The Two Supercargoes Part 13

By this time the forest was so shrouded in the gloom of approaching night that we could with difficulty see anything before us. Again Aboh stopped and cried out, "Him here! him here!" We hurried forward. There was our poor friend stretched on the ground, his leg caught in a vine below a tall tree with branches coming close to the ground. The dreadful thought seized me that he was dead.

"Tom, Mr Tubbs, speak to me," I cried out I heard a groan. At all events, he was alive. Stooping down, I rested his head on my knee.

Charley and Harry quickly came up. We soon released poor Tom's foot.

On examining it, we feared that it was dislocated, or at all events severely sprained, and that probably he had fainted from the pain.

Having water in our flasks, we poured some down his throat. By wetting his hands and chafing his arms we in a short time brought him to. He looked round him, evidently very much astonished.

"Where am I, mates? What has happened?" he asked at length. "I was dreaming that a shark or a tiger or some beast or other had bitten off my foot."

"Not so bad as that," said Charley, "although you have hurt it considerably, I fear."

"Ah, now I recollect all about it. I was afraid, Mr Westerton, that you were caught by the elephants, and I was expecting to share the same fate. As I could not help you, I thought the wisest thing I could do was to run for my life. I confess it, I never was in such a fright before. I somehow dropped my gun, and then, just as I was about to climb up into that tree overhead, I found myself caught with a round turn about my leg, and down I came. The honest truth is, I don't remember anything more of what happened after that."

It would have been unjust to blame poor Tom for the very natural panic which had seized him on finding himself alone in the forest, and, as he supposed, with his companions killed. He had acted as most people would have done under similar circ.u.mstances, and endeavoured to save his life.

We fortunately found not far off just such an open s.p.a.ce as we were searching for. Our first business was to light a fire in the centre of it, after having cut away the surrounding gra.s.s.

"We must keep up a good blare, or we may have some unwelcome visits from wild beasts," said Charley. "It will be necessary to keep an eye towards the lake, or one of those horrid crocodiles may be crawling up in search of some supper when the odour of the roasted elephant-meat reaches his nose."

While Charley and I attended to poor Tom, Harry and Aboh made up the fire as proposed. We had brought an iron saucepan, with which Aboh intimated that he would go down to the lake to get some water, making a sign to Harry to accompany him with his gun.

"If big ting come out of de water, fire at him head," he said, showing that he was fully alive to the danger of approaching the lake, especially of an evening, when the crocodiles are more active than at other times during the day.

We kept the fire blazing up brightly, so that it might scare any wild beasts prowling round about us. However, not trusting to that alone, Charley and I kept our rifles by our sides and our eyes about us, lest a lion or leopard might spring upon us unawares. Having got off Tom's boot and sock, we examined his ankle. It looked blue and swollen, and when we touched it he complained that it pained him much. Still, as far as we could judge, no bone was broken.

"The only thing I can think of is to bind it up in a wet handkerchief,"

observed Charley; "the inflammation may thus be allayed."

While we were speaking we heard a shot from Harry's gun, showing that we must not expect to obtain even a saucepan of water without trouble.

Shortly afterwards Aboh returned with the water. Charley asked for some of it, and saturating a handkerchief, which he fortunately had in his pocket, he bound up Tom's ankle. Harry told us that scarcely had Aboh dipped the saucepan into the water, than a crocodile poked its ugly head above the surface and made a dash at him.

"I was too quick, however, and firing, hit the creature in the throat, when it slid off again into deep water," he added, "whether killed or not I cannot say, as it sank immediately."

"You have done so well that we must get you to make another trip as soon as we have eaten our soup, which, I suppose, Aboh intends to make out of the elephant-meat, for I doubt if it will be palatable cooked in any other way," said Charley.

We found that the black had brought several stones from the sh.o.r.es of the lake. He now, having placed them in the fire, dug a hole near at hand, into which he sc.r.a.ped some of the ashes, and then put in the stones with the elephant's foot on the top of them. Above this having placed some thick leaves, he quickly filled up the hole.

"Him soon good eat," he said.

Harry had in the meantime cut up some pieces of elephant-meat, which he put into the saucepan. Having placed it on the fire, he stuck some other slices on forked sticks as close as they could be placed to the flames.

"We shall have the opportunity of trying the comparative excellencies of three styles of cooking," he observed, laughing.

"I have no great faith in Aboh's mode of proceeding," remarked Charley.

"Nor have I, except to produce any especially excellent soup," said Harry.

