THE SAN BLAS COUNTRY
We had an early breakfast and then Ned Britton bade us good-bye and
started obediently to descend the river and explore along the coast. He
was loth to abandon the more dangerous and fascinating quest for the
diamonds, but being loyal to the core he knew how to obey orders without
grumbling.
As soon as he was away we began preparations for our own departure. The
first thing was to arrange for launching the convertible automobile,
which Moit had been examining very carefully ever since daybreak. He
reported that it had sustained no damage whatever from the storm or the
shock of grounding and was in perfect condition. So all we had to do was
to remove the guy ropes, let it slide down the slanting deck to the
bulwarks—over which we lifted it with a crane attached to the
mizzenmast—and then let the machine descend gently until it rested on
the bosom of the river.
I was still so skeptical concerning some of Moit’s absurd claims that it
would not have surprised me to see the huge car sink like a stone; but
instead of that it rode the water like a duck, the wheels half
submerged, the rail high above the water-line.
We now filled the ample lockers beneath the seats with provisions, put
in a cask of fresh water in case the river water proved unpalatable, and
took along such trinkets as we could gather together for trading
purposes. We each carried a brace of revolvers, Moit and I (being
slaves) concealing ours, while Nux and Bry carried theirs openly.
Finally we dressed for the excursion. The gay checked suit and tourist
cap of Uncle Naboth we gave to Nux, and although they hung rather
loosely he presented a most startling appearance in them. He swung a
brass watch chain of gigantic size across his vest front and Uncle gave
him a few of the big cigars to smoke when he wanted to “show off.”
Bry wore a white duck suit belonging to Duncan Moit, and to my
astonishment looked as aristocratic as any Eastern potentate on his
first visit to London. These Sulus were by no means bad looking men, if
one could forget their color, and they took great delight in the
transformations we thrust upon them.
As for Moit and myself, we hunted among the sailors’ cast-off togs for
the most disreputable “land clothes” we could find, and those we
selected were ragged and dirty enough, in all conscience. I wore a
run-down shoe upon one foot and a red leather slipper on the other, and
when I had rumpled my hair and soiled my face and hands I am sure I was
as disgraceful in appearance as any ragged urchin you ever came across.
I was not wholly satisfied with Duncan, however. In spite of his apparel
there was so thoughtful a look in his big gray eyes and so well-bred and
composed an expression on his finely molded features that he could not
look a servant’s part as fully as I did and the best I could hope was
that the San Blas people would consider him an unfortunate gentleman in
hard luck.
There was much laughter and amusement among the men we left behind on
the wreck, when they beheld our queer appearance. Uncle Naboth chuckled
until he coughed, and coughed until he choked, badly frightening those
who were unaware that this startling exhibition was usual with him
whenever he reached that climax of joy which he called being “desp’ritly
pleased.”
I bade him an affectionate farewell, and then we four got into the
“auto-boat.” Moit sprung the paddles from the rims of the wheels and
started the engines, and a minute later we were waving our hands to
those on the wreck and gliding at a good rate of progress up the river.
The bulky machine did not draw so much water as one would imagine, owing
to its broad displacement and the lightness of the material employed in
its construction. We found the current gentle, and made such good time
that at eleven o’clock we passed between the two hills indicated on
Maurice Kleppisch’s map, a copy of which I had brought with us.
The current was swifter here because the mounds narrowed the river
considerably; but Moit gave the engines a little more speed and we went
through without abating our rate of progress.
Just beyond the hills we saw a group of Indians standing beneath the
trees on the left bank and regarding us earnestly but calmly. Perhaps
they had seen small steamers and thought our craft belonged to that
class, for they exhibited neither fear nor surprise, merely turning
their grave faces toward us and remaining otherwise motionless and
silent as we glided by.
I whispered to Bryonia and Nux to stand up and bow a greeting, which
they proceeded to do with amusing and exaggerated dignity; and then I
told Nux to box my ears, which he did so promptly and in so lusty a
manner that they rang for several minutes afterward.
I had explained to my blacks at great length our reasons for undertaking
this queer adventure, and what we expected them to do to carry out the
farce and assist us in securing the treasure. I had even read to them
the dead man’s diary, from beginning to end, so that they would know as
much about the San Blas as we did. They were, as I have said, both
clever and resourceful, besides being devoted to me personally; so that
I felt justified in relying to a great extent upon their judgment in
case of emergency.
Should I need to give them any secret instructions, I could do so in
their own language, which they had taught me during the tedium of
several long voyages, and which I prided myself upon speaking fairly
well. It was the language of their own island of Tayakoo, for these were
not properly Sulus but natives belonging to a distinct tribe of South
Sea Islanders which owed allegiance to no other ruler than their own.
