CHAPTER XXI.
CUT OFF FROM THE OUTER WORLD.
The lamp was lit instantly, and without a moment's delay Guy led theparty at full speed down the corridor until the descent was reached.
"Now hurry down, all of you," he cried. "You have a flask of powderabout you, Canaris. Give it to me."
"What are you going to do, Chutney?" asked Melton in alarm.
"Put an end to all pursuit," was the stern reply; and, seizing theflask, he placed it on the ground, and pouring a little powder on astrip of linen torn from the lining of his blouse, he deftly rolled afuse and inserted one end in the mouth of the flask.
His intentions were apparent. The roof and walls of the passage were ofloose earth and stone. A blast would bring them down in an avalanche.
Canaris attempted to expostulate, but Guy drove them all down the slopeand applied a match to the fuse.
It was high time, for up the passage shone the gleam of torches. Theenemy had effected an entrance.
Guy joined his companions on the shore of the river, and almostinstantly a terrific explosion took place. It seemed to rend the earth.A tremendous crash and rumbling noise followed, and then all was quiet.
The concussion put out the lamp, but as soon as it was lighted again Guyran up to see the result of his attempt.
No trace of the passageway existed. In its place was a grim wall ofearth.
The full significance of what he had done now flashed into Guy's mindand he gazed blankly into the faces of his comrades.
"We are buried alive," said Melton bitterly. "We are as dead to theworld as though we were in our coffins."
"We have simply burned our ships behind us, that is all," repliedChutney. "Now for the river and freedom."
They went back and sat down beside the swiftly-flowing water.
"Bless me if I know whether I am on my head or my feet," said SirArthur. "What on earth does this mean?"
"It means that these brave fellows have saved us from a fate worse thandeath," cried the colonel; "that is all I care to know at present."
"I will explain all," said Guy.
He straightway related everything that had happened from the time theywere separated on the way to Harar to the discovery of the undergroundriver and the daring plan for the rescue of the prisoners.
The colonel could scarcely repress his astonishment as he listened tothe wonderful story, and at its conclusion he embraced his rescuerwarmly.
"We owe you our lives," he said fervently. "Never was a braver deedattempted, never was a rescue more marvelously carried out. Ah, I cannever repay the debt. A grateful country will reward you, CaptainChutney. England shall know of your heroism."
"Yes, you are right, colonel," put in Sir Arthur, with a touch of hisold pomposity; "the government shall know how its representative wasdelivered from the hands of these impious fiends. But bless me, I don'tsee that we are so much better off, after all. How are we going to getout of this beastly hole?"
"And what has become of Momba, and Captain Waller, and the Hindoos?"exclaimed Forbes, who had suddenly recollected the missing members ofthe party.
"Lost--all lost," replied the colonel sadly. "They were sold to adistant tribe in the interior two days after we arrived at the village.You see our condition. They have made us work from sunrise to sunset. Wefell ill, and, being of use no longer, they deliberately tried tostarve us to death. It was horrible, horrible!"
"It was a diabolical outrage," interrupted Sir Arthur. "The wholecivilized world will shudder when it knows that the governor of Zailawas fed on tainted meat and spoiled rice, and very little of that, too.If England fails to resent this outrage, I'll cast off my allegiance tothe crown, sir, and become a citizen of some other country. I will, byJove!"
Sir Arthur might have gone on indefinitely with the tale of hisgrievances, but Guy cut him short by calling general attention to theirpresent grave situation.
The supply of provisions was at once overhauled, and the inspectionproved very satisfactory.
Six large bags had been loaded on the camels. Two of these held jerkedbeef, probably buffalo or deer meat, one contained rice, another apeculiar kind of hard cakes made from native corn, and the two remainingwere filled to the top with dates and figs.
"We are assured of food for some time to come," said Guy; "that is oneconsolation. I wish I could feel as certain of light. We have two lamps,and to supply these two big flasks of palm oil, not nearly enough,however, to last us on a long journey. When that is gone, I don't knowwhat we shall do."
"When we stop for rest we shall have to do without light," suggestedMelton. "If we find any places to stop," he added.
"It's beastly chilly in here," observed Sir Arthur, with a shiver. "Twodays in a hole like this will give us all rheumatism."
"Ah," said Melton, "but I have provided for that. See, here are thetrappings from the camels which I brought in while waiting for you." Andhe held up one by one half a dozen richly embroidered rugs and skins,which had belonged to the leaders of the Abyssinians.
This pleasing discovery put them all in better spirits, and it waspresently supplemented by another, which went far to remove the mostformidable obstacle to their journey, for while the canoes were beingexamined Guy found in a far corner of the cavern a great pile oftorches, made from some highly resinous wood. These had evidentlybelonged to the natives who formerly dwelt here, and were used by theminstead of lamps on their journeys to the coast. They were fifty orsixty in number.
"This is a fortunate discovery," said Guy. "With these and the lamps wemay have sufficient light to last out our trip."
"Yes; that removes the last obstacle," rejoined Forbes; "and now Ipropose that we take some refreshment. We have eaten nothing for nearlytwo days."
This was true. The excitement had almost banished hunger from theirthoughts, but Melton's words roused their dormant appetites, and,sitting down beside the canoes, they made a hearty meal and washed itdown with water from the river, which was quite fresh and cold.
"Well," said Guy, when they had all finished and the provisions weretied up and put aside, "it will do us no good to remain here any longer.The river, as you all know, is our only salvation, and the sooner westart on our cruise the better. The natives who once dwelt here arereported to have made journeys down this stream in boats. Is it not so,Canaris?"
"Yes," replied the Greek. "I have heard from the Arabs at Harar that itwas their annual custom to go down to the coast in large rafts or boatswith trading goods, and then return by land."
"But where does this underground river empty?" asked the colonel. "Doesanyone know?"
"It is supposed to reach the Juba," replied Guy, "but whether near themouth of that river or not I cannot say."
"Ah! but that is a very important thing," said the colonel. "I possesssome acquaintance with the geography of this part of Africa. Are youaware that the river Juba is nearly eight hundred miles in length? Itssource, which as yet remains undiscovered, lies only a hundred miles ormore to our west, and it flows to the southeast. This stream before usappears to head in a southwesterly direction as near as I can judge. Itis possible then that it joins the river Juba at a distance less thantwo hundred miles from here. In that event our journey does not appearso formidable."
"Pardon me, sir," said Canaris quickly, "but from what I have been ableto learn this river reaches the Juba at a point, I have heard stated,midway between Bardera and the coast."
"Bardera!" cried the colonel sharply. "Why, Bardera is only two hundredmiles from the sea. According to that, we have a journey before us ofnearly eight hundred miles--a journey underground and on unknown waters.Who can tell what dangers lie before us?"
"We will never get out alive," groaned Sir Arthur. "Never in the world,Carrington. What a blawsted idiot I was to let the government send me tothat beastly hole!"
"And is it impossible to escape by land?" asked the colonel, unheedingthis interruption.
"You forget that we have destroyed our only communi
cation with the outerworld," ventured Forbes. "The river is our sole hope."
"Yes, I had forgotten it, it is true," replied the colonel.
"And were the communication now open," exclaimed Guy, "escape wouldstill be hopeless. This river is navigable, and the existence of thosecanoes proves what I say. I have been in tight places like this before,and if you will trust to my guidance I will do my best to bring youthrough in safety. If we fail, it shall be through no fault of mine."