THE SAN BLAS COUNTRY
We had an early breakfast and then Ned Britton bade us good-bye and
started obediently to descend the river and explore along the coast.
He was loth to abandon the more dangerous and fascinating quest for
the diamonds, but being loyal to the core he knew how to obey orders
without grumbling.
As soon as he was away we began preparations for our own departure. The
first thing was to arrange for launching the convertible automobile,
which Moit had been examining very carefully ever since daybreak. He
reported that it had sustained no damage whatever from the storm or
the shock of grounding and was in perfect condition. So all we had to
do was to remove the guy ropes, let it slide down the slanting deck
to the bulwarks--over which we lifted it with a crane attached to the
mizzenmast--and then let the machine descend gently until it rested on
the bosom of the river.
I was still so skeptical concerning some of Moit’s absurd claims that
it would not have surprised me to see the huge car sink like a stone;
but instead of that it rode the water like a duck, the wheels half
submerged, the rail high above the water-line.
We now filled the ample lockers beneath the seats with provisions, put
in a cask of fresh water in case the river water proved unpalatable,
and took along such trinkets as we could gather together for trading
purposes. We each carried a brace of revolvers, Moit and I (being
slaves) concealing ours, while Nux and Bry carried theirs openly.
Finally we dressed for the excursion. The gay checked suit and tourist
cap of Uncle Naboth we gave to Nux, and although they hung rather
loosely he presented a most startling appearance in them. He swung a
brass watch chain of gigantic size across his vest front and Uncle gave
him a few of the big cigars to smoke when he wanted to “show off.”
Bry wore a white duck suit belonging to Duncan Moit, and to my
astonishment looked as aristocratic as any Eastern potentate on his
first visit to London. These Sulus were by no means bad looking men,
if one could forget their color, and they took great delight in the
transformations we thrust upon them.
As for Moit and myself, we hunted among the sailors’ cast-off togs
for the most disreputable “land clothes” we could find, and those we
selected were ragged and dirty enough, in all conscience. I wore a
run-down shoe upon one foot and a red leather slipper on the other, and
when I had rumpled my hair and soiled my face and hands I am sure I was
as disgraceful in appearance as any ragged urchin you ever came across.
I was not wholly satisfied with Duncan, however. In spite of his
apparel there was so thoughtful a look in his big gray eyes and so
well-bred and composed an expression on his finely molded features
that he could not look a servant’s part as fully as I did and the
best I could hope was that the San Blas people would consider him an
unfortunate gentleman in hard luck.
There was much laughter and amusement among the men we left behind on
the wreck, when they beheld our queer appearance. Uncle Naboth chuckled
until he coughed, and coughed until he choked, badly frightening
those who were unaware that this startling exhibition was usual with
him whenever he reached that climax of joy which he called being
“desp’ritly pleased.”
I bade him an affectionate farewell, and then we four got into the
“auto-boat.” Moit sprung the paddles from the rims of the wheels and
started the engines, and a minute later we were waving our hands to
those on the wreck and gliding at a good rate of progress up the river.
The bulky machine did not draw so much water as one would imagine,
owing to its broad displacement and the lightness of the material
employed in its construction. We found the current gentle, and made
such good time that at eleven o’clock we passed between the two hills
indicated on Maurice Kleppisch’s map, a copy of which I had brought
with us.
The current was swifter here because the mounds narrowed the river
considerably; but Moit gave the engines a little more speed and we went
through without abating our rate of progress.
Just beyond the hills we saw a group of Indians standing beneath the
trees on the left bank and regarding us earnestly but calmly. Perhaps
they had seen small steamers and thought our craft belonged to that
class, for they exhibited neither fear nor surprise, merely turning
their grave faces toward us and remaining otherwise motionless and
silent as we glided by.
I whispered to Bryonia and Nux to stand up and bow a greeting, which
they proceeded to do with amusing and exaggerated dignity; and then I
told Nux to box my ears, which he did so promptly and in so lusty a
manner that they rang for several minutes afterward.
I had explained to my blacks at great length our reasons for
undertaking this queer adventure, and what we expected them to do to
carry out the farce and assist us in securing the treasure. I had even
read to them the dead man’s diary, from beginning to end, so that
they would know as much about the San Blas as we did. They were, as I
have said, both clever and resourceful, besides being devoted to me
personally; so that I felt justified in relying to a great extent upon
their judgment in case of emergency.
Should I need to give them any secret instructions, I could do so in
their own language, which they had taught me during the tedium of
several long voyages, and which I prided myself upon speaking fairly
well. It was the language of their own island of Tayakoo, for these
were not properly Sulus but natives belonging to a distinct tribe of
South Sea Islanders which owed allegiance to no other ruler than their
own.
