All was explained now that had seemed to us extraordinary in our kind captain's conduct the evening before, and as we hurried down to the beach half in hopes not to find every one gone, we found at the usual dining place, a packet of papers put in a conspicuous situation, evidently meant to attract our notice. In this was a note from the captain, apologizing for departing in such a secret manner, but declaring that unless he had stolen away he could not have left us. That it was of such importance he should go and return ere the rainy season commenced, he could not even afford a day, and that he knew, however cheerful I might talk about the matter, my heart would misgive me, when the time came for him to leave, I might not probably grant him permission to go, when it was of the most vital importance he should. He was right in his last conjecture, the dread that came over me, as I read his letter, and looked at our helpless party, made me feel how truly he had judged me, tho' I so little knew it myself. The other papers consisted of directions, lists of what he had left, and where they were put. Also an account, written from Benjie's lips, as to what trees and fruits might be poisonous, whatwe had better avoid, and particular orders about the night air, the musquitos; in fact he seems to have left nothing for us to think of, and the papers wound up with many sweet messages to the children, and the dear young ladies, a characteristic speech to Schillie, a hope that the good old lady would not be nervous, or keep the children too long at their lessons, which was a bad thing in hot climates, and a very urgent appeal to all to be careful of her, whose heart was wrapped up in their happiness, to whom the breath of life came ebbing and flowing, according to the welfare and goodness of her precious charge.
There was a letter from Smart to the boys as follows, the spelling being corrected:—
"Honoured Young Gents,
"I hope this will find you, as it leaves me, in good health, but very low in my spirits. I hope you will be good honourable young gentlemen, and obey that good lady, your Mama; and also I hope you will learn your lessons, as a sight of learning is a good thing, tho' I don't rightly know who speaks them lingos as Madame talks. But, chiefly, my dear young gents, I write to say, I am very low in my spirits, and I shall have no peace until I see my dear young masters again. I have been very melancholy ever since that big worm swallowed my two dogs, and I now feel it more, as I should not have left you so uneasy in mind had they been left with you. They were rale good dogs, andwould mind you, master Oscar, most as well as me. I am satisfied of one thing, that there is no beere in the hisland, and you won't be eat up, and certainly there never can be another such viper as that there, as took two dogs, swallowing Daisy. But I write, young gents, to beg you to be careful, and to mind them sharks; I have heard they swallow all things, and are particular fond of bright buttons, and jackets like yours, young masters, and also I have heard they have nine rows of teeth, so there will be no escape, like Jonah in the whale's belly. Now I charge you to be careful, woe's me, that ever I be going to leave you. My heart is just broke, but do, master Oscar, be good to your little brother, and don't put on him. He has a high spirit, and it is no doubt cantankerous, but he must be honourably treated, and there's never a finer temper to be seed.
"Well, my hand is weary of this cramping, tho' I have a deal more to say. My respectful duty to the mistress and all the ladies, and my love to the little ladies and Jane. My compliments to Mrs. Hargrave. May good angels guard my dear young masters.
"Your true sorrowful servant till death,"T. SMART."
Leaving the others still to pore over the letters and directions, I wandered away to a shady nook, to recover the shock, only nowdidit weigh upon my mind, what a responsibility rested on my shoulders, and, for a time, I was quite overcome with the fears that took possessionof my heart. How long I sat I know not, but a hand was laid on my arm, interrupting my reverie. "For what reasonable purpose are you moping here?" said Schillie. "I am very melancholy," I answered. "There is such a weight on my heart, I cannot think how I ever suffered the captain to leave." "And in the name of all that is ridiculous why did you not stop him when you could? Now that it has become impossible, like a spoilt child you are crying for them all back again."
"Don't speak so roughly, Schillie, I am sad enough without being upbraided by you."
"I don't want to upbraid you, but you were so bent on humouring the children it was no use talking common sense to you; otherwise I could have suggested plenty of notions better than leaving a pack of women and children alone on this wretched little island, dull as ditch water."
"Then pray mention one."
"Why what could be more easy, than for us all to wait together, until some vessel came by, and getting them to take us away or take a message?"
"You adjured me in the name of all that is ridiculous, pray may I ask in the name of all that's sensible why you did not mention this before?"
"Because I saw you so bent on your own plans, and because I don't particularly care what happens so long as I am with you, and lastly because it has only just come into my head."
"Well, then, don't scold me any more, but comfort,me, Schillie." "With all my heart, should anything happen to us, it will be a great comfort to think that the captain will come and take away our bones to England, and give them decent burial."
"How cruel you are, Schillie."
"But I am quite in the dark as to what you expect will happen; you are crying your eyes out for some misfortune, but, unless you tell me what you fear, how can I comfort you?"
"I fear so many things; here we are all alone, without a single efficient person amongst us." "Pray speak for yourself."
"Well! then, only you with a spark of courage amongst us; and we don't know what may be here."
"Now, that's nonsense, you know that there is scarcely a fly on the island that will do you harm."
"Well, then, those sharks!"
"And, who is going to walk into the mouth of a shark, I should be glad to know?"
"Nobody, certainly, but supposing a ship should come?"
"Then, we should have company, and a mighty good thing too. I think the society of women and children very mawkish for a continuance."
"But, then, supposing they should not be friends."
"Then that will be their own faults, we are not likely to quarrel with them."
"Stupid you are, Schillie! Don't you understand that they may take advantage of such a helpless party, and, if they are slavers may seize us, and sell us forslaves, and, if they are marauders or pirates they may murder or marry us!!!"
"Well! of those two latter fates one is as bad the other. But, I will comfort you by saying, nobody will want to marry you with that red nose. Really if you go on fretting in this manner, you'll wear yourself into an old hag. I see grey hairs and wrinkles springing up like mushrooms."
"Now, I'll return good for evil, and tell you that I never saw you looking so well; your eyes are quite dazzling, and, as for your figure, it has become slim and handsome."
"You may amuse yourself as you like about my dumpy figure, so long as you smile and are merry; but, come, wash your face in the brook, and let us join the rest. If the girls were to see you with that face they would screech beyond stopping; and, as for Madame, she would go into such a fit we should never be able to bring her round."
So I washed my face, but, in the middle of the business, said Schillie, "You never told me what we should do if pirates and slaves come?"
"Do! Why, of course we would do the best we could. Wait till they come, and then see if we don't do something. For my part I am not going to be sold for a slave, and, as for a pirate's wife, there will be two words about that matter. I don't intend to darn any one's stockings, and I hate ordering dinner, both ofwhich events occur, I suppose, in the establishments of pirates, as well as more homely folk. Come, don't be absurd, we have only six weeks to stay here, and we'll enjoy ourselves as much as we can."
"Very well, I won't bother you any more, but we will join the others, and settle what everybody is to do to pass away the time."
