"They are returning to their dwellings, called here Kraals, which no
doubt are pretty near at hand."
"Which is sartain," put in Thompson, "or that little fat man of theirs
will have to be carried as well as the game."
"Well, then, let us stay here till the sun sets, and when the night--as
it does in all tropical countries--quickly follows, we will track them
and reconnoitre more closely as to their vicinity."
Agreeing upon this, the minister and I--for Jack's arm having grown
stiff and sore, would not allow him to make himself useful--set about
procuring bananas, nuts, and other edible fruits to stay our hunger.
Even had we come across another rock rabbit I doubt whether we should
have ventured to kill it, being, as we were, in such close quarters with
the natives.
Thompson once or twice argued that we should make again for the shore,
and I half agreed with him till Mr Ferguson, overhearing a few of his
whispered remarks, convinced me to the contrary by asking--
"If we did make directly back, and build a hut of rock as Jack proposed,
how first should we catch the fish he mentions, and how should we obtain
water? without which we must in this hot climate inevitably die of
thirst and madness."
This sensible reasoning convinced Jack and me also, when the minister
continued--
"As certainly we have no chance of sighting a ship here, suppose we make
our course as straight in advance as we can, when we shall assuredly
reach the banks of some river such as the Imfolosi or Umlalaze, along
whose banks we can proceed till we again reach the shore, where then, if
you like, we can build a hut, for we shall have both fish and fresh
water close at hand."
There could not be a better plan proposed, and we were for instantly
putting it into execution.
"We must wait till the sun has set, and then we shall not be able to go
far to-night, for we must traverse the bush, not to be seen by the
Kaffirs. Indeed, I do not think we shall do more than cross the plain,
and wait for the moon to rise that we may each select the branches of
some tree to rest in till dawn, when we must start instantly, taking the
bush, and working towards the east, for the Kaffirs generally build
their kraals far inland."
Accordingly, directly the night closed in, we set out. Our "straight
course" led us nearly in the same tracks the Kaffirs had gone, that is
as well as we could judge in the darkness; therefore we had to proceed
with much caution, and hoped to reach the crest of the hill before the
moon rose, least our figures, crouch down as we would, should attract
the keen glance of some Kaffir, whose kraal might be for what we knew,
within a few yards of the other side.
As we went, distant sounds, such as a distant roar and creaking of
branches, told us that the fierce dwellers among its luxuriance were out
in search of food, and we all shuddered at the idea of what our position
would have been at that moment, had we lost ourselves in the terrible
bush.
We had more than half crossed the plain, and were hurrying on in
silence, when my steps were suddenly arrested by a cry, partly of
surprise, partly of terror from Jack Thompson who had been walking by my
side. I started round, fully expecting to find ourselves once more in
the presence of the King of Beasts or some other animal, though I do not
think its red eyes would have astonished me more than what did indeed
meet my view--which was nothing; yes, nothing. Jack Thompson had
entirely vanished.
"Good heavens! Mr Ferguson," I exclaimed, catching his arm, "where is
Thompson; just now he was by my side, and see, he has gone!"