The Two Supercargoes Part 20

As we could not sleep, owing to the hideous noise going on in the village, so we sat up to a late hour, discussing our plans for the future.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

WE ARE EXPECTED TO GO OUT HUNTING AGAIN--WE COMPLAIN TO THE KING AND DEMAND OUR FREEDOM--REMIND HIM OF OUR GOOD SERVICES--HIS INGRAt.i.tUDE-- NEITHER BRIBERY OR THREATS AFFECT HIM--OUR CONDITION BECOMES WORSE--TOM FEIGNS ILLNESS--HIS HOWLS AROUSE THE VILLAGE--HE FRIGHTENS THE KING--THE KING FALLS ILL--WE DETERMINE TO ESCAPE WITH THE OTHER BLACK PRISONERS-- THE MEDICINE MAN THE ONLY WEASEL IN THE VILLAGE--WE ARE PURSUED--ONE OF OUR MEN HIT--WE FIRE--TOM HIT--WE CHECK THE NATIVES--WE MAKE FOR A DEFENSIVE POSITION--THE ENEMY AGAIN COME UP WITH US--THE MORNING IS BREAKING--TWO VOLLEYS DISPERSE OUR PURSUERS--WE REST--SEE A VILLAGE-- SIGHT A RIVER--OUR PLANS FOR DESCENDING IT--MEET A HUNTING PARTY--THEY SEIZE US--CARRIED BEFORE THE KING--OUR CAPTOR TELLS "ONE BIG LIE"--WE RECOVER OUR GUNS--SLEEP IN A DIRTY HUT--EAT THE FOOD IN OUR KNAPSACKS-- THE KING SURPRISED AT OUR ENDURANCE--A WELCOME PRESENT FROM AN UNKNOWN FRIEND--OUR CONFINEMENT AFFECTS OUR HEALTH, AND WE PREPARE TO FIGHT FOR LIBERTY--A STARTLING RECOGNITION--CAPTAIN RODERICK UNDERTAKES TO OBTAIN OUR RELEASE--AN AGREEABLE CHANGE OF QUARTERS--THE GENERAL'S POWERFUL FETISH--CAPTAIN RODERICK'S DETERMINATION NEVER TO RETURN TO ENGLAND-- PATIENCE IN CAPTIVITY.

The bride and bridegroom had taken their departure northwards. We tried to ascertain the exact position of their village in order that we might avoid it, rather than pay the young couple a visit. As soon as the game we had taken was exhausted, the king wanted us once more to start on a hunting expedition, but we had come to the resolution of going as seldom as possible, that we might avoid the expenditure of our ammunition. It was necessary to husband that, as we should certainly require it on our journey. Although we were apparently allowed our liberty, we were conscious that we were narrowly watched, and that, therefore, we should find great difficulty in making our escape by stealth. Tom Tubbs having completely recovered his strength, and we three being in good condition, we determined to go to the king and boldly request guides and an escort to the northward as far as his jurisdiction extended, at the same time, to demand the release of Aboh and s.h.i.+mbo, who were willing to accompany us instead of returning to their own village.

Taking Aboh with us, when we knew the king was at home, we proceeded together to his palace. His majesty was seated under the veranda in front on a pile of matting, with a huge pipe in his mouth, attending to the affairs of state, for several of his counsellors were seated on either side of him. Harry, who had learned more of the language than either Charley or I, and looked considerably older than either of us, was deputed to be spokesman, having the aid of Aboh as an interpreter, should he come to a standstill for want of words on his part, or from not being able to comprehend the meaning of what the king said. He acquitted himself, as far as we could judge, wonderfully well. He pointed out that we had been made prisoners when travelling peaceably through the country, and been compelled to accompany his people, that we had since then enjoyed our liberty, and that we had made good use of it.

In the first place, by saving his daughter from the wild man of the woods, then preserving his son from the charge of the buffalo, that we had killed enough game to support ourselves, and should have been ready to a.s.sist him in any other way in our power, but that we now desired to return to our own country. That we should be obliged to his majesty if he would furnish us with the means of proceeding on our journey. The king, who seemed to understand perfectly what was said--Aboh aiding with a few words here and there--gave a smile and replied--

"That he would consider the matter, that he esteemed us very much, that we were good hunters, and had brought peace and prosperity to the country, as no enemies would dare to attack his people while we remained with him. But, if you go away, what will become of me?" he asked.

