The inhabitants of these islands exceed every other people in cruelty. They regard killing a man as a mere jest; nor is there any punishment allotted for such a deed. If any one purchases a new sword and wishes to try it, he will thrust it into the breast of the first person he meets. The passers-by examine the wound, and praise the skill of him who inflicted it if he thrust in the weapon direct.
The inhabitants of these islands exceed every other people in cruelty. They regard killing a man as a mere jest; nor is there any punishment allotted for such a deed. If any one purchases a new sword and wishes to try it, he will thrust it into the breast of the first person he meets. The passers-by examine the wound, and praise the skill of him who inflicted it if he thrust in the weapon direct.
In this particular portion of the sea, where Philip had every reason to suppose he was, the pirates have literally paralyzed trading on the water.
Every year these scourges of the Archipelago wander in one direction or another, rendezvousing on some uninhabited island, carrying devastation to all the small settlements around, robbing, destroying, or taking captive every one they meet. Their long,well-manned proas escape from the pursuit of sailing vessels by pulling away right in the wind’s-eye; and the warning smoke of a steamer generally enables them to hide in some shallow bay, narrow river, or forest-covered inlet until the danger is past.
Every year these scourges of the Archipelago wander in one direction or another, rendezvousing on some uninhabited island, carrying devastation to all the small settlements around, robbing, destroying, or taking captive every one they meet. Their long,well-manned proas escape from the pursuit of sailing vessels by pulling away right in the wind’s-eye; and the warning smoke of a steamer generally enables them to hide in some shallow bay, narrow river, or forest-covered inlet until the danger is past.
Even while the Swallow was at Batavia information had been received from Banda to the effect that the pirates were in the vicinity with a fleet of fifteen proas, attacking and destroying the villages, and carrying away women and children as slaves. Men they seldom or never hold as prisoners. The thrust of a knife or a blow on the head with the butt of a musket serves to rid them of a troublesome captive.
Two days before the wreck the Swallow spoke a proa which had been attacked forty-eight hours previous. Three of the crew escaped in their small-boat and hid in the jungle of a neighboring island, while the pirates killed the remainder and plundered the vessel.
These men reported the force as numbering sixteen large war-boats, and the only blow struck by the traders in their own defence was when the fleet set sail, leaving a prize-crew of three on the dismantled proa. The captain, driven to desperation by his loss, swam off from the shore armed only with his parang, or long knife, and coming upon them unawares made a furious attack, killing one and wounding the others mortally.
Knowing all this, it is not to be wondered at thatPhilip was filled with dismay on finding himself alone upon an inhospitable shore.
One does not willingly submit to the embrace of death, however, and before resigning himself to what now seemed the inevitable he resolved to make a last effort for life.
With this purpose in view he started toward the interior, but after traveling a few moments his legs refused to obey his will.
The exhaustion caused by the previous night’s exposure and the intense heat so far prostrated him that he fell half-fainting at the foot of a palm-tree, whose cool and refreshing shade served to revive him so far that in a short time he closed his eyes.
When he awoke the sun was low in the heavens. He must have slept fully eight hours.
His limbs were yet weary, and his eyes heavy from the profound sleep. In order to dissipate the lethargy which hung over him he arose to his feet, walking rapidly forward.
Suddenly from the thicket directly in front of him he heard what sounded very like a human voice crying “Wawk, wawk, wawk!”
This was so nearly a command in his own language that Philip ran forward eagerly, fancying for the moment that he was about to see a white man, when the whirring of wings and a quick passage of gorgeous plumage against the dark green foliage told he had made the acquaintance for the first time of a great Bird-of-Paradise, which is to be found only in this portion of the world.
It was a large male, radiant in all the brilliant plumage which renders its skin such a valuable article of merchandise. The wings and tail were of a rich dark brown, the breast a deep violet, and the head and neck of a delicate yellow, the feathers being so short and close set as to resemble velvet. The lower part of the eyes was a vivid green, while the back and feet were pale blue.
The two middle feathers of the tail were what gave a striking appearance to this winged beauty. They were nearly a yard long, the extreme ends curving into a complete circle.
Never before had Philip seen even the skin of one of these rare birds, and forgetting all his troubles, he watched its flight in mute admiration.
It was to be his good fortune, while in this wretched condition of both body and mind, to see what few except the natives of the Archipelago have ever had the pleasure of witnessing-a party of feathered dancers all clad in the same gorgeous plumage as the one he had just startled.