Our patience was to be severely exercised. We were all so hungry that Charley consented to serve out a small piece of biscuit to each of us, just to stay our appet.i.tes; but that produced a very transient effect.

At first I saw him tightening his waist-belt; then I had to tighten mine, as Harry did his. Poor Tom was suffering too much pain to care about eating, and Aboh was well accustomed to endure long hours of fasting.

"When is that mess of yours likely to be ready?" Charley and I kept crying out to Harry.

"I think that it is done to a turn now," said Harry, and he produced five pieces of black-looking stuff.

"A very long turn," said Charley as he took his share. "Why, it's as hard and dry as shoe-leather, and quite as tough, I suspect."

"Chew it, man, chew it," answered Charley, laughing; "it's better than that in the soup."

We all cut off little bits, hunger making us in no way particular; but it was a difficult business to get down a mouthful. At last I took to sc.r.a.ping it with my knife, by which means I was able to swallow more than I otherwise could have done.

We next tried the soup. The warm liquid could at all events be swallowed, and it appeared to do good to poor Tom, to whom we gave several cupfuls. The meat, however, was scarcely an improvement upon the steaks. Aboh had been watching us all the time while he munched his share without showing a sign of dissatisfaction.

"As we shall want some more water for poor Tom's foot, I wish you would go down, Harry, to the lake and fill the saucepan," said Charley.

"I will go with Aboh willingly enough, provided he carries a torch, for otherwise the chances are that we shall not get off as easily as we did before," answered Harry.

Aboh understood what was proposed, and taking a brand from the fire in one hand, and the saucepan in the other, he set off, Harry accompanying him with his rifle ready for instant use. Charley and I, in the meantime, got up and examined the forest around us. Strange noises were issuing from it; but our ears being unaccustomed to the sounds of an African wilderness, we could not distinguish either the animals or birds which produced them. Here and there we picked up sticks, which we carried to the heap prepared for keeping up the fire during the night.

I was stooping down, expecting to take up a thin stick, when I saw it glide away. I had nearly caught hold of a snake by the body. It might have been harmless, but if venomous, I should have probably been fatally bitten. I sprang back, as may be supposed, and was very cautious after this to feel with the pole I carried in my hand before I picked up any other sticks. In a short time Harry and Aboh came back with the saucepan of water, from which we filled our mugs, for the tough elephant-meat made us thirsty. We were all suffering from hunger, and as we expected to find Aboh's dish as unpalatable as ours, we had made up our minds to lie down, if not exactly supperless, as hungry almost as before.

"Now, ma.s.sa, him 'tink foot ready," said Aboh, and without more ado, he opened the hole and produced the foot hot and steaming. Just taking off the top, as if it had been a piece of piecrust, what was our surprise and very great satisfaction to find the interior full of a rich glutinous substance. We eagerly hooked it out with our knives, and it was p.r.o.nounced excellent jelly, although somewhat strong tasted. The single foot contained more than we altogether could eat, although Aboh got through twice as much as either of the rest of us. We regretted that we had not brought along more of the elephant's feet.

Instead of going supperless to bed, we thus had a more ample meal than we had eaten since we landed. As it was important that Tom should have a night's rest, Charley, Harry, and I agreed to keep watch in turns. We did not ask Aboh, though he would, we felt sure, have proved trustworthy. I had the middle watch. As I walked round and round the camp, my ears were saluted by distant mutterings and the occasional roar of lions, the trumpetings of elephants, or the shrill agonised cry of some hapless deer on which a stealthy leopard had pounced, the shrieks of night birds, the chirp of insects, and the croaking of frogs. Every moment I expected to see some monster shove its nose out amid the dark foliage; but if any came near, the fire prevented them from springing on us. I occasionally stooped down and wetted Tom's bandage, so that his leg was kept cool all the night. Charging Harry to do the same, I at length lay down, and in a moment was fast asleep. Next morning we found Tom better, but utterly unable to proceed. We, therefore, had to make up our minds to camp for another day at least, unless we could manage to find a canoe in which to cross the lake. Harry and I, as soon as we were on foot, took our guns, accompanied by Aboh, in search of game for breakfast. We soon came upon a number of ducks, and were fortunate in killing half a dozen in three shots, two being brought to the ground each time we fired. We did not forget the crocodiles, nor did Aboh, who was very wary when picking up the birds. As we made our way through the forest, I was especially struck by the variety and luxuriance of the trees and shrubs, the number of vines which hung from the branches in wreaths and festoons, the length of the leaves, some rising from the ground, others forming crowns on the summits of tall trees, surmounted by flowers of bright red or yellow or blue.

