Books: The Little Savage
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Captain Marryat >> The Little Savage
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I remained a week in the cabin, taming my seal, which now was quite
fond of me; and one night, as I was going to bed, he crawled into my
bed-place, and from that time he was my bed-fellow. At the end of a
week I went over to the other side of the island, and contrived to
carry up the two skins to the summit. It was a hard day's work. The
day afterwards I conveyed them to the cabin, and, as they were quite
dry, I put them into my bed-place to lie down upon, as I did not like
the smell of the birds' feathers, although I had so long been
accustomed to them.
And now, what with my seal, my birds, and my garden, and the
occupation they gave me, the time passed quickly away, until, by my
reckoning, it was nearly the period for the birds to come again. I
observed, as the time drew near, that my birds were uneasy. They had
paired, as I mentioned before, and when their plumage was complete,
it was evident that they had paired male and female, as I had
supposed. They had not been tethered for a long while, and appeared
to me now very much inclined to fly, especially the male birds. At
first I thought that I would cut all their wings, as I was fearful
that they would join the other birds on their arrival, but observing
that they were so fond of their mates, I resolved to cut the wing of
the females only, as I did not think that the male birds would leave
them. I did so, and took my chance; for since I had the seal for a
companion, I did not care so much for the birds as before. At last
the birds came, and took possession of the guano-ground as usual, and
I went for fresh eggs; at the same time I found that my females were
scratching, as if they would make their nests, and a few days
afterwards they began to lay. I then thought that as soon as they had
young ones they would wish to go away, so I took the eggs that were
laid, to prevent them, but I found that as fast as I took away the
eggs they laid more, and this they did for nearly two months,
supplying me with fresh eggs long after the wild birds had hatched,
and left the island. The male birds, at the time that the females
first laid their eggs, tried their wings in short flights in circles,
and then flew away out to sea. I thought that they were gone, but I
was deceived, for they returned in about a quarter of an hour, each
with a fish in its beak, which they laid down before their mates. I
was much pleased at this, and I resolved that in future they should
supply their own food, which they did; and not their own food only,
but enough for the seal and me also when the weather was fine, but
when it was rough, they could not obtain any, and then I was obliged
to feed them. The way I obtained from them the extra supply of fish
was, that when they first went out, I seized, on their return, the
fish which they brought, and as often as I did this they would go for
more, until the females were fed.
But I had one difficulty to contend with, which was, that at the
time the birds could not obtain fish, which was when the weather was
rough, I could not either, as they would not take the bait. After
some cogitation, I decided that I would divide a portion of the
bathing-pool farthest from the shore, by a wall of loose rock which
the water could flow through, but which the fish could not get out
of, and that I would catch fish in the fine weather to feed the seal
and the birds when the weather was rough and bad. As soon as I had
finished curing my stock of provisions and got it safely housed in
the cabin, I set to work to make this wall, which did not take me a
very long while, as the water was not more than two feet deep, and
the pool about ten yards across. As soon as it was finished, I went
out every day, when it was fine, and caught as many fish as I thought
I might require, and put them into this portion of the bathing-pool.
I found the plan answer well, as the fish lived, but I had great
difficulty in getting them out when I wanted them, for they would not
take the bait.
As my birds were no longer a trouble to me, but rather, on the
contrary, a profit, I devoted my whole time to my seal. I required a
name for him, and reading in the book of Natural History that a
certain lion was called Nero, I thought it a very good name for a
seal, and bestowed it on him accordingly, although what Nero meant I
had no idea of. The animal was now so tame that he would cry if ever
I left him, and would follow me as far as he could down the rocks,
but there was one part of the path leading to the bathing-pool which
was too difficult for him, and there he would remain crying till I
came back. I had more than once taken him down to the bathing-pool to
wash him, and he was much pleased when I did. I now resolved that I
would clear the path of the rocks, that he might be able to follow me
down the whole way, for he had grown so much that I found him too
heavy to carry. It occupied me a week before I could roll away and
remove the smaller rocks, and knock off others with the axe, but I
finished it at last, and was pleased to find that the animal followed
me right down and plunged into the water. He had not been down since
I had made the wall of rock to keep the fish in, and as soon as he
was in, he dived and came out with one of the fish, which he brought
to land. "So now," thought I, "I shall know how to get the fish when
I want them--I shall bring you down, Nero." I may as well here
observe that Nero very soon obeyed orders as faithfully as a dog. I
had a little switch, and when he did wrong, I would give him a slight
tap on the nose. He would shake his head, show his teeth, and growl,
and then come fondly to me. As he used to follow me every day down to
the pool, I had to break him off going after the fish when I did not
want them taken, and this I accomplished. No one who had not
witnessed it, could imagine the affection and docility of this
animal, and the love I had for him. He was my companion and playmate
during the day, and my bedfellow at night. We were inseparable.