Pushing forward softly among the foliage to catch one more glimpse of those curling orange feathers, he saw a dozen or twenty full-plumaged males on a stout limb, raising and dropping their wings, stretching their necks, and vibrating their delicately-tinted coats as if really engaged in some species of terpsichorean festivities, while now and then they darted from branch to branch until it appeared that the entire tree was filled with waving plumes.
It is at such a time as this that the bird-huntersecures his richest prizes, and with comparative ease.
When the Malays find a tree which the birds have fixed upon as their dancing-place, a little shelter of palm leaves is built near the trunk among the branches, and in it before daylight the hunter hides himself, armed with a bow and several arrows which terminate in a rough knob. At the foot of the tree another hunter is concealed. When the dance has begun the native above shoots his blunt arrow with such force as to stun the bird, who is secured and killed by the one on the ground without its plumage being injured by a drop of blood. The others pay no attention to this sudden disappearance of their companion, and the slaughter is continued until the greater number of the birds are slain.
Philip gazed at this rare and beautiful sight nearly a quarter of an hour, and then, as if suddenly remembering his own necessities, he pushed forward once more among the matted and tangled underbrush.
Before twenty yards had been traversed the glimpse of a moving object among the trees caused him to utter a cry of joy. He had seen that which bore close resemblance to a human form, and quite naturally he believed it to be some inhabitant of the island.
Running at full speed, urged to put forth every effort by the belief that he would soon find aid, food and shelter, no inconsiderable distance was traversed during the next ten minutes. To his mostintense surprise, however, he failed to see again this figure which had so raised hope, or even to discover in what direction it fled.
Disheartened, and fancying his eyes had deceived him, he continued to make his way forward; but not with the same energy as before. He became like one who toils without hope of a happy conclusion to the labor.
Courage revived again however when, on emerging from the thicket of palms through which he had been making his way to a more open portion of the forest, the same figure stood revealed to view.
Philip now watched with the utmost attention, and was surprised at the wonderful celerity of the stranger’s movements. He disappeared and then appeared again, passing from one point to another much more rapidly than any person could have run, and in many ways gave such evidence of fear that the shipwrecked young man advanced yet more boldly.
Upon arriving at the place where the supposed native had last been seen, Philip was startled, almost frightened, as the object of his search suddenly descended from the top of a tree at his very feet.
It was an ape!
With one bound the animal mounted the tree again, then leaped down, and finally placed himself immediately in Philip’s path, as if to prevent him from proceeding.
One trained as Philip Garland had been could feelbut little fear of such an animal. He broke a branch from the nearest tree, and raising it with a threatening gesture stepped forward.
This movement aroused the animal to anger. He retreated a few steps, uttering loud, shrill cries, which were evidently intended as signals to his companions in the vicinity; and, as a result, troop upon troop of apes came from every side through the openings in the forest. They were of all colors and sizes, and clambered up the trees, ran along the branches like squirrels, or, taking a stand about the stranger, threatened him with their glances and gestures as they uttered hissing cries, or gnashed their teeth with such a deafening noise that the traveler grew positively bewildered.
Better than any one else did Philip understand the vicious nature of these animals when gathered in such numbers, and he knew full well that to save his life retreat was necessary.
This thought came too late, however. On every side were closely-packed ranks of apes, some of whom appeared to be as strong as gorillas, and the first movement toward escape might be the signal for his death.
Philip had in his pocket a small revolver, placed there during the mutiny on the Swallow; but of what avail would it be to kill five of his adversaries when they could be numbered by hundreds, and had hemmed him in so closely?
An attempt at flight would be as foolhardy as any effort toward intimidation. The only course whichcould be pursued with the slightest chance of success was to remain silent and motionless.
With one hand inside the breast of his coat, clutching the weapon he was resolved to use only when death seemed inevitable, he stood immovable as the animals crowded nearer.
At this juncture the outer circle of apes began to chatter, as if they were discussing some new aspect of the affair which had presented itself, and a moment later the entire party suddenly began to leap to and fro, making the most hostile demonstrations.
The branch which Philip had broken from the tree was lying on the ground directly at his feet, and with a quick movement one of the animals seized it. Before he had time to place himself in a position of defense, or even to draw his weapon, the ape showered blow after blow on his arms, legs, face and head in such rapid succession that he could not avoid them.
It was difficult to remain passive under such a castigation, and also very humiliating, for one whose business had been the training of monkeys, to receive punishment from members of the same tribe he had so often flogged; but under the circumstances there was no alternative.
At the first blow the apes gave way, much as a party of men might who form a ring for two pugilists, and from their points of vantage evinced the most profound delight. A crowd of boys could hardly have shown more pleasure at the flogging ofsome obnoxious pedagogue and Philip’s anger almost blinded his prudence.
