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Chapter 12 In the evening the hunters returned, having
enjoyed good sport, and being literally loaded with game; indeed, they had as much as four
men could possibly carry. Top wore a necklace of teal and Jup wreaths of snipe round his
body. "Here, master," cried Neb; "here's something
to employ our time! Preserved and made into pies we shall have a welcome store! But I
must have some one to help me. I count on you, Pencroft."
"No, Neb," replied the sailor; "I have the rigging of the vessel to finish and to look
after, and you will have to do without me." "And you, Mr. Herbert?"
"I must go to the corral to-morrow, Neb," replied the lad.
"It will be you then, Mr. Spilett, who will help me?"
"To oblige you, Neb, I will," replied the reporter; "but I warn you that if you disclose
your recipes to me, I shall publish them." "Whenever you like, Mr. Spilett," replied
Neb; "whenever you like." And so the next day Gideon Spilett became
Neb's assistant and was installed in his culinary laboratory. The engineer had previously made
known to him the result of the exploration which he had made the day before, and on this
point the reporter shared Harding's opinion, that although he had found nothing, a secret
still remained to be discovered! The frost continued for another week, and
the settlers did not leave Granite House unless to look after the poultry-yard. The dwelling
was filled with appetizing odors, which were emitted from the learned manipulation of Neb
and the reporter. But all the results of the chase were not made into preserved provisions;
and as the game kept perfectly in the intense cold, wild duck and other fowl were eaten
fresh, and declared superior to all other aquatic birds in the known world.
During this week, Pencroft, aided by Herbert, who handled the sailmaker's needle with much
skill, worked with such energy that the sails of the vessel were finished. There was no
want of cordage. Thanks to the rigging which had been discovered with the case of the balloon,
the ropes and cables from the net were all of good quality, and the sailor turned them
all to account. To the sails were attached strong bolt ropes, and there still remained
enough from which to make the halyards, shrouds, and sheets, etc. The blocks were manufactured
by Cyrus Harding under Pencroft's directions by means of the turning lathe. It therefore
happened that the rigging was entirely prepared before the vessel was finished. Pencroft also
manufactured a flag, that flag so dear to every true American, containing the stars
and stripes of their glorious Union. The colors for it were supplied from certain plants used
in dyeing, and which were very abundant in the island; only to the thirty-seven stars,
representing the thirty-seven States of the Union, which shine on the American flag, the
sailor added a thirty-eighth, the star of "the State of Lincoln," for he considered
his island as already united to the great republic. "And," said he, "it is so already
in heart, if not in deed!" In the meantime, the flag was hoisted at the
central window of Granite House, and the settlers saluted it with three cheers.
The cold season was now almost at an end, and it appeared as if this second winter was
to pass without any unusual occurrence, when on the night of the 11th of August, the plateau
of Prospect Heights was menaced with complete destruction.
After a busy day the colonists were sleeping soundly, when towards four o'clock in the
morning they were suddenly awakened by Top's barking.
The dog was not this time barking near the mouth of the well, but at the threshold of
the door, at which he was scratching as if he wished to burst it open. Jup was also uttering
piercing cries. "Hello, Top!" cried Neb, who was the first
awake. But the dog continued to bark more furiously than ever.
"What's the matter now?" asked Harding. And all dressing in haste rushed to the windows,
which they opened. Beneath their eyes was spread a sheet of snow
which looked gray in the dim light. The settlers could see nothing, but they heard a singular
yelping noise away in the darkness. It was evident that the beach had been invaded by
a number of animals which could not be seen. "What are they?" cried Pencroft.
"Wolves, jaguars, or apes?" replied Neb. "They have nearly reached the plateau," said
the reporter. "And our poultry-yard," exclaimed Herbert,
"and our garden!" "Where can they have crossed?" asked Pencroft.
"They must have crossed the bridge on the shore," replied the engineer, "which one of
us must have forgotten to close." "True," said Spilett, "I remember having left
it open." "A fine job you have made of it, Mr. Spilett,"
cried the sailor. "What is done cannot be undone," replied Cyrus
Harding. "We must consult what it will now be best to do."
