Part 3 - The Secret of the Island: Chapter 5

by Jules Verne

　　So, then, all was explained by the submarine explosion of this torpedo.Cyrus Harding could not be mistaken, as, during the war of the Union, hehad had occasion to try these terrible engines of destruction. It was underthe action of this cylinder, charged with some explosive substance, nitro-glycerine, picrate, or some other material of the same nature, that thewater of the channel had been raised like a dome, the bottom of the brigcrushed in, and she had sunk instantly, the damage done to her hull being soconsiderable that it was impossible to refloat her. The "Speedy" had notbeen able to withstand a torpedo that would have destroyed an ironclad aseasily as a fishing-boat!

　　Yes! all was explained, everything--except the presence of the torpedo inthe waters of the channel!

　　My friends, then," said Cyrus Harding, "we can no longer be in doubt asto the presence of a mysterious being, a castaway like us, perhaps,abandoned on our island, and I say this in order that Ayrton may beacquainted with all the strange events which have occurred during these twoyears. Who this beneficent stranger is, whose intervention has, sofortunately for us, been manifested on many occasions, I cannot imagine.What his object can be in acting thus, in concealing himself afterrendering us so many services, I cannot understand: But his services arenot the less real, and are of such a nature that only a man possessed ofprodigious power, could render them. Ayrton is indebted to him as much aswe are, for, if it was the stranger who saved me from the waves after thefall from the balloon, evidently it was he who wrote the document, whoplaced the bottle in the channel, and who has made known to us thesituation of our companion. I will add that it was he who guided thatchest, provided with everything we wanted, and stranded it on FlotsamPoint; that it was he who lighted that fire on the heights of the island,which permitted you to land; that it was he who fired that bullet found inthe body of the peccary; that it was he who plunged that torpedo into thechannel, which destroyed the brig; in a word, that all those inexplicableevents, for which we could not assign a reason, are due to this mysteriousbeing. Therefore, whoever he may be, whether shipwrecked, or exiled on ourisland, we shall be ungrateful, if we think ourselves freed from gratitudetowards him. We have contracted a debt, and I hope that we shall one daypay it."

　　"You are right in speaking thus, my dear Cyrus," replied Gideon Spilett."Yes, there is an almost all-powerful being, hidden in some part of theisland, and whose influence has been singularly useful to our colony. Iwill add that the unknown appears to possess means of action which borderon the supernatural, if in the events of practical life the supernaturalwere recognizable. Is it he who is in secret communication with us by thewell in Granite House, and has he thus a knowledge of all our plans? Was ithe who threw us that bottle, when the vessel made her first cruise? Was ithe who threw Top out of the lake, and killed the dugong? Was it he, who aseverything leads us to believe, saved you from the waves, and that undercircumstances in which any one else would not have been able to act? If itwas he, he possesses a power which renders him master of the elements."

　　The reporter's reasoning was just, and every one felt it to be so.

　　"Yes," rejoined Cyrus Harding, "if the intervention of a human being isnot more questionable for us, I agree that he has at his disposal means ofaction beyond those possessed by humanity. There is a mystery still, but ifwe discover the man, the mystery will be discovered also. The question,then, is, ought we to respect the incognito of this generous being, orought we to do everything to find him out? What is your opinion on thematter?"

　　"My opinion," said Pencroft, "is that, whoever he may be, he is a braveman, and he has my esteem!"

　　"Be it so," answered Harding, "but that is not an answer, Pencroft."

　　"Master," then said Neb, "my idea is, that we may search as long as welike for this gentleman whom you are talking about, but that we shall notdiscover him till he pleases."

　　"That's not bad, what you say, Neb," observed Pencroft.

　　"I am of Neb's opinion," said Gideon Spilett, "but that is no reason fornot attempting the adventure. Whether we find this mysterious being or not,we shall at least have fulfilled our duty towards him."

　　"And you, my boy, give us your opinion," said the engineer, turning toHerbert.

　　"Oh," cried Herbert, his countenance full of animation, "how I shouldlike to thank him, he who saved you first, and who has now saved us!"

　　"Of course, my boy," replied Pencroft, "so would I and all of us. I amnot inquisitive, but I would give one of my eyes to see this individualface to face! It seems to me that he must be handsome, tall, strong, with asplendid beard, radiant hair, and that he must be seated on clouds, a greatball in his hands!"

　　"But, Pencroft," answered Spilett, "you are describing a picture of theCreator."

　　"Possibly, Mr. Spilett," replied the sailor, "but that is how I imaginehim!"

　　"And you, Ayrton?" asked the engineer.

　　"Captain Harding," replied Ayrton, "I can give you no better advice inthis matter. Whatever you do will be best; when you wish me to join you inyour researches, I am ready to follow you.

