Blown to Bits; or The Lonely Man of Rakata Read online

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  Blown to Bits or The Lonely Man of Rakata]

  CAME UNEXPECTEDLY ON A CAVERN."--PAGE112.--(_Frontispiece_.)]

  BLOWN TO BITS

  OR

  THE LONELY MAN OF RAKATA.

  A Tale of the Malay Archipelago.

  BY R.M. BALLANTYNE,

  AUTHOR OF "BLUE LIGHTS, OR HOT WORK IN THE SOUDAN;" "THE FUGITIVES;""RED ROONEY;" "THE ROVER OF THE ANDES;" "THE WILD MAN OF THE WEST;" "THERED ERIC;" "FREAKS ON THE FELLS;" "THE YOUNG TRAWLER;" "DUSTY DIAMONDS;""THE BATTERY AND THE BOILER;" "POST HASTE;" "BLACK IVORY;" "THE IRONHORSE;" "FIGHTING THE FLAMES;" "THE LIFEBOAT;" ETC. ETC.

  With Illustrations by the Author.

  _EIGHTH THOUSAND_.

  LONDON:

  JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.

  1894.

  [_All rights reserved_.]

  PREFACE.

  The extremely violent nature of the volcanic eruption in Krakatoa in1883, the peculiar beauty of those parts of the eastern seas where theevent occurred, the wide-spread influences of the accompanyingphenomena, and the tremendous devastation which resulted, have allinspired me with a desire to bring the matter, in the garb of a tale,before that portion of the juvenile world which accords me a hearing.

  For most of the facts connected with the eruption which have beenimported into my story, I have to acknowledge myself indebted to therecently published important and exhaustive "Report" of the KrakatoaCommittee, appointed by the Royal Society to make a thoroughinvestigation of the whole matter in all its phases.

  I have also to acknowledge having obtained much interesting and usefulinformation from the following among other works:--_The MalayArchipelago_, by A.R. Wallace; _A Naturalist's Wanderings in the EasternArchipelago_, by H.O. Forbes; and Darwin's _Journal of Researches_ roundthe world in H.M.S. "Beagle."

  R.M. BALLANTYNE.

  HARROW-ON-THE HILL, 1889.

  CONTENTS.

  PAGE

  CHAP. I.--THE PLAY COMMENCES, 1

  II.--THE HAVEN IN THE CORAL RING, 9

  III.--INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF VARIOUS KINDS, 19

  IV.--NIGEL UNDERGOES SOME QUITE NEW AND INTERESTING EXPERIENCES, 33

  V.--CAPTAIN ROY SURPRISES AND GRATIFIES HIS SON, WHO SURPRISES A NEGRO, AND SUDDENLY FORMS AN ASTONISHING RESOLVE, 47

  VI.--THE HERMIT OF RAKATA INTRODUCED, 58

  VII.--WONDERS OF THE HERMIT'S CAVE AND ISLAND, 72

  VIII.--PERBOEWATAN BECOMES MODERATELY VIOLENT, 89

  IX.--DESCRIBES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A SINGULAR MEETING UNDER PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES, 99

  X.--A CURIOUS SEA-GOING CRAFT--THE UNKNOWN VOYAGE BEGUN, 111

  XI.--CANOEING ON THE SEA--A MYSTERIOUS NIGHT-SURPRISE AND SUDDEN FLIGHT, 123

  XII.--WEATHERING A STORM IN THE OPEN SEA, 140

  XIII.--FRIENDS ARE MET WITH, ALSO PIRATES, AND A LIFE-OR-DEATH PADDLE ENSUES, 153

  XIV.--A NEW FRIEND FOUND--NEW DANGERS ENCOUNTERED AND NEW HOPES DELAYED, 173

  XV.--HUNTING THE GREAT MAN-MONKEY, 189

  XVI.--BEGINS WITH A TERRIBLE FIGHT AND ENDS WITH A HASTY FLIGHT, 204

  XVII.--TELLS OF THE JOYS, ETC., OF THE PROFESSOR IN THE SUMATRAN FORESTS, ALSO OF A CATASTROPHE AVERTED, 217

  XVIII.--A TRYING ORDEAL--DANGER THREATENS AND FLIGHT AGAIN RESOLVED ON, 230

  XIX.--A TERRIBLE MURDER AND A STRANGE REVELATION, 243

  XX.--NIGEL MAKES A CONFIDANT OF MOSES--UNDERTAKES A LONELY WATCH AND SEES SOMETHING WONDERFUL, 259

  XXI.--IN WHICH THE PROFESSOR DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF, 276

  XXII.--A PYTHON DISCOVERED AND A GEYSER INTERVIEWED, 297

  XXIII.--TELLS OF VOLCANIC FIRES AND A STRANGE RETURN "HOME," 307

  XXIV.--AN AWFUL NIGHT AND TERRIBLE MORNING, 324

  XXV.--ADVENTURES OF THE "SUNSHINE" AND AN UNEXPECTED REUNION, 343

  XXVI.--A CLIMAX, 361

  XXVII.--"BLOWN TO BITS," 371

  XXVIII.--THE FATE OF THE "SUNSHINE," 377

  XXIX.--TELLS CHIEFLY OF THE WONDERFUL EFFECTS OF THIS ERUPTION ON THE WORLD AT LARGE, 385

  XXX.--COMING EVENTS, ETC.--WONDERFUL CHANGES AMONG THE ISLANDS, 401

  XXXI.--ENDS WITH A STRUGGLE BETWEEN INCLINATION AND DUTY, 414

  XXXII.--THE LAST, 425

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

  VIGNETTE TITLE.

  "HE CAME UNEXPECTEDLY ON A CAVERN."--PAGE 112, _Frontispiece_.

  ART ON THE KEELING ISLANDS, _facing page_ 36

  THEY DISCOVER A PIRATES' BIVOUAC, 164

  "DO YOU HEAR?" SAID VERKIMIER, STERNLY, 187

  BLOWN TO BITS 342

  BLOWN TO BITS

  A TALE OF THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO.