Their hilarity could not be continued for ever. Even that of Caspar
came to a termination; though not until his ribs ached with the
agreeable exercise.
As their bean-sacks had been already filled, it was determined that they
should first take them to the hut, and then return to the storks with
the design of capturing them. Ossaroo was of the opinion, that they
would have no difficulty in effecting this; declaring the birds to be so
tame, that he might walk straight up to them, and throw a noose over
their necks. This, in all probability, he might have done, had he been
provided with a piece of cord proper for the making of such a noose.
But there was no cord at hand--not even a bit of string--nothing but the
rush baskets filled with the lotus beans. To obtain a snare, it would
be necessary to make a journey to the hut.
In the minds of our adventurers there was no very clear conception of
the object of capturing the storks: unless it might have been that the
thought, to which Caspar had given speech, was still entertained by
himself and his brother. That indeed would have justified them in their
attempt to take the birds.
Another idea may have suggested itself--more especially to Ossaroo. If
nothing else should come of it, there would be some pleasure in holding
the birds in captivity--as pets and companions. Ossaroo had been
involuntarily contemplating the prospect of a long lonely life in the
solitude of that mountain valley. With such a prospect even the solemn
stork might be regarded as a cheerful companion.
Stimulated by these thoughts--and some others of a more indefinite
kind--our adventurers came to the determination to ensnare the
_adjutants_!
All three commenced wading out of the lake--in a direction so as not to
disturb the sleepers. Karl and Caspar--now that they had become
inspired with a design--lifted their feet out of the water, and set them
down again, as though they ere treading upon egg. Ossaroo sneered at
their over-caution--telling them, that there was not the slightest fear
of frightening the storks; and indeed there was truth in what he
affirmed.
In most countries bordering upon the banks of the Ganges, these birds,
protected alike by superstitious fears and edicts of law, have become so
used to the proximity of man, that they will scarce stir out of their
way to avoid him. It was possible that the brace in question might have
belonged to some of the wilder flocks--inhabiting the swamps of the
Sunderbunds--and therefore less accustomed to human society. In that
case there might be some difficulty in approaching them; and it was for
this reason that Ossaroo had consented to adopt the precautions for
their capture which Karl had insisted should be taken.
The truth is, that Karl had conceived a deeper design than either of his
companions. It had occurred to him--while engaged with his brother in
that laughing duetto--and somewhat to the surprise of Caspar, it had
caused a sudden cessation of his mirth, or at least the noisy ebullition
of it.
The philosopher had become silent and serious; as if the thought had
suddenly arisen, that hilarity under the circumstances was indecorous
and out of place. From that moment Karl had preserved a mysterious
silence--even refusing to explain it when interrogated by Caspar. He
was only silent on this one theme. Otherwise his speech flowed freely
enough--in counsel to his companions--charging both to adopt every
precaution for ensuring the capture of the storks--and with an
eagerness, which puzzled them to comprehend.
A few minutes' walk brought them back to the hut. It was rather a run
than a walk--Karl going in the lead, and arriving before either of the
others. The bean-sacks were flung upon the floor--as if they had been
empty and of no value--and then the strings and lines that had been spun
by Ossaroo were pulled out of their hidden places, and submitted to
inspection.
It did not take long to make a running noose, which was accomplished by
the nimble fingers of the shikaree. Easily also was it attached to the
end of a long stem of the ringall bamboo; and thus provided, our
adventurers once more sallied forth from the hut; and made their way
towards the sleeping storks.
As they drew near, they were gratified at perceiving the birds still in
the enjoyment of their meridian slumber. No doubt they had made a long
journey, and needed rest. Their wings hung drooping by their sides,
proclaiming weariness. Perhaps they were dreaming--dreaming of a roost
on some tall fig-tree, or the tower of an antique temple sacred to the
worship of Buddha, Vishna, or Deva--dreaming of the great Ganges, and
its odorous waifs--those savoury morsels of putrefying flesh, in which
they delighted to dig their huge mattocks of mandibles.
Ossaroo being entrusted with the noose, did not pause to think, about
what they might be dreaming; or whether they were dreaming at all.
Enough for him to perceive that they were sleeping; and, gliding forward
in a bent attitude, silent as a tiger threading his native jungle, the
shikaree succeeded in making approach--until he had got almost within
_snaring distance_ of the unconscious adjutants.
There is many a slip between the cup and the lip. The old saw was
illustrated in the case of the shikaree while endeavouring to ensnare
the storks; though it was not the snare, but the birds that now
illustrated the adage.
After the attempt had been made, the snare could be still seen in its
place, stiffly projecting from the point of the long bamboo rod; while
the adjutants were soaring in the air, mounting still higher upward,
their slender necks outstretched, their beaks cracking like castanets,
and their throats emitting an angry sound like the roaring of a brace of
lions.
The failure was not to be attributed to Ossaroo; but to the imprudence
of one of his companions--an individual of the party close treading upon
his heels. That individual was _Fritz_!
Just as Ossaroo was about casting his loop over the shoulders of a
sleeping adjutant, Fritz--who had followed the party from the hut--now
for the first time perceiving the birds, rushed forward and seized the
tail of one of them between his teeth. Then, as if determined on
securing the beautiful _marabout feathers_, he pulled a large mouthful
of them clean out by the roots.
This was not exactly the motive that impelled Fritz to make such an
unexpected attack--unexpected, because the well-trained animal would
have known better than to fright the game which his masters were in the
act of stalking; and such imprudence had never before been displayed by
him. It was the particular kind of game that had provoked Fritz to act
contrary to his usual habit of caution; for of all the creatures which
he had encountered, since his arrival in the counted there, was none
that had inspired him with a more profound feeling of hostility than
these same adjutants. During Fritz's sojourn in the Botanic Gardens of
Calcutta--where his masters, it will be remembered, were for some time
entertained as guests--Fritz had often come in contact with a brace of
these gigantic birds, that were also guests of that justly celebrated
establishment: they habitually made their stay within the enclosure,
where they were permitted to stalk about unmolested, and pick up such
stray scraps as were cast out by the domestics of the _curator's_
mansion.
These birds had grown so tame, as to take food freely out of the hand of
anyone who offered it to them; and with like freedom, to take it where
it was not offered, but found within reach of their long prehensile
beaks. Often had they pilfered provisions to which they were anything
but welcome; and, among other acts of their rapacity, there was one of
which Fritz had been an interested spectator, and for which he was not
likely ever to forgive them. That was, their robbing him of a dainty
piece of meat, which one of the cooks had presented to Fritz himself;
and upon which he had been going to make his dinner. One of the birds
had the audacity to seize the meat in its mandibles, jerk it out of the
dog's very teeth, and swallow it, before the latter had time to offer
either interruption or remonstrance.
The consequence was, that, from that time, Fritz had conceived a most
rancorous antipathy towards all birds of the genus _Ciconia_--and the
species _Argala_ in particular; and this it was that impelled him, on
first perceiving the adjutant--for being by the hut on their arrival he
had not seen them before,--to rush open-mouthed towards them, and seize
the tail of one of them between his teeth.
It is not necessary to add that the bird, thus indecorously assailed,
took to instant flight, followed by its more fortunate though not less
frightened mate--leaving Fritz in a temper to treat Marabout feathers as
they had never been treated before--even when by the hands of some
scorned and jealous vixen they may have been torn from the turban of
some hated rival!