IN WHICH THE SITUATION ALREADY GRAVELY COMPROMISED BECOMES MORE AND MORE
COMPLICATED.
The presence of a formidable wild beast in Phina Island was, it must be
confessed, calculated to make our friends think the worst of the
ill-fortune which had fallen on them.
Godfrey--perhaps he was wrong--did not consider that he ought to hide
from Tartlet what had passed.
"A bear!" screamed the professor, looking round him with a bewildered
glare as if the environs of Will Tree were being assailed by a herd of
wild beasts. "Why, a bear? Up to now we had not even got a bear in our
island! If there is one there may be many, and even numbers of other
ferocious beasts--jaguars, panthers, tigers, hyaenas, lions!"
Tartlet already beheld Phina Island given over to quite a menagerie
escaped from their cages.
Godfrey answered that there was no need for him to exaggerate. He had
seen one bear, that was certain. Why one of these animals had never been
seen before in his wanderings on the island he could not explain, and it
was indeed inexplicable. But to conclude from this that wild animals of
all kinds were prowling in the woods and prairies was to go too far.
Nevertheless, they would have to be cautious and never go out unarmed.
Unhappy Tartlet! From this day there commenced for him an existence of
anxieties, emotions, alarms, and irrational terrors which gave him
nostalgia for his native land in a most acute form.
"No!" repeated he. "No! If there are animals--I have had enough of it,
and I want to get off!"
He had not the power.
Godfrey and his companions then had henceforth to be on their guard. An
attack might take place not only on the shore side or the prairie side,
but even in the group of sequoias. This is why serious measures were
taken to put the habitation in a state to repel a sudden attack. The
door was strengthened, so as to resist the clutches of a wild beast. As
for the domestic animals Godfrey would have built a stable to shut them
up in at least at night, but it was not easy to do so. He contented
himself at present with making a sort of enclosure of branches not far
from Will Tree, which would keep them as in a fold. But the enclosure
was not solid enough nor high enough to hinder a bear or hyaena from
upsetting it or getting over it.
Notwithstanding the remonstrances made to him, Carefinotu persisted in
watching outside during the night, and Godfrey hoped thus to receive
warning of a direct attack.
Decidedly Carefinotu endangered his life in thus constituting himself
the guardian of Will Tree; but he had understood that he could thus be
of service to his liberators, and he persisted, in spite of all Godfrey
said to him, in watching as usual over the general safety.
A week passed without any of these formidable visitors appearing in the
neighbourhood. Godfrey did not go very far from the dwelling, unless
there was a necessity for his doing so. While the sheep and goats grazed
on the neighbouring prairie, they were never allowed out of sight.
Generally Carefinotu acted as shepherd. He did not take a gun, for he
did not seem to understand the management of fire-arms, but one of the
hunting-knives hung from his belt, and he carried an axe in his right
hand. Thus armed the active negro would not have hesitated to throw
himself before a tiger or any animal of the worst description.
However, as neither a bear nor any of his congeners had appeared since
the last encounter Godfrey began to gather confidence. He gradually
resumed his hunting expeditions, but without pushing far into the
interior of the island. Frequently the black accompanied him; Tartlet,
safe in Will Tree, would not risk himself in the open, not even if he
had the chance of giving a dancing lesson. Sometimes Godfrey would go
alone, and then the professor had a companion to whose instruction he
obstinately devoted himself.
Yes! Tartlet had at first thought of teaching Carefinotu the most
ordinary words in the English language, but he had to give this up, as
the negro seemed to lack the necessary phonetic apparatus for that kind
of pronunciation. "Then," had Tartlet said, "if I cannot be his
professor, I will be his pupil!"
And he it was who attempted to learn the idiom spoken by Carefinotu.
Godfrey had warned him that the accomplishment would be of little use.
Tartlet was not dissuaded. He tried to get Carefinotu to name the
objects he pointed at with his hand. In truth Tartlet must have got on
excellently, for at the end of fifteen days he actually knew fifteen
words! He knew that Carefinotu said "birsi" for fire, "aradore" for the
sky, "mervira" for the sea, "doura" for a tree, &c. He was as proud of
this as if he had taken the first prize for Polynesian at some
examination!
