JUST IN TIME!
At sunrise, one morning, a fortnight after the events recorded in the
last chapter, a party of travellers, consisting of three white men
and a number of Indians, set out from the Indian village of Daranato,
making their way in the direction of Roraima.
The three white men were Dr. Lorien, his son Harry, and Robert
Kingsford; and among the Indians was Matava. As they toiled along the
rough path it was easy to see that the travellers were, for the most
part, travel-worn and weary; they moved forward in a half-listless
fashion, scarcely looking to right or left, and showing but little
interest in the scenes that lay along their route. Only when they came
to the ridge from which the first view of Roraima is to be obtained
did any of the party exhibit curiosity. Here a halt was made, and they
all gazed for some time silently at the great mass that raised itself
high above the surrounding landscape. This morning, clouds hung over
it and it appeared sombre, dark and threatening, and gave no sign of
the fairy-like lightness and beauty it sometimes assumed when seen from
this same spot.
Robert Kingsford had come up from the coast, in the company of the
doctor and his son, bent upon solving, if possible, the mystery
that surrounded the fate of the two friends who had left Georgetown,
nearly nine months before, to join with an unknown stranger in the
exploration of Roraima. All that had since been heard of them was the
strange, almost fantastic account that had been brought back by Matava,
according to which they had actually found a way into the mountain, and
thenceforth had disappeared. The very entrance by which they had made
their way through the solid wall of cliff had been afterwards found
fast sealed; and no trace or clue to their fate had been left behind.
This had been Matava's account, and he had not hesitated to express his
belief that the three adventurers had been captured by the demons of
the mountain, and either eaten up then and there, or kept as prisoners
and slaves in durance vile.
This story, however, did not satisfy the minds of the others, and
Robert Kingsford, seeing and compassionating the deep sorrow of
Templemore's widowed mother, and the still more passionate grief of
his own sister Maud, determined to investigate matters for himself.
Dr. Lorien was detained longer in Rio than he had expected; but, when
at last he returned to Georgetown, he readily joined the other in the
proposed expedition of inquiry.
They had a very arduous and difficult journey up from the coast. It
happened to be a season of exceptional drought, and cassava, and food
of all kinds, were extremely scarce. The sun had been unusually fierce,
and the heat abnormal; hence, by the time they reached Daranato, even
the sturdy and seasoned doctor--a very veteran in tropical travel--was
nearly worn out; while the other two were in still worse plight.
Add to these trials the fact that they had little, if any, hope of
succeeding in their quest, and felt, in reality, that the expedition
was, at best, but a sort of forlorn hope; and it will be understood why
they had started from Daranato dispirited and depressed.
Thus, when they obtained their first view of the mysterious mountain,
the cause of all their trouble, they were not inclined to regard it
with any very friendly feelings; and its gloomy, forbidding look this
morning was reflected, so to speak, in their own minds. "There is our
enemy," they felt. "There is the fascinating, sinister chimera that
has bewitched, and lured away from us, our dear friends, and caused us
all this anxiety and useless trouble." And so, as Roraima frowned upon
them, they frowned back, and returned in kind its gloomy and unfriendly
greeting.
But frowns and angry looks could do them no good; so the travellers,
with a very few words of comment, continued their route towards
'Monella Lodge,' where they arrived towards evening.
Here, a mile or so from the 'haunted wood,' and almost, as it seemed
to them, under the very shadow of the mighty towering walls, they
set about making arrangements for a stay of several days. They found
everything in the cabin much as Matava had led them to expect; the
place, indeed, just as Templemore had left it at his last visit. Many
things had been left there that the travellers now found useful, and
that seemed veritable luxuries after the discomforts of their long
journey.
Kingsford's thoughts were intent upon his missing friends; and, indeed,
this was also the case in only a slightly less degree with the other
two. All were oppressed with vague suspicions of the Indians, even of
Matava. Might these not have murdered the three travellers for the sake
of the things they had with them--articles and stores which would
be as priceless treasures to Indians; therefore which might quite
conceivably have offered a temptation too great to be resisted?
However, amongst the tribe at the village, they had seen no signs of
'white men's' belongings to any unusual extent; and, now that they saw
what a number of things had been left undisturbed in 'Monella Lodge,'
their suspicions were very considerably lightened. For all that, they
found it difficult to believe implicitly the fantastic tale Matava had
told about the three adventurers' disappearance.
