Clement Juglar - "A Brief History of Panics"

Mary Shelley - "Proserpine and Midas"

Harold MacGrath - "The Man on the Box"

Jules Claretie - "Prince Zilah, v2"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Little Savage

C >> Captain Marryat >> The Little Savage




Having roasted several dozen of eggs quite hard, by way of
provision, I set off one morning, and went to the ravine. As Jackson
had said before, I had to walk under a wall of rock thirty feet high,
and then pass through a water-course to get up to the ravine, which
increased the distance to where the shrubs grew, at least half a
mile. It was over this wall that the captain fell and was killed,
because Jackson would not assist him. I gained the thicket where the
bushes grew, and for three days I worked very hard, and had cut down
and tied about fifty large faggots, when I thought that I had
collected enough to last me for a long while; but I had still to
carry them down, and this was a heavy task, as I could not carry more
than one at a time. It occurred to me that if I threw my faggots over
the wall opposite to where they had been cut down, I should save
myself nearly a mile of carriage, as otherwise I had to walk all the
way to the water-course which divided the wall of rock, and then walk
back again. Indeed, where I cut down the wood was not more than a
quarter of a mile from the bathing-pool, and all down hill. I was
delighted at this idea, which I wondered had never occurred to
Jackson, and I commenced putting it into execution. The top of the
wall of rock was slippery from the constant trickling of the water
over the surface, but this was only in some places. I carried my
faggots down one by one, and threw them over, being careful not to
lose my footing in so doing. I had carried all but three or four, and
had become careless, when, on heaving one over, my heels were thrown
up, and before I could recover myself I slid down the remainder of
the ledge and was precipitated down below, a distance of more than
thirty feet. I must have remained there many hours insensible, but at
last I recovered and found myself lying on the faggots which I had
thrown down. It was my falling on the faggots, instead of the hard
rock, which had saved my life. I rose as soon as I could collect my
scattered senses. I felt very sore and very much shaken, and the
blood was running out of my mouth, but there were no bones broken. I
was, however, too ill to attempt anything more that day. I walked
home at a very slow pace and went to bed. A sound sleep restored me,
and in a day or two I was quite recovered. I watered my plants, which
I found drooping, as if they had grieved at my being so long away
from them, and then I returned to where my faggots had been left; and
to lighten my labour I resolved to carry them down to the bathing-pool
and stack them up there on the rocks near to it. I mention this
for reasons that the reader will comprehend bye-and-bye. This
occupied me two days, for I was not inclined, after my fall, to work
hard; and very glad was I when the labour was over.

The young birds were now hatched, but I had to wait four or five
weeks before they were fit to be taken. I began again to find
solitude tedious. The flowers in my garden had all bloomed and
withered, and there was not so much to interest me. I recommenced
reading the Bible, and the narratives in the Old and New Testaments
again afforded me pleasure. I hardly need say to the reader that I
read the Bible as I would have read any other book--for amusement,
and not for instruction. I had learnt little from Jackson--indeed, as
regards the true nature of the Christian religion, I may say, nothing
at all. I do not believe that he knew anything about it himself. It
is true that the precepts in the New Testament struck me, and that I
was more interested about Our Saviour than anybody else; but I could
not comprehend him, or his mission. In short, I read in darkness; and
I may say that I almost knew the Bible by heart without understanding
it.--How could I? How many thousands are there who do the same,
without having an excuse to offer for their blindness!

