Dead Man's Land Part 11

"Yes," said Sir James; "we are getting to be a pretty good hunting party. What with ourselves, men and cattle, we shall have a good many mouths to feed."

"But you don't want to go back, father?"

"I did, thoroughly," replied Sir James, "when we were down at that dreadful port."

"But not now, uncle," cried Dean.

"Certainly not, my boy. I am as eager to go forward as you boys, and I believe the doctor too. I think we are going to have a most delightful trip. But I say, this doesn't look to me a very good specimen of the health of the country;" and he nodded his head in the direction of a very tall, extremely thin, bilious-looking individual who pa.s.sed them, and whom they saw make his way right up to the dealer's house.

"Talk about moustachios," cried Mark. "Why, they look like those of a china figure in a tea-shop. I wonder what he calls himself."

"And this one too," said Dean, for they met a fine-looking, well built black with well-cut features, nose almost aquiline, and a haughty look of disdain in his frowning eyes, as, spear over shoulder, he stalked by the English party, not even deigning to turn to glance back.

"I should think he's a chief," said Mark; "a sort of king in his way."

"Doesn't cost him much a year for his clothes," said Dean, laughing, for the big fellow's costume was the simplest of the simple.

"Ah, not much," said Sir James, looking after the man; "one of Nature's n.o.blemen, who looks as if he had never done a stroke of work in his life. I wonder whether he would ever dare to make use of that spear."

"I don't think there's any doubt about it, sir," said the doctor, "if he were offended; and if we meet men like that we shall have to be friends, for that's an ugly looking weapon that he carries over his shoulder with such a jaunty air."

"What are you thinking about, doctor?"

"I was thinking about the full-blooded black that the captain yonder promised to get us for our guide, and I was wondering whether that was likely to be he."

The doctor's words made the rest turn to gaze after the fine-looking, lithe and active black, who stalked on, haughty of mien, without even seeming to give a thought to the English intruders upon his soil.

CHAPTER SEVEN.

`MAK' IS SENT IN.

The barracks of Illakaree did not form an attractive object in the lovely landscape surrounded by hills, in and out amongst which the Reptile River ran, for a building hastily raised of corrugated iron never was and never will be beautiful.

"I say ugly," said Mark to his cousin, "but all the same I should like to be inside one when there was a bad hailstorm. My word, what a shindy there would be with the big stones--lumps of ice, I suppose, they would be in a place like this--hammering down upon the zinc roof."

"The soldiers look cheery enough."

"And healthy," said the doctor.

"Thoroughly," said Sir James. "It is a pity they cannot make arrangements down at the port to give their men a holiday up here."

They were close up to the captain's quarters, and he, catching sight of the party, came out hastily to shake hands.

"Well," he said, in a light cheery way, "what can I do for you? How are you getting on?"

"Excellently," said the doctor, "thanks to you. We have secured the ponies, two waggons, and two span of oxen with their drivers."

"That's right. Have you got your forelopers too."

"Not yet, but I suppose there will be no difficulty about them."

"Not the slightest. We generally have one or two black fellows eager to get a job with someone going up country. I will undertake to find them.

The oxen are all right, for I have seen them. You couldn't have had a better lot, and you are quite right too over the ponies. Now, is there anything else I can do?"

Before the doctor could speak, the frank, good looking young captain turned to the boys.

"Nice lucky pair of young dogs you are--going on a natural history and hunting trip like this! What wouldn't I give to come with you!"

"Well, come, then," said Sir James. "I should be delighted to strengthen our party with such a companion. You know a good deal about the country, don't you?"

"Well--yes. I have had two or three little excursions in the direction you are going through the great forests and away on to where the old stones are said to be, Dr Robertson," continued the speaker, turning to that visitor.

"But I understood you to say that you had never seen them."

"No; I had to turn back, for my leave had nearly expired, and I came away with the belief that there were no ruins, and that those who had reported about them had seen nothing but some of the castle-like kopjes that look sometimes at a distance like built fortresses of huge granite stones. Still I have heard on the other hand that there are such ruins, and that after their fashion the black tribes keep it a secret and look upon the spot as a sort of Mecca--a sacred place which it is dangerous to approach and which they will not allow the white man to come near for fear he should be hurt, and from fear on their own part of the old bogeys which haunt the ruins. I don't answer for this. It may be all talk, and if I had time there is nothing I should like to do better than to prove it."

"Then you think there is risk in going there."

"No," said the captain, "I really do not. If there were I don't think that the guide would be so ready to undertake his task."

"But the ruins may exist," said the doctor; and the boys listened with their ears wide open or well on the gape for news.

"Certainly; there is plenty of room," said the captain, laughing; "and the black fellow I told you about, as far as I can make out from his jumble of the Ulaka language and broken English, declares that he has seen them--big stone kraals, he calls them."

"Well, why can't you come with us to see?" said the doctor. "It is bound to be very interesting."

"Awfully," said the captain, "and there must be plenty of good sport out there. I'll vouch for that."

"What shall we get?" asked Mark eagerly.

"Lions," said the captain, smiling--"plenty of them. Do you like lion shooting?"

"How can I?" said Mark testily. "How could I? I never shot anything bigger than a pheasant in my life. You are laughing at me."

"Oh, no," said the captain, patting him on the shoulder; "and I daresay next time we meet you will have bagged one or more, and have the skins to show me. Then you will get leopards, which by all means shoot, for they are very mischievous. You will find plenty of hippos in the river, and crocs too. That's why they call it Reptile River; and if you go on far enough, as you ought to if you have plenty of time, you may get a shot or two at giraffes. Ah, and as I say if you go on far enough you may run against okapis."

"O--what, sir?" cried the boys eagerly.

"Oh, a curious new animal that they are reporting. They say it looks half way between a giraffe and a zebra, and it's found in the great central forests. Ah, boys, you have got a fine time before you, and as I said before, I envy you both."

"Then why not think better of Sir James's invitation?" said the doctor.

"I am sure you would be able to a.s.sist us wonderfully. Say you will come."

"Can't," said the captain firmly. "Duty. The people about here are very peaceable now, but they may break out at any time; and suppose there was an _emeute_ amongst these blacks while I was away shooting. I thank you, Sir James, most heartily, but it is impossible. You will have a capital guide, though, who will show you the way far better than I could."

"Yes, the guide," said Mark hastily. "That's why we have come up this morning."