"Pooh! pooh! the time will pass quick enough. Why need ye fuss? But, if we have regular habits so much the better for the girls."
"Nonsense, let the poor girls lead the life of larks for a change, they will never have such another opportunity. You and I will always be together, and you shall talk to me, and Madame may ruralize on that green terrace with her book and big parasol; depend upon it we shall be happy."
"Now, it is my turn to say pooh! pooh! Don't you know that even the larks have to work to get them food?"
"Oh certainly, that I allow. I have no objection to help myself. I can cook a beefsteak and make lobster salad against any one."
"First catch your beefsteak and lobster, saith Mrs. Glass. But here are Madame and the girls."
"We are quite lost without our Mothers," said the girls as they sprang towards us. "Here's Madame, wanting us to do lessons," said Gatty, sending her great thumb right through her handkerchief. "I never heard of gipsies saying lessons and we are now no better than gipsies," said Serena.
"Or people at a pic-nic," said Sybil. "Madame, the next six weeks must be one great pic-nic; do consent, now do; we will sketch if you like, and sing songs, and eat and drink for ever."
"Saucy girls," said Madame, smiling most kindly on them, "but I am sure your Mama would not allow such thorough waste of time," assuming a slight austerity of manner.
"Oh yes she will, Madame," said Schillie, "so betake yourselves off girls, wherever you choose, provided you don't come and bother us."
"Leave them alone, Madame," said I, in answer to her beseeching looks at me, "let them have their own way for a day or two, and you will find them come to you and beg for a dose of the multiplication table."
"Now, that's very comfortable, girls, you have leave to go to the moon if you choose, and, Madame, I'll go for your parasol and book, and you can amuse yourself on that sunny bank, watching us all," said Schillie.
But Madame was much more easily disposed of than the girls, in spite of Schillie's broad hints, and, at last, open remonstrances, that they would go about their own business, not one would stir.
"What's the use of a holiday, unless we may spend it with our Mothers?" said Sybil.
"That's all that we want a holiday for," said Serena, "that we may be with you all day."
"Yes," said Gatty, "this is most jolly, and now you may have one side of the big Mother, and Sybil shallhave the other; Serena shall sit behind her, and I'll sit here," throwing herself down at our feet with such force that we both sprang up with pain.
"How do you like this lark's life?" said I, laughing.
"Good lack, girls, do you mean to say that you are going to be such geese, as to sit here all day? Have you no curiosity to examine those caves, no wish to discover figs and plums, no ambition to get on the top of that rock?"
"No," said Sybil, "our curiosity is at a low ebb, our wishes are quite fulfilled at being seated here, and we have no ambition but to remain."
"Indeed, Miss Sybil, your tongue runs very glibly, but if you think I am going to stand the bore of the company of you girls all day you are mistaken, and, good lack, look at my handkerchief, with a hole in it a dog could get through."
"Indeed, I beg your pardon, little Mother," said Gatty, reddening all over, "I thought it was mine."
"And, does that make the matter any better? Can't you employ your fingers any better than making holes in your handkerchiefs?"
"It's a way larks have," said I.
Schillie rose up in a huff.
"Come," said I, "let us all go and have a dip in the sea."
We all agreed to this, and we also agreed we would make an extensive bathing place, where we could learn to swim, and yet be out of harm from the sharks. Inthis matter every one helped. We rolled stones down to the water, and then, placed them so as to form a wall or pier into the sea, at twenty yards distance; from that we made another, and we sloped them so as to make their ends nearly meet. "Thus," as Oscar said, "leaving only room for a baby shark to get in."
"And we shall not mind that," said Zoë, "for it would not have cut its teeth."
It took us two or three days to do this, but that evening at tea, being heartily fatigued, we agreed to sit still and talk over all we should do.
"Oscar and I intend to fish all day," said Felix, "and you may be very much obliged to us, because it's very—"
"Very what, Felix," said his sister, who loved to tease him, "very tiresome, I suppose you mean."
"No; not tiresome exactly, but very fatiguing."
"Oh very fatiguing indeed, I dare say, and you know you would cry like a baby if any one prevented you fishing."
"Lilly, you are so aggravating, I wish Winny was my sister, that I do, for she is so kind, and it's hard the only sister I have should tease me in this manner."
The faithful Jenny was at hand to take the part of each, and please both, while she put an end to the dispute.
"But, Mama," said Lilly, "if the boys do nothing butfish all day, may we little girls pick up shells; ah you cannot think what lovely shells there are; I am going to make a collection, and I should like to class them all, and, by the time La Luna comes back, I want to have hundreds and hundreds, and I will take them to ornament my garden, or they will look lovely arranged all round the big hall; or, Mama, dear, we might make a grotto, think how lovely it would be! So let us little girls do nothing but pick up shells. Do, dear Mama, do let us?"
"What a little tongue you have, child. Do you think Zoë and Winny would like to do nothing but pick up shells?"
"I am sure I should not," said Zoë. "I must say I rather think, but I am not quite sure, that I shall not like it all day either," said Winny.
"We'll settle that important question soon, but at present I wish to propound to the company at large whether you think Hargrave and Jenny can wait on us all, without a little help?"
"Oh yes, Ma'am," said the smiling Jenny, "we can do well enough if Master Felix does not wet his feet too often, and the little ladies will do their own hair."
"I shall be happy to assist Jane, Ma'am, in any way I can after I have waited on you," said Hargrave.
"I thank you, Hargrave," said I, "but I must do without the waiting on, we must wait on each other."
"I hope not, Ma'am, I have always endeavoured to give you satisfaction, and should not like seeing any one wait on you but myself."
"Yes, yes, all that I understand, but—"
"I beg your pardon, Ma'am, but I cannot think of stopping with you, Ma'am, if any one else, Ma'am, is to be put above me, or take my place."
Hargrave was proceeding, in increased agitation and heat, when Gatty interrupted the business by repeated peals of laughter.
"Pray, pray, Gertrude, refrain, how very unladylike; you laugh like a great cow-boy," said Madame.
"I like Gatty's laughs, they are so merry," said Oscar, "but what are you laughing at?"
"Why at Hargrave to be sure, giving warning here, on this desert island."
"Who will you go to, Hargrave, if you leave your present mistress? The Duchess of Puddleduck? Lady Ape? or Baroness Shark? Ha! ha! my dear girls, did you ever hear anything so absurd?"
"Indeed, Miss Gertrude, I wonder at your manners to a poor servant like me, but I am not going to be put upon any how."
"And who was going to put upon you, my good woman? I meant nothing but that we must all help each other, and that there was no occasion for you to wait upon me as heretofore, while we are in this island."
Slightly mollified, she grumbled out "That it was certainly no use plaiting one's hair in such a place."
"Now, Schillie, what charge will you take?"
