Chapter I: Introduction

I have been asked to furnish an introduction for a new edition of "The Young Marooners." As an introduction is unnecessary, the writing of it must be to some extent perfunctory. The book is known in many lands and languages. It has survived its own success, and has entered into literature. It has become a classic. The young marooners themselves have reached middle age, and some of them have passed away, but their adventures are as fresh and as entertaining as ever.

Dr. Goulding’s work possesses all the elements of enduring popularity. It has the strength and vigour of simplicity; its narrative flows continuously forward; its incidents are strange and thrilling, and underneath all is a moral purpose sanely put.

The author himself was surprised at the great popularity of his story, and has written a history of its origin as a preface. The internal evidence is that the book is not the result of literary ambition, but of a strong desire to instruct and amuse his own children, and the story is so deftly written that the instruction is a definite part of the narrative. The art here may be unconscious, but it is a very fine art nevertheless.

Dr. Goulding lived a busy life. He had the restless missionary spirit which he inherited from the Puritans of Dorchester, England, who established themselves in Dorchester, South Carolina, and in Dorchester, Georgia, before the Revolutionary War. Devoting his life to good works, he nevertheless found time to indulge his literary faculty; he also found time to indulge his taste for mechanical invention. He invented the first sewing-machine that was ever put in practical use in the South. His family were using this machine a year before the Howe patents were issued. In his journal of that date (1845) he writes: "Having satisfied myself about my machine, I laid it aside that I might attend to other and weightier duties." He applied for no patent.

"The Young Marooners" was begun in 1847, continued in a desultory way, and completed in 1850. Its first title was a quaint one, "Bobbins and Cruisers Company." It was afterward called "Robert and Harold; or, the Young Marooners." The history of the manuscript of the book is an interesting parallel to that of many other successful books. After having been positively declined in New York, it was for months left in Philadelphia, where one night, as the gentleman whose duty it was to pass judgment upon the material offered had begun in a listless way his task, he became so much absorbed in the story that he did not lay it down until long after midnight, and hastening to the publishers early next morning, insisted that it should be immediately put into print. Three editions were issued in the first year, and it was soon reprinted in England by Nisbet & Co., of London, followed by five other houses in England and Scotland at later dates.

Dr. Goulding was the author of "Little Josephine," published in Philadelphia (1848); "The Young Marooners" (1852); "Confederate Soldiers’ Hymn-Book," a compilation (1863); "Marooner’s Island," an independent sequel to "Young Marooners" (1868); "Frank Gordon; or, When I was Little Boy" (1869), and "The Woodruff Stories" (1870). With the exception of "Little Josephine" and the "Hymn-Book," they have all been republished abroad. Born near Midway, Liberty County, Georgia, September 28th, 1810, he died August 21st, 1881, and is buried in the little churchyard at Roswell, Georgia.

JOEL CHANDLER HARRIS.

THE HISTORY OF THIS BOOK

In a vine-covered piazza of the sunny South, a company of boys and girls used to gather round me, of a summer evening, to hear the varied story of my early years. As these boys and girls grew larger, I found it necessary to change my plan of instruction. There were many _facts in nature_ which I wished to communicate, and many _expedients_ in practical life, which I supposed might be useful. To give this information, in such shape as to insure its being remembered, required a story. The result has been a book; and that book is "The Young Marooners"--or, as my young folks call it, "Robert and Harold."

Their interest in the story has steadily increased from the beginning to the end; and sure am I, that if it excites one-half as much abroad, as it has excited at home, no author need ask for more.

The story, however, is not all a story; the fiction consists mostly in the putting together. With very few exceptions, the incidents are real occurrences; and whoever will visit the regions described, will see that the pictures correspond to nature. Possibly also, the visitor may meet even now, with a fearless Harold, an intelligent Robert, a womanly Mary, and a merry Frank.

Should my young readers ever go _marooning_, I trust their party may meet with fewer misfortunes and as happy a termination.

F. R. G.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I The Company and Their Embarkation

II Mother Carey’s Chickens--Fishing for Trout--Saw-Fish--Frank and the Shark--Looming--Tom Starboard--The Nautilus--Arrival at Tampa

III Tampa Bay--Bellevue--Unloading--A Dangerous Cut--How to Stop a Bleeding Artery--Tom Starboard Again

IV Confusion--Housekeeping in a Hurry--First Night on Shore--Company to Dinner--"Blue Eyed Mary"--Robert at Prayer-Meeting--Danger of Descending an Old Well--Recovering a Knife Dropped in a Well

V Riley--A Thunderstorm--Ascertaining the Distance of Objects by Sound--Security Against Lightning--Means of Recovering Life from Apparent Death by Lightning

VI The Only Way to Study--Taking Cold--Riley’s Family--The Hare Lip--Fishing for Sheephead--Frank Choked with a Fish Bone--His Relief--His Story of the Sheep’s Head and Dumplings--"Till the Warfare is Over"

VII Bug in the Ear--Visit to Fort Brooke--Evading Blood-Hounds--Contest with Dogs and Means of Defence--Amusing Escape from a Wild Bull and Conversation on the Subject

VIII Marooning and the Marooning Party

IX Embarkation--Abduction Extraordinary--Efforts to Escape--Alternative Hopes and Fears--Despair--Vessel in the Distance--Renewed Hopes and Efforts--Water-Spout--Flash of Lightning and its Effects--Making for Shore--Grateful Acknowledgments