During fully ten minutes the punishment, was continued without intermission, and it might have resulted fatally to the unfortunate animal-trader if he had not bethought himself of past experiences, when he was master and apes were forced to receive his blows.
Around his neck he wore a blue silk handkerchief after the fashion of sailors, and this he untied quickly, throwing it among the crowd of spectators, knowing full well that any bright color will attract apes more readily than food or noise.
In an instant the decorous assemblage had resolved themselves into a shrieking, howling mob. They rushed toward the one who had been so fortunate as to secure the prize, each trying in turn to seize it, chattering and screaming until the din was absolutely deafening. He who had played the part of castigator followed the example of the others, and from a friendly contest it soon became a veritable fight, during which there was but little question that the object of their desires would be torn into shreds.
This was Philip’s opportunity. Not one of the combatants was paying the slightest attention to him, and after stealing softly through the foliage until the apes were shut out from view, he ran toward the interior of the island at full speed.
It must not be supposed that Philip’s flight through the thicket was attended with no moreinconvenience than would be the case in an American forest. Almost every shrub and tree was infested with small black ants, and as the fugitive brushed past they loosened their hold on the foliage to literally take possession of his body.
Before running a hundred yards his face and neck were covered, and he could feel them on every inch of his skin, as they bit with a sharpness which seemed like the prick of a huge needle.
In addition to these pests, which were very painful, there was a species of blue-bottle fly, so numerous that the buzzing sounded like the humming of bees; and when they alighted on Philip’s body it was with difficulty he brushed them off, for their legs seemed to contain deposits of glue, which held them firmly in place until sometimes it was necessary to actually dismember them.
His skin soon became a mass of blotches, for the poison of the insects caused the wounds to swell like boils, and it was no longer possible to distinguish his features.
Philip continued his flight, regardless either of fatigue or the insects, through the brambles which tore his flesh until, on passing half-around a slight elevation which was covered with a greenish white moss, he came upon a lake fully a mile in length, and bordered by tall trees.
As nearly as could be judged he had traveled at least three miles, and in this secluded and lovely spot, which was so surrounded by foliage as to render it impossible for him to peer into the thicket further than two or three feet, it surely seemed as if he was safe from his late tormentors.
The sensation of thirst was by this time so intense as to be almost painful, and the sight of the clear, sparkling water revived his spirits to a wonderful degree.
Running forward eagerly, he knelt on the soft turf at the edge of the lake, and remained in that position ten or fifteen minutes, drinking at intervals like one at a feast who is satisfied but delays leaving the festive-board because of the enjoyment of looking at the delicacies.
With his thirst assuaged Philip’s hopes revived. He believed it would be possible to avoid the apeson an island of such extent as this appeared to be; and when he finally raised his head it was to look about him for the purpose of deciding in which direction he would find refuge and shelter for the night.
As he did so, however, a cry of dismay burst from his lips. On either hand for a distance of many yards were the very apes from whom he was trying to escape. All were kneeling as he knelt, and raising their heads exactly as he raised his, with the water running in streams from their muzzles.
No doubt they followed him through the thicket, or made their way overhead among the branches; but since the stick with which he had threatened them was not in sight, all idea of punishing the intruder was forgotten. Their faculties of imitation proved greater than the love for mischief, and thus, while he congratulated himself upon having escaped, they had gathered noiselessly around him.
However dangerous the animal-trader’s position, he could not restrain a loud burst of laughter at the grotesque scene before him; but his mirth was very quickly turned to surprise when he heard the sounds of his own voice echoed from five hundred pairs of lungs.
This mockery aroused still further his mirth, and he laughed yet louder, the apes redoubling their efforts until it seemed as if each hairy throat was swollen almost to bursting.
It was an orchestra of the tropics with a leader who had no pride in the achievements of his subordinates.
As Philip sat up on his heels so did the animals, and with their heads raised high in their effort to emulate what they possibly thought was a song, a bright blue object around the throats of fifteen or twenty of the larger apes attracted the shipwrecked boy’s attention.
It was hardly probable that the long-tailed denizens of the woods were educated to the fashion of wearing neckties, but yet there could be no question that these select few had on such an article of adornment. Not until after several moments did Philip understand how prominent a part his own neckerchief was playing in the scene. Each of the apes thus decorated had secured a fragment of the cravat, and, true to their imitative instincts, tied it around his neck.
Now that his strange companions were in apparently such a friendly mood, Philip thought it possible, by abstaining from any threatening movements, to get on with some degree of comfort, even though they still continued to surround him.