"Take! You mean do as I bid you."
"Then, if that's the case, you shall be caterer."
"No, no, that I protest against. Under no circumstancescan I undertake dinner, though I fancy one has no great variety here. I'll look after your pet boys, and see that neither of them drown themselves fishing, and I'll take charge of the guns, powder, and shot, and any little odd things requiring to be done I am ready to be called on to help."
"Very good. And you, Madame?" I gave her a warning glance not to say anything about lessons, so, after a pause, she said, "I will undertake to prepare the table for meals, and collect fruit and flowers, with the help of my three little ones."
"Thank you very much, that will be very kind, and now you elder girls!"
"Oh! we'll do as we are bid, except lessons," said Gatty.
"Then, Gatty and Serena, you must always bring the water from the brook morning and evening, and you, Sybil, must see that the children are tidy and that the things all put away in the tent, and you must, all three, help Jenny to wash up the things, and put them in their places tidy. And now then we will all disperse, until eleven o'clock, when Jenny must give us dinner as usual, and then we will all take siesta, and in the evening we shall be ready for no end of fun and mischief. Our dinner may seem somewhat early, but then we were obliged to be up very early to enjoy the cool part of the day." But I will begin my next chapter with a description of our doings.
The first person that awoke in the morning generally rose and opened the tent letting in the fresh sea breeze. This might be between two and three in the morning, and always the most refreshing part of the whole day. The first bathing party then went down to the sea, consisting of Schillie, the three girls, Madame, and myself. Before we were well out of the water, and finishing our toilettes under the tent, the boys used to come rushing down with Jenny in attendance, who was always fearing her heedless Master Felix would get into danger. Finally the three little girls, with both the maids, habited in readiness to dip the unwilling ones, finished the morning ablutions.
Afterwards we all proceeded to the great chestnut tree, where we had prayers, the morning psalms, and lessons, and sung a hymn, which sounded in that lone but lovely spot so soft and beautiful that it used to bring tears to my eyes. So many young voices, gave a peculiar flute-like sound to the music, and as each cadence rose swelling through the branches of the great tree above us, so did the birds rise in clouds above us, returning nearer and nearer, as thesoft voices died away, at the end of each verse. And to look at each young face uplifted with fresh sweet feelings of piety and love to me seemed a picture of what we might see hereafter in that other and brighter world, "which eye hath not seen, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive." The fair blooming face of Sybil contrasted well with the brilliant dark eyes and fine countenance of Gertrude, while the slight statue-like form of the graceful Serena, with her small head and beautiful throat bent over her book, completed their picture. And a smaller group stood beside them equally pretty to look at, equally wrapt up in the solemn duty they were performing. The taller Zoë in the middle, her black hair drawn from her fair and lovely profile, one little hand resting, on the pretty sparkling Winifred whose arch look was sobered into childish gravity, a pretty demureness hiding the merry blue eyes, and leaving long curling dark eyelashes to veil her cheeks; while on the other side, hanging or leaning, or both, stood Lilly, her long black curls swept in every direction, and falling in rich masses over all three as the wind listed to blow them, the prettiest face in the world, peeping from between the dishevelled locks, with rosy mouth parted, and violet eyes upraised to heaven, as she sang with bird-like clearness above the rest.
The bright sun, the glowing sky, the brilliant flowers, the rich shade of the dark chestnut tree, all cast their lights and shadows on these two pretty groups as they stood before us, adding beauty to both.
The last verse being sung, all dispersed to their different duties, and the birds were now startled by the bursts of merry laughter that came from each group. Madame, with Sybil and her three little maidens, prepared the breakfast. Gatty and Serena ran for water, the maids put the tents to rights, the boys lighted the fire. Schillie and I sat looking on, acting company. I with admiring eyes, on the lovely scenery and pretty figures, she with inquisitive looks, scanning each unknown plant, moss, bird, or stone, and conjecturing their names and qualities. A little clamouring below, as to who was to blow a great shell that Benjie had taught them how to use, prepared us two idle ones for the summons to breakfast, of which we all partook with great hilarity and content, the grumblings for want of milk, having ceased partly because they were not attended to, and partly because all the grumbling in the world obtained none. After breakfast, I settled with Jenny the difficult question of dinner, which generally consisted of fish, potatoes, and pudding, sometimes a little salt meat, sometimes a little fresh meat, out of the tin cases we had brought. But invariably we had a magnificent dessert, so that the children could eat nothing for thinking of what was coming. That important matter done, I joined the rest. Madame betook herself to her green parasol and terrace, with a dignified but compassionate air, as if the young ones did not know what they were losing, in preferring play to lessons. The three little girls in high delight went to collect that indispensable quantity of shells,that was deemed necessary to ornament all they wished at home. The two good boys prepared with the gravity necessary for so important a business, to fish for our dinner, speculating upon what bait the fish would take that particular morning, and what they would not. To which we listened in solemn propriety, though well aware all the time they jumped at a bit of red worsted, as much as any other thing.
But the three elder ones did not care for picking up shells, and could not abide fishing. It was too hot to work, too sunny to read. They wanted to sit all day long in the pockets of the two Mothers, the elder one telling them stories, and the younger one making quaint remarks thereon, thereby spoiling many a sentimental speech, and upsetting many a romantic idea, but causing plenty of fun and merriment. But that could not last all day. Though we dined at eleven, it still wanted two good hours thereto. The big Mother was tired of telling tales; the little Mother was weary with doing nothing. All this time the green parasol meandered up and down, now and then sitting down to rest, and bending towards the girls with an unmistakeable look, that seemed to say, "come to your lessons, pray come to your lessons." But, the green parasol nodded in vain. At last after a fit of yawning, we all went botanizing, but that was very provoking work, for we could not tell the names of the lovely flowers and trees we found. Sybil suggested giving them our own names. Serena nearly broke her neck, climbingan almost inaccessible crag, and Gatty tore her frock every five minutes.
By this time the conch-shell sounded for dinner, in doing which Jenny blew her cheeks into the colour of a peony, we were all hot and tired and not in a very good humour.
The more we shewed this, the more gracious and cheerful Madame became, the little girls had been quite happy, the boys had wonders to relate as to the strange creatures that came peeping up at them from the deep as they were fishing. Lilly hopes they were not mermaids, for she had heard they were very cruel, and enticed men down into the dark sea weed caverns, from whence they never more appeared.
Felix.—"They will never catch me doing anything so silly. I like Mama better than twenty thousand mermaids, and so I won't be ticed, Lilly."
Lilly.—"Enticed, my dear boy, you mean, and that signifies that you cannot help yourself. They will carry you down into the sea, full of great polypuses, with a hundred blood red arms."
Oscar.—"Lilly, you are talking great stuff, no mermaids shall ever catch Felix or me, I shall shoot them first. And besides I won't believe there are any mermaids."
