A FRIEND APPEARS UNEXPECTEDLY, AND OUR TRAVELLERS SPEND A DISTURBED
NIGHT.
Whatever ethereal persons may say to the contrary, there can be no doubt
whatever that the consumption of food is an intellectual treat, inasmuch
as it sets the body free from the cravings of appetite, and by
stimulating those nervous influences which convey vigour and vitality to
the brain, not only becomes the direct cause of physical gratification,
but induces that state of mind which is most favourable to the
development of the interesting creations of fancy and the brilliant
coruscations of imagination.
We might pursue this subject further did time and space permit; but our
objection to "skipping" is so great, that we shrink from giving the
reader even a shadow of excuse for doing so. Moreover we dread the
assault of the hypercritical reader, who will infallibly object that it
is not "the consumption of food," but the resulting mental effect which
is the "intellectual treat." As if we did not know that! "But," we
would retort with scorn, "can any cause be separated from its effect
without bringing about, so to speak, the condition of nonentity?"
Passing to the subject which gave rise to these erratic thoughts, we
have to relate that the whole party, entertainers and entertained, did
ample justice to the rice, beef, chicken and marrow-bones, after which
Hockins wafted the natives to the seventh heaven of delight and wonder
by means of his flageolet. It was very late that night before they
retired to rest. It was later still before they went to sleep.
The native village at which our travellers had arrived was a rude,
poor-looking place, inhabited by a brave and war-like tribe, who
depended more for defence on their personal prowess and the difficulties
presented by their forests, than upon ditches or ramparts. The village
was, however, surrounded by a fence of trees growing so close together
that it would have been almost impossible to carry the place by assault
if resolutely defended from within.
The huts were roughly constructed of bamboos plastered with clay and
lined with matting,--also with the large leaves of the "traveller's
tree," and thatched with rushes.
The chief's hut, in which the white guests were feasted, was of course
larger and somewhat better in construction than the others. Its floor,
composed of hard-beaten clay, was covered with matting, clean pieces of
which were spread for the visitors to squat upon, for there were no
chairs, stools, or tables. In the north-west corner was the hearth--a
square of between two and three feet, with a few large stones for
supporting the cooking utensils, but without chimney of any kind. Smoke
was allowed to find an exit as it best could by crevices in the roof and
by a small window or hole in the north gable. A few cooking-pots,
earthen jars, rice-baskets, some knives, a wooden chest, and several
spears, completed the furniture.
Against the northern roof-post hung a small bottle-shaped basket, which
contained the household _sampey_, or god, or charm. In Madagascar this
usually consists of a meaningless stone; sometimes a chip of wood, the
leaf of a tree, or a flower, and this is what the natives pray to and
profess to trust in!
Our travellers found, after supper was over, that they were not to sleep
in the chief's house, for they were led to that of a head-man of the
village, and told they were to rest with him. This man was old, and
seemed to have no wife or family, for the only person at home at the
time, besides himself, was an old woman, perhaps his sister, who looked
after the household. He was a hospitable old man, however, and made
them heartily welcome to their beds of matting in the north end of the
hut. Unfortunately the south end of it was usually occupied by pigs and
poultry. These were expelled for the occasion, but they insisted
several times on returning to their own abode, being unable, apparently,
to believe that their expulsion was really intended! As there were
several openings in the hut, the difficulty of excluding the animals was
great, for when expelled at one hole, amid remonstrative shrieks and
screams, they quickly re-entered at another with defiant grunts and
cacklings.
By stopping up the holes, however, the enemy was finally overcome. Then
the old man, having retired to his corner, and the sister having
departed, Mark Breezy, John Hockins, James Ginger, and Ravonino drew
round the fire, heaped-on fresh logs, lay down at full length on their
mats, and prepared to enjoy that sleepy chat which not unfrequently
precedes, sometimes even postpones, repose.
"That was a curious speech that Voalavo made to the crocodile,
Ravonino," said Mark. "Do you really think he believed it did any
good?"
"Yes, truly, he believed it. This is a land of charms and superstition.
Voalavo is of too honest and straightforward a nature to practise what
he does not believe in."
"Does _you_ b'lieve in charms an' soopistition?" asked Ebony, with
expectant eyes.
"What need to ax that, you stoopid nigger?" said Hockins; "don't you
know he's a Christian?"
"Das true, 'Ockins. I hoed an' forgot."
"But tell me, Ravonino, are de crokindiles awrful rampageous when dey're
roused?"