Such were the questions and answers which were rapidly exchanged between Harding and
his companions. It was certain that the bridge had been crossed, that the shore had been
invaded by animals, and that whatever they might be they could by ascending the left
bank of the Mercy reach Prospect Heights. They must therefore be advanced against quickly
and fought with if necessary. "But what are these beasts?" was asked a second
time, as the yelpings were again heard more loudly than before. These yelps made Herbert
start, and he remembered having heard them before during his first visit to the sources
of the Red Creek. "They are colpeo foxes!" he exclaimed.
"Forward!" shouted the sailor. And all arming themselves with hatchets, carbines,
and revolvers, threw themselves into the lift and soon set foot on the shore.
Colpeos are dangerous animals when in great numbers and irritated by hunger, nevertheless
the colonists did not hesitate to throw themselves into the midst of the troop, and their first
shots vividly lighting up the darkness made their assailants draw back.
The chief thing was to hinder these plunderers from reaching the plateau, for the garden
and the poultry-yard would then have been at their mercy, and immense, perhaps irreparable
mischief, would inevitably be the result, especially with regard to the corn-field.
But as the invasion of the plateau could only be made by the left bank of the Mercy, it
was sufficient to oppose the colpeos on the narrow bank between the river and the cliff
of granite. This was plain to all, and, by Cyrus Harding's
orders, they reached the spot indicated by him, while the colpeos rushed fiercely through
the gloom. Harding, Gideon Spilett, Herbert, Pencroft and Neb posted themselves in impregnable
line. Top, his formidable jaws open, preceded the colonists, and he was followed by Jup,
armed with knotty cudgel, which he brandished like a club.
The night was extremely dark, it was only by the flashes from the revolvers as each
person fired that they could see their assailants, who were at least a hundred in number, and
whose eyes were glowing like hot coals. "They must not pass!" shouted Pencroft.
"They shall not pass!" returned the engineer. But if they did not pass it was not for want
of having attempted it. Those in the rear pushed on the foremost assailants, and it
was an incessant struggle with revolvers and hatchets. Several colpeos already lay dead
on the ground, but their number did not appear to diminish, and it might have been supposed
that reinforcements were continually arriving over the bridge.
The colonists were soon obliged to fight at close quarters, not without receiving some
wounds, though happily very slight ones. Herbert had, with a shot from his revolver, rescued
Neb, on whose back a colpeo had sprung like a tiger cat. Top fought with actual fury,
flying at the throats of the foxes and strangling them instantaneously. Jup wielded his weapon
valiantly, and it was in vain that they endeavored to keep him in the rear. Endowed doubtless
with sight which enabled him to pierce the obscurity, he was always in the thick of the
fight uttering from time to time—a sharp hissing sound, which was with him the sign
of great rejoicing. At one moment he advanced so far, that by
the light from a revolver he was seen surrounded by five or six large colpeos, with whom he
was coping with great coolness. However, the struggle was ended at last, and
victory was on the side of the settlers, but not until they had fought for two long hours!
The first signs of the approach of day doubtless determined the retreat of their assailants,
who scampered away towards the North, passing over the bridge, which Neb ran immediately
to raise. When day had sufficiently lighted up the field of battle, the settlers counted
as many as fifty dead bodies scattered about on the shore.
"And Jup!" cried Pencroft; "where is Jup?" Jup had disappeared. His friend Neb called
him, and for the first time Jup did not reply to his friend's call.
Everyone set out in search of Jup, trembling lest he should be found among the slain; they
cleared the place of the bodies which stained the snow with their blood. Jup was found in
the midst of a heap of colpeos whose broken jaws and crushed bodies showed that they had
to do with the terrible club of the intrepid animal.
Poor Jup still held in his hand the stump of his broken cudgel, but deprived of his
weapon he had been overpowered by numbers, and his chest was covered with severe wounds.
"He is living," cried Neb, who was bending over him.
"And we will save him," replied the sailor. "We will nurse him as if he was one of ourselves."
