WE GO IN SEARCH OF MR FERGUSON--METILULU'S RECEPTION OF MY FRIENDS--
THEIR STORY.
No one but those who have lived nearly twelve months with a savage tribe
can at all imagine the joy I experienced at once more looking upon the
face of a white man and a fellow-countryman. It was some moments even
before I could speak my delight, my voice being stifled by rising sobs,
while Jack was no better than myself. When, however, we at last drew a
few paces off to again look upon each other, I could not help bursting
into a laugh as I beheld my companion and recalled his complimentary
remarks respecting my personal appearance, for he was as eccentrically
attired as myself.
His skin, already bronzed by many years at sea, had become nearly of a
true Kaffir hue, while his fur clothing very much resembled a herald's
tabard, only it was longer to the knee, not so high at the throat, and
was joined at each side; from this garment emerged his brown muscular
bare legs and arms, while it was surmounted by his weather-beaten face,
topped by grizzled hair, and covered half-way up by a large, unkempt,
iron grey beard.
"Well, Jack," I exclaimed, my own language sounding strangely in my
ears, "'pon my life I don't see what you had to laugh at in me, for your
toggery is no better."
"No, my stars, it ain't; but who'd ever have believed to have seen
another Christian dressed out like myself? But it's all compulsion,
Dick--it's all compulsion; and if heaven wills it to be so, as the young
minister says, I oughtn't to have any objection."
"Ah, that reminds me," I interrupted quickly; "where is Mr Ferguson? I
hope that he, like us, is safe. You can't tell, Jack, how often I have
thought, during the last twelve months, about his words, even to trying
a little bit of his business myself."
"What; preachifying! You don't mean to say you've turned missionary?"
"Not quite," I laughed; "but any man with religion in his heart would
try, I am sure, to cast some seeds among these benighted people, hoping
that they might take root. But where is Mr Ferguson--I am so anxious
to see him; you can't tell how anxious? Remember you have always had a
companion to talk to, while I have been alone."
"True, Jack, true," responded Thompson, again affectionately wringing my
hand. "Come along; I'll lead you to his hut, where I trust to find he's
come safely out of the dangers of this terrible night. Why, how did
those black fiends manage so to surprise us?"
"About the same way," I said, "that the tribe you are with would have
managed it the other night, if, fortunately through my means, we had not
been prepared for them. But do come along and I'll tell all about this
afterwards, for I want to know if Mr Ferguson is safe; you cannot
imagine how I have grown to like him."
"Yes, I can, for I feel the same, Dick; that young missionary can do
what he likes with me, else I think I should have long ago given some of
these black fellows such a drubbing that I shouldn't have been permitted
to live many minutes afterwards. I should have sought him out directly
I could have got rid of the ruins of the hut, had it not been for my joy
at seeing you."
Thompson now moved quickly on, and proceeded to a small hut a little way
off, which he entered, but instantly re-appeared, his face indicating
much alarm--for he had found the place empty.
"I can't tell where he's gone," he said, "but he's not there. We must
seek him. If none of those bloodthirsty fiends you brought--"
"_I_ brought, Jack!"
"Well, who brought you; if they haven't hurt him, none of our tribe
would I am sure, for they respect him too much."
Anxiously we now searched among the slain for the young minister, whom
it appeared even the Kaffirs had liked, and no one can tell with what
relief we passed from heap to heap and found him not among the dead. We
had proceeded some little way outside the kraal, our quest as yet in
vain, when with a cry Jack hurried forward towards the figure of a man
kneeling by the side of another either dying or dead.
We had found Mr Ferguson at last, and, like a true soldier of heaven as
he was, at his post; for, on Thompson approaching, he arose, with, as I
perceived, his well-remembered prayer-book in his hand.
"Ah, Jack," he exclaimed joyfully; "thank heaven you are safe. I was
about to seek you, when--"
"Never mind me, sir, please now," interrupted Thompson excitedly, "for
I've brought an old friend to see you--one you will rejoice as much to
look upon as he rejoices to look upon you, sir."
"A friend! Thompson--and here?"
"Yes, here sir, if you can reckernise in this noble Kaffir warrior, with
his shield and assagais, our old mate in trouble--Dick Galbraith!"
"Dick Galbraith here! alive?" exclaimed Mr Ferguson. "Now, heaven be
praised indeed, for this is good news. My heart is truly delighted--it
has been much cast down at the thought of what might have been your
fate."
I seized his extended hand tremulously, but that greeting was too cold,
and he too embraced me as a Frenchman might have embraced his brother.
I need not recapitulate the sundry questions we put to each other, they
surely may easily be imagined; suffice it that we kept on talking till
we were interrupted by the approach of Tugela, who, by Metilulu's
orders, had come to find out where I had got to.
He looked with great surprise at seeing us three together, clothed very
nearly alike, only the minister's complexion was much fairer, and stared
yet more at hearing us all talking the same language; but I had already
told him about my lost companions, therefore a few words were now
sufficient to explain the present state of affairs, and I frankly asked
him the best way for me to act respecting them and Metilulu?
He advised me to take my friends to the Chief at once, and tell him
everything; how we had been separated, and how we had again met. He
also assured us that we need have little fear, for, as Metilulu had
proved in my case, he leaned much towards white men when they, on their
part, showed a disposition to be friendly. "But," he added, "let alone
this, he will no doubt treat your two friends hospitably for your sake,
as he feels really deeply grateful for the service you so lately
rendered the tribe. No time would be better than the present to make
the introduction, as Metilulu is in the best of humours owing to his
great success over his enemy, and is regaling in copious draughts of
beer and supplies of snuff."
