It was early next morning when Van der Kemp and his man left their couches and descended1 to the shore, leaving their visitor enjoying the benefit of that profound slumber2 which bids defiance3 to turmoil4 and noise, however stupendous, and which seems to be the peculiar5 privilege of healthy infants and youthful seamen6.
Perboewatan had subsided7 considerably8 towards morning, and had taken to that internal rumbling9, which in the feline10 species indicates mitigated11 indignation. The hermit12 had therefore come to the conclusion that the outburst was over, and went with Moses to make arrangements for setting forth13 on his expedition after breakfast.
They had scarcely left the cave when Nigel awoke. Feeling indisposed for further repose14, he got up and went out in that vague state of mind which is usually defined as "having a look at the weather." Whether or not he gathered much information from the look we cannot tell, but, taking up his short gun, which stood handy at the entrance of the cave, he sauntered down the path which his host had followed a short time before. Arrived at the shore, he observed that a branch path diverged15 to the left, and appeared to run in the direction of a high precipice16. He turned into it, and after proceeding17 through the bushes for a short way he came quite unexpectedly on a cavern18, the mouth of which resembled, but was much higher and wider than that which led to the hermit's home.
Just as he approached it there issued from its gloomy depths a strange rumbling sound which induced him to stop and cock his gun. A curious feeling of serio-comic awe19 crept over him as the idea of a fiery20 dragon leaped into his mind! At the same time, the fancy that the immense abyss of darkness might be one of the volcanic21 vents22 diminished the comic and increased the serious feeling. Ere long the sound assumed the definite tone of footsteps, and the dragon fancy seemed about to become a reality when he beheld23 a long narrow thing of uncertain form emerging from the darkness.
"It must be coming out tail-foremost!" he muttered, with a short laugh at his semi-credulity.
Another instant and the hermit emerged into the blazing sunshine, and stood pictured against the intense darkness like a being of supernatural radiance, with the end of a long narrow canoe on his shoulder.
As Nigel passed round a bush to reach him he perceived the dark form of Moses emerging from the depths and supporting the body of the canoe.
"I see you are active and an early riser," said the hermit, with a nod of approval on seeing our hero.
"I almost took you for a Krakatoa monster!" said Nigel, as they came out in front of the cavern and laid the canoe on the ground. "Why, you've got here one of the craft which we in England call a Rob Roy canoe!"
"It is fashioned on the same pattern," said the hermit, "but with one or two alterations24 of my own devising, and an improvement—as I think—founded on what I have myself seen, when travelling with the Eskimos of Greenland."
Van der Kemp here pointed25 out that the canoe was not only somewhat broader than the kind used in England, but was considerably longer, and with three openings or manholes in the deck, so that it was capable of holding three persons. Also, that there was a large rounded mass of wood fixed26 in front of the three manholes.
"These saddles, as I call them," said the hermit, "have been suggested to me by the Eskimos, who, instead of wearying their arms by supporting the double-bladed paddle continuously, rest it on the saddle and let it slide about thereon while being used. Thus they are able to carry a much longer and heavier paddle than that used in the Rob Roy canoe, the weight of which, as it rests on the saddle, is not felt. Moreover it does not require nearly so much dip to put it in the water. I have heard of a sort of upright with a universal joint27 being applied28 to the English canoe, but it seems to me a much more clumsy and much less effective, because rigid29, contrivance than the Eskimo saddle. Inside, under the deck, as I will show you by and by, I have lighter30 and shorter paddles for use when in narrow rivers, but I prefer the long heavy paddle when traversing great stretches of ocean."
"You don't mean to say you ever go to sea in an eggshell like that!" exclaimed Nigel in surprise.
"Indeed we do," returned the hermit, "and we are fitted out for longish voyages and rough weather. Besides, it is not so much of an eggshell as you suppose. I made it myself, and took care that it should be fit for the work required of it. The wood of which it is made, although light, is very tough, and it is lined with a skin of strong canvas which is fixed to the planks32 with tar33. This makes the craft watertight as well as strong. The ribs35 also are very light and close together, and every sixth rib34 is larger and stronger than the others and made of tougher wood. All these ribs are bound together by longitudinal pieces, or laths, of very tough wood, yet so thin that the whole machine is elastic36 without being weak. Besides this, there are two strong oiled-canvas partitions, which divide the canoe into three water-tight compartments37, any two of which will float it if the third should get filled."
"Is this then the craft in which you intend to voyage?" asked Nigel.
"It is. We shall start in an hour or two. I keep it in this cave because it is near the landing-place. But come, you will understand things better when you see us making our arrangements. Of course you understand how to manage sails of every kind?"
"If I did not it would ill become me to call myself a sailor," returned our hero.
"That is well, because you will sit in the middle, from which position the sail is partly managed. I usually sit in the bow to have free range for the use of my gun, if need be, and Moses steers38."
Van der Kemp proceeded down the track as he said this, having, with the negro, again lifted the canoe on his shoulder.
