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by Roger Thompson Finlay
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Title: The Wonder Island Boys: Exploring the Island
Author: Roger Thompson Finlay
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THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS: EXPLORING THE ISLAND
by
ROGER T. FINLAY
Illustrated
The New York Book Company
New York
Copyright 1914
[Illustration: _"Before they had gone 20 feet, a large leopard-like
animal sprang transversely across their path"_]
CONTENTS
I. THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
The journey into the forest. Restlessness of the yaks. The alarm.
Wild animals. George Mayfield and Harry Crandall. Their companion,
an aged Professor. Their history. How they were shipwrecked. Thrown
on an island without weapons, tools, food, or any of the
requirements of life. What they had accomplished previous to the
opening of this chapter. Making tools. Capturing yaks and training
them. The three previous expeditions, and what they discovered. The
mysterious occurrences. The fourth voyage of discovery. Losing
sight of the strange animals. The forest. Discovering orang-outans.
Capturing a young orang. Christening the "Baby." Its strange and
restless actions. A shot. A wild animal. The wildcat. Enemy of the
orang-outan. Distances deceptive, and why. Peculiar sensations at
altitudes. Tableland. The fifth day. Discovery of a broad river.
Progress barred.
II. THE MYSTERIOUS LIGHTS
A mountain chain beyond the river. Adventures along the river.
Decide to follow the river to the north. Camping at the shore of a
small stream. Prospecting tour on the stream. The flint arrow. The
arrow in the skull of an animal. Different kinds of arrows.
Home-sick. The light across the river. The test of firing a gun.
Disappearance of the light. Seeking explanation. The night watch.
The early breakfast and start. Scouting in advance. Qualifications
in scouting.
III. THE BEAR FIGHT
A coast line of steep hills. Shooting an animal. The answering
shot. The wonderful echo. Calculating distance of the bluff by the
sound. The bear. The attack of the bear. The Professor's shot. The
frightened yaks. Recovery of the wagon. Death of the bear. Rugged
traveling. Changing their course. Deciding to return to their home.
Stormy weather. The traveling chart. Methods used to determine
course in traveling. An adjustable square. Obtaining angles from
the shadows.
IV. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE YAKS
Breezes from the north. Indications of proximity of the sea. Warm
winds. What wind temperatures tell. The missing yak herd. Mystery
of the turning water wheel. The mill and workshop. Their home.
"Baby" learning civilized ways. The noise in the night. The return
of the yaks. The need for keeping correct time. Shoe leather
necessary. Threshing out barley. The flail. The grindstone. Making
flour. Baking bread. How the bread was raised. What yeast does in
bread. Temperature required. The "Baby" and the honey pot. The
bread with large holes in it. George's trip to the cliffs. A
peculiar sounding noise and spray from the cliffs. An air pocket.
Compressed air. Non-compressible water.
V. AN EXCITING HUNT
Earthquake indications. The seismograph. The theory about the
interior of the earth. How geologists know the composition of the
interior of the earth for miles down. The earth's "crust." The
weekly hunting trip. Determine to cross South River and explore.
The lost hatchet found. Making a raft to cross the river. Going
into the interior. The sound of moving animals. Caution in
approaching. Discovering the beast. Two shots. The disappearing
animal. Indications that the animal was hit. Trail lost. Returning
to the river. The animal again sighted. Firing at the animal. The
shots take effect. The animal too heavy to carry. Return to the
Cataract home. Finding the camphor tree. Its wonders as a medicine.
Calisaya. Algoraba, a species of bean, or locust. Sarsaparilla. The
trip to South River with the team. Finding the shot animal. The
ocelot. Two bullet holes instead of one. The animal not at the
place where it was shot the night before. Mystery explained by the
finding of second animal which they had shot. Skinning the animals.
VI. HUNTING VEGETABLES AND PLANTS
The accomplishments of George and Harry. Theory and practice.
Fermentation. How heat develops germs. Bacteria. Harmless germs.
Tribes of germs. Septic system of sewage. The war between germs.
Setting germs to work. Indications from the vegetable world as to
the climate. Prospecting in the hills. Tanning leather. Bark, and
what it does in tanning. Different materials used. The gall nut and
how it is formed. Different kinds of leaves. The edges of leaves.
The most important part of every vegetation. Trip to the cliffs.
Hunting for the air pocket. Discovery of a cave. Exploring the
cave. The water in the cave. Indication of marine animal in the
water. Return to the mouth of the cave. Discovering the air pocket.
The peculiar light in the cave. Calcium coating.
VII. INVESTIGATING THE PROSPECTOR'S HOLE
Speculation as to the animal in the cave. Determined to explore the
mystery of the "hole" in the hill. Trip to the hills. Difficulty in
finding the "hole." Accidental discovery of a rock. The "hole"
found. Indication that it was made by man. Why plants flourish
around holes and stones. Moisture and heat. Object of cultivating
plants. Lead and silver ore. Zinc. Working with their ore furnace.
Putting metals to work. Labor-saving tools, what they are and what
they do. Roasting ore. Melting roasted ore in crucible. Recovering
zinc. Light from zinc and copper. Harry bitten by a "cat." The
zibet.
VIII. THE BULL FIGHT
Different fruit, flowers and vegetables. The thistle. Its
nutritious qualities. Why animals can eat it. The sorrel and the
shamrock. Significance of the latter. Vanilla. Smell is vibration.
Harmony and discord in odors. What essences are composed of.
Preserving seeds for planting. Food elements in vegetables.
Surprising increase in their herd of yaks. Investigation. The wild
bull. Apollo, the bull of their herd. His absence. The wild bull
charging George. Stampede of the herd. George carried with them.
Appearance of Apollo. Engaging in combat. Apollo the stronger.
Reappearance of George. Return of the cows. Apollo the victor.
Finding a brand mark on the wild bull. Inventory of their stock.
Work in tanning vats. The flash of Harry's gun in the distance.
Explanation of the difference in time between the flash and report.
"Sound" or "noise." Vibrations. Light. The locomotive whistle
explained.
IX. EXCITING EXPERIENCES WITH THE BOATS
Health on the island. Illness of Harry. Fever. Determining
temperature. Making a thermometer. Substitutes for glass and
mercury. How Fahrenheit scale is determined. Centigrade scale.
Testing the thermometer. Determining fever. Danger point. Why a
coiled pipe tries to straighten out under pressure. Medicine for
fever. Rains and rising Cataract River. Decision to explore sea
coast to the east. Yoking up the yaks. Gathering samples of plants
and flowers. The beach. Following the shore line. Discovering the
boat which had disappeared from the Falls in South River.
Surprising find of strange oars and unfamiliar rope in the boat.
Harry and George decide to sail the boat around the cliff point to
the Cataract River. The Professor takes the team home. Sighting an
object on the cliffs. Going ashore at the foot of the cliffs for an
examination. Ascending the cliffs. Discovering the wrecked remains
of their life-boat. Consternation when their boat is washed away
from the shore. Getting the wreck of the life-boat down to the
water. The watching and waiting Professor. The boys launch the
life-boat and float to the mainland. Meeting the Professor.
Explanations.
X. THE BIRTHDAY PARTY AND THE SURPRISE
Theory that their island is near some other inhabited island. The
mysterious occurrences of the fire in the forest; the lights across
the river. The disappearance of their boat. The removal of the
flagpole and flag; the arrows; the hole in the hillside; the
finding of the boat with unfamiliar oars and rope on it. Conclude
to make another boat. Unsanitary arrangement of their kitchen.
Purifying means employed. Different purifying agents. Primary
electric battery. The cell; how made. The electrodes. Clay. The
positive and the negative elements. How connected up. The battery.
Making wire. How electricity flows. Rate of flow. Volts and
amperes. Pressure and quantity. Drawing out the wire. Tools for
drawing the wire. Friction. Molecules and atoms. Accomplishments of
"Baby." Climbing trees and finding nuts. George as cook. Making
puddings. "Baby's" aid. Finding eggs of prairie chicken. Planning a
surprise for the Professor. The birthday party. George's cakes to
celebrate the event. Harry's gong. The missing cakes. "Baby" the
thief. The feast. Why laughter is infectious. Odors. Beautiful
perfumes wafted to long distances. Bad odors destroyed. Why. Oxygen
as a purifying agent.
XI. THE GRUESOME SKELETON
The Cataract water. Common oak chips as purifiers. Tannic acid.
Bitter almonds. Universal purification of water. The Bible method.
Albumen impurities in water. Electric battery. The electrode. How
the cells were made. Object of plurality of cells. Volts, amperes
and watts, and their definitions. A new boat determined on.
Determining size of the boat. Recovering their life-boat. Visit to
Observation Hill. Hunting for the lost flagpole and flag. Wreckage
of a ship's boat discovered. The Professor sent for. Ascertain it
is not part of their wrecked boat. Gathering up portions of the
boat. Amazing discovery of skull and skeleton. Methods of
determining age. Condition of the skull and teeth. Carrying the
remains to the Cataract. The funeral. The seven ages in the growth
of man. Sadness. The skeleton at the feast. Why is death necessary.
One of the many reasons.
XII. THE DISTANT SHIP AND ITS DISAPPEARANCE
The endive. Chicory. The principle in the plant. The root. Curious
manner of preparing it. A surprise for Harry. Making clay crocks.
How to glaze or vitrify them. The use of salt in the process. A
potter's wheel. Uses of the wheel. Its antiquity. Inspecting the
electric battery. How it is connected up. Peculiarities in
designating parts of the battery. Making the first spark. Necessary
requirements for making a lighting plant. The arc light. What arc
is and means. The incandescent light. Why the filament in bulb does
not readily burn out. Oxygen as a supporter of combustion. Carbon,
how made. Essential of the invention of the arc light. Determine
again to explore cave. The lamps, spears and other equipment.
Exciting discovery of a sail. Signaling the ship. The ship
disappears. Discouragement. Determine to make a large flag and
erect a new flagpole. Visiting the cave. Exploring it. Mounting one
of the lamps on ledge for safety. Water not found where it was on
previous visit. Discovery of a large domed chamber. Bringing
forward the light on the ledge. Entering the chamber. Disappearance
of the light from the ledge. The outlet of the chamber. Searching
for the lost light. Determine to chart the cave. Steps taken.
Surveying methods. Substitutes for paper and pencil. Soot. The
base, the angle, and the projecting lines. How the side walls were
charted.
XIII. THE EXCITING HUNT INT HE FOREST
An eventful day. Accounting for the disappearance of the water in
the cave. The animal in the cave. Subterranean connection with the
sea. Starting to make the large flag. Regulation flag determined
on. The stripes and their colors, and how arranged. Their
significance. The blue field and how studded. Its proportional
size. How the yellow ramie cloth was made white. The bleaching
process. Chloride of lime. The red color. The madder plant. Its
powerful dyeing qualities. Coffee. The surprise party for Harry.
Chicory leaves as a salad. Exhilarative substances and beverages.
The cocoa leaf. Betel-nut. Pepper plants. Thorn apples. The ledum
and hop. Narcotic fungus. "Baby's" experiment with the red dye test
sample. Test samples in dyeing. Color-metric tests in analyzing
chemicals. Reagents. The meaning and their use. Bitter-sweet. Blue
dye. Copper and lime as coloring substance. The completed flag. A
hunting trip for the pole. Making a trailer. A pole fifty feet long
determined on. Tethering the yaks at the river. Searching for pole.
The shell-bark hickory. The giant ant-killer. His peculiarities.
Weight of hickory. Weight of the pole. Problem to convey it to the
river. Determine to get the yaks. Swimming them across the river.
The Professor absent on their return. Searching for the Professor.
A shot heard. Going in the direction of the shot. Another shot from
vicinity of the team. Returning in the direction of last shot. Find
the Professor with team on way to river. How they made a circle
without knowing it. A lesson in judgment.
XIV. THE RAISING OF THE FLAG, AND ANGEL'S PART IN IT
Absence of Red Angel. The search. Sorrow at his flight. The morning
breakfast. Reappearance of Red Angel with nuts. The honey pot and
Red Angel. The voluntary exchange of nut for honey. How the orang
reasoned. Preparation for pole-raising day. The capstans. The ropes
and forked poles. The Angel invited to attend. How the pole was
raised. Preparation to hoist the flag. The interference of Red
Angel. How he mounted the pole. How honey was no temptation.
George's discovery that Angel had eaten all the honey. The ceremony
of raising the flag. Trying to sing the Star-Spangled Banner. The
failure. Taking possession of the island in the name of the United
States. Significance of the act of taking possession. Heraldry and
the bending of the flag on the halliards. The banner and flag in
ancient times. Leaving the flag at half-mast. The banner in the
Bible. The necessity for making glass. Its early origin. The
crystal of the ancients. What it is made of. The blowing process.
An acid and an alkali. Sand as an acid. Lime, soda, and potash as
alkalis. The result when united. Transparent and translucent.
Opaqueness. Making sheet glass. Why the eye cannot see through
rough glass. How sheets are prevented from being cracked.
XV. MYSTERIOUS HAPPENINGS ON THE ISLAND
Heating the crucibles for fusing glass. Eliminating impurities.
Result of too much alkali. A test sample of glass. Speculation as
to the inhabitants of the island. Their knowledge of the presence
of savages. Mysterious occurrences while on the island. Determining
to make further explorations for their own safety. The guns they
had made. The hesitation about the trip inland. The hope for
another ship. Discussing the probability of meeting the savages.
Questions to be decided in building their boat. Possibilities of an
island near them. Reasons for that view. A year from the time they
sailed from New York. The spring. Planting a garden. Preparing the
ground. The buckwheat. Propagation. Wild oats. How cultivated.
Budding, grafting and inarching. Seedless fruit. Conclude to
utilize the wrecked part of the life-boat as part of the new boat.
Size of the new vessel. Its size and weight What is a ship. A brig,
a sloop. Single masters. The sails. Different parts of the masts.
The bowsprit and boom. The triangular sail.
XVI. DISCOVERY OF THE SAVAGES' HUTS
The hunting expedition. The forest below South River. Suggestions
of the Professor concerning the importance of that section. The
trail through the dense woods. Wild animals. Different varieties of
game. Directing course by the sun. Character of the country.
Discovery of native huts. A vegetable garden. The surprising
contents of the huts. Accidentally finding paper containing
writing. Other articles of interest among the rubbish. A mineral
spring. A monogrammed silver cup. The return journey. Discussing
the articles found.
XVII. THE GRIM EVIDENCE IN THE HILLS
Trying to decipher the writing traces on the paper. Conclusions.
The Professor's journey. Prospecting in the hills. Discovery of
numerous fissures in the rocks. A skeleton in one of them. The
telltale arrows. Mute evidence of the character of the inhabitants
of the island.
XVIII. STRANGE DISCOVERY OF A COMPANION LIFEBOAT
Work on the new boat. Variety of their work. The regular hunting
day. The joke on the Professor. Old age. How old age becomes a
habit. The discussion on hunting. Deciding where to go. Conclude to
visit the forests to the west. Provisioning for the journey.
Reaching the edge of the main forest, accompanied by Red Angel. In
the proximity of the Falls. Decided to go in that direction. Reach
the river. Searching for the spot where the boat was left and from
which place it had been taken. No traces of the mooring place.
Examining driftwood and debris along river bank. Amazing discovery
of one of _Investigator's_ boats. Speculation as to the mystery.
Evidence that it came over the Falls. Disappearance of the lockers
of the boat, similar to those on their own. Discussion as to the
fate of their companions. Decide to seclude the boat. Sudden
appearance of Red Angel in excitement. Following him back to the
location of the wagon. Disappearance of the yaks and wagon.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"Before they had gone 20 feet, a large leopard-like animal sprang
transversely across their path"
"George saw his peril and now realized that he could not possibly reach
a place of safety"
"'What is this? a party?' said the Professor. 'Yes; a birthday party,'
said Harry"
"Red Angel saw George's design, and without saying a word he slowly
descended"
LIST OF FIGURES
1. The Orang-outan
2. Types of Arrow-head
3. The Bear
4. Diagram of Their Trip
5. Bevel Square
6. Sighting the Direction
7. Threshing Flail
8. Samples of Bread
9. Air Pocket
10. Normal Crust of the Earth
11. Mountain Upheaval
12. Branch of the Camphor Tree
13. Tanning Vat
14. Serrate Leaf
15. Bi-serrate Leaf
16. Dentate Leaf
17. Crenate Leaf
18. Cave Entrance
19. Vegetation Around Stone
20. Vegetation Around Hole
21. Vanilla Plant
22. The Mysterious Brand on the Yak
23. Measuring Sound Pitch
24. Thermometer
25. Primary Battery
26. Template for Drawing Wire
27. Complete Battery with Connections
28. Human Skull
29. Potter's Wheel
30. Forming Blade
31. The Electric Arc
32. The Chart of the Cave
33. Betel-nut
34. The Giant Ant-eater
35. Chart Showing How the Boys Were Lost
36. Pole Raising
37. Making Sheet Glass
38. Grafting
39. Budding
40. Inarching
EXPLORING THE ISLAND
CHAPTER I
THE FOURTH VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY
"I wonder why the yaks are so wild and difficult to handle this
morning?" said George, as he stopped the wagon and tried to calm them by
soothing words.
At that moment Harry, who was in the lead, sprang back with a cry of
alarm, and quietly, but with-evident excitement, whispered: "There are
some big animals over to the right!"
The Professor was out of the wagon in an instant and moved forward with
Harry. "You would better remain with the team, George," was the
Professor's suggestion.
George Mayfield and Harry Crandall, two American boys, attached to a
ship training school, had been shipwrecked, in company with an aged
professor, on an unknown island, somewhere in the Pacific, over four
months prior to the opening of this chapter; and, after a series of
adventures, had been able, by ingenious means, to devise many of the
necessaries of life from the crude materials which nature furnished
them; and they were now on their third voyage of discovery into the
unknown land.
For your information, a brief outline is given of a few of the things
they had discovered, of some of their adventures, and of what they had
made, and why they were now far out in the wilderness.
When they landed they had absolutely nothing, in the way of tools or
implements. Neither possessed even a knife, so they had to get food and
clothing and prepare shelter with the crudest sort of appliances.
By degrees they began to make various articles, found copper, iron and
various ores, as well as lime-rock and grindstone formations. With
these, and the knowledge of the Professor, they finally succeeded in
making iron and copper tools and implements, built a water wheel,
erected a sawmill, and eventually turned out a primitive pistol or gun.
During this time, however, they were interested in discovering what the
island contained. The first voyage was on foot through a forest, where
they saw an exciting combat between bears for the possession of a honey
tree, and witnessed the death of one of them. By the accidental
discovery of the honey tree they were supplied with an excellent
substitute for sugar.
In the next voyage a large river was discovered to the south, which they
named the South River. The second voyage was along that stream, until
they reached a falls, where they were compelled to leave the crude boat
which was made before starting on this voyage, and they proceeded on
foot.
After a week's adventure in the forest they found a fire plot, which was
the first indication that the island was inhabited. As up to this time
they had no weapons but bows and arrows, which they had made, they
returned home hurriedly. On the journey they had the fortune to capture
a yak and her calf, and subsequently became possessors of a small herd,
two of which they trained. A wagon was built and a store of provisions
gathered in. A crude machine was constructed to weave the ramie fiber,
the plant of which they found growing on the banks; in addition they had
success in making felt cloth from the hair of the yak.
After providing many of the things which were necessaries, and several
samples of firearms, as stated, they determined to go on their third
voyage of discovery. During the various trips several mysterious and
inexplainable things occurred. First, the fire on the banks of the
Cataract River, about fifty miles from their home. Second, the
disappearance of their boat, which had been left below the falls in
South River; and, third, the removal of their flag and pole at
Observation Hill, a half mile from their home, during the time they were
absent on the third voyage.
They were now on their fourth voyage, and the incident mentioned on the
opening page of this chapter related to the first large animal they had
discovered.
In a short time Harry and the Professor returned from the search. "We
have lost them, but shall undoubtedly find them later on," was all he
said.
The forest was still to the south of them, and to the north the sea was
now distant fully three or four miles, as the coast seemed to trend to
the northwest, after passing the wild barley fields. The ground appeared
to be more open and level, so a more southerly course was taken in that
direction. Before night they emerged from the dense forest, which still
continued to the right.
No stirring incidents occurred during the day, until night was
approaching, when, on entering a straggling forest of detached trees and
thick underbrush, George, who was in the lead, and acting the part of
the scout, rushed back and held up a warning hand. The team stopped
while Harry and the Professor quickly moved toward George.
"I have seen some orang-outans; come quickly."
Moving forwardly they could hear a plaintive cry, not unlike the wail of
an infant. All stopped in surprise. The Professor was the first to
speak: "That is a young orang. See if you can locate him."
As they moved still nearer the sound, there was a scampering of several
orangs, and not fifty feet away was a pair of babies, struggling to
reach the most convenient tree.
Harry pounced on the pair and caught one of them, which set up a
vigorous shriek. The other, in the excitement, got too far beyond the
reach of George, who, in his eagerness, was too busy watching Harry's
captive to notice the other animal, and before he could reach the tree
one of the grown orangs had reached the ground, gathered up the infant
and again sprang up the tree.
"Give it some honey," said the Professor, laughing.
"What are the things good for, anyway?" asked Harry.
[Illustration: _Fig 1. THE ORANG-OUTAN_]
"Of course, you are not compelled to keep it, but while you have it feed
and treat it well."
"What does it eat?"
"Principally nuts and fruit, as well as vegetables. If properly prepared
they will eat almost everything man eats, except meats."
At first, as a matter of curiosity, they restrained him, and as it was
near camping time for the night, the Professor suggested that it would
be well to make camp close to the tree which had harbored the orang
family.
After a good supper the Baby nestled up in the mattress, and was sound
asleep in fifteen minutes. When the boys arranged the mattresses for the
night, Baby did not seem at all disturbed, and he slept peacefully until
morning.
After breakfast no effort was made to deprive the Baby of its liberty,
but no attempt was made on his part to leave the wagon. He relished the
honey and the other delicacies, all of which were undoubtedly, a
surprise to him.
The parent orangs were in sight on the trees beyond, but made no
demonstrations, although they saw the young one crawling and swinging on
and around the wagon.
You may be sure that the petting Baby got was enough to spoil any
infant. Probably, the parents saw the affection lavished on it, or knew
that it was not curtailed of its liberty.
When they again set out on the march Baby kept a firm hold on the
mattress, or lazily swung from the cross bars of the wagon top. It was
having the time of its life.
Before noon of the next day, Baby began to act strangely. It would jump
first to one side, then to the other. Harry, who was in the lead, was
called up, and the wagon stopped. The antics of Baby looked like fear.
Before Harry reached the wagon the Professor and George heard a shot,
and the next moment something struck the canvas top and rolled to the
ground. It was up in an instant and sprang to the back of one of the
yaks, before the Professor, who was driving, could realize what was
happening.
George was off the wagon in an instant, and seeing the strange animal on
the back of the yak, drew his gun, and two shots rang out almost at the
same instant.
When Harry turned back, at the call of the Professor, he saw the animal
in the tree, which was then alongside of the wagon, and without waiting
to give a warning, had shot at it, the bullet going through its
forelegs. The result was it fell, striking the wagon, rolled over, and
then sprang to the back of the yak. George's nimbleness in jumping from
the wagon, and running around, enabled him to get in a shot at the same
time the Professor fired. Both of their shots took effect, and it rolled
to the ground.
"What is it?" asked George.
"A wildcat; no wonder the poor Baby was frightened!"
"How did Baby, inside of the wagon, know of the cat?"
"The wildcat is the mortal enemy of the orang-outan. While they fear to
encounter the grown animals, they will attack the young, and the orangs
seem to have the instinct of danger from that source born in them."
The Baby's nerves were unstrung with the din of the guns, and it was an
hour before he could be calmed down. The wildcat was skinned, and it was
days before the orang could be reconciled to the sight of the pelt or
the smell of the animal.
"That is an instinct in certain animals. Nature has provided them with
warnings of danger when their enemies are near."
"What a short tail the cat has," remarked George; "so unlike the tame
cat."
"That, and the head, which is much larger and flatter than the common
cat, as well as the shorter legs, show the distinguishing differences.
Its color, as this one is, uniformly grayish-brown, with stripes running
around the body, is a peculiarity found in the tame species, known as
the 'tiger-cat,' to which they are the most closely allied."
Before nightfall fairly level ground was reached, and this being the
third day, they judged their location was fully sixty miles due west of
the Cataract. Far to the south and southeast the mountains could be
distinctly seen, but the Professor did not think the ranges were very
high.
In the far west the cloudy aspect of the sky prevented them from judging
of the character of the land, but it had the appearance of mountains, as
well.
"How far away are the mountains in the south, do you think?" asked the
Professor.
"I estimate them at about five miles," was George's response.
"What is your idea, Harry?"
"I don't think George is far out of the way."
"Would you be surprised if I should put it at twenty-five miles, or
more?"
"What makes you think so?"
"Appearances are always deceptive when you have nothing intervening to
measure by."
"Is that the reason distances on water are always so deceptive?"
"Yes; have you ever noticed that you can judge distances better if the
intervening landscape is rolling?"
"I think that is true in my case. But there is another thing I have
noticed: When I am standing on the ground and looking up at an object,
it never seems as far as when I am up there looking down: Why is that
so?"
"That is simply the effect of habit, or familiarity. You are accustomed
to look up at objects. The perspective, the altitude, and the appearance
of the heights are natural things to you; but, when you are above,
things below you have an entirely different perspective outline. Their
arrangement is unfamiliar. Probably that is one of the reasons why we
should always look upwardly in life, and not downwardly."
"But," inquired Harry, "is that the reason why some people, when at an
elevation, like a tall building, or on a high precipice, say they feel
like jumping down?"
"That is a species of paralysis, growing out of a sense of insecurity.
It is purely an unnatural sensation, that temporarily disorganizes the
nervous system. I knew a man who, whenever placed in such a position,
could not speak."
They were now on what might be called the table land of the island. A
broad plateau, with frequent groves, and any quantity of young trees
scattered about everywhere, gave a most pleasing view. During the fourth
day of the journey occasional little streams, flowing to the north, were
crossed, and in the forenoon they had to halt for two hours and camp
during the heaviest rainstorm which had fallen since they came to the
island.
On the fifth day a broad river was sighted, flowing to the north, and
before noon the banks were reached. Its width barred their further
progress, unless a raft could be made large enough to take the team
across. This was considered a hazardous task, and the distance from home
was too great to take the risk. It was a larger stream than South River.
CHAPTER II
THE MYSTERIOUS LIGHTS
The usual rate of travel did not average two and a half miles an hour,
and while the first and second days were vigorous ones, they were not so
much disposed to hurry up now, and were taking the trip more leisurely,
thus giving more time to the examination of trees and plants and
flowers, and to investigating the geological formation of the country.
The new river was not, in all probability, more than seventy miles from
the Cataract home.
Beyond, fully a day's march, was the mountain chain--not a high range,
but an elevation which showed a broken skyline. The mountains below the
South River did not now seem so formidable; and directly to the south
they could see no ranges or hill elevations. To the north the sea might
be ten or fifty miles away. The river flowed past them at the rate of
about two miles an hour.
That evening, while sitting on the bank, Harry had an idea. "We made a
mistake in calling our home river the West River. Let us call this the
West, and rename our stream the Cataract River."
"Very well; as George does not object, the Geographical Society will
please take notice, and make the change."
George was of the impression that to settle the question of the
direction they should take in their future explorations, was the most
important thing to determine.
An entire day was spent in and about the vicinity of the river. New
plants and shrubbery of various kinds were constantly sought for and
examined--they fished and hunted; and on the morning of the third day it
was decided to move on.
"We have not yet sighted any original inhabitants, and have found no
signs of people living here; nevertheless, we had traces of a fire
thirty or forty miles east of here. That is what puzzles me."
"I am in favor of following this stream to the north," was Harry's
conclusion, "unless we make a raft and cross the river."
Harry's view finally prevailed, and at noon of that day they camped at
the mouth of a little stream which flowed into the West River. Beyond
was a forest, and on the opposite side of the West River the wood had
all along been dense. At that point the trees did not come down to the
stream, and there was considerable lowland between the river and the
forest.
The Professor and George wandered up the banks of the little stream on a
prospecting tour, as had been their constant practice. When they
returned Harry knew something unusual had occurred from the excited
appearance of George.
"What is it? Any animals?"
"No; only this." And George held up an arrow made of flint. The wooden
portion of the arrow was really of good workmanship, and of hard, stiff
wood.
"Where did you find this?"
"Not more than five hundred feet from here."
Harry looked at the Professor for an explanation, but he was silent. By
common consent they now agreed upon making a more extended investigation
of the vicinity for other traces, if possible. Within an hour Harry
stumbled across the skull of an animal. This was not an unusual sight,
as bones had been found at various places in their travels, but here was
a specimen, lying on a rocky slope, with but little vegetation about it.
[Illustration: _Fig. 2 Types of Arrow-Heads._]
"I should like to know what animal this belonged to?"
The Professor examined the bones critically, without venturing an
opinion. "What is this?" were his first words. Directly behind the ear
cavity was a split or broken cleavage in which they found a round piece
of dark wood.
"Get the bolo, George; we may find something interesting here." With a
few strokes the skull was opened, and embedded within the brain
receptacle was an arrow.
"This animal was, as you see, killed by the inhabitants of the island. I
infer that there are several tribes living here."
The boys looked at each other in astonishment.
"Why do you think so?"
"This arrow is different in shape and in structure from the sample we
found this morning."
The boys now noticed the difference.
"Do different tribes make their implements differently?"
"There is just as much difference among savages in the way they make
their weapons and different implements, as among civilized people. Our
customs differ; our manufactured articles are not the same; and
sometimes the manner of using the tools is unlike; and the divergence is
frequently so wide that it has been difficult in many cases to trace the
causes and explain the reasons. Such an instance may be found in the
Chinese way of holding a saw, with the teeth projecting from the sawyer.
For years all tools and machinery made in England could be instantly
recognized by those versed in manufacturing, on account of the bulk, as
their tools were uniformly made larger and heavy, as compared with the
French and American manufacture."
This conclusion verified the Professor's observation, and you may be
sure that the new discovery gave an air of gravity to the camp which it
did not have before.
"I also wanted to say to-day," was the Professor's last remark that
night, "I am satisfied that there is no intimate intercourse between the
different tribes on the island." The boys looked at each other without
questioning, as usual; but the next morning, as soon as George awoke,
his first observation was: "I can't understand what makes you think that
the natives of the different tribes do not associate with each other."
"Simply for the reason that the styles of the arrows differ so greatly.
With them, as with civilized people, the intermingling of the races
should tend to make their tools and implements alike."
The next night, after the evening meal, they sat in the wagon until
late, discussing their future course. It was now fully nine months since
they left home. The thought that their parents and friends would
consider them lost was the hardest thing to bear. Did the boys ever get
homesick? I need not suggest such an idea to make it more real than it
was to them. With beautiful home surroundings, loving parents and
brothers and sisters, absence, uncertainty; the fear that they would
never again be able to return; danger all about them; the belief that
perils still awaited them, which fears were now, in all probability, to
be realized, all these things did not tend to produce a pleasant
perspective to the mind.
