"When are we to see the _Giraffe_ and _Gazelle_ launched, and to have
our promised excursion on the river?" asked Kate, the evening after
Igubo had left us.
"Oh do, Stanley!" cried Bella. "It is cruel to keep us so long shut up
like captive princesses in your Castle, and as the natives are friendly
and you can avoid the hippopotami, there can be no danger."
"The _Gazelle_ is not yet launched," answered Stanley; "but as soon as
she is in the water you can come and see her."
"Oh, but we should like to see her at once, and help you to launch her,"
said Kate. "If you will start to-morrow morning as soon as it is
daylight and the air is still cool, we will accompany you."
The young ladies gained their object, and we were all on foot even
before the sun had risen, ready to set out. They would not wait for
breakfast, but insisted on carrying provisions and a kettle to boil our
tea. David wished to remain to look after his patients, and Senhor
Silva was not yet sufficiently strong to bear us company.
"Remember we are to paddle your canoe, girls," cried Leo; "and Andrew
will steer for us; and if Timbo will come with a musket or spear, to do
battle with any hippopotami or other river monsters, we will allow him
to go also."
As we had the rollers with which we had launched the other canoe, and
the road had already been cut, the labour of dragging the _Gazelle_ to
the water was much less than it had been in the former case. We all
cheered as she was launched into the water.
"May you bound over the waters of the river as your namesake does over
the prairie," exclaimed Bella; "and carry us safely to the south, there
to end your existence in a respected old age!"
"Bravo, Bella!" cried Leo, clapping his hands. "You have uttered my
speech to perfection, and now you shall have the pleasure of the first
paddle our new craft has made. Come, Andrew, come, Timbo, we will lose
no time; we can get back for breakfast."
The _Gazelle_ floated even more gracefully than her sister canoe. The
boys jumped in with their paddles, and Timbo and I holding her to the
bank while the ladies stepped in, we followed them, the black taking his
place in the bow with another paddle, and I sitting in the stern and
steering with a fourth. Chickango and Jack were in the other canoe, and
were soon after us.
"Come, let us have a race; we will beat you!" cried Leo, flourishing his
paddle; and Natty seconded him, though he saw very well that Timbo and I
were really doing most of the work.
We pulled rapidly down the stream, startling numerous birds, some with
beautiful plumage, greatly to the delight of Bella. We had not gone
far, when a huge head appeared near the bank.
"Oh, what a monster!" exclaimed Bella, shrieking with alarm. "That must
be one of those dreadful river-horses which so nearly ate you all up the
other day."
"Oh no; he only nearly bit the boat in two," said Natty; "and we will
not let him come near you now."
"We will keep out of his way, at all events," I observed, turning the
canoe round.
Stanley just then fired at a water-fowl, and immediately several dark
heads rose above the water to see what was the matter, and a huge
monster, not hitherto perceived, came rolling off the bank; but he, as
well as his companions, quickly disappeared beneath the surface.
Remembering what had before occurred, I could not help dreading that one
of them might rise up and strike the bottom of our canoe.
"Don't you think we had better go on shore?" said Bella, looking back on
the spot where the river-horses had appeared. "Kate, you will want to
be there some time before Stanley, to get the breakfast ready."
Little Bella's courage had evidently oozed away. However, as I knew it
was possible that one of the hippopotami might strike us, we paddled up
the stream as fast as we could go. Soon afterwards I caught sight of
another creature resting on a sandbank, with a hideous long snout and a
scaly tail and short thick legs. It was a monstrous crocodile.
"Oh do, Andrew, make haste and get on shore!" exclaimed Bella. "What a
horrible creature! I did not expect to meet with such monsters."
I tried to comfort her by assuring her that the crocodile would not
attack us, and would more likely swim away than follow us. On landing,
we hauled up the canoe, and then commenced collecting sticks for a fire.
Kate's kettle was soon hissing merrily, suspended by a high tripod over
the fire, and by the time the provisions were spread, Stanley and his
companions had arrived. While we were so engaged, we saw, approaching
among the trees, a black man, with a shield on one arm and a spear held
in the other hand. His arms and part of his body were tattooed in
curious lines. Round his neck he wore a necklace of alligator's teeth,
while his hair was so dressed as to form a long tail behind, and his
beard was twisted into two curious horns, which stuck out from his chin.
Round his loins was the skin of a wild beast, and at his side a broad
short sword in a sheath; a sort of cross-bow hung at his back, with a
quiver full of small arrows. Altogether, with the shield and spear I
have mentioned, he looked a formidable warrior to those who were not
possessed of firearms. The shield, though capable of turning the darts
and spears of his equally savage foes, would have availed him little
against a modern rifle ball.
