THE VOYAGES OF
DOCTOR DOLITTLE
V HUGH LOFTING V,
NY PUBLIC LIBRARY THE BRANCH LIBRARIES
3 3333 08088 9963
I Lorn* ° 50fi6°
Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DOLITTLE
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Copyright, 1922, by
FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY
All rights reserved, including that of translation
into foreign languages
First Printing,
Second Printing,
Third Printing,
Fourth Printing,
Fifth Printing
Sixth Printing,
Seventh Printing,
Eighth Printing
Ninth Printing
Tenth Printing
Eleventh Printing
August 18, 1922
November 10, 1922
February 28, 1923
June 20, 1923
August 16, 1923
November 30, 1923
April 18, 1925
March 19, 1926
July 30. 1927
April 11-
June 19,
September 12.
Twelfth Printing
Thirteenth Printing, August 10,
Fourteenth Printing, September 1,
1929
1930
1931
1933
THE YORK. I
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Printed in the United States of America
To
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Elizabeth
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CONTENTS
PART ONE
CHAPTER PAGE
PROLOGUE !
THE COBBLER'S SON 3
II I HEAR OF THE GREAT NATURALIST 8
III THE DOCTOR'S HOME 15
IV THE WIFF-WAFF 24
V POLYNESIA 32
VI THE WOUNDED SQUIRREL 41
VII SHELLFISH TALK 45
VIII ARE You A GOOD NOTICER? 50
IX THE GARDEN OF DREAMS 55
X THE PRIVATE Zoo 60
XI MY SCHOOLMASTER, POLYNESIA .... 63
XII MY GREAT IDEA 70
XIII A TRAVELER ARRIVES 75
XIV CHEE-CHEE'S VOYAGE 80
XV I BECOME A DOCTOR'S ASSISTANT .... 84
PART TWO
I THE CREW OF "THE CURLEW" .... 88
II LUKE THE HERMIT 91
III JIP AND THE SECRET 95
IV BOB 99
V MENDOZA 105
VI THE JUDGE'S DOG in
VII THE END OF THE MYSTERY 116
VIII THREE CHEERS 121
IX THE PURPLE BIRD-OF-PARADISE . . . .126
X LONG ARROW, THE SON OF GOLDEN ARROW . 129
XI BLIND TRAVEL 135
vii
viii Contents
XII DESTINY AND DESTINATION 140
PART THREE
CHAPTER PAGE
I THE THIRD MAN 144
II GOOD-BYE! 151
III OUR TROUBLES BEGIN 155
IV OUR TROUBLES CONTINUE 160
V POLYNESIA HAS A PLAN 167
VI THE BED-MAKER OF MONTEVERDE . . .172
VII THE DOCTOR'S WAGER 177
VIII THE GREAT BULLFIGHT 184
IX WE DEPART IN A HURRY 193
PART FOUR
I SHELLFISH LANGUAGES AGAIN 198
II THE FIDGIT'S STORY 205
III BAD WEATHER 221
IV WRECKED! 225
V LAND! 233
VI THE JABIZRI 239
VII HA\VK'S-HEAD MOUNTAIN r 245
PART FIVE
I A GREAT MOMENT 253
II "THE MEN OF THE MOVING LAND" . . . 262
III FIRE 266
IV WHAT MAKES AN ISLAND FLOAT . . . .271
V WAR! 275
VI GENERAL POLYNESIA 282
VII THE PEACE OF THE PARROTS 287
VIII THE HANGING STONE 291
IX THE ELECTION 300
X THE CORONATION OF KING JONG .... 308
Contents ix
PART SIX
CHAPTER PAGE
I NEW POPSIPETEL 314
II THOUGHTS OF HOME 322
III THE RED MAN'S SCIENCE 328
IV THE SEA-SERPENT 332
V THE SHELLFISH RIDDLE SOLVED AT LAST . . 340
VI THE LAST CABINET MEETING .... 346
VII THE DOCTOR'S DECISION 350
ILLUSTRATIONS
The Popsipetel Picture-History of King Jong Thinka-
lot (in colors) Frontispiece
PAGE
"I would sit on the river-wall with my feet dangling
over the water" 5
"And in her right foot she carried a lighted candle!" . 22
" 'Being a good noticer is terribly important' . . 53
A traveler arrives 77
"On the bed sat the Hermit" 101
"Sat scowling do\vn upon the amazed and gaping jury" 115
" 'What else can I think?' " 133
'Boy, where's the skipper?' 147
"In these lower levels we came upon the shadowy shapes
of dead ships" (in colors) 162
"The Doctor started chatting in Spanish to the bed-
maker" . 175
"Did acrobatics on the beast's horns" 189
"'He talks English!'" 201
"I was alone in the ocean!" 226
"It was a great moment" 257
The Terrible Three • 270.
"Working away with their noses against the end of the
island" .... 293
Illustrations
'The Whispering Rocks" 295
''Had to chase his butterflies with a crown upon his
head" 317
'Tiptoe incognito,' whispered Bumpo" .... 353
THE VOYAGES OF DOCTOR DO LITTLE
THE VOYAGES OF
DOCTOR DOLITTLE
PROLOGUE
ALL that I have written so far about
Doctor Dolittle I heard long after it
happened from those who had known
him — indeed a great deal of it took
place before I was born. But I now come to set
down that part of the great man's life which I
myself saw and took part in.
Many years ago the Doctor gave me permission
to do this. But we were both of us so busy then
voyaging around the world, having adventures and
filling note-books full of natural history that I
never seemed to get time to sit down and write of
our doings.
Now of course, when I am quite an old man,
my memory isn't so good any more. But whenever
I am in doubt and have to hesitate and think, I
always ask Polynesia, the parrot.
That wonderful bird (she is now nearly two
hundred and fifty years old) sits on the top of my
desk, usually humming sailor songs to herself, while
I write this book. And, as every one who ever met
her knows, Polynesia's memory is the most marvel-
1
2 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
ous memory in the world. If there is any happen-
ing I am not quite sure of, she is always able to put
me right, to tell me exactly how it took place, who
was there and everything about it. In fact some-
times I almost think I ought to say that this book
was written by Polynesia instead of me.
Very well then, I will begin. And first of all
I must tell you something about myself and how
I came to meet the Doctor.
PART I
THE FIRST CHAPTER
THE COBBLER'S SON
MY name was Tommy Stubbins, son of
Jacob Stubbins, the cobbler of Puddle-
by-on-the-Marsh; and I was nine and
a half years old. At that time Pud-
dleby was only quite a small town. A river ran
through the middle of it; and over this river there
was a very old stone bridge, called Kingsbridge,
which led you from the market-place on one side to
the churchyard on the other.
Sailing-ships came up this river from the sea
and anchored near the bridge. I used to go down
and watch the sailors unloading the ships upon the
river-wall. The sailors sang strange songs as they
pulled upon the ropes; and I learned these songs by
heart. And I would sit on the river-wall with my
feet dangling over the water and sing with the men,
pretending to myself that I too was a sailor.
For I longed always to sail away with those brave
ships when they turned their backs on Puddleby
Church and went creeping down the river again,
across the wide lonely marshes to the sea. I
longed to go with them out into the world to seek
3
4 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
my fortune in foreign lands — Africa, India, China
and Peru ! When they got round the bend in the
river and the water was hidden from view, you could
still see their huge brown sails towering over the
roofs of the town, moving onward slowly — like
some gentle giants that walked among the houses
without noise. What strange things would they
have seen, I wondered, when next they came back to
anchor at Kingsbridge ! And, dreaming of the
lands I had never seen, Td sit on there, watching
till they were out of sight.
Three great friends I had in Puddleby in those
days. One was Joe, the mussel-man, who lived in
a tiny hut by the edge of the water under the bridge.
This old man was simply marvelous at making
things. I never saw a man so clever with his hands.
He used to mend my toy ships for me which I
sailed upon the river; he built windmills out of
packing-cases and barrel-staves; and he could make
the most wonderful kites from old umbrellas.
Joe would sometimes take me in his mussel-boat,
and when the tide was running out we would paddle
down the river as far as the edge of the sea to get
mussels and lobsters to sell. And out there on the
cold lonely marshes we would see wild geese flying,
and curlews and redshanks and many other kinds of
seabirds that live among the samfire and the long
grass of the great salt fen. And as we crept up the
river in the evening, when the tide had turned, we
"I would sit on the river-wall with my feet dangling
over the water"
6 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
would see the lights on Kingsbridge twinkle in the
dusk, reminding us of tea-time and warm fires.
Another friend I had was Matthew Mugg, the
cat's-meat-man. He was a funny old person with
a bad squint. He looked rather awful but he was
really quite nice to talk to. He knew everybody in
Puddleby; and he knew all the dogs and all the cats.
In those times being a cat's-meat-man was a regular
business. And you could see one nearly any day
going through the streets with a wooden tray full
of pieces of meat stuck on skewers crying, "Meat!
M-E-A-T!" People paid him to give this meat to
their cats and dogs instead of feeding them on dog-
biscuits or the scraps from the table.
I enjoyed going round with old Matthew and see-
ing the cats and dogs come running to the garden-
gates whenever they heard his call. Sometimes
he let me give the meat to the animals myself; and I
thought this was great fun. He knew a lot about
dogs and he would tell me the names of the different
kinds as we went through the town. He had sev-
eral dogs of his own; one, a whippet, was a very fast
runner, and Matthew used to win prizes with her at
the Saturday coursing races; another, a terrier, was
a fine ratter. The cat's-meat-man used to make a
business of rat-catching for the millers and farmers
as well as his other trade of selling cat's-meat.
My third great friend was Luke the Hermit.
But of him I will tell you more later on.
The Cobbler's Son
I did not go to school; because my father was not
rich enough to send me. But I was extremely fond
of animals. So I used to spend my time collecting
birds' eggs and butterflies, fishing in the river, ram-
bling through the countryside after blackberries and
mushrooms and helping the mussel-man mend his
nets.
Yes, it was a very pleasant life I lived in those
days long ago — though of course I did not think
so then. I was nine and a half years old; and, like
all boys, I wanted to grow up — not knowing how
well off I was with no cares and nothing to worry
me. Always I longed for the time when I should be
allowed to leave my father's house, to take passage
in one of those brave ships, to sail down the river
through the misty marshes to the sea — out into
the world to seek my fortune.
THE SECOND CHAPTER
1 HEAR OF THE GREAT NATURALIST
ONE early morning in the Springtime,
when I was wandering among the hills
at the back of the town, I happened to
come upon a hawk with a squirrel in its
claws. It was standing on a rock and the squirrel
was fighting very hard for its life. The hawk was
so frightened when I came upon it suddenly like this,
that it dropped the poor creature and flew away. I
picked the squirrel up and found that two of its legs
were badly hurt. So I carried it in my arms back to
the town.
When I came to the bridge I went into the mussel-
man's hut and asked him if he could do anything for
it. Joe put on his spectacles and examined it care-
fully. Then he shook his head.
'Yon crittur's got a broken leg," he said —
"and another badly cut an' all. I can mend you
your boats, Tom, but I haven't the tools nor the
learning to make a broken squirrel seaworthy. This
is a job for a surgeon — and for a right smart one
an' all. There be only one man I know who could
save yon crittur's life. And that's John Dolittle."
8
I Hear of the Great Naturalist 9
"Who is John Dolittle?" I asked. "Is he a
vet?"
"No," said the mussel-man. "He's no vet.
Doctor Dolittle is a nacheralist."
"What's a nacheralist?"
"A nacheralist," said Joe, putting away his
glasses and starting to fill his pipe, "is a man
who knows all about animals and butterflies and
plants and rocks an' all. John Dolittle is a very
great nacheralist. I'm surprised you never heard
of him — and you daft over animals. He knows
a whole lot about shellfish — that I know from my
own knowledge. He's a quiet man and don't talk
much; but there's folks who do say he's the greatest
nacheralist in the world."
'Where does he live?" I asked.
"Over on the Oxenthorpe Road, t'other side the
town. Don't know just which house it is, but 'most
anyone 'cross there could tell you, I reckon. Go
and see him. He's a great man."
So I thanked the mussel-man, took up my squirrel
again and started off towards the Oxenthorpe Road.
The first thing I heard as I came into the market-
place was some one calling "Meat! M-E-A-T!'
"There's Matthew Mugg," I said to myself.
"He'll know where this Doctor lives. Matthew
knows everyone."
So I hurried across the market-place and caught
him up.
io The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
"Matthew," I said, "do you know Doctor Do-
little?"
"Do I know John Dolittle!" said he. "Well, I
should think I do ! I know him as well as I know
my own wife — better, I sometimes think. He's a
great man — a very great man."
"Can you show me where he lives?" I asked. "I
want to take this squirrel to him. It has a broken
leg."
"Certainly," said the cat's-meat-man. "I'll be
going right by his house directly. Come along and
I'll show you."
So off we went together.
"Oh, I've known John Dolittle for years and
years," said Matthew as we made our way out of the
market-place. "But I'm pretty sure he ain't home
just now. He's away on a voyage. But he's liable
to be back any day. I'll show you his house and
then you'll know where to find him."
All the way down the Oxenthorpe Road Matthew
hardly stopped talking about his great friend, Doc-
tor John Dolittle — "M. D." He talked so much
that he forgot all about calling out "Meat!" until
we both suddenly noticed that we had a whole pro-
cession of dogs following us patiently.
'Where did the Doctor go to on this voyage?"
I asked as Matthew handed round the meat to them.
"I couldn't tell you," he answered. "Nobody
never knows where he goes, nor when he's going,
/ Hear of the Great Naturalist 1 1
nor when he's coming back. He lives all alone ex-
cept for his pets. He's made some great voyages
and some wonderful discoveries. Last time he
came back he told me he'd found a tribe of Red In-
dians in the Pacific Ocean — lived on two islands,
they did. The husbands lived on one island and the
wives lived on the other. Sensible people, some of
them savages. They only met once a year, when
the husbands came over to visit the wives for a great
feast — Christmas-time, most likely. Yes, he's a
wonderful man is the Doctor. And as for animals,
well, there ain't no one knows as much about 'em as
what he does."
"How did he get to know so much about ani-
mals?" I asked.
The cat's-meat-man stopped and leant down to
whisper in my ear.
"He talks their language " he said in a hoarse,
mysterious voice.
'The animals' language?" I cried.
"Why certainly,1' said Matthew. "All animals
have some kind of a language. Some sorts talk
more than others; some only speak in sign-language,
like deaf-and-dumb. But the Doctor, he under-
stands them all — birds as well as animals. We
keep it a secret though, him and me, because folks
only laugh at you when you speak of it. Why, he
can even write animal-language. He reads aloud
to his pets. He's wrote history-books in monkey-
12 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
talk, poetry in canary language and comic songs for
magpies to sing. It's a fact. He's now busy
learning the language of the shellfish. But he says
it's hard work — and he has caught some terrible
colds, holding his head under water so much. He's
a great man."
uHe certainly must be," I said. "I do wish he
were home so I could meet him."
''Well, there's his house, look," said the cat's-
meat-man — "that little one at the bend in the road
there — the one high up — like it was sitting on the
wall above the street."
We were now come beyond the edge of the town.
And the house that Matthew pointed out was quite
a small one standing by itself. There seemed to be
a big garden around it; and this garden was much
higher than the road, so you had to go up a flight of
steps in the wall before you reached the front gate
at the top. I could see that there were many fine
fruit trees in the garden, for their branches hung
down over the wall in places. But the wall was so
high I could not see anything else.
When we reached the house Matthew went up
the steps to the front gate and I followed him. I
thought he was going to go into the garden; but the
gate was locked. A dog came running down from
the house; and he took several pieces of meat which
the cat's-meat-man pushed through the bars of the
gate, and some paper bags full of corn and bran.
I Hear of the Great Naturalist 13
I noticed that this dog did not stop to eat the meat,
as any ordinary dog would have done, but he took
all the things back to the house and disappeared.
He had a curious wide collar round his neck which
looked as though it were made of brass or some-
thing. Then we came away.
"The Doctor isn't back yet," said Matthew, "or
the gate wouldn't be locked."
"What were all those things in paper-bags you
gave the dog?" I asked.
"Oh, those were provisions," said Matthew —
"things for the animals to eat. The Doctor's house
is simply full of pets. I give the things to the dog,
while the Doctor's away, and the dog gives them to
the other animals."
"And what was that curious collar he was wearing
•round his neck?"
"That's a solid gold dog-collar," said Matthew.
"It was given to him when he was with the Doctor
on one of his voyages long ago. He saved a man's
life."
"How long has the Doctor had him?" I asked.
"Oh, a long time. Jip's getting pretty old now.
That's why the Doctor doesn't take him on his voy-
ages any more. He leaves him behind to take care
of the house. Every Monday and Thursday I
bring the food to the gate here and give it him
through the bars. He never lets any one come in-
side the garden while the Doctor's away — not even
14 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
me, though he knows me well. But you'll always
be able to tell if the Doctor's back or not — because
if he is, the gate will surely be open."
So I went off home to my father's house and put
my squirrel to bed in an old wooden box full of
straw. And there I nursed him myself and took
care of him as best I could till the time should come
\vhen the Doctor wrould return. And every day I
went to the little house with the big garden on the
edge of the town and tried the gate to see if it were
locked. Sometimes the dog, Jip, would come down
to the gate to meet me. But though he always
wagged his tail and seemed glad to see me, he never
let me come inside the garden.
THE THIRD CHAPTER
THE DOCTOR'S HOME
ONE Monday afternoon towards the end
of April my father asked me to take
some shoes which he had mended to a
house on the other side of the town.
They were for a Colonel Bellowes who was very
particular.
I found the house and rang the bell at the front
door. The Colonel opened it, stuck out a very red
face and said, "Go round to the tradesmen's en-
trance— go to the back door." Then he slammed
the door shut.
I felt inclined to throw the shoes into the middle
of his flower-bed. But I thought my father might
be angry, so I didn't. I went round to the back
door, and there the Colonel's wife met me and took
the shoes from me. She looked a timid little
woman and had her hands all over flour as though
she were making bread. She seemed to be terribly
afraid of her husband whom I could still hear
stumping round the house somewhere, grunting
indignantly because I had come tc the front door.
Then she asked me in a whisper if I wrould have a
is
16 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
bun and a glass of milk. And I said, "Yes, please."
After I had eaten the bun and milk, I thanked
the Colonel's wife and came away. Then I
thought that before I went home I would go and
see if the Doctor had come back yet. I had been
to his house once already that morning. But I
thought I'd just like to go and take another look.
My squirrel wasn't getting any better and I was
beginning to be worried about him.
So I turned into the Oxenthorpe Road and
started off towards the Doctor's house. On the
way I noticed that the sky was clouding over and
that it looked as though it might rain.
I reached the gate and found it still locked. I
felt very discouraged. I had been coming here
every day for a week now. The dog, Jip, came
to the gate and wagged his tail as usual, and then
sat down and watched me closely to see that I
didn't get in.
I began to fear that my squirrel would die before
the Doctor came back. I turned away sadly, went
down the steps on to the road and turned towards
home again.
I wondere'd if it were supper-time yet. Of
course I had no watch of my own, but I noticed a
gentleman coming towards me down the road; and
when he got nearer I saw it was the Colonel out for
a walk. He was all wrapped up in smart overcoats
and mufflers and bright-colored gloves. It was
The Doctor's Home 17
not a very cold day but he had so many clothes on
he looked like a pillow inside a roll of blankets.
I asked him if he would please tell me the time.
He stopped, grunted and glared down at me —
his red face growing redder still; and when he spoke
it sounded like the cork coming out of a gingerbeer-
bottle.
"Do you imagine for one moment," he splut-
tered, "that I am going to get myself all unbuttoned
just to tell a little boy like you the time!'' And he
went stumping down the street, grunting harder
than ever.
I stood still a moment looking after him and
wondering how old I would have to be, to have him
go to the trouble of getting his watch out. And
then, all of a sudden, the rain came down in
torrents.
I have never seen it rain so hard. It got dark,
almost like night. The wind began to blow; the
thunder rolled; the lightning flashed, and in a
moment the gutters of the road were flowing like
a river. There was no place handy to take shelter,
so I put my head down against the driving wind and
started to run towards home.
I hadn't gone very far when my head bumped
into something soft and I sat down suddenly on
the pavement. I looked up to see whom I had run
into. And there in front of me, sitting on the wet
pavement like myself, was a little round man with a
1 8 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
very kind face. He wore a shabby high hat and
in his hand he had a small black bag.
'I'm very sorry," I said. "I had my head down
and I didn't see you coming."
To my great surprise, instead of getting angry at
being knocked down, the little man began to laugh.
'You know this reminds me," he said, "of a time
once when I was in India. I ran full tilt into a
woman in a thunderstorm. But she was carry-
ing a pitcher of molasses on her head and I had trea-
cle in my hair for weeks afterwards — the flies
followed me everywhere. I didn't hurt you,
did I?"
"No," I said. "I'm all right."
"It was just as much my fault as it was yours, you
know," said the little man. "I had my head down
too — but look here, we mustn't sit talking like this.
You must be soaked. I know I am. How far have
you got to go?"
"My home is on the other side of the town," I
said, as we picked ourselves up.
"My Goodness, but that was a wet pavement!"
said he. "And I declare it's coming down worse
than ever. Come along to my house and get dried.
A storm like this can't last."
He took hold of my hand and we started running
back down the road together. As we ran I began
to wonder who this funny little man could be, and
where he lived. I was a perfect stranger to him,
The Doctor's Home 19
and yet he was taking me to his own home to get
dried. Such a change, after the old red-faced Col-
onel who had refused even to tell me the time !
Presently we stopped.
"Here we are," he said.
I looked up to see where we were and found my-
self back at the foot of the steps leading to the little
house with the big garden! My new friend was
already running up the steps and opening the gate
with some keys he took from his pocket.
"Surely," I thought, "this cannot be the great
Doctor Dolittle himself!"
I suppose after hearing so much about him I had
expected some one very tall and strong and marvel-
ous. It was hard to believe that this funny little
man with the kind smiling face could be really he.
Yet here he was, sure enough, running up the steps
and opening the very gate which I had been watch-
ing for so many days !
The dog, Jip, came rushing out and started jump-
ing up on him and barking with happiness. The
rain was splashing down heavier than ever.
"Are you Doctor Dolittle?" I shouted as we sped
up the short garden-path to the house.
"Yes, I'm Doctor Dolittle," said he, opening the
front door with the same bunch of keys. "Get in!
Don't bother about wiping your feet. Never mind
the mud. Take it in with you. Get in out of the
rain!"
2O The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
I popped in, he and Jip following. Then he
slammed the door to behind us.
The storm had made it dark enough outside; but
inside the house, with the door closed, it was as
black as night. Then began the most extraordinary
noise that I have ever heard. It sounded like all
sorts and kinds of animals and birds calling and
squeaking and screeching at the same time. I could
hear things trundling down the stairs and hurrying
along passages. Somewhere in the dark a duck was
quacking, a cock was crowing, a dove was cooing,
an owl was hooting, a lamb was bleating and Jip
was barking. I felt birds' wings fluttering and
fanning near my face. Things kept bumping into
my legs and nearly upsetting me. The whole front
hall seemed to be filling up with animals. The
noise, together with the roaring of the rain, was
tremendous; and I was beginning to grow a little
bit scared when I felt the Doctor take hold of my
arm and shout into my ear.
"Don't he alarmed. Don't be frightened.
These are just some of my pets. I've been away
three months and they are glad to see me home
again. Stand still where you are till I strike a
light. My Gracious, what a storm! — Just listen
to that thunder!"
So there I stood in the pitch-black dark, while all
kinds of animals which I couldn't see chattered and
jostled around me. It was a curious and a funny
The Doctor's Home 21
feeling. I had often wondered, when I had looked
in from the front gate, what Doctor Dolittle would
be like and what the funny little house would have
inside it. But I never imagined it would be any-
thing like this. Yet somehow after I had felt tht
Doctor's hand upon my arm I was not frightened,
only confused. It all seemed like some queer
dream; and I was beginning to wonder if I was
really awake, when I heard the Doctor speaking
again:
"My blessed matches are all wet. They won't
strike. Have you got any?"
"No, I'm afraid I haven't," I called back.
"Never mind," said he. "Perhaps Dab-Dab can
raise us a light somewhere."
Then the Doctor made some funny clicking
noises with his tongue and I heard some one trundle
up the stairs again and start moving about in the
rooms above.
Then we waited quite a while without anything
happening.
"Will the light be long in coming?" I asked.
"Some animal is sitting on my foot and my toes are
going to sleep."
"No, only a minute," said the Doctor. "She'll
be back in a minute."
And just then I saw the first glimmerings of a
light around the landing above. At once all the
animals kept quiet.
•JK
"And in her right foot she carried a lighted candle!'
The Doctor's Home 23
"I thought you lived alone," I said to the Doctor.
"So I do," said he. "It is Dab-Dab who is
bringing the light."
I looked up the stairs trying to make out who was
coming. I could not see around the landing but I
heard the most curious footstep on the upper flight.
It sounded like some one hopping down from one
step to the other, as though he were using only one
leg.
As the light came lower, it grew brighter and
began to throw strange jumping shadows on the
walls.
"Ah — at last!" said the Doctor. "Good old
Dab-Dab!"
And then I thought I really must be dreaming.
For there, craning her neck round the bend of the
landing, hopping down the stairs on one leg, came a
spotless white duck. And in her right foot she
carried a lighted candle !
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
THE WIFF-WAFF
WHEN at last I could look around me
I found that the hall was indeed
simply full of animals. It seemed to
me that almost every kind of creature
from the countryside must be there : a pigeon, a
white rat, an owl, a badger, a jackdaw — there was
even a small pig, just in from the rainy garden, care-
fully wiping his feet on the mat while the light from
the candle glistened on his wet pink back.
The Doctor took the candlestick from the duck
and turned to me.
"Look here," he said: "you must get those
wet clothes off — by the way, what is your name?"
"Tommy Stubbins," I said.
"Oh, are you the son of Jacob Stubbins, the shoe-
maker?"
"Yes," I said.
"Excellent bootmaker, your father," said the
Doctor. "You see these?" and he held up his right
foot to show me the enormous boots he was wear-
ing. 'Your father made me those boots four years
ago, and I've been wearing them ever since — per-
fectly wonderful boots — Well now, look here,
24
The Wiff-Waff 25
Stubbins. You've got to change those wet things —
and quick. Wait a moment till I get some more
candles lit, and then we'll go upstairs and find some
dry clothes. You'll have to wear an old suit of
mine till we can get yours dry again by the
kitchen-fire."
So presently when more candles had been lighted
round different parts of the house, we went upstairs;
and when we had come into a bedroom the Doctor
opened a big wardrobe and took out two suits of
old clothes. These we put on. Then we carried
our wet ones down to the kitchen and started a fire
in the big chimney. The coat of the Doctor's
which I was wearing was so large for me that I
kept treading on my own coat-tails while I was help-
ing to fetch the wood up from the cellar. But very
soon we had a huge big fire blazing up the chimney
and we hung our wet clothes around on chairs.
"Now let's cook some supper," said the Doctor.
— "You'll stay and have supper with me, Stubbins,
of course?"
Already I was beginning to be very fond of this
funny little man who called me "Stubbins," instead
of "Tommy" or "little lad" (I did so hate to be
called "little lad"!) This man seemed to begin
right away treating me as though I were a grown-up
friend of his. And when he asked me to stop and
have supper with him I felt terribly proud and
happy. But I suddenly remembered that I had
26 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
not told my mother that I would be out late. So
very sadly I answered,
'Thank you very much. I would like to stay,
but I am afraid that my mother will begin to worry
and wonder where I am if I don't get back."
"Oh, but my dear Stubbins," said the Doctor,
throwing another log of wood on the fire, "your
clothes aren't dry yet. You'll have to wait for
them, won't you? By the time they are ready to
put on we will have supper cooked and eaten —
Did you see where I put my bag?"
"I think it is still in the hall," I said. "I'll go
and see."
I found the bag near the front door. It was
made of black leather and looked very, very old.
One of its latches was broken and it was tied up
round the middle with a piece of string.
"Thank you," said the Doctor when I brought it
to him.
"Was that bag all the luggage you had for your
voyage?" I asked.
"Yes," said the Doctor, as he undid the piece
of string. "I don't believe in a lot of baggage.
It's such a nuisance. Life's too short to fuss with
it. And it isn't really necessary, you know — Where
did I put those sausages?"
The Doctor was feeling about inside the bag.
First he brought out a loaf of new bread. Next
came a glass jar with a curious metal top to it. He
The W iff -Waff 27
held this up to the light very carefully before he
set it down upon the table; and I could see that
there was some strange little water-creature swim-
ming about inside. At last the Doctor brought out
a pound of sausages.
'Now," he said, "all we want is a frying-pan."
We went into the scullery and there we found
some pots and pans hanging against the wall. The
Doctor took down the frying-pan. It was quite
rusty on the inside.
"Dear me, just look at that!" said he. "That's
the worst of being away so long. The animals are
very good and keep the house wonderfully clean
as far as they can. Dab-Dab is a perfect marvel
as a housekeeper. But some things of course they
can't manage. Never mind, we'll soon clean it up.
You'll find some silver-sand down there, under the
sink, Stubbins. Just hand it up to me, will you?"
In a few moments we had the pan all shiny
and bright and the sausages were put over the
kitchen-fire and a beautiful frying smell went all
through the house.
While the Doctor was busy at the cooking I went
and took another look at the funny little creature
swimming about in the glass jar.
"What is this animal?" I asked.
"Oh that," said the Doctor, turning round —
"that's a Wiff-Waff. Its full name is hippocampus
pippitopitus. But the natives just call it a Wiff-
28 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
Waff — on account of the way it waves its tail, swim-
ming, I imagine. That's what I went on this last
voyage for, to get that. You see I'm very busy just
now trying to learn the language of the shellfish.
They have languages, of that I feel sure. I can talk
a little shark language and porpoise dialect myself.
But what I particularly want to learn now is shell-
fish."
"Why?" I asked.
'Well, you see, some of the shellfish are the
oldest kind of animals in the world that we know of.
We find their shells in the rocks — turned to stone —
thousands of years old. So I feel quite sure that
if I could only get to talk their language, I should be
able to learn a whole lot about what the world was
like ages and ages and ages ago. You see?"
"But couldn't some of the other animals tell you
as well?"
"I don't think so," said the Doctor, prodding the
sausages with a fork. "To be sure, the monkeys I
knew in Africa some time ago were very helpful in
telling me about bygone days; but they only went
back a thousand years or so. No, I am certain that
the oldest history in the world is to be had from the
shellfish — and from them only. You see most of
the other animals that were alive in those very an-
cient times have now become extinct."
"Have you learned any shellfish language yet?"
I asked.
The W iff -Waff 29
"No. I've only just begun. I wanted this par-
ticular kind of a pipe-fish because he is half a shell-
fish and half an ordinary fish. I went all the way
to the Eastern Mediterranean after him. But I'm
very much afraid he isn't going to be a great deal of
help to me. To tell you the truth, I'm rather dis-
appointed in his appearance. He doesn't look very
intelligent, does he?"
"No, he doesn't," I agreed.
uAh," said the Doctor. "The sausages are done
to a turn. Come along — hold your plate near and
let me give you some."
Then we sat down at the kitchen-table and started
a hearty meal.
It was a wonderful kitchen, that. I had many
meals there afterwards and I found it a better place
to eat in than the grandest dining-room in the world.
It was so cozy and home-like and warm. It was so
handy for the food too. You took it right off the
fire, hot, and put it on the table and ate it. And
you could watch your toast toasting at the fender
and see it didn't burn while you drank your soup.
And if you had forgotten to put the salt on the table,
you didn't have to get up and go into another room
to fetch it; you just reached round and took the big
wooden box off the dresser behind you. Then the
fireplace — the biggest fireplace you ever saw — was
like a room in itself. You could get right inside it
even when the logs were burning and sit on the wide
30 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
seats either side and roast chestnuts after the meal
was over — or listen to the kettle singing, or tell
stories, or look at picture-books by the light of the
fire. It was a marvelous kitchen. It was like the
Doctor, comfortable, sensible, friendly and solid.
While we were gobbling away, the door suddenly
opened and in marched the duck, Dab-Dab, and the
dog, Jip, dragging sheets and pillow-cases behind
them over the clean tiled floor. The Doctor, seeing
how surprised I was, explained:
"They're just going to air the bedding for me in
front of the fire. Dab-Dab is a perfect treasure of
a housekeeper; she never forgets anything. I had
a sister once who used to keep house for me (poor,
dear Sarah! I wonder how she's getting on — I
haven't seen her in many years). But she wasn't
nearly as good as Dab-Dab. Have another sau-
sage?"
The Doctor turned and said a few words to the
dog and duck in some strange talk and signs. They
seemed to understand him perfectly.
"Can you talk in squirrel language?" I asked.
"Oh yes. That's quite an easy language," said
the Doctor. "You could learn that yourself with-
out a great deal of trouble. But why do you ask?"
"Because I have a sick squirrel at home," I said.
"I took it away from a hawk. But two of its legs
are badly hurt and I wanted very much to have you
see it, if you would. Shall I bring it to-morrow?"
The W iff -Waff 31
"Well, if its leg is badly broken I think I had
better see it to-night. It may be too late to do
much; but I'll come home with you and take a look
at it.'
So presently we felt the clothes by the fire and
mine were found to be quite dry. I took them up-
stairs to the bedroom and changed, and when I
came down the Doctor was all ready waiting for me
with his little black bag full of medicines and band-
ages.
"Come along," he said. "The rain has stopped
now."
Outside it had grown bright again and the evening
sky was all red with the setting sun; and thrushes
were singing in the garden as we opened the gate to
down on to the road.
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
POLYNESIA
I THINK your house is the most interesting
house I was ever in," I said as we set oft
in the direction of the town. "May I come
and see you again to-morrow?"
"Certainly," said the Doctor. "Come any day
you like. To-morrow I'll show you the garden and
my private zoo."
"Oh, have you a zoo?" I asked.
"Yes," said he. 'The larger animals are too big
for the house, so I keep them in a zoo in the garden.
It is not a very big collection but it is interesting in
its way."
"It must be splendid," I said, "to be able to talk
all the languages of the different animals. Do you
think I could ever learn to do it?"
"Oh surely," said the Doctor — "with practise.
You have to be very patient, you know. You really
ought to have Polynesia to start you. It was she
who gave me my first lessons."
"Who is Polynesia?" I asked.
"Polynesia was a West African parrot I had.
She isn't with me any more now," said the Doctor
sadly.
32
Polynesia 33
"Why— is she dead?"
"Oh no," said the Doctor. "She is still living,
I hope. But when we reached Africa she seemed
so glad to get back to her own country. She wept
for joy. And when the time came for me to come
back here I had not the heart to take her away
from that sunny land — although, it is true, she did
offer to come. I left her in Africa — Ah well ! I
have missed her terribly. She wept again when we
left. But I think I did the right thing. She was
one of the best friends I ever had. It was she who
first gave me the idea of learning the animal lan-
guages and becoming an animal doctor. I often
wonder if she remained happy in Africa, and
whether I shall ever see her funny, old, solemn face
again — Good old Polynesia ! — A most extraor-
dinary bird— Well, well!"
Just at that moment we heard the noise of some
one running behind us; and turning round we saw
Jip the dog rushing down the road after us, as fast
as his legs could bring him. He seemed very ex-
cited about something, and as soon as he came up to
us, he started barking and whining to the Doctor in
a peculiar way. Then the Doctor too seemed to
get all worked up and began talking and making
queer signs to the dog. At length he turned to me,
his face shining with happiness.
"Polynesia has come back!" he cried. "Imagine
it. Jip says she has just arrived at the house.
34 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
My! And it's five years since I saw her — Excuse
me a minute."
He turned as if to go back home. But the par-
rot, Polynesia, was already flying towards us. The
Doctor clapped his hands like a child getting a new
toy; while the swarm of sparrows in the roadway
fluttered, gossiping, up on to the fences, highly
scandalized to see a gray and scarlet parrot skim-
ming down an English lane.
On she came, straight on to the Doctor's
shoulder, where she immediately began talking a
steady stream in a language I could not understand.
She seemed to have a terrible lot to say. And
very soon the Doctor had forgotten all about me
and my squirrel and Jip and everything else; till al
length the bird clearly asked him something about
me.
"Oh excuse me, Stubbins!" said the Doctor. "I
was so interested listening to my old friend here.
We must get on and see this squirrel of yours —
Polynesia, this is Thomas Stubbins."
The parrot, on the Doctor's shoulder, nodded
gravely towards me and then, to my great surprise,
said quite plainly in English,
"How do you do? I remember the night you
were born. It was a terribly cold winter. You
were a very ugly baby."
"Stubbins is anxious to learn animal language,"
said the Doctor. "I was just telling him about you
Polynesia 35
and the lessons you gave me when Jip ran up and
told us you had arrived."
"Well," said the parrot, turning to me, "I may
have started the Doctor learning but I never could
have done even that, if he hadn't first taught me to
understand what / was saying when I spoke Eng-
lish. You see, many parrots can talk like a person,
but very few of them understand what they are
saying. They just say it because — well, because
they fancy it is smart or, because they know they
will get crackers given them."
By this time we had turned and were going to-
wards my home with Jip running in front and Poly-
nesia still perched on the Doctor's shoulder. The
bird chattered incessantly, mostly about Africa; but
now she spoke in English, out of politeness to me.
"How is Prince Bumpo getting on?" asked the
Doctor.
"Oh, I'm glad you asked me," said Polynesia.
"I almost forgot to tell you. What do you think?
— Bumpo is in England!'
"In England! — You don't say!" cried the Doc-
tor. "What on earth is he doing here?"
"His father, the king, sent him here to a place
called — er — Bullford, I think it was — to study
lessons."
"Bullford! — Bullford!" muttered the Doctor.
"I never heard of the place — Oh, you mean Ox-
ford."
36 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
that's the place — Oxford," said Polynesia
UI knew it had cattle in it somewhere. Oxford —
that's the place he's gone to."
"Well, well," murmured the Doctor. "Fancy
Bumpo studying at Oxford — Well, well!"
'There were great doings in Jolliginki when he
left. He was scared to death to come. He was
the first man from that country to go abroad. He
thought he was going to be eaten by white canni-
bals or something. You know what those niggers
are — that ignorant! Well! — But his father made
him come. He said that all the black kings were
sending their sons to Oxford now. It was the
fashion, and he would have to go. Bumpo wanted
to bring his six wives with him. But the king
wouldn't let him do that either. Poor Bumpo
went off in tears — and everybody in the palace was
crying too. You never heard such a hullabaloo."
"Do you know if he ever went back in search of
The Sleeping Beauty?" asked the Doctor.
"Oh yes," said Polynesia — "the day after you
left. And a good thing for him he did: the king
got to know about his helping you to escape,- and
he was dreadfully wild about it."
"And The Sleeping Beauty? — did he ever find
her?"
"Well, he brought back something which he said
was The Sleeping Beauty. Myself, I think it was
an albino niggeress. She had red hair and the
Polynesia 37
biggest feet you ever saw. But Bumpo was no end
pleased with her and finally married her amid great
rejoicings. The feastings lasted seven days. She
became his chief wife and is now known out there
as the Crown-Princess Eumpah — you accent the
last syllable."
"And tell me, did he remain white?"
"Only for about three months," said the parrot.
"After that his face slowly returned to its natural
color. It was just as well. He was so conspicuous
in his bathing-suit the way he was, with his face
white and the rest of him black."
"And how is Chee-Chee getting on? — Chee-
Chee," added the Doctor in explanation to me, "was
a pet monkey I had years ago. I left him too in
Africa when I came away."
"Well," said Polynesia frowning, — "Chee-Chee
is not entirely happy. I saw a good deal of him the
last few years. He got dreadfully homesick for
you and the house and the garden. It's funny, but
I was just the same way myself. You remember
how crazy I was to get back to the dear old land t
And Africa is a wonderful country — I don't care
what anybody says. Well, I thought I was going
to have a perfectly grand time. But somehow —
I don't know — after a few weeks it seemed to get
tiresome. I just couldn't seem to settle down.
Well, to make a long story short, one night I made
up my mind that Td come back here and find you.
38 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
So I hunted up old Chee-Chee and told him about
it. He said he didn't blame me a bit — felt exactly
the same way himself. Africa was so deadly quiet
after the life we had led with you. He missed the
stories you used to tell us out of your animal books
— and the chats we used to have sitting round the
kitchen-fire on winter nights. The animals
out there were very nice to us and all that. But
somehow the dear kind creatures seemed a bit
stupid. Chee-Chee said he had noticed it too.
But I suppose it wasn't they who had changed; it
was we who were different. When I left, poor
old Chee-Chee broke down and cried. He said he
felt as though his only friend were leaving him —
though, as you know, he has simply millions of rel-
atives there. He said it didn't seem fair that I
should have wings to fly over here any time I liked,
and him with no way to follow me. But mark my
words, I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he found a
way to come — some day. He's a smart lad, is
Chee-Chee."
At this point we arrived at my home. My
father's shop was closed and the shutters were up;
but my mother was standing at the door looking
down the street.
"Good evening, Mrs. Stubbins," said the Doctor.
"It is my fault your son is so late. I made him
stay to supper while his clothes were drying. He
was soaked to the skin; and so was I. We ran into
Polynesia 39
one another in the storm and I insisted on his com-
ing into my house for shelter."
UI was beginning to get worried about him,"
said my mother. ''I am thankful to you, Sir, for
looking after him so well and bringing him home."
"Don't mention it — don't mention it," said
the Doctor. 'We have had a very interesting
chat."
"Who might it be that I have the honor of
addressing?" asked my mother staring at the gray
parrot perched on the Doctor's shoulder.
"Oh, I'm John Dolittle. I dare say your hus-
band will remember me. He made me some very
excellent boots about four years ago. They
really are splendid," added the Doctor, gazing
down at his feet with great satisfaction.
'The Doctor has come to cure my squirrel,
Mother," said I. "He knows all abouf animals.'1
"Oh, no," said the Doctor, "not all, Stubbins,
not all about them by any means."
"It is very kind of you to come so far to look
after his pet," said my mother. 'Tom is always
bringing home strange creatures from the woods
and the fields."
"Is he?" said the Doctor. "Perhaps he will
grow up to be a naturalist some day. Who
knows?"
'Won't you come in?" asked my mother. 'The
place is a little untidy because I haven't finished
40 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
the spring cleaning yet. But there's a nice fire
burning in the parlor."
"Thank you!" said the Doctor. "What a
charming home you have!"
And after wiping his enormous boots very, very
carefully on the mat, the great man passed into
the house.
THE SIXTH CHAPTER
THE WOUNDED SQUIRREL
INSIDE we found my father busy practising
on the flute beside the fire. This he always
did, every evening, after his work was over.
The Doctor immediately began talking to
him about flutes and piccolos and bassoons; and
presently my father said,
"Perhaps you perform upon the flute yourself,
Sir. Won't you play us a tune?"
'Well," said the Doctor, "it is a long time since
I touched the instrument. But I would like to try.
May I?"
Then the Doctor took the flute from my father
and played and played and played. It was wonder-
ful. My mother and father sat as still as statues,
staring up at the ceiling as though they were in
church; and even I, who didn't bother much about
music except on the mouth-organ — even I felt all
sad and cold and creepy and wished I had been a
better boy.
"Oh I think that was just beautiful!" sighed my
mother when at length the Doctor stopped.
'You are a great musician, Sir," said my father,
41
42 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
"a very great musician. Won't you please play
Us something else?"
"Why certainly," said the Doctor — "Oh, but
look here, I've forgotten all about the squirrel."
