The Ruined Cities of Zululand Part 20

"But," said Isabel, as Hughes concluded the story, "your rhinoceros, dangerous as it was, is nothing to the animal of the same species, which we heard of at Tete, and which many affirmed they had seen."

"What is it?" eagerly asked Wyzinski, forgetting the game in his desire for information. "I once met a woman of the Makao tribe, who spoke of a strange species. Strange enough she was herself, with her upper lip pierced and ornamented by an ivory ring, a bark covering serving for petticoat, that and a necklace of bark for all clothing."

Reclining back on her cushions, the black mantilla drawn over her neck and bust, one tiny slippered foot just peeping from out of the folds of the light dress, Dona Isabel carried the pure white petals of the water-lily to her face, her large black eyes peeping over the flower contrasting strangely with its whiteness, but seeming herself too indolent to reply.

Puffing a long spiral stream of smoke from his mouth, the Portuguese n.o.ble answered for her.

"It is said, and implicitly believed by the natives, many of whom a.s.sert that they have seen it, that far away to the northward there exists a rhinoceros, carrying one single sharp pointed horn right in the centre of the forehead."

"The unicorn of old," interrupted Wyzinski.

"The unicorn of our fathers' tales," replied Dom Francisco, gravely bowing. "The animal is of immense strength and savage ferocity, say the natives. It is useless for man to contend with him, and any one who meets it may count on death."

"At all events he may take refuge in a tree, and wait until the animal goes away."

"It is said this rhinoceros will patiently bore with his sharp horn until he has broken the tree, and then kill the man; that he will work for days until his object be accomplished."

"See!" exclaimed Dona Isabel; "there are canoes coming up the river.

What are they doing?"

There were at that moment four small boats rounding the island, just where the Shire discharged itself into the Zambesi, and their movements seemed eccentric enough to warrant the surprise expressed by Dona Isabel.

Independently of the rowers, one man stood erect in the bow of each canoe, holding in his hand an a.s.segai, which from time to time he threw.

As they neared the bank, a huge hippopotamus rose to the surface, and with a shout, the how man in the nearest canoe made his cast. The spear missed; but the second boat dashed up. Again the hippopotamus rose, and this time the a.s.segai struck true.

"Why, it is exactly the way the Arctic seamen take the whales!"

exclaimed Hughes.

A loud scream from Dona Isabel, as she started from her rec.u.mbent position, was heard. The hippopotamus had risen again, and with its great red mouth open, dashed in fury at the leading canoe.

The man in the bow seemed paralysed with fear, for he did not make a cast; the next moment the boat was floating bottom upwards, drifting with the stream, but the animal had received another a.s.segai as he was in the act of striking the canoe.

As for its crew, they rose to the surface, and struck out for the bank, vigorously swimming like fishes, their comrades taking no notice of them. The hippopotamus seemed badly hurt now, for it rose again quickly, receiving another lance, and then, dragging itself on to the bank, fell from exhaustion and loss of blood, the natives giving a yell of triumph as they rowed up.

"Listen!" said Wyzinski, "that was a shout; here, down the river bank, to the right."

"And there comes the owner of the cry," replied Hughes; "he is a European, too, and well armed."

Dressed in a light calico suit of clothes, wearing a broad-brimmed Panama hat, and carrying a rifle in his hand, while a brace of pistols were stuck into a broad crimson Andalusian sash which encircled his waist, the owner of the shout, as Hughes had called him, rode up, followed by three mounted natives.

"The Senhor Dom Francisco Maxara?" inquired the new comer, raising his sombrero.

"The same, Senhor," haughtily returned the n.o.ble, rising and replying to the courtesy.

"I am Dom a.s.sevedo, of Quillimane. I have a house at Nyangue, and am owner of a good deal of the land about here. Will the Senhor Maxara and his fair daughter (here the sombrero was again removed) condescend to consider my poor house at Nyangue their own for the period they may honour me by staying?"

"I thank you, Senhor, but it may not be. The 'Halcyon' brig waits us at Quillimane, and I must needs say no. Isabel, can you not persuade the Senhor to join us?"

"At all events, I can offer him part of my cushions," replied the lady, "on condition he talks French, for Portuguese will not be understood by our guests."

