Secret of Monkey Island: A Guide Part 6

     As played on an Amiga 500 (1 meg) by Ron Rainbird

The first thing to do on arrival at Monkey Island (after your
flight as a human cannon-ball) is to explore the immediate
vicinity. A banana can be found - but don't eat it, just hang on
to it for later use.  Not too far away you can find a beached
rowing boat, but without oars.  Not much use at the moment
obviously. You will eventually discover a deep cleft in the ground
at the bottom of which there is something of use. Unfortunately
you cannot climb down without the aid of a rope which, of course,
you do not yet possess.

Travel North of the cleft to a river fork with a bridge across it.
You may also notice that the river has been dammed with rocks.
From this point you will begin to find notices, all of which
should be read and mentally digested.  Proceed over the bridge and
climb up a cliff to a strange contraption, the use of which isn't
apparent but you should try experimenting with it using the good
old push and pull method. Climb still further to the very top and
admire the view. A rockpile is here so, just for fun, push one of
the rocks over the edge, the purpose of the strange contraption
will now be revealed. By going back to this gadget and making
adjustments, then returning to the rock pile pushing another rock
over the edge, you should eventually manage a catapult hit onto
the beach, close to the Banana Tree. This ability will come in
handy later.

In the North-west part of the Island there is a Volcano. Go there
now and wander around to find a ramshackle building. Here you will
discover some rope and a telescope. Examining an old cannon you
can add a cannon-ball and gunpowder to your collection (aren't you
glad you are a strong person). Ignore the strange character who
keeps pestering you - Herman Toothrot by name; he says that he is
waiting to be rescued.

If you go East you will come to a dried-up pond by the side of
which is a tree bearing strange fruit - a dead hanging man still
clutching some rope. This is all held in place by a log resting on
the dried-up pond. No matter how you try you cannot reach the
corpse, so here is where you show great ingenuity. Go back to the
river-fork bridge, put gunpowder between the rocks which are
creating the dam, open up the telescope and prise out the lens.
Hold the lens in the sun's rays in such a way that the gunpowder
ignites.  The dam breaks, you are swept away in the ensuing
torrent down-stream and the pond is now filled, causing the log to
float, the tree to fall lower and the rope to be accessible. Now
you have the necessary items to investigate the cleft - but don't
think that it is going to be perfectly straightforward!

@~To be continued next issue.