Here ended the narrative, but next morning Fritz drew me aside, and confided to me a most remarkable sequel, in these words:
“There was something very extraordinary about that albatross, father. I allowed you to suppose that I left it as it fell, but in reality I raised it to the deck of the canoe, and then perceived a piece of rag wound round one of its legs. This I removed and, to my utter astonishment, saw English words written on it, which I plainly made out to be: Save an unfortunate Englishwoman from the smoking rock!’
“This little sentence sent a thrill through every nerve: my brain seemed to whirl. I doubted the evidence of my senses.
“‘Is this reality or delusion?’ thought I. ‘Can it be true, that a fellow creature breathes with us the air of this lonely region?’
“I felt stupefied for some minutes: the bird began to show signs of life, which recalled me to myself. Quickly deciding what must be done, I tore a strip from my handkerchief, on which I traced the words—‘Do not despair! Help is near!’
“This I carefully bound round one leg, replacing the rag on the other, and then applied myself to the complete restoration of the bird. It gradually revived; and after drinking a little, surprised me by suddenly rising on the wing, faltering a moment in its flight, and then rapidly disappearing from my view in a westerly direction.
“Now, father, one thought occupies me continually: will my note ever reach this Englishwoman? Shall I be able to find, and to save her?”
I listened to this account with feelings of the liveliest interest and astonishment.
“My dear son,” said I, “you have done wisely in confiding to me alone your most exciting discovery. Unless we know more, we must not unsettle the others by speaking of it; for it appears to me quite possible that these words were penned long ago on some distant shore, where, by this time, the unhappy stranger may have perished miserably. By the ‘smoking rock’ must be meant a volcano. There are none here.”
Fritz was not disposed to look at the case from this gloomy point of view; did not think the rag so very old. He believed smoke might rise from a rock which was not volcanic; and evidently cherished the hope that he might be able to respond effectually to this touching appeal.
I was in reality as anxious as himself on the subject, but judged it prudent to abate rather than excite hopes of success which might be doomed to bitter disappointment.
After earnest consultation on the subject, we decided that Fritz should go in search of the writer of the message, but not until he had so altered the canoe as to fit it for carrying two persons, as well as provisions sufficient to admit of his absence for a considerable time. Impatient though he was, he could not but see the wisdom of this delay.
We returned to the house and saw the boys busiIy opening the oysters, which they had had no time to do the previous night, and greatly excited as ever and anon a pearl was found.
“May we not establish a pearl fishery at once, father?” shouted they. “We might build a hut on the shore of the bay, and set about it regularly.”
An excursion to Pearl Bay was now the event to which all thoughts turned, and for which preparations on a grand scale were made. It was to form, as it were, the basis of the more important voyage Fritz had in view, and to which, unsuspected by the rest, he could devote all his attention.
I took an opportunity one day, when all were present, to remark in a serious tone:
“I have been considering, dear wife, that our eldest son is now of an age to be dependent on himself. I shall, therefore, henceforth leave him at liberty to act in all respects according to his own judgment. And, especially in the matter of voyages or excursions, he must not be hampered by the fear of alarming us should he choose to remain absent longer than we expect. I have such entire confidence in his prudence, and at the same time in his affection for us, that I am certain he will never needlessly cause us anxiety.”
Fritz looked gratefully toward me as I spoke; and his mother ratified my words, embracing him affectionately, and saying, with emotion, “God bless and preserve thee, my boy!”
It took some time to make several raking or scraping machines, which I invented for the purpose of detaching and lifting the oysters from their native rocks; but that gave Fritz leisure to change the fittings of his canoe, so as to have a spare seat in it.
His brothers naturally concluded he meant to take one of them as shipmate on board, and he allowed the mistake to continue. They occupied themselves in making various articles they expected to be of use, and bore the delay with tolerable patience.
At last came the day when, taking leave of the mother and Franz, we went on board the yacht, accompanied by some of the dogs; while Jack, proudly occupying the new seat beside Fritz in the canoe, shared with him the honor of leading the way in the character of pilots.
We passed safely through the rocks and shoals near Walrus Island into an expanse of calm water, sheltered by jutting cliffs, where the sea glanced like a mirror.
Farther on we rounded a short promontory, flat, with an abrupt rock at the extremity, to which we gave the name of Cape Pug Nose. And then, at some distance, appeared the grand cliffs of a headland running far out to sea.
This I supposed we should have to weather, but my pilots made no change in our course, and, following the canoe, we soon came in sight of the majestic archway which offered us a short passage to Pearl Bay.
The wonderfully architectural appearance of the pillars, arches, and pinnacles, surrounding and surmounting this noble entrance struck me with admiration, resembling parts of a fine Gothic cathedral and inducing me to propose for it the name, Cape Minster.