It appeared as if Jup understood, for he leaned his head on Pencroft's shoulder as if to thank
him. The sailor was wounded himself, but his wound was insignificant, as were those of
his companions; for thanks to their firearms they had been almost always able to keep their
assailants at a distance. It was therefore only the orang whose condition was serious.
Jup, carried by Neb and Pencroft, was placed in the lift, and only a slight moan now and
then escaped his lips. He was gently drawn up to Granite House. There he was laid on
a mattress taken from one of the beds, and his wounds were bathed with the greatest care.
It did not appear that any vital part had been reached, but Jup was very weak from loss
of blood, and a high fever soon set in after his wounds had been dressed. He was laid down,
strict diet was imposed, "just like a real person," as Neb said, and they made him swallow
several cups of a cooling drink, for which the ingredients were supplied from the vegetable
medicine chest of Granite House. Jup was at first restless, but his breathing gradually
became more regular, and he was left sleeping quietly. From time to time Top, walking on
tip-toe, as one might say, came to visit his friend, and seemed to approve of all the care
that had been taken of him. One of Jup's hands hung over the side of his bed, and Top licked
it with a sympathizing air. They employed the day in interring the dead,
who were dragged to the forest of the Far West, and there buried deep.
This attack, which might have had such serious consequences, was a lesson to the settlers,
who from this time never went to bed until one of their number had made sure that all
the bridges were raised, and that no invasion was possible.
However, Jup, after having given them serious anxiety for several days, began to recover.
His constitution brought him through, the fever gradually subsided, and Gideon Spilett,
who was a bit of a doctor, pronounced him quite out of danger. On the 16th of August,
Jup began to eat. Neb made him nice little sweet dishes, which the invalid devoured with
great relish, for if he had a pet failing it was that of being somewhat of a gourmend,
and Neb had never done anything to cure him of this fault.
"What would you have?" said he to Gideon Spilett, who sometimes expostulated with him for spoiling
the ape. "Poor Jup has no other pleasure than that of the palate, and I am only too glad
to be able to reward his services in this way!"
Ten days after taking to his bed, on the 21st of August, Master Jup arose. His wounds were
healed, and it was evident that he would not be long in regaining his usual strength and
agility. Like all convalescents, he was tremendously hungry, and the reporter allowed him to eat
as much as he liked, for he trusted to that instinct, which is too often wanting in reasoning
beings, to keep the orang from any excess. Neb was delighted to see his pupil's appetite
returning. "Eat away, my Jup," said he, "and don't spare
anything; you have shed your blood for us, and it is the least I can do to make you strong
again!" On the 25th of August Neb's voice was heard
calling to his companions. "Captain, Mr. Spilett, Mr. Herbert, Pencroft,
come! come!" The colonists, who were together in the dining-room,
rose at Neb's call, who was then in Jup's room.
"What's the matter?" asked the reporter. "Look," replied Neb, with a shout of laughter.
And what did they see? Master Jup smoking calmly and seriously, sitting crosslegged
like a Turk at the entrance to Granite House! "My pipe," cried Pencroft. "He has taken my
pipe! Hello, my honest Jup, I make you a present of it! Smoke away, old boy, smoke away!"
And Jup gravely puffed out clouds of smoke which seemed to give him great satisfaction.
Harding did not appear to be much astonished at this incident, and he cited several examples
of tame apes, to whom the use of tobacco had become quite familiar.
But from this day Master Jup had a pipe of his own, the sailor's ex-pipe, which was hung
in his room near his store of tobacco. He filled it himself, lighted it with a glowing
coal, and appeared to be the happiest of quadrumana. It may readily be understood that this similarity
of tastes of Jup and Pencroft served to tighten the bonds of friendship which already existed
between the honest ape and the worthy sailor. "Perhaps he is really a man," said Pencroft
sometimes to Neb. "Should you be surprised to hear him beginning to speak to us some
day?" "My word, no," replied Neb. "What astonishes
me is that he hasn't spoken to us before, for now he wants nothing but speech!"
