In spite of the wild uproar made by the savage brutes encircling the
camp, some of the guards began to doze after they had been on the watch
two or three hours. Crawford had undertaken to keep watch while
Hendricks turned in. Now that he was getting accustomed to the country,
he was anxious to take a more active part than he had hitherto done.
With rifle in hand, he continued walking up and down, keeping inside the
fires and watching to see that all had sufficient fuel to cause the
flames to burn up brightly. Both the horses and oxen were naturally
restless while within sound of their dreaded enemies.
He had stopped to look out, when, at the end of the waggon farthest from
that to which the horses were secured, he heard the tramp of feet, and
looking round, by the light of the fire, he saw one of them loose and
trotting away. He instantly called to some of the men to secure the
animal, but they either did not hear, or did not understand him, and it
was some time before any of them were on their feet, when the horse had
disappeared in the darkness.
"You must go and bring it back," he shouted, and was himself about to
set off in chase of the horse, when Umgolo, who had been awakened,
stopped him, and gave him to understand by signs and such few English
words as he could speak, that he would run a great risk of being
attacked himself, and would to a certainty not recover the animal that
night.
"If he escapes the lions, he may come back, or we may find him in the
morning," said the Kaffir.
Crawford, acknowledging the wisdom of this advice, remained in the camp,
looking out occasionally, however, in the hopes of seeing the horse
return. After some minutes Umgolo touched him on the arm.
"Hark! do you hear that sound?" he asked.
Some suppressed growls reached their ears.
"The horse is dead, and the lions are gnawing his bones. They are
growling at the hyenas and jackals who have gathered round to join in
the feast, but the lions won't let them until they have eaten their
fill."
Presently to the growls of the lions was added the howling, shrieking,
chattering, and barking of the hyenas, mingled with the cries of the
jackals, producing a most unearthly chorus.
"Come, let us try and kill the brutes," said Denis, and he and Crawford
walked out a few yards from the camp; but, although they fired several
shots, no effect was produced; and Umgolo calling to them to come back,
lest a lion should pounce upon them, they returned to the camp. The
sound of the shots had awakened Hendricks, which the howlings of the
wild beasts had failed to do. He rated Denis and Crawford for their
folly in leaving the camp.
"In spite of your firearms, you might have been seized in the darkness
by one of those savage brutes, who would not dare to face you in
daylight," he observed. "Never, if you can help it in these wilds, be
away at night from the light of a fire."
It was found in the morning that Crawford's horse was missing. On
searching round the camp, two leg bones and a few pieces of skin were
discovered, the sole remains of the unfortunate animal, the rest had
been carried off by beasts of prey. As soon as the oxen had been
watered and had had time to pick up some grass, the party inspanned and
proceeded on their journey.
Fortunately Hendricks had a couple of spare horses, one of which he lent
Crawford, who would otherwise have had to march on foot, or have been
indebted to his friends, who would undoubtedly have insisted on his
getting into their saddles while they walked. For three days they
travelled on as fast as the oxen could move. Hendricks, being as
anxious to get as far as possible from Cetchwayo and his warriors,
instead of taking a circuitous route, as he had at first intended,
through a fertile and thickly inhabited district, proceeded on a direct
line across a wild and barren region with which he was but little
acquainted. It abounded, however, he knew, in game, and he hoped that
water, sufficient for the wants of the oxen and horses, would be found.
Scarcely half an hour passed, that a herd of grotesque gnus, with the
heads of bisons and horns of oxen, or of graceful quaggas, swift
blesbocs, or light and elegant springbocs, did not pass in sight, in
hundreds, or rather in thousands, across the plain. Although it was no
easy matter to get up with them, still Hendricks was too experienced a
hunter to be baffled, and he never failed, when he went out for the
purpose, to bring back an ample supply of meat for the party. Water,
however, was becoming scarce. The supply which had been brought for the
use of the men was well-nigh exhausted, while the holes in which it was
expected there would be enough for the animals, were found to be dry.