Bella eyed the warrior with a glance of terror.
"Do not be afraid," said Natty, placing himself before her. "Leo and I
will fight for you."
"Yes, even though there were an hundred such fellows," said Leo. "He
looks very different from our friend Igubo. I wonder what he has come
for."
Chickango advancing, a conversation ensued which lasted some minutes.
The countenance of the warrior fell. We saw him glancing now over one
shoulder, now over the other. Then suddenly he turned, and without
uttering another word, ran off as fast as his legs could carry him
through the forest. Chickango, who had his rifle in his hand, raised
it. Stanley shouted to him not to fire, and while he hesitated, the
stranger had darted behind the trees. The black returned, uttering
words which, though incomprehensible to us, showed that he was very
angry. At length, when somewhat calmed, Timbo, who had been unable
himself to understand what was said, learned from him that the stranger
was one of a band of Pangwes who were advancing towards the territory of
the Bakeles. He had come, apparently unaware that there were
inhabitants so near. He had first begun to threaten us with the
vengeance of his people should we oppose their progress; but on
Chickango telling him that a large number of Bakeles were in the
neighbourhood, and that, should his people venture to come that way,
they would speedily be driven back and destroyed, he had become alarmed,
and so, in spite of his boasting, afraid of being captured, had taken to
flight. Still the account which Chickango gave of these Pangwes made us
very anxious. The people of his tribe, he said, had for long been at
war with them, and had frequently been defeated. They had come from a
long way off in the interior, and year after year had been advancing
towards the coast. They were not only fierce and cruel warriors, but
cannibals, and capable of committing every atrocity.
"What do you think about it all?" said Stanley to Timbo, who had been
interpreting Chickango's account.
"Dog dat bark not always bite, massa," answered the black. "Me t'ink
dat dey see our rifles and run away."
"I am of Timbo's opinion," I could not help observing. "However, we
must send and let our friends at the village know of the approach of
their enemies; but unless we are attacked, we must on every account
avoid fighting. The sooner we can embark and proceed on our voyage the
better."
"I believe you are right, Andrew," observed Stanley; "but still I do not
like the thought of running away; besides, we cannot leave those two
black boys to the mercy of the savages, though if we carry them with us,
their father will not know what has become of them."
"I tell you what I do, massa," answered Timbo; "I go and tell Igubo that
he come and fetch dem, and den we send out scout to know what de Pangwes
are doing."
Our further boating for the day was, of course, put an end to; and
having concealed the canoes in the thick brushwood which grew down to
the river's bank, we proceeded homewards, with the exception of Timbo,
who hastened off to the Bakeles village.
Senhor Silva looked very grave when he heard what had occurred. "Those
Pangwes are fierce fellows," he said, "from what I know of them; and
though they may not venture to come within range of our firearms, yet
they may surround us and starve us out. We shall act wisely if we at
once prepare for our voyage, and commence it as soon as Timbo returns."
"But about these two boys, what shall we do with them?" asked David.
"I am afraid their fate must be a sad one," was the answer, "whether
their father comes for them or not. If he takes them away, they will
probably fall into the hands of their enemies; or if they are left here,
they are too likely to perish from hunger."
"Oh, then let us take them with us," said Kate, and little Bella echoed
her words. "Surely the canoes are large enough to carry them, and it
would be terrible to leave them to die."
"They shall have part of my share of food," said Bella.
"And mine and mine," added Leo and Natty.
"I would rather leave Chico behind," said Leo, "though I am afraid those
dreadful savages would eat him."
"Oh, we must carry him too," said Natty; "for I am sure when we stop at
night he will be able to forage for himself; he will find out roots and
fruit when very often we are not able to discover them."
We did not spend much more time in talking. It was arranged that we
should start immediately on the return of Timbo. We therefore at once
set to work to pack up our goods and to collect all the provisions we
had in store to carry with us. As we could not tell into what regions
the river might carry us it was important to kill some game and to
collect as many plantains as we could carry off from the deserted
village. Chickango and the two boys undertook to set off for the latter
object, while Stanley and I went out with our guns into the woods. We
were unusually successful, and in an hour had bagged as many pigeons and
other birds as we could carry. We found, as we neared the Castle, Natty
and Leo staggering on under a load of plantains.
"We shall have no fear of starving now, at all events!" cried Leo, "for
Chickango has got as many more. As we came along, however, he started
off to the top of the hill, where we understood him to say he could get
a sight of the Bakeles village, and I suppose that he will be soon with
us."
