IN PERILOUS PLIGHT.
Donalblane's paralysing panic was only for the moment. The power of
action presently returned to him, and, grasping his gun, he aimed at
the diabolical eyes, while he shouted to his companions: "Up wi'
ye!--up wi' ye! We're in danger!"
So heavy was their slumber, however, that neither of them stirred at
his call; but when the report of the gun rang out, they both bounded to
their feet just in time to see a great dark body fly through the air
with a fearful scream, and light upon poor Donalblane, who fell back
beneath it! They realised at once what had happened, and Mr.
Sutherland, seizing his musket, and the Indian his spear, sprang to the
boy's assistance.
So completely did the panther cover him that Mr. Sutherland dared not
fire, lest the bullet should penetrate both bodies; but he sought a
chance to use the butt of his musket on the brute's head, while the
Indian made play with his spear, stabbing it into the creature's side.
Meantime Donalblane, into whose shoulder the terrible teeth had sunk
while the merciless claws were tearing his clothes to ribbons, fighting
for his life, with both hands buried in the soft, thick fur, strove
frantically to throttle his mighty assailant.
Had he been alone there could have been no doubt as to the issue of the
struggle--the panther must have done him to death; but the stunning
blows from Mr. Sutherland and the repeated stabs of the Indian's spear
soon began to tell.
They had not only weakened the brute's strength, but they turned his
attention from Donalblane to his other opponents, and, after a space of
time that seemed an eternity to the boy, but was in reality barely a
minute, the panther, giving a hideous growl, relaxed both teeth and
claws in order to prepare for a spring at Mr. Sutherland.
This gave the latter the opportunity for which he had been waiting. He
was an expert shot, and never had had more need of his skill than at
this moment. Quickly throwing his gun to his shoulder, and aiming full
at the panther's breast, he pulled the trigger.
Happily the musket did not miss fire, and the heavy charge sped
straight to its mark, going clean through the animal's heart. With one
last fiendish scream the fearful creature sprang straight up into the
air, and fell back a limp, lifeless mass of fur. Not waiting to look
at his quarry, Mr. Sutherland rushed to Donalblane, who lay senseless
on the sward, with the blood streaming from nearly a score of wounds.
"My poor boy," he exclaimed, as he took Donald's head upon his knees,
"surely that black brute has not killed you!" Then to the Indian, who
was wonderingly examining the panther, he called indignantly, "Leave
that thing alone, and get me some water--quick!"
When the Indian returned with the water Mr. Sutherland tenderly washed
the boy's wounds, which he was glad to find were none of them very
deep--those made by the teeth on the shoulder being the worst--and did
his best to bind them up with handkerchiefs and what other linen was
available, the Indian proving a very helpful assistant. Before it was
quite done Donalblane recovered consciousness, and at first was so
dazed that he had no idea as to what had happened.
"What's the matter?" he asked, starting to put his hand to his head,
and then dropping it because of the pain in his shoulder. "I'm verra
sore. Ah! I ken--I ken--that awfu' black thing. I fair thought it
wad kill me." And he groaned deeply, for his sufferings were keen.
"Not a bit of it, my boy," responded Mr. Sutherland cheerily, as he
patted his pale cheek. "You're not even half killed, and that awful
black thing is killed completely. But you've had a very narrow escape,
and you've got some nasty wounds, and you must keep very quiet here
until we can get you back to St. Andrews."
Mr. Sutherland was a man of thought as well as of action, and it did
not take him long to arrange matters. The Indian was dispatched to the
settlement with a note telling what had happened, and asking that a
litter be sent back for the sufferer. In the meantime he himself would
stay by the wounded boy until the litter arrived.
Happily they were not at the time a very great distance from St.
Andrews. Another Indian, having been promised liberal payment if he
was very quick, ran the whole way thither, and the litter party lost
not a moment in making the return trip. It was indeed well for
Donalblane that they were so prompt, for he presently began to be
feverish, and to require the utmost skill of the physicians who had
accompanied the expedition to combat the effect of the serious wounds
he bore. There was great sympathy felt for him, as he was a general
favourite, owing to his bright, frank, manly ways; and both Mr.
Paterson and Mr. Sutherland were as concerned about him as if he had
been their own child.
