The Castaways of the Flag (18 page)

           
Breakfast was
hurried through. After four months passed in this bay, they were naturally in a
hurry to find out whether their situation had improved, perhaps even changed
entirely.

           
Besides,
there would still be time to come back, if the upper plateau proved to be as
barren as the shore, if it were unsuitable for a settlement, if from the
extreme summit no other land were to be seen in the proximity. If the castaways
from the
Flag
found they had landed on an island or islet, they would
return to the cave and make their arrangements to meet the winter there.

           
Directly the
meal was finished the men took the bundles of provisions. The first cave was
left, and, with the albatross walking beside Jenny, all went through the mouth
of the passage.

           
When they
came to the mouth of the gorge, Fritz and Frank went through first. After them
came Jenny, Dolly, and Susan, holding little Bob's hand.

           
Captain Gould
and James came next, and John Block closed the rear.

           
At first the
gorge was so narrow that they had to walk in single file.

           
It was really
nothing but a cleft in the solid rock, running in a northerly direction between
two vertical walls which rose to a height of eight or nine hundred feet.

           
After a
hundred yards or so in a straight line, the ground began to slope upwards
rather steeply. The way must be a long one, for if it did debouch upon the
plateau it would have had to make up the five hundred feet or so from the level
of the beach to the upper part of the cliff. Moreover, the journey was soon
lengthened by the twists and turns of the path. It was like the abrupt and
capricious twisting of a labyrinth inside the mass of rock. But judging from
the light that spread from above, Harry Gould believed that the general
direction of the gorge was from south to north. The lateral walls gradually
drew further apart, rendering the march much easier.

           
About ten
o'clock they were obliged to call a halt to allow everyone to recover breath.
They stopped in a sort of semi-circular cavity, above which a much larger slice
of the sky was visible.

           
Captain Gould
estimated that this spot was about two hundred feet above the level of the sea.

           
"At this
rate," he remarked, "it will take us five or six hours to reach the
top."

           
"Well,"
Fritz replied, "it will still be broad daylight when we get there, and if
need be we shall have time to get down again before night."

           
"Quite
true, Fritz," the captain replied, "but how can we be sure that the
gorge is not lengthened by an even greater number of turnings?"

           
"Or that
it does not come out upon the cliff?" Frank added.

           
"Whether
it's at the top or the side of the cliff, let us take things as they
come," the boatswain put in. "Above, if it is above, below, if it is
below! After all, this don't matter much!" After a rest of half an hour,
the march was resumed. The gorge, which wound about ever more and more, and now
measured ten to twelve feet across, was carpeted with a sandy soil, scattered
with pebbles, and without a sign of vegetation. It seemed as though the summit
must be an arid waste, for otherwise some seed or germ would have been carried
down by the rain and would have sprouted. But there was nothing here—not even a
patch of lichen or moss.

           
About two
o'clock in the afternoon another halt was called for rest and refreshment. They
all sat down in a kind of clearing where the walls widened out like a bell, and
over which the sun was passing on its downward way to the west. The height now
attained was estimated at seven or eight hundred feet, which justified the hope
of reaching the upper plateau.

           
At three
o'clock the journey was resumed. The difficulties became momentarily greater.
The slope was very steep, the ground strown with landslips which made climbing
hard, and there were large stones which slipped and bounded down. The gorge,
which had widened out considerably, now formed a ravine, with sides still
rising two or three hundred feet in height. They had to help one another, and
pull each other up by the arms. Everything pointed to the possibility of
reaching the plateau now. And the albatross spread out its wings and rose with
a spring, as if inviting them to follow. Oh! if only they could have followed
in its flight!

           
At last,
after incredible efforts, a little before five o'clock, they all stood on the
top of the cliff.

           
To south, to
east, to west, nothing at all was to be seen—nothing but the vast expanse of
ocean!

           
Northwards,
the plateau extended over an area which could not be estimated, for its
boundary crest could not be seen. Did it present a perpendicular wall on that
side, fronting the sea? Would they have to go to the far end of it, to see the
horizon of the sea in that direction?

           
Altogether,
it was a disappointing sight for people who had hoped to set foot upon some
fertile, verdant, wooded region. The same arid desolation reigned here as at
Turtle Bay, which was perhaps less depressing, if not less sterile, since
mosses did gem it here and there, and there were plenty of sea-weeds on its
sandy shore.

           
And when they
turned towards the east and the west, they looked in vain for the outlines of a
continent or island. Everything went to show that this was a lonely islet in
the middle of these wastes of water.

