When I unclosed my eyes it was bright morning and through an opening in
the trees opposite to where I lay I gazed upon the dazzling summit of a
mountain of wonderfully regular shape. As I lay there it put me in mind
of a bell, so evenly rounded were the shoulders, and I was thinking
whether it would be possible to clamber up it and inspect the country
from its summit, when the doctor came up.
"Ah! Joe," he said; "and how are the spirits this morning?"
"Spirits?" I said wonderingly, for my sleep had been so deep that I had
forgotten all about the previous evening. "Oh, I'm quite well;" and
springing up I went to the stream by which we were encamped to bathe my
face and hands, coming back refreshed, and quite ready for the breakfast
that was waiting.
"Let's see," said the doctor. "I promised an expedition did I not?"
"Yes: hunting or fishing," I said eagerly, though I half repented my
eagerness directly after, for it seemed as if I did not think enough
about the object of our journey.
"I've altered my mind," said the doctor. "We've been travelling for
days in low damp levels; now for a change what do you say to trying high
ground and seeing if we can climb that mountain? What do you say,
Penny?"
"Won't it make our backs ache a deal?" he said, gazing rather wistfully
up at the glittering mountain.
"No doubt, and our legs too," the doctor replied. "Of course we shall
not try to ascend the snowy parts, but to get as far as the shoulder;
that will give us a good view of the lay of the country, and it will be
something to climb where perhaps human foot has never trod before."
There was something fascinating enough in this to move Jack Penny into
forgetfulness of the possibility of an aching back; and after getting in
motion once more, we followed our black bearers for a few miles, and
then giving them instructions where to halt--upon a low hill just in
front--we struck off to the left, the doctor, Jack Penny, Jimmy, and the
dog, and at the end of half an hour began the ascent.
So slight was the slope that we climbed I could hardly believe it
possible how fast we had ascended, when at the end of a couple of hours
we sat down to rest by a rill of clear intensely cold water that was
bubbling amongst the stones. For on peering through a clump of trees I
gazed at the most lovely landscape I had seen since I commenced my
journey. Far as eye could reach it was one undulating forest of endless
shades of green, amidst which, like verdant islands, rose hill and
lesser mountain.
I could have stopped and gazed at the scene for hours had not the doctor
taken me by the arm.
"Rest and food, my lad," he said; "and then higher up yet before we
settle to our map making and mark out our future course."
Jimmy was already fast asleep beneath a rock, curled up in imitation of
Gyp, while Jack Penny was sitting with his back against a tree,
apparently studying his legs as he rubbed his hands up and down them
gently, to soften and make more pliable the muscles.
"Tain't time to go on yet, is it?" he said with a dismal glance up at
us.
"No, no, Penny; we'll have a good rest first," said the doctor; and Jack
uttered a profound sigh of relief.
"I am glad," he said, "for I was resting my back. I get up against a
small tree like this and keep my back straight, and that seems to make
it stronger and stiffer for ever so long."
"Then take my advice, Penny; try another plan, my lad. You have grown
too fast."
"Yes, that's what father always said," replied Jack, beginning with a
high squeak and rumbling off into a low bass.
"You are then naturally weak, and if I were you I should lie flat down
upon my back every time we stopped. You will then get up refreshed more
than you think for."
"But you wouldn't lie flat like that when you were eating your victuals,
would you? I ain't Jimmy."
"No, but you could manage that," I said; and Jack Penny nodded and lay
down very leisurely, but only to spring up again most energetically and
uttering a frightened yell.
Gyp and Jimmy uncoiled like a couple of loosened springs, the former to
utter a series of angry barks, and the latter to spring up into the air
suddenly.
"Where de bunyip--where de big bunyip? Jimmy kill um all along."
He flourished his waddy wildly, and then followed Gyp, who charged into
the wood as the doctor and I seized our guns, ready for action.
Then a fierce worrying noise took place for a few moments in amongst the
bushes, and then Jimmy came bounding out, dragging a small snake by the
tail, to throw it down and then proceed to batter its head once again
with his waddy, driving it into the earth, though the reptile must
already have ceased to exist.
"Killum dead um!" cried Jimmy, grinning with triumph. "Jimmy killum
headums; Gyp killums tail."
"I wish you'd look, doctor, and see if he bit me," said Jack, speaking
disconsolately. "I lay down as you told me, and put my head right on
that snake."
"Don't you know whether it bit you?" said the doctor anxiously.
"No, not the least idea," said Jack, shaking his head. "I think it must
have bit me, I was so close."
"I don't believe it did," I said. "Why, you must have known."
"Think so?" said Jack dismally. "I say, doctor, is it best, do you
think, to lie right down?"