It was at the latter portion of the second year of my solitude that
a circumstance occurred, that I must now relate. Nero had gone down
to the pool with me, and I was standing fishing off the rocks, when
he came out of the pool and plunged into the sea, playing all sorts
of gambols, and whistling with delight. I did not think anything
about it. He plunged and disappeared for a few minutes, and then
would come up again close to where my line was, but he disturbed the
fish and I could not catch any. To drive him farther off, I pelted
him with pieces of rock, one of which hit him very hard, and he dived
down. After a time I pulled up my line, and whistling to him to
return, although I did not see him, I went away to the cabin, fully
expecting that he would soon follow me, for now he could walk (after
his fashion) from the cabin to the pool as he pleased. This was early
in the morning, and I busied myself with my garden, which was now in
great luxuriance, for I had dressed it with guano; but observing
about noon that he had not returned, I became uneasy, and went down
to the pool to look for him. He was not there, and I looked on the
sea, but could not perceive him anywhere. I called and whistled, but
it was of no use, and I grew very much alarmed at the idea that my
treasure had deserted me. "It could not be because I threw the pieces
of rock at him," thought I; "he would not leave me for that." I
remained for two or three hours, watching for him, but it was all in
vain; there was no seal--no Nero,--my heart sank at the idea of the
animal having deserted me, and for the first time in my life, as far
as I can recollect, I burst into a flood of tears. For the first time
in my life, I may say, I felt truly miserable--my whole heart and
affections were set upon this animal, the companion and friend of my
solitude, and I felt as if existence were a burden without him. After
a while, I retraced my steps to the cabin, but I was miserable, more
so than I can express. I could not rest quiet. Two hours before
sunset, I went down again to the rocks, and called till I was hoarse.
It was all in vain; night closed in, and again I returned to the
cabin, and threw myself down in my bed-place in utter despair.
"I thought he loved me," said I to myself, "loved me as I loved him;
I would not have left him in that way." And my tears burst out anew
at the idea that I never should see my poor Nero again.
The reader may think that my grief was inordinate and unwarrantable,
but let him put himself in my position--a lad of sixteen, alone on a
desolate island, with only one companion--true, he was an animal, and
could not speak, but he was affectionate; he replied to all my
caresses; he was my only companion and friend, the only object that I
loved or cared about. He was intelligent, and I thought loved me as
much as I loved him, and now he had deserted me, and I had nothing
else that I cared about or that cared for me. My tears flowed for
more than an hour, till at last I was wearied and fell asleep.
Chapter XVIII
It was early in the morning, and yet dark, when I felt something
touch me. I started up--a low cry of pleasure told me at once that it
was Nero, who was by my side. Yes, it was Nero, who had come back,
having climbed up again the steep path to the cabin, to return to his
master. Need I say that I was overjoyed, that I hugged him as if he
had been a human being, that I wept over him, and that in a few
minutes afterwards we were asleep together in the same bed-place.
Such was the fact, and never was there in my after life, so great a
transition from grief to joy.
"Oh! now, if you had left me,"--said I to him, the next morning,
when I got up; "you naughty seal, to frighten me and make me so
unhappy as you did!" Nero appeared quite as happy as I was at our
reunion, and was more affectionate than ever.