"I'll show him to you," I said. "He is upstairs
in my room."
So I led the Doctor to my bedroom at the top of
the house and showed him the squirrel in the pack-
ing-case filled with straw.
The animal, who had always seemed very much
afraid of me — though I had tried hard to make him
feel at home, sat up at once when the Doctor came
into the room and started to chatter. The Doctor
chattered back in the same way and the squirrel
when he was lifted up to have his leg examined,
appeared to be rather pleased than frightened.
I held a candle while the Doctor tied the leg up
in what he called "splints," which he made out of
match-sticks with his pen-knife.
"I think you will find that his leg will get better
now in a very short time," said the Doctor closing
up his bag. "Don't let him run about for at least
two weeks yei, but keep him in the open air and
cover him up with dry leaves if the nights get cool.
He tells me he is rather lonely here, all by himself,
and is wondering how his wife and children are
getting on. I have assured him you are a man to
be trusted; and I will send a squirrel who lives in
my garden to find out how his family are and to
The Wounded Squirrel 43
bring him news of them. He must be kept cheer-
ful at all costs. Squirrels are naturally a very
cheerful, active race. It is very hard for them to
lie still doing nothing. But you needn't worry
about him. He will be all right."
Then we went back again to the parlor and my
mother and father kept him playing the flute till
after ten o'clock.
Although my parents both liked the Doctor
tremendously from the first moment that they saw
him, and were very proud to have him come and
play to us (for we were really terribly poor) they
did not realize then what a truly great man he was
one day to become. Of course now, when almost
everybody in the whole world has heard about
Doctor Dolittle and his books, if you were to go
to that little house in Puddleby where my father
had his cobbler's shop you would see, set in the wall
over the old-fashioned door, a stone with writing
on it which says: "JOHN DOLITTLE, THE FAMOUS
NATURALIST, PLAYED THE FLUTE IN THIS HOUSE
IN THE YEAR 1839."
I often look back upon that night long, long
ago. And if I close my eyes and think hard I can
see that parlor just as it was then: a funny little
man in coat-tails, with a round kind face, playing
away on the flute in front of the fire; my mother on
one side of him and my father on the other, holding
their breath and listening with their eyes shut;
44 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
myself, with Jip, squatting on the carpet at his
feet, staring into the coals; and Polynesia perched
on. the mantlepiece beside his shabby high hat,
gravely swinging her head from side to side in time
to the music. I see it all, just as though it were
before me now.
And then I remember how, after we had seen the
Doctor out at the front door, we all came back
into the parlor and talked about him till it was still
later; and even after I did go to bed (I had never
stayed up so late in my life before) I dreamed
about him and a band of strange clever animals that
played flutes and fiddles and drums the whole night
through.
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER
SHELLFISH TALK
THE next morning, although I had gone
to bed so late the night before, I was
up frightfully early. The first spar-
rows were just beginning to chirp sleep-
ily on the slates outside my attic window when I
jumped out of bed and scrambled into my clothes.
I could hardly wait to get back to the little
house with the big garden — to see the Doctor and
his private zoo. For the first time in my life I
forgot all about breakfast; and creeping down the
stairs on tip-toe, so as not to wake my mother and
father, I opened the front door and popped out
into the empty, silent street.
When I got to the Doctor's gate I suddenly
thought that perhaps it was too early to call on
any one: and I began to wonder if the Doctor
would be up yet. I looked into the garden. No
one seemed to be about. So I opened the gate
quietly and went inside.
As I turned to the left to go down a path be-
tween some hedges, I heard a voice quite close to
me say,
"Good morning. How early you are!r
45
46 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
I turned around, and there, sitting on the top
of a privet hedge, was the gray parrot, Polynesia.
<rGood morning," I said. "I suppose I am rather
earlv. Is the Doctor still in bed?"
j
"Oh no," said Polynesia. "He has been up an
hour and a half. You'll find him in the house
somewhere. The front door is open. Just push
it and go in. He is sure to be in the kitchen cook-
ing breakfast — or working in his study. Walk right
in. I am waiting to see the sun rise. But upon my
word I believe it's forgotten to rise. It is an awful
climate, this. Now if we were in Africa the world
would be blazing with sunlight at this hour of the
morning. Just see that mist rolling over those
cabbages. It is enough to give you rheumatism to
look at it. Beastly climate — Beastly! Really I
don't know why anything but frogs ever stay in
England — Well, don't let me keep you. Run
along and see the Doctor."
'Thank you," I said. "I'll go and look for
him."
When I opened the front door I could smell
bacon frying, so I made my way to the kitchen.
There I discovered a large kettle boiling away over
the fire and some bacon and eggs in a dish upon
the hearth. It seemed to me that the bacon was
getting all dried up with the heat. So I pulled the
dish a little further away from the fire and went
on through the house looking for the Doctor.
Shellfish Talk 47
I found him at last in the Study. I did not
know then that it was called the Study. It was
certainly a very interesting room, with telescopes
and microscopes and all sorts of other strange
things which I did not understand about but
wished I did. Hanging on the walls were pic-
tures of animals and fishes and strange plants and
collections of birds' eggs and sea-shells in glass
cases.
The Doctor was standing at the main table in
his dressing-gown. At first I thought he was wash-
ing his face. He had a square glass box before him
full of water. He was holding one ear under the
water while he covered the other with his left hand.
As I came in he stood up.
"Good morning, Stubbins," said he. "Going to
be a nice day, don't you think? I've just been
listening to the Wiff-Waff. But he is very disap-
pointing— very."
"Why?" I said. "Didn't you find that he has
any language at all?"
"Oh yes," said the Doctor, "he has a language.
But it is such a poor language — only a few words,
like 'yes' and 'no'— 'hot' and 'cold.' That's all
he can say. It's very disappointing. You see he
really belongs to two different families of fishes.
I thought he was going to be tremendously helpful
—Well, well!"
"I suppose," said I, "that means he hasn't very
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
much sense — if his language is only two or three
words?"
'Yes, I suppose it does. Possibly it is the kind
of life he leads. You see, they are very rare now,
these Wiff-Waffs — very rare and very solitary.
They swim around in the deepest parts of the ocean
entirely by themselves — always alone. So I pre-
sume they really don't need to talk much."
"Perhaps some kind of a bigger shellfish would
talk more," I said. "After all, he is very small,
isn't he?"
"Yes," said the Doctor, "that's true. Oh I
have no doubt that there are shellfish who are good
talkers — not the least doubt. But the big shell-
fish— the biggest of them, are so hard to catch.
They are only -to be found in the deep parts of the
sea; and as they don't swim very much, but just
crawl along the floor of the ocean most of the
time, they are very seldom taken in nets. I
do wish I could find some way of going
down to the bottom of the sea. I could
learn a lot if I could only do that. But we are
forgetting all about breakfast — Have you had
breakfast yet, Stubbins?"
I told the Doctor that I had forgotten all about
it and he at once led the way into the kitchen.
'Yes," he said, as he poured the hot water from
the kettle into the tea-pot, "if a man could only
manage to get right down to the bottom of the
Shellfish Talk 49
sea, and live there a while, he would discover some
wonderful things — things that people have never
dreamed of."
"But men do go down, don't they?" I asked —
"divers and people like that?1"
"Oh yes, to be sure," said the Doctor. "Divers
go down. I've been down myself in a diving-suit,
for that matter. But my! — they only go where
the sea is shallow. Divers can't go down where it
is really deep. What I would like to do is to go
down to the great depths — where it is miles deep —
Well, well, I dare say I shall manage it some day.
Let me give you another cup of tea."
THE EIGHTH CHAPTER
ARE YOU A GOOD NOTICER?
JUST at that moment Polynesia came into the
room and said something to the Doctor in
bird language. Of course I did not under-
stand what it was. But the Doctor at once
put down his knife and fork and left the room.
"You know it is an awful shame," said the parrot
as soon as the Doctor had closed the door.
"Directly he comes back home, all the animals over
the whole countryside get to hear of it and every
sick cat and mangy rabbit for miles around comes
to see him and ask his advice. Now there's a big
fat hare outside at the back door with a squawking
baby. Can she see the Doctor, please ! — Thinks
it's going to have convulsions. Stupid little thing's
been eating Deadly Nightshade again, I suppose,
The animals are so inconsiderate at times — espe-
cially the mothers. They come round and call the
Doctor away from his meals and wake him out of
his bed at all hours of the night. I don't know
how he stands it — really I don't. Why, the poor
man never gets any peace at all ! I've told him
time and again to have special hours for the animals
to come. But he is so frightfully kind and con-
50
Are You a Good Notlcer? 51
siderate. He never refuses to see them if there is
anything really wrong with them. He says the
urgent cases must be seen at once."
"Why don't some of the animals go and see the
other doctors?" I asked.
uOh Good Gracious !" exclaimed the parrot, tos-
sing her head scornfully. 'Why, there aren't any
other animal-doctors — not real doctors. Oh of
course there are those vet persons, to be sure. But,
bless you, they're no good. You see, they can't
understand the animals' language; so how can you
expect them to be any use? Imagine yourself,
or your father, going to see a doctor who could not
understand a word you say — nor even tell you in
your own language what you must do to get well !
Poof! — those vets! They're that stupid, you've no
idea ! — Put the Doctor's bacon down by the
fire, will you? — to keep hot till he comes back."
"Do you think I would ever be able to learn
the language of the animals?" I asked, laying the
plate upon the hearth.
"Well, it all depends," said Polynesia. "Are
you clever at lessons?'1
"I don't know," I answered, feeling rather
ashamed. "You see, Tve never been to school.
My father is too poor to send me."
"Well/7 said the parrot, "I don't suppose you
have really missed much — to judge from what /
have seen of school-boys. But listen: are you a
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
good noticer? — Do you notice things well? I
mean, for instance, supposing you saw two cock-
starlings on an apple-tree, and you only took one
good look at them — would you be able to tell one
from the other if you saw them again the next
day?"
"I don't know," I said. "I've never tried."
"Well that," said Polynesia, brushing some
crumbs off the corner of the table with her left
foot — "that is what you call powers of obser-
vation— noticing the small things about birds and
animals: the way they walk and move their heads
and flip their wings; the way they sniff the air and
twitch their whiskers and wiggle their tails. You
have to notice all those little things if you want to
learn animal language. For you see, lots of the
animals hardly talk at all with their tongues; they
use their breath or their tails or their feet instead.
That is because many of them, in the olden days
when lions and tigers were more plentiful, were
afraid to make a noise for fear the savage creatures
heard them. Birds, of course, didn't care; for they
always had wings to fly away with. But that is the
first thing to remember: being a good noticer is
terribly important in learning animal language."
"It sounds pretty hard," I said.
"You'll have to be very patient," said Polynesia.
"It takes a long time to say even a few words
properly. But if you come here often I'll give you
'Being a good noticer is terribly important'
54 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
a few lessons myself. And once you get started
you'll be surprised how fast you get on. It would
indeed be a good thing if you could learn. Because
then you could do some of the work for the Doctor
— I mean the easier work, like bandaging and giving
pills. Yes, yes, that's a good idea of mine.
'Twould be a great thing if the poor man could get
some help — and some rest.. It is a scandal the way
he works. I see no reason why you shouldn't be
able to help him a great deal — That is, if you
are really interested in animals."
uOh, I'd love that!" I cried. "Do you think the
Doctor would let me?"
"Certainly," said Polynesia — "as soon as you
have learned something about doctoring. I'll
speak of it to him myself — Sh ! I hear him
coming. Quick — bring his bacon back on to the
table."
THE NINTH CHAPTER
THE GARDEN OF DREAMS
HEN breakfast was over the Doctor
took me out to show me the garden.
Well, if the house had been interest-
ing, the garden was a hundred times
more so. Of all the gardens I have ever seen that
was the most delightful, the most fascinating.
At first you did not realize how big it was. You
never seemed to come to the end of it. When at
last you were quite sure that you had seen it all, you
would peer over a hedge, or turn a corner, or look
up some steps, and there was a whole new part you
never expected to find.
It had everything — everything a garden can
have, or ever has had. There were wide, wide
lawns with carved stone seats, green with moss.
Over the lawns hung weeping-willows, and their
feathery bough-tips brushed the velvet grass when
they swung with the wind. The old flagged paths
had high, clipped, yew hedges either side of them,
so that they looked like the narrow streets of some
old town; and through the hedges, doorways had
been made; and over the doorways were shapes like
55
56 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
vases and peacocks and half-moons all trimmed out
of the living trees. There was a lovely marble fish-
pond with golden carp and blue water-lilies in it and
big green frogs. A high brick wall alongside the
kitchen garden was all covered with pink and yellow
peaches ripening in the sun. There was a wonder-
ful great oak, hollow in the trunk, big enough for
four men to hide inside. Many summer-houses
there were, too — some of wood and some of stone;
and one of them was full of books to read. In a
corner, among some rocks and ferns, was an out-
door fire-place, where the Doctor used to fry liver
and bacon when he had a notion to take his meals
in the open air. There was a couch as well on
which he used to sleep, it seems, on warm summer
nights when the nightingales were singing at their
best; it had wheels on it so it could be moved about
under any tree they sang in. But the thing that
fascinated me most of all was a tiny little tree-
house, high up in the top branches of a great elm,
with a long rope ladder leading to it. The Doctor
told me he used it for looking at the moon and the
stars through a telescope.
It was the kind of a garden where you could
wander and explore for days and days — always
coming upon something new, always glad to find the
old spots over again. That first time that I saw
the Doctor's garden I was so charmed by it that I
felt I would like to live in it — always and always —
The Garden of Dreams
and never go outside of it again. For it had every-
thing within its walls to give happiness, to make
living pleasant — to keep the heart at peace. It was
the Garden of Dreams.
One peculiar thing I noticed immediately I came
into it; and that was what a lot of birds there were
about. Every tree seemed to have two or three
nests in it. And heaps of other wild creatures
appeared to be making themselves at home there,
too. Stoats and tortoises and dormice seemed to
be quite common, and not in the least shy. Toads
of different colors and sizes hopped about the lawn
as though it belonged to them. Green lizards
(which were very rare in Puddleby) sat up on
the stones in the sunlight and blinked at us. Even
snakes were to be seen.
"You need not be afraid of them," said the Doc-
tor, noticing that I started somewhat when a large
black snake wiggled across the path right in front
of us. "These fellows are not poisonous. They
do a great deal of good in keeping down many kinds
of garden-pests. I play the flute to them some-
times in the evening. They love it. Stand right
up on their tails and carry on no end. Funny thing,
their taste for music."
"Why do all these animals come and live here?'1
I asked. "I never saw a garden with so many
creatures in it."
"Well, I suppose it's because they get the kind
58 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
of food they like; and nobody worries or disturbs
them. And then, of course, they know me. And
if they or their children get sick I presume they find
it handy to be living in a doctor's garden — Look!
You see that sparrow on the sundial, swearing at
the blackbird down below? Well, he has been
coming here every summer for years. He comes
from London. The country sparrows round about
here are always laughing at him. They say he
chirps with such a Cockney accent. He is a most
amusing bird — very brave but very cheeky. He
loves nothing better than an argument, but he al-
ways ends it by getting rude. He is a real city
bird. In London he lives around St. Paul's Cathe-
dral. 'Cheapside,' we call him."
"Are all these birds from the country round
here?" I asked.
"Most of them," said the Doctor. "But a few
rare ones visit me every year who ordinarily never
come near England at all. For instance, that hand-
some little fellow hovering over the snapdragon
there, he's a Ruby-throated Humming-bird. Comes
from America. Strictly speaking, he has no busi-
ness in this climate at all. It is too cool. I make
him sleep in the kitchen at night. Then every Au-
gust, about the last week of the month, I have a
Purple Bird-of-Paradise come all the way from
Brazil to see me. She is a very great swell.
The Garden of Dreams 59
Hasn't arrived yet of course. And there are a
few others, foreign birds from the tropics mostly,
who drop in on me in the course of the summer
months. But come, I must show you the zoo."
THE TENTH CHAPTER
THE PRIVATE ZOO
I DID not think there could be anything left
in that garden which we had not seen. But
the Doctor took me by the arm and started
off down a little narrow path and after many
windings and twistings and turnings we found our-
selves before a small door in a high stone wall.
The Doctor pushed it open.
Inside was still another garden. I had expected
to find cages with animals inside them. But there
were none to be seen. Instead there were little
stone houses here and there all over the garden;
and each house had a window and a door. As we
walked in, many of these doors opened and animals
came running out to us evidently expecting food.
"Haven't the doors any locks on them?" I asked
the Doctor.
"Oh yes," he said, "every door has a lock. But
in my zoo the doors open from the inside, not from
the out. The locks are only there so the animals
can go and shut themselves in any time they want
to get away from the annoyance of other animals
or from people who might come here. Every
60
The Private Zoo 61
animal in this zoo stays here because he likes it,
not because he is made to."
'They all look very happy and clean," I said.
'Would you mind telling me the names of some of
them?"
''Certainly. Well now: that funny-looking thing
with plates on his back, nosing under the brick over
there, is a South American armadillo. The little
chap talking to him is a Canadian woodchuck.
They both live in those holes you see at the foot
of the wall. The two little beasts doing antics in
the pond are a pair of Russian minks — and that
reminds me: I must go and get them some her-
rings from the town before noon — it is early-closing
to-day. That animal just stepping out of his house
is an antelope, one of the smaller South African
kinds. Now let us move to the other side of those
bushes there and I will show you some more."
"Are those deer over there?" I asked.
"Deer!" said the Doctor. "Where do you
mean?"
"Over there," I said, pointing — "nibbling the
grass border of the bed. There are two of them."
"Oh, that," said the Doctor with a smile. "That
isn't two animals: that's one animal with two heads
— the only two-headed animal in the world. It's
called the 'pushmi-pullyu.' I brought him from
Africa. He's very tame — acts as a kind of night-
watchman for my zoo. He only sleeps with one
62 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
head at a time, you see — very handy — the other
head stays awake all night."
"Have you any lions or tigers?" I asked as we
moved on.
"No," said the Doctor. "It wouldn't be possible
to keep them here — and I wouldn't keep them
even if I could. If I had my way, Stubbins, there
wouldn't be a single lion or tiger in captivity any-
where in the world. They never take to it.
They're never happy. They never settle down.
They are always thinking of the big countries they
have left behind. You can see it in their eyes,
dreaming — dreaming always of the great open
spaces where they were born; dreaming of the deep,
dark jungles where their mothers first taught them
how to scent and track the deer. And what are
they given in exchange for all this?" asked the
Doctor, stopping in his walk and growing all red
and angry — "What are they given in exchange
for the glory of an African sunrise, for the twilight
breeze whispering through the palms, for the green
shade of the matted, tangled vines, for the cool,
big-starred nights of the desert, for the patter of
the waterfall after a hard day's hunt? What, I
ask you, are they given in exchange for these?
Why, a bare cage with iron bars; an ugly piece of
dead meat thrust in to them once a day; and a
crowd of fools to come and stare at them with
open mouths! — No, Stubbins. Lions and tigers,
The Private Zoo 63
the Big Hunters, should never, never be seen in
zoos.'
The Doctor seemed to have grown terribly
serious — almost sad. But suddenly his manner
changed again and he took me by the arm with his
same old cheerful smile.
"But we haven't seen the butterfly-houses yet —
nor the aquariums. Come along. I am very
proud of my butterfly-houses."
Off we went again and came presently into a
hedged enclosure. Here I saw several big huts
made of fine wire netting, like cages. Inside the
netting all sorts of beautiful flowers were growing
in the sun, with butterflies skimming over them.
The Doctor pointed to the end of one of the huts
where little boxes with holes in them stood in a
row.
u
Those are the hatching-boxes," said he.
"There I put the different kinds of caterpillars.
And as soon as they turn into butterflies and moths
they come out into these flower-gardens to feed."
"Do butterflies have a language?" I asked.
"Oh I fancy they have," said the Doctor — "and
the beetles too. But so far I haven't succeeded
in learning much about insect languages. I have
been too busy lately trying to master the shellfish-
talk. I mean to take it up though."
At that moment Polynesia joined us and said,
"Doctor, there are two guinea-pigs at the back
64 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
door. They say they have run away from the
boy who kept them because they didn't get the right
stuff to eat. They want to know if you will take
them in."
"All right," said the Doctor. "Show them the
way to the zoo. Give them the house on the left,
near the gate — the one the black fox had. Tell
them what the rules are and give them a square
meal — Now, Stubbins, we will go on to the aqua-
riums. And first of all I must show you my big,
glass, sea-water tank where I keep the shellfish."
THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER
MY SCHOOLMASTER, POLY.NESIA
WELL, there were not many days after
that, you may be sure, when I did not
come to see my new friend. Indeed
I was at his house practically all day
and every day. So that one evening my mother
asked me jokingly why I did not take my bed over
there and live at the Doctor's house altogether.
After a while I think I got to be quite useful to
the Doctor, feeding his pets for him; helping to
make new houses and fences for the zoo; assisting
with the sick animals that came; doing all manner
of odd jobs about the place. So that although I
enjoyed it all very much (it was indeed like living
in a new world) I really think the Doctor would
have missed me if I had not come so often.
And all this time Polynesia came with me
wherever I went, teaching me bird language and
showing me how to understand the talking signs
of the animals. At first I thought I would never
be able to learn at all — it seemed so difficult. But
the old parrot was wonderfully patient with me —
though I could see that occasionally she had hard
work to keep her temper.
6s
66 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
Soon I began to pick up the strange chatter of
the birds and to understand the funny talking antics
of the dogs. I used to practise listening to the
mice behind the wainscot after I went to bed, and
watching the cats on the roofs and pigeons in the
market-square of Puddleby.
And the days passed very quickly — as they always
do when life is pleasant; and the days turned into
weeks, and weeks into months; and soon the roses
in the Doctor's garden were losing their petals and
yellow leaves lay upon the wide green lawn. For
the summer was nearly gone.
One day Polynesia and I were talking in the
library. This was a fine long room with a grand
mantlepiece and the walls were covered from the
ceiling to the floor with shelves full of books:
books of stories, books on gardening, books about
medicine, books of travel; these I loved — and espe-
cially the Doctor's great atlas with all its maps of
the different countries of the world.
This afternoon Polynesia was showing me the
books about animals which John Dolittle had writ-
ten himself.
"My!" I said, "what a lot of books the Doctor
has — all the way around the room! Goodness!
I wish I could read! It must be tremendously
interesting. Can you read, Polynesia?"
"Only a little," said she. "Be careful how you
turn those pages — don't tear them. No, I really
My Schoolmaster, Polynesia 67
don't get time enough for reading — much. That
letter there is a k and this is a £."
'What does this word under the picture mean?"
I asked.
"Let me see," she said, and started spelling it out.
"B-A-B-O-O-N — that's Monkey. Reading isn't nearly
as hard as it looks, once you know the letters."
"Polynesia," I said, "I want to ask you some-
thing very important."
'What is it, my boy?" said she, smoothing
down the feathers of her right wing. Polynesia
often spoke to me in a very patronizing way. But
I did not mind it from her. After all, she was
nearly two hundred years old; and I was only
ten.
"Listen," I said, "my mother doesn't think it
is right that I come here for so many meals. And
I was going to ask you: supposing I did a whole
lot more work for the Doctor — why couldn't 1
come and live here altogether? You see, instead
of being paid like a regular gardener or workman,
I would get my bed and meals in exchange for the
work I did. What do you think?"
"You mean you want to be a proper assistant to
the Doctor, is that it?"
"Yes. I suppose that's what you call it," 1
answered. "You know you said yourself that you
thought I could be very useful to him."
"Well" — she thought a moment — "I really
68 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
don't see why not. But is this what you want to
be when you grow up, a naturalist?"
'Yes," I said, "I have made up my mind. I
would sooner be a naturalist than anything else in
the world."
"Humph! — Let's go and speak to the Doctor
about it," said Polynesia. "He's in the next room
— in the study. Open the door very gently — he
may be working and not want to be disturbed."
I opened the door quietly and peeped in. The
first thing I saw was an enormous black retriever
dog sitting in the middle of the hearth-rug with his
ears cocked up, listening to the Doctor who was
reading aloud to him from a letter.
"What is the Doctor doing?" I asked Polynesia
in a whisper.
"Oh, the dog has had a letter from his mistress
and he has brought it to the Doctor to read for him.
That's all. He belongs to a funny little girl called
Minnie Dooley, who lives on the other side of the
town. She has pigtails down her back. She and
her brother have gone away to the seaside for the
Summer; and the old retriever is heart-broken
while the children are gone. So they write letters
to him — in English of course. And as the old dog
doesn't understand them, he brings them here, and
the Doctor turns them into dog language for him.
I think Minnie must have written that she is coming
My Schoolmaster, Polynesia 69
back — to judge from the dog's excitement. Just
look at him carrying on!"
Indeed the retriever seemed to be suddenly over-
come with joy. As the Doctor finished the letter
the old dog started barking at the top of his voice,
wagging his tail wildly and jumping about the
study. He took the letter in his mouth and ran
out of the room snorting hard and mumbling to
himself.
"He's going down to meet the coach," whispered
Polynesia. "That dog's devotion to those children
is more than I can understand. You should see
Minnie! She's the most conceited little minx that
ever walked. She squints too."
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
MY GREAT IDEA
RESENTLY the Doctor looked up and
saw us at the door.
"Oh — come in, Stubbins," said he, "did
you wish to speak to me? Come in and
take a chair."
''Doctor," I said, 'I want to be a naturalist —
like you — when I grow up."
"Oh you do, do you?'1 murmured the Doctor.
"Humph! — Well! — Dear me! — You don't say!
— Well, well ! Have you er — have you spoken
to your mother and father about it?"
"No, not yet," I said. "I want you to sneak to
them for me. You would do it better. I Avant to
be your helper — your assistant, if you'll have me.
Last night my mother was saying that she didn't
consider it right for me to ccme here so often for
meals. And I've been thinking about it a good
deal since. Couldn't we make some arrangement
— couldn't I work for my meals and sleep here?"
"But my dear Stubbins," said the Doctor, laugh-
ing, "you are quite welcome to come here for
three meals a day all the year round. I'm only
too glad to have you. Besides, you do do a lot of
70
My Great Idea 71
work, as it is. I've often felt that I ought to pay
you for what you do — But what arrangement was
it that you thought of?"
"Well, I thought," said I, "that perhaps you
would come and see my mother and father and
tell them that if they let me live here with you and
work hard, that you will teach me to read and
write. You see my mother is awfully anxious to
have me learn reading and writing. And besides,
I couldn't be a proper naturalist without, could I?"
"Oh, I don't know so much about that," said
the Doctor. "It is nice, I admit, to be able to
read and write. But naturalists are not all alike,
you know. For example : this young fellow Charles
Darwin that people are talking about so much now
— he's a Cambridge graduate — reads and writes
very well. And then Cuvier — he used to be a
tutor. But listen, the greatest naturalist of them
all doesn't even know how to write his own name
nor to read the A B C.n
"Who is he?" I asked.
"He is a mysterious person," said the Doctor —
"a very mysterious person. His name is Long Ar-
row, the son of Golden Arrow. He is a Red
Indian."
"Have you ever seen him?' I asked.
"No," said the Doctor, "I've never seen him.
No white man has ever met him. I fancy Mr.
Darwin doesn't even know that he exists. He lives
72 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
almost entirely with the animals and with the dif-
ferent tribes of Indians — usually somewhere among
the mountains of Peru. Never stays long in one
place. Goes from tribe to tribe, like a sort of
Indian tramp."
uHow do you know so much about him?" I
asked — "if you've never even seen him?"
"The Purple Bird-of-Paradise," said the Doctor
— "she told me all about him. She says he is a
perfectly marvelous naturalist. I got her to take
a message to him for me last time she was here.
I am expecting her back any day now. I can hardly
wait to see what answer she has brought from him.
It is already almost the last week of August. I
do hope nothing has happened to her on the way."
"But why do the animals and birds come to
you when they are sick?" I said — "Why don't
they go to him, if he is so very wonderful?"
"It seems that my methods are more up to
date," said the Doctor. "But from what the Pur-
ple Bird-of-Paradise tells me, Long Arrow's
knowledge of natural history must be positively
tremendous. His specialty is botany — plants and
all that sort of thing. But he knows a lot about
birds and animals too. He's very good on bees
and beetles — But now tell me, Stubbins, are you
quite sure that you really want to be a naturalist?"
"Yes," said I, "my mind is made up."
"Well you know, it isn't a very good profession
My Great Idea 73
for making money. Not at all, it isn't. Most of
the good naturalists don't make any money what-
ever. All they do is spend money, buying butterfly-
nets and cases for birds' eggs and things. It is only
now, after I have been a naturalist for many years,
that I am beginning to make a little money from
the books I write."
"I don't care about money," I said. UI want
to be a naturalist. Won't you please come and
have dinner with my mother and father next Thurs-
day— I told them I was going to ask you — and then
you can talk to them about it. You see, there's an-
other thing: if I'm living with you, and sort of be-
long to your house and business, I shall be able
to come with you next time you go on a voyage."
"Oh, I see," said he, smiling. "So you want to
come on a voyage with me, do you? — Ah hah!"
"I want to go on all your voyages with you. It
would be much easier for you if you had some-
one to carry the butterfly-nets and note-books.
Wouldn't it now?"
For a long time the Doctor sat thinking, drum-
ming on the desk with his fingers, while I waited,
terribly impatiently, to see what he was going to
say.
At last he shrugged his shoulders and stood up.
"Well, Stubbins," said he, 'Til come and talk it
over with you and your parents next Thursday.
And — well, we'll see. We'll see. Give your
74 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
-- •
mother and father my compliments and thank them
for their invitation, will you?"
Then I tore home like the wind to tell my mother
that the Doctor had promised to come.
THE THIRTEENTH CHAPTER
A TRAVELER ARRIVES
THE next day I was sitting on the wall of
the Doctor's garden after tea, talking
to Dab-Dab. I had now learned so
much from Polynesia that I could talk
to most birds and some animals without a great
deal of difficulty. I found Dab-Dab a very nice,
old, motherly bird — though not nearly so clever
and interesting as Polynesia. She had been house-
keeper for the Doctor many years now.
Well, as I was saying, the old duck and I were
sitting on the flat top of the garden-wall that even-
ing, looking down into the Oxenthorpe Road be-
low. We were watching some sheep being driven
to market in Puddleby; and Dab-Dab had just been
telling me about the Doctor's adventures in Africa.
For she had gone on a voyage with him to that
country long ago.
Suddenly I heard a curious distant noise down
the road, towards the town. It sounded like a lot
of people cheering. I stood up on the wall to see
if I could make out what was coming. Presently
there appeared round a bend a great crowd of
75
j6 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
school-children following a very ragged, curious-
looking woman.
'What in the world can it be?" cried Dab-Dab.
The children were all laughing and shouting.
And certainly the woman they were following was
most extraordinary. She had very long arms and
the most stooping shoulders I have ever seen. She
wore a straw hat on the side of her head with
poppies on it; and her skirt was so long for her it
dragged on the ground like a ball-gown's train. I
could not see anything of her face because of the
wide hat pulled over her eyes. But as she got
nearer to us and the laughing of the children grew
louder, I noticed that her hands were very dark
in color, and hairy, like a witch's.
Then all of a sudden Dab-Dab at my side star-
tled me by crying out in a loud voice,
"Why, it's Chee-Chee! — Chee-Chee come back at
last! How dare those children tease him! I'll
give the little imps something to laugh at!"
And she flew right off the wall down into the road
and made straight for the children, squawking away
in a most terrifying fashion and pecking at their
feet and legs. The children made off down the
street back to the town as hard as they could run.
The strange -looking figure in the straw hat stood
gazing after them a moment and then came wearily
up to the gate. It didn't bother to undo the latch
but just climbed right over the gate as though it
A traveler arrives
78 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
were something in the way. And then I noticed
that it took hold of the bars with its feet, so that
it really had four hands to climb with. But it was
only when I at last got a glimpse of the face under
the hat that I could be really sure it was a monkey.
Chee-Chee — for it was he — frowned at me sus-
piciously from the top of the gate, as though he
thought I was going to laugh at him like the other
boys and girls. Then he dropped into the garden
on the inside and immediately started taking off
his clothes. He tore the straw hat in two and
threw it down into the road. Then he took off his
bodice and skirt, jumped on them savagely and
began kicking them round the front garden.
Presently I heard a screech from the house, and
out flew Polynesia, followed by the Doctor and Jip.
"Chee-Chee! — Chee-Chee!" shouted the parrot.
'You've come at last! I always told the Doctor
you'd find a way. How ever did you do it?"
They all gathered round him shaking him by his
four hands, laughing and asking him a million
questions at once. Then they all started back for
the house.
'Run up to my bedroom, Stubbins," said the
Doctor, turning to me. 'You'll find a bag of pea-
nuts in the small left-hand drawer of the bureau.
I have always kept them there in case he might
come back unexpectedly some day. And wait a
minute — see if Dab-Dab has any bananas in the pan-
A Traveler Arrives 79
try. Chee-Chee hasn't had a banana, he tells me,
in two months."
When I came down again to the kitchen I found
everybody listening attentively to the monkey who
was telling the story of his journey from Africa.
THE FOURTEENTH CHAPTER
CHEE-CHEE'S VOYAGE
IT seems that after Polynesia had left, Chee-
Chee had grown more homesick than
ever for the Doctor and the little
house in Puddleby. At last he had
made up his mind that by hook or crook he would
follow her. And one day, going down to the sea-
shore, he saw a lot of people, black and white,
getting on to a ship that was coming to England.
He tried to get on too. But they turned him back
and drove him away. And presently he noticed a
whole big family of funny people passing on to the
ship. And one of the children in this family re-
minded Chee-Chee of a cousin of his with whom he
had once been in love. So he said to himself,
'That girl looks just as much like a monkey as I
look like a girl. If I could only get some clothes
to wear I might easily slip on to the ship amongst
these families, and people would take me for a
girl. Good idea!'1
So he went off to a town that was quite close,
and hopping in through an open window he found a
skirt and bodice lying on a chair. They belonged
80
Chee-Chee's Voyage 81
to a fashionable black lady who was taking a bath.
Chee-Chee put them on. Next he went back to the
seashore, mingled with the crowd there and at last
sneaked safely on to the big ship. Then he thought
he had better hide, for fear people might look at
him too closely. And he stayed hidden all the time
the ship was sailing to England — only coming out
at night, when everybody was asleep, to find food.
When he reached England and tried to get off the
ship, the sailors saw at last that he was only a mon-
key dressed up in girl's clothes; and they wanted
to keep him for a pet. But he managed to give
them the slip; and once he was on shore, he dived
into the crowd and got away. But he was still a
long distance from Puddleby and had to come right
across the whole breadth of England.
He had a terrible time of it. Whenever he
passed through a town all the children ran after
him in a crowd, laughing; and often silly people
caught hold of him and tried to stop him, so that
he had to run up lamp-posts and climb to chimney-
pots to escape from them. At night he used to
sleep in ditches or barns of anywhere he could hide;
and he lived on the berries he picked from the
hedges and the cob-nuts that grew in the copses.
At length, after many adventures and narrow
squeaks, he saw the tower of Puddleby Church and
he knew that at last he was near his old home.
When Chee-Chee had finished his story he ate
82 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
six bananas without stopping and drank a whole
bowlful of milk.
"My!" he said, "why wasn't I born with
wings, like Polynesia, so I could fly here? You've
no idea how I grew to hate that hat and skirt.
I've never been so uncomfortable in my life. All
the way from Bristol here, if the wretched hat
wasn't falling off my head or catching in the trees,
those beastly skirts were tripping me up and getting
wound round everything. What on earth do
women wear those things for? Goodness, I was
glad to see old Puddleby this morning when I
climbed over the hill by Bellaby's farm!"
"Your bed on top of the plate-rack in the scullery
is all ready for you," said the Doctor. 'We never
had it disturbed in case you might come back."
"Yes," said Dab-Dab, "and you can have the old
smoking-jacket of the Doctor's which you used to
use as a blanket, in case it is cold in the night."
"Thanks," said Chee-Chee. "It's good to be
back in the old house again. Everything's just the
same as when I left — except the clean roller-towel
on the back of the door there — that's new —
Well, I think I'll go to bed now. I need sleep."
Then we all went out of the kitchen into the
scullery and watched Chee-Chee climb the plate-
rack like a sailor going up a mast. On the top, he
curled himself up, pulled the old smoking-jacket
Ghee-Ghee's Voyage 83
over him, and in a minute he was snoring peacefully.
"Good old Chee-Chee!" whispered the Doctor.
"I'm glad he's back."
"Yes — good old Chee-Chee!" echoed Dab-Dab
and Polynesia.
Then we all tip-toed out of the scullery and
closed the door very gently behind us.
THE FIFTEENTH CHAPTER
I BECOME A DOCTOR'S ASSISTANT
WHEN Thursday evening came there
was great excitement at our house,
My mother had asked me what were
the Doctor's favorite dishes, and 1
had told her: spare ribs, sliced beet-root, fried
bread, shrimps and treacle-tart. To-night she had
them all on the table waiting for him; and she was
now fussing round the house to see if everything
was tidy and in readiness for his coming.
At last we heard a knock upon the door, and of
course it was I who got there first to let him in.
The Doctor had brought his own flute with him
this time. And after supper was over (which he
enjoyed very much) the table was cleared away
and the washing-up left in the kitchen-sink till the
next day. Then the Doctor and my father started
playing duets.
They got so interested in this that I began to be
afraid that they would never come to talking over
my business. But at last the Doctor said,
"Your son tells me that he is anxious to become
a naturalist."
And then began a long talk which lasted far into
84
I Become a Doctor's Assistant 85
the night. At first both my mother and father
were rather against the idea — as they had been
from the beginning. They said it was only a boy-
ish whim, and that I would get tired of it very
soon. But after the matter had been talked over
from every side, the Doctor turned to my father
and said,
"Well now, supposing, Mr. Stubbins, that your
son came to me for two years — that is, until he is
twelve years old. During those two years he will
have time to see if he is going to grow tired of it
or not. Also during that time, I will promise to
teach him reading and writing and perhaps a little
arithmetic as well. What do you say to that?"
"I don't know," said my father, shaking his head.
'You are very kind and it is a handsome offer you
make, Doctor. But I feel that Tommy ought to
be learning some trade by which he can earn his
living later on."
Then my mother spoke up. Although she was
nearly in tears at the prospect of my leaving her
house while I was still so young, she pointed out
to my father that this was a grand chance for me
to get learning.
"Now Jacob," she said, "you know that many
lads in the town have been to the Grammar School
till they were fourteen or fifteen years old.
Tommy can easily spare these two years for his
education; and if he learns no more than to read
86 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
and write, the time will not be lost. Though
goodness knows," she added, getting out her hand-
kerchief to cry, "the house will seem terribly empty
when he's gone."
"I will take care that he comes to see you, Mrs.
Stubbins," said the Doctor — "every day, if you like.
After all, he will not be very far away."
Well, at length my father gave in; and it was
agreed that I was to live with the Doctor and work
for him for two years in exchange for learning to
read and write and for my board and lodging.
"Of course," added the Doctor, "while I have
money I will keep Tommy in clothes as well. But
money is a very irregular thing with me; sometimes
I have some, and then sometimes I haven't."
"You are very good, Doctor," said my mother,
drying her tears. "It seems to me that Tommy is
a very fortunate boy."
And then, thoughtless, selfish little imp that I
was, I leaned over and whispered in the Doctor's
ear,
"Please don't forget to say something about the
voyages."
"Oh, by the way," said John Dolittle, "of course
occasionally my work requires me to travel. You
will have no objection, I take it, to your son's com-
ing with me?"
My poor mother looked up sharply, more un-
happy and anxious than ever at this new turn;
I Become a Doctor's Assistant 87
while I stood behind the Doctor's chair, my heart
thumping with excitement, waiting for my father's
answer.
u
No," he said slowly after a while. "If we
agree to the other arrangement I don't see that
we've the right to make any objection to that."
Well, there surely was never a happier boy in
the world than I was at that moment. My head
was in the clouds. I trod on air. I could scarcely
keep from dancing round the parlor. At last the
dream of my life was to come true! At last 1
was to be given a chance to seek my fortune, to
have adventures ! For I knew perfectly well that
it was now almost time for the Doctor to start upon
another voyage. Polynesia had told me that he
hardly ever stayed at home for more than six
months at a stretch. Therefore he would be
surely going again within a fortnight. And I — I,
Tommy Stubbins, would go with him! Just to
think of it! — to cross the Sea, to walk on foreign
shores, to roam the World!
o O o
PART TWO
THE FIRST CHAPTER
THE CREW OF "THE CURLEW"
FROM that time on of course my position
in the town was very different. I was
no longer a poor cobbler's son. I carried
my nose in the air as I went down the
High Street with Jip in his gold collar at my side;
and snobbish little boys who had despised me before
because I was not rich enough to go to school now
pointed me out to their friends and whispered,
'You see him? He's a doctor's assistant — and
only ten years old!"
But their eyes would have opened still wider with
wonder if they had but known that I and the dog
that was with me could talk to one another.
Two days after the Doctor had been to our
house to dinner he told me very sadly that he was
afraid that he would have to give up trying to learn
the language of the shellfish — at all events for the
present.
'Tm very discouraged, Stubbins, very. I've
tried the mussels and the clams, the oysters and the
whelks, cockles and scallops; seven different kinds
The Crew of "The Curlew"
of crabs and all the lobster family. I think I'll
leave it for the present and go at it again later on."
"What will you turn to now?" I asked.
"Well, I rather thought of going on a voyage,
Stubbins. It's quite a time now since I've been
away. And there is a great deal of work waiting
for me abroad."
"When shall we start?" I asked.
"Well, first I shall have to wait till the Purple
Bird-of-Paradise gets here. I must see if she has
any message for me from Long Arrow. She's
late. She should have been here ten days ago. I
hope to goodness she's all right."
"Well, hadn't we better be seeing about getting
a boat?" I said. "She is sure to be here in a day
or so; and there will be lots of things to do to get
ready in the mean time, won't there?'1
"Yes, indeed," said the Doctor. "Suppose we
go down and see your friend Joe, the mussel-man.
He will know about boats."
"I'd like to come too," said Jip.
"All right, come along," said the Doctor, and
off we went.
Joe said yes, he had a boat — one he had just
bought — but it needed three people to sail her.
We told him we would like to see it anyway.
So the mussel-man took us off a little way down
the river and showed us the neatest, prettiest, little
vessel that ever was built. She was called The
90 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
Curlew. Joe said he would sell her to us cheap.
But the trouble was that the boat needed three
people, while we were only two.
"Of course I shall be taking Chee-Chee," said
the Doctor. "But although he is very quick and
clever, he is not as strong as a man. We really
ought to have another person to sail a boat as big
as that."
"I know of a good sailor, Doctor," said Joe — ua
first-class seaman who would be glad of the job."
"No, thank you, Joe," said Doctor Dolittle. "I
don't want any seamen. I couldn't afford to hire
them. And then they hamper me so, seamen do,
when I'm at sea. They're always wanting to do
things the proper way; and I like to do them my
way — Now let me see : who could we take with us?"
"There's Matthew Mugg, the cat's-meat-man,"
I said.
"No, he wouldn't do. Matthew's a very nice
fellow, but he talks too much — mostly about his
rheumatism. You have to be frightfully partic-
ular whom you take with you on long voyages."
"How about Luke the Hermit?" I asked.
"That's a good idea — splendid — if he'll come.
Let's go and ask him right away."
THE SECOND CHAPTER
LUKE THE HERMIT
THE Hermit was an old friend of ours, as
I have already told you. He was a very
peculiar person. Far out on the marshes
he lived in a little bit of a shack — all
alone except for his brindle bulldog. No one
knew where he came from — not even his name.
