CHAPTER TWENTY.
HAROLD APPEARS IN A NEW CHARACTER, AND TWO OLD CHARACTERS REAPPEAR TOHAROLD.
The mind of Yambo was a strange compound--a curious mixture of gravityand rollicking joviality; at one time displaying a phase of intensesolemnity; at another exhibiting quiet pleasantry and humour, butearnestness was the prevailing trait of his character. Whetherindulging his passionate fondness for the jumping-jack, or engaged inguiding the deliberations of his counsellors, the earnest chief wasequally devoted to the work in hand. Being a savage--and, consequently,led entirely by feeling, which is perhaps the chief characteristic ofsavage, as distinguished from civilised, man,--he hated his enemies withexceeding bitterness, and loved his friends with all his heart.
Yambo was very tender to Harold during his illness, and the latter feltcorresponding gratitude, so that there sprang up between the two acloser friendship than one could have supposed to be possible,considering that they were so different from each other, mentally,physically, and socially, and that their only mode of exchanging ideaswas through the medium of a very incompetent interpreter.
Among other things Harold discovered that his friend the chief wasextremely fond of anecdotes and stories. He, therefore, while in aconvalescent state and unable for much physical exercise, amusedhimself, and spent much of his time, in narrating to him the adventuresof Robinson Crusoe. Yambo's appetite for mental food increased, andwhen Crusoe's tale was finished he eagerly demanded more. Some of hiswarriors also came to hear, and at last the hut was unable to containthe audiences that wished to enter. Harold, therefore, removed to anopen space under a banyan-tree, and there daily, for several hours,related all the tales and narratives with which he was acquainted, tothe hundreds of open-eyed and open-mouthed negroes who squatted aroundhim.
At first he selected such tales as he thought would be likely to amuse,but these being soon exhausted, he told them about anything that chancedto recur to his memory. Then, finding that their power to swallow themarvellous was somewhat crocodilish, he gave them Jack the Giant-killer,and Jack of Beanstalk notoriety, and Tom Thumb, Cinderella, etcetera,until his entire nursery stock was exhausted, after which he fell backon his inventive powers; but the labour of this last effort proving veryconsiderable, and the results not being adequately great, he took tohistory, and told them stories about William Tell, and Wallace, andBruce, and the Puritans of England, and the Scottish Covenanters, andthe discoveries of Columbus, until the eyes and mouths of his blackauditors were held so constantly and widely on the stretch, that Discobegan to fear they would become gradually incapable of being shut, andhe entertained a fear that poor Antonio's tongue would, ere long, bedried up at the roots.
At last a thought occurred to our hero, which he promulgated to Discoone morning as they were seated at breakfast on the floor of their hut.
"It seems to me, Disco," he said, after a prolonged silence, duringwhich they had been busily engaged with their knives and wooden spoons,"that illness must be sent sometimes, to teach men that they give toolittle of their thoughts to the future world."
"Werry true, sir," replied Disco, in that quiet matter-of-course tonewith which men generally receive axiomatic verities; "we _is_ raithergiven to be swallered up with this world, which ain't surprisin'neither, seein' that we've bin putt into it, and are surrounded by it,mixed up with it, steeped in it, so to speak, an' can't werry well helpourselves."
"That last is just the point I'm not quite so sure about," rejoinedHarold. "Since I've been lying ill here, I have thought a good dealabout forgetting to bring a Bible with me, and about the meaning of theterm Christian, which name I bear; and yet I can't, when I look honestlyat it, see that I do much to deserve the name."
"Well, I don't quite see that, sir," said Disco, with an argumentativecurl of his right eyebrow; "you doesn't swear, or drink, or steal, orcommit murder, an' a many other things o' that sort. Ain't that theresult o' your being a Christian."
"It may be so, Disco, but that is only what may be styled the _don't_side of the question. What troubles me is, that I don't see much on the_do_ side of it."
"You says your prayers, sir, don't you?" asked Disco, with the air of aman who had put a telling question.
"Well, yes," replied Harold; "but what troubles me is that, while in mycreed I profess to think the salvation of souls is of such vitalimportance, in my practice I seem to say that it is of no importance atall, for here have I been, for many weeks, amongst these black fellows,and have never so much as mentioned the name of our Saviour to them,although I have been telling them no end of stories of all kinds, bothtrue and fanciful."
