Palm Tree Island   By: Herbert Strang

[Frontispiece: "WHEN I LET FLY THE ARROW IT SPED VERY TRUE." (See page 335.)]

PALM TREE ISLAND

BEING THE NARRATIVE OF HARRY BRENT SHOWING HOW HE IN COMPANY WITH WILLIAM BOBBIN OF LIMEHOUSE WAS LEFT ON AN ISLAND IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, AND THE ACCIDENTS AND ADVENTURES THAT SPRANG THEREFROM, THE WHOLE FAITHFULLY SET FORTH

BY

HERBERT STRANG

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY

ARCHIBALD WEBB AND ALAN WRIGHT

LONDON

HENRY FROWDE

HODDER AND STOUGHTON

1910

Copyright 1909, by the G. H. Doran Company, in the United States of America.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER THE FIRST

OF MY UNCLE AND HIS HOBBY, AND WHAT CAME OF HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH TWO MARINERS

CHAPTER THE SECOND

OF THE VOYAGE OF THE LOVEY SUSAN AND OF MY CONCERN THEREIN, ALSO THE DISTRESSFUL CASE OF WILLIAM BOBBIN

CHAPTER THE THIRD

OF THE NAVIGATION OF STRANGE SEAS; OF MUTTERINGS AND DISCONTENTS, OF DESERTION, OF MUTINY AND OF SHIPWRECK

CHAPTER THE FOURTH

OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WE CHEATED NEPTUNE AND CAME WITHIN THE GRIP OF VULCAN; AND OF THE INHUMANITY OF THE MARINERS

CHAPTER THE FIFTH

OF CLAMS AND COCOA NUTS AND SUNDRY OUR DISCOVERIES; AND OF OUR REFLECTIONS ON OUR FORLORN STATE

CHAPTER THE SIXTH

OF OUR SEARCH FOR SUSTENANCE AND SHELTER; WITH VARIOUS MATTERS OF MORE CONSEQUENCE TO THE CASTAWAY THAN EXCITEMENT TO THE READER

CHAPTER THE SEVENTH

OF THE BUILDING OF OUR HUT, TO WHICH WE BRING MORE ENTHUSIASM THAN SKILL

CHAPTER THE EIGHTH

OF MY ENCOUNTER WITH A SEA MONSTER; AND OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WE PROVIDED OURSELVES WITH ARMS

CHAPTER THE NINTH

OF PIGS AND POULTRY, AND OF THE DEPREDATIONS OF THE WILD DOGS, UPON WHOM WE MAKE WAR

CHAPTER THE TENTH

OF THE NAMING OF OUR ISLAND OF A FLEET OF CANOES, AND OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WE PREPARE TO STAND A SIEGE

CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH

OF OUR SUBTERRANEOUS ADVENTURE, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE WILD DOGS PROFITED BY OUR ABSENCE

CHAPTER THE TWELFTH

OF A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN BILLY AND THE NARRATOR OF AN ENCOUNTER WITH A SHARK, AND THE BUILDING OF A CANOE

CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH

OF OUR ENTRENCHMENTS; OF THE LAUNCHING OF OUR CANOE, AND THE DEADLY PERIL THAT ATTENDED OUR FIRST VOYAGE

CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH

OF OUR VOYAGE TO A NEIGHBOURING ISLAND, AND OF OUR INHOSPITABLE RECEPTION BY THE SAVAGES

CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH

OF THE SEVERAL SURPRISES THAT AWAITED BILLY AND THE NARRATOR AND THE CREW OF THE LOVEY SUSAN ; AND OF OUR ADVENTURES IN THE CAVE

CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH

OF THE ASSAULT ON THE HUT, IN WHICH BOWS AND ARROWS PROVE SUPERIOR TO MUSKETS

CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH

OF THE END OF THE SEA MONSTERS; AND OF THE EVENTS THAT LED US TO RECEIVE THE CREW AS OUR GUESTS

CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH

OF THE DISCOMFITURE OF THE SAVAGES, AND THE UNMANNERLY BEHAVIOUR OF OUR GUESTS

CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH

OF OUR RETREAT TO THE RED ROCK, AND OF OUR VARIOUS RAIDS UPON OUR PROPERTY

CHAPTER THE TWENTIETH

OF ATTACKS BY LAND AND SEA; AND OF THE USES OF HUNGER IN THE MENDING OF MANNERS

CHAPTER THE TWENTY FIRST

OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CREW ARE PERSUADED TO AN INDUSTRIOUS AND ORDERLY MODE OF LIFE

CHAPTER THE TWENTY SECOND

OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM PALM TREE ISLAND; OF THOSE WHO WON THROUGH, AND OF THOSE WHO FELL BY THE WAY

ILLUSTRATIONS IN COLOUR

BY ARCHIBALD WEBB

"WHEN I LET FLY THE ARROW IT SPED VERY TRUE . . . . . . Frontispiece (see p. 335)

"ONE LIFTED THE PLANK AND AIMED A FURIOUS BLOW AT MY HEAD"

"THE BEAST WHEELED ABOUT, AND RUSHED UPON BILLY"

"I CRIED OUT TO HIM THAT A MONSTER WAS ATTACKING ME"

"ONE DAY I FOUND HIM TRYING TO SHAVE WITH A FLINT"

"THE BEAST HEAVED ITSELF CLEAN OUT OF THE WATER"

"BILLY REACHED OVER, AND BROUGHT HIS AXE DOWN ON THE MAN'S HEAD"

"I DEALT HIM SUCH A BLOW THAT HE FELL DOUBLED UP AT THE DOORWAY"

PEN AND INK SKETCHES

BY ALAN WRIGHT

BILLY'S AXE

OUR FLINT SCRAPER FOR SHARPENING AXES

BILLY'S PLATE AND MUG

SOME OF MY POTTERY

SPEARHEAD

BILLY'S BOW AND ARROW

BILLY'S SCRAPER FOR ROUNDING ARROW SHAFTS

CLAY SAUCEPANS, AND TONGS OF WOOD

OUR PIG STY

KNIVES AND FORK

CLAY PAIL, THE HANDLE OF A TOUGH ROOT, BOUND ON WITH SHRUNK HIDE

BILLY'S PALM LEAF HAT

OUR SMALL HUT TURNED INTO A FOWL HOUSE

JUG WITH BENT WOOD HANDLE, AND CUP

THE BRUSH BILLY MADE, SHOWING ALSO THE MANNER OF IT

COMB OF SPINES

SPADE CUT OUT OF A LOG

RAKE HEAD AND SCALLOP SHELL HOE

OUR WHEELBARROW

OUR TABLE

MY CHAIR AND BILLY'S STOOL

OUR FISH HOOKS

OUR GAFF AND LANDING NET

OUR HARPOONS

OUR CANOE

OUR TRIPOD

BILLY'S TOASTING FORK

OUR BASKETS

OUR LAMP