To sleep just then was out of the question, for the smaller members of the party were yet struggling to laugh, and he looked around for something with which to appease his hunger, which had increased very decidedly since his thirst was satisfied.
He gazed scrutinizingly along the borders of the lake, hoping to see at least some fresh-water mussels. The apes did the same, although probably not with a similar hope.
His eyes roamed among the foliage. So did thoseof his companions. He saw on a number of trees near the water fruit of a bright yellow color, resembling a crab-apple in shape. If the apes observed the same they made no mention of the fact.
The trees were at least two hundred feet tall, with branches shooting from their very tops, and to climb up these smooth trunks, where there was not the slightest support for either hand or foot, was an utter impossibility.
To throw a stone so high with any degree of accuracy would be rather a difficult matter; but yet Philip resolved to try it. The shore of the lake in certain places was covered with small, sharp, flint-like stones, and thus there was plenty of ammunition at hand, even if he should be forced to try very many times before succeeding.
The first shot was not a success. The stone, after striking the trunk of the tree a few feet below the branches, bounded among the foliage with a loud noise.
The apes, who had been intently watching all his movements, hardly waited until the stone reached the ground before the entire party gathered armfuls of stones and began to fling them at the topmost branches, causing the leaves and fruit to fly in every direction.
The smaller animals, who could not send the missiles so high, formed a chain, and passing the ammunition from hand to hand, supplied those who were more skillful, until that particular portion of the forest was almost entirely denuded of its foliage.
Impelled by his hunger Philip seized a handful of the small fruits, which were evidently a species of guava, and began to eat eagerly.
At that instant the army of stone-throwers ceased their labor as each gathered a supply of fruit, and began eating exactly as did their human companion. When he raised one of the guavas to his mouth they imitated his exact movement. When he chewed they worked their jaws most industriously. When he ejected a seed from his mouth a perfect shower of seeds fell upon the sand. If he threw away a stem they repeated the action; and when, by chance, he made a smacking noise with his lips, the shore of the lake resounded with such a snapping and clattering of jaws as would have caused the “end-man” of a minstrel troupe to grow exceedingly green with envy.
The abundant harvest which, when it was first gathered, gave promise of supplying Philip with food for many days, was disposed of in a very few moments. Before his hunger was satisfied the last guava had disappeared, and the army of apes looked up expectantly, wondering what was to be the next move in this queer sport.
It may seem comical to have one’s every gesture repeated by four or five hundred long-tailed, human-like animals, but it soon becomes annoying, to use the mildest term.
During fully fifteen minutes Philip sat silent and motionless, not daring so much as to raise his finger lest ten or twelve hundred fingers should be pointedtoward him; and his companions observed the same immobility.
The approach of night, which comes on so rapidly in the tropics, gave him plenty of food for reflection as he sat there surrounded by his statue-like companions. To remain in the forest during the hours of darkness with such a following was something that filled him with dread, for it was impossible to say at what moment their capricious fancies might lead to another attack, and he racked his brain in vain for some answer to the vexed question.
He had every reason to believe that during the next day he should find human beings who, however unfriendly, would at least relieve him of this throng of attendants, for the island was apparently so large that it seemed hardly probable it was uninhabited. Thus, according to his belief, the only difficulties to be encountered were from this time until morning.
But how and where should the night be passed?
The length of time which Philip remained motionless caused the apes to show signs of the greatest discontent. In their monkey minds there was no sport in thus sitting like statues, and two of the largest decided to make matters more agreeable to themselves if not to their human companion.
He continued to sit under the shade of the palm-tree where the feast had been brought to such an abrupt conclusion by the rapid consumption of the eatables, and these two leaders approached in a manner which was evidently friendly, but at the same time most inquisitive.
They first smelled of him, touched his hands, face and hair, and proceeded on the work of examination down to his feet, where they suddenly discovered that the shoes were not a portion of his body.
With a scream of delight one of the examiners removed the foot-covering, and then evinced the most profound astonishment at being able to take off the stockings also.
The shipwrecked man’s toes next attracted his attention, and he amused himself by moving themback and forth, evidently wondering why this stranger should be formed almost as perfectly as himself.
The other ape, chagrined at not having made as important a discovery as his companion, now gave the most profound attention to Philip’s trousers, catching hold of the lower portion and attempting to pull them off.
How to check these investigations, which might be more than inconvenient when the main body of apes should consider it their duty to take part in the operation, was what Philip could not decide, as, when he stood in the midst of the throng during the first meeting, he dared not make any threatening gestures; and it is very probable he would speedily have been disrobed had not several of the spectators strenuously objected to the two leaders monopolizing all the sport.