"There's something in that sir," admitted Disco. Harold also thoughtthere was so much in it that he gave the subject a great deal of earnestconsideration, and finally resolved to begin to tell the negroes Biblestories. He was thus gradually led to tell them that "old, old story"of God the Saviour's life and death, and love for man, which he foundinterested, affected, and influenced the savages far more powerfullythan any of the tales, whether true or fanciful, with which he hadpreviously entertained them. While doing this a new spirit seemed toactuate himself, and to influence his whole being.
While Harold was thus led, almost unconsciously, to become a sower ofthe blessed seed of God's Word, Marizano was working his way through thecountry, setting forth, in the most extreme manner, the ultimate resultsof man's sinful nature, and the devil's lies.
One of his first deeds was to visit a village which was beautifullysituated on the banks of a small but deep river. In order to avoidalarming the inhabitants, he approached it with only about thirty of hismen, twenty of whom were armed. Arrived at the outskirts, he halted hisarmed men, and advanced with the other ten, calling out cheerfully, "Wehave things for sale! have you anything to sell?" The chief and hiswarriors, armed with their bows and arrows and shields, met him, andforbade him to pass within the hedge that encircled the village, buttold him to sit down under a tree outside. A mat of split reeds wasplaced for Marizano to sit on; and when he had explained to the chiefthat the object of his visit was to trade with him for ivory--in proofof which he pointed to the bales which his men carried,--he was wellreceived, and a great clapping of hands ensued. Presents were thenexchanged, and more clapping of hands took place, for this wasconsidered the appropriate ceremony. The chief and his warriors, onsitting down before Marizano and his men, clapped their hands together,and continued slapping on their thighs while handing their presents, orwhen receiving those of their visitors. It was the African "thank you."To have omitted it would have been considered very bad manners.
Soon a brisk trade was commenced, in which the entire community becameere long deeply and eagerly absorbed.
Meanwhile Marizano's armed men were allowed to come forward. The womenprepared food for the strangers; and after they had eaten and drunk ofthe native beer heartily, Marizano asked the chief if he had ever seenfire-arms used.
"Yes," replied the chief, "but only once at a great distance off. It istold to me that your guns kill very far off--much further than our bows.Is that so?"
"It is true," replied Marizano, who was very merry by this time underthe influence of the beer, as, indeed, were also his men and theirentertainers. "Would you like to see what our guns can do?" asked thehalf-caste. "If you will permit me, I shall let you hear and see themin use."
The unsuspecting chief at once gave his consent. His visitors rose;Marizano gave the word; a volley was poured forth which instantly killedthe chief and twenty of his men. The survivors fled in horror. Theyoung women and children were seized; the village was sacked--whichmeans that the old and useless members of the community were murdered incold blood, and the place was set on fire--and Marizano marched awaywith his band of captives considerably augmented, leaving a scene ofdeath and horrible desolation behind him. [See Livingstone's _Zambesiand its Tributaries_, pages 201, 202.]
Thus did that villain walk through the land with fire and swordprocuring slaves for the supp
ly of the "domestic institution" of theSultan of Zanzibar.
By degrees the murderer's drove of black "cattle" increased to such anextent that when he approached the neighbourhood of the village in whichHarold and Disco sojourned, he began to think that he had obtained aboutas many as he could conveniently manage, and meditated turning his faceeastward, little dreaming how near he was to a thousand dollars' worthof property, in the shape of ransom for two white men!
He was on the point of turning back and missing this when he chanced tofall in with a villager who was out hunting, and who, after a hot chase,was captured. This man was made much of, and presented with some yardsof cloth as well as a few beads, at the same time being assured that hehad nothing to fear; that the party was merely a slave-trading one; thatthe number of slaves required had been made up, but that a few morewould be purchased if the chief of his village had any to dispose of.
On learning from the man that his village was a large one, fully twodays' march from the spot where he stood, and filled with armed men,Marizano came to the conclusion that it would not be worth his while toproceed thither, and was about to order his informant to be added to hisgang with a slave-stick round his neck, when he suddenly bethought himof inquiring as to whether any white men had been seen in these parts.As he had often made the same inquiry before without obtaining anysatisfactory answer, it was with great surprise that he now heard fromhis captive of two white men being in the very village about which hehad been conversing.
At once he changed his plan, resumed his march, and, a couple of daysafterwards, presented himself before the astonished eyes of HaroldSeadrift and Disco Lillihammer, while they were taking a walk about amile from the village.
