The Castaways of the Flag (30 page)

           
"And a
gun from a ship—or I'm a Dutchman!" the boatswain declared.

           
"There
is a ship in sight," said M. Zermatt.

           
"It is
the
Unicorn,"
Jenny replied.

           
"And
it's God who has sent her now!" Frank murmured.

           
The echoes of
Falconhurst rang with a second detonation, much closer, and the savages
recoiled into cover under the trees.

           
Jack sprang
to the flag-staff, and, nimble as any top-man, scrambled to the top of it.

           
"Ship! Ship
ahoy!" he yelled.

           
All eyes were
turned towards the north.

           
Above False
Hope Point the top-sails of a ship appeared, swelling in the morning breeze.

           
A three-master,
on the port tack, was manoeuvring to get round the point, which thereafter was
known as Cape Deliverance.

           
From her
mizzen-mast flew the flag of Great Britain!

           
The women
appeared stretching their hands to heaven in ardent gratitude.

           
"What
about those ruffians?" Fritz enquired.

           
"They're
running!" replied Jack, who had just slid down the flag-staff.

           
"Yes,
they're running!
"
John Block
added. "And if they don't clear jolly quick, we'll help them along with
our last four-pounders."

           
And indeed,
surprised by the detonations ringing from the north, scared by the sight of the
ship coming round the point, the savages had fled to the point where their
canoes were lying. They clambered into them, shoved off hard and paddled
vigorously in the direction of Cape East.

           
The boatswain
and Jack went back into the hangar and trained the two guns upon them; and
three canoes, cut in half, went to the bottom.

           
Just
as the ship, coming under full sail into the arm of the sea, was off Shark's
Island, she joined her heavy guns to those of the battery. Most of the pirogues
failed to escape the rain of shot and shell, and only two succeeded in
vanishing behind the cape, never to return.

           
IT actually
was the
Unicorn
which had just dropped anchor at the mouth of
Deliverance Bay. All the repairs effected, Captain Littlestone had left Cape
Town after a stay of several months, and at last had reached New Switzerland,
of which he was to take official possession in the name of England.

           
Captain
Littlestone now learned from Captain Gould's lips the events of which the
Flag
had been the stage.

           
As for what
had become of that vessel, whether Robert Borupt was playing pirate in the
ill-famed waters of the Pacific, or whether he and his accomplices had perished
in some furious tornado was destined never to be known, and was of little
consequence to the islanders.

           
It was an
immense satisfaction to the two families when they found that the dwelling at
Rock Castle had not been sacked. The natives had probably contemplated taking
up their quarters there, intending to settle on the island. There was no damage
done to the bed
rooms or halls, no sign of
pillage in the outhouses or stores, no havoc in the orchard or adjoining
fields.

           
They recovered all the domestic animals which had scattered in the
neighbourhood, the buffaloes Storm and Grumbler, the ostrich Whirlwind, the
monkey Nip, the onager Light-foot, the cow Paleface and her meadow companions,
the bull Roarer and his stable companions, the asses Swift, Arrow, and Dart,
the jackal, and Jenny's albatross, which had flown across the arm of the sea
between Shark's Island and Rock Castle.

           
As it could not be very long before several ships despatched from
England would arrive with colonists and their stores, it became necessary to
choose the site for new buildings. It was decided that these should be erected
along the banks of Jackal River, up towards the fall. Rock Castle would thus be
ithe first village of the colony, pending the time when it should have grown
into a town. No doubt in the future it would rank as the capital of New
Switzerland, for it would be the most important of the little towns which would
grow up in the heart of the Promised Land, and beyond.

           
The
Unicorn
was under orders to remain in Deliverance Bay until the
emigrants arrived. So animation reigned along the coast from Falconhurst beach.

           
Three weeks had not elapsed before a ceremony, which it was agreed to
make as brilliant as possible, brought together Commander Littlestone and the
officers and crew of his ship, Captain Harry Gould and the boatswain, and all
the members of the Zermatt and Wolston families, now to be united to one
another in still closer bonds.

