OFF FOR AFRICA
It was long after midnight before the conversation in relation to
the proposed trip to Africa came to an end. Mrs. Rover insisted
that the boys should eat something, and they sat around the table
discussing the viands and the two letters at the same time.
"Have you any idea where this Niwili Camp is?" asked Dick of his
uncle.
"It is on the Congo, but how far froth the mouth of that stream is
a question, lad. Probably we can learn all about it when we reach
Boma, the capital of the Congo Free State."
"The Congo is a pretty big stream, isn't it?" questioned Sam.
"Very large indeed. At its mouth it is about ten miles wide, and
it is from twelve to fourteen hundred miles long. Stanley traced
its course after an expedition in which he fought over thirty
battles with the natives."
"They must be fearfully savage."
"Those in the interior are. The natives that live close to the
ocean are peaceable enough, so I have been told."
"And how are we going to get there?" asked Tom. "I don't suppose
there are any regular steamers running to the Congo."
"No, indeed, Tom. I have written to a shipping firm in New York
for information, and they will probably send word by morning," was
the answer.
It can well be imagined that the boys slept but little that night.
In the morning they telegraphed to Putnam Hall for their trunks,
and also let Captain Putnam and their chums know how matters
stood. Then began preparations for such a tour as none of them
had ever before anticipated.
Word came from New York in the early afternoon mail, and the
information sent was highly satisfactory to Randolph Rover. The
French steamer Republique was in port, loading for Boma and other
African ports, and would set sail on the coming Saturday. The
firm had taken upon itself the responsibility to speak of passage
for Mr. Rover and one or two others.
"Hurrah!" cried Tom. "Uncle Randolph, you had better telegraph to
them at once for passage for the four of us."
"I will," answered, Mr. Rover, and the telegram was sent within
the hour.
The next day was a busy one. As but little in the way of outfits
could be procured in Oak Run or the adjoining villages, it was
decided that they should go down to New York on Thursday afternoon
and spend all of Friday in purchasing in the metropolis whatever
was needed.
The only person who was really sober was Mrs. Rover, for she hated
to see her husband start on such a journey, which was bound to, be
full of grave perils.
"I am afraid you will never come back," she said, with tears in
her eyes. "And if you and Anderson are both dead to me, what will
I do?"
"Be brave, Martha," said Mr. Rover tenderly. "I feel certain that
a kind Providence will watch over us and bring us all back in
safety."
At last the party was ready to set off. A fond good-by was said,
and away they rattled in the carryall for the railroad station at
Oak Run.
"Good-by to home!" shouted Tom, as he waved his cap to his aunt,
who stood beside the gateway.
"And when we come back may we bring father with us," added Dick,
and Sam muttered an amen.
The journey down to New York was without incident, and as the
Rovers had lived in the metropolis for years they felt thoroughly
at home and knew exactly where to go for their outfit and suitable
clothing for use in such a warm country was procured, and in
addition each was armed with a revolver. Mr. Rover also purchased
a shot-gun and a rifle, and likewise a number of cheap gold and
silver trinkets.
"The natives are becoming civilized," he explained. "But, for all
that, I am certain a small gift now and then will go a long way
toward making friends."
The found that the Republique was a stanch-built steamer of eight
thousand tons burden. Her captain, Jules Cambion, spoke English
quite fluently and soon made them feel at home. He was much
interested in the story Randolph Rover had to tell concerning his
missing brother.
"'Tis a strange happening, truly," he remarked. "I sincerely
trust that your search for him proves successful and that he
returns to the arms of his family unharmed. But it is a fierce
country. I have visited it twice, and I know."
"I am glad to learn that you have been up the Congo," replied
Randolph Rover. "Perhaps during your leisure hours on the trip
you will not mind giving me such information as conics to your
mind."
"I will tell you all I know willingly," answered Captain Cambion.
