Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1899-06-16
CHAPTER XEVIII.
We Build a Hut

| boy made lazy man, Just as CROOK
ed sapling makes a crooked tree"
1t was fortunate for me. however,
while on the island of Alphonso, that
my habits were those of activity, and
that | was never Emphatic by nature.
After dawn next morning We set
| about the erection of a hut, though
We had no other tools than a small
Ratchet and our claspknives With
these We cut or tore down great num-
Der Of large branches and stuck them
in the earth. selecting a place where
two angles of impending rock conven-
iently enough formed two solid walls
for our ediice. leaving us but two
others to erect.
/ As Tom LambOurne said, 1.-The fellow
who cannot use a hammer or ak is only
half a man." so we all worked hard
with such implements as we had, until
/ our hut was complete.
We left an entrance next the rocks
| by which to creep in and out. and
/ then matched or built over the inter
twisted branches with turf, torn up by
our hands, and with broad pantain
leaves. creepers and all kinds of ten
drills that had toughness and consist
ency woven to form roof.
AT the erection of this most print
tive wigwam We toiled the whole day,
save during the Scorching interval at
noon, and ere nightfall it was complete.
with piles of dried leaves and seagrass
1 for touches and bedroom furniture.
! Therein we placed all our provisions
the three bags of bread, two kegs
/ of rum (which, by unanimous consent.
were placed under the sole supervision
/ of Hislop); our four casks of water
! were also brought ashore. though there
was no lack of pure springs on the
! island.
/ In this wigwam were also placed our
blankets, tie sails and tackle of the
! lonSboat, and then the succeeding days
/ were spent in accommodating provisions
! (as we looked forward with dread to
our last biscuiD. and a signa;-post was
/ erected on the mountain.
With PrObart. the carpenter. and
/ Henry Warren 1.-TWO of our stoutest
hands,. Tom Lambourne and | went
upon this duty.
Alternately carrying upon our shout
/ ders CT dragging in our hands the
studdingsail boom. we toiled through
wild and untrodden wastes toward me
/ summit of the great and yet nameless
conical mountain that rears It's lonely
scalp to the height of five thousand
/ feet above the waves of the Southern
sea.
he hope that on reaching it's sum
NIT we might descry a sail was an adj
ditional incentive to toll up the steep
slope without lingering by the way.
On leaving a fiat savanna of sedge
grass we reached a series of wooded
ridges, which form the base of the
mountain, at every step rousing clouds
of birds. especially a species of black
cock, and twice in the jungle we came
upon the lair of wild boars of great
SIZE and such ferocity of aspect that
we were glad TO shrink astern of Tat
tcoed Tom, who carried the Ratchet.
This jungle was exceedingly difficult
of penetration. owing to its density.
the number OF wild aloes. with creep
ing plants. prickly pears and other
tropical weeds, of what kind | know
not. twined about them. it was lit
eral wilderness of serrated grass
blades, yellow gOurds and great
squashy pumpkins. like gigantic vege-
table marrOws. all woven into an in
extricable network of leaves, tendrils
and branches.
In other places We had to force a
passage through thickets of richly
lowered shrubs and tall plants. with
mighty leaves. the general greenerv
of the landscape being increased by
the many runnels of fine spring water
whlch poured down the assures of the
mountain into the plain we had left.
BY the sides of these runnels we
frequently paused. and making a cup
Of large leaf, filled it with the cool.
limpid water that gurgled over the
rocks, to quench our constant thirst
and for time such cups were the only
drinking vessels we had while on the
sand of AlphOnsO.
AT last We gained the summit of the
mountain, and with mingled satisfac-
ton and anxiety in our hearts. swept
the horizon with eager eyes.
Not sail was i'm sight
Far as our eyesight could reach
around us in a mighty circle. roll ed
the waters of tie Southern Atlantic
!, almost tepid with heat, and pale and
white. they seemed to palpitate under
the rays of the unclouded sun.
At our feet lay the whole isle oil
AlphOnsO and its two rock appendages
!, with the encircling sea boiling i'm the
narrow chasms between them with a
, fury which was the result of contrary
currents. and which formed a singular
contrast to it's calmness elsewhere.
r After brief rest We prepared to SCI
up the signal-post.
Tom took off his shirt. and drawins
from his pocket piece of spunyarn
t which a seaman is seldom without, h,
/, dashed his enlargement to the enc
of the studding-sail boom, and by thu
aid of the Ratchet and our hands, W,
: scraped a hole sufficiently deep il
which to erect the spar. and then jam
' med it hard and fast with stones A!
e the shirt was blown out flag fashion
y upon the wind, We hoped it would