Bunyip Land Part 40

When I unclosed my eyes it was bright morning and through an opening in the trees opposite to where I lay I gazed upon the dazzling summit of a mountain of wonderfully regular shape. As I lay there it put me in mind of a bell, so evenly rounded were the shoulders, and I was thinking whether it would be possible to clamber up it and inspect the country from its summit, when the doctor came up.

"Ah! Joe," he said; "and how are the spirits this morning?"

"Spirits?" I said wonderingly, for my sleep had been so deep that I had forgotten all about the previous evening. "Oh, I'm quite well;" and springing up I went to the stream by which we were encamped to bathe my face and hands, coming back refreshed, and quite ready for the breakfast that was waiting.

"Let's see," said the doctor. "I promised an expedition did I not?"

"Yes: hunting or fis.h.i.+ng," I said eagerly, though I half repented my eagerness directly after, for it seemed as if I did not think enough about the object of our journey.

"I've altered my mind," said the doctor. "We've been travelling for days in low damp levels; now for a change what do you say to trying high ground and seeing if we can climb that mountain? What do you say, Penny?"

"Won't it make our backs ache a deal?" he said, gazing rather wistfully up at the glittering mountain.

"No doubt, and our legs too," the doctor replied. "Of course we shall not try to ascend the snowy parts, but to get as far as the shoulder; that will give us a good view of the lay of the country, and it will be something to climb where perhaps human foot has never trod before."

There was something fascinating enough in this to move Jack Penny into forgetfulness of the possibility of an aching back; and after getting in motion once more, we followed our black bearers for a few miles, and then giving them instructions where to halt--upon a low hill just in front--we struck off to the left, the doctor, Jack Penny, Jimmy, and the dog, and at the end of half an hour began the ascent.

So slight was the slope that we climbed I could hardly believe it possible how fast we had ascended, when at the end of a couple of hours we sat down to rest by a rill of clear intensely cold water that was bubbling amongst the stones. For on peering through a clump of trees I gazed at the most lovely landscape I had seen since I commenced my journey. Far as eye could reach it was one undulating forest of endless shades of green, amidst which, like verdant islands, rose hill and lesser mountain.

I could have stopped and gazed at the scene for hours had not the doctor taken me by the arm.

"Rest and food, my lad," he said; "and then higher up yet before we settle to our map making and mark out our future course."

Jimmy was already fast asleep beneath a rock, curled up in imitation of Gyp, while Jack Penny was sitting with his back against a tree, apparently studying his legs as he rubbed his hands up and down them gently, to soften and make more pliable the muscles.

"Tain't time to go on yet, is it?" he said with a dismal glance up at us.

"No, no, Penny; we'll have a good rest first," said the doctor; and Jack uttered a profound sigh of relief.

"I am glad," he said, "for I was resting my back. I get up against a small tree like this and keep my back straight, and that seems to make it stronger and stiffer for ever so long."

"Then take my advice, Penny; try another plan, my lad. You have grown too fast."

"Yes, that's what father always said," replied Jack, beginning with a high squeak and rumbling off into a low ba.s.s.

"You are then naturally weak, and if I were you I should lie flat down upon my back every time we stopped. You will then get up refreshed more than you think for."

"But you wouldn't lie flat like that when you were eating your victuals, would you? I ain't Jimmy."

"No, but you could manage that," I said; and Jack Penny nodded and lay down very leisurely, but only to spring up again most energetically and uttering a frightened yell.

Gyp and Jimmy uncoiled like a couple of loosened springs, the former to utter a series of angry barks, and the latter to spring up into the air suddenly.

"Where de bunyip--where de big bunyip? Jimmy kill um all along."

He flourished his waddy wildly, and then followed Gyp, who charged into the wood as the doctor and I seized our guns, ready for action.

Then a fierce worrying noise took place for a few moments in amongst the bushes, and then Jimmy came bounding out, dragging a small snake by the tail, to throw it down and then proceed to batter its head once again with his waddy, driving it into the earth, though the reptile must already have ceased to exist.

"Killum dead um!" cried Jimmy, grinning with triumph. "Jimmy killum headums; Gyp killums tail."

"I wish you'd look, doctor, and see if he bit me," said Jack, speaking disconsolately. "I lay down as you told me, and put my head right on that snake."

"Don't you know whether it bit you?" said the doctor anxiously.

"No, not the least idea," said Jack, shaking his head. "I think it must have bit me, I was so close."

"I don't believe it did," I said. "Why, you must have known."

"Think so?" said Jack dismally. "I say, doctor, is it best, do you think, to lie right down?"

"Yes, if you look first to see whether there is danger from snakes.

There, lie down, my lad, and rest."

Jack obeyed him very reluctantly, and after Gyp and Jimmy had both re-curled themselves, the doctor and I lay down to talk in a low voice about our prospects, and then as I lay listening to his words, and wondering whether I should ever succeed in tracing out my father, all seemed to become blank, till I started up on being touched.

"Had a good nap?" said the doctor. "Then let's get on again."

We started once more, with the ground now becoming more difficult.

Trees were fewer, but rocks and rugged patches of stony soil grew frequent, while a pleasant breeze now played about our faces and seemed to send vigour into our frames.

Gyp and the black were wonderfully excited, bounding about in front of us, and even Jack Penny stepped out with a less uncertain stride.

Higher we climbed and higher, and at every pause that we made for breath the beauty of the great country was more impressed upon me.

"What a pity!" exclaimed the doctor, as we halted at last upon a rugged corner of the way we were clambering, with the glistening summit far above our heads, while at our feet the wild country looked like some lovely green garden.

"What is a pity?" I said wonderingly, for the scene, tired and hot as I was, seemed lovely.

"That such a glorious country should be almost without inhabitant, when thousands of our good true Englishmen are without a sc.r.a.p of land to call their own."

"Hey, hi!" cried Jack Penny excitedly. "Look out! There's something wrong."

Jimmy and the dog had, as usual, been on ahead; but only to come racing back, the former's face full of excitement, while the dog seemed almost as eager as the black.

"Jimmy find um mans, find. Quiet, Gyp; no make noise."

"Find? My father?" I cried, with a curious choking sensation in my throat.

"No; no findum fader," whispered Jimmy. "Get um gun. Findum black fellow round a corner."

"He has come upon the natives at last, doctor," I said softly. "What shall we do?"

"Retreat if they are enemies; go up to them if they are friendly," said the doctor; "only we can't tell which, my lad. Ours is a plunge in the dark, and we must risk it, or I do not see how we are to get on with our quest."

"Shall we put on a brave face and seem as if we trusted them then?" I said.

"But suppose they're fierce cannibals," whispered Jack Penny, "or as savage as those fellows down by the river? Ain't it rather risky?"