"Dere, ma.s.sa, what you 'tink dat?" said Aboh, throwing himself on the ground as if to contemplate at his ease the magnificent tree before which we stood. "Him 'board ship worth many tusks."

"What tree is it?" I asked.

It was certainly one of the finest and most graceful trees we had yet met with in the African forest. Its leaves were long, sharp-pointed, and dark green, hanging in large cl.u.s.ters. Its bark was also a dark green and very smooth. The trunk rose straight and clean to the height of sixty feet or more, from whence large leafy branches projected to a considerable distance. Aboh pointed to his own skin and then laughed.

"He means that it's an ebony tree, and so I'm sure it is," said Harry.

"It is one of those articles we were to have procured."

On examining the tree we found that it was hollow, and Aboh made us understand that the branches also were hollow. On cutting through the bark we came to some white wood, which at first puzzled us. We expected to have found it black, but Aboh made signs that we were to cut deeper into it, and we thus ascertained that the white wood was simply sap wood, and that farther in the wood was perfectly black. We found several others of the same description growing around; and we agreed that if we could fall in with some friendly natives, we would advise them to cut the trees down, and should any navigable river exist running out of the lake, to convey them to its mouth, where they could be embarked. We, however, had to hurry back to cook our ducks for breakfast. We continued keeping our poor companion's ankle constantly wetted, but, to our disappointment, even the next day he was unable to do more than stand up. The moment he attempted to walk, the pain returned, and we had to make up our minds for a longer stay. Charley proposed that we should cut down a tree and scoop out a canoe in which to cross the lake. When he explained his intentions, however, to Aboh, the black replied that it would take us several weeks, if not months, to construct a canoe, and that we should get round the lake much faster by land.

"That may be the case," said Charley; "but suppose Tom's ankle is broken, or so injured that he is unable to walk, we shall have no alternative. We cannot leave him behind us in this wild forest, and we must try to find a village of friendly natives, where he can remain until he is recovered."

"I'm sorry to keep you back, gentlemen, and if it was a matter of life or death, I'd say go on and leave me behind, but it would be a terrible thing if that were necessary; so I would rather say, let us build a canoe, or, if we cannot, a raft on which we can cross the lake. I don't think it would take as long as Aboh supposes, if we could find a soft tree. He doesn't know what our sharp axes can do; besides, we can clear out the inside with fire. Even if I hadn't sprained my ankle, I again say, provided that we can find the right tree, let us build a canoe."

Charley agreed with Tubbs, and Harry and I had no strong opinion the other way. We told Aboh we wished he would hunt about to find a big tree of soft wood.

Aboh agreed to do as we wished, at the same time he shook his head, saying, "Too long, too long."

"No, no," answered Tom; "we will build a handsome short craft with plenty of beam, so that we may turn her about in any of the narrow streams through which we may have to make our way."

CHAPTER NINE.

DETERMINED TO OVERCOME OUR DIFFICULTY, WE DECIDE ON BUILDING A CANOE, WHEN UNLOOKED-FOR HELP ARRIVES, AND ABOH FINDS A RELATIVE--A PLEASANT BREAKFAST--TOM TAKEN ACROSS THE LAKE BY THE BLACKS--WE PREPARE A PRESENT OF GAME FOR THE KING--LOOKING OUT FOR THE RETURN OF THE CANOE--THE CROCODILE AND ITS VICTIM--WE CAMP FOR THE NIGHT--AN UNWELCOME VISITOR--A FORTUNATE SHOT--THE LEOPARD'S SKIN--RETURN OF THE CANOE--WE EMBARK-- STORM ON THE LAKE--SAFE AGAIN WITH TOM TUBBS--A NATIVE DOCTOR DECLARES THE KING BEWITCHED--WE CHANGE THE BOWL OF POISON--PRESENTED TO KING QUAGOMOLO--THE TEST OF THE "POISON-CUP" APPLIED--THE KING'S QUICK RECOVERY CELEBRATED WITH REJOICINGS--TOM HAVING PERFECTLY RECOVERED, WE DETERMINE TO RECOMMENCE OUR JOURNEY--THE KING FINDS MEANS TO DELAY AND DETAIN US--I SAVE THE KING'S CHILD FROM A CROCODILE--PRISONERS.

The very evening on which we had determined to form a canoe, we commenced our search for a tree suitable for the purpose. In vain, however, we hunted in the neighbourhood of the lake. Aboh pointed to the south. "Find him dere," he said.