But the Professor was a philosopher. He knew that the human mind craved
activity. If it could not be exercised in a useful direction it would
invariably spend its energies in dangerous channels. He knew this to be
particularly true of young people.
Boys are naturally inquisitive. Their minds are active, like their
bodies. They must have exercise; why not direct it into paths of
usefulness, where their accomplishments could be seen and understood by
the boys themselves.
That thought is the parent of the manual training system, where the
education imparted comes through the joint exercise of brain and muscle.
Boys resent all work which comes to them under the guise of play; and
all play which is labeled "work." But when there is a need for a thing,
and the inquisitive nature of the boy, or his mental side, starts an
inquiry, the manual, or the muscular part of him, is stimulated to the
production of the article needed to fill that want.
The Professor did not force any information upon the boys, as will be
noticed. It was his constant aim to let inquiry and performance come
from them.
Could anything have been more stimulating or encouraging than the
building of the water wheel, the sawmill, or the wagon? See what
enjoyment and profit they derived from it. Thus far they had not given
their time and the great enthusiasm to their various enterprises because
of the money returns. Do you think it would have made their labors
lighter, or the knowledge of their success any sweeter if they had been
paid for their work?
The "Baby" went to sleep early, as was his custom now, and the boys and
the Professor sat up later that night than usual, talking over their
condition, and the situation as it appeared to them. The day had been
exceedingly warm, following the rains.
Harry, who was seated facing the river, suddenly sprang up and excitedly
grasped the Professor's arm, as he pointed across the river: "Look at
that light!"
There, plainly in the distance, was a light, not stationary, but
flickering, and, apparently, moving slightly to and fro.
"It seems as though it is at the edge of the woods," remarked George.
The distance was fully a half mile away.
"It can't be possible that people are over there," said Harry, not so
much in a tone of inquiry as of surprise. "How far do you think it is
from here?"
"Probably one-half mile, or more. We might be able to learn something if
we should fire a gun," was the Professor's reply.
The boys were naturally astonished at the boldness of this remark. Other
lights now appeared, some dim, others brighter. The firing of a gun
seemed to them a most hazardous thing to do, but no doubt the Professor
had a reason for making the suggestion.
It was quite a time before either of the boys responded to this
proposal. In their minds it was a daring enterprise.
"If we should fire a gun the noise would likely startle them, and the
first impulse of the savages would be to extinguish the lights."
George, who had the spirit of adventure more strikingly developed than
Harry, was the first to concur.
"I am going to try it at any rate; we might just as well know what we
have to face now, as later on."
"So you are really going to shoot?" said the Professor.
"If you so urge it, yes."
"Then let me suggest what to do. All savages have a keen sense of
direction. It is one of their chief accomplishments. You and Harry go
back, up the river, a quarter of a mile, or so, and take with you one of
our coverings. Then shoot behind the blanket, so the flash will not be
seen, and I will remain here and watch the effect."
There was no delay in their preparations. Within fifteen minutes the
shot rang out, and almost immediately thereafter every light had
disappeared. The boys were also keen enough to note the extinguished
lights, and returned to the Professor in a hurry.
"The disappearance of the lights is not conclusive evidence that human
beings were there. It might have been a mere coincidence."
"Coincidence! What do you mean by that?"
"Did it not occur to you that the lights might be natural phenomena?"
"Of what?"
"Of phosphorescence."
"Do you mean 'will-o'-the-wisp'?"
"It is sometimes called by that name. It is caused by decaying vegetable
matter, and exhibits itself in the form of gases of phosphorus, which
appears to burn, but does not, like the vapor which is produced by
rubbing certain matches in the dark."
"But how do you account for the disappearance after we shot?"
"I thought they might have disappeared naturally, after you fired, and,
therefore, said it might have been a mere coincidence."
This explanation was not a satisfying one for the boys, and the
Professor did not place much faith in it, for the following reasons:
"I believe it is our duty now to keep watches during the night, which we
can do by turns, so that the sentinel will quietly awaken the next one
in his turn, or both in the event of any unusual happening; and
furthermore, we should make an early start in the morning."
George was the first watch, and, by agreement, Harry was to be the next,
in two hours, for the second period. Before that time passed Baby was
very restless, and George tried to soothe him; but before long he began
crying. A lusty orang, however small, in a still night, makes an awfully
loud noise. The boys never heard anything as loud and as frightful as
that cry appeared to them.
All were awake, of course, but the Baby refused to be quieted for fully
a quarter of an hour.
"Don't you think Baby's cries will direct the savages to us?"
"It is not at all likely. The savages have no doubt heard the cries many
times. It is your imagination which is playing you tricks. Do you
suppose the savages know we are here and have a captive orang?"
During the rest of the night they took sleep in snatches, and morning
was long in coming. Harry had busied himself in getting a hasty
breakfast while the others slept, and Baby was up leaping around
nervously, and springing from branch to branch on the adjacent trees.
Having finished breakfast, the yaks were yoked, and before the sun was
visible they were on their way to the north, as fast as the yaks could
travel.
The whole camp partook of watchfulness now. Every hour and every mile
they scanned the landscape, and, for further precaution, kept away from
close proximity to the river bed. That was not a safe route, as enemies
on the other side of the river would have an unobstructed view, whereas
by traveling inland, but within sight of the river, they could still
view the banks of the stream.
"The scout who leads the way must go a certain distance, then make
observations in all quarters. He must take particular note of objects
which afford places of concealment, and the eye must be alert enough to
observe every undue movement in limb or leaf. Sound is one of the things
he must cultivate. A noise of any kind should be analyzed. A scout once
told me that on one occasion during the war, his life was saved because
he saw one limb of a tree move more than an adjoining one. At another
time, in trailing through a forest, he saw a leaf on the ground,
differing in color from those around it. In walking along he had noticed
that some of the leaves he overturned had the same color, and inferred
that as no wind had been blowing, and all the trees were bare, something
must have turned the leaf, and subsequent events confirmed his
reasonings."
The boys quickly learned their lessons. Each knew that every step
forward meant an entrance to an unknown world.
CHAPTER III
THE BEAR FIGHT
During the day, following the night when the mysterious lights appeared
in the lowland directly to the west and beyond the river, they passed
through several dense forests. George, who was in the lead at this time,
emerged from the thickest wood into a rather open plain. He saw the
river make a long circular sweep, and directly ahead noticed a coast
line of steep hills which marked the shore of the river on the opposite
side.
Harry and the Professor, who were behind with the team, had not yet
reached the clearing. As George passed into the open space he saw an
animal cross his path, and without waiting to inform the others, he
shot. This alarmed Harry, who was out of the wagon without waiting for
any word from the Professor. Immediately after George's shot was heard,
they plainly heard another from the direction of the river ahead of
them. The Professor, too, jumped from the wagon and followed Harry.
George fired a second time, and another shot came from the river. Harry
turned and looked back at the Professor in amazement.
"What can that mean? Did you hear four shots?"
"Yes; run ahead, and find George."
In a brief time both boys returned. "George says he did not hear the
shots from the river."
"They were as plain as your own."
George did not know how to explain it. The Professor moved forward. "Let
us get out into the opening."
As they reached the clearing beyond the wood, and the Professor saw the
steep bluffs beyond, he laughed, and looking at the hills, said:
"That is where the shots came from."
His amusing smile was reassuring, although his words were not.
"That bluff over there is about 2,000 feet from here. We had better find
out what he is doing there."
"Two thousand feet; and somebody there!"
"I did not say somebody was there, but that the noise of the shot came
from that place."
"Do you think it was simply an echo?"
"Undoubtedly; didn't you hear Baby's cries repeated?"
"But how do you know that the hills are 2,000 feet away?"
"Sound travels at the rate of 1,040 feet per second, and I made a mental
calculation that it took four seconds for Baby's cries to come back from
the hills. In that case the sound had to go to the hills and back again,
and it would, therefore, take two seconds to travel one way. Do you
understand?"
"Oh, yes; that is perfectly clear."
The land now became more rolling, and was occasionally broken by
ravines; and sometimes they had difficulty in getting their yaks and
wagon across and over the rough ground.
Fallen trees were numerous; there were little mounds here and there,
made by the remains of uprooted trees, which had long ago decayed, all
of which made their traveling laborious and slow.
Here wild animals became more abundant, and wild game was found on every
side. Several good shots by the boys replenished their larder with bird
meat.
"See that bear!" cried Harry in great excitement.
The boys, as well as the Professor, were out with their guns at once.
"Follow him up quickly now," and the Professor could hardly keep pace
with them. The bear did not seem to be greatly frightened, and when
Harry, who was ahead, stopped and aimed his gun for a shot, he was less
than a hundred feet away. The shots from the two boys came close
together, and bruin stopped in surprise, then, with a snarl, turned
around and in a lumbering, shuffling movement started for the boys.
If either shot had taken effect it was not noticeable. The boys turned
to run, one going to the right and the other to the left. This did not
seem to disconcert him in the least, as he went right on. He had seen
the Professor, who stopped and sprang to one side and bringing up his
gun awaited the charge of the bear.
The boys, encouraged by the tactics of the bear in avoiding them, turned
again, because they now appreciated that the Professor was in the bear's
path.
"Don't shoot, boys; let him come nearer."
When he came within fifteen feet the Professor fired, and the boys also
shot. The bear reared up, gave a terrific growl and again shambled
forward, this time making a beeline for the wagon. This was too much for
the yaks; they turned, almost upsetting the wagon, and Baby commenced to
shriek in the most approved fashion.
[Illustration: _Fig 3. THE BEAR_]
Neither George nor Harry could wait any longer. They followed and rushed
past the Professor, who now had the only loaded gun.
"Take this, Harry; your guns are not loaded."
Harry turned and grasped it and without stopping went in pursuit. Before
he had reached the former location of the wagon the animal ran into a
tree, which threw him back on his haunches, and after several efforts to
raise himself, fell over on his side.
The Professor's shot had entered his left eye, but the vitality of the
animal was such that he ran nearly a hundred feet before it took effect.
The yaks were soon rounded up. It is a wonder that more damage was not
done. Aside from the displacement of their bedding, and the ditching of
some of the cooking utensils, everything was found intact.
"That was a rather ill-advised adventure on our part. We should have
guarded our supplies; but I was as much to blame as you were. We must be
more careful in the future."
On every side the rough character of the land was more apparent, and it
was becoming more and more difficult to find tracks which were suitable
for the team.
"This matter of going further with our wagon is now getting to be a
serious problem. I think we should turn to the right and move in the
direction of home, or direct our course southeast toward the mountains
on the other side of South River."
"I think we have discovered enough on this trip," was Harry's
conclusion.
George assented, so that on the twelfth day of their journey the yaks
were directed towards home. For two days the travel was southeasterly,
through the most broken and tortuous paths, crossing innumerable small
streams and rivulets on their course. During this troublesome part of
their journey the weather was stormy, with numerous rains, some of them
so prolonged as to prevent traveling for hours, so that they made less
than twenty miles during that time.
[Illustration: _Fig. 4. DIAGRAM OF THEIR TRIP_]
On the third day, however, the ground became more level and less broken,
the sun appeared, and they felt happy at the thought of getting back
again.
Thus far in their wanderings they had kept their reckonings, as well as
they could without instruments, and that evening the chart was again
consulted, as usual. The drawing (Figure 4) shows how it looked with the
course of their journey.
When they started from the Cataract home at nine o'clock in the morning,
they made an observation of the sun, using a vertical pole so as to get
the exact direction of the falling shadow. A distant object was then
selected, a prominent tree, as far off as possible. The Professor had
prepared an adjustable bevel square, which was simply two legs hinged
together at one end, by means of a set screw, like a compass.
[Illustration: _Fig. 5. BEVEL SQUARE_]
"Now, boys, I want to show you how we can make a fairly good chart
simply by the use of this adjustable square, and this will also be of
service to us in measuring heights of objects, as well as directing our
course. It is now nine o'clock, and you will see that our pole (A)
throws a shadow to the southwest. Supposing now, we direct the first leg
of our journey to that large tree (C), to the west of us. If, now, we
put one leg (D) of our rule along the shadow line, and the other leg (E)
along the sight of the line (F), which goes to the tree, we shall find
that the distance across between the ends of the bevel square is just
two feet. It happens in this case that the tree (C) is due west from our
observation point; so we have at nine o'clock each morning a means
whereby we can always determine the true east and west."
"But supposing we lose our reckoning during the day, on account of
cloudy weather, or by going through the forest, where we cannot make
observations?"
[Illustration: _Fig. 6. SIGHTING THE DIRECTION_]
"We could, probably, travel an entire day in one general direction,
without being more than a few miles out of our course, north or south,
and our direction immediately made out the next day."
"Wouldn't it be a good idea to prepare angles at different times of the
day, in the forenoon and in the afternoon?"
"That is the proper thing to do, so as to enable you to make
observations from the angles at all times. A chart could then be made
from that which would show at a glance what the value of each angle is."
"We shall certainly have to do that; but what interests me as much is,
to know how far we have traveled. Can we also tell that by the sun?"
"Yes; but to do so will depend on the accuracy of the observation. For
the present, with only a single instrument, the bevel square, we must be
content to make our calculations exactly at midday, when the shadow
points due south. Or, in the northern hemisphere, when the shadow points
due north. I want you, in the meantime, to think over that problem, as
it is a very interesting one, and we will take it up when we are not so
tired."
CHAPTER IV
THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE YAKS
It was a relief to get on fairly even ground again, where it would not
be necessary to make turns and twists around all sorts of obstructions,
to say nothing of ravines and water courses. On the evening of the
fifteenth day, calculations showed that they were halfway back from the
point farthest west, but they still had no knowledge of their distance
from the sea, which undoubtedly was to the east, or, possibly,
northeast. West River flowed to the north, and all the streams crossed
flowed north or northeasterly, how far, it was impossible to say.
Two days afterward the scene changed somewhat. There had been little
wind during the journey thus far; but now breezes sprang up for two
successive days, at about four in the afternoon, which came from the
north.
"I think the sea is not far away."
"Why do you think so, Professor?"
"Did you notice the warm breezes this evening, and also last night at
about the same time?"
"Why should the breezes from the ocean blow warm winds to us at this
time of the year when it ought to be cold?"
"It is not at all likely that the breezes are any warmer than at other
times of the year. Heat is merely a relative matter. We feel the
difference of the wind temperatures principally for the reason that when
the vast body of water in moving ocean streams is giving off its heat,
it imparts it to the atmosphere and modifies it, so that as it sweeps
over the land it is warmer than the natural temperature."
The following day, late in the afternoon, they caught the first glimpse
of the sea, and it was welcomed. A camp was made for the night in the
open, and with an early start next morning the explorers reached the
last hill to the west of the cataract.
When they arrived home, which was not without considerable misgiving,
owing to their long absence, they were overjoyed at finding everything
at the house in perfect order, but their yaks were missing.
This was, at first, a sore grief to them, especially to George, who
considered it to be a personal loss. Milk was a luxury, as well as a
necessity, to him. The team was now all that remained of their herd.
"It is strange we did not see any of them on our journey."
It was a surprising thing to see their water wheel in motion, although
they had taken considerable pains to push the wheel back so the blades
would not be in contact with the water. It was found that the Cataract
River was much swollen with the rains, so that the water had come into
contact with the wheel.
As the team was now the sole reliance, so far as the herd was concerned,
the Professor suggested that they should thereafter keep the team within
the enclosure, so as to prevent their straying, as they might, in the
absence of their fellows, try to escape.
The present house, which had been built since coming to the Cataract,
had originally only one room, and two of the sides were formed, as
stated, by the walls of the right-angled rocks, the room being about ten
feet square.
After the water wheel was built and put in and the sawmill erected, they
were enabled to get lumber, and an extension twelve by fifteen feet was
put up, to be used as a sleeping and living room.
A small addition was also added, which was converted into a kitchen, so
that the original enclosure could be used as a storeroom.
A sort of roadway passed the new addition, and beyond was the Cataract,
not fifty feet away. Directly below the Cataract another building was
put up, in one end of which was the sawmill, and at the other end was a
sort of shed in which they had put up a furnace, blacksmith shop, and a
kind of primitive foundry.
Within the workshop work was done during the rainy weather, and it was
made as comfortable as possible.
They were now back, ready to take up active life again. Not that the
past nineteen days were inactive ones. By no means; but they loved the
work which every day had brought to them in the past, and were happy in
the thought that they were accomplishing things of the greatest value to
themselves. They were really tired, and for a few days did little active
work.
"Do you think we have accomplished very much on our trip?" was George's
inquiry the evening of their arrival.
"We saw a light, didn't we?"
The boys laughed, when they saw that the Professor said it with a broad
smile. They had no doubt, but he wished to convey the impression that
they had seen a light, just as many others had, without being able to
understand it. George saw the point at once. "I hope we may be able to
profit by it. But, really, how much more do we know than we knew a month
ago?"
"The West River, the bear, the wildcat, the Baby; why, you had entirely
forgotten him and his cute ways. We learned that there are, without
doubt, savage tribes on the island. I am inclined to think the trip has
taught us something."
The Baby was an interesting little chap. He would sit up at the table
with innocent blinking eyes, and gravely imitate the motions of eating,
especially if there was something sweet in sight.
That night a startling noise was heard, made by the unmistakable tramp
of animals passing their home. Harry was the first to open the small
port, which served as a window.
"Hurrah for our yaks!" There they were, back again, with two additional
calves. The next morning they were contentedly lying down outside of the
enclosure which held their team.
Didn't "Baby" enjoy the milk! So did the boys. The cattle had not
strayed away far, but merely found a better feeding ground. The barley
field had been exhausted.
"If there is anything I missed on the journey, it was the clock. I don't
like guessing at time," was George's comment, after they had fully gone
over their experiences on the trip.
"I suppose," said Harry, "we can make watches, but they will be rather
cumbersome, because our tools are not very delicate. What do you think,
Professor?"
"That is for you to decide. I am of the opinion that as we have a pretty
good clock, and as it is susceptible of being nicely regulated, we could
put in our time more profitably in doing some other much needed work."
"What is that? I am willing to do anything?"
"We have some hides that need tanning, and the fresh bear pelt must be
cured. As our herd of cattle has increased we might slaughter several of
them, so that we can dehair the pelts and tan them all at the same time;
then we need some contrivances to enable us to determine the location of
our island; and also to afford a means to measure distances in
traveling, because, I presume, you are just as anxious as ever to know
what we have on the island."
There was a hearty assent to this view of the situation.
"I want to do everything we can to learn about our surroundings," was
George's response; "and I would like to have the fire, and the mystery
of the boat, and the flagpole cleared up."
The thing which most interested Harry after their return, was the
disposition of the barley which they had harvested before the last
journey was undertaken. This was welcomed by the Professor as a
necessity. Accordingly a level floor was provided, on which was spread a
thick layer of barley stalks, and this was beaten with flails. A flail
is simply a piece of wood about the thickness and length of a broom
handle. To this was attached, by means of leather strips, a club, not
unlike a baseball bat, so the bat portion swung on the end of the
handle, and in this manner the barley was threshed out.
[Illustration: _Fig. 7. Threshing Flail._]
Before the invention of the threshing machine this was the universal
method of threshing, although it was also customary to tramp it out with
horses, which were driven over a thick layer of the straw hour after
hour.
In one day they threshed out five bushels; beautiful golden grain. The
boys who had often seen wheat and oats threshed out, never appreciated
grain as they did their own, acquired in the manner this was.
The grinding-stones, which they had previously made, were then set to
work, making the meal, or flour, as they preferred to call it.
Heretofore flour had been a luxury, and there was a longing for it, so
it was decided to make up the first batch of bread.
You may be sure that the Professor did not object to activities in this
direction; and they had long ago learned his peculiarities, particularly
not to venture any information voluntarily, so the boys concluded to
make bread on their own knowledge. They had often seen bread made.
"All you have to do is to mix up the flour with a little water, put some
rising in it and let it stand until it raises and then bake it."
"That's all well enough, Harry, I suppose we can do all that, but where
shall we get the yeast?"
"That's so; yeast is necessary; I suppose we shall have to see the
Professor, after all; but hold on; I have seen sour milk used, George."
"So have I; but I think mother used something else with it."
"Well, there we are; who would think we could have trouble with such a
simple thing as making bread?"
The Professor came smiling. "You want to make bread, and the only thing
that troubles you is to raise it so it will be light?"
"Wouldn't it be bread if you didn't raise it? You know the Jews used
unleavened, or unraised, bread."
"But we want regular bread, of course, and we want to know what to use
to raise it with."
"I don't see that you particularly need anything."
"Why not?"
"If you let the dough stand in a temperature of between 90 and 120
degrees for a certain time, fermentation will take place, and it can
then be baked."
"But why should it ferment?"
"Bread raising is merely fermentation. All flour is largely composed of
starch. The high temperature, of 100 degrees or over, causes the starch
to turn first into sugar, then into alcohol and carbonic acid, and the
gases thus formed force their way up through the dough, causing it to
swell, as you have often noticed."
[Illustration: _Fig. 8. Imperfectly leavened. Perfectly Leavened.
SAMPLES OF BREAD_]
Without further instructions the boys began the making of bread. Shortly
afterwards the Professor appeared laughing immoderately.
"Come and see the Baby."
The boys were out in an instant. The Baby was in the storeroom
adjoining, and discovered the honey pot. It was a "sight." He sat there,
both hands and arms covered with honey, blinking innocently, and licking
his fingers and arms with the greatest joy imaginable.
"You little rascal, you are getting too fat now," was George's greeting;
but Baby didn't mind. He knew George by this time.
The bread raised, but it, too, was a "sight." It was full of holes and
at some places the bread had no appearance of having "come up," which is
kitchen parlance for unraised bread.
"What is the matter with it, Harry?"
"Did you work it before you put it into the oven?"
"I forgot that."
When the Professor saw the sample he divined the trouble at once.
"Of course, you have to work it, for the reason that 'working'
distributes the gases through the mass. I think you made the mistake in
working it and then putting it into the oven immediately."
"How long should it stand after working?"
"That depends on the amount of carbonic gas which is developed. When it
first raises the gas forces its way through the dough irregularly, and
by then working it the gas is broken up and distributed evenly, so that
if the mass is allowed to stand after the second working every part of
it will be leavened. When it is then put into the oven, the heat at
first causes a more rapid expansion, or raising, of the dough, and as
the heat increases, fermentation is stopped, and the baking process sets
the dough. The result is tiny little holes throughout the bread, where
the gases were."
"But why do they use yeast if it can be done without?"
"Because it makes the raising process easier, and more positive."
"Is it the carbonic acid which makes some bread sour?"
"Yes; sour bread results if the fermentation is continued too long."
[Illustration: _Fig. 9. Air Pocket._]
It was George's custom each day to watch the movements of the yaks,
because it was through them that they learned of the barley field which
was such a source of usefulness to them. One day while out on an
expedition of this kind, he wandered down to the rock cliffs, probably
five hundred feet west of Observation Hill, this hill, it will be
remembered, being close to the landing place when they were cast on the
island. The sea was heavy and the tide coming in. He could not help
reflecting, and his home, his parents, and his beautiful life there came
up to his inward vision. The dreary pounding sea made him homesick, and
for the first time he burst into tears. But George was a brave boy. He
knew that crying was useless, and felt a little ashamed of himself.
His reflections were not long, however. To his left he saw a peculiar
sight. At every inrushing wave there was a report like a cannon shot,
followed by a tremendous stream and spray of water, which was shot out
to sea high up above the waves.
This was an extraordinary sight to him, and unexplainable. The story was
related to the Professor that evening.
"That was an air pocket in the rocks."
"What is an air pocket?"
"From your description it is probably a large cave, so situated in the
wall of the cliff, that at a certain period the waves will entirely
close the mouth. When the wave dashes up against the cliff and closes
the mouth of the cave, the water tries to enter the cave. In doing so
air is compressed in the pocket, and when the wave again starts to go
out to sea, and the pressure is partly taken away, the compressed air
explodes, so to say, and shoots out the water into a spray, and also
causes the noise you heard."
"How much can air be compressed?"
"It is not known definitely how far. It has been compressed to less than
one-eight-hundredth of its bulk. It is the most elastic substance
known."
"Isn't water compressible?"
"No; if it had been compressible you would not have had that exhibition
at the air pocket."
CHAPTER V
AN EXCITING HUNT
"What is that rocking?" cried Harry, jumping out of his couch, one
night.
The Professor was awake and had noticed it.
"Probably an earthquake."
The rocking continued for several minutes, and then gradually subsided.
They boys were so excited that sleep was out of the question, for the
time, besides the shaking might again recur at any moment.
"Do you think there is any danger, Professor?"
"It is impossible to say what will happen when these symptoms in the
earth's crust take place."
"Are there not some instruments which indicate the extent and possible
dangers of the quakes?"
"There is an instrument called the seismograph, which records the
vibratory movements of the earth, and also locates the distances at
which the shocks are from the observer, but there is nothing to indicate
what the extent and probable dangers are."
"Is it true that the interior of the earth is in a liquid state?"
"Such has been the theory for many years; but it is now believed to be a
solid--a body with a density five and a half times greater than water."
"If that is the case, why is it that the molten metal flows out of the
volcanoes?"
"There may be fissures in the earth, or portions less dense than others
which, by the general disarrangements of the adjacent parts, and by the
enormous pressure exerted by the force of gravity, are contracted, and
the movement causes such friction and intense heat as to liquefy the
rock. In doing so a large amount of gas is evolved, the movement of
which causes the disturbance of the earth's crust, which manifests
itself to us in the form of earthquakes. At the same time the confined
gases seek an outlet, which they find at the weakest part, and the
volcanoes spout forth the lava, flame, and gases. There is an undoubted
connection between earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes
usually precede volcanic action. This internal combustion is going on at
all times, and is only more violent at some period than at others. The
lava in the Crater of Stromboli has been in a liquid state for more than
two thousand years."
"Before we left home I saw in a paper that some scientist described the
kind of rock and other matter which was seven miles down in the earth."
"Was anyone ever down as far as that?"
"No; a little over a mile is as far as man has actually penetrated the
earth."
"Then, I should like to know how geologists can tell with any certainty
what the rock is like several miles down?"
"That is known just as positively as though a hole had been dug down
that distance."
"I don't see how that is possible."
"I am going to make you a sketch which you can examine at leisure, that
will show how he knows. Assuming that the earth has a crust--that is,
the outside or cooled part, let the first sketch (Figure 10) represent
this crust, before the mountains and valleys were formed. The slightly
curved horizontal lines merely represent the different layers of the
crust, such as rock, clay, coal, slate, and the like. When the cooling
process took place the earth grew smaller within, so that the crust was
forced together.
[Illustration: _Fig. 10. NORMAL CRUST OF THE EARTH_]
"The second sketch (Figure 11) shows this crust forced together, so that
when the upheaval took place, two mountain ranges, A and B, were formed,
with a valley (C) between them, and the broken lines (D), where the
crust separated, were exposed, and by that means examinations can be
readily made way down into the crust, without ever leaving the surface
of the earth."
As it was understood that the boys should take at least a day each week
for hunting, particularly since such sport would develop expertness in
the use of their weapons, an early start was made on the day selected,
which was within a week of the time they returned home.
Ever since the disappearance of the boat left at the falls in South
River, there was some anxiety on that score. It was a frequent topic of
conversation, and after they left home it was by a mutual impulse that
they wended their way south, taking a trail which was now familiar to
them.
"See here, Harry, I should like to go to the place where I discovered
South River, and where I had the experience with the snake and the
strange animal, which frightened me so."
[Illustration: _Fig. 11. MOUNTAIN UPHEAVAL_]
"Then we must go to the left, because, you remember, you came up between
these hills, and crossed the stream where I found you."
It was about three miles across from the Cataract house, but less from
their original home. When they reached the river the surroundings were
very much unlike anything George had seen before, and he could not
identify the place where the ramie plant had been found.
The ocean could be seen plainly from their position, and George thought
they were too far east, which proved to be the case.
"Here it is, Harry; here is a low place, and you can see the ramie plant
all about here. I am sure of it."
"Is this the place you lost the hatchet?"
"So I did: I'll show you the place." But he failed to find the hatchet.
Subsequently Harry stumbled across it, but it was found some distance
from the place where George declared he lost it.
"Let us try to cross the river. We can do it if we find a couple of
logs."
At a bend of the river they found a lot of driftwood caught in the roots
of a tree, and after some work a number of pieces were cut and laid
crosswise on each other.
After the experiences of several expeditions of this kind, to say
nothing of the exploring trips, the need of the bolo and ropes impressed
itself on their minds. They were never without them.
The river at this point was fully one hundred feet wide, but by the aid
of long poles the raft was not long in making the trip. After properly
securing it they took up their weapons and at once made a dive for the
interior.
The trees were fairly thick, and before going very far Harry checked
George with the statement that there was game ahead, as he had heard
rustling sounds in the leaves.
Both were now looking forward intently, expecting and hoping that some
game worthy of attention would appear. Whenever they stopped, the
animal, or what it was, would stop, to resume its motion whenever they
moved. This was getting to be decidedly interesting, and at the same
time trying to the hunters. The distance was fully a mile from the
river. The noise which came from the slight rustling of the leaves and
the occasional breaking of a twig was growing acute.
"Are we hunting or being hunted?" said George, under breath.
Not forgetting the Professor's story of the hunter's careful scrutiny of
leaves, they adopted that plan, but it gave them no clue. Whatever it
was, it was in front of them, but they were unable to get a glimpse of
it.
Once, by agreement, they stopped and were silent for several minutes.
The silence was just as profound and continued as their own. It was
getting tense, when George hit upon a plan.
"Let us be quiet for a minute or so, and then suddenly bound forward and
give a whoop. I think that will frighten him, and enable us to sight
him."
"Before doing that get the guns ready for a shot, and don't fire too
soon. Don't get excited. Remember the Professor's warning; a shot close
at hand, deliberately aimed, is more positive than a dozen shots
excitedly fired at a distance."
When all was ready Harry whispered, "Now!"
With a whoop both started forwardly on a run as fast as the dense
underbrush would permit. Before they had gone twenty feet a large
leopard-like animal sprang transversely across their path, then, seeing
the boys, crouched for a spring. The guns were cocked and ready, and it
is a wonder that in the excitement there was not a premature shot.
"Now, steady," said Harry. "Aim, fire!" and the moment both shots rang
out. Harry cried excitedly, "Now for the other guns!"
The other guns were not necessary then. The animal gave a savage growl
and bounded to the left, and after they had time to recover, both moved
toward the spot.
"We have hit him, sure," was George's exultant shout. "See the blood on
the leaves. My! he was as big as a lion!"
"Let's follow him," was Harry's determination. And off they started, the
blood tracks plainly showing the way. Not a further view was obtainable
of the animal, and in less than a quarter of a mile all blood traces
disappeared, to the chagrin of both.
They directed their steps toward the river, but within two hundred feet
of the spot where they had last stopped, George stepped back and cried:
"There he is now, right ahead of us."
"Let us be careful now; he may be angry." There was no alternative but
to fire. The shots were almost at the same instant, and to their great
relief the animal, after a single leap, fell down without a groan.
The approach was cautious, because experience had not taught them
whether it was safe immediately to make an examination of the body.
After some hesitation they went up closer, and when all doubts as to his
death had been dispelled a careful examination was made.
They found only a single shot wound between the shoulders.
