and I did so. This occupied me about two hours, and then,
carrying the bottles with me, I gladly hastened away from the spot,
with a resolution never to revisit it. I felt quite a relief when I was
once more in the cabin. I was alone, it was true, but I was no longer
in contact with the dead. I could not collect my thoughts or analyse my
feelings during the remainder of the day. I sat with my head resting on
my hand, in the attitude of one thinking; but at the same time my mind
was vacant. I once more lay down to sleep, and the following morning I
found myself invigorated, and capable of acting as well as thinking. I
had a weight upon my spirits which I could not at first account for;
but it arose from the feeling that I was now alone, without a soul to
speak to or communicate with; my lips must now be closed till I again
fell in with some of my fellow-creatures--and was that likely? We had
seen some of them perish not far from us, and that was all, during a
period of many years.
Chapter XIV
I was now, by Jackson's account, nearly fourteen years old. During
fourteen years but one vessel had been seen by us. It might be fourteen
more, or double that time might elapse, before I should again fall in
with any of my fellow-creatures. As these thoughts saddened me, I felt
how much I would have sacrificed if Jackson had remained alive, were it
only for his company; I would have forgiven him anything. I even then
felt as if, in the murderer of my father, I had lost a friend.
That day I was so unsettled I could not do anything; I tried to read,
but I could not; I tried to eat, but my appetite was gone, I sat
looking at the ocean as it rolled wave after wave, sometimes wondering
whether it would ever bring a fellow-creature to join me; at others I
sat, and for hours, in perfect vacuity of thought. The evening closed
in; it was dark, and I still remained seated where I was. At last I
returned to my bed, almost brokenhearted; but fortunately I was soon
asleep, and my sorrows were forgotten.
Another morning was gladdened with a brilliant sun, the dark blue ocean
was scarcely ruffled by the breeze that swept over it, and I felt my
spirits much revived, and my appetite returned. After taking a meal, I
remembered what Jackson had told me about the belt with the diamonds,
and I went up to his bed-place, and turning out the bird's skins and
feathers, I raked up the gravel, which was not more than two inches
deep, and came to the board. I lifted it up, and found underneath a
hole, about a foot deep, full of various articles. There were the watch
and sleeve buttons of the mate, some dollars wrapped in old rags, a
tobacco-box, an old pipe, a brooch with hair forming initials, some
letters which were signed J. Evelyn, and which I perceived were from my
grandfather, and probably taken by Jackson after my mother's death. I
say letters, because they were such, as I afterwards found out, but I
had not then ever seen a letter, and my first attempt to decipher
written hand was useless, although I did manage to make out the
signature. There was in the tobacco-box a plain gold wedding-ring,
probably my mother's; and there was also a lock of long dark hair,
which I presumed was hers also. There were three or four specimens of
what I afterwards found out to be gold and silver ores, a silver
pencil-case, and a pair of small gold ear-rings. At the bottom of the
hole was the belt; it was of soft leather, and I could feel a hard
substance in it sewed in every square, which of course I presumed were
the diamonds, but I did not cut one of the divisions open to see what
was in them. It had on the upper part of it, in very plain writing,
"The property of Mr J. Evelyn, 33, Minories, London." I examined all
these articles one after another, and having satisfied my curiosity, I
replaced them in the hole for a future survey. I covered the hole with
the board, and put back the gravel and the feathers into the bed-place.
This occupied me about two hours, and then I again took my former
position on the rocks, and remained in a state of listless inactivity
of body and mind the remainder of that day.
