The Coral Island by Robert Michael Ballantyne (top rated books of all time .txt) 📕

his paddle again with all his might. No sooner had the fish fallen

on the water than we observed the shark to sink. In another second

we saw its white breast rising; for sharks always turn over on

their sides when about to seize their prey, their mouths being not

at the point of their heads like those of other fish, but, as it

were, under their chins. In another moment his snout rose above

the water, - his wide jaws, armed with a terrific double row of

teeth, appeared. The dead fish was engulfed, and the shark sank

out of sight. But Jack was mistaken in supposing that it would be

satisfied. In a very few minutes it returned to us, and its quick

motions led us to fear that it would attack us at once.

“Stop paddling,” cried Jack suddenly. “I see it coming up behind

us. Now, obey my orders quickly. Our lives may depend on it

Ralph. Peterkin, do your best to BALANCE THE LOG. Don’t look out

for the shark. Don’t glance behind you. Do nothing but balance

the log.”

Peterkin and I instantly did as we were ordered, being only too

glad to do anything that afforded us a chance or a hope of escape,

for we had implicit confidence in Jack’s courage and wisdom. For a

few seconds, that seemed long minutes to my mind, we sat thus

silently; but I could not resist glancing backward, despite the

orders to the contrary. On doing so, I saw Jack sitting rigid like

a statue, with his paddle raised, his lips compressed, and his eyebrows bent over his eyes, which glared savagely from beneath them

down into the water. I also saw the shark, to my horror, quite

close under the log, in the act of darting towards Jack’s foot. I

could scarce suppress a cry on beholding this. In another moment

the shark rose. Jack drew his leg suddenly from the water, and

threw it over the log. The monster’s snout rubbed against the log

as it passed, and revealed its hideous jaws, into which Jack

instantly plunged the paddle, and thrust it down its throat. So

violent was the act that Jack rose to his feet in performing it;

the log was thereby rolled completely over, and we were once more

plunged into the water. We all rose, spluttering and gasping, in a

moment.

“Now then, strike out for shore,” cried Jack. “Here, Peterkin,

catch hold of my collar, and kick out with a will.”

Peterkin did as he was desired, and Jack struck out with such force

that he cut through the water like a boat; while I, being free from

all encumbrance, succeeded in keeping up with him. As we had by

this time drawn pretty near to the shore, a few minutes more

sufficed to carry us into shallow water; and, finally, we landed in

safety, though very much exhausted, and not a little frightened by

our terrible adventure.

CHAPTER VIII.

The beauties of the bottom of the sea tempt Peterkin to dive - How

he did it - More difficulties overcome - The water garden - Curious

creatures of the sea - The tank - Candles missed very much, and the

candle-nut tree discovered - Wonderful account of Peterkin’s first

voyage - Cloth found growing on a tree - A plan projected, and arms

prepared for offence and defence - A dreadful cry.

OUR encounter with the shark was the first great danger that had

befallen us since landing on this island, and we felt very

seriously affected by it, especially when we considered that we had

so often unwittingly incurred the same danger before while bathing.

We were now forced to take to fishing again in the shallow water,

until we should succeed in constructing a raft. What troubled us

most, however, was, that we were compelled to forego our morning

swimming excursions. We did, indeed, continue to enjoy our bathe

in the shallow water, but Jack and I found that one great source of

our enjoyment was gone, when we could no longer dive down among the

beautiful coral groves at the bottom of the lagoon. We had come to

be so fond of this exercise, and to take such an interest in

watching the formations of coral and the gambols of the many

beautiful fish amongst the forests of red and green sea-weeds, that

we had become quite familiar with the appearance of the fish and

the localities that they chiefly haunted. We had also become

expert divers. But we made it a rule never to stay long under

water at a time. Jack told me that to do so often was bad for the

lungs, and, instead of affording us enjoyment, would ere long do us

a serious injury. So we never stayed at the bottom as long as we

might have done, but came up frequently to the top for fresh air,

and dived down again immediately. Sometimes, when Jack happened to

be in a humorous frame, he would seat himself at the bottom of the

sea on one of the brain corals, as if he were seated on a large

paddock-stool, and then make faces at me, in order, if possible, to

make me laugh under water. At first, when he took me unawares, he

nearly succeeded, and I had to shoot to the surface in order to

laugh; but afterwards I became aware of his intentions, and, being

naturally of a grave disposition, I had no difficulty in

restraining myself. I used often to wonder how poor Peterkin would

have liked to be with us; and he sometimes expressed much regret at

being unable to join us. I used to do my best to gratify him, poor

fellow, by relating all the wonders that we saw; but this, instead

of satisfying, seemed only to whet his curiosity the more, so one

day we prevailed on him to try to go down with us. But, although a

brave boy in every other way, Peterkin was very nervous in the

water, and it was with difficulty we got him to consent to be taken

down, for he could never have managed to push himself down to the

bottom without assistance. But no sooner had we pulled him down a

yard or so into the deep clear water, than he began to struggle and

kick violently, so we were forced to let him go, when he rose out

of the water like a cork, gave a loud gasp and a frightful roar,

and struck out for the land with the utmost possible haste.

