Part 4 (1/2)
The seaman's purpose now was to act the part of a matador. He knew that he possessed coolness and nerve sufficient for the deed; he hoped that he had the skill; he felt that hunger could no longer remain unsatisfied; he feared that death by starvation might be the lot of himself and his companions, and he preferred to meet death in action--if meet it he must. All things considered, he resolved to face the bovine thunderbolt with unflinching front, like a true-blue British tar!
His coolness in the circ.u.mstances was evinced by the remarks muttered to himself in a growly tone as the bull approached.
”Three futt--that'll be enough. I don't rightly remember how near them mattydoors let him come before they putt their helms hard down an' let him go by, but I think three futt'll do.”
This decision was barely reached when the bull was upon him with lowered head and erect tail. It was an awful rush, but Hockins stood like a rock with the cutla.s.s pointed. At the pre-arranged moment he stepped to one side, but instead of letting the momentum of the animal do the work, he could not resist the impulse to drive the cutla.s.s deeper into the bull's neck. The result was that, though he escaped the creature's horn by a very narrow shave, the cutla.s.s was wrenched violently from his grasp, and he was sent head over heels upon the plain!
Seeing this, Mark and the negro ran to the rescue, the one howling like a maniac, the other clubbing his gun; but their aid was not required, for the work of the amateur matador had been effectively done. After receiving the deadly thrust the bull plunged forward a few paces, and then fell dying upon the ground, while Hockins got up and began to feel himself all over to make sure that no bones were broken.
It need scarcely be told that they rejoiced greatly over their success, and that they cut off some of the flesh immediately, with which they returned to the forest to enjoy a much-needed meal.
”We must kindle a fire now,” said Mark, stopping at an open s.p.a.ce in the midst of a very secluded spot at the foot of a magnificent palm-tree.
”You see I'm not prepared to act like a cannibal or Eskimo, and eat the meat raw.”
”There won't be much fear now,” said Hockins, ”especially if we make the fire of dry wood an' keep it small. Just look at that, Doctor.”
He held out his cutla.s.s for inspection. It had been seriously bent in the recent encounter.
”Ain't that a cryin' shame to the owners, now, to send us poor fellows to the eastern seas, where we may meet pirates any day, with tin cutlashes like that.”
”You kin put him straight de next bull you kills,” said Ebony, as he prepared some touchwood; ”you've on'y got to stick 'im on the _left_ side an' he'll twis' it all right. Now, ma.s.sa, I's ready, bring de gun an' snap de flints ober dat.”
Hockins straightened his weapon between the branches of a tree, his comrades managed to capture a spark in a ma.s.s of dry combustibles, which soon burst into a flame. As the seaman had recommended, only the driest wood was used, and just enough of that to enable them to half-roast what food they required. Then they returned to the carca.s.s of the bull, and cut off a large quant.i.ty of meat, using the cutla.s.s as well as their clasp-knives in the operation.
”Cut the meat in thin slices,” said Mark Breezy, when they began this work.
”Why you so 'ticklar, ma.s.sa?” asked Ebony. ”I's fond o' t'ick slices-- w'en him's not too tough.”
”Because then we can dry the meat in the sun or over a slow fire, and so be able to keep it longer without spoiling. We must spend the night here for the purpose, and perhaps part of to-morrow.--Why, Hockins, what are you about?”
”Makin' a pair o' shoes, sir; you see them old dancin' pumps as I left the s.h.i.+p with wouldn't hold out another day o' this rough travellin', so I'm makin' a noo pair of shoes when I've got the chance.”
”They will be a primitive pair,” observed Mark.
”If that means a good pair, you're right, sir. They are after the pattern first made by Adam for Eve--leas'wise it's supposed her first pair o' dancin' pumps was made this fas.h.i.+on. I'll make a sim'lar pair for you, sir, w'en your boots give out.”
In case the reader should ever be reduced to extremities in the matter of foot-gear we may explain the seaman's method.
Selecting what he believed to be the thickest part of the bull's hide, he cut off a small portion about eighteen inches square. Spreading this on the ground with the hair upwards, he planted his naked foot on it and marked the shape thereon. Then with his knife he cut away the hide all round the foot-mark at four inches or so from the outline of the foot.
Next, he bored little holes all round the margin, through which he ran a line, or lace, also made of raw hide. Then, planting his foot again in the middle of the hide, he drew the line tight, causing the edges to rise all round the foot and almost cover it.
”There you are, sir,” he said, stretching out his limb and admiring the contrivance; ”rough-an'-ready, you see, but soon finished. It ain't recorded in ancient history what Eve said when Adam presented her wi'
the little testimonial of his affection, but if I might ventur' a guess I should opine that she said `puckery.'”
”H'm! Dey ain't a tight fit,” observed Ebony. ”I's ob opinion dat your corns are quite safe in 'em.”
Having completed his shoe-making work, the ingenious seaman a.s.sisted his companions to prepare the dried meat, which they afterwards tied up in three convenient little parcels to be slung on their backs.