The sheet which I have called our tent was stretched over a low bough,
and secured to pegs at the four corners, being all open at the sides, so
that as I lay I could gaze right away in any direction.
On one side there was gloom, with the tall pillar-like tree trunks
standing up grey and indistinct; on the other side there was the bright
fire, which was as dangerous, I thought, as it was useful, for though it
served to keep off wild beasts it was likely to attract savage men, just
as moths fly to a flame.
As I lay there I could see the doctor keeping watch, and beside him one
of the natives, whose black face looked curious and ghastly with the
bandage he wore round his head, for this was one of the men who had been
seized by the captain of the other schooner, and who had eagerly
volunteered to be of our party.
This man was gazing intently at the doctor, as if eager to catch the
slightest indication of a wish, and so still and misty did he look in
the weird light that but for the flaming of the fire from his eyes it
would have been hard to tell that he was a living being.
Though it was not cold our black followers all slept close about the
fire, Jimmy the nearest--so close, in fact, that he seemed as if he were
being prepared for a feast on the morrow; and this idea of roasting came
the more strongly from the fact that we were in a land whose inhabitants
were said to have certain weaknesses towards a taste for human joints.
Jack Penny was sleeping heavily close to me, and at regular intervals
seeming to announce that he was dreaming of eating, for his lips gave
vent over and over again to the word _pork_!
Sometimes this regular snoring sound annoyed me, but I forgot it again
directly as I lay sleepless there, now watching the gloom of the forest,
now the flickering and dancing light of the fire as the wood crackled
and burned and the sparks and smoke went straight up, till they were
lost on high amid the densely thick branches overhead.
It was a curious sensation to be there in that awful solitude, thinking
of my past adventures, and wondering what the next day might bring
forth. I wanted to sleep and rest, so as to rise refreshed when the
doctor called me two hours after midnight, when I was to relieve guard;
but sleep would not come, and I lay fidgeting about, wondering how it
was possible that such a small twig could set up so much irritation
beneath my back.
Then, just as I thought I was going off there would be the sensation as
of some creeping insect crawling about over my face and in amongst the
roots of my hair. Then after impatiently knocking it away, something
seemed to be making its way up my sleeve, to be succeeded by something
else in the leg of my trousers, while I had hardly got rid of this
sensation when a peculiarly clammy cold touch taught me that either a
lizard or a snake was crawling over my feet.
This last I felt constrained to bear, for a movement might result in the
bite of some poisonous creature, while by lying still I might escape.
At last I really was dropping off into a sound sleep, when all at once I
started into wakefulness, fascinated as it were by the sight of
something shining in the black darkness to the left of our fire.
With a shudder running through me I rose to my elbow, at the same moment
seizing my gun, when a single intent glance convinced me that I was
right, for certainly some creature was watching the doctor, and probably
crouching before making a deadly bound.
I cocked the piece softly, holding the trigger the while, so that there
should be no sharp click, and in another moment I should have fired,
after careful aim, between the two bright glaring eyes, when the doctor
made a movement, and the animal darted aside and went bounding off, just
giving me a glimpse of its form, which was that of a small deer.
I saw the doctor shade his eyes and stand watching the flying creature.
Then stooping down he picked up a few branches that had been gathered
ready, and made the fire blaze more brightly.
As the glow increased I saw something which there was no mistaking for a
harmless deer, for not ten yards away there was a large cat-like
creature crouching close to the ground, while, to make assurance doubly
sure, there came from between its bared and glistening white teeth a low
angry snarl.
I took aim, and tried to get a good sight at its head, but hesitated to
draw trigger, for the glow from the fire made appearances deceptive, the
body of the cat-like beast seeming to waver up and down; and directly
after the creature moved, and its head was covered by a low bush.
But the doctor and his companion had both seen the animal, which uttered
a menacing roar as the former stepped forward, snatched a piece of
burning wood from the fire, and hurled it towards the beast, his example
being followed by the New Guinea man.
