The new age of gold, or, The life and adventures of Robert Dexter Romaine
page: (TitlePage) [View Page (TitlePage) ] THE THE NEW AGE OF GOLD; OR THE OF ROBERT DEXTER ROMAINE. -WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 'Would that the desert were my dwelling-place! With one fair spirit for my minister That I might allforget the human race, And, hating no one, love but only her! BYRON. BOSTON: PHILLIPS, SAMPSON AND COMPANY. 13 WINTER STREET. 1856. page: [View Page ] Entered according to Act of C ngress, in the year 1856, by PHLLIPS, SAMPSON AND COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the District of Massachusetts. Stereotyped by HOBART & BOBBINB, New England Type and Stereotype Foundery, BOSTON. O, LOVE! in such a wilderness as this, Where transport and security entwine, Here is the empire of thy perfect bliss, And here thou art a god indeed divine. Here shall no forms abridge, no hours confine The views, the walks, that boundless joy inspire! Roll on, ye days of raptured influence, shine! Nor, blind with ecstasy's celestial fire, Shall love behold the spark of earth-born time expire. CAMPBELL. OR, had we some bright little isle of our own, In a blue summer ocean, far off and alone; :here a leaf never dies in the still blooming bowers, And the bee banquets on through a whole year of flowers; Where the sun loves to pause, With so fond a delay, That the night only draws- A thin veil o'er the day; Where simply to feel that we breathe, that we live, Is worth the best joy that life elsewhere can give; Where, with souls ever ardent and pure as the elime, We should love as they loved in the first golden time; The glow of the sunshine, the balm of the air, Should steal to our hearts, and make all summer there. With affection as free From decline as the flowers, And with hope like the bee, Living always on flowers; Our life should resemble a long day of light, And our death come on holy and calm as the night. MOORE. page: (Table of Contents) [View Page (Table of Contents) ] TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Introductory.- My Birth-Place.--House in Boston. -Brief Notice of my Father and Mother.--Early Aspirations.-- My First Hero.--I am sent to College.--Sudden Change in my Fortunes. -The Battle of Life.-Unsuccessful Attempts to get into Business.-Keeping School. - Further Disappointments. - The Wharf at Salem. - Gloomy Reveries.-A Desperate Resolution, ............. 13 CHAPTER II. Going to Sea. - My first Appearance as a Sailor. - Meeting with Captain Bridges. - Selling my Watch. - The Three Sisters. - Superstitious Be- lief. - Captain Bridges. - Miseries of my Situation. - More Aspira- tions. - Our three Passengers. - Mr. Cremorne. - The Bear. - First Sight of Alice.--Scraping an Acquaintance. -- Castles in the Air, . 25 CHAPTER III. , We double Cape Horn, and arrive safely at Callao.-- We again set sail for India. - Smiles and Tears. - The Exordium. --Strange Conduct of the Bear.--Its Explanation.- The Storm.- The Ship springs a Leak.- Loss of the Masts. - The Men take to the Boat. - The unhappy Fate of - Mr. Cremorne. - I am left alone. - My Reflections.-My joyful Surprise.- We take Refuge in the Yawl.- The Ship sinks, . ... - .. .. 37 CHAPTER IV. Voyage in the Boat. -Narrow Escape of the Bear. - My Perplexity on his Account.- I determine to steer towards the North-west.--My Feel- ings in regard to Alice. - State of our Provisions. - Philosophizing.- - 1X page: vi (Table of Contents) -vii (Table of Contents) [View Page vi (Table of Contents) -vii (Table of Contents) ] VI TABLE OF CONTENTS. : Our first Breakfast.-Making a Cup. -Horrors of our Situation.-- Alice's Fortitude. -Our Quarrel and Reconciliation. -I tell her my ; Story. -Sweet and bitter Recollections, ....... CHAPTER V. A Voyage in the Boat continued.- Alice tells her Story. - Character of i her randfather. - Our Sufferings from Thirst. - Water exhausted. - -- We see a Ship. - Flying-fish. - Strange Behavior of the Bear. -1 steer towards the South-west. - Land in Sight. - Difficulty of Land- ing.-- A desperate Expedient.-- Tame Birds. --The subterranean Passage, ..... 6 CHAPTER VI. The Island. - The Fairy Lake. - Its Solitude. - Search for Water. - Sagacity of the Bear.--The Plateau.--Delicious Scenery. -- he Fountain. --The first Night, and its Fancies.--Morning. --Aa Alarm. - Its Nature. - Gigantic Gourds. - Naming the Bear. - The Ramble. - Adam and Eve. - The Banian Tree. - Inconveniences of Savage Life. - Banks of the Brook.--Return Home. -- Sunset.-- The second Night. - Forming Plans, . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 CHAPTER VII. A short Way of building a House. -Alice's Delight.--The Bear's In- difference. - Our Almanac. - My extravagant Behavior. - An Even- ing Stroll. - The Seashore. - Solitude.-- A Surprise. - Brevity Bill. Miy Vexation. - A happy Thought. - An Argument. - Alice Singing. -The Advantages of being Fat, ...............9 CHAPTER VIII. Going to sleep. --An unwelcome Visitor.- Unexpected Deliverance.- Fight between Hamlet and the Panther.--Second Visit to Brevity Bill. -His Alarm. --Its Explanation.--Fate of the Captain and Crew. -His Anxiety to know what became of Alice.--My Injustice towards Him.- My Excuse. --We return Home, ....... 108 CHAPTER IX. Making a Fire; Difficulties in the Way. -Man's Dependence on his Fel- lows.-- Blessings of Independence.- My unsuccessful Attempts.-- Bows and Arrows. - Brevity Bill; his growing Discontent. - My Anx- TABLE OF CONTENTS. . VII j i iety on his Account. - Episodical. - Hamlet; his Character. - We set out to explore the Interior of the Island. - Female Costume; its Incon- veniences.-Want of Clothing; how to supply it, .. . ..... 118 CHAPTER X. L Journey continued. -Halt on the Banks of the River. -Tropical Scen- ery. - Oranges. - Sailing Boats. - Reflections. - Sleeping. - Wak- ing. -Mysterious Disappearance of Alice. - My Horror and Alarm. - The Pursuit. - The Black. - The Death Struggle. --Hamlet comes to the Rescue. - Night in the Woods. --Horrors of ou Situation. - I determine to leave the Island. --Morning. -StrangeaDiscovery. - The Pongo.- -My Relief.- We renew our Journey. -Hamlet's Deci- Sion, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 CHAPTER XI. Journey continued. - Cocoanuts. - Climbing the Palm. - March along the River. - Hamlet's Nonchalance. - The Gum-tree. ' An involun- tary Confession.-- Pleasant Episode with the Bear. - A wonderful Medicine. - Toilsome March. - The Lake of the Woods. - A- strange Boat. - My Conjectures concerning it. - Pirates. - Going Home. - Shall we go, or stay? - Miseries of Social Life. -A fair--xchange no Robbery. - A Surprise. - The Crocodile. - Home again. 4- An Even- ing's Conversation. -Thoughts on Death. --A Question inlEthics, 144 I CHAPTER XII. Visit to Brevity Bill. - Hamlet's Devotion and Sagacity.--The Forest. -Brevity Bill's Delight on seeing Us. -I begin to pity Him. --Mal- ice of Fortune. - His Letter. - Alice intercedes for Him. - Our Argu- ment. - We return Home. - Sunday Employments. - Our Conversa- tion.-- More Thoughts on Death.-Alice's Character and Mine.- What is Love? - Hamlet's Melancholy. - My Jealousy on hearing his Praises sung by Alice, .................... 164 CHAPTER XIII. Days of the Week. What had we to do with them?- Preparations for a Voyage up the River.- I determine to6 wage War against the Alliga- tor. -His insulting Behavior. H The Battle. -Its mortifying Result. --Hamlet's Indignation. -I am compelled to postpone my Vengeance to another Time, . . .......... ....... . ...75 %. page: viii (Table of Contents) -ix (Table of Contents) [View Page viii (Table of Contents) -ix (Table of Contents) ] VIII TABLE OF CONTENTS. ? CHAPTER XIV. We commence our Voyage.- Going on Board. - River Scenery.--Its Beauty and Variety. --Volcanic Rocks.- The Rapids.- The Great Bend. - The Orange Grove. - Making a Garland. - The Almighty Dollar. - What it could buy.- Night in the Tropics. - Gathering Oranges. - Climbing the Palm. -Twilight Hours, ...... 181 CHAPTER XV. Sunday Morning. - Brevity Bill. - New Amusement. - Singing-Turtle. - A Lesson in Dancing. - A good Preacher. - Brevity Bill's Letter. -My Suspicions as to its Contents. - Contradictory Feelings it ex- cited. -Alice sends an Answer. --An amusing Spectacle.- Brevity Bill's astonishing Self-control.--His sudden and overwhelming De- jection. -Return Home, . ........... . .189 CHAPTER XVI. Home Life. - Its Quiet and Monotony. - Happiness it gave me. - Want of a Fire. - Want of Clothes. - Sharpshooting. - A second Voyage up the River. - The haunted Forest. - Falls of St. Anthony, and sur- rounding Scenery.-- My first Antelope. - My first Tiger. - A des- perate Battle.- Mountain Gorge.-- Inland Navigation.- Pride of Empire, ***......... . . .....*... 196 CHAPTER XVII. Second Day at the Falls. - A Disappointment.-- Do Antelopes drink on Thursdays? - The Gourd Tree. - Basket-Willow. - Shoemaking. - Down the River. -Antelope Shooting. -The Doe and her Young. - I become very unpopular. -Political Economy, ....... 212 CHAPTER XVIII. Return Home. - Gathering Oranges. - Hamlet's Adventure with the Mon- keys. - His Shame, and my Satisfaction. - A good Memory for a Bear. - An assorted Cargo. - Difficult Navigation. - Holding the Lantern. - The Doe and her Young. - Hamlet's Jealousy.- I preach him a Ser- mon. - Its good Effects, ................... 219 CHAPTER XIX. More at Home.-- More about Shoema-king. - My Skill as a Tailor. - A TABLE OF CONTENTS. 3 charming Fit. - Making Baskets. - Cups and Dishes. -A new House. - Increasing Wealth. - High Notions. - Chairs and Tables. - A royal Entertainment. - Brevity Bill. -I determine to release Him, . . 225 CHAPTER XC. Procrastination and its Consequences. - Alice and I descend the Cliff. - I see nothing of Brevity Bill.--What I thought about it. -Painful Discovery. - Narrow Escape. - Brevity Bill's last Hours. - His Mag- nanimity.-- My Remorse.- His Death and Burial, . .. . . 232 CHAPTER XXI. An awkward Situation. - Poetical Justice. - Description of my Prison. - My unsuccessful Attempt to escape. - Night on the Shore. - A guilty Conscience.- A fearful Visitor.- The second Day. - Strange Discovery. - The second Night. - I resolve to explore the Cavern. - Subterranean Lake. -The Skull. - My Method of Reasoning. -I cross the River, and lose my Way, ...... . .......... 239 CHAPTER XXII. Lost in the Cavern.-- The dead Huntsman. - MyMeditations. -How They were interrupted. - The Pair of Eyes.- Whose are They? -I Fake up my Mind to be eaten by a Tiger.--I am agreeably Disap- Xinted. My miraculous Escape. - Hamlet's Sagacity and Affection. --Inconveniences resulting from the Death of Brevity Bill, . . . 247 CHAPTER XXIII. Home Life. - Hamlet and his foster-Children. - I am again moved with the Spirit of Adventure. -I resolve to visit the Volcano. - Ascending the Mountain. - Camping at Night. - Natural Arch. - Sudden Alarm. -An unseasonable Visit. - Coming td Supper. - Going away without It. -Total Discomfiture of the Hyenas, ..... . ... . 266 CHAPTER XXIV. Ascending the Mountain. -I am obliged to reason with. Hamlet. - The Summit.-Descent into the Crater. - Hamlet's Agility. - Our Quar- rel; his Magnanimity. - Night in the. Crater. - My fearful Dream. - Its still more fearful Fulfilment. -The Eruption. - Our hasty Flight. -Our narrow Escape.-Hamlet saves our Lives for the fifth Time} . .265 page: x (Table of Contents) -xi (Table of Contents) [View Page x (Table of Contents) -xi (Table of Contents) ] X TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER XXV. Continuance of the Eruption. - My Manner of Accounting for this Phe- nomenon. - A Fire. - Our exceeding Delight. - Our first Cookery. - A sumptuous Dinner. - Buying a Kettle, ........... 2" CHAPTER XXVI. Pottery. -Building a Fire-place. - Building a Kitchen.- Commence- ment of the Rainy Season. - A Hunting Expedition. - Great Slaughter among the Antelopes.- Smoked Venison.-- History of a Day.- Leather Dressing. - My Success in Dyeing. - Keeping a Journal. - New Kind of Stationery. -The wonderful Lamp, ............ 284 CHAPTER XXVII. Extracts from my Journal. - Dyeing. -Making a Comb. - Yams.- A new Kind of Hair-brush. --Wishing for a Pedlar. - Christmas. - I build another House. - My new Clothes. -- New Furniture. --"Can't afford it." - Palm-leaf Hats. - Hamlet. - Wild Bees. - Going to Mar- ket. - Fishing. - Hamlet's irregular Habits. - The Kangaroo. -My Birth-day, . ....... ...... . 292 CHAPTER XXVIII. End of the Rainy Season. - Caught inaa Shower. --A Fit of Sickness, - Sage Tea. - Alice's tender Nursing. - Betrayal of her Affection. - My Recovery.--An Argument.-The Promise, .... ..* . 299 CHAPTER XXIX. Returning Spring. - Our delicious Mode of Life. - Journal. - Anniver- sary of our Landing. - Exploring the Cavern. --Gathering Figs. - Forks and Spoons. - My Bridal Gift. - Our Wedding Dresses. - The Glee of the Fountain.--The Marriage Ceremony.-Our Wedding Tour, ..... ........ .... .. . .. .304 CHAPTER XXX. Birth of a Son. - His Infancy. -My Happiness. -I introduce Him to Hamlet. - Hamlet's provoking Nonchalance.- Their mutual Affection. -Alice makes a Picture of Them. - Jasper begins to talk. - We are in Doubt about his Education. - Conclusion I come to. - Jacket and Trousers. - Battle with the Crocodile. - Its successful Issue, . . 312 TABLE OF CONTENTS. XI CHAPTER XXXI. Birth of a Daughter. -Our Happiness still on the Increase. - Sight of a Ship, and the Reflections it gave rise to. --Jasper's Questions.-His Bow and Arrows. --His Boldness as a Rider. --Hide-and-go-seek. - A growing Family, . . . . . . 322 "* ...... .322 CHAPTER XXXII. An exciting Adventure.- A Ramble among the Hills.-Hamlet and Jasper go on before.- A fearful Surprise. -The sleeping Tigers. - The Pursuit. - The Mountain Valley.-A desperate Situation. Hamlet comes to the Rescue. --The Battle. -Sudden Death of the young Tigers.-Hamlet hard pressed by the old Ones. --Our Victory. - Hamlet's Heroism . . . . . ... . . 327 CHAPTER XXXIII. Our growing Attachment to our Island Home. - Jasper. -- His Ignorance of the World. - Anniversary of our Landing. - A pleasant Ramble. -Talk with Alice. - Jasper's Pebble. - What is Gold? -My Rhap- sody. -Pair of Scales, 339 339 CHAPTER XXXIV. The Curse of Gold. - The Poison begins to work. - Plans. - Dates ver- sus Pearls. -Digging a Canal.- Building the Damn. --M aking a Trough.-- Unsuccessful Experiments.-A lucky Thought.-Weights and Scales.- A golden Harvest.- A big Lump.-The Miseries of being rich, . . .. . . . **** ... . 346 CHAPTER XXXV. Origin of the Gold.-Commencement of the Rainy Season. -Burying my Treasures. - Winter Employments. - Jasper and Alice; their Ig- norance and Simplicity; their Idea of the World.--What. is a School? -What do Children learn for? - Want of Books. - -Condi. tion in which I should-leave my Posterity . - What is th-e most essen- tial Knowledge ?- Growth of my?lantation, ... 355 CHAPTER XXXVI. Rich and Poor .--I determine to leave the Island.-Difticulties in the Way.-A happy Thought.-Grief and Surprise of A lice.-She page: xii (Table of Contents) -13[View Page xii (Table of Contents) -13] XII TABLE OF CONTENTS. seeks to dissuade me from It. - My Selfishness and Cruelty. - I begin to build a Boat. - Description of It. - Search for Materials. - Making a Mould. - Launch of the Alice. - An unexpected Difficulty. - Rigging our Ship. - Her Cargo and Provisions, . . .. .362 CHAPTER XXXVII. Our last Day on the Island. - Lament of Alice. - Her Unwillingness to go.--We remain one Day longer. -The last Evening.-The Morning. The Doe. - At Sea. - Our last View of the Island. - The Storm. - We lose our Fire. - Land, ho! - The Ship. - San Francisco. - Selling my Gold. -Our second Marriage, ........... . 374 CHAPTER XXXVIII. We arrive in Boston. - Its Aspect. - Inquiries for my Father's Family. - Disappointments. - I buy me a House and try to be happy. - Our different Trials. - Jasper's Sickness. - His last Interview with Hamlet. -His Death, .... .............. ... 384 CHAPTER XXXIX. We leave Boston, and arrive in New York. -We lose both our Children. - We hasten Home.- Alice is taken Sick. - Our last Interview.- Her Death. -Its Effect upon me. - The Wharf at Salem. - Retrospec- tion. -I determine to go back to my Island, . ...... . 393 CHAPTER XL. Conclusion.- Preparations for the Voyage.--Dreams and Reveries.- Farewell.--Brief Notice of the Author, .. .....,. ,. 399 j THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. My Birth-Place.-House in Boston. -Brief Notice of my Father and Mother. - Early Aspirations. - My First Hero. - Iam sent to Col- lege. - Sudden Change in my Fortunes. - The Battle of Life. - Un- successful Attempts to get into Business. - Keeping School. Further Disappointments. - The Wharf at Salem. - Gloomy Reveries. A Desperate Resolution. I WAS born in Newhuryport, on the 17th day of April, 1826, in an old-fashioned house standing hardly a stone's throw from the mansion of Lor'd Timothy Dexter. The wooden statues that kept guard before his door are among my earliest recollections, and I well remember the mingled sensa- tions of awe and wonder which those triumphs of art excited in my infant imagination. When I was four years old, my father removed to Boston, where, for several years, he occupied a plain brick dwelling in Atkinson street, not far from the corner of Milk. In front there was a small garden; a low arbor stood at one end, and at the other a flight of steps led up to the roof of a shed, where, every pleasant Monday, clothes were hung out to dry. All the rest of the week I had this lofty retreat entirely to my. 2 page: 14-15[View Page 14-15] " THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. self; and there I used ko linger, hour after hour, dreaming of the hanging-gardens of Babylon, and wondering if they could really have been so much finer than my own. A grape-vine, that hid the unpainted trellis with its luxuriant foliage, and hung out its purple clusters far above my head, materially heightened this delightful illusion. This house is still standing, but is now, I believe, tenanted by several families of Irish. But the steps and the grape- vine are still there, and still among the dark leaves the cruel spider lies in wait for his prey. I do not know that anything occurred to distinguish my childhood from that of a thousand others. My father was a China merchant, for many years the senior partner of the well-known firm of Romaine, Osgood & Co., in which situation he acquired a large fortune, and, at the same time, such a reputation for strict integrity, that he was commonly known among his acquaintances as Honest John. This honesty, I think, must have been a family character- istic. My uncle Robert, after whom I was named, carried it to such excess, that I remember he always used to stop his ears when passing an organ-grinder in the street, because, as he said, he had no right to music that he did not pay for. It is needless to say that my uncle never was rich. I had, at one time, indeed, considerable expectations from him, as he was never married; but his name was all he ever gave me, and, as that unfortunately was not at all to my fancy, I am sometimes afraid that I did not exhibit quite as much grati- tude as he deserved. My father was a kind and attentive parent, but too much engrossed in business to have much time to spare for his fanm- ily; but my mother, from whom I received my middle name, INTTODUCTORY. 15 was one of the best women that ever lived, and gave me, every day, a piece of gingerbread as big as my two hands. I remem- ber one day, when I was about nine years old, how surprised and delighted she was at my informing her that I had already eaten no-less than eighteen hundred and forty-seven pieces, amounting altogether to twenty thousand three hundred and seventeen cubic inches, or very nearly twelve cubic feet; which would be, at least, four times my own bulk. She kissed me tenderly, said she had no doubt that I should be a great man some of these days, and gave me a piece of gingerbread twice as big as usual. I could hardly eat it from emotion; and I resolved then, if ever I grew up, that she should have just as much gingerbread as she had a mind to, even if I had nothing for myself but bread and water. A pleasant day-dream, but fated, alas! like many-others, never to be realized. My life, indeed, at that time, was one long dream, from which I waked only to regret that I had ever dreamed at all, or else to wish that I might still have kept on dreaming. At that early age, however, it was impossible to foresee my future destiny. I only knew that I was intended for one of the liberal professions, and I thought it no harm to anticipate, in imagination, the brilliant success that I had no doubt was in store for me. The books that formed my favorite reading, only discovered new paths to my insatiate ambition. Before& I was ten years old, I had run through the whole circle of the sciences, discovered the source of the Niger, added an indefi- nite number to the list of useful inventions; surpassed the most famous philosophers, orators, poets, and historians, each on his own ground; overrun, at the head of my victorious legions, the whole of Europe, Africa, and Asia; and, finally, sat down and wept, like Alexander, for another world to conquer. page: 16-17[View Page 16-17] 16 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. In fact, I did so much, while only a boy, that there was nothing left worth doing after I became a man. So, while others around me were pursuing, each one, his I favorite phan- tom," I looked on, partly in envy, and partly in contempt, and wondering what men could possibly be made of, who would work so hard to get so little. Not, by any means, that I was without ambition. No one had a keener appreciation of the advantages of wealth and social position. But they were not worth the trouble, nor the delay. If I could have drawn on Fame and Fortune in advance, then, indeed! But it is not their way of doing business; they would not give me credit, nor would I trust them. Of all the stumbling-blocks in the way of happiness or success, this is, I believe, the very worst. I was, of course, the devoutest of hero-worshippers; for was I not some day to be a hero myself? and what more natural than that I should admire my own character as I found it already pictured in the lives of others? My first hero was a schoolmaster; and, although it is now nearly a quarter of a century since our meeting, I have not forgotten the feeling it inspired. The way it happened was in this wise. I heard my father say, one day, at dinner, that Mr. was coming to our house that evening, at nine o'clock; upon which, I straight- way conceived so violent a longing to behold that exalted personage with my own eyes, that my parents at length yielded to my importunity, and, instead of sending me to bed, allowed me to sit dozing by the fire long after my usual hour. At the appointed moment, punctual as General Washington, the godlike man arrived. He was very tall, - I believe school- masters in those days always were, - and wore glasses; as I am sure schoolmasters always ought to. He shook hands with my father, and then with me, as I then thought, like a well- INTRODUCTORY. 17 sweep shaking hands with a pump, and sat down. I found that I could not conveniently see his head where I was sitting, so I drew my chair into the farthest corner, and, leaning my chin on my hands, surveyed him with admiration, without once taking my eyes from his face till he rose to go. That was an epoch in my life. Since then, my veneration for schoolmasters has sensibly diminished. It may have some- thing to do with it, that I have been a' schoolmaster myself. Two years later, I was sent to his school, where I was sub- jected'to the usual drudgery; but I had a tolerable memory, and, though not fond of study, I was a good scholar, and im- proved my opportunities so well that at thirteen I was ready for college. As my father, however, thought me yet too young to be entirely freed from parental restraints, I remained at home nearly two years longer, reviewing my studies, and read- ing indiscriminately whatever came in my way, though it must be confessed that travels and romances formed by far the larg- est proportion. There was nothing to interfere with my enjoy- ment but an uneasy consciousness that this was not exactly the way to make a hero; but I consoled myself by the reflection that I had time enough yet, and that when I entered college I should begin to work in earnest. And so, in truth, I did. In looking back upon this part of my life, I find nothing with which to reproach myself. I did my whole duty, and did it well. Yet this is precisely that part of my life when I was most unhappy. The cold shadow of approaching manhood was beginning to creep over my soul. "Ah!"I sighed, involuntarily, ' why can I not always be a boy?" But other trials were in store for me. In the first term of my junior year, an unexpected stroke of fortune showed me how little of that stuff, which heroes are made of, entered into 2* / page: 18-19[View Page 18-19] 18 THE NEW AGE Of GOLD. my composition. My father, whom I had all along supposed to be in prosperous circumstances, suddenly became bankrupt. He was an honest man, and this misfortune broke his heart. The letter conveying the news of his failure was in some way delayed, so that I received both that and the one announcing his death on the same day. I might, if I pleased, declare that I grieved only for my father, but it would not be true. I suffered nearly as much from the thought that he had left us poor. In the following story of my life I do not intend any con- cealment. God knows that I have no longer any motive for it! If I keep back any of my sins or weaknesses, it will be because I do not know them myself. Now I shrank from poverty as one of the sorest evils that can befall a man. I longed for wealth more earnestly than for anything but fame; and the idea of earning money was, of all, the most repugnant to my feelings. I was painfully conscious of some want in my mental or moral constitution, I knew not what, that unfitted me for any of the ordinary occupations of life. Some said that I was lazy; some, that I was proud; every- body said that I was odd. The first I knew was not true; the second I had no disposition to deny; and, as for the third, since everybody said so, I supposed, of course, they must be right. What chance there is in this world for one who is both proud and odd I leave my readers to determine. And the change had come upon me so suddenly! It so completely upset all my calculations! If it had not been for this, I should have been-but no matter about the Should- have-beens; the Have-beens are all my story. From the wreck of my father's property my mother saved between seventeen and eighteen hundred dollars, a very small INTRODUCTORY. 19 quantity of furniture, and a house to match. I had four brothers and sisters, only one of whom was of an age to ren- der her any assistance, and the chief burden of responsibility fell upon me, I shuddered when I surveyed my own unfit- ness for it. However, something must be done. I determined to leave college, and go into some kind of business. The first was easy enough, the latter more difficult. My father had many friends, and I naturally supposed that any of them would be glad to lend me a helping hand. But I soon found that affec- tion is not hereditary. They loved the father too well to have much love to spare for the son. Or they thought it a pity that such talents as mine should be wasted behind a counter. Or they feared that my education had unfitted me for business. Thus, by degrees, I learned the way of the world. On one of those heavy days, my eye -fell on an advertise- ment in one of the city papers - the Post, I think it was- inquiring for a teacher for an a cdemy in a small town not many miles from Boston, and as I had had some experience in that line during my Sophomore year, I determined to apply for the situation. That experience, to be sure, had not been very flattering. In spite of the black hat, dress-coat, and standing-up collar, assumed for the occasion, my extreme youth was still painfully apparent. The good woman,- I call her good, because I believe she was the worst woman that ever lived, - who drove me the last stage of my journey, inquired, with a motherly kindness, for which I could have pitched her out of the wagon, if I was going to H-- to attend school; to which I replied, with bitter irony, that I was. This was my first mortifica- tion. The next morning, when I followed the committee-man, who page: 20-21[View Page 20-21] 20 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. was to introduce me, up the broad aisle that divided the school- room, I prayed more fervently than I had ever done in my life that the floor might open and swallow me up. But I was reserved for better fortunes. I ascended the steps that led to my throne, more like a. criminal ascending the gallows, and, tcasting my eyes around, paw with dismay the grown-up boys and girls, who stared back again with a boldness and effrontery that froze my heart. In vain I sought to assert my lawful supremacy. In vain I sought to cheer my fainting spirits by the recollection of past achievements. s"Where now," I said, " are the-courage and hardihood that have so often put to flight whole armies of blood-thirsty Brit- ish ;--that reversed the decrees of fate, and rolled back the tide of war at Waterloo? Remember the wit, the sarcasm, the thunders of eloquence, the lightning glances of the eye, that overthrew the startled Democracy on the floor of Con- gress! Do you mean now to be frightened at a parcel of silly girls?" And my cowardly heart said, "Yes." Accordingly I remained, all the first part of the forenoon, snugly entrenched behind my wooden walls; but when, at recess, I attempted to leave my seat, I found myself bent in the most perplexing manner. I thought, at first, that a repe- tition of the miracle recorded in Eastern story was about to be exhibited in my person, and that my lower half was turn- ing into stone; but, on applying my hand to the part affected, I found that by some extraordinary accident a large quantity of that pitch which is commonly called Burgundy had been spread blister-wise over the bottom of the chair, and, having been partially melted by my long continuance in one position, had glued me fast to the seat. INTRODUCTORY. 21' From the glances exchanged among my pupils I judged that they had been in expectation of witnessing some such phenom-. enon, and at first I thought it rather unkind in them not to have given me warning. But, on thinking the matter over a little, I presently concluded that they themselves had been the authors of this innocent sftatagem, and that they intended in that delicate manner to express their desire to make my seat as firm as possible. I tried to remember whether I had ever read of any people who were- in the habit of observing such a ceremony in the inauguration/of their kings; but, being unable to recall a single instance, I was driven to the conclu- sion that it was a custom peculiar to our own country alone. I said nothing, however, for fear of exposing my ignorance, and, having with some difficulty extricated myself from this embarrassing situation, I left the school-room, and, passing out into the open air, strolled leisurely down to a shallow brook, which ran babbling through the meadow at no great distance; when I attempted to restore my wonted equanimity by con- templating the little fishes that swam slowly or in haste be- neath the bridge, and by throwing to them, from time to time, certain crumbs of gingerbread I had by chance in my trousers pocket. After lingering here as long as I dared, wishing all the while that I were one of those fishes myself, I reluctantly re- traced my steps; but, as I approached the school-house, a party of girls standing in the door seemed inclined to dispute the passage. I thought they regarded me with sly defying laughter, and, as I drew still nearer, my over-sensitive ear caught the words, "Stay where you are; he 'll never dare to -go in." Alas! those words carried with them their own fulfilment. Those words of doom! Still I was too proud to run; at least I page: 22-23[View Page 22-23] 22 TEE NEW AGE OF GOLD. do not think I ran; but at such moments one does not observe so accurately. But in some way I Nreaoed my boarding- house. My trunk was still standing in: the: porch; a farmer, going to the city with a load of country produtce, took us both into his wagon, and in less than an hour I had left the scene of my discomfiture far behind S This event took place in the latter part of my sixteenth year. My father was then wealthy, and I had no need of the miserable pittance I should have received for my services; so I contented myself by turning the whole thing into a jest, and by resolving never again to set foot inside of a school-house as long as I lived. Then I could afford to jest. But now the case was different. I was a whole year older, and bound in some way to earn my own living. All other means having failed, there was no help for it but to try the only one that remained. I placed a good-sized vial in my waistcoat pocket, containing two spoonfuls of brandy*and water, with which to recruit my courage; and, with a heavy heart, set out once more to seek my fortunes. General Putnam gained immortal glory simply by ventur- ing into the den of a wolf. But so goes the world. The day was dull and drizzly. A long funeral procession trailing through the sloppy streets was the only enlivening sight to be seen. How I envied the man inside! His school- ing was over, both active and passive. He had taken his last degree. But who cared? Certainly not I. All in good time I arrived at B. Forty applicants were already there before me. If I had to choose between them and the Forty Thieves, I am sure that I would not have lost a moment in striking a bargain with the latter. But it is possible that I may-be slightly prejudiced in this matter; so I will say no more. On learning the number of my rivals, my INTRODUCTORY. 23 hopes and fears both sunk at once to zero; but, applying my lips to my brandy-bottle; I took a hasty swig (the reader must excuse my vulgarity, but indignation on this subject always makes me vulgar), and thus felt my spirits wonderfully relieved. Forty applicants for a single situation, and that worth only four hundred dollars a year'! Thirty-nine course must be disappointed. "Serve them right," thought I;hey might be in better business. And I myself was the fortieth. I was also the youngest and best-looking. I do not know which of. these facts operated more to my disadvantage. I only know that the oldest and ugliest of the lot wts finally elected, and that I then and there resigned all hopes of ever wielding the magisterial rod. I consoled myself by drinking the remainder of my brandy, and by sundry reflections drawn from the book of Ecclesiastes, -- a style of reading of which I am at such times especially fond. The next day I found myself in Salem, with three dollars in my pocket, wandering up and down the wharves amid hard, unsympathizing toil- a drone among workers- an idler and a dreamer among men. "O my God!"I cried, " is there then nothing here for me to do?" I seated myself on a pile of boards, in a place where I was screened from observation, and sought to mark out some defi- nite plan of action. I ran over in my mind the various pro- fessions that seemed open to me, and reviewed, as calmly as I knew how, the advantages and disadvantages incident to each. To every one there was some insuperable objection. What I did I must do quickly. The long apprenticeship demanded both by law and medicine, placed them equally beyond my reach; and I was glad toqhave this excuse, for the thought page: 24-25[View Page 24-25] 24 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. . of the competition I should have to encounter made my heart : sink within me like a stone. Let the strong ones of this earth despise me, .if they will; let them cry out at my weakness and pusillanimity, and boast themselves, as they can, in their own boldness and hardihood! I am weak; I know it; but I shall not go to them for help. I left my seat and walked down to the lower end of the wharf. The dark, low-browed clouds seemed like another sea. The water lapping against the piles suggested an easy escape from my troubles. One leap, and all would be over. There was a strange pleasure in the thought how people would talk of me. But the water looked deadly cold, and the dread finality of the thing appalled me. I stood opposite a barque that had already drawn out into the stream preparatory to an eastern voyage. I thought of my mother, and my heart stood still. It was waiting for my decision. Now it began again, but no longer as before. The softness of youth had fled. All was now chilled and hard as a Toledo blade. I shipped as a sailor before the mast, and in- twenty-four hours lost sight of my native land. I have written so much of boyish reminiscence by way of introduction; my real story will commence with the next chapter. q CHAPTER II. *oing to Sea. - My first Appearance as a Sailor. - Meeting with Captain Bridges. - Selling my Watch. - The Three Sisters. - Superstitious Be-- lief. - Captain Bridges, - Miseries of my Situation. - More Aspira- tions. - Our three Passengers.- Mr. Cremorne.--The Bear.-- First Sight of Alice. - Scraping an Acquaintance. - Castles in the Air. IT was the fifth day of December, 1842, when we set sail from Salem., I had taken the precaution, before presenting myself to the captain, -to exchange the clothes I had on for others better suited to my new condition; and I had at first some hopes of deceiving him into the belief that I had already made at least one voyage round the world; but a simple glance into the cracked looking-glass, that hung in one corner of the dirty shop to which I had resorted, at once dispelled this fond illusion. In fact, if such a thing were possible, I looked even less like a sailor than before. My smooth, boyish face from under the large tarpaulin looking out with a half- saucy, half-frightened air, the loose jacket and trousers I wore with'so ill a grace, and the whiteness of my hands, as yet un- used to labor, almost drove me to despair. -When I came out into the street, it seemed as if every one I met must discover my secret. More than one looked hard at me, and one or two I was sure laughed outright. 8 page: 26-27[View Page 26-27] 26 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. It is a wonder to me now how I had courage to persevere. If I could have thought of any way to get back my old clothes, I have little doubt that I should have abandoned my resolution. But I kept on till I came to a place where some men were digging a cellar. The clay that they threw out was a soft moist blue. I picked up a piece, and, as I walked along, I smeared my hands, the sleeves of my jacket, and the knees of my trousers, till I had brought them to a right ple- brian color; but the effect, after all, did not answer my expect- ations. Dirt was plainly no more natural to me than an Irishman's brogue. Still I thought it would show the captain that I was not afraid of it. But the question now,presented itself, How am I to get aboard the barque? For I had made up my mind to go in that vessel, and no other. She lay far out in the stream, and I could not .afford to hire a boat. I had, to be sure, a dollar in my pocket (I had given the other two to the keeper of the slop-shop), but it was the last dollar I had received of my father's property, and I could not bear to part with it. At this moment fortune came to my assistance.. While I stood hesitating near the landing, a boat put off from the barque, and rowed swiftly towards the wharf. The captain, as I instantly concluded, was coming ashore to receive his last orders. Now then, if ever, was the time to make my appli- cation. He left the boat, ascended the steps, and, without stopping a moment, held on his way up the wharf. He passed so close to me that his clothes brushed against mine. There was nothing to prevent my speaking to him, but, to save my life, I could not have mustered a syllable. I had in some way or other made up my mind that he would certainly wait a few minutes to give some orders to the men, and then I thought I could address him; but this unexpected -mergency deprived me of all power of thought or action. Nothing is more amusing than the trifles by which our des- tiny is determined. The captain took a few steps up the wharf, then, abruptly turning, demanded in a harsh voice if I wanted to ship. He had seen me, as I inferred, at first landing, and decided that I would not answer his purpose; but being short-handed, one of his men it seems having just given him the slip, he con- cluded, on second thoughts, to see what could be done with me. As I was not particular about wages, our bargain was soon completed. I engaged for the voyage out and back, at eight dollars a month; and then, having first accompanied the cap- tain to his owners, to sign the ship's papers, I left him to make a few hasty preparations. In order to furnish myself with the necessary clothing, I was compelled to part with my watch; for, though I could probably have - obtained some slight advance on my wages, I shrank from making the request. The watch was a very pretty one,- a present from my mother; and I cannot describe my feelings when I saw the jeweller carelessly hang it up among a hundred others that ticked just above his head. But I was coming back, some day or other, with plenty of money, and then perhaps I could redeem it. After buying my necessary outfit, in which I trusted more to the shopkeeper's judgment than my own, I had only time to write a hasty letter to my mother, informing her of my res. olution, and asking her forgiveness. I trust that r have obtained it. It was-a cowardly desertion, I know; but what else could I do? The world was then too hard for me. I could not contend with it with any prospect of success. Instead of page: 28-29[View Page 28-29] 28 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. helping my mother, I should only have been an incumbrance; so at least I tried to persuade myself, as, having finished my letter, I walked down to the wharf, and took my seat in the boat that was to convey me to the barque. We sailed about dusk, and with a fine breeze; and, night coming on, we soon lost sight of land. When I looked for it the next morning, I saw only a dim cloud in the horizon; every hour it grew fainter, and at last I saw it no more. The ship to which I now belonged was a fine barque, of some three hundred and fifty tons, and was called the Three Sisters. She was built on the Clyde, and had already made one voyage to the East Indies, where she had been bought by an American merchant, by the name of Maxwell, to whom she still belonged. She was of a very pretty model, with new spars and rigging throughout; there was a broad white streak round her waist, and her inner works had just been painted of a bright straw color; so that, take her altogether, she was by far the handsomest ship in the harbor. It was to this circumstance alone that I then attributed the extraordinary attraction which drew me towards her. I have since thought that deeper causes might have been at work, and that what seemed entirely the work of chance, might be shown, by a finer, more transcendental philosophy, to have been the inevitable consequence of my past existence. The Three Sisters, so the sailors now informed me, was by no means a lucky vessel; she had met with nothing but dis- aster in both her former voyages; and the present, if there was any virtue in signs, promised to prove still more unfor- tunate. Long Bill, the oldest and most experienced man on board, declared, over and over again, that she would never enter port; and in this belief his hearers ,all devoutly joined. *i * ' CAPTAIN BRIDGES. 29 Though not at all given to superstition I came myself in- sensibly to believe the same thing; but, so far from depress- ing my spirits, it produced rather a strange feeling of satisfac- tion; for as, in the ordinary course of events, I saw no relief from my present difficulties, I was constantly hoping that something extraordinary would turn up, which, if it did not make my fortunes, would at least mar them beyond re- demption. Anything, I thought, was better than this tor- m enting uncertainty. We had an assorted cargo, containing, among other things, a few packages of furs, some bales of coarse -cotton, several cases of shoes, and a small quantity of cutlery and hardware, which the sister of the captain's wife was sending out on a venture. The captain's name was :ridges. I do not remember his first name very well, but I think it was John or Nicodemus, I am not sure which. He was a small, spare man, unusually swarthy, even for a sailor, and with eyes that looked, as one of the crew rather profanely remarked, like -A gimlet-holes in h-. The men said that he had formerly been a pirate, and they were very much in awe of hm;l though, for my own part, I must confess that I never could discover any- thing in his appearance or behavior to justify such a suspicion, unless it were the simple circumstance of his having no thumb on his left hand. This, indeed, would hardly be received as evidence in a court of law; yet, to speak the truth, it is almost incredible what an effect this apparently trifling loss had upon every person who approached him. As long as that was unnoticed, you saw nothing very unusual in his appearance; but the moment it was discovered, a total revulsion took place in your feelings. His dark face seemed darker than ever, and his page: 30-31[View Page 30-31] 30 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. eye blazed with a deeper fire. No effort of reason or good- nature was able entirely to efface the impression thus made. I had never the slrt cause of complaint against him, yet even now I cann thinklf him with any complacency. :No such difficulty existed in regard to my messmates, yet for some reason or other I failed to acquire their confidence. I could not readily adapt myself to my new circumstances; the squalid aspect of the forecastle disgusted me. There was too great a contrast between our coarse/f/re and the luxu- ries of my father's table. The sufferings I endured from home-sickness, which with me amounted to a positive disease, were such- as no one can understand who has not himself ex- perienced them. I was conscious, too, of a sense of degrada- tion, as if I had been unfaithful to myself in descending so far below my true position, and thus giving the lie to all those brilliant aspirations in which I had so long indulged. In short, during my first week at sea I was so astonish- ingly miserable that, if I could have foreseen the half of it, nothing could have induced me to make the venture. But that step once taken could not be recalled, And, miserable as I was, I was glad to have it so. There was my only safety. And here let me recommend this course of action to all whose temperament is like my own. If .they are ever in doubt as to what is best to be done, as they are always sure to be, let them at once commit themselves in such a way that they cannot draw back. There is not half so much in the choice as they are apt to imagine. ONE THNG IS VERY NEARLY AS GOOD AS ANOTHER. At any rate a bad decision is better than none, and what may, perhaps, look like folly is often the truest wisdom. It was not long before I began to find certain alleviations of my unhappiness. The life of the sailor is well fitted to OUR PASSENGERS. . 31 idle revery, and I began, once more, to indulge in my favor- ite habit of castle-building. I looked forward with a dreamy sort of satisfaction to the strange and barbarous countries we were about to visit, and pleased myself with thoughts of the many and wonderful discoveries I should there make for the enlightenment of the world. I compared myself to Columbus, to Marco Polo, and to other travellers, if there be any, yet more famous than they. I thought how the world would stare when they heard my name, and all that I had accomplished; and my mother! there was the source of a far purer joy. I fed-my heart upon her smiles. It had always been one, though, perhaps, the least of all my day-dreams, to discover the source of the Niger. Now, I saw before me the way to its fulfilment., Fortune had evi- dently marlked me out for a traveller. With the experience acquired by this voyage, I would hasten to London; I would present myself before the Royal Society, and demand their assistance. They would ask nme, as they had done Ledyard, when I should be ready; but, instead of requiring a whole day, I would reply, "This minute." So my first week passed away, in alternations of glowing fancy and darkest gloom. Then there came a sudden and to me a most amazing change. On board our ship were three passengers. The first was an old gentleman about sixty years of age; of a fine florid complexion, a benign and cheerful expression, and, as I judged the first time I saw him, of far more than ordinary intelligence. In less than a week he had made himself a favorite with every man on board. How, I do not know, for he hardly ever spoke; but there was that in his air which plainly declared the goodness of his heart. The second passenger was a young grizzly bear, which my page: 32-33[View Page 32-33] 32 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. old gentleman was carrying to China, with the intention of presenting him to the emperor. It was his wish, it seemed, to travel into the interior of that country; and he probably thought that, with such an introduction, he should have less difficulty in accomplishing his design. I judged from this bear's physiognomy that he would bite.. But neither the bear nor his keeper, however interesting they might be, had any power to dissipate my melancholy, or turn my thoughts into another channel. This result was brought about in a very different manner. One day, when we had been a little more than a week at sea, I was set to work, with Long Bill and two or three others, to overhaul the main rigging, which, being new, had become somewhat slack since leaving port. It was about nine o'clock in the morning. The air was soft and warm, for we had had, thus far, a most favorable run, and had already sailed far into the spring, while summer still beckoned us on. We had been at work only a few minutes, when a sudden exclamation from one of my companions arrested my attention. There, on the quarter-deck, scarcely ten feet from where I was standing, sat a young lady, a young girl, rather, of per- haps four times fourteen springs; for, surely, never summer, nor autumn, nor winter, had yet passed over that fair head. O, that I had then been changed to stone, to gaze forever into those eyes, so dreamy and profound! Yet she did not look at me. Her soul'sat far back behind those eyes, quiet and serene. I sought in vain to find my soul reflected there, as one sees his image, far down in a dzep and silent well, look- ing at him out of that little patch of heaven. I looked at her, but she never looked at me. I studied her unobserved; or, rather, I knew her without a study or a FIRST SIGHT OF ALICE. 83 thought. I caught every shade, every faintest ripple that stole over that glassy, fathomless sea- As the sea was when the first blush of sunrise kindled upon it at the dawn of creation ; before ever a tempest had ruffled its face; before the blackness of midnight had settled upon it; before storm, and shipwreck, and the angry violence of man, had sullied its virgin purity; when it was an object of love and wonder, but not of fear; before it had drowned a world. I saw her young imagination feeding upon the scene around her, like the silkworm upon its leaf, to evolve from it a fabric of infinitely greater delicacy and beauty. I saw the changing forms of her thought like a summer cloud continually pre- senting new surfaces to the sun. , I saw her conscious shy- ness, her wondering timidity, her laughing, blushing, self-re- proving joy. I saw how she almost held her very breath, like a child with its first bubble. I wondered - I hope not pro- fanely - whether it were not so with God when he launched his first world in aspce. I hid myself in her perfections, like an elf nestling in the heart of a rose. Yet this was not the first I had'known of her presence. I knew before that we had three passengers, and I had heard one of them mentioned slightingly as a little girl. But those words made no impression. My heart was not yet ripe. I had seen plenty of little girls before, and had always found them a very useless, uninteresting set of beings. What they were intended for, or what possible good they could do in the world, was entirely'beyond my comprehension. But now I seemed suddenly gifted with a new sense. A new set of emotions took possession of my soul. The clouds of despondency were scattered; the sun shone in again. I gave myself up without reserve to this passion which was at once so novel and delightful. I fed eagerly on that deli- page: 34-35[View Page 34-35] 34 THE NEW AGE OF GOLIB cious fancy till I forgot the painful reality of my situation. I forgot that I was only a poor sailor, that my clothes were coarse and ill-fashioned, that my hands were rough and hard with toil, and my face browned by the sun. And even when I became again conscious of these things, they seemed glorified by my love. No labor could now fatigue or hardship disgust me. I bore it all for her. Glorious, indeed, was the baptism I was now baptized with. I resolved to take the first opportunity of addressing my idol, that I might hear the sound of her voice; as one would run his fingers over the keys of a beautiful instrument, to see if its inner harmony corresponded to its external finish. Yet it was long before I could muster courage. Many a time, when I had made up my nijd-to speak, I found myself struck dumb.; Away from her I framed many an eloquent and burning sentence, but in her presence my words seemed frozen together. How well I remember the first words she ever heard from my lips! Common words enough, and to the common ear void of meaning, but to me how rich,J)ow stately, how full of pomp and magnificence! like a train of camels laden with gold, and spices, and odors, and precious stones, She was leaning over the bulwarks, gazing down into the sea. I approached her withthe ostensible purpose of stowing away a coil of rigging that was already better disposed than I could do it. I said to her, glancing round to be sure that no one else could hear, "Have you ever been at sea, before, Miss Cremorne?" then drew back a step, amazed and blush- ing at my own audacity. She turned and looked at me with her large, wondering eyes, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile dimpled her cheek. With all my skill in physiognomy, I could not quite SCRAPING AN ACQUAINTANCE. 35 make up my mind as to the meaning of that smile. Yet, whatever it might be, I thought I would have her smile for- ever. I could rejoice myself in that light, even though it scorched me to ashes. ' But the next moment her face had assumed its wonted intensity. The i"No, sir," that fell from her lips, was as curt and peremptory as a queen's. Then she smiled again, but after a different sort, as if to heal any wounds she might have inflicted, and moved away. Soon after, I saw her standing by her grandfather; they were talking merrily together; he glanced towards me and then at her, and laid his hand upon his heart. He looked partly amused, partly incredulous, and partly vexed. As for myself, I felt as if somehow I had done a very foolish thing, and, at the same time, if it was to be done over again, that I should not hesitate an instant. I was angry with her, and delighted with her, in the same moment. She was proud and shy, -so much was certain; but for that I liked her all th6 better. She had a right to be. I should have done the same thing myself. She looked down upon me, if not with contempt, at least with a full consciousness of the wide distance between us. And so she should. What else could I expect? If her behavior towards me had been differ- ent, I should have felt jealous of myself. For, after all, it was not I she looked down upon,--it was somebody else, a second personality, closely connected with me it was true, but which I could throw off at pleasure. If I should present myself to her in my oper person, she would- not recognize me as one whom she had ever seen before. I remained where she had left me, thoughtful and abstracted, but not unhappy. I was already busy with the most delight- ful fancies. I thought how, when I was rich and honored, - . .. . page: 36-37[View Page 36-37] 36 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. I would again present myself before her. I ran through the whole blissful round. I saw her blessed countenance beam upon me as if she had dissolved her whole soul into a single smile, as Cleopatra dissolved her pearl, as some royal entertainers have lavished a whole fortune in a single feast. I felt her hand on my shoulder, her soft cheek touching mine. I heard, as in a dream, her words of love. Their echo has not yet died away in my soul. Her half-real, half-affected coyness! The slow but sure surrendering of her affections! Her playful coquetry, like the little waves upon the shore, continually running bacli, yet always advancing! The full, rapturbus possession! The high spring-tide of love! But I would never part with these homely garments. Some day, when we were both in merry mood, I would resume my old character. I would come to her in sailor-boy guise. She would not know me, but would look carelessly upon me, as she had done to-day. Then I would say, with a very grave face, "Have you ever been at sea, before, Miss Cremorne?" And then, how shewould start, and gaze, and wonder; and I should be so happy, but still as grave as ever. And she will push the hair off my forehead, and cry, "No! - it cannot be! - I won't believe you!" till I can look grave no longer; and she will laugh, and throw her arms round my neck, and - "( All hands ready to wear ship!" cries the mate, close in my ear. My balloon-bubble burst, and down, down I fell, un- happy aeronaut, gravitating heavily, miserably, towards this miserable earth. CHAPTER III, We double Cape Horn, and arrive safely at Callao.-We again set sail for India. - Smiles and Tears. - The Exordium. - Strange Conduct of the Bear.--Its Explanation.- The Storm.- The Ship springs a Leak.- Loss of the Masts. --Tht Men take to the Boat. - The unhappy Fate of Mr. Cremorne. --I am left alone. - My Reflections.-- My joyful Surprise.- We take Refuge in the'Yawl. - The Ship sinks. SEVERAL months had passed since our leaving Salem, and we were still at sea. We doubled the cape on the seventeenth of February, after trying more than a week; and in something less than a month cast anchor in the port of Callao, much to the disappointment of several of the crew, who, for some rea- son or other, had fully made up their minds that our ship was unlucky, and would never reach the end of her voyage. At this place we had discharged the greater part of our cargo, and now, with a favorable breeze, were stretching across the broad Pacific. Since my first attempt I had made no further movement towards establishing an acquaintance with Alice Creinorne. I contented myself with gazing at her from a distance, and with conjuring up fancied scenes of happiness similar-to those which I have already described. It was enough for me, at present, to be in the same ship that contained my beloved object. I had no rival, and was consequently free from jealousy; and I trusted to time and chance to work a change in my favor. 4 page: 38-39[View Page 38-39] 38 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. Yet it is not wholly true that there was no intercourse between us. Every pleasant morning, sometimes before the rising of the sun, I was sure to find my charming Alice seated on the quarter-deck, or walking slowly back and forth with her grandfather by her side. As the sun rose, her bright shadow came dancing coquettishy along the deck, now glancing on the rails, now leaning a moment, as if to rest, over the low bulwarks. I noticed where it fell, and hastened to place my- self before it. I saluted it lovingly with a whispered "Good morning!" I let it fall upon my face and hands, and fancied it was Alice's spirit breathing over me. And then, in the evening, I sent my shadow back to her, and sought to make it clasp her in its longing yet shy em- brace. I wondered whether she ever noticed it; and I some- times thought that her countenance, on such occasions, wore a very peculiar expression, as if she were dimly conscious of some strange, mysterious influence then acting upon her. But, perhaps, after all, it was only the shadow. I cannot tell how much satisfaction I derived from this simple source, nor how much I was disappointed, when, from a cloudy morning, or change of course, or any other cause, I was unable to avail myself of those spiritual messengers. And time and chance would work yet greater marvels. Time and Chance! Time and Chance! good friends, in truth, ye have been to me! If I do not thank you as you deserve,--but no matter; I trusted to them, and they did not deceive me. They gave me, indeed, far more than I should have dared to ask; not, perhaps, in the precise man- ner I should have selected,- they never do, - but in such a way that I had no reason to complain either of their wisdom or generosity. X Before I go any further, however, I must pause a moment THE EXORDIUM. 9 , to enable the reader to prepare himself for the scene that is about to follow. And that he may do this, to some purpose, I give him fair warning beforehand that I intend 'o be very pathetic. Though, if he would rather have laughter, I can furnish that too. It is such a little way from smiles to tears! Which will you have? for I have both at command. I can as easily laugh as weep. Only I do-not like to do either long at a time. But we must have one or the other. I do not have such a chance very often, and I am determined to make the most of it. In all that I have done hitherto I seem to myself like that famous French cook, or artist, who, at the siege of Leith, made no less than five-and-forty different courses from the salted hind quarter of a horse, with such surpassing skill that the nicest critics could not determine the nature of a sin- gle dish. Having, as I flatter myself, succeeded so well with such scanty materials, I long to show what I can do with all the wealth bof sea and land at my disposal. But how is this? I meant to make you cry, and you will not even laugh. But no matter. If I am dull, you must work the harder. Let the reader then gird up the loins of his imagination! Let him recall all the elements of grandeur and sublimity with which I have supplied up. Here is the broad Pacific, so suggestive of empire and dominion; of whales, and sea-serpents, and others, if there be any, still mightier than they; of all that is lovely and solitary; all that is misty and indefinable; all that is vast and infinite. Here is the good ship, The Three Sisters, with canvas cloud on cloud, - the favorite emblem, in all ages, of strength and beauty; a life the theme of man's fear and hardihood, of his page: 40-41[View Page 40-41] 40 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. greatness and littleness, of his weakness and supremacy; a mere speck amid the world of waters, yet riding gloriously as the sun in heaven. And here is the captain on his quarter-deck, like emperor on his throne; the greatest man, for all we know, within a thousand miles. Mark the conscious dignity of his' deport- ment, the weight of responsibility which burdens yet exalts him; with hand curiously balancing his fitting sceptre, the wondrous glass of Galileo. And there is the man at the wheel, with one eye on the bow and the other on that slender needle governed by a finer instinct than that which guides the swarthy savage through the pathless wilds of an American forest. And here, at the foot of the mainmast, sits on his haunches the meditative bear, too uneasy, from some mysterious cause, to lie, as usual, prone upon his belly, yet lulled by the lazy rattle of his chain, and the low murmur of the waves, till he nods like an old grandam dreaming in the chimney-corner over her early loves. And there are his master and my mistress, old Mr. Cre- morne and the charming Alice, at the two extremes of life; retrospection and anticipation tland in hand. How she smiles upon the good old man! Her miles fall with reflected light on me. Ah, my Alice! never did you look to me more lovely! It was your gentle helplessness that gave such might and majesty to the ocean. It was the consciousness of that precious freight that made our noble ship quiver so; that so oppressed the captain with added responsibility; that quickened the eye and nerved the arm of the man at the wheel, and that so disturbed the slumbers of our philosophic bear. I loved even him for her sake. It was for her sake that I STRANGE CONDUCT. OF THE BEAR. 41 smiled so tenderly upon him, told him to lie down, and gave him half my dinner. It was with some misgiving that I did it, for his temper was far from good, and his claws were sharp; nor had I any particular reason for supposing that it would give her pleasure; but in some way or other I always found that when I felt kindly towards "her, I felt kindly towards everything else. So, as I could not share my dinner with her, I did the next best thing in my power, and shared it with the-bear. And, as I did so, I began to love him more than I ever loved a bear before in my life. In fact, for fear lest he should per- ceive it, I did my best to assume a cold and distant air, just the same as if he had been a-man; looking him all the time as steadily in the face as I could, and exclaiming, as I winked away a tear, "I wish the sun would n't shine so bright! it has almost put my eyes out!" But-- why I could not imagine--my bear refused to eat. He simply smelled the food, then raised his head, whined and moaned, and uneasily snuffed the air. His usual fierceness seemed suddenly to have-deserted him. Could it be that he was by some mysterious sympathy aware of my feelings, and wished thus to signify his delicate appreciation of them? I would gladly have believed it, but it was too much to expect from a bear, a bear too who had never thus far manifested the slightest sensibility. 1 must seek some other solution of his conduct. I remem- bered having read that the lower animals were often enabled to give warning of some threatening convulsion of nature long before its approach could be detected by human intelligence. On looking around me, however, I could discover no indi- cation of any change in the weather. The sails were filled with a gentle but steady breeze. T he sky was without a cloud, 4* page: 42-43[View Page 42-43] 42 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. and the sun, who, from his elevated eyrie, might be supposed to see all that was going on below, looked down with un- troubled eye. Still I was not satisfied. The bear had come all the way from the Rocky Mountains; he had seen a great deal of the world, and, though age had not yet matured his judgment, his habits of out-door life could hardly have failed to strengthen his perceptive powers to a very high degree. Again I looked around me. The wind was dying away, and now and then the mainsail flapped against the mast. The sky was still clear, but far in the north-east a cloud no bigger than a man's hand lay apparently becalmed in the horizon. As I looked, it seemed perceptibly to enlarge, and to be com- ing up heavily against the wind. I pointed it out to one of my shipmates, in the hearing of the captain, but without hinting my suspicions; for I was afraid of disturbing his jealousy if it appeared that the bear and I had been first to discover the danger. Captain Bridges scanned the sky attentively a while, and then descended into the cabin, to consult, as I supposed, the barometer, though in my opinion the one on deck was, to say the least, quite as reliable. The next moment he reappeared, and hurriedly gave orders to take in sail. When, after assist- inr to execute this order, I again descended to the deck, the change that had taken place in so short a time was startling and tremendous. The little cloud, like the head of an advancing column, had rapidly spread itself out, till its heavy masses filled the sky further than the eye could reach; we could almost hear their measured tramp, as they swept onward to the charge, amid the far-off music of ten thousand bands. It needed no force THE STORM. 43 of imagination to feel that a single will pervaded the mighty host, and directed the order of battle. The sublimity of the sight left no room for fear. I was rather proud of being permitted to witness such an exhibition of almighty power. I exulted in the thought that such a spectacle should have been provided for my entertainment; and almost wished that I had been entirely alone, that I might have had it all to myself. Yet, soberly considered, there was enough for us all and to spare. The whole universe might then have filled their hearts. Never again, till the last day, do I expect to behold so many elements of wonder and awe. For thirty-six hours we fled before the gale. In that time the wind had shifted through more than three quarters of a circle. Before the commencement of the tempest we were sailing west north-west, close-hauled upon the starboard tack. The next morning we were scudding under bare poles directly towards the western coast of South America; and at mid- night, if we held our course, we had a reasonable prospect of making the South Pole. But when the second morning dawned we found, on sound- ing the pumps, that we were making water much faster than we were making port. There were already four feet of water in the hold, and the leak was gaining on us every minute. Owing, no doubt, to the want of canvas to steady the ship, she rolled her lower yards under at almost every dip, and it was with the greatest difficulty that we were able to maintain but footing. Yet, in spite of every discouragement, we contrived to rip both the pumps, and for three hours we labored without intermission till we were compelled to pause from sheer page: 44-45[View Page 44-45] " THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. Then, we sounded again, and found that the leak had gained just one inch. So, at any rate, the mate reported, though I do not suppose that he could really have detected so slight a difference. A shy, cowardly, contemptible leak! Not coming upon us boldly and honorably, like a man, but creeping stealthily upon its victim like a tiger upon its prey. A cruel, bloodthirsty, unmerciful leak! Not despatching us at a blow,'but playing with us as a cat with a mouse, and mocking us with vain hopes of escape. Finding it impossible to get the leak under in this way, Captain Bridges very reluctantly gave orders to lighterr the ship by throwing overboard a portion of the cargo, and finally to cut away the masts. 'He would probably have made up his mind somewhat sooner on this latter point, but the masts were new, and he was very much attached to them, especially the mainmast, which I had often heard him declare to be just about the prettiest bit of timber he had ever seen. Twice he raised the fatal axe, and twice let it fall again, - a very pretty piece of sensibility, it seemed to me, in a pirate; till at last, the second mate, a coarse, brutal fellow, with no more sentiment than an undertaker, snatched the axe from-his hand, and was about to strike, when the ship gave a tremen- dous lurch to leeward, and with a fearful crash the foremast with all its hamper went over the side. The maintopmast followed, and in its fall carried away the mizzen, but the mainmast itself still stood as firm as ever. The ship now rode more easily, and, with renewed hope, we again addressed ourselves to the pumps; but in two hours the leak had gained six inches, and it was evident to all on board that our only chance of safety was in the boats. The gale had for some time abated, and the sea, as if satisfied UNHAPPY FATE OF MR. CREMORNE. 45 with what it had done, or ashamed of having thus got into a passion for nothing, seemed disposed to get over it as soon as possible. By means of a purchase attached to the mainmast the long boat was hoisted out, and hastily stored with water and pro- visions. The men descended, and took their seats in silence. I alone remained beside the captain to assist the charming Alice and her aged grandfather. Mr. Cremorne went first, and was all ready to drop himself into the boat, when it slid from beneath him, and he fell into the sea. "The -waves hurried him away; His white hair mingled with the foam." We heard his feeble cry, once -twice-no, it was only the waves hissing against the ship. Alice stood still, and gazed at the spot where she had seen him-last. The men below called to us impatiently to descend. The second mate swore that he would not hold in much longer for any man or woman either that ever lived. Mutter- ing an imprecation against his brutality between my set teeth, I caught the sinking form of Alice in my arms, and bore her towards the boat. But my foot slipped on the wet and treacherous deck. I fell, and, striking my head violently against the bulwarks, lay there without sense or motion. / How long I remained in this condition I cannot tell. My -consciousness returned but slowly. When I recovered strength to open my eyes and look about me, I seemed like one awaking from a confused and frightful dream. With a painful' effort I joined my broken' thoughts -together. I recalled the sun- shine and the storm that followed. The weary working at the page: 46-47[View Page 46-47] " THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. pumps- the launching of the long-boat, and the bitterness of death. The silence and desertion that reigned around appalled me. Mi!y mean and cowardly messmates had left me alone to die. Even Tom Harris, who I thought really loved me, cared more for his life than his affection. And a dearer than he, my be- loved Alice, for whose sake I had exposed myself to this calamity, she too had deserted me. "It is well!"I said. "O yes! and I am glad of it! I hoped it would be so! I would not have had it otherwise. It is a fitting return for my love. Of course she would leave me. What am I to her? - a poor miserable sailor, like me, and she so beautiful! But I will never rise from this deck. I will never open my eyes again. I will die here, where I have fallen, for her sake. This ship shall be my coffin. What have I to live for now? Let her go and be happy! She is talking and laughing now, I dare say; laughing- at my clum- siness. If an angel should come now to save me, I would not be saved." I buried my face in my hands, and closed my eyes for the last time on earth; while I waited with a sort of nervous apathy the final plunge. A soft touch aroused me; a hand softer than a man's held my waist.. A warm living breath was on my cheek. From the position in which I lay I could not see her face, but, peep- ing through my closed fingers, I saw the dress of my beloved Alice, and one fair hand on which she leaned. OO joy! I longed to start up, to fold her in my embrace. One kiss! one only! a whole eternity of bliss! and then down together into the depths. But no, I would play a little with my happiness. I lay quite still, and pretended to be dead. Who would not, to be I . JOYFUL SURPRI . 47 so brought to life? She attempted gently to draw my hand to her. My traitor hand could not resist that gentle violence. And now she held it in both her own. Do what I would, I could not help returning that soft pressure. I sighed, and she echoed back my sigh. I opened my eyes languidly, and, turning my head, looked dreamily upon her, like a new-born soul in paradise upon the awakening angel. Shall I, when I wake in paradise, be any happier than I was then? " Ah!" she whispered, "I was afraid that you were dead." " Afraid!"I repeated, " and why should you be afraid? What difference could it make to you?" and, as I spoke, my whole soul flew into my eyes. She blushed and hesitated, and then replied, smiling through her tears, "You know you tried to save me when my -but are you very badly hurt? Does your head pain you?" "O, no," I cried, "I feel no pain now. But you--how came you here? I thought you were gone with the rest. And they have left you alone; but no matter, I will save you yet." ! As I said this, I rose and looked around me. To my sur. pe, I found that the sun had been some time set, but the full moon poured her cold light over the cold waters, lighting up all around with that strange, unearthly radiance. It shone upon Alice, and gave her a yet more spiritual beauty; - upon the bear, chained to the mainmast, and he seemed still more uncouth and grotesque; --on the lazy, heaving sea, and its changing lights and shadows were brighter and darker than before. But there was no time to be lost. The ship had settled nearly to the level of her upper deck, and at any moment page: 48-49[View Page 48-49] THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. might sink beneath us. The long-boat was gone, but the yawl still remained, lashed firmly to the quarter deck. Hastily casting off the lashings, I threw into it a bag of biscuit and a small cask of water, that the men in their hurry had forgotten. With the axe, which the mate lad dropped, I cleared away any ropes that might endanger our safety, and then, with Alice sitting passively by my side, I took my place in the boat, and waited anxiously for the event. It was not long in coming. Our noble ship sank quietly and without a struggle. She sank from beneath us, and left us there, as the mother eagle leaves her fledglings in mid-heaven to test their untried pinions. A momentary ripple marked the spot where she had disappeared; but the vast Pacific at once filled up the gap, and nothing but a few floating fragments of the wreck remained to show that such a ship as the Three Sisters had ever been. CHAPTER IV. Voyage in the Boat. -Narrow Escape of the Bear. - My Perplexity on his Account.- I determine to steer towards the North-west.- My Feel- ings in regard to Alice. - State of our Provisions. - Philosophizing.- Our first Breakfast.-- Making a Cup. - Horrors of our Situation. - Alice's Fortitude. --Our Quarrel and Reconciliation. - I tell her my Story. - Sweet and bitter Recollections. THUS suddenly we found ourselves left in the midst of the ocean, afloat in that cockle-shell of a boat, now rising on the crest of a wave, now lost in the hollow; hardly knowing whether to rejoice at our escape, or to regret that we had not perished with the ship. In that case our death would have been easy; but now, for what lingering torments were we reserved? But, all this time, I have forgotten the bear. I had been too busy, hitherto, to pay much attention to his movements, but, after taking my place in the boat, I suddenly remembered his pitiable condition. I would have given him his liberty; but I feared to leave the boat even for an instant, and I coin- sidered, too, that such misplaced kindness would only prolong his sufferings; so I very reluctantly, and with a feeling of self- reproach, determined to leave him to his fate. But my bear had no thought of dying so easily. He evi- dently saw that we were about to leaye him, and manifested, in every way, his desire to bear us company. Again and again 5 page: 50-51[View Page 50-51] 50 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. lie essayed to break his chain. He whined and moaned so pitifully that the gentle Alice could not bear the sound; and even I, insensible and hard-hearted as I was, felt myself strangely moved. At length the water washed the place where he was stand- ing, the ship settled rapidly, and the next moment I expected to see him swallowed up; when, with a final effort, rising on his hind legs, and grasping the chain with his powerful paws, the links parted, and he fell over backwards into the water. He rose again directly, however, and swam vigorously towards the boat. Here was a new difficulty. If he succeeded in reaching the boat, what security. should we have for his good behavior? Would his sense of gratitude be sufficiently strong to over- come his appetite? Would a feeling of mutual dependence teach him to restrain, for a time, his natural bearish propen- sities? Or would he, without even the ceremony of casting lots, decide to save his own life, if possible, at the expense of his fellow-passengers? I tried in valin to settle these questions satisfactorily to my own mind. In all my reading, I had never met with a case precisely in point. Whalt was the precise degree of honor and generosity in a bear, and how far those qualities might be modified by such peculiar circumstances, had never, so far as I could remember, engaged the attention of any philoso- pher. If he had been a man, I could have made up my mind at once. I knew full well that man's natural selfishness never showed itself so decidedly, nor in so monstrous a shape, as in the very situation in which we were placed. And what right had I to expect more from a bear than from a man? Influenced by these considerations, I seized the axe, and stationing myself in the bows of the boat, prepared NARROW ESCAPE OF THE BEAR. 51 to ciop off his unhappy paws the moment he should succeed in getting them over the gunwale. Bears' paws are said to be extremely nourishing, and I already fancied my charming Alice looking wistfully upon that dainty morsel. What were ten thousand bears to a life like hers? And I grasped the axe more fiercely than ever. But, as the bear approached, he looked at me so implor- itgly, and I had him at such an overwhelming disadvantage, that my heart reproached me for the meanness I had intended. I determined to -banish all such selfish considerations, and to give the poor fellow the same chance of safety that I had my- self. I dropped the axe, and, taking him by the collar, succeeded, with no little difficulty, in helping him into the boat. With- out my assistance, he might have tried in vain; and I could not help hoping that he would have magnanimity enough to appreciate the obligation. He seemed, indeed, sufficiently grateful, and, first shaking himself, to clear the water from his shaggy coat, he sat down, like a well-behaved bear, in the bottom of the boat, and, laying his head on my knee, looked up earnestly in my face with an expression of far greater sympathy and- intelligence than I had supposed a bear was capable of conveying. Then he looked at Alice, and I thought I detected a softer shade steal over his rude but honest features, and I blessed him in my heart for a sensible, good-hearted bear. I gave him a bit of biscuit, which he munched with great apparent relish, and then, laying his head between his paws, he coiled himself into as small a compass as possible, as if he had resigned all responsibility, and was soon fast asleep. I could not help noticing this with approbation; for it seemed to showkthat he was above all base and unworthy suspicions, page: 52-53[View Page 52-53] 52 TIE NEW AOG OF GOLD. and confided in my honor; and I resolved in my own mind never to give him cause to -regret his misplaced confidence. Alice said nothing, but I flattered myself that she did not disapprove my conduct. Having thus settled this matter to our mutual satisfaction, the next question was to determine the direction of the nearest land. About this I knew very little. At the beginning of the gale we were, by the captain's reckoning, not far from fifteen hundred miles south-west of the'-Sandwich Islands. Since then we had been driven about so much that we had lost all knowledge of our position. I knew, indeed, that those islands must still lie nearly in the same direction; but we were not provisioned for so long a voyage, and I concluded, on the whole, that my best plan would be to steer towards the north- west, hoping to be picked up by a passing merchantman, or to reach some one of the many islands that stud that portion of the Pacific. This, I remembered, was also the course which Captain Bridges had signified his intention to take, before leaving the ship. The boat was rigged with a fore-and-aft sail, with a small, bright patch just about the centre. I cannot help mentioning this trifling circumstance, because, during the many weary days that we were at sea, this patch was almost constantly before my eyes, and even now, strange as it may seem, I can see it more plainly than anything else. A few days ago, I happened to notice, in the harbor of New York, not far from pier No. 4, in the North River, a small sail-boat with a patch almost precisely similar, and it at once brought the whole scene so vividly before my mind, that I had much ado to keep back my tears. There was also a rudder belonging to the boat, but when I came to look for it, I could find only the tiller. I tried for a MY FEELINGS IN REGARD TO ALICE. 