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The Expedition of Captain Flick: A Story of Adventure

Chapter XIV. The Mysterious Island

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Chapter XIV. The Mysterious Island.

“It was a fair land, like to Paradise,
Enclosed round about with lonely seas:
Such spot as necromancers might devise,
By magic arts from airy fantasies:
And there, 'twixt dawn and dark, breathed many a breeze
All odorous with spoils of tropic flowers,
Which decked far-spreading lawns 'neath ancient trees,
And glittered in the shade of slumb'rous bowers,
Whereto came sleep, and love, and dreams, the night-long hours.”

As Flick expected, it was noon before we came abreast of Isk, and during our gradual approach we had ample opportunity to examine its configuration. It was of considerable size, and volcanic in character; indeed, I believe the island itself was formed by the overflow of lava from the central peak. This shot up into the air some ten thousand feet, and a thin trail of smoke breathing from the top showed that the volcano was still active. The cone, white with snow, rose suddenly out of luxuriant forests thick with green foliage, which rolled downward to the coasts of the isle; thence reefs of black lava shot out into the page 155 blue waters, their presence denoted by lines of broken foam. On the verge of the woods fringing the sands we could see scattered villages, the habitations of which appeared to be built of some black material, and which were roofed with dried reeds. Boats lay near the beach fronting these clumps of houses, and we could descry many figures running about the land, evidently in a state of great agitation at the unexpected sight of a modern ship.

“We have frightened the inhabitants,” said Harry, shutting up his glass. “Suppose we fire the gun to announce our arrival—eh, Flick?”

“No,” replied Roaring Tom decisively; “the inhabitants may interpret that as a defiance, and I wish to approach peacefully. I'll hoist the white flag and sail round the island.”

“What white flag?” I asked, hearing of it for the first time.

“One that I have had manufactured for this expedition,” replied Flick gravely. “See, Jenner is bringing it. A little strategy is necessary in these waters, Sir Denis.”

The mate spread out the white bundle he carried, and thereon I saw, worked in red bunting, the symbol of the Isk religion. Mountain, woman, dove, star and convoluted snakes—were all delineated thereon, as I had seen them tattooed on Dosk's breast in page 156 vermilion lines. After displaying this strange ensign, Jenner ran it up to the main-top, and I turned to Flick for an explanation. He read my curiosity in my eyes, and shrugged his shoulders.

“My intention is not difficult to understand,” he said quietly. “I intend to present myself under that flag as well as the Union Jack.”

“And a good idea it is,” cried Harry, who had now joined us again. “We shall be able to gain the confidence of the people. They will receive us out of sheer curiosity.”

I was doubtful of this point, and shook my head as I gazed aloft at the white flag with its red emblem flaunting at the masthead. From the other mast—I know not what nautical term to apply—streamed the English ensign, and under these curiously diverse pieces of bunting we were to anchor in the harbour of Isk. This latter thought brought my eyes from masthead to shore, but I could see no port wherein we could bring the yacht to a standstill. Indeed, Flick seemed to be of the same opinion, for the Carmen was steaming along the shore at half-speed in search of an anchorage. For fear of reefs, Captain Flick kept her well out from land, but, with the aid of a marine glass, I could plainly see the people on beach and in villages, and mark the excitement caused by our unexpected appearance.

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“You intend to sail round the island, Flick?”

“Why?” said he, casting a look over his shoulder in my direction; “it is the most sensible thing to do, isn't it? I can't anchor the boat in this open road-stead, and leave her exposed to storms; a danger like that might cut off all means of escape. The yacht is our salvation, remember. No, no, Sir Denis! These islands must have some kind of a harbour where they stow that scarlet ship, and I'm going to berth there.”

“But such a position might enable them to capture the yacht.”

“No fear!” was his confident reply. “You and I will go ashore, and leave Harry in charge. No one can board the yacht while he is in command. When we see how the land lies, and what sort of a reception they intend to give us, we can shape our plans accordingly.”

“But, I say, Flick, I want to go ashore with you,” cried Harry, rather dismayed by the passive part this ancient mariner intended him to play.

“You can go later on,” retorted Flick. “This boat's our stand-by, I reckon, and if she goes, we all go. You are second in command of this expedition Mr. Greenvile, and I look on you to obey orders and keep your weather eye peeled.”

“Very well, sir,” growled Harry a trifle discontentedly. “I'm game. These niggers will get a page 158 warm reception if they board us this time. I'm up to their drugging dodges now.”

While this conversation was taking place, the shores of Isk were rolling past like a panorama. The central peak still dominated the island, and dwarfed the forest-clad expanse of flat country which spread out into the ocean. As we steamed along, the coast still preserved its low-lying character and fertile appearance. Woody heights swelling towards the base of the volcano, a broad yellow band of sandy beach, and then reefs of jagged black lava, thrusting themselves into the waters. We kept the ship well away from these reefs, for the way in which they fretted the ocean's breast to foam with their teeth showed us what we might expect, should we approach too closely. A touch on the smallest, and the Carmen would rip from stem to stern. It was a savage shore on which to be wrecked; and I shrewdly suspected that the islanders were as fierce as the reefs which protected their home.

“I see that volcano is still active,” said Flick, looking at the wavering smoke streaming from the crest of the peak. “I wonder these Isk people are not afraid of being overwhelmed by the lava. The whole island is volcanic; and these lands by which we are sailing must have been formed ages ago by the overboil of the mountain.”

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“And you expect that the same event may occur again!”

“It is but reasonable to suppose so. If the volcano were extinct, it would not matter much; but that fire-mountain is too active, and too near, to be pleasant. I, for one, should not care to live on Isk.”