At last the time for taking the birds arrived, and I had then
sufficient employment to keep me from being melancholy. I collected
quite as many as we had done when Jackson and I had to be provided
for; and with my new knives my labour was comparatively easy. As soon
as I had completed my provision, I went back to take the young birds
which already I had selected and left for that purpose. It was high
time, for I found that when I went to take them they were ready to
fly. However, after a good battle with the old birds (for I had taken
six young ones--two from each nest, which arrayed a force of six old
ones against me, who fought very valiantly in defence of their
offspring), I succeeded in carrying them off, but followed by the old
birds, who now screamed and darted close to me as they came pursuing
me to the cabin. As soon as I got safe back, I took the young birds
into the cabin, tying each of them by the leg with a piece of fishing
line, and the other end of the line I fastened to some pieces of rock
which I had collected ready on the platform outside of the cabin. The
old birds continued to persecute me till it was dark, and then they
went away, and I, tired with my day's labour, was not sorry to go to
sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I found the old birds on the
platform, in company with the young ones, I presume trying to
persuade them to fly away with them; but the lines on their legs
prevented that. They did not leave at my approach for some little
while; at last they all took wing, and went off to sea; but in the
course of a few minutes they returned with some small fish in their
mouths, with which they fed their young ones. They continued to do
this for the two following days, when there was a general break up,
announcing the departure of the main body, which, after much soaring
and wheeling in the air, flew off in a northerly direction. The six
parent birds, who were with their young ones at the cabin, appeared
for some time very uneasy, flying round and round and screaming
wildly; at last they soared in the air with loud shrieks, and flew
away after the main body, which was still in sight--their love for
their young overpowered by their instinctive habits. I was not sorry
when they were gone, as I wanted to have my new family all to myself.
I went down to the rocks and caught a fish, which was large enough to
supply them for three or four days. I fed them with the inside of the
fish, and they ate it very heartily. For several days they appeared
very uneasy; but gradually they settled, and not only appeared to
know me, but to welcome my coming, which was to me a source of great
pleasure.

I now neglected my flowers for the birds, which were the more
animated of the two; and I sat down for hours on the platform with my
six companions, who I must own were not over-lively and intelligent,
but they were alive, and had eyes. They seldom roused up, unless I
brought them fish, of which they had a supply four times a day, and
then they would stand on their legs and open their beaks far apart,
each waiting for its share. They were a great happiness to me, and I
watched their gradual increase of plumage and of size, which was very
rapid. I gave them all names out of my Natural History book. One was
Lion, then Tiger, Panther, Bear, Horse, and Jackass (at the time that
I named them, the last would have been very appropriate to them all);
and as I always called them by their names as I fed them, I soon
found, to my great joy, that they knew them well enough. This
delighted me. I read my books to them by way of amusement; I sang my
songs to them; I talked to them; I would even narrate the various
histories out of the Bible to them, such as that of Joseph and his
brethren, &c., and the stolid air with which the communications were
received made me almost imagine they were listened to.

After a time, I took the line off the legs of two of them, with the
precaution of first cutting their wings, and these two became much
more lively, following me into the cabin and generally staying there
during the night. As I found that no attempt was made to escape, I
let them all loose, after having cut their wings, and they all
behaved equally well with the two first to which I had given their
liberty.

The perfect obedience and good behaviour of my new companions again
gave me leisure that was not altogether desirable, as it left a
vacuum to fill up. But I returned to my garden. I could do no more at
present but water my plants and look at the increased daily growth of
the climbers, as they now boldly ascended the sides of the cabin; but
I thought it was high time to go up into the ravine and about the
island, to see if I could not add to my collection.

One morning I set off up the ravine. I was not successful, so I
contented myself with carrying, by the long road, those faggots which
I had left behind me on the day when I fell over the precipice. This
labour I finished, and then returned to the cabin, where I was met by
my birds with half-extended wings and open mouths, as if they were
very glad to see me, and very hungry into the bargain. I ought to
observe that my birds appeared now to separate into pairs, male and
female, as their difference of plumage denoted. Lion and Horse were
always side by side, as were Jackass and Bear, and Tiger and Panther.
I now fed them one by one, calling them by name, to which they
immediately responded, and if anyone came who was not called, it was
switched for its trouble.

