Part 1 - Dropped from the Clouds: Chapter 6

by Jules Verne

　　The inventory of the articles possessed by these castaways from the clouds,thrown upon a coast which appeared to be uninhabited, was soon made out.They had nothing, save the clothes which they were wearing at the time ofthe catastrophe. We must mention, however, a note-book and a watch whichGideon Spilett had kept, doubtless by inadvertence, not a weapon, not atool, not even a pocket-knife; for while in the car they had thrown outeverything to lighten the balloon. The imaginary heroes of Daniel Defoe orof Wyss, as well as Selkirk and Raynal shipwrecked on Juan Fernandez and onthe archipelago of the Aucklands, were never in such absolute destitution.Either they had abundant resources from their stranded vessels, in grain,cattle, tools, ammunition, or else some things were thrown up on the coastwhich supplied them with all the first necessities of life. But here, notany instrument whatever, not a utensil. From nothing they must supplythemselves with everything.

　　And yet, if Cyrus Harding had been with them, if the engineer could havebrought his practical science, his inventive mind to bear on theirsituation, perhaps all hope would not have been lost. Alas! they must hopeno longer again to see Cyrus Harding. The castaways could expect nothingbut from themselves and from that Providence which never abandons thosewhose faith is sincere.

　　But ought they to establish themselves on this part of the coast, withouttrying to know to what continent it belonged, if it was inhabited, or ifthey were on the shore of a desert island?

　　It was an important question, and should be solved with the shortestpossible delay. From its answer they would know what measures to take.However, according to Pencroft's advice, it appeared best to wait a fewdays before commencing an exploration. They must, in fact, prepare someprovisions and procure more strengthening food than eggs and molluscs. Theexplorers, before undertaking new fatigues, must first of all recruit theirstrength.

　　The Chimneys offered a retreat sufficient for the present. The fire waslighted, and it was easy to preserve some embers. There were plenty ofshell-fish and eggs among the rocks and on the beach. It would be easy tokill a few of the pigeons which were flying by hundreds about the summit ofthe plateau, either with sticks or stones. Perhaps the trees of theneighboring forest would supply them with eatable fruit. Lastly, the sweetwater was there.

　　It was accordingly settled that for a few days they would remain at theChimneys so as to prepare themselves for an expedition, either along theshore or into the interior of the country. This plan suited Nebparticularly. As obstinate in his ideas as in his presentiments, he was inno haste to abandon this part of the coast, the scene of the catastrophe.He did not, he would not believe in the loss of Cyrus Harding. No, it didnot seem to him possible that such a man had ended in this vulgar fashion,carried away by a wave, drowned in the floods, a few hundred feet from ashore. As long as the waves had not cast up the body of the engineer, aslong as he, Neb, had not seen with his eyes, touched with his hands thecorpse of his master, he would not believe in his death! And this idearooted itself deeper than ever in his determined heart. An illusionperhaps, but still an illusion to be respected, and one which the sailordid not wish to destroy. As for him, he hoped no longer, but there was nouse in arguing with Neb. He was like the dog who will not leave the placewhere his master is buried, and his grief was such that most probably hewould not survive him.

　　This same morning, the 26th of March, at daybreak, Neb had set out on theshore in a northerly direction, and he had returned to the spot where thesea, no doubt, had closed over the unfortunate Harding.

　　That day's breakfast was composed solely of pigeon's eggs and lithodomes.Herbert had found some salt deposited by evaporation in the hollows of therocks, and this mineral was very welcome.

　　The repast ended, Pencroft asked the reporter if he wished to accompanyHerbert and himself to the forest, where they were going to try to hunt.But on consideration, it was thought necessary that someone should remainto keep in the fire, and to be at hand in the highly improbable event ofNeb requiring aid. The reporter accordingly remained behind.

　　"To the chase, Herbert," said the sailor. "We shall find ammunition onour way, and cut our weapons in the forest." But at the moment of starting,Herbert observed, that since they had no tinder, it would perhaps beprudent to replace it by another substance.

　　"What?" asked Pencroft.

　　"Burnt linen," replied the boy. "That could in case of need serve fortinder."

　　The sailor thought it very sensible advice. Only it had the inconvenienceof necessitating the sacrifice of a piece of handkerchief. Notwithstanding,the thing was well worth while trying, and a part of Pencroft's largechecked handkerchief was soon reduced to the state of a half-burnt rag.This inflammable material was placed in the central chamber at the bottomof a little cavity in the rock, sheltered from all wind and damp.