This state of prostration lasted for many days--I may say for weeks,
before it was altogether removed. I could find no pleasure in my books,
which were taken up, and after a few moments laid aside. It was now
within a month of the time that the birds should come to the island. I
was in no want of them for sustenance; there were plenty left, but I
almost loathed the sight of food. The reader may inquire how it was
that I knew the exact time of the arrival of the birds? I reply that
the only reckoning ever kept by Jackson and me was the arrival of the
full moons, and we also made a mark on the rock every time that the
moon was at the full. Thirteen moons were the quantity which we
reckoned from the time of the birds appearing on the island one year,
until their re-appearance the next; and twelve moons had now passed. At
length, tired with everything, tired of myself, and I may say, almost
tired of life, I one day took it into my head that I would take some
provisions with me and a bottle to hold water, and go up the ravine,
and cut firewood which should last me a long while; and that I would
remain up there for several days, for I hated the sight of the cabin
and of all that was near to it. The next day I acted upon this
resolution, and slinging my dry provisions on my shoulder, I set off
for the ravine. In an hour I had gained it; but not being in a hurry to
cut wood, I resolved upon climbing higher up, to see if I could reach
the opposite side of the island; that is, at least, get over the brow
of the hill, to have a good view of it. I continued to climb until I
had gained a smooth grassy spot, which was clear of brushwood; and as I
sat down to rest myself, I observed some blue flowers which I had never
seen before, indeed I did not know that there was a flower on the
island. As I afterwards discovered, they were one of the varieties of
Gentianellas. I looked at them, admired them, and felt quite an
affection for them; they were very pretty, and they were, as well as
myself, alone. Jackson, when I was pointing out the English cottages in
the landscapes of "Mavor's Natural History," had told me a great deal
about gardening in England, and how wild flowers and trees were
transplanted and improved by culture; how roses and other plants were
nailed up the walls, as I had observed in the engravings, and how they
were watered and kept; and as I sat down looking at the flower, the
thought occurred to me, Why should I not take it with me, and keep it
for myself? I can water it, and take care of it. I resolved that I
would do so, for I already looked upon the plant as a treasure. I took
it up carefully with my American knife, leaving sufficient mould about
the roots, and then I proceeded to ascend the hill; but before I had
gone another hundred yards, I found at least a dozen more of these
plants in flower, all finer than the one I had dug up, and three or
four others very different from these, which were also quite new to me.
I was puzzled what to do; I put down the plants I had dug up and
continued my ascent, not having made up my mind. After half-an-hour's
climbing, I gained the summit, and could perceive the ocean on the
other side, and the other half of the island lying beneath me. It was
very grand from the height I stood on, but I observed little difference
between one side of the island and the other; all was rugged barren
rock as on my side, with the exception of the portion close to me; this
had brushwood in the ravine, which appeared to be a sort of cleft
through the island. All was silent and solitary; not a bird was to be
seen, and nothing that had life could I discover. I was about to
return, when I thought I might as well go down the ravine facing me for
a little way, and see what there was in it. I did so, and discovered
some other plants that I had not seen on my side of the island. There
were also some fern trees, and some twining plants running up them, and
I thought to myself, Why, these plants are what I saw in the picture of
the English cottages, or very like them. I wonder if they would run up
my cabin? and then all at once the idea came to me that I would plant
some of them round the cabin, and that I would make a garden of
flowers, and have plants of my own. The reader can hardly imagine the
pleasure that this idea gave me; I sat down to ruminate upon it, and
felt quite happy for the time. I now recollected, however, that the
cabin was built on the rock, and that plants would only grow in the
earth. At first this idea chilled me, as it seemed to destroy all my
schemes, but I resolved that I would bring some earth to the rock, and
make my garden in that way. I at first thought of the guano, but
Jackson had told me that it was only used in small proportions to
enrich the soil, and would kill plants if used by itself. After an
hour's consideration, during which I called to mind all that Jackson
had told me on the subject, I made up my mind I would return to the
cabin, and on my return ascertain how low down the ravine I could
obtain earth for my garden; I would then carry the earth to the cabin,
make a soil ready for the plants and flowers, and then, when all was
ready, I would go up the ravine, collect what I could, and make my
garden. I did so. I found that I could get soil about one-third of the
way up the ravine, a quarter of a mile below where the brushwood grew;
and having ascertained that, I returned to the cabin, threw down my
provisions which were to have lasted me a week, and as it was late, I
decided that I would not commence operations until the following day.
