THE FLIGHT--THE BOYS RECAPTURED--A COUNCIL--THE SHADOW OF DEATH--A
STRANGE DELIVERANCE.
"Not bad that," said Nick, as he threw himself on the ground, panting
and footsore, after a run of more than an hour. "We've not gone less
than eight miles, I'll take my 'davy, and this gun isn't the lightest
thing in the world to carry! Well, Charles, do you mean to make a halt
of it here to-night, or are we to hoof it again?"
"We must rest here," said Lavie, "an hour or two to recover ourselves a
little, but no longer. I don't suppose the Hottentots have done much
more than discover our absence yet. They have had plenty to do for the
present without thinking where we are, and then they will have to make
out in which direction we have gone. They will find that out, no doubt,
notwithstanding all our precautions, but it will take them some time.
And my hope is, that we shall now baffle them altogether."
"How do you mean?" asked Ernest.
"I mean that we should all take off our shoes, and step into the brook
here. We can walk along it, treading only on the stones till we reach
that long patch of scrub there. Then I propose that we shall turn
eastward, and go for a day's journey in that direction before again
travelling south. I think that will throw these Hottentots completely
out, and they will give up the pursuit."
"Well, I have no objection," said Nick, "and I don't suppose the others
have. Anything to get out of the hands of those dingy brutes. How sold
they will be! If they could only get hold of one of us, how they would
pay it off on him!"
"I am afraid they will pay it off on my poor Lion," said Frank.
"Whatever will become of him, poor fellow!"
"Oh, they'll use him kindly enough," said Lavie, soothingly. "He is too
valuable and useful an animal for them to hurt. As soon as we get to
Cape Town we'll send a fellow to ransom him. A dozen large beads or
brass buttons will soon induce them to give him up."
"Well, at all events we'll hope so," said Warley. "Well, now, Charles,
I am rested if the others are--enough, that is, to go on."
"All right," said the doctor. "Now, the first thing is to take off our
shoes and stockings."
This was soon done, and the party stepping down into the bed of the
rivulet, walked in Indian file one after another, taking particular care
to leave no footprints in the soft earth. Presently they came to a
place where the short scrub, with which the slopes were covered,
descended to the water's edge. They stepped out upon this, and
proceeded eastward for a considerable distance, taking the greatest
pains to leave no trace behind. After half a mile or so of this
cautious walking, Lavie considered the danger to be at an end. Again
resuming the sharp trot at which they had previously proceeded, in
another hour they reached some caves in a high range of limestone
cliffs, where they resolved to rest for the night. They were too much
wearied to keep watch. In five minutes all four were sound asleep.
The next morning they awoke tolerably refreshed, and resuming their
journey, proceeded still eastward for some seven or eight miles, when
they halted for their mid-day rest. There was no lack of food, for soon
after setting out, they had come upon a grove of bananas, of which each
of the party had gathered a large bunch. They could also perceive a
small streamlet making its way through the brushwood. Doubtless it
issued from a mass of limestone rock about a hundred yards distant. "We
had better go and drink there," said Lavie. "We have no drinking-cup
now, remember, and must use the hollows of our hands, I suppose, or a
large leaf. But we shall manage it more easily at the spring head."
He moved off and the others followed, but they were still some yards
from the fountain, when they were startled by a low deep growl, which
came apparently from the other side of the rock.
The boys instantly unslung their rifles. "That's the growl of a lion,"
said Lavie. "He is couching by the spring, I expect. It won't do to
approach him from the front."
"Hadn't one of us better go round to the clump of trees yonder?" said
Frank. "We can get there under cover, and there will be a good sight of
him from thence."
"I was just going to suggest it," said Lavie. "And another can climb to
the top of the cliff here. It seems quite perpendicular by the spring,
and if so it will be fifteen or twenty feet over the lion's head. I'll
undertake that, if you like, and Frank can cross over to the clump. The
other two had better mount this tree. If the brute springs out,
there'll be a chance of a good shot at him from this place."
Lavie and Frank accordingly proceeded to put their designs into
execution. Ernest and Nick watched them, until Wilmore was hidden in
the wood, and Lavie half up the rock, when suddenly there came a shout
of alarm and surprise. At the same moment their weapons were torn from
their grasp, and they found themselves in the clutches of Omatoko and
half a dozen others.
They were unable to make any resistance; the suddenness of the surprise,
and the overwhelming numbers of the Hottentots rendering it impossible.
They were soon bound with leather thongs, and hurried off to the
fountain, where they encountered Lavie and Frank in the same plight as
themselves.
