FOR the next four or five days the work on the hull of the ill-fated "San Philipo" proceeded apace; for, as the announcement had been made that all hands would be entitled to a share in the proceeds, the crew loyally assisted in the operations, working long hours, in spite of the terrific heat, to bring about the ultimate success of the undertaking.
The natives of the island were very attentive in their visits, and they gave no signs of animosity, but, on the contrary, seemed more like curious children than the savages who had attempted to board the "Fortuna." Although we bore in mind the warning given in nautical works against the treachery of the inhabitants of these islands, we came to the conclusion that these were too thoroughly overawed by our armed strength to attempt to molest us further; so excursions were frequently made on shore without observing any cause or symptoms of aggression. Nevertheless, none of us ever set foot on the island without being armed.
"The watering party are going ashore this afternoon," remarked Dr. Conolly to me on the fifth day after our arrival off the island. "I think I'll have a run up to the village. Would you like to come with me?"
"Rather!" I replied enthusiastically.
"Then ask your father if he has any objection."
"By all means go," replied the pater, when I mentioned the matter; "but, mind you, no skylarking. Take your sporting rifle with you, but on no account shoot at anything, for the natives have peculiar notions, regarding certain animals with almost religious veneration; and should you shoot one of their pet pigs—almost the only animals on these islands—you may bring the whole tribe of savages about your ears."
So that afternoon we went ashore, and, leaving the men with the water-breakers, the doctor and I, accompanied by Yadillah, made our way towards the village, followed, as usual, by a throng of curious natives.
As we passed through the coco-nut grove swarms of pigs and fowls crossed our path, while overhead we saw numerous brilliantly feathered birds, which, curiously enough, were songless. Presently we came to the part of the road where the little stream babbled by the side of the path.
"I wonder where that brook runs to," remarked Dr. Conolly, glancing towards the thicket into which it plunged. "I don't remember seeing the spot where it joins the sea."
"It will be a hard matter to follow it," I replied, pointing to the dense clusters of prickly shrub that formed a formidable barrier over its course. "But surely it must reach the sea somewhere."
"Not necessarily; but, if it does, its outlet must be on the shore off which the 'Fortuna' is lying, otherwise it must defy the laws of gravity and climb the hill on our right. My impression is, however, that it falls into a vast chasm, and the basaltic nature of the rocks strengthens my conviction."
"That sounds interesting."
"It does. As the island is composed largely of basalt, and shows signs of volcanic action, there can be no doubt as to its origin. Thousands of years ago a mighty earthquake must have shot this and hundreds of other islands above the surface, and from the floor of the vast submarine plateau the coral builders are doing their work of making new ground."
"Shall we try to trace the course of this stream, then? Yadillah has a large knife, so that we can clear a path through the scrub."
"Well, there's no harm in attempting it. Yadillah, you black imp!"
"Yas, sahib."
"Cut a path for us through this stuff." The Arab attacked the undergrowth vigorously, and, working as he went, disappeared in the tunnel that he had cut above the stream. Presently he returned with the information that the thicket extended only a short way, and that the brook ran through a dense coco-nut grove.
"Lead on, then, Yadillah," exclaimed the doctor. "You follow, Reggie, and I'll bring up the rear."
"Clear off, you niggers," he added, speaking authoritatively to the natives, who were regarding our movements with ill-concealed excitement. The doctor's words and actions had the desired effect, for the crowd of followers stood back, jabbering incessantly, save a few who made off towards the village.
Although we kept our thick water-tight boots on, the water was deliciously cool as we waded down the stream, bending low to escape the rough tendrils that overhung the low tunnel that the Arab had cut for us. A few steps brought us to the other side of the vegetable barrier, and, as Yadillah had said, the brook flowed through a fairly dense palm-grove, its bed being composed of hard, slippery rock.
After we had proceeded a few hundred yards the doctor suddenly exclaimed—
"Hullo! This looks interesting. There's a well-worn path here. I suppose it leads to the village."
"But why interesting?"
"For one reason, there is no actual necessity for the natives to make a well-worn path to the brook, as plenty of water can be had in the village; for another, I think we have stumbled on some secret place where these savages hold their religious ceremonies. I am not sure, mind you, but the circumstances point that way."
The path descended abruptly into what appeared to be a vast circular hollow, though the dense clusters of trees and bushes prevented us from seeing the opposite side of the rock-bound circle. The stream now became a rushing torrent, leaping from rock to rock in a series of spray-fringed cascades, and the only sound that broke the silence of the spot was the noise of the falling water.
"This must have been the crater of an active volcano at one time," said the doctor in a low tone, as if influenced by the solitude of the spot. "I think we'll find I am right about the outlet of the stream."
At length we reached the bottom of the vast cavity, and in the unaccustomed twilight caused by the foliage and the overhanging rocks (though it was still broad daylight) we could see a large pool of dark water, and, surrounding this lakelet, were a number of posts, each about six feet in height, and most of them were surmounted by a grinning skull, while a fetid atmosphere hung over the place like a pall.
I felt the colour leave my face at the horror of the sight, and, glancing at the doctor, I noticed that his jaw was firmly set and his eyebrows knitted in grim determination. Yadillah, though used to scenes of cruelty in his younger days, turned an ashy grey, and I heard him mutter a sentence in which the word "Allah" caught my ear.
"What does it mean?" I whispered.
"They are the skulls of men killed in tribal fights, to take the mildest view of the situation," replied Dr. Conolly. "But I should not be surprised if this is the scene of gruesome practices of cannibalism."
"Come on, let's get away from this horrible place," I exclaimed.
"One moment," he replied, and, picking up a piece of stone, he threw it into the pool, which, although it obviously was fed by the stream, was absolutely unruffled on its surface.
The ripples caused by the stone had barely reached the edge of the pond when a loathsome head appeared above the water and a pair of lidless eyes stared malignantly at us. Then, with an eel-like motion, the monster began to swim towards the spot where we were standing. It was a gigantic water-snake.
"Ugh, you brute!" shouted the doctor, and, regardless of the consequences, he drew his Webley revolver and sent a .441-in. bullet crashing through the monster's head. With a quick motion the reptile turned and disappeared beneath the surface, discolouring the dark water with its blood; but hardly had the echoes of the report died away when the surrounding brushwood seemed alive with men, who, uttering furious cries, made directly for us.
The surprise was complete, for before the doctor could raise his weapon or the rest of us lift a hand in self-defence we were borne to the ground and bound hand and foot with ropes of coco-fibre.
The next few moments seemed like a dream. I was dimly conscious of the horde of yelling, savages, who danced around and over our prostrate bodies with every attitude of demoniac fury. Three of their number, evidently priests, judging by their fantastic garb and the bizarre markings of red and white paint that concealed their faces, stood by the edge of the pool solemnly calling upon their outraged deity; but w............