"That verdure cannot exist without water," he said to himself; "there
must be some near at hand. Surely, if it exists Nep will find it." As
he advanced further he found himself in a small valley running directly
up from the sea, and shortly afterwards his eye fell on the sheen of
water. It appeared to be a stream running down the centre and losing
itself in the porous sand before it reached the ocean. He uttered a cry
of joy, and pushed forward. He was soon stooping down, lapping the
water up eagerly with his hand. He then began to feel the pangs of
hunger. The only fruit he could discover were cocoanuts, but they hung
so high above his head that he had no hope of obtaining any. He was too
weak to attempt climbing even the smallest of the trees on which they
grew. He thought of various devices for bringing them down. He might
manage to get some could he find a long thin line which, by means of a
stone, he might throw over the boughs. Then he searched about for other
food. He looked also anxiously for human habitations. The sun beat
down with intense heat into the valley, and the tall trees afforded but
little shade. He was compelled at length to retreat towards the cavern.
That, at all events, would be cool, he thought. A few more cocoanut
trees only had to be passed, when, just as he was going under the boughs
of one, he saw a large brown mass covered with fibre lying before him.
Though he had never before seen a cocoanut when growing in a wild state,
he knew what it was. He seized it eagerly, and began tearing off the
outer cover. Conveying it to the cave, with a piece of stone he broke
off the top, and having swallowed the refreshing juice in the interior,
he soon broke it to pieces so as to get at the flesh. With this he
somewhat satisfied the gnawings of hunger.
"Such food won't suit you, my poor dog!" he said, looking at Nep.
However, the dog wagged his tail, and very readily swallowed a few of
the pieces cut out of the shell, which his master threw him. He had now
to consider what was next to be done. His eye fell on the body of poor
Voules.
"He was a miserable counsellor, and did me harm by attempting to flatter
me; though I confess that I had but little real regard for him, I
certainly wish that he was still alive; but as he has gone, I must
endeavour to pay him the respect I would to any fellow-creature, and
give him decent burial." Saying this, he got up and looked about to
settle by what means he could accomplish his object. The shore was
strewn with timber and pieces of plank of all shapes. Hunting about he
soon found a piece which would answer his purpose, though had he
possessed an axe he might have chopped it into a more suitable shape; as
it was, however, it would have to serve his purpose. His next care was
to select some fitting spot for the grave. He pitched on one under the
cliff, where the sand appeared sufficiently soft, while the shape of the
rocks around would make it easily recognised.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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