58 while to steer with this, but soon gave it up, finding it of no more service than a handle without a teapot, an eye without a needle, or a pipe without a bowl. However, I made shift to steer with an oar, and, turning the boat's head as nearly as I could'judge towards the north- west, I made sail, with the wind well upon my larboard quar- ter. This brought the moon almost directly in our faces. That I might steer with greater ease, I took my station at some distance from the stern; the charming Alice sat oppo- site, and I could not help now and then stealing a glance at her averted countenance. Up to this time I had never found her otherwise than per- fectly beautiful; but now, as, by the pale light of the moon, I studied her lovely profile, I noticed, as I thought, rather too great a prominence in her chin. This defect, however, if such it could be called, so far from causing me any uneasiness, rather increased my satisfaction; and, in fact, it seemed to me then as if I loved her more on that account than for all her other charms beside. I see it now, her low, sad brow, that rested on her little hand; her drooping lids; her lips just parted by that last low sigh. I longed to comfort her, but I knew not how. In her pres- ent mood, indeed, I saw that it would be useless to address her. Not that I supposed her sufferings to be so intense. The hand may be dipped without harm in molten iron; and the soul, plunged in such a fiery bath as hers, seems often guarded by a like merciful provision. But to-morrow I feared she would feel- it more. For sorrow benumbs like frost. It is not the cold that stings us, it is the returning warmth. And was I really sitting so near her? Was that her little foot that almost touched my own? Was I now her only pro- page: 54-55[View Page 54-55] 54 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. tector? Had fortune really been so kind? A strange, uneasy joy took possession of my soul. I could not sit still in my seat. But, after all, what good did it do? She did not know that I loved her; nor could I dare to tell her. The interval was too great between us. I was hardly more to her than a total stranger. Yet she must have sympathy. She could not live without it. She must have some one to talk to about her grandfather; some one to take his place; some one that she could love and cling to. Now she hardly dared to cry, for fear I might be looking at her. Her situation was, indeed, singularly painful. It would have been bad enough if we had known each other all our lives; but, as it was,-ah! how I longed to teller all that was in my heart, that she might banish all her fears, and throw herself unreservedly upon my honor and affection. But I cannot tell the half nor the quarter of the sad yet pleasant fancies that chased each other through my brain on that strange, eventful night. I have been happy since,- yes, happier than I was then,--yet, not for worlds would I part with that experience. Nothing else that I have ever known could perfectly supply its place. It stands forth distinct, with a character and impressions of its own; and often now, when brighter scenes have failed to satisfy my soul, I turn to that comparatively dark and sombre recollection with such a serene and tender melancholy as leaves me nothing to desir e. I now counted the biscuit in the bag, and found that there were just thirty-seven and a half. I do not know why I remember this so well, unless because it became associated in my mind with ," two-and-threepence," which, as all my New England readers are already aware, is just thirty-seven and a STATE OF OUR PROVISIONS. 55 half cents. At one apiece a day, this would last us more than a week, and in that time, if fair weather continued, I had little doubt that .e should be delivered from our present un- comfortable position. I next turned to the keg that contained our water. It would hold, at least, three gallons, and, at one pint a day, which I thought might be sufficient, would last eight days. But, when I came to look, I found, to my inexpressible con- sternation, that it was not nearly half full! To satisfy my- self more perfectly, I took a long sliver from the oar, and, having first dried it on my sleeve, inserted it carefully into the bung-ole. When I took it out, it was not wet more than four inches, or just the length of my fore-finger. I sucked it dry, for we could not afford to lose even so little, and then threw it angrily away. It hit the bear on the nose, and waked him from his slumbers. - He started up with an angry growl, but, having looked about him and seen where he was, he gazed at us with a sort of smile, and lay down again. "Happy bear!"I said, "you have no responsibility. You can sleep in quiet, undisturbed by fears of the future; while I must wake, and watch, and rack my brain for means to avert an evil that, after all, cannot be averted." Then suddenly the thought flashed across my mind, "Suppose I should kill him as he lies? His flesh would last us many days; and, as for his blood, I feel now as if I could drink it all. I can do it without danger, for he is sound asleep, and a single blow of the axe will end the matter." "No,"-I said, "never! never!" and I shook my head to confirm my resolu- tion. Alice noticed, and knew not what to make of my conduct. I saw that she had, for the' moment, forgotten her recent bereavement, and was busy with other subjects of contempla- page: 56-57[View Page 56-57] 56 THE 'NEW AGE OF GOLD. tion. At such times, the mind is always ready to surrender itself passively to new trains of thought and emotion, and often of the most trivial description. In the lowest depths of grief, I have suddenly found myself studying, with an interest altogether unaccountable, the pattern of the paper on the wall, or the figures of the carpet, or counting the flies in the win- dow, or dissecting, with the subtlest analysis, the character of a friend. I have been often ashamed, indeed, of the nmany trifling fancies that intrude themselves on those sacred hours, and thus, like careless spectators at a funeral, profane the awful ceremonial with their vain and idle presence. Thus, while Alice forgot her grief -to think of she knew not what, I forgot my cares to wonder of what she was thinking. But my thoughts, as usual, moving in a circle, soon brought "nme back to the point from which I started. "Shall I kill the bear? No, no!" and I shook my head harder than ever. But, though I thus drove the idea from my mind, I still allowed it to linger about the door, as one will coquet with a sin he has no thought of committing, or as a dog will smell of a joint he does not mean to taste. At ally rate, I would wait, and then, if worst came to the worst, if one must die for the good of the rest, it would be time enough to think which it should be. As soon as the sun was up I took one of the biscuits out of the bag, and, breaking it into three pieces, gave the larg- est to Alice, the next largest to myself, and the smallest to the bear. I hope the reader will not think me selfish; but I thought, as the bear had no work to do, he did not need as much as I did. When I had eaten mine I was as hungry as ever; and, as for the bear, he looked as if he could eat all there was in the bag; but Alice said she had had enough, and I could not g MAKING A CUXP. 57 think of eating more than she did. So I put the bag back, under the seat, out of reach of the bear, for he was too much of a child to be trusted, and then tied my handkerchief as tight as possible round my waist to make ray stomach think it was full. My next thought was of something to drink. I gave the oar to Alice, and showed her how' to steer, while I lifted the precious keg upon one of the seats, and drew out' the bung. But what were we to drink out of? There was neither a cup, nor a dipper, nor a shell, nor anything else in the boat that would hold water, except the slippers that Alice had on her dainty feet. My boots were full of holes. We could not drink out of the bung, for it was a very wasteful method; we could not tell how much each one took, and I did not see how the bear could manage in that way to drink at all. There was no sort of probability that he had ever drunk out of a bung- hole in his/life; and, though I should not have despaired of teaching tim, if water had been more plenty, it seemed now altogether too late to begin. I felt in all my pockets, one after another, at least half a dozen times, in the vain hope of finding something that might answer the purpose; but there was nothing there except a jackknife and a piece of beeswax I had used a few days before, when mending a hole in my trousers. At first I could think of no way in which either of these articles could serve-me. But, as I turned them over in my hand for the twentieth time, a plan occurred to me, so simple and natural that I wondered I had not thought of it before. In my younger days,I had often amused myself by fashion- ing boats and similar toys out of the little bits of wax I found in my mother's work-basket. The skill which I had then ac- quired now proved of signal service. I seized the wax with page: 58-59[View Page 58-59] 58 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. eagerness, and sought to soften and mould it in my palm. But I soon found that it was too hard to yield to such treatment, and I looked around for other means to subdue its obstinacy. The axe, basking in the sun, had become so warm as to be really painful to the touch. By-applying the wax to its heated surf;tce, I softened it sufficiently to mould it into what form I pleased. The slender stick I had thrown at the bear furnished me with a handle, and in less than an hour I held in my hand a cup not bigger than an English walnut, but well enough fitted for its intended purpose. I surveyed it with childish admiration, while Alice looked on with a sort of lan- guid curiosity. I was pleased at seeing her thoughts thus diverted. I made haste to dip my cup into the keg, and then silently held it out for her to drink. She took it without a word, but her hand trembled, and half the precious fluid was wasted on her dress. The next time she did better; but, having drained the cup three times, she signed to me that she was satisfied, and no urgency on my part could induce her to drink'.another drop. I contented myself with six cups, though this seemed but ' to increase my thirst, and then turned to the bear, who had been all this time getting more and more uneasy. I took off one of my boots, and, having made a little hollow in the leg, I dipped out for him the same quantity that I had taken for myself. This important business was at length over; the little flow of spirits it had started was dried up, and I was at leisure to survey the full horrors of my situation. And, indeed, they were enough to dismay a stouter heart than mine ; for, though there was something of the hero, there was little of the mar- tyr, in my composition. Amid the noise of battle, the shock of opposing armies, the delirious whirl of the charge, the pur- FORTITUDE OF ALICE. 59 suit, the victory, I should have done as well as most; but a lingering death, coming on just fast enough to discover all its horrid lineaments, pushing on its slow but sure advance, day after day, hemming in the starving garrison with its stern, remorseless league,--this demanded qualities of a totally different description, and in which I was wofully deficient. But Alice was my better angel. With her sitting by my side, it was impossible to yield to apathy or despair. I was too weak to bear my own calamity, but this added burden gave me strength. There was a proud swelling of my heart when- ever I thought how dependent she was on my protection. If she were saved, it would be owing entirely to me. No one could rob me of that sweet privilege. And, as I thought on these things, I felt the strength of a thousand men in my single arm. Nor was this the only way in which she helped-me. Though so young, her understanding was far more mature than mine. She appreciated the difficulties of my situation, and at -once came to my relief. She put away her private griefs for a more convenient season, and thought only how she could best contribute to the common welfare. And this assurance of her sympathy was all I wanted, and all she could offer. For, with all my efforts, I could never teach her to manage either oar or sail. Even when I was watching and directing lier she did nothing but blunder. But the more she blundered, the more I loved her. Nor were the inconveniences arising from this ignorance so great as might at first sight be supposed. True, I could never leave the oar except for a moment, and for several nights I suffered for want of sleep. But, by degrees, I learned to steer while sleeping, and once or twice, when there was little wind, I slept more than twelve hours without waking. page: 60-61[View Page 60-61] 60 TEE NEW AGE OF GOLD. In action, then, Alice was of little assistance. But in pas- sive endurance I have never seen her equal. Her hope, and faith, and constancy, were really wonderful. And all the more wonderful because a thoughtful imagination like hers is apt to breed elancholy; and melancholy, in its turn, nourishes the imagination at the expense of reason and judgment, and other qualities such as are commonly supposed to impart energy and strength. I was at first puzzled by this unusual combination, but finally accounted for it on the score of her youth and inexperience. "Young blood! young blood!"I constantly repeated, whenever I found myself drawing a comparison be- tween her character and my own; " wait till she is as old- as I am, and then we shall see if she does not abate a little of her ardor. WTait till care and anxiety and disappointment have taught her wisdom. But, after all, what can a woman ever know of these things? The spoiled and petted plaything of man's idle hours!" "What are you thinking of?" said Alice, suddenly, and with an apparent effort. "You have been talking to yourself this ever so long, and I should like to know what it is all about." The manner in which she spoke showed that she had yet no suspicion of my true character. Now, then, was the time to undeceive her! My features are usually very flexible, but, when I please, I can be as imperturbable as a marble statue. So, disguising my real feelings under an air of authority, I replied, "And if I should tell you, Miss Cremorne, in what would you be the wiser? If you were a man, it might be different; but what has a woman to do with care and sorrow?" "What, indeed?" said Alice; and she looked out at the salt waves, as if saying, "These, at least, have not spared me." QUARREL AND RECONCILIATION. 61 I should have stopped at that mournful reproach, but I went on. "You do not believe it, I see." ' "I suppose I ought to believe it," she replied; "I know- nothing of the world but what I have learned from books, until this voyage." Her fine eyes filled with tears, and I looked away, that she might enjoy her sorrow undisturbed. "Poor thing," thought I, " you are, indeed, sadly ignorant and inexperienced; but no matter, as long as you have me to take care of you! Fortu- nately I know enough for both. It would be hard to find any one who knows the world better than No- To be sure, it does very little good here in the middle of the Pacific, with no one but that villain bear; but I shall have an opportunity before long, and then I will show you the difference between mere book-learning and the knowledge that one derives from actual experience." Presently Alice spoke again: ("Are all sailors like you?" "Like me? O, no! I am not a sailor. I never went to sea before in my life." "You are not a sailor? You have never been -to sea before?" "Never." "Then tell me what you have been." There was a pretty imperiousness about her that charmed while it alarmed me. In spite of mygreat superiority in age and experience, I began to fear that we might change places after all. Besides, I felt already that strange desire of inflict- ing pain, which we are apt in certain moods to indulge towards those we love. But, as one amusing himself by pinching his own arm, looks in the glass to know when it is time to stop, so I kept my eyes all the time fixed upon her face lest I should go too far. , . 6 page: 62-63[View Page 62-63] 62 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. "It is no time now," I said, " to talk of such things, when every hour may prove our last. In our present critical situ- ation we have enough else to do without stopping to gratify an idle curiosity." I shall never forget the look of reproachful wonder, not un- mixed with a certain haughty indignation, with which Alice regarded me at the conclusion of this unfeeling speech. How- ever, I did my best not to notice it, and was preparing to go on in the same strain, when I saw her lips tremble. Her pride had yielded to her sensibility; her will to mine. Yet my satisfaction at this victory was marred by thought of the meanness of which I had been guilty in thus taking advan- tage of her unhappy condition;. "If her natural protector had been spared to her," I said to myself, "you would never have dared thus to play the tyrant." Yet no man ever loved woman as I loved Alice. Even at the moment when she was reproaching me for my unkindness, I would have died for her sake. And, though I had con- quered, it was a dear-bought victory. Such another would be my ruin. Already I was the humblest of her slaves. This little difficulty had done more to establish confidence between us than a year of ordinary intercourse; though I am well aware that to many it must seem a very strange way of commencing an acquaintance. But I was too shy to go through the formalities usual in such cases. My way of forming an acquaintance was that of a bee with a honey- suckle, - alike sudden and impetuous. I no sooner saw that my charming Alice was about to yield. than I made haste to spare her the mortification. "But forgive me, "I said, 4 for speaking to you in this way. I was thinking of something else. I will tell you I TELL ALICE MY STORY. 63 my story, and afterwards you can tell me yours. It will help to pass away the time. But first let us eat our dinner; it must be pastnoon, and the bear, I see, is getting hungry. " So saying, I again produced the biscuit and waters and we both at once fell to work, nibbling and sipping alternately, with the greatest deliberation, in order to prolong our enjoy- ment as long as possible. But the bear very foolishy swal- lowed his at once, and then sat looking at us as if he grudged us every morsel, till at last, I had to give him a piece of my own. I did this partly to make up with him, for I saw that he was not quite pleased with my treatment of his young mistress, and seemed rather disposed to stand up in her defence. I had caught him looking at me several times during our brief contention with evident displeasure, and at length he uttered a very decided growl. Even when I threw him this little peace-offering he seemed to hesitate about taking it; but, after directing an inquiring glance at Alice, and seeing that she was satisfied, he ate his biscuit, and then, resting his head on one of the seats, he quietly waited for my story, as if he expected to be as much inter- ested in it as anybody else. The afternoon was nearly gone before I had finished; for Mice was not content with the brief account I have already riven, but insisted upon having a much more circumstantial narration. She multiplied question upon question, with most perplexing rapidity, till at last I found nothing would do but I must begin at the beginning, and give her the whole history of my daily life. Her curiosity seemed perfectly insatiable, for she had seen so little h the world, that my life, uneventful as it had been, possesse4 for her all the charm of the most exciting romance. I concealed nothing from her. I told her all mny boyish page: 64-65[View Page 64-65] "4 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. aspirations, and all my subsequent disappointments. If I had been a little darker, we might have sat for the picture of Othello and Desdemona. As I proceeded, she became more and more absorbed. She- seemed totally forgetful, not only of her present situation, but of her recent sorrow. She leaned slightly forward, as if fearful lest she should lose a single word. The consciousness of her sympathy fairly made me eloquent, and I was surprised at my own powers. She regarded me now with more attentive interest. Several times I caught her looking at me with such a tender expression that I hardly knew how to contain my transports. Her soul stole tremblingly its little hand in mine. She said not a word, nor did I; but our hearts, like watches side by side, beat sadly out of time. So, I fancy, Jupiter might feel, if our modest little earth should leave her sphere and circle coquettishy into' his. Could he be angry at that sweet disturbing influence? or, if the whole universe went to wreck, who that has ever loved could find it in his heart to say, "( Why did you so?" "She loves me! --she loves .m!" again and again I murmured; and the waves and the wEd seemed to echo the words, "She loves you! she loves you i" The shifting of the sail suddenI o ught me back to myself. I thought at first that the wind had changed; but, on looking at the sun, I found that in my abstraction I had turned the boat's head towards the north-east. I made haste to rectify my blunder, with a firm resolve not to fall into it again; but it was only to fall into the opposite, for the first thing I knew we were right in the eye of the wind, with the sail swinging lazily from side to side. O, with what delicious confusion I glanced towards my charming Alice, half in hope, and half in fear, that she SWEET AND BITTEIR RECOLLECTIONS. 65 might detect the cause of these strange manoeuvres! She was too inexperienced, however, to perceive anything out of the way in what had happened; and, on the whole, it is well that it was so, or she would have formed a very low estimate of my skill in navigation. But I must not linger longer over those mysterious, happy ours. They can never be to the reader what they are to me. I must not keep him from myv story. Yet bear with me a little longer; or turn aside and wait for me a moment, while I indulge my fond weakness. For a moment of that happiness it seems as if I would gladly sacrific e a whole eternity. And while I write I seem to live it over again. Once more I am in our little boat, alone with Alice, on that glassy heaving sea! I see the breeze play through her hair; her shadow thrown across the bottom of the boat; the tangled fringes of her shawl; the crumbs that had been scattered upon it - too small even for us to eat. I feel once more that gentle motion. It bears me away, away, back into my sunny youth, - like Laduslad borne in the ship of heaven beyond Kehama's curse. Grudge me not this brief respite. Bring not back the fierce fire into nmy brain. It will not be for long. Even now my eyes are dry again. 6* page: 66-67[View Page 66-67] CHAPTER V. Voyage in the Boat continued. - Alice tells her Story. - Character of her Grandfather. - Our Sufferings from Thirst. -Water exhausted. We see a Ship. - Flying-fish. - Strange Behavior of the Bear. - steer towards the South-west. - Land in Sight. - Difficulty of Land- ing.-A desperate Expedient.- Tame Birds.--The subterranean Passage. AFTER supper, when the moon had risen, and we were gliding along before a gentle breeze over the long Pacific swells, "Now," said I, " you are going to tell me all about yourself." "I should have no objection," replied Alice, smiling sadly, but with an inexpressible, sweet archness, " to gratify your curiosity, but at present more important matters demand our attention. Our situation "- "How, dearest Alice! how can " I stopped, blushing at my boldness. Alice blushed with me, and, leaning over the side of the boat, dipped her little fingers in the tops of the waves that rose to kiss them. She tried to look grave, but could not; she sought then to hide her smiles, but she was not quick enough. Those tell-tale smiles! All heaven seemed to open. I wonder if any one ever smiled just as she did! I mean as she did then, with her head drawn down slightly on one side, and that engaging air of, I know not what to call it, ALICE'S GRANDFATHER. 67 unless it be such coquetry as angels use. O, God in heaven! grant me to see those smiles once more! Presently she began her story. I shall not tell it as she told it, for it would take too long, and, besides, there were a thousand tender touches never intended for any other ear than mine. Her life in many respects had been peculiar. Her father was born and brought up in New England; but, like many others in those days, he had early left his native State to practise his profession at the South. The town of R d, in Virginia, was the place to which a strange fortune had finally led him. Here, by a still stranger fortune, he met and married a young lady by the name of Usher, whose many excellences seemed to promise as much happiness as this world has to afford. But this fair prospect was destined to be sud- denly blasted. Young Cremorne had hardly entered upon his brilliant career when it was cut short by death. His desolate widow, with little dowry except her youth and beauty, had found a home for herself and infant child in the house of her husband's father. But her delicate constitution was ill able to withstand the rigor of our New England winters, and the very day on which my Alice completed her second year saw her mother laid in the grave. Thus she had never known what it was to have father or mother, brother or sister. And her grandfather, who now assumed almost the entire care of her education, was at first sight the last person in the world to whom one would commit so delicate a trust. From all I could learn, he must have been a man after my own heart; a fair scholar, fonder of reading books, perhaps, than men, yet fonder of reading his own thoughts than either; with a fine theoretical knowledge of the rules of human life - ' page: 68-69[View Page 68-69] 68 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. and conduct, yet profoundly ignorant of their practical appli- cation. He failed in all that he attempted, and only suc- ceeded where he made no effort. What he knew li he could not do, but what he did without knowing, was in the higrhest degree admirable. His head often failed him,- his heart never. In short, I came to the conclusion that he was a humorist and a genius; and I was sorry that I had not known him better. But Alice was never tired of talking of him, and she told me so much that at last I came to feel as if I had known him all my life. With her grandfather, a maiden aunt, and an old servant, for her only companions, Alice had necessarily passed much of her time in solitude. But her solitudle was far from soli- tary. Her imagination peopled it. Wherever she went she was waited on by a thousand followers. She moved among them as a queen. She had books and flowers. The clouds talked to her; the mountains in the far horizon nodded ' kindly upon her; she had walked among their shadows. Old men had been to see her grandfather, but I was the first of her own age she had ever known. As Ferdinand to Miranda, so was I to Alice. And well for me, well for us both, that it was so. My jealous, exacting temper asked no less. I would not live in a heart where another had been before me. Neither the excellence of her understanding, nor the liveliness of her fancy, nor the heights and depths of her imagination, nor the warmth of her affections, hardly her matchless beauty even, or all these together, gave me such fulness of satisfaction as the simple thought, "I am the only one she has ever loved." And still, ever and anon, I hear a voice that seems to say, I "Thou art the only one she ever loved." I OUR SUFFERINGS FROM THRST. 69 "If you love me and no other, I ask nothing else beside; Had that love. an elder brooxer, it had better never died. Say not your heart is infinite, like a river or a sea; 4 If but one has wet his lip in it, not a drop is left for me. " Our conversation was prolonged far into the night. But towards morning weariness overcame her, and she- slept, leaning her head on her hand. When I heard her sigh, and saw the painfulness of her position, I took pity on her, and drew her'head down upon my breast. Then I forgot how tired and sleepy I was myself, and wished the night might last forever. But, in the morning, when the sun rose bright and warm, she opened her eyes, and, when she saw where she was, she blushed, and moved further away. The bear also began to Stretch and yawn; and seemed trying to recall his dreams, - dreams, perhaps, of his early days, when he frolicked among the mountains, grubbing for the tender roots, and rolling with his brothers and sisters over and over on the green grass. The imagination, however, even of a bear was unable to discover any resemblance between his former situation and the present; and, with a grunt expressive of the most profound contempt and dissatisfaction, he again stretched himself in the bottom of the boat. The savage gleam in his eye, when I gave him his usual allowance for breakfast, and the fierce voracity with which he swallowed it, set me upon a train of most painful thought. I began myself already to feel the torments of thirst, while Alice's pale cheek and sunken eye filled my heart with yet more anxious forebodings. I tried in vain to persuade her to take more food; she persisted in saying that she had enough, that she did not feel either hunger or thirst, and' that, if any one needed more, it must be I. , page: 70-71[View Page 70-71] 70 / THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. The second day dragged wearily. We hardly spoke a word; but we expressed our sympathy in looks, and now and then an involuntary sigh. The night was showery; it rained all around us, and a few drops fell on our parched lips; but the third morning came without a cloud. At noon I drained the last drop of water from the keg. We had still bread enough for several days, but, without water, it seemed only to aggravate our misery. All the after- noon I sat staring stupidly at the keg, as if it were possible to refill it. Again and again I tipped it up, in the vain hope of finding a few drops still lingering in the bottom. I hoped the night would bring relief; but our thirst and fever grew every hou r more intolerable. I had no longer strength or spirit to hold the oar; so, abandoning the boat to' its own guidance, I drew Alice, now unresisting, to my side, and waited for the morning, which I thought would never come. It .ame at last, and I strained my weary eyes in every direction, in hopes of discovering a passing sail. About the middle of the forenoon a little speck far to lee- ward caught my eye. I pointed it out to Alice, and we both agreed that it was a ship. But would they see us? The doubt was agony. They must see us, --I could see them so plainly. Her hull was partly beneath the horizon, but I could see the captain pacing the quarter-deck, the mate scanning the sails, the men scattered in little groups about the deck. I fancied I could even hear the jest and song with which they beguiled their labor, and the ripple around the bows as the ship made her way through the water. And we so few miles away, dying of thirst; if they did not see us, there was no love in man. But they did not wish to see us. If they had only been to windward they might have taken the trouble; but they were probably in a hurry, STRANGE BEHAVIOR Of THE BEAR. 71 and to go so far out of their way was more than we could expect. Yet, as long as the ship was in sight, I kept my eyes fastened upon her; a hundred times I felt sure that she had turned towards our-boat, and, even after she had disappeared, I still seemed to see her dim shadow in the horizon. "Is she gone?" whispered Alice. I could not -reply; I only pressed her harder to my aching heart. In the afternoon a shoal of flying-fish passing over us, four of them struck against the sail, and fell into the boat. Before I could interfere the bear had appropriated two of them for his own share, but I made out to secure the others, and, having cleaned them with my knife, I offered them to Alice, and urged her to eat. Hungry as she was, however, she could not overcome her repugnance, and I was obliged to eat them both myself. They revived my courage wonderfully, and once more, as the wind was fair, I turned the boat's head towards the north-west. All night we held our course. But, when the morning dawned, weak and dispirited, I dropped the oar. The bear's behavior had lately been such as to excite my alarm, if I had been capable of such an emotion. Standing on his hind legs, with his fore paws on the gunwale, he seemed several times about to spring into the sea; then, with a sudden motion, so violent as almost to upset the boat, he would throw him- self completely over the seat, moaning all the while as if in the greatest agony. At first I was entirely at a loss what to make of-this strange behavior. But, all at once, the thought flashed into my mind, 4( What if we should be near land, and his superior instincts have already warned him of our approach?" By his looking constantly towards the south-west, he seemed to say that land was in that direction. I determined. to make page: 72-73[View Page 72-73] 72 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. him pilot, and, if he deceived us, we should still be no worse off than before. The wind was favorable, and almost too strong for our little craft; but the bear was now fortunately quiet, and I could not make up my mind to reef. After running in this way perhaps an hour, with the water all the time coming over the side, I had begun to despair, when, the boat yawing a little, from my nervous steering, a small conical cloud, that had been- before hidden by the mast, appeared directly ahead. A second glance satisfied me that it was land. I whispered my hopes to Alice, and besought her to hold out a little longer; to which she replied only by a faint smile and a feeble pressure of the hand. It was an agonizing calculation that I had to make. I looked at the little speck of land, faint and blue in the horizon, and thought how long it would take to reach it. Then I looked at Alice, and sought to measure out in hours and minutes the apparently scanty remnant of her life. I thought the boat had never moved so slowly. To my feverish imagination it seemed as if death were on our track. It was a race between him and us. His bony hand con- tinually pulled us back. At noon the land was hardly any nearer. The sun set, and we were still at sea; but all night long we heard the distant murmur of the surf, and our imaginations were filled with dreams of running brooks, bubbling fountains, and silver lakes, in which we might drink, and bathe, and drown, if need be, in supreme felicity. I would not, if I could, describe the protracted horrors of that night. It passed, and the morning came. With the earliest dawn I looked towards the land. Its rugged outline first appeared, drawn rudely against the western sky. With the increasing light its massive features came out one by one, A DESPERATE EXPEDIENT. 73 here a peak - and there a hollow - wild, grotesque, fantastic --dark with frowning rocks, softly bright with trees and vines and flowers. The surf broke in tremendous rollers along its base, and I looked in vain for a place to land. On the left there appeared a little cove, where the violence of the waves was broken bya projecting point, but, on rounding the promon- tory, I discovered that the rocks rose directly from the water, presenting a wall so steep and high that all access seemed impossible, and we had to hold on our course towards the south, till, having reached the end of the island, I tacked and stood towards the west. But everywhere was the same im- pregnable front. By noon we had reached the western extremity of the island, and all hope seemed well-nigh gone. It was now three days since we had tasted water. For two days Alice had hardly tasted food. But by keeping our clothes constantly wet we had somewhat relieved the pangs of thirst; and, as for me, my strength held out wonderfully. It was only when I looked at Alice that I felt my heart sink within me. I could not live without her. But it was no'w too evident that, unless relief came soon, it- might as well not come at all. As for the bear, I was now too weak to think of contending with him; and, besides, he had so won upon me, -there was such an appearance of human sympathy and suffering in all his looks and actions, - that I should almost as soon have thought of taking the life of a man. But there was one thing I could do. Weak as I was, I had still some strength to spare. How could I employ it better? No sooner said than done. I eagerly stripped off my jacket, drew up the sleeve of my flannel shirt, and, open- ing a vein in my arm, applied it to those sweet lips. Uncon- sciously she drew in new life from my veins. She was mine 7 page: 74-75[View Page 74-75] 74 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. by a double right; I had given her existence. With- what wonderful happiness I saw her filmy eyes open once more to the light! Yet, in that moment of heavenly bliss, I -but no, I cannot tell; but I promised no concealment, and what difference does it make now what any one thinks of me?-I wondered if she noticed the whiteness of my arm! But I had saved her. Now we rounded the northern point, and turned again towards the south-east. Fortunately, the wind had veered considerably, so that I was not obliged to tack; but this favorable circumstance held out little encour- agement. We had already skirted three-fourths of the island; what hope was there that the remaining portion would prove more accessible? Still we could but make the attempt, and then, when all had failed us, we could lie down and die. It was the middle of the afternoon when we again came opposite the little cove. Since morning we had sailed, as I supposed, about forty miles. In all that distance this was the only spot that seemed to offer the least chance of safety. Yet it was not with a feeling of hope, but despair, that I turned the boat up into this narrow inlet. I would rather die there, under the shadow of the woods and rocks, than on the naked, melancholy ocean. As we approached the shore several birds came flying about us. They were very tame, and one of them at last even lighted on the side of the boat, hardly the length of my arm from where I was sitting. I caught it without difficulty, and, tearing it in pieces as if I had been a wild beast, I stripped the feathers ftom one of the legs, and thrust it into the hands of Alice. She ate it, hardly knowing what she did. I gave the feet and entrails to the bear, who swallowed them at a single gulp, and then licked up all the feathers. THE SUBTERRANEAN PASSAGE. 75 The bird was about the size of a pigeon ;. its flesh was oily and ill-flavored, lbut our appetites were not critical, and I was only sorry that I could not catch another. The tide was now flowing, and a gentle current set us towards the land. As we drew nearer, I discovered a little opening making in between the rocks, but so low and narrow that without first unshipping the mast it was impossible to enter.' It was only when I came to make this effort that I found how much my strength was reduced; but I at length succeeded, and urged the boat onward into this mysterious cavern, that grew higher and wider as we advanced. The dim light reflected from the water showed the low arched roof of solid stone dripping with dews. Applying our parched lips to the jutting rocks we sucked in eagerly the scanty moisture. This and the cool air of the cavern wonderfully refreshed us. Still making our way slowly along by aid of the points that projected from the sides, we came in about three hundred yards to a sudden turn to the left, where, to my infinite delight, I perceived, by the faint light that began to steal along the water, that we must be approaching the end of our subterranean voyage. At the same time the angry clamdr of the baffled waves died away into an almost inaudible murmur. The light now rapidly grew stronger, and a few rods further the boat, pushing aside the clustering vines, shot out into the open day. The island had at length received us into its bosom. Full of wonder and gratitude, I lifted up my trembling hands to heaven, and thanked God for this strange and unlooked-for deliverance. It was on the tenth of June, 1843, when I was seventeen, and Alice not yet fifteen years of age, that we entered this quiet haven. I page: 76-77[View Page 76-77] CHAPTER VI. The Island. --The Fairy Lake. --Its Solitude. Search for Water.- Sagacity of the Bear.-The Plateau.- Delicious Scenery.--The Fountain.- The First Night, and its Fancies. --Morning. -An Alarm. - Its Nature. - Gigantic Gourds. - Naming the Bear. - The Ramble. - Adam and Eve. --The Banian Tree.-Inconveniences of Savage Life. - Banks of the Brook. - Return Home.-- Sunset. The Second Night. - Forming Plans. As near as I could judge, it was not far from five o'clock in the afternoon, when Alice and I, and the bear, caught the first glimpse of that fairy like scenery in the midst of which we were to spend the best part of our lives. Ah me! if I could only describe it as it deserves! If I could trans- fer to paper any, even the faintest, of those glowing pictures that rise, and float, and mingle in such sweet disorder in my heart! Behold an inland sea, a little sleeping lake, with bay, and frith, and promontory all complete;--with rocks, and trees, and vines, fringed close on every side but one, and there a narrow beach of dazzling sand bordered with the greenest turf! So thick was the foliage that the eye could penetrate scarcely a single foot, and, when I turned to discover the place where we had entered, not the slightest indication of an opening was to be perceived. THE FAIRY LAKE. " I fancied that the solid rocks had closed behind us, like the door of some enchanted castle, and that, having once entered, all exit was then impossible. The deep shadows of the gigantic trees stooping over the glassy water left scarce room for the sun to see his face, even when he had climbed the highest; but this only made the lake more beautiful, like the half-closed, liquid eye of some fair and languishing Cir- cassian. The undisturbed and awful solitude of six thousand years brooded on all around. I hardly dared to speak above my breath. When I dipped my oar in the quiet water, where never oar had been dipped before, I seemed to myself guilty of a double crime. The old stories of Grecian mythology, on which I had fed my boyish fancy, came into my mind, and I almost expected some nymph or naiad to step forth from the leafy wood, or raise her sparkling head above the flood, to ask how I dared commit such sacrilege. Tho trees looked at me with wonder, and not without fear. And well they might, for man, the universal tyrant, had now gained entrance into that little world. Already the lust of dominion had filled my soul. Proudly, and with the air of a conqueror, I advanced to take possession. Yet, after all, I came not so much a prince as a beggar. A cup of cold water was absolutely necessary before I could begin to govern. If my new-found kingdom should refuse me that, I had little reason to exult in my useless triumph. A Nw strokes of the oar impelled the boat quite across the lake, wut before the keel grated on the sand the bear sprang to the shore and began to make the best of his way into the woods. Hastily snatching up a shell that lay at my feet, I followed as fast, as I could, trusting that his unerring instinct 7* page: 78-79[View Page 78-79] 78 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. would in this case, as twice before, prove superior to my boasted reason. I soon lost sight of the bear, but, keeping on his track up the steep and rocky path, I came, almost exhausted, to a small open plain, some three or four hundred feet above the lake, and separated from it by a narrow belt of woods, through whose leaves, now stirred by a gentle breeze, came the sparkle of the water like the changing light of a diamond. The greatest length of this plateau, which was as even as the smoothest lawn, might have been four hundred feet, and its width two hundred and fifty; thus making its area about two and a half acres. The larger part of this was contained between two buttresses of the mountain, which rose behind it as steep as a castle wall, but mantled so thick from top to bottom with trees, and shrubs, and flowering vines, that its sombre hues and rugged outlines were completely hidden beneath that bright and flowing drapery. Oi0 the east the view was cut off by an impervious forest, but towards the west there opened a charming valley, no- where more than half a mile in width, and disclosing at the further end a fine prospect of the sea. By the bits of silver that glimmered here and there along the valley, like frag- ments of a broken mirror, I could trace the lawless course of a laughing brook, that, like a child in chase of a butterfly, baffled all conjecture by its frequent and capricious turnings. Over all this the soft rays of the setting sun shed a diviner light. Never in my life had I seen or imagined such deli- cious scenery; though I was then too much engaged to appreciate half its loveliness, and it was only by slow degrees that I became sensible of its surpassing beauty. On reaching the plateau, and looking round for my com- THE FOUNTAIN. .79 panion, I saw his rusty coat just disappearing among the-trees on the further side. I called to him to stop and wait for me; but he paid no attention, and I began to fear that I had lost him altogether; when, on pushing aside the branches, the first thing I saw was the bear stretched flat on his belly beside a boiling spring, and drinking at such a rate that it seemed as if he- must certainly burst. I had no time, however, to expostulate with him on his folly; but, having first taken a single draught, without which I felt that I could not possibly make my way back, I filled my shell and set out on my return. Ah, me! how well I remember the delight, the rapture with which I held the shell to her lips, and saw my Alice drain the last drop of its precious contents! Returning to the spring, I threw myself down beside the bear, and, Mwith my face close to his, we seemed trying to see which of us could drink the longer without stopping; till at last, ashamed of setting him so bad an example, I started to my feet, and strove, by tugging at his long hair, to induce him to desist; but all my efforts failed to have the slightest effect; so, leaving him to kill himself, if he would, I refilled my shell and has- tened back- to Alice. After drinking what I had brought her, to my great surprise she asked for more; but I thought she had had enough for once, and for at least five minutes I had sufficient resolution to withstand all her entreaties. Then I yielded, pnd agreed to bring her another shellful if she would promise not to ask for any more till I chose to give it to her. She kept her promise, at least as far as words were concerned, but after I had helped her out of the boat, and found her a seat on the green grass, she looked up in my face with such a miraculous air of entreaty, that there was absolutely no page: 80-81[View Page 80-81] 80 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. strength left in me, and if the spring had run poison she should have had it all. All the time she was drinking I kept walking round her, now on this side, now on that, smiling and talking to myself, and wondering with all my might whether there were not something else that I could do to make her happy. The sun was now set, and it was time to be thinking in what way we should pass the night. Our ignorance of the country, and the fear of wild beasts, inclined me at first to remain on board the boat; but the temptation held out by the soft broad turf was too great to be resisted after so many days and nights spent in such narrow quarters. That Alice, however, might not be obliged to sleep on the bare ground, I brought the sail out of the botat, and spreading it on the grass made a far softer and more luxurious couch than she had known since leaving the ship. As for me, my pea-jacket was sufficient protection; so, after covering her carefully with her shawl, and looking around to see that all was safe, I retired to a short distance, and throwing myself on the ground sought to compose my thoughts to sleep. But, weary as I was, the novelty and excitement of my situation kept nle awake far into the night. The perfect quiet that reigned around, and which is usually so favorable to repose, now seemed to have a directly contrary effect. I was oppressed by the weight of that vast solitude. I was terrified by the magnificence of my lodgings, and longed for some humbler shelter that should be better suited to my little- ness. Like a child hiding his head beneath the blankets, I sought for something to shut out the "big dark," and thus stifle my troublesome imagination. And, when I became somewhat used to this, a thousand subjects presented themselves for my meditation. SECOND MORNINa. 81 I asked myself again and again in what part of the world we could be, and what probability there was of our ever re- turning home. I thought of my mother, and brother, and sisters, all sleep- ing quietly in their beds, and wondered if they had any idea of my present situation. Then I opened my eyes and looked around me, to be sure that it was not all a dream. No, every- thing remained the same. There was the lake, still a reser- voir of liquid light; there were the mountain and the trees, masses of impenetrable shade; and there, hardly beyond the reach of my arm, I could see Alice, my little Alice, already sleeping. And the lake, and the trees, and the mountain, all kept still while she slept. "But where was Ia year ago? Let me see; I was in col- lege, in Number Sixteen, Maine Hall; puzzling over that dreadful Calculus. I have got rid of that, at any rate; but what Calculus could have determined my course since then? Hyperbola? Parabola? If any one had told me! But what a satisfaction to tell my story; to show them all that I had suffered, and my charming Alice!" and so, at last, dreaming of her, I fell asleep. I woke early the next morning, and leaving Alice still sleeping I hastened to the spring to bathe my face and hands, and quench my burning thirst. The country looked yet more inviting than on the preceding evening. At every step a new prospect presented itself, more beautiful than the last, till I was completely bewildered by their number and variety. The foliage of the trees, and the forms and colors of the flowers, were all new and strange to me; no two were alike, yet each seemed perfect in its kind. After satisfying my thirst I left the spring, and turned to walk across the plateau, towards its western edge, which over. page: 82-83[View Page 82-83] 82 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. looked the valley; but I had hardly taken a single step when I was arrested in the most startling manner. Not mnore than fifty feet from where I was standing there was a small circu- lar clump of bushes, - prickly pears I discovered they were, afterwards, --about as high as my head, and growing so thick together as to form an apparently impenetrable wall, so that the first impression was that they had been arranged by art. Above the tops of these bushes I saw what I at once con- cluded to be the smooth oval roofs of a collection of negro huts. They were seven or eight feet high, of a uniform size and shape, and about the color of dried mud - though, as I never could distinguish colors very well, they might have been of a light green. At first sight of these alarming objects I retired hastily into the wood, and then stopped a moment to deliberate on the best course to bp pursued in this perplexing emergency. The idea that there could be any inhabitants on the island had never entered my mind. I had found it so difficult of access that I had taken it for granted that no one else had ever succeeded. Nor had I, until this moment, seen anything that could lead to a different conclusion. Everything, on the contrary, seemed to show that from creation until now it had never been trodden by a human foot. This was to me its principal attraction. There was an indescribable charm in the thought that we had it all to ourselves; that we were there as much alone as if all the rest of the world had been blotted out. But now the charm was broken. Our fancied lone- liness and security were at once destroyed. It mattered lit- tle whether these savages were friends or-foes; in either case they were almost equally unwelcome. I tried to think of some way to rid ourselves of them. If it had been in my power I should hardly have hesitated to drive them all into THE ALARM. 83 the sea. Hshould be perfectly justified in doing so, for what right had they on my island? All this time, though listening very intently, I had not heard a sound. They were probably asleep, or absent on a journey. I would approach and observe them more closely. I advanced with caution, holding my breath, and moving one foot slowly after the other, like an Indian spy. Having thus crept round half the circle, I came to a small opening, that seemed intended for a gateway, and here leaning cautiously forward, all ready to run, expecting every moment that my eyes would be blasted by sight of some hideous savage, I slowly stretched my head round the corner, and the'next moment could hardly keep from laughing outright at seeing what it really was that had given me such a fright. A single glance was enough to dispel all my fears. But my surprise, when I learned the true nature of those singular objects, was even greater than before. Instead of being the work of art, and intended for human habitations, I now per- ceived that they were of vegetable origin, - one of those freaks of nature, in which she delights to show the infinite variety of her resources.* They were, in short, neither more nor-less than gigantic gourds, not growing as gourds usually do, on vines or trees, but each suppoited by a single massive shoot or stem, a foot or more in height, and two or three feet in diameter. * I supposed, at the time of my making this discovery, that I was the only person who had ever had .that pleasure; but I have since been told'by my friend, Professor G--, of Cambridge, that this same species has long been well-known to botanists under the name of Cucurbita Maxima Agarica (the last name being given on account of its resemblance to the common toadstooD, though it had hitherto been found only in the island of Borneo, where it seldom exceeds five feet in height. page: 84-85[View Page 84-85] 84 TIIE NEW AGE OF GOLD. There were twenty or thirty of them in all, but only five of the whole number were very remarkable for their dimen- sions. The others varied from the bigness of a barrel to that of a good-sized pumpkin. - On coming close up to the largest, and trying it with my knife, I found it covered with a rind of extraordinary hardness, so that I could scarcely cut it. The height of this one, measuring from the groufid, was at least nine feet, and its circumference about twenty-five. As I stood lost in wonder and admiration at its size and beauty, the idea suddenly occurred to me that, if I could find any way to hollow it out, it would make a very convenient house; and I determined, as soon as I had time to look about me a little, to make the trial. At present the want of something to eat was a much more pressing consideration. While pleasant weather lasted we could do very well without a shelter; but, unless I soon suc- ceeded in obtaining food, there was danger of our perishing of starvation. I should have gone at once in search of fruits, which I had no doubt the island yielded in abundance; but, fearing lest Alice should awake in my absence, and be alarmed at finding herself alone, I concluded to wait till we had eaten our frugal breakfast, and then, if she felt strong enough, we could prosecute our search together. - As I approached the lake, I saw that she was awake, and apparently engaged in earnest conversation with the bear, who had rejoined her during my absence. I was the more pleaded at this discovery, as I had begun already to feel the want of his society, and feared that he had entirely forsaken us. At the same time I could not wholly banish a sensation of fear at seeing the huge creature thus restored to liberty, and in such close proximity to my gentle Alice. While we were at sea I trusted to the novelty of his position and closeness of his STm TT,-FIsH. 85 quarters to restrain his natural ferocity; but once more in his native woods, I knew not how soon his true character might display itself. But I did the -poor fellow gross injustice. He no sooner saw me coming than he sprang forward to meet me, showing his satisfaction by a thousand uncouth gambols, that left no doubt of the kindness of his intentions, and made me heartily ashamed of my injurious suspicions. From his gay and frisky demeanor, so different from the temper in which we had last parted, I felt sure that he had found means to break his fast; and, on examining his claws, I saw at once that, in spite of his long confinement, he had not yet forgotten his early train- ing, but was still as good at digging roots as ever. I felt rather hurt that he had not thought of bringing us a pqrtion; but then he probably supposed that, as we had never been used to that sort of food, we should not care anything about it. I found Alice much refreshed by her night's rest-; but still too weak to undertake any such journey as I had proposed; and as I could not think of leaving her alone, and felt myself also incapable of any great exertion, we were both glad enough to stretch our languid limbs under the shadow of the trees, iust within the edge of the wood; where we remained nearly the whole day, in a half torpid state, between sleeping and waking, without sufficient energy to think, or even to talk. Towards evening, walking along the shore of the lake, I found growing to the rocks a sort of shell-fish, resembling the oyster, though not more than half as large. I ate a few, by way of ,'elish, with my biscuit, and with some difficulty per- suaded Alice to do the same; though, as she had never eaten anything of the kind before, it cost her no slight effort to mus- ter courage. 8 page: 86-87[View Page 86-87] 86 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. They seemed to do us both a great deal of good, however, for when we woke the next morning we felt so much stronger ' that we could hardly believe that a single night would have made such a difference. All that day we talked incessantly. Alice's curiosity seemed now thoroughly aroused, and the questions she asked me, which were such as would naturally suggest themselves under such circumstances, first showed me how little I really knew in regard to our situation. I answered them all, however, to the best of my ability, and, indeed, I rather went beyond it; partly to set her mind fi at rest, and partly because I would not have her think me i ignorant of any subject whatever. So I told her, first, that we were on an island, which sur- i prised her a great deal, though she knew very well that we had sailed round it; secondly, that it was somewhere, as I believed, in the Southern Hemisphere; thirdly, that it was very beautiful; and, finally, that we should probably have to remain there a long time. But were there any tigers, or lions, or other wild beasts, on the island? About this I could not speak with any certainty; but, as we had neither seen nor heard them, and I could not think of any way in which they could ever have got there, I rather thought that our bear must be the only one of his kind. "I am sure he is not a wild beast," said Alice; It he is as gentle as a lamb. Here--but what shall we call him? Don't you think he ought to have a name?" " Yes," I replied, it I think it would be perhaps as well; suppose we call him Captain?" "I like Hamlet better." "Very well; then Hamlet let it be;-the melancholy Prince of Denmark. That suits his character exactly." t ADAM AND EVE. 87 In conversation like this the d ay was gone before we were aware. By this long rest our strength and spirits seemed completely restored, and we determined the next morning to set out on our journey of discovery. We slept quietly all the night, and, awakening at the earliest dawn, I aroused my companions, and, throwing the axe over my shoulder, I began at once to ascend the rugged path that led to the plateau. Alice kept close at my side, and Hamlet came waddling after. I stopped a moment to show Alice the wonderful gourds that had given me such a fright, and then crossing the plateau we entered the woods and began to descend into the valley. If it had seemed beautiful to me before, how much more beauti- ful it was now, when I saw it with my charming Alice! So must Paradise have looked to Adam, when, after days or weeks of solitary enjoyment, he first walked forth with Eve' tripping modestly by his side. And in some respects I had the advantage even of Adam; for whereas he had never known any other world than that, and of course missed all the joys of contrast, my happiness was infinitely enhanced by the recollection of the bitterness, and strife, and uproar of the world I had so lately left. Here all was peace, and love, and harmony. There was nothing to excite either pride, or envy,/or ambition. The poet's wish was mine, "The lodge in some vast wilderness," where rumor of successful or unsuccessful war might never reach me more. The stormy winds of passion and temptation could never again agitate my soul. From that calm retreat I surveyed, with pity and disdain, the petty cares and troubles with which my unhappy fellows wore out their miserable lives. Besides, Adam and his wife were perfectly sinless beings, and I did not see how they could ever have felt that mysteri- ous shyness, that coy reserve, that came in with the fall, and page: 88-89[View Page 88-89] s8 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. which add such a delicious poignancy to all the joys of love. Certainly, if anything could compensate for the infinite loss inflicted upon mankind by the simple tasting of that fatal apple, it was this. A perfectly intellectual love must needs be insipid, as-a love without virtue must be coarse and brutish. We made no haste to reach the bottom of the valley. Alice stopped continually to fill her hands with flowers, which she had no sooner gathered than she threw them away to replace them by fresh ones, that seemed yet more beautiful. Though most of them were strange to her, as they had been to me, yet she now and then came to one that she had no difficulty in recognizing as an old acquaintance, and her joy at this unex- pected meeting was delightful to behold. "Ah!" she exclaimed, as she stooped to pluck a modest little flower, not half so handsome as a thousand others she had passed without notice, " here is a lily precisely like one I used to have in my garden at home; who knows but what they are near relations? cousins at least, I dare say. How I wish it could only speak and tell me!" I could not help smiling at this fond conceit, but I was really too hungry to share her enthusiasm; so, leaving her to 'amuse herself with this congenial occupation, I kept my eyes busy on every side, in hopes of discovering what possessed for me far superior attractions. My search was not long unsuc- cessful. On reaching the bottom of the hill, we bent our steps towards the little brook, that we could now hear babbling to itself at no great distance. Our way led through what seemed at first a grove of lofty trees, whose spreading branches, inter- lacing each other, covered all the ground with an impenetrable shade. Here Hamlet stopped, and began to smell about him with such eagerness, that I felt sure he must be on the eve of some great discovery. The next mom ent he commenced eat- TO1E BANIAN TREE. 8 ing something he had found among the leaves, and, from the. way he smacked his lips, I concluded that it must be unusu- ally good; so, throwing myself on my hands and knees, witl my eyes close to the ground, I sought to find what this wonder- ful thingo could be. "Ah!"I exclaimed, smacking my lips in concert with the bear, though I had not yet tasted the delicious morsel. , What is it 2 " cried Alice. Without speaking, I held up what I had found, for her admiration. "What is it?" she again demanded. "Figs, I think!"I replied somewhat doubtfully; for I had never seen any of the fresh fruit before, and therefore could not be quite positive how it looked. "Figs?" "Yes, figs; and as thick as hops " ,' But are they good?" , Yes, indeed; don't you see how Hamlet is eating them? He is a wise bear. I dare isay he never saw a fig before in his life; but he knows they were made to eat as well as if he had never eaten anything else. But, don't eat too many; I'm afraid they will make you sick."- I am sorry to say that we neither of us regarded this calu- tion. We sat down and ate till we could eat no more, and afterwards amused ourselves with throwing figs at the bear, and seeing him catch them, one by one, in his capacious jaws. , Who would ever have thought," said 1, " of a bear's eat- ing figs?" Whereupon, he looked at me, as much as to say, , What in the world are you laughing at? Why should n't I eat figs as well as you? I know what is good as well as other folks!" "O, well," I cried, " eat as many as you like; only don't 8* page: 90-91[View Page 90-91] 90 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. go to making yourself sick, for there is no doctor on the island; besides, we shall want some for to-morrow." "There are plenty more," said Alice, (4 if we could only reach them. But my poor, dear grandfater! c wish he could have some!" "Was he very fond of figs? I ashs "O O, yes! I believe he liked A betted than anything else in the world. But, only look!" she added, after a pause, just see how thick they are!" I looked up, as she requested, an( 'sure enough, the branches seemed fairly bending with the weight. 6( But how strangely these trees grow!"I cried; "they look as if they had grown into each other. Ah! I know now; it must be the banian tree, and this whole grove probably grew from a single trunk, - that large one yonder, I fancy ; it looks as if it might be a great-great-grandfather; and all the rest are his descendants. Let us count them, and see how many there are." I wonder if I ever shall forget anything that happened there? It seems to me that I remember every word, every look, and every gesture, as well as if it had been no longer ago than yesterday. Besides the central trunk, which was much larger than any of the others, being, at least, seven or eight feet in diameter, we found about thirty of a very considerable size, and a large number of smaller ones, some already rooted in the earth, and others still suspended from the branches. The quantity of figs was enormous, and enough to furnish us with all the food we should require for months; and I determined, as soon as they were sufficiently ripe, to gather and dry as many as I could. The greatest difficulty in the way of this undertaking, was INCONVENIENCES OF SAVAGE LIFE. 91 the want of something to put them in; and I began now, for the first time, to perceive the astonishing inconveniences of our situation. If I had been at home, I should at once have gone to my mother for a basket, and thought nothing of it; but now, the only way of obtaining such an article was to make it myself. I was not at all sure that I could do this; at any rate, I should be weeks about it, and it would be a poor affair after all. And yet a basket was one of the simplest things that could be imagined. There were a hundred others, of every-day use, and which I should once have thought it impossible to do without, that were now entirely beyond my reach. I could not even do so easy a thing as make a box or basket of any description; and, as for making a saw or hatchet, or even a nail, I might as well attempt to make a steam-engine. My only tools were an axe and jackknife, neither of them very sharp; and my only utensils, the keg that held our water, and the bag in which we kept our biscuit. For a common basket, such as I could have bought in Boston for quarter of a dollar, I -would have given half my kingdom. I longed also for a hammer and nails, for a few boards, and a saw to cut them, for fire-arms and ammunition, a good supply of clothing, a few utensils to be used in cooking, and many other things, the value of which we never know till we have to do without them. But now I must see how far my inge- nuity could supply their place. I considered that the real wants of man were very few, and, though ours had been sadly multiplied by our unnatural education, yet I had no doubt that a short time would suffice to restore us to that state of happy simplicity so much commended by philosophers. With this consoling reflection, which I lost no time in com- municating to Alice, we left the grove, and followed down the page: 92-93[View Page 92-93] 92 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. course of the brook, where our- senses were charmed by the new forms of beauty it constantly assumed; now spreading out into a miniature lake, now nearly lost among the trees, and now fietting, in mimic anger, over its pebbly bed, or flash- ing in foamy cascades down the channelled rocks. The woods on either hand were alive and vocal with birds in endless variety; but, among them all, the parrot 'and macaw'were the only ones with which I was at all familiar. They manifested no alarm at our approach, until we came close to them, when they would move off a few steps with an air of perfect unconcern. Apes and monkeys chattered at us as we passed, and seemed disposed to claim the honor of relationship; but, at sight of the bear, they fled screaminig to the highest branches, where they remained at a safe distance till the object of their fears was nq longer in sight. I was not a little disturbed on witnessing their alarm, as it seemed to show that the island was infested by beasts of prey large enough to be formidable even to man. But, after all, it might be only their instinctive dread of a dangerous enem y; and, on the whole, I concluded to say nothing about it to Alice, as it could do no good, and would be sure to fill her mind with needless apprehensions. The only quadrupeds we had seen thus far were a species of antelope, a small animal resembling the hare, and another which I supposed must be the hedgehog, though I was not sure. They all seemed rather shy, but, as the bear kept most of the time close at our side, I could not tell whether they were afraid of him or of us. Besides these, we saw a prodig- ious number of lizards, some not larger than one's little finger, and others two or three feet long, and as thick as a man's arm. After proceeding about two miles, we came to a thick growth A TROPICAL SUNSET. 93 of cane or bamboo, where we found the walking extremely difficult; and, as Alice was now very much fatigued, owing to her previous exhaustion, we determined to go no further at present, but to return, and finish our tour on some other occa- sion. We stopped under the banian tree to fill our pockets with the fallen fruit, intending then to resume our journey; but, tempted by that delicious shade, we lingered there till long after the sun 1bd passed the meridian, and it was .at least four o'clock (though " what has a clock to do in the forest?"), when we began to bethink us of our homeward journey. The sun was already setting when we reached the plateau, and we could not help stopping one moment to feast our eyes on his dying glories. Some writer-- Ruskin, I think it is--asserts that, how- ever beautiful a sunset may be, we cannot long retain it in our recollection. Its forms of loveliness fiade from our memories almost as soon as they fade away in heaven. But I remember that particular sunset almost as well as if I had seen it yesterday. It filled up the whole western open. ing of the valley, between whose darkly-wooded sides'it selfned framed like a picture. Its delicate shades of orange, and pur- ple, and gold, were so artfully blended as to require no aid from the imagination; and, as we reached the summit of the hill, and turned to look towards the sea, we both at once ex- claimed, "What a charming sunset! It looks exactly like an orchard." Yes, just such an orchard as I had often visited in my happy boyish days. A piece of ground, rocky and uneven, unfit for cultivation, but where the red and yellow apples grew ripe and mellow through the long, long summer day. A high background of hills, - the hills of New England, - nearer to - heaven than Horeb or Sinai, fit home of the pilgrim fathers, x page: 94-95[View Page 94-95] " THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. and which filled the mighty heart and warm imagination of Webster with so much of their own nobleness, as not all the allurements of a false ambition could ever entirely overcome. In the foreground was an inland sea, with a double line of railroad running along the coast. The whole remained with scarcely any change for several minutes, and then gradually faded from our sight. The hills sunk, the trees were blasted. But still the purple and the gold wrought more gorgeous forms to charm our fancies, as if bent on recalling our attention to the scene before us; but we heeded them not, for our eyes were with our hearts, and they were far away. A tender melancholy had taken possession of our souls. As I looked at Alice, and found her eyes also fixed on mine, I had no need to ask the subject of her thoughts. She was all of home there was left to me, and I was all that remained to her. I took her hand in mine, and held it there, like a little bird struggling to be free, yet glad to stay. "Dear Alice!"She said not a word, but her eyes were each a world of meaning. Could I ever forget that sunset? We spent this night like the last, though Hamlet being with us somewhat relieved our loneliness. But, before I went to sleep, I thought over our situation, and laid my plans for the morrow. The more I pondered the subject, the more I was satisfied that there were wild beasts on the island, and the more I felt the necessity of guarding against their attacks. In the day-time we were comparatively safe; but at night, what was to hinder our falling alln easy prey? Besides, I knew not how soon the rainy season might be upon us; and, when it did come, some sort of shelter would be absolutely necessary. But how should I go to work to make a house that would answer the purpose? I might con- FORMNG PLANS. 95 struct a framework of poles, and cover it with branches; but I doubted whether I could make it close enough to keep out the rain, or strong enough to withstand the fury of a tropical tempest. And, even if I could, it would still be a dark, un- comfortable dwelling, good enough, perhaps, for savages to live in, but not at all fitted for the habitation of my dainty Alice. I had not sufficient canvas to make a tent, and, on the whole, I could think of nothing that pleased me so well as the plan I have already mentioned, of hollowing out one of the gigantic gourds I had discovered, by which we should obtain a light and airy chamber, impervious to rain, and large enough for every essential purpose. I determined to make' the experiment the very next morn- ing, and then set myself to thinking of some way in which to keep an account of our time. Robinson Crusoe, I remem- bered, had notched his days and weeks upon a post; but that seemed to me altogether too much trouble, and I knew, if I thought long enough, I could think of one far more simple. At length I found one that was simplicity itself. All I wanted was a few shells, and a number of pebbles. Every morning I would put a pebble into the first shell, till the end of the week, when I would empty them out and begin again. Once a week I would put a pebble into the second shell, and once a. month into the third. As this task would be perfectly easy, and I thought that she would be more likely to remem- ber it, I determined to entrust it to Alice; and, with this resolve, I fell asleep. page: 96-97[View Page 96-97] CHAPTER VII. A short wyay of Building a House. - Alice's Delight.-The Bear's In- difference. -Our Almanac. -My Extravagant Behavior. -An Even- ing Stroll. -- The Seashore. --Solitude. - A Surprise. - Brevity Bill. My Vexation. - A Happy Thought. - An Argument. - Alice Singing. -The Advantages of being Fat. I ROSE the next morning as soon as it was light, and has- tened to the plateau, full of eagerness to commence my opera- tions. I selected the biggest of the gourds, and, having first mnarked out the size of the door with my knife, I took the axe and proceeded to chop away the rind. I found the task much lighter than I had expected; for, after cutting through the outer shell, which, though very hard and tough, was not more than an inch in thickness, I came to an inner coat of a softer and more spongy fibre, and closely resembling the shell of a chestnut. This inner coat was about three times as thick as the outer. Within this, there was an open space of some six or seven inches, as if the meat had shrunk away like a dried filbert. The meat itself was as hard as a raw potato, though of -coarser texture, and had a sweet, nutty flavor, not unlike that of the common artichoke. When boiled or roasted, I thought it would prove quite palatable and nutritious, and I deter- mined to save a portion of it for further trial. SHORT WAY OF BUILDING A HOUSE. 97 I cut it out in large, square pieces, and piled them -up loosely in the open air, that they might dry the faster, till, after an hour's hard work, the last fragment was removed, and I found myself the owner of as commodious a little house as could be imagined, seven feet high in the centre, rather more than that in -diameter, and abundantly large enough to contain all the furniture we seemed likely to possess. For greater security, I made the door only just big enough for us to enter; and, as this did not admit sufficient light and air, I determined, at some time or other, to cut a window in the side, but, at present, I was too impatient to bring Alice into her new house, to wait for any further improvement. We made a hearty breakfast of figs and the femainder of our biscuit, and, while we were eating them, she asked me what I had been doing to get so tired. I told her that I had been working, but did not say where; and, after a while, I proposed that we should ta'ke a walk, to which she at once assented. We ascended the hill together, but, on coming near the house, I managed to get before her and throw myself into it while she was yet on the outside of the hedge. A large bush, which I drew before the door, entirely concealed it from her view, so that when she entered the enclosure and looked around her, she was quite at a loss to account for my myste- rious disappearance. After enjoying, a while, her perplexity and wonder, I called to her by name; but this, instead of betraying miy where- abouts, only increased her confusion, till, at last, unable to contain myself any longer, I pushed aside the bushes, and gravely invited her to enter. At first she could hardly believe her own senses at my surpris- ing reappearance, but presently, mustering courage, she entered 9 page: 98-99[View Page 98-99] 98 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. the gourd, when her delight and admiration, if possible, exceeded my own. After her, came the bear, apparently disposed to make him- self very much at home, and not at all inclined to be surprised at anything. He had no sooner got inside the door, which he could not pass without some squeezing, than he stretched him- self out at full length in the middle of our parlor, with an air of most perfect nonchalance, as if he had never lived any- where but in a gourd all the days of his life. I was more vexed with him for -this than I had ever been before; for I never could endure your great travellers, who are too wise to show any astonishment; and I thought he might, at least, have condescended to dive some slight token of ap- probation, after all my labor. This was not the last time, either, that he tried my patience in the same way; but I got used to it after a while, and con- soled myself with the reflectionr that it was not owing to any want of kindness on his part, but proceeded entirely from heedlessness and inadvertence. "Yes," I said to myself, i( you are a good fellow as ever lived, and I am a fool to doubt your kindness; but I do wish you had a little more refinement and delicacy of feeling." If I had known him then as well as I do now, or if I could have foreseen the overwhelming weight of obligation he was about to impose upon me, I should never have thought of finding fault with so slight a failing. After making the window, which occupied me about an hour, I assisted Alice in collecting a quantity of dried grass and slender branches, with which I proposed to make our beds. Hers, I arranged within the house, but, as for myself and Hamlet, we made up our minds to sleep, for the present, just outside the door. MY EXTRAVAGANT BEHAVIOR. 99 Our house was now all ready to receive pur furniture, and, with no small pride and exultation, we hastened to bring it firom the boat. There was not much of it, to be sure; but, on some accounts, this was all the better, since, if there had been much more, we should not have known where to put it. I provided, also, at the same time, the necessary supply of shells and pebbles, and, having arranged our almanac, and showed Alice to use it, I had nothing left to do till din- ner but to sit on cdmfortably and admire my own handi- work. But my satisfaction was too great to allow me to remain quiet more than a few moments at a time. First, I must see how the house looked on the outside, and then how it looked within. When I looked out of the window, I was enchanted with the fine prospect of the valley and the sea; and when I looked in, I was equally enchanted at sight of that fairy little chamber, and Alice sitting in the middle of the floor. I went in and out continually, for the- mere pleasure of going through the door. I beat a tattoo with my knuckles on the outer shell, to show how hard it was, and drew my fingers gently over the inside to feel its velvet softness; and, in short, conducted myself so absurdly, that Alice at last lost all patience, and- begged me, if I had any regard for her comfort, to sit down and enjoy myself like a rational being. The heat of the sun was too great, during the middle of the day, to admit of our stirring about a great deal, but a giant mangrove,* that stretched its long, gnarled branches over- head, effectually secured us from his rays, while our elevated * I always called this tree a mangrove, not because it was one, but simply because I knew not what else to call it, and fancied that there was a certain resemblance between it and the word. If it did not look like a mangrove, I can only say that it looked as a mangrove ought -to look. page: 100-101[View Page 100-101] 100 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. position on the southern slope of the island, gave us the full benefit of the constant trade winds. Towards the middle of the afternoon, the sloping shadows tempted us to leave our leafy shelter for an evening walk. Calling to the bear, who came bounding after us like a dog, we set off in an opposite direction from that which we had taken before, hoping soon to reach the eastern shore of the island, and thus obtain a near prospect of t/e sea. The path was extremely difficult, bein perplexed by tan- gled underwood and vines, and we had begun to despair of effecting our purpose, when the sight of more open country beyond, encouraged us to persevere, and the next moment we came out on a lofty bluff overlooking the sea, and with the waves beating ceaselessly against its base. Weary with our long walk, we gladly threw ourselves down upon a projecting crag, and sat for many minutes in silence, listening to the voice of the waters as if it had been the voice of God. The effects which the sight and sound of the sea naturally produce upon a thoughtful mind, were now infinitely height- ened by the utter loneliness of our situation. It seemed as if we could gaze our very souls away. We breathed a larger, purer air, that had never been polluted by a human breath. We no longer drank of the swollen stream of life, turbid with the feet of dusty pilgrims, thick and mud- dy with the impurities of a thousand years; we had gone back to the very fountain-head of existence, and, like the fabled fountain of life, it seemed to send the blood dancing with fresh vigor through our veins. There was something to me indescribably delightful in the thought that here we were perfectly safe from all intrusion, that the island was as exclusively our own as if it .had been surrounded by a wall a hundred miles in height, and that, go A SURPRISE. 