Even with the best of care some weeks must elapse before he would
regain his former vigour, and while he lay in his hammock, a not too
docile and submissive patient, affairs went on not at all prosperously
at St. Andrews.
Although absent only a week, Mr. Paterson found on his return that a
spirit of discontent and dissension had already broken out in the
colony. All the men were not workers. Some were useless drones, and
those who had toiled hard laying the foundation of the new city began
to grumble and protest. There was no settled or acknowledged
authority. Once the novelty of the situation had passed away, Mr.
Paterson ceased to be looked up to and obeyed, and it seemed impossible
for any one to be agreed upon as supreme governor.
The settlement certainly presented a curious appearance at this time.
Over a thousand persons, all foreign to the soil, were lodged in rude
wooden huts roofed with palmetto leaves, the inside furnishing of which
were of the simplest description. Chests and lockers did duty for
seats and tables; tartan shawls of brilliant hues, hung up as curtains,
formed the only partitions; spades, mattocks, axes, and hatchets
littered the walls, while carefully disposed in the dryest corners were
the claymores and muskets which formed their weapons of defence.
One large building was set apart for public worship, and here services
were daily held by the Presbyterian ministers, several of whom had
accompanied the expedition, and were much given to lengthy sermons.
Another building was the storehouse, to which the provisions brought
out by the ships were removed. Now, mention has already been made of
advantage being taken by those who supplied the expedition to palm off
much inferior stuff than they had contracted to furnish; and this
rascality became revealed when it was discovered that the greater part
of the stores, upon which the colonists must depend until they had
raised their own harvests, was absolutely unfit for human food, and had
to be cast into the sea, where it attracted swarms of sharks that
henceforth infested the harbour, rendering its waters full of danger.
This was a terrible blow to the hopes of the settlers, who were already
disappointed at the failure of their expectations in the matter of
gold, which they had counted upon being able to obtain in abundance,
whereas all the gold they had seen were the ornaments of the King of
Darien.
It was determined to dispatch one of the ships to the island of Jamaica
for a fresh supply of provisions, and in the meantime, through the
influence of Mr. Paterson, the King of Darien placed the services of a
large body of Indian hunters at his disposal, and these men, through
their knowledge of the country and their skill, were able to secure
game and fish in abundance when the Scotsmen could get nothing.
As soon as Donalblane had recovered from his wounds, nothing daunted by
his thrilling experience, he devoted himself to hunting, as that suited
his taste far better than tilling the ground or working on the
fortifications.
Keen of eye, quick of ear, light of foot, long of wind, and well-nigh
tireless, he set himself to learn from the Indians their hunting wiles
and devices, and was so apt a pupil that ere long he became a match for
the best of them, particularly as his musket and pistols, always kept
in perfect order, were immensely superior weapons to their spears and
arrows.
The magnificent region round about afforded a hunting-field vast and
varied enough to satisfy the most exacting sportsman. The forests were
full of animals, from the amusing, harmless monkeys up to the fierce
wild boar or the terrible jaguar; while the waters fairly teemed with
fish, from the delicious mullet up to the gigantic manatee, or
sea-cow--if this can be properly called a fish. The first time
Donalblane saw a manatee he was filled with amazement--it seemed so
huge, so hideous, so extraordinary a monster; but when he got over his
first surprise, he became possessed with the notion of adding one to
his list of trophies.
"Do so, by all means," said Mr. Paterson, when he mentioned his purpose
to him. "The manatee's flesh, in spite of the creature's ugly
appearance, is equal to the best pork, and we cannot have too much of
it for our hungry people."
"Then I'll just do my verra best to get ye one, and maybe two, for they
tell me they are in plenty up yon river," said Donalblane, pointing
towards the so-called Golden River.
"Good luck to you, my lad," rejoined Mr. Paterson, patting him on the
shoulder. "Be sure that the chief hunter goes with you, for the
manatee can give plenty of trouble, if you do not know how to handle
him."
Donalblane promised to be sure of having Raymon, whose heart he had
already won by various little kindnesses, and hastened off to make
arrangements for a start the following morning. He had no difficulty
in securing the co-operation of Raymon, who was only too glad to join
him, and who undertook to procure a canoe and two of the best paddlers
in his tribe. Accordingly, at dawn of the next day Donalblane set out
on his hunt for a manatee.