It is not a pleasant place to pass a night, on the ground at the edge of
a vast forest, inhabited by you know not what noxious beasts, while if
you light a fire to scare them off you always do so with the idea that
in scaring one enemy you may be giving notice to a worse where he may
find you to make a prisoner or put you to death.
However we determined to risk being seen by savages, the more readily
that we had gone so far now without seeing one, and in a short time a
ruddy blaze was gilding the forest edge and the great sparks were
cracking around the trees.
We had calculated upon being back at camp that night, so we had eaten
all our food, and now, as we sat there by the fire hungry and tired, I
began to think that we might have done worse than cut off the kangaroo's
tail before Jimmy had thrown it away.
Poor Jimmy! He too seemed to be bitterly regretting the idleness that
had made him give up his self-imposed task, and the dismal hungry looks
he kept giving me from time to time were ludicrous in the extreme.
"Never mind, Joe," said the doctor smiling; "tighten your belt, my lad,
and get to sleep. That's the best way to forget your hunger. You'll be
sure to begin dreaming about feasts."
The doctor was right; I lay hungrily awake for a short time, and then
dropped off to sleep, to dream of delicious fruits, and cooking, and the
smell of meat burning, and I awoke with a start to find that there was a
very peculiar odour close to my nose, for a piece of wood must have shot
a spark of its burning body into the shaggy head of poor Jimmy, who was
sleeping happily unconscious, while a tiny scrap of wood was glowing and
the hair sending forth curls of smoke.
I jumped up, seized Jimmy by the hair, and crushed out the spark,
awaking that worthy so sharply that he sprang up waddy in hand, caught
me by the throat, and threw me back, swinging his war-club over his head
to strike a tremendous blow.
He saw who it was in time and dropped his weapon.
"What a fool, Jimmy, yes! What a fool Jimmy sleep. Pull Jimmy hair,
jig jag. Hallo! What a want?"
It took some time to make him understand what had been wrong, but even
when he did comprehend he seemed to be annoyed with me for waking him
out of a pleasant dream, probably about damper and mutton, for the
saving of so insignificant a thing as his hair, which would have soon
grown again.
Jimmy lay down again grumbling, but was soon asleep, and on comparing
notes with the doctor I found I was so near my time for taking my turn
at watching and keeping up the fire that I exchanged places with him.
As is often the case, the troubles and depressing influences of the
night departed with the day, and setting out very hungry, but by no
means in bad spirits, we soon found a more open part, where the forest
was beginning to end, and after about three hours' walking we reached
our little camp, where we had no difficulty in satisfying our cravings,
our ordinary food being supplemented by a great bunch of plantains which
one of the blacks had found and saved for us.
After a good rest, during which the doctor and I had talked well over
our future course, we determined to go right on as we had come for
another four days and then to strike due south to hit the shore, always
supposing that we encountered nothing fresh to alter our plans.
"And I'm sure we shall," I said to myself, for somehow, I cannot tell
you why--and perhaps after all it was fancy--I felt sure that we should
not be long now before we met with some adventure.
I did not like to say anything of this kind to the doctor, for I felt
that if I did he would laugh at me; but I took the first opportunity I
could find of confiding in Jack Penny.
He looked down at me and then seemed to wave himself to and fro, looking
at me in a curious dreamy fashion.
"Do you think that? do you feel like as if something is going to
happen?"
"Yes," I said hastily. "I don't ask you to believe it but I cannot help
thinking something about my curious feelings."
"Oh! I believe you," he said eagerly. "Oh! I quite believe you, Joe
Carstairs. I used to feel like that always on mornings when I woke up
first, and so sure as I felt that way father used to be going to lick
me, and he did. I should put fresh cartridges in my gun if I was you.
I'll keep pretty close to you all day and see you through with it
anyhow."
But Jack Penny did not keep his word, for somehow as we were journeying
on in the heat of the day looking eagerly for a spring or river to make
our next halting-place we were separated. I think it was Jack's back
wanted a rest. Anyhow I was steadily pushing on within shouting
distance of my companions, all of whom had spread out so as to be more
likely to hit upon water.
