"CAME UNEXPECTEDLY ON A CAVERN."

BLOWN TO BITS

OR

THE LONELY MAN OF RAKATA.

A Tale of the Malay Archipelago.

BY R.M. BALLANTYNE,

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

With Illustrations by the Author.

EIGHTH THOUSAND.

LONDON:

JAMES NISBET & CO., 21 BERNERS STREET.

1894.

PREFACE.

The extremely violent nature of the volcanic eruption in Krakatoa in 1883, the peculiar beauty of those parts of the eastern seas where the event occurred, the wide-spread influences of the accompanying phenomena, and the tremendous devastation which resulted, have all inspired me with a desire to bring the matter, in the garb of a tale, before that portion of the juvenile world which accords me a hearing.

For most of the facts connected with the eruption which have been imported into my story, I have to acknowledge myself indebted to the recently published important and exhaustive "Report" of the Krakatoa Committee, appointed by the Royal Society to make a thorough investigation of the whole matter in all its phases.

I have also to acknowledge having obtained much interesting and useful information from the following among other works:—The Malay Archipelago, by A.R. Wallace; A Naturalist's Wanderings in the Eastern Archipelago, by H.O. Forbes; and Darwin's Journal of Researches round the world in H.M.S. "Beagle."

R.M. BALLANTYNE.

HARROW-ON-THE HILL, 1889.

CONTENTS.

• CHAPTER I.—THE PLAY COMMENCES
• CHAPTER II.—THE HAVEN IN THE CORAL RING
• CHAPTER III.—INTERESTING PARTICULARS OF VARIOUS KINDS
• CHAPTER IV.—NIGEL UNDERGOES SOME QUITE NEW AND INTERESTING EXPERIENCES
• CHAPTER V.—CAPTAIN ROY SURPRISES AND GRATIFIES HIS SON, WHO SURPRISES A NEGRO, AND SUDDENLY FORMS AN ASTONISHING RESOLVE
• CHAPTER VI.—THE HERMIT OF RAKATA INTRODUCED
• CHAPTER VII.—WONDERS OF THE HERMIT'S CAVE AND ISLAND
• CHAPTER VIII.—PERBOEWATAN BECOMES MODERATELY VIOLENT
• CHAPTER IX.—DESCRIBES, AMONG OTHER THINGS, A SINGULAR MEETING UNDER PECULIAR CIRCUMSTANCES
• CHAPTER X.—A CURIOUS SEA-GOING CRAFT—THE UNKNOWN VOYAGE BEGUN
• CHAPTER XI.—CANOEING ON THE SEA—A MYSTERIOUS NIGHT-SURPRISE AND SUDDEN FLIGHT
• CHAPTER XII.—WEATHERING A STORM IN THE OPEN SEA
• CHAPTER XIII.—FRIENDS ARE MET WITH, ALSO PIRATES, AND A LIFE-OR-DEATH PADDLE ENSUES
• CHAPTER XIV.—A NEW FRIEND FOUND—NEW DANGERS ENCOUNTERED AND NEW HOPES DELAYED
• CHAPTER XV.—HUNTING THE GREAT MAN-MONKEY
• CHAPTER XVI.—BEGINS WITH A TERRIBLE FIGHT AND ENDS WITH A HASTY FLIGHT
• CHAPTER XVII.—TELLS OF THE JOYS, ETC., OF THE PROFESSOR IN THE SUMATRAN FORESTS, ALSO OF A CATASTROPHE AVERTED
• CHAPTER XVIII.—A TRYING ORDEAL—DANGER THREATENS AND FLIGHT AGAIN RESOLVED ON
• CHAPTER XIX.—A TERRIBLE MURDER AND A STRANGE REVELATION
• CHAPTER XX.—NIGEL MAKES A CONFIDANT OF MOSES—UNDERTAKES A LONELY WATCH AND SEES SOMETHING WONDERFUL
• CHAPTER XXI.—IN WHICH THE PROFESSOR DISTINGUISHES HIMSELF
• CHAPTER XXII.—A PYTHON DISCOVERED AND A GEYSER INTERVIEWED
• CHAPTER XXIII.—TELLS OF VOLCANIC FIRES AND A STRANGE RETURN "HOME,"
• CHAPTER XXIV.—AN AWFUL NIGHT AND TERRIBLE MORNING
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