Adrift in Pacific and Other Great Adventures – 17 Titles in One Volume (Illustrated Edition). Jules Verne
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That's it, Moko. I'll take an oar, you take another, and Jack takes the helm."
" And if Master Jack steers well we shall make good way."
" Tell me what to do," said Jack, " and I'll do my best."
Moko took in the sail which had even ceased to flap, for the wind had quite gone. The boys then had a morsel to eat, and then, with Moko forward and Jack at the tiller, the boat began to move to the north-east, the course being steered by compass. She was then in the centre of the large sheet of water, and just as if she were out at sea, the surface was bounded by the line of sky. Jack kept an anxious look-out for the shore opposite French Den.
About three o'clock, Moko, taking the glasses, announced that he saw signs of land. A little later, Briant agreed that he was not mistaken. At four o'clock the tops of trees showed themselves rising from a low, fiat shore, which Briant had been unable to detect from False Point. So the only heights on Char-man Island were those of Auckland Hill.
The boat was still from two miles and a half to three miles away from the eastern shore, Briant and Moko rowing steadily on, and getting very tired owing to the great heat. The surface of the lake was like a mirror. Every now and then the bottom could be seen twelve or fifteen feet down covered with water plants, among which myriads of fish were swimming.
It was nearly six o'clock when the yawl neared the shore at the foot of a bank, above which spread the clustering branches of green oaks and sea-pines. The bank was too high for the boys to land, and they had to coast along for half a mile or so to the north.
" There is the river marked on the map," said Briant, pointing to an opening in the bank, through which flowed the waters of the lake.
" Well," said Moko, " I think we ought to give it a name."
" All right," said Briant, " let us call it East River, as it flows to the east."
" That will do," said Moko. " And now we have only to get into the stream and drift down it."
" We will do that to-morrow, Moko. We had better camp here. We can start at dawn to-morrow and explore both banks of the river."
" Shall we go ashore ? " asked Jack.
"Oh, yes," said Briant, "and camp under the trees."
The boys took the boat into a little creek and scrambled out on to the bank. They moored the yawl to a stump, and took out of her the arms and provisions. A good fire of dry wood was lighted at the foot of a large green oak, and they had a meal of biscuit and cold meat, and were not at all sorry to get to sleep.
" Come, wake up; let us be moving," said Briant, who was the first to awake at six o'clock next morning. And in a few minutes all three were back in the boat and out in the stream.
The current was rather strong—the tide had turned about half an hour before—and the oars were not needed. Briant and Jack were in the bow of the yawl, while Moko, with one of the oars out astern, kept the boat in mid-stream.
" It is likely," said Moko, " that we shall get down to the sea in one tide if East River is only six miles long, as the current is much stronger than in Zealand River."
" Let us hope so," said Briant. " When we come back we may have to take two or three tides."
" That may be," said Moko, " and if you like we can start with the next tide."
" Yes," said Briant, " as soon as we have seen that there is no land to the eastward."
The yawl drifted along at a rate, Moko estimated, of about a mile an hour. According to the compass East River ran in an almost straight course to the east-north-east. It was more shut in than Zealand River, and it was not so wide, being only about thirty feet across. Briant's only fear was that there might be some rapids or whirlpools in its course, but there would be time enough to prepare for any obstacle.
The boys were in a forest, in which the vegetation was very thick, the trees being similar to those in Trap Woods, with this difference, that green-oaks, cork-oaks pines and firs were in the majority.
Among others—although his knowledge of botany was much less than Gordon's—Briant recognized a certain tree which he had seen in New Zealand. The branches of this tree spread out in umbrella-shape quite sixty feet above the ground, and bore conical fruits three or four inches long, pointed at the end, and covered with glittering scales.
" That is a stone pine," said Briant.
" If so," said Moko, " let us stop for a minute or two. It will be worth while."
A movement of the oar steered the yawl into the left bank. Briant and Jack jumped out. A few minutes afterwards they came back with an armful of the fruits, each of which contained a kernel of oval form, coated with a thin skin, and tasting like a hazel-nut. It was a valuable find—as Gordon told Briant on his return—on account of the oil that the fruits yielded.
It was important to discover if the forest had as many animals as those on the other side of the lake, and Briant kept his eyes open. He saw a lot of nandus in full flight, and a herd of vicugnas, and even a couple of guanacos ran past with incredible swiftness; and as to the birds, Donagan ought to have been there for a shot or two. But Briant resisted the temptation to waste his powder, as the yawl was amply provisioned.
Towards eleven o'clock the trees began to open out. Here and there little gaps and glades were noticed. The breeze was more and more salt, indicating the nearness of the sea. A few minutes later, beyond a clump of green oaks, a bluish line appeared. It was the horizon.
The yawl still drifted down with the tide, but more slowly now than at first. The ebb was hardly noticeable now, and East River had become nearly fifty feet wide.
They reached the rocks by the sea-shore; Moko steered the boat into the left bank, and then, carrying the grapnel to land, he stuck it firmly into the ground.
Here was quite a different state of affairs to that on the other side of the island. It was a deep bay, but instead of the wide, sandy beach and line of reefs and lofty cliffs as on Wreck Coast, there was a mass of rocks, among which, as Briant soon found, there were at least a score of caves.
This side of the island was consequently well fitted for habitation, and if the schooner had come ashore here, and it had been possible to float her afterwards, she could have been taken into the little harbour at the mouth of the river, where, even at low tide, there was always water.
Briant looked away out to sea, to the far horizon stretching for some fifteen miles from point to point of two sandy cliffs. The long bay, or gulf rather, was deserted—as it doubtless always was. Not a ship was in sight. On land or sea there was no sign of man. Moko, accustomed to recognize the vague lines of distant hills, moulded and marked with clouds, could discover nothing with his glasses.
Charman Island seemed to be as lonely in the east as it was in the west. And that was why Baudoin's map showed no land in that direction. And Briant contented himself with naming the gap in the coast Deception Bay.
" Come," said he, " it is not from this side we shall start when we go back."
" I think we had better have something to eat," said Moko.
" Right," said Briant, " but be quick. When can we get back up the river ? "
" If you want to go by this tide, you ought to start at once."
" That is impossible. I must have a good look round the horizon from some high point."
" Then we shall have to wait for the next tide, and that means ten o'clock to-night."
" Are you afraid to travel during the night ? " asked Briant.
" No," said Moko, " and there would be no danger, for we shall have the moon. Besides the course of the river is so straight that we can steer the boat with an oar all right. And if the stream meets us we can row up, or if it is too strong we can run ashore and wait till it is day."
" Then let it be so," said Briant, " and now we have twelve hours before us, let us make the most of them to complete an exploration."
And