The country they were traversing was level, thinly scattered over with
trees and small bushes, and there was abundance of grass; so that cattle
and horses were able to obtain food, and such moisture as the grass
afforded, but had had for two days not a drop of water; still, as the
only hope of obtaining any was to push forward, they moved on as fast as
the animals could drag the waggon. Hendricks, the Kaffirs and
Hottentots, accustomed to privations of all sorts, uttered no
complaints, but the younger members of the party began to suffer greatly
from thirst.
"I'd give a guinea, if I had it, for a thimbleful of water," exclaimed
Denis, "for I feel as if I could drink the Liffy dry."
Night came on, and they were compelled at length to outspan, when the
poor oxen lay down overcome with fatigue. To move during the night was
impossible, and the whole party sat round their fires in no happy mood.
They attempted to take supper, but few could swallow a particle of food.
The fires had been lit to keep off the lions heard roaring in the
distance, but some time passed before any came near enough to cause
disquietude to the oxen, which invariably show their dread of the savage
brutes. A vigilant watch was kept, but the night became very dark, and
the fires, which for want of fuel had sunk low, scarcely shed their
light far enough to show the oxen lying down a short distance off. Most
of the party had turned in; but Hendricks himself, with Percy, who had
offered to assist him, were keeping the first watch.
"How soon do you think we shall reach Falls Farm?" asked Percy.
"In five or six days, possibly, if we are fortunate enough to find
water," answered Hendricks; "but I fear that the cattle will become so
weak, they will scarcely be able to drag on the waggon. If we don't
discover any to-morrow, we must set off to search for it in different
directions. I propose letting Denis and you explore to the north-west,
while I ride ahead with Lionel, and Umgolo, with Crawford, if he choose
to accompany him, can go off more to the north-east. We shall thus, I
hope, fall in before long with what we so much require. The waggon can
in the meantime proceed onwards as fast as the poor oxen can drag it."
"We can't fail in that way, I hope, to find water," observed Percy. "So
I suppose that I may count on getting home in the time you speak of."
"Are you tired of the journey?" asked Hendricks.
"Oh, no, on the contrary," answered Percy. "But I think my father and
mother will be growing anxious at our not appearing so much longer after
the time they expected us; otherwise I should like to accompany you
through the whole of your expedition into the interior. I like the life
much better than I fancy I shall being planted down on a farm, and not
seeing any one for months together, except my family, though I am sure I
shall be very happy with them."
Just then one of the oxen bellowed loudly.
"Get a lantern from the waggon, Percy; we must see what is the matter,"
said Hendricks.
Percy quickly brought the lantern, and they advanced towards the spot;
but scarcely had they got half a dozen paces, when a rushing, trampling
sound as of many feet was heard, and three of the oxen dashed into the
camp, almost through the fire, others apparently taking an opposite
direction. At the same time stifled groans reached their ears.
"One of the oxen must be hurt," observed Percy.
"Yes, but those groans are not made by the poor beast. They are the
sounds produced by the lion as he devours his prey, and I must try to
interrupt him," said Hendricks.
As he spoke, he advanced a few paces farther. At that moment Percy
caught sight of an animal, certainly not an ox, springing by. Hendricks
fired, and the next instant every one in the camp had jumped up, asking
what was the matter.
"The matter is, that a lion has killed one of the oxen, and he may
destroy several others if we don't stop his career," answered Hendricks,
rapidly reloading.
He now led the way to where the oxen had been lying down, while the
Hottentots secured the three which had come into camp. None of the
other oxen were to be seen, except one, which lay motionless on the
ground, with its neck broken. In their eagerness to overtake them, the
men, in spite of the darkness, would have set off in pursuit, had not
Hendricks called them back.
"It would be useless in the dark, and you would run a great risk of
being caught by the lion," he observed. "You must wait till morning,
when we will go in search of them; and we may, perchance, find water at
the same time, as they will probably head towards it, if they escape
from the lion."
This was the most severe disaster which had yet occurred to the
travellers; for in that wild district it would be impossible to replace
the oxen, should they not be found.
