The Fugitives: The Tyrant Queen of Madagascar Part 11

Pa.s.sing to the subject which gave rise to these erratic thoughts, we have to relate that the whole party, entertainers and entertained, did ample justice to the rice, beef, chicken and marrow-bones, after which Hockins wafted the natives to the seventh heaven of delight and wonder by means of his flageolet. It was very late that night before they retired to rest. It was later still before they went to sleep.

The native village at which our travellers had arrived was a rude, poor-looking place, inhabited by a brave and war-like tribe, who depended more for defence on their personal prowess and the difficulties presented by their forests, than upon ditches or ramparts. The village was, however, surrounded by a fence of trees growing so close together that it would have been almost impossible to carry the place by a.s.sault if resolutely defended from within.

The huts were roughly constructed of bamboos plastered with clay and lined with matting,--also with the large leaves of the "traveller's tree," and thatched with rushes.

The chief's hut, in which the white guests were feasted, was of course larger and somewhat better in construction than the others. Its floor, composed of hard-beaten clay, was covered with matting, clean pieces of which were spread for the visitors to squat upon, for there were no chairs, stools, or tables. In the north-west corner was the hearth--a square of between two and three feet, with a few large stones for supporting the cooking utensils, but without chimney of any kind. Smoke was allowed to find an exit as it best could by crevices in the roof and by a small window or hole in the north gable. A few cooking-pots, earthen jars, rice-baskets, some knives, a wooden chest, and several spears, completed the furniture.

Against the northern roof-post hung a small bottle-shaped basket, which contained the household _sampey_, or G.o.d, or charm. In Madagascar this usually consists of a meaningless stone; sometimes a chip of wood, the leaf of a tree, or a flower, and this is what the natives pray to and profess to trust in!

Our travellers found, after supper was over, that they were not to sleep in the chief's house, for they were led to that of a head-man of the village, and told they were to rest with him. This man was old, and seemed to have no wife or family, for the only person at home at the time, besides himself, was an old woman, perhaps his sister, who looked after the household. He was a hospitable old man, however, and made them heartily welcome to their beds of matting in the north end of the hut. Unfortunately the south end of it was usually occupied by pigs and poultry. These were expelled for the occasion, but they insisted several times on returning to their own abode, being unable, apparently, to believe that their expulsion was really intended! As there were several openings in the hut, the difficulty of excluding the animals was great, for when expelled at one hole, amid remonstrative shrieks and screams, they quickly re-entered at another with defiant grunts and cacklings.

By stopping up the holes, however, the enemy was finally overcome. Then the old man, having retired to his corner, and the sister having departed, Mark Breezy, John Hockins, James Ginger, and Ravonino drew round the fire, heaped-on fresh logs, lay down at full length on their mats, and prepared to enjoy that sleepy chat which not unfrequently precedes, sometimes even postpones, repose.

"That was a curious speech that Voalavo made to the crocodile, Ravonino," said Mark. "Do you really think he believed it did any good?"

"Yes, truly, he believed it. This is a land of charms and superst.i.tion.

Voalavo is of too honest and straightforward a nature to practise what he does not believe in."

"Does _you_ b'lieve in charms an' soopist.i.tion?" asked Ebony, with expectant eyes.

"What need to ax that, you stoopid n.i.g.g.e.r?" said Hockins; "don't you know he's a Christian?"

"Das true, 'Ockins. I hoed an' forgot."

"But tell me, Ravonino, are de crokindiles awrful rampageous when dey're roused?"

"Yes, they are pretty bad," said the guide, clearing his throat, for he was fond of expatiating on the wonders and beauties of his native land!

"And although they look sluggish enough when sprawling on mud-banks, half-asleep in the sun, you would be surprised to see them go after fish, which is their princ.i.p.al food. Their favourite haunts are the deep rugged banks of a river or lake overhung with trees, where they can hide themselves and watch for prey. It is not only in water that they are dangerous. They fasten their teeth, if they get the chance, on any animal that comes to the river to drink. They sometimes get hold of bullocks when drinking, and often do so when the cattle are swimming across. They are unnaturally ferocious, too, for they will devour their own young."

"Oh! de brutes!" exclaimed Ebony, poking the fire with a bit of stick savagely. "Don't de mudders fight for de young uns?"