Here was a dilemma, surely enough. The river fully a half mile away, if
not more, and the brute too large to carry, made them hesitate about
attempting to skin it in the absence of the Professor.
"I wish we knew what kind of an animal it is. We had better go home and
bring the Professor back with us in the morning."
So taking note of the surroundings, to familiarize themselves with the
location, they hurried back to the river, and rafted themselves over.
The Cataract home was reached about four o'clock, after one of the most
adventurous days spent on the island, although, in some respects, not as
exciting as their earlier experiences. They had begun to be veterans.
They were not merely boys.
Naturally, the Professor heard a stirring tale, and when it was all told
over and over again, he told them he thought that undoubtedly the region
beyond the river would turn out to be their hunting preserves, a
statement which the boys did not forget to profit by, as we shall see
later on.
"I wonder why we haven't seen more animals north of the South River?
There have been very few in this section," was George's observation.
"Undoubtedly the mountain region affords them safer retreats, and it is
one of the things which indicate to me that we shall find that section
very wild, and when we are in shape to do so may be able to have some
interesting and exciting times in that part of our domain," was the
Professor's response.
"But in South Africa wild animals are found in abundance on the plains."
"True; but they have very thick brush, or cover, owing to the luxurious
growth of vegetation. That affords them means for covering their retreat
when attacked."
Following out the usual custom while on expeditions of this kind, they
constantly, while on the way, stopped to examine specimens of plants and
trees.
[Illustration: _Fig. 12. Branch of the Camphor Tree._]
"Here is a branch, with the flower, of a tree, and the smell is very
familiar."
"That is from a camphor tree; do you not recognize it?"
"So it is; I know camphor is good for a great many things."
"It would take some time to enumerate the things camphor is used for.
Indeed, there are so many that Raspail, a French chemist, years ago
found a system of medicine largely on the camphor plant, claiming that
it was nature's universal remedy."
"Here is a sample of plant which we found growing in bushes; there were
also a few trees with the flowers. It is bitter to the taste."
"This is the Calisaya, one of the varieties of the plant from which the
well-known quinine is made. There are at least forty varieties of the
plant. This is indeed a valuable find. But I see you have some beans
there?"
"Yes; are they good to eat?"
"In South America, particularly in the Argentine Republic, it is eaten
as a fruit, and the seeds are fed to cattle. Our yaks would relish
them."
"We saw them everywhere on the other side of the river."
"The dry pulp of the seed is very nutritious, and is supposed to have
been the food of St. John while in the wilderness, as it is the same
kind of locust bean that grows in Palestine, and in various parts of
Asia Minor. The Spanish name is Algoraba, or Carob-tree."
"We have brought only one more sample, and it looks very familiar, but I
never saw any beans or pods on it like this."
"Don't you recognize Smilax? Of course, it is somewhat different from
the kind you know. The root of this kind of Smilax is called
Sarsaparilla, and the bean is good to eat."
"Well, I am going to lay in a supply."
The boys could not forget the animal they had shot when morning came, so
at the Professor's suggestion, they improvised a raft, which was loaded
on the wagon, and a start made for the river.
Tethering the team the raft was launched, and the Professor accompanied
them across. A light skid had been made for use in transporting the
hide, so they would not be compelled to carry it the entire distance.
Before they had reached the spot pointed out by the boys, they stumbled
on the animal.
"Why," said the Professor, "this is an Ocelot, very dangerous when
attacked, and just the kind of beast to elude you. I commend you for the
good judgment in adopting the course you did."
"See here, Harry; I don't understand this. You will remember when we
examined him, just before leaving him here, that we found only one
bullet hole between the shoulders; this has two bullet wounds, one in
the head and the other in the neck."
"Why this is not the place we shot him. This must have been shot by some
one else."
"Do you remember what you selected as your marking for the spot?"
Harry looked about, and finally said: "I remember two trees, standing
about ten feet apart, east and west of each other."
"That is the place, I am sure," was George's conclusion, after they had
made a circuit around the spot; "yes, I am sure those are the trees."
"There it is; I see it."
Surely enough, close to the two trees an animal was found, larger than
the one they had just left.
"So it seems you killed two of them," and the Professor was so much
amused he could not help laughing as he saw the amazement on the boys'
countenances. "You are certainly fine hunters."
"I think--yes; here is the shot in the shoulder--this is the last one we
shot. The other one, over there, was the one we followed so long and
took our first shot at."
Within two hours the skins were ready, packed on the skid, and delivered
at the raft, and after a hard forenoon's work the Cataract was reached
shortly after noon.
CHAPTER VI
HUNTING VEGETABLES AND PLANTS
One night, while engaged in the usual evening discussion, many topics
were mentioned, things connected with the day's adventures talked over,
and plans for the following day considered.
As usual, George was the persistent questioner, but Harry was the one to
utilize the meaning, and generally the first to take advantage in a
practical way of the information thus obtained.
We have stated heretofore that George was the theorist and Harry the
practical one. George delighted to delve down into mysteries; but Harry
utilized the knowledge in constructing and building articles. Both,
therefore, had useful accomplishments. To learn and to do are the great
things in life.
During the day the boys had turned out a nice sample of bread, and
George, as usual, began the questioning:
"Professor, you said the other day, that fermentation caused a change in
the dough, and that it was due to heat. I am curious to know why heat
should cause it to ferment?"
"Heat develops bacteria, a tiny germ, which grows so rapidly in a short
time, that millions are produced. These living organisms cause gases to
form, and they continue to breed and grow and multiply so long as they
have anything to feed on."
"And we eat all that stuff and call it good?"
"Yes; and why not? Every part of your body contains the little
creatures, and they really keep you alive, and preserve your health, as
well as prevent diseases."
"Why so?"
"Most germs are of the harmless type, and it is because of the vast
numbers of the harmless ones that the few poisonous or disease germs are
killed. Water has millions of them in every cubic inch. Professor Dewar,
a great English chemist, calls them nature's policemen. If a typhoid
fever germ, for example, should be introduced among so many germs, as is
the case every day, a fight at once takes place, and where a person is
finally attacked with the fever, it is because the germs escaped the
policemen who were on duty."
"That sounds like a romance."
"Yes; the life history of those germs is really a wonderful thing, and
books have been written about them. They exist in tribes, as it were;
some of them can live only where oxygen is present, and some live on
nitrogen only; others on carbon. But that is not all. Man has learned to
use them, so they will work just as surely as our yaks work for us under
our direction."
"How interesting! In what way do we use them?"
"In what is called the septic system of treating sewage. You know that
sewage from the kitchen contains all kinds of meat and vegetables, and
the more it has fermented the stronger becomes the odor and the greater
are the number of bacteria in the sewage. The sewage in the liquid state
is first placed in a reservoir, and at a certain temperature the germs
grow very rapidly, and, of course, eat up the vegetable and animal
matter until it is nearly all consumed. Then it is run off into another
reservoir which has another tribe of germs in it, those that live on
carbon, and which are not harmful to man, and when these two tribes meet
war is declared, and they fight to the death. The harmless germs are
victorious in every battle, and when the sewage is discharged into a
stream, or used for irrigating purposes, few, if any, of the harmful
germs remain."
"So in using germs the object is to cultivate one kind to kill another
kind?"
"Not always; chemists have found out that man and animals absorb oxygen
and expel nitrogen, in order to live; and that plants take in and live
on nitrogen, and give out oxygen. They further learned that certain
germs make nitrogen, just the same as we found that certain germs made
carbonic gas in the dough; so that the United States Department of
Agriculture, through its chemical division, concluded to set the germs
to work, and the department will now send a box containing millions of
the tiny creatures to any farmer who applies for them."
"When they get them, how do they set them to work?"
"The germs are thrown into a tub of water, and the seed, like corn, is
put into the water and allowed to remain for a certain length of time.
When the seed is taken out, more or less of the germs remains on each
kernel, and when it is put into the ground the germs keep on working,
making nitrogen which the growing plant absorbs. It is wonderful to see
the effect in a field where one row has these germ-infected seeds, and
the other rows are not so treated."
It was now May, and the weather was slightly cooler, but there was
neither snow nor frost. North of the equator it was growing warmer,
because the winter had passed. Here the summer had gone, and winter was
coming on. From every indication they were not in a cold climate.
"Why do you think we shall not have any snow?" was Harry's inquiry.
"I notice too many trees, as well as shrubs and flowers, which could not
live if we had frosts or freezing weather. Many of the trees about here
do not shed their leaves, and the kind of animals which we now know
exist here are sufficient evidence that we need not fear cold weather."
For more than a week the boys and the Professor put in their time
prospecting in the hills and in carting various ores and mineralogical
samples to their workshop.
The pelts which were on hand needed curing and besides there were also
four yak pelts which had to be tanned, as shoe leather was badly needed.
The hide originally dehaired was long ago ready for tanning, as well as
the later ones.
"What shall we use for the tanning process?"
"The bark of certain trees must be procured, so if you can find either
oak, hemlock, birch or beech trees, we can probably make a tanning
compound which will serve our purpose."
"In what way will the bark of those trees tan the leather?"
"All the barks named contain what is called tannic acid. Other elements
also are used, such as gallic acid, alum, sulphate of iron, and copper,
salt, and other agents."
"What are the chemicals for?"
[Illustration: _Fig. 13. Tanning Vat._]
"The tannic acid or the chemicals act on the skins, or, rather on the
gelatin, glutin and albumen in the skins, and thus harden the texture
and preserve it. Where tannin is not used and only the chemicals are
employed, it is called 'tawing' the leather, instead of 'tanning.'"
"Well, we can get the bark; I know where there are several oak trees,
and also a number of beech trees."
"Then gather the bark by all means, and by the way, if you can find gall
nuts we could use them to advantage."
"We don't know what they are."
"Then, if you can get some sumac, we can use that."
"Yes, I know; the kind with the long, red leaves."
"That is what I mean."
"Do the gall nuts have tannic acid?"
"Yes; but principally gallic acid, but gallic acid will also tan the
skins so as to make leather. The principal use of the gall nut is for
making ink."
"What kind of tree does the gall nut grow on?"
"On any kind of tree or bush."
"That is rather odd."
"It is not the fruit of any tree, but is produced by the gall fly, which
punctures almost any kind of tree or shrub. In this puncture the insect
lays its eggs, and the tree in trying to treat the wound covers up the
egg, and the sap, flowing from the tree, forms a sort of nut which
finally hardens and produces a most bitter substance deposited by the
fly. The nut is about the size of a marble, and must be gathered before
the larva is hatched out. It is the most valuable nut in the world."
The necessary bark for the tanning process was ready within the next two
days, and a tank prepared in which the hides were laid spread out, with
the bark between them and covered with water.
"In our conversations, Professor, you have the habit in describing
plants, and especially the leaves to call them by certain names. It
would help us if we knew just what you meant by the different names you
give them."
"That is a wise suggestion, because it has been said that the basis of
knowledge, or of true science, is correct definitions.[1] What is meant
by that is this: We should both have an understanding of the term used
to describe a thing. In our talks I have tried to avoid the use of what
is called technical terms, but it is difficult to describe some things
without using such terms, and I have for some time thought of making a
list of the things we are talking about, and defining them, so you can
at any time go there and look up the definition."
[Footnote 1: Each of these books has the Professor's definitions on the
last pages.]
[Illustration: _Fig. 14. Serrate. Fig. 15. Bi-serrate._]
"If you would make drawings of the different kinds of leaves and give
their names we could hang them up and could look at them any time."
"The leaf is the proper part to commence on, because it is the most
important thing of every plant, or tree, or shrub."
"What, more important than the fruit or the flower, or the nut that
grows on the tree?"
"That is just what I mean. When you smell the rich red flower of the
rose, or look at the pure white petals of the lily, or the
sweet-smelling blossoms of the orange or the jasmine, you are simply
seeing or smelling leaves. The fruit itself, whether in the form of an
apple, or a berry or a nut, is simply a form of leaf, a perfected form
of the plant, or bush, or tree. Originally all these fruits, flowers and
nuts were but leaves in an undeveloped state."
"I never heard of such a thing before."
"It is a subject treated of in botanical knowledge which is called
Morphology, and the object is to show that every fruit and flower was
developed, in accordance with a well-known law, from the particular
shape or form of the leaf. We can go into that branch of the subject
later on. What we now want is to know something about the shape of the
leaf, so we can have a starting point. There are two particular things
about leaves; one has reference to the shape of the leaf, and the other
to the way in which the edges are formed. To simplify the explanation,
the drawings which I make pertain only to the edges. That will be
sufficient for one time.
"Look at Fig. 14. The edges are like the teeth of a saw. This is called
the serrate leaf. The rose and the common nettle have such leaves.
"Fig. 15 shows a leaf with a saw tooth edge wherein the teeth themselves
have a lot of little saw teeth, as in the nettle-leaved bell-flower, and
this is called bi-serrate.
"Fig. 16 has very large, sharp teeth, not pointing in any particular
direction, like the oak leaf. This is called the dentate, or tooth.
"Fig. 17 has rounded projections instead of angular teeth, and is called
crenate. Ground ivy and horseradish have such leaves.
"When we make drawings of the shapes of the leaves that will take us
along another step, and thus enable us to find out just what kind of
tree or plant we are talking about."
[Illustration: _Fig. 16. Dentate. Fig. 17. Crenate._]
The following day Harry proposed a trip over to the cave which George
had discovered at the time he found the big air pocket that shot water
and spray out into the ocean.
"I am interested," he said, "in seeing the air pocket George spoke
about, and we might as well take our vacation to-day."
"As the distance is not great we need not bother about taking our
luncheon along." And off they started, with the Professor bringing up
the rear.
The course was first to Observation Hill, where they had erected a new
and a larger pole than the one which had so mysteriously disappeared two
months before. On every such visit it was the duty of the one who made
the trip to scan the horizon in every direction.
It must not be inferred that because the boys were engaged in work which
was all-absorbing that they had no thoughts of home, and had given up
all hopes of a final rescue. If they could only let the people at home
know they were alive and happy--that is, in learning the secrets of
nature and in the exciting exploring trips, they would be satisfied.
They had no time to think of these things when they were at work, but in
the night their thoughts often wandered back again to their homes and
friends. Could they be blamed for that homesick feeling which came over
them?
"Now lead the way, George; we want to see some more of your mysteries.
Isn't it fortunate that the tide is out? It will give us a good chance
to investigate."
The path which George had taken was farther to the right, but as he was
in a hurry to get down as quickly as possible he followed a course,
which was much steeper, with Harry and the Professor close on his heels.
When the bottom was reached there was no sign of a pocket, or a cave, or
anything of that kind. George was very much annoyed. He could not be
mistaken in the position, as it was directly to the right of Observation
Hill, and not three hundred feet from the spot where Harry had landed on
his first trip to the island.
"It seems to me, George, we are too low down. At high tide this place is
all covered with water. It must he higher up in the cliff sides."
Harry scrambled up again part way, and shortly afterwards cried out: "I
have found something here; come up at once."
He was distant not more than twenty feet above them, but so rugged were
the cliffs that the opening was entirely hidden from below.
[Illustration: _Fig. 18. Cave Entrance._]
"This is an example of the corrosive effects of the sea, and of the
elements in the water and in the rock. As these rocks are limestone
formations, we may be able to see some beautiful decorations within, if
the cave is of any extent."
"It is awful dark in there. I wish we hadn't forgotten the candles," he
said, as he glanced at the Professor, who seemed to be quite absorbed in
examining the rocks.
"Don't you think we had better go in?"
"I should like to do so, but we haven't any candles."
"I thought you came here for the purpose of examining the cave?"
"So we did."
"And came without making any preparations for it?" As he said this he
drew out one of the small candles which they had been making and using
for their evening work and recreation.
George and Harry were both very much ashamed of their carelessness. The
Professor, on the other hand, did not make another remark on the
subject. No doubt the silent rebuke was a lesson they would retain much
better than if it should be more forcibly presented.
The boys, be it said to their credit, never resented any word or action
on the part of the Professor. They had only love and veneration for him;
and the Professor, by his constant attitude toward them, showed that
even these careless actions or any other examples of thoughtlessness on
the part of the boys, were part of the training that would teach lessons
of value.
Below the mouth of the cave were little streams of water which looked
like springs, and the Professor was of the opinion that the floor or
interior of the cave must be lower than the entrance.
"Why do you think so?" was the inquiry.
"The springs below seem to indicate that when the high tide fills the
cave, the bottom of the cave leaks enough to let out the water. The
height of the mouth from the normal level of the water is much above the
usual high tide level of the water, and it is only when there is an
abnormally high tide, as on the day that George saw it, when the cave
could be filled with water."
"Who will go in first?" said George. "I have no objection to taking the
lead; so here goes."
George moved forward cautiously, holding the candle, and Harry followed
with another. The opening was fully ten feet high, and at least that
much in width, but irregularly formed. They went in straight for twenty
feet or more, when George announced that he had reached a wall. The
Professor, who was in the rear, called out: "Look to the right, there is
a turn here."
Such was the case, but the broken up character of the sides and floor
prevented them from readily grasping the formation. After making a jog
the cave again turned into the cliff, practically on a line with the
opening section or mouth of the cave. It was dark at first, but now, for
some peculiar reason, it grew lighter as they advanced, and finally
George stopped.
"What makes that peculiar light?"
"It is not a light; it is merely white walls and ceilings."
"What causes it?"
"Carbonate of lime, or chalk, which is caused by lime water coming from
above and trickling down through to openings or crevices, and leaving
the deposits there. It is not an uncommon thing in caves, and I
foreshadowed it in the cave when I stated that the rocks were of
limestone formation. You will remember we made lime from this kind of
rock."
A loud splash and a groan-like noise put further conversation at an end.
"What was that?" asked George, as he retreated. In doing so he tripped,
and, in falling, the light he carried was extinguished as it flew from
his hand.
Clearly there was water ahead. "Let us go forward, a little closer,"
said the Professor. "You might get your guns ready, in case of
necessity."
Within thirty feet of them was the edge of water, and the light threw a
beam beyond for a hundred feet or more.
"It seems as though we have reached the end of our explorations here."
As they looked, the water was agitated, and it was plain that some
aquatic animal was within the cave.
To return was the only thing to do, and as they went back the sides of
the cavern were examined, and the Professor took a number of samples, as
he said: "Don't lose the candle until we get where we can see daylight.
Although we are not more than two hundred feet from the mouth of the
cave, the remarkable bend or jog near the mouth of the cave makes it as
dark as though we were in a thousand feet."
"What sort of animal do you suppose that was?"
"Possibly a sea lion, or a seal."
After the open air was reached the Professor said: "I do not see how
this cave would account for the phenomena that George saw the other
day."
"Why not?"
"The cave is too deep. It is not a true air pocket, and----"
"What is this? Here is another one, still larger, and lower down. Here,
hold the candle." Harry was down in an instant.
"Probably this is what George saw."
True enough; it was an air pocket which extended in about fifty feet,
and had no passageway beyond.
CHAPTER VII
INVESTIGATING THE PROSPECTOR'S HOLE
The knowledge that some marine animal inhabited the cave was now a
constant topic, particularly with George, who was determined, sooner or
later, to find out something more about it. With this end in view he
made secret preparations, particularly in constructing a lamp which
would not be liable to overturn or be put out by wind or in falling.
Thus far the only light available was obtained from candles made from
the fat of the animals, and it was not the kind of illuminating material
they had been used to. When people knew nothing better than tallow
candles, that light was satisfactory, but when petroleum was once used
tallow candles were entirely unsuitable and too primitive.
The statement by the Professor that the hole into which George fell,
some months before, contained asphaltum, hinted at a possible source of
petroleum, and through the persistent efforts of George, the Professor
agreed to accompany him to the place to make an investigation.
The yaks were yoked, and a good luncheon put up, prepared for a day's
jaunt, the trip being planned for the day of the week which had been set
apart for exploration purposes. Within an hour the team was tethered at
the spot where Harry and George put up the team when they started out on
their former tour of investigation.
"Now, George, we shall have to depend on you to lead the way."
"When I left Harry we were on the little hill beyond that clump of
bushes."
"We must have been much farther away," was Harry's opinion.
"Let us go over at any rate, and we can probably get our bearings from
there."
The spot pointed out was just as much a mystery after reaching it as
before. It was suggested that, as neither knew how to determine the
direction of the "hole" from that point, time might be saved by each
taking a different direction, with the understanding that if anything
was discovered a shot should be fired as a signal.
After carefully noting the two large trees where the team was located,
they separated, Harry going to the north, George to the northwest and
the Professor directly west. The ridge on which they were ran north and
south, and to the west was a decline. It was considerably south of the
trail taken on their former trips, so it was really undiscovered
territory.
The Professor passed down the long incline, carefully noting every set
of bush, such as George declared he had passed through at the time he
was deposited in the "hole." When the bottom of the ravine was reached
he turned to the right, working his way diagonally up the hill.
George, on the other hand, made for some bush ahead of him, which looked
familiar, but in this he was disappointed, and going to the left,
considerably farther down the hill, was rewarded by the rediscovery of
the "hole." Without waiting he fired a shot, and to his surprise found
the Professor within a hundred feet.
"I have found it. See, that is the place I went through."
Harry was not far away, and he rushed up out of breath. The bushes were
swept aside and George went in, followed by the Professor and Harry. He
had not gone five feet when he stopped.
[Illustration: _Fig. 19. Fig. 20. Luxurious vegetation around stone and
hole._]
"This isn't the place. There is a big rock here; not a hole."
This was indeed the case.
George's countenance was a study. The Professor and Harry had a good
laugh at the discomfiture of George.
"So you think you fell into a hole? It must have been a pretty solid
hole." The rock was about ten feet across, and flat on top, and the bush
grew all around it, thus entirely screening it from observation.
"Well, we must try again."
"I would like to know why vegetation accumulates around a stone, or
around a hole, and gets so much larger than at other places?"
"It is accounted for by the little germs we talked about the other day.
Did you ever notice the musty smell that comes up from an overturned
stone?"
"Yes, and I have often wondered what it was."
"There is always more or less moisture under the stone, so that the
germs are readily bred, and as they form carbonic and nitrogenous gases,
which the plant must have, you can readily see why vegetation thrives
around the stones."
"But where there is a hole it is drier, and the same thing occurs
there?"
"That is a good observation. Two things are required to cultivate the
germs, aside from the food. One is moisture and the other is heat. The
earth is full of bacteria from which plants get their food; some places
the bacteria go down only one or two feet; at other places, where it is
warm, as in the tropics, they have been found five or six feet below the
surface. When a hole is made, and the sun strikes it, the bottom of the
hole gets warm, and thus facilitates the growth of the germs around the
hole, so that the plants in the immediate vicinity get an extra supply
of nitrogen."
"But where do they get the moisture?"
"That is another one of nature's great surprises, and shows how every
contingency seems to be provided for. I suppose you have both cultivated
corn--that is, have gone between the rows with a cultivator, and stirred
up the earth. You did this, as you were told, to keep down the weeds.
That was one reason, but it is not the principal one. A dry crust forms
over the surface of the ground, owing to the heat of the sun. When the
cultivator breaks up the crust the heat from the sun draws up the
moisture from below, and you are therefore watering your corn, and what
is more, you are breeding bacteria so as to supply food for the plants."
"After learning this I am glad we discovered the stone."
A more persistent search was now made, and George's "hole" was really
found to exist. It was just as he described it. Everywhere along the
hillside were rocks projecting out from the surface, but here was a
depression, or hole, fully fifteen feet square, with rocky sides, the
wall on the upper side of the hill being fully fifteen feet high,
whereas the lower margin of the hole had a wall not over four feet high,
so that it will be seen George had no difficulty in getting out after he
had recovered from his fall.
The Professor was in the hole in an instant. The growth about the
depression was so dense that it made the hole dark, but there was an
unmistakable odor of asphaltum. Some of the overhanging branches were
trimmed off, and every portion of the walls examined.
"What do you think made this? Was it washed out?"
"Some one dug this hole," was the Professor's response.
"What makes you think it was dug out?"
"There is plenty of evidence to show that. Look at the marks of tools on
the walls all about you."
"Do you suppose it was made to get oil?"
"No; but to get metals."
"What kinds, do you think?"
"Gold or silver; most likely silver."
"Do you think we have silver here?"
"Unquestionably; we have some samples of it at the Cataract now."
"When did you get it?"
"At the time we found the lead ore. Silver is usually a partner of lead,
and from my examination of the samples we have it is rich in silver. It
is likely that the indications of lead and silver all along this ridge
attracted the attention of a mining engineer, and this was a test hole
in prospecting for the ore."
"But if this hole was dug out, as you say, where did they put the dirt
and rock which came out of it?"
"Examine below and you will see."
Below the hole the side was rather steep, but when the surface of the
hill was examined there was no longer any doubt of the human agency
which made it.
It was with a certain sense of joy that the boys heard this news. The
island had been explored by white people; it might again be visited by
some wanderers on the sea. This was a comforting assurance. It had the
effect of giving new courage, as no other event had, since they reached
the rocky shore during that tempestuous night, nearly eight months
before.
"Don't you think we can get kerosene here?" was George's inquiry.
"I do not think it is likely. What we see here is a mere trace of
surface oozing, found in many places, and it generally indicates
petroleum at some depth, but whether in sufficient quantities to pay
cannot be determined without boring."
George's hope of a better light faded.
Under the direction of the Professor the balance of the day was spent in
gathering samples of minerals, and George, in one of his searches,
brought a sample of very peculiar greenish ore, interlaid with patches
of brown substance. The Professor was much delighted with this.
"You have found a fine sample of zinc, and if you direct us to the place
we must take a quantity of it. I have been specially looking out for
samples of this."
The ore was readily found, and a sufficient amount uncovered to complete
their load, and late that evening they reached home very tired, but
happy.
"Let us do some preliminary work with the furnaces to-day," was the
Professor's first observation. "The ore we found yesterday is too good a
thing to lie idle. You will remember I told you some time ago that we
want some of these metals to be working for us?"
"Just like the germs do?"
"Not just in that way, but nevertheless they must serve us."
"If people get to know so much and have the different things do all the
work there will not be much left for us to do?"
"Do you think so?"
"If one thing after the other is discovered, and it is found that one or
two elements can be made to do our work, the time may come when
everybody will know so much that man will do nothing but----"
"But direct?"
"Yes."
"Isn't that something? Working with the hands or thinking are not the
only things which man can do, in order to go forward and to advance."
"What I mean is this: We are told that idleness is wrong, and that
people are happier when they are busy at some useful occupation."
"If that is a good definition of happiness, then we should make
everything we use as crude and primitive as the people used to make them
a thousand years ago. There would be no object in learning, because
learning makes people discontented."
"I heard a story once about some wise man who offered his fortune to the
man who could prove he was contented. The first applicant wanted the
fortune, because he said he was contented. The wise man answered by
saying, that if he was contented he would not want the fortune."
"Quite true; the contented man does not exist, because it is not human
nature to be so. That is one of the qualities which distinguishes man
from the rest of the animal creation."
"But is it true that the invention of labor-saving tools has caused a
lot of misery to working people?"
"Do you know of any tools that are not labor-saving? The mason's trowel
is a labor-saving tool, invented to prevent him from using his hands to
put on the mortar; the bolo or the knife is just as much a labor-saving
tool as the planing machine; the sickle saves labor and so does the
reaper. The difficulty is that some people do not stop to think that the
saving of labor applies just as forcibly to a simple tool as to a
complicated one."
"What shall we try in our furnace to start with?"
"The ore you found yesterday. The first thing to do is to crush it up as
fine as possible. When that is done we can put it in the round furnace."
"You mean in the firebrick furnace?"
"Yes; although we do not need such a high heat. Almost any furnace would
do, as the roasting of the ore does not require a high heat."
"What is the best way to roast it?"
"It will be necessary to put it on one of the iron plates, and great
care must be taken to keep it a uniform heat, but not too intense."
The process of roasting is a very particular one and requires quite a
time to get the best results. When this was done the next step was to
take the roasted ore, and mix it with half its weight of powdered coke.
They had a good quantity of the coke on hand, which was also crushed.
"You remember, George, we had a crucible made with a hole at the bottom.
Get that and also some fire clay dust, and moisten the dust so we can
make a stiff mortar from it. We must make a tubular connection with the
hole in the bottom of the crucible."
When this was done the crucible was put into the furnace, after it had
been charged with the coke dust and crushed zinc ore.
"Why is it necessary first to crush the ore and roast it, and then
afterwards put it in the crucible with the crushed coke?"
"Zinc is not found in a native state. This ore is in the form of an
oxide, as it is called. In roasting, certain of the impurities are
driven off in gases, and mixing it with charcoal or coke and then
applying heat to the confined mass, causes the zinc to melt and finally
go off into a gas, as we shall presently see."
After the heat had been applied for some time a white smoke began to
appear at the mouth of the clay tube, and a little later a blue vapor
appeared.
"Now bring that pan here, so we can catch it."
Soon the dripping commenced, and as it ran out and came into contact
with the air, it turned into a solid, greyish color.
"This is what is called spelter, or the pig of zinc, and this is what is
sold to refiners, who take out all the dross or impurities so it can be
rolled or used for galvanizing iron, or for other purposes."
"I do not see how we can use this metal, now that we have it."
"You said the other night that you wished we had a better light."
"That was the reason I was so anxious to see whether we couldn't get
some kerosene at the 'hole.'"
"As we didn't succeed in finding petroleum we shall have to depend on
our zinc, I suppose."
"What, light out of zinc?"
"No; but by the zinc route."
That was another new development to the boys.
"Harry made a sage remark some months ago. It was to the effect that in
order to start to make anything we had to make something that made
something to make something with. In order to make electricity by means
of a battery, we had to go through all this process of turning out the
zinc, which we have just completed; then, if you have not forgotten it,
we had quite a time in converting our copper ore into a copper which we
could use. We were compelled to make charcoal, and then coke, with the
aid of the charcoal; and now that we have coke, we must again grind it
up and make a mortar, so we can form it into little plates or slabs.
From the copper we got a liquid, which I asked you to save, and that is
vitriol, or sulphate of copper. You see, all these things are necessary
before we could possibly attempt to set up a primary battery, and start
the first lighting plant."
Not an hour was lost at the Cataract home and factory. All took the
keenest delight in forwarding any new enterprise and in looking out for
new things to do which would contribute to their pleasure and comfort.
The boys now learned what they had never dreamed of before; that life is
a most complex problem; that to secure pleasures toil is necessary, and
that the greatest happiness comes from knowing you have succeeded.
Pursuit, not possession, is man's greatest joy. To the brute the reverse
is true.
"Where is the Professor? I have been bitten by a cat."
"A cat, Harry? Where did you find the cat?"
"Across the river, where I was cutting the oak log."
The Professor was soon at hand. "What is this? A cat, you say?"
"It looked just like a big cat, about two feet long?"
"Did it have a pointed nose?"
"Then it must have been a Zibet, a specie not unlike the American civet.
It is a cat, but not what is known as the 'wildcat,' and can be tamed."
"Do you think there is any danger from the bite?"
"Some animals have a species of rabies, like those possessed by mad
dogs, and cats have been known to be infected. I do not think we need to
have any fear from that source. The wound should, however, be cleansed."
CHAPTER VIII
THE BULL FIGHT
As the boys grew more and more familiar with the island the greater was
its store of abundance shown to them. Each journey to the interior
brought some surprise in the way of fruit, flower or vegetable. Some
were of species well known to them; others unknown, and most of such
came to them under names of chemicals only.
