The Wonder Island Boys: Treasures of the Islands Part 13

"Then let them go. Possibly the Chief may find some way to get them back."

Two hours later the village took on another aspect. It was now about five o'clock in the afternoon, but in the meantime boy-like they had investigated every part of the surrounding scenery, being particularly interested in the monkeys which were seen in the trees everywhere.

The most amusing to the boys was a small animal that had a "beard all around his face," as George expressed it. It was small, hardly exceeding a foot in height, a sort of olive-gray color, and a round tail twice the length of the body.

"I think I know what you have reference to," suggested John, when appealed to. "It is the Jacchus, and is related to the Marmozets and the Tamarins. They are very active, like squirrels, and live on nuts, seeds, roots and fruit."

The Chief awakened as the boys entered, and within the next half hour was ready for the continuance of the festival.

"I should like to know what the next thing is on the programme? This is a little inconvenient, not knowing just what is going to take place,"

was George's observation.

"John will know if any one does, but I suppose he is too busy now with his Royal Highness," answered Harry with a laugh.

But the boys were not kept long in suspense. The natives understood, as it appeared, for they were soon congregated around the Palace, and now for the first time the boys noticed a large, imposing-looking native, who carried an immense knotted club. To satisfy the reader's curiosity, it may be well to describe him. He wore a loin cloth, made of the skins of the small animals which were found all over the island, and, to all appearances, at least a half dozen different kinds of pelts were used to make up the garment, the ends, or corners of which hung down in points to form a fringe.

At his ankles were two huge bands, made of cloth, and plentifully decorated with spangles of sh.e.l.ls, and rows of nuts, strung on cords, like beads. Around his neck and trailing down the back was a collar of interwoven leaves, very artistically arranged, if judged from the viewpoint of savage decorations.

The head dress was unique, being made up of a band of coa.r.s.ely-woven cloth, literally covered with large fish scales, and a pyramidal structure was fastened to this band, and extended up beyond the crown for a foot, or more. At its apex was a ma.s.s of streamers, which fluttered around as the breeze floated by.

The weapon was fully five feet long, the head of the club, for such it was, terminated in a gnarled knot, bristling with small points. This the boys recognized to be somewhat similar to the wicked thing that was carried by the Korino when he sought to slay Tarra.

The Chief was also differently attired. He was literally covered with clothing, the different parts being dyed with various colors without any regard to harmony, or design. Like all the others he wore no foot covering, but had bare feet.

The crown was also a cloth band, but this was surrounded by vertically-arranged thorns, huge things that showed their bristling points, and wound, or rather braided around them, were garlands of human hair, of different hues.

The Royal wand was an immense black staff, fully two inches thick, and six feet long, one end of which was pointed, the other end terminating within a large calabash. This wand he held with the pointed end upward.

When he appeared at the doorway the people fell down on their faces, and after a few words all arose, and the man with the club turned toward the hut where the Korinos were confined. Four of the largest warriors accompanied him, while the people looked on in expectancy.

"The fun will now begin," whispered Harry, and it surely did. The club bearer returned with a troubled look, and addressed the Chief.

The people soon learned of what had taken place, and the commotion was evident. They speedily lost all semblance of order, and began to run to and fro. The scowl on the face of the Chief was terrible, nor did he in the least attempt to conceal his anger.

With a vehemence that caused the crowd to shiver, he gave a command, and in a moment three men were brought forward, almost in a state of collapse with terror written in their countenances. They were the unfortunate guards, as the boys quickly saw.

They were unable to answer the indictment of the Chief, because the escape had been as much of a surprise to them as to the Chief. Uraso and Muro were quick to recognize the situation, and they informed John of the progress of the conversation.

The negligent guards had been condemned to take the places of the Korinos, as sacrifices. The rites demanded some victims, and the boys now saw that the escape of the Korinos would not avoid the carrying out of the b.l.o.o.d.y rites.

The new, victims-to-be were firmly bound, and placed in the center of the crowd, and, strangely enough, it was now noticed that the people expressed the same degree of hatred to the poor unfortunates that they had manifested toward the Korinos an hour before.

The Chief was now at the head of the procession, which, instead of going to the north, pa.s.sed alongside the slight elevation that led north of the grove, and toward the high elevation which the boys had noticed the day before.