The men, on being summoned, returned to the camp, but none of them were
inclined again to go to sleep, for all were suffering greatly from
thirst, and at any moment another lion might pay them a visit.
Morning at length dawned. The body of the ox killed by the lion was
discovered about a hundred yards from the camp, a part of the
hind-quarters only eaten, the brute having evidently been frightened
away by the shot Hendricks fired, though whether it was wounded or not
it was impossible to say.
Although they had gone supperless to bed, so parched were their throats
that they were unable to take any breakfast. The horses had been
secured to the waggon, or they to a certainty would have gone off with
the oxen. Most of them, however, were too much knocked up to exert
themselves. To recover the cattle was of the first importance.
Hendricks therefore found it necessary to alter his plan. The rest of
the party undertaking to go on foot in search of water, he selected the
only two horses fit for travelling, and rode away with one of the
Hottentots to look for the missing cattle, while Crawford and Umgolo, as
had been arranged, proceeded in a north-easterly direction. It had been
decided, as soon as the oxen were recovered, should they be able to
travel, that the waggon was to continue on due north, that they might
have no difficulty in again finding it.
The morning was fresh, almost cold, and the air pure; so that had not
Denis and Percy, who, accompanied by Gozo and two dogs, were the first
to start, been suffering from thirst, and very much from hunger also,
they would have been able to march merrily along. As it was, by chewing
some grass which they plucked as they went on, they somewhat lessened
their sufferings. They kept their eyes about them for any signs which
might indicate water. Though here and there shrubs, and even trees of
some size, grew out of the sandy soil, yet no moisture could be
discovered. Fewer animals than usual were seen, but occasionally a herd
of gnus or antelopes bounded across their path, but too far off for a
shot.
As the sun rose the heat increased, but that made them still more
anxious to discover water. The poor dogs suffered even more than they
did, as they followed at their heels; for even the sight of game did not
induce them to scamper off as they would have done on other occasions.
"It will never do to give in," said Denis, as Percy proposed sitting
down under the shade of a tree to rest, where the dogs had already
sought shelter.
"I don't wish to give in; but if we cannot find water soon, I fear that
it will be impossible to get on," answered Percy.
"Look at poor Gozo, he seems to be suffering even more than we are,
though I should have supposed that he would have held out the longest."
The old Kaffir threw himself down in the shade, and lay on his back
gasping. "I shall die, masters, I shall die!" he said; "I cannot go
farther."
"Don't be saying that, Gozo; you'll get up after a little rest, and
we'll find water before long; if not, we may fall in with some juicy
roots: I have heard that such grow in some parts of the country where
the soil is sandy, and so we are likely to discover them here."
"It won't do to stop here long," said Denis. "We must up and away; the
sooner we set off, the sooner we shall find water. Come along, rouse
up, Gozo; you will be better moving along than lying still."
The Kaffir thus incited to exertion got on his feet. The party set off,
the dogs dragging themselves after their masters, for their instinct
told them that there would be no safety for them alone. On and on they
went, Denis and Percy doing their best to keep up each other's spirits.
Poor Gozo, however, complained more and more. He had drawn his hunger
belt tighter and tighter round his waist, until it looked as if it would
cut him in two. His throat, he said, felt as if a hot iron had been run
down it; yet, encouraged by Denis, he staggered on. It was too evident
that he was growing weaker and weaker, and he declared a last that he
could not carry his gun.
"But without it you will not be able to defend yourself, should we be
attacked by a lion or lioness," said Denis.
"No matter: I must die then," answered Gozo.
"Well, if I carry your gun, will you come on?" asked Denis.
"I'll try, master, I'll try," answered the black as Denis took the gun.
"I must help you to carry it," said Percy. "I cannot do much to assist
the fellow along, but I hope that his weakness is more fanciful than
real, and that now he is relieved from the weight of his gun he will
move on more briskly."
For a short distance Gozo staggered on faster than he had done for some
time previously, but again his feet moved slower and slower, until
coming to a tree he begged that he might lie down under it in the shade
and rest.
"But rest means delay, and every minute we are becoming more and more
thirsty," said Denis.
