From the book -
Voyage of the Beagle Pup
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CHAPTER TEN

Easter Island

Back on the high seas again and Captain Brooks called us all together over breakfast.

" Well. " said The Captain. " We're in the Atlantic and we are now heading for the Pacific. . . we have two choices, we can go round Cape Horn or go through the Panama canal. I don't care which. " The Captain paused for a moment. Mr Pepperday opened his mouth to say something. " But it is an important decision so I thought everyone should have a say. " said the Captain. He looked at each of us in turn

" You can be yellow liveried faint hearted land libber's and crawl cowardly through the Panama canal. " The Captain paused again but only briefly. " Or you can be stout hearted men of the world, sea dogs worthy of saying you've been on an expedition round the world. " The Captain had taken on his old sea dog stance during this last outburst and had gained a good three inches in height.

Calming down a bit he added. " I don't want to influence you however. " There was not much point in taking a vote.

It was noticeable that, having decided to go round the Horn, the boat didn't change course even an inch.

Mr Pepperday sat at the table after the Captain had left, buried his head in his folded arms and said he felt sick.

Too far round the Horn to turn back and now faced with the full force of the Westerly wind whipping up a storm the likes of which the Captain had never seen before.

The sun was lost amid the black sky and grey seas. Wind lashed the for deck as the ship as it pitched into the heavy waves. The Captain spun the wheel and turned to meet yet another great wave head on. Hundreds of tons of water crashed down onto the deck as the bows disappeared below the waves. Time and time again the ship rolled pitched and plunged head on into the storm.

The Captain watched as a massive wave crashed down onto the fore deck burying it in a mass of foam and spray. As the water cleared the Captain looked in horror.

" The forward hatch. " He shouted.

The mate looked down from the bridge, the cover on the forward hold was smashed to pieces and water was rushing in. Another huge wave began rolling toward the ship.

" If the hold floods we're done for. " shouted the Mate. The Mate rushed out of the bridge, the door banged open in the wind, rain and wind lashed into the bridge. The Captain didn't notice, he looked on as the Mate struggled towards the open hatch. The towering black wave rolled toward the tiny ship. The Mate was still struggling with a tarpaulin trying to cover the open hatch, when the towering wave, a hundred foot above him, started to break over the bows. . . . . . . . . .

" What book are you reading. " said Joe.

" Captain Troys Voyage of Discovery. " I said.

" Is it good. " said Joe.

" There just rounding the Horn in the worst storm ever known. " I said.

" Bit different from this trip. " said Elaine.

I looked up from my book. We were all lounging about on the front deck. It was quite warm for the latitude and we were all making the most of it. In the distance Cape Horn could just be seen in the mist. The sea was as calm as a millpond.

" So much for Captain Brooks old sea dogs worthy of battling round the Horn. " said Sandy.

" I heard that. " said the Captain appearing out of the bridge. " I've been listening to the radio, I'm afraid it's going to be calm for days yet. " he said.

" Don't apologise. " said Mr Pepperday.

" I'll borrow that book of yours. " said the Captain. " It's my first trip round the Horn and I'll never live it down if I say it was as calm as this. "

The sun sparkled off the sea as we headed out into the Pacific. How can one describe the Pacific. . . . blue and wet just about covers it I suppose.

We headed out toward the Galapagos islands.


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We were having supper in the galley when the Captain arrived looking very sad. . . .

" You what. . . . " said Mr Pepperday.

" We've missed them. " said the Captain.

" Missed them. " repeated Mr Pepperday.

" Yes. " said the Captain looking dejected and unhappy. " All of them. " said Sandy.

" I'tmimmmmmm. " murmured the Captain.

" Well they are very small. " said Elaine.

" The weather's been against us. " I said.

" Flat calm. " said Joe.

" The Captain's not used to flat seas. " I said.

The Captain was getting very embarrassed about it.

" It's not the same as when we lost America is it. " I said.

" No I've checked everything. " said the Captain. " We've just missed. "

" Never mind. " said Mr Pepperday. " We'll just go on to Easter Island.

" Perhaps we should go to Australia. " said Sandy. " It's bigger. "

" Don't be cruel. " said Elaine.

" We'll turn back and have a look for them. " said the Captain.

" No. " said Mr Pepperday. " We're not that bothered about going there. "

" It's not trouble. " said the Captain.

" No really, it doesn't matter. " said Joe.

" I'd like to turn back. " said the Captain.

" We really don't want to go. " said Mr Pepperday.

" It's not much of a place. " I said. " We don't want to go do we. "

I looked around, everyone agreed.

" I've only got to turn the wheel and make allowance for no wind, it would only take a couple of days. " The Captain went on. I think he was getting a bit upset about his performance on this trip, Losing America, flat calm round the Horn and now missing the Galapagos.

