The Wonder Island Boys: The Mysteries of the Caverns Part 23

CHAPTER XVI

MUSIC AND ANIMALS

During the evening George suggested that as the trip was to be overland it might be wise to can some of the fish, or to use some of the receptacles found in the cave for this purpose.

"We might do that," said the Professor, "or they might be salted down, and that would not necessitate the receptacles, if we dried them."

The salted fish did not appeal to either of the boys, and it was accordingly agreed to put up several packages for food.

"Will it be much trouble to preserve them by putting them in cans?"

"If proper precautions are taken they can be preserved. The difficulty is that the air is not excluded, and the mischief is caused by the gases which form, in that case, and when the pressure becomes too great the receptacle bursts."

"Why are the fish, or other substances, so canned heated and put into the cans while in that state?"

"When a can is filled with the material in a heated state it has been expanded to its highest point, and after the package is sealed properly, no air can enter it, so that it is prevented from changing its condition by any chemical action. Our difficulty will be to get a proper metal for the cans."

"What is the best to use?"

"Tin, for the reason that tin is not affected by any of the acids which are formed by fish or by fruit, which may be put in them."

It has been stated that the boys were both musically inclined, and George had taken several courses of lessons on the violin before he joined the training s.h.i.+p. If there was anything more than another that was missed, particularly in the evenings, it was the lack of musical instruments, to which all had been accustomed. As a result, the boys had for some time worked on a violin, which was now nearing completion, and they hoped it could be finished before the start was made.

The Professor discovered the partly constructed violin, and at once showed his appreciation of their enterprise. "Now that you have the body, what are you going to do for strings?" and he laughed at the bewildered look. They had forgotten the one essential thing.

Without a word, he left them, and when he returned, held in his hand a dozen or more hard, bony-like and dried-up reeds. "Possibly these will do for your purpose."

"What are they?"

"These are the intestines of the wildcat we shot about ten months ago."

"Well, aren't they as good as the intestines of the common cat?"

"Undoubtedly; but violin strings are not produced from that source."

"Aren't they known as catgut?"

"That is true; but it is a mistake. The strings of commerce are made princ.i.p.ally from the intestines of sheep, and, singularly, have been always designated as 'catgut.' Other articles from the same source are hatters' bowstrings, clockmakers' cords, and thongs for whips and laces for boots."

"What are the best kinds of strings for musical instruments?"

"Those obtained from Milan, Italy, are considered the best, on account of their transparency and exceeding strength. Most frequently each string is made up of two or three separate strands, twisted together with the utmost care. But there is another use of the greatest value, and that is as a thread for sewing up wounds in internal surgery, because, being of animal matter, the thread will, in course of time, be absorbed into the system, and thus remove itself, without requiring a second operation to remove it from the wound."

"How is it prepared to make it suitable for our purpose!"

"The ones here I thoroughly cleaned at the time, as I knew they would come in handy for particular purposes, but I had no idea of this kind in view at the time. We must soak them and remove the inner and outer lining. Potash, in solution, is best for the purpose. We must then draw them through small holes, to give them uniformity, and keep them in a receptacle which is filled with sulphur fumes. That is for the purpose of fumigating them. They are then ready for the instrument. I think the different sizes will give you a variety."

The directions were carried out, and during the following week the violin was prepared for its initial test. The Professor was pleased with the knowledge that the instrument was ready. It was plain that he expected important results from that source with John. It is well known that music possesses a wonderful power in the treatment of demented people, and he was very anxious to try it in the case of one who had lost all memory.

On the evening appointed the violin was brought in, and the boys had arranged a program. Harry had a fine baritone voice, while George could take a high note and sustain it as well as most sopranos. When all the preliminaries had been arranged, the instrument was produced, and after a little preliminary tuning, George played "America."

At the first strains of the violin, Angel, who was in the loft, came down. He didn't stop to notice anyone but George. This was something so unheard of that he appeared to be hypnotized, as he shuffled over to George, and looked up at the instrument. He appeared to be entranced, and when the music stopped he laid his hand on George's knee, and looked up appealingly. There was not a single motion in his features which showed appreciation or pleasure or excitement; but aside from that every action of his body indicated exhilaration and undue animation.

The boys had eyes for the animal only; but the Professor watched John to the exclusion of everything else. When the first strains vibrated he glanced around, and saw the musician. From that moment until George dropped the violin his eyes never ceased the stare. As the music continued he appeared to be enraptured, if such a thing could be said of a mute expression.

The Professor drew closer to him, and intently watched his eyes, and before the first verse had ended the situation was so intense that the Professor's hand involuntarily beat time, and it was evident that the tremulous motion, which John now and then exhibited, was the inward struggle for light.

Without turning from John, when the music ceased, he cried out to George, in a suppressed tone: "Keep on; keep on!" This brought the boys to the knowledge of the other drama which was being enacted. "Slower, George, slower," was the request of the Professor; and while "America"

requires the jubilant strain of action and liberty, he obeyed the injunction.