I took out of the chest a duck frock, and tying up the sleeves and
collar, so as to form a bag of the body of the frock, I set off the
next morning to begin my task. That day I contrived to carry to the
cabin ten or twelve bags of mould, which I put round it in a border
about four feet wide, and about a foot deep. It occupied me a whole
week to obtain the quantity of earth necessary to make the bed on each
side of the cabin; it was hard work, but it made me cheerful and happy
to what I had been before. I found that the best cure for melancholy
and solitude was employment, so I thus obtained valuable knowledge as
well as the making of my garden. When I had finished carrying the
mould, I started off for the ravine with two bags to hold the plants
which I might collect, and after a day's toil, I returned with my bags
full of small shrubs, besides a bundle of creepers to plant against the
sides of the cabin. The following day was occupied in planting
everything I had procured. I was sorry to see that the leaves and
flowers hung down, but I watered them all before I went to bed. The
next morning I was delighted to perceive that they had all recovered
and were looking quite fresh. But my garden was not full enough to
please me, and I once more went up the ravine, selecting other plants
which had no flowers on them, and one or two other shrubs, which I had
not before observed. When these were planted and watered, my garden
looked very gay and full of plants, and then I discovered the mould
came down for want of support at the edges; I therefore went and picked
up pieces of rock of sufficient size to make a border and hold up the
mould, and now all was complete, and I had nothing to do but to go on
watering them daily. This I did, and recollecting what Jackson had said
about the guano, I got a bag of it, and put some to each plant. The
good effect of this was soon observable, and before the birds came, my
garden was in a very flourishing condition.
I cannot express to the reader the pleasure I derived from this little
garden. I knew every plant and every shrub, and talked to them as if
they were companions, while I watered and tended them, which I did
every night and morning, and their rapid growth was my delight. I no
longer felt my solitude so irksome as I had done. I had something to
look after, to interest me, and to love; they were alive as well as I
was; they grew, and threw out leaves and flowers; they were grateful
for the care I bestowed upon them, and became my companions and friends.
I mentioned before that during the latter portion of the time I was
with Jackson, he had taught me to sing several songs. Feeling tired, in
my solitude, of not hearing the human voice, I found myself at first
humming over, and afterwards singing aloud, the various airs I had
collected from him. This afforded me much pleasure, and I used to sing
half the day. I had no one to listen to me, it is true, but as my
fondness for my garden increased, I used to sit down and sing to the
flowers and shrubs, and fancy that they listened to me. But my stock of
songs was not very large, and at last I had repeated them so often that
I became tired of the words. It occurred to me that the Prayer-book had
the Psalms of David at the end of it, set to music. I got the book, and
as far as the airs that I knew would suit, I sang them all; never were
Psalms, probably, sung to such tunes before, but it amused me, and
there was no want of variety of language.
Every three or four days I would go up the ravine, and search carefully
for any new flower or shrub which I had not yet planted in my garden,
and when I found one, as I often did, it was a source of great delight.
Chapter XV
At last the birds came, and I procured some of their eggs, which were a
very agreeable change, after living so long upon dried meat. My want of
occupation occasioned me also to employ some of my time in fishing,
which I seldom had done while Jackson was alive; and this created a
variety in my food, to which, for a long while, I had been a stranger.
Jackson did not care for fish, as to cook it we were obliged to go up
the ravine for wood, and he did not like the trouble. When the birds
came, I had recourse to my book on Natural History, to read over again
the accounts of the Man-of-War birds, Gannets, and other birds
mentioned in it; and there was a vignette of a Chinaman with tame
cormorants on a pole, and in the letter-press an account of how they
were trained and employed to catch fish for their masters. This gave me
the idea that I would have some birds tame, as companions, and, if
possible, teach them to catch fish for me; but I knew that I must wait
till the young birds were fit to be taken from the nest.
I now resolved that during the time the birds were mating, I would go
to the ravine and remain there several days, to collect bundles of
firewood. The firewood was chiefly cut from a sort of low bush, like
the sallow or willow, fit for making baskets, indeed fit for anything
better than firewood; however, there were some bushes which were of a
harder texture, and which burnt well. It was Jackson who told me that
the former were called willow and used for making baskets, and he also
shewed me how to tie the faggots up by twisting the sallows together.
They were not, however, what Jackson said they were--from after
knowledge, I should say that they were a species of Oleander or
something of the kind.
Having roasted several dozen of eggs quite hard, by way of provision, I
set off one morning, and went to the ravine. As Jackson had said
before, I had to walk under a wall of rock thirty feet high, and then
pass through a water-course to get up to the ravine, which increased
the distance to where the shrubs grew, at least half a mile. It was
over this wall that the captain fell and was killed, because Jackson
would not assist him. I gained the thicket where the bushes grew, and
for three days I worked very hard, and had cut down and tied about
fifty large faggots, when I thought that I had collected enough to last
me for a long while; but I had still to carry them down, and this was a
heavy task, as I could not carry more than one at a time. It occurred
to me that if I threw my faggots over the wall opposite to where they
had been cut down, I should save myself nearly a mile of carriage, as
otherwise I had to walk all the way to the water-course which divided
the wall of rock, and then walk back again. Indeed, where I cut down
the wood was not more than a quarter of a mile from the bathing-pool,
and all down hill. I was delighted at this idea, which I wondered had
never occurred to Jackson, and I commenced putting it into execution.
