Chapter I: Front Matter

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS

BY ROGER T. FINLAY

Thrilling adventures by sea and land of two boys and an aged Professor who are cast away on an island with absolutely nothing but their clothing. By gradual and natural stages they succeed in constructing all forms of devices used in the mechanical arts and learn the scientific theories involved in every walk of life. These subjects are all treated in an incidental and natural way in the progress of events, from the most fundamental standpoint without technicalities, and include every department of knowledge. Numerous illustrations accompany the text.

Two thousand things every boy ought to know. Every page a romance. Every
line a fact

_Six titles--60 cents per volume_

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
The Castaways

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
Exploring the Island

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
The Mysteries of the Caverns

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
The Tribesmen

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
The Capture and Pursuit

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
The Conquest of the Savages

PUBLISHED BY
THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY
147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS

CAPTURE AND PURSUIT

[See p. 53] ]

THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS

CAPTURE AND PURSUIT

BY

ROGER T. FINLAY

ILLUSTRATED

THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY
NEW YORK

COPYRIGHT, 1914, BY
THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY

CONTENTS

I. THE FIGHT AT THE SAVAGES’ CAMP.....Page 11

The reappearance of Harry in excitement. Explaining the situation hurriedly. The arrival of a new band. Putting the wagon in position to resist attack. Absence of John and George. The warning from the Professor. The shot west of the camp. John and George circling the camp. Unexpected meeting with the warriors. The pursuit. The second band from the north. The Professor scouting to the north of the camp. Discovers the approach of reinforcements. The flight of George and John. Reaching the wagon. Searching for the Professor. Concentration of various tribes. Discovering the wagon. Preparing for attack. The absence of John and the Professor. The boys’ ruse. The attack and repulse. John and the Professor approach the wagon. After the attack. Taking a hand. Results of the fight.

II. THE RECONNOITERING SEAT IN THE TREE.....Page 23

Bringing in the wounded warriors. Ascertaining that the savages knew of their home at the Cataract. First noticing the different headdresses. Distinguishing the different tribes. The curly hair. The Kurabus. The Saboros. The Tuolos who captured Ralph and Tom. The savages temporarily disappear. Waiting for reinforcements. Determined to resist. In the morning. Surrounded. The interview with the wounded captive. No attack during the day. Determine to reach the river. The escape in the night. Discovered. Difficulty in moving through the brush. Sighting a small stream. Erecting the fort. Awaiting the attack. A trinket. The blue stone talisman. Angel reconnoitering. The adjacent tree. How he made a seat for George. The rope ladder. Making observations.

III. THE MIDNIGHT RETURN TO DEFEND CATARACT.....Page 34

A view of the besiegers. Angel’s gun. The surprise of the savages at Angel’s antics with the gun. Two tribes. The Saboros and Kurabus. Ralph and George as tree pickets. Symptoms of blood poisoning in the captive. Inflammation. Septic poisons. Infection. Toxins. Causes of fever. Chills. John’s midnight maneuver. A shot. Excitement in the native camps. The noises coming nearer. John appears in native garb. His story. Encouraging strife between the besieging tribes. Hostilities. The fight. The Kurabus defeated. Cut off. Retreating to the north. Fear they will go to the Cataract. Reinforcements for the Kurabus. Discover the wagon. Learn of the fight with the Saboros. Determine to return and defend Cataract. The midnight march.

IV. THE ATTACK ON CATARACT.....Page 46

Avoiding the warriors. Crossing the stream. The march through the forest. Sighting Cataract. No natives in sight. Cataract home intact. Concealing the wagon. Preparing for the arrival of the war band. Trying to talk to the captive Saboros. The “Tree of Life.” Oil. The savage use for ointment. Health and comfort. Biblical use. The approach of the warriors. The Kurabus. Reinforced. They approach unsuspectingly. The volley. Consternation and retreat. The savages refuse to treat. Bringing in the wounded Kurabus. Internal bleeding. Coagulation a safety. Nature’s way of protecting. Paralysis. Patient improving. The constant watch. An apparent conflict among the besiegers. John’s reasoning. The attack delayed.