Being aware that the king, and some others, of the San Blas knew English
and Spanish, I could rely upon this almost unknown dialect to cover any
secret instructions I wished to convey to my blacks.
Nux and Bry were not linguists, however, and knew but a few Spanish
words besides the imperfect English and their native tongue; but we
arranged that they were to command me to interpret in Spanish whenever
it was necessary. Duncan Moit, unfortunately, knew nothing but English.
The tributary that entered the river from the left side was a farther
distance beyond the hills than the map seemed to indicate; but we came
to it presently and began slowly to ascend it in a southerly direction,
although it made many twists and turns. We found it easily navigable,
with dense forests on either side, and several times we found we were
observed by silent groups of Indians on the bank, to all of whom Nux and
Bry bowed greetings with tremendous condescension and mock courtesy. The
bows were never returned, however, and the Indians stood like statues
until we had passed by.
“There is no way of avoiding these people,” said Moit, “so I think our
best policy will be to go directly to the king’s village, which I see
marked upon the map, and make friends with him. Bryonia can explain our
presence by saying he merely wishes to examine the San Blas country, and
when once we have established friendly relations with these natives we
can visit several different parts of their territory, to throw them off
their guard, and finally reach the valley for which we are bound and
secure the diamonds at our leisure.”
“That seems to me a capital plan,” I agreed, and we decided then and
there to follow it as closely as circumstances would allow.
After an hour’s cruise through the forest we came to the coastal plains,
finding this a remarkably fertile country with fields under fine
cultivation. As soon as we discovered a low bank on our left we turned
the machine toward the shore, and when the wheels touched bottom they
climbed the bank easily and we quickly found ourselves upon dry land.
More Indians were observing us, and as we left the water and glided over
the land I detected a look of amazement upon their faces that all their
reserve could not control. Indeed, I was myself filled with wonder at
the marvelous performances of Duncan Moit’s invention, so that small
blame attaches to the San Blas if their stoicism could not master their
astonishment.
We crossed the plain until we came upon a pretty stream, which we took
to be the one indicated upon the map, and from there followed its course
eastward, making excellent time over the level meadows. We saw a few
huts scattered along the way, and several herds of cattle and sheep, but
no horses. The sheep seemed few to supply the wool for which these
Indians were famous, but I imagined we would find larger flocks in the
uplands.
It was about five o’clock in the afternoon when we sighted a
considerable village, which at once we determined must be the place we
sought. Bowling along at an increased pace we soon reached the town, but
to our surprise we found our way barred by solid files of Indians, all
standing with their arrows ready notched in their bowstrings.
Moit stopped the engines and we came to a halt. Hitherto we had been
allowed to go where we pleased since entering this strange land, but it
seemed that our license was now at an end.
Bry stood up in his seat, made a bow, and said in a loud voice:
“Any speak Englis’?—America—United States?”
In an instant we were surrounded by the stern-visaged natives, while one
of them, a tall, powerful fellow and evidently a chief, stepped close to
the machine and answered in a quiet voice:
“I the English speak.”
“Very good,” said Bry. “I am great chief of Tayakoo. My name is
Honorable Bryonia. Here is my brother, also great chief of Tayakoo—he
name Senator Nux. We come to visit the chiefs and great king of the San
Blas. Then, say to me, oh, Chief, are we welcome? Are we all brothers?”
I thought this was a very good introduction. But the chief glanced at me
and at Moit, frowning darkly, and asked:
“Who the white men? What bring them here?”
“You speak about our slaves? Bah! Have my brothers of San Blas, then, no
slaves to do their work?”
The chief considered a moment.
“Where you get white slaves?” he questioned, suspiciously.
“Stan’ up, Dunc!” said Bry, giving the inventor a vicious kick that made
him howl. “Where we get you, heh?”
He kicked him again, quite unnecessarily, I thought, and Moit stood up
with a red and angry face and growled:
“Stop that, you fool!”
At this rebellion Nux promptly fetched him a blow behind the knees that
sent him tumbling backward upon his seat, and when I laughed—for I could
not help it—I got another ear-splitter that made me hold my head and be
glad to keep silent. Moit evidently saw the force of our blacks’
arguments, for he recovered his wits in time to avoid further blows.
The exhibition had one good effect, anyway; it lulled any suspicions of
the chief that the Honorable Bryonia and Senator Nux might not be the
masters in our little party. Although Duncan Moit and I constantly
encountered looks of bitter hatred, our men were thereafter treated with
ample respect and consideration.
“You welcome,” said the chief. “I, Ogo—Capitan Ogo—green chief. You come
to my house.”
He turned and marched away, and Moit started the machine and made it
crawl after him.
The other natives followed in a grave procession, and so we entered the
village and passed up its clean looking streets between rows of simple
but comfortable huts to the further end where we halted at the domicile
of the “green chief.”