Disco recognised the slave-trader at once, and, from the troubled aswell as surprised look of Marizano, it was pretty evident that heremembered the countenance of Disco.
When the recollection of Marizano's cruelty at the time of their firstmeeting flashed upon him, Disco felt an almost irresistible desire torush upon and strangle the Portuguese, but the calm deportment of thatwily man, and the peaceful manner in which he had approached, partlydisarmed his wrath. He could not however, quite restrain his tongue.
"Ha!" said he, "you are the blackguard that we met and pretty nigh shotwhen we first came to these parts, eh? Pity we missed you, youblack-hearted villain!"
As Marizano did not understand English, these complimentary remarks werelost on him. He seemed, however, to comprehend the drift of them, forhe returned Disco's frown with a stare of defiance.
"Whatever he was, or whatever he is," interposed Harold, "we mustrestrain ourselves just now, Disco, because we cannot punish him as hedeserves, however much we may wish to, and he seems to have armed menenough to put us and our entertainers completely in his power. Keepquiet while I speak to him."
Jumbo and Antonio, armed with bows and arrows,--for they were in searchof small game wherewith to supply the pot--came up, looking very muchsurprised, and the latter a good deal frightened.
"Ask him, Antonio," said Harold, "what is his object in visiting thispart of the country."
"To procure slaves," said Marizano, curtly.
"I thought so," returned Harold; "but he will find that the men of thistribe are not easily overcome."
"I do not wish to overcome them," said the half-caste. "I have procuredenough of slaves, as you see," (pointing to the gang which was haltedsome hundred yards or so in rear of his armed men), "but I heard thatyou were prisoners here, and I have come to prove to you that even aslave-trader can return good for evil. _You_ did this," he said,looking at Disco, and pointing to his old wound in the arm; "I now cometo deliver you from slavery."
Having suppressed part of the truth, and supplemented the rest of itwith this magnificent lie, Marizano endeavoured to look magnanimous.
"I don't believe a word of it," said Disco, decidedly.
"I incline to doubt it too," said Harold; "but he may have some goodreason of his own for his friendly professions towards us. In any casewe have no resource left but to assume that he speaks the truth."
Turning to Marizano, he said:--
"We are not prisoners here. We are guests of the chief of thisvillage."
"In that case," replied the half-caste, "I can return to the coastwithout you."
As he said this a large band of the villagers, having discovered thatstrangers had arrived, drew near. Marizano at once advanced, makingpeaceful demonstrations, and, after the requisite amount of clapping ofhands on both sides, stated the object for which he had come. He madeno attempt to conceal the fact that he was a slave-trader, but saidthat, having purchased enough of slaves, he had visited their villagebecause of certain rumours to the effect that some white men had beenlost in these regions, and could not find their way back to the coast.He was anxious, he said, to help these white men to do so, but, findingthat the white men then at the village were _not_ the men he was insearch of, and did not want to go to the coast, he would just stay longenough with the chief to exchange compliments, and then depart.
All this was translated to the white men in question by their faithfulally Antonio, and when they retired to consult as to what should bedone, they looked at each other with half amused and half perplexedexpressions of countenance.
"Werry odd," said Disco, "how contrairy things turns up at times!"
"Very odd indeed," assented Harold, laughing. "It is quite true that weare, in one sense, lost and utterly unable to undertake a journeythrough this country without men, means, or arms; and nothing could bemore fortunate than that we should have the chance, thus suddenly thrownin our way, of travelling under the escort of a band of armed men;nevertheless, I cannot bear the idea of travelling with or beingindebted to a slave-trader and a scoundrel like Marizano."
"That's w'ere it is, sir," said Disco with emphasis, "I could standanything a'most but that."
"And yet," pursued Harold, "it is our only chance. I see quite wellthat we may remain for years here without again having such anopportunity or such an escort thrown in our way."
"There's no help for it, I fear," said Disco. "We must take it like adose o' nasty physic--hold our nobs, shut our daylights, an' down withit. The only thing I ain't sure of is your ability to travel. Youain't strong yet."
"Oh, I'm strong enough now, or very nearly so, and getting strongerevery day. Well, then, I suppose it's settled that we go?"
"Humph! I'm agreeable, an' the whole business werry disagreeable," saidDisco, making a wry face.
