Adrift in Pacific and Other Great Adventures – 17 Titles in One Volume (Illustrated Edition). Jules Verne
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suffered, more or less, from the want of exercise. Briant could not see without feeling anxious the pale looks of the little ones, whose colour had quite disappeared. However, thanks to the hot drinks, which were always procurable, with the exception of a few colds, the young people escaped without much damage.
On the 16th of August the air underwent a change, as the wind shifted into the west, and the thermometer
rose to 10°, a temperature that was supportable if the atmosphere was calm.
Donagan, Briant, Service, Wilcox, and Baxter decided to make an excursion to Schooner Bay. By starting early they could get back before night.
They wanted to replace the flag, of which only a few rags could remain after the storms of winter. And, at Briant's suggestion, they could fix to the signal-mast a plate indicating the position of French Den, in case any sailors landed on the coast after seeing the flag.
Gordon gave his assent to the expedition, although he laid stress on the necessity of their getting back before night, and the boys started early on the 19th, before it was daylight. The sky was clear, and the moon lighted up the landscape with the pale rays of its last quarter. Six miles to the bay was not much of a distance for the well-rested legs.
The distance was soon covered. The swamp of Bog Wood being frozen over, there was no need to go round it, and by nine o'clock Donagan and his comrades had reached the beach.
" There is a flock of birds," said Wilcox. And he pointed to the reef where thousands of birds, like large ducks, with their beaks elongated like a mussel-shell, were giving vent to a cry as piercing as disagreeable.
" You would say they were little soldiers, whose general was reviewing them," said Service.
" They are only penguins," answered Baxter, " and they are not worth a shot."
These stupid birds, holding themselves almost upright, owing to their feet being placed so far back, did not attempt to move, and could have been knocked down with a stick. Donagan might, perhaps, have indulged in useless carnage; but Briant, having had the wisdom to say nothing, the penguins were left alone. But if the birds were of no use, there were other animals whose fat would do for lighting French Den during the next winter. These were the seals, of the horn seal species, who were taking their ease on the reef, which was then covered with a thick bed of ice. But to kill any the boys would have to cut off their retreat, as when Briant and his comrades approached they took to flight with many extraordinary antics, and disappeared in the sea. Evidently an expedition for the capture of these animals would have to be organized later on.
After having lunched on the few provisions they had brought with them, the boys set to work to examine the whole stretch of the bay.
One long white sheet extended from Zealand River to False Point. Except the penguins and sea-birds, such as petrels and gulls, it seemed as though the other birds had abandoned the beach for the interior in search of food.
Two or three feet of snow lay on the beach, and all that remained of the schooner had been hidden by it. The lines of seaweed on the near side of the breakers showed that Schooner Bay had not been invaded by the high tides of the equinox.
The sea was still deserted, as far as could be seen, up to the very limit of the horizon that Briant had not looked upon for three long months. And beyond, hundreds of miles away, was this New Zealand that he did not despair of seeing again.
Baxter busied himself in hoisting the new flag which he had brought with him, and nailing to the flagstaff the plate giving the position of French Den at six miles up the course of the stream. Then, about one o'clock in the afternoon, they started homewards.
On the way Donagan shot a brace of pintail and lapwing which were skimming over the river; and towards four o'clock, as dusk was coming on, they reached the cave. Gordon was told of all that had passed, and agreed that the seals should be attacked as soon as the weather permitted.
In fact, the winter was nearly over. During the last week of August and the first week of September, the sea-breeze blew. A series of squalls brought on a great increase of temperature. The snow began to melt, the surface of the lake began to break up with a deafening noise. The bergs that did not melt in the lake were swept into the river, and, piled one on the other, formed a barrier that did not clear away till the 10th of September.
And so the winter had passed. Owing to the precautions that had been taken, the little colony had not suffered much. All had kept in good health, and the studies having been attended to, Gordon had had hardly one complaint to deal with.
One day, however, he had had to chastise Dole, whose conduct required punishment.
Several times the obstinate boy had refined to do what he was told, and Gordon had reprimanded him, but he took no notice of his observations. And in the end Gordon sentenced him to be flogged.
And so Dole received a birching at the hands of Wilcox, who had been selected by lot for the post of public executioner. And the example had its effect, in preventing any further disobedience.
On September the 10th six months had gone by since the schooner was lost on the reefs of Charman Island.
CHAPTER IX.
Bravo, Baxter!
Two hundred yards from the creek there was a hill about fifty feet high, which formed an observatory, from which Gordon and his comrades might have an extended view of the country. And as soon as the sun rose they climbed this hill.
The glasses were immediately pointed to the north. If the sandy desert stretched away, as the map showed, it was impossible to ascertain its boundary line for the horizon of sea would be about twelve miles to the northward, and more than seven to the eastward. There seemed to be no good in going further north.
" Then," asked Cross, " what are we to do ? "
" Go back," said Gordon.
" Not before breakfast," said Service.
" Get the cloth laid," said Webb.
" If we are going back," said Donagan," could we not go another way ? "
" We will try to do so," said Gordon.
" It seems to me," said Donagan, " that we should complete our exploration if we went along the other bank of the lake."
" That would be rather long," said Gordon. " According to the map that must be from thirty to forty miles, and it would take four or five days supposing we met with nothing to stop us ! At French Den they would be in a state of great anxiety for us."
" But," said Donagan, " sooner or later it will be necessary to explore that part. "
" Certainly," said Gordon; " and I intend to have an expedition over there. "
" But," said Cross, " Donagan is right in not wanting to go back the same way. "
" Quite so," said Gordon, " and I propose to follow the lake shore to Stop River, and then to strike off for the cliff, and skirt it on our way to the caves."
" And why go down the river ? " asked Wilcox.
" Why, indeed ? " said Donagan. " Why not make a short cut across the sand to the first trees in Trap Woods, which are not more than three or four miles to the south-west ? "
"Because we must cross Stop River," answered Gordon. " We know we can get across where we crossed yesterday; but farther down we might find a torrent that would give trouble. If we enter the forest on the left bank of the river, we must be all right."
" Always cautious, Gordon !" exclaimed Donagan, with just a touch of irony.
" You never can be too cautious! " said Gordon.
And then they all slipped down the hill, regained their camp, ate a little biscuit and cold venison, rolled up their blankets, and started back on the road they had come along