Just "Luke the Hermit" folks called him. He
never came into the town; never seemed to want
to see or talk to people. His dog, Bob, drove
them away if they came near his hut. When you
asked anyone in Puddleby who he was or why he
lived out in that lonely place by himself, the only
answer you got was, "Oh, Luke the Hermit?
Well, there's some mystery about him. Nobody
knows what it is. But there's a mystery. Don't
go near him. He'll set the dog on you."
Nevertheless there were two people who often
went out to that little shack on the fens : the Doctor
and myself. And Bob, the bulldog, never barked
when he heard us coming. For we liked Luke;
and Luke liked us.
This afternoon, crossing the marshes we faced
a cold wind blowing from the East. As we
91
92 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
approached the hut Jip put up his ears and said,
"That's funny!"
"What's funny?" asked the Doctor.
'That Bob hasn't come out to meet us. He
should have heard us long ago — or smelt us.
What's that queer noise?"
"Sounds to me like a gate creaking," said the
Doctor. "Maybe it's Luke's door, only we can't
see the door from here; it's on the far side of the
shack."
"I hope Bob isn't sick," said Jip; and he let
out a bark to see if that would call him. But the
only answer he got was the wailing of the wind
across the wide, salt fen.
We hurried forward, all three of us thinking
hard.
When we reached the front of the shack we
found the door open, swinging and creaking dis-
mally in the wind. We looked inside. There
was no one there.
"Isn't Luke at home then?" said I. "Perhaps
he's out for a walk."
"He is always at home," said the Doctor frown-
ing in a peculiar sort of way. "And even if he
were out for a, walk he wouldn't leave his door
banging in the wind behind him. There is some-
thing queer about this — What are you doing in
there, Jip?"
Luke the Hermit 93
"Nothing much — nothing worth speaking of,"
said Jip examining the floor of the hut extremely
carefully.
"Come here, Jip," said the Doctor in a stern
voice. 'You are hiding something from me. You
see signs and you know something — or you guess
it. What has happened? Tell me. Where is the
Hermit?"
"I don't know," said Jip looking very guilty and
uncomfortable. "I don't know where he is."
"Well, you know something. I can tell it from
the look in your eye. What is it?"
But Jip didn't answer.
For ten minutes the Doctor kept questioning
him. But not a word would the dog say.
"Well," said the Doctor at last, "it is no use
our standing around here in the cold. The Her-
mit's gone. That's all. We might as well go home
to luncheon."
As we buttoned up our coats and started back
across the marsh, Jip ran ahead pretending he was
looking for water-rats.
"He knows something all right," whispered the
Doctor. "And I think he knows what has happened
too. It's funny, his not wanting to tell me. He
has never done that before — not in eleven vears.
j
He has always told me everything — Strange — very
strange
I"
94 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
"Do you mean you think he knows all about the
Hermit, the big mystery about him which folks
hint at and all that?"
"I shouldn't wonder if he did," the Doctor an-
swered slowly. "I noticed something in his ex-
pression the moment we found that door open and
the hut empty. And the way he sniffed the floor
too — it told him something, that floor did. He
saw signs we couldn't see — I wonder why he won't
tell me. I'll try him again. Here, Jip ! Jip ! —
Where is the dog? I thought he went on in front."
"So did I," I said. "He was there a moment
ago. I saw him as large as life. Jip — Jip — Jip
—IIP!"
But he was gone. We called and called. We
even walked back to the hut. But Jip had disap-
peared.
"Oh well," I said, "most likely he has just run
home ahead of us. He often does that, you know.
We'll find him there when we get back to the house."
But the Doctor just closed his coat-collar tighter
against the wind and strode on muttering, "Odd —
very odd!"
THE THIRD CHAPTER
JIP AND THE SECRET
WHEN we reached the house the first
question the Doctor asked of Dab-
Dab in the hall was,
"Is Jip home yet?"
"No," said Dab-Dab, "I haven't seen him."
"Let me know the moment he comes in, will you,
please?" said the Doctor, hanging up his hat.
"Certainly I will," said Dab-Dab. "Don't be
long over washing your hands; the lunch is on the
table."
Just as we were sitting down to luncheon in the
kitchen we heard a great racket at the front door.
I ran and opened it. In bounded Jip.
"Doctor!" he cried, "come into the library quick.
I've got something to tell you — No, Dab-Dab, the
luncheon must wait. Please hurry, Doctor.
There's not a moment to be lost. Don't let any of
the animals come — just you and Tommy."
"Now," he said, when we were inside the library
and the door was closed, "turn the key in the
lock and make sure there's no one listening under
the windows."
05
96 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
"It's all right," said the Doctor. "Nobody can
hear you here. Now what is it?"
'Well, Doctor," said Jip (he was badly out of
breath from running) , "I know all about the Her-
mit— I have known for years. But I couldn't tell
you."
"Why?" asked the Doctor.
"Because I'd promised not to tell any one. It
was Bob, his dog, that told me. And I swore to
him that I would keep the secret."
'Well, and are you going to tell me now?"
'Yes," said Jip, "we've got to save him. I
followed Bob's scent just now when I left you out
there on the marshes. And I found him. And I
said to him, 'Is it all right,' I said, 'for me to tell
the Doctor now? Maybe he can do something.'
And Bob says to me, 'Yes,' says he, 'it's all right
because — '
"Oh, for Heaven's sake, go on, go on!" cried the
Doctor. 'Tell us what the mystery is — not what
you said to Bob and what Bob said to you. What
has happened? Where is the Hermit?"
"He's in Puddleby Jail," said Jip. "He's in
prison."
"In prison!"
"Yes."
"What for?— What's he done?"
Jip went over to the door and smelt at the bot-
tom of it to see if any one were listening outside.
Jip and the Secret 97
Then he came back to the Doctor on tiptoe and
whispered,
"He killed a man!"
"Lord preserve us!" cried the Doctor, sitting
down heavily in a chair and mopping his forehead
with a handkerchief. "When did he do it?"
"Fifteen years ago — in a Mexican gold-mine.
That's why he has been a hermit ever since. He
shaved off his beard and kept away from people
out there on the marshes so he wouldn't be recog-
nized. But last week, it seems these new-fangled
policemen came to Town; and they heard there was
a strange man who kept to himself all alone in a
shack on the fen. And they got suspicious. For
a long time people had been hunting all over the
world for the man that did that killing in the Mexi-
can gold-mine fifteen years ago. So these police-
men went out to the shack, and they recognized
Luke by a mole on his arm. And they took him to
prison."
"Well, well!" murmured the Doctor. "Who
would have thought it? — Luke, the philosopher! —
Killed a man! — I can hardly believe it."
"It's true enough — unfortunately," said Jip.
"Luke did it. But it wasn't his fault. Bob says
so. And he was there and saw it all. He was
scarcely more than a puppy at the time. Bob says
Luke couldn't help it. He had to do it."
"Where is Bob now?" asked the Doctor.
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
"Down at the prison. I wanted him to come
with me here to see you; but he won't leave the
prison while Luke is there. He just sits outside
the door of the prison-cell and won't move. He
doesn't even eat the food they give him. Won't
you please come down there, Doctor, and see if
there is anything you can do? The trial is to be
this afternoon at two o'clock. What time is it
now?"
"It's ten minutes past one."
"Bob says he thinks they are going to kill Luke
for a punishment if they can prove that he did it — or
certainly keep him in prison for the rest of his life.
Won't you please come? Perhaps if you spoke
to the judge and told him what a good man Luke
really is they'd let him off."
"Of course I'll come," said the Doctor getting
up and moving to go. "But I'm very much afraid
that I shan't be of any real help." He turned at
the door and hesitated thoughtfully.
"And yet — I wonder — "
Then he opened the door and passed out with
Jip and me close at his heels.
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
BOB
DAB-DAB was terribly upset when she
found we were going away again with-
out luncheon; and she made us take
some cold pork-pies in our pockets to
eat on the way.
When we got to Puddleby Court-house (it was
next door to the prison), we found a great crowd
gathered around the building.
This was the week of the Assizes — a business
which happened every three months, when many
pick-pockets and other bad characters were tried
by a very grand judge who came all the way from
London. And anybody in Puddleby who had noth-
ing special to do used to come to the Court-house
to hear the trials.
But to-day it was different. The crowd was not
made up of just a few idle people. It was enor-
mous. The news had run through the countryside
that Luke the Hermit was to be tried for killing a
man and that the great mystery which had hung
over him so long was to be cleared up at last. The
butcher and the baker had closed their shops and
taken a holiday. All the farmers from round-
"DffOfcfcO 99
TOO The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
about, and all the townsfolk, were there with their
Sunday clothes on, trying to get seats in the Court-
house or gossipping outside in low whispers. The
High Street was so crowded you could hardly move
along it. I had never seen the quiet old town in
such a state of excitement before. For Puddleby
had not had such an Assizes since 1799, when
Ferdinand Phipps, the Rector's oldest son, had
robbed the bank.
If I hadn't had the Doctor with me I am sure I
would never have been able to make my way through
the mob packed around the Court-house door. But
I just followed behind him, hanging on to his coat-
tails; and at last we got safely into the jail.
"I want to see Luke," said the Doctor to a very
grand person in a blue coat with brass buttons
standing at the door.
"Ask at the Superintendent's office," said the
man. "Third door on the left down the corridor."
"Who is that person you spoke to, Doctor?"
I asked as we went along the passage.
"He is a policeman."
"And what are policemen?"
"Policemen? They are to keep people in order.
They've just been invented — by Sir Robert Peel.
That's why they are also called 'peelers' some-
times. It is a wonderful age we live in. They're
always thinking of something new — This will be
the Superintendent's office, I suppose."
• V >V \ * - i. • • • t "
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Ifcd-
>? T' • • VA ^ , ''Xf-x V^-'y -'
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SW'/war-.x- /*,>,
•-
;
'
"On the bed sat the Hermit'
IO2 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
From there another policeman was sent with us
to show us the way.
Outside the door of Luke's cell we found Bob,
the bulldog, who wagged his tail sadly when he
saw us. The man who was guiding us took a large
bunch of keys from his pocket and opened the door.
I had never been inside a real prison-cell before;
and I felt quite a thrill when the policeman went
out and locked the door after him, leaving us shut
in the dimly-lighted, little, stone room. Before he
went, he said that as soon as we had done talking
with our friend we should knock upon the door and
he would come and let us out.
At first I could hardly see anything, it was so dim
inside. But after a little I made out a low bed
against the wall, under a small barred window. On
the bed, staring down at the floor between his feet,
sat the Hermit, his head resting in his hands.
"Well, Luke," said the Doctor in a kindly voice,
"they don't give you much light in here, do they?"
Very slowly the Hermit looked up from the
floor.
"Hulloa, John Dolittle. What brings you here?"
"I've come to see you. I would have been here
sooner, only I didn't hear about all this till a few
minutes ago. I went to your hut to ask you if you
would join me on a voyage; and when I found
it empty I had no idea where you could be. I
am dreadfully sorry to hear about your bad luck.
Bob 103
I've come to see if there is anything I can do."
Luke shook his head.
"No, I don't imagine there is anything can be
done. They've caught me at last. That's the
end of it, I suppose."
He got up stiffly and started walking up and
down the little room.
"In a way I'm glad it's over," said he. "I never
got any peace, always thinking they were after me
— afraid to speak to anyone. They were bound
to get me in the end — Yes, I'm glad it's over."
Then the Doctor talked to Luke for more than
half an hour, trying to cheer him up; while I sat
around wondering what I ought to say and wishing
I could do something.
At last the Doctor said he wanted to see Bob; and
we knocked upon the door and were let out by the
policeman.
"Bob," said the Doctor to the big bulldog in the
passage, "come out with me into the porch. I
want to ask you something."
"How is he, Doctor?" asked Bob as we walked
down the corridor into the Court-house porch.
"Oh, Luke's all right. Very miserable of course,
but he's all right. Now tell me, Bob: you saw this
business happen, didn't you? You were there when
the man was killed, eh?"
"I was, Doctor," said Bob, "and I tell you — "
"All right," the Doctor interrupted, "that's
all I want to know for the present. There isn't
IO4 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
time to tell me more now. The trial is just going
to begin. There are the judge and the lawyers
coming up the steps. Now listen, Bob: I want
you to stay with me when I go into the court-room.
-And whatever I tell you to do, do it. Do you
understand? Don't make any scenes. Don't bite
anybody, no matter what they may say about Luke.
Just behave perfectly quietly and answer any
question I may ask you — truthfully. Do you
understand?"
'Very well. But do you think you will be able to
get him off, Doctor?" asked Bob. "He's a good
man, Doctor. He really is. There never was a
better."
'We'll see, we'll see, Bob. It's a new thing I'm
going to try. I'm not sure the judge will allow it.
But — well, we'll see. It's time to go into the
court-room now. Don't forget what I told you.
Remember: for Heaven's sake don't start biting
any one or you'll get us all put out and spoil every-
thing;."
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
MENDOZA
INSIDE the court-room everything was very
solemn and wonderful. It was a high, big
room. Raised above the floor, against the
wall was the Judge's desk; and here the judge
was already sitting — an old, handsome man in a
marvelous big wig of gray hair and a gown of black.
Below him was another wide, long desk at which
lawyers in white wigs sat. The whole thing re-
minded me of a mixture between a church and a
school.
'Those twelve men at the side," whispered the
Doctor — "those in pews like a choir, they are what
is called the jury. It is they who decide whether
Luke is guilty — whether he did it or not."
"And look!" I said, "there's Luke himself
in a sort of pulpit-thing with policemen each side
of him. And there's another pulpit, the same kind,
the other side of the room, see — only that one's
empty."
"That one is called the witness-box," said the
Doctor. "Now I'm going down to speak to one
of those men in white wigs; and I want you to wait
here and keep these two seats for us. Bob will
105
106 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
stay with you. Keep an eye on him — better hold
on to his collar. I shan't be more than a minute
or so.'
With that the Doctor disappeared into the crowd
which filled the main part of the room.
Then I saw the judge take up a funny little
wooden hammer and knock on his desk with it.
This, it seemed, was to make people keep quiet,
for immediately every one stopped buzzing and
talking and began to listen very respectfully. Then
another man in a black gown stood up and began
reading from a paper in his hand.
He mumbled away exactly as though he were
saying his prayers and didn't want any one to under-
stand what language they were in. But I managed
to catch a few words:
"Biz — biz — biz — biz — biz — otherwise known as
Luke the Hermit, of — biz — biz — biz. — biz — for
killing his partner with — biz — biz — biz — otherwise
known as Bluebeard Bill on the night of the — biz
— biz — >biz — in the biz — biz* — biz — of Mexico.
Therefore Her Majesty's — biz — biz — biz — "
At this moment I felt some one take hold of my
arm from the back, and turning round I found the
Doctor had returned with one of the men in white
wigs.
"Stubbins, this is Mr. Percy Jenkyns," said the
Doctor. "He is Luke's lawyer. It is his business
to get Luke off — if he can."
Mendoza 107
Mr. Jenkyns seemed to be an extremely young
man with a round smooth face like a boy. He
shook hands with me and then immediately turned
and went on talking with the Doctor.
"Oh, I think it is a perfectly precious idea," he
was saying. "Of course the dog must be admitted
as a witness; he was the only one who saw the
thing take place. I'm awfully glad you came. I
wouldn't have missed this for anything. My hat!
Won't it make the old court sit up? They're
always frightfully dull, these Assizes. But this
will stir things. A bulldog witness for the defense !
I do hope there are plenty of reporters present —
Yes, there's one making a sketch of the prisoner.
I shall become known after this — And won't Conkey
be pleased? My hat!"
He put his hand over his- mouth to smother a
laugh- and his eyes fairly sparkled with mischief.
"Who is Conkey?" I asked the Doctor.
"Sh! He is speaking of the judge up there, the
Honorable Eustace Beauchamp Conckley."
"Now," said Mr. Jenkyns, bringing out a note-
book, "tell me a little more about yourself, Doctor.
You took your degree as Doctor of Medicine at
Durham, I think you said. And the name of your
last book was?"
I could not hear any more for they talked in
whispers; and I fell to looking round the court
again.
io8 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
Of course I could not understand everything that
was going on, though it was all very interesting.
People kept getting up in the place the Doctor
called the witness-box, and the lawyers at the long
table asked them questions about "the night of the
29th." Then the people would get down again
and somebody else would get up and be questioned.
One of the lawyers (who, the Doctor told me
afterwards, was called the Prosecutor) seemed to
be doing his best to get the Hermit into trouble by
asking questions which made it look as though he
had always been a very bad man. He was a nasty
lawyer, this Prosecutor, with a long nose.
Most of the time I could hardly keep my eyes off
poor Luke, who sat there between his two policemen,
staring at the floor as though he weren't interested.
The only time I saw him take any notice at all was
when a small dark man with wicked, little, watery
eyes got up into the witness-box. I heard Bob
snarl under my chair as this person came into the
court-room and Luke's eyes just blazed with anger
and contempt.
This man said his name was Mendoza and that
he was the one who had guided the Mexican police
to the mine after Bluebeard Bill had been killed.
And at every word he said I could hear Bob down
below me muttering between his teeth,
"It's a lie! It's a lie! I'll chew his face. It's
a lie!"
Mendoza 109
And both the Doctor and I had hard work keeping
the dog under the seat.
Then I noticed that our Mr. Jenkyns had disap-
peared from the Doctor's side. But presently I
saw him stand up at the long table to speak to the
judge.
'Your Honor," said he, "I wish to introduce a
new witness for the defense, Doctor John Dolittle,
the naturalist. Will you please step into the wit-
ness-stand, Doctor?"
There was a buzz of excitement as the Doctor
made his way across the crowded room; and I
noticed the nasty lawyer with the long nose lean
down and whisper something to a friend, smiling in
an ugly way which made me want to pinch him.
Then Mr. Jenkyns asked the Doctor a whole lot
of questions about himself and made him answer
in a loud voice so the whole court could hear. He
finished up by saying,
uAnd you are prepared to swear, Doctor Dolittle,
that you understand the language of dogs and can
make them understand you. Is that so?"
"Yes," said the Doctor, "that is so."
"And what, might I ask," put in the judge in a
very quiet, dignified voice, "has all this to do with
the killing of er — er — Bluebeard Bill?"
"This, Your Honor," said Mr. Jenkyns, talking
in a very grand manner as though he were on a
stage in a theatre: "there is in this court-room at
no The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
the present moment a bulldog, who was the only
living thing that saw the man killed. With the
Court's permission I propose to put that dog in the
witness-stand and have him questioned before you
by the eminent scientist, Doctor John Dolittle."
THE SIXTH CHAPTER
THE JUDGE'S DOG
AT first there was a dead silence in the
Court. Then everybody began whisper-
ing or giggling at the same time, till the
whole room sounded like a great hive
of bees. Many people seemed to be shocked; most
of them were amused; and a few were angry.
Presently up sprang the nasty lawyer with the
long nose.
"I protest, Your Honor," he cried, waving his
arms wildly to the judge. "I object. The dignity
of this court is in peril. I protest."
''I am the one to take care of the dignity of this
court," said the judge.
Then Mr. Jenkyns got up again. (If it hadn't
been such a serious matter, it was almost like a
Punch-and-Judy show: somebody was always pop-
ping down and somebody else popping up).
"If there is any doubt on the score of our being
able to do as we say, Your Honor will have no
objection, I trust, to the Doctor's giving the Court
a demonstration of his powers — of showing that he
actually can understand the speech of animals?"
I thought I saw a twinkle of amusement come into
in
112 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
the old judge's eyes as he sat considering a moment
before he answered.
"No," he said at last, "I don't think so." Then
he turned to the Doctor.
"Are you quite sure you can do this?" he asked.
"Quite, Your Honor," said the Doctor — "quite
sure."
"Very well then," said the judge. "If you can
satisfy us that you really are able to understand
canine testimony, the dog shall be admitted as a
witness. I do not see, in that case, how I could
object to his being heard. But I warn you that if
you are trying to make a laughing-stock of this
Court it will go hard with you."
"I protest, I protest!" yelled the long-nosed
Prosecutor. 'This is a scandal, an outrage to the
Bar!"
"Sit down!" said the judge in a very stern voice.
"What animal does Your Honor wish me to
talk with?" asked the Doctor.
"I would like you to talk to my own dog," said
the judge. "He is outside in the cloak-room. I
will have him brought in; and then we shall see what
you can do."
Then someone went out and fetched the judge's
dog, a lovely great Russian wolf-hound with slender
legs and a shaggy coat. He was a proud and beau-
tiful creature.
"Now, Doctor," said the judge, "did you ever
The Judge' 's Dog 113
see this dog before? — Remember you are in the
witness-stand and under oath."
''No, Your Honor, I never saw him before."
'Very well then, will you please ask him to tell
you what I had for supper last night? He was
with me and watched me while I ate."
Then the Doctor and the dog started talking to
one another in signs and sounds; and they kept at
it for quite a long time. And the Doctor began to
giggle and get so interested that he seemed to for-
get all about the Court and the judge and every-
thing else.
'What a time he takes!'1 I heard a fat woman
in front of me whispering. "He's only pretending.
Of course he can't do it! Who ever heard of talk-
ing to a dog? He must think we're children."
"Haven't you finished yet?" the judge asked the
Doctor. "It shouldn't take that long just to ask
what I had for supper."
"Oh no, Your Honor," said the Doctor. "The
dog told me that long ago. But then he went on to
tell me what you did after supper."
"Never mind that," said the judge. Tell me
what answer he gave you to my question."
"He says you had a mutton-chop, two baked pota-
toes, a pickled walnut and a glass of ale."
The Honorable Eustace Beauchamp Conckley
went white to the lips.
H4 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
"Sounds like witchcraft," he muttered. 'I
never dreamed — "
"And after your supper," the Doctor went on,
"he says you went to see a prize-fight and then sat
up playing cards for money till twelve o'clock and
came home singing, 'We wont get — '
"That will do," the judge interrupted, 'I am
satisfied you can do as you say. The prisoner's
dog shall be admitted as a witness."
"I protest, I object!" screamed the Prosecutor.
"Your Honor, this is — "
"Sit down!" roared the judge. "I say the dog
shall be heard. That ends the matter. Put the
witness in the stand."
And then for the first time in the solemn history
of England a dog was put in the witness-stand of
Her Majesty's Court of Assizes. And it was I,
Tommy Stubbins (when the Doctor made a sign to
me across the room) who proudly led Bob up the
aisle, through the astonished crowd, past the frown-
ing, spluttering, long-nosed Prosecutor, and made
him comfortable on a high chair in the witness-box;
from where the old bulldog sat scowling down over
the rail upon the amazed and gaping jury.
1 j^AW
'Sat scowling down upon the amazed and gaping jury"
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER
THE END OF THE MYSTERY
THE trial went swiftly forward after that.
Mr. Jenkyns told the Doctor to ask Bob
what he saw on the "night of the 29th;"
and when Bob had told all he knew and
the Doctor had turned it into English for the judge
and the jury, this was what he had to say:
"On the night of the 29th of November, 1824, I
was with my master, Luke Fitzjohn (otherwise
known as Luke the Hermit) and his two partners,
Manuel Mendoza and William Boggs (otherwise
known as Bluebeard Bill) on their gold-mine in
Mexico. For a long time these three men had
been hunting for gold; and they had dug a deep
hole in the ground. On the morning of the 29th
gold was discovered, lots of it, at the bottom of
this hole. And all three, my master and his two
partners, were very happy about it because now they
would be rich. But Manuel Mendoza asked Blue-
beard Bill to go for a walk with him. These two
men I had always suspected of being bad. So
when I noticed that they left my master behind,
I followed them secretly to see what they were
up to. And in a deep cave in the mountains I heard
116
The End of the Mystery
them arrange together to kill Luke the Hermit so
that they should get all the gold and he have none.'1
At this point the judge asked, "Where is the wit-
ness Mendoza? Constable, see that he does not
leave the court."
But the wicked little man with the watery eyes
had already sneaked out when no one was looking
and he was never seen in Puddleby again.
"Then," Bob's statement went on, UI went to
my master and tried very hard to make him under-
stand that his partners were dangerous men. But
it was no use. He did not understand dog lan-
guage. So I did the next best thing: I never let
him out of my sight but stayed with him every
moment of the day and night.
"Now the hole that they had made was so deep
that to get down and up it you had to go in a big
bucket tied on the end of a rope; and the three men
used to haul one another up and let one another down
the mine in this way. That was how the gold was
brought up too — in the bucket. Well, about seven
o'clock in the evening my master was standing at the
top of the mine, hauling up Bluebeard Bill who was
in the bucket. Just as he had got Bill halfway up
I saw Mendoza come out of the hut where we all
lived. Mendoza thought that Bill was away buy-
ing groceries. But he wasn't: he was in the bucket,
And when Mendoza saw Luke hauling and straining
on the rope he thought he was pulling up a bucket-
n8 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
ful of gold. So he drew a pistol from his pocket
and came sneaking up behind Luke to shoot him.
"I barked and barked to warn my master of the
danger he was in; but he was so busy hauling up
Bill (who was a heavy fat man) that he took no
notice of me. I saw that if I didn't do something
quick he would surely be shot. So I did a thing I've
never done before: suddenly and savagely I bit my
master in the leg from behind. Luke was so hurt
and startled that he did just what I wanted him
to do : he let go the rope with both hands at once
and turned round. And then, Crash! down went
Bill in his bucket to the bottom of the mine and he
was killed.
'While my master was busy scolding me Men-
doza put his pistol in his pocket, came up with a
smile on his face and looked down the mine.
" 'Why, Good Gracious' !" said he to Luke,
'You've killed Bluebeard Bill. I must go and tell
the police' — hoping, you see, to get the whole mine
to himself when Luke should be put in prison.
Then he jumped on his horse and galloped away."
"And soon my master grew afraid; for he saw
that if Mendoza only told enough lies to the police,
it would look as though he had killed Bill on pur<
pose. So while Mendoza was gone he and I stole
away together secretly and came to England.
Here he shaved off his beard and became a hermit.
The End of the Mystery 119
And ever since, for fifteen years, we've remained
in hiding. This is all I have to say. And I swear
it is the truth, every word."
When the Doctor finished reading Bob's long
speech the excitement among the twelve men of the
jury was positively terrific. One, a very old man
with white hair, began to weep in a loud voice at
the thought of poor Luke hiding on the fen for
fifteen years for something he couldn't help. And
all the others set to whispering and nodding their
heads to one another.
In the middle of all this up got that horrible
Prosecutor again, waving his arms more wildly than
ever.
u
Your Honor," he cried, "I must object to this
evidence as biased. Of course the dog would not
tell the truth against his own master. I object.
I protest."
"Very well," said the judge, "you are at liberty
to cross-examine. It is your duty as Prosecutor
to prove his evidence untrue. There is the dog:
question him, if you do not believe what he says."
I thought the long-nosed lawyer would have a
fit. He looked first at the dog, then at the Doctor,
then at the judge, then back at the dog scowling
from the witness-box. He opened his mouth to
say something; but no words came. He waved his
arms some more. His face got redder and redder.
At last, clutching his forehead, he sank weakly into
I2O The Voyages 'of Doctor Dollttle
his seat and had to be helped out of the court-room
by two friends. As he was half carried through
the door he was still feebly murmuring, "I protest
— I object — I protest!"
THE EIGHTH CHAPTER
THREE CHEERS
EXT the judge made a very long speech
to the jury; and when it was over all the
twelve jurymen got up and went out
into the next room. And at that point
the Doctor came back, leading Bob, to the seat be-
side me.
"What have the jurymen gone out for?" I asked.
"They always do that at the end of a trial — to
make up their minds whether the prisoner did it or
not."
"Couldn't you and Bob go in with them and help
them make up their minds the right way?" I asked.
"No, that's not allowed. They have to talk it
over in secret. Sometimes it takes — My Gracious,
look, they're coming back already! They didn't
spend long over it."
Everybody kept quite still while the twelve men
came tramping back into their places in the pews.
Then one of them, the leader — a little man — stood
up and turned to the judge. Every one was holding
his breath, especially the Doctor and myself, to see
what he was going to say. You could have heard
a pin drop while the whole court-room, the whole
121
122 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
of Puddleby in fact, waited with craning necks and
straining ears to hear the weighty words.
'Your Honor," said the little man, "the jury
returns a verdict of Not Guilty"
'What's that mean?" I asked, turning to the
Doctor.
But I found Doctor John Dolittle, the famous
naturalist, standing on top of a chair, dancing about
on one leg like a schoolboy.
'It means he's free!" he cried, "Luke is free!"
'Then he'll be able to come on the voyage with
us, won't he?"
But I could not hear his answer; for the whole
court-room seemed to be jumping up on chairs like
the Doctor. The crowd had suddenly gone crazy.
All the people were laughing and calling and waving
to Luke to show him how glad they were that he
was free. The noise was deafening.
Then it stopped. All was quiet again; and the
people stood up respectfully while the judge left
the Court. For the trial of Luke the Hermit, that
famous trial which to this day they are still talking
of in Puddleby, was over.
In the hush while the judge wras leaving, a sud-
den shriek rang out, and there, in the doorway
stood a woman, her arms out-stretched to the Her-
mit.
''Luke!'" she cried, "I've found you at last!"
"It's his wife," the fat woman in front of me
Three Cheers 123
whispered. "She ain't seen 'im in fifteen years,
poor dear! What a lovely re-union. I'm glad I
came. I wouldn't have missed this for anything!'1
As soon as the judge had gone the noise broke
out again; and now the folks gathered round Luke
and his wrife and shook them by the hand and con-
gratulated them and laughed over them and cried
over them.
"Come along, Stubbins," said the Doctor, taking
me by the arm, "let's get out of this while we
can.'
"But aren't you going to speak to Luke?" I said
— "to ask him if he'll come on the voyage?"
"It wouldn't be a bit of use," said the Doctor.
"His wife's come for him. No man stands any
chance of going on a voyage when his wife hasn't
seen him in fifteen years. Come along. Let's get
home to tea. We didn't have any lunch, remem-
ber. And we've earned something to eat. We'll
have one of those mixed meals, lunch and tea com-
bined— with watercress and ham. Nice change.
Come along."
Just as we were going to step out at a side door
I heard the crowd shouting,
"The Doctor! The Doctor! Where's the
Doctor? The Hermit would have hanged if it
hndn't been for the Doctor. Speech! Speech! —
The Doctor!"
And a man came running up to us and said.
124 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
'The people are calling for you, Sir."
"I'm very sorry," said the Doctor, "but I'm in
a hurry."
'The crowd won't be denied, Sir," said the man.
'They want you to make a speech in the market-
place."
"Beg them to excuse me," said the Doctor —
"with my compliments. I have an appointment at
my house — a very important one which I may not
break. Tell Luke to make a speech. Come along,
Stubbins, this way."
"Oh Lord!" he muttered as we got out into the
open air and found another crowd waiting for him
at the side door. "Let's go up that alleyway — to
the left. Quick!— Run!"
We took to our heels, darted through a couple
of side streets and just managed to get away from
the crowd.
It was not till we had gained the Oxenthorpe
Road that we dared to slow down to a walk and
take our breath. And even when we reached the
Doctor's gate and turned to look backwards towards
the town, the faint murmur of many voices still
reached us on the evening wind.
'They're still clamoring for you," I said. "Lis-
ten!"
The murmur suddenly swelled up into a low
distant roar; and although it was a mile and half
away you could distinctly hear the words,
Three Cheers 125
"Three cheers for Luke the Hermit: Hooray!
— Three cheers for his dog: Hooray! — Three cheers
for his wife: Hooray! — Three cheers for the Doc-
tor: Hooray! Hooray! HOO-R-A-Y!"
THE NINTH CHAPTER
THE PURPLE BIRD-OF-PARADISE
^LYNESIA was waiting for us in the front
porch. She looked full of some impor-
tant news.
"Doctor," said she, "the Purple Bird-
of-Paradise has arrived!'
"At last!" said the Doctor. "I had begun to
fear some accident had befallen her. And how is
Miranda?"
From the excited way in which the Doctor fum-
bled his key into the lock I guessed that we were
not going to get our tea right away, even now.
"Oh, she seemed all right when she arrived,"
said Polynesia — "tired from her long journey of
course but otherwise all right. But what do you
think? That mischief-making sparrow, Cheapside,
insulted her as soon as she came into the garden.
When I arrived on the scene she was in tears and
was all for turning round and going straight back
to Brazil to-night. I had the hardest work per-
suading her to wait till you came. She's in the
study. I shut Cheapside in one of your book-cases
and told him I'd tell you exactly what had happened
the moment you got home."
126
The Purple Bird- of -Paradise 127
The Doctor frowned, then walked silently and
quickly to the study.
Here we found the candles lit; for the daylight
was nearly gone. Dab-Dab was standing on the
floor mounting guard over one of the glass-fronted
book-cases in which Cheapside had been imprisoned.
The noisy little sparrow was still fluttering angrily
behind the glass when we came in.
In the centre of the big table, perched on the
ink-stand, stood the most beautiful bird I have ever
seen. She had a deep violet-colored breast, scarlet
wings and a long, long sweeping tail of gold. She
was unimaginably beautiful but looked dreadfully
tired. Already she had her head under her wing;
and she swayed gently from side to side on top of
the ink-stand like a bird that has flown long and far.
uSh!" said Dab-Dab. "Miranda is asleep.
I've got this little imp Cheapside in here. Listen,
Doctor: for Heaven's sake send that sparrow
away before he does any more mischief. He's
nothing but a vulgar little nuisance. We've had a
perfectly awful time trying to get Miranda to stay.
Shall I serve your tea in here, or will you come into
the kitchen when you're ready?"
"We'll come into the kitchen, Dab-Dab," said
the Doctor. "Let Cheapside out before you go,
please."
Dab-Dab opened the bookcase-door and Cheap-
side strutted out trying hard not to look guilty.
128 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
"Cheapside," said the Doctor sternly, "what did
you say to Miranda when she arrived?"
"I didn't say nothing, Doc, straight I didn't.
That is, nothing much. I was picking up crumbs
off the gravel path when she comes swanking into
the garden, turning up her nose in all directions,
as though she owned the earth — just because she's
got a lot of colored plumage. A London spar-
row's as good as her any day. I don't hold by
these gawdy bedizened foreigners nohow. Why
don't they stay in their own country?"
"But what did you say to her that got her so
offended?"
"All I said was, 'You don't belong in an English
garden; you ought to be in a milliner's window.
That's all."
(
"You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Cheap-
side. Don't you realize that this bird has come
thousands of miles to see me — only to be insulted
by your impertinent tongue as soon as she reaches
my garden? What do you mean by it? — If she
had gone away again before I got back to-night I
would never have forgiven you — Leave the room."
Sheepishly, but still trying to look as though he
didn't care, Cheapside hopped out into the passage
and Dab-Dab closed the door.
The Doctor went up to the beautiful bird on the
ink-stand and gently stroked its back. Instantly
its head popped out from under its wing.
THE TENTH CHAPTER
LONG ARROW, THE SON OF GOLDEN ARROW
WELL, Miranda," said the Doctor. "I'm
terribly sorry this has happened. But
you mustn't mind Cheapside; he
doesn't know any better. He's a city
bird; and all his life he has had to squabble for a
living. You must make allowances. He doesn't
know any better."
Miranda stretched her gorgeous wings wearily.
Now that I saw her awake and moving I noticed
what a superior, well-bred manner she had. There
were tears in her eyes and her beak was trembling.
UI wouldn't have minded so much," she said in
a high silvery voice, "if I hadn't been so dreadfully
worn out — That and something else," she added
beneath her breath.
"Did you have a hard time getting here?" asked
the Doctor.
"The worst passage I ever made," said Miranda.
"The weather — Well there. What's the use ? I'm
here anyway."
"Tell me," said the Doctor as though he had
been impatiently waiting to say something for a
129
130 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
long time: "what did Long Arrow say when you
gave him my message?"
The Purple Bird-of-Paradise hung her head.
'That's the worst part of it," she said. "I
might almost as well have not come at all. I
wasn't able to deliver your message. I couldn't
find him. Long Arrow, the son of Golden Arrow,
has disappeared!"
"Disappeared!" cried the Doctor. "Why, what's
become of him?"
"Nobody knows," Miranda answered. uHe
had often disappeared before, as I have told you —
so that the Indians didn't know where he was. But
it's a mighty hard thing to hide away from the
birds. I had always been able to find some owl
or martin who could tell me where he was — if I
wanted to know. But not this time. That's why
I'm nearly a fortnight late in coming to you: I
kept hunting and hunting, asking everywhere. I
went over the whole length and breadth of South
America. But there wasn't a living thing could
tell me where he was."
There was a sad silence in the room after she
had finished; the Doctor was frowning in a pecul-
iar sort of way and Polynesia scratched her
head.
"Did you ask the black parrots?" asked Poly-
nesia. "They usually know everything."
Long Arrow, the Son of Golden Arrow 131
"Certainly I did," said Miranda. "And I was
so upset at not being able to find out anything,
that I forgot all about observing the weather-signs
before I started my flight here. I didn't even
bother to break my journey at the Azores, but cut
right across, making for the Straits of Gibraltar —
as though it were June or July. And of course I
ran into a perfectly frightful storm in mid-Atlantic.
I really thought I'd never come through it. Luck-
ily I found a piece of a wrecked vessel floating in
the sea after the storm had partly died down; and
I roosted on it and took some sleep. If I hadn't
been able to take that rest I wouldn't be here to tell
the tale."
"Poor Miranda! What a time you must have
had!" said the Doctor. "But tell me, were you
able to find out whereabouts Long Arrow was last
seen?"
"Yes. A young albatross told me he had seen
him on Spidermonkey Island?"
"Spidermonkey Island? That's somewhere off
the coast of Brazil, isn't it?"
"Yes, that's it. Of course I flew there right
away and asked every bird on the island — and it
is a big island, a hundred miles long. It seems
that Long Arrow was visiting some peculiar Indians
that live there; and that when last seen he was
going up into the mountains looking for rare
132 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
medicine-plants. I got that from a tame hawk, a
pet, which the Chief of the Indians keeps for hunt-
ing partridges with. I nearly got caught and put
in a cage for my pains too. That's the worst of
having beautiful feathers: it's as much as your life
is worth to go near most humans — They say, 'oh
how pretty!' and shoot an arrow or a bullet into
you. You and Long Arrow were the only two
men that I would ever trust myself near — out of
all the people in the world."
"But was he never known to have returned from
the mountains?"
"No. That was the last that was seen or heard
of him. I questioned the sea-birds around the
shores to find out if he had left the island in a
canoe. But they could tell me nothing."
"Do you think that some accident has happened
to him?" asked the Doctor in a fearful voice.
"I'm afraid it must have," said Miranda shaking
her head.
"Well," said John Dolittle slowly, "if I could
never meet Long Arrow face to face it would be
the greatest disappointment in my whole life. Not
only that, but it would be a great loss to the knowl-
edge of the human race. For, from what you have
told me of him, he knew more natural science than
all the rest of us put together; and if he has gone
without any one to write it down for him, so the
world may be the better for it, it would be a terrible
^ ........
**"'•• " T"*'v. ; _"*/_
.w..*.....vv.^...... .";::;::.
'
"'What else can I think?'
134 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
thing. But you don't really think that he is dead,
do you?"
"What else can I think?" asked Miranda, burst-
ing into tears, "when for six whole months he has
not been seen by flesh, fish or fowL"
THE ELEVENTH CHAPTER
BLIND TRAVEL
THIS news about Long Arrow made us
all very sad. And I could see from the
silent dreamy way the Doctor took his
tea that he was dreadfully upset. Every
once in a while he would stop eating altogether and
sit staring at the spots on the kitchen table-cloth as
though his thoughts were far away; till Dab-Dab,
who was watching to see that he got a good meal,
would cough or rattle the pots in the sink.
I did my best to cheer him up by reminding him
of all he had done for Luke and his wife that after-
noon. And when that didn't seem to work, I went
on talking about our preparations for the voyage.
"But you see, Stubbins," said he as we rose from
the table and Dab-Dab and Chee-Chee began to
clear away, "I don't know where to go now. I
feel sort of lost since Miranda brought me this
news. On this voyage I had planned going to see
Long Arrow. I had been looking forward to it
for a whole year. I felt he might help me in learn-
ing the language of the shellfish — and perhaps in
finding some way of getting to the bottom of the
135
136 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
sea. But now? — He's gone! And all his great
knowledge has gone with him."
Then he seemed to fall a-dreaming again.
"Just to think of it!" he murmured. "Long
Arrow and I, two students — Although I'd never
met him, I felt as though I knew him quite well.
For, in his way — without any schooling — he has, all
his life, been trying to do the very things which I
have tried to do in mine — And now he's gone ! — A
whole world lay between us — And only a bird knew
us both!"
We went back into the study, where Jip brought
the Doctor his slippers and his pipe. And after
the pipe was lit and the smoke began to fill the
room the old man seemed to cheer up a little.
"But you will go on some voyage, Doctor, won't
you?" I asked — "even if you can't go to find Long
Arrow."
He looked up sharply into my face ; and I suppose
he saw how anxious I was. Because he suddenly
smiled his old, boyish smile and said,
"Yes, Stubbins. Don't worry. We'll go. We
mustn't stop working and learning, even if poor
Long Arrow has disappeared — But where to go:
that's the question. Where shall we go?"
There were so many places that I wanted to go
that I couldn't make up my mind right away. And
while I was still thinking, the Doctor sat up in his
chair and saids
Blind Travel 137
"I tell you what we'll do, Stubbins: it's a game I
used to play when I was young — before Sarah came
to live with me. I used to call it Blind Travel.
Whenever I wanted to go on a voyage, and I
couldn't make up my mind where to go, I would
take the atlas and open it with my eyes shut. Next,
I'd wave a pencil, still without looking, and stick it
down on whatever page had fallen open. Then I'd
open my eyes and look. It's a very exciting game,
is Blind Travel. Because you have to swear, be-
fore you begin, that you will go to the place the
pencil touches, come what way. Shall we play it?''
"Oh, let's!" I almost yelled. "How thrilling!
I hope it's China — or Borneo — or Bagdad.'1
And in a moment I had scrambled up the book-
case, dragged the big atlas from the top shelf and
laid it on the table before the Doctor.
I knew every page in that atlas by heart. How
many days and nights I had lingered over its old
faded maps, following the blue rivers from the
mountains to the sea; wondering what the little
towns really looked like, and how wide were the
sprawling lakes! I had had a lot of fun with that
atlas, traveling, in my mind, all over the world. I
can see it now: the first page had no map; it just
told you that it was printed in Edinburgh in 1808,
and a whole lot more about the book. The next
page was the Solar System, showing the sun and
planets, the stars and the moon. The third page
138 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
was the chart of the North and South Poles. Then
came the hemispheres, the oceans, the continents
and the countries.
As the Doctor began sharpening his pencil a
thought came to me.
"What if the pencil falls upon the North Pole,"
I asked, "will we have to go there?"
"No. The rules of the game say you don't have
to go any place you've been to before. You are
allowed another try. I've been to the North Pole,"
he ended quietly, "so we shan't have to go there."
I could hardly speak with astonishment.
'You've been to the North pole!'' I managed to
gasp out at last. "But I thought it was still undis-
covered. The map shows all the places explorers
have reached to, trying to get there. Why isn't
your name down if you discovered it?"
