2nd Part
In riding. Jack was also foremost—although Fred ran him very close. They both rode bare-backed. They managed to jump off and on while their animals were in motion ; but they failed to jump on from behind, as the circus riders do.
As soon as we got to the forest, we lighted our torches, and discovered huge numbers of pigeons roosting on the surrounding trees. The flare of our torches woke them up and dazzled
them, and they began to hop aimlessly from branch to branch, frequently knocking their heads, and falling stunned to the ground, when they were quickly popped into our bags;....
Presently Frank returned, as his mother's ambassador, and announced, with due solemnity, the arrival of the Molucca dove and its mate. We ran out and found them on a perch, while the other four pigeons invitingly nodded to them, and, finally, overcoming their shyness, they
also entered.
...but he saved me. I cut down a lot of bamboos with my hatchet, and tried to put them under me, so as not to sink deeper, when I suddenly got the idea of catching hold of Hunter's tail and making him pull me out.
Fred and myself fitted out the workshop, for which the most strength was required.
But we very soon found ourselves surrounded by uninvited spectators. Numbers of gulls and similar birds of prey swooped down upon us, and, confident in their numbers, took no notice of us, but began pecking away at the carcass of the whale.
But the boys produced their bola slings, and speedily captured a couple of goats, whom they
gave salt to eat, and proceeded to milk.
...and now Ernest yelled like a madman, for the basket was making impressions of
its pattern all over his body, besides threatening to chuck him out at every fresh jolt. He clutched the sides convulsively and howled. But Jack and Frank did not slacken their speed until they had made the tour of Tentbourne and brought their animals to a halt in front of us.
The serpent squeezed and mangled and broke up the poor little kid with its body, having coiled ist tail round a rock to get a purchase,and then proceeded to smother it by putting its head in its mouth and suffocating the wretched kid.
...we then yoked our oxen as well as we could to the tail of the boa, and dragged it up to Homecliff, carrying its head in a sort of sling.
Nevertheless, we went on with great caution, and looked about as far as the rays of our poor candles would let us, when Fred cried : " Father, this is another salt cave ! Look at the enormous blocks of salt!"
I had now got up to the boy, and saw indeed an animal at his feet resembling a pig, brown in colour, and bristly, but recognised at once that it was not one of our European breed. The boy was beside himself with pleasure.
We spent the next few days in making a road and preserving our game. We took only a few hams with us, and left the rest in the smoke chamber, which we protected as best we could from the depredations of birds, beasts and monkeys by covering it up with grass, so that it looked like a grave mound, which we endeavoured still further to protect with thorns.
We continued our journey for two hours, until we reached some overhanging rocks, and threw ourselves down to rest in their shade.
But Fred was not behindhand with his eagle, who flew after them with remarkable swiftness, and pounced down on the male bird with such force that he nearly tore his neck to pieces and the bird collapsed hopelessly in the dust.
...so I drew a pistol, went up to within a few paces of the most powerful of the two bears, and
fired it at its head, while Fred shot the other—which was rising to go for me—in the heart.
Mother stewed for supper a couple of bear paws, and we awaited with impatience the arrival of our sportsmen
But now they went for me, and I had to run for it. I got on Storm and was off full speed..
The eagle now swooped down low enough to reach the head of our terrified quarry
and to strike him. Jack was therefore able to get near enough to throw the bola round his legs with effect, and the ostrich fell to the ground.
Jack, however, being lighter than Fred or Ernest, and very much stronger than little Frank, was eminently suited to ride Whirlwind.
Mother now did her best to make the thing look pretty, and gave it a silk lining, and a couple of bows in which were stuck two ostrich feathers. The work of art was then placed solemnly on Frank's head, and really suited him remarkably well.
I erected a potter's wheel behind the stables in the cave, besides a few necessary tables and counters to dry the crockery on. I took the wheel of a gun carriage, and over this I applied a platter or disc which I had myself prepared, and on which vessels of ordinary and symmetrical shape could be more or less easily fashioned.
Fred had to don the jacket, and we all burst into fits of laughter as he proceeded to blow himself out until he assumed the bloated appearance of a pantomime policeman.