It was then with a feeling of gratitude that he wished to make some
recognition of what had been done for him, and instead of torturing the
negro with English words, he resolved on teaching him deportment and the
true principles of European choregraphy.
At this Godfrey could not restrain his peals of laughter. After all it
would pass the time away, and on Sunday, when there was nothing else to
do, he willingly assisted at the course of lectures delivered by the
celebrated Professor Tartlet of San Francisco. Indeed, we ought to have
seen them! The unhappy Carefinotu perspired profusely as he went through
the elementary exercises. He was docile and willing, nevertheless; but
like all his fellows, his shoulders did not set back, nor did his chest
throw out, nor did his knees or his feet point apart! To make a Vestris
or a Saint Leon of a savage of this sort!
The professor pursued his task in quite a fury. Carefinotu, tortured as
he was, showed no lack of zeal. What he suffered, even to get his feet
into the first position can be imagined! And when he passed to the
second and then to the third, it was still more agonizing.
"But look at me, you blockhead!" exclaimed Tartlet, who added example to
precept. "Put your feet out! Further out! The heel of one to the heel of
the other! Open your knees, you duffer! Put back your shoulders, you
idiot! Stick up your head! Round your elbows!"
"But you ask what is impossible!" said Godfrey.
"Nothing is impossible to an intelligent man!" was Tartlet's invariable
response.
"But his build won't allow of it."
"Well, his build must allow of it! He will have to do it sooner or
later, for the savage must at least know how to present himself properly
in a drawing-room!"
"But, Tartlet, he will never have the opportunity of appearing in a
drawing-room!"
"Eh! How do you know that, Godfrey?" replied the professor, drawing
himself up. "Do you know what the future may bring forth?"
This was the last word in all discussions with Tartlet. And then the
professor taking his kit would with the bow extract from it some squeaky
little air to the delight of Carefinotu. It required but this to excite
him. Oblivious of choregraphic rules, what leaps, what contortions, what
capers!
And Tartlet, in a reverie, as he saw this child of Polynesia so demean
himself, inquired if these steps, perhaps a little too characteristic,
were not natural to the human being, although outside all the principles
of his art.
But we must leave the professor of dancing and deportment to his
philosophical meditations, and return to questions at once more
practical and pressing.
During his last excursions into the plain, either by himself or with
Carefinotu, Godfrey had seen no wild animal. He had even come upon no
traces of such. The river to which they would come to drink bore no
footprint on its banks. During the night there were no howlings nor
suspicious noises. Besides the domestic animals continued to give no
signs of uneasiness.
"This is singular," said Godfrey several times; "but I was not mistaken!
Carefinotu certainly was not! It was really a bear that he showed me! It
was really a bear that I shot! Supposing I killed him, was he the last
representative of the plantigrades on the island?"
It was quite inexplicable! Besides, if Godfrey had killed this bear, he
would have found the body where he had shot it. Now they searched for it
in vain! Were they to believe then that the animal mortally wounded had
died far off in some den. It was possible after all, but then at this
place, at the foot of this tree, there would have been traces of blood,
and there were none.
"Whatever it is," thought Godfrey, "it does not much matter; and we must
keep on our guard."
With the first days of November it could be said that the wet season had
commenced in this unknown latitude. Cold rains fell for many hours.
Later on probably they would experience those interminable showers which
do not cease for weeks at a time, and are characteristic of the rainy
period of winter in these latitudes.
Godfrey had then to contrive a fireplace in the interior of Will
Tree--an indispensable fireplace that would serve as well to warm the
dwelling during the winter months as to cook their food in shelter from
the rain and tempest.
The hearth could at any time be placed in a corner of the chamber
between big stones, some placed on the ground and others built up round
them; but the question was how to get the smoke out, for to leave it to
escape by the long chimney, which ran down the centre of the sequoia,
proved impracticable.
Godfrey thought of using as a pipe some of those long stout bamboos
which grew on certain parts of the river banks. It should be said that
on this occasion he was greatly assisted by Carefinotu. The negro, not
without effort, understood what Godfrey required. He it was who
accompanied him for a couple of miles from Will Tree to select the
larger bamboos, he it was who helped him build his hearth. The stones
were placed on the ground opposite to the door; the bamboos, emptied of
their pith and bored through at the knots, afforded, when joined one to
another, a tube of sufficient length, which ran out through an aperture
made for it in the sequoia bark, and would serve every purpose, provided
it did not catch fire. Godfrey soon had the satisfaction of seeing a
good fire burning without filling the interior of Will Tree with smoke.