A few minutes' walk brought them to the beach at the spot where Nigel had originally landed. Here a quantity of cargo39 lay on the rocks ready to be placed in the canoe. There were several small bags of pemmican, which Van der Kemp had learned to make while travelling on the prairies of North America among the Red Indians,—for this singular being seemed to have visited most parts of the habitable globe during his not yet very long life. There were five small casks of fresh water, two or three canisters of gunpowder40, a small box of tea and another of sugar, besides several bags of biscuits. There were also other bags and boxes which did not by their appearance reveal their contents, and all the articles were of a shape and size which seemed most suitable for passing through the manholes, and being conveniently distributed and stowed in the three compartments of the canoe. There was not very much of anything, however, so that when the canoe was laden41 and ready for its voyage, the hermit and his man were still able to raise and carry it on their shoulders without the assistance of Nigel.
There was one passenger whom we have not yet mentioned, namely, a small monkey which dwelt in the cave with the canoe, and which, although perfectly42 free to come and go when he pleased, seldom left the cave except for food, but seemed to have constituted himself the guardian43 of the little craft.
Spinkie, as Moses had named him, was an intensely affectionate creature, with a countenance44 of pathetic melancholy45 which utterly46 belied47 his character, for mischief48 and fun were the dominating qualities of that monkey. He was seated on a water-cask when Nigel first caught sight of him, holding the end of his long tail in one hand, and apparently49 wiping his nose with it.
"Is that what he is doing?" asked Nigel of the negro.
"Oh no, Massa Nadgel," said Moses. "Spinkie nebber ketch cold an' hab no need ob a pocket-hangkitcher. He only tickles50 his nose wid 'is tail. But he's bery fond ob doin' dat."
Being extremely fond of monkeys, Nigel went forward to fondle him, and Spinkie being equally fond of fondling, resigned himself placidly—after one interrogative gaze of wide-eyed suspicion—into the stranger's hands. A lifelong friendship was cemented then and there.
After stowing the cargo the party returned to the upper cavern, leaving the monkey to guard the canoe.
"An' he's a good defender51 ob it," said Moses, "for if man or beast happen to come near it when Spinkie's in charge, dat monkey sets up a skriekin' fit to cause a 'splosion ob Perboewatan!"
Breakfast over, the hermit put his cave in order for a pretty long absence, and they again descended to the shore, each man carrying his bed on his shoulder. Each bed, however, was light and simple. It consisted merely of one blanket wrapped up in an oil-cloth sheet. Besides, an old-fashioned powder-flask and shot belt. Van der Kemp and Nigel had slung52 a bullet-pouch on their shoulders, and carried small hatchets53 and hunting-knives in their belts. Moses was similarly armed, with this difference, that his couteau de chasse bore stronger resemblance to an ancient Roman sword than a knife, and his axe54 was of larger size than the hatchets of his companions.
Launching the canoe, the hermit and his man held it fast at either end while Nigel was directed to take his place in the central of the three openings or manholes. He did so and found himself seated on a flat board on the bottom of the canoe, which was so shallow that the deck scarcely rose as high as his waist.
Round the manhole there was a ledge55 of thin wood, about three inches high, to which a circular apron56 of oiled canvas was attached.
"Yes, you'd better understand that thing before we start," said Van der Kemp, observing that Nigel was examining the contrivance with some curiosity. "It's an apron to tie round you in bad weather to keep the water out. In fine weather it is rolled as you see it now round the ledge. Undo57 the buckle58 before and behind and you will see how it is to be used."
Acting59 as directed, Nigel unbuckled the roll and found that he was surrounded by a sort of petticoat of oil-skin which could be drawn61 up and buckled60 round his chest. In this position it could be kept by a loop attached to a button, or a wooden pin, thrust through the coat.
"You see," explained the hermit, "the waves may wash all over our deck and round our bodies without being able to get into the canoe while we have these things on—there are similar protections round the other holes."
"I understand," said Nigel. "But how if water gets in through a leak below?"
"Do you see that brass62 thing in front of you?" returned the hermit. "That is a pump which is capable of keeping under a pretty extensive leak. The handle unships, so as to be out of the way when not wanted. I keep it here, under the deck in front of me, along with mast and sails and a good many other things."
As he spoke63 he raised a plank31 of the deck in front of the foremost hole, and disclosed a sort of narrow box about six feet long by six inches broad. The plank was hinged at one end and fastened with a hook at the other so as to form a lid to the box. The hole thus disclosed was not an opening into the interior of the canoe, but was a veritable watertight box just under the deck, so that even if it were to get filled with water not a drop could enter the canoe itself. But the plank-lid was so beautifully fitted, besides shutting tightly down on indiarubber, that the chance of leakage64 through that source was very remote. Although very narrow, this box was deep, and contained a variety of useful implements65; among them a slender mast and tiny sail, which could be rendered still smaller by means of reef points. All these things were fitted into their respective places with so keen an eye to economy of space that the arrangement cannot be better described than by the familiar phrase—multum, in parvo.
"We don't use the sails much; we depend chiefly on this," said the hermit, as he seated himself in the front hole and laid the long, heavy, double-bladed paddle on the saddle in front of him. Moses uses a single blade, partly because it is handier for steering66 and partly because he has been accustomed to it in his own land. You are at liberty to use which you prefer."
