The Three Admirals Part 32

On returning on deck he made his report, and the captain ordering the yards to be braced up, the ship stood in the direction of the wreck.

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

TOM AND DESMOND WITH THEIR PARTY RETREAT INTO THE INTERIOR--NICK SETS OUT TO SCOUT--RETURNS--TOM GOES OUT AND BRINGS UNSATISFACTORY INTELLIGENCE--THE PARTY REACH THE RIVER--EMBARK IN A CANOE--PURSUED-- ESCAPE UP THE RIVER--MOOR TO A TREE FOR THE NIGHT--A PLENTIFUL BREAKFAST--THROUGH A FOREST--TOM AND PIPES VISIT THE Sh.o.r.e--SEE THE SHIP SAIL--A STORM--RETURN TO THEIR COMPANIONS--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE SOUTHWARD--ESCAPE OBSERVATION OF NATIVES--NUMEROUS DANGERS--PETER SEIZED BY A TIGER--BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS--BIRDS OF GAY PLUMAGE SHOT--BILLY NARROWLY ESCAPES FROM A CROCODILE--ATTACKED BY MONKEYS--CROSS A WIDE PRAIRIE-- WANT OF WATER--FIND WATER-MELONS--BUFFALOES KILLED--SIGHT A SNOWY MOUNTAIN--DEER KILLED, AND A FIGHT WITH A TIGER--CROSSING THE MOUNTAINS--SEE A VOLCANO--AN ERUPTION--SERPENTS--A LARGE LAKE--A FRIENDLY CHIEF--JOURNEY CONTINUED--THE COAST REACHED--AN ENGLISH BRIG IN THE HARBOUR.

The party consisting of Tom Rogers, Gerald Desmond, and Billy Blueblazes, with Casey, Peter, and the two Papuans, Nick and Pipes, had penetrated a considerable distance to the south-west, when they heard the sound of hot firing in the rear. The midshipmen proposed at once returning to rejoin their friends, but Pipes, in great alarm, pointed out the probability that the Papuans had got between them and the English, and that they would to a certainty, should such be the case, be attacked and killed before they could regain the beach. Nick joined his entreaties to those of his countryman, and offered to steal forward and ascertain the position of the two parties, begging his friends to remain concealed behind some rocks and thick bushes until his return. The sound of firing continued. From the nature of the volleys it was evident that two parties were engaged, and that the Papuans must possess a considerable number of muskets. Tom, therefore, thought it prudent to agree to Nick's proposal. He and his companions accordingly concealed themselves in the spot proposed, while Nick hurried forward in the direction of the firing. Tom and Desmond considered that it must have been further off than they had at first supposed. As Nick did not re-appear, they at last began to fear that he had been caught by the enemy, or had perhaps deserted to them. They suggested this to Pipes, who replied, "No, no; he good man; come back!"

"I wish that we had run for it, and tried to reach the sh.o.r.e," said Desmond.

"We might have been knocked on the head had we made the attempt,"

answered Tom; "but should we be discovered by the enemy we will sell our lives dearly, if we can but get possession of one of those rocks near us and hold it until our ammunition is expended."

"Oh dear? how dreadful!" exclaimed Billy. "I'm thankful to say, however, that I brought away a powder flask quite full, and an ammunition pouch, so that we may hold out for some hours; and I hope by that time our friends will come to our rescue."

They waited for nearly an hour longer. Again there came the sound of even sharper firing than before, though it seemed further off. Pipes now and then crept out of his hiding-place to ascertain if any one was approaching, a proceeding, had such been the case, which would very likely have betrayed him.

"Here come Nick! Him sure!" exclaimed Pipes at last.

"I hope it is," said Tom. "But silence, all of you, in case it should prove an enemy who might betray our hiding-place."

It was Nick, however. He looked very much alarmed. His report, as far as could be understood, was that the Papuans, having collected from other villages, had taken up positions some little distance from the coast, whence they could watch the proceedings of the white men, and that it would be impossible to get down to the sh.o.r.e without being discovered.

Tom and Desmond, on this, proposed fighting their way through. Casey and Peter were ready enough to do so, or anything else they wished; but Nick and Pipes objected strongly to such a proceeding, affirming that they should be discovered and shot down were they to make the attempt.

"Wait; by-and-by mans go away!" said Pipes.

Tom, not satisfied with this, determined to go out and scout for himself. Desmond and Billy wanted to go with him.

"One is enough to run the risk," he answered. "Two are more likely to be observed. I will not go far, and keep well under cover."

Desmond and Billy felt very anxious while Tom was away, lest he should fall into the hands of the Papuans.

"If they get him they will cut off his head," said Billy, "and we shall never see him again."

"Tom knows what he is about; and unless the enemy suspect that we are in their rear, and are looking about, there is not much risk of his being discovered," answered Desmond.

"It would have been better to have sent one of the black fellows,"

observed Billy. "I say, Desmond, what are we to do for grub? I'm getting very sharp set, in spite of my feelings."

"I suspect we shall get nothing to-night," answered Desmond. "If we were to fire we should betray ourselves, and have the enemy down upon us. Perhaps Tom will report that they have moved away, and we shall after all be able to reach the beach. Lieutenant Norman is sure not to go away without us."

"But he won't stop if he fancies that we are killed; and that will be his opinion, depend upon it," said Billy, in a melancholy tone.

"Hark! I hear some one coming," said Desmond. "Keep quiet!" It proved to be Tom, who looked unusually grave.