           
Not a word
was uttered by anyone before this dashing of their last hopes. These ghastly
solitudes offered no resources. There was nothing to do but descend the ravine,
get back to the shore, go into the cave again, settle down there for the long
winter months, and wait for rescue from outside!

           
It was now
five o'clock, and there was no time to be lost before the darkness of evening
fell. In the gathering shades the walking would not be easy.

           
Yet, since
the northern part of the plateau had still to be explored, it seemed best to
make the exploration now. Might it not even be well to camp for the night among
the rocks scattered all over the surface? But perhaps that would not be
prudent. If the weather changed, where could shelter be found? Prudence
required that they should go back without delay.

           
Then Fritz
made a suggestion.

           
"Jenny,
dear, let James and Frank take you back to the cave with Dolly and Mrs. Wolston
and the little chap. You can't spend the night on the cliff. Captain Gould,
John Block, and I will stay here, and directly it is light to-morrow we will
finish our exploration.''

           
Jenny did not
answer, and Susan and Dolly seemed to be consulting her with their eyes.

           
"What
Fritz suggests is wise," Frank put in; "and besides, what good can we
hope to do by staying here?"

           
Jenny
continued to keep silence, with her eyes fixed upon the vast ocean which spread
over three-quarters of the horizon, looking perhaps for the sight of a sail,
telling herself that a light might appear in the far offing.

           
The sun was
sinking rapidly already, among clouds driven from the north, and it would mean
at least two hours' march through dense darkness to reach Turtle Bay.

           
Fritz began again:

           
'' Jenny, I
beg you, go! No doubt to-morrow will be enough for us. We shall be back in the
evening.''

           
Jenny cast a
last look all round her. All had risen, ready to make a start. The faithful
albatross was fluttering from rock to rock, while the other birds, sea-mews,
gulls and divers, flew back to their holes in the cliff, uttering parting
screams.

           
The young
woman realised that she must do as her husband advised, and regretfully she
said:

           
"Let us
go."

           
Suddenly the
boatswain sprang to his feet, and making an ear-trumpet of his hand, listened
intently.

           
A report,
muffled by the distance, was audible from the north.

           
"A
gun!" exclaimed John Block.

           
ALL stood
motionless, their hearts tense with excitement, their eyes turned towards the
northern horizon, listening intently, scarcely breathing.

           
In the
distance a few more shots rang out, the sound borne to them on the faint breath
of the breeze.

           
"It's a
ship passing off the coast!" said Captain Gould at length.

           
"Yes;
those reports can only come from a ship," John Block replied; "when
night falls, perhaps we shall see her lights."

           
"But
couldn't those shots have been fired on land?" Jenny suggested.

           
"On
land, Jenny dear?" Fritz exclaimed. "You mean there may be some land
near this island?"

           
"I think
it is more likely that there is some ship off there to the northward,"
Captain Gould said again.

           
"Why
should it have fired the gun?" James asked.

           
"Yes,
why?" Jenny echoed him.

           
If the second
surmise were the right one, it followed that the ship could not be very far
from the shore. Perhaps when it was quite dark they would be able to
distinguish the flashes from the guns, if they were fired again. They might
also see her lights before long. But, since the sound of the guns had come from
the north, it was quite possible that the ship would remain invisible, since
the sea in that direction could not be seen.

           
No longer did
anyone think of going through the ravine, back to Turtle Bay. Whatever the
weather might be, they would all remain where they were until day.
Unfortunately, in the event of a ship coming down on the west or east, lack of
wood would prevent them from lighting a fire to signal it.

           
Those distant
reports had stirred their hearts to the very depths. They seemed united by them
once more to their kind, felt as though this island were now not so utterly
isolated.

           
They would
have liked to go at once to the far end of the plateau, and to watch the sea to
the northward, whence the cannon shots had come. But the evening was getting
on, and night would fall quite soon—a night without moon or stars, darkened by
the low clouds that the breeze was chasing to the south. They could not venture
among the rocks in darkness. It would be difficult enough by day; it was
impossible by night.

           
So it became
necessary to settle themselves for the night where they were, and everyone got
busy. After a long search the boatswain discovered a kind of recess, a space
between two rocks, where Jenny, Susan, Dolly, and the little boy could lie
close to the ground, as there was no sand or sea-weed for them to lie on. They
would at least have shelter from the wind if it should freshen, even shelter
from the rain if the clouds broke.