This objection was first shown when a dozen of the party began pulling at Philip’s coat and vest, some even going so far as to fancy his hair might be easily removed, and dragging out large handfuls by the roots. Before five minutes had elapsed another squad marched up to perform their part in the entertainment.
Owing to the inability of all to participate in the sport, these last seemed to consider it a solemn duty to prevent their companions from enjoying themselves, and then ensued a rough-and-tumble fight in which Philip certainly played the part of “under dog.”
They screamed, tugged, pulled, and yelled over his prostrate body without either side gaining the mastery, and although he received many bruises and scratches, it was preferable to being entirely disrobed, or to seeing his garments decorating the bodies of his antagonists or companions, whichever we may call them.
Had he remained immovable much longer his clothes would speedily have been torn into shreds by the yelling, scrambling crew around him; and to lose this artificial covering in a forest through which one could not walk without being seriously wounded by the brambles would be almost as fatal as a desperate encounter. Therefore, for the first time since meeting these strange inhabitants he decided to stand upon the defensive.
By dint of much pushing and pulling, and at the expense of many scratches, he succeeded in extricating himself from the combatants, but only to be confronted by a fresh force of assailants, who were lingering on the outside of the struggling crowd. These, following the example of their leaders, seemed to consider it the proper thing to engage him in battle, and in a very few seconds it became absolutely necessary to defend himself with force.
“It’s death if I don’t shoot, and it can be no worse if I kill four or five; besides, the report of the revolver may frighten them,” he said to himself as, backing against a gigantic palm-tree, he drew and leveled the weapon directly at the foremost ape.
His position at this moment was most critical.That he would be torn in pieces as had been his cravat, after shooting the first ape, seemed inevitable; but he said grimly, between his set teeth:
“It is better to die while fighting than to yield without a struggle,” and he took deliberate aim.
Another second and the weapon would have been discharged, unless, indeed, as was quite possible, its long immersion in the sea had rendered it useless.
Just as he was on the point of pressing the trigger a terrific shriek, such as it would hardly seem could have come from any pair of lungs, however vigorous, was heard some distance in the rear, and was prolonged until the echoes sent it rolling down the lake like detonations of thunder.
Philip stared about him in alarm, trying in vain to discover the meaning of this strange noise, and to his great astonishment the crowd of apes started with the rapidity of the wind in the direction from which the shriek had come.
On every hand among the foliage could be seen for one brief second the disappearing tails of his troublesome companions, and then he was left alone, the tumult in the distance growing fainter and fainter, as this army of animals dispersed at the highest rate of speed, until finally all was hushed and still.
He was alone on the border of the lake. Silence and solitude had in the twinkling of an eye replaced the frightful tumult, and the shadows of night were closing rapidly around him.
Utter despair gave way to hope. Now that hewas alone, the possible dangers to be encountered in the forest during the hours of darkness were as nothing compared to the relief he felt at having lost sight of the grinning, chattering apes.
It might be possible to find human beings before the mantle of night had been fully spread over the land, and he made his preparations for continuing the tramp as calmly as if his life had never been threatened. The most important task was to regain possession of his shoes and stockings, for without them it would be a matter of impossibility to walk a hundred yards, and he began the most careful search on the scene of the late encounter.
When, after not more than five minutes’ hunt, the missing and highly necessary articles were found, he accepted it as a good omen, and was almost convinced that he would soon have food and shelter among human beings. This belief was strengthened by the terrific shriek which brought the battle of the apes to such a sudden end. He felt positive that the noise had been made by some contrivance of man’s, although why the apes rushed directly toward it was what he could not explain.
From among the branches cut off when the animals were bombarding the trees he selected the stoutest one as a cane, as well as an additional weapon of defense, and then started around the lake, hoping to find the outlet, which must necessarily flow into the sea, before it became necessary to halt for the night.
At this place, if anywhere, would he come uponthe inhabitants of the island; and as his late tormentors might return at any moment after sunrise—it was hardly probable they would do so during the night—time must be economized at the risk of meeting with wild animals in the jungle.
Following along the shore of the lake for fully half an hour, he met with no obstacles save where the foliage came in a matted tangle close to the water, and then the sound as of a cascade fell upon his ears.
He had arrived at the destination set; but not content to remain here, although the darkness was almost impenetrable, he continued on down the bank of this waterfall until arriving at a second, ending in a basin from which, contrary to his expectations, flowed a stream of considerable size.