"I have been a considerable distance," he said, "and have had a sharp run for it to keep ahead of the enemy. They are coming this way, and I question whether this will prove a secure hiding-place; for, as I watched them, they seemed to be stowing themselves away between trees or behind hillocks and rocks, and some of them are sure to pop in here."

Nick and Pipes appeared quickly to understand what he was saying. "Den we go on higher," said Nick, pointing towards the bank of the river.

It at once occurred to Tom that the Papuan expected to find a canoe by which they might escape down the river and get out to sea. He accordingly without hesitation followed Nick's advice; and the party set out, following the two Papuans as fast as they could run, hoping to avoid being seen by the enemy. Instead, however, of keeping down the stream, as Tom expected they would do, they proceeded up it.

"I suppose they think we shall find a canoe in that direction more likely than below," said Tom to Desmond, "but it won't do to turn back."

They continued along the bank in the direction their guides led them, thus getting further and further from the coast. They had gone on some way when Tom asked Nick whether he was sure they should find a canoe.

"Yes, yes, sure," was the answer.

"We shall soon get back with the current," observed Desmond. "It won't make much difference, indeed it will be sufficient if we wait until dark, and then we shall run but little risk of being seen."

The two Papuans were still positive that before long they would find a canoe. Casey was of the same opinion, although on what he grounded it, it was difficult to say. When they stopped they could hear the enemy shouting and shrieking behind them, which convinced them that it would be safer to go on than to turn back. At last, after a run of several miles along the banks of the river, they caught sight of five canoes hauled up on the sh.o.r.e, and not far off several huts. None of the inhabitants were visible; perhaps they had gone down to defend their sh.o.r.es from the expected invasion of the white men.

"Hurrah! we are all right now!" cried Desmond. "We will take the best canoe, and it might be prudent to smash the others to prevent the enemy giving chase to us."

"Let us get our own into the water first, and see about that afterwards," said Tom, looking about for paddles. He found enough for each of his party, and a couple besides, which were carried off.

It took some little time to launch the canoe, which was somewhat heavy and drawn up at a distance from the water. Tom seated himself aft to steer. Desmond and Billy sat next to him, Casey and Peter next, and the two Papuans in the bows to use the two foremost paddles. Pipes was still on sh.o.r.e prepared to shove off the bow of the canoe before he stepped on board, when pointing to the eastward, he exclaimed "Here come!" The midshipmen, looking in that direction, saw a large body of men approaching.

"Jump in, Pipes, jump in!" exclaimed Tom. "We must get down the stream before the enemy reach the banks, or they may be peppering us more warmly than we may find pleasant."

Tom was about to turn the head of the canoe in that direction, when Desmond exclaimed--

"Look there, look there! what are those fellows about?" Three canoes full of men were seen darting from behind some thick bushes out of another small river which had not before been observed. They would effectually prevent the escape of the midshipmen's canoe.

"We shall have a desperate fight with those fellows before: we can get down the river," cried Desmond, "and they will have the a.s.sistance of their friends on sh.o.r.e."

While Desmond was speaking and Tom was considering what was best to be done, several men flourishing paddles in their hands were seen to rush out of the huts.

"Dat way, dat way!" exclaimed both Nick and Pipes at the same time, pointing up the river.

The sun was by this time on the point of setting, and Tom considered that if they could keep ahead of their enemies until darkness set in, they might then either find some place of concealment, or paddle silently down during the night and escape observation. There was no time to consider the plan proposed; they must either follow it at once, or prepare for a desperate encounter.

"It is the only thing to be done," observed Desmond; and Tom, turning the head of the canoe up the river, told his crew to paddle away for their lives. They had scarcely got good way on the canoe, before the men from the village began to launch theirs. More natives appeared, and in two or three minutes the whole of the native fleet was in the water.

"They don't appear to have firearms, but they have got bows and arrows,"

said Tom, looking astern. "If we had a good English boat, the whole fleet should not make us fly, but they might quickly capsize this canoe and have us in their power. I fear that more than their arms. Paddle, paddle, lads!" he shouted.

His crew did paddle, probably harder than they had ever done in their lives. Poor Billy exerted himself until he was red in the face, "puffing and blowing," as Desmond declared, "like a grampus;" for in spite of the danger they were in, he amused himself by quizzing his companion.

"We are gaining on them at all events," said Tom. "If we do not encounter any more higher up the river, we shall distance them by the time it is dark, and then we shall have a good chance of getting clear."

The river continued broad, and as the current was not very strong, the canoe made good headway. They kept in the centre, to run no risk of being attacked by the natives on the sh.o.r.e. Here and there among the trees huts were seen, but the inhabitants either did not perceive them or supposed that they were Papuans, for although they saw several canoes drawn up on the banks, no attempt was made to launch them.

Thus they went on without relaxing their efforts for an instant until sunset, when the shades of night quickly crept over the scene. Tom felt very unwilling to go further from the coast, and proposed looking out for some creek or bay, shaded by trees, where they could remain concealed until their enemies were likely to be no longer watching the river, and they might steal down un.o.bserved. No such spot, however, could they discover, and when at last wearied by their exertions they stopped paddling, they heard the shrieks of their pursuers in the distance.

"They have not given up the chase yet," observed Desmond. "The fact of their following us shows that they fear we may escape them by some other way. Perhaps we may find a branch with another outlet to the sea."

"Oh, do let us paddle on," cried Billy. "I don't like the thoughts of being caught and eaten by the savages."