CHAPTER XVIII
IN STRANGE LANDS
Dave and his boy friends had no cause to regret their meeting withAdrianoffski. Their stay at the trading station, brief as it was, hadgiven new impetus and encouragement to the expedition. The Russian gavethem points as to their route that enabled them to save time anddistance. Besides that, he named places where they might stop and beassured of friendly and helpful service from his agents.
“I tell you, meeting Mr. Adrianoffski was fine luck,” said Hiram,enthusiastically, one morning, as they started up for the day’s flight.“We are pretty sure to reach Lhassa without much trouble; aren’t we,Dave?”
“To reach its vicinity, you mean,” corrected the young airman. “I amgreatly depending on this Ben Mahanond Adasse to whom our Russian friendhas directed us.”
They had left the severe wintry blasts behind them two days flight outof Mokiva. While the weather was not at all summery, the milder climateas they proceeded southward was in pleasing contrast to what they hadendured in the bleak and barren solitude of Siberia.
So far everything had gone pretty close to the schedule the pilot of the_Comet_ had laid out when they left Washington. They reached stations asplanned. There was no trouble in securing gasoline and other supplystores. Then, too, there were pleasant breaks in their arduous flights.The ring Adrianoffski had given Dave acted magically when shown atdepots along the route to which he had directed him.
It was at Kolyvan that a full day’s stop had to be made. There were somemachine repairs necessary. Through telegrams and newspapers the airshipboys were able to glean some information as to their competitors in therace. Out of the twelve that had started only four had reached Sitka.The closest rival was machine number seven, reported at that point sixhours after the _Comet_ had left.
The machine crossed Thibetan territory about noon time. Dave was able todetermine this from charts, points given by Adrianoffski, and thecontour of the district. It was an interesting panorama they viewed allthe rest of that day. They passed over great camel trains traversing thebarren plains. They had a chance to see the native yaks, trained toperform all the duties of horses. The extensive lamaseries, ormonasteries, some of them built on the very apex of well-nighinaccessible cliffs, amazed them.
The _Comet_ was viewed by gaping groups whenever they passed over asettlement. Dave had a town called Zirva for his evening destination. Itwas near here that Ben Mahanond Adasse had his trading station. Theyoung air pilot calculated upon arriving after dark. It might interferewith his plans to have the _Comet_ publicly seen so near to the sacredcity of mystery.
“Judging from the landmarks described by Mr. Adrianoffski,” said Dave,towards the middle of the afternoon, “I think we are quite near toZirva.”
“That is the trading post of his partner?” spoke Hiram.
“Yes,” nodded the young aviator. “Those glittering spires and domes inthe distance must be Lhassa. We must look for a secure and secludedlanding place.”
This they found soon afterwards. It was at the edge of a rugged hill.Beyond it were some straggling settlements, but the _Comet_ was screenedfrom these as it approached the hill from the east.
“I don’t care about attracting the attention of the natives,” explainedour hero. “They are quite fanatical, and have probably never seen anairship before. They might think it some demon of the air, or aninfernal machine come to destroy their gods and temples.”
“Yes, I think myself we had better keep in the background as much as wecan,” agreed Hiram. “It would be a pity to have a mishap now, with thehardest part of the route covered.”
“But how are you going to locate this Adasse?” inquired Elmer.
“According to what Mr. Adrianoffski told us,” replied Dave, “his stationcannot be more than a few miles from here.”
“What’s your plan about finding him, Dave?” asked Hiram.
“Why, as soon as it gets dusk I will venture down into the valley there.You two will stay here on guard. Keep ready for a quick flight, if anyof the natives discover the machine.”
The trio enjoyed the luxury of a grateful rest on the ground while theyconversed. Hiram, speedy to recuperate and always active, strolled awayfrom his comrades. He looked out over the country. Then he becameinterested in watching a man just below the point where the _Comet_ hadlanded.
“Say fellows,” he observed briskly, coming back to his friends; “if youwant to see something queer just take a peep over the edge of that rockyonder.”
“What is it, Hiram?” inquired Elmer.
“You have to come with me to find out,” was the reply. “I can’t imaginewhat a funny old fellow down below there is up to.”
“All right, we’ll take a look,” said Dave.
“There he is,” pronounced Hiram, after the others had followed him alittle distance, and he pointed past a shelving rock.
On the level of the valley below a native was squatted before a flatboulder. He held in his hand a comical metal object with an ivoryhandle. He seemed turning the handle. The boys, even at the distancethey were, could hear a click-clack sound, apparently proceeding fromthe device.