"Thanks, I will follow the lead of Moses, for I also have been accustomed to the single blade and prefer it—at least while I am one of three. If alone, I should prefer the double blade."
"Now, Moses, are you ready?" asked the hermit.
"All ready, massa."
"Get in then and shove off. Come along, Spinkie."
The monkey, which all this time had been seated on a rock looking on with an expression of inconsolable sorrow, at once accepted the invitation, and with a lively bound alighted on the deck close to the little mast, which had been set up just in front of Nigel, and to which it held on when the motions of the canoe became unsteady.
"You need not give yourself any concern about Spinkie," said the hermit, as they glided67 over the still water of the little cove68 in which the canoe and boat were harboured. "He is quite able to take care of himself."
Bounding the entrance to the cove and shooting out into the ocean under the influence of Van der Kemp's powerful strokes, they were soon clear of the land, and proceeded eastward69 at a rate which seemed unaccountable to our hero, for he had not sufficiently70 realised the fact that in addition to the unusual physical strength of Van der Kemp as well as that of Moses, to say nothing of his own, the beautiful fish-like adaptation of the canoe to the water, the great length and leverage71 of the bow paddle, and the weight of themselves as well as the cargo, gave this canoe considerable advantage over other craft of the kind.
About a quarter of an hour later the sun arose in cloudless splendour on a perfectly tranquil72 sea, lighted up the shores of Java, glinted over the mountains of Sumatra, and flooded, as with a golden haze73, the forests of Krakatoa—emulating the volcanic fires in gilding74 the volumes of smoke that could be seen rolling amid fitful mutterings from Perboewatan, until the hermit's home sank from view in the western horizon.
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1
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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defiance
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| n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗 | |
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turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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rumbling
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| n. 隆隆声, 辘辘声 adj. 隆隆响的 动词rumble的现在分词 | |
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10
feline
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| adj.猫科的 | |
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mitigated
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| v.减轻，缓和( mitigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hermit
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| n.隐士，修道者；隐居 | |
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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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repose
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| v.(使)休息；n.安息 | |
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diverged
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| 分开( diverge的过去式和过去分词 )； 偏离； 分歧； 分道扬镳 | |
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16
precipice
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| n.悬崖，危急的处境 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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cavern
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| n.洞穴，大山洞 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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20
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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21
volcanic
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| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
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vents
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| （气体、液体等进出的）孔、口( vent的名词复数 )； （鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的）肛门； 大衣等的)衩口； 开衩 | |
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23
beheld
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| v.看，注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 )；瞧；看呀；（叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现）哎哟 | |
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24
alterations
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| n.改动( alteration的名词复数 )；更改；变化；改变 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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joint
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| adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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rigid
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| adj.严格的，死板的；刚硬的，僵硬的 | |
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30
lighter
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| n.打火机，点火器；驳船；v.用驳船运送；light的比较级 | |
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31
plank
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| n.板条，木板，政策要点，政纲条目 | |
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planks
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| （厚）木板( plank的名词复数 )； 政纲条目，政策要点 | |
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tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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rib
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| n.肋骨，肋状物 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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elastic
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| n.橡皮圈，松紧带；adj.有弹性的；灵活的 | |
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compartments
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| n.间隔( compartment的名词复数 )；（列车车厢的）隔间；（家具或设备等的）分隔间；隔层 | |
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steers
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| n.阉公牛，肉用公牛( steer的名词复数 )v.驾驶( steer的第三人称单数 )；操纵；控制；引导 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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gunpowder
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| n.火药 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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43
guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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belied
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| v.掩饰( belie的过去式和过去分词 )；证明（或显示）…为虚假；辜负；就…扯谎 | |
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mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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49
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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50
tickles
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| （使）发痒( tickle的第三人称单数 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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51
defender
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| n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人 | |
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52
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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53
hatchets
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| n.短柄小斧( hatchet的名词复数 )；恶毒攻击；诽谤；休战 | |
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54
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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55
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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56
apron
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| n.围裙；工作裙 | |
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57
undo
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| vt.解开，松开；取消，撤销 | |
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58
buckle
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| n.扣子，带扣；v.把...扣住，由于压力而弯曲 | |
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59
acting
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| n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的 | |
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60
buckled
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| a. 有带扣的 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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62
brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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63
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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64
leakage
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| n.漏，泄漏；泄漏物；漏出量 | |
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65
implements
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| n.工具( implement的名词复数 )；家具；手段；[法律]履行（契约等）v.实现( implement的第三人称单数 )；执行；贯彻；使生效 | |
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66
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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67
glided
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| v.滑动( glide的过去式和过去分词 )；掠过；（鸟或飞机 ） 滑翔 | |
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68
cove
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| n.小海湾，小峡谷 | |
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69
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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70
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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71
leverage
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| n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量 | |
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72
tranquil
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| adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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73
haze
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| n.霾，烟雾；懵懂，迷糊；vi.(over)变模糊 | |
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74
gilding
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| n.贴金箔，镀金 | |
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