Our progress was much assisted by the tide, which, like a current, bore us onward along the nave of this natural cathedral: aisles, transepts, screens, and side chapels appeared between the columns and arches which in the “dim religious light” were revealed to our wondering eyes.
On emerging into the dazzling sunshine, we found ourselves floating in the calm expanse of Pearl Bay; but it was some minutes before we could look around on the bright and lovely scene.
Fritz had not overrated its beauty, and the romantic islets which studded its waters seemed to give the effect of a pleasant smile to features already perfect.
We cruised about for some time, surveying the coast with its fertile meadows, shady groves, gently swelling hills, and murmuring brooks, seeking a convenient landing place in the vicinity of the shallows where lay the oyster beds.
This we found, close to a sparkling streamlet; and, as the day was fast declining, we made speedy arrangements for burning a watch fire. Later we partook of a hasty supper, and leaving the dogs, with Coco, the jackal, to sleep on shore, we returned on board the yacht for the night, anchoring within gunshot of the land.
Fritz moored the kayak alongside and came on board. The night passed in peace, although for a time we were disturbed by the yelping of jackals, with whom Coco persisted in keeping up a noisy conversation.
We awoke at daybreak, and after breakfast we repaired in haste with nets, scrapers, and all other requisites to the oyster beds, where we worked with such diligence and success that in the course of two days we had an immense pile of shells built up like a stack on the beach, and left to decay.
Every evening we went out shooting in the neighborhood, and kept ourselves supplied with game of one sort or another. The last day of our fishery we started earlier, intending to make a longer excursion into the woods.
Ernest set off first with Fawn; Jack and Coco strolled after them. Fritz and I were still employed in taking on board the last load of our tools when we suddenly heard a shot, a loud cry of pain or fear, and then another shot.
At the first alarm, the other two dogs rushed away from us toward the spot, and Fritz, who had just called Pounce from his perch, to accompany us in the ramble, let him fly, and seizing his riffle darted off in the same direction.
Before I could reach the scene of action, more shots were heard, and then a shout of victory; after which appeared through the stems of the trees the disconsolate figure of Jack, hobbling along like a cripple, supported on each side by his brothers.
When they came near me they stopped. Poor Jack, moaning and groaning, began to feel himself all over, as if to search for broken bones, crying out:
“I’m pounded like a half-crushed peppercorn!”
On examination I found some severe bruises.
“Who or what has been pommeling the boy?” I exclaimed. “One would think he had been beaten.”
“It was a huge wild boar,” said Ernest, “with fierce eyes, monstrous tusks, and a snout as broad as my hand.”
We took Jack down to the yacht, bathed his bruises, gave him a cooling drink, and he soon fell fast asleep in his berth, where I left him and returned to the shore.
“Now, Ernest,” said I, “enlighten me on the subject of this adventure! What you and the boar did is quite a mystery to me.”
“Fawn and I were going quietly along,” replied he, “when suddenly there was a rustling and snorting close by, and a great boar broke through the brushes, making for the outskirts of the wood. Fawn gave chase directly, and the boar turned at bay. Then up came Jack with Coco, and the gallant little jackal attacked the monster in the rear. In another moment, however, he was sent sprawling upon his back, and this so provoked his master that he fired a hasty, ill-directed shot. The brute’s notice and fury at once turned upon Jack, who prudently took to his heels, while I attempted to check the career of the boar by a shot, which, however, only slightly wounded it. Jack stumbled and fell over the root of a tree, just as the animal came up with him. ‘Help! Murder!’ shouted he. If the other dogs had not then arrived, and all together tackled the boar, I fear it would have been a case of murder indeed! As it was, the poor fellow got mauled and trampled upon dreadfully.
“As I was waiting for an opportunity to fire without any risk of hitting Jack, Pounce rushed through the air and darted upon the beast, and Fritz came up quickly and shot it dead with a pistol.”
By this time it was late. We took supper, made up the watch fire, and withdrew to our yacht, where we slept peacefully.
Early next morning we proceeded to visit the field of battle. The wild boar, which I had not before seen, proved to be much larger and more formidable in appearance than I had imagined, and Jack’s escape seemed to be marvelous.
The boys took it as a matter of course that we were to cut out hams and flitches; and we therefore did so, though I warned them that they need not expect much pleasure in eating bacon from a tough old African boar like this. We conveyed the mighty hams to the beach, each on a sledge of plaited boughs and twigs, and drawn by one of the dogs.
There was so much to be done in consequence of this affair that Fritz, who had hoped to set out on his solitary expedition that day, deferred it until the next. He was, therefore, fortunately with us when late in the evening we desisted from our labors, and, having supped, were preparing to retire to rest.