" We couldn't collect and creatures from there anyway. " said Mr Pepperday.

" Just head for Easter Island. "

I think if Easter Island had been the size of a coconut Captain Brooks would have made sure he found it after that episode.

Easter Island was beautiful, Elaine and I went for long walks over the soft grassy meadows which cover the island. we watched the birds and looked at the large stone statues. We talked and talked, about life on the island, the birds, the world in general. She told me about her life in New York, I told her about the Zoo and Joe, this and that. All right. . . I admit it, I was falling in love with Elaine.

Joe insisted that I join him as he had found some caves with bats in and he wanted to collect a few. We set off early next morning, while the dew was still on the grass, as it was a long walk to the other side of the island to where Joe had found the caves.


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We brewed up a cup of tea before putting on our gear and entering the caves. Now I must confess I do not particularly like caves, it is not just the fact that they are dark, damp, cold, smelly, cramped, . . . . . come to think of it, it is. . . . just because of that. I am reasonably happy untill we come to one of those bits you have to squeeze through. I always have this irrational feeling that the gap is going to be that tiny bit narrower on the way back. That's why I never eat anything in caves. That and the incident I had with a very large beetle and a sandwich. . . . . . But I'm not going to say anything about that again. We found the bats hanging from the roof of the cave about three hundred feet from the entrance. We shone our lights at them, which they didn't like so they started squeaking at us. It was a very long way up to the roof of the cave and I wasn't sure how we were going to get at them.

" Oooooo it does smell in here. " I said.

" It's enough to turn a frog green. " said Joe.

" Well what now. " I said.

It's further up than I thought. " said Joe.

" Great. " I said.

" They're not going to come down to us. " said Joe. " They're not even flying about. "

" Well we can't throw rocks at them. " I said.

" Too high for the pole. " said Joe.

" We'll have to set the mist nets up at the entrance and catch them when they fly out. " I said.

" It'll be dark before they do that. " said Joe.

" Of course it will. " I said.

" I wonder how they know when it's dark. " said Joe. " After all it's always dark in here. "

" Alarm clocks. " I said.

We set the mist net up just outside the entrance of the cave, brewed up another pot of tea and sat down to have dinner.

" Do you suppose we should let them know we're going to be late back. " said Joe.

" How. " I said.

" One of us should walk back and tell them. " said Joe.

" All that way. " I said.

They'll worry. " said Joe.

" O. K. I'll go. " I said, I looked at Joe as he thought for a minute.

" Hay that will leave me here on my own, in the dark. " said Joe.

" Well I'm not stopping here on my own. " I said.

" We'll both go. " said Joe.

" What about the bats. " I said.

" To hell with the bats. . . . " said Joe.

" Just a minute. " I said. " There's not much point in both of us going back just to say we'll be late back, because if we do that we will be back. . . "

Joe had a hard think trying to work that one out.

" Yes. " he said at length, then said. " We'll both stop here then. "

" I think we're back to square one. " I said.

" No. " said Joe. " Look, if we don't get back before dark they'll worry, right. "

" Right. " I said.

" But they won't send anyone out to look for us till morning. " said Joe.

" So. " I said.

" So. " continued Joe. " If we get the bats, pack up and start home before sunrise, we'll be back before anyone comes looking. "

" Walk back in the dark. " I said. " You're nuts. . . "

" No, it's light enough to walk a long time before sunrise. " said Joe. " We just won't get much sleep. "

" They'll still worry we're in trouble. " I said.

" We might be before morning. " said Joe.

" O thanks. " I said. " That's a nice thought. "

" Who knows. " said Joe. " We're expecting bats to come out of that cave. " he lowered his voice, " We didn't go far in, who can tell what will come crawling out of there when it goes dark. "


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" For heavens sake Joe. " I shouted standing up. " Why did you have to say that. "

Joe just rolled about on the grass laughing.

" It's all right for you. " I said. " I'm going. " I turned and walked away.

" Come on have another cup of tea. " said Joe still giggling to himself. " Well I hope it eats you first. " I said.

We sat watching the sea as the sun went down, the waves gently lapping against the stones on the shore.

As darkness fell a wind got up and started blowing around the crags and crevasses in the rock face of the cliff making all sorts of moaning noises.

" I wish I hadn't mentioned monsters. " said Joe.

" Serves you right. " I said.

As we sat there in the dark, we heard a crunching sound on the shore. " What was that. " said Joe.

" My Auntie Nellie come with some tea and cakes, how the hell should I know what it is, what do you think it is. " I said.

Joe gulped and whispered. " I think it's a giant sea serpent dragging its slimy body up on the beach looking for food. "

" It's been sleeping on the bottom of the ocean for six million years. " I said.

