Richard Galbraith, Mariner Part 17

It was during our first morning's march that Umatula called our attention to a bird perched on a bush in front of us, who by his cherr-cherring cry seemed to be trying to attract our notice. Such evidently was the case, for no sooner did he find he was seen than he began hopping further on, stopping and looking back to see if we were following.

This immediately we did, for I now recognised it to be a bird I had often heard about but never seen, called the Honey Guide, from the fact that he will lead man, of whom he appears to have no fear, to where the bees have constructed their hive, so that they may gather the sweet contents, of which the Kaffir is exceedingly fond. Therefore, from bush to bush we followed, the little creature keeping up its cherring cry till, finally, it came to a halt upon a tree, in a hollow of which we descried the comb.

Umatula speedily extracted the treasure, for the natives are most skilful in this performance, and we all willingly partook of it, taking care to leave a plentiful supply for our little friend the Honey Guide, who, from a neighbouring branch, waited impatiently for his share or reward.

When we were once more on our way Umatula told us that not only did the Kaffir make use of this little bird, but the Honey Ratel also availed itself of its services. This animal--a species of the weasel tribe-- would, he said, follow the bird like we had to the treasure, tear it from the tree with its sharp claws, its thick coat being impervious to the enraged insects' stings, devour its share, and leave a sufficient quant.i.ty as remuneration to its guide.

With the help of our a.s.sagais and k.n.o.b-kerries we had killed enough game to make us a first-rate repast, and as night drew on, when it had been agreed we should bivouac, we lighted a large fire, both to cook our provisions and to scare any wild beasts that might be near, for we could hear their different roars and howls deeper in the bush. It was while attending to the culinary preparations that Thompson, with a round oath, suddenly sprang from the fire as if it had burned him--a movement speedily explained by the sudden apparition of a large snake within the circle of light. Without taking any notice of Jack or either of us, the creature moved rapidly along to the fire, being attracted by the warmth.

We watched it curiously, as swiftly it went so close to the embers that it must have burnt itself severely, yet it only drew back again to approach till, I am sure, it would have ended by killing itself, as I have heard many do, had not Umatula destroyed it by striking it on the head with his k.n.o.b-kerrie. Whereupon Thompson, seeing that, should any more snakes come, it would be because of the fire, not him, after a s.p.a.ce proceeded with his cooking, upon which, when completed, we made a hearty meal; then, Umatula taking the first watch upon himself, we rolled ourselves each in our own kaross and speedily slept the sleep of the fatigued, for we had made a great way in our journey that day.

At an agreed time Umatula awoke me to take his turn of rest, while I watched--an employment I scarcely felt up to, being so extremely drowsy that, fearing to fall off in slumber, I got up, and drawing the fire together supplied it with fresh fuel; then sitting down, I tried to keep myself awake by imagining the surprise my return would create, and how all the papers would be full of the history of the two shipwrecked mariners who had spent over a year among the almost unknown tribes of Caffraria.

But all these manoeuvres could not prevent my heavy eyelids from closing, and I fancy I must have actually dozed off, when I was suddenly aroused by vague consciousness that the place was growing much lighter.

We had encamped upon a hillside, and on looking up I perceived the sky, over the tree tops in the direction of the plains, to be of a light yellow glow.

My first movement was to arouse my companions, but recollecting how tired they must be, I determined before doing so to enquire a little further into the cause, as it might be some celestial phenomenon which in a moment would disappear, though to me it had the same appearance as a large fire would have in England. For this purpose I quickly mounted higher up the hill, and scaling a rocky projection turned and gazed back.

Heavens! what a sight met my view--grandly beautiful, but how awful!

Some distance off the whole plain before me was covered by a vast sheet of fire, which leaped and lapped with its forked tongues as it rushed onward. The entire distance appeared in flames--as if the end of the world had come.

With the speed of consternation I dashed back to my companions, and shouted in their ears, "Up, up! for heaven's sake; be quick! The bush is on fire, and the flames are coming in our direction."

The words acted like magic; both were instantly on their feet, and following me to my previous post of inspection.

No sooner had Umatula discovered the direction of the fire, which each moment was increasing in rapidity, than shouldering the skins, he bade us follow him; for we laid right in the fierce element's track, and did it reach us it would be certain death.

"We must get to yonder rock," he said, pointing to one some distance off, "on the top of it we may perhaps be safe."

