Chapter I: Front Matter
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THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
by
ROGER T. FINLAY
A new series of books, each complete in itself, relating the remarkable experiences of two boys and a man, who are cast upon an island in the South Seas with absolutely nothing but the clothing they wore. By the exercise of their ingenuity they succeed in fashioning clothing, tools and weapons and not only do they train nature's forces to work for them but they subdue and finally civilize neighboring savage tribes. The books contain two thousand items of interest that every boy ought to know.
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
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
Adventures on Strange Islands
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
Treasures of the Islands
_Large 12mo, cloth. Many illustrations.
60 cents per vol., postpaid._
PUBLISHED BY
THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY
147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK
* * * * *
TREASURES OF THE ISLANDS
]
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
TREASURES OF THE ISLANDS
by
ROGER T. FINLAY
Illustrated
The New York Book Company New York Copyright, 1915, by The New York Book Company
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. THE PECULIAR SIGNALS Page 15
The doleful sound. The Alma Perdita. "Cry of the Lost
Soul." John, Uraso and Muro listening to the signals of
the enemies. The night watch. Stalking. The answering
cry. The Konotos. Sacrificial feasts. The dark of the
moon. Its significance. The language of birds and
animals. Their meaning. Discovery of cannibals. The
telltale bone. Evidence of more than one tribe. Strange
customs. Sacrifices of ancient times. Mexican rites.
Superstitions. Previous history of the boys. Varney,
Uraso and Muro. The Professor. The wreck and adventures.
John's search for records, and inscriptions. Mysterious
happenings. Waiting for morning. The plan outlined. The
days of the sacrifices. Determine to prevent the killing
of captives. Discovery of the natives in vicinity.
Investigating the hills.
II. THE SAVAGES ON THE HILL Page 26
John's instructions. John and Muro scouting. The natives
intercepting Uraso. Preparing to resist the attack. The
signaling instrument. A shot. A hurried report from the
scout. Sending a messenger to Muro. The puzzled natives.
Muro attacked. Marching east. Muro in danger. Making a
demonstration. The weird drums. The ambush. The approach
of the natives. The attempt to be friendly. The Chief's
refusal. The appearance of Uraso. Uraso's ruse. The
savages confounded. Muro surrounded. His escape. The
savages retreating. Muro's story. Muro's efforts to make
friends of the natives. Driving them from the woods. The
sea of the east. The runner to the landing. The peculiar
drums. The Marimba. The mountain deer.
III. CAPTURE OF THE VILLAGE Page 38
The trying time at night. No selfishness in education.
The evening talks. Astronomy and early humanity. Savage
rites determined and carried out by the signs of the
stars. The Zodiac. Its origin. The universal
superstitions. A common origin. The continents. The
theory of a mid-Atlantean continent. The theory of the
joined continents. Language as a criterion of the unity
of the races. The pyramids. The tales of the Egyptian
priests. The deep sea soundings by the ship _Challenger_.
The beating of the weird drums in the night. Evidence of
the natives' belief in witch doctors. The plan of advance
outlined by John. The boys, accompanied by John and
portion of the force advancing. Nearing the village.
Hearing the shouting and the drums. Causes of the
demonstrations. A captive. At the edge of the village. A
curious proceeding. A huge Chief. The witch doctors.
Their fantastic garb. The Chief's defiance. Demands
return of the captured Chief. Asks John to surrender.
Commands the Korinos to destroy captive. They bring
forward Tarra, their own messenger. The warning. The
shot.
IV. RESCUING A WHITE CAPTIVE Page 53
Tarra freed. When captured. The fallen witch doctor. The
surprise. The warning from Uraso. Exorcising the bad
spirits. The influence of noise on savage minds. The gun
silencers. The savages insist on aiding their fallen
witch doctor. The shot with the silencer. The awe
produced. John the white Korino. The terror among the
natives. The Chief retreats. Entering the village. The
Chief and people flee. The reserves come up. The sick and
wounded in the village. A prison stockade. Rescuing
prisoners. Their terrible plight. A white captive. The
stockade burned. Learning about the tribes on the island.
The messenger to the Chief. The latter's message. John's
bold march to see the Chief. Astounded at John's bravery.
John's peace pact with the Chief. The return to the
village. The Chief assured of the friendship of John and
his people. Learning about the other tribe. One sun to
the north. The Chief told why the white Chief was so
powerful. Wisdom. John's practical example to the Chief.