The top of the wall of rock was slippery from the constant trickling of
the water over the surface, but this was only in some places. I carried
my faggots down one by one, and threw them over, being careful not to
lose my footing in so doing. I had carried all but three or four, and
had become careless, when, on heaving one over, my heels were thrown
up, and before I could recover myself I slid down the remainder of the
ledge and was precipitated down below, a distance of more than thirty
feet. I must have remained there many hours insensible, but at last I
recovered and found myself lying on the faggots which I had thrown
down. It was my falling on the faggots, instead of the hard rock, which
had saved my life. I rose as soon as I could collect my scattered
senses. I felt very sore and very much shaken, and the blood was
running out of my mouth, but there were no bones broken. I was,
however, too ill to attempt anything more that day. I walked home at a
very slow pace and went to bed. A sound sleep restored me, and in a day
or two I was quite recovered. I watered my plants, which I found
drooping, as if they had grieved at my being so long away from them,
and then I returned to where my faggots had been left; and to lighten
my labour I resolved to carry them down to the bathing-pool and stack
them up there on the rocks near to it. I mention this for reasons that
the reader will comprehend bye-and-bye. This occupied me two days, for
I was not inclined, after my fall, to work hard; and very glad was I
when the labour was over.
The young birds were now hatched, but I had to wait four or five weeks
before they were fit to be taken. I began again to find solitude
tedious. The flowers in my garden had all bloomed and withered, and
there was not so much to interest me. I recommenced reading the Bible,
and the narratives in the Old and New Testaments again afforded me
pleasure. I hardly need say to the reader that I read the Bible as I
would have read any other book--for amusement, and not for instruction.
I had learnt little from Jackson--indeed, as regards the true nature of
the Christian religion, I may say, nothing at all. I do not believe
that he knew anything about it himself. It is true that the precepts in
the New Testament struck me, and that I was more interested about Our
Saviour than anybody else; but I could not comprehend him, or his
mission. In short, I read in darkness; and I may say that I almost knew
the Bible by heart without understanding it.--How could I? How many
thousands are there who do the same, without having an excuse to offer
for their blindness!
At last the time for taking the birds arrived, and I had then
sufficient employment to keep me from being melancholy. I collected
quite as many as we had done when Jackson and I had to be provided for;
and with my new knives my labour was comparatively easy. As soon as I
had completed my provision, I went back to take the young birds which
already I had selected and left for that purpose. It was high time, for
I found that when I went to take them they were ready to fly. However,
after a good battle with the old birds (for I had taken six young
ones--two from each nest, which arrayed a force of six old ones against
me, who fought very valiantly in defence of their offspring), I
succeeded in carrying them off, but followed by the old birds, who now
screamed and darted close to me as they came pursuing me to the cabin.
As soon as I got safe back, I took the young birds into the cabin,
tying each of them by the leg with a piece of fishing line, and the
other end of the line I fastened to some pieces of rock which I had
collected ready on the platform outside of the cabin. The old birds
continued to persecute me till it was dark, and then they went away,
and I, tired with my day's labour, was not sorry to go to sleep.
When I woke up the next morning, I found the old birds on the platform,
in company with the young ones, I presume trying to persuade them to
fly away with them; but the lines on their legs prevented that. They
did not leave at my approach for some little while; at last they all
took wing, and went off to sea; but in the course of a few minutes they
returned with some small fish in their mouths, with which they fed
their young ones. They continued to do this for the two following days,
when there was a general break up, announcing the departure of the main
body, which, after much soaring and wheeling in the air, flew off in a
northerly direction. The six parent birds, who were with their young
ones at the cabin, appeared for some time very uneasy, flying round and
round and screaming wildly; at last they soared in the air with loud
shrieks, and flew away after the main body, which was still in
sight--their love for their young overpowered by their instinctive
habits. I was not sorry when they were gone, as I wanted to have my new
family all to myself. I went down to the rocks and caught a fish, which
was large enough to supply them for three or four days. I fed them with
the inside of the fish, and they ate it very heartily. For several days
they appeared very uneasy; but gradually they settled, and not only
appeared to know me, but to welcome my coming, which was to me a source
of great pleasure.