We were disappointed on our arrival at finding that Timbo had not
returned.
"I am afraid that some accident has happened to the poor fellow," said
Stanley; "or he may have been incautious, and fallen into the hands of
the savages."
David and Jack had been so well employed, that, with the assistance of
the young ladies, everything was prepared for a start.
"I wish that we could be off," said David; "but we must not leave our
faithful Timbo behind."
"Well, if you will all go down to the boats, I will remain here and
bring him up as soon as he comes," said Natty. "We shall thus gain
time."
"No, no; I cannot let you do that," I said. "I will remain, and you
must go."
Natty, however, positively refused, and Stanley had to exert his
authority, as our leader, to make him accompany them. Very unwillingly,
he at length consented to do so, provided I promised, should Timbo not
appear in the course of an hour, to follow them. The matter was
arranged, and our party were taking up the loads they proposed to carry,
when Chickango made his appearance among us. His countenance expressed
alarm, and he was too much agitated to explain himself. At length
Senhor Silva understood him to say that, on looking towards the Bakeles
village, he had seen smoke ascending--that it grew thicker and thicker,
and then flames burst forth, and he was convinced the whole village was
on fire.
"Depend upon it, the Pangwes have done this," he observed; "and, flushed
with their victory, they will very soon march to attack us. We must
either prepare ourselves to stand a siege, or lose no time in escaping."
"Then let us at once commence our march," said the captain; "but,
Andrew, I do not like that you should run the risk of falling into the
hands of these savages, which you will do if you remain behind."
"I know my way down to the river so well," I answered, "that I can
easily join you should I see them approaching, and I will, meantime,
keep a look-out from the height above the fort. Depend upon it, they
have too much respect for our firearms to venture an attack, unless with
their whole body. At all events, some time must elapse before they can
be here. My only anxiety is about Timbo, should he have fallen into
their hands."
"You will promise, Andrew, not to remain more than an hour?" said Kate,
as she and Bella, each carrying a load proportionate to their strength,
went out of the fort. "We shall be very anxious till you join us."
I watched the party as they descended the hill. I did not think the
young ladies had much cause to regret leaving the place; but still they
turned a glance behind them, as if they were quitting it with sorrow.
Though difficulties and dangers might be before them, still I hoped that
they were on their way to a more civilised and healthy climate. In the
hurry of departure Chico had been forgotten, for he was quietly snoozing
in his usual corner of Jack's hut. Leo and Natty had already left the
fort, when they discovered that he was not with them. "Chico, Chico!"
they both cried out, and hearing his name called, he ran out, and sprang
up upon Jack's shoulder, who had already got as much as he could well
carry. Nothing, however, would shake Master Chico off. I could not
help thinking even at that moment of Sinbad the Sailor, and the Old Man
of the Sea. "Well, I suppose if you will not walk, I must carry you,"
exclaimed Jack; and away he went after the rest, Chico glancing about
him with a look of surprise at the sudden exodus of his friends.
As soon as they were gone, I closed the gates and climbed out of a
window in the back of the fort. This I did, that should the Pangwes
arrive, they might not discover the flight of our party, and might spend
some time in making preparations for the attack. I then ascended the
hill, with my telescope, which I had retained, but could see no one
moving in any of the open places I could command. In the distance,
however, I observed dense clouds of smoke and bright flames ascending
above the forest, which I was sure must proceed from the village we had
visited. What was the fate of the unfortunate inhabitants? I knew too
well the way that negro warriors are accustomed to treat those they
conquer, and I could not help picturing to myself the horrid spectacle
of women and children murdered, and those who had escaped slaughter
carried off to be sold as slaves to the cruel dealers in human flesh,
and, more than that, in the hearts and souls of their fellow-creatures.
I looked at my watch. I calculated how long it would take my friends to
reach the canoes. I was thankful when I felt sure they must have had
time to get on board, and thus to be in comparative safety. Time went
slowly on. I kept looking at my watch, but still Timbo did not appear.
The hour had nearly passed.
At length, with great regret. I descended the rock, and took my way
towards the river. I had just passed the Castle, when I caught sight of
two figures moving towards me among the trees below. They might be
scouts of the enemy. I hesitated what to do. Concealing myself behind
some brushwood, I lifted my glass to examine them. Great was my
satisfaction when I saw that one of them was Timbo; the other was a
negro whom he was assisting along, and who appeared to be wounded. I
hurried down to meet them. Timbo, when he saw me, made a sign to me not
to shout, pointing behind him to make me understand that he was pursued.
