The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Island Queen, by R.M. Ballantyne

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Title: The Island Queen

Author: R.M. Ballantyne

Release Date: June 7, 2007 [EBook #21741]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ISLAND QUEEN ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

THE ISLAND QUEEN, BY R.M. BALLANTYNE.

CHAPTER ONE.

DETHRONED BY FIRE AND WATER--A TALE OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE.

THE OPEN BOAT.

Early one morning, in the year 18 hundred and something, the great
Southern Ocean was in one of its calmest moods, insomuch that the
cloudlets in the blue vault above were reflected with almost perfect
fidelity in the blue hemisphere below, and it was barely possible to
discern the dividing-line between water and sky.

The only objects within the circle of the horizon that presented the
appearance of solidity were an albatross sailing in the air, and a
little boat floating on the sea.

The boat rested on its own reflected image, almost motionless, save when
a slight undulation of the water caused the lower edge of its reflection
to break off in oily patches; but there was no dip of oars at its sides,
no rowers on its thwarts, no guiding hand at the helm.

Evidently the albatross regarded the boat with curiosity not unmixed
with suspicion, for it sailed in wide circles round it, with
outstretched neck, head turned on one side, and an eye bent inquiringly
downward. By slow degrees the circles diminished, until the giant bird
floated almost directly over the boat. Then, apparently, it saw more
than enough to satisfy its curiosity, for, uttering a hoarse cry, it
swooped aside, and, with a flap of its mighty wings, made off towards
the horizon, where it finally disappeared.

The flap and the cry seemed, however, to have put life into the little
boat, for a human head rose slowly above the gunwale. It was that of a
youth, of about twenty years of age, apparently in the last stage of
exhaustion. He looked round slowly, with a dazed expression, like one
who only half awakes from sleep. Drawing his hand across his brow, and
gazing wistfully on the calm sea, he rose on his knees with difficulty,