XII
THE MAKING OF THE GREAT BOW
THE FOURTH night upon the island was the first topass without
incident. It is true that a light showed from the hulk out in the
weed; but now that we had made some acquaintance with her inmates, it
was no longer a cause for excitement, so much as contemplation. As for
thevalley where the vile things had made an end of Job, it was very
silent and desolate under the moonlight; for I made a point to go and
view it during my time on watch; yet, for all that it lay empty, it
was very eerie, and a place to conjure up uncomfortable thoughts,so
that I spent no great time pondering it.
This was the second night on which we had been free from the terror of
the devil-things, and it seemed to me that the great fire had put them
in fear of us and driven them away; but of the truth or error of this
idea, I was to learn later.
Now it must be admitted that, apart from a short look into the valley,
and occasional starings at thelight out in the weed, I gave little
attention to aught but my plans for the great bow, and to such use did
I put my time, that when I was relieved, I had each particular and
detail worked out, so that I knew very well just whatto set the men
doing so soon as we should make a start in the morning.
Presently, when the morning had come, and we had made an end of
breakfast, we turned-to upon the great bow, the bo'sun directing the
menunder my supervision. Now, the first matter to which I bent
attention, was the raising, to the top of the hill, of the remaining
half of that portion of the topmast which the bo'sun had split in
twain to procure the batten for the boat. To this end, we went down,
all of us, to the beach where lay the wreckage, and, getting about the
portion which I intended to use, carriedit to the foot of the hill;
then we sent a man to the top to let down the rope by which we had
moored the boat to the sea anchor, and when we had bent this on
securely to the piece of timber, we returned to the hill-top, and
tailed on to the rope, and so, presently, after much weariful pulling,
had it up.
The next thing I desired was that the split face of the timber should
be rubbed straight, and thisthe bo'sun understood to do, and whilst he
was about it, I went with some of the men to the grove of reeds, and
here,with great care, I made aselection of some of the finest, these
being for the bow, and after that I cut some which were very clean and
straight, intending them for the great arrows. With these we returned
once more to the camp, and there I set-to and trimmed themof their
leaves, keeping these latter, for I had a use for them. Then I tooka
dozen reeds and cut them each to a length of twenty-five feet, and
afterwards notched them for the strings. In the meanwhile, I had sent
two men down to the wreckage of the masts to cut away a couple of the
hempen shrouds and bring them to the camp, and they, appearing about
this time, I set to work to unlay the shrouds, so that they might get
out the fine white yarns which lay beneath the outer covering of tar
andblacking. These, when they had come at them, we found to be very
good and sound, and this being so, I bid them make three-yarn sennit;
meaning it for the strings of the bows. Now, it will be observed that
I have said bow s , and this I will explain. It had been my original
intention to make one great bow, lashing a dozen of the reeds together
for the purpose; but this, upon pondering it, I conceivedto be but a
poor plan; forthere would be much lifeand power lost in the rendering
of each piece through the lashings, when the bow was released. To
obviate this,and further, to compass the bending of the bow, the which
had, at first, been a source of puzzlement to me as to how it was to
be accomplished, I had determined to make twelve separate bows, and
these I intended to fasten at the end of the stock one above the
other, so that they were all in one plane vertically, and because
ofthis conception, I should be able to bend the bows one at a time,
and slip each string over the catch-notch, and afterwards frap the
twelve strings together in the middle part so that they would be but
one string to the butt of the arrow. All this, I explained to the
bo'sun, who, indeed, had been exercised in his own mind as to how we
should be able to bend such a bow as I intendedto make, and he was
mightily pleased with mymethod of evading this difficulty, and also
one other, which, else, had been greater than the bending, and that
was the stringing of the bow, which would have proved a very awkward
work.
Presently, the bo'sun called out to me that he had got the surface of
the stock sufficiently smooth and nice; and at that I went over to
him; for now I wished him to burn a slight groove down the centre,
running from end to end, and this I desired tobe done very exactly;
for upon it depended much of the true flight of the arrow. Then I went
back to my own work; for I had not yet finished notching the bows.
Presently, when I had made an end of this, I called for a length of
the sennit, and, with the aid of another man, contrived to string one
of the bows. This, when Ihad finished, I found to be very springy, and
so stiff to bend that I had allthat I could manage to do so, and at
this I felt very satisfied.
Presently, it occurred to me that I should do well to set some of the
men to work upon the line which the arrow was to carry; for I had
determined that this should be made also from the white hemp yarns,
and, for the sake of lightness, I conceived that one thickness of yarn
would be sufficient;but so that it might compass enough of strength, I
bid them split the yarns and lay the two halves up together, and in
this manner they made me a very light and sound line; though itmust
not be supposed that it was finished at once; for I needed over half a
mile of it, and thusit was later finished thanthe bow itself.