He was quite right in hastening on these preparations, for from the 3rd
to the 10th of November the rain never ceased pouring down. It would
have been impossible to keep a fire going in the open air. During these
miserable days they had to keep indoors and did got venture out except
when the flocks and poultry urgently required them to do so. Under these
circumstances the reserve of camas roots began to fail; and these were
what took the place of bread, and of which the want would be immediately
felt.
Godfrey then one day, the 10th of November, informed Tartlet that as
soon as the weather began to mend a little he and Carefinotu would go
out and collect some. Tartlet, who was never in a hurry to run a couple
of miles across a soaking prairie, decided to remain at home during
Godfrey's absence.
In the evening the sky began to clear of the heavy clouds which the west
wind had been accumulating since the commencement of the month, the rain
gradually ceased, the sun gave forth a few crepuscular rays. It was to
be hoped that the morning would yield a lull in the storm, of which it
was advisable to make the most.
"To-morrow," said Godfrey, "I will go out, and Carefinotu will go with
me."
"Agreed!" answered Tartlet.
The evening came, and when supper was finished and the sky, cleared of
clouds, permitted a few brilliant stars to appear, the black wished to
take up his accustomed place outside, which he had had to abandon during
the preceding rainy nights. Godfrey tried to make him understand that he
had better remain indoors, that there was no necessity to keep a watch
as no wild animal had been noticed; but Carefinotu was obstinate. He
therefore had to have his way.
The morning was as Godfrey had foreseen, no rain had fallen since the
previous evening, and when he stepped forth from Will Tree, the first
rays of the sun were lightly gilding the thick dome of the sequoias.
Carefinotu was at his post, where he had passed the night. He was
waiting. Immediately, well armed and provided with large sacks, the two
bid farewell to Tartlet, and started for the river, which they intended
ascending along the left bank up to the camas bushes.
An hour afterwards they arrived there without meeting with any
unpleasant adventure.
The roots were rapidly torn up and a large quantity obtained, so as to
fill the sacks. This took three hours, so that it was about eleven
o'clock in the morning when Godfrey and his companion set out on their
return to Will Tree.
Walking close together, keeping a sharp look-out, for they could not
talk to each other, they had reached a bend in the small river where
there were a few large trees, grown like a natural cradle across the
stream, when Godfrey suddenly stopped.
This time it was he who showed to Carefinotu a motionless animal at the
foot of a tree whose eyes were gleaming with a singular light.
"A tiger!" he exclaimed.
He was not mistaken. It was really a tiger of large stature resting on
its hind legs with its forepaws on the trunk of a tree, and ready to
spring.
In a moment Godfrey had dropped his sack of roots. The loaded gun passed
into his right hand; he cocked it, presented it, aimed it, and fired.
"Hurrah! hurrah!" he exclaimed.
This time there was no room for doubt; the tiger, struck by the bullet,
had bounded backwards. But perhaps he was not mortally wounded, perhaps
rendered still more furious by his wound he would spring on to them!
Godfrey held his gun pointed, and threatened the animal with his second
barrel.
But before Godfrey could stop him, Carefinotu had rushed at the place
where the tiger disappeared, his hunting-knife in his hand.
Godfrey shouted for him to stop, to come back! It was in vain. The
black, resolved even at the risk of his life to finish the animal which
perhaps was only wounded, did not or would not hear.
Godfrey rushed after him.
When he reached the bank, he saw Carefinotu struggling with the tiger,
holding him by the throat, and at last stabbing him to the heart with a
powerful blow.
The tiger then rolled into the river, of which the waters, swollen by
the rains, carried it away with the quickness of a torrent. The corpse,
which floated only for an instant, was swiftly borne off towards the
sea.
A bear! A tiger! There could be no doubt that the island did contain
formidable beasts of prey!
Godfrey, after rejoining Carefinotu, found that in the struggle the
black had only received a few scratches. Then, deeply anxious about the
future, he retook the road to Will Tree.