Palm Tree Island Read online

  Produced by Al Haines

  Cover art]

  [Frontispiece: "WHEN I LET FLY THE ARROW IT SPED VERY TRUE." (See page335.)]

  PALM TREE ISLAND

  _BEING THE NARRATIVE OF_ HARRY BRENT _SHOWING HOW HE IN COMPANY WITH_WILLIAM BOBBIN _OF_ LIMEHOUSE _WAS LEFT ON AN ISLAND IN THE SOUTHERNHEMISPHERE, AND THE ACCIDENTS AND ADVENTURES THAT SPRANG THEREFROM, THEWHOLE FAITHFULLY SET FORTH_

  _BY_

  HERBERT STRANG

  _WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY_

  _ARCHIBALD WEBB AND ALAN WRIGHT_

  LONDON

  HENRY FROWDE

  HODDER AND STOUGHTON

  1910

  Copyright 1909, by the G. H. Doran Company, in the United States ofAmerica.

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTER THE FIRST

  OF MY UNCLE AND HIS HOBBY, AND WHAT CAME OF HIS CONVERSATIONS WITH TWOMARINERS

  CHAPTER THE SECOND

  OF THE VOYAGE OF THE _LOVEY SUSAN_ AND OF MY CONCERN THEREIN, ALSO THEDISTRESSFUL CASE OF WILLIAM BOBBIN

  CHAPTER THE THIRD

  OF THE NAVIGATION OF STRANGE SEAS; OF MUTTERINGS AND DISCONTENTS, OFDESERTION, OF MUTINY AND OF SHIPWRECK

  CHAPTER THE FOURTH

  OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WE CHEATED NEPTUNE AND CAME WITHIN THE GRIP OFVULCAN; AND OF THE INHUMANITY OF THE MARINERS

  CHAPTER THE FIFTH

  OF CLAMS AND COCOA-NUTS AND SUNDRY OUR DISCOVERIES; AND OF OURREFLECTIONS ON OUR FORLORN STATE

  CHAPTER THE SIXTH

  OF OUR SEARCH FOR SUSTENANCE AND SHELTER; WITH VARIOUS MATTERS OF MORECONSEQUENCE TO THE CASTAWAY THAN EXCITEMENT TO THE READER

  CHAPTER THE SEVENTH

  OF THE BUILDING OF OUR HUT, TO WHICH WE BRING MORE ENTHUSIASM THAN SKILL

  CHAPTER THE EIGHTH

  OF MY ENCOUNTER WITH A SEA MONSTER; AND OF THE MEANS WHEREBY WEPROVIDED OURSELVES WITH ARMS

  CHAPTER THE NINTH

  OF PIGS AND POULTRY, AND OF THE DEPREDATIONS OF THE WILD DOGS, UPONWHOM WE MAKE WAR

  CHAPTER THE TENTH

  OF THE NAMING OF OUR ISLAND--OF A FLEET OF CANOES, AND OF THE MEANSWHEREBY WE PREPARE TO STAND A SIEGE

  CHAPTER THE ELEVENTH

  OF OUR SUBTERRANEOUS ADVENTURE, AND THE MANNER IN WHICH THE WILD DOGSPROFITED BY OUR ABSENCE

  CHAPTER THE TWELFTH

  OF A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN BILLY AND THE NARRATOR--OF ANENCOUNTER WITH A SHARK, AND THE BUILDING OF A CANOE

  CHAPTER THE THIRTEENTH

  OF OUR ENTRENCHMENTS; OF THE LAUNCHING OF OUR CANOE, AND THE DEADLYPERIL THAT ATTENDED OUR FIRST VOYAGE

  CHAPTER THE FOURTEENTH

  OF OUR VOYAGE TO A NEIGHBOURING ISLAND, AND OF OUR INHOSPITABLERECEPTION BY THE SAVAGES

  CHAPTER THE FIFTEENTH

  OF THE SEVERAL SURPRISES THAT AWAITED BILLY AND THE NARRATOR AND THECREW OF THE _LOVEY SUSAN_; AND OF OUR ADVENTURES IN THE CAVE

  CHAPTER THE SIXTEENTH

  OF THE ASSAULT ON THE HUT, IN WHICH BOWS AND ARROWS PROVE SUPERIOR TOMUSKETS

  CHAPTER THE SEVENTEENTH

  OF THE END OF THE SEA MONSTERS; AND OF THE EVENTS THAT LED US TORECEIVE THE CREW AS OUR GUESTS

  CHAPTER THE EIGHTEENTH

  OF THE DISCOMFITURE OF THE SAVAGES, AND THE UNMANNERLY BEHAVIOUR OF OURGUESTS

  CHAPTER THE NINETEENTH

  OF OUR RETREAT TO THE RED ROCK, AND OF OUR VARIOUS RAIDS UPON OURPROPERTY

  CHAPTER THE TWENTIETH

  OF ATTACKS BY LAND AND SEA; AND OF THE USES OF HUNGER IN THE MENDING OFMANNERS

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-FIRST

  OF THE MANNER IN WHICH THE CREW ARE PERSUADED TO AN INDUSTRIOUS ANDORDERLY MODE OF LIFE

  CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SECOND

  OF OUR DEPARTURE FROM PALM TREE ISLAND; OF THOSE WHO WON THROUGH, ANDOF THOSE WHO FELL BY THE WAY