Gatty.—"And also besides, if they did come up from the sea, and look at Otty and Felix, I don't thinkthey would steal them away from us, without a great battle on our parts."
"But," said Lilly, who always stuck pertinaciously to her text, "I have read it in a book, that they comb their long, sea-green hair, and sing all the time so beautifully, that men jump into the sea after them."
Felix.—"Well! I shall not do that, for green hair must be very ugly."
Oscar.—"And you need not bother about it any more, Lilly, for I hate singing."
Felix.—"And we must take care of ourselves, because we are the only two men you have got to take care of you all."
Sybil.—"Ah! indeed that is very true, you must be very careful, because what should we do without our protectors."
Felix.—"Yes, but, Aunt Sib, don't you think it is very wrong of Lilly to frighten us. Pray tell us, do mermaids really steal men away?"
Schillie.—"What is all this nonsense about mermaids, eh? Felix." She was told; then added, "Don't alarm yourselves, if an army of mermaids were to come, they would not take either of you for men; so comfort yourself, my boys, with that notion."
As most of the party agreed with her the subject dropped. After dinner we all took a siesta for two or three hours, a necessary rest during the heat of the day. Afterwards the same scene occurred as before dinner the "green parasol" meandered up and down, the littleones ran about, being now assisted by the boys, the elder ones hung about us two until tea-time, when all had some employment again. Afterwards we chatted and worked until the sun went down. This sometimes occurred so suddenly that we had to run like lapwings, from the great chestnut down to the tents, in order to scramble into bed before it was quite dark. So passed the first few days, I purposely proposing neither work nor any employment that the girls might be thoroughly sickened of idleness. Each day, however, the "green parasol" became more elevated, the measured tread more majestic. Madame was getting seriously angry, having no idea that their love of idleness would last so long. Even to me monosyllables only were vouchsafed, and matters assumed a lowering aspect. Schillie's temper had been gone two days, and she was at open war with the three girls, extremely cross with me that I did not order them away, though too proud to acknowledge it. Sybil had taken refuge in books, and was always so deeply immersed in her stories and novels, that she could think of nothing else. Her wits were anywhere but where they ought to have been, and she was of no use to any one. Serena was making a child of herself, with the little ones, which pleased them very much, and gave her some employment for her useless activity. As for Gatty, having nothing else to do, she was in every boy's way. When every handkerchief she had was full of holes, she proceeded to destroy other people's private property. The "green parasol" having been inadvertently left alone for a short time, was used as amark to throw stones at, and, ere its owner appeared to rescue it, had several great holes in it. An offer to assist the boys in their fishing tackle caused inextricable confusion amongst their work. The necessity of making some use of such restless activity occasioned Jenny to be gratuitously assisted in cooking the dinner, which ended in there being nothing eatable that day. Cross with Serena because she would make a baby of herself with the little ones, angry with Sybil because she was buried in silly stories, irate with the little Mother because she had called her a great plague, afraid of the big Mother because she looked so gravely at her, not on speaking terms with any of the little ones for various misdemeanours, the poor Gatty wandered up and down on a particular evening (the fourth day) like a perturbed young elephant shut up in a cage. She wanted something to do, and she glanced around each party to see which she might venture to join. The "green parasol" was to be avoided at all rates, the two Mothers had forbidden her approach for an hour. Jenny had declined a kitchen maid's help with a stammering apology that clearly told why. She was too proud to join those who had called her cross. Sybil sat alone; her feet almost in the stream, her head buried in her book, so absorbed that she saw and heard nothing. Gatty approached her from above, and, being obliged to do something, saw at one glance a most beautiful opportunity of startling Sybil out of her studies, and became quite exhilarated with the work. With a little trouble she moved some stones, made a channel in the sand, and ina few minutes a rippling stream ran down it, gathering force as it went, and, stopping for neither stick nor stone, dashed upon Sybil, as if animated with Gatty's own spirit of mischief. Up she jumped, her cry of surprise being in chorus with Gatty's shriek of delight. Thoroughly roused, her usual meek spirit gave way, she threw down her book, sprang towards the aggressor, her fair face blushed with anger, her dark eyes flashing indignantly. So nimble was she, that she was almost upon the delighted culprit ere she restrained her laughter. In endeavouring to avoid the injured one her foot slipped, over she rolled just as Sybil reached her, and down they both went into the brook, rolling over and over several times.
Having watched the whole business from our resting place, we were down at the spot, ere they had recovered themselves, and risen from the water.
The conch-shell sounded for tea, at the same moment, and in a high state of excitement, every body talking their loudest we all adjourned. Then every body opened their hearts. I confessed I had let them be so idle, in order to make them resume their lessons with pleasure and zest. Schillie allowed she was very wrong to take them from their books, which were much better for them than idling about and bothering her. Madame had wondered at my permitting such disorderly doings, as had been going on from day to day, but would excuse it as I seemed to have a motive, andthe young ladies were penitent. Sybil confessed she was tired of reading so much, and would much prefer doing something rational. Serena said she and the little ones had been privately learning something, just to employ themselves. Gatty alone still declared it was a great shame to do lessons in this hot climate, but she would not mind music and summing. Zoë and Winny joyfully agreed to learn anything, so that they might have something to do. Lilly made a stipulation about having time to pick up shells, before she finally capitulated; and the boys having been very good up to this minute, neither troublesome or quarrelsome, but on the contrary very useful, turned round completely, became naughty and rude, declaring that lessons were humbug, French a bore, German a nuisance, and almost openly declaring a complete rebellion.
This mutiny of course was quelled, we retired to bed in harmony and good humour, and rose the next morning determined to do our best, to be industrious and useful. Madame was in high spirits. Schillie most benign. The boys happy in the privilege of not having to go to their studies until an hour after the girls, and to do part of them with the Mothers. The girls all in high spirits, so that when the conch-shell sounded twice as indicative that school time had commenced, great alacrity was shown on all sides, and good humour reigned supreme.
"Now then," said I to the little Mother, "what are you and I to do with ourselves."
Schillie.—"Oh, I am perfectly comfortable, now that we are not to be plagued with those girls. Let us sit down here, and now you shall talk to me."
Mother.—"I don't intend to do anything of the sort; I said, 'What shall we do?' merely to know if you had any private business on hand. Because if you have not, I have."
Schillie.—"I have nothing in the world to do, and I have not the least inclination to exert myself, and I won't allow you to do anything either, in spite of your private business."
Mother.—"Nevertheless, whether you help me or not, I am going to build a little hut."
Schillie.—"Good lack! if you are not mad to think of such a thing! I am gasping with heat, and really melt away so fast, on the slightest exertion, and have such indifferent dinners to make amends, that if the captain does not arrive precisely to his date, my skin will be a bag containing nothing but rattling bones."
