SCIENCE UNDAUNTED.
Noble words were those just uttered by the Colonel. In the face of the
Makololos it was no time for hesitation or discussion, and English and
Russians, forgetting their national quarrel, were now re-united for
mutual defence more firmly than ever. Emery and Zorn had warmly greeted
each other, and the others had sealed their new alliance with a grasp
of the hand.
The first care of the English was to quench their thirst. Water, drawn
from the lake, was plentiful in the Russian camp. Then, as soon as the
Makololos were quiet enough to afford some respite, the astronomers,
sheltered by a sort of casemate forming part of a deserted fortress,
talked of all that had happened since their separation at Kolobeng.
It appeared that the same reason had brought the Russians so far to
the left of their meridian as had caused the English to turn to the
right of theirs. Mount Scorzef, halfway between the two arcs, was the
only height in that district which would serve as a station on the
banks of Lake Ngami. Each of the meridians crossed the lake, whose
opposite shores it was necessary to unite trigonometrically by a large
triangle. Naturally, therefore, the two rival expeditions met on the
only mountain which could serve their purpose.
Matthew Strux then gave some details of his operations. After leaving
Kolobeng, the Russian party had continued without irregularity. The
old meridian, which had fallen by lot to the Russians, fell across a
fertile and slightly undulated country, which offered every facility
for the formation of the triangles. Like the English, they had suffered
from the heat, but they had experienced no hardship from the want of
water. Streams were abundant, and kept up a wholesome moisture. The
horses and oxen had roamed over an immense pasturage, across verdant
prairies broken by forests and underwood. The wild animals by night
had been safely kept at a distance by sentinels and fires, nor had any
natives been seen except those stationary in the villages in which Dr.
Livingstone had always found a hospitable reception. All through the
journey the Bochjesmen of the caravan had given no cause for complaint,
nor was it until the previous day, when the Makololos to the number of
200 or 300 had appeared on the plain, that they had shown themselves
faithless, and deserted. For thirty-six hours the expedition had now
occupied the little fortress. The Makololos had attacked them in the
evening, after plundering the waggons left at the foot of the hill.
The instruments fortunately, having been carried into the fort, were
secure. The steamboat had also escaped the ravages of the natives; it
had been immediately put together by the sailors, and was now at anchor
in a little creek of Lake Ngami, behind the enormous rocks that formed
the base of the mountain. Mount Scorzef sloped with sudden abruptness
down to the lake, and there was no danger of an attack from that side.
Such was Matthew Strux's account. Colonel Everest, in his turn, related
the incidents of his march, the fatigues and difficulties, and the
revolt of the Bochjesmen, and it was found by comparison that the
Russians had had a less harassing journey than their rivals.
The night of the 21st passed quietly. The bushman and sailors kept
watch under the walls of the fort; the Makololos on their part did not
renew any attack, but the bivouac-fires at the foot of the mountain
proved that they had not relinquished their project. At daybreak the
Europeans left their casemate for the purpose of reconnoitring the
plain. The early morning light illumined the vast extent of country
as far as the horizon. Towards the south lay the desert, with its
burnt brown grass and barren aspect. Close under the mountain was the
circular camp, containing a swarm of 400 to 500 natives. The fires were
still alight, and some pieces of venison broiling on the hot embers.
The encampment was something more than temporary; the Makololos were
evidently determined not to abandon their prey. Either vengeance or
an instinctive thirst for blood appeared to be prompting them, since
all the valuables of both caravans, the waggons, horses, oxen, and
provisions, had fallen into their power; or perhaps it might be that
they coveted the fire-arms which the Europeans carried, and of which
they made such terrible use. The united English and Russians held a
long consultation with the bushman, and it was felt that they could not
relax their watch until they should arrive at a definite decision. This
decision must depend on a variety of circumstances, and first of all it
was necessary to understand exactly the position of Mount Scorzef.
The mountain overlooked to the south, east, and west the vast desert
which the astronomers, having traversed it, knew extended southwards
to the karroo. In the west could be discerned the faint outlines of
the hills bordering the fertile country of the Makololos, one of
whose capitals, Maketo, lies about a hundred miles north-west of Lake
Ngami. To the north the mountain commanded a country which was a great
contrast to the arid steppes of the south. There were water, trees, and
pasturage. For a hundred miles east and west lay the wide Lake Ngami,
while from north to south its length was not more than 30 to 40 miles.
Beyond appeared a gentle, undulated country, enriched with forests and
watered by the affluents of the Zambesi, and shut in to the extreme
north by a low chain of mountains. This wide oasis was caused by the
great artery, the Zambesi, which is to South Africa what the Danube is
to Europe, or the Amazon to South America.
The side of the mountain towards the lake, steep as it was, was not
so steep but that the sailors could accomplish an ascent and descent
by a narrow way which passed from point to point. They thus contrived
to reach the spot where the "Queen and Czar" lay hid, and, obtaining
a supply of water, enabled the little garrison to hold out in the
deserted fort as long as their provisions lasted.
