Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England
The Wanderers; or Adventures in the Wilds of Trinidad and up the Orinoco, by W.H.G. Kingston.
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For political reasons the Macnamara family are forced to leave their old home in Pennsylvania, and elect to resettle in Trinidad. A big mistake because it is being administered by a bigoted Spanish religious government. The mother dies and is buried, but two Roman Catholic priests arrive with the intention of carrying out the funeral under their rites. So once again the family are displaced, this time for religious reasons. They escape to South America, and make their way into the Orinoco river. There follow innumerable adventures and near shaves of various kinds. But it was a mistake again, because the Spanish are administering the territory, and wish to root out anyone who has no business to be there.
On escaping all this they hear that a new administration in Trinidad has abolished the malpractices of the Spanish priestly regime, and they are welcome to return.
They sell the Trinidad plantation at a profit, and return to England, though always hankering after their original settlement in Pennsylvania.
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THE WANDERERS; OR ADVENTURES IN THE WILDS OF TRINIDAD AND UP THE ORINOCO, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON.
CHAPTER ONE.
OUR OLD HOME IN PENNSYLVANIA--REVERSE OF FORTUNE--ARRIVAL IN TRINIDAD-- UNCLE PAUL AND ARTHUR FOLLOW US--SETTLED ON AN ESTATE--SUSPECTED OF HERESY--OUR MOTHER'S ILLNESS--DON ANTONIO'S WARNING--OUR MOTHER'S DEATH--THE PRIEST'S INDIGNATION--WE LEAVE HOME--ARTHUR'S NARROW ESCAPE.
We lived very happily at the dear old home in the State of Pennsylvania, where my sister Marian and I were born. Our father, Mr Dennis Macnamara, who was a prosperous merchant, had settled there soon after his marriage with our mother, and we had been brought up with every comfort we could desire. Uncle Paul Netherclift, our mother's brother, who was employed in our father's house of business, resided with us; as did our cousin Arthur Tuffnel, who had lately come over from England to find employment in the colony.
Our father was generally in good spirits, and never appeared to think that a reverse of fortune could happen to him. One day, however, he received a visit from a person who was closeted with him for some hours. After the stranger had gone, he appeared suddenly to have become an altered man, his vivacity and high spirits having completely deserted him--while both Uncle Paul and Arthur looked unusually grave; and young as I was, I could not help seeing that something disastrous had happened. My fears were confirmed on overhearing a conversation between my father and mother when they were not aware that I was listening.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: The Wanderers by William Henry Giles Kingston
- 2: And shure I'll be grateful to ye from the bottom of my heart
- 3: He at once commenced a cacao plantation
- 4: A very large number of priests and friars
- 5: The friar then allowed his mule to drop in between us
- 6: Even should your father conform
- 7: How thankful we were when Don Antonio arrived
- 8: With a steep precipice below us
- 9: Though Marian was already much fatigued
- 10: We quickly made him out to be Camo
- 11: Which Camo brought from the neighbouring stream
- 12: Having left Marian in her bower
- 13: Camo recommended that we should remain where we were
- 14: And young monkeys of all sizes
- 15: Especially of such things as Marian chiefly required
- 16: And at length catching sight of Camo
- 17: Consulting Camo on the subject
- 18: Camo suggested that we should try and catch a cowfish
- 19: Tim having quickly despatched it
- 20: Jose apparently had not seen it
- 21: My father looked sternly at Jose
- 22: Jose taking one of the heaviest packages
- 23: While Tim and Jose knew nothing about the matter
- 24: And we had to recommence bailing
- 25: And the sea was becoming smoother and smoother
- 26: Every instant becoming broader and broader
- 27: Tim stood up and waved eagerly
- 28: Even Marian managed to eat a small portion
- 29: But we will put some schiedam into it
- 30: I should have said that the vessel belonged to Stabroek
- 31: But we shall be fortunate if our anchor holds
- 32: I will endeavour to save Marian