The result was a furious roar, and the great cat bounded away towards
the forest.
This brought Gyp to his feet with a fierce volley of barking, and he
would have been off in pursuit but for his master, who woke up and ran
out exclaiming:
"Dingoes after the sheep! dingoes after the sheep! Here, Gyp, boy!
here, Gyp--here--eh! I say, is anything the matter?"
"No, no; all right!" cried the doctor.
"I--I thought I was at home," said Jack, rubbing his eyes; "and--oh! how
sleepy I am."
"Lie down again, then," said the doctor; and Jack obeyed, Gyp following
and curling up close by his master, who very soon resumed his heavy
breathing, in so objectionable a manner that I felt over and over again
as if I should like to kick him and wake him up.
For there is nothing on earth so annoying as to be unable to sleep when
some one close by is snoring away in happy oblivion.
As I lay there with my face turned from the fire, so that it should not
keep me awake, I felt more and more the sensation of awe produced by
being there in the midst of that wild place. While I was perfectly
still my eyes were directed upwards in amongst the branches of the great
tree, now illumined by the bright flame of our fire, and by degrees I
made out that these boughs were peopled by birds and what seemed to be
squirrels, and all more or less excited by the unaccustomed light.
I lay gazing up at them, seeing the different objects very indistinctly
in the dancing light, and then all at once it seemed to me that one
particular branch was rising and falling slowly with a peculiar
movement. It was a strange wavy motion, which was the more remarkable
from the fact that there was no wind; but after a moment or two's
thought I fancied I had found the cause in the heated air produced by
the fire.
But that did not explain what next took place in the smoky obscurity
above the fire, for the branch seemed to wave about more and more, and
to lengthen; and then I made sure that it was the shadow I saw; but
directly after, a thrill ran through me as I recalled that these
creatures were fond of nestling high up in branches, where they captured
birds and monkeys, and I said in a low hoarse whisper:
"Why, it's a snake!"
There was no doubt about the matter, for as it swung lower, holding on
by its tail, I could see that it was indeed a snake, evidently of
considerable length, and about as thick as my arm. It had been aroused
from probably a torpid state by the fumes of the fire, and was now
descending from bough to bough to reach the earth, and I paused for a
time, asking myself what I had better do.
The result was that I overcame the unwillingness I felt to move, and
crept so softly towards the doctor that I was able to lay my hand upon
his shoulder before he heard me approach.
"Why, Joe!" he exclaimed, starting, "I thought it was an enemy."
"Yes; there he is!" I said with a shudder, and I pointed up among the
branches.
The black who was the doctor's fellow-watcher had seen me approach, and
following with his eyes the direction pointed to by my hand, he too
looked up into the tree, where, glistening in the fire-light, there was
the reptile swinging slowly to and fro with a pendulum-like motion.
In spite of the horror inspired by such a creature, free and within a
few yards of where I was standing, I could not help noticing the beauty
of the scales, which shone in the fire-light as if of burnished bronze.
But I had little time for examination; one moment I was noting the head
and curved neck of the reptile, the next there was a sharp twanging
noise, and I saw the serpent's head jerk upwards, and then what seemed
to be a mass of thick rope fell near the fire; there was a tremendous
lashing and tossing about, and when the doctor and I approached the spot
cautiously with our guns, it was to find that the reptile had glided off
into the forest depths.
"A good shot for a bow and arrow," said the doctor, turning to our black
companion, who smiled complacently, our manner plainly showing him that
we were admiring his skill.
"You are getting a poor night's rest, Joe," said the doctor smiling.
"Now go and lie down again."
"It is of no use," I said fretfully. "I can't sleep, and I only lie
thinking about home and him. I shall stay and watch."
The doctor protested, but finding at last that I was unwilling to lie
down again, he said:
"Well, I am quite different, for I am so tired that I cannot keep awake.
I will go and lie down then, if you promise to come and wake me as soon
as you are drowsy. Mind and keep up a good blaze."