Mother.—"Don't distress yourself, you look veryjolly yet, and if those cannibals come, of whom Madame is so afraid, you will be the first delicate morsel chosen, I am certain. But about this hut."
Schillie.—"Don't, June, you will kill me outright if you mention such hard work again. Let us go and botanize a bit. Did you ever see such a fellow as this! He must be a plantain I think."
Mother.—"Yes! these are the broad leaves that will roof our hut!"
Schillie.—"You will drive me mad with your hut, who wants a hut? and what is the good of putting ourselves into a fever, spoiling our hands, and such like, merely for your whims. Let us go round that point, and see if any turtle land on this island. I am sure it will be a blessing to have something decent to eat."
Mother.—"I shall be delighted to go, but I think we shall dirty our hands much more slaughtering a great turtle than building a nice little hut."
Schillie.—"Now, Mrs. June, if you bother me any more about that hut, I won't stir one finger to help you."
Mother.—"Oh, so you will help me, well! that's all I want, so sit down here while I tell you all about my hut."
She made some ineffectual efforts to escape, was very indignant, stormed, and spluttered, and wound up by saying, "Well! now, my Mistress, what do you wish me to do?" which was exactly the state into which I had intended to bully her. "You know how hot we are in the tent every night," said I. "Good me! and thosehorrid girls snoring and talking, one worse than another, to say nothing of someone who shall be nameless snoring like ten pigs." "That snorer is not me, I flatter myself, so make no more remarks, but listen, you see I have brought you to a very pretty little spot on the cliffs, and here are six or seven nice little trees, that look so pliant and slender we can bend them into any shape, but you are not listening."
Schillie.—"I wonder what trees these are. They all seem to proceed from the same mass of roots, and yet they are nearly in the form of a square; leaves, shiny, dark, green, pinnated, I cannot make them out."
Mother.—"What does it matter to us about their names and property, if they will do for us to make our hut."
Schillie.—"And how can you imagine that I can make a hut or live in it, until I have found out the name of these trees."
So we were nearly coming to a rupture again, but waiting patiently until she had exhausted every idea on the subject we set to work once more. "You see these trees are in the form of a square already, and will just mark out the size of our hut."
"Yes very well for me, but if our hut has a window you will have to lay with your head out of it, or if a door with your feet ditto."
Mother.—"Come don't be rude about my length of limb. The square is quite seven feet this way, and we may make it double that the other way by cutting down this one tree."
Schillie.—"I wish I knew what those two trees are."
Mother.—"Then we can twist these pliant sort of reeds in and out."
Schillie.—"Reeds, June! those are not reeds, I wonder what these are? They must be all of the same family, only these are young ones. Something of the willow sort, I imagine."
Mother.—"Well! we can twist them in and out between the stems."
Schillie.—"Or perhaps they are a species of gigantic rush, but that we shall know by the flower."
Mother.—"Twist them in and out like basket work."
Schillie.—"I wish you would cease with your twistings in and out, and help me to guess what these things are."
Mother.—"My dear, I have guessed long ago, and think I am quite right too in my guess."
Schillie.—"And why are you so unkind as not to tell me? you know how anxious I am."
Mother.—"I am quite surprised that you did not see at once, they are only gigantic 'fighting cocks,' as we used to call plantain in our youth."
Schillie.—"You are the greatest——, well! I won't say what with your fighting cocks. Come, go on about your blessed old hut."
Mother.—"But it is not an old hut, inasmuch as it is not built yet, or even begun, nor does it seem likely to be begun, as we have quarrelled three times over merely of what it is to be made."
Schillie.—"Then now I won't trouble you any more, Iwill think of nothing but this hut, and will do whatever you bid me. But you must promise me, that if I help you, that no one else is to share it with us. I won't have any fidgety girls, or sick boys to come and wear one to death with their nonsense."
Mother.—"Pooh, pooh, you know who will be the first to invite them in, however, I only mean it for us two."
So to work we set, and in a short time had so changed our relative positions, that I was scolded for not working hard enough, and having entered thoroughly into the business, she took the command, and I willingly obeyed her sage orders. She had a capital head for contrivance, and consequently treated some of my suggestions with scorn and indifference. In fact, my notion of "twisting in and out" so often mentioned, was immediately pronounced as a trap for musquitos, scorpions, and such like. We were to have our hut made partly of boughs, partly of sods, partly of mud. This was to keep it cool. Over all we placed the large smooth plantain leaves and it really did not look amiss, but something like the little round mushroom huts of the charcoal burners. It took us four days to complete it. We told nobody until it was finished; then, of course everybody wanted to sleep in it. The size of the hut spoke the best answer. At each end we had nailed a strip of sail-cloth, which served for the bed on which to lie, and, wrapped up in a sheet, it was very cool and comfortable. Though Schillie was very uneasy for the first hour, and, uponmy remonstrating, muttered, half asleep, "I wish I knew what these trees were."
We satisfied the eager wishers, by promising to help to make huts for all who liked it, and, for the next week, as soon as school hours were over, every minute was employed in this new business. Madame alone preferred the tent, and soon had it to herself. From the sand the little colony of huts looked quite picturesque, perched upon little green knolls or terraces, and great improvements were made, so that ours looked quite a little vulgar affair in comparison to the ornamented mansions which soon appeared. The little ones had now good use for their shells, and the tasteful Sybil and Serena ornamented theirs with fresh flowers every day, and transplanted creepers and other things to train all over their abode.
We found amongst our stores a packet of garden seeds, I having desired the gardener before we left home to put some up, for I had heard that we could grow mustard and cress, endive and parsley, and even lettuces on board, and that it would be a very good thing for the children. Not having specified what I really wanted, on opening the packet we found every species of seed that a kitchen garden would require, and though we laughed at the parcels of beans and peas, and other things impossible to be grown on board, also carrots and turnips, yet they were most opportune in amusing the young ones, for every one must have agarden round their abode, and it was quite surprising to see how quickly the seeds sprang up. In fact, we had so much to amuse us, that a month passed ere we thought one week had gone, and the life we were leading seemed to agree with us all, especially the children. Oscar's fine open countenance bloomed with health, and he grew so manly and tall that we treated him with great respect as the King of the Island, while the small little delicate features of Felix were getting embrowned, fast losing their delicacy; his beautiful starlike eyes were radiant with health, and through the long dark eyelashes, so peculiar to that species of deep grey eye, the pretty pink colour seemed to be fixing its residence there at last.
The girls being very much absorbed in their gardens, Schillie and I took a scramble one day round the point she had wished to go when we commenced building our hut. We privately told the servants if we were not at home to dinner, to explain the cause, and not to expect us until tea-time.