Having now gotten all things in train, I set me down to work upon one
of the arrows; for I was anxious to see what sort of a fist I should
make of them, knowing how much would depend upon the balance and truth
of the missile. In the end, I made a very fair one, feathering it with
its own leaves, and trueing and smoothing itwith my knife; after which
I inserted a small bolt in the forrard end, to act as a head, and, as
Iconceived, give it balance; though whether I was right in this
latter, I am unable tosay. Yet, before I had finished my arrow, the
bo'sun had made the groove, and called me over to him, that I might
admire it, the which I did; for it was done with a wonderful neatness.
Now I have been so busy with my description of how we made the great
bow, that I have omitted to tell of the flight of time, and how we had
eaten our dinner this long while since, and how that the people in the
hulk had waved to us, and we had returned their signals, and then
written upon a length of the canvas the one word,"WAIT". And, besides
all this, some had gathered our fuel for the coming night.
And so, presently, the evening came upon us; but we ceased not to
work; for the bo'sun bade the men to light a second great fire, beside
our former one, and by the light of this we worked another long spell;
though it seemed short enough, by reason of the interest of the work.
Yet, at last, the bo'sun bade us to stop and make supper, which we
did, and after that, he set the watches, and the rest of us turned in;
for we were very weary.
ln spite of my previous weariness, when the man whom I relieved called
me to take my watch, I felt very fresh and wide awake, and spent a
great part of the time, as on the preceding night, in studying over my
plans for completing the great bow, and it was then that I decided
finally in what manner I would secure the bows athwartthe end of the
stock; for until then I had been in some little doubt, being divided
between several methods. Now, however,I concluded to make twelve
grooves across the sawn end of the stock, and fit the middlesof the
bows into these, one above the other, as Ihave already mentioned;and
then to lash them at each side to bolts driven into the sides of the
stock. And with this idea I was very well pleased; for it promised to
make them secure, and this without any great amount of work.
Now, though I spent much of my watch in thinking over the details of
my prodigious weapon, yet it must not be supposed that I neglected to
perform myduty as watchman; for I walked continually about the top of
the hill, keeping my cut-and-thrust ready for any sudden emergency.
Yet my time passed off quietly enough; though it is true that I
witnessed one thing which broughtme a short spell of disquiet thought.
It was in this wise:--I had come to that part of the hill-top which
overhung the valley, and it came tome, abruptly, to go near to the
edge and look over. Thus, the moon being very bright, and the
desolation of the valley reasonably clear tothe eye, it appeared to
me, as I looked that I sawa movement among certain of the fungi which
had not burnt, butstood up shrivelled and blackened in the valley. Yet
by no means could I be sure that it was not a sudden fancy, born of
the eeriness of that desolate-looking vale; the more so as I was like
to be deceived because of the uncertainty which the light of the moon
gives. Yet, to prove my doubts, I went back untilI had found a piece
of rock easy to throw, and this, taking a short run, I cast into the
valley, aiming at the spot whereit had seemed to me thatthere had been
a movement. Immediately upon this, I caught a glimpse of some moving
thing, and then, more to my right, something else stirred, and at
this, I looked towards it; but could discover nothing. Then, looking
back at the clump at which I had aimed my missile, I saw that the
slime-covered pool, which lay near, was all a-quiver, or so it seemed.
Yet the next instant I was just as full of doubt; for, even as I
watched it, I perceived that it was quite still. Andafter that, for
some time,I kept a very strict gaze into the valley; yet could nowhere
discover aught to prove my suspicions, and, at last, I ceased from
watching it; for I feared to grow fanciful, and so wandered to that
part of the hill which overlooked the weed.
Presently, when I had been relieved, I returnedto sleep, and so till
the morning. Then, when wehad made each of us a hasty breakfast--for
all were grown mightily keen to see the great bow completed--we set-to
upon it, each at our appointed task. Thus, the bo'sun and I made it
our work to make the twelve groovesathwart the flat end of the stock,
into which I proposed to fit and lash the bows, and this we
accomplished by means of the iron futtock-shroud, which we heated in
its middle part,and then, each taking anend (protecting our hands with
canvas), we went one on each side and applied the iron until at length
we had the grooves burnt out very nicely and accurately. This work
occupied us all the morning; for the grooveshad to be deeply burnt;
and in the meantime the men had completed nearenough sennit for the
stringing of the bows; yet those who were at work on the line which
the arrow was to carry, had scarce made more than half, so that I
called off one man from the sennit to turn-to, and give them a hand
with the making of the line.