It was evident the coast was further away than he had fancied; and weary in limb as well as sore in body he halted for the night.
The sleep that came to his eyelids was neither profound nor refreshing. He made for himself such a bed as could be formed of leaves and moss; but on lying down, the strangeness of his surroundings and the fear of what might be lurking in the darkness prevented his eyes from closing many moments at a time.
It was a relief rather than otherwise when the surrounding objects began to stand out from a background of violet, and he knew the coming day was sending heralds abroad to announce its near approach.
A welcome breeze, the accompaniment of sunrise, swept across the jungle, cooling his fevered brow, and the fact that it was not heated caused him to believe the sea but a short distance away. As he arose to his feet, following the conformation of the stream, the thicket became less dense, and the foliage so scanty that one could see many yards ahead, until, when the sun showed itself above the horizon, not two hundred yards off the waves of the boundless ocean were revealed to view.
To his disappointment there were no signs of inhabitants; but it might be possible a village was located further up on the shore, and he made his way along the beach, halting at every sound in the thicket, fearing his old enemies might be in pursuit.
During the first hour he saw nothing to encourage, save it might be in the thousands of oysters which were spread out on the beach, a goodly portion of which had been opened, not naturally, but with the aid of a little stone placed between the shells.
Philip knew that this must be a favorite feeding-ground for such inhabitants of the island as he had already met. Oysters are a luxury to the entire monkey tribe, who succeed in procuring the bivalves by a variety of cunning means, the most common of which is to throw a stone between the shells when the oyster chances to be open. In this manner they are sure of their prey without having to run the risk of getting their paws or muzzles caught in the powerful grip of the shell-fish.
Some monkeys, as Philip knew from what he had read on the subject, particularly those of Burmah, open the oyster with a stone by striking the base of the upper valve until it dislocates or breaks, and then extract the meat with their fingers, occasionally putting the shell straight to their mouths.
The necessity of observing and understanding every object in his path, for the purpose of learning as much as possible concerning the island, caused the traveler to scan these shells carefully. The fact that monkeys are adept oyster-openers had no interest for him, save as it was the means of showing that human beings had not visited this portion of the shore; therefore he understood it would be necessary to look elsewhere for aid.
Not having had guavas sufficient for anything more than the lightest kind of a light lunch, the shipwrecked youth searched among the shells for oysters. It was a laborious way of earning a dinner, since the monkeys had cleaned out the meats pretty thoroughly, and an hour’s hard work did not reward him with more than a dozen of the tiny bivalves.
His hunger was so great that he would have continued this almost futile search longer, but for the fact that the sun was sending an intense heat down upon the exposed beach, and already had he begun to feel the greatest inconvenience, and even pain. Prostration, if nothing worse, would most surely follow, unless he beat a speedy retreat.
To regain the shelter of the woods was absolutely necessary despite the desire for food; but before doing so Philip believed it of the highest importance that he should contrive some signal which might possibly attract the attention of those on board passing vessels.
The means for doing such work were limited, yet he did succeed in raising what might, perhaps, be seen half a mile away, although knowing full wellthat no trading-vessels would venture so near the inhospitable coast.
Cutting the straightest and tallest stick of bamboo which could be found within a distance of a hundred yards, he stripped it of the leaves, and to the top fastened one of the two white handkerchiefs he had about him at the time of the shipwreck. This feeble attempt at a signal was planted firmly in the sand, and by the expenditure of considerable labor he heaped around the base a huge quantity of shells.
As far up and down the shore as the eye could reach a line of reef extended fully a quarter of a mile into the sea, and it was with a feeling of despondency that he looked at the fruits of his labor, knowing there was but little chance the fluttering cloth could bring any one to his relief.
To continue the journey around the coast would be to expose himself to the direct rays of the sun, and inasmuch as the reef precluded the possibility of a settlement in the vicinity, Philip determined to make his way directly across the island.
To that end he went straight into the underbrush toward the south, keeping careful watch on every hand lest he should be surprised by any of his former monkey acquaintances, and at the expiration of an hour was clambering up the side of a rocky elevation.
Of course it would have been possible to travel around the base of this hill, but the hope that from the summit he might obtain a good view of the oddland on which he had been thrown caused him to court rather than avoid labor.
While making his way through the trees, pausing now and then to brush away the insects which rendered every movement so painful, he saw descending from a palm what he mistook for a flying-squirrel. With but little hope that he could succeed in capturing this tiny game, which would make a tempting lunch for one in his half-famished condition, he darted forward.
There was no difficulty in catching the supposed squirrel, for it proved to be anything rather than active in its movements, and as Philip’s fingers clutched the body he found to his surprise that he had seized a huge frog whose deep green skin looked, in the dim light, so much like fur.
Naturalist though he was, Philip had never before seen such a specimen as this. The toes were very long and webbed at their extremities, so that upon being expanded they presented a surface much larger than the body. The fore-legs were also bordered by a membrane, and it was evident the frog was inflated during the leap, for he shrank to one-half his previous size immediately the hunter grasped him.
There could be no mistake but that this was the veritable flying-frog of the Malay Archipelago, and Philip examined it with great interest. The back and legs were of a deep green, while the under-surface was yellow, as were also the webs of the feet, each of which covered a surface of about foursquare inches. The extremities of the toes were formed similar to those of a tree-frog, and it is probable the membrane was intended to be used as often for swimming as for flying.
It was not a particularly dainty morsel of food, however, and after satisfying his curiosity concerning it Philip set the little fellow at liberty, he continuing on up the difficult ascent.
He expended his strength uselessly in climbing the hill, however, for when the highest point of the elevation had been gained it was not possible to see anything above the surrounding trees. His fatigue and disappointment might have caused him to give way in despair if, just at the moment when his mental troubles were greatest, he had not observed a small animal, evidently some species of deer, about two hundred yards away.
The desire for food now outweighed all other considerations, and he crept forward among the scanty foliage with his revolver in hand, hoping a chance shot might supply him with a dinner.
When it was no longer possible to approach without danger of being seen, he took careful aim over the top of a bowlder and discharged two barrels of his weapon in rapid succession.
The deer sprang into the air and then staggered forward; but instead of falling, as the hunter so ardently desired, he started down the sharp descent on the south side of the hill.
Philip forgot his fatigue and pursued, taking a course at right-angles with the one made by the animal,in order to intercept him at the point of bushes which was evidently his destination.
With his eye fixed on the deer, noting not the nature of the ground over which he traveled, Philip rushed forward, gaining rapidly on his prey. At the objective point of foliage the animal halted for an instant, and the hunter bent every energy toward increasing his speed.
When his pursuer was hardly three yards away the deer disappeared, and thinking he had merely taken refuge behind the bushes, Philip darted around the other side, only to stop suddenly as he saw a chasm yawning before him.
He attempted to check himself so suddenly that a small stone was loosened under his foot, throwing him forward with still greater impetus, and it became impossible to regain a foot-hold.
At the very edge of the precipice he clutched wildly at what seemed to be a bush, as he was literally hurled among the branches. This slight support gave way beneath his weight, and he dropped his revolver to seize with both hands the trunk of the bush.
Down, down he went, seemingly a great distance, but still holding on for dear life; and then the foliage swung upward again in the rebound, carrying him with it, as a matter of course.
Hanging like an apple on a limb, he swayed to and fro, up and down, until the trunk upon which his very life depended had settled into nearly a stationary position.
Now it could be seen that he had dropped hardly more than twenty feet from the brow of the cliff; but this was not exactly cheering information, for he was hanging over a sheer descent of thirty or forty yards. That which he had mistaken for a bush was simply the upper portion of a reasonably large tree which grew on a shelf of the rock ten or twelve feet below the crest of the ledge.
He was grasping the trunk within three or four feet of the very top, and his weight made a tremendous strain upon the root. The wood was tough, however, and fortunately for him he bent so far from the cliff as to be suspended almost at right-angles with it.
These points were noted with the quickness of thought at the same time that a plan for saving himself came like a flash of light into his mind.
Before the strain on his arms should grow too great he determined to pull himself along the trunk like an acrobat on a horizontal bar. He could not do this, however, without causing the tree to sway violently again, and it became necessary to throw one leg over the yielding wood, where he hung in imminent danger not only of slipping off, but of being carried down the precipice together with that which he clutched so desperately, for it was only a question of time before the roots would be torn from their slight hold.
Therefore it became essential that the attempt at escape should be made in another direction.
Carefully letting himself down until he was oncemore in the first position, he worked his way, with every muscle strained to its utmost tension, hand over hand toward the roots, impeded by twigs and branches until the task seemed well-nigh impossible.
Each inch gained in this direction caused the tree to resume more nearly its original position, until when he was a little more than half way toward the base the trunk stood upright, and by dropping down he succeeded in reaching the narrow ledge, from which to gain the top of the cliff was a reasonably easy task.
When Philip was once more in a place of safety it became necessary to rest his weary limbs before going in search of the game that had so nearly cost him his life. Lying prone upon the earth for fifteen minutes was sufficient to give him the required strength, and then he began to search for a practicable path to the foot of the precipice.