Still Gozo insisted on lying down, and Denis and Percy had to agree to
his doing so. As they could not leave him, they sat down by his side.
After remaining a few minutes, however, Denis started up. "Come, this
will never do," he exclaimed; "push on we must; we shall be as exhausted
as he is, if we do not soon find water, and we shall not find it by
sitting here."
"I am ready," said Percy; but when they tried to induce Gozo to rise, he
declared that he was utterly unable to move.
"Leave me here, masters," he groaned out. "If you find water in a short
time, come back, but if not go on, for it will be useless to return, as
I shall be dead."
Again and again they endeavoured to induce him to get up, but in vain
were all their efforts. At last Denis said, "We must leave him, I fear,
though he runs a great risk of being destroyed by some wild beast."
He then turned to the unhappy native. "We will do as you wish. We will
leave you your musket to defend yourself, but I would urge you not to
give in; and if you feel yourself stronger, follow us. You will easily
distinguish our spoor, and we will fire off our pieces to show you our
whereabouts, should we find water," he said.
With much regret they left poor Gozo, having strong doubts whether they
should find him alive on their return. They set off slightly refreshed
by their rest. They had not gone far when they caught sight of a single
wildebeest, or gnu, scampering along at a great rate, and going almost
in the direction they were pursuing.
"Perhaps that animal is making its way towards water," observed Percy.
"I fear not," answered Denis. "If so, it would not be alone. It has
been separated from the herd; and see, there are some creatures chasing
it. They are wild dogs; you can just distinguish their heads moving
along the grass in single file; the leader is close at the heels of the
poor wildebeest."
As the dogs came nearer, a whole line amounting to several score could
be seen, following exactly one behind the other. Presently the leader
took a leap, and alighted on the haunches of the affrighted gnu.
Another and another followed, until, borne down by numbers, the gnu was
dragged to the ground.
By this time Denis and Percy were near enough to fire with effect.
Denis knocked over one of the dogs, and the rest, frightened by the
report, turned tail and scampered off. The lads rushed forward, eager
to obtain some of the flesh of the gnu. The animal was already dead, so
they were saved the trouble of shooting it. They at once cut off some
slices, while the two dogs, who had refused to remain with Gozo, ate a
hearty meal.
"We must take some of this back to the poor fellow we left under the
tree," said Denis.
Percy agreed; and much revived themselves, they set off by the way they
had come. They hurried on, hoping to find Gozo still alive. As they
approached they shouted out to give him notice that they were coming.
The dogs on this ran forward; but as they got near to the spot, stopped
and gazed towards it, and then came back.
"What can have happened?" asked Percy. "Surely Gozo cannot have died
during the short time we have been absent, yet otherwise the dogs would
have remained."
They hurried on to find Gozo lying at full length where they had left
him. His eyes were open, but staring meaninglessly. Denis called him
by name. He made no reply. He lifted his hand, it felt cold and
clammy, and fell as he let it go; his heart had ceased to beat.
Notwithstanding this, he pressed some of the juice from the flesh they
had brought, into his mouth. They lifted up his head, they rubbed his
feet, but all in vain. They saw with sorrow that they had been too late
to save him. To remain longer would be useless, and already the journey
back had occupied some time.
"We must hurry on to save our own lives," said Denis; "if we don't find
water in an hour or two, we shall be badly off indeed."
They therefore left the body of the Kaffir where it lay, his rifle by
his side, but they wisely carried off his ammunition, in case their own
should run short. Sometimes they thought they saw shrubs which could
only grow near water, but on getting up to them they were disappointed
at not finding the slightest signs of moisture. Although the flesh of
the gnu had greatly revived them, still in a short time their thirst
returned. They pressed onward as before, the dogs ranging on either
side, apparently aware of what they were in search of, or prompted by
instinct to look out for themselves. Still there were no signs of
water. They went on for fully an hour more, during which time they
could have got over only between two or three miles, for they could not
walk very fast.
They had gone some way farther when Percy caught sight of some objects
moving over the plain, now stopping, now going on again.