"Keep it up; can you play 'Home, Sweet Home'?" George could, and did, and as the familiar strains floated through the air, John moved forward, his head drooped down, both hands grasped the chair and he listened with an intentness that was painful to witness.

When George stopped at the whispered suggestion, John raised his eyes and looked around. The look was a different one than they had ever noticed before. When he glanced at the Professor, Harry said: "Did you notice the difference in his eyes?"

He rubbed his hands over his eyes, and stroked his head, and they thought a glimmer of a smile crossed his features. When they were about to retire that night, the Professor could not help but express his gratification at the results achieved through the aid of the violin.

"I could not help thinking how nearly allied Angel and John were in the manner of acting during the course of the music. I have no doubt but in course of time the animal will, just like John, show the facial expressions which characterize either pleasure or pain."

"But I have seen Angel actually laugh."

This was true; it had been noticed on several occasions. But so far John had not laughed, and he had not changed his facial expression in such a manner as to make it noticeable, and the evening's entertainment had done more to affect him than anything which had occurred, and it was their earnest hope that this might be a means to his delivery.

Harry was the only one to notice a field mouse which had appeared soon after George began to play, and the little animal was joined by others, but the subsequent events of the evening attracted his attention, so that no notice was taken of them until they were about to retire, when they scampered away and Harry then related how they had acted.

"That is an interesting thing. Some time ago the keeper of the Central Park Zoological Gardens, in New York, employed a violinist to play for the animals, and the results were very interesting. The first animals approached were a lioness and five cubs. The tune played was 'America.'

She listened with mute and dignified appreciation, and her five little cubs ranged up alongside in a row, and in the same att.i.tude, all with a wondering expression, and sometimes would act just as you often have seen dogs do, turn their heads aside obliquely, as though the sound could be better understood. The old lion in the adjoining cage also stopped his restless movement, and peered at the player attentively. The next animal was a tigress. When the playing commenced she first looked startled. Her mate entered the cage and escorted her out into the yard while he took up his position and listened, and refused to allow her to return. The hippopotamus, on the other hand, got mad, and sought the water for seclusion. The elephant appeared to be the most discriminating, for while he deliberately turned his back when a plaintive tune was played, was so delighted when a rattling dancing jig was executed, he actually danced about in ecstacies of joy. The wolves, foxes and hyenas could not be made to appreciate any of the tunes, but the monkeys enjoyed all the tunes, if being sad when doleful tunes are played give happiness, and they partook of the exhilaration when lively sounds came from the instrument."

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Fig. 29. THE LION AND CUBS_]

The warm summer days were now at hand, and all realized that this was the proper time to carry out the long-delayed project of fully exploring the western sh.o.r.e of their little continent. This had been deferred before John came, in order that more complete preparations could be made, and to await settled weather, and now that he was here further delay had been urged in the hope that memory would be restored and thus give them an addition that could be depended on. One puzzling feature of his malady was that he understood, in a measure, what was told him, but it was noticed that whatever was spoken had to be accompanied by some manual action. If told to get a pail of water, he would remain inactive until a pail was taken up or pointed out. So in yoking up the yaks, merely pointing at the yokes would be sufficient to start the lagging memory. He quickly learned to manipulate the guns, and spent hours in practicing by shooting at the target.

Singular as it may seem, he showed some intelligence at the good shots, but all these flashes were momentary only, and it was further noticed that he would remember an act performed the day before and repeat it in precisely the same way. It was like an imitative process, and the Professor suggested that he was now in the condition of a child, learning all things anew, to which was added some glimpses of things he had learned before.

A new wagon was necessary, as the one which had been used for the past eight months was clumsy and badly worn. All took a part in this important work, and it was here that the workmanlike qualities of John showed themselves. He was a treasure in this respect. The lathe was a pleasure to him, and so with bench work, and within ten days a new and larger wagon was turned out.

"I only wish," said Harry, "that we could paint it up, and thus make a real finished article out of it."

"Your idea is a good one, but in order to make a lead paint will take too long a time to provide a carbonate which will answer the purpose."

"Why does it take so long?"

"We have plenty of lead, but to get the base for the paint it will be necessary to cast a lot of thin gratings, and use earthen pots, partly filled with vinegar. A layer of the lead gratings must then be put down and the earthen pot stood on them and partly filled with acetic acid, or vinegar. A board should cover each pot and spent tannin bark placed around them. This must be built up in the form of a stack. Fermentation soon sets in, and the result will be the formation of carbonic acid, and in five or six weeks the metallic lead converted into what is called the carbonate which may be washed and ground up with oil, and sold as the white lead of commerce."

"Instead of that what should we use?"

"We have plenty of flax, as you know. From that we can make linseed oil, and with a proper coloring matter, which is not necessary, however, we can provide a paint that will be very serviceable."