A detour of a quarter of a mile was sufficient to take him from the edge of the cliff to the rocky side of the hill, down which it was possible to make his way without any great difficulty.
Despite the pangs of hunger his first care was the revolver, and he followed up the narrow ravine or gully, which was thickly overgrown with shrubs, until he stood directly beneath the tree which had saved him from a terrible fall. Here he searched the ground in vain, and was about to give up the task to find the trail of the deer when glancing, by chance, along the side of the cliff, he saw the weapon lodged in the branches of a stout sapling, while not morethan thirty feet distant was an immense panther standing over the mangled carcass of the game.
Surely he was between the horns of a dilemma now. Both his revolver and the postponed dinner were so near the ferocious animal that it would be as dangerous to make any attempt at getting one as the other, and during several moments he stood undecided, knowing that the first step taken in retreat would bring the beast upon him.
A youth less versed in the habits of wild animals than Philip Garland might unwittingly have brought on an encounter to which there could be but one end. He, however, remained motionless, save as he worked his way, inch by inch, toward a thicket of shrubs without lifting his feet from the ground.
Even this stealthy retreat was noted by the animal, who began to twitch its tail as if preparing for a leap, and the shipwrecked youth knew he could no longer hold the enemy by his gaze nor gain the desired shelter. There was little opportunity for further preparation. The panther was already crouching for the spring.
Mentally bracing himself for that which seemed inevitable, he awaited the supreme moment with but one faint hope in his mind—that it might be possible to jump aside while the animal was in the air.
Just at the instant when Philip Garland believed his career as a trader in wild animals was to be ended by death the panther turned his head slightly and began to paw up the leaves, his tail moving angrily from side to side, much as if an adversary was approaching from the opposite direction. At the same moment was heard a fierce growling and snarling from the left, a short distance away, followed immediately by the sound of claws raking the bark as this new-comer evidently sprang into a tree.
There was now an opportunity for the shipwrecked youth to make his escape; but the fascination of the scene held him spell-bound.
The panther, who had been standing guard over the deer, crouched for an instant with every muscle quivering, and then leaped high in the air as a huge body shot from out the foliage with the force and velocity of a cannon-ball, the two animals coming together with a shock several feet from the ground.
The combatants rolled over and over, snarling like cats, full twenty paces from where the revolver hung suspended, and Philip moved cautiously forwardwithout being observed by either of the participants in the deadly strife.
A moment later he had secured the weapon, and made his way with considerable difficulty up the side of the cliff until he arrived at a stout but not tall tree, within view of the animals. To ascend the trunk of this was but the work of a moment, and he seated himself among the branches to await the result of the sanguinary battle.
Over and over the two panthers rolled, snarling and tearing at each other’s throats as they uttered from time to time such roars as seemingly caused the very air to tremble.
During fully fifteen minutes these huge cats tore and slashed, each gripping his adversary’s neck, and at the expiration of that time one arose to his feet with a mighty roar. The other lay dead, his glossy coat cut into ribbons, and his life-blood staining the foliage for a dozen feet on either side.
Whether the victor was the one who had first confronted him Philip could not decide; but he came directly toward the carcass, after licking his wounds; and now the question arose as to whether the hungry man should see his dinner devoured when, possibly, he had the means of preventing it.
Recharging the two chambers of the weapon which had been emptied into the body of the deer, Philip took careful aim between the panther’s eyes and fired.
The ball simply grazed the animal’s skull, half stunning him for an instant, and causing him towhirl around in such a manner that there was no chance of firing a second shot with any degree of accuracy.
With an angry scream the panther leaped to his feet once more, immediately searching for this new antagonist, whom he discovered with but little difficulty after a few seconds. The blood blinded his eyes; but he made a desperate leap with such effect that one of his huge paws brushed Philip’s foot. The foliage was not sufficiently thick to check the impetus of his jump, and he fell on the opposite side with a force that rolled him over half a dozen times.
Philip could not afford to waste ammunition, therefore he decided to fire only when there was a probability of hitting the mark fairly; and from his reasonably safe position he watched the antics of the enraged animal.
Three different times did the panther run back from the tree and then spring toward his enemy, but never leaping higher than at the first attempt. With each failure he lost more and more of his temper. He rolled on the ground and roared in impotent rage, made frantic rushes at the tree, and twice climbed nearly to where Philip sat.
Four times did the hunter fire point-blank at the animal; but little execution was done, save to further enrage the beast, because of the foliage which impeded the view.