CHAPTER XXXIX.THE FIELD OF DIAMONDS.
The rumbling was heard fully five minutes before the shock came, and our friends had stopped when it had first reached their ears, wondering what could make such a noise. It was all explained, however, when the earth trembled beneath them, nearly throwing them from their feet. Thoughts of the volcano immediately rushed into their minds, and they turned just in time to see a great mass of stone, rock and molten lava mixed with steam and smoke, shoot into the air. It rose to a height of nearly a thousand feet above the mountain, and then fell back into the yawning abyss from which it sprang. Then came another shock and another discharge of rock and ashes, and another and another in such rapid succession that our friends were afraid to move for fear of being thrown flat on the ground.
The air was black with ashes, and smoke, and dust, and a vapor seemed to be rising from the ground,which, with the rest, nearly suffocated them. From where our friends now were, they could not see the crevice in the cliff, but they could see the summit of the mountains, and saw huge rocks tumbling from the top and rolling over the edge, being lost to view in the thick atmosphere as they descended.
“We must get out of this,” said Mr. Bruce, “for that volcano may belch forth a stream of lava which will take but a few moments to reach us.”
“Do you think it would flow this way?” asked Mr. Graham. “The opposite side of the mountain would give it a freer channel, I think.”
“It is impossible to tell,” said Mr. Bruce. “The whole side of the cliff might open up and let the lava flow into this slope, entirely unobstructed. These volcanoes change their craters and channels so frequently, there is no telling from what direction the lava will come, or which way it will go.”
“It is quieter now,” said Mr. Graham, “and as we cannot be far from the villa, we had better try and reach it.”
Everybody at this started again and were groping along in the dust-filled atmosphere, when they saw, right ahead of them, the bridge. It took them only a minute to cross this and to get through the break in the wall, and to reach the villa and get into its cool and ash-free atmosphere. It was certainly a great relief for these weary, hungry and dust-besmeared travelers to enjoy once more the delights of a bath, and the splendid cuisine of the villa. They were tired out, and had inhaled the thick atmosphere so long, that their lungs had become almost raw, while their eyes were nearly closed, being swollen and sore. But abath and several applications of sweet honey and wine had made them feel like new persons, and after the evening meal was over, they all declared that such delights as On could offer, were all the more welcome and could be better appreciated after a few days separation from them.
The evening was spent on the terrace, the wind having again shifted, leaving the atmosphere free from the dust and ashes. The column of smoke was very bright to-night, the fire seeming to be nearer the surface, lighting up the great black mass as it poured forth from the crater. In fact at this distance it cast its light, making objects at some distance, quite perceptible. But our friends were surprised to see to what depth the ground about the villa and all the barren waste had been covered by the ashes and dust. Fully one foot of this lay over the surface of the country for miles around. The beautiful lawn here was no more, and the large fields adjoining the villa, which had been used as a pasture for the zebras and cattle were now made useless by the volcano. But this extended only a mile beyond the villa, so said the attendants who had arrived that evening, bringing fresh provisions and ice. This being so, the zebras, cattle and elephants, would be able to find pasturage close at hand, and they were taken there immediately as they were already suffering for food.
But the depth of ashes destroyed the beauty of everything about here; the green lawn, the beautiful trees, all bore the same dull, gray appearance. There was but little enthusiasm then shown by the party on this night, as they walked on to the terrace. The volcano attracted all the attention with its lurid glare,mass of smoke and bright red rocks, which were thrown into the air at times.
“I am afraid we have forgotten our object in coming here,” said Enola to Onrai, as they came on to the terrace.
“No,” said Onrai, “I have not forgotten, but I am afraid the brilliants have met the same fate as all else about here. They are buried beneath the ashes of the volcano.”
“What a pity!” said Enola. “We have thus lost one of the most beautiful sights of On.”
“I am afraid so,” continued Onrai. “But wait, let me think. The field of brilliants extends far to the north, if I remember rightly, and we may reach a point beyond this circle of ashes; but you are too tired to go over there to-night, are you not, Enola?”
“How far is it?” asked Enola. “I am tired, but if there be a chance of seeing this beautiful sight, then we had better accept it, for a delay may mean to lose this pleasure, for the possibilities of that volcano are beyond reckoning.”
“It is about three miles due north of here, as you would say,” said Onrai, “and if you wish to go we will find elephants plenty to carry all of us.”
“But we will have no moonlight to enhance the beauty of the brilliants,” said Enola.