　　It was nine o'clock in the morning. The weather was threatening and thebreeze blew from the southeast. Herbert and Pencroft turned the angle ofthe Chimneys, not without having cast a look at the smoke which, just atthat place, curled round a point of rock: they ascended the left bank ofthe river.

　　Arrived at the forest, Pencroft broke from the first tree two stoutbranches which he transformed into clubs, the ends of which Herbert rubbedsmooth on a rock. Oh! what would they not have given for a knife!

　　The two hunters now advanced among the long grass, following the bank.From the turning which directed its course to the southwest, the rivernarrowed gradually and the channel lay between high banks, over which thetrees formed a double arch. Pencroft, lest they should lose themselves,resolved to follow the course of the stream, which would always lead themback to the point from which they started. But the bank was not withoutsome obstacles: here, the flexible branches of the trees bent level withthe current; there, creepers and thorns which they had to break down withtheir sticks. Herbert often glided among the broken stumps with the agilityof a young cat, and disappeared in the underwood. But Pencroft called himback directly, begging him not to wander away. Meanwhile, the sailorattentively observed the disposition and nature of the surroundingcountry. On the left bank, the ground, which was flat and marshy, roseimperceptibly towards the interior. It looked there like a network ofliquid threads which doubtless reached the river by some underground drain.Sometimes a stream ran through the underwood, which they crossed withoutdifficulty. The opposite shore appeared to be more uneven, and the valleyof which the river occupied the bottom was more clearly visible. The hill,covered with trees disposed in terraces, intercepted the view. On the rightbank walking would have been difficult, for the declivities fell suddenly,and the trees bending over the water were only sustained by the strengthof their roots.

　　It is needless to add that this forest, as well as the coast alreadysurveyed, was destitute of any sign of human life. Pencroft only saw tracesof quadrupeds, fresh footprints of animals, of which he could not recognizethe species. In all probability, and such was also Herbert's opinion, somehad been left by formidable wild beasts which doubtless would give themsome trouble; but nowhere did they observe the mark of an axe on the trees,nor the ashes of a fire, nor the impression of a human foot. On this theymight probably congratulate themselves, for on any land in the middle ofthe Pacific the presence of man was perhaps more to be feared than desired.Herbert and Pencroft speaking little, for the difficulties of the way weregreat, advanced very slowly, and after walking for an hour they hadscarcely gone more than a mile. As yet the hunt had not been successful.However, some birds sang and fluttered in the foliage, and appeared verytimid, as if man had inspired them with an instinctive fear. Among others,Herbert described, in a marshy part of the forest, a bird with a longpointed beak, closely resembling the king-fisher, but its plumage was notfine, though of a metallic brilliancy.

　　"That must be a jacamar," said Herbert, trying to get nearer.

　　"This will be a good opportunity to taste jacamar," replied the sailor,"if that fellow is in a humor to be roasted!"

　　Just then, a stone cleverly thrown by the boy, struck the creature on thewing, but the blow did not disable it, and the jacamar ran off anddisappeared in an instant.

　　"How clumsy I am!" cried Herbert.

　　"No, no, my boy!" replied the sailor. "The blow was well aimed; many aone would have missed it altogether! Come, don't be vexed with yourself. Weshall catch it another day!"

　　As the hunters advanced, the trees were found to be more scattered, manybeing magnificent, but none bore eatable fruit. Pencroft searched in vainfor some of those precious palm-trees which am employed in so many ways indomestic life, and which have been found as far as the fortieth parallel inthe Northern Hemisphere, and to the thirty-filth only in the SouthernHemisphere. But this forest was only composed of coniferae, such asdeodaras, already recognized by Herbert, and Douglas pine, similar to thosewhich grow on the northwest coast of America, and splendid firs, measuringa hundred and fifty feet in height.

　　At this moment a flock of birds, of a small size and pretty plumage, withlong glancing tails, dispersed themselves among the branches strewing theirfeathers, which covered the ground as with fine down. Herbert picked up afew of these feathers, and after having examined them,--

　　"These are couroucous," said he.

　　"I should prefer a moor-cock or guinea-fowl," replied Pencroft, "still,if they are good to eat--"

　　"They are good to eat, and also their flesh is very delicate," repliedHerbert. "Besides, if I don't mistake, it is easy to approach and kill themwith a stick."

　　The sailor and the lad, creeping among the grass, arrived at the foot ofa tree, whose lower branches were covered with little birds. The couroucouswere waiting the passage of insects which served for their nourishment.Their feathery feet could be seen clasping the slender twigs whichsupported them.