The next morning I set off on another voyage of discovery after
plants, and this time I resolved upon trying what I could find among
the crevices of the rocks, for I had seen at a distance what appeared
to me to be a very pretty flower on the ledge of one of the clefts. I
did not go up the ravine this time, but commenced climbing the rocks
behind where the cabin was built. It was hard work, but I was not
easily discouraged, and after a couple of hours I arrived at a level
which I had in view when I commenced my labour, and here I was amply
rewarded, for I found several plants quite new to me, and a variety
of ferns, which I thought very beautiful, although they had no
flowers. The scene, from where I stood, was awful and beautiful. I
looked down upon the rocks below, and the cabin, which appeared very
small, and I thought that I could see my birds like dots upon the
platform. It was a bright day and smooth water, I could clearly
distinguish the other islands in the distance, and I thought that I
saw something like a white speck close to them--perhaps it was a
vessel. This made me melancholy, and I could not help asking myself
whether I was to remain all my life upon the island, alone, or if
there were any chance of my ever being taken off it. As I looked down
upon the cabin, I was surprised at the steepness of the rocks which I
had climbed, and felt alarmed, as if I never should be able to get
back again. But these thoughts were soon chased away. I turned from
the seaward, and looked inland. I found that on one side of me there
was a chasm between the rocks, the bottom of which was so far down
that I could not see it; and on the other side the rock rose up as
straight as a wall. My attention was soon diverted by discovering
another plant, and I now commenced my task of digging them all up. I
obtained, with the ferns, about twenty new varieties, which I made up
in a bundle ready for carrying down slung round my neck, for I knew
that I should require both hands to descend with. Then I sat down to
rest myself a little before I commenced my return, and after I had
been seated a few minutes, I thought I would sing a song by way of
amusement.




Chapter XVI


I have before said that, tired of repeating the words of the songs
which Jackson had taught me, I had taken those of Psalms in metre, at
the end of the Prayer-book, by way of variety; and, as far as metre
went, they answered very well, although people would have been
surprised to have heard Psalms sung to such quick and varied measure.
The Psalm I chose this time was the first--"How blest is he who ne'er
consents;" and I began accordingly; but when I came to the end of the
line, to my astonishment I heard a plaintive voice, at a distance,
repeat after me "con-sents." I looked round. I thought I must have
been deceived, so I continued--"By ill advice to walk." This time I
could not be mistaken--"to walk" was repeated by the same voice as
plainly as possible. I stopped singing, lost in wonder. There must be
somebody on the island as well as myself, thought I; for I never had
heard an echo before, except when it thundered, and such echoes I had
put down as a portion of the thunder. "Who's there?" cried I. "Who's
there?" replied the voice. "It's me!" "It's me!" was the answer. I
did not know what to make of it. I cried out again and again, and
again and again I heard what I said repeated, but no answer to my
questions. I thought I was insulted by somebody, and yet, when I
listened, the voice that spoke came from the face of the rock on the
other side of the chasm, and no one could be there without my seeing
them. This made me think that I was mistaken, and that there could
not be anybody, but still I could not solve the mystery. At last I
became frightened, and as the sun was now setting, I determined to
get back to the cabin. I did so, and went down much faster than I had
gone up, for as it grew dark I became the more alarmed. The only
thing that re-assured me was the softness and plaintiveness of the
voice--not like Jackson's, but as of someone who would not think of
injuring me.

Although I was, generally speaking, quiet and content with my
isolated position, yet it was only when I was employed or amused with
my favourites. At times, I could not find anything to do, and was
overcome by weariness. I would then throw away my books, and remain
for hours thinking upon the probability of my ever again seeing a
fellow creature; and a fit of melancholy would come over me, which
would last many days. I was in one of these moods, when it occurred
to me, that, although I had seen the other side of the island from
the summit, I had not gone down to the beach to explore it; and I
resolved that I would do so, making a trip of three or four days.
When my knives had become blunt, Jackson had told me how to sharpen
them, by rubbing the blades upon a hard flat piece of rock, wetted
with water. This I had found to answer very well, and I now
determined I would try and sharpen one of the old axes in the same
way, so as to make it serviceable, for I was very much afraid of
breaking my knives in cutting down the brushwood, and I knew how much
more rapidly it could be done with an axe. I picked out a large
stone, suitable for the purpose, and with a kid of water at hand, I
set-to to sharpen the axe. It was a long job, but in a day or two I
had succeeded admirably, and the axe was in good order. I then
thought how I could leave my birds for so many days, as they would
require food. At last, I considered that if I caught two large fish
and cut them up, they would be sufficient for their sustenance. I did
so, and provided with a packet of dried birds for food, tied up in a
duck frock, with my Natural History book for amusement, a pannikin to
get water in, my axe on my shoulder, and my knives by my side--I
first kissed all the birds, and told them to remain quiet and good
till I came back--I set off on a bright clear morning on my tour of
examination.