Marizano was much pleased when the decision of the white men was madeknown to him, and the native chief was naturally much distressed, for,not only was he about to lose two men of whom he had become very fond,but he was on the point of being bereft of his story-teller, the openerup of his mind, the man who, above all others, had taught him to thinkabout his Maker and a future state.
He had sense enough, however, to perceive that his guests could notchoose but avail themselves of so good an opportunity, and, after thefirst feeling of regret was over, made up his mind to the separation.
Next day Harold and Disco, with feelings of strong revulsion, almost ofshame, fell into the ranks of the slave-gang, and for many daysthereafter marched through the land in company with Marizano and hisband of lawless villains.
Marizano usually walked some distance ahead of the main body with a fewtrusty comrades. Our adventurers, with their two followers, came nextin order of march, the gang of slaves in single file followed, and thearmed men brought up the rear. It was necessarily a very long line, andat a distance resembled some hideous reptile crawling slowly andtortuously through the fair fields and plains of Africa.
At first there were no stragglers, for the slaves were as yet, with fewexceptions, strong and vigorous. These exceptions, and the lazy, wereeasily kept in the line by means of rope and chain, as well as the rodand lash.
Harold and Disco studiously avoided their leader during the march.Marizano fell in with their humour and left the
m to themselves. Atnights they made their own fire and cooked their own supper, as farremoved from the slave camp as was consistent with safety, for theycould not bear to witness the sufferings of the slaves, or to look upontheir captors. Even the food that they were constrained to eat appearedto have a tendency to choke them, and altogether their situation becameso terrible that they several times almost formed the desperateresolution of leaving the party and trying to reach the coast bythemselves as they best might, but the utter madness and hopelessness ofsuch a project soon forced itself on their minds, and insured its beingfinally abandoned.
One morning Marizano threw off his usual reserve, and, approaching thewhite men, told them that in two hours they would reach the lake wherehis employer was encamped.
"And who is your master?" asked Harold.
"A black-faced or yellow-faced blackguard like himself, I doubt not,"growled Disco.
Antonio put Harold's question without Disco's comment, and Marizanoreplied that his master was an Arab trader, and added that he would pushon in advance of the party and inform him of their approach.
Soon afterwards the lake was reached. A large dhow was in readiness,the gang was embarked and ferried across to a place where several rudebuildings and barracoons, with a few tents, indicated that it was one ofthe inland headquarters of the trade in Black Ivory.
The moment our travellers landed Marizano led them to one of the nearestbuildings, and introduced them to his master.
"Yoosoof!" exclaimed Disco in a shout of astonishment.
It would have been a difficult question to have decided which of thethree faces displayed the most extreme surprise. Perhaps Disco's wouldhave been awarded the palm, but Yoosoof was undoubtedly the first toregain his self-possession.
"You be surprised," he said, in his _very_ broken English, while hispale-yellow visage resumed its placid gravity of expression.
"Undoubtedly we are," said Harold.
"Bu'stin'!" exclaimed Disco.
"You would be not so mush surprised,--did you know dat I comes to hereevery year, an' dat Engleesh consul ask me for 'quire about you."
"If that be so, how comes it that _you_ were surprised to see us?" askedHarold.
"'Cause why, I only knows dat some white mans be loss theirselfs--notknows _what_ mans--not knows it was _you_."
"Well now," cried Disco, unable to restrain himself as he turned toHarold, "did ever two unfortnits meet wi' sitch luck? Here have we bin'obliged for days to keep company with the greatest Portugee villian inthe country, an' now we're needcessitated to be under a obligation tothe greatest Arab scoundrel in Afriky."
The scoundrel in question smiled and shrugged his shoulders.
"Yoosoof," cried Disco, clenching his fist and looking full in thetrader's eyes, "when I last saw yer ugly face, I vowed that if ever Iseed it again I'd leave my mark on it pretty deep, I did; and now I doessee it again, but I haven't the moral courage to touch sitch a poor,pitiful, shrivelled-up package o' bones an' half-tanned leather.Moreover, I'm goin' to be indebted to 'ee! Ha! ha!" (he laughedbitterly, and with a dash of wild humour in the tone), "to travel underyer care, an' eat yer accursed bread, and--and--oh! there ain't no sitchthing as shame left in my corpus. I'm a low mean-spirited boastfulidiot, that's wot _I_ am, an' I don't care the fag-end of a hunk o'gingerbread who knows it."
After this explosion the sorely tried mariner brought his right handdown on his thigh with a tremendous crack, turned about and walked awayto cool himself.