It was very hot, and I was plodding drowsily along through a beautiful
open part dotted with large bushes growing in great clumps, many of
which were covered with sweet smelling blossoms, when just as I was
passing between a couple of the great clumps which were large enough to
hide from me what lay beyond, I stopped utterly paralysed by the scene
some fifty yards in front.
For there in the bright sunshine stood a boy who might have been about
my own age intently watching something just beyond some bushes in his
front, and the moment after a small deer stepped lightly out full in my
view, gazed round, and then stooped its graceful head to begin browsing.
The boy, who was as black as ebony and whose skin shone in the sun,
seemed to have caught sight of the deer at the same moment as I, for he
threw himself into position, poising the long spear he carried, resting
the shaft upon one hand and bending himself back so that he might get
the greatest power into his throw.
I had seen Jimmy plant himself in the same position hundreds of times,
and, surprised as I was at coming upon this stranger, whose people were
probably near at hand, I could not help admiring him as he stood there a
thorough child of nature, his body seeming to quiver with excitement for
the moment and then becoming perfectly rigid.
My eye glanced from the boy to the deer and back again, when a slight
movement to my right caught my attention and I stood paralysed, for in a
crouching attitude I could see a second black figure coming up, war-club
in hand, evidently inimically disposed towards the young hunter.
"And he may belong to a friendly set of people," I thought. "It is
Jimmy!"
"No: it was not Jimmy, but one of the bearers--Ti-hi," I thought.
"No: it was a stranger!"
Just then the boy drew himself back a little more, and as I saw the
stooping figure, that of a big burly savage, stealthily creeping on, I
realised his intention, which was to wait till the boy had hurled his
spear and then leap upon him and beat him to the ground.
I made no plans, for all was the work of moments. I saw the spear leave
the boy's hand like a line of light in the sunshine; then he turned,
alarmed by some sound behind him, saw the savage in the act of leaping
upon him, uttered a shrill cry of fear, and ran somewhat in my
direction, and at the same moment my gun made a jump up at my shoulder
and went off.
As the smoke rose I stood aghast, seeing the boy on my left crouching
down with a small waddy in his hand and the great black savage prone on
his face just to my right.
"I've killed him!" I exclaimed, a chill of horror running through me;
but as I thought this I brought my piece to the ready again, for the
savage leaped to his feet and turned and ran into the bush at a
tremendous pace.
From habit I threw open the breech of my gun without taking my eyes from
the boy, and, thrusting my hand into my pouch, I was about to place a
fresh ball cartridge in its place when I found that I had drawn the
right trigger and discharged the barrel loaded with small shot, a
sufficient explanation of the man being able to get up and run away.
I remained standing motionless as soon as I had reloaded, the boy
watching me intently the while and looking as if he was either ready to
attack or flee according to circumstances. Friendly advance there was
none, for he showed his white teeth slightly and his eyes glittered as
they were fixed upon mine.
Suddenly I caught sight of the deer lying transfixed by the boy's spear,
and without a word I walked quietly to where the little animal lay, the
boy backing slowly and watchfully from me, but holding his waddy ready
for a blow or to hurl at me, it seemed, if I ventured to attack.
I wanted to make friends, and as soon as I reached the dead deer I
stooped down, holding my gun ready though, and taking hold of the spear,
drew it out and offered it to the young hunter.
He understood my motion, for he made a couple of steps forward quickly,
but only to draw back uttering an angry ejaculation, and raise his waddy
in a threatening way.
"He thinks I want to trap him," I said to myself; and taking the spear
in regular native style, as Jimmy had taught me, I smiled and nodded,
tossed it in the air, and let it drop a few yards away with the shaft
upright and towards his hands.
I pointed to it and drew back a few yards, when, quick as some wild
animal, he made two or three bounds, caught up the spear, poised it, and
stood as if about to hurl it at me.