"Ah, the two Englishmen whom I have heard of from the Limpopo. Perhaps you, gentlemen, will honour me with a visit?"

This, too, was impossible; and Wyzinski was in the act of explaining why, when a loud clamour was heard among the natives, who were busy on the sandy bank below cutting up the hippopotamus. The excitement seemed to communicate itself to the boatmen, and, walking to the entrance, Dom a.s.sevedo called out, "Come here, Senhora, there is a sight seldom seen."

Looking down the stream, which was rolling slowly on its course towards the sea, between banks where the palmyra and cocoa-palms grew in clumps, seven elephants were swimming the river. With their trunks raised high in the air, and their huge black bodies rolling from side to side, the animals, notwithstanding their tremendous bulk, seemed to move with apparent ease and pleasure to themselves.

"They are heading right for the island at the mouth of the Shire!"

exclaimed Hughes, all the spirit of the old shikaree reviving at the sight.

"Something must have terrified them," said Dom a.s.sevedo; "perhaps the jungle has been fired in their rear."

"There they go--one, two, three, four, five, six, and seven, all on the island," counted Hughes.

Dona Isabel had stood, her hands clasped, her eyes fixed on the strange scene, a beautiful statue, the very model of mute astonishment.

"If they don't break out and take to the other bank, I can show you some sport, now," exclaimed a.s.sevedo.

A few minutes of breathless watching followed, not a word being spoken, while the spiral wreaths of smoke curled up into the calm air from Dom Francisco's cigarette. All eyes were fixed on the island. Five minutes elapsed, lengthening into ten, and the elephants had not reappeared.

"Do any of you gentlemen speak Kaffir?" inquired a.s.sevedo.

"I do," replied Wyzinski; "at least the Zulu tongue."

"Good; then do me the favour to go to the men on the river bank. Tell them you come from me, use my name, and let them get their boats together, and join us in our hunt. Senhor de Maxara, will you order your men to get your boat ready?"

"Surely you will take me with you?" asked Isabel.

"Fair Senhora, there is danger."

"And have I not seen the bull fights of Seville?" asked the girl, her eyes flashing fire. "Let me be able to say when I return to my country, that I have also seen the African elephant hunted."

"The animals are sure to take up the river banks for the forest land.

If your boat is large enough to take my pony across, there can be no reason to say no," replied a.s.sevedo.

The boat was found amply sufficient. A lady's side-saddle was rummaged out from the luggage; the rifles, of which there were no lack, loaded; and the whole party, embarked in four canoes and two boats, rowed across the river. At first they pulled up the stream, so as not to alarm the elephants, striking the opposite bank much higher than the mouth of the Shire. Landing, Dom a.s.sevedo posted the men. The elephants, when disturbed, were certain to take to the water, swim the river, and enter the woods, which here stretched right away to the foot of the hills.

"Senhor Wyzinski, as you speak the Zulu tongue, will you take the canoes, and landing in rear of the elephants, make as much noise as possible, and fire the reeds if necessary."

"Senhor Inglesi, you are the younger man, will you look to the Senhora Isabel, while I and Dom Francisco take our post under yonder clump of trees."

Captain Hughes was in the act of ramming down a cartridge as he received the directions. The rifle was a heavy one, and by a lucky chance two of Devisme's explosive cartridges fitted the bore.

Dom a.s.sevedo then explained to Isabel that, should the elephants come her way, she was to ride for the open, where she was perfectly safe, the animals not being fleet enough to overtake her, and they would be sure to make for the forest.

The loud cries of the natives were soon heard, and Hughes looked about him. The Shire river, on whose banks they were, was not broad, though it appeared deep. They stood facing the river, under a clump of cocoa-nut trees. To the right at a little distance lay the Zambesi, and behind them, distant about a thousand yards, began the forest, which seemed gradually to increase in density until it became nearly impenetrable. To the left a comparatively open country, with fields of maize and sugar-cane ripening in the sun. Some long reeds growing about ten paces to their front served as a screen.

Not a word was spoken, and as he stood by the pony's side, and looked up at its rider's slender, graceful figure, and beautiful face, the soldier felt the duty he had undertaken a pleasant one.