The march was but a short one, and when the upper level was reached the boys were astounded to see that beyond, and next to the hill, on the north, was an open s.p.a.ce, the floor of which was of solid rock. This s.p.a.ce covered nearly an acre, and near the center was a flat rocky table, fully ten feet in diameter and about four feet high, with a huge boulder in the center of the table.

The Chief and the victims marched directly to the stone table, the executioner tramping with a measured tread immediately ahead of the victims. The people did not go near the rocky shelf, but circled about at a respectful distance.

CHAPTER VIII

HYPNOTISM ON SAVAGES

All those with the Chief's party, approached the table, upon which the executioner mounted the rock, and stood there, as though inviting the admiration of the crowd.

John spoke a few words to Uraso, and the latter addressed the Chief as follows: "The White Chief says that to offer these men as a sacrifice will be against the wishes of the Great Spirit, if they are destroyed by the weapon which is now in the hands of the one on the rock."

The Chief quickly turned. "What would the White Chief have me do? I cannot free these culprits, because it is the law that they shall die in place of those who are appointed to be the victims."

"The White Chief does not ask for their lives, but only that the manner of their death shall be changed."

"That shall be done. What is the White Chief's wish?"

"He will be the executioner."

The Chief threw his arms around Uraso's neck, in raptures of joy, and turning to the man on the table, ordered him to descend. John quietly conferred with Uraso, and the latter mounted the table, and the prisoners were led up until they faced him.

Uraso, addressing them, said: "You have been condemned by your Chief to die because you have deceived his people and brought sorrow on all. The Great White Chief has seen the misery you have caused by allowing the Korinos to escape, and you must now take their places as the victims to appease the Great Spirit.

"The White Chief has asked to be permitted to offer you up as sacrifices to his G.o.d, as well, and the White Man's death is a terrible one. When you die it will not cause you to go out of the world forgetting all that you may suffer, but you will always know and suffer through all time, and you will never know a day that is free from misery.

"Your dying will be like a thousand deaths, and your living hours will be like fire that always burns and never consumes."

Thus Uraso went on, and as he spoke the poor victims' eyes grew greater and greater, and the terror more p.r.o.nounced. He ceased for a moment and John slowly walked to the table, and mounting it, said quietly to Uraso: "Tell them that when I raise my hands over my head the ends of their living death will begin."

When this was imparted, the agony on their faces was pitiful to see.

John advanced, and spread out his palms toward them, and quickly drew his hands toward him, and this was repeated three times.

It is a curious thing that most savages believe in the mysticism of some particular number. In Africa some tribes, if they hear an animal cry four times, will brave any danger, as it is a sign that the bird has knowledge of safety to his person.

Others watch with great care the repet.i.tion of an insect's call, and particularly the number of times an unusual noise occurs, and the belief is somewhat a.n.a.logous to the views which white people have about the cricket. Milton, Byron, Southey, and d.i.c.kens have written stories about them, so it is not to be wondered at that the poor benighted savages should have some belief about such things.

After the rites at the tree in the forest, it was evident that three was the cryptic, or mysterious number, and John used it on this occasion, for in all the peculiar signs that he had previously employed, three was the number that impressed itself on the minds of the people, and it doubtless had its effect on the condemned.

Slowly John moved from side to side, and he now saw the intense expression, as their eyes followed his every motion. His motions grew less and less rapid; he moved toward them, and then suddenly retreated, and through all these evolutions the three men's faces became more and more tense, and finally the muscles of their faces relaxed, their eyes stared with a blank expression, and the motions of John almost ceased.

The boys looked about them. They, too, had a spell woven about them which they could not understand. It was the most remarkable feeling they had ever experienced. The mult.i.tude did not stir a limb. The Chief was rigid, his face colorless, lips parted, and eyes fixed at what he saw before him.

Suddenly, John sprang forward, and raised both arms high above his head, and instantly the three men fell back and lay rigid, full length on the rock. John turned, but while there were forms before him, there was no sound. Hundreds of eyes gazed, but they stared mutely.

"I feel awfully funny," said Harry.

"Do you know what John has been doing?" asked George.

"I know; he has hypnotized the men!"