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''The Island Queen: or Dethroned by Fire and Water: a tale of the Southern Hemisphere'' (1885) is a novel written by Scottish author R.M. Ballantyne. The novel first appeared in Volume VI of Young England, an annual magazine published in London from 1880-1937. It was then published in paperback by J. Nisbet & Co.〔(【引用サイトリンク】url=https://openlibrary.org/publishers/J._Nisbet )〕 This novel was Ballantyne’s 79th publication, written in the latter half of his career. The novel is a castaway / survivalist tale. It tells the story of two brothers and a sister who are stranded on one of the many islands of Oceania. The novel’s major themes include 19th century British imperialism, the value of Christianity, and the development of social hierarchies. Ballantyne published the novel after having moved from Edinburgh to Harrow, a north London borough, to allow his children to finish school in 1873. == Plot summary == The novel begins with the Rigonda family and two men aboard a castaway ship somewhere in the south Pacific. The family finds a hidden cache of food and they land safely on a nearby island.〔 After finding shelter they set out to explore the island. They soon find that everything they need seems to grow on trees. They explore, hunt wild boar, and construct a signal flag to attract passing ships. During a tremendous storm, an emigrant ship is wrecked on the coral reef just off the island. Otto and Dominick Rigonda run to aid the passengers.〔 The two parties become acquainted and work together to build suitable housing. The men begin offloading supplies and constructing makeshift shelters. The women are charged with caring for the children and establishing a domicile. Dominick and Malines come to blows, which results in Mother Lynch nominating Pauline to be queen. Pauline surprises everyone by naming Joe Binney her prime minister. A few days later, Pauline and Otto are kidnapped by natives and brought aboard their canoe. The colonists give chase and fire a volley at the natives, who allow the children to jump overboard. A few nights later Malines and his co-conspirators are caught preparing to leave the island without the emigrants. The conspirators are marched back to the camp and put in makeshift jails. Dr. Marsh is appointed as judge over the kangaroo court. Queen Pauline surprises the community by pardoning the criminals and offers her hand for them to kiss allegiance. For a time thereafter, there is peace, except for a group of natives hiding in the foliage who are dispatched by the gun-toting colonists. An earthquake strikes suddenly and begins to destroy the colony, and everyone flees in the only intact boat just before the entire island sinks into the sea. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Island Queen (novel)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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