With as much speed as we could muster we instantly followed the swift Kaffir, and with hands and legs torn by the strong thorns of the cacti bushes succeeded in reaching the summit of the rock where, throwing ourselves down, breathless with our haste, we contemplated the spreading conflagration.

If it was grand before, it was terribly so now, for it covered the whole plain and was rushing up the hillside, the flames curling into the air like things of life, leaping from bush to bush, springing up in spiral columns to the skies, and destroying all signs of vegetation in its path.

As it reached the hill and bush, roars and howls of terror suddenly arose from all the affrighted dwellers in its shades. The most fierce as the weakest fled before this pitiless, unconquerable enemy, which seemed to leap and laugh rejoicing in the pursuit. Then with an awful howl the bush disgorged its inmates. Antelopes, tigers, jackals, hyaenas, elephants, and even here and there a large snake, came rushing forth in one confused herd--no longer thinking of preying on each other, though the gembok fled shoulder to shoulder with the lion--all being possessed with but one idea in that terrible moment, to escape from the frightful enemy behind them.

I have never beheld such a sight, and never shall again. No scene I am sure in all the world could surpa.s.s the grandeur of that--fire in the bush.

Thank heaven, the rock Umatula had selected was slightly out of the track of the flames, and to our relief we saw them sweep past, their heated breath scorching our cheeks, leaving first red embers, then a vast extent of burnt charred vegetation in their tract.

"However could this have occurred," I exclaimed to Umatula when all danger was over, "such an accident is most dangerous."

"Not at all; this is no accident," he laughed. "The Kaffirs have done it to improve the gra.s.s for the cattle."

"Done it!" I repeated in surprise.

"Yes; directly the oxen have eaten a patch of gra.s.s to the stubble and it gets coa.r.s.e, my countrymen set fire to it when the cows are safe in the isibaya and the wind does not lay that way but towards the bush."

"But they ruin the land for miles," said Thompson gruffly.

"No, they improve it; the charred wood and stubble serve for manure, and if rain come the land is speedily recovered by a fresh vegetation."

This was perfectly true. The scorched blackened soil which we now looked upon from our height of rock would in a brief period send forth sweet green young shoots, forming an excellent food for cattle.

Certainly the plan might be very good, but I hoped within myself, while Thompson expressed the same wish aloud in English, that when the natives had recourse to this method of strengthening the ground, there might not be any unfortunate travellers like ourselves in the neighbourhood. Then with a prayer of thanks for our preservation from both of us, we once more laid down, now on the top of the rock, and feeling ourselves safe owing to the exterminating fire from any unpleasant intrusion, were all three in a short time sleeping soundly.

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.

IN WANT OF WATER--THE HONEY GUIDE PLAYS ME A TRICK--HOW I AM SAVED-- ZENUTA.

On rising the next morning, and disposing of some biltongue, we again started on our journey, and got through many hours of the day with but little incident to recount, save that we were consumed by a terrific thirst, having, since the previous evening, been unable to procure water. The rain which had fallen in the neighbourhood of the kraal appeared never to have reached this spot, for the bed of a small stream we had pa.s.sed was perfectly cracked and arid from want of moisture. So, while a tropical sun was shining down upon our heads, we had to proceed without being able to procure a drop of water to cool our parched lips, only finding relief in sucking or chewing different fruits and leaves of a watery nature, which Umatula pointed out to us.

Having heard our guide once or twice exclaim, "If I had but a chacma here," I at last asked him what a chacma was, and why he wanted one at that particular moment.

"The chacma," he answered, "is a baboon, one of the most destructive of the whole species to our crops, for he knows where to find the best as well as we do."

"By old Davy Jones himself," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Thompson in English to me, "but what good would a blessed ape, with these propensities, serve us here?"

The question was answered immediately by Umatula, who had stopped on observing Jack was speaking, and now continued--

"Though our enemy in this, we make him a friend sometimes by taming him; for the chacma is pa.s.sionately fond of a root called babiana, which is always full of a watery juice; so, when lacking water in dry weather like the present, we lead these creatures by a piece of hide, and they will direct us to these roots, from which, on digging them up, we extract the fluid."

After this explanation, Jack, as well as I, desired the presence of the chacma as much as Umatula did, but the three wishes were no better than the one--we were quite as dest.i.tute of water as ever, and proceeded with our spirits slightly depressed in consequence. To make matters worse, I had happened to tread upon a thorn, which had so pierced my foot as to create a slight lameness, so that I could not walk at the same rate which I had done on the day previously.