"It would amuse me all the same," resumed the sailor, "if some fine day he said to me,
'Suppose we change pipes, Pencroft.'" "Yes," replied Neb, "what a pity he was born
dumb!" With the month of September the winter ended,
and the works were again eagerly commenced. The building of the vessel advanced rapidly,
she was already completely decked over, and all the inside parts of the hull were firmly
united with ribs bent by means of steam, which answered all the purposes of a mold.
As there was no want of wood, Pencroft proposed to the engineer to give a double lining to
the hull, to insure the strength of the vessel. Harding, not knowing what the future might
have in store for them, approved the sailor's idea of making the craft as strong as possible.
The interior and deck of the vessel was entirely finished towards the 15th of September. For
calking the seams they made oakum of dry seaweed, which was hammered in between the planks;
then these seams were covered with boiling tar, which was obtained in great abundance
from the pines in the forest. The management of the vessel was very simple.
She had from the first been ballasted with heavy blocks of granite walled up, in a bed
of lime, twelve thousand pounds of which they stowed away.
A deck was placed over this ballast, and the interior was divided into two cabins; two
benches extended along them and served also as lockers. The foot of the mast supported
the partition which separated the two cabins, which were reached by two hatchways let into
the deck. Pencroft had no trouble in finding a tree
suitable for the mast. He chose a straight young fir, with no knots, and which he had
only to square at the step, and round off at the top. The ironwork of the mast, the
rudder and the hull had been roughly but strongly forged at the Chimneys. Lastly, yards, masts,
boom, spars, oars, etc., were all furnished by the first week in October, and it was agreed
that a trial trip should be taken round the island, so as to ascertain how the vessel
would behave at sea, and how far they might depend upon her.
During all this time the necessary works had not been neglected. The corral was enlarged,
for the flock of musmons and goats had been increased by a number of young ones, who had
to be housed and fed. The colonists had paid visits also to the oyster bed, the warren,
the coal and iron mines, and to the till then unexplored districts of the Far West forest,
which abounded in game. Certain indigenous plants were discovered, and those fit for
immediate use contributed to vary the vegetable stores of Granite House.
They were a species of ficoide, some similar to those of the Cape, with eatable fleshy
leaves, others bearing seeds containing a sort of flour.
On the 10th of October the vessel was launched. Pencroft was radiant with joy, the operation
was perfectly successful; the boat completely rigged, having been pushed on rollers to the
water's edge, was floated by the rising tide, amid the cheers of the colonists, particularly
of Pencroft, who showed no modesty on this occasion. Besides his importance was to last
beyond the finishing of the vessel, since, after having built her, he was to command
her. The grade of captain was bestowed upon him with the approbation of all. To satisfy
Captain Pencroft, it was now necessary to give a name to the vessel, and, after many
propositions had been discussed, the votes were all in favor of the "Bonadventure." As
soon as the "Bonadventure" had been lifted by the rising tide, it was seen that she lay
evenly in the water, and would be easily navigated. However, the trial trip was to be made that
very day, by an excursion off the coast. The weather was fine, the breeze fresh, and the
sea smooth, especially towards the south coast, for the wind was blowing from the northwest.
"All hands on board," shouted Pencroft; but breakfast was first necessary, and it was
thought best to take provisions on board, in the event of their excursion being prolonged
until the evening. Cyrus Harding was equally anxious to try the
vessel, the model of which had originated with him, although on the sailor's advice
he had altered some parts of it, but he did not share Pencroft's confidence in her, and
as the latter had not again spoken of the voyage to Tabor Island, Harding hoped he had
given it up. He would have indeed great reluctance in letting two or three of his companions
venture so far in so small a boat, which was not of more than fifteen tons' burden.
At half-past ten everybody was on board, even Top and Jup, and Herbert weighed the anchor,
which was fast in the sand near the mouth of the Mercy. The sail was hoisted, the Lincolnian
flag floated from the masthead, and the "Bonadventure," steered by Pencroft, stood out to sea.