V. RETURN OF THE NATIVES Page 66
Trinkets. Adornments for the natives. Gifts. The day
appointed for the sacrifices. John and party invited by
the Chief. John sends for the gifts. The _Pioneer_ at the
landing. Sails to the native village. The Korinos called
before the Chief. He demands that they produce the
captives for sacrifice. The Korinos learn of the
destruction of the stockade, and the release of the
captives. The Chief condemns the Korinos to take their
places. John secures delay. At the beach. The natives
gathering clams for the feast. The Korinos and their
caves. A sail. The boys spread the news. The signal. The
natives wonder at the sight of the vessel. The _Pioneer_.
The feast that night. Spitting meat. The natives'
customs. Vegetables. The drink. Arialad. The value of the
root. Ginseng.
VI. THE SAVAGE CEREMONIALS Page 78
The day for the ceremonies. The native cloth weaving.
Dyeing. Black and red. The grotesque figures. The spears.
The colored streamers. The covered points. The flag idea.
A brilliant scheme by the boys. The band for the
ceremonies. A procession. The ship's band. The leader.
The enthusiasm in the village. The dancing natives.
Arranging the order of the procession. The tall man and
huge spear. The Korinos. The band and the flag at the
procession. The leader. The magnolia trees. The march to
the forest. The great tree on the hill. The ceremony.
Striking the tree. The flower at the top. How it was
brought down. The rite of the flower. Incineration. The
powder. The dance. Return of the procession.
VII. SIGNIFICANCE OF NATIVE RITES Page 88
Fasting before the feast. Great success of the ceremony.
The significance of the flower rites. Ancient origin of
rites. Explaining customs which followed the practice of
scalping. Head hunters. The hair token. The flower before
the fruit. The Druids. The ceremonia of the mistletoe.
The antidote. The oak as a sacred tree. The great feast
after the ceremony. Table implements. The Korinos. Where
they were imprisoned. Prepared for the sacrifice. Their
attempted escape. Gluttony. Habits of savages in this
respect. The siesta. The boys discover the escape of the
Korinos. The Marmozets. The tall native with the knotted
club. His remarkable garb. The Chief's crown. The
club-bearer reports the escape of the Korinos. The
Chief's anger. Arrests the guards. Condemns them to
suffer instead of the Korinos. The procession to the
place of sacrifice. The sacrificial altar.
VIII. HYPNOTISM ON SAVAGES Page 100
John's suggestion to the Chief. Asks that he be made the
executioner. Uraso's address to the culprits. Their
terror. Mysticism. Hypnotic influences. Mesmerism.
Constant repetitions. Mystic numbers. The spell on all
the natives. The effect of the mesmeric influence on the
Chief. The rigid subjects. John the peerless Korino. The
threats against the witch doctors. Bringing the victims
to life. Amazement of the people. The Chief's address to
his people. The return to the village. The feast. The
mystic third. The dance at the end of the festival. To
settle the fate of the Korinos. The recovery of the
faculties of the white captive. His story. The identity
of the skeleton found on Venture Island. Identified with
Walter. The story which was doubted by John. The rescued
natives. The Maloses. Ta Babeda. The tribe to the north.
Distributing the gifts. The delight of the Chief. Telling
him about the wonders of Wonder Island. The invitation to
the Chief.
IX. THE REMARKABLE CAVE EXPLORATIONS Page 113
The Umbolos, to the north. The supposed cannibals.
Determine to visit them. Preparing for the expedition.
Chief Ta Babeda cautions John against the cannibal Chief
Rumisses. John requests permission to take the Korinos
with him. He consents provided John will enter the cave
and take them. The trip to the cave. The Chief
accompanies John to the cave. Superstitions about the
caves. Why no one but the Korinos dare enter the caves.
The hill near the ocean. The cove near the entrance of
the cave. The flashlights. Lighting the caverns.
Evidences of habitations. The escape of the Korinos.
Following the trail. The outlet to the south. Tracked to
the north. Uraso and Muro follow the fugitives. Their
flight to the cannibal tribe. John and the boys return to
explore the cave. A new series of caverns. A succession
of four chambers. A large round chamber at the end of the
lead. A mound in the center of the chamber. Removing the
material in the mound. Discovery of the copper box.
Peculiar character of the box.