"Not they. The mothers lay their eggs in the sand and leave them to look after themselves. The others are sly, and--"

"Dat's de fadders, brudders, an' unkles ob de eggs, you mean?"

"Yes, that's what I mean. The old he-crocodiles watch where the eggs are laid, an' when it's about time for them to break an' let the young ones out, these monsters go into the water at the edge and wait. When the baby-crocodiles get out of prison they make straight for the water, where the old villains are ready to receive an' devour them. Some times the young ones are stupid when they are born, they take the wrong road and escape their relations' teeth only to get to the rice-grounds and fall into the hands of the natives. Many of the eggs, too, are destroyed, before they are hatched, by vultures and other birds, as well as by serpents. Men also gather them by hundreds, boil them and dry them in the sun to preserve them for use or sale."

"The miserable young things seem to have a poor chance of life then,"

said Mark, sleepily.

"Das so, ma.s.sa. I'd rader be a n.i.g.g.e.r dan a crokindile."

Hockins said nothing, being sound asleep.

"What makes that rattling among the cooking-pots?" asked Mark, looking round lazily.

"Rats," replied the guide. "Didn't you see them running along the roof when you came in?"

"No, I didn't."

"Look up now, then, and you'll see them on the beams."

Mark and Ebony both looked up, and beheld a row of rats on the beam overhead--their bead-like eyes glittering as they gazed over one side of the beam, and their long tails just showing on the other.

"Das funny," said the negro, who was in sympathy with the whole brute creation!

Mark thought it very much the reverse of funny, but held his peace.

"Dar's a ole grey un, ma.s.sa, right ober 'Ockins's head--a tremenjous big 'un. Don't you see 'im wid a griggy young un beside 'im?"

Whether the griggy young one was also larky we cannot tell, but while the negro was speaking it executed a flourish (whether intentional or otherwise who can say?) which knocked the big grey rat off the beam, and caused it to fall with a heavy flop on Hockins's face. Three others fell off in their anxiety to observe the result.

Hockins leapt up with an indignant roar, and the rats leaped among the pots and pans with a horrified squeak, while Ebony and the others looked on with excruciating enjoyment.

The scurrying of many little feet among the household implements told that the grey rat's friends were numerous though unseen, and the angry grunting of pigs proved that other slumbers had been broken. Of course the whole party were thoroughly awakened by this incident, but they took it good-humouredly, and, after replenishing the fire, lay down again, and resolutely shut their eyes and ears.

Slumber was once more stealing over them, when a noise at the door of the hut awakened them. Next moment they started up, for two warriors of the tribe entered with a prisoner between them.

"We caught this man entering our village," said one of the warriors, fiercely, to the guide; "we would have taken him to our chief, but he says that you are his friend--yet I think he lies."

"He speaks the truth," returned Ravonino, calmly. "He is my friend.

Doubtless he has good reasons for coming here. Leave him with us, we will guard him till morning."

The warriors at once released their prisoner and retired, while the man stepping forward into clearer light revealed the handsome countenance of Laihova.

"Sit down, my brother," said Ravonino to the youth, in tones of unusual tenderness, "and let me know what brings you here so unexpectedly."

"I come to offer my service," replied the youth, with a modest air.

"You have told me that you go to Antananarivo to rescue Rafaravavy.

Your face is known to every one in the town. If you enter it, your death will be certain."

"But I do not intend to enter it," said Ravonino; "these my white friends will aid me."

"The white men may be wise and brave, but they know not how to aid you, I am not so well-known in the town. I will venture into it, and will show them where to go and what to do."

The guide shook his head and was silent for some moments. He seemed uncertain how to act.

"What says Laihova?" asked Mark Breezy at this point, for the conversation having been conducted in the native tongue they as yet understood nothing.

The guide briefly explained, and then turned to the young man.

"But how can you think of leaving your friends in the cave, Laihova?

They may require your strong arm; and my sister is--"

"It was my friends who advised me to leave them," said the youth, quickly, "and Ra-Ruth bade me go. Besides, have we not entered into the Covenant of Blood?"

"Well, you may come with us. After all, Ra-Ruth is right."

"What does he mean by the Covenant of Blood?" asked Mark when the guide explained what had just been said.