"Yes, if you look first to see whether there is danger from snakes.
There, lie down, my lad, and rest."
Jack obeyed him very reluctantly, and after Gyp and Jimmy had both
re-curled themselves, the doctor and I lay down to talk in a low voice
about our prospects, and then as I lay listening to his words, and
wondering whether I should ever succeed in tracing out my father, all
seemed to become blank, till I started up on being touched.
"Had a good nap?" said the doctor. "Then let's get on again."
We started once more, with the ground now becoming more difficult.
Trees were fewer, but rocks and rugged patches of stony soil grew
frequent, while a pleasant breeze now played about our faces and seemed
to send vigour into our frames.
Gyp and the black were wonderfully excited, bounding about in front of
us, and even Jack Penny stepped out with a less uncertain stride.
Higher we climbed and higher, and at every pause that we made for breath
the beauty of the great country was more impressed upon me.
"What a pity!" exclaimed the doctor, as we halted at last upon a rugged
corner of the way we were clambering, with the glistening summit far
above our heads, while at our feet the wild country looked like some
lovely green garden.
"What is a pity?" I said wonderingly, for the scene, tired and hot as I
was, seemed lovely.
"That such a glorious country should be almost without inhabitant, when
thousands of our good true Englishmen are without a scrap of land to
call their own."
"Hey, hi!" cried Jack Penny excitedly. "Look out! There's something
wrong."
Jimmy and the dog had, as usual, been on ahead; but only to come racing
back, the former's face full of excitement, while the dog seemed almost
as eager as the black.
"Jimmy find um mans, find. Quiet, Gyp; no make noise."
"Find? My father?" I cried, with a curious choking sensation in my
throat.
"No; no findum fader," whispered Jimmy. "Get um gun. Findum black
fellow round a corner."
"He has come upon the natives at last, doctor," I said softly. "What
shall we do?"
"Retreat if they are enemies; go up to them if they are friendly," said
the doctor; "only we can't tell which, my lad. Ours is a plunge in the
dark, and we must risk it, or I do not see how we are to get on with our
quest."
"Shall we put on a brave face and seem as if we trusted them then?" I
said.
"But suppose they're fierce cannibals," whispered Jack Penny, "or as
savage as those fellows down by the river? Ain't it rather risky?"
"No more risky than the whole of our trip, Penny," said the doctor
gravely. "Are you afraid?"
"Well, I don't know," drawled Jack softly. "I don't think I am, but I
ain't sure. But I sha'n't run away. Oh, no, I sha'n't run away."
"Come along then," said the doctor. "Shoulder your rifle carelessly,
and let's put a bold front upon our advance. They may be friendly.
Now, Jimmy, lead the way."
The black's eyes glittered as he ran to the front, stooping down almost
as low as if he were some animal creeping through the bush, and taking
advantage of every shrub and rock for concealment.
He went on, with Gyp close at his heels, evidently as much interested as
his leader, while we followed, walking erect and making no effort to
conceal our movements.
We went on like this for quite a quarter of a mile, and the doctor had
twice whispered to me that he believed it was a false alarm, in spite of
Jimmy's cautionary movements, and we were about to shout to him to come
back, when all at once he stopped short behind a rugged place that stood
out of the mountain slope, and waved his waddy to us to come on.
"He has come upon them," I said, with my heart beating faster and a
curious sensation of sluggishness attacking my legs.
"Yes, he has found something," said the doctor; and as I glanced round I
could see that Jack Penny had my complaint in his legs a little worse
than I. But no sooner did he see that I was looking at him than he
snatched himself together, and we went on boldly, feeling a good deal
encouraged from the simple fact that Gyp came back to meet us wagging
his tail.
As we reached the spot where Jimmy was watching, he drew back to allow
us to peer round the block of stone, saying softly:
"Dat's um. Black fellow just gone long."
To our surprise there were no natives in the hollow into which we
peered, but just beyond a few stunted bushes I could see smoke arising,
so it seemed, and the black whispered:
"Black fellow fire. Cookum damper. Roastum sheep's muttons."
"But there is no one, Jimmy," I said.
"Jus' gone long. Hear Jimmy come long. Run away," he whispered.
"That is no fire," said the doctor, stepping forward. "It is a hot
spring."
"Yes, yes, much big fire; go much out now. Mind black fellow; mind
spear killum, killum."
"Yes, a hot spring, and this is steam," said the doctor, as we went on
to where a little basin of water bubbled gently, and sent forth quite a
little pillar of vapour into the air; so white was it that the black
might well have been excused for making his mistake.
"Jimmy run long see where black fellow gone. Cookum dinner here. Eh!
whar a fire?" he cried, bending down and poking at the little basin with
the butt of his spear before looking wonderingly at us.
