CHAPTER IX.
IN PERILOUS PLIGHT.
Donalblane's paralysing panic was only for the moment. The power ofaction presently returned to him, and, grasping his gun, he aimed atthe diabolical eyes, while he shouted to his companions: "Up wi'ye!--up wi' ye! We're in danger!"
So heavy was their slumber, however, that neither of them stirred athis call; but when the report of the gun rang out, they both bounded totheir feet just in time to see a great dark body fly through the airwith a fearful scream, and light upon poor Donalblane, who fell backbeneath it! They realised at once what had happened, and Mr.Sutherland, seizing his musket, and the Indian his spear, sprang to theboy's assistance.
So completely did the panther cover him that Mr. Sutherland dared notfire, lest the bullet should penetrate both bodies; but he sought achance to use the butt of his musket on the brute's head, while theIndian made play with his spear, stabbing it into the creature's side.Meantime Donalblane, into whose shoulder the terrible teeth had sunkwhile the merciless claws were tearing his clothes to ribbons, fightingfor his life, with both hands buried in the soft, thick fur, strovefrantically to throttle his mighty assailant.
Had he been alone there could have been no doubt as to the issue of thestruggle--the panther must have done him to death; but the stunningblows from Mr. Sutherland and the repeated stabs of the Indian's spearsoon began to tell.
They had not only weakened the brute's strength, but they turned hisattention from Donalblane to his other opponents, and, after a space oftime that seemed an eternity to the boy, but was in reality barely aminute, the panther, giving a hideous growl, relaxed both teeth andclaws in order to prepare for a spring at Mr. Sutherland.
This gave the latter the opportunity for which he had been waiting. Hewas an expert shot, and never had had more need of his skill than atthis moment. Quickly throwing his gun to his shoulder, and aiming fullat the panther's breast, he pulled the trigger.
Happily the musket did not miss fire, and the heavy charge spedstraight to its mark, going clean through the animal's heart. With onelast fiendish scream the fearful creature sprang straight up into theair, and fell back a limp, lifeless mass of fur. Not waiting to lookat his quarry, Mr. Sutherland rushed to Donalblane, who lay senselesson the sward, with the blood streaming from nearly a score of wounds.
"My poor boy," he exclaimed, as he took Donald's head upon his knees,"surely that black brute has not killed you!" Then to the Indian, whowas wonderingly examining the panther, he called indignantly, "Leavethat thing alone, and get me some water--quick!"
When the Indian returned with the water Mr. Sutherland tenderly washedthe boy's wounds, which he was glad to find were none of them verydeep--those made by the teeth on the shoulder being the worst--and didhis best to bind them up with handkerchiefs and what other linen wasavailable, the Indian proving a very helpful assistant. Before it wasquite done Donalblane recovered consciousness, and at first was sodazed that he had no idea as to what had happened.
"What's the matter?" he asked, starting to put his hand to his head,and then dropping it because of the pain in his shoulder. "I'm verrasore. Ah! I ken--I ken--that awfu' black thing. I fair thought itwad kill me." And he groaned deeply, for his sufferings were keen.
"Not a bit of it, my boy," responded Mr. Sutherland cheerily, as hepatted his pale cheek. "You're not even half killed, and that awfulblack thing is killed completely. But you've had a very narrow escape,and you've got some nasty wounds, and you must keep very quiet hereuntil we can get you back to St. Andrews."
Mr. Sutherland was a man of thought as well as of action, and it didnot take him long to arrange matters. The Indian was dispatched to thesettlement with a note telling what had happened, and asking that alitter be sent back for the sufferer. In the meantime he himself wouldstay by the wounded boy until the litter arrived.
Happily they were not at the time a very great distance from St.Andrews. Another Indian, having been promised liberal payment if hewas very quick, ran the whole way thither, and the litter party lostnot a moment in making the return trip. It was indeed well forDonalblane that they were so prompt, for he presently began to befeverish, and to require the utmost skill of the physicians who hadaccompanied the expedition to combat the effect of the serious woundshe bore. There was great sympathy felt for him, as he was a generalfavourite, owing to his bright, frank, manly ways; and both Mr.Paterson and Mr. Sutherland were as concerned about him as if he hadbeen their own child.