　　The hunters then rose, and using their sticks like scythes, they moweddown whole rows of these couroucous, who never thought of flying away, andstupidly allowed themselves to be knocked off. A hundred were alreadyheaped on the ground, before the others made up their minds to fly.

　　"Well," said Pencroft, "here is game, which is quite within the reach ofhunters like us. We have only to put out our hands and take it!"

　　The sailor having strung the couroucous like larks on flexible twigs,they then continued their exploration. The stream here made a bend towardsthe south, but this detour was probably not prolonged for the river musthave its source in the mountain, and be supplied by the melting of the snowwhich covered the sides of the central cone.

　　The particular object of their expedition was, as has been said, toprocure the greatest possible quantity of game for the inhabitants of theChimneys. It must be acknowledged that as yet this object had not beenattained. So the sailor actively pursued his researches, though heexclaimed, when some animal which he had not even time to recognize fledinto the long grass, "If only we had had the dog Top!" But Top haddisappeared at the same time as his master, and had probably perished withhim.

　　Towards three o'clock new flocks of birds were seen through certaintrees, at whose aromatic berries they were pecking, those of the juniper-tree among others. Suddenly a loud trumpet call resounded through theforest. This strange and sonorous cry was produced by a game bird calledgrouse in the United States. They soon saw several couples, whose plumagewas rich chestnut-brown mottled with dark brown, and tail of the samecolor. Herbert recognized the males by the two wing-like appendages raisedon the neck. Pencroft determined to get hold of at least one of thesegallinaceae, which were as large as a fowl, and whose flesh is better thanthat of a pullet. But it was difficult, for they would not allow themselvesto be approached. After several fruitless attempts, which resulted innothing but scaring the grouse, the sailor said to the lad,--

　　"Decidedly, since we can't kill them on the wing, we must try to takethem with a line."

　　"Like a fish?" cried Herbert, much surprised at the proposal.

　　"Like a fish," replied the sailor quite seriously. Pencroft had foundamong the grass half a dozen grouse nests, each having three or four eggs.He took great care not to touch these nests, to which their proprietorswould not fail to return. It was around these that he meant to stretch hislines, not snares, but real fishing-lines. He took Herbert to some distancefrom the nests, and there prepared his singular apparatus with all the carewhich a disciple of Izaak Walton would have used. Herbert watched the workwith great interest, though rather doubting its success. The lines weremade of fine creepers, fastened one to the other, of the length of fifteenor twenty feet. Thick, strong thorns, the points bent back (which weresupplied from a dwarf acacia bush) were fastened to the ends of thecreepers, by way of hooks. Large red worms, which were crawling on theground, furnished bait.

　　This done, Pencroft, passing among the grass and concealing himselfskillfully, placed the end of his lines armed with hooks near the grousenests; then he returned, took the other ends and hid with Herbert behind alarge tree. There they both waited patiently; though, it must be said, thatHerbert did not reckon much on the success of the inventive Pencroft.

　　A whole half-hour passed, but then, as the sailor had surmised, severalcouple of grouse returned to their nests. They walked along, pecking theground, and not suspecting in any way the presence of the hunters, who,besides, had taken care to place themselves to leeward of the gallinaceae.

　　The lad felt at this moment highly interested. He held his breath, andPencroft, his eyes staring, his mouth open, his lips advanced, as if aboutto taste a piece of grouse, scarcely breathed.

　　Meanwhile, the birds walked about the hooks, without taking any notice ofthem. Pencroft then gave little tugs which moved the bait as if the wormshad been still alive.

　　The sailor undoubtedly felt much greater anxiety than does the fisherman,for he does not see his prey coming through the water. The jerks attractedthe attention of the gallinaceae, and they attacked the hooks with theirbeaks. Three voracious grouse swallowed at the same moment bait and hook.Suddenly with a smart jerk, Pencroft "struck" his line, and a flapping ofwings showed that the birds were taken.

　　"Hurrah!" he cried, rushing towards the game, of which he made himselfmaster in an instant.

　　Herbert clapped his hands. It was the first time that he had ever seenbirds taken with a line, but the sailor modestly confessed that it was nothis first attempt, and that besides he could not claim the merit ofinvention.

　　"And at any rate," added he, "situated as we are, we must hope to hitupon many other contrivances."

　　The grouse were fastened by their claws, and Pencroft, delighted at nothaving to appear before their companions with empty hands, and observingthat the day had begun to decline, judged it best to return to theirdwelling.

　　The direction was indicated by the river, whose course they had only tofollow, and, towards six o'clock, tired enough with their excursion,Herbert and Pencroft arrived at the Chimneys.