V. TRYING TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE NATIVES.....Page 58

Awaiting the night. How news travels among savage tribes. Questioning the Saboros. The pictures of the boys shown to the captives. Recognized by them. The headdresses. From their own tribes. The talk between the Kurabus and the Saboros. John shows the Saboro the picture of a bearded man. Recognizes it. Knives and forks. Surprise of the captives. Nature’s knives and forks. The besiegers examining the water wheel. Mischief on the part of Harry and Tom. Giving the warriors an exhibition. Hitching up the sawmill. A startled audience. The accident to Harry. The decaying bodies of the dead warriors. The burial. Refusing to let Harry participate. The explanation. The terrible poison of putrefied human flesh. Why the putrefied germs of a specie is so deadly to its own kind. Utilizing the knowledge in the making of serums. Trying to communicate with the besiegers through the captives. A litter. Harry’s inscription on it. Carrying out the wounded captive. Sabbath. How determined. The captives and the skeletons. Making trinkets. Disappearance of the besiegers.

VI. APPROACHING THE FIRST HOSTILE CAMP.....Page 71

Significance of gifts. What are the real kinds. The Bible and the gun. Preparing weapons. Ammunition. Overhauling the wagon. Stut and Chump. Preparing a new expedition. Determining a course. The Osagas. The Chief Uraso. Encamping on upper Cataract River. The enemy’s country. John and George as advance scouts. Observations from trees. The tributary of West River. Angel’s danger signal. Sighting the inhabitants. Tribal warfare. A number in sight. A village. The objective point. Camping for the night. Familiar ground to John. Their policy. A bold front. Caution. Absence of fires. Tribes at war. The hostile camp. John’s approach. Thoroughly examining the camp. Encircling their position. Peculiar picketing of the native camp. An elevation.

VII. JOHN AND STUT RESCUING THREE CAPTIVES.....Page 85

The lights beyond the elevation. The village to the rear of the savages’ camp. Unusual commotion in the camp. The arrival of new warriors. Hilarity in camp. Bringing in captives. The fire around the captives. Three bound victims. A bearded white man. Returning to the wagon. The Professor’s investigation of the camp. John determines to rescue the captives. The preparations. Stut assisting. Using the captives’ garments. Reaching the natives’ camp. Waiting for the fires to die down. John and Stut approaching cautiously. Entering the camp circle. Lying down. The guard of the prisoners. Selecting Stut for guard. John at the side of the captives. Stut encouraging the guards to sleep. John holds up a warning finger to the white man. Pushing over a knife. Releasing the cords of his fellow captives. The captives’ stealthy movements from the camp. Discovered by a guard. A dash for freedom. John and Stut covering the retreat. The Professor accosts the rescued captives. Stopping the pursuit. John and Stut deceiving the warriors. Eluding them. John and Stut at the wagon. Stut recognizes his brother.

VIII. THE RESCUED CHIEF MURO.....Page 97

The white captive John’s shipmate and companion. Joy in the party. Giving Muro a spear. Blakely admiring the wagon. The Brabos. The Osagas. The interposing forest. Taking up the fort. Moving toward the village. Fording the river. Morning. The Saboros amused and surprised at Angel. The boys telling Blakely about Cataract. The hungry captives. Forming a picket line. The romance of wheels. Early origin. John and Stut’s trip to the native village. Learn of another village to the south. Blakely’s story of the captive boys. The savages carry a boat east from the West River. Tuolos the bitterest foes. How Blakely evaded the inhabitants. His home at the edge of the forest. Twice captured.

IX. MARCH TO THE SOUTH. THE MESSAGE TO THE SABORO TRIBE.....Page 109

A council of war. The talk with Muro. Appearance of a band of Brabos. Passing the fort. The trying winds. Monsoons twice each year. The night pickets. Why the inhabitants all lived in southwestern portion of the island. Climatic reasons. Spanish Missions. Indian village sites. Capacity of primitive races to find the best locations. The deference shown Muro. The guns fascinating him. Muro’s admiration for Harry. Muro’s sign of eternal friendship. Gratitude sacred in savage minds. Blakely training the force. The Saboros taught how to use the guns. A fighting force of eleven. The Saboros forming the camp guard. Tracking the wagon by the wheel imprints. Putting up the fort. Muro delegates Stut to go to his tribe. His departure.

X. THE CAPTURE OF THE PROFESSOR.....Page 121

The long watch by night. Subjects discussed. Savage persistency discussed. Cardinal points in human nature. The savages seen to the north. The “Fire Fiends.” Muro exhibiting himself to his late captors. He sees the work of the guns for the first time. The siege of the wagon. Surprise parties in the night. Taking up the fort. Continuing the advance to the south. Muro advises avoiding the Kurabus territory. The camp surrounded the second night. Mysterious disappearance of the Brabos during the night. The Professor prospecting in the hills. The noon hour. Captured. John sees the natives to the South. The effect of the Professor’s capture on the boys. The pursuit. The forest where Blakely made his home. Uncertainty as to the tribe which captured the Professor. John, Muro, and the other Saboros follow the trail of the natives. The wagon following. How the Professor was captured. Taken to the Berees’ village. The meeting with the chief. Curing the chief’s daughter. Gratitude. The chief indicates that the Professor may return to his people. He refuses. Examines the village. Treats the wounded. Synthetic food. Refuses to take food. Wonder of the natives. Mystery and its part in savage life. The medicine men. Impressing them with his power. John finds himself before a hostile party.