Even with the best of care some weeks must elapse before he wouldregain his former vigour, and while he lay in his hammock, a not toodocile and submissive patient, affairs went on not at all prosperouslyat St. Andrews.
Although absent only a week, Mr. Paterson found on his return that aspirit of discontent and dissension had already broken out in thecolony. All the men were not workers. Some were useless drones, andthose who had toiled hard laying the foundation of the new city beganto grumble and protest. There was no settled or acknowledgedauthority. Once the novelty of the situation had passed away, Mr.Paterson ceased to be looked up to and obeyed, and it seemed impossiblefor any one to be agreed upon as supreme governor.
The settlement certainly presented a curious appearance at this time.Over a thousand persons, all foreign to the soil, were lodged in rudewooden huts roofed with palmetto leaves, the inside furnishing of whichwere of the simplest description. Chests and lockers did duty forseats and tables; tartan shawls of brilliant hues, hung up as curtains,formed the only partitions; spades, mattocks, axes, and hatchetslittered the walls, while carefully disposed in the dryest corners werethe claymores and muskets which formed their weapons of defence.
One large building was set apart for public worship, and here serviceswere daily held by the Presbyterian ministers, several of whom hadaccompanied the expedition, and were much given to lengthy sermons.Another building was the storehouse, to which the provisions broughtout by the ships were removed. Now, mention has already been made ofadvantage being taken by those who supplied the expedition to palm offmuch inferior stuff than they had contracted to furnish; and thisrascality became revealed when it was discovered that the greater partof the stores, upon which the colonists must depend until they hadraised their own harvests, was absolutely unfit for human food, and hadto be cast into the sea, where it attracted swarms of sharks thathenceforth infested the harbour, rendering its waters full of danger.
This was a terrible blow to the hopes of the settlers, who were alreadydisappointed at the failure of their expectations in the matter ofgold, which they had counted upon being able to obtain in abundance,whereas all the gold they had seen were the ornaments of the King ofDarien.
It was determined to dispatch one of the ships to the island of Jamaicafor a fresh supply of provisions, and in the meantime, through theinfluence of Mr. Paterson, the King of Darien placed the services of alarge body of Indian hunters at his disposal, and these men, throughtheir knowledge of the country and their skill, were able to securegame and fish in abundance when the Scotsmen could get nothing.
As soon as Donalblane had recovered from his wounds, nothing daunted byhis thrilling experience, he devoted himself to hunting, as that suitedhis taste far better than tilling the ground or working on thefortifications.
Keen of eye, quick of ear, light of foot, long of wind, and well-nightireless, he set himself to learn from the Indians their hunting wilesand devices, and was so apt a pupil that ere long he became a match forthe best of them, particularly as his musket and pistols, always keptin perfect order, were immensely superior weapons to their spears andarrows.
The magnificent region round about afforded a hunting-field vast andvaried enough to satisfy the most exacting sportsman. The forests werefull of animals, from the amusing, harmless monkeys up to the fiercewild boar or the terrible jaguar; while the waters fairly teemed withfish, from the delicious mullet up to the gigantic manatee, orsea-cow--if this can be properly called a fish. The first timeDonalblane sa
w a manatee he was filled with amazement--it seemed sohuge, so hideous, so extraordinary a monster; but when he got over hisfirst surprise, he became possessed with the notion of adding one tohis list of trophies.
"Do so, by all means," said Mr. Paterson, when he mentioned his purposeto him. "The manatee's flesh, in spite of the creature's uglyappearance, is equal to the best pork, and we cannot have too much ofit for our hungry people."
"Then I'll just do my verra best to get ye one, and maybe two, for theytell me they are in plenty up yon river," said Donalblane, pointingtowards the so-called Golden River.
"Good luck to you, my lad," rejoined Mr. Paterson, patting him on theshoulder. "Be sure that the chief hunter goes with you, for themanatee can give plenty of trouble, if you do not know how to handlehim."
Donalblane promised to be sure of having Raymon, whose heart he hadalready won by various little kindnesses, and hastened off to makearrangements for a start the following morning. He had no difficultyin securing the co-operation of Raymon, who was only too glad to joinhim, and who undertook to procure a canoe and two of the best paddlersin his tribe. Accordingly, at dawn of the next day Donalblane set outon his hunt for a manatee.