I must now pass over many months in very few words, just stating to
the reader what my position was at the end of three years, during
which I was alone upon the island. I had now arrived at the age of
near seventeen, and was tall and strong for my years. I had left off
wearing my dress of the skins of birds, having substituted one of the
seaman's shirts, which I had found in the chest. This, however, was
the whole of my costume, and although, had it been longer it would
have been more correct, still, as I had no other companion but Nero,
it was not necessary to be so very particular, as if I had been in
society. During these three years, I think I had read the Bible and
Prayer-book, and my Natural History book, at least five or six times
quite through, and possessing a retentive memory, could almost repeat
them by heart; but still I read the Bible as a sealed book, for I did
not understand it, having had no one to instruct me, nor any grace
bestowed upon me. I read for amusement, and nothing more.
My garden was now in a most flourishing condition, the climbing
plants had overrun the cabin, so as to completely cover the whole of
the roof and every portion of it, and they hung in festoons on each
side of the door-way. Many of the plants which I had taken up small,
when I moved them, had proved to be trees, and were now waving to the
breeze, high above the cabin roof; and everything that I had planted,
from continual watering and guano, had grown most luxuriantly. In
fact, my cabin was so covered and sheltered, that its original form
had totally disappeared, it now looked like an arbour in a clump of
trees, and from the rocks by the bathing-pool it had a very
picturesque appearance.
I had, of course, several times gone up the ravine, and now that my
axe had become useful, I had gradually accumulated a large stock of
wood down by the bathing-pool, more than I could use for a long
while, as I seldom lighted a fire, but the cutting it was employment,
and employment was to me a great source of happiness. I had been
several times to the other side of the island, and had had more
encounters with the seals, of which I killed many, for I found their
skins very comfortable and useful in the cabin. I had collected about
three dozen of the finest skins, which were more than I required, but
I had taken them for the same reason that I had collected the
firewood, for the sake of employment, and in this instance, I may
add, for the sake of the excitement which the combats with the seals
afforded me.
I have not narrated any of these conflicts, as I thought that they
might weary the reader, I must, however, state what occurred on one
occasion, as although ludicrous, it nearly cost me my life. I had
attacked a large male seal, with a splendid fur, for I always looked
out for the best skinned animals. He was lying on a rock close to the
water, and I had gone into the water to cut him off and prevent his
escape by plunging in, as he would otherwise have done; but as I
aimed the usual blow at his nose, my foot slipped on the wet rock,
and I missed the animal, and at the same time fell down on the rock
with the axe in my hand. The animal, which was a male of the largest
size, seized hold of my shirt (which I then wore) with his teeth,
and, plunging with me into the sea, dived down into the deep water.
It was fortunate that he had seized my shirt instead of my body, and
also that I could swim well. He carried me along with him--the shirt,
for a few seconds, drawn over my head, when, disembarrassing myself
of the garment, by slipping my head and arms out, I left it in his
possession, and regained the surface of the water, almost suffocated.
It was fortunate that I did not wear sleeve-buttons; had I had them,
I could not have disengaged myself, and must have perished. I climbed
the rock again, and turning round, I perceived the seal on the
surface, shaking the shirt in great wrath. This was a sad
discomfiture, as I lost not only my shirt but my axe, which I dropped
when I was dragged into the water; nothing was saved except my knife,
which I carried by a lanyard round my neck. Why I mention this
circumstance particularly, is, that having felt great inconvenience
for want of sleeve-buttons to hold the wristbands of my shirt
together, I had thought of making use of those of the mate, which the
reader may recollect had been given with his watch into Jackson's
care, to take home to his wife; but on second consideration I thought
it very possible I might lose them, and decided that the property was
in trust, and that I had no right to risk it. This correct feeling on
my part, therefore, was probably the saving of my life.
I have only now to mention my birds, and of them I can merely say
that they went on as before; they bathed constantly, at the right
season they laid eggs, the male birds caught fish and brought them to
the cabin, and they were just as stupid and uninteresting as they
were at first; however, they never left me, nor indeed shewed any
intention to leave me, after the first season of the birds returning
to the island. They were useful but not very ornamental, and not at
all interesting to one who had such an intelligent companion as Nero.
Having now brought up my history, in a few words, until the time
referred to, I come to the narrative of what occurred to produce a
change in my condition. I have said that in the chest there was a
spy-glass, but it had been wetted with salt-water, and was useless.