X. THE TRIBE TO THE NORTH Page 125
The copper box taken to the ship. News from Uraso and
Muro. Explaining mesmerism and hypnotism. Concentration.
The effect on susceptible minds. The Korinos safe with
the cannibal tribe. John advises Stut to sail, north for
twenty miles, and await their coming. The march. The
cinnamon tree. Cinnamon suet. Minerals. Sulphates. Copper
ores. Omens. All peoples believe in signs and omens. The
shelter for the night. How signals were made. Sighting
the cannibal village. Earthenware cooking utensils. Meet
the first natives. The dreaded Chief. A curious figure.
The hunchback. A smile on his face. The American
greeting. The surprise. A white man. Finding the Korinos.
The welcome to his village. The Chief told about their
ship. On the island fifty years. Telling John about the
strange things which have floated ashore from wrecked
ships. The Korinos assured of safety.
XI. THE HUNCHBACK CHIEF Page 138
The Chief's house. The relics from the sea. The hunchback
Chief's story. His trip as a whaler. Ill treatment. Runs
away. Ships to China. His rudimentary education.
Shipwrecked on the return from China. Rescued by native
cannibals. Regard him with veneration. Misinterprets
their motives. In desperation. Asserts himself. Becomes
Chief of the tribe. Stops cannibal practices. His great
influence over the people. The _Pioneer_ arrives. Ephraim
Wilmar, the hunchback. His surprise at the many changes
during fifty years. His amazement at the telephone, the
cable lines, the phonograph.
XII. THE CHIEF'S FAMILY Page 148
Ephraim's wife. The family. The gifts to Ephraim's
family. Delight at the cooking utensils. John tells
Ephraim about the treasures on the islands. Hidden
treasures. Learning the secrets of early humanity.
Archeology. The trip to the cave. The long journey. The
cave which had the entrances sealed by Ephraim. The
peculiar kinds of masonry. Entering the cave. Dogs with
the party. Mysterious death of the dogs. The alarm of the
natives. Carbonic gas. Its nature, and how tested.
Methods for removing it. The Humphrey Davy lamp. The
principle on which it is made. Designed to indicate the
presence of deadly gases. Explosive mixtures. How a
primitive safety lamp was made. Reëntering the cave. A
large chamber. The cross-shaped cave. A parchment. The
object of John's search.
XIII. THE CHART AND THE CAVES Page 164
The map accompanying the parchment. One of the Treasure
caves. Remarkable carvings, and hieroglyphics. The
quarrel of the buccaneers. The story of the Spaniard who
wrote the chart. The expeditions searching for the
treasure. Death of all who participated. Great
archeological wealth. No material treasures found. How
Ephraim's story affected the boys. John explains why the
cannibals feared him. Due to their superstitions.
Demented people regarded by some as saints. Genius and
insanity. Further explorations of the island. The
proposed trip to Wonder Island. Ephraim invited. He and
his family accept. Telling Ephraim about Hutoton. The
curious tales that were told them about the convict
colony. The wonderful character of the people at Hutoton.
The _Pioneer_ sails. The first time on the deck of a
vessel for fifty-two years. Ephraim and the library. His
conversation with the head of the convict colony. The
identity of the paralyzed man not established.
XIV. RESCUE ISLAND Page 175
The visitors at Hutoton received with rejoicing. John
invites the leader to accompany them to Wonder Island.
Retlaw, the captive, rescued, brought ashore. Caramo
thought he recognized him. Sailing of the _Pioneer_ for
Wonder Island. Calling at the Malolo village. Ta Babeda
agrees to accompany them to Wonder Island. Naming the
island Rescue. The latitude and longitude noted.
Introducing Ta Babeda to the cannibal Chief Ephraim. He
explains how the Korinos misrepresented him and his
people. The new world to Babeda when he stepped on board
the _Pioneer_. The trip to Wonder Island. The mysteries
on board the ship to the Chief. His inquisitive nature.
How he characterized electricity. Ephraim's concern for
his children. Approaching Enterprise River. The steamship
_Wonder_ in sight. The greeting. Going up the river. The
excitement in Unity. The crowded dock. Sutoto and his
bride. The flag on the _Wonder_. The curiosity of
Beralsea at the sight of the Banners.