In a couple of hours I had gained the summit of the island, and
prepared for my descent, by sitting down and eating my dinner. I
observed that, as before, the water on the other side of the island
was quite smooth, compared to what it was on the side where I
resided. It was, in fact, from the prevailing winds during the year,
the lee side of the island. Having rested myself sufficiently, I
commenced my descent, which I accomplished in little less time than
it took me to ascend from the other side. As I neared the rocks by
the shore, I thought I perceived something occasionally moving about
on them. I was not mistaken, for as I came closer, I found that there
were several large animals lying on the rocks, and occasionally
dropping into the sea close to them.

The sight of anything living was to me of great interest. I
determined to get nearer, and ascertain what animals they were. At
last, by creeping along from rock to rock, I arrived to within forty
yards of them. I recollected some animals of the same shape in my
book of Natural History, which, fortunately, I had with me in the
duck frock, and sitting down behind the rock, I pulled it out, and
turned over the pages until I came to a print which exactly answered
to their appearance. It was the Seal. Having satisfied myself on that
point, I read the history of the animal, and found that it was easily
tamed, and very affectionate when taken young, and also might be
easily killed by a blow on the nose. These, at least, were for me the
two most important pieces of information. It occurred to me that it
would be very pleasant to have a young seal for a playmate (for the
Gannets, after all, were not very intelligent), and I resolved to
obtain one if I could. I put down my duck frock with my provisions
behind the rock, and taking my axe in my hand, I cautiously advanced
to where the animals lay. There were about twenty of them all
together on one rock, but they were all large, and seemed to be about
five or six feet long. I could not see a small one anywhere, so I
walked in behind the rocks farther to the right, towards another
rock, where I saw another batch of them lying. As I neared them, I
saw by herself a seal with a young one by her side, not more than two
feet long. This was what I wanted. They lay at some distance from the
water, upon a low rock. I watched them for some time, and was much
amused at the prattling which passed between the old and the young
one. I thought that to obtain the young one, I must of course kill
the old one, for I perceived that it had large teeth. I considered it
advisable to get between them and the water, that they might not
escape me, and I contrived so to do before I made my appearance. As
soon as the old one perceived me running to them, it gave a shrill
cry, and then floundered towards the water; as we came close
together, it showed its teeth, and rose upon its flappers to defend
itself and its young one, which kept close to its side; but a blow on
its nose with the axe rendered it motionless, and apparently dead.
Delighted with my success, I seized hold of the young one and took it
in my arms, and was carrying it away, when I found myself confronted
with the male seal, which, alarmed by the cry of the female, had come
to her assistance. It was much larger than the female, with more
shaggy hair about the neck and shoulders, and apparently very fierce.
I could not pass it, as it was in shore of me, and I had just time to
drop the young seal, and leap behind a rock on one side, with my axe
all ready. The animal reared itself on the rock to pass over to me,
when I saluted it with a blow on the head, which staggered it. I had
lost my presence of mind by the creature coming upon me so
unexpectedly, and my blow was not well aimed, but before it could
recover the first blow, another on its nose tumbled it over, to all
appearance lifeless. I then hastened to gain the other side of the
rock, where I had left the young seal, and found that it had crept to
its mother's body, and was fondling it. I took it in my arms, and
retreated to where I had left my duck frock, and throwing everything
else out, I put the animal in, and tied up the end, so that it could
not escape. I then sat down to recover myself from the excitement
occasioned by this first engagement I had ever been in, quite
delighted with my newly-acquired treasure.

