THE WAGON IN THE FIGHTING ZONE OF FOUR TRIBES
The Professor had made a most careful examination of the population of
the village, and an estimate of the total number of the Berees in the
entire tribe. He found that their territory extended to the west and
south as far as the ocean, and besides the village in which the chief
lived, there were two or three others, smaller, and all contributed
their quota to the warring force.
On the night before their departure, he questioned the chief as to the
numbers in the different tribes, but of this he could only estimate the
warriors.
“How many warriors have the Kurabus?”
“About two hundred.”
“Do you know about the others?”
“The Brabos have one hundred and seventy-five; the Osagas one hundred
and fifty; the Saboros the same number; the Tuolos two hundred and
twenty-five; and the Illyas more than two hundred and fifty.”
“So that you have about the same number as the Osagas and the Saboros?”
“Yes; about one hundred and fifty.”
“How many women and children have you in all the villages?”
“About the same number as warriors.”
“Are there any more tribes than you have mentioned?”
“No; but there are some wild people who are not members of any of the
tribes, but they live near the mountains.”
“What kind of people are the Illyas?”
“They are very mean, and are the enemies of all the others; and so are
the Tuolos.”
When the warriors were mustered the Professor found ninety strong,
vigorous specimens, the picked ones of the tribe. It need not be added
that the Professor unfolded a scheme whereby he hoped to stop all
further wars, and to greatly enrich all of them, and it was fortunate
that he found in the chief a willing listener to the proposal.
With this explanation it will be the more readily understood with what
enthusiasm he placed his people at the disposal of this strange man. He
explained the strength of the white man, and showed him how the arts of
peace were cultivated, and of the friendship which existed between all
the great people of the world.
It must not be thought that the chief refrained from asking a great many
questions during the course of their conversation.
“Is the country you come from very large?”
“It is more than two thousand times larger than all of this country.”
“I do not know how much that is. Is it more than two hundred times
greater?”
“Yes, more than ten times that number.”
The chief marveled at this statement.
“And how many people are there?”
“I could not tell you, but so many you could not count them.”
“And do you have many tribes in your country?”
“No; we have only one tribe.”
All this was conveyed and expressed, not in the order given, but by
careful explanations, and by counting the numbers with pebbles, as they
had no numbers beyond twenty which could be indicated by any words in
their language.
When the warriors were ready for the start, the Professor was surprised
to find that the chief had prepared a litter, to be carried by four of
the warriors. This was to be his carriage of state. He did not refuse to
accept his place in it, as he knew that it would have been in bad taste,
and he was the more gratified when he learned from the boys that it was
the chief’s own litter.
The cavalcade marched directly to the north, the speed being about three
miles per hour. What a glorious reunion he anticipated with his boys and
friends, for he had no fear of their ability to cope with the various
tribes, unless all combined, and this he knew would be very unlikely.
He had been careful to get from the chief an outline of the enmities and
the feuds which existed, and the knowledge of this would the better
enable him to deal with the different ones when brought into contact
with them.
Ralsea, the sub-chief, was a powerful warrior, and the Professor found
him a most agreeable man. In respect for his position, every order was
a request made through him, and it was soon perceived that the deference
which the Professor extended, flattered him beyond measure.
Thus, by a diplomatic policy, he made a friend of the next most powerful
personage in the tribe. He took him into his confidence, and explained
his plans in the best manner possible, to the great satisfaction of the
native.
Before the end of the day, an additional band of their own people came
in from the north, with tidings of their defeat, and with them were a
number of wounded. The Professor was at their side at once, and began
the work of ministering to their wounds.
They learned of the action of the Kurabus, in attacking them in the
rear, and joining with the Osagas to crush them. The Professor inquired
if they had seen his own people, or had heard about them, and they
replied that a wonderful people who had fought the Brabos and the
Kurabus, were traveling eastwardly into the Kurabus country, and that
the latter were now pursuing them.
Questioned whether the Saboros were also in league with them, the answer
was, yes. It was thus probable that they had a force of fully two
hundred to cope with, as it must be understood these tribes did not,
except in the most urgent cases, put all their warriors in the field at
one time.
This would certainly be dangerous in the extreme, and consulting with
Ralsea, he made the plans for proceeding against the allied tribes.
There was no love between them and the Kurabus, but there had been peace
for a long time between the Berees and the Osagas, until the new chief
took Uraso’s place.
The allied forces were between John’s party and the Professor’s
warriors. The defeat administered by the combined forces would doubtless
satisfy the Kurabus and Osagas that the Berees would not attack from
that quarter.
The plan outlined by the Professor was this:
“The main fighting force of the Osagas is now in the north, and their
villages are unprotected against such a force as they had. Our plan now
is, to proceed as rapidly as possible to their villages, and capture
them.”
“Yes; and destroy them,” answered Ralsea.
“By no means. We have more power with them, by preventing their
destruction.”
What manner of man was this, who would not destroy his enemies’ homes if
they were put in his power! This was a new thing to him.
“What would you gain by such a proceeding?”
“If we made his women and children and all his goods captive they would
be powerless.”
“But they would still be your enemies, and they would be the most
bitter, and in order to crush you would unite with the Kurabus and
others to wipe you out, would they not?”
“You speak truly.”
“My plan would be to hold them from harm, and to show them that we do
not desire revenge, and gain them as our lasting friends.”
The point was gained, and the course was immediately changed toward the
country of the Osagas.
“Do you think it would be possible for any of your warriors to pass
through the country to the northwest, and inform my people that we are
on the way to assist them?”
Ralsea pondered for a time, and then said: “I have a brave man who can
go anywhere that it is possible to go; but if he is captured it will be
death; and I will order him to go.”