"I promised to keep it a secret. And you must
promise me never to tell any one. Yes, I dis-
covered the North Pole in April, 1809. But
shortly after I got there the polar bears came to me
in a body and told me there was a great deal of
coal there, buried beneath the snow. They knew,
they said, that human beings would do anything,
and go anywhere, to get coal. So would I please
keep it a secret. Because once people began com-
ing up there to start coal-mines, their beautiful
white country would be spoiled — and there was
nowhere else in the world cold enough for polar
Blind Travel 139
bears to be comfortable. So of course I had to
promise them I would. Ah, well, it will be dis-
covered again some day, by somebody else. But
I want the polar bears to have their play-ground
to themselves as long as possible. And I daresay
it will be a good while yet — for it certainly is a
fiendish place to get to — Well now, are we ready?
— Good! Take the pencil and stand here close to
the table. When the book falls open, wave the
pencil round three times and jab it down. Ready?
— All right. Shut your eyes.'1
It was a tense and fearful moment — but very
thrilling. We both had our eyes shut tight. I
heard the atlas fall open with a bang. I wondered
what page it was: England or Asia. If it should
be the map of Asia, so much would depend on where
that pencil would land. I waved three times in a
circle. I began to lower my hand. The pencil-
point touched the page.
"All right," I called out, "it's done."
THE TWELFTH CHAPTER
DESTI.NY AND DESTINATION
WE both opened our eyes; then bumped
our heads together with a crack in
our eagerness to lean over and see
where we were to go.
The atlas lay open at a map called, Chart of the
South Atlantic Ocean. My pencil-point was rest-
ing right in the center of a tiny island. The name
of it was printed so small that the Doctor had to
get out his strong spectacles to read it. I was
trembling with excitement.
" Spidermonkey Island" he read out slowly.
Then he whistled softly beneath his breath. "Of
all the extraordinary things ! You've hit upon the
very island where Long Arrow was last seen on
earth — I wonder — Well, well ! How very sin-
gular!"
"We'll go there, Doctor, won't we?" I asked.
"Of course we will. The rules of the game say
we've got to."
"I'm so glad it wasn't Oxenthorpe or Bristol," I
said. "It'll be a grand voyage, this. Look at all
the sea we've got to cross. Will it take us long?"
140
Destiny and Destination 141
"Oh, no," said the Doctor — "not very. With a
good boat and a good wind we should make it
easily in four weeks. But isn't it extraordinary?
Of all the places in the world you picked out that
one with your eyes shut. Spidermonkey Island
after all! — Well, there's one good thing about it:
I shall be able to get some Jabizri beetles."
"What are Jabizri beetles?"
"They are a very rare kind of beetles with pecul-
iar habits. I want to study them. There are
only three countries in the world where they are to
be found. Spidermonkey Island is one of them.
But even there they are very scarce."
"What is this little question-mark after the name
of the island for?" I asked, pointing to the map.
"That means that the island's position in the
ocean is not known very exactly — that it is some-
where about there. Ships have probably seen it in
that neighborhood, that is all, most likely. It is
quite possible we shall be the first white men to
land there. But I daresay we shall have some
difficulty in finding it first."
How like a dream it all sounded! The two of
us sitting there at the big study-table; the candles
lit; the smoke curling towards the dim ceiling from
the Doctor's pipe — the two of us sitting there, talk-
ing about finding an island in the ocean and being
the first white men to land upon it!
"I'll bet it will be a great voyage," I said. "It
142 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
looks a lovely island on the map. Will there br:
black men there?'1
"No. A peculiar tribe of Red Indians lives on
it, Miranda tells me."
At this point the poor Bird-of-Paradise stirred
and woke up. In our excitement we had forgotten
to speak low.
"We are going to Spidermonkey Island, Mi-
randa," said the Doctor. 'You know where it is,
do you not?"
UI know where it was the last time I saw it,"
said the bird. "But whether it will be there still,
I can't say."
"What do you mean?" asked the Doctor. "It is
always in the same place surely?"
"Not by any means," said Miranda. "Why,
didn't you know? — Spidermonkey Island is a
floating island. It moves around all over the
place — usually somewhere near southern South
America. But of course I could surely find it for
you if you want to go there."
At this fresh piece of news I could contain my-
self no longer. I was bursting to tell some one.
I ran dancing and singing from the room to find
Chee-Chee.
At the door I tripped over Dab-Dab, who was
just coming in with her wings full of plates, and fell
headlong on my nose
Destiny and Destination 143
"Has the boy gone crazy?" cried the duck.
"Where do you think you're going, ninny?'1
"To Spidermonkey Island!" I shouted, picking
myself up and doing cart-wheels down the hall —
"Spidermonkey Island! Hooray! — And it's a
floating island!"
"You're going to Bedlam, I should say," snorted
the housekeeper. "Look what you've done to my
best china !n
But I was far too happy to listen to her scolding;
and I ran on, singing, into the kitchen to find Chee<
Chee.
o O o
PART THREE
THE FIRST CHAPTER
THE THIRD MAN
THAT same week we began our prepara-
tions for the voyage.
Joe, the mussel-man, had the Curlew
moved down the river and tied it up
along the river-wall, so it would be more handy for
loading. And for three whole days we carried
provisions down to our beautiful new boat and
stowed them away.
I was surprised to find how roomy and big she
was inside. There were three little cabins, a saloon
(or dining-room) and underneath all this, a big
place called the hold where the food and extra sails
and other things were kept.
I think Joe must have told everybody in the town
about our coming voyage, because there was always
a regular crowd watching us when we brought the
things down to put aboard. And of course sooner
or later old Matthew Mugg was bound to turn up.
"My Goodness, Tommy," said he, as he watched
me carrying on some sacks of flour, "but that's a
144
The Third Man 145
pretty boat! Where might the Doctor be going
to this voyage?"
"We're going to Spidermonkey Island," I said
proudly.
"And be you the only one the Doctor's taking
along?"
"Well, he has spoken of wanting to take another
man," I said; "but so far he hasn't made up his
mind."
Matthew grunted; then squinted up at the grace-
ful masts of the Curlew.
"You know, Tommy," said he, "if it wasn't for
my rheumatism I've half a mind to come with the
Doctor myself. There's something about a boat
standing ready to sail that always did make me feel
venturesome and travelish-like. What's that stuff
in the cans you're taking on?"
"This is treacle," I said — "twenty pounds of trea-
cle."
"My Goodness," he sighed, turning away sadly.
"That makes me feel more like going with you than
ever — But my rheumatism is that bad I can't
hardly—"
I didn't hear any more for Matthew had moved
off, still mumbling, into the crowd that stood about
the wharf. The clock in Puddleby Church struck
noon and I turned back, feeling very busy and im-
portant, to the task of loading.
But it wasn't very long before some one else came
146 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
along and interrupted my work. This was a huge,
big, burly man with a red beard and tattoo-marks
all over his arms. He wiped his mouth with the
back of his hand, spat twice on to the river-wall
and said,
"Boy, where's the skipper?"
'The skipper! — Who do you mean?" I asked.
"The captain — Where's the captaih of this
craft?" he said, pointing to the Curlew.
"Oh, you mean the Doctor," said I. "Well, he
isn't here at present."
At that moment the Doctor arrived with his arms
full of note-books and butterfly-nets and glass cases
and other natural history things. The big man
went up to him, respectfully touching his cap.
"Good morning, Captain," said he. "I heard
you was in need of hands for a voyage. My name's
Ben Butcher, able seaman."
"I am very glad to know you," said the Doctor.
"But I'm afraid I shan't be able to take* on any more
crew."
"Why, but Captain," said the able seaman, "you
surely ain't going to face deep-sea weather with
nothing more than this bit of a lad to help you —
and with a cutter that big!"
The Doctor assured him that he was; but the man
didn't go away. He hung around and argued.
He told us he had known of many ships being sunk
through "undermanning." He got out what he
'Boy, where's the skipper?'
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
called his stiffikit — a paper which said what a good
sailor he was — and implored us, if we valued our
lives, to take him.
But the Doctor was quite firm — polite but deter-
mined— and finally the man walked sorrowfully
away, telling us he never expected to see us alive
again.
Callers of one sort and another kept us quite
busy that morning. The Doctor had no sooner
gone below to stow away his note-books than
another visitor appeared upon the gang-plank.
This was a most extraordinary-looking black man.
The only other negroes I had seen had been in
circuses, where they wore feathers and bone neck-
laces and things like that. But this one was
dressed in a fashionable frock coat with an enor-
mous bright red cravat. On his head was a straw
hat with a gay band; and over this he held a large
green umbrella. He was very smart in every
respect except his feet. He wore no shoes or socks.
"Pardon me," said he', bowing elegantly, "but
is this the ship of the physician Dolittle?"
'Yes," I said, "did you wish to see him?"
"I did — if it will not be discommodious," he an-
swered.
"Who shall I say it is?"
"I am Bumpo Kahbooboo, Crown Prince of
Jolliginki."
I ran downstairs at once and told the Doctor.
The Third Man 149
"How fortunate!" cried John Dolittle. "My
old friend Bumpo ! Well, well ! — He's studying
at Oxford, you know. How good of him to come
all this way to call on me!" And he tumbled up
the ladder to greet his visitor.
The strange black man seemed to be overcome
with joy when the Doctor appeared and shook him
warmly by the hand.
"News reached me," he said, "that you were
a-bout to sail upon a voyage. I hastened to see
you before your departure. I am sublimely ec-
stasied that I did not miss you."
'You very nearly did miss us," said the Doctor.
"As it happened, we were delayed somewhat in get-
ting the necessary number of men to sail our
boat. If it hadn't been for that, we would have
been gone three days ago."
"How many men does your ship's company yet
require?" asked Bumpo.
"Only one," said the Doctor — "But it is so hard
to find the right one."
"Methinks I detect something of the finger of
Destination in this," said Bumpo. "How would I
do?"
"Splendidly," said the Doctor. "But what
about your studies? You can't very well just go
off and leave your university career to take care
of itself, you know."
"I need a holiday," said Bumpo. "Even had I
150 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
not gone with you, I intended at the end of this
term to take a three-months' absconsion — But be-
sides, I shall not be neglecting my edification if I
accompany you. Before I left Jolliginki my
august father, the King, told me to be sure and
travel plenty. You are a man of great studiosity.
To see the world in your company is an opportunity
not to be sneezed upon. No-, no, indeed."
"How did you like the life at Oxford?" asked
the Doctor.
"Oh, passably, passably," said Bumpo. "I liked
it all except the algebra and the shoes. The alge-
bra hurt my head and the shoes hurt my feet. I
threw the shoes over a wall as soon as I got out of
the college quadrilateral this morning; and the al-
gebra I am happily forgetting very fast — I liked
Cicero — Yes, I think Cicero's fine — so simulta-
neous. By the way, they tell me his son is rowing
for our college next year — charming fellow."
The Doctor looked down at the black man's huge
bare feet thoughtfully a moment.
'Well," he said slowly, "there is something in
what you say, Bumpo, about getting education from
the world as well as from the college. And if you
are really sure that you want to come, we shall be
delighted to have you. Because, to tell you the
truth, I think you are exactly the man we need."
THE SECOND CHAPTER
GOOD-BYE !
TWO days after that we had all in readi-
ness for our departure.
On this voyage Jip begged so hard to
be taken that the Doctor finally gave
in and said he could come. Polynesia and Chee-
Chee were the only other animals to go with us.
Dab-Dab was left in charge of the house and the
animal family we were to leave behind.
Of course, as is always the way, at the last mo-
ment we kept remembering things we had forgot-
ten; and when we finally closed the house up and
went down the steps to the road, we were all bur-
dened with armfuls of odd packages.
Halfway to the river, the Doctor suddenly re-
membered that he had left the stock-pot boiling on
the kitchen-fire. However, we saw a blackbird fly-
«
ing by who nested in our garden, and the Doctor
asked her to go back for us and tell Dab-Dab
about it.
Down at the river-wall we found a great crowd
waiting to see us off.
Standing right near the gang-plank were my
mother and father. I hoped that they would not
151
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
make a scene, or burst into tears or anything like
that. But as a matter of fact they behaved quite
well — for parents. My mother said something
about being sure not to get my feet wet; and my
father just smiled a crooked sort of smile, patted
me on the back and wished me luck. Good-byes
are awfully uncomfortable things and I was glad
when it was over and we passed on to the ship.
We were a little surprised not to see Matthew
Mugg among the crowd. We had felt sure that he
would be there; and the Doctor had intended to
give him some extra instructions about the food for
the animals we had left at the house.
At last, after much pulling and tugging, we got
the anchor up and undid a lot of mooring-ropes.
Then the Curlew began to move gently down the
river with the out-running tide, while the people on
the wall cheered and waved their handkerchiefs.
We bumped into one or two other boats getting
out into the stream; and at one sharp bend in the
river we got stuck on a mud bank for a few minutes.
But though the people on the shore seemed to get
very excited at these things, the Doctor did not
appear to be disturbed by them in the least.
"These little accidents will happen in the most
carefully regulated voyages," he said as he leaned
over the side and fished for his boots which had
got stuck in the mud while we were pushing off.
"Sailing is much easier when you get out into the
Good-Eye! 153
open sea. There aren't so many silly things to
bump into."
For me indeed it was a great and wonderful
feeling, that getting out into the open sea, when at
length we passed the little lighthouse at the mouth
of the river and found ourselves free of the land.
It was all so new and different: just the sky above
you and sea below. This ship, which was to be our
house and our street, our home and our garden, for
so many days to come, seemed so tiny in all this
wide water — so tiny and yet so snug, sufficient, safe.
I looked around me and took in a deep breath.
The Doctor was at the wheel steering the boat
which* was now leaping and plunging gently through
the waves. (I had expected to feel seasick at first
but was delighted to find that I didn't.) Bumpo
had been told off to go downstairs and prepare din-
ner for us. Chee-Chee was coiling up ropes in
the stern and laying them in neat piles. My work
was fastening down the things on the deck so that
nothing could roll about if the weather should grow
rough when we got further from the land. Jip
was up in the peak of the boat with ears cocked
and nose stuck out — like a statue, so still — his keen
old eyes keeping a sharp look-out for floating
wrecks, sand-bars, and other dangers. Each one
of us had some special job to do, part of the proper
running of a ship. Even old Polynesia was taking
the sea's temperature with the Doctor's bath-ther-
154 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
mometer tied on the end of a string, to make sure
there were no icebergs near us. As I listened to
her swearing softly to herself because she couldn't
read the pesky figures in the fading light, I realized
that the voyage had begun in earnest and that very
soon it would be night — my first night at sea!
THE THIRD CHAPTER
OUR TROUBLES BEGIN
JUST before supper-time Bumpo appeared
from downstairs and went to the Doctor' at
the wheel.
"A stowaway in the hold, Sir," said he in
a very business-like seafaring voice. "I just dis-
covered him, behind the flour-bags."
"Dear me!" said the Doctor. "What a nui-
sance ! Stubbins, go down with Bumpo and bring
the man up. I can't leave the wheel just now."
So Bumpo and I went down into the hold; and
there, behind the flour-bags, plastered in flour from
head to foot, we found a man. After we had swept
most of the flour off him with a broom, we discov-
ered that it was Matthew Mugg. We hauled him
upstairs sneezing and took him before the Doctor.
"Why Matthew!" said John Dolittle. "What
on earth are you doing here?"
'The temptation was too much for me, Doctor,"
said the cat's-meat-man. "You know I've often
asked you to take me on voyages with you and you
never would. Well, this time, knowing that you
needed an extra man, I thought if 1 stayed hid till
the ship was well at sea you would find I came in
155
156 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
handy like and keep me. But I had to lie so dou-
bled up, for hours, behind them flour-bags, that my
rheumatism came on something awful. I just had
to change my position; and of course just as I
stretched out my legs along comes this here African
cook of yours and sees my feef sticking out — Don't
this ship roll something awful ! How long has
this storm been going on? I reckon this damp sea
air wouldn't be very good for my rheumatics."
;'No, Matthew it really isn't. You ought not to
have come. You are not in any way suited to this
kind of a life. I'm sure you wouldn't enjoy a long
voyage a bit. We'll stop in at Penzance and put
you ashore. Bumpo, please go downstairs to my
bunk; and listen: in the pocket of my dressing-gown
you'll find some maps. Bring me the small one —
with blue pencil-marks at the top. I know Penzance
is over here on our left somewhere. But I must
find out what light-houses there are before I change
the ship's course and sail inshore."
'Very good, Sir," said Bumpo, turning round
smartly and making for the stairway.
'Now Matthew," said the Doctor, "you can
take the coach from Penzance to Bristol. And
from there it is not very far to Puddleby, as you
know. Don't forget to take the usual provisions
to the house every Thursday, and be particularly
careful to remember the extra supply of herrings
for the baby minks."
Our Troubles Begin 157
While we were waiting for the maps Chee-Chee
and I set about lighting the lamps: a green one on
the right side of the ship, a red one on the left and
a white one on the mast.
At last we heard some one trundling on the stairs
again and the Doctor said,
"Ah, here's Bumpo with the maps at last!"
But to our great astonishment it was not Bumpo
alone that appeared but three people.
"Good Lord deliver us! Who are these?" cried
John Dolittle.
'Two more stowaways, Sir," said Bumpo step-
ping forward briskly. "I found them in your cabin
hiding under the bunk. One woman and one man
Sir. Here are the maps."
'This is too much," said the Doctor feebly.
'Who are they? I can't see their faces in this dim
light. Strike a match, Bumpo."
You could never guess who it was. It was Luke
and his wife. Mrs. Luke appeared to be very mis-
erable and seasick.
They explained to the Doctor that after they
had settled down to live together in the little shack
out on the fens, so many people came to visit them
(having heard about the great trial) that life be-
came impossible; and they had decided to escape
from Puddleby in this manner — for they had no
money to leave any other way — and try to find
some new place to live where they and their story
158 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
wouldn't be so well known. But as soon as the
ship had begun to roll Mrs. Luke had got most
dreadfully unwell.
Poor Luke apologized many times for being such
a nuisance and said that the whole thing had been
his wife's idea.
The Doctor, after he had sent below for his
medicine-bag and had given Mrs. Luke some sal
volatile and smelling-salts, said he thought the best
thing to do would be for him to lend them some
money and put them ashore at Penzance with Mat
thew. He also wrote a letter for Luke to take
with him to a friend the Doctor had in the town of
Penzance who, it was hoped, would be able to find
Luke work to do there.
As the Doctor opened his purse and took out
some gold coins I heard Polynesia, who was sitting
on my shoulder watching the whole affair, mutter
beneath her breath,
"There he goes — lending his last blessed penny —
three pounds ten — all the money we had for the
whole trip ! Now we haven't the price of a post-
age-stamp aboard if we should lose an anchor or
have to buy a pint of tar — Well, let's pray we don't
run out of food — Why doesn't he give them the
ship and walk home?"
Presently with the help of the map the course of
the boat was changed and, to Mrs. Luke's great
relief, we made for Penzance and dry land.
Our Troubles Begin 159
I was tremendously interested to see how a ship
could be steered into a port at night with nothing
but light-houses and a compass to guide you. It
seemed to me that the Doctor missed all the rocks
and sand-bars very cleverly.
We got into that funny little Cornish harbor
about eleven o'clock that night. The Doctor took
his stowaways on shore in our small row-boat which
we kept on the deck of the Curlew and found them
rooms at the hotel there. When he got back he
told us that Mrs. Luke had gone straight to bed
and was feeling much better.
It was now after midnight; so we decided to stay
in the harbor and wait till morning before setting
out again.
I was glad to get to bed, although I felt that
staying up so tremendously late was great fun. As
I climbed into the bunk over the Doctor's and pulled
the blankets snugly round me, I found I could look
out of the port-hole at my elbow, and, without
raising my head from the pillow, could see the
lights of Penzance swinging gently up and down
with the motion of the ship at anchor. It was
like being rocked to sleep with a little show going
on to amuse you. I was just deciding that I liked
the life of the sea very much when I fell fast asleep.
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
OUR TROUBLES CONTINUE
;HE next morning when we were eating
a very excellent breakfast of kidneys
and bacon, prepared by our good cook
Bumpo, the Doctor said to me,
"I was just wondering, Stubbins, whether I should
stop at the Capa Blanca Islands or run right across
for the coast of Brazil. Miranda said we could
expect a spell of excellent weather now — for four
and a half weeks at least."
'Well," I said, spooning out the sugar at the
bottom of my cocoa-cup, "I should think it would
be best to make straight across while we are sure
of good weather. And besides the Purple Bird-of-
Paradise is going to keep a lookout for us, isn't
she? She'll be wondering what's happened to us
if we don't get there in about a month."
'True, quite true, Stubbins. On the other hand,
the Capa Blancas make a very convenient stopping
place on our way across. If we should need sup-
plies or repairs it would be very handy to put in
there."
"How long will it take us from here to the Capa
Blancas?" I asked.
"About six days," said the Doctor — "Well, we
160
Our Troubles Continue 161
can decide later. For the next two days at any
rate our direction would be the same practically in
either case. If you have finished breakfast let's
go and get under way."
Upstairs I found our vessel surrounded by white
and gray seagulls who flashed and circled about in
the sunny morning air, looking for food-scraps
thrown out by the ships into the harbor.
By about half past seven we had the anchor up
and the sails set to a nice steady breeze; and this
time we got out into the open sea without bumping
into a single thing. We met the Penzance fishing
fleet coming in from the night's fishing, and very
trim and neat they looked, in a line like soldiers^
with their red-brown sails all leaning over the same
way and the white water dancing before their bows.
For the next three or four days everything went
smoothly and nothing unusual happened. During
this time we all got settled down into our regular
jobs; and in spare moments the Doctor showed
each of us how to take our turns at the wheel, the
proper manner of keeping a ship on her right
course, and what to do if the wind changed sud-
denly. We divided the twenty-four hours of the
day into three spells; and we took it in turns to
sleep our eight hours and be awake sixteen. So
the ship was well looked after, with two of us al-
ways on duty.
Besides that, Polynesia, who was an older sailor
162 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
than any of us, and really knew a lot about running
ships, seemed to be always awake — except when
she took her couple of winks in the sun, standing
on one leg beside the wheel. You may be sure
that no one ever got a chance to stay abed more
than his eight hours while Polynesia was around.
She used to watch the ship's clock; and if you over-
slept a half-minute, she would come down to the
cabin and peck you gently on the nose till you got
up.
I very soon grew to be quite fond of our funny
black friend Bumpo, with his grand way of speak-
ing and his enormous feet which some one was al-
ways stepping on or falling over. Although he
was much older than I was and had been to college,
he never tried to lord it over me. He seemed
to be forever smiling and kept all of us in good
humor. It wasn't long before I began to see the
Doctor's good sense in bringing him — in spite of
the fact that he knew nothing whatever about sail-
ing or travel.
On the morning of the fifth day out, just as I
was taking the wheel over from the Doctor, Bumpo
appeared and said,
"The salt beef is nearly all gone, Sir."
' "The salt beef!" cried the Doctor. "Why, we
brought a hundred and twenty pounds with us.
We couldn't have eaten that in five days. What
can have become of it?"
> .
In these lower levels we came upon the shadowy shapes of dead
i • »»
ships
Page 360
Our Troubles Continue 163
UI don't know, Sir, I'm sure. Every time I go
down to the stores I find another hunk missing. If
it is rats that are eating it, then they are certainly
colossal rodents."
Polynesia who was walking up and down a stay-
rope taking her morning exercise, put in,
'We must search the hold. If this is allowed
to go on we will all be starving before a week is
out. Come downstairs with me, Tommy, and we
will look into this matter."
So we went downstairs into the store-room and
Polynesia told us to keep quite still and listen.
This we did. And presently we heard from a dark
corner of the hold the distinct sound of someone
snoring.
"Ah, I thought so," said Polynesia. "It's a man
— and a big one. Climb in there, both of you, and
haul him out. It sounds as though he were behind
that barrel — Gosh! We seem to have brought
half of Puddleby with us. Anyone would think
we were a penny ferry-boat. Such cheek! Haul
him out."
So Bumpo and I lit a lantern and climbed over
the stores. And there, behind the barrel, sure
enough, we found an enormous bearded man fast
asleep with a well-fed look on his face. We woke
him up.
"Washamarrer?" he said sleepily.
It was Ben Butcher, the able seaman.
t<
((
164 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Polynesia spluttered like an angry fire-cracker.
'This is the last straw," said she. "The one
man in the world we least wanted. Shiver my
timbers, what cheek!"
Would it not be, advisable," suggested Bumpo,
while the varlet is still sleepy, to strike him on
the head with some heavy object and push him
through a port-hole into the sea?"
"No. We'd get into trouble," said Polynesia.
"We're not in Jolliginki now, you know — worse
luck! — Besides, there never was a port-hole big
enough to push that man through. Bring him up-
stairs to the Doctor."
So we led the man to the wheel where he respect-
fully touched his cap to the Doctor.
"Another stowaway, Sir," said Bumpo smartly.
I thought the poor Doctor would have a fit.
"Good morning, Captain," said the man. ''Ben
Butcher, able seaman, at your service. I Rnew
you'd need me, so I took the liberty of stowing
away — much against my conscience. But I just
couldn't bear to see you poor landsmen set out on
this voyage without a single real seaman to help
you. You'd never have got home alive if I hadn't
come — Why look at your mainsail, Sir — all loose
at the throat. First gust of wind come along, and
away goes your canvas overboard — Well, it's all
right now I'm here. We'll soon get things in
shipshape,"
Our Troubles Continue 165
"No, it isn't all right," said the Doctor, "it's
all wrong. And I'm not at all glad to see you. I
told you in Puddleby I didn't want you. You had
no right to come."
"But Captain," said the able seaman, "you can't
sail this ship without me. You don't understand
navigation. Why, look at the compass now: you've
let her swing a point and a half off her course. It's
madness for you to try to do this trip alone — if
you'll pardon my saying so, Sir. Why — why,
you'll lose the ship !"
"Look here," said the Doctor, a sudden stern
look coming into his eyes, ''losing a ship is noth-
ing to me. I've lost ships before and it doesn't
bother me in the least. When I set out to go to a
place, I get there. Do you understand? I may
know nothing whatever about sailing and naviga-
tiovi, but I get there just the same. Now you may
be the best seaman in the world, but on this ship
you're just a plain ordinary nuisance — very plain
and very ordinary. And I am now going to call
at the nearest port and put you ashore."
"Yes, and think yourself lucky," Polynesia put
in, "that you are not locked up for stowing away
and eating all our salt beef."
"I don't know what the mischief we're going to
do now," I heard her whisper to Bumpo. 'We've
no money to buy any more; and that salt beef was
the most important part of the stores."
1 66 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
"Would it not be good political economy,"
Bumpo whispered back, "if we salted the able sea-
man and ate him instead? I should judge that he
would weigh more than a hundred and twenty
pounds."
"How often must I tell you that we are not in
Jolliginki," snapped Polynesia. "Those things are
not done on white men's ships — Still," she mur-
mured after a moment's thought, "it's an awfully
bright idea. I don't suppose anybody saw him
come on to the ship — Oh, but Heavens ! we haven't
got enough salt. Besides, he'd be sure to taste of
tobacco."
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
POLYNESIA HAS A PLAN
THEN the Doctor told me to take the
wheel while he made a little calculation
with his map and worked out what new
course we should take.
"I shall have to run for the Capa Blancas after
all," he told me when the seaman's back was turned.
"Dreadful nuisance! But I'd sooner swim back to
Puddleby than have to listen to that fellow's talk
all the way to Brazil."
Indeed he was a terrible person, this Ben Butcher.
You'd think that any one after being told he wasn't
wanted would have had the decency to keep quiet.
But not Ben Butcher. He kept going round the
deck pointing out all the things we had wrong. Ac-
cording to him there wasn't a thing right on the
whole ship. The anchor was hitched up wrong;
the hatches weren't fastened down properly; the
sails were put on back to front; all our knots
were the wrong kind of knots.
At last the Doctor told him to stop talking and
go downstairs. He refused — said he wasn't going
167
168 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
to be sunk by landlubbers while he was still able to
stay on deck.
This made us feel a little uneasy. He was such
an enormous man there was no knowing what he
might do if he got really obstreperous.
Bumpo and I were talking about this downstairs
in the dining-saloon when Polynesia, Jip and Chee-
Chee came and joined us. And, as usual, Polynesia
had a plan.
"Listen," she said, "I am certain this Ben Butcher
is a smuggler and a bad man. I am a very good
judge of seamen, remember, and I don't like the
cut of this man's jib. I — "
"Do you really think," I interrupted, "that it is
safe for the Doctor to cross the Atlantic without
any regular seamen on his ship?"
You see it had upset me quite a good deal to find
that all the things we had been doing were wrong;
and I was beginning to wonder what might happen
if we ran into a storm — particularly as Miranda
had only said the weather would be good for a
certain time; and we seemed to be having so many
delays. But Polynesia merely tossed her head
scornfully.
"Oh, bless you, my boy," said she, "you're
always safe with John Dolittle. Remember that.
Don't take any notice of that stupid old salt. Of
course it is perfectly true the Doctor does do every-
thing wrong. But with him it doesn't matter.
Polynesia Has a Plan 169
Mark my words, if you travel with John Dolittle
you always get there, as you heard him say. I've
been with him lots of times and I know. Some-
times the ship is upside down when you get there,
and sometimes it's right way up. But you get there
just the same. And then of course there's another
thing about the Doctor," she added thoughtfully:
"he always has extraordinary good luck. He may
have his troubles; but with him things seem to
have a habit of turning out all right in the
end. I remember once when we were going
through the Straits of Magellan the wind was so
strong — "
"But what are we going to do about Ben
Butcher?" Jip put in. "You had some plan
Polynesia, hadn't you?"
'Yes. What I'm afraid of is that he may hit
the Doctor on the head when he's not looking and
make himself captain of the Curlew. Bad sailors
do that sometimes. Then they run the ship their
own way and take it where they want. That's
what you call a mutiny."
'Yes," said Jip, "and we ought to do something
pretty quick. We can't reach the Capa Blancas
before the day after to-morrow at best. I don't
like to leave the Doctor alone with him for a min-
ute. He smells like a very bad man to me."
"Well, I've got it all worked out," said Poly-
nesia. "Listen: is there a key in that door?"
170 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
We looked outside the dining-room and found
that there was.
"All right," said Polynesia. "Now Bumpo lays
the table for lunch and we all go and hide. Then
at twelve o'clock Bumpo rings the dinner-bell down
here. As soon as Ben hears it he'll come down
expecting more salt beef. Bumpo must hide be-
hind the door outside. The moment that Ben is
seated at the dining-table Bumpo slams the door
and locks it. Then we've got him. See?"
"How stratageriious!'1 Bumpo chuckled. "As
Cicero said, parrots cum parishioners faclllme con-
gregation. I'll lay the table at once."
"Yes and take that Worcestershire sauce off the
dresser with you when you go out," said Polynesia.
"Don't leave any loose eatables around. That
fellow has had enough to last any man for three
days. Besides, he won't be so inclined to start a
fight when we put him ashore at the Capa Blancas
if we thin him down a bit before we let him out."
So we all' went and hid ourselves in the passage
where we could watch what happened. And pres-
ently Bumpo came to the foot of the stairs and rang
the dinner-bell like mad. Then he hopped behind
the dining-room door and we all kept still and
listened.
Almost immediately, thump, thump, thump, down
the stairs tramped Ben Butcher, the able seaman.
He walked into the dining-saloon, sat himself down
Polynesia Has a Plan 171
at the head of the table in the Doctor's place, tucked
a napkin under his fat chin and heaved a sigh of
expectation.
Then, bang! Bumpo slammed the door and
locked it.
"That settles him for a while," said Polynesia
coming out from her hiding-place. "Now let him
teach navigation to the side-board. Gosh, the
cheek of the man! I've forgotten more about the
sea than that lumbering lout will ever know. Let's
go upstairs and tell the Doctor. Bumpo, you will
have to serve the meals in the cabin for the next
couple of days."
And bursting into a rollicking Norwegian sea-
song, she climbed up to my shoulder and we went
on deck.
THE SIX TH CHAP TER
THE BED-MAKER OF MONTEVERDE
WE remained three days in the Capa
Blanca Islands.
There were two reasons why we
stayed there so long when we were
really in such a hurry to get away. One was the
shortage in our provisions caused by the able sea-
man's enormous appetite. When we came to go
over the stores and make a list, we found that he
had eaten a whole lot of other things besides the
beef. And having no money, we were sorely puz-
zled how to buy more. The Doctor went through
his trunk to see if there was anything he could sell.
But the only thing he could find was an old watch
with the hands broken and the back dented in; and
we decided this would not bring us in enough money
to buy much more than a pound of tea. Bumpo
suggested that he sing comic songs in the streets
which he had learned in Jolliginki. But the Doctor
said he did not think that the islanders would care
for African music.
The other thing that kept us was the bullfight.
In these islands, which belonged to Spain, they had
bullfights every Sunday. It was on a Friday that
172
The Bed-Maker of Monteverde 173
we arrived there; and after we had got rid of the
able seaman we took a walk through the town.
It was a very funny little town, quite different
from any that I had ever seen. The streets were
all twisty and winding and so narrow that a wagon
could only just pass along them. The houses over-
hung at the top and came so close together that
people in the attics could lean out of the windows
and shake hands with their neighbors on the
opposite side of the street. The Doctor told us
the town was very, very old. It was called Monte-
verde.
As we had no money of course we did not go to a
hotel or anything like that. But on the second
evening when we were passing by a bed-maker's
shop we noticed several beds, which the man had
made, standing on the pavement outside. The
Doctor started chatting in Spanish to the bed-maker
who was sitting at his door whistling to a parrot in
a cage. The Doctor and the bed-maker got very
friendly talking about birds and things. And as it
grew near to supper-time the man asked us to stop
and sup with him.
This of course we were very glad to do. And
after the meal was over (very nice dishes they were,
mostly cooked in olive-oil — I particularly liked
the fried bananas) we sat outside on the pave-
ment again and went on talking far into the
night.
174 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
At last when we got up to go back to our ship,
this very nice shopkeeper wouldn't hear of our
going away on any account. He said the streets
down by the harbor were very badly lighted and
there was no moon. We would surely get lost.
He invited us to spend the night with him and go
back to our ship in the morning.
Well, we finally agreed; and as our good friend
had no spare bedrooms, the three of us, the Doctor,
Bumpo and I, slept on the beds set out for sale on
the pavement before the shop. The night wras so
hot we needed no coverings. It was great fun to
fall asleep out of doors like this, watching the peo-
ple walking to and fro and the gay life of the
streets. It seemed to me that Spanish people
never went to bed at all. Late as it was, all the
little restaurants and cafes around us were wide
open, with customers drinking coffee and chatting
merrily at the small tables outside. The sound of
a guitar strumming softly in the distance mingled
with the clatter of chinaware and the babble of
voices.
Somehow it made me think of my mother and
father far away in Puddleby, with their regular
habits, the evening practise on the flute and the rest
— doing the same thing every day. I felt sort of
sorry for them in a way, because they missed the
fun of this traveling life, where we were doing
something new all the time — even sleeping uif-
"The Doctor started chatting in Spanish to the bed-maker"
176 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
ferently. But I suppose if they had been invited to
go to bed on a pavement in front of a shop they
wouldn't have cared for the idea at all. It is funny
how some people are.
THE SEFENTH CHAPTER
THE DOCTOR'S WAGER
EXT morning we were awakened by a
great racket. There was a procession
coming down the street, a number of
men in very gay clothes followed by a
large crowd of admiring ladies and cheering chil-
dren. I asked the Doctor who they were.
"They are the bullfighters," he said. "There is
to be a bullfight to-morrow."
" What is a bullfight?" I asked.
To my great surprise the Doctor got red in the
face with anger. It reminded me of the time when
he had spoken of the lions and tigers in his private
zoo.
"A bullfight is a stupid, cruel, disgusting busi-
ness," said he. "These Spanish people are most
lovable and hospitable folk. How they can enjoy
these wretched bullfights is a thing I could never
understand."
Then the Doctor went on to explain to me how a
bull was first made very angry by teasing and then
allowed to run into a circus where men came out
with red cloaks, waved them at him, and ran away.
Next the bull was allowed to tire himself out by
177
178 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
tossing and killing a lot of poor, old, broken-down
horses who couldn't defend themselves. Then,
when the bull was thoroughly out of breath and
wearied by this, a man came out with a sword and
killed the bull.
"Every Sunday," said the Doctor," in almost
every big town in Spain there are six bulls killed like
that and as many horses."
"But aren't the men ever killed by the bull?"
I asked.
''Unfortunately very seldom," said he. "A bull
is not nearly as dangerous as he looks, even when
he's angry, if you are only quick on your feet and
don't lose your head. These bullfighters are very
clever and nimble. And the people, especially
the Spanish ladies, think no end of them. A
famous bullfighter (or matador, as they call
them) is a more important man in Spain than a
king — Here comes another crowd of them round
the corner, look. See the girls throwing kisses to
them. Ridiculous business!"
At that moment our friend the bed-maker came
out to see the procession go past. And while he
was wishing us good morning and enquiring how we
had slept, a friend of his walked up and joined us.
The bed-maker introduced this friend to us as Don
Enrique Cardenas.
Don Enrique when he heard where we
were from, spoke to us in English. He appeared
The Doctor's Wager 179
to be a well-educated, gentlemanly sort of person.
uAnd you go to see the bullfight to-morrow,
yes?" he asked the Doctor pleasantly.
"Certainly not," said John Dolittle firmly. "I
don't like bullfights — cruel, cowardly shows."
Don Enrique nearly exploded. I never saw a
man get so excited. He told the Doctor that he
didn't know what he was talking about. He said
bullfighting was a noble sport and that the mata-
dors were the bravest men in the world.
"Oh, rubbish!" said the Doctor. "You never
give the poor bull a chance. It is only when he is
all tired and dazed that your precious matadors
dare to try and kill him."
I thought the Spaniard was going to strike the
Doctor he got so angry. While he was still splut-
tering to find words, the bed-maker came between
them and took the Doctor aside. He explained to
John Dolittle in a whisper that this Don Enrique
Cardenas was a very important person; that he it
was who supplied the bulls — a special, strong black
kind — from his own farm for all the bullfights in the
Capa Blancas. He was a very rich man, the bed-
maker said, a most important personage. He
mustn't be allowed to take offense on any account.
I watched the Doctor's face as the bed-maker
finished, and I saw a flash of boyish mischief come
into his eyes as though an idea had struck him. He
turned to the angry Spaniard.
180 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
"Don Enrique," he said, "you tell me your
bullfighters are very brave men and skilful. It
seems I have offended you by saying that bullfight-
ing is a poor sport. What is the name of the best
matador you have for to-morrow's show?"
"Pepito de Malaga," said Don Enrique, "one of
the greatest names, one of the bravest men, in all
Spain."
"Very well," said the Doctor, "I have a pro-
posal to make to you. I have never fought a bull
in my life. Now supposing I were to go into the
ring to-morrow with Pepito de Malaga and any
other matadors you choose; and if I can do more
tricks with a bull than they can, would you promise
to do something for me?"
Don Enrique threw back his head and laughed.
"Man," he said, "you must be mad! You would
be killed at once. One has to be trained for years
to become a proper bullfighter."
"Supposing I were willing to take the risk of
that — You are not afraid, I take it, to accept my
offer?"
The Spaniard frowned.
"Afraid!" he cried, "Sir, if you can beat Pepito
de, Malaga in the bull-ring I'll promise you anything
it is possible for me to grant."
'Very good," said the Doctor, "now I under-
stand that you are quite a powerful man in these
islands. If you wished to stop all bullfighting here
The Doctor's Wager 181
after to-morrow, you could do it, couldn't you?"
'Yes," said Don Enrique proudly — "I could."
'Well that is what I ask of you — if I win my
wager," said John Dolittle. "If I can do more
with angry bulls than can Pepito de Malaga, you
are to promise me that there shall never be another
bullfight in the Capa Blancas so long as you are
alive to stop it. Is it a bargain?"
The Spaniard held out his hand.
"It is a bargain," he said — "I promise. But I
must warn you that you are merely throwing your
life away, for you will certainly be killed. How-
ever, that is no more than you deserve for saying
that bullfighting is an unworthy sport. I will meet
you here to-morrow morning if you should wish to
arrange any particulars. Good day, Sir."
As the Spaniard turned and walked into the shop
with the bed-maker, Polynesia, who had been listen-
ing as usual, flew up on to my shoulder and whis-
pered in my ear,
"I have a plan. Get hold of Bumpo and come
some place where the Doctor can't hear us. I want
to talk to you."
I nudged Bumpo's elbow and we crossed the
street and pretended to look into a jeweler's win-
dow; while the Doctor sat down upon his bed to
lace up his boots, the only part of his clothing he
had taken off for the night.
"Listen," said Polynesia, "I've been breaking
182 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
my head trying to think up some way we can get
money to buy those stores with; and at last I've got
it."
'The money?" said Bumpo.
''No, stupid. The idea — to make the money
with. Listen: the Doctor is simply bound to win
this game to-morrow, sure as you're alive. Now
all we have to do is to make a side bet with these
Spaniards — they're great on gambling — and the
trick's done."
"What's a side bet?" I asked.
"Oh I know what that is," said Bumpo proudly.
"We used to have lots of them at Oxford when
boat-racing was on. I go to Don Enrique and say,
'I bet you a hundred pounds the Doctor wins/
Then if he does win, Don Enrique pays me a hun-
dred pounds; and if he doesn't, I have to pay Don
Enrique."
"That's the idea," said Polynesia. "Only don't
say a hundred pounds : say two-thousand five-hun-
dred pesetas. Now come and find old Don Ricky-
ticky and try to look rich."
So we crossed the street again and slipped into
the bed-maker's shop while the Doctor was still
busy with his boots.
"Don Enrique," said Bumpo, "allow me to in-
troduce myself. I am the Crown Prince of Jolli-
ginki. Would you care to have a small bet with
me on to-morrow's bullfight?"
The Doctor's Wager 183
Don Enrique bowed.
'Why certainly," he said, :'I shall be delighted.
But I must warn you that you are bound to lose.
How much ?"
"Oh a mere truffle," said Bumpo — "just for the
fun of the thing, you know. What do you say to
three-thousand pesetas?"
"I agree," said the Spaniard bowing once more.
"I will meet you after the bullfight to-morrow."
"So that's all right," said Polynesia as we came
out to join the Doctor. 'I feel as though quite a
load had been taken off my mind."
THE EIGHTH CHAPTER
THE GREAT BULLFIGHT
THE next day was a great day in Monte-
verde. All the streets were hung
with flags; and everywhere gaily dressed
crowds were to be seen flocking towards
the bull-ring, as the big circus was called where the
fights took place.
The news of the Doctor's challenge had gone
round the town and, it seemed, had caused much
amusement to the islanders. The very idea of a
mere foreigner daring to match himself against the
great Pepito de Malaga ! — Serve him right if he got
killed !
The Doctor had borrowed a bullfighter's suit
from Don Enrique; and very gay and wonderful
he looked in it, though Bumpo and I had hard work
getting the waistcoat to close in front and even then
the buttons kept bursting off it in all directions.
When we set out from the harbor to walk to
the bull-ring, crowds of small boys ran after us
making fun of the Doctor's fatness, calling out,
"Juan Hagapoco, el grueso matador !'' which is
the Spanish for, "John Dolittle, the fat bullfighter."
As soon as we arrived the Doctor said he would
184
The Great Bullfight 185
like to take a look at the bulls before the fight be-
gan; and we were at once led to the bull pen where,
behind a high railing, six enormous black bulls
were tramping around wildly.
In a few hurried words and signs the Doctor
told the bulls what he was going to do and gave
them careful instructions for their part of the show.
The poor creatures were tremendously glad when
they heard that there was a chance of bullfighting
being stopped; and they promised to do exactly as
they were told.