It was very hard work, but when we had accomplished it, we came to another bay, not so pretty as ours, but much more extensive. There were scarcely any cliffs, but the great trees came bending down to the water's edge in many places. Here Schillie gave full scope to her enquiring mind, and we progressed at the rate of twenty yards every half hour, while she exhausted herself in vain conjectures without end. Going over the rocks, among the caverns and crevices we found a curious creeping plant, the stems trailing two or three feet long, the leaves were rather oval, of a bright green, and the flowers large beautiful white ones, each composed of four petals tinged with red. At last from the unopened buds being so like capers, we tasted them, and they were so sharp and as acid as we could wish. Sowe decided they were, or rather it was the caper plant, and while Schillie felicitated herself upon having settled that matter satisfactorily, she groaned over the notion of our having no boiled mutton.
The next thing we discovered was a bright green shrub, apparently an evergreen, with bunches of white flowers, which were sweet scented. There being no seeds formed, we were sometime in making it out to be the coffee tree, but Schillie remembered once seeing a coffee plant at Chatsworth. So she was in high spirits until we came to another shrub with purple and white flowers. Some of the green leaves were exceedingly light, and some nearly black, and they almost seemed to be turning colour, as we looked at them.
We wasted a whole hour over this shrub and a tree close by rather small with foliage like a birch. It had fruit somewhat like a hop, only very much larger.
We now came to an immense Banana tree, out of which flew a cloud of blueish pigeons. The leaves of this Banana looked six or seven feet long and about one wide; the fruit was hanging in every direction, looking like large misshapen cucumbers. Benjie had taught us not to cut it crossways, but from end to end, as it tasted better when cut wrong. But it was curious when cut wrong what an exact cross was pictured in the middle. Twined in the Banana tree was an immense gourd plant. At this minute I shuddered withhorror. We had been so secure, so careless, so utterly unmindful of any danger that I was quite unnerved at seeing a huge thing three or four feet long drop from the Banana, close between us. "Keep back, keep back," said Schillie, "I have got my hatchet." But she never could bear to kill anything, so we looked on the creature, and it on us. It was very ugly and formidable to look at, but it had a quiet eye, and after a little while it crawled gently away, and commenced trying to get up the tree again. "I think it must be an iguana," said I at last.
"Whatever it is I admire its civility," said Schillie.
"If it is they are quite harmless, though he looks very horrible," said I.
"He does not intend to harm us, it appears, so we will go on," said Schillie, "because I begin to feel very hungry, and we had better look out for a comfortable spot on which to dine."
"I have been hungry more than an hour, but you were so absorbed in your discoveries you would not listen to my hints. I should like to go to that little knoll, in which those four cocoa-nut trees stand, we shall have a little air then, and can see any danger all round, and, perchance find a cocoa-nut."
"Which you may have all to yourself, June, for I think them unwholesome things."
After a dinner and a successful nutting, I proposed a siesta, as it was impossible to move during the sultry noon, which Schillie agreed to provided I went to sleepfirst, whilst she watched for an hour, then she was to waken me, and I was to watch in my turn.
After a profound sleep of some duration I awoke, and found my guard in a helpless state of somnambulism, which was so very deep I did not like to disturb her; neither could I move, as the better to guard me she was lying half over me, I, therefore, though anxious about the time we had been sleeping, decided to sit still and wait until she showed some signs of waking. She had the watch round her neck, and I could not look at it without disturbing her, so I amused myself with watching the curious and strange things around me. I noticed some black things in the water, which came nearer and nearer, and I gave a start of pleasure when I perceived that they must be turtle; at last one landed and crawled in the most extraordinary manner some way up the sands. After spending what I thought was half an hour in the oddest movements and vagaries for such an unwieldy thing as a turtle to indulge in, it returned to the sea, and was the only one that landed. The sleeper at last moved, and I roused her up. At first she declared she had not been asleep at all, but when time and circumstances made that assertion untenable, she fell back upon the excuse that it was so dull sitting there with no one to talk to, and nothing to do, and, besides, her thoughts were very melancholy.
June.—"Your thoughts melancholy! That's the first time, then, since I have known you."
Schillie.—"I was thinking of my poor little children, and how wrong I was to go and leave them all."
June.—"But you have not yet been away from them half the time, or, indeed, one-third of what was originally intended, when we left England."
Schillie.—"I know that quite well, but, if you will go to sleep, and leave me to my own dull thoughts, how can I help thinking of my being so ill-behaved as to leave them for such a period."
June.—"It was you that made me go to sleep first. But, however, I must comfort you, and remind you how kind your father is to them, and how your mother's sole business in life is to see that they have double as much as they ought to have. And how your sister, that best of Kittie's, is more than a mother to them; indeed most strangers take her for their mother, and you for an unnatural sort of aunt."
Schillie.—"Well, that may be true, June, but you should not upbraid me with it now I am so sad; I don't pretend to be a fond mother, but I hope I am a good one."
June.—"Come! don't be so horribly pathetic; it does not suit you at all, but, if you are really very unhappy, the captain will be here in ten days or so, and then we will all go home."
Schillie.—"But, how do I know if we may not all be drowned in going home, or have a fire at sea, or something should occur which will prevent me ever seeing my little chicks again," and the great tears rolled one by one down her round blooming cheeks.
This was getting a most serious business, so I said in an angry manner as it were, "You are too absurd! just as if every day when at home you don't put your life into imminent danger, riding that frangy beast, who every ten yards has either his heels or his toes in the air."
Schillie.—"Heels and toes! Whoever heard a horse spoken of in such terms? And after all the pains I have taken with your equine education, to talk in such terms of a little playfulness! I would not give two-pence to ride a horse that goes straight along."
June.—"I should not call that playful riding to come home with one's hands all blistered from holding the animal in. For my part, I never saw you go down the carriage road, on that beast Staunton, with his tail flying and his legs anywhere but on the road, without preparing my nerves for seeing your mangled remains brought home on a shutter."
Schillie.—"Mangled fiddlesticks! Did you ever see such a butterfly? Don't catch it; you'll hurt it. There, it is settled now. I wonder what his name is?"
So her thoughts being diverted we wandered on, the heat dried the big tears, and we made many grand discoveries; amongst others, that the rocks were wholly composed of coral.
