Part 17 (1/2)
We could not tell whether Pullingo understood our object; had we been able to exchange ideas with him, he might have greatly a.s.sisted us by showing us where game was to be found. He had conceived, I fancy, a great respect for our firearms, and followed us for the sake of seeing their effect.
We had gone farther into the interior than we had ever before been, in the hope of finding some kangaroos, and found ourselves in an open country free of trees, with low hills and rocks beyond. We were about to turn back, believing that, as there was no shelter, we should be unable to approach any game unperceived, when Doyle exclaimed,--”Arrah, see that big bird which has just started up on its legs! Quick, quick!
or he'll be off. His meat would make a hundred parrot-pies, and some to spare besides.”
On turning round as Paddy spoke, I saw, about a hundred yards off, a bird of enormous size--so it appeared to me; a bird certainly, for it had two legs, was shaped like a bird, and was covered with feathers. It could scarcely have been less than seven feet in height; was of a lightish brown colour, with a long neck, a small head, and very long powerful legs; but was dest.i.tute of wings, so far as I could see. The creature looked at us with an inquisitive air, as if wondering what sort of curious animals we were; and then advanced a few paces, as if to view us more closely. It might have come nearer, had not Paddy, unable to resist the temptation of trying to kill it, fired. On hearing the report, it turned round and set off, running with the speed of a racehorse across the country, while we stood gazing after it, and, as Paddy observed, looking very foolish.
The creature was an emu; of the same family as the African ostrich, the rhea of America, and the ca.s.sowary of the Indian archipelago.
On our way back, soon afterwards, and while pa.s.sing through a forest, the trees of which grew rather thicker than usual, we saw in an open glade beyond it three of the kangaroos so coveted by us. We crept forward, keeping as much as possible concealed by the trees, lest we should be discovered before we could get within shot of them. Mudge and I went first, Harry and Paddy followed, all having our guns ready to fire. At length Mudge took aim at one of them; I imitated his example.
We waited to let Harry and Paddy come up, however, and then all fired at the same moment. One of the creatures fell dead, shot through the head by Mudge; another bounded away at a great rate, apparently uninjured; and a third, after making two or three springs, sank to the ground, unable to move. We rushed forward to seize it, forgetting in our eagerness to reload our pieces. While we were stopping to examine the creature Mudge had killed, Paddy ran towards the wounded animal, which at that moment sprang up and attempted to bound off again.
”Arrah, stop, ye baste,” cried Paddy, attempting to seize it; when at that instant it struck out with its hinder claws, one of which tore a large rent in the Irishman's trousers, giving him at the same time a severe scratch, which, had he not sprung back, might have been serious.
In a moment his knife was in his hand, and before the kangaroo could repeat the blow he had plunged it into its heart.
We had now an over-abundant supply of meat; the difficulty was to carry it. We agreed that we would take the best portions, and give Pullingo as much as he could carry; while we fastened the remainder up to the bough of a tree, out of the reach of the wild dogs.
We were all thus busily engaged, when I fancied I heard the sound of horses' feet; and what was my astonishment, on looking up, to see two hors.e.m.e.n approaching us! They looked at us with as much astonishment as we looked at them. Their steeds were in tolerably good condition, but they themselves were thin and haggard, their clothes torn almost to tatters. Each of them had a gun slung over his shoulders, a huge pair of holsters with a brace of pistols in them, large saddle-bags and leathern cases strapped on at their cruppers.
”Hallo, strangers, where do you come from?” exclaimed one of the men, with an oath. ”I didn't think there were any whites hereabouts.”
”Nor did we expect to see any one at this distance from Sydney,” said Mudge, eyeing the hors.e.m.e.n with a suspicious glance. ”Where do you come from, my friends?”
”As to that, I don't think it much concerns you,” answered the man; ”but, as I take it you are Englishmen, you'll give us a share of these kangaroos; for there's one thing I can tell you,--we're pretty sharp set.”
”So I should think, from your appearance,” observed Mudge; ”you must have had a rough and long journey up from Sydney.”
”I didn't say we were from Sydney,--though I'll allow we have been there,” answered the man; ”but it's a good many months since we left it, and we've been leading a pretty rough life since then. However, what we want just now is a slice of that kangaroo; and we'll talk about other matters when we've set it before the fire to roast.”
”You're welcome to as much of the meat as you want,” answered Mudge, ”though we haven't got a fire to roast it at.”
”We'll soon have one, master,” answered the man. He and his companion then getting off their horses, tethered them, and speedily collecting some dry wood, of which there was an abundance scattered about, piled it up; and one of them producing a tinder-box, quickly lighted the heap-- first taking care, however, to cut the dry gra.s.s all around. They then helped themselves pretty freely to the flesh, which, cutting into thin slices, they held at the end of sticks before the fire. Before it was half done through, however, they began eagerly gnawing away at it, unable longer to restrain their appet.i.te. The smell made us hungry; so cutting off some thin slices, we roasted them in the same manner, but far more thoroughly than the strangers had done.
Pullingo, who had been watching us, now stole up, and by his gestures begged for a share,--which, of course, we gave him. The strangers eyed him narrowly; and though the desire to get the food had induced him to come up, he evidently regarded them with suspicion. After exchanging a few words with each other, one of them spoke to him in a jargon which he seemed to understand, though we could not. He replied with hesitation.
For some time they continued asking him questions, and then talking to each other in a slang which was as incomprehensible to us as was the language they spoke to the native.
”I say, master, there are a few little things we want, and would be obliged to you if you'd supply us with,” said one of the men. ”In the first place, we should be glad of some tobacco, and maybe you've got some about you; and we want some powder and shot, and a couple of knives; and a suit of clothes wouldn't come amiss.”
Mudge had a couple of cigars, and Paddy a small quant.i.ty of tobacco, which, without hesitation, they gave to the strangers.
”As for powder, we can spare you but a small quant.i.ty,” said Mudge; ”and for the other things, you must come to our camp to obtain them. I suppose Captain Rayner will be willing to give you what you require for your necessities.”
”You'll not play us a scurvy trick, and detain us, if we come?” said one of the men.
”We are not likely to do that,” answered Mudge, somewhat surprised at the remark. ”You can repay us by giving us a description of the country between Sydney and this.”
”Well, we'll come by-and-by, and you'll have the things ready for us,”
said the man, in a tone which still further surprised us.
Having satisfied our hunger, we divided the kangaroo into portions, each forming such a load as we could carry. Mudge and Paddy took the heaviest, leaving Tommy and me somewhat lighter ones. The strangers, without making any apology, loaded their horses with the larger portion of the other animal Pullingo seemed highly delighted when we gave him the remainder. The strangers declined accompanying us, but said they would follow by-and-by. Just as we were setting off, they again begged that we would spare them a little powder and shot, acknowledging that their own was expended, and that they could neither obtain food nor defend themselves against the natives. They looked so miserable that we could not help feeling compa.s.sion for them, and each of us gave them a portion of powder from our flasks and some shot from our belts.
As it was time to return, we set off, leaving them still seated at the fire cooking some of the kangaroo. Pullingo having obtained his share, immediately trotted off with it across the country, without offering to guide us.