Of course the man who took us in there didn't
understand what we were doing. He merely
thought the fat Englishman was crazy when he saw
the Doctor making signs and talking in ox tongue.
From there the Doctor went to the matadors'
dressing-rooms while Bumpo and I with Polynesia
made our way into the bull-ring and took our seats
in the great open-air theatre.
It was a very gay sight. Thousands of ladies
and gentlemen were there, all dressed in their
smartest clothes; and everybody seemed very happy
and cheerful.
Right at the beginning Don Enrique got up and
explained to the people that the first item on the
program was to be a match between the English
Doctor and Pepito de Malaga. He told them what
he had promised if the Doctor should win. But
the people did not seem to think there was much
1 86 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
chance of that. A roar of laughter went up at the
very mention of such a thing.
When Pepito came into the ring everybody
cheered, the ladies blew kisses and the men clapped
and waved their hats.
Presently a large door on the other side of the
ring was rolled back and in galloped one of the
bulls; then the door was closed again. At once the
matador became very much on the alert. He
waved his red cloak and the bull rushed at him.
Pepito stepped nimbly aside and the people cheered
again.
This game was repeated several times. But I
noticed that whenever Pepito got into a tight place
and seemed to be in real danger from the bull, an
assistant of his, who always hung around some-
where near, drew the bull's attention upon himself
by waving another red cloak. Then the bull would
chase the assistant and Pepito was left in safety.
Most often, as soon as he had drawn the bull off,
this assistant ran for the high fence and vaulted out
of the ring to save himself. They evidently had
it all arranged, these matadors; and it didn't seem
to me that they were in any very great danger from
the poor clumsy bull so long as they didn't slip and
fall.
After about ten minutes of this kind of thing
the small door into the matadors' dressing-room
opened and the Doctor strolled into the ring. As
The Great Bullfight 187
soon as his fat figure, dressed in sky-blue velvet,
appeared, the crowd rocked in their seats with
laughter.
Juan Hagapoco, as they had called him, walked
out into the centre of the ring and bowed ceremo-
niously to the ladies in the boxes. Then he bowed
to the bull. Then he bowed to Pepito. While
he was bowing to Pepito's assistant the bull started
to rush at him from behind.
"Look out! Look out! — The bull! You will
be killed!" yelled the crowd.
But the Doctor calmly finished his bow. Then
turning round he folded his arms, fixed the on-rush-
ing bull with his eye and frowned a terrible frown.
Presently a curious thing happened: the bull's
speed got slower and slower. It almost looked as
though he were afraid of that frown. Soon he
stopped altogether. The Doctor shook his finger
at him. He began to tremble. At last, tucking
his tail between his legs, the bull turned round and
ran away.
The crowd gasped. The Doctor ran after him.
Round and round the ring they went, both of them
puffing and blowing like grampuses. Excited whis-
pers began to break out among the people. This
was something new in bullfighting, to have the
bull running away from the man, instead of the
man away from the bull. At last in the tenth
lap, with a final burst of speed, Juan Hagapoco,
The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
the English matador, caught the poor bull by
the tail.
Then leading the now timid creature into the
middle of the ring, the Doctor made him do all
manner of tricks: standing on the hind legs, stand-
ing on the front legs, dancing, hopping, rolling
over. He finished up by making the bull kneel
down; then he got on to his back and did hand-
springs and other acrobatics on the beast's horns.
Pepito and his assistant had their noses sadly out
of joint. The crowd had forgotten them entirely.
They were standing together by the fence not far
from where I sat, muttering to one another and
slowly growing green with jealousy.
Finally the Doctor turned towards Don Enrique's
seat and bowing said in a loud voice, "This bull is
no good any more. He's terrified and out of
breath. Take him away, please."
"Does the caballero wish for a fresh bull?"
asked Don Enrique.
"No," said the Doctor, "I want five fresh bulls.
And I would like them all in the ring at
once, please."
At this a cry of horror burst from the people.
They had been used to seeing matadors escaping
from one bull at a time. But five! — That must
mean certain death.
Pepito sprang forward and called to Don En-
rique not to allow it, saying it was against all the
'Did acrobatics on the beast's horns'
190 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
rules of bullfighting. ("Ha!" Polynesia chuckled
into my ear. "It's like the Doctor's navigation:
he breaks all the rules; but he gets there. If they'll
only let him, he'll give them the best show for their
money they ever saw.") A great argument began.
Half the people seemed to be on Pepito's side and
half on the Doctor's side. At last the Doctor
turned to Pepito and made another very grand bow
which burst the last button off his waistcoat.
"Well, of course if the caballero is afraid — "
he began with a bland smile.
"Afraid!" screamed Pepito. "I am afraid of
nothing on earth. I am the greatest matador in
Spain. With this right hand I have killed nine
hundred and fifty-seven bulls."
"All right then," said the Doctor, "let us see
if you can kill five more. Let the bulls in!" he
shouted. "Pepito de Malaga is not afraid."
A dreadful silence hung over the great theatre
as the heavy door into the bull pen was rolled back.
Then with a roar the five big bulls bounded into the
ring.
"Look fierce," I heard the Doctor call to them
in cattle language. "Don't scatter. Keep close.
Get ready for a rush. Take Pepito, the one in
purple, first. But for Heaven's sake don't kill
him. Just chase him out of the ring — Now then,
all together, go for him!"
The bulls put down their heads and all in line,
The Great Bullfight 191
like a squadron of cavalry, charged across the ring
straight for poor Pepito.
For one moment the Spaniard tried his hardest
to look brave. But the sight of the five pairs of
horns coming at him at full gallop was too much.
He turned white to the lips, ran for the fence,
vaulted it and disappeared.
"Now the other one," the Doctor hissed. And
in two seconds the gallant assistant was nowhere to
be seen. Juan Hagapoco, the fat matador, was
left alone in the ring with five rampaging bulls.
The rest of the show was really well worth see-
ing. First, all five bulls went raging round the
ring, butting at the fence with their horns, pawing
up the sand, hunting for something to kill. Then
each one in turn would pretend to catch sight of the
Doctor for the first time and giving a bellow of
rage, would lower his wicked looking horns and
shoot like an arrow across the ring as though he
meant to toss him to the sky.
It was really frightfully exciting. And even I,
who knew it was all arranged beforehand, held my
breath in terror for the Doctor's life when I saw
how near they came to sticking him. But just at
the last moment, when the horns' points were two
inches from the sky-blue waistcoat, the Doctor
would spring nimbly to one side and the great
brutes would go thundering harmlessly by, missing
him by no more than a hair.
192 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
Then all five of them went for him together, com-
pletely surrounding him, slashing at him with their
horns and bellowing with fury. How he escaped
alive I don't know. For several minutes his round
figure could hardly be seen at all in that scrimmage
of tossing heads, stamping hoofs and waving tails. —
It was, as Polynesia had prophesied, the greatest
bullfight ever seen.
One woman in the crowd got quite hysterical
and screamed up to Don Enrique,
"Stop the fight! Stop the fight! He is too
brave a man to be killed. This is the most wonder-
ful matador in the world. Let him live ! Stop the
fight!"
But presently the Doctor was seen to break loose
from the mob of animals that surrounded him.
Then catching each of them by the horns, one after
another, he would give their heads a sudden twist
and throw them down flat on the sand. The great
fellows acted their parts extremely well. I have
never seen trained animals in a circus do better.
They lay there panting on the ground where the
Doctor threw them as if they were exhausted and
completely beaten.
Then with a final bow to the ladies John Dolittle
took a cigar from his pocket, lit it and strolled out
of the ring.
THE NINTH CHAPTER
WE DEPART IN A HURRY
S soon as the door closed behind the
Doctor the most tremendous noise I
have ever heard broke loose. Some of
the men appeared to be angry (friends
of Pepito's, I suppose) ; but the ladies called and
called to have the Doctor come back into the ring.
When at length he did so, the women seemed to
go entirely mad over him. They blew kisses to
him. They called him a darling. Then they
started taking off their flowers, their rings, their
necklaces, and their brooches and threw them down
at his feet. You never saw anything like it — a per-
fect shower of jewelry and roses.
But the Doctor just smiled up at them, bowed
once more and backed out.
"Now, Bumpo," said Polynesia, uthis is where
you go down and gather up all those trinkets and
we'll sell 'em. That's what the big matadors do:
leave the jewelry on the ground and their assistants
collect it for them. We might as well lay in a good
supply of money while we've got the chance — you
never know when you may need it when you're
traveling with the Doctor. Never mind the roses
193
194 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
— you can leave them — but don't leave any rings.
And when you've finished go and get your three-
thousand pesetas out of Don Ricky-ticky. Tommy
and I will meet you outside and we'll pawn the gew-
gaws at that Jew's shop opposite the bed-maker's.
Run along — and not a word to the Doctor, remem-
ber."
Outside the bull-ring we found the crowd still
in a great state of excitement. Violent arguments
were going on everywhere. Bumpo joined us with
his pockets bulging in all directions; and we made
our way slowly through the dense crowd to that
side of the building where the matadors' dressing-
room was. The Doctor was waiting at the door
for us.
"Good work, Doctor!" said Polynesia, flying on
to his shoulder — "Great work! — But listen: I
smell danger. I think you had better get back to
the ship now as quick and as quietly as you can.
Put your overcoat on over that giddy suit. I don't
like the looks of this crowd. More than half of
them are furious because you've won. Don Ricky-
ticky must now stop the bullfighting — and you know
how they love it. What I'm afraid of is that some
of these matadors who are just mad with jealousy
may start some dirty work. I think this would be
a good time for us to get away."
"I dare say you're right, Polynesia," said the
Doctor — "You usually are. The crowd does seem
We Depart in a Hurry
to be a bit restless. I'll slip down to the ship alone
— so I shan't be so noticeable; and I'll wait for
you there. You come by some different way. But
don't be long about it. Hurry!"
As soon as the Doctor had departed Bumpo
sought out Don Enrique and said,
"Honorable Sir, you owe me three-thousand
pesetas/'
Without a word, but looking cross-eyed with an-
noyance, Don Enrique paid his bet.
We. next set out to buy the provisions; and on
the way we hired a cab and took it along with us.
Not very far away we found a big grocer's shop
which seemed to sell everything to eat. We went
in and bought up the finest lot of food you ever
saw in your life.
As a matter of fact, Polynesia had been right
about the danger we were in. The news of our vic-
tory must have spread like lightning through the
whole town. For as we came out of the shop and
loaded the cab up with our stores, we saw various
little knots of angry men hunting round the streets,
waving sticks and shouting,
"The Englishmen! Where are those accursed
Englishmen who stopped the bullfighting? — Hang
them to a lamp-post ! — Throw them in the sea !
The Englishmen ! — We want the Englishmen !"
After that we didn't waste any time, y%ou may be
sure. Bumpo grabbed the Spanish cab-driver and
196 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
explained to him in signs that if he didn't drive down
to the harbor as fast as he knew how and keep his
mouth shut the whole way, he would choke the life
out of him. Then we jumped into the cab on top
of the food, slammed the door,, pulled down the
blinds and away we went.
'We won't get a chance to pawn the jewelry now,'1
said Polynesia, as we bumped over the cobbly streets.
"But never mind — it may come in handy later on.
And anyway we've got two-thousand five-hundred
pesetas left out of the bet. Don't give the cabby
more than two pesetas fifty, Bumpo. That's the
right fare, I know."
Well, we reached the harbor all right and we
were mighty glad to find that the Doctor had sent
Chee-Chee back with the row-boat to wait for us
at the landing-wall.
Unfortunately wrhile we were in the middle of
loading the supplies from the cab into the boat, the
angry mob arrived upon the wharf and made a
rush for us. Bumpo snatched up a big beam of
wood that lay near and swung it round and round
his head, letting out dreadful African battle-yells
the while. This kept the crowd off while Chee-
Chee and I hustled the last of the stores into the
boat and clambered in ourselves. Bumpo threw
his beam of wood into the thick of the Spaniards
and leapt in after us. Then we pushed off and
rowed like mad for the Curlew.
We Depart in a Hurry 197
The mob upon the wall howled with rage, shook
their fists and hurled stones and all manner of
things after us. Poor old Bumpo got hit on the
head with a bottle. But as he had a very strong
head it only raised a small bump while the bottle
smashed into a thousand pieces.
When we reached the ship's side the Doctor had
the anchor drawn up and the sails set and every-
thing in readiness to get away. Looking back we
saw boats coming out from the harbor-wall after
us, filled with angry, shouting men. So we didn't
bother to unload our rowboat but just tied it on to
the ship's stern with a rope and jumped aboard.
It only took a moment more to swing the Curlew
round into the wind; and soon we were speeding
out of the harbor on our way to Brazil.
"Ha!" sighed Polynesia, as we all flopped down
on the deck to take a rest and get our breath.
"That wasn't a bad adventure — quite reminds me
of my old seafaring days when I sailed with the
smugglers — Golly, that was the life! — Never mind
your head, Bumpo. It will be all right when the
Doctor puts a little arnica on it. Think what we
got out of the scrap: a boat-load of ship's stores,
pockets full of jewelry and thousands of pesetas.
Not bad, you know — not bad."
— o O o —
PART FOUR
THE FIRST CHAPTER
SHELLFISH LANGUAGES AGAIN
MIRANDA, the Purple Bird-of-Paradise
had prophesied rightly when she had
foretold a good spell of weather.
For three weeks the good ship Curlew
plowed her way through smiling seas before a
steady powerful wind.
I suppose most real sailors would have found
this part of the voyage dull. But not I. As we got
further South and further West the face of the sea
seemed different every day. And all the little things
of a voyage which an old hand would have hardly
bothered to notice were matters of great interest
for my eager eyes.
We did not pass many ships. When we did see
one, the Doctor would get out his telescope and we
would all take a look at it. Sometimes he would
signal to it, asking for news, by hauling up little
colored flags upon the mast; and the ship would
signal back to us in the same way. The meaning
of all the signals was printed in a book which the
Doctor kept in the cabin. He told me it was the
language of the sea and that all ships could under-
198
Shellfish Languages Again 199
stand it whether they be English, Dutch, or French.
Our greatest happening during those first weeks
was passing an iceberg. When the sun shone on
it it burst into a hundred colors, sparkling like a
jeweled palace in a fairy-story. Through the tele-
scope we saw a mother polar bear with a cub sitting
on it, watching us. The Doctor recognized her as
one of the bears who had spoken to him when he
was discovering the North Pole. So he sailed the
ship up close and offered to take her and her baby
on to the Curlew if she wished it. But she only
shook her head, thanking him; she said it would be
far too hot for the cub on the deck of our ship, with
no ice to keep his feet cool. It had been indeed a
very hot day; but the nearness of that great mountain
of ice made us all turn up our coat-collars and shiver
with the cold.
During those quiet peaceful days I improved my
reading and writing a great deal with the Doctor's
help. I got on so well that he let me keep the
ship's log. This is a big book kept on every ship, a
kind of diary, in which the number of miles run,
the direction of your course and everything else
that happens is written down.
The Doctor too, in what spare time he had, was
nearly always writing — in his note-books. I used
to peep into these sometimes, now that I could read,
but I found it hard work to make out the Doctor's
handwriting. Many of these note-books seemed to
2OO The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
be about sea things. There were six thick ones
filled full with notes and sketches of different sea-
weeds; and there were others on sea birds; others
on sea worms; others on seashells. They were all
some day to be re-written, printed and bound like
regular books.
One afternoon we saw, floating around us, great
quantities of stuff that looked like dead grass. The
Doctor told me this was gulf-weed. A little further
on it became so thick that it covered all the water
as far as the eye could reach; it made the Curlew
look as though she were moving across a meadow
instead of sailing the Atlantic.
Crawling about upon this weed, many crabs were
to be seen. And the sight of them reminded the
Doctor of his dream of learning the language of
the shellfish. He fished several of these crabs up
with a net and put them in his listening-tank to see
if he could understand them. Among the crabs he
also caught a strange-looking, chubby, little fish
which he told me was called a Silver Fidgit.
After he had listened to the crabs for a while
with no success, he put the fidgit into the tank and
began to listen to that. I had to leave him at this
moment to go and attend to some duties on the deck.
But presently I heard him below shouting for me
to come down again.
"Stubbins," he cried as soon as he saw me — "a
most extraordinary thing — Quite unbelievable —
" 'He talks English
202 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
I'm not sure whether I'm dreaming — Can't believe
my own senses. I — I — I — "
"Why, Doctor," I said, uwhat is it?— What's
the matter?"
'The fidgit," he whispered, pointing with a trem-
bling finger to the listening-tank in which the little
round fish was still swimming quietly, "he talks
English! And — and — and he whistles tunes —
English tunes !"
"Talks English!" I cried— "Whistles !— Why,
it's impossible."
"It's a fact," said the Doctor, white in the face
with excitement. "It's only a few words, scattered,
with no particular sense to them — all mixed up with
his own language which I can't make out yet. But
they're English words, unless there's something very
wrong with my hearing — And the tune he whistles,
it's as plain as anything — always the same tune.
Now you listen and tell me what you make of it.
Tell me everything you hear. Don't miss a word."
I went to the glass tank upon the table while the
Doctor grabbed a note-book and a pencil. Undoing
my collar I stood upon the empty packing-case he
had been using for a stand and put my right ear
down under the water.
For some moments I detected nothing at all —
except, with my dry ear, the heavy breathing of the
Doctor as he waited, all stiff and anxious, for me to
say something. At last from within the water.
Shellfish Languages Again 203
sounding like a child singing miles and miles away,
I heard an unbelievably thin, small voice.
"Ah!" I said.
"What is it?" asked the Doctor in a hoarse,
trembly whisper. "What does he say?"
"I can't quite make it out," I said. "It's mostly
in some strange fish language — Oh, but wait a
minute! — Yes, now I get it — 'No smoking'. . . .
'My, here's a queer one!' 'Popcorn and picture
postcards here'. . . . 'This way out'. . . . 'Don't
spit' — What funny things to say, Doctor ! — Oh, but
wait! — Now he's whistling the tune."
"What tune is it?" gasped the Doctor.
"John Peel."
"Ah hah," cried the Doctor, "that's what I
made it out to be." And he wrote furiously in his
note-book.
I went on listening.
"This is most extraordinary," the Doctor kept
muttering to himself as his pencil went wiggling
over the page — "Most extraordinary — but fright-
fully thrilling. I wonder where he — "
"Here's some more," I cried — "some more
English. . . . 'The big tank needs cleaning'1. . . .
That's all. Now he's talking fish-talk again."
"The big tank!" the Doctor murmured frowning
in a puzzled kind of way. "I wonder where on
earth he learned — "
Then he bounded up out of his chair.
204 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
'I have it," he yelled, "this fish has escaped
from an aquarium. Why, of course ! Look at the
kind of things he has learned: 'Picture postcards' —
they always sell them in aquariums; 'Dont spit';
'No smoking' ; 'This way out' — the things the atten-
dants say. And then, 'My, here's a queer one!'
That's the kind of thing that people exclaim when
they look into the tanks. It all fits. There's no
doubt about it, Stubbins : we have here a fish
who has escaped from captivity. And it's quite
possible — not certain, by any means, but quite
possible — that I may now, through him, be able to
establish communication with the shellfish. This is
a great piece of luck."
THE SECOND CHAPTER
THE FIDGIT'S STORY
'ELL, now that he was started once
more upon his old hobby of the shell-
fish languages, there was no stopping
the Doctor. He worked right through
the night.
A little after midnight I fell asleep in a chair;
about two in the morning Bumpo fell asleep at the
wheel; and for five hours the Curlew was allowed to
drift where she liked. But still John Dolittle
worked on, trying his hardest to understand the fid-
git's language, struggling to make the fidgit under-
stand him.
When I woke up it was broad daylight again.
The Doctor was still standing at the listening-tank,
looking as tired as an owl and dreadfully wet. But
on his face there was a proud and happy smile.
"Stubbins," he said as soon as he saw me stir,
"I've done it. I've got the key to the fidgit's lan-
guage. It's a frightfully difficult language — quite
different from anything I ever heard. The only
thing it reminds me of — slightly — is ancient Hebrew.
It isn't shellfish ; but it's a big step towards it. Now,
the next thing, I want you to take a pencil and a
205
The Voyages or Doctor Dolittle
fresh notebook and write down everything I say.
The ridgit has promised to tell me the story of his
:c. I will translate i: into English and you put
it down in the book. Are you ready?"
Once more the Doctor lowered his ear beneath the
level of the water: and as he began to speak. I
-ted to write. And this is the story that the
fidgit told us.
THIRTEEN MONTHS IN AN AQUARIUM
"I was born in the P.:::".c Ocean, close to the coast
of Chile. I was one of a family of two-thousand
five-hundred and ten. ^oon after our mother and
father left us. we youngsters got scattered. The
family was rroken up — by a herd of whales who
chased us. I and my sister. Clippa (she was my
:.;vorite sister) had a very narrow escape for our
lives. As a rule, whales are not very hard to get
awiy from if you are good at c —'rig — if you've
only got a quick swerve. But this one that came
Fter Clippa and mysei: was a very mean whale.
Every time he lost us under a stone or something
he'd come b:, ;k and hunt and hunt till he routed us
out into the open again. I never saw such a nasty,
;; ersevering brute.
'Well, we shook him at Last — though not before
he had worried us for hundreds of miles northward,
up the west co^-st of South America. But luck was
The Fid git's Story 207
against us that day. While we were resting and
trying to get our breath, another family of fidgits
came rushing by, shouting, 'Come on! Swim for
your lives! The dog-fish are coming!'
"Now dog-fish are particularly fond of fidgits.
We are, you might say, their favorite food — and
for that reason we always keep away from deep,
muddy waters. What's more, dog-fish are not easy
to escape from; they are terribly fast and clever
hunters. So up we had to jump and on again.
"After we had gone a few more hundred miles
we looked back and saw that the dog-fish were gain-
ing on us. So we turned into a harbor. It hap-
pened to be one on the west coast of the United
States. Here WTC guessed, and hoped, the dog-fish
would not be likely to follow us. As it happened,
they didn't even see us turn in, but dashed on north-
ward and we never saw them again. I hope they
froze to death in the Arctic Seas.
"But, as I said, luck was against us that day.
While I and my sister were cruising gently round
the ships anchored in the harbor looking for orange-
peels, a great delicacy with us — Swoop! Bang!
— we were caught in a net.
"We struggled for all we were worth; but it was
no use. The net was small-meshed and strongly
made. Kicking and flipping we were hauled up
the side of the ship and dumped down on the deck,
high and dry in a blazing noon-day sun.
208 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
"Here a couple of old men in whiskers and
spectacles leant over us, making strange sounds.
Some codling had got caught in the net the same
time as we were. These the old men threw back
into the sea; but us they seemed to think very pre-
cious. They put us carefully into a large jar and
after they had taken us on shore they went to a
big house and changed us from the jar into glass
boxes full of water. This house was on the edge of
the harbor; and a small stream of sea-water was
made to flow through the glass tank so we could
breathe properly. Of course we had never lived
inside glass walls before; and at first we kept on
trying to swim through them and got our noses
awfully sore bumping the glass at full speed.
'Then followed weeks and weeks of weary idle-
ness. They treated us well, so far as they knew
how. The old fellows in spectacles came and
looked at us proudly twice a day and saw that we
had the proper food to eat, the right amount of
light and that the water was not too hot or too
cold. But oh, the dullness of that life! It seemed
we were a kind of a show. At a certain hour every
morning the big doors of the house were thrown
open and everybody in the city who had nothing
special to do came in and looked at us. There were
other tanks filled with different kinds of fishes all
round the walls of the big room. And the crowds
go from tank to tank, looking in at us
The Fid git's Story 209
through the glass — with their mouths open, like
half-witted flounders. We got so sick of it that we
used to open our mouths back at them; and this
they seemed to think highly comical.
"One day my sister said to me, 'Think you,
Brother, that these strange creatures who have
captured us can talk?'
'Surely,' said I, 'have you not noticed that
some talk with the lips only, some with the whole
face, and yet others discourse with the hands?
When they come quite close to the glass you can
hear them. Listen !'
"At that moment a female, larger than the rest,
pressed her nose up against the glass, pointed at
me and said to her young behind her, 'Oh, look,
here's a queer one !'
"And then we noticed that they nearly always
said this when they looked in. And for a long time
we thought that such was the whole extent of the
language, this being a people of but few ideas. To
help pass away the weary hours we learned it by
heart, 'Oh, look, here's a queer one!' But we
never got to know what it meant. Other phrases,
however, we did get the meaning of; and we even
learned to read a little in man-talk. Many big
signs there were, set up upon the walls; and when
we saw that the keepers stopped the people from
spitting and smoking, pointed to these signs angrily
and read them out loud, we knew then that these
2io The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
writings signified, No Smoking and Don't Spit.
'Then in the evenings, after the crowd had gone,
the same aged male with one leg of wood, swept up
the peanut-shells with a broom every night. And
while he was so doing he always whistled the same
tune to himself. This melody we rather liked;
and we learned that too by heart — thinking it was
part of the language.
'Thus a whole year went by in this dismal place.
Some days new fishes were brought in to the other
tanks; and other days old fishes were taken out.
At first we had hoped we would only be kept acre for
a while, and that after we had been locked at
sufficiently we would be returned to freedom and the
j
sea. But as month after month went by, und we
were left undisturbed, our hearts grew heav^ within
our prison-walls of glass and we spoke to one an-
other less and less.
"One day, when the crowd was thickest in the
big room^ a woman with a red face fainted from the
heat. I watched through the glass and saw that
the rest of the people got highly excited — though
to me it did not seem to be a matter of very great
importance. They threw cold water on her and
carried her out into the open air.
'This made me think mightily; and presently a
great idea burst upon me.
'Sister,' I said, turning to poor Clippa who
was sulking at the bottom of our prison trying to
The Fidgit's Story 211
hide behind a stone from the stupid gaze of the
children who thronged about our tank, 'supposing
that ice pretended we were sick : do you think they
would take us also from this stuffy house?'
'Brother,' said she wearily, 'that they might do.
But most likely they would throw us on a rubbish-
heap, where we would die in the hot sun.'
'But,' said I, 'why should they go abroad to
seek a rubbish-heap, when the harbor is so close?
While we were being brought here I saw men throw-
ing their rubbish into the water. If they would
only throw us also there, we could quickly reach the
sea.
U i
The Sea!' murmured poor Clippa with a far-
away look in her eyes (she had fine eyes, had my
sister, Clippa). 'How like a dream it sounds-
the Sea ! Oh brother, will we ever swim in it again,
think you? Every night as I lie awake on the floor
of this evil-smelling dungeon I hear its hearty voice
ringing in my ears. How I have longed for it!
Just to feel it once again, the nice, big, wholesome
homeliness of it all ! To jump, just to jump from
the crest of an Atlantic wave, laughing in the trade
wind's spindrift, down into the blue-green swirling
trough ! To chase the shrimps on a summer even-
ing, when the sky is red and the light's all pink
within the foam! To lie on the top, in the dol-
drums' noonday calm, and warm your tummy in the
tropic sun! To wander hand in hand once more
212 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
through the giant seaweed forests of the Indian
Ocean, seeking the delicious eggs of the pop-pop !
To play hide-and-seek among the castles of the coral
towns with their pearl and jasper windows span-
gling the floor of the Spanish Main! To picnic in
the anemone-meadows, dim blue and lilac-gray, that
lie in the lowlands beyond the South Sea Garden !
To throw somersaults on the springy sponge-beds
of the Mexican Gulf! To poke about among the
dead ships and see what wonders and adventures lie
inside ! — And then, on winter nights when the North-
easter whips the water into froth, to swoop down
and down to get away from the cold, down to where
the water's warm and dark, down and still down, till
we spy the twinkle of the fire-eels far below where
our friends and cousins sit chatting round the Coun-
cil Grotto — chatting, Brother, over the news and
gossip of the Sea! . . . Oh — '
"And then she broke down completely, sniffling.
'Stop it!' I said. 'You make me homesick.
Look here: let's pretend we're sick — or better still,
let's pretend we're dead; and see what happens. If
they throw us on a rubbish-heap and we fry in the
sun, we'll not be much worse off than we are here in
this smelly prison. What do you say? Will you
risk it?'
'I will,' she said — 'and gladly.'
'So next morning two fidgits were found by the
keeper floating on the top of the water in their
u r
id
The Fid git's Story 213
tank, stiff and dead. We gave a mighty good
imitation of dead fish — although I say it myself.
The keeper ran and got the old gentlemen with
spectacles and whiskers. They threw up their hands
in horror when they saw us. Lifting us carefully
out of the water they laid us on wet cloths. That
was the hardest part of all. If you're a fish and get
taken out of the water you have to keep opening and
shutting your mouth to breathe at all — and even
that you can't keep up for long. And all this time we
had to stay stiff as sticks and breathe silently through
half-closed lips.
'Well, the old fellows poked us and felt us and
pinched us till I thought they'd never be done.
Then, when their backs were turned a moment, a
wretched cat got up on the table and nearly ate us.
Luckily the old men turned round in time and shooed
her away. You may be sure though that we took a
couple of good gulps of air while they weren't
looking; and that was the only thing that saved us
from choking. I wanted to whisper to Clippa to be
brave and stick it out. But I couldn't even do that;
because, as you know, most kinds of fish-talk can-
not be heard — not even a shout — unless you're
under water.
'Then, just as we were about to give it up and
let on that we were alive, one of the old men shook
his head sadly, lifted us up and carried us out of
the building.
214 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
"'Now for it!' I thought to myself. 'We'll
soon know our fate : liberty or the garbage-can.'
"Outside, to our unspeakable horror, he made
straight for a large ash-barrel which stood against
the wall on the other side of a yard. Most happily
for us, however, while he was crossing this yard a
very dirty man with a wagon and horses drove up
and took the ash-barrel away. I suppose it was his
property.
"Then the old man looked around for some
other place to throw us. He seemed about to cast
us upon the ground. But he evidently thought
that this would make the yard untidy and he de-
sisted. The suspense was terrible. He moved out-
side the yard-gate and my heart sank once more as
I saw that he now intended to throw us in the
gutter of the roadway. But (fortune was indeed
with us that day), a large man in blue clothes and
silver buttons stopped him in the nick of time. Evi-
dently, from the way the large man lectured and
waved a short thick stick, it was against the rules
of the town to throw dead fish in the streets.
"At last, to our unutterable joy, the old man
turned and moved off with us towards the harbor.
He walked so slowly, muttering to himself all the
way and watching the man in blue out of the corner
of his eye, that I wanted to bite his finger to make
him hurry up. Both Clippa and I were actually at
our last gasp.
The Fid git' 3 Story 215
"Finally he reached the sea-wall and giving us one
last sad look he dropped us into the waters of the
harbor.
"Never had we realized anything like the thrill
of that moment, as we felt the salt wetness close
over our heads. With one flick of our tails we
came to life again. The old man was so surprised
that he fell right into the water, almost on top of
us. From this he was rescued by a sailor with a
boat-hook; and the last we saw of him, the man in
blue was dragging him away by the coat-collar,
lecturing him again. Apparently it was also against
the rules of the town to throw dead fish into the
harbor.
"But we? — What time or thought had we for
his troubles? We were free! In lightning leaps,
in curving spurts, in crazy zig-zags — whooping,
shrieking with delight, we sped for home and the
open sea !
"That is all of my story and I will now, as I
promised last night, try to answer any questions you
may ask about the sea, on condition that I am set
liberty as soon as you have done."
The Doctor: Is there any part of the sea deeper
than that known as the Nero Deep — I mean the
one near the Island of Guam?"
The Fidgit: "Why, certainly. There's one mucli
deeper than that near the mouth of the Amazon
216 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
River. But it's small and hard to find. We
call it 'The Deep Hole.' And there's another
in the Antarctic Sea."
The Doctor: "Can you talk any shellfish language
yourself?"
The Fidgit: 'No, not a word. We regular fishes
don't have anything to do with the shellfish. We
consider them a low class."
The Doctor: 'But when you're near them, can you
hear the sound they make talking — I mean without
necessarily understanding what they say?"
The Fidgit: "Only with the very largest ones.
Shellfish have such weak small voices it is almost
impossible for any but their own kind to hear
them. But with the bigger ones it is different.
They make a sad, booming noise, rather like an
iron pipe being knocked with a stone — only not
nearly so loud of course."
The Doctor: 'I am most anxious to get down to
the bottom of the sea- -to study many things.
But we land animals, as you no doubt know, are
unable to breathe under water- Have you any
ideas that might help me?"
The Fidgit: 'I think that for both your difficulties
the best thing for you to do would be to try and
get hold of the Great Glass Sea Snail."
The Doctor: 'Er — who, or what, is the Great
Glass Sea Snail?"
The Fidgit: "He is an enormous salt-water snail,
The Fid git's Story 217
one of the winkle family, but as large as a big
house. He talks quite loudly — when he speaks,
but this is not often. He can go to any part of
the ocean, at all depths because he doesn't have
to be afraid of any creature in the sea. His
shell is made of transparent mother-o'-pearl so
that you can see through it; but it's thick and
strong. When he is out of his shell and he car-
ries it empty on his back, there is room in it for
a wagon and a pair of horses. He has been
seen carrying his food in it when traveling."
The Doctor: "I feel that that is just the creature
I have been looking for. He could take me and
my assistant inside his shell and we could ex-
plore the deepest depths in safety. Do you
think you could get him for me?"
The Fidgit: "Alas! no. I would willingly if I
could; but he is hardly ever seen by ordinary fish.
He lives at the bottom of the Deep Hole, and
seldom comes out — And into the Deep Hole,
the lower waters of which are muddy, fishes such
as \ve are afraid to go."
The Doctor: "Dear me! That's1 a terrible
disappointment. Are there many of this kind
of snail in the sea?"
The Fidgit: "Oh no. He is the only one in ex-
istence, since his second wife died long, long ago.
He is the last of the Giant Shellfish. He be-
longs to past ages when the whales were land-
218 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
animals and all that. They say he is over sevent\
thousand years old."
The Doctor: "Good Gracious, what wonderful
things he could tell me ! I do wish I could meet
him."
The Fldgit: "Were there any more questions you
wished to ask me? This water in your tank is
getting quite warm and sickly. I'd like to be
put back into the sea as soon as you can spare
me.'
The Doctor: "Just one more thing: when Chris-
topher Columbus crossed the Atlantic in 1492,
he threw overboard two copies of his diary sealed
up in barrels. One of them was never found.
It must have sunk. I would like to get it for my
library. Do you happen to know where is is?"
The Fidgit: "Yes, I do. That too is in the Deep
Hole. When the barrel sank the currents drifted
it northwards down what we call the Orinoco
Slope, till it finally disappeared into the Deep
Hole. If it was any other part of the sea I'd
try and get it for you; but not there."
The Doctor: "Well, that is all, I think. I hate
to put you back into the sea, because I know that
as soon as I do, I'll think of a hundred other ques-
tions I wanted to ask you. But I must keep my
promise. Would you care for anything before
you go? — it seems a cold day — some cracker-
crumbs or something?"
The Fid git's Story 219
The Fidgit: "No, I won't stop. All I want just
at present is fresh sea-water."
The Doctor: "I cannot thank you enough for all
the information you have given me. You have
been very helpful and patient."
The Fidgit: "Pray do not mention it. It has been
a real pleasure to be of assistance to the great
John Dolittle. You are, as of course you know,
already quite famous among the better class of
fishes. Goodbye ! — and good luck to you, to your
ship and to all your plans !"
The Doctor carried the listening-tank to a port-
hole, opened it and emptied the tank into the sea.
"Good-bye!'1 he murmured as a faint splash
reached us from without.
I dropped my pencil on the table and leaned back
with a sigh. My fingers were so stiff with writers'
cramp that I felt as though I should never be able
to open my hand again. But I, at least, had had
a night's sleep. As for the poor Doctor, he was
so weary that he had hardly put the tank back upon
the table and dropped into a chair, when his eyes
closed and he began to snore.
In the passage outside Polynesia scratched angrily
at the door. I rose and let her in.
"A nice state of affairs!" she stormed. "What
sort of a ship is this? There's that colored man
upstairs asleep under the wheel; the Doctor asleep
22O The Voyages of Doctor Do little
down here; and you making pot-hooks in a copy-
book with a pencil ! Expect the ship to steer her-
self to Brazil? We're just drifting around the
sea like an empty bottle — and a week behind time
as it is. What's happened to you all?"
She was so angry that her voice rose to a scream.
But it would have taken more than that to wake
the Doctor.
I put the note-book carefully in a drawer and went,
on deck to take the wheel.
THE THIRD CHAPTER
BAD WEATHER
AS soon as I had the Curlew swung round
upon her course again I noticed some-
thing peculiar: we were not going as fast
as we had been. Our favorable wind
had almost entirely disappeared.
This, at first, we did not worry about, thinking
that at any moment it might spring up again. But
the whole day went by; then two days; then a week,
— ten days, and the wind grew no stronger. The
Curlew just dawdled along at the speed of a toddling
babe.
I now saw that the Doctor was becoming uneasy.
He kept getting out his sextant (an instrument
which tells you what part of the ocean you are in)
and making calculations. He was forever looking at
his maps and measuring distances on them. The
far edge of the sea, all around us, he examined with
his telescope a hundred times a day.
"But Doctor," I said when I found him one
afternoon mumbling to himself about the misty
appearance of the sky, "it wouldn't matter so much,
would it, if we did take a little longer over the
trip? We've got plenty to eat on board now;
221
222 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
and the Purple Bird-of-Paradise will know that we
have been delayed by something that we couldn't
help."
'Yes, I suppose so," he said thoughtfully. uBut
I hate to keep her waiting. At this season of the
year she generally goes to the Peruvian mountains
— for her health. And besides, the good weather
she prophesied is likely to end any day now and
delay us still further. If we could only keep moving
at even a fair speed, I wouldn't mind. It's this
hanging around, almost dead still, that gets me
restless — Ah, here comes a wind — Not very strong
— but maybe it'll grow."
A gentle breeze from the Northeast came singing
through the ropes; and we smiled up hopefully at
the Curlew's leaning masts.
'We've only got another hundred and fifty miles
to make, to sight the coast of Brazil," said the Doc-
tor. "If that wind would just stay with us, steady,
for a full day we'd see land."
But suddenly the wind changed, swung to the
East, then back to the Northeast — then to the
North. It came in fitful gusts, as though it hadn't
made up its mind which way to blow; and I was
kept busy at the wheel, swinging the Curlew this way
and that to keep the right side of it.
Presently we heard Polynesia, who w7as in the
rigging keeping a look-out for land or passing ships,
screech down to us,
Bad Weather 223
"Bad weather coming. That jumpy wind is an
ugly sign. And look! — over there in the East — see
that black line, low down? If that isn't a storm
I'm a land-lubber. The gales round here are fierce,
when they do blow — tear your canvas out like
paper. You take the wheel, Doctor : it'll need a
strong arm if it's a real storm. I'll go wake Bumpo
and Chee-Chee. This looks bad to me. We'd
best get all the sail down right away, till we see
how strong she's going to blow."
Indeed the whole sky was now beginning to take
on a very threatening look. The black line to the
eastward grew blacker as it came nearer and nearer.
A low, rumbly, whispering noise went moaning over
the sea. The water which had been so blue and smil-
ing turned to a ruffled ugly gray. And acrcss the
darkening sky, shreds of cloud swept like tattered
witches flying from the storm.
I must confess I was frightened. You see I had
only so far seen the sea in friendly moods : some-
times quiet and lazy; sometimes laughing, venture-
some and reckless; sometimes brooding and poetic,
when moonbeams turned her ripples into silver
threads and dreaming snowy night-clouds piled up
fairy-castles in the sky. But as yet I had not known,
or even guessed at, the terrible strength of the Sea's
wild anger.
When that storm finally struck us we leaned
right over flatly on our side, as though some in-
224 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
visible giant had slapped the poor Curlew on the
cheek.
After that things happened so thick and so fast
that what with the wind that stopped your breath,
the driving, blinding water, the deafening noise and
the rest, I haven't a very clear idea of how our
shipwreck came about.
I remember seeing the sails, which we were now
trying to roll up upon the deck, torn out of our
hands by the wind and go overboard like a penny
balloon — very nearly carrying Chee-Chee with them.
And I have a dim recollection of Polynesia screech-
ing somewhere for one of us to go downstairs and
close the port-holes.
In spite of our masts being bare of sail we were
now scudding along to the southward at a great
pace. But every once in a while huge gray-black
waves would arise from under the ship's side like
nightmare monsters, swell and climb, then crash
down upon us, pressing us into the sea; and the poor
Curlew would come to a standstill, half under water,
like a gasping, drowning pig.
While I was clambering along towards the wheel
to see the Doctor, clinging like a leech with hands
and legs to' the rails lest I be blown overboard, one
of these tremendous seas tore loose my hold, filled
my throat with water and swept me like a cork the
full length of the deck. My head struck a door with
an awful bang. And then I fainted.
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
WRECKED !
WHEN I awoke I was very hazy in
my head. The sky was blue and the
sea was calm. At first I thought
that I must have fallen asleep in the sun
on the deck of the Curlew. And thinking that I
would be late for my turn at the wheel, I tried to
rise to my feet. I found I couldn't; my arms were
tied to something behind me with a phce of rope,
By twisting my neck around I found this to be a
mast, broken off short. Then I realized that I
wasn't sitting on a ship at all; I was only sitting on
a piece of one. I began to feel uncomfortably
scared. Screwing up my eyes, I searched the rim of
the sea North, East, South and West: no land:
no ships; nothing was in sight. I was alone in the
ocean!
At last, little by little, my bruised head began to
remember what had happened: first, the coming of
the storm; the sails going overboard; then the big
wave which had banged me against the door. But
what had become of the Doctor and the others?
What day was this, to-morrow or the day after? —
And why was I sitting on only part of a ship ?
225
"I was alone in the ocean!'
Wrecked! 227
Working my hand into my pocket, I found my
penknife and cut the rope that tied me. This re-
minded me of a shipwreck story which Joe had once
told me, of a captain who had tied his son to a mast
in order that he shouldn't be washed overboard by
the gale. So of course it must have been the Doc-
tor who had done the same to me.
But where was he?
The awful thought came to me that the Doctor
and the rest of them must be drowned, since there
was no other wreckage to be seen upon the waters.
I got to my feet and stared around the sea again —
Nothing — nothing but water and sky!
Presently a long way off I saw the small dark
shape of a bird skimming low down over the swell.
When it came quite close I saw it was a Stormy
Petrel. I tried to talk to it, to see if it could give
me news. But unluckily I hadn't learned much sea-
bird language and I couldn't even attract its atten-
tion, much less make it understand what I wanted.
Twice it circled round my raft, lazily, with hardly
a flip of the wing. And I could not help wondering,
in spite of the distress I was in, where it had spent
last night--how it, or any other living thing, had
weathered such a smashing storm. It made me
realize the great big difference between different
creatures; and that size and strength are not every-
thing. To this petrel, a frail little thing of featb'
ers, much smaller and weaker than I, the Sea could
228 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
do anything she liked, it seemed; and his only an-
swer was a lazy, saucy flip of the wing! He was
the one who should be called the able seaman. For,
come raging gale, come sunlit calm, this wilderness
of water was his home.
After swooping over the sea around me (just
looking for food, I supposed) he went off in the
direction from which he had come. And I was
alone once more.
I found I was somewhat hungry — and a little
thirsty too. I began to think all sorts of miserable
thoughts, the way one does when he is lonesome and
has missed breakfast. What was going to become
of me now, if the Doctor and the rest were
drowned? I would starve to death or die of
thirst. Then the sun went behind some clouds and
I felt cold. How many hundreds or thousands of
miles was I from any land? What if another storm
should come and smash up even this poor raft on
which I stood?
