"You rascal!" I exclaimed; "how dare you! Here, doctor, what is to be
done? How am I to punish him?"
"Send him back," said the doctor; "or, no: we'll leave him here at the
village."
Jimmy leaped up from where he had been squirming, as Jack Penny called
it, on the ground, and began to bound about, brandishing his waddy, and
killing nothing with blows on the head.
"No, no," he shouted, "no send Jimmy back. Mass Joe leave Jimmy--Jimmy
kill all a black fellow dead."
"Now look here, sir," I said, seizing him by the ear and bringing him to
his knees, proceedings which, big strong fellow as he was, he submitted
to with the greatest of humility, "I'm not going to have you spoil our
journey by any of your wild pranks; if ever you touch one of the people
again, back you go to the station to eat damper and mutton and mind
sheep."
"Jimmy no go back mind sheep; set gin mind sheep. Jimmy go long Mass
Joe."
"Then behave yourself," I cried, letting him rise; and he jumped to his
feet with the satisfaction of a forgiven child. In fact it always
seemed to me that the black fellows of Australia, when they had grown
up, were about as old in brains as an English boy of nine or ten.
That morning we had made our start after days of preparation, and the
chiefs of the village with a party of warriors came to see us part of
the way, those who stayed behind with the women and children joining in
a kind of yell to show their sorrow at our departure. The chief had
offered half-a-dozen of his people for guides, and we might have had
fifty; but six seemed plenty for our purpose, since, as the doctor said,
we must work by diplomacy and not by force.
So this bright morning we had started in high spirits and full of
excitement, the great band of glistening-skinned blacks had parted from
us, and our journey seemed now to have fairly begun, as we plunged
directly into the forest, the six men with us acting as bearers.
We had not gone far before our difficulties began, through the behaviour
of Jimmy, who, on the strength of his knowledge of English, his
connection with the white men, and above all the possession of clothes,
which, for comfort's sake, he had once more confined to a pair of old
trousers whose legs were cut off at mid-thigh, had begun to display his
conceit and superiority, in his own estimation, over the black bearers
by strutting along beside them, frowning and poking at them with his
spear. At last he went so far as to strike one fine tall fellow over
the shoulders, with the result that the New Guinea man threw down his
load, the others followed suit, and all made rapid preparations for a
fight.
Humble as he was with me, I must do Jimmy the credit of saying that he
did not turn tail, but threw himself into an attitude as if about to
hurl his spear; and blood would undoubtedly have been shed had I not
taken it upon myself to interfere, to the great satisfaction of our
bearers.
Order then was restored, the loads were resumed, and Jimmy, who did not
seem in the slightest degree abashed by being degraded before the men he
had ill-treated, strutted on, and the journey was continued, everyone on
the look-out for dangerous beast or savage man.
The doctor and I carried revolvers and double-barrelled guns, one barrel
being charged with ball. Jack Penny was delighted by being similarly
furnished; and in addition he asked for an axe, which he carried stuck
in his belt.
We were each provided with a similar weapon, ready to hand at times to
the blacks, who were always ready to set down their burdens and make
short work of the wild vines and growth that often impeded our path.
We had determined--I say we, for from the moment of starting the doctor
had begun to treat me as his equal in every sense, and consulted me on
every step we took; all of which was very pleasant and flattering to me;
but I often felt as if I would rather be dependent upon him--we had then
determined to strike into the country until we reached the banks of a
great river, whose course we meant to follow right up to the sources in
the mountains.
There were good reasons for this, as a moment's thought will show.
To begin with, we were in a land of no roads, and most of our journey
would be through dense forest, whereas there was likely to be a certain
amount of open country about the river banks.
Then we were always sure of a supply of water; game is always most
abundant, both birds and beasts, near a river, and, of course, there is
always a chance of getting fish; fruit might also be found, and what was
more, the villages of the natives not upon the coast are nearly always
upon the rivers.
Of course, on the other hand, there were plenty of dangers to be risked
by following a river's course: fever, noxious beast and insect, inimical
natives, and the like; but if we had paused to think of the dangers, we
might very well have shrunk from our task, so we put thoughts of that
kind behind us and journeyed on.
At first, after getting through a dense patch of forest, we came upon
open plains, and a part of the country that looked like a park; and as I
trudged on with fresh objects of interest springing up at every turn, I
found myself wondering whether my poor father had passed this way, and
as I grew weary I began to take the most desponding views of the
venture, and to think that, after all, perhaps he was dead.