           
On that day the chaplain of the
Unicorn
celebrated in the chapel of Rock Castle the marriage of
Ernest Zermatt and Hannah Wolston. It
was
the first wedding on the island of New Switzerland, but the future would
no doubt see it followed by many others.

           
And, in point of fact, two years later, Frank became the husband of
Dolly Wolston. On this occasion it was not in the humble chapel that the pastor
of the colony gave his blessing to the happy pair. The ceremony was held in a
church erected midway between pock Castle and Falconhurst, in the avenue. The
steeple, rising above the trees, was visible three miles out to sea.

           
No need to dilate further upon the progress of New Switzerland! The
fortunate isle saw the number of its inhabitants increasing every year.
Deliverance Bay, well protected from the winds and waves, offered excellent
anchorage for ships, and among these the pinnace
Elizabeth
cut no bad figure.

           
Regular communication with England was established. This inaugurated a
most profitable export trade. By that time there were four more villages, Wood
Grange, Sugar-cane Grove, Eberfurt, and Prospect Hill. A harbour was made at
the mouth of the Montrose River, and another at Unicorn Bay, the latter
connected with Deliverance Bay by a good carriage road.

           
Three years after New Switzerland had been taken possession of by
England her population exceeded two thousand. The British government had left
the colony her autonomy, and M. Zermatt was elected to the position of Governor
of New Switzerland. Heaven grant that his successors may be as good as that
excellent and worthy man!

           
A detachment of troops from India garrisoned the island after
fortifications had been constructed at Cape East and Cape Deliverance (formerly
known as False Hope Point), so as to command the arm of the sea which gave
access to Deliverance Bay.

           
Of course, this had nothing to do with any fear of savages, neither those
of the Andamans and Nicobars, nor those of the Australian coast. But New
Switzerland's position in these waters, besides offering excellent anchorage
for ships, was of real importance from a strategic point of view at the
entrance to the Sunda Seas and the Indian Ocean. It was only proper, therefore,
that it should be provided with means of defence.

           
Such is the complete history of this island from the day when a storm
cast a father, mother and four children upon it. For twelve years that brave
and intelligent family worked without ceasing, and set in operation all the
energy of a virgin soil, which was rendered fruitful by the magic climate of
the tropic regions. And so their prosperity had never ceased to grow nor their
welfare to be increased, until the day when the arrival of the
Unicorn
enabled them to establish relations with the rest of the
world.

           
As has been related, a second family voluntarily threw in its fortune
with theirs, and materially and morally existence was never happier than in the
fertile domain of the Promised Land.

           
Then began a period of severe trial. Ill fortune fell upon these good
people. They knew the fear of never seeing again those for whom they were
waiting, and the peril of being attacked by a horde of savages!

           
But even in the darkest hours of that unhappy time they never lost faith
in Providence.

           
Then at last bright days returned, and never again are dark ones to be
feared for the second fatherland of the two families.

           
And now New Switzerland is flourishing
and will
soon be too small to receive all those who are attracted to her. Her commerce
is finding outlets in Europe as well as in Asia, thanks to the proximity of
Australia, India, and the Netherlands possessions. Most fortunately the nuggets
found in the gorge by the Montrose River proved to be very rare, and the colony
was not invaded by gold-seekers, who usually leave nothing but disorder and
misery in their train!

           
The marriages
which united the Zermatt and Wolston families have been blessed by Heaven. The
grandparents will soon feel that they live again in their grandchildren. Only
Jack is content with the nephews and nieces who clamber on his knees. He said
he was a born uncle, and in that relation was certainly a great success.

           
Though the
island now forms part of the colonial dominions of Great Britain, it has been
allowed to retain its name of New Switzerland in honour of the Zermatt family.

END OF
"THE CASTAWAYS OF THE FLAG"