FIGHT WITH NATIVES AND RETURN TO WONDER ISLAND
When the _Pioneer_ sailed for Unity it was with the understanding that
she was to return within a week or ten days. At a cliff in the headland,
which jutted out on the southern side of the bay, a sort of post office
station was established, because if the ship should return while they
were in the interior, it would be well for the commander of the
_Pioneer_ to know where to go in the event that the eastern or the
northern coast should be much more convenient for John and his party.
It was nearly a hundred miles from the Island to Wonder Island, and
there would be no occasion for the Professor to hurry back a relief,
except to supply additional ammunition, because they did not for an
instant expect to meet a tribe that would give them such a fight.
There was still enough to provide, probably five rounds per man, so that
it made them a pretty respectable fighting force. The weather was such
that the force on the island did not require tents for shelter, and with
the native fruits the party could well subsist for quite a time without
assistance.
It was agreed that the party should keep together, and no straggling be
permitted, as it was evident they had a very bitter foe to deal with.
The severely wounded Chief, who was taken along, was under the personal
charge of the Professor, the understanding being that as soon as his
wounds were satisfactorily progressing, an effort would be made to open
up communication with him, and through that channel they could reach the
inhabitants of the island, and thus advise them that they did not mean
to do them an injury.
"I wonder if that isn't the real reason why John does not want to go for
the fellows who attacked us," asked George.
"That may be so. It never occurred to me before. It seems to me,
though," answered Harry, "that they will get but little out of that
fellow in a week's time. You know they are very much reserved at times."
"Or stubborn," suggested George.
One of the things that John was careful about related to the
organization of the force, so that it would at all times be ready for
action. In order to carry out this idea and make it effectual, he
divided the fighters into two squads of twenty-five men each, under the
commands of Uraso and Muro, the arrangement being such that one squad
should have charge of the patrolling and picketing for a period of two
days, and then the other should take charge for a like time.
There was always the most perfect accord between the two Chiefs, and
John wisely allowed them to arrange those matters in such a way as would
be most satisfactory to them.
Before noon the following day the force marched out from Security
Harbor, as they had named the bay, and took up the trail made by John
and his party two days before.
"We have names for the two islands, and for about all the principal
points, but we have no name for this place," said Harry, as they were
marching along.
"Quite true," answered George, reflectively. Then, with a laugh, he
said: "As they have cannibals here, according to the evidence so far
gathered, I think _Maneta_ would be a name that would tell the story
about as well as anything." And George laughed as he made the
suggestion.
He was an adept in applying names, being generally the first to make
suggestions in that direction, and he was rarely at a loss for an apt
designation.
The route was over a country which was rich in vegetation. During the
first ten miles the ascent was gradual, and the fruit and nuts were
abundant, while new species of trees and flowers attracted the boys.
"Harry and I have found a plant that has flies and other insects all
over the leaves, and I believe it actually catches and holds. Here is a
sample," said George, as he presented a branch to John.
John examined it carefully. Then he said: "This is a plant of which we
have several in the United States, but none which are as active. This is
called Venus' Fly Trap."
"That is curious," remarked Harry. "I wouldn't have paid any attention
to it but I saw a fly alight on it, and these little feelers seemed to
close around it, and hold it."
"It works on that plan exactly. It is in that way it gets its food."
"But why should the feelers be able to grasp the fly the moment it
touches the leaf?"
[Illustration: _Fig. 16. Venus' Fly-Trap._]
"Do you recall about what the Professor told you of the peculiar power
of plants to absorb food of particular kinds by a faculty called
_irritability_?"
"Yes; I remember."
"By means of that, plants are enabled to select just the kinds of
substances that they want, and can digest. If you will carefully notice
the leaf, after it has seized a fly it will be observed that the leaf
exudes a watery substance, and that has the property of digesting the
fly, or of converting the liquid part of the insect into a form of food
which is taken through the leaf, and from the leaf it goes into the
plant itself."
"I thought plants got their food from the roots only?"
"Leaves are just the same as roots. They are terminals, and moisture as
well as foods, such, for instance, as nitrogen, is absorbed and fed to
the plant through the leaves."
