The Wonder Island Boys | Page 7

for his rice. Even the slaves in the
Southern States were aware that open alluvial lands were best suited to
cotton; and the degraded slaves of Pernambuco know that the cocoa
grows only on the sandy soils of the coast, just the same as in west
Africa the oil palms flourish on the moist sea sand that skirts the shore,
and the mangroves where muddy shallows are daily deserted by the
retiring tide."
"Some time ago you stated in one of our talks that soil was the
necessary thing to select in order to propagate, or make good fruit and
grain out of the poor or wild kind. Were all our vegetables and grains
originally wild?"
"Originally nothing in the way of fruit, flower, grain or garden
vegetables was anything but wild and unproductive, or bitter, tasteless
or unprofitable. Chemical changes are made in the plant by the soil in
which it grows, because it is from the soil that it gets its food. The large
and juicy carrot found at home is nothing but the woody spindle of the
wild carrot, and I have found several species of it here. Cabbages,
cauliflowers, Brussels sprouts and a host of other like vegetables were,
in their natural state, poor, woody, bitter stems, and had useless roots.
As I have already stated, the wild potato, which we are now cultivating,
has, in its original state, a bitter root, as you have discovered."

CHAPTER II
WORKING ON THE NEW BOAT
Early the following morning Harry sprang out of bed and hurriedly
shouted: "What did we do with the lifeboat in South River? Do you
remember whether we secured it when Angel came up and let us know
about the team?"
The Professor and George were up in an instant. George was the first to
answer. "I left it the moment Angel came up."
"I cannot remember," said the Professor, slowly, "but it seems to me,
now that I think of it, we left it on the banks, and it wouldn't do to leave
it there. You must go for it at once, and bring it down to the bay, even
though you cannot bring it around the cliffs."
A hurried breakfast was prepared and the boys started off at an eager
pace for the river. They went directly southwest, aiming to strike the
river near the falls, and after passing over familiar ground, came within
several miles of it, when, in going down one of the sloping descents,
saw, in the distance, what appeared to be portion of the yoke which the
yaks carried.
They hurried forward, and great was the delight at finding it was really
one of those they had made and used for months. It was a gratification
to know that the animals were east of the falls, and, probably, sooner or
later, would turn up at their home. Only one of the yokes was found,
but there was evidence that both of the yaks were freed, since the part
of the other yoke was still attached to the part found.
The boys were glad of this, as they had such a friendly feeling for the
animals that they could not but feel that to be yoked together in the
forest would be a cruelty to them.
"The Professor will be glad to know this," said George. "Look at this
part of the yoke, where it has been broken. I have no doubt that this is
where they struck the tree where the wagon caught."

[Illustration: Fig. 1. THE BROKEN YOKE]
"Let us take it with us, by all means," said Harry. An examination of
the yoke plainly showed where it had come in contact with bark with
considerable force. "What do you suppose caused them to be so
frightened as to run away?"
They quickened their steps, and soon reached the river. There, on the
shore, was the lifeboat, as they had left it, and it was the work of
minutes only to set it adrift, and after depositing the yoke in the bottom,
the first task was to supply themselves with a pair of oars.
The first article turned out in the way of tools was a bolo, a heavy
cleaver-like blade, used by many primitive tribes. This article was
duplicated by them, and always carried on all their expeditions. With
this several small trees were cut down, and a pair of oars fashioned for
each, and within an hour they were on their way down the stream, and
in two hours more had rounded the point of projecting land east of the
river mouth.
"Don't let us take any more chances of losing this boat. I am in favor of
taking it around, and am willing to risk the tide, whatever it may be."
Harry's suggestion met with favor