King of Kilba facts for kids

King of Kilba is an exciting adventure novel written by Percy F. Westerman in 1926. It tells the story of two young friends, Kenneth Kilsyth and Gerald Hayes. They leave their ordinary lives in London for an amazing journey. Their adventure takes them all the way to Honolulu. But a strange turn of events leaves them stranded on a mysterious island called Kilba. There, they must learn to survive and face unexpected challenges.

What's the Story About?

This book is packed with adventure. It follows two friends as they go from city life to a wild island.

The Start of an Adventure

Kenneth Kilsyth works as a clerk in London. He doesn't really enjoy his job. One day, he wins a lot of money in a football pool. This is like a game where you guess the results of football matches to win prizes. With his winnings, Kenneth decides to go on an adventure. He invites his only friend, Gerald Hayes, to join him. Gerald is also a clerk.

They find a merchant ship called the S.S. Mumtaz. It is sailing from Vancouver to Honolulu. Kenneth and Gerald are the only passengers on board. But soon, a mysterious sickness spreads through the ship. Most of the crew, including the officers, get sick. Only the two friends and one quartermaster named Bridges are left. Bridges helps them get rid of the sick crew members. He also shows them how to put a sail on the ship. The Mumtaz then drifts with the ocean currents. It eventually gets stuck on a coral reef near an island.

Stranded on Kilba

The boys realize they are near an island. They grab some guns from the captain's room for protection. Then, they go ashore. At sunrise, they climb a small hill. There, they see a large group of islanders. These people attack them while walking on stilts. This is because the ground is considered special or "taboo" to them. Kenneth and Gerald manage to defend themselves.

Suddenly, an old white man stops the attack. He speaks a little English. He tells them he was shipwrecked many years ago. He is now the "King" of this island, which is called Kilba. He explains that a local story says a white man will always rule the people of Kilba. He also tells them about a long-standing war. The people of Kilba have been fighting the people of a nearby island, Neka, for many years.

Becoming Kings

Kenneth and Gerald join in some of the battles. After a while, the old king dies. Kenneth has to become the new King of Kilba. Gerald, who is now called 'Haya' by the islanders, becomes his "brother." They continue to lead the war against the Nekas.

The friends try to teach the islanders new sports. They introduce football and cricket. Cricket becomes very popular with the islanders. They enjoy it so much that they become less careful. This gives the Nekas a chance to attack. The Nekas invade Kilba and capture Gerald.

Facing the Giant Crab

Gerald is taken to a deep hole. He is going to be offered to a giant crab. This crab is known as 'Bonga Te Akka'. Its shell is six feet wide. Its claws are over eight feet long! Just as the crab is about to grab Gerald, Kenneth arrives. He brings an army of Kilban warriors with him. They rescue Gerald.

But then, Kenneth himself is captured. He is offered to the giant crab. His small gun is useless against the huge creature. However, Kenneth quickly lights a fire. The fire scares the crab away. Then, it burns the crab to death. The Nekans still try to kill Kenneth. But he and Gerald are saved just in time. A group of New Zealanders arrive. They are looking for ambergris. Ambergris is a valuable material found in the ocean. It turns out that one of the island's bays has a lot of it.

Rescue and New Beginnings

Kenneth and Gerald promise to show the New Zealanders where the ambergris is. In return, they become equal partners in the company that is sponsoring the search. This company is called Wilcox and Co, based in Auckland.

The two heroes then fly away in the explorers' airplane. This fulfills another island prophecy. It was said that the King would be taken away by a "great bird" when his work was done. And so, Kenneth and Gerald leave Kilba for new adventures.