"There is one plant, at any rate," said Harry, "that makes this seem
like home, and that is the thistle."
"Yes, and it is the one common enemy of man in every part of the world.
It is the most successful business plant, in this particular, that it is
equipped to resist attacks from other plants and from animals as well."
"But donkeys and some cattle will eat them."
"For the reason that nature has given such animals the proper coating
and linings of mouth and stomach that the thorns do not affect them.
There is hardly a plant which is as nutritious as the thistle. In
England, the thistle leaves, in early days, were used as salads."
Harry was an ardent admirer of flowers, and was constantly bringing in
some specimen for examination. "Here is a very pretty flower which is
differently colored from any that I have seen before. It looks like the
wood sorrel."
"It is the sorrel, but if you should be in Ireland, the people there
would call it the shamrock. St. Patrick taught the people that it
typifies the trinity with its three leaves. The plant has some very
peculiar qualities. It actually goes to sleep at night. It folds up its
leaves. It is so sensitive to light that it has at least four different
methods by which it can adjust itself with the greatest nicety to the
amount of light which it receives."
[Illustration: _Fig. 21. Fruit and Flower of Vanilla._]
"I think I have found vanilla; or it is something that smells like it,
but I did not know that the vanilla was a climber."
"You have found the wild vanilla, the flowers of which have, as you see,
disappeared and the bean is the product."
"I have often wondered why it is that we are able to smell or to
recognize different odors."
"Smell, like everything else in nature, is produced by vibrations. So is
sound, and light, and taste. Each odor has its particular rate of
vibration. They resemble very much the notes of a musical instrument,
and, as in music, odors can be harmonized, or they may be so mixed
together as to produce discord. Some perfumes, when used on the
handkerchief, and are about to fade away, have a sickly and disagreeable
odor. This is due to the admixture of the wrong or discordant tones.
Thus, heliotrope, vanilla, orange blossom and almond blend together;
citron, lemon, vervain and orange peel belong together, but they produce
a stronger impression on the sense of smell, and are of a higher octave;
and so with a still higher class, as patchouly, sandal-wood and
vitavert."
"But what is it in the flowers or essences which make them smell as they
do?"
"Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. It is one of the most remarkable things in
nature that many of the odors in plants are formed by the combination of
only carbon and hydrogen, and the wonderful thing about it is, that
while turpentine is composed of 88 parts of carbon and 12 parts of
hydrogen, the odors of oils of lemon, orange and juniper and rosemary
have the exact proportions of those elements."
It was one of the duties of the colony to preserve the seeds of
different vegetables and grain, because the Professor intended to put
out for their use, as soon as spring came, a garden, which would avoid
the necessity of constantly putting them on the alert to hunt the
different foods. Sometimes it was necessary to go considerable distances
to get the various foods. As long as they were on the island it was the
part of prudence to act like sensible business men, and prepare for the
future.
"We haven't a very big variety of vegetables, and I wish we could find
some real good sweet potatoes and peas; and tomatoes would come in
handy."
"Of course, variety, or the wish for different kinds, is largely a
matter of desire. It is not a necessity."
"But does not the desire for different kinds grow out of the need of man
to get the different substances which vegetables have?"
"To a certain extent, yes; but it is a singular thing that the world
over there seems to be a natural instinct to combine two or three
vegetables, and those vegetables, although they may be different in
different countries, make chemical combinations, when eaten, which are
almost identically similar. Thus, the Irishman mixes cabbages with his
potatoes; the Englishman bacon with his beans, and the Italian rich
cheese with macaroni."
One morning the boys were surprised to find a startling increase in
their herd of yaks. When the Professor arose and went out for his
regular morning stroll he noticed the unusual number, and was not slow
in informing the boys.
"I suppose," said the Professor, "that they are coming to board with us
for the season."
"Well, I am going to inform them, in a not very polite way, that we
don't need company."
He was off with a club, Harry following.
"Look at that immense fellow. Wouldn't he make good sole leather? What
is that on his side; that funny patch?"
Harry called to the Professor. "Did you see the peculiar mark on the
side of the big bull?"
The Professor was on hand at once. "That is certainly a mark of some
kind. See if you can get near enough to ascertain just what it is."
George, who had been so anxious to get rid of them, was now just as
eager to hold them. The bull was a magnificent specimen. Like all this
species he was a dark red, and had immense horns. All yaks, male and
female, have horns, and the Texas steer has no horns to compare with the
yaks in size and gracefulness of curve.
As George advanced there was no action on the part of the herd to
scatter. Their own stock took no notice as he walked among them, and
this, in all probability, gave the wild herd confidence. The bull paid
no attention, until George was within twenty-five feet, when, with a
deep-voiced roar and an ominous lowering and shaking of his shaggy head,
made a beeline for him. The Professor called out, and he and Harry both
sprang forward to aid him, but the bull's rush was a fierce one, and as
we have previously stated, they are very active creatures. George saw
his peril, and now realized that he could not possibly reach a place of
safety, so he sprang behind one of the cows, and from that point sought
to find a way through the herd. The warning voice of the bull, and his
mad rush, excited the entire herd, which started a stampede.
[Illustration: _"George saw his peril and now realized that he could not
possibly reach a place of safety"_]
In the meantime they had not noticed the presence of their own bull,
which was a fine animal, and was now thoroughly domesticated. The
Professor was the first to notice the appearance of their bull, who, it
seems, had been relegated to the background when their neighbors came to
town for their holiday.
Apollo was Harry's name for the bull, and when George got mixed up in
the herd, the strange bull made his charge and emitted the challenging
bellow, the scene was a truly terrific one. George was carried along
with the rush, and his only danger now was to escape being trampled
under foot.
Harry stopped suddenly: "Look at Apollo!" He was making a charge down
into the herd, and headed straight for the big bull.
"I thought it strange that we didn't hear our herd give them a welcome
during the night."
"Welcome! what do you mean?"
"It is singular that Apollo didn't dispute the governorship of the herd
when the new arrivals came, as that is one of the customs. One of them
must be master."
"Just look at him! Good old Apollo!"
At that moment Apollo was within ten feet of the wild bull. He did not
cease his onslaught. The wild animal saw his enemy attacking him from
the right quarter, but his rush had been so impetuous that when Apollo
struck him he rolled over, one of his large horns striking the earth and
serving as a fulcrumed lever to turn him around in his path. He was up
in an instant, and now began the battle for mastery.
"Get the guns, Harry; get the guns," and this was a sufficient reminder
that neither of them had a weapon.
Harry bounded over to the house, and within a minute was back with them.
In the meantime, where was George? He did not need to be told that he
must run for his life, and was wise enough to seek the security among
the cows, but he could not foresee a stampede. It was fortunate that the
big bull was behind the herd when the stampede began, and it was lucky
that there was plenty of room for the animals, or he surely would have
been trampled to death. Naturally, the noise of the rushing animals
drowned the roar of the fighting bulls, but the stampeded yaks gradually
checked themselves, and George was the most surprised individual
imaginable when he found the bull was not behind them.
And now another curious thing happened. They had run fully a quarter of
a mile, and when the running stopped, the yaks leisurely turned around
and slowly walked back. The movement seemed to be a concerted one.
George accompanied them. He didn't know what else to do.
When Apollo and the bull locked horns, after the latter had again gained
his feet, his tremendous bulk pushed Apollo back, at the first onset;
but they noticed a peculiar tactic on the part of Apollo. The latter at
each forward plunge twisted his head, first to the right, and then to
the left, as though he was boring his way in. This was an astonishing
thing to the stranger. This was done by Apollo over and over again, and
now, every time they met, and the twisting motion was repeated, his
enemy would be thrown back on his haunches.
For a period of twenty minutes the combat continued. Back and forth they
ranged. Harry, although intensely excited, wanted to give the bull a
shot, but the Professor restrained him. He felt that the youth of Apollo
was enough to overbalance the strength of his enemy.
"No, Harry, when they get through with this battle the big fellow will
not cause us any more trouble, and we need him."
The herd of cows came up and remained standing at a respectable
distance. They seemed instinctively to know that the question of
kingship was being decided. It was entirely immaterial to them who won.
George did not wait with the herd. He saw the combat, and beyond the
Professor and Harry.
"Well, you did kick up a fuss, didn't you?" said Harry.
"Apollo's got him; he'll lick him sure. See that lunge? My, what a
shaking he gave him that time!" George was a dancing Dervish by this
time. Then noticing the guns for the first time, seized one of them.
"I'll finish him."
"No, no, George," was Harry's reply, as he grasped the gun. "The
Professor is right; Apollo will finish him."
There was now no question of the fighting ability of Apollo, and of his
youth and vigor, and he knew it. His antagonist did not rush any more.
Apollo did that; the bull's main business now was to keep out of
Apollo's way.
He had been whipped, and he knew it. He turned and fled. Did he go
toward the cows? Not at all; but in the opposite direction. Instinct
told him that if he had gone toward the cows it would have meant another
fight. To leave them was the bovine manner of saying, "Well, then, take
them."
The big bull did not go far. His head hung low, and the heaving flanks
showed he was tired. But Apollo's head was high in the air. Dejection on
one side and absolute mastery on the other were as plainly exhibited in
the manners of the animals as though it had been written out and
proclaimed.
"What will he do if I go up to him now?"
"The fight is all out of him."
This was true. He exhibited no alarm when they approached, and when they
walked around to get a view of his other side, the mark plainly showed
the following brand: "M--V."
"That is undoubtedly the brand of some person who captured the animal
when young."
"How old do you suppose he is?"
"It is difficult to fix his age with any certainty, but I do not think
he is over ten."
"What do you suppose the brand means!"
"It is some arbitrary term, the initials of a person, or it may be
intended to designate something. Branding is a very common way of
marking cattle, so as to indicate ownership; nearly all savage tribes
have a habit of branding, or tattooing; and sailors also. Various
civilized countries in the past have branded criminals as a means of
identifying them."
[Illustration: _Fig. 22. The Mysterious Brand on the Yak._]
They now had an opportunity of taking an inventory of their stock. The
original herd comprised Apollo, six cows and four calves, or half-grown
cattle. The new acquisition brought the count up to twenty-six cows and
twenty young animals. The vanquished bull was very meek from that time
forward, and the surprising thing was that Apollo was thereafter the
same quiet, unobtrusive animal he had been before.
But there was work to do in the factory. Harry was now engaged in
building an iron lathe for their further work. A drilling machine was
his next tool, and as the weeks passed the boys devoted much of their
time to making such articles of machinery as could be used
advantageously to turn out the simple products which future needs might
demand.
The leather vats were examined and the skins found in excellent
condition. These were then taken out, and grease and oil worked into
them until they were pliable. The thick parts of the hides had been
previously cut out, so that they could be used for the soles of
contemplated boots and shoes, which they soon hoped to turn out.
Every morning the yaks would leave the enclosure and start out on trips
to the feeding grounds, and sometimes Harry or George would follow them
and hunt for game. On one occasion, while Harry was on the opposite
hill, George saw the flash of Harry's gun, and almost immediately
thereafter heard the report. This was the first time the difference
between the flash and the noise attracted his attention.
"Will you tell me why I saw Harry's fire before the sound reached me?"
"Did you say 'sound' or 'noise'?"
George looked at the Professor quizzically. "Is there any difference
between sound and noise?"
"Technically, there is a difference, although in common practice one
word is used for the other without discriminating. Sound means a
succession of vibrations produced in their regular order, like music,
whereas noise is a disorganized vibration. For instance, falling water,
like our cataract here, is sound, but the report of George's gun was a
noise."
"I can see the difference. Would a wagon going rapidly over a pavement
be a noise or a sound?"
"It would be a noise if the pavement should be irregular, but if the
pavement is regular and the vibrations or beats are uniform, it is then
called a sound. But you wanted to know why you saw the shot before you
heard it. Simply because sound does not travel as fast as light. Sound
moves 1,040 feet in a second, and light over 186,000 miles a second,
which is about 850,000 times faster than sound."
"Do soft and light sounds travel at the same speed?"
"Theoretically, yes; but numerous experiments have been made, and many
of them go to show that a loud noise really travels faster than a soft
noise."
[Illustration: _Fig. 23. MEASURING SOUND PITCH_]
"What is the cause of that?"
"It is attributed to the belief that a loud noise causes greater wave
motions, although the sound waves may be the same lengths in both cases.
Or, it might be said that loud noises have greater strength."
"When we were going to New York in the cars, a train was coming toward
us, and the engineer on that train blew his whistle when he was off
quite a distance, and kept it up until long after he had passed us. I
noticed that when the whistle started the sound had a very low pitch,
which kept increasing to a higher and higher pitch until the train
passed; what was the cause of that?"
"As the sound waves are uniform movements, and are at regular intervals,
the vibratory action of the whistle, in case the trains were at rest,
would all be the same distance apart; but as the two trains were coming
together two things happened. At each moment your ear came nearer the
whistle, and the distance through which the sound had to travel
decreased. This made increasingly shorter waves, and not long, regular
waves, as when at rest. Short waves make a high pitch, and long waves
low pitch. After you passed the train the waves began to get longer, but
they increased in length more rapidly than when you were approaching
each other, so that if the whistle kept on blowing the waves would
finally get to be so long and so far below their original pitch that the
sound would cease.
"A little sketch will show this. (Figure 23.) The line A is the pitch of
the whistle; B its pitch when you first heard it; C shows the point
where you passed the whistle, and D shows how low the pitch was when it
died away."
CHAPTER IX
EXCITING EXPERIENCES WITH THE BOATS
During the nine months' life on the island all had the best of health.
The Professor grew strong, and he declared that his constitution was
more robust than it had been for years. They lived in the open much of
the time; their fare was plain and mostly devoid of sweets; the store of
honey which had been several times replenished, was the stock article in
the absence of sugar.
It was, therefore, a matter of surprise that Harry should complain of
having a tired and uncomfortable feeling, and would frequently lie down
during the day while in the workshop. The Professor was always at his
side during these periods, and while he had no instruments to enable him
to determine whether there was a high fever present, the flushed face of
his patient showed unmistakable symptoms.
"Do you think he has a very severe fever?" was George's inquiry, as the
Professor left Harry.
"It seems so, and in order to determine whether there is any change we
must at once set to work making a thermometer."
"We have neither mercury nor glass, and even if we had, how can we make
a tube for it?"
"That being the case, we must make a substitute for both."
"But we must have something which will expand."
"We can use iron for that. Get a piece of small steel bar, say two
inches long, and bend it in the form of a C. In the meantime I will make
a base to hold the thermometer."
"For your guidance I make a drawing (Figure 24), in which A is the base,
about five inches long, three inches at its widest end, and an inch wide
at the narrow end. This should be made of a thin piece of hard wood.
Bore a small hole in each end of the C-shaped piece. The next thing is
to make a pointer (B) nearly as long as the base, pointed at one end,
and provided with two holes at the other. The pointer is attached to the
base by a pin (D). One end of the C-shaped piece of metal is then hinged
to the other hole (E), and the other end of the C-shaped piece is
hinged, as at F, to the base. You will now see that if the ends of the
C-shaped piece spread apart the least bit the long end of the pointer
will swing over to the other side of the base."
[Illustration: _Fig. 24. THERMOMETER_]
"Do you intend to make the thermometer show the exact degrees of heat we
really have?"
"Yes; as nearly as possible."
"Why can't we make it exact!"
"For the reason that to make what is called the Fahrenheit scale we
should have freezing weather. The scale adopted by Fahrenheit was an
arbitrary one. He determined it in this way: The temperature of his body
was taken as one point in the scale. For zero he took the lowest
temperature observed by him in the year 1709. As the temperature of his
body was 86 he made a scale with 86 degrees on it, and then when he
observed ice melting in water he put his thermometer in and found it
registered at 32 degrees. It was not a very scientific way of doing it,
but it answered the purpose, as, of course, temperature is merely a
relative thing."
"But isn't there another scale to measure heat by?"
"The Centigrade method is on a more scientific basis. It is determined
by taking the freezing and the boiling points of water, and dividing the
scale into 100 degrees between those points."
It required the work of several hours to make the device as here shown,
so that the tension of the C-shaped piece would hold the point to one
side. The temperature of the atmosphere was about 65, as nearly as the
Professor could judge, but when the C-shaped piece was held in the palm
of the hand, the pointer moved to the lower edge of the base piece, and
a mark of 80 was put there as the starting point. As they had no
immediate use for a scale beyond 110 degrees, the end of the base was
marked off, as you see in regular divisions.
The C-shaped piece was put under the tongue or in the armpit, so that
the temperature of Harry could be determined, and it registered 102
degrees. It might be that Harry's temperature was really much higher, as
the thermometer, for the reasons stated, was not accurate.
"I wish you would test the thermometer, George, so we can pretty well
determine, within a range of two or three degrees, how nearly right we
are."
George's temperature was found to register 98, whereas the Professor's
was only 90. He explained that the temperature of youth is normally
greater than old age, but it was remarkably close to the average normal
temperature of two healthy persons.
"The advantage of the instrument now is to enable us to ascertain
whether Harry's temperature will increase or decrease."
"Is there no other way in which we can find out about a fever?"
"When the fever comes on the pulse is usually quickened, as well as the
breathing; the bowels are apt to be constipated; and thirst, loss of
appetite, headache, and vague pains are felt. When the temperature goes
beyond 105 it is very dangerous, and it is for this reason that
physicians want to know the temperature."
"I am anxious to know why that C-shaped piece should try to straighten
itself out when heat is applied to it?"
"When you bent the metal piece of which it is made you crowded the metal
on the inside of the piece together, and also stretched the metal on the
outside of the bend. As the application of heat expands the metal, the
contracted particles of the metal on the inside of the piece pushed
against each other with greater force than those on the outside, and the
bar tried to straighten itself out again."
"I have noticed that if a hose is coiled up and water is forced through
under pressure it will straighten out the hose. Is that also the case
with the hose?"
"To a certain extent only. Another principle comes into play in that
case. Water under pressure acts as a solid, and has a tendency to move
along the shortest route or in the most direct way. If, therefore, there
is a crook in the pipe the water tries to straighten it out. Steam
gauges are made of flattened spirally coiled tubes. One end of the tube
is open and the other has an inlet for the steam. The dial finger has a
connection with the moving end, and by that means pressure is
indicated."
The next morning Harry's temperature was fully one degree higher than
the previous day, and the Professor advised that it would be necessary
to administer some fever medicine.
"Last week you found several samples of the gentian flower. It is a
first-class fever medicine and tonic. Do you think you could distinguish
it by its large blue-colored, fringed flowers?"
"I know what you mean; it has one central stalk, with big leaves at the
bottom which gradually grow smaller, and in which the stem seems to go
up through the flowers."
"That describes it exactly. Get some of the roots, and peel them, then
scrape a quantity, so we can give some to Harry."
This is a simple remedy, in the absence of regular fever medicines which
were not available to them.
To their great relief the fever abated before morning, and by
persistently taking the gentian tonic Harry was soon well again.
This little experience was sufficient notice that in health at least
some preparation should be made for illness, which is sure to come to
all at most unexpected times. It had also a stimulating effect in more
pointedly directing the attention of the boys to the wonders of the
vegetable world.
It was now the latter part of June, and the weather was not at all cold.
Plenty of rain had fallen, and the Cataract stream had risen so high
that their water wheel had been out of commission for several weeks, and
Harry's illness or indisposition had somewhat retarded the work in the
factory.
"Wouldn't it be a good idea to look up that animal over in the cave?"
was George's first suggestion, one morning, shortly after Harry's
recovery. "We might put in a little time there, and then go down around
the bay on a little tour."
This was agreeable to all, and then George remembered the want of the
candles. Zinc had been turned out, as previously told, but no steps had
been taken toward making a battery which would be the starting point for
an electric lighting system, as Harry and George both hoped for.
"It seems to me," said Harry, "that we ought to explore the coast line
to the southeast of us, as we have never been in that direction, and
then work our way around to the cliff cave."
Without further words the yaks were yoked up, and taking a hearty
luncheon they were off for the east coast, where the bay indented the
land. The coast was reached within two hours, a great deal of the time
en route being spent in gathering samples of plants, flowers, and fruit,
of which some species of trees were filled.
To the right of the place where they struck the sea was a cape which ran
out into the sea for fully a quarter of a mile, and to the south of this
was the mouth of the South River. As they had definitely planned to go
north along the coast line to the cliff rocks, the explorations to the
south must be reserved for some future day.
The sea front showed delightful stretches of beach, but at intervals
small trees and bushes grew close to the ocean on the elevated spurs
which broke up the otherwise smooth beach line.
The clam, as a source of food supply, had practically been neglected,
because it was quite a distance from the Cataract home to the beach, and
principally for the reason that other foods were so plentiful. Harry
wanted some clams, and with one of their bags the beach was scoured for
fully a mile, until he gathered a staggering load.
As he reached one of the little knolls which broke off abruptly close to
the sea, Harry dropped the bag and ran to the brush. The Professor
looked on in wonder. When Harry disappeared in the bush George and the
Professor both hurried forward. Harry reappeared in an instant.
"What do you think I have found?"
"Another cave?" queried George, without stopping.
"No; our boat."
There, perched less than five feet above the level of the ocean, was the
boat which they had left at the foot of the falls in the South River,
fully three months before. One of the puzzling mysteries was solved.
It was some labor to dislodge the boat from its position between the
cleft branches of shrubbery which also held other debris, and
furthermore the boat was full of all sorts of rubbish. This was
laboriously removed.
"You will remember I stated at the time of the disappearance the most
likely explanation would be that high water coming on suddenly would
wrench the boat from its fastenings, and----"
The Professor got no further; he suddenly stopped and glanced to the
forward end of the boat. "Who tied on that rope? It really does look as
though some one has used the boat. That is not one of the oars we made."
"But where are the lockers we had on the boat, in which we put our
provisions?"
"They have been removed by some one. This is a rope entirely unlike any
we have had, and it is a native, or rather, hand-made article."
"Well, we have struck a greater mystery now than when we lost the boat."
This discovery brought up several other questions which, as it now
appeared, might be linked together. The removal of the flag and
flagstaff; the "hole" in the hill; the fire in the forest; the branded
bull, all indicated that people had, at various times, visited the
island. But the finding of their boat, with the positive evidence
furnished by the oar and the rope, was conclusive, and what made it the
more interesting was the fact that the island must have had such a visit
within two, or at the most, not over three months ago.
Each was too busy to give much time for discussing the probabilities.
They had entirely forgotten the cave. It was, by common consent, agreed
that the boat must be taken home, and it was finally decided that the
boys should pilot it around the point, past the cliffs, and in that way
reach the mouth of the Cataract River, where it would always be
convenient for cruising purposes.
It was fortunate that the sea was calm when the boys pushed the boat
from the shore. It showed signs of leaking here and there, but the
Professor assured them that the water would close up the joints before
long. The Professor, himself, drove the team to the Cataract, and after
unyoking them, followed the course of the river down to its mouth, to
await the coming of the boys. He waited there until sundown, but the
boys did not appear.
Let us now follow the boys. Lashed in the boat were two oars, as
carefully secured as though tied only the day before. At the bow was the
rope which the Professor discovered, after he had noticed the one tied
around the oars. It will be remembered that the boat had been fitted
with a mast and a sail. Those had been removed, as well as the
crosspiece and the brace which held them in place. It was, therefore,
necessary to row the boat around the point. The distance, as calculated
by the Professor, was two miles or more to the cliffs, and fully a mile
from the extreme point of the cliff to the mouth of the river.
Shortly after they started on the journey a light wind sprang up, which,
however, did not seriously interfere with their progress, but it was
sufficient to induce them to take a course outside of the point, instead
of attempting to thread their way inshore between the rocks.
When abreast of the extreme point George's attention was directed toward
an object on the cliff.
"What is that up on the rocks?"
Harry stopped rowing, and looked in the direction of George's extended
arm. "It looks like a boat. Let us go in."
The boat was pointed to the shore, and drawn up, and in their eagerness,
each tried to gain the elevation first. A miscalculation was made, in
the attempt to reach the object, which was not visible from their
location, and they were compelled to thread their way down again and go
around the broken side of the cliff walls.
As they were about to ascend Harry called out: "Look at the boat,
George! Run quick, it is adrift!" The wind had quickened, and they
realized their carelessness in securing it at the landing place, and
before George, who was lower down, could reach the water's edge, it was
washed around the point of the rock, out of his reach.
Here was a dilemma. The boat lost, and no means to reach the mainland
without swimming. The place where they landed was less than five hundred
feet from the spot where they were cast ashore months before.
Innumerable large rocks, detached from each other, formed the immense
tier of sentinels for this part of the coast, and Harry's trip across,
when he had the benefit of the life-preserver, was an entirely different
thing from their present condition.
To add to the perplexity of the situation, George was not a good
swimmer, and he doubted his ability to make the trip across the channels
between the rocks which separated them from the mainland.
"Why not try to find the object we saw while we were out at sea?"
"Good idea. But I would like to know how we are going to get up?"
"Wasn't that a silly trick, to be so careless about our boat. What will
the Professor say?"
At last, after repeated trials, they found a way which led them up the
craggy sides, to the object they had seen.
"It is our life-boat," was Harry's excited cry. "That is, what is left
of it."
We have previously detailed how, when they struck the rock, on that
eventful day, months before, the boat had apparently been broken in two,
and they saw only the stern of the boat held within a saddle of the
rock; and how, at the next great wave, even that portion had
disappeared. Here was the battered and broken-up part that remained.
"Do you think this part would float?"
"I suppose it would, but how can we get it down?"
They sat down, not discouraged, but annoyed at their own stupidity and
carelessness. Night was approaching, and sitting down would not remedy
matters. It was low tide, and the waters had receded, so that the
wrecked boat was now fully twenty-five feet from the water. It was held
within a wedge in the rocks, tilted up, and it was too heavy for them to
lift. If they could possibly dislodge it, so as to push it over the
edge, it would probably be crushed to pieces in tumbling down.
Even such a calamity would be better than remaining there, and it was
decided to be the only course now available. Every vestige of the
locker, or seats, or other appendages of the boat were swept away. The
bare shell of the stern portion remained.
It was now growing dark, and when the wreck was finally dislodged and
fell down with a crash the boys made their way down the sides very
cautiously. It was now but the work of moments to get afloat. The boat
originally had water-tight compartments, but these were now utterly
useless as a means of sustaining the vessel; nevertheless, it was a
means by which they might reach land, as they felt sure it would not
sink. Here was another difficulty. They had neither oar nor other means
of propelling it to shore. After considerable effort a portion of the
side of the boat was broken off, and tired and worn with the effort and
excitement they steered the craft shoreward. To do so was not an easy
task, as the wind had increased, and the waves beat stronger, but this
had no terror for them after all their previous experiences.
When the shore was reached Harry had one positive observation to make:
"I am going to see that this boat is so fixed that it won't get away."
George looked around, and in spite of their trials, could not help
laughing at Harry. "I should like to know how you are going to do it. I
don't see any ropes around here, and trying to pull it up this steep
beach wall will not be an easy job."
"Then we have got to take it where we can pull it up. I am tired of
losing things in this way. We'll have a nice story to tell the
Professor."
The Professor was by this time thoroughly alarmed, as well he might be,
for it was past eight o'clock that evening when, going down from
Observation Hill, he heard voices in the distance, and recognized the
boys. He called to them, and you may be sure that their answering voices
were joyful sounds.
When the boys appeared both began excitedly to detail their experiences,
getting details of the story involved without any sequence just as we
might expect an exciting, mixed-up recital of this kind to be under the
circumstances.
"You lost your boat and found the other one. You are having enough
experiences to fill a book."
CHAPTER X
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY; AND THE SURPRISE
You may be sure that the interesting topic of conversation that night
had relation to the events of the day. All previous experiences were
insignificant now in comparison. Every phase of the question was
discussed, and a solution sought.
The Professor did not attempt to conceal his doubts. "I have a theory
that we are or may be near some other island, possibly inhabited by
white or civilized people. It is likely that people from those islands
may visit this place at intervals, and that the boat which we left at
the falls was really washed down to the sea and found by some of them."
"If that is the case, why should it be washed up on shore, as it was?
They, no doubt, used the boat, as the oars and rope showed. But I can't
possibly make out the meaning of its being in the driftwood."
"That boat we made is a hoodoo," was Harry's conclusion. "Twice lost is
enough for me."
"Well, I would take a sail in it the next day if we could only find it."
"I am interested in it," observed the Professor, "not so much for the
purposes of its use, as to enable us to find out something more about
it, and how it came to be there. If it had occurred to me that we should
lose it so soon you may be sure I should have made a more careful
examination of it when we had it. But it is too late now."
Harry's solution was the one most acceptable. "Let us make another boat,
and with that we can carry on our investigations more satisfactorily."
"Harry is right. A good vessel will be a measure of safety, in the event
we should be attacked by savages, and it will at least enable us to
visit the shore line of our continent."
The sanitary arrangements of their kitchen had been for some time very
unsatisfactory, and somewhat cramped, and the Professor thought it would
be wise, for their comfort and health, to cleanse it thoroughly.
"I am inclined to think that Harry's sickness was caused by the
condition of the kitchen. We are apt to overlook these things in the
multiplicity of our work."
"What is the best way to clean it, by washing?"
"That is necessary, of course, but it is impossible, even by a liberal
use of hot water and soap, to remove many of the poisonous germs. Some
good disinfectant should be used."
"Have we anything which could be used for the purpose?"
"There is nothing better than charcoal. Common wood charcoal has the
capacity of purifying and rendering odorless almost all impurities."
"In what way does charcoal do this?"
"When charcoal is crushed up finely its remarkable porosity enables it
to absorb an enormous quantity of gases, and when so absorbed it
condenses them, in which condition they are harmless, or they are
retained in the charcoal."
"But how about the impure liquids?"
"Its affinity for sour and stinking liquids is so great that two
tablespoonfuls of charcoal will purify a pint of the foulest sewage; it
will also, in that quantity, absorb 100 cubic inches of gaseous
ammonia."
"Have we anything else that can be used?"
"The sulphur that is in the samples of copper ore, if burned, will make
a sulphurous acid gas, and while it must be carefully used, on account
of its noxious and offensive odor, is a most powerful germicide. Or if
we take some of the green acid of the copper, and make a liquid of it,
and then pour this over common salt we are making what is known as
muriatic acid. The vapor of this acid will destroy all germs. The
objection to this, however, is, that it has an odor which is worse than
the impure or unhealthful gases. In the last samples of ore we brought
home, you may have noticed a very black lot of stuff. That was
manganese. If we take the muriatic acid, which I have just referred to,
and pour it over the manganese, we can make the most powerful agent of
all, namely, chlorine."
"Chlorine is used for bleaching, isn't it?"
"That is its great use in the arts; but as a purifier it has no equal.
It will decompose every gaseous compound and evil-smelling gas which
escapes from decayed animal or vegetable matter."
Harry did not let the Professor forget the matter of the primary
electric battery which he had been making preparations for, and after
they had gone over the sanitary features of their kitchen, he was
anxious to make a start. George was equally insistent, because the
question of a better light was ever uppermost in his mind.
"Then here goes for the primary battery. We haven't any glass, nor have
we found any rubber lying around, so we can make cells out of them, so
what shall we use?" was the Professor's first inquiry.