The Indians gathered wood and lighted fires, while the white men made
a careful and interested inspection of the contents of the habitation
and its surroundings (the two llamas had been removed to the village,
where, however, they had both since died). Inside, they found a lamp
and a small cask still partly full of oil, which was a discovery they
appreciated when it grew dark.
After their evening meal, the three friends sat for some time smoking
their pipes and discussing the strange situation in which they found
themselves. They were now within reach of their journey's end. If the
tale told by Matava were correct, and the road through the forest were
still fairly clear, they ought to be able to reach the mysterious
cavern the next day; when they were determined, if requisite, to blow
open the entrance with gunpowder. In addition to that which they had
brought with them, they had found a considerable quantity at 'Monella
Lodge.' This surprised them; for in this country gunpowder is more
valued by Indians than almost anything else.
The three friends were sitting talking, and were thinking of retiring
to rest for the night, when Matava came rushing excitedly into the
place.
"Come quickly, my masters," he exclaimed. "Come! Come and see the light
on the mountain!"
Somewhat languidly those addressed rose and went out. They had so often
heard the usual stories of lights seen at night on unexplored mountains
that they attached but little importance to them. They had treated
in like manner a statement by Carenna and Matava that some Indians,
camping out on the savanna a few months before, had seen strange and
unusually bright lights, that they took to be signals, on Roraima's
summit. The Indians had been scared and broke up their encampment at
once, fearing the lights might have been placed there to lure them into
the power of the demons of the mountain.
When, however, the doctor stepped outside, and looked up towards the
top of the stupendous precipice, he saw a brilliant flame that had all
the appearance of a signal beacon.
"It doesn't look like a forest fire," he said to Kingsford, while they
were examining it carefully through their field-glasses. "And now and
then I almost fancy I can make out human forms passing in front of it."
The others had the same impression, and Harry Lorien declared he could
see flashes of light, as though the beings round the fire were dressed
in clothes, or carried something, that reflected the firelight.
"Let us try burning a little powder," the doctor suggested, "after the
fashion Matava says was arranged between him and the others, but which
they never carried out."
So they sent Matava for the powder, and told him to fire it in the
manner that had been settled between him and Monella. It is true none
of the three messages agreed upon would be applicable to the present
occasion--but that they could not help.
Presently, three tongues of flame leaped up into the air, then suddenly
died out, leaving those around temporarily half-blinded by the glare.
Then they stood for some time anxiously watching through their glasses.
What seemed a long interval ensued; when, suddenly, three brilliant
gleams flashed out on Roraima's height, in exact imitation, as to the
intervals between the flashes, of the signals they had themselves made.
"Try another," Doctor Lorien cried, in growing excitement. "Arrange the
three differently this time."
This was done, and the answering flashes came back, again in exact
imitation; and this time with scarcely any delay.
Doctor Lorien seized Kingsford by the hand.
"Heaven be praised for this!" he exclaimed, his voice half-choked with
emotion. "It begins to look, indeed, as though Matava's account were
true; as if our dear friends may be alive after all!"
Words cannot describe the delight with which the travel-worn party
hailed these signs, that so unmistakably pointed to the conclusion
suggested in the doctor's words. There was one thing, certainly, they
could not understand; none of the signals agreed upon between Monella
and Matava had been given from the mountain; but they were inclined to
attribute this to Matava's having, after the lapse of time, forgotten
or mixed up what had been arranged. Only the thought that their
supply of powder was not unlimited restrained them from continuing
the signalling; but they were reluctantly compelled, as a matter of
prudence, to discontinue it.
"Now," said the doctor, "we can attack the 'haunted wood' with a good
heart. Surely, our friends will come down to meet us, now that they
know we are here!"
Before daylight they were all astir, and set off at once on the
journey through the forest, Matava guiding them. The road, or track,
was followed with difficulty, and was almost blocked at times. Only an
Indian's instinct, indeed, could have made it out. In places the rough
temporary bridges that had been made over water-courses had been washed
away, but, the water being very low from the long-continued drought,
this caused no serious difficulty. They met with some adventures by the
way, which were, however, suggestive of the dangers that lay around
them rather than important in themselves. At last, towards evening,
Matava told the doctor they were getting near the cavern. And now he
begged him to proceed with caution. He could not get over the fear that
the 'demons of the mountain' had eaten up or captured their friends,
and were now awaiting more victims whom they had lured on by imitating
and answering the signals of their murdered friends.