"Far down in the earth, Jimmy," said the doctor.
"Eh? Far down? Whar a fire makum water boils?" cried the black
excitedly; and bending down he peered in all directions, ending by
thrusting one hand in the spring and snatching it out again with a yell
of pain.
"Is it so hot as that, Jimmy?" I said.
"Ah, roastum hot, O!" cried Jimmy, holding his hand to his mouth. "Oh!
Mass Joe, doctor, stop. Jimmy go and find black fellow."
We tried very hard to make the black understand that this was one of
Nature's wonders, but it was of no avail. He only shook his head and
winked at us, grinning the while.
"No, no; Jimmy too cunning-artful. Play trickums. Make fool o' Jimmy.
Oh, no! Ha! ha! Jimmy cunning-artful; black fellow see froo
everybody."
He stood shaking his head at us in such an aggravating way, after all
the trouble I had been at to show him that this was a hot spring and
volcanic, that I felt ready to kick, and I daresay I should have kicked
him if he had not been aware of me, reading my countenance easily
enough, and backing away laughing, and getting within reach of a great
piece of rock, behind which he could dodge if I grew too aggressive.
I left Jimmy to himself, and stood with the doctor examining the curious
steaming little fount, which came bubbling out of some chinks in the
solid rock and formed a basin for itself of milky white stone, some of
which was rippled where the water ran over, and trickled musically along
a jagged crevice in the rocky soil, sending up a faint steam which faded
away directly in the glowing sunshine.
"I say," said Jack Penny, who had crouched down beside the basin, "why,
you might cook eggs in this."
"That you might, Penny," said the doctor.
"But we ain't got any eggs to cook," said Jack dolefully. "I wish we'd
got some of our fowls' eggs--the new-laid ones, you know. I don't mean
them you find in the nests. I say, it is hot," he continued. "You
might boil mutton."
"Eh! whar a mutton? Boil mutton?" cried Jimmy, running up, for he had
caught the words.
"At home, Jimmy," I said, laughing. The black's disgust was comical to
witness as he tucked his waddy under one arm, turned his nose in the
air, and stalked off amongst the rocks, in the full belief that we had
been playing tricks with him.
He startled us the next moment by shouting:
"Here um come! Gun, gun, gun!"
He came rushing back to us, and, moved by his evidently real excitement,
we took refuge behind a barrier of rock and waited the coming onslaught,
for surely enough there below us were dark bodies moving amongst the low
growth, and it was evident that whatever it was, human being or lower
animals, they were coming in our direction fast.
We waited anxiously for a few minutes, during the whole of which time
Jimmy was busily peering to right and left, now creeping forward for a
few yards, sheltered by stones or bush, now slowly raising his head to
get a glimpse of the coming danger; and so careful was he that his black
rough head should not be seen, that he turned over upon his back, pushed
himself along in that position, and then lay peering through the bushes
over his forehead.
The moving objects were still fifty yards away, where the bush was very
thick and low. Admirable cover for an advancing enemy. Their actions
seemed so cautious, too, that we felt sure that we must be seen, and I
was beginning to wonder whether it would not be wise to fire amongst the
low scrub and scare our enemies, when Jimmy suddenly changed his
tactics, making a sign to us to be still, as he crawled backwards right
past us and disappeared, waddy in hand.
We could do nothing but watch, expecting the black every moment to
return and report.
But five minutes', ten minutes' anxiety ensued before we heard a shout
right before us, followed by a rush, and as we realised that the black
had come back past us so that he might make a circuit and get round the
enemy, there was a rush, and away bounding lightly over the tops of the
bushes went a little pack of a small kind of kangaroo.
It was a matter of moments; the frightened animals, taking flying leaps
till out of sight, and Jimmy appeared, running up panting, to look
eagerly round.
"Whar a big wallaby?" he cried. "No shoot? No killum? Eh? Jimmy
killum one big small ole man!"
He trotted back as he spoke, and returned in triumph bearing one of the
creatures, about equal in size to a small lamb.
This was quickly dressed by the black, and secured hanging in a tree,
for the doctor would not listen to Jimmy's suggestion that we should
stop and "boil um in black fellow's pot all like muttons;" and then we
continued our climb till we had won to a magnificent position on the
shoulder of the mountain for making a careful inspection of the country
now seeming to lie stretched out at our feet.
A more glorious sight I never saw. Green everywhere, wave upon wave of
verdure lit up by the sunshine and darkening in shadow. Mountains were
in the distance, and sometimes we caught the glint of water; but sweep
the prospect as we would in every direction with the glass it was always
the same, and the doctor looked at me at last and shook his head.