“No; do not order him to go. I do not want to risk the lives of any of
the men.”
“But I will order him to go.”
“Before doing so let me talk with him.”
The warrior was sent for, and when he appeared, the Professor smiled. He
recognized him, as the leader of the party which had captured him.
It did not require anyone to explain that this man was the ideal
messenger, if his physique was any indication. He was the most speedy
one in the tribe, and had never been outrun by any other on the island.
He was the most handsome savage the Professor had seen.
To this man he explained the need of informing his friends of their
intentions, and if attacked to maintain their position at all hazards.
That he was well aware of the risk attending such a mission; that he did
not wish to order him to go, but if he felt like undertaking the mission
he would be rewarded whether he succeeded or failed, and if he succeeded
it would be the means of making his people strong and powerful.
The youth, for he was still a very young man, could hardly comprehend
the character of such an order. It was so unlike anything he had known
in his tribe. “I will go,” was all he said.
There was no paper or other material of like character available, and
the boys were called in by the Professor. “Can you find me any plantain
leaves?” he asked.
The boys were at a loss to know what the Professor meant.
“Have you noticed what the Berees use to thatch their huts with?”
“You mean the long and wide leaves?”
“Oh, yes; we saw plenty of them near here.”
These were soon procured, long, fibrous, and strong. With a blunt
instrument the Professor wrote the following message on the leaf:
“If you are attacked hold out to last extremity. I am coming to your
assistance. The bearer, Sutoto, is our friend. Professor.”
“Do you think they will be able to read that?” asked Will.
“In a few moments you will see the message much plainer, as the texture
of the leaf is crushed where I have gone over it with this instrument,
and the lines will discolor the leaf.”
It was then folded up, and the Professor took a portion of his coat, and
made it up into a thin, compact package, which the messenger concealed
in his clothing. The boys watched him disappear with wonderful speed,
directly to the north.
As this young man will be heard of frequently hereafter and take an
important part in the history of the boys, it should be stated that he
had wonderful energy and intelligence, and was the favorite of the great
Chief Suros, the head of the Berees.
[Illustration _Fig. 14. The Plantain._]
“It is my opinion,” said John, addressing Muro, “that the lesson we gave
the Brabos to-day will either make them our friends or the most bitter
enemies.”
Muro shook his head. “The Brabos are not good; they do not keep their
word. They cheat and try to take everything away.”
“The Kurabus are just the same, are they not?”
“No; the Kurabus are big fighters, but they do what they say.”
“Do you know anything about the Osagas?”
“My wife Osaga; she was Osagas people. Osagas good, but like to fight.”
“What do they fight about?”
“Kurabus want more land for hunting. Osagas got best land. Berees and
Osagas have best land for hunting.”
“In whose territory are the big forests to the west?”
“The Berees have the forest, and they have the big water, and the most
trees with nuts and stalks like this,” and he pointed to the wild
barley.
“Are the Berees good people?”
“They good, strong fighters; old chief; wise man. All like him but
Kurabus. I take Berees; let him go; Berees take me; Suros let me go.”
“Who is Suros?”
“Big chief of Berees.”
“Are all the fights about the land?”
“No; when one gets too much the other want it. If Saboros get captive,
Kurabus want it; when Kurabus get three or four captive, Brabos want
some of them.”
“Do they kill the captives?”
“Yes; the Tuolos, and the Kurabus, and the Illyas.”
“Who are the Illyas?”
“Mean men; we can reach them; close to. Big fighters, and nobody likes
them.”
“Are they near the mountain?” he asked, pointing to the east.
He nodded an assent. Here, at last, were the people that John had long
tried to find out about.
The wagon was slowly going to the southeast, and near noon John
discovered, what appeared to be indications of moving objects. The wagon
was halted, and all took observations. Muro was the first to break the
silence.
“Kurabus coming,” he said.
“How do you know they are Kurabus?” asked Blakely.
“Too many for Osagas.” It is obvious he had taken an inventory of both
tribes on the day of the battle.
All looked to Muro. “Go this way fast,” he answered, as he pointed to
the east.
The yaks were driven up and the wagon directed toward all the depressed
portions and valleys, so as to keep it in a concealed position as much
as possible. A moving object like a wagon is much easier to distinguish
than even a body of men, at a distance.
Before they had traveled a mile they were astounded to see another band
of warriors directly ahead of them, and moving from the east. Muro
suggested that they should call a halt, and determine who the newcomers
could be, and also to learn their destination and object, in going
toward the Kurabus, who were advancing from the southwest.
“Are you able to make out who they are?” asked John.
“Maybe Saboro,” and without another word he darted forward in the
direction of the oncoming host.
This intelligence stimulated the boys, and they danced about in delight
at the probability of this being true. Stut had probably reached the
tribe at last.
They were doomed to disappointment, however, for when Muro returned with
the intelligence that it was either the Brabos or the Illyas, he
knew they were not his people.
“What would the Brabos be doing in that direction?” asked John.
“Probably come from Kurabu village, and more Brabos up this way.”
Properly translated this means, that the Brabos, during the absence of
the Kurabus, had attacked the latter village, with one portion of their
band, and that the other part had gone to the west to intercept the
Kurabus from attacking in that direction.
“If you are correct, we are right in the center of the place where the
three parties will meet,” said John.
Muro nodded and continued: “May be Osagas coming.”
“Would they come from that direction?”
Muro again replied affirmatively. The only direction now open was to
the north. “What shall we do?” asked Blakely.
“Fight!” was John’s laconic reply.
An open place was selected, near a stream, and the fort erected within a
few minutes after the halt was made.