I went on like this for a while, growing gloomier
and gloomier, when suddenly I thought of Poly-
nesia. 'You're always safe with the Doctor," she
had said. "He gets there. Remember that."
I'm sure I wouldn't have minded so much if he
had been here with me. It was this being all alone
that made me want to weep. And yet the petrel
was alone ! — What a baby I was, I told myself, to
be scared to the verge of tears just by loneliness !
Wrecked! 229
I was quite safe where I was — for the present any-
how. John Dolittle wouldn't get scared by a little
thing like this. He only got excited when he made
a discovery, found a new bug or something. And
if what Polynesia had said was true, he couldn't be
drowned and things would come out all right in the
end somehow.
I threw out my chest, buttoned up my collar and
began walking up and down the short raft to keep
warm. I would be like John Dolittle. I wouldn't
cry — And I wouldn't get excited.
How long I paced back and forth I don't know.
But it was a long time — for I had nothing else to
do.
At last I got tired and lay down to rest. And
in spite of all my troubles, I soon fell fast asleep.
This time when I woke up, stars were staring
down at me out of a cloudless sky. The sea was
still calm; and my strange craft was rocking gently
under me on an easy swell. All my fine courage
left me as I gazed up into the big silent night and
felt the pains of hunger and thirst set to work in
my stomach harder than ever.
"Are you awake?" said a high silvery voice at
my elbow.
I sprang up as though some one had stuck a pin
in me. And there, perched at the very end of my
raft, her beautiful golden tail glowing dimly in the
starlight, sat Miranda, the Purple Bird-of-Paradise !
230 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Never have I been so glad to see any one in my
life. I almost fell into the water as I leapt to hug
her.
;'I didn't want to wake you," said she. "I
guessed you must be tired after all you've been
through — Don't squash the life out of me, boy:
I'm not a stuffed duck, you know."
"Oh, Miranda, you dear old thing," said I, "I'm
so glad to see you. Tell me, where is the Doctor?
Is he alive?"
"Of course he's alive — and it's my firm belief
he always will be. He's over there, about forty
miles to the westward."
"What's he doing there?"
''He's sitting on the other half of the Curlew
shaving himself — or he was, when I left him."
"Well, thank Heaven he's alive!" said I— "And
Bumpo — and the animals, are they all right?"
"Yes, they're with him. Your ship broke in half
in the storm. The Doctor had tied you down when
he found you stunned. And the part you were on
got separated and floated away. Golly, it was a
storm! One has to be a gull or an albatross to
stand that sort of weather. I had been watching
for the Doctor for three weeks, from a cliff-top;
but last night I had to take refuge in a cave to keep
my tail-feathers from blowing out. As soon as I
found the Doctor, he sent me off with some por-
Wrecked! 231
poises to look for you. A Stormy Petrel vol-
unteered to help us in our search. There had been
quite a gathering of sea-birds waiting to greet the
Doctor; but the rough weather sort of broke up the
arrangements that had been made to welcome him
properly. It was the petrel that first gave us the
tip where you were."
"Well, but how can I get to the Doctor, Mi-
randa?— I haven't any oars."
"Get to him ! — Why, you're going to him now.
Look behind you."
I turned around. The moon was just rising on
the sea's edge. And I now saw that my raft was
moving through the water, but so gently that I had
not noticed it before.
"What's moving us?" I asked.
'The porpoises," said Miranda.
I went to the back of the raft and looked down
into the water. And just below the surface I could
see the dim forms of four big porpoises, their sleek
skins glinting in the moonlight, pushing at the raft
with their noses.
"They're old friends of the Doctor's," said
Miranda. "They'd do anything for John Dolittle.
We should see his party soon now. We're pretty
near the place I left them — Yes, there they are!
See that dark shape? — No, more to the right of
where you're looking. Can't you make out the
232 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
figure of the black man standing against the sky? —
Now Chee-Chee spies us — he's waving. Don't
you see them?"
I didn't — for my eyes were not as sharp as
Miranda's. But presently from somewhere in the
murky dusk I heard Bumpo singing his African
comic songs with the full force of his enormous
voice. And in a little, by peering and peering in
the direction of the sound, I at last made out a dim
mass of tattered, splintered wreckage — all that re-
mained of the poor Curlew* — floating low down
upon the water.
A hulloa came through the night. And I an-
swered it We kept it up, calling to one another
back and forth across the calm night sea. And a
few minutes later the two halves of our brave little
ruined ship bumped gently together again.
Now that I was nearer and the moon was higher
I could see more plainly. Their half of the ship
was much bigger than mine.
It lay partly upon its side; and most of them
were perched upon the top munching ship's biscuit.
But close down to the edge of the water, using
the sea's calm surface for a mirror and a piece of
broken bottle for a razor, John Dolittle was shav-
ing his free by the light of the moon.
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
LAND!
THEY all gave me a great greeting as I
clambered off my half of the ship on to
theirs. Bumpo brought me a wonder-
ful drink of fresh water which he drew
from a barrel; and Chee-Chee and Polynesia stood
around me feeding me ship's biscuit.
But it was the sight of the Doctor's smiling face
— just knowing that I was with him once again —
that cheered me more than anything else. As I
watched him carefully wipe his glass razor and put
it away for future use, I could not help comparing
him in my mind with the Stormy Petrel. Indeed the
vast strange knowledge which he had gained from
his speech and friendship with animals had brought
him the power to do things which no other human
being would dare to try. Like the petrel, he could
apparently play with the sea in all her moods. It
was no wonder that many of the ignorant savage
peoples among whom he passed in his voyages
made statues of him showing him as half a fish, half
a bird, and half a man. And ridiculous though it
was, I could quite understand what Miranda
meant when she said she firmly believed that he
233
234 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
could never die. Just to be with him gave you a
wonderful feeling of comfort and safety.
Except for his appearance (his clothes were
crumpled and damp and his battered high hat was
stained with salt water) that storm which had so
terrified me had disturbed him no more than getting
stuck on the mud-bank in Puddleby River.
Politely thanking Miranda for getting me so
quickly, he asked her if she would now go ahead of
us and show us the way to Spidermonkey Island.
Next, he gave orders to the porpoises to leave my
old piece of the ship and push the bigger half wher-
ever the Bird-of-Paradise should lead us.
How much he had lost in the wreck besides his
raz^or I did not know — everything, most likely,
together with all the money he had saved up to buy
the ship with. And still he was smiling as though
he wanted for nothing in the world. The only
things he had saved, as far as I could see — beyond
the barrel of water and bag of biscuit — were his
precious note-books. These, I saw when he stood
up, he had strapped around his waist with yards
and yards of twine. He was, as old Matthew
Mugg used to say, a great man. He was unbeliev-
able.
And now for three days we continued our journey
slowly but steadily — southward.
The only inconvenience we suffered from was the
cold. This seemed to increase as we went forward.
Land 235
The Doctor said that the island, disturbed from its
usual paths by the great gale, had evidently drifted
further South than it had ever been before.
On the third night poor Miranda came back to us
nearly frozen. She told the Doctor that in the
morning we would find the island quite close to us,
though we couldn't see it now as it was a misty dark
night. She said that she must hurry back at once
to a warmer climate; and that she would visit the
Doctor in Puddleby next August as usual.
"Don't forget, Miranda," said John Dolittle,
"if you should hear anything of what happened to
Long Arrow, to get word to me."
The Bird-of-Paradise assured him she would.
And after the Doctor had thanked her again and
again for all that she had done for us, she wished
us good luck and disappeared into the night.
We were all awake early in the morning, long be-
fore it was light, waiting for our first glimpse of
the country we had come so far to see. And as
the rising sun turned the eastern sky to gray, of
course it was old Polynesia who first shouted that
she could see palm-trees and mountain tops.
With the growing light it became plain to all of
us: a long island with high rocky mountains in the
middle — and so near to us that you could almost
throw your hat upon the shore.
The porpoises gave us one last push and out
strange-looking craft bumped gently on a
236 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
beach. Then, thanking our lucky stars for a
chance to stretch our cramped legs, we all bundled
off on to the land — the first land, even though it
was floating land, that we had trodden for six
weeks. What a thrill I felt as I realized that Spider-
monkey Island, the little spot in the atlas which my
pencil had touched, lay at last beneath my feet!
When the light increased still further we noticed
that the palms and grasses of the island seemed
withered and almost dead. The Doctor said that
it must be on account of the cold that the island
was now suffering from in its new climate. These
trees and grasses, he told us, were the kind that
belonged to warm, tropical weather.
The porpoises asked if we wanted them any fur-
ther. And the Doctor said that he didn't think
so, not for the present — nor the raft either, he
added; for it was already beginning to fall to pieces
and could not float much longer.
As we were preparing to go inland and explore
the island, we suddenly noticed a whole band of Red
Indians watching us with great curiosity from
among the trees. The Doctor went forward to
talk to them. But he could not make them under-
stand. He tried by signs to show them that he
had come on a friendly visit. The Indians didn't
seem to like us however. They had bows and arrows
and long hunting spears, with stone points, in their
Land 237
hands; and they made signs back to the Doctor to
tell him that if he came a step nearer they would
kill us all. They evidently wanted us to leave the
island at once. It was a very uncomfortable situa-
tion.
At last the Doctor made them understand that he
only wanted to see the island all over and that then
he would go away — though how he meant to do it,
with no boat to sail in, was more than I could
imagine.
While they were talking among themselves an-
other Indian arrived — apparently with a message
that they were wanted in some other part of the is-
land. Because presently, shaking their spears
threateningly at us, they went off with the new*
comer.
"What discourteous pagans !" said Bumpo. "Did
you ever see such inhospitability? — Never even
asked us if we'd had breakfast, the benighted
bounders !"
uSh! They're going off to their village," said
Polynesia. "I'll bet there's a village on the other
side of those mountains. If you take my advice,
Doctor, you'll get away from this beach while their
backs are turned. Let us go up into the higher
land for the present — some place where they won't
know where we are. They may grow friendlier
when they see we mean no harm. They have
238 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
honest, open faces and look like a decent crowd to
me. They're just ignorant — probably never saw
white folks before."
So, feeling a little bit discouraged by our first
reception, we moved off towards the mountains in
the centre of the island.
THE SIXTH CHAPTER
THE JABIZRI
E found the woods at the feet of the
hills thick and tangly and somewhat
hard to get through. On Polynesia's
advice, we kept away from all paths
and trails, feeling it best to avoid meeting any
Indians for the present.
But she and Chee-Chee were good guides and
splendid jungle-hunters; and the two of them set
to work at once looking for food for us. In a
very short space of time they had found quite a
number of different fruits and nuts which made ex-
cellent eating, though none of us knew the names
of any of them. We discovered a nice clean stream
of good water which came down from the mountains ;
so we were supplied with something to drink as
well.
We followed the stream up towards the heights.
And presently we came to parts where the woods
were thinner and the ground rocky and steep.
Here we could get glimpses of wonderful views all
over the island, with the blue sea beyond.
While we were admiring one of these the Doctor
239
240 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
suddenly said, "Sh ! — A Jabizri ! — Don't you hear
it?"
We listened and heard, somewhere in the air
about us, an extraordinarily musical hum — like
a bee, but not just one note. This hum rose and
fell, up and down — almost like some one sing-
ing.
"No other insect but the Jabizri beetle hums like
that," said the Doctor. "I wonder where he is —
quite near, by the sound — flying among the trees
probably. Oh, if I only had my butterfly-net!
Why didn't I think to strap that around my waist
too. Confound the storm: I may miss the chance
of a lifetime now of getting the rarest beetle in the
world — Oh look! There he goes!"
A huge beetle, easily three inches long I should
say, suddenly flew by our noses. The Doctor got
frightfully excited. He took off his hat to use as
a net, swooped at the beetle and caught it. He
nearly fell down a precipice on to the rocks below
in his wild hurry, but that didn't bother him in the
least. He knelt down, chortling, upon the ground
with the Jabizri safe under his hat. From his
pocket he brought out a glass-topped box, and into
this he very skilfully made the beetle walk from
under the rim of the hat. Then he rose up, happy
as a child, to examine his new treasure through the
glass lid.
It certainly was a most beautiful insect. It was,
The Jabizri 241
pale blue underneath; but its back was glossy black
with huge red spots on it.
'There isn't an entymologist in the whole world
who wouldn't give all he has to be in my shoes
to-day," said the Doctor— "Hulloa ! This Jab-
izri's got something on his leg — Doesn't look like
mud. I wonder what it is."
He took the beetle carefully out of the box and
held it by its back in his fingers, where it waved its
six legs slowly in the air. We all crowded about
him peering at it. Rolled around the middle sec-
tion of its right foreleg was something that looked
like a thin dried leaf. It was bound on very neatly
with strong spider-web.
It was marvelous to see how John Dolittle with
his fat heavy fingers undid that cobweb cord and
unrolled the leaf, whole, without tearing it or hurt-
ing the precious beetle. The Jabizri he put back
into the box. Then he spread the leaf out flat and
examined it.
You can imagine our surprise when we found that
the inside of the leaf was covered with signs and
pictures, drawn so tiny that you almost needed a
magnifying-glass to tell what they were. Some of
the signs we couldn't make out at all; but nearly all
of the pictures were quite plain, figures of men and
mountains mostly. The whole was done in a
curious sort of brown ink.
For several moments there was a dead silence
242 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
while we all stared at the leaf, fascinated and mys-
tified.
"I think this is written in blood," said the Doctor
at last. "It turns that color when it's dry. Some-
body pricked his finger to make these pictures.
It's an old dodge when you're short of ink — but
highly unsanitary — What an extraordinary thing
to find tied to a beetle's leg! I wish I could talk
beetle language, and find out where the Jabizri got
it from."
"But what is it?" I asked — "Rows of little pic-
tures and signs. What do you make of it. Doctor?"
"It's a letter," he said — "a picture letter. All
these little things put together mean a message —
But why give a message to a beetle to carry — and to
a Jabizri, the rarest beetle in the world? — What an
extraordinary thing!"
Then he fell to muttering over the pictures.
"I wonder what it means: men walking up a
mountain; men walking into a hole in a mountain;
a mountain falling down — it's a good drawing,
that; men pointing to their open mouths; bars —
prison-bars, perhaps; men praying; men lying
down — they look as though they might be sick;
and last of all, just a mountain — a peculiar-shaped
mountain."
All of a sudden the Doctor looked up sharply at
me, a wonderful smile of delighted understanding
spreading over his face.
U"
u
The Jabizri 243
"Long Arrow!'' he cried, "don't you s'ee,
Stubbins? — Why, of course! Only a naturalist
would think of doing a thing like this: giving his
letter to a beetle — not to a common beetle, but to
the rarest of all, one that other naturalists would
try to catch — Well, well! Long Arrow! — A pic-
ture-letter from Long Arrow. For pictures are
the only writing that he knows."
'Yes, but who is the letter to?" I asked.
'It's to me very likely. Miranda had told him,
I know, years ago, that some day I meant to come
here. But if not for me, then it's for any one who
caught the beetle and read it. It's a letter to the
world."
'Well, but what does it say? It doesn't seem
to me that it's much good to you now you've got it."
"Yes, it is," he said, "because, look, I can read
it now. First picture : men walking up a mountain
— that's Long Arrow and his party; men going
into a hole in a mountain — they enter a cave looking
for medicine-plants or mosses; a mountain falling
down — some hanging rocks must have slipped and
trapped them, imprisoned them in the cave. And
this was the only living creature that could carry a
message for them to the outside world — a beetle,
who could burrow his way into the open air. Of
course it was only a slim chance that the beetle
would be ever caught and the letter read. But it
was a chance; and when men are in great danger
244 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
they grab at any straw of hope. . . . All right.
Now look *at the next picture : men pointing to their
open mouths — they are hungry; men praying —
begging any one who finds this letter to come to their
assistance; men lying down — they are sick, or starv-
ing. This letter, Stubbins, is their last cry for help."
He sprang to his feet as he ended, snatched out
a note-book and put the letter between the leaves.
His hands were trembling with haste and agitation.
"Come on!" he cried — "up the mountain — all of
you. There's not a moment to lose. Bumpo, bring
the water and nuts with you. Heaven only knows
how long they've been pining underground. Let's
hope and pray we're not too late!"
"But where are you going to look?" I asked.
"Miranda said the island was a hundred miles long
and the mountains seem to run all the way down the
centre of it."
"Didn't you see the last picture?" he said, grab-
bing up his hat from the ground and cramming it
on his head. "It was an oddly shaped mountain —
looked like a hawk's head. Well, there's where he
is — if he's still alive. First thing for us to do, is
to get up on a high peak and look around the island
for a mountain shaped like a hawks' head — Just
to think of it! There's a chance of my meeting
Long Arrow, the son of Golden Arrow, after
all! — Come on! Hurry! To delay may mean
death to the greatest naturalist ever born!"
THE SEFENTH CHAPTER
HAWK'S-HEAD MOUNTAIN
E all agreed afterwards that none of
us had ever worked so hard in our
lives before as we did that day. For
my part, I know I was often on the
point of dropping exhausted with fatigue; but I
just kept on going — like a machine — determined
that, whatever happened, / would not be the first
to give up.
When we had scrambled to the top of a high
peak, almost instantly we saw the strange mountain
pictured in the letter. In shape it was the perfect
image of a hawk's head, and was, as far as we could
see, the second highest summit in the island.
Although we were all out of breath from our
climb, the Doctor didn't let us rest a second as soon
as he had sighted it. With one look at the sun for
direction, down he dashed again, breaking through
thickets, splashing over brooks, taking all the short
cuts. For a fat man, he was certainly the swiftest
cross-country runner I ever saw.
We floundered after him as fast as we could.
When I say we, I mean Bumpo and myself; for the
animals, Jip, Chee-Chee and Polynesia, were a long
245
246 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
way ahead — even beyond the Doctor — enjoying the
hunt like a paper-chase.
At length we arrived at the foot of the mountain
we were making for; and we found its sides very
steep. Said the Doctor,
''Now we will separate and search for caves.
This spot where we now are, will be our meeting-
place. If anyone finds anything like a cave or a
hole where the earth and rocks have fallen in, he
must shout and hulloa to the rest of us. If we find
nothing we will all gather here in about an hour's
time — Everybody understand?"
Then' we all went off our different ways.
'Each of us, you may be sure, was anxious to be
the one to make a discovery. And never was a
mountain searched so thoroughly. But alas! noth-
ing could we find that looked in the least like a fal-
len-in cave. There were plenty of places where
rocks had tumbled down to the foot of the slopes;
but none of these appeared as though caves or pas-
sages could possibly lie behind them.
One by one, tired and disappointed, we straggled
back to the meeting-place. The Doctor seemed
gloomy and impatient but by no means inclined to
give up.
ujip," he said, "couldn't you smell anything like
an Indian anywhere?"
'No," said Jip. ''I sniffed at every crack on the
mountainside. But I am afraid my nose will be
Hawk's-Head Mountain 247
of no use to you here, Doctor. The trouble is, the
whole air is so saturated with the smell of spider
monkeys that it drowns every other scent — And be-
sides, it's too cold and dry for good smelling."
"It is certainly that," said the Doctor — "and get-
ting colder all the time. I'm afraid the island is
still drifting to the southward. Let's hope it stops
before long, or we won't be able to get even nuts
and fruit to eat — everything in the island will perish
— Chee-Chee, what luck did you have?"
"None, Doctor. I climbed to every peak and
pinnacle I could see. I searched every hollow and
cleft. But not one place could I find where men
might be hidden."
"And Polynesia," asked the Doctor, "did you see
nothing that might put us on the right track?"
'Not a thing, Doctor — But I have a plan."
"Oh good !" cried John Dolittle, full of hope re-
newed. "What is it? Let's hear it."
"You still have that beetle with you," she asked
— "the Biz-biz, or whatever it is you call the
wretched insect?"
'Yes," said the Doctor, producing the glass-
topped box from his pocket, "here it is."
"All right. Now listen," said she. "If what
you have supposed is true — that is, that Long Ar-
row had been trapped inside the mountain by falling
rock, he probably found that beetle inside the cave
— perhaps many other different beetles too, eh?
248 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
He wouldn't have been likely to take the Biz-biz
in with him, would he? — He was hunting plants,
you say, not beetles. Isn't that right?"
"Yes," said the Doctor, "that's probably so."
"Very well. It is fair to suppose then that the
beetle's home, or his hole, is in that place — the part
of the mountain where Long Arrow and his party
are imprisoned, isn't itr"
"Quite, quite."
"All right. Then the thing to do is to let the
beetle go — and watch him; and sooner or later he'll
return to his home in Long Arrow's cave. And
there we will follow him — Or at all events," she
added smoothing down her wing-feathers with a
very superior air, kkwe will follow him till the mis-
erable bug starts nosing under the earth. But at
least he will show us what part of the mountain
Long Arrow is hidden in."
"But he may fly, if I let him out," said the Doc-
tor. 'Then we shall just lose him and be no better
oft than we were before."
"Let him fly," snorted Polynesia scornfully. 4kA
parrot can wing it as fast as a Biz-biz, I fancy. If
he takes to the air, I'll guarantee not to let the little
devil out of my sight. And if he just crawls along
the ground you can follow him yourself."
"Splendid!" cried the Doctor. "Polynesia, you
have a great brain. I'll set him to work at once
and see what happens."
Ha^k's-Head Mountain 249
Again we all clustered round the Doctor as he
carefully lifted oft the glass lid and let the big beetle
climb out upon his finger.
"Ladybug. Ladybug, fly away home!" crooned
Bumpo. "Your house is on fire and your chil — "
"Oh. be quiet!" snapped Polynesia crossly.
"M.op insulting him! Don't you suppose he has
wits enough to go home without your telling him:
"I thought perchance he might be of a philan-
dering disposition," said Bumpo humbly. "It could
be that he is tired of his home and needs to be
encouraged. Shall I sing him %Home Sweet Home/
think you .'"
"No. Then he'd never go back. Your voice
needs a rest. Don't sing to him: just watch h:m —
Oh, and Doctor, why not tie another message to
the creature's leg, telling Long Arrow that we're
doing our best to reach him and that he musn't give
up hope?"
"I will." said the Doctor. And in a minute he
had pulled a dry leaf from a bush near by and was
covering it with little pictures in pencil.
At last, neatly fixed up with his new mail-bag,
Mr. Jabizri crawled off the Doctor's finger to the
ground and looked about him. He stretched his
legs, polished his nose with his front feet and then
moved off leisurely to the westward.
We had expected him to walk up the mountain:
instead, he walked around it. Do vou know how
250 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
long it takes a beetle to walk round a mountain *
Well, I assure you it takes an unbelievably long
time. As the hours dragged by, we hoped and
hoped that he would get up and fly the rest, and let
Polynesia carry on the work of following him. But
he never opened his wings once. I had not realized
before how hard it is for a human being to walk
slowly enough to keep up with a beetle. It was the
most tedious thing I have ever gone through. And
as we dawdled along behind, watching him like
hawks lest we lose him under a leaf or something,
we all got so cross and ill-tempered we were ready
to bite one another's heads off. And when he
stopped to look at the scenery or polish his nose
some more, I could hear Polynesia behind me letting
out the most dreadful seafaring swear-words you
ever heard.
After he had led us the whole way round the
mountain he brought us to the exact spot where we
started from and there he came to a dead stop.
'Well," said Bumpo to Polynesia, "what do you
think of the beetle's sense now? You see he doesn't
know enough to go home."
"Oh, be still, you Hottentot!" snapped Poly-
nesia. 'Wouldn't you want to stretch your legs
for exercise if you'd been shut up in a box all day.
Probably his home is near here, and that's why he's
come back."
Hawk's-Head Mountain 251
"But why," I asked, "did he go the whole way
round the mountain first?"
Then the three of us got into a violent argument.
But in the middle of it all the Doctor suddenly
called out,
"Look, look!"
We turned and found that he was pointing to the
Jabizri, who was now walking up the mountain at
a much faster and more business-like gait.
'Well," said Bumpo sitting down wearily; "if he
is going to walk over the mountain and back, for
more exercise, I'll wait for him here. Chee-Chee
and Polynesia can follow him."
Indeed it would have taken a monkey or a bird
to climb the place which the beetle was now walking
up. It was a smooth, flat part of the mountain's
side, steep as a wall.
But presently, when the Jabizri was no more than
ten feet above our heads, we all cried out together.
For, even while we watched him, he had disappeared
into the face of the rock like a raindrop soaking into
sand.
"He's gone," cried Polynesia. "There must be
a hole up there." And in a twinkling she had flut-
tered up the rock and was clinging to the face of it
with her claws.
"Yes," she shouted down, "we've run him to
earth at last. His hole is right here, behind a
252 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
patch of lichen — big enough to get two fingers in."
"Ah," cried the Doctor, "this great slab of
rock then must have slid down from the summit and
shut off the mouth of the cave like a door. Poor
fellows! What a dreadful time they must have
spent in there ! — Oh, if we only had some picks and
shovels now !"
"Picks and shovels wouldn't do much good," said
Polynesia. "Look at the size of the slab: a hun-
dred feet high and as many broad. You would
need an army for a week to make any impression
on it."
"I wonder how thick it is," said the Doctor;
and he picked up a big stone and banged it with all
his might against the face of the rock. It made a
hollow booming sound, like a giant drum. We all
stood still listening while the echo of it died slowly
away.
And then a cold shiver ran down my spine. For,
from within the mountain, back came three an-
swering knocks: Boom! . . . Boom! . . . Boom!
Wide-eyed we looked at one another as
though the earth itself had spoken. And the sol-
emn little silence that followed was broken by the
Doctor.
'Thank Heaven," he said in a hushed reverent
voice, "some of them at least are alive!"
o O o
PART FIVE
THE FIRST CHAPTER
A GREAT MOMENT
THE next part of our problem was the
hardest of all : how to roll aside, pull
down or break open, that gigantic slab.
As we gazed up at it towering above our
heads, it looked indeed a hopeless task for our tiny
strength.
But the sounds of life from inside the mountain
had put new heart in us. And in a moment we
were all scrambling around trying to find any open-
ing or crevice which would give us something to
work on. Chee-Chee scaled up the sheer wall of
the slab and examined the top of it where it leaned
against the mountain's side; I uprooted bushes and
stripped off hanging creepers that might conceal a
weak place; the Doctor got more leaves and
composed new picture-letters for the Jabizri to
take in if he should turn up again; whilst Polynesia
carried up a handful of nuts and pushed them into
the beetle's hole, one by one, for the prisoners in-
side to eat.
''Nuts are so nourishing," she said.
But Jip it was who, scratching at the foot of the
253
254 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
L - • ••• -
slab like a good ratter, made the discovery which
led to our final success.
'Doctor," he cried, running up to John Dolittle
with his nose all covered with black mud, "this slab
is resting on nothing but a bed of soft earth. You
never saw such easy digging. I guess the cave
behind must be just too high up for the Indians to
reach the earth with their hands, or they could
have scraped a way out long ago. If we can only
scratch the earth-bed away from under, the slab
might drop a little. Then maybe the Indians can
climb out over the top."
The Doctor hurried to examine the place where
Jip had dug.
'Why, yes," he said, "if we can get the
earth away from under this front edge, the slab
is standing up so straight, we might even make it
fall right dowrn in this direction. It's well worth
trying. Let's get at it, quick."
We had no tools but the sticks and slivers of
stone which we could find around. A strange sight
we must have looked, the whole crew of us squatting
down on our heels, scratching and burrowing at the
foot of the mountain, like six badgers in a row.
After about an hour, during which in spite of the
cold the sweat fell from our foreheads in all direct-
ions, the Doctor said,
'Be ready to jump from under, clear out of the
way, if she shows signs of moving. If this slab
A Great Moment 255
falls on anybody, it will squash him flatter than a
pancake."
Presently there was a grating, grinding sound.
"Look out!" yelled John Dolittle, "here she
comes ! — Scatter !"
We ran for our lives, outwards, toward the sides.
The big rock slid gently down, about a foot, into the
trough which we had made beneath it. For a mo-
ment I was disappointed, for like that, it was as hope-
less as before — no signs of a cave-mouth showing
above it. But as I looked upward, I saw the top
coming very slowly away from the mountainside.
We had unbalanced it below. As it moved apart
from the face of the mountain, sounds of human
voices, crying gladly in a strange tongue, issued from
behind. Faster and faster the top swung forward,
downward. Then, with a roaring crash which
shook the whole mountain-range beneath our feet,
it struck the earth and cracked in halves.
How can I describe to any one that first meeting
between the two greatest naturalists the world ever
knew, Long Arrow, the son of Golden Arrow and
John Dolittle, M.D., of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh?
The scene rises before me now, plain and clear in
every detail, though it took place so many, many
years ago. But when I come to write of it, words
seem such poor things with which to tell vou of that
great occasion.
I know that the Doctor, whose life was surely
256 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
full enough of big happenings, always counted the
setting free of the Indian scientist as the greatest
thing he ever did. For my part, knowing how much
this meeting must mean to him, I was on pins and
needles of expectation and curiosity as the great
stone finally thundered down at our feet and we
gazed across it to see what lay behind.
The gloomy black mouth of a tunnel, full twenty
feet high, was revealed. In the centre of this open-
ing stood an enormous red Indian, seven feet tall,
handsome, muscular, slim and naked — but for a
beaded cloth about his middle and an eagle's feather
in his hair. He held one hand across his face to
shield his eyes from the blinding sun which he had
not seen in many days.
'It is he!" I heard the Doctor whisper at my
elbow. "I know him by his great height and the
scar upon his chin."
And he stepped forward slowly across the fallen
stone with his hand outstretched to the red man.
Presently the Indian uncovered his eyes. And I
saw that they had a curious piercing gleam in them
— like the eyes of an eagle, but kinder and more gen-
tle. He slowly raised his right arm, the rest of him
still and motionless like a statue, and took the Doc-
tor's hand in his. It was a great moment. Poly-
nesia nodded to me in a knowing, satisfied kind of
way. And I heard old Bumpo sniffle sentimentally.
Then the Doctor tried to speak to Long Arrow.
'It was a great moment"
258 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
But the Indian knew no English of course, and the
Doctor knew no Indian. Presently, to my surprise,
I heard the Doctor trying him in different animal
languages.
'How do you do?" he said in dog-talk; "I am
glad to see you," in horse-signs; 'How long have
you been buried?" in deer-language. Still the In-
dian made no move but stood there, straight and
stiff, understanding not a word.
The Doctor tried again, in several other animal
dialects. But with no result.
Till at last he came to the language of eagles.
"Great Red-Skin," he said in the fierce screams
and short grunts that the big birds use, "never have
I been so glad in all my life as I am to-day to find you
still alive."
In a flash Long Arrow's stony face lit up with a
smile of understanding; and back came the answer
in eagle-tongue,
"Mighty White Man, I owe my life to you. For
the remainder of my days I am your servant to com-
mand."
Afterwards Long Arrow told us that this was the
only bird or animal language that he had ever been
able to learn. But that he had not spoken it in a
long time, for no eagles ever came to this island.
Then the Doctor signaled to Bumpo who came
forward with the nuts and water. But Long Arrow
neither ate nor drank. Taking the supplies with a
A Great Moment 259
nod of thanks, he turned and carried them into the
inner dimness of the cave. We followed him.
Inside we found nine other Indians, men, women
and boys, lying on the rock floor in a dreadful state
of thinness and exhaustion.
Some had their eyes closed, as if dead. Quickly
the Doctor went round them all and listened to their
hearts. They were all alive; but one woman was
too weak even to stand upon her feet.
At a word from the Doctor, Chee-Chee and
Polynesia sped off into the jungles after more fruit
and water.
While Long Arrow was handing round what food
we had to his starving friends, we suddenly heard
a sound outside the cave. Turning about we saw,
clustered at the entrance, the band of Indians who
had met us so inhospitably at the beach.
They peered into the dark cave cautiously at first.
But as soon as they saw Long Arrow and the other
Indians w7ith us, they came rushing in, laughing,
clapping their hands with joy and jabbering away at
a tremendous rate.
Long Arrow explained to the Doctor that the
nine Indians we had found in the cave with him were
two families who had accompanied him into the
mountains to help him gather medicine-plants. And
while they had been searching for a kind of moss
— good for indigestion — which grows only inside
of damp caves, the great rock slab had slid down
260 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
and shut them in. Then for two weeks they had
lived on the medicine-moss and such fresh water as
could be found dripping from the damp walls of the
cave. The other Indians on the island had given
them up for lost and mourned them as dead; and they
were now very surprised and happy to find their
relatives alive.
When Long Arrow turned to the newcomers and
told them in their own language that it was the white
man who had found and freed their relatives, they
gathered round John Dolittle, all talking at once
and beating their breasts.
Long Arrow said they were apologizing and try-
ing to tell the Doctor how sorry they were that
they had seemed unfriendly to him at the beach.
They had never seen a white man before and had
really been afraid of him — especially when they saw
him conversing with the porpoises. They had
thought he was the Devil, they said.
Then they went outside and looked at the great
stone we had thrown down, big as a meadow; and
they walked round and round it, pointing to the
break running through the middle and wondering
how the trick of felling it \vas done.
Travelers who have since visited Spidermonkey
Island tell me that that huge stone slab is now one
of the regular sights of the island. And that the
Indian guides, when showing it to visitors, always
tell their story of how it came there. They say that
A Great Moment 261
when the Doctor found that the rocks had entrapped
his friend, Long Arrow, he was so angry that he
ripped the mountain in halves with his bare hands
and let him out.
THE SECOND CHAPTER
"THE MEN OF THE MOVING LAND"
ROM that time on the Indians' treatment
of us was very different. We were invited
to their village for a feast to celebrate the
recovery of the lost families. And after
we had made a litter from saplings to carry the sick
woman in, we all started off down the mountain.
On the way the Indians told Long Arrow some-
thing which appeared to be sad news, for on hearing
it, his face grew very grave. The Doctor asked him
what was wrong. And Long Arrow said he had
just been informed that the chief of the tribe, an old
man of eighty, had died early that morning.
'That," Polynesia whispered in my ear, "must
have been what they went back to the village for,
when the messenger fetched them from the beach.
— Remember?"
"What did he die of?" asked the Doctor.
"He died of cold," said Long Arrow.
Indeed, now that the sun was setting, we were
all shivering ourselves.
'This is a serious thing," said the Doctor to me.
'The island is still in the grip of that wretched cur-
rent flowing southward. We will have to look into
262
"The Men of the Moving Land" 263
this to-morrow. If nothing can be done about it,
the Indians had better take to canoes and leave the
island. The chance of being wrecked will be better
than getting frozen to death in the ice-floes of the
Antarctic."
Presently we can:e over a saddle in the hills, and
looking downward on the far side of the island, we
saw the village — a large cluster of grass huts and
gaily colored totem-poles close by the edge of the
sea.
"How artistic!" said the Doctor — "Delightfully
situated. What is the name of the village?"
"Popsipetel," said Long Arrow. 'That is the
name also of the tribe. The word signifies in Indian
tongue, The Men of The Moving Land. There are
two tribes of Indians on the island: the Popsipetels
at this end and the Bag-jagderags at the other."
'Which is the larger of the two peoples?"
'The Bag-jagderags, by far. Their city covers
two square leagues. But," added Long Arrow a
slight frown darkening his handsome face, "for me,
I would rather have one Popsipetel than a hundred
Bag-jagderags."
The news of the rescue we had made had evidently
gone ahead of us. For as we drew nearer to the
village we saw crowds of Indians streaming out to
greet the friends and relatives whom they had never
thought to see again.
These good people, when they too were told how
264 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
the rescue had been the work of the strange white
visitor to their shores, all gathered round the Doc-
tor, shook him by the hands, patted him and hugged
him. Then they lifted him up upon their strong
shoulders and carried him down the hill into the
village.
There the wrelcome we received was even more
wonderful. In spite of the cold air of the coming
night, the villagers, who had all been shivering
within their houses, threw open their doors and came
out in hundreds. I had no idea that the little vill-
age could hold so many. They thronged about us,
smiling and nodding and waving their hands; and
as the details of what we had done were recited by
Long Arrow they kept shouting strange singing
noises, which we supposed were words of gratitude
or praise.
We were next escorted to a brand-new grass
house, clean and sweet-smelling within, and informed
that it was ours. Six strong Indian boys were told
off to be our servants.
On our way through the village we noticed a
house, larger than the rest, standing at the end of the
main street. Long Arrow pointed to it and told
us it was the Chief's house, but that it was now
empty — no new chief having yet been elected to
take the place of the old one who had died.
Inside our new home a feast of fish and fruit had
been prepared. Most of the more important men
"The Men of the Moving Land" 265
of the tribe were already seating themselves at the
long dining-table when we got there. Long Arrow
invited us to sit down and eat.
This we were glad enough to do, as we were all
hungry. But we were both surprised and disap-
pointed when we found that the fish had not been
cooked. The Indians did not seem' to think this
extraordinary in the least, but went ahead gobbling
the fish with much relish the way it was, raw.
With many apologies, the Doctor explained to
Long Arrow that if they had no objection we would
prefer our fish cooked.
Imagine our astonishment when we found that
the great Long Arrow, so learned in the natural
sciences, did not know what the word cooked meant!
Polynesia who was sitting on the bench between
John Dolittle and myself pulled the Doctor by the
sleeve.
"I'll tell you what's wrong, Doctor," she whis-
pered as he leant down to listen to her: (l 'these peo-
ple have no fires! They don't know how to make
a fire. Look outside: It's almost dark, and there
isn't a light showing in the whole village. This is
a fireless people."
THE THIRD CHAPTER
FIRE
THEN the Doctor asked Long Arrow if
he knew what fire was, explaining it to
him by pictures drawn on the buckskin
table-cloth. Long Arrow said he had
seen such a thing — coming out of the tops of vol-
canoes; but that neither he nor any of the Popsipet-
els knew how it was made.
"Poor perishing heathens!" muttered Bumpo.
"No wonder the old chief died of cold!"
At that moment we heard a crying sound at the
door. And turning round, we saw a weeping Indian
mother with a baby in her arms. She said some-
thing to the Indians which we could not understand;
and Long Arrow told us the baby was sick and she
wanted the white doctor to try and cure it.
"Oh Lord!" groaned Polynesia in my ear —
"Just like Puddleby: patients arriving in the middle
of dinner. Well, one thing: the food's raw, so
nothing can get cold anyway."
The Doctor examined the baby and found at once
that it was thoroughly chilled.
"Fire — fire! That's what it needs," he said
turning to Long Arrow — "That's what you all need.
266
Fire 267
This child will have pneumonia ir it isn t kept warm."
"Aye, truly. But how to make a fire," said Long
Arrow — "where to get it: that is the difficulty.
All the volcanoes in this land are dead."
Then we fell to hunting through our pockets to
see if any matches had survived the shipwreck.
The best we could muster were two whole ones and
a half — all with the heads soaked off them by salt
water.
"Hark, Long Arrow," said the Doctor: "divers
ways there be of making fire without the aid of
matches. One: with a strong glass and the rays of
the sun. That however, since the sun has set, we can-
not now employ. Another is by grinding a hard stick
into a soft log — Is the daylight gone without? — Alas
yes. Then I fear we must await the morrow; for
besides the different woods, we need an old squirrel's
nest fo'r fuel — And that without lamps you could
not find in your forests at this hour."
"Great are your cunning and your skill, oh White
Man," Long Arrow replied. "But in this you do
us an injustice. Know you not that all fireless peo-
ples can see in the dark? Having no lamps we are
forced to train ourselves to travel through the black-
est night, lightless. I will despatch a messenger
and you shall have your squirrel's nest within the
hour."
He gave an order to two of our boy-servants
who promptly disappeared running. And sure
268 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
enough, in a very short space of time a squirrel's nest,
together with hard and soft woods, was brought
to our door.
The moon had not yet risen and within the house
it was practically pitch-black. I could feel and hear,
however, that the Indians were moving about com-
fortably as though it were daylight. The task of
making fire the Doctor had to perform almost en-
tirely by the sense of touch, asking Long Arrow and
the Indians to hand him his tools when he mislaid
them in the dark. And then I made a curious dis-
covery: now that I had to, I found that I was be-
ginning to see a little in the dark myself. And for
the first time I realized that of course there is no
such thing as pitch-dark, so long as you have a door
open or a sky above you.
Calling for the loan of a bow, the Doctor loosened
the string, put the hard stick into a loop and began
grinding this stick into the soft wood of the log.
Soon I smelt that the log was smoking. Then he
kept feeding the part that was smoking with the
inside lining of the squirrel's nest, and he asked me
to blow upon it with my breath. He made the stick
drill faster and faster. More smoke filled the
room. And at last the darkness about us was sud-
denly lit up. The squirrel's nest had burst into
flame.
The Indians murmured and grunted with astonish-
ment. At first they were all for falling on their
Fire 269
knees and worshiping the fire. Then they wanted
to pick it up with their bare hands and play with it.
We had to teach them how it was to be used; and
they were quite fascinated when we laid our fish
across it on sticks and cooked it. They sniffed the
air with relish as, for the first time in history, the
smell of fried fish passed through the village of
Popsipetel.
Then we got them to bring us piles and stacks
of dry wood; and we made an enormous bonfire
in the middle of the main street. Round this,
when they felt its warmth, the whole tribe gathered
and smiled and wondered. It was a striking sight,
one of the pictures from our voyages that I most
frequently remember: that roaring jolly blaze be-
neath the black night sky, and all about it a vast
ring of Indians, the firelight gleaming on bronze
cheeks, white teeth and flashing eyes — a whole town
trying to get warm, giggling and pushing like school-
children.
In a little, when we had got them more used to
the handling of fire, the Doctor showed them how it
could be taken into their houses if a hole were only
made in the roof to let the smoke out. And before
we turned in after that long, long, tiring day, we
had fires going in every hut in the village.
The poor people were so glad to get really warm
again that we thought they'd never go to bed.
Well on into the early hours of the morning the
270 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
little town fairly buzzed with a great low murmur:
the Popsipetels sitting up talking of their wonderful
pale-faced visitor and this strange good thing he
had brought with him — fire!
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
WHAT MAKES AN ISLAND FLOAT
VERY early in our experience of Popsi-
petel kindness we saw that if we were
to get anything done at all, we would
almost always have to do it secretly.
The Doctor was so popular and loved by all that as
soon as he showed his face at his door in the morn-
ing crowds of admirers, waiting patiently outside,
flocked about him and followed him wherever he
went. After his fire-making feat, this childlike peo-
ple expected him, I think, to be continually doing
magic; and they were determined not to miss a trick.
It was only with great difficulty that we escaped
from the crowd the first morning and set out with
Long Arrow to explore the island at our leisure.
In the interior we found that not only the plants
and trees were suffering from the cold: the animal
life was in even worse straits. Everywhere shiver-
ing birds were to be seen, their feathers all fluffed
out, gathering together for flight to summer lands.
And many lay dead upon the ground. Going down
to the shore, we watched land-crabs in large numbers
taking to the sea to find some better home. While
away to the Southeast we could see many icebergs
271
272 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
floating -a sign that we were now not far from
the terrible region of the Antarctic.
As we were looking out to sea, we noticed our
friends the porpoises jumping through the waves.
The Doctor hailed them and they came inshore.
I le asked them how far we were from the South
Polar Continent.
About a hundred miles, they told him. And then
they asked why he wanted to know.
'Because this floating island we arc on," said he,
"is drifting southward all the time in a current.
It's an island that ordinarily belongs somewhere in
the tropic zone — real sultry weather, sunst-t-otrr-<;
i i *
and all that. If it doesn't stop going southward
pretty soon everything on it is going to perish."
'Well," said the porpoises, "then the thing to
do is to get it back into a warmer climate, isn't it?"