　　"I thank you, Ayrton," answered Cyrus Harding, "but I should like a moredirect answer to the question I put to you. You are our companion; you havealready endangered your life several times for us, and you, as well as therest, ought to be consulted in the matter of any important decision. Speak,therefore."

　　"Captain Harding," replied Ayrton, "I think that we ought to doeverything to discover this unknown benefactor. Perhaps he is alone.Perhaps he is suffering. Perhaps he has a life to be renewed. I, too, asyou said, have a debt of gratitude to pay him. It was he, it could be onlyhe who must have come to Tabor Island, who found there the wretch you knew,and who made known to you that there was an unfortunate man there to besaved. Therefore it is, thanks to him, that I have become a man again. No,I will never forget him!"

　　"That is settled, then," said Cyrus Harding. "We will begin ourresearches as soon as possible. We will not leave a corner of the islandunexplored. We will search into its most secret recesses, and will hopethat our unknown friend will pardon us in consideration of our intentions!"

　　For several days the colonists were actively employed in haymaking andthe harvest. Before putting their project of exploring the yet unknownparts of the island into execution, they wished to get all possible workfinished. It was also the time for collecting the various vegetables fromthe Tabor Island plants. All was stowed away, and happily there was no wantof room in Granite House, in which they might have housed all the treasuresof the island. The products of the colony were there, methodicallyarranged, and in a safe place, as may be believed, sheltered as much fromanimals as from man.

　　There was no fear of damp in the middle of that thick mass of granite.Many natural excavations situated in the upper passage were enlarged eitherby pick-axe or mine, and Granite House thus became a general warehouse,containing all the provisions, arms, tools, and spare utensils--in a word,all the stores of the colony.

　　As to the guns obtained from the brig, they were pretty pieces ofordnance, which, at Pencroft's entreaty, were hoisted by means of tackleand pulleys, right up into Granite House; embrasures were made between thewindows, and the shining muzzles of the guns could soon be seen through thegranite cliff. From this height they commanded all Union Bay. It was like alittle Gibraltar, and any vessel anchored off the islet would inevitably beexposed to the fire of this aerial battery.

　　"Captain," said Pencroft one day, it was the 8th of November, "now thatour fortifications are finished, it would be a good thing if we tried therange of our guns."

　　"Do you think that is useful?" asked the engineer.

　　"It is more than useful, it is necessary! Without that how are we to knowto what distance we can send one of those pretty shot with which we areprovided?"

　　"Try them, Pencroft," replied the engineer. "However, I think that inmaking the experiment, we ought to employ, not the ordinary powder, thesupply of which, I think, should remain untouched, but the pyroxyle whichwill never fail us."

　　"Can the cannon support the shock of the pyroxyle?" asked the reporter,who was not less anxious than Pencroft to try the artillery of GraniteHouse.

　　"I believe so. However," added the engineer, "we will be prudent."The engineer was right in thinking that the guns were of excellent make.Made of forged steel, and breech-loaders, they ought consequently to beable to bear a considerable charge, and also have an enormous range. Infact, as regards practical effect, the transit described by the ball oughtto be as extended as possible, and this tension could only be obtainedunder the condition that the projectile should be impelled with a verygreat initial velocity.

　　"Now," said Harding to his companions, "the initial velocity is inproportion to the quantity of powder used. In the fabrication of thesepieces, everything depends on employing a metal with the highest possiblepower of resistance, and steel is incontestably that metal of all otherswhich resists the best. I have, therefore, reason to believe that our gunswill bear without risk the expansion of the pyroxyle gas, and will giveexcellent results."

　　"We shall be a great deal more certain of that when we have tried them!"answered Pencroft.

　　It is unnecessary to say that the four cannons were in perfect order.Since they had been taken from the water, the sailor had bestowed greatcare upon them. How many hours he had spent, in rubbing, greasing, andpolishing them, and in cleaning the mechanism! And now the pieces were asbrilliant as if they had been on board a frigate of the United States Navy.

　　On this day, therefore, in presence of all the members of the colony,including Master Jup and Top, the four cannon were successively tried. Theywere charged with pyroxyle, taking into consideration its explosive power,which, as has been said, is four times that of ordinary powder: theprojectile to be fired was cylindroconic.

　　Pencroft, holding the end of the quick-match, stood ready to fire.

　　At Harding's signal, he fired. The shot, passing over the islet, fellinto the sea at a distance which could not be calculated with exactitude.

　　The second gun was pointed at the rocks at the end of Flotsam Point, andthe shot striking a sharp rock nearly three miles from Granite House, madeit fly into splinters. It was Herbert who had pointed this gun and firedit, and very proud he was of his first shot. Pencroft only was prouder thanhe! Such a shot, the honor of which belonged to his dear boy.