"Why not use some of these iron pots we made?"
"I am afraid iron would not last very long, with sulphuric acid in them.
We should use some non-conductor of electricity."
"What do you mean by non-conductor?"
"That quality in a material which will not allow electricity to pass."
"Then why can't we use clay? Will that conduct electricity?"
"That is just the thing. Isn't it wonderful what a friend common clay
has been to us since we have been on this island!"
"I think we ought to erect a monument to Monsieur Clay?"
"It would be a fitting thing to do, because at the end we are all bound
to go back to him."
"I believe you said, Professor, that we should have to grind up the coke
and then mix it up and make plates out of it?"
"Yes; we can use either carbon or copper for the negative plates."
"What are the other plates?"
"The positive. That is what I wanted the zinc for, which we made several
weeks ago."
"Why should we have positive and negative plates in a battery?"
"Everything must have an opposite. If there is an up there must be a
down; there would be no darkness without light; no heat without cold; no
strength without weakness, and no joy without sorrow. Like all these
things, the electric current flows from one to the other."
"But in electricity the current flows only one way, does it not?"
"In the primary battery that is the case; but when electricity is
generated and sent over the wires, the natural current flows in both
directions--that is, it goes in one direction as much as in the other."
"I do not understand what you mean by that."
"The current alternates. What is meant by that is this: For an instant
the current flows from the positive to the negative, and the next
instant it flows from the negative to the positive, and so on, making
the alternate current."
"Then the primary battery we are going to make will be another kind of
current?"
"We shall make what is called the direct current which goes in one
direction only--that is, within the battery it moves from the positive
plate, the zinc, to the copper plate, or negative, and outside of the
battery it moves from the negative to the positive plate."
"Why does it do so?"
"In order that you may understand, I shall make a drawing so Harry will
not have so much trouble in arranging the parts. So if you will examine
the sketch (Figure 25), you will see that the clay cell, which we are to
make, has in it the two electrodes, A and B. That is what they are
called when they are spoken of together; but the positive one (A), the
zinc, is called the anode, and the negative (B), or copper, is called
the cathode. You should keep these terms in mind.
[Illustration: _Fig. 25. PRIMARY BATTERY_]
"The liquid in the cell, marked C, is used as the electrolyte, and for
that we shall take some of the sulphate of copper which the copper ore
furnishes. A good strong salt solution would also answer the purpose.
The two electrodes are separated, and a wire connects the two outside of
the cell. Now you will notice that within the cell the current flows, as
shown by the dart E, from the positive to the negative plate, but
outside of the battery the current flows through the wires F from the
negative to the positive plate."
"I can understand it now. The current from the battery will always go
from the negative to the positive pole."
"You are mistaken. I am glad you referred to that. It shows the
importance of using correct terms. You must not confound the terms
'negative plate' with 'negative pole.' All currents leave the battery or
dynamo from the negative plate, but that negative plate is called the
positive pole of the dynamo."
"It seems to me that is a curious way to do it."
"Such is the case, however; but there is no real positive or negative in
the alternating current, so that either side may be termed positive or
negative."
Work on the battery continued for some days, as lack of fine tools made
much of the work difficult, and in doing this work, as in everything
else, a certain amount of preparation was necessary. They had no screws,
and no facilities for making them, so a substitute had to be devised,
but the difficult part now to encounter was the preparation of the wire.
"A battery is of no use unless we can have wire, and it will be a big
job to beat out wire long enough for our purposes," Harry observed as
the battery neared completion.
"Then we must draw some wire?"
"From what?"
"From the copper?"
"Is that better than iron?"
"Copper should be used for several reasons; first, because electricity
travels through a copper wire more easily than through iron, and second,
for the reason that copper is more ductile than iron, and can be drawn
into a wire with greater facility."
"Doesn't electricity flow through different substances at the same rate
of speed?"
"Yes; but it retards the amount or the force."
"You say, 'Amount' or 'Force.' I can understand that if applied to
water, that there might be a large or small quantity of water, or a
greater or less pressure, but I do not see how this applies to
electricity."
"In measuring the pressure of water, calculation is made by taking the
height of the water in the tank. For every 28 inches in height a column
one inch square weighs one pound. This represents the force of the water
when it issues from the orifice below. Now the orifice may be large or
it may be small. The amount or quantity which flows out is dependent on
the size of the opening. Electricity is measured in a somewhat similar
manner. What is called 'Volts' is the same as the force in the
tank--that is, voltage means the pressure. Amperage, on the other hand,
refers to the amount of current which is passing, and a greater quantity
will pass over a large wire just the same as a greater amount of water
will flow through a large than a small pipe. Is this perfectly clear to
you?"
"Yes; I understand the difference, now."
The drawing of wire is not a difficult task where facilities are at
hand, but it must be remembered that all their tools were of the crudest
kind. Harry had prepared a number of bars of copper, each having been
beaten out to form pieces about ten inches long and a half inch thick. A
steel plate about three-eighths of an inch thick, two inches wide, and
six inches long, had a number of holes bored through it, the largest
hole being a half inch in diameter, and gradually increasing in size,
the smallest being about a sixteenth of an inch in diameter.
[Illustration: _Fig. 26. Template for Drawing Wire._]
When all was ready Harry was instructed to hammer out one end, so it
would go through the largest hole. The projecting end was then grasped
by a pair of heavy pliers, and pulled through, so that the bar was
formed the size and shape of the first hole, and of course the bar was
lengthened. The end was then hammered out so that it would go through
the next smaller hole, and the same process was repeated, and when the
wire got larger they had a tool which pushed the wire in at the same
time it was being pulled out at the other side.
It was laborious work, and a long time was consumed in fully drawing out
each bar. In this way a quantity of serviceable wire was prepared.
"Why does this plate get so hot when we pull the wire through?"
"Why do you make a fire by rubbing together two substances?" replied the
Professor.
"On account of the friction."
"For that same reason you are making the heat in drawing the copper
through the die."
"But I notice that if I hammer a piece of cold iron it will get hot.
There is not any rubbing motion there to make friction."
"Do you think not? You have by that means made the most intense
friction. The iron is composed of tiny particles, called atoms, and
molecules. When you strike a piece of iron you force these particles in
among themselves, and the friction caused by this movement produces the
heat."
"Is that true of all substances?"
"Yes."
"Well, if air is forced together will it heat in the same way?"
"Yes, and for the same reason. The tiny particles, of which air is
composed, move among each other with such rapidity, under compression,
that the heat their frictional contact develops is dependent on the
pressure exerted."
"You used the terms 'atom' and 'molecules' a moment ago. What is the
difference between them?"
"A molecule is always composed of two or more atoms. An atom is smaller
than a molecule, for this reason. Furthermore, an atom comprises only
one substance. A molecule has two or more substances in its make-up. For
instance, water is composed of two parts of hydrogen and one part of
oxygen. One molecule of water, therefore, has three atoms, two of the
atoms being hydrogen, and one atom oxygen."
"Baby," the infant orang-outan, had now grown to be a pretty good-sized
boy. He would sit at the table and gravely eat with a knife and fork,
which he had learned to handle most intelligently. In the various trips
which had been made from time to time, the Baby was kept at home, but on
more than one occasion he would follow up the wagon, and would as often
be welcomed when he did come.
Harry found a good use for him later on, and from that time forward Baby
knew that a jaunt into the forest meant a trip for him as well. When it
came to tree climbing Baby was in his glory. He would swing from branch
to branch, and shake the nuts, and the amusing thing was to see him help
gather and throw the nuts into the wagon, in the most business-like
fashion. He was never known to laugh, but they had many occurrences
which, no doubt, made him smile in his own way.
George was an adept cook. He was fond of making surprising delicacies,
and boy-like, they were always the kind that had honey of some sort in
their composition. Without any knowledge of cooking, but knowing, in a
general way, that eggs and milk were the principal things used in
puddings, it was not long before he was regarded as the chef. Baby was
sure to be present whenever George occupied the kitchen. And help! Why
certainly! He knew what flour meant, and particularly honey. The truth
is, that he knew what that meant if George merely looked in the
direction of the honey pot.
And talking about eggs! Harry found out about this accomplishment in
Baby. In the tall grass beyond the barley fields were flocks of prairie
chickens, and during one of the hunting expeditions he found several
nests of eggs. They are just as much more delicious than the common egg
as the prairie chicken is more delicate than the hen. Baby never
thereafter forgot the eggs. Singularly, he never ate any of them.
Apparently the orang does not crave them in his native state, but the
little rascal had an eye to the good things, and when he saw the eggs go
into the pudding and cake, there were no scruples on his part.
George had been planning a surprise for the Professor. In many devious
ways he learned his age, and August was the month, so in concert with
Harry, planned to treat the Professor with a birthday party, the first
real attempt at jollification which had been proposed since they landed.
"I remember, he said he would be sixty-five years old on the tenth of
August."
"But the trouble is, we don't know when we get to the 10th of the
month."
"The chances are he doesn't know, either. But what difference does a day
or two make, anyway?"
Among the delicacies which George had prepared were 65 little sweet
cakes, because they couldn't put that many candles on the big cake, and
the boys knew, from experience, that they would have to use candles, or
something else to typify the age.
The "tenth of August" came, and the Professor, in all innocence,
proposed a day for hunting. Both boys opposed this, to his surprise. The
Professor did not press the matter. As usual, when at home, he was shut
up in what they called the laboratory. Even though he should be present
in the kitchen he would not be likely to take notice of any extra
preparations.
In the meantime Harry had made a bell out of a flat sheet of steel. It
was really a gong. When the noon hour arrived and the table had been set
ready for the symbolic cake pyramid of little cakes, George ordered the
gong to sound, and Harry made such a frightful din with the unexpected
noise, that Baby was terribly frightened, and scampered to the loft, his
usual place of retreat when reproved or unduly excited.
The Professor was out of the laboratory like a shot, and hurried over to
the house. At the same time George returned. "Who has taken my cakes?"
he cried. "There are less than a dozen left." Baby chattered in the
loft. The Professor could not understand the commotion. All he knew was
that Baby was swinging along the rafters and that George was flying
around the kitchen hunting cakes.
"Hello, and what is all this? Expecting company?"
"Yes; this is a birthday party."
[Illustration: _"'What is this, a party?' said the professor. 'Yes, a
birthday party,' said Harry"_]
"That is a good idea. I suppose you have invited all your friends?"
"Yes; we have invited all we know; just one."
The Professor did not need to be told any more than this. His eyes
filled with tears, the first real thing that the boys ever saw on his
part that strongly affected them, and when the Professor, his heart so
full that he could not speak, silently looked at them, they forgot the
feast, and the cakes, and Baby. They thought of home and of what they
were doing there, and whether the time would ever come when they might
be rescued.
Brave Harry was the first to recover. Like a veteran he grasped the
Professor by the hand, and wished him many a happy return of the day,
and George, though not so demonstrative, joined Harry in this wish and
prayer. Just then one of George's cakes fell at his feet. He picked it
up and Harry glanced at the Baby. The mysterious disappearance had been
solved.
No! Baby was not spanked. He came down without any coaxing, with several
of the cookies in his hand, and gravely took his place at the table.
What a very narrow margin there is between tears and laughter. They
roared as though such a thing as tears were unknown.
When they recovered from their fits of laughter, and attempted to
proceed with the feast in some semblance of order, a glance at Baby was
sufficient to start them up anew. And here a surprising thing occurred.
As before stated, he never had been known to laugh. But now Baby
laughed, for the first time. And then the boys and the Professor knew
that this was also the first time they had indulged in a hearty laugh.
"You may say what you please," said the Professor, "but laughter is
infectious. How much farther a smile will go than a frown. And this
reminds me of a very curious thing in nature. What are called perfumes
have been known to carry through the air for ten miles. The odor from
the balsam-yielding Humeriads has been perceived at a distance of four
miles from the shores of South America; a species of Tetracera sends its
perfume as far as that from Cuba, and the aroma of the Spice Islands is
wafted many miles to sea. Now the singular thing is, that vile and
injurious odors are not carried such distances."
"Why not?"
"For the reason that the oxygen of the air destroys the bad odors."
"I thought of this when we were laughing here so merrily a while ago.
Laughter is like a perfume, it goes a long way and does not need a
purifying agent; but the harsh and angry word is like the evil smelling
substance, which needs to be purified."
CHAPTER XI
THE GRUESOME SKELETON
The merry party lingered long over the meal. Roast prairie chicken was
the chief dish. The Professor had found lentils, and this, with
potatoes, or cassava, formed the principal dish, to say nothing of the
sago pudding and the residue of the little cakes which just suited
Baby's palate.
For drink there was plenty of cold water, fresh and sparkling, obtained
from a natural spring not far away. The Cataract River furnished a good
water, in the sense that it was clear, but it had an unpleasant taste at
times, so for all cooking purposes the water used had to be carried from
the spring, which was sometimes burdensome.
"I wish we could purify the Cataract water, as it would be a great
convenience," was George's remark, when they were considering their work
and duties.
"We can easily do that by using the chips of the common oak tree or the
charcoal can be used, as I have before stated."
"It is a curious thing that oak chips will purify it. Does it act in
purifying the same way as charcoal?"
"We used oak bark for the purpose of tanning leather because of the
tannic acid it contained. The chips of the wood contain tannic acid as
well, and it does the same thing to the impurities in water that boiling
does--namely, it coagulates it. In Egypt, the muddy waters of the Nile
are clarified and purified by using bitter almonds. In India, they use a
nut called the Strychnos for this, purpose."
"It seems people everywhere had some idea of purifying drinking water."
"Yes, and through all ages; even the Bible speaks of it."
"Where?"
"The Book of Exodus. I think the fifteenth chapter, says:
"'So Moses brought Israel from the Red Sea; and they went out into the
wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found
no water. And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the
waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore the name of it was
called Marah. And the people murmured against Moses saying, What shall
we drink? And he cried unto the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree,
which, when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet.'
"Our Cataract water, flowing, as it does, largely through forests and
past vegetable banks, takes up a large quantity of albuminous matter,
which is so great in quantity that the atmosphere, or the oxygen in the
air, cannot purify it by the time it reaches us, so that if any
astringent matter like oak, or birch, or beech, or even alum, is put in
the water it will cause the albumen to precipitate. In the district of
La Gironde, France, the waters of the Landes are naturally very impure
from these causes, but since the cutting and floating down of the
immense oak forests, the water has been made sweet and wholesome."
"Isn't all this curious and wonderful to think about?"
The work of preparing and putting into practical form the primary
electric battery was going forward steadily, and at the Professor's
suggestion a number of cells were made, which it might be well to
describe briefly.
As the clay was the only available material, each cell had to be made
rather heavy and clumsy in appearance, and was baked when completed.
Each was ten inches deep and three by six and a half inches within. The
electrodes, made of zinc, were each one-half inch thick, six inches
wide, and nine inches long. The copper electrodes were the same
dimensions, except that they were a quarter inch thick. These were stood
in the cell, a short distance apart, and held in position by means of
notched wooden blocks.
When all this was completed the cells were filled with sulphuric acid
that had been made from the copper ore. It was, of course, much diluted
with water, so as not to make it too strong.
"What is the object in making so many cells?"
"So as to get the voltage."
"Does the voltage depend on the number of the cells?"
"Each cell gives practically two volts, so that if we have 20 cells
there will be 40 volts; 30 cells, 60 volts, and so on."
"But where do the amperes come in?"
"That depends on the size of the plates forming the battery. Surface is
required for amperage, and quantity of plates for voltage."
"Suppose I had plates the size of this table, wouldn't I get more
electricity than if I had the plates cut up into smaller pieces?"
"Electricity means both volts and amperes. There is no such thing as
electricity with one of those qualities alone. A current may have 2
amperes and 40 volts, or 40 amperes and 2 volts. Multiplying the volts
by the amperes gives what is called watts, and there would be 80 watts
in each case."
[Illustration: _Fig. 27. Complete Battery with connections._]
The determination of the boys to build a new and better boat than the
old one was now manifesting itself in plans, which were considered.
George was in favor of building a large vessel, by means of which they
could sail anywhere they wanted to; but Harry and the Professor opposed
that plan, for several reasons. Harry, particularly, objected.
"I am just as anxious as George to build a large boat, but the
difficulty is that to do so would take a long time, longer that we ought
to take at this time. Furthermore, a large vessel would be hard to
manage with our small crew, as we would have to make it a sailing
vessel."
"Then why not make it a steam vessel?"
"That would make the job still harder and longer."
"I think Harry is quite right. A boat but little, if any, larger than
the one we built, would be the most serviceable. If the one we made had
been smaller, or lighter, we should have been able to carry it around
the falls. Instead of that we had to leave it there."
Harry insisted in his views. "What we can do with our present supplies
is to build a boat, even larger than our former one, and make it still
lighter."
"Yes," said the Professor; "we now have lumber which is dried, and with
the improvement in the tools we can turn out a boat which will be a
credit to any community."
That question settled, the plan of the boat was drawn up. It was decided
to build the boat on the general plan of the former one, as to size,
namely, from sixteen to eighteen feet in length, and at least five feet
wide, with a flat bottom, the prow to be contracted, and the bottom of
the forward end to be bent upwardly, as much as their material would
permit of bending.
For this purpose Harry stated that the body of the boat would be made of
double thickness of material, as their sawing machinery had been so much
improved that they could cut it into five-eighth inch lumber, and in
that way the joints could be lapped, and the sides and bottom more
easily bent into the required curves to make a graceful-looking boat.
The sawmill was at once put into good working condition, and within a
week the principal parts of the boat were ready to be assembled.
"In your next weekly jaunt, I suggest that you might get our old
life-boat. We should not neglect our friend."
The Professor's suggestion met with a hearty response, and on the
following day the boys were off early to bring the boat to the Cataract.
First going to Observation Hill, which was the custom of one to do each
day, they crawled up the rocky sides, and surveyed the horizon. From
that position they could see across the neck of land, east of the
Cataract, to the point southeast; to the southwest was the mountain
range; to the west the forests, and to the northwest the irregular cliff
line, which ended with another projecting point several miles beyond.
Along the sea line this was the limit of their knowledge.
"While we are here let us examine the sides of Observation point and try
to find the old flagstaff. I still think it was blown away."
Harry's suggestion was acted upon, and they made the trip together over
the rocky side toward the sea. Observation point was on the mainland,
and formed the extreme northern limit. It was fully half a mile from the
grim rock where they had been wrecked. Between the two points were
detached rocks which sprang up out of the water, and in which the water
was constantly swaying to and fro. When the sea was heavy these rock
islands made navigation among them a dangerous occupation.
The tide was then coming in, and eddies and cross currents were rushing
hither and thither, so that it was easy to see that to float the wrecked
life-boat it must be taken out to sea around the rocks. They hesitated
to do this under the circumstances.
All sides of the hill were now examined with care. As they were about to
leave the hill and go to the point where the life-boat lay, some
wreckage was discovered below them, caught within the clefts of the
rock. Here, packed in with seaweed and brush, was an object which
interested them.
"What is this, George? It looks like the fragment of a boat; and here is
another piece. Let us dig it out."
Both were excited beyond measure at this discovery. Not only one, but a
number of pieces were finally removed. It was, beyond question, portions
of a boat.
"Harry, this is part of our boat. See this piece of rope; and here is
part of an oar. Wait till I get to the bottom of this mass."
"Run for the Professor, and I will remove the pieces while you are
away," was George's answer.
Harry was off at the instant, and in less than half an hour, reappeared
with the Professor, who examined the recovered portions of the wreck.
"It is certainly parts of a boat; but I am sure, from the present
examination, that it cannot be our boat."
The boys were surprised at the information.
"My reasons for saying so," continued the Professor, "is, that the
pieces here are not part of a life-boat, such as our craft was, although
it was a part of a ship's boat. Where is the stern portion of our boat
that you found? Let us get that, and we will be in a better condition to
judge."
"We landed it beyond the point where Harry first reached the shore the
day we were wrecked."
"Let us get it at once."
In less than a half hour the broken portion of the boat was landed at
the foot of the cliff in front of Observation Hill.
Harry now had no doubt that the Professor's observation was correct.
"See, this has no double hull, which the life-boat has, and no part of
these pieces can be made to fit. Look at this stern. All of the stern
post is still on the boat below."
It was, undoubtedly, another boat; but there was no name or number on
any of the pieces by means of which it could be identified.
"I believe it was a part of the _Investigator's_ equipment," was the
Professor's final conclusion. "Have you recovered all the parts from the
debris?"
"I don't think we can find anything else. While Harry was away I hunted
all along the point in the hope that some more pieces might have been
found."
The most minute examination was made for some mark of identification,
but nothing was found which would give the least clue.
"Let us gather all these pieces and keep them for further observation,
particularly for the reason that other parts may be found eventually,
and identification will then be easier."
"Shouldn't we take the remnant of our life-boat to the Cataract?" asked
George.
"By all means. It has just occurred to me that we might use that as part
of the new boat we are building."
That was an idea which had not occurred to either of the boys.
Considering that the portion recovered was the stern, and by far the
largest part of the vessel, and that it had the double hull
construction, made the suggestion a most acceptable one.
After all parts of the wreckage had been assembled, the Professor,
accompanied by the boys, made another tour, much to the left, and on
returning to the boat, the Professor's eye caught a white object lying
partially hidden behind a rock.
"What is that by the rock to the right?" Without waiting for a further
suggestion from the Professor, Harry made his way up, and when the
object was reached, threw up his hands, without uttering a word. George
had followed, and before the Professor had time to reach the spot, he
cried: "A skull!"
"There is more than that," said the Professor. "Remove the debris."
The boys saw portions of the skeleton plainly now. It was such a shock
to them that they could scarcely speak.
"Probably that solves the mystery of the wreckage we found."
"Undoubtedly," was the Professor's only comment.
The boys were now absolutely unnerved, but the Professor, without
noticing their agitated state, carefully removed the seaweed and other
accumulation, and found the skeleton largely disjointed, excepting the
torso, or upper portion of the frame.
[Illustration: _Fig. 28. HUMAN SKULL_]
When the entire skeleton had been taken out and arranged, the Professor
said: "It seems we are to have one mystery after the other."
"How long do you suppose this body has been here?"
"Probably ten months or more."
The boys looked at each other. "Ten months? That is as long as we have
been here."
"That is one of the reasons why I said ten months."
The boys knew what that meant. This was, very likely, one of the
_Investigator's_ boats, and the skeleton the remains of one of their
shipmates.
"Probably it was one of the boys," was George's inquiry.
"I do not think so," said the Professor. "The skeleton shows that of an
individual past middle age."
"Why do you think so?"
"Principally, from my examination, so far, on account of the condition
of the skull. You see, these saw teeth lines, which cross the top
portion. These are called the sutures, and in infancy they are not
joined. Before the third period of life these joints grow together, so
as to form an undivided skull. But wait; here is another indication. The
teeth seem to be greatly worn, showing that the person must have been
close to the sixth period of life."
This discovery was the cause of very conflicting emotions in the boys.
They reverently gathered the bones, and at Harry's suggestion the boys
went to the Cataract for the team. The Professor volunteered to remain.
We may well imagine the feelings of the boys as they went on their
mission. Here was mute evidence that others of the ill-fated ship had
met disaster. They had often speculated on the fate of their companions.
How many had been left to tell the tale!
The yaks were yoked, and taking with them a rude box, which had been put
together, as the Professor suggested, they shortly returned.
"Have you found anything new?" was George's first question.
"The poor fellow was undoubtedly killed when he landed, and I think he
was a sailor."
"Have you found anything which makes you think so?"
"Nothing but what you see before you. That break in the skull was, in my
opinion, made by contact with a rock; furthermore, several of the bones
were broken, as you see, at the time he met with his calamity; and one
of the legs shows where it was broken before his death, and had mended."
It was a remarkable funeral cortege which wended its way slowly back
over the hills to their home. They felt it was paying a tribute to a
friend and companion. All doubts on their part had been dispelled. He
had been one of their companions on that terrible night when the
explosion had sent their ship to the bottom, and had cast them adrift on
a sea which welcomed them in raging fury.
"What shall we do with the skeleton?"
The Professor was silent a long time before he answered. "I do not know
what to advise. Perhaps, in the future fate may be kind enough to
restore us to our homes and friends, and if it should be that we are the
only ones so rescued, the skeleton would be a positive means of enabling
us to ascertain whether or not he was one of our companions, and also to
advise his friends."
A stone sarcophagus was built, in which the remains were deposited after
a funeral service at which the Professor presided.
This event had a most depressing influence on the boys, as well it
might, during the entire day, and it was the principal topic of their
conversation while together. During the two days following only brief
references were made to the Professor, but the second evening George's
inquisitive nature could not hold in any longer.
"When we were on the rocks examining the skeleton, you referred to the
fourth and the sixth ages of man."
"Yes; in point of growth man has seven ages. The first is infancy, which
ends at the second year; second, the age which ends at the seventh year;
third, at the end of fourteen years; fourth, at the end of twenty-two
years; fifth, at the end of forty-seven years; sixth, at the end of
sixty-five years; and seventh, which ends at death. These divisions vary
somewhat between males and females, and I have given you merely the
average between the two sexes."
"I can't help feeling sad, when I think of the things that have
happened, and at the thought that all our friends may have been lost."
"Sadness is a natural feeling under the circumstances, but after all,
why should it be so? Why should the sight of the skeleton bring sorrow
to you? Probably the Egyptians had the right idea when they always had a
skeleton at the feast."
"Skeleton at the feast? What was that for?"
"As a reminder of death?"
"There is one thing I could never make myself understand. Why is death
necessary? Why couldn't man have been made so he could live always?" was
Harry's query.
"You have asked a very broad question. It is one which has a great many
answers. At this time I shall give only one of the reasons. The earth
would not be big enough to hold the people. I do not know the population
of the globe to-day. It is about 1,000,000,000; and if we take the age
of the earth at only 5,000 years, we should have in that time 125
generations, counting each generation as 40 years. Do you know what that
would mean in population at this time? You could not comprehend the
figures. Let us take the United States alone, as an example. Assuming
that the population is 90,000,000 at the present time, and that the
natural rate of increase is only double in each forty years. This is how
it figures out: In forty years we would have 270,000,000; in eighty
years, 810,000,000; in one hundred and twenty years, 2,430,000,000; and
in one hundred and sixty years, 7,290,000,000. At that rate New York
City would have 480,000,000 of people and its boundaries would take in
the whole of the State of New Jersey and nearly half of the entire State
of New York, as thickly settled as that city now is."
CHAPTER XII
THE DISTANT SHIP AND ITS DISAPPEARANCE
"What is that weed you have, Professor? The root looks like a parsnip."
"It may be something we can drink."
"It looks just like a weed that grows all over our farm at home."
"I have no doubt of it. This is the endive, as it is known in the
States, but it is really chicory."
"I have heard of chicory; isn't it used as a substitute for coffee?"
"Principally on account of the bitterness in it. The French make the
greatest use of it, because they claim it gives strength to coffee."
"What part of it is used?"
"The root; the bulb you see here, and they have a curious way of
preparing it. The root is dug up before the plant shoots into flower,
and is washed, sliced and dried! it is then roasted until it is of a
chocolate color. Two pounds of lard are roasted with each hundredweight;
and afterwards, when ground and exposed to the air, it becomes moist and
clammy, increases in weight, and smells like licorice. When put into
cold water it gives a sweetish bitter taste, not unlike coffee."
"Let me try some of it, and don't say anything about it to Harry. And
now, while I think about it, why couldn't we make some crocks out of our
clay, so we can use them for our milk. We can't put them in the copper
vessels and the iron is just as bad."
"That is a splendid idea; and you might as well vitrify them."
"What do you mean by vitrifying them?"
"Putting the glaze on them, just like the common crocks have."
"That would be simply fine."
The Professor explained the process, which consisted in making the
crocks out of the best clay available, and then burning them. Afterwards
an intense heat must be made in the furnace, and after soaking the
crocks in a strong solution of salt brine, they must be put in and
burned again; the greater the heat, the better.
The boys started at this with a will, and when they had arranged to make
the crocks they found it most difficult to put them into a round and
uniform shape.
"I would suggest that you make a potter's wheel for that purpose."
"A potter's wheel? What is it like?"
"It is the simplest thing imaginable. Do you think, Harry, you could
turn out a wooden vessel just the size of the outside of an ordinary
milk crock, and turn it with a central stem below, and also have a
little pulley on that stem?"
The Professor made a drawing (Fig. 29), which shows just how he wanted
it made. In the drawing, A is the cup-shape, which is the size and shape
of outside the crock; B is the central stem; and D is the small pulley
on the stem. This was mounted in a pair of arms like CC, and a belt was
attached to the pulley.
"You have made a very creditable article. Now you may make a flat
paddle, and shape one end so that it will be just like the inside of the
crock."
[Illustration: _Fig. 29. Potters Wheel._]
The drawing (Fig. 30) shows how it was made, with a cross handle at the
upper end.
That day the crocks were turned out in the following manner: The
potter's wheel was rotated about sixty turns a minute, and the clay, in
a plastic state, was put in the cup-shaped top, and the hands used to
force the clay up the side wall. When the crock was formed in as even a
manner as it could be by hand, the blade described was used to make the
interior uniform.
The potter's wheel is one of the oldest tools known. Its use can be
traced back for more than four thousand years, when it was well known by
the Egyptians.
[Illustration: _Fig. 30. Forming blade for inside of Crock._]
Since the day that the boys visited Observation Hill, at the time they
discovered the skeleton and fragments of the boat, no attempt had been
made to visit the cave. That was the mission when they accidentally made
their surprising discovery.
George did not, however, feel that they should again make the attempt
until they had a better lighting means than the unsatisfactory candles,
and when the supposed petroleum vein dashed all hopes of lighting
material from that quarter, the only remedy seemed to be by way of
improving their candle-light.
Harry had progressed well in the making of the battery. It was now in a
completed state, and he announced that the first tests would be made the
next day. In the morning all assembled in the factory, and the sulphuric
acid solution was made up.
The Professor inspected the batteries. Ten cells had been prepared, so
that they could have, at least, fifteen volts. When all the cells had
been connected together--that is, the positive pole of one cell with the
negative pole of the other--a wire was attached at each end of the row
of cells, at the last electrodes, so as to form the outside connections.
When the two outside wires were brought together and their contact
broken a spark was plainly shown, which was an indication that the
battery was generating electricity. The boys danced about with joy at
this exhibition. From that time forward the battery was one of the most
interesting things in the laboratory, and what they finally accomplished
with it will be fully detailed as we go along in their history.
George thought he saw a way to make the light necessary for the cave.
"Why can't we rig up an electric light now and explore the cave?"
"We might do that, but we have several things to do before we can have
light from that source."
"Haven't we the electricity for it?"
"Do you know how many years electricity was known before electric light
was discovered? Before we can utilize this agency for lighting purposes,
we must make a machine which will produce a vacuum; we must make glass;
we must learn to carbonize threads; and the art of blowing glass would
be a necessary accomplishment."
"As usual," said Harry, "something must be made to make something that
makes something else."
"But can we make electric light without putting it in a glass bulb?"
"Yes; we can make what is called the arc light; instead of the
incandescent."
"What is the difference between the two?"
"In the incandescent, such as we talked about making, a thin carbon
filament is enclosed in a glass bulb, from which as much air as possible
has been exhausted, and when a current of electricity passes through
this filament, it is heated up to a white heat."