I now neglected my flowers for the birds, which were the more animated
of the two; and I sat down for hours on the platform with my six
companions, who I must own were not over-lively and intelligent, but
they were alive, and had eyes. They seldom roused up, unless I brought
them fish, of which they had a supply four times a day, and then they
would stand on their legs and open their beaks far apart, each waiting
for its share. They were a great happiness to me, and I watched their
gradual increase of plumage and of size, which was very rapid. I gave
them all names out of my Natural History book. One was Lion, then
Tiger, Panther, Bear, Horse, and Jackass (at the time that I named
them, the last would have been very appropriate to them all); and as I
always called them by their names as I fed them, I soon found, to my
great joy, that they knew them well enough. This delighted me. I read
my books to them by way of amusement; I sang my songs to them; I talked
to them; I would even narrate the various histories out of the Bible to
them, such as that of Joseph and his brethren, &c., and the stolid air
with which the communications were received made me almost imagine they
were listened to.
After a time, I took the line off the legs of two of them, with the
precaution of first cutting their wings, and these two became much more
lively, following me into the cabin and generally staying there during
the night. As I found that no attempt was made to escape, I let them
all loose, after having cut their wings, and they all behaved equally
well with the two first to which I had given their liberty.
The perfect obedience and good behaviour of my new companions again
gave me leisure that was not altogether desirable, as it left a vacuum
to fill up. But I returned to my garden. I could do no more at present
but water my plants and look at the increased daily growth of the
climbers, as they now boldly ascended the sides of the cabin; but I
thought it was high time to go up into the ravine and about the island,
to see if I could not add to my collection.
One morning I set off up the ravine. I was not successful, so I
contented myself with carrying, by the long road, those faggots which I
had left behind me on the day when I fell over the precipice. This
labour I finished, and then returned to the cabin, where I was met by
my birds with half-extended wings and open mouths, as if they were very
glad to see me, and very hungry into the bargain. I ought to observe
that my birds appeared now to separate into pairs, male and female, as
their difference of plumage denoted. Lion and Horse were always side by
side, as were Jackass and Bear, and Tiger and Panther. I now fed them
one by one, calling them by name, to which they immediately responded,
and if anyone came who was not called, it was switched for its trouble.
The next morning I set off on another voyage of discovery after plants,
and this time I resolved upon trying what I could find among the
crevices of the rocks, for I had seen at a distance what appeared to me
to be a very pretty flower on the ledge of one of the clefts. I did not
go up the ravine this time, but commenced climbing the rocks behind
where the cabin was built. It was hard work, but I was not easily
discouraged, and after a couple of hours I arrived at a level which I
had in view when I commenced my labour, and here I was amply rewarded,
for I found several plants quite new to me, and a variety of ferns,
which I thought very beautiful, although they had no flowers. The
scene, from where I stood, was awful and beautiful. I looked down upon
the rocks below, and the cabin, which appeared very small, and I
thought that I could see my birds like dots upon the platform. It was a
bright day and smooth water, I could clearly distinguish the other
islands in the distance, and I thought that I saw something like a
white speck close to them--perhaps it was a vessel. This made me
melancholy, and I could not help asking myself whether I was to remain
all my life upon the island, alone, or if there were any chance of my
ever being taken off it. As I looked down upon the cabin, I was
surprised at the steepness of the rocks which I had climbed, and felt
alarmed, as if I never should be able to get back again. But these
thoughts were soon chased away. I turned from the seaward, and looked
inland. I found that on one side of me there was a chasm between the
rocks, the bottom of which was so far down that I could not see it; and
on the other side the rock rose up as straight as a wall. My attention
was soon diverted by discovering another plant, and I now commenced my
task of digging them all up. I obtained, with the ferns, about twenty
new varieties, which I made up in a bundle ready for carrying down
slung round my neck, for I knew that I should require both hands to
descend with. Then I sat down to rest myself a little before I
commenced my return, and after I had been seated a few minutes, I
thought I would sing a song by way of amusement.
