Bing Gananda 5

As the boat neared the beach, Samuel scanned the shore. The vegetation was so dense that little light seemed to penetrate. Off to the right, he noticed a small trickle of water running across the sand.
"Mr. Jackson, to starboard, I believe there's water on the beach."
Mr. Jackson, the Bos'n, moved the tiller and the boat swung to starboard toward the beach.
As the sailors pulled the boat up onto the sand, Samuel and the Bos'n walked to the trickle of water. First Tindor took a taste, then Jackson. It was good. But they would have to find a pool, or some place where they could fill their casks.
They stood peering into the jungle. The tiny stream wound back into the shadows. The birds had fallen silent. All that could be heard was the gentle lapping of the waves on the sand. The men stood still. No one wanted to be the first to step into the gloom.
Finally, Tindor pulled the branches aside and stepped forward. Jackson drew his pistol and followed warily. He turned to the others,
"Wait here by the boat."

After a few hundred yards, the ground began to rise steeply toward the mountain. The stream fell over some rocks into a clear pool, and then continued out to the cove.
"This should do nicely," Jackson said as he took a long drink. "We'll have to cut a trail in to it, but that shouldn't be too much trouble."
Tindor was examining the leaves on some of the undergrowth, when there was a sudden rush, and a catlike creature shot away. Jackson jumped and fired his pistol. He hit nothing. They stood there looking at each other.
"What the hell was that," the Bos'n asked, obviously shaken.
"I don't know. I didn't see it."
"It looked like a cat, a big one." He was quiet for a moment, then said, "Funny thing though..."
"What?"
"I was looking straight at it. But I never saw it till it moved."
Tindor stared off in the direction it had taken. By now they could hear the sailors crashing though the vegetation toward them.
"It's alright boys," called the Bos'n. "It was just some critter that startled me."

On board the Mary Anne, Captain Pearce, and the ship's carpenter had been surveying the storm's damage, when they heard the shot in the distance. They watched as several of the sailors on the beach started into the jungle.
Pearce picked up his spyglass. But all he could see was the two sailors who remained with the boat. They had picked up their muskets and were nervously watching the jungle.
He was relieved when the party emerged from the trees. He could see that they were all there. Then he saw the sailors unloading the casks from the boat, and carry them into the jungle.
So far, so good, he thought. Then he and the carpenter turned back to their work.



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