It was within two or three hours of nighttime--and here that period succeeds quickly to day--when, by sundry signs and a change in the genus of the vegetation, Umatula said he felt sure that a stream, perhaps a river, must be close at hand, and proposed that, as I was so crippled, he and Jack should, diverging a little from the right track, climb a small eminence some little distance off and ascertain if his surmises were correct.

Willing to save myself from more exertion than was absolutely necessary, I gladly agreed to the plan, and, casting myself at the foot of a tree, watched them depart. They had not long disappeared, however, before the now easily recognised cherr of the Honey Bird attracted my attention.

Looking up, I saw the little feathered biped, perched on a bush close by, his head on one side as if making a minute inspection of my person.

Fancying a few honey-combs would be a pleasant addition to our late meal, if we could but find water, I scrambled on to my feet and began to follow my small guide. The sweet treasure was evidently not far off, for the bird went slowly, and, after a few yards, stopped by a tangled fence of parasites.

Seeing no place for the bees' store, I approached and drew aside the tangled ma.s.s, believing I should find some felled tree or shattered trunk, which the insects had converted into a hive; but, with a chilling horror, I stood transfixed to the spot, as my eyes encountered those, red as blood, of a leopard that was crouching behind.

How long we remained gazing into each others eyes I do not know--it seemed an hour, but could only have been a few seconds--when a stealthy movement of the animal, as it apparently began to contract its muscles for a spring, recalled me to a sense of my danger, and instinctively I raised an a.s.sagai and flung it at the creature; it pierced him in the shoulder, and with a roar of pain he rose, but failed in his bound.

Instantly I sprang back, then a cry of horror escaped my lips, for I felt as if a companion of the fierce beast in front had seized me both with claws and teeth from behind. The next instant, however, I had learned the terrible truth. I was once more in the tenacious grasp of another of those awful species of the acacia tribe--the acacia detinens.

Yes, there I was, held firmly, confident that the least struggle would but make me a greater prisoner; while the leopard, as if conscious of my helpless position, was slowly dragging itself through the bushes, never once, however, taking its red fiery eyes from my face. I tried to raise my arm with an a.s.sagai, but it was useless; the thorns penetrated my flesh, while I felt I had no power to aim the weapon, or, if I did so, the blow would be so light that it would only further irritate without harming the brute in front. I even now shudder at the remembrance of that awful moment. No savage of the most fiendish nature could have gloated over his intended victim more than the leopard seemed to. He drew himself along on his stomach as I have seen a dog do. The wound I had given him I fancied had made him weak, for apparently he was unable to spring, and, though dreading each moment that he would do so, I grew sick and dizzy at the terrible suspense.

All at once I read in the creature's eyes his intent to put an end to the affair. His tail began slowly to lash backwards and forwards, beating the ground fiercely; then I saw the haunches of the lithe body crouch up, the shoulders draw back. I could bear it no longer. I felt my brain turning, and, uttering cry after cry, called aloud for help, addressing both Umatula and Jack, yet feeling despairingly aware that, even did they hear my cries, they never could arrive in time to aid me.

A prayer rose to my lips. I gave one gigantic, mad struggle as I saw the leopard rise quickly into the air; then shrieked wildly as its horrid face, with its eyes aflame--its terrible mouth agape and glistening with strong white teeth--glared into mine, while its breath, like a simoom, stirred my very hair. Madly I flung up my arms, then sunk back insensible.

When I came to--for of course I did, else this history would never have been written--I believed I had been killed, and, having pa.s.sed through the darkness of the grave, had awakened in the other world; but a few instants after my eyes recognised the African foliage about me, and I felt I was lying on the ground, my body painful with p.r.i.c.ks and tears, and my head supported on somebody's knees.

"Is that you, Jack, old fellow?" I asked faintly.

"Ah, you speak! you live!" exclaimed a well-remembered voice in the Kaffir tongue, and Zenuta's face was bent over mine.

Faint and sore as I was, I started up in my surprise, ejaculating--"Zenuta! you here? How can it be possible?"

"Possible! Oh, Galbrth, do you think I could have ever lived without you? You went--oh, cruel, cruel!--but I followed--pardon me."

"What! followed, Zenuta? Have you braved the dangers of the bush alone, and for my sake?" I said, in much astonishment and emotion.