As they progressed they could see evidences of human occupation, and in
many places the remains of fire. It was while making a detour from the
regular route taken by John that they saw the first startling thing.
It was found at a place where a rude hut was discovered in a dilapidated
condition. Directly behind the hut was a raised sort of dais, supported
on two posts, and this was filled with human skulls, all in an advanced
stage of decay.
It was noticed only by accident, as the area around the hut was thickly
grown up by the vegetation. The boys were naturally startled at the
sight.
"What does that mean?" asked Harry.
John replied: "This is evidence that the people here are head hunters."
"What do you mean by _head hunters_?"
"Certain savages have the belief that their importance depends on the
number of heads they can capture."
"Where do they get them?"
"It is necessary for them to kill their enemies, and impale the heads,
or nail them up to their huts."
"Is it a religious ceremony?"
"In some cases that is so. In some tribes the object is merely to show
bravery and manliness. The more heads a man possesses the braver he is."
The vicinity of the hut was carefully examined, and Uraso brought to
John a very curiously arranged shell, with a handle to it. It was, in
fact, a rattle. John took the article, and after examining it for some
time, remarked:
"These people will be difficult to deal with; very difficult."
"Why do you form that conclusion from the examination of the rattle?"
"This is a vele."
"A _vele_; and what in the world is that?"
"A vele is a sort of hoodoo; it is something that many natives believe
in with such tenacity that if any one having this rattle points to him
and declares him veleed, and announces that the veleed one will die the
next day, he will lay down and actually expire as predicted."
"Do you believe such tales?" asked Harry.
"Of course those stories are hard to understand, but the missionaries on
the Melanesian Islands vouch for many things similar to that. In 1871,
Bishop Patterson, one of the missionaries, was murdered by the natives
of those islands, and many of the facts in regard to their customs were
then established."
"But how do they work the vele?"
"The place where the vele is worked to the most unlimited extent is in
the Island of Guadalcaner, one of the Solomon Islands, although it has
its counterpart in many other places. The vele rattler is carefully kept
in a bamboo box, and when the owner wishes to destroy an enemy he takes
the vele, and searches for him.
"In doing so he must not be seen by any one. If he is seen the vele will
not be effective. When he finds his enemy the vele is pointed to the
man, and the rattles shaken, and while doing so the one exorcising the
spell must turn his face away and utter curses. As soon as his enemy
hears this, he turns to see who has veleed him, and he then glances
around to see if any one has seen the vele."
"Are you sure that the rattle is for that purpose?"
"There is no question of it, and it is an evidence that the natives are
intensely superstitious, and such people are very difficult to deal
with."
"I suppose we shall have witch doctors to deal with here?" asked George.
"That is a very natural supposition."
"Did you see some of these things when you came over here yesterday?"
"Yes."
It was evident to both boys that they were going direct to the
mountains, and the general character of the surroundings reminded them
so much of the mountains on Wonder Island, that they felt assured John
would be able to find the cave for which he was searching.
That night they encamped on a small stream which was, no doubt, formed
by a spring, as its waters were deliciously cool, and refreshing.
During that night, shortly after twelve o'clock, the boys heard the most
peculiar noises, like a doleful, continuous cry, echoed and reechoed
from hill to mountain,--something indescribable, but they refrained
from saying anything to John about it.
Some of the boys who were present and heard it were singularly affected,
and it must be said that the boys themselves, notwithstanding the
experiences they had passed through, were not altogether composed in
their minds.
When Uraso and Muro appeared next morning, after a night of scouting,
they were startled by the accounts which were furnished, as to the
number and warlike character of the inhabitants, and a council was held
to decide whether it would be advisable to proceed with their limited
force.
If they knew, beyond question, that the island was occupied by another
tribe, it might enable them to make peace with one of them, and thus
pave the way for approaching these people.
It was unfortunate that the first contact with the natives brought them
into open hostilities, much as they desired to avoid it, but it was too
late now.
"From your investigations," said John, addressing the two chiefs, "can
you give any idea of the number of natives in this tribe?"