"Yes, but how?" said the Doctor. "We can't
row it back."
'No," said they, "but whales could push it-
if you only got enough of them."
'What a splendid idea !- -Whales, the very
thing!' said the Doctor. 'Do you think you could
get me some?"
'Why, certainly," said the porpoises, "we passed
one herd of them out there, sporting about among
the icebergs. We'll ask them to come over. And
if they aren't enough, we'll try and hunt up some
more. Better have plenty."
What Makes an Island Float 273
'Thank you," said the Doctor. 'You are very
kind — By the way, do you happen to know how
this island came to be a floating island? At least
half of it, I notice, is made of stone. It is very odd
that it floats at all, isn't it?"
''It is unusual," they said. :'But the explanation
is quite simple. It used to be a mountainous part ot
South America- -an overhanging part--sort of an
awkward corner, you might say. Way back in the
glacial days, thousands of years ago, it broke off
from the mainland; and by some curious accident the
inside of it, which is hollow, got filled with air
as it fell into the ocean. You can only see less than
half of the island: the bigger half is under water.
And in the middle of it, underneath, is a huge rock
air-chamber, running right up inside the mountains.
And that's what keeps it floating."
'What a pecurious phenometer! said Bumpo.
''It is indeed," said the Doctor. ''I must make
a note of that." And out came the everlasting
note-book.
The porpoises went bounding oft towards the
icebergs. And not long after, we saw the sea
heaving and frothing as a big herd of whales came
towards us at full speed.
They certainly were enormous creatures; and
there must have been a good two hundred of them.
;'Here they are," said the porpoises, poking their
heads out of the water.
274 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
"Good!" said the Doctor. "Now just explain
to them, will you please? that this is a very serious
matter for all the living creatures in this land. And
ask them il they will be so good as to go down to
the far end of the island, put their noses against
it and push it back near the coast of Southern
Brazil."
The porpoises evidently succeeded in persuading
the whales to do as the Doctor asked; for presently
we saw them thrashing through the seas, going
off towards the south end of the island.
Then we lay down upon the beach and waited.
After about an hour the Doctor got up and threw
a stick into the water. For a while this floated
motionless. But soon we saw it begin to move
gently down the coast.
"Ah!" said the Doctor, "see that?— The island
is going North at last. Thank goodness !"
Faster and faster we left the stick behind; and
smaller and dimmer grew the icebergs on the sky-
line.
The Doctor took out his watch, threw more sticks
into the water and made a rapid calculation.
"Humph! — Fourteen and a half knots an hour,"
he murmured — "A very nice speed. It should take
us about five days to get back near Brazil. Well,
that's that — Quite a load off my mind. I declare
I feel warmer already. Let's go and get something
to eat."
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
WAR!
ON our way back to the village the Doctor
began discussing natural history with
Long Arrow. But their most interest-
ing talk, mainly about plants, had hardly
begun when an Indian runner came dashing up to
us with a message.
Long Arrow listened gravely to the breathless,
babbled words, then turned to the Doctor and said
in eagle tongue,
"Great White Man, an evil thing has befallen
the Popsipetels. Our neighbors to the southward,
the thievish Bag-jagderags, who for so long have
cast envious eyes on our stores of ripe corn, have
gone upon the war-path; and even now are advancing
to attack us."
"Evil news indeed," said the Doctor. "Yet let
us not judge harshly. Perhaps it is that they are
desperate for food, having their own crops frost-
killed before harvest. For are they not even nearer
the cold South than you?"
"Make no excuses for any man of the tribe of the
Bag-jagderags," said Long Arrow shaking his head.
'They are an idle shiftless race. They do but see
275
276 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
a chance to get corn without the labor of husbandry.
If it were not that they are a much bigger tribe
and hope to defeat their neighbor by sheer force of
numbers, they would not have dared to make open
war upon the brave Popsipetels."
When we reached the village we found it in a
great state of excitement. Everywhere men were
seen putting their bows in order, sharpening spears,
grinding battle-axes and making arrows by the hun-
dred. Women were raising a high fence of bamboo
poles all round the village. Scouts and messengers
kept coming and going, bringing news of the move-
ments of the enemy. While high up in the trees
and hills about the village we could see look-outs
watching the mountains to the southward.
Long Arrow brought another Indian, short but
enormously broad, and introduced him to the Doctor
as Big Teeth, the chief warrior of the Popsipetels.
The Doctor volunteered to go and see the enemy
and try to argue the matter out peacefully with
them instead of fighting; for war, he said, was at
best a stupid wasteful business. But the two shook
their heads. Such a plan was hopeless, they said.
In the last war when they had sent a messenger to
do peaceful arguing, the enemy had merely hit him
with an ax.
While the Doctor was asking Big Teeth how he
meant to defend the village against attack, a cry
of alarm was raised by the look-outs.
Wart 277
'They're coming! — The Bag-jagderags — swarm-
ing down the mountains in thousands!"
"Well," said the Doctor, "it's all in the day's
work, I suppose. I don't believe in war; but if the
village is attacked we must help defend it."
And he picked up a club from the ground and
tried the heft of it against a stone.
'This," he said, "seems like a pretty good tool
to me." And he walked to the bamboo fence and
took his place among the other waiting fighters.
Then we all got hold of some kind of weapon with
which to help our friends, the gallant Popsipetels :
I borrowed a bow and a quiver full of arrows; Jip
was content to rely upon his old, but still strong
teeth; Chee-Chee took a bag of rocks and climbed
a palm where he could throw them down upon the
enemies' heads; and Bumpo marched after the
Doctor to the fence armed with a young tree in
one hand and a door-post in the other.
When the enemy drew near enough to be seen
from where we stood we all gasped with astonish-
ment. The hillsides were actually covered with
them — thousands upon thousands. They made our
small army within the village look like a mere hand-
ful.
"Saints alive!" muttered Polynesia, "our little
lot will stand no chance against that swarm. This
will never do. I'm going off to get some help."
Where she was going and what kind of help
278 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
she meant to get, I had no idea. She just disap-
peared from my side. But Jip, who had heard her,
poked his nose between the bamboo bars of
the fence to get a better view of the enemy and
said,
"Likely enough she's gone after the Black Par-
rots. Let's hope she finds them in time. Just
look at those ugly ruffians climbing down the rocks
— millions of 'em! This fight's going to keep us
all hopping."
And Jip was right. Before a quarter of an
hour had gone by our village was completely sur-
rounded by one huge mob of yelling, raging Bag-
jagderags.
I now come again to a part in the story of our
voyages where things happened so quickly, one upon
the other, that looking backwards I see the picture
only in a confused kind of way. I know that if it
had not been for the Terrible Three — as they
came afterwards to be fondly called in Popsipetel
history — Long Arrow, Bumpo and the Doctor, the
war would have been soon over and the whole island
would have belonged to the worthless Bag-jagderags.
But the Englishman, the African and the Indian
were a regiment in themselves; and between them
they made that village a dangerous place for any
man to try to enter.
The bamboo fencing which had been hastily set
up around the town was not a very strong affair;
280 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
and right from the start it gave way in one place
after another as the enemy thronged and crowded
against it. Then the Doctor, Long Arrow and
Bumpo would hurry to the weak spot, a terrific
hand-to-hand fight would take place and the enemy
be thrown out. But almost instantly a cry of
alarm would come from some other part of the
village-wall; and the Three would have to rush off
and do the same thing all over again.
The Popsipetels were themselves no mean
fighters; but the strength and weight of those three
men of different lands and colors, standing close
together, swinging their enormous war-clubs, was
really a sight for the wonder and admiration of
any one.
Many weeks later when I was passing an Indian
camp-fire at night I heard this song being sung.
It has since become one of the traditional folk-
songs of the Popsipetels.
THE SONG OF THE TERRIBLE THREE
Oh hear ye the Song of the Terrible Three
And the fight that they fought by the edge of the sea.
Down from the mountains, the rocks and the crags,
Swarming like wasps, came the Bag-jagderags.
Surrounding our village, our walls they broke down.
Oh, sad was the plight of our men and our town!
But Heaven determined our land to set free
And sent us the help of the Terrible Three.
War! 281
One was a Black — he was dark as the night ;
One was a Red-skin, a mountain of height;
But the chief was a White Man, round like a bee;
And all in a row stood the Terrible Three.
Shoulder to shoulder, they hammered and hit.
Like demons of fury they kicked and they bit.
Like a wall of destruction they stood in a row,
Flattening enemies, six at a blowr.
Oh, strong was the Red-skin fierce was the Black.
Bag-jagderags trembled and tried to turn back.
But 'twas of the White Man they shouted, "Beware!
He throws men in handfuls, straight up in the air!"
Long shall they frighten bad children at night
With tales of the Red and the Black and the White.
And long shall we sing of the Terrible Three
And the fight that they fought by the edge of the sea.
THE SIXTH CHAPTER
GENERAL POLYNESIA
[JT alas ! even the Three, mighty though
they were, could not last forever against
an army which seemed to have no end.
In one of the hottest scrimmages, when
the enemy had broken a particularly wide hole
through the fence, I saw Long Arrow's great figure
topple and come down with a spear sticking in his
broad chest.
For another half-hour Bumpo and the Doctor
fought on side by side. How their strength held
out so long I cannot tell, for never a second were
they given to get their breath or rest their arms.
The Doctor — the quiet, kindly, peaceable, little
Doctor ! — well, you wouldn't have known him if you
had seen him that day dealing out whacks you could
hear a mile off, walloping and swatting in all direc-
tions.
As for Bumpo, with staring eye-balls and grim
set teeth, he was a veritable demon. None dared
come within yards of that wicked, wide-circling door-
post. But a stone, skilfully thrown, struck him at
last in the centre of the forehead. And down went
282
General Polynesia 283
the second of the Three. John Dolittle, the last
of the Terribles, was left fighting alone.
Jip and I rushed to his side and tried to take the
places of the fallen ones. But, far too light and
too small, we made but a poor exchange. Another
length of the fence crashed down, and through the
widened gap the Bag-jagderags poured in on us
like a flood.
"To the canoes! — To the sea!" shouted the Pop-
sipetels. "Fly for your lives! — All is over! — The
war is lost!"
But the Doctor and I never got a chance to
fly for our lives. We were swept off our feet and
knocked down flat by the sheer weight of the mob.
And once down, we were unable to get up again. I
thought we would surely be trampled to death.
But at that moment, above the din and racket of
the battle, we heard the most terrifying noise that
ever assaulted human ears: the sound of millions
and millions of parrots all screeching with fury to-
gether.
The army, which in the nick of time Polynesia
had brought tor our rescue, darkened the whole sky
to the westward. I asked her afterwards, how
many birds there were; and she said she didn't
know exactly but that they certainly numbered
somewhere between sixty and seventy millions. In
that extraordinarily short space of time she had
brought them from the mainland of South America.
284 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
If you have ever heard a parrot screech with
anger you will know that it makes a truly frightful
sound; and if you have ever been bitten by one,
you will know that its bite can be a nasty and a pain-
ful thing.
The Black Parrots (coal-black all over, they were
— except for a scarlet beak and a streak of red
in wing and tail) on the word of command from
Polynesia set to work upon the Bag-jagderags who
were now pouring through the village looking for
plunder.
And the Black Parrots' method of fighting was
peculiar. This is what they did: on the head of
each Bag-jagderag three or four parrots settled and
took a good foot-hold in his hair with their claws;
then they leant down over the sides of his head and
began clipping snips out of his ears, for all the
world as though they were punching tickets. That
is all they did. They never bit them anywhere else
except the ears. But it won the war for us.
With howls pitiful to hear, the Bag-jagderags
fell over one another in their haste to get out of
that accursed village. It was no use their trying
to pull the parrots off their heads; because for each
head there were always four more parrots waiting
impatiently to get on.
Some of the enemy were lucky; and with only
a snip or two managed to get outside the fence —
where the parrots immediately left them alone.
General Polynesia 285
But with most, before the black birds had done
with them, the ears presented a very singular
appearance — like the edge of a postage-stamp.
This treatment, very painful at the time, did not
however do them any permanent harm beyond the
change in looks. And it later got to be the tribal
mark of the Bag-jagderags. No really smart young
lady of this tribe would be seen walking with a man
who did not have scalloped ears — for such was a
proof that he had been in the Great War. And
that (though it is not generally known to scientists)
is how this people came to be called by the other
Indian nations, the Ragged-Eared Bag-jagderags.
As soon as the village was cleared of the enemy
the Doctor turned his attention to the wounded.
In spite of the length and fierceness of the strug-
gle, there were surprisingly few serious injuries.
Poor Long Arrow was the worst off. However,
after the Doctor had washed his wound and got him
to bed, he opened his eyes and said he already felt
better. Bumpo was only badly stunned.
With this part of the business over, the Doctor
called to Polynesia to have the Black Parrots drive
the enemy right back into their own country and to
wait there, guarding them all night.
Polynesia gave the short word of command; and
like one bird those millions of parrots opened their
red beaks and let out once more their terrifying
battle-scream.
286 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
The Bag-jagderags didn't wait to be bitten a
second time, but fled helter-skelter over the moun»
tains from which they had come; whilst Polynesia
and her victorious army followed watchfully behind
like a great, threatening, black cloud.
The Doctor picked up his high hat which had
been knocked off in the fight, dusted it carefully and
put it on.
'To-morrow," he said, shaking his fist towards
the hills, uwe will arrange the terms of peace — and
we will arrange them — in the City of Bag-jagde-
rag!'_'
His words were greeted with cheers of triumph
from the admiring Popsipetels. The war was over.
THE SEVENTH CHAPTER
THE PEACE OF THE PARROTS
HE next day we set out for the far end
of the island, and reaching it in canoes
(for we went by sea) after a journey
of twenty-five hours, we remained no
longer than was necessary in the City of Bag-jag-
derag.
When he threw himself into that fight at Popsi-
petel, I saw the Doctor really angry for the first
time in my life. But his anger, once aroused, was
slow to die. All the way down the coast of the
island he never ceased to rail against this cowardly
people who had attacked his friends, the Popsi-
petels, for no other reason but to rob them of their
corn, because they were too idle to till the land
themselves. And he was still angry when he
reached the City of Bag-jagderag.
Long Arrow had not come with us for he was
as yet too weak from his wound. But the Doctor
— always clever at languages — was already getting
familiar with the Indian tongue. Besides, among
the half-dozen Popsipetels who accompanied us to
paddle the canoes, was one boy to whom we had
taught a little English. He and the Doctor be-
287
288 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
tween them managed to make themselves under-
stood to the Bag-jagderags. This people, with
the terrible parrots still blackening the hills about
their stone town, waiting for the word to descend
and attack, were, we found, in a very humble mood.
Leaving our canoes we passed up the main street
to the palace of the chief. Bumpo and I couldn't
help smiling with satisfaction as we saw how the
waiting crowds which lined the roadway bowed
their heads to the ground, as the little, round, angry
figure of the Doctor strutted ahead of us with his
chin in the air.
At the foot of the palace-steps the chief and all
the more important personages of the tribe were
waiting to meet him, smiling humbly and holding
out their hands in friendliness. The Doctor took
not the slightest notice. He marched right by them,
up the steps to the door of the palace. There he
turned around and at once began to address the
people in a, firm voice.
I never heard such a speech in my life — and I am
quite sure that they never did either. First he
called them a long string of names: cowards, loaf-
ers, thieves, vagabonds, good-for-nothings, bullies
and what not. Then he said he was still seriously
thinking of allowing the parrots to drive them on
into the sea, in order that this pleasant land might
be rid, once for all, of their worthless carcases.
At this a great cry for mercy went up, and the
The Peace of the Parrots 289
chief and all of them fell on their knees, calling out
that they would submit to any conditions of peace
he wished.
Then the Doctor called for one of their scribes —
that is, a man who did picture-writing. And on the
stone walls of the palace of Bag-jagderag he bade
him write down the terms of the peace as he dic-
tated it. This peace is known- as The Peace of The
Parrots, and — unlike most peaces — was, and is,
strictly kept — even to this day.
It was quite long in words. The half of the
palace-front was covered with picture-writing, and
fifty pots of paint were used, before the weary scribe
had done. But the main part of it all was that
there should be no more fighting; and that the two
tribes should give solemn promise to help one
another whenever there was corn-famine or other
distress in the lands belonging to either.
This greatly surprised the Bag-jagderags. They
had expected from the Doctor's angry face that he
would at least chop a couple of hundred heads off —
and probably make the rest of them slaves for life.
But when they saw that he only meant kindly by
them, their great fear of him changed to a tremen-
dous admiration. And as he ended his long speech
and walked briskly down the steps again on his way
back to the canoes, the group of chieftains threw
themselves at his feet and cried,
"Do but stay with us, Great Lord, and all the
290 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
riches of Bag-jagderag shall be poured into
your lap. Gold-mines we know of in the moun-
tains and pearl-beds beneath the sea. Only stay
with us, that your all-powerful wisdom may lead our
Council and our people in prosperity and peace."
The Doctor held up his hand for silence.
'No man," said he, "would wish to be the guest
of the Bag-jagderags till they had proved by their
deeds that they are an honest race. Be true to the
terms of the Peace and from yourselves shall come
good government and prosperity — Farewell!"
Then he turned and followed by Bumpo, the
Popsipetels and myself, walked rapidly down to the
canoes.
THE EIGHTH CHAPTER
THE HANGING STONE
UT the change of heart in the Bag-jag-
derags was really sincere. The Doctor
had made a great impression on them —
a deeper one than even he himself re-
alized at the time. In fact I sometimes think that
that speech of his from the palace-steps had more
effect upon the Indians of Spidermonkey Island than
had any of his great deeds which, great though they
were, were always magnified and exaggerated when
the news of them was passed from mouth to mouth.
A sick girl was brought to him as he reached the
place where the boats lay. She turned out to have
some quite simple ailment which he quickly gave the
remedy for. But this increased his popularity still
more. And when he stepped into his canoe, the
people all around us actually burst into tears. It
seems (I learned this afterwards) that they thought
he was going away across the sea, for good, to the
mysterious foreign lands from which he had come.
Some of the chieftains spoke to the Popsipetels as
we pushed off. What they said I did not under-
stand; but we noticed that several canoes filled with
291
292 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Bag-jagderags followed us at a respectful distance
all the way back to Popsipetel.
The Doctor had determined to return by the
other shore, so that we should be thus able to make
a complete trip round the island's shores.
Shortly after we started, while still off the lower
end of the island, we sighted a steep point on the
coast where the sea was in a great state of turmoil,
white with soapy froth. On going nearer, we
found that this was caused by our friendly whales
who were still faithfully working away with their
noses against the end of the island, driving us north-
ward. We had been kept so busy with the war that
we had forgotten all about them. But as we
paused and watched their mighty tails lashing and
churning the sea, we suddenly realized that we had
not felt cold in quite a long while. Speeding up our
boat lest the island be carried away from us al-
together, we passed on up the coast; and here and
there we noticed that the trees on the shore already
looked greener and more healthy. Spidermonkey
Island was getting back into her home climates.
About halfway to Popsipetel we went ashore and
spent two or three days exploring the central part
of the island. Our Indian paddlers took us up into
the mountains, very steep and high in this region,
overhanging the sea. And they showed us what
they called the Whispering Rocks.
This was a very peculiar and striking piece of
Working away with their noses against the end of the
island"
294 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
scenery. It was like a great vast basin, or circus,
in the mountains, and out of the centre of it there
rose a table of rock with an ivory chair upon it,
All around this the mountains went up like stairs,
or theatre-seats, to a great height — except at one
narrow end which was open to a view of the sea.
You could imagine it a council-place or concert-hall
for giants, and the rock table in the centre the stage
for performers or the stand for the speaker.
We asked our guides why it was called the Whis-
pering Rocks; and they said, "Go down into it and
we will show you."
The great bowl was miles deep and miles wide.
We scrambled down the rocks and they showed us
how, even when you stood far, far apart from one
another, you merely had to whisper in that great
place and every one in the theatre could hear you.
This was, the Doctor said, on account of the echoes
which played backwards and forwards between the
high walls of rock.
Our guides told us that it was here, in days long
gone by when the Popsipetels owned the whole of
Spidermonkey Island, that the kings were crowned.
The ivory chair upon the table was the throne in
which they sat. And so great was the big theatre
that all the Indians in the island were able to get
seats in it to see the ceremony.
They showed us also an enormous hanging stone
perched on the edge of a volcano's crater — the
'.i-s
lnW^6i;t-K'//J.jO J ,' MRj&ik.t-
'The Whispering Rocks
296 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
highest summit in the whole island. Although it
was very far below us, we could see it quite plainly;
and it looked wobbly enough to be pushed off its
perch with the hand. There was a legend among
the people, they said, that when the greatest of all
Popsipetel kings should be crowned in the ivory
chair, this hanging stone would tumble into the
volcano's mouth and go straight down to the centre
of the earth.
The Doctor said he would like to go and examine
it closer.
And when we were come to the lip of the volcano
(it took us half a day to get up to it) we found the
stone was unbelievably large — big as a cathedral.
Underneath it we could look right down into a
black hole which seemed to have no bottom. The
Doctor explained to us that volcanoes sometimes
spurted up fire from these holes in their tops; but
that those on floating islands were always cold and
dead.
"Stubbins," he said, looking up at the great stone
towering above us, "do you know what would most
likely happen if that boulder should fall in?"
"No," said I, "what?"
'You remember the air-chamber which the por-
poises told us lies under the centre of the island?"
"Yes."
'Well, this stone is heavy enough, if it fell into
The Hanging Stone 297
the volcano, to break through into that air-chamber
from above. And once it did, the air would escape
and the floating island would float no more. It
would sink."
"But then everybody on it would be drowned,
wouldn't they?" said Bumpo.
"Oh no, not necessarily. That would depend on
the depth of the sea where the sinking took place.
The island might touch bottom when it had only
gone down, say, a hundred feet. But there would
be lots of it still sticking up above the water then,
wouldn't there?"
"Yes," said Bumpo, "I suppose there would.
Well, let us hope that the .ponderous fragment does
not lose its equilibriosity, for I don't believe it
would stop at the centre of the earth — more likely
it would fall right through the world and come out
the other side."
Many other wonders there were which these men
showed us in the central regions of their island.
But I have not time or space to tell you of them
now.
Descending towards the shore again, we noticed
that we were still being watched, even here among
the highlands, by the Bag-jagderags who had fol-
lowed us. And when we put to sea once more a
boatload of them proceeded to go ahead of us
in the direction of Popsipetel. Having lighter
298 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
canoes, they traveled faster than our party; and we
judged that they should reach the village — if that
was where they were going — many hours before we
could.
The Doctor was now becoming anxious to see
how Long Arrow was getting on, so we all took
turns at the paddles and went on traveling by moon-
light through the whole night.
We reached Popsipetel just as the dawn was
breaking.
To our great surprise we found that not only we,
but the whole village also, had been up all night.
A great crowd was gathered about the dead chief's
house. And as we landed our canoes upon the
beach we saw a large number of old men, the seniors
of the tribe, coming out at the main door.
We inquired what was the meaning of all this;
and were told that the election of a new chief had
been going on all through the whole night. Bumpo
asked the name of the new chief; but this, it seemed,
had not yet been given out. It would be announced
at mid-day.
As soon as the Doctor had paid a visit to Long
Arrow and seen that he was doing nicely, we
proceeded to our own house at the far end of the
village. Here we ate some breakfast and then lay
down to take a good rest.
Rest, indeed, we needed; for life had been stren-
The Hanging Stone 299
uous and busy for us ever since we had landed on
the island. And it wasn't many minutes after our
weary heads struck the pillows that the whole crew
of us were sound asleep.
THE NINTH CHAPTER
THE ELECTION
WE were awakened by music. The glar-
ing noonday sunlight was streaming
in at our door, outside of which some
kind of a band appeared to be playing.
We got up and looked out. Our house was sur-
rounded by the whole population of Popsipetel.
We were used to having quite a number of curious
and admiring Indians waiting at our door at all
hours; but this was quite different. The vast
crowd was dressed in its best clothes. Bright
beads, gawdy feathers and gay blankets gave cheer-
ful color to the scene. Every one seemed in very
good humor, singing or playing on musical in-
struments— mostly painted wooden whistles or
drums made from skins.
We found Polynesia — who while we slept had
arrived back from Bag-jagderag — sitting on our
door-post watching the show. We asked her what
all the holiday-making was about.
"The result of the election has just been an-
nounced," said she. "The name of the new chief
was given out at noon."
"And who is the new chief?" asked the Doctor.
300
The Election 301
'You are," said Polynesia quietly.
"//" gasped the Doctor— "Well, of all things!"
"Yes," said she. "You're the one — And what's
more, they've changed your surname for you. They
didn't think that Dolittle was a proper or respectful
name for a man who had done so much. So you are
now to be known as Jong Thinkalot. How do you
like it?"
"But I don't want to be a chief," said the Doctor
in an irritable voice.
"I'm afraid you'll have hard work to get out of it
now," said she — "unless you're willing to put to sea
again in one of their rickety canoes. You see you've
been elected not merely the Chief of the Popsipetels;
you're to be a king — the King of the whole of Spider-
monkey Island. The Bag-jagderags, who were so
anxious to have you govern them, sent spies and
messengers ahead of you; and when they found that
you had been elected Chief of the Popsipetels over-
night they were bitterly disappointed. However,
rather than lose you altogether, the Bag-jagderags
were willing to give up their independence, and in-
sisted that they and their lands be united to the Pop-
sipetels in order that you could be made king of
both. So now you're in for it."
"Oh Lord!" groaned the Doctor, "I do wish
they wouldn't be so enthusiastic! Bother it, I
don't want to be a king!"
"I should think, Doctor," said I, "you'd feel
302 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
rather proud and glad. I wish / had a chance to
be a king."
"Oh I know it sounds grand," said he, pulling on
his boots miserably. 1(But the trouble is, you can't
take up responsibilities and then just drop them a-
gain when you feel like it. I have my own work
to do. Scarcely one moment have I had to give to
natural history since I landed on this island. I've
been doing some one else's business all the time.
And now they want me to go on doing it ! Why,
once I'm made King of the Popsipetels, that's the
end of me as a useful naturalist. I'd be too busy
for anything. All I'd be then is just a er — er —
just a king."
"Well, that's something!" said Bumpo. "My
father is a king and has a hundred and twenty
wives.'
"That would make it worse," said the Doctor
-—"a hundred and twenty times worse. I have my
work to do. I don't want to be a king."
"Look," said Polynesia, "here come the head men
to announce your election. Hurry up and get your
boots laced."
The throng before our door had suddenly parted
asunder, making a long lane; and down this we now
saw a group of personages coming towards us.
The man in front, a handsome old Indian with a
wrinkled face, carried in his hands a wooden crown
— a truly beautiful and gorgeous crown, even though
The Election 303
of wood. Wonderfully carved and painted, it had
two lovely blue feathers springing from the front
of it. Behind the old man came eight strong
Indians bearing a litter, a sort of chair with long
handles underneath to carry it by.
Kneeling down on one knee, bending his head
almost to the ground, the old man addressed the
Doctor who now stood in the doorway putting on
his collar and tie.
"Oh, Mighty One," said he, "we bring you word
from the Popsipetel people. Great are your deeds
beyond belief, kind is your heart and your wisdom,
deeper than the sea. Our chief is dead. The
people clamor for a worthy leader. Our old
enemies, the Bag-jagderags are become, through you,
our brothers and good friends. They too desire
to bask beneath the sunshine of your smile. Behold
then, I bring to you the Sacred Crown of Popsipetel
which, since ancient days when this island and its
peoples were one, beneath one monarch, has rested
on no kingly brow. Oh Kindly One. we are bid-
den by the united voices of the peoples of this
land to carry you to the Whispering Rocks, that
there, with all respect and majesty, you may be
crowned our king — King of all the Moving
Land."
The good Indians did not seem to have even con-
sidered the possibility of John Dolittle's refusing.
As for the poor Doctor, I never saw him so upset
304 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
by anything. It was in fact the only time I have
known him to get thoroughly fussed.
"Oh dear!" I heard him murmur, looking around
wildly for some escape. "What shall I do? — Did
any of you see where I laid that stud of mine ? — How
on earth can I get this collar on without a stud?
What a day this is, to be sure! — Maybe it rolled
under the bed, Bumpo — I do think they might have
given me a day or so to think it over in. Who ever
heard of waking a man right out of his sleep, and
telling him he's got to be a king, before he has
even washed his face? Can't any of you find it?
Maybe you're standing on it, Bumpo. Move your
feet."
"Oh don't bother about your stud," said Poly-
nesia. "You will have to be crowned without a col-
lar. They won't know the difference."
UI tell you I'm not going to be crowned," cried
the Doctor — "not if I can help it. I'll make them
a speech. Perhaps that will satisfy them."
He turned back to the Indians at the door.
"My friends," he said, "I am not worthy of this
great honor you would do me. Little or no skill
have I in the arts of kingcraft. Assuredly among
your own brave men you will find many better fitted
to lead you. For this compliment, this confidence
and trust, I thank you. But, I pray you, do not
think of me for such high duties which I could not
possibly fulfil."
The Election 305
The old man repeated his words to the people
behind him in a louder voice. Stolidly they shook
their heads, moving not an inch. The old man
turned back to the Doctor.
'You are the chosen one," said he. "They will
have none but you."
Into the Doctor's perplexed face suddenly there
came a flash of hope.
"I'll go and see Long Arrow," he whispered to
me. "Perhaps he will know of some way to get
me out of this."
And asking the personages to excuse him a mo-
ment, he left them there, standing at his door, and
hurried off in the direction of Long Arrow's house.
I followed him.
We found our big friend lying on a grass bed
outside his home, where he had been moved that he
might witness the holiday-making.
"Long Arrow," said the Doctor speaking quickly
in eagle tongue so that the bystanders should not
overhear, "in dire peril I come to you for help.
These men would make me their king. If such a
thing befall me, all the great work I hoped to do
must go undone, for who is there unfreer than a
king? I pray you speak with them and persuade
their kind well-meaning hearts that what they plan
to do would be unwise."
Long Arrow raised himself upon his elbow.
"Oh Kindly One," said he (this seemed now to
306 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
have become the usual manner of address when
speaking to the Doctor), "sorely it grieves me that
the first wish you ask of me I should be unable to
grant. Alas ! I can do nothing. These people
have so set their hearts on keeping you for king that
if I tried to interfere they would drive me from their
land and likely crown you in the end in any case.
A king you must be, if only for a while. We must
so arrange the business of governing that you may
have time to give to Nature's secrets. Later we
may be able to hit upon some plan to relieve you of
the burden of the crown. But for now you must
be king. These people are a headstrong tribe and
they will have their way. There is no other course."
Sadly the Doctor turned away from the bed and
faced about. And there behind him stood the old
man again, the crown still held in his wrinkled
hands and the royal litter waiting at his elbow. With
a deep reverence the bearers motioned towards
the seat of the chair, inviting the white man to get in.
Once more the poor Doctor looked wildly, hope-
lessly about him for some means of escape. For a
moment I thought he was going to take to his heels
and run for it. But the crowd around us was far
too thick and densely packed for anyone to break
through it. A band of whistles and drums near by
suddenly started the music of a solemn processional
march. He turned back pleadingly again to Long
Arrow in a last appeal for help. But the big
The Election 307
Indian merely shook his head and pointed, like the
bearers, to the waiting chair.
At last, almost in tears, John Dolittle stepped
slowly into the litter and sat down. As he was
hoisted on to the broad shoulders of the bearers
I heard him still feebly muttering beneath his breath,
"Botheration take it! — I don't want to be a
king!"
"Farewell!'1 called Long Arrow from his bed,
"and may good fortune ever stand within the
shadow of your throne!"
;'He comes! — He comes!" murmured the crowd.
"Away! Away! — To the Whispering Rocks!"
And as the procession formed up to leave the vil-
lage, the crowd about us began hurrying off in the
direction of the mountains to make sure of good
seats in the giant theatre where the crowning cere-
mony would take place.
THE TENTH CHAPTER
THE CORONATION OF KING JONG
IN my long lifetime I have seen many grand
and inspiring things, but never anything that
impressed me half as much as the sight of the
Whispering Rocks as they looked on the day
King Jong was crowned. As Bumpo, Chee-Chee,
Polynesia, Jip and I finally reached the dizzy edge
of the great bowl and looked down inside it, it
was like gazing over a never-ending ocean of cop-
per-colored faces; for every seat in the theatre was
filled, every man, woman and child in the island —
including Long Arrow who had been carried up on
his sick bed — was there to see the show.
Yet not a sound, not a pin-drop, disturbed the
solemn silence of the Whispering Rocks. It was
quite creepy and sent chills running up and down
your spine. Bumpo told me afterwards that it took
his breath away too much for him to speak, but
that he hadn't known before that there were that
many people in the world.
Away down by the Table of the Throne stood a
brand-new, brightly colored totem-pole. All the
Indian families had totem-poles and kept them set
308
The Coronation of King Jong 309
up before the doors of their houses. The idea of
a totem-pole is something like a door-plate or a
visiting card. It represents in its carvings the
deeds and qualities of the family to which it belongs.
This one, beautifully decorated and much higher
than any other, was the Dolittle or, as it was to be
henceforth called, the Royal Thinkalot totem. It
had nothing but animals on it, to signify the Doc-
tor's great knowledge of creatures. And the ani-
mals chosen to be shown were those which to the
Indians were supposed to represent good qualities
of character, such as, the deer for speed; the ox
for perseverance; the fish for discretion, and so on.
But at the top of the totem is always placed the sign
or animal by which the family is most proud to be
known. This, on the Thinkalot pole, was an enor-
mous parrot, in memory of the famous Peace of the
Parrots.
The Ivory Throne had been all polished with
scented oil and it glistened whitely in the strong
sunlight. At the foot of it there had been strewn
great quantities of branches of flowering trees,
which with the new warmth of milder climates were
now blossoming in the valleys of the island.
Soon we saw the royal litter, with the Doctor
seated in it, slowly ascending the winding steps of
the Table. Reaching the flat top at last, it halted
and the Doctor stepped out upon the flowery carpet.
So still and perfect was the silence that even at that
310 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
distance above I distinctly heard a twig snap beneath
his tread.
Walking to the throne accompanied by the old
man, the Doctor got up upon the stand and sat
down. How tiny his little round figure looked when
seen from that tremendous height! The throne had
been made for longer-legged kings; and when he
was seated, his feet did not reach the ground but
dangled six inches from the top step.
Then the old man turned round and looking up
at the people began to speak in a quiet even voice;
but every word he said was easily heard in the
furthest corner of the Whispering Rocks.
First he recited the names of all the great Pop-
sipetel kings who in days long ago had been crowned
in this ivory chair. He spoke of the greatness of
the Popsipetel people, of their triumphs, of their
hardships. Then waving his hand towards the Doc-
tor he began recounting the things which this king-
to-be had done. And I am bound to say that they
easily outmatched the deeds of those who had gone
before him.
As soon as he started to speak of what the Doctor
had achieved for the tribe, the people, still strictly
silent, all began waving their right hands towards
the throne. This gave to the vast theatre a very
singular appearance: acres and acres of something
moving — with never a sound.
At last the old man finished his speech and step-
The Coronation of King Jong 311
ping up to the chair, very respectfully removed the
Doctor's battered high hat. He was about to
put it upon the ground; but the Doctor took it from
him hastily and kept it on his lap. Then taking up
the Sacred Crown he placed it upon John Dolittle's
head. It did not fit very well (for it had been
made for smaller-headed kings), and when the wind
blew in freshly from the sunlit sea the Doctor had
some difficulty in keeping it on. But it looked very
splendid.
Turning once more to the people, the old man
said,
"Men of Popsipetel, behold your elected king! —
Are you content?"
And then at last the voice of the people broke
loose.
"JONG! JONG!" they shouted, "LONG LIVE
KING JONG!"
The sound burst upon the solemn silence with the
crash of a hundred cannon. There, where even
a whisper carried miles, the shock of it was like a
blow in the face. Back and forth the mountains
threw it to one another. I thought the echoes of it
would never die away as it passed rumbling through
the whole island, jangling among the lower valleys,
booming in the distant sea-caves.
Suddenly I saw the old man point upward, to the
highest mountain in the island; and looking over
my shoulder, I was just in time to see the Hanging
312 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Stone topple slowly out of sight — down into the
heart of the volcano.
"See ye, Men of the Moving Land!" the old man
cried: 'The stone has fallen and our legend has
come true: the King of Kings is crowned this day!'1
The Doctor too had seen the stone fall and he was
now standing up looking at the sea expectantly.
"He's thinking of the air-chamber," said Bumpo
in my ear. "Let us hope that the sea isn't very deep
in these parts."
After a full minute (so long did it take the stone
to fall that depth) we heard a muffled, distant,
crunching thud — and then immediately after, a
great hissing of escaping air. The Doctor, his face
tense with anxiety, sat down in the throne again
still watching the blue water of the ocean with star-
ing eyes.
Soon we felt the island slowly sinking beneath
us. We saw the sea creep inland over the beaches
as the shores went down — one foot, three feet, ten
feet, twenty, fifty, a hundred. And then, thank
goodness, gently as a butterfly alighting on a rose,
it stopped! Spidermonkey Island had come to rest
on the sandy bottom of the Atlantic, and earth was
joined to earth once more.
Of course many of the houses near the shores
were now under water. Popsipetel Village itself
had entirely disappeared. But it didn't matter.
No one was drowned; for every soul in the island
The Coronation of King Jong 313
was high up in the hills watching the coronation of
King Jong.
The Indians themselves did not realize at the
time what was taking place, though of course they
had felt the land sinking beneath them. The Doc-
tor told us afterwards that it must have been the
shock of that tremendous shout, coming from a
million throats at once, which had toppled the
Hanging Stone off its perch. But in Popsipetel
history the story was handed down (and it is firmly
believed to this day) that when King Jong sat upon
the throne, so great was his mighty weight, that
the very island itself sank down to do him honor
and never moved again.
o O o
PART SIX
THE FIRST CHAPTER
NEW POPSIPETEL
JONG THINKALOT had not ruled over his
new kingdom for more than a couple of days
before my notions about kings and the kind
of lives they led changed very considerably.
I had thought that all that kings had to do was to
sit on a throne and have people bow down before
them several times a day. I now saw that a kin<?
can be the hardest-working man in the world — if
he attends properly to his business.
From the moment that he got up, early in the
morning, till the time he went to bed, late at night —
seven days in the week — John Dolittle was busy,
busy, busy. First of all there was the new town
to be built. The village of Popsipetel had dis-
appeared: the City of New Popsipetel must be
made. With great care a place was chosen for it —
and a very beautiful position it was, at the mouth
of a large river. The shores of the island at this
point formed a lovely wide bay where canoes — and
ships too, if they should ever come — could lie peace-
fully at anchor without danger from storms.
In building this town the Doctor gave the Indians
New Popsipetel 315
a lot of new ideas. He showed them what town-
sewers were, and how garbage should be collected
each day and burnt. High up in the hills he made
a large lake by damming a stream. This was the
water-supply for the town. None of these things
had the Indians ever seen; and many of the sick-
nesses which they had suffered from before were
now entirely prevented by proper drainage and pure
drinking-water.
Peoples who don't use fire do not of course have
metals either; because without fire it is almost im-
possible to shape iron and steel. One of the first
things that John Dolittle did was to search the
mountains till he found iron and copper mines.
Then he set to work to teach the Indians how these
metals could be melted and made into knives and
plows and water-pipes and all manner of things.
In his kingdom the Doctor tried his hardest to
do away with most of the old-fashioned pomp and
grandeur of a royal court. As he said to Bnmpo
and me, if he must be a king he meant to be a
thoroughly democratic one, that is a king who is
chummy and friendly with his subjects and doesn't
put on airs. And when he drew up the plans for
the City of New Popsipetel he had no palace shown
of any kind. A little cottage in a back street was
all that he had provided for himself.
But this the Indians would not permit on any
account. They had been used to having their kings
316 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
rule in a truly grand and kingly manner; and they
insisted that he have built for himself the most
magnificent palace ever seen. In all else they let
him have his own way absolutely; but they wouldn't
allow him to wriggle out of any of the ceremony or
show that goes with being a king. A thousand serv-
ants he had to keep in his palace, night and day, to
wait on him. The Royal Canoe had to be kept up
— a gorgeous, polished mahogany boat, seventy feet
long, inlaid with mother-o'-pearl and paddled by
the hundred strongest men in the island. The
palace-gardens covered a square mile and employed
a hundred and sixty gardeners.
Even in his dress the poor man was compelled
always to be grand and elegant and uncomfortable.
The beloved and battered high hat was put away in
a closet and only looked at secretly. State robes
had to be worn on all occasions. And when the
Doctor did once in a while manage to sneak off for
a short, natural-history expedition he never dared
to wear his old clothes, but had to chase his butter-
flies with a crown upon his head and a scarlet cloak
flying behind him in the wind.
There was no end to the kinds of duties the Doc-
tor had to perform and the questions he had to
decide upon — everything, from settling disputes
about lands and boundaries, to making peace be-
tween husband and wife who had been throwing
shoes at one another. In the east wing of the
"Had to chase his butterflies with a crown upon his head"
318 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
Royal Palace was the Hall of Justice. And here
King Jong sat every morning from nine to eleven
passing judgment on all cases that were brought be-
fore him.
Then in the afternoon he taught school. The
sort of things he taught were not always those you
find in ordinary schools. Grown-ups as well as
children came to learn. You see, these Indians
were ignorant of many of the things that quite small
white children know — though it is also true that
they knew a lot that white grown-ups never dreamed
of.
Bumpo and I helped with the teaching as far as
we could — simple arithmetic, and easy things like
that. But the classes in astronomy, farming sci-
ence, the proper care of babies, with a host of other
subjects, the Doctor had to teach himself. The
Indians were tremendously keen about the schooling
and they came in droves and crowds; so that even
with the open-air classes (a school-house was im-
possible of course) the Doctor had to take them in
relays and batches of five or six thousand at a time
and used a big megaphone or trumpet to make him-
self heard.
The rest of his day was more than filled with
road-making, building water-mills, attending the
sick and a million other things.
In spite of his being so unwilling to become a
New Popsipetel 319
king, John Dolittle made a very good one — once he
got started. He may not have been as dignified as
many kings in history who were always running off
to war and getting themselves into romantic situa-
tions; but since I have grown up and seen something
of foreign lands and governments I have often
thought that Popsipetel under the reign of Jong
Thinkalot was perhaps the best ruled state in the
history of the world.
The Doctor's birthday came round after we had
been on the island six months and a half. The
people made a great public holiday of it and there
was much feasting, dancing, fireworks, speech-
making and jollification.
Towards the close of the day the chief men of the
two tribes formed a procession and passed through
the streets of the town, carrying a very gorgeously
painted tablet of ebony wood, ten feet high. This
was a picture-history, such as they preserved for
each of the ancient kings of Popsipetel to record
their deeds.
With great and solemn ceremony it was set up
over the door of the new palace: and everybody
then clustered round to look at it. It had six pic-
tures on it commemorating the six great events in
the life of King Jong and beneath were written the
verses that explained them. They were composed
by the Court Poet; and this is a translation:
320 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
i
(His Landing on The Island)
Heaven-sent,
In his dolphin-drawn canoe
From worlds unknown
He landed on our shores.
The very palms
Bowed down their heads
In welcome to the coming King.
ii
(His Meeting With The Beetle)
By moonlight in the mountains
He communed with beasts.
The shy Jabizri brings him picture-words
Of great distress.
Ill
(He liberates The Lost Families)
Big was his heart with pity ;
Big were his hands with strength.
See how he tears the mountain like a yam !
See how the lost ones
Dance forth to greet the day!