As I approached, I saw the negro was Igubo. He recognised me, and it
seemed to revive his strength. Without stopping to inquire what had
occurred, I took his arm, and assisted Timbo in hurrying him on towards
the river's bank. When he found this, he made a significant gesture
towards the Castle. "He ask for his sons," whispered Timbo. "Tell him
they are both safe, I hope, in the canoes." A gleam of satisfaction
passed over the countenance of the wounded man, and he made fresh
efforts to struggle on.
We had great reason to hurry, for ever and anon I could hear the shouts
of the savages in the woods behind us, though still they appeared to be
at some distance. Blood was flowing from Igubo's side. I fortunately
had a handkerchief, and in spite of the necessity for haste, I insisted
on stopping to bind up the wound. I was afraid that otherwise he would
bleed to death. We gained by it, indeed, for he was afterwards able to
move more rapidly, and the flow of blood appeared almost staunched. As
we approached the river I caught sight of two figures among the bushes
and tall reeds which lined the bank. Could our enemies have got ahead
of us? Presently we saw one of the figures dart out from their
concealment, and then, to my satisfaction, I recognised Leo. He and
Natty soon came running towards us. They had been on the watch, it
appeared, having grown anxious at my non-appearance. The rest of the
party were seated in the canoes. We assisted the wounded man into the
one in which David was, with the two young ladies and Jack. A place had
been left for me there also. Igubo, not seeing his boys in it, uttered
an expression of disappointment. We lifted him up, however, and showed
that they were in the other canoe. When satisfied, he submitted to have
his wounds more completely and scientifically bound up than I had been
able to do. Meantime Jack had taken the steering-oar, while Timbo and I
seized the paddles. A few hurried words from Timbo explained to Stanley
what had happened, and without further delay we shoved off from the
bank, and began to make the best of our way down the stream. Natty had
come into my canoe, while Stanley called Leo into his. Mine was the
_Gazelle_. It was the best of the two, the other having been injured by
the hippopotamus. Stanley had placed his sisters in it, trusting rather
to Jack's seamanship than to his own. His canoe being the lightest, he
took the lead, that he might give timely notice to us should any
sandbanks be encountered in our course, and, what were perhaps more to
be dreaded, any wild rapids, down which it might be dangerous to
proceed. Chico had seated himself in the bow of the canoe, as if he had
been placed there to keep a look-out. Natty had taken a paddle, and
Kate begged that she might use another till her brother had finished
attending to poor Igubo's wounds.
Not till we had got a little way down could I ask Timbo what had
occurred. "Oh, Massa Andrew," he answered, "me no like talk about it.
De Pangwes come, and stay hid in de night close to de village, and just
before de sun get up,--de sun dat is so bright and good, make de trees
grow, and cheer de heart of man,--dey steal out wid de sharp sword and
de spear, and de moment de Bakeles open de gate, rush in and kill all de
women, children, and old men; and some stay outside and kill dose dat
run away, and catch de young men and knock dem down, and tie deir hands,
and take away to de slave-dealers. Igubo jump over de wall, and kill
two or t'ree who came after him; and dough dey stuck de spear in his
side, he get away. As I got near de village I hear de cries, and know
too well what dey mean; so I hide, for I fear if I run dey see me and
follow; but when I found Igubo drop down just near where I was, I rushed
out and lift him up and bring him along; and de Pangwes just den no see
us, because some young men who had got swords and bows and arrows 'tack
dem, and fight bravely; but dey all killed, and den de Pangwes set fire
to de village, and you know de rest."
Timbo had scarcely finished his account when he shouted out, "See, see!
Dere dey are! Dey come dis way!"
We had all been so busy in paddling the canoe and watching our leader
that we had not looked either to the right hand or the left. Stanley,
for the same reason, had not seen what was taking place on shore. We
now saw a large body of black warriors shaking their spears, and beating
them against their shields, as they rushed on towards the bank of the
river. They had evidently the intention of stopping us.
"On, on!" cried Stanley. "Put your best strength into your strokes; the
river is broader a little way down, and we may escape their arrows and
spears if they attack us."
"Don't you think, sir, we had better get a broadside ready and give it
them?" exclaimed Jack. "They are more likely to treat us with respect
if we show that we are well-armed."
"I would advise you not to fire unless hard-pressed," said Senhor Silva.
"We will show our muskets, but they are fierce warriors, and even
should a few be killed, the rest would not be daunted, and would
probably pursue us till a more narrow part of the river is reached, when
they might overwhelm us with their spears and poisoned arrows."
"Let me now take the paddle, Kate," said David, who had placed Igubo at
the bottom of the canoe, resting his head on a bundle. "My arm is
stronger than yours, my sister, and in case the savages attack us, you
and Bella must lie down at the bottom of the canoe."