- 33: Tim had just expressed his gratitude to Kallolo
- 34: At length Kallolo got within reach of Quacko
- 35: And a sepo suitable for the purpose being within my reach
- 36: I showed Kallolo the birds which I had caught
- 37: And by carefully arranging a few more sepos
- 38: And found Marian seated by the side of Uncle Paul
- 39: But numberless sepos interlaced the boughs
- 40: With open beaks and fierce eyes
- 41: And Ara and Quacko soon became friends
- 42: As soon as a pole was cut it was secured with sepos
- 43: And though our lookout place had been occupied
- 44: And three more bottles of schiedam
- 45: The skipper therefore hailed the men
- 46: But no sooner did Quacko see his master on the log
- 47: One big hook with a strong line
- 48: Maco made a dash on the half roasted periecu
- 49: The danger of shooting the sloth was
- 50: In which we not only cured sloth meat
- 51: And of boiling what required boiling
- 52: Had Kallolo been willing to sacrifice his favourite
- 53: Poor Quacko still trembled all over
- 54: And others of vast size and fanlike shape
- 55: Having delicate white wings and claret coloured plumage
- 56: I called the attention of Uncle Paul to it
- 57: I will send Maco back to guide you
- 58: Asking each oder how dem are dis fine ebening
- 59: Beautiful long tailed and gilded moths
- 60: One end of which Kallolo held in his hand
- 61: Kallolo sounded it with his pole
- 62: And make our way along the low boughs
- 63: But Kallolo entreated him not to do so
- 64: When in search of the white uakari
- 65: The blowpipe is a wonderful instrument
- 66: Which Kallolo and Maco agreed to push before them
- 67: Though Maco acted as our guide
- 68: The tall stems and winding sepos
- 69: Marian had lifebuoys with which to swim
- 70: My father and Uncle Paul thanked Sambo for coming
- 71: We were able to wade at a pretty good rate
- 72: And in another minute Maco himself
- 73: They depend greatly on the pith of the mauritia
- 74: Kallolo did as he was directed
- 75: I felt much as Sambo said he did
- 76: I also felt very sorry that Quacko was lost
- 77: We saw several species of trogons
- 78: Tim and Sambo had long ago got out of sight
- 79: Kallolo took the matter very coolly
- 80: And by the appearance of the raft
- 81: We had not long to wait for Sambo and Tim
- 82: And in cutting the lianas or sepos
- 83: Sambo assisted me to haul it in
- 84: The spoonbills were equally beautiful
- 85: The larger raft having closely followed us to the beach
- 86: And Tim was accompanied by Kallolo
- 87: Polo earnestly advised that we should retire from the bank
- 88: Kallolo has undertaken to supply us
- 89: And bringing them back to Kallolo
- 90: Kallolo immediately commenced operations
- 91: Which might prevent even a hungry cayman from landing
- 92: Only two animals do not fear the jaguar
- 93: After we had made a quantity of sennit
- 94: That the astonished saurian dashed off through the water
- 95: For the left arm sustained Marian
- 96: At length the alligator came directly towards Kallolo
- 97: Uncle Paul gave Marian a small glassful of the schiedam
- 98: Tim had told Kallolo of his intention
- 99: We had established several other manufactories
- 100: We now dipped into the bowl of indiarubber juice
- 101: Recollecting all about the alligator
- 102: Putting the curassow on the ground
- 103: And made Quacko and Ara very jealous
- 104: At the same moment Crass flew off towards her
- 105: Leaving Ara to harangue to empty benches
- 106: Kallolo said that there would have been no danger
- 107: With all due respect for Miss Marian
- 108: Sambo was an ingenious mechanic
- 109: Kallolo had brought her a berry
- 110: To do what we could to put the peccaries to flight
- 111: We had killed nearly a dozen peccaries
- 112: The indiarubber bottles were completed
- 113: When the bird turned towards Kallolo
- 114: Sambo and Maco set off with me to hunt for them
- 115: As turtles are timid creatures
- 116: During the previous night more turtle had
- 117: Kallolo said this as we hurried away
- 118: While Quacko was seated on the roof of her hut
- 119: But ignorant that we were not possessed of firearms
- 120: Sometimes the three parakeets would band together
- 121: Uncle Paul no longer made any objections
- 122: Expecting to get on board before nightfall
- 123: And providing for the free exercise of mercantile affairs