When dinner was ended,the bo'sun and I set-to about fitting the bows
into their places, which we did, and lashed them to twenty-four bolts,
twelve a side, driven intothe timber of the stock, about twelve inches
in from the end. After this, we bent and strung the bows, taking very
great care to have each bent exactly as the one below it; for we
started at the bottom. And so, before sunset, we had that part of our
work ended.
Now, because the two fires which we had lit onthe previous night had
exhausted our fuel, the bo'sun deemed it prudent to cease work, and go
down all of us to bring up a fresh supply of the dry seaweed and some
bundles of the reeds. This we did, making an end of our journeyings
just as the dusk came over the island. Then, having made a second
fire, as on the preceding night, we had first our supper, and after
that another spell of work, all the menturning to upon the line which
the arrow was to carry, whilst the bo'sun and I set-to, each of us,
upon the making of a fresh arrow; for I had realized that we should
have to make one or twoflights before we could hope to find our range
and make true our aim.
Later, maybe about nine of the night, the bo'sun bade us all to put
away our work, and then he set the watches, after which the rest of us
went into the tent to sleep; for the strength of the wind made the
shelter a very pleasant thing.
That night, when it camemy turn to watch, I minded me to take a look
into the valley; but though I watched at intervals through the half of
an hour, I saw nothing to lead me to imagine that I had indeed seen
aught on the previous night, and so I felt more confident in my mind
that we should be troubled no further by the devil-things which had
destroyed poor Job. Yet I must record one thing which I saw during my
watch; though this was from the edge of the hill-top which overlooked
the weed-continent, and was not in the valley, butin the stretch of
clear water which lay between the island and the weed. As I saw it, it
seemed to me that a number of great fish were swimming across from the
island, diagonally towards the great continent of weed:they were
swimming in one wake, and keeping a very regular line; but not
breaking the water after the manner of porpoises or black fish. Yet,
though I have mentioned this, it must not be supposed that I saw any
very strange thing in such a sight, andindeed, I thought nothing more
of it than to wonder what sort of fish they might be; for, as I saw
them indistinctlyin the moonlight, they made a queer appearance,
seeming each of them to be possessed of two tails, and further, I
could have thought I perceived a flicker as of tentacles justbeneath
the surface; but of this I was by no meanssure.
Upon the following morning, having hurriedour breakfast, each of us
set-to again upon our tasks; for we were in hopes to have the great
bow at work before dinner. Soon, the bo'sun had finished his arrow,
and mine was completedvery shortly after, so thatthere lacked nothing
now to the completion of our work, save the finishing of the line, and
the getting of the bow into position. This latter, assisted by the
men, we proceeded now to effect,making a level bed of rocks near the
edge of the hill which overlooked the weed. Upon this we placed the
great bow, and then, having sent the men back to their work at
theline, we proceeded to the aiming of the huge weapon. Now, when we
had gotten the instrument pointed, as we conceived, straight over the
hulk, the which we accomplished by squinting along the groove which
the bo'sunhad burnt down the centre of the stock, we turned-to upon
the arranging of the notch and trigger, the notch being to hold the
strings when the weapon was set, and the trigger--a board bolted on
loosely at the side just below thenotch--to push them upwards out of
this place when we desired to discharge the bow. This part of the work
took up no great portionof our time, and soon wehad all ready for our
firstflight. Then we commenced to set the bows, bending the bottom one
first, and then those above in turn,until all were set; and, after
that, we laid the arrow very carefully in the groove. Then I took two
pieces of spun yarn and frapped the strings together at each end of
the notch, and by this means I was assured thatall the strings would
act in unison when striking the butt of the arrow. And so we had all
things ready for the discharge; whereupon, I placed my foot upon the
trigger, and, bidding the bo'sun watch carefully the flightof the
arrow, pushed downwards. The next instant, with a mighty twang, and a
quiver thatmade the great stock stiron its bed of rocks, the bow
sprang to its lesser tension, hurling the arrow outwards and upwards
in a vast arc. Now, it may be conceived with what mortal interest we
watched its flight, and soin a minute discovered that we had aimed too
much to the right, for the arrow struck the weed ahead of the
hulk--but beyond it. At that, I was filled near to bursting with pride
and joy, and the men who had come forward to witness the trial,
shoutedto acclaim my success, whilst the bo'sun clapt me twice upon
the shoulder to signify his regard, and shouted as loud as any.
And now it seemed to me that we had but to get the true aim, and
therescue of those in the hulk would be but a matter of another day
ortwo; for, having once gotten a line to the hulk, we should haul
across a thin rope by its means, and with this a thicker one; after
which we should set this up so tautas possible, and then bring the
people in the hulk to the island by means of a seat and block which we
should haul to and fro along thesupporting line.