"They are small animals of some sort," said Denis, to whom he pointed
them out. "We must try and get near them without putting them to
flight. Depend upon it they are not likely to be far from water."
There were some bushes at a little distance, to which the lads made
their way, in order to get near the creatures without being seen.
"Why, I believe they are baboons!" cried Denis; "the Kaffirs call the
creature the chacma. They are hunting for babiana root, which is always
full of water. We can drive them off just as they have begun to dig,
and before they have got hold of the roots we shall secure as many as we
want for ourselves. Had we seen them only a few hours ago, poor Gozo's
life might have been saved."
They were now getting near to the bushes, and the baboons, being very
busy, had fortunately not perceived them. They crept on cautiously
until they had got within fifty yards of the animals. There were a
couple of dozen at least. Some had got hold of roots which they were
eagerly eating, others were busily digging away in the sand. The lads
had some difficulty in keeping back the dogs; for as soon as they saw
the baboons they made efforts to rush at them, and very probably would
have suffered severely in consequence.
"Now," whispered Denis, "I see three or four have been digging away not
far off, evidently expecting to find roots. In a few seconds we'll
fire, then shout, and let slip the dogs."
They did as he proposed. The baboons, frightened at the unusual sounds,
and seeing the unknown creatures coming towards them, scampered off as
hard as they could go. Denis and Percy rushed forward to the holes
which the baboons had made, and digging eagerly with their hands, each
of them soon came to a root, and rubbing off the sand which adhered to
the outsides, put them to their mouths. Perfectly refreshing and cool
was the pulpy substance, full of the purest water. The dogs eagerly
gobbled up the portions they threw away. They went to another and
another hole, in each of which a root was found. The effect was almost
instantaneous; they at once felt refreshed and strengthened. Having
satisfied their own thirst, they found two more roots, which they gave
to the dogs; but the baboons had already extracted the roots from the
other holes, and after searching for some time they could find no more.
Although they themselves felt revived, they did not forget the object of
their expedition, and resolved to continue on; but it occurred to Denis
that as the baboons had come to the place to obtain roots, it was not
likely that they would find any water in the neighbourhood.
"That makes it more important that we should push on as fast as
possible," said Percy; "but I say, Denis, do you think there's any
chance of our getting back to the waggon to-night? It is already late."
Denis looked at the sun, which was sinking towards the west.
"Faith! I was not thinking how time was passing," he answered; "and, to
say the truth, I'm pretty sure we shan't get back, and we must make up
our minds to camp out. If we keep up a good fire to scare away the
lions and other savage beasts, there will be no danger and no great
hardship."
Percy, who did not like the thought of passing the night in the
wilderness, proposed that they should strike away to the right, or about
due east, in the expectation of falling in with the track of the waggon,
which he hoped might have been able to move on. Denis was of opinion
that there was no chance of their getting as far before nightfall, and
that it was very possible the oxen might not have been found, or if they
had been found, that they would have been able to make much progress
towards the north.
"We shall be wiser if we continue our search for water, and look out for
some food; for now--thanks to the roots--my thirst is quenched, and I am
getting very peckish," he added.
"So am I," said Percy; "but I am too anxious to get back to the waggon
to think much about my hunger."
"You'll not be so indifferent about food before long, let me tell you,"
observed Denis. "You'll then feel that you'd rather bring down a
springboc, or gnu, or any other animal we may come across, than see the
waggon moving ever so merrily along. I know what it is to be starving,
and to feel that one's life depends on bringing down the game one is
chasing. Come, move on! we will keep our eyes about us on the chance of
finding something to shoot. When the sun gets lower, we will look out
for a clump of trees or bushes which will shelter our camp from the
night wind, and give us fuel for our fire."
"I would rather find a stream or water hole," said Percy.
"So would I, provided we could afterwards get something to eat and fuel
to cook it; but if not, we must make the best of circumstances. Many
people have been in a worse situation than we are, so don't let us begin
to complain yet," said Denis.