XI. FINDING MORE OF THE “INVESTIGATOR’S” BOYS.....Page 136

Another tribe coming up. Two tribes at war in their front. Barring the way. The next day. Still fighting. The Professor’s doubts and perplexities about John and the boys. His discovery of the prisoners’ stockade. Finds two boys who belonged to the _Investigator_. Removes them from the enclosure. Takes them to the chief. The Professor explains why he is there. The boys understand the language. Teach the Professor. The boys take a bath. Furnished clothes by the chief. Finding a soap plant. Explains why he uses the food tablets. Living without eating. The boys tell their story. The elaborate meal set out by the chief. Furnishing the Professor and the boys with a hut. Learning the principal words in the Berees’ language. A small vocabulary. Finding peculiar nuts. The uses of salt.

XII. THE PURSUIT INTERCEPTED BY FIGHT BETWEEN TRIBES.....Page 145

An exasperating situation. The fighting tribes preventing John from continuing the search. John approaches the camps at night. Fails to find evidences of captives. The Berees. No news from John in five days. Muro and Nomo, disguised as Berees, approach their camp. No captives there. Visit the Osagas with like results. Nomo captured. John determines to enter the Osagas’ camp alone. Instructions to be followed. Angel in the tree. The telltale chatter. Looking to the north. Kurabus. No word from Stut. Perplexed. With whom were the Kurabus allied? The advance scouts of their tribe. Discovering the wagon. The fight between the Berees and the Osagas. The Kurabus making a detour. The fort taken down. Hurrying the team to the east. John’s reasons for escaping from the vicinity. John and Muro as rear guards. Making tracks in the wrong direction. Crossing the ridge to safety.

XIII. THE BEREES WARRIORS UNDER COMMAND OF THE PROFESSOR.....Page 157

Names of the rescued boys in the camp of the Berees. Commotion in the village. Learning about a bitter fight. News from the Osagas. Calling on the chief. Uraso’s name startles the chief. The Professor learns that the Berees believe the white men sacrificed Uraso. Fighting for revenge. The Professor explains the situation to the chief. The warriors instructed to follow the Professor. His talk with the chief about thunder and lightning. The Great Spirit. The good and the bad. The chief’s peculiar theology. Growing, or being made. Sacrificing captives. Reasons for it. The wise men. Prayer, asking. Sacrificing, giving. Ralsea, sub-chief. John and his party. A long night. How war prevents agricultural pursuits. Promoting the island. Rich soil. Utilizing the inhabitants. The law of least resistance. Property. Its sacred character. Want one of the first signs of civilization. Law. A party of Brabos going through Kurabus’ country. The Brabos attack. A stinging defeat. The charge on the enemy. Pineapples.

XIV. THE WAGON IN THE FIGHTING ZONE OF FOUR TRIBES.....Page 170

Getting the number of the different tribes. Learning about their quarrels. The Professor tells about the white man’s power. The chief’s questions. A litter for the Professor. On the march. Ralsea agreeable. More Berees from the north. Learning about the actions of the Kurabus. The Professor decides to go to the Osaga’s village. Refuse to permit any of their people to be injured. Learn the route of the Osagas’ warriors. Going forward. Decides to send a runner to John. Ralsea picks Sutoto. The message to John. How and on what it was written. Sutoto’s character. His departure. John learns that Muro’s wife is Uraso’s sister. The Berees good people. Suros chief of the Berees. The Illyas near the mountains. Only Illyas, Tuolos and Kurabus kill captives. The wagon going southeast. Kurabus appearing in front. A hurried retreat to the east. Warriors ahead of them. The Brabos. The wagon in the central fight zone of the four tribes. Determine to fight.

