An excursion into the interior, in which we make many valuable and interesting discoveries - We get a dreadful fright - The bread-fruit tree - Wonderful peculiarity of some of the fruit trees -Signs of former inhabitants.
OUR first care, after breakfast, was to place the few articles we possessed in the crevice of a rock at the farther end of a small cave which we discovered near our encampment.This cave, we hoped, might be useful to us afterwards as a store-house.Then we cut two large clubs off a species of very hard tree which grew near at hand.One of these was given to Peterkin, the other to me, and Jack armed himself with the axe.We took these precautions because we purposed to make an excursion to the top of the mountains of the interior, in order to obtain a better view of our island.Of course we knew not what dangers might befall us by the way, so thought it best to be prepared.
Having completed our arrangements and carefully extinguished our fire, we sallied forth and walked a short distance along the sea-beach, till we came to the entrance of a valley, through which flowed the rivulet before mentioned.Here we turned our backs on the sea and struck into the interior.
The prospect that burst upon our view on entering the valley was truly splendid.On either side of us there was a gentle rise in the land, which thus formed two ridges about a mile apart on each side of the valley.These ridges, - which, as well as the low grounds between them, were covered with trees and shrubs of the most luxuriant kind - continued to recede inland for about two miles, when they joined the foot of a small mountain.This hill rose rather abruptly from the head of the valley, and was likewise entirely covered even to the top with trees, except on one particular spot near the left shoulder, where was a bare and rocky place of a broken and savage character.Beyond this hill we could not see, and we therefore directed our course up the banks of the rivulet towards the foot of it, intending to climb to the top, should that be possible, as, indeed, we had no doubt it was.
Jack, being the wisest and boldest among us, took the lead, carrying the axe on his shoulder.Peterkin, with his enormous club, came second, as he said he should like to be in a position to defend me if any danger should threaten.I brought up the rear, but, having been more taken up with the wonderful and curious things I saw at starting than with thoughts of possible danger, Ihad very foolishly left my club behind me.Although, as I have said the trees and bushes were very luxuriant, they were not so thickly crowded together as to hinder our progress among them.We were able to wind in and out, and to follow the banks of the stream quite easily, although, it is true, the height and thickness of the foliage prevented us from seeing far ahead.But sometimes a jutting-out rock on the hill sides afforded us a position whence we could enjoy the romantic view and mark our progress towards the foot of the hill.I wag particularly struck, during the walk, with the richness of the undergrowth in most places, and recognised many berries and plants that resembled those of my native land, especially a tall, elegantly-formed fern, which emitted an agreeable perfume.There were several kinds of flowers, too, but Idid not see so many of these as I should have expected in such a climate.We also saw a great variety of small birds of bright plumage, and many paroquets similar to the one that awoke Peterkin so rudely in the morning.
Thus we advanced to the foot of the hill without encountering anything to alarm us, except, indeed, once, when we were passing close under a part of the hill which was hidden from our view by the broad leaves of the banana trees, which grew in great luxuriance in that part.Jack was just preparing to force his way through this thicket, when we were startled and arrested by a strange pattering or rumbling sound, which appeared to us quite different from any of the sounds we had heard during the previous part of our walk.
"Hallo!" cried Peterkin, stopping short and grasping his club with both hands, "what's that?"Neither of us replied; but Jack seized his axe in his right hand, while with the other he pushed aside the broad leaves and endeavoured to peer amongst them.
"I can see nothing," he said, after a short pause.
"I think it - "
Again the rumbling sound came, louder than before, and we all sprang back and stood on the defensive.For myself, having forgotten my club, and not having taken the precaution to cut another, I buttoned my jacket, doubled my fists, and threw myself into a boxing attitude.I must say, however, that I felt somewhat uneasy; and my companions afterwards confessed that their thoughts at this moment had been instantly filled with all they had ever heard or read of wild beasts and savages, torturings at the stake, roastings alive, and such like horrible things.Suddenly the pattering noise increased with tenfold violence.It was followed by a fearful crash among the bushes, which was rapidly repeated, as if some gigantic animal were bounding towards us.In another moment an enormous rock came crashing through the shrubbery, followed by a cloud of dust and small stones, flew close past the spot where we stood, carrying bushes and young trees along with it.