The canoes glided rapidly down the stream, making the water hiss and
bubble under their bows. Had we not had the two helpless girls to
protect, the adventure would have been an exciting one, which few of us
would have objected to go through. The Pangwes, shouting and shrieking,
and shaking their spears and shields, had now reached the banks of the
river. It seemed scarcely possible that we could escape them. Not,
however, till David had again and again pressed them, would his sisters
consent to place themselves in greater safety at the bottom of the
canoe. The crew of Stanley's canoe plied their paddles vigorously, and
kept just ahead of us. We needed no exhortation from him to follow
their example.
We had now got almost abreast of where the savages were standing. Every
instant I expected to see them draw their bows, with those deadly
poisoned shafts; or hurl their spears, which I knew too well could reach
to a great distance. I saw Timbo eyeing them very calmly.
"If we were to fire a broadside into them now, it would soon put them to
flight," cried Jack.
We, however, kept on without apparently noticing them. As we
approached, they increased their shouts. Some of their chiefs seemed to
be going among them, urging them to rush into the stream. Happily the
river was here much wider than above us, and continued so for some
distance down. A sandbank appeared in the middle. We trusted that a
channel might be found on the right side of it, away from where the
savages stood. We now saw several men with swords in their hands, urged
by their chiefs, rush into the stream.
"See, see!" cried Timbo; "what are those creatures on the sandbank?"
I looked ahead, and there observed eight or ten large alligators and
several small ones basking on the sandbank. Our approach somewhat
startled them; and off they slid into the water, swimming towards the
bank where the Pangwes were collected. They apparently caught sight of
them at the same time. One of the leading swimmers at that instant
threw up his arms, and, uttering a shriek, was drawn down under the
water. The others, seeing the fate of their companion, turned round,
and, in spite of the shouts and exhortations of their chiefs, swam back
to the shore. The alligators pursued them, and two others were carried
down before they could reach the banks. So eager were the monsters that
we saw their snouts rising above the water even at the very bank, when
hundreds of spears were darted at them. Aimed in a hurry, the missiles
probably glided off their scaly sides. We could not discover whether
any were killed.
Now the Pangwes, finding that their attempt to cut us off had failed,
began hurling their spears at us, and sending showers of light arrows,
many of which fell fearfully close to the canoe. Some stuck in the
sandbank, inside of which we were making our way. It showed us the
danger of having to pass our enemies where the river became narrower.
The only advantage we should there possess would be the greater rapidity
of the current. We continued to ply our paddles with might and main.
Now we had passed the sandbank, and a wide extent of water lay between
us and the negro army. They, however, appeared to have discovered that
should we get far ahead we might escape them altogether; and we saw a
large body moving away to the southward. We could not help fearing that
there might be some bend in the river, or narrow passage, where they
might still hope to cut us off. Our utmost efforts must be exerted,
therefore, to gain the place before they could reach it. There was
still another danger. We might ground on one of the sandbanks, or some
point might project from the western side and compel us to go round
nearer to the eastern bank. I, of course, kept these thoughts to
myself, and did my utmost to send the canoe along, and to keep up the
spirits of my companions.
"If we get within reach of them," sung out Stanley from his canoe, as he
saw them moving along the bank of the river, "we must instantly take to
our arms and give them a volley. It will not do to let any of their
arrows come near us."
"Ay, ay," I answered. "Our muskets are, I believe, all loaded."
"All right, sir," said Jack. "I loaded them before I placed them in the
canoe, and I do not think those black fellows will stand a taste of our
bullets."
Poor little Bella looked very much frightened when she heard us talk of
firing.
"They will not fire unless there is absolute necessity for it," I heard
Kate say to her. "You know, Bella, it will only be done if we have to
defend ourselves."
The current was so strong and our canoes moved so swiftly that we were
quickly leaving the main body of Pangwes. We heard their shouts of rage
and disappointment as they saw us escaping them. Horrid as were those
shrieks and cries, they of course only made us paddle the harder; but
still I felt anxious lest the smaller body I have spoken of might
outstrip us.
"Suppose the Pangwes try to cut us off at another place, could we not
haul our canoes up and make our escape overland?" exclaimed Natty,
showing that he had understood the reason of the movement we had
observed.
"We might escape them, certainly, for the moment," I answered; "but we
could not proceed on our journey without our canoes."
"But we might return and get them, or drag them overland," he observed.
"That would be a task, I fear, too great for our strength," I said.
"But your suggestion, Natty, is worthy of consideration, if we are
hard-pressed."