I hope I have shown, as I have desired to, that Tugela's stay in the
English settlements, where he had obtained the language, had not only
improved his own ideas, but had also caused him not to be blind to some
of the peculiar manners of his tribe, though he yet preferred living
among them to dwelling with white men. With Tugela one of our party, my
two companions having consented to the introduction, we at once
proceeded to the isibaya where Metilulu still remained.
He was now seated with some of his warriors in attendance, and, of
course, a jar of the enemy's beer in close proximity to his hand. As I
approached slightly in advance of the others, he bade me come and sit
near him, as he desired to know my opinion upon the style of revenge he
had that night taken upon the hostile tribe.
Making a low inclination, I replied that I thought it as terrible and as
complete as only such a powerful and skilful Chief as he could have
accomplished; then added that, "even as it had brought desolation on his
enemies, it had brought the greatest happiness to me, his friend, not
only at having seen him victorious, but because it had also enabled me
to find two dear companions who had been wrecked in the same ship that I
had been, and washed on to the same shore, but through circumstances I
would explain to him, had been separated from me just before I had
fallen so fortunately into his hands."
He listened very attentively, then in the most friendly manner bade us
all three sit down, and inform him at once how we had been divided.
Instantly obeying, I soon ran through my account, when I turned to Mr
Ferguson, who could speak, the language even better than I, and
requested him to relate to the Chief what had been his and Thompson's
fate after I had quitted them with Metilulu's soldiers.
Clearly and in a manner that proved he had well studied the best method
to address and win the confidence of these people, he recounted their
story to Metilulu, which I will give briefly as follows:--
When from the pit they had heard the fray above, Mr Ferguson, guessing
I must be surrounded by the natives, consequently in danger, instantly
endeavoured to get out and hasten to my help; for this purpose he had
made Thompson kneel on hands and knees, then standing upon his
shoulders, had nearly grasped the top of the pit, when Jack, weak from
pain and exertion, sunk down, causing Mr Ferguson to fall heavily to
the ground. A few moments after, recovering himself, he had with much
difficulty succeeded in clambering out; but then he found the place
deserted, for, as it may be remembered, I had been instantly wounded by
a spear and at once marched off to the kraal. He was, however, without
one thought of himself, about to pursue and assist me if possible, when
a moan of pain from poor Thompson reached him, and reminded him how
helpless he was, wounded and insensible at the bottom of the giraffe
trap. Therefore, wisely considering that among so large a body of men,
as by their yells he knew them to be, he could at the present moment be
but of little service to myself, he determined to remain with the one he
could aid; and running to the bush, for he no longer cared about being
seen, he procured some strong monkey-ropes, then returning dropped once
more into the pit. There he fastened them as well as he could round
Thompson, who had now recovered his senses, climbed out again, and, Jack
helping himself as well as he was able with his hands, managed to draw
him out.
When this was done, having sat down a while for Thompson to recover
himself a little, they commented sadly upon what they thought my
misfortune. Afterwards they started off, if possible to track me; but
this they failed to do, owing to their having taken a wrong direction,
and, morning shortly breaking, were again compelled to hide in the bush.
There they wandered about till nearly the close of day, when they were
startled by perceiving the dark face of a Kaffir carefully inspecting
their movements from among the trees. On finding he was seen, he
disappeared, apparently as frightened of them as they were of him;
whereupon, rejoicing, they had hurried off in a contrary direction, but,
ten minutes after, the Kaffir yells again rang in their ears, and the
next instant they found themselves surrounded by some twenty or thirty
of the natives, armed with assagais.
Seeing it was useless to resist, Mr Ferguson with difficulty restrained
Jack's fierce British ebullition of defiance and rage, advising him to
follow his example and quietly surrender themselves, as by that means
they might win kindness instead of ill treatment from their assailants.
"And," added the minister, when he had come to this part, bowing
respectfully to Metilulu, "in that we were not deceived, for the tribe
which you, most noble Chief, have just conquered, treated us most
hospitably, and we have lived in peace among them up to this moment."
I had noticed that, owing to fatigue, or perhaps joila, Metilulu had
become exceedingly drowsy towards the end of the minister's story. He
roused up, however, at the close, and, catching the words respecting the
tribe's hospitality, said that they also should receive the same from
his hands, as he liked white men much when they did not wish to be his
enemies, but friends, like Galbratha, indicating me; then, growing
silent, Metilulu partly averted his head. Taking this for a form of
dismissal, we rose, made our obeisances, and, having asked his
permission to retire, withdrew to a quiet secluded part of the kraal,
where, wrapping our karosses around us, we laid ourselves down, first to
have a chat, then to sleep.
I need not recount Mr Ferguson and Thompson's history while in the
Kaffir kraal, for it was much about the same as my own, only the
minister had never ceased to fulfil his duties, working so untiringly,
and with such success, that Jack--gruff and most British in his contempt
of the natives--had often owed his safety to the missionary's influence
with them. Our lives differed also in the fact that Kabela, the chief
of their tribe, had not desired them to take unto themselves wives,
neither had a Kaffir girl done either of them the honour of falling in
love with their white faces.
Poor Zenuta!