"Yes, they are pretty bad," said the guide, clearing his throat, for he
was fond of expatiating on the wonders and beauties of his native land!
"And although they look sluggish enough when sprawling on mud-banks,
half-asleep in the sun, you would be surprised to see them go after
fish, which is their principal food. Their favourite haunts are the
deep rugged banks of a river or lake overhung with trees, where they can
hide themselves and watch for prey. It is not only in water that they
are dangerous. They fasten their teeth, if they get the chance, on any
animal that comes to the river to drink. They sometimes get hold of
bullocks when drinking, and often do so when the cattle are swimming
across. They are unnaturally ferocious, too, for they will devour their
own young."
"Oh! de brutes!" exclaimed Ebony, poking the fire with a bit of stick
savagely. "Don't de mudders fight for de young uns?"
"Not they. The mothers lay their eggs in the sand and leave them to
look after themselves. The others are sly, and--"
"Dat's de fadders, brudders, an' unkles ob de eggs, you mean?"
"Yes, that's what I mean. The old he-crocodiles watch where the eggs
are laid, an' when it's about time for them to break an' let the young
ones out, these monsters go into the water at the edge and wait. When
the baby-crocodiles get out of prison they make straight for the water,
where the old villains are ready to receive an' devour them. Some times
the young ones are stupid when they are born, they take the wrong road
and escape their relations' teeth only to get to the rice-grounds and
fall into the hands of the natives. Many of the eggs, too, are
destroyed, before they are hatched, by vultures and other birds, as well
as by serpents. Men also gather them by hundreds, boil them and dry
them in the sun to preserve them for use or sale."
"The miserable young things seem to have a poor chance of life then,"
said Mark, sleepily.
"Das so, massa. I'd rader be a nigger dan a crokindile."
Hockins said nothing, being sound asleep.
"What makes that rattling among the cooking-pots?" asked Mark, looking
round lazily.
"Rats," replied the guide. "Didn't you see them running along the roof
when you came in?"
"No, I didn't."
"Look up now, then, and you'll see them on the beams."
Mark and Ebony both looked up, and beheld a row of rats on the beam
overhead--their bead-like eyes glittering as they gazed over one side of
the beam, and their long tails just showing on the other.
"Das funny," said the negro, who was in sympathy with the whole brute
creation!
Mark thought it very much the reverse of funny, but held his peace.
"Dar's a ole grey un, massa, right ober 'Ockins's head--a tremenjous big
'un. Don't you see 'im wid a griggy young un beside 'im?"
Whether the griggy young one was also larky we cannot tell, but while
the negro was speaking it executed a flourish (whether intentional or
otherwise who can say?) which knocked the big grey rat off the beam, and
caused it to fall with a heavy flop on Hockins's face. Three others
fell off in their anxiety to observe the result.
Hockins leapt up with an indignant roar, and the rats leaped among the
pots and pans with a horrified squeak, while Ebony and the others looked
on with excruciating enjoyment.
The scurrying of many little feet among the household implements told
that the grey rat's friends were numerous though unseen, and the angry
grunting of pigs proved that other slumbers had been broken. Of course
the whole party were thoroughly awakened by this incident, but they took
it good-humouredly, and, after replenishing the fire, lay down again,
and resolutely shut their eyes and ears.
Slumber was once more stealing over them, when a noise at the door of
the hut awakened them. Next moment they started up, for two warriors of
the tribe entered with a prisoner between them.
"We caught this man entering our village," said one of the warriors,
fiercely, to the guide; "we would have taken him to our chief, but he
says that you are his friend--yet I think he lies."
"He speaks the truth," returned Ravonino, calmly. "He is my friend.
Doubtless he has good reasons for coming here. Leave him with us, we
will guard him till morning."
The warriors at once released their prisoner and retired, while the man
stepping forward into clearer light revealed the handsome countenance of
Laihova.
"Sit down, my brother," said Ravonino to the youth, in tones of unusual
tenderness, "and let me know what brings you here so unexpectedly."
"I come to offer my service," replied the youth, with a modest air.
"You have told me that you go to Antananarivo to rescue Rafaravavy.
Your face is known to every one in the town. If you enter it, your
death will be certain."
"But I do not intend to enter it," said Ravonino; "these my white
friends will aid me."
"The white men may be wise and brave, but they know not how to aid you,
I am not so well-known in the town. I will venture into it, and will
show them where to go and what to do."
The guide shook his head and was silent for some moments. He seemed
uncertain how to act.