The wind blowing out of Union Bay she ran before it, and thus showed her owners, much
to their satisfaction, that she possessed a remarkably fast pair of heels, according
to Pencroft's mode of speaking. After having doubled Flotsam Point and Claw Cape, the captain
kept her close hauled, so as to sail along the southern coast of the island, when it
was found she sailed admirably within five points of the wind. All hands were enchanted,
they had a good vessel, which, in case of need, would be of great service to them, and
with fine weather and a fresh breeze the voyage promised to be charming.
Pencroft now stood off the shore, three or four miles across from Port Balloon. The island
then appeared in all its extent and under a new aspect, with the varied panorama of
its shore from Claw Cape to Reptile End, the forests in which dark firs contrasted with
the young foliage of other trees and overlooked the whole, and Mount Franklin whose lofty
head was still whitened with snow. "How beautiful it is!" cried Herbert.
"Yes, our island is beautiful and good," replied Pencroft. "I love it as I loved my poor mother.
It received us poor and destitute, and now what is wanting to us five fellows who fell
on it from the sky?" "Nothing," replied Neb; "nothing, captain."
And the two brave men gave three tremendous cheers in honor of their island!
During all this time Gideon Spilett, leaning against the mast, sketched the panorama which
was developed before his eyes. Cyrus Harding gazed on it in silence.
"Well, Captain Harding," asked Pencroft, "what do you think of our vessel?"
"She appears to behave well," replied the engineer.
"Good! And do you think now that she could undertake a voyage of some extent?"
"What voyage, Pencroft?" "One to Tabor Island, for instance."
"My friend," replied Harding, "I think that in any pressing emergency we need not hesitate
to trust ourselves to the 'Bonadventure' even for a longer voyage; but you know I should
see you set off to Tabor Island with great uneasiness, since nothing obliges you to go
there." "One likes to know one's neighbors," returned
the sailor, who was obstinate in his idea. "Tabor Island is our neighbor, and the only
one! Politeness requires us to go at least to pay a visit."
"By Jove," said Spilett, "our friend Pencroft has become very particular about the proprieties
all at once!" "I am not particular about anything at all,"
retorted the sailor, who was rather vexed by the engineer's opposition, but who did
not wish to cause him anxiety. "Consider, Pencroft," resumed Harding, "you
cannot go alone to Tabor Island." "One companion will be enough for me."
"Even so," replied the engineer, "you will risk depriving the colony of Lincoln Island
of two settlers out of five." "Out of six," answered Pencroft; "you forget
Jup." "Out of seven," added Neb; "Top is quite worth
another." "There is no risk at all in it, captain,"
replied Pencroft. "That is possible, Pencroft; but I repeat
it is to expose ourselves uselessly." The obstinate sailor did not reply, and let
the conversation drop, quite determined to resume it again. But he did not suspect that
an incident would come to his aid and change into an act of humanity that which was at
first only a doubtful whim. After standing off the shore the "Bonadventure"
again approached it in the direction of Port Balloon. It was important to ascertain the
channels between the sandbanks and reefs, that buoys might be laid down since this little
creek was to be the harbor. They were not more than half a mile from the
coast, and it was necessary to tack to beat against the wind. The "Bonadventure" was then
going at a very moderate rate, as the breeze, partly intercepted by the high land, scarcely
swelled her sails, and the sea, smooth as glass, was only rippled now and then by passing
gusts. Herbert had stationed himself in the bows
that he might indicate the course to be followed among the channels, when all at once he shouted,—
"Luff, Pencroft, luff!" "What's the matter," replied the sailor; "a
rock?" "No—wait," said Herbert; "I don't quite
see. Luff again—right—now." So saying, Herbert, leaning over the side,
plunged his arm into the water, and pulled it out, exclaiming,—
"A bottle!" He held in his hand a corked bottle which
he had just seized a few cables' length from the shore.
Cyrus Harding took the bottle. Without uttering a single word he drew the cork, and took from
it a damp paper, on which were written these words:—
"Castaway.... Tabor island: 153deg W. long., 37deg 11' S. lat."