The astronomers wondered why this little fort had been placed on
the top of the mountain. Mokoum, who had visited the country as
Livingstone's guide, explained that formerly the neighbourhood of Lake
Ngami was frequented by traders in ivory and ebony. The ivory was
furnished by the elephants and rhinoceroses; but the ebony trade was
but too often another name for that traffic in human beings which is
still carried on by the slave-traders in the region of the Zambesi.
A great number of prisoners are made in the wars and pillages in the
interior of the country, and these prisoners are sold as slaves. Mount
Scorzef had been a centre of encampment for the ivory-traders, and it
was there that they had been accustomed to rest before descending the
Zambesi. They had fortified their position, to protect themselves and
their slaves from depredations, since it was not an uncommon occurrence
for the prisoners to be recaptured for fresh sale by the very men who
had recently sold them. The route of the traders was now changed;
they no longer passed the shores of the lake, and the little fort was
falling into ruins. All that remained was an enclosure in the form of
the sector of a circle, from the centre of which rose a small casemated
redoubt, pierced with loop-holes, and surmounted by a small wooden
turret.
But notwithstanding the condition of ruin into which it had fallen,
the fortress offered the Europeans a welcome retreat. Behind the thick
sandstone walls, and armed with their rapidly-loading guns, they were
confident that they could keep back an army of Makololos, and, unless
their provisions and ammunition failed, they would be able to complete
their observations. At present they had plenty of ammunition; the
coffer in which it was contained had been placed on the same waggon
which carried the steamboat, and had therefore escaped the rapacity
of the natives. The great difficulty would be the possible failure of
provisions. The Colonel and Strux made a careful inspection of the
store, and found that there was only enough to last the eighteen men
for two days. After a short breakfast, the astronomers and the bushman,
leaving the sailors still to keep watch round the walls, assembled in
the redoubt to discuss their situation.
"I cannot understand," said Mokoum, "why you are so uneasy. You say
that we have only provisions for two days; but why stay here? Let us
leave to-morrow, or even to-day. The Makololos need not hinder us;
they could not cross the lake, and in the steamboat we may reach the
northern shore in a few hours."
The astronomers looked at each other; the idea, natural as it was, had
not struck them before. Sir John was the first to speak.
"But we have not yet completed the measurement of our meridian."
"Will the Makololos have any regard for your meridian?" asked the
hunter.
"Very likely not," answered Sir John; "but _we_ have a regard for it,
and will not leave our undertaking incomplete. I am sure my colleagues
agree with me."
"Yes," said the Colonel, speaking for all; "as long as one of us
survives, and is able to put his eye to his telescope, the survey shall
go on. If necessary, we will take our observations with our instrument
in one hand and our gun in the other, even to the last extremity."
The energetic philosophers shouted out their resolution to proceed at
every hazard.
When it was thus decided that the survey should at all risks be
continued, the question arose as to the choice of the next station.
"Although there will be a difficulty," said Strux, "in joining Mount
Scorzef trigonometrically to a station to the north of the lake, it is
not impracticable. I have fixed on a peak in the extreme north-east, so
that the side of the triangle will cross the lake obliquely."
"Well," said the Colonel, "if the peak exists, I do not see any
difficulty."
"The only difficulty," replied Strux, "consists in the distance."
"What is the distance?"
"Over a hundred miles, and a lighted signal must be carried to the top
of the peak."
"Assuredly that can be done," said the Colonel.
"And all that time, how are we to defend ourselves against the
Makololos?" asked the bushman.
"We will manage that too."
Mokoum said that he would obey the Colonel's orders, and the
conversation ended. The whole party left the casemate, and Strux
pointed out the peak he had chosen. It was the conical peak
of Volquiria, 300 feet high, and just visible in the horizon.
Notwithstanding the distance, a powerful reflector could thence be
discerned by means of a magnifying telescope, and the curvature of
the earth's surface, which Strux had taken into account, would not be
any obstacle. The real difficulty was how the lamp should be hoisted
to the top of the mountain. The angle made at Mount Scorzef with
Mount Volquiria and the preceding station would probably complete the
measurement of the meridian, so that the operation was all important.
Zorn and Emery offered to take this journey of a hundred miles in an
unknown country, and, accompanied by the pioneer, prepared to start.
One of the canoes of birch-bark, which are manufactured by the natives
with great dexterity, would be sufficient to carry them over the lake.
Mokoum and the pioneer descended to the shore, where were growing some
dwarf birches, and in a very short time had accomplished their task,
and prepared the canoe.
At eight o'clock in the evening the newly-constructed craft was loaded
with instruments, the apparatus for the reverberator, provisions, arms,
and ammunition. It was arranged that the astronomers should meet again
in a small creek known to both Mokoum and the pioneer; it was also
agreed that as soon as the reverberator on Mount Volquiria should be
perceived, Colonel Everest should light a signal on Mount Scorzef, so
that Emery and Zorn, in their turn, might take the direction.
The young men took leave of their colleagues, and descended the
mountain in the obscurity of night, having been preceded by the pioneer
and two sailors, one English and one Russian. The mooring was loosened,
and the frail boat turned quietly across the lake.