[Illustration: _Fig. 31. The Electric Arc._]
"Why doesn't it burn out?"
"It does burn out in time. What preserves it, however, for a long time,
is that most of the oxygen has been exhausted from the bulb----"
"Oh, yes; I know, there must be oxygen to support combustion, so that
the carbon is merely heated up?"
"I am glad you remembered that. The arc light, on the other hand,
depends on an entirely different thing. You have seen, no doubt, the
long black pencils used in the large lamps. That is carbon also, made
out of ground coke, molded and compressed into shape."
"What does arc mean!"
"Did you notice that when we put together the two circuiting ends of the
wires in our battery this morning, we could not notice the existence of
a current, but whenever we pulled them apart we had a spark?
"Let us now make a little experiment which will show you the arc. You
see, I am making a sharp point at the end of each wire, and I will
fasten one of the wires so it cannot be moved. Now the other wire will
be placed with its point as close to the other points as possible, and
so fixed to the support that we can adjust it still closer and hold it.
See, the points now touch each other. I will move one of the wires the
slightest distance away from the other. There! see the light?"
"But it goes out in a little while; what is the cause of that?"
"The electricity has been burned off the end of the wire, and the
distance is now too great for the electricity to jump from one to the
other, so they must be moved closer together. That space between the
ends of the two wires is the electric arc. Instead of the two wires the
carbon pencils are used."
"But how are the two carbon pencils kept apart at the right distance at
all times?"
"That is what the invention of the arc light consisted in; to find a
means whereby the current itself makes the adjustment necessary to
furnish a steady, constant light. When we start to make the arc light
the mechanism can be explained."
George's scheme of the electric lamp for the cave had vanished. But the
cave must be explored. He was determined on that point.
The yaks were brought out and a start made for the cliffs. After
unhitching them from the wagon and unyoking the animals, so they could
feed in the meantime, the oil lamps were taken out and carefully
examined. The Professor had suggested the advisability of carrying with
them two of the spears, which, it will be remembered, formed part of the
weapon equipment of their last voyage, and those, with the guns, were
considered sufficient for any foe likely to be in the cave.
Harry, on this occasion, volunteered to mount Observation Hill for their
daily trip of observation. He returned by the time the yaks were
disposed of and the implements prepared, as stated.
"I suggest," said the Professor, "that we keep constantly on the alert
now for any vestiges of driftwood, or other objects which we are likely
to find along the shore."
As a result the progress was slow, and the scrutiny keen on the part of
all. As they rounded the last large projecting rock, just before
entering the gorge which led to the cave, Harry jumped on a rock, waving
his hand, and crying, as he pointed seaward: "A sail! A ship! See it?"
The agitation of George was beyond all description. Harry kept repeating
the words. He was entirely beyond control.
"Be calm; do not become excited. Harry, you are the most nimble; run to
Observation Hill: here take the large sheet in the wagon; wave it there,
and keep up the signaling; they may see you."
The ship, although far away, was plainly made out, but its character
could not be determined. It was evidently a large sailing vessel. Just
imagine what must have been the feelings of the party at the sight of
the ship, although so far away. Would they see the signal?
In the commotion that followed, what was the Professor doing? He quickly
placed two stakes in line with the ship, and watched it patiently. "It
is moving to the west."
George's curiosity induced him to look over the Professor's shoulder,
and thus enable him to follow the movement of the boat, and by means of
which he could see the sails slowly move past the distant stake.
The Professor scarcely moved. "What is Harry doing? Is he still
signaling?"
"Yes; he hasn't stopped since he reached the hill."
The stake nearest the Professor was again moved over a trifle as the
ship moved on, and they watched and waited.
"Why, the ship hasn't moved for the last ten minutes."
"It seems not," was the Professor's response. Again they waited. George
walked to the stakes and back again. He stepped aside to look at Harry
on the hill, and again returned to the observation stakes.
"Singular that the ship hasn't moved in twenty minutes or more."
Then, enthusiastic at the mere thought, he cried out, as he ran toward
the Professor: "Do you think they have seen our signal? Have they
stopped; and are they returning?"
"Either that or they have changed their course, and are now leaving us
dead ahead."
This was a blow to the poor boy, whose hopes, brought about by the
apparently checked motion of the ship, were now dashed to the ground,
when the Professor continued: "They are sailing away, I am sorry to
say."
He left the observation stakes. Poor Harry was still signaling
frantically. The Professor told Harry that further effort in that
direction would be useless, and he slowly and sadly came down the hill.
They looked at each other most sorrowfully, and the boys could scarcely
restrain their tears, while the Professor carefully avoided their gaze,
or seemed not to notice their grief.
"It is one satisfaction to know," said Harry, as he dolefully looked
across the broad sea, "that vessels do come this way, and that it is not
out of the world entirely."
George quickly recovered. "Why not make a big signal flag for
Observation Hill?" This was seconded by the Professor.
"And while we are about it why not make a good old American flag?" was
Harry's comment.
The cave had been forgotten in this incident. When their wondering and
questionings had ceased, the descent was made around the point, and the
entrance soon reached.
The two lamps were now lighted, and the explorations began.
"I think it is advisable," was the Professor's first observation, "that
we go in a hundred feet or so, and then mount one of our lamps in a
conspicuous place. We can then proceed with the other as far as the
water, and if any accident happens it will not cause trouble to both of
the lights. We can always have one of them to fall back on."
When they had gone the distance determined on, a secure ledge was
selected, and Harry placed the light so it would cast its beams along
the cave.
"Be careful now, we are near the water."
The Professor had now the other light, and the boys led the way, so the
beams from the light shone past ahead of them. They went beyond the
point where the water had been found previously, but there was no sign
of it. The course of the cave now changed to the right, and the floor of
the cave went downwardly at a slight descent.
The Professor suddenly restrained the boys. "Wait a moment; the light
behind us should be brought forward to this point."
George went back and brought it up, and after some delay a place for it
was found. The two lights now plainly showed a sudden enlargement in the
area of the cave, and above them hung what appeared to be huge icicles,
giving the interior a weird appearance. Still no water was in sight.
"The white substances we see all around us indicate that above us the
rocks are limestone, and water, in coming through, has acted on the
stone so as to form carbonate of lime, or chalk."
The single lamp was now sufficient to light up the interior, which
looked like a domed iceberg, with all sorts of fantastic figures
standing out in bold relief, which were contrasted by the many dark
recesses irregularly scattered about everywhere.
"I see an opening beyond," was Harry's remark, in a suppressed tone.
The contracted opening was to the left, and he quickly made his way over
the uneven floor to that point. "The water is beyond, and I hear
something there."
George quietly moved forward. The light from the Professor's lamp
glistened on the surface, and rippling waves were easily distinguished.
"What has become of the light we had on the perch?" was the Professor's
startling inquiry.
The boys looked back. It was not there. Probably it had gone out.
"We must not go on until we have relighted it," was the Professor's
caution.
George went back. The light from the Professor's lamp still threw its
rays back to the ledge, which was not more than a hundred feet from
their present location. "I can't find it. It is not here, and I know I
put it on this ledge. Here is the piece of lime I put up against it."
Too startled for words, Harry drew back from the opening. Without
further conversation he and the Professor retraced their steps toward
George, who was now frantically searching every crevice.
"That is too bad. Are you sure this is the place?"
"I am positive of it."
The boys looked at the Professor. He knew they mentally asked whether
they should proceed with the single light. "I think it would be unwise
to go farther with one light only. If we can do no better we can make a
half dozen lights, and light up the whole cave. I am just as much
interested in it now as you are."
They were about six hundred feet from the mouth of the cave, as nearly
as could be estimated.
"Before we return we might as well chart the cave, so we shall have some
idea of its crooks and turns. Have we anything to measure with? If not,
have you a cord, so we can get some idea of distances?"
George held out one of the spears, which was about five feet long.
"That will answer," said the Professor. "Let us call this five feet long
for the present. The first thing we must do is to establish a base line.
But what shall we do for something to mark our chart on? I haven't a bit
of paper."
Here was another difficulty. It would be impossible to make tracings on
their clothing. Harry's wit came to the rescue. "I have it. Why can't we
break off a piece of this chalk. Probably we can find some smooth piece
that will answer."
"That might be done," was George's answer, on reflection; "but what can
be used to mark on chalk?"
The Professor was now highly amused. "Can't you think of anything we
have here which will answer?"
"I haven't had a pencil, or anything except charcoal, since we touched
this wonder island."
"We have something here that is used among all civilized people the
world over for marking purposes." The boys opened their eyes in wonder.
"I have it here," said the Professor, looking at the lamp.
"The lamp?"
"No, not the lamp, but what is in the lamp."
"The oil? Where can we get anything to mark with in the oil?"
"We have been making a marking material all the time we have been in the
cave, and you are just as well acquainted with it as anything you know.
It is the soot from the burning oil."
The boys laughed, not at the information, but at their stupidity.
"Yes; the soot is carbon, and the best soot is made by imperfectly
burning oil, or fat, or any other fuel which has a large amount of
carbon."
The boys found several pieces of flat chalk, one of them a little over a
foot long. This was held above the flame of the candle until covered
with soot.
"The first thing to do is to establish a base line. This we will mark A
on the drawing. Now, starting from the point here where we lost the
light, you may measure along the line to the west, we will say, until
you get to the other end of the chamber. Twenty-five measures of the
spear? That makes the chamber 125 feet long, and it is about 90 feet the
other way. Let us roughly outline the floor plan. Now go out toward the
mouth of our cave, and measure off 50 feet. Stop there. You see, I have
marked the line A and have laid down the slate slab so that this line is
exactly on a line with the one you have measured along the chamber. The
point B, 50 feet from here, which you have just measured, makes an
angle, C. I will now take the slab to the point B, and you may measure
off 50 feet more, and we will call that D. That gives us another angle
line, E. You see, at every point we establish a new base line. C is the
base line for the line E, and so on all through the cave."
[Illustration: _Fig. 32. The Cave, and how it was charted._]
All the measurements were made on the plan outlined, and scratched on
the sooted slab.
"One thing more we must observe. As we are marking the successive
points, you will notice that I took particular care to observe the side
walls of the passageway, so that I could roughly outline them, noting
the distances from the various points, and in a crude way marking out
the irregularities between the points."
The chart interested the boys so intensely that the disappearance of the
light did not again recur to them until they emerged from the mouth of
the cave, when it all came back again, with added wonder and
speculation. How many more mysterious things would present themselves!
CHAPTER XIII
THE EXCITING HUNT IN THE FOREST
They returned to their home with conflicting emotions. It had been an
eventful day. They had a glimpse of the outside world, and an experience
below the surface of the earth. Both were unsatisfying. They could
explain the one far away on the sea; but the other, close at hand, was a
mystery.
"How do you account for the water being so far away from the mouth of
the cave?" was George's inquiry after the evening meal.
"Haven't you noticed that we have had no rain for the past five weeks?"
Such was, indeed, the case. The boys had not been observant, like the
Professor.
"Evidently the water is supplied from rains, and the floor of the cave
permits more or less of the water to leak through, so that, in time, if
we had no rains, the cave would be entirely free of water."
"But how about the animal in there; if it is a water animal, how did it
get in; and if the water ever dries up, how can it live there?"
"There may not be any subterranean connection directly with the sea, and
the animal has been trapped there; or it may be able to reach the sea in
the cave at any time, by some underground channel."
"How far do you think the cave goes in?"
"That is one of the impossible things to say. It may extend for miles.
Like yourselves, I am curious to know all about it, as soon as we can
make further investigations. In the meantime, don't forget about the
flag."
"I had forgotten that. I am willing to start on it in the morning. How
large should it be made?"
"We should make it a regulation flag, by all means."
"Let me see; how many stripes must we have?" said Harry.
"I know; thirteen."
"Yes; and they must be red and white."
"That is correct," responded the Professor; "but do you remember how
many of each?"
The boys were silent.
"The top and the bottom stripes are red, and the intervening ones white.
What do these stripes represent?"
"The original States."
"I see you have a pretty good recollection. I remember a class of over
forty boys, on one occasion, which had only three boys who recalled
that. Then we must have a field of another color, up in the corner."
"That is the blue field, with stars on it."
"Yes; but how many stars?"
"A star for each State."
"And how many States are there now?"
There was no response to this. How many boys or men, even, can tell
offhand the number at the present time?
"There were 48 before we sailed. How many, if any, were added since I do
not know."
The next day the boys were anxious to set to work on the flag. There was
plenty of the ramie cloth at hand, but it was quite yellow. George
noticed this, and said: "It seems to me we shall have to be content with
making the flag red, yellow and blue, that is, if we can get the red and
the blue."
"No," was the Professor's rejoinder; "we must make it red, white and
blue."
"But how can we make the ramie cloth white?"
"By bleaching it."
That was a new idea; to make white cloth.
"How can we do it?"
"Wet it and put it in the sun. If we want to hurry it up we can use some
chloride of lime."
"But where is the chloride of lime?"
"Do you remember that black ore we have in the laboratory, which is
called manganese? If we put some of the sulphuric acid on that a gas
will be formed, called chlorine, one of the most powerful bleaching
compounds known. We can use it in that form, or subject some of our lime
to the gases, and in that case make chloride of lime."
The decision was to make the flag sixteen feet long and nine feet nine
inches wide, so that each stripe would be nine inches wide. The blue
field would be five feet wide and seven feet long.
This was certainly a task, and the boys were directed to prepare four
strips of red and three strips of white, each nine feet long, and also
three strips of white and three strips of red sixteen feet long. Four of
the short strips and three of the long strips were then laid aside to be
dyed red. The other strips were put out to bleach.
When all this was prepared George was troubled about the colors.
"Professor, I do not see what we can use to make the blue and red
colors."
"I think we are fortunate in having one of the varieties of the madder
plant all about here."
"Is that a good dye plant?"
"It is a plant that is more extensively used for dyeing than any other
in the world. For many years, until the products from petroleum began to
come in, it was the only source for the red colors, because of its
permanence. The dye is so powerful that it will turn the bones of
animals red, if they are fed on it, and it also colors the claws and
beaks of birds."
"Have you seen any of it here?"
"There is plenty of it growing here. You cannot mistake it. It is the
plant with the elongated, smooth-edged leaf, which grows on the main
stem, from which the small, thin stems branch out that carry the little
red flowers."
"I know what you mean; let me get some of them at once." And George was
off after the plant.
Meanwhile Harry was busily at work cutting out the double set of stars
required for the blue field.
Several days before this George had prepared the roots of the chicory
plant, as will be remembered, and it had been dried, and was ready to be
ground up. At the noon meal he served the first cup of "coffee," to the
delight of Harry, who was completely taken by surprise, and afforded
much amusement for George and the Professor.
"It seems to be rather strong," was Harry's only comment, "and even if
it isn't real coffee, it is good enough, I assure you."
"Wouldn't it be injurious to take too much of it?"
[Illustration: _Fig. 33. Betel Nut._]
"Exactly with this as with everything else. It is not the use, but the
abuse, that causes trouble. Of course, chicory does not have the
soothing and hunger-staying qualities of the real coffee, but the bitter
principle in the root is a tonic, and the extract is used as a medicine
for that purpose. The leaves of the endive, of which we are using the
roots, make a most delicious salad."
"Don't many people use this as a kind of an intoxicant?"
"If used to excess it has an exhilarating influence, on account of its
tonic properties."
"I have often thought it was wonderful," said Harry, "that people all
over the world have some kind of a weed or plant that they use to
stimulate themselves with."
"There seems to be a universal instinct in man to select the strong and
bitter principles for that purpose. The aborigines of Central America
used rolled tobacco leaves ages before Columbus was born; and the coca
leaf, chewed by the lowest orders of the Peruvians, was for ages, and is
now, their main source of strength and comfort. So opium, hemp and the
betel-nut have been used by eastern Asiatics from the remotest
antiquity; and the same is true of the pepper plants of the South Sea
Islands and the Indian Archipelago; also of the thorn apples used among
the natives of the Andes, and on the slopes of the Himalayas. In
northern Europe the ledum and the hop have been so used, and in Siberia
the narcotic fungus has been eaten from time immemorial."
At that moment Baby appeared on the scene, his hands and one side of his
head dyed a beautiful red, presenting a ludicrous appearance. The first
glance at him was one of astonishment; but realizing that he had been
testing George's newly made dye, all burst out in laughter at the
amusing sight.
"You really look like a red angel," was George's greeting, and Baby
seemed to relish the joke. From that time forward Baby's name was "Red
Angel," but it took him some time to learn what the new title was. It
took him much longer to acquire it than it did to learn what honey
meant.
"Red Angel is certainly a very smart little chap," said the Professor,
with a laugh, "because he was really doing what is done in the dyeing
art and in chemistry every day, furnishing a test sample."
"Test sample; what is that?"
"In the art of dyeing it is the custom, before commencing to dye goods,
to make a test sample, and all goods dyed must come up to the standard
set by that sample. That is called the 'test sample.'"
"But how do the chemists use it?"
"In the analyses of chemicals one of the processes is by what is called
the color metric test--that is, the test by color. The chemist makes a
solution with a known quantity of the element in it which is of full
strength and purity, and is therefore of a well-defined color. Now, if
any substance is to be analyzed, the same reagent is used in the tested
sample as was used to make the well-known sample. The color of the
unknown sample is then compared with the known sample, and the quantity
determined by the difference of color in the two."
"What do you mean by reagent?"
"A substance used to effect a chemical change in another substance. For
instance, what is called Nessler's Reagent is a substance which, if put
into water, will detect one part of ammonia in twenty million parts of
water, and give a perceptible reddish-yellow tinge."
"Well, Red Angel has certainly made a good test sample for us; isn't
that a good color?"
The blue color was still wanting when the other parts were ready, and
the Professor came to the laboratory with a sample of bitter-sweet, the
common hedge plant of North America. The boys both recognized the plant
and were surprised to learn that it contained a dye suitable for their
purpose.
"We can use this or take some of the copper ore, that is, the blue
vitriol part of the ore, and by putting it in a lime-water solution a
beautiful blue color can be obtained."
The flag, when completed, was really a work of art. They gave many days
to the task, and were proud of it. The question of a suitable pole or
flagstaff was one which now absorbed their energies. As nothing of the
kind was found in the immediate neighborhood, it was suggested that on
their regular hunting day it should be made a part of their duty to find
a staff worthy to be installed. The trips to the cave, and the absorbing
work of preparing the flag, had so taken up the time, that they had
entirely forgotten the regular outings.
On this occasion they insisted that the Professor should accompany them,
and George declared that the only place available for a good pole would
be in the forest below the South River, where they had shot the ocelots.
The yaks were prepared, as usual, and it was a merry party which started
off on that bright morning for the forest. They did not, you may be
sure, forget the spears and the guns, and before leaving home Harry
thought it would be a good idea to provide a small two-wheeled truck,
which could be used as a trailer, for the pole.
On the way down, Harry said: "How large a pole shall we get?"
George had his opinions, as usual: "Let us get a pole at least 50 feet
long. We must have something which will match the flag."
"A pole that length will be a difficult matter to raise; have you
thought of that?" was the Professor's observation.
"Can't we rig up something to raise it with?"
"Yes; and for a pole a hundred feet long, if necessary."
The Professor made no further objections. Reaching the South River the
yaks were tethered, and taking advantage of the raft which they had used
on the first trip, they were soon on the way into the forest. On this
occasion they took a course to the right of their former exploits, the
desire being to acquaint themselves, as much as possible, with the
topography of the country toward the falls. Soon they came within sight
of game, squirrels, woodchucks; and many familiar varieties of birds
were seen on all sides.
What interested the boys most was an animal about three and a half feet
long, and almost three feet high, which they saw at a distance.
"What is that, Professor?"
"It is a giant ant-eater, found in many parts of South America."
"What a big bushy tail he has."
"He uses that in a peculiar way. When he sleeps he lies on one side,
rolls himself up so that his snout lies on his breast, places all his
feet together, and covers himself with that bushy tail. As the hair of
the tail resembles hay, or the surrounding dried grass, it is likely to
be passed by without being noticed."
"I wish we could get a shot at him."
"There is a fine pole," said Harry, whose keen interest was as great in
that quarter as in the hunting.
[Illustration: _Fig. 34. THE GIANT ANT-EATER_]
It was an exceptionally fine specimen of shell-bark hickory, and the
base was nearly six inches in diameter, but it was as straight as a
line, apparently, and it was fully thirty feet to the first limb.
"You couldn't get a better pole; but hickory is one of the heaviest
woods, and being green, it will be a task to raise it. It weighs, dry,
about 45 pounds per cubic foot."
"What is the weight of a cubic foot of water?"
"About sixty-four pounds."
"How much do you think that pole will weigh when it is trimmed up?"
The Professor, after carefully surveying the tree for a time, answered:
"It will weigh fully 400 pounds, but I am in favor of taking it, as we
know shell bark is a good American tree, and it is the kind of wood we
usually select on account of its strength. I know it will resist any
winds likely to come our way."
It was at once cut down, and on measuring was found to be 58 feet up to
the branching top, at which point it was not less than two inches in
diameter.
"Cut it off above the last crotch, as we shall want that part to attach
the top pulley between."
Now that it was cut and trimmed, the problem was to convey it back to
the river.
"Do you think we can induce the yaks to swim across the river?"
"That's a capital idea, Harry, let us go back and try it."
"While you are getting the animals I shall do some investigating," said
the Professor.
The boys crossed the river and took the two-wheeled truck across. "It
might be amusing to the Professor, if he found we had taken the truck
across before we knew whether the yaks could be induced to go over."
Harry laughed at George, and answered: "How shall we manage it? We had
better keep them yoked, I suppose."
After some urging, they were driven to the water, the boys having tied a
rope to the yoke before they went into the river. To their great
surprise and relief, the yaks made no objections, and immediately
started out at a great rate for the opposite shore, and before they had
gone twenty feet were swimming. The boys in the raft held on tightly and
were drawn across without further trouble.
As they left the river for the trip, they distinctly heard a shot.
"I wonder what the Professor has shot? Did you hear him?" They listened
intently. The shot appeared to come from a point considerably to the
left of the place where the pole had been cut, but they paid little
attention to that. After they had gone halfway another shot was heard,
this time at a point which indicated that the Professor must be some
distance away.
As anticipated, the Professor was not in the location of the pole.
"I don't think the Professor expected us back so soon," was Harry's
suggestion. "Let us rig up the pole and hitch the team, and by that time
he may be back."
In less than a half hour this was done, ready for a start; still no
signs of the Professor.
"I think we had better fire a shot to let him know we are here."
"Singular we didn't think of that before; here goes." Waiting fully a
quarter of an hour after the shot, they were surprised at not hearing
any response from him. "I wonder," continued Harry, "if he has met with
some accident?"
"We heard it in this direction, didn't we? Don't let us waste any more
time. Get the guns and ammunition. Hurry up; and let us take a spear; it
may be useful."
Each boy took a spear, as a matter of precaution, and set out. At
intervals the boys shouted, and after wandering about for fully a half
hour, determined to try another shot. This was answered by a shot
apparently from the direction of the team, and the boys turned about and
hurriedly made their way back.
It happened that the boys had actually lost their way, and in the
excitement all sense of direction. The Professor had made a complete
circle and the boys in their wanderings had executed a complete loop
within that circle, and were actually going back to the river instead of
to the team.
"I can't understand this business," said George, in a despairing tone.
"We have traveled far enough to get back to the team twice over. Let's
try another shot." It was answered by a shout from the Professor, close
by, to their left, and when they appeared in sight he was seated on the
log leisurely driving the yaks, laughing in a quiet way, and apparently
not noticing the discomfiture of the boys.
"We thought you were lost," said George; "didn't you hear us firing?"
"How does it happen you are going in this direction?" was the
Professor's quizzical remark, which he uttered with a faint suspicion of
a smile. As the boys did not reply, he continued: "Did you expect to
find the team at the river?"
[Illustration: _Fig. 35. CHART SHOWING HOW THE BOYS WERE LOST_]
Of course, they all had a good laugh at this, because the direction they
were taking, and the position in which the Professor found them, were
sufficient to indicate that they were really lost, and that he knew it.
"I felt satisfied," was his final remark, "that you had not a
well-defined idea of your direction when you fired the last time, but
you will learn in time how to keep your direction, and what is more, you
will never again permit an excited condition of the mind to make you
take a crooked path."
The boys looked wonderingly at the Professor.
"How," asked Harry, "does an excited mind make anyone take a crooked
path?"
"When the mind is excited, it is, for the time, deranged, like soldiers,
frequently on the field of battle, who are wounded, without having the
least knowledge of it. The sense of direction is a well-developed trait
in some people; in others, it does not exist at all. But in the case of
either, the moment the mind is excited, it becomes abnormal; some lose
the ability to judge distances, some are unable to talk, and others
can't do anything but talk. All judgment for the time disappears. Now,
take that person in a forest, and highly excite him, and he has
absolutely no judgment of distance or direction, and is not in a good
position to mark and follow a course with intelligence. I have spoken
thus fully on the subject, in order to warn you, that under no
circumstances should you ever set out on such a mission as you have with
the least cloud of excitement. It is far better not to go at all."
It was a warning the boys never forgot.
CHAPTER XIV
THE RAISING OF THE FLAG AND ANGEL'S PART IN IT
On the return home that evening they were surprised to find Red Angel
absent. Frequently he would go with them on their trips, but he was
purposely left at home on this occasion. He had ample opportunity to
roam at will during their absence, and had never strayed away.
"It is very singular he cannot be found. I searched the house, the shop,
and the cattle range, and he is nowhere in sight."
It was a grief to all to miss him, as all had learned to appreciate his
mischievous tricks, and George had taken a delight in "educating" him.
Probably now, that he had grown to a more mature age, the spirit of the
wild life possessed him, and he had taken French leave at the first
opportunity.
George missed him more than Harry, because as cooking was one of
George's accomplishments, and as honey was the weak spot in Red Angel,
the kitchen was an attraction, and the reward for service in the kitchen
was this delicious sweet.
Their stock of this was running low. George was not as liberal with
honey of late, and after ruminating on the subject of the disappearance,
he concluded that Red Angel had cause for "running away."
The next morning while at breakfast, who should appear at the door but
Red Angel, his long fingers and palms holding a quantity of nuts. He
evidently saw that the welcome was most enthusiastic on the part of all.
With the utmost gravity he shambled across the floor and deposited the
nuts on the table and took his usual place in the most matter-of-fact
way, and commenced on the nuts as though it was part of a solemn duty.
George's hand reached out for the honey; Angel saw it, a quizzical look
came on his face--a real orang smile--and he forgot about the nuts.
In a spirit of fun George helped himself without offering any. This was
too much for the animal, and with a shrewd, calculating look he pushed
the nuts over to George.
Did he get any honey after this? George could not resist this appeal;
and after Angel got it, and George helped himself to nuts, the Simian
approval was very marked. Do you think he reasoned?
Preparations must now be made for "pole-raising day." In the absence of
a sufficient amount of rope the last bearskin was cut up into strips, as
it was necessary to have nearly a hundred feet, and the bearskin was a
much-needed addition to the small quantity of ramie cord which they had
on hand.
The Professor took a keen interest in the proceedings. "We must get a
half dozen forked poles of good wood; they should be of different
lengths, to support the pole as it goes up. Then, Harry, as we have a
pretty tough job before us, I suggest that you make two capstans,
something like those you saw on shipboard, around which the two raising
ropes can he wound, each to have a crank, and a means for holding the
crank at any position."
The preparations occupied the greater part of the day. Several boards,
five feet long, were required, and at least a dozen stakes to hold the
capstans in position.
Early the following morning the yaks were brought out, yoked up, and the
pole and truck hitched on. A luncheon was provided, the flag and all
paraphernalia assembled and loaded, and Red Angel invited to attend the
ceremonies.
[Illustration: _Fig. 36. Pole raising._]
Reaching Observation Hill, a spot for the pole was selected, and a hole
three feet in diameter and five feet deep was laboriously dug out. It
was, indeed, a trying task, with the tools they had, but it was a labor
of love. It was more than that to them. They were now making
preparations to notify the world that they still lived.
The top of the pole had been provided with a pulley, which was mounted
between the crotch, and a guard put over the pulley, so it would prevent
the halliards from coming off. When it had been placed in position, with
the foot across the hole, the two boards were stood down in the pit so
the end of the pole was against them. The halliards were then strung
over the pulley and looped down, and the three ropes were attached to
the pole, twenty feet from the lower end. Together they raised it up, so
that it was about five feet from the ground at the point where the ropes
were tied. Two of the ropes were then carried out past the hole, and
branched out, and attached to the capstans, while the other was allowed
to hang. As the capstans turned, the pole was gradually drawn up, and
the Professor stood ready with the forked standards to prevent the
flagstaff from falling back. In less than an hour it was erect, and the
work of tamping in the dirt and stone around the base was in order, and
soon completed.
And now for the flag!
"Tell us, Professor, why the attaching of the flag on the cord, or
halliards, is called _bending_ it?"
"The term comes from heraldry, and it originally designated two diagonal
lines across the field of an escutcheon. Later on, sailors bent the ends
of the flags or ensigns on the halliards, or around the yards, and also
called the fastening of a cable to the anchor a bend; a knot is also
designated by them as a bend; the form of the ship from the keel to the
top of the side is called a bend, as, the midship bend."
A strong rope had been seamed in the end of the flag, and eyelets worked
at intervals, so that the task of attaching it to the halliards was soon
performed.
"The raising of the national emblem for the first time in any new
country has always been regarded as an event of the greatest importance,
as it represents sovereignty and responsibility. On this occasion," said
the Professor, as he removed his hat, "let us honor the flag with
appropriate ceremonies."
At that moment Red Angel concluded he would also take part, and in an
instant was at the pole and scrambled upwardly. When the top was reached
he caught sight of the wheel. It moved. Every time he grasped the rope
the wheel would turn.
This seriously interrupted the program. The Professor could not help
laughing. A moment before he was particularly grave, and the boys had no
feelings of mirth; but now this new element in the proceedings added
gaiety to the occasion.
"Come down, you rascal! Come down! Do you hear me?" cried George. Red
Angel didn't hear. He hung there and smiled; yes, smiled, as he looked
down, while playing with the wheel. "We can't put up the flag while he
is there." George walked over to the wagon, and took out the honey pot.
Red Angel saw it, but made no motion to come down. The honey pot was
held up as an inducement, but there was nothing in the world so
fascinating just then as that wheel.
Harry and the Professor laughed at the situation. Just to think of it!
An orang-outan actually preventing a foreign power from hoisting the
emblem of possession over his native land! It was too ludicrous for
words.
George actually became almost hysterical as he threw himself back on the
seat of the wagon and held up the honey pot, while laughing. "What do
you think that little scamp has been doing? He has eaten every bit of
the honey." That only added another fit of laughter, and when it
subsided, and George could recover his voice, he added, "and wasn't this
a smart thing to do?" as he held up the vessel.
"What?" asked Harry, momentarily straightening out his face.
"He actually put the lid back after he got through."
But this could not last indefinitely. No one suggested a remedy, if
there was one. The United States must take possession in the proper way;
hats must come off; the flag must go up slowly, and the band must play
the national air;--the music, they had not thought of it before.