But, before we left the spot, without telling her that I had seen the turtle, we went to the place I had seen it throwing up the sand, and, upon examination, founda great quantity of eggs. For some time Schillie would not believe that I had seen a turtle, or that these were turtle's eggs. However we kept our eyes on the black specks on the water, and, turning a corner of the bay, we came upon a whole colony of turtles, all on shore. I was afraid at first to run after them and turn them, and Schillie could not manage it by herself, so that ere I had conquered my reluctance they all got away from her but one, which we turned over all right, and nothing was more ridiculous than to see the poor hideous creature sprawling and straggling with ineffectual efforts. But we could not lift it by any means, and Schillie felt half inclined to let it go again, as it would be exposed so many hours to the broiling sun, ere we could come back with the others to despatch it. So we covered it over with Banana leaves, fastening them safe over the poor beast with bits of wood stuck through the leaves into the sand; and there we left it, making our way homewards over the rocks. The moment we appeared on the top seemed the signal for a general commotion amongst our people, and they all came running round the bay to meet us; Gatty reached us first, followed closely by Serena. They could not speak, they were so completely out of breath; but the first thing Gatty could say was a vehement reproach for leaving them all day. They had been so dull, and, coming out of school they had rushed immediately to join the two Mothers, and had found none; and the dinner was so stupid, and the lessons had been sotiresome, and Madame had been so particular, and it had been so hot; in fact, all had gone wrong.
But we were soon very merry at tea, all except Madame, who looked a little stately; and, after tea, she said she had a complaint to make against a certain person, for misconduct during my absence.
She was interrupted by Gatty's jumping up, and saying. "Oh yes! yes! such a glorious thing happened, it was so killing!—"
"Gertrude, you shock me," said Madame, "to talk of so grave a misdemeanour, in such terms."
"Indeed! Madame, I cannot help it. I never laughed so much in my life. Did you, Sib? Did you, Serena?"
Whereupon all the girls, big and little, tittered and laughed according to their different natures, and I felt relieved. But I was convinced that Felix was the culprit he was so red, and, while his brother rolled on the sand with merriment, he said nothing.
But Madame was so very grave, and seemed really so annoyed, that the laughing ceased, except when Gatty burst into a fresh fit, though she was cramming her handkerchief into her mouth, and that set Oscar off too.
"The young gentlemen came to their lessons in very good time," proceeded Madame, "and Master Oscarimmediately proceeded to learn his Latin declensions and to little Felix I gave a short lesson in French, out of that small book which, as you know, Madam, contained a page or two of first French lessons for young beginners." I nodded as much as to say I knew the book. "And then, Madam, as he was so giddy and volatile, I put him under the table to learn it, with the cloth all round him, that his attention might be distracted by nothing that he saw."
Here the tittering was vehement. "He was I must acknowledge, very quiet and good, so much so, that perhaps it was half an hour ere I called him to say it." Here Gatty became convulsed. Oscar in a similar state, and not all Madame's gravity could restrain the others.
"You may imagine my surprise, Madam, when I found the book gone, he had it not. In vain I made him look for it, nay, I acknowledge that I went down on my knees under the table to look for it also, thinking he must be telling an untruth, in saying it was not there. I could find it nowhere, neither can I find it now, and though I have made him confess what he did with it, yet, I assure you, Madam, the matter seems so extraordinary to me, I beg you will ask him yourself." In spite of the laughter, I called Felix, and with a half impudent air, emboldened by his companion's merriment, half frightened at what I might say. He said in a low clear voice, "Mama, I ate it!"
Mother.—"Ate it, child!"
Felix.—"Yes, Mama, I ate it every bit."
Madame sat down in triumph; the young ones made the air sound with their laughter; Jenny looked appealingly to me. Schillie said, "What a nasty boy." I exclaimed in horror and wonder, "Good heavens! suppose it disagrees with him." This frightful notion spread; Jenny took to tears—Madame was quite affected—Schillie recommended an emetic—Hargrave rushed to put it in force—and Felix was overwhelmed with questions as to what he felt; had he a pain?—where was his pain?—did he feel odd?—was he sure he felt nothing?—and it was nearly an hour ere he was suffered to go to bed, with no other remedy than a good fright, and the next day he appeared as pert as ever, recommending those that did not like certain lesson books to eat them up, for, after all, he added, "books are not so nasty to eat as to learn."
The time passed, to use Gatty's phrase, "fatally fast," in fact, we heard distant murmurs and fears expressed lest our dear old captain should return too soon. There was something so novel and unrestrained in our present life, and we all seemed to feel we never should again have such an opportunity of imitating the gipsies, and we were so happy and merry, that, excepting Madame, we were none of us willing to be restored too soon to civilized life.
Was our future fate a punishment or not, for thus presuming to decide our own destiny? A fortnight passed. On whose heart fell first the dread thought that something was pending over us, too horrible to be put into words? In the dead of night, I whispered low in Schillie's ear, "Do you think anything can have happened to the ship?" "Nonsense, who but you would think anything so ridiculous. Do you know I think I have discovered what these trees are. I am sure they are a species of Banyan." "Yes," said I absently. "Yes," said she, "yes, did you say? Then why did you not tell me before. I have never been able to sleepa wink when I first came to bed for wondering what they could be. Just like you." So she sulkily went off to sleep.
Another fortnight passed. No word yet was spoken, no voice had even uttered where was the Captain, Smart, La Luna? But the Mother's face was pale. She spent her days on the cliffs, looking out until her eyes ached, and bade the little Mother, who sat so silent and quiet beside her, to look for her through the telescope. And the merry voices were hushed, no laughter was heard, the meals passed in silence, the little ones played at a distance speaking in whispers, on every face you could trace a hidden fear, a secret dread, a mysterious foreboding, but not a word was spoken on the thought of each heart. As evening after evening stole by, the Mothers came down from their watch on the cliff, and though every eye asked, "Have you seen nothing?" yet no tongue had courage to say, "Where was the Captain, Smart, La Luna?"
One day, it was hotter than usual, the sun was going down with a red glare, a low moaning wind came every now and then suddenly through the trees. As Schillie and I came down the cliffs, our knees knocked together with heat and lassitude. We had not spoken for several hours until I had said, "Come, let us go." She mutely assented, and, supporting each other, we wearily and slowly clambered down. Suddenly stopping at a a smooth place on the cliff, on which had been spreadby Smart the skin of the Anaconda to dry, and which still remained as he had left it, she said to me, "Which fate do you prefer, June, would you rather now be a corpse within that skin, or yet alive with your present feelings and fears." "O, Schillie, Schillie," I exclaimed, "it is not for myself I fear, but think of all these young ones, can it really be possible or true that we are likely to spend our lives in this place."
Schillie.—"At present it seems true enough, not that you will have long to fret about it, for we shall have to bury you soon, grieving in this manner; I shall go as soon as I can after you; Madame is already gasping; and then I should like to know what will become of all the young ones."
Mother.—"I do my best, I try to think about it as little as possible. But what are your thoughts, Schillie? What do you think about them not returning for us? Is it accident, or——"
Schillie.—"Come, say no more at present, here are the girls coming to meet us. To-morrow we must settle something, it is due to them for the patience with which they have acted in the last fortnight, to take them into our councils. Give us all until to-morrow, before we finally doom ourselves to consider this island our living grave."
