THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
by
ROGER T. FINLAY
A new series of books, each complete in itself, relating the remarkable experiences of two boys and a man, who are cast upon an island in the South Seas with absolutely nothing but the clothing they wore. By the exercise of their ingenuity they succeed in fashioning clothing, tools and weapons and not only do they train nature's forces to work for them but they subdue and finally civilize neighboring savage tribes. The books contain two thousand items of interest that every boy ought to know.
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS The Castaways
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS Exploring the Island
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS The Mysteries of the Caverns
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS The Tribesmen
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS The Capture and Pursuit
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS The Conquest of the Savages
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS Adventures on Strange Islands
THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS Treasures of the Islands
Large 12mo, cloth. Many illustrations. 60 cents per vol., postpaid.
PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK BOOK COMPANY 147 FOURTH AVENUE NEW YORK
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TREASURES OF THE ISLANDS
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THE WONDER ISLAND BOYS
TREASURES OF THE ISLANDS
by
ROGER T. FINLAY
Illustrated
The New York Book Company New York Copyright, 1915, by The New York Book Company
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. THE PECULIAR SIGNALS Page 15
The doleful sound. The Alma Perdita. "Cry of the Lost Soul." John, Uraso and Muro listening to the signals of the enemies. The night watch. Stalking. The answering cry. The Konotos. Sacrificial feasts. The dark of the moon. Its significance. The language of birds and animals. Their meaning. Discovery of cannibals. The telltale bone. Evidence of more than one tribe. Strange customs. Sacrifices of ancient times. Mexican rites. Superstitions. Previous history of the boys. Varney, Uraso and Muro. The Professor. The wreck and adventures. John's search for records, and inscriptions. Mysterious happenings. Waiting for morning. The plan outlined. The days of the sacrifices. Determine to prevent the killing of captives. Discovery of the natives in vicinity. Investigating the hills.
II. THE SAVAGES ON THE HILL Page 26
John's instructions. John and Muro scouting. The natives intercepting Uraso. Preparing to resist the attack. The signaling instrument. A shot. A hurried report from the scout. Sending a messenger to Muro. The puzzled natives. Muro attacked. Marching east. Muro in danger. Making a demonstration. The weird drums. The ambush. The approach of the natives. The attempt to be friendly. The Chief's refusal. The appearance of Uraso. Uraso's ruse. The savages confounded. Muro surrounded. His escape. The savages retreating. Muro's story. Muro's efforts to make friends of the natives. Driving them from the woods. The sea of the east. The runner to the landing. The peculiar drums. The Marimba. The mountain deer.
III. CAPTURE OF THE VILLAGE Page 38
The trying time at night. No selfishness in education. The evening talks. Astronomy and early humanity. Savage rites determined and carried out by the signs of the stars. The Zodiac. Its origin. The universal superstitions. A common origin. The continents. The theory of a mid-Atlantean continent. The theory of the joined continents. Language as a criterion of the unity of the races. The pyramids. The tales of the Egyptian priests. The deep sea soundings by the ship Challenger. The beating of the weird drums in the night. Evidence of the natives' belief in witch doctors. The plan of advance outlined by John. The boys, accompanied by John and portion of the force advancing. Nearing the village. Hearing the shouting and the drums. Causes of the demonstrations. A captive. At the edge of the village. A curious proceeding. A huge Chief. The witch doctors. Their fantastic garb. The Chief's defiance. Demands return of the captured Chief. Asks John to surrender. Commands the Korinos to destroy captive. They bring forward Tarra, their own messenger. The warning. The shot.
IV. RESCUING A WHITE CAPTIVE Page 53
Tarra freed. When captured. The fallen witch doctor. The surprise. The warning from Uraso. Exorcising the bad spirits. The influence of noise on savage minds. The gun silencers. The savages insist on aiding their fallen witch doctor. The shot with the silencer. The awe produced. John the white Korino. The terror among the natives. The Chief retreats. Entering the village. The Chief and people flee. The reserves come up. The sick and wounded in the village. A prison stockade. Rescuing prisoners. Their terrible plight. A white captive. The stockade burned. Learning about the tribes on the island. The messenger to the Chief. The latter's message. John's bold march to see the Chief. Astounded at John's bravery. John's peace pact with the Chief. The return to the village. The Chief assured of the friendship of John and his people. Learning about the other tribe. One sun to the north. The Chief told why the white Chief was so powerful. Wisdom. John's practical example to the Chief.