“No,” said Onrai, “but we have the light from the volcano, and this may have a grander effect.”
“That is true,” said Enola, “let us go immediately.”
Onrai gave the order, and several elephants were soon standing in front of the terrace, awaiting the pleasure of the party. The other ladies also decidedto go, not having been out of the villa since their arrival, and the men jumped at the chance, surprised to think that there might be a field of these diamonds still uncovered by the ashes.
The elephants followed a road, or path rather, which led almost due north for a distance of three or four miles. The easy motion of the elephants had most of the tired party asleep before the point was reached, and they were awakened from their sleep when the elephants stopped. They were entirely unprepared for the beautiful sight which met their gaze. As far as they could see to the north, the ground was strewn with brilliant sparks of light, looking up from its black surface, like bright eyes from a dusky face. The red glare of the volcano made the scene all the more beautiful, in bringing out so many varied lights from the diamonds.
“How far are we from the volcano?” asked Mr. Graham.
“Only about a mile farther from it than we are when at the villa, I should judge,” said Mr. Bruce.
“And is the land here as barren as it is at the villa,” asked Mrs. Graham, of Onrai, as he came up.
“Quite,” answered Onrai, “and the field which you see here is but a continuation of the field directly back of the villa. We were just too late, or we might have had this scene closer at hand.”
“It is indeed too bad,” said Mr. Graham, “but it has lost none of its beauty by having the volcano’s light thrown on it.”
Mr. Bruce here stooped and picked up one of the twinkling stars; it was about the size of a hen’s egg and almost the same shape; rough on all sides butone, this being polished to a brightness which was hard to account for.
“Can you account for this smooth side,” asked Mr. Graham, as he walked up to Mr. Bruce with another diamond very much like the one he had picked up.
“I have been trying to solve the riddle,” replied Mr. Bruce, “and can only offer one solution of the mystery. These stones probably have been thrown from the bowels of the earth by the last eruption of the volcano. How many years, or thousands of years ago this has been, we cannot say, but since that time a part of these diamonds have been exposed to the storms and all kinds of weather. These have gradually polished the stones until they have reached this state of smoothness. You will notice that the polished side is somewhat flatter than the others, and as this side is always turned upward, I think these things but emphasize my theory.”
“I can only interpose one objection to your theory,” said Mr. Graham, “and that is, that diamonds are so hard that it is a question as to whether the wear of the elements would affect them at all.”
“The dropping of water for long has washed away great cliffs, has bored holes in monstrous rocks, and why should diamonds alone be proof against this influence?” argued Mr. Bruce.
“I do not say that they are,” replied Mr. Graham, “and I am willing to accept your explanation for the want of a better one.”
“They are diamonds, I think, without a doubt,” said Mr. Bruce.
“If they are not,” said Mr. Graham, “then we have discovered a jewel, the brilliancy of which is superiorto that of diamonds, and there lies about us fortunes,—thousands of fortunes.”
“But fortunes which will never benefit the civilized peoples,” said Mr. Bruce.
“Probably not,” said Mr. Graham, “unless it be ourselves, for I shall surely not leave here without a generous supply of these beautiful gems,” and he and Mr. Bruce proceeded to each gather a bag full of the precious stones, the ladies doing likewise.
At this point Onrai came up and Mr. Bruce asked: “Onrai, do you not use these stones for aught else than for the sling-shots, and ornaments, and decorations?”
“Yes,” answered Onrai. “We find here a peculiar brilliant, which the direct participants in the ceremonies of the Day of Resis wear as an emblem,” and the King here remounted, and the remainder of the party doing so, they started toward the villa in silence, our friends thinking what fortunes they carried in the little bags at their waists, and what immense sensations they would create when these stones were brought before the world.
Two weeks had now elapsed since the night of the visit to the field of diamonds, and our friends were still at the villa near the volcano. This had remained about as active as it had on the night in mention, and our friends had stayed on to see the development of the eruption.
At times the earth would tremble slightly, and at such times the volcano would always become more active. The fall of ashes had become much less in this part of the surrounding country, but this was due to the windwhich had blown steadily from the northeast, carrying the cloud of smoke over the country beyond the cliff.
Onrai was daily expecting the arrival of his army of subjects to perform his bidding.
At the end of two weeks, after an exciting day hunting the jungles of this strange new land, the party one day approached the villa, and saw encamped about it thousands of men, elephants and zebras.