NOW for six whole weeks they went sailing on and on, over the rolling
sea, following the swallow who flew before the ship to show them the
way. At night she carried a tiny lantern, so they should not miss her
in the dark; and the people on the other ships that passed said that
the light must be a shooting star.
As they sailed further and further into the South, it got warmer and
warmer. Polynesia, Chee-Chee and the crocodile enjoyed the hot sun no
end. They ran about laughing and looking over the side of the ship to
see if they could see Africa yet.
But the pig and the dog and the owl, Too-Too, could do nothing in such
weather, but sat at the end of the ship in the shade of a big barrel,
with their tongues hanging out, drinking lemonade.
Dab-Dab, the duck, used to keep herself cool by jumping into the sea
and swimming behind the ship. And every once in a while, when the top
of her head got too hot, she would dive under the ship and come up
on the other side. In this way, too, she used to catch herrings on
Tuesdays and Fridays—when everybody on the boat ate fish to make the
beef last longer.
When they got near to the Equator they saw some flying-fishes coming
towards them. And the fishes asked the parrot if this was Doctor
Dolittle’s ship. When she told them it was, they said they were glad,
because the monkeys in Africa were getting worried that he would never
come. Polynesia asked them how many miles they had yet to go; and the
flying-fishes said it was only fifty-five miles now to the coast of
Africa.
And another time a whole school of porpoises came dancing through the
waves; and they too asked Polynesia if this was the ship of the famous
doctor. And when they heard that it was, they asked the parrot if the
Doctor wanted anything for his journey.
And Polynesia said, “Yes. We have run short of onions.”
“There is an island not far from here,” said the porpoises, “where the
wild onions grow tall and strong. Keep straight on—we will get some and
catch up to you.”
So the porpoises dashed away through the sea. And very soon the parrot
saw them again, coming up behind, dragging the onions through the waves
in big nets made of seaweed.
The next evening, as the sun was going down, the Doctor said,
“Get me the telescope, Chee-Chee. Our journey is nearly ended. Very
soon we should be able to see the shores of Africa.”
And about half an hour later, sure enough, they thought they could see
something in front that might be land. But it began to get darker and
darker and they couldn’t be sure.
Then a great storm came up, with thunder and lightning. The wind
howled; the rain came down in torrents; and the waves got so high they
splashed right over the boat.
Presently there was a big BANG! The ship stopped and rolled over on its
side.
“What’s happened?” asked the Doctor, coming up from downstairs.
“I’m not sure,” said the parrot; “but I think we’re ship-wrecked. Tell
the duck to get out and see.”
So Dab-Dab dived right down under the waves. And when she came up she
said they had struck a rock; there was a big hole in the bottom of the
ship; the water was coming in; and they were sinking fast.
“We must have run into Africa,” said the Doctor. “Dear me, dear
me!—Well—we must all swim to land.”
But Chee-Chee and Gub-Gub did not know how to swim.
“Get the rope!” said Polynesia. “I told you it would come in handy.
Where’s that duck? Come here, Dab-Dab. Take this end of the rope, fly
to the shore and tie it on to a palm-tree; and we’ll hold the other
end on the ship here. Then those that can’t swim must climb along the
rope till they reach the land. That’s what you call a ‘life-line.’”
[Illustration: “‘We must have run into Africa’”]
So they all got safely to the shore—some swimming, some flying; and
those that climbed along the rope brought the Doctor’s trunk and
hand-bag with them.
But the ship was no good any more—with the big hole in the bottom; and
presently the rough sea beat it to pieces on the rocks and the timbers
floated away.
Then they all took shelter in a nice dry cave they found, high up in
the cliffs, till the storm was over.
When the sun came out next morning they went down to the sandy beach to
dry themselves.
“Dear old Africa!” sighed Polynesia. “It’s good to get back. Just
think—it’ll be a hundred and sixty-nine years to-morrow since I was
here! And it hasn’t changed a bit!—Same old palm-trees; same old red
earth; same old black ants! There’s no place like home!”
And the others noticed she had tears in her eyes—she was so pleased to
see her country once again.
Then the Doctor missed his high hat; for it had been blown into the sea
during the storm. So Dab-Dab went out to look for it. And presently she
saw it, a long way off, floating on the water like a toy-boat.
When she flew down to get it, she found one of the white mice, very
frightened, sitting inside it.
“What are you doing here?” asked the duck. “You were told to stay
behind in Puddleby.”
“I didn’t want to be left behind,” said the mouse. “I wanted to see
what Africa was like—I have relatives there. So I hid in the baggage
and was brought on to the ship with the hard-tack. When the ship sank
I was terribly frightened—because I cannot swim far. I swam as long as
I could, but I soon got all exhausted and thought I was going to sink.
And then, just at that moment, the old man’s hat came floating by; and
I got into it because I did not want to be drowned.”
So the duck took up the hat with the mouse in it and brought it to the
Doctor on the shore. And they all gathered round to have a look.
“That’s what you call a ‘stowaway,’” said the parrot.
Presently, when they were looking for a place in the trunk where the
white mouse could travel comfortably, the monkey, Chee-Chee, suddenly
said,
“Sh! I hear footsteps in the jungle!”
They all stopped talking and listened. And soon a black man came down
out of the woods and asked them what they were doing there.
[Illustration: “‘I got into it because I did not want to be drowned’”]
“My name is John Dolittle—M.D.,” said the Doctor. “I have been asked to
come to Africa to cure the monkeys who are sick.”
“You must all come before the King,” said the black man.
“What king?” asked the Doctor, who didn’t want to waste any time.
“The King of the Jolliginki,” the man answered. “All these lands belong
to him; and all strangers must be brought before him. Follow me.”
So they gathered up their baggage and went off, following the man
through the jungle.
_THE SIXTH CHAPTER_