"We were unable to get near the village, but during the night we touched
three different parties, one over by the high ridge, one a mile to the
front, and the other over in the open ground not far from the place we
had the fight. If I can judge anything by that I should say they have a
number of warriors," answered Uraso.
"That does, indeed, look as though they are ready to meet us from
whatever direction we may attack them," remarked John.
"The thing which is the most singular to me," remarked Muro, "is the way
they are coming at us after the fight over there. If they were a weak
lot they would draw off, and keep away from us, and that makes me think
they have a lot of warriors, and are simply waiting until they can
collect all of them."
"We must do one of two things," ventured John, on reflection. "Either to
go on with the men we have, or to wait until the _Pioneer_ returns, and
then go back with her and fit out a force of ample size to meet them. It
is our wish to win over the people by peaceful means, but our weakness
may be the worst possible way of accomplishing that purpose."
Uraso and Muro were both in favor of returning and waiting for the
_Pioneer_, as they knew it would be likely to show up within the next
three days, and their views decided the matter.
"Under the circumstances we must leave this place before it is too late
in the day, or we may have trouble in reaching the landing, although we
can easily hold them off with our rifles, but we must avoid bloodshed,"
and on this point John was insistent.
The camp was astir and all the equipment in hand within fifteen minutes,
although they had not yet partaken of breakfast. Uraso took the first
turn, as commander of the rear guard, while the main body hurried on to
cross the valley, before the savages could get the first notice of the
retirement.
Notwithstanding the great caution displayed, several shots were heard
before the slope on the other side was reached, and they knew that Uraso
was engaged.
It is difficult, sometimes, to know just how information travels among
savage people, but in this case, the peculiar beatings of the drums
which could be heard in the dim distance, was sufficient to satisfy Muro
that they had watchers, and a signaling means from treetops and from the
crests of the great hills all around them.
An hour afterwards Uraso's men were seen in the distance, and, although
they had fired no more shots, it was evident that the natives were now
in force and pressing against him with all their might. Only the
consummate skill of Uraso prevented them from rushing the men under his
command.
But the top of the hill was reached; the landing was not much more than
a mile beyond that, and John hurriedly took a half dozen men, and George
and Harry with him, in order to select the final line of defense within
reach of the landing place, while Uraso and Muro held them in check.
The boys were ahead of the little party, swinging along and trying to
get to the elevated point which John indicated as the most available
place, when two powerful natives sprang across their path, and before
either could draw a weapon, they were pounced upon and seized by two
more who approached from the rear.
With great presence of mind Harry cocked and fired the gun which his
captors were struggling for. The shot went through the arm of the native
who had seized George, and the latter, now free, raised his rifle and
brought it down with all force on the nearest one.
John and the men with him needed no further information as to the
situation. They were practically surrounded. That was his first thought;
but, as no more natives appeared, and the two remaining savages started
on a run it began to be evident that they were only scouts who expected
an easy capture of the two boys.
There was no more straggling or running ahead after that. Uraso and the
rear guard came up with a rush on hearing the shots, but were reassured
when they saw the party intact.
The heights were gained, and before they could arrange for the defense
the natives appeared from three quarters, and held off a quarter of a
mile beyond.
During the following day John tried to establish communications with the
natives, but they rebuffed all efforts, and the arrival of the _Pioneer_
was anxiously awaited.
On the third day the natives were observed closer at various points, and
they began to grow bolder, but at noon of the fourth day the sharp eyes
of Muro discovered the glimpse of a sail to the west.
Within two hours the form of the ship could be seen. The _Pioneer_ was
making for the landing, and a cheer went up from the men at the welcome
sight.
There was not much difficulty in descending the cliffs and establishing
communications with the vessel, and within an hour they were aboard and
the natives could plainly be seen coming down the opposite slope waving
defiance to the ship.
The next day the _Pioneer_ sailed up Enterprise River. The people in
Unity were anxious to learn of the new island, and to hear of the
exploits with the savage tribe which the boys had encountered.
"The Treasures of the Islands," the next book in this series, relates
the further experiences of the boys upon their return to Rescue Island.
THE END
THE BOY GLOBE TROTTERS
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