Gilpin observer., 1899-07-13
CHAPTER XVIII.

My old tutor at Eton used to say.
quoting some wise saw that "a lazy
boy made lazy man, lust 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 1 was never lymphatic by nature.
After dawn next morning We set
about the erection of a hut, though
we had no other tools than a small
hatchet and our claspknives. With
these we cut or tore down a great num-
ber 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 edif1ce, leaving us but two
others to erect.
AS Tom Lambourne said, "the fellow
who cannot use hammer or ak is only
half a man." SO we all worked hard
our hut was complete.
We left an entrance next the rocks
by which to creep in and out, and
then thatched or built over the inter-
twisted branches with turf, torn up by
our hands, and with broad plantain
leaves, creepers and all kinds of ten
drills that had toughness and consist
ency woven to form a roof.
At the erection of this most primi-
tive wigwam we toiled the whole day,
save during the scorching interval at
noon, and ere nightfall 1t was complete.
with piles of dried leaves and seagrass
for couches 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. the sails and tackle of the
longboat, and then the succeeding days
were spent in accommodating provisions
(as we looked forward with dread to
our last biscuit), and signal-post was
erected on the mountain.
With Probart, the carpenter, and
Henry Warren 1.-TWO of our stoutest
hands), Tom Lambourne and l went
upon this duty.
Alternately carrying upon our shoul-
ders or dragging in our hands the
studding-sail boom. we toiled through
wild and untrodden wastes toward the
summit Of the great and yet nameless
conical mountain that rears its lonely
scalp to the height of five thousand
feet above the waves OF. the Southern
sea.
The hope that on reaching Its sum-
NIT we might descry sail was an ad-
ditional incentive to toll up the steep
slope without lingering by the way.
On leaving fiat savanna of sedge
grass we reached series OF wooded
ridges, which form the base OF the
mountain, at every step rousing clouds
OF birds, especially n 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
tooed Tom. who carried the hatchet
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 l know
not. twined about them, II was a 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 n
passage through thickets of richly
lowered shrubs and tall plants, with
mighty leaves, the general greepery
of the landscape being increased by
the many runnels of fine spring water
which poured down the flssures 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 1t with the cool,
limpid water that gurgled over the
rocks. to quench our constant thirst;