Mother.—"But have you no hope, Schillie, speak quickly ere they come, have you no hope?"
Schillie.—"Hope! hope for Aladdin's Lamp, Prince Hassan's Carpet, Green's Balloon, a Railway over the Sea. Hope nothing, and you won't be disappointed."
Mother.—"You are cruel, Schillie."
Schillie.—"Face the worst at once, it will save you much sorrow hereafter. Now say no more, but scrape up a smile for those poor girls if you can."
Even this uncomfortable conversation proved of so much relief to us two that we were more cheerful that evening at tea, and consequently the poor children took courage to be also a little more lively. But we were hurried to our different shelters by a clap of thunder and flash of lightning, unlike anything we had ever seen before, and the rain fell in large splashing drops. In the middle of the night, we were awakened by repeated peals of thunder crashing over our heads, while the lightning played incessantly, beautiful but most awful to behold. The rain at first came in gusts, but after a while, such a deluge poured down upon us, that in half an hour our little frail huts were beaten down over our heads. One minute's exposure to the sheets of water that were descending drenched us through. With difficulty we crawled to a little cavern, which just held us, and also permitted the servants to change the children's dripping clothes, and thus passed the whole night; but the sun arose as bright as ever, rendering the scene more brilliant and lovely, from the innumerable rain-drops bespangling everything. Not all the cold, misery, and discomfort we had undergone, besides losing our rest, prevented us exclaiming at the fresh beauty of the verdure and trees, and the sweet smell of the thirsty earth as we emerged from our cavern.
We had first to light a great fire, and then to spread all the bedding on the rocks to dry in the sun. We soon warmed some water, and drank hot tea and coffee; but Madame showed symptoms of a violent cold, and little Felix and Winny shivered and shook as if in an ague fit. The poor little huts were entirely ruined, and what was worse still, all our stores and the different things belonging to La Luna, though carefully covered with sail cloth and other things, were yet evidently much damaged by the wet; in fact, it was not this day only that we had to deplore the effect of the night storms catching us so unprepared. We suffered for it, as will be seen hereafter, the whole time we were on the island. However, we could now only think of making ourselves comfortable again. Of course the tents had been beaten down even before the huts; we could not shelter under the great chestnut tree, as the stream had swollen so as to surround it on all sides, washing away all our seats, a great many dinner things, books, and various other matters which we had left there, and which of course had been carried down into the sea, so that we never recovered them again. Fresh disasters were being discovered every minute, and so much were we taken up by them, that it was not until late in the evening, when tired and exhausted we sat down to tea, that the much greater weight and dread on our minds returned in full force.
After a silence, Schillie looked at me and nodded. I tried to speak, but the words would not come, theydied away in whispers. All waited in anxious expectation, not knowing what was coming; at last, Sybil and Serena both rose, and coming to me, clasped their arms round me, and said, "Dear Sister, if the ship does not come back for us, we do not care so long as you are well and happy. Do not grieve on our account, everything will end well, you will see. Do you not always bid us trust in God. Let us pray then for his help, but do not grieve, do not weep thus."
But their sweet voices, and comforting words were lost amidst the wailing and weeping that arose on all sides, now that we had given voice to our sad fears. Words fail me when I think of describing this mournful and affecting scene, for one and all seemed equally certain that hope was gone, we had now been three months here, and the captain told us all, not once, but many times, that in six weeks for certain he should return. Something therefore must have happened. Either the vessel must have foundered, or they had failed in getting another vessel for us, or they had met with some accident, or worse than all from the instruments being destroyed on deck during the storm Captain MacNab had not been able to take any observations so as to settle whereabouts this island was, and he was perhaps now sailing about unable to find us. For it was a most singular thing which we had several times noticed, that during the whole time we had been there we had never seen a vessel on the horizon. That was a mournful evening, so sad and painful that I amsure none of those who participated in it could forget it as long as life lasted. And in the midst of the fears that assailed us regarding our future lot, many were the sorrowful thoughts we had as to what could have become of the kind good Captain, the faithful and attached Smart, and all those worthy companions, so lately forming a part of ourselves. Darkness had long wrapped the little island in her dull mantle, but sobs were heard in different parts of the little cavern in which we had all been obliged to congregate for the night, and gentle whispers of prayer to the giver of all good rose now and then in the stillness of the night, shewing that some hearts felt too deeply to sleep; the overwrought minds sought comfort from the bountiful fountain of love and compassion, that increaseth as it is poured forth. And full well can we say, our trust hath not been in vain, deeply as we suffered then and since. But on looking back to that time, and all the subsequent trials that have befallen us, I think this period was the most painful we ever endured. Not only were we in miserable uncertainty about ourselves, but we lost and bewildered ourselves in painful conjectures as as to what could have become of our companions.
To have been told that they were really destroyed, that we should never see them more, that we must depend upon ourselves for every thing, and upon chance that we might be taken from the island, would I think have been less painful to bear than the state in which we found ourselves. At any rate then we should haveknown what to do, and would in all probability have exerted ourselves to better our condition as best we could.
But at present we were like people suddenly left in the dark, with the additional feeling of not knowing when it would be light again, or what we could do to free ourselves. Say that we were to sit still, and wait with patience, hoping the best, believing it impossible that we could be alone and deserted, this could not last, we could not sit still for ever. Say that we immediately made up our minds to the worst; that we were alone, and to be so for an indefinite, perhaps final period; that we must shift for ourselves; that our welfare, peace, comfort, food, clothing, solely depended on our own exertions; then, perhaps, after making these exertions, after using every effort, and they would be no slight ones, but must commence immediately with great toil, and anxious thought, they would arrive, we should be saved, and thus have undergone unnecessary labour and fatigue for nothing.
Yet we were at present fitted for neither of these fates. The life of ease and enjoyment without care or thought, that we had indulged in for two months; the indolent habits we had contracted from the, to us, unusual hot climate; the strangeness and suddenness of our fate, all combined to unnerve us, and for the present overwhelm the energy and strength of character necessary for such emergency.
That was a memorable night, calm and serene, as it was after the great storm of the preceding one. Troubled and tempest-tost was each heart as it awakened scared by its own dreams, through which ran wild visions of the beloved faces, perhaps never more to be seen. Yearnings after the homes we had so thoughtlessly left, the scenes we might never more behold, the voices perchance we should never hear again. Every thing we loved and valued and had left! seemed on this memorable night to come vividly before us. Was it therefore to be wondered that with subdued and chastened feelings we all met the next day, the elder ones steeling their hearts, and recovering their minds to enter into a regular discussion and investigation of the fate destined for them; the younger ones meek and sorrowful but most loving and engaging in their simple reliance on our words, and their quiet, but watchful anticipations of our looks and wishes, and this day happened to be a Sunday.