That we were in a part not much troubled by human beings we soon found
by the tameness of the birds and the number of deer that dashed
frightened away from time to time, hardly giving us a glimpse of their
dappled skins before they were lost in the jungly growth.
The walking had grown more difficult as the day wore on, and at last the
great trees began to give place to vegetation of a different kind.
Instead of timber we were walking amongst palm-like growth and plants
with enormous succulent leaves. Great climbers twined and twisted one
with another, unless they found some tree up which they seemed to force
their way to reach the open sunshine, forming a splendid shelter from
the ardent rays when we wished to rest.
There was no attempt during the morning to make use of our guns, for at
first we moved watchfully, always on the look-out for enemies, seeing
danger in every moving leaf, and starting at every rustling dash made by
some frightened animal that crossed our path.
By degrees, though, we grew more confident, but still kept up our
watchfulness, halting at mid-day beside a little clear stream in a spot
so lovely that it struck me as being a shame that no one had a home
there to revel in its beauties.
The water ran bubbling along amongst mossy rocks, and overhung by
gigantic ferns. There were patches of the greenest grass, and close by,
offering us shade, was a clump of large trees whose branches strewed
brightly coloured flowers to the earth. A flock of gorgeously plumaged
birds were noisily chattering and shrieking in the branches, and though
they fled on our first coming, they came back directly and began
climbing and swinging about so near that I could see that they were a
small kind of parrot, full of strange antics, and apparently playing at
searching for their food.
"We'll have two hours' rest here," said the doctor, "a good meal, and
perhaps a nap, and our feet bathed in the cool water, and the rest of
the day's journey will come easier."
"But hadn't we better get on?" I said anxiously.
"`Slow and sure' must be our motto, Joe," said the doctor. "We have
hundreds of miles to tramp, so we must not begin by knocking ourselves
up. Patience, my boy, patience and we shall win."
As soon as he saw that we were going to stop for rest and refreshment,
Jimmy began to rub the centre of his person and make a rush for the
native basket that contained our food, from which he had to be driven;
for though generally, quite unlike many of his fellow-countrymen, Jimmy
was scrupulously honest, he could not be trusted near food.
There was no stopping to lay the cloth and arrange knives and forks. We
each drew our heavy knife, and filled the cup of our little canteen from
the stream before setting to at a large cold bird that we had brought
with us, one shot by the doctor the day before, and cooked ready for the
expedition. I cannot give you its name, only tell you that it was as
big as a turkey, and had a beautiful crest of purple and green.
We had brought plenty of damper too, a preparation of flour that, I dare
say, I need not stop to describe, as every one now must know that in
Australia it takes the place of ordinary bread.
The native carriers were well provided for, and my depression passed off
as the restful contented feeling induced by a good meal came over me.
As for Jack Penny, he spread himself out along the ground, resting his
thin body, and went on eating with his eyes half shut; while Gyp, his
dog, came close alongside him, and sat respectfully waiting till his
master balanced a bone across his nose, which Gyp tossed in the air,
caught between his jaws, and then there was a loud crunching noise for a
few minutes, and the dog was waiting again.
Jimmy was eating away steadily and well, as if he felt it to be his
bounden duty to carry as much of the store of food neatly packed away
inside him as it was possible to stow, when he suddenly caught sight of
Gyp, and stopped short with his mouth open and a serious investigating
look in his eyes.
He saw the dog supplied twice with what he evidently looked upon as
dainty bits, and a broad smile came over his countenance. Then he
looked annoyed and disappointed, and as if jealous of the favour shown
to the beast.
The result was that he left the spot where he had been lying half-way
between us and the carriers, went to the stream, where he lay flat down
with his lips in the water, and drank, and then came quietly up to my
side, where he squatted down in as near an imitation of Gyp as he could
assume, pouting out his lips and nose and waiting for a bone.
The doctor burst out laughing, while I could not tell whether to set it
down to artfulness or to simple animal nature on the poor fellow's part.
However, I was too English at heart to lower my follower, so I did not
treat him like a dog, but hacked off a good bone and sent him to his
place.
We thoroughly enjoyed our meal, and, as the doctor said, somewhat
lightened our loads, when all at once it seemed to me that a spasm ran
through Jack Penny where he lay. Then, as I watched him, I saw his hand
stealing towards his gun, and he looked at me and pointed towards where
a dense patch of big trees formed a sort of buttress to the great green
wall of the forest.