XV. URASO CAPTURED BY THE BEREES. WELCOMED BY THE PROFESSOR.....Page 182

The Professor within Osaga’s territory. Advises the people they will not be injured. Telling them Uraso was not injured by the white people. Following the Osagas to prevent them from attacking the wagon. Blakely and John notice the peculiar manner in which the tribes march. Characteristics of people. Unaware of the presence of the wagon. Discovered by the last tribe. The fort ready for the fight. Kurabus circling the fort. Muro’s first shot with the gun. A good marksman. Defeat of attacking party. Rain. Inability to use the bows. An uncomfortable night. A call in the darkness. An object held up outside the fort. Sutoto arrives with the message from the Professor. Helping him into the fort. A royal welcome. Tells the story of the Professor. Recognizes Muro. Blakely recalls Sutoto. The Professor hurrying forward. A lurking native. Cries of Osaga. Recognizes Uraso. Captured and escaped. Uraso’s surprise at the Professor in command of the Berees. Uraso explains. Tells the people about the Professor.

XVI. A PERPLEXING MIX-UP.....Page 195

Preparing to attack the wagon. Sutoto recognizes the Brabos. Natives on four sides. A mix-up. The attack from all sides. The first volley. A charge. The terrible fire from the fort. Repulsed. Sutoto’s delight. The Kurabus sight the Brabos. The peculiar movements of the Brabos. Going to the south. The Illyas in pursuit. The charge of John and party on the Kurabus. Flight to the north. The Professor hears the boom of the guns. Intense haste. Fearing the Osagas have attacked. The firing continues. Sending out a scout for John. No word from the front. Midnight. The Professor learns that the Osagas are not engaged. Showing feeling by expressions. How different people express their emotions. National characteristics. Who is the wise man? What is wisdom? Learning who are the people to the west of them. Ralsea and Uraso go to the north. The Kurabus again attacking the fighting parties. Decide to go west and cross the river. Evading the warring factions.

XVII. THE SABOROS COMING TO THE RESCUE.....Page 208

The Kurabus joining the Illyas. The Brabos to the south of the Illyas. The wagon arrested in its westward flight. The tribes opposing each other. The arrival of the tribe from the east. A surprise. Believe it to be the Saboros. The defeat of the Illyas and Kurabus. The retreating forces. The Professor gets no word from Ralsea and Uraso. Other scouts go forward. A scout returns. No sounds of guns for three days. A war party east of the Professor. The Saboros appear. The Professor appears before them. Their astonishment. Stut rushes forward. Recognizes the Professor. Combining their forces. Stut’s story. Causes of the war. Escaped when Brabos attacked Kurabus’ village. Indications that the Osagas had joined the Brabos. Stut surprised to know that Uraso had been captured by the Illyas. Learning of a treaty between the Illyas, Tuolos and Kurabus. News of the defeat of the Illyas and Kurabus. The advance.

XVIII. THE TERRIBLE FIGHT AND FINAL VICTORY.....Page 219

The retreating tribes approaching the wagon. Angel discovers a tribe coming from the north. The Tuolos. Going to the assistance of the Illyas and Kurabus. Again in the path of the hostiles. Trying to escape to the river. The Kurabus driven to the river. The intercepted journey. Erecting the fort. The Brabos pursuing the Kurabus. A stealthy warrior. Muro sees him. Recognizes Uraso. The boys wild with excitement. Uraso points out the Osagas nearest the river. Tells them about the Professor. The Tuolos coming from the north. Reasons why Uraso could not return to the Professor. Tells why the Professor went to the Osaga’s village. The Professor and the two tribes passing over the battlefield of the previous day. Ralsea returns with news of the wagon and its safety. News that the Brabos and Osagas were wreaking vengeance. The sound of the guns from the fort. The Professor advancing in haste. The Tuolos charging the wagon. The frightful volley. The Kurabus coming to assist. The Illyas driven back by the Saboros and the Osagas. A combined attack. Complete defeat of the allied tribes. The Professor and his allies surround the wagon. The happy reunion.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

“The warriors approached unsuspectingly” Frontispiece

PAGE

“When George reached the limb which Angel occupied, the latter was jubilant in his expressions of pleasure” 23

“‘Do you think they will be able to read that?’ asked Will” 166

“Each one trying to be the first to grasp Uraso by the hand, and welcome him” 230

Angel’s Seat 32

Rope Ladder 37

The Cataract Home 49

Savage Headdress 59

Primitive Forks 61

Harry’s Message on the Litter 66

Angel in a Papaw Tree Sighting the Savages 78

The Primitive Wheel 102

Arrow Type Most Frequently Used 123

Shell Vessels 130

Soap Plant 140

Pistachio 144

Pineapple 168

The Plantain 177

Message on the Plantain Leaf 190

Map Showing Position of the Parties 204

The Battle Ground at the Wagon 223

CAPTURE AND PURSUIT