Chapter XVI
I have before said that, tired of repeating the words of the songs
which Jackson had taught me, I had taken those of Psalms in metre, at
the end of the Prayer-book, by way of variety; and, as far as metre
went, they answered very well, although people would have been
surprised to have heard Psalms sung to such quick and varied measure.
The Psalm I chose this time was the first--"How blest is he who ne'er
consents;" and I began accordingly; but when I came to the end of the
line, to my astonishment I heard a plaintive voice, at a distance,
repeat after me "con-sents." I looked round. I thought I must have been
deceived, so I continued--"By ill advice to walk." This time I could
not be mistaken--"to walk" was repeated by the same voice as plainly as
possible. I stopped singing, lost in wonder. There must be somebody on
the island as well as myself, thought I; for I never had heard an echo
before, except when it thundered, and such echoes I had put down as a
portion of the thunder. "Who's there?" cried I. "Who's there?" replied
the voice. "It's me!" "It's me!" was the answer. I did not know what to
make of it. I cried out again and again, and again and again I heard
what I said repeated, but no answer to my questions. I thought I was
insulted by somebody, and yet, when I listened, the voice that spoke
came from the face of the rock on the other side of the chasm, and no
one could be there without my seeing them. This made me think that I
was mistaken, and that there could not be anybody, but still I could
not solve the mystery. At last I became frightened, and as the sun was
now setting, I determined to get back to the cabin. I did so, and went
down much faster than I had gone up, for as it grew dark I became the
more alarmed. The only thing that re-assured me was the softness and
plaintiveness of the voice--not like Jackson's, but as of someone who
would not think of injuring me.
Although I was, generally speaking, quiet and content with my isolated
position, yet it was only when I was employed or amused with my
favourites. At times, I could not find anything to do, and was overcome
by weariness. I would then throw away my books, and remain for hours
thinking upon the probability of my ever again seeing a fellow
creature; and a fit of melancholy would come over me, which would last
many days. I was in one of these moods, when it occurred to me, that,
although I had seen the other side of the island from the summit, I had
not gone down to the beach to explore it; and I resolved that I would
do so, making a trip of three or four days. When my knives had become
blunt, Jackson had told me how to sharpen them, by rubbing the blades
upon a hard flat piece of rock, wetted with water. This I had found to
answer very well, and I now determined I would try and sharpen one of
the old axes in the same way, so as to make it serviceable, for I was
very much afraid of breaking my knives in cutting down the brushwood,
and I knew how much more rapidly it could be done with an axe. I picked
out a large stone, suitable for the purpose, and with a kid of water at
hand, I set-to to sharpen the axe. It was a long job, but in a day or
two I had succeeded admirably, and the axe was in good order. I then
thought how I could leave my birds for so many days, as they would
require food. At last, I considered that if I caught two large fish and
cut them up, they would be sufficient for their sustenance. I did so,
and provided with a packet of dried birds for food, tied up in a duck
frock, with my Natural History book for amusement, a pannikin to get
water in, my axe on my shoulder, and my knives by my side--I first
kissed all the birds, and told them to remain quiet and good till I
came back--I set off on a bright clear morning on my tour of
examination.
In a couple of hours I had gained the summit of the island, and
prepared for my descent, by sitting down and eating my dinner. I
observed that, as before, the water on the other side of the island was
quite smooth, compared to what it was on the side where I resided. It
was, in fact, from the prevailing winds during the year, the lee side
of the island. Having rested myself sufficiently, I commenced my
descent, which I accomplished in little less time than it took me to
ascend from the other side. As I neared the rocks by the shore, I
thought I perceived something occasionally moving about on them. I was
not mistaken, for as I came closer, I found that there were several
large animals lying on the rocks, and occasionally dropping into the
sea close to them.
The sight of anything living was to me of great interest. I determined
to get nearer, and ascertain what animals they were. At last, by
creeping along from rock to rock, I arrived to within forty yards of
them. I recollected some animals of the same shape in my book of
Natural History, which, fortunately, I had with me in the duck frock,
and sitting down behind the rock, I pulled it out, and turned over the
pages until I came to a print which exactly answered to their
appearance. It was the Seal. Having satisfied myself on that point, I
read the history of the animal, and found that it was easily tamed, and
very affectionate when taken young, and also might be easily killed by
a blow on the nose. These, at least, were for me the two most important
pieces of information. It occurred to me that it would be very pleasant
to have a young seal for a playmate (for the Gannets, after all, were
not very intelligent), and I resolved to obtain one if I could. I put
down my duck frock with my provisions behind the rock, and taking my
axe in my hand, I cautiously advanced to where the animals lay. There
were about twenty of them all together on one rock, but they were all
large, and seemed to be about five or six feet long. I could not see a
small one anywhere, so I walked in behind the rocks farther to the
right, towards another rock, where I saw another batch of them lying.