For a few moments I could see nothing; then I started, and my hand also
went towards my piece, for peering round the trunk of one of the trees,
and evidently watching us, was one of the most hideous-looking faces I
had ever seen. The eyes were bright and overhung by dark wrinkled
brows, and, seen in the half light, the head seemed as large as that of
a man. In fact I was convinced that it was some fierce savage playing
the spy upon our actions.
I felt better when I had fast hold of my gun--not that I meant to fire,
only to protect myself--and I was reaching out a foot to awaken the
doctor, who had thrown himself back with his hat over his face, when I
found that Gyp had caught sight of the hideous countenance, and, with a
fierce bay, he dashed at the creature.
Jack Penny and I started to our feet, Jimmy went after the dog, waddy in
hand, and his yell awakened the doctor, who also sprang to his feet just
in time to see the creature leap up at a pendent branch, swing itself up
in the tree, and disappear amongst the thick leafage, while Gyp barked
furiously below.
"Big monkey that, my lads," said the doctor. "I did not know we should
see anything so large."
Jack Penny was all eagerness to follow and get a shot at the animal; but
though he looked in all directions, and Gyp kept baying first at the
foot of one tree then at the foot of another, he did not see it again.
Where it went it was impossible to say; perhaps it travelled along the
upper branches, swinging itself from bough to bough by its long arms;
but if it did, it was all so silently that not so much as a leaf
rustled, and we were all at fault.
I was not sorry, for the idea of shooting anything so like a human
being, and for no reason whatever, was rather repugnant to my feelings,
so that I did not share in my companion's disappointment.
"Depend upon it, he has not gone far," said the doctor, when Jack Penny
stood staring at the tree where we saw the ape first. "There, lie down,
my lad, and rest, and--hallo! what's the matter with Jimmy?"
I turned to see the black standing close by, his waddy in one hand, his
boomerang in the other, head bent, knees relaxed, an expression of the
greatest horror in his face, as he shivered from head to foot, and shook
his head.
"Why, what's the matter, Jimmy?" I cried.
"Bunyip," he whispered, "big bunyip debble--debble--eat all a man up.
Bunyip up a tree."
"Get out!" I said; "it was a big monkey."
"Yes: big bunyip monkey. Come 'way."
For the sudden disappearance of the ape had impressed Jimmy with the
idea that it was what the Scottish peasants call "no canny," and as it
was his first interview with one of these curious creatures, there was
some excuse for his apparent fear, though I am not certain that it was
not assumed.
For Jimmy was no coward so long as he was not called upon to encounter
the familiar demons of his people, the word bunyip being perhaps too
often in his mouth.
The black's dread went off as quickly as it came, when he found that he
was not noticed, and for the next two hours we lay resting, Jack Penny
and I seeing too many objects of interest to care for sleep. Now it
would be a great beetle glistening in green and gold, giving vent to a
deep-toned buzzing hum as it swept by; then a great butterfly, eight or
nine inches across, would come flitting through the trees, to be
succeeded by something so swift of flight and so rapid in the flutter of
its wings that we were in doubt whether it was a butterfly or one of the
beautiful sunbirds that we saw flashing in the sunshine from time to
time.
It proved afterwards to be a butterfly or day-moth, for we saw several
of them afterwards in the course of our journey.
Over the birds Jack Penny and I had several disputes, for once he took
anything into his head, even if he was wrong, he would not give way.
"These are humming-birds," he said, as we lay watching some of the
lovely little creatures that were hovering before the flowers of a great
creeper, and seemed to be thrusting in their long beaks.
"No," I said, "they are not humming-birds;" and I spoke upon my mother's
authority, she in turn resting on my father's teaching. "There are no
humming-birds here: they are found in America and the islands."
"And out here," said Jack, dictatorially. "There they are; can't you
see 'em?"
"No," I said, "those are sunbirds; and they take the place of the
humming-birds out here in the East."
"Nonsense! Think I don't know a humming-bird when I see one. Why, I
saw one at Sydney, stuffed."
"When you two have done disputing," said the doctor, "we'll start."
"Look here, doctor; ain't those humming-birds?" said Jack.
"No, no, doctor," I cried; "they are sunbirds, are they not?"
"I don't know," said the doctor; "let's make haste on and ask the
professor."
I sprang to my feet as if stung by a reproach, for it seemed to me as if
I had been thinking of trifles instead of the great object of my
mission.