XV. THE RETURN TO WONDER ISLAND Page 187
Sutoto and the great wide world. Their trip to
Valparaiso. Cinda, and the latest fashions. Blakely, the
man of business. The boys tell him of the wonderful
islands. His eagerness. He tells them of the great
enterprises, and of the prospective new ship. The growth
of Unity. The tribesmen coming in. Introducing Blakely to
the Chiefs. They marvel at his energy. The Professor.
John tells him about the copper box. The new hotel. The
wonderful work in Unity. Agricultural pursuits. What they
shipped to the north. The plans for surveying the
islands. How the lands were apportioned. Building homes
on the island. Energy of the natives. Emigration pouring
in. Farm implements. Coffee tree planting. Raising cocoa.
The schools. The Korinos as teachers. Explaining the
trade problems to the Chief. Ephraim's desire to have his
children remain and attend school. The Chief also permits
his children to remain. Information that the paralyzed
man is getting well. What paralysis is. The triangle. The
visit of the boys to Sutoto's home. The new automobile.
The surprise for the boys.
XVI. THE SAVAGES AT UNITY Page 199
Their new machines. Blakely's treat for the boys. The
Professor's car. John in his runabout. The automobile
procession. The Chief and the automobile. The cottage for
the Chief's family. The boys and the Professor review
their work. The great pleasure in their enterprises.
George and Harry selected to manage affairs on Venture
and Rescue Islands. The copper box. The skull in the
package. The Professor announces the return of the reason
of the paralytic. The word "triangle" announced by the
paralytic. The remarkable coincidence. Opening the copper
box. The triangle on the Walter letter. The skull within
the copper box. The cryptic signs in the box. The
counterpart of the skull they had found. The identical
inscription. The agitation of the paralytic at the sight.
He mentions the name of Walter. Retlaw enters and starts
at the sight of the skulls. Tries to escape on seeing the
paralytic. The latter announces his name as Clifford.
Harry rightly judges that _Retlaw_ is _Walter_ reversed.
Ephraim recognizes Clifford. Walter arrested.
XVII. UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES Page 214
Speculations concerning Walter. Sutoto informed. The
mystery of their missing boat. Clifford's story. The
paper with the markings on the skull identified by Ta
Babeda. The secret in possession of Walter. The boys'
suggestion as to proper names for the natives. Surnames,
and how originated. The method adopted by the Romans. The
Greek names. English surnames. Clifford's condition
improving. Trying to identify the skeleton found on
Venture Island. Clifford recognizes Ephraim. Walter's
letter. The three islands. The triangle. The three
southern stars. The southern cross. The three crosses.
Thirty leagues. The charts of the islands.
XVIII. THE STORY OF THE LETTERED SKULL Page 224
Clifford awakes. The escape of Walter and his recapture.
Clifford continues his story. His effort to find the
treasure island. His meeting with Walter. Capture by the
savages. The _Juan Ferde_. Blakely and Clifford. His
knowledge of the skull. The finding of the boys' boat.
Sailing down the river. Loss of the boat. Finding his
companions. Sailing to Venture Island. His illness.
Meeting with Walter on Rescue Island. His belief that
Walter had hidden the chart. Walter brought in. Clifford
apologizes to Walter. The Sign of the Plus and V. The
chambers in the cave. What the inscriptions meant.
Surprise when Walter learns of the finding of the copper
box. Explains the meaning of the charts. Why there were
three skulls. The mysterious letter. The remarkable
happenings explained.
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
The scout from the rear now came in with a leap Frontispiece
PAGE
'Stop!' cried John, 'It will be death for any one to touch him' 59
'It is copper,' said John 138
The old man pointed to the rocky wall 154
Fig. 1. The Marimba. 36
Fig. 2. The Atlantean Plateau. 42
Fig. 3. The Severed Hemispheres. 45
Fig. 4. Silencer: Convolute Blades. 54
Fig. 5. Spitting the Roast. 75
Fig. 6. Arialad Fruit. Sarsaparilla. 76
Fig. 7. The Mistletoe. 90
Fig. 8. The Jacchus. 95
Fig. 9. The Cave on Rescue Island. 119
Fig. 10. Cinnamon. 129
Fig. 11. Phonograph Disk. 146
Fig. 12. Types of Masonry. 154
Fig. 13. Types of Safety Lamps. 159
Fig. 14. How John made the Lamp. 160
TREASURES OF THE ISLANDS
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The Wonder Island Boys: Treasures of the IslandsChapter I: Front Matter
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