IV
(He Makes Fire)
Our land was cold and dying.
He waved his hand and lo !
Lightning leapt from cloudless skies;
The sun leant down;
New Popsipetel 321
And Fire was born !
Then while we crowded round
The grateful glow, pushed he
Our wayward, floating land
Back to peaceful anchorage
In sunny seas.
v
(He Leads The People To Victory in War)
Once only
Was his kindly countenance
Darkened by a deadly frown.
Woe to the wicked enemy
That dares attack
The tribe with Thinkalot for Chief !
VI
(He Is Crowned King)
The birds of the air rejoiced;
The Sea laughed and gambolled with her shores;
All Red-skins wept for joy
The day we crowned him King.
He is the Builder, the Healer, the Teacher and the Prince ;
He is the greatest of them all.
May he live a thousand thousand years,
Happy in his heart,
To bless our land with Peace.
THE SECOND CHAPTER
THOUGHTS OF HOME
IN the Royal Palace Bumpo and I had a beauti-
ful suite of rooms of our very own — which
Polynesia, Jip and Chee-Chee shared with us.
Officially Bumpo was Minister of the Interior;
while I was First Lord of the Treasury. Long
Arrow also had quarters there; but at present he
was absent, traveling abroad.
One night after supper when the Doctor was away
in the town somewhere visiting a new-born baby,
we were all sitting round the big table in Bumpo's
reception-room. This we did every evening, to talk
over the plans for the following day and various
affairs of state. It was a kind of Cabinet Meeting.
To-night however wre were talking about England
— and also about things to eat. We had got a little
tired of Indian food. You see, none of the natives
knew how to cook; and we had the most discouraging
time training a chef for the Royal Kitchen. Most
of them were champions at spoiling good food.
Often we got so hungry that the Doctor would sneak
downstairs with us into the palace basement, after
all the cooks were safe in bed, and fry pancakes
secretly over the dying embers of the fire. The
322
Thoughts of Home 323
Doctor himself was the finest cook that ever lived.
But he used to make a terrible mess of the kitchen;
and of course we had to be awfully careful that we
didn't get caught.
Well, as I was saying, to-night food was the sub-
ject of discussion at the Cabinet Meeting; and I had
just been reminding Bumpo of the nice dishes we had
had at the bed-maker's house in Monteverde.
I tell you what I would like now," said Bumpo:
a large cup of cocoa with whipped cream on the
top of it. In Oxford we used to be able to get the
most wonderful cocoa. It is really too bad they
haven't any cocoa-trees in this island, or cows to give
u
u
cream.'
'When do you suppose," asked Jip, "the Doctor
intends to move on from here?"
"I was talking to him about that only yesterday,"
said Polynesia. "But I couldn't get any satisfactory
answer out of him. He didn't seem to want to
speak about it."
There was a pause in the conversation.
"Do you know what I believe?" she added pres-
ently. "I believe the Doctor has given up even
thinking of going home."
"Good Lord!" cried Bumpo. 'You don't say!"
"Sh!" said Polynesia. "What's that noise?"
We listened; and away off in the distant corridors
of the palace we heard the sentries crying,
"The King!— Make way!— The King!"
324 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
"It's he — at last," whispered Polnesia — "late,
as usual. Poor man, how he does work! — Chee-
Chee, get the pipe and tobacco out of the cupboard
and lay the dressing-gown ready on his chair."
When the Doctor came into the room he looked
serious and thoughtful. Wearily he took off his
crown and hung it on a peg behind the door. Then
he exchanged the royal cloak for the dressing-gown,
dropped into his chair at the head of the table with
a deep sigh and started to fill his pipe.
"Well," asked Polynesia quietly, "how did you
find the baby?"
'The baby?" he murmured — his thoughts still
seemed to be very far away — "Ah yes. The baby
was much better, thank you — It has cut its second
tooth."
Then he was silent again, staring dreamily at the
ceiling through a cloud of tobacco-smoke; while we
all sat round quite still, waiting.
'We were wondering, Doctor," said I at last, —
'just before you came in — when you would be start-
ing home again. We will have been on this island
seven months to-morrow."
The Doctor sat forward in his chair looking rather
ncomfortable.
'Well, as a matter of fact," said he after a mo-
ment, "I meant to speak to you myself this evening
on that very subject. But it's — er — a little hard
u
Thoughts of Home 325
to make any one exactly understand the situation.
I am afraid that it would be impossible for me to
leave the work I am now engaged on. . . . You
remember, when they first insisted on making me
king, I told you it was not easy to shake off responsi-
bilities, once you had taken them up. These people
have come to rely on me for a great number of
things. We found them ignorant of much that
white people enjoy. And we have, one might say,
changed the current of their lives considerably.
Now it is a very ticklish business, to change the lives
of other people. And whether the changes we have
made will be, in the end, for good or for bad, is our
lookout."
He thought a moment — then went on in a quieter,
sadder voice:
"I would like to continue my voyages and my
natural history work; and I would like to go back
to Puddleby — as much as any of you. This is
March, and the crocuses will be showing in the lawn.
. . . But that which I feared has come true : I can-
not close my eyes to what might happen if I should
leave these people and run away. They would prob-
ably go back to their old habits and customs: wars,
superstitions, devil-worship and what not; and many
of the new things we have taught them might be put
to improper use and make their condition, then,
worse by far than that in which we found them.
326 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
. . . They like me; they trust me; they have come to
look to me for help in all their problems and trou-
bles. And no man wants to do unfair things to
them who trust him. . . . And then again, / like
them. They are, as it were, my children — I never
had any children of my own — and I am terribly
interested in how they will grow up. Don't you
see what I mean? — How can I possibly run away
and leave them in the lurch? . . . No. I have
thought it over a good deal and tried to decide
what was best. And I am afraid that the work
I took up when I assumed the crown I must stick
to. I'm afraid — I've got to stay."
"For good — for your whole life?" asked Bumpo
in a low voice.
For some moments the Doctor, frowning, made
no answer.
'I don't know," he said at last — "Anyhow for the
present there is certainly no hope of my leaving.
It wouldn't be right."
The sad silence that followed was broken finally
by a knock upon the door.
With a patient sigh the Doctor got up and put
on his crown and cloak again.
"Come in," he called, sitting down in his chair
once more.
The door opened and a footman — one of the
hundred and forty-three who were always on night
duty — stood bowing in the entrance.
Thoughts of Home 327
"Oh, Kindly One," said he, "there is a traveler
at the palace-gate who would have speech with
Your Majesty."
"Another baby's been born, I'll bet a shilling,"
muttered Polynesia.
"Did you ask the traveler's name?" enquired the
Doctor.
"Yes, Your Majesty," said the footman. "It
is Long Arrow, the son of Golden Arrow."
THE THIRD CHAPTER
THE RED MAN^S SCIE.NCE
LONG ARROW!" cried the Doctor.
"How splendid! Show him in — show
him in at once."
"I'm so glad," he continued, turning
to us as soon as the footman had gone. "I've
missed Long Arrow terribly. He's an awfully good
man to have around — even if he doesn't talk much.
Let me see: it's five months now since he went off
to Brazil. I'm so glad he's back safe. He does
take such tremendous chances with that canoe of
his — clever as he is. It's no joke, crossing a hun-
dred miles of open sea in a twelve-foot canoe. I
wouldn't care to try it."
Another knock; and when the door swung open
in answer to the Doctor's call, there stood our big
friend on the threshold, a smile upon his strong,
bronzed face. Behind him appeared two porters
carrying loads done up in Indian palm-matting.
These, when the first salutations were over, Long
Arrow ordered to lay their burdens down.
'Behold, oh Kindly One," said he, "I bring you,
as I promised, my collection of plants which I had
328
The Red Mans Science 329
hidden in a cave in the Andes. These treasures
represent the labors of my life."
The packages were opened; and inside were many
smaller packages and bundles. Carefully they were
laid out in rows upon the table.
It appeared at first a large but disappointing dis-
play. There were plants, flowers, fruits, leaves,
roots, nuts, beans, honeys, gums, bark, seeds, bees
and a few kinds of insects.
The study of plants — or botany, as it is called
— was a kind of natural history which had never
interested me very much. I had considered it, com-
pared with the study of animals, a dull science. But
as Long Arrow began taking up the various things
in his collection and explaining their qualities to us,
I became more and more fascinated. And before
he had done I was completely absorbed by the won-
ders of the Vegetable Kingdom which he had
brought so far.
"These," said he, taking up a little packet of
big seeds, "are what I have called 'laughing-
beans.' "
"What are they for?" asked Bumpo.
'To cause mirth," said the Indian.
Bumpo, while Long Arrow's back was turned,
took three of the beans and swallowed them.
"Alas!" said the Indian when he discovered what
Bumpo had done. 'If he wished to try the powers
of these seeds he should have eaten no more than a
330 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
quarter of a one. Let us hope that he does not die
of laughter."
The beans' effect upon Bumpo was most ex-
traordinary. First he broke into a broad smile;
then he began to giggle; finally he burst into such
prolonged roars of hearty laughter that we had to
carry him into the next room and put him to bed.
The Doctor said afterwards that he probably would
have died laughing if he had not had such a strong
constitution. All through the night he gurgled
happily in his sleep. And even when we woke him
up the next morning he rolled out of bed still chuck-
ling.
Returning to the Reception Room, we were shown
some red roots which Long Arrow told us had the
property, when made into a soup with sugar and
salt, of causing people to dance with extraordinary
speed and endurance. He asked us to try them;
but we refused, thanking him. After Bumpo's ex-
hibition we were a little afraid of any more experi-
ments for the present.
There was no end to the curious and useful things
that Long Arrow had collected : an oil from a vine
which would make hair grow in one night; an orange
as big as a pumpkin which he had raised in his own
mountain-garden in Peru; a black honey (he had
brought the bees that made it too and the seeds of
the flowers they fed on) which would put you tc
sleep, just with a teaspoonful, and make you wake
The Red Man's Science 331
up fresh in the morning; a nut that made the voice
beautiful for singing; a water-weed that stopped
cuts from bleeding; a moss that cured snake-bite;
a lichen that prevented sea-sickness.
The Doctor of course was tremendously inter-
ested. Well into the early hours of the morning he
was busy going over the articles on the table one
by one, listing their names and writing their proper-
ties and descriptions into a note-book as Long Arrow
dictated.
"There are things here, Stubbins," he said as he
ended, "which in the hands of skilled druggists will
make a vast difference to the medicine and chemistry
of the world. I suspect that this sleeping-honey by
itself will take the place of half the bad drugs we
have had to use so far. Long Arrow has discovered
a pharmacopaeia of his own. Miranda was right:
he is a great naturalist. His name deserves to be
placed beside Linnaeus. Some day I must get all
these things to England- -But when," he added
sadly — "Yes, that's the problem: when?"
THE FOURTH CHAPTER
THE SEA-SERPENT
FOR a long time after that Cabinet Meeting
of which I have just told you we did not
ask the Doctor anything further about
going home. Life in Spidermonkey Is-
land went forward, month in month out, busily and
pleasantly. The Winter, with Christmas celebra-
tions, came and went, and Summer was with us once
again before we knew it.
As time passed the Doctor became more and more
taken up with the care of his big family; and the
hours he could spare for his natural history work
grew fewer and fewer. I knew that he often still
thought of his house and garden in Puddlcby and
of his old plans and ambitions; because once in a
while we would notice his face grow thoughtful and
a little sad, when something reminded him of Eng-
land or his old life. But he never spoke of these
things. And I truly believe he would have spent the
remainder of his days on Spidermonkey Island if
it hadn't been for an accident — and for Polynesia.
The old parrot had grown very tired of the In-
dians and she made no secret of it.
'The very idea," she said to me one day as we
332
The Sea-Serpent 333
were walking on the seashore — -"the idea of the
famous John Dolittle spending his valuable life
waiting on these greasy natives ! — Why, it's pre-
posterous !"
All that morning we had been watching the Doc-
tor superintend the building of the new theatre in
Popsipetel — there was already an opera-house and
a concert-hall; and finally she had got so grouchy
and annoyed at the sight that I had suggested her
taking a walk with me.
"Do you really think," I asked as we sat down
on the sands, "that he will never go back to Pud-
dleby again?"
"I don't know," said she. "At one time I felt
sure that the thought of the pets he had left be-
hind at the house would take him home soon. But
since Miranda brought him word last August that
everything was all right there, that hope's gone.
For months and months I've been racking my brains
to think up a plan. If we could only hit upon some-
thing that would turn his thoughts back to natural
history again — I mean something big enough to get
him really excited — we might manage it. But
how?" — she shrugged her shoulders in disgust —
"How? — when all he thinks of now is paving
streets and teaching papooses that twice one are
two!"
It was a perfect Popsipetel day, bright and hot,
blue and yellow. Drowsily I looked out to sea
334 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
thinking of my mother and father. I wondered if
they were getting anxious over my long absence.
Beside me old Polynesia went on grumbling away
in low steady tones; and her words began to mingle
and mix with the gentle lapping of the waves upon
the shore. It may have been the even murmur of
her voice, helped by the soft and balmy air, that
lulled me to sleep. I don't know. Anyhow I pres-
ently dreamed that the island had moved again
— not floatingly as before, but suddenly, jerkily, as
though something enormously powerful had heaved
it up from its bed just once and let it down.
How long I slept after that I have no idea. I
was awakened by a gentle pecking on the nose.
'Tommy! — Tommy!" (it was Polynesia's voice)
'Wake up ! — Gosh, what a boy, to sleep through an
earthquake and never notice it! — Tommy, listen:
here's our chance now. Wake up, for goodness'
sake!"
'What's the matter?" I asked sitting up with a
yawn.
"Sh! — Look!" whispered Polynesia pointing out
to sea.
Still only half awake, I stared before me with
bleary, sleep-laden eyes. And in the shallow water,
not more than thirty yards from shore I saw an
enormous pale pink shell. Dome-shaped, it towered
up in a graceful rainbow curve to a tremendous
height; and round its base the surf broke gently in
The Sea-Serpent 3315
little waves of white. It could have belonged to
the wildest dream.
"What in the world is it?" I asked.
'That," whispered Polynesia, "is what sailors
for hundreds of years have called the Sea-serpent.
I've seen it myself more than once from the decks
of ships, at long range, curving in and out of the
water. But now that I see it close and still, I
very strongly suspect that the Sea-serpent of history
is no other than the Great Glass Sea-snail that the
fidgit told us of. If that isn't the only fish of its
kind in the seven seas, call me a carrion-crow —
Tommy, we're in luck. Our job is to get the Doctor
down here to look at that prize specimen before
it moves off to the Deep Hole. If we can, then
trust me, we may leave this blessed island yet. You
stay here and keep an eye on it while I go after
the Doctor. Don't move or speak — don't even
breathe heavy: he might get scared — awful timid
things, snails. Just watch him; and I'll be back in
two shakes."
Stealthily creeping up the sands till she could get
behind the cover of some bushes before she took
to her wings, Polynesia went off in the direction of
the town; while I remained alone upon the shore
fascinatedly watching this unbelievable monster wal-
lowing in the shallow sea.
It moved very little. From time to time it lifted
its head out of the water showing its enormously
336 The Voyaqes of Doctor Dolittle
long neck and horns. Occasionally it would try and
draw itself up, the way a snail does when he goes
to move, but almost at once it would sink down
again as if exhausted. It seemed to me to act as
though it were hurt underneath; but the lower part
of it, which was below the level of the water, I could
not see.
I was still absorbed in watching the great beast
when Polynesia returned with the Doctor. They
approached so silently and so cautiously that I
neither saw nor heard them coming till I found
them crouching beside me on the sand.
One sight of the snail changed the Doctor com-
pletely. His eyes just sparkled with delight. I
had not seen him so thrilled and happy since the
time we caught the Jabizri beetle when we first
landed on the island.
"It is he!" he whispered — "the Great Glass Sea-
snail himself — not a doubt of it. Polynesia, go
down the shore a way and see if you can find any of
the porpoises for me. Perhaps they can tell us
what the snail is doing here — It's very unusual for
him to be in shallow water like this. And Stubbins,
you go over to the harbor and bring me a small
canoe. But be most careful how you paddle it
round into this bay. If the snail should take fright
and go out into the deeper water, we may never get
a chance to see him again."
"And don't tell any of the Indians," Polynesia
The Sea-Serpent 337
added in a whisper as I moved to go. 'We must
keep this a secret or we'll have a crowd of sight-
seers round here in five minutes. It's mighty lucky
we found the snail in a quiet bay."
Reaching the harbor, I picked out a small light-
canoe from among the number that were lying there
and without telling any one what I wanted it for,
got in and started off to paddle it down the shore.
I was mortally afraid that the snail might have
left before I got back. And you can imagine how
delighted I was, when I rounded a rocky cape and
came in sight of the bay, to find he was still there.
Polynesia, I saw, had got her errand done and
returned ahead of me, bringing with her a pair of
porpoises. These were already conversing in low
tones with John Dolittle. I beached the canoe and
went up to listen.
"What I want to know," the Doctor was saying,
"is how the snail comes to be here. I was given to
understand that he usually stayed in the Deep Hole:
and that when he did come to the surface it was
always in mid-ocean."
"Oh, didn't you know? — Haven't you heard?" the
porpoises replied: "you covered up the Deep Hole
when you sank the island. Why yes : you let it down
right on top of the mouth of the Hole — sort of
put the lid on, as it were. The fishes that were in
it at the time have been trying to get out ever since.
The Great Snail had the worst luck of all: the
338 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
island nipped him by the tail just as he was leaving
the Hole for a quiet evening stroll. And he was
held there for six months trying to wriggle himself
free. Finally he had to heave the whole island up
at one end to get his tail loose. Didn't you feel
a sort of an earthquake shock about an hour ago?"
'Yes I did," said the Doctor, "it shook down
part of the theatre I was building."
'Well, that was the snail heaving up the island
to get out of the Hole," they said. "All the other
fishes saw their chance and escaped when he raised
the lid. It was lucky for them he's so big and strong.
But the strain of that terrific heave told on him:
he sprained a muscle in his tail and it started swelling
rather badly. He wanted some quiet place to rest
up; and seeing this soft beach handy he crawled
in here."
"Dear me!" said the Doctor. "I'm terribly
sorry. I suppose I should have given some sort of
notice that the island was going to be let down.
But, to tell the truth, we didn't know it ourselves;
it happened by a kind of an accident. Do you
imagine the poor fellow is hurt very badly?"
'We're not sure," said the porpoises; "because
none of us can speak his language. But we swam
right around him on our way in here, and he did
not seem to be really seriously injured."
"Can't any of your people speak shellfish?" the
Doctor asked.
The Sea-Serpent 339
"Not a word," said they. "It's a most fright-
fully difficult language."
"Do you think that you might be able to find me
some kind of a fish that could?"
"We don't know," said the porpoises. "We
might try."
"I should be extremely grateful to you if you
would," said the Doctor. "There are many im-
portant questions I want to ask this snail — And
besides, I would like to do my best to cure his tail
for him. It's the least I can do. After all, it was
my fault, indirectly, that he got hurt."
"Well, if you wait here," said the porpoises,
"we'll see what can be done."
THE FIFTH CHAPTER
THE SHELLFISH RIDDLE SOLVED AT LAST
i
SO Doctor Dolittle with a crown on his head
sat down upon the shore like King Knut,
and waited. And for a whole hour the
porpoises kept going and coming, bringing
up different kinds of sea-beasts from the deep to see
if they could help him.
Many and curious were the creatures they pro-
duced. It would seem however that there were very
few things that spoke shellfish except the shellfish
themselves. Still, the porpoises grew a little more
hopeful when they discovered a very old sea-urchin
(a funny, ball-like, little fellow with long whiskers
all over him) who said he could not speak pure
shellfish, but he used to understand starfish — enough
to get along — when he was young. This was com-
ing nearer, even if it wasn't anything to go crazy
about. Leaving the urchin with us, the porpoises
went off once more to hunt up a starfish.
They were not long getting one, for they were
quite common in those parts. Then, using the
sea-urchin as an interpreter, they questioned the
starfish. He was a rather stupid sort of creature;
but he tried his best to be helpful. And after a
340
The Shellfish Riddle Solved at Last 341
— *
little patient examination we found to our delight
that he could speak shellfish moderately well.
Feeling quite encouraged, the Doctor and I now
got into the canoe; and, with the porpoises, the ur-
chin and the starfish swimming alongside, we paddled
very gently out till we were close under the towering
shell of the Great Snail.
And then began the most curious conversation I
have ever witnessed. First the starfish would ask
the snail something; and whatever answer the snail
gave, the starfish would tell it to the sea-urchin, the
urchin would tell it to the porpoises and the por-
poises would tell it to the Doctor.
In this way we obtained considerable information,
mostly about the very ancient history of the Ani-
mal Kingdom; but we missed a good many of the
finer points in the snail's longer speeches on account
of the stupidity of the starfish and all this translat-
ing from one language to another.
While the snail was speaking, the Doctor and I
put our ears against the wall of his shell and found
that we could in this way hear the sound of his
voice quite plainly. It was, as the fidgit had de-
scribed, deep and bell-like. But of course we could
not understand a single word he said. However the
Doctor was by this time terrifically excited about
getting near to learning the language he had sought
so long. And presently by making the other fishes
over and over again short phrases which the
342 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
snail used, he began to put words together for him-
self. You see, he was already familiar with one or
two fish languages; and that helped him quite a little.
After he had practised for a while like this he leant
over the side of the canoe and putting his face be-
low the water, tried speaking to the snail direct.
It was hard and difficult work; and hours went by
before he got any results. But presently I could tell
by the happy look on his face that little by little he
was succeeding.
The sun was low in the West and the cool even-
ing breeze was beginning to rustle softly through the
bamboo-groves when the Doctor finally turned from
his work and said to me,
"Stubbins, I have persuaded the snail to come
in on to the dry part of the beach and let me ex-
amine his tail. Will you please go back to the
town and tell the workmen to stop working on the
theatre for to-day? Then go on to the palace and
get my medicine-bag. I think I left it under the
throne in the Audience Chamber."
"And remember," Polynesia whispered as I
turned away, "not a word to a soul. If you get
asked questions, keep your mouth shut. Pretend
you have a toothache or something."
This time when I got back to the shore — with the
medicine-bag — I found the snail high and dry on
the beach. Seeing him in his full length like this,
it was easy to understand how old-time, superstitious
The Shellfish Riddle Solved at Last 343
sailors had called him the Sea-serpent. He cer-
tainly was a most gigantic, and in his way, a grace-
ful, beautiful creature. John Dolittle was examin-
ing a swelling on his tail.
From the bag which I had brought the Doctor
took a large bottle of embrocation and began rub-
bing the sprain. Next he took all the bandages he
had in the bag and fastened them end to end. But
even like that, they were not long enough to go more
than halfway round the enormous tail. The Doc-
tor insisted that he must get the swelling strapped
tight somehow. So he sent me off to the palace
once more to get all the sheets from the Royal
Linen-closet. These Polynesia and I tore into ban-
dages for him. And at last, after terrific exertions,
we got the sprain strapped to his satisfaction.
The snail really seemed to be quite pleased with
the attention he had received; and he stretched
himself in lazy comfort when the Doctor was done.
In this position, when the shell on his back was
empty, you could look right through it and see the
palm-trees on the other side.
"I think one of us had better sit up with him all
night," said the Doctor. "We might put Bumpo
on that duty; he's been napping all day, I know —
in the summer-house. It's a pretty bad sprain, that;
and if the snail shouldn't be able to sleep, he'll be
happier with some one with him for company. He'll
get all right though — in a few days I should judge.
344 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
If I wasn't so confoundedly busy I'd sit up with him
myself. I wish I could, because I still have a lot
of things to talk over with him."
;'But Doctor," said Polynesia as we prepared to
go back to the town, "you ought to take a holiday.
All Kings take holidays once in the while — every
one of them. King Charles, for instance — of
course Charles was before your time — but he! —
why, he was always holiday-making. Not that he
was ever what you would call a model king. But
just the same, he was frightfully popular. Every-
body liked him — even the golden-carp in the fish-
pond at Hampton Court. As a king, the only thing
I had against him was his inventing those stupid,
little, snappy dogs they call King Charles Spaniels.
There are lots of stories told about poor Charles;
but that, in my opinion, is the worst thing he did.
However, all this is beside the point. As I was
saying, kings have to take holidays the same as
anybody else. And you haven't taken one since
you were crowned, have you now?"
'No," said the Doctor, "I suppose that's true."
'Well now I tell you what you do," said she:
uas soon as you get back to the palace you publish a
royal proclamation that you are going away for a
week into the country for your health. And you're
going Without any servants, you understand — just
like a plain person. It's called traveling incognito,
when kings go off like that. They all do it — It's
The Shellfish Riddle Solved at Last 345
.^ .^^— ^^^^•^^^^^^^^^^^•^^•••^^•^^^
the only way they can ever have a good time. Then
the week you're away you can spend lolling on the
beach back there with the snail. How's that?"
"I'd like to," said the Doctor. "It sounds most-
attractive. But there's that new theatre to be
built; none of our carpenters would know how to
get those rafters on without me to show them —
And then there are the babies : these native mothers
are so frightfully ignorant."
"Oh bother the theatre — and the babies too,"
snapped Polynesia. "The theatre can wait a week.
And as for babies, they never have anything more
than colic. How do you suppose babies got along
before you came here, for heaven's sake? — Take a
holiday. . . . You need it."
THE SIXTH CHAPTER
THE LAST CABINET MEETING
FROM the way Polynesia talked, I guessed
that this idea of a holiday was part of her
plan.
The Doctor made no reply; and we
walked on silently towards the town. I could see,
nevertheless that her words had made an impression
on him.
After supper he disappeared from the palace
without saying where he was going — a thing he had
never done before. Of course we all knew where
he had gone : back to the beach to sit up with the
snail. We were sure of it because he had said
nothing to Bumpo about attending to the matter.
As soon as the doors were closed upon the Cabi-
net Meeting that night, Polynesia addressed the
Ministry:
"Look here, you fellows," said she: "we've sim-
ply got to get the Doctor to take this holiday some-
how— unless we're willing to stay in this blessed
island for the rest of our lives."
'But what difference," Bumpo asked, "is his taking
a holiday going to make?"
Impatiently Polynesia turned upon the Minister of
the Interior.
346
The Last Cabinet Meeting 347
"Don't you see? If he has a clear week to get
thoroughy interested in his natural history again —
marine stuff, his dream of seeing the floor of the
ocean and all that — there may be some chance of his
consenting to leave this pesky place. But while he
is here on duty as king he never gets a moment to
think of anything outside of the business of govern-
ment.'
"Yes, that's true. He's far too consententious,"
Bumpo agreed.
"And besides," Polynesia went on, "his only hope
of ever getting away from here would be to escape
secretly. He's got to leave while he is holiday-
making, incognito — when no one knows where he is
or what he's doing, but us. If he built a ship big
enough to cross the sea in, all the Indians would see
it, and hear it, being built; and they'd ask what i*
was for. They would interfere. They'd sooner
have anything happen than lose the Doctor. Why,
I believe if they thought he had any idea of escap-
ing they would put chains on him."
"Yes, I really think they would," I agreed. "Yet
without a ship of some kind I don't see how the
Doctor is going to get away, even secretly."
"Well, I'll tell you," said Polynesia. "If we do
succeed in making him take this holiday, our next
step will be to get the sea-snail to promise to take
us all in his shell and carry us to the mouth of
Puddleby River. If we can once get the snail will-
348 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
ing, the temptation will be too much for John Do-
little and he'll come, I know — especially as he'll
be able to take those new plants and drugs of Long
Arrow's to the English doctors, as well as see the
floor of the ocean on the way."
"How thrilling!" I cried. "Do you mean the
snail could take us under the sea all the way back
to Puddleby?"
"Certainly," said Polynesia, "a little trip like
that is nothing to him. He would crawl along the
floor of the ocean and the Doctor could see all the
sights. Perfectly simple. Oh, John Dolittle will
come all right, if we can only get him to take that
holiday — and if the snail will consent to give us the
ride."
"Golly, I hope he does !" sighed Jip. "I'm sick of
these beastly tropics — they make you feel so lazy
and good-for-nothing. And there are no rats or
anything here — not that a fellow would have the
energy to chase 'em even if there were. My,
wouldn't I be glad to see old Puddleby and the
garden again! And won't Dab-Dab be glad to
have us back!"
"By the end of next month," said I, "it will be
two whole years since we left England — since we
pulled up the anchor at Kingsbridge and bumped our
way out into the river."
"And got stuck on the mud-bank," added Chee-
Chee in a dreamy, far-away voice.
The Last Cabinet Meeting 349
"Do you remember how all the people waved
to us from the river-wall?" I asked.
"Yes. And I suppose they've often talked about
us in the town since," said Jip — "wondering whether
we're dead or alive."
"Cease," said Bumpo, "I feel I am about to weep
from sediment."
THE SEFENTH CHAPTER
THE DOCTOR'S DECISION
WELL, you can guess how glad we were
when next morning the Doctor, after
his all-night conversation with the
snail, told us that he had made up his
mind to take the holiday. A proclamation was pub-
lished right away by the Town Crier that His Maj-
esty was going into the country for a seven-day rest,
but. that during his absence the palace and the gov-
ernment offices would be kept open as usual.
Polynesia was immensely pleased. She at once
set quietly to work making arrangements for our
departure — taking good care the while that no one
should get an inkling of where we were going, what
we were taking with us, the hour of our leaving or
which of the palace-gates we would go out by.
Cunning old schemer that she was, she forgot
nothing. And not even we, who were of the Doc-
tor's party, could imagine what reasons she had
for some of her preparations. She took me inside
and told me that the one thing I must remember
to bring with me was all of the Doctor's note-books.
Long Arrow, who was the only Indian let into the se-
cret of our destination, said he would like to come
350
The Doctor's Decision 351
with us as far as the beach to see the Great Snail;
and him Polynesia told to be sure and bring his
collection of plants. Bumpo she ordered to carry
the Doctor's high hat — carefully hidden under his
coat. She sent off nearly all the footmen who were
on night duty to do errands in the town, so that there
should be as few servants as possible to see us leave.
And midnight, the hour when most of the towns*
people would be asleep, she finally chose for our
departure.
We had to take a week's food-supply with us for
the royal holiday. So, with our other packages,
we were heavy laden when on the stroke of twelve
we opened the west door of the palace and stepped
cautiously and quietly into the moonlit garden.
'Tiptoe incognito," whispered Bumpo as we
gently closed the heavy doors behind us.
No one had seen us leave.
At the foot of the stone steps leading from the
Peacock Terrace to the Sunken Rosary, something
made me pause and look back at the magnificent
palace which we had built in this strange, far-ofi
land where no white men but ourselves had ever
come. Somehow I felt it in my bones that we were
leaving it to-night never to return again. And I
wondered what other kings and ministers would
dwell in its splendid halls when we were gone. The
air was hot; and everything was deadly still but for
the gentle splashing of the tame flamingoes paddling
352 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
in the lily-pond. Suddenly the twinkling lantern
of a night watchman appeared round the corner of
a cypress hedge. Polynesia plucked at my stocking
and, in an impatient whisper, bade me hurry before
our flight be discovered.
On our arrival at the beach we found the snail
already feeling much better and now able to move
his tail without pain.
The porpoises (who are by nature inquisitive
creatures) were still hanging about in the offing to
see if anything of interest was going to happen.
Polynesia, the plotter, while the Doctor was oc-
cupied with his new patient, signaled to them and
drew them aside for a little private chat.
"Now see here, my friends," said she speaking
low: "you know how much John Dolittle has done
for the animals — given his whole life up to them,
one might say. Well, here is your chance to do
something for him. Listen: he got made king of
this island against his will, see? And now that he
has taken the job on, he feels that he can't leave
it — thinks the Indians won't be able to get along
without him and all that — which is nonsense, as you
and I very well know. All right. Then here's the
point: if this snail were only willing to take him and
us — and a little baggage — not very much, thirty or
forty pieces, say — inside his shell and carry us to
England, we feel sure that the Doctor would go;
because he's just crazy to mess about on the floor of
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'Tiptoe incognito/ whispered Bumpo"
The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
the ocean. What's more this would be his one and
only chance of escape from the island. Now it is
highly important that the Doctor return to his own
country to carry on his proper work which means
such a lot to the animals of the world. So what
we want you to do is to tell the sea-urchin to tell
the starfish to tell the snail to take us in his shell
and carry us to Puddleby River. Is that plain?"
"Quite, quite," said the porpoises. "And we
will willingly do our very best to persuade him —
for it is, as you say, a perfect shame for the great
man to be wasting his time here when he is so much
needed by the animals."
"And don't let the Doctor know what you're
j
about," said Polynesia as they started to move off.
"He might balk if he thought we had any hand in
it. Get the snail to offer on his own account to take
us. See?"
John Dolittle, unaware of anything save the work
he was engaged on, was standing knee-deep in the
shallow water, helping the snail try out his mended
tail to see if it were well enough to travel on. Bum-
po and Long Arrow, with Chee-Chee and Jip, were
lolling at the foot of a palm a little way up the
beach. Polynesia and I now went and joined them.
Half an hour passed.
What success the porpoises had met with, we did
not know, till suddenly the Doctor left the snail's
side and came splashing out to us, quite breathless.
The Doctor's Decision 355
"What do you think?" he cried, "while I was
talking to the snail just now he offered, of his own
accord, to take us all back to England inside his
shell. He says he has got to go on a voyage of
discovery anyway, to hunt up a new home, now that
the Deep Hole is closed. Said it wouldn't be much
out of his way to drop us at Puddleby River, if we
cared to come along — Goodness, what a chance!
I'd love to go. To examine the floor of the ocean
all the way from Brazil to Europe ! No man ever
did it before. What a glorious trip ! — Oh that I
had never allowed myself to be made king! Now
I must see the chance of a lifetime slip by."
He turned from us and moved down the sands
again to the middle beach, gazing wistfully, long-
ingly out at the snail. There was something pecul-
iarly sad and forlorn about him as he stood there
on the lonely, moonlit shore, the crown upon his
head, his figure showing sharply black against the
glittering sea behind.
Out of the darkness at my elbow Polynesia rose
and quietly moved down to his side.
"Now Doctor," said she in a soft persuasive voice
as though she were talking to a wayward child,
"you know this king business is not your real work
in life. These natives will be able to get along
without you — not so well as they do with you of
course — but they'll manage — the same as they did
before you came. Nobody can say you haven't
356 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
^
done your duty by them. It was their fault: they
made you king. Why not accept the snail's offer;
and just drop everything now, and go? The work
you'll do, the information you'll carry home, will
be of far more value than what you're doing here."
"Good friend," said the Doctor turning to her
sadly, "I cannot. They would go back to their old
unsanitary ways : bad water, uncooked fish, no drain-
age, enteric fever and the rest. . . . No. I must
think of their health, their welfare. I began life
as a people's doctor: I seem to have come back to it
in the end. I cannot desert them. Later perhaps
something will turn up. But I cannot leave them
now.'
'That's where you're wrong, Doctor," said she.
"Now is when you should go. Nothing will 'turn
up.' The longer you stay, the harder it will be to
leave — Go now. Go to-night."
'What, steal away without even saying good-bye
to them! Why, Polynesia, what a thing to
suggest!"
"A fat chance they would give you to say good-
bye!" snorted Polynesia growing impatient at last.
"I tell you, Doctor, if you go back to that palace
tonight, for goodbys or anything else, you will
stay there. Now — this moment — is the time for
you to go."
The truth of the old parrot's words seemed to
II
u
The Doctor's Decision 357
be striking home; for the Doctor stood silent a min-
ute, thinking.
But there are the note-books," he said presently:
I would have to go back to fetch them."
"I have them here, Doctor," said I, speaking up
— "all of them."
Again he pondered.
"And Long Arrow's collection," he said. "I
would have to take that also with me."
"It is here, Oh Kindly One," came the Indian's
deep voice from the shadow beneath the palm.
"But what about provisions," asked the Doctor
— "food for the journey?"
'We have a week's supply with us, for our hol-
iday," said Poynesia — "that's more than we will
need."
For a third time the Doctor was silent and
thoughtful.
"And then there's my hat," he said fretfully at
last. "That settles it: I'll have to go back to the
palace. I can't leave without my hat. How could
I appear in Puddleby with this crown on my head?"
"Here it is, Doctor," said Bumpo producing the
hat, old, battered and beloved, from under his coat.
Polynesia had indeed thought of everything.
Yet even now we could see the Doctor was still
trying to think up further excuses.
"Oh Kindly One," said Long Arrow, "why tempt
358 The Voyages of Doctor Dollttle
ill fortune? Your way is clear. Your future and
your work beckon you back to your foreign home
beyond the sea. With you will go also what lore
I too have gathered for mankind — to lands where
it will be of wider use than it can ever here. I see
the glimmerings of dawn in the eastern heaven.
Day is at hand. Go before your subjects are
abroad. Go before your project is discovered.
For truly I believe that if you go not now you will
linger the remainder of your days a captive king in
Popsipetel."
Great decisions often take no more than a mo-
ment in the making. Against the now paling sky
I saw the Doctor's figure suddenly stiffen. Slowly
he lifted the Sacred Crown from off his head and
laid it on the sands.
And when he spoke his voice was choked with
tears.
'They will find it here," he murmured, "when
they come to search for me. And they will know
that I have gone. . . . My children, my poor chil-
dren ! — I wonder will they ever understand why it
was I left them. ... I wonder will they ever un-
derstand— and forgive."
He took his old hat from Bumpo; then facing
Long Arrow, gripped his outstretched hand in
silence.
'You decide aright, oh Kindly One," said the
Indian — "though none will miss and mourn you
The Doctor's Decision 359
more than Long Arrow, the son of Golden Arrow
— Farewell, and may good fortune ever lead you by
the hand!"
It was the first and only time I ever saw the Doc-
tor weep. Without a word to any of us, he turned
and moved down the beach into the shallow water
of the sea.
The snail humped up its back and made an
opening between its shoulders and the edge of its
shell. The Doctor clambered up and passed
within. We followed him, after handing up the
baggage. The opening shut tight with a whistling
suction noise.
Then turning in the direction of the East, the
great creature began moving smoothly forward,
down the slope into the deeper waters.
Just as the swirling dark green surf was closing
in above our heads, the big morning sun popped his
rim up over the edge of the ocean. And through
our transparent walls of pearl we saw the watery
world about us suddenly light up with that most
wondrously colorful of visions, a daybreak beneath
the sea.
- The rest of the story of our homeward voyage
is soon told.
Our new quarters we found very satisfactory.
Inside the spacious shell, the snail's wide back was
360 The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
extremely comfortable to sit and lounge on — better
than a sofa, when you once got accustomed to the
damp and clammy feeling of it. He asked us,
shortly after we started, if we wouldn't mind taking
off our boots, as the hobnails in them hurt his back
as we ran excitedly from one side to another to see
the different sights.
The motion was not unpleasant, very smooth and
even; in fact, but for the landscape passing outside,
you would not know, on the level going, that you
were moving at all.
I had always thought for some reason or other
that the bottom of the sea was flat. I found that
it was just as irregular and changeful as the surface
of the dry land. We climbed over great mountain-
ranges, with peaks towering above peaks. We
threaded our way through dense forests of tall
sea-plants. We crossed wide empty stretches of
sandy mud, like deserts — so vast that you went on
for a whole day writh nothing ahead of you but
a dim horizon. Sometimes the scene was moss-
covered, rolling country, green and restful to the
eye like rich pastures; so that you almost looked to
see sheep cropping on these underwater downs.
And sometimes the snail would roll us forward
inside him like peas, when he suddenly dipped down-
ward to descend into some deep secluded valley
with steeply sloping sides.
In these lower levels we often came upon the
The Doctor's Decision 361
shadowy shapes of dead ships, wrecked and sunk
Heaven only knows how many years ago; and
passing them we would speak in hushed whispers
like children seeing monuments in churches.
Here too, in the deeper, darker waters, mon-
strous fishes, feeding quietly in caves and hollows
would suddenly spring up, alarmed at our approach,
and flash away into the gloom with the speed of an
arrow. While other bolder ones, all sorts of un-
earthly shapes and colors, would come right up and
peer in at us through the shell.
"I suppose they think we are a sort of sana-
quarium," said Bumpo — "I'd hate to be a fish."
It was a thrilling and ever-changing show. The
Doctor wrote or sketched incessantly. Before long
we had filled all the blank note-books we had
left. Then we searched our pockets for any odd
scraps of paper on which to jot down still more ob-
servations. We even went through the used books
a second time, writing in between the lines, scribbling
all over the covers, back and front.
Our greatest difficulty was getting enough light
to see by. In the lower waters it wras very dim.
On the third day we passed a band of fire-eels, a sort
of large, marine glow-worm; and the Doctor asked
the snail to get them to come with us for a way.
This they did, swimming alongside; and their light
was very helpful, though not brilliant.
How our giant shellfish found his way across
361 The Voyage* :~ Doctor Do!i:: e
tha: vis: and gloomy world was a great puzzle to
us. John Dolittle asked him by what means he
navigated — how he knew he was on the right re:
to Puddleby River. And what the snail said in
reply got the Doctor so excite :i that having no
paper left, he tore out the i..-..ng of his precious
hat and covered it with notes.
By night of course it was irr.T rssible to see any-
thing: and during the hours of darkness the snail
used to swim inste:,i of crawl. When he did so he
could travel at a terrir.; speed, just by w;, _-_-'_ing
that long tail of his. This was the reason why we
comrietei the trip in so short a time — f.ve and a
half days.
The air of our chamber, not having a change in
the whole voyage, got very close and stufiy: and
for the first two d.v ~ we all had headaches. But
after that we got used to it and didn't mind it in
the least
Early in the afternoon of the sixth day. we no-
I :ed we were climbing a long gentle slope. As we
went upward it gre~ lighter. inally we saw that
the snail had crawled right out of the water al-
together and had now come to a dead stop on a
long strip or gray sand.
Behind us v - w the surface of the sea rippled
the " On our left s the mouth of a river
? th the tide running out. While in front, the low
la: stretched - - i into the mist — which
The Doctor's Decision 363
prevented one from seeing very far in any direction.
A pair of wild ducks with craning necks and whir-
ring wings passed over us and disappeared like
shadows, seaward.
As a landscape, it was a great change from the
hot brilliant sunshine of Popsipetel.
With the same whistling suction sound, the snail
made the opening for us to crawl out by. As we
stepped down upon the marshy land we noticed that
a fine, drizzling autumn rain was falling.
"Can this be Merrie England?" asked Bumpo,
peering into the fog — "doesn't look like any place
in particular. Maybe the snail hasn't brought us
right after all."
'Yes," sighed Polynesia, shaking the rain off her
feathers, "this is England all right — You can tell
it by the beastly climate."
"Oh, but fellows," cried Jip, as he sniffed up the
air in great gulps, "it has a smell — a good and glo-
rious smell! — Excuse me a minute: I see a water-
rat.'
"Sh! — Listen!" said Chee-Chee through teeth
that chattered with the cold. "There's Puddleby
church-clock striking four. Why don't we divide
up the baggage and get moving. We've got a long
way to foot it home across the marshes."
"Let's hope," I put in, "that Dab-Dab has a nice
fire burning in the kitchen."
"I'm sure she will," said the Doctor as he picked
364
The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle
out his old handbag from among the bundles —
"With this wind from the East she'll need it to
keep the animals in the house warm. Come on.
Let's hug the river-bank so we don't miss our way
in the fog. You know, there's something rather
attractive in the bad weather of England — when
you've got a kitchen-fire to look forward to. ...
Four o'clock! Come along — we'll just be in nice
time for tea."
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