Part 29 (2/2)
”Now, then, what is to be done?” said the Major ”Shall we fire? Do you think that they have possession of the boy?”
”If they have, they will let hio Yes, we are too nuht, depend upon it Let us all take good aiht into them”
”Well, then, I'll take that venerable old chap that appears to be the leader, and the great-grandfather of them all,” said the Major ”Are you all ready?--then fire”
The volley had its effect; three or four of the animals were killed,off with loud shrieks and cries, the wounded trailing themselves after the others as well as they could
The whole party then ascended the crags to look after Oained the summit when they heard Omrah's voice below, but could not see him ”There he is, sir,” said Swanevelt, ”down below there” Swinton and the Major went down again, and at last, guided by the shouts of the boy, they came to a narrow cleft in the rock, about twenty feet deep, at the bottom of which they heard, but could not see, the boy The cleft was so narrow that none of the men could squeeze down it Swinton sent one of thes or a piece of rope to let down to hi the delay, Bremen inquired of Oative When the rope came, and was lowered down to him, Omrah seized it, and was hauled up by the Hottentots He appeared to have suffered a little, as his hair was torn out in large handfuls, and his shi+rt was in ribbons; but with the exception of some severe scratches from the nails of the baboons, he had no serious injury Oe, that Begum and he had come to the cleft, and had discovered that there ater at the botto, when the baboons, which drank in the chas up and escaped, but he could not; and that the animals had followed him down, until he was so jammed in the cleft that he could descend no further; and that there they had pulled out his hair and torn his shi+rt, as they saw Having heard Omrah's story, and satisfied themselves that he had received no serious injury, they then went to where the baboons had been shot Tere dead; but the old one, which the Major had fired at, was alive, although severely wounded, having received two shots, one in his ar, which was broken by the ball All the poor old creature's fierceness appeared to have left him It was evidently very weak froainst the rock Every now and then it would raise itself, and look down upon the wound in its leg, exah; then it would hold up its wounded arly, as much as to say, ”What have you done this for?”
”Poor creature,” said Alexander; ”howIts mute expostulation is quite painful to witness”
”Very true,” said the Major; ”but still, if it had not those wounds, it would tear you to pieces if it could”
”That it certainly would,” said Swinton; ”but still it is an object of pity It can not recover, and we had better put it out of its h the head, our travelers then walked back to the caravan As they returned by the banks of the river, they perceived Begu up the baked mud at the bottom of a pool
”What is the princess about?” said Alexander
”I know,” cried Omrah, who immediately ran to the assistance of the baboon; and after a little , he pulled out a live tortoise about a foot long
”I have heard that when the pools dry up, the tortoises reain,” said Swinton
”Are they good eating, Swinton?”
”Excellent”
”Turtle soup in the desert, that's so unexpected”
The Hottentots now set to work and discovered five or six et at the water in the deep cleft, but finding it impossible, the caravan continued its course
”How much more of this desert have we to traverse,” said Alexander, ”before we come to the river?”
[Illustration: THE TORTOISE DISCOVERY]
”I fear that we shall not arrive there before to- the night, which I think will be the best plan; for fatiguing as it will be to the animals, they will be even more exhausted if they pass another day under the sun without water, and at night they will bear their work better We gain nothing by stopping, as the longer they are on the journey, the more they will be exhausted”
”I am really fearful for the horses, they suffer so e full of water; we can spare so much for the poor creatures”
”In the deserts of Africa you have always one of three dangers to encounter,” said Swinton; ”wild men, wild beasts, and want of water”
”And the last is the worst of the three,” replied the Major ”We shall have a ht for a few hours”
”Yes, and if we had not, it would be of no consequence; the stars give light enough, and we have little chance of wild beasts here We noater; as soon as we get rid of that danger, we shall then have the other to encounter”