The Rajah of Dah Part 29

"Is the forest all like this?" said Ned at last.

"The jungle is."

"But are there no other paths?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then how do the animals get about?"

"Oh, some use these tracks, but the tigers and bears creep along under and through the trees and bushes. They can go anywhere. We couldn't, without the men cut a way for us."

_Skrit_, _skrat_, _skrat_! went Tim's match loudly, and the elephant uttered a tremendous squeal, plunged forward, and ran its head against the hind-quarters of the one in front, which trumpeted shrilly, and catching the panic rushed on; the store elephant following, in spite of the mahouts, who strove hard to check them in their headlong course, but in vain.

"Down, down!" shouted Frank. "Hold tight."

His advice was needed, for the plunging and rolling of the great frightened animals was terrible, and for a while they tore on along the narrow track with the mud and water flying, and the growth from the sides and roof threatening to drag the occupants of the howdahs from their seats.

At the end of about a mile, the first elephant was checked, and of necessity the second and third had to stand, which they did with their heads pressed against the other's tail.

"Any one hurt?" cried Murray, looking back.

"No, all right--all right," cried the boys.

"What was it scared your elephant?"

"Oh murther, don't tell him, Masther Frank," whispered Tim, who then desperately told the truth.

"It's all right, sor. I sthruck a match to light me pipe. That's all."

"Well then, don't do it again."

"No, sor."

"Go on slowly now," cried Murray, and progress was again made.

"An' I should think we would go slowly," muttered Tim. "I belave I haven't a whole bone left, and what's more, I didn't light me pipe."

"And you must not now," cried Frank, laughing. "Oh, I did get such a switch from one of those canes.--How did you get on?"

"Something nearly pulled me out of the howdah," replied Ned, "and I'm a bit scratched."

"Bit scratched, sor? Look at me," cried Tim, showing his bleeding hands. "These baskets, if ye are to have a ride in 'em, ought to have a lid to shut down."

The elephants uttered a low sigh now and then, as they shuffled and splashed along the muddy track, whose gloomy monotony was so wearisome that Ned turned at last to his companion.

"I say," he cried, "is it all going to be like this?"

Frank laughed.

"Oh no; only for a few miles. Then we shall get to some open ground."

"You've been along here before, then?"

"Oh yes, twice; but till you get through the jungle it is very dreary."

Ned sat swaying and giving with the movements of the elephant, thinking what a terrible journey it would be for any one who had to walk, and looking back from time to time at the spearmen behind, who seemed to get along lightly enough, when he caught sight of one. Several, however, had climbed on to the rear elephant, while two had hold of the ropes of the one he rode.

All at once, just as if seen through a tunnel, there was a patch of light, and soon after the party emerged into an opening of a few acres in extent, where the sun had full power, and the growth of orchid and flowering tree lit up the scene with glowing colour. Here they heard the cries of birds, and were just in time to catch sight of the metallic green, gold, and purple of half a dozen peac.o.c.ks before they hurried out of sight among the trees.

Murray obtained a few specimens of parrot and sunbird here, though, in their half-hour's halt before the leading elephant was started, and once more plunged into the continuation of the green leafy tunnel, which by contrast seemed darker than the first part.

By degrees the way of progression grew so wearisome that Ned turned to his companions to find both fast asleep, and he turned again to gaze before him at the hind-quarters of his uncle's elephant, feeling sour and ill-used and heartily sick of the tedious ride.

But all his ill-humour faded away an hour later when the elephants pa.s.sed out of the tunnel once more into an undulating paradise of tree and flower, rising gradually higher and higher to hills that appeared to be of a lovely blue; and as if roused by the glow of the sun, both Frank and Tim started up.

"Oh, here we are, then, at last," cried the latter. "Then, I suppose, the first thing is something to eat."

He was quite right, for about a mile farther on toward the hills, the elephants were halted close to a stream, over whose glancing water a huge tree of the fig tribe spread its gigantic branches, and offered a most tempting refuge from the sun.

The elephants were tethered, and the rajah's men rapidly unloaded the pannier they had brought, to spread a tempting meal beneath the tree; and this being ended, the first elephant was again brought into use to bear Murray, the two boys, and Tim, on toward the hills shooting and exploring.

This part of the expedition was so beautiful, and the specimens shot so satisfactory, that the wearisome nature of the journey out was forgotten, and that back, which had hung before Ned like a cloud, was no longer thought of.

He said something in respect to it as they walked on beside the elephant, carrying a spare gun and ammunition, and Frank laughed:

"It was tiring, but we had not had any dinner then, and that makes all the difference. I say, Mr Murray, suppose a tiger came now, what should you do?"

"Fire at it, of course."

"With small shot? Oh! I say, hadn't you better load your rifle? I'll carry it."

"Yes; it would be wise," replied Murray. "You'll promise to give it me if there is a chance."

"Of course." And the rifle was handed out of the howdah by Tim, loaded, and shouldered by Frank as they once more went on, getting now on to higher ground, where the rugged incline of the gully down which the stream whose course they followed ran, induced Murray to begin examining the stones that lay loose on one side of the little river's rocky bed.

Then there was another tramp onward, and a couple more specimens fell to the naturalist's gun.

"That's as many as we shall care to skin to-night, Ned," he said.

"Let's see now if we can't discover some metal."

"Whoo-hoo!" shouted Tim, from up in the howdah. "Look sor, look! shoot!

There he is!"

They followed Tim's pointing hand, to see, about a couple of hundred yards away, in an open spot where a gully ran up into a patch of forest, a full-grown tiger, whose stripes showed out clearly in the suns.h.i.+ne, as, with head erect and tail las.h.i.+ng his sides, he watched the approaching party; but before Murray could seize the rifle, the lithe animal gave a couple of leaps and had disappeared.

"Gone!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Murray. "It would be no use to try to hunt him up, without beaters."

So the search for minerals was commenced again, with no further result than the discovery of a little tin, specimens of which were thrown up to Tim, and another halt was made.