"How like lion?" asked Omatoko, jeeringly. "Omatoko lion. He roar
well. White boys go catch lion, get caught themselves!"
"I wish I had known it was you," muttered Nick. "I'd have put a leaden
bullet through your carcass as sure as my name's Gilbert! Well,
blackie, what next? Are you going to skin and eat us, now you've got
us, or what?"
"White boy go back Umboo," said the Hottentot. "Umboo do as he please."
"And what pleases him won't please us, I guess," muttered Gilbert.
"Well, there's no help for it. We must grin and bear it, as the saying
is. You may as well untie these thongs, any way. You may see for
yourself that we can't possibly escape."
"Omatoko no untie till get back to kraal--then untie quick."
He chuckled as he spoke. There was some sinister meaning in his words,
which the prisoners could not fathom, but which it was not pleasant to
hear. But they had little time for reflection. The thongs had no
sooner been securely fastened, and the guns distributed among the
leaders of the Hottentots, than they set out on their way home. It
appeared that the Englishmen must have followed a very circuitous path,
for less than four hours' journey brought them to the spot where the
encounter with the Bushmen had taken place; and there the party rested
for a couple of hours before proceeding further.
It was a horrid and revolting spectacle which met the eyes of the
captives as the halt was made. The bodies of the Bushmen, as well as
those of their women and children, were scattered about in all
directions, the corpses having already begun to decompose in the
scorching sun. Most of the men had been shot down by arrows from a
distance, or pierced by assegais. But the weaker portion of the enemy
(if they could be so called), had been killed by blows from clubs, or
stabs delivered at close quarters; and the lads gazed with sickening
disgust at the helpless and mangled figures, with which the plain for a
long way round was overspread. But the slayers did not appear to feel
the smallest compunction, and Lavie gathered from their conversation,
that a considerable proportion of the men had effected their escape--a
circumstance which had greatly provoked Umboo's anger.
Travelling early and late, the kraal was reached about nightfall on the
following day; when the prisoners were consigned to the custody of
Omatoko and Leshoo; who took effectual measures to prevent their escape.
Their arms and legs were secured by thongs, and a belt was passed round
the waist of each, to which was attached a chain riveted to a strong
post Omatoko could not be induced to answer any questions, not even the
eager inquiries made after Lion. But Toboo, who was of a gentler
disposition than his uncle, told them that the dog had greatly improved
during the two or three days of their absence, and could now walk about
tolerably well.
On the following morning a debate was held in the chief's apartment, to
which Lavie and the boys were, of course, not admitted; but the
substance of which they learned afterwards. There was a considerable
difference of opinion among the counsellors. Kalambo and some others
were for requiring the white men to take an oath that they would make no
attempt to recover their property, or punish those who had deprived them
of it; and then to let them depart. Others, Omatoko among them, were
for keeping them in close custody, until their friends at the Cape
agreed to ransom them for a quantity of valuable goods, which were to be
specified; while one or two were for allowing them to go altogether
free, and take their guns with them; urging that the goodwill of the
English was of more value to them than any number of guns.
This last argument was especially urged by Maroro, an old warrior, held
in much esteem in the village; and his opinion might have prevailed with
Umboo, if it had not been for Leshoo. The latter craftily urged that
the white men would never forgive the injury already done them; and
though they might take the oath proposed, they would disregard it, as
soon as they were in safety. There was nothing to be hoped, he said,
from the favour of the English, and nothing to be feared from their
enmity. Even if they were again to become the owners of the Cape
Colony, they would know nothing about these English travellers. As for
ransom, they would never get anything better, they might rest assured,
than the four guns, the watches, and clothes of the prisoners, which
might be regarded as already their own, and which they must be fools
indeed to give up.
His speech was well calculated to work on the pride and the avarice of
Umboo, as well as on the fears of the others. It was resolved, by a
large majority, that the strangers should not be set at liberty, either
with, or without, conditions; but the danger that might arise from them
should be averted by their immediate death. This point having been
disposed of, the manner of their execution was the next considered, and
Leshoo's counsel was again adopted. He proposed that the white man's
presumption, in entering on a contest of skill with the chief, should be
properly punished by each one of them affording, in their several
persons, an evidence of the chiefs unrivalled skill in the use of arms.
One of the four, he suggested, should be shot to death by an arrow, a
second brained by a club, a third pierced by an assegai, while the
fourth--the white medicine-man himself--should die by his own weapon;
Umboo, in every instance, being the executioner.