"Can you climb the pole, George?" asked the Professor.
"I think so, with the aid of the halliard."
He approached the pole. "Do you hear me, Baby, come down! Come down, I
say!"
Red Angel saw George's design, and without saying a word he slowly
descended, shambled over to the wagon, and hanging on the side of the
box, looked around to the company in the most reproachful manner.
[Illustration: _"Red Angel saw George's design, and without saying a
word he slowly descended"_]
The hoisting of the flag was, indeed, a solemn thing, but it had its
amusing side, and when, with uncovered heads, the flag went up to the
masthead and stopped there, the Professor said: "We should have had
music to make it more appropriate, but as we have no band, let us sing
'The Star-Spangled Banner.'"
The boys were both good singers, as the Professor knew. The song was
started, but before the first line was finished, they broke down and
tears began to come; the Professor, with his hands clasped and head
bowed, did not look up, nor was he surprised when they stopped. The boys
had a suspicion that even he could not have carried that song a single
bar. They were powerless to go on.
When the Professor did look up and gaze on the flag, the boys saw his
tears; they were ashamed no longer, and their eyes looked up, too.
In a voice which sounded almost strange to the boys, the Professor said:
"We take possession of this land in the name of the United States of
America, and give notice that we shall defend the same against all
powers."
Then, as the beautiful flag unfurled itself, and threw its waving shadow
on the ground that it now protected, they looked down, and there was Red
Angel, close beside them, looking up at the flag as though he understood
what it meant, and his silence gave consent to the solemn act which
transferred his allegiance to a greater power.
As they were about to descend the hill the Professor called them to a
halt. "Do you intend to leave the flag at full mast?"
They had entirely forgotten to half mast it. "And now," said Harry, "if
they can't see that flag we'll make one big enough next time."
As they went down the hill, they could not help looking back over and
over, to admire the flag and the pole, and everything connected with it.
They knew every thread and every piece of it. Somehow it seemed to be a
part of them.
There was always a sentimental streak in George. "I can't help thinking
that is the most beautiful flag in the world; I suppose other people
think the same of their flag. How did flags come to be used by people?"
"The flag is the successor of the banner, which is taken from the Celtic
word 'band.' The Bible mentions banners, showing they were used early in
scriptural history. The banners of the Romans, used in their warfares,
were essentially different from modern flags, colors and ensigns; they
were carvings of wood or metal, some of them representing eagles, like
the Persian standard described by Xenophon. In the Middle Ages it was a
connecting link between the military and the clergy. The crescent and
the cross symbols typified the two great contending forces of the world
at that time."
Returning to their home, tired with the exertions, they sat in the
living room and talked over the events of the day. Somehow, they felt
that the day was too sacred to be desecrated with further toil. They
congratulated each other at the success in raising the pole, as that was
a matter which had given them a great deal of concern.
Ever since the day on which they commenced work on the electric battery
the boys deplored the lack of glass. If they could make that it would be
of such immense importance to them in many ways. It would be of great
service for their tableware; they could use it for their electric work,
which interested them more than any branch to which their time had been
given, among the mechanical arts; with that they could make thermometers
and testing instruments; and give their house the air of a modern home,
because windows could be put in.
"Will it be difficult to make glass?" asked George.
"It is an exceedingly simple matter to make glass--that is, to fuse or
melt it. The difficult part is the art of making it, either by the
blowing process, or by making the flat forms, like window panes and the
like. Owing to the simplicity in preparing it, the making of glass
articles was known at a very early date, certainly fifteen hundred years
before the beginning of the Christian era. In the first stages only
opaque glass was produced, and it was not until eight hundred years
later that the first transparent product was manufactured. Under Pharaoh
it was one of the products extensively made and exported to Phonecia and
other Mediterranean ports. Five hundred years before Christ,
Aristophanes mentions glass or crystal vessels, but as its value at that
time was next to gold it could not have been a common article."
"What is glass made of?"
"Simply common sand. Sand is the ground up particles of quartz, and may
be found almost everywhere. The principal thing is to get the pure
quartz. In connection an alkali of some kind must be used."
"What is an alkali?"
"A substance which is the exact opposite of an acid. Potash, soda and
hartshorn (or ammonia) are the best known. They have most remarkable
chemical activities, and an alkali united with an acid entirely
neutralizes or destroys the activity of both. The compound produced by
the union of an acid and an alkali is termed a salt."
"What is the effect of using an alkali with the quartz sand?"
"Quartz possesses all the qualities of an acid, so that when the alkali
is fused with the quartz a neutral substance, unlike either, is formed."
"What kind of alkali is best to use?"
"That depends on what it is to be used for. Quartz and lime make a fine
window glass product. Bottle glass is usually made of soda and quartz;
window glass is also made of quartz, soda and lime; plate glass of
quartz, lime, soda and potash; and flint glass has only the alkalis,
potash and oxide of lead."
"Well, for our purposes, wouldn't it be better to make the glass out of
quartz and lime if windows can be made out of it?"
"By all means, for several reasons: We have the lime on hand, and also
because it makes a very hard article."
"What can we melt it up in?"
"The clay retort or crucible will just be the thing for the purpose, and
the first thing in the morning I will make a tour to a point close at
hand, where I think we shall be able to get a good quality."
The boys were astir in the morning earlier than usual. They had a new
impulse--something to learn and to do. Harry busied himself with putting
the crucible in order, and in getting the fuel. George, after his usual
morning's work, brought in the lime, and broke it up preparatory to
grinding it up into small particles, so that it would intimately mix
with the sand.
Within an hour the Professor returned with several samples of sand,
either of which, he thought, would make a good article. The yaks were
hitched up, and George went with him to get a good supply.
"How much do you think we ought to make up at first?"
"Several gallons of the sand will do for the experiment."
"What kind of article should be made with the first trial?"
"We might make some window glass. It is true it will not be transparent,
but it will be translucent, and so will give us light, as well as though
it should be transparent."
"What is translucent glass?"
"Where the surface of a cast plate is polished the material is such that
you can see through it, but if it is left rough it is impossible to see
through it, although it will permit light to go through. The term
applied to such glass is translucent."
"If light will pass through, why is it the eye cannot see through it?"
"A powerful magnifying glass shows that the surface of unpolished glass
is formed by a layer of crystals, or of sand, with the faces projecting
out in all directions and at all angles. The result is, that a beam of
light from the eye strikes one or more of these faces and is diverted
from a straight line through the glass. As all the rays are thus changed
from a direct course, confusion results, and the eye distinguishes
nothing."
Several bushels of the sand were brought to the laboratory, and the
Professor then directed the preparation of a half dozen slate slabs,
each slab being nearly two feet square. He explained that in practice
iron plates were used, but as they had nothing of that kind available,
slate would answer admirably.
"The slate slabs must be heated, and when the fused material is poured
on the slabs, the heat must be kept up for a short time and gradually
cooled down."
"What is the object in doing that?"
"If cooled too suddenly the plates, will crack, but by heating the
slates and then cooling them down gradually, we anneal the glass, in a
measure. You remember how we annealed the steel by gradually cooling it
down? Glass, however, cannot be annealed so that it will not fracture,
although attempts have been made for years to find a means for doing it.
The man who can discover a process that will enable it to bend without
breaking, can command any price for the discovery."
CHAPTER XV
MYSTERIOUS HAPPENINGS ON THE ISLAND
The Professor supervised every part of the operation with the utmost
care. "Before the plates are heated you must put a raised margin around
each slate square, so the molten material will not run off."
"How high shall we make the margins?"
"About a quarter inch above the surface of the slate."
"As we are now ready to heat up the crucible, how shall the materials be
mixed?"
[Illustration: _Fig. 37. Making Sheet Glass._]
"For this trial, measure out eight quarts of sand and two quarts of the
lime, and after depositing it in the crucible, we are ready for the
heat."
In a short time, with the assistance of the blower, which has already
been described, the sand began to melt. It was now stirred so that the
elements were thoroughly mingled. During the melting period the dross or
impurities which came to the top were skimmed off, and when no more of
the impurities collected the Professor stated that they might remove the
crucible and pour the melted mass into small pockets, which they had
previously formed with clay.
"Why not pour this on the slate forms we made?"
"Because we must know that we have a good sample of glass, and for the
further reason that the product we are now to make should have some
glass in it that has already been fluxed before, and we now have such a
manufactured material."
The material which had been cast in the pockets was broken up with a
hammer, as soon as it had cooled, and its appearance noted.
"I see we shall have to use less lime."
"Why?"
"You will note that it is too white or milky-like. This shows too much
lime and consequently it is very brittle."
"Suppose, on the other hand, there was too little lime, what would be
the result?"
"We should then have a glass which would not hang together at all. In
the one case, as with the present sample, with too much lime in it, we
have made a product which is closely allied to the alkaline base; and if
we had, on the other hand, too little lime, we should have something
which is nearly like quartz, hence not suitable for our purpose."
"It seems, then, we have to do in this case just as Red Angel did, make
a test sample?"
This allusion to their pet caused a smile all around.
Since the trip made by our colonists two months before they made no
effort to gain any additional knowledge of their island. What they
really knew of the country, aside from two of the trips made in the
interior, under very unfavorable circumstances, was of no value as a
means of locating the natives.
That the island was inhabited there could no longer be any reason to
doubt. The fire plot on the banks of the Cataract River, the lights near
the woods beyond the West River, the finding of the arrows, and the
mysterious use of the boat which had so strangely disappeared from the
falls in South River, to say nothing of the removal of the flag and
flagstaff, were evidences which could not be disregarded.
The further investigations which they must make for their own safety was
one of the impelling steps which determined them to build another boat.
The discovery of the wrecked portion of the life-boat and the decision
to utilize the recovered portion for the new craft had facilitated their
preparations somewhat, but there was still a great deal of work to do.
They had six imperfect guns, as they called them, mere pistols,
muzzle-loaders, with barrels eight inches long, and the powder was not
the best which could be made. Everything was crude and imperfect, and to
boldly venture out among savage tribes with such an equipment would not
be wise.
All these things were considered in their conferences. But another
matter was suggested by the Professor, which carried some weight. A sail
had been seen by them. There could be no question on that point. Other
ships might come again, and now that they had a flag of such proportions
that it would be seen miles further than the original one, it was
possible that the opportunity of rescue might be more likely from their
side of the island than anywhere else.
It was certain that if a ship should, in their absence, reach the port,
and even discover their home through the instrumentality of the evidence
which they had left at the signal flag, there was no assurance that the
vessel would await their return, or undertake the mission of rescuing
them from the savages, if they should be so unfortunate as to be
captured.
It was a most distracting thing to solve. It was not only perplexing,
but exceedingly trying, to feel that at any moment a visit might be
expected from the natives.
Nevertheless, after all considerations, and giving due weight to the
likelihood that some ship might visit them, the building of the boat was
decided on, and it was to be of such a character that it could
circumnavigate the island. They believed it to be their first duty to do
this.
This was the Professor's view: "If we can build a boat large enough, and
make it of sufficient strength to carry us and the provisions we must
take with us, on such a voyage, we should, at some point in our tour,
find the natives, and determine their character."
"But, supposing, Professor, that they discover our boat and should
pursue us?"
"My reply to that is, that our vessel must be made of sufficient size
and strength to outsail them. My opinion is that the most they have is
canoes, and we could readily cope with them. The difficulty is this: If
we should be discovered, their curiosity, to say the least, would be
sufficient to cause them to trail us along the shore, and it would be
exceedingly uncomfortable to have them follow us around the shores to
our home. Afloat, in strange localities, on an uncharted sea, at night,
is a trying situation with a sailor, even though he has all the
instruments of navigation at his command. To go ashore, under the
circumstances, knowing that the savages are in wait, would be fully as
dangerous."
To Harry's practical turn of mind, there was another feature that might
be considered. "Some time ago you stated, Professor, that it was quite
possible we had an island near us as a neighbor, and from which we may
have had visitors. If such is likely to be the case, our boat will be
the means of enabling us to reach that island, because if they have
boats of sufficient size to come here they will be civilized, at any
rate."
It will thus be seen from a consideration of all the conditions what
determined them to increase the dimensions of the proposed new boat,
although it would consume more time than they had originally
contemplated.
"Do you remember, boys, that it is now about one year since we left the
harbor of New York on our voyage in the training ship _Investigator_?"
"Yes, and we have been on this island for nine months," answered George.
"I can hardly believe it possible."
What might be called spring was now at hand, and as the warm rains had
quickened the vegetation, the Professor suggested that it would be
prudent to devote some time to the planting of such crops as could be
utilized by them. Barley was a crop which grew in sufficient quantities
all about them, so that no care need be taken in that direction.
Garden vegetables would be needed most. Wild potatoes grew in many
places, but when they were needed search had to be made. Endives, which
made excellent greens, could also be found, together with the cassava,
and a variety of peas; but aside from the foregoing, nothing else was
available.
While talking on this subject one day the Professor remarked: "In my
wanderings I found quite a variety of plants that we might utilize in
our proposed garden or farm. One of them is a small, triangularly
formed, dark brown seed, which you may recognize."
"That," was Harry's answer, "looks something like our buckwheat."
"You are right; I found several varieties; none of them exactly like the
kind grown in the States, but we can readily propagate it, so that it
will be practically the same."
"How is the propagation done, so as to bring about the change?"
"It is merely a careful selection of the best varieties of the
particular plant, and by budding, grafting, or inarching, transmitting
the qualities of the good kind to the stalk or tree which bears the
inferior kind. That is done with vegetation which is perennial, like
fruit trees and the like."
[Illustration: _Fig. 38. Grafting. Fig. 39. Budding. Fig. 40.
Inarching._]
"But how could any of these methods be used with the buckwheat?"
"An entirely different method is used in cultivating vegetation of that
kind. You probably have seen wild oats growing here, as in the States.
In its wild or native state the grains are so small as to be utterly
useless. It is found that by taking this wild plant and changing the
soil in which it grows, the seed will finally develop and become larger,
until, in time, we get the full grain. The same thing is true in the
development of fruit which is full of seeds. The banana in its wild
state is full of seeds. By this process of cultivation it has finally
become entirely seedless, and the value of the fruit greatly enhanced."
Beyond the Cataract was a low and level stretch of meadow, which the
Professor thought was rich and could be readily worked, and it was the
field which they determined to devote to agricultural purposes.
In the meantime, the plans for the boat were developed. A description of
the recovered after part of the life-boat will make their plans better
understood. When they landed on the rock, and its forward part was
crushed and washed away, they saw the stern portion lodged in a saddle
in the rocks. It was there for an instant only, as the next wave
dislodged it, and when it was eventually found, months afterwards, it
had caught in the rocks a hundred feet further inland.
The part which they recovered was still in a good condition, but the
ruptured portion of the hull was a broken up and splintered mass, so
that it would require considerable work to prepare it to receive the bow
part which was now to be grafted on.
It had been originally sixteen feet long, with a five-foot beam. Harry's
plan was to increase the new vessel to a length of twenty feet, and its
extreme breadth six and a half feet, and in order to give greater
security and carrying capacity, it should have a depth of two and a half
feet.
"How much are you calculating on for the weight to be carried on the new
boat?" was the Professor's question.
"I am estimating that the passenger weight will be 400 pounds and the
weight of the boat itself at 500 pounds."
"That is a very liberal estimate. Have you considered the mast and
sails?"
"That is something entirely beyond my knowledge. I do not know what kind
of sail; or how large it shall be; nor the length or size of the masts.
If I knew something about the kinds of sails used for vessels I might be
able to decide on that as well as the other parts."
"The term ship, as usually applied, has reference to a vessel furnished
with a bowsprit and three masts--a mainmast, a foremast and a
mizzenmast; and these three masts are each composed of three parts,
namely, a lowermast, a topmast, and a topgallant mast."
"The bowsprit is that mast which projects forward from the bow, isn't
it?"
"Yes. In small vessels the cutter and the sloop have single masts, the
difference being that in the cutter the jib-boom has no stay to support
it."
"What's the difference between the jib-boom and the bowsprit; they both
project out from the bow of the vessel?"
"The bowsprit projects out only a little forward of the bow, and the
jib-boom is attached to the forward end of the bowsprit."
"Well, if we are to have only one mast, should we have a bowsprit?"
"It is not necessary, for the reason that in a small boat the boom, as
it is called, to stretch the foot of the sail, runs out directly from
the foot of the mast to which it is pivotally hinged."
"Then it would be better to have a single mast and a triangular sail,
one side of the sail to be attached to the mast, and one of the other
sides to the boom?"
"Yes; excepting that the sail must not be attached to the shaft, but to
a cable which is run up the mast."
As the vessel was intended not for speed, but for safety and for ease of
management, it was finally decided that the mast should be twenty feet
long, and the boom sixteen feet, thus giving a sail area, approximately,
of 150 square feet.
CHAPTER XVI
DISCOVERY OF THE SAVAGES' HUTS
While it was true that up to this time they had indirect evidence only
of the existence of human beings on the island, several events occurred,
at this time, which not only pointed more clearly to such a condition,
but they began to feel that leaving the Cataract would be a hazardous
thing.
The first incident occurred during one of the hunting expeditions in
which the boys engaged. It had been their custom to penetrate the forest
below the South River, not very far, it is true, but the sport there was
most exhilarating to them after each week's work.
The Professor had always encouraged this. "You have not taken your usual
weekly outing," he remarked, "and I feel we ought to have some wild
game. If you have time, on your next trip, make it a point to explore
the region to the south and west of the falls."
"That section interests me also," answered George. "I have often wished
we could go down near the mountain range."
"Couldn't you go with us?" interposed Harry, "and let us make a day of
it?"
"I should like to do so," he replied. "But I have good reason for
declining at this time, on account of some special work which is
attracting my attention, particularly in preparing the instruments we
shall need on our voyage."
"That is true," answered George. "But we shall certainly start early
enough in the morning to enable us to visit that section, and go far
enough to get some idea of what it looks like near the mountain."
"It would be a good idea," suggested Harry, "to take the team along, as
far as the river, at any rate, and that will give us an opportunity to
ride going and coming. In that way it will help us."
"Yes; and to carry the game," said George, with a laugh.
"If you bag as big game as you did on the last trip, you will need the
wagon," replied the Professor.
They were on the way early in the morning, with the guns and plenty of
ammunition, and before nine o'clock reached the river. Scarcity of rains
had considerably lowered the stream, and they discussed the advisability
of fording the team across.
"I am in favor of the idea, if the stream isn't too deep. It seems to be
shallow enough."
"Suppose, George, we take out the raft, and try the depth. If we find
the animals will have to swim, we had better leave them on this side."
The raft was launched, and it was pushed out with the poles, but before
going very far it was seen that the idea was impracticable, and it might
be a hazardous operation.
"This won't do. Besides, we may not be able to go into the woods very
far, in any event."
"Then," said Harry, "we must select a good place for the team, where
they will be in reach of water, and cut plenty of feed for the yaks, as
I can see a good half day's sport before us."
"I hope, Harry, we shall not make the mistake of getting lost this time.
Let us keep the sun in mind, and watch our bearings at all times."
"The mountains to the south will always be a guide for us. Don't forget
that. Then, we shall also know the river is to the north, or in the
opposite direction from the mountains."
"So that we may know just where the team is, we must take a note of its
location. See the four large trees near the other bank. I think we can
remember them, and can see them for some distance."
The raft was pushed across the river, and when it had been properly
secured, they began the march directly to the southwest, and within a
half hour reached the border line of the great forest.
"Six months ago I would have dreaded to enter such a dense wood as
this," said George.
"I was thinking of that, too," replied Harry. "Isn't it singular how we
become used to dangers? This is fun now. I can never forget the first
long trip we made through the forest to the west of the Cataract. I was
frightened at every step, and started at the least noise."
As they entered, the underbrush grew thinner, but the trees were more
massive and thicker, and they were so close together, in many places,
that little sunlight found its way through the foliage.
"I would like to know, Harry, how we can tell where the mountains are?
The trees do not give us an opportunity."
"I suppose we shall have to depend on the sun altogether."
"Yes; it is now forenoon, and we must not forget that the shadow will
point in a different direction in six hours from now."
"I have taken note of that," replied Harry. "We are now following our
shadow, see? In six hours, which will be about four o'clock, which
direction must we go to reach the wagon, judging by the shadow?"
"Let me see; the shadow is to the southwest now. At four this afternoon,
it will be about southeast, so, I suppose, we shall have to take a
course with the shadow at our right hand."
"Correct! I haven't forgotten that point about the shadows. It's really
simple if you stop to reason it out."
Although numerous small animals appeared at frequent intervals, neither
had an opportunity to try his skill, because up to that time the boys
had been too intent on noting the direction of their route. The course
was kept up due southwest, as planned.
"Did you ever see such a gloomy place?" remarked George. "If it wasn't
for the chirping of the birds and the chatter of the little animals it
would make me feel mighty lonely."
"Ah! there is something!" quietly whispered Harry, as he held out his
arm, as though to restrain George. "See that animal slinking away?"
"Where?"
"Almost directly in front. Come closer. See that broken tree?"
"That's an ocelot," exclaimed George.
"Are you sure?"
"Just like the ones we got."
"Oh, this one's much larger."
"Shall we make a try for him?"
"Certainly; if we can get close enough," answered Harry.
The boys moved forward stealthily, using the most convenient trees to
hide their movements. The animal was very wary, and the boys knew that
the distance was too great to attempt a shot.
"Let us keep on after him. We may get a chance sooner or later,"
remarked Harry, eagerly.
But the animal kept beyond their reach, and after a half hour it finally
forged ahead with such speed that it was soon lost to view, to the great
disappointment of the hunters.
"Now, if we can get a glimpse of the sun we shall know what our
direction is. This is the most wonderful forest I have ever seen."
"It seems to me we have gone considerably to the right. How far are we
from the river, according to your calculations?"
"Well, Harry, I am not good at guessing, but I suppose we have traveled
at a pretty lively rate while going after the ocelot. We certainly made
two miles trailing him; and it was as much more from the river to the
forest. I should say we are fully six miles from it."
"I wish we could get a glimpse of the mountains," answered Harry. "I
wonder why the Professor has always been so anxious to investigate this
part of the island?"
"That is a mystery to me. It may be merely a natural curiosity."
The boys noted the gradual ascent they were making now, and it was also
obvious that the trees were not so thick nor so tall, in comparison with
those farther north.
"Do you suppose we are near the base of the mountain?" asked Harry.
"It must be we are near it, or we should not be going up so gradually,
as we have done for the last hour."
When several more miles had been added, the woods thinned out
perceptibly, and when the clearing was sufficient to enable them to get
the first glimpse to the south, Harry remarked:
"Well, there are the mountains, and they seem as far away as when we
left the river. Suppose we follow this ridge to the west. You see, there
is another forest between us and the mountains."
As they advanced the trees were smaller, and there was every evidence
that this was a young forest. There was an abundance of the finest
grass, and here they found immense flocks of beautiful pheasants and
numerous other birds that were unknown to the boys, and it was not long
until they had more than a dozen of different varieties.
"This is getting to be a pretty heavy load," remarked Harry. "I think it
would be a good plan to find a place for the game, and then come back
and take it as we return."
"Yes; we ought to do that. What time do you suppose it is?"
"It must be past noon, and I am pretty hungry. Why not take our
luncheon now?"
"Good idea. Look over to the right. It seems pretty clear there, and the
two large trees there will make a good point to aim for on our way back.
We can use the log there to rest and spread out our luncheon on,"
remarked George, as he pointed to the direction of the trees.
He kept looking in that direction intently, as Harry watched him. "What
do you see?" Harry asked.
"That looks like a hut."
"So it does," replied Harry, excitedly. "It may be only a large rock,
however," he continued.
"No; it doesn't look like a rock to me. Let us move up closer."
The object was fully a thousand feet away, and on a slight crest with
few trees about. It was round-topped, very uneven in its outline, which
gave it the appearance of a large boulder.
The boys approached cautiously, and as they came nearer, another but
smaller object of the same character was noticed to the left.
"That is surely a hut of some kind. See the door at the side of the one
to the left?"
"You may be right, Harry, but this seems to be an out-of-the-way place
for a village or habitation. You know the Professor stated on one
occasion, that even savages were smart enough to plan their homes near
running water, and why they should select this place, when they could
easily find plenty of water not far away, is something I can't
understand."
"Dead sure there is nobody here now. Look at the vines growing across
the door opening. Isn't this a find? I wish the Professor could see
this."
"Better wait wishing until we see it. We might find something that will
surprise us."
"All right, George; let us get up, closer; I am anxious to see the door
of the big hut. Let us go around to the other side."
Without approaching the clearing which extended out a considerable
distance from the huts, the boys made a circle, until the open door of
the large one was in sight, and they were, therefore, directly behind
the smaller hut.
"Now let us go up behind this one. If there is anybody in the large one
we can easily see him," quietly remarked Harry.
The weeds all about indicated that no one was living there at the time,
but they were still too far from the main structure to be able to judge
positively.
"What's this?" asked George, kicking at some broad-leaved specimens of
vegetables. "See, they are in rows. Some one has had a garden here; that
is sure."
"This is certainly getting to be interesting. No; I don't believe there
is any one about. Still I don't like the idea of going up to that big
hut with the open door."
The boys looked at each other inquiringly. The question was, what to do
and how to do it.
"Suppose we fire a shot; that ought to arouse them."
"That would be a good idea, Harry, but I hate to waste the shot. We
might call, and see if we can get an answer."
The plan was adopted and after each "Hello!" a slight answering echo
came back. There was no response, and they boldly marched up to the open
doorway.
There was no light within, other than that through the door, except a
little streak from an opening, due to the partially decayed coating of
the hut. There was sufficient light, however, to show that this had been
occupied by people who were very primitive, as in the interior, at one
side, was a pile of bones, scattered about, and a few broken clay
vessels, as well as several clam shells, which had been ground to a
cutting edge, the examination of which caused the boys to smile.
"Well, what do you think of this? Nothing but bones and dirt everywhere.
I suppose it must have been occupied by the savages."
The large hut was circular in form, not exceeding twelve or fifteen feet
in diameter, and its extreme height was probably eight feet. It was
built of a framework of saplings, the thickest of them not exceeding two
inches in diameter, which had been planted in the earth, and then had
the tops bent over and bound together.
Smaller branches, or withes, were then run around and interlaced, so as
to make the web fairly close, and over this was plastered a species of
blue clay, which, when dried and baked by the sun, formed an impervious
coating that kept out the rain.
The boys marveled at the construction, because this was the first
example of savage architecture they had seen. The smaller hut was
distant about fifty feet, similarly made, but smaller in diameter.
"Let us examine the other place. Possibly that will give us some clue,"
and Harry started across the intervening space, while George was still
rummaging about, uncovering the odds and ends and raking them toward the
door.
Before Harry reached the hut, George cried out: "Come here, Harry; I
have found something." And he held up a scrap of paper. "If the savages
have been here they have left something that looks like writing."
Harry was back in an instant, and leaned over George's shoulder as he
tried to make out the scrawls on the piece of blackened and crumpled
sheet which he was smoothing out. The paper was about four by six inches
in size, and evidently a good quality of wrapping paper, known as
manilla.
"There are words here, sure enough. Look at this--it must be a name.
Yes; can you read it? 'Rogers.' But who has signed it? Can you make that
out?"
"Well, if there is one scrap, the chances are there must be some more.
Let us get this stuff out of here."
"But be careful, Harry. I found this by the merest accident, and as it
is, you will see I have torn it."
A more careful search was now begun, and every scrap was raked out and
examined. A brass button was among the things; a buckle; the broken
blade of a knife; a little metal disk, which might have been part of a
locket case; a steel ring, all rusted and about two inches in diameter.
As these things were successively brought to light, it dawned on the
boys that this might well have been the homes of savages, and the
articles mentioned were likely taken from captives. The message on the
paper, if it could be deciphered, might be the most valuable clue, but
they were reserving that for examination later on, when they could have
the assistance of the Professor.
The important thing now was to go over every bit of material in both
places, and then make a survey of the surrounding country. It set at
doubt all questions in their minds about the inhabitants of the country.
The small hut was visited, and here the litter was still more profuse,
but after every scrap had been gone over, there was nothing to add to
the small accumulation which they had taken from the other hut.
"Shall we go any farther?" asked George.
"It seems to me that this is enough for one day. Before going back,
however, let us look all around this place. You know the Professor will
be sure to want to know everything about it."
Directly west of the knoll, on which the huts were situated, was a
slight declivity. "Let us go down the hill for several hundred feet,"
said George, as he led the way through the tangled brush.
Within a hundred feet of the hut was a little brook, with the clearest
cold water. "I can see why the huts were placed there. Look at that
spring."
Within fifty feet of their position was a slightly shelving rock, and
below it a bubbling spring flowing upwardly into a semicircular basin
formed in the rock.
George ran forward and made a quick survey. "Here is a metal drinking
cup, just as they left it. My, but it's heavy!"
"I wonder what it is made of? Here, rub it."
Only a few passes were made over it, when he held it up in astonishment.
"Why, it looks like silver."
"So it does," broke in Harry. "But what is this on the side? See those
initials: 'A.W.'"
"I must have a drink before I leave this," and Harry removed the little
copper cup which he always carried. "What a peculiar water this is! It
must be a kind of mineral water."
"Yes," responded George; "that is sulphur water, or it has considerable
sulphur in it."
"I wonder if this was a health resort for the savages?" asked Harry, as
he laughed.
"Let's start for home at once," remarked George, without noticing
Harry's sarcastic fling at the poor inhabitants.
CHAPTER XVII
THE GRIM EVIDENCE IN THE HILLS
The boys secured a convenient pole, over which they slung the braces of
game, and started out on the march for the river. It was fully three
o'clock before they were ready to start.
"See here, Harry, there is something we have forgotten, and I begin to
feel it now."
"What is that?"
"Our luncheon."
"I was so excited and interested that I forgot all about it until now.
Why not go back to the spring and take luncheon there?"
"With that water? I'd rather wait until we get to the river."
"Well, let's take something, anyhow. I am mighty hungry. Funny we didn't
think of it before."
"Now for our direction. Do you think we can strike the river at the
right place?"
"I'll be perfectly satisfied if we strike the river anywhere."
"Then why not go directly north, and we can reach it a mile or two
sooner than the way we are now going."
"Good idea! Here we go!"
It was a lucky thing that they decided to take a different course from
the river, because they soon discovered that the ridge they were on ran
for a long distance almost directly north, and that the woods were not
nearly so dense as they were in the course they had followed.
At frequent intervals they came upon new game, and brought down a number
of additional specimens, until Harry protested against any further
stopping.
"It seems to me we have enough to last a week, and it is getting mighty
heavy at this end of the pole."
"Well, it does seem to be an awful distance over to the river. Are you
sure we aren't mixed up in the direction?"
"Of course not. The mountains are right behind us, and the shadow at our
right. You can't fool me the second time," answered Harry, as he shifted
the pole to the other shoulder.
While thus talking they caught the first glimpse of the river, and it
was hailed with delight.
"Whenever I get near the old river it feels like home. My! how I would
like to put in several days in a further hunt over toward the mountains.
I am sure we would turn up something there."
They reached the river a considerable distance above the falls, and
without stopping to rest, went down along the bank for a full hour
before they came within hearing of the rushing water.
They sat down on the craggy rocks alongside of the stream and took a
good rest. "This will be interesting news for the Professor," said
George, musingly, as he watched the rushing stream.