Jackson had tried to shew me how to use it, and had shewn me
correctly, but the glasses were dimmed by the wet and subsequent
evaporation from heat. I had taken out all the glasses and cleaned
them, except the field-glass as it is called, but that being composed
of two glasses, the water had penetrated between them, and it still
remained so dull that nothing could be distinguished through it, at
the time that Jackson was shewing me how to use the instrument; it
was therefore put on one side as useless. A year afterwards, I took
it out, from curiosity, and then I discovered that the moisture
between the two glasses had been quite dried up, and that I could see
very clearly through it, and after a little practice I could use it
as well as anybody else. Still I seldom did use it, as my eyesight
was particularly keen, and I did not require it, and as for any
vessel coming off the island, I had gradually given up all thoughts
of it. It was one evening when the weather was very rough and the sea
much agitated, that I thought I saw something unusual on the water,
about four miles distant. I supposed at first it might be a
spermaceti whale, for numbers used to play round the island at
certain seasons, and I used to watch their blowing and their gambols,
if I may use the term, and Jackson often told me long stories about
the whale fisheries; but a ray of the setting sun made the object
appear white, and I ran for the glass, and made out that it was a
boat or a very small vessel, with a sail out, and running before the
gale right down to the island. I watched it till it was dark with
much interest, and with thoughts of various kinds chasing each other;
and then I began to consider what was best to do. I knew that in an
hour the moon would rise, and as the sky was not cloudy, although the
wind and sea were high, I should probably be able to see it again.
"But they never can get on shore on this side of the island," thought
I, "with so much sea. Yes they might, if they ran for the bathing-pool."
After thinking a while, I decided that I would go down to the
bathing-pool, and place lighted faggots on the rocks on each side of
the entrance, as this would shew them where to run for, and how to
get in. I waited a little longer, and then taking my spy-glass and
some tinder with me, I went down to the pool, carried two faggots to
the rocks on each side, and having set them on fire and taken up
others to replace them as soon as they were burnt out, I sat down
with my spy-glass to see if I could make out where the boat might be.
As the moon rose, I descried her now within a mile of the island,
and her head directed towards the beacon lights made by the burning
faggots. I threw another faggot on each and went down for a further
supply. The gale had increased, and the spray now dashed over the
rocks to where the faggots were burning, and threatened to extinguish
them, but I put on more wood and kept up a fierce blaze. In a quarter
of an hour I could distinguish the boat; it was now close to the
island, perhaps three hundred yards distant, steering not directly
for the lights, but more along shore. The fact was that they had
hauled up, not knowing how they could land until they had observed
the two lights clear of each other, and then they understood why they
had been made; and a moment afterwards they bore up right for the
entrance to the bathing-pool, and came rushing on before the rolling
seas. I still trembled for them, as I knew that if the sea receded at
the time that they came to the ledge of rocks at the entrance, the
boat would be dashed to pieces, although their lives might be saved,
but fortunately for them, it was not so--on the contrary, they came
in borne up on a huge wave which carried them clear over the ledge,
right up to the wall of rock which I had made across the pool, and
then the boat grounded.
"Hurrah! well done, that," said a voice from the boat. "Lower away
the sail, my lads; all's right."
The sail was lowered down, and then, by the light of the fire, I
discovered that there were several people in the boat. I had been too
much excited to say anything; indeed, I did not know what to say. I
only felt that I was no more alone, and the reader may imagine my joy
and delight.
Chapter XIX
As soon as the sail was lowered, the men leaped over the sides of
the boat into the water, and waded to the rocks.
"Who are you?" said one of the men, addressing me, "and how many of
you are there here?"
"There is no one on the island but myself," replied I; "but I'm so
glad that you have come."
"Are you? Then perhaps you'll tell us how to get something to eat,
my hearty?" replied he.
"Oh yes, wait a little, and I'll bring you plenty," replied I.
"Well, then, look smart, that's a beauty, for we are hungry enough
to eat you, if you can find us nothing better."
I was about to go up to the cabin for some birds, when another man
called out--
"I say--can you get us any water?"
"Oh yes, plenty," replied I.