101 where we pleased, we should not be disturbed by sight of a single human being, or anything else to break the magic charm of solitude with which it was invested. The woods were mine, - the sloping hills, gray rocks, and sparkling brooks. The modest little flower by my side looked up confidingly in my face; the great strong waves came hum- bly suing for my regard. There was a strange bond between us. Those beauties were for me alone. As a lover with his mistress, I brooked no divided affection. From this delicious dream of happiness I was at once aroused, and in the most startling and unexpected manner. We sat, as I have just said, on the edge of the cliff, with our feet hanging down over the sea. With Alice pressed close by my side, for fear that she should fall, I heard nothing but her low breathing, and the hoarse murmur of the'waves. We were so far from all the world beside that we seemed all the nearer to each other, and, in the absence of every other attraction, I sometimes thought our hearts would grow together. But all at once, between two waves, I thought I heard some one singing just under where we were sitting. It seemed, however, so utterly incredible, that I at first regarded it simply as a freak of my'imagination; but in a few minutes I heard it again, and this time so distinctly, that there was no longer any room for doubt. But who could it be? Was the island, after all, inhabited, or was it some shipwrecked sailor, who had there been cast ashore, and was unable, owing to the steepness of the cliff, to escape from that narrow prison? I could see nothing of him from where I sat; but throwing myself flat on the ground, and stretching as far as I dared over the cliff, I at length obtained a full view of the scene be- 9* page: 102-103[View Page 102-103] 102 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. low. I saw a small, sandy beach, running well up among the rocks, and sufficiently high at the upper side not to be covered by the water, except, perhaps, in the highest tides. Near one corner of this beach, sitting upon a large stone, I saw a man dressed like a sailor, but, owing to his position,'I could not tell whether I had ever seen him before. He was singing to himself with a zeal and animation that seemed to me perfectly unaccountable, considering his forlorn condition; but the sea made so much noise that I tried in vain to catch the words. It sounded, however, more like The Bay of Biscay, than any other song I could remember. I was about to draw back from the edge of the precipice, in order to inform Alice of this unwelcome discovery, and con- sult with her as to the best course to be pursued under the circumstances, when, just then, a pebble falling from the cliff directly at his feet, he looked up to see where it came from, and, to my great surprise, I recognized the face of one of my old shipmates, who had left us in the ship, in the manner al- ready described, and whom I certainly never expected to see again. He hailed, origfially, from Ellsworth, in the state of Maine, where, I beAeve, most all our sailors come from; but he had since led such a wandering life, that he might fairly be considered a citizen of the world. He was known among his messmates as Short Bill, which I afterwards altered to Brevity Bill, to distinguish him from another of the same name, who was as long and lank as he was short and stout; and his character was the oddest compound of meanness and good-nature, of shrewdness and folly, that I ever met with. But if he had been the best fellow that ever lived, I should have wished him a thousand miles away. Before he came I was undisputed master of my little kingdom; but now, I saw A HAPPY THOUGHT. 103 myself dispossessed, at a single blow, of half my sovereignty. There was an end at once to all my boasted hopes of solitude. There no longer seemed the least romance in my situation. I could hardly have felt worse if I had seen half New York come prying, with its vulgar impertinence, into my peaceful-hermit- age. I might just as well have been in Hoboken. An hour ago I felt secure from all intrusion; and now, here was this horrid monster ringing his barbarous songs in my very ear, and making himself merry in the midst of misfor- tunes, that, if he had possessed the least share of sensibility, would, long ago, have broken his heart. All this was bad enough; but when I thought of Alice, I was almost beside myself with indignation. To think of his looking at her, and speaking to her, and even presuming to call her Alice, - for the fellow was bold and forward,-- and of her speaking to him, and smiling upon him - O, heav- ens! the thought was madness. I caught up a large stone, that lay by my side, and prepared to launch it on his head; but something stayed my uplifted hand. And, at the same moment, a happy thought came to my relief. Suppose I should let him remain where he was? There was little probability that, without my assistance, he would ever be able to escape. And, after all, perhaps he was as comfortable there ag he would be anywhgf else. He evi- dently had enough to eat and drink, or he would not feel like singing. Con Bat had I a right thus to keep him in prison? Was I doing as I would be done by? Certainly I had a right, as governor of the island, to dis- pose, as I pleased, of all its inhabitants. And, as to the other consideration, it had not the slightest weight as between a judge and a prisoner. Besides, I really doubted whether I ought page: 104-105[View Page 104-105] 104 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. to release him. He was, to be sure, one of the best-natured fellows in the world, but a most inveterate toper, and very lazy. I remembered hearing the captain say that he was so lazy that he would chop off his fingers to save the trouble of cutting his nails. Would it be wise then, would it be expedient for me to give liberty to one who would be sure to mafe so bad a use of it? Should I be justified in allowing him to set such a bad ex- ample to my infant community? How could I tell how far that example might contaminate both Alice and the bear? They were both young and inexperienced, without any fixed- ness of principle or stability of character; and the bear, at least, seemed not a little inclined already to irregular and dis- sipated habits. I could not doubt that he would be easily led astray by one so much older than himself, and whose social temper made him a favorite with all who knew him. I was curious, however, to know what he had to eat and drink, and also what had become of his companions; so I once more drew near and looked over the cliff. He had already got over the alarm occasioned by the fall of the stone, which he probably supposed was loosened by some wild animal, and was singing away again as hard as ever. A pebble, that I tossed into the water, suddenly put an end to his song, when, starting to his feet and looking about him in every direction, he presently discovered my face peering down at him from the edge of the cliff. After staring at me a moment in stupid wonder, he began shouting in the most frantic manner, though he might have known that I could not hear a syllable while the waves kept up their clamor; till, at last, finding that I made no answer, he fell to making signs, as if he were letting out a line through his hands, and pointing every once in a while up to me; AN ARGUMENT. 105 from which I conjectured that he- might be going a fishing. I soon found that I could learn nothing further where I was, however, and, as it was now getting late, I thought it was time for us to be going home. But first, I scratched the word "To-morrow " on a smooth leaf, and, having tied it to a stone with a blade of grass, I threw it over the cliff; for, though I knew very well that his literary attainments were not at all remarkable, yet it would give him something to think about, and, if he tried long enough, he might perhaps guess at its meaning. On our way home our talk, as might well be supposed, was all about the new comer. My vexation was not a little in- creased an I found that Alice, so far from regarding his arrival in th same light with me, looked upon it as a positive advantage. "It would be so much pleasanter," she said, " to have some one else to help you at your work, and we should feel so much safer; and then, perhaps, together we could build a boat big enough to carry us all safely home." I could not help smiling at the simplicity of this last sug- gestion, but I was angry at her wish to leave the island, and yet more disturbed at the thoughts that the rest of her speech had excited.- I could not bear to think that she should wish for any other society, or any other protection, than I could offer; and, as for seeking his assistance in anything I had to do for her, I would never, if I could help it, allow him to lift a finger. Her .sympathy only confirmed my former resolution, and the more she talked of helping him out of his awkward posi- tion, the more determined I was to keep him in it.. At every step we took I became better satisfied that we should be hap- pier apart, and by the time we arrived at home I had almost page: 106-107[View Page 106-107] 106 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD, made up my mind never to go near him again. At any rate, I would put it off as long as I could, and in the mean time there was no knowing what would happen. A storm might come and wash him off the rocks, or his pro- visions might be exhausted, and then --what then? Suppose he did starve to death? It was not my fault. He had enough to eat, for all I knew to the contrary; and, if not, why should I feed him? He might go to work and earn his own living, if he were not so abominably lazy. Why should I encourage him in his indolence? I had enough to do to pro- vide for myself and Alice; there was not a great deal of food on the island; he was a monstrous feeder, and, if I undertook to supply his gluttony, we might all starve together. I arrived at home in a very" uncomfortable frame of mind. Alice saw my dejection, but without divining its cause; and after supper, in hopes of relieving my malady, she began to sing. But her kindness had just the contrary effect. I had often listened to her with' pleasure, for I was passionately fond of music; but now it only increased my disturbance. In fact, I wished with all my heart that she could not sing at all; for they would be always singing together, while I could do noth. ing but listen. To be sure he sung most vilely, - though I used to like it well enough on board the ship; anything sounds well at sea,- but Alice would never notice it, and in fact I had heard her say that he had one of the pleasantest voices she had ever listened to. Here was fresh cause for anxiety. What could be more dangerous than a music-teacher? No, no, I should be an idiot ever to give him such a chance. A prisoner he was, and a prisoner he should remain. How glad I was that he was so heavy! If he had been a little fellow, Alice might perhaps have drawn him up; but now MY DETERMNATION. 107 it was impossible. But stop a moment; suppose he did not find enough to eat; he would soon grow lean and light, and then--but never mind; I would go the first thing in the morning and carry him as many figs as he could eat. He never would have resolution to resist, and in a month we might as well think of hauling up an ox. TNo matter if I did have to work, I should only be doing as I would be done by, and no one should ever accuse me of leaving a fellow-creature in distress. If he wanted figs he should have them. I am not very well pleased with this chapter, which I wrote several months ago; and, if I were to write it over again, it would probably be in a very different style. But, perhaps, after all, it is better as it is. What need of darkening every page with vain regrets? I have wearied the reader too much, I fear, already, with what he may deem a sickly melancholy. Let it stand, then, at least to show how I might have written if sorrow had never come to my door. page: 108-109[View Page 108-109] CHAPTER VIII. Going to sleep. -An unwelcome Visitor. -- Unexpected Deliverance.- Fight between Hamlet and the Panther.--Second Visit to Brevity Bill.-His Alarm.-Its Explanation.--Fate of the Captain and Crew.- His Anxiety to know what became of Alice. --My Injustice towards Him. - My Excuse. - We return Home. FULL of the comfortable reflections that the consciousness of a good intention never fails to impart, I now gave myself up to all the luxurious enjoyments of repose. It was almost dark, but I could see the rising and falling of her little breast, as Alice poured in the greedy ear of night the full rich tide of song. The shadow of the shaggy bear lying down at her side kept time with the music by the regular movements of his head, while he now and then testified his satisfaction by a low but most expressive sigh. I could have listened forever, but at last the song was hushed, the bear's head sunk between his paws, Alice with a last good-night retired to her chamber, and I, having nothing more to occupy my thoughts, addressed myself to sleep. But just as the first soft languor was stealing over me, and when already my drowsy fancies were wakening into dreams, a crackling among the dead branches aroused me with a sud- den start. Sitting upright on my bed of leaves, I gazed around me in every direction, but could see nothing that looked like danger, AN UNWELCOME VISITOR., 109 and was about to compose myself again to rest, when I caught a glimpse of some dark object standing in the opening of the hedge. It was perfectly motionless, and I began to think that my fears had deceived me, and that it was nothing but a bush; but, waiting a moment longer, I saw it begin to move and approach the spot where I was lying; but very slowly and silently, so that I could hear my heart knocking against my ribs. It seemed to me bigger than the largest dog I had ever seen; and with nothing but a common pocket knife with which to defend myself, for it was too dark to find the axe, I felt how utterly hopeless my case would be, if compelled to do battle with such a formidable antagonist. If I could only have got into the house I had little doubt of making good my defence; but it would be dangerous to retreat in presence of such an active enemy. I could not leave Alice, and on the whole I concluded that my best plan would be to remain perfectly quiet, when, perhaps, he either would not see me, or would not dare to venture on an assault. But my hopes were vain. He came nearer and nearer, lighted by his glowing eyeballs. At a little distance he stopped and crouched, gathering himself together for the fatal spring. Then I saw in the air the dim shadow of the mighty arch with which he bounded from the earth. Hthought my last hour had come. Involuntarily closing my eyes, and clasp- ing the knife more firmly in my hand, I waited the coming shock. But it came not. My deliverance was effected in a most surprising and unexpected manner. The creature had mis- calculated his distance; and lighted directly upon the body of of the bear, whose presence, till that moment, I had quite for- gotten. This was undoubtedly a very fortunate circumstance as far as I was concerned; but the bear might well be par- 10 page: 110-111[View Page 110-111] "O THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. doned for entertaining a different opinion. It is certainly anything but pleasant to be wakened out of a sound sleep, by having two hundred pounds, or so, come plump upon ollne's shoulders, without so much as saying, "By your leave." Especially, when the said two hundred pounds happens, as in this instance, to be furnished with a full set of teeth and claws, strong enough, and sharp enough, to tear an ox to pieces, and eat him afterwards; and proceeds to plant them all at once in one's eyes and nose, with an inevitable dexterity that fate itself might envy. This, I say, is anything but pleasant, and the bear might very reasonably have entered a protest against the whole pro- ceeding; but I am not sure that his course was not a wiser ) one. He probably knew that he was more than a match for his assailant; and so did I, for that matter. - All that I was afraid of, was, that he would not wake up soon enough to do himself justice. But I had no need to alarm myself. He was altogether too wary a campaigner to be taken by surprise. In a single instant he was as wide awake as if he had never been asleep in his life. From the end of his nose to the tip of his tail, there was not a fibre, or muscle, or even a hair about him, that did not seem instinct with life and all ready for the fight. In fact, he waked so suddenly, that I could not help thinking that hemust have had an eye open all the time, and had seen from the beginning everything that was about to happen. E At any rate, he did not appear the least disconcerted by the panther's rude embrace; on the contrary, he returned it with so much interest that the latter very soon manifested a disposition to end the affair as speedily as possible. But the bear did not seem inclined to part with him so easily. In vain the panther declared, - for so I interpreted FIGHT BETWEEN HAMLET AND THE PANTHER. 1ll his outcries,- that it was all a mistake- that he thought it was somebody else --that he would have bitten his own tail off before he would have insulted so honorable a gentleman; not one of his apologies had the slightest effect upbn the bear, who, though he had the best heart in the world, very properly thought that such an offence could be expiated only by death. As soon as my first alarm was over, I hastened to speak to Alice, and assure her of my safety; and then turned again to 'watch the progress'of the fray. From the excitement of the conflict my blood was soon fairly up, and I would gladly have gone to the bear's assistance; but- Alice would not let me leave her side. All this time the screams and yells of the panther were frightful to listen to. I could not bear to hear such sounds in that peaceful island; but, as for Hamlet, he never uttered a sound, except, now and then, one of his low, short humphs, whenever he made & particularly happy hit with his hind claws. How long the battle lasted, or how many rounds were fought, I cannot tell; but at length the struggles of the panther grew fainter, his cries changed to choking sobs, and then all was still. The bear now cautiously released his hold, and having given his prostrate foe a few final shakes, to be sure that he was dead, and himself a few more, to be sure that he was alive, he quietly lay down to rest, as though he thought nothing of it. But, as to myself and Alice, we were too much excited to think of sleeping, and -we accordingly sat up nearly all night, talking over what had happened, congratulating each other on our wonderful deliverance, and exclaiming, over and over page: 112-113[View Page 112-113] "2 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. again, "What should we have done without the bear?" I had particular reason to ask the question, for I remembered how often I had been tempted to take his life; and when I thought of it I felt ready to die with shame. I was very glad that it was dark, for I was sure that I could not look him in the face. I After such a fearful alarm Alice was afraid to sleep alone, i I therefore made up my bed on the opposite side of our little house, and thus, with the bear on guard before the door, we ; felt comparatively safe. ' i: The next morning, when we came to look at our formidable ( : visitor, we saw still more clearly how much reason we had to be thankful for our escape. It was a female panther, nearly, if not quite, as large as the bear, and with a countenance . of such determined ferocity, that Alice could not bear to look ;:I at it, even in death. The body was lacerated in the most fiightful manner. Nor had the bear escaped without some severe bruises, as was evident from the hesitating manner in I which he roused himself to follow us when we set off on our ; journey to the shore. Indeed, I thought at first that he did I not mean to go at all; but, as soon as Alice spoke to him, his I hesitation vanished, and he began, though with slow and I painful steps, to drag himself after us; till by degrees his stiffened limbs regained their wonted elasticity, and by the 1 time we reached the shore he seemed as lively as if nothing had happened. On looking over the cliff, I presently discovered our friend Bill in the same position in which I had left him, though he was no longer singing, but seemed, on the contrary, decidedly i pensive and melancholy. He held something in his hand, which I conjectured might be the leaf I had thrown down to L him, but it was too far off for me to see with any certainty. SECOND VISIT TO BREVITY BILL. 113 Without calling his attention, I began now to look about me for some way of descending the cliff. The attempt was diffi- cult and dangerous, but not impossible. The weather-beaten face of the precipice, scarred and wrinkled with seams and ridges, offered a ccnvenient foot-hold. Long flaunting vines, rooted deep in the rocks, and apparently drawing all their nourishment from the air, seemed to invite my hands. In this way I reached a narrow shelf, some fifty feet above the beach, when, finding that I could go no further, I sat down and cried, "All hands aloft to take in sail!" Upon this, Bill started up as if he had been shot, but, seeing no one, presently sat down again, crying out, "Lord! have mercy on us! Lord! forgive my sins! Lord! deliver us!" Then, jumping up again; he began walking back and forth like a distracted creature, groaning all the while at such a rate, that I was all in a shudder, only to hear him calling on God to forgive his sins, and promising, if ever he got safe home, to live a very different life from what he had done. All this, you may be sure, caused me no small astonish- ment, for I could not, for the life of me,- imagine what had got into him; so, at last, I could bear it no longer, and I cried out, "Brevity Bill, what in the world is the matter with you? Here! don't you know me? Look up and see who it is." With that he lopked up, though very fearfully, it seemed; but seeing a living man, and not a ghost, as I afterwards found that he expected, he presently got over his fright, and was able to answer my questions in a rational manner. I found from his account that, after leaving the ship, the captain and crew had taken the same direction that I did; but, owing to their having more favorable winds, or being able to use their oars, they had made he land much sooner. 10' * page: 114-115[View Page 114-115] "4 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. They had, also, sailed round the island, but finding no con- venient point to land, had attempted to beach the boat in that place; but, the sea being very rough, the boat had been caught and upset by a roller, and every one on board had perished, except himself. Since then he had lived on shell-fish and turtle eggs, of which he had found a great abundance on the beach; and, on the whole, had led a very merry life; though the scarcity of fresh water, and the want of a fire to cook his provisions, had been somewhat of a drawhack to his happiness. But what was it he was so frightened at? "Why, you see," said he, "I thought it was a ghost. I never felt exactly right about the way we left you and the poor young lady, and I told the second mate at the time I was afraid no good would ever come of it; but the captain said you was as good as dead already, and - - "But how came he to leave Al--, Miss Cremorne?" "O, the captain tried to take her, but she would n't let him, without he'd take you too, you know; so he had to leave her, and we all thought you'd gone down-together, and when I see you last night, I made sure 'twas your ghost come to haunt me. But how did you get off? I thought you 'd gone to Davy Jones' locker long afore this. But, say, can't you let down a rope, and haul a fellow up? It's devilish lone- some down here, and 'tan't handy talking either." To this I replied that I had no rope, and I was afraid that he would have to stay where he was for the present; and then, to avoid further discussion, I hastened to tell my story. "But what became of the young lady?" he demanded; for, strange to say, I had entirely forgotten her. "You did n't go and leave her, did you?"? "Leave her? no!"I replied; "( but we had hardly any water, and she was very weak, poor thing, and so -" MY INJUSTICE TO BILL. 115 "The sharks got her? Eh?" cried Bill, wipingA good- for-nothing tear from his hypocritical eye. "It was too much for her, eh? Well, well, we're all mortal; but say, how was it? did she die easy?" "No matter now," I replied; " it is all over now; she has gone where you will never see her again." I must confess that this part of my story affords me very little satisfaction. Indeed, no one can condemn, more strongly than I should do, the meanness and duplicity,of which I was guilty towards my unhappy shipmate. But, at that time, I was so blinded by my love for Alice, and my jealous anxiety to have her all to myself, that I was ready to do almost anything to secure the object of my wishes. Not that I ever feared, even for a moment, that he could supplant me in her affections; such an idea never entered my head; but, in some way or other, I felt that his presence would weaken our union to an extent of which I dared not even think. He would be a continual restraint upon us. Our-happiness could hardly fail to excite his envy, and then his envy would in a great measure destroy our happiness. We must fail of half our joys for fear of disturbing his peace. And, instead of that perfect and unconscious freedom which had hitherto marked' all our intercourse, there would be nothing but shyness and formality. Poor fellow! I treated him cruelly, it is true; but it is a great pity that he could not have landed somewhere else. But to return to my story. I had hardly got the last words out of my mouth, when a stone, plunging from the cliff, ,interrupted our conversation, and both together raising our eyes upward, there stood Alice on a projecting crag, at a little distance down the coast, her figure showing in bold relief against the sky . page: 116-117[View Page 116-117] "6 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. "Why! why!" ejaculated Bill, rubbing his eyes to look again, "1 what's that? Is n't that she herself, and looking as tighit and trig as the day she was born? I thought you said she was dead. But can't I see her? Can't I speak to her? Can't I touch her little hand? Bless me! I'd no idea it would ha' done me so much good. But say, can't I see her? Can't I speak to her?" "You can see her," I replied, (" as much as you have a mind to, and speak to her, too, fobr that matter; though I am rather doubtful about her hearling you; but I don't see how you can do anything more at present." ("Why!" he persisted, ,' can't you help me up? It's con- founded lonesome down here, with nobody to talk to, nothing but these plaguy waves from morning till night. Come, do now, that's a good fellow, and I 'll do as much for you some of these days." "But I have no rope," I replied, "( and besides, I am sure you are very well off down there; I heard you singing yes- terday as if you liked it." "And so I did," said he, "l for a day or two, .before I knew there was anybody else about here; but now I'd as lief be in prison. Can't you think of some way?" And so he ran on for half an hour, and I dare say would have talked till doomsday, if I had stopped to listen. But, besides the objections already mentioned, I really could not think just then of any way to assist him. I had nothing to draw him up with, and though I might perhaps myself have reached the shore, yet I did not see how that would better his condition. The only thing, therefore, for him to do was to bear his confinement with as much patience as possible, until some means should present itself of effecting his deliverance; and, in the mean time, that he might not be COMFORT AND FIGS. 117 left wholly without amusement, I promised to come tiwo or three times every week, or as much oftener as 1 could make it convenient, to let him know how we were getting along, and bring him whatever we thought most likely to add to his comfort. I accordingly threw him the figs I had brought with me, and then hastened to rejoin Alice, whom I found very impa- tient at my long delay; and, after gently chiding her for having ventured so near the precipice, and given her a brief account of this painful interview, we turned towards hlome, where we arrived in safety without any farther adventure. page: 118-119[View Page 118-119] CHAPTER IX. MaKiang a Fire; Difficulties in the Way. - Man's Dependence on his Fel- lows. - Blessings of Independence. - My unsuccessful Attempts.-- Bows and Arrows. - Brevity Bill; his growing Discontent. - My Anx- iety on his Account. - Episodical. - Hamlet; his Character. - We set out to explore the Interior of the Island. - Female Costume; its Inoon- veniences. -Want of Clothing; how to supply it. THE great object of my wishes now was to make a fire. Not that we were likely to suffer at all from cold, but we were tired of eating our shell-fish raw; and, besides, I could not help thinking that a fire would look unusually pleasant after our being so long without it, and make us both feel far more as if we were at home. I hoped then that Alice especially would yield to its fond attraction. Now she was all the time wondering how long we should have to remain on the island, and wishing that some vessel would come to take us off.. I was troubled to see her so uneasy. For my part, I asked nothing better than to remain where we were all the days of our life. I would gladly have had her feel the same contentment. A cheerful fireside, and all that home feeling that lingers round it, would perhaps insensibly produce this effect. At any rate, I could think of nothing else, with possibly a single exception, that would be so likely to exert this influence. MAN'S DEPENDENCE ON HS FELLOWS. 119 But making a fire was no such easy matter. To be sure, when friction matches are plenty, there is no sort of difficulty; but, in the absence of all artificial aids, the simplest operation became at once elevated to the dignity, and invested with all the mysteries, of a science. A man standing alone is a very helpless being. It is only in combination with his fellows that his true power, like that of a unit, becomes in any degree apparent. That vast store-house of invention, to which so many ages have contributed, was closed against us. Crippled by a thousand artificial wants, babied' with endless toys, nursed into more than infant helplessness in the luxurious lap of a doting mother, we were all at once thrust out, to do for our- selves what others had hitherto done for us, and to supply, as far as we could, by our own courage and strength and inge- nuity, what we could no longer hope to obtain in the usual way. The shock at first was painful, but in the end most salutary. Infinite were the blessings it conferred upon us. But how shall I go to work to -convey to men who have never known those blessings a sense of the freedom, and independence, and self-reliance, that such a life imparts? How shall I make them feel the joy, the glory, the rapturous delight of one, who, after stifling many years in the den of cities, swathed, like a living mummy, in the innumerable folds of a superstitious faith and practice, at length finds himself face to face with nature, and not only at liberty, but impera- tively called upon to think, and speak, and act himself, and not by another? No man, or set of men, shall give him laws. He is free from the authority of precedent and example. Not for him society spreads her Procrustean bed. God and his own soul alone shall settle the question of his growth. Man page: 120-121[View Page 120-121] 120 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. in cities crawls and grovels; in the woods he runs, he flies, he soars, as on wings of fire, into the very bosom of his God. For this, then, if for nothing else, I bless my kind and happy star. My soul walks among men as the naked Adam among his dressed and wondering posterity. They dare not do what I dare. I seem to them a being of another sphere. They cannot take my measure. This simple, yet sublime egotism they cannot fathom. They accuse me of oddity, affectation, and impiety, even, because I am not in all respects precisely like them. They cannot see that I only am the true man, and all the rest more or less counterfeit. But the question now is of making a fire; and the reader will, undoubtedly, be more interested in learning the various expedients I made use of to effect this purpose, than in a barren disquisition on a subject he cannot, at least so per- fectly, understand. I remembered to have read, years before, in some books of travels, that certain savages, when in want of a fire, were in the habit of rubbing two dry sticks rapidly together, until the heat obtained by friction was sufficient to produce a blaze; and I naturally supposed that I could do the same; but after trying till my arms seemed ready to drop off, not once only, but many different times, I began seriously to doubt the whole story, and to believe that this virtue, as with many others ascribed to savages, such as generosity, hospitality and the like, was, after all, only a pleasant fiction, coined, most probably, in the inventive brain of some romantic dreamer, who had never in all his life stirred a single step beyond the brick walls of his native city. However, to satisfy myself more fully on this point, I now went a step further, and having made a sort of whirligig with a crooked stick, and a thong cut from the hide of the panther, ATTEMPTS AT FIRE-MAKING. 121 I kept it twirling, at least an hour, without getting heat enough in all that time to burn my finders. I next tried flint and steel, with dry leaves for tinder; but, though I struck out showers of sparks, and even set the leaves on fire, I never could get them to blaze, and finally abandoned the whole attempt in despair. I cannot tell how much I was disturbed by these repeated failures. I had been all the time so sure of success, and had so set my heart upon it, that I hardly knew how to reconcile myself to the disappointment. I seemed to myself conscious of a sort of humiliation, as if we had thus lost the most signal token of our humanity, and been reduced to the level of the beasts. To be sure, if I had had a horse, I might still have cooked my meat, as I had heard of certain nations of hard riders doing, by galloping a mile or so with it under my saddle; but, after meditating on the subject a long time, I came to the conclusion that, as I had no horse, and not even a saddle, I might as well give up all hopes of effecting my purpose in that way. So I dismissed the subject from my mind; and when Alice, some time afterwards, expressed a wish for a nice roasted turkey, well stuffed and basted, such as she had often seen on- her grandfather's table, I gently reproved her for her weak- ness, at the same time assuring her that a vegetable diet was far more wholesome, and that, as for a fire, Adam and Eve did very well without it, and so could we. The story of its coming from heaven, I added, was a mere fabrication; as, for my part, I believed that it had a very different origin. But because we had no meat was no reason why we should eat nothing but figs and shell-fish; so, a few days after the " page: 122-123[View Page 122-123] 122 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. events I have just recorded, we set off, early one morning, in search of whatever else our Paradise might furnish. For fear, however, lest we should be attacked by wild beasts, I must first provide myself with means of defence. With this end in view, I carefully examined the wood of the different trees that grew in the neighborhood, and having at length found one that I thought would answer the purpose, I made with my axe and knife two very tolerable bows (that being a species of manufacture to which I was already accus- tomed), a large one for myself and a smaller one for my charming Alice. I do not think that Diana could have wielded it more gracefully. For strings I again resorted to the skin of the panther; there was no want of slender reeds to serve as arrows, and sharp bits of flint supplied me with the heads. I cannot say that I had any great faith in these weapons. To be sure, I could hit the tree which we used as a mark, and which was not more than two feet in diameter, nearly every time, at a distance of fifty feet; but with a panther I feared my hand might not be quite so steady; and, even if I happened to hit him, I was far from feeling sure that he would mind it. But Alice, in her simplicity, seemed to think that the very sight of these formidable weapons would be enough to terrify any wild beast whatever; and, as I was willing to humor her, I kept Mny doubts to myself, simply taking care to carry my axe with me when we went abroad, for that I knew could be depended on. I tried at first to persuade Alice to remain at home, while I was gone on these expeditions, with Hamlet to keep her company; but she would not listen to this proposition for a moment; nor, indeed, was I at all inclined to press the matter, BREJViTY BILL. 123 for I could not bear to be separated from her, even for an hour, and should be constantly alarmed lest some evil should befall her in my absence. Besides the danger from wild beasts, which, if I could not entirely prevent, I would at least share with her, the doubt I felt as to the safety of my prisoner was a continued source of anxiety. I could never feel certain that he might not at anry moment effect his escape. I had taken care to supply him with all the figs he could eat; but, instead of growing fatter, he grew thinner every day. And the thinner he grew the more I feared him. I remembered what Caesar said of Cassius, and trembled. Fasting, I knew, was always said to sharpen the wits;, and, though Brevity Bill had never been very remark- able for shrewdness, there was no knowing how far his faculties might be developed by this new treatment. He was evidently getting to be a most desprate thinker. Instead of the merry, good-natured fellow he nad formerly been, talking, laughing, and singing, all day long, he was now become strangely silent and abstracted, and almost sullen. Whenever I went to make him a visit, I almost always found him sitting on a stone, with his head between his hands, or pacing slowly up and down the beach, with his eyes fixed on the ground, like one engaged in painful meditation. At such times, he hardly noticed my approach, and would not even stop to thank me for my trouble. It was easy to see that he was far from being satisfied with my treatment of him, and fully believed that nothing was wanting but a willing- ness on my part to extricate him from his present unhappy situation. And to a certain extent I could not help feeling that he was right. If I had really wished to help him out, I had little doubt that I could do so. It cost me indeed no little page: 124-125[View Page 124-125] 124 THE NEW AGE -OF GOLD. ingenuity to quiet my uneasy conscience, especially when Alice argued, as she often did, in his behalf; and, on such occasions, the only way in which I could satisfy myself and her was by promising to do all I could to relieve him as soon as I could find time from other more pressing duties. The melancholy results of this procrastination I shall relate hereafter; at present I must return to my story. As I expect, however, to find myself wandering away again, -*before long, and not once only but many times, or, indeed, whenever I feel any inclination to do so, I trust no one will be surprised on that account, as if I had been guilty of any error; for, as there were no roads in any part of our island, and when we walked we rambled here and there, wherever chance or fancy led, with no fear of guide-posts before our eyes, so I see no reason why I should not tell my story in the same way, without consulting any pitiful critic whatever. If ever I attempt to describe the manners and customs of 7 civilized life - which Heaven forefend! - I freely promise to conform to all the rules laid down in such cases; but this is my own domain, never profaned by plough or harrow; I received it fresh from the hands of its Maker, and I am only sorry that I cannot make more of its wild and savage freedom breathe through these pages. It was early morning when Alice and I and the bear set out on our journey. The reader may, perhaps, wonder that I should mention this last individual so often, and may possibly go so far as even to entertain a contempt for bears. But, if so, I am sorry for him; for I consider myself a judge in such matters, and I can assure him that bears are far more sensible than is commonly supposed. I do not deny, however, that I once held a very different opinion. I can remember when I was CHARACTE. OFdr HAMLET. 125 as much prejudiced against them as any one else. I regarded the bear, as many others still do, as a weak, frivolous creature, much given to dancing, and inordinately fond of sleep; with- out force or dignity of character, and ready at all times to be hail-fellow-well-met with monkeys and such disreputable associates. But I had not been long acquainted with Hamlet before I discovered how greatly I had been deceived. Instead of the ignorance and frivolity I had expected, I soon found him possessed of such a stock of information, and of such profound and enlightened views on a great variety of subjects, as would have done credit to one much older than himself. There was a strength and solidity about all his movements that excited my unqualified admiration. The astonishing foresight and sagacity he displayed on every occasion, his imperturbable coolness in the midst of danger, and, above all, the nobility and generosity of his temper, I do not think I have ever seen equalled. His tenderness and sensibility would have seemed remarkable even in a woman, and were. rendered in him all the more attractive by contrast with the sterner and more rug- ged qualities with which-they were allied. To be sure he was sometimes rather more taciturn than 'I wished, and indeed was never much given to talking, but when he did open his mouth it was sure to be something worth listening to; and, on the whole, I much preferred having him so than if he had erred on the other side. If ever I happened to feel like talking, I was sure to find in him an attentive and appreciative listener.; and, if, on the other hand, I was in- clined to be silent, I was never disturbed by his idle chatter. In short, I not only esteemed -him for the excellence of his understanding, but I loved, him for the goodness of his heart; ". page: 126-127[View Page 126-127] 126 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. and, if the reader is not already of the same way of thinking, I am satisfied that he will be before he gets through my story. So, as I was saying, Alice and I and the bear 'all went along together, on that glorious summer morning, - ah!X so many years ago! We descended, as before, into the valley, and having stopped for a moment under the great fig-tree to supply our- selves with the day's provisions, we continued our course along the brook, and soon came to the same impenetrable jungle that had barred our way on the former occasion. As this seemed to extend back a considerable distance into the country, and it would require a long circuit to make our way around it, I took Alice in my arms and waded across the stream, here about three feet deep, to the opposite bank, where the walking was more easy. The soil on this side was very dry and sandy, but extremely fertile, so that the vegetation seemed almost strangled by its own luxuriance. I kept ex- pecting every moment to perceive the fragrance of orange blossoms, or to see the yellow fruit glowing among the dark foliage; but, though there seemed to be almost every variety of tree that could be thought of, not one of them, as I could discover, bore anything buit leaves and flowers. Wb were determined, however, not to go back without a thorough search, and still continued to advance, though our progress was extremely slow and toilsome. Sometimes, after advancing with tolerable ease for two or three hundred yards, we found it impossible to go any further, and were consequently obliged to retrace our steps, and make another trial in a different direction. Now we kept close to the stream, and now wandered solfar away that its hollow murmur was lost among the woods. Every step cost us five. All this was bad enough for me and the bear, but it was * \ OTR WARDROBE. 127 far worse for Alice. Her dress was a constant encumbrance. Indeed I pow, for the first time, perceived the astonishing inconvenience of female attire, and what marvellous ingenuity has been displayed in its construction. It answers its purpose so admirably that it is difficult to conceive of anything, except, perhaps, a meal-bag, that could be regarded as an improve- ment. It admits, to be sure, of a species of locomotion; the unhappy wearer is not entirely debarred the use of her limbs, though I have seen a litter of kittens tied up in a bag, like a, Turkish beauty about to try the waters of the Bosphorus, that seemed capable of quite as vigorous exertion. Alice would have been, in some respects, much better off if she had been provided with a similar costume. She could hardly take a step without some part of her dress catching in the branches, and an Indian scout would have little difficulty in following our trail, by means simply of the many streamers of calico or muslin that fluttered all along our path. In this way she bid fair in a short time to have not even a rag left about her, till at last, an unlucky stumble, that rent her skirt from top to bottom, put the finishing touch to her misfortunes. This series of accidents set me upon thinking of some way, in which to replenish our scanty wardrobe. If I could only have spent a few minutes in Oak Hall, or any one of those many stores I had passed so often, I could easily have selected a supply of clothing sufficient to last our lifetime; but, as this was plainly out of the question, nothing seemed left to me but to fall back at once upon my own unaided exertions. And here, at the very outset, two serious difficulties pre- sented themselves. The first was the want of something to make our clothes of; the second the want of tools to make page: 128-129[View Page 128-129] 128 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. them with. Until one or both these wants were supplied, it seemed difficult, if not impossible, to go any further I had read, to be sure, of such a thing as a shirt-tree, where ready-made shirts could be obtained at the shortest notice, and suited to every size, from Tom Thumb to the Kentucky giant; 'but shirts alone would hardly be sufficient, nor, if they had been, should I have known exactly where to look for them. I now regretted exceedingly that the time I had wasted on Latin and Greek had not been more profitably employed in studying Natural History, or in acquiring a knowledge of the mechanic arts. There was no other knowledge likely to prove half so useful, and hardly any other in which I was so deficient. Indeed, I knew far more of men who lived and died a thousand years ago, and with whom I had absolutely no concern whatever, than of the trees and flowers that grew by my door, and might, in so many ways, contribute to my hap- piness. But it was too late now to remedy this blunder. I must do the best I could with my imperfect knowledge, and make experiment, as far as possible, take the place of books. However, clothes of some sort we must have, and without any great delay. But what should I make them of? The only piece of cloth in my possession was the canvas that formed our sail, and that was altogether too rotten to pay for the trouble of making up. Certain kinds of bark, I remem- bered, were sometimes used for this purpose; but I neither knew where to find that bark, nor how to prepare it. But though I had no cloth, the antelopes had plenty, or what would do nearly as well; and I determined to apply to 'them without delay. A suit of chamois leather, well fitted to our forms, but not too tight, would be just what we wanted; and I already contemplated with admiration the pretty figure of my charming Alice set off to advantage by so becoming an REST AND COOLING STREAM8. 129. attire. The difficulties in the way of this undertaking, and the slow degrees by which I ultimately arrived at perfection, did not at that time'occur to me. I found them out after- wards, however, every one. All the time I had been thus meditating, we had continued to push our way further and further into the woods, but with- out finding anything to reward our labor. It was an hour or more since we had left the river, and the sun being now near the zenith, we had nothing to direct our course. We were all tired enough to sit down and rest; but our thirst was even greater than our fatigue, and we still held on our way, drag- ging one foot wearily after the other, in hopes every moment of coming out upon the banks of the stream, which I felt sure could now be at no great distance. The event showed that I was not mistaken. A few steps further, and our ears caught the low murmur of the river coming through the drowsy air. We hastened forward, and the next moment were all three quenching our thirst in its limpid waters. - page: 130-131[View Page 130-131] CHAPTER X. Journey continued.- Halt on the Banks of the River. -Tropical Scen- ery. - Oranges. - Sailing Boats. - Reflections. - Sleeping. -W rak- ing. - Mysterious Disappearance of Alice.- My Horror and Alarm. -The Pursuit. - The Black. - The Death Struggle. - Hamlet comes to the Rescue. - Night in the Woods. - Horrors of our Situation.- I determine to leave the Island.- Morning. - Strange Discovery.- The Pongo. -My Relief. - We renew our Journey. -Hamlet's Deci- sion. DARK and heavy mangroves threw their shadows over the sparkling flood. Light, feathery bamboos, with their delicate plumage stirred by the gentlest breeze-- gigantic, nodding forms; the fragrant lime, the aloe with its clustering flowers,+ with here and there the jointed trunk of some gigantic cactus, rising, like a pillar of green marble, to a height of twenty or thirty feet; besides hundreds of others of which I knew not either the name or the nature- all, alike, proclaimed the beauty, the wealth, and the luxuriance of that land of the sun. Vines and parasites, in endless variety, flaunted on every side. Some, long and strong enough for the cable of a seven- ty-four, hung, bare and knotted, and apparently lifeless, in the air, or coiled, like ', vegetable boas," round some mighty king of the forest, that seemed half strangled in their embraces. Others stretched their leafy screens from tree to tree, or threw ORANGES. - BOAT-SAILING. 131 it over their heads, like a bridal veil, falling in heavy folds completely to the ground, and embroidered thick with flowers brighter than were ever wrought by art. But, amid all the surpassing loveliness of the scene, my eye still wandered. !Beauty, just then, was not all I sought. Other senses were clamorously demanding their share in the enjoyment. Near the bank of the river,- on the edge of a little clearing, I spied, at length, the golden globes of the orange,- a weight apparently too great for the bending branches. I hastened tol the spot, and exultingly seed in my longing fingers the ripe and luscious booty. Filling my handkerchief with the largest and fairest I could reach, I hurried back to Alice; and then, sitting down, side by side, beneath the grateful shadow of the bamboos that joined- their pointed arches overhead, with the little river at our feet, we gave ourselves up, unresisting, to all the mingled pleasures of that delicious hour. The earth, the air, the water, the very rocks themselves, were prodigal of life, but a life of infinite repose. The droning hum of innumerable insects, "the strange, sweet harmonies " that haunted those interminable forests, the spicy odors that made thick the dreamy air, all conspired to lull our souls to rest. I could think of nothing to complete my happiness. I looked at Alice, and saw it reflected and more than doubled in her eyes. After satisfying our thirst, we amused ourselves with mak- ing boats of the -orange-peel, and launching them on the rapid current, to see which would sail furthest before being ship- wrecked among the mimic breakers. Very silly and childish, I dare say, it was; but what need had we to grow old? What need had we, in that little para- dise, of the miserable wisdom of the world? What enemies \. page: 132-133[View Page 132-133] 132 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. should we ever have to contend with, that we need give up one of the joys of youth? Industry, study, application, careful improvement of one's time, and all such mirth-destroying phrases, the petty artil-- lery of the unhappy pedagogue, with which, year after year, and age after age, he thunders in the ear of the rising gener- ation, to fright them along the flowery paths of knowledge, - what had we to do with them, or they with us? Let those torment themselves with such bughears, who had still their way to make in the world; to whom fame, wealth, position in society, success in life, were not yet an unmeaning sound; whose hearts were yet a prey to ambition and corrod- ing care. But, as for us, what better had we to do than to enjoy the' passing moment, unterrified by thought of the morrow, and to thank God for having cast our lot on that silent shore? So we sat,' and watched our boats sail gayly down the stream, till they were, one after another, swallowed up and lost among the rapids; without once thinking of drawing, from their unhappy fate, that bitter moral that would have been so sure to present itself to the melancholy philosophers of the world. On the contrary, we hailed each new disaster with little shouts of laughter, and, when the last boat had dis- appeared, we quietly composed ourselves to sleep, trusting to the bear to guard our slumbers. After sleeping, as I supposed, several hours, I at length awoke and looked about me. The stream still rushed at my feet, cooling the sultry air with its gentle murmur; but, aside from this, there was no sound abroad in all the woods. The insects had ceased from their play, and the sleeping winds had forgot to call new music from the sleeping leaves. The flowers nodded on their stems. They, no more than we, had MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE F0 ALICE. 133 -any need to hurry or grow old. They had time enough. In that blissful isle, life seemed an uninterrupted holiday. Unwilling to disturb this delicious languor, I lay still a while longer, thinking how very happy I was, and every now and then smiling to myself from -excess of joy. But how very soundly Alice must be sleeping! Though so close by my side, I could not hear her breathe. I half won- dered that she had not waked when I did. Without turning my head, I slowly stretched out my hand to see if I could reach her. Only the bare turf met my slow, soft-gliding touch. At this, a strange fear seized upon me. Now thoroughly wide awake, I started half-upright, and, with unbelieving eyes, explored the spot where I had seen her last. She was not there. I looked for her on every side, but still in vain. Where now was my dream of bliss? But perhaps she had- been unable to sleep, and, being un- willing to disturb me, had wandered away to a short distance to amuse herself with gathering flowers until I should awake. I called to her gently; then louder, then shouted with all my might; but a faint and fearful echo was the only answer. What could have become of her? Had she fallen into the river? Had some wild beast carried her away? I should certainly have heard the alarm. It could not be many minutes since she left my side. The grasses and the slender stems of the flowers, pressed down by her lovely weight, were still feebly struggling to regain their upright positions.- She could not be far away; yet, if she heard my voice, how could she resist the agony of my entreaty? But where was the bear? Had he gone with her? I would have given worlds to know; for, in that case, I should have felt comparatively little alarm for her safety. 12 page: 134-135[View Page 134-135] 134 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. I called again, but all was silent as before. What fearful, boding silence, out of which one listens to hear the bursting cry of pent-up, gathering agony! Not a leaf stirred to tell me where she had gone. I fa-n- cied that the gray old trees looked at me in cruel mockery, as if they could have told, but would not. Without some sign I dared not leave the spot, for fear of going further and further from her. But, at this moment, I heard a feeble cry, that sounded far off among the woods. It was so faint that I hardly heard it, and might have been caused in a hundred ways; but some- thing whispered that it was the voice of Alice, and, without waiting to hear it repeated, I dashed aside the bushes, and sprang forward in the direction from which the sound pro- ceeded. The gray old trees thrust their heavy branches in my path, the long vines twined themselves about my feet, my face and hands were torn by the thorns, but I heeded them not. Through bog and mire, over rock and fallen trees, I still held on my way, insensible to pain, and unconscious of fatigue. But what use to run, with nothing to direct my steps? How, in that vast and gloomy forest, could I hope to find all that was left of my beloved Alice? for, already, I saw her torn in pieces by cruel beasts of prey. Her last sigh, breath. ing my name, came feebly to my ear. But, hark! there is that cry once more, and this time there can be no mistake. It is her voice I hear, but what strange cry is that which mingles with it? It surely cannot be the bear. "Alice! dear Alice!"I cried, "I am coming. - O, God! if I should be too late!" I run, I flew, I got over the ground I know not how. There STRUGGLE WITH THE BLACK. 185 was a suddeh rustling and crackling among the branches on my right, as if some large animal were forcing his way rapidly through them. Panther, lion, tiger, I cared not what it was; I was ready for him. It must be one or the other, of this I felt perfectly sure, as well, indeed, I might, for who could ever have imagined anything so prodigious as that which actu- ally happened? The rustling grew louder, mingled with savage cries. The next moment, a tall black man came out of the woods some distance before me, and ran, with incredible swiftness, directly across my path. In his arms he held, with careless strength, the slight and delicate form of Alice, but whether dead or alive, I could not tell. The sight inflamed my soul to madness. To think that any other arms than mine should fold that lovely form in their embrace! And, worst of all, a hideous savage! I darted on his track like fire on a train of powder. Through all his doublings, I never lost him for a moment. Already I thought my knee was on his heart, my hand on his throat. He was mine; I knew it. Despair and hate had turned the iron of my nerves to steel. His strength was prodigious, but it at length failed him, and he could run no further. He dropped Alice, and turned to stand on his defence. I threw myself upon him, and the next moment we were locked in a mortal embrace. I am far stronger now than I was then, and there are few men who would like to contend with me; but, even now, I should think twice before venturing into a contest with so for- midable an enemy. Nothing but the unnatural strength com- municated by excitement, could have enabled me to withstand him, even for a moment. Then he folded me in his long and powerful arms, and, with a tremendous effort, bore me back- page: 136-137[View Page 136-137] 136 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. wards to the earth. His hands were already at my throat, and thinking that my last hour had come, I turned my eyes for the last time fondly on my beloved Alice, and commended my soul to God. But, as I looked, I saw, through the shadows of evening, which were already thickening around us, the well-known form of the bearjust energing from among the trees. Short as the moment was, I yet had time to wonder whether he would see me, and what course he would take for my relief. He did not leave me long in doubt. In a a moment he was at my side. The next, his arms were thrown, with no friendly hug, around the breast of my astonished foe; those fatal fingers relaxed their hold, and, weak and breathless, I rose to nmy feet. I leaned against a tree for support, and gazed, as in a dream, on the contest before me. It was too unequal to con- tinue long. Gigantic as was the strength of my opponent, it availed him little against the iron gripe of the bear. His strange, barbarous cries, that sounded like no language, died away, his struggles grew fainter and fainter, then ceased alto- gether. His head fell back with a dull, heavy sound, upon a root of the tree against which I was leaning. It was the first death I had ever witnessed,'and the astonishing lifeless- ness of the limbs, the flabbiness that came at once over the whole body, filled me with strange dread. A feeble cry from Alice now called me to her side. All this time I haa entirely forgotten her. Nothing else could show so plainly the fearful confusion into which my mind was thrown. I sat down on the ground, and held her head in my lap, while I chafed her cold temples with my trembling fin- gers. She shuddered and groaned, and, fearful of returning danger, I whispered her dear name and my own; I pressed ALICE'S ACCOUNT. 137 my lips to hers,-- a long, a stolen kiss,-and sought, in every way, to dispel her fears and bring her back to life. ev Alice dear Alice!"I cried, 'l do speak to me! say that you do fnot mean to die! Why do you groan and shudder? No harm can happen to you now. I am holding you; can't you see me?" -' O, yc,'" she murmured, "I see you now. I thought it was that frightf-ul blaclk man;-- but where is he? Won't he come back? Let us, go home let us run - let us leave this dreadful place!" and, so saying, she strove to rise, but her strengath failed her, and she sank back into my arms. The short0 twilight of the tropics was over before she recovered sufficiently to give me an account of her misfortunes. She had waked first, as I had conjectured, and, finding me so quietly sleeping, had wandered away in search of flowers; but had hardly entered the edge of the forest, when she en- countered the black; -who, without giving her time to run, caught her in his arms, and ran with her into the woods. Af- ter mullintg a considerable distance, he sat down, and began talking to her in the strangest gibberish; making, all the time, such horrible faces, that she had to shut her eyes so that she might not see them. At this moment the sighat of the bear, who just then made his appearance, compelled him to take once more to flight. It was then that she uttered the cry, which had first shown me which way to run. The same thing had happened repeatedly, for whenever he stopped the bear was sure to overtake them; but she had at length fainted frolm excess of terror, and knew nothing of what followed until she found herself in my arms. Ah! the good, honest, faithful bear! It was the second time that we had owed our lives to his assistance. And I had not even so much as thanked hln. Even when he came and 12* page: 138-139[View Page 138-139] 138 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. stood by my side, and strove to win my regard by rubbing his head against my shoulder, and similar mute expressions of sympathy and affection, I had been too much engrossed with my care for Alice to pay him any attention; till, at length, as if perceiving the hopelessness of his endeavors, he had retired to a short distance, and, stretching himself on -the ground, with his eyes earnestly fixed on us, waited patiently till we should be at liberty to bestow some of our thoughts on him. Then he quite surprised me by his excessive transports, so unlike the usual stoical gravity of his demeanor; and this ardor was all the more pleasing, because he evidently did all he could to restrain it. But, finding it of no use, he at length gave up all attempt at concealment, and became so riotous in his delight that Alice and I, notwithstanding our painful situ- ation, could not wholly resist the contagion of his example. We would gladly have left so disagreeable a neighborhood, but it was now too dark to find our way back to the river, and we were afraid even to move, lest we should stumble over that frightful corpse. Alice lay all night in my arms, for, after what had happened, I could not trust her even a foot away; and she, too innocent herself to think of harm, offered no objection. The bear stretched himself at our feet, the trees nodded overhead, the stars peeping through the branches rubbed their winking eyes; all around was wrapt in quiet so profound that I could hardly persuade myself that the dreadful scene through which we had just passed was anything more than a hideous dream. But, if really true, our situation was indeed deplor- able. As long as I supposed the island uninhabited, I cared little for the dangers arising from wild beasts. At night, our house was a suffieient protection; and by daty, with the bear I o DETERMNATION TO LEAVE THE ISLAND. 139 for an ally, we could safely bid them defiance. In time, we i:h,'. perhaps, exterminate them altogether. But against a tribe of savages our feeble strength would avail but little. We should never be secure from their attacks by day or night. Better, then, not to live at all, than to live thus constantly encompassed by dangers. What a strange comment, I thought, on human nature, that the moment I discover the presence of a fellow-being on the island, instead of rejoicing, I am plunged in such perplexity and alarm! Instead of an aid and comfort, I look upon him as my natural enemy, and see no way of saving my own life except by destroying his. These dismal meditations kept me busy nearly all the night. Every leaf that moved I thought was caused by the footsteps of some prowling savage. Wherever I turned my eyes, I was sure to see some mysterious shadow, that my heated fancy at once transformed into a human shape. Every moment I expected to be startled by a fearful cry, or to feel an arrow quivering in my heart. I determined to leave the island as soon as possible. Better commit ourselves to the deceitful sea, than trust the cruel mercies of man. I would abandon my brief dream of happi- ness, and return to the bitter, envious world I had left, as I had fondly hoped, forever. But, perhaps, after all, the savage we had slain might have been the only one on the whole island. He might have been driven thither by stress of weather, and been unable to find his way back to his native country. If he had any compan- ions, it was ve ry strange that we had not met them before. At all events, their number, it seemed, could not be large, and, by using proper precaution, we might avoid them alto- gether; or, if we met, there was no certainty that the advan- page: 140-141[View Page 140-141] "O TIIE NEW AGE OF GOLD. tage would not be on our side; especially if we called in Brevity 1Bill to our assistance. Our effective forces would thereby be nearly double; and, for the sake of Alice, I was willing to endure the restraints his society would impose upcn us. I therefore made up my mind to do all I could to effect his release ; and, though I had not as yet thought of any plan, I had no doubt that a little ingenuity would enal ke me to accomplish my purpose. Alice slept peacefully all the while, her head resting on my breast, and I was glad to see that the thoughts which distressed Jme h t1d not power to disturb her slumbers. At length, weary a11l exhausted, I fell asleep. Widen I waked the next morning, and looked around me, I folt the same sensation of ming!ed fear and wonder that I had often experienced, in childhood, on first opening mly eyes in a strange chamber. I could not, for a time, remember how or when I came there; and it seemed as if I must have been transported thither in my sleep. The body of the savage, lying stark and stiff not far from where we had been sleeping, brought all the circumstances of the dreadful story at once vividly before my mind. I rose and approached him, that I might observe hi feat. ures more narrowly than on the precedin(g evening. I had been at thtat time in too great a flurry and perturbation to notice anythinfg more than that he was very tall and strong, dres ed apparently in some kind of skins, and that his voice sounddcol strangely barbarous and inhuman. What, then, were my horror and amazement to perceive, at the first glance, as I now did, that the enemy who had caused us all this suffering was not a man, as I had supposed, but a monstrous orang-outang, or pongo, as I believe it is called by naturalists, more hideously ugly than it is possible to imag- STRANGE DISCOVERY. 141 inc, and rendered still more repulsive by its presenting such a startling parody of humanity! The low, brutal forehead, the flat, misshapen nose, the mon-- strous jaws, and elevated ears, that looked as if they could be pinned together on the top of his head, the extraordinary length and thinness of his arms and legs, and the hair that covered nearly his whole body, all caused me to wonder that I could ever have been deceived as to his true character. His vast strength and swiftness were now fully accounted for, for I knew that these creatures were far stronger than the strong- est men, and I shuddered to think of the fearful danger from which I had been delivered. But my horror at this discovery was no greater than my relief. It was no slight satisfaction to know that I had not, even in self-defence, been instrumental in causing the death of a humnan being; and I was still more pleased to find that the savages who had so alarmed me existed only in my own fancy. Thus twice I had been led to believe that the island was inhabited, and twice I had found myself mistaken. Before leaving the spot, I determined to take the measure of this remarkable animal. With both my. arms extended at full length, I could reach, the last time I made the trial, -five feet and nine inches. I was much larger now, and could probably reach several inches further. If this were so, the pongo must have been, at least, six feet and four inches in height; and I could not help regretting that he was not alive and in a cage, as I had no doubt in that case of making my fortune. If I could only recover him, and take him home to America,' , I would not take much for him." I drew the dead body some distance into the woods, that Alice might not see him when she waked; and then, gently arousing her, we set forward on our return to the brook, hop- page: 142-143[View Page 142-143] "2 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. ing to find the spot where we had rested the day before, and where we had left the axe, as, also, our bows and arrows. As neither of us, however, had much knowledge of wood- craft, and as our recollection of the path by which we had come was necessarily very confused, it so happened that we turned too far to the right; and, when we reached the river, I saw at once that it was a place where we had never been before. This obliged us to ascend the stream in order to recover our missing property; but, fortunately, the distance was not great, and in less than a quarter of an hour we stood again beneath the fairy bower where our blissful dreams had been followed by such a fearful waking. Our bows and arrows still lay where we had left them. Here we stopped and held a consultation as to what course it would be best for us to take. Alice was in favor of return- ing home immediately, without waiting to encounter any fur- ther danger; but I was bent on following the brook to its termination, in order to find where it emptied into the sea; for, in sailing round the island, I had seen nothing that looked like the mouth of a river, and I wished, if possible, to obtain 'a solution of the mystery. This, I considered, would be almost as great an achievement as discovering the source of the Niger; and, in my anxiety to accomplish it, I forgot everything but the glory that would follow. Alice, however, had no such curiosity. She had not yet begun to feel the same interest in our little kingdom that I did, and its geography seemed to her a matter of not the least importance. Indeed, I could not help feeling somewhat annoyed at the slighting way in which she spoke of the majestic stream which I had already, in my own mind, determined to christen the HAMLET'S DECISION. 143 Mississippi,- calling it a foolish little brook, a rivulet, and other names still more opprobrious. However, as we could not agree, we concluded to leave the question to the bear, and whichever way he went, we would follow. To my grert satisfaction, he pushed on boldly down the stream. Alice playfully reproached him for his want of gallantry in daring to decide against a lady, but made no fur- ther opposition; and so, in great good humor, we proceeded on our way. And very fortunate it was too; for we had not gone more than a quarter of a mile when we came to a grove of cocoa- palms, that stood on a hill not far from the river, and which, as we afterwards found, though we did not know it then, was the only grove of palms in all that part of the island. page: 144-145[View Page 144-145] CHAPTER XI. Journey continued. -Cocoanuts. --Climbing the Palm. --March along the River.- Hamlet's Nonchalance. - The Gum-tree.-An involun- tary Confession. - Pleasant Episode with the Bear.--A wonderful Medicine. - Toilsome March. - The Lake of the Woods. -A strange Boat. - My Conjectures concerning it. - Pirates. - Going Home.- Shall we go, or stay? - Miseries of Social Life. - A fair Exchange no Robbery. - A Surprise. - The Crocodile. - Home again. -An Even- ing's Conversation. - Thoughts on Death.-A Question in Ethics. THERE- was hardly any sight that could have been more wel- come. For, eating nothing but figs, as we had now done for more than a week, with now and then, to be sure, a meal of shell-fish, was not only surfeiting to the palate, but had begun seriously to injure our health; and it seemed to me that the cocoanut was just what we wanted to correct its prejudicial effects. The two together would form a very wholesome diet, though neither of them alone would afford sufficient variety to satisfy our wants. We accordingly made haste to ascend the hill, but, on look- ing round in search of the fallen fruit, we could find only one or two, and those so old and dry that they were hardly fit to be eaten.. Not, at any rate, as long as there was any chance of obtaining better, and this I knew I could do, if I could only find means to climb one of the trees. CLIMBING THE PALM. 145 This was an undertaking of no little difficulty. Hamlet, to be sure, would gladly have saved me the trouble; but, unfortunately, climbing trees had formed no part of his edu- cation. This was an art that did very well for the younger branches of his family, but was altogether unsuited to his dignity. I might as well expect a Greek or Hebrew professor to tell me the price of leather. I preferred rather to under- take the task myself; so, fortifying my courage with the exam- ple of Dr. Johnson, who, I remembered, even in his old age, never lost his passion for "( swarming," I clasped the trunk with my hands and knees, and commenced the ascent. The trunk was not very large, which made my labor much easier; but it was hard work for all that, and I was more than once on the point of giving up in despair, but Alice was watching me, and I persevered. And very glad I was of it when I reached the top, and saw the noble Clusters of nuts that hung in tempting profusion just within my reach. I tore them off without stopping to make a selection, and, as I threw them down, tried to -see how near I could come to the bear without hitting him ;' but he never flinched or moved a muscle, any more than Deerslayer did when his Indian friends used him for a mark. I broke off, also, two or three of the leaves, that Alice might see what fans were made of, and then slipped down with far less trouble than I -ascended. l We found the young nuts perfectly delicious. The meat was of about the same consistency as new-made cheese, very sweet and milky, and as different as possible from the tough, fibrous, indigestible things that are seen at home. We could not stop here long, however, for we were unwill- ing to lose any more of the morning than we could help; so, having supplied ourselves with enough of the fruit to last us 13 8 -1 . page: 146-147[View Page 146-147] "6 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. for several days, and marked the spot, that we might have no difficulty in finding it, we once more resumed our journey. The walking here was much easier than it had been the day before, for the banks were higher, and the country more open. Still our progress was slow, for Alice stopped often to rest, or to admire the beauty of the scenery, and I was constantly on the look-out for approaching danger, or in hopes of making some useful or entertaining discovery; while the bear trudged on all the while, with an air of sturdy indifference, as much as to say that he had seen far finer sights in his life, among the Rocky Mountains, than any to be found here; and, as for troubling himself About the manners and customs of such a barbarous country, he had no thoughts of doing any such thing. In short, he showed himself as regular a John Bull as if he had never breathed anything but London fog all the days of his life. We stopped at noon under the shadow of a tree that grew all by itself among the rocks. On its leaves and branches I noticed numerous small particles of some substance that looked like gum. They were of different sizes, some being no bigger than a pin's head, while others were fully as large as a lady's thimble. In one place, where the trunk had been wounded in some way, the sap had flowed out in sufficient quantity to form quite a pile upon the ground. I broke off several speci- mens to carry home with me, though I could not think then of any way in which they would prove useful. Still less could I think of any way in which it could do me harm. It was not in human wisdom to foresee the influence which that tree should exert on my future destiny. If I could have seen, for a moment, the miseries it would bring upon me, I would have dug it up by the roots, though I had nothing but my fingers to do it with. I would have torn it limb from AN INVOLUNTARY CONFESSION. 147 limb, and scattered them to the four winds of heaven. I would not have left a twig nor a leaf, to show that such a tree had ever been. May the curses of heaven fall upon it! May blight and mildew blast- it! Let no rain nor dew ever water its branches; let no bird ever build in it, nor beast ever shelter himself un- der its shadow; and, if- bird, or beast, or man, goes near it, may the same misfortune befall them, that they may help me in hating and cursing-it! But I had no intention of making this confession. I pray you, kind reader, bear with -me, for indeed I am not often thus with strangers. It is only at such moments, when my agony comes in on me like a flood, that I am betrayed into this weakness. Have I not,--I ask it in all sincerity, kept my secret thus far tolerably well? Have you ever supposed from my manner that it was otherwise than well with me? If not, you surely can pardon me this involuntary disclosure; and, in re- turn for your forbearance, I will promise never again to obtrude my griefs upon you, until such time as shall render concealment- no longer possible. Forget then this sudden burst of passion, and when I laugh, and jest, and play the fool for your amusement, believe that I am in earnest, and that I amn as merry as I seem; as indeed I am. For what have I to trouble me? Am I not wonderfully happy? Was I ever so happy in my whole life as Ham this moment? Have I not everything to make me so? Have I not youth and wealth, and health and beauty? Health! if it were not so --but no matter, I can laugh yet. Ha! ha! But I did wrong to curse that tree. It intended me no harm, and perhaps, after all, did me none. For all I knew, the same thing might have happened in some other way. At any rate I will try and think so. Come, I am a boy once i ti[ page: 148-149[View Page 148-149] "8 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. more, sitting with my laughing Alice under that delicious shade! She is laughing at the bear, and scolding him for being so impolite as to gape in company; or, at all events, if he must gape, he might at least put up his hand. "Here!" she said, tossing him a large fragment of gum, which I had just detached from the mass behind me, and which had not yet been exposed to the air long enough to harden, "here is something to stop your gaping." All unsuspicious of evil,- for who could suspect fraud under so fair an exterior? --the wary, though simple-hearted bear, who would have been more than a match for Metternich with all his cunning, was now circumvented by a girl. He caught the proffered morsel in his capacious mouth; one energetic bite, and all was over. Those fatal jaws no second bite intend. The transformation was complete and instantaneous. That wondrous balsam had made him in a single minute as harm- less as a lamb. A little more applied to his claws, and he would have been as fit a member of the Peace Society as the learned blacksmith himself. How sorry I was at that momnent that it was not in my power to communicate such an inestimable blessing to the world! How would the unhappy husbands of scolding wives rejoice, if they only knew where to obtain such a simple remedy! And what unequalled happiness it would confer on the benevolent and humane, to know that there was no longer any need of destroying, as we now do every year, hundreds of ill-fated dogs, insane, or suspected of insanity, - thousands of generous, but misguided fleas, - and millions of ants and cockroaches, whose unrestrained appetites and passions at pres- ent unfit them for society. Give them a little of this marvellous gum, and they would XEPISODE WITH THE BEAR. 149 no longer be capable of mischief, or of interfering in any way with our comfort.' Consequently they might live and be happy, which could not fail to be a source of great consolation to every feeling mind; or, if they chose to die, their blood would not be on our hands. Besides, if it affected them all,--that is to say, the scolding wives, mad dogs, fleas and mosquitoes aforesaid, - as it did the bear, it could not help being very amusing. Sometimes he stood on his heels, and then again on his head. He turned more somersets than any rope-dancer or politician ever heard of. Such a bear would have made the fortunes of all the organ-grinders in New York. All the while his mouth was closed as if in a vice, and I began now to be seriously alarmed lest he should lose his life by this new kind of lockjaw; when with a tremendous effort, that sent him rolling heels over head half way down the bank, he at length freed himself from this awkward encum- brance. As soon as he rejoined us, thinking it might be a pleasure to him to gain all the information he could on the subject, I made haste to explain to him that the attraction, which had cost him so much trouble, was called by philosophers the attraction of cohesion, to distinguish it from another styled the attraction of gravitation. I would have added, also, sev- eral other facts equally entertaining, but as he did not seem disposed to make a proper return for my kindness, I deter- mined to keep them till he should bedn a humor to profit by them. Having by this time got his mouth open to its widest extent, he proceeded to clean his teeth from the gum that still adhered to them; and, in performing this operation, he cut such a woful figure, and made such grotesque faces, that I could not help laughing. In fact, I laughed so hard that I came very 13* page: 150-151[View Page 150-151] 15 O THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. near falling into the brook, till at last I saw that Hamlet was getting angry; and, as I had too much regard for his feel- ings willingly to offend him, I made haste to compose my features into an expression of gravity more befitting his unhappy condition. It was, as near as I could judge by the sun, not far from four o'clock when we again commenced our march. The face of the country began now rapidly to change. The ground was low, and sometimes marshy, the vegetation rank and luxuri- ant, so as to make our progress extremely difficult, and reminding us of what we had encountered the preceding morn- ing. At every step Alice grew more urgent to return, and I should certainly have yielded to her entreaty, had I not been all the time in hopes of coming out upon the sea-coast, and thus making our way home with much greater ease, as well as pleasure, than if we returned by the same way by which we had come. I accordingly continued to worm my way slowly along through these various obstacles, sometimes carrying Alice in my arms, and at others holding her by the hand; till we came, just at dusk, to a lake of considerable size that stretched directly across our path. Here then, as it seemed, we should have to pass the night. The prospect was anything but agreeable,.for the ground was damp and cold, and the whole aspect of the place peculiarly gloomy and forbidding. If we had known whereabouts we were, it would have been some comfort; but my head had become completely confused by our fiequent turnings, so that I had no longer the least idea of our true position. Since leaving home, we had travelled perhaps thirty miles, though in a direct line it could not have been more than half A STRANGE BOAT.. 151 that distance, and were now, as I supposed, not far from the western extremity of the island. The idea of measuring back that long and toilsome journey, and that too with nothing to reward us for our labor, was painful in the extreme, and Alice could hardly help crying when she thought of it; though, for my own 'part, I should have cared comparatively little if I could first have settled the question in which I was so deeply interested. There seemed, however, no other alternative, and I was obliged, though very reluctantly, to abandon all hopes of accomplishing my favorite purpose. In order to obtain a better view of the lake, which, from its peculiar situation, I had already named The Lake of the Woods, I left Alice a few moments alone with the bear, and bent my steps towards a little projecting point which I had discovered at no great dis- tance to the right.' On reaching this point the whole of the little sheet of water lay spread out before me, girt about, as it seemed, on every side by an impervious forest. On looking more closely, how- ever, I discovered nearly opposite the spot where I was stand- ing, a narrow beach of sand, and at the further end of this beach, almost hidden among the bushes, was an object which I had little difficulty in making out to be a boat. Surprise at this unexpected discovery left me at first no power to act, but the next moment I drew back hastily among the trees, where I could see all that might occur, without being myself exposed to observation. There was no person in the boat, nor anywhere near it, so far as I could discover; but I had no doubt that the people were somewhere in the neighborhood, and until I knew more about them I determined not to leave the' shelter of the woods. page: 152-153[View Page 152-153] 152 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. While thus waiting in hopes of some new development, I wearied myself with endless conjecture. I thought at first that it might be the boat in which my companions left the ship; but that, I remembered, had been stove in the attempt to land, and was, besides, much longer than the one before me. Perhaps the island was the rendezvous of a crew of pirates, the place where they hoarded up their spoils, and to which they fled at the approach of danger. It was certainly well fitted for such a purpose, as it would be almost impossible for one unacquainted with the secret passage to effect a landing. But if they had come ashore at that point, how happened it that I found them in such a remote part of the island? There must be some other way of approach. But, after all, the most probable supposition was that the boat belonged to some whaler or merchantman, and had been sent ashore for fresh water. If I could only reach the coast I should undoubtedly see her lying at anchor, or standing off and on, waiting for the men to come aboard. Here then was an opportunity, if we wished it, of return- ing home to the United States. We had only to wait till the boat's crew made their appearance, when they would at once take us on board the ship, and carry us wherever she hap- pened to be bound. Should we embrace this opportunity? Should we return to the world we had involuntarily left, or remain all our days in our distant solitude? In which way should we be likely to obtain the greater amount of happiness? On one side were all the advantages of social and civilized life; houses, streets, ships, steamboats, railroads, books, newspapers, concerts, lec- tures, parties, ice-cream, bread and butter, boots and shoes, linen, tablecloths, napkins, umbrellas, carpets, pianos, and a thouiand more; on the other, freedom, independence, nature, SHAT TA WE O HOME, OR STAY? 153 apd a charm I cannot describe. I thought of all these 'things, and hesitated. Then I thought of the dear ones at home, and all hesitation vanished. I must see them again, whatever it might cost me! . But they were poor, and -I should be so too. Could I bear to look upon their poverty without the power to'relieve it? Could I find any pleasure in their society with my soul all the while under that dismal shadow? Could I bear the cold world's frown, or, worse still, its scornful laugh? Could I flatter, and: fawn, and cringe, and "-bend the preg- nant hinges of the knee," to men whom I despised? Could I toil and struggle day after day, and year after year, in the pursuit of riches, till my hair was prematurely gray, and my heart prematurely hard?