Now, having realized that the bow would indeed carry so far as
thewreck, we made haste totry our second arrow, and at the same time
we bade the men go back totheir work upon the line;for we should have
needof it in a very little while.Presently, having pointed the bow
more tothe left, I took the frappings off the strings, so that we
could bend the bows singly, and after that we set the great weapon
again. Then, seeing that the arrow was straight in the groove, I
replaced the frappings, and immediately discharged it. This time, to
my very great pleasure and pride, the arrow went with a wonderful
straightness towards the ship, and, clearing the superstructure,
passed out of our sight as it fell behind it. At this, I was all
impatience to try to get the line to the hulk before we made our
dinner; but the men had not yet laid-up sufficient;there being then
only four hundred and fifty fathoms (which the bo'sun measured off by
stretching it along his arms and across his chest). This being so, we
went to dinner, and made very great haste through it; and, after that,
every one of us worked at the line, and so in about an hour we had
sufficient; for I had estimated that it would not be wise to make the
attempt with a less length than five hundredfathoms.
Having now completed asufficiency of the line, the bo'sun set one of
themen to flake it down very carefully upon the rock beside the bow,
whilst he himself tested it at all such parts as he thought in any way
doubtful, and so, presently, all was ready. Then I bent it on to the
arrow, and, having set the bow whilst the men were flaking down the
line, I was prepared immediately to discharge the weapon.
Now, all the morning, a man upon the hulk had observed us through a
spy-glass, from a position that brought hishead just above the edge of
the superstructure, and, being aware of our intentions--having watched
the previous flights--he understood the bo'sun, when he beckoned to
him, that we had made ready for athird shot, and so, with an answering
wave of his spy-glass, he disappeared from our sight. At that, having
firstturned to see that all were clear of the line, I pressed down the
trigger, my heart beating very fast and thick, and so in a moment the
arrow was sped. But now, doubtlessbecause of the weight ofthe line, it
made nowhere near so good a flight as on the previous occasion, the
arrow striking the weed some two hundred yards shortof the hulk, and
at this, I could near have wept with vexation and disappointment.
Immediately upon the failure of my shot, the bo'sun called to the men
to haul in the line very carefully, so that it should not be parted
through the arrow catching in the weed; then he came over to me, and
proposed that we should set-to at once to make a heavier
arrow,suggesting that it had been lack of weight in the missile which
had caused it to fall short. At that, I felt once more hopeful, and
turned-to at once to prepare a newarrow; the bo'sun doing likewise;
though in his case he intended to make a lighter one than that which
had failed; for, as he put it, though the heavier one fell short, yet
might the lighter succeed, and if neither, then we could only suppose
that the bow lacked power to carry the line, and in thatcase, we
should have to try some other method.
Now, in about two hours, I had made my arrow, the bo'sun
havingfinished his a little earlier, and so (the men having hauled in
all the line and flaked it down ready) we prepared to make another
attempt tocast it over the hulk. Yet, a second time we failed, and by
so much that it seemed hopeless to think of success; but, for all that
it appeared useless, the bo'sun insisted on making a last try with the
light arrow, and, presently, when we had gotten the line ready again,
we loosed upon the wreck; but in this case so lamentable was our
failure, that I cried out to the bo'sun to set the useless thing upon
the fire and burn it; for I was sorely irked by its failure, and could
scarce abide to speak civilly of it.
Now the bo'sun, perceiving how I felt, sung out that we would cease
troubling about the hulk for the present, and go down all of us to
gather reeds and weed for the fire; for it was drawing nigh to
evening. And this we did,though all in a disconsolate condition
ofmind; for we had seemed so near to success, and now it appeared to
be further than ever from us. And so, in a while, having brought up a
sufficiency of fuel, the bo'sun sent two of the men down to one of the
ledges which overhung the sea, and bade them see whether they could
not secure a fish for our supper. Then,taking our places about the
fire, we fell-to upon a discussion as to how we should come at the
people in the hulk.
Now, for a while there came no suggestion worthy of notice, until
atlast there occurred to mea notable idea, and I called out suddenly
that we should make a small fire balloon, and float offthe line to
them by such means. At that, the men about the fire were silent a
moment; for the idea was new to them, and moreover they needed to
comprehend just what I meant. Then, when they had come fully at it,
the one who had proposed that they should make spears of their knives,
cried out to know why a kite would not do, and at that I was
confounded, in that so simple an expedient had not occurred to any
before; for, surely, it would be but a little matter to float a line
to them by means of a kite, and, further, such a thing would take no
great making.
And so, after a space of talk, it was decided that upon the morrow we
should build some sort ofkite, and with it fly a lineover the hulk,
the which should be a task of no great difficulty with so good a
breeze as we hadcontinually with us.
And, presently, having made our supper off a very fine fish, which the
two fishermen had caught whilst we talked, the bo'sun set the watches,
and the rest turned-in. [ tobe continued....]
