第13章

I then exerted myself sufficiently to allow of his letting go my hair, whilst I took the end of his tail between my teeth, and let him help me ashore in this peculiar way.He was a remarkably strong and sagacious brute--an Australian dog--and he seemed to enjoy the task.At length I found myself on my legs upon the beach, though hardly able to move from exhaustion of mind and body.

When at length I had recovered sufficiently to walk about, I made a hasty survey of the little island or sandbank upon which I found myself.Thank God, I did not realise at that moment that I was doomed to spend a soul-killing TWO AND A HALF YEARS on that desolate, microscopical strip of sand! Had I done so I must have gone raving mad.It was an appalling, dreary-looking spot, without one single tree or bush growing upon it to relieve the terrible monotony.I tell you, words can never describe the horror of the agonising months as they crawled by."My island" was nothing but a little sand-spit, with here and there a few tufts of grass struggling through its parched surface.As a matter of fact the sand was only four or five inches deep in most places, and underneath was solid coral rock.

Think of it, ye who have envied the fate of the castaway on a gorgeous and fertile tropical island perhaps miles in extent! It was BARELY A HUNDRED YARDS IN LENGTH, TEN YARDS WIDE, AND ONLYEIGHT FEET ABOVE SEA-LEVEL AT HIGH WATER! There was no sign of animal life upon it, but birds were plentiful enough--particularly pelicans.My tour of the island occupied perhaps ten minutes; and you may perhaps form some conception of my utter dismay on failing to come across any trace of fresh water.

With what eager eyes did I look towards the ship then! So long as she did not break up I was safe because there were water and provisions in plenty on board.And how I thanked my God for the adamant bulwarks of coral that protected my ark from the fury of the treacherous seas! As the weather became calmer, and a brilliant moon had risen, I decided to swim back to the ship, and bring some food and clothing ashore from her.

I reached the wreck without much trouble, and clambered on board, but could do very little in the way of saving goods, as the decks were still below water.However, I dived, or rather ducked, for the depth of water was only four or five feet, into the cabin and secured some blankets, but I could not lay my hands on any food.

After infinite trouble I managed to make some sort of a raft out of pieces of wood I found lying loose and floating about, and upon this platform I placed the blankets, an oak chest, and one or two other articles I proposed taking ashore.In the oak chest were a number of flags, some clothing and medicine together with my case of pearls and the four medical books.But after I had launched it, I found that the tide was still running out, and it was impossible for me to get anything ashore that night.The weather was beautifully fine, however, and as the forepart of the ship was well out of water, I decided to remain on board and get an hour or two's sleep, which I needed badly.The night passed without incident, and I was astir a little before dawn.

As the tide was now favourable, I loosed my raft and swam it ashore.When I gained the island, I made another survey of it, to find the most suitable spot for pitching my camp, and in the course of my wanderings I made a discovery that filled me with horror and the anguish of blackest despair.My curiosity was first attracted by a human skull that lay near a large circular depression in the sand about two feet deep.I commenced scratching with my fingers at one side, and had only gone a few inches down, when I came upon a quantity of human remains.

The sight struck terror to my heart, and filled me with the most dismal forebodings."My own bones," I thought, "will soon be added to the pile." So great was my agony of mind that I had to leave the spot, and interest myself in other things; but some time afterwards, when I had got over my nervousness, I renewed my digging operations, and in an hour or so had unearthed no fewer than sixteen complete skeletons--fourteen adults, and two younger people, possibly women! They lay alongside one another, covered by sand that had been blown over them by the wind.