Part 15 (1/2)
Natty, however, positively refused, and Stanley had to exert his authority, as our leader, to make him accompany them. Very unwillingly, he at length consented to do so, provided I promised, should Timbo not appear in the course of an hour, to follow them. The matter was arranged, and our party were taking up the loads they proposed to carry, when Chickango made his appearance among us. His countenance expressed alarm, and he was too much agitated to explain himself. At length Senhor Silva understood him to say that, on looking towards the Bakeles village, he had seen smoke ascending--that it grew thicker and thicker, and then flames burst forth, and he was convinced the whole village was on fire.
”Depend upon it, the Pangwes have done this,” he observed; ”and, flushed with their victory, they will very soon march to attack us. We must either prepare ourselves to stand a siege, or lose no time in escaping.”
”Then let us at once commence our march,” said the captain; ”but, Andrew, I do not like that you should run the risk of falling into the hands of these savages, which you will do if you remain behind.”
”I know my way down to the river so well,” I answered, ”that I can easily join you should I see them approaching, and I will, meantime, keep a look-out from the height above the fort. Depend upon it, they have too much respect for our firearms to venture an attack, unless with their whole body. At all events, some time must elapse before they can be here. My only anxiety is about Timbo, should he have fallen into their hands.”
”You will promise, Andrew, not to remain more than an hour?” said Kate, as she and Bella, each carrying a load proportionate to their strength, went out of the fort. ”We shall be very anxious till you join us.”
I watched the party as they descended the hill. I did not think the young ladies had much cause to regret leaving the place; but still they turned a glance behind them, as if they were quitting it with sorrow.
Though difficulties and dangers might be before them, still I hoped that they were on their way to a more civilised and healthy climate. In the hurry of departure Chico had been forgotten, for he was quietly snoozing in his usual corner of Jack's hut. Leo and Natty had already left the fort, when they discovered that he was not with them. ”Chico, Chico!”
they both cried out, and hearing his name called, he ran out, and sprang up upon Jack's shoulder, who had already got as much as he could well carry. Nothing, however, would shake Master Chico off. I could not help thinking even at that moment of Sinbad the Sailor, and the Old Man of the Sea. ”Well, I suppose if you will not walk, I must carry you,”
exclaimed Jack; and away he went after the rest, Chico glancing about him with a look of surprise at the sudden exodus of his friends.
As soon as they were gone, I closed the gates and climbed out of a window in the back of the fort. This I did, that should the Pangwes arrive, they might not discover the flight of our party, and might spend some time in making preparations for the attack. I then ascended the hill, with my telescope, which I had retained, but could see no one moving in any of the open places I could command. In the distance, however, I observed dense clouds of smoke and bright flames ascending above the forest, which I was sure must proceed from the village we had visited. What was the fate of the unfortunate inhabitants? I knew too well the way that negro warriors are accustomed to treat those they conquer, and I could not help picturing to myself the horrid spectacle of women and children murdered, and those who had escaped slaughter carried off to be sold as slaves to the cruel dealers in human flesh, and, more than that, in the hearts and souls of their fellow-creatures.
I looked at my watch. I calculated how long it would take my friends to reach the canoes. I was thankful when I felt sure they must have had time to get on board, and thus to be in comparative safety. Time went slowly on. I kept looking at my watch, but still Timbo did not appear.
The hour had nearly pa.s.sed.
At length, with great regret. I descended the rock, and took my way towards the river. I had just pa.s.sed the Castle, when I caught sight of two figures moving towards me among the trees below. They might be scouts of the enemy. I hesitated what to do. Concealing myself behind some brushwood, I lifted my gla.s.s to examine them. Great was my satisfaction when I saw that one of them was Timbo; the other was a negro whom he was a.s.sisting along, and who appeared to be wounded. I hurried down to meet them. Timbo, when he saw me, made a sign to me not to shout, pointing behind him to make me understand that he was pursued.
As I approached, I saw the negro was Igubo. He recognised me, and it seemed to revive his strength. Without stopping to inquire what had occurred, I took his arm, and a.s.sisted Timbo in hurrying him on towards the river's bank. When he found this, he made a significant gesture towards the Castle. ”He ask for his sons,” whispered Timbo. ”Tell him they are both safe, I hope, in the canoes.” A gleam of satisfaction pa.s.sed over the countenance of the wounded man, and he made fresh efforts to struggle on.