"What says Laihova?" asked Mark Breezy at this point, for the
conversation having been conducted in the native tongue they as yet
understood nothing.
The guide briefly explained, and then turned to the young man.
"But how can you think of leaving your friends in the cave, Laihova?
They may require your strong arm; and my sister is--"
"It was my friends who advised me to leave them," said the youth,
quickly, "and Ra-Ruth bade me go. Besides, have we not entered into the
Covenant of Blood?"
"Well, you may come with us. After all, Ra-Ruth is right."
"What does he mean by the Covenant of Blood?" asked Mark when the guide
explained what had just been said.
"It means that he and I are united by one of the closest ties that bind
the men of this island. No doubt you will think it a strange alliance,
nevertheless it is a true and a strong bond of brotherhood. It is meant
to unite two people in sacred friendship, so that ever afterwards they
feel bound to help and defend each other. When two persons agree to
form this bond, a meeting is arranged for the performance of the
ceremony and taking the vow. Some gunpowder and a ball are brought,
with a little ginger, a spear, and two particular kinds of grass. A
fowl is also used. Its head is nearly cut off, and it is left to bleed
during the ceremony. Then a long vow of mutual friendship, assistance,
and defence is pronounced. After this each man drinks a few drops of
the other's blood. To obtain it they make a small cut in the skin of
the centre of the bosom, which they call `the mouth of the heart.'"
"And did you go through this ceremony with Laihova?" asked Mark.
"I did, many years ago, when we were little more than boys. He saved my
life by jumping into a deep pool in a lake and rescuing me from the
crocodiles. I had fallen in off the steep bank. I could not swim, and
he could. After that we made the alliance of brotherhood. Laihova was
not a Christian at that time. Since then God has made use of me to
rescue him from a more awful death than that which threatened me.
Laihova is grateful, and, knowing that I run much risk in going near the
capital, has come, as you see, to help me."
"Not a bad style of brotherhood that," said Hockins, with a tremendous
yawn. "Eh, Ebony? What d'ee think of you an' me goin' in for the same
sort o' thing?"
"P'r'aps," answered Ebony, with a responsive yawn which threw that of
Hockins quite into the shade, "p'r'aps black blood mightn't agree wid
your stummick. But I say, Massa Breezy, don' you tink it a'most time we
was goin' to sleep?"
As the night was far spent--or, rather, the morning far advanced--by
that time, the whole party willingly assented. Laihova was supplied
with a separate mat, the embers of the wood-fire were drawn together,
and they all lay down once more, to make the most of what remained of
the period of repose. But circumstances were against them.
True, being tired and healthy men, they dropped off at once with the
facility of infants, and during a quarter of an hour or so, while the
fire continued to emit an occasional flicker, all went well; but when
the last vestige of flame died away, the rats again came out with
bead-like eyes and cautious tread. Gradually they became bolder.
Impunity never fails to encourage presumption. In short they soon began
to hold a sort of carnival. The pots and pans became, as it were,
musical, to the evident distress of the slumbering seaman--especially
when the large grey rat fairly overturned a small rice-jar, which in its
fall removed several props from other utensils and caused a serious
clatter. Still the wearied men slept through it all, until the enemy
took to scampering over their bodies. Then the enraged Ebony, being
partially awakened, made a fierce grasp at one of the foe, and caught
Hockins by the ear. Of course the result was a howl, and a sleepy
request from Mark, to "Stop that noise!"
But even that incident failed to arouse them thoroughly, though it
filled the rats with temporary horror, and caused them to flee.
The last word reminds us that there were others there that night,
besides rats, to disturb the sleepers' dreams--but we merely make a
suggestive hint at that!
Soon the rats returned in greater force and more demonstrative hilarity
than ever. They evidently went in for a game of hide-and-seek round and
over the slumberers, causing the sleepy growls of John Hockins to
resemble the fitful mutterings of distant thunder.
Thus they went on until the grey dawn of morning appeared. Then an
extremely large cock, in the south-east corner of the hut, feeling that
it had enjoyed a sufficiently good night's rest, flapped its ungainly
wings, stretched out its neck, and gave vent to a clarion-crow which--
"Brute!" exclaimed Hockins, not even giving us time to finish the
sentence!
He said no other word, but seizing a piece of wood, sent it forth with
such true and effective aim, that he cleared not only the cock, but all
his wives off their perch, and sent them in cackling consternation out
of the hut by the nearest hole in the wall.
After that the much-tried party slumbered in peace until the sun was
high.