Part 41 (1/2)

”I pick 'im in Texas--was 'sistant to a German nat'ralist dar for two year. Stuck to 'im like a limpit till he a-most busted hisself by tumblin' into a swamp, smas.h.i.+n' his spectacles, an' ketchin' fever, w'en he found hisself obleeged to go home to recroot--he called it--though what dat was I nebber rightly understood, unless it was drinkin' brandy an' water; for I noticed that w'en he said he needed to recroot, he allers had a good stiff pull at de brandy bottle.”

Ebony's discourse was here cut short by the sudden appearance of an enormous b.u.t.terfly, which the excitable negro dashed after at a breakneck pace in the interests of science. The last glimpse they had of him, as he disappeared among the trees, was in a somewhat peculiar att.i.tude, with his head down and his feet in the air!

”That's a sign he has missed him,” remarked Hockins, beginning to fill his pipe--the tobacco, not the musical, one! ”I've always observed that when Ebony becomes desperate, and knows he can't git hold of the thing he's arter, he makes a reckless plunge, with a horrible yell, goes right down by the head, and disappears like a harpooned whale.”

”True, but have you not also observed,” said Mark, ”that like the whale he's sure to come to the surface again--sooner or later--and generally with the object of pursuit in possession?”

”I b'lieve you're right, doctor,” said the seaman, emitting a prolonged puff of smoke.

”Does he always go mad like that?” asked the Secretary, who was much amused.

”Usually,” replied Mark, ”but he is generally madder than that. He's in comparatively low spirits to-day. Perhaps it is the heat that affects him. Whew! how hot it is! I think I shall take a bath in the first pool we come to.”

”That would only make you hotter, sir,” said Hockins. ”I've often tried it. At first, no doubt, when you gits into the water it cools you, but arter you come out you git hotter than before. A _hot_ bath is the thing to cool you comfortably.”

”But we can't get a hot bath here,” returned Mark.

”You are wrong,” said the Secretary, ”we have many natural hot springs in our land. There is one not far from here.”

”How far?” asked Mark with some interest.

”About two rice-cookings off.”

To dispel the reader's perplexity, we may explain at once that in Madagascar they measure distances by the time occupied in cooking a pot of rice. As that operation occupies about half-an-hour, the Secretary meant that the hot spring was distant about two half-hours--that is, between three and four miles off.

”Let's go an' git into it at once,” suggested Hockins.

”Better wait for Ebony,” said Mark. Then--to the Secretary--”Yours is a very interesting and wonderful country!”

”It is, and I wonder not that European nations wish to get possession of it--but that shall _never_ be.”

Mark replied, ”I hope not,” and regarded his friend with some surprise, for he had spoken with emphasis, and evidently strong feeling. ”Have you fear that any of the nations wish to have your country?”

”Yes, we have fear,” returned the Secretary, with an unwontedly stern look. ”They have tried it before; perhaps they will try it again. But they will fail. Has not G.o.d given us the land? Has not He moved the hearts of Engleesh men to send to us the Bible? Has not his Holy Spirit inclined our hearts to receive that Word? Yes--it has come. It is planted. It _must_ grow. The European nations cannot hinder it.

Ranavalona cannot stamp it out. False friends and open foes cannot crush it. The Word of G.o.d will civilise us. We will rise among the nations of the earth when the love of Jesus spreads among us--for that love cures every evil. It inclines as well as teaches us to deny self and do good. It is not possible for man to reach a higher point than that! Deny self! Do good! We are slow to learn, but it is _sure_ to come at last, for is it not written that `the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the sea'?”

”I believe you are right,” said Mark, much impressed with this outburst and the earnest enthusiasm of his friend's manner. ”And,” he continued, ”you have a n.o.ble country to work on--full of earth's riches.”

”You say noting but the truth,” answered the Secretary in a gratified tone. ”Is not our island as big--or more big--as yours--nearly the same as France? And look around! We have thousands of cattle, tame and wild, with which even now we send large supplies to foreign markets, and fowls innumerable, both wild and tame. Our soil is rich and prolific.

Are not our vegetables and fruits innumerable and abundant? Do not immense forests traverse our island in all directions, full of trees that are of value to man--trees fit for building his houses and s.h.i.+ps and for making his beautiful furniture, as well as those that supply cocoa-nuts, and figs, and fruits, and gums, and dyes? And have we not the silkworm in plenty, and cotton-plants, and sugar-cane, and many spices, and the great food-supply of our people--rice, besides minerals which make nations rich, such as iron and gold? Yes, we have everything that is desirable and good for man. But we have a climate which does not suit the white man. Yet _some_ white men, like yourself, manage to live here. Is not this a voice, from G.o.d? He does not speak to us with the tongue of man, but He speaks with a still, small voice, as easy to understand. He has surrounded our island with unhealthy sh.o.r.es. Does not that tell the white man not to come here? Your London Missionary Society sent us the Bible. G.o.d bless them for that! They have done well. But they have done enough. We desire not the interference of England or France in our affairs. We do not want your divisions, your sects. We have the Word. G.o.d will do the rest. We want no white nations to _protect_ us. We want to be let alone to protect and develop ourselves, with the Bible for our guide and the Holy Spirit as our teacher. You Englishmen were savages once, and the Word of G.o.d came and raised you. You only continue to be great because the Bible keeps you still in the right path. What it has done for you it will do for us.

All we ask for is to be let alone!”

The Secretary had become quite excited on this theme, and there is no saying how much longer he might have gone on if Ebony had not returned, scratched, bruised, bleeding, panting and perspiring, but jubilant, with an enormous b.u.t.terfly captive in his net, and the cause of science advanced.

Having secured the specimen, they set off at once to visit the hot springs, after p.r.i.c.king a traveller's tree with a spear and obtaining a refres.h.i.+ng draught of cool clear water therefrom.

Fountains of mineral waters have been found in many, parts of Madagascar, and among them several which are called Rano-mafana, or ”warm waters.” These vary both in temperature and medicinal properties.

The spot when reached was found to be a small cavity in the rocks which was delightfully shaded by the leaves of the wild fig, and by a number of interwoven and overhanging bamboos. The branches of the fig-trees spread directly across the stream.

Hastening to the fountain, Hockins thrust his hand in, but quickly pulled it out again, for the water was only a few degrees below the boiling-point.