"Indeed, it will. I should not be surprised to find that the natives are
directly south of us, or rather west of the mountains."
"That may account for the fact that they have never been near our part
of the island."
When they took up the load to resume the journey, it was still heavier,
apparently, than before, and they were now so thoroughly tired that
frequent stops were made, but in another hour they had the satisfaction
of seeing the large trees that had been singled out for their guidance.
It was a great relief to deposit the load on the raft, and it did not
take long to swing the raft under the wagon and start the yaks on the
homeward journey. The Cataract came in sight before six in the evening,
and the Professor was on hand to welcome them.
"Did you have a good time?" he inquired; but as he looked over the
tailboard and saw the fruit of the hunt, exclaimed: "You must have
gotten everything over there."
"Yes, and something else besides that," said Harry in such a tone that
the Professor anxiously asked:
"What; have you made any discoveries?"
"Look at that," replied George, as he carefully drew out the discolored
paper with the writing on it. "We not only found this, but we discovered
some huts--two of them, fully six miles or more southwest of the falls."
The Professor's eyes opened wide. "This is, indeed, interesting. But
never mind about telling me now. Let us get the team unhitched and
examine this when we get inside. I had a suspicion that the other side
of the river would give us some clue."
While Harry and the Professor were putting up the team George prepared
several of the pheasants for the evening meal, and they were soon in the
oven. By common consent the meal was of more importance than the new
finds, and when the dishes were removed the paper was carefully
examined.
"If I knew just what was used for the writing, I might suggest something
that would bring it out more clearly. It is evident that the writer did
not use ink."
"Why do you think so?"
"Simply for the reason that this name, Rogers, which is the most plainly
written, has the words only on the surface of the paper. If ink had been
used it would have penetrated the fiber, and the writing would thus have
been preserved."
"Where did you find the paper?"
"It was among a mass of rubbish, which, on account of the poor light,
was raked out to a point nearer the door, so we could examine the
material better, and I don't know whether it was with the pile of bones
or with the stuff on the other side."
"Was the grass about the hut as high as the grass round about the
place?"
"It seemed to be. We made a pretty careful examination all over, so as
to give us a fair idea of the condition of things."
"How far was the spring from the hut?"
"Less than a hundred feet."
"By the way," remarked Harry, "we forgot to say that close to the small
hut we found some vegetables growing in several rows, and weeds all over
the place and between the vegetables."
"Do you think," asked George, "that the vegetable garden is any sign
that white people have been living there?"
"It may be; but the lowest savages have usually some form of knowledge
about raising and caring for vegetables, so we should not count too much
on that. This cup here seems to indicate the presence of some civilized
being, whoever he may be."
"It is just as likely, is it not, that the savages may have captured a
prisoner who had the cup?"
"That is one solution. This writing is the most important piece of
information we have had up to this time. It is not at all likely that
the natives would preserve it, so that the only conclusion I can draw
from it is, that the one who wrote the message, or the one who got the
paper, was at the hut, and now the important thing is to arrive at some
sort of idea _when_, and what the message means."
"It does not seem," remarked Harry, as he carefully scanned the paper,
"that we can make out more than a few of the words. Here is the word
which looks like 'river.' Yes; I am sure of that."
"And besides that the words 'of' and a capital letter 'B,' and something
that looks like 'r-e-n,' which may be simply part of a word," added
George.
"As this is simply ordinary wrapping paper, it is likely that it may
have no meaning whatever. Still, I have been trying to recall whether
anyone on shipboard had a name that these initials would fit. My limited
knowledge in that direction does not help me, I confess."
"What do you suppose the cup is made of?"
"That is undoubtedly silver, or some alloy of metals of which silver is
the principal part. It is very hard, as you notice. It is certainly a
singular thing that a vessel of this kind should be left at the springs,
if the owner of it was there, and it is just as remarkable that the
natives would permit it to remain there. I now regard the finding of the
cup as of far more importance than the paper, because of these
considerations."
"Well, the finding of the huts, and these articles, are pretty strong
arguments in favor of our purpose to find the people who owned the
things we found there," responded Harry.
"But I have also a little news to impart," said the Professor.
"What is it?" asked the boys in concert.
"I have found a companion to the skeleton we discovered on the beach,
and also some information about the inhabitants of the island."
"Tell us about it. Where did you come across it?"
"It isn't much of a story, but an hour or so after you left, I felt like
taking a little stroll, so I crossed the valley east of us, and skirted
the incline beyond, going toward the cliffs fronting the sea. Ever since
we found the skeleton I felt that, unless washed out to sea, there might
be some other traces of the wreck.
"I was quite unprepared to make any searches along the hillside, except
for evidences of minerals, and particularly to note the peculiar
outcropping of the rock on this side of the ridge which terminates at
Observation Hill.
"The backbone of the ridge is limestone, and after I had reached a
certain level I noted, all along, that the rock had remarkably wide
cleavages; that is where there had been breaks in the rock the seams
opened, and in some places I found recesses fully six feet wide, and
thus caverns, sometimes thirty or forty feet in length, would be formed.
"I explored some of them in the hope that it would lead me to a cave of
some extent, but in this I was disappointed. Such may be the case, but I
have not discovered anything which leads me to believe that there are
other caves than the one we explored.
"I entered one of those, which was a long way this side of Observation
point, and there, on a rude sort of improvised wooden cot, was a
skeleton. I found a half dozen arrows, lying near, but neither a bow nor
any other kind of weapon was anywhere in sight.
"The skeleton showed that it was the remains of a tall man, past middle
age, undoubtedly, and there was no evidence that he came to his death by
any wound which effected a fracture of any of his bones. The cot on
which the skeleton reposed was made of pieces of wood, in a complete
state of decay, and there was not a vestige of clothing, jewelry or
pocket articles at or near the bones.
"I found two of the arrows near one hand, and the others lying about.
Here they are. Handle them carefully, as they are decayed, and will
readily fall to pieces, unless you use the utmost care. That is my
story. I hunted all about the vicinity, hoping that I might find some
additional clues, but I was disappointed."
"Do you think he had any connection with the skeleton we found on
shore?"
"No; it does not seem likely. My reason for saying so is, that it would
take several years for wood to decay, as you see in the case of these
arrows, and the cot had the heaviest portions all rotted. In my opinion
this skeleton shows greater age."
"Under conditions of that kind, what sort of story could you weave out
of it, so as to determine what happened to him?"
"It is decidedly more interesting than our adventure, and about as
difficult to gather any information from," answered Harry.
"In my opinion, the man died from starvation, as you say he had no tools
or implements of any kind," replied George.
"That may be; but it appears entirely different to me. The man was,
undoubtedly, cast ashore, or was shipwrecked. We have evidence that this
island is noted for taking in people that way. He may or he may not have
had clothing, but in either event, he could not starve in a place like
this, with vegetation around him everywhere and at all seasons of the
year.
"I am picturing this condition of affairs in my mind: He was, no doubt,
out in quest of food, when he was attacked by the natives and escaped
from them. He was wounded by them, and when he reached his shelter,
removed the arrows, as I found them near his bones. It is probable that
his wounds proved fatal shortly after he reached the cave."
"But how do you account for the cot on which he was lying?"
"It would be the most natural thing for him to find a place to shelter
himself. That would be the first thing to do; just as he had a place to
retreat to, and was fortunate enough to elude his pursuers, who were not
aware of the hiding place."
"That seems reasonable," remarked George. "But it seems to point one way
sure; that we have a pretty tough lot of people on the island to deal
with, and satisfies me that we are going about it the right way, in
making the proper preparations for the time when we must meet them."
CHAPTER XVIII
STRANGE DISCOVERY OF A COMPANION LIFEBOAT
The greatest activity was now manifested in every direction. The
Professor was here, there and everywhere, taking part in every sort of
labor which the different work required. Part of the time he was in the
meadow where George was engaged in plowing up an acre of ground for the
garden.
It must not be concluded for one moment, that the scheme of eventually
leaving the island had been forgotten and that their preparation for
planting crops foreboded an indefinite stay.
It will be recalled that the Professor knew what idleness and an
unoccupied mind would do to the boys in their situation. He tried in
many insidious ways to stimulate the boys to think out and carry forward
original work, and in almost every instance he succeeded in doing this
in such a way that the boys themselves suggested the work to be done.
Harry was the builder, and the utilizer of the knowledge gained, and
George was content at the arrangement which kept him in the workshop
with the tools, while he gladly did the most of the outdoor duties.
For two weeks the boys worked without a thought of relaxation, and on
this occasion, as on many others, it was incumbent on the Professor to
suggest a day of sport. It was the only direction in which he at any
time tried to wield the energies of the boys, and from this you may
infer how intensely they were interested in the marvelous developments
day by day, of which they were the important factors.
"Well," said Harry, "I must confess that I had entirely forgotten our
arrangement to devote a day each week to hunting and explorations, and I
didn't miss it."
"Nor did I," was George's reply: "I suppose we shall have to go, as I
imagine the Professor wants to have some sport," and he laughed at the
sly dig which he had given him.
The Professor smiled. "You are right, George, old as I am, I am in for
sport, and fun of any kind. Why, I am just as young as you are in
feeling and desires, but the difficulty is that getting old is a habit
with many people. It gets on their nerves; they get some reminder of old
age every day of their lives, and sometimes hourly during the day. When
this goes on for three, four, five or ten years, it is too much for the
most of humanity. It is taken as an accepted fact that old age means
infirmity, and the break comes, not really because the body is weak and
worn out, but because the mental state has contributed too much to the
idea that they are no longer young and cannot be youthful, and are
getting too old to enjoy things that others delight in."
The all-absorbing topic at the evening conference was to determine where
the hunting exploits should next take place; whether to the west, where
they had witnessed the fight between the bears for the honey tree, or to
the other side of the South River, which they called their hunting
preserves.
Heretofore, George had been anxious to do all the hunting along the
river, but now he kept suggesting the forest to the west, and it
eventually turned out that the real reason was on account of the supply
of honey giving out; and he had an idea that, as they had not seen any
trees with honey indications anywhere else in their wanderings, that
would be the proper place to go.
His views prevailed, but it was a two-days' journey, there and back.
That was the only objection; and considering that they had not taken a
vacation for two weeks, this was not an extraordinary thing to do,
notwithstanding the urgent work which they had started on the boat and
in the agricultural line.
The next morning the yaks were yoked, the wagons supplied with their
usual camping equipment, tools, weapons, provisions and the like, and a
start was made before ten o'clock.
By agreement a course was marked out farther south than was taken on
their previous trips, because they had never explored the country
immediately north of the South River, except beyond the falls, and it
was their aim to learn every foot of the territory.
On their way they passed the mysterious hole where George had his
experience, and the route was also close to the spot where Harry found
him when he was lost. Both places were again visited, so that samples of
rock might be taken from one of the places, and the Professor hoped the
clay bed on the small creek might indicate the proximity of other metals
than they had been able to find previously.
Late that evening they reached the edge of the main forest, and a camp
made for the night. Red Angel was with them. He was as happy at the
sight of the forest as an orang well could be. It was his delight to
exhibit his skill as a climber on these occasions, and where the woods
were dense he would spring from limb to limb with surprising agility.
During the night, as on several previous trips, Angel exhibited his
nervousness, which was attributed to the presence of some animal that
alarmed him, but otherwise nothing disturbed the camp.
"How far do you think we are from the falls?" asked Harry.
The Professor made a mental calculation as he replied: "We cannot be far
east of it; possibly five or ten miles at most, and it is very likely
several miles south. Since you suggest it, we might deviate from our
route and take it in, as to do so will not take up more than two hours
of our time. It interests me because I have not examined the place from
which our boat was taken. That is one of the mysteries I am most
interested in."
George was anxious to get a solution of that singular occurrence and
jumped at the opportunity to go there. A southwesterly course was at
once marked out, and after traveling about three hours George's alert
ear caught a sound, as he was at that time leading the advance. Running
back he called out: "Do you hear that peculiar sound?"
The wagon stopped. In the stillness around them they could hear a faint
murmuring sound.
"Do you know what that is?" The boys looked at each other. "I think,"
continued the Professor, "that must be the falls."
"Then why not turn to the left and go directly to the river?"
They did so, and within fifteen minutes the river was in sight. A
further trip of ten minutes brought them to the foot of the falls, where
the boat had been deposited nearly five months before and which had so
mysteriously disappeared, only to be recovered by them and again lost by
accident, as detailed.
A search along the river bank failed to reveal any trace of the tree
overhanging the stream, where the oars had been placed, and instead the
river washed out a small bay. All along the banks were evidences of
washouts which piled up driftwood every place along the shore where
there was a root or snag which would hold the accumulations. The
Professor wandered down the stream, pulling out and examining pieces of
the limbs, to find, if possible, whether there were any evidences of the
drift having been cut by human agencies.
So far as could be seen, the limbs had all been broken, not cut, and
this was a relief, in a sense. The South River drained a large part of
the island, and it might rightly be inferred that the driftwood in a
stream of this kind, if it flowed through a region inhabited by man,
would show some signs which they might interpret.
As they were returning George pointed across the river at a peculiarly
shaped log, or what appeared to be portion of a large tree. The river at
this point was about seventy-five feet wide. The Professor was silent
for some time. "My eyesight is not of the best, but it does not look to
me like a tree."
"I can easily swim the stream," and Harry had his clothing off in short
order, and plunged in. Gaining the other side, he drew himself up, and
without touching a thing in and about the debris, called out excitedly:
"It is a boat, something like our life-boat! Yes; it is exactly like our
boat!"
"Can you dislodge it? If not, I'll come over."
"Never mind, I can manage it, I think."
The interior of the boat was filled with accumulated material of all
sorts, principally leaves and bark, and when it had been lightened of
all that weight Harry put his shoulder against the stern, and soon
succeeded in dislodging it from its seat against the tree which held it
a prisoner.
Just before he had it in a position to launch the Professor called out:
"Don't put it in the water until you have found something which will
serve as a paddle." The stream at this point, being less than a half
mile below the falls, had a fairly good current, so that without an oar
of some kind he would not be able readily to get it across.
"I can't find any signs of oars, so I will take a piece of this wood."
He ferried it across, and landed a hundred feet below. As he neared the
shore George sprang toward it excitedly, and cried out: "Look at that!
See the name, 'Investigator'!"
Harry stopped rowing, and bent over the side of the craft; there,
plainly, near the stern, was the word "Investigator" followed by the
letter "L." The space beyond the letter L was broken, and if anything
else had originally been in that space it had been brushed off by
contact with some outside object.
This was, undoubtedly, one of the companion lifeboats of their ill-fated
ship.
"How do you suppose this boat ever got here?"
"It undoubtedly came over the falls, and if so, it must have come from
the interior of the island. My only solution is, that our companions in
this boat were also, like us, cast ashore, or, at any rate, the boat
itself was, and if they reached land safely probably used this boat on
the river."
"Isn't it singular that this boat has been treated just as our boat was,
since they removed the lockers? Why should they do that?"
"The interesting thing to me is," answered the Professor, "why the boat
was lost by them, if it ever was in the possession of our friends on the
island?"
"Possibly the natives may have captured or killed them."
"That is a plausible explanation, but there may be a reason which is
entirely different from anything which now occurs to us. I believe a
search of the island will show that we are not the only white people
living here, and that the loss of the boat indicates that they are not
on friendly terms with the natives."
All thoughts of hunting were now dissipated. It did not interest them in
the least.
They sat down and debated the discovery. Undoubtedly, it had drifted
down South River and gone over the falls, as the indented sides and
bottom of the boat plainly showed. How far had the river carried it
before the falls were reached? It was a matter of regret now that they
had passed up the river before the animal trail in their path had caused
them to leave it, instead of trying to discover its source.
Something must be done. Their companions must be in peril. That was a
situation hinted at by the Professor. They had a duty to perform, if
such should turn out to be the case. With many misgivings they decided
that they must follow up the stream, cost what it might. No provision
had been made for a lengthy trip, but, fortunately, they had plenty of
ammunition, and as to food, they could supplement what they had by
forage along the way, as they had often done before.
"What shall we do with the boat?"
"Let us find a place for it far enough from the shore to be beyond reach
of the river, and hide it, so there will be no further danger of its
disappearance."
"We are so used to have things get away from us that it has become a
habit," said Harry, laughing.
While they were engaged in the task of drawing the boat up, Red Angel
appeared, excitedly chattering and endeavoring to attract their
attention, and frequently running back in the direction of the wagon.
"What is the matter with him? I never saw him with such antics before."
George, who had the greatest control over him, ran up and tried to catch
him, but the little fellow avoided capture, and whenever George would
get near he would spring toward the wagon, keeping up his excited
gesticulations all the while.
The Professor now ran forward without another word, and Harry stood
there wondering what had happened, or was about to happen. As he ran
past George, who was still trying to get Angel, the Professor merely
said: "He is trying to get you to go to the wagon."
The boys understood, and both started on a run. Harry was the first to
get there. The team had disappeared!
Their further adventures on the island are related in the next book,
entitled "The Mysteries of the Caverns."
* * * * *
GLOSSARY OF WORDS USED IN TEXT
Absorb. To take into; or to take up into itself.
Accomplishment. Fulfillment; completion; perfection.
Accumulation. Adding to; to bring together.
Acquired. To take; the act of getting anything.
Activities. Exertion of energy; action.
Adjacent. Close to; near the object referred to.
Affinity. Any natural feeling, drawing, liking, inclination,
or affection for another.
Agility. Quick; sprightly.
Agitated. Excited; much perturbed.
Albumen. The chief substance in an egg. The nutritive
material within a seed.
Alkali. Any substance that will neutralize an acid.
Allegiance. An obligation of fidelity that an individual owes.
Allied. Attached to; bound to; an arrangement with.
Allusion. Referred to; to speak of.
Alternative. First one and then the other, and so on.
Altitude. The height; the top; the high part.
Ammonia. A colorless, pungent, suffocating gas, found in
small quantities in the air and in mineral waters.
Analyzed. To separate; to find the principal parts of
anything.
Anticipated. Looking forward to the future; to expect; to
forecast.
Antics. Grotesque; ridiculous, fantastic action, prank or
caper.
Appendage. Belonging to; to hang or attach to.
Approximating. Close to; in the neighborhood of.
Aquatic. Pertaining to water; as a water (aquatic) animal.
Arbitrary. Stubborn; determination to do, whether right or
wrong.
Astringent. Having, as a sour fruit or acid, the power to
contract or draw together.
Atmosphere. The air we breathe; composed of four parts of
nitrogen and one part of oxygen, principally.
Attributed. Belonging to; to assign; refer, as an effect to a
cause.
Bacteria. A microscopic microbe, very minute, widely
distributed in all matter.
Base Line. A term used to designate a starting point for
surveyors, or for builders in laying out work.
Battery. Usually applied to a series of cells for generating
or storing electricity.
Bleaching. The process for whitening any substance, either by
the action of the sun or by chemicals.
Bovine. Pertaining to the common cow species.
Calisaya. A weed which has a bitter principle from which a
variety of quinine is extracted.
Camphor. A white, volatile, tough, gum-like, translucent
substance, with a peculiar pungent taste and smell.
Carbon. One of the four principal elements. Coke; charcoal.
Carbonic acid. A heavy, colorless, incombustible gas.
Carbonize. To put in the form of a coke or charcoal.
Ceremonies. A formal act, rite, or observance, either religious
or otherwise.
Charcoal. Wood from which the lighter or more volatile gases
have been abstracted by heat.
Charged. Referring to a battery, or cell, which has been
supplied with liquid; or anything filled with
material.
Chicory. A product, used as a substitute for or an adulterant
of coffee, containing a bitter principle, and made
from the root of the endive and other similar
plants.
Circuiting. The term applied to the wiring of a battery or other
electrical apparatus.
Clarified. Liquid which has been relieved of floating matter.
Coke. Coal from which the most volatile gases have been
taken by heat.
Conspicuous. Very plain; easily observed.
Cortege. A train of equipages at a funeral.
Contracted. Something brought down, or compressed into a smaller
bulk.
Coagulated. Changing the form of solid matter in liquids.
Comprises. That of which any article is made up.
Conclusive. A finality; the end.
Constipated. A morbid condition of the bowels.
Concerted. Acting together, or in unison.
Contingency. The awaiting of an event; in the event of.
Corrosive. The action, usually of an acid, like rust.
Complicated. Mixed up; difficult to understand.
Compressible. That which may be put into a smaller compass.
Coincidence. One fact happening with another, or at the same
time.
Commotion. In an uproar; not in order.
Compound. Made up of two or more substances.
Crenate. Scalloped or toothed by even, rounded notches.
Crenelated. Furnished with flutes and indentations.
Crucible. A receptacle for melting ores and the like.
Critically. In a low state; very ill; the danger point.
Crater. An open cavity of a volcano.
Crystal. Glass; transparent substances which are rigid.
Cubic. A body having six sides.
Curtailed. Cut off; only a part of.
Dentate. Tooth-like; made somewhat in the form of a tooth.
Density. The substance; the body, or the weight.
Dehaired. Material, like hides, from which the hair has been
removed.
Debris. Accumulation of material.
Devoid. Left without; having nothing.
Devious. In a roundabout way.
Delicacies. Anything which is a luxury; that tastes well.
Decreasing. Growing less.
Dejection. Downcast; not happy.
Discrimination. Capacity to judge; to be able to pick out; to act
well.
Discomfiture. Routed; disappointment; defeat.
Distracting. To turn aside for something claiming attention.
Dissipated. To scatter or to fritter away.
Dilemma. A quandary; difficult position or thing to judge or
consider.
Diagonally. Going across corners. The longest distance across,
starting from a base.
Discordant. Not in tune; not agreeable; not in harmony with.
Disinfectant. Any substance which will destroy germs or purify
air, water, or foods.
Dross. The refuse; the impurities in a substance.
Domain. The country, nation, or the particular area or
district owned by an individual.
Dynamo. A machine for generating electricity.
Elude. To evade the search of; to avoid pursuit.
Elongated. Made longer than normally, or greater in one
direction than in another.
Enumerate. To take note of; to number.
Endive. A salad, well known here and in Europe; the root
produces the well-known chicory substance.
Enhanced. Made better; put into a more advantageous condition.
Emitted. To give out; like the rays from a light; or blown
out from the mouth or nostrils.
Escutcheon. The shield or helmet of a warrior, or the ensign of
a house or family.
Essential. The particular thing; the important element.
Essence. The extract or the principal element in a substance.
Eventually. Finally; at the last.
Evolved. Taken out of; brought forth; made from something
else.
Exhausted. Entirely removed; drawn off; reduced.
Exultant. Joyfully; rejoicing greatly.
Exerted. Making every effort; straining.
Exhilarating. A lively, pleasing or enlivening sensation.
Facility. With ease; readily accomplished.
Fantastic. A peculiar or abnormal condition.
Fermentation. A chemical condition where germs are developed and
grow in a substance and change the elements
comprising it.
Filament. A thread-like element, usually made of carbon and
employed in the exhausted electric bulb.
Fissures. The openings, cleavages, or splits in rock or other
formations.
Flail. An article formerly used for threshing out grain.
Flux. A substance used in connection with welding of
melting liquids to facilitate the process.
Formation. The term applied to the manner in which rock, ores,
or other geological substances are united or
arranged.
Frantically. Excessive excitement from anger or otherwise.
Friction. The rubbing together of substances. Contact.
Fulcrum. The pivotal point.
Fused. Melting of ores or metals.
Gaseous. Any substance which is neither a solid nor a liquid.
Gelatin. A transparent, tasteless substance obtained from
animal tissue.
Generated. To evolve from; to make; to originate.
Gesticulation. The making of motions, especially when excited.
Germs. An original element; the first form.
Geological. That which pertains to the study of the structure of
the earth.
Glutin. Similar to gelatin; the nutritious element of wheat.
Glaize. The coating of a hard, flint-like film on pottery.
Gravity. The attraction of mass for mass.
Halliards. The ropes for holding a flag or banner.
Harmonize. To be brought into unison with.
Horizon. The point where the earth and sky meet.
Horizontal. Level. The surface of water is horizontal.
Hysterically. An uncontrollable laughter.
Identically. The same; similar to.
Illuminating. To light up; to make brighter.
Immoderately. More than usual; beyond the ordinary.
Immemorial. From very ancient times.
Imperfect. Not in the best condition.
Impetuous. Hastily; without considering consequences.
Impulse. A sudden mental motion or feeling.
Insecurity. Not sure of safety.
Intervening. Placed between; something between.
Instrumentality. By the agency of; by means of which it is
accomplished.
Insidious. Doing or planning a thing without the knowledge of
the victim.
Intact. Unbroken; whole; in good condition.
Instinct. A knowledge which comes from the internal senses.
Interval. Not continuous; having spaces or periods between.
Indented. To cut into or to notch.
Intimately. Closely associated; friendly.
Irrigating. To cover the ground with moisture by artificial
methods.
Infectious. Transmitting diseases by passing from one to
another; catching.
Identified. Pointed out; knowledge from some mark or otherwise.
Incandescent. Heated up so that it has illuminating qualities.
Innumerable. Without number. A large quantity; a great many.
Lavished. Given out without stint; liberal.
Laboratory. A workshop; a testing room; experimental works.
Leavened. The term used to indicate the raising of dough.
Lentils. A kind of greens, largely used in Europe.
Lumbering. Clumsily; huge; encumbered by bulk.
Ludicrous. Amusing; calculated to amuse.
Luxuries. Extravagant indulgences in pleasures.
Mineralogical. Pertaining to mines, ores, and similar arts.
Manifest. Made known; acknowledged; understood.
Neutralize. Made unlike either; the effect of uniting an acid
and an alkali.
Nitrogen. One of the four principal elements. The lightest of
all substances.
Nutrition. Food; the substance which is required for the
sustenance of plants or animals.
Observant. Noticing; seeing; taking note of.
Obstructions. In the way of; impediments.
Octave. Composed of eight. A musical measure or scale.
Odor. The quality in a substance which renders its
presence known by the smell.
Ominous. Of the nature of or marked by some omen.
Orifice. A hole; an opening.
Organisms. A body or substance that is in a proper condition
for growth or development.
Oxygen. One of the four principal elements. One-fifth of
air and one-third of water is oxygen.
Paralysis. Loss of ability to control muscular motion.
Parlance. A mode of speech; a phrase; a particular sentence.
Perceived. Noticed; observed.
Perplexity. Puzzling; distracted.
Petals. One of the leaves, or the subordinate part of the
leaf.
Persistent. Firm and resolved.
Pelts. The skin of an animal with the hair on.
Perspective. The art or theory of representing a drawing made on
a flat surface so that it will appear as not lying
in that surface.
Perceptible. Noticeable; able to be seen.
Perennial. Not planted each year. Wheat is sown each year.
An apple tree grows on from year to year.
Permanence. Something that keeps on or continues.
Pitch. The inclination, as the roof of a house; a high or a
low musical tone.
Plateau. A rather level elevated portion of ground.
Plausible. Appearing to be true; likelihood.
Philosopher. One who seeks first truths; the underlying
principles.
Phosphorus. A non-metallic element which readily absorbs oxygen
from the air, and exhibits a glow by slow
combustion.
Port. A haven. A home for a ship.
Potter's Wheel. A horizontal wheel revolving on a vertical spindle
on which pottery forms are made.
Primary. First. Applied to a form of electric battery which
generates a current by means of metals and liquids.
Precipitate. Throwing down, as applied to chemistry; causing the
solid matter in a liquid to go to the bottom.
Prudence. Care; caution; ability to look out for the future.
Prosperity. Success in business; doing well.
Precede. To go before; the one ahead.
Primitive. The first way of doing things; the original plan or
method.
Precaution. Taking care; going slowly and with caution.
Propagate. To bring to a better condition or state. Making an
improved breed or type from plants or animals.
Projecting. Throwing or casting a shadow.
Proximity. Close to; in the neighborhood.
Phenomenon. Any new development; a startling sight; a natural
occurrence out of the ordinary.
Puncture. To cut; to open; to tear.
Pyramid. A solid with a broad base and a top with an apex.
Quartz. The hardest of the common minerals. A common rock.
Rabies. A disease the germs of which are carried by animals
when in a certain diseased condition.
Ramie. A very important fibrous plant; for making rope and
many articles of fabric.
Retort. A heated furnace for the melting of ores and metals.
Rejoinder. An answer; a reply.
Relative. In comparison with; proportionally.
Registered. Taking note of; to keep account of.
Replenished. Taking new supply; a new helping.
Restrained. To hold back; to prevent.
Reservoir. A tank or vessel to hold liquids or other matter.
Reassuring. To restore boldness or courage; to make certain.
Reconciled. To bring content and to restore confidence.
Regulation. In accordance with some law or order established.
Reagent. A substance used chemically which will have an
action on one or more substances in the sample
treated.
Relaxation. A change from the ordinary routine.
Sanitary. Healthful; in a condition to preserve health.
Sarcophagus. A stone burial place, carved out of rock.
Scientific. That which has a reason and a knowledge for each
step.
Serviceable. That which is of use; advantageous.
Seismograph. An instrument by means of which shocks in the
movement of the earth's crust may be registered.
Septic. Any substance that promotes putrefaction.
Sewage. The waste matter carried off from cities by the
drains.
Serrate. Formed with saw-teeth.
Sentimental. Involving or exciting the feelings or tender
emotions.
Sequence. That which follows.
Shuffling. Awkward or clumsy movements.
Shambled. A shuffling gait, allied to clumsy movements.
Solution. To make out a problem; in chemistry, the unity of
two or more elements which will mix.
Speculative. Opposed to practical or experimental; taking a risk.
Specter. A ghost; an apparition; a vision.
Sulphurous. From sulphur; having the qualities of sulphur.
Stimulating. To rouse to activity or action.
Sutures. The saw-teeth united portions of the skull.
Substitute. Taken for or instead of something else.
Subsided. Going down; quieted.
Subterranean. Beneath the sea; below the waves.
Sulphate. Sulphur united with any alkali to form a salt.
Symptoms. Indications; the appearances which indicate certain
diseases.
Technically. Specially pertaining to some formal training in art,
science or manufacture.
Theoretically. Pertaining to knowledge which is not exact, but in
the nature of speculation.
Torso. The body, devoid of its limbs; the trunk.
Translucent. Capable of permitting light to pass through, but
through which vision cannot pass.
Transparent. Any substance through which the eye can see.
Transversely. Across, at right angles. In the direction of the
narrow way.
Transporting. Carrying; taking from place to place.
Theorist. One who speculates; one who tries to arrange facts
to harmonize.
Triangular. Bounded by three sides, and which has three points.
Tubular. Like a pipe; a body with a hole through it.
Typical. A sample; a pattern; an emblem.
Utilize. To take advantage of; to turn to practical account.
Undeveloped. Not fully grown; not developed.
Unobtrusive. Not willingly thrust forward.
Vacuum. A space entirely devoid of matter.
Vanquished. Overcome; subdued.
Vestige. A visible trace, mark or impression.
Versed. Knowledge in a certain direction.
Vibration. Moving to and fro; a regular movement.
Veteran. One long trained in any service.
Voluntarily. Done of free will.
Vitrify. Converted into glass, wholly or in part.
Weird. Superstitious; uncanny; unearthly.
* * * * *
Other books from
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