V. RETURN OF THE NATIVES Page 66
Trinkets. Adornments for the natives. Gifts. The day appointed for the sacrifices. John and party invited by the Chief. John sends for the gifts. The Pioneer at the landing. Sails to the native village. The Korinos called before the Chief. He demands that they produce the captives for sacrifice. The Korinos learn of the destruction of the stockade, and the release of the captives. The Chief condemns the Korinos to take their places. John secures delay. At the beach. The natives gathering clams for the feast. The Korinos and their caves. A sail. The boys spread the news. The signal. The natives wonder at the sight of the vessel. The Pioneer. The feast that night. Spitting meat. The natives' customs. Vegetables. The drink. Arialad. The value of the root. Ginseng.
VI. THE SAVAGE CEREMONIALS Page 78
The day for the ceremonies. The native cloth weaving. Dyeing. Black and red. The grotesque figures. The spears. The colored streamers. The covered points. The flag idea. A brilliant scheme by the boys. The band for the ceremonies. A procession. The ship's band. The leader. The enthusiasm in the village. The dancing natives. Arranging the order of the procession. The tall man and huge spear. The Korinos. The band and the flag at the procession. The leader. The magnolia trees. The march to the forest. The great tree on the hill. The ceremony. Striking the tree. The flower at the top. How it was brought down. The rite of the flower. Incineration. The powder. The dance. Return of the procession.
VII. SIGNIFICANCE OF NATIVE RITES Page 88
Fasting before the feast. Great success of the ceremony. The significance of the flower rites. Ancient origin of rites. Explaining customs which followed the practice of scalping. Head hunters. The hair token. The flower before the fruit. The Druids. The ceremonia of the mistletoe. The antidote. The oak as a sacred tree. The great feast after the ceremony. Table implements. The Korinos. Where they were imprisoned. Prepared for the sacrifice. Their attempted escape. Gluttony. Habits of savages in this respect. The siesta. The boys discover the escape of the Korinos. The Marmozets. The tall native with the knotted club. His remarkable garb. The Chief's crown. The club-bearer reports the escape of the Korinos. The Chief's anger. Arrests the guards. Condemns them to suffer instead of the Korinos. The procession to the place of sacrifice. The sacrificial altar.
VIII. HYPNOTISM ON SAVAGES Page 100
John's suggestion to the Chief. Asks that he be made the executioner. Uraso's address to the culprits. Their terror. Mysticism. Hypnotic influences. Mesmerism. Constant repetitions. Mystic numbers. The spell on all the natives. The effect of the mesmeric influence on the Chief. The rigid subjects. John the peerless Korino. The threats against the witch doctors. Bringing the victims to life. Amazement of the people. The Chief's address to his people. The return to the village. The feast. The mystic third. The dance at the end of the festival. To settle the fate of the Korinos. The recovery of the faculties of the white captive. His story. The identity of the skeleton found on Venture Island. Identified with Walter. The story which was doubted by John. The rescued natives. The Maloses. Ta Babeda. The tribe to the north. Distributing the gifts. The delight of the Chief. Telling him about the wonders of Wonder Island. The invitation to the Chief.
IX. THE REMARKABLE CAVE EXPLORATIONS Page 113
The Umbolos, to the north. The supposed cannibals. Determine to visit them. Preparing for the expedition. Chief Ta Babeda cautions John against the cannibal Chief Rumisses. John requests permission to take the Korinos with him. He consents provided John will enter the cave and take them. The trip to the cave. The Chief accompanies John to the cave. Superstitions about the caves. Why no one but the Korinos dare enter the caves. The hill near the ocean. The cove near the entrance of the cave. The flashlights. Lighting the caverns. Evidences of habitations. The escape of the Korinos. Following the trail. The outlet to the south. Tracked to the north. Uraso and Muro follow the fugitives. Their flight to the cannibal tribe. John and the boys return to explore the cave. A new series of caverns. A succession of four chambers. A large round chamber at the end of the lead. A mound in the center of the chamber. Removing the material in the mound. Discovery of the copper box. Peculiar character of the box.