- could I give up the freshness of youth, the strength of manhood, and the general mellowness of age?-- and all for what? For a bare living, after all? To have others speak well of me? To be called rich, or wise, or great? To have a little larger house than my neighbor, to, wear finer clothes, to eat richer food? Should I, for this, turn my heart into a den of wild beasts? Should I give myself up to the rule of envy, and pride, and avarice, and ambition? No, not while I had a rood of ground to call my own. Certainly not, while I had those glorious woods to walk in, such noble prospects of valley, and sea, and mountain, to gaze on, such wealth of nature at my command. I would stay where I was; I would have nothing more to do with men. They had not used me well, but fortunately I did not need their favor. At the same time there were several articles, that we might possibly obtain from the ship, that would add xhaterially to page: 154-155[View Page 154-155] 154 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. our comfort. True, we had nothing to offer in return, but I had no doubt that, when the captain came to know our situa- tion, he would cheerfully do all in his power to assist us. As shipwrecked mariners we had a claim upon his kindness. He certainly would not refuse to take us on board his ship, and convey us, free of expense, to the place of his destination. And if we chose to waive that privilege, and remain where we were, we had a perfect right to demand an equivalent. Besides, ships in those seas were almost always in want of hands; and the services of an able-bodied seaman, ,like Brevity Bill, ought surely to be regarded as a sufficient re- muneration for any petty favors we might receive. To be sure, he was so lazy that I would not have had him on board my ship on any terms; but the captain knew nothing about that, and it was not my business to talk ill about my neigh- bor. Half a dozen muskets, a barrel of gunpowder, several suits of clothes for me and for Alice, a chest of tools, a supply of biscuit, and rice, and sugar, with a variety of similar useful articles, I thought would be a fair exchange. On the whole, I was very glad that the ship had conme. These thoughts passed through my mind in far less time than it has taken to write them. A few moments were suff- cient to set the case clearly before me in all its reality. But having arrived at the conclusion just mentioned, it occurred to me that it would be as well to consult Alice. Perhaps she would not regard the matter in the same light that I did. She might prefer to return home in the ship, and leave me all alone; for, if she went, I certainly should not accompany her. -If she chose to leave me, she might. I would not say a word to prevent her. My heart might break, but it should not bend. Not even by a look would I attempt A smPRUsE. 155 to influence her decision. I rather hoped she would go. It would be so pleasant to watch the sails of the ship that bore her away, growing less and less in the distance, till they finally sunk beneath the horizon, and then return in the evening to my mockery of home, and find it all cold, empty, forsaken! Could any misery be imagined more complete and satisfactory? But away with all such morbid fancies! If she goes, I will go with her. A few words sufficed to explain to her the nature of my discovery, and to arouse in her mind something of the same excitement I had myself experienced. She returned with me to the place I had just left, that she might see with her own eyes the object that had produced all this commotion. After what I have written, I am almost ashamed to go any further. If I make a free confession of my folly I fear I shall never be able to recover my self-respect. But it is time I was past all such weakness. Scarcely had Alice cast a single glance in the direction I pointed out to her, when she exclaimed: c Why! what can be the matter with you? ' It is only our boat after all." It was even so. The brook in its frequent turnings had come back at last almost to the very spot from which it started. The discovery-I had gone so -far to seek lay all the while at my own door. The pirates, that had so alarmed me, the generous captain, from whose aid I had hoped so much, had no longer any existence, even in my imagination. I concluded to let Brevity Bill remain where he was a little, longer, and to do without the gunpowder and other matters at least for the present. It was something of a disappointment, to be sure; but then I did not see very well how we could help it.' And after all matters might have been a great deal worse. Only half an hour before we were complaining bitterly at page: 156-157[View Page 156-157] 156 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. having to sleep on the wet ground, and regarding the lonE journey we had to commence in the morning with yet more dismal forebodings. But now, all at once, without any agency of our own, we found ourselves at home, with a soft, warm bed to sleep on, and the prospect of resting the next day as long as we pleased Certainly a more agreeable surprise it would be hard to imagine. Requesting Alice to retire a few steps into the bushes, I threw off my clothes, and jumped boldly into the water, intend- ing to swim across the lake, as I should find that much easier than making my way along the shore. I had reached the middle of the lake, when, turning my head to look back at Alice, I saw a monstrous crocodile making directly towards me. Alice discovered my danger at the same time, and sought to warn me of it by piercing cries. I was already fully aware of my perilous situation, but fortunately this consciousness did not deprive me of the full use of all my faculties. I was an excellent swimmer, but I knew that it was impos- sible to escape by flight; instead, therefore, of attempting it, I turned on my back, and, as the creature approached and opened his mouth to seize me, I struck both my feet against his upper jaw, with a violence that inflicted a severe wound on my left foot and sent a thrill throughl my whole body. The blow could not have given the crocodile the slightest pain, but it evidently took him entirely by surprise; and, before he could make up his mind what to think of it, I was beyond his reach. There was no possibility, however, of nlistaking his intentions, and I determined, if I ever had an opplorttunity, to repay him for his impertinence in a way that he should not soon forge t. At present other matters demanded my attention. A few EVENING CONVERSATION. 157 strokes of the oar sent the boat quite across the lake. Alice waited till I had dressed, though trembling with impatience to see if I had really escaped unharmed, and then rushed into my arms. I felt at that moment really ashamed of my trifling hurt, and should have been ready to'wish that the alligator had bitten my leg off, if I had supposed that her ardor would have been in the same proportion. We were both perfectly delighted at finding ourselves once more at home. Indeed, we had no idea before how much like home it really seemed. Alice declared that she felt as if she had been. gone a month, and would hardly believe me when I told her that it was not quite two days, and that she had only a single pebble to put into her shell. She had expected, so she said, to put in three at least, and really seemed so disap- pointed about it that at last, to comfort her, I told her that she might put in one more, as I rather thought we had lost a day in our reckoning at our first landing on the island. She seemed so delighted with this permission that I was sorry I had not said a hundred. If I had, I have no doubt that she would have believed it every word; for her simplicity was marvellous, and her "trust in me as firm as Ailsa rock." Though we had been gone so short a time, however, so many things had happened that we should have had enough to talk about, even if we had sat up until morning. But, of all our adventures, our encounter with the pongo had naturally produced the most powerful impression upon our imaginations. Indeed, Alice was so much affected by it, and the other dangers through which we had passed, that she declared she could not bear the thought of remaining even another day upon the island. She urged me to embark once more in our little boat, and set sail in search of some more " page: 158-159[View Page 158-159] 158 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. civilized country, where we should be no longer exposed to such perpetual alarms. I told her that this would be only exchanging one evil for a greater; that our boat was not large enough to live through even a moderate gale; that I knew not which way to steer, and that consequently we might drift about for weeks till a death by hunger or thirst came to end our misery. But could I not build a larger? Possibly I might, with tools; but without them it would be impossible. And did I not think some ship would come and take us off? No, I did not know of any ship that would be likely to visit our island. As far as I could judge, it was entirely out of the way of trade; and, even if a vessel should happen to be driven so far out of her course, there was little probability we should ever know anything about it. Then," she replied, ("I don't see but we must live here always." "I And are you sorry?"I returned. ( Don't you like to live here?" (O O yes, I should like. it of all things, if we had a few friends, and some books, and a house to live in; and if we had any way to get some clothes, and a few other things; and if it was not for those dreadful creatures that frighten us so, all the time; that is the worst part of it." "I know," said I, " they are very troublesome, and I thought yesterday that nothing could ever 'persuade me to stay here a moment longer than we could possibly help; and even now, if we had a boat of any size, I should be in favor of starting off to-morrow, for your sake; but, as it is, I see not the slightest chance of our ever leaving the island; and UESTIONS BOT DEANTH. 159 the sooner we ake up our minds to it, the better. Buwe must be more careful in future, and when we go to sleep, choose some other place for it than such a public promenade as we chose yesterday. Even if you were at home, you know, you would never think of going to sleep in the street, or even on Boston Common." "I know; but suppose anything should happen,- to you, for instance; what would become of me?" "You would still have -Hamlet and Brevity Bill to take care of you." A slight movement of impatience with her little foot was her only reply. "But you need not be afraid," I added; "nothing will ever happen to me. I will take care of myself for your sake." "But - when you - if you should-- you know you must die - some time or other ;" and she shuddered. We both shuddered. -' It was the first time I had thought of such a thing. Ant had Death then really a place on that happy island? Was his ambition so grasping? Could he not leave us that little spot? Had he not enough to satisfy his cravings on the great continents of the world? Could he have tracked us to that distant solitude? Was there then no way of throwing him off the scent? Had we left all other care behind us, and brought with us the greatest care of all? But how could he have found us out? Our island was not laid down on any of the maps. 'Was he so much wiser than all the geographers? H1ad he walked before us under those arching trees? H-ad the echo of his rattling skeleton ever sounded through those lofty aisles? page: 160-161[View Page 160-161] 160 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. I could not, I would not, believe it. That was no place for graves,-the long grass waving over the mouldering stone,--The shroud and pall, the breathless darkness, and the narrow house." Yet it was too true. Two deaths, occurring even in the short time that we had been there, proclaimed too loudly the dreadful fact. Brutes only, but would he long be satisfied without human prey? What other victory .so triumphant? What morsel on all the island so tempting as my dainty Alice? But she should not die. I would not let her. Or, if she must, I would die with her. Death should never reach her but through me. While busy with these sad reflections, I had drawn Alice closer to my side. 'For several minutes neither of us could speak a word. At last she murmured.: , Which of us do you think will die first?" "I cannot tell," I answered; " which should you rather it would be?" "O, I hardly know! It would be hard for either of us to be left alone in this dreadful place; but I think it would be hardest for me." "Why so?"I asked. "Because you are a man, and are used to taking care of yourself, and I am only a little girl; and - and I don't think you love me as well as I love you." " Dear child! I love you better than you can ever know; for your sake I could even wish that you might be the first to die, if we could not rather both die in one day." Here I could say no more. I fancied the last moment of my dissolution- Alice bending over my lifeless form --the DEATH AND MARRIAGE. 161 silence of her despair, echoed only by the silence of that vast solitude. Must she dig my grave, and dnck my body for the tomb? One solitary mourner, cut off from all human sympathy; only the wondering trees, awe-struck, motionless, holding their very breath, as she passed. And, then, to die alone, after years of stupefying sorrow - to recognize Death afar off-- to see his slow approach, with no place to flee to, no eye to pity, and no hand to save;'no mother or sister to soothe her aching head, or hold the cooling drink to her fevered lips! And, after death, to lie there unburied- a prey to ob- scene birds -and she so beautiful! "Dear Alice!" I murmured, "there is one way, and only one, to avert this dreadful fate." "What is it?" she replied. "Why don't you tell me?" "We must be married, dear Alice; and then there will be others to comfort and cherish us in our old age. We will plant a colony in this spot. We will be the founders of a new empire; of a better, happier world. Then, when we die, we can die in peace, and leave the island to our children." I blushed at the boldness of my words. Alice, involuntarily, drew further off. "You forget," she replied, " that there is no one to marry us." "True," I cried, 1" nor was there any one to marry Adam and Eve. God was the only witness to their espousals. I am sure he will smile upon ours. His presence is enough to solemnize the contract; if that is wanting, What avails a mere form of words, pronounced by a sinful man? It is God that joins us together; the rest is only a part of the framework of "* page: 162-163[View Page 162-163] 162 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. society, essential, perhaps, to the stability of the social fabric, but with which we have nothing to do. We are no longer governed by human laws; what would be virtue there, here becomes a crime. Even at home, in some of the states, it is enough for a man and woman to declare their intention of living together as a man and wife, to constitute a legal mar- riage." "It may all be as you say," replied Alice, in so low a tone that I could hardly catch the words; "( but I beg you will say no more on the subject. You do not know how it distresses me. I dare say I am very foolish, but I cannot, so soon, forget my early education. Let us trust the event to God. He will find means to save us from what we so much dread, or give us strength to bear it. He has never failed me yet, and I will not doubt him now." As she spoke, she turned and went into the house. I could not immediately follow, owing to the perturbation of my spirits. For several hours I continued pacing, with disor- dered steps, back and forth before the door, revolving in my mind all the circumstances of our situation, and calling upon God in broken ejaculations to aid and strengthen me. Yet, the more I thought of the subject, the more firmly I was convinced that I was right. It seemed strange that Alice should not view it in the same light. "But no matter," I said to myself; " she is worth waiting for. Jacob served for Rebecca seven years; and I am sure that she could not have been in any respect comparable to my Alice. I will show her that I am 'indeed worthy of her love. Child of impulse and passion as I am, I feel myself capable of this heroic self-denial. If I could stain her purity even by a thought, my whole life could not make atonement. And, as she says, she is really too young to marry. A year or two 1 F t KeSULT OF MY COGITATIONS. 1 cannot make much difference. She is as much mine now as she can ever be. She has given me already far more thanI had any right to ask. Yes! yes! I will leave the event to God--for a while, at least; but I must not think of it any longer now. Good-night, dear Alice! though you cannot hear me, yet once again gooa-night! page: 164-165[View Page 164-165] CHAPTER XII. Visit to B]revity Bill. - Hamlets Devotion and Sagacity.-The Forcst. -Brevity /ill's Delight on seeing Us.-I begin to pity Him.-. Mal- ice of Fortune. --His Letter. - Alice intercedes for Him. - Our Argu- ment .- We return Home.- Sunday Employments. - Our Conversa- tion. --More Thoughts on Death.-Alice' Character and Mine.- What is Love? iamlet's Melancholy. My Jealousy on hearing his Praises sung by Alice. THE next day I would- gladly have remained at home, for I was very tired; but, instead of doing so, I yielded to Alice's sense of duty, and went with her once more to visit Brevity Bill. In all these excursions, except when the path was wide enough for us to walk abreast, I usually went first, to clear the way and guard against dander; Alice came next, and Ham- 'let, with his senses all on the alert, brought up the rear. I had, by this time, the most unbounded faith in his guardian- ship, for he had given so many proofs of his devotion, that I had no doubt of his perfect readiness to die in defence of his young mistress; andS from all I had seen thus far, there seenled little reason to suppose that there was anyenemy on the island for whom he would not, single-handed, prove more than a match. But, on the present occasion, I chose to reverse this order, and let Hamlet take the lead; for Iwas always the worst ANOTHER VISIT TO. BREVITY- BILL. 165 hand in the world at finding my way, and, from his former habits, I felt confident that he would conduct us by a much shorter route., The event fully justified my expectations. The path (or strip of woods, rather, for path there was none), that lay between the plateau and the shore, was one that never failed to exert the most powerful influence on my imagination. Though really so narrow, it possessed 'all the attributes of -infinity. I always felt, as soon as I had fairly entered it, as if I were in the heart of a boundless fdorest, stretching miles and miles away on every side. The trees seemed truly conti- nental in their size and majesty. I wondered how, in that little island, they could find earth, deepl enough, or sufficient weight beneath, to uphold their massiveltrunks with all their towering wealth of branches. When we came out upon the shore it was a positive relief to see the ponderous masses of solid rock, whose deep and fast foundations at once assured the mind against all danger of such strange overthrow. The giant trees seemed now no more than the light plumes nodding from an iron helmet. Through this wild and trackless forest Hamlet led the way without a sign of hesitation; and as if he had been familiar with it from his earliest days. We followed with equal- confi- dence; and, -as it seemed to me, in abmut half the usual time- came out upon the lofty cliff, between which and the sea poor Brevity Bill was slowly pacing his narrow rounds. It was nearly three days since he had seen me, and I found him anxiously expecting my arrival. INot because he wanted food, for he still had figs enough remaihing to last him several days; but he longed to look once morle upon a human face, and hear the familiar sound of a, human voice; and he had besides a yet stronger reason, which I!was far, however, from l page: 166-167[View Page 166-167] 166 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. suspecting at the time, and, indeed, could hardly believe when he told me. Having, as before, descended the cliff, -not without one or two narrow escapes, which I took good care to charge to his account, - I sat myself down in the most comfortable place I could find, and prepared to give him an account of our recent adventures; partly because I thought he would be interested in them, and partly as an excuse for not having been to see him before. He swallowed every word, as if it had been dipped in honey; and when I saw how happy it made him, my heart reproached me for my past unkindness, and I almost deter- mined that very day to set about his release. :But fortune was against him. At the very moment when I was deliberating how to accomplish my benevolent purpose, and just as I had got sight of a good idea, his unlucky fates, as if bent on keeping him always in that miserable condition, prompted him to interrupt my meditations, and in such a way that no effort on my part could ever after bring them back to their original channel. I had finished my story, and was thinking; as I have said, in what way I could best assist him, when he suddenly looked up, andasked, in a very humble, almost beseeching, tone, if I would be so good as to carry a note he had been writing to Miiss Cremorne. At this request, I felt that all the kindness in my heart had turned at, once to gall! What business had- he to be writing letters to my Alice? If he liked writing letters so well, he might stay where he was. He was an ill-bred, im- pertinent fellow, and I would have nothing more to do with him. However, I could not very trell refuse to carry his letter; so I told him that I would willingly take charge of it, if he BREVITY BILL'S LETTER. 16 could find any way of getting it up to me; though I did not see how that was possible, and, indeed, I had made the prom- ise far more cheerfully for that very r ason. But the fellow, it seemed, had more ingenuity than I lad given him credit for, for he had no sooner heard my answer, than he made haste to roll his letter round a stone, and, afteri several ineffectual casts, he lodged it fairly on the narrow ledg6 where I was sitting. I picked it up, and having thrown him a cocoanut I had brought with me, and which he came -very near losing by its bounding into the sea, - for I was in tno very good humor at the time, - I made the best of my way bMck to the summit of the cliff; where, after tenderly embracing Alice, who was always as glad to see me on such occasions as if I had been on a voyage to the North Pole, we both sat down to peruse this curious epistle. It was written on a smooth bit of bark, with the point of ai knife, or something of the sort, in a very cramped and illegi- ble hand, so that we had as much as we could do to make it out; and I must say that, in my opinion, its contents hardly repaid us for our trouble. After complaining bitterly of the loneliness of his condition, and the dismal fancies it gave rise to, he went on to implore Alice, with all the eloquence he was master of, not to suffer libin to languish there any longer, bu; to give me no rest until I had effected his escape. To tell the truth, the letter, with all its faults of spelling and grammar, showed at least ad s much as this - that he understood thoroughly the heart of woman, and knew well how to avail himself of all her weaknesses as well as virtues. "I really think," said Alice, after she had read the letter twice over, and thought a while upcln its contents, "I really think you ought to do something to lelp him out. It seems \f page: 168-169[View Page 168-169] 168 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. so cruel to keep him there in that way. How should you like it?" "Ah! I see," I cried; " he has at last made his application in the right quarter. I thought all that delicate flattery would not be wholly wasted. But, seriously, my dear Alice, you seem to me to be laboring under a strange misapprehen- sion. It was not through my agency that he came into his present position, nor is it any fault of mine that he has not got out long ago. As to how I should myself like it, I can- not see that that has any pertinency to the question. I am very sure of one thing, however; and that is, if I were in his place, and he in mine, I would rather stay there all my life long than owe my escape to his assistance. And, in fact, I am doubtful whether I should wish to escape, in any case, to be forced to live with those I did not love, and be forever tormented by sight of a happiness I could not share. But, even supposing that this were not the case, is that any rea- son for concluding that he would feel the same? Different men are constituted very differently; one man's meat is another man's poison; what one likes is another's aversion; one prefers solitude; another is never so happy as in a crowd; in fact " "But he ought ta know whether he likes it or not," inter- rupted Alice; ," and he says -- " "Granted, he ought to know; but how few there are that really do know their own minds, or what, after all, constitutes their true happiness! Who is there that is not continually wishing to change his condition, and envyin(r that of his neighbor? Discontent is the rule; why should he be an exception? I know the fellow; he is a grumbler of old; there is no such thing as satisfying him. I remember his grumbling once on board the ship, because the captain's pig "e'YV var hlVCUIU Illlti ARGUMENTS IN THE CASE OF BREVITY BILL. 169 ate up his dinner; and he is as bad now as he was then. If we yield to his entreaties, and succeed] in drawing him up, it will be only an act of mistaken kindness; he will not be a whit better satisfied, but will wear our lives out with his con- tinual complaints. He will be all the time thinking of some way to leave the island; and it would be a wonder, indeed, if he did not infect us with the same spirit. In short, he would very soon turn our little paradise into a hell; and I sometimes think he was sent here for that very purpose, to tempt you as Satan tempted Eve. ("Besides, actions speak louder that words; and you heard yourself how merrily he was singing the first day we came. The fact is, he is such a merry, cheerful fellow, that he would be contented anywhere." "Why, how can that be," said Alice, " if he is such a grumbler?" "How? Why-- why, that is just it. He loves to grum- ble. He is never so happy as when he has something to find fault with. But I see you don't ]now him as well as I do." "No, I see not," replied Alice, smiling in such a way that I had half a mind to be angry; "but tell me, dear Robert, won't you get him out if you can? If not for his sake, at least for mine?" "O, yes, certainly!"I cried, if you wish it; that is, if you will only devise some way of doing it; for, for my part, I must confess I see no possible means of helping him. But, as you seem so much interested in the subject, perhaps you may be more fortunate." I had no sooner said this than I Was sorry for it; but my gentle-hearted Alice did not reproach me even by a look. She knew, perhaps, that my own cnscience would be her 1 f) page: 170-171[View Page 170-171] 170 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. avenger. She turned away that I might not see her tears, and having wiped them with her dress, she replied, as calmly as ever, "There is the rope in the boat; you might use that." ( It is not long enough by half." "The skin of the panther; couldn't you cut that into strips?" "That is not long enough, either." "But there are plenty of vines that would reach a great deal further." "I should be afraid to trust them, they are so brittle." "You might sail round there in the boat." "But how could I get near enough, through those tremen- dous rollers?" "Well, I may, at least, answer his note." "Certainly, by all means; write him as many notes as you please; only don't go to exciting any foolish hopes that may never be realized. Indeed, I think you had better say noth- ing at present about this matter, until we are more sure of finding some way to effect our purpose." Alice accordingly sat down and wrote him a short note, in which she promised to come and see him as often as she could; told him not to be discouraged, and invited him to write to, her whenever he felt like it. With this, and plenty of bark to use as note-paper, we left him once more to his own resources. It was about the middle of the forenoon when we arrived at home. Being Sunday, according to our reckoning, -we observed it strictly as a day of rest. Alice sang to me some of the old familiar tunes we had both been used to hear in childhood, and, in return, I told her long storles about my early life, of which she never seemed to grow weary. And we talked of a hundred things besides,- of our friends MORE THOUGHTS ON DEATH. . 171 at home, of what they were probably doing, and of the sur- prise they would feel if they could only see where we were. We talked of our first meeting -of the extraordinary acci- dents by which it had Leen brought about, and of the impossi- bility of our ever foreseeing all that had since occurred. It was so wonderful that we should both- appen to go in the same ship - that we should ever: have become acquainted - that we should not have been acquainted before --that we should not have known each other always- that we should have been saved, and no one else. "t I sometimes think," cried Alice, 1" that, after all, it is only a dream, - that I have never left my dear old home, - that I have never known any such person as you." "So do I," I replied; " and I have to try hard to persuade myself that I am not still in Boston, or, at any rate, that Boston is not just behind those mountains; and yet, here we are, ten thousand miles away, in the very midst of the Pacific, among palm-trees, and limes, and orarges, in those sunny trop- ics we used to read about so longingly. How strange it seens!" And very strange it was, too, to see how almost every sub- ject that we touched upon drew our thoughts back, by some mysterious sympathy, to the same question that had occupied us on the preceding evening. Death headed us off at every turn. His ugly face, with hideous leer, grinned at us from every side. He glared upon us like a wild beast from among the rus- tling leaves. The bright-cheeked flowers grew pale before his breath. We were like sheep penned in a fo d; he was all the more certain of his prey, because there was no room for us to run. page: 172-173[View Page 172-173] 172 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. We were like two kids in a lion's cage, and he was in no hurry to seize us, for he knew we were his at any moment. Yet it was not death that I feared. It was being left alone; or, worse yet, the thought bf leaving Alice. But, after what had passed between us, I would say no more at present to change her resolution. I would, as she had said, leave the event to God. New modes of life would bring new thoughts. She would, in time, forget the world we had left. She would cease to ?, think of ever returning to it. She would feel, as I did al- ready, that that island was to be our home. Her character was not at all like mine. She was, in almost everything, my superior. And, when I thought of this, I wondered how I came to love her; for I had always expected to fall in love with a woman of very different stamp. What I wanted, or thought I wanted, was a pet, a plaything; for, with tears and shame I confess it, my nature was not noble; or, rather, my indolence dragged it down. In the presence of my superiors, either in sense or in goodness, I always felt conscious of a painful effort. And I was still more surprised at her love for me. She should have had a hero for her lover, - a man of lofty prin- ciple, of commanding intellect, of great human sympathies;- such as I was not. I admired, I worshipped those qualities, but made no approach to them. I was quick, versatile, subtle, and ingenious, but not profound. My education by a pious mother had induced a sort of moral and intellectual elevation which found no counterpart in my real character. As the effects of that education wore away, I found myself selfish, sensual, and grovelling. Yet, under the ashes lurked a spark of heavenly fire. I loved the good and beautiful with all my heart and soul - "OVE.-MELANC OLY. 173 passionately, hopelessly loved it; longed for it, and then went away, and, because I had it not, despaired of ever having it, ignobly surrendered myself to the dominion of lust and folly. But my sensibilities were exquisite, nd threw a veil over my faults. And Alice loved me. I could not have been so bad as I seemed. That she did so was indeed a mystery; but love goes not by rules or calculations. Love is love, and that is all that can be said about it. ,' What do you suppose your mother is doing now?" said Alice, after we had been sitting several minutes without speaking. ",Let me see," I replied; "it is a out eleven in the morn- ing here, - it must be nearly the sane time of night in Bos- ton. She is probably about going to ped. I should not won- der if she was praying for me." "( For me, too?" said Alice. 4"Dear child!"- I called her chil , partly because she was so young, and partly to lessen that iense of inferiority just referred to -"Dear child! I hope so, though she never saw you; but if she prays for me she must pray for you, for our happiness is one. But how I wish yqu knew her!" "Don't you think I shall, some time?" "Never; no, never in this world; ;you may in heaven." "You think,-then, we shall live alw ys here?" "Yes, always." Ah, yes," said Alice, musingly, "tif it were always; but there is no always in time; " and she looked at me, her eyes swimming in tears. "How strangelyt I feel, to-day! I feel so happy, yet so sad! Do you love tq be melancholy?" "O, yes; there is no happiness like that; but it is ener- 15* page: 174-175[View Page 174-175] 174 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. vating; it unfits one for life. It is like plaintive music. Give me martial airs." "Enervating?" repeated Alice. "It may be to the weak, but is is strength to the strong. I am not afraid to be mel- ancholy." ( Nor Hamlet, either. I believe he is the most melancholy creature living. I wonder if he was ever crossed in love? I wish I knew his early history, Where did your grandfather get him?" "He bought him, in New York, of a man who brought him from St. Louis. This man bought him of another, and could tell us nothing of his parentage. To judge from his air, how- ever, he must have been of very distinguished birth. But there are none of Rosalind's signs about him, so I don't think he can be in love. Ah! what a lover he would be!" This speech made me secretly uneasy. If Hamlet had been -a man, he would have been just the lover for Alice. But was it possible that she had discovered it? for I had kept my opinion of him entirely to myself. I bit my lips and made no answer. Alice went on, half-laughing, half in earnest "High- souled, generous, romantic, and sensible, withal; full of pas- sion and poetry, yet with such astonishing self-control; one would first fear, then esteem, then love him. And that air of melancholy, how it becomes him! I declare, I think he would be quite fascinating!" At that moment I fairly hated the bear. A\ CHAPTER XIII. Days of the Week. - What had we to do with thea? -Preparations for a Voyage up the River.--I determine to wage War against the Alliga- tor. -His insulting Behavior. -The Battle. - ts mortifying Result. Hamlet's Indignation. -I am compelled to post ne my Vengeance to another Time. THE next day was Monday. I sometires think that if I were to live that life over again, I would hve nothing to do with the days of the week, nor any more than I could help with the seasons and years. It is well enough, for men who live in cities, to measure, thus painfully, the flight of time; to know how much of life is gone, and how uch still remains to them. For them, each day has its work do, its notes to pay, its engagements to perform; and he- ho fails to keep a strict account is sure to become bankrupt at the last. But, in the measureless wealth of days at my command, what need had I to practise that wretched parsimony? Life to me was a Fortunatus' purse, so that, spent as freely as I pleased, I had still enough and to spare. Then I wanted a day for any purpose, all I had to do was t,. put in my hand and take it out, without stopping to ask whether I could afford it, or looking to see how many remained be ind. What mattered, it then, to me, whether it were Sunday, or Monday, or Tuesday, or any other day? I never could be page: 176-177[View Page 176-177] 176 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. behind-hand with my time. The blossoming flowers, the ripening fiuits, were sure to give me sufficient warning. I asked no nicer timepiece, no more exact division, than nature fuirnished. And even that I would not consult too carefully. Why should I care to know whether I were thirty years old or forty; since, thirty or forty, the current of my life was still the same? Suns might rise and set, the seasons might roll, alld one year succeed to another, without my thought or knowl- edge, and yet none could accuse me of neglect. I never said to myself, at such or such a time, I must have accumlu. lated so much money, or have mastered a certain science, or hlave attained a certain position; I only said, c"I will love and fear God to-day, and to-morrow, and all the days of my life, and be kind to Alice, and be happy with her; and more than that I need not know nor care." Ah! if I had only kept to this! , Yet it was pleasant, too, when thinking of our friends at home, to say, "To-day is Sunday; the bells are ringinr, the people are going to church; " or, "This is Monday morning; the shops are open, the streets full of life and mirth; " anid then, to listen for a moment, as if the hollow murmur of the chimes, or the hum of the great city, were really in our ears. The next day was Sunday. I was, by this time, tired of wandering, and would have been glad, besides, of an opportu- nity of making some improvements about my house and grounds; but we had eaten the last of our cocoanuts the day before, and the first thing to be done, therefore, was to go in search of a fresh supply. Instead, howhver, of making the journey by land, and thus travelling over again the same ground which we had already found so toilsome, I determined, this time, to go by water. PREPARATIONS FOR AN EXCURSION. 1" In this way we should not only travel with far greater ease and safety, but should be able, also, to bring home a whole cargo of cocoanuts and oranges, enough to last us for several weeks. This idea was very delightful to me,- for I was always fond of being on the water, and of a little indolence, withal,-- and hardly less so to Alice; and we accordingly set about mak- ing our preparations with great alacrity. ' I rst spent some- time in fitting up a shade or awning in the certre of the- boat, to guard against the fierce rays of the sun, and the still more unwholesome dews. As we had no longer ar-y other use for our sail, I did not hesitate to appropriate it to this purpose. Four slender bows, arching overhead, with their ends thrust forcibly between the sides of the boat, furnished the frame; while one or two huge leaves, I do not know what, to call them, but they were at least six feet long, laid on top of the awning, made it look somewhat like a floating arbor. I then laid in a good store of figs, with a few shell-fish resembling the oyster, only much smaller, and which I found growing in great abundance on the rocks ro mnd the edge of the lake, especially in that part nearest the sea. Besides these, I threw into the boat a handful or two of roots, which Hamlet had first discovered, and which we now began to find quite palatable. With all these, I suppose I must have had provisions enough to last a week, though I did not expect to be gone more than a day; but, as we never knew what would happen, I always took care to be provided for any emergency. We were now all ready for the voyage; kut, as these va- rious preparations had taken up the whole of one day and part of another, for I did not work very hard, I thought it best to wait till the next morning. In the mean time, in order not to be idle, I determined to page: 178-179[View Page 178-179] 178 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. commence operations against the audacious crocodile, who had been so foolhardy as to attack me in my own dominions, and, as it were, at the very door of my palace. To this I was incited by several motives. I had a grudge against him, in the first place, for having dared to provoke hostilities. In the second place, I was very fond of swimming, and desirous of teaching Alice; but as long as we had him to fear, it -was, of course, impossible to indulge in this luxury. And, even if I had not cared for this, I would not have had him in my lake. His presence there was a perpetual insult. I could not walk along the shore without being tormented by the sight of his ugly face. He remained lying most of the time in one particular spot, not far from the beach, as if defying me to enter; and the air of mockery and derision he con- stantly assumed, whenever we chanced to meet, was alto. gether too much for my philosophy. He had evidently formed a very inadequate notion of my character, and I was deter- mined to show him how greatly he was mistaken. For this purpose, I provided myself with a straight stick some eighteen inches long, about four inches thick in the mid- dle, and very sharp at both ends. I next cut from the skill of the panther, a strip three inches wide, and about twenty feet in length, made one end fast to the middle of the stick and the other to the hind leg of the bear, and then, my prepara- tions being complete, I boldly entered the water and advanced towards my formidable antagonist, who had been all this time watching my movements, but without evincing the slightest curiosity. No declaration of war was needed, but, as if he had at once divined my purpose, without stopping to send a herald, or even to sound a trumpet, he rushed to the encounter. It was very evident that he intended to seize me round the BATTLE WITH THE ALLIGATOR. 179 middle, but I had my own reasons for declining that arrange- ment, and, accordingly, offered him my arm instead, with the simple addition of the stick just described, held firmly and perpendicularly in my clenched hand. However, -he was in too much of a hurry to perceive the difference; his rusty jaws closed on the dailty morsel like a Brobdignagian jackknife, and I heard the harp points go crunching through the bone. Hurrying back to the shore, I seized the rope and called to the bear to pull. He needed no urging, but was already doing his very best. But he was laboring undbr a fearful disadvantage. The loose sand afforded him no sure foothold, ard, as I had fool- ishy tied the lasso round his hind leg, he had only three left to walk on. And, even if it had been otherwise, I doubt whether it would have made the slightest difference. For the crocodile was walking him off with an ease that seemed perfectly ridiculous. He had already pulled him into the lake, and the next moment would have carried him off beyond redemption, if I had not cut the lass( just in time to prevent the fatal catastrophe. Even then the result was sufficiently mortifying. Our discomfiture could hardly have been more complete and ignominious; and, for several minutes, Hamlet and I stood looking at each other with an expression so ;ompletely crest- fallen, that, if the crocodile had been there to see, he would certainly have supposed himself the victor. "Well," cried I, at last, forcing a laugh to hide my confu- sion, "he has escaped us this time, but we have given him something to spoil his appetite, at all events.' Hamlet did not laugh. - He evidently considered it no laughing matter. I never thought he had much fondness for page: 180-181[View Page 180-181] 180 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. the water, and his present behavior only confirmed that opin- ion. Not that he manifested the slightest fear, but the coun- tenance of 'stern displeasure with which he regarded me, showed that he was not at all gratified by his involuntary immersion. And the worst of it was, that I had to bear all the blame. Though it was quite as much his fault as mine, and I thought a little more, he would not allow any such thing. He said nothing, to be sure; but I could see, by his looks, that he thought I had been guilty of a very foolish action, and that, if it had not been for me, he should never have been betrayed into such an absurdity. He regarded me steadily for several moments, then, coolly shaking the water from his shaggy coat into my eyes, he walked deliberately up the hill, without deigning to honor me with any further notice. He was very cool towards me for some days after this affair, and it was a long time before- I fully recovered his good opinion. However, I had given the crocodile something to think of, and, as from his secluded mode of life, he must doubtless be often at a loss for subjects of meditation, this advantage was considerable. I am inclined, though, to believe he must be a very slow thinker, for it was several months before he again made his appearance ; and, even then, as far as I could see, he looked quite as heavy and stupid as ever; so that, finding my first lesson so ineffectual, I determined, at some future time, to give him another. An account of this will be found in its proper place. CHAPTER XIV. We commence our Voyage. --Going on Board.--River Scenery.--Its Beauty and Variety. - Volcanic Rocks. --The Rapids.- The Great Bend. - Thy Orange Grove. -Making a Garland.- The Almighty Dollar. -- at it could buy.--Night in the Tropics.- Gathering Oranges. - Climbing the Palm. - Twilight Hours. TIIE next morning, as soon as it was light, we went aboard the boat and commenced our voyage. Alice took her seat under the awning, with Hamlet lying at her feet, where she looked so serenely happy, and so gloriously beautiful, in spite of her soiled and ragged dress, that I could hardly. keep my eyes off her, even for a moment. "Is it possible," I said, again and again, to myself, " that this lovely creature can be yours? She and all this fairy island?" And I looked again, till I felt so happy that the tears came into my eyes, and I gazed, smiling -through those crystal drops, down into the emerald water. I would not then have changed my empire for Alexander's or Napoleon's, nor that homely little boat for Cleopatra's gilded barge. We crossed the lake and entered the mouth of the river, -forcing our way through the overhanging branches which cov- ered the narrow outlet with so impenetrable a screen that, but 16 page: 182-183[View Page 182-183] 182 THE NfEW AGE OF GOLD. for our previous knowledge, we should never have suspected, even when close' to it, that such an outlet existed. Having passed this opening, and advanced a short distance up the stream, here about ten feet in width, our eyes were charmed with a prospect so different from anything we had seen before, that we could not restrain an exclamation of wonder and delight at its rare and striking beauty. The trees, arching overhead, shut out the day. The still black water reflected only here and there a little patch of sky. We seemed gliding through a submerged forest, for there were here, as far as we could see, no banks on either side, but the twisted stems of the mangroves stood far out into the stream. Aquatic birds of every form sailed slowly over the glassy sur- fiace. We could easily tell the males from the females by the frequency with which they stopped, with pardonable vanity, to observe their own gaudy plumage reflected in this unsullied mirror. Sitting in the bows of the boat, I urged it along by taking hold of the branches. The leaves brushed lightly against the sides of the awning, or sprinkled their dews upon our faces. Little inlets, opening to the right and left, were continually inviting us to enter. I longed to explore them all, for I felt sure that I should find at the end of every one a fairy bower, and perhaps a troop of elves dancing under the trees. The river turned quite as often as its mighty namesake, and at every turn seemed to open a more pleasing vista. "' Well, well!"I cried at last, unable longer to contain my enthusiasm, " if there is a way to heaven by water, I am sure that this must be it."' When we had proceeded in this manner several miles, and began to think that we should like something a little different, the river, as if to humor our wishes, suddenly left the woods VOLCANIC ROCKS. RAPIDS. 183 and turned towards the more open country. Its character at the same time underwent a decided change. Its current be: came more violent, and was occasionally broken by shallows and rapids, some of which presented such formidable obstacles that I had just as much as I could do to force the boat over. them. At one place, where the stream was compressed in a deep and rocky canion to half its usual width, it whirled along with so much rapidity that it required all my strength and the bear's united to force the passage. The rocks here presented a very singular appearance. Their surface was half vitri- fied, as if by fire; and the huge masses, piled one above another, seemed threatening to fall every moment into the stream below. - Here we were all obliged to leave the boat, and, scrambling along the rocks the best way we could, drew the boat after us by main force till we came again into smoother water. Notwithstanding these delays, our progress was much more rapid and far less laborious than it had been by land. We passed the gum-tree early in the morning, and came to the grove of palms a little after noon. Here we stopped a short time to rest and obtain a few of the nuts; and then, returning to the boat, we came, after pro- ceeding perhaps half a mile further, to our fairy bower. Between these two points the river made a great bend to the left, and, instead of keeping on towards the south, turned and ran towards the east. This circumstance had before escaped my notice, and it was chiefly owing to our own ignorance in regard to it, that we had been betrayed into so many amusing blunders. We here moored our boat to the root of a tree, and, going on shore, we hastened to the orange grove, full of eagerness to feast once more on the cooling fruit. Then returning to our page: 184-185[View Page 184-185] 184 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. arbor beneath the bamboos, we stretched our languid limbs upon the crisp grass, all over enamelled with flowers, and, lazily sucking the delicious honeyed juice, looked with half- shut. dreaming eyes alternately in the flashing stream at our feet, the slow-sailing clouds in heaven, and all the varied forms of leaf and flower that seemed vying with each other to attract our notice. When we had satisfied our thirst, we amused ourselves, as before, sailing our little boats down the stream. Only we waited till we had collected a large fleet, and then sent them all off together,- to compare great things with small, - like those richly-freighted convoys that used to sail so often, in the palmy days of her prosperity, to the proud shores of Spain. Then Alice filled her lap with flowers, and sat down to wreathe a garland for her hair. Why should she do so, when there was no one but me to see her? I cared not why, so it only gave her pleasure. I hastened to gather other flowers, that she might have more to choose from; and I collected so many that she was almost covered with their abundance. But still she was the prettiest flower of themeall. "There!" she cried, when the task was completed, and the garland arranged to her satisfaction, "( is not -that charming? Ah! I see by your eyes that you never saw anything so pretty in your life." "I was not looking at the flowers," I replied. "Not looking at the flowers? But you must look at them; I arranged them on purpose for that." "But would n't you rather I should look at you?" "For some things I should n't. I made this garland, but I did n't make myself; and yet I like to have you look at me, too, as you are looking now. But what a pity that I WHAT A DOLLAR COULD B}Y. 185 have no looking-glass! Ah! you are laughing, but I know what you are thinking of. It is what you said a while ago in the boat. But I declare, it's a shame that I have not a better dress. What shall I do when this is quite worn out You will have to buy me another. You need n't say you have n't any money, for I know you have plenty; I saw you playing with it a while ago." "Yes, so I have; a whole silver dollar. How funny it seems! How it reminds one of shops, - of silks and satin." \, And calicoes and ginghams, and tape and ribbon." , And books and newspapers." /' And gloves and handkerchiefs." "And flour, and meat, and potatoes. It carries me right back to Boston. What a mighty dollar! I would not lose it for the world! But, if we could spend it, what would you rather buy?" "Ah! there are so many things, I hardly know. Let me see, a dollar would buy a pair of shoes, or ten- yards of calico, or a straw bonnet, or a new shirt for you, or a little hatchet, or a gun and powder, or some nice baskets;--I know where I could find just what we want; - or a frying-pan and tea- -kettle, or knives and forks, or some plates, and cups and sau- cers. Dear me! there are so many things, I should never be able to make up my mind in the world. But what would you choose?" "I would have your daguerreotype if I could get it; if not, I should choose a Bible; and, if I couldn't have that, I would take an iron kettle, or else a shovel, or a new axe or knife, I am sure I don't know which. Who would have thought there were so many things that could be bought for a dollar? And we haven't named the hundredth part of them." 16* page: 186-187[View Page 186-187] 186 THE NEW AGE OF COLD. A"No, indeed," said Alice; , but, after all, I don't see but that we are quite as happy without them." "As happy, perhaps, but not quite as comfortable. I don't like to see you dressed so badly." "But you would n't have me wear a daguerreotype, or iron kettle," said Alice, laughing; " or any of the things you men- tioned?" "No, I don't think I should. So we may as well keep the dollar a little longer. I dare say we shall want it more some other time. It will soon be the only relic of civilization that is left to us; and it will be pleasant to take it out and look at it occasionally, to remind us that there really are such things in the world as we have been talking about. For my part, I begin to doubt it already, or whether there is any other world than our little island. In ten years I dare say we shall won- der what the dollar was made for." So we sat, and talked, and dreamed away the happy hours. Too fast the envious sun slid down into the west. A softer glory came over the face of nature. Her burning blushes were cooled by the evening breeze. The little shadows began to peep out of their hiding-places, as if to see whether their time had come. The delicate tracery of the bamboos, and the sharp outlines of the trees on the opposite bank, grew indis. tinct even while their slender tops were yet gilded by the setting sun. As other sounds grew fainter, the waking ocean lifted up its voice. The island slept, rocking gently on the bosom of the Pacific. Hand clasped in hand, Alice and I slept also peacefully all the night. Early the next morning, before the sun was up, we rose and left our bower, and, having made our toilet at the edge of the stream, we set about our pleasant task of picking oranges and GATHERING ORANGES. 187 carrying them on board the ship. We used for this purpose the bag which had formerly contained our biscuit, and a large square bit of canvas that I had saved out of the sail when I made the awning. There were a great many orange-trees in that neighbor- hood, but the fruit was not all alike. Some was as sweet almost as honey, and some was very sour. We took care to select a proper proportion of each, which in my case was one sour orange to a hundred sweet ones. But as to the sour oranges, I believe Alice ate them every one. When we had collected as many as we wanted, which was about five -hundred, we called to Hamlet; and then, going on board, we dropped quietly down the stream, feasting our eyes on the changing scenery, and on our golden fruitage, till we came opposite the grove of palms, where we proposed to take in the rest of our cargo. I now cut from the boat's painter a piece about six feet long, and having tied it loosely round my waist and the trunk of the palm I wished to ascend, so as partially to support my weight, I found that I could work my way up with much greater ease than before. In this way I ascended one tree after another, while Alice, remaining below, picked up the nuts as fast as I threw them down, and piled them up together. After working several hours I began to feel tired; and, as by this time it was nearly noon, we concluded to stop and eat our dinner. First, however, we counted the nuts, and found that we had nearly a hundred. Alice had never seen so many in her life, and seemed almost beside herself at sight of such prodigious wealth; but I, to whom cocoanuts were an old story, was able to survey the heap with entire equanimity. We remained here all the afternoon, reposing under the shade of a spreading tamarind, whose' delicate foliage and page: 188-189[View Page 188-189] 188 TE NEW AOGE OF GOLD. numerous clusters of long green pods depending from the branches, gave it a very striking beauty. It seemed, too, something like an old acquaintance, for I had often eaten the fruit at home, and planted the stones, from which I had some. times obtained plants of a considerable size. The pods had a very agreeable acid flavor, and we gathered a stall quantity to carry home with us. The sun was already setting when we went aboard the boat, and commenced our homeward voyage. But we knew that we could not lose our way, and we were desirous of see- ing in the shadowy twilight that enchanted scenery that had delighted us so much by day. The water seemed deeper and blacker than ever; the dim religious light that stole through the natural fret-work of the branches had thickened into a murkier gloom; bats and night-hawks went sailing over our heads shaking the darkness from their dusky wings. Presently Alice began to sing the Evening Song to the Vir- gin. I had often heard it before, but never had it thrilled my soul as now. The soft, plaintive notes assumed a state- lier, more solemn air, as they floated through those long- drawn watery aisles. The boat seemed to catch the inspira- tion, and glided onward, now fast, now slow, as the waves of melody rose and fell. So softly singing; so softly floating,- "Ah," then I murmured, " why need it ever end? Why not glide on forever, in sweet oblivion, in one eternal strain of harmony?" But soon the dream was over. The song was ended, and, as the last notes died away, the boat shot out into the lake. We ascended the hill together, and, weary with the day's labor, soon after supper retired to rest. CHAPTER XV. Sunday Morning. - Brevity Bill. New Amusement. - Singing-Turtle. - A Lesson in Dancing.-- A good Preacher. - Brevity Bill's Letter. --My Suspicions as to its Contents. -Contradictory Feelings it ex- cited. --Alice sends an Answer. -An amusing Spectacle. --Brevity Bill's astonishing Self-control.--His sudden and overwhelming De- jection. - Return Home. WE remained at home all the rest of the week, employing our time in a variety of ways; but, when Sunday came round, I bethought me that it would be as well to pay another visit to Brevity Bill, and see how he was prospering. For some reason or other we did not wake this Sunday morning, or indeed any other, till an hour or so later than usual. This surprised me very much; for, though I knew the rule to be of universal application in all Christian countries, I hardly expected to find it at work so soon in that barbarous island. But nature, it seems, is everywhere the same; and during the many thousand years that that island had remained with- out an inhabitant, she had probably never failed one day in seven to dash the lively morning air with a due portion of some more soporific quality; so that, when we came, we had no need to make that violent change in our habits that would otherwise have been required. page: 190-191[View Page 190-191] 190 THE NEW AGE OF' GOLD. The sun, accordingly, was several hours high when we set out on our journey. We carried with us some oranges and tamarinds, which I thought might be agreeable to our prisoner by way of variety, and also a number of cocoanuts; that, after he had eaten the meat, he might amuse himself by fash- ioning the shells into cups. I determined, furthermore, to initiate him into the art of constructing boats of orange-peel, as I knew he had every facility for sailing them, and by this innocent amusement he might beguile many a weary hour, and thus possibly divert his thoughts from too constantly dwelling on the miseries of his condition. I found him, however, already better provided with means of amusement than any that I could offer. He had caught a young turtle on the shore, and was now busily employed in taming it. He assured me that, though usually considered so sluggish an animal, he had found it wonderfully quick and docile, that it had already learned to eat out of his hands, and that, if he had it long enough, he did not despair of teaching it to sing. "I don't doubt," said he, " in the least, but what she could sing now if she only thought so; she's got a first-rate voice, and all in the world she wants is a little practice." I assured him that I thought so too, and that, if he could only once get her to sing the gamut, I was perfectly sure that in three months she would sing like a nightingale. "Perhaps you don't know," I added, " that the tortoise has always been considered a very musical animal, and that the first fiddle in the world was made out of its shell." "You don't say," he cried; "( well, I a'n't the least bit sur- prised after what I 've seen; but did you ever hear of one;s learning to play on the fiddle?" A LESSON IN DANCING. 191 "I don't know as I ever did," I replied, " but I have always supposed that they would make very accomplished dancers." ,4 That's a fact, and so they would," cried Bill, "I swow, I mean to begin and teach her this very day; but What dance would you begin with?" s O, the jig," I replied, "by all means; that suits her style, I think, better than any other, and after she has learned that, you might try her in a quadrillor contra-dance." "I don't know as I could manage any of those outlandish foreign dances," he returned; 4( can't you show us the step?" "O, yes," I replied, " most willingly; " and with that I made as good an exhibition, both of the step and figure, as was possible on a ledge not more than three feet wide, while Brevity Bill, fifty feet below, followed as well as he could, till at last I suddenly bethought me that it was Sunday, and that it would be as well to defer the remainder of our exercise to a more fitting occasion. ,. What's the matter?" cried Bill, stopping also, but still preserving the same interesting attitude; " a'n't you going to finish the figger?" "Not to-day; it is Sunday." "' Sunday, is it? you don't say; and do you have Sunday up there?" "To be sure; why not?" "Why, I didn't suppose you had any meeting-house." "Well, we have not built any meeting-house yet; but, while the warm weather lasts, it is pleasanter. you know, to hold the services in the open air." "And who have you got for preacher?" "O, we have a very grave and reverend gentleman, whose name is Hamlet." page: 192-193[View Page 192-193] 192 TEE NEW AaGI OF GOLD. "And is he a good preacher?" "He is as good as I want, - solid, sententious, and mean all he says, and in fact a great deal more." "And don't you want somebody to do the singing? I ca: do it first-rate. I always used to sit in the singing-seats 'for I went to sea. Me and Deacon Chadborn's daughter used t do it pretty much all; and the way we made the old hous ring was a caution. O! Sukey Chadborn was a great girl, tell you, and died o' the small-pox; folks used to say she wa too homely to die of anything else. This Miss Cremorn 'minds me of her every time I see her." "Reminds yaou of her!"I cried; " what do you mean bI that?" "O, I don't mean no harm! She 'minds me of her, 'caus she's too handsome to die of anything. It's my privat opinion that she'll be transported, like Enoch, and th' othe fellow--what's his name--Lijah, wasn't it? But say don't you want me to do the singing?" "Had n't you better wait," I shouted, in reply to thi strange rhapsody, (" till your turtle is able to sing with you By that time we shall probably have our house all ready." "O, yes!" cried he, with a melancholy laugh, "( and the I can sing the bass, and she can sing the air; but how is Mis Cremorne? I 've got another letter for her." With this he drew a wide strip of bark from one of hi pockets, and having, as before, rolled it round a stone, h threw it up to me, with an intimation that he should be gla to have an answer as soon as possible. I had half a mind a first to destroy this letter, and say nothing about it to Alice but I could not quite reconcile this breach of confidence t my sense of honor; nor did it seem right, simply out o: BREVITY BILL. 19t jealousy, to deprive the poor fellow of this innocent gratifica tion. I never knew exactly what was in that letter. To be sure Alice said that I might read it if I wished, but she woulh rather I would not; so, partly to gratify her, and partly t save myself the trouble, I resolutely refrained from reading syllable. I had a shrewd suspicion, however, from her pecu liar manner, that its contents must have been of a very inter esting character; and when she asked me if I were willing t return with an answer I had hardly a shadow of doub remaining. But at that moment, strange to say, my pity for poor Bi] quite overcame my indignation; and, indeed, it seemed s natural to me that every one who saw my charming Alic should straightway fall desperately in love with her, that hi arrogance and presumption, instead of exciting my anger c contempt, as one would naturally have supposed, only fille me with sympathetic admiration. But this admiration di not prevent me from carrying to my unfortunate rival, an that too without the least feeling of remorse, the letter that knew full well was destined to destroy his fondest hopes. On the contrary, as a warrior, who has learned to respec the valor of his foe, for that very reason redoubles his effort and summons all his energies to overcome him, so did I, E the discovery I had just made, feel my fell purpose more an more confirmed. I seized with an almost savage joy the little slip of bar that Alice now held out to me, and hurried with it down tl cliff, at such a headlong pace that to this day I never think o it without wondering how I escaped with life. I gained tl narrow ledge, however, in safety, and, looking down over tl brink of the precipice, my eyes were greeted by so. strange 17 page: 194-195[View Page 194-195] 194 THE NEW AGE OP GOLD. spectacle, that, in spite of my hostile feelings, I could hardly refrain from laughing. Brevity Bill had placed his turtle on a large flat rock, and having thrown himself on his hands and feet, directly in fi'ont, was endeavoring to imitate, as well as he could in that position, the figure of the dance I had just taught him, and apparently encouraging his pupil by word and look to follow his example. So great was his enthusiasm that he not only contrived to whistle the tune, but between the snatches of the music I fancied that I could hear him crying, ," Chassez! Ladies chain! Turn partners!" and the like, mingled with hoarser exclamations of indignation or delight. This attitude, it must be confessed, was not very favorable either to grace or agility; but, I finally concluded that he had chosen it for that very reason, that his four-footed disciple might not be discouraged, at his first attempt, by witnessing performances so entirely beyond his reach. But, whatever may have been his reasons, I certainly never expected to find my would-be'rival employed in such a manner; and, from that day to this, I have been wholly unable to make up my mind whether to ascribe it to the greatness or littleness of his character. It may be that he had not sufficient depth of feeling to be much affected in view of the momentous consequences which he knew were about to follow; though, from what I saw of him afterwards, I have sometimes thought that this was far from being the case, and that his conduct on this occasion showed rather the most astonishing self-control, and the same calm superiority to external fortune for which Napoleon was so remarkable. However, severe as may have been the struggle going on within, he seemed to all outward appearance so perfectly happy that it was a long time before I could persuade myself to BILL'S DEJECTION. 195 interrupt his enjoyment. I waited till the dance was over, and then calling his attention, threw down to him the fatal letter. He sat down on a stone to read it, and the turtle slipped off unperceived towards the sea. I sought to warn his master of his flight, but he was too much abstracted to heed my cries, - perhaps in that moment his wonted calmness may have for once deserted him, - and, long before this, I doubt not, the amphibious dancer has found his way home, to astonish his gaping neighbors with- the display of his new accomplishment. It took Brevity Bill at least an hour to read and under- stand his letter; then rising, with the air of a man who had just received news of some stunning calamity, he simply looked up, as if to see whether I was watching him, and retiring to a hollow beneath the rocks, where he was no longer visible, left me without a word of apology or explanation. I waited a while, thinking it possible that he might again make his appearance; but he did not, and as the sun flaming over the cliff above showed that it was already noon, I slowly turned away. Alice looked at me inquiringly as I approached; then, seeing that I had nothing to tell her, she called to Hamlet, and hastened after me through the turns of the forest. page: 196-197[View Page 196-197] CHAPTER XVI. Home Life. -Its Quiet and Monotony. - Happiness it gave me. - Want of a Fire.--Want of Clothes. - Sharpshooting. - A second Voyage up the River. - The haunted Forest. - Falls of St. Anthony, and sur- rounding Scenery.-- My first Antelope. - My first Tiger. - A des- perate Battle.--Mountain Gorge.--Inland Navigation.--Pride of Empire. WE now began to be very much at home. We were tired of wandering, and disposed to lead for a while a more quiet domestic life. By slow degrees the spot of ground around our little cottage began to assume a more settled and home- like aspect. There were already some faint traces of a path leading from our door to the spring, where we went every morning to perform our ablutions, and many times a day to quench our thirst. The rude stone steps, that I had placed before the door, already had a powerful hold upon my imagination. I loved to sit there better than anywhere else, partly for the delightful view which was there spread out before us, and partly because I was thus reminded of those almost forgotten days when I' used to sit for hours together on the front steps of my uncle's house, watching with unwearied childish interest all the changing shows of a great city. Here, to be sure, there was nothing of the kind. I saw every day the same solemn and thoughtful trees, the same HOME LIFE.--ITS QUIET AND HAPPINESS. 197 gray, lofty cliffs. I listened every day to the same wind, and watched, as it almost seemed, the same clouds in heaven. There was no change, no novelty of any sort. I came at last to know the very birds, and the hares that ran fearlessly past our door. But I liked it all the better. It seemed to bring me nearer to God; it stilled my stormy passions, and made -me know the sublimer joys of tranquillity and repose. Amid the eternal hush of the forest, away from thje jar, and the din, and the turmoil of life, qur hearts' feverish beating was sub- dued to a calmer measure. That peaceful and divine monot- ony had harmonized our souls unto itself. Insensibly I came to regard the trees about us as my friends, and to assign to each a character of its own. Not one of them could have been removed, or marred in any way, without my feeling it as an injury to myself. They sympathized in all my moods; when I smiled, they laughed and clapped their hands; and when I -was grave, they hung down their heads in silence. And when the little birds came hopping about our door, as they did without fear, for we never harmed them, my heart, like a summer fountain, ran over with smiles. I said to them, - I could not help it, for I was sure that they must understand me, -"Good-morning; I am glad to see you; I hope you will come again;" and I threw them seeds and pieces of fig, which they ate between my very feet. And sometimes, after thinking a long while, I would feel so wonderfully happy that it seemed impossible for me to sit still, and then I would suddenly start up and run away into the woods, to shout, and laugh, and clap my hands, and tell the trees how much I loved; and if I did not write the name of Alice on every leaf, it was because I was sure that they 17* page: 198-199[View Page 198-199] 198 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. knew it perfectly already, as, indeed, though we had been there so short a time, there was hardly an echo on the whole island that would say anything else. So now, at last, my dream of bliss came true. My life was a poem, set to no mortal music, and, unbroken like a river, it flowed onward forever. I sat and watched the days still come and go, in varied song; some tripping laughingly by; some walking slowly, in solemn, stately march; and some, again, with heads bowed down as in deep thought or sweet- est melancholy. Ah! that the poet's joy were mine to celebrate those days as they deserve! Not one but what was worthy of a song; not one my fond heart ever should forget! -but now no more. The want of a fire still continued to be the most serious drawhack to our happiness. After all, home was not home without it. The sameness and insipidity of our vegetable diet wearied and disgusted us. We had an irrepressible crav- ing for some sort of animal food. So much of our civilization still clung to us, and not all our savage philosophy could shake it off. The lake was alive with fish, and the woods with game; but, though their capture would have cost us hardly any trouble, yet, for want of fire, we could only look at them with longing eyes, and wonder why they were not sent already cooked into the world. But we wanted clothes almost as much as fire. When we came ashore on the island, I had on a cloth cap, a pea-jacket, a red flannel shirt, a stout pair of duck trousers, and a pair of boots. Except the: last, they were not much the worse for wear, and would probably last several months longer; but Alice was far from being so well provided. What had once been a very pretty dress of mousseline de WANT OF CLOTHNG.- SSHARPSHOOTING. 199 laine, was now nothing but rags and tatters. Her shoes and stockings would hardly stay on her feet; and, as for her bon- net, it had sustained so many-injuries in its rude encounters- with the branches, that it would soon fall in pieces by its own weight. At the time of our landing, she had in her pocket, by mere accident, a sort of housewife or needle-book (I have it now before me), in shape somewhat resembling a dumb-bell, made of red morocco, and containing, I think, just seventeen pins, five needles of different sizes, a pair of scissors fabulously small, a button or- two, and a single ball of thread. By this time, however, what with constant stitching and darning, there was not even so much as a needleful of thread remaining; and, though she had tried to supply this loss by drawing threads out of her dress, they were too frail to be of any service. Her under garments, fortunately, were still in pretty good repair, but this did not prevent her from feeling very uncomfortable whenever she gave a thought to her own appear- ance; and I determined as soon as possible to supply her with a more becoming attire. With this end in view, I now devoted nearly my whole time to practising with the bow and arrow, that I might be able, with greater certainty, to bring down the antelope, with whose coats I proposed to supply our necessities. I made me a second bow, much better than the first (I never could do anything well the first time), and, having carefully tipped and feathered my arrows, I hastened, full of eagerness, to measure off my ground, and try the efficiency of my new weapons. In a few weeks I had attained a sufficient degree of dexterity to hit an orange nine times out of ten, at a dis- tance of twenty paces; and "( Now," said I, shaking my head page: 200-201[View Page 200-201] 200 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. with a very triumphant air, i I am ready for the antelopes just as soon as they choose to come along." "Do you really think you can shoot them?" said Alice, with a tone that implied that she almost wished I could not. "Certainly," I cried; "I can hit an orange, and it would be strange if I could not hit what is so much bigger." "But they run so fast," said Alice. "I know they do," I replied; "but they are not always running, and we must try to find them when they are standing still." We had often seen antelopes bounding through the woods not far from our house, and once or twice they had come to our spring to drink; but, from what I had noticed in our first expedition, I was convinced that they must be far more numer- ous in the centre of the island, and, as the distance was now no longer any objection, I determined not to waste my time at home, but seek that pleasant hunting-ground without delay. Accordingly, one pleasant morning, we again went aboard the boat, and began to ascend the rivet. We reached the orange grove a little before noon, and, having loitered in this charming spot nearly all the rest of the day, amusing ourselves pretty much as we had done before, we then, in the cool of the evening, resumed our journey. / My enthusiasm was now at boiling-point. The country which we were about to explore was altogether strange to me. The interior of Africa was not more so. We had been very near it, to be sure, by land; but everything looked so differ- ent, when seen from the river, that no one would ever think of its being the same. The sun was about an hour high when we recommenced our voyage. The river had now again entered the woods ; there RIVER SCENERY. 201 was hardly any current, and nothing to impede our progress but the low-hanging thickness of the branches. As the day wore away, the darkness increased with startling suddenness. It was not here so much a negative as a positive quality. It was not simply the absence of light, - it seemed to have a sub- stance and body of its own. That forest seemed to be its peculiar home and abiding place. It had remained there so long undisturbed, that it had grown thick and mouldy. It hunfg like soot upon the branches. The evening breeze shook it down upon our heads. All the light in the world could not lighten it. The birds that lived there, as might have been expected, were an extremely sleepy set. I often passed that way after- wards, and never found any of them awake but once. It wanted then about an hour to noon, and, as they seemed just making their morning toilet, I concluded that that was their usual hour for rising. About sunset the noise of falling water warned us of our approach to a cataract, and apparently of considerable size. Advancing a little further, we came to a sudden bend in the river, which we had no sooner passed than the whole surpris- ing panorama was unfolded before us. The river formed at this point an oval basin, perhaps a hundred feet in its greatest diameter. The water was still and dark, and impressed the imagination as with an idea of almost unfathomable depth. A succession of cascades at the further extremity caught and reflected back the brightness of the evening sky, so that all the light which fell upon the picture seemed to proceed from the foaming torrent. The rocks on either side of the fall towered up, one behind another, hundreds of feet into mid-heaven, till the eye turned giddy at page: 202-203[View Page 202-203] 202 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. scaling the dizzy height, and the lofty trees at its base seemed dwindled into shrubs. The scene was one of wild and terrible grandeur, and all the more startling from the strange contrast it presented to that we had just left. I stopped rowing, and let the boat move forward with the momentum it had received. Its blacker shadow drifted noiselessly and ghostlike over the black water,--where no shadow had ever been before, save that of some passing bird, or of some cloud in heaven. For a thousand years that cascade had gone on singing its ceaseless hymn, - with none to listen or applaud, - singing only for eternity. But now, at last, " fit audience it found, though few;" us two alone of all the human race; but better far was our silent, loving homage, than the heartless admiration with which the world of fashion goes up every year to the great temple of nature to insult the majesty of Niagara. Then, suddenly, it came across my mind that, ever since creation, that fairy island and all that it contained of beauty and sublimity, had been waiting for us to come and take pos- session. For us, year after year, and age after age, the trees had grown, the flowers had blossomed, the fruits had riperled, the wind had sighed, the waters had been flowing. And now, at last, two youthful wanderers from a distant land, led thither, as it seemed, by the merest chance, we had entered into our heritage. I stretched out my arms as though I would clasp the whole island in my embrace. "It is ours!"I cried; " it has been kept for us; it has been waiting for us; God brought us here, and we will never, no, never, leave it!" MY FIRST ANTELOPE. , 203 Here was the end of our journey. We'had come, as I sup- posed, about fifteen miles, though,' owing to the circuitous course of the river, we were probably not more than five or six from home. This, to be sure, was only conjecture; for, in our former expedition, we had strayed so far from the bank of the stream, that not even the sound" of the falls had reached our ears; and hence we knew very little as to their true position. Subsequent observation, however, showed that I was very nearly correct in my calculations. On attempting to anchor the boat, by means of a heavy stone I had brought with me for that purpose, I found, my cable too short to reach the bottom, and we were consequently obliged to draw nearer the bank; whereupon, the bear, who was probably weary of his long voyage, and wished to stretch his legs a little, made haste to scramble ashore, and was soon lost to sight among the trees. Our spirits were rather depressed by this desertion, for we knew not what dangers might be around us, and should have been glad of his protec- tion; though, as it turned out, we need not have distressed ourselves on that account, as nothing occurred to occasion any alarm. We slept soundly all night, soothed by the lullaby of the waters, and did not awake till long after our usual hour. The first thing I saw, on opening my eyes, was an antelope that had come to quench his morning thirst, and was now standing up to his knees in the water, not more than twenty feet from where we were lying. It was a beautiful, graceful creature, not larger than a sheep, with short, straight horns, and legs so extremely slender that they seemed hardly able to support even so slight a weight. The movement I made in reaching my bow and arrows, startled it; and. raising its head, it stood looking at us with its soft page: 204-205[View Page 204-205] 204 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. blue, melancholy eyes, with such an air of confiding inno- cence, that my heart failed me, and the arrow fell from the string. But when I looked at Alice, And saw her little feet peeping from her clouted shoes, I hesitated no longer. She certainly must have a new pair, whatever it might cost; the necessity of the action must excuse its cruelty; and, besides, with my clumsy weapons and imperfect skill, I really began to doubt whether I could inflict any serious injury. But, as I dis- missed the shaft, the antelope turned to fly, the heavy, jagged flint pierced its side just behind the left shoulder, and, with a loud splash, it fell forward into the water. I had never killed anything before in my life, not even a bird; and it was no more than natural that I should feel some compunctious visitings on this occasion. I drew the poor creature out of the water, and sought, in every way, to bring it back to life; but I could not do again, even if I had tried a thousand years, what I had undone so easily.