"Well then, I say, Jim, hand us the pail out of the boat."
The one addressed did so, and the man put it into my hands, saying,
"Bring us that pail, boy, will you?" I hastened up to the cabin,
filled the pail full of water, and then went for a quantity of dried
birds, with which I hastened down again to the bathing-pool; I found
the men had not been idle, they had taken some faggots off the stack
and made a large fire under the rocks, and were then busy making a
sort of tent with the boat's sails.
"Here's the water, and here's some birds," said I, as I came up to
them.
"Birds! what birds?" said the man who had first spoken to me, and
appeared to have control over the rest. He took one up and examined
it by the light of the fire, exclaiming, "Queer eating, I expect."
"Why, you didn't expect a regular hotel when you landed, did you,
mate?" said one of the men.
"No, if I had, I would have called for a glass of grog," replied he.
"I suspect I might call a long while before I get anyone to bring me
one here."
As I knew that Jackson called the rum by the name of grog, I said,
"There's plenty of grog, if you want any."
"Is there, my hearty,--where?"
"Why, in that cask that's in the water on the other side of your
little ship," replied I. "I can draw you some directly."
"What! in that cask? Grog floating about in salt water, that's too
bad. Come here all of you--You're in earnest, boy--no joking I hope,
or you may repent it."
"I'm not joking," said I--"there it is."
The man, followed by all the rest, excepting one of the party, waded
into the water, and went to the cask of rum.
"Take care," said I, "the spiles are in."
"So I see--never fear, my hearty--come now all of us." So saying,
the whole of them laid hold of the cask by the chains, and lifting it
up, they carried it clean out of the water, and placed it on the
rocks by the side of the pool.
"Hand us the little kid out of the boat, Jim," said the man; "we'll
soon see if it's the right stuff."
He took out the spiles, drew off some of the liquor, and tasting it,
swore it was excellent. It was then handed round, and all the men
took some.
"We're in luck to-night; we're fallen upon our legs," said the first
man. "I say, Jim, put them dried chickens into the pitch-kettle along
with some taters out of the bag--they'll make a good mess; and then
with this cask of grog to go to, we shan't do badly."
"I say, old fellow," said he, turning to me, "you're a regular
trump. Who left you on shore to get all ready for us?"
"I was born here," replied I.
"Born here! well, we'll hear all about that to-morrow--just now,
we'll make up for lost time, for we've had nothing to eat or drink
since Wednesday morning. Look alive, my lads! get up the hurricane-house.
Jim, put the pail of water into the kettle, and send the islander
here for another pailful, for grog."
The pail was handed to me, and I soon returned with it full, and, as
I did not see that they had a pannikin, I brought one down and gave
it to them.
"You're a fine boy," said the mate; (as I afterwards found out that
he was). "And now, I say, where do you hold out? Have you a hut or a
cave to live in?"
"Yes," replied I; "I have a cabin, but it is not large enough for
all of you."
"No, no! we don't want to go there--we are very well where we are,
alongside of the cask of rum, but you see, my lad, we have a woman
here."
"A woman!" said I; "I never saw a woman. Where is she?"
"There she is, sitting by the fire."
I looked round, and perceived that there was one of the party
wrapped up in a blanket, and with a wide straw hat on the head, which
completely concealed the form from me. The fact is, that the woman
looked like a bundle, and remained by the fire quite as inanimate. At
my saying that I never saw a woman, the man burst into a loud laugh.
"Why, did you not say that you were born on the island, boy?" said
the mate at last. "Were you born without a mother?"
"I cannot recollect my mother--she died when I was very young; and
therefore I said, that I had never seen a woman."
"Well, that's explained; but you see, my lad--this is not only a
woman, but a very particular sort of a woman; and it will not do for
her to remain here after we have had our supper--for after supper,
the men may take a drop too much, and not behave themselves; so I
asked you about your cabin, that you might take her there to sleep.
Can you do that?"
"Yes," replied I; "I will take her there, if she wishes to go."
"That's all right then, she'll be better there than here, at all
events. I say, boy, where did you leave your trousers?"
"I never wear any."
"Well then, if you have any, I advise you to put them on, for you
are quite old enough to be breeched."
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