X Waking Up--Good Resolutions--Alarm--Marooning Breakfast--Search for Water--Unexpected Gain--Oyster Bank--Fate of a Raccoon--The Plume and Fan

XI Discussion Of Plans--Doubts--Differences of Opinion--What Was Agreed Upon--Baking a Turkey Without an Oven--Flying Signal

XII Results of the Cookery--Voyage--Appearance of the Country--Orange Trees--The Bitter Sweet--Rattlesnake--Usual Signs for Distinguishing a Fanged And Poisonous Serpent--Various Methods of Treating a Snake Bite--Return

XIII Disappointment--The Live Oak--Unloading--Fishing Excursion--Harold’s Still Hunt--Disagreeable Means to an Agreeable End

XIV Frank’s Excuses--Curing Venison--Marooning Cookery--Robert’s Vegetable Garden--Plans for Return--Preparation for the Sabbath

XV Their First Sabbath on the Island, and the Night and Morning that succeeded

XVI A Sad Breakfast--Sagacity of Dogs--Search for the Boat--Exciting Adventure--A Pretty Pet--Unexpected Intelligence

XVII Mary and Frank--Examination of the Tent--Smoke Signal--Devices--Brute Messenger--Raft--Blazing the Trees--Voyage--Disastrous Expedition--News from Home--Return to the Tent

XVIII Night Landing--Carrying a Wounded Person--Setting One’s Own Limbs when Broken--Splinting a Limb--Rest to the Weary

XIX The Surprise and Disappointment--Naming the Fawn--Sam’s Story--Depression After Excitement--Great Misfortune

XX Speculations and Resolves--Fishing--Inventory of Goods and Chattels--Roasted Fish--Palmetto Cabbage--Tour--Sea-Shells, Their Uses--The Pelican--Nature of the Country--Still Hunting--Wild Turkeys Again--Work on the Tent

XXI Rainy Day--The Kitchen and Fire--Hunting the Opossum

XXII Frank and His "Pigs"--The Cage--Walk on the Beach--Immense Crawfish--The Museum--Naming the Island

XXIII Their Second Sabbath on the Island, and the Way They Spent It

XXIV Mote in the Eye, and How It Was Removed--Conch Trumpet and Signals--Tramp--Alarm

XXV A Hunter’s Misfortune--Relief to a Sprain--How to Avoid Being Lost in the Woods, and to Recover One’s Course After being Lost--A Still Hunt

XXVI Crutches in Demand--Curing Venison--Pemmican--Scalding Off a Porker’s Hair with Leaves and Water--Turkey Trough--Solitary Watching--Force of Imagination--Fearful Encounter--Different Modes of Repelling Wild Beasts

XXVII Turkey-Pen--Sucking Water Through Oozy Sand--Exploring Tour--Appearance of the Country--"Madame Bruin"--Soldier’s Remedy for Chafed Feet--Night in the Woods--Prairie--Indian Hut--Fruit Trees--Singular Spring

XXVIII Plans--Visit to the Prairie--Discoveries--Shoe Making--Waterfowl

XXIX Removal to the Prairie--Night Robbery--Fold--Dangerous Trap--Mysterious Signals--Bitter Disappointment

XXX Best Cure for Unavailing Sorrow--Mary’s Adventure with a Bear--Novel Defence--Protecting the Tent

XXXI Hard Work--Labour-Saving Device--Discovery as to the Time of the Year--Schemes For Amusement--Tides on the Florida Coast

XXXII Christmas Morning--Voyage--Valuable Discovery--Hostile Invasion--Robbery--Masterly Retreat--Battle at Last--A Quarrel Requires Two Quarrellers--The Ghost’s Visit

XXXIII The Cubs--Voyage to the Wreck--Stores--Horrid Sights--Trying Predicament--Prizes--Return--Frank Needs Another Lecture

XXXIV Second Voyage to the Wreck--Fumigating Again--More Minute Examination--Return--Accident--Dangers of Helping A Drowning Person--Recovering a Person Apparently Drowned

XXXV Household Arrangements--Third Visit to the Wreck--Rainy Weather--Agreement About Work--Mary in Great Danger--Extinguishing Fire on One’s Dress--Relief to a Burn--Conversation

XXXVI Successful Work--Excursion--The Fish-Eagle--Different Methods of Procuring Fire--Woodsman’s Shelter Against Rain and Hail--Novel Refuge from Falling Trees

XXXVII Launching the Boats--More Work, and Yet More--Eclipse of Feb. 12th, 1831--Healing By "First Intention"--Frank’s Birthday--Preparing for a Voyage--Rain, Rain

XXXVIII Voyage Round the Island--The Lost Boat--Strange Signals Again--Hurricane--Night March--Helpless Vessel--Melancholy Fate--The Rescue--Marooners’ Hospitality--Conclusion

ILLUSTRATIONS

"Hallo!" cried Harold, his own voice husky with emotion . . . _Frontispiece_

The company went together to the sea shore and planted the signal

Deliberately taking aim, he discharged the whole load of bullets between the creature’s eyes

They were not two hours in reaching the proposed landing place

THE YOUNG MAROONERS