The suggestion was too nattering to the chief's vanity, and too well
adapted to efface the mortification of his recent defeat, to be
rejected. All concurred in it; and it was resolved that it should be
carried out that very day. The posts had not yet been removed from the
places where they had been fixed on the day of the trial of skill, and
it was agreed that no fitter scene could be chosen for the execution.
Omatoko, accompanied by Leshoo, was sent to announce to the prisoners
their approaching doom--an office which the latter, at least, undertook
_con amore_.
It was a terrible shock, even to Lavie, whose forebodings had been of
the darkest ever since their capture. But he had not anticipated
anything so barbarous, or so sudden. The tidings were communicated to
him in Dutch by Omatoko, and it was his office to break it to his
younger friends.
"Lads," he said, after a few moments of inward prayer for support and
counsel; "lads, I have something very grave and trying to announce to
you. We have all known that our peril, ever since we left the
_Hooghly_, has been imminent, and that we might be called upon at any
moment to yield up our lives--"
"And we are called upon to yield them now, Charles?" said Ernest, as the
doctor paused. "That is what you want to tell us, is it not?"
"I am sorry to say it is, Ernest. The Hottentots have resolved on
putting us all four to death this morning--in an hour from the present
time--"
"Oh, not in an hour, surely," broke in Gilbert; "they will give us more
time than that. They cannot do it."
"They are heathens, Nick, and have never been taught better. We ought
to forgive them on that account, even if our religion did not teach us
to forgive all who wrong us."
"But can nothing be done?" urged Frank passionately. "Will they not
listen to our assurances that we are not their enemies; that we mean
them no harm; that we will ransom our lives by giving them a dozen
rifles, if they want them; that our friends will avenge our deaths;
that--oh! there's a hundred things that might be urged." He thrust
aside Lion's head, which was resting caressingly on his knee. "Oh,
Charles I let us at least try."
"I would, Frank, if it would be of the least use. But I learn from
Omatoko, that the matter was most carefully considered, and everything
we could urge has already been advanced and rejected. It would but
waste the time still left us for preparation, and that is short enough.
Let us pray for strength and resignation; that is all now left us to
do."
All complied, and knelt on the floor of the hut, while Lion sat silent
and motionless at their side, gazing from face to face with a wistful
look, as though he would fain comprehend what was amiss. Then Warley,
to whom all seemed instinctively to look, offered up a simple, but
fervent petition, that God would be pleased to succour them, if He saw
fit, in their present strait; but if it was His pleasure to take them
from the world, He would pardon the sins of their past lives, strengthen
them to meet their doom bravely, and receive them to Himself. He
concluded with the Lord's Prayer, in which they all joined fervently,
and then relapsed into silence; which was not broken until Leshoo
returned to warn them that all was in readiness.
"You, boy," he said, turning to Frank, "you die first. Umboo shoot you
through the heart with arrow. Then you he kill with club," addressing
Warley. "You he throw assegai at," nodding to Nick. "Medicine-man, he
come last. Umboo shoot him dead with own gun! Medicine-man never shoot
better himself. Come now; chief ready."
The prisoners obeyed in silence. A sharper thrill shot through Frank's
bosom as he heard he was to be the first to suffer, but the next instant
it was succeeded by a feeling of thankfulness that he would not witness
the murder of his friends.
"Good-bye, dear old Lion," he said, stooping over the dog, and stroking
the smooth head which looked up with such sad wonder into his face; "I
hope they'll treat you kindly. Charles," he added, "let us say good-bye
to one another here. I shouldn't like to do it before all these
fellows."
"Good-bye, Frank," said Lavie, throwing his arms round the lad's neck,
and kissing him on the forehead. "Good-bye, and God bless you. We will
pray for each other to the last."
"I will follow you now," said Wilmore, when he had taken leave in like
fashion of the other two. "The sooner this is over the better."
He passed out of the hut with a firm step, looking without flinching on
the cruel preparations without. Whatever sinkings of heart he might
have felt when his doom was first made known to him, they had all
vanished now. He was a noble English boy, reared in all manly ways, and
instructed by a thousand brave examples. His life, if not faultless,
had been pure; his conscience void of any deep offence; and for the rest
he trusted in the God who had bade him trust in Him. The same heroism
which the striplings of our race showed on the deck of the _Birkenhead_,
and in the wild scenes of the Indian mutiny, which upbore young Herbert,
the high-born and gently nurtured, in his dread ordeal among the Greek
brigands, was now burning in Frank's bosom. Let them do what they would
to him, he would endure it without flinching.
Lavie and the other two lads followed closely after him, and were placed
by Omatoko on the right hand of the post, to which Wilmore was about to
be fastened, at a distance of some twelve feet from it. "Do not let us
see his death," said Gilbert in a low tone; "it will be too dreadful!"
