The Wonder Island Boys: Treasures of the Islands Part 17

John stopped and directed the search light to all parts of the cavern.

It appeared to be nearly round, with a perfectly smooth floor. It was unoccupied, but in the exact center of the chamber was a raised object, like a mound.

Throughout the entire cave could be found the calcareous deposit so common in caves formed in limestone rocks, and the stalact.i.te hangings on the ceilings and walls, and the stalagmites on the floors made the scene a weird one.

John glanced upwardly to view the ceiling, above the mound, and said: "That does not seem to be a natural formation. Let us examine it first."

With the small pick which John always carried, and by means of which he was always careful to examine rocks and geological formations, while on these tours, the top parts of the stalagmites were chipped off. This was an exceedingly simple matter, since they are generally soft.

After the top layer was removed, the part beneath readily yielded, but before they had an opportunity to dig into it very deeply the pick struck something which gave forth a metallic sound. John stopped as though paralyzed.

The pick was again driven in. Again the plain contact with some hard substance. The digging was now feverish, and when the broken parts were cleared away, a small metallic box, about twelve inches square across the top, and about ten inches deep, was exposed to view.

The dent made by the pick was clearly visible, and the fresh mark showed that the metal was red.

"It is copper!" said John.

Every part of the material around the box was removed, and this enabled them to remove it from its resting place. John grasped it and securing a good hold, finally raised it.

"No, it is not any heavier than I thought it would he," he remarked as he lay it down.

"Did you expect to find this?" asked George in amazement.

"No; this is a surprise to me as it is to you."

"Then why did you make that remark?"

"Because I believe that this box contains treasure of untold value. I should have been surprised if it weighed very much."

"Could it not have contained treasure if it had been heavy?" asked Harry.

John laughed, a peculiar exultant chuckle, as he responded: "Not the kind of treasure I have had in contemplation."

The box was turned over and over. There was not the sign of any lid, or crack which showed the cover or means of opening it. "We must take this out and open it at our leisure," remarked John, "but before doing so it would be well to examine the other outlets to this chamber, if it has any."

The chamber was found, on measurement, to be thirty feet in diameter, and the vaulted ceiling fully thirty feet high, singularly uniform in the domed formation, and not rough or jagged like the ceiling of the other chamber which they had just left.

The walls were absolutely solid on all sides, the only entrance being by way of the narrow little pa.s.sageway through which they had come. Harry picked up the box, and swung it up to his shoulder, and, John leading the way, they filed out and pa.s.sed through the chamber, quickly making their way to the opening through which they first entered the cave.

Within an hour they were back in the village, and found Muro there awaiting their arrival. "We have found their trail, and they have not gone to the upper cave. They are heading straight for the tribe in the northern end of the island."

"I am surprised at that," said John. "We must consult the Chief about this," and without another word, he hurriedly went over to the Chief, who was as much astounded as John could be at the peculiar significance of their actions.

CHAPTER X

THE TRIBE TO THE NORTH

Instead of conveying the copper box to the village it was carried to the landing place and taken to the vessel, where it could be examined later, when they had more time. It was now of more importance to keep in touch with Muro and Uraso, the former of whom had gone to the north as soon as he had given the report mentioned in the last chapter.

On the return to the village they discussed the affairs of the previous day, which John had abstained from mentioning.

"What is it that really makes the people act that way when they are hypnotized!" asked George. "I have heard it said that there isn't any truth in mesmerism."

"Mesmerism is the old term used to designate certain phenomena, which, originally, was supposed to be a force that emanated from the mesmerist.

It is now known that hypnotism may be regarded as artificial catalepsy."

"But what is catalepsy?"

"It is an affection produced by hysteria, during which the patient's body becomes rigid. It is claimed by some that somnambulism is one phase of the hypnotic condition."

"But in what way do your motions act on the one who is being hypnotized?"

"The motions have nothing whatever to do with producing the condition.

That is for effect, merely. Those who are able to bring about a mesmeric condition, try to concentrate the mind on some particular thing, and by making gentle motions, or pa.s.ses, this is more forcibly impressed on them."

"What was the object of Uraso telling them that the White Man's death was a terrible one, and trying to frighten them?"

"Merely to make them concentrate their minds on one thing alone. Terror, or great fear, is one of the things which tends to a cataleptic condition. Great excitement, and sometimes excessive joy, have been known to do the same thing."

"Then the object is merely to bring the mind under the control of the operator?"

"Yes; what was originally considered as a power flowing from the hypnotist, is nothing more than his mental action or control which prevents the subject from exercising his own volition."

A few hours after they returned to the village Uraso and Muro returned, with the information that the Korinos were now within the territory of the tribe to the north, and they wisely concluded it would not be good policy to pursue them further, and their prudence was commended by John.

The natives were supremely happy in displaying their gifts, and the Chief, while much annoyed at the escape of the Korinos, was content to be relieved of their presence, when, after numerous conversations with John, he realized that they were of no use to him and his people.

John announced that he intended to visit the tribe to the north, and purposed starting the following day. The Chief advised him to take with him all the warriors in the village, because he felt sure they would have a hostile reception.

"It seems to me," replied John, "that would be the wrong thing to do. I do not wish him to think that my mission is a warlike one, and a large force will be in the nature of an invasion of his territory."

"Perhaps you are right; but we have found him a difficult Chief to deal with. He is not like a man. He cannot stand up straight, as we do, and he kills and eats all who fall into his hands."

This information was regarded by John as one of the imagination, purely, so it did not weigh heavily on his mind. What seemed to impress him most was the fate of the poor fellows who had voluntarily sought the protection of the cannibal Chief.

"I would like to have your opinion as to the course which the Chief will take when the Korinos fall into his hands?" asked John.

The Chief mused for a while, and then said: "They have no Korinos and do not believe in them, but they may tell the Chief that we tried to offer them as sacrifices, and he may use them with his people to stir up feelings of revenge against us."

"But," replied John, "the captives you took, and who have escaped may tell him of our treatment of them and this may work in our favor."

"I do not think so," he replied. "We have had many instances where they have refused to make friends with us, and for that reason we always had war."

"But have you not often sacrificed their people when you have taken them in your wars?"

"We have always done so."