Exactly at noon on Saturday the Republique was ready to sail, and
with a shout from those on the wharf who had come to see the few
passengers off, she sheered away and started down the bay, past
Bedloe Island and the Statue of Liberty. Before night the shore
line had faded from view, and they were standing out boldly into
the Atlantic Ocean.
"Off for Africa at last," murmured Sam, who had been standing at
the rail watching the last speck of land as it disappeared. "What
a big trip this is going to be!"
"Never mind how big it is, Sam," came from Tom, "if only it is
successful."
The first few days on board were spent in settling themselves.
The party had two connecting staterooms, and Mr. Rover and Sam
occupied one, while Dick and Tom had settled themselves in the
other.
The passengers were mostly French people, who were going to try
their fortunes in French Congo. There was, however, one
Englishman, a man named Mortimer Blaze, who was bound out simply
for adventure.
"I'm tired of England, and tired of America too," he explained.
"I've hunted through the Rocky Mountains and up in Canada, as well
as at home, and now I'm going to try for a lion or a tiger in
Africa."
"Perhaps the lion or tiger will try for you," smiled Tom. "What
then?"
"It will be a pitched battle, that's all," drawled Mortimer Blaze.
He was rather a sleepy looking man, but quick to act when the
occasion demanded.
The weather was all that could be wished, and during the first
week out the Republique made good progress. On a steamer there
was but little for the boys to do, and they spent all of their
spare time in reading the books on Africa which Captain Cambion
had in his library, and which were printed in English. Often they
persuaded the genial captain to tell them of his adventures in
that far-away country.
"You have many strange sights before you," he said to them one
day. "The strange vegetation, the immense trees, the wonderful
waterfalls, some larger than your own Niagara, and then the odd
people. Some of the natives are little better than dwarfs, while
others are six feet and more in height and as straight as arrows.
"Did you ever hear of this King Susko?" questioned Tom.
"Yes; I have heard of him several times. He is known as the
Wanderer, because he and his tribe wander from place to place,
making war on the other tribes."
The captain knew nothing of Niwili Camp and expressed the opinion
that it had been, like many other camps, only a temporary affair.
He said that the best the party could do was to strike straight up
the Congo, along the south shore, and question the different
natives met concerning King Susko's present whereabouts.
On the beginning of the second week a storm was encountered which
lasted for three days. At first the wind blew at a lively rate,
and this was followed by thunder and lightning and a regular
deluge of rain, which made all of the boys stay below. The
steamer pitched from side to side and more than one wave broke
over her decks.
"This is the worse storm I ever saw," remarked Dick, as he held
fast to a chair in the cabin. "They won't be able to set any
table for dinner today."
"Dinner!" came from Sam, with a groan.
"Who wants any dinner, when a fellow feels as if he was going to
be turned inside out!" So far none of the boys had suffered from
seasickness, but now poor Sam was catching it, and the youngest
Rover felt thoroughly miserable.
"Never mind, the storm won't last forever," said Dick
sympathetically. "Perhaps you had better lie down, Sam."
"How can I, with the ship tossing like a cork? I've got to hold
on, same as the rest, and be glad, I suppose, that I am alive,"
and poor Sam looked utterly miserable.
It was very close in the cabin, but neither door nor port-hole
could be opened for fear of the water coming in. Dinner was a
farce, to use Tom's way of expressing it, for everything was cold
and had to be eaten out of hand or from a tin cup. Yet what was
served tasted very good to those who were hungry.
"I believe we'll go to the bottom before we are done," began Sam,
when a loud shout from the deck reached the ears of all of the
Rovers and made Tom and Dick leap to their feet.
"What's that?" cried Dick. "They are calling to somebody!"
Above the wind they could hear a yell from a distance, and then
came more cries from the deck, followed by a bump on the side of
the steamer.
"We've struck something!" ejaculated Tom.
"But I guess it wasn't hard enough to do much damage."
"That remains to be seen," answered Dick. "Storm or no storm, I'm
gong on deck to learn what it means," and he hurried up the
companionway.