"What shall I say to that?" asked Harry, turning round to Charley and me.

"Tell the king that he must manage as he did before we had the honour of making his acquaintance," answered Charley; "that we are very glad to have been of service to him hitherto, still, that now our hearts are yearning for home, and that if he detains us against our will, our spirits will sink, and we shall no longer be able to help him."

The king grinned horribly, and said something of which neither Harry nor any of us could make out the meaning.

"What did he say?" we inquired of Aboh.

"Him say, cut him head off," answered Aboh; "me tinkee him mean it too."

This was unpleasant information, but we thought it as well not to take notice of it, but it convinced us plainly that the king would not agree to our request. "Endeavour to bribe the king with promises of the things we will send him," said Charley; "tell him we will pay him handsomely."

"I'll try," replied Harry, and forthwith he began to pour out all the native words he could recollect. It is just possible that he put in two or three by mistake, which had a very contrary meaning, for the king looked sometimes surprised, then angry, then highly amused, but yet he would not give the permission we requested.

"Try again if he can't be bribed," said Charley. "Promise that we will send him all sorts of things from England, if he will tell us how they are to be transmitted."

Harry did his best to carry out Charley's wishes, Aboh interpreting the words of the king. He said that a bird in the hand was worth two in the bush, that if we got away we might forget the promise we had made, or that if we sent the things, they might be lost long before they could reach him.

"Now try him on the threatening tack," said Charley; "tell him what a great man our king is, that ten of his soldiers would put to flight a whole army of his blacks, and that if he does not let us go, our king will send two or three hundred men, who will be landed from our s.h.i.+ps, and march up the country to look for us."

"They have not yet arrived," said the king, with another of those sardonic grins in which he often indulged. "It will take them some time to get here, and when they do come, they will have to fight us if they come as enemies."

"Tell the obstinate old fellow that they will come notwithstanding, and will blow him and his village up to the top of the mountains," exclaimed Charley, who grew impatient at the king's refusal.

Harry did not say this, however, for two reasons. In the first place, he thought it would be imprudent, and in the second, he could not find words to express himself. He said something equivalent to it, however, which had no apparent effect on the king's mind. At last we were obliged to leave his majesty, determined notwithstanding, as Tom advised, to take French leave, and go on the first opportunity. Our condition after this became much worse than it had been before. We were compelled to go into the plantations, and to dig and hoe the ground. We at first refused, declaring that we were hunters and not cultivators of the soil. We expostulated again and again reminding the king how we had saved his daughter and son from death. He only answered "that his daughter did not now belong to him, and his son must answer for himself."

This convinced us that the black king had not a spark of grat.i.tude in his composition. We, however, addressed ourselves to Prince Ombay, who appeared more inclined to accede to our request than was his father, but he told us he dared not interfere with his authority.

Week after week went by, and we were kept in a state of va.s.salage. When we went out hunting, the king, suspecting that we might make our escape, always kept one of the party at home with our knapsacks. During the whole time, however, neither we, our knapsacks, or our guns were interfered with, the people evidently looking on them as fetishes, not daring to touch them. They also believed us to be something above the common, or we should not have been treated so civilly by them. At last we could bear it no longer.

"Come with me, we must fight our way out of this," exclaimed Charley.

"That is more easily said than done. Although we might kill a few people we should be overwhelmed with numbers," observed Tom.

"Let us try if we cannot deceive them by pretending to be reconciled to our lot," said Harry; "or if one of us shams to be ill, they'll think we cannot move under the circ.u.mstances; such a trick would be perfectly justifiable."

"Of course it would," said Tom, "and I'll be the one to sham ill, you'll see how I'll howl and shriek, until the people will be glad to get rid of us for the sake of peace and quiet."

The next evening Tom put his proposal into execution. No sooner had the villagers turned in than he began howling and shrieking in the most fearful manner.

"I think you are overdoing it," observed Harry, "we shall not get any sleep either."

"Never mind that for a few hours," answered Tom, "I must howl on until they come and see what's the matter." He got some white earth with which he bedaubed his face, and which made it of an ashy paleness as he now lay covered up with mats on one side of the house.

The noise had been heard by the prince, who, with several other persons, came to know what was the matter. Tom made no answer, but howled and shrieked louder than ever, as if racked with pain.