- Man can kill; God only can make alive. Strange that, with this fact so constantly before them, the Hindoo sages should have placed Seeva the Destroyer higher than Veeshnoo the Preserver! It was a long time before I could make up my mind to rob my deer of his leathern coat, though I knew that he had no longer any use for it; but the only way I could justify the ugly murder in my own conscience was by turning it to some useful purpose; so I went to work, and in an hour or more my disagreeable task was done. I had a vague idea of making both Alice and myself a com- plete suit of clothes from this single skin; but when it was spread ouit upon the ground, I was mortified to find that there was not even enough to make her trousers. A TIGER. 205 Now she needed trousers almost as much as she needed shoes; indeed, as I have already hinted, there was hardly a single article of her dress that was fit to be seen; and, though there was no one but me to see her, I knew the heart of woman too well to doubt that the state of her wardrobe must occasion her great uneasiness. What I had begun, there- fore, I must accomplish; and if a hundred Skins had been needed simply to make her slippers, I now felt ready for the sacrifice. It was easy to see, from the appearance of different parts of the shore, that this was a favorite place for the antelopes to drink; so that, if I only waited with sufficient patience, I should probably be able to shoot as many as I wished with- out even stirring from the boat. I had hardly come to this conclusion, when we heard a sudden rustling and trampling among the bushes, and, the next mo- ment, a whole herd of antelopes burst out of the woods and came crowding down into the water. The ardor and excite- ment I felt at sight of such a number, made me quite forget all emotions of a more tender nature, and I had already taken aim at the nearest, when, with a tremendous roar that curdled my blood and came very near making me lose my balance, a monstrous tiger, that had evidently been lying in wait close to our boat, bounded forth upon his prey. The herd scattered like a flock of doves when the hawk. swoops among them. Away they fled, through the dark for- est, each increasing the others' fear. One alone remained,- not willingly, but of fierce necessity, - to keep the tiger company. With trembling haste, pushing further off, we watched the savage monster glaring at us over his victim. As he stooped to quaff the rich red blood, his eyes, from under the heavy 18 page: 206-207[View Page 206-207] 206 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. brows, still regarded us with a peculiar malignity. And well he might; for, until we came, he was lord of the island; but now there was one to dispute his supremacy. And, on my part, I regarded him with equal aversion. I felt my whole soul go out towards him with loathing and ab- horrence. His small, round head, his muscles working so smoothly, yet so powerfully, under the loose, velvet skin, his paws cushioned with such perfection of upholstery, and his sharp, retractile claws, whose constant thrusting out and in showed, too plainly, his cruel nature, - all, inspired -me with hate and fear. And I hated him all the more because it seemed so impos- sible for me to do him any serious injury. I could not help, however, venting my spite in some way, and I accordingly let fly an arrow, that, striking him in the side, inflicted a wound just enough to irritate, without in the least disabling, him. It made him, however, excessively angry; but I did not blame him for that. It is not pleasant to be disturbed at dinner, in that way especially; though I am sure that if I were, I should not roll over and over on the ground, as he did. But his impotent rage and malice only heightened my satisfaction; and, finding my first attempt so successful, I determined to see what could be done with a second. In fact, I believe I should have gone on till I had exhausted my whole quiver, simply for the pleasure of seeing him jump and snarl; for, thinks I to myself, if he does not like it he can run away; but, at the third arrow, as if this was alto- gether too much, he sprang into the water, and commenced swimming vigorously towards the boat. Alice turned pale, and uttered a low cry of alarm, and I cannot deny that I felt, myself, a slight degree of fear at this BATTLE WITH THE TIGER. 207 unexpected demonstration. Without saying a word, however, I dropped my useless bow ahd arrow, and, seizing the axe, waited his approach with all the calmness I could command. I had even sufficient resolution to reserve my blow till he had got his fore paws and head over the gunwale; then, with all my might, I brought the heavy axe down between his temples. With a sullen plunge he sunk beneath the surface ; the boat, relieved from his weight, suddenly recovering its upright posi- tion, I lost my balance and fell over backwards into the water. As I was going down, I saw the tiger coming up, his motley coat of black and yellow gleaming strangely through the dark water. Being so much lighter, of course I did not sink so far as he did; but when I again reached the surface, and, with a violent effort, succeeded in raising my head above the gunwale of the boat, I saw his ugly face grinning at me from the other side. If he got into the boat first, it was all over both with-me and Alice; but, if I got the advantage of him, his case was desperate. He seemed sufficiently sensible of this fact, and exerted himself so violently, that the veins in his forehead swelled like a brook in a spring freshet, and his powerful claws protruded till- they seemed, to my excited imagination, like the tusks of an elephant. But this very violence impelled the boat towards him, so that his body was drawn entirely under it. His hind feet came in contact with my legs, and, in an instant, my trousers were torn to ribbons. I could not see, of course, but I judged, from the feeling, that my skin could not be in a much better condition. Maddened by the pain, I made a desperate clutch under water, and, happily grasping his tail, I bent the end page: 208-209[View Page 208-209] 208 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. over the side of the boat, where, in spite of all his struggles, I had little difficulty in holding it. Finding that I had him at this decided disadvantage, T now mustered sufficient breath to bid Alice take the axe and strike him on the head. She no sooner saw how she could help me than her fears seemed to desert her; she lost not a moment in doing as I requested, till the tiger, finding himself thus as- sailed at once both in front and rear, was compelled to sur- render at discretion. I clambered into the boat more dead than alive, and, sitting down on one of the thwarts, surveyed, with a rueful counte- nance, the devastation that had been wrought in my nether habiliments. The other damage I had sustained was not so extensive as my fears, though four distinct channels on my right thigh and three on my left, marked the course of the enemy, as plainly as the march of Hyder Ali when he swooped down on the Carnatic. I bound up my wounds as well as I could with the scanty remnants of my handkerchief, and then looked round to see what had become of the tiger. His body was floating at a little distance, and, after punching it a while with the oar, to be sure that he was really dead, I towed it ashore, and then fell to work to take off the skin, which was very thick and heavy, and, on that account, I thought, better fitted for mak- ing soles to our shoes. I also took off the skin of the antelope which the tiger had slain, and, by the time this was done, I was sufficiently tired to stop and rest. I had, at first, intended to leave so 'dangerous a spot as soon as possible; but, in the first place, the necessity of ob- taining an additional number of skins was now greater than ever; secondly, we were desirous of exploring the neighbor- INLAND NAVIGATION. 209 hood of the falls more thoroughly than we had yet done; and, finally, the- bear was still absent, and, as for going without him, that was out of the question. Constant exposure had made us callous to danger, and the wild excitement of this mode of life was not without its at- tractions even for my gentle Alice. So we determined to remain till the next day. Accordingly, after eating our dinner and resting a while, to recover from the fatigue of our recent contest, we pushed the boat further up towards the falls, and going on shore com- menced climbing up the steep and rocky banks that here fenced in the river. The scene was of the wildest and most romantic character; not so softly beautiful as many we had seen before, but, per- haps, on that very account, the more attractive. The rocks were piled up in the most irregular and disjointed manner. In several places, apparently, they had been forced asunder by some giant tree, that had thrust its gnarled, fantastic roots deep in among the crevices; and then, with many a groan, and pant, and convulsive straining of its mighty muscles, had, at length, heaved the ponderous masses from their ancient bed. Others hung balanced on so nice a poise that it seemed as if the weakest touch would send them thundering into the gulf below. At the very summit of the cliff, on the northern side, a huge block, that had probably been detached by some vast convulsion of nature, had toppled forward, and, catching on the opposite side, had formed a complete arch or natural bridge, beneath which the river flowed at such a prodigious depth that'the eye could scarcely reach the bottom. The hill on which we stood was only a spur of the moun- 18 page: 210-211[View Page 210-211] 210 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. tain range that, contrary to the usual law in such cases, ex- tended from east to west through nearly the whole length of the island. This spur ended abruptly at no great distance to the south; and I wondered that the brook, instead of choos- ing so difficult a path, had not turned a little to the left, when, so far as I could see, it would not have met with the slightest obstacle. I found afterwards, however, that it had once actually flowed in that direction, till, its course having been blocked up in a way that I shall relate hereafter, it had been com- pelled to seek another channel. On reaching the eastern slope of the hill we beheld, stretched out before us, the same valley that had so charmed us when first seen from the opposite direction. At the further extrem- ity, and considerably higher than the one on which we were standing, was the hill where we had made our home. I was now able to lay down the whole course of the river with considerable accuracy. After leaving the mountains where it had its rise, it first flowed, for several miles, almost directly west; then, turning to the south, it ran in that direc- tion about two miles; after which it made another bend, and retraced its steps towards the east, till it emptied into the Lake of the Woods. Its whole course, including its frequent windings, I now thought would measure-perhaps thirty miles, though it was not navigable for more than two thirds of that distance. By deepening the channel in one or two places, it would be easy so to improve the navigation that no better mode of transport could be desired; for, though the current at several points was very violent, yet, as I should always go up in bal- last, and go down loaded, this only made it all the more favorable. PRIDE OF EMPIRE. 2" As might be supposed, I was highly pleased at finding so large a part of my little kingdom thus brought, as it were, within a few steps of my own door; and, indeed, it was hardly possible to estimate this advantage too highly, as, with- out some such communication, we should soon have been driven to change our residence to a more fruitful region., Had I not, then, rightly named it the Mississippi? For what the Father of Waters is to our western valley, that river was to my equally fertile, if not quite so extensive territories. page: 212-213[View Page 212-213] CHAPTER XVII. Second Day at the Falls. -A Disappointment. -Do Antelopes drink on Thursdays? - The Gourd Tree. - Basket- Willow. - Shoemaking. - Down the River. - Antelope Shooting. - The Doc and her Young. - I become very unpopular. - Political Economy. WE spent the second night as we had done the first, but rose much earlier, in order to be ready for the antelopes, that, I supposed, would be more likely to come to drink at this hour. But though we waited patiently till long after the sun was above the horizon, not a single antelope made its appear- ance. I could only account for this by one of two supposi- tions: either that antelopes never drink on Thursday, or that the alarm they had experienced on the preceding morning had driven them to seek for water somewhere else. The first seemed hardly probable. For how, without any almanac, could they tell that it was Thursday? And what possible motive could they have for such ;'nance? But where else could they have gone', Not up the river, certainly; for the country was too rough and mountainous. Then they must have gone down. I remembered, now, to have seen a point several miles below, which I thought, at the time, looked as if animals were in the habit of drinking there, and it at once occurred to me that this must be the spot. THE GOURD-TREE. 213 It was too late, however, to reach it that morning, and we were accordingly obliged to remain yet another day at the falls. But there was no need of our being idle. While wandering about among the rocks I had noticed several trees, of about the size and shape of a common apple-tree, with gourds hang- ing on them, some as big as my head, and others not larger than an orange. I cut off nearly fifty of those gourds, intend- ing to hollow them out, and use them as cups and bowls, which we greatly needed, -our only utensil of the sort being the broken shell of a cocoanut, and that was cracked so badly that it was of very little service. In going to and fro between these trees and the boat, I was obliged to pass through a low marshy thicket, formed by a shrub or bush closely resembling the willow, with numerous slender shoots, some of which were fully twelve feet in length, and no thicker than a pipe-stem. As they were extremely tough and flexible, I thought they would answer admirably for making baskets; and, though I had some doubts how far we should succeed in the manufac- ture, I determined at least to make the experiment. I ac- cordingly, cut with my knife as large a bundle of the stems as I could* conveniently carry in my arms, and stowed it in the bottom. of the boat with the gourds; and then, as I had nothing else to do, and it was still too early to go down the river, I determined to beguile the time by making Alice a pair of shoes. In this I found no sort of dcfficulty; not, I beg the reader to understand, in making the shoes, but in resolving to make them; for, though certain philosophers have undertaken to prove that nothing is really difficult, if we once make up our minds to it, and set about it with a resolute will, I found, on page: 214-215[View Page 214-215] 214 TIIE NEW AGE OF GOLD. the contrary, that, after making up my mind, the difficulty had only just commenced. In fact, what I wanted far more than a resolute will was a good resolute hammer, a sharp knife, and a quantity of thread. If any one of the aforesaid philosophers doubts the truth of this, let? him try to make a pair of shoes himself, with nothing to work with but a tiger's skin and a jackknife. I had no awl to bore my holes, no pegs to put in them, no hammer to drive the pegs. I had no thread for my bristles, an(d no bristles for my thread. I had neither a leather apron, nor a bench, nor a last, nor a lapstone. Under these circumstances I doubt if Roger Sherman, or even St. Crispin himself, could have done much better than I did. I sharpened my knife on a stone, and cut out my work very handsomely, using tiger-skin for the soles, and deer-skin for the uppers. Then I fitted the parts together to see how they would look, and fancied that they made a very pretty shoe. But it was easy to see that deer-skin and tiger-skin had no natural affinity; and now how 'to make them unite was the question. There was only one way that seemed at all feasible. I selected the thinnest part of the deer-skin, and having first scraped off the hair, I cut from it a number of very narrow strips, such as are often used as shoe-strings in New England. Here then was the thread; but thread without an awl was of little service. I could, to be sure, make the holes after a fashion, with my knife; but in order to finish my work with any degree of elegance an awl was absolutely indispensable. After searching some time I found in the bottom of the boat a long rusty nail, which I thought might, perhaps, be made to answer the purpose; but, as it was now getting late, and I had already done enough for one day, I concluded to lay ANTELOPE SHOOTING. 215 aside my work till I arrived at home. I accordingly put the nail in my pocket, which was about the only part of my trou- sers that- now remained to me, and calling to Hamlet, who had returned some time before, to come on board, we loosed the boat from her moorings, and began to drop slowly down the stream. We passed through The Haunted Forest, and came about nightfall to the point where I expected to find the deer. As we approached the shore, I saw at once, from the freshness of the footprints, that my calculations were correct, and that a large number of antelopes must have been there to drink that very morning. I saw, also, that it would be easy, by conceal- ing myself among the bushes on the opposide side of the stream, to bring them so near that almost every shot would be fatal; and in this way, I had no doubt, I could kill as many as I wished. Everything turned out as I had expected. The deer began to make their appearance before it was fairly light, and con- tinued to follow for at least an hour after the sun was above the horizon; sometimes singly or in pairs, but oftener in considerable numbers. The first that I aimed at received the fatal shaft directly through his heart. He gave one convulsive spring into the air, then fell back heavily upon the ground. The event threw his companions into a momentary confusion. They stared a while in stupid wonder, smelt of the body, stirred it with their feet, and then, as if satisfied that he was only shamming, returned once more to their cups. My second attempt was not so successful. It merely wounded the animal, without disabling him; his sudden flight threw the whole herd into a panic, and in an instant not a single deer remained upon the spot. Their place, however, page: 216-217[View Page 216-217] 216 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. was soon supplied by others. From my murderous ambush I marked the largest with unerring certainty, and at every twang of the bow another was added to the number of my victims. When my heart failed me, I turned to look towards Alice, who, unable to endure the sight of blood, had called to Hamlet, and withdrawn a little distance into the woods. Then sharper twanged the bow, and fiercer was the flight of the arrow. At length my quiver was exhausted. Nine antelopes lay dead or mortally wounded near the plashy brink of the little river. Its clear and transparent waters ran red with blood. But, though I had slain the deer, yet I loved them. I longed to take one or more of those pretty creatures alive to carry home with me; for, in time, I thought they would learn to return my affection. After revolving in my mind a variety of ways to accomplish this, none of which seemed likely to answer the purpose, I hit upon the following expedient. In taking off the skin of the deer I had killed the day before, I had taken care to leave the head still-attached to it. I now drew this over my head and shoulders, making it look as much as possible like the living animal, and, concealing myself among the bushes, I waited for the deer to approach. I had not waited long when a doe, followed by two young ones, came bounding down to the river. She stopped a moment, as if in doubt, then fearlessly advanced towards the spot where I was lying. The moment she came within reach I started from my disguise, and seizing her by the horns tripped up her feet and threw her upon the ground. Alice, who was waiting at a little distance to see the result of my stratagem, now came to my assistance. I bound the legs of my captive with one of the willow withes, and lifted her care- fully into the boat. The two young ones looked on all the I BECOME VERY UNPOPULAR. 217 while with countenances expressive of the utmost grief and indignation, but dared not interfere. Their plaintive cries went to my heart, and I was glad to get them into the boat by the side of their mother, whose joy, at having them restored to her, seemed to make her forget her unhappy condition. I was highly gratified at the result of this affair, and after- wards still more so, when I came to find how extremely shy and difficult to catch these creatures could be.' This was the only time when this artifice could have succeeded; and, in- deed, I could never, after that, get even near enough to shoot them, without the utmost caution, and taking care to approach in a direction contrary to the wind. This single occurrence seemed to have given them a lesson which they never forgot. From that unhappy day a change appeared in our little Paradise somewhat similar to that which our first parents mourned over at the Fall. Wherever I went, I was now regarded with fear and aver- sion. My subjects slunk away from my path, as from the steps of a cruel tyrant. They probably made little or no dis- tinction between me and the bloodthirsty tiger that had so excited my virtuous abhorrence. I was sorry, but I could not help it. My sensibilities were deeply wounded at the thought of my sustaining so odious a character, but I saw no way in which this misfortune could have been avoided. It was some consolation, however, to know that I had not been the first- to introduce terror and confusion into that little world. The panther and the tiger had been there before me. I had as much right to kill and devour as they had. It was no worse for me than it was for them. To such miserable- shifts was I driven. My boasted humanity thus humbled itself to take shelter under the example of a beast. 19 page: 218-219[View Page 218-219] 218 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. But, after all, what right had they, any of them, to com- plain? As their lawful and undoubted sovereign, I certainly was justified in demanding of them so slight a tribute. They could not expect me to rule over them for nothing. And though the burden of taxation might fall rather heavily on a few individuals, owing to the difficulty of assessing all alike, that was no fault of mine, but one of the evils incident to all governments. They certainly would not wish their emperor to go naked, or to be worse clothed than any of his subjects. They ought rather to feel honored by his condescending so far as to deck his august and sacred person with garments that had once covered their plebeian limbs. Strange to say, however, they failed to perceive the force of this reasoning; and as they sought, in every way, to avoid paying their share of the moderate tax imposed upon them, I was obliged, though very reluctantly, to declare them traitors and outlaws, and confiscate their property to the crown, as often as it came within my reach. CHAPTER XVIII. Ieturn Home.- Gathering Oranges. - Hamlet's Adventure with the Mon- keys.- His Shame, and my Satisfaction. -A good Memory for a Bear. An assorted Cargo.- Difficult Navigation. - Holding the-Lantern. - The Doe and her Young. -Hamlet's Jealousy. -I preach him a Ser- mon. - Its good Effects. IT took me nearly all the rest of the day to skin my deer; then, yielding the boat to the current, we drifted rapidly down the stream without any effort of our own, except to keep her head in the right direction, till we came to the orange grove, where we stopped to spend the night. The bear here left us, as he had done before; but as we slept in the boat we did not concern ourselves about his absence. Early the next morning we commenced. the task of gather- ing oranges. The trees where we obtained our chief supply were at a considerable distance from the river; and, as we did not choose to fatigue ourselves, it was nearly noon before I carried the last load down to the boat. We wished then to resume our voyage, so as to get to Palm Grove in time for dinner ; but Hamlet had not yet made his appearance, and we accordingly retreated to our arbor to wait his arrival. Hardly, however, had we stretched ourselves on the soft turf when we were suddenly startled by a prodigious uproar that sounded just within the forest. Hastily starting up, I ran out to see what was the matter. I saw nothing, but the page: 220-221[View Page 220-221] 220 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. clamor was now greater than ever, and I was wondering what in the world it could be, when I heard the branches cracking a little to my left, and the next moment Hamlet came tearing through the bushes at a furious rate, and attended in such- a ridiculous fashion that, for the life of me, I could not help laughing. Seated astride on his back, and holding fast by his left ear, sat by far the largest monkey I had ever seen. In his right hand he held a stout stick, some two feet in length, with which, from time to time, he belabored the head and sides of this unhappy beast; though more, it seemed, to irritate than to injure him. Whenever the bear attempted to throw his rider, by rolling over, as he did once or twice while I was looking, the monkey would shift his hold from his ear to his tail; and then, as soon as the bear rose to his feet, he would by a single spring regain his former position. Besides Alice and myself, this novel and entertaining spec- tacle was witnessed by a whole tribe of lesser monkeys, who followed close to Hamlet's heels, and testified their delighted satisfaction by an endless variety of chatterings and grimaces. Now it was easy to see from his actions that the bear had come to me for assistance; and I felt myself that I was bound by all the ties of honor and gratitude to render it to him with- out delay; yet, as I saw that he was, after all, in no particu- lar danger, I could not at once make up my mind to do so. To tell the truth, I rather enjoyed seeing him in this ludi- crous situation. He had lately plumed himself, I thought, altogether too much on his superior wisdom and sagacity, especially since my misadventure with the alligator, and I was glad to see him thus compelled to lower his pretensions. I thought it wrong to deprive him of one of the benefits he was likely to derive from so wholesome a lesson; and I had HAMLET'S ADVENTURE WITH THE MONKEYS. 221 too much presence of mind to ruffle my dignity, or endanger the safety of my friend, by undue precipitation. I accordingly bent my bow with the greatest deliberation, carefully selected my arrow, fitted it nicely to the string; and then, having taken another look to be sure that all was right, I aimed the shaft against the smutty-faced rascal who had dared to subject a friend of mine to such indignity. With so fair a mark it was impossible to miss; but the dis- tance was too great for the shot to be fatal. The monkey no sooner felt the arrow, which struck him in the fleshy part of the thigh, or the part which is usually denominated the seat of honor in a man, than with a horrible grimace he sprang from his saddle, and made his way with all speed into the woods, followed by the whole troop of his noisy companions. The bear pursued for a short distance, but, finding it impos- sible to overtake them, he soon gave it up; shaking his head, however, and looking after them with a most significant, air, as much as to say, (' Yes, you had better run, but let me only once get hold of you, my fine fellow, and we should soon see what we should see." But, in spite of all his efforts to put a good face on the matter, it was impossible for him to conceal his chagrin and mortification; and, indeed, I never saw a bear so completely crestfallen in my life, till at last, having enjoyed my triumph as long as seemed right and fair, I thought best to comfort him a little; so I told him not to mind,---that he was not the only one who had found himself in an unbecoming position, that philosophers were quite as liable to such awkward mis- chances as other people, and in fact more so,- and, finally, that if he would never say "crocodile" to me, I would never say "monkey" to him. Ie assented to this proposal, though rather doubtfully; 19* page: 222-223[View Page 222-223] 222 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. but, finding that I did not again allude to the subject, he gradually recovered his confidence, and before the day was over he was as happy and cheerful as ever. Several months after this, happening to see a monkey sit- ting in a very tempting position on one of the topmost branches of a lofty tree, I shot it and carried it home. On showing it to Hamlet I saw at once that he had not forgotten his humiliating encounter; he bit his lips and frowned, at the same time darting at me such an indignant look, as if I had in effect broken my promise, that I knew not what to answer; so I turned away, and flung the monkey behind the bridge. We had now only one more point to stop at before reach- ing home. This was at the grove of palms, where we remained long enough to gather as many cocoanuts as the boat would hold, and also a small quantity of tamarinds; and then, deeply laden, we once more pushed out into the stream. We might now fairly be said to have an assorted cargo. There were hides, tamarinds, basket-willow, gourds, oranges and cocoanuts; the doe and her two young ones, who would more properly perhaps come under the head of passengers; and, finally, the crew, consisting of three persons, myself as captain and supercargo, Alice as mate, and Hamlet as boat- swain. The weight of all these articles brought- the boat down within a few inches of the water's edge, and we were obliged to proceed with the greatest caution for fear of upsetting the whole cargo into the river. We arrived at home, however, without any accident, and then commenced the task of transporting our goods up the long and winding path that led to our little settlement. We should have left them in the boat all night,- for it was quite late, and we were already tired, - but the next day was Sun- HAMLET'S JEALOUSY. ' 223 day, and the monkeys, whose thievish propensities we well knew, were altogether too numerous in that neighborhood. I would have anchored the boat out in the lake, where every- thing would have been as safe as in our own house; but, in that case, I should have had to swim ashore, and I was un- willing to give the crocodile another opportunity. Alice was very anxious to help me, but I would not let her;, for I knew that she must be very tired. "No," said I, "I have no thought of letting you run over these rough stones, until you get a better pair of shoes; but, if you choose, you may hold the lantern, for it is so dark I can hardly see." At this she laughed merrily, - for the idea of our having a lantern struck her as very funny, - and, picking out half a dozen of the ripest oranges, she first made -cups of the rind, and then squeezed the rich sweet juice into them for me to drink when I got through my work. Ah, how good it tasted! I tethered the doe to a stake before our door, until I could find time to stop up the few gaps in the hedge; after which I intended to set her at liberty; but, as to the young ones, I knew they would not leave - their. mother, so I let them run about as much as they pleased. I cannot tell how delighted we were with our new play- mates. H was never weary of watching their innocent gam- bols; while the affection they displayed for their mother, and their running to her on every'alarm, touched the finest chord in my heart. I always loved whatever loved its mother. But I was sorry to see that Hamlet was not at all inclined to be friendly towards the new-comers. In fact, he discovered so clearly his jealous disposition that I was obliged to talk to him in pretty plain terms of the folly of which he was guilty. The idea that one like him, possessed of so many admirable page: 224-225[View Page 224-225] 224 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. qualities, of such extensive talents and acquirements, should be jealous of so humble and obscure an individual as the doe, who had seen absolutely nothing of the world, and was in every respect so decidedly his inferior, was really melancholy, and seemed to show that the noblest natures are, after all, 'liable to the same weaknesses as those beneath them. And I did not hesitate to tell him just what I thought about it. "No one can deny," said I, " that the doe is a very pretty, lively little creature, with a great deal of natural grace and simplicity about her, besides an amiable, cheerful temper, that renders her peculiarly winning and attractive; but you know, as well as I do, that she has never mingled in society, is neither clever nor accomplished, and incapable of conversing upon any but the most commonplace subjects. How then can you imagine, even for a moment, that I could ever prefer her society to yours? She may do very well for a plaything, but when I want a friend on whose cordial sym- pathy and cooperation I can confidently rely in any emer- gency, and with whom I am sure of being understood and ap- preciated, I shall look somewhere else, I assure you.' I was pleased to see that my expostulation was not with- out its effect. Hamlet indeed said nothing, for he perhaps did not like to acknowledge his error; but his conduct after that exhibited a decided change, and in a short time he and Hero- as Alice had named the doe - were as good friends as any one could wish. CHAPTER XIX. More at Home.-More about Shoemaking. -My Skill as a Tailor. -A charming Fit; - Making Baskets. - Cups and Dishes. -A new House. - Increasing Wealth. - High Notions. - Chairs and Tables. - A royal Entertainment. -- Brevity Bill. - I determine to release Him. WE now remained almost constantly at home for two months, with the exception of a third voyage we made up the river, to obtain a fresh supply of oranges, where nothing seemed worthy of notice. We were far, however, from being idle. I was obliged, in the first place, to finish the pair of shoes I had begun to make for Alice; and, before I could do this, I had to make me an awl. I took the nail that I had found in the boat, and having fitted the big end into a rude handle, I then ground it against a rough stone till I had brought it to the proper size. This operation occupied a whole day and part of another, and after the awl was done, it did not an- swer the purpose half as well as one that I could have bought at home for a few cents. I would not change it now, however, for the best awl that ever was made. But the shoes especially excited my admiration. Instead of using a welt I simply bent -the edges of the upper leather outward about a quarter of an inch, and then-sewed them firmly to the sole, having first cut a narrow groove in the un- page: 226-227[View Page 226-227] 226 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. der side to protect the thread, which would otherwise have been worn out in a few days. The principal fault of these shoes was that they were too large, or rather Alice's feet must have been too small; for I kept making the shoes smaller and smaller, but I never could see that it made any difference. However, by stuffing them with soft grass, I not only obviated this difficulty, but made them much easier to the feet than they would have been with- out. I next added a pair of leggings to protect her ankles, and then, having done all that was required of me as a shoemaker, I set to work to see what I could do as a tailor and milliner. For reasons already given, I thought it would be far better for Alice to exchange her usual style of dress for one more like that I wore myself; and having with much urging over- come her repugnance, I proceeded to cut out, first, a pair of loose trousers - then a vest, fitting closely to her figure-- and, lastly, a frock or sack, worn open'at the top, and secured by a broad belt about the waist. These garments were none of them sewed in the usual way, but held together by a pro- digious number of strings or points, as they would formally have been called, the ends of which hanging loosely on the outside formed a sort of fringe all up and down the seams. From the nature of the material it was impossible to make this dress either graceful or easy, but in spite of every disad- vantage Alice looked so perfectly charming in her new attire that I could hardly keep my eyes off from her for a moment. I afterwards found means to remove the hair, to soften the skins by rubbing them with a smooth stone, and to dye them different colors by employing various kinds of bark; and then my Alice was dressed as richly and becomingly as I had BASKET-MAKING. 2'27 any wish to see her. But all this I shall relate more par- ticularly hereafter. My next step was to make a suit of clothes for myself, which did not differ in any respects from those already made for Alice, except that the trousers were a little, smaller. After I had put them on, we sat down and laughed at- each other for half an hour; but, when I came the next morning to see myself in the fountain, I was so disgusted by my own figure that I had half a mind to throw my ugly clothes into the sea. Deer-skin caps completed our equipment; but we were already accustomed to that style of head-dress, so that it excited neither laughter nor disgust. We now thought we would try our hand at basket-making. Here our material was all we could ask; but our skill in this was even less than in either of the others; and our first attempts were so frail and rickety, as well as so unsightly, that I dared not even laugh for fear of their falling to .pieces. We did much better, however, every time we tried, and Alice, especially, improved so fast that I could hardly believe that -she had not served an apprenticeship to the trade. Of all employments that I ever tried I think this is the pleasantest; in fact, we both found it so fascinating, that we continued, at intervals, to make baskets long after we had more than we knew what to do with, till we were at last obliged to stop for want of proper material. While engaged in this delightful occupation we did not remain in the house, but sat on the ground, in the open air, under the shadow of the mangrove that stood before our door. We used these baskets for a great variety of purposes. In some we kept oranges, in others figs and tamarinds, and page: 228-229[View Page 228-229] 228 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. cocoanuts. Alice sent several of the prettiest as a peace- offering to Brevity Bill, who found them very convenient in collecting shells. But they were only- fit for holding solids. I had read, indeed, of certain savages who had carried the art of basket- making to such perfection that they could be used for holding water. But it seemed to me that it must be very much coarser water than was to be found on our island. We had gourds, however, enough to answer every purpose, and the task of fashioning them into cups was far more simple, and hardly less agreeable, than basket-making. Every time we went up the river I was sure to bring back a fresh supply, till at last we had so many that Alice could not help wishing to give a party, merely for the pleasure of showing her plate. But, as this would have been altogether too much trouble, all we could do was to arrange them on shelves around the walls of our house, where they gradually accumnu- lated till there was no more room to put even a single cup. The shelves, which I made expressly for this purpose, were formed of bamboo, and supported at either end by being let an inch or two into the wall. By means of a light partition, constructed of the same material, I also divided the house into two apartments, one for me, and one for Alice, that she might thus enjoy that privacy which I knew she so much desired, but which she had been hitherto obliged to do without. As we began now to be straitened for room, I determined to excavate another of our gigantic gourds, intending to use it as a store-house. The meat I had taken from the first had by this time turned quite black, and shrunk to less than a fourth part of its original bulk; but it was still sweet, and having kept it so long, I could not make up my mind to throw CEHAIRS AND TABES. 229 it away now. I accordingly piled it up in one corner of our new store-house. The remaining space was nearly filled with baskets of dried figs, and oranges and cocoanuts, which I had laid in against the approach of the rainy season. All this time we had taken our meals standing, or sitting on the ground, and usually without intermitting our labor. But now, as we had more leisure, Alice began to wish for something a little more stylish, such as chairs and tables; and though, for my own part, I was well enough satisfied with things as they were, there was no other way for me but to do as she directed. I had been in my younger days rather fond of reading Robinson Crusoe, and I remembered that, when he wanted to make a table, he hewed a plank out of a whole tree. But that story, though certainly very ingenious, was, after all, only a fiction, and no man in his senses, especially in a warm climate, would ever think of making a plank with such prodigious labor, unless he intended to use it for something far more important. I made as good a table as any one could desire, in half an hour, by simply driving four stout stakes into the ground, and then placing on them a smooth fiat stone, which I had pre- viously brought down from St. Anthony's Falls for that purpose. This was certainly much better than one made of wood; for it was far less trouble to keep it clean; its weight made it more steady, and it would last a great deal longer. Our chairs, or stools, as I suppose they must be called, ,Were made at first of bamboo cut off about a foot from the joint; but afterwards, as our skill increased, we made two of wicker-work, with arms and backs, which were truly a wonder to behold. 20 page: 230-231[View Page 230-231] 230 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. I remember, as well as if it were yesterday, when we first sat down at our well-filled board. Alice and I sat opposite each other, with Hamlet between us. His head at that time just came up above the table; and though I am quite sure that he had never seen anything of the kind before in his life, it would have been impossible for any one to behave with more exemplary gravity. Our entertainment was certainly sufficiently primitive, not very unlike that which our grand- mother Eve once set before the angel Raphael, when he came down, with such delightful want of ceremony, to take a family dinner with her and Adam. Our fruits, at any rate, in their delicious variety, could hardly have failed to satisfy even his celestial appetite; though I doubt whether all his politeness would have enabled him to relish the coarser roots and shell-fish that accompanied them. For drink, "My Alice from the tamarind-tree Had plucked its acid fruit, And steeped it in the water long; And whoso drank of the cooling draught, He would not wish for wine." Alice playfully insisted upon our changing our plates at every course; even the bear must for once conform to our example, and show himself as good a Christian as anybody else. Ah, how merrily we laughed when, after trying a long time in vain to eat as he saw us doing, he indignantly emptied the contents of his plate upon the ground, that he might enjoy his meal after his own fashion! "But, what a pity," cried Alice, " that poor Brevity Bill could not be here with us! He would enjoy it so much, and there is just room enough for him." I DETERMNE TO RELEASE BREVITY BILL. 231 "Perhaps," said I, " you are sorry you did not accept his offer?" Alice said nothing, but gave me such a look that I was half glad, but still more sorry, for having spoken. To make amends, I added, "But I believe you are right; the poor fellow would enjoy it, I have no doubt, amazingly; and I will go to-morrow, the very first thing, and see if we can't get him out." "How will you do it?" asked Alice. "Have you thought of any way?" "Yes," I replied, "I will untwist the rope that belongs to the boat, and pull him up with that." "But will it be long enough?" O O, yes; it is twenty feet long, and, as there are three strands, that will make more than sixty feet." ( How so? Three times twenty are sixty." "Yes, but untwisting it will make the strands considerably longer." "' Ah, yes, I did not think of that; but will it be strong enough?" ( Yes, indeed; all I am afraid of is that we shall not be able to haul him up so great a height." "What a pity 't is that he is so heavy!" said Alice. To this proposition I assented; and then, rising from table, I proceeded at once to make the necessary arrangements for effecting our purpose. The motives which had brought about this sudden revolution in my mind will be explained here- after. page: 232-233[View Page 232-233] CHAPTER XX. Procrastination and its Consequences. - Alice and I descend the Cliff. - I see nothing of Brevity Bill. -What I thought about it. - Painful Discovery. - Narrow Escape. - Brevity Bill's last Hours. - His Alag- nanimity. - Iy Remorse. - His Death and Burial. I GOT everything ready that afternoon, fully intending that not another day should pass without seeing Brevity Bill at liberty; but the next morning, when I came to think the matter over, I could not make up my mind to take so impor- tant a step without further reflection. But Alice was not to be put off any longer. I managed, indeed, under one pre- tence and another, to persuade her to wait one day more, but that was the most she would allow; so the second morning we set off together towards the shore. On reaching the cliff, and looking down over the edge, I could see nothing of my prisoner; but, as I supposed that he had not yet awaked, this unusual circumstance excited no alarm, and, calling to Alice to follow, I began to descend the steep and narrow path that led down the face of the precipice. Hamlet went with us a short distance, but then, finding the walking more difficult than he had expected, he sat down in the first convenient place he came to, to wait for our return. If Alice had been dressed in her usual awkward attire, nothing would have tempted me to permit her to brave so PAINFUL DISCOVERY. 233 perilous a passage; and, even as it was, I felt no little anxiety lest her head should turn giddy, or her foot slip on the smooth rocks; but I soon found that I had really no cause for any such. apprehensions. She sidled along the narrow ledges quite as fearlessly and surely as I did myself, and the swaying vines seemed yet more careful of her safety. We reached the bottom triumphantly; but on looking round for Brevity Bill I could see no more of him than before. I called again and again, but received no answer. What could be the matter? Had a ship come and carried him off? They certainly would not have gone without us. To be sure, I had no wish to leave the island, but they had no right to suppose so. They ought to have sought us out, and given us an opportunity to decide for ourselves. At any rate, the least they could do was to fire a gun. Miserable, heartless wretches! But perhaps Brevity Bill had not given them any notice of our being on the island! That would just suit his malicious, revengeful temper. How he must enjoy his triumph! But, again, what if he had found means to ascend the cliff without our assistance? This was worse than the other. Just as we were doing all we could to help him! But it was just like him. Nothing would give him more pleasure than to disappoint us. And I should not wonder if the skulking rascal had already found his way to my castle, and was at that very moment wreaking his malice on our inoffensive doe, and the wealth that we had accumulated so painfully! These suggestions of Satan all presented themselves to my mind in a single instant, and, as might be supposed, occa- sioned me great uneasiness. But just then, as I was already thinking of hastening home to see if my fears were true, my eye fell upon a dark object lying among the rocks, just beneath 20 K page: 234-235[View Page 234-235] 234 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. where we were standing. It was some time before 1 could make it out. An arm? --and a leg?-a face? Brevity Bill? Yes, it must be. Was he dead? I feared so. Hastily, and with trembling fingers, I secured one end of the rope to a small tree that thrust its roots in among the rocks, and slipping over the precipice, without saying a word to Alice, I commenced my descent. !"What is the matter?" she cried. "Where are you going?" "Stay where you are," I answered; "I will be back directly." ("But O, Robert! the rope is breaking! come back! come back!" I looked up and saw, as the rope untwisted with my weight, the loose fibres yielding, one after another, as they came in contact with the sharp edge of the precipice. I looked down, and saw, still fifty feet below, the sharp and jagged rocks,that were ready to receive me. Should I go up or down? I hesitated a moment, and while I hesitated I could feel through all my nerves the peculiar jar that accompanied the sundering of each slender thread. The ascent was shorter, but the descent more easy, and the risk would be less. So down I went, the rope run- ning like fire through n)y bleeding fingers. I reached the bottom, hardly crediting my good fortune, and, as my feet felt joyfully the solid rock, the rope came rattling from the cliff and coiled itself about my shoulders. lMy return, in that way at least, was now impossible; but, without stopping to reflect on the possible consequences of this untoward accident, I hastened at once to ascertain the condition of my unhappy shipmate. As I drew near I per- ceived from his groans that he was still alive. I knelt BREVITY BILL'S LAST HOURS. 235 down by his side, and, taking his cold hand in mine, besought him to tell me by what cruel fortune he had been brought into that miserable condition. He attempted to speak, but his voice died away in an inarticulate whisper. I ran and brought him some water. With this I moistened his parched lips and burning brow. Then, in slow and broken sentences, he told me his story. He had begun to despair of our ever doing anything for his relief, and had at last made up his mind to see if there was no way by which he could climb the cliff himself. About the middle of the forenoon, the day before, he had commenced the ascent, and had gained a height of some fifteen or twenty feet, when, unluckily, trusting his weight to a slender .vine, it parted in his hand, and he was precipitated to the bottom. Falling on his back upon the hard rocks, he had sustained very serious injuries; and here, unable to rise, or even to stir, he had lain all the rest of the day, and allthe long, weari- some night, consumed with thirst, racked with pain, and not knowing but what he would have to die without ever seeing, us again. "I feel," he added, "( as if every bone in my body was broken; my bows are stove, there's ten feet of water in the hold, and I can't swim much longer. But never mind, Jack, Wny boy; it's all right, I dare say; you'd have helped me out if you could; and if you wouldn't, why it's just the same. I've felt sometimes as if you hadn't done to me ex- actly as you 'd be done by, but no matter now; I bears no malice; so give us your hand in token that we part friends. And tell Miss Alice, - God bless her sweet face! -that I 'm heartily sorry if I 've ever done the least thing to vex her, and I hope she'l forgive me. And, Jack, mind you treat her kindly, for my sake; she's a young thing, and delicate, page: 236-237[View Page 236-237] 236 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. and has not been used to our rough ways; and don't you never let a tear come into her eye, if you can help it. I wish- I could see her afore I die. I feel then as if I could die a good deal easier; but I 've got her letter right here; I 've carried it here ever since; and, Jack, I want you to bury it with me; if you don't, I shan't sleep easy. And, if you ever get a chance, you must write home to my old mother, and tell her all about it; she'll feel bad enough, I know; but tell her I died a good Christian, and never forgot anything she said to nme; and you can send her a lock of my hair, and my tobacco- box; she 'll vally it for my sake. But where is Miss Alice now?" "I left her only a few minutes ago," I replied; " and there she is now, up there, looking down at us." "( What! is she, really? And can I see her?" "Yes, I think you can, by turning your head a little. There, you can see her now, can't you?" "O, yes, yes! I see her; but will she stay there? Don't let her go away; she'll stay there till I die, won't she, if you ask her? 'T wont be long, and I feel so much easier to see her. It's just like an angel looking down out of heaven. I don't mind my pain in the least now. Bless her! bless her! God bless her! She is my soul's darling,- but too good for me, a thousand times; too good to take any notice of me. But she won't be too good for me in heaven. She'll speak to me there, sometimes, when we meet. Say, Jack, my boy, does she love you? Ah!-well-I'm glad of it. I'm not jealous now; don't take away your hand. I love every- thing that she loves; but, Jack, you must love her with all your soul. She won't be satisfied with anything shorter. And - when you're happy - think - of me." While he thus spoke, I sat by his side, without daring to BILL'S MAGNANIMTY. 237 speak a word, and overwhelmed with shame and remorse. The enormous selfishness and cruelty, of which I had been guilty towards this unfortunate sufferer, now presented them. selves before me, for the first time, in their true light. The wretched sophistries with which I had hitherto blinded my conscience had no longer any power. In the presence of the king of terrors falsehood and hypocrisy shrunk back abashhed. And he! how had the approach of death exalted him! I hardly knew him to be the same person. Could this bi the man I had accused of so many ignoble vices - upon wlhom, but a short time before, I had looked down with such con- tempt? Now how immeasurably he was my superior! "Bill!"I cried, "t dear Bill! you must not die; you shall be happy yet. I have wronged you shamefully, and I cannot askl you to forgive me; all I ask is that you will only live that I can show you how sorry I am. Say, is n't there any- thing I can do for you? Shan't I try and move you where you can be more comfortable?" "O, no," he replied, "( I don't think it is worth while. I may as well die here where I am; the least movement kills me; but I wish you would bring me a little water; I am very thirsty." I brought him the water, and he drank eagerly. Then he spoke again. "Jack, you mustn't talk so. I dare say it's all for the best; you meant to do about right; and we all of us makes mistakes sometimes; but see, she is smiling at me- she's beckoning to me- excuse me, Jack, but I can't stay now. But who is it, my mother or Alice? strange, one is so old and the other so young, yet I can't tell which it can be; it must be an angel; I hear-" he fell back, insensible to this world of pain and sorrow, but sensible, as I trust, to the world that is to come. page: 238-239[View Page 238-239] 238 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. I signed to Alice that all was over, for I could not speak, and then, having decently composed the corpse, I walked along the shore of the barren, deep-sounding sea, whose cease- less voice, forever singing its own eternity, impressed the lesson I had just received more deeply upon my heart. I buried him there on that distant shore, deep among the sands, under the overhanging rocks. In front the Pacific poured its i" vast and melancholy waste." ]ent on showing in every way my late repentance, I spent many hours in erecting a rude headstone, and carving in it the name and birthplace of the deceased; for, though man might never visit that lonely spot, though the winds alone should sing his funeral dirge, and the wild sea-birds alone, there "t make their home, Their shrill cry coming through the sparkling foam," yet I took a melancholy pleasure in showing even to them how fondly I cherished his memory. I see it now, that single solitary mound; and though I cannot expect any of my readers to share my emotion, it has for me a deeper pathos, and a sublimer morality than I could have felt if I had stood under the drooping willow that shaded the grave of Napoleon. CHAPTER XXI. An awkward Situation. - Poetical Justice. - Description of my Prison. - My unsuccessful Attempt to escape. - Night on the Shore. - A guilty Conscience.- A fearful Visitor.- The second Day. - Strange Discovery. - The second Night. - I resolve to explore the Cavern. - Subterranean Lake. -The Skull.--My Method of Reasoning. - - cross the River, and lose my way. IT was not till I had dug the grave, and laid my friend down in his last sleep, that I allowed myself to give a thought to my own situation; but, that sacred duty being fulfilled, I began anxiously to look about me to discovbr, if possible, some way in which I could escape from my prison. To scale the face of the precipice seemed plainly impossible; for at the point where I had descended, and which was the only place that afforded any chance of success, the cliff projected so boldly after reaching a height of, perhaps, twenty feet,. that, unless one could walk on a ceiling like a fly, he could not advance another step. This was where poor Bill had made his attempt, and though I was as strong as he, and far more active, I perceived too clearly the difficulties of the under- taking to suppose that I should be any more successful. I attempted a long time to throw one end of the rope up to Alice; but it had become so loose and light, by being un- twisted, that all my efforts were in vain, till at last, com- pletely exhausted and reduced to the verge of despair, I threw page: 240-241[View Page 240-241] 240 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. myself down upon the ground, and, with bitter sighs and lamentations, reproached the cruelty of fortune, that had so suddenly plunged me into such an abyss of misery. I could not, however, help looking upon it as in some sort a retribution for my past offences; and, at the same time, I hoped that justice would now be satisfied, since I was suffering in my own person the same misfortunes which I had been the means of inflicting upon another. But now the declining sun warned me that there was no time to be lost if I did not wish to spend the night upon the shore; and once more starting to my feet I began pacing rapidly back and forth, from one end of the beach to the other, like a wild beast in his cage, in hopes of finding some loop- hole of escape. The spot to which I was confined was shaped like half a circle, and measured, perhaps, a hundred yards in diameter. The rocks at either end ran far out into the sea, so that even at low water there was no possibility of passing them. They seemed everywhere almost equally steep and inaccessible; and the longer I looked, the more formidable appeared the difficulties of my situation. But when night approached, my agony seemed well-nigh insupportable. Hitherto I had been cheered by the presence of Alice, but now it was necessary for her to return home. She wished, indeed, to remain where she was, but to this I would not listen for a moment; for though the thought of separation was exceedingly painful, and I knew not what evil might befall her, with no one but the bear for her protector, yet I felt that she would be much safer in our little castle than on that narrow ledge or in the open forest above. She at length yielded to my repeated remonstrances, but she wasted so much time in turning back to say Good-night, that I was afraid darkness would be upon her before she A FEARFUL VISITOR. 241 reached the summit, and I was forced to run away to the furthest part of the beach till she was out of sight, though the effort almost burst my heart. For the first time since leaving the ship we spent the night alone, -I on the solitary shore, Alice in our lonely cottage. Completely exhausted, as I was, both in mind and body, I could not sleep. My heated imagination was perplexed with strange alarms. Again and again I thought I heard Alice calling to me for help, and when I started up to fly to her relief, I found myself hemmed in on every side by those dreadful rocks. And when the moon came up out of the sea, and shone full upon that new-made grave, it seemed to me as if it would reproach me with my crime. And then the grave opened, and the dead body stood up upon its feet, and walked. It came and stood by my side, and said: "( You murdered me! If you had kept your promise, I should have been alive and well; if you had come even -a single day sooner; but you put it off. Now you must answer it." I saw the features of the dead as- distinctly as I had ever seen them in life, and even the clothes he wore, and the but- tons on- his coat. Then he went back to his grave, and laid down again. The same thing happened; I should think, a hundred times; and every time he said the same words. And every time he said them, they sounded yet more fearful. O! it was a dreadful, dreadful night! How I longed for morning! How eagerly I hailed the first faint dawn kindling in the dappled east! How overjoyed I was at sight of my beloved Alice, as she came tripping lightly down the dangerous path! My courage returned with the light. I ate heartily of the 21 page: 242-243[View Page 242-243] 242 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. figs and cocoanuts that Alice had brought me, and then began again to study the face of the precipice, but much more care- fully than before. Three times I walked the whole length of the beach, fixing my eyes successively on every shrub, or vine, or slight projection, or whatever seemed to offer room even for a single foothold, but without discovering anything that held out the least prospect of escape. But the fourth time, as I passed a thick bush, growing apparently out of the very face of the cliff, some twenty feet from the ground, I thought I perceived behind it a slight hollow or excavation; and a more careful scrutiny having convinced me that this was indeed the case, I determined, as much from a morbid curiosity as any other motive, to see what it contained. I tied a large stone to one end of the rope, and, after making several ineffectual casts, I succeeded in throwing it round the bush. I then ascended with little difficulty, and, passing behind the bush, found myself, to my great surprise, at the mouth of a cavern that extended apparently' a great distance beneath the ground. "Ah, ha!" I said to myself, "a cave! I should like to explore it. I have always wished to see a cave,- Putnam's Cave, - the Mammoth Cave of Kentucky, - the cave of the Forty Thieves. But I have no time now. I must come again, that is, if I ever get out of this prison. But what if this cave itself should lead up to the top of the hill? I might try it. But suppose I got lost, and never found my way out? Then I should starve to death, buried alive." No, it was too great a venture. I would not risk it; at all events, not until I had tried everything else. I descended once more to the beach, but left the rope still hanging in the bush. I RESOLVE TO EXPLORE THE CAVE. .243 All day I was pacing up and down the beach, or sitting on the ground trying to plan some way to escape, or gazing stupidly and despairingly upward to where my Alice sat, half lost among the vines. I could not see the expression of her face, but I knew it was full of love and sympathy, not, per- haps, unmingled with reproach. Allt day long she sat there, longing to help me, yet knowing not how; but, when the day was gone, slowly and sadly she ascended the hill, and I saw her no more. - Again the moon came up out of the sea. Again the grave opened, and the dead stood before nre. Again those eyes, with stony stare, were fixed on mine. Again the cold lips moved, and those dreadful words froze my heart. Another night would drive me mad. Better to brave the worse than midnight darkness of the cavern, than remain any longer exposed to such a visitation. I could hardly wait for the return of day. As soon as Alice appeared, I made known to her my intention; then, without waiting to hear her en. treaties, I hastened to the cavern. The mouth was low and narrow, and I could only enter on my hands and knees. That I might not lose my way, I kept close to the left-hand wall; and, to avoid the danger of falling into any pit that might chance to lie across my path, I had pro- vided myself with a long stick, with which I constantly felt the ground before me. The path, at first, was nearly level; but, after going a little further, it became very uneven, ascending and descending con- tinually, though it seemed to me that its general inclination was upward. The height of the roof, also, was hardly ever the same for a hundred yards together. Sometimes, as at first, it was so low that I had to creep on my hands and knees; at others, as I judged from the sound of my voice, I page: 244-245[View Page 244-245] 244 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. came to wide and lofty chambers, domes, and galleries; but all the while it was so dark that I could not see my hand before my face, and whatever beauty and magnificence there might have been in those subterranean palaces, it was as en- tirely lost to me as if it had been a thousand miles away. In this manner I must have proceeded several miles, though the path was so crooked that I had not probably gone over a quarter of that distance in a direct line, when, all at once, the sound of my staff warned me that I was standing on the edge of a body of water, and that I could not, of course, advance with safety any further in that direction. I accordingly turned to the right, and groped my way along the shores of that dark and silent sea, in hopes, either of coming to its termination, or of finding means to cross it; though what those means might be, I confess that I had but a very indistinct idea. After advancing thus perhaps half a mile, I came at length, as I had expected, to the end of the lake; but, unfortunately, I came, at the same time, to the end of the cavern, which happened, oddly enough, to be of precisely the same size. Here, then, was the end of my journey, - of all my labors and of all my hopes; for, if I did not succeed in this way in reaching the upper air, I knew no other way of doing it. My separation from Alice, then, would be forever. I could still see her, to be sure, and carry on an apology for a conversa- tion; but as to any real enjoyment to be derived from her society, she might almost as well be in another hemisphere. I sat down to rest a while, and think over my situation, or, rather, to torment myself according to my wont, by making it as bad as possible. But I had hardly found a smooth place in which to sit, - for when I am going to be miserable, I always like to be as comfortable as circumstances will admit,--when my hand SKULLS. --CROSSING THE RIVER. 245 came in contact with a hard, round object which I at first supposed to be a stone, but the next instant discovered to be the skull of some animal. Hundreds of others were scattered all around, and I had beenwalking over them for some time without once thinking of their true nature. The cavern, in -fact, was a complete charnel-house, a vast sepulchre, where, for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of years, those bones had been accumulating. But to whom had they originally belonged? Could they be human skeletons, the only remains of a race long since passed away and forgotten; such as have been sometimes found in our western world? I shuddered at the thought, and started upright upon my feet. Again I mustered courage to feel the skull. It was long and pointed. It could not, then, have belonged to a man. It must have been one of the lower animals, brought thither by beasts of prey. But how? Certainly not by the way that I had entered. Then there must be another entrance to the cavern; and, in all probability, it was on the opposite side of the water. But if they had crossed the water why could Hnot do the same? Groping cautiously before me with my staff, I once more stood on the edge of the lake, which had impressed my imag- ination, I know not how, with a sense of immeasurable depth. At the first trial my staff gave a depth of about six inches; at the second, it touched the opposite bank. I tried it again and again, but with the same result. Yet, even then, I could hardly believe it. To have been kept in check so long by such a contemptible adversary! I entered this mighty flood, and in three steps stood on the further shore. An excellent moral might be drawn from this adventure; but, as the reader is doubtless a better draughts- 21 page: 246-247[View Page 246-247] 246 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. man than I am, I will leave that to him, and continue my story. I was now much nearer the right-hand wall of the cavern, and I determined to make that my guide; but, after following it a long time, I suddenly, and without knowing how, flftnd myself involved in an immense labyrinth of stalagmites, or what I took to be such, where I lost my way so completely that I could hardly tell my right hand from my left. CHAPTER XXII. Lost in the Cavern.--The dead Huntsman. --My Meditations. -How They were interrupted. --The pair of Eyes.-- Whose are They? -- I make up my Mind to be eaten by a Tiger.--I am agreeably disap- pointed. - My miraculous Escape. - Hamlet's Sagacity and Affection. -Inconveniences resulting from the Death of Brevity Bill. UP to this time I had felt no particular alarm. I supposed I could, at any moment, retrace my steps, and find my way back to the point from which I had started; but now, I saw myself helplessly, hopelessly lost. At this thought, I felt, through my whole soul, an intolerable anguish. A convulsive shudder ran over me; my teeth chattered; weak and trem- bling, I could hardly stand upon my feet." But I would not die without an effort. I would walk as long as I had strength to drag one foot after the other. I hurried blindly forward, stumbling over the bones, and striking my head against the hard columns. I groaned and shouted frantically. The skeleton bones stirred and came together; they stood up upon their feet, and then came clattering after me, thou- sands upon thousands, streaming through the winding cavern. I heard their loose -joints rattle, till it swelled into a deafen- ing roar. It was a dreadful chase. But who was that that urged them on? He rode the big- page: 248-249[View Page 248-249] 248 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. gest and foremost; and, ever and anon, I heard the sharp crack of his lash. Casting, a hurried glance over my shoulder, I saw the dead face of Brevity Bill shininig through the dark- ness with a ghastly and phosphorescent light. I was overtaken, hurled to the ground, trampled under innumerable hoofs; and, with shouts of mocking laughter, the whirlwind hunt swept by. When I came to myself, I was lying at the foot of a pillar, weak, and unable to rise. My limbs were stiff and sore; my throat parched with thirst. I cannot tell how long I had been in that situation ; indeed, from the moment I entered the cavern, I seemed to lose all idea of time. It appeared to me, however, that the sun must have risen and set many times since I last parted from my beloved Alice ; but his rising sent no gleam of light into that living tomb, and his setting brought no increase of darkness. One long, eternal night reigned there, and would reign until the solid, opaque earth itself should become transparent as crystal before the search- ing brightness of the last great day. Here, then, was to be my tomb,--a grand mausoleum, more magnificent, by far, than that of proudest emperors! But it was hard to die alone, and shut out from the blessed light of heaven. If I could only look once more on the face of nature, - if I could only clasp once more Alice's dear hand in mine,--if I could say ("good-by,"- then I could die contented. But this might never be. She would never know what had become of me. She would not even know whether. I were alive or dead. In the evening, in, the morning, and at noon, she would look for me, and I should not come. Perhaps she would walk over that very spot without ever dreaming that' my body lay mouldering beneath. THE PAIR OF EYES. 249 But I have not time to tell the thousandth part of the dis- mal fancies that haunted that dark dungeon. Weak as I was, I still felt that water would revive me; I was dying of thirst. But how could I ever hope to reach the water, not knowing its direction, nor whether it were ten yards or ten miles away? Still I did not quite despair. I cannot believe that any human being ever did. Much as we talk about it, I cannot think we know the horrors of that word. If I had perished then, I believe that my last thought would have been that I was about to be saved. At this moment a slight noise attracted my attention. My brain was so disordered, that at first I was in doubt whether it were real or only a figment of my imagination. But, look- ing in that direction, I saw two eyes, that seemed fixed upon me with a strange earnestness. They were several inches apart, and a foot or more above the ground. This showed me that they must belong to some large animal,- a panther, per- ,haps, or it might be a tiger. This Was undoubtedly his den; and the probability was that we were not far from the entrance. If I could see which way he went, I might muster strength enough to crawl after him into the open air. But what if he should attack me? This new fear brought me at once to my feet. It may seem strange that a man dying of thirst should be so afraid of a tiger; but so it was. I forgot all my former sufferings and apprehensions; I forgot even my weakness, and, thinking only of this new enemy, I sought, behind a pillar, to hide myself from his attack. But it was too late. A few steps only, and I fell prostrate on the earth. A single bound placed him by my side. I felt his hot breath in my face. Like one waiting for the surgeon's knife, I set, my teeth, and knit my brow, and clenched my page: 250-251[View Page 250-251] 250 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. hands, expecting every moment when his cruel fangs should lay bare my quivering heart. Baut he did not seem in any hurry. He was probably used to the business, and fond, too, of impressing his nervous pa- tients with a sense of his own coolness. Or, perhaps, he was trying all this time to find the right place. He put his head close to mine, then rubbed it gently against my side. My hand brushed against his coat. It was not smooth and sleek like a tiger's, nor yet like a panther's; it was too rough and shaggy for either. It was a bear's,--it was Hamlet's, - I was saved! I spoke to him,- I called him by name,- and the faithful creature almost devoured me'with caresses. That dark cav- ern seemed suddenly illumined by his presence. With diffi- culty I climbed upon his back; I threw my arms round his neck, and, at once, with gentle pace, he started off through the windings of the cave. In fifteen or twenty minutes, we came into the open air. I was at first almost blinded by the glare, but, as my eyes grew stronger, eagerly they drank in the blessed light, as a thirsty man drinks water; even the commonest objects, the lights and shadows of a rock, afforded me greater pleasure than I had ever received before from the most varied and delightful scenery. It was late in the afternoon,- so much I could see by the sun, - but whether it was Saturday, or Sun- day, or Monday, I had not the least idea. f Nor did I know any better in what part of my little king- dom I had emerged. Only, as the beach where I had entered the cavern was at the eastern extremity of the island, I took it for granted that, in order to rejoin Alice, we must travel in that direction; and this was the direction actually taken by STRBANG EMOTIONS. 251 the bear. The sun looked over my right shoulder as we hurt ried through the depths of the forest, We came, at length, to a little brook. Hamlet would have crossed it without stopping; but, impatient as I was, I could not resist the temptation. I slipped from his back, and, lying flat upon the ground, drank large draughts from the crystal stream. The effect was magical, as I had thought it would be; my strength returned- wonderfully. I saw that Hamlet was tired with carrying me so long a distance, and I deter- mined to go the rest of the way without his assistance. He had been watching me all the time I drank, as if fearful lest I should again escape him; and now, notwithstanding his previous exertions, he was evidently unwilling that I; should walk a single step. However, I at length made out to con- vince him that I was abundantly able to go alone, and once more he started off, while I followed close at his heels. Everything seemed then, as now, like a dream. I am con- stantly obliged to go through a long process of reasoning to convince myself that it ever happened. I was like one risen from the dead, or a ghost hastening to revisit his former haunts. The ground sounded hollow beneath my tread. The rustling leaves and crackling branches alone showed that I had weight. I shouted aloud, to be more sure of the reality. My voice sounded like a thing apart. It was not I,- it was not mine. I repeated again and again to myself, " You are Robert Dexter Romaine; you are not in Washington-street, nor in i t. Auburn; you are ten thousand miles away, in the middle of the Pacific, and you are going to seek Alice Cremorne. Who is Alice Cremorne? - Who is she? - she is the fairest she that the sun shines upon; and Robert Dexter Romaine loves her, and she loves him. But where is she?" page: 252-253[View Page 252-253] 252 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. At these strange ravings, -for so they must have seemed to him, - Hamlet could not help casting back at me, now and then, a glance of wonder and pity. He led the way, however, without saying a word, further and further, into the heart of the forest, never stopping a moment to recollect the path, and brought me at last to a large tree, at whose foot I discovered my beloved Alice, lying on the ground, and scarcely distin- guishable, in her dark dress, from the leaves and mosses that surrounded her. "There!" looked the bear, sitting complacently down on his haunches, "I have done my part, now do yours." I lost no time in obeying his injunction. I hastened to her side, my heart full of the most painful apprehensions; but, as I approached, my step aroused her; she started up with a cry of joy, and the next moment we were clasped in each other's arms. "But how came you here?"I asked, after we had suffi- ciently manifested our mutual delight at this unexpected restoration, ' and what were you doing in this frightful "O," she replied, , I came here to look for you. I could n't wait any longer; you did n't come, and I was afraid some dreadful thing had happened to you; and then I thought per- haps you had found your way out, and were somewhere here in the woods, and I would go and meet you; and very soon I lost my way, and wandered about so long that at last it seemed utterly impossible for me to go a step further; so I sat down under this tree to rest, and I was thinking, when you came, whether, if-I should die here, the robins would come and cover me with leaves, as they did the babes in the wood. But tell me where you have been all this time, and how - INCONVENIENCES RESULTING FROM BILL'S DEATH. 253 "Tell- me first what day it is."' "What day it is? why, it is Friday!" "Friday! You don't mean to say that it is only a single day since I left you?" ( Certainly; I saw you, you know, this morning." "Well, well, I suppose you must be right; but it seems to me more like a week; but now, let us be going home; that is, if you feel strong enough, and Hamlet will show us the way." As I spoke, I called the bear and endeavored by signs to show him what we wanted. He seemed to comprehend the matter without the slightest difficulty, and, striking at once into the woods, he led the way with as much boldness and confidence as if he had been over the same path a hundred times. It was long after dark when we arrived at home; but, weary and exhausted as we were, Alice could not rest till I had given her a full account of my adventures. Soon after she fell asleep; but I continued still to ponder the various events that had recently happened, and the consequences that would necessarily follow. The death of Brevity Bill had occurred at a time when it was peculiarly inconvenient, not only for himself, but for me. I had already made up my mind to bestow upon him, as a partial recompense for his past privations, the office of Justice of the Peace; and then, if he discharged the duties of that responsible station to my satisfaction, I intended to promote him to other still more elevated positions. Indeed, if I had found him capable and trustworthy, there was nothing that I would not have done for him. I would not have hesitated to appoint him Commander-in-Chief of the army, or Lord High Aclnliral, which would be perhaps 22 page: 254-255[View Page 254-255] 254 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. better suited to his inclinations; or, if he preferred to exercise his talents in some civil employment, I would even have made him my prime minister, and keeper of the privy seal. My marriage could then have been solemnized with all the legal forms and ceremonies. Alice could not have made any objection. If, however, she chose to be married by a clergy- man, I should have been perfectly willing to gratify her even in that particular. Brevity Bill, to be sure, had never re- ceived a liberal education; I had no reason to suppose that he had much acquaintance either with Latin or Greek; but, he was a good man, bating the slight eccentricities already men- tioned, and would have filled the sacred office quite as well as some I had known at home. But now all these fair prospects were at once blasted. Brevity Bill had died just at the moment when his sun, which had been so long behind a cloud, was all ready to break forth with noonday splendor. All his life long he had languished in obscurity, and when at last he seemed just on the point of attaining such a station as should repay him for all his early mortifications, envious fortune had snapped short his brittle thread, and robbed him of immortality. I have read of many bitter and grievous disappointments, but never of one so per- fectly overwhelming. And, on the other hand, unless she should change her mind, I saw no longer any possibility of my ever being united to my beloved Alice. We were doomed to a life of joyless, hopeless celibacy. We were compelled to wage a desperate battle with death, without a hope of ever receiving a single reinfbrce- ment. The victory must finally be his. We might resist him successfully for a while, but sooner or later we should have to give over the unequal contest. That fair island, where we had lived so long, where we had been so happy, would again re- MELANCHOLY REFLECTIONS. 