“Say, whatever is that contraption?” asked the puzzled Hiram.
“Looks like a cross between a nutmeg grater and a music box,” suggestedElmer.
Dave ventured no opinion. Like the others he continued to watch thecurious pantomime of the native. The lips of the man moved incessantly,making a dull monotonous drone. Finally he placed the device on thestove before him and closed his eyes.
His body swayed and he flung his arms aloft. Then he bent his foreheadclear to the ground. All the time he kept up a steady monotone.
Finally he arose to his feet and picked up a knapsack and a long,sharp-pointed spear. He was about to resume his way. Just then a hugebird resembling an eagle, only snowy white, sailed down from a tree onthe hillside. It swooped over the boulder and made a peck at itssurface. The next moment it soared aloft, the trinket in its bill.
The native uttered a wild, frantic shriek. Of a sudden he was transposedinto a being denuded of reason. As the bird flew up over the crest ofthe hill, the man cast himself prostrate on the ground; writhing therein agony. Beating his head with his hands, his face distorted, he actedlike some person in a fit.
“Well, that’s something odd to see,” began Hiram—“what is it, Dave?”
The young airman had watched the course of the thieving bird, eagle,macaw, crow, or whatever it was. He saw the bird sail along until itsglance fell upon the biplane. Then it dropped to one of the wings. Thebauble retained in its bill, it walked over to one of the seats, droppedits prize, and began pecking at the seat cushions.
Our hero was on his feet in an instant of time. He ran towards themachine, intent on scaring away the predatory intruder. Dave had pickedup a stick. This he hurled at the bird. It gave a sullen croak and tookto wing, disappearing on the other side of the hill.
The young airman was curious and interested enough to lean over into thebody of the machine and secure the object dropped by the bird. He wasviewing it critically and with some comprehension of its use, when hiscomrades joined him.
“What is it, Dave?” queried Hiram eagerly. “That old fellow below yonderis tearing up the ground and rolling all about in a fearful fashion.”
“I know what it is,” pronounced Dave, “and I think we had better get itback to its owner and save some mischief for him. This is what is calleda prayer mill. See, this handle turns a silken scroll on a reel allcovered with queer-looking characters. These represent the prayers theThibetans make to their great idol, Da-Fan-Jan. The priests supply themto the worshippers. They are highly prized. I have read about them, andhave seen pictures of these queer prayer mills, as they call them.”
“You’re not going down there to give it back to the native; are you?”asked Hiram; in some surprise, as Dave looked about him to discover theeasiest way of descending the hillside.
/>
“Yes, I think I had better,” was the reply. “You don’t know how thesesuperstitious people value such charms. This prayer mill may have beencherished in that man’s family for centuries. It is regarded anheirloom, and the person losing it probably thinks he is condemned if hedoes not recover it.”
Our hero hurried his steps. Descending the hillside alone he chanced toglance at the native. The man had now arisen to his feet. All hisviolent manner had disappeared. His face wore a look of sullen despair.
He had taken his spear and fastened its end stoutly under an edge of theboulder in a slanting position. Its keen point showed breast high. Theman had retreated some twenty feet. There he stood posed for a run. Daverecalled something he had read of the hari-kari of the rude Asiatictribes. Suicide, swift and terrible, was the rule where some great loss,disgrace, or bereavement unsettled the mind.
“He means to impale himself with all his force on that spear point andend his life,” decided the young aviator. “Hoi-hoi!”
Just in time did Dave distract the native from his tragic purpose. Hefairly tumbled down the hill as the man, running at full speed, hadalmost reached the waiting instrument of death. Dave’s shout made himwaver. As he dangled the prayer mill towards the wretched man, thelatter came to a pause like a statue.
The eyes of the native were glued to the amulet as if he was fascinated.To his overheated fancy Dave possibly suggested some “white god” sentfrom the clouds to restore the precious prayer mill.
The young airman came directly up to the native and extended thetrinket. The dark, bony hand of the devotee reached out and clasped it.He burst into tears, kissed it, caressed it. He thrust it into hisbosom, and raising his arms in wild gyrations began a shrill, joyfulchant.
When it was concluded he cast himself on the ground. Crawling abjectlyhe embraced Dave’s knees. He lifted his eyes in gratitude.
A stout steel chain bearing at one end a serviceable watch and at itsother the ring Adrianoffski had given Dave, met the glance of thegrateful suppliant.
“Oi-e! oi-e!” he suddenly shouted. His fingers touched the ring. Hiseyes, showing an intelligence he could not express, rested on the faceof the young aviator.