"Joe," he said at last, "our plan appeared to be very good when we
proposed it, but it seems to me that we are going wrong. If we are to
find your father, whom we believe to be a prisoner--"
"Who is a prisoner!" I said emphatically.
"Why do you say that?" he cried sharply, searching me with his eyes.
"I don't know," I replied dreamily. "He's a prisoner somewhere."
"Then we must seek him among the villages of the blacks near the
sea-shore. The farther we go the more we seem to be making our way into
the desert. Look there!" he cried, pointing in different directions;
"the foot of man never treads there. These forests are impassable."
"Are you getting weary of our search, doctor?" I said bitterly.
He turned upon me an angry look, which changed to one of reproach.
"You should not have asked me that, my lad," he said softly. "You are
tired or you would not have spoken so bitterly. Wait and see. I only
want to direct our energies in the right way. The blacks could go on
tramping through the country; we whites must use our brains as well as
our legs."
"I--I beg your pardon, doctor!" I cried earnestly.
"All right, my lad," he said quietly. "Now for getting back to camp.
Where must our bearers be?"
He adjusted the glass and stood carefully examining the broad landscape
before us, till all at once he uttered an exclamation, and handed the
glass to me.
"See what you make of that spot where there seems to be a mass of rock
rising out of the plain, and a thin thread of flashing water running by
its side. Yonder!" he continued, pointing. "About ten miles away, I
should say."
I took the glass, and after a good deal of difficulty managed to catch
sight of the lump of rock he had pointed out. There was the gleaming
thread of silver, too, with, plainly seen through the clear atmosphere
and gilded by the sun, quite a tiny cloud of vapour slowly rising in the
air.
"Is that another hot spring, doctor?" I said, as I kept my glass fixed
upon the spot; "or--"
"Our blacks' fire," said the doctor. "It might be either; or in
addition it might be a fire lit by enemies, or at all events savages;
but as it is in the direction in which we are expecting to find our
camp, and there seem to be no enemies near, I am in favour of that being
camp. Come: time is slipping by. Let's start downward now."
I nodded and turned to Jack Penny, who all this while had been resting
his back by lying flat upon the ground, and that he was asleep was
proved by the number of ants and other investigating insects which were
making a tour all over his long body; Gyp meanwhile looking on, and
sniffing at anything large, such as a beetle, with the result of chasing
the visitor away.
We roused Jack and started, having to make a detour so as to secure
Jimmy's kangaroo, which he shouldered manfully, for though it offered us
no temptation we knew that it would delight the men in camp.
The descent was much less laborious than the ascent, but it took a long
time, and the sun was fast sinking lower, while as we approached the
plains every few hundred yards seemed to bring us into a warmer stratum
of air, while we kept missing the pleasant breeze of the higher ground.
If we could have made a bee-line right to where the smoke rose the task
would have been comparatively easy, but we had to avoid this chasm, that
piled-up mass of rocks, and, as we went lower, first thorny patches of
scrub impeded our passage, and lower still there was the impenetrable
forest.
I was getting fearfully tired and Jack Penny had for a long time been
perfectly silent, while Jimmy, who was last, took to uttering a low
groan every now and then, at times making it a sigh as he looked
imploringly at me, evidently expecting me to share his heavy load.
I was too tired and selfish, I'm afraid, and I trudged on till close
upon sundown, when it occurred to me that I had not heard Jimmy groan or
sigh for some time, and turning to speak to him I waited till he came
up, walking easily and lightly, with his spear acting as a staff.
"Why, Jimmy; where's the kangaroo?" I said.
"Wallaby ole man, Mass Joe?" he said, nodding his head on one side like
a sparrow.
"Yes; where is it?"
"Bad un!" he said sharply. "Jimmy smell up poo boo! Bad; not good a
eat. No get camp a night. Jimmy fro um all away!"
"Thrown it away!" I cried.
"Yes; bad ums. Jimmy fro um all away!"
"You lazy humbug!" I said with a laugh, in which he good-humouredly
joined.
"Yess--ess--Jimmy laze humbug! Fro um all away."
"But I say, look here, Jimmy!" I said anxiously, "what do you mean?"
"Light fire here; go asleep! Findum camp a morning. All away, right
away. Not here; no!"
He ended by shaking his head, and I called to the doctor:
"Jimmy says we shall not find the camp!" I said hastily; "and that we
are going wrong."
"I know it," he said quietly; "but we cannot get through this forest
patch, so we must go wrong for a time, and then strike off to the
right."
But we found no opportunity of striking off to the right. Everywhere it
was impenetrable forest, and at last we had to come to a halt on the
edge, for the darkness was black, and to have gone on meant feeling our
way step by step.