Now, all this pleasure we were to forego, and when we thought

thereon, Jack and I felt very much depressed in our spirits. I

could see, also, that Peterkin grieved and sympathized with us,

for, when talking about this matter, he refrained from jesting and

bantering us upon it.

As, however, a man’s difficulties usually set him upon devising

methods to overcome them, whereby he often discovers better things

than those he may have lost, so this our difficulty induced us to

think of searching for a large pool among the rocks, where the

water should be deep enough for diving yet so surrounded by rocks

as to prevent sharks from getting at us. And such a pool we

afterwards found, which proved to be very much better than our most

sanguine hopes anticipated. It was situated not more than ten

minutes’ walk from our camp, and was in the form of a small deep

bay or basin, the entrance to which, besides being narrow, was so

shallow that no fish so large as a shark could get in, at least not

unless he should be a remarkably thin one.

Inside of this basin, which we called our Water Garden, the coral

formations were much more wonderful, and the sea-weed plants far

more lovely and vividly coloured, than in the lagoon itself. And

the water was so clear and still, that, although very deep, you

could see the minutest object at the bottom. Besides this, there

was a ledge of rock which overhung the basin at its deepest part,

from which we could dive pleasantly and whereon Peterkin could sit

and see not only all the wonders I had described to him, but also

see Jack and me creeping amongst the marine shrubbery at the

bottom, like, as - he expressed it, - “two great white sea-monsters.” During these excursions of ours to the bottom of the

sea, we began to get an insight into the manners and customs of its

inhabitants, and to make discoveries of wonderful things, the like

of which we never before conceived. Among other things, we were

deeply interested with the operations of the little coral insect

which, I was informed by Jack, is supposed to have entirely

constructed many of the numerous islands in Pacific Ocean. And,

certainly, when we considered the great reef which these insects

had formed round the island on which we were cast, and observed

their ceaseless activity in building their myriad cells, it did at

first seem as if this might be true; but then, again, when I looked

at the mountains of the island, and reflected that there were

thousands of such, many of them much higher, in the South Seas, I

doubted that there must be some mistake here. But more of this

hereafter.

I also became much taken up with the manners and appearance of the

anemones, and starfish, and crabs, and sea-urchins, and such-like

creatures; and was not content with watching those I saw during my

dives in the Water Garden, but I must needs scoop out a hole in the

coral rock close to it, which I filled with salt water, and stocked

with sundry specimens of anemones and shell-fish, in order to watch

more closely how they were in the habit of passing their time. Our

burning-glass also now became a great treasure to me, as it enabled

me to magnify, and so to perceive more clearly the forms and

actions of these curious creatures of the deep.

Having now got ourselves into a very comfortable condition, we

began to talk of a project which we had long had in contemplation,

- namely, to travel entirely round the island; in order, first, to

ascertain whether it contained any other productions which might be

useful to us; and, second, to see whether there might be any place

more convenient and suitable for our permanent residence than that

on which we were now encamped. Not that we were in any degree

dissatisfied with it; on the contrary, we entertained quite a home-feeling to our bower and its neighbourhood; but if a better place

did exist, there was no reason why we should not make use of it.

At any rate, it would be well to know of its existence.

We had much earnest talk over this matter. But Jack proposed that,

before undertaking such an excursion, we should supply ourselves

with good defensive arms, for, as we intended not only to go round

all the shore, but to ascend most of the valleys, before returning

home, we should be likely to meet in with, he would not say

dangers, but, at least, with everything that existed on the island,

whatever that might be.

“Besides,” said Jack, “it won’t do for us to live on cocoa-nuts and

oysters always. No doubt they are very excellent in their way, but

I think a little animal food, now and then, would be agreeable as

well as good for us; and as there are many small birds among the

trees, some of which are probably very good to eat, I think it

would be a capital plan to make bows and arrows, with which we

could easily knock them over.”

“First rate!”