His indomitable spirits encouraged Percy, and they trudged on in the
direction they were before going, looking eagerly about them, both for
signs of water and for any animal which might appear near enough to give
them a chance of shooting it. Denis was sure that Hendricks, should he
find water, would at once set off on horseback in search of them in the
direction he had desired them to take, and by his experience would
quickly come upon their spoor and follow them up, or if he could not
come himself, that he would send Umgolo. They were, of course, very
sorry for the loss of poor Gozo, who would have been of great assistance
both in obtaining food and searching for water, if any existed in the
neighbourhood. Meantime the sun was sinking lower and lower, but
neither game nor signs of water had they discovered. In vain Raff and
Fangs ranged widely on either side of them, as eager as they were to
find it.
Some way to the left there appeared a wood. The trees were not very
high, but they would afford them the shelter and fuel they required, and
Denis proposed that they should make towards them.
"It cannot be helped; we shall have to go without our suppers, I fear;
but we must hope to find something for breakfast," said Denis.
Percy groaned. He had become, as Denis guessed he would, very hungry,
and the lower limb of the sun had almost reached the horizon. They knew
that soon after it had set darkness would come on, when it would be
difficult to select a suitable spot for camping, or obtain time for
collecting fuel. They had not gone far when Percy exclaimed, "Hallo,
what's that? What an enormous bird!" And Denis, looking to the right,
in which direction Percy pointed, saw an ostrich scampering away across
the plain.
Both the dogs instantly started off in chase, but the ostrich quickly
outstripped them; and Denis, fearing that they might lose themselves or
get exhausted to no purpose, called them back.
"Did you mark the spot it started from?" he asked eagerly. "We must try
to find it. The chances are it was sitting on its eggs, and if they are
tolerably fresh, they will serve us for food and liquid too."
"I think I can calculate the whereabouts of the place it rose from,"
said Percy; and they hastened on, keeping a little apart, that they
might be able to examine a wider extent of ground than if they had been
together. Denis could see nothing like a nest, and he began to fear
that the ostrich had been merely resting after being chased, and that
their hunt would be fruitless.
"It can't be helped; we must make for the wood, or we shall not be able
to see our way," he shouted to Percy.
Just then the latter exclaimed, "Hurrah! hurrah! five magnificent eggs!"
and he held up one of them with both hands.
Denis hurried to the spot. There, sure enough, resting in the centre of
a clump of dry grass, with otherwise very little protection, were four
large white eggs besides the one Percy had in his hand, each large
enough to afford a good meal to them both.
Their hunger would have prompted them then and there to sit down and eat
the contents raw, but Denis wisely advised that they should restrain
their appetites and hasten on to the clump of trees. They accordingly
each secured two in their handkerchiefs and Percy carried the fifth in
his hand.
Although the sun had sunk by the time they got close to the wood, there
was still light sufficient to enable them to collect a supply of broken
branches and leaves for their fuel.
"Take care that you do not catch hold of a snake, fancying you are about
to pick up a stick," cried Denis. "I nearly did so just now.
Fortunately the creature wriggled off more frightened at me than I was
at it."
"You may trust me for that," said Percy; "but what do you say, instead
of sleeping on the ground, to climbing up into a tree? I see one with
the branches sufficiently low to enable us to get into it without
difficulty. We should at least be out of the reach of lions."
"Yes, I agree with you it will be the safest place, although not the
most comfortable, and we must remember to carry our guns with us, or we
may chance to be besieged there as I once was," answered Denis, coming
along with a bundle of sticks. "We'll light our fire first, and cook an
egg. If that is the tree you propose, let us pitch our camp beneath
it;" and he threw down the sticks, while Percy hastened to bring those
he had collected and left at a little distance.
"Holloa! I saw one of the branches move in a curious fashion," he
exclaimed, looking up at the tree in which they proposed to form their
resting-place for the night.
"A branch! why that's a boa or snake of some sort, big enough to eat us
both up, if so disposed," cried Denis.
They had fortunately not gone sufficiently close to enable the creature
to spring down upon them, or the consequences might have been serious.
"We must dislodge that fellow, if we are to get up the tree," said
Denis, raising his rifle. "I can see his head." And he fired.