255 turn to its original silence and desolation. Our graves would be the only witness that it hard ever been animated by a hu. man habitation. In after years, perhaps, some shipwrecked mariner or curi- ous traveller might find his way, as we had done, through that narrow pass, and come and stand by our forsaken dwelling. With what strange wonder and conjecture,would he turn over the scanty memorials .of our mysterious history! Our names carved on some rude stone, - perhaps he had heard of them before, - perhaps some faint recollection of our unhappy fate still lingered in his memory; but, -far more probably, it would be a perfect stranger, to whom our names and fortunes were alike unknown. The death of the only human being on the island except ourselves naturally had a powerful hold on my imagination. One third of our whole population had thus been taken from us in a single day. Such mortality had never been known among men, even in the worst raging of the pestilence. Even in the great plague of London, when the grass grew in the streets, the number of the dead bore no such proportion to that of the survivors. As I thought of these things, an indescribable melancholy -took possession of my soul. I called to Alice, but she was sleeping quietly, and made me no answer. To be separated from her, even by so slight an obstacle, seemed at that moment well-nigh intolerable. I forced my arm through the bamboo partition, and, having found her little hand, I clasped it in mine; and, thus soothed and comforted, I fell asleep. page: 256-257[View Page 256-257] CHAPTER XXIII. Home Life. -Hamlet and his foster-Children. - I am again moved with the Spirit of Adventure. - I resolve to visit the Volcano.- Ascending the Mountain. - Camping at Night. - Natural Arch. - Sudden Alarm. - An unreasonable Visit. - Coming to Supper. - Going away without It. -Total Discomfiture of the Hyenas. THE taste of adventure given in the last few chapters was, as might well be supposed, enough to satisfy me for several weeks. If I ever felt any temptation to go in pursuit of fresh excitement, the recollection of what I had suffered on the beach, and in the cave, was sufficient to dispel all such uneasy longings, and incline me to yield without resistance to the en- treaties of my beloved Alice, who was never so happy as when seated under the shade of the mangrove, weaving baskets, watching the innocent gambols of Romp and Una, or listening to the oft-repeated stories of my early days. I went, it is true, nearly every day to the spot where I had buried my unhappy comrade, to carve his name upon the rude low headstone, to strew the grave with flowers, and to implore the forgiveness of God, for the sin of which I had been guilty. As I had left the rope by which I had first descended still hanging at the mouth of the cave, I supplied its place with a gigantic vine, taking care to guard it against chafing on the edge of the precipice by inserting several thicknesses of bark. HAMLET AND HS FOSTER-CHLDREN. 257 With this exception I remained constantly at home, per- fecting our various branches of manufacture, and solacing my- self with the cheerful society of my friends. The doe and her young ones had already become quite tame, and promised to form a very agreeable addition to my little family. I noticed-with pleasure that Hamlet no longer enter- tained any of that jealousy with which he had at first regard- ed the new-comers. He had himself voluntarily assumed the office of a foster-father to those young orphans; he watched over their safety with unceasing vigilance,-- was evidently very solicitous about their manners and morals, - gave themn all the instruction that was suited to their tender years, -ac- companied them in their walks, and even condescended occa- sionally to a game of romps. When I saw how tenderly he dandled them in his huge paws, how careful he was not- to hurt them, and how good- humoredly he submitted to their rough and sometimes boister- ous treatment, I could not help thinking that he would have made the very best father in the world; and I was sorry that he had no children of his own to play with. "Poor -old bachelor bear!"I exclaimed, " it is always the way-the best and kindest hearts are the very ones that never find an opportunity to prove the wealth of their affec- tion. If you had been cross, and ugly, and crabbed, like some bears that I know, you would have been, by this time, I dare say, the husband of some young, delicate creature, a thousand times too good for you; but, as you are kind, and generous, and noble, you have no one to love, and no one to love you, but the children of a stranger." With this-I fell into a fit of musing, that lasted at -least an hour, but ended, however, as others had done, without my discovering any remedy for the evils I so much deplored. 22* page: 258-259[View Page 258-259] 258 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. I lived in this way several weeks; but tIlcn I began to tire of this life of inaction, and to long for some nlew excite- ment. The mountains, that formed the backbone of' our island, held out a boundless field of discovery .and adventure. I had long since determined to explore thi} cl; biut had not yet found a convenient opportunity. Now, however, I had nothng else to do; the rainy season was approaching, when it wotuld be difficult to go f;ar from home, and I was unwilling to let the summer pass without our obtaiuing any additional knowledge of our little kingdonm. From various indications I had already conme to the con- clusion that the island must be of volcanic origin; and though everything seemed to show that the subterranean fires had long been extinguished, yet even an extinct volcano, like a dead elephant, is vorth seeing to one who had never beheld it when alive. If we had been obliged to go a thousand miles to find it, the case would have been different; but there it was, in full view, and scarcely a day's journey from our own door; so that it would seem to argue a total lack of enthusiasm and philosoph- ic curiosity to forego any longer the pleasure of witnessing so rare and sublime a spectacle. We left home early in the morning, leaving the doe to keep house during our absence; but instead of descending, as usual, into the valley, we kept along the summit of the ridge, till, coming to what seemed a convenient place, we turned to the right, and began to ascend the mountain. The walking at first was comparatively smooth and easy, though in many places the luxuriance of the vegetation seri- ously retarded our progress; but gradually, as we advanced, the ground became more uneven, our path was often crossed by deep and precipitous ravines, or blocked up by huge VISIT To THEJ VOLCANO. masses of partially decomposed lava and other volcanic mat- ter, which imarred the beauty of the landscape, but which nature was now doing her best to cover and adorn. The appearance of the forest trees also was imperceptibly but constantly changing. At almost every step upward we seemed to lose one of those belonging to the tropics, while, at the same time, some production of the temperate zone, sup- plied its place. I recognized with delight some trees that I had known at home. They seemed to me like some old familiar friends. -We stopped at noon by the side of a brawling brook; many of which, fed by eternal springs, came foaming down the mountain side, as if hastening to convey to the sultry air be- low something of the purity and coolness of those upper regions where they had their birth. Here we lingered many hours, gloating, like a miser over his gold, over the sight of our rich and fair possessions, nearly the whole of whichl now lay spread out before us, and sunning our souls in the constant sparkle of the summersea that lovingly girt us round. We went only a little further that night, and then encamped near the bank of the same stream, where we found a place of shelter, assafe and commodious as could be desired. In some former eruption of the volcano the lava had cooled round the trunk of a prostrate tree, which, afterwards, decay- ing, or consumed perhaps by the intense heat, had thus left a solid arch of stone, dark and unsightly, and painfully ,ug- gestive of the blackened ruins of a human dwelling. One end of this arch was partially closed by the masses of lava, leaving only a narrow opening near the top; but the other was still open. We had at first intended to pass the night in the open air; but the loneliness of the spot, and the fear page: 260-261[View Page 260-261] 260 THE NEW AGE OF COLD. of wild beasts, whose cries echoing among the mountains, seemed already to encircle us, very soon suggested that we should be doing much better to take advantage of this natural fortification. Alice and I entered first, and Hamlet, following, stationed himself just within the opening, where his formidable talons and threatening aspect might well make any enemy think twice before venturing to come within his reach. The event fully justified these precautions. The first part of the night passed without any alarm. But towards morning a low growl from the bear gave us warning sound sleep, I forgot for a moment where I was, till, bumping my head violently agarrinst tOhe top of the arch, all the circum- stances of our situation were thus brought at once to my recollection. The involuntary cry of pain that escaped me at this acci- dent awakened Alice, who, sitting up, eagerly demanded what was the matter. This I could not immediately answer; but, i iS the bear still continued uneasy, I was satisfied that some- hing was going wrong, and, groping my way cautiously to he narrow opening already mentioned, I endeavored to dis- over the cause of his disturbance. For a long time I could see nothing. The night was eautifully still and peaceful; the starry heavens themselves aemed hardly more serene than the little island they looked own upon. Tile dark masses of lava, which the tree envel- )ed in a yet deeper shadow, were the only objects that ggested danger. But suddenly, on the further side of the brook, appeared an ;ly and ill-omened shape, high-backed, long-limbed and with es that glowed like burning coals. While I looked it was UNSEASONABLE VISITORS. 261 joined by another, and another, till I counted no less than seven, huddled- close together on the bank. They seemed to be consulting as to what they had better do. The first who made his appearance, and who also seemed to be the orator, was evidently communicating the result of his observations to his less experienced companions. From time to time he glanced towards our place of refuge, as if to give greater meaning to his words; and from this it was easy to see that we ourselves formed the subject of his discourse. What could they want of us? Had they just heard of our arrival in those parts, and at once hastened to pay their respects? Had they come to give us a serenade, or to ask us to dinner, or to invite us to become 'their guests as long as we remained in that neighborhood? It was barely possible, but I did not believe it. Indeed, I had my suspicions that this unexpected visit was owing to an entirely selfish motive. I might be mistaken, but if I had been asked my opinion, I should have said, decidedly, that they wanted to eat us. I understood their lingo to be sure very imperfectly, but, so far as I could make it out, they seemed to think it very mean in us -not to come out of our hiding-place, and allow them that slight gratification, without making any difficulty. It would save both them and us so much trouble; and, as for the manner of the feast, we need have no fears but that it would be arranged in the highest style of the art. "Not so fast, my fine fellows," I cried; ' we nay be your oyster, but you must open us first before you can eat us; unless, indeed, you choose to take shell and all, and that, I suspect, would be rather too much for your digestion. Courage! Hamlet,'my boy! don't let them frighten or cajole you out of your hole; but stay where you are; and if any page: 262-263[View Page 262-263] 262 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. one inquires for me, tell him that I don't see company at this hour." By this time the ugly-looking rascals had descended the bank, and, crossing the brook in single file on some stepping- stones that happened to be there, they again stopped a moment, as if to reconnoitre, not more than twenty paces from where I was lurking. Then, if I had only had a double-barrelled gun, I should have liked nothing better than to let fly among them with a heavy charge of buck-shot, when I should have been sure of killing or wounding nearly all of themo; but, as I had only a bow, and no room to bend even that, I was forced to lie still and listen to their villanous conversation, without the power of making any reply. They seemed to be sayingo what part they liked best. One thought he should prefer a leg; another decided in favor of an arm; while the third, who had very much the air of an epicure, declared that the rest might take their choice, but he should be contented with the hands and feet. All the while they kept smacking their lips and snuffing up the air at a great rate. They had evidently never read Mrs. Glass' famous recipe for cooking the hare. They were now too hungry to wait any longer, and all at once, as if on a given signal, they bounded forward towards the entrance of our hiding-place, each striving to get there before the others. Seeing this, I also left my position, and drew close to the bear, that I might encourage him by my presence; for the arch was so narrow that there was not room enough for both of us to face the enemy at once. The first that poked his head into the door did not stop long enough to ask even a single question. Then the second tried it, but he too was in a great hurry, and only stayed to ask how we all were; to which Hamlet replied by a box on DISCOMFITURE OF THE HYENAS. 263 the ear that must have made him hard of hearing all the rest of his days. So the whole seven put their heads in, one after another; but none of them liked the looks, and in spite of Hamlet's pressing invitation they would not venture any further. His presence evidently took them entirely by sur- prise. "Who'd any idea that he was there?" cried one, or so I pleased myself with fancying; and "I know it," chimed in another; "I didn't suppose we should have had any trouble, but unless we can find some way to coax him out of his hole, we may as well give up the whole thing." 6"But who is-it? Where did he come from?" cried two or three in chorus. "( I don't know anything about that; all I know is that Friar Tuck himself never got such a box on the ear as he just gave me; and for my part I think the best thing we can do is to let him alone." "t It will never do to give it up so," said the leader; " one of us must go in and pull him out." "( Yes, but which of us shall it be?" cried all the others. "Who will bell the cat?" " I will," returned the heroic champion; and without more ado he rushed into the mouth of the arch to grapple with the bear. But, as soon as he camfe within reach, Hamlet clapped his paws one on each ear, and, forcing his head against the ground, held him fast in that disagreeable position, where he kept him till morning, unable to stir hand or foot, and crying lustily for quarter all the while. But, as to his valorous followers, they no sooner saw the fate that had befallen their unhappy leader, than, without stopping a moment to see what they could do to help him, page: 264-265[View Page 264-265] 264 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. they all turned tail, and scampered for dear life into the forest. The whole thing was over so suddenly, and had such a ridiculous termination, that I could not help laughing; though in truth it was no laughing matter, and, if it had not been for the bear, we should have laughed, as the saying is, out of the wrong side of our mouths. As might be supposed, it was, very little sleep that we got during the rest of the night. But, when it came morning, and we could see about a little, I spoke to Hamlet to release his enemy, supposing, of course, that if he had any sense of honor about him, he would never think of leaving until he had obtained satisfaction for the affront so publicly put upon him. No sooner, however, did he find himself at liberty than he made off as fast as his legs could carry him, without stopping even to make any reply to the jeers and taunts with which we hailed his unceremonious departure. "Well!" cried I, stretching myself to my full height, for I was cramped with being so long in such narrow quarters, "he is not the first-that has gone out for wool, and come home shorn! eh, Hamlet?" Hamlet made no answer, but a sly twinkle in his eye showed that he relished the jest as keenly as any one. And so ended our first and last adventure with the hyena; an ugly brute, and one that I had learned to fear in child- hood, but which, in this instance at least, manifested but little of that determined ferocity I had hitherto ascribed to him. CHAPTER XXIV. Ascending the Mountain. -I am obliged to reason with Hamlet. - The Summit. - Descent into the Crater. - Iamlet's Agility. - Our Quar- rel; his Magnanimity. -Night in the Crater. - My fearful Dream. -- Its still more fearful Fulfilment. - The Eruption. - Our hasty Flight. - Our narrow Escape. - Hamlet saves our Lives for -the fifth Time. IT was still early in the morning when we again addressed ourselves -to ascend the mountain. -There was little at first to distinguish the scenery from that we had passed through the day before, but the forest by degrees became less crowded, the trees were smaller and further apart, till at last we left all traces of vegetation behind us, and came out on the bare cone of the volcano. The surface was composed for the most part of ashes largely intermixed with stones and scoriae. The action of the weather had gradually covered this with a thin crust, in some places sufficiently firm to bear our weight; but, gen. erally we sank into it above the ankle, which made our prog- ress exceedingly slow and toilsome. The bear with his big feet would have made out far better than either Alice or I, if he had not been obliged to stop so often in order to sneeze; but he was so disgusted at this that several times I thought he was on the point of turning back and leaving us to prose- cute the enterprise alone; and, in fact, I really believe he 23 page: 266-267[View Page 266-267] 26 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. would have done so, if I had not reminded him, again and again, of the glory and distinction he would obtain by persevering until he had reached the sumlmit, and of the sa tisfiaction lie would derive in after years from relating his perilous and remnarkable adventures. I renlinded him too of his early habits, and asked him if he thought it would become one who was born and bred among the Rocky Mountains to shrink now before such a trifling elevation. After this he gave us no further trouble, and we went on pleasantly together till we gained the summit, and stood in our fitting place, in statuesque relief, high drawn against the sky, with nothing to obstruct our view on either side. I had of course no means of arriving at any positive result; but, by comparing it with Mount Washington, which I had once ascended in the same way, I judged that this mountain was not far from six thousand feet in height. It was the only peak of any consequence in the whole island, and the prospect we obtained from its summit was grand and imposing beyond description. Directly beneath us spread a sea of living green, with gently rolling billows that seemed almost to kiss our feet. Beyond, in lively contrast, a second sea of deepest blue, whose rival waves came crowding close as they could get on every side. The circling tides, rejoicing in their gaudy liveries, as on the gala-day of some indulgent prince, pre. sented to our sovereign eyes a ring of emerald, whose costly setting in its varying splendor of beryl, diamond, or chryso- lite, still left the mind in pleasing doubt as to which of all the three a fastidious fancy would prefer. But high above all this the mountain reared its grim and terrible front in awful majesty. Its nature, fiery and sudden, THE MOUNTAIN' SUMMT. 267 like its birth, was ineffaceably stamped on every rugged feat- ure. No rounded lines were there, such as the soft fingers of the waters have traced on our-New England hills, no gently- rising slopes, but cloud-shaped crags instead, precipices that overhung their base, an avalanche of Alps suddenly arrested in mid career. Ages on ages had since passed away, yet we still seemed to feel beneath our feet a tremulous jar, as if the nerves -of poor old mother earth, though of adamant and iron, had not yet ceased to quiver from that tremendous birth. I love that tropic land, which under its soft, luxurious exte- rior still holds its passionate, fiery heart. But, after -all, it is not what we see at such times, but what we imagine, that lends such powerful meaning to the wild and desolate places of God's earth. There even the dullest imagi- nation seems borne, as on wings of fire, above and beyond the narrow circles of time and space. But to one 6f quick and lively working fancies, and especially to one who is weary and disgusted with the world, and fond of those retired haunts, where he can give himself up without distraction to the pro- foundest joys of melancholy, I know of no place that can be compared to the summit of a volcanic mountain. The sea and the desert has each its own sublimity; but man's works are on the sea; and the desert, -though it has the loneliness and desolation, and, in its effect upon the imagi- nation, perhaps even the vastness of mountain scenery, has but little of that feeling of exaltation and buoyancy which the latter communicates. It is the hlnd of the ostrich, and not of the eagle. From the mountain's top the soul feels as if it could take flight to heaven. It swells and grows, as if it would fill the mighty void with its own immensity. If all the countless worlds page: 268-269[View Page 268-269] 268 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. around were at once blotted from existence, it could replace them all from its own essence, and not feel the loss. We were greater than all we saw. No mean or sordid or grovelling thought can breathe that purer atmosphere, -no anxious cares, no fretful, pining discontent. The eye sees as though it saw not; no sound falls upon the ear; feeling takes the place of sense; but, at last, exhausted by its own intensity, the overwrought soul is compelled to turn earthward for relief. So Alice and I, when we could dream no longer, aroused ourselves once more to the contemplation of the wonders about us. The crater, into which we now proposed to descend, was about an eighth of a mile in width, in-its general shape approaching a circle, but extremely irregular in its outline, and its whole aspect in the highest degree gloomy and forbid- ding. There was no trace of vegetation, so far as I could discover, in any part of it. Near the bottom a thin smoke or vapor circled lazily upward, but was entirely lost before it reached half way up the sides. If the ascent had been difficult, the descent into the crater was tremendous. Every step was a journey, and only to be taken after long forethought and circumspection; for, in going down, it was also necessary to consider how we could get up. We should have turned back a hundred times, but, after under- going so much, it seemed a pity to have taken all that labor for nothing. But what amazed me more than all the rest was, to see the agility displayed by the bear. I had hitherto supposed him to be a very clumsy animal; and, indeed, if I had, not beheld it with my own eyes, I should never have believed him capa- ble of such feats as I now witnessed. He went up and down places where I should never have dared to follow,- places IAMLET S AGLTTY. 269 where it seemed impossible for anything but a goat or a mon- key to go in safety. I thought sometimes that he did this by way of bravado, as much as anything else; for, notwithstanding his many noble and excellent qualities, he was not entirely free from the charge of vanity; and, if so, it was but natural to suppose that, like all the rest of the world, he would be more likely to betray it in some such trifle, than in anything where he really had reason to pride himself. Dr. Johnson, I remembered, had a precisely similar weak- ness. I accordingly remonstrated with Hamlet again and again for being so foolhardy, telling him that he would certainly break his neck some day, if he was n't more careful, and that then he would be sorry he hadn't followed my advice; but it did no sort of good; he would still have his own way, and went rolling and scrambling down the mountain as hard as ever. At first, after going some distance ahead, he would wait for us to come up; but, presently, becoming tired of our slug- gish movements, or wishing to be the first, at the bottom, he pushed on without stopping, and we saw no more of him for several hours. When, however, we reached the bottom, or as near as it was safe to venture, we found him stretched out at his ease on a bed of warm ashes, very complacently surveying the scene about him, and with a lurking air of triumph in his little twinkling eyes, as much as to say, "Well, you've got along at last, have n't you? I 've been here these two hours." We neither of us made him any answer, or took any notice of him whatever, for we were a little inclined to be vexed- about it; so, sitting down on one side, we stared with all our might at the half-burnt rocks, trying all the while to look as unconcerned as possible, - though we could not help feeling a 23* page: 270-271[View Page 270-271] 270 THE N'EW AGE OF GOLD. little awkward and embarrassed-for a quarrel, in such a place, of all others, is a very disagreeable affair. I do not know how long this would have lasted, --for I am a very poor hand at making up, and Alice, too, had some Scotch blood in her veins, - but Hamlet, who, whatever might be his other faults, had not a particle of that ignobility about him, presently dis- covering how matters stood, came and thrust his great rough head directly in my face, with such a straightforward sincerity of expression and so good-humored withal, that there was no possibility of withstanding it; and so the whole difficulty was settled at once, without any more ado, and we were all as good friends as ever. We now surveyed the scene with more attention. The place where we stood was, as near as I could judge, about five hundred feet from the bottom of the crater. The precipitous walls on every side, entirely bare of vege- tation, blackened and glazed by fire, --the thick and sulphurous vapor that hung about the bottom, and ebbed and flowed lazily at our feet,-- and the total absence of everything that looked like life, made up altogether the dreariest and most portentous region my eyes had ever seen. The approach of evening only made it still more appalling. "Come, let us go " said Alice, pulling me by the arm; "it will be dark directly, and we shall have to spend the night in this dreadful place." I gladly yielded to her request, for my imagination already swarmed with dismal fancies; and, without losing a moment, we began the ascent. But it was later than we thought; the way was long and toilsome, and very soon it became apparent that, with all our exertions, we could not gain the summit that evening. The idea of sleeping in the mouth of a volcano, even though A DREAM, AND TH:E REALITY. 271 that mouth was open, was anything but agreeable; but there was now no help for it, and we prepared to make ourselves as comfortable as circumstances would admit. After hesitating a moment between stones and ashes, we finally chose the for- mer, as being much cleaner than the other; and, though it must be confessed that our bed was none of the softest, yet we were by this time too well used to that mode of life, to think of uttering a word of complaint. We ate our supper of dried figs and cocoanuts, with abun- dant relish, but for drink we had nothing but a single gourd of water; for, when we left home, we had no expectation of remaining over night in the crater, and had not, therefore, thought it necessary to bring a larger supply. The poor bear suffered extremely from thirst, nor was I much better off; but I was glad to see that Alice was far less disturbed by this privation. At last, however, I slept and dreamed. I dreamed that I was in the upper story of the Astor House, in New York, - that I was surrounded on every side by a terrible conflagra- tion, -that I could see its glare through my windows, and on the snow-covered roofs of the adjacent houses. In the room next to mine I heard a woman's voice, that cried piercingly for help. I dashed open the door, I caught her in my arms, and through the blinding smoke, over the burning floors, down the falling stairs, I bore her triumphantly into the open air. I looked to see who it was that I had saved, and found that it was Alice. At that moment I waked from my dream to find it a reality. The rocks, that, when I last saw them, were turning from gray to black under the shadows of evening, were now lit up with a ruddy, fiery glare. Far beneath, a sea of fire tossed and boiled like some page: 272-273[View Page 272-273] 272 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. mighty caldron. The surface was dull red, but spirts of white, hot lava were continually rising above it, which, turning dark by exposure to the -cooler air, fell back again heavily and with a muffled splash into the molten lake. Occasionally a mass, much larger than ordinary, would shoot upward to a ,great height, and then, bursting with a prodigious noise, scat- ter its fragments upon every side. The midnight darkness of the sky contrasted strangely with the burning sea below. The sight was terrible, yet beautiful beyond description. Notwithstanding the danger we ran of being suffocated by those pestilent fumes, or scorched by the showers of burning lava, a mysterious fascination held us fast to the spot. The position which we occupied was eminently favorable for obtaining a full and satisfactory view of the whole extraordi- nary spectacle. We stood upon a projecting crag, from five hundred to a thousand feet above the surface of the lava, upon which we looked down at an angle of nearly forty-five degrees. The opposite walls of that vast amphitheatre, with their innumerable peaks and hollows, stood out in strange and terrible distinctness. As the flickering flames rose and fell, the solid mountain t-self seemed to waver to and fro; then, a sudden wreath of smoke would shut everything from our view. But now the lava, which had hitherto remained stationary at nearly the same level; began to rise with fearful rapidity. As when -to compare great things with small - a group of children in a farmer's kitchen gather round a boiling kettle of syrup or molasses, and suddenly the bubbling mass begins to swell, threatening the destruction of their hopes, and one cries, "Take off the kettle!" and another, "Put out the pERILOUS SITUATION. 273 fire!" so, but with yet greater fear and consternation, did Alice and I behold the rising of that fiery-flood. To put out the fire or take off the kettle was equally be' yond our power, and our only safety was in flight. But, fast as we fled, the fire followed faster. As often as I paused, to recover my fatigue, and cast a breathless glance behind me, I saw it gaining on us. We redoubled our exertions,--we leaped from one dizzy point to another,--we surmounted obstacles that in our cooler moments would have seemed invincible; but still the fire came on, not boastfully, not apparently in any hurry, but slowly, surely, certain of its prey. There was something indescribably appalling in this cool, deliberate advance, like the forward march of a great army, that, even in the excitement of the charge, scorns to break its ranks. At length, completely exhausted, we sat down upon a broad flat rock, the situation of which rendered all further flight impossible. Before-us rose a, lofty precipice, while the path behind us was already seized by the pursuing foe. A single glance was enough to show that our fate was sealed. Already we felt the scorching heat upon our faces. The fire had planted its fore feet upon the lower part of the rock. Shudderingly we closed our eyes, and, clasped in each other's arms, awaited the final plunge. We waited, but it did not come. Once more I opened my -eyes and looked around me to discover the explanation of this unexpected respite. At first I thought the lava had ceased to rise, but the next moment I saw by the walls of the crater that its progress was still upward. Why; then, were we not submerged? We were rising with it! The immense fragment of rook on which we rested was page: 274-275[View Page 274-275] 274 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. of a spongy, porous nature, and floated o1 the surface of the lava like a cannon-ball in a mass of quicksilver. It had already risen half way up the precipice, and in another monlent we light step from it upon solid land. 'A gleam of hope lighted up my soul at this discovery. But it was as suddenly dissipated. The lava had ceased to fow. lWhat a short time before would have been our safety, was now our ruin. Before that intense heat the large rock was melting like a lump of ice in boiling water. Our fate had only been deferred to protract the period of our suffering. Alice, no longer able to breathe that hot and stifling air, was now happily insensible. I had not even the aid of her sym- pathy. But I was glad for her sake. To her the horrors of death were already passed. The lava rose a little more. The rock tottered, and swayed this way and that, and seemed every moment -to sink beneath us. I made a desperate effort to gain the edge of the preci- pice, but it was just beyond my reach. All this time Hamlet had been watching our situation with the most evident concern. He had taken a different path from that which we had followed, and had thus got beyond the reach of danger. Instead, however, of continuing his flight up the mountain, he had returned, as if to see whether he could render us any assistance. He witnessed my last in. effectual effort with a howl of despair; but then, as if a new thought had just occurred to him, he flung himself down the precipice, and stood the next moment by my side. Then standing upon his hind legs, with his fore feet braced firmly against the solid rock, he seemed to invite me thus to make my escape. I lost not a moment in taking advantage of his friendly aid. With a sudden and desperate effort I caught Alice in my SAVED AGAIN BY HAMLET. 275 arms, and, mounting upon his shoulders, succeeded in placing her safely upon the rocks above. The bear, relieved from my weight, sprang lightly after us, and at the same instant the rock on which we had been standing settled rapidly to one side, and then, with a sullen surge, sank beneath the surface. All this had happened in less time than it has taken to read these lines; but whole hours of thought and suffering seemed condensed into those brief moments. The reaction was too great for my spirits, and I -fell pros- trate and insensible by the side of Alice. r When I recovered my consciousness the morning was just beginning to dawn. The volcano, as if, like beasts of prey, it was most dangerous at night, was now muttering in its sleep. The lava had sunk again into its subterranean caverns, and noth- ing remained to show that such fearful convulsions had so recently occurred, except the heat that still streamed from the rocks, and the denser smoke that whirled and eddied below. We now first perceived the full extent of the danger from which we had escaped. Our clothes were singed and shriv. elled with the intense heat; the hair was entirely burnt off in many plFes; and, if they had been of any other material, I do nof-see how we could have braved, even for so short a time, the fury of the devouring element. But when Alice heard how she had been saved, she could not find words to express her gratitude. -She threw her arms round Hamlet's shaggy neck, and kissed him again and again, lavishing upon him at the same time every expression of fondness and endearment; till, at last, the honest fellow, who evidently could not endure a scene, tore himself, as I thought, rather rudely from her embrace, and started to lead the way up the mountain, with an air as much as to say, "Well, well, /. page: 276-277[View Page 276-277] 276 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. that will do! What's the use of making Much a fuss about a trifle? I think we'd better be going home." Alice and I followed more slowly, but still she could talk of nothing but the bear, and his wonderful sagacity. "It would be of no use," she said, " for us to tell of it, for no one would ever believe it." Now, I confess that, for my part, I could see nothing in his conduct so very extraordinary. But then, perhaps, I expected more from him than she did. I had seen so many instances of his great intelligence, that hardly anything could now sur- prise me. But lest the' reader should incline rather to side with Alice, or even to doubt the story altogether, I can assure him that the affair happened precisely as it is here described; and, if he is still incredulous, I can only refer him to those persons who have made Hamlet's acquaintance in this country; any one of whom, I am sure, would be ready to relate circum- stances that have come under his own observation, quite as wonderful as any mentioned in this narrative. f, CHAPTER XXV. Continuance of the Eruption. -My Manner of Accounting for this Ph!e- nomenon. - A Fire. - Our exceeding Delight. - Our first Cookery. - A sumptuous Dinner. -Buying a Kettle. FOR more than a week after the events just related the eruptions of the volcano continued. An immense quantity of ashes was ejected, and fell in frequent showers all around us; but the lava fortunately took an opposite direction. It flowed down the northern side' pfhe mountain, where it formed at one time a river of fir-veral miles long, and in many places nearly a mile in width; till, at length, emptying into the sea, the water was therebymade so hot that a great number of fish were killed, and I used to see their dead bodies for months afterwards floating along the shore. I think, however, that this unusual mortality must have been owing to something else besides the heat; but what it was, I do not know. Nothing, it is said, happens without a cause;. but the reader, I dare say, will wonder when he hears what I finally concluded to be the cause of this tremendous convulsion. It was neither more nor less than to furnish us with a fire! The grandeur and originality of this idea will suggest itsel to every one. I had no matches, and, therefore, made use of a volcano. This style of doing things seemed suited to my page: 278-279[View Page 278-279] 278 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. royal dignity. But I do not know that I would recommend it for general adoption. I am inclined to think that it might prove both expensive and inconvenient. Volcanoes, as I know from experience, are hard things to manage. Their temper is peculiarly moody and uncertain, and it is impossible to rely upon them with any safety. But in the present instance everything worked as well as I could wish. I filled a gourd with ashes, and, having obtained a few coals from the burning forest, I carried them carefully home; when I soon had a blazing fire crackling and laughing before my door. This, to be sure, cost me a long journey; for I was obliged to go quite to the further side of the mountain; but, after my fire was once kindled, I was very careful not to let it go out again, and, as wood was plenty and easy to be obtained, I had little difficulty. The pleasure we both derived from the sight of this first fire was so entirely novel and peculiar that I despair of being able to describe it. We had now been nearly four months on the island, and in all that time we had seen nothing of the kind, except the feeble smoke I had obtained from the friction of my two sticks, and the sparks struck from the back of my knife. We had begun seriously to doubt whether there was really any such thing. It seemed to us almost as great a myth as the genii of the Arabian Nights. But now we saw it with our own eyes. We welcomed it as an old friend, from whom we had been long estranged; we sat down by it, to see if it was like the fire we used to know; we poked it, to see if it would send up such a brave shower of sparks; we put our fingers into it, to see if it would burn; and, when we found that it would do all these things, OUR FIRST COOKERY. 279 we both agreed that it was a first-rate fire, and, we had no doubt, would cook as well as any fire that ever was made. But what should we- cook? Nothing in the world, it seemed to me, would taste so good as a bit of bread; but, as I knew no way of getting it, the next best thing, I thought, would be a joint of meat. Now, of meat our island furnished plenty; so leaving Alice to watch the fire, for fear it should run away in our absence, I took my bow and arrows, and proceeded a short distance into the woods, in hopes of coming across some highly favored, or perhaps I should write highly flavored ani- mal, who should have the honor of furnishing our first-dinner. There was an animal in our island which I shall call a hare-; * though it was not a hare exactly, for its tail was nearly as long as its whole body, and it had the power of climb- ing trees, and leaping about among the branches as nimbly as a squirrel. This made it very hard to shoot, as it was hardly ever at rest; so that we came at last to consider it quite a trial of skill to bring one of them down. On alluding to this, after my return home, one of the company pres- ent, who was probably not very well versed in natural history, suggested that the animal in question might be a monkey; another, with a greater show of reason, asked: if it were not an opossum; but not one could give mle any satisfactory information. I am myself inclined to believe that it must belong to a species hitherto unknown to naturalists ; but, as some may think that they have met with it before, I will here add a more par- ticular description. It was, as I have said already, of about the size of a hare, and had a head very much resembling it, except that the ears were shorter. The hair was not so soft, but more like that of a squirrel, gray on the back and sides, and white on the belly. Its tail was long and bushy, and apparently of great service to the animal in enabling it to maintain its balance on the smaller branches. It was also furnished with short sharp claws, five on each foot; and had two large cutting teeth in each jaw. As far as I could discover, its food consisted chiefly of fruits and nuts, and roots which it dug up with its fore paws. page: 280-281[View Page 280-281] 280 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. On the present occasion I was obliged to pursue my game for at least a mile before I obtained a chance to shoot ; but then, however, I was lucky enough to send my arrow in at one ear and out at the other, though the limb on which the ani- mal had perched was fully a hundred feet from the ground. Fully satisfied with this proof of my dexterity and good fortune, I slung the hare over my shoulder, and hastend back to our camp, where I found Alice, already beginning to feel anxious at my absence; though, in order to tease her a little, I pretended to believe that her anxiety arose quite as much from fear of losing her dinner as fear of losing me. I now made haste, and dressed the hare as nicely as I knew how, and then suspended it by a bit of hide to a forked stick thrust firmly into the ground and inclining towards the fire. In this way, by giving it a twist now and then, it was roasted as evenly as it would have been on the most scientific jack that was ever invented. I watched it with great interest, and even Alice could not help more than once smacking her rosy lips in anticipation of the approaching feast; which led me to exclaim, "Ah! I see you are not yet quite an angel, after all; how glad I am!" Alice blushed and pouted, but soon forgot her confusion when I informed her that the roast was done, and asked her to bring a dish in which to serve it. "Ah!" she cried, "how unfortunate! I ordered that dish yesterday, but they have n't sent it home yet; what shall we do? There isn't a dish in the house half large enough." "Never mind," I replied, , it will do very well as it is; only hold your plate, and I will help you to whatever part you prefer. Will you have it rare or well-done?" "O0, well done, by all means," she cried, laughing; though I am sure there was nothing to laugh at; but the fact was, A SUMPTUOUS DINNER. 281 we both felt so merry that we did nothing but laugh all the time we were at table. The meat was perfectly delicious. I do not mean by this that there was anything remarkable- about the flavor, for, prob- ably, any meat would have tasted equally well- after we had been so long without it. I had found a little salt in the hollows of the rocks on the sea-shore, the last time I had gone to carve poor Bill's epitaph; and though at that time we had noth- ing to eat it on, yet we both had such a craving for it that I carried home all I could find. While the meat was roasting I cut off several slices of the dried gourd, and toasted them nicely on the coals. It formed a very agreeable addition to our bill of fare, but did not taste at all like bread. I should be afraid to tell the quantity of meat we dtonsumed on this occasion. After we had eaten all we could of the roast, and had cut off all of the outside, "I wonder," cried I, "if it would not taste better broiled?" No sooner said than done. I sharpened my knife on a stone, and, cutting off slice after slice, handed them to Alice, who disposed them side byside, without crowding, on the glow- ing bed of coals. She turned them with a sharp stick, and, as soon as they were brown, put them -each one in a dish by itself, that they might cool the sooner; for, as we had no forks, we had to eat with our fingers. We both agreed that the broiled was the nicest; but, in order to be sure, I returned again to the roast, and, by the time we had finished, there was very little of the hare remain- ing. I advised Alice to set that away in the 'cupboard, as I thought it would-taste very good eaten cold about nine o'clock in the evening; to which she replied that she thought so to0, and, bringing out one of her largest gourds, she collected all 24*- page: 282-283[View Page 282-283] 282 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. the fragments, and then began to clear the table, and wash up the dishes. She soon found, however, that this was no easy matter; and, at last, gave up the task in despair, declaring that she would not do my work any longer unless I would supply her with hot water. "That is easily done," I cried; "all you have to do is to throw a few stones into the fire, and, as soon as they are hot, just drop them into one of your gourds, and that will make the water warm enough for all you wish to do with it." "But a kettle would be so much more convenient," persisted Alice; "and it would not cost you more than a dollar." 4 Now I happened to have a dollar in my pocket; so, taking it out, I handed it to her, saying, "Very well, then, there is the dollar, though it is all the money I have in the world. Now go and buy your kettle; you understand these things much better than I do, and can get it a great deal cheaper." "Is it really all the money you have left?" "Yes, every cent; and it will be a long time, I'm afraid, before I shall have any more." "Very well, then I will try and do without my kettle a little longer; we shall want the money more, I dare say, for something else." "Thank you, dear," I cried; "( but you shall have a ket- tle, for all that; that is, if I can make you one, as I have no doubt I can. I have seen them making earthen pots and pans many a time at home, and it is the easiest thing in the world."' So I said, though I knew, all the time, that there were few A KETTLE. 283 things, that looked so easy, that were really so hard. How- ever, I had promised, and after that there was nothing left for me but to do the best I could. How I succeeded in this new branch of industry, and many other things of a similar nature, I shall relate in the next chapter. J page: 284-285[View Page 284-285] C HAPTER XXVI. Pottery. Building a Fire-place. - Building a Kitchen.-Commence- ment of the Rainy Season. - A Hunting Expedition.- Great Slaughter among the Antelopes.- Smoked Venison.- History of a Day.- Leather Dressing. - i My Success in Dyeing. - Keeping a Journal. - New Kind of Stationery. --The wonderful Lamp. I DISSOLVED the clay I intended to use for my pottery in a gourd full of water, and, after stirring it violently, I waited a moment for the heavier particles to settle, and then poured out the residue into another vessel. When the water in this vessel had become quite clear, I drained it all off, and thus obtained a small quantity of clay as fine as any one could wish, and entirely free from any substance that might cause it to crack in drying. But, not to weary the reader with a more par- ticular account, suffice it to say, that, after almost innumerable failures, I had at last the pleasure of presenting Alice with a stock of earthen ware sufficient to supply all her wants. The largest of these pots would not hold above a gallon, and they were all exceedingly ugly to look at; but they an- swered the purpose, and that was enough. Alice next complained that she could not do without a fire- place. The wind, she said, blew the smoke into her eyes, and into the soup, and, in fact, everywhere else but where it ought to go; and she wanted a place to set her kettles where BUILDING A FIRE-PLACE AND KITCHEN. 285 they would not be all the time upsetting; and then a fire- place would look':nuch like home, and be so pleasant to sit by; and it would be easier to make the fire in rainy weather; and - It Enough! enough!"I cried; "I beg you will say no more; any one of these reasons is- more than sufficient; you shall have a fire-place, If it can be had for love or money." I believe, if she had asked me for a roe's egg, I should have - promised to give it to her. But, after the difficulties I had just surmounted, making a fire-place was the easiest thing in the world. At the same time it was very hard, as I had to brinog most of the stone from a considerable distance, and though Alice very good-naturedly offered to help me, I would not let her move a finger. After I had built the fire-place as high as my head, narrow- ing it gradually towards the top, I added a chimney of sticks, like a cob-house, and then stopped up all the cracks and crevices with a mortar made of equal parts of clay and, ashes. I arranged a place on either side to set the kettles, leaving sufficient space in the middle for broiling and roast- ing; and "Now," said I, when all was done, " what else will you- have?" Alice reflected a moment, and then replied, with a smile that would have repaid me for a thousand fire-places, and would have been a thousand times pleasanter to sit by, too, l"I think some sort of shade would be very convenient, don't you?" ( Certainly," I cried; "I wonder I did not think of it be- fore. I will build you such an arbor as never was seen since Eve's day." Four stout stakes, with crotches at the top, set in the earth at distances of ten and twenty feet, formed the corner-posts of page: 286-287[View Page 286-287] 286 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. our new kitchen. Between these I planted others, two on the shorter side and four on the longer, and then stretched across 1 slender poles, which I secured to the posts with thongs of hide. The whole was covered with a thick thatch of palm- leaves. We thus obtained a very handsome and commodious kitchen, sufficiently large to contain our winter's stock of fuel, and leave room besides for our various household duties. I after- wards added a covered walk extending from the kitchen to our sleeping apartments, that Alice might be able to pass from one to the other without getting wet in rainy weather. From time to time we set out climbers and running vines round the sides of our arbor, which was thus speedily covered with so dense a growth of leaves and flowers, that it looked like a solid mass of verdure. All these operations, as might be supposed, took up con- siderable time. I was obliged to make several trips up the river, in order to obtain palm-leaf enough to cover the roof. Then my axe was dull, so that cutting the sticks and driving them into the ground cost me almost incredible labor. At the same time it was necessary to lay in a supply of dried figs, of oranges and cocoanuts, against the approach of the rainy season; for, as some one had unfortunately borrowed my umbrella, and I always had a great horror of getting wet, 'I wished to avoid, as much as possible, the necessity of ven- turing abroad in unpleasant weather. On one of these voyages we were so fortunate as to shoot no less than a dozen hares, a hedgehog, and also a couple of antelopes. We ate a part of the meat, and smoked the re- mainder for use during winter; and then, having laid in a sufficient supply of everything we thought we should be likely HUNTING EXPEDITION. 287 to want, we said to each other, 4' Now it may rain as soon as it has a mind to." The first rain began to fall on the 27th of November, but it was only a slight shower; and for more than a week after the sky was as bright as ever. As I longed to replace our present stiff and cumbrous garments with others of a lighter and softer nature, and as I thought- that the rainy season would be especially favorable for this experiment, I determined to embrace the opportunity afforded by this fine weather -to obtain a fresh supply of skins. We accordingly once more ascended the river as far up as St. Anthony's Falls, and there, leaving the boat, we passed through the narrow belt of woods that girded the banks, and came out on an immense plain that extended quite up to the foot of the mountains, and was dotted only here and there with clumps of bushes, and occasionally a tree of considerable size. Over this plain there wandered innumerable herds of ante- lopes, which grazed upon the scanty herbage, and, sometimes, towards the end of the dry season, even ventured up into the valleys, where they fell a prey to the wild beasts that infested that region. The first that we met with fled at our approach, till they reached what they considered a safe distance, and then turned to look, with eyes brimful of curiosity and wonder, and almost always in attitudes of astonishing grace and vivacity. After following them several miles, without ever getting near enough to shoot, I at length bethought me of an expedient that I remembered to have read of as being sometimes prac- tised among the hunters on our western prairies; and, as I had little doubt that the nature of these animals was the, same all the world over, I determined to see if my antelopes could not be caught in the same way. page: 288-289[View Page 288-289] 288 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. Having thrown ourselves flat upon the ground, I then made Alice place her cap on the end of her bow, and wave it gently in the air. The antelopes, who had already stopped to gaze, felt their curiosity still more inflamed by this new phenomenon. They gradually drew nearer and nearer, not in a direct line, but in contracting circles, till they had come within about fifty yards, when, fearing lest they should take some sudden alarm, I let fly an arrow into the middle of the herd, which, fortun- ately lighting on one of the largest, brought him down after running nearly a mile. We followed up the hunt for three whole days, sometimes making use of this same stratagem, and at others, when the wind was in the right direction, stealing upon them behind rocks or bushes, till we had shot no less than seventeen, which I thought would be enough to supply our wants for some time to come. We saw no signs of any wild beast during this whole expe- dition, which we could not but consider a very fortunate circumstance, as we had no one but ourselves to depend on, having left Hamlet at home lest the sight of him should alarm the deer. I left the bodies of the antelopes where they fell, except three that I happened to shoot near the river, and those I carried on my shoulders to the boat, intending to dry and smoke them for winter's use. This addition to our larder afterwards proved very acceptable. After this voyage, as we did not expect to use our ship again for several months, I hauled her up on the beach, and covered her with a great heap of branches, as a protection from the weather. We now began to be very much at home. The rainy season had plainly set in, and we had little inducement to venture "EATHER-DREWSING. 289 far into the country. If we did, however bright it might be when we started, it was sure to rain before we got back. But the rain, though violent, was generally soon over. I have known no less than six heavy showers in one afternoon, and yet between them there was hardly a cloud to be seen in the whole sky. Notwithstanding this confinement, we seldom or never suf- fered for want of occupation. We rose with the sun. While Alice completed her toilet, about which she seemed quite as particular as if there had been the whole world to see her, I raked out the brands from under the ashes, and kindled the fire; and then, leaving her to set the table and get ready the breakfast, I walked out, if it was pleasant, to see if I could shoot a bird or two, or perhaps a hare, for dinner. If it was not pleasant, I pretended to chop some wood, or to be very busy about some trifle or other, that Alice might not think me always in the way. After breakfast was over, and Alice had cleared away the things, she gave up the kitchen entirely to my use. I brought in my skins from the storehouse, and set to work at my hew trade of a leather-dresser. By means of a strong ley made from ashes I first removed all the hair. , I then scraped the skin clean with my knife and sharp shells, and, having par- tially tanned it by soaking several weeks in a warm solution obtained from the bark of a tree, the name of which I did not know, I proceeded to put the finishing touch to my work by dyeing it a variety pf colors. This was, by far, the pleasantest part of the whole opera- tion. I became insensibly so much interestedrthat I could hardly find time to spare for my meals. I began at first with one or two trees, but the result was so satisfactory that I was 25 page: 290-291[View Page 290-291] 290 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. tempted to try others; and, before the winter was gone, I had made experiments with nearly twenty different kinds. There was hardly one that did not furnish me with a color, either from its wood or bark; and no two of them were exactly alike. By combining them in different proportions I was able to obtain almost any shade I pleased. But the colors in which I succeeded best were a pale yellow, a delicate wood color, and a dark green; and though none of them were very bright, yet, when skilfully contrasted, they gave me a dress that sufficiently answered my ideas of royal magnificence, and made me burn with eagerness to see my Alice so becomingly attired. Nor was her impatience a whit less than mine, though she did not show it quite so plainly; and, as soon as the material was ready, she began at once to make it into clothes. Our first suits, which were intended for every-day wear, were only of the original color of the skin; and though a decided improvement on what we had been wearing, and, as far as comfort was concerned, quite equal to our expectations, I cannot say that they were very becoming. Then she made me a second suit, of far richer material and workmanship; and, having by this time got her hand in, she set about fashioning one for herself, on which she lavished all her skill and inge- nuity, and which demanded so much labor that it was not finished till the end of winter. I shall describe this more particularly hereafter. I began at this time to keep a journal. When I first con- ceived this project, it seemed totally impossible. I had neither pen, nor paper, nor ink; all of which I had hitherto supposed to be indispensable. There was no lack of birds, however, on the island; whose feathers- furnished an indiffer- ent substitute for goose-quills; palm-leaves supplied me with A WONDERFUL LAMP. 291 paper, and for ink I employed a mixture of soot and tallow, though, in order to make it fit for use, I had always to heat it over the fire. I usually wrote my journal in the evening, by the light of the fire; till, at last, finding this very inconvenient, I deter- mined to see if I could not make a lamp. I had plenty of fat to use, instead of oil, and a cocoanut-shell did very well to hold it; but the tubqs for the wick gave me a deal of trouble. I made some at last, however, out of clay, and, having torn up a bit of sailcloth to use as wicking, my lamp was complete. I was so much pleased with this new specimen of my inge- nuity, and so impatient to see how it would work, that I could not wait till evening, but must needs go to lighting it at once. The consequence of which was that Alice, who knew nothing about it, coming out of the house a few moments after, stum- bled over the lamp, spilt the oil, and broke one of the tubes all to pieces.. I succeeded, however, in repairing the mischief before night, and that evening we had the satisfaction of sit- ting up till nine or ten o'clock, --I writing in my journal, and Alice, sitting by my side, engaged with nimble fingers in fashioning some article of dress. A few extracts will show the character of my entries, which I usually made as brief as possible, in, order to economize room; not that I had any fears lest my paper should give out, but because, otherwise, there would be danger of my volumes accumulating so rapidly that I should have no, place to bestow them. page: 292-293[View Page 292-293] CHAPTER XXVII. Extracts from my Journal. - Dyeing. - Making a Comb. -Yams.-- new Kind of Hair-brush. - Wishing for a Pedlar. --Christmas.-I build another House.-- My new Clothes. - New Furniture. "Can't afford it." - Palm-leaf Hats. - Hamlet. - Wild Bees. - Going to Mar- ket. --Fishing. -Hamlet's irregular Habits. - The Kangaroo. -- My Birth-day. Dec. 13th, 1843. RAINING hard. Dyeing. Fine wood- color. Showed it to Alice; she was delighted. Began to make her a comb. Hesitated between wooden teeth and fish- bones. Dinner,---have soup. Very good, but wanted pepper, onions, and potatoes. "th. Finished comb. Wooden teeth inserted into a straight stick. Alice liked it amazingly. Wished I could make her a brush; has none at present but a hare's foot; wonder how a strip of hedgehog skin would answer? 16th. Clear morning. Shot a bird something like a partridge, but twice as large. Not knowing what else to call it, called it a grouse. 17th. Found, to-day, by a most ludicrous accident, a root resembling the potato. Think it must be the yam. Planted a few near the house, though I had nothing to dig with but a stake. 19th. Made Alice a brush in the way I proposed; a bit of hedgehog skin fastened to a flat piece of wood. Does very MY JOURNAL. 293 well. I don't think I was ever so happy in my life. All I wish-is that my mother and the rest of the good folks at home could look in on us, once in a while, just to -see how pleasantly we are situated. I am afraid, however, we should send them home poorer than they came. I suspect we should serve them little better than if they had fallen -among actual savages. Alice and I have many a laugh, thinking what a stripping there would be. 23d. Alice wants a looking-glass, and I do not know of any way to make her one. She complains, too, that she has no pins. She lost her last one yesterday. Wonder why that pedlar has n't b=e along this way lately? Our only towel, a bit of sailcloth, I am afraid will not last much longer. Alice wants a new broom, a quantity of tin ware, a brass clock, and, indeed, to hear her talk, one would think that she would exhaust his whole stock. 25th. -Christmas. A warm, bright day. Tried to think of our friends at home, in the midst of snow-drifts, but could not quite make it out. Our Christnmas dinner consisted of a roasted grouse, yams boiled and fried, together with a dessert of young cocoanuts, oranges, figs, pine-apples, and another fruit that we call the mango. I discovered this only a few days ago; it is perfectly delicious, and Alice likes it even better than the pine-apple. For my part, however, I prefer the latter; indeed, I cannot conceive of anything of a diviner flavor; I can compare it only to strains of melting music, kneaded up by fairies' fingers with the dew of honeyed flowers. I have set out a number of plants in one corner of our garden, so that we can have them as often as we like. Jan. 17th. Rain nearly all day. The roof of the kitchen leaks a little, but it is in Hamlet's forner, and we don't so much mind it. Begin to hollow out another gourd to use as 25* page: 294-295[View Page 294-295] 294 r THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. a sitting-room. The wind now blows out our lamp, and it is so dark all around us that even when it is burning brightest I can hardly see to write. f 19th. Alice has just finished my clothes. They are rather tight in the seat; but I did not tell her so, for fear she would feel badly about it. 20th. Alice has just read every word of what I wrote yesterday, and insists upon altering the obnoxious garment. It is rather funny, as she had not looked ilto my journal before since its commencement. She says now she shall know where to look when she wishes to find out whether I am suited. I don't suppose she will ever look again, however, so I may write what I please. Ah! if she did but know it, everything she does is sure to suit me-seems wisest, virtuousest, dis- creetest, best. 21st. After all, Alice has gone and read every word of yesterday's journal! I knew it by her looks, even before she told me. And then, when I asked her, she blushed so prettily! Finished the sitting-room. Hung the lamp from the centre of the arched ceiling with a thong of leather. 23d. Made a table for the sitting-room, and chairs to match; all in one day. They are only joints of bamboo. Alice thinks that a sofa and one or two rocking-chairs would be convenient; but doubts whether we could afford it. Afford it! ah! how glad I am that that ugly word has really no meaning on our little island! We never use it without laugh- ing and thinking of those poor wretches at home who find it such a constant bughear. They can't afford this, and they can't afford that; but we -there is nothing we can't afford. 24th. Found my shirt this morning in two pieces. Con- cluded not to wear shirts any longer, - they are an unneces- MY JOURNAL. 295 sary refinement of luxury, and, I think, dec'dedly effeminate. Besides, I find chamois leather a great deal softer. 27th. We found our deer-skin caps altogether too warm for this climate, and began to-day to plait us hats of palm-leaf. Made a wretched bungling piece of work enough. 29th. My hat is the most wretched affair that can be imagined, without shape or comeliness, but Alice's really begins to look like something. Concluded finally to let her do the whole, and hung mine up on a tree, that we might have some- thing to laugh at when we feel merry. Feb. 2d. Shot a hare and a hedgehog, the first that I have seen so near the house. Alarmed at night by the howling of wild beasts. 5th. Hamlet is growing rapidly. He .tried, a few days since, to go into the house, but got stuck in the doorway, and I had much ado to extricate him. I thought, at one time, that, in his struggles to free himself, he would certainly pull the house about our ears. Since then no coaxing, on our part, will induce him to repeat the experiment, though Hhave taken pains to enlarge the door for his express accommodation. He prefers to lodge in the kitchen; and the corner where he sleeps, and where he remains a great part of the day, is called Hamlet's corner. I always give him a portion of what we have for dinner; but, though he never refuses to accept any- thing that is offered, I can easily see that he does it simply out of politeness. To 'one of his severe and simple tastes a few roots and a draught of cold water from the spring are better than all those artificial luxuries with which the victim of civilization tempts his palled and sickly appetite. 6th. Came suddenly this morning, while walking in the woods a short distance from the house, upon a colony of bees which had settled in a hollow tree. I was glad enough to see page: 296-297[View Page 296-297] 296 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. it, for I have been longing, ever since we found the tamarinds, for something sweet to go with them. I must come some day and see if I cannot strike a bargain with my thirsty neigh- bors. 7th. As Alice's hair gives me a. great deal op trouble, I advised her to cut it off, and wear it short like a boy. After a long time she made up her mind to follow my advice, though I could see it cost her a prodigious effort; for her hair was very abundant and beautiful. So, to comfort her, I told her that she looked more charming than ever, and so, in truth, she does; though, I must confess, her hair is not cut very well, for I had nothing but the very smallest pair of scissors in the world to cut it with. 9th. We had to-day a roasted grouse stuffed with pounded cocoanut, with a little wild sage for- spice. Alice asked me if I could not get her a barrel of flour, and a few pounds of butter, so that she might make some pies. I promised I would, and also some sugar, the next time I went to town. "t And, perhaps," I added, " you would like to have me bring you home a new calico; or would you prefer a silk?"--" O, no!" said she, "I have dresses enough already; but I should like a few needles, and some stout thread, and half a gross of large buttons." --"O, never mind," I cried, 9" about the buttons, we can make them fast enough ourselves; but the three things you shall certainly have if I have to sell one of the antelopes to pay for them." 15th. Had such a longing for some fried fish that I hardly knew what to do. The lake and river are full of them, but, the trouble is, I have no hooks. 16th. Saw my old friend, the crocodile, this morning. Made a sort of a trap, of wicker-work, and sunk it in the MY JOURNAL. 297 bottom of the lake, with a monkey for bait. The monkey was dead. 18th. Have notfcaught a single fish. I suppose-they must be afraid of the monkey. He certainly looks sufficiently ugly. 19th. Took out the monkey, and baited. my trap afresh with some figs and part of a hare. 20th. On examining my trap this morning, I found in it three good-sized fish; one a cod, weighing, perhaps, six pounds ; but what the others were I did not know. Alice fried part of the cod, and made the rest into a-^ chowder, with a few yams. It was not as good as it ought to have been, for want of pork. 23d. I am sorry to say that Hamlet is getting to be quite irregular in his habits. He is out late nights, and, when questioned, does not want to give any satisfactory account of himself. I am really afraid that we have had all the comfort out of him that we are likely to know for- a long time to come. Alice, however, takes his part, and says it is no more than we ought to expect from one so young; and that, when he has sown his wild oats, he will settle down into a sober, steady fellow. I might think so too, but when one begins so late in life as he has done, it is apt to prove a more serious matter. But, after all, I know no harm about him except this unac- countable mystery. I used to think he had no secrets, but now he is strangely altered. And then, when I question him closely, or when he catches either of us looking at him, he is so evidently embarrassed that it excites my worst suspicion. It is astonishing to me how I love him. I could not love him more if he were a man, and, in fact, I hardly can think of him as anything else. I suppose this is because I have no other companionship than he and Alice. I cannot imagine page: 298-299[View Page 298-299] 298 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. what we should do without him. He is worthy of a place among the constellations. 28th. Had a long talk with Hamlet, but could get nothing out of him. After supper, when he had gone out, as usual of late, Alice said she thought he- must be in love. I am sure I wish it might be so; but I know him too well for that. He is altogether too reserved and too fastidious ever to fall in love with any one he is likely to meet with here. And then his behavior is not at all such as would lead one to that con- clusion. His appetite is as good as ever, and, for all I can see, he is quite as particular about his looks as ever. Still it will not do to be too sure. With all his pride and self-respect, he is one of the most impulsive creatures I ever saw, and it would mortify me exceedingly if he should be betrayed into a match unworthy of him. I am satisfied that in affairs of the heart, the wisest and noblest of us are most apt to act like fools. March 1st. Caught a young kangaroo, and carried it home, intending to tame it. I do not think he will give much trouble, and the more we have of such pets the merrier. April 17th. To-day I am just eighteen years of age. Alice was fifteen last December. From her looks one would not take her to be a day older, but her understanding is that of a woman. Exposure has darkened her complexion very little, and I think she is yet more beautiful than at our first meeting. She has not yet forgotten to talk about her grandfather, and, in fact, I believe she misses him now more than ever. Her style of dress probably takes off one or two years from her looks. 26th. Our kangaroo has already become quite tame. I think he discovers a great deal of character; but he is rather flighty and eccentric, with little of Hamlet's solidity about him, and it is hard to say what he will turn out. CHAPTER XXVIII. End of the Rainy Season. - Caught in a Shower. -A Fit of Sickness. - Sage Tea. - Alice's tender Nursing. - Betrayal of her Affection. - My Recovery. - An Argument. - The Promise. THE winter was gone before we knew it. Indeed, the weeks slid away so rapidly that, if it had not been for my journal, I should have doubted the correctness of our conchology. Supposing that all danger of rain was over, I ventured one bright morning rather further from home than usual, and, getting caught in a shower, I was wet to the skin; and, though I was careful, immediately on my-return, to give myself a thorough drying, it was then too late to avoid the conse- quences of my imprudence. I woke up the next morning with a violent pain in all my limbs, especially in my right shoulder, and a burning fever in my veins. Alice recommended sage tea made as hot as I could bear it; and, more to please her than from any faith I had in it myself, I drank so much of the nauseous beverage that I began to think I must have consumed all there was upon the island. Notwithstanding this energetic treatment I grew worse and worse, and was soon unable to leave my bed. And now, for the first time, I felt what before I had only known, the wonderful adaptation of woman to the care of the page: 300-301[View Page 300-301] 300 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. sick. Through those long hours of sleepless ^gony Alice hardly ever left my side, except to prepare something that she hoped would either stay the progress of the disease, or quench my burning thirst. Her love, and sympathy, and tenderness, seemed perfectly inexhaustible. I had sometimes accused her, in my own mind, of coldness and indifference, for she was often moody and abstracted, and never so demonstrative of her feelings as my jealous temper demanded; but now I saw how greatly I had wronged her. Her anxiety lest I should not recover broke down at once all her pride and reserve. Again and again, when she thought I slept, I saw her, through my drooping lashes, regarding me with such an air of mingled sorrow and fondness as filled my soul with a joy I had never known before. Often I caught her murmured words of prayer, and heard how she interceded for my recovery. More than once, she suddenly left my side, as if fearful lest her anguish should break out into uncontrollable weeping; and then her stifled sobs and cries came to me out of the dark night. In my presence she was usually calm and composed, and even cheerful. But one day, when my disease was at its height, and I had told her, scarce knowing what I said, that I feared I should not recover, she broke forth into such a sudden and violent burst of passion as seriously alarmed me for her own safety. "Dear Robert!" she exclaimed, ," my own dear, precious Robert! you shall not die; I will not let you die; God will not let you die; I have as good a right to die as you. Do you hear me now, dear Robert?" "Yes," I murmured. "And see me?" SICKNESS AND RECOVERY. 301 "Yes." "And do you feel my hand on your forehead? O yes, he sees me and hears me now; but to-morrow--. Can you hear me now, when I whisper? so? And now can you hear me? Can you feel that little touch? Then you must be alive--but to-morrow, and to-morrow, and the next day! How can you leave me so? Why did you bring me to this island? Why did you save my life? Why did we not both die together? And a week ago I was so happy! Did you know how much I loved you? Did I ever tell you? No, I never told you. You thought I was cold and heartless. And all the time I loved you so hard that it really pained me. Did you ever feel so? Do you love me like that? No, men never love like that. O, I wish I did n't! I wish you would do something to make me hate you! Then I could look on and smile to see you die. O, God, forgive me!" Here she -bowed her head between her knees, and I felt that she was praying. Thus I lingered several days between life and death, and after that I began to amend. B ut, now the danger was over, Alice seemed to feel it yet more sensibly than before. She could not think of it without a shudder, Yet she thought of nothing else. It was mingled in her dreams. Night after night she awoke with a sudden start, dreaming that I was dead, and could not be pacified till she had felt the beating of my heart. One day, the first day that I was able to sit up, she was telling me how much she had suffered, and how afraid she was that I would not get well; , , and yet," said I, interrupting her, , though you profess to love me so much, you will not become my wife." "How can I, dear Robert," she replied, "4 when there is no 26 page: 302-303[View Page 302-303] 302 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD, one to marry us? You know very well what my answer would be, if we were at home." "But we are not at home," I answered, " nor like to be. We shall live and die upon this island. And you will die first. I shall live, no one knows how long, without a soul to speak to, or comfort me. And it will be all your doing. Yet you say you love me." "Dear Robert- " her eyes filled with tears, and she could say no more; yet, with the selfishness of sickness, I remorse- lessly pursued my advantage. "You say you love me, yet you sacrifice my happiness to the merest whim. As if the sacredness of marriage depended on a mere form of words! As if that law had anything more to do with us, than the laws regulating the holding of property, or the election of president! As long as we are members of any community, I readily allow that we are required by God to submit to whatever regulations its rulers may make; but it is not so with us. We are no longer citizens of the United States, nor of any other country. We are a community by ourselves. We are not bound by their laws,- only by the laws of God. And God never said, ' You shall be married in this way or that;' he left the choice entirely to us; he only says, ' After you are married, you must not separate from each other.' You know, dear Alice, that I would never ask you to do anything that I thought was wrong, or anything that would, in the least degree, diminish my love or esteem. I do not wonder even that you feel as you do, but your reason ought by this time to show you that I am right." "But what will the world say? You know how - " ' We have nothing to do with the world. There is no one here. that you need fear their remarks. We are " AN ARGUMENT. 303 ("But if anything should happen; if we ever should return home?" "We never shall return. If you were once mine, nothing could ever make me leave this island." "You think so now, but I am afraid you do not know yourself as well as H do. You are not like me. You are am- bitious. I have seen it long. And then, if you should - O Robert! forgive me if I wrong you. I am sure there is noth- ing I wish so much as to see you happy. But I have been educated so differently.'" "Dear Alice! my education has been as strict as yours. My mother was one of the best women that ever lived, yet she would say as I do. But I see you do not know how much I love you. Only say that you will be mine, and I will do anything in my power to make you happy." With these and similar arguments, constantly repeated and reiterated in every form, I at length won from her a re- luctant promise that, if we were still on the island at the ex-. piration of another year, she would become my bride; and with this promise I was forced to be content. My recovery after this was- rapid; in a week I was able to walk without assistance, and, before the end of the month, though still rather thinner and paler than usual, I felt quite as strong as ever. This was the only attack of sickness that either of us knew all the time we remained upon the island; indeed, the temperature was so even, and the air so pure, that it seemed enough almost to discourage Death himself. page: 304-305[View Page 304-305] CHAPTER XXIX. Returning Spring. Our delicious Mode of Life. - Journal. - Anniver- sary of our Landing. - Exploring the Cavern. --Gathering Figs.- Forks and Spoons. - My Bridal Gift. - Our Wedding Dresses. -' The Glee of the Fountain. - The Marriage Ceremony.-- Our Wedding Tour. THE return of Spring brought with it a return to our old em- ployment; and here again I must have recourse to myjournal. May 11th, 1844. - The weather for several days has been more delicious than can be imagined. The mornings espe- cially are so delightful that it is sufficient happiness simply to breathe. Nearly our whole time is passed in the woods, and we never seem to grow weary of their companionship. There is such an endless variety of hill and dale, and the walks in every direction are so charming, that our only diffi- culty is to choose between them. Sometimes we prefer a path in which we have often been before, and which has thus become perfectly familiar; but generally we ramble carelessly along, without asking where we are going, and are never so happy as when we have succeeded in losing ourselves in the depths of the forest. Game is so abundant that we can hardly take a step with- out dislodging a grouse or a hen, or some one of a hundred other animals, for which we have as yet found no names; but we seldom shoot more than enough to satisfy our wants. MY JOURNAL. 305 At noon we seat ourselves in some shady arbor, by the side of some bubbling brook, and there we eat our dinner, and sleep and dream away the happy hours. We build no castles in the air, for we cannot imagine a situation more delightful than that we already enjoy. The singing of the birds, rus- tling of the leaves, the flowing water, and the blossoming flowers, combine to produce a concert more charming than was ever made by art. We have no notes to pay, no money to borrow, no need to lay up either for ourselves or our children. "We fleet the time carelessly, as they did in the golden age." We are as idle as we please, and our consciences do not reproach us. We have no books but the great volume of nature, and that lies ever open for 'our use. We need no learning but such as we draw from the trees and flowers and bright summer skies. Pleasant teachers are they all. June 10th, 1844. -It is just a year ago to-day since we landed on the island. I can hardly believe it has been so long. I think, on the whole, it has been the happiest year of my life. I could be content ti live so forever. Alice, too, seems far more contented, and I have strong hopes of prevail ing upon her to shorten the time fixed upon for our marriage. Let her only once make up her mind that we are never to leave the island, and I shall have no further difficulty. Noth- ing will then be wanting to complete my happiness. June 13t]h. -Went up the river, as far as the Grand Bend, to obtain a supply of oranges. Hamlet has grown so large that we are obliged to leave him at home on these excursions, much to his dissatisfaction and my own. I would build a larger boat if I only had anything to do it with. 17th. - Went yesterday to visit the place where I buried^- poor Bill to see if I could not get some nails out of the long2 26* page: 306-307[View Page 306-307] 306 TIIE NEW AGE OF GOLD. boat. Broke off several pieces with the axe, brought them home, and burned them. The nails made very good alrow- heads, much better than flint. I can hit a mark now as big as my head almost every time at a distance of a hundred paces. My bow is six feet long, and so exceedingly stubborn that a year ago I am sure I could not have begun to bend it. Yet now it yields with little effort. 