I then thought what I should do. It was now within an hour of dark,
and was too late to return to the other side of the island, or I
would have done so, as I was anxious to get my seal home. At last I
decided that I would go farther from the beach, and take up my
quarters for the night. I collected my provision, and with my seal
under my arm, I walked away about one hundred yards from the water's
edge, and took up a position under a large rock; here I ate my
supper, and then untied the line which closed up the frock, and had a
parting look at my little friend before I went to sleep. He had
struggled a good deal at first, but was now quiet, although he
occasionally made attempts to bite me. I coaxed him and fondled him a
good deal, and then put him into his bag again, and made him secure,
which appeared to annoy him very much, as he was not half as quiet in
a bag as he was when I held him in my lap. I then took my book to
read over again the history of the seal, and I found that their skins
were valuable, and also that they gave a great deal of oil, but I had
no use for oil, though I thought that their skins might be very
comfortable in my bed-place. I shut my book and lay down to sleep,
but I could not obtain any till near daylight, I had been so excited,
and was so anxious about my treasure. The sun shining in my eyes woke
me up; I found my seal was lying very quiet; I touched him to see
that he was not dead, and the cry that he gave assured me to the
contrary. I then walked back to where I had left the bodies of the
parents. I found on examination that they were both dead, and also
that their furs were very beautiful, and I resolved that I would have
their skins. But here was a difficulty. If I took off the skins, I
could not carry them with me, and I was anxious to get the young one
home, lest it should die of hunger, so I decided that I would first
take home the young one, give it food and warm it, and then return
and skin the old ones.

I therefore made my breakfast, and leaving the remainder of my
provision in a cleft in the rock, that I might not have the trouble
of bringing it again, I set off on my return, and used such diligence
that I was back at the cabin by noon. I found my birds all well, and
apparently quite satisfied with the provision that I had left them,
for they were most of them asleep, and those that were awake did not
notice my arrival.

"Ah," thought I, "you only like me for what I give you; next time I
go away I will leave you hungry, and then when you see me come back,
you will all flutter your wings with gladness."

I was puzzled where to put my seal so as to keep him safe: at last I
decided upon opening the seaman's chest and putting him in that. I
did so, and gave him a piece of fish which the birds had not eaten.
The little creature devoured it eagerly, and I took my lines and went
down to catch some fish for a further supply. In half an hour I
returned with two large fish, and I then took the seal out of the
chest and fed him again. He ate very heartily; and I was glad to
perceive that he appeared much tamer already. I threw some of the
insides of the fish to the birds, who were now become of very
inferior interest to me. Having fed my animals, I then thought of
myself, and, as I took my meal, I arranged that the next morning I
would go over to the other side of the island, skin the two seals,
and spread out the skins on the rocks to dry, and would leave them
there till I had a better opportunity of bringing them to the cabin;
at present I could not be away from my new acquaintance, which I
wished to make tame and fond of me. Having fed him again in the
morning, I put down the lid of the chest, and then started for the
lee side of the island.




Chapter XVII


I arrived early, skinned both the seals, and dragged the skins up
from the water-side, though with difficulty, especially that of the
large one, to the rock where I had taken up my quarters the night
before. Here I spread them out to dry, putting large pieces of rock
upon the edges, that they might not be blown away. It was nearly dusk
when I had finished, but I set off, and an hour after dark arrived at
the cabin; for now that I knew my way so well, I got over the ground
twice as fast as I did before. I crawled into my bed-place in the
dark, and slept soundly after my fatigue. I awoke the next morning
with the plaintive cry of my seal in the chest, and I hastened to get
some fish to feed him with. I took him out and fed him; and was
astonished how tame the little animal had become already. He remained
very quietly with me after he had been fed, nestling close to my
side, as if I had been his mother, and even making a half attempt to
follow me when I left him.

My birds appeared very dull and stupid, and I observed also that
they were very dirty, and always rushed to the kid when it was full
of water, trying to get into it. This made me think that they
required bathing in salt water, and I took one down to the bathing-pool,
with a long line to its leg, and put it in. The manner in which
the poor creature floundered, and dipped and washed itself, for
several minutes, proved my supposition correct; so, after allowing it
half an hour for its recreation, I took it back, and went down with
the others until they had all indulged in the luxury of a bath; and
from that time, as I took them down almost every day, it was
astonishing how much brighter and sleeker their plumage became.