This theory did not find much favour with the doctor; for all that he
so far yielded to the entreaties of the Indian as to send him on to
scout in advance, while he, and the others of the party, walked in
silence behind. And, since Matava now moved with especial care, they
made slow progress.
As it happened, however, Matava's caution was in a measure justified;
for just when they came to the part where there was an opening in the
trees, and they could see ahead of them the light that came down into
the clearing round the cavern, Matava stopped and raised his hand.
All stood still, except the doctor, who moved up to the Indian's side
and looked whither he was pointing.
For a moment or so he could see nothing to account for the other's
behaviour. To the right the stream that came out of the rock was now
plainly in sight; and ahead of them was the clearing. The entrance
to the cavern was as yet hidden by intervening trunks, but the
light-coloured rock could be seen between the trees. Matava slowly
raised his rifle and took a careful aim; then, as though dissatisfied,
he lowered the weapon and stood with up-lifted hand enjoining silence
upon those behind him. To make sure, he turned round and, with many
gestures, impressed upon them all to keep motionless and silent; then,
having satisfied himself that they understood and would obey his signs,
he faced round and again raised his rifle.
And now, Doctor Lorien, following the line of the Indian's aim,
became conscious of a slight movement among the trees in front of
them. Presently--the Indian still waiting his opportunity to fire--he
saw that a great hanging mass was swaying to and fro, passing and
re-passing the space between the trunks of two trees. At first he
thought it was a large mass of hanging creeper, but, remembering that
there was no wind to cause the movement, he looked more closely and saw
that it was the head and part of the body of a gigantic serpent that
was depending from a branch above. Suddenly, Matava's rifle rang out,
and a moment after an enormous mass fell to the ground and writhed and
twisted about in horrible contortions.
Then a loud, hoarse roar was heard, echoing through the forest. The
startled travellers looked about on every side, but could see nothing
to explain the sound; then it came again and again, while the colossal
folds in front of them, half hidden by the trees, continued to rise
and fall, lashing against the trees and shrubs with blows that seemed
almost to shake the ground.
Matava advanced and fired other shots into the struggling monster;
then, watching his opportunity, made a rush and dexterously cut off
the creature's head with a blow of his axe.
And now, looking towards the rock, they saw the 'window' entrance to
the cavern, and the head of the big puma from which had proceeded the
loud roars they had heard; and by the side of the puma was a pallid,
thin, haggard face that they had some difficulty in recognising as Jack
Templemore's!
"You have come only just in time," he said, in a weak voice, with
a poor attempt at a smile, when the doctor had come near. "We were
almost done for; at least, I know I am. I scarcely know whether I have
strength enough to get the ladder out for you."
They tied two lassoes together and threw one end in; this he fastened
to the ladder, and, thus assisted, it was got out. Immediately the
puma sprang down it and disappeared into the forest. Then the doctor,
followed by Kingsford and Harry, climbed up and entered the cavern, to
find Templemore lying on the floor unconscious.
He was suffering from a sprained ankle and a badly bruised arm, and was
exhausted from want of food. It was some time before he could explain
matters to his rescuers; and they, meantime, were anxiously wondering
at finding him thus alone, with no sign about of his two friends. When
he had briefly accounted for their absence, he told how he had been
kept prisoner for more than a week by the great serpent that, all that
time, had relentlessly watched and waited outside. But, apart from
this, he could scarcely have got through the wood in his crippled state.
"Still," he said, "but for that serpent, 'Nea,' the puma, would have
brought in some fresh meat. As it is, I have had to share with her even
the small amount of tinned food we happened to have left here."
The flying pieces of rock that had injured him had broken his rifle;
and he had only a few cartridges for his revolver.
"It's all been unfortunate," he said. "They put all the things in the
wrong cave, and, when I came to myself after my desperate race between
the falling rocks, I was in darkness and the puma was licking my hands
and face. With much difficulty I found my way to the front here and
pulled the stone away; then found a lantern and some oil, and got a
light. The entrance to the canyon I found was all dark--buried--and
I could still hear rumblings as of further falls of rock; but they
sounded distant. I imagine, therefore, that the valley must be buried
pretty deep. I set about making myself as comfortable as I could; and,
when I put the ladder out, 'Puss,' as I call her, went out hunting
while I bathed my ankle and arm. Several days she went out and brought
in something pretty regularly, and I thought I should be able to nurse
myself up and get well enough to struggle through the wood alone. But,
one morning, she refused to go out; that day I had a visit from a pack
of 'Warracaba tigers'; another time when she stayed in, looking out
myself, I saw that awful serpent hanging from a bough; and there it
has been day and night ever since; 'Puss' refusing to venture forth. I
fired all my cartridges, except two, at it without any effect. It kept
ceaselessly swaying its head about, and my arm pained me and my hand
trembled; and, unless you can put a bullet through its head, it's of no
use firing at a creature like that, you know. If my rifle had been all
right, the thing would have been easy enough. I kept two cartridges in
reserve--one for poor 'Puss' and the other for myself--and I think you
came only just about in time to save us both." And Jack's voice shook,
and he felt a choking sensation in his throat. It was clear he had
given up hope and had been making up his mind to face death alone.