　　The third shot, aimed this time at the downs forming the upper side ofUnion Bay, struck the sand at a distance of four miles, then havingricocheted: was lost in the sea in a cloud of spray.

　　For the fourth piece Cyrus Harding slightly increased the charge, so asto try its extreme range. Then, all standing aside for fear of itsbursting, the match was lighted by means of a long cord.

　　A tremendous report was heard, but the piece had held good, and thecolonists rushing to the windows, saw the shot graze the rocks of MandibleCape, nearly five miles from Granite House, and disappear in Shark Gulf.

　　"Well, captain," exclaimed Pencroft, whose cheers might have rivaled thereports themselves, "what do you say of our battery? All the pirates in thePacific have only to present themselves before Granite House! Not one canland there now without our permission!"

　　"Believe me, Pencroft," replied the engineer, "it would be better not tohave to make the experiment."

　　"Well," said the sailor, "what ought to be done with regard to those sixvillains who are roaming about the island? Are we to leave them to overrunour forests, our fields, our plantations? These pirates are regularjaguars, and it seems to me we ought not to hesitate to treat them as such!What do you think, Ayrton?" added Pencroft, turning to his companion.

　　Ayrton hesitated at first to reply, and Cyrus Harding regretted thatPencroft had so thoughtlessly put this question. And he was much moved whenAyrton replied in a humble tone,--

　　"I have been one of those jaguars, Mr. Pencroft. I have no right tospeak."

　　And with a slow step he walked away.

　　Pencroft understood.

　　"What a brute I am!" he exclaimed. "Poor Ayrton! He has as much right tospeak here as any one!"

　　"Yes," said Gideon Spilett, "but his reserve does him honor, and it isright to respect the feeling which he has about his sad past."

　　"Certainly, Mr. Spilett," answered the sailor, "and there is no fear ofmy doing so again. I would rather bite my tongue off than cause Ayrton anypain! But to return to the question. It seems to me that these ruffianshave no right to any pity, and that we ought to rid the island of them assoon as possible."

　　"Is that your opinion, Pencroft?" asked the engineer.

　　"Quite my opinion."

　　"And before hunting them mercilessly, you would not wait until they hadcommitted some fresh act of hostility against us?"

　　"Isn't what they have done already enough?" asked Pencroft, who did notunderstand these scruples.

　　"They may adopt other sentiments!" said Harding, "and perhaps repent."

　　"They repent!" exclaimed the sailor, shrugging his shoulders.

　　"Pencroft, think of Ayrton!" said Herbert, taking the sailor's hand. "Hebecame an honest man again!"

　　Pencroft looked at his companions one after the other. He had neverthought of his proposal being met with any objection. His rough naturecould not allow that they ought to come to terms with the rascals who hadlanded on the island with Bob Harvey's accomplices, the murderers of thecrew of the "Speedy," and he looked upon them as wild beasts which ought tobe destroyed without delay and without remorse.

　　"Come!" said be. "Everybody is against me! You wish to be generous tothose villains! Very well; I hope we mayn't repent it!"

　　"What danger shall we run," said Herbert, "if we take care to be alwayson our guard?"

　　"Hum!" observed the reporter, who had not given any decided opinion."They are six and well armed. If they each lay hid in a corner, and eachfired at one of us, they would soon be masters of the colony!"

　　"Why have they not done so?" said Herbert. "No doubt because it was nottheir interest to do it. Besides, we are six also."

　　"Well, well!" replied Pencroft, whom no reasoning could have convinced."Let us leave these good people to do what they like, and don't thinkanything more about them!"

　　"Come, Pencroft," said Neb, "don't make yourself out so bad as all that!Suppose one of these unfortunate men were here before you, within goodrange of your guns, you would not fire."

　　"I would fire on him as I would on a mad dog, Neb," replied Pencroftcoldly.

　　"Pencroft," said the engineer, "you have always shown much deference tomy advice; will you, in this matter, yield to me?"

　　"I will do as you please, Captain Harding," answered the sailor, who wasnot at all convinced.

　　"Very well, wait, and we will not attack them unless we are attackedfirst."

　　Thus their behavior towards the pirates was agreed upon, althoughPencroft augured nothing good from it. They were not to attack them, butwere to be on their guard. After all, the island was large and fertile. Ifany sentiment of honesty yet remained in the bottom of their hearts, thesewretches might perhaps be reclaimed. Was it not their interest in thesituation in which they found themselves to begin a new life? At any rate,for humanity's sake alone, it would be right to wait. The colonists wouldno longer as before, be able to go and come without fear. Hitherto they hadonly wild beasts to guard against, and now six convicts of the worstdescription, perhaps, were roaming over their island. It was serious,certainly, and to less brave men, it would have been security lost! Nomatter! At present, the colonists had reason on their side againstPencroft. Would they be right in the future? That remained to be seen.