Aboh, who had not, however, been let into the secret, informed the prince that the white man was very ill, and that he was afraid we should all catch the same complaint. This was an addition of his own that we had not thought of.

Just as he was speaking the king with a number of his wives came in to know what was the cause of the noise. When Aboh told him the same story he darted off with great speed, calling on his son and the rest of the people to beat a retreat from the infected place, and out they all rushed helter skelter, Tom hastening them by another series of shrieks and cries. After this we were left unmolested for the remainder of the night, although Tom once in each watch shrieked and shouted, as he said, "Just to keep the people from forgetting us."

Though no one came into the house for several days after this, Aboh was allowed to go out and purchase provisions for us, which we were frequently able to do, with some of the beads and trinkets we possessed.

At length one day he came back, looking very much alarmed, saying that the king himself was taken ill, and having declared that some one had bewitched him, had sent for the witch-doctor to find out who it was, and if the rascally doctor fixed on one of us we should have to drink the Mboundow poison.

Of course we all declared that we would do no such thing, and laughed at Aboh.

"But, I tell you what, perhaps they'll make you or your brother, or one of the rest of your people do so," observed Charley, "the wisest thing you can do is for you all to come to us to-night and we will fight our way out of the village."

Aboh agreed, fully believing what Charley said; indeed, there was every probability that he or some of his people would be fixed on by the witch-doctor, when they would to a certainty be put to death.

"I'll make them suppose that I'm as bad as the king, or worse," said Tom.

As soon as it was evening Tom repeated his howls and shrieks, with even more vehemence, if possible, than before. Just about midnight, when all the people were in bed, Aboh sallied forth. We anxiously waited his return. At last he came back with s.h.i.+mbo, followed by a dozen of his tribe, who had managed to possess themselves not only of bows and arrows, but of spears and hangers, and were altogether very well armed.

Not a moment was to be lost. We had strapped on our knapsacks, and shouldering our muskets we sallied forth as noiselessly as possible.

Fortunately no dogs barked, nor, as far as we could tell, had any of the inhabitants heard us. Not a light was burning in any of the houses.

The king and his witch-doctor were probably also asleep. Had an enemy attacked the village, the whole of the inhabitants might have been slaughtered before they had time to unite and offer the slightest resistance.

We began to congratulate ourselves that we should get a good distance from the village before our flight was discovered. Already we had reached the north end of the high street, and were about to emerge into the open country, when we heard a shout uttered by a single voice.

"Who speaks?" I asked of Aboh, who was near me.

"Him doctor," said Aboh, "sleep one eye open."

"Don't answer him," said Charley, "push on; if we get a good start, they are not likely to follow us in the dark."

Fearing that our native allies might be ready to yield, we told them to go on, while Tom and I dropped to the rear to defend them should we be attacked. We now heard several other voices. In a short time the whole village was in an uproar, men shouting, dogs barking, women screaming, fancying, perhaps, that the place was attacked. We feared, of course, that the true state of the case would soon be discovered, and that we should be followed. Whether Ombay and his people would venture to molest us was the question. We marched on steadily, but we had not gone far when we knew, by the increasing noise, that some of the people were on our track. Charley advised us not to fire unless it should become absolutely necessary. The shouts and angry cries of the savages drew nearer and nearer. It was evident that they were rus.h.i.+ng on pell mell, still, as long as no arrows were shot at us, we were resolved not to fire. Just then the moon, though waning, rose above the horizon, and showed us a ma.s.s of dark forms, waving their weapons, shouting and howling, not a hundred yards off. Tom and I turned round and presented our rifles, shouting loudly to them to keep back. The moonbeams gleaming on the barrels showed the blacks what we were about, and the mob halting we rejoined our companions; again we pushed on. The number of our pursuers increased, we had, however, made up our minds not to yield and not to return; as soon as they saw us again moving on, they began to scamper towards us, shouting as before.

"They beat me at that," observed Tom, "but if they don't look out, I'll give them some cause to shriek."

Soon after he had spoken an arrow flew near our ears, but fortunately did not strike any of the people ahead of us, another and another followed, at last one of the blacks was. .h.i.t, as we knew by the cry of pain he uttered.

"If that's your game, my lads, you shall have enough of it," exclaimed Tom, turning round and firing a shot into the midst of the savages. Who was struck we could not tell, but they all immediately stopped, though they continued shouting as before. Tom reloading, we ran on.

"The next time we must both of us stop and fire," he said.