“Yet we have undoubted proof that people have lived and flourished on it for two thousand years.”

“True. Perhaps the volcano has only lately become active,” said Flick. “Seems to me as though it were getting ready for a burst up.”

“Let us hope we may be far away when that takes place,” said I with a shudder.

By this time we were rounding a curve of the island, and here a change took place in the coast line. In place of a flat country lipping the waters, cliffs of black lava began to dominate the ocean. Some of them rose to the height of two or three hundred feet, broken here and there by inlets, which afforded glimpses of the green forests beyond. The water rolled noisily into these chasms, and spurts of white foam spouted against the gloomy heights. A more savage and inhospitable coast I never beheld.

“There doesn't seem to be any harbour,” growled Flick, with a disgusted glance at these iron cliffs. “A sheet of paper couldn't squeeze through those page 160 chasms-let alone a ship. Yet the islanders must berth that red tub of theirs somewhere.”

It was late in the afternoon when he made this speech, and we had been steaming for hours without arriving at our starting-point. The island was larger than we had thought; and still the black line of the cliffs towered above the white waters where the reefs fretted the sea to foam. The peak of snow looked cold against the warm blue of the tropical sky, and the ocean glittered like gold as the yacht, cutting through it, sprayed the water to right and left. It was very pleasant steaming along; but we wanted to find the port of Isk, as, with night coming on, we did not care about anchoring in the open roadstead in the vicinity of that dangerous coast.

About five o'clock, when the light was still brilliant, we headed round a bold cliff which jutted out into the water; and then we beheld an immense semicircle curving, as it appeared, into the very heart of the island. In the middle, half a mile away, the cliffs parted asunder, showing a narrow chasm, which apparently led inland. But it was not this astonishing spectacle which excited our wonder, so much as the presence of innumerable boats, or rather canoes, some of great size, which were sailing and rowing down to meet us at the mouth of the bay.

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“And, by Jupiter!” roared Harry suddenly, “yonder's the scarlet ship.”

She was ploughing in our direction through the flotilla of boats, her black sails furled to her scarlet spars, and her double bank of oars flashing in the light of the setting sun. Flick shut off steam, and at the curve of the coast we beheld her crawling along like a centipede. Undoubtedly the news of our arrival had been sent across the island, and the navy of Isk had come out either to repel or to welcome us.

“The red ship, true enough,” muttered Flick, with a frown. “The same that we saw at Cythera. How the dickens did they get her across from the Levant to Euphrates river?”

“Took her to pieces,” I suggested.

“Maybe,” he replied grimly; “but I'll knock her into as many pieces as she was then if she shows fight. Ahoy there! get the gun cleared.”

The sailors, who were greatly excited, needed no second bidding, and in less time than it takes to write, the carronade was slewed round so as to command the approaching ship. Cutlasses and revolvers had been served out to all the men, and they were leaning over the taffrail ready to repel the negroes should they attempt to clamber up the sides. The yacht was rolling slightly in the swell of the page 162 sea, and as we three stood by the wheel gazing at the scarlet craft, I looked to my revolver to see that it was loaded. The critical moment was now at hand when we should learn whether the islanders would receive us as friends or foes; and I, for one, was trembling with nervous excitement. Harry also looked agitated, but for all the emotion displayed by Flick, that grim old salt might have been hewn out of mahogany.

A cry of wonder rose from the canoes as their occupants caught sight of the familiar device on the white flag. In answer to a hoarse order from the scarlet ship, the flotilla halted some instance away, and we beheld the closely packed mass of boats rocking on the waters, and clustering round the larger craft. Evidently those in authority were discussing the meaning of the white flag, the display of which took them completely by surprise.

In a quarter of an hour we saw a boat put off from the red ship, and pull towards the yacht. It was crowded with negro dwarfs, and apparently carried a great personage, for a man stood up in the stern under the shade of a large umbrella. As the boat drew near, he displayed a white piece of cloth, embroidered in red with the same symbol as that on our flag, and the rowers rested on their oars to see if we would accept their coming in peace. Flick page 163 waved his handkerchief in return, and the boat, again urged forward, was soon grinding against the sides of our ship. The next instant the negro ambassador and his suite, umbrella and all, leaped on board.

The new-comers were all ugly little negroes of the same type as those we had seen at Cythera; and their faces were stamped with the same expression of morose melancholy. The chief of them was richly dressed in scarlet cloth, with an ample back cloak of some woollen material, and wore anklets and bracelets of silver; also a silver band round his woolly hair, whence sprang a circle of feathers. Under his huge umbrella, which was borne behind him by a youth, he advanced towards Flick with an air of great dignity. As I have mentioned before, our captain understood the negro tongue, and after the chief had spoken at some length, Flick translated his message to Harry and I.

“This is the chief warrior of the island, lads,” he said, pointing to the negro, who nodded, “and he says his king is expecting us. No doubt the embassy guessed we would hunt till we found the isle.”

“What about Bertha?” I asked impatiently.

“She is dwelling in the Temple of the Star, and news of our arrival has already been conveyed to her. The king wishes to see us, and this chief asks us to enter into the port of Isk at once.”

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“Where is the port?” asked Harry, staring round at the black circle of cliffs.

“Through yonder chasm,” replied Flick, waving his hand directly in front; “but I don't intend to accept this offer to-night. Once in that narrow passage, and goodness knows what would happen to the boat. What say you, lads? Won't it be better to anchor at the entrance for to-night?”

“It's safe enough in case of storm, I suppose?” said I.

“Quite safe, and also safe from the negroes. Night is coming on, so we'll berth up yonder till the morning.”

As both Harry and I approved of this determination, Flick informed the chief of our intention, and in a few minutes the screws of the Carmen were again in motion.