The Wonder Island Boys: Conquest of the Savages | Page 9

John's order, and a roasting pit dug out, and this was now being prepared for the principal meal of the day, and many of them were interested in this new way of roasting an entire carcass.
A quantity of vegetables had also been gathered by the parties detailed for the purpose, and George was the busiest of the lot, as he personally attended to the cooking of the various dishes. He had most willing helpers, each one trying to lend a hand, so that he did little more than direct.
[Illustration: Fig. 2. George's Old Dutch Oven.]
But he was determined to have bread, and it did not take long to improvise an old Dutch oven with the firebrick, and in this a fire was built, so that the bricks were heated up intensely, and the fire then withdrawn, and a cover put over the chimney. The heated brick, therefore, did the baking. Loaf after loaf was put in, and while the dough had not risen as it should have done, owing to lack of time, still the bread produced was something so unlike anything the natives had ever seen, that the making of it in their presence was a joy, to say nothing of the eating of it when the meal was served.
It was not only a picnic; it was a feast. None there, excepting Uraso and Stut, had ever tasted such things before. They knew what honey was, but sugar was a novelty, and this was supplied without stint. George had no opportunity to make any delicacies in the form of cakes, but he made a barley pudding in which was a bountiful supply of sago.
After the meal, John called the boys together and said: "Before dismantling the place here it has occurred to me that there are some things which we ought to make, because it will take some time to set up the parts, even after we get them in the new locality. I believe we still have quite a quantity of the cast-steel bars, from which we intended making gun barrels."
"In looking over the stock to-day," said Harry, "I find we have sufficient to make at least fifty barrels, and I have prepared the lathe to do just what you have suggested."
"Good boy," responded John. "You and Tom keep at that, and don't mind about anything else. If we can once get the barrels bored out, and the fittings made, we can put them together without having the shop in running order."
"In talking with Harry yesterday," said Tom, "we made up the scheme of putting a small bench in the wagon, with the vise, so that we can put together some of the guns on our way."
"All that is in the right direction. And now, another thing. The wagon we have is not at all adequate for what we have to take with us, but we have plenty of people to carry things, and they will be glad to do it, but some things are very inconvenient to carry, so that it will be of material assistance if we build another wagon."
The boys looked at John, merrily laughing at the suggestion.
"Just the thing," said Ralph, "and it is easily done. We still have the old wheels that were used before we built the last set."
"Quite true; I had entirely forgotten about that. Uraso will help, and will be just the fellow to direct his men. Now let us start at this with vigor. We must return as early as possible. The hostiles may attack the Professor at any time, and the weapons are necessary articles."
As they were about to separate, Harry remarked: "We have a quantity of the iron which we made, and instead of carrying it along in the wagon, it occurred to me that we ought to forge out some spears and bolos."
"I had counted on doing that myself, but many thanks for the suggestion," answered John.
There was one thing noticeable in all the warriors, and that was the universal tattoo. This was something practiced by all. Referring to the custom, Ralph asked: "What is the cause of the tattooing habit?"
John looked at him with a smile, as he answered: "People who wear few clothes want something with which to decorate themselves. The idea always was and always will be, to improve on nature. That is one of the reasons. The other is, that it was an original way of distinguishing one individual from another. You will notice among these people, that the chiefs have a different tattoo from the others in the tribe."
"Do you mean that the name of each man was tattooed so he would be known in that way?"
[Illustration: Fig. 3. The Tattooed Arm. Antelope.]
"Yes; and also to designate his rank. The names of great warriors and wise men of the tribe are