Robert Kingsford's gratification and delight in the fact that his
journey had, after all, turned out to be the means of rescuing his
friend, the lover of his sister, may be imagined. Nor were the others
less pleased; only the good doctor's satisfaction was clouded by
his inability to get out into the wonderful valley to obtain any of
the botanical treasures that lay so near at hand. But his chagrin
disappeared when Templemore, as some consolation, showed him the purse
of gems that had been sent to him.
"We'll give up orchid-collecting after this, lad!" he exclaimed to
his son. "No need to wear out my old bones any longer in toilsome
wanderings, when we've got enough to live on comfortably without."
Presently, 'Puss' came back with a wild pig, and great was the
rejoicing over the meal that followed.
Then all, save Templemore--who could only look on from the window--went
out to examine the reptile monster they had killed and to gaze in
astonishment at its huge proportions. The Indians had already begun
to skin it, but had not finished the operation when the time came for
making their preparations to pass the night.
These were complete--the four white men sleeping in the cavern and the
Indians bivouacking outside--when strange cries were heard echoing
through the forest. Instantly there was a great stir among the Indians.
With one accord they started up, exclaiming, "The tigers! The tigers
are coming!" Forgetting their fear of the 'demons' cavern,' they cried
out piteously for the ladder to be put out for them; and no sooner was
this done than they scrambled up it with all speed into the cave, and
pulled it in after them.
In reply to the amazed inquiries of the others, Matava explained that
they had recognised the distant trumpetings of 'Warracaba tigers,'
those fierce animals that nothing--not even fires--can stay or keep at
bay. Soon, in fact, the animals could be heard on all sides around the
cavern, though but little could be seen of them in the darkness. Their
growls and roars and squeals were answered by hoarse roars of defiance
from the puma that were deafening as they reverberated through the
galleries of the cavern. Outside, the 'tigers' made frantic efforts
to leap up and get in at the window, while those within had much ado
to keep the puma from leaping out amongst them. They also fired a few
shots at them, but in the darkness--for the fires had burned low--they
were fired at random.
"Why," said the doctor, "I should think there must be a hundred of
them! What an awful place this forest must be! I know that wolves hunt
in packs, but I never before heard of 'tigers' doing so. Wolves can't
climb trees as these can. It's awful, perfectly awful!" he added, the
while he listened to the diabolical noises going on outside. It was,
indeed, as a former traveller has expressed it, 'like a withering
scourge sweeping through the forest.'[11]
[11] See Mr. Barrington Brown's 'Canoe and Camp Life Among the
Indians of British Guiana,' p. 71. He says these animals hunt in
packs of as many as a hundred or more.
It was hours before the din died down; and then, just when the tired
travellers were falling asleep, the most appalling, human-like cries
broke forth, sounding first quite close at hand, and then dying away in
a long-drawn wail or shriek.
Again the new-comers started up in alarm; but Templemore, smiling
feebly, bade them take no notice.
"It is only the 'lost souls'," said he.[12]
[12] See foot-note, Chapter V., p. 52.
"The 'lost souls'!" exclaimed Kingsford. "What can you mean?" He began
to think the other must be raving.
"I know no more than you do," was Templemore's reply. "So the Indians
account for those sounds, and that is all I can tell you. Since I have
been here they have serenaded me thus every night--even sometimes by
day--and at times I have thought all the 'lost souls' from the Infernal
Regions must have been let loose for my especial entertainment--or to
frighten me to death or drive me mad--I know not which. I really think,
if I had not had the company of this faithful beast--she always roars
back defiance at them--I _should_ have gone mad."
Towards morning the sounds ceased, and sleep became possible for two or
three hours. But when, at daylight, the Indians rose and ventured out,
they found the great snake had been almost completely devoured. Only
some bones and a few bits of skin were left.