Only now has it decided to ravage its revenge on an unsuspecting world. " said Joe. . . . Joe flicked his light on.

" What did you do that for. " I said.

" The monster was getting a bit big. " said Joe.

I flicked my light on and we picked our way down to the shore. We headed for the sound untill we found a large turtle. It blinked at us, turned its heavy body round, then crunched its way back to the sea and disappeared.

" We've just saved the world. " said Joe.

When we got hack to the cave the bats . were flying about and high squeaks told us that some of them must be caught up in the nets. There were about a dozen bats caught in the nets, we put six in some special boxes we had brought and released the others. We packed up all our equipment and started on the long walk home.

" Heavens it's dark. " said Joe as we climbed up the first slope with only our torch lights to give us a dim outline of where we were going.

At the top of the first ridge we decided to have a cup of tea. By the light of our camping stove we drank our tea and had our last tin of beans. It's funny how you always seem to have a tin of beans left, I think rucksacks must come with them stitched into the bottom. Far off in the east a dim glow made it possible to just make out the horizon.

" Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr " shouted Joe. . . . .

I don't know why he made such a fuss, it was only about six foot down and it served him right for shining his lamp at the mist and saying it was a .ghost The worst part was that he had let go of his lamp and such as we might with mine we couldn't find it. So we had to carry on with one lamp. By the time we could see the main village where our camp was, it was quite light, although we were pretty tired we made one last effort. We reached the huts of our camp and were surprised that there was no one about.

" It's not that early is it. " said Joe.

I looked at my watch. " Coming up half past seven. " I said.

" You would have thought somebody would have been up. " said Joe.

" You don't suppose that they have been up all night looking for us do you. " I said.

" Looks like it. . . " said Joe.


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We walked through the village to the hut where we were staying, all the houses and huts were still shuttered.

" You would have thought someone would have stayed behind. " I said.

" You would have thought we would have heard them. " said Joe. " After all it's not that bigger an island. "

" Yes. . , funny that. " I said and pushed open the door of our hut.

" Great Scott . . . . . . . . " I said as the light from the open door shone into the room.

" What a mess. " said Joe looking in.

They must have left in a hurry. " I said. The beds were all ruffled up, there was food all over the floor.

" What could have happened. " I said.

" Some disaster. " said Joe.

" An earthquake. . " I said.

" Close that bloody door. " someone shouted.

Slowly a pile of blankets moved and a head appeared from underneath. It was Sandy.

" God the light. . . . turn it off, turn it off. " said Sandy and threw the blankets over his head again.

Joe and I stood there and looked at each other. We didn't know quite what to say.

" Oooooooooooo 000000. " came another voice from a side bunk. " Ooooooo 0000 oooo. " it went again. I went over and pulled back the blankets. Mr Pepperday was laying there looking pretty awful. " Oooooooo. " he said and slowly sat up. " Ooooooooooo take it away. " he said.

" Take what away. " I said.

" It must be food poisoning. " said Joe picking up some tins off the floor.

" There's a little man in my head with a sledge hammer. " said Mr Pepperday. " Boom, boom, oooooooooo. "

" What happened. " I said.

" Make some coffee. " said Mr Pepperday.

" Who else is sick. " said Joe.

I put the coffee on and Joe tided up a bit.

" I think everyone's sick. " said Mr Pepperday.

" All the natives, everybody. " I said.

" I should think so. " said Mr Pepperday sipping his coffee. " It was them what started it. "

" Started what. " said Joe.

The party. " said Mr Pepperday.

" THE PARTY. . . . " shouted Joe.

" Ooooooooooooooo my head. . . . don't shout. " said Mr Pepperday.

" What do you mean, a party. " I said.

" Well the chief invited us round for a drink yesterday morning. " said Mr Pepperday. " Well everyone seemed to join in, a dance started and it just sort of kept going untill it went dark. "

" Wasn't anyone out looking for us. " said Joe.

" Looking for you. " said Mr Pepperday with surprise. " Why where've you been. "


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" We've been walking through the night to get here. " I said.

" Why. " said Mr Pepperday. " Where from. "

" Where from. " said Joe.

" From the other side of the island. " I said. " Just because we thought you'd be worried. "

" Worried. " replied Mr Pepperday.

" Hello anyone awake. " said a voice at the open door. It was Elaine.

" I've brought you some breakfast. " she said. " My you two look rough. " she said looking at me and Joe.

" Didn't even you miss us. " I said.

" Miss you. " said Elaine. " Why where've you been. "

" Been. . . " said Joe. " BEEN. . . . . where've we been. . . . "

Joe ranted on about being eaten by monsters and how we had saved the world from the creature of fifty thousand fathoms.

I couldn't be bothered, I threw myself on my bed and fell straight to sleep.




END


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