23d. - lade a fishhook out of one of the nails I got from the long-boat, and caught two fish, weighing, perhaps, four pounds apiece. They were very good eating. Alice twisted the lines from the bark of a certain tree. 25th. - Went up the river again, in the hopes of shooting some deer. Killed three; also a kangaroo, of which I was very proud. July 2d. - While hunting yesterday, got completely lost, and had to pass the night in the woods. Waked towards morning by a panther prowling near us. Could have sliot him without trouble, but was afraid of losing my arrow. Found a root resembling the onion, which I concluded nlust be a species of garlic. A little of it occasionally will improve our soup. 4th. - Garlic in our soup to-day, but Alice does not like it. I magnanimously resolved never to use any more, and we had quite a little dispute about it, Alice insisting that it made no difference to her one way or the other, and that she thought it a pity if I could not have what I liked. So at last I yielded, but I feel perfectly sure that I shall never be able to find another morsel, if I work ever so hard, which I have no thoughts of doing either. 17th. - Provided ourselves with torches, made of a fatty wood I found not far from our house, and went with Alice to explore the cavern. Could not find the entrance. MY JOURNAL. 307 19th. - Tried again to find the cavern, but did not succeed. 20t/. - Found the cavern at last, about three miles from home; marked the spot carefully, so that we might have no further difficulty, intending to return to-morrow with our torches. 22d. - Explored the cavern, that is, a small part of it; for its extent is so prodigious that we could not go through all its chambers, I am satisfied, in less than a week. My escape from it now seems little less than a miracle. But its beauty and magnificence are even more surprising, than its extent. Seen by the light of our torches it infinitely surpasses anything of which I had previously formed any conception. 27th-- Took advantage of a very loving mood in which Alice seemed to be to-day, and obtained from her a promise to be married on the 1st of September, if nothing happened previous to that time. It has made me so happy that I can think of nothing else. August 5th. - Spent the morning in gathering figs. Alice suggested that Hamlet ought to help, us bring them home, and though I was rather afraid of hurting his dignity by the pro- posal, I told her that, if she would make a couple of panniers, I thought I could persuade him to carry them. th. --Alice finished her panniers yesterday, and to-day I explained to Hamlet the purpose for which they were in- tended. To my surprise he made not the slightest objection, but, on the contrary, seemed rather pleased at the idea of being useful. He thus shows the greatness of his mind even in trifles. 18th. - Began to carve a few spoons out of wood. Thus far we have used shells thrust into a cleft stick, but Alice thinks it is time now to have something better. 23d. - Finished my spoons, which are really very credit- page: 308-309[View Page 308-309] 308 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. able, and set to work on some wooden forks. We need some- thing of the sort very much, especially in eating meat. 24th.- The time has nearly come when, according to her i promise, I am to claim Alice as my bride. It is easy to see that she thinks of nothing else. She is at times evidently very unhappy about it; and I sometimes doubt whether I ought not to free her from the obligation. It is only the fear of losing her, or rather of her losing me, that reconciles me to this seeming cruelty. I am trying to think of some- thing that I can give her as a bridal present. 30th. - Made a necklace of red and white berries to give to Alice. If the value of a thing depends upon the labor ex- pended upon it, then this gift, trifling as it seems, is far from being contemptible. I walked at least fifty miles to findlthese berries (that is,the red ones, for the white are plenty). They are very hard, of about the color of red coral, and nearly as big as filberts. When strung alternately with the white, they make a very handsome appearance. Alice was quite as much pleased with them as I could have wished. She has been very busy lately about her dress. September 1st, 1844. - To-day is my wedding day; in some respects the happiest, in others the saddest of my life. Yet I know not why I should feel sad. Alice was dressed more be- comingly than I had ever seen her before. Her trousers, of pale yellow, and made very loose, gathered at the ankle, and falling down over the foot. Her vest is purple, and her coat or tunic, of a delicate pink, or pearl-gray she calls it, secured at the waist with a purple sash, bordered with a deep fringe. There is a heavy fringe on the sleeves of her coat, and also on the outer -seams of her trousers. Her slippers, prettier than Cinderella's, are of red morocco, or so I call it; my necklace is about her little throat; there are bracelets of the same OUR MARRIAGE. 309 workmanship on her wrists, and a cluster- of white flowers in her dark hair. She would have preferred a dress with less variety of colors, and, if we had been married in a drawing-room, I should have agreed with her; but here, in the woods, a different style seems to be required. I was only sorry that she had no mirror in which to see herself; for I was sure that, if she had, she would never have wished for the slightest alteration. My trousers were of a dark wood color, and my coat of olive-green. Alice selected for the, place in which to perform the ceremony a sequestered glen, at some distance from the house, and where we had often resorted to escape the sultry heats of noonday. I had discovered this spot entirely by accident. Pursuing, one day, a wounded hare, that fled before me up the mountain, I was just on the point of seizing her, when she eluded my grasp, and darted up the bank of a small water-course that opened a narrow, winding path into the tangled mazes of the forest. I followed, as fast as I could, in the same direction, and presently, passing under a low arch of stone, came out into the loveliest spot that eye ever rested on. It was a little chamber among the rocks, scarcely bigger than a lady's boudoir, carpeted with the softest turf, and decked about with the rarest flowers. The solid walls, rising far above my head, were fashioned, here and there, into rustic seats and couches, cushioned with mosses, on which the wood- nymphs love to stretch their dainty limbs. The lofty ceiling of trees and clustering vines even the too curious sun could find no place to peep through. In the centre a little bubbling fountain diffused around a delicious coolness. Here we exchanged our marriage vows, while Hamlet looked gravely on. Kneeling both together on the green turf, I repeated aloud the following prayer: "Our Father who art page: 310-311[View Page 310-311] 310 TIE NEW AGE OF GOLD. in heaven; thou art still our Father, though we have wandered so far from our earthly home. Thou art as much in this desert island as in the crowded city; we cannot escape from thy presence; thine eye is still upon us; we are everywhere subject to thy law. Show us, then, we beseech thee, all that is in our hearts; and if the step, which we are about to take, is contrary to thy holy will, give us grace to perceive and acknowledge our error, and power to resist every temptation; but, if it is right in thy sight, may thy blessing be upon it, and may a consciousness of thy favor fill our hearts with joy and peace. Amen." ("I, then, Robert Dexter Romaine, in presence of God alone, do solemnly take Alice to be my wedded wife, promis- ing to love and cherish you as my own soul till death shall part us; and, if I am ever unfaithful to you in word or deed, may God forever shut me out from the kingdom of his Son." Then Alice, in her turn, repeated, in a low and trembling, but distinct voice, the following form: "I, Alice Cremorne, in presence of God, do solemnly take Robert to be my wedded husband, and promise to love, honor and obey you until death; and, if I am guilty of any sin in so doing, may God forgive me for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen." "Now, then," I added, "we are man and wife; and what God has joined together, let not man put asunder. You are mine, dear Alice, mine for time, mine for eternity; now don't look so sober about it; we shall both live many happy years to thank God for this hour. Come, let us talk about our wedding tour. Where would you like to go? To Niagara, or Saratoga, or the White Mountains; or what do you say to a trip to Europe? You needn't mind the expense; I've a whole dollar in my pocket." "Well," she replied, smiling through her tears, "I think-I OUR WEDDING TOUR. 3" should like to go to Niagara. I have never seen it, you know." "But don't you think that Niagara is getting to be rather an old story? Everybody goes there now." "Suppose, then, that we go to Saratoga?" "Saratoga would do very well, but it seems to me it is rather too public; we should be all the time beset with com- pany, And never have a moment to ourselves." "True, we should not; but if we go to the White Moun. tains, we could be as retired as we pleased." "Rather too much so, I'm afraid; and then, so late in the season, I should suppose it must be too cold to be pleasant." "I don't see, then, as there is anything left for us but to go to Europe; and, on the whole, I think I should prefer that nto any of the others." "True, and so should I; but wouldn't it be better to wait a year or two? I think we should enjoy it quite as- mauch; and in the mean time I know a very pretty little cottage where, I have no doubt, we can be as happy as the day is long." "Where is it?" said Alice, gravely. "Come with me and I will show you." "To the nuptial bower I led her, blushing like the morn. , All heaven And happy constellations on that hour Shed their selectest influence ; the earth Gave signs of gratulation, and each hill; Joyous the birds ; fresh gales, and genial airs Whispered it to the woods, and from their wings Flung rose, flung odors from the spicy shrub, Disporting, till the amorous bird of night Sung spousal, and bid haste the evening-star On his hill-top, to light the bridal lamp." page: 312-313[View Page 312-313] CHAPTER XXX. Birth of a Son. - His Ipfancy. - My Happiness. -I introduce Him tt Hamlet. -Hamlet's provoking Nonchalance.- Their mutual Affection. --Alice makes a Picture of Them.--Jasper begins to talk.- We are in Doubt about his Education. - Conclusion I come to. - Jacket and Trousers. - Battle with the Crocodile. -Its successful Issue. SOME eighteen months after our marriage Alice presented me with a fine boy. At my suggestion she called him Jasper Oremorne, after the name of her grandfather. The little stranger, the first child ever born in that island, was nicely cradled in a basket, with a single handle, which I had made on purpose for greater ease in carrying; but other conveniences, the value of which a nurse only can appreciate, were not so easily supplied. Nevertheless, the boy thrived and grew at a wonderful rate; for, though there was plenty of fresh air, there was not, so far as I knew, a drop of medicine on the whole island. The cradle was slung, most of the time, from one of the rafters of the kitchen, just high enough for Alice to peep in now and then, as she was busy about her household matters, and for Hamlet's shaggy back to give it a gentle swing as he passed unconcernedly beneath. When we left home on any errand I carried the basket either on my arm or lashed securely to my shoulders. HAMLTET AND JASPER. 313 M5y happiness was now complete. I used to sit for hours in the door of my-cottage, now enlarged sufficiently for that purpose, dreaming over the sacred relation, the new and mys- terious tie that now bound me to Alice more firmly than ever. I wondered if ever the wisdom and goodness of God could have devised anything else so perfect or so admirable; and I shuddered when I recalled the words, "( n heaven they neither marry nor are given in marriage." How, then, I thought, can they be happy there? The new-comer had hardly time to open his eyes and look about him before I made haste, with all a father's pride and fondness, to exhibit him to Hamlet. I had been long antici- pating that happiness, and pleasing myself with fancying the surprise and admiration which I felt sure he could not help manifesting on this occasion; but, to my great confusion and disappointment, he received it all as a matter of course, and as if he had been all the time fully aware of everything that had happened. There*was a comic, half-ironical expression in his eye, and about the left corner of his mouth, for that feature, as is always the case with humorists, was a little awry, that seemed to say: "Aha! you thought, I suppose, that I knew nothing about it; but I know more than you think for. I have seen babies before now, let me tell you; though, perhaps, never one quite so wonderful as this." However, he received the little Jasper with every demon- of tenderness and affection; and the boy, on his part, as soon as he could creep, went to him, as, the saying is, without showing any sign of fear, greatly to the delight and wonderment of Alice, who had made up her mind that her child must certainly be afraid of strangers. So they very soon became great friends; and, after a while, 27 page: 314-315[View Page 314-315] 314 TEHE NEW AGE OF GOLD, finding what good care Hamlet took of his little playfellow, we used to leave him under his charge sometimes hours together. And, indeed, it was impossible for his own mother to be more solicitous about his safety. Hamlet would stretch himself out on his side, with Jasper half lost in his shaggy coat, and then it was delightful to see the fearless, trusting confidence of the one, and the gentle forbearance of the other. Such pulling of ears, such thrusting of fingers into eyes, as were then witnessed, I should have thought none but a father could have put up with. And, then, if Jasper strayed too far away, if there was any risk of his falling into the fire or into the water, Hamlet would bound after him, and interposing his huge body between him and danger, thus bring back his little protege into a place of safety. When Jasper slept, he almost always made the bear his pillow; and at such times his faithful guardian would lie for hours in the same position, as if fearful of disturbing his quiet slumbers. I often wished, when beholding them in this position, that I could take their picture; and happening to speak of this one day to Alice, she said that, if I would only furnish her with materials, she thought she could make one without trouble. Upon this I instantly set to work to prepare a deer-skin that would answer the purpose, and, after laboring almost constantly for three weeks, I at length succeeded in making a sort of rough parchment, on which she drew, with pen and ink, a rude hut faithful sketch of that charming picture. Jasper and the bear, of course, occupied the centre of the foreground; on the left appeared our kitchen, now grown into an apparently solid mass of verdure, and the little group of cottages half hidden beneath the shadow of the great , JASPER BEGINS TO TALK. 315 mangrove that bent over them; on the right, the valley, the winding river, and the distant sea. The hour she had chosen was sunset; and the level rays, now robbed of their too ardent heat, lingered lovingly on the child's fair head, and among the closely-woven curls of the bear. I was so much pleased with this picture that I could not rest till we had finished several others, representing different scenes that had especially excited our admiration; and, after they were done, I covered them with a thin coat of varnish obtained from the gum I had brought home with me; and then, having fitted them- into frames of bamboo, I hung them up in our little parlor. i But Hamlet's services did not stop here. As we were sometimes obliged to be gone from home a whole day, and could not, of course, leave the child so long, - for Hamlet had not yet learned to feed him, -I constructed a basket of the proper size and shape to fit -conveniently to the bear's back; and now, wherever we went, he carried his tender charge along with us. By the time Jasper was three years old, he had learned to do without the basket, and rode upright, as his mother said, like a little man, steadying himself with a bridle passed round the bear's nose, and kept from coming off by a strap fastened about his ears. When he was tired, or the trees hung so low as to be in the way, he would let go of the bridle, and, weav- ing his fingers in Hamlet's hair, lay his head upon his shoul- der, and in this position sometimes even fall asleep. Here follow some extracts from my journal. April 16th, 1848.- Jasper is just beginning to talk. The only word that he says -at all distinctly is Hamlet, and at this his mother and I are both a little jealous. MWe think - he would have learned to talk much sooner if he had been where page: 316-317[View Page 316-317] 316 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. there were other children. He learns fast enough, however, and, indeed, I am quite frightened at the responsibility of his education. The case is so entirely without precedent, that few of the rules and maxims prescribed for the management of children seem to have any bearing upon it; and we are conse- quently obliged to make new ones. Yet, we cannot, at once, fiee ourselves entirely from the shackles of our early faith. We have begun already to debate the question, where we shall send him to school, what studies he shall attend to, and what profession we had better choose for him. His mother says, "( Let him be a minister;" but I would rather have him study law, or else be a merchant. 4( Shall you teach him Latin and Greek?" asked Alice. "( No." "I Mathematics?" "No, nor mathematics; except enough to count a hundred, and perhaps his multiplication tjble; nor logic, nor philosophy, nor metaphysics." "What, then, shall you teach hit?" "I shall teach him to run, to swim, and to shoot with the bow and arrow; to make shoes and baskets; to fear God, to speak the truth, and to honor his father and mother." "But you will teach him to read?" "Yes, that, indeed; we must not let him grow up quite a savage; and then, from time to time, we can teach him some- thing about geography, and history, and similar matters; but, as for the wearisome bondage of the schools, I am heartily glad he need never undergo that penance." "What a pity," said Alice, abstractedly, " that he can never go to college!" "A pity!" I cried; "what a happiness, you mean! If I had a thousand sons, not one of them should ever be sent to HEN'S NEST. 317 college. The world has run mad, of late years, about the advantages of learning, and the cultivation of the intellect; it does not know how often ignorance is bliss. In the world, to be sure, one must know as much as his neighbors; it is something there to say, I can read Greek and Hebrew, or I have learned this and that; but what possible good could it do here? No, no, let fools learn; the wise man knows better; the happy man best of all. Jasper will never want for occupation., July 4th. Alice has just made Jasper a jacket and trou- sers; and the little fellow is so proud and happy that he can hardly sit still a single moment. He is all the time running from me to Hamlet, and back again, crying out "See my new cose!" and just now he asked me for a bright cent to put in his pocket; though I had never said a word to him on the subject; and it really seems as if this passion must be of the nature of an instinct. I remember, however, seeing Alice laughing slyly at the time, and perhaps she had something to do with it. I had no cent, just then, but, as it was IndepenT dence day, I gave him a dollar instead, cautioning him, how- ever, not to buy any crackers, as I did not think he was old enough to play with powder. 17th. Hamlet has grown amazingly. Though not so tall, he seems to me quite as big as the largest ox I ever saw; and I have-no doubt that he would weigh at least two thou- sand pounds. 19th. Found, to-day, a nest containing thirteen hen's eggs. The mother, who was sitting on them at the time, managed -to make her escape, but as I saw that the chickens were all ready to hatch out, I carried them carefully home, intending to bring them up by hand. If I succeed, we shall soon have, fresh eggs in plenty. The hen was rather larger than our common 27* page: 318-319[View Page 318-319] 318 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. breed, but sufficiently like it to show that she belonged to the samle family. Sept. 10th. My old enemy, the crocodile, came very near carrying Jasper off this morning, while he was sailing boats on the lake. If it had not been for Hamlet, he certainly would have done it. This act of unprovoked hostility aroused all my former hatred, and I determined to make a second attempt to rid ourselves of so disagreeable a neighbor. I accordingly provided myself with a stick similar to that which I had employed before; and, privately calling to Ham- let, left the house without saying a word to Alice, who is just now in too delicate a situation to witness a scene of such a fearful description. Hamlet no sooner found what I was about, than he entered into my plans with the utmost eagerness, and, indeed, was so impatient to have another brush with his old antagonist, that I could hardly persuade him to wait while I made the neces- sary preptarations. Everything being at length ready, I stationed Hamlet at a short distance from the shore, telling him to be sure and not pull until I gave the word; and then, entering the water, I advanced boldly towards the crocodile, who, on his part, seemed equally ready to receive me. His former experience, however, had not taught him wisdom, and he seized the stick as ravenously as he had done before; but no sooner did he feel the sharp points in his jaw than he darted off with such ' sudden violence as almost forced Hamlet into the water. He recovered himself bravely, however, and sitting upright on his haunches, he grasped the line in his fore paws, and pulled in the crocodile, as one might say, hand over hand, as if he had been used to such sort of fishing all his life; till, having at length drawn him far enough out of the water to BATTLE WITH THE CROCODTLE. 319 render escape by flight impossible, he dropped the cord, and flung himself with unexampled fury upon his amphibious enemy. Then ensued such a contest as I had never before witnessed. The crocodile no sooner felt the strain on the line relax, than, turning about, he commenced -making the best of his way back to the water, keeping his tail, all the while; aloft, and flour- ishing it about at such a rate, that no bear in his senses would ever think-of venturing within the sweep of so formidable a weapon. The crocodile was evidently quite as skilful, in his way, in conducting a retreat, as General Moreau himself; but he had to deal with an antagonist who was equally skilful, and, at the same time, far more active. With a single bound Hamlet placed himself between his enemy and the water; and, having thus cut off his retreat, he now compelled him to offer battle. For a moment the two hostile champions stood face to face, regarding each other, perhaps, "With that stern joy that warriors feel In foemen worthy of their steel," and the next moment rushed to the encounter. That is to say, the bear did ; for the crocodile stood stock still, only he kept all the time brandishing his tail, like an expert player at single-stick, with such dexterity as made me think of the fa- mous battle between Gurth and the miller in the wilds of Sherwood Forest. But I had not then much time to think of anything; for, in a twinkling, Hamlet caught his unhappy foe by the .throat, and, turning him over on his back, ripped open his unprotected belly with those tremendous claws from one end to the other. The whole thing was done so suddenly, that I had hardly time to get out-of the way; and, from the address page: 320-321[View Page 320-321] 320 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. with which the bear went to work, I was led for a moment to wonder whether he could ever have had any similar experience before. I concluded, however, that this was impossible, and that his conduct in this affair was only another proof of that as-, tonishing versatility and readiness to adapt himself to new and unexpected circumstances, which formed so prominent a trait in his character. I must say I was rather disappointed at the sudden termin- ation of the conflict, for I had hoped to witness a protracted engagement, in which each party would have had an opportu- nity of displaying his own peculiar excellences, and which would especially have called forth all those infinite re- sources of which I knew Hamlet to be master. But the slug- gishness of the crocodile was such as no palliation could jus- tify; though, if he could have got his mouth open, he might have offered the excuse that he was, after all, only a mari- time power, and neither by habit nor inclination fitted to wage war by land. If he had said that to me, however, I should have replied, "If you like the water so much better, pray why did you leave it?" As near as I could get at it, the crocodile measured a little over twenty feet in length; and I verily believe that a single blow from his tail would have killed an ox; but, as for Ham- let, he hardly seemed to mind it, though I noticed that his right shoulder was sore for a week after. It took me nearly the whole afternoon to dig a grave large enough to contain this monstrous carcass. My only implement was a wide scoop made of bamboo, and, if the sand had not been very loose, I should never have finished it. Hamlet could have ac- complished the task much sooner with his broad claws, but I thought he had done his share, and was ashamed to ask him. HAMLET'S STRENGTH. 221 But when it came to moving the body, I was obliged, once more, to call him to my assistance. I said to him, "I will carry the tail, if you will carry the body; " but he motioned me to get out of the way, and, flinging the crocodile over his shoulder, walked off with it as unconcernedly as if it had been a feather bed, while I hastened to inform Alice of the impor- tant victory achieved by our united forces. . . page: 322-323[View Page 322-323] CHAPTER XXXI. Birth of a Daughter. - Our Happiness still on the Increase. - Sight of a Ship, and the Reflections it gave rise to.--Jasper's Questions.--His Bow and Arrows. -His Boldness as a Rider. -Hide-and-go-seek. -A growing Family. Sept. 23d, 1848. TrIS day made Alice the happy mother of a little girl. We shall call her Alice. My anxiety on this occasion was even greater than before; but, thanks either to a vigorous constitution or the nature of the climate, she has passed through both these trying scenes with far less difficulty than I had anticipated. Certainly, our little kingdom is grow- ing apace; and, at the same time, my cares and labors in- crease in almost the same proportion. There are two more mouths to feed, two more backs to clothe, and two helpless children to look after; one of whom, at least, requires her mother's almost constant care. Consequently, I am often obliged to leave her at home, and go on my hunting expeditions alone. I should not mind this so much, however, as Hamlet I know is a sufficient protector, and the joy of meeting amply makes up for the pain of separ- ation; but Alice feels all the time anxious on my account, and I therefore make my absence as brief as possible. I shall be glad when little Alice is big enough to make it safe for her to accompany me. OUR HAPPINESS ON THE INCREASE. 323- April 17th, 1849. To-day I am just twenty-three years old. I am continually amazed to find how time is flying. It seems hardly possible that I should have been married four years, or that we should have lived six years on this island. In another six years I shall be quite an old patriarch, and, if I live to the ordinary age of man, I shall see myself surrounded by a nu- nmerous and happy family. I wonder if my name will ever -be preserved in history as the founder of a new empire. If they should ever make a statue of me, I hope it will be given just as I am; but- I'll warrant they will have - me with a smooth face, and dressed in the height of fashion. Our days now are days of uninterrupted enjoyment. The morning, full of freshness and vigor, the dreamy, languid hours of noon, the glories of the parting day, and the cool shades of evening, -I can hardly tell which of these I enjoy the most. But when Alice sings the low, monotonous lullaby, till Jasper sleeps to dream of heaven; and then, when she pours out her full soul in some of the songs she learned in girlhood, and which I like better every time I hear them, I am tookhappy; the intensity of feeling becomes almost pain- fal, and such a delicious melancholy falls like dew upon my soul as makes all common joys seem dull and earthly in com- parison. Then I recall the careless, unthinking happiness of child- hood, the growing sense of responsibility, the fearful shudder with which I plunged into the ice-cold sea of life, the disap. pointments and mortifications that I met with; and wonder if it is not all a dream, and if I am really so happy as to have escaped from that desperate struggle. This morning, as we sat on a lofty cliff overlooking the sea, we suddenly saw a ship far away in the distant horizon. I cannot describe the feelings which this sight occasioned. page: 324-325[View Page 324-325] 324 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. Towns and cities, crowded streets, the ceaseless hum of busi- ness, buying and selling, wharves and warehouses, - all civil- ization seemed comprised in that cloudy shadow. I heard the sound of innumerable workshops, the rolling of innumerable wheels, the hammer ringing on the anvil, the creaking of carts and wagons, the groaning of machinery, the whirr of countless spindles. The nineteenth century was drifting before our eyes. All the refinements of art and luxury, splendid houses, costly furniture, tables covered with gold and silver, feasting and merry-making, the laugh, the song, the dance, the ruddy sparkle of the wine; and I heard, too, the groaning of the prison-house, the stifled sobs of weary and oppressed hearts; poverty, and crime, and shame, creeping in and out! A hide- ous living corpse! Yet did I feel no interest in the world we had left? Had I become so completely indifferent? I asked myself the question. Yes, I should like to know who was president; what was the population of the United States; what new discoveries had recently been given to the world. I would like to see a news- paper, to read over once more the familiar advertisements; to refresh my memory with the namnes of persons and things I had once known so well, but was now fast forgetting. I would like to find out whether our friends at home had forgotten us, -what conclusion they had come to respecting our fate; and I would like to send a letter to my mother. I felt a strange curiosity to know the name of the ship, whence she came, and whither she was bound. I would like to talk an hour or so with the captain, to astonish him with an account of my adventures; to learn from him everything that had happened during the last six years, and to wonder at A SHP. 325 the miserable condition of the sailors. Perhaps he came from Boston; perhaps he had known my father; he might have been a schoolmate of my own. All these and a thousand other thoughts came crowding into my mind at sight of that distant sail. Jasper saw it too, but it awakened in him no such emotions. " What is that, father?" he said, half in wonder and half in fear. , It is a ship." ( A ship; and what is a ship?" Having explained to him as well as I could, with his imper- fect knowledge, the construction and uses of a ship, I was then called upon to answer a hundred other- questions. "How many men are there in the world? A hundred? Where do they live? Why don't they come here? Why don't you go where they are? Why don't you build a ship? Is America. as big as our island? How far off is it? Were you born in America? and mother? and uncle Hamlet? How old were you when you were born, father? What made you come here? Iow I wish I had a ship! Can't you give me one? Is n't that America, off there?" Meanwhile the ship had slowly faded from our sight. Alice and I looked at each other with tears of inexpressible tender- ness. Then we rose, and, calling to the children, returned, thoughtful, but not sad, through the winding forest paths, to our quiet home. July 31st. Made Jasper a bow and arrows, and set him to shooting at a mark, as I. think his education has been neglected long enough, and it is high time he should begin to learn something useful. He is a brave, sturdy little fellow, as brown as an Indian; with black curling hair-; and I have no doubt will make as good a forester as Robin Hood himself. 28 page: 326-327[View Page 326-327] 326 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. He rides Hamlet with as much grace and dexterity as if he had been born in the saddle, though the bear's gallop is enough to unseat a Pawnee. I tried it myself, one day, for about a quarter of a mile, and I really thought I should have been shaken into a jelly. Oct. 9th. We have now, every day, fresh eggs for break- fast; though our fowls are so expert in finding out-of-the-way places for their nests, that Jasper has as much as'he can do to discover them. The whole matter seems to be nothing more nor less than a game of "Hide-and-go-seek." We have now quite a numerous family. Besides the hens and chickens, of which there must be at least fifty, there is the old doe, and some younger ones, the kangaroo, a couple of young monkeys, equally playful and mischievous, and a hare which I am now engaged in taming. All of these, except the three last, are, so tame that we let them go where they will, without any fears of losing them. In the morning, when we first make our appearance, they all come flocking around us. Alice gives each its accustomed portion, - to one a fig, to another a bit of cold meat, a yam or two, or a piece of cocoanut. It is a wonderful thing to me to see-how they love us. One would naturally suppose that they would prefer the society of their kind; yet, however far they may wander away in the daytime, a mysterious attraction is sure to bring them back at night. It is easy to see that they look up to Hamlet as a superior being; and he, on his part, though he sometimes condescends to play with them, never for a moment forgets his dignity and self-respect. The kangaroo is the only one that he honors with his confidence. Dec. 4th. Cut .away a great part of the hedge, because it obstructed our view of the lake. CHAPTER X XXII. An exciting Adventure. - A Ramble among the Hills.- Hamlet and Jasper go on before. --A fearful Surprised--The sleeping Tigers.- The Pursuit.--The Mountain Valley. --A desperate Situation.- Hamlet comes to the Rescue. --The Battle. --Sudden Death of the young Tigers' - Hamlet hard pressed by the old Ones. - Our Victory. - Hamlet's Heroism. I COME now to an adventure that, take it altogether, was the most fearful and surprising of all we met with during the whole time of our residence on the island; and, though so many months have passed since its occurrence, I cannot, to this day, think of it without a shudder. It was on a bright and cheerful morning in May, when Jas- per was five, and the little Allie three years of age, that we all left home together, to explore some of the pleasant valleys that led up among the hills. I carried Allie on my shoulders, while Jasper, as usual, rode the bear. Our way, at first, led through the same well-known paths where we had so- often been before, but-which seemed, on that account, hardly any less delightfifl. We found, indeed, so many points of attraction, that the morning was nearly gone before we reached the great rock, that had hitherto bounded our walks in that direction. The country beyond this was entirely unknown to us, and I was therefore desirous that we should all keep as close together as possible; but, just as I page: 328-329[View Page 328-329] 328 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. was about to give Jasper a word of caution on this subject, I saw him stoop down and whisper in the ear of Hamlet, and the next moment away they went at such a rate, that they were almost instantly out of sight. I shouted after them, as loud as I could, but they were both too much excited to pay any attention; and, as it was utterly impossible for me to overtake them, I had to make the best of it, trusting to Hamlet's well-known prudence and sagacity to guard his young master against any danger that might threaten. We now hurried along as fast as possible, in hopes of soon coming up with the fugitives, and had nearly reached the end of the wood, when, happening to turn my eyes to one side, I saw a sight that fairly froze my blood, and made my hair stand on end with horror. Under the double shade of a low clump of bushes and a lofty tree that stretched its branches nearly to the spot where we were standing, lay couched a monstrous tiger and tigress, with two half-grown cubs. From the position which they occu- pied, I had a full view of their vast and terrible proportions, so vast and terrible that the one we had previously encountered seemed hardly as big as the smallest, and even the bare and knotted roots of the grand old tree above them left no such impression of power on the mind. But all was still as a pic- ture. I saw no sign of life except a single leaf stirred by the breath of the nearest. Alice at first did not see them, and I had presence of mind enough not to utter a syllable, hoping that, as they seemed asleep, we might get by without being discovered. The involun- tary start which I made, however, called her attention, and the next moment, her eye also falling on the sleeping monsters, she stood motionless as a statue, with one arm slightly raised, and her foot moved forward as in act to step, while her gaze THE SLEEPING TIGERS. 329 seemed riveted as by a sort of fascination on our fearful enemy. But the woman's heart was strong within her; though so deadly pale, she neither fainted nor uttered a word of terror, but- presently recovered her spirits, and signed to me to go. We crept away, hardly daring to breathe, starting at every foot- fall, and expecting every moment to hear the fierce beasts in full pursuit. But they still slept apparently as soundly as ever. It was the hour of noon, and the forest lay hushed in profound re- pose. The drowsy trees scarce held up their heavy arms. The birds were dumb, or only now and then uttered a single note as if from uneasy dreams. . A monkey, perched far above our heads, was leisurely eating- his dinner of nuts; and, as he threw down the shells, we could hear them rattle among the leaves with a fearful distinctness. "Ah, rascal!" thought I, " you would like to wake the tigers, if you could, would n't you? It would be fine sport to you; you are safe enough. But whb iduhLinot we save ourselves in the same way? And leave m hng Jasper? No! And perhaps they will not awake after il." We had left the forest and advanced some distance out into the great plain lying at the foot of the mountains, and were already congratulating each other on our escape, when I heard behind me a sudden and tremendous roar that seemed to fill all the air, and to envelop us, as it were, in an invisible net from which there was no escape. The earth reeled so that we could hardly stand upon our feet. The great heart of the island seemed heaving with sympathetic throbs. Even the careless wind, struck with a nameless horror, held its breath, in that dreadful moment, in fear and pity. But they could not help us., 28* page: 330-331[View Page 330-331] 330 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. The tigers had waked, and were already on our track. They had given us that little start for the simple pleasure of the chase. They had sounded that horrid war-whoop only that we might run the faster. I looked at Alice, and then at the little girl I carried in my arms, and shuddered to think how utterly impotent I was to save them from the dreadful fite that seemed about to grasp them. "Suppose I should leave Allie? Her mother and I might then escape." I dwelt on this thought with a savage joy, for I knew how impossible it was that I should ever yield to it. And then I cursed the bear, in the madness and bitterness of my heart, for having so basely deserted us, as if he had been conscious of our danger; though, even if he had been present, it seemed scarcely possible that heshould successfully defend us against such fearful odds. Still, our only hope of safety was in reaching himn; and anxiously as Wellington, on the field of Waterloo, looked for the coming of the Prussians, so did I seek on every side for some token of his approach. But all in vain; over the whole plain, as far as the eye could reach, I saw nothing but a few rocks and bushes, and a herd of antelopes feeding in the distance. They could not help me, but I judged from their utter fearlessness that Hamlet must have taken some other direction. At no great distance to the right there came down into the plain a steep and narrow valley that led far up among the hills. There was nothing to show that Hamlet had gone that way, except that I could not see him anywhere else; but no other hope seemed left to us, nor was that any time for balanc- ing probabilities. We turned and fled with all our might across the plain. Alice, having no incumbrance, except the axe, which I had given her to carry, could easily have outrun me, but no A DESPERATE SITUATION. 381 entreaties could induce her to leave my side. I had hoped that we might reach the entrance of the valley before the tifers left the wood, and thus, perhaps, for a while, elude their search; but we were one moment too late. Alice, in- deed, had already gained that friendly shelter, and I was just ready to follow, when, pausing an instant to recover breath and cast a fearful glance behind me, I saw at once that that hope was gone. They came, one after the other, out of the forest, like fiends hunting a lost soul; and, when they caught sight of us, they set up altogether a cry of such delighted and expectant appetite that I already felt my bones crackling be- tween their teeth. We hurried breathlessly up the valley. "Dear Robert," gasped Alice, "can't you run faster? Give Allie to me;," and, so saying, she would have taken the child from my arms if I would have consented. "Don't wait for me!"I cried; ( run on! run on! Hamlet must be somewhere here; if you can get to him you will be safe." "And leave you and Allie? No! One or both!" "The bear! the bear!"I cried; " run and bring him, and you may save us all. Do you hear? Good God! why don't you run? There they are now!" And, as I spoke, the foremost of our pursuers appeared at the entrance of the valley. His deep-mouthed cry of exulta- tion was caught up and repeated, in full chorus, by his com- panlons behind. They were, evidently, certain of their prey. My fierce entreaty had at length compelled Alice to run on before. I listened eagerly to hear her welcome cry, announcing that she had found the bear, but I listened in vain. Ie must have taken some other path. If he had come the same way that we did, the tigers must certainly have been page: 332-333[View Page 332-333] 332 THEE NEW AGE OF GOLD. disturbed. I wondered that I had not thought of this before. But now it was too late. Our fate was sealed. We should never leave that valley. "O, Hamlet Hmamlet!"I cried, " why don't you come'? Where are you?" and still echo answered "Where are you?" I turned my despairing eyes on every side, on the unpity- ing, remorseless rocks, on the trees that I knew would help me if they could; but I heard no voice, no sound. All about us was still and silent as the grave, except when, now and then, the mingled roar of the approaching tigers swelled up the valley. Already I felt their hot breath upon me; every moment I expected the fatal spring. I could go no further. I sunk down upon the ground, holding my child pressed against my heart. "Mamma is calling you," said the child, " don't you hear her?" I started up and listened. A faint cry came down from among the mountains, but seemingly afar off. I pressed on, reeling and staggering, till, turning an angle of the valley, I saw, O, blessed sight! my noble Hamlet flying at full speed down the rugged pass. As the tigers came round the corner, he reached my side; and, at sight of this unexpected adversary, the tigers paused. It had evidently given a new complexion to affairs. They Irew back to reconnoitre. The bear also seemed rather taken aback at this sudden neeting. I saw him turn his head slowly from one of his enemies to another; and I am just as sure that he was count- ng them, and forming an estimate of their powers, as if [ had heard him speak. The result of his observations was anything but comforting, - four to one is fearful odds; and I BATTLE WITH THE TIGERS. 83 saw by the way he shrugged his shoulders that he wished most heartily that we were all safely at home. Yet this was all; he never for a moment thought of desert- ing us, though he might very easily have effected his escape. He looked at me, as much as to say, " Never mind; you stand by me, and I'll stand by you; and if we don't teach these dandy yellow-jackets a useful lesson, before we, are done with them, why, then "-a most expressive shake of the head filled up the rest. I had not lost the opportunity afforded me by this moment- ary pause. I hastily drew Alice in front of and between two huge rocks, and, leaving her with the children, I grasped my axe firmly in both hands, and side by side with Hamlet calmly waited the fearful onset. Some may think my coope- ration of little service; but I was tall and strong; constant exercise had taught me the perfect use of all my muscles, and the axe, though dull, was in such hands no contemptible weapon. In fact, I have since likened myself, rather presumptuously perhaps, to Montague standing side by side with the great earl of the "bear and the ragged staff" on the fatal field of Barnet. Hardly had I made this disposition of our scanty forces when the young tigers, who had been all the time sidling about, this way and that; as if to discover the most favorable point of attack, came leaping towards us. I had already raised my axe to strike, when Hamlet, taking two strides in advance, raised himself on his hind legs, and, as the cubs came within his reach, he dealt them each, one after the other, one tremendous blow, that stretched them senseless at his feet. As they would certainly have weighed six hundred pounds apiece, this prodigious exertion of strength on his part rather page: 334-335[View Page 334-335] 334 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. surprised me; but I had no time to think long about it; for at that instant, with a tremendous roar, that seemed to shake the very hills, the old tigers, stung to madness by the sudden death of their young, hastened to avenge them. They calculated their distance so as to alight upon the head and shoulders of the bear; and, if they had succeeded, there is no knowing what might have happened; but Hamlet just then stepping warily back, they both struck the ground directly at his feet, when, before she could recover herself, he gave the ti. gress a box on the ear, that fairly pulled the scalp over her eyes. This rude salute, however, did not a whit abate her ardor, and the next instant they both flung themselves upon the bear with such fury and impetuosity as nothing but his amazing coolness and presence of mind could have enabled him to resist. His early education now stood him in good stead. Stand- ing elect on his hind legs, he threw himself into the posture of an experienced boxer, and thus kept his enemies a long time at bay. He seemed to know that it was his policy to keep them at arms' length; while they, on the other hand, were equally desirous of closing in with him, when the advan- tage would have been as plainly on their side. All the time their movements were so rapid that I dared not hazard a blow for fear of its being ineffectual. But the violent exertions he was obliged to make in main- taining this unequal contest were at length too much for Hamlet's endurance. He was now grown decidedly fat and unwieldy; and, though still as strong as ever, had lost somewhat of that agility for which he had formerly been remarkable. In this respect his enemies had greatly the advantage. In- stead of relaxing their efforts, they seemed to gather fresh energy every time they touched the earth. Now on this side, BATTLE WITH THE TIGERS. 835 now on that, they left him not a moment's breathing space; till at last, with a sudden rush, they bore him backward to the ground. The tiger assailed him in the flank, -and the tigress already had her fangs in his throat, when I sprang forward, and, swinging the axe once round my head, brough down with crushing weight on her left ear. , She let go her hold, as a sleeping infant drops its toy, and quietly rolled over on her side, where she lay as dead as- the stones on which she rested. Hamlet was thus relieved from one of his enemies, and seemed disposed to make short work with the other. This, however, was far from being so easy a matter as he and I had supposed. The tiger was an enormous animal, nearly as heavy, if not as large, as the bear, and his extraordinary suppleness and agility gave him a decided advantage. He was so slip- pery that it was a long time before Hamlet could get hold of him. If he could I felt fully satisfied what the result would be. For Hamlet was not only a famous wrestler, and understood the regular Rocky Mountain trip to perfection, but his hug was beyond all comparison the most formidable I ever saw, and in a rough-and-tumble fight it would have been difficult to find his equal. The tiger seemed in some degree sensible of this fact, and for a long time took good care not to venture within the em- brace of those tremendous paws; but this mode of fighting was not at all suited to his rash and fiery nature, and he was evidently meditating some more decisive action. He retired a few steps,, as if about to leave the field, then suddenly turn- ing he made such a quick and unexpected onset as took the bear entirely by surprise, and fairly laid him on his back. But this position was, perhaps, the most formidable he could assume; and as the tiger, whose coolness and self-pos- page: 336-337[View Page 336-337] 336 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. session seemed now wholly to have deserted him, stooped to seize his prostrate foe by the throat, the bear made a sudden turn or twist, so quick that I could not see exactly how, and in an instant had the tiger round the waist, with his right side drawn closely against his own breast. As soon as I saw that,/I knew that the battle was as good as ended. That terrible hug would never relax. The bear would never release his enemy, until he handed him over into the arms of death. Yet the struggles of the tiger were almost incredible to be- hold, so that all I had seen before now seemed little more than child's play in comparison. His writhing and twisting, the swelling of his enormous muscles, the wrinkling of his loose and velvet skin, now, however, matted with blood and dust, the bowels protruding from his lacerated side, the blood- shot glare of his eye, the gnashing of his teeth, and the ter- rible malignity communicated to his expression by the con- stant withdrawal of his lips, covered with bloody foam,--IL hope in mercy I may never see such a sight again. Never in the arena of old Spain, nor in the bloodier amphi- theatre of Rome, save when some family of martyrs sealed their faith with their lives, had such a spectacle been wit- nessed. Yet my gertle Alice saw it all, - couched on the ground, with her infant clasped to her breast, her eyes riveted by a cruel fascination on the dreadful struggle. Jasper standing by her side, pale and red by turns, now cried, "Don't cry, mother!" and now, "Father, why don't you help him? Don't let the tigers kill poor Hamlet! I only wish I had lmy bow and arrow!" O, my brave boy, my darling Jasper! -but no matter. "4 Hush, child, hush!" said his mother, vainly striving to draw him nearer. HAMLET'S HnEROISM. 33 7 I needed no such urging. Standing as near as I dared, with uplifted axe, I sought an opportunity of giving the tiger his coup-de-grace; but, for a long time, the movements of the combatants were so rapid that I feared to strike lest I should injure the bear. At length, however, I fetched a blow, that lighting on the tiger's spine, just at the small of the" back, seemed to paralyze all his lower extremities, and so far dimin- ished his activity that I easily succeeded in planting another just between his eyes. Even this, however, failed of the de- sired effect; and it was not till I had repeated the blow nearly a dozen times that he finally gave up the unequal con- test, and breathed out his fierce and revengeful soul. Then the bear unloosed his hold, and, retiring to a short distance, we both stood and gazed, as if fearful lest our impla- cable enemy should after all return again to life. All the while the battle lasted, the mountains had echoed with the cries and yells of the tigers; but Hamlet, true to his nature, hardly uttered a sound. But his eye, usually so dull, was now lighted up with a strange and-terrible joy. A set and stubborn resolution marked every movement. Such, I ween, were the three hundred who fell at Thermop- ylae, such the soldiers of Cromwell, and such the heroes who achieved our independence. But Hamlet had not come off entirely unharmed. The thickness of his coat had indeed saved him from any mortal injury, but he was dreadfully lac- erated about the head, and it was a long time before he had wholly recovered from his wounds. Indeed, he never fully re- gained the use of his hind leg, and to this day a slight limp is perceptible in his walk. So far, however, from. being ashamed of this circumstance, he seems rather to regard it as a matter of pride and exulta- tion, and so I am sure he ought; while, for my part, I never 29 page: 338-339[View Page 338-339] 338 TIE NEW AGE OF GOLD. see him take a step without being reminded by it of his gen- erous zeal and self-devotion in our behalf. Ah, my noble Hamlet! dearly, fondly, I love thee; and nothing but death-shall ever dissolve our friendship. We left the bodies of the four tigers lying where they had fallen, and hastened to leave that fearful valley. As we walked towards home, I sought in every way to soothe the agitation of my precious Alice, and to dispel her anxiety about the future. Instead of feeling any fear on account of what had happened, I told her that it ought rather to give us a sense of greater security. We now knew just what we had to fear, and on what we had to rely. There was not the slightegt probability that we should ever be attacked again by so many enemies at once; and, even if we were, I had no doubt that Hamlet would still prove more than a match for them. And, as long as we remained at home, we were fully as safe as we should be in any city in the United States. Whenever we went abroad we would be careful to keep Hamlet constantly by us. "So cheered I my fair spouse, and she was cheered, But silently a gentle tear let fall From either eye, and wiped them with her hair." C HAPT E R XXXIII. Our growing Attachment to our Island Home. - Jasper. -His Ignorance of the World. - Anniversary of our Landing. - A pleasant Ramble. -- Talk with Alice. - Jasper's Pebble. - What is Gold? - My Rhap- sody. - Pair of Scales. NEARLY a year had passed away since the adventures related in the last chapter. Alice had forgotten her fears; for, in all that time, nothing had occurred to excite any alarm, and our life once more moved on with its accustomed regularity and quiet. We had added one improvement after another to our style of living, till it might now, in many respects, fairly be called luxurious. The inconveniences which had at first annoyed us were now either no longer felt as such, or had been obviated by our own ingenuity. We had formned new habits, fitted to our situation--new modes of thought and action. - Whatever desire we might once have had to return to civilized life seemed completely extinguished. We asked nothing better than to spend all our days upon that island. It seemed to me far more like home than the home we had left. The rude stone table, the chairs of wicker-work, the fire- place by which we had so often sat, the trees that had so long protected us with their shadow, had wrought themselves into page: 340-341[View Page 340-341] 340 THE NE]W AGE OF GOLD. ] our very being, and to separate from them would be like losing a part of ourselves. The thought of returning to the starched and artificial life of cities was every way repugnant to our feelings. "No, I am determined, come what will, never, under any circum- stances, to abandon a life that has for me such charms!" Such expressions as this are to be found scattered all through my journal. March llth, 1852. Jasper is growing so fast that his mother has as much as she can do to make his clothes. One suit is hardly put on before it is outgrown, and he must have another; but then fortunately, as he and Alice are dressed precisely alike, the same clothes answer for both. Viola, the baby, is yet too small to wear trousers, but, whenever she does, we shall probably have to pursue the same plan with her. But no matter; there is no one here to laugh, or find fault; so we can do as we please. I am surprised that Jasper has not more curiosity regard- ing that great world which he has never seen; but I suppose the reason is, he knows so little about it that he has nothing to set his mind in motion. I find it impossible to give him the least idea of a city--of streets and houses--or of a thousand other things that are familiar as household words to children of the same age at home. Still less can I make him comprehend that manner of life, the way in which they spend their time, and the objects that most excite their passions. He listens gravely to every word I say, but, if I am ever led to suppose that he is beginning to understand me, he is sure to propound some absurd question or other, which shows that he has no more idea of such a state of existence than we have of heaven. But it is quite as well that he should be without that knowledge, and I do not know why I am so anxious to TALK WITH ALICE. . 841 teach him. He knows everything that he needs to.know. Though only six years old, he can already swim as well as I or Alice, and handles the bow as if Robin Hood himself had been his master. June 10th. To-day being the anniversary of our landing on the island, we determined to spend it as a holiday; and accordingly, after breakfast, we left the house, and strolled along leisurely through the shady forest, stopping now and then to fill our hands with flowers, to listen to the singing of the birds, or to watch a troop of monkeys gambolling among the branches. Our path ran along the uneven country lying between the mountains and the valley, and was often crossed by little brooks, most of which were nearly dry towards the end, of summer, but were- now brimming with the recent rains. By the side of one of these we sat down to eat our dinner - to watch the clouds slowly drifting over the trees, and tell long fantastic stories of fairy land to wonder-eyed Allie. Jasper, who could not bear to sit still a moment, and was never very fond of stories, was amusing himself with dabbling in the brook; Hamlet was sleeping in the shade, and the doe, who had lately conceived for him a violent attachment, was dreamily chewing her cud by his side. " Ah, my dear Alice! " I murmured, " would it be possible, search the wide world over, to find a scene of such perfect peace and happiness as this? How little I thought, that bitter, dismal morning, when I stood on the wharf in Salem, almost choking with the agony of doubt, home beckoning on the one hand, and stern necessity pulling, at the other, that fortune had such happiness in store for me! And then, when I saw you, I dreamed, to be sure, of one day calling you mine, 29* page: 342-343[View Page 342-343] 342 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. but I knew it was only a dream-and you looked at me a so scornfully!" "O, no," said Alice, " not scornfully; only indifferently." "But that is almost as bad." "But how could I help it, when I had never known you?" "And when did you first begin to love me?" (I had asked her this a hundred times already, but was never weary of hearing her answer.) "I do not know when I began, but I know when I first found it out." "And when was that?" "You know we had a sort of quarrel in the boat about--" Y: Yes." "Well, I thought that you treated me very unkindly, and I felt so grieved and vexed about it that I could not tell what to make of it, for I knew I should not have felt so once if you had treated me ever so unfeelingly ; but at last I concluded that it must be because I loved you so much better than before." "You are not sorry that we quarrelled?" "Not now." "Nor at anything else that has happened?" "No." "And you would rather live here than anywhere else?" "O, yes indeed, a thousand times! Nothing ever makes me so unhappy as when I think what if you should become uneasy and discontented, and wish to go back to the world. I know I should never be happy there." ,( Ah, well! my lady-bird, you need never trouble yourself on that score. I assure you, I love this life even better than you can do; and, as for going back, it makes me fairly shud- der even to think of it." WHAT IS GOLD? 343 At this moment Jasper came running towards us, with something in his hand. "O, father!" he cried, u only see what a pretty stone I have found in the' brook! It's just as yellow as it can be, and ever so heavy!" I saw at once, even before I touched it, that it was no pebble, but a piece of some kind of metal. I took it in my hand, and was surprised at its extraordinary weight. It was a dull yellow, except in a few spots, where it seemed to have been rubbed against the stones: about as big as a hen's egg, but of a very uneven shape. Alice, looking at it, fancied that she discovered a re- semblance to a serpent's head darting from its coils in act to strike. It must be gold. I knew of no other metal of that color that was ever found in a state of purity. But iron pyrites, I remembered, was sometimes mistaken for it, though that was not nearly as heavy, and I could easily tell by weighing. I would try when I got home. "But, father! what is gold?" said Jasper. "Gold!"I cried, "gold is at once the slave and tyrant of man--his worst enemy and his best friend. Nearly all the good and evil in the world have been accomplished through its agency, or for its sake. Gold is a panacea - a deadly poison; a fountain of happiness - a gulf of misery ; a blessing and a curse. Without it the happiest man is miserable, and with it the most miserable may sometimes be happy. Gold will make a saint a sinner, and a sinner a saint. Gold will unlock prison doors, blind winking eyes, overthrow the power of kings, silence the eloquence of senates. With it a man can buy others; without it he does not own even himself. But what have you to do with gold? It has no power here - page: 344-345[View Page 344-345] 344 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. here, in this golden land of the sun. Why do you bring it to me? I hate the very sight of it." "Shall I throw it away, father? Will it bite?" "Bite! yes! like a serpent; and sting like an adder; but keep it if you like; it cannot hurt you here." "He left me to my meditations, and went away; but pres- ently returned again, saying that he had found another piece, but it was so big and heavy that he could not lift it. Curios- ity drew me to the spot. "There, father, close under that big stone." I stooped down, and, having with some difficulty detached it from its bed, I drew the glittering toy from the water, and laid it on the bank. It was a lump of gold and quartz, shaped very much like a boat, and weighed altogether several pounds. "Gold!"I said, ( more gold! it must be plenty here- abouts; what a pity that somebody could not have it that wants it! It is of no use to us; but I should like to try and see if it is as abundant as it seems. If it is, I should soon be rich; and digging gold is much pleasanter than keep- ing school, or studying law, or standing all day long behind a counter. I must come 'some day and try it. But first let us be sure that it is gold." I put the piece, that Jasper had first found, into. my pocket; and soon after, as it was now getting late, we turned our steps towards home. That same evening I made a pair of rude scales with a slender piece of bamboo and a couple of small gourds, and, having put the lump of gold in the one, I balanced it with a quantity of sand in the other. Then I suspended the gold by a bit of leather beneath the scale, and, plunging it in the RESULT OF THE TEST. 345 water, the other side began at once to sink. I took out sand enough to restore the equilibrium, and, comparing it with what remained, found that the metal had lost about one- twentieth of its weight. Then I knew that it was gold. page: 346-347[View Page 346-347] CHAPTER XXXIV. The Curse of Gold. --The Poison begins to work. - Plans.- Dates ver- sus Pearls.-Digging a Canal.--Building the Dam.--Making a Trough. - Unsuccessful Experiments.- A lucky Thought. - Weights and Scales.--A golden Harvest.-A big Lump. - The Miseries of being rich. GOLD! Bright, yellow, sparkling gold! I held it up to the light, I rubbed it on my sleeve, and poised it on my hand. "It is very heavy. What a strange pleasure there is in feeling its weight. It must be worth, at least, three hundred dollars. Ah me! how many times I can remember when such a sum would have driven me almost wild with delight But now it is of no more value than so much sand, and I would gladly give it all for a shovel or a hoe. In Boston, how many things I could buy with it! And there must be more where this came from. Ten thousand, fifty thousand, a hundred thousand dollars! That would make me a rich man! I could buy a fine house, fine furniture, a fine library. They said I should never make anything, but now they will find that- they are mistaken." "But what good does it do me here?" June llth. -I waked this morning, after a restless night, with a sense of depression and uneasiness such as I have not known for years. Leaning on my elbow I watched a long time Alice's peaceful slumbers. (It seems to me," I said THE CURSE OF -GOLD. 347 to myself, "that I do not love her as much as I did. And I do not love this island as I did yesterday. What can be the reason?"Suddenly her fair young face became clouded, as if it had caught the reflection of my own; her pleasant dream- land was invaded by storms. I wakened her with kisses; she started up in alarm, but, seeing where she was, became calm again, and with a loving smile exclaimed, "( O, I am so glad! I dreamed that we had sailed away to the United States; and it made me so unhappy I could hardly keep from crying; but we have n't, have we? dear Robert! But why do you look so grave? What is the matter with you?" i Do I look grave?"I replied. "I did not- know it; noth- ing is the matter with me." But, somehow or other, her words jarred on my feelings. Just then my eye fell on the lump of gold, which I had placed the night before near the head of my bed. "Gold! false, deceitful, tempting, corrupting gold! My bad feelings seemed to grow stronger than ever. I sprang from the bed, and seizing the shining pebble flung it with all my might towards the lake. It struck against a limb of the mangrove, and fell to the ground,^where it shone brighter than ever. My resolution was exhausted by this effort. I picked up the gold, and placed it in one of the chinks over the fire-place. "4 Perhaps," I said to myself, " at some future time I may want it." 13th. - I am trying to devise some way to get at the gold, which I am persuaded must be very abundant in the bed of the brook we visited the other day, and prolbably in many others. Alice wonders what in- the world I can do with gold, and urges me to think no more about it; but I cannot get it out of my mind. "th. - Thought of a way that perhaps will answer. I in- page: 348-349[View Page 348-349] 348 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. tend to dig a canal large enough to carry all the water, and then turn the brook into it. This will leave the bed quite dry, and I can work it to much greater advantage. Then I shall make a long trough of bamboo, for a part of the water to run through; and by throwing the earth I take out of the brook, a little at a time into this trough, I think the gold will be left entirely clear. All this, to be sure, 'looks very much like hard work, nor can I imagine why I do it; but so it is,- gold asserts its power even here. I remembered to have read a story of a man, almost perish- ing with hunger in the midst of the desert, finding in his path a bag which he hoped was filled with dates. But when he opened it, he cried, I( Ah, they are only pearls!"a Once I be- lieved this story, but now I believe it no longer; unless, indeed,he were already rich, and in that case the moral must of course be lost. If he were poor, he would certainly never have exchanged the pearls for dates as long as any hope - remained. 15th. - Began to-day to dig my canal. The ground is for- tunately very soft, as otherwise I could do nothing. Even as it is, I make but slow progress. I am obliged first to loosen the earth with a sharp stake hardened in the fire, and then throw it out by means of a shovel or scoop made of bamboo. Alice, finding that I am so bent upon it, has ceased to dis- courage me; but she seems distressed with a secret uneasiness. I do not know how it is, but I am not myself nearly as happy as I was. I am somehow or other grown strangely uneasy and dissatisfied. This morning I spoke harshy to Alice; the first unkind word she has ever heard from me since our mar- riage. I wish a thousand times that this accursed gold had never been discovered. July 5th.-- Finished my canal yesterday, and began to BUILDING A DAM. 349 build the dam. This task will be far easier. The canal is three feet wide, from one to four feet deep, and nearly two hundred feet in length. As the fall is considerable, I think that these dimensions will be sufficient, though the brook- is itself much larger. 9th. -The dam will have to be some forty feet long, and in the middle perhaps ten feet high. My first step here was to cut down a tree of the proper size to form the top. Without Hamlet's assistance I should never have been able to move it to the spot; but he dragged it along, by means of a kind of harness I made for him, with very little trouble. Having thrown this tree across from, one bank to the other, I cut a large number of stout stakes, and drove them into the bed of the brook, with their tops leaning against the tree, andr/ then filled in behind them with stones and earth till I had made the dam ufficiently tight to hold all the water, except a very little that still found its way through the bottom. 13th. -The lam is finished, and the water running through the canal. I was always fond of playing with water; and this work has' given me great pleasure. Above the dam there is a lake, of .considerable size, as smooth as glass, except towards the mouth of the canal, when it suddenly shoots away in whirling eddies. The leakage is very trifling, and the bed of the brook nearly dry, with the exception of five small hol- lows which I can easily drain by deepening the channel. 19t]h. -Have been busy all this time in preparing my trough, about which I have altered my plans a little, and concluded to make it of a big log instead of bamboo. This operation, though it required so much time, was not very labo- rious,'as I made fire do the most of it. The trough is ten feet long, about eighteen inches wide, and open at the lower 30 page: 350-351[View Page 350-351] 850 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. end. I bring water into it from the dam, some fifty feet above, in a long spout of bamboo. 22d. - Commenced operations. M1y plan does not work exactly according to my calculations; in fact, it does not work at all. The finest earth, to be sure, is Washed out, but everything else remains in the trough. I see now that it is only a miniature brook, and wonder how I ever could have expected any other result. 23d. - Set the trough steeper and turned on more water, and now it washes out everything, stones and all. 24th. - Pegged a small cleat to the lower end of the trough, and succeeded in keeping in half a peck of stones and gravel. Found also a bit of gold weighing nearly as much as a silver dollar. Am quite at a loss what to do. 25th. - Lay awake half the night trying to think of some improvement. Hamlet sees all this with infinite disgust, and, if it did not cost him such an effort, I have no doubt he would read me a severe lecture on the folly of my conduct. I firk- his society becoming rather irksome. 26th. - Looking into the fire last evening I suddenly con- ceived a happy idea. Shake the trough. Sure enough! Why had n't I thought of it before? This morning I set the trough oh two smooth stones, and, the bottom being round, it rocked as easily as a cradle. But there are so many stones mixed with the earth that I can do but little, as I have to pick them all out by hand. I find also that there is a considerable quantity of black sand mixed with the gravel, which is so heavy that water cannot wash it away; and how to get rid of this is a puzzle. This sand looks precisely like what we used at home for sanding letters. 29th, - Covered the whole length of the trough with a grating of bamboo, with openings about a quarter of an inch WEIGHTS AND SCALES. 351 in width. The water and gravel sift through this grating, while the stones slide down the top. The black sand still troubles me, but I can begin to see the gold, and that encour- , ages me to persevere. It is mostly in minute scales, not big- ger than a grain of sand; though there are many pieces as large as a kernel of corn, and now and then I find one of the size of a walnut. I have already carried home over two hundred dollars. It was some time before I could think of any way to ascertain its value; my jack-knife is almost the only bit of civilization in my possession, and what the precise weight of a jack-knife might be neither Alice nor I could deter- mine. At length, however, I happened to remember the dol- lar which I had given to Jasper, and, on my inquiring what had become of it, Alice at once directed me to a cranny over the fire-place, where, she said, she had laid it up against a rainy day. I knew that a dollar weighed nearly an ounce; other weights of different sizes were then easily added, and now every evening, on arriving at home, the first thing I do is to weigh the proceeds of the day's labor, and calculate how fast I am growing rich. August 8th. - Found a way to separate most of the sand from the gold, by putting it altogether into a large gourd, and plunging it repeatedly under water. My success now exceeds my most sanguine calculations. The earth continually grows richer as I dig deeper, and the gains of each day exceed those- of the preceding. Last week I made no less than seventeen hundred dollars; and this week, to judge by the way it has begun, must give at least double that amount. I have fitted up a little rocker for Jasper, and, though he worked not more than a fourth of the time, he made in three days just fifteen ounces. All that he makes I allow him to keep for himself. page: 352-353[View Page 352-353] 352 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. Of course he understands nothing about its value; its beauty is to himl its only attraction. 17th. - Reached the bed rock this morning, and found in a singrle hollow, containing perhaps half a bushel of' earth, a little over twenty-three hundred dollars. After I had got it all out, as I supposed, I went over the bottom carefully with my knife, and obtained from the scrapings nearly three hundred dollars more. I would give a thousand dollars for a good shovel, and half as much for a hoe. 25th.-- Made to-day eleven hundred dollars. I -can remember when I should have been abundantly satisfied if I could have made as much in a whole year. 27th. --Iade only fifty-three dollars. Quite discouraged. 28th.- Found to-day, while digging into the bank of the brook, a lump of gold so heavy that I had hard work to lift it. I think it must weigh nearly two hundred, pounds. As I did not like to break it, and could never carry it home my- self, I made a sort of drag, by cutting the fork of a tree in the shape of a "wishing-bone; " and then, having lashed the lump securely on it, I made Hamlet haul it to the house. I was so much excited that I hardly slept a wink all night. I do not believe that such a lump of gold was ever found before. If it is as heavy as I suppose, it must be worth forty thousand dollars. If I could only get it home to my mother, how happy I should be! September 3d. - Fourteen hundred dollars. 13th. -The gold that I fcund to-day is the most beautiful I have ever seen. It is of the brightest yellow, of a very uniform size, like small grains of corn ; and there was enough of it to fill a pint measure. I keep all except the bigger lumps, in gourds, and have already filled no less than seven. October 7th. - Struck a rich spot this morning, and in six MSERIES OF BEING RICH. 353 hours took out about four thousand dollars. This is more than I have ever made in a day before, except the great lump. 21st. - It is just three months since I began mining. Made a careful estimate, and found that I had taken out in that time $77,845, besides the great lump, which I did not in- clude in this calculation. This would be nearly one thousand dollars for every working day, which I should once have thought very fair wages; but it is nothing great, after all. It would require sixty years, at the same rate, to accumulate a fortune equal to John Jacob Astor's; which, to be sure, is very provoking, as I do not expect to live much longer -than that, and should like a little time to enjoy the fruits of my labor. It vexes me to think that so large a sum should be lying idle, without bringing me in any interest; yet I see no oppor- tunity for a safe investment. "( What can you ever do with so much money? demanded Alice for the twentieth time, as we sat this evening before our cottage door. "We have everything we want; and, even if we had not, there is no one here to sell." "True," said I, " but- there is no knowing what may hap- pen; a ship may some time or other touch at our island; and then, you know, we could send a portion of it to our friends at home. How surprised and delighted they would be!" This answer was enough for my simple Alice. And I was glad that it was so. I could 'not tell her that I had begun already to think of leaving our beautiful island. I hardly dare to think of it myself. It seems almost like a mortal sin; yet so it is,- deliberately, and with open eyes, I am about to make shipwreck of all my happiness. That vain ambition, which I had hoped was dead within me, - the desire of shining in the eyes of men, of returning 80' page: 354-355[View Page 354-355] 354 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. rich to the place I left so poor, of triumphing over my open enemies and pretended friends, of startling the world with an account of my adventures, - all these are too many for my poor heart to struggle against. I see my fate, yet cannot flee from it. I bid a long farewell to happiness, and passively submit myself once more to envy, pride, and discontent. Yet, why torment myself unnecessarily? Perhaps a ship will never coume; or, if it does, think how happy you can be at home; how much good you can do with your money; of the pleasure it will give you to see your friends once more, and to walk through those familiar streets! Again and again I had to gothrough the same process of reasoning. Ah me! if I had only listened to the promptinrgs of my heart! but, too skilful casuist as I was, I succeeded only too well in the task of self-deception. O, that accursed gold! Curses on the day that I found it! I could almost wish that my boy had been in his grave before he ever brought me that fatal bribe. CHAPTER XXXV. Origin of the Gold. - Commencement of the Rainy Season. -Burying my Treasures. - Winter Employments. - Jasper and Alice; their Ig- norance and Simplicity; their Idea of the World. - What is a School? What do Children learn for? - Want of Books. - Condi- tion in which I should leave my Posterity. - What is the most essen- tial Knowledge? - Growth of my Plantation. Nov. 1st.--MADE the last week only six hundred and seventy dollars. The gold has evidently given out, and I must try some other locality. Hhave about made up my mind as to its origin. I think there can be little doubt that it must have been thrown out from the volcano. All the larger pieces have unmistakable marks of fire about them, and plainly show that they have been melted. 'How long ago I cannot tell; but, from the size of the trees growing all around, it must have been at least some centuries. 13th.- Have tried a great number of other places, but nowhere find the gold in anything like the same abundance as in the spot I first selected. Another- brook, lying about half a mile further to the west, would probably yield me ten or twenty dollars a day for a long time; but, after doing so much better, I cannot make up my mind to work for such insignificant wages. Soon after this last entry the rainy season set in, and con- page: 356-357[View Page 356-357] 356 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. pelled me, though reluctantly, to abandon the employment which I had found so fascinating. At this good news Alice could not conceal her satisfaction. She hoped now, she said, to enjoy a little of my society. And, at the same time, she gently reminded me of the state of her wardrobe, and how much she would be obliged' to me if I would furnish her with means to improve it. I had been promising to do this for a long time, but had been too much engrossed in gold-hunting to find a moment to spare for anything else. Now, however, I was ready to resume my former way of livintg. But first, to put the gold out of my sight, and to keep it safe in case of any unforeseen accident, I dug a hole in the floor of our kitchen, and then, bringing out the gourds that contained my precious hoards, I carefully deposited thelm in the bottom, and covered them all over with a thick layer of leaves. I then filled up the cavity with earth, and stamp- ing it a long time with my feet made it so smooth and hard that no one could have perceived any difference between that spot and the surface around it. The big lunmp I buried in a place by itself. After this was done I felt somewhat easier. The winter passed away quietly and happily. It was very delightful, both to me and Alice, to watch the minds of our children gradually unfolding, and to study the peculiarities of thought and feeling arising from the novelty of their position. It was so different from what either of us had been accustomed to. Their world was so much narrower, the number of their ideas so much more limited, and those they did have were so siim- ple, yet so original, that they seemed like no other children. They listened to our description of things we had actually seen at home, such as steamboats, houses, carriages, and the SIMPLICITY OE JASPER AND ALICE, 357 like, with the same sort of interest, and the same degree of faith, that they felt in the stories of- the flying-horse, the en- chanted castle, or the wonderful lamp. The one was no more a reality to them than the other. Their sole idea of the world, and one which all our teaching was unable to eradicate, seemed to be that it was an island, somewhat larger, perhaps, than our own, - though Jasper was, at times, inclined to dis- pute even this, - with a family in this corner, another in that, and a third in that; with narrow paths leading from one to another, and a round pond in the middle. When I told them that there were twenty million of people in the United States, they were not surprised, for they did not comprehend it; but when-I added, more than there are leaves on yonder tree, they shook their heads incredulously, and would not believe a word. But why people' should take so much trouble was what puzzled them more than all the rest. What they wanted of so many things, or what they could find to do with them, was more than they could tell. They wondered that the whole world did not live exactly as we did. They wondered still more how anybody could be content tostay all his life in-a house, without ever running out into. the woods. When I told them that in many places as big as our island there were no woods, and sometimes hardly any trees, they wanted to know what those poor people lived on, and where they got their oranges and mangoes. Happening one day to use the word "school," Alice de- manded what it was, whether it was something good to eat. "Not exactly," I replied; "a school is a place where a great many little boys and girls go together to learn things out of books." . :' What are books?" said Alice. page: 358-359[View Page 358-359] 358 - THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. "O, I know," cried Jasper, " those leaves that father writes on every night; but what do they want to learn for?" "So as to fit them to be useful men and women when they grow up," I replied, happily calling to mind that famous formula which had been so painfully impressed upon me in my own school-boy days. "But I and Alice don't learn things out of books," said Jasper. L 0o.7" "And shan't we be useful men and women when we grow up?" "I hope so; but there are many things you do not need to know, which they cannot do without." 