"No," said Lavie, "it will do none of us good, though I know he will
meet it bravely. We will kneel down here, and pray in silence till each
in his turn is summoned."
He knelt as he spoke, and the others followed his example.
"It is not good," exclaimed old Maroro, as he noticed the action. "The
white man is praying to the white man's God. He will be angry with us,
for the white man has done no wrong."
He spoke loud enough to be heard even by the chief, who cast a wrathful
look at him in reply. If his reputation for wisdom and goodness had not
stood so high with his countrymen, his boldness might have entailed
serious consequences upon him. As it was, he was listened to in angry
and impatient silence.
Frank had now been led to his station, and Omatoko and Leshoo were
busied in binding him. Three cinctures were passed round him, one
securing the neck, a second the waist, and the third the legs, to the
strong upright post. They had just completed their task, and were about
to retire--Umboo had already fitted the arrow to the string, and was on
the point of bending it--when a loud cry of mingled surprise and alarm
was raised by the spectators nearest to the prisoner, and was presently
echoed by nearly all present Lavie and the two boys started up, looking
hurriedly round them, half expecting to see a band of armed Englishmen,
who had come up at that critical moment to their rescue. But the eyes
of the Hottentots were not turned in the direction they had expected,
but into the air a few feet above them. A small beetle, of the size,
perhaps, of a child's little finger, was hovering over their heads, its
green back and speckled belly glittering bright in the beams of the sun.
All present held their breath, and watched its motions with anxiety and
awe. It gyrated awhile immediately above the post, as though seeking
for some spot on which to settle. Suddenly it folded its wings, and,
shooting downwards, alighted on Frank Wilmore's head. There was a
second and still louder cry, rising, in the instance of the women, into
a shriek of terror at this spectacle. "The god! the god!" they cried.
"The white boy is the favourite of the god. He has come to save him.
Cut the thongs, set him free! Pray him to forgive us, or we shall all
die. He will send drought and murrain! He will kill our flocks and
herds! He will strike us dead with his lightnings! Not one will
escape!"
A dozen Hottentots rushed up with their knives, and severed the bonds
which held the prisoner. Then lifting him on to their shoulders they
bore him in triumph through the village, the women singing and dancing
round him, until the hut of the chief was reached. There Frank was
placed by his supporters in the seat of honour, while all present
prostrated themselves at his feet, entreating mercy.
The lad was at first too much startled and bewildered to understand what
had happened. He had closed his eyes, expecting every moment to feel
the fatal point, and even when he heard the shouts of the bystanders,
believed it had been raised only because the arrow was on its way. But
Lavie, who knew enough of Hottentot superstitions to understand what had
occurred, hurried up to him, and informing him in a few words what was
the true explanation of this extraordinary change, desired him to take
the beetle from his forehead, where it was still resting, and retain it
in his grasp, but to be extremely careful not to hurt it.
"It is the mantes, Frank," he said, "about which I was telling Ernest
the other day. They believe that it is a god, that it will do them the
most terrible injuries if they offend it, and whomsoever they imagine to
be its favourite, he may issue any commands he pleases, and is sure to
be obeyed. Of course this wonderful deliverance is of God's sending,
and we will thank Him heartily for it; but at present you must go with
them and take the mantes with you."
"What shall I have to do, Charles?" said Frank, who, between
astonishment and joy, could hardly even now understand what was passing.
"What are they going to do with me?"
"They'll want to make you chief very likely; perhaps offer sacrifices in
your honour, and all sorts of extravagances of that kind. Of course you
will refuse to allow any impiety of that description, and will decline
to be made chief; but you had better demand that all our property should
be at once restored to us, and that we should be suffered to depart
without molestation."
"How am I to make them understand?"
"Omatoko will make them understand you well enough. He is as much
frightened as the rest. You can also, if you like it, require that a
guide be sent with us for the first part of the journey. You may be
quite sure, that whatever you ask they will agree to."
"Won't you stay with me?"
"I think I had better not. Their feeling of awe and reverence is
personal to yourself. They don't regard us as favourites of the god;
and but for your protection of us, would be ready to put us to death
this minute. We are going back to our hut. I need not tell you to
offer up our thanks for this great mercy. We will wait there till you
join us."
"Well, Charles, I will do as you advise. But I wish this was over. I
can hardly realise to myself what has happened. It is all like a dream!
I only feel as if I could think of nothing till I had joined with you
in your thanksgiving for this wonderful deliverance."