Fire Island Part 16

"Sea-snake, I think," said Oliver, eagerly, in answer to his companions'

questioning looks.

"Hear that, Billy?" whispered Smith, giving his friend a nudge.

"Oh, yes, I hear," growled Wriggs; "says he thinks it's a snake, but it warn't. I see it, and it was a heel. Didn't yer see how it tied itself up in a knot round the long-legged bird? I say, I mean to set a night-line, and ketch that gentleman. Heels is about the best fish to eat as swims."

"But aren't you going to wade across and fetch the crocodile over, Billy?"

"No, matey, I aren't. 'Cause why? It's much safer ash.o.r.e."

CHAPTER EIGHT.

INTO THE MIST.

The lagoon was skirted, and after rather a toilsome ascent among rocks half smothered in creepers, the edge of the forest was reached, and a halt called under the shade of a great fig-tree, among whose small, ripe fruits a flock of brilliant little scarlet and green lories were feeding; and here, seated about on the great, projecting roots, the party partook of a delicious meal, feasting their eyes at the same time upon the prospect around. For, from the elevation at which they now were, they were able to look right over the low land that had been swept by the vast wave, to where there was another slight elevation clothed with trees.

As far as they could see, the low ground was spread with scattered blocks of coral and lava, while here and there, little bright patches told of sh.e.l.ls that had been ground and polished thin by the action of the waves, and now showed their glistening, pearly material.

Another look to the left across blocks of white coral, and over pools slowly evaporating in the hot sunshine, showed the course the ship had taken from where the sea beat against the reef-girdled sh.o.r.e. It was all plain enough; that was the edge of the land, with a belt of calm, blue water, and beyond that, as far as eye could reach to right and left, a barrier reef of coral, upon which the great billows curved over, flashing in the sun, and crested with their soft, white foam.

"It seems beyond belief," said Oliver at last. "Who could imagine that our vessel could be borne right inland here and set down upon an even keel almost uninjured?"

"And without the smallest chance of ever sailing the sea again," said Panton, quietly.

"I say, look here, you two, we're not going to settle down here like so many Robinson Crusoes, are we!" cried Drew.

"Only just so long, I say, as it will take us to make complete collections of the natural history of the place," said Oliver, "for I begin to be in hopes that the land is quite new, and that no one has ever set foot upon it before."

"Then you think it is an island?" said Drew, who was eating with one hand, collecting specimens of plants with the other.

"If he doesn't, I do," cried Panton, taking out a little bright steel hammer and beginning to chip at a block of stone held fast by one of the roots of the big tree under whose branches they were seated. "Look at this--slag. I say that we are on a volcanic island, formed by a mountain rising out of the sea and pouring out its streams of lava, and throwing up its blocks and stones and cinders."

"What about the coral, then? The place is covered with scattered blocks."

"Oh, those were carried in by the great wave," continued Panton. "Once an island like this is thrust up from the bottom of the sea, the coral insects soon begin to be busy and build all round it. Look at the reef yonder."

"Then you think the volcano is in the middle of the island?" said Drew, taking out his pocket lens to examine a tiny blossom.

"That doesn't follow," said Panton, oracularly, as he chipped off a fragment of lava, which fresh fracture glistened brightly. "The mountain may be just at the edge of the island, possibly on a cape. I should say this one is, and cut off from sight by that wall of mist, which seems to be rising from a gulf extending right across. What are you men muttering there about tools?"

"Beg pardon, sir," said Smith, "I only said to my mate as you gents seemed to have tools for everything."

"There," cried Oliver, "time's getting on, and I want to reach that mist, get through, and see what the place is like on the other side.

Ready?"

For answer the others sprang up, all being eager to see more of the country upon which they had been so singularly cast, and for the next hour they were fighting their way through the dense forest, every cut and slash they made with their pocket-knives to rid themselves of creeper and thorn, destroying growth which was of intense interest to Drew, while Panton damaged his shins over blocks of stone he longed to chip, while dislodging insects and scaring birds and quadrupeds, of which Oliver got but a glance.

They were constantly stopping to mop their faces, for the heat was tremendous, and their progress very slow, but still they got on, some open patch caused by the falling of a great tree rotted away by age, or strangled by some creeper, giving them light and a breath of the soft sea air overhead.

Everything here was beautifully green and fresh, the eruption having left it unharmed, till, at the end of another tedious hour's work over gradually rising ground full of jagged rifts and tumbled together stones, which told of a convulsion of nature far back in some distant age, when, in place of towering forest trees all must have been absolutely bare and level. Smith, who was in front, cutting and slashing with his jack-knife, uttered a shout.

"Land ho!" he cried, for they were evidently nearly through the sea of verdure, the sky showing beneath the huge branches.

"At last!" cried Oliver, who was panting with the exertion, while his companions' faces were torn and bleeding. "We must get Mr Rimmer to let the men cut a way through here."

"Now then!" shouted Wriggs from somewhere ahead just then. "None o'

them tricks. D'yer hear?"

"Come, come, my man," said Drew, sternly, "keep to your work. This is no time for playing."

"All right, sir, but please speak to Tommy Smith. Man don't want big nuts chucked at his head."

"Who's a-chucking nuts?" cried Smith, indignantly, and he began to force his way back into sight of his companions.

"Why, you did, and hit me just now."

"Sweer I didn't!" cried Smith. "Here, hullo! Drop that, will you? Who was that?"

A great nut, half as big as a man's head, had struck the speaker on the shoulder.

"Why, there's someone up in that tree throwing at us!" said Drew.

"Yes, I see him," cried Wriggs, "that big tree, just where it's getting light. Here, I see you: leave off will yer?"

"It's the natives, sir," said Smith, in a warning voice. "Get your guns ready, they'll be shooting pysoned arrows directly."

"I see him plain, now, sir. He's only a little black chap. Yes, there's two on 'em. Well, upon my word, if they aren't two monkeys!"

Another big nut came with a crash through the branches and, before Oliver could check him, Drew raised his gun and sent a shower of shot peppering through the leaves over the heads of the two occupants of the great tree, with the result that two large apes went swinging from bough to bough, chattering indignantly, and disappearing at once.

"You shouldn't have done that," cried Oliver. "I wanted to have a look at the creatures."

"I daresay you'll have plenty more chances, for, if this proves to be an island, they can't get away."

"But the fact of there being large creatures here, proves that it is not an island," said Oliver.

"Not a bit of it," said Panton, oracularly. "There are plenty of islands peopled with animals, because they were occupants of continents now submerged. Look at Trinidad, for instance. That was once the north-east corner of North America, and all her flora and fauna are continental."

"Oh, I say, don't be so horribly scientific," cried Oliver, "let's get out into the open where we can breathe. Look at the b.u.t.terflies in that sunshiny patch. Really we have dropped into a land of wonders."

"And stinging insects and thorns," said Panton. "I say, what was that rustling away through the leaves?"

"Snake, sir, big 'un. I see his tail wiggle," cried Smith.

"Better be careful," said Oliver, gravely, "there may be poisonous snakes about the edge of the forest. Ha! What a relief!"