4"Why not?" said Jasper; "why can't they do without them as well as we?" "Because they don't live as we do; they have to learn to be merchants, and doctors, and lawyers, and mechanics." But Jasper still demanded "( Why?" and after I had ex- plainced the matter to him as well as I knew how, he was still as far as ever from comprehending the advantages of all that laborious study. ("Can they climb trees any better after studying so many books?" he inquired. "N0." "Or swim any better? or run any faster? or shoot any further?" Ct No." "Then I don't see what good it does 'em." This was but a sample of many similar conversations, the result of all which was only to puzzle Jasper more and more completely, and to impress upon my own mind a deeper sense WANT OF BOOKS. , 359 of the intensely artificial and factitious construction of our X whole social fabric. The reader will, perhaps, wonder how, after living such a life as we had at home, we could be happy without books. But both Alice and I had read so much that we hardly felt this want at all. Her reading, like mine, had been exceed- ingly multifarious. We had, fortunately, -never been tram- melled by what is called a regular plan of study. We had read poetry, history, biography, travels and romances. All these furnished us with endless topics of conversation. When the books which we had read were the same, we were never weary of comparing our recollections; when they were not, we found quite as agreeable an entertainment in repeating what we could remember for the amusement of the other. But with our children the case was widely different. They had never read a single book, and of course had no stock of acquired knowledge to fall back upon. And then, what an immense variety of subjects' there were, about which all the reading in the world would give them only a very imperfect idea! All this knowledge would die with me. Little as I knew of the mechanic arts, I had still sufficient skill to have pro- vided my little community with most of those things on which the welfare of society chiefly depends. If I lived long enough and had other hands to help me, I could make clocks, spin- ning-wheels, looms, cloth, knives, spades, printing-presses, and, I thought, steam-engines; - that is, if there was any iron on my island, of which I had little doubt. But Jasper had never seen any of those things, and, of course, could never make-them. In the little kingdom that I should leave behind me, the arts would all be in their infancy. If my descendants ever acquired a knowledge of them, they page: 360-361[View Page 360-361] 360 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. would have to begin at the beginning. No matter, however, if they did; the pleasure we derive from these various inven- tions is after all in the making, and not in the having. But I could not leave them entirely without assistance. They must have something to start from. There were certain rudi- ments of knowledge that could -not be dispensed with. These I would write out on parchment, and so preserve them for the benefit of my posterity. But after I had prepared my parchment, and set seriously to work, thinking what those rudiments should be, I found myself completely at a loss. Out of the great sea of human knowledge I had carefully to select the minutest possible por- tion. The alphabet of course they must have, but after that was written for a long time I could go no further. Then Alice suggested the multiplication table, and I added that forthwith. We were three weeks in making the next step, and then I wrote out the Lord's Prayer. This natu- rally suggested some system of religion. I made this as brief as possible, and so catholic in its doctrines that no one could have objected to any portion, unless, indeed, he denied the existence of God. The ten commandments followed, and that was as far as we got that winter. But I would advise any one, in want of an agreeable and instructive occupation, to spend a few hours in, thinking what selection he should make if he were suddenly to be deprived of all knowledge, except what could be comprised in a few sheets of parch- ment. It must not be supposed that this employment was all we had to occupy us this winter. Alice spent a long time in weav- ing hammocks for the next summer; and, as for me, when not engaged as above stated, I was almost always busy in some way or other, in shooting, or fishing, or making shoes, or GROWTH OF MY PLANTATION. 861 working in my garden. Here we had pine-apples of the most delicious flavor -yams in abundance, and an endless variety of shrubs, trees, and flowers. The limes and oranges, which I set out the third year of our residence on the island, were already loaded with fruit. The palms and mangoes were all thriving, and in a few years more our little cottage would be completely hidden in the midst of a miniature plan- tation. Some wild rice, which I had found growing in a marshy spot on the bank of the "Mississippi," and a portion of which I had sowed not far from the house, was even now beginning to show the favorable effects of cultivation. I had thought our island was incapable of improvement; but now I saw that, much as nature had done for it, art had made it still more beautiful. Every day seemed to discover some new attraction. March 3d.-Here is the winter nearly gone, and I hardly knew it. Certainly time never flew so fast. Nor was I ever so happy. To wander away, hand in hand, down the long woodland glades, past gray old mossy tree-trunks, under the patriarchal boughs; to see the bounding deer by the side of some bounding river; to sit in stormy weather and watch the clouds roll up the mountains; to listen reverently to the low muttering thunder, or to the rain pattering on the leaves; to pile great heaps of wood upon the fire, till the flames go roaring up the chimney, while Jasper laughs, and Alice won- ders almost to fear; to study with philosophic eye the blackened stones that I know so well, and dream, and dream, and dream; - this it is to live,- this is what I call my life. 31 A page: 362-363[View Page 362-363] CHAPTER XXXVI. Rich and Poor. -I determine to leave the Island. -Difficulties in the Way. --A happy Thought.-- Grief and Surprise of Alice.--She seeks to dissuade me from It. - My Selfishness and Cruelty. - I begin to build a Boat. --Description of It. - Search for Materials. - Making a Mould. - Launch of the Alice. - An unexpected Difficulty. - Rigging our Ship. - Her Cargo and Provisions. THE winter passed quietly and happily, and never, since we had beenr on the island, had this life afforded me more complete satisfaction; but, as the spring advanced, my old uneasy feelings came back stronger than ever. It was not that I expected to be happier anywhere else, but the idea of a man worth over a hundred thousand dollars living all his life in a place where he could make no use of it seemed so absurd and preposterous, that I could not in any way reconcile it to my understanding. If I were not happier at home, I ought to be. Here I was poor; there I should be rich. Money was certainly supposed to constitute the prin- cipal difference between the situation of one man and another. It could not be denied that wealth possessed some kin) of advantage over poverty. Why, then, should I deny myseli that advantage? On that island the poorest man would bi as happy as I; but in society I should at once assert my superiority. I DETERMNE TO LEAVE THE ISLAND. 863 I determined, therefore, to return once more to the world; for if I were no happier absolutely, I should be relatively; and, with this determination, I began deliberately to ponder all the various chances of effegting my purpose. The probability of any vessel touching at our island was too weak for'me to build upon it the slightest hope. Only one, so far as I knew, had passed within sight of it during the last nine years. Its inaccessible shores gave the mariner no encouragement. If we ever got home, then, it must be by other means. Our deliverance must be effected entirely through our own exertions. But how could I ever construct a boat big enough for such a long and hazardous voyage? The axe, the only tool in my possession, had long ago lost its edge. To cut down a tree large enough for the purpose would take so much time that the tree would rot before the work was done. We might venture in the yawl, which had brought us to the island, but the risk would be fearful, and we should -have to leave Hamlet behind. Such a separation I could not think of for a moment. Some other way must be devised, or we should live and die where we were. For several weeks the subject almost constantly filled my thoughts. At length, not to weary the reader with an account of the various projects that presented themselves, one after another, to my mind, I conceived a plan so novel and extraor- dinary that I hardly expect to be believed when I come to describe it. Indeed, I doubt whether, if I had not seen it tried myself, I should have believed it possible. Yet, after all, the improbability does not arise from the nature of things, but from our preconceived notions. In itself the plan was perfectly simple and natural; though the first conception of it may seem bold and startling. page: 364-365[View Page 364-365] 364 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. Like all our happiest suggestions, it was the work of the purest luck. Alice was weaving for herself a -cap of a long tough grass that grew in little clumps among the rocks. This reminded me of similar caps I used to make, when a boy, out of bulrushes; and that again reminded me of the ark in which the infant Moses was committed to the waters of the Nile. So far the track of association was perfectly obvious; but the next step was one for the seven-league boots. If Moses' mother could make an ark of bulrushes, why could I not build a boat in the same way. Only I would use strips of palm- leaf instead of rushes, and gum instead of slime. It was just after breakfast when this idea suggested itself, and it was the first time I had thought of the subject that morning; if that can be called thought where the action of the mind is involuntary and almost unconscious, as it was in the present instance. Alice, I remember, had not yet left the table. She was leaning back in her chair, with the hat I have just mentioned, held up for my inspection, on her left hand; while, at the same time, she held out a fig to the baby, with the usual formula in such cases, "There, you may have that; but mind, you must n't ask for any more." It seemed to me a pity and a kind of contradiction that, on our island, one could not have as many figs or as many any- thing-elses as he liked. However, I was too much engrossed with my new project to vex myself with any such troublesome question; my pleasure even made me forget my usual caution, and I exclaimed aloud, "Good! I 'll try it!" "Good!" repeated Alice, in her abstraction giving them baby a second fig; " what is good? and what is it you are going to try?" MY SELFISHNESS AND CRUELTY. 365 -( O, nothing," I replied, with as much coolness as possible, (, nothing, at least, of any consequence." , But I know it is," she cried; "I know you would not be so excited about nothing, and I know it is not nothing that has made you so silent and abstracted the last two weeks." (' What! I? I have not been silent and abstracted; I am sure I never talked so much in my life." "( Why, Robert, how you talk! when you know that you have hardly spoken to me for a whole day at a time; but, come, tell me what it is that you have been thinking about." At last I told her. When she heard it, her distress was greater than I can describe. 1"What! leave our beautiful island!" she cried, ," where we have been so happy? But you do not mean it; I know you do not mean it. Say, dear Robert," she continued, throwing her arms round my neck, and looking up in my face with such an earnest, pleading expression, that I wonder how I could have had the heart to refuse her anything, (" say you didn't mean it. You only said it to frighten me, now, did n'tyou? I should be perfectly miserable if I supposed you were in earnest. Why don't you answer me?" "I thought you wished to leave it," I replied; "don't you remember how you urged me --" "Yes, but that was long ago- before I had- " and she stopped and blushed. "Before you had what?" "' Before - before we were married, dear Robert; and now how can I go home? - and when I did it to make you happy - and because I thought- you loved me." "And don't I love you, my ,dear, precious Alice? Is there anything I love a thousandth part as well? After you have 31' page: 366-367[View Page 366-367] 366 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. done so much for me, after such a sacrifice as I know you have made for me, I should be worse than a brute not to love you." "Then, if you love me, promise that you will never take me away from this island. I am so happy here, and there - you know how it would be; you know how they would talk of me, dear Robert!" Cruel, selfish, heartless man! But now I am justly pun- ished. I welcome iretribution with open arms, if so I may, in any degree, expiat ny cruelty. I promised, but I dil not do it cheerfully. I let her see how great an effort it co\ me. I continued for weeks moody and reserved, as if suffering from her unreasonableness. I pretended to care more about it than I did, and, by pretend- ing, I at length came to feel a real emotion. I persuaded myself that what I wished was as much for her benefit as my own; that her reluctance was only assumed, or arose simply from a foolish whim. If we once got home, she would find how much she had been mistaken. Her situation would not be, by any means, as disagreeable as she supposed. People might talk a little, but what if they did? There was no one that they did not talk about. And it would soon be forgotten. A man with a hundred thousand dollars could easily disregard such scandal. A woman as beautiful and accomplished as my Alice, and the heroine, too, of such a surprising story, would have no diffi- culty in making her way into the most refined circles. She was every way fitted for society, and could not fail to enjoy it. This conduct at length had its effect. When Alice saw that all her arguments were lost upon me, and that I was still as I BEGIN TO BUILD A BOAT. 367 intent upon my project as ever, she gradually withdrew her opposition. She even urged me to proceed at once to its accomplishment. I knew that she did this solely out of love, but I pretended to find in it only a proof of woman's fickle- ness and inconsistency. She had not, in her noble self-sacri- fice, even the poor return of gratitude. O, my God! forgive me! That cursed gold had poisoned mvsoul. I was no longer the same being that I had been. was on the tenth of April when I commenced my opera- tions. But, before going any further, it may be as well to offer a brief explanation. I have already mentioned the materials of which my boat was to be constructed. The gum, which I intended to use for this purpose, was the same that I had obtained from the tree on the bank of the river, in the first summer we spent upon the island; and the reader may now discover what it was that led me to curse that tree so bitterly. In the course of certain experiments I made, more from idle curiosity than anything else, I had discovered that this gum, though soluble in hot water, was not in the least affected by cold water, however long it might remain in it. It pos- sessed, also, the most remarkable tenacity, as was proved by several articles which I had glued together some years be- fore, and which had never come apart, though subjected to the roughest handling. Two strips of palm-leaf, joined in this way, were torn entirely in pieces Without the glue showingk any signs of yielding. In fact, the gum was much stronger than the leaf itself. Now, if, instead of Swo, I should join together a large num- ber, in successive layers, I saw no reason why the same result should not follow. A boat made in this way would be both tight and strong. The only difficulty would be to give it-the page: 368-369[View Page 368-369] 368 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. proper shape, and for this I had already invented a plan that I felt sure would answer. I But could I obtain the gum in sufficient quantity? About this I was less positive. The tree by the river was the only one of the kind that had come under my notice, and, though :its yield was considerable, it would be far less than I required. The first thing, then, I had to do, was to find other trees of the same character. This was no easy matter. Day after day I continued to explore the island in every direction, till, having at length gone over all the eastern portion, I began to extend my researches further and further towards the west. In all these expeditions Alice and the children constantly accompanied me. We took with us as many provisions as we could conveniently carry, and were sometimes gone for more than a week. In this way we came at last to the great plain lying near the centre of the island, and, having crossed it, we found a country in its general features similar to that we had left, but with its hills and valleys more softly rounded, and with several new forms of vegetation. The cocoa-palm flourished here in the greatest luxuriance; we passed grove after grove so loaded with fruit that I could not help sighing at sight of so much wasted abundance; and, as for the mangoes and oranges, there seemed enough to sup- ply the whole world. But the time had passed when these things could give me pleasure. I sought only means to leave them. Strange that the surpassing loveliness of that delicious scenery could not have stolen the bitter from my soul! - strange that even there, amid the beauty and almost the innocence of Eden, my heart could have been filled with such base and grovelling passions! But so it was. I passed by everything, till at last I stopped beneath a tree, whose leaves, similar to that I carried in my MAKING A MODEL. 869 hand, showed me that it was what I had so long and patiently- sought. A patience worthy of a better cause. Other trees of the same sort grew all around;- dark, fune- real-looking trees, with heavy, melancholy branches, more - deadly than the poison Upas! As I plunged my knife into the first, an invisible power seemed to stay my hand. I heard a warning voice, that bade me beware. More than once I seemed almost irresistibly impelled to turn my back and flee from the fatal spot. But I would not listen; I mdle my ear' deaf to that cry, and my heart hard and stubbornito resist that merci- ful interposition. The sap began to flow. I caught it in a gourd, into which the drops were conducted by a slender strip of palm-leaf. Then I left that tree and went to another, and so on succes- sively, till I had tapped as many as I had gourds. I made use of these vessels in order that I might obtain the sap in perfect purity; but I soon saw how inconvenient this would be, and concluded that it would be a much better plan to let the sap run upon the ground. It hardened so speedily by ex. posure to 'the air that little or none would be lost, And what foreign matter would thus become mixed with it, could easily be separated when I came to dissolve it. I worked in this way for more than a month; and, at the end of that time, had collected not far from five hundred pounds, besides a considerable quantity which I found already formed on the trunks and branches. This, I thought, would be all I should need. I spent a week in collecting a quantity of palm-leaves; and, my materials being now all ready, I pro- ceeded to put them together. As, in order to do this with any degree of accuracy, it would be necessary to have a mould or model, I determined page: 370-371[View Page 370-371] 370 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. to fashion one'of clay; and, having noticed a large bed of that material on the bank of the river, several miles above its mouth. I selected that spot as the most convenient in which to carry on my operations. I first made a great oblong pile of clay, big enough to havb- been the grave of -the biggest giant that ever lived, and then cut and moulded it, as well as I knew how,'into the shape of a boat, except that it had no keel. Before this had time to dry, I sprinkled it all over with fine sand, and then made haste to commence my boat. I had already built a rude fire-place for my kettles, in which to melt the gum, and also a small hut for us to lodge in, that we might camp on the spot, and not lose time in going home every evening. I tore the palm-leaf into strips about three inches wide, and having spread over them a thin coat of gum, I laid them length- wise along the bottom and sides of my clay model until it was completely covered, except a narrow space around the edges. I had to keep the gum boiling hot all the time; and, as I had no brush, I used a hare's foot instead. As soon as the first layer was dry, I put on another in the same way, only taking care to have the strips run in the contrary direction; and so I went on adding layer after layer till the whole had a uniform thickness of about three inches. I then inserted stout loops of twisted hide at the bows, and wherever else I thought they would be needed; and, having increased the thickness to four inches, and fashioned the keel with great care and labor, I finally covered the whole with several coats of gum, till it was almost as smooth as glass. Five weeks were consumed in these various operations, and, by the time this part of the work was finished, the clay had shrunk so much in drying as to leave the boat entirely free. "AUNCH OF THE ALICE. 371 If it had not been for this, I should have had hard work to get them apart; but, as it was, I easily, by means of props and levers, turned the boat over on its keel, and then proceeded to form the deck. To do this I first made a foundation -of slender bamboos placed close together, and afterwards covered them with palm- leaves in the same manner as the bottom. I left about a third of the boat uncovered, that we might have a convenient place to sit; and, instead of having a hatchway in the deck, we en- tered the cabin through a door opening towards the stern. Be- sides this, I also left two small windows, one on each side of the door, for better ventilation. All being now ready for launching, on the fourth of July I harnessed the bear with a long rope to the bow, and setting him to pull on the opposite side of the river, "The Alice," for so I had determined to call this pretty vessel, slid smoothly down the sloping bank, and floated lightly on the water. Before putting in her rigging, I concluded to carry her down into the lake; but here an unexpected difficulty pre- sented itself, that came very near making me lose all my labor. - The river, as I have already mentioned, was not only very narrow, but in some places so exceedingly crooked, that even the yawl, small as it was, could hardly turn; and as my. new boat was much larger, being, indeed, no less than twenty-four feet long and seven wide, the difficulty, of course, was greatly increased. However, as the boat was light, and drew very little water, I managed, by digging away the-projecting points of the bank, to widen the channel sufficiently for her to pass; and, in this way, in something less than a month, we came to anchor in the lake. The next step was to furnish my new craft with masts and page: 372-373[View Page 372-373] 372 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. sails. I had no difficulty in obtaining the first, but what to do for the second was a question not so easily answered. I could make them of skins, but they would be altogether too thick and heavy. Besides, it would take so many that the whole winter would be gone before I could obtain a sufficient number. There was nothing left, then, but to make the sails of bamboo, similar to what are called lateen sails in the east. I fastened the slender strips of bamboo together with thongs of deer-skin, so that they overlapped each other like the slats of a Venetian blind. The sails were square and attached to the masts by means of yards; for, though in so small a vessel a fore-and-aft rig would have been much more convenient, the nature of my materials did not sed to admit of it in the present instance. As it would be well-nigh impossible to hoist either of these sails without a block, I determined to see whether my ingenu. ity was equal to- making such an article. After many trials, I at length succeeded; but it is almost incredible what an amount of labor this apparently simple matter cost me. In fact, it was nearly as great an undertaking as all the rest of the work put together. The rudder which came ashore with the long-boat, I found would answer very well for my purpose; and the hinges on which it turned were the -only iron in the whole boat. My cordage was all made of deer-skin, twisted together, when necessary, to give it greater strength. I cannot tell with how much pride and pleasure I surveyed my little vessel; everything about her, with the single ex- ception of the rudder, was so entirely my own. The lake was too small to sail her in, and I burned with impatience for the day when I should have ample opportunity to test her quali- ties. CARGO AND PROVISIONS. 373 I began to work, as I have already said, on the fourteenth of April, but it was not till the middle of October that The Alice was ready to receive her cargo. The gold was the first thing to be taken on board, where I stowed it carefully in the bottom, to serve as ballast. Then came our provisions, consisting of dried figs, cocoanuts, rice, yams, eggs, and venison. I added, also, a few oranges and mangoes, and a dozen or two of pine-apples. I provided a few bushels of charcoal, and a large earthen pot full of ashes, in which to keep our fire, which was the best I could do in the way of cooking. Our water was contained in joints of bamboo, hermetically sealed, with a hole made with an awl at one end, and stopped with a wooden plug. After receiving all these articles, the little cabin had hardly room for Alice and the children; but, as they would seldom find it necessary to go under cover, except in stormy weather, this was a matter of little moment. By the time we got into colder latitudes, they would have all the space that would be required. Even now, however, they had plenty of room to lie down; and their berths, made of bamboo and stuffed with grass, were as comfortable as any one could wish. 32 page: 374-375[View Page 374-375] CHAPTER XXXVII. Our last Day on the Island. -Lament of Alice. -Her Unwillingness to go.- We remain one Day longer. - The last Evening.- The Morning. - The Doe. - At Sea.- Our last View of the Island. - The Storm. - We lose our Fire. - Land, ho! - The Ship. - San Francisco. - Selling my Gold. -Our second Marriage. ALICE had watched all these preparations with a troubled eye. During the whole year I had rarely seen her smile, but her sighs were involuntary, and once or twice I had caught her in tears. If ever, when busy at my work, I happened to cast a glance towards her, I was sure to find her eyes fixed upon me with such an earnest, sorrowful expression, as might, it seemed, have melted a heart of stone. But it only annoyed me. I reproached her, not openly but by insinuation, for being so dull and low-spirited; as if she had assumed that method purposely to discourage me. If anything went wrong, I vented my spleen on her. Yet do not think too hardly of me. In the depths of the bitter- ness of my remorse I have still this consolation left, that I loved her, all the time, better than I loved my own soul. Through it all, I thank God, she never doubted my affection. A cloud was upon my soul, but she hoped it would, before long, be removed. Indeed, even then I seemed to have my lucid moments, in which I lavished upon her every expression "AMENT OF ALICE. 875 of tenderness and endearment, as if I could, in that way, make atonement for the wrong which every day increased. But, at length, the long suspense was over, and the day dawned that was to be our last upon the island. I had made everything ready the evening before, that we might commence our voyage early in the morning; but Alice plead so hard for a few hours' delay, that I had not the heart to refuse. She spent those hours in going round among her flowers, and the otter dear, familiar objects with which we had lived so many yars; and her passionate leave-taking brought for- cibly to my mind the lament of Eve when her hours in Para- dise grew few: "O0, unexpected stroke, worse than of death! Must I thus leave thee, Paradise! thus leave Thee, native soil, these happy walks and shades, Fit haunt of gods! where I had hoped to spend Quiet, though sad, the respite of that day That must be mortal to us both? O, flowers, That never will in other climate grow, My early visitation, and my last At ev'n, which I bred up, with tender hand, From the first opening bud, and gave ye n/ames! Who now shall rear ye to the sun, or rank Your tribes, and water from the ambrosial fount? Thee, lastly, nuptial bower, by me adorned 'With what to sight or smell was sweet, from thee How shall I part, and whither wander down Into a lower world, to this obscure And wild? How shall we breathe in other air, Less pure, accustomed to immortal fruits?" I followed her round wherever she went, without daring to say a word. But at length I asked her, "a Are you ready, now, dear Alice?" page: 376-377[View Page 376-377] 376 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. At first she could not answer; but, presently, though with- out looking at me, she replied, "( Yes." Wre turned away, but when we reached the brow of the hill, and were about to descend towards the lake, her courage failed her, and she would go no further; she must go back and bid them all one more good-by. At last I drew her down to the shore. We entered the boat, and now I thought that all was over; but, as I was about to push off into the lake, she burst into such a passion of tears, and her touching "Not to-day, dear Robert; let us stay one day longer!" had such an effect upon me, that though I felt all the time that I was not consulting her hap- piness by so doing, I consented to remain. And, to tell the truth, now that the wished-for moment had at last arrived, I was almost as averse to leaving as Alice her- self. I wished, with all my heart, that something would happen which would render it impossible for us to go. Noth- ing but that spirit of persistence which is always acquired by a long continued course of action enabled me to triumph over her reluctance and my own. IIow well I renmember that last evening, as we sat together before our once cheerful fire,- once cheerful, but now cheerful no longer! We spoke not a word, for our hearts were full. A& single syllable would bring the tears. Yet, with what a strange eloquence everything around us seemed suddenly gifted! How every little article of daily use cried to us not to go away! I regarded them with a fond affection, almost a human tenderness. Hamlet looked into the fire as hard as we, but what he saw there I cannot tell. I had not seen fit to communicate to him my intentions, yet I judged from his manner that he had a strong suspicion of what was about to happen. But though "EAVING THE ISLAN D, 8" it concerned his happiness quite as much as it did ours, he was too much of a philosopher to disturb himself on that account. No Turkish fatalist could submit with more profound indiffer- ence to the decrees of Providence. "What must be, must be," was his motto; and, during the whole of our acquaint- ance, I never knew him to forget it in -a single instance. The tender-hearted Allie sympathized in her mother's grief, though without understanding its cause,; but, as foi Jasper, he could hardly sleep for eagerness. I persuaded Alice to sleep in the boat, hoping to get to sea before she should awake, and thus spare her the pain of another parting; but accident prevented. The next morning rose bright and beautiful. Noiselessly drawing up the heavy stone that served us for an anchor, I pushed across the little lake and entered the low, arched pas- sage that led out into the open sea. Alice and the children still slept, worn out with grief and weariness; Hamlet alone watched my operations. Just then the doe came bleating down to the lake, :s'/f:m. ploring us not to forsake her. Those plaintive cries awakened Alice. She started up, and seeing her gentle favorite thus standing weeping on the shore, she begged me, more by signs than words, to take her with us. "There is no room," I answered; - the boat moved on. Alice sank down upon the bottom, and, hiding her face in her arms, seemed hardly to breathe. I made no attempt to com- fort her, for I felt that then it was impossible. Standing by her side, I urged the boat along-by taking hold of the project- incg rocks. At length we came to a place where the cavern was too narrow for the boat to pass. In attempting to force it through, it became jammed so firmly that I could not move it, either one way or the other. 32* page: 378-379[View Page 378-379] 378 HE NEW' AGE OF GOLD. I thought for a while that fortune had at lengtTh interfered to prevent our flight; but, as the tide rose, the channel grew wider, and we were again enabled to proceed. In this way we came to the end of that dismal passage, and shot out into the innumerably sparkling, glad Pacific. Here I stepped my masts, and hoisted my sails, and with a gentle breeze stretched away towards the rising sun. Alice now aroused herself, and we both turned and looked back towards the island. It seemed to be sinking again into the ocean from which it had risen. Its rugged outlines grew softer; the tints of green and gray melted into blue; it dwindled and dwindled, till it seemed only a cloud in the horizon. In a few hours more it would be lost to our eyes forever. Then with what vain regret I should lament'my folly! But it was not yet too late to return. I had only to turn the rudder to regain possession of all our former happiness. But was it so? Could that dead tree live again? While I hesitated night fell upon us. In the morning the island was out of sight. It is not my purpose to describe the events of our voyage. We encountered, when three weeks out, a violent storm; but the behavior of the bear had prepared me for its cominin, and with sails closely furled our little bark bravely rode out the tempest. No a plank started, not a drop of water found its way through the seams. A month afterwards we lost our fire. This was unfortunate, as we had already entered the northern latitudes, and, it being now mid-winter, we suffered severely from the cold. But, Jasper had by this time learned to manage the boat as well as I could myself, and was always ready to take his turn at the MEET WFITHA SHP. 379 helm. The compass * answered as well as could be expected; but, as I had no means of taking an observation, our course was necessarily very uncertain, and I had little idea where we should land. I only knew that it- would be on some part of the North American continent. On the 20th of January, 1854, two months and seventeen days after we put to sea, I perceived that we were drawing near to land. The next morning it was full in sight, a lofty table land, with now and then high battlemented cliffs. All that day we stretched south along the shore, but found no harbor. At night we stood off and on, taking care to keep always within sound of the surf. The second morning we found ourselves enveloped in so thick a fog that we could hardly see the boat's length, and were obliged to lie to all the forenoon but about twelve the fog lifted, and at the same tinme, to aXd to our satisfaction, we discovered a large ship not more than a mile distant, and standing under easy sail directly towards us. I waited for her to come up, and theni hailed to inquire in what part of the world we were, and what course we should steer to find a harbor. The crew all came running to stare at us, and for a few minutes the captain himself seemed too much surprised to give me an answer. I was at first inclined to be angry at what I considered their impertinence, but a moment's reflec- tion showed me that, after all, it was no more than natural. Our whole appearance must have been singularly gro- tesque. Our dresses of various-colored leather; the beard that covered my face; the strange form and equipment of the * Made, as I had almost forgotten to mention, of a cambric needle mag- netized on the blade of my knife, and then set to float in water. page: 380-381[View Page 380-381] 380 TuHE NEW AGE OF GOLD. boat; and, perhaps, more than all, the presence of the bear, might well be expected to excite astonishment. But, presently the captain put his trumpet to his mouth and hailed, "If you are bound to San Francisco, all you have to do is to keep in my wake. We shall be there in four hours, if the wind holds." San Francisco! Where could that be? I never remem- bered to have heard the name. The ship was now abreast of us, and we could see all on board distinctly. "O, Alice, Alice!" cried Jasper, "just see all those men and women!" (There were no women, but their shaven faces deceived him.) "Are there any more men in the world, father?" "And what funny clothes they have on!" said Alice. "They are n't dressed a bit like us, are they mother?" Before we could answer these questions the captain hailed again to know what part of the world we were from, and where we had picked up such an odd-looking craft. As the wind was light, and we easily held our way with the ship, I invited him to come on board. Upon this he lowered a boat, and I went alongside and took him in. When he had heard my story, which I told him in few words, it Well, well!" he replied; "d so you've been gone from home a matter of twelve years. I guess you never heard of Cali- fornia?" . Yes, I had heard the name, but that was all. "Well, this is California here," said he; " we took it from the Mexicans. I reckon you have n't heard about the war either, and we've taken out heaps of gold; and this San Francisco, according to all accounts, though I have never been there myself, is a regular built city with forty or fifty thousand inhabitants, though eight years ago there wasn't a SAN FRANCISCO. 381 dozen houses in it all told.-- But, never mind; wait a while, and you'll see wonders. But, would n't you like a bit of biscuit? I believe that's the first thing folks in your situa- tion ask for." I told him that we should be very glad of a little, if he had any to spare; upon which he hailed the ship and told them to fill a basket with bread and whatever else they could lay their hands on, and lower it down to us. This order was no sooner given than it was executed; and in a few minutes we were feasting on pilot bread and butter, with a relish infinitely surpassing anything I had ever known before;- that is, Alice and I, for, as to the children, they did not seem to care for it. After remaining with us an hour or two, Captain Lewis returned to his ship; and soon after we followed him into the harbor of San Francisco. I shall not attempt to describe the amazement that seized hold of me at first sight of this won- derful city. I could hardly persuade myself that what I heard was true, and was half in doubt whether we-were not in some older part of the world. Surprising as the history of California must be, even to those who have known it from the beginning, it was infinitely more so to us, upon whom its wonders burst all at once, with a startling suddenness that left the mind no time for preparation. But, interested as I was in that extraordinary country, I was too impatient to arrive at home to remain in San Fran- cisco any longer than I could help. I sold my gold to Adams & Co., who paid me in bills on New York to the amount of $133,000. The remainder, about seventeen hun- dred dollars, I preferred to receive in coin. I had already secured a passage in the next steamer, which was to sail in less than a week, and had also bought all the clothing that we page: 382-383[View Page 382-383] 382 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. should be likely to need until our arrival in New York, so that I had really no occasion for this money; but, the fact was, I had never had more than fifty dollars at a time in my life, and I could not resist the temptation. So I continued to carry it all the way home, notwith- standing its weight; and during the whole voyage I never plunged my hand into my pocket and drew it out full of broad pieces of gold, fresh from the mint, which I did, at least, a hundred times a day, without a feeling of intense satisfaction, that amply repaid me for all the labor I had expended in obtaining it. In a word, I now for the first time knew what it was to be rich; and the sensation was at once so novel and agreeable that I began to think that, after all, I had not been guilty of quite so great folly in leaving our island as I had sometimes imagined. Before leaving San Francisco we were privately married, with the usual forms, by the Rev. T. Dwight Hunt, of that city, who, after the ceremony was performed, inquired, with an air as if he were used to such matters, whether I had ever been in the mines. I thought it no falsehood to answer that I had. I met one day at my hotel a man who had been in Cali- fornia, so he told me, since 1848. He had visited nearly every part of the mines, stopping in each place only long enough to fill a leathern purse he showed me, and which might ha;,e held three or four hundred dollars, and then setting off in search of fiesh discoveries. He had much to tell of the wild life he had led, and the strange adventures he had met with, and aroused in me a still stronger desire to see with my own eyes a little more of that wonderful country than was to be found in San Francisco. Indeed, so much SAN FRANCISCO. 383 was I interested in his narrative, that I came very near making a bargain with him to accompany me to some of the more remarkable localities; but I thought, better of it the next day, and determined not to run any more risk just then than I could help; nor was I at all inclined to repent of my resolution when I heard not long after that he had been blown up in a steamboat on the Sacramento, for, though he escaped with life, I had no means of knowing that I should have - been equally fortunate. This man's name, I may as well mention, was James Brannan. He had been educated, according to his own account, at Edinburgh, and was certainly one of the finest-looking men I ever saw. page: 384-385[View Page 384-385] CHAPTER XXXVIlI. We arrive in Boston.-Its Aspect. - Inquiries for my Father's Family. - Disappointments. -I buy me a House and try to be happy. - Our different Trials. - Jasper's Sickness. - His last Interview with Hamlet. -- His Death. WE arrived in New York, after an average passage, some time toward the end of February, and left for Boston the same evening. Thus, after an absence of more than eleven years, I again found myself in my native city. It looked strange to me. The streets seemed dark and narrow, without trees, and without sunshine. Coming, as we did, out of an eternal spring, the chilling blasts of winter froze our hearts; yet not so much as the looks of men. The faces that I met were new, and the same cloud seemed to rest upon them all. Yet there was a novelty and excitement connected with this sudden revival of old associations that was eminently pleasing, and made me for a while overlook all other consid- erations. Having left my family at the American House, I bent my steps towards the house where my mother had formerly resided. A new name was on the door. I turned again into Washington-street, and walked along till I came to a store kept by one of my father's old partners. He did not recog- INQUIRIES FOR MY FATHER'S FAMLY. 385 ize me, and I did not see fit to tell him my name; but, as re stood opposite each other, with only the narrow counter etween us, I remembered the last time I had seen him, with secret satisfaction that filled my heart with smiles. Then Le had coldly declined my proffered services, with the brief bservation that he was afraid my education had spoiled me br a man of business; but now he-was all civility. I asked him if he could tell me where Mrs. John Romaine ived, and his countenance fell. Mrs. Romaine - he did not know exactly, but he believed -he rather thought - that she was dead. He would not be ure, but he had an impression that he had heard of her leath several years before. He would call one of his clerks nd ask him; perhaps he would know about it. Yes, it was even so. My mother was dead. For five winters the snow had lain on her grave. . One hope, one ource of happiness was gone. The gold in my pocket was rowing dull. My next inquiry was after my brothers and sisters. Of he whole number only one was living. This was my younger ister, and she was married to a man every way her infe- ior - a man with whom I could have no sympathy - a man vhose whole soul, if soul he had, was in trade. But he was 'ich; so there was no use for any money there, either? However, I bought me a fine house, filled it with fine furni- ;ure, and set to work with a full determination to be happy. But it is not so easy to shake off the habits one has worn go many years. f found that I had lost nearly all interest in, ny old pursuits. I had nothing in common With the world Iround me. There was no sympathy between us. I was like the poor prisoner who begged to be taken back to his dungeon. S8 page: 386-387[View Page 386-387] 386 THE, NEW AGE OF GOLD. Yet I have no dubt that time would have remedied all these evils, and gfaually brought me back to my old tastes and inclinations. I could have found sufficient amusement in -books, in travelling, and in the society of the intelligent and agreeable persons whom my position would have enabled me to draw around me. But Alice was differently situated. Her local attachments were stronger even than mine. In those narrow dirty streets her soul pined after the shady forest paths in which she had so often lingered. Even in her luxurious parlors she could, think only of her low arbor, thick with flowering vines - the little dome-roofed cottages - the homely fire-place -- the great mangrove that sheltered us with its friendly branches. Society was wearisome to her. She had never been used to it, and the exertion it cost her to appear at ease destroyed all the pleasure it might have afforded. And, though she was now my lawful wife, she could not forget that she had not always been so, and this conscious- ness oppressed her. The steadfast approval of her own heart was not enough to fortify her against the uncharitable judg- ment of the world. She thought that every one she met was acquainted with all her history, and, even when courted and flattered, she could not divest herself of the idea that she was regarded with secret pity and contempt. It was little pleasure to her to know that we were rich and honored. There was none of that vanity and love of show about her, that made so large a part of my character. I loved to be admired, to be talked about, to make a figure in the world; but her nature was too simple and too noble to be moved by such trifles. She was only sensitive about one thing, and there, unfortunately, it was impossible to satisfy her. Jasper, too, notwithstanding all his eager anticipations, - OUR DIFFERENT TRALS. 387 notwithstanding the reality so infinitely exceeded them,- in spite of the buoyancy of youth, its love of change, its in- difference to place, - soon began to find a difference .between his old situation and the new. At home, for so he always called the island, he could be in the open air all day long, with nothing to do but to amuse himself and grow. But now he must not play in the streets for fear of spoiling his clothes, or of being led astray by naughty boys; he must stay in the house, learn to sit up straight, shut the door when he came in, and be careful not to break the windows, or injure the furniture. f :And, as it would never do for him to grow up in ignorance, when all around him were so wise, of course he must be sent to school. At school he found that he knew far less than oth- ers much younger than himself; he was mortifiedby his inferi- ority, and his schoolmates, with the magnanimity peculiar to boys, never lost an opportunity of reminding him of it. He came home one day in a passion of tears, his clothes covered with blood and dust, declaring that he would never go to school again as long as he lived. The boys had called him a young savage; had asked him how long he had been caught, and who had taught him how to speak. He had borne it all, till at last one of them had insulted his mother; he had struck him, and had been unmercifully beaten. Alice looked at me on hearing this ; and the implied though unintended reproach went to my heart. But not one of us all felt the change so painfully as Ham- let. At home he had been one of the family, and had mixed with us on terms of perfect equality. Indeed, if there was any difference, he was treated with greater consideration than any one else. But now it was inconvenient having him in the page: 388-389[View Page 388-389] 388 THE NEW AGE OF. GOLD. parlor, for various reasons; the servants would not have him in the kitchen, even if he would have condescended to their society; and so the poor fellow was driven to the stable. He could not accompany us when we walked in the streets; for, if he did, his strange appearance was sure to attract such a crowd that it was impossible to proceed with any comfort; to say nothing of the danger of his frightening horses and other silly people. Under these circumstances, it is not to be wondered at that he grew melancholy and morose. He probably could not understand our treatment of him, and could hardly help regard- ing it as a proof of the basest ingratitude. And, indeed, I never felt myself entirely easy on that score, and the only way in which I could quiet my conscience was by having a room fitted up in the stable expressly for his accommodation, and carefully provided with every convenience he would be likely to appreciate. But, after I had done all I could, how different were those narrow, dingy walls, from the grand old woods of our island! Here Alice and I used to visit him every day; and, as for Jasper, he was never so happy as in his society. ' Hamlet loved him better than any one else in the world. But stran- gers were his especial aversion. Hundreds used to come to my house for no other purpose than to gratify their curiosity by a sight of this wonderful animal, till at last his patience as well as my own was completely exhausted, and I had to tell them positively that it was unsafe to go near him. I received, at this time, several very liberal offers from different persons, who were desirous of obtaining him for a show. A man named Barnum surprised me by the greatness of the sum he declared himself ready to give; but if he had JASPER'S SICKNESS. 389 ffered me millions I should never have listened to him for a loment. I would just as soon have sold my own brother. Allie and the baby were the only ones who seemed as happy Lere as on the island. Thus six months passed away, and time, that cures all hings, seemed gradually reconciling me to my situation. I was proud of my wife and children; I was pleased to see the Lomage rendered to her beauty and accomplishments, and I vas happy in her love. Nothing seriously disturbed me but ier continual dejection. True she made every effort to con- Ieal it, and with one less sharp-sighted she would undoubtedly iave succeeded; but I saw all the time, even when she seemed nost cheerful, that sorrow kept the doors of her heart. And it was not simply the cause I have mentioned that dis- turbed her peace. She had been for some time oppressed with a growing presentiment of evil. She did not tell me this for a long time; but one day, when I happened to surprise her seeping, she -confessed that, ever since our leaving the island, she had had a feeling which she could not account for, that some great misfortune was about to befall us. I was struck by her manner still more than by her words, and, turning gloomily away, I looked out of the - window at the lonely gas-lights struggling feebly with the rising storm. A few days after this conversation, on coming home to din- ner, Alice informed me, with an air of considerable, anxiety, that Jasper had complained of feeling unwell all the morning, and asked if I did not think we had better send for the doc- tor. I thought, as fathers always will, that the mother was needlessly alarmed, but I made no. objection to doing as she required. . The doctor came, and, after learning the boy's symptoms, said, carelessly, that he had a slight fever, and would be as 33*' page: 390-391[View Page 390-391] 390 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. well as ever in a day or two. But, instead of growing better, he rapidly grew worse; and, in spite of the doctor's assumed cheerfulness, I saw what was his real opinion, and made up my mind that my boy must die. My brave, my darling boy! Strange that such a fiery spirit should so soon be quenched in the grave! The fourth day I sat by his side. The room was darkened, for he could not bear the light; but I could see his noble fore- head, with the thick, dark curls, and his pale hands clasped on his breast. He had been sleeping for several hours, but at last he opened his eyes, and, seeing me sitting there, he said, "Father, I am going to die. The doctor says I shall get well, but he does n't know as well as I do. I feel it right here. I felt it all last night. But, father, you must n't be sorry for me; for I am going where I shall be very happy. I have n't been happy here. I don't like this home as well as the other. But mother says that heaven is very beautiful. Do you think it can be as beautiful as our island?" "Yes, dear," I murmured, hardly able to keep back my tears; "I hope so, and a great deal more beautiful." "O, then, what a pleasant place heaven must be! But I don't want it to be any pleasanter than that. It seems to me that I shouldn't be so happy if it were. I don't see how it can be. But, father, can't I see poor old Hamlet once more before I die? I have n't seen him since I've been sick, and I know he'll feel ever so bad if I don't did him good-by. Nobody loves him, you know, as well as I do." "But I am afraid you are too sick, my dear; you are too weak to be carried down to his room; the exertion would be too much for you. I think you had better wait till to-morrow.' "But why can't he come up here? I want to see him so much; and I shan't be strong enough to-morrow. Do let JASPER'S LAST INTERVIEW WITH HAMLET. 391 him, dear father! I only want to see him one minute, just to say good-by. Will you, father?" "Yes, dear, I will," I answered; "I will bring him up directly; but you must be careful, and not talk too much; the doctor is n't willing you should see much company." I had not seen Hamlet for several days; for, since Jasper's illness, I could hardly spare a thought for anything else. The poor fellow looked strankely unhappy. He took little notice of me when I entered; but, on my calling him by name, he rose and followed me with alacrity. Even now I seem to hear the heavy, muffled tread of his padded feet on the creak- ing stair. I led him into the sick-chamber, and, with a low caution to be quiet, I brought him to the bedside of my dying boy. "Hamlet! dear Hamlet! don't you know me?" whispered Jasper. "Here! Ah, yes! he knows me! I knew he would. See how he lays his head on the bed! Good-by, dear Hamlet! I never shall play with you any more; but falther and mother will love you, and little Allie; and you must be a good bear, Hamlet; and don't forget me, now, will you? for you know I loved you better than anybody else in the world." While speaking, his little fingers were playing with Ham- let's shaggy coat, and the eyes of both were fastened on each other with a sad and earnest meaning, that inexpressibly affected my heart. Hamlet seemed fully conscious of what was approaching. Always, before this, when Jasper had visited him, he had been perfectly furious in his demonstra- tions of delight. But now it was painful to witness his emo. tion, and, still more, the efforts he made to express it. He moaned repeatedly, and in such a way that no one could have heard him without being moved almost, if not quite, to page: 392-393[View Page 392-393] 392 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. tears. He walked round the bed, from one side to the other. sometimes resting his head upon it, and sometimes one of his paws; and, after looking at Jasper a few moments, he would come to me, as if asking why I did not try to help him. At length, fearful of the effect of this behavior, I signed to him to sit down quietly by the bed; when he instantly did as he was told, and, after that, never once took his eyes off his young master till the painful scene was over. Jasper's mind now began to wander, and the doctor, who came in soon after, whispered that he had not long to live. His mother, who was completely exhausted by watching and anxiety, had lain down in hopes of obtaining a few moments' sleep, but she now came at my call, bringing with her the little Allie. i"Father," murmured Jasper, , don't, don't go away! Why can't you take us back to our island? All of us, - mother, and Alice, and Hamlet? Yes? Do you hear, mother? he says yes; and we are going to start to-morrow. You won't cry any more now, will you, mother? I never saw you cry there, and here you cry almost all the time." "Hush! hush! dear Jasper," whispered his mother; , you must n't talk so. H-I am very happy; or should be, if you got well." " O yes, I shall get well now, right off. I never was sick there. I was well all the time. I never should have been sick if we had n't come away. O, dear! I wish we hadn't. But, father, where are you? I don't see you. I don't see anybody. The sun does n't shine so bright here as it does on our island. But we shall be there in a minute! O, mother, I see it now! And it looks just as it used to, only a great deal prettier. Only see the flowers! But why don't you come with me, mother? You are coming soon? Ah!-"--" CHAPTER XXXIX. We leave Boston, and arrive in New York. -We lose both our Children. ---We hasten Eome.- Alice is taken Sick.--Our last Interview.- Her Death. - Its Effect upon me. - The Wharf at Salem. - Retrospee- tion. --I determine to go back to my Island. "WHERE shall he be buried?" The undertaker asked the question in a business manner, veiled with a decent show of sympathy. "In Mount Auburn?" "Yes, Alice would like, I suppose, to have him there. Let it be as retired as possible, and among trees; that is all." I could not remain in. Boston any longer. I shut up my house, and, leaving Hamlet under the charge of a man whom I employed for that express purpose, I set out, accompanied by Alice and my two remaining children, to travel in pursuit of change and forgetfulness. Happiness I did not expect to find. We stopped a day in New York, intending to go up the Hudson the next morning; but, during the night, both the children were seized with an attack of the cholera, or some analogous disorder, and in a few hours breathed their last. Again I found myself at home. Alice was now all that was left to me. Yet I remembered when I asked no more. Why, then, could I not still be page: 394-395[View Page 394-395] 394 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. happy? Did I love her any less? Did I not rather love her infinitely more? And was not her love for me the love of an angel? Why, then, ah! why was I not happy? But where was Allie's gentle laugh, and the baby's inno- cent prattle, and Jasper's boyish glee? All gone! They must be sleeping in the next room. I entered softly, and turned down the snow-white sheets. But they were not there. I heard their footsteps coming along the passage. I opened the door, almost expecting them to rush into my arms. A pair of little shoes lay on the sofa, but where were the little feet that used to wear them? But Alice was still left to me. I clasped her in my arms. Her tears were on my cheek. "Why do you cry, dear Alice? God is good, and we may yet be happy." "Ah, dearest Robert!" she murmured,!" it is not for my- self. It is for you. H I am--going to die." At these dreadful words my heart stood still. I started up, and put my .hands on her shoulders; and, pushing her gently away, looked long and earnestly into her face. It was pale, deathly pale; but I thought it was from sorrow and fatigue. "What do you mean?"I cried; " don't you feel well? Are you sick? What is the matter? Why don't you tell me?" tc Ah!" she replied, "I feel so strangely! I have not been well this long time; but to-day H" here her strength sud- denly failed her, and she would have fallen if I had not caught her in my arms. I bore her to the bed, from which she was never to rise. ALICE TAKEN SICK. 395 The doctors came, but they could do nothing. I sent them away, and, locking the door, threw myself on my knees by the side of the bed, and clasped her cold hand in mine. "Alice! dear Alice!"I cried, " can you forgive me? I shall never forgive myself; but you- " "What shall I forgive you for?" she answered, with a smile of inexpressible tenderness and affection; &" for being so good and kind to me? - for doing all you could to make me happy?- for making me love you so dearly?" "O, Alice! don't talk so to me! I would rather youl would reproach me a thousand times. I have never been good to you. I have never loved you a hundredth part as much as you deserved. I have been so selfish and -" "Dear Robert! it is my turn now to say, Don't talk so. I don't know what you mean. You know you never spoke an unkind word to me in your life, except once, - and I had forgotten that long ago, - and you never did anything but what you thought was right." I could bear no more. I rushed out of the room. I tore my hair. I dashed my head against the wall. I called my- self by every ugly name I could invent. Was it all pretence and affectation on her part? Or did she really believe what she said? Was her faith in me so strong? Was her love so pure? What other way could she have chosen to make my selfishness appear more hateful? If she would only have reproached me, I could have borne it:; but not to know that I had ever offended her-! Had I not deprived her of all the happiness of life? Had I not robbed her of her children? Was not I her murderer? And yet she could say that I had done all I could to make her happy! I went back into her chamber; and all that afternoon, and page: 396-397[View Page 396-397] 396 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. all the night, and all the next day, I sat by her side. And when she talked to me in her low, sweet voice, and told me how happy she had been with me, and how grateful she was to God for having spared us so long to each other, all I could do was to sit and listen in speechless agony. There was no gratitude in my heart. I could not keep down the bitter thought, ," What right has God to take her from me? Why should I thank him for this brief dream of happiness, if I must awake to such endless misery? Better never to have been happy, than to lose that happiness! If I had not been raised so high, I could not have fallen so low." But be still my heart! God is good, though thou knowest not how. You are yourself to blame. You were not worthy of that happiness. If you had been, you would never have cast it away. And, after all, you have had your share. It is but fair that you should suffer. If few men have been so wretched, no one has ever been so happy. It was night when she died. I was glad to have it so, for why should the sun mock my sorrow? I thought it would never shine again. Yet the next morning it shone as bright as ever. Other men had wives and children, other men were happy; let it shine on them! But let it not shine on me! The funeral was over, and I returned to my deserted home. Now I was indeed alone. I locked the door, and put the key in my pocket. I drew the heavy curtains over the windows. There were her dresses, hanging in the wardrobe. This plain, but neat, for morning wear; another, of richer fabric, for the evening; and others, still, for different occasions. She would never wear them again. I took them all down, one by one, and tried to remember how she had looked the last time she had them on. I opened the bureau. I took out each ALONE AGAIN ON THE SALEM WHARF. 397 little article of daily use. What a modest feminine air about them all! ( Ah!"I cried, ( How came these things here? I never wear them. What are they doing, I wonder, in my drawers? Who could have put them there? I, have n't any wife. I never had any. Yet, if any one saw them, he would be sure to think that I was married." Then I laughed and shouted to think how brave and merry I was; but the sound of my voice frightened me, and presently I grew still again. The winds of passion blew in vain over the Dead Sea of my soul! A sea of pitch, heavy, sluggish, stagnant, that the tempest's wing could not ruffle; reflecting not the light of the sun- no darker for the darkness of the night! Yet it was impossible for me to remain long in one place. I left the city, and hurried to Salem. A morbid fancy drew me down to the same wharf from which I had sailed so many years before. Since then it-had hardly altered. I thought I even recognized the same pile of boards where I had sat and brooded over my childish sorrows. What did I know of sorrow then? I sat down, and tried to recall all that had since occurred. I thought over all that we had passed through together, from our first meeting till our final separation. The Three Sisters - myfirst sight of Alice - my awkward attempts towards making her acquaintance - the storm - the death of her grandfather - our long and perilous voyage in that little boat--our landing on the island- the pleasant. walks- the fatiguing journeys- the dewy mornings-- the long, lazy, summer days-- the refreshing breeze of evening- our common joys and sorrows, and our mutual loves! All over now! 34 page: 398-399[View Page 398-399] 398 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. I stretched out my hand, as if I would draw back that pleasant time. Sunk into the ocean of eternity! Lost like a cloud in heaven! Those days come not again. No--no--they never can come again!"The hundred years that lie before us are nearer than the moment that has just past." But is there no way to bring them back? Ah! if I had only staid on our island! If I only had! It might have been. It might have been! But where should I go? Where should I hide my head? In what part of the world should I spend the sad remainder of my days? A sudden thought occurred to me. I seized upon it with avidity. I would go back to my island. There, in silence and solitude, I would mourn over my wickedness and folly. What better place to expiate my offences than the one in which they were committed? As I left the wharf a boy met me crying the morning papers. I bought one from force of habit, and, glancing my eye at the date, found that it was the fifth of December. It was the same day of the year on which I had reached there before. Then I recognized the hand of Providence, and bowed my head submissively to its stroke. CHAPTER XL. To-morrow let us do or die! But when the bolt of death is hurled, Ah! whither then with thee to fly, Shall Outalissi roam the world? Seek we thy once-loved home? The hand is gone that cropt its flowers! Unheard their clock repeats its hours! Cold is the hearth within their bowers! And should we thither roam, Its echoes and its empty tread Would sound like voices from the dead! Then seek we not their camp -for there The silence dwells of my despair! CAMPBELL. Conclusion. - Preparations for the Voyage. --Dreams and Reveries. - Farewell. - Brief Notice of the Author. My preparations are now nearly completed. I have bought a vessel, engaged a crew, and to-morrow I shall set sail in search of my island home. I shall never rest until I find it. I shall carry with me all that remains of my beloved Alice, and there I shall deposit it in the grave. Every day I shall strew fresh flowers upon it, and every day water it with my tears. I shall dig my own grave by the side of hers; and there, when I feel death approaching, I shall lay myself down by her side. anT page: 400-401[View Page 400-401] 400 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. I shall carry nothing with me, for I will not allow myself any conmfort which we did not enjoy together, except one, the Bible. I must have that to learn how to die. I must have that to teach me how to tread the same path by which she has gone before. The gold that has cost me so dear I have already divided among the most needy of my relations. I hope it will not prove as great a curse to them as it has proved to me. O, that I had wings like a dove, that I might fly at once to that far-off shore! The heart of my island beats for my return. Its breezes fan me--its odors are wafted to me- its thousand voices seem to reproach me with my delay. Unimagined music, wild and sad,' comes seeking me out through the wide world. I come, I come; have patience with me; it will not be for long. In a few months my eyes will behold those wild and rocky coasts. How different everything will seem then from what it was before! How inexpressibly lonely and deserted! But I love to dwell on those sad images. Nothing else so excites yet soothes my morbid fancy. I sit here hour after hour, picturing in my imagination all the incidents of the closing scene. I see the island rise out of the sea. I recog- nize its familiar shores. I enter the boat with Hamlet, and sign to the vessel to leave us. She spreads her white wings, and returns to the world. We row softly to the island. We enter the secret passage; glide across the narrow lake; as- cend the winding path, and stand before the cottage door. Alice is not there, nor Jasper, nor Allie. The fire is gone out, the ashes are cold upon the hearth. Everything is just as we left it, but yet how different! I build a fire with a few matches, and sit down in my accus- DREAMS AND REVERIES. -- FAREWELL. 401 tomed seat. I place her chair opposite; Jasper's and Allie's in the middle. I remember the last time she sat there. I sink my head on my breast, then suddenly raise my eyes, half- expecting to see her as before. I see each little familiar object-- the gourds-- the rude earthen vessels---the low stone table. I could kiss them, every one, because her hand has touched them. Ah, happy isle! 'after so long desertion, to have been ani- mated, even for so short a time, by so fair a soul! Her old favorites come flocking around me. ,4 Where is she? What have you done with her?"I cannot answer. I dare not dash their joy. We will go seeking her through the wood; by the lake; along the river; up the mountain. The trees that have looked on my joy, shall now witness my sorrow. Ah, poor Hamlet! what a change has come over your old master! So I spend the day. And then when the day is'gone, and the night comes on, and the fire burns low, and the bear's shadow grows bigger and darker, I shall think I hear her voice singing those same old airs; and I shall weep, perhaps, but those tears will be sweet as well as bitter. And. then I shall go to my lonely bed, and sleep, and dream; and in my dreams I shall stretch out my hand, and, not finding her by my side, I shall start and wake, and -wonder where she has gone; till I remember it all, and my agony comes in on me again- like a flood. But, out of the depths of my bitter anguish and unavailing remorse, I will cry unto God to hear me, and he will hear me; and I shall dream again to meet once more my beloved Alice, and to hear her say, "s Yet endure a little longer,- a 34* page: 402-403[View Page 402-403] 402 THE NEW AGE OF GOLD. few days only, an hour, a minute, --and we shall be united to part no more forever." And now I must bid my reader and all the world a final farewell. I began these brief memoiIs to aid my treacherous memory; I have thus imperfectly completed them to soothe my sorrow. Whilst I write I partly forget my pain. Whether they will ever be seen by other eyes than mine I know not. Nor do I greatly care. The last tie that binds me to the world will soon be broken, and neither its love nor hatred can then affect me further. Yet, even in that solitude, it may help me to bear my load of sorrow more bravely, to think that I have secured the sympathy of a single human heart, or called a tear of pity into a single eye. NOTE BY THE PUBLISHERS.-A few days after writing the closing passages of the above mournful history, Mr. Romaine set sail from New York, with the fixed intention of never abandoning the search until he had once more discovered his island home. Though not laid down on any of the maps, he found that it was not wholly unknown to mariners ; and Captain James C. Brace, of the ship Vulcan, who had attempted to land there in 1848, was able, from observations taken at the time, to give him such information that he would have little difficulty in determining its true position. It belongs to that group of islands of which Borneo is the chief, and lies about three or four degrees to the south of the equator. As the voyage thither, under ordinary circumstances, would not occupy more than four months, and as he has already been gone nearly twice that time, we are in daily expectation of hearing of his safe arrival. Whenever we do, we shall hasten to communicate the facts to the public, through the medium of the newspapers, trusting that there are none that will not be inter- ested to learn the end of so extraordinary a story. The character of Mr. Romaine is sufficiently unfolded in the history he has himself given us ; but, to gratify those of our readers who cannot be satisfied without knowing how an author looks as well as writes, we sub- join the following brief sketch, which a friend has kindly furnished us for this purpose. * * $ $ $ $ $ $ NOTE BY THE PUBTTSHSR . 40S.8 In person Mr. Romaine was above the middle height, and possessed of an uncommon degree of strength and activity. His eyes were large and dark, his forehead moderately high and very full, and his whole expression eminently pleasing. A slight shade of melancholy did not diminish the interest his appearance was calculated to produce. His temperament was a mixture of the sanguine, the bilious, and the melan- cholic ; and, according as either predominated, he seemed to present an entirely different character. Mrs. Alice Wadsworth Romaine was, beyond all dispute, the most exquisite picture of. female loveliness the eye ever rested on. Only a poet could do her justice ; the most perfect painting would not give half her charms. Her variety was endless, and enough to fill a whole gallery., But the secret of her beauty -this it was that no one could catch --was her wonderful richness of expression. A soft oriental languor seemed to breathe from her like a cloud, until she was fairly aroused; then she became absolutely heroic. Some, indeed, accused her of a certain coldness and hauteur in her ordinary manners; she might be so to them, but, "I love that tropic land that under its luxurious exterior stWil keeps its heart of-fire unconsumed." page: 404-405 (Advertisement) [View Page 404-405 (Advertisement) ] PITTT,TPS, SAMPSON, & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. MSCELLANEOUS. SUNNY MEMORIES OF FOREIGN LANDS, By Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of , Uncle Tom's Cab- in," ,iThe Mayflower," &c. In two volumes, 12mo. Illus- trated with 66 Engravings, from original designs by. Billings. Price, in muslin, $2; gilt, $3; half calf, $3.50. It is not necessary to eulogize the author of Uncle Tom's Cabin. The whole world knows her. That work--original, powerful, and startling in interest- has commanded a wider popularity than any effort of ancient or modern times, and has placed the author in the front rank of living writers. As the originator and representative of a new department of literature, Mrs. Stowe was invited to Europe. Her reception was such as has been accorded to no citizen of the new world before. The common people-the whole people-- turned out to greet the woman whose genius had conquered all hearts. And hereditary nobles, authors, statesmen, and artists, catching the enthusiasm of the hour, vied with each other in doing her honor. A tour like this no woman, no untitled person, no mere author, ever made. Whatever of interest Great Britain, with its ten centuries of growth, had to show, was displayed to the author of "Uncle Tom." Hence these' "SUNNY MEMO- RIES" exhibit pictures of English Life and Scenery which can be found in no other book of travels. THE MAYFLOWER, And Miscellaneous Writings, by Mrs. H. Beecher Stowe. In one volume, 12mo.,with a vignette title, and a fine Portrait on steel. Price, in muslin, $1.25; gilt, $2; half calf, $2.25; full calf, $4. "Mrs. Stowe is not less successful in her delineations of New England Life than in her world-renowned pictures of southern society. ("Old Father Morris," "Love versus Law," and "Uncle Lot," bring the old-fashioned scenes of by-gone days before us with a power that takes captive all our sympathies. We have known stern, strong men to shed tears over the irresistible heart-touches of the last- named sketch. Few of these were written merely to amuse or to entertain. A warm, lively current of appeal to the higher part of man's nature runs throu even the most sprightly stories."-National B-ra. IDA MAY, A STORY OF THNGS ACTUtL AND POSSIBLE, By Mary Langdon. "For we speak that we do know, and testify of that we have seen." page: 406 (Advertisement) -407 (Advertisement) [View Page 406 (Advertisement) -407 (Advertisement) ] rUln lrE, SAMPSON, & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. Fifty-second thousand. In one volume, 12mo. Price $1.25. This powerful anti-slavery work has had a very large circle of admirers. It is temperate, but firm in its principles, and contains nothing that could offend any fair, unlprejudiced mind. But it is as a story that it must be judged. 'o person can read it without being struck with the wonderful vividness of the author's descriptions of character and manners. The dialogue is spirited, dra- matic, and where negroes are introduced, their dialect is imitated with a fidelity that no person yet has approached. TALES FOR THE MARINES, By Harry Gringo, (Lieut. E. A. Wise, U. S. N.) Author of "Los Gringos," &c. In one volume, 12mo. Price, $1.25. Of this brilliant Nautical Novel, N P. W L S thus speaks in the Home Journal : - "We deliberately believe that the living writer who can give the most pleasure in the way of fun and novelty, is Harry Gri.go. We think him an unworked mine of a new and peculiar intellectual ore,--a keen knowledge of men and things, and subtile powers of analysis underlying all his sparkling effervescence and wonderful sense of the ludicrous. IHe may have a niche all to himself in the SKETCHES OF EUROPEAN CAPITALS, By Rev. WVilliam Ware. Author of ,, Zenobia," cc Aurelian," Julian," cc Lectures on the Genius of Allston," & . I one volume, 12mo. Price, $1 . Inone "Mr. Ware's European Capitals ' is one of the most attractive of recent books of foreign travel. Written with all that polished ease and grace which he has acquired by many years' experience, it presents, in a series of lectures, the impres. sions most likely to be produced upon a highly-cultivated mind by a visit to the great centres of European art and civilization. Rome, Florence Naples, and London, are the four cities which he has selected as the principal themes for his lectures; and he has treated them with so much eloquence, and such just taste in the selection and arrangement of his materials, that one almost forgets the topics are old and familiar. The volume is an elegant tribute of ripe scholarship to one of the most popular departments of polite literature., PHLLIPS, SAMPSON, & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. THE NEW AGE OF GOLD; Or, the Life and Adventures of Robert Dexter Romaine. Writ- ten by himself. In one volume, 12mo. Price $1.25. No description-would give an idea of this work without spoiling the interest of the story. But it possesses extraordinary merit, both in the plot, which is novel, and in the style, which is singularly animated. ENGLISH TRAITS. By Ralph Waldo Emerson. In-one volume, 12mo. Price $1* The many admirers of Mr. Emerson will welcome this long-expected volume. The work has not grown to a large size by the length of time it has been in preparation; revision has rather winnowed it. The publishers confidently expect that this will be the most widely popular of the author's books. THE EARNEST MAN. A Sketch of the Character and Laborg of ADONIRAM JUD- SON, First Missionary to Btrmah. By Mrs. H. C. Conant In one volume, 16mo. Price $1. To meet the general demand for a Life of the great Missionary in a more popu- lar form than that of the elaborate work of President-Wayland, this volume has been prepared with the approval of the family and friends of the lamented sub- ject. CASTE : A STORY OF REPUBLICAN EQUALITY. By Sydney A. Story, Jr. In one volume, 12mo, Price $1.25. The title would lead the reader to infer that it has somewhat to do with the question of Slavery; and such is the case - its tendencies are powerfully against the institution. But it is, nevertheless, in the best sense, a Novel, and not mere- ly an Anti-Slavery tract in disguise. The characters and scenes have a vividness which only genius can impart to ideal creations; and whoever commences the book will find his sympathies so strongly enlisted, that he will be compelled to follow the fortunes of the charmring heroine to the conclusion. CASTE is not a " sectional " book. Its blows fall as much upon Northern as upon Southern society. And while the vast majority will read the book for the intense interest of the story, it will awaken thinking menl to a new phase of the all-absorbing question. page: 408 (Advertisement) -409[View Page 408 (Advertisement) -409] PHTTJPS, SAMPSON, & CO.'S PUBLICATIONS. MODERN PILGRIMS: Showing the Improvements in Travel, and the newest Methods of reaching the Celestial City. By George Wood, author of ,I Peter Schlemihl in America." In two volumes, 12mo. Price $1.75. The idea of this work was suggested to the author by the inimitable "Celestial Railroad " of Hawthorne. But in the application of the idea to the religious so- cieties of modern times, the author is indebted to no one. It is a continuous story of the pilgrimage of some cultivated and piously disposed people, in which they visit in turn various cities, castles, and hotels, representing the leading religious denominations. But no description can do the work justice. It is full of trench- ant satire upon life, manners, and opinions; and at the same time it has much of pathos, which cannot but awaken sympathy. It is proper to add, that the author takes the same standpoint with honest John Bunyan. WOLFSDEN. A New England Novel, In one volume, 12mo. Price $1.25. Rural life in New England was never more graphically painted. And such is the variety of incident and character that every reader will enjoy its perusal with a hearty relish. It is as unique as Tristram Shandy. COLOMBA ; A Novel founded upon the "Vendetta." Translated from the French of Prosper Merim6e. In one ele- gant 16mo. volume. Price $1. A story of Corsica, of intense interest, and wholly free from the prevailing faults of French novelists. BERENICE. An Autobiographical Novel. In one volume, 12mo. Price $1.25. The touching fidelity to life and nature which characterizes this book will in. duce every reader to suppose it to be a veritable history. EDITH HALE. A New England Story. In one volume, 12mo. Price $1.25. The conception of character, and the general conduct of the story, would indl- cate a feminine author. The style is richly, not pedantically, embroidered with learned allusions and illustrations, and there are traces of vigor that will surprise the reader into admiration.