As I neared them, I saw by herself a seal with a young one by her side,
not more than two feet long. This was what I wanted. They lay at some
distance from the water, upon a low rock. I watched them for some time,
and was much amused at the prattling which passed between the old and
the young one. I thought that to obtain the young one, I must of course
kill the old one, for I perceived that it had large teeth. I considered
it advisable to get between them and the water, that they might not
escape me, and I contrived so to do before I made my appearance. As
soon as the old one perceived me running to them, it gave a shrill cry,
and then floundered towards the water; as we came close together, it
showed its teeth, and rose upon its flappers to defend itself and its
young one, which kept close to its side; but a blow on its nose with
the axe rendered it motionless, and apparently dead. Delighted with my
success, I seized hold of the young one and took it in my arms, and was
carrying it away, when I found myself confronted with the male seal,
which, alarmed by the cry of the female, had come to her assistance. It
was much larger than the female, with more shaggy hair about the neck
and shoulders, and apparently very fierce. I could not pass it, as it
was in shore of me, and I had just time to drop the young seal, and
leap behind a rock on one side, with my axe all ready. The animal
reared itself on the rock to pass over to me, when I saluted it with a
blow on the head, which staggered it. I had lost my presence of mind by
the creature coming upon me so unexpectedly, and my blow was not well
aimed, but before it could recover the first blow, another on its nose
tumbled it over, to all appearance lifeless. I then hastened to gain
the other side of the rock, where I had left the young seal, and found
that it had crept to its mother's body, and was fondling it. I took it
in my arms, and retreated to where I had left my duck frock, and
throwing everything else out, I put the animal in, and tied up the end,
so that it could not escape. I then sat down to recover myself from the
excitement occasioned by this first engagement I had ever been in,
quite delighted with my newly-acquired treasure.
I then thought what I should do. It was now within an hour of dark, and
was too late to return to the other side of the island, or I would have
done so, as I was anxious to get my seal home. At last I decided that I
would go farther from the beach, and take up my quarters for the night.
I collected my provision, and with my seal under my arm, I walked away
about one hundred yards from the water's edge, and took up a position
under a large rock; here I ate my supper, and then untied the line
which closed up the frock, and had a parting look at my little friend
before I went to sleep. He had struggled a good deal at first, but was
now quiet, although he occasionally made attempts to bite me. I coaxed
him and fondled him a good deal, and then put him into his bag again,
and made him secure, which appeared to annoy him very much, as he was
not half as quiet in a bag as he was when I held him in my lap. I then
took my book to read over again the history of the seal, and I found
that their skins were valuable, and also that they gave a great deal of
oil, but I had no use for oil, though I thought that their skins might
be very comfortable in my bed-place. I shut my book and lay down to
sleep, but I could not obtain any till near daylight, I had been so
excited, and was so anxious about my treasure. The sun shining in my
eyes woke me up; I found my seal was lying very quiet; I touched him to
see that he was not dead, and the cry that he gave assured me to the
contrary. I then walked back to where I had left the bodies of the
parents. I found on examination that they were both dead, and also that
their furs were very beautiful, and I resolved that I would have their
skins. But here was a difficulty. If I took off the skins, I could not
carry them with me, and I was anxious to get the young one home, lest
it should die of hunger, so I decided that I would first take home the
young one, give it food and warm it, and then return and skin the old
ones.
I therefore made my breakfast, and leaving the remainder of my
provision in a cleft in the rock, that I might not have the trouble of
bringing it again, I set off on my return, and used such diligence that
I was back at the cabin by noon. I found my birds all well, and
apparently quite satisfied with the provision that I had left them, for
they were most of them asleep, and those that were awake did not notice
my arrival.
"Ah," thought I, "you only like me for what I give you; next time I go
away I will leave you hungry, and then when you see me come back, you
will a
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