Being aware that the king, and some others, of the San Blas knew
English and Spanish, I could rely upon this almost unknown dialect to
cover any secret instructions I wished to convey to my blacks.
Nux and Bry were not linguists, however, and knew but a few Spanish
words besides the imperfect English and their native tongue; but we
arranged that they were to command me to interpret in Spanish whenever
it was necessary. Duncan Moit, unfortunately, knew nothing but English.
The tributary that entered the river from the left side was a farther
distance beyond the hills than the map seemed to indicate; but we came
to it presently and began slowly to ascend it in a southerly direction,
although it made many twists and turns. We found it easily navigable,
with dense forests on either side, and several times we found we were
observed by silent groups of Indians on the bank, to all of whom
Nux and Bry bowed greetings with tremendous condescension and mock
courtesy. The bows were never returned, however, and the Indians stood
like statues until we had passed by.
“There is no way of avoiding these people,” said Moit, “so I think our
best policy will be to go directly to the king’s village, which I see
marked upon the map, and make friends with him. Bryonia can explain our
presence by saying he merely wishes to examine the San Blas country,
and when once we have established friendly relations with these natives
we can visit several different parts of their territory, to throw them
off their guard, and finally reach the valley for which we are bound
and secure the diamonds at our leisure.”
“That seems to me a capital plan,” I agreed, and we decided then and
there to follow it as closely as circumstances would allow.
After an hour’s cruise through the forest we came to the coastal
plains, finding this a remarkably fertile country with fields under
fine cultivation. As soon as we discovered a low bank on our left we
turned the machine toward the shore, and when the wheels touched bottom
they climbed the bank easily and we quickly found ourselves upon dry
land.
More Indians were observing us, and as we left the water and glided
over the land I detected a look of amazement upon their faces that
all their reserve could not control. Indeed, I was myself filled with
wonder at the marvelous performances of Duncan Moit’s invention, so
that small blame attaches to the San Blas if their stoicism could not
master their astonishment.
We crossed the plain until we came upon a pretty stream, which we
took to be the one indicated upon the map, and from there followed its
course eastward, making excellent time over the level meadows. We saw
a few huts scattered along the way, and several herds of cattle and
sheep, but no horses. The sheep seemed few to supply the wool for which
these Indians were famous, but I imagined we would find larger flocks
in the uplands.
It was about five o’clock in the afternoon when we sighted a
considerable village, which at once we determined must be the place we
sought. Bowling along at an increased pace we soon reached the town,
but to our surprise we found our way barred by solid files of Indians,
all standing with their arrows ready notched in their bowstrings.
Moit stopped the engines and we came to a halt. Hitherto we had been
allowed to go where we pleased since entering this strange land, but it
seemed that our license was now at an end.
Bry stood up in his seat, made a bow, and said in a loud voice:
[Illustration: “Any speak Englis’?”]
“Any speak Englis’?--America--United States?”
In an instant we were surrounded by the stern-visaged natives, while
one of them, a tall, powerful fellow and evidently a chief, stepped
close to the machine and answered in a quiet voice:
“I the English speak.”
“Very good,” said Bry. “I am great chief of Tayakoo. My name is
Honorable Bryonia. Here is my brother, also great chief of Tayakoo--he
name Senator Nux. We come to visit the chiefs and great king of the San
Blas. Then, say to me, oh, Chief, are we welcome? Are we all brothers?”
I thought this was a very good introduction. But the chief glanced at
me and at Moit, frowning darkly, and asked:
“Who the white men? What bring them here?”
“You speak about our slaves? Bah! Have my brothers of San Blas, then,
no slaves to do their work?”
The chief considered a moment.
“Where you get white slaves?” he questioned, suspiciously.
“Stan’ up, Dunc!” said Bry, giving the inventor a vicious kick that
made him howl. “Where we get you, heh?”
He kicked him again, quite unnecessarily, I thought, and Moit stood up
with a red and angry face and growled:
“Stop that, you fool!”
At this rebellion Nux promptly fetched him a blow behind the knees that
sent him tumbling backward upon his seat, and when I laughed--for I
could not help it--I got another ear-splitter that made me hold my head
and be glad to keep silent. Moit evidently saw the force of our blacks’
arguments, for he recovered his wits in time to avoid further blows.
The exhibition had one good effect, anyway; it lulled any suspicions
of the chief that the Honorable Bryonia and Senator Nux might not be
the masters in our little party. Although Duncan Moit and I constantly
encountered looks of bitter hatred, our men were thereafter treated
with ample respect and consideration.
“You welcome,” said the chief. “I Ogo--Capitan Ogo--green chief. You
come to my house.”
He turned and marched away, and Moit started the machine and made it
crawl after him.
The other natives followed in a grave procession, and so we entered
the village and passed up its clean looking streets between rows of
simple but comfortable huts to the further end, where we halted at the
domicile of the “green chief.”