It was not till late that Jack arrived on the wings, or, more correctly, the back of " the Whirlwind."
While the boys were making preparations for their laborious task of skinning, 1 came on the scene with my syringe, and was received with shouts of laughter.
The boys mounted some animal or other—even Whirlwind was put into requisition—and jumped and trotted about as merrily as could be, while mother and I stood ready with pitchforks to throw the sheaves back under the feet of the animals.
In the meantime the dark clouds overhead had grown more and more threatening, and presently a terrific storm broke over us.
At about this time we made a capital salmon and sturgeon harvest ; so that we again obtained an excellent supply of smoked, salted and pickled fish and caviare.
The boys were beside themselves with delight at the prospect of another expedition, and commenced making their preparations.
Leaning against a tree to steady himself, he took aim and fired. The monster howled with pain ; one of its fore feet was shattered. Immediately the dogs were upon it, and rolled in an inextricable heap with the brute on the ground.
I believe you will find this a more trustworthy communication. Shall I read it ?—the latest news from Woodstead ?
The bird seemed to be somethinGf between a bird of Paradise and a pheasant, and I recognised it as the Australian nicenura superha, the smaller and less handsome bird being its mate. Anxious to preserve its beautiful tail, I cut it off.
It was indeed a terrible sight ! There were so many dead monkeys that we shuddered. But we soon set to work to clear away the bodies as quickly as we could, and carried them off to sea, burning the cocoanut shells and gourds which had contained the deadly poison.
All at once a dark brown horrible animal rose out of the water, yawned at me with a terrific noise, and, opening its jaws, displayed most formidable teeth. You should have seen how I paddled away from it ! I did not stop till I had lost sight of the monster.
Sugar making
" Number one, fire !" cried Ernest, who was officer of the watch ; and Jack fired. We then all cheered, and ran down to our boat so as to intercept Fred if possible.
" My dear boy," I replied, " this occurrence is the most remarkable that has yet happened to us, and I am delighted at the cleverness you have displayed. You were right to entrust this circumstance to nobody but me.
The cape had the appearance of a Gothic cathedral, and so we called it
Churchcliff.
Jack immediately turned tail and fled. I fired in support of Jack, but missed my aim, only wounding the brute and increasing its rage. Jack was running like a hare, and would have
got clean away if he had not stumbled over a root and fallen down.
With two bounds she was at his side, smelt him, licked his bleeding wound ; and then she raised herself to her full height, and uttered a prolonged and horrible wail, which made me shake like
a baby.
But here he came alongside of us, and solemnly handed me a letter.
" Long live Lord Montrose of the Smoking Rock ! May he be welcome as a friend and brother in our family circle !"
The animal slunk up, gnawed at the bits of food, and presently allowed her to give it some water out of a gourd bowl : that settled the matter.
It was quite a treat to see how the nimble bird dived into the water and reappeared with a fish in its beak, which it deposited by the side of its mistress, to dive down again and bring up some
more.
I was dumfounded and unable to move. Fortunately the eagle came to my rescue, and began circling round the tiger's head, trying to peck at his eyes. This annoyed the tiger and diverted his
attention. But he soon made a jump, seized the eagle in his powerful claws and tore him to pieces. I stood aghast ; but my turn would have come next if I had not acted promptly.
She was washed ashore, and thrown upon the ledge of a rock, where she remained
unconscious for some time.
Miss Jenny's remarkable skill in plaiting rushes and reeds made us reproach ourselves for our neglect of that branch of industry, and we consequently determined to lay up a good store of
rushes and employ our time during the rainy season in making curtains, carpets, mats, tapestries and similar articles;...
We kept along till we reached nearly the extreme point, and then landed and cautiously proceeded across the tongue of land, when we suddenly espied, comfortably sheltered in a small bay not unlike Refuge Bay, a European vessel, which was flying the English
flag, and from which a boat was just putting off.
He received us on his quarter-deck with a sailor's frankness, invited us into his cabin, gave us some sherry, and told us how pleased he was to catch sight of the Union Jack in this inhospitable region.
The departure