It was not a pleasant position, and my first impulse was to raise my gun
to my shoulder; but my second was to stand firm, resting on my piece,
and I waved my hand to him to lower the spear.
The boy hesitated, uttered a fierce cry, and stamped one foot angrily;
but I waved my hand again, and, thrusting my hand into my pocket, pulled
out a ring of brass wire, such as we carried many of for presents to the
savages, and I tossed it to him.
I saw the boy's eyes glitter with eagerness, but he was too suspicious
to move, and so we stood for some minutes, during which I wondered
whether my companions had heard the report of my gun, and if so whether
they would come up soon. If they did I was sure they would alarm the
boy, who seemed as suspicious as some wild creature and shook his spear
menacingly as soon as I took a step forward.
A thought struck me just then as I saw a red spot glisten on a leaf, and
stepping forward I saw another and another, which I pointed to, and then
again at a continuous series of them leading towards the dense bush.
I took a few more steps forward when the boy suddenly bounded to my side
as if he realised that I had saved his life and that he was bound to try
and save me in turn.
He uttered some words fiercely, and, catching my arm, drew me back,
pointing his spear menacingly in the direction taken by the great
savage, and in response to his excited words I nodded and smiled and
yielded to his touch.
We had not taken many steps before he stopped short to stand and stare
at me wonderingly, saying something the while.
Then he touched me, and as I raised my hand to grasp his he uttered a
fierce cry and pointed his spear at me once more, but I only laughed--
very uncomfortably I own--and he lowered it slowly and doubtfully once
again, peering into my eyes the while, his whole aspect seeming to say,
"Are you to be trusted or no?"
I smiled as the best way of giving him confidence, though I did not feel
much confidence in him--he seemed too handy with his spear. He,
however, lowered this and looked searchingly at me, while I wondered
what I had better do next. For this was an opportunity--here was a lad
of my own age who might be ready to become friends and be of great
service to us; but he was as suspicious and excitable as a wild
creature, and ready to dash away or turn his weapons against me at the
slightest alarm.
It was very hard work to have to display all the confidence, but I told
myself that it was incumbent upon me as a civilised being to show this
savage a good example, and generally I'm afraid that I was disposed to
be pretty conceited, as, recalling the native words I had picked up from
our followers, I tried all that were available, pointing the while to
the deer and asking him by signs as well if he would sell or barter it
away to me for food.
My new acquaintance stared at me, and I'm afraid I did not make myself
very comprehensible. One moment he would seem to grasp my meaning, the
next it appeared to strike him that I must be a cannibal and want to eat
him when I made signs by pointing to my mouth. At last, though, the
offer of a couple of brass rings seemed to convince him of my
friendliness, and he dragged the little deer to me and laid it at my
feet.
After this we sat down together, and he began chattering at a tremendous
rate, watching my gun, pointing at the spots upon the leaves, and then
touching himself, falling down, and going through a pantomime as if
dying, ending by lying quite stiff with his eyes closed, all of which
either meant that if I had not fired at the big black my companion would
have been killed, or else that I was not on any consideration to use my
thunder-and-lightning weapon against him.
I did not understand what he meant, and he had doubtless very little
comprehension of what I tried to convey; but by degrees we became very
good friends, and he took the greatest of interest in my dress,
especially in my stout boots and cartridge-belt. Then, too, he touched
my gun, frowning fiercely the while. My big case-knife also took up a
good deal of his attention and had to be pulled out several times and
its qualities as a cutter of tough wood shown.
After this he drew my attention to his slight spear, which, though of
wood, was very heavy, and its point remarkably sharp and hard. In spite
of its wanting a steel point I felt no doubt of its going through
anything against which it was directed with force.
He next held out his waddy to me to examine. This was a weapon of
black-looking wood, with a knob at the end about the shape of a
good-sized tomato.
I took hold of the waddy rather quickly, when it must have struck the
boy that I had some hostile intention, for he snatched at it, and for
the moment it seemed as if there was a struggle going on; then I felt a
violent blow from behind, as if a large stone had fallen upon my head,
and that was all.