The huge snake gave some convulsive struggles, trying to coil itself
round and round the branch, but its folds speedily relaxed, and its head
hung down towards the ground, still it clung on by its tail, the folds
of its huge body twisting and writhing in a manner truly terrific as
seen in the dim light beneath the deep foliage of the tree.
"We must put a stop to that fellow's performances, or he may be doing us
some mischief still," cried Percy; and raising his rifle he fired. In a
few seconds down fell the big snake to the ground; its tail, however,
still kept moving, and Denis, who had reloaded his rifle with small
shot, stepping forward, discharged it at the tail end of the body. The
effect was instantaneous--its struggles ceased--the huge snake lay dead.
"I only hope there may not be more up the tree. You see we might have
been in as much danger among the branches as on the ground," said Denis.
They both looked up, going round and round the tree, but could discover
nothing moving, so they came to the conclusion that the boa had been its
only occupant.
"It won't be pleasant to have this fellow close under us, as the hyenas
and jackals will to a certainty collect to feast off him before long,"
said Denis. "We must drag him off as far as we can. To be sure, if we
hadn't found the ostrich eggs, we should have been thankful to get some
steaks off him; as it is, we may as well cut a few for ourselves, in
case the eggs should not be as fresh as we might desire; while Raff and
Fangs will have no objection to as many as we like to give them."
"You don't mean to say that we may have to eat some of that horrible
snake!" cried Percy.
"I mean to say it is possible that we may be very glad to eat a good
junk of it," answered Denis. "We may fancy all the time that we are
banqueting on a magnificent sturgeon."
"Oh, do let us get the fire lighted first, and cook an egg," cried
Percy. "Without food I am sure I could not drag that snake a dozen
feet."
To this Denis agreed. Having match-boxes in their pouches, they quickly
lighted their fire, but they had to wait till some ashes were formed
before they could begin to cook one of the eggs. In the meantime Denis
cut some slices from the thicker part of the snake's body, and some
hunches which the hungry dogs very speedily disposed of. He then began
to drag it away, but alone he could scarcely move it, so that Percy, in
spite of his hunger, was obliged to assist him. They did not get far,
however, but hurried back, pretty well exhausted, to cook the eggs they
were longing for. Denis performed the operation in a scientific manner,
by making a small hole at one end, and then putting in some pepper and
salt which they had brought with them, and stirring the inside about
with a stick till the egg was cooked. It was soon done in this fashion;
and greatly to the satisfaction of Percy, who dreaded having to sup off
the snake's flesh, it was found to be perfectly sweet. Although they
had no water, they were able from the liquid nature of the egg to eat a
small portion of the biscuit they had in their pouches. The meal
greatly restored their strength, as well as Percy's spirits.
Having made up the fire to give them light, they dragged the body of the
snake still farther from the camp. Denis was inclined to remain under
the tree, where he could stretch himself at full length on the ground.
Percy entreated him to come up into the branches.
"But supposing we were both to go to sleep, and the fire was to go out,
and a lion was to come prowling this way, what would become of us?"
asked Denis. At last he agreed to do as Percy wished, and making up the
fire so as to give them plenty of light, they climbed into the tree with
their guns and four ostrich eggs.
"We must get up the dogs also, or some wild beast or other may carry
them off," said Denis. "Come along, Raff, old fellow, catch hold of
this;" and Denis, leaning down from the lowest branch, held out his
handkerchief, which Raff, clearly understanding what he was to do,
caught hold of, and was quickly hauled up. Nothing however would induce
Fangs to follow his example, and at last they were compelled to abandon
the attempt to get him up, he having evidently made up his mind to pass
the night at the foot of the tree--probably that he might enjoy at his
leisure a further meal off the snake. Greedy Fangs, like many human
beings, influenced by sinister motives, he was doomed to suffer severely
for his folly.
They soon selected for themselves and Raff three tolerably secure places
among the forked branches, where they hoped to be able to pass the
night, if not in a very comfortable manner, at all events without the
risk of being pounced upon by a hungry lion.