The Wonder Island Boys: Conquest of the Savages | Page 6

Their chief, Oma, arose and said: "We have been fighting our
friends, and not our enemies, but we did not know any better. We
thought everyone was an enemy. The Great White Chief has told us a
new way to live, and we will do whatever he says."
Uraso, chief of the Osagas, held up his hand, and turned to the people:
"I was wounded by the White Chief, and he took me to his village and
treated me like a friend. He cured me of my wounds, and I became his
friend. I left him and tried to come back and tell my people what a
wonderful father he was, but the Illyas captured me, and when I
escaped, and returned, found my people had gone out to fight him and
his people. This made me sorry. I cannot tell you of all the things I saw

at his village, and now let the White Chief say what I shall do and my
whole tribe will help him. Muro will tell you what he has learned,
because he, too, knows him."
"I do not know how to tell you about this wonderful man," said Muro.
"I have seen him refuse to kill his enemies, when he could easily do it.
He healed the Kurabus, and returned him to his friends, and that is
something new for us to think about. His enemies are our enemies, and
his friends are our friends."
This remarkable scene, which took place on the battle-field, could not
be properly understood without some explanation of the preceding
affairs in the history of Wonder Island.
About a year and a half previous to this, the Professor referred to, and
two boys, George Mayfield and Harry Crandall, who were companions
on the schoolship Investigator, were wrecked and cast ashore on the
island. It was fortunate that they landed on a portion of the island
remote from the inhabited part, and for several months had no idea that
any human beings lived there.
They had absolutely nothing but their clothing; not even a knife or
other tool, but despite this, set to work to make all the appliances used
in civilized life. The preceding volumes showed how this was done,
and what the successive steps were to obtain food and clothing, and to
make tools and machinery.
They built a home, and put up a water wheel, a workshop and
laboratory; captured a species of cattle, called the yak, and used the
milk for food, and trained the oxen to do the work of transportation;
they found ramie fiber and flax, built a loom and wove goods from
which clothing was made; they found various metals, in the form of ore
and extracted them; and finally made guns, electric batteries, and did
other things, as fast as they were able to carry on the work.
In the meantime several exploring trips were undertaken, and they
learned of the existence of savage tribes, and what was more startling
still, ascertained that other boats, belonging to the ill-fated Investigator,

had been cast ashore, and later on came in contact with several tribes
with whom they had a number of fights, and by chance discovered a
tribe, the Tuolos, who held two of the boys in captivity.
These they rescued, namely, Thomas Chambers and Ralph Wharton.
Returning from one of these expeditions they found a man at their
home, who had entirely lost his memory. This was John L. Varney, a
highly educated man, who had seen service in many lands, and later on
was restored to reason.
Prior to the present enterprise, which was related in the opening pages,
a chief, Uraso, of the Osagas, was wounded and captured by them, and
taken to their Cataract home, as they called it, and when healed, he had
left them, for the purpose of returning to his own tribe, so that he might
bring them to the Cataract as friends; but he was captured and detained.
During this interim, the last expedition was organized, and after some
mishaps, they proceeded into the part of the country where the savages
lived, and on the way rescued the chief of the Saboros, and also a
former companion of John.
Two weeks before our story begins, the Professor was captured by a
band of Berees, and taken to their village, where he was instrumental in
healing the chief's favorite daughter, and in gratitude, placed his
warriors at the Professor's disposal to rescue his friends, who were
about to be attacked by the hostile tribes.
The Professor saw and rescued two more of the shipwrecked boys, who
were held captive by the Berees, and together they started to relieve the
occupants of the wagon. The various tribes had been at war with each
other, and when they learned