We had great reason to hurry, for ever and anon I could hear the shouts of the savages in the woods behind us, though still they appeared to be at some distance. Blood was flowing from Igubo's side. I fortunately had a handkerchief, and in spite of the necessity for haste, I insisted on stopping to bind up the wound. I was afraid that otherwise he would bleed to death. We gained by it, indeed, for he was afterwards able to move more rapidly, and the flow of blood appeared almost staunched. As we approached the river I caught sight of two figures among the bushes and tall reeds which lined the bank. Could our enemies have got ahead of us? Presently we saw one of the figures dart out from their concealment, and then, to my satisfaction, I recognised Leo. He and Natty soon came running towards us. They had been on the watch, it appeared, having grown anxious at my non-appearance. The rest of the party were seated in the canoes. We a.s.sisted the wounded man into the one in which David was, with the two young ladies and Jack. A place had been left for me there also. Igubo, not seeing his boys in it, uttered an expression of disappointment. We lifted him up, however, and showed that they were in the other canoe. When satisfied, he submitted to have his wounds more completely and scientifically bound up than I had been able to do. Meantime Jack had taken the steering-oar, while Timbo and I seized the paddles. A few hurried words from Timbo explained to Stanley what had happened, and without further delay we shoved off from the bank, and began to make the best of our way down the stream. Natty had come into my canoe, while Stanley called Leo into his. Mine was the _Gazelle_. It was the best of the two, the other having been injured by the hippopotamus. Stanley had placed his sisters in it, trusting rather to Jack's seamans.h.i.+p than to his own. His canoe being the lightest, he took the lead, that he might give timely notice to us should any sandbanks be encountered in our course, and, what were perhaps more to be dreaded, any wild rapids, down which it might be dangerous to proceed. Chico had seated himself in the bow of the canoe, as if he had been placed there to keep a look-out. Natty had taken a paddle, and Kate begged that she might use another till her brother had finished attending to poor Igubo's wounds.
Not till we had got a little way down could I ask Timbo what had occurred. ”Oh, Ma.s.sa Andrew,” he answered, ”me no like talk about it.
De Pangwes come, and stay hid in de night close to de village, and just before de sun get up,--de sun dat is so bright and good, make de trees grow, and cheer de heart of man,--dey steal out wid de sharp sword and de spear, and de moment de Bakeles open de gate, rush in and kill all de women, children, and old men; and some stay outside and kill dose dat run away, and catch de young men and knock dem down, and tie deir hands, and take away to de slave-dealers. Igubo jump over de wall, and kill two or t'ree who came after him; and dough dey stuck de spear in his side, he get away. As I got near de village I hear de cries, and know too well what dey mean; so I hide, for I fear if I run dey see me and follow; but when I found Igubo drop down just near where I was, I rushed out and lift him up and bring him along; and de Pangwes just den no see us, because some young men who had got swords and bows and arrows 'tack dem, and fight bravely; but dey all killed, and den de Pangwes set fire to de village, and you know de rest.”
Timbo had scarcely finished his account when he shouted out, ”See, see!
Dere dey are! Dey come dis way!”
We had all been so busy in paddling the canoe and watching our leader that we had not looked either to the right hand or the left. Stanley, for the same reason, had not seen what was taking place on sh.o.r.e. We now saw a large body of black warriors shaking their spears, and beating them against their s.h.i.+elds, as they rushed on towards the bank of the river. They had evidently the intention of stopping us.
”On, on!” cried Stanley. ”Put your best strength into your strokes; the river is broader a little way down, and we may escape their arrows and spears if they attack us.”
”Don't you think, sir, we had better get a broadside ready and give it them?” exclaimed Jack. ”They are more likely to treat us with respect if we show that we are well-armed.”
”I would advise you not to fire unless hard-pressed,” said Senhor Silva.
”We will show our muskets, but they are fierce warriors, and even should a few be killed, the rest would not be daunted, and would probably pursue us till a more narrow part of the river is reached, when they might overwhelm us with their spears and poisoned arrows.”
”Let me now take the paddle, Kate,” said David, who had placed Igubo at the bottom of the canoe, resting his head on a bundle. ”My arm is stronger than yours, my sister, and in case the savages attack us, you and Bella must lie down at the bottom of the canoe.”
The canoes glided rapidly down the stream, making the water hiss and bubble under their bows. Had we not had the two helpless girls to protect, the adventure would have been an exciting one, which few of us would have objected to go through. The Pangwes, shouting and shrieking, and shaking their spears and s.h.i.+elds, had now reached the banks of the river. It seemed scarcely possible that we could escape them. Not, however, till David had again and again pressed them, would his sisters consent to place themselves in greater safety at the bottom of the canoe. The crew of Stanley's canoe plied their paddles vigorously, and kept just ahead of us. We needed no exhortation from him to follow their example.
We had now got almost abreast of where the savages were standing. Every instant I expected to see them draw their bows, with those deadly poisoned shafts; or hurl their spears, which I knew too well could reach to a great distance. I saw Timbo eyeing them very calmly.
”If we were to fire a broadside into them now, it would soon put them to flight,” cried Jack.
We, however, kept on without apparently noticing them. As we approached, they increased their shouts. Some of their chiefs seemed to be going among them, urging them to rush into the stream. Happily the river was here much wider than above us, and continued so for some distance down. A sandbank appeared in the middle. We trusted that a channel might be found on the right side of it, away from where the savages stood. We now saw several men with swords in their hands, urged by their chiefs, rush into the stream.