Basil and the Pygmy Cats
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By Eve Titus
Illustrated by Paul Galdone

(c) 1971 by Eve Titus and Paul Galdone

10
The Island of Kataarh
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Westward bound, the Rosetta set sail in the pink and purple and gold of a tropical sunset. Viewing the splendor outspread in the sky, I reflected that neither mice nor men could equal Nature's handiwork.

Upon our return to the yacht, Basil had conferred with Captain Black, poring over dozens of maps and charts in an effort to find the right island.

At last Basil pointed to a tiny speck on an ocean chart, saying, "Captain, you've not mentioned this one, the Island of Kataarh. How far away is it?"

"Basil, it's so small that I overlooked it. Kataarh is two or three days' sail from here. I've never visited it, nor have any mouse captains I know--it's much too far off the regular shipping lanes. No one bothers to go there."

"The sailing-time is right," said Basil, "and the island is unknown. I have a hunch that it's the one we seek. Let's get under way."

Up came the anchor, and off we sailed.



At Basil's suggestion we borrow archeology books from the ship's library, since we'd soon be having a go at ancient ruins.

Sprawled in deck chairs, our noses buried in the books, we studied the how and why of digging. We read of amatuers who excavated heedlessly, destroying valuable objects that could never be replaced. We read enough to have a rough idea of digging techniques.

At noon of the third day a seamouse perched high in the rigging shouted, "Land ho!"

Eagerly we rushed to the rail for our first glimpse of the hauntingly lovely Island of Kataarh.

I tingled with excitement, feeling much as Columbus must have felt when at last he sighted land--this, too, marked the end of a long quest.

The Rosetta moved slowly into a sheltered bay and dropped anchor. Leaving only a skeleton crew



aboard, several boatloads of us rowed toward the beach.

We could see gentle waves lapping at white sands, tall, slender palm trees, low hills and rich green valleys. High above all loomed a sleeping volcano, its slopes thick with trees.

"Truly an island paradise!" declared Lord Adrian.

We beached the boats and went ashore. There we pitched tents, filled our water jugs at a river, and dined on bread, cheese, and coconut milk.

The full tropical moon smiled down upon us, and we felt glad to be on land again.

Before we went to sleep, Basil had some words of caution for us. "Don't go looking for pygmy cats tomorrow, or for Elyod's descendents, if any. We don't want to frighten them away. This isle is so isolated that the creatures who live here now may be primitive and superstitious, afraid of strangers. Don't seek them out--let them come to us of their own free will. Good night, all!"

We retired to our tents. No pygmy cats interrupted our slumbers.

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